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From the Editor: Girl Starter, Making Dreams Come True & Entrepreneurship

As a female entrepreneur, I am always in awe of other women I meet who have also become entrepreneurs. I wish I could say it’s simply for the admiration of someone following a dream, but it’s much more than this. When I meet or learn of other women entrepreneurs, I know firsthand the struggles, challenges, passion, and excitement that come with pursuing entrepreneurial goals. Dreams aside, becoming an entrepreneur takes more than just hoping for something to come true, but rather takes countless actions that often lead you through fears, hurdles, mistakes, and other obstacles that can easily steer you off track if you let them. But for those that aim to do more than dream, being an entrepreneur isn’t something they let go of lightly. It’s for these reasons and more that I’m such a huge fan of the new show on TLC called Girl Starter.

Powered by Staples (the official sponsor), Girl Starter is a business-themed reality competition that documents eight young ladies as they compete for seed-round funding to help support their unique entrepreneurial goals. Through a series of challenges that include building businesses, pitching ideas, attracting customer attention, and working with others, the contestants of Girl Starter provide inspiration, motivation and entertainment – all while working hard to ultimately win the grand prize of $100,000 in funding and various other services to help their dreams come true. The presenting sponsor also couldn’t be a more perfect match for the show’s mission, since Staples is passionate about helping entrepreneurs and small businesses leaders succeed, and is a huge supporter in the empowerment and advancement of these young women. The best part? The CEO of Staples, Shira Goodman, is also an inspiring female business leader who embodies the principles of hard work and motivation (watch for her as a guest judge on the Girl Starter season finale on June 2!).

My dreams of becoming an entrepreneur began as a young girl still in high school, but it wasn’t until nearly ten years of professional experience in the corporate retail world that I ultimately decided to make my dreams become a reality. The young ladies of Girl Starter, however, are pursuing their entrepreneurial goals at the ages of only 18 to 24 – proving that age truly is just a number and that determination, hard work, and the willingness to both make mistakes and learn along the way can get you anywhere.

Just five years older than the oldest contestant on Girl Starter, I began my business Retail Minded in 2007 at the age of 29. My idea to begin a business that incorporated my love for retail, writing, and media has evolved since it first came to life – but the core reason I founded Retail Minded remains the same: I want to see small businesses succeed. Through Retail Minded, we offer news, education, and support to help independent businesses reach their unique goals while also providing live learning experiences through another company I have since founded, the Independent Retailer Conference. I am grateful every day to do a job that never feels like work, and feel fortunate that as Retail Minded has evolved over the years, so have I. It’s been among my greatest pleasures in life to be an entrepreneur, and watching the young ladies of Girl Starter gives me hope and fills me with excitement that future leaders in business will also enjoy the work they do… thanks to their entrepreneurial spirit.

Every time I watch Girl Starter I feel as if I’m reliving own first years as an entrepreneur, while my eight-year-old daughter enjoys the show because it gives her ideas, hope, and excitement unlike any other show she’s ever watched. Turns out, Girl Starter is for the dreamers, the doers, and the decision-makers. It’s for you, it’s for me… and it’s for our future.

Till next time, 

Nicole Leinbach Reyhle

Founder & Editor | Retail Minded 


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