The Power of Persistence: The Discipline Behind a Founder’s Long-Term Success

Join Molly Baker, founder of Indie Consulting, and Kelly Parker, as they discuss the power of persistence in entrepreneurship. From handling rejection with grace to turning setbacks into stepping stones, this episode dives into the real mindset behind lasting success. Whether you’re launching a business or planning your exit, this is the perfect episode for anyone looking to stay motivated through tough times and make a lasting impact with their work.

MB (Molly Baker): What’s top of mind for you professionally these days?

KP (Kelly Parker): Female-founded exits. We’ve had a wave of them recently—Hailey Bieber’s brand, Touchland, Skims, Simple Mills, Poppy. I love seeing these stories make headlines because they show what’s possible for women in business. That’s my number one mission: to help more female founders scale and exit their companies. It’s exciting to see this momentum building, and I hope we continue riding that wave through the rest of the year and beyond.

MB: What are you really good at?

KP: Personally? I’m great at following the Mets—even if I never get to see them win a World Series! I’ve got 35 years of loyalty there. But on a professional level, I’m good at building. I’ve spent my career in startups—either building my own business or helping others launch and scale theirs. I love taking a raw idea and figuring out how to turn it into something real, profitable, and sustainable. That builder’s mindset has been my superpower.

MB: What was the most pivotal moment in your career?

KP: Leaving Uber after only three months. It was a dream opportunity—back then, Uber was the most talked-about company in tech. I was part of the North Carolina market launch, but it just wasn’t the right location for me. I had family obligations and personal reasons that brought me back to New York. Walking away felt like failure—especially since I had just relocated and thrown a goodbye party. But looking back, that decision completely reshaped my path. It taught me to prioritize alignment over prestige, and that lesson has stayed with me ever since.

MB: Who do you look up to professionally?

KP: I admire entrepreneurs like Sara Blakely and Jesse Itzler—their creativity, resilience, and humor. But I also draw inspiration from athletes. Their ability to push through setbacks, stay focused under pressure, and constantly chase improvement feels so similar to entrepreneurship. Being an underdog and finding a way to win despite the odds—that mentality really speaks to me.

MB: Any early career advice that stuck with you?

KP: Yes—“Be a better sore loser.” I had a boss who prepped me for a promotion interview I didn’t get. I was crushed. But the next day, he told me I needed to show more grace and resilience when things don’t go my way. That advice changed how I respond to rejection. Now, I always send the thank-you email, stay in touch, and keep rooting for people—even when they say no. And guess what? Some of my best opportunities came from people who originally passed on me.

MB: How do you think rejection shaped your journey?

KP: At first, I took it personally. But over time, I’ve realized most rejections aren’t about you—they’re about timing or fit. That said, taking it personally early on did give me grit. I wanted to prove myself. Today, I see those “no’s” as part of the process. If you keep going, the right “yes” finds you eventually.

MB: How do you manage work-life balance?

KP: I don’t really think of it as “balance”—it’s just life. And I love my work. It energizes me. That said, I’ve built more balance into my days than I used to have. I can start my day on the beach with coffee and dolphins, and then dive into 14-hour days when needed. The key for me is flexibility and being intentional about how I spend my time. I also remind myself of something my mom always says: “You can have everything, just not all at once.” Some seasons are heavier on hustle. Others allow room to rest. That ebb and flow is what makes it all sustainable.

MB: What relationship has shaped your professional life most?

KP: My mom, without a doubt. She commuted into Manhattan when we were growing up—long before remote work was even an idea. She’d get us to school, then work a full day, and still show up at night for us. Watching her juggle all that gave me such deep respect for working women. It made me work harder, too. If she could do all that without complaining, I knew I could push through hard things too.

MB: Tell us a bit about your business journey.

KP: I started a corporate gifting company in 2017, and by 2020 it was acquired by UrbanStems, a floral delivery company. Building that business from scratch—bootstrapping, navigating logistics, scaling—it was intense. But it also gave me firsthand experience of what founders go through. Now I run an advisory firm helping other female founders through those same stages: launch, scale, and exit.

MB: What’s an average day like for you now?

KP: No two days look the same! I work with founders at every stage—from folks scribbling ideas on bar napkins to businesses pulling in tens of millions a year and getting ready to sell. Some days I’m advising, other days I’m brokering deals or attending founder dinners. I spend a lot of time networking and staying plugged into the startup ecosystem. I love learning what people are building and helping them figure out how to grow smarter and faster.

MB: What’s your favorite part of the job?

KP: The messy middle. Everyone loves the excitement of launching or the payoff of selling—but I love the gritty, complicated middle where things get real. That’s where founders need the most help. I help them untangle operations, make tough calls, and build systems that can scale. It’s high-stakes, high-impact work, and I thrive in it.

MB: You mentioned something called a “three-point plan”—can you explain?

KP: Absolutely. When a founder calls me in panic mode—something's gone wrong, a shipment’s delayed, whatever—I help them zoom out. I listen to everything, then pull out three actionable steps to move us toward a solution. It removes the emotional chaos and gives them a clear path forward. Founders are often so deep in the weeds, they just need someone to say, “Here’s what to do next.” I wish I’d had more people like that in my early days.

MB: How has being a founder shaped how you advise others?

KP: I’ve been through it all—bootstrapping on credit cards, not having health insurance, crying over a missed shipment. I’m not giving advice from a textbook. I’ve lived it. That makes a difference. I can say to a founder, “You’re not crazy. I’ve been there. Here’s how we fix it.”

MB: What makes a successful founder?

KP: They don’t make excuses. Period. They believe in themselves, they keep moving, and they take full responsibility for every part of their business. Even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard. That mindset is everything.

MB: What might people find surprising about your journey?

KP: I’ve been working since I was 12. My first job was delivering newspapers on my bike—before school, in all weather. That taught me discipline, consistency, and ownership. If someone didn’t get their paper, it was on me. That mindset stuck with me through every job since.

MB: Did you always know you’d be an entrepreneur?

KP: Deep down, yes. I didn’t have the roadmap at 21, but I had the instinct. I was always more drawn to internships, part-time jobs, and side hustles than to schoolwork. I knew I wanted to work for myself someday—I just didn’t know what shape it would take.

MB: Any early roadblocks?

KP: Math. I was told early on that I “wasn’t good at it,” so I didn’t major in business. I wish someone had told me you don’t need to be a math whiz to start a company. You just need vision, drive, and people to support you. I figured out the rest along the way.

MB: What drives you today?

KP: Helping women build businesses they can eventually sell. That’s my North Star. Every founder I support, every deal I help close, is part of a bigger movement to create wealth and impact for women. That’s what lights me up.

Follow @launchgrowexit on Instagram & find Kelly on Linkedin!

As for us, follow @namedrop.pod on Instagram & LinkedIn and@molbakes on Instagram for all future episodes and insights.