Welcome to Season 2/Episode 6 of Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast, presented by USA Girl Scouts Overseas in partnership with Pop Singer/Songwriter Kristina Lachaga! We have a very inspiring Special Guest for you to meet! Meet Jordan Chiles: Gymnast, 2020 Tokyo Olympics Silver Medalist and UCLA Sophomore! This confident, cool and courageous gymnast took home the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Silver Medal alongside her Team USA Teammates...and she's SO amazing! Olympic Gymnast Jordan Chiles knows firsthand the importance of believing in the power of your dreams! Having aspired to be an Olympic athlete for most of her young life, Jordan is currently living her dream as the winner of a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Best known as half of the dynamic duo, "Biles and Chiles," Jordan famously trained alongside her best friend and the GOAT, Simone Biles, as she prepared to embark on the journey of a lifetime. Jordan is now a UCLA Sophomore and hopes to help the Bruins bring home a NCAA title alongside her college gymnastic teammates. In our full interview with Jordan, our Super-Special Smart As A Cookie Guest shared her secrets to Olympic success, how to be fearless, and SO much more! Get inspired by this Team USA Olympic Gymnast as you reach new heights! Keep up with Jordan's adventures on and off the beam on her Website, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter. Plus, check out her Team USA Profile for more fun facts about Jordan! Website: https://www.gym-style.com/jordanchiles/ Instagram: @jordanchiles TikTok: @jordanchiles Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jordanchiles2020/ - Jordan Chiles Twitter: @chilesjordan Artistic Gymnastics - TeamUSA.org Profile --- --- Host: @KristinaLachaga Website: www.USAGSO.org, www.KristinaLachaga.com
Welcome to Season 2/Episode 5 of Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast, presented by USA Girl Scouts Overseas in partnership with Pop Singer/Songwriter Kristina Lachaga! And...we have a very adventurous & inspiring Special Guest for you to meet! Meet Gabi Robledo: Mindset Coach, Full-Time World Traveler, Surfer, Climber, Adventurer, & Entrepreneur! When Gabi was 14 her life totally changed when her parents made the bold decision to sell everything they owned in their house, ditch conformity, and move into an RV...to go travel the world! Gabi went from playing soccer & being a gymnast while living a "normal" suburban life in California to taking on the world in an RV with her entire family and following adventure and their souls' purposes wherever it took them. They were in search of rocks to climb, waves to surf, and peaks to hike. These adventures have brought Gabi and her family to 26 countries around the world and 15+ states and even helped Gabi debut as a TEDx Speaker this year. Get inspired by Gabi's life adventure and learn how to be the hero of your own story, embrace others' strength (and weaknesses!) to create a successful & thriving teamwork environment, and live life "off-script!" Get to know Gabi! - Gabi Robledo is a 19 year old entrepreneur and full-time nomad (a person who does not stay long in the same place; a wanderer!!) - She began pursuing her dream of becoming an entrepreneur when at 16, she and her mom launched an adventure travel blog, nomadswithpurpose.com - Gabi now runs 3 different businesses and has been featured in HuffPost! (So cool!) - She firmly believes that you don't have to follow the script and you can be more than people say you can be! - Gabi is excited to help Girl Scouts reach for the stars during an exclusive interview at our Cookie Rally! Keep up with Gabi's adventures on her Website and Instagram! https://gabirobledo.com Instagram: @gabirobledo_ --- --- Host: @KristinaLachaga Website: www.USAGSO.org, www.KristinaLachaga.com
Welcome to Season 2/Episode 4 of Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast, presented by USA Girl Scouts Overseas in partnership with Pop Singer/Songwriter Kristina Lachaga! Meet Lily Arispe: Founder of Lilypad Prints, Junior Girl Scout and total STEMinist! At 8 years old, Lily used her Dad's 3D printer to create a busy business of her very own and in her first 3 months of business she sold over 1000 pairs of 3D printed earring (now that's a total goal-getter!). Lily has over 100+ 3D-printed earring designs, including mermaid tail, hearts, moons, and origami cranes and we love her commitment to excellence with each pair of earrings she makes. Find out Lily's advice for young girls starting businesses, turning your passion for fashion into a (super creative & innovative!) business, giving back to the community, her (brand new!) Girl Scout journey, and more! Lily has such an amazing personality and energy and it was so much fun talking with her over Zoom for our interview! Get to know our fab entrepreneur, Lily! - Lily sells her earrings in local shops in North Carolina and in her online store. For every pair of earrings sold in these shops, she donates a dollar to a local women's shelter! (Love this!!) - Lily is a brand-new Girl Scouts (catch her wearing her Junior vest to her Troop meetings!) - Lily loves being homeschooled and learning new things every day! Follow Lily's journey on her Website, Instagram, and Facebook as she leaps to new heights! Website: lilypadprints.com Instagram: @lilypad_prints Facebook: Lilypad Prints --- --- Host: @KristinaLachaga Website: www.USAGSO.org, www.KristinaLachaga.com
Welcome to Season 2/Episode 3 of Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast, presented by USA Girl Scouts Overseas in partnership with Pop Singer/Songwriter Kristina Lachaga! Meet Simone Bridges: Teen Founder & CEO of Goddess Food Factory, award-winning celebrity chef, author, and speaker! Simone Bridges is an award-winning celebrity chef, author, and speaker. She is celebrated for her unique twist on traditional desserts and her work in increasing science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STREAM) education using culinary concepts. Simone founded Goddess Food Factory in 2017 and her delicious pastries have received raving reviews by celebrities and master chefs from around the globe. Additionally, she has graced the cover of several magazines for her work in increasing STEM/STREAM education, created the #1 educational baking kit for kids, and speaks to youth everywhere about embracing their inner superpowers. Find out how Simone took turned her bakery dreams into a reality, what it was like speaking at NASA, how she uses her superpowers for good through her nonprofit organization Simone Bridges Inspires, Inc., and SO much more! Some sweet facts about Simone! - Simone is celebrated for her unique twist on traditional desserts (how about her brand new banana pudding cake that she baked for a client's wedding?! YES PLS!) - Simone has graced magazine covers, been a special guest on Steve Harvey's talk show "Steve" and "Wonderama" and* she's one of ten kids who are a part of LeBron James "Always Believe" campaign. Whoa!! So epic! - Simone teaches STREAM concepts through her fun-filled, hands-on cooking classes - Get This: This young mogul is a regular keynote speaker at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Hello, NASA!) - Simone is helping kids "Bake the World a Better Place" through her nonprofit organization, Simone Bridges Inspires, Inc. Stay in the know about Goddess Food Factory & Simone Bridges on their Website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter! www.goddessfoodfactory.com Instagram: goddessfoodjax Facebook: Goddess Food Factory Twitter: @goddessfoodjax --- --- Host: @KristinaLachaga Website: www.USAGSO.org, www.KristinaLachaga.com
Welcome to Season 2/Episode 2 of Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast, presented by USA Girl Scouts Overseas in partnership with Pop Singer/Songwriter Kristina Lachaga! We're 'Climbing with Courage' with 6x World Champion Rock Climber Charlotte Durif! Learn how to overcome obstacles, travel the world creatively, and get up and stretch and climb with us so you can prepare to take on any challenge (watch the video version on Spotify & YouTube!). Pro Climber Charlotte Durif is from the Burgundy Region in France and has been living in Salt Lake City UT for the last 3 years. Charlotte started climbing with alpinism in the mountains with her brother and her father in the Alps, on multipitch routes with sometimes a bivouac on a glacier. Then, when she was 9 years old, she discovered indoor climbing, and stopped gymnastics. In competition, Charlotte has won 6 World Championships and 17 National Championships (including one in the US!). She was the second woman in history to climb a 9a (5.14d), and has climbed more than 680 routes/boulders 8a (5.13b) and up. 2 of the most exciting climbing adventures that she has recently completed are a 2 years World Tour that she did with my boyfriend (now husband) and that they called A World Less Traveled. It was the best time ever, with travels to 13 destinations over 5 continents with their life in their bags. In 2021, she had the chance to go to the Olympics where Sport Climbing was represented for the first time ever!! She was not there as an athlete because she had retired a few years ago, but as the commentator for French National TV during the Sport Climbing Event, and as an Experience provider for Airbnb, which was very fun! (P.S. Did we mention that Charlotte is also a World Traveler, Engineer & Scientist?! Yes, she's that cool). Make sure you follow Charlotte on Instagram and Facebook and check out her adventures & amazing work on her Website and Cold House Media (her Climbing & Adventure Production Studio!) and their A World Less Traveled travel series! --- --- Host: @KristinaLachaga Website: www.USAGSO.org, www.KristinaLachaga.com
Welcome to Season 2/Episode 1 of Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast, presented by USA Girl Scouts Overseas in partnership with Pop Singer/Songwriter Kristina Lachaga! For the kickoff episode to Season 2...we're so excited to introduce you to Winter Vinecki: Olympian, Athlete, Entrepreneur and Motivational Speaker! And...Winter even competed for Team USA in Aerial Skiing at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China! Winter Vinecki joined us right before she traveled to Beijing to compete in Aerial Skiing at the 2022 Winter Olympics (WHOA!) and gave amazing advice for girls pursuing their big dreams and goals, shared what it's like to smash world records and change the world (Go #TeamWinter!), and even told us what it feels like to fly. Winter is SO inspiring! Winter Lee Vinecki was born on December 18, 1998 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She grew up in Gaylord, Michigan and Salem, Oregon and now trains in Park City, Utah. After losing her Dad at the age of 9 to an aggressive form of prostate cancer, she formed TeamWinter.org a 501 (c) (3) non-profit to raise money for prostate cancer research & awareness. She has raised over $500,000 toward that effort and counting. Winter began racing triathlons at the age of 5 and completed her first Olympic triathlons at 9. She went on to become the Ironkids National Champion for 2010 & 2011 and spent three years as the official ambassador of the sport. Winter was also the 2011 recipient of the Annika Inspiration Award. At age 12, Winter was invited to an aerial skiing camp by two-time Olympian, Emily Cook. After completing the week long camp, Winter moved to Park City, UT to train and compete for the next three years on the Fly Freestyle elite development team. During that time, she set a world record by becoming the youngest person to run a marathon on all seven continents, the youngest person to run 26.2 miles on Antarctica and the first mother/daughter duo to run a marathon on all seven continents. Winter was first named to the US Ski Team in 2016 after winning the North American Tour. She is now going on her sixth year on the US Ski Team and has garnered results such as the gold medal at the 2021 Moscow World Cup. After Beijing 2022, she also became the first "Winter" to compete in the Winter Olympics! All the while, Winter recently graduated magna cum laude from the University of Utah with a major in Business Administration and a minor in nutrition. She is also a seasoned public speaker and speaks to thousands every year at conferences, schools, sports teams, cooperate events and more. Keep up with Winter's adventures on her Website and Instagram! Hope you enjoy our interview with Winter! --- --- Host: @KristinaLachaga Website: www.USAGSO.org, www.KristinaLachaga.com
Welcome to Episode 4 of Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast, presented by USA Girl Scouts Overseas in partnership with Pop Singer/Songwriter Kristina Lachaga! During Season 1, we were joined by amazing Special Guests, including teenpreneurs, CEOs, and...Girl Scouts! In this Bonus Episode, we're meeting two Top Girl Scout Cookie Sellers (and ultra-amazing Girl Scouts!) and getting all their tips for rocking this Cookie Season! We can't wait for you to meet Mikayla Butler (National Top Girl Scout Cookie Seller) and Olivia Trader (Girl Scout Council Top Cookie Seller). During the 2020 Cookie Season, Mikayla Butler sold...get this: 23,535 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. Yes, you read that right. And that makes her the 2020 Top Girl Scout Cookie Seller in the Nation. (Did I mention she did this *during* a Pandemic?? She's a total GOAL GETTER). Mikayla was a Girl Scouts for 13 years and Girl Scouts changed her life as it let her pursue her passion of helping others and making the world a better place. Through Girl Scouts, Mikayla was able to accomplish goals and dreams she once thought were impossible, reach outside her comfort zone, and help her community. She says, "I wouldn't trade all of the memories I have in Girl Scouts for the world." We loved having the chance to talk with Mikayla at Cookie Rally! She shared her top Cookie Selling tips to help YOU can sell 23,535 boxes of cookies (or whatever your epic goal is!) this season! Get out a pen and paper! Take notes!! You've got a Cookie expert ready to help! And...we're also introducing you to a Girl Scout celebrity! Olivia Trader has been a Girl Scout for 10 years and has achieved both her Bronze and Silver awards! Through the Girl Scouts cookie program Olivia has been able to acquire many skills such as marketing, entrepreneurship, leadership, and how to run her own business. Olivia is featured on Girl Scouts' Tagalong box (so cool!) and she is sharing her selling tips with her sister Girl Scouts to inspire other girls to reach for the stars this Cookie Season!! Find out how she became a total cookie star *and* her Girl Scout Council's Top Cookie Seller -- She holds her council's sales record of 7,000 boxes! Make sure you check out their Episode for allll the Cookie Selling Tips! --- --- Host: @KristinaLachaga Website: www.USAGSO.org, www.KristinaLachaga.com
Welcome to Episode 3 of Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast, presented by USA Girl Scouts Overseas in partnership with Pop Singer/Songwriter Kristina Lachaga! It's time for YOU to meet our PR, Communications & Brand strategist extraordinaire: Rakia Reynolds! Rakia is ready to help you build your Cookie-selling "brand," make yourself stand out and be remembered! Find out what Rakia's job is like as the Founder and Executive Officer of Skai Blue Media, an award-winning multimedia communications firm that works with people, products, and places on their business, branding, and bragging. Over a decade of leading industry leaders has positioned Rakia Reynolds as one of the foremost minds in strategic communications and business innovation as an adviser to top Fortune 100 companies and influential figures. Rakia serves a robust and diverse client list, including Airbnb, Dell, Glennon Doyle, Morgan Stanley, Serena Williams, and more. A thought-leader and tastemaker, Rakia is a proven authority in marketing, strategic communications, and business development. In addition to Skai Blue Media, Rakia is the founder of Evryday Jane and Fan of Your Brand. In our interview, Rakia will introduce you to the world of communicating, understanding your audience, making a strategic communications plan/marketing plan to achieve a certain goal, and determining & creating your personal brand -- all key points for reaching your Girl Scout Cookie Selling Goals! Plus, Rakia was a Girl Scout until she was 18-years-old! So amazing to find out about her Girl Scout roots!! Make sure you follow @RakiaReynolds & @FanOfYourBrand on Instagram! --- --- Host: @KristinaLachaga Website: www.USAGSO.org, www.KristinaLachaga.com
Welcome to Episode 2 of Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast! It's time to meet our Goal-Setting Gal! Senior High School student Alina Morse invented candy that cleans your teeth after a trip to the bank with her dad when she was 7. Discover how Alina started Zolli Candy, learn about the candy-making process, and how this teenpreneur went from having an idea to creating a plan to being the (now!) 17-year-old Founder and CEO of the Fastest Growing Candy Company in America. Zollipops® are "the Clean Teeth Pops™" that help protect your teeth from cavities and are a favorite with dentists & loved by kids! And did I mention they're a delicious vegan, all-natural, sugar-free candy?! Alina was one smart cookie when she brainstormed her candy company idea! Now sold at 25,000 retailers, she is the youngest vendor to the #1's: Walmart (#1 Retail), Kroger (#1 Grocer), CVS (#1 Drug), & Amazon (#1 Ecommerce) and was the youngest person to ever appear on the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine in 2018. Zolli Candy is even sold internationally, including China, Korea, France, the UK, Germany, the Philippines, and more! In my interview, Alina shares what it was like to pitch her very first retailer - Whole Foods Market - at 9-years-old, tips for reaching your BIG cookie sales goals (and any goals in life!), the power of your smile and teamwork, how to get free Zolli Candy for your entire school (SAY WHAT?!), and much, much more!! Alina is a perfect example of how to #FollowYourHeartsDream™! Alina truly proves that with "passion, drive, and an amazing team of people" you can do anything. Alina has even created a nonprofit foundation in coalition with Zolli Candy, called the Million Smiles Initiative, which has committed to giving away 4 million smiles (aka lollipops!) to help fight America's most chronic childhood disease - tooth decay. There's no doubt about it, smiles have amazing powers and the magic in a child's smile is truly undeniable. But with childhood tooth decay ranking as America's single most chronic childhood disease, children's smiles are an endangered species! When Zolli Candy's CEO Alina Morse heard this news she knew she had to use her Zolli-powers for good and began her mission to save the smiles with the Million Smiles Initiative! The Million Smiles Initiative is educating, inspiring, and helping kids across the U.S. smile! Teachers, Principals, and Educators can sign up to receive free Zolli Candy for their entire school - Learn more! Follow @alinastarrmorse and @zollicandy on Instagram and Facebook, and shop Zolli Candy HERE! P.S. Get to know Alina as we play..."Before the Cookie Crumbles!" - WATCH ON YOUTUBE --- --- Host: @KristinaLachaga Website: www.USAGSO.org, www.KristinaLachaga.com
Welcome to the Season 1, Episode 1 of Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast, presented by USA Girl Scouts Overseas in partnership with Pop Singer/Songwriter Kristina Lachaga! It's time to meet Mikaila Ulmer: Teen Entrepreneur, Bee Ambassador, Philanthropist and Author! Mikaila Ulmer is founder and CEO of Me & the Bees Lemonade. When she was just four years old, Mikaila was stung by two bees in the same week. Her parents encouraged her to do some research on the bees rather than being upset with them. Upon discovering the important role that bees play in our ecosystem, Mikaila was determined to help them. Using her Great Granny Helen's flaxseed honey lemonade recipe, Mikaila launched her business from her home in Austin, Texas in 2009. Landing a deal with Daymond John on the show Shark Tank was just the beginning of Me & the Bees' many business successes. Today, the award-winning lemonade is buzzing off the shelves of over 5300+ stores across the United States, including Publix Super Market, Target, H-E-B, Whole Foods Market, Earth Fare, The Fresh Market, Kroger, and more. Mikaila has shared her story with Good Morning America, NBC News, ABC 20/20, The Real, Forbes and TIME among others, and has been invited to speak on social entrepreneurship at prestigious gatherings including the White House and the United State of Women Summit, where she introduced President Barack Obama. In our interview, you'll learn how to make a compelling pitch, how to talk to and meet new customers, tips for attracting new customers, how to turn a "no" into a "yes", ways to create a positive and great experience at your Cookie Booth, tips for having great people skills, and how to represent yourself and the Girl Scouts organization professionally at your Cookie Booth. Plus, how to let your personality shine and tips for calming your nerves when you're pitching your product (think: Girl Scout Cookies!). Mikaila even shared some amazing and inspiring business tips from her new book, Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid! Mikaila released her book in August of 2020 and she wants to inspire YOU through Bee Fearless. Mikaila says, "I wrote this book to share my journey of starting Me & the Bees, teach entrepreneurship, and empower you to Bee Fearless." Order your copy of Bee Fearless HERE! Learn more about the Healthy Hive Foundation and what you can do to help. Follow @mikailasbees and @healthyhivefdn on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and shop Me & the Bees Lemonade online and in-store HERE! Notable Moments: 0:24 - Welcome to the kickoff of Season 1 of Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast! 1:29 - Meet your Host, Pop Singer/Songwriter Kristina Lachaga 2:46 - Meet Mikaela Ulmer, Teen Founder of Me and the Bees Lemonade 6:16 - Turning Lemons into Lemonade: How Mikaela founded her Lemonade Business at just 4-years-old thanks to bees and her Grandma’s flaxseed lemonade recipe! 8:25 - The Entrepreneurial Journey: Convincing Shark Tank’s Damon John to invest in her company at 10-years-old + tips for a compelling pitch 9:10 - Representing Your Business: The importance of knowing your product, your audience, and the story behind your business 10:40 - Taste Testing: People Skills in Business, engaging potential new customers, + why “no” isn’t a bad thing 12:45 - Branding + creating a positive Customer Experience 13:50 - Bee You: Selling by being yourself (and staying calm under pressure) 16:02 - Work Now, Play Later: Staying professional as a kid entrepreneur 17:18 - Mikaela shares business tips from her book “Bee Fearless, Dream Like a Kid” 18:47 - Making the most of Girl Scouts’ Digital Cookie platform when selling Girl Scout cookies 20:40 - Bee a Social Entrepreneur: How the Healthy Hive Foundation is saving pollinators 23:41 - Dreaming big, like a kid! --- --- --- Host: @KristinaLachaga Website: www.USAGSO.org, www.KristinaLachaga.com Stream/Download “R.S.V.P.” by Kristina Lachaga: https://www.kristinalachaga.com/the-music
Welcome to Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast, presented by USA Girl Scouts Overseas in partnership with Pop Singer/Songwriter Kristina Lachaga! Through interviews with female special guests, Smart As A Cookie aims to teach entrepreneurship skills to tweens, teens, and beyond, while inspiring listeners to #FollowYourHeartsDream™ – Kristina’s signature message. Hosted by Kristina Lachaga, the first three seasons of Smart As A Cookie will feature noteworthy female Special Guests including Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Olympians, entrepreneurs & CEOs, business moguls, trailblazing changemakers, & more. Smart As A Cookie brings USA Girl Scouts Overseas’ Cookie Rally interviews to the world of podcasts, making the interviews’ advice and tips more accessible to Girl Scouts’ younger members, as well as giving USA Girl Scouts Overseas the chance to explore a new platform to reach existing (and potential new) members living all over the world. Smart As A Cookie is launching during Girl Scouts’ biggest moment of the year – Cookie Season – where all eyes are on the season’s hottest commodity. But the Girl Scout experience isn’t just about selling cookies. Through Girl Scouts, girls learn entrepreneurship skills, confidence, character, and how to make the world a better place. And the interviews featured in Smart As A Cookie embody just that. “Smart As A Cookie is for everyone because everyone is smart as a cookie. Our special guests not only offer advice and inspiration to help Girl Scouts succeed during Cookie Season, but this advice can be applied by anyone, anywhere who’s chasing a dream or trying to reach a goal,” Kristina says. Girl Scouts has played a huge role in the podcast host’s growing career. Pop Singer/Songwriter Kristina Lachaga, “The Girl With The Big Pink Heart™” is a former (and forever!) Girl Scout and current Girl Scouts Lifetime Member. Lachaga has performed at many events for Girl Scouts throughout the East Coast, including Girl Scout QuestFest (2018-2022), Cookie Rallies, Girl Expos, and G.I.R.L. 2017 – Girl Scouts of the USA’s National Convention. Lachaga began working with USA Girl Scouts Overseas in August 2020 during the Pandemic, allowing her to inspire new fans and create positive content for girls around the world…straight from her living room. “The Girl With The Big Pink Heart™,” is a true champion for girls, inspiring and encouraging them to #FollowYourHeartsDream™. In April 2022, Lachaga received the Thanks Badge, Girl Scouts of the USA’s 2nd highest Volunteer Award, for her work with USA Girl Scouts Overseas & the entire Girl Scout movement. Her work with USA Girl Scouts Overseas also earned her an invitation to attend the United Nations Foundation’s Unlock the Future of Learning event in New York City during the United Nations’ General Assembly last year. Lachaga is honored to work with USA Girl Scouts Overseas and the Girl Scouts they serve. USA Girl Scouts Overseas (USAGSO) brings Girl Scouts to the daughters of military, foreign service, and American expat families around the world and to girls in American or International schools. An operating unit of Girl Scouts of the USA, USAGSO ensures that no matter where American families move, they will have access to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Originally known as Lone Troops on Foreign Soil, Girl Scouts’ overseas program began in 1925 with a single troop of 18 girls in Shanghai, China. Today, USAGSO supports over 8,000 members in 90+ countries around the world. Episodes will be released twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursday at 2am Eastern Time, with the third season set to conclude in mid-April at the end of USA Girl Scouts Overseas’ Cookie Season. And that’s the way the cookie crumbles. Website: www.USAGSO.org & www.KristinaLachaga.com