She built one of the first women's fitness communities on the internet in 2009 — before influencers were a thing, before wellness was a category, and before anyone told her it was possible. Karena Dawn co-founded Tone It Up, pioneered positivity in a fitness world built on punishment, sold a stake to private equity, and then spent years watching someone else run the thing she built from scratch. In December 2025 she did what most founders only dream about — she bought it back. This is the story of what it really takes to build a community, what PE doesn't tell you, and why the second chapter is always better.
In this episode, we cover:
• What taking outside investment actually costs you and how to know when it's the right move
• Why community businesses are fundamentally different and what happens when founders step away
• The real reason founders buy back their companies — and what the process actually looks like
• What to do when your vision gets lost in someone else's hands
• How to know when it's time to bet on yourself again
• Why longevity in business has nothing to do with following the rules
• What fitness, mental health, and entrepreneurship have in common — and why you need all three
Tune in to hear why the most powerful founder move isn't always the exit — sometimes it's the return.
To learn more about Karena Dawn:
https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn
https://my.toneitup.com/
Join Us for 2026 World’s Largest Festival for Women in Business here: https://www.createcultivate.com/festival
Get 15% off your Create & Cultivate Festival Tickets with code WORKPARTY15
To follow along with Create & Cultivate:
https://www.instagram.com/createcultivate
www.createcultivate.com
To connect with Jaclyn Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/jaclynrjohnson
To connect with Marina Middleton: https://www.instagram.com/marinaamiddleton
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