Rising Stars: Meet Carrie Murray of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Murray.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
From LAUSD teacher and principal to full-blown entrepreneur!

After 15 years in education, I made a bold leap and founded BRA – the Business Relationship Alliance – a powerful directory and community spotlighting female-founded businesses. Our mission? To help more coaches, creatives, and consultants get hired and get paid what they’re worth.

But along this journey, I uncovered a painful truth: less than 2% of venture capital goes to women, and less than 1% to women of color. Frustrated and fired up, I joined the team as an associate producer on the award-winning documentary Show Her the Money, which follows five women-led businesses on their quest for funding. The biggest takeaway? If we want to change the game, women need to invest in women.

The film was a breakout success – earning accolades at festivals around the world – but filmmaking is a long road, and I knew we needed something that could make noise now. That’s why I created Carrie On! – my new web series and podcast launching July 2025.

Carrie On! is a bold, unapologetic space where women can share their stories, showcase their talents, and speak their truths. We’re here to amplify voices that refuse to be muted, dismissed, or ignored.

Let’s carry on—and rise together.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
But let’s be real—this journey hasn’t been easy.

Building BRA wasn’t some smooth-sailing fairy tale. I bootstrapped everything from scratch—without access to startup capital so I had to invest in myself and that was the biggest investment I made in believing in myself I had ever made before.. I was raising teenagers, navigating the emotional storm of a divorce, and constantly juggling the impossible balance of being present for my family and showing up for my business.

I faced all the classic struggles entrepreneurs know too well: imposter syndrome, burnout, inconsistent income, pitching my value to people who wanted me to work for “exposure,” and figuring out how to scale without losing my soul. There were days when I questioned everything—my choices, my capabilities, my future. But what kept me going was the vision: to create something that didn’t exist yet. A space where women hire each other, invest in each other, and rise together.

So no, it hasn’t been easy. But it’s been worth it. And if I’ve learned anything, it’s this: the world doesn’t change because we wait for permission—it changes when we build what we wish existed.

And that’s exactly what I’m doing—one bold step at a time.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As I connected with thousands of brilliant women through BRA, I saw a deeper need: a craving for not just business growth, but for real, raw human connection. Especially for women over 40—women who are too often overlooked by media, underestimated by investors, and underrepresented in spaces of power and visibility.

So I created Carrie On! – a web series and podcast that’s equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and hard-hitting. It’s where the stories behind the businesses come to life. It’s where we tackle the messy middle—divorce, reinvention, burnout, rage, joy, purpose—and remind women that they are never alone in any of it.

Think of it as the sassier, braver sister of BRA—where strategy meets soul, and business meets belly laughs.

Carrie On! is more than content—it’s community. It’s a movement. It’s a safe space for women to laugh until they cry, cry until they laugh, and walk away feeling inspired, empowered, and seen.

Because the truth is: the world needs our voices. Not just in boardrooms or on stages—but in living rooms, headphones, and honest conversations. Whether you’re scaling a business or just trying to hold it together, Carrie On! is your new favorite resource for real talk, deep wisdom, and bold stories from women who aren’t done yet.

So let’s carry on—louder, prouder, and unapologetically ourselves.

We’re not waiting to be discovered. We’re telling our own damn stories.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
“I love Los Angeles for its incredible restaurants, entertainment, and its resilience. If the fires in January of 2025 taught us anything, it’s that we don’t do anything SMALL. From natural disasters to its people, we show up in a BIG way for each other and for the community of Los Angeles.”

There’s no place like L.A.—and I say that with both admiration and a little side-eye. This city is a glorious contradiction: beautiful and chaotic, dreamy and demanding, filled with sunshine and traffic that will steal years off your life.

But what makes Los Angeles truly unforgettable isn’t just the iconic food scene, world-class entertainment, or endless hiking trails that give you both views and quads. It’s the people. It’s the spirit. It’s the unwavering resilience that pulses through every neighborhood—from Venice to the Valley.

When the fires tore through parts of L.A. in early 2025, the city didn’t fall apart—we came together. Neighbors became lifelines. Strangers became family. That’s the real heart of this city. We may be spread across freeways and fault lines, but when it matters most, we show up.

Yes, L.A. can be exhausting. The rent is high, the parking is a joke, and the hustle never stops. But if you can weather the chaos, you’ll find magic. You’ll meet people who are dreaming big, building bold, and pushing boundaries in art, business, and community.

Los Angeles is a city of reinvention. A place where no one path is the same, and every comeback story is celebrated. So yeah, it’s messy. It’s wild. But it’s ours.

And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Pricing:

• Advertising on the show starts at $500 for 5 episodes
• Featured in the BRA Directory starts at $99

Contact Info:

• Website: https://carrie-murray.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_carriemurray_/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriejmurray/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@carrie_murray
• Other: https://carrieonpodcast.my.canva.site/carrie-on

Image Credits
Lisa Walen
Kathy Schuh, Kathy Schuh Photography
https://www.instagram.com/kathy.schuh/