The Mentor Files
Welcome to The Mentor Files. Join host Monica Royer, Founder and CEO of Monica + Andy as she chats with leaders across the fields of entrepreneurship, parenthood, health, lifestyle, and more. This season, we're digging deeper than ever before to learn the story behind their stories.
Think of this show as one part audible MBA, one part certification to be the confident CEO of your own life. Here we go!
Episodes
120 episodes
S3 E13: Girl Meets Dirt’s Audra Lawlor on Self-Discovery and Growing Roots
In this inspiring episode of The Mentor Files, host Monica Royer sits down with Audra Lawlor, the founder of Girl Meets Dirt, a renowned jam company based on Orcas Island. Audra shares her remarkable journey from the fast-paced world of banking...
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Season 3
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Episode 13
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44:24
S3 E12: Jesse Draper – Halogen Ventures Founding Partner on Flipping the Script as a Venture Capitalist
In this inspiring episode of The Mentor Files, host Monica Royer sits down with Jesse Draper, founding partner of Halogen Ventures, to dive deep into the world of venture capital and the unique challenges and successes of investing in female-fo...
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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44:50
S3 E11: Kara Goldin – Hint Water Founder on Accidental Entrepreneurship and Remaining ‘Undaunted’
In this episode of The Mentor Files, Monica Royer sits down with Kara Goldin, the founder of Hint Inc., the company known for its delicious fruit-infused water. Kara shares her remarkable journey from cutting soda out of her diet to creating a ...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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45:38
S3 E10: Winnie Park – Forever 21 CEO on Leading with Curiosity and Authenticity
In this powerful episode of The Mentor Files, Monica Royer sits down with Winnie Park, the CEO of Forever 21, to discuss her remarkable journey in the world of fashion and retail, and the personal trials that have shaped her into the leader she...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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49:37
S3 E9: Building a Wellness Empire with Co-Founders of The Fitz Michelle Shetty and Suzie Carroll
In this episode of The Mentor Files, host Monica Royer sits down with Michelle Shetty and Suzie Carroll, co-founders of The Fitz, a medical aesthetic and wellness practice based in Chicago. They discuss the journey from nursing in a clinical se...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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41:02
S3 E8: Danielle Brown - Healthy Girl Kitchen on Plant-Based Eating that Fits Your Lifestyle
In this episode of The Mentor Files, host Monica Royer sits down with Danielle Brown, the plant-based living advocate and creator behind Healthy Girl Kitchen. They delve into Danielle's personal journey from a culinary enthusiast to a wellness ...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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42:05
S3 E7: Irene Ortiz-Glass - Finding Your Purpose
Welcome to another episode of The Mentor Files. Today, we are thrilled to have a conversation with an exceptional human and guiding light for many, Irene Ortiz-Glass.In this episode:Discovering Coaching:Irene...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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42:47
S3 E6: Dr. Sonya Bhole - Embracing the Journey in Medicine and Motherhood
In this episode of The Mentor Files, host Monica Royer sits down with Dr. Sonya Bhole, a breast imaging radiologist at Northwestern Medicine. They dive into a candid conversation about finding one's purpose, the importance of embracing every st...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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29:24
S3 E5: Catherine McCord - Founder of Weelicious on Simplifying Mealtime for Families
In this episode, we dive deep into the challenges and triumphs of feeding a family. Catherine McCord, the brain behind Weelicious and the author of four game-changing cookbooks, shares her journey from culinary school to becoming a mom, and the...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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33:16
S3 E4: Manuela Zoninsein - Founder of Kadeya on Building a Sustainable Future and Balancing Motherhood with Entrepreneurship
In this inspiring episode of The Mentor Files, host Monica Royer sits down with entrepreneur Manuela Zoninsein, founder and CEO of Kadeya. Manuela delves into the challenges and rewards of motherhood, her experiences living abroad, the im...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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39:29
S3 E3: Navyn Salem - Founder of Edesia Nutrition On Tackling Global Malnutrition and Balancing Motherhood
In this deeply impactful episode of The Mentor Files, host Monica Royer sits down with Navyn Salem, the founder of Edesia Nutrition, a non-profit organization on a mission to end malnutrition globally. Navyn shares her journey from being a mom ...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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38:18
S3 E2: Brian Bloom - Monica + Andy Co-Founder on What Really Matters in a Business Partnership
Join host Monica Royer as she sits down with Brian Bloom, her co-founder of Monica + Andy, to discuss the evolution of their business partnership, the behind-the-scenes of building a brand, and the personal growth they've experienced along the ...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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22:20
S3 E1: Andy Dunn - Author of "Burn Rate" on Bringing His Mental Health Struggle Out of the Shadows
Andy Dunn co-founded Bonobos, a revolutionary menswear e-commerce brand. But, behind the scenes, he was struggling with bipolar disorder. “Here’s the real story of what was going on, which I think was a heckuva lot more interesting than selling...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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34:22
The Mentor Files Returns With Season 3 on November 7th, 2023.
I'm thrilled to announce that The Mentor Files is back for a new season and we're digging deeper than ever before into the story behind the story. As the founder of Monica and Andy, I'm alwa...
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Season 3
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Episode 0
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0:32
89 Nona Lim - CEO and Founder of Nona Lim on Leading An Olympic Team
Learn how Nona Lim started her restaurant-quality food brand, what she brought from her fencing career, and why a great team needs full transparency. "I've always had a passion for food, even if I'm not professionally trained." - Nona Li...
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27:06
88 Sarah Woelfel - Cofounder of CULT Capital on Creating Powerful Partnerships
Listen in to learn how to create a powerful partnership with your investors, and what Sarah Woelfel wants to see in successful CEOs and her own clients. "We specifically designed CULT Capital to be differentiated in the VC growth equity ...
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40:10
87 Annie Lawless - Founder of Lawless Beauty on When Opportunity Knocks
Listen in to learn how Annie Lawless started her lifelong love of health and wellness, and why she doesn't hesitate when opportunity knocks. "I've always just been so fascinated with nutrition, ingredients, and the correlation between wh...
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43:42
Rerun: 76 David Heath - Founder at Bombas on Never Losing Your Humility
Learn how David Heath and his team innovated on a clothing staple, the unfair advantages he had as an entrepreneur, and how he built his team at Bombas. "You should never lose the humility that it can all turn around in a moment." - Davi...
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35:38
Rerun: 78 Miyoko Schinner - Founder at Miyoko's Kitchen on Just Doing Things
Listen in to learn how Miyoko went from nothing to an in-demand business in less than 6 months, and how she has transformed through her business career. "I don't do all this market research and figure out how to do it right, I just start...
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43:07
Rerun: 74 Sarah Flint - Founder at Sarah Flint on Transitioning to DTC
Listen in to learn how Sarah Flint made the transition from wholesale to DTC, how she broke into the luxury shoe industry, and how she developed her team. "There was this huge space in the market for shoes where women wouldn't have to ch...
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39:51
86 Gregg Renfrew - Founder of Beautycounter on Why All Capital Is Not The Same
Learn how Gregg Renfrew uniquely combined the philosophies of DTC and retail, how she developed her products, and who has inspired her the most in her life. "I started to draw parallels between things that were detrimental to the Earth a...
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37:37
85 Nicole Gibbons - Founder of CLARE on The Life of an Entrepreneur
Listen in to learn how Nicole Gibbons went from medical school to marketing to entrepreneur, and what she wishes she knew before she started her business. "I saw this huge pain point around the homeowner when it comes to choosing color."...
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35:45
Rerun: 58 Holly Thaggard - The Founder of Supergoop on Focusing on Education
Listen in to learn what inspired Holly to start Supergoop, why she focused on a slow scaling of her brand, and what she considers when she takes in capital. "I think the decision making becomes easier when you're always focused on your ...
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35:46
Rerun: 65 Hillary Peterson - Founder at True Botanicals on What Keeps Her Up At Night
Listen in to learn the beginnings of True Botanicals, where Hillary focused her efforts in the beginning, and the importance of finding the best team. "It was really important to us to be able to deliver results without toxins." - Hillar...
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41:00
Rerun: 62 Jesse Draper - The Founding Partner of Halogen Ventures on The Perfect Pitch
Learn what makes the perfect pitch when raising capital, how to create your best team, and what Jesse has learned from her work in venture capital. "Sometimes you're betting on a founder with a two or three person team, and sometimes you...
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42:46
