“You truly kept going. You learned along the way. And guess what? You asked for help. You figured things out. And I know we sound like a broken record here, but so many wins, so many plot twists. And once again, you're still here.”
In this special year-end episode of Startups in Stilettos, Ingrid Zapata-Read and Carlyn Bushman look back on the moments that defined this year—not the polished highlight reels, but the raw, powerful conversations that reminded us what entrepreneurship actually looks like behind the scenes.From embracing uncomfortable seasons and redefining success, to breaking money taboos, owning your voice, navigating male-dominated rooms, and learning to read your numbers without fear—this episode is a highlight reel of six mic-drop moments from 2025 that made us pause, nod, laugh, and immediately text a friend.
What we talked about:
Jac White [1:51]
Ari Kzrzyek [4:13]
Gloria Govan[6:32]
Melissa Armstrong [8:54]
The Laurens [11:03]
Natalie Rosado [13:53]
Join hundreds of ambitious, purpose-driven founders at The PGA National Resort for a life-changing weekend of inspiration, motivation, and transformation for the 2026 Founders Weekend!
Connect with Carlyn:
@carlynbushmanconsulting on Instagram
Carlyn Bushman on LinkedIn
Carlyn Bushman Consulting
Connect with Ingrid:
@itsingridsworld on Instagram
Ingrid Zapata-Read on Linkedin
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Guests
Jac White
Gloria Govan
Ari Krzyzek
Melissa Armstrong
Lauren Shaw
Lauren Capwell
Natalie Rosado
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.
Richelle Pena
Richelle is a pharmacist with extensive management and corporate experience at Target Corporation, specializing in recruitment, acquisitions, leadership, and operations. She is the Co-Founder and Former Director of Corporate Development at American Pediatric Dental Group, which she exited for eight figures, and Co-Founder of HealthBiz Mastery, an online health business course for healthcare providers, and the HealthBiz Connect community. A recognized business expert and NBC contributor, she’s been featured on GMA, CNN, Pix 11, Good Day Washington, to name a few. Richelle is also the co-author of The Power Couple.
Ingrid Zapata Read
Grow With Community
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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