From Vision to Victory: Four Founders Overcoming Industry Obstacles
At FemFounder, we celebrate the grit and creativity that drive entrepreneurs to transform challenges into triumphs. Below, four women share the moments that tested their resolve—and the lessons they carried forward to build thriving businesses. Read on for stories of pivoting into new industries, reinventing products for safety and sustainability, and turning personal hardship into professional mission.
Name: Luanne DiBernardo
Company: Oro Sports USA
Website: http://www.orosportsusa.com
Challenge & Lesson:
“I was a stranger to my industry (cooling) when I started out. I had been a copywriter and filmmaker when I returned to my hometown of Buffalo, and my brother had just left his design career in NY (DKNY) due to complications of Multiple Sclerosis.
Van designed a cooling vest to help him manage his symptoms when he overheated; I turned his design into a prototype. It didn’t take long for our concept to turn into the company we’ve been operating since 2014. Everything we design is manufactured right here in Buffalo, New York. What we didn’t anticipate was a lot! In the early years, it wasn’t cool to talk about the heat problem—climate change was a dirty word. Also, we could find no investors to back our company: neither one of us was accomplished in the ways that mattered most to them; we had never launched a company, and we had zero experience in manufacturing.
We collected proof-of-concept stories like mad, but we never had the marketing spend required to launch a new product. I lost absolutely every financial security I ever had—savings, gone; investments, none. But something in my gut said “stick with it.” Living like a college student in my late 50s wasn’t easy. I lived on cabbage, kale, and almonds. But I hung in there. With the heat breaking new records year after year, I knew my day was coming—I would have the right product at the right time.
When the US Sailing Team chose our cooling gear to help them manage the heat at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, I knew it was only a matter of time before all elite athletes would be jumping on the bandwagon. I paid a dear price for the gamble, but it worked. Oro Sports is finally where I always knew it could be—without the doubtful investors and naysayers, despite my family begging me to give up the dream, despite having no means for a lifestyle. Some things are bigger than the pains of honoring a vision. Either my gut sense was on vacation, or it was telling me to continue—build it, believe in it, and they will come.”
Name: Lindsay deOliveira
Company: Soothe Beginnings
Website: Soothebeginnings.com
Challenge & Lesson:
“A challenge I faced was realizing that the pacifier industry simply wasn’t built for parents like me—ones who value safety, transparency, and sustainability above all. The number of safety incidents that occur from popular designs is disturbing. Most pacifiers on the market are tested only once a year, made of plastic or latex, and sold alongside unsafe accessories like clips. That wasn’t good enough for my daughter, and it shouldn’t be for anyone.
So I invented a better one. I built Soothe Beginnings from the ground up, designing a plastic-free, latex-free, PFAS-tested pacifier made with eco-conscious materials like Richlite and medical-grade silicone. We batch-test every run (unlike the industry norm) and even offer a subscription for nipple replacements to support hygiene and convenience.
What I learned: The baby industry is overdue for founders who care more about integrity than margins. And that creating something safe, sustainable, and science-backed isn’t just good business—it’s what modern parents are demanding.”
Name: April Morse
Company: Weber & Co
Website: http://www.weber-co.com
Challenge & Lesson:
“I started working with my dad in 2001 for his custom cabinet business and then I took over in 2012. I am in a very ‘male dominated’ industry and I love it because no one ever believes me when I say I have a cabinet shop! My dad had his share of ups and downs before I came to work for him, but our toughest were in 2008. We are located in the Central Valley of Northern California and I remember Newsweek claiming our area was ‘ground zero’ for the recession. Going through it and coming out of it was challenging to say the least.
We started selling unique cutting boards to get by since cabinets were a commodity. I was able to secure Williams-Sonoma, Home Goods, HomeSense, TJ Maxx, and others as a vendor for their tabletop division. I learned the hard way that jobs do not always come to you—that you must seek them out and also make changes in order to create other things you might be able to sell.”
Name: Emily Guarnotta, PsyD, PMH-C
Company: Phoenix Health
Website: https://www.joinphoenixhealth.com
Challenge & Lesson:
“As a licensed clinical psychologist and co-founder of Phoenix Health, a therapy practice specializing in maternal mental health, one of the challenges I’ve faced is overcoming postpartum depression and using my own experience to help build an online multi-state therapy practice.
When I had my first child seven years ago, I found myself in a paradox: I was a mental health professional, but I struggled to admit that I was experiencing postpartum depression. When I finally did, I could not find the right kind of help. Providers either were not available, did not take my insurance, or were not specialized in this area. This was also pre-pandemic, so telehealth was not an option. I could not find the time in my schedule as a working mother to drive to an appointment, let alone find additional childcare.
This experience led me to re-specialize in maternal mental health and grow my own therapy practice. Two and a half years ago, I decided to scale the company across multiple states and joined forces with my amazing co-founder. Despite these challenges, I feel grateful that I’ve been able to use my personal experience to help other mothers and can’t wait to see the company reach its full potential.”
These stories show the power of conviction, creativity, and perseverance. Whether you’re entering an unfamiliar industry, reimagining a legacy product, or transforming personal struggle into professional purpose, remember: honoring your vision and staying true to your values can turn even the toughest obstacles into your greatest triumphs. Keep forging ahead—your breakthrough awaits.
