Test Before You Invest with Deb Boulanger of The Great Do-Over

December 13, 2022

After a successful corporate career, Deb Boulanger took time off to find her next steps. Three years later she realized her passion was in helping women do what she did: reinvent themselves midlife.

In today’s episode, we sit down with Deb Boulanger, founder of The Great Do-Over, a company that helps women on their quest of entrepreneurship. Deb shares with us how she realized her passion in helping women launch businesses, the challenges she sees founders face, how to set your prices, and so much more.

“The message was, ‘you need to teach other women how to reinvent themselves, just like you’ve reinvented yourself.’” – Deb Boulanger

This week on Startups in Stilettos:

Deb shares her background in Corporate America and when she knew it was time to go out on her own (2:38)
Deb explains what The Great Do-Over and The Launch Lab are (9:12)
Deb talks about the challenges she sees business owners face when they transition from corporate to entrepreneurship (13:24)
Why Deb steers clear of automated social media tools (16:35)
Deb shares how to price your services [this is a must listen] (19:34)
Stephanie and Deb talk about how to make social media work for you (24:42)
Deb tells us what we can expect to see from her in the coming year (28:53)

Resources Mentioned:

Our Favorite Quotes:

“So I’m an accidental entrepreneur. It was never in my experience. It was never in my DNA.” – Deb Boulanger
“I still love launching things. I love the marketing. I love understanding what are the hidden needs in the market that no one is serving or no one is serving well, and how do we create a service offering around that.” – Deb Boulanger
“So your network rallies around you, they’re cheering you on, they’re sending you people, and you can hit success really quickly, that first year, but then that warm network dries up. And if you don’t have the systems and processes in place to really drive growth, then you start struggling and then it gets scary.” – Deb Boulanger
“Double your prices and see what happens because most women entrepreneurs are underpricing their services, because they undervalue their impact. And I can’t tell you how many stories I have about my clients in the Six Figure Accelerator who have increased their prices by 50%, or sometimes 100%. And it’s had no negative impact on their sales.” – Deb Boulanger

Connect with Deb Boulanger:

Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:

Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos

Want a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!

Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!

Grow Your Startup with Startups in Stilettos

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.

Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – visit our website.

Share it!

Posted in Startups in Stilettos

Entreprenista Julia DeNey on Elavating Sensory-Friendly Clothing through Sense-ational You

Hi Julia! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: I attended Cornell University, where I majored in Fashion Design. In my junior year, I began an independent study on clothing for autistic children after volunteering at a local special education preschool led to many parents and therapists asking if I knew the…

5 Reasons to Apply for the E100 Awards

As a founder, you know the late nights, early mornings, and countless sacrifices it takes to make your vision a reality. Through it all, you’ve persisted — and now you have an incredible company to show for it. But sometimes, recognition can be hard to find as a founder. Awards and “top entrepreneur” lists are…

Find Your Passion and Make it Profitable with Kara Venus

“Just just do it, get your LLC created, get your website created, do all the pieces.” – Kara Venus In today’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, Carlyn flies solo while sitting down with Kara Venus, an author and the owner of Stella’s Way Marketing, a full-service small business consulting firm that helps small travel businesses launch…

Getting Investors to Fall in Love with Your Business with Katie Shea

““You’re not trying to convert the skeptics, you’re looking for the believers.” – Katie Shea Raising capital can feel like the ultimate courtship process and Katie Shea has all the tea on making your business the belle of the ball every fundraising season. Before having an investment portfolio valued at over 6 Billion USD, Katie…

Build A Reputation and Watch Your Business Grow with Whitney Lee

“ You don’t just step out into the business world and say, I’m the best. I’m the smartest, I’m the nicest, I’m a good person, and everyone believes you overnight. No, you have to prove yourself, you have to consistently put in the work to show your true colors. And over time you build that…

Finding Solutions for Diversity and Inclusion in the Beauty Industry with Maude Okrah

“We’re terrified of making a mistake, because of public reputation. And what we recognized is that, with all these conversations happening in silos, we had to bring everyone together. We had to break down the silos and try and figure out a solution that worked.” – Maude Okrah If you or someone you know has ever…

Co-Founder of The Fertility Resort, Bryant Liggett, on The Career She’s Always Dreamed Of

Hi Bryant! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Hello, friends! My name is Bryant Liggett and I’m the Co-Founder of The Fertility Resort. Born from the ashes of years of infertility and loss, I created The Fertility Resort in hopes of eliminating “I didn’t know what I didn’t know” from the…

Founder of La Pausa Consulting, Adair Vilella, on Building a Business Tailored to Your Unique Needs

Hi Adair! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: I am a business sales consultant that helps women owned businesses double their revenue through sales and data visualization! I will work with you to dive into the foundation of your business and develop customized consulting solutions tailored to your unique needs, enabling…

It’s All About the Lens with Dionne Ellison: Founder of Vuliwear

Hello Dionne! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: My name is Dionne Ellison, and I am the Founder/Creator of Vuliwear. Vuliwear is an exclusive line of luxury eyewear inspired by nature that exposes hidden beauty unseen with the naked eye; specifically the awesome colors and patterns of insect eyes. Each custom…

Creative Problems Require Creative Solutions with Libra Riley

“If you’ve created something, get it out there, get it prototyped. Get it patented if it makes sense to patent because not every product needs to have a patent, but just get going on something.” – Libra Riley In today’s episode, we are joined by Libra Riley, the Founder and CEO of SWOOP™ Hanger, a patented…

Building a Bad Bitch Empire with Lisa Carmen Wang

“A woman steps into HER FULL POWER not when she is finally given permission to do so, but when she realizes she never needed it in the first place.” – Lisa Carmen Wang If the world is going to label you a bitch, you might as well be a bad bitch according to Lisa Carmen Wang. …

Sonia Narvaez on Launching Operation QQL to Provide Exceptional Support to Her Clients

Hi Sonia! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Hello! I am the owner and Operations Strategist at Operation QOL, a BIPOC- and women-owned and operated business that supports altruistic entrepreneurs on their path to greater impact and a higher quality of life. My approach is to assimilate with an organization as…

Grants You Need to Apply to For Your Business!

The FedEx® Entrepreneur Fund Who can apply? Entrepreneurs who have a connection to the military and/or entrepreneurs with disabilities. What you could receive: $10,000 Deadline: October 6, 2023 15th Anniversary Entrepreneurship Who can apply? Any entrepreneur who submits an engaging pitch of up to 1,000 words highlighting your business and how it would benefit from…

How to Plan for the Unpredictable with Emily Cisek

“You want to do everything you want to be everything to everyone. You want to be the perfect founder, but the perfect founder doesn’t exist you need to be authentic and true to yourself and the type of leader you are.” – Emily Cisek Named the 2021 Women Who Mean Business Honoree by the Houston Business…

Courtney Boyer on Starting a Biz of Her Own to Elevate the Dialogue Around Women’s Health and Sexuality

Hi Courtney! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Hello! I am a relationship and sexuality expert. I was trained as a mental health and sex therapist, life coach, and Reiki Practitioner. Recently, I published the book, “Not Tonight, Honey: Why Women Actually Don’t Want Sex and What We Can Do About…