High Stakes Growth

Isaac Mertens is the co-founder and CEO of Flux Footwear, a minimalist shoe brand that focuses on style and performance doing mid-8-figure annual revenue. Expect to hear about: – Etsy to Ecom: How Isaac scaled a furniture brand to 7 figures on Etsy, and why not owning demand pushed him to start Flux. – Financial Discipline: How his accounting background shaped a zero-debt, no-VC business with a focus on contribution margin and cash flow. – Amazon Breakout: The playbook behind going from $0 to $10M on Amazon in 2025. – Finding Hidden Growth: How niche personas (from Disney-goers to truck drivers) unlocked new Meta scale in a crowded ad landscape. – The Mission Behind Flux: Why Isaac cares more about creating genuine value for customers than selling the next trendy item. Find Isaac on:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaac-mertens-5b107964/

Hector Hughes is the co-founder and CEO of Unplugged, a company offering tech-free cabin stays that help people disconnect from their phones and reset in nature. Expect to hear about: – Origin Moment: How a 10-day silent retreat in the Himalayas in 2019 pushed Hector to quit his job and start Unplugged just weeks later. – The Hard Part: Why it took 5 years to truly figure out the unit economics and revenue model, and his lessons from asset-heavy scaling. – Who It’s Really For: Why 80% of guests are couples, and how three days offline can reshape (or end) relationships. – Betting on Brand: How betting on brand marketing in 2025 created "brand heat" and cut CAC by 30-40% in a matter of months. – Founder Evolution: Hector’s shift from fear-driven hustle to a more sustainable, long-term approach to leadership and life. Find Hector on: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/hector-hughes-10082195/

Lomit Patel is the CMO of Try Your Best (TYB), a commnunity rewards platform that helps brands reward its biggest fans and build community. He previously held senior roles at Tynker, IMVU, Texture, TrustedID, and Roku.Expect to hear about:– From Operator to Leader: How your way of work evolves as you transition from growth operator to strategic leader.– Community as Growth Engine: Why he believes efficient growth starts with retention, and how community drives LTV, referrals, and trust.– Being Early to AI: How Lomit used AI at IMVU circa 2018 to scale growth and compete with companies with much bigger budgets.– The Human Edge: Why he sees AI as a tool for marketers, not a replacement, and why the element of human trust will matter even more in the future.– Brand Beyond Last Click: Why he changed his view on brand, and how brand-building creates demand that performance marketing captures.Find Lomit on:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lomitpatel/ Find Lomit's newsletter "Lean 360" here:https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/lean-360-7153201357359927296/

Ramon Vela is the host of The Story of a Brand podcast, where he’s interviewed 1,000+ brand founders and operators across the consumer and ecommerce landscape. We break down 5 of the most important brand-building lessons he’s learned from those conversations.Expect to hear about:– The Power of Saying No: Why Chomps focused on one channel to build operational strength before scaling.– Building for Generations: How Hammitt’s long-term thinking turns durability into trust and repeat customers.– Surviving the Avalanche: How the Kuli Kuli founder's near-death experience shaped her ability to stay calm under pressure.– Planning for Downside: Why modeling worst-case scenarios helps brands survive unexpected drops.– Hiring Failed Founders: The surprising upside of hiring operators who’ve already learned hard lessons the hard way.Find Ramon on:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramonvela/

Josh Suggs and Jesse Eisenberg are co-founders of StreetTalk, a fast-growing agency producing street interview ads for brands like Dr. Squatch, Grüns, and Ridge Wallet.Expect to hear about:– Dropping Out to Go All-In: How Josh left college, moved to NYC, and bet on street interview ads, and why Jesse told his mom to let him drop out.– Corporate to Scrappy: Why Jesse left a large agency to bet on StreetTalk, trading big teams and boardrooms for startup build mode.– The Rise of Unscripted Creative: Why influencer fatigue and AI-heavy ads are pushing brands toward raw, unscripted reactions.– Scaling Operations: What it takes to produce 10,000+ interviews for 150+ brands, and turn capturing spontaneous moments into a repeatable system.– Beyond the Street: Their push into B2B events, conferences, and building a content engine around Josh’s personal brand.Find Josh on:Twitter/X – https://x.com/joshsuggss LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-suggs-street-interview-ads-9912a3251/ Find Jesse on:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-eisenberg-streettalk/

Michael Fisher is the founder and CEO of Rotten, a sour gummy candy brand launched in 2023 that's a better-for-you product, but also with fun, nostalgic 90s kids-cartoon branding. This episode is part of "The Climb," our series featuring founders in the early stages of building their brands. Expect to hear about: – Candy-First Brand: Why he rejected looking like a “diet candy” and built a weird 90s cartoon universe around Dr. Rotten. – Learning CPG from Scratch: Spending 2.5 years recipe testing, running focus groups, and launching a Kickstarter before selling a bag. – TikTok to 6,000 Doors: Using DTC and social to validate demand, then scaling into ~6,000 retail stores. – 1,000% YoY Growth Pains: What broke with rapid revenue growth, and how Michael resolved supply chain issues. – From Solo to Team of 6: Shifting from doing everything himself to hiring operators and learning to lead. Find Michael on:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-fisher1/

Mark Samuel is the founder of Mark’s Snacks, a seed-oil-free kettle chip brand he launched in 2025, and previously the founder of IWON Organics. Expect to hear about: – Scaling IWON to 6,000 Doors: How Mark started IWON and grew the brand to thousands of retail doors. – Knowing When to Walk Away: How Mark knew it was the right time to license the brand out to a manufacturer in 2024. – Building in Public: How years of daily LinkedIn posting grew a 70,000+ follower base and helped launch Mark’s Snacks. – Health as a Founder Edge: Why Mark puts personal health above all else, and how his workout routine has evolved over the decades. – A Seed-Oil-Free Second Act: Why he’s betting on avocado-oil kettle chips and putting his name on the bag to build a connection with customers. Find Mark on:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/markalansamuel/

Dinah Chapman is the founder of Little Trouble, an 8-figure kids clothing brand that has a fun and punk-inspired aesthetic.Expect to hear about:– Starting on Maternity Leave: Why Dinah launched Little Trouble in 2022 while pregnant and still working full-time in corporate marketing.– Scaling to $10M: How product expansion, retention, and paid media drove rapid growth.– Building Abroad: How traveling with her family to New Zealand, Bali, and Japan helped her leave her old routine in the U.S. and unlock bigger picture thinking for Little Trouble.– Building a Great Team: How Dinah resisted the “cheap labor” playbook and ensured she could offer strong pay/benefits and invest in A-players.– What’s Next: Inventory constraints, operational pressure, and the collabs and bets planned for 2026.Find Dinah on:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dinah-chapman/

Allison Taylor is the co-founder of Le Prunier, a plum-powered skincare brand that partners with her family’s plum farm in northern California.Expect to hear about:– Growing Up on the Farm: Allison's childhood memories of the farm and the deep tie to the land that later shaped the brand.– Early Retail Breakthroughs: Meeting Neiman Marcus early on and quickly earning credibility with retailers like Credo and Goop.– 30,000 Orders Overnight: How an organic Chrissy Teigen post sent demand through the roof, and their sprint to scale operations.– Sustained Growth: How they collaborate with affiliates, use UGC, encourage product reviews, retain customers, use Gen AI tools, and more.– Building With Family: How the three sister co-founders divide roles, leaned on therapy early on to stay aligned, and navigate decisions as a bootstrapped family business.Find Allison on:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-taylor-98495a115/

AJ Patel is the SVP of Global Growth at U Beauty, a fast-scaling luxury skincare brand that just launched a Sephora partnership.Expect to hear about:– Career Shifts: Why AJ moved from analytics into commercial growth, and from Unilever to a startup.– Growing Without Promos: Why U Beauty limits discounts and focuses on education over price cuts to build long-term brand trust.– Sephora: How the Sephora partnership came together and why AJ sees it as an awareness and credibility engine.– Creative > Targeting: Why creative is now the primary growth lever on Meta, and how U Beauty tests 100+ creatives per month to scale efficiently.– Profit Over Growth-at-All-Costs: Why AJ prioritizes retention, margin, and long-term brand health as U Beauty scales.Find AJ on:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-patel-ecommerce/

Charles Brun is the co-founder of IZIPIZI, a Paris-based eyewear brand designing stylish, affordable glasses now sold in over 80 countries worldwide.Expect to hear about:– Founding with Friends: How Charles and two high school friends of his launched IZIPIZI in 2010, and the rules they set to protect their friendship.– Beyond Wholesale: Why wholesale worked early, and how they layered in DTC and retail channels to build a lasting brand.– The Rebrand Bet: The 18-month switch from “See Concept” to IZIPIZI, and how they picked their new name.– Cracking the U.S. Market: How IZIPIZI plans to turn the U.S. from 15% of their total revenue into their #1 market.– Staying in Control: Charles' thoughts on when PE partnerships truly add value to your brand.Find Charles on:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbrun/

Ryan Rouse is a co-founder of Factor (a ready-to-eat meal delivery brand sold in 2020), and has also served in executive roles at Serenity Kids and Highkey. Today, he's President at MALK Organics, a plant-based milk brand leading the dairy-alternative space.Expect to hear about:– Leaving “Safety”: Why Ryan walked away from a lucrative finance career after the 2008 financial crisis reshaped how he viewed risk and ownership.– Building Factor: Co-founding Factor, bootstrapping through the early years, and how him and his partner grew the business despite capital pressure.– A Hard Tradeoff: Why Ryan sold his equity in Factor early to support his family, and how he made peace with that decision after the brand sold for $277M three years later.– Finding His Edge: How Ryan realized his strength isn’t in zero-to-one startups, but in scaling fast-growth brands in the $40M-$200M stage.– The MALK Journey: Why scaling MALK from $40M to $100M has been one of the most rewarding opportunities of Ryan's career. Find Ryan on:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanrouse/ Twitter/X – https://x.com/MaalkMan

Myriam Belzile-Maguire is the co-founder of Maguire Shoes, a Montreal-based brand she started with her sister in 2016 that makes fashion footwear for women. Expect to hear about: – The Origin Story: How seeing a pair of shoes that were produced for $20 but sold for $500 convinced her there was room for high-quality shoes at affordable prices. – Betting Her Savings: How she launched with $15K in savings and kept Maguire alive by working a part-time job for two years. – Two Loss Years: Operating at a loss in 2023 and 2024, the toll it took emotionally, and the changes she made to fix it. – Finding the Right Mentors: How guidance from experienced brand founders helped her return to profitability in 2025. – What’s Next: Why she’s betting on European wholesale and a refreshed brand identity to go for Maguire's next goal: $20M annual revenue. Find Myriam on: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/myriam-belzile-maguire-6967b213/

Joe Welstead is a former pro swimmer and co-founder of Motion Nutrition, sold in 2022. Today, he's the co-founder of Oshun, a brand that offers electrolyte and magnesium supplements in a pump dispenser bottle.Expect to hear about: – Athlete vs. Founder: The similarities and differences between being a pro athlete and an entrepreneur.– Lessons from his First Brand: Why, if he could do it all over again, he'd launch Motion Nutrition with one hero product instead of 15 SKUs.– Rethinking Hydration Branding: Why Oshun positions electrolytes for daily brain fog, skin health, and sleep instead of traditional sports performance.– Profitable by Design: How Oshun has stayed profitable from day one to keep the door open for either holding the brand or selling when the timing is right.– Building a Life, Not Just a Brand: How Joe is structuring his second founder journey to preserve time with his family.Find Joe on:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-welstead/

Meredith Mills-Merritt is the founder and CEO of The Original Southside, a canned gin cocktail brand made from a family recipe. This episode is part of "The Climb," our series featuring founders in the early stages of building their brands. Expect to hear about: – From Beauty to Booze: Why Meredith left her corporate career in beauty brand management to start her own consumer brand. – 13 Months to Perfect: The long R&D process to commercialize her family recipe while keeping it organic and true to the original recipe. – Stadium Deals: How an Instagram DM led to a Florida Panthers partnership and opened doors with college programs like LSU. – Fighting for Shelf Space: Competing in a capital-intensive RTD category with standout packaging and “liquid to lips” marketing. – What’s Next: New drink products in development, a focus on growing in retail, and Meredith’s vision for Southside’s next stage of growth. Find Meredith on:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithleahmills/

Ben Dancer is the founder of Zed Sleep, a new brand creating performance sleepwear designed to help people sleep better. This episode is part of “The Climb,” our series featuring founders in the earliest stages of building their brands.Expect to hear about:– From Harry’s to Founder Life: Why Ben left his role as Director of Brand at Harry’s after six years to start his first venture.– Why Sleepwear: How opportunity in the sleepwear category and a lifelong interest in wellness inspired him to start Zed Sleep.– Technical Apparel: How Ben's partnering with fabric mills in Austria and sleep scientists to create temperature-regulating and ultra-soft garments that improve sleep.– Brand Challenge: Stretching into a space where "performance" and "sleep" go together, and creating an aspirational brand.– Early Founder Lessons: The emotional rollercoaster of launching his first company and learning to make decisions without perfect data.Find Ben on:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/bendancer/

Steven Sashen is the co-founder and CEO of Xero Shoes, a barefoot-inspired footwear brand doing about $70M in annual revenue.Expect to hear about:– From Stand-Up to Start-Up: What Steven learned as a professional stand-up comedian and how solving his own running injuries led to Xero Shoes. – Shark Tank: Why he turned down Kevin O’Leary’s $400K offer for 50% of the company, and how this experience convinced him to go all in on Xero Shoes.– Scaling: How Xero hit $70M in annual sales and maintains one of the highest repeat-purchase rates in footwear.– PE & Agencies: Why Steven believes that working with PE and agencies can be tricky, and his rules for identifying worthwhile partnerships. – Life Lessons: Steven thoughts on happiness, luck, how to spend wisely, and his top two book suggestions for anybody looking to live better.Find Steven on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashen/

Aaron Zagha is the CMO of Newton Baby, one of the largest DTC baby sleep brands in the U.S., known for its innovative baby mattresses, cribs, and more. Expect to hear about: – From Banking to Ecom: How Aaron went from M&A to e-commerce after two failed startups, and found his calling in data-driven marketing. – Bootstrapped Growth: Why Newton Baby scaled to 8-figure sales without outside funding, and how Aaron thinks about profit-first marketing. – The Influencer Bet: How leaning into Instagram creators early helped Newton dominate a premium, trust-based category. – COVID Opportunity: Why Aaron doubled ad spend while competitors pulled back, and how that unlocked a lasting step change in growth. – AI & Brand: How Aaron's using GenAI for creative and his take on what marketers get wrong about the difference between "brand" and "performance" marketing. Find Aaron on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronzagha/

Brad Woodgate is the founder and CEO of Joyburst and The No Sugar Company, the two latest brands in Brad's long history in CPG, beginning with Wellnx Life Sciences in 2000. Expect to hear about: – Bootstrapped from Day 1: Why Brad never raised outside capital, and how each brand he started built the financial foundation for the next one. – The No Sugar Bet: How Brad recognized that “no sugar” would be a lasting global health movement, and built a brand to lead it. – Disney x Joyburst: The story of how Disney’s executive team discovered Joyburst and made them the official beverage partner for Inside Out 2 and Lilo & Stitch. – On Stage with Vanilla Ice: How Brad met Vanilla Ice and created a "Joyburst" song with him, to help Joyburst break into Costco. – Founder Advice: How Brad manages his time running 4 companies and his #1 piece of advice for other founders. Find Brad on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-woodgate-b30b8113/

Henrik Jonsson is the CEO of agood company, a Swedish brand that creates truly sustainable or "circular" phone cases and other products, hitting profitability in 2025 under his leadership. Expect to hear about: – The Circular Revolution: How agood company turns old phone cases into new ones using a circular model, creating products that are truly sustainable. – The Retail Pivot: How agood company shifted from DTC to 85% retail sales after realizing online acquisition wasn’t profitable. – Breaking the Premium Myth: Realizing that reports from consumers saying they'll pay more for sustainable products are simply not true, and how agood company adapted. – Local Production, Global Scale: The strategy behind opening factories in Texas, South Africa, and India to localize production and enable their circular model. – Leadership in Balance: Henrik’s candid take on the emotional rollercoaster of being a first-time CEO, and why sleep, health, and family time are how he stays in balance. Find Henrik on:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrik-jonsson-1915378/

Dr. Andrew Hughes returns to the "Human Thread" series to help Forest and Leah tackle one of marketing’s most delicate frontiers: emotion. Where’s the line between resonance and manipulation? Together, they unpack how emotion captures attention, why overload leads to burnout, and how brands can use emotion responsibly in an always-on digital world.Expect to hear about:The Amygdala Effect: How emotional triggers hijack attentionEmotional Overload: What happens when every ad makes you feel too muchSensory vs. Emotional Fatigue: Why today’s marketing feels “too loud”Ethics & Emotional Profiling: When empathy becomes exploitationBrand Takeaways: Designing emotion that connects—without crossing the line

Nick Saltarelli is the co-founder and co-CEO of Mid-Day Squares, a functional chocolate brand doing $40M in annual revenue across North America. Expect to hear about: – Family as Cofounders: The journey of building with his wife and brother-in-law, and why weekly therapy was non-negotiable. – Starting with Constraints: Why they made a self-imposed rule to not use Facebooks ads in year one and still hit $1M in sales. – Building in Public: How transparency and a commitment to authenticity shaped Mid-Day Squares’ bold content strategy. – Securing Costco: How they relied on their fanbase to beat Costco's Road Show record in 36 days. – Bitcoin & Cocoa: How a 700% spike in cocoa prices led Nick to start transacting directly with farmers in Bitcoin. Find Nick on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-saltarelli-063a5965/ Twitter/X - https://x.com/nickywonka

Jenny Casson, a two-time Olympic rower with team Canada, and Manuella Widjaja, a former YC startup operator, are the co-founders of Daylilie, a new apparel brand rethinking bras for broad-shouldered women. This episode is part of "The Climb," our series featuring founders in the early stages of building their brands.Expect to hear about:– Meet-Cute to Cofounders: How a cold DM about fit surveys turned into a partnership that led to Daylilie’s founding.– Silhouettes, Not Sizes: Why they’re challenging outdated bra design by focusing on body shape, not just cup and band.– Prototype to Patent: Their journey through seven prototypes and securing provisional patents on their side strap and cup designs.– Going Viral: Their internal debate about whether to push for viral moments with Daylilie or a slower but steadier social media growth strategy.Jenny's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercassonoly/ Manuella's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuellawidjaja/

Tiana Ravden is the founder and CEO of Eroe, a lingerie brand that keeps sweat stains off your clothes with an innovative, patented bra design that's been 10 years in the making and launched February 2025. This episode is part of "The Climb," our series featuring founders in the earliest stages of building their brands.Expect to hear about:– The DIY Spark: How Tiana cut up a T-shirt and slipped it under a silk dress, sparking the idea that became Eroe.– Fabric Failures: Losing her “perfect fabric” right before launch and why the timing delay during COVID turned out to be a blessing.– Patent Patience: Spending three years in back-and-forth battles with the patent office before securing her patent.– Breakout Moment: How a Today Show feature sent Shopify orders flooding in from across the country.– What’s Next: Fundraising, hiring key team members, and chasing wholesale partnerships to scale Eroe into a household name.Tiana's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiana-ravden-%E2%9C%B4%EF%B8%8F-09778a3/

Wylie Robinson is the founder, former CEO, and Chairman of Rumpl, an 8-figure brand that makes performance blankets and sleeping bags for the outdoors.Expect to hear about:– Frozen Van Epiphany: How a night stranded in the Sierras inspired the idea for Rumpl.– Kickstarter Launch: Turning a “sleeping bag blanket” prototype into $250K of preorders in 30 days.– Co-Founder Split: Why diverging visions led to an early breakup, and Wylie’s advice for navigating founder separations.– Shark Tank Spotlight: The reality of pitching on national TV, walking away from offers, and what the exposure delivered.– Stepping Back as CEO: Why Wylie handed over the reins in 2024, and how returning to product and creative has reenergized him.Extras:– Wylie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wylierobinson/ – Wylie's article (mentioned in episode) on navigating co-founder splits: https://www.entrepreneur.com/growing-a-business/why-i-had-to-fire-my-co-founder-ceo-and-close-friend/321499

Abdul Altaf is the 21-year-old co-founder of Yay Nuts, a Gen Z snack brand doing $250K in monthly revenue one year after launch. This episode is part of "The Climb," our new series featuring founders in the early stages of building their brands.In this episode, expect to hear about:– First Hustles: How Abdul went from Amazon bans, eBay flips, and vending machines to spotting a gap in the snack aisle.– Gen Z Branding: Why he saw the opportunity to launch a fresh, trend-driven nut brand his generation could connect with.– Breakout Growth: The TikTok strategy that drove $40K in the first month and $2M in sales within a year.– Scaling Pains: The supply chain bottlenecks stopping the brand from jumping from $250K to $1M per month.– What’s Next: Abdul’s plan to launch new flavors, expand DTC channels, and eventually take Yay Nuts past $50M in sales.Abdul's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdul-altaf/

Chase Fisher is the founder, former CEO, and current Brand Evangelist of Blenders Eyewear, an 8-figure sunglasses brand born in San Diego.Expect to hear about:– The Early Hustle: How Chase started Blenders by selling shades out of his backpack, opening up about just how hard the early days really were.– Buying Out His Cofounder: Why their visions split, and how going solo unlocked 300% growth over the next two years.– $90M Acquisition: The chaos behind a deal delayed by redlines and COVID, and how Chase held it all together.– Coach Prime x Blenders: The bold partnership that put Blenders on the global stage and reignited the brand’s momentum.– Stepping Down as CEO: Why Chase hired a CEO for Blenders in 2025, and how he’s reclaiming his zone of genius as the face of the brand.Find Chase on:Instagram - @chasefisherLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chase-r-fisher/

Dr. Andrew Hughes returns to the "Human Thread" series to help Forest and Leah unpack one of the most urgent questions in modern life: why can’t we focus anymore? From brain chemistry to platform design, we explore how attention is being hijacked — and what that means for marketers, brands, and human beings.Expect to hear about:The Brain on Distraction: How TikTok and Instagram reshape neural pathwaysDigital Dopamine: Why the scroll feels good… until it doesn’tNeuroplasticity & Burnout: What attention overload is doing to workers and creatorsMarketing in the Attention Economy: Strategy or exploitation?Brand Takeaways: How to reach your audience without feeding the noise

Garret Akerson is the co-founder and former CEO (now Chairman) of Kindred Bravely, one of the largest maternity and breastfeeding brands in the U.S. Expect to hear about: – Origin Story: How Garret and his wife Deeanne started Kindred Bravely after she was expecting and couldn’t find quality maternity clothes. – 2018 Crisis: How he saved the business by scaling ad spend and pulling off a make-or-break Black Friday & Cyber Monday sale. – Hiring A+ Players Fast: Their unique group-interview process that surfaces top talent quickly and efficiently. – 2021 Exit: Why he and Deeanne sold a majority stake to PE, to de-risk and de-stress. – Life After Exit: Staying involved in Kindred Bravely and launching a Vistage CEO peer group in San Diego to mentor other founders.Find Garret on:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/garretakerson/

Ian Blair is the former co-founder and CEO of the mobile app builder BuildFire, and today is the co-founder and CEO of Laundry Sauce, a laundry detergent brand.Expect to hear about:– BuildFire: How Ian started a mobile app builder that built 15,000 apps and sold it during a SaaS downturn.– CEO x2: How Ian managed 80+ hour work weeks to run both BuildFire and Laundry Sauce at the same time.– Betting Big on Detergents: How Ian reverse-engineered his financial goals by choosing a high-LTV, non-discretionary DTC category. – Leveraging AI: Why Ian believes AI will unlock efficiency in ad creative and customer research across ecommerce.– Personal Interests: Ian's obsession with biohacking and love for extreme sports like skydiving, big-wave surfing, and heli snowboarding.Find Ian on:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianblair44/

Rob Fraser is a former Canadian national team cyclist and current founder and CEO of Outway, a fast-growing DTC sock brand doing 8 figures in annual revenue.Expect to hear about:– Pro Cycling to Start-Up Life: How Rob’s athlete mindset helped him build a business from scratch.– Co-Founder Buyout: Why Rob took on $150K in debt to buy out his cofounder and regain control of his company.– Name Change Crisis: Being forced to change his company's name under legal pressure, and sprinting on a full rebrand in 6 months. – Burnout: Rob's story of burning out hard and being sick for a year post-rebrand, and how he recovered.– 90% YOY Growth: An inside look at the decisions Rob made in July 2023 that led to massive growth in early 2025.Find Rob on:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbfraser/ X/Twitter - https://x.com/robbfraser

Taylor Offer is the co-founder and former CEO of apparel brand Feat, doing over $50M in lifetime sales, and is now building his new startup in stealth, backed by a16z.Expect to hear about:– College Hustle: Launching Feat from campus with $300 and a pop-up table.– Betting on Influencers Early: Moving to LA and striking deals with Logan Paul, Aly Raisman, and The Chainsmokers.– Hitting Burnout: Making the difficult choice to sell a majority stake and step down as CEO after 10 years at Feat.– Finding Himself Again: A healing journey through therapy, psychedelics, yoga, and more.– Back to Build Mode: A sneak peek at Taylor’s new venture, and why he’s aiming to build a multi-billion dollar company.Find Taylor on:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tayloroffer/

Adam Schwartz co-founded TeePublic (acquired by Redbubble) and is now co-founder and CEO of Parable, helping enterprise orgs uncover and fix operational inefficiencies through AI-powered analysis.Expect to hear about:– Bootstrapping to $20M+: Why Adam focused entirely on supply-side growth at the start of TeePublic—and how it quietly paid off.– The Exit Decision: How he knew it was time to sell, and why growing “too big” can kill your shot at getting acquired.– Enterprise Inefficiency at Scale: What Adam saw on public company boards that shocked him—and sparked his idea for Parable.– How AI Actually Impacts Teams: Why efficiency gains through AI don’t necessarily lead to layoffs and often lead to more hiring, not less.Find Adam on:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgregoryschwartz/

Michael Perry (known as "MP") is the founder of Kit (sold to Shopify in 2016) and founder and CEO of Maple – a platform that enables parents to share and manage family responsibilities.Expect to hear about:– From Debt to Acquisition: MP’s journey from food stamps and $70K debt to selling his 3rd company, Kit, for millions.– Hard Truths About Founder Life: MP's candid take on the real costs of entrepreneurship and how it's reshaped his views on time, money, and ambition.– The Mission Behind Maple: His vision to transform parenting culture in America through his company.– On Support and Priorities: Why he believes no one is truly self-made, and how being a parent comes before being a founder.Find MP on:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mlperry/

Ryan Beltran is the co-founder and CEO of Original Grain, a watch brand that creates unique watches with reclaimed wood, metal, and other materials.Expect to hear about:– Breakout Success: How Ryan turned a $10k Kickstarter goal into $390k in 30 days to launch his business.– Scaling to $100M: The highs, lows, and lessons learned on the road to 9-figure lifetime revenue.– Growth Tactics: Ryan's advice on building a brand identity, driving LTV, and more.– Partnership Signals: How to spot brand collaborations that actually boost your revenue.– Big Bets: Where Ryan is investing in his business to achieve the next $100M in 3 years.Find Ryan on:Twitter/X - https://x.com/ryanbeltran LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-beltran/

Jacob Peters is the co-founder and CEO of Superpower, a health "super-app" for tracking and improving your health that just raised a $30M Series A.Expect to hear about:– The Story Behind Superpower: How his mom’s chronic illness and Jacob's own near-death hospitalization inspired him to start Superpower.– $30M Series A: Jacob's plan to deploy this capital to put an AI doctor in everyone's pockets within 5 years.– Building a 150K Waitlist: How creative drops, referral loops, and a viral hoodie campaign helped Superpower explode pre-launch.– Creating a Movement: How Jacob is turning Superpower into the first healthcare brand people want to belong to through community building.– Balancing Health and Hustle: Jacob’s reflections on the personal cost of building Superpower.Find Jacob on:Twitter/X - https://x.com/J__Cub LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobdpeters/ Extras:Jacob's Twitter/X thread on tactics he used to build a 150k person waitlist: https://x.com/J__Cub/status/1873810708573671601 Jacob's personal link to skip Superpower's waitlist, visit:superpower.com/jacob

Lily Walla is the founder of SPOTS (sold in 2023) and today is the founder and CEO of Auggie, a community and marketplace platform for parents.Expect to hear about:– The Founder's Mindset: Lily’s belief in “delusional conviction” as essential for startup success.– Funding & Growth: How she raised nearly $4M for Auggie and her insights on bootstrapping vs. VC.– Scaling in Hyper-Growth: Tactics for building systems fast and succeeding in saturated markets.– Balancing Life & Leadership: Lily's reflections on navigating motherhood while leading a company.Find Lily on:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-walla-527b082b/

Matt Meeker is the co-founder of Bark and Meetup.com, and currently serves as Executive Chairman and CEO of Bark.Expect to hear about:– Burning $200M Cash: How Matt successfully led a major turnaround as CEO after a difficult 2022 fiscal year, implementing tough but necessary changes.– IPO and Fundraising Advice: Why he urges caution on going public and warns against raising capital too early.– Hiring the Right Leaders: Matt's 495-day search for a CFO and the one quality he values most.– Customer Experience Lessons: The costly mistake of compromising on quality and what it taught Matt.– Life as a CEO and New Dad: Surprises of leading a public company and how fatherhood shifted his priorities.Find Matt on:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattmeeker/

The co-founders of Jetset – Forest Bronzan and Leah Lloyd – launch the High Stakes Growth podcast!