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“These are my core values. And then whether or not that eventually gets shared with partners down the road, it's kind of like your own North Star.”
What happens when one woman decides to solve her own loneliness—and ends up building a 70,000-member community? In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, hosts Carlyn Bushman and Ingrid Zapata-Read sit down with Emily Dempsey, founder of The Brickell Babes, one of South Florida’s fastest-growing women’s communities.
What began as a simple happy hour for women looking to make friends quickly evolved into a powerful networking ecosystem hosting more than 200 events and attracting tens of thousands of members. Emily shares how she turned an organic community into a thriving business after receiving up to 60 partnership requests a week—and the systems, strategy, and mindset shifts required to scale.
The conversation dives into the realities of building a modern community brand: balancing personal branding with a growing platform, managing multiple digital spaces like Facebook and WhatsApp, and building a support team that keeps engagement high without burning out.
What We Talked About:
A Change of Scenery [3:17]
Using Your Own Backyard [7:14]
All About Branding [14:22]
Difference in Communities [18:58]
What Does Support Look Like [24:00]
Connect with Emily:
@emilydempsey on Instagram
Emily Dempsey On LinkedIn
Emily’s podcast, Stacked Assets
Connect with Carlyn:
@carlynbushmanconsulting on Instagram
Carlyn Bushman on LinkedIn
Connect with Ingrid:
@itsingridsworld on Instagram
Ingrid Zapata-Read on Linkedin
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Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos
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Guests
Emily Dempsey
Hosts
Carlyn Bushman
Carlyn Bushman is a seasoned business consultant, entrepreneur, and advocate for female founders. She founded POP Business Academy to empower women entrepreneurs with tools for building sustainable, profitable businesses. As CEO of Carlyn Bushman Consulting, she specializes in helping product- and service-based business owners navigate financials, marketing, and growth strategies. With extensive corporate experience, Carlyn, a mom in a blended family and lifelong learner, has been featured on Good Morning America and in Times Square. She's here to help you make money and stay in business.
Ingrid Zapata Read
Ingrid Zapata Read is a community strategist and founder of Grow With Community. She helps businesses get closer to the people they serve and build stronger, more intentional relationships around their mission.
After building a global community for moms of over 200,000 members, and through her experience in sales, startups, and customer experience, Ingrid brings a people-first perspective to growth across industries. She’s known for her thoughtful, practical approach and believes community building should be a part of every business strategy.
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