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- [ON BRAND] Building the Friendship App every ambitious woman needs
[ON BRAND] Building the Friendship App every ambitious woman needs
how Noelle made finding your circle of ambitious friends easy, fun and oh-so-chic!
Alexandra Manderstam
September 25, 2025
New series alert!
I'm genuinely obsessed with founders who turn their biggest frustrations into actual businesses. Like, the ones who get so annoyed by something that they're like "fine, I'll just build it myself" and then... actually do it.
So we’re starting a new series where I sit down with these founders and get all the inside tea on their journey. Every month, we'll dive into how they spotted the gap everyone else missed, how they're building their business & brand in public, what content strategies are actually working for them, and what they're learning as they go.
The thing is, most founder stories gloss over the tactical stuff. The content strategies that actually moved the needle. The specific moment they figured out their positioning. The revenue milestones that changed everything.
In each feature, we'll dive deep into:
How they identified their opportunity and built their initial audience
Their approach to building in public (the wins, the fails, the lessons)
The tools, systems, and mindset shifts that keep them consistent
Noelle, founder of Amie, a curated social app for ambitious women who are looking for real connections offline. It's designed to feel like a cross between a digital members club and a friendship concierge: chic, intentional, and rooted in community.
Noelle's Instagram: @noellecrooks
Noelle’s TikTok: @noelle.crooks
Join Amie Waitlist: Sign up here
Follow Amie: Instagram
What she's building: The solution to a problem every ambitious woman knows too well - having a full calendar but an unfulfilling social circle. Amie is where accomplished women finally find their people.
Why it matters: In a world full of networking events and dating apps, there's been nowhere for women to just meet great women. Amie is changing that.
Follow Noelle on Instagram here and join the Amie waitlist here.
THE STORY
The idea came from living it. After college, Noelle moved from city to city and kept noticing the same pattern everywhere she went.
"The women around me were accomplished, social, always busy but still struggling to find real connection. Their calendars were full, but their circles didn't feel fulfilling. There were plenty of places to network or date, but almost nowhere to just meet great women."
The gap she discovered: Ambitious women have everything figured out except how to make meaningful friendships as adults.
Amie's solution: A curated social app that feels like a cross between a digital members club and a friendship concierge - chic, intentional, and rooted in real offline connection.
And when Noelle says chic, she really means it! Look at one of their Soirees they hosted with Alo Yoga recently. The fomo is real.
"So I started building the thing we all wished existed."
HER BUILDING IN PUBLIC STRATEGY
For Noelle, showing up online isn't just marketing, it's everything.
"Your digital presence is your storefront now, especially in the earliest stages. As a founder, showing up online has opened every door: users, brand partners, investors, team members."
But it goes deeper than traction:
"Beyond the metrics, it's been about alignment. People know exactly what I stand for and if they're drawn to it, they usually bring value with them. The goal isn't virality. It's resonance. That's what builds a movement."
Her approach: Build relationships, not just reach. Focus on attracting the right people, not the most people.
ON BUILDING WITH CONVICTION OVER PROOF
While most founders obsess over validation, Noelle has a different philosophy:
"People obsess over proof. I obsess over conviction."
Her belief system: "Before I had traction, I had taste. Before the waitlist, I had a very long Google Doc and a deep belief that Amie needed to exist. That belief is what carried me through every 'no,' every pivot, every moment of doubt."
The mindset shift: "I've learned that every brand people believe in started with one person who believed in it first. I don't wait for validation. I build toward inevitability."
NOELLE'S BEST FOUNDER TIP
Clarity > Cleverness
"Whether you're pitching, posting, or crafting your brand story... don't try to sound impressive. Try to sound true. The strongest brand voice is the one people actually understand."
Romanticize the Early Days
"One day you'll miss the messy middle."
Embrace the chaos and uncertainty of building something from scratch. These moments become the stories you'll tell later.
What you can learn from Noelle
Find a problem you've personally lived: Noelle spotted the friendship gap because she experienced it in every city she moved to
Build conviction before proof: Don't wait for validation. Build toward inevitability with unwavering belief in your vision
Focus on resonance over reach: Attract the right people who align with your values, not just anyone who will follow
Choose clarity over cleverness: Don't try to sound impressive—try to sound true and understandable
Your digital presence is your storefront: Show up online with intention. It opens every door in the early stages
Romanticize the journey: Embrace the messy middle because one day you'll miss these early building days
Favorite creators: Grace Beverly
Favorite podcast: Aspire with Emma Grede
Favorite book: "Glossy" by Marisa Meltzer - it reads like a juicy novel and made me rethink the entire performance of leadership, ambition, and aesthetic-led startups
Favorite newsletter: Love all the Sheerluxe newsletters!
Ready to find your people? Join the Amie waitlist here.
CONTENT STRATEGY MADE SIMPLE
Tired of spending hours creating content that gets 12 likes?
Self Made is a content tool that creates your personalized content strategy, turns your expertise into scroll-stopping posts and track what actually works. So you can build your brand and your business.
Join 1,500 other creators before we close the waitlist.
