There’s something to be said about building the company you want. Just ask Melissa Mash, who says she never had any doubts about her company reaching its goals! Melissa is the CEO and Co-Founder of Dagne Dover — Designer Handbags For A Life In Motion, fusing fashion with athlete-caliber function. Melissa joins Socialfly Co-Founder Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studios for a conversation about her journey to success and building her company from the ground up, along with a surprise.In this episode:
Hosts
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 is an accomplished entrepreneur, investor, podcast host, and advocate for women founders. As Co-Founder and CEO of Socialfly, a social-first digital agency launched in 2012 and acquired in 2024, she has helped shape the industry with innovative strategies. She co-founded the Entreprenista League, a community for women founders, offering essential resources and support for all stages of business growth. Courtney’s entrepreneurial journey and business insights have been highlighted in top publications like Entrepreneur.com, Bloomberg, and Forbes.
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Highlights
- How Melissa’s husband persuaded her to go to business school because of the network it provides, and how this decision has really paid off
- Melissa’s incredible alignment with her co-founders and why the remarkable company culture they’ve built is so important
- How Melissa and her team raised $200,000 from friends and family to prove out the business, and how they launched with two products that were merely “coming soon”
- The 1,000 person focus group on the biggest handbag frustrations that shaped the initial products
- Why team meetings and communication have been a cornerstone of success at Dagne Dover
- Moving forward when things are hard, and doing things you’ve never done before to reach your goals
- The importance of flexibility, good vibes and calm confidence