BT: We are inspired by your life journey as an immigrant, a single mother, and a cancer survivor. Tell us how these experiences motivated you to launch FREEDOM and shaped your personal philosophy as well as your approach to leadership and entrepreneurship.
IG: Being an immigrant and single mother does not come with a training manual, neither does entrepreneurship. Coming to this country without even speaking the language, you learn very quickly that if you don’t (i.e. learn the language, practice the language, learn the culture), you will fall behind, so the self-starter / creative thinking was a huge part of being an immigrant. I do believe that if you can’t self-start and you need strict structure, entrepreneurship is not for you. As a single mom, there were issues every day. Why is the baby crying? Who can I leave my child with? Why is she making that sound, lol. This is classic putting out the fires and creative thinking, again, a huge part of entrepreneurship. The multitasking of being a woman was also a large part of wearing many hats as part of a startup.
BT: You famously began your global body care brand from your kitchen. What were some of the initial challenges you faced, and how did you navigate them as a first-time entrepreneur? What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome?
IG: That’s a great question as how do you classify your challenges, manufacturing mistakes, hiring mistakes, cash flow constraints, Tariffs! I feel like every day is a challenge. I thought my biggest challenge was keeping my company alive when I was going through breast cancer treatment, but after this Tariff roller coaster… who knows? The beauty of challenges is what you learn on the other side. Every challenge has a learning aspect, and that is such a gift. You get stronger every time and get better.
BT: FREEDOM luxury natural deodorant can be found in Four Seasons and Canyon Ranch spas nationwide. What are some easy-to-implement ways that hotels and spas can enhance their customer experience?
IG: Products that are actually clean, like our makeup wipes, are a must for a spa. They are biodegradable and made with clean ingredients, so they can preserve our amazing Boca Terry towels.
BT: What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly women and mothers, who are managing multiple responsibilities while pursuing their business goals?
IG: Don’t go into this thinking you will make money right away, have a plan but don’t wait till it’s perfect, like Nike says, just do it!!!
BT: Through your work with IraSpeaks.com, you encourage women to “stop leaning in” and instead “lean back.” Could you elaborate on what this philosophy means and why it is so critical in today’s work and social culture?
IG: This is why I started IraSpeaks as a Keynote speaker. Women take on way too much as we are the main caregivers for our families and as entrepreneurs for our team and clients. We so badly want to succeed that science currently states that 80% of all autoimmune diseases is in women! 80%, we are literally killing ourselves! Self-care is not an option; it is a necessity. I specifically wake up an hour earlier and focus on myself. No phones, computers, or emails… I write in my journal, stretch, exercise, meditate, or make the best cup of coffee out there! It’s just me, though; no one is invited to my morning ritual except me.