Insights Into Mastering Event Management | Amanda Ma
Wonder Podcast: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Change the World
Release Date: 11/17/2024
Wonder Podcast: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Change the World
Ryan Crownholm is an army veteran, serial entrepreneur, and founder of MySitePlan.com and DirtMatch.com. He is also the president and founder of Crown Capital Adventures Inc. When a runaway truck left him with a shattered femur and punctured lungs on a California hillside, he almost lost everything. Watching his business thrive without him from a hospital bed, Ryan discovered the leadership lesson that would change everything: Knowing firsthand how broken the construction industry was, he turned that experience into technology that now serves over 70,000 customers nationwide. Listen in as Ryan...
info_outlineWonder Podcast: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Change the World
Julie Smolyansky is the CEO of Lifeway Foods, an Illinois-based dairy company that is the leading U.S. supplier of kefir. After her father, Michael Smolyansky, passed away in 2002, Julie took over the company at 27 years old and became the youngest female CEO of a publicly held firm. Julie and her parents immigrated to the U.S. from the Soviet Union in her infancy and credits her upbringing with her success. Under her leadership, Julie transformed the company into a multinational firm, growing their revenue from US$12 million to US$210 million in 2025. She is also an activist against sexual...
info_outlineWonder Podcast: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Change the World
Gayle Jones, an Emmy-winning sports producer for two decades, founded FuelBoxx, which offers snack kits for student athletes. After realizing that her own teen athletes depended on junk food for energy, she thought there must be a better way to get them the nutrition they need to perform. FuelBoxx helps bridge the gap between professional and student athletes by providing kits developed by sports dietitians to optimize performance. For every kit sold, another is donated to communities without equitable access to healthy food. Gayle shares her experiences with fundraising, her goals for scaling...
info_outlineWonder Podcast: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Change the World
Erin Fletter is the founder and CEO of Sticky Fingers Cooking, which offers fun, informative, and healthy cooking classes for children. In this episode, learn how Erin grew her kitchen-table idea into a business that has taught over 200,000 kids. She shares her journey from running cooking classes without kitchens to building and sustaining growth, and how she empowers women with her franchising model. Timestamps: 00:21 Meet Erin Fletter 01:56 Sticky Fingers Cooking 04:52 Cooking Classes Without Kitchens 07:55 Scrappy Beginnings 10:21 Empowering Women Entrepreneurs 11:35 The Franchise Model...
info_outlineWonder Podcast: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Change the World
Morgan Wijay is the founder of After the Game, a life coaching program for young athletes and their families. In this episode, Morgan shares insights from her journey in the world of youth sports. She has been a player, a coach, a mentor, a parent, and a business owner. Listen in as she shares how her experiences shape her methods and how she uses that experience to help young athletes become the best version of themselves. Through After the Game, she guides athletes and their families through the trials and tribulations of youth sports and prepares them for life after sports. ...
info_outlineWonder Podcast: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Change the World
Matthew Pollard, aka the Rapid Growth® Guy, joins the podcast to talk about how introverts can excel at sales. As an introvert himself, Matthew provides insights into how introverts thrive through continuous improvement and structured processes. His own personal success is proof -- having been responsible for five multibillion-dollar success stories of his own. He’s the founder of the Small Business Festival, which is listed by Inc. as one of the top five business conferences in the U.S. He is also an international keynote speaker, author, and podcast host. Listen in! Timestamps: 01:17 The...
info_outlineWonder Podcast: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Change the World
Iva Chen is the CEO of IOC Design & Consulting. She is also the Chief Development Officer of Lady Luck Gourmet, which owns and operates Go Bistro and Mama Go’s Filipino Cuisine (formerly Goldilocks Filipino Cuisine) in the San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Her team also opened the first independently owned Panda Express in SFO. As a mother of two children, an Army ROTC bootcamp grad, ex-Deloitte CPA, and triathlete, Iva has a unique perspective on discipline, creativity, and balancing business and life. Listen in! Timestamps: 01:08 Meet Iva 03:43 Family Business 09:22...
info_outlineWonder Podcast: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Change the World
Dr. Valerie Karno is a professor and a tech entrepreneur. She is the co-founder of Ambience Search™, the very first mood-based search engine. Valerie opens up about how her time in academia drove her to tackle the growing issue of mental health and wellbeing. Dr. Karno talks about how Ambience Search™ helps people tailor their online experience based on how they want to feel. She touches on why things like personal control, being mindful, and building connections hold so much weight in our digital world today. Listen in and discover insights on coming up with new ideas, pushing through...
info_outlineWonder Podcast: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Change the World
Susan Nichols is the founder of SWAND®, a 4-in-1 candle care tool. She is also the inventor of Yogitoes, a renowned yoga mat towel brand. With a focus on sustainability, Susan shares her experiences in building Yogitoes and SWAND. Listen in as she talks about the challenges of entrepreneurship, from securing patents, navigating manufacturing hurdles, and building a strong brand with a strong sense of identity. Timestamps: 01:21 Yogitoes to SWAND® 02:22 Starting Yogitoes 04:09 Patenting 25:18 Inspiration Behind SWAND® 31:50 Candle Care Tips and Tricks 32:54 The Philosophy 34:25 The...
info_outlineWonder Podcast: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Change the World
Jerome Chang is the founder of BLANKSPACES, an early pioneer in the coworking space. He is also the co-founder of the League of Extraordinary Coworking (LExC), the first national network of coworking spaces. In this episode, he shares his journey building BLANKSPACES, his vision for collaborative work environments, and how his work is shaping the future of coworking communities. Listen in! Timestamps: 01:32 Meet Jerome 01:48 The Start of Coworking Spaces 04:18 Birth of BLANKSPACES 09:57 COVID-19 and Office Work 11:10 Flexibility and Community 19:31 Challenges and Successes in the...
info_outlineAmanda Ma is the founder and CEO of Innovate Marketing Group, an award-winning corporate event agency based in Los Angeles. With over 20 years of experience, Amanda has worked with top brands like Google, TikTok, and East West Bank. Amanda is devoted to community leadership, serving on multiple boards and advisory councils. Listen in as she shares insight about what goes into corporate event hosting, how she managed her company through the pandemic, and how to find a work-life balance.
Timestamps:
01:32 Intro to Amanda
03:19 How It All Started
05:18 Creating Impactful and Intentional Events
07:29 Building Trust
10:04 Innovative Ideas and Trends
16:07 Balancing Work and Family Life
20:09 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
22:52 Overcoming Business Challenges
25:12 Pandemic Pivoting
27:58 Looking Forward
Links:
Innovate Marketing Group: https://innovatemkg.com/
Amanda’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandamaimg/
Amanda’s Website: https://amandama.co/