As Seen on the Today Show: Female-Founded Companies to Celebrate International Women's Day!

This morning on TODAY, I got the opportunity to showcase one of my all-time favorite segments - female-founded companies in celebration of International Women’s Day. All of these women are doing amazing things in their respective industries and it was an honor to highlight them.

SOOL, ($7+):

- “Sool” in Korean refers to traditional Korean alcoholic beverages, so founder Carol Pak named her company, Sool, to embody the multiple drinks it creates! Her mission is to globalize Korean alcohol in an accessible and inclusive way.

-On a trip to Korea in 2017, Carol fell in love with Makgeolli - a milky sparkly rice wine. Back in the states, Carol created America’s first craft makgeolli called, Màkku! 

- There are four Màkku flavors - Strawberry, Mango, Blueberry and the original - all rice-forward, velvety smooth, lightly sweet, with soft bubbles.

• Gently shake and serve chilled!

- The other kind of Sool is called “OORO”... this is a traditional soju that is made in a Korean distillery

Cookie Society:

- Cookie Society is a beloved bakery and dessert brand out of Frisco, TX, founded by Marissa Allen

- Marissa set out to create her own version of the "Ultimate Cookie" with indulgent, crispy edges, and a chewy, tender center.

- After months of recipe development, she achieved it and gave cookies to anyone who would take them, including her husband and co-founder, Jeff Allen. Jeff is a retired 8-year NFL player for the Chiefs and Texans…  so his teammates ate these up!

- Cult favorites include the classic Chocolate Chip, innovative Crookie, Strawberry Donut Cookie, Honey Butter Biscuit Cookie, and Stuffed French Toast cookie.

- These ship nationwide and dangerously - you can even get a subscription to order monthly 6 or 12 packs! 

Otra Eyewear:

SUNGLASSES, $65+

- THE celebrity eyewear brand everyone is talking about right now is Otra Eyewear. 

- Founded by industry veteran Linda Hammond, Otra is all about bold, fashion-forward sunglasses designed for people who want to make a statement.

- Seen on major style icons like Hailey Bieber, Rita Ora, and JLO

- Linda previously helped launch one of the biggest global sunglass success stories before stepping away from fashion in 2016…Now she’s back making fun, fashionable, and functional eyewear frames that are affordable and timeless. 

- These are available on Otra’s site, and are launching in Bloomingdales later this month!

- If you’re looking for an instant outfit upgrade this season, Otra Eyewear is definitely the pair to put on your radar.

Chance Basketballs:

https://wearechance.com/collections/basketballs

- Joyce Kao always loved Basketball, but when it came time to playing, she never quite felt like she belonged… the sport could be intimidating!!

- So in 2017, Joyce founded Chance, a sports brand that spreads joy and positivity through the game.  Joyce wants to provide a bright, fun, colorful… a space, a ball, and a message that would encourage and inspire people to play. 

- Joyce’s team says they received tons of messages where customers say they never played basketball before, but because of their design, they picked up the game.  

- As they say at Chance… take a chance and bet on yourself!

Verdant Lyfe:

https://www.verdantlyfe.com/pages/about-us

- Ofra Gaito, a former cosmetics executive, turned her lifelong love of plants into a thriving business. For years, she found solace and joy in caring for plants, using it as a form of personal therapy through life’s challenges. In 2020, she and her daughter decided to share this love with others—creating Verdant Lyfe to inspire both seasoned plant enthusiasts and budding green thumbs alike.

- Based in sunny South Florida, they offer a stunning variety of houseplants, stylish planters, and plant-inspired home décor.

- Their collection is carefully curated to reflect seasonal trends and provide unique, eye-catching greenery for your space.

- They take pride in sourcing all our plants from Florida farms that practice a blend of organic farming methods and sustainable agriculture. This ensures that every plant you bring home is healthy, vibrant, and grown with care.

NAKED SUNDAYS, (22+) 

- If you’re looking for the next big innovation in beauty, meet Naked Sundays — the SPF-first Aussie skincare brand completely changing how we think about sunscreen.

- Founded by former television news reporter, Samantha Brett, the idea came after years spent reporting outdoors in the Australian sun. She realized there was no easy way to reapply SPF throughout the day, especially over makeup. After seeing colleagues undergo skin cancer surgeries, she set out to create a real solution.

- Launched in 2021 in Bondi, Naked Sundays became the first sunscreen brand designed specifically for reapplication over makeup, combining serious sun protection with makeup-quality textures — no white cast, no pilling, and no complicated routine.

- Cult favorites include the viral Hydrating Glow Mist SPF50, making SPF effortless, wearable, and actually enjoyable to use. Today, the lineup includes multitasking heroes like SPF primers, tinted serums, foundation tints, and glow sticks that simplify your beauty routine while protecting your skin.

- Beauty insiders, celebrity makeup artists, and stars like Khloé Kardashian, Alix Earle, and Bethenny Frankel swear by the formulas, helping Naked Sundays become one of the fastest-growing sunscreen brands following its U.S. launch.