7 Secrets of Success from MWF Entrepreneurs
Starting a business takes courage. Sustaining one takes something else entirely.
For National Small Business Week, we compiled advice from successful Michigan Women Forward entrepreneurs. Here, they share the advice they’ve learned while building companies across industries — from fitness studios and fragrance brands to coffee shops, food businesses, and tech platforms.
Here are some of the smartest lessons they’ve learned along the way.
1. Start Small — and Grow Intentionally
When Judy Pagryzinski launched Core (LP) Fitness, she started with one machine in her basement during the pandemic.
Now, she operates two thriving studios in Berkley and Rochester Hills. But she says one of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is trying to look “big” too early.
“People think they need the perfect studio, the fancy equipment, or a full buildout right away,” Judy says. “But that can crush your cash flow before you ever make a sale.”
Instead, she recommends growing based on actual demand.
“I grew slowly and intentionally,” she says. “When I couldn’t keep up with client demand, that’s when I knew I was ready for the next step.”
2. Test Before You Scale
Before Pietrzyk Pierogi became a nationally shipped food brand, owner Erica Pietrzyk tested her handmade pierogi flavors at Detroit bar pop-ups.
“I think I tested over 120 different recipes,” Erica says. “The bar pop-ups were a great way to see what customers really liked.”
That feedback helped her understand what customers actually wanted before investing heavily in packaging and wholesale growth.
Similarly, The Aroma Labs founder Tanya Thompson says customer demand directly influenced where she expanded next.
“Detroit kept showing up for me,” Tanya says of her multi-location business. “People would visit Kalamazoo and say, ‘We need this in Detroit!’ So I listened.”
The lesson: don’t build in a vacuum. Let customer behavior guide your decisions.
3. Build Systems Earlier Than You Think You Need Them
As Core (LP) Fitness grew, Judy quickly realized that hustle alone wasn’t enough.
“I thought, ‘I have a name in the area. I have a good product. This is going to be enough,’” she says. “It took a long time to get systems in place for us to grow and scale.”
Now, she encourages entrepreneurs to document processes from the beginning — even if they’re still operating solo.
“Write down the process,” she says. “If your goal is to scale, or to have employees, or to one day sit back and let your business run without you, those systems need to be documented from day one.”
Erica Pietrzyk learned a similar lesson while expanding production for Pietrzyk Pierogi.
“Invest in systems that let you grow,” she says. “Streamlining production allows for long-term scalability.”
4. Your People Matter as Much as Your Product
Entrepreneurs often obsess over products, branding, or social media. But several founders said building the right team matters just as much.
“It doesn’t matter how good your product is,” Erica Pietrzyk says. “It’s the people who work with you that make or break your business.”
Groovy Donuts founder Andrew Gauthier says managing people became one of the steepest learning curves after launching his bakery, which has locations in East Lansing and Williamston.
“You have high school students, retirees, college kids, career changers… all with different expectations and motivations,” Andrew says. “You have to meet people where they are while still maintaining fairness and consistency.”
Tanya Thompson agrees.
“Love is genuine concern for another,” she says. “That’s how we train, that’s how we lead, and that’s what people feel when they come through our doors.”
5. Don’t Ignore Cash Flow
Several entrepreneurs emphasized the importance of staying financially disciplined — especially during growth.
Judy Pagryzinski warns entrepreneurs not to overspend trying to create a polished image.
“You don’t need to look like a Pinterest board to build a great business,” she says. “Focus on customer experience, not cosmetics.”
She also encourages entrepreneurs to build financial cushions whenever possible.
“Aim to have at least three to six months of operating expenses in savings,” she says. “It’s not always possible, but it can protect you when things don’t go as planned.”
And when it comes to financing, she offers another hard-earned lesson:
“Don’t treat it like free money. It’s not. Loans can help you grow, but they come with responsibility.”
6. Expect Setbacks — and Keep Going Anyway
Every MWF entrepreneur interviewed had a story about plans going sideways.
For Tanya Thompson, it meant redesigning signage, labels, and packaging after receiving a cease-and-desist from Chanel.
For Erica Pietrzyk, it meant losing a major distributor contract and navigating staffing changes.
“Owning a business means constant change,” Erica says. “You think things will get easier once you reach a certain point, but the truth is, there’s always something new to figure out.”
Their advice? Expect challenges instead of being shocked by them.
“Run from fire to fire without losing your enthusiasm,” Tanya says. “Stay gritty. Solve the problems. And never forget why you started.”
7. Solve Real Problems — Not Imaginary Ones
Some of the strongest businesses start with a simple thought: There has to be a better way.
For Misty Pleiness, founder of HorseLinc, that realization came after years of managing horse care invoices from texts, emails, sticky notes, and paper receipts.
“I’d spend my whole day off trying to make sense of it all,” she says.
So she built a platform to simplify communication, scheduling, payments, and medical records for horse owners and service providers.
The lesson? Businesses tend to gain traction when they solve real frustrations people experience every day.
As BrandHrt Evolution founder Ylondia Portis puts it: “Too often, businesses just dive in and start marketing without really making sure the message is right or the audience. It’s a waste of time and money.”
The strongest entrepreneurs listen carefully, identify real pain points, and build from there.
If there’s one theme that connects all of these entrepreneurs, it’s this: successful businesses rarely happen overnight. They’re built through experimentation, adaptability, discipline, relationships, and resilience.
Get more information about Michigan Women Forward’s small business loans to help you start or grow your business.
