WRITTEN BY: KATE MACCABE
Last Thursday, EmpowHER led by Nicole Harvey, brought together a powerhouse group of founders, operators, and investors for an evening that was equal parts honest, energizing, and deeply validating. Hosted at the stunning Dagne Hover SoHo store, the event—In the Bag: What It Really Takes—cut through the glossy surface of entrepreneurship to share what it actually takes to lead and scale a successful business.
From the moment guests arrived, it was clear this wasn’t your typical panel. With candid reflections from industry leaders like Melissa and Deepa, attendees were treated to a vulnerable and nuanced look at the real journey of building something meaningful.
“Every stage of business growth is hard.”
— Melissa
That message set the tone for the night—an acknowledgment that whether you’re just starting out or deep into scaling mode, the challenges evolve, but never disappear.
“Every day as a business owner you can have your highest highs and your lowest lows in the same 24-hour period.”
— Deepa
There’s something powerful about hearing that truth out loud—especially in a room full of women who’ve lived it. The conversation moved seamlessly between tactical advice and emotional honesty, with both speakers touching on how deceptively “glamorous” entrepreneurship can look from the outside. Spoiler: it’s not.
“It’s not as glamorous as it looks, scaling a business.”
— Melissa
One of the most resonant takeaways came during a discussion on growth marketing and community building. Deepa encouraged founders to think creatively about personalization at scale, noting:
“Mimic your influencer program to match the type of personalization that was available from Meta 5+ years ago.”
— Deepa
The evening wrapped with Q&A, continued conversation, and a strong sense of shared experience—of ambition met with grit, of community over competition.
EmpowHER continues to create space for these kinds of real, grounded conversations, and Thursday night was no exception. Whether you’re a founder navigating your next chapter, or someone supporting the journey of those who are, this event was a reminder: you’re not alone, and you’re exactly where you need to be.
If you’re looking for advisory and fractional leadership support to guide your next phase of scale into a successful business, schedule time to chat about the building blocks for growth.
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