In this episode, Shelagh Cummins dives deep with Jen Harper, the inspiring founder of Cheekbone Beauty. Jen shares her extraordinary journey from working in the seafood industry to creating a beauty brand that stands out for its commitment to sustainability, representation, and social impact. She opens up about the personal challenges she faced, the pivotal role of education, and how community support shaped her path. This conversation is packed with insights on the influence of Indigenous culture in business, the importance of transparency in the beauty industry, and what it really takes to grow a purpose-driven brand. Jen also reveals the strategies behind Cheekbone Beauty’s growth, the challenges of investment and scaling, and her exciting vision for the brand's future.

Top Takeaways:

• Cheekbone Beauty: More than makeup – it's a movement for sustainability and social impact.
• Jen Harper’s Journey: It all started with a dream about Indigenous youth, fueling a mission to empower.
• Education as Empowerment: Why education is at the core of representation and success.
• Turning Struggles into Strength: How personal battles became a driving force for Jen's entrepreneurial journey.
• Business with Heart: Indigenous culture shapes Cheekbone's values and business ethics.
• Facing Industry Challenges: Tackling sustainability in the beauty world – one product at a time.
• Investment Insights: The reality of scaling a business and why strategic investment matters.
• The Power of Transparency: Building consumer trust through an open supply chain.
• Retail Adaptation: What it really takes to partner with retailers and meet consumer needs.
• What's Next: Cheekbone Beauty's ambitious plans for U.S. market expansion.

Learn more about Jenn Harper and Cheekbone Beauty:
www.cheekbonebeauty.com
https://www.instagram.com/cheekbonebeauty/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/cheekbonebeauty/
https://twitter.com/cheekbonebeauty
https://ca.linkedin.com/company/cheekbone-beauty
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS-JpqTI-QdLv1vtCotPArQ
https://www.tiktok.com/@cheekbonebeauty

“Debt does not mean you are bad with money, that you don't know how to do business, that you are not worthy. It is not something to be ashamed of. It's not something to feel guilty about. It just is.”

- Shelagh Cummins

Today we’re talking about debt, and the first thing I want to share with you is that it doesn’t need to be a word that brings on feeling of shame or guilt - debt is a tool, and in this episode of The Road To Seven Podcast I’m going to show you how to master it.

I’m going to share with you a few examples of what bad debt is, and what can happen if you take on loans with high interest rates, and no opportunity for return on investment, or ROI. I’m also going to share examples from clients that I’ve worked with, who leveraged good debt in order to grow their businesses.

No matter what, we all take on some form of debt at some point in our business journey, what’s important to remember is that you take on debt strategically, and you find a way to release the shame and guilt around any debt that you currently have, or will have in the future.

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the Road to Seven podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• The difference between good and bad debt
• The type of debt you may take on in order to grow your business
• Strategies to pay down debt and let go of the guilt attached to it

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:01 Intro

01:57 An invitation

04:49 Bad debt

09:18 The state of lending today

10:40 Leveraging good debt

13:09 Micro-lending

13:51 Let go of the story attached to your debt

Links:‌

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://theroadtoseven.com

Stay Connected

Like what you’re hearing? Click here to follow on Apple Podcasts for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it!

You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.

I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” I’d also love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!

Follow me!

Instagram: @shelaghcummins
Twitter: @shelaghcummins
https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins
https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins

“Just because you have profit doesn't mean you have great cash flow, and the only way to know if you're in the clear with your cash flow is to be tracking it, seeing it, and following it.”

- Shelagh Cummins

Your cash flow is the lifeblood of your company. It ensures that your business can meet its day to day operations, and it also is a tool for you to expand and scale. However, what so many entrepreneurs believe to be true, is that your revenue is equal to your cash flow, and that does not work when unexpected expenses pop up, or you need to make a major investment in your business in order to scale.

Tune in, because I’ll be taking you through the three biggest misconceptions about cash flow that I see entrepreneurs struggling with all the time. Your revenue is not equal to your cash flow, a profitable business does not mean that you have strong cash flow, and that cash flow problems can only be solved with more sales.

We’ll also discuss your financial practices, and I’ll share my strategies for solid financial practices with you, so that you can confidently tackle any cash flow problems your business may face in the future.

Believe me when I say that on today’s episode of The Road To Seven Podcast you’re going to learn everything you need to know about cash flow, and how to make sure you have more than enough to keep your business running smoothly.

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the Road to Seven podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• My Google Sheets spreadsheet to track your cash flow
• How to plan for unexpected expenses in your business
• How to establish and maintain good financial practices

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:01 Intro

02:00 Understanding the cash flow for your company

03:52 Your revenue is not equal to your cash flow

05:46 A profitable business does not mean you have strong cash flow

07:02 Misconception: Cash flow problems can only be solved with more sales

11:10 Cash flow and emotions

13:22 Weekly time to review

Links:‌ ‌

Cash flow tracker: https://cummins.kartra.com/page/cashflow

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://theroadtoseven.com

Stay Connected

Like what you’re hearing? Click here to follow on Apple Podcasts for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it!

You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.

I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” I’d also love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!

Follow me!

Instagram: @shelaghcummins
Twitter: @shelaghcummins
https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins
https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins

“If you're going to talk about women stepping into their purpose, you have to do it for yourself as scary as it may be.”

-Kena Paranjape
If you are facing big challenges in your business, then I’ve got someone who you need to hear from today. My guest Kena Paranjape is the founder of All You Are, an empowerment platform and community for women, who has navigated 20 years of career shifts and challenges, personal loss, and extreme personal transformation.

Kena shares deeply about her journey with self-actualization and self-trust. As a young girl, she noticed very quickly that she felt a lack in her sense of belonging, and now, she’s determined to help other women see that they are worthy of self-love and self-trust.
Kena also shares how her co-founded company BRIKA pivoted from a B2C(Business to Customer) business to B2B (Business to Business) model after enormous success with various pop up stores around the city of Toronto.

So, tune into today’s episode if you’re ready to take on all the challenges life has to give you!

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• The importance of introspection for personal and business growth
• Why a sense of belonging can have a huge impact on your business
• What it means to be on a journey of self-actualization

About Guest:
Kena Paranjape is the founder of All You Are, an empowerment platform and community for women. Kena is also the co-founder of recently acquired BRIKA, an innovative retail concept focused on highlighting and supporting emerging artisans and designers. Kena has 20 years of experience in retail at brands like Indigo, Joe Fresh, and Gap, as well as a high-end eco-friendly boutique concept. She was most recently the VP of Merchandising at Houseplant, Seth Rogen’s cannabis company where she was responsible for bringing to market their award-winning cannabis accessories collection.

Highlights:‌ ‌
00:01 Intro
00:00 Meet Kena
09:30 All You Are
13:05 Intuition and guidance
15:02 How Kena taps into her inner wisdom
17:30 Cultivating a sense of belonging
19:53 Kena’s biggest business challenges
21:13 What it’s like to be acquired
23:40 What she knows now
25:55 What’s next

Links:‌
https://allyouare.ca
https://instagram.com/kena_allyouare
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenaparanjape/
To work with me and make your next power move, visit:
https://theroadtoseven.com

Stay Connected
Like what you’re hearing? Click here to follow on Apple Podcasts for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it!
You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.
I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” I’d also love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!

Follow me!
Instagram: @shelaghcummins
Twitter: @shelaghcummins
https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins
https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins

“Are we inspiring women or are we selling products? That gave a definition to my brand, and that definition came from my heart.”

-Adedoyin Omotara

Friends,  I don't need to tell you that the most powerful way to grow your business is when you lead with heart, passion, and purpose. And today, I’m chatting with my guest Adedoyin Omotara to share with you how she has done exactly this, with incredible results.

In the middle of moving from Aberdeen, Scotland, to Calgary, Canada, Adedoyin decided it was the perfect time to see whether she truly wanted to start her own beauty brand. After product testing and development, Adedoyin officially launched her beauty brand Adoniaa in 2015.

We talked about the importance of mindset, when you as an entrepreneur are on a mission to inspire others – and what it takes to keep your mindset at that next-level energy, the most important elements including coaching, and community.

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• What it takes to get beauty products to market
• How to navigate the next-level mindset needed to grow a successful business
• What it means to run a business that is heart, purpose and passion-led

About Guest:

Adedoyin Omotara is a Beauty Entrepreneur, Women’s empowerment advocate, Speaker, Life Coach , Business Coach and the leader of the unmask your beauty movement. Her passion to live a fuller and more expressive life made her leave her successful Corporate Engineering career to become an Entrepreneur.

Seeking the spiritually creative fulfilment missing in her successful corporate career, She determined to resolve the concern that beauty today, far from being that poetic 'joy forever' is unfortunately a source of insecurity, shame and stress for countless women. Her inspirational teaching events promote beauty, inside and out, to an audience of women at all stages of life. She believes in investing in the dream of girls and in the strength of women.

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:01 Intro

02:58 Meet Adedoyin

06:08 The growth of Adoniaa

14:22 Different platforms for Adoniaa

18:23 Getting the first product to market

23:25 The most challenging part of Adedoyin’s journey

27:18 Maintaining the next-level mindset

30:22 What she knows now

34:48 What’s next

36:10 Where to find Adedoyin and Adoniaa

Links:‌ ‌

https://www.adoniaa.com

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://theroadtoseven.com

Stay Connected

Like what you’re hearing? Click here to follow on Apple Podcasts for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it!

You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.

I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” I’d also love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!

Follow me!

Instagram: @shelaghcummins

Twitter: @shelaghcummins

https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins

https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins

“Our ‘find a way’ was to find people who would be willing to walk with us as we walked with communities.”

-Somia Sadiq

If your business is on the brink of rapid growth, friend, this is an episode for you. In today’s episode of The Road To Seven Podcast, I have a great conversation with Somia Sadiq, an entrepreneur who founded and built Narratives Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in territorial planning and impact assessment.

We talk about everything from what your team expects from you as your business grows, to how to find support as the leader of a company that grew incredibly fast within a five year period.

Somia and I also chatted about the evolution of her leadership which I think will be especially useful for those of you who are currently experiencing rapid growth in your companies.

I know you’ll get a lot out of this episode, so pop those earbuds in and hit play!

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode,‌ ‌you’ll discover:

• The power of relationships for rapid business growth
• How leadership styles evolve over time
• The importance of leaning on mentors and advisors

About Guest:
Somia Sadiq is a Certified Environmental Professional (EP) and a Registered Professional Planner (RPP), specializing in Impact Assessment, Conflict Transformation, Negotiations, Peace building, and Trauma-Informed approaches.

Somia is the founder of Narratives Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in territorial planning and impact assessment, and the founder of Kahanee, a non-profit organization that leans on stories and storytelling for positive peacebuilding. Somia and her husband also just started an RV campground in Manitoba called Base Camp 59.

Somia's work is informed by a keen interest in creating space, respect and voice for multiple knowledge systems, and understanding psychosocial barriers to peace and conflict transformation, particularly dynamics of Identity, Othering, Framing, and Trauma.

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:01 Intro

03:02 Meet Somia

03:22 Somia’s business journey

11:45 Experiencing rapid growth

16:22 Somia’s leadership style evolution

19:39 The challenges of remaining “people first”

23:12 Slow changes in DEI

25:40 What Somia knows now

Links:‌

Narratives Inc Website: www.narrativesinc.com

My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/somia-sadiq-0b21596a/

Base Camp 59 Website: www.basecamp59.ca

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://theroadtoseven.com

Like what you’re hearing? Click here to follow on Apple Podcasts for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it!

You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.

I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review”.

Instagram: @shelaghcummins
Twitter: @shelaghcummins
https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins
https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins

“What have I done? What have I learned? What can I do? How can I give back? What do I have that could be useful to young women who maybe want to start their own businesses and have that kind of independence?”

- Liz Crawford

My guest Liz Crawford, an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and multi-passionate is going to rock your world. A woman with more than four businesses, Liz is dedicated to the growth and ethical behaviours in the international modelling industry, and ensuring her team are all independently successful.

Liz started her first business after retiring from modelling in her early thirties. What followed was an organic growth and expansion from production agency, to model advocacy, to a modelling agency, and even into renovating an old motel into a luxury getaway in Winnipeg.

So, if you are a multi-passionate entrepreneur and you don't want to choose just one business, then today’s episode of The Road To Seven Podcast is one that you don’t want to miss.

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• How Liz moved past the price increase mindset hurdle
• How Liz developed a positive team culture
• How Liz balances multiple businesses

About Guest:
With careers as a movie actress, fashion stylist, freelance journalist, and international model, Liz Crawford’s experiences have been far from what one could call ordinary. In 2007 Liz founded Swish Productions, using her knowledge and expertise in public relations and fashion to open Winnipeg’s only full service fashion marketing and public relations firm. In 2007, Liz was invited to speak in Ottawa at the House of Commons in an effort to regulate the modelling industry for model’s safety. Thus Swish Productions sister company, Swish Model Management was born, representing some of Canada’s most recognized international models.

Highlights:‌

00:01 Intro

04:23 Meet Liz

05:11 Liz’s first company

11:05 The price increase hurdle

12:52 Liz’s second company

21:54 Liz’s third company

24:45 Liz’s fourth company

28:54 Liz’s team

37:34 What Liz knows now

43:27 What’s next for Liz

Links:‌

Swish model management: https://swishmodelmanagement.com/

Her HQ: https://www.herheadquarters.com/

The Rosè websites: https://www.therosebeachhouse.com/

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://theroadtoseven.com

Stay Connected

Like what you’re hearing? Click here to follow on Apple Podcasts for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it!

You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.

I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” I’d also love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!

Follow me!

Instagram: @shelaghcummins

Twitter: @shelaghcummins

https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins

https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins

“It all starts with that strategic decision that you're ready for your business to be bigger than you.”

- Shelagh Cummins

When you’re scaling your business, you’re faced with dozens, if not hundreds of new decisions every day. But the most important one is deciding what your “next level” looks like. That’s what today’s episode of The Road To Seven Podcast is all about.

When you start to scale, your job shifts from being the doer, to the leader, and I know how difficult this can be. In this episode I talk about how to let go of responsibilities you once had, so that you can transition them to empowered employees. And yes, that means that you no longer jump in and “fix” the work they’ve done anymore. Your job is now to lead your team to do the best that they can.

So there are two questions to get you to shift to running your business, from it running you. First, what is a strategic decision that you need to make today that's going to have the most impact on your business? And second, what is a fear that you can rewrite, overwrite, acknowledge, and move on from, in order to take action so that you can bring your business to the next level?

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the Road to Seven podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• What types of decisions you’ll be faced with when scaling your business
• How to empower your team to get the results your business needs
• What fear-based decision making looks like and how to avoid it
  

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:01 Intro

01:50 Everything is rooted in a decision

02:36 Deciding what your next level looks like

05:37 Shifting responsibility to your team

07:50 Key questions for your team

08:11 Fear driving decisions

11:11 Raising your rates

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://theroadtoseven.com

‌

Stay Connected

Like what you’re hearing? Click here to follow on Apple Podcasts for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it!

You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.

I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” I’d also love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!

Follow me!

Instagram: @shelaghcummins

Twitter: @shelaghcummins

https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins

https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins