Rising Together Podcast
Visibility platform for local women business owners that cuts through the marketing speak to their raw and vulnerable stories of why they do what they do.
Rising Together exists to shift the narrative from competition to collaboration, from scarcity to stewardship, and from polished perfection to vulnerable truth.
Rising Together is built on 3 core pillars:
- celebration and collaboration over competition,
- resourcing and visibility for women-led businesses, and
- the power of vulnerability to create authentic connection.
If you’ve ever felt alone in your work, questioned your worth, or wished there was more space for women to lead differently, this conversation will feel like a deep breath.
Rising Together Podcast
Stitching Confidence with Jenn Borrell: Craft, Courage, and Starting Small
This week, I sit down with Jenn Borrell, founder of And Sew On, a stitch studio bringing sewing, embroidery, knitting, crochet, and all things fiber arts to Arlington Heights and beyond.
Jen shares how a childhood of cross-stitch with her mom, a 17-year career in metadata and taxonomy, and one loud nudge from intuition led her from corporate burnout to teaching hands-on creativity in community spaces. We talk honest entrepreneurship - the real rollercoaster, the “burn-it-down” days (hello, pajama-pants-elastic saga), and the power of asking for feedback instead of spiraling. You’ll hear how craft becomes grounding in a phone-addled world, why imperfect stitches can build real confidence (especially for kids), and how starting with beginners can seed a thoughtful path to growth.
If you’ve been craving a slower, more tactile life - or a reminder that mistakes are simply data - this one feels like exhale.
Key Takeaways
- Imperfect > impossible: How letting go of perfection turns “I can’t” into “I made this!”—for kids and adults alike.
- Ride the waves, gather data: A practical reframe for the entrepreneurial lows—survey, learn, iterate—so the next class (or launch) runs smoother.
- Start close to home: Why beginning with accessible spaces, beginner curricula, and community partners (like a park district) builds sustainable momentum.
Jenn has generously created an exclusive discount code for Rising Together listeners, good for 15% off any class or lesson at And Sew On Studio. Use code: RISING15 before December 31st to redeem.
If you want to connect with Jenn’s classes and private lessons, you can find her on social media at @and_sew_on_studio on Instagram, Facebook or on her website at andsewonstudio.com.