Most people think entrepreneurship is the risky path. Soon Hagerty believes staying still is riskier. From fleeing Vietnam as a child to building global brands and launching mission driven businesses, Soon shares why strategic resourcefulness, growth mindset, and “unraveling” fear are the real foundations of meaningful success.

Rebecca Matchett has spent her career spotting the gaps others miss. In this companion piece to her Badass Women in Business episode, we explore how her latest venture, Synchrony, is rethinking connection for neurodivergent adults and what founders can learn from building with empathy, trust, and intention.

Deborah Farone has spent her career inside some of the most elite law firms in the world, but what she uncovered applies far beyond the legal industry. At a certain point, expertise stops being enough. The professionals who continue to grow are the ones who learn how to build relationships, create visibility, and generate their own opportunities. In this conversation, Deborah breaks down why business development is a skill, not a personality trait, and how women can approach it in a way that feels natural, not forced.

Most women don’t realize they’re in the Sandwich Generation until they’re already overwhelmed. This conversation breaks down the real pressure, the hidden mental load, and why avoiding hard conversations only makes it worse.

Missy Wright breaks down what actually makes a franchise succeed, why most people get business ownership wrong, and how to build a high level career without sacrificing your life at home.

Melissa Anderson, President of Search.com, shares how choosing the unconventional path shaped her career and led to building and scaling companies across industries. In this episode, she dives into decision-making, risk, AI innovation, and why staying grounded is the key to better leadership and long-term success.

Kirsten Liston, Founder and CEO of Rethink Compliance, shares how she left a secure leadership role to build a company that challenged an entire industry. In this episode, she talks about the mindset required to become a founder, recognizing market opportunities others ignore, and why more is possible than most people believe when building a business.

After thirteen years in corporate leadership, Meredith Farley made the leap into entrepreneurship when a layoff forced a choice between safety and ownership. In this episode of the Badass Women in Business podcast, we talk about the mindset shift from corporate to founder, why so many capable women stay invisible, and how to build credible authority on LinkedIn without burning out.

Season 5 of the Badass Women in Business podcast opens with a grounded, honest conversation about what it really takes to build a business that lasts. Maria Onesto Moran, founder and CEO of Green Home Experts, shares her journey from launching a green retail concept just before the Great Recession to leading a WBE-certified energy efficiency logistics company serving utilities across the Midwest. This episode is about mindfulness, trusting your gut, learning through failure, and building a values-driven company that supports real life, not just growth on paper.