Join Rochelle as she sits down with model, entrepreneur, and founder of Saltair, Iskra Lawrence, for an inspiring and empowering conversation. In this episode, Iskra Lawrence opens up about her journey from growing up in Kidderminster and her early entrepreneurial spirit to breaking barriers in the modeling industry. She shares personal stories of overcoming body image struggles, dealing with rejection, and finding her mission to create change in the world of fashion and beauty.

Discover how Iskra turned internet trolling into a viral moment of empowerment, and how becoming a mother transformed her approach to business and self-care. We discuss real-life lessons about resilience, taking risks, building boundaries, and the realities of launching a successful brand. Plus, Iskra reveals the inspiration behind creating Saltair, a body care brand that champions inclusivity and daily moments of luxury.

In this episode, we cover:

• Early Life and Family Influences

• Body Image and Industry Standards

• Motherhood and Career Balance

• The Vision and Growth of Saltaire

• Empowering Customers and Authentic Marketing

We Are Ladies Who Launch!

CHAPTERS

0:00 Introduction

01:02 Early Life and Family Influences

02:38 Entrepreneurial Beginnings

10:58 Body Image and Model Industry Standards

13:19 Turning Point and Self-Empowerment

19:19 Experience in Social Media

26:57 Motherhood and Career Balance

39:51 The Brand Incubator Experience

41:48 The Vision and Growth of Saltair

43:06 Product Development and Market Success

47:38 Empowering Customers and Authentic Marketing

53:51 Quickfire Round and Final Thoughts

01:02:53 The Power of Pivoting and Future Plans

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

FOLLOW ISKRA

Instagram: www.instagram.com/iskra/

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@iskra

Saltair: www.instagram.com/saltair/

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.

Welcome to my first solo episode as I reflect on my entrepreneurial journey, the lessons learned from building my brand My Little Coco, and the creation of this incredible empowering podcast community. In this episode, I share behind-the-scenes insights about starting and running a business, real talk on overcoming failures, how to build and grow the right team, setting boundaries, and managing the ups and downs of balancing motherhood and my career.

In this episode, I cover:

• Realities and behind the scenes of building of My Little Coco

• Launching, growing and building the Ladies Who Launch community

• How and when to build a team in business

• Finding the right partnerships

• Work-life balance and mum guilt

• Key lesson and advice for upcoming entrepreneurs

This episode is perfect for anyone interested in starting a business, business growth, mindset shifts, personal development, and authentic career stories.

We Are Ladies Who Launch!

CHAPTERS

00:00: Introduction

1:12: Starting My Little Coco

7:00: Trademark Issues & Rebranding

11:06: Building with a Small Team & Unique Business Structure

13:41: Why I Started the Podcast & The Power of Female Community

16:06: Self-Funding, Authenticity, and Evolving the Podcast

21:11: Reflections & Wins of 2025

24:30: Key Lessons & Advice for 2026

29:09: Advice on Building the Right Team and Taking Feedback

32:24: Setting Boundaries & Protecting Your Energy

36:24: What’s Next for 2026: Vision Board & Live Events

38:44: Time Management

41:51: Finding the Right Business Partner

43:48: Dealing with Setbacks

45:12: Juggling Work and Family/Mum Guilt

52:48: Favourite Salad Order

54:08: Final Advice: Taking Risks & Launching Your Ideas

57:21: Closing & Motivation for 2026

🔔 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.

How do you turn a childhood tradition into a 31-million-unit global phenomenon?

In this inspiring episode of Ladies Who Launch, Rochelle Humes sits down with Christa Pitts, co-founder of The Elf on the Shelf — a brand that transformed Christmas for families around the world. Christa opens up about the real startup story behind one of the most iconic holiday brands:

• How a family tradition became a bestselling product

• Why every major publisher rejected their book (including being told it was “destined for the damaged goods bin”)

• The scrappy, bootstrapped tactics that got their first 5,000 units made

• How a single paparazzi photo and an appearance on the TODAY Show changed everything

• The power of patience, storytelling, and word-of-mouth marketing

• Managing cashflow, saying “no” to the wrong partners, and building slow, sustainable growth

• How a small family business built its own production company, sold a Christmas special to CBS, and secured a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

• The mindset every founder needs: grit, resilience, and the courage to keep going when no one believes in your idea

If you’ve ever wondered how global brands are built from nothing, or you need a reminder to stay persistent, this episode will light a fire under you.

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

Key talking points

00:00 — Meet Christa Pitts: Co-founder of The Elf on the Shelf

02:15 — The family tradition that sparked a global brand

05:42 — Every publisher said no (and why they kept going)

09:18 — Bootstrapping: the first 5,000 units

12:27 — Taking on debt and betting on themselves

15:50 — The moment everything changed: TODAY Show exposure

18:30 — From small business to global phenomenon

21:14 — Building a brand through storytelling

24:40 — Managing growth and protecting the mission

27:55 — Launching a production company and TV special

31:10 — Breaking into retail and surviving scaling challenges

34:42 — Leadership, doubt, and building confidence

38:55 — Advice for women building brands

42:10 — Slow growth, grit, and long-term success

45:02 — Christa’s advice for corporate women climbing the ladder

FOLLOW THE ELF ON THE SHELF

https://www.instagram.com/elfontheshelf/

tiktok.com/@elfontheshelf

www.youtube.com/@ElfOnTheShelf

elfontheshelf.com

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.