The Grommet Meet the Maker Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Grommet
In the Western world, wonderbag. is an alternative to electric slow cookers that uses no fuel and no electricity. In the developing world, it serves as a catalyst out of poverty for women who spend hours each day gathering firewood and tending to dangerous, indoor cook fires.
We talk to Maker Sarah Collins about the events in her life that led her to care so deeply for this community, how she grew her rebellious spirit into a global movement & we'll get her advice on how we can all do our part by investing in each other.
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ROAR for Good co-founder, Anthony Gold, has a unique vision for the success of his company. "Our goal is to put ROAR out of business. In that, there’s no longer a need for a company like ROAR or a product like Athena."ROAR for Good's product, Athena, is a personal alarm for women—or anyone who wants some extra piece of mind—can alert friends and loved ones of your location.On this episode of the Meet the Maker podcast, we talk to Anthony about the inspiration for the company, their educational programs to teach youth about healthy, respectful relationships and treatment of others, how we can all be more mindful in building a more respectful culture, and the future of ROAR.Play Now
The Grommet office is located just outside of Boston, the unofficial iced coffee capital of the world. There is no temperature too cold for an iced coffee in Boston.12 degrees? That just keeps it iced longer.For those who love iced coffee but want the next best thing, there’s cold brew coffee. There is no ice to water it down, it's less acidic, it’s more caffeinated. But it wasn’t always easy to make, something Max Feber learned the hard way in his kitchen as a high school sophomore. So he created BRUW to make making cold brew easier and cleaner.Play Now
How do you commemorate your travels? Photos? Videos? Souvenirs? How about etched journals?
On this episode, we talk to Sarah Kirkham and Anna Warren the creators of Tactile Craftworks. They handcraft and laser cut journals that pay tribute to your favorite city. American-made for a lifetime in Milwaukee, WI, these products have Anna and Sarah’s fingerprints on them from start to finish. If you’re wondering what incredible chemistry between two founders sounds like, this episode is for you.
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Ever wonder how you exercise a muscle that’s vital to your health but impossible to see? On this episode of Meet the Maker Podcast, Tania Bohler, inventor of Elvie, is going to enlighten us all on how to get kegels of steel and why they're important.If you’re on a quest for a stronger core, better sex, postpartum healing, or bladder control, listen as Tania and I dive into the benefits of Elvie, the world's most personal physical trainer.Play Now
Susan Castriota, the Maker of Cuchina Safe, creates glass microwave lids and cooking dishes to help people avoid using plastic in cooking.
The creation of her products stemmed from her breast cancer diagnosis. which caused her to reevaluate the types of products she used in her life. To hear more about that story, we talk to Susan herself.
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If Maggi Blue had one piece of business advice it would be: just do the thing. The jeweler, artisan and web and graphic designer took that advice to heart when she started selling her own handcrafted items and when she created her signature jewelry piece, the hammered spinning ring. Made in her Maine studio from sterling silver, copper, and brass, the rings are timeless, versatile and a go-to for any fidgeter.On this episode, Maggi talks about how she got into making, how she's handled criticism, the joy of running her business, and much more.
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Timbuktu Labs is a media company creating interactive apps, games, and educational materials for kids. 100 Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls is their latest and most celebrated hit as it highlights historic and contemporary women who have left their mark on the world with rich storytelling and beautiful pieces of art from dozens of female artists.On this episode, Elena Favilli — the CEO of Timbuktu Labs and the co-author of 100 Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls — and I discuss the inspiration of the book, the preparation for a massive success on Kickstarter, and how their work and this book have become more important in the current political climate.Play Now
Gavin Armstrong is the CEO of Lucky Iron Fish, a certified b-corps making actual iron fish that you can drop in a pot of soup or cup of tea to get 75% of your daily iron intake. For every Lucky Iron Fish purchased, one is donated to a family suffering from iron deficiencies - an initiative that began in Cambodia and is now being spread worldwide.
Gavin talks about his experience working in third world countries and his passion for sustainable businesses leaving a global impact. We discuss the challenges faced in running such a business and what he sees as the future of Lucky Iron Fish.
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When you think of puzzles, you think of 1,000 pieces, finding the corners, and taking hours to complete it. Zen Art Puzzles buck the traditional stereotypes. Each puzzle is laser cut from premium birchwood here in America. They're just a few hundred pieces and you can try to find the corner pieces, but there may be six of them. With piece designs ranging from traditional jigsaw to moose silhouette, Zen Art puzzles give you an imaginative way to relax.Will Carswell, one of 23 puzzle makers in the U.S. talks about the intricacies of each puzzle and the care he and his company put into each piece of his business from manufacturing in America to using eco-friendly materials for each product.Play Now
Adam Hizme has had an entrepreneurial spirit since he was a kid selling candy bars to his classmates at school. So, years later, when someone walked into his motorcycle shop looking for good luck bells he didn't have, he decided to make them.With Guardian Bells, Adam is living out his dream as an entrepreneur in a field he did not expect. I catch up with him at the Las Vegas Market trade show where he was exhibiting with our Wholesale team. He walks us through how he got started, the battles he faces from competition, and how he comes up with his hundreds of designs.Play Now
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Graham Wasilition is an entrepreneur to the bone. With his engineering background, the Austin, Texas native co-founded a liquor distillery company then co-founded Château Spill, the red wine, grass, blood, dirt and every-other-kind-of-stain remover. He continues to run them both. I catch up with him at the Las Vegas Market trade show where he was exhibiting Château Spill with our Wholesale team.Graham discusses the balance it takes to run not only one company but two, the exhilaration he experiences being on the road meeting customers, the daily challenges of running a business, and the exciting future he sees for Château Spill.Play Now
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Cynthia Saito noticed there were a lot of hair products on the market that dried your hair but none that would leave you with a perfect moisture balance and, most importantly, keep your hair healthy. So she created one. Hear how Cynthia designed her hair wrap, Wrapadoo, why American manufacturing was so difficult but so important in bringing it to life, and how The Grommet helped volumize her business.
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Maya Liberman always wanted to own her own business. One day while making cookies with her kids she thought it would be great to have a container to hold cookie dough and avoid the mess that occurred every time she made them. The idea took hold of her and she enlisted the help of her husband Greg who has experience in sales and marketing to flush out the business and, more importantly, further products like the Burger Master.
Hear how Maya and Greg built the Shape + Store business, found more and more uses for the product, continue to overcome challenges in finding retail placement and persevered through doubt in the lifespan of the business to create a tool that can help any kitchen.
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This week is the National Week of Making, a celebration of innovation, creation, and the entrepreneurial spirit. It is also the two-year anniversary of the inaugural National Maker Faire at the White House where The Grommet co-founders, Jules Pieri and Joanne Domeniconi, unveiled The Grommet Wholesale.On this special episode, Jules and Joanne discuss what prompted the start of The Grommet, the struggles and triumphs of building the business, the power of an engaged community, their experience at the National Maker Faire, and the future of the Maker Movement.Play Now
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Shelby Gogulski had the idea for a necklace that would hold meaning for those wearing it and turned it into a business, Yourself Expression,...as a 14 year old. Now 16, she's balancing school, business, and being a kid with her launch on The Grommet and appearances on The View and, as of May 6th, Shark Tank. Hear how Shelby brought her business to life with the help of her mom, partnered with The Grommet to a heartwarming reception, and what she has her eye on for the future.
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Doug Danforth and his daughter Diane Danforth of LINKS-IT are on a mission to take a major hassle out of pet owners' lives. No one looks forward to changing out pet tags including the pets. The tags are so difficult to remove some owners end up with bloody fingers. But changing them essential. Now it can be painless with the LINKS-IT pet tag connector available at The Grommet.
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Anthony Albanese of Duke Cannon is on a mission to create a brand of men's grooming products that "don't suck." Hear how he used his brand marketing background with Gatorade and Life Cereal to conduct customer research and build a soap company with which the average American guy would be proud to buy from. And if you're looking for a Valentine's Day gift (or any day gift) for your loved one that doesn't suck, might we recommend a big ass brick of soap?
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An accidental Google translate turned into the business opportunity of a lifetime. Hear how husband of the century Arni Thor's Christmas hair tie Christmas gift to his wife, Shireen, created a venture neither of them expected but both were ready to undertake. When they partnered with The Grommet they took Bittersweet to another level, becoming one of the best sellers of 2015 on The Grommet and The Grommet Wholesale.
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Friends since their time at Webb Institute studying naval architecture, Wombi Rose and John Wise discovered the art form of handcrafted, paper cards on a business school trip to Vietnam. The two engineers were blown away by the exquisite designs and upon returning to Boston, started creating their own cards. When family and friends clamored for them, they realized they had a potential business on their hands. Listen to the story of their rapid rise, the exciting things they have on the horizon, and why you won't find a better card for your loved ones this holiday season.
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Originally launched in January 2014, Yoga by Numbers is back with an exciting new update: an app so you can practice wherever you go. YbN founder Elizabeth Morrow sits down to discuss the new development and her unplanned path to entrepreneurship.
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Arccos is a complete golf performance tracker. Weighing only a few grams, Arccos fits on the grip of a golf club with zero impact to your swing. The impact comes after the swing. Arccos co-founder Sal Syed walks us through all of the analytics Arccos provides including, every shot you take, your percentage of scoring, and shot distances with every club on the Arccos app, which also includes a GPS rangefinder with over 30,000 courses from America, Canada, and Europe built in. No matter your handicap, Arccos will give you the tools to improve your game.
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Bevy by Lineage Labs is a revolutionary photo storage device transforming the way you organize and share photos. Hear from founders Firdaus Bhathena and Nancy Smith about the origins of the company, the key features differentiating Bevy from the competition, the device's airtight security, and, above all, the user experience of Bevy, which is as easy to use as taking a picture.
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A former U.S. military vet, Kim Jung saw an opportunity for change in Afghanistan— saffron. Kim, Jeremy, and Maria of the Rumi Spice team sit down with The Grommet to discuss their work empowering Afghan farmers, the power of business in helping to rebuild peace, and just how fantastic saffron is.
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A Grommet Maker since 2012, Cuppow's Joshua Resnikoff sits down with us to discuss the origins of the product he didn't mean to invent, the company he never intended to start, the corporate values Cuppow runs on, and his relationship with The Grommet.
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