Podcast Summary: From the Ground Up – "When Disaster Strikes, What Do Successful Founders Do?"

Host: Graham Winfrey (Inc. Magazine)
Guests: Sarah LaFleur (MM.LaFleur), Fanny Gerson (La Newyorkina), Ariella Safira (Xera)
Date: November 14, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into how successful founders navigate disasters—both business and personal. Host Graham Winfrey leads a candid group conversation with entrepreneurs Sarah LaFleur, Fanny Gerson, and Ariella Safira. Together, they share their most pivotal lessons from crises (especially the COVID-19 pandemic), how their business leadership has evolved, and the ways they maintain their mental health amid high stress and uncertainty.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Lessons from the Pandemic and Pivotal Moments

• Ariella Safira reflects on her company’s forced pivot from a physical space to digital during the pandemic ([03:31]):
  • The agile response allowed Xera not only to survive but also to thrive.
  • The experience highlighted the importance of trusting her team—even when physically distant.
    • “[The pandemic] did already ask probably all of us to be so much more trusting of our teams than we naturally would be.” ([03:40])
  • Ariella admits staying involved in too many areas out of curiosity and care, but learned the business (and her sanity) would benefit from letting go and empowering leaders.

2. Navigating Daily Uncertainties and Stress

• Sarah LaFleur recounts the relentless pressure of recent years ([05:48]):
  • Juggled business survival, international tariffs (up to 150% on her clothing inventory), and personal challenges, including welcoming three children in 2020.
  • A turning point: seeking help from a “mental strength coach” (a former D1 football coach focused on meditation) instead of traditional therapy ([06:40]):
    • “It was like the first time, I think in my journey, where...the truth is, like, I can't even remember what the issue was right now, right? And it's really more about, like, how do I react to the issue. And like, can I actually stay calm and level headed and like not lose my head in the process.” ([07:40])
  • This shift taught her to focus on her response to crisis, not just on analyzing the issues.

3. Surviving in Business Against the Odds

• Fanny Gerson shares the unpredictability of entrepreneurship ([09:22]):
  • Never planned to be an entrepreneur—her strength is hospitality, not business.
  • Fanny’s journey has spanned educating New Yorkers about Mexican cuisine, losing everything in Hurricane Sandy’s floods, and legal mishaps (unwise contract decisions).
    • “My Achilles heel is I’m not business minded…my strengths are in hospitality…with time, that has cost me, literally financially.” ([09:22])
  • Her advice: “If I could go back…I would tell myself something would be to listen to my dad.” ([11:55])

4. The Psychological Cost of Being a Founder

• Mental Health Rituals: ([14:29] onward)

  • Ariella Safira candidly shares she has “more examples of me losing sanity than maintaining it.” ([15:01])
  • Fanny Gerson finds grounding through her son, perceiving the world with childlike wonder, and simple mindfulness via his advice during personal loss (“Smell the flowers, blow out the candle.”) ([15:12])
    • Exercise (including boxing) helped her, too.
    • Navigates business and family challenges, especially health insurance complexities for her husband, and the vulnerability of undocumented workers in hospitality.

• Sarah LaFleur (on grounding): “That’s like meditation.” ([17:18])

5. Community as an Anchor

• Ariella stresses the importance of social support for founders ([21:09]):

  • During the most stressful moments (acquisition/fundraising), she told close friends to regularly reach out and remind her, “You’re safe.”
    • “It was, I think, back to even, like, the last year of the company. And what I think of visually is seeing texts from the two of them that just say, 'You’re safe, just so you know, you’re totally safe.'” ([23:22])
  • Community is vital—no true “hack” exists for founder stress, but sharing vulnerability with trusted people matters.

• The founders discuss the value of group chats (“Fashion Survivors Group”) and the importance of support beyond just entrepreneurial peers ([24:28]).

  • Sarah: “It took me a few years to find my people…who were willing to let their guard down and tell you exactly like it is, and also celebrate the wins with you genuinely.” ([24:36])

• Ariella’s extra perspective: Sometimes friends outside the startup world provide crucial perspective ([25:19]):

  • “…my closest people are so far away from venture, thank God. And I benefit so much…just entering the social environment with them where they’re like, 'I don’t know what valuation is, I don’t care…'” ([25:19])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ariella Safira ([03:31]): “It served us…meet the moment and be light on your feet enough that you can pivot and change. But…I wish that I really honed in on what are the parts of the company I want to be doing or I’m good at doing and earnestly let go of the others.”
• Sarah LaFleur ([07:40]): “…it’s really more about, like, how do I react to the issue. And like, can I actually stay calm and level headed and not lose my head in the process.”
• Fanny Gerson ([11:55]): “If I could go back and tell myself something, it would be to listen to my dad.”
• Fanny Gerson ([15:12]): Describes her son’s wisdom: “He said, 'just breathe…can I hold your face?'…and he says, 'smell the flowers, blow out the candle.'”
• Ariella Safira ([23:22]): “Having two friends…say, 'You’re safe. This whole thing can collapse and you’re totally good. We’re good, we’re fine.'…I do think community is a big part of mental health care.”
• Sarah LaFleur ([24:28]): “I have mine. It’s literally called Fashion Survivors Group…it took me a few years to find my people.”
• Ariella Safira ([26:02]): “Venture in particular can be so…what’s the word?…Insular or like we have our heads—up our asses…such a self-obsess[ed]—it’s just an insane journey.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:31] Ariella discusses pivoting business & lessons in trust
• [05:48] Sarah describes juggling crises and finding a meditation coach
• [09:22] Fanny reflects on surviving business disasters and learning hard lessons
• [14:29] Group shift to founder mental health and coping rituals
• [21:09] Ariella on the importance of receiving simple, supportive messages
• [24:28] Group chats, peer support, and finding “your people”
• [25:19] The importance of friends outside the startup/venture world

Tone

Frank, raw, and conversational. The founders drop pretenses, joke about needing “group therapy,” and stress the real psychological costs behind entrepreneurial perseverance. The episode delivers realism and hope, emphasizing that while disasters are inevitable, a combination of internal resilience, outside support, and self-forgiveness can make the difference.

Takeaways for Entrepreneurs

• Be okay with letting go—empower others in your company.
• Your reaction to crisis is more important than the crisis itself.
• Mental health tools can include everything from formal coaching to the wisdom of a child.
• Community, vulnerability, and support (even via simple texts) are invaluable.
• Cultivate relationships outside your professional bubble for healthy perspective.

Catch the next installment for more unfiltered founder wisdom.