Bootstrapping Success: Kathleen Mundy on Scaling 5 Franchises in 5 Years
Women's Million Dollar Conversations
Release Date: 01/09/2024
Fire Yourself: The "Systems Simplified" Path to Your First Million with Adi Klevit
Women's Million Dollar Conversations
Are you a CEO or just the world's most overworked employee in your own company? In this episode of Women’s Million Dollar Conversations, Alice Tang is joined by Adi Klevit, an Industrial Engineer and the visionary behind Business Success Consulting Group, to discuss how to stop being the bottleneck and start being the leader. Adi has spent over 30 years helping entrepreneurs step out of the daily grind and into the freedom they actually started their businesses for. If you feel like your business would crumble if you took a two-week vacation, this conversation is your...
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Stop Blocking Your Own Success: Mastering Your Inner Champion with Dorice Horenstein
Women's Million Dollar Conversations
Are your own thoughts holding you back from your first million? In this episode of Women’s Million Dollar Conversations, Alice Tang sits down with international keynote speaker, author, and mental fitness expert Dorice Horenstein to uncover the "saboteurs" that interfere with our success. Dorice shares her powerful journey from a 30-year career in education to becoming a "Mental Fitness" powerhouse, helping leaders move from "Oy to Joy". Learn why negative emotions are actually helpful alerts, how your "energy radius" affects everyone around you, and the practical...
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The Secret to the Million Dollar Mountain: Why Alice Tang is Pulling Others Up
Women's Million Dollar Conversations
"When you make a decision that you can do it, your help will come." - Alice Tang In this special role-reversal episode, guest host Laura Salerno Owens sits down with the visionary behind Women’s Million Dollar Conversations (WMDC), Alice Tang. After interviewing over 60 high-achieving women, Alice reflects on her own journey and how the WMDC project has shaped her views on financial freedom, building meaningful community, and leaving a legacy that endures for generations. We dive deep into: Wealth Beyond Money: Why your health and time are invaluable currencies. Shedding the Joneses: How to...
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The $1 Billion Vision: How Chasing Impact Built a Million-Dollar Brand | Kim Thanos
Women's Million Dollar Conversations
Can you save students $1 billion while building a million-dollar company? In this episode of Women's Million Dollar Conversations, Alice Tang sits down with Kim Thanos, CEO of Lumen Learning. Kim shares how she moved from a stable career at HP to founding a company that replaces traditional textbooks with digital learning software that supports better student outcomes at a fraction of the cost. Inside this episode: • The $1 Million Milestone: How Lumen Learning reached seven figures in revenue within three years. • Detaching from the "Baby": Why viewing your company...
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Best Career Advice: Go Where It’s Messy & Challenging - Kristi McFarland
Women's Million Dollar Conversations
Is your career path a straight line or a patchwork quilt? Kristi McFarland explains why she intentionally seeks out "challenging and messy" problems to solve. Alice Tang dives into how a non-traditional career path—spanning HR, Marketing, and Strategy—can lead to a million-dollar milestone and a deeply fulfilling life. Key Takeaways: • Challenge the Status Quo: Why the "good stuff" is hidden in complex problems. • Sailing Toward Success: Why your journey doesn't have to look like anyone else's. • Investing in Innovation: How Kristi supports women entrepreneurs and local art. • The...
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How "Fire Starters" Change the Narrative with Dana Frank
Women's Million Dollar Conversations
"Our family didn’t just break barriers, they shattered them." Dana Frank was raised by "Fire Starters"—individuals who change their narrative regardless of birth circumstances. Today, she joins Alice Tang to discuss her book, "Get Up and Get On It," and the grit required to maintain a family business through recessions, systemic racism, and personal trials. Key Takeaways: • Why "equity grows and cash erodes." • The power of "Amplify Injustice" in business and community. • Strategic Philanthropy: Why you can't receive with a clenched fist. • Dana’s advice for women: "Don't just...
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Qualified: Shari Dunn on the 80/20 Business Reality of Book Publishing
Women's Million Dollar Conversations
How much is your reputation actually worth? Join Alice Tang as she speaks with Shari Dunn, author of Qualified, about the "millions of dollars" sitting in your current network. Shari reveals her transition from nonprofit leadership to hitting seven-figure revenue in her second year of consulting. Learn why showing up consistently as your authentic self creates a financial backstop for your future and why Shari believes in sharing the "secrets" of success with everyone. In this episode, you’ll learn: The Network Asset: Why your professional history has a specific financial value that can...
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The Pregnancy Penalty: Jigna Kapadia on Overcoming Career Setbacks in Corporate America
Women's Million Dollar Conversations
Motherhood should not be a professional obstacle, yet many women face a "pregnancy penalty." Jigna Kapadia joins Women’s Million Dollar Conversations to discuss the raw reality of losing up to two years of career momentum with each pregnancy. Jigna shares anecdotes about office "rumor mills" and managers who assumed she wouldn't return to work after having kids. Discover her tactical advice on standing up for yourself without being abrasive, and why she is now openly discussing menopause in the workplace to normalize real-life experiences for senior leaders. In this episode, you’ll learn:...
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Putting Your Oxygen Mask On First: Kristin Bauer on Preventing Burnout
Women's Million Dollar Conversations
Are you pushing yourself too hard for immediate results? Join Alice Tang as she speaks with Kristin Bauer, VP at Bank of the Pacific, about the long game of professional success. Kristin reveals how she landed a $5 million client account and why she had to learn to be her own best advocate to overcome her "inner enemy." Learn why Kristin believes you must put on your own "oxygen mask" first to be effective for your family and your team, and how a "marathon mindset" can sustain you through the long journey of a 16-year banking career. In this episode, you’ll learn: The Oxygen Mask...
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Building Generational Wealth: Jessica Porter on Creating a Legacy for the Next Generation
Women's Million Dollar Conversations
How do you go from feeling like an outsider to leading multi-million dollar financial deals? Join Alice Tang as she speaks with Jessica Porter, partner at BPG Wealth Management and co-founder of The 401k Girls. Jessica reveals the internal struggle of entering a new industry from a blue-collar background and how she overcame the "perfectionist trap" to secure a $5 million retirement plan. Learn why Jessica believes your personal struggles can actually be your greatest professional benefit and how to build the confidence to "stack" successes one step at a time. In this episode, you’ll learn:...
info_outlineHow do you go from a devastating personal and professional split to owning a million-dollar franchise empire? Join Alice Tang as she speaks with Kathleen Mundy, who shares her powerful story of "getting the kid while he got the company". Kathleen reveals how she bootstrapped five pizza stores in five years after banks refused to lend to her, and why she threw away her fur coats for an apron to secure her daughter's future. Learn why Kathleen "loves nos" and how she built a legacy as a role model for women in business.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
The Bootstrap Strategy: How Kathleen scaled five franchises in five years without traditional bank support.
Turning Bias into Fuel: Why being underestimated by colleagues and lenders became a primary motivator to prove them wrong.
Transition Planning: The necessity of preparing for a business exit at least two years in advance.
The "Water's Edge" Process: A tactical method for quieting the mind to make high-stakes life and business decisions.
Key Moments
01:23 – The Turning Point: Kathleen discusses becoming a single mom and the shift from employee to owner.
02:22 – Building the Empire: Deciding to scale from one store to five within five years.
03:57 – The Million Threshold: Realizing she was just $150 away from her first seven-figure investment mark.
05:52 – Cash vs. Equity: Understanding the difference between cash in the bank and business assets.
07:55 – Navigating Institutional Bias: Why the banks wouldn't talk to a single mother and how she overcame it.
09:32 – The Strategy of "No": Kathleen explains why a "no" just means you haven't found the right path yet.
13:08 – Being a Role Model: The responsibility Kathleen felt toward her 75 employees and future female leaders.
14:50 – The Water's Edge: How Kathleen uses nature to process advice and make final decisions.
17:09 – Proving the Critics Wrong: Dealing with the judgment of colleagues when moving from a "big life" to an apron and visor.
18:48 – Forging Your Own Way: Kathleen’s final advice on staying true to your beliefs.