Returns on Resilience

Not Just a Founder, a Force

In this episode of Returns on Resilience, host Dr. Dawn Sizemore sits down with two Atlanta alumni founders, Jillian Anderson, founder and CEO of HerRide, and Jamine Moton, founder and CEO of Skylar Security, for a candid conversation about building tech companies from the ground up, navigating the real costs of innovation, and what it means to lead with both strategy and intuition. On the Entrepreneurial Journey * How a ride-share driver identified a gap in safety and comfort for women travelers * Why founding a tech company and building its technology at the same time is a path to avoid * The roller coaster of entrepreneurship and why self-reflection is part of the ride * What "why" keeps founders moving when the journey gets hard On the Technical Founder Experience * Balancing business operations with the demands of tech development * The case for finding a technical co-founder or learning to leverage AI tools to manage costs * Why trademarking and owning your source code matters more than most founders realize * The hidden costs of development, hosting, and maintenance, and how to fund them through revenue On Community and Capital * Why advisory boards can be as valuable as venture capital, and less predatory * How the Gathering Spot and other Atlanta networks open doors to grants and resources * Setting clear boundaries around your ideas and knowing when to charge for your expertise * The caution required when navigating relationships that could compromise your vision On Building a Stronger Atlanta Ecosystem * The frustration of being "over-coached" in exchange for small grants * What mature businesses actually need: capital access and a clear growth ladder * How Atlanta's entrepreneurial ecosystem can better serve founders who are past the early stages * Why staying in tune with your own intuition is a competitive advantage Key Takeaways * Own your tech: Protect your source code and trademark your brand from the start * Build your board: Community and advisors can help you navigate what capital alone cannot * Self-care is strategy: Avoiding burnout keeps you in the game for the long haul * Know your limits: Be prepared to be disliked when strong leadership decisions have to be made * Trust your gut: The roller coaster is real, but your intuition is one of your greatest assets About Our Guests Jillian Anderson is the founder and CEO of HerRide, a female-friendly ride-share app based in Atlanta. Drawing on her own experience as a ride-share driver, Jillian built HerRide to prioritize safety and comfort for women travelers. She holds a computer science degree and is a vocal advocate for founders understanding the technical and legal foundations of their businesses. Jamine Moton is the founder and CEO of Skylar Security, an Atlanta-based company that uses technology to deliver security guard services with a high level of transparency. Rooted in a background in protection and a passion for private-sector innovation, Jamine built Skylar Security on the belief that security is, at its core, an emotional experience. Visit weiatlanta.com for more stories, resources, and ways to connect with the Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative community. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Invest Atlanta or the City of Atlanta. The program is committed to fostering inclusive entrepreneurship regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age, ability, or background. Produced by the Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative, Empowered by Invest Atlanta & Could Be Pretty Cool Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Legacy Isn't Luck

In this episode of Returns on Resilience, host Dr. Dawn Sizemore sits down with Candace Mitchell, co-founder and CEO of Myavana and WEI board member, to explore the art of the pivot. With 13 years in beauty tech, Candace unpacks how she transformed a Georgia Tech prototype into an AI-driven personalized hair care platform and what it really takes to know when to change direction. On Finding the Problem Worth Solving * Why passion for the problem (not just the solution) is the real test of founder readiness * What it means to live with a problem 24/7 and why that drive matters when things get hard * How Candace's own hair care frustrations became the foundation for Myavana On Market Timing & Demand * The difference between a great idea and a market that's ready for it * Why being too far ahead of your market can cost you years of unnecessary struggle * How authentic demand signals separate viable businesses from passion projects On Scalability & the Business Model Canvas * The turning point when Candace realized her original model couldn't scale * Planning for your first 10,000 (or 100,000) customers from day one * Why founders need to stress-test their model before falling in love with it On Data, Instinct & Faster Failing * How gut instinct and data work together (not against each other) * Using data to read market timing and user behavior * Why failing faster is a feature, not a flaw, when you're making informed decisions On Investors as Partners * Shifting the mindset from "getting money" to finding the right partners * Founders don't need all the answers; investors can fill the gaps * What it looks like when investor relationships actually work On the B2C to B2B Pivot * How Myavana went from consumer product to enterprise licensing * What it means to plug into the "machines" of partners like Shea Moisture and Ulta * Why this pivot was the unlock for scale The Pivot Playbook: Advice for Founders * Pivot vs. iteration: Know the difference before you make a move * Talk to at least 10 customers before committing to a major change * Protect your IP before entering any partnership * Carve out dedicated ideation time so the business can evolve, not just execute Key Takeaways * Love the problem, not just the solution: If you don't care about solving it around the clock, entrepreneurship will wear you down * Market timing is a variable, not a given: Even a strong idea can struggle if the market isn't ready * Scale starts on paper: The Business Model Canvas isn't just an exercise; it's a survival tool * Strategic pivots create momentum: Moving to B2B licensing let Myavana grow by leveraging what already existed Guest: Candace Mitchell [https://www.linkedin.com/in/candacevictoria/] is the co-founder and CEO of Myavana [https://www.myavana.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorNHG-VZm2A21F-kxlTT2d0pbwNQz-HxICLdvqIBEQNzn5nwXSi], an AI-powered personalized hair care platform, and a board member of the Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative. She started Myavana as a Georgia Tech student with a prototype and has spent 13 years building at the intersection of beauty and technology. Returns on Resilience is the official podcast of the Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative, empowered by Invest Atlanta. For more resources and stories, visit weiatlanta.com. Produced by the Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative, Empowered by Invest Atlanta & Could Be Pretty Cool Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Receipts & Real Talk

In this episode of Returns on Resilience, host Dr. Dawn Sizemore [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnsizemore/]talks with WEI alumni Jenn Graham (Inclusivv) [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenngraham/]and Tamara Lucas (My PANDA) [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamara-vrooman-lucas-094a089/] about the hidden costs of entrepreneurship (financial, emotional, and personal) and how they've reclaimed their businesses by rejecting conventional "growth at all costs" mentality in favor of sustainability and self-trust. On Sacrifice & The Real Cost of Building * Time, finances, and emotional bandwidth as the entrepreneur's triple tax * Why not paying yourself early can backfire (COVID relief lesson) * The dangers of investor pressure to "spend money" and scale too fast On Resilience & Reclaiming Your Company * Confronting worst-case scenarios to take back your power * Setting boundaries: no weekends, no after-6pm work * Moving from "harmful resilience" (battering through) to strategic shifts On A Feminine Approach to Growth * Why "growth, growth, growth" can be detrimental * Equity crowdfunding as a community-aligned funding model * Getting money from customers vs. chasing VC validation On Being Underestimated * The "lifestyle business" dismissal and being called "emotional" * Rebuilding investor trust through radical transparency * Forgiveness (of yourself and your investors) as a turning point Key Takeaways * Pay yourself: It protects you and validates your role * Worst-case planning removes fear's power * Resilience isn't just endurance; it's knowing when to shift * Community-based funding can align with your values Guests Jenn Graham is the founder and CEO of Inclusivv (formerly Civic Dinners), a platform bringing meaningful conversations to corporations and organizations. After scaling to 26 employees and navigating down rounds, she reclaimed her company and reached profitability without additional funding. Tamara Lucas is the founder and CEO of My PANDA (Personal Assistant Next Door App). A former sales executive and single mother, she bootstrapped her business through WEI and is now pursuing equity crowdfunding aligned with her community-first values. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Investor Confessions

In this episode of Returns on Resilience, host Dr. Dawn Sizemore [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnsizemore/] goes behind closed doors with three Atlanta investors to hear exactly what they see, think, and feel when founders pitch. Featuring Lisa Calhoun [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisacalhoun/] of Valor Ventures, Stephanie Diaz [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thestefaniediaz/] of Catalyst by WellStar, and Charles Robinson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/e-charles-robinson/] of 1888 Ventures, this candid conversation reveals insider truths about the funding process and what it really takes to win investor confidence. GUEST BIOS * Lisa Calhoun is the managing partner and founder of Valor Ventures, which leads seed rounds in B2B AI and SaaS startups. She also founded Startup Runway Foundation, a nonprofit supported by Cox Enterprises and Georgia Power that provides grants to underrepresented founders. Companies that have pitched at Startup Runway have gone on to raise nearly $100 million in follow-on capital. * Stephanie Diaz is the principal of innovation and venture strategy at Catalyst by WellStar. Her journey spans pharma, healthcare, tech, and venture. She has worked extensively with female founders, previously hosting her own event series dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs. Her path to the investor side of the table brought her face-to-face with obstacles that exist for women both as investors and founders. * Charles Robinson is the managing partner and founder of 1888 Ventures, which invests in early-stage companies with ties to the Southeast. He is a former founder who has built companies from very beginning stages all the way to Series F, including work with Teamworks and Forward Cities building startup ecosystems throughout the country. RESOURCES * Valor Ventures Deck Check AI: deckcheck.valor.vc/ [http://deckcheck.valor.vc] (get same-day AI feedback on your deck) * Visit weiatlanta.com [https://weiatlanta.com/] for more stories, resources, and ways to connect with the Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative community Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Invest Atlanta or the City of Atlanta. The program is committed to fostering inclusive entrepreneurship regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age, ability, or background. Produced by the Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative, Empowered by Invest Atlanta & Could Be Pretty Cool Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The Cost of Being Underestimated

In this inaugural episode of Returns on Resilience, host Dr. Dawn Sizemore sits down with two Atlanta powerhouses, serial tech founder and ecosystem builder Jen Bonnett, and investor and Zane Venture Fund founder Shila Nieves Burney, for an honest conversation about what it really takes to build and fund successful women-led businesses. On Money & Confidence (08:30) * Why asking for money is a learnable skill * The importance of financial literacy for founders * How to handle rejection and build confidence through practice * Why women founders need to own their CEO title On Resilience & Vulnerability (13:46) * The difference between a marathon and a series of sprints * Why celebrating wins matters for long-term success * The critical importance of communicating both good and bad news to investors * How self-care and pauses fuel better decision-making On Atlanta's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (23:26) * Why Atlanta is positioned to become a top-five tech hub * The city's commitment to equitable growth * How to retain the incredible talent coming from Atlanta's universities * The power of community in raising successful entrepreneurs On Why Invest in Women (30:29) * Women-led companies return 30-33% more capital to investors * The social impact component of women-founded ventures * How women founders create cyclical investment in other women * The importance of not backing off on investments in female founders * You are the CEO: Only you can lead your company at this stage, own that role! * Practice asking for money: It's a learnable skill that gets easier with repetition * Communicate the bad news too: Regular transparency builds trust with investors * It takes a city: Success requires an entire ecosystem of support organizations * Women don't walk away: Female founders honor their commitments and make things happen Jen Bonnett [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferbonnett/] is a serial tech founder turned entrepreneurship ecosystem builder with nine startups under her belt. After spending ten years in corporate tech and taking a company public, she founded Startup Chicks in 2008 to support women entrepreneurs in Atlanta. Today, she works to make the entrepreneurial journey easier for all founders in metro Atlanta. Shila Nieves Burney [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shila-nieves-burney-0346436/] is the founder and managing partner of Zane Venture Fund, which has invested in nine portfolio companies and graduated over 100 companies from its programming. After a personal tragedy involving her daughter in 2019, Shila pivoted to venture capital to solve the access-to-capital problem facing entrepreneurs, particularly women and underrepresented founders. * Invest Atlanta [https://www.investatlanta.com/] * Zane Venture Fund [https://www.zane.vc/] Visit weiatlanta.com [http://weiatlanta.com] for more stories, resources, and ways to connect with the Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative community. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Invest Atlanta or the City of Atlanta. The program is committed to fostering inclusive entrepreneurship regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age, ability, or background. Produced by the Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative, Empowered by Invest Atlanta & Could Be Pretty Cool Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]