Today I am joined by Sarah Penner! Sarah is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary and The London Séance Society. Her books have been translated into more than forty languages and her debut, The Lost Apothecary, has sold over one million copies worldwide.

A graduate of the University of Kansas, Sarah spent thirteen years in corporate finance and now writes full-time. In her free time, Sarah enjoys hiking, yoga, and cooking. She also sits on the Board of Directors at her local animal shelter, Friends of Strays. Sarah and her husband, Marc, live in Florida.

In this episode, Sarah and I talk about her career in finance, how she became a NYT Bestselling author, her writing process, her first book (that didn't get published), what's next for her, and so much more! You all are going to love Sarah!

Sarah's Website

Sarah's Instagram

Friends of Strays

Today I am joined by Lauren Stephens! Lauren is the Co-Founder and CEO of Dudley Stephens, a sustainable fashion brand she launched in 2015 alongside her sister, Kaki McGrath, and their mother, Bonnie Dudley. Drawing from her background in fashion and beauty public relations with brands like Gucci, Calvin Klein, L'Oréal, and Lancôme, Lauren envisioned a line of elevated everyday essentials crafted from recycled materials. Under Lauren's leadership, Dudley Stephens has transformed from a family side hustle into a multimillion-dollar enterprise with a cult following. The brand is renowned for its signature fleece turtlenecks and commitment to sustainability, having repurposed over seven million plastic bottles through its innovative use of recycled fabrics. Beyond her executive role, where she oversees design, Lauren serves as the creative force behind the brand's social media, editorial content and marketing strategies. She also co-hosts the podcast "Two Sisters in Business," where she shares insights into entrepreneurship and sustainable fashion.

A native of Darien, Connecticut, now living in Greenwich, Lauren balances her professional endeavors with family life, often sharing glimpses of both on her Instagram @laurendudleystephens.

Lauren and I talked about her career in luxury fashion PR, starting a family business, how she forecasts demand, customer retention vs. customer acquisition, the iconic Dudley Stephens' turtleneck, her new podcast, and so much more!

Lauren's Instagram

Dudley Stephens Instagram

Dudley Stephens Website

Bundles of Joy

Two Sisters in Business

Today I am joined by Anne Cynar! Anne is an e-commerce entrepreneur based in New York City. She is the founder of Pickleball Prep, a manufacturer of pickleball paddles, bags, apparel and gifts.

Prior to founding her company, Anne graduated from Yale University in 2000 and worked at The Corcoran Group in New York City. She stepped away from her career in 2010 to focus on family and raise her children. Coming back to the corporate world almost 15 years later with a fresh perspective, she created her company in January 2024.

As a mother of two with a lifelong passion for sports, wellness, and nutrition, Anne has always believed in the power of movement to support a healthy lifestyle, foster self-discipline, and build community.

She created her company to encourage outdoor time, human connection, and healthy movement. In addition to adult paddles, she also made sure to design kids' paddles, to support families who want to play together, move together, and make amazing memories together, across all generations.

In this episode, Anne and I talked about her decision to stay home while her kids were little, why she chose pickleball, the beginning stages of owning a product based business, why it's never too late to follow your dreams, and so much more!

Pickleball Prep Instagram

Pickleball Prep Website

Hudson's Helping Hands

Welcome to the very first So Can I Book Club episode! This month, we're diving into Every Summer After by Carley Fortune — a nostalgic, heart-tugging novel about first love and second chances.

In this episode, Lauren shares:

• Why this book was the perfect first pick
• Her honest thoughts on the characters (Team Charlie, anyone?)
• A few things she didn’t love (hello, miscommunication trope 👀)
• Fun behind-the-scenes of her IRL book club weekend — including beaded bracelets, pierogies, and polaroids
• Book recs if you loved this one
• And… the August book club pick reveal! (Hint: it’s historical, emotional, and you might want tissues.)

📚 Want to join the book club convo? Tap the link in Lauren's Instagram bio to join the broadcast channel and follow along each month.

✨ Don't forget to leave a rating + review to help us grow and keep these episodes coming.

Today I am joined by Amy Kummer. Amy Kummer is the founder and principal designer of Amy Kummer Interiors, a boutique design firm known for its timeless, fresh traditional aesthetic. With a signature style that blends classic Southern charm, soft color palettes, and elegant details, Amy creates spaces that feel as warm and welcoming as they are beautiful.

Based in Houston Texas, Amy leads full-service residential projects for clients across the region and beyond, offering a thoughtful and highly personalized approach to every home she designs. Her work has been praised for its livable luxury—spaces that are as functional for families as they are refined.

In addition to running a successful design business, Amy is passionate about mentoring the next generation of creatives. She is the founder of a hands-on summer interior design camp for teen girls, where she shares her love for design and empowers young women to explore their own creativity.

Amy is also a proud mom, a devoted believer, and a firm believer in the power of beauty—not just in the design of a home, but in the moments we create within it. She credits her faith for guiding her through the unpredictable path of entrepreneurship and sees each project as an opportunity to serve others through creativity, kindness, and grace.

Amy's Website

Amy's Instagram

We Choose Happy

Today I am joined by Carrie McDermott! Carrie is the founder of Sibley Creative, a consulting firm that helps emerging brands reach new markets through curated trunk shows, collaborations and branding. Carrie's scope ranges depending on the client -- some use her services for events like multi-city shopping events to get in front of new and existing customers. Other clients use her services in daily sense, consulting on business strategy, influencer collaborations and creative events. Carrie's background includes experience on the editorial side as an editor at Condé Nast, as well as the public relations side at companies like JCrew, Saks and Tory Burch. Merging these skill sets has led to great success in understanding how brands want to be seen and positioned in today's market.

Sibley's Instagram

CASA

In this episode of So Can I, Lauren chats about the importance of reviews/ratings for the podcast, exciting news regarding sponsorships, her new newsletter, and the So Can I book club!

Please leave a rating or review if you loved the episode!

Today I am joined by Sam Gold! Sam is the founder and CEO of Motette, an elevated children’s brand known for its buttery-soft bamboo essentials designed with real mom feedback in mind. After years in the fashion and tech industries—including leading a seven-figure women’s clothing brand—Sam launched Motette while raising two young children and co-creating the brand alongside a deeply engaged community of moms.

In addition to growing Motette, Sam now offers strategic advisory services for emerging product-based businesses, helping other founders scale, build brand awareness, and navigate launch with confidence using the same scrappy, community-driven approach that led Motette to national media coverage and a successful debut.

In this episode, Sam and I talk about how her previous work experience influenced her desire to start a business, how to actually launch a business, her Inner Circle -- a community of moms that have helped her co-create Motette, and so much more!

Sam's Instagram

Motette's Instagram

Motette's Website

iMentor