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To-do lists in motherhood, fashion that evolves with every venture, and the power of community—it’s only a fraction of the unique experiences and thoughts Nicole Vasquez brings to her conversation with Anna Anisin.

Nicole Vasquez is the founder of MBD Partners and the Activator Network. She considers building connections and communities her superpower, along with her ability to work with various people and leverage her high social skillset for the benefit of brands and companies.

The beginnings

Nicole Vasquez grew up in Chicago in a Filipino-Croatian household, learning how to bridge cultures and connect with people from diverse backgrounds.

“Since I was very young, I always wanted to bring different people to the table,” she recalls when asked how her heritage impacted her approach. These experiences shaped her as a leader, thinker, and community builder.

Serial Community Builder

The theme of community building was the leitmotif of her career. “I’ve basically been doing this my entire career,” she says. “That’s my superpower.”

Initially, she scaled two neighborhood-serving co-working spaces and sold them later. She then led a marketplace across 20 countries before launching her relationship-driven agency. Now she advises executives and professionals on forging meaningful relationships as a consultant and trainer.

Obviously, this approach required her to excel at networking.

Style of networking

From Nicole’s perspective, networking is essential for business, and fashion is a powerful tool in that context. A strong style and bold outfit helped her overcome imposter syndrome.

“If I show up looking incredible…it takes away the anxiety,” she says. Yet her style evolved depending on the environment, from tech-startup hoodies to power blazers in elite executive rooms.

Looking marvelous was especially challenging during event days, when everyone was delivering their best look. On the other hand, it’s exhausting to maintain that standard even while commuting.

“You dress up a little more at work and bring heels in your bag,” she advises.

The efficient motherhood

Being a successful entrepreneur was a challenge in itself. Yet being a mother is also a challenge not to be underestimated. Surprisingly, business and organizational skills proved effective in parenting too.

“Keep a list on your phone…every moment counts,” says Nicole. “Lean into what you can do right now,” she adds.

Summary

In a closing round, Nicole and Anna engaged in a rapid-fire session, exchanging “this or that” questions about shoes, business, and fashion.

The full episode can be found on YouTube and Apple Podcasts.

In this episode, Anna Anisin talks with Ella Muradyan, a seasoned Financial Crime Specialist who shows that being tough and diligent in crime tracking is no obstacle to being feminine and stylish.

She also reveals a surprising way in which buying expensive fashion items can be a great investment opportunity.

Finances and compliance

Ella Muradyan is a Certified Financial Crime Specialist who tracks money-laundering, fraud, bribery, and terrorist-financing risks in major banks. After hours, she is a mother to a four-year-old daughter, the wife of a “culinary enthusiast,” and a fashion fanatic.

Born in Armenia, Ella moved to New York at 11 and spent most of her career there before relocating to Miami two years ago for a better family quality of life post-COVID. “We packed our bags and here we are!” she says of the move.

Fashion Philosophy

Ella works in a highly structured and hierarchical financial industry, yet she manages to reflect her values and approach in her wardrobe. The precision and discipline required in compliance translate directly into structured, feminine dressing: tailored suits, Chanel tweeds, and—above all—the color pink. Early in her law-firm days she was “the Elle Woods in a sea of navy,” trusting her grandmother’s mantra: “You go in with your looks and you come out with your brains.”

“My wardrobe and my demeanor are always intentional,” she says, highlighting how being conscious about clothing can be an asset even in finance.

The Miami Vibe

The tropical climate flipped her palette from grey-plus-blush to “all-pink-and-turquoise linen,” while athleisure stays “gym-only.” She also balances high/low pieces—mixing Target tees with Gucci skirts or Hermès sandals—to keep outfits approachable.

“I came here and it’s open Barbie! My whole closet is pink,” she laughs, contrasting Miami’s palette with New York’s.

Investing in fashion

Finance shapes Ella’s wardrobe beyond power suits. Her everyday budget formula is 50 % needs, 25 % investments, 25 % desires. When that “desire” bucket is spent, she still thinks like an investor: gold jewelry, limited-edition shoes, and especially Hermès Birkins, whose prices “are up 14 % year on year.”

Hermès Birkins illustrate how a non-obvious purchase can yield a super-high return on investment.

Yet Ella views fashion with more than an investor’s eye. She owns Manolo Blahnik Hangisi wedding pumps, hand-signed by Blahnik at Bergdorf Goodman after the first Sex and the City movie premiere. Despite their sentimental value, she wears them often—and has even run around Manhattan in them.

Summary

In closing remarks, Anna and Ella took a rapid-fire question round and exchanged final thoughts.

“Remember that style and substance are not just about the clothes we wear but the impact we make,” Ella says, showing how fashion can be an empowerment tool, a statement, and a passion all at once.

Sustainability can be a perfect fit for fashion—to the point of becoming the core concept of an entire brand. Although building such a brand is far from easy, the story of this journey is truly fascinating, as shared by Cynthia Lau, the founder of Casa Lily.

Cynthia Lau is the mastermind behind Casa Lily, an ethical fashion company run by women of multicultural heritages—including Cuban, Chinese, and Spanish. The company is located in Miami, FL, and is distinguished by its fair, open, and ethical approach to style at every level—from sourcing materials to production, and everything in between.

The Beginnings

Cynthia Lau shared her story, highlighting that for as long as she can recall, she has been interested in self-expression—both through fashion and theatre. Yet, her passion for fashion eventually prevailed over her plans to become a doctor or scientist.

“I’ve always been a fashion lover in one way or another,” she says. Since she started working with designers and gained experience in modeling, she had multiple opportunities to explore this world and ultimately decided to start her own brand.

The Impactful Steps

For Cynthia, building her own fashion brand is all about recognizing that everyone can make an impact. For example, she uses vegan and responsibly sourced materials in her products.

“The most important thing when it comes to being sustainable is that you’re realizing, first, that you’re part of the problem, and second, that you’re taking small steps,” says Cynthia.

Running the company in a sustainable way is also about limiting the number of produced goods and supporting “timeless designs” instead of flooding the market with new products and encouraging people to buy continuously.

No Easy Way

Building a startup from scratch in the highly competitive fashion environment was far from easy. As an early-stage founder, she had to deal with limited funds, production delays, and tariff issues, among others. Yet, the key was being prepared—even for less probable scenarios.

“I always have a plan B and C,” she says.

Cynthia also emphasizes how important branding consistency is to building the business. She shared that the signature “wave heel” not only reflects the brand’s commitment to environmentalism but also aims to showcase the empowerment these shoes bring.

“I want women, when they step into a Casa Lily, to know that it’s a Casa Lily and to feel empowered—because when you wear heels, you feel empowered,” she says.

Building the Community

The brand consistency and reliability have resulted in building a community of customers who recognize the value brought by the brand. Cynthia is also hosting community-based events, where deeper connections with customers can be forged.

At the end of the podcast, Anna and Cynthia held a rapid-fire Q&A session, during which Cynthia showcased her energetic and decisive nature and shared further details about her approach to building adaptability, resilience, and multiple backup plans for any venture.

The full version of the talk can be found on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

The burning problem with fast fashion, building The Plug, and creating her own style at the crossroads of business, journalism, and private life were the topics Anna Anisin discussed with her guest Sherrell Dorsey.

Sherrell Dorsey is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, data journalist, and ecosystem builder who focuses on climate tech, sustainability investments, and transforming business to make it better for the planet and its people. She is also a founder of The Plug, the first Black tech news platform to be featured on Bloomberg Terminal.

During her talk with Anna Anisin, she shared stories of her origins, the early days of The Plug, as well as her inspirations in both fashion and business.

Building The Plug

Sherrell started The Plug as a side project while working for companies like Google Fiber and Uber. The project was born out of a lack of representation of people of color in tech and business news.

“I would get up every morning at 5 o’clock, put this little $10 newsletter together, and cover the conferences I attended,” she says. Considering how amazing the things built by the people she was writing about were, it was not a surprise that the project was successful. But it was not without challenges. “One of the biggest challenges was finding the right revenue stream—knowing how to price effectively when you are very niche-based,” she says.

Stylish Sustainability

The conversation was also an opportunity to exchange opinions about fashion and sustainability. It was a great point to start the conversation about building a fitting narrative. According to her experience, citing only numbers and statistics related to climate change is not an effective way to support a better world. In her opinion, the stories also need to include information about lowering bills or saving on transportation.

Sherrell criticized fast fashion for generating a lot of waste, lacking quality, and being unfair to employees.

“When I look at brand story and quality, I know that the pieces in our closet should feel like they were made with care and love… sustainability isn’t just about hugging trees,” she says. That’s why she supports indie designers who practice fair trade.

Sherrell expressed her disappointment with the idea of burning unsold inventory—a problem that not only wastes resources but also increases emissions. “Sustainable brands are making investments in technology so that they produce only what is needed and protect their craftsmanship,” she highlights.

The Style Itself

The conversation would be incomplete without discussing fashion and style. As a woman who considers fashion a powerful tool for self-expression, she found fitting into corporate style challenging.

“I’ve always gone through an existential crisis with fashion—wanting to be taken seriously while still expressing who I am. Transitioning to a CEO role meant embracing tailored, powerful suiting,” she says. Yet the challenges helped her forge her own personal style, refined by creating mood boards on Pinterest and following a curated list of influencers and designers.

Summary

“Style isn’t just about what you wear; it’s about how you carry your passions and dreams into the work you do every day,” she says, encouraging everyone to see style as a connection between personal and professional spheres.

The fourth podcast episode centers on Anna’s story, with guest Amber Gordon taking the lead in asking questions and guiding the conversation. Together, they delve into Anna’s journey as the creative force behind “I Want Her Shoes,” highlighting the reality of juggling motherhood, leadership, and a thriving entrepreneurial career.

How Fashion brings Opportunities

Anna opens with an anecdote about how choosing the right shoes and paying attention to fashion details can be a game-changer for a career.

“Somebody noticed my shoes… that person actually ended up being the one who introduced me to the people who bought my first startup,” she says, illustrating how fashion truly altered her career path.

This experience is just one of many that propelled her to start a podcast about the role of fashion in modern business and in women’s lives. Anna strongly believes that clothing, shoes, and accessories are forms of self-expression. In a tech world often dominated by hoodies and jeans, she advocates standing out—especially for women wanting to showcase their personality.

“I want to encourage more women to express themselves because for a lot of people, that’s how they show their personality,” she states.

Navigating Motherhood and Entrepreneurship

Besides being a businesswoman, Anna is also a mother of two, a role that shapes much of her outlook. She acknowledges that balancing a podcast, a tech career, and motherhood simultaneously is challenging.

“Becoming a mom has definitely pushed me to a lot of different levels… I feel like a better communicator and better podcast host,” she shares.

Leadership Insights and Overcoming Challenges

Anna’s journey in the tech industry hasn’t been free of obstacles. She openly recounts that her early days in Silicon Valley were filled with discrimination and struggles to secure funding. Rather than letting negativity define her, she transformed it into motivation.

“I want to turn my negative experiences into positive. That’s why I want to create an ecosystem that supports women, provides them with mentorship, and allows multiple voices,” she says.

By surrounding herself with a diverse team, she stays tuned into emerging digital media trends and cultivates an environment where innovative ideas can flourish. Her vision doesn’t stop at podcasting; she hopes to expand “I Want Her Shoes” into a full ecosystem—potentially a book or even an AI-driven style app.

Summary

Anna’s story resonates with anyone who’s felt intimidated by wardrobe choices, career challenges, or the daily juggle of parenting and professional life. By fusing fashion, technology, and supportive communities, she aims to show that personal style isn’t just a trivial detail—it’s a pathway to greater opportunities and elevated self-confidence.

Through “I Want Her Shoes,” she invites women everywhere to rediscover the joy in dressing up and harness that confidence as they shatter barriers, pitch bold ideas, and forge meaningful connections. If her journey is any indicator, stepping into the right pair of shoes—or the right mindset—can indeed change your life.

Fashion is about styles, patterns, and fun. But is that the full picture? Can fashion be seen as an investment in one’s personal brand? Or is there an intersection between building personal style and building a business? These questions can be answered by Melissa Pegus.

Melissa Pegus is a Partner at the Future Economy Fund, an investor and strategic advisor who supports companies working in areas like commerce technology, healthcare, workforce development, and emerging industries.

Apart from her business activities, Melissa is also a stylist and fashion enthusiast. She shares her views and insights on style, business, personal life, and everything in between.

The Power of Personal Style in Professional Life

The discussion began with a lighthearted conversation about the role of favorite shoes and their impact on the wearer. “I keep the uniform casual, but the shoes are where I have fun,” says Melissa Pegus. She also elaborated on how her outfit influences her professional life and career.

“I remember when I first started working, I used to get these gorgeous three-piece skirt suits from the ladies’ suit section at Macy’s or Ann Taylor.” Early career fashion was inspired by ’90s working women in movies, evolving into a more personalized and effortless approach.

She also shared how clothing can be used as a way to express oneself while staying professional, especially in a high-stakes environment like an investment fund.

Melissa emphasized how important first impressions are in business. On the other hand, becoming overly stressed about clothing can be counterproductive. “I’m not at a place where I want to stress out about what I’m going to wear. I have a uniform—something that is comfortable but makes me feel confident,” she says, noting that having a work wardrobe that eliminates decision fatigue can save energy and reduce easily avoidable stress.

Yet despite having a classy, professional uniform style, it’s possible to have fun with fashion by manipulating details and accessories, she adds.

Investing in the Future: The Vision Behind the Future Economy Fund

The talk was also an opportunity to exchange thoughts on the modern economy and its potential directions. According to Melissa Pegus, key areas include commerce technology, healthcare, workforce development, and other emerging technologies.

However, fashion e-commerce still struggles with the fact that clothes and accessories are items customers may want to touch and feel before purchase. “Even the best digital-first brands are trying to recreate that experience of walking into a boutique, where the store owner knows you,” she says.

The Role of Personal Branding in the Investment World

The podcast also provided a space to discuss how the investment community has strongly held views, including those about fashion. Despite this, many women in investing use personal style as a tool for confidence and visibility.

It was also an opportunity to talk about the power of community in business initiatives. Beyond being a tool of the trade, fashion inevitably becomes part of one’s story.

“I remember every class I’ve taught… I distinctly remember the final moment of standing on stage with all the founders,” Melissa recalls. “A blazer, a pair of slacks—it brings back those memories, and I feel all that joy all over again.”

The Trends We Love (and Those We’d Rather Forget)

The conversation also touched on fashion trends, as “Good fashion is forever,” stated in the podcast. Power suits, statement footwear, and sustainable fashion remain classic choices. On the other side of the spectrum are trends like skinny low-rise jeans or slouchy bags, which can be enemies of organization.

Conclusion

“Outfits can speak a thousand words” could serve as a fitting summary. The full version of this episode is available on YouTube.

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