Startup to Storefront: Recent Episodes
Diego, Nick, Natalya, Lexi, & Owen
Today on Startup to Storefront, we’re diving into the story of Nicole and Brent Slone, the San Diego couple behind Above Board Liqueurs, the award-winning brand that is reinventing what cocktails can be.
What started in Nicole’s kitchen has now become a movement: sugar-free and low-sugar liqueurs that deliver all the flavor without the guilt. Together, Nicole and Brent are challenging a stagnant spirits industry, proving that health-conscious and indulgent do not have to be opposites.
In this episode, we cover the leap from passion project to thriving business, the ups and downs of launching a startup with your spouse, and how Above Board is carving out a whole new category for the modern, health-focused consumer.
This is the story of disrupting an industry one cocktail at a time and building a brand that is truly Above Board.
On this week’s episode of Startup to Storefront you’ll learn:
- How Nicole and Brent Slone are revolutionizing the spirits industry with sugar-free and low-sugar liqueurs that don’t compromise on taste
- The challenges and rewards of building a company as a husband-and-wife team
- Why modern consumers are demanding healthier cocktails and how Above Board is leading the charge
Nicole and Brent share the journey behind Above Board Liqueurs, the San Diego brand that is crafting a healthier cocktail experience and reshaping how we think about indulgence.
On today’s episode of Startup to Storefront we’re sitting down with Ayeshah Abuelhiga, the founder of Mason Dixie, the brand making comfort food clean and convenient. In 2014, she set out to prove that biscuits, breakfast sandwiches, and waffles could be crave-worthy without cheap ingredients or scary chemicals.
As a first-generation American, Ayeshah grew up watching her immigrant parents serve quality comfort food at their small carry-out restaurant and convenience store. Years later, after leaving her big corporate job, she opened a restaurant of her own that had mile-long lines and sold out daily. Those same customers inspired her to package her biscuits, starting with nothing more than frozen dough, a vacuum sealer, and an ice chest.
Today, Mason Dixie is on grocery shelves nationwide, still driven by the same mission: to make the food you crave with real ingredients you can feel good about.
On this week’s episode you’ll learn:
- How strippers and nurses unexpectedly helped Mason Dixie decide to serve fried chicken earlier than planned.
- What it takes to win the People’s Choice Award for Best Biscuit Snacks.
- How Mason Dixie scaled from restaurant to consumer, achieving 500% growth along the way.
So butter that biscuit and indulge in the Mason Dixie story with Ayeshah Abuelhiga right now on Startup to Storefront.
Today on Startup to Storefront, we’re sitting down with Brian Nolan, a lifelong entrepreneur and the co-owner of Darren & Phillip, a purpose-driven pet brand known for its premium matching apparel for dogs and their humans.
Before launching Darren & Phillip in the U.S., Brian co-founded and led multiple successful ventures, including BookOutdoors, acquired by Hipcamp, and Sellbrite, acquired by GoDaddy. He holds a business degree from USC’s Marshall School of Business and is also a proud member of the Academy of Magical Arts at the Magic Castle in Hollywood.
Darren & Phillip began in Australia in 2016 and in 2024 Brian and his wife Cris brought the brand to the U.S. Now based in Denver, Colorado, Darren & Phillip continues its mission to bring comfort to dogs and joy to the people who love them. Every purchase helps rescue dogs get adopted into safe, loving homes through donations to non-profit rescue organizations around the world.
Brian’s story is one of building businesses with both purpose and passion, and today we’ll dive into how he’s turning matching pajamas into a global movement.
Today’s guests are Kimberly Lau and Linda Young, co-founders of Project ReWear, a sustainable kids’ clothing brand proving that profitability and purpose can go hand in hand.
Kim spent 24 years in wealth management. Linda built her career in fashion retail and thrifting. Coming from different industries, they joined forces to fix what fast fashion broke. Together, they saw bins overflowing with barely worn clothes and families overwhelmed by the waste, and knew there had to be a better way.
So they started Project ReWear, a mission-first marketplace where every item has purpose and every shopper helps drive change. They are not here to sell hangers. They are here to shift habits.
Today, Project ReWear is a thriving preloved children’s clothing retailer with a boutique in Thousand Oaks, a growing e-commerce presence, and a loyal community of conscious consumers. Through Project Landfill, they rescue high-quality clothing from thrift stores, estate sales, and excess inventory to keep garments in circulation and out of landfills. With their #LAStrong initiative, they are transforming upcycled fashion into wildfire relief, proving business can be a force for good.
In this episode, Kimberly and Linda share how to spot market gaps, balance profitability with purpose, and scale a mission-driven brand in a competitive industry. We talk about the realities of career reinvention, what it takes to run an inventory-based business, and why the future of retail lies in the circular economy.
Today on Startup to Storefront, we are diving into one of the most overlooked growth channels for restaurants and local businesses: Google Maps.
Most business owners do not realize how much their Google Business Profile impacts foot traffic, reservations, and real-world sales. While many focus on social media and ads, the smartest brands are dominating Google Maps and seeing real results.
Joining us is Evan Oder, founder of Map Labs, the number one Google Maps marketing software for multi-location businesses. Evan has helped thousands of brands climb to the top of search results without spending big on ads.
On this week’s episode, you’ll learn:
- How to enhance your Google listings using AI and SEO without trying to trick Google
- The future of search and how Google Maps and ChatGPT are reshaping discovery
- Why stunning photos on your Google Business Profile can attract real customers
- Why Google Maps is becoming the future of local search for restaurants and small businesses
- How Google’s ranking factors prioritize engagement, and why it is key for your SEO strategy
As a special bonus, Evan is offering a 3-month free trial of Map Labs software and a complimentary Google Business Profile audit. You can access the offer through the link in bio.
If you own a restaurant, manage a local business, or want to understand the future of digital discovery, this is an episode you do not want to miss.
Today’s guest is Aaron Gatti, founder of Brami, the fastest growing pasta brand in the U.S.
Aaron’s story begins on a small farm in southern Italy, where he spent childhood summers with his grandparents. Not by choice, but because his parents couldn’t afford childcare back in the States. It was there he discovered the lupini bean, a Mediterranean superfood once used to fuel Roman warriors and the same ingredient his grandmother credits for helping her survive World War II.
Years later, that inspiration became Brami, a pasta made in the mountains of Molise, Italy, using just two ingredients: durum wheat semolina and lupini bean flour. No shortcuts, no over-processing — just premium Italian tradition with modern nutritional benefits.
While most alternative pastas in the U.S. are ultra-processed and nutritionally empty, Brami stands out by going back to the source. With a vertically integrated supply chain, they control everything from milling to storage, delivering quality you can taste and trust.
The result? Brami has grown 1,404 percent year over year and is now sold in over 5,000 stores nationwide, outpacing legacy brands like Goodles, Rummo, and Rao’s.
On this week’s episode you’ll learn:
• Why better for you pasta doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor, and how Brami lets you taste Italy every day • The secret to a healthy, one pot Italian meal that’s as easy as it is nutritious • What makes Italian food feel so satisfying, and how Brami captures that with a twist • How the lupini bean went from family secret to venture backed superfood • How Brami scaled in retail and increased sales by 40 percent at Whole Foods
On this week’s episode of Startup to Storefront, we sit down with Iggy Rodriguez, whose career spans the intersection of sports, entertainment, and business.
From leading partnerships at the LA Dodgers and Therabody to helping scale VIP platforms like Velocity Black and Kapow, Iggy has spent years negotiating deals with teams, leagues, and luxury brands. Now, as Senior Director at OneTeam Partners, he helps brands tap into athlete name, image, and likeness across the NFLPA, MLBPA, MLSPA, and more.
On this episode you’ll learn:
• What it really takes to get on and stay on The Bachelor and Bachelorette
• How casting for reality TV works behind the scenes and what producers aren’t telling you
• The emotional cost of chasing fame and attention online
• Why your dating life changes after national TV
• How Iggy’s career path evolved from sports partnerships to licensing powerhouse
Plus, Iggy shares how he gives back — fostering dogs in LA and mentoring Special Olympics athletes.
We’re sitting down with Daniel Bennett, a Los Angeles based digital creator and Head of Creative at his own media agency. Daniel has led social strategy for some of the biggest names in entertainment and gaming, including Grammy-winning artists like Diplo and Dillon Francis, as well as global brands like Call of Duty. But what really sets Daniel apart is his ability to blend storytelling and strategy in a way that resonates deeply with today’s audiences.
While he’s made his mark behind the scenes of major campaigns, Daniel has also built a personal brand that’s taken off. His relatable content about the chaos of your twenties — from the awkwardness of dating to the ups and downs of friendship — has struck a nerve, earning him over 200,000 followers in just 60 days. His growth has been rooted in one key principle: consistency.
In this episode, we dive into what it means to build a sustainable creative career in the ever-evolving digital landscape. We explore how the role of a social media manager has become as vital as a lawyer or a CFO, how Daniel transitioned from agency work to building a brand of his own, and what it takes to stay ahead in the creator economy.
On this week’s episode you’ll learn:
- How consistency became Daniel’s secret weapon for growth
- What it actually takes to hit 200K followers in 60 days
- Why creators and brands alike need to rethink how they view social media roles
- How Daniel took lessons from agency life and applied them to his consulting work
- What’s coming next in the future of content creation and why storytelling still wins
From the Track to the Tumbler: How Off Hours Is Redefining Bourbon for the Modern Drinker This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re diving into the story behind Off Hours Bourbon, the brand that’s rewriting the bourbon playbook. No smoky rooms, no old school gatekeeping, just a fresh take on a timeless spirit. Founded by Jake Ireland, Off Hours blends California cool with Midwest roots, creating a whiskey that’s approachable, design forward, and made for today’s consumer. With national retail expansion, a growing following, and standout partnerships including their new collaboration with La Colombe, Off Hours is setting a new standard in spirits. We break down the brand’s rise, their mixology competition for bartenders across the country, and the strategy behind appealing to a new wave of bourbon drinkers.
On this episode, you’ll learn:
Why Gen Z is shifting the alcohol industry and how legacy brands are struggling to keep up
How Off Hours and La Colombe are teaming up for a nationwide bartender competition
What it takes to build a bourbon brand that actually resonates with a younger audience
Why Off Hours leans into downtime, personal moments, and a more modern take on whiskey culture
What makes high proof bourbon and rye different and how to taste them
How Whole Foods style thinking is shaping female focused bourbon strategies
This Week on Startup to Storefront: Caroline D’Amore aka Pizza Girl from growing up in her family’s iconic pizza restaurants to launching her own organic sauce line, Caroline D’Amore has always been surrounded by dough and hustle. In this episode, Caroline shares how she turned the nickname Pizza Girl into a nationally recognized brand.
From selling out her countertop pizza ovens in just two weeks to opening her first “pink and mortar” store in Venice Beach, she’s redefining what it means to build a modern food empire with bold branding, fearless storytelling, and a whole lot of marinara.
On this episode, you’ll hear:
How Caroline went from reality TV to real business
The viral product that changed everything overnight
Why Pizza Girl is about more than just food
Her mission to put women back at the center of the culinary conversation.
From the outside, Steve Martocci is a serial entrepreneur who’s helped shape the digital world as we know it, co-founding GroupMe, Blade, and Splice. But behind all the success, Steve faced a more personal challenge: his health. Years of struggling with his weight and overall well-being led him to make a life-changing decision in 2010. One that sparked not only a personal transformation but the foundation for his most meaningful company to date: SuppCo. SuppCo is a first of its kind health tech platform aiming to simplify and revolutionize the supplement industry. With an overwhelming number of products, conflicting advice, and no real regulation, most people are left confused about what to take, when, and why. SuppCo solves this by offering science-backed, personalized stacks that empower people to take control of their health, the same way Steve did over a decade ago.
🎙 On this week’s episode of Startup to Storefront, you’ll learn:
💡 How Steve built and sold industry defining companies like GroupMe, Blade, and Splice fast
⚖️ Why the supplement industry’s lack of regulation is fueling massive, unchecked growth
📈 What made SuppCo’s launch strategy so bold it forced people to either love it or hate it
🏋️♂️ How functional medicine helped Steve lose weight, improve his happiness, and rebuild from the inside out
📲 What’s behind SuppCo’s unprecedented app engagement and how user feedback drives real time innovation
🌍 Why users of all kinds are connecting with SuppCo’s mission and loving the product
🔁 How real time feedback became the key to Version 2’s successful launch
🎧 Stream the full episode now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
Ryan Vesler, founder of HOMAGE, joins Startup to Storefront to share the story behind one of the most beloved vintage-inspired sportswear brands in the game. From an accidental cease-and-desist email with Larry Bird that turned into HOMAGE’s first licensing deal, to partnerships with the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and exclusive collaborations with Jason Kelce, Travis Kelce, Ryan Reynolds, and Rob McElhenney - Ryan breaks down how HOMAGE built an emotional connection with fans and investors alike.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How Ryan turned his love for Ohio State into the legendary Archie Griffin T-shirt
- Why trading cards became a core inspiration for HOMAGE’s nostalgic aesthetic
- The inside story behind HOMAGE’s collaboration with Travis & Jason Kelce on New Heights
Follow along as Ryan shares how authenticity, emotion, and storytelling have helped HOMAGE become a cult favorite for sports fans everywhere.
Today’s guest is Jorge Perez, creator of the STFU Method, author, agent, producer, keynote speaker, and host of the Outliers TV podcast. With over 20 years of experience in entertainment and personal development, Jorge has spent his life helping people break toxic cycles and reclaim their power.
You’ve seen his work on Bravo, heard his voice on stage, and maybe even watched his award winning documentary on LA’s homelessness crisis, but his latest project goes even deeper. His new book, The Shut The Fuk* Up Method, is a no fluff, call you out while lifting you up guide to mastering your mindset.
Jorge wrote the book after seeing too many people stay stuck, even after attending every seminar and reading every self help book on the shelf. His message? You don’t need more advice, you need to shut the fu*k up... to the voice in your head that’s been lying to you.
In today’s episode, we dive into:
- What the STFU Method actually is and how it helps people get unstuck
- Why so many of us get trapped in the spiral of complaining
- How to identify your self sabotaging thoughts and silence them
- The mindset shifts that create real, lasting transformation
If you’ve been looking for a way to stop spinning your wheels, reclaim your focus, and finally move forward, this episode is the wake up call you didn’t know you needed.
It all started with a date.
For Gabriella Labi, food has always been a source of joy, but after years of battling gut issues, inflammation, and bloating, she was forced to rethink her relationship with indulgence. Still, as a true food lover, she wasn’t willing to give up dessert. She wanted something decadent and nourishing, something that satisfied without the sugar crash or guilt.
At the same time, Tonya Reznikovich was convinced that if dessert wasn’t rich and indulgent, it simply wasn’t worth it. When Tonya’s sharp business instincts met Gabi’s wellness-first mindset, Gato was born.
Their goal? To redefine indulgence, with nut-butter-stuffed, chocolate-drizzled dates that taste as good as they make you feel.
What started as a personal solution soon became something much bigger. From sharing treats with friends and family to setting up shop at LA farmers markets, Gato quickly built a loyal community that treated these confections as part of their self-care rituals. Those markets weren’t just sales channels, they were the heart of the brand, a place to test, connect, and grow. Fast-forward, and Gato is now available in retail stores across the country, riding a wave of momentum that doesn’t appear to be slowing down.
On this week’s episode of Startup to Storefront, Gabi and Tonya walk us through their journey of building a better-for-you dessert brand without compromising on flavor, texture, or emotional satisfaction.
You’ll learn:
- The Co-Man Milestone, how they navigated production roadblocks and found the right manufacturing partner
- The surprisingly personal story behind the name GATO
- What happened when Goop came calling, including the emotional tears that came with a major wellness partnership
This is a story of turning necessity into innovation, indulgence into wellness, and a date into a movement.
What if booking a nightclub was as easy as reserving a table for dinner?
That’s the vision behind Discotech, the world’s #1 nightlife app, and this week on Startup to Storefront, we sat down with co-founder Ian Chen to hear how he and his team are transforming the way we party.
With 1.5M+ app installs and users in over 120 cities across five continents, Discotech is more than a party app, it’s a platform that bridges technology, culture, and commerce to modernize an industry that’s long operated on paper guest lists and text threads.
Their platform helps clubs boost sales, streamline promoter workflows, and connect with a young, highly engaged audience, 88% of whom are between 18–45. And they’re just getting started.
In this episode, Ian shares: — How the sober-curious movement is impacting club culture and creating space for new kinds of nightlife — Why Gen Z is opting for quality over chaos and what venues need to do to stay relevant — How Discotech is solving one of the industry's biggest pain points: outdated promoter systems
Whether you're in hospitality, tech, or just love a good founder story, this episode's for you.
From the very beginning, Tosi set out to solve a simple but powerful problem: how do we stay on the path to wellness when the world is full of snacks that derail us? The answer: create clean, crunchy, real food that actually fuels your life, not distracts from it. This week on Startup to Storefront, we sit down with the founders of Tosi, the brand behind the plant-powered bars made with simple, organic ingredients and none of the junk. We unpack how they turned personal observations about health and nutrition into a full-blown movement that’s now stocked everywhere from your local health shop to major retailers like Peet’s Coffee and Costco. At its core, Tosi is about trust, trusting what’s in your food, trusting your body, and trusting that doing the right thing (even when it’s not flashy) pays off. 💡
On this week’s episode, you’ll learn:
– How a pair of flashy shoes and a handful of cashews led to a chance encounter at Pavilions -and ultimately landed Tosi in Peet’s Coffee nationwide
– What really happens behind the scenes at a Costco roadshow, and why in-person connection with customers is still one of the brand’s most powerful growth tools
– How to bounce back from life's humbling moments, overcome embarrassment, and reclaim your strength through purpose-driven work
Plus: we’re teaming up with Tosi for a delicious giveaway. The announcement drops Wednesday, so make sure you’re following along. Because it’s not too good to be true. It’s simply too good.
This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re talking luxury spirits, bold branding, and storytelling with the team behind Wilde Irish Gin.
Co-founder Stuart Hall launched Wilde Irish Gin in 2021 with the vision of creating a premium Irish spirit that blends heritage, artistry, and unforgettable flavor. With a background in entertainment, marketing, and tech, Stuart brings a fresh perspective to a centuries-old category.
Joining him is Billy Ray, a legend in the spirits world and Wilde’s Brand Director. From leading global campaigns for Ciroc and Woodford Reserve to launching award-winning mixer brand Mixwell, Billy’s mission has always been the same: create unforgettable experiences, not just drinks.
In this episode, we talk about:
- Building a luxury gin brand from the ground up
- Why storytelling matters in the spirits world
- The intersection of flavor, culture, and identity
This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re joined by Lindsey Johnson, cofounder and CEO of Weezie, the brand redefining what it means to treat yourself with truly elevated bath essentials.
It all started when her longtime friend Liz had a lackluster experience searching for luxury towels. Newly married and recently moved, she couldn’t believe how underwhelming the options were—so she called Lindsey. Together, they set out to modernize the linen market, and after years of research, they launched Weezie: plush, absorbent, and meticulously crafted towels and robes made in Portugal and finished by hand in Atlanta.
On this week’s episode you’ll learn:
• How Lindsey and Liz went from friends to cofounders
• What it takes to build a product that actually lives up to the hype
• Why resilience and critical thinking are key to scaling a startup
This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, better known as Dr. B, a world-renowned gastroenterologist, bestselling author, and founder of 38TERA, a company revolutionizing the gut health space. Dr. B has built his career around one core idea: that the key to unlocking better energy, stronger immunity, and even better mental health starts with your gut. His books, Fiber Fueled and The Fiber Fueled Cookbook, became instant bestsellers, and his mission to teach the world about the microbiome has reached thousands through platforms like Diary of a CEO and The Rich Roll Podcast. In today’s episode, Dr. B shares his journey from frustrated physician to founder, launching DMN — Daily Microbiome Nutrition — to finally offer a gut supplement he could stand behind. We also dive into the outrageous diet myths flooding TikTok, the real impact of gut health on your everyday life, and why it might just be the key to unlocking your full potential.
On this week's episode you'll learn:
✨ How to transform your gut health (and your life)
✨ What it really takes to launch a brand with a loyal community
✨ The surprising connection between coffee and gut health
Let’s dive in.
This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re joined by Rachel Katzman, founder of Pvolve—the clinically backed workout method that’s changing the way women train. Rachel didn’t set out to build a fitness company—she set out to find a workout that actually felt good. After struggling with traditional methods that left her in pain, she discovered functional movement. The result? A transformation that changed her body, boosted her confidence, and sparked a business that’s now backed by science and endorsed by Jennifer Aniston. Pvolve isn’t just another fitness trend—it’s a method designed to help women look and feel their best at every stage of life, using patented equipment and innovative programming you won’t find anywhere else.
On this week’s episode, you’ll learn:
• Rachel’s secrets to looking and feeling amazing
• How you can transform your body without pain
• How she developed the Pvolve home workout system
• Why Jennifer Aniston joined the brand
• And how Pvolve is empowering its community to become studio owners
🎉 Plus, we’re announcing a special Pvolve giveaway tomorrow—so stay tuned!
This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re joined by Leah Marcus and Yasaman Bakhtiar, the Gen-Z founders behind Good Girl Snacks—the cult-favorite pickle brand that’s taking over your feed and shaking up the CPG space.
In just one year, they went from quitting their post-grad corporate jobs to building Erewhon’s #1 pickle, selling over 10,000 jars, landing in 50+ retailers, and closing a pre-seed round led by Collab Fund (think Olipop, Sweetgreen, Beyond Meat). All of this—with $0 spent on paid ads.
On this week’s episode, you’ll learn:
- How they turned a viral obsession into a real business
- The power of building in public and radical transparency
- What it’s really like bootstrapping year one
- How they disrupted the grocery aisle through social and community
- What’s next: new flavors, national expansion, and scaling post-fundraise
It’s startup hustle meets Gen-Z social savvy—don’t miss it.
This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re joined by Carrie Minter Ebers, founder of Carrie’s Pilates Plus. From her early days as a successful model to building one of the most respected fitness studios in Los Angeles, Carrie’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and redefining what strength really means.
She’s not just shaping bodies—she’s shaping the conversation around fitness, mental health, and community. Her high-intensity Pilates method blends cardio, strength training, and mindfulness, creating a space where everyone is welcome and empowered.
On this week’s episode, you’ll learn: Why Carrie fell in love with Pilates—and how it changed her life How she designed and developed her own custom reformer machine The key mindset shifts and business moves behind her entrepreneurial success
The full episode is out now—and trust us, you don’t want to miss this one.
PLUS: We’re announcing a special giveaway this Wednesday, so stay tuned!
This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re spotlighting the powerful indie film Wayward—a gripping coming-of-age thriller that dives deep into themes of defiance, self-discovery, and unexpected connection. Written, directed, and co-produced on a micro-budget by first-time filmmaker Jacquelyn Fröhlich, Wayward tells the story of Cleo, a rebellious pre-teen who forms an unexpected bond with a mysterious hitchhiker during a cross-country trip with her mother. As the lines between freedom and fear begin to blur, the film takes audiences on an emotionally raw and resonant journey.
Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, Jacquelyn brings a unique multicultural perspective to the film—infusing it with both magic and authenticity. Wayward is a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of independent filmmaking, pushing the boundaries of survival, independence, and trust.
Wayward will be available to stream on Friday, April 4th on Apple TV, Google Play, and Amazon. Follow along on Instagram at @wayward_thefilm.
In this week’s episode, you’ll learn:
• How to make a movie on a small budget without compromising vision.
• Why you need to stop waiting and start making your dreams a reality today.
• The inspiring impact of Tangerine—a groundbreaking film shot entirely on an iPhone.
• How the magic of collaborative creation brought Wayward to life.
This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re sitting down with Veronica Pedersen, the founder and CEO of Timeless Skin Care — a brand that’s proof you don’t need investors or a massive marketing budget to build something big.
Veronica started Timeless with a single product — 100% Pure Hyaluronic Acid — and turned it into a globally recognized skincare line trusted by millions. Today, Timeless is known for its clean, effective, and affordable products, including their viral Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum, which has earned praise from dermatologists and is often preferred over luxury options like Skinceuticals.
In this episode, you’ll hear how Veronica: • Dominated Amazon beauty sales in 2023 • Grew the brand without outside investors • Started on eBay and scaled to global success • Is now expanding into Target stores nationwide
She also shares her journey as a founder, the lessons learned along the way, and her take on what consumers really want from skincare today.
It’s an inspiring story of grit, growth, and building a brand that puts people first — don’t miss it.
On this week’s episode of Startup to Storefront, we’re sitting down with Michael Adair, CEO and Founder of Red’s — the number one premium burrito and breakfast brand in the country.
You’ve probably seen Red’s in the frozen aisle at Target, Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Publix, and just about every major retailer nationwide. What started 15 years ago in Mike’s family trailer while he was in business school has grown into a national brand — and Mike’s still at the helm, rolling up his sleeves (and sometimes burritos) to make it all happen.
His story is packed with everything we love to highlight on this show — grit, hustle, and real-world lessons that every founder can learn from.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Insider insights from Expo West — and why it’s one of the most intense events in the food and beverage world
- Why breakfast is booming — and how it’s become one of Red’s fastest-growing and most exciting categories
- The unexpected and heartfelt origin behind the name Red’s
We’re also celebrating a major milestone — this is our 300th episode, and we just hit 7,000 followers. Thank you for being part of this community! To celebrate, we’ll be announcing a special giveaway this Wednesday, so make sure you’re following along.
Let’s get into it — here’s our conversation with Michael Adair of Red’s.
This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re joined by Berk Bahceci, founder of Heraclea Olive Oil—a brand rooted in heritage, sustainability, and a deep love for the land.
Founder Berk Bahceci rekindled his family’s olive oil legacy in an effort to preserve the rich history of their family groves. Driven by a deep connection to his roots, Berk saw an opportunity to modernize his family’s conventional approach to production. The result? A thoughtful blend of tradition and innovation—powered by solar energy, rainwater collection, and natural fertilizers—ensuring that every drop of Heraclea Olive Oil is not only delicious, but also a reflection of a deep commitment to sustainability.
What began on a 100-acre stretch of mountainous land in Turkey—where life moves in harmony with nature—is now a brand that’s reshaping how we think about the most essential ingredient in our kitchens.
In this episode, you’ll learn: The history of olive oil and where it really comes from The ultimate guide to buying real quality olive oil How worker-owned funds can help transform entire communities The best way to store olive oil for peak freshness and flavor
This isn’t just a conversation about food—it’s a story about honoring legacy, embracing sustainable innovation, and building a brand deeply connected to the land it comes from.
Tune in now—link in bio.
P.S. Keep an eye out—we’re announcing a very special Heraclea Olive Oil giveaway this Wednesday! You won’t want to miss it.
This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re toasting to life’s greatest moments with Spencer & Wyatt Hanson, co-founders of Suntide 🍊🥂 Built on the belief that life is meant to be savored, Suntide is all about simplicity—real ingredients, no pretense, and a reminder to be present. Founded by Spencer, Wyatt, and their sister Lyda, Suntide brings the classic Mimosa to a can, making it easier than ever to celebrate the little (and big) things in life.
✨ On this week’s episode, you’ll learn:
✔️ Their CPG strategy and what it takes to build a standout beverage brand
✔️ How they are revolutionizing the brunch experience one can at a time
✔️ The power of pivoting and embracing change in business 🍾
Catch the full episode now on YouTube! And stay tuned because we’ll be announcing a giveaway on Wednesday, with the winner revealed on Friday! 👀🎉
Welcome to this episode of Startup to Storefront, where we spotlight entrepreneurs turning passion into thriving businesses. Today, we’re diving into the story behind SUGARED + BRONZED—a unique blend of sunless tanning and eco-friendly hair removal that’s redefining beauty in Santa Monica.
Courtney Claghorn always felt her best with a tan—even though she was the only Italian in her family who didn’t naturally tan. Rather than "baking in the sun," she embraced a faux glow that ultimately shaped her career. After meeting her now-husband and co-founder, Sam Offit, at the University of Colorado Boulder, Courtney set her sights on Santa Monica to create a better tanning experience.
On this week’s episode, you'll learn:
- How Courtney started the business with just $1,000
- Why she chose to fuse sugaring with bronzing for a unique service
- Her unforgettable experience with her very first customer
Join us as we explore Courtney’s journey from a spark of inspiration to entrepreneurial success, and discover how SUGARED + BRONZED is setting a new standard in beauty and self-care.
Today, we’re sitting down with Matteo Franceschetti, the founder and CEO of Eight Sleep—a company revolutionizing the way we think about rest, recovery, and human potential.
Matteo has always been obsessed with performance—whether it was on the slopes as a competitive ski racer in his native Italy, on the tennis court, or behind the wheel of a race car. That same drive propelled him into the legal world and led him to launch not one, but two clean-tech companies across two continents—all before the age of 30. But with success came sleepless nights. Frustrated by the lack of innovation in sleep technology, Matteo set out to change that. He founded Eight Sleep, a company turning the bed into a seamless health platform designed to optimize sleep, improve performance, and even extend longevity.
On this week’s episode, you’ll learn:
✅ How elite athletes, including Formula 1 drivers and professional sports teams, are using Eight Sleep to gain a competitive edge.
✅ Why sleep is the next frontier in a multi-billion-dollar wellness revolution—and how technology is transforming the way we rest.
✅ The science behind sleep temperature, and why getting it right can be the key to deeper, more restorative sleep.
From athlete to entrepreneur, from restless nights to unlocking the science of better sleep, Matteo’s path to building Eight Sleep has been anything but ordinary. Join us as we explore the intersection of technology and wellness, the future of sleep optimization, and how Matteo is redefining what it means to rest well and perform at your peak.
Today on Startup to Storefront, we’re sitting down with Troy Taylor, a globally recognized leader in human performance and innovation. With a career spanning seven Olympic Games, Troy has worked with over 500 Olympians and 50 Olympic medalists, helping athletes reach peak performance on the world’s biggest stage. As the former High Performance Director at U.S. Ski & Snowboard, he played a pivotal role in securing 15 Olympic medals—including seven gold—at the 2018 PyeongChang Games.
Now, as the Senior Director of Performance & Innovation at Tonal, Troy is bringing his expertise to the world of connected fitness. Tonal, the pioneer behind the world’s smartest strength training system, is redefining how people train by combining revolutionary digital weight technology with AI-powered coaching. From strength training and HIIT to mobility and recovery, Tonal adapts to each user’s needs, helping them break through plateaus and reach their full potential.
On this week's episode, you’ll learn: Why most fitness apps fail—and the science behind keeping people engaged in long-term fitness The shocking reason 90% of people quit the gym—and how technology is changing the way we approach strength training Everything you need to know about Tonal—from its game-changing features to cost, installation, and whether it’s worth the investment
Get ready for an episode packed with expert insights, industry secrets, and a deep dive into the future of fitness.
This week on Startup to Storefront: Garrett Markenson, Founder of REVERIE
Over a decade ago, industry-leading hairstylist Garrett Markenson set out to change the way we think about hair. Frustrated by the industry's approach, he created REVERIE—a brand rooted in integrity, innovation, and clean, effective formulas designed to truly nurture hair.
Beyond being a visionary in haircare, Garrett shares how becoming a hairstylist was a liberating, life-changing decision—one that shaped his perspective on creativity, business, and sustainability.
This week, we dive into: Haircare secrets you need to know Garrett’s journey to building a brand that disrupts the industry The art of hairdressing & why it’s more than just a profession
Tune in to hear how he’s redefining beauty, one thoughtful formula at a time.
From Celeb Fashion to Women’s Wellness Disruption!
This week on the Startup to Storefront Podcast, we’re sitting down with Alexis McClay, a powerhouse entrepreneur and philanthropist who’s been redefining industries for over 16 years.
Co-founder of NAVEN, the celeb-loved fashion brand worn by icons like the Kardashians, Taylor Swift, J Lo, and Selena Gomez, Alexis has built a career at the intersection of style, innovation, and purpose. She’s collaborated with fashion giants like Revolve and bebe, graced stages like the Forbes Women’s Summit, and even earned recognition at the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards.
Now, she’s disrupting the $5T wellness industry with KOA LIFE, a revolutionary women’s wellness brand bridging the gap between beauty and health. From peptide-infused skincare at CVS and Target to virtual clinics tackling the root causes of aging, Alexis is empowering women to thrive, not just survive.
On this week’s episode, you’ll learn:
• Why staying true to yourself and rejecting societal expectations can unlock your greatest potential.
• How it’s never too late to start your entrepreneurial journey.
• The importance of focus and how prioritizing one goal at a time leads to greater success.
Tune in to hear how Alexis turned personal challenges into entrepreneurial triumphs, what it takes to lead in the beauty and wellness space, and her vision for the future of women’s health.
To kick off 2025, we’re diving into CANN-uary with a brand that’s redefining the way we socialize. Our guest today is Jake Bullock, founder of Cann, the #1 leading THC-infused beverage brand in America. Jake’s entrepreneurial journey began with a bold idea: finding a better alternative to alcohol that still brings the fun but ditches the hangover. What started as small-scale experimentation with microdosed cannabis and all-natural ingredients has now grown into a thriving business leading the $1.1B cannabis beverage industry.
Jake has overcome the challenges of launching a disruptive brand, navigating the complex cannabis industry, and educating a market unfamiliar with THC beverages. In less than five years, Cann has become an industry pioneer and market leader, boasting:
🌱 A 50% repeat customer rate.
🌱 THC beverages outselling Chardonnay in Minnesota, the first state to legalize their sale.
🌱 Partnerships with bars and restaurants nationwide, where Cann has become a must-have menu item.
🌱 A global supply chain that has made Cann the #1 exporter of Sicilian Blood Orange Juice.
In this episode, we’ll explore the grit and innovation it took to launch Cann in 2019, Jake’s entrepreneurial lessons in scaling a disruptive brand, and the exciting future of the cannabis and social beverage industries.
And to celebrate CANN-uary, we’re hosting a giveaway! Stay tuned for details—winners will be announced this Friday! Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a fan of innovation, or curious about the booming cannabis market, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration. Let’s dive in!
This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re thrilled to welcome DJ Kaila Troy—an international talent whose career spans music, media, and global influence. As a DJ, Kaila has shared stages with icons like Lil Wayne, Black Eyed Peas, Nelly, Keyshia Cole, and Wyclef Jean, performing in countries across Africa, India, Dubai, France, the UK, China, and more.
With over 100,000 followers on Instagram and collaborations with top brands like Nike, Monster Energy, and Puma, Kaila’s influence extends far beyond the turntables. She’s been featured in major publications like Radio Times and Irish Mirror, and even made her mark on daytime TV with an appearance on ABC Chicago.
And if she looks familiar, it’s because she brought her charisma to millions on Hulu and ITV Network’s Love Island UK Season 7.
On this week’s episode, you’ll discover:
• Kaila’s incredible DJ journey
• Her unforgettable Love Island experience
• What’s next for Kaila as she continues to elevate her career
This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re sitting down with Sonia Hounsell and Joelle Flynn, the dynamic Co-Founders of FunkkOFF!®, the lifestyle brand redefining personal and oral care with their innovative, reusable TeethRefreshers®!
With decades of experience in marketing, entrepreneurship, and invention, these powerhouse women took their game-changing product from concept to Shark Tank success—securing a deal with Robert Herjavec earlier this year. 🦈💼
On this week’s episode, you’ll learn: • Their experience on Shark Tank: Sonia and Joelle share the behind-the-scenes process of pitching their innovative product to the Sharks, what it was like standing in front of the panel, and how they secured a deal with Robert Herjavec. From preparation to the high-stakes moment, they offer valuable insights into navigating the high-pressure world of reality TV entrepreneurship.
How TV transformed their business overnight: Discover how their appearance on Shark Tank catapulted FunkkOFF!® into the spotlight, resulting in increased sales, brand recognition, and invaluable opportunities.
They dive into the ripple effects of the national exposure and how it changed the trajectory of their company almost immediately.
The journey of building an innovative brand: Learn how Sonia and Joelle combined decades of experience to create a product that disrupted the personal care industry. 🎧
Don’t miss this inspiring conversation! Tune in now wherever you get your podcasts.
On this week’s episode of Startup to Storefront, we’re joined by Denis Asamoah, cofounder of @forvrmood—a brand that has quickly become synonymous with luxury self-care.
Together with his partner, Jackie Aina, Denis set out to create a brand that not only delivers high-quality candles but also represents authenticity, individuality, and inclusivity in the lifestyle space.
Forvr Mood began with a vision to bring joy and comfort into everyday routines. From their carefully curated scents to their premium packaging, the brand has redefined what it means to invest in self-care. But building a brand like Forvr Mood wasn’t without its challenges. In this episode, Denis takes us behind the scenes, sharing the ups and downs of their entrepreneurial journey.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
• How Denis and his team faced and conquered entrepreneurial fears while building a standout brand
• How Forvr Mood sold an incredible 20,000 candles within hours of launching
• How they developed the perfect pricing strategy that balances accessibility with luxury
This is an inspiring conversation about resilience, vision, and creating a brand that lights up lives—literally and figuratively. Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or just love a good success story, this episode is for you.
This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re joined by Brittney Cook, the founder of Something Sweet Dough. Brittney’s story is one of family, resilience, and purpose. What began as a labor of love has grown into a brand known for its rich, brown butter cookie dough that brings joy to kitchens everywhere—all while honoring her late father’s legacy.
For Brittney, Something Sweet is more than a business; it’s a heartfelt tribute. She and her family have transformed their grief into meaningful action, channeling love and loss into a mission to spread happiness through the universal comfort of cookies. By staying deeply connected to their “why,” Brittney’s team has made thoughtful decisions to grow their brand strategically, ensuring that every step is rooted in quality and customer connection.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• How Brittney built Something Sweet Dough as a tribute to her father’s memory
• How her family turned a personal loss into a powerful mission for joy and connection
• Why understanding their customers has been the secret to scaling at the right pace without compromising quality
Get ready to be inspired by Brittney’s story—a testament to the power of family, resilience, and the simple magic of cookies that bring people together.
Today, we’re thrilled to welcome back Loren Castle, the powerhouse Founder and CEO behind Sweet Loren’s. Loren’s journey began with a life-changing cancer diagnosis at just 22. Determined to take control of her health, she eliminated processed foods, creating a new lifestyle full of flavor and nutrition. A year later, she was cancer-free and realized her recipes—including her wholesome cookie dough—could help others enjoy delicious food that also felt good. Fast forward to today, Sweet Loren’s is the #1 selling natural cookie dough in the U.S., available in nearly 30,000 stores nationwide. The brand has expanded to include pre-cut cookie doughs, breakfast biscuits, and an innovative new line of rolled doughs like puff pastry, pizza crust, and pie crust—all plant-based, non-GMO, and free from the top 14 allergens. On this episode, you’ll learn: •How Loren’s focus on emotional intelligence became a crucial tool for driving business success, helping her make genuine connections with customers, team members, and partners. • The challenges Loren faced building Sweet Loren’s from scratch, from finding the right recipes and manufacturing partners to scaling a brand in a competitive industry, and how she navigated these early struggles. • Loren’s inspiring transformation from cancer survivor to creator of healthy, clean treats that bring joy and indulgence to all—without compromise. Join us as Loren shares the latest developments in Sweet Loren’s mission to bring joy to everyone, one delicious, uncompromising bite at a time.
This week on Startup to Storefront, we’re joined by Vadim Fedotov, whose journey from pro basketball to health tech entrepreneurship is all about resilience and innovation. After enduring four torn ACLs and finding limited proactive health guidance, Vadim set out to change the game with Bioniq—a health optimization company focused on personalized wellness.
On this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why traditional medicine often falls short in optimizing health.
• How nutrition is the key to achieving better overall well-being.
• Practical strategies to transform your health and elevate your performance.
• The role of cutting-edge technology in personalizing health solutions.
• Insights into building a successful health tech company from the ground up.
Founded in 2019, Bioniq combines Swiss pharmaceutical-grade quality with advanced AI for hyper-personalized nutritional solutions and is trusted by athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo. With the backing of institutions such as Lanserhof and King’s College Hospital, Bioniq is setting a new standard in health and wellness. Tune in to hear Vadim’s story of transforming personal challenges into a mission to elevate well-being for all!
On today’s episode of Startup to Storefront, we sit down with Woodie Hillyard, the co-founder and CEO of W, the antiperspirant line created in collaboration with Jake Paul. Woodie is a seasoned leader in the Consumer & Retail industries, bringing with him a wealth of experience from his time as Head of eCommerce for Casper and Chief Revenue Officer at Safely, Kris Jenner’s safe cleaning products brand. At Safely, he successfully launched and scaled the eCommerce business while securing nationwide placement in major retailers like Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond. Before his journey building top consumer brands, Woodie worked in private equity and investment banking at Deutsche Bank and TowerBrook. Today, he’s here to talk about W’s mission to keep you fresh all day long with their antiperspirant that combines sweat protection with skin-nourishing ingredients like Magnesium and Vitamin D, all while leaving out harmful chemicals. Whether you’re breaking a sweat or just living your everyday life, W’s innovative formula is here to keep you smelling great around the clock. On this episode, you’ll learn: • How Jake Paul harnessed the power of AI to break the internet and amplify his brand’s reach in ways no one saw coming. • Why bar soap is making a major comeback in the personal care industry and how it’s reshaping consumer habits. • How Jake Paul’s massive following played a pivotal role in launching W, turning fans into loyal customers and building a brand with unstoppable momentum. Let’s dive into Woodie’s journey, how W came to life, and what it takes to build a successful brand in the highly competitive world of personal care.
We’ll be speaking with Kun Yang, co-founder and CEO, about Pricklee’s remarkable journey and what’s next for their growing company.
On this episode, you’ll discover:
• How Pricklee went from a local startup in Boston to making a national splash on Shark Tank.
• What it was like pitching their product to the Sharks, and the lessons they learned from the experience.
• The key strategies behind Pricklee’s impressive 80% sales growth, and how they continue to scale in a competitive market.
On today’s episode of Startup to Storefront, we’re joined by Brianda, founder of The New Bar. Growing up on Catalina Island, alcohol was a common part of social gatherings with friends and family—until a life-changing moment altered that for Brianda. When her father was nearly lost to a debilitating autoimmune disease, she sought new ways to foster the same close family connections—this time without alcohol. Brianda launched The New Bar in Venice Beach in the summer of 2022, creating a platform that connects people to nonalcoholic drinks and alternatives. Her mission? To prove that socializing doesn’t need to revolve around alcohol. By 2023, The New Bar became the official alcohol-free partner at Coachella, and in 2024, Brianda tripled her footprint with new locations in West Hollywood and San Francisco. She also expanded her partnership with Golden Voice to bring nonalcoholic drinks to Stagecoach. Featured in Forbes, Adweek, Thrillist, Eater, and The Guardian, Brianda is a trailblazer in the alcohol-free movement. On this week’s episode, you’ll learn how Brianda turned a personal journey into a thriving business, leaving the tech industry to create a platform for non-alcoholic alternatives. She shares how she’s changing perceptions around non-alcoholic drinks by making them exciting and accessible, securing partnerships with major events like Coachella. You’ll also hear about the life-changing benefits of sober months and how Brianda expanded The New Bar into multiple locations while influencing the entertainment and hospitality industries.
Today, we're excited to welcome Puneet Nanda, the founder of Guru Nanda, to Startup to Storefront. Puneet's journey to mainstream success is unlike any other— he's built an Ayurvedic-inspired oral care brand that has gone viral thanks to TikTok, with over 285,000 followers and $12.5 million in sales to date. From oil pulling solutions to dual chamber mouthwash, Guru Nanda’s products have captivated millions of consumers, and every viral moment on TikTok leads to a surge not just online but also in retail giants like Walmart and Amazon. Puneet’s success story demonstrates the power of authenticity, customer engagement, and timely content. He’ll be sharing the insights he’s gained along the way, from understanding TikTok’s unique ability to spread trends, to building impactful influencer partnerships, and using the platform to propel Guru Nanda to the forefront of holistic oral care. Whether you're a brand looking to leverage TikTok or simply curious about his innovative approach, Puneet’s story offers valuable lessons on turning a passion into a thriving business.
On this week’s episode, you'll also learn:
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How Puneet Nanda unexpectedly became a TikTok sensation and built a viral brand overnight.
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The ultimate dental showdown: Flossing vs. Brushing – the surprising truth behind what your routine might be missing.
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Why he shifted from traditional marketing to TikTok, and how embracing the platform revolutionized his business strategy and skyrocketed sales.
Let’s dive into the secrets behind the viral success of Guru Nanda!
We are excited to welcome Dr. Joan Friedman to this week’s episode of Startup to Storefront! 🎙️ As a renowned twin expert, Dr. Friedman has dedicated her life to understanding the emotional needs of twins and helping families navigate their unique challenges. Not only is she an identical twin herself, but she’s also the mother of five, including fraternal twins! W
ith her acclaimed books Emotionally Healthy Twins and The Same but Different, Dr. Friedman shares invaluable insights on how twins can grow as individuals while maintaining a strong bond. 💡✨
On this week’s episode, you’ll discover:
The fascinating concept of twin synergy and how it shapes their unique connection
Why dedicated one-on-one time with each twin is crucial for their emotional development and individuality
The surprising strengths and "superpowers" that set twins apart from the rest of us
Don’t miss this enlightening conversation!
Welcome back to the podcast! This week, we’re excited to reconnect with Taylor and Casey, co-founders of CAKES Body, for an update since we last spoke to them in 2022. They’re on a mission to solve a problem many women face but few talk about—Nipple Freak Out, or as they call it, NFO. Their solution? The world’s first grippy, not sticky, nipple covers that use your body’s natural heat, with no sticky adhesives. What started as a simple fix quickly turned into a viral sensation, with TikTok driving massive demand and multiple sellouts of their product. But the real game-changer came when Taylor and Casey appeared on Shark Tank in 2023. They secured a $300,000 deal with Emma Grede in exchange for 10% equity, a move that’s propelled their company to nearly $10 million in revenue today. This wasn’t just a business deal—it was the moment that launched CAKES Body into a whole new level of success. This week, you’ll learn: - How CAKES Body is empowering women by revolutionizing traditional bras - The power of manifestation in their journey - What it was like to pitch on Shark Tank and make a deal with Emma Grede - How they’re owning the boob solution space Without further ado, let’s meet the founders of CAKES Body, Taylor and Casey! ReplyForward
On the latest episode of Startup To Storefront, we’re shining a spotlight on Rose & Caroline, the wife-and-wife duo behind Poplight, as seen on Shark Tank! 💡
The idea for Poplight came to them when they moved into their first place together. They wanted beautiful, modern wall lighting that fit their budget, but quickly realized traditional wall sconces just wouldn’t work for them:
💸 They’re expensive – costing hundreds of dollars each.
🔧 They require a contractor for installation (and might even break your lease!)
🔒 Once installed, they’re permanent, meaning you can’t take them with you if you move or redecorate.
That’s when they had their 💡 lightbulb moment:
Poplight, renter-friendly wall lighting that installs in seconds, can be moved easily, and fits any budget! Here’s how their journey unfolded: - They went viral on TikTok (yes, in their overalls!) - A Shark Tank producer reached out, but they thought it was a scam. - After some convincing, they made it onto the show—and the rest is history!
🎉 INSTAGRAM GIVEAWAY ALERT 🎉 We’re giving away a black Poplight exclusively to our Instagram followers! Stay tuned for the details on how to enter and win! Tune in to hear how they built a brand, conquered Shark Tank, and are lighting up the world with Poplight. 🔥
Welcome back to another episode of Startup to Storefront, where we explore the journeys of innovators and entrepreneurs breaking new ground. Today, we are thrilled to have Jasmine Mooney on the show. Jasmine is a dynamic female founder who has made a remarkable shift from owning bars and restaurants to leading a cutting-edge company that creates innovative health products. Her company, which is PhD-led, focuses on leveraging the power of functional mushrooms, adaptogens, nootropics, and ketones to offer healthy alternatives that promote longevity and enhance quality of life. This week, you’ll discover: How Jasmine made the leap from owning bars and restaurants to entering the CPG industry. Jasmine’s personal health journey with natural medicine and ketones. Why Holy Water is unique as the only functional beverage incorporating ketones. Tune in for an episode filled with insights, inspiration, and actionable advice for anyone interested in health, wellness, and entrepreneurship!
Meet Lauren Chew: The "Accidental Entrepreneur" Behind Love+Chew Cookies 🍪 In 2018, Lauren went completely vegan and needed to rethink her diet—especially her sweet treats. She started experimenting in her tiny San Francisco apartment and, by 2019, transformed her side hustle into a full-fledged business: Love+Chew cookies. Her secret? Delicious, plant-based cookies made with minimal, wholesome ingredients. Fast forward to today, and you can find Love+Chew cookies in over 2,000 stores nationwide, including Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, select Costco locations, and even on Amazon! But what makes Lauren’s journey truly remarkable? She’s bootstrapped her business from day one with zero outside funding. With a background in business development and tech from companies like Tesla and Stem, she runs everything—from product development and marketing to sales and operations. In 2023, Lauren scaled Love+Chew from $1M to $3M in revenue and is on track to hit $5-6M this year! As a solo female founder in a competitive market, Lauren’s story is nothing short of inspiring. In this week’s episode, Lauren shares: 🍪 How she found the perfect co-manufacturer to scale her business 🍪The game-changing packaging and sales strategy introduced by Whole Foods 🍪How she pivoted her business strategy in response to the challenges of COVID-19 Tune in to learn how she did it all—and why Love+Chew cookies are a must-try!
Last year, we had the pleasure of speaking with Gene Eidelman, co-founder of Azure Printed Homes. Now, we’re thrilled to welcome his partner in innovation, Ross Maguire, for an exciting update on the podcast!
Azure Printed Homes is revolutionizing the way we think about living spaces with their cutting-edge 3D-printed small homes and backyard studios, paving the way for a more affordable and sustainable future.
Tune in to this episode to explore:
The groundbreaking future of home printing
How Azure is reshaping the way we live
The advanced technology that keeps Azure at the forefront of the industry
Don’t miss this insightful conversation!
When Winc, the internet's favorite wine club, filed for bankruptcy, many thought the DTC model was finished. But Neha Kumar saw something golden—true brand loyalty. 💡 She acquired Winc’s DTC arm and, through the power of scaled assets, transformed it into the lion’s share of Full Glass Wine, a $100M powerhouse with two other brands under its wing. Now, millions of loyal Winc subscribers continue to enjoy the brand they love.
🍷 Neha is also the former COO/CFO of Create & Cultivate, a Professor at UCLA, a mentor through the Women’s Abundance Collective, and a first-generation Indian-American entrepreneur. She’s redefining what it means to lead in both business and life. 💪✨
Tune in to this episode to discover:
🍷 The future of DTC wine and where the industry is headed
💡 Neha’s top tips for entrepreneurial success
📈 Exclusive insights into Neha’s innovative marketing strategies
🚀 How Full Glass Wine is optimizing efficiency and scaling to new heights
This week, we had the pleasure of welcoming two of the Co-Founders of Hiyo to the podcast! As a brand, Hiyo is on a mission to revolutionize the way we drink, advocating for healthier ways to unwind. With just 30 calories and 0% ABV per can, you no longer have to choose between feeling good and maintaining your health. Hiyo delivers on both taste and functionality, offering a non-alcoholic option that inspires more relaxation on the sofa, more hangover-free happy hours, more presence at parties, and ultimately, a happier, healthier you. On this week’s episode, you’ll discover: - How Hiyo offers a healthier way to unwind, providing a refreshing alternative to traditional alcoholic beverages. - The growing trend of social tonics and how they are transforming social drinking. - The unique market need Hiyo fulfills with its blend of adaptogens and nootropics. - The evolving landscape of alcohol consumption and the shift towards mindful drinking. Tune in to hear more about Hiyo’s journey, mission, and the incredible benefits of their social tonic.
Today, we're thrilled to have Chef Joe Sasto and Sean Knecht as our guests.
Joe Sasto, inspired by his lifelong passion for pasta, founded Tantos, the ultimate pasta chip! Tantos is a brand that embodies the Italian expression "Tanto Si," meaning "so much yes." From a young age, Joe's talent for cooking was evident. He trained under some of the Bay Area's top chefs, contributing to the success of Michelin-starred Lazy Bear and Quince. You've also seen him on Bravo’s Top Chef and Food Network’s Tournament of Champions and Chopped.
Sean Knecht, since 2013, has helped Fortune 500 companies, hotels, breweries, and pet retailers leverage the emotional bond between customers and their pets to boost revenue and brand recognition. He provides award-winning customizable pet accessories for resale and promotional use. Sean has appeared on ABC's Shark Tank and has been featured in Inc., Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and Buzzfeed. His clients include Petco, Tito's Vodka, Subaru, Houston Astros, Bumble, Heineken, ESPN, and more.
On this episode you’ll discover:
How Tantos is Revolutionizing Pasta: Tantos revolutionizes pasta by transforming it into a gourmet snack with its unique process of drying, puffing, and seasoning pasta to crispy perfection.
Joe’s Incredible Culinary Journey: Chef Joe Sasto’s remarkable culinary journey took him from a young cooking enthusiast to a Michelin-starred chef, culminating in his innovative creation of the Tantos pasta chip.
Sean & Joe’s Launch Strategy: Sean Knecht and Joe Sasto’s launch strategy combined Sean’s brand expertise with Joe’s culinary innovation to successfully introduce Tantos to the market.
Join us in welcoming Chef Jasper Lynn, this week’s special guest!
To celebrate the grand opening of the Rosalynn Summer Series at Little City Farm, we're giving away two tickets to Thursday's event! To enter, head over to our Instagram! The winner will be announced at 3pm on Wednesday!
Chef Jasper Lynn, recognized as House of Suntory’s 2023 Rising Chef of the Year and featured by the James Beard Foundation at the Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival, is known for his bold Asian flavors with New American and French influences. His culinary excellence at Rosalynn earned him a feature on Netflix's Bling Empire (Season 2).
Rosalynn started as a passion project during the pandemic in August 2020. Chef Jasper, a former tech PM and consultant for companies like Apple and UPS Capital, began hosting dinner parties, which evolved into one of the most coveted private dining experiences in Los Angeles. He is also launching YEAT HAY, his new CPG and lifestyle brand, and hosts the viral video podcast 'The Durian Pod.'
In this episode, you'll learn about:
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Chef Jasper’s Summer Series at Little City Farm
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His near-death experience
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The launch of YEAT-HAY, the first Asian chimichurri sauce on the market
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His journey from tech to culinary success with Rosalynn Supper Club
Don’t miss this exciting episode!
Join us as we welcome Shannon Race, co-founder of Bio.me, to our podcast this week. With over 12 years of experience in marketing and brand strategy, Shannon is currently a Principal at Starshot Ventures, where she leads investment strategy and advises portfolio brands. She also co-founded bio.me, a pioneering gut health and fiber supplement company, and serves as a board member and strategic advisor for Koia plant-based protein drinks. Shannon has spoken at industry events such as Create & Cultivate, BeautyCon, and BevNET. Bio.me is a female-founded company dedicated to improving gut health with effective, science-backed supplements. Their products, including bio.me Daily Prebiotic Fiber, bio.me Fiber Rescue, and bio.me Daily Synbiotic, aim to rebalance the microbiome and support overall digestive wellness. Better gut health leads to more energy, better sleep, reduced bloating, and a stronger immune system. On this episode you’ll learn: How to Create a Strong Brand Identity: Discover the essential steps to build a brand that stands out, from understanding your audience and crafting a clear message to maintaining visual consistency and sharing an authentic story. The Power of Fiber in Boosting Gut Health: Learn how fiber supports digestion, balances the microbiome, reduces inflammation, enhances nutrient absorption, boosts immunity, and helps regulate blood sugar levels. Key Business Tips from Shannon & Co-Founder Chloe Melas: Gain valuable insights from their experiences in growing successful brands and navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship.
Join us this week as we welcome the founders of Cryo Healthcare, Emilia and Jonas Kuehne, MD! Emilia and Jonas Kuehne, MD, are the visionary minds behind Cryo Healthcare, a pioneering venture that began in 2009. Their journey started in Berlin, Germany, where they discovered the transformative benefits of Cryotherapy. Driven by their passion for wellness, they brought this innovative therapy to the United States, becoming trailblazers of Whole Body Cryotherapy in the country. As the inaugural enterprise to introduce this cutting-edge therapy in the US, Emilia and Jonas have helped countless individuals experience the remarkable benefits of Cryotherapy. The success of their first year operating from home inspired them to expand, leading to the establishment of a larger, state-of-the-art facility on La Cienega Blvd in West Hollywood. Cryohealthcare is dedicated to enhancing lives through non-pharmaceutical, preventive healthcare. Their mission is to improve the well-being of their clients and encourage healthier lifestyles. In this episode, you'll discover: 🥶 The benefits of Cryotherapy for reducing inflammation, preventing diseases, and promoting healing. 🥶The link between inflammation and aging. 🥶 The critical role of recovery in enhancing overall health. 🥶 Join the Cryohealthcare team on a journey towards wellness and experience the transformative power of Cryotherapy, where health meets innovation.
Please join us in welcoming our guest, Julie Sullivan, co-founder of Ground Up!
Ground Up was founded in 2016 when Julie returned from Uganda, where she had been leading an employment training program for women overcoming poverty. Back in her hometown of Portland, Oregon, Julie recognized a similar need for such programs locally.
Ground Up is a mission-driven business dedicated to providing job training to womxn overcoming adversity in the Portland area. By producing and selling healthy, delicious nut butters, Ground Up empowers womxn with the confidence and skills they need to rebuild their lives.
On this week's episode, you’ll discover:
Ground Up’s innovative influencer marketing strategy
Their remarkable journey to success in both e-commerce and retail
Julie’s inspiring story of creating the empowering Ground Up employment program
Join us as we welcome this week’s guest, Alice Kao. Alice discovered climbing while living and working in London in 2008 after a difficult breakup. Inspired by the healing and self-discovery that climbing brought her, she co-founded Sender One in 2011 upon returning to the United States with her business partners. Alice hates following rules but excels at getting people to believe in her ideas.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
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How Alice’s experience as a ‘parachute kid’ shaped her life.
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Diego’s insights on transforming your mindset and turning problems into opportunities.
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Alice’s unique perspective on entrepreneurship.
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Her journey from a side gig to full-time success.
Join us as we dive into Maria Camila Giraldo's incredible journey to founding Fungiments! After hitting dead ends on her healing journey from a severe accident, Maria connected to a doctor who introduced her to the power of functional mushrooms. Before working with her functional doctor, Maria had gone through an array of treatments including traditional prescriptions to help with anxiety, stress, and more but left her symptoms worse. After several months of research and development, Fungiments was born, and combines the best of nature and science, only using sustainably sourced and clinically proven ingredients.
Before building her wellness empire, you may have seen Maria on TV. After starring in shows like Queen of the South in Latin America, the Colombian actress made her US acting debut this year with a role on Netflix’s Griselda – along with two highly anticipated films with actors, Alec Baldwin and Al Pacino premiering later this year.
In this week's episode, you'll learn:
The pivotal moment that led Maria Camila to explore the amazing benefits of mushrooms.
How Fungiments is adding fun and "superpowers" to everyday life!
The incredible power of natural alternatives for boosting energy and easing anxiety.
Please join us in welcoming this week’s guest, Felicity Rodgers, the Co-Founder of Cargo Crew, an Australian-born, female-led, and family-run uniform brand.
Since 2002, Cargo Crew has been on a mission to reinvent the modern uniform. Today, the brand proudly serves 45,000 teams across more than 80 countries, catering to both B2B and D2C sectors. From casual home chefs to what Founder and Chief Creative Officer Felicity Rodgers calls "makers, bakers, and creatives," Cargo Crew's clientele includes renowned names such as Paris Hilton, Curtis Stone, Goop, Netflix, Claus Meyer, and Melbourne & Olympic Parks.
On this week’s episode you’ll learn:
- The story behind Cargo Crew's collaboration with Goop!
- The exciting expansion plans for Cargo Crew.
- How Cargo Crew is revolutionizing the uniform industry.
Please join us in welcoming this week’s guest, Christy Goldsby, the visionary founder of Honey Mama’s.
Christy was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, in a family of passionate cooks, bakers, and gardeners. From an early age, she experienced the kitchen as a place of creativity and joy. In 2010, her personal health journey inspired her to combine two lifelong passions: indulgent, delicious foods and the empowerment that comes from personal wellness.
Honey Mama’s began with a lightbulb moment. Influenced by the importance of gut health, Christy discovered that a combination of superfood ingredients could replicate the taste and texture of the most indulgent treats. Two years later, she introduced her honey-sweetened truffle bars at the Portland State Farmers Market. Within a few months, Honey Mama’s products were available on grocery store shelves.
In this episode, you’ll learn about:
🍫 Christy’s entrepreneurial journey
🍫 Her innovative chocolate marketing strategy
🍫 How she transformed her life through clean eating
🍫 The revolutionary impact Honey Mama’s has had on healthy treats
Tune in to be inspired by Christy’s story and gain insights into her approach to wellness and entrepreneurship.
Join us as we welcome Stephanie Moyal & Jake Mellman, cousins, friends, and visionary co-founders of Troop!
Jake and Stephanie founded Troop with a mission to demystify mushrooms and make their incredible benefits accessible to everyone. They believe that nature, especially mushrooms, holds many of the answers we seek.
In this episode, you'll discover:
🍄 The remarkable power of mushrooms in healing mental health
🍄 How Jake and Stephanie explored the complex mushroom kingdom and started cultivating their own
🍄 Ways to boost your brain health with Troop's innovative products
Don't miss this enlightening conversation about the transformative potential of mushrooms!
Join us as we welcome Achal Patel, Co-founder of Cabinet Health, to the podcast! Cabinet Health is a pioneering company tackling the plastic waste crisis in the $1.2 trillion pharmaceutical market.
With consumers growing more conscious of their environmental impact, Cabinet Health's zero-waste solution aims to revolutionize a consumer behavior pattern unchanged for over 70 years. After appearing on Shark Tank, Cabinet Health secured partnerships with not one, but two sharks: Mr. Wonderful, Kevin O’Leary, and Tony Xu.
In this week’s episode, discover:
Insider details of Cabinet Health’s transformative Shark Tank journey.
The profound impact of plastic bottles and the critical importance of recycling for our planet.
The often-overlooked environmental consequences of prescription medication.
Tune in for an enlightening and impactful episode!
Join us this week as we chat with Emanuel Storch, CEO of Blackbird Foods, creators of plant-based Frozen Pizza and Wings! Launched in January 2020 and Founded by chefs, Blackbird Foods started by making seitan for local restaurants. As more customers started to request the option to cook with it in their homes, they then opened their own dedicated facility in NYC to create the best Pizza, Seitan, and WINGS in the world. They've since grown into a nationwide brand in 4+ years, available at Target, Whole Foods, and Sprouts. Don't miss out on discovering: The unique innovation setting Blackbird Foods apart. How Blackbird Foods is using Beyond Meat in their products. The future of frozen food in retail. The journey of getting Blackbird Foods into Erewhon.
This week we welcome Jason Bronstad, CEO of MALK Organics, to the podcast.
Jason is a seasoned CPG professional with 20+ years of experience in the food and beverage industry. With a successful background at leading companies like Sara Lee and Jimmy Dean, Bronstad joined MALK in 2020 as a consultant and quickly rose to CEO in June 2021. Under his leadership, MALK has experienced significant growth, becoming the fastest-growing plant-based milk brand in 2022. Bronstad's mission is to expand MALK's consumer base by educating people on its health benefits as the top alternative milk option. His personal journey towards a healthier lifestyle fuels his passion for promoting wellness.
In this episode, you'll discover:
Jason's CEO journey and his strategies for steering MALK Organics to success.
How MALK is pioneering the premium segment of plant-based milks.
Insights from Jason's failures and the valuable lessons learned.
The transformative influence of TikTok on consumer information-seeking behavior.
On the latest pod we interview Vanessa Dew who Co-Founded and created a $200M Kombucha Empire - Health-Ade Vanessa is a dynamic force in the realm of innovation and entrepreneurship. With a passion for pushing the boundaries of what's possible, Vanessa's journey is marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence and a keen eye for emerging opportunities. In this episode, you’ll discover: How Health-ade was early to the Kombucha and. gut health party. Vanessa’s invaluable tips for achieving success and profitability. Her trailblazing journey as a female Asian American entrepreneur, inspiring women to believe in themselves. Join us in celebrating Vanessa Dew, a trailblazer whose vision knows no bounds and whose impact continues to shape the future of innovation.
Introducing this week's special guest, Marci Hopkins! She's a remarkable figure in the world of inspirational and educational television, hosting a show that reaches over 2.8 million viewers monthly on CBS-owned WLNY-TV New York. Her mission? To be a beacon of inspiration and empowerment, guiding viewers towards their happiest lives through candid, meaningful, and engaging conversations.
But that's not all—Marci is also an accomplished author, renowned for her work "Chaos to Clarity Community." This powerful memoir shares her personal journey, weaving together stories of inspiration, hope, and strength. From breaking the cycle of negativity to navigating trauma, Marci offers invaluable insights for embracing the best life.
Join us as we dive into a conversation filled with empowerment and inspiration!
Don't miss this week's episode! Here's what you'll discover:
The transformative impact of cutting out alcohol in Marci's life.
The empowering journey of starting her own community and how it changed her life.
The importance of accessible mental health resources in today's digital age.
Marci's inspiring journey to healing and finding her best self.
This episode was sponsored by Riverside:
Sign up today using StartupToStorefront for 15% OFF -- https://creators.riverside.fm/StartupToStorefront
Exciting news! This week's podcast guest is Lauryn Bodden, the winner of Netflix’s first season of Snack vs. Chef! Lauryn wowed us all as she competed alongside 12 chefs, channeling her inner food scientist to recreate classic snacks and invent her own original creations. After her victory, Lauryn launched S’NOODS, a deliciously crunchy snack noodle that's perfectly seasoned and ready to enjoy right out of the bag each time! In addition to running S’NOODS, Lauryn is a recipe developer and private chef for The Sailing Collective. She’s also worked as a food editor and stylist for major meal kits, brands, and publications.
In this episode, you'll learn: How Lauryn used nostalgic snacks to create S’NOODS
Her marketing strategy as a solo founderHow she overcame imposter syndrome and gained confidence on Snack vs. Chef
Tune in now to hear Lauryn’s incredible journey!
This week, we're thrilled to sit down with Megan Roup, the inspiring founder of The Sculpt Society! Launched in 2017, Megan's decision to turn her passion for fitness into a full-time career led to the creation of The Sculpt Society, a revolutionary platform that embodies her belief in the transformative power of movement for personal growth and well-being. As a mother of two, Megan's journey with TSS continues to evolve, and she's here to share her mantra: "commit to less so you can show up more." With workouts ranging from quick 5-minute bursts to comprehensive 50-minute sessions, The Sculpt Society truly offers something for everyone, regardless of fitness level.
In this episode, you'll discover:
Megan's journey in developing The Sculpt Society from a personal passion to a thriving fitness community.
The pivotal role dance played in shaping Megan's fitness journey and the unique blend it brings to The Sculpt Society's workouts.
The exciting story of how Vimeo approached Megan to collaborate on developing her very own fitness app.
Join us in welcoming Jake Deleon, the founder of Fila Manila!
Jake, a first-generation Filipino American born in the Philippines and raised in New Jersey, founded Fila Manila to spread the joy of Filipino family, culture, and cuisine. Discover award-winning Filipino flavors like Adobo Sauce, Banana Ketchup & Ube Purple Yam Spread, perfect for enjoying at home!
This year, Jake secured a $250,000 investment from Daniel Lubetzky on Shark 🦈 Tank!
During this episode, Jake shares his journey to closing the deal on National TV.
Tune in to learn about: Jake's journey from CPG to entrepreneurship. Navigating a retail launch during COVID-19. How resilience turned a pitch competition loss into a Shark Tank win.
Join the Fila Manila WeFunder Campaign!
Join us this week as we chat with David Cantor, Founder of Folk Revival, on his mission to enhance food resilience. Discover how he's bridging worlds by introducing high protein, low carb options to natural food enthusiasts.
On this episode you’ll learn:
- Are Acorns the Next Superfood Trend? 🌰🌱
- The reasoning behind their strategic decision to avoiding using acorns in the brand name.
- How they landed a deal with Whole Foods.
- Are Acorns 🌰 the Next Big Food Innovation? 🌍
- Their innovative fundraising approach on WeFunder.
Don't miss this insightful episode!
This week we welcomed Celine and Joline Nehoray to our studio!
Join us as we dive into their inspiring journey from sisters to cofounders of Beverly Hills Lingerie. Founded in 2018, their brand draws inspiration from the 1980s trend of lingerie as streetwear, bringing a fresh perspective to the oversaturated market. Beverly Hills Lingerie has since been featured in Vogue, Entrepreneur, GQ, The Zoe Report, Who What Wear, WWD & more! More than just a product, Beverly Hills Lingerie is a service that is elevating the experience of self-love and empowerment. With an all-female team, Celine & Joline exemplify the importance of women supporting women in business.
Tune in to our episode to discover their secrets to success!
Unlock key learnings from our latest episode:
- Discover how Beverly Hills Lingerie crafted its brand voice & engaged its audience.
- Follow Celine & Joline's journey to success, fueled by family bonds.
- Gain entrepreneurial tips from the sisters.
- Don't miss out on these invaluable insights
This week we’re sitting down with Carrie Barber of MAKE Beauty. Carrie navigated her career with some of the most influential brands in beauty, with roles at top companies such as Sephora, Augustinus Bader, Bloomingdales and VIOLET GREY, establishing herself as part of the industry’s new guard of tastemakers. Carrie harnesses the advancements of biotechnology and formulates each product with sustainable botanical materials, lab engineered natural ingredients, and skin-compatible synthetics that go beyond the concept of clean. MAKE products are formulated using botanical and botanically derived ingredients and tested synthetic ingredients.
This episode’s key highlights:
Learn about Carrie's journey to create MAKE Beauty and understand the brand's unique strategies that contribute to its lasting impact in the beauty industry.
Explore Carrie's shift from working with major beauty brands to becoming an entrepreneur. Learn about the challenges and victories that led her to forge her path.
Discover how Carrie conquered dyslexia, turning it into a strength in her entrepreneurial journey. Explore the mindset and support systems that empowered her success.
Dive into what lies ahead for MAKE Beauty, exploring upcoming developments and strategies. Learn about the envisioned steps for growth and success in the brand's future.
This week, we're featuring Cyndi Bray, the creator of Wad-Free, as seen on Shark Tank!
Wad-Free is a wad preventer that eliminates tangled, twisted, and balled-up laundry. Cyndi invented Wad-Free to help laundry-doers fight the battle against the dreaded sheet wad. One year after launching Wad-Free, Cyndi was featured on ABC’s Shark Tank and landed a deal with Mr. Wonderful himself, Kevin O’Leary.
On this episode, we'll cover:
How Cyndi went from being a Shark Tank fan to appearing on the show.
The secret behind Wad-Free’s explosive success.Whether Cyndi had a particular Shark in mind before her appearance on the show.
How she developed and launched her product all by herself, in the middle of a pandemic!
This episode was sponsored by Riverside: Sign up today using StartupToStorefront for 15% OFF -- https://creators.riverside.fm/StartupToStorefront
This week, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Hannah Minardi and Austin Wiberg, the duo behind Standard Self Care. Former college friends turned business partners, they have set out on a mission to revolutionize the personal care industry by creating high-performance products with meticulously tested formulas that instill the highest confidence. In this episode, you won't want to miss out on: The importance of testing everything, especially in the realm of digital marketing, and how no one’s idea is insignificant. How Standard Self Care goes beyond just selling products, focusing on educating consumers and fostering a community of informed individuals. The insightful discussion on the pivotal role of choosing the right business partners and how it has contributed to the sustained success and longevity of Standard Self Care.Tune in to gain valuable insights from Hannah and Austin as they share their journey, vision, and the core principles that drive their business forward.
Welcome to this weeks episode, recorded using Riverside, your all-in-one online podcast and video studio. This week’s guest is Miguel Leal, Cofounder and CEO of SOMOS. Miguel created SOMOS alongside his friends Rodrigo Zuloaga and Daniel Lubetsky after coming to the United States and being disappointed with the options for creating truly delicious Mexican meals at home. Discover why the market for cooking Mexican food at home is projected to grow to 30 billion dollars in the next five to ten years. Join us as we discuss the importance of cooking Mexican cuisine and why it is becoming as popular as Italian food. As consumers begin to spot the brand’s brightly colored packaging (inspired by Mexican alebrijes) of all non-GMO plant-based entrees (all microwavable in 90 seconds), rices, beans, chips, and salsas in stores, Miguel hopes they will also discover a Mexico far more diverse than rice and beans.
In this episode you’ll learn:
The story behind starting a CPG brand.
How Mexican food surpassed Italian during COVID.
The 30 Billion Dollar Mexican cooking market.
The idea behind Juntos Market: A Fusion of Asian and Latin American Cuisine.
This episode was sponsored by Riverside: Sign up today using StartupToStorefront for 15% OFF -- sign up now
Welcome to our conversation with Jim Huether, CEO of Hyperice. Join us as we delve into the company's incredible growth, from $10 million to $142 million in just 24 months. In this episode, we'll cover:
The impact of maximizing TV exposure.
Jim Huether's strategies for navigating the challenges of being a CEO.
The pivotal role of the Hypervolt in Hyperice's remarkable success.
Over a short duration in 2020, Hyperice struck league-wide partnerships with the NFL, MLB, NBA, PGA Tour, UFC and US Soccer. Chief rival Therabody inked deals with the NWSL and ATP Tour. Both companies also scooped up numerous team partnerships and star athlete ambassador relationships.
The three-year agreement Hyperice had with the NFL has now lapsed, meaning it is no longer the exclusive sideline supplier, although it has built up significant brand loyalty among the players. And part of the original arrangement was an investment in Hyperice from 32 Equity, the NFL investment vehicle.
Welcome to our interview with Joe Spector of Dutch, the premier direct-to-consumer pet telehealth company dedicated to revolutionizing pet telemedicine. Joe's journey from fleeing Uzbekistan as a young Jewish refugee to the mission of Dutch is a true testament to the American dream. In this episode, we will delve into: * Joe's inspiring escape from Uzbekistan as a Jewish refugee at the tender age of 7. * The profound influence of Joe's grandfather's business on his commitment to making healthcare more accessible. * Dutch's impactful initiatives in bringing life-changing care to pets nationwide.
Dutch is on a mission to revolutionize telemedicine for pets (just how Hims, One Medical, and Better Health have changed telemedicine for humans) through affordable and accessible healthcare plans. It is founded by the former CoFounder of Hims & Hers, Joe Spector, who has an incredible story that is a testament to the American dream.
With the state of California just recently making veterinary telehealth legal as of January 1 by passing AB 1399, Dutch is the preeminent expert in the business of pet telehealth which is quickly becoming a national topic.
This episode is brought to you by Riverside: Sign up now with 15% OFF using our Discount Code: StartupToStorefront
In this episode, you'll discover the inspiring story of Sarah Moret, founder of Curie, who turned frustration into success. From creating a performance-based deodorant formula to expanding into a body care line, Sarah's journey is filled with challenges and triumphs, including her appearance on Shark Tank. Join us as we delve into the entrepreneurial spirit and the transformative power of Shark Tank. In this episode you'll discover: * The inspiring origin of the name Curie. * The transformative impact of Shark Tank on her business. * The evolution of Curie's hero product into a body care line.
Use STARTUP20 for 20% your next order from Curie!
Ever wonder how to make a movie or a television show? Join us for an exclusive conversation with Chuck Carrington and Michael Lange as they unveil the behind-the-scenes of 'Cowboy Drifter'.
Uncover:
🎞️ Innovative guerrilla filmmaking tactics that breathed life into the story. 🎬 The art of resourcefulness in unleashing creativity within budget constraints. 🎥 Harnessing musical talent to craft a captivating soundtrack that embellished the narrative.
About the movie: Can a man find redemption when he's never placed any value on his own life? When Caskie Jones goes searching for a father he hasn't seen in thirty years he gets more than he bargained. Will it be enough to win back those he loves?
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Director
- Michael Lange
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Writer
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Chuck Carrington
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Stars
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Lynn Collins Morningstar Angeline Kerry O'Malley
Join us as we welcome back Los Angeles County District Attorney, George Gascon.
Currently, Gascon is campaigning for reelection in 2024. To quote a recent speech given by the DA: “This campaign is not about me, this is a community movement. This is about looking at the criminal justice system of the 21st Century not with a rearview mirror but looking forward. Reform is the collective work of people, both in our community and in the legal system -attorneys as well those who are being impacted, victims and accused. We’re fully committed to fighting for our shared values: investing in community health and safety while ending the death penalty, no longer prosecuting children as adults, and holding law enforcement and big corporations accountable.”
In this enlightening episode, you’ll gain insight into:
The truth about crime rates as we dispel misconceptions.
The potential of mental health beds as a solution to housing insecurity.
Gascon’s passionate journey to make a difference in his community as both a police officer and a prosecutor.
Step into the watch enthusiast's paradise at Bezel - where luxury meets legacy. Unveil a world of timekeeping opulence with a $400+ million collection, accompanied by a bespoke concierge experience that redefines support and quality assurance.
In this episode you’ll learn about:
🕰️ Bezel's Revolutionizing Partnerships: - Pioneering collaborations reshaping the watch industry - Redefining standards and unlocking new realms of possibility
⏳ Unwavering Client Trust: - Prioritizing trust through transparency and excellence - Fostering enduring relationships built on integrity and dependability
⏱️ Meticulous In-House Authentication: - Ensuring authenticity through a meticulous, precision-driven process - Elevating each timepiece to the pinnacle of craftsmanship and assurance
Get ready for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the Orange County Soccer Club with Daniel Rutstein! Discover how this trailblazing professional soccer team in Orange County is setting a new standard for sports and community engagement.
In this episode, we unpack the strategies and initiatives that drive OCSC's success:
⚽ Building a passionate and fan-focused community: Learn how OCSC fosters a vibrant and inclusive community around the love of soccer, and the impact it has on the organization's growth and success.
⚽ The fascinating story behind the gnome and how it became their fastest selling non-apparel item.
⚽ Exploring groundbreaking fan engagement strategies and the bold decision to put a percentage of the club up for sale: Gain insights into OCSC's innovative approach to fan involvement, and the forward-thinking move to offer fans a stake in the club.
Step into the world of innovation as we sit down with Ben Lewis, the founder of Little Spoon. When they launched, their tagline was 'your baby’s food shouldn’t be older than your baby’ - a mantra that has shaped their product. Discover the remarkable advances Little Spoon has made, breaking a century-old mold, and revolutionizing clean, healthy options from infancy to the big kid years.
On this episode you’ll learn: 👶🏽 How baby food had not changed in 100 years when they started. 🥄 The power of selling Little Spoon direct to consumer. 🍼 The innovation behind Little Spoon’s products
Momentous. Listen as we talk about how they are constantly raising the bar to deliver the best products and how they have built the most dynamic and advanced network of experts in the field of human performance. Momentous products are the result of work with some of the brightest minds in human performance, including Dr. Andrew Huberman, using the latest research. They use the highest-quality ingredients, and every single product is rigorously tested by independent third parties to ensure they deliver their promise to bring you the best.
In this episode you’ll learn:
🏈 How Jeff’s NFL experience gave him access to the best knowledge and innovation available. 💤 The importance of increasing your quality of sleep. 💤 How Momentous is advocating for long term brain health.
This year’s Spotify wrapped revealed that the Modern Animal was our top episode of the year. This week, they return, to catch up on everything that has changed and developed since we last spoke. Following on from our viral episode, join the conversation as we get an overview of this past year’s transformative chapter in the veterinary space. With an anticipated shortage of 15,000 veterinarians by 2030 as many as 75 million pets could be left without access to veterinary care. So a new assembly bill, AB 1399, represents more than just an opportunity to modernize veterinary care; it is a crucial step towards safeguarding continued care for all our beloved pets, an essential need that became starkly apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this episode you’ll learn:
🐾 How chief medical officer Christie is driving legislative changes in the state to expand access to care. (AB 1399)
🐾 Modern Animal’s learnings in scaling from 6 to 16 clinics.
🐾 How the veterinary industry has changed in the last year since we first spoke.
🐾 The role technology plays in supporting doctors in providing the best possible care.
Sisters and farmers Stephanie and Hayley Painter launched Painterland Sisters Organic Skyr Yogurt as part of their mission to preserve, showcase and utilize their family’s Pennsylvania organic dairy farm, Painterland Farms. Join us as we discuss the four years of preparation that went into launching Painterland Sisters Organic Skyr Yogurt, a women and farmer-owned organic, lactose-free skyr yogurt brand. We spoke to Hayley Painter on the steps she and her sister Stephanie took to launch their product. Four months prior to launching, they were able to trial their first batch and were left with 14,000 yogurts that they were unable to sell. They used this as a window to network with various opportunities of interest. In its first 12 months of business, 🐄Painterland Sisters achieved $1.3 million in sales and is on track to hit $3.5 million in top-line sales this year. Their yogurt is now in over 1,500 locations nationwide, almost all 50 states. Learn about how they fundraised by focusing on in-person meetings and events, and how they sustain their farming heritage as proud 4th generation farmers.
Support the Painterland Sisters as they are raising $1.2M on WeFunder!
SwingVision returns! Last year, we delved into their game-changing tech for tennis with co-founder Swupnil Sahai. Now, they're back with more. So much has happened since the last time we spoke to them in 2022, we had to invite them back on the show. From automated scoring to revolutionizing swing analysis, SwingVision has been a game-changer. Tennis remains their heartbeat, yet they're embracing Pickleball with their cutting-edge A.I. After an Apple award win, their app's downloads skyrocketed.
Today's agenda:
🎾 Tracking stats: Tennis vs. Pickleball 🎾 Tech expansion at SwingVision 🎾 Challenges & triumphs in tech innovation
Steven Siebert of UomoSport discusses on staying authentic to his brand and genuinely conveying his passion. We explore the vital connection between sharing that passion with the audience and staying true to the brand. Don't miss out on Uomo Sport's latest collections featured at these two exciting events: 🎾 Pádel Players League All-Star Players, San Diego Barnes Center. Saturday, November 18th, 5:30-9:00pm.
🎾 First Break Academy at Manhattan Country Club, Manhattan Beach. Saturday, December 9th, 11:00-3:00pm.
🎾 You can donate to support underprivileged kids @firstbreaktennis and play with top pros and coaches including Francis Tiafoe.
Combined with his passion for health and fitness, extensive knowledge of food science, and expertise in sports & exercise nutrition, Dr. Juan Salinas has created the perfect, all natural, guilt-free snack: P-nuff Crunch - healthy and nutritious, without sacrificing the “delicious”. That path did not stop there. During his college years abroad, Dr. Juan developed a love for exercise and healthy eating, so much so that he changed his major from Engineering to Food Science. With over 20 boastful years of successful product development in several of the nation’s top food companies, he slowly grew disheartened by the food industry’s deception of the word, “healthy”. Although his well-known products graced the shelves of every grocery chain in the U.S., they lacked in what Dr. Juan truly believed in.
Today's show you'll learn:
🦈 How Dr. Juan landed a deal with Mark Cuban
🦈 Why he decided to go shirtless on Shark Tank!
🦈 What’s on deck for the better for you-snacking-brand
In The Anthology of Balaji: A Guide to Technology, Truth, and Building the Future, Eric Jorgenson curates a collection of Balaji’s wisdom from his entire career. In “Technology” you will see how technology shapes our world today and the ways it could shape our future. In “Truth” you learn how to think for yourself through the constant clamor of information and media. Finally, in “Building the Future,” you will learn how to wield Technology and Truth to change your life, change your community, and—maybe—change the future of our species.
Today's show you'll learn:
📖 How technology is so much more than software 📖 How to identify new opportunities in all markets 📖 What the future of construction might look like!
When 2 sisters moved to Florida from Venezuela there was something they were missing from their homeland and they wanted to quickly solve that problem. Fittingly named "Toast-It," these sisters built a brand out of the one thing they missed the most after moving to the U.S. from Caracas, Venezuela — their mother's cooking.
Mafe and Coco's products are made using ingredients that are true to their Venezuelan culture and after initial success with a handful of retailers, they decided to apply for a spot on Shark Tank! Mafe and Coco's products are made using ingredients that are true to their Venezuelan culture. The Toast-It arepas, for instance, are made using white cornmeal flour, much like the masarepa that's used in traditional arepas. But, they also come in other versions — one that's seeded, combining the cornmeal with flax and chia seeds, and another made with cassava, also known as yuca flour, that is also traditional to Latin cuisines.
On Shark Tank O'Leary made the sisters an offer: $100 grand for 20% equity — Mafe and Coco, were asking for the same amount of money for 5%. Guest shark Daniel Lubetzky matched it, and the girls countered by offering them both 15% equity for $150,000, ultimately striking a deal with Lubetsky.On
Today's show you'll learn:
🦈 How this business grew from a yearning for a hometown food 🦈 How Mafe's background in Pepsi and Coco's marketing insights gave them a leg up 🦈 How they landed guest shark Daniel Lubetzky who founded snack company Kind
On today’s show, we sit down with the founders of what has been dubbed one of the best sandwiches in Los Angeles. The inspiration for Ggiata comes from childhood friends who grew up eating authentic Italian-style deli sandwiches in Montclair, NJ. The deli was always an anchor in the community, the central meeting point for any occasion that invited friends to gather. Ggiata exists to serve exceptionally prepared Italian-style deli fare, inspired by traditional East Coast neighborhood delis. They aim to bring lunchtime staples like fresh chicken cutlets and marinated eggplant to Los Angeles while working with local vendors to source the highest quality ingredients.
In today’s episode you’ll learn:
🥖 how Ggiata started first to start a brand
🥖 where the name came from .. hint “passeggiata”
🥖 just how far they want to take this concept
East Coast Inspired Italian Deli 📍5009 Melrose Ave 📍7998 Santa Monica Blvd 📍83 Windward Ave OPEN 9 AM - 7 PM 🥖🥖
Origo Brands is creating a new way to supply the USA and countries around the world with healthier, more authentic, and more sustainable foods from the origin.
Origo Brands is a unique combination of:
Experience and expertise - Founders with a 30-year track record of food and beverage organization and development. A Great Team that is contributing to Origo Brands’ expertise and capabilities!
Origin innovation - That experience and expertise, combined with innovative thinking, is resulting in what we like to call—(IN)Credible products—brands that are leading food development in areas around health, convenience, taste, and authenticity.
Chantico Mexican Agave
Monstruo de Gila BBQ Salsa
Avenidas Direct Source Coffee
In today’s episode you’ll learn how:
🦜 How Model beer was introduced to Asia
🦜 If agave is better than honey
🦜 Why LinkedIN may be your secret weapon
Introducing Noshi Food Paint: A Creative Culinary Revolution 🎨
In a world where artistry and gastronomy converge, a delightful innovation has emerged to redefine the boundaries of culinary creativity. Enter Noshi Food Paint, the ingenious culinary companion that transforms everyday meals into edible masterpieces. Noshi Food Paint is not just a condiment; it's a canvas for your culinary imagination, a tool for self-expression in the kitchen, and a delightful way to infuse color and flavor into your dishes like never before. On Today’s show you’ll hear about:
🎨 How Tomo landed Mark Cuban as a shark
🎨 Why getting kids to play with their food is totally okay!
🎨 How Noshi landed in over 2,000 Walmarts
On Today’s show, we speak to Joshua Church, Co-Founder, of Edge Theory Labs the creators of the world's first portable, iceless ice bath, The Edge Tub. Since launching in 2022, they have quickly become an industry leader and been the go-to ice bath trusted by athletes, pro sports teams, celebrities, and high performers across the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, MLB, UFC, and Olympic Games. They are on a mission to provide people with the tools that give them the edge so that they can unlock their maximum human potential. Today you’ll learn:
🥶 How Joshua was inspired by a Wim Hof retreat in Iceland.
🥶 How they invited a cold tub can be packed into a backpack and transported in a car.
🥶 How a paddle board inspired the first step
This is the life lesson Mignon Francois learned as she turned the $5 she had to feed her family dinner for the week into a multi-million-dollar bakery brand, The Cupcake Collective. With no experience and no recipe for success, nor cake for that matter, her path was truly made from scratch. Today, we chat with #1 national best-selling author of Made from Scratch: Finding Success Without a Recipe, Mignon Francois. Listen in as we chat about:
💵 Why she started hiding money as a form of fiscal restraint
😰 How every statistic was telling her she wouldn’t succeed
✨ The story of how you never lose…you either win, or you learn.
Today we sit down with Seth Cohen, the President/co-founder of Sweetfin. Sweetfin is a healthful, chef-driven, California-inspired poke concept that uses local produce, sustainable fish, and innovative ingredients. In 2015, Sweetfin was created with the goal of providing healthy, nutritious and flavorful bowls and a more approachable way for diners to enjoy sushi. Our fine-casual restaurant concept takes all the familiar flavors of sushi and puts them in an easy to eat, portable, customizable, and affordable bowl.
Sweetfin is centered in their “Pole to Bowl” ethos which means that in sourcing they aim to use the highest-quality and most sustainable raw fish they can find while still maintaining a reasonable price point. Approaching 20 locations today we speak to Seth about:
🐟 Pitching investors on a fast-casual restaurant before fast-casual was popular
🐟 When a huge investor dinner turned into a near-dire medical emergency
🐟 Why supermarket sushi sales are the litmus test for the overall health of the industry
Born and raised in South Louisiana, Chef Craig was inspired by his family meals and his
grandmother's cooking. His heart and soul are Southern, which transcends into his
cooking. After working in some of the world's most renowned restaurants, opening two of his
own restaurants in Louisiana, and honing recipes as a private chef, Chef Craig and his
wife Kristen moved to Southern California. They began feeding their friends and
neighbors from their home kitchen when the pandemic hit. By the end of COVID, they
were turning out more than 80 meals per day. The most popular meal was his fried
chicken, inspired by his Southern roots and first made famous by Chef Craig in Aspen at
the 7908 Supper Club. The idea to open a fast-casual restaurant devoted to his popular
fried chicken took on a life of its own, and Le Coupé was born. The name for Le
Coupé in French translates to "The Cut." The cut of Chef Craig's fried chicken thigh
makes his chicken unique. He uses a technique that frenches the bone of the thigh while
keeping the meat intact, allowing for a unique flavor profile and presentation. The name
is also a nod to being all cooped up during the quarantine. Le Coupé has become a local
sensation in the burgeoning Melrose Hill area of Los Angeles. This husband-and-wife
operation was named the best fried chicken sandwich in California by Yelp -- and
everyone who tries it!
For Chef Craig, Le Coupé represents an opportunity to showcase his take on Southern cuisine inspired by a Cajun-French saying – lagniappe. Which means "a little extra." Chef Craig and Kristen, a former event planner, ensure everyone visiting Le Coupé feels like the experience was a little extra. Today we chat with Chef Craig and Kristen, the founders of Le Coupe about:
🐔 How Chef is bringing a slice of Louisiana to East Hollywood at This Low-Key Fancy Fried Chicken Shack
🐔 Why Yelp ranked them the best friend chicken sandwich in the state of California!
🐔 How they made the most of the pandemic and came out knowing the market was eager for their take on fried chicken!
The legendary Tommy Lasorda coached the LA Dodgers for twenty years, leading them to two World Series Championships during his time at the helm. Part of the reason why he is so revered amongst the Dodger faithful is because of how he wore his heart on his sleeve when it came to his love for the franchise. He best put it into words when he said “cut me and I’ll bleed Dodger Blue.”And with that remark, Dodger Blue became so much more than just a color code. So when Alex Soto was trying to come up with a name for his company, a company that specialized in creating fan travel and experiences to away Dodger games, he knew he had found the winner with Pantone 294, the color code for Dodger Blue. In 2016, Pantone 294 organized a trip to watch the Dodgers play at Yankee Stadium. They sold 1,555 tickets, maxing out 7 planes, 3 hotels, and 2 yachts on the Hudson. They then marched into Yankee Stadium and took over left field. Pantone 294 made their presence known by stretching an absolutely massive flag across the outfield. The story caught fire, and Pantone 294 was published in nearly every major newspaper publication including the LA Times, NY Times, and ESPN. This game put Pantone 294 on the map, and ironically, it’s why the Yankees refuse to sell them tickets now. Today we chatted with Alex, the founder of Pantone 294 about
🔵 The first trip over 10 years ago, way before their infamous Yankee Stadium appearance
🔵 What it’s like booking an entire plane for next years trip to watch the Dodgers play the Padres in South Korea
🔵 The steady growth that has gotten them to where they are today.
A while ago, we interviewed Mindy Zemrak, who works as the supervising casting producer from Shark Tank. During our conversation, we asked her what her most memorable moment from the show was. Without hesitation, she said that her most memorable moment was the pitch from the founders of Cup Board Pro that left everyone--Sharks included--in tears. Cup Board Pro was invented by firefighter and 9/11 first responder, Keith Young. He was named a two-time Food Network Chopped Champion, and he invented this product to simplify the cooking prep process which always takes longer than expected. Less time prepping means more time with your family. Before Keith could get serious traction with his new product, tragedy struck. Keith’s wife, Beth, passed away at age 47 from breast cancer, and it understandably crushed the whole family. And then, a couple of years later, Keith passed away from 9/11-related cancer, orphaning his three young children. It was their dad’s dream to get Cup Board Pro into homes worldwide, so to carry on his legacy, Kaley, Christian, and Keira all went on Shark Tank seeking an investment to carry on his legacy. By now, we’re guessing you can see why their pitch had enough raw emotional power to leave the Sharks in tears and create one of the most memorable moments in Shark Tank history. In today’s episode, we chat with Kaley and Keira about:
🦈 How they were manifesting the deal moments before making their pitch in front of the sharks
🦈 Launching the cutting board into Williams-Sonoma
🦈 What they’re all doing now after this life-changing deal
A few years ago, Mustafa Syed walked out of his house wearing custom, light-up shoes that he’d created. Over the course of that one night, not only were people constantly asking him where he bought them, but everyone wanted to be his friend. The shoes were just a form of self-expression, and they had the power to instantly connect strangers. Realizing this potential, Mus decided to launch his own shoe company, REZA, to build a community for people who--as he puts it--Light Their Own Path. After multiple trips to Asia, years of development, and teetering on the verge of failure, he has created beautiful, exclusive shoes that light up to give everyone the magical feeling he felt that first night out on the town. Today we chat with Mus, the founder of REZA about
👟 An upcoming collab with a huge car manufacturer
👟The insights he learned after locking in the designer of Crocs as his first investor
👟 How the brand exploded in popularity after Steve Aoki wore them while performing at a Vegas club
While still in high school, Jonathan Srour first started producing hummus in his garage and selling it every Sunday in the driveway. Following his grandma’s family recipe, he used tahini sourced from the mountains of Lebanon. The hummus is creamy, light, and it embodies a homemade taste. However, what started as a small driveway operation, quickly gained a loyal following as people lined up to get their hummus. But then he had to make a decision. Was he going to go to college, or continue to make his family’s hummus?The tricky part came not in the decision, but in telling his family he wasn’t going to college. In hindsight, with his product on the shelves of both Ralphs and Erewhon, it looks like a no-brainer. But at the time, his family just had to trust in his grit and tenacity. For our part, it’s rare that we interview founders at this stage of entrepreneurship. But much like his family trusting his instincts, once we heard his story, the decision to have him on was also a no-brainer. Today with chat with Jonathan, the founder of Habiza, about:
- How he used his high school friends to help him launch into big grocery chains
- Why he is targeting shelf space instead of social media followers
- The time he convinced his boss at Marco’s Pizza to follow his plan to takedown Dominos Pizza.
Stealth Bros & Co.Needles are a daily medical necessity for hundreds of millions of people around the world. From insulin to hormone therapy to In Vitro Fertilization, there’s just no better vessel to administer these treatments than a simple needle. Yet with all these legitimate uses for needles, there aren’t a lot of great storage options on the market for injection equipment. That is until Braxton Fleming founded Stealth Bros & Co., which makes beautiful storage solutions for that equipment. Braxton got the idea for the company while undergoing hormone replacement therapy. As both a trans man and a nurse, administering injections was a daily occurrence for him. Upon launch, the product was an instant hit. They quickly sold out of their entire inventory, and Shark Tank reached out to have him come on the show. He ended up closing a deal with Mark Cuban and Barbara Cochran. But unlike so many deals that close on the show but fall through in due diligence, their deal solidified, and it’s been an exciting, nerve wracking ride ever since. Today we chat with Braxton about:
🦈 Breaking the stigma around injections
🦈 How this market is a lot bigger than you may expect
🦈 What it’s like getting investment from Mark Cuban, the founder of Cost Plus Drugs.
For centuries, Vikings have been eating skyr, a thick, creamy yogurt as a source of energy to defeat their opponents and survive in some of the harshest climates known to man. Skyr is full of protein, flavor, and tradition. This is why the world’s strongest man, Hafthor Bjornsson, and Terry Crews both eat it to supplement their workout regiments. So Unnar Beck Danielsson partnered with Hafthor, Terry, and Dylan Sprouse to introduce Thor’s Skyr to the rest of the world. While this may seem like a random collection of celebrities, they’re all very much in touch with the Icelandic culture, and funny enough, Terry actually means Thor in the old Norse language. In today’s episode we chat with the cofounder of Thor’s Skyr, Unnar, about:
- why going into Walmart was a mistake
- The decision to make Terry Crews a founder instead of an ambassador
- How he honed his salesmanship by convincing diners in his restaurant to try fermented shark
After traveling around the world, Chris Tompkins returned to the United States with a dream. He wanted to open a seafood-centric mobile raw bar in California. This would include world-famous oysters and lobster rolls topped with caviar and uni. They first started at the open-air market known as Smorgasburg in LA and quickly amassed a loyal following. So when they opened their first brick-and-mortar location in Malibu people flocked with excitement. It only took a day and a half after opening for Broad Street to sell all of its inventory. To say they were underprepared would be an understatement, but Chris and the team quickly adapted to the new volume. Now, this fan favorite continues to grow at a rapid pace and is soon to open its 5th and 6th locations in San Francisco and Huntington Beach. Today we chat with Chris, the founder of Broad Street Oyster about:
🦞 Why he needed some tough love from his girlfriend to snap out of his pandemic lockdown funk
🦞 Why he initially thought opening in Malibu was a stupid idea
🦞How Chris has been able to grow the brand so quickly without taking in any outside investment
According to the late founder of the O’Neill surfing company, the three most important things in life are surf, surf, surf. Though we admit he may have been a little biased. For most surfers worldwide, wearing a wet suit is a seasonal requirement. There are months where you need it, months where you don’t, and some months where the decision gets tough. For example, In San Diego, the average temperature of the ocean in the summer only gets as high as the upper 60s. Meaning, it’s too hot to wear a wetsuit, but it’s too cold to go without it. But this gave Wes Horbatuck an idea. What would happen if he cut up an old wet suit, and sewed it into a pair of board shorts? And just like that, Driftline was born. Today we chat with Wes, the co-founder of Driftline about:
🦈 Why it’s important for them to dominate the market in their own backyard
🦈 What he’d change if he could re-do his pitch on Shark Tank
🦈 How they got their board shorts into the Olympics
In 1926, Charles Taylor patented the world’s first soft-serve ice cream machine. With the pull of a lever, these machines could dispense the cold yet soft ice cream we all know and love. Since that day, soft serve has been dispensed from those same machines. And if you’ve ever been to a McDonald’s where the ice cream machine is broken, you know the frustration of this aging system. However, 97 years after the first soft-serve machine turned the ice cream eating world upside down, Joe Nicchi has revolutionized how we consume soft-serve ice cream. He has created a way to package soft serve into a pouch, so you can enjoy it whenever, wherever. You no longer need to be Jeff Bezos to enjoy soft-serve ice cream in your house, because now you can grab a few pouches from the grocery store and keep them in your freezer. Or eat them all on the way home. No judgment from us. In today’s episode, we chat with Joe, the founder of CVT Soft Serve about:
🍦 How they are grappling to keep products on the shelves because the demand is so high
🍦 the importance of making his product “LA-mom friendly”
🍦 Why going on Shark Tank is a “hard pass” for him
Growing up in New York City, sisters Mabel and Shaira Frías have been working since they were 14. After years of saving, they decided to go all in on their dreams and start Luna Magic. Their first 18 months were a whirlwind. They landed 3 major retail accounts and made it on Shark Tank. And what’s crazy is that it actually wasn’t until the Shark Tank promo aired that their employers found out about their side hustle. They hadn’t yet quit their day jobs, and their bosses had no idea what was going on behind the scenes. But once they found out, it was nothing but love and support. This isn’t a mystery as to why this occurred, as the energy and passion they bring to their endeavors is apparent. By the end of this episode, you’ll likely feel the same way. In today's episode we chat with Shaira and Mabel about:
🦈 How Craigslist is a secret hack for all small businesses
🦈 How small businesses can have the upper hand when in negotiations with major retailers
🦈 What it takes to become a hero to the kids in their old neighborhood.
The kombucha category grew from $1 million in sales in 2014 to $1.8 billion in 2019. Between being positioned as a better-for-you soda alternative, and the large marketing spend, it’s no wonder kombucha quickly skyrocketed in popularity. But the problem with kombucha is that the flavor is polarizing. For example, Mark Cuban is simply not a fan. To fill this gap, other probiotic drinks fought to capture market share. When today’s guest, Rosa Li, founder of wildwonder, appeared on Shark Tank, the big fruit flavors combined with the pre and probiotics, packed into a can, was a hit. Kombucha skeptic Mark Cuban gulped down the entire drink. Wildwonder is the world’s first sparkling prebiotic & probiotic beverage for gut health. It tastes more like a fresh juice than a fermented drink. Today, we chat with Rosa about:
🦈 Why she left her prestigious finance job to start a consumer packaged good company
🦈 The importance of diversifying everything
🦈 How her Shark Tank appearance couldn’t have worked out more perfectly
After an insanely successful first day, the founders of Cousins Maine Lobster knew they had an instant classic on their hands. But what they didn’t know was that some of their early customers were actually Shark Tank producers. Not once, but twice, the producers tried to convince the two founders into appearing but each time, they turned it down. Eventually, the call of the Tank was too powerful to ignore and Cousins Maine Lobster appeared on Season 4 of Shark Tank. Since closing a deal with Barbara Corcoran, they have been able to expand to over 50 trucks and locations across 24 states. In today’s episode, we chat with Sabin Lamac, the co-founder of Cousins Maine Lobster about:
🦈 How this crazy journey all started over a round of drinks
🦈 How his relationship with Barbara has evolved over the years to where they’re now practically family
🦈 The beauty that comes with introducing people to lobster for the first time.
Approximately 20,000 businesses apply to be on Shark Tank each season. That means, over all 14 seasons, they have received over a quarter million applications to be on the show. What’s crazy is that only about 1,200, or .43% of applicants make it on air. Some brands apply once, while some apply every year in the hopes of finally making it on the show. In today’s episode, we chat with Mindy Zemrak, the casting producer for Shark Tank. Mindy and her team sort through all of the applications to decide what brands make the cut to be on the show. So if you’ve ever been curious about what it takes to make it onto the Shark Tank floor, this is the episode for you. We discuss:
🦈 The most memorable Shark Tank pitch that left everyone in tears
🦈 The 4 tips she tells every entrepreneur before they enter the tank
🦈 Why after years of being surrounded by entrepreneurs, she’s never once been tempted to take the plunge herself.
Every culture has a food it’s known for. In Japan, it’s sushi, in Italy, it’s pasta, and in Brazil, it’s Pao de queijo, or Brazilian cheese bread. While sushi and pasta have long since made their way into every town in the United States, the same can’t be said for Brazilian cheese bread. Recognizing this gap in the market, Junea decided to bring her favorite snack to America. And so she founded Brazi Bites. Initially, the growth was steady and predictable, but once they went on Shark Tank, Junea quite literally couldn’t keep Brazi Bites on the shelves. In todays episode, we chat with Junea about:
🦈 Selling out nationwide in a matter of days after airing on Shark Tank
🦈 The challenges that come with inventing a new food category
🦈 And why her deal with Lori Greiner ended up falling through once the cameras stopped rolling.
Over the past 14 seasons of Shark Tank, $221.5M has been invested in 729 companies. While it’s thrilling to watch the negotiations happen, just because everyone shakes on a deal, doesn’t mean it will actually close. Every company wants to be the unicorn that blows the sharks out of the water, but terms change and deals can fall through. So what happens once the pitch is over, the doors shut, and the cameras stop rolling? In today’s episode, we welcome back to the podcast, Hector Saldivar, the founder of Tia Lupita. Hector was recently on season 14 of Shark Tank, and he closed a deal with Kevin O’Leary for $500,000 as a line of credit for 5% equity. We wanted to chat with him to hear about the whole Shark Tank experience from his application all the way to how the show impacted his sales once it aired on TV. In this episode, we discuss:
🦈 Why he says Shark Tank producers know him better than his wife
🦈 The secret small brand killer in retailers
🦈 The immediate impact Shark Tank has on the brand’s sales
And make sure to listen until the end. Hector drops a super exciting partnership announcement that got us fired up in the studio.
If you’ve been a long-time listener of the podcast, you might recognize Bricia Lopez from episode 7. At that point, she had just received The James Beard American Classics Award for the best Oaxacan food in the country. Since then, she grabbed hold of a rocket ship, and her career hasn’t stopped ascending. Here are some highlights:
- Her drink mix, I Love Micheladas, officially launched at Costco
- She started Super Mamas, a chart-topping podcast, with her sister, Paulina
- And now you can officially bring the taste of Oaxaca to your home with Bricia Lopez’s new cookbook, Asada The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling.
These delicious recipes were born out of love, heritage, and passion. It’s one of the first-ever grilling books dedicated to the art of Mexican grilling, and it perfectly captures the beauty of asada culture in LA. In today’s episode, we chat with Bricia Lopez about:
- Why she insisted her cookbook photos be shot outside of a studio
- Why we should normalize Latino kids growing up with privilege
- Why people don’t write cookbooks to make money
Donuts are a stale $40 billion industry, but one company is breathing new life into the vocation. Holey Grail Donuts began its pilgrimage as a burger truck in Kauai, but it wasn’t long until they developed a cult following around their taro donuts. Fast forward to today and they just raised $9M in funding to open a bunch of shops in LA, and they’ve even garnished investments from Christopher Kostow and Tony Hawk. Part of what makes eating their donuts a religious experience is that they’re freshly made with each order, and the unique flavors they offer can only come as a result of divine inspiration. Today we talk with Holey Grail Donuts co-founder, Nile, about:
🍩 Making fresh donuts in his hotel room just before one of the most important pitches of his career
🍩 Taking a leap of faith in rapidly expanding their locations
🍩 Why there’s nothing unique from one small donut shop to the next
Let's be honest; when people hear the word "networking", they frequently recoil in dread thinking about cheesy events where strangers smash business cards in your hand. When done wrong, putting yourself out there and making professional connections can feel intimidating, unpleasant, and tiring. But networking DOESN'T have to suck. Join us as 4 accomplished alumni discuss the role that networking has played in their career journeys and how they were able to spin a worn-out concept into something energizing, authentic, and meaningful - as well as successful.
Does submerging yourself in 44-degree water for 6 minutes sound fun to you? I promise you’ll only shake for the first couple of minutes! Well, thanks to people like Wim Hof and Joe Rogan, this practice has actually been gaining a lot of popularity. The benefits of ice baths, or cold water therapy include reduced inflammation and pain relief, and it can even boost your immune system. Some people fill metal tubs with bags upon bags of ice, while some people, like Diego, have a BlueCube. BlueCube makes high-end ice baths that keep the water chilled, flowing, and filtered so you don’t have to refill your tub daily with a hundred pounds of ice. In today’s episode, we talk with David Haddad, co-founder of BlueCube about: 🥶 The early days of starting BlueCube in a barn in Oregon
🥶 The science behind why cold plunging is so good for your health
🥶 How long should you stay in an ice bath to reap the full benefits
So, grab your towel or blanket before we plunge into this week’s episode.
Let me give you a scenario: you try and purchase something on your debit card, but you don’t have enough money in your account instead of declining the purchase, your bank instead allows it to go through and charges you $35 for the “convenience” Overdraft fees accounted for $5.8 billion dollars of bank revenue in the first 3 quarters of 2022. These fees harm millions of Americans every year and can trap people in a cycle of debt. Jason Wilk, the founder of Dave, also struggled with these fees. What frustrated him the most was that if the bank just looked at his transaction history, they would be able to see a scheduled paycheck coming in only a couple of days. And in that frustration, Dave was born. Dave is an online bank offering no-interest loans based on your transaction history to avoid overdraft fees. In today’s episode, we discuss with Jason about:
🏦 How Mark Cuban invested in his first company only to cap his salary at $30,000/year
🏦 Going from the euphoria of an IPO to watching the stock price tumble a few days later
🏦 What it was like to transition from the CEO of a private company to a publicly traded one
To quote Arnold Schwarzenegger: “big dreams require relentless focus, and any time we spend planning for failure sets us up for failure.” Today’s guest, Matt Higgins, literally wrote the book on the subject. He grew up in poverty in Queens, dropped out of high school to get his GED, and took night classes just to finish college. At that point, Matt had already beaten the odds, but he didn’t stop there. Matt became the youngest press secretary to the mayor’s office in New York City history, Vice Chairman of the Miami Dolphins, and a guest shark on Shark Tank. His path to success was hardly linear, but for Matt, it’s always been about taking calculated risks, which is why he titled his book Burn the Boats. In todays episode we discuss with Matt Higgins about:
🦈 Why his first impression of Gary Vaynerchuck was that he could make a career out of stealing Gary’s ideas
🦈 Letting his nerves almost get the best of him during his first appearance on Shark Tank
🦈 Why you should always bet on the jockey and not the horse
Today we bring to you a special bonus episode of our podcast! We have a fascinating conversation about mental toughness, featuring none other than Brad Gilbert - former #4 tennis player in the world, author of "Winning Ugly," and a past guest on our show. Recorded in front of a live audience at the LA Tennis Club and moderated by our very own Diego Torres-Palma, Brad shares his insights on what it takes to build psychological stamina and perform under pressure on the court. Whether you're a seasoned tennis player, just starting out, or have never even picked up a racket, you won't want to miss this insightful discussion because the lessons can be applied towards all athletic endeavors. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this bonus episode, as we explore the secrets of resilience on the tennis court with the one and only Brad Gilbert.
Latinos make up 20% of the population, yet publishing is only 8% Latino, making it the worst field in media for representation according to Publishers Weekly. This underrepresented demographic has so much untapped talent, yet Latinos are always seen as “less than others”. So, Davina, the founder of Alegria Publishing, wanted to focus on supporting new, exciting, and emerging literary voices in the latine/x community. Today, we talk with Davina, about:
📚 Her journey from growing up in Columbia during Pablo Escobar’s reign to starting a luxury magazine in Los Angeles
📚 How art truly has the power to change lives
📚 Why it was a blessing to the magazine prior to the rise of social media
Conjure has created fully automated stores, on wheels. Using the Conjure app, you can hail the store to you in a matter of minutes. The autonomous vehicles show up, the doors automatically slide open, and you choose the products you want. Using the RFID tags, your account is then automatically billed only for the items you selected. You don’t have to talk to the driver, and all the options are truly at your fingertips. In this episode we talk with Ali Ahmed, the co-founder of Conjure, about:
🚚 How they broke the internet at CES, in 2018
🚚 Why they decided to launch specifically with ice cream
🚚 The implications of store hailing for industries outside of ice cream including grocery stores, markets, and alcohol.
For the first time, the average age to have kids has surpassed 30. Children are getting more expensive, people are living longer, and potential parents are focusing more on their careers. This poses a unique, but severe personal problem. The older people get, the more likely they are to have pregnancy complications. The solution is to freeze the eggs, but that’s expensive, and not top of mind for those in their 20s. CoFertility is creating an ecosystem that lowers the cost and increases the accessibility of egg donation. In todays episode we talk with Lauren Makler, the co-founder of CoFertility, about:
- Why doctors are twice as likely to face infertility as the general public
- Launching Uber in States Across the Country
- How CoFertility is Reducing the Cost of Egg Donations
20 million Americans suffer from digestive issues every day. Whether it’s the food they eat or their lifestyles, it’s not always clear what causes these issues. This quest for better gut health led Siff and Nish, the cofounders of Arrae, down a rabbit hole of natural supplements. In their research and experimentation, they began to realize that herbs, minerals, and vitamins have the power to effectively solve the digestive problems they were once facing. It was a true Eureka moment. And from that moment, Arrae was born. In today’s episode, we discuss:
- The step-by-step guide they used to close millions of dollars in funding
- Why “clinically trialed ingredients” is misleading
- Why they are investing one million dollars into paid TikTok ads over the course of 2023
The State of California is in a housing crisis, and to meet the demand, the state needs to build 310,000 homes every year for the next 8 years. However, between the high cost of land, labor, and materials, this is a serious problem with no easy solution. So our guest today, Gene Eidelman, began to analyze the issue at a high level, and started to ask himself: why not use 3D printers to create the homes instead? Azure makes prefab units built 70% faster and 30% less expensive than traditionally constructed units, all while using recycled materials. They can be used as backyard studios, and offices, and up to 5 units can be stacked together. In this episode, we discuss with Gene about:
- How these can be used to help with the homeless crisis
- Why their early adopters were glamping retreats
- Why Gene finds strength in coming from an immigrant community
Every year, more and more people are changing their diets to plant-based. There are a variety of factors for this which include health, sustainability, and climate change to name a few. The palate of the average American is evolving, and yet the restaurant industry isn’t keeping up. This gap in the market is where Planta, a 100% plant-based restaurant group, is betting on its figurative farm. Launched in 2016, they’ve expanded to 11 locations across The United States and Canada, with a whole bunch more still on the way including in California, Georgia, and New York. Steven Salm, our guest today and the founder of PLANTA, wants to alter the perception of plant-based restaurants one diner at a time.Today we talk with Steven about:
- How restaurants have the power to make or break hotels
- Re-engineering dishes v. starting from scratch
- The madness that comes with rapid expansion
Rearch suggests that people reach peak brain Books can change your life, yet 23% of Americans say they didn’t read a book last year. Books can provide entertainment, a portal into an imaginary world, or a series of cheat codes for leveling up your life. It is almost entirely because of this last point that our guests today created BookThinkers, a community of readers and authors centered around the positive power of personal development. We even witness firsthand the stickiness of the topic, as in this episode with Nick Hutchinson and Luke Gifford, the conversation begins on the journey of BookThinkers and quickly flows into a discussion of self-development and improvement. In this episode we discuss:
- Why Luke is selling his house so that it doesn’t become his coffin
- The opportunity cost for not leveraging social media
- Nick and Luke’s top takeaways from interviewing some of the world’s most renowned authors including Grant Cardone, Lewis Howes, and Guy Raz
Research suggests that people reach peak brain health at around age 22. By 37, memory begins to decline, and it’s estimated that around 22% of people age 71 and older have mild cognitive impairment. But what’s interesting is that people don’t typically begin taking brain supplements until their late 50s. This is exactly the conversation that todays guest, Patrick Schwarzenegger, had with his mom, Maria Shriver when he moved back in with her during the pandemic lockdowns. He noticed that Maria kicked off every morning with various supplements and a protein bar. This got him thinking. Why not combine the supplements with the bar she was already eating? Thus, MOSH was born. MOSH is a tasty, adaptogen-powered brain fuel for all ages. In today’s episode with talk with Patrick about:
- What it’s like launching a nutritional bar, which is notoriously one of the most competitive CPG categories
- Why his dad would tell him and his siblings to sleep faster
- And how being an early investor in Blaze Pizza showed him the signs of what was to come
1 in 3 restaurants won’t survive their first year. Profit margins are razor thin, staff turnover is high, and there’s a lot of competition. As David Kuo, our guest today and self-titled Head Fatty will explain, discovering product-market fit is a painful process of personal sacrifice. His first restaurant specialized in California-inspired cuisine, and as much as he wanted it to work, it just didn’t get the support he wanted. So he doubled down, put it all on the line, and re-opened the restaurant as Little Fatty, a Taiwanese soul food restaurant: new cuisine, new name, and new processes. The restaurant exploded in popularity. They are #1 on Uber Eats for the LA area, and if you don’t make a reservation beforehand, good luck getting in. But now, David is taking this concept to the next level by opening Fatty Mart, and Juntos Market. They’re where food, culture, and community intersect to provide convenience without compromise. In this episode, we discuss with David:
- What it was like working for a Michelin Starred restaurant in New York City
- Why he slept above the walk-in fridge at his restaurant
- How he is partnering with local growers to make the best food possible
About a year ago, NFTs were all anyone could talk about. Mark Cuban, Justin Bieber, and Jimmy Fallon each spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a particular variety of NFTs called Bored Ape Yacht Club. Seth Green also bought in and began writing a TV show around his Ape, while in Long Beach a fast food restaurant opened called Bored and Hungry using the Bored Ape Yacht Club IP. Since then, the news concerning NFTs has not been great. Seth Green lost his Ape in a phishing scam, and a stock market downturn plunged the budding crypto boom into a crypto winter, sending NFT prices tumbling along the way. While many chalked up the NFT craze as nothing more than a flash in the pan, there were those who still saw the potential in the technology. Our guest today is one such person, who saw the communal aspect of NFT ownership as a feature to be harnessed. Today we talk with Andrew Bagg, the cofounder of Ape Water. We discuss:
- How they are building a business that isn’t tied to the turbulent NFT markets
- How Ape Water cans are similar to Wheaties Boxes
- How Ape Water uses web3 technology to give its consumers more than just a refreshing beverage
When Anne Heche passed away on August 11, 2022, it shocked the world. After reportedly reaching a top speed of 100 miles per hour, she drove her Mini Cooper into the side of a Los Angeles home. Although emergency responders were able to free her from the wreckage, she passed away in the hospital a couple of days later. Anne Heche left a courageous, complicated past behind. From standing up for same-sex relationships in the late 90s to an Emmy-winning acting career, she has forever left a mark on modern culture. Today, we are speaking with Anne’s podcast co-host, co-author, and dear friend Heather Duffy. At the time Anne passed, she and Heather had been working on Anne’s newest book titled, “Call Me Anne.” They were weeks away from finalizing it when Anne died. Heather was able to finish the book through the notes and outlines that Anne left behind. In today’s episode, we discuss:
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how Anne got escorted out of her own movie premiere for arriving with Ellen DeGeneres as her date
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Getting blacklisted from Hollywood as a result but not letting them have the last word
- how unsubstantiated claims about the fatal crash drowned out the truth in the hours and days that followed
The veterinarian industry is changing, but you probably haven't noticed unless you’ve been paying close attention. For years, the vet industry has been defined by small mom-and-pop clinics. However, large investment firms have been buying up practices, yet offering nothing new or innovative. These old practices still keep their patient records on paper, don’t offer 24/7 access, and if you are out of town, it’s nearly impossible to book an emergency appointment. And this is all while, according to Time, suicide rates among veterinarians are incredibly high, and as a matter of fact, women vet suicide rates are 3.5x the national average. Our guest today is changing all of that, from how the clinics are built to waiving exam frees for members, Modern Animal is redefining what it means to practice veterinary medicine from the ground up. In today’s episode, we talk with Steven Eidelman, the founder of Modern Animal. We discuss:
- How Modern Animal is working to avoid vet burnout with this new approach - Setting up a tattoo parlor at a vet conference - The nationwide vet shortage, and what that means for the pet industry in the coming years
Welcome to season five. For centuries, mankind has been obsessed with the possibility of immortality. After Walt Disney’s death, reports of his body being frozen in liquid nitrogen spread like wildfire. The thought was that he could be brought back to life by future, more advanced civilizations. These reports turned out to be false, but they didn’t stop people from thinking about the concept of living forever. While immortality is still science-fiction, Storyfile has created the next best thing. By having subjects answer upwards of 1,600 questions, a subject’s memories are preserved and created into an artificial intelligence so that future generations can hold a conversation in real-time with the deceased. From helping teach social skills to kids with autism to leveling up corporate training modules, the applications of this technology extend way beyond just immortality. In today’s episode, we speak with Heather Maio-Smith, the founder of Storyfile. She explains:
- How Storyfile is preserving history by interviewing holocaust survivors
- The applications for interactive adult videos, if you know what I mean
- And The importance of keeping the human element in AI interactions
Canned Octopus, mussels, and squid. In Europe, tinned seafood is a delicacy. But here in North America consumers don’t eat as much canned fish. As a matter of fact, most people only know of canned tuna, and that’s it. Scout is a craft seafood company that is bringing this tradition back to the North American table. They can lobster, trout, and mussels and take it from the Startup to Storefront team, it tastes delicious. Today we are talking with Adam Bent, the co-founder of Scout. We discuss: * Why tuna is the #1 canned fish in the United States * How kelp became the new kale * Why ever major seafood brand is being forced to change how they fish
In 1996 Apple had lost $867 million, and by 1997 they were on the verge of bankruptcy. According to the New York Times, they cut 1/3 of their workforce and were about 90 days out from running out of money. In a Hail Mary attempt to survive, the board brought back Steve Jobs as CEO. He eliminated 70% of their product plans, launched the now-famous “Think Different” ad campaign, and reimagined their entire product line. Just a few short years later in 2001, they launched the iPod which propelled them out of the red and into the black. Fast forward to today, and Apple is now worth over $2.3 trillion. Every company has to navigate setbacks. It’s an inescapable part of the journey. This is the final installment of a 3 part BrightLive podcast series where we break down how to build a distinct brand. In this episode, we are focusing on navigating and overcoming setbacks. On the panel, we have Jacob Pechenick, the founder of Lettuce Grow, Manu Seve, the founder of Alphaa.io, and Loren Brill-Castle, the founder of Sweet Loren’s.In this segment of the series we discuss:
- dealing with implicit bias while raising capital
- why embracing big problems can lead to big growth
- how making the decision to become an entrepreneur is like switching religions
If you’re anything like me, the pandemic has completely changed your view on office work. Why go in, when you can ditch the commute and work from home? On the surface, this seems pretty straightforward, but it puts founders and entrepreneurs in a tricky situation. Remote work can make it extremely difficult to develop a real sense of culture. The lack thereof negatively impacts employee retention, recruitment, and overall satisfaction. This is part 2 of a 3-part BrightLive podcast series where we break down how to build a distinct brand. In this episode, we are honing in on developing company culture in a time of uncertainty. On the panel, we have Jacob Pechenick, the founder of Lettuce Grow, Manu Seve, the founder of Alphaa.io, and Loren Brill-Castle, the founder of Sweet Loren’s.
In this segment of the series we discuss: - How to nurture and develop talent from within your company - How being open about your mission statement can attract the right candidates to you - How to put out fires when key members of the team are on vacation
Approximately 20% of businesses fail in the first year, and around 50% go under in the first 5 years according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The companies that survive do so by navigating setbacks and creating a culture with effective leadership. They build a distinct brand. This is part 1 of a 3-part BrightLive podcast series where we break down how to build a distinct brand. In this episode, we are focusing on leadership and all that goes into becoming an effective leader. On the panel, we have Jacob Pechenick, the founder of Lettuce Grow, Manu Seve, the founder of Alphaa.io, and Loren Brill-Castle, the founder of Sweet Loren’s. In this segment of the series we discuss:
- Quiet quitting
- Navigating the hiring process
- Doing personality tests with investors only to have them back out on Christmas Eve
What separates the world’s top athletes is not training, determination, or endurance. It is how they react to stress and pressure in the game. And this isn’t a simple mindset shift. It’s bigger than that. We are talking about how their nervous system responds to the unknown and unfamiliar. The longest nerve in our bodies is called the Polyvagal Nerve, and it’s responsible for instigating our fight or flight reflex, among other things. Our guest today, Michael Allison, has become an expert in how this nerve affects our performance in everything from public speaking to athletic competitions. Through this, he has developed The Play Zone, where he works with coaches to help athletes manage their physiology when it matters most. In this episode we discuss:
- what western swing dancers have in common with tennis doubles partners
- how to recognize when our bodies are in a suboptimal state and regain control in order to perform at our best
- And the application of Polyvagal Theory in helping entrepreneurs make better game-time decisions.
NFO. Nipple Freak Out. If you know, you know. In response, Cakes Body has created the world’s first, grippy, not sticky nipple covers. They grip using your body’s natural heat and have no annoying stick adhesives. It’s a real problem all women deal with. So when they began sharing the products on TikTok, videos started to take off. They sold out of their entire inventory after 1 viral video. And then it happened again, again, and again. The founders had tapped into something much larger than just silicone nipple covers. Today we talk with Olivia, Taylor, and Casey, the owners of Cakes Body. We discuss:
- How Cakes Body is more of a movement than a company
- How they’ve built a community of Hype Girls
- How TikTok drives 90% of their sales
Without further adieu, meet Cakes Body.
We have a special episode for you this week. We’re living in the attention economy. Every day, we are bombarded with nonstop notifications, advertisements, and emails. Since every company is competing for their customer’s attention, big brands dump large amounts of money into paid ads to hack the system. But we’re going to let you in on a little secret. Sponsored posts on social media don’t hit like they did a couple of years ago. Apps like TikTok have leveled the playing field. We’ve had TikTok videos organically reach 1 million views in 24hrs, and when the client wakes up in the morning, they have tons of orders that came as a result of those videos waiting to be packed. Small brands don’t have to spend thousands and thousands of dollars on ads. The playing field has officially been leveled. So this begs the question, “what do you post on TikTok or Instagram to see this same success?” In this episode, we are doing a look back on past episodes to dissect what works, and what doesn’t work so you can cash in on this attention economy.
In business school, it’s common for college professors to assign semester-long projects where students have to start a business. And to be honest, most students never take this project beyond the final grade. However, Max Berg and his classmate Dave Goldman took this assignment and ran with it. In a world where you can literally customize everything, they couldn’t help but ask, “why can’t you create customized beer cans”? After all, that’s what everyone’s drinking in college. After creating custom cans for their families’ Thanksgiving dinner, their families, especially the grandparents, just couldn’t get enough. Heck, one grandparent was even stashing them away to hold onto the memory. That’s when they realized the concept of custom can labels had staying power beyond the classroom. Today we are talking with Max, co-founder of ELIQS, a company that creates customizable beverages made for the moment. We discuss:
- Why custom drinks pair so well with weddings
- How they started by soaking Trader Joe’s beer bottles in bathtubs
- And their partnerships with everyone from individuals to businesses including Mischief
In today’s episode, we are unpacking the science of how to get unstuck. It’s no coincidence that that’s also the title of the book written by our guest today: author, psychotherapist, and trauma specialist, Britt Frank. Britt knows a thing or two about getting unstuck, as she has battled everything from meth addiction to sexual abuse. She emerged from that trauma with a new outlook on life, a Master of Social Work degree, and a desire to help others overcome their own hurdles. These hurdles vary from individual to individual, but when it comes to entrepreneurship, it’s not uncommon for someone to put up a mental blockade that prevents them from moving forward. Getting over this mental blockade that inhibits you from progressing forward is what we are dissecting today. In today’s episode we discuss:
- why you don’t need every friend to be a best friend
- How Covid didn’t create a mental health crisis, it just exposed the one we already had
- The power behind changing your why’s to whats.
So roll up your sleeves and let’s start the process of getting unstuck. Order your copy today!
In today’s episode, we are unpacking the science of how to get unstuck. It’s no coincidence that that’s also the title of the book written by our guest today: author, psychotherapist, and trauma specialist, Britt Frank. Britt knows a thing or two about getting unstuck, as she has battled everything from meth addiction to sexual abuse. She emerged from that trauma with a new outlook on life, a Master of Social Work degree, and a desire to help others overcome their own hurdles. These hurdles vary from individual to individual, but when it comes to entrepreneurship, it’s not uncommon for someone to put up a mental blockade that prevents them from moving forward. Getting over this mental blockade that inhibits you from progressing forward is what we are dissecting today. In today’s episode we discuss:
- why you don’t need every friend to be a best friend
- How Covid didn’t create a mental health crisis, it just exposed the one we already had
- The power behind changing your why’s to whats.
So roll up your sleeves and let’s start the process of getting unstuck. Order your copy today!
1 in 3 women has either had their drink spiked or knows someone who has according to a 2021 YouGov survey. It’s a serious problem that disproportionately harms college students. That is until Shirah Benarde invented NightCap. Covering the top of the glass makes it a lot harder for someone to spike your drink. Since its launch, the company has taken the world by storm. NightCap has 422k followers on TikTok, and while on Shark Tank they landed a deal with Lori Greiner in record time. In this episode, we speak with Shirah Benarde, the co-founder of NightCap.
We discuss:
- Going viral on TikTok
- Their Shark Tank Experience
- What it was like going to the Shark Tank reunion in Vegas
1 in 3 women has either had their drink spiked or knows someone who has according to a 2021 YouGov survey. It’s a serious problem that disproportionately harms college students. That is until Shirah Benarde invented NightCap. Covering the top of the glass makes it a lot harder for someone to spike your drink. Since its launch, the company has taken the world by storm. NightCap has 422k followers on TikTok, and while on Shark Tank they landed a deal with Lori Greiner in record time. In this episode, we speak with Shirah Benarde, the co-founder of NightCap.
We discuss:
- Going viral on TikTok
- Their Shark Tank Experience
- What it was like going to the Shark Tank reunion in Vegas
Business is like basketball. It’s all about the pivot. And Alison Cayne, founder of Haven’s Kitchen, is no stranger to the game. Haven’s Kitchen was founded on the mission of empowering home cooks. The first iteration began with cooking cours.es. Then, it grew into a café and events held in their New York City kitchen. But over and over, she kept getting the same feedback. Everyone loved the sauces, but no one had the time to make them. And from there, ready-made sauces were born. In this episode we spoke with Alison Cayne, founder of Haven’s Kitchen, about:
- Her experience going through the Chobani incubator program
- The problems with the How I Built This podcast
- Shy she wants to be the fairy godmother of CPG
We hope you’re ready. This podcast episode is filled with some crazy flavor and spice.
Change is constant. It’s inevitable. But it doesn’t always have to be bad.
Gentefiers aren’t strangers to the neighborhood. They are from the community, and they are trying to build up the community that is near and dear to their hearts.
From gentefication, we get Gentefy (hen-teh-fi), a development company founded by Barney Santos.
The goal is to act as a catalyst to stimulate economic growth through entrepreneurial activities.
Their first project is BLVD MRKT, a carefully curated food hall in beautiful Downtown Montebello. It’s committed to serving up good food, good drinks, and good vibes.
In this episode, we talk with Barney Santos about:
• The difference between gentrification and gentefication
• Keeping money local
• And being greater than the sum of the stereotypes as a community
This marks our final episode celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, so let’s go out with a bang.
Pisco is the best kind of brandy that I bet you’ve never heard of. It all starts in the vineyards in Peru. The grapes are picked, pressed, and fermented to create this delicious spirit. Peruvian Pisco is so pure that not even one drop of water will ever touch the inside of the bottle. This liquor is never cut with sulfates or additives, and let me tell ya, you can definitely taste the quality. In this episode, we talk with Alex Hildebrandt, co-founder of SUYO Pisco about:
- Using the playbook that Tequila and Mezcal brands created
- The feud between Peru and Chile over Pisco
Get ready, you are about to discover the world of Single Origin Pisco.
Hollywood does not treat all filmmakers equally. Despite being a critically acclaimed director, Fanny Grande found it extremely difficult to find funding for her movies. The major studios saw Latino movies as a niche market with very little broad appeal. That’s why Fanny and her husband, Nelson Grande, founded Avenida Productions, a movie studio in the heart of LA. They are providing equal opportunity to filmmakers to fund, film, and distribute their next big hit. In this episode, we spoke with both Nelson and Fanny Grande about:
- Why crowdfunding campaigns fail
- Why Fanny is the top crowdfunding coach for creatives across the country
- Why they created their own streaming service
Grab your popcorn, and please take a seat. The movie will be starting soon.
There is nothing better than a home-cooked meal. As the pan simmers, the tantalizing aromas fill the air, and everyone’s taste buds begin to salivate in excitement. For Hector Saldivar, the founder of Tia Lupita, sharing his family’s hot sauce is akin to welcoming you into his kitchen for a home-cooked meal. In Latin American culture, and others, family recipes are passed down from generation to generation. Hector, with his mother’s blessing, has taken her hot sauce and bottled it for everyone to enjoy. Some recipes are just too good not to share with the world. Tia Lupita sells cactus chips, grain-free tortillas, and the best hot sauce on the market. Listen in as we discuss:
- How Hector convinced his mom to let him commercialize their secret family hot sauce recipe
- Why the large Hispanic brands are out of touch with today’s consumer
- And Border Patrol agents questioning the increasingly large amounts of home-cooked hot sauce being brought over the Mexico/American border
And thank you to Cat Footwear for sponsoring this episode. They are a premier shoe company that empowers builders and doers, to reframe the world to create something more meaningful.
According to the 2020 UCLA “Hollywood Diversity Report”, Latinos made up 18% of the population, yet received only 4.6% of movie roles in 2019. To put it simply, even though Latinos make up almost a fifth of the population, there’s a massive gap in representation on the silver screen. There is, however, a growing movement within the industry to change that. Today we have the pleasure of talking to a leader of this movement, actress Justina Machado. You might recognize her from her roles in Jane the Virgin, Six Feet Under, or even Dancing with the Stars. In this episode, we discuss:
- why she didn’t call herself an actress until she moved to LA
- Why she didn’t feel financially stable until she was 40
- The outrage the latino community felt when James Franco was cast as Fidel Castro
Quiet on set, we are rolling in 3, 2, 1 …
Swing Vision started as an app that leveraged the Apple Watch to help tennis players improve their game. Players could now track swing movements, hits, and scores. But after working at Tesla, Swupnil Sahai, the co-founder of Swing Vision, realized there was a lot more they could do with this simple idea. By mounting an iPhone on a court, and through motion tracking within the app, that can now offer:
- Automated scoring
- Line calling
- Recorded match highlights
- And so much more.
In this episode we talked about the impact of having Swing Vision featured on the Apple Keynote, coaching players with AI, and last, between you and me, we also talked about Diego paying a little extra to have the speed of his serves register faster than they actually are.
Imagine this. It’s a beautiful Sunday morning. There’s a warm breeze, the birds are chirping in tune, and you feel effortlessly relaxed.
Sundays work to capture that feeling of bliss.
And no, I’m not talking about the day the of the week, I am referring to Sundays furniture.
Sundays is a curated type collection with outstanding quality and beautiful design.
In this episode of the podcast, we talk with Noah, and Barbora, two of the co-founders of Sundays. We discuss:
- What it’s like sourcing materials from all over the world
- If sales are higher on Sundays
- & The steps they took to ultimately recover the hacked Sundays Instagram account
So, kick back and relax for this week’s episode.
Imagine this. It’s a beautiful Sunday morning. There’s a warm breeze, the birds are chirping in tune, and you feel effortlessly relaxed.
Sundays work to capture that feeling of bliss.
And no, I’m not talking about the day the of the week, I am referring to Sundays furniture.
Sundays is a curated type collection with outstanding quality and beautiful design.
In this episode of the podcast, we talk with Noah, and Barbora, two of the co-founders of Sundays. We discuss:
- What it’s like sourcing materials from all over the world
- If sales are higher on Sundays
- & The steps they took to ultimately recover the hacked Sundays Instagram account
So, kick back and relax for this week’s episode.
The eyes are the second most complex organ in the body, beaten only by the brain. Thus, it’s no surprise that eye care - specifically daily contact lenses - are expensive. In this, Waldo recognized an opportunity to disrupt the eye care industry. Waldo helps consumers “refocus” by:
- Saving them money by removing the added distribution costs and
- Adding B-12 to reduce dryness by up to 30%
In short, this means consumers get great contacts, without paying over-the-top prices. Listen in as we talk with Ashleigh Hinde, the founder of Waldo, about:
- How a little white lie led her to start Waldo
- Why it’s important to talk with your customers like you’re sitting around a dinner table
- How they Partnered with Walmart to become the first exclusive retailer to offer Waldo
And before you ask us where’s Waldo, I think it’s better if we just roll the episode.
The best part about making cookies is eating the raw dough off the mixers. High risk, high reward. This can make you seriously ill. Between the flour and eggs, salmonella is a real threat. Sweet Loren’s, the #1 natural cookie dough company in the United States, has created the solution we all needed. They make gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, and nut-free cookie dough. It comes in pre-cut portions, bakes in minutes, and can even be eaten raw. Sweet Lorens is transforming what it means to be convenient and delicious. In this episode, we talk with Sweet Loren herself, Loren Brill.
Listen in as we cover how a cancer diagnosis shifted her priorities at a time when most of her peers were living a carefree life, how she got into the major grocery retailers, and how staying scrappy in the early days hindered the company’s growth. Pull up a chair, and take a seat at our table because everyone’s welcome to this cookie party of an episode.
Stowed was founded on a vision. A vision for a more beautiful living space filled with modern, sophisticated, and luxurious furniture that stands the test of time. Founded in 2017, Stowed harnessed the power of Instagram to build a loyal following. Through a beautifully curated aesthetic on their social media pages, it becomes easy for a customer to see how Stowed’s collection can transform their home. However, in an effort to compete with TikTok, Instagram recently rewrote its entire algorithm. Instead of favoring a meticulously crafted grid like Stowed’s, the algorithm now prioritizes Reels. Short form videos have completely flipped the platform on its head, and many companies, like Stowed, are not happy about it. In this episode, we spoke with Elissia Sigalow, the founder of Stowed, and Megan Scofield, the Director of Creative Operations. We discuss the Instagram algorithm changes, what that means for small businesses, and how companies and individuals can finally get their engagement back.
Between all the Mexican restaurants, food trucks, and street vendors, Los Angeles is the place to be when it comes to getting authentic, mouth-watering tacos. Thus, winning the award for the best tacos in LA is quite the feat. Villas Tacos did the unthinkable. They were crowned as the best tacos in LA, two years in a row. These back-to-back champions serve their tacos on hand-made blue, corn tortillas with guac that never costs extra, and a drizzle of their family salsa. These will blow your mind.
This week on the podcast we are speaking with Victor Villa, the founder of Villas Tacos about how he got his start throwing house parties in high school, why he wants Villas Tacos to be the In N Out of taco franchises, and how life is easy, but people make it harder than it needs to be. And on that note, Villas Tacos is in the building.
It’s no secret that America’s food supply has been compromised. 52% of produce is wasted. For food to survive the current supply chain, it has to be processed and then sprayed with chemicals. Not everyone has a green thumb, and if you live in a city, it can be hard to find the space to have your own personal garden. From Farmstand to the table, Lettuce Grow makes growing your own groceries easy. They ship you the starter plants, and then you drop them into the Farmstand. The system is self-watering and self-fertilizing. You just have to come back for the harvest. Grow outdoors, indoors, and year-round. In this episode, we spoke with Jacob Pechenik, the co-founder of Lettuce Grow. We talked about why he would’ve been more successful running a Krispy Kreme franchise, his 10-year vision for Lettuce Grow, and why it’s better to be an outsider.
I am willing to bet you don’t drink smoothies because they are too much of a hassle. You have to purchase multiple bags of frozen fruit from the grocery store, portion it out, blend it all together, and then pour it all into a separate cup that I suspect is not built for travel. It’s just too complicated. With 80 years of family fruit expertise, LiveMore Organics has created the world’s first 100% Organic Certified Smoothie Cup that can be delivered right to your doorstep. These high-quality smoothie cups can be ready to drink in 90 seconds, making them ideal for those of us on the go. In this episode, we spoke with Julia Klein, the cofounder of LiveMore Organics about why frozen bags of fruit are the problem, how fruit improves digestion, and why you don’t need 1 million followers on Instagram to make an impact.
Picture this, you’re looking to launch a Shopify store for your new product. You sign onto Shopify to set things up, only to realize you have a huge problem you have 0 photos. That’s where Soona comes in. Instead of having to do it yourself, Soona takes the stress away. You ship your products to their studio, you join a remote video call, and you only have to buy the assets you like. Photos, videos, and gifs. They’ve got you covered. In today’s episode we are talking with Liz Giorgi, the co-founder of Soona about how they have a waitlist of over 3,000 photographers ready to work with them, the similarity between Soona and Goop, and why she secretly considers herself a witch.
Carla Esparza is a two-time UFC Women's Strawweight Champion and became the current title holder when she defeated Rose Namjunas. Typically a fighter’s career only lasts a couple of years, and when they have a huge win, they have to stretch the money until their next fight. The pay is not consistent, and after one fight, their career could be completely over.
Competitors in the UFC are also required to become ultimate entrepreneurs, as their longevity is directly tied to their audience. In this episode we discuss what it was like winning the Ultimate Fighter, her mindset going into the ring, and how it felt walking down the aisle on her wedding day wearing her UFC title Belt.
Alpha’a is the Squarespace of blockchain. Right now, If you want to utilize the blockchain, you would need to hire a development team to do the coding for the project. It takes time, money, and resources to just find the right dev team, and you haven’t even started coding. Manuela Seve, the founder of Alpha’a, is on a mission to remove the friction, and make this process much, much easier. In the same way that Squarespace simplified website creation through customizable templates, Alpha’a simplifies working on the blockchain through customizable, plug-and-play templates. No code. No stress. and significantly less time.
Listen in as we cover how this tech can be used to authenticate commonly forged luxury items, how they almost went under when an investor over-promised, and under-delivered, and why blockchain tech is here to stay in this crypto winter.
Welcome to Mother Nature’s Farmacy. Today’s guest is Shizu Okusa, the founder of Apothékary. Backed by 5,000 years of science, Apothékary provides Natural Alternatives To Synthetic Skincare And Drugs. The goal is to stay Healthy So You Don’t Have To Get Healthy. Apothékary is at the forefront of the rising adaptogen market, and what’s interesting is it’s really trailing behind the CBD market. So if you’re into CBD, but it’s a little too taboo for you, then adaptogens become the perfect fit. Not sure what adaptogens mean, or what you’re supposed to do, or how you’re supposed to consume them? Make sure to watch the full episode because we will pose the questions we know everyone’s thinking, but are too afraid to ask.
You don’t have to look hard to find a national brand that started from a single-family-owned restaurant. There’s In-N-Out: started by the Snyder family, McDonald’s: started by the McDonald brothers, and Chick-fil-A: started by the Cathy family. While we’re on the topic, go ahead and add Xiao Chi Jie into the mix (or XCJ for short). But unlike the previous three brands that spread primarily through new brick & mortar locations, our guest today started with a single restaurant and expanded into a CPG brand. Jen Liao and her then-boyfriend Caleb Wang (now husband) started the business as a way of connecting with their family’s history since they’re both second-generation Chinese Americans. Their modern take on Chinese street food was an immediate hit with the locals of Bellevue, WA, and they knew that their recipes were destined for a much bigger audience. So just like those other family-owned brands that came before her, Jen has her sights set on national recognition. Her goal is for XCJ to become the default Chinese food company in America.
Listen in as we cover everything from why most of her customers live in an Asian-food desert, why hiring someone to handle XCJ’s marketing was low on her priority list, and what it means to be a third culture kid.
When it comes to the art world, you have artists, dealers, and collectors. Dealers have been around almost as long as humans have been selling art, linking buyers and artists together all over the globe. The relationship between an artist and a dealer was originally based on commerce but eventually evolved into one that included sincere advocacy and patronage. The art dealers of today are often just as much talent managers as they are brokers. This is very much the case for our guest today, Arushi Kapoor. Arushi has been involved in the art world since her teenage years, starting with an internship at Sotheby’s and launching from there into opening up her own galleries all over the world. She’s a champion of artists both upcoming and established, and she’s here today to talk with us about the contemporary art world, both analog and digital.
Listen in as we cover everything from why an artist needs around a thousand pieces before they have a recognizable style, the frustrations of being a financial coach to artists, and why you don’t need to have a great business mindset to get represented as an artist; you just need to be better than the most awkward person in the room.
Want to spice up your morning latte? Try adding some mushrooms to it. And not just any mushrooms, but a specific species that only grows on a small percentage of birch trees in cold weather climates. Seems a bit extreme, right? To Brandon Mizrahie it seemed like the perfect idea for a business. Chaga mushrooms are known to have a long list of health benefits, so Brandon set out to find the ideal delivery system. After offering several varieties of Chaga beverages at a local farmer’s market, the one that was far and above the best seller was the chagaccino. But success at one farmer’s market can only get you so far, and Brandon knew this product had much more significant potential.
Listen in as we cover everything from why he didn’t want his branding to be associated with hippies, why humans are closer to the fungi kingdom than the plant kingdom, and why adaptogens are more of a re-discovery than a new trend.
For our Listeners: Use promo code STS15 for 15% Off your next order at Drink Renude!
Eat your own dog food. It’s a simple phrase designed to convey the notion that if your product is good enough for your consumers, it’s good enough for you too. For Carlos Bryant, founder of Las Maris vegan food truck, his initial menu didn’t fit with his diet. Las Maris wasn’t always vegan, and when customers would ask how the food tasted, all he could offer were referrals to other people. Let’s just say it didn’t exactly inspire confidence. But Carlos was quick to recognize the dissonance and soon made the switch to vegan offerings. The rebranded food truck was a much more authentic and personal venture, one that allowed him to combine his startup with his virtues. What followed could be considered a runaway Sacramento success story, but Carlos has plans for expansion far beyond a single food truck in a single metropolitan area.
Listen in as we cover everything from the problems of scaling your business too quickly, how his rap career instilled in him the grit that he’d later use in entrepreneurship, and why life is like a game of Twister.
If you were to set out to cut your caloric intake today, odds are pretty high that your mind would immediately go to what food groups you could swap out or substitute. But what about swapping out or replacing the beverages you consume on a daily basis? Lower calorie beverages are certainly nothing new, like diet and zero-calorie options have been staples of everything from Pepsi to Gatorade to Michelob for decades now. There are some though that are betting big that consumers are becoming bored with those antiquated options. Our guests today are Doug Walker and Jon Feld of Leisuretown, a CBD-infused sparkling water company. They’ve positioned themselves at a significant intersection of wellness, CBD, and non-alcoholic alternatives. Their immediate goal is to be the cool drink to consume at parties without any caloric or inebriated side effects. Their long-term goal has their sights set much, much higher. You don’t have to take my word for it though, as we’re about to dive into the deep end with Doug and Jon.
Listen in as we cover everything from why they got dropped from all major online payment processors in a span of three days, how they turned to NFTs in order to sell and market their drinks, and why Doug is currently running for Mayor of West Sacramento
On Thursday, February 24th, Russian military forces crossed the border into Ukraine and ended a peace that had existed in Europe since World War II. The war in Ukraine has, among many other tragedies, created a massive humanitarian crisis with the millions and millions of Ukrainian citizens that have fled the country in search of safety. For those that have stayed, daily life has been completely upended and their future was thrown into uncertainty. But there are still plenty of Ukrainians trying to carve out a living and maintain a sense of normalcy amidst the invasion. Our guest today is Alyona Mysko, founder of FuelFinance, a cloud-based financial service based in Ukraine. Alyona has relocated her headquarters from Kyiv to Lviv in order to avoid the worst of the assault, but she still finds herself being woken up by the sounds of air raid sirens.
Listen in to this special episode as we cover everything from what it’s like to run a company in a country at war, the decision to stay in Ukraine versus fleeing, and her plans for both the short term and long term as the war drags on.
Scaling a business and cementing your place in an emerging market is a special kind of struggle. While you’re busy building your own brand you’ve also got to be busy educating consumers about the market’s very existence. The appeal of all of this is of course if and when consumer trends shift, any company with a foothold sees massive growth and all the rewards that come with it. One needs to look no further than Tesla to see how proper timing and a few lucky breaks can launch a small startup into a Fortune 100 company. Our guest today is Emily Griffith, founder of Lil Bucks, and the emerging marketplace in question is centered all-around buckwheat. Buckwheat is a familiar dietary staple in other cultures around the world, but when it comes to America it’s still in its infancy. Buckwheat is naturally packed full of nutrients and antioxidants while at the same time being gluten-free since it’s a fruit seed and not a grain. So in following recent superfood trends, it checks a lot of the same boxes. The ability to educate and appeal to a mass audience will be the difference between ending up like Tesla or Fisker.
Listen in as we cover everything from why consumers don’t want to sacrifice taste for health, why she focused on building her brand before building her business, and how she owes her success to getting on the shelves of Whole Foods to a cleaning lady.
It wasn’t very long ago that we as a society were told that a small amount of alcohol—say, a glass of wine with dinner—could be beneficial for our cardiovascular health. But a recent study from the World Heart Federation has turned that notion upside down, saying that any amount of drinking alcohol can contribute to the loss of a healthy life. So what are we to do with this new information? Sure, there are plenty who will ignore it, but national trends show a shift in drinking habits. No and low alcoholic beverage sales have increased 33% in the past year, with the non-alcoholic beverage category predicted to grow by another 35% this year. In other words, the future looks bright for Ted Fleming of Partake Brewing. Partake is a non-alcoholic brewing company, and Ted has been ahead of the curve for a while now, winning over the taste buds of casual beer drinkers and professional critics alike. But there’s still a lot of work left to do, as there is still a very real stigma about non-alcoholic beer and massive companies with vested interests in maintaining the status quo.
Listen in as we cover everything from why alcoholic breweries see Partake as a threat to their business, what the design of Ted’s ideal brewery would look like, and taking his bike to appear on Dragon’s Den—and getting caught in the rain.
Remember when we were all making sourdough bread to pass the time during lockdown? Our guests today were also cooking something up in their kitchen, but it was much sweeter and designed to be more of a long-term play than a short-term way to occupy their time. Shant Reganyan and Vicken Kejejian were fulfilling a long-time mission to start a business together. And with the coronavirus pandemic upending everyone’s best-laid plans, there really was no better time to take that first step. So the two childhood friends created their own candy. They mixed together a blend of spices, developed a base, put ‘em together, and called it Chili Chews. And after testing their recipe on friends and family, they set their sights on making the grocery store candy aisle exciting again.
Listen in as we cover everything from why they chose a name that was purposefully vague, running into discrimination from those who thought they were too young to be taken seriously, and why their candy tastes like the San Fernando Valley — in all the best ways.
Last week we had a session on Bright Live with DJ EFN of Drink Champs. His career has taken him everywhere from mixtapes and music marketing to podcasting and documentary filmmaking. The best part about Bright Live is the ability to have audience participation in the conversation. They host a variety of sessions on just about any topic you’d be interested in, and it’s a great place for curious minds to grow and learn from some of the best in their respective fields. We’re releasing a condensed version of this conversation, but if you want to learn more about what sessions are being offered, you should head on over to BrightLive.com.
Listen in as we cover everything from why DJ EFN’s not interested in being a journalist, how he was inspired by his father to blaze his own trail even though the two have never had a close relationship, and why Ice Cube was the only guest that ever made him nervous.
You probably don’t have to think too hard to recall the early days of the coronavirus lockdowns. When all we wanted was an excuse to get out of our homes, bikes became that excuse. You could head out your front door and get some exercise while maintaining your social distance. It was the perfect pandemic escape. And so it was no big surprise when bike sales skyrocketed. One would think that it would be a great time to be in the cycling business. Instead, a global economy dealing with supply chain delays, factory shutdowns, and parts shortages meant that there was no supply to meet the demand. Not exactly what any business owner would call ideal. Our guest today is Diaa Nour, founder of Ventum, a direct-to-consumer bike brand out of Heber City, Utah. Ventum first burst onto the scene with their triathlon bike, turning heads with its signature Z-shaped frame. From there they quickly expanded their lineup to include road and gravel bikes to mirror national trends. Diaa has big plans on the horizon for Ventum, but before he can accomplish those goals he’s got to maneuver around the global supply chain backup just like the rest of us.
Listen in as we cover everything from why starting a bike company was way more difficult than he initially assumed, why he prioritized sponsoring female triathletes in an effort to level the gender wage gap between men and women, and why he chose to partner the brand with perhaps the most polarizing figure in cycling, Lance Armstrong.
Parents will always want what’s best for their children. Many go to great lengths to give their child just the tiniest leg up if that will mean success down the line. Whether that be after-school tutoring, private music lessons, or waking up at 5AM on a Saturday morning to drive your kid to practice, it’s not difficult to find examples of parents making their child’s development a priority. But what about that child’s nutrition? Our guest today is Mark Brooks, co-founder of Brainiac Foods. Mark, together with his co-founder Jonathan Wolfson, found that certain nutrients were essential to early brain development; notably choline and omega-3. The problem is, it’s not always easy to get your child to ingest foods that contain these nutrients. So the two founders decided to put a twist on a product that was already a hit in school lunchboxes: yogurt. By adding choline and omega-3 to yogurt they were able to support early-childhood brain development without asking parents (or kids) to sacrifice taste for growth.
Listen in as we cover everything from why they’re not trying to be the #1 applesauce company, why food is the first line of defense when it comes to healthcare, and why it’s not nutritious if it’s not eaten.
If you were born before a certain point in time, hearing about a Good Humour ice cream truck might conjure up nostalgic memories of a carefree summer. Younger generations might be more familiar with Good Humour products found in the freezer section of grocery stores all over the country. This is the story of how a single ice cream truck grew into a chain with national distribution, but it is not the Good Humour story. Our guest today is Ben Van Leeuwen, co-founder of Van Leeuwen ice cream. Ben’s first experience with ice cream came from working in one of those Good Humour ice cream trucks, and his tale parallels theirs in many ways. He eventually branched off and created his own ice cream, selling it out of a truck on the streets of New York City before expanding into storefronts and grocery chains nationwide.But in order to get the full story you’ll have to listen in as we cover everything from why his vision for the company was massive from the get-go, the importance of mentorship, and why making good ice cream isn’t rocket science.
The prevalence of gluten-free food options is no accident. Manufacturers saw that there was a sizable portion of the population who wanted foods that wouldn’t wreak havoc on their digestive systems and they responded. To a lesser extent, the same is true for foods catering to the lactose-intolerant among us, but the latter hasn’t quite reached the level of the former. There are all sorts of statistics that contradict each other on how many Americans are actually affected by lactose intolerance, but the gist is the same: it’s a sizable portion of the population. Our guest today is Katy Flannery, co-founder of Beckon Ice Cream. As someone who suffers from lactose intolerance, she knows firsthand how frustrating it can be to crave a food that you know would not be in your best interest to eat. So she and her co-founder Gwen created an ice cream that seemingly does the impossible: is full of dairy but without the problematic lactose.
Listen in as we cover everything from how she kept a photo of Tom Brady from his time at the NFL combine on her desk to inspire her, the importance of knowing when to kick in a door vs finding another one, why they were told to bring on a male co-founder when they started to raise capital (and why they ignored that advice).
Our guest today is Stefanie Olson, founder of SheBuilds. What started out as flipping a single house has turned into a career spent renovating, flipping, and building new properties from the ground up. SheBuilds now tackles entire housing developments, most notably for the town of Paradise, California. In 2018, the Camp Fire raged through Paradise, destroying 95% of its structures and killing 85 people. To this day it remains the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history. Stefanie has been a big part of the rebuilding process, helping those who were displaced by the disaster a chance to call Paradise home once more.
Listen in as we cover everything from how she used to go so far as hopping backyard fences to scope out potential flips, why she’ll never sell a house without staging it, and why no one ever leaves enough money in the budget for landscaping.
On some level, we’re probably all familiar with life-changing events. You never know when or where they’ll take place; nor can you predict how you’ll emerge from the ordeal. But we can all look back at our lives and pick out at least one point where our trajectories were forever altered. For Jennifer Stojkovic, one such moment came when a close friend was murdered. As she wrestled with the suffering that comes in the wake of such a tragedy, she set out to erase what suffering she could in this world—she became vegan. But to truly make an impact, changing her own dietary regiment wouldn’t cut it: she needed to create something bigger than herself. And thus, the Vegan Women Summit was born.
But you know by now that there’s always more to the story, so listen in as we cover everything from how lab-grown meat is changing what it means to be vegan, why women don’t invest, and why vegans don’t all fit into the same box.
Our guest today is Joan Barton, founder of Dirty Girl Construction. In another life, Joan was a music composer crafting everything from orchestral symphonies to commercial jingles. But when a friend asked her to oversee the construction of his house, she said yes and figured everything out as she went. The ability to create and build a house from the ground up spoke to her in such a way that she switched careers and went into contracting full time, eventually founding her company in 2008. Joan is now at a point where she can look back at her long career and impart the wisdom of someone who’s been around the block a time or two. Hell, at this point she’s basically built the block.
Listen in as we cover everything from how being a waitress helped her market her company, how the construction industry enabled her to avoid selling out, and why she considers her plumber to be an artist.
The concept of biohacking has been around for a while now, and the term can encompass everything from tracking your sleep to getting a blood transfusion from a younger person in an effort to fight aging. Yes. Really. The idea is to find ways in which we can harness the fullest potential of our bodies so that we may perform at our best in whatever we do. The term biohacking can be a deterrent to some, as the more extreme methods are often the ones that come to mind when discussing its merits.
Our guests today are Lauren Berlingeri and Katie Kaps, co-founders of HigherDose. Their goal is to make biohacking more approachable and remove some of the stigmas that comes with it by designing products like the infra-red sauna blanket that can easily be used in a home and by educating their community on the benefits of routine self-care and wellness.
Listen in as we cover everything from why biohacking has never appealed to a broad spectrum of women, why it was hard for them to be taken seriously the first time they raised money, and why they decided to offer themselves up as test subjects for the most extreme bio-hacks on the market.
Our guest today is Angela Cacace, founder of Move Over Bob, an online community sharing resources, inspiration, and knowledge to a growing number of women in skilled trades. Bob in this case refers to the men who have long dominated the industry, but Angela isn’t trying to make this an ‘us vs. them’ fight. Instead, she wants those who already have a seat at the table to move over and allow anyone and everyone a chance to join the ranks of skilled trade workers.
Listen in as we cover everything from why the No Child Left Behind Act is responsible for a reduced trade labor force, how winning a competition on the show This Old House turned her hobby into a career, and how to deal with the struggle of managing both a family and a business at the same time.
This episode is part of our continuing series centered around NFT communities. Like any other brand, creating a vibrant and engaged NFT community is no easy feat. Yet it is this trait that separates those with staying power from the ones that are only in it for the rug pull. It requires management, moderators, and members to be aligned and in constant communication. Our guest today is LeSandre Morris, founder of Nudie Community. She has built a fiercely loyal and motivated base through creative and intentional marketing which led to selling out all 10,000 Nudies in a matter of minutes.
Listen in as we cover everything from why NFT communities are like high school cliques, why it’s important to hire from within your community, and why your network is your net worth.
This month is women’s history month, and we’ve partnered with Cat Footwear to bring you stories from female entrepreneurs in the construction industry. This is the first episode of our four-part series. The goal is to highlight some of the female movers and shakers in an industry where they make up only around 10% of the workforce. Our guest today is Katie Frank, founder of eMOD, a company focused on improving safety on construction sites. Katie’s story is a deeply personal one, and she’s helping to modernize construction safety so that every worker can go home to their families, every night.
Listen in as we cover everything from why there’s a lack of respect inherent in the construction industry, the importance of keeping your cool in high-pressure scenarios, and why easy fixes have high costs.
The Startup to Storefront team has been taking a deep dive into that world over the past few months, and as such we are sharing our findings with you, so that you may become better informed. Our guest today is Mike Szopinski, a part of the team behind the Moments in History NFT. This particular NFT community has a goal of uniting history novices and buffs, reflecting on moments throughout our global history that have shaped our lives today.
Listen in as we cover everything from the pros and cons of designing an NFT by committee, how to teach a new audience to use Discord, and how a coma changed his career path.
We’ve all encountered instant foods. The trend of convenience took over American society after World War II and dominated the consumer market with a big assist from the microwave oven. You could eat instant oatmeal in the morning, a cup of noodles for lunch, and a TV dinner at night, all ready to eat with the touch of a few buttons on your microwave. Eventually, consumers realized that the trade-off of convenience for nutrition was not in their best interest. And thus the better-for-you market was born. There are many brands within this new market that have shunned the “instant” label, not wanting to be associated with the unhealthy connotations that the label brings with it. Our guest today is Kevin Lee, co-founder of immi, a brand that has innovated its way into becoming a healthier instant ramen option.
Listen in as we cover everything from not knowing how to ask for help (and why that’s a cultural problem), why starting a company has involved equal parts personal and professional development, and why you shouldn’t overthink which social media platform you use to reach your audience.
The past decade has seen a meteoric rise in the popularity of sparkling water. The convenience of at-home soda streams gave way to La Croix, which in turn gave way to White Claw. Carbonated water isn’t exactly new; in fact, it’s much older than you’d likely guess. It was first invented in 1767 by suspending a bowl of water above a beer vat. The beverage has come a long way since then, highlighted by both small tweaks and huge leaps forward. Our guest today is Paul Voge, co-founder of Aura Bora. In today’s consumer market, there are staples like Lays’ chips, Skippy peanut butter, or La Croix sparkling water. Before long, a new brand comes along with the intent to disrupt the market, like Kettle chips or Justin’s peanut butter. Paul created Aura Bora to be that sparkling water category disruptor. Since creating it, he’s gained some notable fans, including Robert Herjavec, who closed a deal with Aura Bora on Shark Tank early last year.
Listen in as we cover everything from how Paul told a white lie to get on the shelves of Whole Foods, why the Shark Tank audience is a perfect representation of the country, and why you should never drink essential oils.
With all the talk about NFT’s, people are rushing to get in and test their luck on being early to the next Bored Ape Yacht Club. Our team recently hosted a public Space on Twitter to open up open what our team is learning within the various projects we’ve invested in. We’ll help you identify the red flags and the green flags in an effort to help you learn what to look for when placing your next bet.
NFT investing is similar to startup investing but it’s done at rocket speed which can make for a fun, rewarding, anxiety-ridden ride.
Our thumbnail includes an NFT from the Nudie Community! We call her ‘Star.’
What do these three things have in common: brushing your teeth, flossing, and Lenny Kravitz? They’re all key components in Twice, the oral hygiene brand that believes a good smile has the power to change lives. Our guest today is Cody Levine, who co-founded the company with his brother Julian and yes, Lenny Kravitz. The two brothers grew up in a household that prioritized proper oral hygiene, but that isn’t exactly surprising given that their father is a dentist. But they didn’t initially set out to continue down the same trail as their dad. Cody and Julian set out on their own different career paths in advertising and finance, respectively. On occasion, they would join their dad on dental missions to impoverished areas around the world. It was the impact that they had on those communities that led them to start Twice and make healthy smiles more accessible to everyone.
Listen in as we cover everything from why using toothpaste with sulfates can lead to canker sores, why you should never sell toothpaste direct to consumers, and why early charcoal toothpaste was like taking sandpaper to your teeth.
Today’s guest is Ross Mackay, co-founder of Daring, the plant-based chicken currently taking over your local grocery store. Maybe you’re a carnivore. Maybe you’re a vegan. Maybe you’re even—as Ross would say—plant curious. No matter who you are, the three most important criteria you’re likely to consider when buying food are taste, texture, and price. And Ross has managed to create a plant-based chicken that emphatically checks all the boxes. Because if you’re going to change the dining habits of your average American, you’ve got to come up with a pretty damn appealing alternative.
Listen in as we cover everything from why the Scottish government told him there’s no market for his product, his not-so-secret recipe that he cooks for investors, and why the average consumer has a lack of trust in plant-based meat.
Today we talk with Haley Russell, founder of the dog food company Chippin. If you’ve ever bought dog food, chances are the ingredients included something like beef or chicken. Fine for your dog to eat, but when you scale the production those food groups become entirely unsustainable. On the other side of the equation is the invasive species known as silver carp. This fish has been slowly making its way north up the Mississippi River toward the Great Lakes. To put it lightly, it would be a massive problem if silver carp make it into Lake Michigan. Haley was able to kill two birds with one stone by substituting silver carp in the place of beef or chicken in her dog food. Our furry friends will still get all the nutrients they need in a much more sustainable fashion.
Listen in as we cover everything from running a cricket farm, tapping into the Dogecoin craze, and why the standards for pet food and baby food are similar.
Today’s guests are Keithan and Quiante Hedrick, the husband and wife duo behind Candi. Candi is a platform that allows you to video chat with celebrities in real-time and was born out of the ashes of their first joint venture, Instaspeakers. The failure of Instaspeakers, while difficult, showed them what to focus their money and energy towards with Candi. And the success of apps like Cameo showed that there was a very real market for personal connections with celebrities. We filmed this episode three days prior to Candi’s debut on Shark Tank, so while they weren’t able to discuss the specifics, we made sure to cover their preparation for the inevitable Shark Tank bump.
Listen in as we cover everything from the importance of surveying the market before starting a business, why celebs tend to overprice themselves, and why Kevin Hart probably wouldn’t be the best fit for a service like Candi.
Welcome back as we begin Season 4 of the show! Today’s guest is Kevin Mendoza, founder of Crypto Collective and today we are—in fact—talking about all things crypto. By now you’ve likely heard everyone from your friends to that drunk guy in the bar talk about cryptocurrency and NFTs. Maybe you know a little, maybe you’re somewhat of an expert. Maybe you’re even a little bit skeptical. The point is that this digital infrastructure is having a very real impact on the world around us and we would all do well to learn more. Luckily enough for you, this is a great episode for expanding upon whatever foundational knowledge you already have. We cover everything from centralized to decentralized finance and riff ideas of how to join in and capitalize on a booming NFT marketplace. Because no matter if you’re looking to join the Bored Ape Yacht Club or have no idea what that is, this is the place to be.
Today’s guest is Jill Bauman, head of Imagine LA, a nonprofit focused on breaking the cycle of family homelessness and poverty. Her organization is certainly not the first to attempt to tackle these problems, and she’s realistic about the need for other organizations to do their part as well. But Imagine LA is having a real impact on the lives of over 200 families in the greater Los Angeles area, helping what are often families led by a single parent get back on their feet when it comes to financial and emotional stability.
Listen in as we cover everything from why domestic violence is a huge driver of family homelessness, how she plans to scale Imagine LA to different parts of the state, and her plans to build livable mixed communities with houses and retail shops to alleviate the housing crisis we’re currently experiencing.
Today’s guests are Carmen Dianne and Kara Still, founders of Prosperity Market. Last year, as the world was dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and the racial reckoning spurred on by the murder of George Floyd, Carmen felt inspired to do something about it. She partnered up with Kara and the two of them set out to create a market that would feature black farmers and businesses, also while providing low-income areas of LA with access to fresh produce and healthy food. The idea was solid, but there were bumps in the road that were unforeseen, such as difficulty in finding black farmers. The progress may not be as fast as Carmen would like, but little by little they are making their presence known all over Los Angeles County and making a big impact in the communities they visit.
Listen in as we cover everything from why they legally can’t call themselves a farmer’s market, how they’ve been able to grow largely through direct donations on their website, and why they’re currently building two businesses; the one they’re in now and the one they’ll be in five years from now.
Today’s guests are the father and son duo Brad and Zach Gilbert. To say that tennis is a Gilbert family hobby would be like saying that the Kennedy family dabbles in politics. Brad was a former professional tennis player who was ranked as high as number 4 in the world and won a bronze medal at the '88 Olympics to boot. After his playing career was over he went into coaching, molding the next generation of elite players such as Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Andy Murray. Zach grew up courtside at televised tournaments, so it’s no surprise that he also took to tennis, eventually becoming an NCAA Division 1 tennis player for Cal-Berkeley. Our conversation today is centered on all things tennis but the lessons here are universal.
Listen in as we cover everything from how to manage expectations and outside pressure, why Brad had such a difficult time coaching Zach, and the importance of being honest about your weaknesses.
Today’s guests are Leah O’Malley and Tori Robinson, lifelong friends and co-founders of the clothing brand Boys Lie. It’s probably safe to assume that a fair share of us have experienced heartbreak, and in Leah and Tori’s case, they turned their heartbreak into a mantra. That mantra would become the eventual inspiration to launch something bigger than the two of them; to connect with a world of women who had also gone through a bad breakup. They decided on a makeup line. The problem was that the makeup line didn’t connect as they had intended. But the two women were far from finished, and they pivoted to manufacturing streetwear. And with this new venture, they finally found their audience and connected in a BIG way.
Listen in as we cover everything from how they’ve had their own trouble with paparazzi, why they’ll anonymously answer support emails from time to time, and why you should never go into business with your best friend.
Today’s guest is James Beshara, founder of Magic Mind, a productivity drink designed to replace your morning cup of coffee for good. James’ story is about so much more than Magic Mind though, as he’s started a few other companies and invested in a few others as well. One of the companies he started was bought by AirBnB, which on the surface seems like a major win! Until you learn that he had to sell it in a fire sale. James is very open about both his successes and his failures, and it’s this kind of honesty that led him to start his own podcast where he dives into all of the challenges facing business leaders all over the world. This episode is a truly fascinating conversation in which we take a high-level look at what it really means to be an entrepreneur in today’s world.
Listen in as we cover everything from the difference between the fear of missing out and the fear of being involved, why he’s long on AirBnB, and why spiritually, everyone should be a freelancer.
Today’s guest is Kerrigan Behrens, founder of the CBD skincare brand Sagely Naturals. Kerrigan and her cofounder Kaley had used CBD products and experienced firsthand relief from the immense anti-inflammatory benefits that it offers. They wanted to bring this to the wider consumer market but even though there’s no THC in their products, the US government doesn’t distinguish between the two. And when it comes to US consumers, they’re also largely still learning to distinguish between CBD and THC products as well. Kerrigan and Kaley knew the challenges and still dove headfirst into their new company. In many ways, they’re still educating the market and working within the narrow confines of the law, but in the six years since they started Sagely Naturals, they’ve already shown how effective CBD is in soothing pain and have grabbed a sizable share of a rapidly growing market.
Listen in as we cover everything from overcoming the stigma around hemp-derived products, why banks are the biggest obstacle currently facing the CBD market, and what led her to sell the company she had built from the ground up.
Today’s guest is David Greenfeld, founder of the plant-based popsicle company Dream Pops. David is a student of successful entrepreneurs and takes a very academic approach to grow as an individual as well as a business owner. For instance, when he was starting out his professional journey, he figured it would be a good idea to have a grasp of finance, so he went into investment banking. And concurrently with banking, he was on the lookout for markets with untapped potential. He eventually found one in popsicles, but to say the rest is history would be to ignore the persistence and clever series of pivots that led him to create a national brand.
Listen in as we cover everything from why there are no overnight success stories in business, why Dream Pops will not be the brand that relies heavily on celebrity partnerships, and why entrepreneurship is a sport.
Today’s guest is Jim DeCicco, co-founder of Super Coffee. By now you’re probably familiar with the rise of adaptogen-infused wellness products, but six years ago this emerging market was still in its infancy. Jim and his brothers Jake and Jordan saw the potential early on and dove head-first into this opportunity, with Jordan dropping out of school and Jim quitting his job on Wall Street. Their first wholesale was a whopping two hundred dollars, but they knew it was only the beginning. The path that they’ve taken since then has enabled their company’s evaluation to explode from three million dollars to about 500 million today. Which makes the ten million dollar evaluation they asked for on Shark Tank a few years ago seem like an absolute steal.
Listen in as we cover everything from how they initially priced their coffee using the ‘Field of Dreams’ model, life lessons that they took from athletics that they were able to apply to their business, and why their first round of fundraising was from ‘friends, family, and fools’.
Today’s guests are Drew Harrington and Amanda Klane, co-founders of the frozen greek yogurt brand Yasso. Drew and Amanda have been friends for a long time; since kindergarten, to be exact. They were also both Division 1 athletes in track and soccer, respectively. Nutrition is a very important component of athletic success, but let’s not pretend that athletes are immune to cravings. Drew and Amanda would try and mitigate these cravings by searching for items in the ‘better-for-you’ categories, but when it came to ice cream the choices were seriously lacking. So what’s better than creating a great-tasting ice cream alternative? Creating it with a lifelong friend. And if that ice cream alternative should someday surpass Klondike bars in terms of units sold? Well, that’s the sweetest reward of them all.
Listen in as we cover everything from their initial strategy to give away thousands of free bars in order to cultivate a grass-roots following, how they persuaded their friends with a beer in exchange for product testing, and why when creating a new product, they have to keep it 100. 100 calories or less, that is.
Today’s guest is Taylor Frankel, co-founder of the beauty brand Nudestix. Together with her mom and her younger sister, the three women sought to create a company that would cater to the subtle looks and on-the-go applications that today’s consumer demands. Though Taylor is still in her twenties, she has been in the game for quite some time now and speaks with the wisdom and maturity of someone far beyond her years. Taylor’s mom, Jenny, has worked in the cosmetics industry for over 20 years, and would always enlist her daughters’ help in packing boxes or filling orders. In some ways, they were running a family business long before they founded Nudestix, so it only makes sense that they would make it official and put their combined talents to work.
Listen in as we cover everything from the challenges of being taken seriously as a young head of the company, why trust and communication are two of the most crucial traits to have as a leader, and how to adjust marketing strategies alongside the ever-changing social media landscape.
Our episode today is a special one, a session we recently did on BrightLive.com. Sessions there are designed to help you level up your life by allowing you exclusive access to speakers, visionaries, and titans in their field. We’ve hosted a couple of sessions so far on the platform, and we love it because it offers listeners the chance to directly ask questions and learn firsthand from the experts. For this session, we had the pleasure of chatting with Wendy Day, founder of Rap Coalition, and perhaps one of the most influential people in the rap industry over the past 30 years. She’s made it her mission to educate up-and-coming artists on how to take hold of their careers and their money, mentoring them and ensuring that their business savvy is just as robust as their artistry.
Listen in as we cover everything from how she helped build the careers of the likes of Master P and Eminem, why just being a talented artist isn’t enough to succeed in the music industry, and why she has no plans to launch her own rap career.
Welcome to another episode of The Dial In, a new addition to the Startup to Storefront podcast group. We've partnered with Chobani to bring you this new podcast in which your hosts Emerson Haro and Brian Barnes take a deep dive into all things coffee. Today's guests are Ross and Didi Lower, husband and wife duo behind Miffies Coffee. As one of the only coffee trucks in Orange County, they became, by default, the ultimate outdoor coffee experience during the time when outdoor service was the only service that was possible.
Today's conversation will cover how they're working to create the most sustainable and eco-friendly truck on the market by harnessing solar power and only using plant-based milk as well as what it was like to start a business in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. If your local coffee shop feels like a second home to you, this podcast will surely feel like a third. So grab a cup of your favorite brew and get ready to Dial In.
Today’s guest is Michael Cherman, founder of the clothing brand Market. Do you remember the trends that would ignite and spread like wildfire throughout your high school? You’d be walking through the halls and see everyone else wearing some new accessories, some new items. You had no idea where it came from, all you knew is that you had to be in on the fad. Well, Mike was the kid behind one of those high school fads. He created a shirt so popular that he got expelled for selling it on school grounds. If he wasn’t voted most likely to succeed in his yearbook, it was a missed opportunity to predict the future. His career has taken him in many different directions, and it’s a credit to his savvy and flexibility that he’s been able to navigate the cutthroat world of fashion with such success.
Listen in as we cover everything from how he ended up designing one-off jackets for the likes of LeBron and Kanye, what he’s trying to personally solve for in creating a brand, and the inspiration behind creating a thirty thousand dollar Swarovski basketball.
Hello and welcome to a brand new addition to the Startup to Storefront podcast group. This is the first episode of The Dial In, a podcast in which your hosts Emerson Haro and Brian Barnes take a deep dive into all things coffee. They’ll cover everything from how climate change is impacting the ways in which coffee shop owners source their beans to how they can create a community space that adds and enriches the neighborhood around the shop. If you’re a coffee-lover, this is the podcast for you. And there’s no better time to roll it out than right before International Coffee Day on October 1st. So grab a cup of your favorite coffee and get ready to Dial In.
Today’s guest is Debbie Wei Mullin, founder of Copper Cow Coffee. In case you weren’t aware, National Coffee Day is coming up on October 1st, and what better way to celebrate than with a conversation about the roasted beverage that jump-starts America every morning. The first phase of Debbie’s path took her all over the world working for the World Bank. But even though she enjoyed the work, she knew she was destined to set out on her own. Her first venture wasn’t the runaway success story she had hoped it would be, so she pivoted. And then she had to pivot again when her next idea missed the mark as well. The product we know as Copper Cow Coffee was only ever intended to be a backup plan, but the success it’s had only serves to reinforce the phrase ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.’ Debbie’s story is a masterclass in how flexibility and paying attention to market signals can lead to huge returns.
Listen in as we cover everything from why her family’s experience in the food industry made her avoid it at all costs, why her deal with Robert Herjavec fell through, and how she hired someone from Craigslist to design a logo and accidentally came away with a name for her company.
Today’s guests are Megan and Jimmy Feeman, the married duo behind NoBaked Cookie Dough. Most of us can probably relate to sitting at work wishing we could just walk out the door and chase our dreams. Megan actually did it. She may have thought the music industry would be a good fit for her when she started her career, but once she felt the calling to branch out on her own, she was gone, and no one was going to tell her otherwise. It’s that kind of entrepreneurial fire that has driven Megan and Jimmy to lead an ever-expanding business. One that has led them from scoop-shops to pop-ups to e-commerce and everything in between.
Listen in as we cover everything from why being able to eliminate fear is an important part of entrepreneurship, why a hit on your credit score shouldn’t deter you from making business decisions, and why you should let procrastination be your guide.
Today’s guest is Trey Lockerbie, co-founder of the kombucha brand Better Booch. Trey’s first experience with kombucha was an unpleasant one on many levels. His sister was going through treatment for breast cancer and trying everything under the sun, including kombucha. Trey tried it and hated it, but couldn’t quite shake the thought from his mind that it could be better. After a few years and a whole lot of tinkering with recipes, Trey and his wife Ashleigh took their Booch to a local Farmer’s Market where it was an instant hit. But just because they had a better product doesn’t mean that the journey to becoming a nationally distributed brand was all sunshine and rainbows.
Listen in as we cover everything from why they never set out to conquer the world with their brand, why the kombucha market is nowhere near its full potential, and how being an investor in other people’s companies makes you a better owner of your own company.
Today’s guest is Harry Kargman, founder of the mobile advertising company Kargo. What started as a mobile platform to sell ringtones quickly shifted to advertising once the ringtone market was gutted. To say you’ve been in the industry since ringtone sales were popular is a flex that not many mobile advertisers can make. Harry has grown Kargo in tandem with the rise in popularity of the mobile phone and has been quick to maneuver his company as trends come and go. His decades of experience have made him an expert in mobile advertising, and our conversation today is full of insight that is sure to make you re-think how you interact with your phone.
Listen in as we cover everything from why most see data as the Holy Grail (and why they’re wrong), how the GoDaddy Super Bowl commercials are proof that marketing works, and what the infamous Fyre Festival got right.
Today’s guests are Ryan Goldman and Jonathan Friedman, co-founders of Volo, the beauty company that has reimagined the humble hairdryer. If you haven’t given much thought to hairdryers lately, that’s ok, because Ryan and Jonathan have spent the better part of the past decade doing exactly that. They saw the inefficiencies of the existing hair dryers on the market with their thousands of watts going in every direction and the reliance on a power cord, and they vowed to change that. But inventing a better mousetrap takes time and money, so in order for the fledgling company to stay solvent, they tackled a smaller problem first and invented a new fabric which they turned into a hair towel. The success of their hair towel was enough to buoy Volo until this year when they were finally able to release their flagship product: the world’s first cordless hairdryer.
Listen in as we cover everything from why you can’t actually patent a cordless hairdryer, how their idea was nearly ripped off by a Chinese manufacturer, and why you need to quit your current job if you want to start a new company.
Ever since we began this podcast in 2019, we’ve been focused on uncovering the truth behind entrepreneurship. Through many conversations with founders, self-starters, and people who think outside the box, we’ve heard about the ups-and-downs of branching out on your own and building something new. Those conversations have always been focused on the guest sitting across the table from us, but in a way, we’ve been on our own entrepreneurial journey as well. We’ve grown our podcast from a kitchen table to a full recording studio, added some fantastic additions to our team, and have risen to be in the top 2% of all podcasts worldwide. Always with an eye on the future, we’ve been brainstorming ways in which we can keep expanding and growing. One idea we couldn’t shake out of our heads was the concept for a new podcast tracing the route that your coffee travels from seed to cup. I assure you, it’s a very complex global industry that involves much more than meets the eye. So much more, in fact, that we started thinking along bigger lines. We thought a subject as fascinating as this would benefit from a multi-tiered approach, one with a docu-series serving up all the beautiful imagery and emotional journeys of the coffee farmers in remote jungles all over the world accompanied by a podcast that offers a deeper dive into each episode. This episode is dedicated to showing you a glimpse of that creative process, as we hash out this concept in more detail. It also provides a real-time look into our own entrepreneurial journey.
Today’s guest is Jun Lee, co-founder of the cannabis wholesale distribution company Nabis. To anyone even remotely paying attention, it’s clear that the public perception of cannabis is rapidly changing. To date, cannabis is legal for recreational use in 18 states, plus D.C., while another 13 states have decriminalized its use. The winds of change are blowing, and they’re headed towards legalization on a national level. The only question is how long it will be until we get there. For many though, the race towards market domination began long ago. Jun saw a budding industry with loads of untapped potential back in 2017 when he founded Nabis. In just four short years he’s taken the company from a single van making once-a-week shipping runs to serving over 100 cannabis brands and almost 100% of California’s licensed weed retailers.
Listen in as we cover everything from why he had to initially hide his career choice from his parents, why big shipping companies like FedEx haven’t gotten into cannabis distribution, and why there’s no brand loyalty in the cannabis market.
Today’s guest is Sashee Chandran, founder of Tea Drops. She found a way to eliminate the tea bag by pressing tea into fun little shapes. Just drop them in hot water, et violà! You’ve got tea. What’s most impressive about Sashee’s story is not that she found a way to eliminate the tea bag, but that she shows how to build a successful company through incremental progress and learning from mistakes along the way. There was no “aha!” moment, just a series of steps that eventually led to her running a national brand and raising millions of dollars in VC funding.
Listen in as we cover everything from why she initially wanted to sell customizable made-to-order cookies, tips for digital marketing both in the present and future, and how Chrissy Tiegen became her company’s biggest fan.
Today’s guests are Sarah Lee and Christine Chang, co-founders of the K-beauty-inspired Glow Recipe. In this age of globalization and cross-cultural influence, it certainly seems like South Korea is having its moment in the sun. Between K-Pop, Korean BBQ, and K-beauty, South Korean culture is really taking the world by storm. Christine and Sarah met while they were working for L’Oréal in Korea, but it wasn’t until they had moved to New York City that they saw the potential in being a distributor for K-beauty products in the states. It wasn’t long before the American consumer was snatching up everything they offered, and ever the savvy entrepreneurs, they capitalized on this success to dive into manufacturing their own products as well.
Listen in as we cover everything from how there’s no one-size-fits-all skin type and therefore no one-size-fits-all skincare, why the beauty industry needs to stop using unrealistic terms like pore-less and flawless, and we take a deep dive into their Shark Tank experience; how they struck a deal with Robert and why they ended up walking away from that deal after the episode aired.
Today’s guest is Sarah Sommers, a co-founder of the crowd-funding and entrepreneurial resource center IFundWomen. There are a lot of places you can go online in order to crowd-fund your next venture, but IFundWomen doesn’t just give female entrepreneurs access to capital, they also provide coaching and help foster connections that are vital for any new enterprise to thrive and grow. In the world of startups there exists a gender disparity in access to funds and mentors. Bridging this gap is the main driving force behind IFundWomen.
Listen in as we cover everything from why pitches should be concise, efficient, personal, and data-driven; why she hopes to see more pregnant women building businesses; and how she ended up on the streets of New York City pitching her company to confused tourists outside of the Broadway musical Hamilton.
Today’s guest is the one and only Diana Nyad. The author, motivational speaker, and long-distance swimmer has swum around the island of Manhattan, from the Bahamas to Florida, and most famously from Cuba to Key West. She is the first person to have ever done that swim without the assistance of a shark cage. She defied intense currents, venomous jellyfish, and even her own age in order to complete the 111-mile open water swim. Even though Diana is the epitome of the phrase “you can accomplish anything you set your mind to”, she’ll be the first to tell you that it doesn’t always come easily. It often requires heartbreaking failure time and time again before you finally achieve victory. She is very candid about the struggles of running her EverWalk foundation, but if her past is any indication of her future, the smart money is always on Diana.
Listen in as we cover everything from drawing her inspiration from those who are alive and engaged with the world around them, how she lost her direction in life during her career as a sportscaster, and she even shows off her skills on a bugle.
Today’s guests are Cass and Andrew Walker, husband and wife duo, and co-founders of cold-pressed juice company Little West. Their journey began with their wedding—or more accurately—using the money they would’ve spent on their wedding to start Little West. They got some space in a yoga studio and threw themselves into making juice. They’ll be the first to tell you that they knew absolutely nothing about running a commercial juice business, but Cass and Andrew dedicated everything they had to learn and master their craft. Their story is one of perseverance and grit which has paid off in numerous ways, not least of which is selling their company to PlantX.
Listen in as we cover everything from the lessons learned in taking bad loans to float their business, drinking coffee in the morning, juice at noon, and wine at night, and why the number one rule of running a business is to invest in marketing.
Today’s guest is James Peter Henry, the artist best known for painting the mural in our very own studio! Ok, maybe that’s not his most famous piece of work, but it’s certainly up there in our books. James grew up on a farm in rural Australia, about five hours outside of Melbourne. As he explored the property as a kid, he discovered a set of caves that were adorned with Aboriginal paintings and drawings. These fascinated him and would go on to influence his work all throughout his life. The Aboriginal artists were painting on the walls of the cave in order to pass down stories. Each of James’ pieces today reflects this notion of art as a vessel for storytelling, but instead of being featured on the walls of caves, they’ve been projected onto the sails of the Sydney Opera House.
Listen in as we cover everything from why he almost talked himself out of his career, why he considers his paintings to be similar to real estate, and how his darkest moment came when he accidentally spilled five gallons of black paint on himself.
Today’s guest is Hannah Pilkes, the comedienne, actress, and writer. Hannah got her start in the Kevin Bacon drama The Woodsman. If you’re familiar with that movie you’ll know it’s about as far from comedy as a movie can get. But acting in the movie was enough to reinforce Hannah’s love for performing, and though it took a while, she did eventually find her own voice and a following on Vine. Thankfully, Hannah’s career has lasted much longer than the platform that launched her. She continues to reach a wide audience today through her stand-up performances, comedy skits on social media, and is even writing and developing a tv show.
Listen in as we cover everything from why she doesn’t consider what she writes to be jokes, how she’s managed to continuously promote her activism alongside her comedy, and why she thinks 80% of standup in the midwest should probably cease to exist.
Today’s guest is Ivan Fatovic, founder of Modamily. Modamily is a mashup of the words “modern family”, and Ivan is working to redefine what that means in modern culture. This country as well as many around the world have long held up the ideals of the nuclear family as something to strive for. The problem with that is for many, that ideal ranges anywhere from undesirable to unachievable. And for those of us who want to have children outside of the “boy meets girl, they fall in love, they have kids” framework, the path was often complicated and almost never easy. Modamily is a service that allows people to meet like-minded individuals and have kids without necessarily developing a romantic connection. And while it probably won’t be the end of Western Civilization as we know it, it is undeniably groundbreaking.
Listen in as we cover everything from how Ivan defines the modern family, why he considers Modamily a hybrid between dating apps and the fertility industry, and why choosing who you have kids with is the most important decision you’ll make in your life.
Returning to the show today are Victoria Fu and Gloria Lu, co-founders of Chemist Confessions and authors of the new book Skincare Decoded: The Practical Guide to Beautiful Skin. When we last spoke with Victoria and Gloria, they were busy running an online skincare platform and developing new skincare products. Somehow in the middle of all that, they managed to squeeze in writing a book as well. If you ask them, they initially thought it wouldn’t be much more than repackaging everything they’d already written on their blog. They couldn’t have been more wrong. But the same effort and care that they’ve put into their blog went into their book, and as a result, sales are spiking.
Listen in as we cover everything from having to navigate the launch of the book on their own, why Gloria’s excitement about finding her book at her local bookstore was not shared by the cashier, and what humans have in common with guinea pigs when it comes to skincare.
Today’s guest is Alex Bayer, founder of Genius Juice. Alex hasn’t always been an entrepreneur, but he has picked up several valuable skills along the way that have given him a leg up when he did decide to start out on his own. He honed his sales technique while selling Afflack insurance, and he learned all about marketing and distribution during his time at a non-profit. So the preparation was all there when he had his Eureka moment when a friend made him his first whole coconut smoothie. He seized the opportunity and turned a simple healthy smoothie into a nationwide brand.
Listen in as we cover everything from the difficulties of having to kick out a partner who is also a friend, the importance of recognizing your own limitations and hiring people who complement your strengths, and why the fourth time was the charm when it came to getting on Shark Tank.
Today’s guests are Emerson Haro and Tony Yuan, co-founders of Farm Cup Coffee and co-inhabiters with us in our new space at 7748 Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood, CA. Farm Cup and their one-of-a-kind coffee truck Sunny take up the front half, while we record in the space right behind them. So needless to say we all know each other pretty well. In the two years that we’ve been doing this show, no one embodies the spirit of Startup to Storefront more than these guys. Aside from literally going from startup to an actual storefront, they pour their heart and soul into their business and it shows.
Our first conversation with them was episode 17, and we’re thrilled that we could catch up with them again and talk about just how far they’ve come since then. Listen in as we cover everything from how Emerson’s initial drawings for Sunny were completely impractical, how they fought through low customer turnout last year, and they recount the most disastrous pitch meeting imaginable.
Today is our 100th episode! It’s also the first time we’ve hosted a guest in our brand new podcast studio. We can’t think of a sweeter way to celebrate this milestone than with some doughnuts. So with that being said, today’s guests are Thom Furtado and Nancy Truman, the couple behind the LA sensation Fōnuts. Those that know Los Angeles know that LA is a doughnut-loving city. There are many, many places that satisfy your sweet tooth, but a few rise above the rest. Fōnuts has made a name for itself not only in the quality and taste of their doughnut, but by making all of their creations gluten-free as well. They’ve come to our brand new studio today to tell us all about how they became the creators of the enlightened doughnut.
Listen in as we cover everything from their plans to become a national brand through franchising, why Nancy doesn’t like to lead with gluten-free when asked “what’s a fōnut?”, and why the biggest struggle in running their business has always been hiring quality employees.
Today’s guests are Diego and Nick! We’re in the process of opening up our brand new podcast studio, and so today we decided to break it in by recording our first episode in it. We’ll be back next week with our normal content, but this week we decided to reminisce on how far we’ve come and where we plan on taking the podcast. We also offer up a lot of insights and tips we’ve learned along the way, from our routine when we sit down with guests to our thoughts on how we should celebrate our upcoming 100th episode. This is just the start of the next chapter in the Startup to Storefront story, and we’re thrilled that we can share it with you all.
Today’s guests are Krissy Jones and Chloe Kernaghan, co-founders of Sky Ting Yoga. Krissy and Chloe began with a single brick-and-mortar studio in New York City, but their following quickly outgrew their studio’s capacity. So naturally, they expanded into more locations. But just as it’s difficult to keep expanding into new studios, it’s also tough to find great teachers to staff them. To be fair, this is a great problem to have. The only real solution was to leverage their instruction style and name into an online platform. And in a moment of unpredictably brilliant timing, they launched this platform a few months before COVID hit and everything switched to an online platform.
Listen in as we cover everything from how taking a hit in video quality during the pandemic actually taught them how to create more engaging videos, how they plan to compete with industry titans like Peloton, and how switching from an analog studio to a digital space wasn’t exactly as straightforward as they’d hoped.
Today’s guest is Alex Apostolopoulos, founder of the greek yogurt company Ellenos. Ellenos has gained quite the following in Seattle, drawing crowds through word-of-mouth advertising to their stand at the iconic Pike Place Market. But they wouldn’t have even gotten to Seattle if it weren’t for Yvonne Klein, a flight attendant who loved the yogurt so much that she would bring back cases of it whenever she flew to Australia. Eventually, she and her husband reached out to Alex and his father about bringing their product to the US. The four became business partners and set out to win consumers over one taste at a time.
Listen in as we cover everything from the challenges of finding a dairy farmer in the US who would work with them if we’ll see yogurt breweries pop up in the next few years, and why some of the simplest flavors are the most challenging to make.
Today we talk with Erica Rankin, founder of the edible cookie dough company Bro Dough. It’s a guilty pleasure we’ve all indulged in at least once or twice. The problem has always been that those raw eggs that make it dangerous for consumption prior to being baked to golden perfection. Bro Dough isn’t your grandparent’s cookie dough though. It’s vegan, safe for consumption, and packs an extra dose of protein. In fact, though you can indeed bake it, this is a cookie dough that is meant to be eaten raw.
Listen in as we cover everything from the benefits of being open and honest on LinkedIn, why she often takes the path of most resistance, and how her dad wasn’t quite convinced there was a market for cookie dough until he saw the sales come rolling in.
Today’s guests are the Comfy brothers, Brian and Michael Speciale. As you may have guessed from their nickname, they co-founded The Comfy, and they are indeed brothers. The two of them took their idea for a wearable blanket and straight-up sprinted with it. They knew that they were sitting on such a hot ticket item that before they did just about anything else with their company, they were appearing on Shark Tank. They left the tank with a deal in hand and set to work on actually manufacturing the product. It took some time to get their supply chain and distribution figured out, but once they did, the brothers turned The Comfy into one of the most successful companies to ever come out of Shark Tank. What follows is a captivating and energetic conversation about the grit and determination that led them to where they are today.
Listen in as we cover everything from why getting their product into retail stores was the best decision they ever made, how Brian spent the early days of his company flipping people from angry customers to supporters of the brand, and why it’s imperative to own up to both the mistakes and successes of your business.
Today’s guest is Denise Woodard, founder of Partake Foods. When her daughter was diagnosed with severe food allergies, Denise struggled with finding snacks she could safely feed her. So she set out to create some herself. But it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. Her initial attempts were met with responses of “this is awful” from her daughter. And this is where it’s important to note that Denise was able to bypass so many hurdles that plague entrepreneurs as they grow. Denise recognized her own limitations and instead of laboring for a lengthy amount of time perfecting a recipe, she hired a food scientist. By delegating this task she freed herself up to focus on getting Partake off the ground and running. Partake is now a nationwide brand with venture capital funding from big names like Rihanna and Jay-Z.
Listen in as we cover everything from how tough it was to get allergic customers to build up enough trust in the brand before they’d even try it, why frozen is the new fresh, and why at times she feels like she’s flying the plane as she’s building it.
Today’s guest is Taylor Steele, founder of the tequila company: Solento. If you’ve been listening to the show for a while, you might have picked up on a common theme: career paths are almost never linear. Taylor’s career path is even more proof of this, as he has gone from indie surfing-filmmaker to creative director of Corona beer in Australia to the head of a premier tequila company. For some, it’s enough to find their passion and make money at it. For others, passions can change over time, and you need to look no further than Taylor’s story to see that if you don’t like the wave you’re currently riding, hop-off and catch another one. With Solento, Taylor is able to bring all of his collective experience and creative energy and pour it into his company. And if the past is any indication of the future, we’ll be seeing a lot more from Taylor in years to come.
Listen in as we cover everything from how he distributed his first film by selling one copy at a time to local surf shops, why he felt like a life coach to some of the world-class surfers he was filming, and if he sees Solento as becoming the tequila of choice for extreme sports.
Today we talk with Rachel Henderson, founder of Project Sunscreen. The goal behind Project Sunscreen is simple: get more people to wear sunscreen. It’s not that putting on sunscreen is an inherently strenuous activity that keeps people up at night with anxiety. But there are friction points. Rachel broke these points down and addressed them by designing a product with a roll-on application and without any harmful or irritating chemicals. Our conversation today covers how to prepare yourself for a lot of “no’s” while fundraising, advice on how to get your product into big box stores, and the difficulties of growing while cash-strapped.
Today’s guest is Joe Nicchi, founder of CVT Soft Serve. Like a lot of east-coasters who move out West, Joe found himself in Los Angeles searching for comfort food to remind him of where he came from. The problem was that Joe’s comfort food was soft-serve ice cream, and LA really didn’t offer that particular food group. Sure, there were ice cream parlors and frozen yogurt shops, but none of those really hit the spot for Joe. So he did what any self-enterprising person would do: he created his own soft-serve company. Well, first he had to find an old Mr. Softee ice cream truck, fix it up, ship it to LA, get all the permits, yadda yadda yadda… But we’ll cover all that later in the episode. Joe’s story is a perfect example of how a great product paired with an electric personality can catapult a company to uncharted heights.
Listen in as we cover everything from why the customer is NOT always right, the trials and errors of finding the best spots to park your ice cream truck, and why there should be ice cream served in every gym.
Today’s guest is Ben Seidl, founder of Neyborly. In much the same way as WeWork or AirBnB reimagined how we work and vacation, Neyborly is reimagining how we interact within our community. Odds are high that there are a couple of vacant commercial real estate properties in your town. Some might see vacant properties as nothing more than urban blight, but Ben sees opportunity. Instead of sitting empty while waiting for the next long-term tenant, Neyborly partners with the landlords to rent these spaces out for everything from one-time meetings, limited-time restaurant pop-ups, to multi-year leases for retail stores.
Listen in as we cover everything from how he shifted his mentality to succeed in a hopefully-soon-to-be post-covid world, the magic of turning vacant buildings into community hubs, and his bullish views on A.I. and how it will bring new significance to the humble parking lot.
Today’s guests are Humberto Ibarra and Craig Cartozian, co-founders of Mandala Tequila. If it feels like tequila is in a golden age right now, you’re not imagining things. Between the plethora of tequila varieties, celebrity-owned companies, and competition from its cousin mezcal, walking down the tequila aisle of a liquor store is sure to present you with any number of options. So if you’re a tequila company, how do you stand out? First, you need a good product. That should go without saying. Then, you need an eye-catching vessel. If you’re at a store that sells Mandala, it’s unlikely that you’ll miss them. They’ve got the most ornate ceramic bottles you’ve ever seen, decorated by hand and featuring designs that celebrate Mexican folklore and culture. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that what’s inside the bottle is also just as memorable. Mandala’s journey hasn’t all been sun-kissed though, as they very nearly failed to find a foothold in the crowded tequila market.
Listen in as we cover everything from how they created their own niche by going against conventional wisdom in releasing their extra añejo first, the initial challenges of convincing restaurants to stock their product, and why there’s no shortcut to success in the tequila market…unless you happen to be The Rock.
Today we talk with Ralph and Caroline Walde, co-founders and the husband and wife chef duo behind Aymara Peruvian kitchen. The restaurant industry is constantly evolving, and trends can seemingly pop-up and disappear overnight. But one industry trend that is looking like it has some staying power is the ghost kitchen. Brick and mortar restaurants begat more cost-efficient food trucks, which have in turn led to even more cost-efficient ghost kitchens.
Listen in as we cover how the coronavirus pandemic steered Ralph and Caroline into opening Aymara, the economics of taking orders through delivery apps, and how to progress from a cook to a chef.
Today’s guest is Eliza Ganesh, founder of Sunwink. As is often the case in the health and wellness space, the founding of Sunwink came about as a result of a personal issue. Eliza was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease and sought a better way to fight the disease and lead a healthier life. She had to experiment a bit and incorporate feedback from her early customers, but she persevered and eventually found a recipe that succeeded. So then, armed with little more than some bottles of Sunwink and her Honda Fit, she made her mark in the Bay Area before growing Sunwink into a nationwide brand.
Listen in as we cover everything from working in San Francisco through the pandemic and if she intends to keep the Sunwink HQ there long term, the value of knowing your worth as a female entrepreneur, and how learning new TikTok dances fits into her own corporate wellness plan.
Today’s guest is Matthew Herman, co-founder of Boy Smells. What started off as a hobby turned into a side-hustle turned into a thriving business that even caught the attention of country music superstar Kacey Musgraves. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. It began as a candle-making experiment in Matthew’s kitchen, trying to buck the gender norms of how candles have been traditionally made and marketed. Matthew and his co-founder David combined both masculine and feminine scents into products like Cinderose, Polyamberous, and Rhubarb Smoke. They then took that philosophy and applied it to underwear. Creating a line with the option of either a pouch front or flat front and leaving it up to the consumer to choose the best fit for them.
Listen in as we cover everything from how their sense of humor inspired the company name, how Boy Smells is truly an extension of Matthew’s personality, and we find out who made the first move in the collaboration between Boy Smells and Kacey Musgraves.
Today’s guest is Gail Levy, founder of HFactor hydrogen water. Gail is a self-described “serial entrepreneur”, but of all the companies she’s founded, this one is the most personal. Gail watched as her friend went through painful chemotherapy treatments. Nothing was helping her recover from the radiation, and they tried just about everything available. Tragically, Gail’s friend lost her battle with cancer, but Gail’s fight was just beginning. She was fixated on finding something that would help other cancer patients through their treatment, and it wasn’t long before she stumbled upon the benefits of adding extra hydrogen to water. But the science was still in its infancy and to get where H-Factor is today required a lot of grit in navigating uncharted waters.
Listen in as we cover everything from how Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr inadvertently helped to advertise HFactor, how she manufactured early samples using a cement mixer and some beer kegs, and Gail reveals to us her startup superpower.
Today’s guest is Shane Heath, founder of MUD\WTR, a coffee alternative that boasts all the aspects that make coffee great, without leaving you waiting for the crash. Shane developed MUD\WTR first and foremost for himself. His coffee cycle went something like this: drink coffee, get a boost of energy, crash, repeat. He was fed up. So he started experimenting in his kitchen. After some trial and error, he landed on the recipe that’s still sold today. He didn’t set out to make a business, he was only trying to solve a problem in his daily ritual. But as you’ll hear, the signs that he was onto something big became clearer and clearer until he could ignore them no more.
Listen in as we cover everything from the trip to India that helped him shake his coffee habit, why entrepreneurs should chase a feeling of intention and purpose, and why it’s so hard to quit drinking coffee.
Today’s guests are Brandon, Dylan, and Elliot Kim, co-founders of Brevitē. Brevitē is a backpack company that started out when Dylan needed a camera backpack he could use while traveling. Brandon figured “why buy one when I can make one?” He grabbed a sewing machine and some raw materials and the first Brevitē backpack was born. For some, it may have stopped there. But the three brothers saw the opportunity and combined their design, marketing, and finance skills into a multi-million dollar company.
Listen in as we cover everything from the challenges of learning to sew, why they’re shifting focus from an outdoor to an urban brand, and we see if they’ll answer us when we ask “who’s your favorite sibling?”
Welcome to season 3! Today’s guest is Daniel Inskeep, a YouTuber and self-described “anti-guru” who together with his wife Rachel have built their Mango Street YouTube channel to an audience of over a million subscribers. There they focused on creating concise and informative photography and filmmaking tutorials, but they both have recently created personal channels that focus on their other interests like investing, passive income, and fitness.
So listen in as we cover everything from selling knock-off designer jeans on eBay to turn a quick buck in high school, why failing throughout his entire 20’s set him up for success, and Daniel’s continuing quest to get some of that sweet, sweet internet money.
Today we talk with Emily Schildt, founder of Pop Up Grocer. The name says it all. It’s the here-today, gone-tomorrow grocery store with the most perfectly curated selection of small-batch, locally-sourced items. Today we talk with Emily about her plans in a post-Covid world, why she considers Pop Up Grocer to be a media company, and we find out her most important criteria for selecting a brand to feature in her stores.
One more little announcement before we get into the episode. This is our final episode of the year, and I’d like to take a moment and thank you all for continuing to support this podcast. Whether it’s in leaving a review on iTunes, subscribing to our YouTube channel, or sharing these episodes with your friends, your support means the world to us. We are not alone in saying that this year has presented unpredictable challenges and hardships. But it has also given just as many reasons to hope, to be inspired, and to recognize the resilience around us. Season 3 of the podcast will begin on January 12th, and we’ve already got a few episodes lined up that we can’t wait to share with you. So until then, happy holidays, and here’s to a happy and prosperous new year.
Today’s guest is Dr. Martin Bazant, professor of chemical engineering at MIT and who has recently made headlines for his app which helps calculate safe exposure times and occupancy levels for indoor spaces as it relates to the airborne transmission of COVID-19. Dr. Bazant has researched transport phenomena and fluid dynamics, as well as the physics of viral spread, so he was uniquely suited to lend his expertise in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus when it became a global threat earlier this year.
His research offers a clearer look into the airborne spread of the virus and asks that we start thinking more critically about our previous notions of defense against it.
Today’s guest is Alli Reed, founder of the skincare company Stratia Skin. You just heard one of the problems that Alli had with trying to buy skincare products from other companies. Her reading of the label to figure out what ingredients were in the product is not an anomaly. She obsessively pored through dermatology journals trying to figure out exactly what the skin needs to look its best and what it doesn’t. She blogged about her findings and eventually made her own moisturizer. After many tweaks and even more feedback, this moisturizer hit the market and became the breakout item that put Stratia on the map. But to think the story stops there would be to blemish the journey and the hard-won knowledge and experience that Alli earned along the way.
Listen in as we cover everything from her hiring practices and tips, why she doesn’t find raising money to be too challenging, and how she knew Stratia was going to be more than just a part-time gig when she forced her local USPS to upgrade their mailbox.
Hello and welcome to the Launchpad! This is an offshoot of the Startup to Storefront podcast where we talk to the founders of companies that are just getting started, and whose stories we find compelling.
Today we talk with Ingrid and Ilana, co-founders of Tusol. It was Ingrid’s own battle with Crohn’s disease that led her to take a deep dive into her own nutrition and develop a smoothie recipe that would act as a supplement replacement and be the cornerstone to a clean and healthy lifestyle. She was selling curated smoothies to private clientele when she met Ilana, who was working at a three Michelin star restaurant in Napa Valley. Together they grew Tusol into a brand that focuses on nutrition as a path to wellness and happiness. If you’d like to try Tusol for yourself, you’re in luck, because they’re offering our listeners $30 off of their month supply box using the code STARTUPTOSTOREFRONT. That’s enough time to start seeing real results from the smoothies.
Today’s guest is Eric Jorgenson, author of the book The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: a Guide to Wealth and Happiness. Now, if you’re not in the tech world, you might be forgiven for not knowing the name Naval Ravikant. But to millions of people around the world, his teachings on business, investing, and life philosophy are the gold standard. Naval’s story is an inspiration to many, from being a first-generation immigrant to the US, founding a successful business, to becoming an early-stage investor in companies like Uber, Twitter, and Postmates. The problem was that Naval’s musings were scattered across many platforms. So Eric set out to solve that and consolidate them into one collective body of work. After jokingly floating the idea out to his Twitter followers, the response he received was overwhelming. He even got the blessing of Naval himself. And thus, without truly knowing what he was in for, Eric set about writing the book that Tim Ferris describes (in the foreword, no less) “will give you a good taste of what that cocktail of bullets looks like in Naval’s head.”
Listen in as we cover everything from how the process took Eric way longer to finish than he ever could’ve predicted, how he’s found that other people are more willing to help you if you’ve first shown that you’ve put in the work, and how his book got published with a little help from Tucker Max. Yes, that Tucker Max.
Today’s guest is Suzie Yorke, founder of the snack brand Love Good Fats. As the name implies, the brand is centered around bucking the notion that all fats are bad. This notion began back in the 1960’s, when the sugar industry paid scientists to fudge their studies on the correlation between sugar and heart disease. Those scientists took their money and instead pointed the finger at fat. Suzie admits falling for this charade, and she developed lots of health issues as a result. It was her own research that eventually set her down the right path, allowing for a more nutritious diet with more healthy fats and less sugar. Some might have stopped there. But Suzie—a single mom and at this point in her late 40’s—was driven to shift gears and leave behind a 10-year career as a marketing executive to start her own company. It is through her hard work and perseverance that Love Good Fats can be found in over 14,000 stores today.
Listen in as we cover everything from how she managed her family, her startup, and her training for an Ironman Triathlon all at the same time, why she thinks there are more hurdles to starting a company in Canada as opposed to the US, and why it is never too late in life to switch gears and become your own boss.
Hello and welcome to the Launchpad! This is an offshoot of the Startup to Storefront podcast where we talk to the founders of companies that are just getting started, and whose stories we find compelling. Today we talk with Jordan Nathan, founder of the cookware company Caraway. Born of an unfortunate incident where Jordan was actually poisoned by his Teflon cookware, Jordan set out to educate and inform the market while creating a high-end line of ceramic alternatives.
Hello and welcome to the Launchpad! Over the past year of doing this podcast, we’ve grown, and so have our guests. We have always strived to cover every aspect of the entrepreneurial journey, from the ideation to the product launch and possibly even the exit. Most of our guests have been in the game for a while, but we know that those aren’t the only stories worthy of telling. So we created this offshoot of the podcast to cover the companies that are just starting out.
Today we talk with Eric Roy, founder of Hydroviv. They create water filters, but this isn’t like the Brita that you might have in your fridge. These are water filters that are specific to your city’s water data. It might not be something you’ve ever considered, but the age of your home and city’s infrastructure, the natural geology of the region, and your proximity to industrial sites, farms, and military bases all affect the quality of the water that comes out of your faucet. So without further ado, I present to you our conversation with Eric Roy.
Today’s guest is Mayor Lindsey Horvath of West Hollywood California. In this election cycle, national political campaigns have taken over the entire news cycle. In the midst of this political fervor, it’s easy to gloss over the local elections that are in many ways just as important as the national elections. Though you may not reside in West Hollywood, the lessons and experience that Mayor Horvath brings to the discussion today resonate far beyond WeHo. Your own town council and mayor’s office probably operate in a very similar fashion. This is not the type of position that comes with national acclaim, a nice salary, and a full-time residence. These positions are filled with community organizers and political activists that can help make your community thrive. It’s time we got to know them.
Listen in as we cover everything from why she has a full-time job in addition to being Mayor, what it’s been like to run a city largely via remote digital platforms, and how the city plans to make voting this election day as easy and as safe as possible.
Today’s guest is Allen Maldonado, star of the new Netflix show Sneakerheads. But to say he’s an actor is only telling a small part of his story. He’s also the founder of an app and film festival aimed at connecting short films with consumers, he’s the co-founder of a music label that provides music for movies and television shows, and he’s the founder of a running coalition that promotes a healthy lifestyle and positive self-image. Fittingly, his website and instagram are named MaldonadoIsEverywhere. It’s safe to say that when he’s passionate about something, he spearheads a movement larger than just himself. But if you ask him, he’s just happy people are finally pronouncing his name correctly.
Listen in as we cover everything from why there needs to be an Indiana Jones equivalent for minorities, how a trip to Spain changed his outlook on life, and why shoe collections really aren’t all that different from fine art galleries.
Today’s guest is Tim Kendall, former director of monetization at Facebook, former president of Pinterest, and the current CEO of Moment, an app designed to help you develop a healthier relationship with your phone and the amount of time you spend on it. And in case you’re wondering, he’s all too aware of the irony. It’s this kind of resume that also made Tim stand out to the producers of the much talked about documentary ‘The Social Dilemma’, where he lends his industry insight into how tech companies are manipulating and controlling us through social media platforms. If you’ve thought as much without having seen the documentary, the problem is probably worse than you’d imagine.
Listen in as we cover everything from the downside of trying to optimize your work/life balance, why Tim predicts that the inevitable end of social media will leave us at war with one another, and perhaps most importantly, how to gain back control over your phone.
Today’s guests are Matt Lombardi and Kevin Moran, co-founders of Beam, a line of THC-free CBD products. Beam was born from the aches and pains of athletic competition. You see, both Matt and Kevin were professional athletes, and though there many rewarding aspects to that achievement, it is not without its drawbacks; namely the physical toll it takes on one’s body. When the two of them concluded their professional careers, the CBD market was still in its infancy. But Matt and Kevin were quick to see the potential for CBD in both overall wellness and market growth potential. Looking back on their decision to start a CBD company, it seems like a no brainer. But as you’ll learn in this conversation, it has been far from easy.
Listen in as we cover everything from busting all the myths and misconceptions about CBD, the trouble with opening a bank account for their business, and why they decided to shun the THC market.
Today’s guest is Matthias Metternich, co-founder of the skincare brand Art of Sport. This isn’t Matthias’ first rodeo. He’s been creating companies since his teenage years, and with that comes the kind of insight and knowledge that you can’t put a price on. Art of Sport came about as a collaboration between himself and Honest Company co-founder Brian Lee, and they set about to approach skincare from an athlete’s point of view. As they were developing their prototypes, they realized that as a brand geared towards athletes, it made sense to bring an athlete into the founder’s circle. So what do you do if it’s 2017 and you’re looking to bring a world-class athlete onto the team? You pitch Kobe Bryant your idea. Naturally. Fast forward to today and they’ve partnered with other athletic icons like James Harden and Juju Smith-Schuster, as well as securing an additional $6 million in VC funding just last week.
Listen in as we cover everything from how he went from creating video games as a child living in Mongolia to creating international brands, what it was like to work with Kobe on the development of this brand, and we learn that advertising on a billboard in Times Square is temporary, but a photo of that advertisement in Times Square will last forever on your Instagram.
Hello and welcome to the Launchpad! Over the past year of doing this podcast, we’ve grown, and so have our guests. We have always strived to cover every aspect of the entrepreneurial journey, from the ideation to the product launch and possibly even the exit. Most of our guests have been in the game for a while, but we know that those aren’t the only stories worthy of telling. Therefore, we created this offshoot of the podcast to cover the companies that are just starting out. The flow of the conversation will sound familiar to those of you who are frequent listeners, but the topics will trend more towards pitching investors, crowd-funding, product manufacturing, basically anything that budding entrepreneurs are dealing with.
Without further ado, we present to you Yashir and Kris from Lumen, a hemp juice company that provides the ultimate immune boost. They’ve created a nutrient-dense drink that reduces stress and inflammation. Since they began their journey in the hemp juice industry, they’ve created a product that is loved by over 17,000 customers. We’re excited to have them for our first episode of our new series! Now that you’ve listened, what did you think? We’d love to hear from you!
Today’s guest is Kristi Knowles, CEO of the plant-based product line, Mother Raw. Kristi initially joined the company in an advisory role. The founder, Michelle Kopman, had already shaped what was then known as Michelle’s RawFoodz into a successful company with VC-backers. Kristi’s role was to help better define the company’s business strategy and take their products to the next level of appeal and availability. Then, tragedy struck. Michelle passed away at the too-young age of 45, leaving Kristi tasked with carrying out her vision. It is a task Kristi has taken to heart, as she strives to guide the company with the same care and passion as Michelle would have done.
Listen in as we cover everything from why it’s been easier to raise money since the COVID-shutdown, the meaning behind giving her employees a “thank-you pay”, and why the dressing aisle at grocery stores was in need of disruption.
Today’s guest is Geoffrey Woo, co-founder of Health Via Modern Nutrition, or HVMN for short. And what you just heard is uncomfortable, but true. America’s obesity epidemic may be even worse than we thought, with the CDC releasing data earlier this year that showed the country’s obesity rate reaching 42.4% in 2017 and 2018. There are a lot of causes for this statistic, and so solving it will not be one simple solution. It will require addressing income inequality, education gaps, access to health care, fitness, and healthy eating. This conversation nicely dovetails with last week’s episode with Sergey Young. Both Sergey and Geoffrey are aligned in the quest for a healthier and longer-living population. The good news is that no matter who you are, there are steps you can take today in order to increase both the quality and quantity of your time here on earth. Because while systemic change is a big part of the solution, it’s empowering to know that there’s also power in your daily choices.
Listen in as we cover everything from the ins and outs of a ketogenic diet, why Geoffrey supports “enlightened capitalism”, and the science behind intermittent fasting.
Today’s guest is Sergey Young, founder of Longevity Vision Fund and author of the upcoming book Growing Young: An Insider’s Guide to the Breakthroughs That Will Dramatically Extend Our Lifespan. Sergey’s mission is to make 1 billion people live to be 100 years old. And we’re not talking about achieving the century mark while immobilized in a hospital bed while having seen the last of your healthy years run their course. No, we’re talking a happy and healthy 100. The kind of centenarian that inspires the phrase “age is just a number”. Sergey is putting his energy and his money into making this a reality by investing in companies who are developing technologies that will enable humans to blow past 100 years of age like the arbitrary benchmark it is.
Listen in as we cover everything from the ways in which you can increase your lifespan right now, why he’ll never quite get over passing up an early investment opportunity in Google, and the pros and cons of sharing your data with fitness trackers.
Today’s guest is Moshe Cohen. He’s the founder of The Negotiating Table, Senior Lecturer at the Questrom School of Business at Boston University, and author of the book Collywobbles: How to Negotiate When Negotiating Makes you Nervous. And if you’ve been paying attention, it should be no surprise that he’s here to talk about negotiation. It’s an art form that all are familiar with yet it still evokes a sense of mystery and fear among many of us. Moshe states that this is partially due to the fear of being taken advantage of on both sides of the table. In this episode, we cover tactics you can use and new ways you can frame negotiating in your mind to quell any fear or trepidation you might have.
Listen in as we cover everything from why there’s nothing to lose in asking for things, how to gain more leverage when buying a car, why talking can stress you out, and why listening can calm you down. So with that said, tuning in to this episode is a great way to start working on your listening skills.
Today’s guest is Tarin Calmeyer, founder of Remote Team Wellness, a company that strives to reduce stress in the workplace. In what is truly a sign of the times, they offer their wellness and meditation classes through video conferences. While we’ve talked a lot about how companies have had to pivot to a post-Covid environment, this is the first company we’ve featured to have been born out of the lockdown. Tarin recognized that just because companies weren’t all working under one roof didn’t mean that she couldn’t offer her services to keep morale and mental wellbeing high. If anything, the prevalence of video conferences meant that she could reach a much wider audience than ever before. This is truly a prime example of finding the silver lining in a dark cloud.
Listen in as we cover everything from why Tarin strives to do everything with intention, why she teaches that movement, mindfulness, and emotional intelligence are the three tenets to wellness, and she also leads us through a meditation session that is sure to leave you centered and relaxed.
Today’s guest is Orlando Soria, the designer, author, and the host of HGTV’s Build Me Up. Build Me Up is feel-good television at its finest, as the show features Orlando renovating homes for people going through major life changes. Some of the episodes also feature our very own host, Natalya Cappellini! The show stands out for Orlando’s ability to listen and add his expertise to his client’s tastes and suggestions; taking their trepidation and uncertainty about the next chapter in their lives and giving them an inspired new home that ushers them forward while still paying homage to where they’ve come from.
Listen in as we cover everything from what it was like to grow up inside of Yosemite National Park, why he hires partners and not employees, and we give him perhaps his greatest challenge of all: redesigning Nick's bedroom.
Today’s guests are Gloria Lu and Victoria Fu, co-founders of Chemist Confessions, the skincare brand that started as an attempt to break down the overly complicated and purposefully confusing world of beauty products. They were industry insiders working at L’Oréal, and they were fed up with the lack of transparency in how the Big Brands marketed to consumers. Since they’re both actually chemists (hence the name), when they tackled misconceptions and broke down the basics of healthy skincare, people listened. They were able to amass a passionate and loyal fanbase before eventually expanding into their own line of skincare products.
Listen in as we cover everything from what would happen if you only applied sunscreen to one half of your face consistently over ten years, the three most basic and essential skincare products, and—in accordance with one of their most popular hashtags—we decode that ingredient list.
Today’s guest is Jason Richardson, founder of golf apparel company Bad Birdie. Golf can be an electrifying sport; look no further than how many people tuned in to watch Tiger Woods in his prime, or just listen to how loud the average player gets when they sink a long putt. But if you ask most people, when they think of golf, they think of stale country clubs where a bunch of old guys putz around in attire that hasn’t changed since the ’20s. As in the 1920’s. Jason wanted to change that stereotype, but as you just heard, he started the company as a way to make a couple extra bucks. Sometimes it takes an outsider’s perspective to know what you’ve got. And after that fateful meeting, he dove headfirst into growing Bad Birdie into a company that reminds people just how much fun golf can actually be.
Listen in as we cover everything from how a missed putt by Robert Herjavec allowed him to keep an extra 5% of his company, how he wants to make the sport of golf more inclusive, and find out why he doesn’t actually play that many rounds of golf.
Today’s guests are Kim and Tim Lewis, co-founders of CurlMix, a brand focused on clean beauty hair products for —you guessed it—curly hair. This is the second company that they’ve started together, but they’ll be the first to tell you that their first was a failure. Still, they grew from the experience and attribute the success of CurlMix to the lessons learned from that first failed business. As you’ll learn in this episode, Kim and Tim are innovative, driven, and work exceptionally well together. We’ve had a few founders on this show before who are married, and it’s always immediately apparent why both the marriage and the company are successful. Kim and Tim perfectly complement each other’s skillsets and have such infectious energy that it’s a no-brainer why they were chosen to appear on not one, but two TV shows.
Listen in as we cover everything from how they funded their first company on Tim’s winnings from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, how they grew CurlMix’s sales from $140k to $1M in only one year, and why it’s so important for them to be the entrepreneurial role models they never had while growing up in Chicago’s South Side.
Today’s guests are sisters Chrystle and Cat Cu, co-founders of the hottest thing in the floss market since…well…ever. Imagine the last time you bought floss, or for some of you, imagine that you’ve ever bought floss. You walk down the aisle in the store and you see a bunch of companies basically selling the same thing. It might have different packaging or flavor, but the product itself might as well be indistinguishable from one company to the next. And they’re all just kind of bland. And this is the part of the problem that Chrystle was running into over and over at her dental practice. Try as she may, she couldn’t get her patients to floss. Here’s the part we can all relate to, every time we go to the dentist and they ask how often you’ve been flossing, we either lie or feel some variation of “not enough”. So faced with this recurring problem, Chrystle teamed up with Cat and together they built a better proverbial mousetrap.
Listen in as we cover everything from how they piggybacked off the popularity of coconut oil to launch Cocofloss, how they set their first price point just to break even on shipping costs, and much more
Today’s guests are Kendall Bird and Sage Grazer, co-founders of Frame, a mental wellness network that is a one-stop-shop for therapy. On the user end, you can search around and connect with therapists, and on the back end it allows the therapists access to the tools they need to run their practice. This is therapy for modern times. The stigma around therapy has been eroding for a while now, and I truly think it’s for the better. We all need to feel heard, we all have problems, we all are fighting our own battles, and if you turn to a licensed professional to help you grow, all the more power to you.
Listen in as we cover everything from how Kendall and Sage went from running a lemonade stand as kids to launching Frame earlier this year, why something as simple as movement is such an important part of mental health, and we learn of the existence of therapist influencers.
Today’s guest is Dr. Jason Wersland, founder of Therabody. The journey in creating Therabody has been a very personal one for Dr. J. In 2007 he was cruising around LA on his motorcycle when a car cut him off and sent him flying. The recovery from that crash was long and frustrating, prompting Dr. J to invent the first iteration of Theragun, an instrument that helped his body heal through percussive therapy. Theragun was far from an overnight success though, and Dr. J spent years trying to convince anyone who would listen about the benefits of using one. But over time, as Theragun found its way into the hands of more and more people, the feeling was undeniable. Now, with the launch of a new line of CBD products, the company formerly known as Theragun has become Therabody.
Listen in as we cover everything from how a fateful knock on his door from a famous stranger convinced him not to give up, why innovation leads science, and why Dr. J believes the three most important attributes in an entrepreneur are persistence, consistency, and delusion.
Today’s guest is George Gascón, a candidate running for the office of Los Angeles District Attorney. To quote an editorial from the L.A. Times from October of last year, “There is a strong case to be made that aside from the presidential race, the most important item before voters in 2020 will be the race for L.A. County D.A.” The reasoning behind such a bold prediction is centered on the relatively high incarceration rates in L.A. county. The two-term incumbent, Jackie Lacey, has made a name for herself as being tough on crime. So when George Gascón entered the race running on a platform to end mass incarceration, the death penalty, and to enact police reform, people took notice. His platform has only increased in relevance since the death of George Floyd instigated America’s racial reckoning. Gascón has since garnered the support of progressives such as Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, as well as musicians John Legend and Common.
Listen in as we cover everything from how he’s running his campaign during the age of Zoom/social distancing, the difficulties of changing structural problems within policing, and how he plans to change them, and we go into the specifics of his plan to completely reform L.A.’s system of mass incarceration.
Today we’ve got a two-for-one special. Our guests are Mark McTavish and Brendan Brazier. Together the two of them are revolutionizing the American cider industry by sitting back and letting Mother Nature do its thing. While that might seem a bit simplistic, they realized that there’s no need to add any extra sugar, water, or substances to their cider. They literally juice the apples and let them sit for 3 months before canning them and selling them. That’s it! That’s their process! And let me tell you from my own taste test: I’m a big fan. Mark says that anyone can do this at home, but I’m going to keep letting them do the work so that I can enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Listen in as we cover everything from how Mark was inspired by the day-drinking culture in Northern Spain, how many apples you have to juice to get one serving of cider, and why the wine industry has lobbied to make it illegal to put ingredients on anything over 7% alcohol.
Today’s guests are Noam and Irene from Bambooee. If you’ve been listening to the show for a while, you’ll know that we’ve had a couple of guests on the show who were contestants on Shark Tank.
As avid fans of the show, the Bambooee episode was one of the most lively! Noam and Irene burst on to the stage and within seconds, they had all the sharks eating out of the palms of their hands and exclaiming: Bambooee! After listening to this episode, I think you’ll know why. Their energy is contagious and the product is just as good as advertised. In fact, they’re offering you a chance to try it out yourself by giving you 15% off on their website by using the code gift15 at checkout. But wait, there’s more! If you listen til the end, they give an even better discount code.
Listen in as we cover everything from why Noam views selling as a vital life skill, how they created a product so indestructible it caused other unforeseen problems and the importance of knowing your numbers when making an investor pitch.
Today’s guests are Jai Kim and John Sherwin of Hydrant, a company that makes a powdered electrolyte mix that helps you rehydrate your body quicker and more efficiently than just water, and without all the sugar that comes in traditional sports drinks. It’s not like electrolytes are new science. We can basically assume that we’ve all seen plenty of drinks advertising electrolytes in the grocery store. But John wasn’t satisfied with what was on the market. So he put his biology degree from Oxford to work in creating a better blend in order to get H2O into your bloodstream faster. When he met Jai, the duo wasted no time at all in getting this idea off the ground and into stores. It was only 3 weeks after having met that they signed a co-founder agreement!
Listen in as we cover everything from John admitting that he wasted too much time in perfecting the formula, why they initially thought flavor didn’t really matter, and why there is some truth behind the recommendation to drink 8 glasses of water a day.
Today’s guest is Aman Advani, co-founder of Ministry of Supply. If you’ve ever worn a traditional suit, you’ve experienced the problem that Aman and his co-founder Gihan wanted to solve: they’re stiff, uncomfortable, and they let the entire world know just how much you sweat. At first, they stitched fabric from their favorite athletic brands into acceptable office wear before developing their own blends. And just to prove how versatile their suit is, co-founder Gihan ran a half marathon while wearing it and was rewarded with the most literal interpretation of proof of concept and a Guinness World Record.
Listen in as we cover everything from why there’s still a ton of great opportunity in retail, why word of mouth was crucial to their company’s growth, and why the inspiration for the company name came from none other than James Bond himself.
Today’s guests are Kent Yoshimura and Ryan Chen, co-founders of Neuro. The two met in college and were friends for a few years before putting their minds together to create a product that would allow them to get a clean boost of energy throughout the day. Originally that energy came in pill form, but they thought it looked a little weird to be popping pills in public. So they pivoted into a much more socially acceptable form of ingestion: gum and mints.
After a successful indiegogo campaign that gained traction through Reddit, Neuro was born. After a few years, an appearance on Shark Tank, and a couple of unsolicited endorsements by super fans Joe Rogan and Apollo Anton Ohno, Neuro is making big strides towards their goal of becoming a lifestyle brand.
Listen in as we cover everything from why Ryan’s mom had to cosign on their first business bank account, why Kent’s college dorm room reminded Ryan of a scene from Scarface, and we learn which program has the bigger bump: Shark Tank or Joe Rogan.
This is a very different episode from what we normally cover. On this show, we’ve covered the highs and lows of dozens of entrepreneurs’ journeys. And part of every one of those journeys takes them down the path of self-discovery. A path that challenges them and expands their worldview before transforming them into the successful business owners and operators they are today. But what happens if that path to self-discovery initially drags you down into some of the most hateful and violent places in humanity? One where fear, hatred, and self-loathing rule and lead to violent extremism? To be fair, this is not a typical path. And this is not one that any rational person would ever consider. But this path does exist, and all it takes is to read the news to know that it persists in the shadows of modern society. We believe that it makes sense to shine a light on it and expose it for what it is in the hopes of reforming those who are currently embedded within the rank and file of hate groups. There is hope for those who at first glance might seem beyond redemption. And to find that hope you need look no further than today’s guest: Arno Michaelis. Arno is a former leader of a white-nationalist group who, from the late 80’s to the early 90’s was involved in all sorts of violent acts against minorities, the LGBT community, and any white person he and his organization deemed to be unsupportive of his cause. The hatred and violence ran so deep that he even tried to take his own life, with two different suicide attempts. He saw friends killed, more go to prison, and he hurt innocent people, himself, and his family. All because he bought into a notion where he believed there would be a race war and that he was carrying out these acts because in doing so he was defending his race. At the very core of white nationalism exists the lie that the Aryan race is the superior race. But pull at any corner of this lie and it starts to unravel. For Arno, this lie was undone by the kindness and forgiveness shown to him by people he professed to hate. This, coupled with the birth of his daughter, led him to flee the life of violence and hatred he had inhabited. Once removed, he was faced with a choice: bury his past or make amends for it. It is to our society’s benefit that he chose the latter and is now a renowned author, speaker, and peacemaker actively working against violent extremists. Through his work, he has helped families reclaim loved ones who had joined hate groups, and prevented countless others from believing the narrative they preach. His most recent book is called the gift of our wounds, written alongside Pardeep Kaleka, whose father was killed in the Sikh temple shooting in 2012 by a white supremacist. The book formed the basis of our conversation on this episode, ranging from how music played an important role both in Arno’s entrance and exit from white nationalism, how hate groups recruit and how best to counteract them, and how Arno found happiness and forgiveness in the healing process that he’s currently going through and will continue to go through for the rest of his life.
Today’s guest is Corbett Drummey, founder of Popular Pays, a platform that enables brands to easily connect with creators and influencers and vice versa all in the name of generating sponsored social media posts. Corbett started out in traditional advertising and noticed the inefficiencies rife within an aging structure. As he puts it, the past 100 years were the century of the agency, but the next 10 are the decade of the creator. This episode was actually taped right before California went on a statewide stay-at-home order and thus was the last time we recorded an episode in person.
Listen in as we cover everything from why Vine failed, how the initial idea for PopPays came from an inebriated stream of thought, and ALL things Y-Combinator.
Today’s guest is Amy Briant, co-founder of Lumion Skin. Amy’s journey towards creating the Lumion brand started with a gift from her father. He had been playing around with a new formula in a lab and noticed it was having very beneficial results when it came to clearing up acne. When he first offered it to Amy, she was hesitant, but as soon as she saw the results her mind was made up. Together with her partner Lisa Bonoff they launched Lumion as a skincare product in 2016 and have been going strong ever since. By the way — they met because they were seated next to each other on an airplane and struck up a conversation. WOAH!
Listen in as we cover everything from how she and Lisa complement each other’s skillsets and why google advertising has been huge for them whereas Facebook advertising has not. And if you’re interested in trying out the product for yourself, they’re offering Startup to Storefront listeners 15% when you use the code “Startup” at checkout.
Today’s guest is Maya French, founder of Koia. Koia is a plant-based protein drink, and Maya began the company by blending and bottling the drinks in her kitchen and then driving to local stores and offering samples of the product. As her company grew, her responsibilities shifted to more of a management role, and eventually she handed off the reins of the company to an investor who then became CEO. Though she’s not behind the steering wheel anymore, Maya is still very involved in the company and shares with us her vision of what it can become.
So listen in as we cover everything from randomly waking up to an email from a supporter who wanted to invest $100k into the company, the difficulties of measuring returns from influencer marketing, and how a conversation with Steve Harvey led her to change the name of the company to Koia.
Today’s guest is actress and activist Sophia Bush. When Sophia was growing up, she envisioned herself as a cardiovascular surgeon, and had her life mapped out accordingly. That all changed when she performed in a play to complete her arts credit in high school and was bitten hard by the acting bug. From that moment on, she threw everything she had into acting. Her hard work paid off a few years later when she was cast as a lead on the WB show One Tree Hill. The show would air for nine seasons, catapulting Sophia’s career to new heights and making her a household name. And for some that would’ve been enough. But as you just heard in the opening, she decided to use her platform as a celebrity to fight for causes she believes in and in so doing rediscovered her love for her college major of journalism.
So listen in as we cover everything from when she was just starting out in auditions and competing with the same three actresses for every role, how she initially wanted nothing to do with social media until tabloid culture forced her hand, and how she’s passing the time in COVID isolation.
Let's get FIT! We're all struggling to keep up with our fitness routines during COVID19, on today's show we bring you a fitness expert to discuss tips and tricks for us during this time. Colleen is a founding Equinox instructor, she shares how her life as a trainer has been impacted during this time and gives us her best tips, tricks, and equipment needed to stay active during shelter-in-place. She'll also share where you can find some of her (FREE) workouts that you can do at home. Colleen is a Kettlebell Specialist, RKC, Certified Personal Trainer, PTA Global, Awarded Next Fitness Idol 2017, SCW Mania
Meet Oli and Josh. They created ASYSTEM because they needed it. They were getting older, traveling too much and trying to balance family and work—with too little sleep, too much anxiety and the odd skin complaint. They wanted a simple solution. Products backed by science that were easy to use—and worked. It didn’t exist. So ASYSTEM was born. Their products include men's skincare, vitamins and overall betterments for men's health and are currently working on a CBD pain relief product.
On this episode we catch up with Quikcord. Right before the shutdown they were in the throws of raising capital and had just ordered a large quantity of product. While they are continuing to fulfill previous sales, they are also digging into marketing and placing some attention on their website. One of the Founders, Matt Adams, also serves as an EMT and was exposed to and has tested positive for COVID19. Matt shares his symptoms and how the team is dealing with this time. Take a listen!
On the latest episode we speak to Hannah Davis who founded BANGS Shoes in an effort to satisfy her appetite for philanthropy. BANGS Shoes are modeled after simple work boots Hannah discovered when she was teaching English in China. The company makes shoes that are made from 100% vegan, ethically sourced materials inside a factory whose workers are treated with dignity and respect. The company has partnered with KIVA.org in an effort to grow the entrepreneurship community around the world. The motto is simple: Buy BANGS Shoes = Your Adventures Help Others Find Theirs. Take a listen!
We interview Sarah Paiji-Yoo, Founder of Blueland, and hear how she launched Blueland. The company is focused on cleaning up our planet by cleaning our homes. Starting with cleaning products - items traditionally sold in disposable plastic bottles, Blueland can eliminate over 100 billion single-use plastic bottles in the US alone because their cleaners live in 100% reusable bottles. Sarah details how she first came up with the idea and shares her entire Shark Tank experience and how it's impacted her company. Take a listen!
Pre COVID19 we had a great chat with the Founders of Kindred Bravely. In a hopeful return to normalcy we wanted to share their amazing story. It all began when Deeanne, co-founder/CEO, was nursing her one-year-old and couldn’t find a comfortable and cute pair of pajamas. She decided to design her own – a simple idea that became something extraordinary. The company has 2 goals: creating maternity and nursing clothes that are beautiful, useful, and comfortable, and building a community of moms who support and encourage each other on the motherhood journey. Listen to the full story now!
On today’s episode we talk with Maggie of VegOut Media. Since she has both a print magazine and an online component, it’s unsurprising that she’s experiencing drastically different effects on either side of her business from the economic shutdown. In this episode she shares with us the high of getting her magazine into Barnes & Nobles nationwide only to see those stores close a few months later. While Maggie continues to charge ahead, she isn’t afraid to hedge her bets by applying for an SBA loan just in case this pandemic has a couple more curveballs up its sleeve.