Overcoming adversity is a hallmark of any successful entrepreneur. For women in business, the road is often fraught with additional obstacles. However, many female entrepreneurs have not just overcome crises but have turned them into stepping stones to greater success. In this article, we share their compelling stories.
Katie Muehlenkamp
Katie Muehlenkamp is the owner of The Bar Method Brooklyn, a fitness studio that incorporates elements of Pilates, yoga, and other strength training techniques into workouts. Having a career in politics working in various sectors, she discovered The Bar Method in 2010 while living in San Francisco. A competitive gymnast growing up, she appreciated the unique combination of strength and grace offered by the Bar Method. She moved back to Brooklyn in 2014 to bring the Bar Method to her hometown.
Crisis: Operating her studios during the COVID-19 pandemic was Katie’s most significant challenge. For more than two years, she was constantly worried about being able to keep her studios open and the health of her family, clients, and staff. She endured severe revenue losses, managed employee and client fears, and expectations regarding health and safety, and dealt with a lack of clarity from government entities about how to operate during a global health crisis.
Lesson: Recognizing that the industry was at the brink of collapse, Katie organized a press conference to lobby the Mayor of New York City to let them open their doors a year after they had closed them. She argued that fitness studios could operate as safely as everyone else and that it was necessary for their survival. Following this, she also worked with Self Esteem Brands, her franchisor, to lobby Congress to pass the GYMS Act, which would have provided dedicated funding for gyms and studios since they had been so severely impacted by the pandemic.
Sascha Mayer
Sascha Mayer is the co-founder of Mamava, a company dedicated to reducing breastfeeding barriers by providing freestanding lactation pods at work and on-the-go.
Crisis: The advent of the pandemic hit hard on their business as travel was restricted and workplaces went remote. The very places that needed their pods were now deserted.
Lesson: Despite the daunting situation, Mamava realized that their pods served a critical function for many essential workers who were also mothers. They swiftly adapted to the situation, worked closely with their partners to provide lactation spaces, and created free breastfeeding resources for parents. The pandemic made them more resilient and innovative, resulting in a new and improved workplace lactation pod better suited for pumping parents and their employers.
Socials: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn
Mamava app: iOS | Android
Dorothy Crenshaw
Dorothy Crenshaw is the founder of Crenshaw Communications, a boutique tech PR firm. With a strong background in PR and marketing, she has worked with many high-profile clients in technology, retail, consumer products, and health promotion. Prior to starting her own firm, Dorothy was President of Stanton Crenshaw Communications for over a decade, where she helped transform it into a premier mid-sized New York PR agency. She was also the Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Worldwide Consumer Marketing at the PR unit of Grey Advertising. Dorothy was named one of the industry’s 100 Most Powerful Women by PR Week.
Crisis: Two years into the life of Crenshaw Communications, the firm faced a significant crisis when it lost its largest client, a global consumer electronics brand, which accounted for 40% of its revenues. This loss felt like a death blow to the young company and it led to months of intense struggle and attempted adjustments, including cutting expenses to the bone and even briefly partnering with a new business guru who proved to be a bad fit for the team.
Lesson: The crisis led to a profound realization for Dorothy: she needed to refocus the business. She recognized the rapidly changing landscape of her industry, with consumer electronics dwindling and the software and app economies growing. Dorothy decided to target different clients – businesses that were more flexible, more entrepreneurial, and more in tune with the technology of the future. This new focus led the firm to work with a tech startup based in Germany, which they successfully promoted and eventually helped to sell to a larger company. This success sparked a positive chain reaction and the company grew, eventually replacing the revenue lost from their former major client. The lesson Dorothy took from this experience was to focus her business and not try to do everything. Instead, she learned to concentrate on being very good in a few areas.
The women featured in this article have shown that adversity can be a catalyst for innovation and growth. They have transformed their businesses in the face of crisis and emerged stronger and more successful. Their stories inspire and motivate the next generation of female entrepreneurs.
Amy Addington
Amy Addington is the Co-Founder of Woofie’s, a unique mobile pet care service that combines pet sitting, dog walking, and mobile pet spa services. In 2019, she and her partner Leslie began franchising their brand, which was still relatively new when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Crisis: The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant decline in Woofie’s pet sitting business as pet owners were now at home. Amy had to figure out how to best take care of her staff, new franchise owners, and keep morale high during a very stressful, unpredictable time.
Lesson: Amy decided to pivot and add new pet sitting services to their portfolio like Adventure Walks, giving pets the chance to explore outside of the house. She also launched their WAGS grooming school to meet pet owners’ demands for mobile grooming services. Her advice to others is to adopt a solution-oriented approach in times of adversity, emphasizing the importance of creativity and thinking outside the box.
Simone Kelly
Simone Kelly is the force behind Grasons Co., an estate sales service provider. An entrepreneur who is characterized by resilience and adaptability, she is the embodiment of turning a crisis into an opportunity.
Crisis: The global pandemic brought traditional estate sales to a halt. The business was threatened as the usual in-person operations were abruptly interrupted.
Lesson: Simone strongly believes in ‘Resilience through Adaptability.’ Instead of succumbing to the challenging circumstances, Grasons swiftly moved towards a hybrid model that incorporated online auctions along with in-person estate sales. This innovation not only allowed them to sustain their business during the crisis but also tapped into a new demographic of clients who hadn’t considered estate sales as an option before.
Darshani Persadh
Darshani Persadh is the technical co-founder of DARJYO, a startup that balances the scale of a nascent venture with the speed of an enterprise. With a rich background in tertiary teaching, Darshani, along with her co-founder, brings a unique blend of creativity and technical expertise to the table. Together, they aim to inspire, empower, and innovate for a sustainable future.
Crisis: During the COVID-19 pandemic, DARJYO faced a severe financial crisis. Many clients, due to budget cuts, had to pull back, putting the company in a precarious situation. This setback forced them to reassess their business model and pivot their approach.
Lesson: The crisis taught Darshani and her team the importance of diversifying revenue streams. They learned not to rely too heavily on a single client or industry. By proactively seeking new markets and industries, and expanding their service offerings, DARJYO managed to mitigate the impact of the crisis on their revenue, ensuring their business’s long-term sustainability.
Socials: LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Maya Azouri
Maya Azouri is the co-founder and COO of CatchCorner by Sports Illustrated, a mobile app that enables people across North America to rent sports facilities. Launched in 2019 alongside her brother Jonathan Azouri, CatchCorner has shown remarkable growth despite facing the challenges of the pandemic.
Crisis: The onset of the pandemic presented numerous internal challenges for CatchCorner, making scalability and potential new listings appear impossible. However, the team’s resilience and determination turned these setbacks into opportunities for growth and adaptation.
Lesson: Maya Azouri advises other entrepreneurs to be flexible and adapt their business to the diverse needs of their customers. This approach has allowed CatchCorner to accommodate different budget ranges and preferences, contributing to the company’s growth and success.
Socials: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Katie Reneker
Katie Reneker is the founder of Carmel Berry Co, a company that specializes in products derived from elderberries. When her two boys grew to school age, Katie and her family began looking into ways to boost their immune system, which led to their discovery of elderberries. Katie was surprised to find these plants growing wild in her local community, sparking an idea for a business that aligned with her values of sustainability. Carmel Berry Co was then born as one of the first elderberry brands to source domestically.
Crisis: The initial phase of the business presented Katie with a major challenge. When she decided to make products using elderberries, she could not find a single commercial grower for elderberries in the state of California. Katie applied for an organic farming program and partnered with another farmer to cultivate three acres of elderberries. But just as the plants matured after three years, they were notified that the land had been sold to a developer. All of their hard work was about to be destroyed and Katie’s plans for being her own supply chain for elderberries were in jeopardy.
Lesson: Instead of giving up or starting from scratch, Katie decided to use her time and hard work to support other growers. She began hosting online workshops for people interested in growing elderberries commercially, awarding mini grants, and sponsoring harvesting and juicing trials. As a result, Katie was able to build a network of growers and helped develop a domestic supply network for elderberries and elderflowers in the US. This turn of events demonstrated to Katie that sometimes, a setback can lead to an even greater opportunity.
Instagram: @carmelberryco
Facebook: Carmel Berry Company
