Founder Lulu Ge turned personal pain into purpose with Elix, an herbal wellness brand rooted in Chinese medicine with 90% repeat customers.

For more on Elix and show notes click here

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Nima Jalali built SALT & STONE out of his apartment into a $100M+ brand. After an ACL injury redirected his path, he created something he desperately wanted but didn't exist, a high quality, clean deodorant, that actually performs. SALT & STONE has now become one of the fastest growing brands in the space to-date by doing things differently.

For more on Salt & Stone click here. 

You’ll Learn: 

• Why going through 5+ product iterations beats launching "good enough"
• The digital excellence strategy that makes retailers chase you (not the other way around)
• How to build legacy brand positioning even as a one-person startup
• Why getting a "no" from retailers too early can kill your momentum
• The mindset shift from solo athlete to team builder
• The key to building a digital identity that inspires & attracts customers

CHAPTERS: 

00:00 Introducing Nima Jalali, Founder & CEO of SALT & STONE

3:00 Transitioning from Pro Snowboarder to Business Owner 

4:55 The 5 Generations of Product Perfection

6:45 How to Think Like Nike When You're a Solo Founder

8:13 What Nima Did to Build a Brand Sephora NEEDS to Have

10:09 Steps to Achieve Digital Excellence 

12:39 SALT & STONE’S Philosophy on: Ingredient Sourcing, Product Development & Testing 

19:06 How to Set Your Business Up to Grow Into a Legacy Brand From Day 1  

22:07 The Retail Strategy That Never Fails 

28:35 Tackling Global Expansion & Managing Expectations as a Founder   

29:55 Single Most Impactful Thing NIma Did in The First 6 Months That Made SALT & STONE Successful 

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Harlem Candle Company founder Teri Johnson started pouring candles in her Harlem kitchen with no budget and no team—just a clear sense of purpose. That focus helped her turn handmade gifts into a nationally recognized brand rooted in culture, design, and storytelling. In this episode, she shares how she validated demand early, built trust online without samples, and made tough decisions to protect her peace and profits.

For more on Harlem Candle Co and show notes click here

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Actively Black didn’t start with a product—it started with a community. By building a 23,000-person audience before launch, founder Lanny Smith turned purpose-driven storytelling into a $55,000 first day and a $2 million first year. His journey shows aspiring entrepreneurs why demand-first thinking, authentic mission, and smart list-building can change everything.

For more on Actively Black click here

You'll Learn:

• Why Actively Black built community before developing a product
• The email + SMS strategy that led to $55K in sales on launch day
• How to sell $2M+ in your first year—even with constant stockouts
• Why fast growth can be just as dangerous as no growth
• How to use storytelling and cultural pride to create brand resonance
• What it takes to build long-term customer trust without discounting
• How Lanny structured partnerships with Marvel, Disney, and iconic estates
• The real math behind inventory planning at scale (and why it’s so hard)
• How to align investors with your vision, not just your bottom line
• Why purpose is more powerful than product in competitive industries
• How Lanny’s personal values fuel every decision—from pricing to hiring

Chapters:

00:00 Introducing Lanny Smith, Founder of Actively Black

01:02 How a Career Pivot Sparked a $2M Vision

01:27 Building 10K Followers Before Launching a Product

03:31 Why Purpose-Driven Branding Fueled $55K on Day One

06:54 What Selling Out in 3 Weeks Taught Us About Manufacturing

10:30 How Actively Black Landed Partnerships with Marvel, Disney & More

17:52 The Traits Behind Scaling to 8 Figures and Beyond

18:48 What to Know Before Entering the $1.5T Apparel Market

19:54 From “No” to $2M: How to Power Through Rejection

21:43 Turning a Personal Setback Into Multi-Million Dollar Growth

25:35 Why Actively Black Is More Than Just Merch (And Why That Matters)

29:04 How Mission and Authenticity Drive Repeat Purchases

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Taza Chocolate didn’t follow trends—it built a lasting brand by doubling down on its differences. Founders Alex Whitmore and Kathleen Fulton share how staying true to their product, owning their manufacturing, and leading with purpose helped them weather crises and grow a resilient business.

For more on Taza Chocolate and show notes click here

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While the bike helmet industry screamed "you need this for safety!", Gloria Hwang did the opposite. She made helmets so beautiful that 25% of Thousand customers are wearing helmets for the first time ever. Thousand now offers helmet and bike accessories in 20+ countries with financial backing from REI and the Clif Bar Family Office. 

Gloria talks all things customer loyalty, business branding, and nailing your product roadmap for maximum impact. She intimately shares how a personal tragedy inspired a mission to save 1,000 lives, and how that number grew to 1,300+ through their lifetime crash replacement guarantee. You’ll learn the counterintuitive strategy that made safety cool, and why Thousand wins with culture instead of competing on tech features. 

For more on Thousand click here. 

You’ll learn: 

• Why fear-based marketing fails and what works instead
• The psychology insight that built a $10M+ brand across 20+ countries
• How 25% of customers are first-time helmet wearers
• Transitioning from maker to manager over 10 years
• Taking back the product roadmap to return to core differentiation
• Why solving customer problems beats chasing growth at all costs

Chapters:

00:00 Introducing Gloria Hwang, Founder & CEO of Thousand

1:30 How to Change Customer Behaviors 

4:11 The Personal Tragedy That Started Thousand & The Design Philosophy That Wins Every Time

5:15 Why 25% of Customers Are First-Time Helmet Wearers

7:30 Steps to Get Further Differentiated & Beat Out The Competition 

9:55 Strategies for Collecting High-Quality Customer Insights 

16:00 Expanding to 20+ Countries & Quality Standards

19:50 The BEST Advice Gloria Has Ever Gotten 

24:30 The Hardest Transition Gloria Went Through & How to Tackle People Problems 

29:20 What to Ask for When Pitching Investors (Surprise, it’s NOT Money)  

32:48 How Motherhood Changed Her Approach to Business

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How founder Catherine Lockhart built Shelter Skin through deliberate growth, in-house manufacturing, and radical transparency.

For more on Shelter Skin and show notes click here

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Matthew Burrows didn't start Plant Material with a big budget, but through strategic inventory management and real-time tracking, he's built a three-location business growing 50% year-over-year. Today, the business competes against giants like Home Depot and Lowe's, taking pride as the #1 search result on Google. 

In this heartfelt conversation Matthew shares the exact systems that allow him to never overstock, eliminate waste, and maintain the illusion of endless inventory. All while operating with a lean team and minimal capital! Plant Material acts a safe-haven for community gatherings as they offer California-native and regionally appropriate plants, gardening tools, and other art objects in three different Los Angeles nurseries. You’ll learn the ins and outs of merchandising, plant nursery management, and the inventory technique that saves Matthew 6-figures in revenue.   

For more on Plant Material click here. 

You’ll Learn:

• How Matthew uses mobile inventory tracking to buy only what he needs in real-time
• Why strong grower relationships allow ultra-lean operations
• The forecasting method that predicts seasonal demand with precision
• How to make a small retail operation appear much larger than it is
• Why online showcasing (not just selling) drives foot traffic
• The SEO strategies that help Plant Material compete without ad spend

Chapters:

00:00 Introducing Matthew Burrows, Cofounder of Plant Material 

1:08 How to Achieve 50% Year-Over-Year Growth (Despite Challenges) 

2:44 Defining Your Mission– The Do’s & Don’ts

3:34 Why to View Competition As A Good Thing (Even Home Depot)

5:25 The Best Tips From 15 Years Of Retail Experience 

7:30 How to Scale Brick-And-Mortar First, Online Second

8:15 How Shopify Showcases Real-Time Inventory to Save Plant Material 6 Figures

12:17 Build an Efficient Supply Chain + Inventory Management Systems Tools 

17:55 Steps to Prepare for Seasonality In Business  

20:23 Building Gardens for The Community + Events That Make An Impact

23:42 The Key to Appearing Bigger Than You Are (The SEO Secret) 

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MiJa Books grew from a side project to a nearly $1M business by turning customer feedback into smart pivots, book fairs, and scalable systems.

For more on MiJa Books and show notes click here

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SET Active founder, Lindsey Carter has nailed a well-timed, high in demand, product drop. Now the team sells out millions worth of products in the matter of hours. In just seven years, she's built a celebrity-loved athletic wear brand that generates $1 million in under an hour and is on track to hit $30 million in annual revenue this year. Lindsey has yet to take on a dollar from investors and has no plans of slowing down any time soon. 

Lindsey shares the strategies behind building a brand that Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and thousands of loyal customers can't get enough of. She candidly opens up about building a community with 8,200+ super fans on Instagram, and leveraging AI tools that save her and her team hours every day. We’ll dive into the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, from placing risky second orders to keep momentum going, to learning hard lessons about hiring. 

For more on SET Active click here. 

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• The exact strategy behind SET Active's $1M resort drop (and why location matters)
• How to build real community that drives sales (spoiler: you can't fake it)
• AI tools that turned 5-hour tasks into 5-minute wins
• Why momentum is everything and how to maintain it across drops
• Social media secrets and why you should treat each platform like a different family member
• Smart hiring practices and what makes employees buy into founder vision
• The power of asking for help when you need it most
• How transparency and vulnerability create customer loyalty
• What's next for Set Active…Four Seasons collabs, gorpcore, and 90s-inspired collections

Chapters:

(Tips: use vague and general language that identifies what the next few minutes will talk about) 

00:00 Introducing Lindsey Carter & Set Active

2:20 The Lightning Strike Moment: How Lindsey Discovered Her Entrepreneurial Passion

5:07 The Investor Advice Every Entrepreneur Needs to Hear 

7:00 How to Build Momentum Early In Business (+ How to Keep it Going) 

10:21 Core Challenges 7 Years into Set Active & How to Overcome Them

14:45 Hitting Rock Bottom In Life/Business–How to Bounce Back from A Down Year 

19:47 The $1M Resort Drop Strategy

23:26 New Trends Coming Up: Gorpcore, a Four Seasons collab & more

25:10 Why You Can’t Fake Community & Winning Social Media Strategies 

27:09 AI Tools That Set Active Swears By

35:29 The Secret to Consistent Wins: How Set Keeps Momentum Going 

Guest: Lindsey Carter

Title: Founder & CEO 

Company: SET ACTIVE 

Industry: Fashion

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Beekman 1802’s founders turned crisis into opportunity, building a $92 million skin care brand by starting small, staying disciplined, and leading with heart.

For more on Beekman 1802 and show notes click here

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