Office Chats: Recent Episodes
Madame Blue
Office Chats is a podcast presented by Madame Blue, an online magazine founded by Valeria Ramos. In this show, Valeria hosts weekly interviews with entrepreneurs and innovators across various industries to gather career advice and inspiring stories from people around the world.
Episode 55: Today’s guests are Hannah Behzad Varamini, the founders of Tend Prenatal. Tend is the world’s first prenatal bar made entirely from fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, providing 25+ prenatal nutrients along with ingredients proven to reduce nausea. Hannah is an artist and start-up consultant with a lifelong aversion to pills. Behzad is a professor with a Ph.D. in Human Nutrition with an emphasis on prenatal nutrition and infant brain development.
In this episode, Hannah and Behzad chat about:
- Developing a prenatal bar that provides more nutrients than a traditional pill or gummy
- How they’re balancing their start-up growth with other jobs and responsibilities
- How their product has impacted the lives of women
- Tips for starting a business with your partner
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Episode 54: Ju Rhyu, the Co-Founder and CEO of Hero Cosmetics. Hero Cosmetics launched in 2017 with one product, The Mighty Patch, a hydrocolloid pimple patch that visibly flattens and minimizes pimples overnight.
Today, Hero Cosmetics sells a box of the Mighty Patch every three seconds, and it’s been the number-one product in the skincare and acne care categories on Amazon for several quarters.
Since I last spoke to Ju on the podcast, Hero Cosmetics has expanded with over 30 products launched and generated $100 million in revenue in five years. Most recently, Hero Cosmetics was acquired by Church & Dwight in September 2022 for $630 million.
In this episode, Ju chats about:
- Hero's successful omnichannel distribution strategy
- The company’s product innovation process
- Top takeaways from Hero’s $630M acquisition
- Tips for founders and entrepreneurs
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 53: Yumna Jawad and Anu Naithani join the podcast to discuss going all in on oats!
Yumna Jawad is the founder of Oath Oats and is best known for her successful blog, Feel Good Foodie, where she shares healthy recipes and cooking tips with over 3 million loyal followers.
Anu Naithani is the CEO of Oath Oats and originally founded his own health food company before he and Yumna crossed paths.
In this episode, Yumna and Anu chat about:
- Their journey to make healthy eating simple with convenient products that have whole ingredients and no refined sugars
- Yumna’s transition from content creator to managing a traditional business
- How Oath launched in November of 2022 with products that looked and felt tenured
- Their best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 52: Rachel Clark is the founder of Dearest Rachel, a floral business based in New York that provides unique creations for events, weddings, and installations.
Rachel is known for her appearance on HBO Max’s Full Bloom and Bravo’s latest season of Winter House. She was included in Florists' Review's Top 35 Florists Under 35 and has created floral installations for brands like Gucci, Chanel, Nike, 818, and more.
In this episode, Rachel chats about:
- How she found her passion in floral design after leaving her career at Nordstrom
- The importance of working for others before working for yourself
- The logistics and unique challenges that go into floral design
- Why asking for help is an underrated business skill
- What her experience on Winter House was like and whether she’d join a future season
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 51: Léo Dominguez is the Co-Founder of Léo et Violette.
Léo et Violette offers timeless and elegant leather handbags and accessories designed in Paris and made in Italy.
Léo and his now-fiancé Violette Polch founded their company in 2013 while they were in college after failing to find high-quality goods at a fair price.
In this episode, Léo chats about:
- Founding his company on Kickstarter with no prior fashion experience
- How he and Violette went from shipping products out of their college apartment to opening a flagship store in Paris
- The benefits of starting a business in college
- His biggest advice for founders and entrepreneurs
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 50: Mike Xhaxho and Connor Saeli are the founders of Waterboy. Waterboy offers hangover recovery and sports recovery hydration packets that have natural formulas and ingredients that help with dehydration, nausea, and hangxiety.
Compared to Liquid IV, Waterboy has more electrolytes, more Vitamin B12 and Vitamin C, with fewer calories and no sugar.
In this episode, Mike and Connor chat about:
- Their journey from finance to entrepreneurship
- How they've grown their business and team since launching in 2021
- How their unique approach to social media marketing has benefited them
- Plans for scaling their business
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 49: Founded in 2010 by Amanda Wadsworth and her mom, Kit Seay, Tiny Pies offers sweet and savory pies baked from scratch daily, using recipes that go back four generations in Amanda’s family.
Tiny Pies uses high-quality ingredients, sourced from local Texas farms when in season. Their pies are available in 5 retail locations in Austin, and they ship nationwide on their website.
In this episode, Amanda chats about:
- How she turned a farmer’s market side hustle into a booming business
- Lessons learned from operating 5 retail locations
- How Tiny Pies creates joy in people’s lives through food
- What’s next for Tiny Pies in terms of growth & expansion
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 48: Milly Fotso, the Founder of The Braided Life, a braiding salon in East Austin that aims to celebrate the Black hair experience.
In this episode, Milly chats about:
- How moving from Cameroon to the United States impacted her childhood
- Why she decided to leave the corporate world at L’Oreal to start a business that celebrated all types of beauty
- Memorable moments and lessons from opening her self-funded salon
- How The Braided Life aims to empower the Black community in Austin
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 47: Morgan Potts is the founder and CEO of Granarly. Granarly is the world’s first whiskey-baked granola that comes in unique flavor combinations and is packaged in waterproof pouches so that you can bring your snack on any adventure!
In this episode, Morgan chats about:
- Turning down vet school to start her own business
- How she got her products into retailers like Whole Foods and Central Market
- The importance of viewing business as an adventure
You can use the code OFFICECHATS at Granarly for 20% off your order.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 46: Thurman and Torrence Thomas are the duo behind THEBROSFRESH, an R&B, southern hip-hop, and rock band based in Austin, Texas.
When they’re not writing, performing, and creating music, Thurman and Torrence are busy running a nonprofit organization they created called Tankproof.
Founded in 2011, Tankproof is working to address the 64% of minority children in the U.S. that are not water safe and at risk of drowning. In addition to swim lessons, the organization provides meals to youth, veterans, and homeless shelters.
In this episode, Thurman and Torrence discuss:
- Their career in music, including performing at this year's ACL festival
- What inspires Tankproof's mission to create equity and opportunity in underserved communities
- The impact Tankproof is having on kids nationwide
- Their top advice for creatives and founders
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 45: Andrea Lisbona is the founder and CEO of Touchland. While the pandemic brought hand sanitizer to the forefront of everyone’s minds, Andrea Lisbona’s vision to beautify the hand sanitizer industry began over a decade ago.
In the early 2010’s Andrea sought to commoditize a stale industry that hadn’t seen innovation in 20 years with the creation of the moisturizing, sleek, fast evaporating, and cruelty-free sanitizing formulations from Touchland, that are available in elevated scent profiles.
In 2019, Touchland closed its first year in business with over $1.5M in sales bolstered by distribution with retailers like Urban Outfitters, Revolve, Sephora, Ulta, and Target. They also had a collaboration with Disney that increased their sales by 86% within just one week launching.
Touchland is currently in over 1,500 retails doors, has won awards from Allure, and is loved by celebrities like Kris Jenner and Mindy Kaling.
In this episode, Andrea discusses:
- Her journey immigrating to the U.S. from Spain to pursue her brand vision
- How Touchland utilized social media to accelerate its business growth
- The impact her company has had on a relatively untouched market
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 44: Austin M. Pittman is the Co-Founder of Blue Norther.
Founded in 2019, Blue Norther brews award-winning craft hard seltzer in Austin, Texas with real fruit and organic agave nectar. Their seltzers are lightly carbonated, free of strange aftertastes and confusing ingredients, and come in refreshing Southwest flavors like Prickly Pear, Wild Blackberry, and Watermelon.
They also operate the state’s first hard seltzer Tasting Room, where they host live music and more every week. Find Blue at H-E-B, Whole Foods, and other retailers in the Greater Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston markets.
In this episode, Austin chats about:
- What inspired him and his father to create a hard seltzer unlike any other
- Lessons learned from getting Blue Norther into top retailers
- Advice for founders to stay positive and maintain their entrepreneurial drive
You can visit the Blue Norther Hard Seltzer tasting room at 440 E St Elmo Rd Building C1, Austin, Texas.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 43: Katie Diasti is the founder and CEO of Viv, an eco-friendly period care brand that is free of harmful toxins.
After graduating from Boston College in 2019, Katie knew her calling was to combine her passion for women empowerment and sustainability to build a brand that empowered consumers rather than thriving off their insecurities.
In this episode, Katie shares:
- How she turned a college assignment into a business that has raised $1 million in pre-seed rounds
- The process of developing eco-friendly menstrual products that are both effective and comfortable
- The importance of building a supportive community as a solopreneur
- 3 tips for entrepreneurs seeking investments
You can follow Viv on Instagram @vivforyourv!
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 42: Tracy Adkins is the founder of Jivana, a skincare brand made from a blend of Ayurvedic botanicals and skincare actives. Tracy is a nurse and Ayurvedic practitioner that unintentionally turned a home remedy for her toddler’s eczema into a small business.
In this episode, Tracy explains:
- Exactly what Ayurveda is and the role it plays in skincare
- How Jivana's products target the needs of three specific skin types
- The biggest lessons learned from running a small business
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 41: Mbali Z. Ndlovu is the founder of Lukafit, an empowering activewear brand designed with curves in mind. Lukafit's mission is to celebrate women of all shapes, sizes, and shades along their health and wellness journeys.
In this episode, Mbali discusses:
- How her own health and wellness journey led her to create an activewear brand
- The importance of community both in business and life
- Her advice for entrepreneurs on staying mentally sound
- What sets her small business apart from others on the market
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 40: Lina and Louis Guarin are the founders of Stivali New York, a women's leather footwear label founded in 2016. Stivali has a story to share—that of Columbian families, immigrants, and entrepreneurs around the globe.
Designed in New York and handcrafted by artisans in their family's atelier in Colombia, Stivali New York offers shoes that are sophisticated and stylish without sacrificing comfort.
In this episode, Lina and Louis discuss:
- Immigrating from Columbia to New York City with just $100 in their pocket
- How their family and culture inspires their designs and business
- Making the shift from a majority retail footprint to direct-to-consumer
- Advice on what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 39: Liz Cook is the Founder and CEO of One Seed, an organic perfume brand based in Australia.
One Seed perfumes are free of synthetics and contain all-natural ingredients that are gentle on the body and the environment. Liz launched One Seed in 2009 after first building and selling three natural skincare boutiques in South Australia. She has been a part of the natural and organic beauty world for over twenty years, formulating natural fragrances for her own brands and other skincare and wellness brands worldwide.
In this episode, Liz discusses:
- Her journey growing One Seed
- The importance of being informed about the products we put on and in our bodies
- What inspires her to create new, unique scents
- Little-known facts about the perfume industry
- Leadership advice everyone can learn from
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 38: Alisa Pospekhova is the founder of Kindroot. Kindroot offers plant-based lozenges infused with vitamins, adaptogens, herbs, and aromatherapy flavors. They are gluten-free, made with organic ingredients, and made in the US!
In this episode, Alisa talks about:
- What inspired her to create Kindroot
- How she got her product into retailers and stayed in them
- Her advice for growing a business independently and the benefits of doing so
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 37: Coabi Kastan and Janine Seale are the Founders of Out Of Office.
Out Of Office is a travel app that allows users to discover the best hotels, restaurants, and must-sees curated by friends and influencers. Instead of searching through texts, Instagram, or Yelp to curate your next getaway, you can find everything you need in Out Of Office!
In this episode, Coabi and Jan discuss:
- How Out Of Office is changing the way people travel
- The importance of female representation in male-dominated spaces
- Advice for founders preparing to start a business
- The key to having a successful business partnership with a friend
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 36: Connie Shih is the Founder and CEO of Heralogie, an eco-friendly period underwear brand. After trying dozens of brands on the market, Connie created Heralogie to fit a need she had for period underwear that was both comfortable and extremely effective in preventing menstrual leaks.
In this episode, Connie discusses:
- Leaving a successful career at an investment firm to start a small business
- The challenges of growing a brand in the menstrual care industry
- Her advice for growing an online following and customer base
- The importance of de-stigmatizing periods and period poverty
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kim Lewis is best known as the lead designer behind ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." She is the founder of Kim Lewis Designs in Austin, TX.
In six years with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Kim designed over 120 homes in 43 states. Her work has been featured on networks like ABC, HGTV, TLC, National Geographic, FYI's "Tiny House Nation,” and more. Today, Kim designs for restaurants, hotels, boutiques, and even the homes of celebrities. I was also thrilled to learn that Kim is a fellow Texas Aggie!
In this episode, Kim discusses:
- The journey to starting her own design company
- How she has seen design change peoples' lives
- Her advice for working moms
- The importance of displaying grit through life's challenges.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 34: Sophia Karbowski is the Co-Founder of Rollin' and Bowlin' Cafes and Rollin' n Bowlin'. Rollin’ n Bowlin’ started with açaí bowl cafes on college campuses after Sophia and her Co-Founder Austin Patry saw a lack of healthy food options at Texas Christian University.
Today, Rollin’ n Bowlin’ cafes are on seven college campuses across the U.S., offering healthy smoothies, acai bowls, and more. Rollin' n Bowlin' is not only a health foods cafe for college students but their healthy snack options like nut-butter-filled dates can be found on their website and in grocery stores nationwide.
In this episode, Sophia shares the lessons she's learned while growing two businesses, how Rollin' n Bowlin' is supporting young entrepreneurs across the country, her mission to make healthy snacks more accessible, and more.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 33: Mary Young is the founder of her namesake lingerie and swimwear brand with a mission to empower women of all sizes. Founded in 2014, Mary Young is based in Montreal, Canada, and is committed to creating ethically made garments with quality, environmentally safe materials.
In this episode we discuss:
- How Mary started her lingerie company after graduating from college
- The making of ethically-made slow-fashion garments
- Mary Young's initiatives to promote self-love and inclusivity
- Mary's advice for young entrepreneurs
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 32: Ria Safford is the Founder and CEO of RiOrganize, a modern organization company based in Southern California and the Dallas/Fort Worth area that offers full-service luxury organization, design, and space planning.
In this episode, Ria discusses:
- Leaving a six-figure job to launch her business
- Growing a side-hustle into a full-time career
- Top advice for founders and entrepreneurs
- Simple steps anyone can take to get organized
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 31: Diana Jarrar is the Founder and CEO of Magic Dates, a vegan snack company that takes dates, walnuts, and other natural ingredients and covers them in 100% dark chocolate.
Diana recently appeared on Shark Tank where she made a deal with Kevin O’Leary for $150,000 in exchange for 33.3% of the business.
In this episode, Diana discusses:
- How her culture inspired her to create Magic Dates
- The history of dates and the benefits that make them a superfood
- Pitching on Shark Tank and making a deal with Mr. Wonderful
- Her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in the CPG space
You can learn more and shop for Magic Dates here.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a rating/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tim Chan is the Co-Founder of So Gay Rosé and the current Senior Director of Commerce at Rolling Stone.
Along with his friend and Co-Founder Josh Campbell, Tim took on an exciting wine venture with a mission to support the LGBTQ+ community and redefine the meaning of the phrase, “That’s so gay.”
In this episode, we discuss:
- How Tim and Josh turned a spur of the moment idea into a business
- Why Tim believes entrepreneurs should have a back up plan or multiple sources of income
- How So Gay Rosé is promoting self-love and acceptance while breaking stereotypes and supporting the queer community
P.S. You can use the code TIMFRIENDS for $20 off your purchase at sogayrose.com
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating/review on Apple Podcasts and be sure to subscribe/follow the show on your preferred streaming platform. Thank you!
Episode 29: Sequoyah Johnson is the creator behind The Coy Collection, a small ceramics business based in Austin, Texas.
In this episode, she shares her journey to growing a small business with a mission to spread joy, what collaborating with organizations like Nike and West Elm was really like, her advice for small business owners, and more.
You can keep up with Sequoyah and The Coy Collection online and on social media.
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and review! It goes a long way and helps grow the show. Thank you!
Episode 28: Today’s guest is Sarah Uslan. Sarah is a celebrity and editorial makeup artist that has worked with Beyoncé, Florence Pugh, Emma Roberts, and more. Her work has been featured on the red carpet and in magazines like Allure, Harpers Bazaar, and Elle.
In 2022, Sarah launched LULA—a clean beauty company that provides natural products made with nourishing botanicals and essential oils that give the skin a healthy glow. LULA’s packaging is made from recyclable materials and as part of their broader commitment to sustainability, they use a zero waste platform to keep empty jars & bottles out of landfills.
In this episode, Sarah shares her career journey as a celebrity makeup artist including working with Bobbi Brown, what inspired her to create LULA, and her mission to create multi-generational good.
Sarah’s Mom, Nancy Uslan, also joined this episode to discuss her organization NEU Global, which supports clean water initiatives in the U.S. and Rwanda. They’re partnering with LULA for a great cause during the month of April!
Use the code EARTHDAY for the LULA lineup at wearelula.com to get 20% off your order and $5 will go to support NEU Global's clean water initiatives in Rwanda.
Episode 27: Harshit Gupta and Elliott Curelop are the founders of Madhu Chocolate, an Austin-based chocolate company that infuses a variety of Indian spices, nuts, and flavors into their chocolate.
They ethically source high-quality cacao beans with fair and transparent trading. Their facility operates on 100% renewable wind energy, and they compost a large number of their waste products in an ongoing effort to minimize their carbon footprint.
In this episode, Elliott and Harshit share how they started their company, their inspiration for creating unique flavors, their advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, and more.
You can keep up with Madhu on social media @madhuchocolate.
Episode 26: Maria Karr, Co-Founder and CEO of Rumore Beauty (@rumore_beauty), the first and only online platform dedicated to the discovery of Russian beauty products in the U.S.
Maria was born and raised in Russia, in the Siberian city of Barnaul, but since 2007, New York City has been her home. Before creating Rumore, Maria led PR, communications, and influencer marketing efforts for leading global beauty brands for the past 10 years. Today, Rumore Beauty has been featured in Forbes, Allure, Vogue, and more.
In this episode, Maria discusses what led her to create Rumore beauty, her advice for other start-ups, and more.
Episode 25: In 2017, Ashley Oerman joined Cosmopolitan as the senior wellness editor, becoming Hearst's first editor to work on both print and digital teams. Today, Ashley is Cosmopolitan's lifestyle director, overseeing the brand's food, home, money, career, and health content both online and in magazines. Her work has reached millions of eyes across the U.S. and internationally.
Ashley discusses:
- How she got her start in the editorial industry
- What working at Cosmopolitan is like
- Her career advice for young writers and content creators
You can follow Ashley Oerman on Instagram and LinkedIn.
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Episode 24: Nina Rowan is the Director of Marketing at Wardrobe—the world’s largest luxury and archive vintage clothing rental service. In this episode, we discuss Nina’s career in the fashion industry, how wardrobe is shaking things up in the industry, and her advice for young professionals.
We discuss:
-
How Nina went from an intern on Wardrobe’s startup team to Director of Marketing
-
How Wardrobe is paving the way for new consumer habits
-
What it’s like working for a startup in the fashion industry
-
The role influencers and social media play in the company’s marketing strategy
Shop Wardrobe and follow Wardrobe on Instagram and Nina Rowan on Instagram
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Episode 23: Cristina Lynch is the Founder and CEO of Mi Golondrina—a fashion and lifestyle brand inspired by the rich and colorful culture of Mexico. Every Mi Golondrina garment is born in the small villages of Mexico, hand-stitched by skilled artisans who have been using these methods for over 200 years. As a young girl, Cristina frequented her grandfather’s ranch house in Mexico and would see small swallows or ‘golondrinas’ nesting in the eaves of the roof. She envisioned these golondrinas flying about, delivering the beauty of Mexico to women all over the world.
We discuss:
-
How Cristina decided to start her own business
-
The biggest challenges she’s faced in bringing her brand to the market
-
How she’s been able to scale a handmade clothing business
-
What about the Mexican culture inspires her the most
-
Lessons she learned from her entrepreneurial family and career experiences, including working at Oscar de la Renta
Mi Golondrina’s Website | Mi Golondrina on Instagram and Facebook
Follow Cristina Lynch on Instagram and LinkedIn.
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
As a television personality from the popular reality tv shows The Bachelor and Bachelor In Paradise, Kendall Long is the author of Just Curious: A Notebook of Questions. Inspired by her time on the show as well as her personal life, Just Curious aims to enhance and strengthen human connections.
We discuss:
-
What Kendall's experience was like on The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise
-
How her book, Just Curious, creates deeper connections and sparks curiosity
-
What sparks her passion for taxidermy
-
Her advice for aspiring authors
You can check out Kendall Long on Instagram and Kendall's Website.
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Casey Dworkin is the founder and creative director of Sylven New York, a sustainable, luxury footwear brand. Born on Earth Day, Dworkin has been dedicated to sustainable practices from a young age as a result.
Before launching her own line, Dworkin spent her professional career working within small footwear and fashion companies, and attributes a lot of her early knowledge and experience to “being thrown in the deep end.” When she decided to launch a company of her own, she felt compelled to base her brand equally on craftsmanship and mission – finally getting the opportunity to combine her affinities for both fashion and sustainability.
Recently, Casey has been working to redesign footwear from the inside out, focusing on materials such as apple leather (a vegan material made from organic apple waste), linings made from wheat and corn byproducts, leathers treated naturally with tree barks, and vegan leathers derived from 100% recycled fibers.
We discuss:
-
How Casey is turning food waste into luxury shoes
-
The pros and cons of both vegan and leather products
-
How the fashion industry is adapting to meet consumer demands for sustainable products
-
Her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
You can follow Sylven New York on Instagram and Facebook
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Based in NYC, Jarry Lee is an agency-signed model, actor, musician, influencer, and former journalist originally from England, Wales, and Connecticut. Jarry has a following of over 850,000+ across her verified social media channels, and appeared as herself on the Netflix show “Dating Around.”
We talk about:
- Why Jarry left her career at Buzzfeed to pursue acting and modeling
- What is was like filming Neflix’s “Dating Around”
- The importance of diversity and representation in the media
- How the entertainment industry has changed since the pandemic
You can follow Jarry Lee on Instagram
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Founded in 2020 by Dana Cohen, Hyer Goods is a sustainable fashion brand that offers accessories made from leather and fabric sourced from factory scraps. By upcycling trash, Hyer Goods helps eliminate the massive energy footprint needed to cultivate land, livestock, crops, and fertilizers while also reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.
"My career in corporate fashion coincided with the rise in fast fashion, so I felt like it was my last hope in the industry to create my own brand that was more sustainable both in lifestyle and how it treated the planet."
We discuss:
-
How Dana's career in corporate fashion led her to create a sustainable brand
-
Ways consumers can create change in the fashion industry
-
Tips for shopping sustainably and reducing waste in your life
-
Her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
You can follow Hyer Goods on Instagram and Facebook
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Ashley Jennett is the founder of The Bee and The Fox - a lifestyle and apparel brand known for their unique vintage style t-shirts that had its start on Etsy. Jennett started her business in 2014 with $700 and a small assortment of children’s shirts on Etsy. Today, the business is a popular e-commerce platform with mugs, key chains, stickers, greeting cards, and apparel for kids, babies, women, and men.
“Content wise, our designs always speak to me on a personal level whether its motherhood, political, or being a feminist. I take whats going on in my life and put it into the brand.”
We discuss:
-
How Jennett turned her business from a side hustle to a full-time job
-
Tips for staying inspired during challenging times
-
Balancing work and life as an entrepreneur
You can follow The Bee and Fox on Instagram and shop on The Bee and Fox Site
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Marvin Revells is the creative director playing an integral role in curating a sales platform for European and Southeast Asian clothing designers at 3NY-a women’s clothing boutique based out of Soho, NYC. For over a decade, 3NY buyers and associates have offered clients around the world hand picked one-of-a-kind contemporary pieces from the fashion industry’s up-and-coming designers. Revells discusses what it's like to be a Black man, specifically a Black man in the fashion industry and fashion’s problem with diversity and performative action.
“Companies need to look like what they represent. There are so many false narratives out there. You’ll see Black models all over Gucci but when you get into the higher management you don’t see those decision makers. I think they need to start hiring Black people, there are millions of talented African Americans. We are applicable, we are hard workers, and we’ve proven ourselves time and time again.”
We talk about:
-
Revells start in the fashion industry
-
How NY creates unique experiences for their customers
-
3NY’s adaptation to COVID-19 business conditions
-
The fashion industry’s BIPOC diversity issue
You can follow 3NY on Instagram and shop on the 3NY Site
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Before creating CBD beauty brand Cannuka, Founder and CEO Michael Bumgarner's idea of skincare was "a bar of Dial soap, Vaseline, and lotion." Fast forward to today, and Bumgarner is the man behind the largest CBD beauty launch in the world with brand partnerships at Ulta Beauty, Neiman Marcus, and 2000 other retail doors. In this episode, Bumgarner revealed it was a background in farming that led him to discover the power of cannabis and see its potential to be a game-changer in the beauty world.
"I got interested in beauty because of my passion for industrial hemp. I identified beauty, specifically skincare, as a wide-open space where we could get a product on people's skin and show them the benefits of cannabis so they'd want to learn more about the plant and why it's effective."
We discuss:
-
How Cannuka is reintroducing cannabis to consumers
-
The scaling process in a competitive and rapidly growing industry
-
How hemp can bring jobs to rural America
-
Cannuka’s unique formulation and future expansion
You can follow Cannuka on Instagram and shop Cannuka's Site
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Austin high schoolers Sarah Zeng and Alice Huang faced canceled summer plans, the challenges of remote learning, and a community struggling to combat the effects of coronavirus. The two childhood friends and avid bakers created a small cookie business to cheer people up with homemade treats while donating 80% of proceeds to All Together ATX for COVID relief. Zeng and Huang's business, Dough Re Mi Cookie Co, has since donated upwards of $3,000 for COVID Relief in the Austin community. Zeng, 16, and Huang, 15, bake and deliver classic cookies and dog treats, rotating specialty recipes into the mix every month. Customers can buy cookies for themselves or send them as a sweet surprise for someone else with a customizable message card.
"Our mission was to bring together the community at a time of stress and anxiety. It's really amazing when we go out to deliver every Saturday, people smile at us through their windows and are really excited."
Word of these cookies for a cause quickly spread on social media, with the help of mouth-watering photos of Zeng and Huang's baked goods and clever TikTok videos that highlight the founders' creativity and social mission.
We discuss:
-
How Dough Re Mi is giving back to their community
-
Lessons learned from starting a business while still in high school
-
How Dough Re Mi grew their social media presence via TikTok
-
Advice for young entrepreneurs
You can follow Dough Re Mi on Instagram and shop the Dough Re Mi Site.
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Audree Lopez is an NYC-based fashion and celebrity stylist, editor, and consultant. In 2018, Lopez launched her digital course and community for fashion students, Fashion Fundamentals, where she shares her tips for breaking into the world of fashion. Because financial barriers, social obstacles, colorism, and racism play significant roles in the lack of diversity in the industry, Lopez launched The Fashion Fundamentals Foundation, a scholarship and mentorship program for students from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented communities.
“My goal is to help bring in this new class of fashion professionals who are diverse, talented, creative, and deserve to be there.”
We discuss:
-
The role networking played in Lopez’s career growth
-
How Audree is helping break barriers in the fashion industry
-
What you should know about pursuing a career in fashion
-
Tips for stepping out of your comfort zone
Resources From This Episode
Audree Lopez on Instagram | Audree Kate Studios Site | Simply Audree Kate Blog | Fashion Fundamentals Course
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Journalist and former swim coach, Paulana Lamonier, launched Black People Will Swim, in hopes of dismantling the long-standing stereotype that Black people can’t swim. The two-entity swim business and media company launched in March 2020. Lamonier describes Black People Will Swim as a “full circle ecosystem of education centered around swimming.” Their Brooklyn and Long Island locations offer services revolving around teaching clients how to swim and conquer their fears through group or private swim lessons.
“From that moment, I just thought about how many times do we hear false information or this jargon, and we take it to be our truth because it’s been said too many times. I started Black People Will Swim out of necessity. Not only are we teaching people how to swim, but we’re working our best to eliminate that stereotype altogether. “
We discuss:
-
Paulana’s journey to end racial stereotypes and empower the Black community
-
How Black People Will Swim is creating an open and accepting environment through its classes and initiatives
-
The role swimming plays in self-development and confidence building
-
Paulana’s long-term goals for her business
Check out the Black People Will Swim Site and follow Black People Will Swim on Instagram.
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Nadine Joseph is the founder and entrepreneur behind Peak and Valley - a small health and wellness company that offers science-backed, and honest products to the world of wellness. The brand is known for its plant and fungi based natural, vegan, and sustainable herbal blends, that seek to balance stress.
Joseph was dealing with chronic stress, anxiety, fatigue, and skin issues when she happened to be working at a lab researching the neuroscience of stress. After months of dedicated personal research, she discovered the stress relieving properties of adaptogens—mushrooms and herbs like reishi mushroom and ashwagandha—tested them out in smoothie blends and experienced calming effects, healed eczema, and less adrenal fatigue. In her journey to heal her conditions, Peak and Valley Co was born.
Joseph’s research background gave way to her company’s high sourcing standards for the quality, sustainability, and conditions of the mushrooms and herbs in her products. As a result of this, Peak and Valley Co works with sustainable ingredient supply companies like Diaspora who directly source and supply carefully selected ingredients from independent farmers in India.
We discuss:
-
How Nadine's research career led her to start the company
-
Using digital marketing and social media to grow your business
-
How Peak and Valley is helping people balance stress
-
Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
Resources From This Episode
Nadine Joseph on Instagram | Peak and Valley on Instagram | Peak and Valley Site
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Fashion designer Ardelle Fawehinmi shares insight on launching her fashion brand Ardelle in 2019. Ardelle, which means enthusiasm and warmth in Latin, offers quality luxury garments and art work that allows women to freely express themselves. The British designer explains how her Nigerian heritage inspires her designs and how she plans to expand her label.
Fawehinmi studied visual arts and design at the British School of Performing Arts and Technology, went on to the London College of Fashion, where she studied fashion styling and production, and ventured into design in her masters degree.
We talk about:
-
Fawehinmi’s creative design process
-
Advice for aspiring designers of color
-
Fawehinmi’s experience interning for fashion brands like Hugo Boss and Erdem
-
How to find inspiration for creative work
Resource From This Episode
Ardelle Fawehinmi on Instagram | Ardelle on Instagram | Ardelle Site
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Maya Vander, luxury real estate professional and star of Netflix's Selling Sunset, joined us to discuss everything from her real estate career to reality TV and motherhood.
Vander immigrated to the United States from Israel in 2002, working in retail before pursuing a real estate license in 2012. She built her career at a small real estate company and then joined The Oppenheim Real Estate Group, where she is featured as a real estate agent on the Netflix reality show Selling Sunset.
“I love real estate and I’m very passionate about what I do. I’m always driving around looking at construction sites, researching what it costs to develop houses, and always checking out different properties and networking with people. That's the part that I enjoy the most. In this industry, you need to have thick skin, be patient, and consistent in order to succeed.”
We discuss:
-
Maya’s career journey in real estate
-
Tips for succeeding in the real estate industry
-
Behind the scenes and inside scoop on the next season of Selling Sunset
-
Advice for balancing work, motherhood, and education
Resources From This Episode
Maya Vander on Instagram | Maya Vander’s Real Estate Site
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Ju Rhyu is the co-founder/CEO of Hero Cosmetics, a skincare brand dedicated to fighting acne. Hero Cosmetics launched in 2017 with one product, The Mighty Patch, as a test on Amazon. Today, Hero Cosmetics sells a box of Mighty Patch every 30 seconds through channels like Amazon, Target, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and more.
Rhyu’s entrance into the skin care market happened candidly, when she was sent to Korea as part of her corporate job and was exposed to K beauty in 2012. Recently, the savvy business woman was included in Inc Magazine’s 2019 Female Founders 100 list.
We discuss
-
Ju’s career journey and how she broke into the skincare industry
-
Breaking the stigma around acne through education
-
Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
-
How to find mentors, build connections, and pitch your brand
Resources From This Episode
Ju Rhyu on Instagram | Hero Cosmetics on Instagram | Hero Cosmetics Site
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Ashley Feinstein Gerstley is the founder and CEO of The Fiscal Femme: a company on a mission to help women get wealthy through financial coaching. Gerstley is an author, entrepreneur, and feminist on a mission to end inequality through financial well-being.
"My goal is to make [financial knowledge] accessible, fun, and relevant to all women because money touches every area of our lives. At The Fiscal Femme, we talk about money in ways that feel a lot more relevant rather than just the numbers themselves.”
She is the creator and author of the 30-Day Money Cleanse program, which has helped thousands of women cultivate harmonious relationships with money and achieve their financial goals. As a trusted money expert, she has been featured by Forbes, NBC, Glamour and the New York Times, among others.
We discuss
-
How Gerstley is making financial wealth and knowledge more accessible to women
-
Helpful money tips for young professionals
-
Free financial resources, guides, and tools provided by The Fiscal Femme
Resources From This Episode
The Fiscal Femme on Instagram | The Fiscal Femme Site
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
The Workout LA offers dance-based fitness classes with one goal: to empower women and encourage an appreciation for their bodies. The studio was founded by former professional dancers and best friends, Nicole Haworth andAshley Layfield. With more than five years as top trainers in the fitness world working with celebrity clients, Haworth and Layfield are pros when it comes to helping others sculpt and strengthen muscles. But when the duo felt like there was something left to improve when it came to working out their clients, they set out to create a unique fitness experience rooted in meaning.
We discuss:
- Haworth and Layfield’s inspiration behind creating their own fitness experience
- How The Workout LA is empowering women to practice self love
- Tips for aspiring business owners
- What to expect from The Workout LA in the future
You can follow The Workout LA on Instagram and learn more on The Workout LA Site.
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Paola Hernández is a NY-based fashion designer and founder of her namesake sustainable label whose designs have been featured in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and InStyle. Hernández studied fashion at Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design in London. Her pieces are all locally sourced, designed with quality materials made to last, and are produced with single-materials, allowing them to be easily recyclable and biodegradable with materials such as merino wool, cashmere, cotton, and silk.
We talk about:
- Paola's inspiration for designing new collections
- Her Advice for aspiring designers
- How Paola emphasizes sustainability in her collections
- Career tips for those in the fashion industry
Follow Paola Hernández on Instagram and shop on the Paola Hernández Website.
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Logan LaMance and Teddy Giard, the founders ofKanga Coolers, turned a Clemson University class project into a business that garnered a $100k investment from Mark Cuban on Shark Tank, one of the fastest deals made in Shark Tank history. The idea for Kanga's Kase Mate, which keeps a case of beer cold for seven hours, came to LaMance, naturally, at a tailgate. "I was drinking warm beer out of a case. I had a Yeti. I spent $300 on a cooler that could keep my beer cold for three weeks but I wouldn't use it for three hours," he said. This problem led to the creation of a koozie for an entire case of beer - a solution less expensive and more convenient than a large cooler. While the five friends behind this solution got a B on their project (which stands for 'beer' according to LaMance), their success pitching in front of the sharks was far greater.
We talk about
- How the founders of Kanga Coolers turned a class project into a successful business
- Advice for college students who are aspiring entrepreneurs
- What is was like pitching on NBC’s Shark Tank
- Insight on Kanga Coolers’ collaborations with companies like Anheuser-Busch
You can follow Kanga Coolers on Instagram and shop on the Kanga Coolers Site.
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
In this episode, NY-based model Alexandria Morgan talks about the ups and downs of the modeling industry. In this episode, Morgan opens up about difficult experiences she's encountered in her modeling career. From harmful body critiques, nepotism, and a lack of resources and benefits, there are many hardships in the industry many have accepted as a part of the job. Morgan, however, chooses not to accept the unjust practices in the modeling industry. Instead, she hopes to be able to help change them. By sharing her story, Morgan hopes to inspire other models to feel comfortable about speaking out and demanding a just industry.
We discuss:
- Morgan’s career journey and memorable modeling moments
- The struggles and unjust practices of the modeling industry
- How Morgan hopes to create change in the industry
- Advice and tips for aspiring models
Follow Alexandria Morgan on Instagram and Youtube
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Sean Garrette is a licensed esthetician, skin care specialist, and content creator who grew his career on social media and founded Sean Garrette Skin. Garrette’s interest in the skincare industry burgeoned from his work as a makeup artist and once his esthetician journey began, he started posting skin care advice on Instagram in 2017. Garrette currently works in a spa and also does virtual consultations via social media to build a foundation for followers who want to start their skin care journey.
Garrette talks about his career in skincare and the use of technology to build his career skills and market himself to reach a larger audience of clients.
We talk about:
-
Advice for finding the right esthetician
-
Skin care do’s and don'ts and best practices
-
How to use social media to market yourself and grow your career
-
The importance of realistic expectations in your career and skin journey
Resources From This Episode
Follow Sean Garrette on Instagram and Twitter.
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Beatrice Dixon is the founder and CEO of The Honey Pot CO-a feminine care company offering 100% natural products powered by herbs to cleanse, protect, and balance customers’ vaginal health.
Although the company is still considered small, Dixon sought to make a community impact through her brand’s empowering and charitable ethos. To further The Honey Pot Co’ s mission to help women, the brand partnered with charities like AFRIPads and #HappyPeriod to support homeless women and women in developing countries have access to menstrual and feminine care products.
We discuss:
-
How Dixon is innovating in the feminine hygiene market
-
Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
-
The importance of staying grateful
-
Maintaining a work life balance in a startup environment
Youcan follow Beatrice Dixon on Instagram and The Honey Pot Company on Instagram.
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.
Founded in 2013 by New Orleans native Brandi Blocker, LaPierre Cosmetics is a nail polish brand free of ten toxic chemicals used in conventional nail polish. In this episode, Madame Blue's Valeria Ramos talks with Blocker about creating a small business and building a legacy.
"LaPierre Cosmetics was inspired by my mother, Jacquelyn Marie LaPierre. For years, she created many fond memories with me over a bottle of nail polish In 2013, she was diagnosed with lung cancer and was limited to the brands of nail polish she could use."
Blocker’s mother lost her battle with lung cancer on January 1, 2014. In her memory, LaPierre Cosmetics supports the Livestrong Foundation, empowering people in the cancer community to address unmet needs.
We discuss:
-
How Blocker is growing a small business in a competitive industry
-
Why conventional nail polishes can be toxic to your health
-
The importance of giving back to your community
-
Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
Follow Brandi Blocker on Instagram and LaPierre Cosmetics on Instagram.
You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Office Chats on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Follow @officechats on Instagram for more content.