Takin' Care of Lady Business®

Most founders build their network the wrong way. They walk into rooms thinking about what they can get, and they treat payroll, hiring, and compliance like problems they'll deal with later. Susan McPherson spent decades doing the opposite, and when her company started growing, finding the right partner in Justworks became a critical part of building a business her team actually wanted to stay at.Takin' Care of Lady Business Episode 154In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Susan McPherson, Founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies, author of The Lost Art of Connecting, and one of the most generous voices in the social impact and women's entrepreneurship space, to talk about building a business on human connection, the infrastructure that makes growth possible, and why being helpful is the most underrated business strategy there is.Susan founded her company at 48 with no prior business experience, moved her contractors to full-time employees, navigated a first PEO that caused more problems than it solved, and built a global team across the US, Canada, and beyond. She did it by learning, sometimes the hard way, that creating an environment where people want to stay is just as important as landing the next client.Together, they discuss why founders can't afford to be reactive about payroll and compliance, how the right PEO partner changes the employee experience, what Susan wishes she had known before hiring her first full-time employee, and why 90% inbound revenue is what happens when you spend decades leading with helpfulness instead of transactions.What you’ll learn:Why helpfulness is a long-term business strategy, not just a personality traitHow to build the operational foundation that lets you retain great peopleWhy choosing the right PEO partner is one of the most important decisions you'll make as a founderHighlights:(00:00) Meet Susan McPherson(02:57) Building a social impact firm and founding a company at 48(06:05) Why moving contractors to employees changed everything(06:51) What a PEO does and why every founder needs one(08:22) Why your PEO choice can make or break employee retention(09:08) How Justworks unlocks enterprise benefits for small businesses(11:46) The Lost Art of Connecting and leading with helpfulness(13:27) How 90% inbound revenue proved helpfulness pays off(26:43) The worst advice she ever received and why she ignored itAbout Our Guest:Susan McPherson is the founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies, a social impact communications and strategy firm working with corporations, NGOs, and social enterprises to communicate the change they're making in the world.Before McPherson Strategies, Susan spent decades in the private sector. She founded her company at 48 with no business background, navigated the fear of hiring her first employees, switched PEO providers mid-growth, and scaled a global team across multiple countries. She did it by learning that helpfulness is not just a value, it's a business strategy, and that 90% inbound revenue does not happen by accident.Susan McPherson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmcpherson/ Susan McPherson’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanmcp1/ Explore McPherson Strategies: https://www.mcpstrategies.com/ Explore The Lost Art of Connecting: https://www.thelostartofconnecting.com/ Grow with Confidence with JustworksLinks here to learn more: bit.ly/JJxJustworksP2 About Jennifer Justice and The Justice Dept.JJ’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-justice-354a0b99The Justice Dept: https://www.thejusticedept.com/JJ’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferjusticel/ Newsletter: https://tkolb-newsletter-a50814.beehiiv.com/The Justice Dept. is a female-focused advisory, consulting, and law firm advocating for female founders, talent, execs, and brands. We represent bo$$ ladies to make them 💰💰.If you love what you hear, please subscribe and share with a friend.This is a Lady Business LLC Production.

One thing I see constantly with founders: they treat HR, payroll, and compliance like things they’ll figure out later. Cate Luzio learned while scaling her business that partnering with Justworks wasn’t just operational support — it was business protection. Because most founders are so busy doing everything themselves that they don’t notice the cracks underneath the business until they’ve already turned into crises.Takin' Care of Lady Business Episode 153In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Cate Luzio, Founder and CEO of Luminary, former 20-year banking executive, and one of the most candid voices in the women's entrepreneurship space, to talk about operational infrastructure, risk mitigation, and why the unsexy parts of running a business are actually the most important ones.Cate self-funded Luminary, lost 75–80% of her revenue during COVID, grew through three acquisitions, and built a global community of founders and professionals across 30+ countries. She did it by learning, sometimes the hard way, that protecting your business is just as critical as growing it.Together, they discuss why founders can't afford to be reactive, how the right HR and payroll partner changes everything, what compliance mistakes nearly cost Cate during her acquisitions, and why investing in your operations is the real ROI play for any business owner serious about scale.What you’ll learn:Why operational foundations matter more than most founders realizeHow to stop being reactive before it costs youWhy investing in the "unsexy" parts of your business is the real ROI playHighlights:(00:00) Meet Cate Luzio(02:21) From 20-year banker to self-funded founder(05:27) Why you can't build a business alone(09:32) What a PEO is and why every founder needs one(09:32) Third time's a charm: how Cate found the right HR partner(09:32) The compliance crisis no one warned her about(20:26) How the right partner catches problems before you do(22:08) Fundraising, acquisitions, and why operations matter most(28:18) The real ROI of investing in your business foundation(31:11) The worst advice Cate ever receivedAbout Our Guest:Cate Luzio is the founder and CEO of Luminary, a global professional education and networking platform built to advance careers and businesses at every stage, across every industry.Before Luminary, Cate spent 20 years in banking. She left to self-fund a company, navigated losing nearly 80% of revenue during COVID, and grew through three acquisitions to build a community of members in over 30 countries. She did it by learning that operational discipline and risk management aren't optional, they're the foundation everything else is built on.Cate Luzio’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cluzio/Cate Luzio’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cateluzio/ Explore Luminary: https://www.weareluminary.com/homeGrow with Confidence with JustworksLinks here to learn more: bit.ly/JJxJustworksP1About Jennifer Justice and The Justice Dept.JJ’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-justice-354a0b99The Justice Dept: https://www.thejusticedept.com/JJ’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferjusticel/ Newsletter: https://tkolb-newsletter-a50814.beehiiv.com/The Justice Dept. is a female-focused advisory, consulting, and law firm advocating for female founders, talent, execs, and brands. We represent bo$$ ladies to make them 💰💰.If you love what you hear, please subscribe and share with a friend.This is a Lady Business LLC Production.

Waiting doesn’t work. Women are often taught to wait until they’re qualified, polished, certain, and approved before putting themselves forward. Meanwhile, the people getting opportunities are usually the ones willing to move first.Takin’ Care of Lady Business Episode 152In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Aliza Licht — brand strategist, author, and the original voice behind DKNY PR Girl — to talk about visibility, momentum, personal branding, and why waiting for permission is one of the biggest mistakes women make professionally.Before “personal branding” was even a term, Aliza was building one of the earliest and most influential anonymous brand voices online. Now, she’s once again experimenting publicly by releasing a novel in real time on Substack before it’s fully finished.Together, they discuss why momentum matters more than perfection, how reputations are built in rooms you’re not in, the evolving role of AI and discoverability, and why clarity often comes after action — not before it.What you’ll learn:Why visibility matters more than waiting to feel “ready”How to build a reputation that creates opportunities before you’re even in the roomHow to use AI and content strategically without losing your voiceHighlights:(00:00) Meet Aliza Licht(02:16) The nostalgia that sparked a nineties fashion novel(04:37) Why Love Story convinced her to publish on Substack(10:35) The DKNY PR Girl origin story(15:29) How to make AI find your content first(17:50) Why Aliza has AI write her own prompts(29:16) What content pillars are and why they matter(30:03) Don't confuse likes with success on LinkedIn(34:46) The worst advice women are still being givenAbout Our Guest:Aliza Licht is a brand strategist, author, and former fashion PR executive best known as the voice behind DKNY PR Girl — one of the earliest digital fashion personas that helped reshape how brands show up online.Long before “personal branding” became a business buzzword, Aliza was exploring how visibility, authenticity, and a strong point of view could create opportunity. Today, she continues to build publicly and in real time, using her latest novel and Substack as an experiment in momentum, audience-building, and creating before you feel fully ready.Check out her new live manuscript on Substack: Off the Record: Secrets of a 90s Fashion Insider in New YorkAliza Licht’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alizalicht/Aliza Licht’s Substack: https://substack.com/@alizalichtAliza Litch’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alizalichtxo/ Explore Aliza Licht’s website: https://alizalicht.com/About Jennifer Justice and The Justice Dept.JJ’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-justice-354a0b99The Justice Dept: https://www.thejusticedept.com/JJ’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferjusticel/ Newsletter: https://tkolb-newsletter-a50814.beehiiv.com/The Justice Dept. is a female-focused advisory, consulting, and law firm advocating for female founders, talent, execs, and brands. We represent bo$$ ladies to make them 💰💰.If you love what you hear, please subscribe and share with a friend.This is a Lady Business LLC Production.

The financial system wasn’t designed to fail women. It was designed to exclude them.Takin' Care of Lady Business Episode 151The wealth gap isn’t an accident. It’s the result of decades of women being told to leave the money to the men. To stay in their lane. To be grateful, not ambitious.And we internalized it. The hesitation, the over-saving, the flinching when someone asks what you make. That wasn’t weakness. That was conditioning.Kimberly Palmer joins me this episode to name it, dismantle it, and give you the tools to stop leaving money on the table.Her message: stop treating money like it’s someone else’s problem. It’s your power. Start acting like it.In this episode, you'll learn:Why avoiding risk is costing women more than making mistakesThe real reason money feels overwhelming (and how to fix it fast)The first financial move every woman should make—and why most don’tHighlights:(00:00) Meet Kimberly Palmer(02:00) The girlfriend who wouldn't talk salary(03:06) Why financial systems feel so overwhelming(03:36) The fear of making a money mistake(11:07) The letter Kim's mom wrote that changed everything(14:00) Why tracking your spending comes first(15:00) The 50/30/20 budgeting breakdown(27:10) Why women invest too safely(33:47) Giving back while making money(34:50) The worst advice Kim ever gotAbout Our Guest:Kimberly Palmer is a personal finance expert at NerdWallet and the author of three books, including her most recent, Smart Mom, Rich Mom. Before building her career around making money less intimidating, she was the friend in her social circle who refused to let money stay a taboo subject, pushing girlfriends to talk salaries, negotiate raises, and face their finances head-on. After watching women freeze up around money decisions not from lack of intelligence, but from decades of being told it wasn't their domain, she made it her mission to change that. Today, she breaks down everything from emergency funds and the 50/30/20 budget rule to the investing risks women are leaving on the table, translating complicated financial systems into language that actually makes you want to act.Kimberly Palmer’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyspalmer/ Explore NerdWallet: https://www.nerdwallet.com/ Explore Kimberly’s website: https://www.kimberly-palmer.com/ About Jennifer Justice and The Justice Dept.JJ’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-justice-354a0b99The Justice Dept: https://www.thejusticedept.com/JJ’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferjusticel/ Newsletter: https://tkolb-newsletter-a50814.beehiiv.com/The Justice Dept. is a female-focused advisory, consulting, and law firm advocating for female founders, talent, execs, and brands. We represent bo$$ ladies to make them 💰💰.If you love what you hear, please subscribe and share with a friend.This is a Lady Business LLC Production.

Most women are flushing their supplements down the toilet. Literally. Poorly absorbed pills mean your body can't use what you're taking — you're just making expensive pee. And that's before you factor in the 18 different bottles, the pill fatigue, and the fact that none of it was designed around your body to begin with.Takin' Care of Lady Business Episode 150In this episode, Liz Zwillinger, founder of Biologica and former divorce lawyer, breaks down why the supplement industry has been failing women — and what she built instead. One powder. 18 supplements. Formulated specifically for women's hormonal life stages, from pre-perimenopause through menopause and beyond. No pill pile. No expensive pee. And it actually tastes good.This is not a story about having the perfect background to start a company. Liz had no science degree, no product development experience, and no roadmap. What she had was a pantry full of supplements that weren't working and the nerve to ask why no one had solved this yet.In this episode, you'll learn:Why most supplements pass right through you — and what bioavailability actually means for your healthHow women's nutritional needs change at every hormonal life stage and why a one-size-fits-all vitamin was never going to cut itWhat it actually takes to build a company from scratch when the product you needed never existedThe biggest ask Liz ever made — and why it changed everythingIf you’re done piecing together your supplement routine, you can try Biologica here: https://go.shopmy.us/p-5460353 for Perimenopausehttps://go.shopmy.us/p-54603956 for Postmenopausehttps://go.shopmy.us/p-54603980 for Primary EssentialsHighlights:(00:00) Meet Liz Zwillinger(01:41) What is Biologica and how does it work(04:17) Why women have unique nutritional needs(08:14) Powder vs. pills: the bioavailability difference(12:32) Taking care of your health shouldn't be this hard(14:26) The hero ingredients in each formula(22:53) From divorce lawyer to supplement founder(23:35) The audacity to believe in yourself(27:41) Balancing entrepreneurship with being a mom(32:47) The big ask that changed her business(37:32) The worst advice she ever receivedAbout Our Guest:Liz Zwillinger is the founder of Biologica and a former divorce lawyer who spent a decade watching women navigate some of the hardest moments of their lives. After years in family law and a front-row seat to her husband's journey building Allbirds from the ground up, she identified a gap that the wellness industry had never bothered to close. Women were piecing together their health routines from products designed for everyone, which effectively meant designed for no one. Today, she leads Biologica's mission to simplify women's nutrition through formulas built specifically for each hormonal life stage, from reproductive years through perimenopause and beyond.Liz Zwillinger’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethzwillinger/ Explore Biologica: https://biologica.com/ About Jennifer Justice and The Justice Dept.JJ’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-justice-354a0b99The Justice Dept: https://www.thejusticedept.com/JJ’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferjusticel/ Newsletter: https://tkolb-newsletter-a50814.beehiiv.com/The Justice Dept. is a female-focused advisory, consulting, and law firm advocating for female founders, talent, execs, and brands. We represent bo$$ ladies to make them 💰💰.If you love what you hear, please subscribe and share with a friend.This is a Lady Business LLC Production.