Today I’m talking with Lori Harder, an already crazy successful Queen, who took a plunge and decided to go even bigger! Lori was already a fitness expert, cover model, and podcaster with 24 million downloads, but that just wasn’t enough. She decided to break into the alcohol business, a generally male-dominated industry, and make a big splash. A rosé flavored wine seltzer splash!
Lori will tell us all about launching Lite Pink, a drink designed to create intentional, meaningful experiences and help Queens connect. Why did she decide to uproot everything and start anew? How did she make it work?
Let’s find out! We’re talking big vision, big goals, and big energy, and it’s all centered and dedicated to Queens like you.
The Inspiration and Energy Behind the Lite Pink Idea
After Lori published her book, she realized she accomplished almost everything she set out to accomplish. It was an amazing feeling, but also a weird place to be—what do you do when all your dreams have manifested?
Lori was anxious to find the next thing she was meant to do. She didn’t want to be a lonely entrepreneur any more, writing books and content behind closed doors. Lori understood that the time has come to manifest connection in her life and be in a thriving environment that supports women. So, she wasn’t sure exactly what her next thing would be, but she knew it had to support women, lift them up, and involve a lot of day-to-day collaboration and love.
Lori had the self-awareness, courage, and fire to completely pivot her career and do something new. She asked herself: “If I had all the money, all the time, and all the contacts, if I had no fear and I took out all the stops, and I had no fear, what would I be doing?”
The answer surprised her, but she knew she had to go for it. And the answer was: start a women-led alcohol company that would offer a better option. At first, she was intimidated by the giants in the industry, but what kept her going was the dream of her perfect drink.
Creating an Obsession-Worthy Product
The first step? Google it! Lori googled: “how to formulate an alcoholic beverage,” and that’s how she found her formulator. From there, she brainstormed and entertained every crazy idea that appeared. The next step was to connect with industry experts and ask them questions.
The process of formulating the drink involved a lot of back and forth. The first samples were terrible, but they always are. Lori set out to create a drink that didn’t even exist yet, so she knew it would be a long process. She wanted a wine-based seltzer so good you become obsessed with it. It also had to be her favorite drink. The formulator team (all women!) managed to create it after almost 15 rounds of samples.
Why It’s So Important to Involve Others in Your Vision
So many women feel bad asking for things, afraid to bother anyone. I wanted to know if Lori experienced these feelings during the sample rounds. She told me that she did, but that she also understood that you’re not going to get anywhere without asking and sharing.
Your vision needs to include other people. When we’re too shy to tell people about what we’re doing and include them in a meaningful way, we don’t let our vision grow and reach its full potential. So many people out there are waiting for you to take the lead, Queens! It’s up to you to speak about your vision loud and proud and get them fired up.
When Lori felt she was pushing the formulator’s boundaries, she was almost ready to settle for less-than-perfect. It wasn’t even about the formulators—they were amazing people. But as women, we always feel like we’re being “too much.”
But Lori understood that this was not the time or the place to allow such feelings. She had to do right by her dream and get exactly what she wanted. She knew that unless she had that perfect drink, she wouldn’t be able to move forward in a powerful way. So she kept asking, but she did it with love and respect. The masculine way is all about getting things done, but the feminine way means including people in your vision. It means making them care about your product, keeping them updated, letting them know that they’re contributing. People love being a part of something great, and they love knowing they made it possible.
How to Build Meaningful Business Relationships
It’s always a good idea to learn from the best. Lori found female founders who inspired her, and she started reaching out to understand their experience. Sometimes we put people on the pedestal, thinking they’re so great they don’t need connection or collaboration. This is one of those feelings we as female entrepreneurs need to forget!
Lori was brave enough to reach out, and she was met with excitement and support. She researched her favorite female entrepreneurs, found their podcasts, shared meaningful takeaways, and established quality relationships. That’s the way you create opportunities and chances to ask your mentors: “Hey, what would your next step be? How do I approach fundraising? What’s next?” More often than not, your boldness will take you to the next level.
The most important thing is to understand that everyone has a business that helps them pay bills and support their families and employees. Everyone has a goal and a vision—it’s up to you to figure out how your vision fits theirs. If you figure out how to become a part of their vision, you will open countless doors. All relationships are give and take, in the best way possible. And unless you share your vision and contribute to others’, you will limit your dreams.
The World of Investments and Making Money
Being a savvy investor has always felt like a masculine conversation, but it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s all about curiosity and education and letting your money work for you. Investments are also a great way to include others in your dreams by offering partial ownership. Getting people in is just as beneficial as getting your vision out.
As female entrepreneurs operating in the global marketplace, we have so many opportunities to be smart about our money. There are many different things to invest in, and it’s always a good idea to diversify. From investing in companies and start-ups, the world is filled with great opportunities.
And if we talk about the pandemic, there are both good and bad things to be found there. During her research, Lori found that direct to consumer companies are becoming huge right now because the way we shop has changed. If you have a product, you no longer need to get it in stores, removing layers of hard work. Online shopping was already a big thing, but now the opportunities are only set to expand.
Working with Female Investors
On the other side of the equation, how do you get people to invest in your company? Lori decided to invite female investors into her business, precisely because they were new to investing. Lori needed to make sure that all her investors realized that start-ups are high risk and that they’d be along for a wild ride. The investment would also be a crash course in collaboration and taking a product to the market. Lori believes in investments as an opportunity for mutual growth, and there are different levels for investors to come in. She also opened up the floor for investors to participate in strategy sessions and see first-hand what’s happening with their investment.
It’s through this boldness and willingness to take risks that we open ourselves to receiving the most abundant blessings. The world needs our feminine energy, and Lori is a great example of what a woman-led business looks like!
She dreams big and really goes for it, and I want that for you too, Queen!
If you’re as inspired by Lori as I am, get in touch with via her Instagram, follow Lite Pink, and check out the Lite Pink website for more exciting content!
We’d also be so honored to hear your takeaways! Screenshot this episode and tag us on Instagram at @ginadevee and @loriharder. Let’s get talking, my dear Queen!
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