Features:

When I think of founder stories that move me to my core, Octavia Morgan’s journey is right at the top.  In this episode, I sit down with Octavia Morgan, CEO and Creative Director of Octavia Morgan, to discuss building a fine fragrance brand rooted in intention, courage, and community....

When I first saw the product from NoNormal, I was intrigued. A coffee paste… in a tube? I’d never seen anything like it. But as someone who loves coffee and spends a lot of time outdoors, I instantly got the appeal.  In this episode, I chat with Alexander Haberlin, co-founder of NoNormal, about how…

I had a blast sitting down with Dan Schaefer, Founder & CEO of Native Pet.  We kicked things off with gratitude. Dan shared how his wife was his “first angel investor,” backing his leap from BCG into entrepreneurship while raising a young family. From there, we got into the big idea behind...

I had the pleasure of sitting down with James Reynolds, Co-CEO and Co-founder of Coco5, and what a conversation it was.  From the South Side of Chicago to Wall Street to the beverage aisle, James’s journey is packed with powerful lessons on grit, reinvention, and staying true to your purpose. He op…

In this episode of The Story of a Brand, I sit down with Gary Redmond, co-founder of BusterBox, a subscription box that delivers joy straight to your dog’s doorstep.  What started as three friends looking to create something fun and meaningful quickly became one of the fastest-growing...

On this episode of The Story of a Brand, I sat down with Jeff Boyd, founder of MTE, a wellness brand that’s redefining how we think about energy, recovery, and mood. What started as a personal quest to feel better and support the people closest to him turned into a...

What does it mean to steward a family legacy while completely rethinking how food is raised?  In this episode, I sat down with Heidi Diestel of Diestel Family Ranch, a fourth-generation turkey farmer who's not afraid to ask hard questions about the food system and make bold changes. Heidi brings a …

When I think of a product worth buying and a brand worth supporting, Avocado Mattress is at the top of my list. In this episode, I sat down with Vy Nguyen, Co-CEO of Avocado Mattress, to discuss what it truly takes to build a mission-driven, vertically integrated company in a category dominated by …

In this episode, I sit down with Yanika Cordina, the founder and creative mind behind Cordina Hair, a brand built on innovation, determination, and one incredibly clever invention. What started as a DIY experiment to solve her hairstyling challenge has turned into a viral beauty...

In this episode, I sit down with Chris Abbenda and Owen Martinetti, the dynamic duo behind Snoozy, a functional gummy brand that’s reimagining how we think about sleep, stress, and chill.  What started as a curiosity about CBD quickly evolved into a product line that’s all...

In this episode, I sit down with Rose Hamilton, a powerhouse marketing strategist, CPG advisor, and the founder of Compass Rose Ventures.  Rose shares an honest, insightful look into what it takes to build, grow, and scale a consumer brand in today’s landscape, from...

In this episode, I sit down with C. Vivek Lal, MD, FAAP, a physician-scientist and the founder & CEO of Resbiotic, to explore the incredible connection between our gut microbiome and respiratory health.  Dr. Lal shares how his clinical work with premature infants inspired a deeper dive into...

In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Kemp, the passionate owner of Bare Kind, a brand of bamboo socks that’s on a mission to save endangered animals one step at a time. What began with a desire to create a feel-good product has grown into a purpose-driven business...

In this episode, I sit down with Isaac LeKach and Lillian Shalom, the creative and entrepreneurial duo behind Flower Shop Perfumes Co., a brand that’s blurring the lines between scent, art, and emotion.  What struck me most about our conversation is how personal their approach to fragrance is. For …

In this episode, I sit down with Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg, the visionary duo behind Fresh, one of the most iconic beauty brands of the last three decades. What began as a small apothecary shop in Boston evolved into a global brand renowned for blending modern skincare with timeless rituals. L…

In this episode, I sit down with Kyle Landry, PhD, a scientist-turned-entrepreneur who’s bringing literal space-age technology to the skincare world.  As the President and Co-founder of Delavie Sciences, Kyle shares how a partnership with NASA led to the discovery of...

In this episode, I sit down with Darren Litt, the founder of Hiya Health, a mission-driven kids' wellness brand that’s reimagining what it means to raise healthy children.  Darren shares how a single disappointing Amazon order led him down a path of obsession with...

In this episode, I sit down with Lindsey Carter, the Founder and CEO of SET ACTIVE, a brand that has reshaped how women experience athleisure—not just in terms of function, but also in terms of feeling. Lindsey shares her raw and powerful journey, from bootstrapping...

In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Cornish, the spirited co-founder and “Head Bandit” behind The Froot Thief—a fruit snack brand that’s turning heads and winning lunchboxes.  Jonathan’s story is one of grit, gratitude, and big flavor. We discuss how a...

In this episode, I had a powerful and insightful conversation with Eric Kasper, the founder of 1 Commerce. Eric isn’t just building another ecommerce platform—he’s building from the ground up based on hard-won experience, past failures, and deep empathy for the challenges founders face.  We discuss…

What happens when you mix a deep love for small business with the drive to shake up an outdated industry? You get BloomNation.  In this episode, I sat down with Farbod Shoraka, Co-founder & CEO of BloomNation, to talk about how a few powerful insights—and one unforgettable lunch—led to the creation…

As someone who has worked with numerous consumer brands, I can confidently say that Little Spoon is one of those companies that truly understands today’s modern parent. I had the joy of sitting down with Angela Vranich and Ben Lewis, co-founders of Little Spoon, and discussing how ...

When it comes to building a better-for-you beverage brand, it’s easy to think it’s all about the product. But as Kayvon Jahanbakhsh, co-founder of Halfday Iced Tea, shares in this episode, building a brand people actually love is just as much about emotional connection, persistence, and timing. Thi…

Every now and then, you come across a founder story that’s both heartfelt and hustle-packed—this is one of those.  In this episode, I sit down with Mike Lombardo, co-founder of Halfday Iced Tea, a brand that’s redefining what iced tea can be. We talk about everything from starting the company out o…