She's So Lucky

#369: In this week’s episode I’m joined by author, journalist, and birthFUND founder Elaine Welteroth for a special conversation. Recorded live at Create & Cultivate, this conversation turned into church about five minutes in. If you're at the edge of a pivot, or you've realized the hustle that got you here won't get you where you're going, this one's for you.
Elaine and I get into how to know when it's time to walk away from something that looks great from the outside, what changes when you measure success by what you give instead of what you get, and how she raised nearly $10 million for maternal health in two years without ever planning to run a nonprofit.
This episode is for anyone looking ahead at their next chapter excited for what’s to come.
We talk about:
Knowing when it's time to pivot, and getting through the waiting that comes after
Moving from scarcity to abundance
Why it matters for women to talk about money
How Elaine’s relationship with ambition has changed in her 20s and 30s
The importance of building your own table instead of playing someone else's game
Why maternal health affects every one of us, and requires all hands on deck
What's next for birthFUND

Episode Links:
Get involved with birthFUND: https://www.thebirthfund.com/get-involved
Follow Elaine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elainewelteroth/
Subscribe to Elaine’s Substack: https://substack.com/@elainewelteroth
Shop Elaine’s collab with Look Optic: https://www.lookoptic.com/pages/davis
Shop my look from the episode: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/7751817

Sponsors:
Quince: Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns
Dipsea: Go to Dipseastories.com/LUCKY for your first week FREE - then 25% off.
Brickhouse Nutrition: Go to BrickhouseNutrition.com and use code LUCKY for 20% off and free shipping
Butcherbox: Go to ButcherBox.com/lucky to get $20 off your first box, plus chicken breast in every box for life or filet or NY strips for a year— with free shipping always
Monarch Money: Use code LUCKY at Monarch.com to get your first year of Monarch Core half off at just $50
IM8: Go to IM8HEALTH.com/lucky10 and use code lucky10 for a Free Welcome Kit, five free travel sachets, plus 10% off your order

Connect with Les:
Ready to apply what you hear? Subscribe to the She’s So Lucky Newsletter to get weekly episode guides and journal prompts: https://shessolucky.kit.com/newsletter
Subscribe to The Lucky Playbook on Substack: https://lesalfred.substack.com/
Follow Les on IG @lesalfred
Follow She’s So Lucky on IG @shessoluckypod
Follow Les on TikTok @theluckyles
Follow She’s So Lucky on TikTok
Visit our website at shessoluckypodcast.com

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#368: Y'all called it before I could even say it. Yes, I invested in the beverage brand Sensori! Co-founders Darean and Shanna are back on the show, and since the last time we talked, they've raised almost a million dollars from more than 40 creators (me included) to scale their business instead of going the VC route.
Today we’re pulling back the curtain on their fundraising strategy and why I decided to invest. If you've ever wondered whether there's another way to fund a business, you need to hear this one. I also pulled some messy questions from Threads, getting into the nitty-gritty of the raise, and they answered every single one.

We talk about:
Why Sensori said no to VC for now, and when they'd reconsider
How a creator-funded raise works, from cap tables and SPVs to check sizes and the creator match
Why I chose to invest in Sensori
Community questions about equal shares, exclusivity and what creator investors actually do
Building a cap table that helps you beyond the check
Why selling your company doesn't have to mean selling out
How Sensori is scaling into retail
A first taste of their new flavors Tropical Hibiscus and Yuzu Peach

Episode Links:
Watch episode 337 with the Sensori team: https://youtu.be/3S0iOQTKNDg
Get 10% off your next Sensori order at https://drinksensori.com/utm_source=creator_investor&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=lestraundra-alfred with code LES10
Follow Sensori on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinksensori/
Follow Sensori on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drinksensori
Follow Darean on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dareanrhodes/
Follow Shanna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannapearre/

Sponsors:
Nutrafol: Nutrafol is offering our listeners $15 off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you visit https://www.nutrafol.com and enter promo code BALANCEDLES.
Monarch: Use code LUCKY at https://www.monarch.com to get your first year of Monarch Core half off at just $50.
Bask & Lather: Go to https://www.baskandlatherco.com and use code LUCKY for 20% off.
Ladder: If you have an iPhone, head to https://ladder.fit/LUCKY and take a quick quiz to find your perfect Ladder plan. Use my link and get a free 7-day trial and $10 off your first month if you join.
Instant Hydration: For a better way to stay hydrated, go to https://www.instanthydration.com/solucky and use my promo code SOLUCKY for over 40% off your first subscription order - it’s Instant Hydration’s best offer available.

Connect with Les:
Ready to apply what you hear? Subscribe to the She’s So Lucky Newsletter to get weekly episode guides and journal prompts: https://shessolucky.kit.com/newsletter
Subscribe to The Lucky Playbook on Substack: https://lesalfred.substack.com/
Follow Les on IG @lesalfred
Follow She’s So Lucky on IG @shessoluckypod
Follow Les on TikTok @theluckyles
Follow She’s So Lucky on TikTok
Visit our website at shessoluckypodcast.com

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#367: I’m starting the fourth quarter off with a solo episode! This week I'm unpacking the advice our grandmothers swore by: you don't have to touch a stove to know it's hot.
I'm sharing the lessons I learned the hard way with money, friendships, career, and relationships to help you navigate these areas better. Plus, I'm finally giving you the full update on my first two angel investments, the thesis behind them, and some big news about the show as She's So Lucky turns eight.

Episode Links:
The Truth About Angel Investing with Jaclyn Johnson: https://youtu.be/sL355JwiNkQ
Learn more about Sensori: https://youtu.be/3S0iOQTKNDg
Learn more about YouPop: https://www.youpop.ai/

Keep in Touch with Les:
Ready to apply what you hear? Subscribe to the She’s So Lucky Newsletter to get weekly episode guides and journal prompts: https://shessolucky.kit.com/newsletter
Subscribe to She’s So Lucky on Substack: https://lesalfred.substack.com/
Follow Les on IG @lesalfred
Follow She’s So Lucky on IG @shessoluckypod
Follow Les on TikTok @theluckyles
Follow She’s So Lucky on TikTok
Visit our website at shessoluckypodcast.com

Sponsors:
Cotton: Cotton is the Fabric of Our Lives. To learn more, head to https://www.thefabricofourlives.com
IM8: Go to https://www.IM8health.com/lucky and use code LUCKY for a free welcome kit, five free travel packs, and 10% off your order.
OSEA: Go to https://www.oseamalibu.com and get 10% off your first order with code LUCKY.
Rula: Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/LUCKY #rulapod
Dae: Visit https://www.daehair.com and use code LUCKY at checkout for 20% off your first purchase until October 31, 2026.
Dipsea: Go to https://www.dipseastories.com/lucky for your first week FREE then 25% off your subscription.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Produced by Dear Media
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#366: If you've ever wondered why some people seem to have opportunities fall into their lap, this conversation is for you.
Jessica Nabongo and I get into what luck really looks like when your life is in alignment, how to tell the difference between chasing something and letting it find you, and why getting clear on who you are might be the most powerful thing you can do for your career. She also shares what it's taken to protect her energy, sit with hard seasons, and show up as more than the one thing people know her for.

We talk about:
Why the key to luck is increasing your risk tolerance
Luck, alignment, and treating your life's work like an assignment
Building a career where everything comes to you
Protecting your energy online and knowing when to log off
Being seen as more than the one thing people know you for
What it took to create a cookbook with a recipe from every country in the world

Episode Links:
Pre-order Jessica’s new book Catch Me in the Kitchen: https://bookshop.org/a/55347/9781426224843
Subscribe to Jessica’s Substack: https://thecatchmeifyoucan.substack.com/
Follow Jessica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicanabongo/

Sponsors:
Cotton: Cotton is the Fabric of Our Lives. To learn more, head to https://www.thefabricofourlives.com
Nutrafol: Nutrafol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month's subscription and free shipping when you visit https://www.nutrafol.com and enter the promo code BALANCEDLES.
Square: Square is offering listeners up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://www.square.com/go/lucky
ButcherBox: Go to https://www.butcherbox.com/lucky for $20 off your first box, plus ground beef and bacon in every box for life along with free shipping.
Dae: Visit https://www.daehair.com and use code LUCKYY at checkout for 20% off your first purchase until October 31, 2026.
CashApp: Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/lg4tlqvs #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures.

Connect with Les:
Ready to apply what you hear? Subscribe to the She’s So Lucky Newsletter to get weekly episode guides and journal prompts: https://shessolucky.kit.com/newsletter
Subscribe to The Lucky Playbook on Substack: https://lesalfred.substack.com/
Follow Les on IG @lesalfred
Follow She’s So Lucky on IG @shessoluckypod
Follow Les on TikTok @theluckyles
Follow She’s So Lucky on TikTok
Visit our website at shessoluckypodcast.com

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Produced by Dear Media
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#365: Three years ago when Blake Newby first joined me on the show, life looked a little different. She was in the thick of her Saturn return, still untangling herself from traditional media, betting everything on herself with zero proof it would work.

She's back, and now she's watching those bets pay off in ways she couldn't have scripted. Blake joins me to talk about what it actually feels like when the things you manifested start coming true, and why getting there doesn't erase what it cost to get there.

This is an honest conversation about staying grounded while an entire industry falls apart around you: building your own platform when nobody's handing you opportunities, protecting your integrity when the money gets tempting, and learning to call on something bigger than yourself to keep moving.

We talk about:
Revisiting the thesis of Blake's first episode, "it's expensive to dream," three years later
Protecting your integrity as the stakes (and the money) get bigger
The collapse of traditional and digital media, and why you have to build your own thing now
Becoming a more responsible, media-literate consumer in the age of misinformation and AI
Beauty and fashion as inheritance, joy, and politics, not just aesthetics
Finding alignment through spirituality

Episode Links:
Follow Blake on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blakelawren/
Follow Blake on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blakenewby_
Episode 207: The Truth About Working Towards Your Dream Career with Blake Newby: https://youtu.be/2dElf_NyOSE
Subscribe to Blake’s podcast, According to Blake: https://www.youtube.com/@AccordingToBlake

Sponsors:
Quince: Elevate your fall wardrobe with Quince. Visit https://www.quince.com/balancedles for free shipping and 365-day returns.
Ladder: If you have an iPhone, head to https://ladder.fit/lucky and take a quick quiz to find your perfect Ladder plan. Use my link and get a free 7-day trial with NO credit card, and $10 off your first month if you join.
Instant Hydration: For a better way to stay hydrated, go to https://www.instanthydration.com/solucky and use my promo code SOLUCKY for over 40% off your first subscription order.
ButcherBox: Go to https://www.butcherbox.com/lucky to get $20 off your first box, plus your choice of free ribeye, New York strip, or filet mignon in every box for a year, with free shipping always.
Monarch: Write your own money story with Monarch. Use code LUCKY at https://www.monarch.com to get your first year of Monarch Core half off at just $50.
Arca Wealth: Book a complimentary fiduciary planning call at https://www.arcawealth.com/lucky

Connect with Les:
Ready to apply what you hear? Subscribe to the She’s So Lucky Newsletter to get weekly episode guides and journal prompts: https://shessolucky.kit.com/newsletter
Subscribe to The Lucky Playbook on Substack: https://lesalfred.substack.com/
Follow Les on IG @lesalfred
Follow She’s So Lucky on IG @shessoluckypod
Follow Les on TikTok @theluckyles
Follow She’s So Lucky on TikTok
Visit our website at shessoluckypodcast.com

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Produced by Dear Media
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.