Social Currency with Sammi Cohen

Once dismissed as the next big retail casualty, Barnes & Noble had all the makings of a cautionary tale—shrinking sales, shuttered stores, and a revolving door of leadership. But in a surprising turn of the page, the bookstore giant is not only surviving—it’s thriving. Today, Sammi unpacks the epic comeback story of Barnes & Noble under the leadership of James Daunt. You’ll hear how the company pivoted away from a centralized, cookie-cutter model to embrace local community tastes, redesigned stores to rekindle the magic of browsing, and rode the wave of BookTok to win back readers. From understanding the brand’s original rise and near-fall, to dissecting the bold strategies behind its revival, this episode explores what Barnes & Noble’s rebound says about the future of retail—and why the story is far from over. Here’s what Sammi covers today: 00:00 – Why Barnes & Noble Is a Case Worth Studying01:08 – The Origin Story of Barnes & Noble’s Empire 02:56 – The Beginning of the End of Barnes & Noble 04:42 – The Amazon of it All06:15 – Leadership Turmoil and the 80% Fall in Stock Price 08:10 – The Unexpected Turnaround and B&N’s MVP 10:19 – James Daunt’s Playbook for Success 11:42 – The Comeback: Growth, Expansion and BookTok 14:54 – The Future of Retail: Lessons from Barnes & Noble 16:51 – How to Show Social Currency Some Love Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before the Beautyblender sponge was a staple in every makeup bag, it was a clever DIY tool dreamed up on set by professional makeup artist Rea Ann Silva. Then came a hot pink hero product, a cult following, and a revolution in the beauty industry. Today, Sammi sits down with Rea Ann to unpack how she turned her first invention into a multi-million dollar brand— and what it took to stay on top. They dig into the battle against dupes, the growing pains of scaling, and Rea Ann’s decision not to take outside capital. This is the story of a product that changed the beauty industry—and the founder who created the category. Follow Sammi on Instagram here Follow Beautyblender on Instagram here Here’s what Sammi covers today with Rea Ann: 00:00 Updates from Sammi 00:23 The Origin Story of Beautyblender 03:17 How Rea Ann Built Her Prototype 15:50 The Decision to Keep Operations In-House 22:45 The Process Rea Ann Used to Build Her Team 23:39 Rea Ann’s Decision Not To Fundraise 28:30 The Secret to Organic Marketing 30:23 The Rise of Dupes in the Beauty Industry 33:46 How To Educate Your Consumer 37:46 How To Cater To Different Customers 39:59 Milestones and the Smithsonian Museum Story 46:20 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is saying “I do” costing Americans more than ever? In today’s episode, Sammi rips the veil off the modern wedding machine—revealing how a once-simple ceremony ballooned into a multibillion-dollar status symbol. From five-figure flower budgets to wedding cake surcharges, Sammi tracks who’s cashing in (think The Knot, Zola, and a swarm of luxury vendors) and how the creator economy has cranked up the pressure to go bigger, farther, and glossier. Plus, Sammi shares what she learned about destination weddings and saving on wedding dresses through her own experience. Here’s what Sammi covers today: 00:00 Updates From Sammi 01:12 How Much the Average Wedding Is Costing Americans 02:33 The Most Expensive Part of Saying “I Do” 04:47 Destination Weddings and Sammi’s Experience 05:52 Which Wedding Brands Are Winning 09:57 The Social Media Effect 11:53 Sammi’s Predictions: Which Wedding Trends Are Here to Stay Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before credit card points were a lifestyle, Brian Kelly was just a travel-obsessed guy with a blog. Then came a viral New York Times article, a flood of traffic, and a big bet on affiliate marketing that turned The Points Guy into a multi-platform media empire. Today, Brian tells Sammi how he turned his passion project into a profitable business, what he learned from selling his brand twice, and how he secured partnerships with the biggest financial institutions in the world. Plus, Brian drops pro tips for maximizing travel rewards, choosing the best credit cards, and navigating the ever-changing landscape of travel perks. Whether you're a points rookie or a seasoned globetrotter, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss. In this convo, you’ll find out how to travel smarter — and maybe even in first class — without breaking the bank. Follow Sammi on Instagram here Follow Brian on Instagram here and The Points Guy here Order Brian’s book How to Win at Travel here Here’s what Sammi covers today with Brian: 00:00 Updates from Sammi 01:58 How Brian Became The Points Guy 08:01 Brian’s First Deal and Monetizing TPG 16:18 Scaling Challenges and Wins 24:11 Burnout and TPG’s Acquisition Stories 28:07 How the Pandemic Impacted TPG 29:41 How Brian Built Strong Partnerships 34:13 How Businesses Should Diversify Channels 36:20 Brian’s Unconventional Leadership Strategies 41:27 Social Currency Corner and Tips on Maximizing Travel Rewards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wondered if your side hustle could become your full-time gig? Today, Sammi shares everything she learned from taking that leap herself. If you’re sitting on a big idea or just curious what it really takes to bet on yourself, Sammi uses her own story as a case study to share actionable advice and a behind-the-scenes look at building a brand from scratch. She shares the key lessons from working the opening shift at Aldi, launching a match brand, pivoting into tech and logistics during the pandemic, and how Mindy Kaling gave her the ultimate confidence boost. Follow Sammi on Instagram here Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter here Here’s what Sammi covers today: 00:00 Why This Episode is Special 02:39 Early Obsessions with Business 03:43 Why Entertainment Was Not It 05:33 The Aldi Experience (and Crying in Chicago) 08:46 Starting a Matcha Brand 12:22 The Origin Story of Tanner's Tea 13:43 The Pandemic Pivot 15:29 The First Video and (Later) Going Viral 19:03 Finding a Niche 19:59 The Turning Point 25:50 Building Social Currency 28:19 How You Can Show Social Currency Some Love Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How did a small health food store become the go-to grocery destination for celebrities, influencers, nepo babies, and anyone who wants to signal their status and health to the world? Today, Sammi unpacks how your favorite influencer’s favorite grocery store, Erewhon, cultivated its cult following. Sammi traces the brand’s rise from its origin story, to the acquisition that changed everything, and how much money the brand is making from the Hailey Bieber smoothie. Sammi uncovers the real secret to Erewhon’s success— not the perfectly-curated aisles— but the transformation of wellness into a status symbol. Here’s what Sammi covers today: 00:00 Updates from Sammi 02:12 Erewhon’s First Location and Origin Story 03:23 Erewhon’s Acquisition and the “Murdochs of Macrobiotics” 05:50 Erewhon’s Business Model, Surprising Bestsellers and Financials 07:46 Influencer Collaborations and Income From Luxury Smoothies 13:01 The Future of Erewhon and Health as a Status Symbol 14:04 How You Can Show Social Currency Some Love Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At just 23 years old Ty Haney was the face of Outdoor Voices—the mind behind the “Doing Things” movement and a figure of the Girlboss era. Then came the backlash, boardroom battles, and exit from the brand she built. Today, Sammi sits down with Ty to unpack the rise and fall of Outdoor Voices and Ty’s game-changing second act. Ty reveals what she wishes she knew as a first-time founder, the dark side of VC and the most important lesson she’s learned on equity as a founder. She also shares the latest on her new ventures—Joggy, a clean energy brand, and TYB, a platform redefining what community-powered business looks like. If you've ever launched, led, or lost something you built, this one will hit home. Follow Sammi on Instagram here Follow Ty on Instagram here Check out TYB here and Joggy here Here’s what Sammi covers today with Ty: 00:00 How Ty Haney Scaled Outdoor Voices to $100M 02:05 How to Build Community within your Business 06:17 The Curse of the Girlboss Era 08:41 The Trap of Growth Versus Profitability 21:13 The Importance of Equity as a Founder 23:27 Second Acts: TYB and Joggy 29:37 The Value Proposition of Joggy 32:21 The Value Proposition of TYB 46:00 Insights and Reflections 48:52 Social Currency Corner 49:58 Advice for Founders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Social Currency, Sammi Cohen unpacks the stories that are shaping business, culture and the intersection of the two. From boardrooms to Instagram trends, Sammi speaks with business leaders to connect the dots between brand, consumer and influence, so you don’t just keep up—you get ahead. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday. Follow now to stay in the know. Want more? Find Sammi on Instagram @sammicohentalks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices