In this insightful episode of Feminist Founders, Becky Mollenkamp talks with brand scientist N. Chloé Nwangwu about the unique challenges of building brand visibility for underrepresented and marginalized communities. Chloe brings her rich background in conflict mediation and international politics to her work in visibility engineering, helping brands influence behavior while honoring their identities and values. She and Becky dive into the concept of visibility as a complex, non-neutral force shaped by societal biases and systemic barriers. Together, they unpack key concepts like the ambition penalty, reciprocity gap, and validation paradox, exploring how these invisible forces affect women, people of color, and other under-recognized groups in the branding space. Chloe shares her methodology for creating an “ecosystem of influence” and her unique approach to visibility engineering that helps brands stand out authentically, despite systemic hurdles. This conversation is a must-listen for entrepreneurs committed to building brands that reflect their true values and vision for a more inclusive world.

N. Chloé Nwangwu (she/her) is the director of NobiWorks, a brand visibility consultancy rooted in behavioral science. She unabashedly believes brands and visibility strategies not built with power dynamics and biases in mind should consider disappearing from this plane of existence. NobiWorks equips underrecognized brands with visibility strategies and systems scientifically formulated to help them neutralize visibility biases while commanding — and keeping— attention in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Everything you do to be better seen, heard and understood should work. Full stop. And it is her personal mission to make that so.

Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

Discussed in This Episode:

• Chloé’s journey from international conflict mediation to brand strategy and visibility engineering
• The difference between branding and visibility for underrepresented communities vs. mainstream branding
• Visibility biases and the “racial attention deficit” that affect marginalized groups in branding and beyond
• The invisibility tax and ambition penalty, and how these concepts reveal hidden barriers for under-recognized brands
• Cognitive biases in branding and how they create visibility challenges
• The importance of creating an “ecosystem of influence” for sustained brand impact
• Visibility engineering as a strategy for making brands “impossible to ignore”
• Practical steps to structure branding around social impact, inclusivity, and ethical visibility

Resources Mentioned:

• Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk: We Should All Be Feminists
• About Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s anti-trans rhetoric
• Change by Damon Centola
• Freedom Dreams in Philanthropy

In this episode of Feminist Founders, Becky Mollenkamp chats with Caleb Thomas, a male boudoir photographer, about his journey into empowerment photography and how he uses his work to challenge societal norms. Caleb shares how his boudoir photography, focused on body diversity, self-love, and reclaiming body agency, creates inclusive spaces for plus-size women, LGBTQ individuals, and people with disabilities. They also explore his experiences navigating power imbalances as a cishet male photographer, his TikTok success, and the challenges of social media censorship, as well as his advocacy for Oregon LGBTQ rights.

Caleb Thomas (he/him) is a boudoir photographer based in Bend, Oregon, specializing in empowering, creative boudoir sessions that help folks (particularly women) reclaim their agency, identity, and sensuality. Before being a full time photographer (as well as the de facto stay at home parent of his 5 year old) he worked in tourism marketing, manufacturing marketing, and, most interestingly, (considering his current line of work) was the Media Director for a Megachurch for 5 years. After deconstructing his faith over the course of a decade, Caleb left the church. Caleb lives in Bend, Oregon with his Pastry Chef wife, their 5 year old kiddo, as well as their pup & cat.

Website | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Discussed in this episode:

• Empowerment photography and the transformative impact of boudoir experiences: Caleb shares how boudoir photography empowers clients by helping them reclaim agency over their bodies, fostering self-love, and providing an experience that celebrates authenticity and confidence.
• The intersection of feminism and male boudoir photography: Caleb discusses navigating power dynamics as a male boudoir photographer and how his feminist approach centers clients’ comfort, challenging traditional gender norms.
• Body positivity and creating inclusive spaces for plus-size and LGBTQ clients: Caleb explains his commitment to creating a welcoming environment for clients of all body types and identities, helping them embrace and celebrate their bodies through photography.
• Caleb’s personal journey of evangelical deconstruction and how it influences his work: Caleb reflects on leaving behind his conservative religious upbringing and how that journey has shaped his feminist values and approach to photography.
• The challenges of growing a photography business on TikTok and battling social media censorship: Caleb shares how his TikTok success grew his business but also how social media platforms censor his empowering content while allowing more exploitative material to thrive.
• Advocacy for Oregon LGBTQ rights and supporting the Bend Pride Coalition: Caleb highlights his work with the Bend Pride Coalition, supporting LGBTQIA+ individuals in conservative areas and advocating for safer, more inclusive spaces.

Resources Mentioned:

• Babe City Boudoir
• “Ending the Pursuit of Perfection” TED Talk by Iskra Lawrence
• Bend Pride Coalition

In this episode of Feminist Founders, Becky Mollenkamp chats with Zia Dione about her unique journey through feminism and how her views evolved into womanism. Zia shares her thoughts on the differences between Feminism vs. Womanism, exploring the importance of intersectionality in business and how her personal experiences shaped her passion for creating a cooperative business model. They dive deep into Zia’s mission to disrupt traditional publishing with her self-publishing cooperative, "Trunk of My Car," which offers a community-based and ethical alternative to platforms like Amazon KDP. Zia also explains how the multi-stakeholder cooperative structure can create a fairer system for authors, editors, designers, and readers, while reflecting her commitment to Black feminism and feminist entrepreneurship.

Zia Dione (she/her) is an emerging writer focused on healing intergenerational trauma & building/supporting solidarity & sustainable economies. Zia is certified in permaculture design, has a law degree from the University of Baltimore & is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Nonfiction at Pacific University. Yes, she chose a new name.

Website | Instagram | Threads

Discussed in This Episode:

• The distinction between Feminism vs. Womanism and how intersectional feminism plays a role in Zia’s vision
• Zia's personal and professional journey that led her to develop a self-publishing cooperative as an alternative to Amazon KDP
• How a multi-stakeholder cooperative empowers authors, readers, and workers alike in cooperative publishing
• The impact of Black feminism on Zia’s approach to feminist entrepreneurship
• The challenges and benefits of creating a community-based business model in a highly individualistic world
• Ethical business models that focus on fairness, sustainability, and collective growth
• Why it's important to seek alternatives to Amazon self-publishing and what makes Trunk of My Car stand out

Resources Mentioned:

• “Collective Courage” by Dr. Jessica Gordon Nembhard
  
  

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