Founders in Jeans

Founders in Jeans is your backstage pass to the real stories behind building a business. Hosted by Emily Jean, this podcast brings you casual, candid conversations with entrepreneurs, visionaries, and startup leaders who are reshaping the future of work and life. Forget the pitch-deck polish—this is where founders kick off their heels (or sneakers) and get real about the messy middle, unexpected pivots, and mindset shifts that actually make things work. Whether you're growing your own venture or just love hearing how great ideas get off the ground, Founders in Jeans delivers all that and more.

Founders in Jeans is a business podcast hosted by Emily Jean, with 51 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Emily Jean hosts Founders in Jeans, a business show with 51 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #40

  How to Get Into College Debt-Free, with Shellee Howard

  Aug 13, 202633 minS2

  One son applied to 12 schools, got into 11, and walked out with a full ride to Harvard without his family paying a single dollar. In this episode of Founders in Jeans, Shellee Howard, founder and CEO of College Ready, breaks down how a business born 18 years ago when her son asked for help getting into college turned into a company that's helped thousands of students get into top schools debt-free. Shellee shares the moment she realized the system was failing students (a graduation-day comment that stuck with her for years), why she built College Ready around the student first and the university second, and the deeply intentional strategy she used to help all four of her kids graduate without debt, including one now-orthopedic surgeon who went to Harvard for free. She also gets real about the messy middle of building her seventh business, the bet with her son that turned into two bestselling books she never wanted to write, and why AI is quietly getting students rejected from the colleges they're applying to. Plus, her take on what she'd change about the entire college admissions and financial aid system if she could start from scratch. If you're a parent navigating college admissions, an entrepreneur turning expertise into a business, or just curious how one family cracked the code on elite education without the debt — this episode delivers. TIME STAMPS: 00:07 – Welcome to Founders in Jeans + how to support the show 01:35 – Meet Shellee Howard, the woman who's gotten thousands of students into college debt-free 03:29 – The 8th-grade conversation that started an 18-year mission 05:29 – "Dude, I didn't know that kid was smart" — the comment that changed everything 07:44 – Is the Ivy League obsession actually hurting students? Her honest take 09:58 – What nobody tells you about building a business in education 13:52 – The exact playbook that got her son a free ride to Harvard 17:50 – Got expertise but no business? Her blunt advice: stop waiting 19:34 – Her "messy middle" — the bet with her son that led to 2 bestsellers she swore she'd never write 22:53 – Founder, author, consultant, mom of 4 — how she actually does it all 24:42 – Why AI is quietly getting students REJECTED from college right now 27:38 – If she could rewrite the entire college admissions system, here's what she'd change 30:26 – The book that changed how she thinks about scaling (or failing) 31:58 – Where to find Shellee Howard and get help with your own student's journey __________ Connect with Shelle Howard: Website: https://collegereadyplan.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleehoward Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/shellee.howard1/ Amazon best sellers: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B071H5CQ9X __________ Follow Emily Jean: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/ Follow Founders in Jeans: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594 Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe __________ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us. __________ debt-free college admissions, how to get into Harvard, college planning strategy, financial aid tips, AI in college admissions, independent college consultant, scholarship strategy for students, college admissions coaching, student-centered college planning, female founder podcast

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  Episode #39

  Why Your Logo Isn't Your Brand, with Noemi Ceapa

  Aug 5, 202629 minS2

  In this episode of Founders in Jeans, I sit with Noemi Ceapa, founder of The Consulting Studio and a branding expert who spent years working behind the scenes with brands like Coca-Cola and Colgate before helping women entrepreneurs build brands of their own. Noemi shares the moment that changed how she saw branding forever, watching a three-generation family business transform not by changing their product, but by finally showing up as who they truly were, and breaks down why most small businesses obsess over logos and colors while missing the message that actually makes people buy. She walks through her theory of "identity-level messaging" (with a genuinely brilliant diaper commercial breakdown), why de-corporatizing your language is one of the hardest parts of leaving a 9-to-5 to build your own business, and why AI is about to make the gap between clear and confused founders even bigger. She also shares her honest take on customer loyalty, the "overnight success" myth she wants gone for good, and one branding campaign she can't stand, but respects completely. If you've ever felt like your product is great but your marketing just isn't landing, this episode will change how you think about your brand forever. TIME STAMPS 00:06 – Welcome to Founders in Jeans + how to support the show 01:39 – Meet Noemi Ceapa, founder of The Consulting Studio 03:00 – What first drew her to branding and the moment that changed everything 06:32 – How The Consulting Studio was born out of a layoff 08:10 – What The Consulting Studio actually does (personal vs. business branding) 09:34 – The #1 thing most people get wrong about branding 11:19 – Why she focuses specifically on women in the early stages of business 12:42 – What separates businesses that survive past year five from those that don't 14:02 – The most surprising part of building her own business ("de-corporatizing" herself) 16:01 – The identity pyramid: what actually makes people buy (with the diaper ad example) 20:26 – What really builds customer loyalty in a world full of choices 23:43 – The branding trends she thinks will matter most in the next few years (and where AI fits in) 26:11 – Rapid fire: a branding move she secretly hates but respects (Liquid Death) 26:43 – The online business trend she wants to see gone for good 27:21 – Her go-to piece of advice for someone just starting out 27:35 – Her dream client or project 27:45 – Her podcast/resource recommendation for budding entrepreneurs 28:27 – Where to find and follow Noemi Ceapa __________ Connect with Noemi Ceapa: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noemiceapa/ Website: https://theconsultingstudio.vip/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheConsultingStudio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noemi.consulting.studio __________ Follow Emily Jean: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/ Follow Founders in Jeans: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594 Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe __________ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us. __________ personal branding for entrepreneurs, business branding strategy, brand messaging tips, how to build a brand identity, branding for women entrepreneurs, why people buy from you, small business branding mistakes, customer loyalty strategy, AI and branding, female founder podcast

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  Episode #38

  April Palmer on Why You Should Just Ask for Advice

  Aug 5, 202637 minS2

  A hula hoop, a slice of cheesecake, and 100% meeting acceptance rate, that's how one guest landed nearly every meeting she ever wanted, before ever pitching a thing. In this episode of Founders in Jeans, I sit down with April Palmer, founder of Rev Amp, an Agile professor at VCU, and self-proclaimed "Hot Mess Boss," who juggles sales consulting, teaching, mentoring startups, and life with two kids, six cats, and a blind dog. April opens up about the wild, winding road that led her from a 911 dispatcher to nursing school to Fortune 100 sales floors to founding her own consultancy, including the hilariously creative (and highly effective) prospecting tactics she used to get in front of clients no one else could reach. She also gets brutally honest about her first startup's failure in year four, the hiring nightmare that shattered her confidence for months, and why "you don't know what you don't know" might be the most important lesson every first-time founder needs to hear. Plus: why she believes the best growth hack isn't a funnel or a framework, it's simply having the audacity to ask for advice. If you're a founder juggling too many hats, worried about hiring mistakes, or too afraid to ask for help, this episode is your permission slip. TIME STAMPS 00:06 – Welcome to Founders in Jeans + how to support the show 01:36 – Meet April Palmer: sales consultant, VCU professor, and self-proclaimed Hot Mess Boss 03:20 – Her winding early career: from 911 dispatcher to nursing school to Fortune 100 sales 06:13 – How she discovered her superpower: closing impossible deals and customer discovery 07:34 – The wildly creative prospecting tactics that got her a 100% meeting acceptance rate 08:39 – Why generic advice like "rise and grind" doesn't actually help founders 10:40 – How she balances sales, teaching, consulting, motherhood, and six cats 11:34 – Hiring for her weaknesses (including hiring a household manager) 13:42 – The biggest problem entrepreneurs face when trying to manage it all 14:17 – The costly budgeting mistake she made building her first startup 16:38 – Why "you don't know what you don't know" is every first-time founder's reality 17:04 – Why she ditched rigid deadlines and milestones for good 18:38 – What actually sets a business apart to survive past year five 19:34 – Why her first startup, PivotPass, failed in year four 22:36 – Why hiring and firing is the #1 factor you can control for success 24:00 – The wild story of a hire who faked her entire CRM pipeline 27:21 – What an incredible hire actually looks like 28:53 – Why she's betting on hungry, ambitious college students 31:09 – Her book recommendations: They Ask, You Answer and Rocket Fuel 33:45 – Her best advice: be audacious and just ask for advice 35:56 – Where to find and follow April Palmer __________ Connect with April Palmer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hotmessboss/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotmessboss/ Website: https://www.duckbillhq.com/ __________ Follow Emily Jean: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/ Follow Founders in Jeans: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594 Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe __________ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us. __________ first time founder advice, startup hiring mistakes, how to close sales deals, founder burnout, small business coaching, sales consultant tips, entrepreneur mentorship, startup failure lessons, women in business podcast, how to ask for advice as a founder

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  Episode #37

  Building a Creator Economy Startup From a Local Facebook Group with Emily Steele

  Aug 4, 202628 minS2

  A group of 50 local creators in Des Moines, Iowa turned into a platform with 40,000 creators across 40 cities, and it all started because one marketer couldn't find an agency doing community-centric marketing the right way. In this episode of Founders in Jeans, host Emily Jean talks with Emily Steel, co-founder and CEO of Hummingbirds, a creator matching platform connecting everyday and nano creators with brands looking for localized, authentic content. Emily shares how her own identity as a "local influencer" (she'll be the first to put that in air quotes) shaped the entire foundation of the business, why she built Hummingbirds around people who have influence rather than people chasing fame, and what it actually means to build community at scale without losing the personal touch. She also breaks down what brands consistently get wrong about creator marketing, how early-stage brands can work with local creators without blowing their budget, and where she sees the creator economy heading over the next few years, including AI creators, the rise of newsletters like Substack, and why trust is still the real currency of influence. If you're a founder, marketer, or brand owner trying to figure out where creator marketing is actually headed, this conversation is a masterclass. Why "everyday creators" and nano influencers are an underestimated marketing goldmine How to build genuine community at scale without it feeling transactional What brands consistently misunderstand about what creators can (and can't) deliver How early-stage brands can work with local creators without overspending Where the creator economy is heading in the next 2–3 years (AI creators, Substack, and beyond) Why trust — not follower count — is the real currency of influencer marketing The kind of brand campaigns that are actually working right now TIME STAMPS 00:08 – Welcome to Founders in Jeans + how to support the show 01:37 – Meet Emily Steel, co-founder and CEO of Hummingbirds 02:35 – What she was doing before Hummingbirds and how the idea started 06:06 – Why local and everyday creators are so underestimated 08:28 – How she defines "community" (and why it's more than a buzzword) 10:58 – Can a community get too big to stay a real community? 13:22 – Is community-first marketing worth the investment for brands? 15:33 – What brands consistently misunderstand about creator marketing 17:44 – Advice for early-stage brands who want to work with local creators without overspending 19:49 – Where creator marketing is headed in the next 2–3 years 22:07 – Rapid fire: the founder and community builder who inspires her 23:19 – A brand campaign strategy that's performing really well right now 24:42 – A creator trend she loves — and one she's over 26:16 – Her go-to resource for budding entrepreneurs 27:09 – Where to find and follow Emily Steel and Hummingbirds __________ Connect with Emily Steele: Website: https://www.hummingbirds.com/ Emily Steele LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilysteele12/ HummingBirds LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/meet-the-hummingbirds/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hummingbirdshq/ __________ Follow Emily Jean: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/ Follow Founders in Jeans: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594 Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe __________ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us. __________ creator marketing platform, nano influencer marketing, local influencer strategy, community-centric marketing, creator economy trends, how to work with local creators, influencer marketing for small brands,

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  Episode #36

  Why Trying to Appeal to Everyone Is Killing Your Brand with Charity Brown

  Jul 30, 202623 minS2

  From a failed salon at 19, to a decade as a fractional CFO in corporate America, to coaching over 80 CEOs on her own podcast — Charity Brown's biggest lesson through it all? Trying to serve everyone is the fastest way to serve no one. In this episode of Founders in Jeans, host Emily Jean sits down with Charity Brown, founder of Create Clarity with Charity, the Four P's Method, and The Happy CEO, to talk about her 15+ years in coaching and consulting, her decade in corporate America that led to a full-blown burnout, and the frameworks she's built to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity instead of chaos. Charity gets real about the flood of "fake guru" coaches online, how to actually vet a good one, why niching down felt like giving up money (until it wasn't), and the hard lesson of firing clients who weren't the right fit — even when it hurt her bank account. She also shares her journey building a five-year-old podcast and her advice for women who want to start one but haven't found the courage yet. If you're an entrepreneur, aspiring coach, or founder wondering whether to niche down or stay broad, this episode will change your mind. TIMESTAMPS: 00:07 – Welcome to Founders in Jeans + how to support the show 01:37 – Meet Charity Brown: coach, CFO, author, and podcast host 02:29 – From a failed salon at 19 to fractional CFO and corporate burnout 05:08 – Her honest take on the "coaching guru" trend and how to spot the fakes 07:55 – Breaking down her frameworks: the Nine Steps to Inner Freedom and the Four P's Method 10:42 – Advice for people who want to become a coach or consultant 12:53 – What to actually look for in an effective business coach 13:39 – Building a personal brand and her approach to niching down 15:18 – Why the fear of "appealing to everyone" holds so many entrepreneurs back 16:12 – The early mistake she made chasing every client instead of the right ones 18:44 – Why she started her podcast, Create Clarity with Charity 19:31 – The reality of being a female podcast host (and advice for women ready to start one) 21:29 – Her favorite book, podcast, and resource for budding entrepreneurs 22:26 – Where to find and follow Charity Brown __________ Connect with Charity Brown: Website: https://charitybrown.biz/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charitybrown2021/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charitybrownbiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CharityBrownNOW __________ Follow Emily Jean: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/ Follow Founders in Jeans: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594 Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe __________ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us. __________ business coach for entrepreneurs, how to niche down your brand, fractional CFO consulting, corporate burnout to entrepreneurship, personal branding for coaches, female podcast host advice, business coaching frameworks, how to vet a business coach, mindset coaching for entrepreneurs, female founder podcast

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