Get To Know: Doone Roisin, founder of the Female Startup Club

Doone Roisin is an Australian entrepreneur and marketing expert. She spent 10 years in digital marketing and ecommerce, working for Australia’s largest online retailer, The Iconic, and collaborating with global brands like Snapchat and IMG. Roisin then changed gears and began launching her own companies: a direct-to-consumer jewellery brand and the Female Startup Club – an educational platform that provides insightful podcasts and technical courses. The series has grown into one of the top 1% of podcasts listened to globally. 

We catch up with the entrepreneur below:

Tell us how the Female Startup Club began? 
‘A few years ago, I was building a direct-to-consumer brand and struggling to figure out the next steps. At the time, I was talking to my girlfriends who were founders, asking them questions about their own strategies about growth, hiring, and how to deal with challenges. Around the same time, I was reading Tools Of Titans by Tim Ferriss – which is such a great book – and found myself wondering where all the women were with that same direct, no BS approach to business. I started casually posting about Female Startup Club, and before I knew it, it had grown into something. Fast forward to today, and we’ve interviewed more than 280 successful founders about their business. We consistently rank in the top charts globally and recently ranked top 10 in the US and UK for entrepreneurship. I’m still pinching myself.’ 

You release your first book, Your Hype Girl, on 28 February, where you interview 51 female entrepreneurs. Tell us about the journey you went on, from writing to publication.
‘I love a good goal. At the start of 2021, I decided it would be the year I launch the first book under the Female Startup Club umbrella. It took a good 12 months to get it ready to publish and now it’ll finally be out in the world. Like everything, once you have the North Star, it’s about creating a list of every tiny step you need to make, and taking the action towards that goal to achieve it.’
You’ve interviewed hundreds of incredible female entrepreneurs, both in the book and on your podcast. Which one resonated with you the most and made you think differently?
‘There are so many inspiring stories in the book and on the show. One of my highlights was talking to Valentina Milanova – she’s the founder of a company called Daye. They’re reimagining women’s health by creating first-to-market products like CBD tampons, and changing the landscape when it comes to clinical trials that impact women. I also really loved interviewing Bethany Edwards – she’s the founder of a company called Lia Diagnostics. She spent nine years inventing the world’s first flushable pregnancy test. Women like this are changing the world and inspire me endlessly.’

What advice would you give to anyone looking to get published? 
‘First, you need to choose what’s right for you out of working with a publisher or self-publishing. For me it was really important to own all of my IP and have creative freedom to do what I wanted with the book. I wasn’t looking to be stocked in traditional bookstores. 

‘One of the frameworks I operate by is the 1% method. Just aim for 1% every day and the compounded effect over time will be exponential.’ 

You’re a Soho Works 180 member – what does that mean to you?
‘Community. I spend a lot of time at home working alone because my team is all remote, but having the community and connection to other members who are building exciting companies gives me energy and good vibes.’

To become a Soho Works member, click here.