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"Being an entrepreneur means being a role model, the person I wish I saw when I was younger."
Kristen Dunning is the founder of Gently Soap, a brand that crafts pure and sustainable herbal remedies that every body can use. Inspired by a battle with eczema, Kristen pioneered herbal research in college and Gently is a testament to her resilience, innovation, and the power of nature. Kristen’s story led her to ABC’s Shark Tank, where she secured a deal with fellow Entreprenista Candace Nelson, fueling her brand's growth. Her mission now is to bring plant derived, skin safe products to all households. Tune in and hear what Kristen tells us about her childhood struggle with eczema and the impact it had on her confidence, the strategy she used to win multiple collegiate entrepreneurship pitch competitions, and the behind the scenes of her Shark Tank experience.
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Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos
Want a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!
Grow Your Startup with Startups in Stilettos
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.
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Guests
Kristen Dunning
Founder of Gently Soap
Hosts
Stephanie Cartin
Co-founder of Socialfly and Entreprenista.
Stephanie Cartin is the co-founder and CEO of Entreprenista, an all-in-one platform – which includes a private community & business membership called The Entreprenista League that's made up of over 2,000 women founders at all stages of business, a weekly newsletter received by 60,000 readers, two podcasts, in-person educational & networking events, and an award program – that women founders at all stages can turn to for everything they need to grow.
Stephanie is also the co-founder of Socialfly (acquired by Truform Media Group in 2024), Markid, and Pearl Influential Capital. She has won countless awards, including the SmartCEO Brava award, which recognizes the top women CEOs in New York, and a Stevie Award for Women-Run Workplace of the Year. She has also appeared in Bloomberg, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Refinery29, and more.
Courtney Spritzer
Co-founder of Entreprenista.
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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Highlights
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As women leading businesses, we are deeply conditioned to believe our value lies in high gear. We chase the lightning bolts, assuming fulfillment lives only in the extraordinary. Yet sustainable business success begins with the quiet permission we give ourselves to exhale.
