Glacier National Park, Twenty Founders, and a Lifetime of Inspiration

When I signed up for this year’s Women’s Founders trip to Glacier National Park, I expected beauty—the kind that takes your breath away. Towering peaks, crisp mountain air, and skies that stretch forever.

What I didn’t expect was how much the people—twenty wildly different, wildly inspiring women—would become the true heart of the experience.

For four days we hiked, swam, plunged down water slides, leapt off bridges, shared meals, boated, and swapped stories late into the night. By the end, I hadn’t just seen one of the most stunning places in America—I’d stepped into a living library of entrepreneurial grit, creativity, and generosity of spirit.

Here’s a glimpse of the remarkable women I had the privilege of meeting—each with a story worth a book of its own.

McKenzie Bauer – Thread Wallets & Female Founders Only

The catalyst for it all. McKenzie experienced the magic of traveling with women on a Forbes 30 Under 30 trip and wanted to recreate that feeling for any woman, not just those with accolades. She launched Female Founders Only, curating trips from Costa Rica to Morocco, and now Glacier. She’s also the co-founder of Thread Wallets, known for stylish carry essentials. McKenzie is the connector—the one who starts the group chat and makes sure everyone feels like they belong.

Kimber Crandal – PearlPop

A single mom of four, Kimber rebuilt from rock bottom after divorce in 2020. She co-founded PearlPop, the first chewy toothpaste, embracing risk with nothing left to lose. Meeting McKenzie set off a chain reaction that helped her grow, and now she’s launching an adult line while mastering TikTok marketing. Hers is the kind of comeback story you can’t help but cheer for.

Charlotte Painter – Morgan Stanley

The only woman on her private wealth team, Charlotte’s mission goes beyond investment portfolios. She’s committed to equipping women with financial knowledge and confidence, especially during major life changes like divorce—something she knows firsthand. Through Morgan Stanley’s sponsorship of Female Founders, she’s now connecting directly with women leaders and changemakers.

Bailey Tillotson – Creative Haven

Bailey began with a watercolor coloring book and turned it into Creative Haven, a lifeline for women walking through grief, miscarriage, or healing. Now her books and video tutorials are heading to Barnes & Noble and even being considered for Oprah’s Favorite Things. Her next leap? Scaling production while protecting the soul of her small, mighty team.

Sarah Turner – Pot Park City

Sarah brings joy through her balloon installation company in Utah, Pot Park City. After losing her mother and business partner three years ago, she continues creating light-filled celebrations while navigating her own grief. She’s maintaining, listening for what’s next, and still gifting happiness one event at a time.

Brynn Maclennan – Slate Electric Flosser Company

If you’ve never thought oral health could be captivating, meet Brynn. She recently raised $1.75M, is launching in Target, and has her sights set on Costco. Her Slate Electric Flosser is so easy kids can use it, and she’ll tell you how flossing can literally add years to your life. Fierce, funny, and determined—even while walking through divorce—she’s unstoppable.

Allyse Jackson – Beehive Meals

Allyse’s freezer meal delivery business began in 2019 with a $10K first-day sales blitz before she even had a payment processor. From $30K her first year to $30M projected in 2024, Beehive Meals has exploded. She credits her growth to building teams around strengths, and now she’s launching a second venture: a workplace personality test to help teams thrive.

Lindsay White – The Little Milk Bar

Through The Little Milk Bar, Lindsay designs nursing apparel that women actually love wearing. Her Alley Bra is a bestseller, and she’s now creating a postpartum line designed for those early weeks of motherhood. Her next frontier is wholesale distribution—getting her products into more retail spaces nationwide.

Brandi Leifso – Evio Beauty

Brandi’s story began in a women’s shelter, where she photoshopped a fake makeup catalog and sold it before it even existed. That leap became Evio Beauty, a brand that’s now donated more than $550K to domestic violence shelters. Today, her award-winning products are in 5,100 duty-free stores, and her first book with HarperCollins launches this February.

Kylie Chenn – Stay Treetops & Wonder Camp

Our host, Kylie, is a serial hospitality entrepreneur who pivoted during COVID to launch Wander Camp, glamping near National Parks, and Stay Treetops, her luxury brand. Now she’s expanding to Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Olympic. With her husband at her side, she leads with bold vision and grounded execution.

Erynn Kerrigan & Rochelle Peterson – XL-PR

Erynn founded XL-PR, an all-women agency focused on earned media and grassroots campaigns, steering it through her husband’s long battle with COVID. Rochelle, her longtime partner, officially joined as co-owner this summer. Together they’ve built a scrappy team that just beat out global firms to win a top media relations award.

Sangita – Intrigue Media

After 13 years in mobile gaming, Sangita launched Intrigue Media to build true crime experiences powered by AI. Her first game, Coffee with Criminals, lets players interrogate suspects—balanced with mental health guardrails designed alongside forensic psychologists.

Gauri – Legal Insight, Creative Curiosity

A corporate employment attorney from Houston, Gauri came to Glacier to spark creativity while sharing her expertise with founders navigating compliance, hiring, and workplace issues. She reminded us all that every room benefits from a legal mind with a generous spirit.

Liz Reiss – Hyperbloom

At Hyperbloom, Liz manages operations for a boutique e-commerce ad agency. She’s ready to step into client growth herself and dreams of launching her own brand—building empathy for her clients by living the entrepreneurial journey firsthand.

Ashley Merrill & Shannon MacGillivray – House of Foils

Co-founders of House of Foils, Ashley and Shannon transformed a stylist’s tool into a national beauty brand. Their first shipment sold out in a weekend, and they’re now in Sloan Center locations across the country—with Target on the horizon.

Amanda Barker – Half Tee

Frustrated with maternity and nursing options, Amanda designed the first Half Tee sixteen years ago. Today, she runs a steady $2–2.5M business with her eyes set on doubling revenue by December and preparing for sale in two years. She’s proof that longevity and consistency pay off.

Melina Frandsen – TOBIQ

Melina created the TOBIQ Duffel, the bag you didn’t know you needed—organized, durable, perfect for families. She launched in 2020, weathered the pandemic, and now leads a 10-person team. Next step: expand into wholesale and reduce reliance on Meta ads.

A Village in the Mountains

Four days in Glacier left me full—not just with crisp air and glassy lakes, but with lessons, encouragement, and possibility.

Every founder’s path looks different, but the thread we share is grit, creativity, and the courage to begin before it all makes sense.

That’s the magic of a trip like this. We came for the mountains. We left with a village.