Female Founder Mindset Gym Facilitators
Following a career in education, Janet Neal spent 19 years as a global client rep for IBM, where she founded IBM NJ’s first work/life balance initiative in 1995. With a newly found passion for addressing work/life balance issues, she left the corporate life and started her own coaching and consulting firm. Janet’s work with women entrepreneurs led her in 2007 to found “The Professional Women’s Center”, addressing the desire on the part of women to connect and having no facility designed to allow it. Years later, seeing that there was need for women to solve the problems of the world, Janet founded The Superbwoman, Inc., whose mission is to provide women with the resources and opportunities to step into their innate power. Today she provides coaching, training and speaking services through her books, workshops and one-to-one sessions. Her second book, The Superbwoman: It’s All About the BE, was released in January, 2018.
Lori Sokol, PhD. is President of the She Is Me Coaching Academy and the executive director and editor-in-chief of Women’s eNews, an award-winning, nonprofit news organization that reports on the most crucial issues impacting women and girls around the world and a media partner of PowerUp Globally.
As an entrepreneur, scholar, author, and mentor/coach, Dr. Sokol’s career spans over thirty years of writing, researching, teaching and coaching on such pertinent social issues as gender equality, the needs of working parents, environmental sustainability, and strides made by female professionals determined to smash the proverbial ‘glass ceiling.’ Dr. Sokol’s research has specifically focused on the media’s influence in crafting gender roles, further seeking to expose how stereotypes are created and maintained. She has published academic articles on the psychology of media, presented at numerous women’s empowerment conferences in both the USA and Asia, and served as an adjunct professor in the Psychology Departments of colleges and universities.
Dr. Sokol’s articles have been published in Newsweek, The Baltimore Sun, The Huffington Post, Ms. Magazine, and Slate, and she has been profiled in a variety of major publications, most recently in The Wall Street Journal and Forbes. She has also been featured on MSNBC, CNBC, WPIX, and Spectrum’s NY1, and she is the host of the global podcast, WOMXN UP!
Her latest book, She Is Me: How Women Will Save the World, was the recipient of the Ben Franklin Award from the Independent Book Publishers Association, and a Finalist in the International Book Awards.
Casey Carpenter is a speaker, author, leadership development expert and executive coach.
During her career she closed millions of dollars in sales yet had humble beginnings. Casey was a senior leader at Aetna, Cigna, and Sunrise Senior Living. At EmblemHealth she trained a sales force of several hundred and coached leaders and high potentials to improve their performance. Currently, she specializes in working with women executives across all industries to connect, lead, pitch, and speak and own every room in the virtual world.
When she’s not working on her enterprise, Casey is a Pitch Coach for inner city entrepreneurs at Rising Tide Capital. She is on the Dress for Success Northern NJ Steering Committee, the United Way Women United Leadership Council, and is a Guide for Chief, facilitating peer group discussions for C-suite women leaders. She is a docent at her local art museum and loves initiating conversations about art.
Angela Shurina is a Co-Creator of PowerUp Globally Coaching Program and a multidisciplinary Executive High Performance Coach for tech founders, leaders, tech teams, and startups.
She is the founder and head coach of “Brain Breakthrough Coaching” on a mission to unlock more of the hidden human potential in purpose-driven companies.
In her work, Angela uniquely blends neuroscience research, the psychology of high performance with supporting integrative brain-body health, nutrition, stress resilience, productivity, and mindset tools.
Angela helps purpose-driven founders, leaders, and teams build their vision faster, without burnout, creating more time, health, and freedom, and personalized work-life balance, thriving amid uncertainty, unpredictability, and global/local challenges.
An interesting fact about Angela: she graduated with a degree in computer science but then transitioned to her strongest passion – coaching. She’s originally from Russia, Siberia, Surgut and for the past 15 years lived in 15 countries as a digital nomad before settling in Cape Town, SA.
Thiery Vodounou, PMP, is Managing Director & Founder, Sarenga Group, LLC, and Chief Strategy Officer of the Africa Region for PowerUp Globally.
Sarenga Group is a global investment advisory firm that offers transaction services as well as capital raising support to companies at all growth stages. Sarenga works across sectors and takes consultative and collaborative approaches with its clients.
Thierry is a strategic, global finance leader with an entrepreneurial mindset with significant lead investment and M&A advisory roles in simple to complex projects. Thierry has 25 years of combined experience in banking, corporate finance, business development, and investment consulting across sectors in North America, Europe and Africa. He is a multilingual communicator adept at building relationships with external clients and internal team members and optimizing performance outcomes. Influential self-starter with a proven record with Big Four accounting firms and Fortune 500 firms and Development Finance Institutions, who works persistently to help clients achieve ambitious business visions.
Since 2018, Thierry has been dedicated to empowering Micro, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Africa and North America as mentor, executive business coach, investor and investment instructor in renowned accelerator programs including Techstars Equitech Accelerator, Newchip, E4Impact, GetFundedAfrica, and ShEquity Business Accelerator (SHEBA). He has been a Business Transformation Advisor at Stanford Seed where he works with African SME leaders to help them develop their transformation strategies.
Thierry has a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Finance from Ouachita Baptist University, USA, and a Master degree in business administration (MBA) focusing on Derivatives Markets from Loyola University Chicago, USA.
Alex Hyat is a growth marketing leader specializing in global lifestyle brands. With over 8 years of experience in paid media, she’s honed her expertise in driving data-driven growth strategies for global brands.
Alex’s journey began at 4 prominent marketing agencies, where she spearheaded groundbreaking campaigns for renowned brands. Her knack for innovation and a results-driven approach led her to Blade Air Mobility, where she served as the Growth Marketing Lead, shaping their marketing strategy.
Currently, Alex is a fractional marketing director for brands making the world a better place and the Founder of Increasing Creativity, home to STARTUP GYM, a newsletter and program that helps first time founders practice startup skills every week.
Alex earned her Bachelor of Science from the Haas School of Business. She is passionate about startups, social impact and increasing creativity in communities.
Irina Sychov – Founder of Women’s Business Community 
Marcia Dawood is an early-stage investor who serves on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee. She is a venture partner with Mindshift Capital, a member of Golden Seeds, and the chair emeritus of the Angel Capital Association (ACA), a global professional society for angel investors.
Sanford is the Chief Strategy Officer of PowerUp Globally, a strategic and financial planning initiative aimed at revenue-generating seed-level female-led ventures.
Thierry Vodounou, PMP, is Managing Director & Founder, 
Victoria Yampolsky is a serial entrepreneur, strategic CFO advisor for numerous early-stage start-ups and expert in financial modeling and valuation. She’s a passionate advocate for female founders and fair access to capital for all.
“As a busy entrepreneur, I was drawn to PowerUp Globally Coaching Program’s focus on cultivating resilience, emotional intelligence, and a growth mindset for managing the inevitable stresses of building a business. From the first session, the small group size allowed a safe, supportive environment to openly discuss challenges. 
“What I appreciated most about this program was the opportunity to stop during the work day and have an opportunity to reflect. In addition to having access to pre- and post-session materials that were profoundly useful (which I will undoubtedly go back to), being asked to stop, breathe, and process was a gift that carried throughout the day, week, and program. I recommend this program to any female founder or business owner in the midst of building her business.”
“Atending the Power Up Coaching pilot has been an absolute game-changer for me. Victoria and Hamp’s expertise, passion, unwavering support and genuine commitment to empowering women in the entrepreneurial space were evident in every session. Also, what truly made this journey unforgettable were the incredible women I met along the way. Sharing stories, challenges, and dreams with fellow entrepreneurs created a bond that transcended mere networking—it felt like finding a tribe where I truly belonged. It has equipped me with invaluable skills, insights, and a network of like-minded individuals who continue to inspire and support me on my entrepreneurial journey. The lessons learned and the connections made have become pillars of strength in my entrepreneurial journey, guiding me through the highs and lows with gratitude, grace and resilience. I know that the PowerUp Coaching program will always be more than just a program to me—it’s a part of my story, a chapter filled with growth, friendship, and empowerment. I’m immensely grateful to Victoria and Hamp and The Startup Station for helping me realize my potential as a woman entrepreneur.
“What a valuable experience!
“Victoria is one of the smartest, and most talented financial analysts out there. She has created the financial models for 2 of my companies, to which we have raised over $20M using her financials and valuation reports. She is very professional and always makes you prove the assumptions:) She will always be a vital part to my businesses.”
“Victoria truly helped “break me in” as a CEO and startup founder. With her guidance, we’ve discovered the best routes to forming a business model according to the specific needs of my company. From monetization avenues to acquisition strategies and everything in between, Victoria patiently guided me and diligently crafted a meticulously laid-out plan and financial model I feel confident, even proud, to present to prospective investors, as it points to the breadth & scope of work we’ve accomplished together. Victoria is also extremely generous with advice, resources, and introductions. I currently work with a marketing team she introduced to me and I am very happy with them, as well.”
“Victoria really distilled down the financial model to the inputs that need to be discovered in order to determine business viability. Her attention to detail and experience show in taking those inputs and filling out the rest of the model. These are the real numbers that you need for investors.”
“Victoria provided me with great knowledge for the financial projection and reviewed my pitch deck where she provided me with great pointers. She definitely is somebody I count as my inner circle of advisors and recommend her as the go to person for any start up.”
“We are a couple of engineers going through lot’s of trials and errors trying to launch our startup so meeting with Victoria was priceless in terms of getting a fresh unbiased perspective on our business model and getting advice on how to move forward.
“I have the greatest appreciation for Victoria’s contribution in analyzing financial trends and developing the monetization strategies for my business. She is not only an experienced financial analyst, but she is also very creative and gave my business many important suggestions. I felt comfortable and willing to reveal information easily, which helped make the valuation process easier. Victoria can see the big picture almost immediately, and at the same time she is a stickler for details. These attributes make her a perfect financial advisor and mentor for entrepreneurs. Further, Victoria, once given a task, is completely dedicated to it. She has a keen ability to process and synthesize information and make the right decisions, and she comes with the highest recommendation.”
“Victoria is an amazing resource that every start-up should have. She is whip smart and diligent. We worked with her on the valuation of our company and she’s been an invaluable resource in refining our assumptions, revenue and expenditure models. If you think you understand the fundamentals of your own business model, talk to Victoria and get ready to learn so much more!”
“I had the pleasure of working with Victoria for building a working financial model for my business. Her expertise and acumen are not only impressive, but her personable nature made her a joy to work with as well. She was able to offer valuable insights and direction as we strategically built out a financial model, utilizing reliable data assumptions that translate to a usable document for my business. The result and end-product proved the value of both the time and monetary investment. I couldn’t recommend her enough as a resource for any entrepreneur looking to build out a financial model, financial roadmap and/or valuation of their enterprise.”
“Victoria Yampolsky came highly recommended by a colleague of mine and I’ve been fortunate to work with her! She completed the valuation and the financial model for our startup, EnergyPoints. Her unique framework for modeling early-stage ventures allowed us to refine our business plan and use strategy and industry standards to credibly formulate assumptions. Victoria is a Columbia Business School grad and CFA, and her company, The Startup Station, has done 100s of valuations and has an impressive track record. She presented her valuation to two national banks with our accountant, and in both scenarios, she was praised by the level of detail that went into her extensive valuation. I can’t recommend her highly enough!”
“Victoria was a key advisor for Predictive People – as an early stage startup we had tons of questions and we needed professional guidance to sort them out. I am really glad we had her by our side to solve them all, ending with a solid business plan and financial projections. I can’t recommend her more, she’s professional, fast, empathetic, and incredibly smart, a true partner for any startup.”
“Victoria is trustworthy, knowledgeable and customer-focused startup strategic CFO. I’ve been impressed since day 1 with the responsiveness, thoroughness and overall professionalism of Victoria. According to the traditional scenario of almost all early stage startups, the founders are involved in all processes of the company formation. So I am no exception without having a financial education, without professional Excel skills – I nevertheless decided to build a financial model on our own. Honestly, it seemed impossible. But in the end, we did it in a total of 3 weeks. I want to express my deepest gratitude for professionalism and incredible talent to motivate all of our team members. Victoria has a unique ability to get into the essence of the business very quickly, to think very flexibly and innovatively – which is very important for our startup.
“I was a student and client of Victoria through The Startup Station and cannot highlight enough how helpful the process was for our company in reaching our first funding milestone and personally for me. Victoria is a fantastic teacher and recommend her financial modelling courses to anyone. We also worked one to one to refine our company model/financial roadmap and Im proud of my newly developed, ninja-level Excel skills. Paraphrasing from someone famous “Clarity trumps confidence any day of the week” and it’s what I feel from working with Victoria.”
“Building a financial model with Victoria and The Start Up Station for a mutual client was an illuminating experience!
“Victoria is a rare find in the startup world. She’s brilliant with startup financial strategies and has this no-nonsense work ethic that proves to deliver results. Victoria worked with a participant of 2020 Startups, a startup founder, and within a couple of months the founder raised capital. Victoria has done several workshops and speaking engagements at 2020 Startups and is always insightful and held in the highest regard by the audience.”
“Victoria and The Startup Station Team were absolute game-changers for Ovaterra. Victoria served as my right-hand CFO through fundraising, M&A, liquidity crises and more — always guiding the ship with calm, detail-oriented and strategic advice. I would recommend her and her team to any Founder or executive who needs a strategic, fractional CFO to guide your business to the next level.”
“Victoria, we raised $1.4M! It’s finally 
“In business, and especially with startups, getting to a place of clarity around the business and financial models can be challenging even for the most experienced professional. Victoria brings the right mix of business and financial know-how and quickly understands the moving pieces. As such, she’s able to provide an excellent product, a deeper sense of understanding about the project based on its’ needs, and a sense of calm and assurance that the challenges faced will be dealt with in a way that drives growth.”
“I had the pleasure of working closely with Victoria as fractional CFO of our startup. Her expertise in business and financial modeling is truly exceptional. Victoria played a pivotal role in helping our company think through every aspect of our business, and her ability to create a comprehensive model was nothing short of impressive. She not only provided a clear plan for our future but also identified areas where we could improve and grow.
“If you’re raising capital and want to shine when pitching to investors, I highly recommend you choose Victoria Yampolsky and the Startup Station as your resource for high performance results. Victoria is extremely well versed in all aspects of raising capital and the startup landscape. She provides clients with outstanding tools, applicable advice and thoughtful insights to support their fundraising efforts.