In the tech world, women are still fighting for access—to funding, to resources, and to the table. Nomiki Petrolla is changing that. She’s the founder of Theanna, a SaaS platform built specifically to support women tech founders from idea to scale. After years as head of product at an AI company, Nomiki saw the gap firsthand—and knew something had to change. On this episode of The Powerful Ladies Podcast, we talk about the difference between idea people and doer people, why access matters, and how a personal family crisis helped her find her purpose. I love how she leads with heart and honesty, building not just software but a true community of women who are getting things done.

We often think of branding and marketing as interchangeable. But for Julie Leffler, CEO and founder of Big Hype Marketing, they’re two very different things. Branding, she explains, is the personality and identity of your business—while marketing is simply how people hear about it. In our conversation, Julie shares how growing up around marketing shaped her path and led her to start a company focused on branding, websites, and social media. We talk about common marketing missteps, the power of authentic headshots, why Canva isn’t always your friend, and the kind of content that actually connects. Julie also breaks down the core elements of a strong brand—purpose, position, promise, and personality—and shares how her network of supportive women has played a key role in her journey.

From growing up surrounded by tailored garments to running her own thriving fashion brand, Sophia Demirtas’s journey into design wasn’t exactly planned. She was raised in a culture that deeply valued the power of beautifully made clothing, but fashion wasn’t her first path. Sophia started out in social services, shaped by her own experiences in foster care. But after feeling disillusioned by how business-driven the field had become, she made a major pivot—one that led her to launch Fanm Mon. In this episode, Sophia shares how she turned her creative passion into a brand known for quality and craftsmanship, what it was like to move production from Ukraine to Turkey during the pandemic, and why a strong, supportive team matters so much. We also talk about heritage, sustainability, and the importance of preserving traditional crafts. Through it all, Sophia keeps coming back to the legacy of hardworking women who have inspired her every step of the way.