Episódios
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Description:
Sometimes not getting what you want paves the way to a better story. Niki Leondakis is the CEO of the largest yoga studio brand in the US, and her journey has been characterized by learning from challenges time and time again. She joins us to share how she has found opportunity in adversity, honed her listening skills as a leader, and leveraged the incredible power of yoga to overcome grief before finding a new purpose in sharing its power with the world. Tune in to hear more.
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:
AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:
[02:19] Niki’s ethnocentric childhood as the artistic child of one of five children of Greek immigrants. [05:04] What Niki learned by not getting what she wanted in jobs and leadership roles in high school and hospitality.[15:43] Working in leadership at Kempton during an innovative time in their hospitality.[19:20] Overseeing hotels and the listening tour that facilitated her goal to put people first.[28:01] Being recruited for a San Francisco boutique hotel company and continuing Bill’s legacy.[32:47] How her passion for fitness and wellness led to being recruited by Equinox.[37:56] Landing her dream job as CEO of CorePower Yoga and leading with purpose.[42:20] Starting a role in yoga at the start of the pandemic and where she found the courage to power through.[48:36] Future projections for Core Power Yoga, including geographic growth and beyond.To Find Out More:
Niki Leondakis on LinkedIn
Niki Leondakis on X
CorePower Yoga
Corporate Athlete
Equinox
Just Keep Livin Foundation
Awesome CX
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:
“No matter how good you are, you have to prepare.” [0:06:12]
“I learned to see opportunities and how I could impact them and make a difference, and I got rewarded for that.” [0:07:49]
“If you don’t get what you want, keep trying.” [0:13:05]
“I learned [so much] along the way about the importance of how you treat people, how you care for people, how you inspire, motivate, and lead them. And that was my way of getting the business results that I was tasked with.” [0:17:19]
“If you’re going to alienate people along the way you’re going to look behind you and you won’t have any followers.” s [0:25:56]
“To be our best self, we have to be healthy.” [0:33:25]
“When I found myself without my career, my husband, or my home, what got me through that transition was getting on my yoga mat every day.” [0:39:36]
“You can’t shortstep or expedite your way through grief. You have to feel it. You have to go through it. You can’t move around it.” [0:40:10]
“Part of the way that I have always remained highly motivated and energized and passionate about my work is finding the purpose in the work.” [0:41:08]
“For me, listening has been one of the incredible keys to my success.” [0:49:48]
“We were ahead of the curve. It simply came from being there to listen.” [0:51:28]
“Our higher purpose is to power love from the inside out, putting more love in the world and helping people access that love.” [0:52:47]
“When you face adversity, don’t let it get you down and don’t wallow in it. Within that adversity lies opportunity” [0:54:51]
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Description:
In this episode of Stairway to CEO, you’ll learn all about Puneet Mehta's captivating entrepreneurial journey, from his upbringing in India and fulfilling his childhood dream of living in Silicon Valley to spearheading AI advancements at Netomi. He tells us how his parents inspired him to embrace daunting challenges, what he learned from his years developing trading engines on Wall Street, the transformative encounter he had with Mike Bloomberg, and how these experiences have fueled his entrepreneurial drive. Join us as we uncover Puneet's perspective on the AI landscape, his pivotal role in founding Netomi, and the profound benefits of integrating AI to elevate customer experiences.
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:
AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:
[01:51] What it was like for Puneet growing up in Chandigarh, India, and how his mother and father inspired him to pursue difficult goals.[06:17] Why he feels so lucky to have studied engineering and computer science at one of the top schools in India, and how he realized his childhood dream of moving to Silicon Valley.[07:15] The value of his experiences on Wall Street developing trading engines and how his fortuitous meeting with Mike Bloomberg empowered him to build his own company.[11:38] How he built his first company leveraging prediction algorithms, their strategic partnership with BMW, and key takeaways that helped him build Netomi.[15:47] What inspired him to found Netomi, how he got the company off the ground, and what it was like building a chatbot for Sony Pictures.[23:37] Recognizing the high demand for improved customer experience, how they are solving key pain points for customers using AI, and the many uses of Netomi’s co-pilot.[33:43] Partnerships in the AI space and what it means for a company to be powered by another company or tool.[35:52] How Netomi addresses fears around outsourcing customer service needs, and why AI won’t replace humans working in customer service.[41:25] Netomi’s partnership with Awesome CX, where Puneet sees it going in the coming years, and how he expects other aspects of his business to be impacted by AI.[47:49] His advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on how empathy is misunderstood and why you shouldn’t do it for the money; what is next for Netomi, and what Puneet is most excited about!To Find Out More:
Netomi
Puneet Mehta on Linkedin
Gong
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:
“Being aligned on the core mindset is so incredibly important. It's more important than your business strategy. It's more important than any other part of the business.” [0:13:09]
“As you start bringing new technology to life, and as you introduce it to the world, you have to make the adoption completely frictionless. You have to do it in a way that engages or [accompanies] a habit that somebody's already used to.” [0:13:42]
“[When you] think about business outcomes, to stay excited about what you're doing, you have to focus on the journey. You cannot just focus on the end goal.” [0:14:39]
“That's what the AI co-pilot from Netomi does. It gives them a superpower where AI can now gather information from these different systems, it can prepare a response for you, it can also help an agent get trained quicker.” [0:30:28]
“[The Netomi co-pilot] also gives you insights based on what your customers are telling you. Because it's humanly impossible to go back and listen to every single phone call.” [0:31:43]
“The founders that are growing these companies are looking for insight [from Netomi’s co-pilot] because conversations with their customers are the biggest asset.” [0:37:17]
“The demand is there to feel like we are treated well as customers [and] to have that customer love. We want those questions answered. There just isn't enough resources available with these brands to answer all of these questions promptly.” [0:40:47]
“The top use case for AI for large companies is customer experience.” [0:44:22]
“That's how fast this change is coming. We should see every company in the world in the next 12 to 18 months adopt AI in some shape or form for customer experience.” [0:46:01]
“There are much easier ways of making money [than starting a company]. This is a really hard way to do it – but if you're connected to what you do, [then] the journey itself would be quite enriching.” [0:49:23]
“[Starting a company] will give you experiences and it'll help you come across people that you want to have shared experiences with.” [0:49:35]
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Description:
What does it look like to bring innovation to a static industry? A lifelong love for entrepreneurship and the food and beverage industry led Ben Lewis to take a massive risk to disrupt the baby food industry, and with $90 million raised to date, it certainly paid off! In this episode of Stairway to CEO, Ben shares the story of continuing his dad’s legacy in business, finding out-of-the-box solutions to the complex problem of manufacturing his product, and much more!
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:
AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:
• [01:05] Ben Lewis’s first taste of entrepreneurship as a child and how he continued his father’s legacy, starting with a bottled water start-up.
• [12:00] His exposure to the food and beverage industry by developing a Greek yogurt brand.
• [15:50] Learning essential lessons through bootstrapping a food distribution company.
• [20:45] Ben's involvement in angel investment in the food and beverage space.
• [21:48] Founding Little Spoon with the motivation to disrupt a static industry, naming the product, and developing the product and packaging.
• [28:46] Product expansion and the philosophy of growing with the customer that underpins Little Spoon’s growth.
• [34:30] Surprises on the road to building a D2C business, including an unlikely partnership with a tamale company.
• [40:25] How Ben’s role has evolved with the company and Little Spoon’s approach to talent.
• [42:29] Fundraising in the baby food industry, finding a new approach to return on investment, and what’s next for Little Spoon.
To Find Out More:
Little Spoon
Ben Lewis on X
Ben Lewis on LinkedIn
The Equity Studio
Kairos HQ
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Awesome CX
Quotes:
“You could have the best product in the world, the best brand in the world, and even the right team and the right capital – but ultimately so much of it, especially in the traditional retail space, depends on the distribution and what happens at the point of sale.” [0:15:14]
“For the right brand and the right product, having a direct relationship with your customer is so critically important.” [0:19:17]
“Being detached from your ultimate customer is a real hindrance to building a brand.” [0:20:01]
“There’s a big opportunity for us, not just within that baby stage with the baby blends, but for Little Spoon as a brand to be the go-to as that kid is growing up and as the family is growing.” [0:31:32]
“[We’ve grown our business] largely through growing with our customers.” [0:31:48]
“That was how we started. We turned this manufacturing roadblock into a very unlikely partnership.” [0:39:29]
“One of the things I’m most proud of at Little Spoon is that we’ve had extremely low attrition, so our retention is literally best in class.” [0:40:58]
“Optics matter, but at the end of the day, you need to do what’s right.” [0:44:35]
“For us, it’s about listening to our customers and finding where those pockets of opportunity are.” [0:46:59]
“We’re building a brand for a new generation of parents.” [0:47:42]
“As an entrepreneur, you’re often having to choose between speed, quality, and cost.” [0:47:54]
“Don’t aim for perfection.” [0:48:46]
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Description:
Today, Hudson Davis-Ross joins the show to share about Co-Founding a mission-driven company that truly helps people with their health needs. From being diagnosed with ADHD in middle school to undergoing spinal surgery, Hudson has faced his fair share of health challenges. Tune in to learn all about his captivating entrepreneurial journey, from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, to founding his first company, RISE, to ultimately becoming the co-founder of Plant People – whose plant-based products offer natural alternatives to pharmaceuticals. Along the way, we explore how he navigated major setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and gain insights into his refreshing perspective on building purpose-driven businesses!
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:
AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:
• [01:54] What it was like growing up in New York, at the epicenter of so many industries, within a household dominated by women.
• [06:43] Hudson’s ADHD diagnosis in middle school, the many different interests he pursued, and the benefits and drawbacks of having ADHD when you’re an entrepreneur.
• [10:23] His experience working at Gilt Groupe from its early stages as a small startup to having over two thousand employees.
• [14:13] Why he decided to leave Gilt Groupe and take on a role at Aloha as part of the founding team, and his top takeaways from the experience.
• [18:25] What made Hudson shift to co-founding his first company, RISE Brewing Company, key lessons he learned, and how he met his partners.
• [25:32] Fundraising for RISE, and how it led to him starting his branding and business strategy firm, CROSBY.
• [27:29] The drastic spinal surgery that Hudson had to get, how it led to the founding of Plant People, and what it was like entering into the CBD and cannabis space.
• [30:22] How they stepped up their business, educated consumers, and the innovations they were doing with regards to ingredients and formulations.
• [32:42] Their decision to scale up, why they decided not to take on more funding, the dramatic impact that COVID-19 had on their revenue, and how they recovered.
• [35:27] Hudson’s insights on partnering with retailers and distributors, advice for aspiring and up-and-coming entrepreneurs, and what’s next for Plant People.
To Find Out More:
Hudson Davis-Ross on Linkedin
Plant People
RISE Brewing Company
CROSBY
Gilt
Expo West
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:
“I always hope to, at some point in my life, write a book on having ADHD and being an entrepreneur, because I think there's a lot of pluses and minuses – mostly pluses.” [0:07:19]
“If you have [a] really big vision, and momentum with other investors, people will invest. It really is a hype game. And so I learned a lot around fundraising [at Aloha].” [0:17:12]
“[To be] the Apple of anything – takes decades. You can't just do that [in a] matter of a year or two. But that's what we pitched [to] a lot of the investors. And so I think there was a bit of a disconnect there.” [0:18:43]
“The main reason I started this business, [Plant People] is I had spinal surgery, [I had to] learn how to walk again.” [0:27:31]
“My now co-founder also had a spinal surgery and was exploring plant-based modalities himself. And so we started together.” [0:28:01]
“I had more passion for making an impact in people's lives.” [0:28:12]
“We had so much pushback in the beginning because people didn't understand CBD. They thought it was weed. They thought it was THC, they were like, ‘Will I get high from this?’ That was the biggest education point.” [0:30:59]
“Tap into what customers want [and] are already [buying], [but do] it better.” [0:36:09]
“In general, you just got to hustle. You have to go with momentum, you have to have a lot of boutiques [and] a lot of independents. And when you have that momentum, then you can get the attention of distributors.” [0:36:27]
“The secret sauce is to be an entrepreneur – is to use the resources you don't have, to achieve what you believe in.” [0:37:56]
“You can hire sales managers who have been in sales, and they have rolodexes. And that does help. But I think no one sells better than the founder or the CEO.” [0:39:39]
“One of the things that is key to success is showing your team, or showing your initial hires, that you're all in.” [0:41:06]
“If you're doing it, the team can do it. And if you're passionate about it, the team gets passionate about it, they see the value.” [0:43:09]
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Description:
Joining the show today is Allegra Moet Brantley, the Founder and CEO of Factora. This women-led personal finances company is on a mission to lead one million women to $1 million in wealth. Today she shares her journey from building her first company to becoming a salary negotiation coach to leading partnerships and marketing at Financial Gym, where she ultimately came up with the idea to build Factora. Tuning in, you’ll gain insight into the importance of financial transparency, the challenges that can come with fundraising, building a sustainable business while growing a family, and much more. Allegra also has some valuable, go-getting advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, so if you have a business idea that has been nagging at you, you won’t want to miss this episode!
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:
• AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:
• [02:53] Why transparency is the key to rid conversations about personal wealth of taboo.
• [05:43] Insight into Allegra’s upbringing across the country, her education, and her first jobs.
• [16:35] The importance of always negotiating for more and reading contracts thoroughly!
• [19:45] Lessons from Allegra’s time in the marketing department at Estee Lauder.
• [21:35] What her first steps into entrepreneurship in 2011 taught her about financial freedom.
• [30:13] Allegra’s valuable experiences at Financial Gym and the origin story of Factora.
• [38:29] How Factora has evolved and how The Wealth Circle community has grown.
• [40:45] Some of the challenges of fundraising, bootstrapping the business from the ground up, combating burnout while raising a family, and how Allegra overcame them.
• [49:37] Price ranges for Factora’s courses, what they entail, and how you can benefit for life!
• [53:50] What the future holds for Factora, how they take women from overwhelm to sustainable wealth-building, why this industry is ripe for disruption, and more.
To Find Out More:
Factora
The Wealth Circle
6 Figure Savings
Coffee & Coin Podcast
Allegra Moet Brantley on LinkedIn
Allegra Moet Brantley on Instagram
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:
“It is so nerve-wracking and cathartic to share these numbers we never [talk about]. In the very first call, [Wealth Circle members] are sharing their salary.” [0:04:26]
“When we share resources and investment strategies, it’s such a wealth of knowledge.” [0:05:33]
“[Becoming] a salary negotiation coach – only reemphasized what I was experiencing personally. Now that I’m good at asking for more money [and] getting more money, it doesn’t mean I have more money. Making and keeping [money] are two very different things!” [0:29:02]
“I was more passionate about helping women build wealth than anything else I had touched on in my career. It’s one thing to understand where your income goes. It’s a whole other thing to make a strategy for investing it [and] feel confident enough to do so.” [0:34:25]
“It felt like a sentence would not stop tapping at the base of my neck – ‘Help women build wealth, help women build wealth, help women build wealth,’ all day long.” [0:35:51]
“When you raise funding, and now you have investors involved, and they have a vision too, oftentimes you have to acquiesce and collaborate with that vision. I felt so strongly [about] my own [vision]. I didn’t want to bring in anything to muddy that.” [0:43:57]
“90% of women come to Factora for the stick market portion. They say for the community and the access to additional creative investment ideas.” [0:52:32]
“I don’t want people to hand over their entire financial autonomy because they don’t think they’re smart enough to do it themselves. That is why I think this industry is ripe for disruption.” [0:57:55]
“For aspiring entrepreneurs; if you have an idea that’s banging at the base of your neck, it’s going to create value in this world both for potential customers but also for you and what you are going to learn [through your failures, strifes, and success]. Make like Nike and do it!” [0:58:20]
“Investing is not hard. Investing is not complicated. You are meant to think – that it is. You’re already doing it if you’ve ever utilized a 401k or an IRA. You can do more of it, and I suggest that you do.” [0:59:49]
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Description:
Mary van Praag joins us today to talk about how she became Global CEO of Milani Cosmetics, a 20-year-old company built on the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to own and enjoy luxury beauty. From her entrepreneurial pursuits in high school to her first CEO role at Perricone MD, Mary tells us about her remarkable career journey and how she became the Global CEO of Milani cosmetics. Tune in today to learn about Mary’s passion for transforming companies, the lessons she’s learned about being vulnerable as a leader, and much more!
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:
[02:31] Mary’s upbringing in Ohio; how her parents’ divorce (and being the eldest) informed her early leadership development, her first entrepreneurial pursuits, and her college years.[10:12] What it was like moving 17 times in her professional life, how this has proven her ability to manage change, and why she loves making things better.[14:46] How Mary found her internal drive as a leader and her advice to others struggling to find their voice.[21:18] Her early career in sales and how her experiences as general manager at Coty and OPI Products set her on the path towards CEO.[27:07] Mary’s first role as CEO at Perricone MD, the destabilizing impact of the COVID pandemic, and how she adapted and ultimately became CEO of Milani Cosmetics.[30:54] Key lessons on building your team as a CEO.[34:44] What Mary has learned about turnarounds since she first started out, and her insights on how being CEO resembles running your own business.[37:53] Why being vulnerable as a leader is one of the most important lessons Mary has had to learn, and her thoughts on what sets the role of CEO apart from other positions.[46:02] Milani Cosmetics’ approach to remote work and an overview of the exciting things the brand has coming up![52:18] Mary’s practical advice for aspiring CEOs.To Find Out More:Mary van Praag on LinkedIn
Milani Cosmetics
Coty
Perricone MD
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:“Moving, I think, indicates my ability to manage change and transformation. But at the same time, create a great network of deep-seated roots and connections that I will forever have in my life.” [0:12:13]
“I'm at my best, as a leader – when you look at the context of a situation – when something requires change and transformation. I love to make things better.” [0:12:40]
“Some people are great at constructive conflict, others are analytical geniuses, others are great teachers. I always say ‘find that thing that makes you unique, [and] whatever your superpower is, really feed into it.’” [0:16:14]
“Leaders don't have all the answers. What I want to hear is the people [who] are closest to the business [and] have a unique point of view. And we need to hear that.” [0:16:56]
“I can be interesting, but I have to be interested first.” [0:19:54]
“You always have to respect the past, but you have to get people aligned to create the new future. And you quickly find out who wants to do that, and who doesn't. And that's a lot of work.” [0:25:02]
“Thinking about how you build teams is an important part of what a CEO does. I have amassed a fabulous team with very high engagement scores and a really strong culture. And we built it brick by brick, but it started with my leadership team.” [0:33:04]
“We're all motivated towards the same future that we want to build. And that's very, very rewarding.” [0:33:51]
“Depending on the circumstances, [a turnaround] this is like running our own business.” [0:35:26]
“The biggest thing I had to learn was to be vulnerable.” [0:37:55]
“If you don't give people an inspiring vision, they have nothing to hope for. Especially when you're in a turnaround.” [0:38:53]
“I don't necessarily think everybody needs to be in the office every day to get productivity or work. I think we have happier employees, because we're hybrid, and that’s part of our culture now. We work hybrid.” [0:47:14]
“Have a bias [towards] action. The strategic agility part is really important in today's day and age with the millions of things that we have flying at us.” [0:53:08]
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Description:
Today’s guest fell into entrepreneurship when she started to create experiences with her own needs in mind. Julie Rice is the Co-Founder and CEO of Peoplehood, where she facilitates deep conversation and connection to develop ‘relationship fitness’. During this episode, she shares her childhood passion for theatre, talks about the start of her career in talent management in New York, and tells the story of how she built and exited her first startup, SoulCycle. Tune in to hear all this and more!
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:
AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:
• [02:16] How growing up as a theatre lover in small town New York started her off on a creative and collaborative path.
• [06:24] Early leadership tendencies, working in the entertainment industry, and translating those skills to working in brand.
• [12:44] The story of SoulCycle’s inception in New York in 200; starting with a business plan on the back of a napkin.
• [17:11] Starting and growing SoulCycle and the premise that motivated Julie and her business partner to start Peoplehood.
• [26:41] What Peoplehood is and how it is unfolding as a business.
• [34:02] Tips for truly getting to know the people in your sphere.
• [43:28] Communication insights from Peoplehood and advice for entrepreneurs.
To Find Out More:
Julie Rice on LinkedIn
Peoplehood
SoulCycle
Awesome CX
Lee Greene Email
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:
“For me, the great fun in any business that I create is really about collaboration and the gifts that different people can bring to a project.” [0:06:34]
“Community and team activity is something that I’ve always loved participating in.” [0:07:04]
“A lot of the things that I learned in the entertainment business absolutely affected the way that I thought about brand building.” [0:09:55]
“Brand is really about who you want to be in the world; what does it feel like, sound like,, what does it smell like, what does it look like?” [0:10:13]
“The funny thing is, I never set out to be an entrepreneur. I never actually thought of myself that way until people started to use the word retroactively.” [0:15:14]
“We created something that we wanted to use.” [0:15:31]
“As an entrepreneur, having a business partner, if you can find the right partner, is great.” [0:18:14]
“We began to think about what it would look like to create something that was relational fitness; a place where we could teach people how to listen to each other, how to talk to each other and build a different kind of muscle.” [0:23:13]
“When you look at all the information out there, what we know for sure is that we cannot lead physically or mentally healthy lives without being in productive relationships.” — Julie Rice [0:24:17]
“We spend so much of our lives and our time in relationships and we really don’t spend the intentional time figuring out how to be in these relationships.” — Julie Rice [0:24:49]
“What people really want from people they are in relationships with is to feel heard by them, to feel seen by them, and to feel like their opinions matter to somebody.” — Julie Rice [0:27:29]
“What we’re doing at Peoplehood is really giving somebody space to peel the layers of their own onion.” — Julie Rice [0:31:46]
“An underpracticed and underappreciated skill is listening.” — Julie Rice [0:33:28]
“There’s something about stepping back and letting someone finish that is very powerful.” — Julie Rice [0:42:00]
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Description:
Nathan Kondamuri didn’t know that he wanted to start a business until the pieces fell together, and he co-founded the highly customizable Pair Eyewear, where he now acts as CEO. He joins us today to share the story of how his little brother inspired him to start Pair, how he scaled his customer experience team to over 100 members, and the challenges he faced in building on-demand production. Tune in to hear all this and more!
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:
AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:
• [02:22] Signs of an inherent love for iteration and business development from Nathan’s childhood in small-town Indiana.
• [10:58] His growing interest in mechanical engineering and his introduction to the start-up world beyond college.
• [17:00] How Nathan and his best friend had the idea for Pair in a Stanford dorm room.
• [20:58] Researching customers of all ages, early angel capital fundraising, and annual growth since launching to market in 2019.
• [26:59] Pivotal moments in Pair Eyewear’s distribution and growth, including building a design platform for customers to bring their favorite brands to life and blowing up on TikTok.
• [30:27] Scaling challenges like developing the on-demand production process.
• [35:57] The secret to structuring a team with the support of Awesome CX.
• [40:08] Pair Eyewear’s five-year focus to deliver a joyful customizable eyewear experience.
• [46:59] Why, given a do-over, Nathan would hire people in key areas earlier, how his role as co-CEO has changed, and advice for new entrepreneurs.
To Find Out More:
Nathan Kondamuri on LinkedIn
Pair Eyewear
Pair Eyewear on TikTok
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Awesome CX
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:
“I didn’t know I wanted to start a company – until Pair came about and one thing led to another.” [0:12:53]
“[My experience at Bain] gave me a very different way of looking at a business – I got to learn a lot about how a business runs, and how experienced people view and understand a business model.” [0:16:02]
“I had worn glasses since I was seven or eight years old, and it had always been an unexciting experience compared to any other consumer product in my life.” [0:17:31]
“We got to thinking, why had nobody ever tried to [recreate, redefine, and redesign] the glasses experience for consumers to be more personalized, to be more joyful, and dynamic, just as people are?” [0:18:14]
“We just knew we liked each other, we were really good friends and had been friends for four years, we had this idea, and we were excited to put our everything into that idea.” [0:20:04]
“Surround yourself with people that are absolute experts at their craft, at their area of expertise.” [0:24:26]
“We quickly, not pivoted, but expanded our mission and vision for the business to be able to personalize the eyewear experience not just for children, but for all people.” [0:26:23]
“We were trying to build a solution for kids like my brother to not be afraid of their glasses and not be daunted by the experience, but have it be something they were excited about.” [0:26:40]
“We were a real pioneer on the platform of TikTok where we grew heavily on the platform through an influencer-led strategy.” [0:27:34]
“Our mission and vision over the next five-plus years is to become one of the largest global eyecare companies in the world that’s focused on bringing personalization into the eyecare and broader eyewear end-to-end experience.” [0:40:08]
“We thought a lot about, when is the right time to vertically integrate? You really want to do it at a time when volume and demand is growing.” [0:45:33]
“The job of co-CEO now is not the same as it was when we first started the business.” [0:48:59]
“Just get out and start! That is one of the biggest roadblocks that people have.” [0:50:50]
“The only way to learn what it’s like to be a founder is to just dive right in and do it.” [0:51:20]
“Starting a company is a marathon, not a sprint.” [0:52:31]
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Description:
Joining us today to share her entrepreneurial story is Courtney Toll, co-founder and CEO of Nori, an innovative company in the ironing and steaming market. Tuning in, you’ll hear about her remarkable journey, from coming up with the idea for Nori (which is iron spelled backward!) in her cramped New York apartment to raising money in the depths of COVID to bringing a successful product to market. Courtney also shares details about how learning to do cold outreach at her job bolstered her entrepreneurial journey, the challenges of innovating with hardware, how they put together their distribution and branding strategy, and much more. You won’t want to miss this fascinating deep dive into the many intricacies of hardware innovation and what goes into making your vision happen!
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:
AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:
• [05:11] Courtney’s idyllic childhood in Connecticut, her lifelong perfectionism, the legacy of entrepreneurship in her family, her early jobs, and how her career goals evolved.
• [11:48] Key skills she learned from cold outreach; how this supported her entrepreneurship.
• [15:59] How she got the idea for Nori while living in a cramped New York apartment.
• [18:37] Courtney’s research; what she learned from interviewing over 500 consumers.
• [21:17] How she and her co-founder overcame the challenges of innovating with hardware.
• [26:19] Insight into their unexpectedly long product development process and how they implemented their distribution and branding strategy.
• [30:15] Raising money in the depths of COVID, the far-reaching usefulness of a demo video, and how having difficulty fundraising worked to their advantage.
• [38:27] Reflections on organic marketing and how to partner with the right influencers.
• [43:44] Their company’s approach to marketing and the primary lesson Courtney has learned about building a successful marketing stack.
• [46:22] What’s next for Nori, including launching some exciting new products, and parting words of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs!
To Find Out More:
Courtney Toll on LinkedIn
Nori
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Awesome CX
Quotes:
“I'm so grateful that I have gone on this path. And when I reflect on the things that are decisions that my family members made, I think it makes a lot of sense why I also went down this road.” [0:11:07]
“There's always more to be done, there's always growth to be seen, and therefore, I push myself quite hard to succeed.” [0:11:33]
“My co-founder and I ended up interviewing over 500 plus consumers to talk about what they liked about their existing ironing and steaming solutions, [and] what they didn't like.” [0:19:17]
“It wasn't easy by any means. But we also weren't pitching this random idea and asking for a very subjective 300,000 [dollars]. At that point in time, we had outlines [of] exactly where all of this money was going to.” [0:23:20]
“By the time that it was fully deployed, we had a working prototype and a lot of consumer feedback to validate the fact that we had stumbled onto something that we should take to market.” [0:24:25]
“We decided on one product development firm, a satellite office in China.” [0:26:30]
“With something like hardware, you do need to take your time really trying to get something right and [make] sure that it's giving you the desired output that you're looking for.” [0:27:24]
“The ironing steaming market is one that lives almost exclusively in big box retailers.” [0:29:06]
“We wanted to be a direct consumer business, we wanted this to be a one-to-one conversation with the customer. And we wanted to make this a really cool branded sexy purchase which feels totally in conflict with a product like an iron.” [0:29:16]
“Everything from our branding to the design of the product to the actual performance of the product was designed to sort of change the way you think about this type of chore.” [0:29:33]
“[With a demo video] you're not just hearing a testimonial about why you like [a] product, but you're actually watching it.” [0:33:22]
“I think the key takeaway here is building a marketing stack to support your direct consumer channel but making sure that all of the aspects of that marketing stack are feeding one another.” [0:44:58]
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Description:
Joining the show today is Fiona Chan, the Founder and CEO of Youthforia, a beauty brand creating innovative makeup that acts as a part of your skincare routine. Join us as she shares her story of starting a business during the pandemic, self-funding before finding Shark Tank support, and much more!
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:[01:56] Fiona paints the picture of her early life, education and early jobs.[10:44] Working in tech and a startup accelerator before becoming a founder. [14:41] How travel inspired the Youthforia brand and the hands-on process behind perfecting the product. [21:06] Building the brand on social media through storytelling and education. [24:49] Solving the funding problem through prioritizing inventory.[25:48] The Shark Tank experience and the story of getting funded.[29:21] Navigating new ways to get necessary data in a B2B context. [31:32] Product development and what’s next for Youthforia. To Find Out More:Fiona Chan on LinkedIn
Fiona Chan on Instagram
Youthforia
Youthforia on TikTok
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Awesome CX
Quotes:“You learn so much through osmosis.” [0:12:13]
“There was something about the pandemic that really made me think about what I actually wanted to do.” [0:14:13]
“The sharks, the way I perceived it, really love and support entrepreneurship and enjoy what they’re doing. They’re really happy to see deals go through” [0:27:24]
“When I had the idea to create makeup that you could sleep in, my first idea was to make a really nice foundation.” [0:28:42]
“When you switch from a purely B2C business to having a few sales channels, you don’t get data the same way as you would directly from Shopify.” [0:29:22]
“Once you have a retail partner, there are more complexities, especially on the operations side.” [0:30:06]
“I did not start this business to be in legal docs and spreadsheets all day, but it is a big part of fundraising.” [0:30:58]
“I am always in a state of product development. I would say that product development is my number one passion in what I get to do.” [0:31:39]
“I always like to tell people exactly what to expect from me.” [0:32:18]
“Finding people whose working style aligns with mine has been really helpful.” [0:34:24]
“I really love sitting down and just defining what I expect in a role and what the best outcomes are. Doing that really makes the hiring process a lot easier” [0:34:52]
“When I onboard people, I tell them, this is what you can expect from my personality and my working style.” [0:35:07]
“My biggest advice would be just to start. It’s never going to be the right time.” [0:36:28]
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Description:
As an entrepreneur, it can be tempting to try to master every aspect of the business, but today’s guest is proof that playing to your strengths and finding a partner with complementary skills is a winning formula. Jake Karls is the Co-Founder and Chief Rainmaker of Mid-Day Squares, a chocolate company geared to revolutionizing the snack industry. Join us as we discuss Jake’s unique path to entrepreneurship success, the decision to manufacture Mid-Day Squares in an independent factory, and the effect of digital transparency on relationship-building. Don’t miss today’s high-energy episode!
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:
AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:
[02:21] Lessons of hard work and resilience he learned from his entrepreneurial father.[10:12] Jake’s first foray into entrepreneurship; running an outdoor boot camp.[12:10] Co-founding Mid-Day Squares with his sister and brother-in-law in 2018.[20:51] Defining the roles and navigating the relationships behind the business.[24:09] A year-by-year look at the growth behind Mid-Day Bars since its inception.[28:13] How transparency has supported the fundraising process.[33:10] What happens when envy and insecurity affect our attitudes toward others.[36:39] Jake’s two experiences with burnout and his recovery process.[40:06] The story behind Mid-Day Bars.[42:21] Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and a glimpse into the future of Mid-Day Bars.To Find Out More:
Jake Karls on LinkedIn
Jake Karls on Instagram
Mid-Day Squares
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Awesome CX
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:
“I know [that] anything is possible as long as you work hard and you have that resilience, that grit and love and passion for what you do.” [0:03:36]
“If you work hard and put your effort and love into something, you have a chance of winning in that field.” [0:05:45]
“Through my [first] five years of entrepreneurship, I learned not to do what I’m really bad at, and to do what I’m really good at [instead].” [0:12:51]
“When you are yourself, truthfully, you are your best version and you are unstoppable because nobody can actually be you.” [0:16:30]
“Our strategy was simply not to talk about the product on social media, but to share the journey of how we built this business.” [0:24:32]
“We build out loud.” [0:28:57]
“I feel like I’m playing the game better than I ever have before because I lost that ability to be – envious or judgemental.” [0:35:35]
“My advice is block out the noise and be yourself.” [0:42:23]
“Being yourself is a superpower.” [0:42:43]
“We’re doing it by being ourselves which means that you can do anything by being yourself as well.” [0:43:20]
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Description:
From completing an undergrad at Harvard to becoming a K-Pop sensation in Korea to founding and formulating his very own skincare line, Paul Baek’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. In this episode, we delve into the unexpected twists of Paul's life, discussing his courageous decision to break away from the norm and forge a path that led him to the creation of his skincare company, Matter of Fact. Join us as Paul shares how his upbringing shaped him, the gratitude he feels for his immigrant parents, the exhilarating experience of K-Pop stardom, and the pivotal moments and mentors that shaped his journey as an entrepreneur and skincare innovator.
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:• [01:41] Paul’s upbringing in Florida, the touching sacrifices his parents made for their family, why he is so grateful to them, and the realities of being part of an immigrant family.
• [05:51] His early desire to become an artist and why this was a terrifying prospect for his parents.
• [12:30] The gratitude Paul feels for the teachers who believed in him, how they encouraged his aptitude for mathematics, and why his sister felt so protective of him.
• [14:44] Being accepted into Harvard, the culture shock he experienced, and the inspiration he felt being around so many talented students.
• [18:46] Paul’s love of music and K-pop; the incredible story of how he signed a deal with an agency in Korea and what it was like being a K-pop star.
• [33:43] Leaving behind a music career, going back to school to earn an MBA, and how Paul first entered the world of startups at Atom Factory.
• [37:24] Paul’s dermatological journey; from meeting one of his future mentors in South Korea to formulating his own skincare products and founding a company.
• [45:24] How Paul has evolved as an entrepreneur; the biggest challenges he’s faced and the most rewarding successes.
• [56:36] Partnering with Sephora, key lessons around fundraising, and the gratitude Paul feels for the investors who joined before they launched.
• [1:02:16] What’s next for Paul’s company, Matter of Fact, and his advice for other entrepreneurs.
To Find Out More:Matter of Fact
Matter of Fact on Instagram
Matter of Fact on X
Matter of Fact on Facebook
Paul Baek on LinkedIn
Atom Factory
Lee Greene on LinkedInStairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:“I'm very proud of the hard work and sacrifices that my parents made in order to provide for their family. And of course, that's not something unique to me. That's true of so many parents, and especially immigrant parents. But it's something that I'm very grateful for.” [0:03:26]
“I wanted to be an artist, actually. But, of course, that scared the living daylights out of my parents who were living this hard immigrant life.” [0:06:48]
“For a very long time, I didn't think that it was possible to have a sustainable career and to spend time making things every day professionally. And so I do feel very, very lucky now that I am able to do that every day.” [0:09:21]
“The joy of making things with my hands is something that has helped me. And, as a child [was] probably also [a] self-soothing mechanism – [a] way to deal with sometimes stressful environments.” [0:12:19]
“I was lucky enough in that environment to have really great teachers who believed in my ability to learn. And so I joined the math club and the trivia club – places where my teachers encouraged me, and I seemed to have at least somewhat of a natural aptitude for it.” [0:13:31]
“At the time, I thought, ‘hmm, the only thing that I've ever thought about starting was something in skincare.’” [0:37:37]
“One thing that I was really inspired by was founders who are willing to roll up their sleeves and do as much work on their own before they asked others to join them.” [0:38:29]
“I said, ‘I don't know if I'm allowed to do that, because it's not been my formal training, it's just been a hobby.’ And she said, ‘You can do whatever the heck you want. And by the way, I'm happy to mentor you.’ And that was incredibly generous and kind and encouraging.” [0:40:05]
“We're the first and only vitamin C technology to do this: demonstrate clinical efficacy both at the beginning of the shelf life of the product and at the end of the shelf life of the product.” — [0:44:19]
“Every lesson has its counter lesson.” [0:48:21]
“When I left K-pop, there was a sense of new opportunities and freedom, there was also a sense of mourning because I didn't know whether I would ever get the opportunity to make a living doing anything creative ever again.” [0:50:35]
“How can we show that as such a small, young, early brand, that we may be small, but we're mighty.” — Paul Baek [0:58:00]
“My number one piece of advice would be to stay focused. Life is full of distractions, so many enticing attractive distractions. So it's important to stay focused on your goal – especially if that goal is starting a business because it's very difficult.” [01:03:26]
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Description:
Samantha Coxe is the Founder and CEO of Flaus, a dental hygiene product revolutionizing floss as we know it. She joins us to share her story, from growing up as an Irish Twin in Orange County to creating such an innovative product, and the challenges she faced along the way, with manufacturing, investment, product development, and more. Join us for a candid look at Samantha’s entrepreneurial journey.
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:• [01:20] Samantha Coxe’s journey, from growing up as an Irish Twin in Southern California to starting her electric floss brand, Flaus.
• [07:02] Her entrepreneurial tendencies, creative side, and golfing experiences as a child.
• [10:47] What prompted Samantha to study law and her experience working in Mergers and Acquisitions.
• [18:00] Coming up with the idea for ‘Flaus’ after a dentist’s appointment and running with it.
• [21:41] How an Indiegogo Campaign forced her to leave the law firm where she worked.
• [25:33] Choosing to run a crowdfunding campaign despite her doubts.
• [32:16] The role of angel investors in fuelling the manufacturing process.
• [37:35] Manufacturing glitches during the first product run.
• [43:23] Pivoting to a hard launch of the product.
• [44:30] Pros and cons of breaking up the manufacturing process.
• [46:30] Words of wisdom for other entrepreneurs.
• [48:36] What’s next for Flaus; including rolling out the second edition.
To Find Out More:Flaus
Samantha Coxe on LinkedIn
Samantha Coxe on Instagram
Rainfactory
Indiegogo
FOUNDERMADE
Finding Peace
SurveyMonkey
Doris Dev
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Awesome CX
Quotes:“I discovered [that] flossing is a massive pain point for most people. It dropped right into my lap. I never thought I was going to work in oral care!” [0:19:25]
“Before I wanted to invest a single dollar into Flaus, I [wanted] to get some external validation into this idea other than my friends and family. So I actually sent out a SurveyMonkey.” [0:20:02]
“Customers on Indiegogo understand that they’re buying the first generation of a product. They understand that they are backing something innovative that’s being created.” [0:26:32]
“Hardware is very much an iterative process so I knew that the first product was not going to be perfect.” [0:26:55]
“Working with a crowdfunding agency is really critical to having a successful campaign.” [0:28:43]
“Crowdfunding is all about the FOMO, you want to start off really strong.” [0:30:48]
“A lot of people get really focused on all [the] features you can add to things, but when you’re coming out with your Beta product, for us, we were so focused on the MVP.” [0:35:57]
“Luckily, because we were so small we could be so nimble. It was such a blessing in disguise.” [0:36:59]
“There’s no better investment than an investment in yourself.” [0:46:30]
“It’s so much more valuable to [build] with customer feedback than to build in secrecy.” [0:47:16]
“Finding mentors is so important.” [0:47:35]
“You can learn from other people’s successes and failures. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel.” [0:47:53]
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Description:
Today, Lee sits down with Kate Flynn, Co-Founder and CEO of Sun & Swell Foods. In this episode, Kate shares her inspiring story of making her sustainable snack brand plastic-free and creating a company that is a force for good (as well as good food). Tuning in, you’ll also find out what Kate wanted to be when she grew up, the tough lessons on failure that came with changing careers (and being a consultant), why she doesn’t consider herself a “typical entrepreneur,” her take on when is the right time to go full time on your side hustle, and her advice for leaning into your authentic leadership style versus being the leader you think you should be.
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:• [02:51] Kate’s “standard” upbringing in Ohio and her early love for consumer-end products.
• [08:07] Why she changed her name and how moving to North Carolina helped her realize the value of surrounding yourself with down-to-earth people.
• [14:08] Kate’s first job as a CPA and how her vision to be a businesswoman became a reality.
• [19:03] From Deloitte to Harvard (for an MBA) to Kurt Salmon (now Accenture Strategy): Kate’s trial-by-fire introduction to the retail and consumer products industry.
• [24:25] Tough lessons on embracing failure, being wrong, and getting over perfectionism that she learned a little later than most entrepreneurs.
• [25:55] The origin story of Sun & Swell and when Kate knew to go all-in on her “side project.”
• [32:31] How COVID strengthened her commitment to building a truly plastic-free brand.
• [41:43] Unpacking what Sun & Swell means when they say their packaging is compostable.
• [49:39] Insight into the battle between ego and authenticity in Kate’s fundraising journey.
• [54:41] Kate’s evolution as a leader, her advice for entrepreneurs in the trenches, and more!
To Find Out More:Sun & Swell
Kate Flynn on LinkedIn
Kate Flynn on Instagram
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Lee Greene Email
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:“There has been a connection to consumer-end products since I was really young. [There was] something that really resonated with me there.” [0:05:42]
“Surrounding yourself with people who bring you joy and make you a better person tends to serve you well in life.” [0:13:38]
“That vision of – being a businesswoman, I don’t even know what it meant. It was way too broad for me to understand, but that’s what I wanted to be. It wasn’t a teacher, it wasn’t a doctor – I wanted to be in the business world.” [0:15:51]
“I’ve learned as an entrepreneur to embrace failure, but it didn’t come until later in my entrepreneurial journey. I was not okay with failure for many, many years of my life.” [0:22:32]
“My whole journey as a consultant – was learning to get over perfectionism. It was learning to be okay with not being right all the time and be okay with failure. That was the first time I had to go through all those lessons, which ended up serving me well.” [0:25:05]
“[Transitioning to compostable packaging] is way harder than it sounds because of all the supply-chain differences between compostable and plastic.” [0:33:54]
“This is about a movement away from plastic, not just building a [snack] brand.” [0:36:10]
“We have two types of customers; one who is committed to zero-waste, they discover us because they’re trying to go plastic-free, and the other – who is just trying to make small steps in the right direction.” [0:47:00]
“The ideal state is no packaging – Ideally, you’re buying everything from your farmer’s market or [you have] a reusable bag and you’re going to your bulk store – The compostable solution is an interim solution to make it easier for people to make a step in the right direction if they can’t do the ideal state.” [0:48:58]
“It’s not about the end. It’s about the journey. Sometimes, the journey is way longer than you think. It’s usually very different than you think it’s going to be – If all you can focus on is the end goal – it’s not going to be a very fun journey.” [0:58:06]
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Description:
Joining us today is Jesslyn Rollins, the dynamic CEO of BIOLYTE®, the world's first IV in a bottle. In groundbreaking fashion, BIOLYTE® boasts 6.5 times the electrolytes of traditional sports drinks while containing only a third of the sugar you’d normally ingest. With humor and candor, Jesslyn discusses her journey from an imaginative childhood in Atlanta to becoming CEO of their family business. She shares the inspiring story of how her father and sister developed BIOLYTE® over four years (in secret!) after her mother’s battle with cancer and how their product was designed to help individuals with serious hydration needs. Jesslyn also breaks down her experience as CEO and what she’s learned during her tenure, from the challenges of being part of a family business — where no one has a background in business — to stepping into her own as a leader.
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:• [01:59] Jesslyn’s upbringing in Atlanta, Georgia, the love and support she received, her rich imagination as a child, and how her sisters influenced her leadership qualities.
• [17:28] Attending a prestigious private school, the pressure she faced to attend an Ivy League university, and how she struggled with balancing work and fun at college.
• [25:45] The founding of their family business, the inspiration behind it, and how her father and her sister worked on developing BIOLYTE® in secret for four years.
• [32:05] The key differentiators between BIOLYTE® and other hydration drinks: why it’s the only true medical grade hydration supplement.
• [34:10] Why her father is uniquely suited to have created the first IV in a bottle and the many considerations that went into developing it.
• [36:55] The challenge of navigating family dynamics and hierarchies in business, how she became CEO, and how each year as CEO has demanded something different from her.
• [46:13] Jesslyn’s approach to managing hierarchies and how seeking out training has helped her as a leader.
• [48:48] Untangling leadership, aligning your vision for the company, and getting to the heart of BIOLYTE®'s core message.
• [57:46] Personality tools, recruiting, and the importance of hiring people who have a robust character and are a good fit for the company.
• [01:02:11] Some of the biggest challenges Jesslyn has faced as a CEO, the key lesson she learned from their first lawsuit, and what’s next for BIOLYTE®.
To Find Out More:Jesslyn Rollins on LinkedIn
BIOLYTEVistage
Culture Index
Lee Greene on LinkedInStairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:“I definitely think that having two older sisters that were very strong women helped me become a leader.” [0:10:12]
“My mom and my dad — instilled a lot of confidence in me and my sisters.” [0:11:37]
“There's a way to lead that is true leadership. And there is a way to lead that is pure dictatorship.” [0:16:41]
“The pressure was to go to an Ivy League, and be very smart, and be a leader of whatever you were doing.” [0:18:26]
“My mom was my idol for social. My dad was my idol for work.” [0:20:01]
“[My dad and my sister] had been working on it for four years in secret and told nobody about it.” [0:27:50]
“The thought of working with my family, the thought of working in this company, and having this product that never existed, was so freaking cool to me.” [0:28:26]
“BIOLYTE® is the only true medical grade hydration supplement.” [0:32:06]“The ingredients in BIOLYTE® help your liver detoxify itself.” [0:33:56]
“My dad is uniquely suited to have created the very first IV in a bottle, because that's all he did for 43 years.” [0:34:11]
“I'm a huge believer of ‘to whom much is given, much is expected’.” [0:44:09]
“BIOLYTE® was started for a medical reason, and we're here to help hydrate people with serious hydration issues.” [0:49:18]
“There was no alignment. And now I have two VPs. I've got a new Vice President of Sales, and a new Vice President of Finance and Operations that are so aligned with my vision.” [0:52:03]
“Lean into your strengths and then hire for your weaknesses.” [01:04:38]
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Description:
Today on Stairway to CEO, Miki Agrawal, Founder of TUSHY, speaks passionately about her adventures in life and entrepreneurship, from her multicultural upbringing as an identical twin in Montreal, Canada, to playing soccer for the New York Magic to inventing products in taboo categories and creatively launching, marketing, and scaling them to $50 million and beyond. You’ll also hear about the setbacks, controversy, and revelations she had along the way, plus Miki lets us in on her top three ingredients for creating a successful brand.
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high-touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:• [02:40] Miki’s multicultural childhood in Canada, which she credits for her drive and ambition.
• [06:26] Memories of creative problem-solving and what Miki wanted to be growing up.
• [10:51] Her time as the “worst investment banker” in New York, why sleeping through her alarm saved her life, and how 9/11 prompted her to follow her dreams.
• [23:44] How multiple ACL injuries indirectly led to Miki starting her first business: Wild.
• [27:08] Taking NYC’s first alternative pizza concept from idea to marketable product.
• [28:53] What running Wild by herself taught Miki about the value of partnerships.
• [32:10] How the idea for Thinx was born during a three-legged race at a family BBQ and the important lessons she learned from marketing a taboo product.
• [39:08] Addressing the controversy that Miki attracted while she was CEO at Thinx.
• [42:36] Tiny and mighty: the benefits of hiring fewer, more senior people in the startup stage.
• [43:37] Miki’s three-part formula for changing culture, what’s next for TUSHY, and her community-focused advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
To Find Out More:Miki Agrawal
TUSHY
Thinx
Wild
DO COOL SH*T
Disrupt-Her: A Manifesto for the Modern Woman
Miki Agrawal on LinkedIn
Miki Agrawal on Instagram
Miki Agrawal on X
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:“[My parents] said, ‘If you see something that you don’t like, you’re somebody. You can go do it.’” [0:05:36]
“There’s no limit to your creative potential. You don’t have to have money, you don’t have to have resources, but you have creativity. That’s available to you at all times.” [0:07:15]
“The mystery of life is that you never know when it’s going to end. The time is right now to make every moment count.” [0:19:58]
“Pizza is a $32 billion industry. Americans eat 100 acres of pizza every single day. There was a huge opportunity – to take this beloved comfort food and turn it on its head and use gluten-free flours, hormone-free cheese, local seasonal toppings, etc.” [0:26:44]
“I learned about AB testing – by standing outside my restaurant and handing out pizzas for hours and hours, for years and years, and doing that day in and day out..” [0:30:15]
“Bringing in someone who’s really good at the thing they’re good at and giving me space to focus on the thing that I’m really good at was such an epiphany for me.” [0:31:19]
“Meet people where they are, make it artful, and make sure the product is excellent: that has been a thesis that has [been] a throughline [in] all of my businesses.” [0:35:24]
“I prefer [a tiny and mighty team] over many people that can do one job each. Let’s bring in a senior person, pay them more, incentivize them, and get them to do this task at the startup stage. Then, as we grow, let’s bring in more people.” [0:42:57]
“How do you change culture? Best-in-class product; considered, artful design; and accessible, relatable language. That works.” [0:47:51]
“I’ve always known the importance of community and how cultivating your friendships means a lot.” [0:50:38]
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Description:
Today, Lee is joined by the inspirational Ashley Thompson, Co-Founder and CEO of MUSH; an innovative overnight oats brand that tastes more like dessert than a healthy breakfast! Ashley shares her journey from the world of finance to entrepreneurship, how her father inspires her, her take on fundraising, and the challenges she’s faced. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about how Ashley has found success by staying in control of her mindset, managing her energy and emotions, and so much more!
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:• [01:03] Introducing today’s guest, CEO of MUSH, Ashley Thompson.
• [02:34] Ashley tells us about how her entrepreneurial father inspired her, the early leadership skills she had, and the challenges she faced in childhood.
• [15:52] Studying at Columbia University, her drive to work hard, realizing that she didn’t enjoy the world of finance, and finding her true passion.
• [20:51] How Ashley came up with the idea for MUSH and how people responded to her change in career.
• [28:32] How Ashley found her co-founder, the steps they took to develop their product, and their first ‘big break’.
• [34:31] Working with Shark Tank, Ashley’s take on fundraising, and the dangers of raising too much capital.
• [41:20] Ashley shares her toughest entrepreneurship moments; including her co-founder leaving, how she overcame them, and the important lessons she learned.
• [45:23] How Ashley manages her energy and emotions through reading, writing, talking, and staying healthy.
• [47:34] Why Ashley’s favorite MUSH flavors are chocolate and peanut butter chocolate and what’s next for the brand.
• [50:15] Ashley shares some advice about the power of mindset for aspiring entrepreneurs.
To Find Out More:MUSH
Ashley Thompson on LinkedIn
Ashley Thompson on Instagram
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:“I always wanted to be the best, and I always wanted to leave a mark in some way shape, or form.” [0:09:40]
“I especially [gravitate] towards things that could help people or could make the world a better place.” [0:09:46]
“I really wanted to race out of college and start a job because I wanted to make money [and be] independent.” [0:16:44]
“Oatmeal is so ubiquitous, and no one knows what overnight oats are!” [0:22:16]
“Businesses need all of your time and attention!” [0:26:21]
“You want to get the basics right before you scale.” [0:30:22]
“There’s so many different [business] strategies, and execution plays a huge part in a winning strategy.” [0:32:53]
“It takes money to make money – and at the same time, raising too much capital [can cause you to] build the wrong company for the product by having too much capital at your disposal.” [0:37:49]
“You have to manage your energy and emotions appropriately to get through the really hard things.” [0:44:25]
“The power of mindset is everything!” [0:50:35]
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Description:
Sarah Jahnke is the Founder and CEO of Homecourt, a home fragrance brand co-founded by Courteney Cox and made with non-toxic skincare-grade ingredients. During this episode, she joins Lee to share her story. Tune in to hear what it was like to meet Courteney Cox for the first time over Zoom, her journey to fundraising for the first time, how she has grown into her leadership role, and much more.
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:• [02:20] Sarah Jahnke’s story of growing up in Michigan and New York, starting her first business at 12 years old, and performing all her life.
• [10:14] Her career journey, including an internship at Sears e-commerce, a role at PwC, returning to Business School, and working for legacy fragrance brands.
• [15:49] Meeting Courteney Cox via Zoom in brightly colored linen.
• [18:46] How Sarah developed the concept for the brand from a candle brand to a luxury home fragrance brand; which includes skincare-grade ingredients.
• [20:17] Product and brand development through the lens of luxury beauty.
• [23:01] What ‘scentscaping’ means at Homecourt, and which fragrances Courteney prefers.
• [24:50] Starting at Homecourt on January 1st 2021, and fundraising for the first time.
• [28:55] How the brand has been received by customers and the press.
• [31:21] In-person points of discovery for the brand at gyms and hotels in LA.
• [32:37] The product and price range including everyday cleaning products and sustainable packaging.
• [33:50] How Sarah has experienced her first role as CEO.
• [40:41] Naming the business and what they had to keep in mind.
To Find Out More:Jobi Capital
Sarah Jahnke on LinkedIn
Sarah Jahnke on Instagram
Homecourt
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:“Having been in the fragrance market, I knew that there was a lot of opportunity to bring more prestige fragrances into new formats.” [0:19:43]
“I said, why don’t we disrupt the household products category with fine fragrance and this luxury beauty philosophy?” [0:20:00]
“If you get to experience our products, you’ll see a very high-end niche-style perfumery with very high-quality ingredients that would typically be reserved for Eau de Parfum.” [0:20:42]
“We use 100% post-consumer recycled material in all of our packaging; from the bottles to even the unit cartons.” [0:21:14]
“We’re really bringing fine fragrance into these new formats.” [0:22:44]
“I had so many great people in my corner through networking and meeting other entrepreneurs in LA who were able to help me and guide me.” [0:27:08]
“The press loves us and thinks that we are innovators in the space. We’re not pigeonholed as just another celebrity brand. It’s truly seen as authentic to Courteney.” [0:29:15]
“I feel very proud that the quality of our product is what’s being recognized and is what’s bringing people to the brand and also keeping them there.” [0:29:46]
“Even with Courteney being the co-founder, and having millions and millions of followers, and really being the number one way people discover the brand, as a fragrance brand, it’s really important to also be able to try the products in person.” [0:31:37]
“Being an entrepreneur is my ultimate life lesson of letting go.” [0:36:06]
“The why doesn’t matter. It’s happening. So how are you going to react to it?” [0:38:50]
“Trust the timing and how all the dots can connect.” [0:44:09]
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Description:
Today Lee is joined by an incredibly innovative entrepreneur, the Co-founder, and CEO of Burrow, Stephen Kuhl. Burrow is a company that makes buying furniture simple with swift delivery, easy assembly, and a multitude of options. In this episode, Stephen shares his love for customer research and outlines how he was inspired to go to business school before delving into how he and his business partner came up with the idea to start Burrow. We discuss their incredible journey from rejection to massive success, their experience throughout COVID, what’s in store for them in the future, Stephen’s interesting leadership style, and so much more!
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:• [00:03:26] How Stephen’s passion for skiing made him accident-prone and pushed him into a traditional career path.
• [00:10:11] How the overwhelming desire to fall asleep at his bank job made Stephen realize it wasn’t for him.
• [00:13:17] Stephen’s first business venture, the ‘true start’ of his career, and his journey into investing.
• [00:18:21] How being part of investment inspired Stephen to apply to business school and his experience of it.
• [00:20:49] Meeting his Burrow co-founder, the start of their innovative furniture company, and Burrow’s unprecedented fundraising success.
• [00:27:35] Their gross margin challenges and ‘faking it’ to get factories to work with them.
• [00:37:55] Burrow’s milestones, how COVID-19 affected them both positively and negatively, and their ‘secret sauce’ to success.
• [00:37:55] What’s next for Burrow and why Stephen loves doing customer research the most.
• [00:47:46] The importance of having a coach as an entrepreneur and Stephen’s straightforward leadership style.
To Find Out More:Burrow
Stephen Kuhl on LinkedIn
Stephen Kuhl on X
Stephen Kuhl on Instagram
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:“If I didn’t care about the product that the company sold, it didn’t really matter what work I was doing.” [0:15:55]
“I – wanted to make more money so I went into investing.” [0:17:19]
“You know what’s better than investing in consumer companies? Working at [those] companies!” [0:18:57]
“By second year [of college] I think half of my class [thought] I dropped out because I was living in New York [working on Burrow].” [0:26:52]
“You sort of just have to pretend that something is really good even though you’re not there yet.” [0:31:56]
“The fake it till you make it thing is real!” [0:32:19]
“Luck is huge, right? I think most people don’t give enough credit into how much luck plays into [success].” [0:33:11]
“If you bought furniture in 2020/2021, most companies were quoting you like six months to a year to deliver it – and for most [things] we pretty quickly got [delivery] back down to one to two weeks.” [0:43:04]
“We’re just scratching the surface with new products!” [0:44:34]
“Give clear feedback, set clear direction, check in with people frequently, and then – you definitely need to empower people and accept that they won’t do things like you would do [them] but as long as the outcome is similar, you should not care.” [0:50:07]
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Description:
Sharing his story today is Dillon Ceglio, the Co-Founder and CEO of Chubby Snacks, a brand modernizing the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Catching up with Dillon, we hear all about his upbringing in a small city in New Jersey and how it sparked a competitive mindset in him and cultivated his taste for entrepreneurship that would flourish later on in life. He also shares the story behind why he tattooed his SAT score on his body, highlighting the idea of stepping stones on life’s trajectory, and shares the story behind how Chubby Snacks came to be! To hear more about navigating retail challenges, exploring manufacturing options, and dealing with a cease-and-desist letter from Smuckers, be sure not to miss out on this episode!
Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.
In This Episode, You’ll Hear About:• [00:02:48] Where Dillon calls home now, about his hometown, some childhood memories, siblings, and what he was into as a kid.
• [00:04:15] What sparked his competitive mindset, his first exposure to entrepreneurship, early jobs, and what he aspired to be when he grew up.
• [00:06:00] Dillon’s childhood challenges, being cut from his first sport, his struggle through tough formative high school years, and why he tattooed his SAT score on his body.
• [00:08:40] His college story, dropping out of state school, switching his mindset, viewing community college as a business opportunity, and a life-changing moment he experienced.
• [00:10:35] Gaining confidence in who he was, the track he was on for his career, and looking at college and his degree as a stepping stone in his life’s trajectory.
• [00:12:40] The journey behind what inspired him to get into entrepreneurship, how he created his first app and started his first company.
• [00:17:30] His evolving journey from a digital marketer and landing on performance marketing for e-commerce brands.
• [00:18:45] How he came up with the idea for Chubby Snacks and shifted gears from e-commerce to food and beverage.
• [00:21:28] What it was like being hit with a cease-and-desist from Smuckers, how they navigated the entire situation, and why they decided on a cloud-shaped sandwich.
• [00:25:21] How they came up with the name Chubby Snacks and how their operations have been the differentiator for their product.
• [00:32:30] He talks about fundraising and finding investors by showcasing their story, work ethic, and vision.
• [00:34:10] The challenges they’ve overcome, dealing with B.S., and maintaining perseverance.
• [00:36:08] What it was like getting into retail, focusing on moving products already on the shelf, and why they’re all moving to San Diego.
• [00:40:52] Dillon’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs and what’s next for Chubby Snacks!
To Find Out More:Dillion Ceglio on LinkedIn
Dillon Ceglio on Instagram
Dillon Ceglio on X
Dillon Ceglio on TikTok
‘Threatened By Smucker And Facility Closure, Chubby Snacks Amasses $3.25 Million To Launch Superfood Peanut Butter And Jelly Sandwich Nationwide’
Chubby Snacks
Chubby Snacks on Instagram
Chubby Snacks on TikTok
Chubby Snacks on Facebook
Lee Greene on LinkedIn
Stairway to CEO
Stairway to CEO on Instagram
Quotes:“My mom was a personal trainer and spin instructor as a kid, so I got to see firsthand what it meant to be in the best shape of your life at a very early age, and I thank my mom a lot for instilling very healthy habits for me.” [0:03:20]
“[Being an athlete growing up] ultimately created this competitive mindset for me, which I think I carry very closely to me at this point in my life.” [0:04:17]
“I actually have my SAT score tattooed on me because I did terribly on my SATs — as a constant reminder that it didn’t mean anything.”[0:07:13]
“What sticks with me the most is that it doesn’t matter where you start; it matters where you finish.” [0:08:16]
“I looked at junior college [or] community college, as a business opportunity.” [0:08:50]
“I saw [college] as more of a stepping stone, I didn’t necessarily go to college with the expectation that whatever my degree was, I was going to end up in that field after — it was another one of the building blocks that ultimately led to gaining more confidence.” [0:11:55]
“I have the ability to think differently and think logically, so why can’t I come up with an idea that can ultimately be turned from an idea into a reality?” [0:13:41]
“With a name like Chubby Snacks, the cloud-shaped sandwich, we think we’ve done a really good job at ultimately putting our sandwich at the forefront of grocery stores.” [0:24:47]
“You hear a name like Chubby Snacks and you’re going to remember that. It doesn’t matter in what capacity, but when you think of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich you’re either going to think about the Uncrustable or you’re going to think about Chubby Snacks!” [0:25:27]
“I can’t possibly take myself too seriously, I sell peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a living, right? Why not have fun with this!” [0:26:18]
“We laugh and joke and say that we are the Albert Einsteins of peanut butter and jelly manufacturing. There’s not joke, we are. We’ve tried 100 different ways to make these things and we cracked the code time and time again!” [0:29:46]
“We constantly showcased our abilities to be good problem solvers, and I think that carries a lot of weight in order to be able to get people to really buy into what it is that we are doing.” [0:33:26]
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