Episode 163
Did Austin Turn Soda Into Fashion? | Stephen Ellsworth, Co-founder, Poppi
September 3, 202552m 51s
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Show Notes
Poppi is a fashion brand that happens to be soda. Stephen Ellsworth, Co-founder of Poppi, joins us to walk through the operating choices behind turning a vinegar problem into a modern soda badge. It’s how you build, scale, and exit a consumer brand. It’s another signal that Austin’s flywheel is real and accelerating.
Highlights
- 01:48 Dark days, PMF before funding
- 08:05 Farmers market to Whole Foods
- 14:50 Rebrand beat Shark Tank awareness
- 24:58 Poppi as Fashion
- 33:46 Make healthy default via taste
- 38:54 AI palate mapping
- 46:48 Austin needs cross-sector collisions
- 51:40 What's Next Austin?
Guest Links
Stephen Ellsworth: Instagram, LinkedIn
Poppi: Website, X, Instagram
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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack
Topics
Hard TechDeep TechInnovation EcosystemsVenture CapitalAustinCorporate StrategyManufacturingStartupsTechnologyLife SciencesEconomic Development