Baby Got Backstory

Baby Got Backstory

By Marc GutmanBusinessEntrepreneurshipArtsMarketingVisual Arts
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Baby Got Backstory episodes

  • BGBS 013: Kerry Gilmartin | Bamboobies | Business as an Agent to Make Positive Change
    BGBS Episode 013: Business as an Agent to Make Positive Change

    Have you ever thought much about breastfeeding? If you’re a woman and have given or plan to give birth, then you probably care deeply about it. Ironically, men used to be the ones making decisions about all sorts of products that women use, including breastfeeding and nursing pads. Millions of mothers who nurse their babies experience some unpleasant realities, including breast milk leaking and soaking their attire. It’s not only embarrassing, but inconvenient. Years ago, breast pads were invented to address this kind of situation, but they were far from being effective. Among new mothers, a lack of breastfeeding products generated anger and frustration, as well as feelings of being overlooked and ignored. So, Kerry Gilmartin took matters into her own hands and conceived Bamboobies.

    You’ll Learn…

    • Kerry grew up in a family of entrepreneurs and was encouraged to be different
  • She’d always been a busy-body and curious; involved in everything – nothing she didn’t want to do to follow her passions
  • Mentors sparked interest in entrepreneurial businesses that made an eco impact
  • Kerry discovered how business could create positive change; all companies, whether non-profit or not, should try to make a difference
  • Instead of playing golf the last semester of college, Kerry started a business
  • Listen to your instincts and align with your passions in business; failure is terrible, but a great learning experience and part of the process
  • Commercial products world wasn’t taking care of new, vulnerable moms
  • Breastfeeding used to be a hush-hush topic; nothing new that’s now trendy
  • Kerry was unstoppable with Bamboobies; knew she had a great idea, could make a better product, and market needed it
  • Drive to do something due to knowing the difference between right and wrong
  • Titty Committee: Persistence, help, and support from other moms created a sustainable and scalable business with social and environmental benefits
  • Kerry birthed and nurtured an idea, and then sent it off into the world; but it was a purpose and passion in her life that was really difficult to give up

    • Resources

    Bamboobies

    Entrepreneurs’ Organization

    The Nature Conservancy

    Why Google Won’t Throw Away Its Data Center Gear

    Xi-Software

    Thinx

    Quotes from Kerry Gilmartin:

    “When you’re the entrepreneur…the buck stops with you.”

    “I just followed my passions all the time.”

    “It was a fascinating introduction to me for how business could actually create positive change.”

    “Failure was a terrible lesson. I see it in hindsight now as having been a great learning experience and all a part of the learning process.”

    ‍
    57 min
  • BGBS 012: Ross Powers | Olympic Gold Medalist | Take Three Deep Breaths and Go For It!
    BGBS Episode 012: Take Three Deep Breaths and Go For It!

    Ross Powers was a kid from a small town in Vermont who dared to dream big and defy the odds. As a result, at 19 years old, he won the first U.S. medal in snowboarding. Ross may appear humble and soft spoken, but when he has a snowboard under his feet, he’s a stone-cold competitor and sets the standard for what it means to be a pro.

    You’ll Learn…

    • In 1998, before Ross dropped into the halfpipe, he envisioned a perfect run; he tried not to overthink it before he took three, deep breaths and decided to go for it
  • How making history affected his life – wherever he went, people wanted to chat
  • Ross will never forget when he received his first snowboard as a Christmas gift from his mother in 1987-88
  • Painting the picture of popularity of snowboarding – Ross basically grew up with the sport; few snowboarders at first to bond and ride with, which created a culture
  • Ross joined a training program to improve his skills and participate in events
  • Love what you do; Ross made a commitment, worked hard, pushed himself, made the team, made some money, travelled, and experienced success
  • Practice and preparation it takes to perform at the Olympic level
  • Going pro involves freebies, big money, endorsement deals, and making a living
  • Olympics: Despite being there to “work,” take time to enjoy the whole experience
  • Push yourself, if you want to be the best you can and keep improving
  • Aftermath of winning a gold medal included celebrating with family/friends and perks like going to the Daytona 500 and being on the David Letterman Show
  • Ross learned what to expect and how to handle being in the spotlight; be positive and work hard because everyone is watching
  • Ross now works as a coach at Stratton Mountain School and started the Ross Powers Foundation to help others

    • Resources

    Ross Powers Foundation

    Copper Mountain

    Loveland Ski Area

    Vans Triple Crown

    Winter X Games

    Bromley Mountain

    Burton

    Stratton Mountain

    U.S. Open

    U.S. Ski and Snowboard

    Shaun White

    Kelly Clark

    Michael Phelps

    Quotes from Ross Powers:

    “I actually didn’t realize how big the Olympics were until I got home…couldn’t even go to the grocery store.”

    “I just kind of grew up with the sport. An adventurous ride with always something new popping up and something to challenge me.”

    “I always think to try to push it harder, if you want to be the best you can and always keep improving.”

    ‍
    53 min
  • BGBS 011: Aaron Houghton | iContact | What Will It Cost You to Be Successful?
    BGBS Episode 011: What Will It Cost You to Be Successful?

    In the late 1990s, Aaron Houghton was one of those kids who had an interest in computers and a new phenomenon known as the World Wide Web. When he was 17 years old, he turned his solution for emailing bed-and-breakfast guests into a $180-million-dollar email marketing powerhouse. Eventually, Aaron sold his company, iContact. Despite such success and being at the top of his career, Aaron’s world came crashing down. He discovered the importance of self care and not losing sight of what’s really important. After all, if we don’t take care of ourselves and loved ones, then we won’t be around to share our successes. So, Aaron started to question what made him truly happy. What makes you happy? Make your own list!

    You’ll Learn…

    • Aaron’s entrepreneurial spirit comes from desire to explore and be adventurous
  • Learn to communicate the value of what you do
  • Lack of confidence caused Aaron to consider himself less competent than others
  • Aaron created a solution that people were willing to pay for to solve a problem
  • Don’t scale bad problems, but scale brand names
  • What is the economic engine that can grow your business?
  • Keep feeding the beast and maintain cash efficiency
  • Running a business isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, it’s a lot of hard work
  • Improve skills to avoid feeling intimidated, insignificant, and overwhelmed
  • Solution to being stressed out was to work harder and do everything at once
  • Metastatic thyroid cancer diagnosis forced Aaron to take time off/work less
  • Focus on the right priority and gain perspective – nothing else matters
  • Aaron made tons of money, but decided to keep working and became stressed out, again; stress comes with rewards and is addictive
  • Aaron blamed his business for his stress; turns out that traits and characteristics he adopted didn’t go away – takes time to break bad habits
  • What it costs to be successful: Time, physical health, mental health, and money
  • What makes Aaron happy? Simple things that he hadn’t done for years – “I’m happy to be the new me!”

    • Resources

    Aaron Houghton’s Website

    Aaron Houghton on Twitter

    iContact

    Cision

    BoostSuite

    Vocus Communications

    Dot-com bubble

    Telecommunications Act of 1996

    AdWords

    Good to Great

    Techstars

    Quotes from Aaron Houghton:

    “My dad must have planted a seed in my head at some point that this might be a better way to make money than mowing lawns.”

    “I don’t think I had the confidence to think that I could…out solve everybody else.”

    “I just felt like the wheels were falling off this thing. It wasn’t the business…it was me. I was just so in over my head.”

    “Like a lot of entrepreneurs, when I felt the stress coming on, my solution was to work harder.”

    ‍
    1 hr 13 min
  • BGBS 010: Chris Warner | Earth Treks | Hardwired to Stop and Make Things Better
    BGBS Episode 010: Hardwired to Stop and Make Things Better Chris Warner is a quattro threat – mountain adventurer, leader, entrepreneur, and all-around great dude. He sketched out a business on toilet paper and ended up building the nation’s largest indoor climbing gym company – Earth Treks. It’s where people challenge themselves and love what [...]Read More...
    1 hr 3 min
  • BGBS 010: Chris Warner | Earth Treks | Hardwired to Stop and Make Things Better
    BGBS Episode 010: Hardwired to Stop and Make Things Better

    Chris Warner is a quattro threat – mountain adventurer, leader, entrepreneur, and all-around great dude. He sketched out a business on toilet paper and ended up building the nation’s largest indoor climbing gym company – Earth Treks. It’s where people challenge themselves and love what they are doing – just like Chris. His mountaineering philosophy focuses on teamwork and looking out for partners. Coming home safe and alive is always more important than summiting. Chris’s live-and-breathe fascination with building teams has turned him into a student of leadership and leadership teacher for teams that face challenges where failure is not an option!

    You’ll Learn…

    • Chris was an avid reader as a kid and got hooked on the romanticism of being outdoors – fishing, hiking, rock climbing, etc.
  • Outdoor guides dragged him into the woods as a form of scared-straight punishment, but he loved it and went from being a troublemaker to a leader
  • Discovered he could have a career in the outdoors and give people of all ages life-enriching experiences to discover their potential
  • Chris studied outdoor education, but found it to be a waste of time; you do outdoor education, you don’t study it
  • Determination/resilience caused him to combine college, climbing, and curiosity
  • Chris has a history of seeking out and finding opportunities to help and guide others to make things better (altruism vs. heroism)
  • Mountaineering: Quantity, quality, difficulty mattered over taking the easy route
  • Chris uses his brain over brawn to solve problems and survive falls
  • Being the best version of yourself is addictive because it’s empowering and humbling to help others
  • Tunnel Vision on Everest/K2: Chris was horrified when other climbers abandoned their partners or stepped over dying/dead climbers to selfishly make the summit
  • Taking personal and professional risks because of people pushing you
  • Power of teams focuses more on family and relationships than business; business is there to serve employees, and charity begins at home
  • People will forgive you, if you are nice

    • Resources

    Chris Warner

    Earth Treks

    High Altitude Leadership: What the World’s Most Forbidding Peaks Teach Us About Success

    Chris Warner’s 2002 K2 Expedition

    Climbing the Savage Mountain

    Planet Granite

    Henry Morton Stanley

    Grand Teton National Park

    Copper Mountain

    Splat Calculator

    Wharton School of Business

    Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

    Quotes from Chris Warner:

    “The best way for people to find themselves was to first get lost.”

    “I just want to spend my life out in the woods, doing cool adventures.”

    “I am just so curious about the world.”

    “You stop and help when you think you can make things better.”

    ‍
    1 hr 3 min
  • BGBS 009: Ari Weinzweig | Zingerman’s | Manifesting a Shared Vision of Anarchy, Philosophy, Beliefs, Pastrami, and Social Good
    BGBS Episode 009: Manifesting a Shared Vision of Anarchy, Philosophy, Beliefs, Pastrami, and Social Good

    We all have our own thoughts, beliefs, and problems. But it’s how we handle them that makes a difference in the world. Everyone should be able to pursue the life of their dreams. And, everyone should be treated as an intelligent, creative human being. It’s about having respect for one another. That’s how Ari Weinzweig turned Zingerman’s into a $70-million-dollar, socially conscious business community.

    You’ll Learn…

    • As a child, Ari wasn’t thinking about food and business; he was dealing with his parents’ divorce and remarriages
  • Moved from Chicago to Ann Arbor to attend the University of Michigan and study Russian history focused on the anarchists
  • Started as a dishwasher and almost 40 years later is still working with some of the same people who have the same vision and have come to love each other
  • Make choices about partnerships, problems, and positives; communicate constructively to resolve conflict
  • Learning that most of the world does not function through love and understanding, despite what you were told or shown as a child  
  • Beliefs are not genetic, but learned; all of us have beliefs and take action based on them; when you change what you believe, you see things differently
  • Break Beliefs: Acknowledge that an issue exists, identify your belief and where it came from, and decide whether you want to change it or not
  • Studied anarchy because of his fascination with real people’s stories regarding freedom and free thinking – a positive belief in human beings
  • Understand imperfection is normal and natural; minimize problems and outweigh them through positivity
  • People thought he was going to fail when he opened the business, which is true of any meaningful work; such fear and concern has never left him
  • Customers want to feel good and be treated well, so Zingerman’s makes food fun and creates an experience by knowing its strengths and weaknesses
  • Enjoy life, work hard, and share what you have with those who don’t
  • Free Choice: Choosing not to go is different than not being allowed to go

    • Resources

    Zingerman’s Community of Business

    Books by Ari Weinzweig

    Ari Weinzweig’s Articles in The Atlantic

    12 laws of building a great company from one of America’s most innovative small-business owners

    Ari Weinzweig: The 12 Natural Laws of Business

    Zingerman’s Deli

    Zing Train

    Transformed by Judith and Bob Wright

    Jo Labadie

    Carne Ross

    Gustav Landauer

    Monahan’s Seafood Market

    Arthur C. Clarke

    ‍
    1 hr 7 min

About Baby Got Backstory

From the publisher's feed

Baby Got Backstory is the ultimate insider’s guide to business storytelling, brand storytelling, messaging, and communications for entrepreneurs, visionary leaders, and progressive businesses of all sizes. We ask inspiring creators, entrepreneurs, and storytellers to share their backstory by answering the questions: “Who am I? How did I get here? And Where am I going? Listeners will not only hear the story behind the story of our guests but understand how their own story and backstory have shaped who they have become.