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“Write down how you're spending your time, then I want you to think back to a year ago and write down how you're spending your time. If those things are the same and you're wondering why your business hasn't grown at the level you want, you have your answer”In this candid episode of the Entreprenista Podcast, Anne Mahlum sits down with Stephanie and Courtney to share her raw and inspiring story of creating her fitness empire from scratch — and the costly lessons she learned along the way. You'll hear how Anne transformed her passion for fitness into solidcore, a groundbreaking Pilates-inspired workout, and scaled rapidly across the country. She dives into her strategic negotiations with landlords, how she avoided debt, and her bold approach to raising private equity—all while staying true to her vision. Beyond business, Anne’s story is about the importance of leadership, authenticity, and resilience, especially for women founders. Plus, she shares her insights on finding where you are most needed, planning successful exits, and the mindset shifts that make all the difference. Whether you're dreaming of your first startup or ready to scale your existing business, this episode is packed with real-life lessons, secrets to growth, and inspiration to help you play big, without the fear of failure holding you back.
What We Talked About:
Anne’s Journey Towards Founding Solidcore [4:20]
Anne’s First Big Lesson with Back on My Feet [11:50]
How Anne Refused to be the Victim [16:30]
How to Go After Home Runs [22:55]
When Should Founders Take on private equity? [34:30]
Connect with Anne:
@annemahlum on Instagram
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Guests
Anne Mahlum
Hosts
Stephanie Cartin
Stephanie Cartin is a serial entrepreneur, investor, podcast host, community builder, and a champion for women founders. She created the Entreprenista League, a community for women founders, to provide resources and support necessary at all business stages. She’s also the Co-founder of Socialfly, one of the first social media marketing agencies, as well as Entreprenista Media and Pearl Influential Capital which was recently acquired by Cherub. Stephanie has shared her journey managing her health challenges with Multiple Sclerosis, Infertility, and a complicated pregnancy and is an advocate for women going through similar challenges. Her story and businesses have been featured on the Today Show, Bloomberg and Forbes. Consider Stephanie your biggest business cheerleader.
Courtney Spritzer
Courtney Spritzer is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, author, and community builder with a passion for creating brands and platforms that empower women to lead, grow, and thrive.
In 2012, she co-founded Socialfly, a leading social-first digital and influencer marketing agency. Over the course of a decade, she helped scale the business into an award-winning agency working with Fortune 500 brands and emerging startups, building a powerhouse team and culture along the way. In 2024, Socialfly was acquired.
In 2018, Courtney launched the Entreprenista Podcast to spotlight the stories of inspiring women founders. That passion evolved into Entreprenista Media in 2021, a media platform and community supporting women entrepreneurs at every stage of growth. She now co-leads the continued expansion of The Entreprenista League, a membership-driven community and ecosystem for founders.
As an angel investor, Courtney supports female-led and mission-driven startups aligned with her vision for a more inclusive and equitable business landscape.
She is the co-author of Like, Love, Follow: The Entreprenista’s Guide to Using Social Media to Grow Your Business (2015), a strategic guide for leveraging social platforms to drive business success.
Her work and ventures have been featured in Bloomberg, Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, and The New York Times. She is committed to championing visionary founders and helping build the next generation of impactful, community-driven businesses.
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