Confidence, Clean Beauty & Community: Three Founders on Overcoming Adversity & Reinvention
Whether you’re fighting for representation, pioneering sustainable care, or building wellness from your living room, every entrepreneurial path comes with roadblocks—and powerful opportunities to redefine success. Below, three founders share the critical moments that tested their resolve—and the mindset shifts that propelled their businesses forward. Read on for lessons in reclaiming joy, earning trust, and staying mission-first in the face of burnout and bias.
Name: April Buchanan
Company: The Perky Lady
Website: www.theperkylady.com
“One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is being systematically censored across major advertising platforms, not for inappropriate content, but for showing women in tasteful, brand-approved lingerie. Despite adhering to ad policies, my content has been flagged or denied on Facebook, TikTok, Google Ads, and Pinterest, while more explicit content from larger players is allowed. In some cases, we were kicked off entirely for showing a model in a chemise.
Rather than retreat, I reframed the conversation: lingerie isn’t about sex, it’s about confidence, mental health, physical well-being, and self-care. I leaned into education, shifted our marketing voice, and created space for women who felt unseen by mainstream brands. This approach not only restored visibility but attracted new, loyal audiences who shared our values.
At the same time, I hit founder burnout hard. Carrying the emotional labor of being a disruptor, running a growing business, and living up to both external and self-imposed expectations took a toll. That period forced me to redefine success: set boundaries, build resiliency into my leadership, and reconnect with my mission.
My biggest lesson? It’s just business. But your joy—that’s personal. Protect it.”
Name: Penny Choi
Company: Tidalove
Website: www.tidalove.com
“As a Korean immigrant with limited English, launching a personal care brand in the U.S. felt nearly impossible at first. Building trust was especially difficult—our products touch people’s skin and go in their mouths, so even if I had found great manufacturers, customers needed more than just quality—they needed confidence.
On top of that, I had to introduce a category (solid personal care) that was still unfamiliar to many. But I kept going, starting small on Amazon and focusing on clean, effective formulas that required fewer preservatives and no plastic packaging—thanks to our solid format.
It’s taken time, but now Tidalove is slowly becoming a brand people trust. We’re growing steadily, staying true to our mission: to make sustainable personal care easy, natural, and reliable.”
Name: Tara Gordon
Company: 212 Pilates
Website: www.212pilates.com
“I built 212 Pilates from the ground up with no investors, no marketing budget, and no safety net—just an unwavering belief that movement should be spine-safe, empowering, and accessible to everybody. When we launched, what began as a single reformer in my NYC apartment has grown into a thriving boutique studio offering private sessions, small group classes, and curated wellness experiences.
But the journey hasn’t been easy. I navigated intense real estate challenges, weathered a hyper-competitive market, and reinvented my business model during the pandemic—always prioritizing client safety over industry aesthetics. One of my biggest challenges was staying profitable while refusing to follow harmful trends that sacrifice health for headlines. Instead, I doubled down on integrity, developed a spine-safe methodology, and cultivated a community that values trust over transformation.
Over the years, I’ve learned that grit, intuition, and a commitment to staying small, smart, and mission-focused are what keep me—and my clients—strong.”
From battling algorithmic bias to translating grit into consumer trust and transforming a living-room practice into a fitness studio sanctuary, these founders prove that resilience is an attitude as much as a skill. Protect your joy like April, build trust like Penny, and lead with integrity like Tara—and you’ll turn every challenge into your next breakthrough.
