In this episode of Ladies Who Launch, Rochelle sits down with Katherine Barlow, founder of Ru & Rocka, for an honest, unfiltered conversation about what it really takes to build a fashion brand from scratch.

From the spark of an idea to building a team and letting others into her business, Katherine shares the real founder story behind one of the most original brands in the space today.

We cover:

• How Ru & Rocka started and the moment it became real
• Being responsible with money and navigating small business finances
• How to build a brand that's truly original in a crowded market
• Building the Ru & Rocka team and knowing when to hire
• Building a true brand identity & DNA
• Launching in Selfridges
• 
  

Whether you're in the early stages of building your brand or scaling your team, this one is packed with lessons you won't want to miss.

We Are Ladies Who Launch!

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introducing Katherine Barlow

04:56 Instagram Side Hustle

07:16 Finance Lessons Learned

09:47 Building A Brand Solo

12:51 From The Studio to Ru & Rocka

30:11 Scaling Without Fear

32:37 Brand DNA Matters

33:41 When Big Brands Copy

38:32 Building Thick Skin In Business

40:52 Launching In Selfridges

46:57 Scrappy Startup Lessons

48:12 What’s Next For Ru & Rocka

58:09 Final Advice For Business Owners

🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.

FOLLOW KATHERINE

Instagram: ​​https://www.instagram.com/kb.barlow/

Ru & Rocka: https://www.instagram.com/ruandrocka/

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TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunch

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

In this exclusive solo episode of Ladies Who Launch, Rochelle shares something she's been quietly building behind the scenes, the launch of her very own skincare brand.

This isn't a brand born from trend-chasing. It's rooted in a deeply personal vision for what Rochelle believes has been missing from the market all along: quality skincare at a price point that feels accessible.

Rochelle opens up about her ambitions for the brand, her plan to build it at scale, and more importantly why she's decided to bring you along for the entire ride.

We don't know exactly where this journey ends. But we're starting it right here, right now. Together.

We Are Ladies Who Launch.

🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.

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.

Managing business finances doesn't have to be overwhelming, it can actually be your most powerful tool for growth, if you invest in it from the start. In this episode of Ladies Who Launch, we sit down with Nicole Zalys also known as The London Accountant to demystify the day-to-day of running your business accounts and take the panic out of tax season.

We are stripping away the heavy financial jargon to give you a foundational, empowering masterclass in money management. Whether you are a solo founder or scaling a growing team within a limited company, we break down the exact financial moves you need to make to protect your profit and scale with confidence.

In this episode, we cover:

• The perks of registering as a limited company
• Expense pro’s and con’s
• Effective tax management
• How to save for tax
• How to price yourself effectively

We Are Ladies Who Launch!

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

04:53 Director Perks and Trivial Benefits of a Limited Company

10:02 Childcare Costs and Tax Free Scheme

15:00 Travel Overseas and Client Entertainment

18:01 Clothing Expenses and Case Law

22:45 Business Entertainment And Promotions

24:24 Wealth Building Basics

27:44 Common Tax Mistakes

30:50 Pricing Your Time

34:25 Travel And Company Cars

36:18 Final Limited Company Tips

If you want to build a sustainable, profitable business and take control of your financial narrative, this episode is for you.

🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.

FOLLOW NICOLE

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

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

FOLLOW US

Instagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunch

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

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

Stef Williams transitioned from a macro fitness influencer with over 2.2M followers to a serious tech founder building for a huge exit. She is the founder of WeGlow and SEFI, and reveals the unfiltered reality of scaling a digital empire while navigating severe endometriosis and pregnancy.

In this episode of Ladies Who Launch, we dive deep into the build of Stef’s business, unpacking exactly how she evolved her relationship with social media to stay relevant in an ever-shifting digital landscape.

What we cover:

• Staying relevant in the ever evolving world of social media
• Adapting to training and lifestyle with Endemetriosis
• The journey of how WeGlow started
• Stef’s evolving relationship with social media
• Building business for an exit
• Balancing pregnancy with career & business

We Are Ladies Who Launch!

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Stef Williams

02:01 Early Instagram Fitness Era

06:34 Branching Beyond Workouts

12:27 Endometriosis and Body Pressures

18:45 From Creator to Founder

23:53 Building Teams and Hiring Lessons

30:17 Product Business Hard Lessons

38:09 Why Subscription Business Models Win

43:43 WeGlow Vision and Women’s Health

45:15 Cycle Syncing Workouts

51:29 Building A Brand Beyond You

55:47 Pregnancy Pressures

01:10:59 Trust Your Gut When Hiring

01:13:37 Dream Collabs And Mentors

01:19:16 Stef’s Dream Lunch

Whether you are a marketer trying to understand community-led growth or a founder designing a business to sell, Stef shares the realities of what it’s like to build at scale.

🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.

FOLLOW STEF

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stef.williams/

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

FOLLOW US

Instagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunch

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

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

In this episode of Ladies Who Launch, Rochelle sits down with Ama Hill, the founder of Plantmade, to finally share her side of the story. From rapid growth to going to business administration, this is the raw, unfiltered truth behind one of the most talked-about brand controversies in recent years.

Ama opens up about what was really happening behind the scenes as Plantmade scaled, the cashflow pressures that many founders underestimate, and the exact moment she realised the business was in serious trouble. She breaks down the realities of administration, what actually happened when the new owner took over Plantmade, and how it feels to watch the company you built be run without you.

This conversation goes beyond the headlines and social media speculation. It’s an honest look at the emotional, legal and financial realities of losing Plantmade and what it takes to rebuild your identity and confidence as a founder afterwards.

We Are Ladies Who Launch!

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

03:02 Rewinding to March pressure

05:44 Administration day

09:13 How the debt started

15:35 Falling into the scale trap

25:38 Failed promises and roles of the restructure

32:21 Choosing administrators and buyers

38:52 The uncertainty post business sale

40:29 Relaunch red flags

43:03 Contracts, equity and legal

49:58 Communication failures

52:57 Juggling a wedding and business breakdown

58:36 Responding to ownership claims

01:02:31 Moving on to what’s next

01:09:36 Founder advice and self trust

01:14:35 Lessons from Plantmade

🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.

FOLLOW AMA

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

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

FOLLOW US

Instagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunch

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

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

In this week's Ladies Who Launch episode, Rochelle sits down with Hanan Eissa, the powerhouse Marketing Director behind some of the most iconic moments in hospitality history including launching Dubai’s Atlantis The Royal with Beyoncé, unveiling the hotel to the world.

Together, they unpack what it really takes to build and launch a world-class destination brand that never blends into the noise.

In this episode, we cover:

• The behind-the-scenes of launching Atlantis with Beyoncé – from concept to global headlines

• The exact principles behind marketing a world-class launch and how you can apply them to your own brand, product, or campaign

• How to scale your brand Globally

• Why having the right team is non-negotiable for high-stakes launches

• How to get brand partnerships right and the common mistakes brands still make

If you’re a founder, marketer, or brand leader looking to elevate your launch strategy, secure meaningful partnerships, and build campaigns that people actually talk about, this episode is your new masterclass.

We Are Ladies Who Launch!

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

06:56 Inside Atlantis The Royal Launch

10:25 The Moment Beyonce Said Yes

15:16 How To Create A Global Story

17:42 Marketing Principles for Startups

20:10 Creating An Authentic Brand

23:15 Launch Lessons Learned

30:32 Enjoy Success Milestones

36:58 How To Pitch Like An Underdog

39:50 What’s Next For Atlantis

🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.

FOLLOW HANAN

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hananeissa?igsh=OWw0azBvazhsdWt0

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hananeissa/

FOLLOW US

Instagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunch

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

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

Glow Recipe co-founder, Sarah Lee, joins Ladies Who Launch to share how she built a $300M beauty brand by rewriting the rules of Korean skincare. From landing her dream first job at L’Oréal and moving to NYC, to navigating intense work culture and building the foundations of her career, Sarah breaks down the pivotal experiences that prepared her to become a founder.

Inside the episode, Sarah opens up about the exact path to starting Glow Recipe, their journey on Shark Tank, finding the right Co-Founder and how they set out to change the global narrative around K-beauty.

In this episode, we cover:

• Key insights from working inside a legacy beauty giant (L’Oreal) to building a startup
• How Sarah identified white space in the U.S. market for Korean skincare
• Taking the Leap: Leaving L’Oréal & Launching Glow Recipe
• Glow Recipe's Shark Tank Journey
• Going from DTC to Sephora Shelves
• Evolving the Glow Recipe Brand & Category Leadership

If you’re curious about building a beauty, consumer or community-led brand, this conversation is packed with honest and relatable formulas and behind-the-scenes insight that you can adopt and feed into your strategy.

We Are Ladies Who Launch!

CHAPTERS

00:00 Meet Sarah Lee: Glow Recipe Co-Founder & Co CEO

03:17 From Watermelon Rind to Watermelon Glow: Ingredient Inspiration

05:27 Landing the Dream Job at L’Oréal Korea & Learning the Beauty Business

16:56 Finding her Co-Founder & Spotting the K-Beauty Gap in the US Market

22:22 Quitting L’Oréal & Taking The Leap

29:42 The Shark Tank Experience

41:05 Choosing Mentorship vs. Money

45:44 Dealing with Sell Out Product

47:07 The Glow Recipe Partnership with Sephora

54:18 Reacting to Viral Product Moments

01:00:37 How the Co-CEO System Works

01:06:15 $300M Business & What’s Next

01:17:31 Founder Advice & How to Build Good Company Culture

🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.

FOLLOW GLOW RECIPE

Instagram: ​​www.instagram.com/sarah_glow

Glow Recipe Instagram: www.instagram.com/glowrecipe

Glow Recipe TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@glowrecipe

FOLLOW US

Instagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunch

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

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

How did Matilda Djerf go from posting outfit photos in her bedroom to launching a global fashion brand in Selfridges? In this episode of Ladies Who Launch, she sits down with Rochelle Humes to reveal the reality behind the "influencer to founder" pipeline.

They pull back the curtain on the reality of the "influencer to founder" pipeline. Matilda opens up about the early days of building her profile online, the vulnerability of sharing personal struggles with millions of followers, and exactly how she launched Djerf Avenue with a lean team during a global pandemic.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Matilda recognised the opportunity to build an online profile
• The balance of sharing personal struggles while building an online profile and running a business
• Launching Djerf Avenue with a small team during the pandemic
• How to hire the right people who protect your culture
• Knowing when to step away and hire for the role of CEO
• The journey to launching Djerf Avenue in Selfridges

If you are an aspiring founder or content creator, this conversation is a masterclass in staying true to your vision while scaling a business.

We Are Ladies Who Launch!

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Matilda Djerf

06:49 Early Influences and Aspirations

13:59 Discovering Social Media

16:21 Building an Online Presence

20:58 Transitioning to a Full-Time Influencer

30:14 Founding a Business

30:47 The Birth of Djerf Avenue

34:46 The Big Idea: Starting Our Own Brand

44:35 Navigating a New Business in the Pandemic

48:28 Building a Strong Team

52:58 Hiring a CEO

58:03 Entering Retail: The Selfridges Launch

01:02:24 Balancing Personal and Professional Life

01:04:00 The Importance of Authenticity and Brand DNA

01:09:07 Future Plans and Exciting Collaborations

01:12:09 Rocket Round: Insights and Reflections

🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.

FOLLOW MATILDA

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

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

DJerf Avenue: https://www.instagram.com/djerfavenue/

FOLLOW US

Instagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunch

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

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