Julie Smolyansky on Resilience, Gut Health, and Leading Lifeway Foods
At just 27 years old, Julie Smolyansky became the youngest female CEO of a publicly traded company when she took over Lifeway Foods after her father’s sudden passing. Two decades later, she has grown the company into a $185M global brand while bringing kefir and gut health into the American mainstream. In this episode of Badass Women in Business, Julie shares her journey from Soviet refugee to resilient leader, how wellness and mindfulness fuel her success, and why innovation and self-care are non-negotiables in business and life.
From Wartime Mission to Scalable Impact: How Anne Marie Dougherty is Redefining Nonprofit Leadership
Anne Marie Dougherty grew the Bob Woodruff Foundation from $4.3 million to nearly $40 million by applying a business lens to nonprofit work. In this episode, she shares how data, strategy, and personal connection drive her approach to funding veteran support programs, forging long-term corporate partnerships, and preparing for the evolving mental health needs of military families.