Seize the Opportunity Through the Ask with Emeline Kuhner-Stout and Caitlyn Wooldridge, co-founders of Elastique

This week, I’m excited to share my conversation with the fantastic co-founders of Élastique Athletics, Emeline Kuhner-Stout and Caitlyn Wooldridge, who bring with them an interesting mix of start-up experience and corporate brand storytelling.

Emeline grew up in the French Alps near the Swiss border. She spent her youth watching her grandmere fit people for compression garments in the local pharmacy. It wasn't until later in her adulthood that she would foray into the same space of compression garments. After law school, stints with the UN and OECD, a couple of trans-continental moves, and learning from other start-ups that she co-founded, Emeline successfully launched Élastique Athletics, where activewear meets skincare. 

Caitlyn grew up in Texas and has never met a taco she didn't like. She just recently returned to the Lone Star State after living in NYC for a brief time. The bulk of her background has been in a corporate setting, helping tell brand stories and holding the pen for executives. But her real passion lies in creatively-charged business...which is what drew her to Élastique. In addition to corporate brand storytelling, she spent a collective 5+ years helping boutique business owners develop and protect their brand identities. In her latest role, she plans to cultivate brand love for Élastique through purpose-driven storytelling.

In this episode…

Taking an idea to build it into a business is a leap of faith. Having supporters before you are even ready for the ask makes it that much easier to get going. 

Crafting a product and business based on a need and lessons learned from family, Emeline created a business worth supporting. And, then speaking about the opportunity even before it was truly an opportunity allowed Caitlyn to ask to join. By seizing that moment, together, they have created a business that is now ready to go out and ask for more investors.

The support of family and friends allowed them to create a value-based company that could craft their product prior to needed the ask. But, now that it’s time, they are preparing to make the ask. By surrounding themselves with others who have already accomplished those asks, it provides motivation and the mindset to be prepared.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Élastique Athletics
• Emeline Kuhner-Stout LinkedIn
• Caitlyn Wooldridge LinkedIn
• Their Email: [email protected]
• Finance-Ability
• Stephanie Sims
• Stephanie Sims LinkedIn

Sponsor for this episode...

Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible.

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