Leah Marcus and Yasaman Bakhtiar are the co-founders of Good Girl Snacks, the brand that turned a TikTok obsession into a full-blown business.

These two best friends didn't come from food. They came from corporate. Leah was in marketing at a tech startup, Yas was at an auction house debating whether to go back for her master's. What changed everything was a lot of TikTok scrolling and asking one question: why is everyone obsessed with pickles right now, and why isn't there a brand that actually feels like us? So at 23, they quit their jobs, hired a food scientist, found a manufacturer in the middle of Massachusetts, and started building. Documenting every messy, unfiltered moment along the way on social. By the time they launched in February 2024, they already had a community waiting. They sold out in under three months, closed a pre-seed round in two weeks, had a collab with Khloé Kardashian, and are now on shelves at Erewhon, Whole Foods, and Bristol Farms. All with zero dollars spent on ads.

In this episode, we get into all of it. The leap they took before they were ready, the social media playbook they built from scratch, and the production nightmares that would have made most people quit. But this isn't really a story about pickles. It's about what it actually feels like to bet on yourself when the odds aren't clearly in your favor. Leah and Yas are proof that the founders who win aren't always the most experienced. They're just the ones who refused to stop.

In this episode, we’ll talk about:

* Leaving corporate jobs and feeling the pull toward entrepreneurship. [02:12]

* How a TikTok pickle trend sparked the idea for Good Girl Snacks. [03:58]

* Doing the research before quitting their jobs. [06:52]

* The confidence that comes from building with the right co-founder. [09:10]

* Taking the leap and launching the business in 2023. [11:20]

* Building hype on social media months before the product existed. [12:33]

* Creating a viral content series to grow an audience. [14:30]

* Why consistency and daily posting built early momentum. [18:19]

* Finding the first manufacturing partner and navigating production challenges. [19:36]

* “Cucumber Gate” and the realities of building a food product. [23:06]

* Turning startup mishaps into viral storytelling content. [26:31]

* Why resilience and problem-solving matter more than glamour in entrepreneurship. [29:00]

* Building community through events, activations, and everyday customers. [31:15]

* How influencer relationships and brand partnerships fueled growth. [32:19]

* The Khloe Kardashian moment and what celebrity exposure really does for a brand. [34:09]

* Landing early retail wins with Pop Up Grocer, Erewhon, and Whole Foods. [38:04]

* Raising their first investment round after proving product-market fit. [40:00]

* The long-term vision for Good Girl Snacks beyond pickles. [42:23]

* Lessons about entrepreneurship they learned the hard way. [43:23]

* The sacrifices founders make that people rarely see. [44:20]

This episode is brought to you by beeya:

* Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances.

* Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10

Follow Yasmin:

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/

* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/

Follow Good Girl Snacks:

* Website: https://goodgirlsnacks.com/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodgirlsnacks/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton is the Founder and CEO of Chillhouse, a cult wellness destination that evolved into a category-defining, design-led nail care brand.

But the version of Cyndi you see today is not how this story begins. It begins with dropping out of college twice, working nightlife to stay financially stable, starting over in her mid-twenties with unpaid internships, and quietly questioning whether she was actually “good” at anything.

When she opened Chillhouse, it wasn’t instant success. It was long hours, tight margins, staffing challenges, seasonality, expansion risks, and the constant pressure of making payroll. She had to learn how to raise money, survive volatility, and pivot when the original business model was not scalable. The breakthrough came when she listened to her customers and launched salon-quality press-on nails, a move that completely transformed the trajectory of the company.

In this episode, Cyndi shares what it really takes to rebuild confidence when you feel behind. We talk about the unglamorous realities of running a service-based business, why shiny opportunities can become expensive distractions, how motherhood reshaped the way she leads, and what shifted when Chillhouse entered a new chapter through its acquisition by KISS Beauty Group.

If you have ever questioned your path or wondered whether you are capable of building something bigger than you imagined, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, we’ll talk to Cyndi about:

* Why becoming obsessed is what makes you “good” at something. [01:50]

* Growing up around small business hustle — but craving financial stability. [03:41]

* Rejecting the traditional 9–5 and carving her own path. [08:14]

* Starting over at 25 and taking an unpaid internship to rebuild. [10:57]

* Blogging before influencing was mainstream and monetizing early. [15:07]

* The desire to build something physical and the birth of Chillhouse. [17:43]

* Why the original business model had to evolve. [22:37]

* Raising money for the flagship store. [27:49]

* Challenging moments Cyndi experienced in the business. [28:31]

* The hard lesson of expansion and chasing shiny opportunities. [32:33]

* Letting customer behavior guide the pivot to nail care. [34:45]

* Testing products before discovering the breakout opportunity. [36:57]

* Launching press-ons and creating instant brand recognition. [40:14]

* From viral growth to legacy credibility: why today’s virality starts with product performance. [44:27]

* Motherhood, infrastructure, and building real support systems. [47:14]

* Why exiting her business wasn’t the goal, but the right partnership changed everything. [54:07]

* Moving from survival mode to structured, strategic growth. [56:46]

This episode is brought to you by beeya:

* Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances.

* Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10

Follow Yasmin:

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/

* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/

Follow Cyndi:

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyndiramirez/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chillhouse/

* Website: https://chillhouse.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode, we’re re-airing one of our top episodes Rebecca Hessel Cohen, the founder and CEO of LoveShackFancy, a fashion and lifestyle brand know for its unique floral prints and bohemian dresses.

LoveShackFancy was born out of necessity when Rebecca was in search of the perfect bridesmaid dresses and was out of luck. After creating her own designs, she garnered lots of support from family and friends and began selling dresses from the trunk of her car and the rest was history. Born and raised in New York, Rebecca was surrounded by fashion starting at the age of 4 and her story is nothing short of spectacular. Today, LoveShackFancy has gained mass appeal from her vintage-inspired details, flattering silhouettes and playful dresses and ultimately catering to all age groups.

The ultra feminine super-maximalist clothing and lifestyle business now has 17 retail locations in the U.S. and is continuing to expand. What started out as a dress company in 2013 has evolved into an all-encompassing lifestyle brand selling fragrances at Sephora to kid’s clothing and a home collection that is set to launch later this month.

In this week’s episode we chat about her upbringing surrounded by fashion, her early career as a fashion editor and why she felt like it was time to do something different in her life despite her incredible career. We talk about how her interest making a few pieces of clothing turned into a successful side hustle and eventually years later, her full time gig. Rebecca opens up about how many people told her that the feminine prints and vibe would never sell, and that her brand’s name was horrible - and why she didn’t let that stop her. We also chat about the unglamorous days of building the brand, overcoming fears in business, and using social media for success. She stresses setting boundaries, LoveShackFancy's mission, and shares dos and don'ts for running a business for over a decade.

In this episode, we’ll talk to Rebecca about:

* Rebecca's upbringing influenced her early fashion and confidence. [04:03]

* Impact of Rebecca's mom on her upbringing. [06:31]

* Rebecca’s fashion ideation process. [08:32]

* The concept of LoveShackFancy. [10:25]

* Starting LoveShackFancy as a side hustle and career pivot. [13:49]

* Dealing with the fear of change. [21:14]

* Confidence in LoveShackFancy’s vision. [23:36]

* LoveShackFancy’s first store and Rebecca’s key learning. [27:14]

* Juggling high in-store demands and early social media presence. [31:13]

* Balancing business with motherhood. [33:37]

* Launching fragrance and partnering with Sephora. [40:30]

* Going viral on TikTok and its business impact. [47:04]

* Maintaining her creative momentum. [52:26]

* Discoveries during a decade with LoveShackFancy. [55:30]

* Rebecca's belief in operating without a business plan. [58:33]

* Upcoming plans for LoveShackFancy. [01:03:13]

This episode is brought to you by beeya:

* Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances.

* Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10

Follow Yasmin:

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/

* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/

Follow Rebecca:

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becknyc/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveshackfancy/

* Website: https://www.loveshackfancy.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.