Ladies Who Launch

Ever wondered how to launch a skincare brand? This week’s episode is with Fabienne Sebaoun, founder of Mimétique, who unpacks the raw reality of building a self-funded beauty brand from scratch. We then go into how Fabienne tapped into her science based roots to build a niche within an overcrowded space.From facing university as a mature student to navigating the chaos of a first launch, Fabienne shares the do's, don'ts, and business non-negotiables that shaped Mimétique into a brand built on storytelling and substance.In this episode, we cover:How Fabienne’s science-based background led her to launching building a niche in the crowded beauty space Lesson from building Mimétique completely self fundedHow storytelling and brand identity became her edge in an oversaturated marketDo's and don'ts of launching a modern brand and managing the conflict that comes with itFabienne’s top tip for solo foundersIf you’re an aspiring founder looking to launch in the beauty space, this one’s for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Meet The Mimétique Founder01:55 Dermatology Family Roots07:16 Going Back to University at 4013:03 From Lab Vials to Le Bon Marché15:38 The Challenges Of A Self Funded Launch 17:44 Building the Team 23:27 Designing the French Pharmacy Look27:00 Founder Dos and Donts33:06 Letting Go to Grow35:18 Fabienne’s Five Year Vision41:49 Rocket Round 47:46 Mentors And Dream Collaborations50:22 Wrap Up🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.FOLLOW FABIENNE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabienne_sebaoun/Mimétique: https://www.instagram.com/mimetiqueskin/FOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

This week, we’re joined by Georgie Le Roux, founder and CEO of Gigi & Olive, the luxury bridal and personalised gifting brand that has grown through four major business pivots and over 85% year-on-year growth.In this episode, Georgie shares the behind-the-scenes reality of building a product based business from manually managing personalised orders in Google Sheets to scaling a luxury brand, navigating operational chaos, and the £30,000 Meta Ads mistake that nearly derailed Black Friday.We also dive into why profit matters more than revenue, how to know when it's time to pivot, building a community-first brand, and the founder lessons no one talks about.In this episode, we cover:The £30,000 Meta Ads horror story every founder should hearWhy Gigi & Olive pivoted four times before finding its winning modelThe operational reality of running a personalised product businessWhy chasing revenue can be a dangerous growth strategyHow customer obsession became Gigi & Olive's biggest competitive advantageThe Gigi & Olive podcast is launching September 2026Building a luxury brand through community, not just marketingThe mindset shifts every founder needs to scale with confidenceWhether you're building an e-commerce brand, scaling a business, or simply love hearing the real stories behind successful founders, this episode is packed with honest lessons and practical insights.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Meet Georgie Le Roux, founder of Gigi & Olive01:57 Introducing Gigi & Olive05:47 How to Track Trends in Products07:31 First Big Pivot to Own Designs09:25 Building Personalisation Operations14:06 Scaling Without Chaos19:46 Serving the Same Customer in Multiple Ways26:49 Meta Ads Horror Story28:43 Building Brand Through Word Of Mouth30:40 Next Business Pivots & Mindset33:15 Building Luxury in Crowded Market40:30 Building a Strong Brand Intentionally 41:24 The Gigi & Olive Podcast43:35 Rocket Round 46:01 Phone Habits And Sleep47:30 Profit Over Top Line53:56 Financial Priorities And AI56:47 Founder Boundaries As A Mum59:32 Niche Brand Power Move🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.#AD Powered by  @StarlingBankApp  Find out more about Starling Business here: https://bit.ly/44sEaMf: FOLLOW GEORGIE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgieleroux/Gigi and Olive: https://www.instagram.com/gigiandolive_/FOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

In this week's episode of Ladies Who Launch, Frankie James unpacks her founder story, from the uncertainty of figuring out a career path as a young adult to building Ideas Fest into a must-attend industry event. We get into turning setbacks into strategy, mastering assertive communication, navigating the grey area between business and friendship, and the financial tools every founder needs to know.In this episode, we cover:Frankie's founder journey from career uncertainty to building Ideas FestHow to turn setbacks into strategic opportunitiesNetworking, rapport-building, and navigating the blurred lines between business and relationshipsGaining the confidence to be assertive in the business worldFinancial support tools, top tips, and how to be a strong team playerIf you’ve ever wanted to start a business but don’t know where to begin, this one’s for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Meet Frankie James02:33 Finding Your Path12:44 Family Business Dynamics15:31 An Intro To Ideas Fest 17:08 Pandemic Spark & First Festival Launch21:53 Building A Founder Community31:55 What’s Next For Ideas Fest35:59 Rocket Round 36:11 Community Non Negotiables 39:31 Hiring For Vibe, Not Titles43:45 Adopting The ‘Why Not Me’ Mindset54:48 Frankie’s Top Tips🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.#AD Powered by @StarlingBankApp  Find out more about Starling Business here: https://bit.ly/44sEaMf: FOLLOW FRANKIE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankie_j4y/Ideas Fest: https://www.instagram.com/ideas_fest/FOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

In this week's episode of Ladies Who Launch, Rochelle breaks down why the brands that win don't just sell products, they build worlds. This solo branding masterclass covers the full journey, from defining the consumer experience you want to create, to showing up consistently as the brand you've built, and learning when to ignore outside noise versus when a trend is actually worth your energy. Rochelle walks through finding your creative direction, choosing a brand colour that carries meaning, getting fonts and typography right, and the principle that anchors it all; branding for the customer you want, not the one you already have.In this episode, we cover:Building a world, not just a brand Showing up consistently as the brand you've createdIgnoring outside noise and knowing when a trend is actually worth your energyHow to find your creative and visual direction through brand colour, fonts, and typographyBranding for the customer you want, not the one you already haveIf you’ve always dreamed of creating a brand but don’t know where to start, this one’s for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Branding Masterclass Intro01:01 World Building Basics03:41 Prioritising Feelings Before Design04:34 Consistency Over Trends09:00 Founder Storytelling10:38 Colors, Fonts, and Copy14:00 How To Design For Your Future Customer16:14 Final Thoughts🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.#AD Powered by @starlingbankappFOLLOW ROCHELLE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rochellehumes/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rochellehumes?lang=en-GBFOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

In this week's episode of Ladies Who Launch, Rochelle sits down with communication expert Amira Quaye to unpack why so many women struggle to hold their own in high-stakes rooms. From being labelled "bossy" versus "headstrong" to the exhaustion of over-explaining and the quiet friction between male and female language. Amira breaks down how to unlearn old habits, reduce filler words, reframe your email language, and navigate difficult conversations without shrinking. Plus, her six fundamentals of communication for finding your voice in any environment.In this episode, we cover:Owning your voice in high-stakes rooms; why women get labelled "bossy", and how to hold your own without shrinkingUnlearning old habits, over-explaining, filler words, and the tension between male vs female languageReframing your written communication by stripping apologetic language from emails and finding authorityNavigating difficult conversations and managing the feelings that come with confrontation in both personal and professional lifeAmira's six fundamentals of communication for finding and projecting your voice If you’ve ever struggled to find your voice and speak your truth, this one’s for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction to Amira01:08 What is a Communication Expert?06:01 Understanding your communication style12:12 Unlearning Needs and Emotions14:58 Why We Over Explain 19:50 Male vs Female communication stigmas24:23 Filler Words and Rephrasing Your tone on email31:57 Holding Your Own in a room38:00 Handling Awkward Silences40:43 Why We Avoid Conflict44:23 How to approach Difficult Conversations 49:03 Assertive vs Defensive52:09 Difficult Talk No Nos57:03 Amira’s 6 Communication Fundamentals01:03:48 Top Communication Tip01:05:32 Wrap Up🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.#AD Powered by @starlingbankappFOLLOW AMIRA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_communicationexpert/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the_communicationexpertFOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

Rochelle Humes sits down with JSHealth founder, Jessica Sepel, to unpack her experience of diet culture and how it failed an entire generation of women. She built JSHealth to offer women access to nutrition in a healthy way. From her first experience with nutrition to building a global, female-first supplement company without investment, Jessica shares the untold story behind the brand that put women's health first.This conversation covers the real work behind building a brand that puts quality first. We cover everything from ingredients, building a community of trusted women and what she’s learnt about leading a growing team.In this episode, we cover:Jessica's first experience with nutrition, how diet culture failed women and teenagers, and where JSHealth was rooted fromStarting JSHealth as a first-to-market, female-first vitamin company, bootstrapped from day one with no investorsGenerating hype, protecting customer trust in an unregulated industry, and enforcing quality control from the startDeveloping the skills to lead, setting boundaries as a founder, and the morning and evening routines that keep her groundedThe evolution of science for women's health and Jessica's financial advice for foundersIf you've ever felt let down by the wellness industry, this one's for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Introducing Jessica Sepel01:32 Early Diet Struggles07:22 Choosing Your Nutrition Path12:34 Spotting The Supplements Gap 21:06 First 2000 Bottles Sold24:09 Scaling Without Pressure27:14 From Local To Global29:45 Build Through Quality33:30 Bootstrapped Scrappy Growth39:31 Nighttime Switch Off Routine44:17 Creating Mornings Without Chaos47:34 Boundaries For Founders49:57 Future Of Women’s Health54:19 Rocket Round 01:01:17 Mentors And Box On01:03:00 Confidence Around Money 01:10:37 Prioritising Customer Retention01:19:17 Wrap Up🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.#AD Powered by Starling BankAccess Starling Bank here: https://bit.ly/44sEaMfFOLLOW JESSICA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jshealth/reels/?hl=enJSHealth: https://www.instagram.com/jshealthvitamins/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jshealthvitaminshttps://uk.jshealthvitamins.com/FOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@WeareladieswholaunchDisclaimer: JSHealth Vitamins formulas vary by regionLadies Who Launch listeners get 20% off JSHealth. Use the code LWL at checkout: https://uk.jshealthvitamins.com/?utm_source=UKTalent&utm_medium=LadiesWhoLaunch&utm_campaign=LadiesWhoLaunchadd

In this week's episode of Ladies Who Launch, Nicola Elliott, founder of NEOM, takes us behind the scenes of building a brand in a category that barely existed when she started. From the early days of product creation to scaling to 150 products, 150 employees, and £45M in annual turnover, Nicola gets into the mechanics of strategically building for long-term growth. We unpack the real decisions most founders agonise over: the benefits of taking investment versus staying self-funded, and the personal sacrifices that come as a direct consequence of business ambition.Beyond the numbers, this conversation digs into what makes NEOM genuinely stick, how Nicola has built a deep consumer-to-brand connection at scale, and perhaps more importantly, how she's designed the business around the life she actually wants to live. It's an honest, tactical conversation for founders who want to build something substantial without losing themselves in the process.In this episode, we cover:The journey of starting & building NEOMBuilding in a ‘unique’ category150 products, 150 employees, £45M in annual turnover Strategically building for long term growth, not paceBenefits of investment vs self funding Real life sacrifices as a consequence of business Creating consumer x brand connectionDesigning business around your lifeWe Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction00:43 Before Wellness Was a Thing03:41 Anxiety Sparking the NEOM Idea06:15 From Blends to NEOM08:27 First Products and Candles11:40 Green Lights to Quitting Your 9-514:29 Building the Right Team17:58 Creating a New Category23:11 Retailer Placement Challenges26:32 Sponsor Break: Starling Tools27:42 Scaling With Steady Growth33:33 Slow Growth Wins34:00 Realities of Raising Money35:50 Founder Lifestyle Questions36:58 Motherhood While Building a Business40:01 Sacrifice And Seasons41:50 Work That Feeds You43:06 Protecting Brand Identity47:32 Customer Moments Strategy49:06 Founder Role Today52:39 Realistic Wellness Positioning53:47 Future Growth And Collabs55:56 Rocket Round58:15 Curating Your Circle59:35 Patience Builds Brands01:00:34 Nicola’s Dream Collab 01:02:00 Finding A Mentor01:03:14 Founder Money Habits01:07:21 Financial Myths Debunked01:09:30 Profitability Over Hype01:12:23 Design Success Your Way01:14:55 Nicola’s Ideal Lunch 01:17:49 Wrap Up And Subscribe🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.#AD Powered by  @StarlingBankApp Access Starling Bank here: https://bit.ly/44sEaMfFOLLOW NICOLAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolaelliottneom/NEOM: https://www.instagram.com/neomwellbeing/FOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

In this week's episode of Ladies Who Launch, Penelope Cheshire takes us back to where it all began: an £8,000 leap of faith funded by selling her partner's Rolex, and a belief that premium hair extensions didn't have to feel exclusive or unapproachable. What followed was a masterclass in retail grit, from cold-pitching salons and building a team from the ground up, to navigating investment rooms where beauty wasn't taken seriously, and a partnership with Molly-Mae that sent the business into a different stratosphere. Penelope gets refreshingly honest about what actually happens during and after an exit, why she's channeling everything she learned into her next venture Killer Brush, and the moments that shaped her as a founder along the way.In this episode, we cover:The build of Beauty Works from an £8,000 Rolex watch saleBusiness growth through hair salonsFacing stereotypes against the beauty industryBehind the Molly-Mae partnershipThe story of the Beauty Works sellLaunching her new business, Killa BrushIf you’re a founder with an idea mixed with grit and determination, this episode is for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Meet Penelope Cheshire, Founder of Beauty Works05:35 Beginning of Beauty Works 06:38 Selling My Partners Rolex to Start11:17 First Big Retail Order18:42 Rejected by Investors23:47 Creating a Premium Positioning29:28 Behind The Molly Mae Partnership35:49 Leadership & Letting Go47:38 The Truth Behind Leaving Beauty Works57:57 Private Equity Reality Check01:01:37 Starting Killa Brush01:12:12 Sharing Entrepreneurship Truths01:15:40 Rocket Round 01:22:57 Final Advice & Wrap🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.FOLLOW PENELOPEPenelope’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/penelopecheshire/Killa Brush: https://www.instagram.com/killabrushofficial/Killa Brush Website: www.killabrush.comFOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

In this week's episode of Ladies Who Launch, Rochelle sits down with Hanushka Toni, to unpack her journey from law to launching Sellier, the luxury handbag brand that caught the attention of Flannels and the moment her Jane Birkin auction went viral.She also gets candid about building a business alongside family, the realities of entrepreneurship no one talks about, and her bold move into feminine hygiene with JUICE, breaking taboos in real time.In this episode, we cover:How Hanushka transitioned from Law to luxury retailBuilding luxury handbag retailer, Selier Behind the Jane Birkin auction Effectively growing a business through social media Benefits of the Sellier x Flannels partnershipWhat people are getting wrong about entrepreneurshipIntroducing JUICE and taboos around feminine hygiene Whether you're a founder, a creator, or someone with a big idea and no idea where to start, this one is for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Introducing Hanushka 03:24 Building Sellier09:10 Creating Virality on Social14:12 Behind The Jane Birkin Auction20:50 Viral Marketing Playbook25:21 Behind The Flannels Partnership Expansion28:00 Navigating Motherhood & Ambition31:25 Introducing JUICE33:09 Handling Business Criticism37:58 Redefining Success40:18 Embrace The Cringe41:22 Rocket Round Advice🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.FOLLOW HANUSHKAHanushka’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hanushkaa/Sellier: https://www.instagram.com/sellierknightsbridge/JUICE: https://www.instagram.com/wearejuicers/ FOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch