Women of the New Frontier: Capital, Ownership & The Founder’s Journey w/Allison Ellsworth, Rachel Roy & Theresa Fette

We’re back—kicking off our 2026 season live from SXSW Austin with the Ayana Foundation.

Featuring:

Allison Ellsworth on scaling Poppi from kitchen experiment to a $1.95B sale to Pepsi;

Rachel Roy on creative control, brand ownership, and navigating legal battles;

Theresa Fette on the identity shift after exit—and choosing yourself over the title.

From Shark Tank moments to hard decisions behind the scenes, this is a candid look at what happens after the spotlight.

If you're building, scaling, or thinking about your next move—this one’s for you.

Timestamps/Key Takeaways

00:00 Panel Introduction: Women of the New Frontier

01:40 Meet the Panelists: Origins in Soda, Fashion, and FinTech

04:14 The Poppy Story: From Oil & Gas to Probiotic Soda

06:16 Launching in a Pandemic: The Rebrand and the Power of TikTok