TrepTalks with Sushant: Recent Episodes
Sushant Misra
Successful e-commerce, retail, and tech entrepreneurs share their startup stories and proven strategies and tactics that they used to start and grow their businesses. Learn, get inspired, and then take action to build your dream business.
Emma Rose Cohen, the innovative CEO and founder of Final Straw, on Treptalks. In this insightful episode, Emma shares her journey from being a ski bum to becoming a leading entrepreneur in the sustainability movement. She discusses how Final Straw, the pioneering reusable and collapsible straw, launched on Kickstarter and raised $1.8 million shortly after. Emma dives deep into the strategies she used to build her successful business, the challenges of targeting single-use plastics, and the lessons she learned along the way. Discover how she managed initial production hurdles, navigated virality, and her thoughts on the future of sustainability.
Alex Stanford, the founder of St. Belford, a company specializing in lifestyle planners and journals designed to help individuals prioritize self-care, build healthier habits, and achieve personal growth. Alex shares her entrepreneurial journey, including her motivation behind starting the business in 2017 following personal burnout, and the unique features of St. Belford planners that differentiate them from others in the market. She discusses the design and manufacturing processes, the challenges faced during the initial launch, and the strategies used to market the product successfully. Alex also highlights the company’s expansion into the U.S. market and emphasizes the importance of maintaining a healthy profit margin. The episode delves deeply into the struggles and triumphs of running a seasonal e-commerce business focused on wellness and productivity.
Mai Tran, the founder of Cavology, a Canadian-based lifestyle brand specializing in fashionable and functional accessories for dogs and their owners. Mai shares her inspiring journey from practicing law to becoming an entrepreneur in the pet industry. She discusses the development and growth of her brand, the strategies and tactics used to build an audience and scale the business, and the challenges faced along the way
Nathan Rothstein, founder of Project Repat. Nathan shares the story of how Project Repat started in 2012 to convert customers' memorable t-shirts into high-quality quilts. Discussing his entrepreneurial journey, Nathan reveals the initial inspiration, challenges faced, and strategies used to scale the business to an eight-figure enterprise.
Joanne Liscano, the Chief Executive Officer of On-Air Parking. Joanne shares her inspiring journey from working at American Airlines to becoming the CEO of a travel technology company. She discusses the challenges of balancing family life with a professional career and how she utilized her skills to climb the ranks within On-Air Parking. Joanne also talks about the company's innovative business model, their expansion plans, and the role of modern technologies like AI in their operations.
Bob Healey, founder and inventor of GrillBlazer. Bob shares his fascinating journey from frustration with low-quality propane torches to creating the innovative Grill Gun. He discusses the challenges and strategies he employed to take his idea from concept to market. Bob explains the importance of hands-on design, navigating manufacturing hurdles, and leveraging Kickstarter for success. Tune in to learn how Bob turned his passion into a thriving business and created a new product category in culinary torches.
Arpit Aryan Gupta, the partner and new business development head of NG Apparels. Arpit shares insights about his journey as a fourth-generation entrepreneur in the textile industry. He discusses the history and evolution of NG Apparels, an India-based custom and sustainable clothing manufacturer utilizing ethical and fair trade practices. Gain valuable entrepreneurial lessons, understand the textile manufacturing process, and discover how NG Apparels stands out in a competitive market. If you're an entrepreneur or interested in the apparel industry, you won't want to miss this inspiring conversation.
Andy Sartori, the founder of MealPro. Andy shares his entrepreneurial journey, which began with a passion for healthy eating and evolved into a successful e-commerce business that delivers nutritious meals to busy professionals and individuals with specific dietary needs. He discusses the strategic challenges and steps he took, including vertical integration, leveraging constraints, and focusing on customer retention over aggressive marketing. Discover Andy's insights on maintaining quality, managing logistics across the nation, and his cautious approach to adopting new technologies.
John Roman, founder of BattlBox, a monthly subscription service offering handpicked outdoor survival gear. John shares his entrepreneurial journey, detailing the inception of BattlBox, the strategies and tactics used to grow the business, and the significant milestones along the way. He also discusses the challenges of operating a subscription model, the importance of content and influencer marketing, and the lessons learned from his business experiences. Tune in to discover insights on building a thriving e-commerce brand, the evolution of BattlBox, and tips for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Lindzi Shanks, co-founder of XO Marshmallow, a gourmet marshmallow e-commerce company based in Chicago. Lindzi shares the fascinating journey of starting XO Marshmallow with just $200 and growing it into a multi-million dollar business. She delves into how the idea for custom-flavored marshmallows was born, the power of social media in their success, and their innovative products. Lindzi also discusses the challenges of scaling a food business, the importance of having the right people, and her vision for the company’s future. Tune in for valuable insights and the inspiring story of entrepreneurship.
Craig Rabin, the founder of The AirHook, a patented travel convenience product. Craig shares his entrepreneurial journey, the challenges of creating and marketing The AirHook, and his pivot into becoming an 'invention coach.' Learn about the power of rapid prototyping, the importance of strong relationships, and the value of giving back. Craig also reveals insights into his successful crowdfunding campaigns, manufacturing hurdles, and future plans, including the upcoming third version of The AirHook and his free online course 'Vision 2 Invention
Ambrose Price, the co-founder of SKNMUSE, a premium skincare brand. Ambrose shares the entrepreneurial journey of creating SKNMUSE alongside his wife, the challenges faced, and the strategies used to grow the business. They discuss the unique aspects of their product line, focusing on natural ingredients and artisanal production. Ambrose also highlights their marketing efforts, including impactful partnerships, digital marketing strategies, and future growth plans. Tune in to learn valuable insights on building a successful skincare brand and navigating the competitive beauty industry.
Ben Sarrazin, founder of Yuba Bikes, a pioneering company on a mission to transform urban mobility through high-quality, eco-friendly cargo bikes. With a background in environmental science and a lifelong passion for cycling, Ben shares the story behind Yuba’s creation and his vision for sustainable transportation. We explore the early challenges of building a cargo bike market, the complexities of manufacturing and supply chains, and the strategies that helped Yuba reach its customers. Ben offers valuable insights into product development, market targeting, and the entrepreneurial mindset—emphasizing the power of purpose-driven innovation and the importance of retaining control over your business.
Matilda and Kelly Belknap, co-founders of the Adventurist Backpack Company share their entrepreneurial journey, tracing the idea back to their first international backpacking trip. Observing market gaps between low-cost and high-end backpacks, they designed their own line that combined quality and affordability.
Their travels also exposed them to global food insecurity, inspiring them to incorporate a social mission into their business. The conversation covers their design process, customer acquisition strategies, and the importance of building a strong brand identity. They emphasize the effectiveness of organic growth through press, social media, and personal customer service. The duo also discuss their future plans, including potential team expansion and continued dedication to social impact.
Illana Karcinski, co-founder of Fairytale Pet Care, a unique wedding day pet care company, discusses her entrepreneurial journey, revealing how the idea originated from observing a common problem in the hospitality industry where couples struggled with including their pets in their wedding. She explains how Fairytale Petcare offers a range of services including pet sitting, round trip transportation, attire rentals, and even a 'Dog of Honor' video service. Initially self-funded with minimal investment, Ilana and her co-founder grew the company by leveraging their hospitality and pet care experience. They later expanded through franchising after extensive research and trial. The conversation also covers their Shark Tank experience, which significantly boosted inquiries and led to new franchise openings. Fairytale Petcare emphasizes low startup costs, potential for scalability, and continuous quality service. They also focus on giving back by helping homeless animals find homes through various charitable programs. Ilana provides insights on social media strategies that have worked for them and the importance of asking for help and utilizing local entrepreneurial resources. Overall, the interview is a deep dive into how Fairytale Petcare not only meets a market need but also creates magical experiences for pets and owners alike.
Joseph Watson, Co-owner of K9 Sport Sack, shares the inspirational story of how rescuing a puppy named Daisy from a dumpster led him and his wife to create a product that allows people to bring their dogs along on cycling and hiking adventures. Throughout the interview, Joseph discusses the evolution of the K9 Sport Sack, the challenges they faced, the strategies they employed, and the passionate community of pet owners they serve. He also gives insights on their manufacturing process, the intricacies of product development, and the innovations his company is working on. Furthermore, he highlights the importance of hard work, honesty, and kindness in any entrepreneurial journey.
David Restiano, the founder and inventor of Sorsoap, a unique muscle scraping soap designed for use in the shower, integrating physical therapy into daily routines. David shares the story of how he came up with the idea during the COVID-19 pandemic while dealing with soreness from running. He discusses the development process, manufacturing challenges, Shark Tank experience, and the successful marketing strategies that have contributed to the company's growth. David emphasizes the importance of treating customers well and provides insights into his social media marketing approach, particularly on TikTok, which has been pivotal in driving sales. He wraps up by discussing the future plans for Sorsoap, including expanding into retail stores.
Richard Worsham of Janus Motorcycles, shares his unique background in literature and architecture and details his journey from childhood fascination with vehicles to founding a motorcycle company. Janus Motorcycles specializes in handmade, classically styled, lightweight motorcycles with a strong focus on design, craftsmanship, and personalization.
Dr. Bobbi Peterson, an orthodontist and founder of Big Mouth Toothbrush, shares her journey from opening her own dental practice to becoming the first black female orthodontist to invent an electric toothbrush. She discusses the motivation behind her innovative product, which aims to improve periodontal health with a wider brush head and powerful sonic vibrations. Dr. Bobbi talks about her experiences with product development, marketing strategies, her appearance on Shark Tank, and the challenges and successes of running a dual career as a practicing orthodontist and entrepreneur.
Emily Kelly, founder of Land and She, a brand specializing in handmade art inspired by nature shares her journey as a self-taught illustrator and block printer, explaining how she transitioned from being an artist to embracing the role of an entrepreneur. Emily discusses the balance between creating art and managing a business, strategies for pricing her work, and the impact of digital tools like Shopify and Pinterest on her business. Emily also highlights the importance of contracts for artists, her marketing strategies, and her future vision of maintaining a solo operation while potentially outsourcing some tasks.
Troy Parker, founder of Goober Prints, shares his entrepreneurial journey from graphic design to establishing his own custom apparel printing business on Etsy. Troy discusses the initial challenges, like investing in the right printer, learning the intricacies of direct-to-garment (DTG) and direct-to-film (DTF) printing, and balancing a full-time job while growing a side hustle to meet significant life expenses. Troy also delves into his marketing strategies, including leveraging Etsy’s platform and the importance of excellent customer service.
Hank Watt, founder of Nature’s Wildberry, shares how he discovered a unique berry that changes sour flavors to sweet, offering a natural alternative for weight management and taste enhancement. Hank shares his entrepreneurial journey, from discovering the berry’s benefits in 2013 to launching a freeze-dried version of the product to overcome its perishability and high costs. Hank also dive deep into business strategies, the challenges and successes of bringing an innovative product to market, Shark Tank experience, and the importance of customer trust and education.
Sarah Neal, founder of Instacake Cards, transformed her expertise in food technology and cake decorating into a thriving business that creates greeting cards with ingredients for 60-second celebration cakes. Despite launching just before the pandemic, her innovative idea gained traction as lockdowns drove demand for unique, shippable celebrations. Sarah shares insights on sourcing, manufacturing, trade show experiences, and her appearance on Dragon’s Den, offering advice for entrepreneurs and plans for future growth.
Julia Hankinson, founder of Crown Leatherworks, shares her story of starting her business while still in high school, her initial challenges, and her journey of growth using social media and platforms like Etsy and FAIRE.
Doc Harmony, Founder of Healthy Energy Amazing Life (H.E.A.L) share insights on the demand and market for natural holistic wellness products and how different people find health and wellness with different healing modalities. Doc Harmony also shares her story of how she has grown her business over the last 30 years into B2C and B2B segments and lessons learned including building a team culture that empowers people to learn and make a difference to the bottom line as well as to their own lives.
Dawn LaFontaine, founder of Cat in the Box, shares her story of starting a Cat Wool Toys and Playhouses products business out of love for cats and also to be more in control of her working life. Dawn shares some of the challenges she faced in creating her products and also the successes in getting traction from the market and a community of cat lovers that buy from her as well as how she is scaling her business.
Maria Lee Magaña, Founder of Bully Wags, shares the story of how she got inspiration for her dog leash and harness business from a challenge that she encountered while walking her own Bully. Maria shares her journey of developing and bringing the product to market, what has worked in terms of customer acquisition and her plans for being more breed-inclusive and expanding to new markets.
Jocelyn Sheppard, founder of Appalachian Botanical shares the story of how she is utilizing reclaimed coal mining land in West Virginia to grow Lavender and build a natural personal grooming brand while creating jobs for marginalized people in the local community. Jocelyn shares her lessons in scaling business through B2B channels, importance of branding, and making a difference in her community through her business.
Louise Rice, founder of Strapsicle, shares her story of creating a Kindle Strap while on her maternity leave to enable easy reading experience and to prevent the device from accidently falling. Louise shares her lessons in gaining traction early on, success with selling in the US on Amazon, her efforts to scale the business globally, as well as a strong focus on building a brand.
Adam Baker of SodaPup shares his experiences in applying business principles learned from successful career in the footwear and apparel industry (Nike, Crocs etc.) to the pet industry. Adam shares his lessons in growing the business through strategic partnerships and contracts to pay for expensive moulds for his products as well as getting distribution and brand building.
Kristy Bickmeyer of Twinkle Toes Nanny Agency, shares how her entrepreneurial mindset enabled her to start a Nanny Agency and disrupt the traditional contracting and payment model. Kristy has been able to scale her business with a franchise model and is utilizing a custom software solution to streamline the booking and payment process.
Young and Josh Kim of Ellison + Young share the story of successfully transitioning from running a 10 store retail fashion and jewellery chain to an online wholesale Fashion and Lifestyle brand after COVID pandemic closures. They share how they have applied the lessons from their retail experience to create a strong supply chain, utilize multiple sales channels, as well as provide strong customer support to wholesale customers as a way to differentiate and grow.
Alex Witherow of Car Rental University shares his years of experience with Car Sharing business - tips on starting and growing a profitable car-sharing side-hustle, scaling the business, and valuable insights on avoiding common pitfalls.
Mel young, founder of Flowerdale valley shares how her desire to be her own boss and spend more time with her kids propelled her to start a natural skincare brand. Mel also shares how she has grown her business organically over time and grown as an entrepreneur by challenging herself every step of the way.
Krish Himmatramka of Do Amore as he explores ethically sourced, high-quality rings crafted from recycled metals and diamonds. Discover the innovative approach of Do Amore, balancing social impact and affordability while discussing the emergence of lab-created diamonds. Krish also shares his personal journey transitioning from engineering to founding Do Amore, emphasizing the significance of cultural alignment and ethical principles in business partnerships.
Wendy Mackenzie of Everlasting Herb Farm shares her journey of learning and falling in love with herbal skincare products and starting a side-hustle which grew organically and allowed her to quit her teaching job. Wendy talks about creating an award winning natural deodorant formula and shares the advice of keeping things simple at the beginning.
Nikki Smith, founder of Jewelry Brand Nikki Smith Designs shares her journey of hand crafting jewelry pieces as a side-hustle when she couldn't find modern, affordable jewelry pieces to wear to work. Nikki focused on slow, organic growth and learned about customer preferences by selling at pop-up shops and farmer's market and slowly growing her product collection while focusing on profitability. Nikki talks about organic growth, retail expansion, and business lessons learned.
Josh Thurmond, the founder of LavaBox, shares the inspiration behind his innovative portable campfire. Thurmond shares the challenges, triumphs, and the key lessons learned in creating a high-quality outdoor product. His determination led to the unique design of Lava Box. Learn how his personal camping experience and market understanding played a pivotal role and explore the key features that make Lava Box stand out: compact size, high heat output, and an appealing design.
Chris Vandersluis, founder of HMS Software, shares the evolution of his Business HMS software which he started in 1984. Chris and his team focused on Project Management software and after finding a need for a time sheet system for their customers, built their product TimeControl to meet customer needs. Chris shares his business lessons over the last 40 years including working with partners and investors as well as taking a long-term vide and organic growth for his business.
Chris Clearman, founder of Matador, a high-performance travel equipment company shares his background as a product designer working at GoPro and deciding to start his own company. Matador creates innovative, high-quality, and functional products for the adventure traveler market. Chris shares his experiences in gaining early traction through design and tech blogs reach out, as well as having a good marketing strategy along with a great product.
Scott Unkefer, founder of Just Panela, shares the story of living in Colombia and discovering Panela Sugar in coffee shops and the health benefits compared to refined sugar widely used in the West. Scott shares his journey of bringing the product to the western market, challenges in supply chain, educating the consumer of the benefits, price point, and success on Amazon.
Ishan Dutta, Founder of Ugly Duckling Color shares how he transitioned from the corporate work at L'Oréal to finding an unmet need and niche in the Hair Color products category which inspired him to start his own business. Ishaan shares details about hair color industry, customer preferences, as well as insights on marketing.
Ronnie Teja, founder of Branzio Watches shares his entrepreneurial journey of going from a corporate career to building a high-quality but affordable watch brand Branzio. Ronnie shares his lessons in branding and setting your products apart in a highly competitive category.
Jared Madsen, founder of Madsen Cycles, shares the story of getting inspired by the Danish culture of using cargo bikes as a family transportation vehicle and deciding to bring the idea to the US. Jared shares the initial skepticism he faced from the cycling industry but forged forward anyways to build his business. Jared shares lessons learned in business, building a community, and challenges with marketing a new concept as well as shipping a large object.
Braxton Fleming, founder of Stealth Bros & Co. shares the personal story of transitioning and how not being able to find suitable Dopp Kits for hormone replacement therapy medications became the inspiration behind the products and the brand. Braxton talks about transgender experiences, starting a business with no experience, building a community, expanding to CVS, Shark Tank experience and much more.
Jessica Stellwagen of Bodify, a Med-Spa specializing in CoolSculpting shares how she partnered with her sister, fundraised half-a million dollars, and utilized her business acumen to quickly become one of the top CoolScultping clinics in the United States. Jessica shares her lessons in business building, building a high-performing team culture, and marketing strategies that helped her to grow quickly.
Steven Sashen, founder of Xero Shoes shares the story of building an innovative footwear company where the products (shoes) allow natural barefoot fit and comfort and let feet do what is natural - bending, flexing, moving, and feeling. Steven talks about building the company initially through organic growth, shark-tank experience, and being profitable from the start.
Dylan Lam of Omirank shares his journey of becoming an Amazon entrepreneur and launching multiple successful products and brands on Amazon. Dylan has now launched an Agency that is helping aspiring Amazon entrepreneurs succeed through Product Validation, PPC advertising, and helping to set up successful Product Launches.
Olivier Momma, Founder of Ekster, shares how he came to the US as a Fulbright scholar and decided to create a trackable wallet brand after meeting his co-founder in business school. Olivier shares his experiences launching a successful Kickstarter campaign, challenges with marketing and customer acquisition, and goal of building a global smart travel gear brand.
Bill Spohn, Co-Owner of TruTechTools shares the story of building the largest niche tools business for HVAC technicians by focusing on providing a great customer service experience and educational resources for the customers.
Johnathan Price of Down4SoundShop.com shares how he built an organic social media following around car audio products and built an e-commerce brand first selling other brand products and then creating his own product line. Johnathan has been wildly successful with this business and attributes success to his work ethic but also to building an authentic connection with his audience.
David Dennis of Ventana Surfboards and Supplies shares the story of creating a high-end, beautifully designed, and eco-friendly wooden surfboards that sell for thousands of dollars and can be used as art-pieces.
David Smith, founder of Mattress Depot USA, shares how he got started in the mattress business selling discount liquidation mattresses and eventually built a successful chain store mattress retail brand in the US. David shares the details of mattress industry, business models, and what it takes to become successful in this highly competitive industry.
Kayla Hutchinson of Lucky Dog Design Company shares the story of building a stationary retail brand offering hand designed and in-house printed greeting cards, stickers, planners and other stationary items. Kayla shares her passion for paper printed products which she designs and prints herself. Kayla has received a strong traction on Etsy (and why Amazon did not work for her) and also talks about strategies and funnels she uses to bring customers to her website and retain over the long-run. Kayla also shares about using sustainable materials in her products.
Michael Benarde, Co-founder of NightCap, a simple Scrunchie that covers a drink glass and prevents spiking, shares the story of how his sister dreamt of the product and then the brother/sister team worked together to bring it to market. Michael shares great insights on how they have made NightCap popular among college students, outsourcing operations, and building B2B partnerships.
Anthony Rosemond of Pastreez shares his journey of moving to the US from Paris, France to bring the authentic taste of Macarons to the people of United States. Anthony talks about the process of moving from Paris and starting a business in the US, growing organically, and the challenges of shipping Pastries across the US.
Jamie Taylor, the founder of Confete Party Box, shares the story of building a Party Gift Boxes and Balloon Installations Business and then pivoting to Virtual Party Boxes during COVID. Jamie shares her lessons in growth, B2B sales, and future plans.
Diana Hall, the founder of ActivArmor, shares the story of disrupting the traditional medical casts and splints with custom 3-D printed plastic alternatives that offer better fit, waterproof protection, and better lifestyle fit for individual patients. Diana shares the unique value proposition of the product, business model and large market size, overcoming challenges in driving adoption, and changing medical provider and patient behavior in how they use casts and splints.
Oleg Kulyk, the founder of ScrapingAnt, discusses his journey as an entrepreneur and the challenges of running a business in Ukraine during the war with Russia, including constant shelling and supply shortages. Despite the difficulties, Oleg managed to keep his business running and supporting his customers. He also talks about the features of his web scraping API platform, including AI-enabled data extraction and user-friendly pricing plans. Oleg emphasizes the importance of maintaining good relationships with clients and providing solutions to their problems.
Isabel Aaagard, co-founder of Last Object, shares the story of building a company that designs and creates reusable alternatives to single-use items. She talks about the iterative design process, massive success in launching a reusable swab, and challenges in building consumer awareness of reusable products and getting mass distribution.
Elliot Bishton of Engravers Guild of London shares how he has been able to differentiate and grow a Gift products online ecommerce business by offering custom personalization and beautiful packaging to its customers. Elliot also shares the challenges that small businesses are facing in a highly competitive market where marketing for customer acquisition is getting increasingly expensive. Elliot also shares the importance of right timing in getting into a market.
Gillian Crawford, founder of Lily Blanche, a demi-fine jewelry brand based out of Scotland, shares the story of building a jewelry brand that focuses on offering a truly sentimental and emotional experience for her customers. Gillian also shares her lessons in brand building and navigating the complexities of building an e-commerce business in a crowded market.
In this episode, Logan Christopher, the co-founder and CEO of Lost Empire Herbs, takes us through his entrepreneurial journey in the natural products industry. From his early days in fitness to his venture into herbalism, Logan shares how he combines scientific research with ancient wisdom to offer high-quality herbal products.
Chris Devonshire Ellis, Founder of Dezan Shira Associates shares a lifetime of business and life lessons building an Asia Growth focused professional services firm. Starting a consulting practice in China 32 years ago, Chris has grown his business to 40 offices across Asia and $40 Million+ in revenues. Chris shares his outlook in China, Asia, as well as building a company culture of love rather than fear.
In this episode, Debendra Prasad, an Indian entrepreneur, discusses his entrepreneurial journey and the changing landscape of entrepreneurship in India. Debendra started his web development and digital marketing company, Creatisoul, in 2014 to have the freedom to accept challenges and solve problems on his own terms. Subsequently, Debendra also founded AssureShift, an online platform that connects customers with trusted local moving and shifting service providers. He emphasizes the importance of solving problem and providing value.
Amit Singha, Founder of Anuprerna, shares the story and lessons learned behind starting a textile business, which focuses on supporting and empowering rural artisans, promoting traditional crafts, and using natural and sustainable fabrics.
Andrei Cucit, the founder of Vending Zone, shares how he is creating passive income with a vending machine business. Andrei shares insider secrets about the costs involved, finding locations, and the limitations of outsourcing work.
Maximilian Perez, Founder of XSuit, shares how he is reinventing Men's suit for the 21st century by using innovative fabrics and updated designs to make the Suit more fashionable and comfortable for the modern man. Max also shares his experiences living and doing business in China as well as lessons learned launching and growing XSuit.
Umberto Luchini, Founder of Wolf Spirit Distillery and a veteran marketer and brand builder in sports and alcohol categories, shares the story and motivation behind creating an independent premium spirits brand - a way to do what he loves the most, i.e. build new brands. Umberto shares valuable lessons in brand building as well as insider details on spirits production and alcohol distribution in the United States.
Steve Cozzolongo, CMO of Search Marketing Agency Digital Position shares how focusing on understanding the client business and market they operate in helps the agency to create tailored Search Marketing strategies to drive profit for each client. Steve also shares key competencies that has helped Digital Position succeed and grow including being the best in a few services, transparent communication with clients, and hiring and investing in great talent.
Rebecca (Becky) Bavli, Founder T is for Tame shares the story of starting a natural hair and skincare brand for kids to help other moms when she couldn't find natural hair taming products for her own twins. Rebecca shares everything from product development, getting first customers, success on Amazon, as well as successful retail partnerships with Walmart and Target.
Dean Salakas, Co-founder of The Party People, shares the story of taking over the kid's party store business that his mother had started and establishing it into a household party store brand in Australia with successful brick & mortar and e-commerce operations.
Peter Thorpe, the founder of Fire Avert, shares how his experience as a firefighter inspired him to create a product that prevents kitchen fires. Peter shares his experiences commercializing the product to multi-family housing to make the biggest impact in preventing household fires. Peter also has plans to grow the Direct-to-Consumer D2C market.
Mehdi Kajbaf, co-founder of Matboard and More, shares the story of building a Custom Matboard niche e-commerce business. This interview shows a great example of how to create competitive advantage and capture market share in a niche category by offering a large selection of high-quality products (in this case Custom Matboards).
Mikey Moran, founder of Private Label Extensions, shares his journey in the beauty industry and how he built a successful hair extensions company. Despite not having prior knowledge about hair extensions, Moran dived deep into learning about the manufacturing side of products and combined it with his expertise in marketing and entrepreneurship to scale the business. Mikey shares the importance of having high-quality products that build loyalty with the customers.
Dmitriy Peregudov founder of giftbasketsoverseas.com and Giftsenda shares the story of how he started an online gifting business because he couldn't find an easy way to send gifts to his girlfriend. Since then, Dmitry has scaled his business globally to enable people to send gifts to 200 countries as early as next day. Dmitriy shares the importance on focusing ona. niche and becoming the best to compete with big businesses as well as lessons in delegation, scaling, and building a great remote company culture.
Addie Gundry, the founder and CEO of Pluie, shares how a difficult diaper changing experience with her son inspired her to create the world's first self-sanitizing diaper changing table. Pluie creates self-sanitizing diaper changing tables for public restrooms. Addie shares her unconventional career journey, starting as a chef before transitioning to entrepreneurship. Addie shares her successes and lessons learned in product development, raising funds including Shark Tank appearance, obtaining patent, and bringing the product to a B2B market.
Elina Furman of Kahlmi shares the story of creating the first baby massager that helps soothe babies. Even before bringing the product to market Furman built a strong and engaged organic following of over 800,000 followers through educational content about baby massage on social media, which gave her the perfect customer base when launching the product.
Lawrence (Larry) O'Connor, Founder of Other World Computing (OWC) shares the story of getting started in tech as a kid while working with his early adopter dad which led to the launch of Other World Computing (OWC). OWC gives Mac and PC users the ability to upgrade their computer hardware in an affordable and user-friendly manner. O'Connor emphasizes the importance of balancing direct sales with distribution through retailers and distributors, as well as offering excellent customer service and educating customers about the value of their products. He also highlights the significance of software in supporting hardware functionality and delivering the best user experience.
Will Roya of PlayingCardDecks.com shares the story of creating a successful Playing Card Decks ecommerce business as a result of his background and passion for magic. Will emphasizes the importance of SEO, organic growth, carrying a wide selection of unique decks and building a strong brand as ingredients for his success. Will also shares his rationale for selling the business and the process of finding a buyer.
Amy McKenzie and Kirsten Dodds, co-founders of House of Cook, an interior design studio and furniture e-commerce business based out of South Africa discuss the challenges they face in the South African market as a niche e-commerce furniture business. Despite difficulties in gaining customer buy-in, competition from both local and global retailers, as well as high shipping costs - Amy and Kirsten share their vision for future growth, including expanding their range and catering to a wider audience.
David Zamarin, the founder of DetraPel, shares the story of building a nanotechnology-based liquid repellent spray company as a young entrepreneur without having a formal education or experience in the chemical industry. Zamarin discusses the importance of thinking from first principles, learning from mentors, and building the right team to create businesses that solve significant problems.
Matthew Olen of Grip Spritz shares how he and his two co-founders are helping to bring a basketball shoe traction spray product to market. He shares the challenges of building awareness and distribution of the product as well as the unique challenges of shipping a liquid product to customers.
Parker Garlitz of True Leaf Market. True Leaf Market, an independent seed company, discusses the importance of non-GMO seeds and the company's focus on providing people with a choice. Garlitz emphasizes the importance of competition in the seed industry and highlights their focus on customer service and quality products.
Steven Liszka of BigFilms shares the story of creating a digital visual effects products business to fund his original passion of Film Making.
Howard Law of Magnus Home Products shares the story of building a high-end home, kitchen and bath products e-commerce business from scratch to recreate a small family business experience he and his partner had previously worked for. They started with a drop-ship business model to manage risks and moved to primarily sourcing, warehousing, and fulfilling own products to maximize profit margins and deliver greater value to customers.
Jared Waters of Mini Materials shares how he purchased an already established niche Mini Building Supplies ecommerce business and is using newer manufacturing and operations processes to scale the business to new heights
Vladimir Gendleman of Company Folders shares the story of starting a Customized Presentation Folders business offering the largest selection of options available and growing it into a multi-million-dollar business. Learn about how a business can differentiate itself in a commoditized market by focusing and doing a few things right.
Brittany Taylor and Julius Dease, the brilliant minds behind Black Luxe Candle Company. Their passion for candles, combined with scientific knowledge and educational background, propelled them to create an extraordinary brand that goes above and beyond. Learn how their unwavering resilience, goal-setting, and collaborative spirit paved the way for a one-of-a-kind candle-making experience that deeply resonates with customers.
Daniel (Dan) Thompson, co-founder of Salt Water Digital, shares the story of how he left the Engineering profession to launch a successful digital marketing agency that offers Local SEO, Web-Builds, Google and Social Paid Ads services to small and medium sized businesses. Discover how SEO has evolved and what it takes to rank your local business on search engines to get targeted leads.
Gil Marcondes of GoldFi shares his entrepreneurial story of moving from being a civil engineer in Brazil to starting his own Jewelry business in the United States, struggles in finding the right product and business model, and how he differentiated his business in a crowded marketplace.
Nicolas Tranchant of Viva Latina Jewelry shares his journey of following his love and building a high-end custom-made jewelry business in Mexico, leveraging online presence and content creation, while emphasizing the importance of customer service, communication, and the value of being an entrepreneur.
Rafael Hernandez of Alfred Lane shares the entrepreneural story of building a personal and home frangrances brand and specifically creating personal use fragrance products in solid form (Solid Perfume) which has multiple use cases. Rafael shares the story of how he grew his brand and product line over a period of 10 years.
Brian De Groodt of Dispatch Custom Cycling Components shares his story of building and growing a new concept business involving personalizing small cycling compoenents with custom messages that give the cyclist community greater meaning, connection, and affinilty with their bicycle and the sport. Great interview to learn how to create a new niche from scratch.
Matthieu Fortin of Upper Limits shares the story of building a successful online smoke shop and navigating the challenging landscape of Cannabis Commerce. Fortin shares his insights on product sourcing, the shift from retail to e-commerce, and maintaining a unique product range.
Robb Fahrion, Co-founder of Flying V Group, shares his entrepreneurial journey of building a digital marketing and advertising agency that focuses on holistic, client-centric approaches to drive growth for client businesses. Fahrion shares marketing strategies, future of marketing, leveraging AI, adapting to remote work, and drawing wisdom from personal inspirations. Tune in for valuable insights on the future of digital marketing.
Cassy Burnvoth of FATCO shares her journey of creating natural and organic personal care products using tallow from grass-fed, healthy cows. Their flagship product, the Stank Stop Natural Deodorant, is available in four scents and offers a nourishing solution for skin conditions.
Koko Hayashi, founder of Koko Face Yoga, shares the secrets of her success, discusses the benefits of face yoga, and offers invaluable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Phil Unger of Flute Center of New York shares his journey of building the world's largest flute company, offering affordable student models to handcrafted platinum instruments. Phil's passion for his craft and dedication to customers has made his business a huge success.
Adam Klosowiak of KLOS Guitars shares his journey of creating sleek and durable carbon fiber guitars and ukuleles designed for portability and great sound, with their flagship product being a foldable mini-dreadnought travel guitar.
Dave Harrison of Heavy Metal Merchant shares how he turned a humble beginning of a laptop in his living room into a booming online retailer for licensed heavy metal music merchandise, shipping thousands of items every month worldwide and boasting sales of 6-figures per week.
Jeremy Simon of 3D Universe shares his story of making 3D printing and digital fabrication accessible to everyone. Through his ecommerce business and work with the e-NABLE community, his company provides 3D printers and supplies, as well as free prosthetic devices to people in need around the world.
Kent Wilson of SnapPad shares his journey of revolutionizing the RV industry by introducing the world's only permanent jack pad. Despite starting with no orders, official endorsements, or website, they persevered and expanded their product range to offer a unique solution that enhances the RVing experience.
Alex Shirley-Smith of Tentsile shares his journey of revolutionizing outdoor accommodation with his unique range of portable treehouses that combine comfort, versatility, and adventure, leaving zero environmental footprints.
Igor Vainshtein of 24/7 Golf shares his journey of revolutionizing the home golf simulator industry with high-quality and affordable solutions. Amidst the pandemic, he shifted to direct-to-consumer sales, building a loyal fanbase.
Oscar Adelman of Remi shares his journey of building a revolutionary dental care brand, offering affordable and custom solutions, and how he adapted to the pandemic by shifting focus to direct-to-consumer sales, resulting in a dedicated fanbase.
Daisy Kimbro of Aromaology shares her journey of building an all-natural brand using generations-old recipes and high-quality ingredients. Her products are developed to be ecologically sustainable and offer performance and value.
Jonathan Plotzker-Kelly of Heliotrope shares his journey of creating an all-natural skincare line with a focus on gender neutrality and avoiding synthetic fragrances and artificial colors.
Fred Perrotta of Tortuga shares how he and his partner introduced the perfect carry-on-sized backpack, making it easier to pack and travel.
Roberta Perry of ScrubzBody Skin Care Products shares her journey of creating the perfect travel-sized skincare products, making it easy to maintain your routine while on-the-go.
Isabelle Steichen of Lupii Foods shares her journey of building a sustainable snack brand and how she adapted to the pandemic by shifting focus to direct-to-consumer sales, resulting in a dedicated fanbase.
Justin Fenchel of BeatBox Beverages shares how he brought his ideas into life by introduced a delicious and portable party punch that is to be enjoyed by anyone who loves to have a great party experience
Louisa Mesquita Bakker of Funky Fat Foods shares how she launched her online store that sells unique sugar-free nutritious products with minimum ingredients and reduced carbs.
Monika Reti of Hipcooks shares her story of giving hands-on cooking classes that received great media attention for their unique approach to teaching and amusing parties at the end.
Daniel Luczak of DaLuca Straps shares his story of starting a company that manufactures and sells handcrafted watch straps and then expanding to selling other products as well.
Jackie Burke of Tini Lux shares how she built a company that accommodates people who cannot wear earrings due to skin allergies and sensitivities. Tini Lux sells beautiful and sustainable earrings that are made with pure metal, allowing everyone the luxury to accessorize without pain.
David Downing of ChipMonk Baking shares how he and his partner Jose Hernandez started an online desserts business that sells delicious sugar-free cookies using healthy and natural ingredients.
Phil Kalas of Ashland Leather shares how his love and passion for leather pushed him towards starting a business that sells handmade leather wallets for men and other fine leather goods.
Mukund Umesh Thakkar of Mastermind Bicycle Studio shares how he cycled across the world and learned the fundamentals of cycling which helped him in building a business out of the sport.
Ryan Popoff of Popov Leather shares his journey of starting his business as a hobby and then turning it into a full-time venture which turned out to be his best decision ever.
Lizzy Klein of mazi + zo shares how she created an online jewelry store that provides the jewelry lovers out there with all the unique designs made with sustainably-sourced materials.
Nassir Silwany of CaliConnected shares how he, along with his partner, created an online marketplace for high-quality smoking accessories.
Tanya Heath of TANYA HEATH Paris shares her story of struggling with footwear, which inspired her to build a business that sells shoes with removable heels that provide women all around with the comfort and convenience of wearing or removing heels at any time they prefer.
Mitchel Matthews of Adrenaline Offroad shares the story of how he built a successful e-commerce business with the idea of transforming rides with his products and selling LED Lights and other accessories for vehicles.
Anthony Ciavirella of Manmade shares how he, along with his friends, founded a comfortable and high-quality brand of men's underwear without having any experience in designing apparel.
Takashi Yanagi of Dermabeam shares how he manifested greatness and launched a light therapy business to help people overcome their skincare and healthcare issues in a healthy way.
Maddie Miles of peace. love. hormones shares how she founded a menstrual health brand to help women be at peace with their reproductive health and menstrual cycles.
Dustin Finkel of Ka-Pop! shares how he changed the narrative of snacks being unhealthy by building a company that makes nutritious and tasteful snacks using 100% ancient pure grains.
Carlos Manuel Soto of Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal shares how he has built a successful tequila business as an immigrant in a highly saturated market after spending a month in Mexico to research the product and gain brand awareness.
Dario Baldoni of Concrete Countertop Solutions shares how he has built a successful e-commerce business around decorative concrete countertop solutions. Interesting interview to learn about a business category which may not traditionally be linked with E-commerce
Leslie Hsu of Sunflow shares the story of building a comfortable beach chair brand and growing it to a seven-figure business
Michael Malkin of Calm Strips shares the story of building a new kind of fidget toy in the form of a sticker which can be used to calm nerves and increase focus
Lindsey McCoy of Plaine Products shares her passion for sustainability and the story of building a bathroom products business that replaces single-use plastic bottles by utilizing refillable and re-usable non-plastic bottles.
Stacy Moore of Healing Harbors shares how she discovered the health benefits of CBD and decided to start a CBD business after getting out of her military work as a helicopter mechanic
Parth Kukreja of PupRing shares how he and his co-founders used engaging social content to grow a mid-7-figure dog pet jewelry business and some of the lessons learned along the way
Kressa Peterson of Shower Toga shares her passion for helping athletes shower and change anywhere after races and other sporting events. Kressa also shares getting funded on Shark Tank, working with Mark Cuban, and the risks and challenges of scaling a one-product business.
While recovering from a traumatic head injury, Michael Mader of Hippy Feet was inspired to create a mission-driven sock and apparel company that would help people experiencing homelessness.
Kola Tytler of Dropout shares how his passion and expertise around sneakers helped him to build a limited edition sneakers e-commerce business in Italy.
Nic Lamb of IceBeanie shares how a concussion while wave-surfing motivated him to create a cold-therapy migraine relieving Beanie and also build a profitable business out of it.
Reid Simkovitz of The Scruffie created a new kind of shaver for getting rid of neck hairs which many are finding useful for shaving legs quickly. Reid shares how he is using TikTok and Instagram to bring in new clients and grow his business.
Alan Barker shares the story of how he slowly scaled a niche sport product (Disc Golf) business from selling via affiliate links to becoming the largest global direct-to-consumer (D2C) online retailer.
Nils Wessell of Brooklyn Butcher Blocks shares the story of selling his custom-made high-quality wooden butcher blocks through e-commerce. A great case-study on how non-traditional businesses can utilize e-commerce to find non-local customers.
Mike Scully of Lever Gear shares the story of utilizing his skills in design and engineering to build an Everyday Carry (EDC) Tools business with very well-designed tools that are versatile and useful.
David Rubie-Todd of Sticker It shares the story of building a technology-focused sticker printing e-commerce business.
Ben Esgro of Elemental Formulations shares the story of building a supplements company focused on quality ingredients and rigorous testing and differentiating in a highly competitive market.
Bringing Edible Spoons to Market to Reduce Single-Use Plastics - Dinesh Tadepalli of IncrEDIBLE Eats.
Janne Kyllönen of QuietOn shares the story of creating noise cancellation earbuds specifically built for sleeping and relaxation.
Lynda Truong and Paul Tran of Love&Pebble combined the idea of cryotherapy and face masks to create a unique beauty product.
Becca Davison of UnbuckleMe shares the story of co-inventing a car seat buckle release tool and profitably bringing the new product to market
Travis Peterson of Joker Greeting shares building a prank musical greeting card brand and how a lucky PR break helped launch the product in the market.
Will Nitze of IQBAR shares the story of creating a Protein Bar brand in a saturated market and differentiating by appealing to Brain Health specifically and getting distribution in 7000+ retailers in the US
Olguy Songolo of the Difference shares the true passion and tenacity that it takes to create and bring a new product to market.
Robert Patton of Sheath Underwear shares the story of building Sheath Underwear, working with UFC fighters and Comedians as a marketing strategy, and persisting through challenges to bring your idea to market.
D'Shawn Russell of Southern Elegance Candle Company shares lessons on building a strong brand within a generic scented candles category.
Matthew Griffin shares the story of building and growing a mission-driven Flip Flops Brand after completing his tour of duty.
Wylie Robinson shares the process of re-imagining the traditional home blankets with sustainable technical materials and positioning it successfully in a very crowded market with a problem-solution narrative
Michael Chou, an Aerospace Engineer by profession, engineered the perfect ice cream scoop to solve a problem for himself and created a business out of it.
Ryan Kenny of The Christmas Tree Hugger invented a simple product to solve the problem of hiding the plastic base of fake Christmas trees. Ryan shares his product development and sales journey from Indiegogo, to Shark tank, to QVC.
They couldn't find a travel bag that would best fit their nomad lifestyle, so they decided to build one themselves. In this episode, this husband and wife team (Kish Vasnani and Vanessa Jeswani of Nomad Lane) share the story of starting a travel bag business out of their mutual love for travel. They also share details on how they ran one of the best Indiegogo campaigns ever.
In this episode, Aaron Spivak of Hush Blankets shares details of starting and growing a weighted blanket e-commerce business, running successful Kickstarter campaigns, appearing on Dragons' Den, and a variety of marketing and operational topics.
In this episode, Angela Watts of Slyde Handboards (Co-founder and Chief Ryde Officer) shares the startup story of Slyde Handboards, challenges educating the market of a new product concept in surfing, financing and growing the business, working with Mark Cuban and Ashton Kutcher through Shark Tank, and the decision to start a shoe company to supplement revenue in the off season.
In this interview, Cyndi Thomason of Bookskeep shares valuable insights, tips, and best practices for e-commerce entrepreneurs on how to set up their bookkeeping and accounting processes in a way that scales with their business growth.
Tyson Walters of Shed Defender shares the story of building a niche pet product (Shedding Dog Bodysuit) business which started as a way to solve a personal problem and then got a lucky boost through a viral post from The Dodo.
Diane Huynh of Bone & Marrow shares her entrepreneurial story of building a bone broth brand first in Edmonton (Canada) and then growing the business in the Canadian market. Notable in her story is her tenacity of going door to door into different grocery stores and asking them to carry her bone broth products. Now her products are carried by large retailer like Whole Foods and others.
Is there a secret recipe of generating more sales on Amazon? The answer is Yes. Ex-Amazon executive Brad Moss shares insider secrets as well as a well tested framework of different variables and tweaks that can help sellers not only get more page views, conversions, and generate higher revenues, but also reduce costs and become more profitable. Watch/listen and learn.
Chelsea Frank of Life and Limb Gel shares how she created a brand and a line of user-friendly hot and cold therapy products that provide a contoured fit for the curves of the body while juggling being a full-time stay at home mom. This interview shows how pure grit and perseverance can help someone overcome challenges and grow a business one step at a time.
In this highly instructional interview, TomboyX co-founders Fran Dunaway and Naomi Gonzalez share the startup story of how they started a clothing line for women with a masculine streak without any prior business or apparel industry experience. They also share how listening to customer feedback helped them to identify their "hero" product and pivot to building a successful gender-inclusive underwear brand TomboyX.
They share the different phases of building their business including running a successful Kickstarter campaign, raising funds, insider workings of the clothing business, as well as mistakes made and lessons learned along the way. Enjoy!
Greg Meade, CEO of CrossNet shares the story of inventing a new sport, building awareness, and driving a hockey stick growth going from Zero to Seven figures within a matter of 3 years through Ecommerce and Retail sales. This is the kind of success story that every entrepreneur inventor wants to have on his/her resume.
Sean Geng of Smoke Cartel shares the story of starting and growing a Cannibis accessories retail brand, building a large and loyal client base, the unique challneges of marketing to the Cannibis industry, taking the compnay public, and, finally, pivoting the business model to minimize expenses and maximize efficiencies.
Tsippi Gross of Havah Tribe shares her entrepreneurial journey of building a business for a very niche market, breastfeeding, maternity, and motherhood apparel brand for conservative moms. She also shares some of the challenges she faced in building her clothing line, the steps she has taken to automate her business, as well as what marketing channels have been most effective for her business.
Dave Munson of Saddleback Leather Company shares his startup story, as well as branding, marketing, and leadership strategies he used to grow his company.
Angela Right of New-York based jewelry brand Azura Jewelry shares her startup story as well as some of the business and marketing strategies she used to start and grow her e-commerce business.
For the first interview on TrepTalks, I have the honor to host the marketer and marathonist Kevin Rutherford who is the Chief Eternal Optimist of Nuun – a brand that empowers people to move and stay hydrated. Kevin will tell us about his successful journey to become a CEO and the key strategies that brought Nuun to be the innovative sustainable company that has reached over 30 countries with its healthy drink tablets.