Wonder Podcast: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Change the World

The Hustle Trap: Learning How to Work Less Can Lead to Success

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 shares his incredible journey from living out of his car to building AI-powered companies and why he believes the entrepreneurs who thrive in the next decade will be the ones who learn to work smarter, not just harder. His book, "The Hustle Trap," is a guide for how to do less work while making more. Timestamps: 01:25 The Accident That Changed Everything 03:35 Beginnings in Construction 05:53 Exiting 07:38 MySitePlan 08:19 The Hustle Trap 10:25 Capitalizing On AI 17:30 AI Disruption 22:07 The Human Touch 24:35 Leadership Shift 25:51 Volunteering for Purpose and Mentorship 27:43 Staying Calm 29:45 Freedom Through Travel and Adventure 32:35 Books Beliefs and Entrepreneur Advice 34:31 Work for Yourself Mindset Links: Ryan's Website: https://www.ryancrownholm.com/ [https://www.ryancrownholm.com/] The Hustle Trap: https://a.co/d/07LOoCEo [https://a.co/d/07LOoCEo]

From US$12 million to US$210 million: How Lifeway Foods CEO Julie Smolyansky Turned Pain Into Purpose

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 violence and the co-founder of Test400k, a non-profit whose goal is to eliminate the backlog of over 400,000 untested rape kits in the U.S. Timestamps: 01:27 Resilience 02:54 Stepping Up 10:13 Early Growth Moves 12:08 Kefir Story and Science 17:07 Trusting Your Gut 21:42 Values 25:55 Leading Through the Pandemic 28:12 Culture 28:45 Legacy 30:53 Purpose From Pain 31:33 Ending Sexual Violence 35:30 Rape Kit Reform 37:37 Community Giving 39:04 Motherhood and Leadership 41:59 Wellness and Reading 46:36 Finding Joy 50:42 What is Wonder? Links: Julie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-smolyansky-05304612/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-smolyansky-05304612/] Lifeway Foods: https://lifewaykefir.com/ [https://lifewaykefir.com/]

Emmy Winner to Entrepreneur: Gayle Jones's Journey

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 the business, and her mission to deliver food equity nationwide. Timestamps: 00:52 What is FuelBoxx? 04:10 Leaving TV 06:18 Education and Equity 09:54 Reality Check 11:37 Translating Producer Skills to CEO 13:56 Authenticity And Cash Flow 18:00 CPG Surprises 24:42 Game Day Meals 26:17 Building FuelBoxx 28:40 Boundaries and Purpose 31:27 Food Deserts and Access 32:54 Looking Forward 34:56 Funding Challenges for Women Links: FuelBoxx: https://fuelboxx.com/ [https://fuelboxx.com/] Gayle's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylesjones/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylesjones/]

Culinary Curiosity to Franchise Success | Erin Fletter

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 15:21 Challenges 25:25 Advice 36:41 Balancing Business and Family 40:46 Passion for Food and Cooking 45:40 Tech-Driven Success at Sticky Fingers Cooking 55:06 Empowering Future Business Leaders Links: Erin's Website: https://www.erinfletter.com/ [https://www.erinfletter.com/] Sticky Fingers Cooking: https://stickyfingerscooking.com/ [https://stickyfingerscooking.com/]

A Coach of the Year Has Advice for You | Morgan Wijay

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. Timestamps: 02:07 Morgan's Story 09:56 Creating a Positive Team Culture 13:50 Challenges and Adversity 19:43 Preparation and Team Dynamics 22:36 Choosing the Right Coaching Staff 29:16 Managing Parent Expectations 35:08 Personal and Team Performance 37:00 Locking In 40:49 Gratitude and Being Present 46:06 After the Game 54:10 Balancing Parental Guidance and Athletic Goals 01:03:42 Sports in Personal Development Links: After the Game: https://www.aftrthegame.com/ [https://www.aftrthegame.com/]