In this episode of Brand F Ups, host Robyn Young sits down with Michelle Razavi, co-founder of Elavi, a pioneering food company specializing in healthy indulgence products. Michelle talks about her journey from corporate life to becoming an entrepreneur, her passion for health and wellness, and the challenges and triumphs she and her co-founder Nikki Elliott faced. From navigating the food industry during a global pandemic to achieving bestseller status on Amazon, Michelle shares valuable lessons on product development, pivoting strategies, consumer engagement, and maintaining a brand's North Star. Listen in for insights on Michelle's decision to bootstrap the business, the importance of market feedback, and the rebranding process that led to Elavi's current success.00:00 Introduction to Michelle Rosavi of Elevee

01:02 Michelle's Entrepreneurial Journey Begins

02:45 Challenges and Realizations in the Food Industry

03:55 The Decision to Bootstrap and the Impact of COVID-19

04:30 Early Success and the Real World MBA

07:18 Pivoting Product Lines and Learning from the Market

11:44 Understanding the True Target Consumer

14:37 Rebranding and the Costco Breakthrough

18:58 Consumer-Centric Approach and Future Innovations

20:18 Understanding Your Customer's Needs

20:45 Using Sampling Events for Market Insights

22:24 Identifying Your Core Customer Base

24:53 The Journey to Rebranding Success

28:27 Balancing Customer Feedback and Intuition

32:23 Maintaining Brand Integrity

35:25 Learning from Mistakes

37:48 Advice for Founders

38:54 The Role of AI in Business

41:50 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Failing Up with Justin Fenchel: Beatbox's Brand Journey

In this episode of Brand F*Ups, host Robyn Young speaks with Justin Fenchel, co-founder of Beatbox Beverages, about the challenges and successes of building a brand in the ready-to-drink alcoholic beverage industry. Beatbox is known for its party punch that embraces music and community vibes, often seen at major music festivals. Justin shares his journey starting as an economic major and transitioning to entrepreneurship inspired by his father. He discusses the evolution of Beatbox from initial failures, including the legal challenges with their first name 'Winergy', to the successful rebranding to Beatbox and achieving product market fit. The discussion includes insights on the importance of passion, adaptability, and building strong co-founder relationships. Justin also reveals the strategy behind their packaging evolution, their Shark Tank experience, and how Beatbox navigated distribution challenges. The conversation highlights the organic, slow growth strategy, the significance of community building, and the obstacles overcome in Beatbox's journey to becoming a leader in the beverage industry.

00:00 Introduction to Brand F Ups Podcast

00:29 Meet Justin Fenchel of Beatbox Beverages

01:50 The Journey to Beatbox Beverages

02:38 Early Entrepreneurial Ventures

04:25 The Birth of Beatbox

06:43 Challenges and Pivots

06:55 The Importance of Passion in Entrepreneurship

08:29 Navigating Co-Founder Relationships

11:09 The Beatbox Brand and Naming Journey

17:06 Testing and Validating the Product

19:00 Discovering the Perfect Wine Base

19:40 Innovative Market Research Strategies

20:48 Packaging Challenges and Iterations

22:13 The Big Shift to Single Serve

25:05 Navigating Distribution Networks

26:37 Standing Out in a Crowded Market

35:28 Future Plans and Global Ambitions

38:36 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Falling Up with Cindy Gallop: Challenging Social Norms & Innovating Sex EdIn this episode of Brand F Ups, host Robyn Young interviews Cindy Gallop, the pioneering founder and CEO of MakeLoveNotPorn. Cindy shares her journey as a serial entrepreneur and activist, revealing the inspiration behind creating a social sex video sharing platform that promotes real-world intimacy. From her viral TED talk to challenges faced in the tech industry, Cindy discusses her fight to normalize conversations about sex, her struggles with business infrastructure, and her innovative plans for the MakeLoveNotPorn Academy. Cindy's insights on diversity, inclusion, and the importance of radical authenticity in business offer valuable lessons for any entrepreneur.

Watch Cindy's original Ted Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/cindy_gallop_make_love_not_porn?subtitle=en

Make Love Not Porn on WeFunder: https://wefunder.com/makelovenotporn

00:00 Introduction to Brand F Ups Podcast00:15 Meet Cindy Gallop: Entrepreneur and Activist01:23 The Birth of MakeLoveNotPorn07:07 Challenges and Triumphs in the Sex Tech Industry10:40 Navigating Cultural and Business Barriers12:09 Building a Sex Education Ecosystem22:11 Empowering Diversity and Inclusion30:25 Cindy's Bold Moves and Personal Stories38:02 Lessons from the Trenches: Fail Up Moments43:01 Closing Remarks and Call to Action

The Power of Failure and Reinvention: Robyn Young's Journey

Robyn Young returns to Brand F*Ups after a two-year hiatus to share the story of her biggest failure and the lessons learned. Joined by fellow agency owner and personal branding coach Terrence Lomax, Robyn delves into the ups and downs of a failed venture, the importance of discussing setbacks openly, and the ultimate road to reviving Young & Co with renewed clarity and purpose. This episode is a candid exploration of vulnerability, resilience, and the pursuit of authentic success in the entrepreneurial world.

00:00 Introduction to Brand F*Ups

00:58 Reviving the Podcast: Why Now?

03:46 Robyn's Biggest Failure: Lessons Learned

08:28 Seeking Validation and Bigger Challenges

18:47 Reflecting on Career Choices

20:19 The Value of Authentic Branding

22:44 Switching The Plan

28:55 Authentic Business Partnerships

The brilliant Farah Kabir, Co-founder of Hanx, joins us from across the pond on this week’s episode of Brand F* Ups. 

On a mission to revolutionize the sexual wellness industry after an uncomfortable experience buying condoms, Farah is a courageous disrupter in her category. With a smart idea and a healthy dose of intelligent naivete, Farah shares her journey from financial banker to champion for women’s sexual wellness. This is an extra saucy episode you don’t want to miss!

https://www.hanxofficial.com/

Need help establishing your brand difference? Reach out to Robyn and her team at ⁠Young & Co⁠.

On this week's episode we chat with Katya Libin, Co-founder of HeyMama.

For Katya, a hard work ethic has always been her driving force. From immigrating to the United States with her family at 3 years old to leaving her cushy tech job to pursue her own business - all while being a full time Mom. Tune in to marvel at Katya's work ethic, and how she knew it was ultimately the right time to walk away.

Need help establishing your brand difference? Reach out to Robyn and her team at ⁠Young & Co⁠.

On this week’s episode of Brand F* Ups, Co-founder and President of Tiny Organics, Carolyn O'Hare talks about the early days of entrepreneurship, relying on your vision, the importance of educating customers through brand messaging (yes!), launching a company nationwide just weeks before the global pandemic and preparing for the worst while planning for the best. 

https://www.tinyorganics.com/

Need help establishing your brand difference? Reach out to Robyn and her team at ⁠Young & Co⁠.

This week we sit down with our first ever “Chief Tea Magician”, Sashee Chandran.

Of course, Sashee is the CEO and Founder of the brilliantly creative company, Tea Drops. A true entrepreneur through and through, Sashee was manning her mom’s swap meet booth at age eight, selling beaded bracelets at an 80% profit margin by grade school, and running multiple side hustles by the time she landed her day job at Ebay. All of which ultimately led to her revolutionary invention: bagless, dissolvable tea drops. Listen in as her and Robyn chat about borrowing from outside your industry, packaging fiascos, and the metaverse. (Yes, you read that right)!

https://www.myteadrop.com/

Need help establishing your brand difference? Reach out to Robyn and her team at ⁠Young & Co⁠.

This week we’re joined by not one, but two mindful founders - Danielle Lumetta and Natasha Wong of Before Noon. 

Their self-care company was a unique response to the common traumas we all experience - workaholism, addiction, heartache, and so much more. The pair transparently walks us through the biggest brand challenge they faced (and cleverly pivoted from): aligning their brand visions as a multi-founder company. This meant they each individually had to embrace the unknown in one way or another and trust in their larger brand mission - creating a service that allows you to be the best version of yourself. 

Need help establishing your brand difference? Reach out to Robyn and her team at ⁠Young & Co⁠.

This week Robyn Young catches up with an old friend, Laurel Mintz, CEO and Founder of Elevate My Brand. 

In this refreshingly honest interview, Laurel recounts the series of events that ultimately led to her success, including an unexpected turn of events that led to her first gig as a CEO, tuning out familial expectations, and how facing hard truths allowed her to take her company to the next level. The familiarity between these two creates a comfortable environment where barriers come down and insightful reflections are had.

https://www.elevatemybrand.com/

Need help establishing your brand difference? Reach out to Robyn and her team at ⁠Young & Co⁠.