Buying A Business, Learning To Lead A Team, & Making Dream Partnerships with Marina Middleton, CEO of Create & Cultivate

If you’ve ever thought “I could never do that”, I’m here to tell you — YES, you can. In this episode, I sit down with Marina Middleton, CEO and Partner of Create & Cultivate. She talks about how bold moves and shooting your shot can lead to massive opportunities. She shares her incredible journey from scooping ice cream in college to landing six-figure brand deals, raising capital, and eventually acquiring Create & Cultivate. We talk about how to approach partnerships, pitch yourself, and land big deals. Marina also shares the lessons behind raising money, leading a team, and scaling a business. Plus, she’s giving a BTS look at Create & Cultivate’s upcoming festival. Check out our Sponsors: LinkedIn Talent Solutions - The hiring partner that makes it easy to post jobs for free, share with your network, and attract qualified candidates all in one place. Find your next great hire by posting your job for FREE at linkedin.com/qualified Shopify - Try the e-commerce platform I trust for Glōci, Sign up for your $1/month trial period at Shopify.com/happy Saily - Get an exclusive 15% discount on Saily eSIM data plans! Go to https://saily.com/EARNHAPPY download the Saily app and use code 'EARNHAPPY' at checkout Open Phone - Stop juggling all your customer calls and texts from your personal phone. Save 20% off your first 6 months when you go to openphone.com/earn  L’Nutra/ProlonLife - Get 15% off sitewide plus a $40 bonus gift with a subscription to the 5-Day Nutrition Program! Claim your offer now at ProlonLife.com/HAPPY. HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 Why do you have to shoot your shot if you want to grow? 05:30 Meet Marina Middleton, CEO of Create & Cultivate. 09:30 The reality of growing up in an immigrant family and how it shaped Marina’s work ethic. 15:15 What Marina learned from getting laid off and pivoting to entrepreneurship. 19:30 How to start working with Reebok, YWCA, and major brands without any connections. 27:30 Lessons from buying a company, leading a team, and navigating imposter syndrome. 32:45 The bold DM that led Marina to buy Create & Cultivate (this is WILD). 40:15 What every woman should know about scaling, raising money, and building to exit. 44:00 The biggest struggles female entrepreneurs face at different stages of business. 46:15 What can attendees expect from the Create & Cultivate Festival in 2025? RESOURCES Join me at the Create & Cultivate Festival! July 19-20, 2025 in LA. Use code LORI20OFF for 20% off HERE Listen to my free SECRET PODCASTS SERIES - Operation: Rekindle This B*tch Get glōci HERE Use code: HAPPY at checkout for 25% off! FOLLOW Follow me: @loriharder Follow glōci: @getgloci Follow Marina: @marinaamiddleton