How do you turn a childhood tradition into a 31-million-unit global phenomenon?

In this inspiring episode of Ladies Who Launch, Rochelle Humes sits down with Christa Pitts, co-founder of The Elf on the Shelf — a brand that transformed Christmas for families around the world. Christa opens up about the real startup story behind one of the most iconic holiday brands:

• How a family tradition became a bestselling product

• Why every major publisher rejected their book (including being told it was “destined for the damaged goods bin”)

• The scrappy, bootstrapped tactics that got their first 5,000 units made

• How a single paparazzi photo and an appearance on the TODAY Show changed everything

• The power of patience, storytelling, and word-of-mouth marketing

• Managing cashflow, saying “no” to the wrong partners, and building slow, sustainable growth

• How a small family business built its own production company, sold a Christmas special to CBS, and secured a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

• The mindset every founder needs: grit, resilience, and the courage to keep going when no one believes in your idea

If you’ve ever wondered how global brands are built from nothing, or you need a reminder to stay persistent, this episode will light a fire under you.

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Key talking points

00:00 — Meet Christa Pitts: Co-founder of The Elf on the Shelf

02:15 — The family tradition that sparked a global brand

05:42 — Every publisher said no (and why they kept going)

09:18 — Bootstrapping: the first 5,000 units

12:27 — Taking on debt and betting on themselves

15:50 — The moment everything changed: TODAY Show exposure

18:30 — From small business to global phenomenon

21:14 — Building a brand through storytelling

24:40 — Managing growth and protecting the mission

27:55 — Launching a production company and TV special

31:10 — Breaking into retail and surviving scaling challenges

34:42 — Leadership, doubt, and building confidence

38:55 — Advice for women building brands

42:10 — Slow growth, grit, and long-term success

45:02 — Christa’s advice for corporate women climbing the ladder

FOLLOW THE ELF ON THE SHELF

https://www.instagram.com/elfontheshelf/

tiktok.com/@elfontheshelf

www.youtube.com/@ElfOnTheShelf

elfontheshelf.com

FOLLOW US

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunch

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

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

In this episode of Ladies Who Launch, we sit down with Olivia Ferdi, co-founder and Chief Brand Officer of TRIP, the CBD brand that transformed an entire category and became one of the fastest-growing wellness businesses in the UK.

Olivia shares the powerful, unexpected journey that took her from a traditional career path, in law, to launching a company now stocked in major retailers and loved by millions. She opens up about navigating burnout, discovering CBD through a deeply personal experience, and realising there was a massive gap in the market for functional, mood-balancing products that actually fit into everyone’s lives.

We dive into:

• The moment that sparked the idea for TRIP

• How Olivia developed emotional resilience as a founder

• Why calm and clarity are superpowers in business

• The reality of fundraising and being underestimated

• What women need to know about leading with both softness and strength

• Building a company with your partner (and doing it well)

• How she handles pressure, imposter syndrome and visibility

• The habits and mindsets that helped TRIP scale

• Advice for aspiring founders and corporate women wanting to grow into leadership

This conversation blends mindset, strategy, wellness, and candid founder truths. Perfect for women building businesses, exploring entrepreneurship, or climbing the corporate ladder.

🎙️ Listen now on Ladies Who Launch. New episodes every week.

00:00 – Olivia Ferdi: TRIP co-founder and her mission

02:14 – Growing up, identity and early career expectations

05:02 – The personal crisis that led to TRIP

08:30 – Creating TRIP: spotting the gap in wellness

11:56 – Stigma, legality, and building trust in a taboo industry

15:42 – Emotional resilience: why calm is a superpower

19:20 – Working with your partner: boundaries, roles & reality

23:18 – Fundraising as a woman: being underestimated

27:33 – Scaling TRIP: community, brand and consistent execution

31:55 – Handling pressure & imposter syndrome

35:40 – CBD education: what people still misunderstand

39:12 – How Olivia leads with softness and strength

42:55 – Advice for aspiring founders

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

In this episode of Ladies Who Launch, Rochelle Humes down with Susan Yara — journalist, beauty editor, YouTube creator, and founder of Naturium, acquired for $355 million — to unpack the extraordinary journey behind one of the most influential women in modern beauty.

Susan opens up about her upbringing in rural New Mexico, how being “the good kid” shaped her self-worth, and what it really took to break away from expectations to build a life on her own terms. From studying journalism to becoming one of the original beauty creators on YouTube, Susan shares the lessons, mistakes, and mindset shifts that helped her evolve through multiple career chapters.

We dive into:

• How Susan navigated identity, family pressure, and ambition

• The shift from traditional media to online video and influence

• Why transparency and accountability matter in beauty

• The reality of pitching, building, and scaling a brand

• The mindset that led to Naturium's $355M acquisition

• Motherhood, burnout, and choosing yourself

• Why women should “live in the cringe” and take up more space

• Her advice for aspiring founders and creators feeling stuck or scared to start

This episode is filled with honesty, depth, and the kind of perspective you only get from a woman who’s lived multiple lives — and reinvented herself every time.

Perfect for: aspiring female founders, corporate women contemplating a pivot, content creators, beauty lovers, and anyone who needs permission to be bold, imperfect, and unapologetically ambitious.

KEY TOPICS AND TIMECODES

• Early Life & Family Values: 00:02:06 - 00:05:09
• Work Ethic & Parenting Philosophy: 00:05:09 - 00:07:12
• Education & Journalism Career: [00:07:51 - 00:11:16
• Digital Media & Beauty Industry Insights: 00:12:03 - 00:18:41
• Honest Content & Community Trust: 00:18:41 - 00:24:55
• Naturium: Launch & Growth Story: 00:26:02 - 00:42:30
• Brand Acquisition & Leadership: 00:42:57 - 00:47:42
• Accessible Skincare Philosophy: 00:48:13 - 00:51:24
• Founder Role Evolution: 00:51:45 - 00:55:27
• Success, Self-Care & Advice: 00:56:03

FOLLOW SUSAN

https://www.instagram.com/susanyara/

https://www.instagram.com/naturium/

https://www.instagram.com/mixedmakeup/

www.naturium.com

FOLLOW US

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunch

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

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