Isabelle Steichen is the CEO and co-founder of Lupii, a plant-based, sustainable food brand known for its protein bars and newly launched pastas. Lupii uses the lupini bean as its main ingredient and source of plant-based protein, and to create simple, sustainable, and delicious food to keep you going. After becoming “obsessed” with lupini beans and in-depth research, it became Isabelle’s mission to introduce this protein-packed bean to more people worldwide. She and her co-founder Allie Dempster then launched Lupii in January 2020.

Isabelle’s conversation with Katie Hankinson is absolutely loaded with value and insights for entrepreneurs in all industries. Isabelle shares tons of advice on finding the right business partner with complementary skills and why she and Allie work so well together. She also discusses lessons she’s learned throughout her entrepreneurial journey: early R&D with actual customers, benefits of working with influencers, not rushing growth, and the “retail playbook.”

Feeling snackish after listening to this episode? Lupii products can be found in 400 retailers nationally. You can locate your nearest Lupii products on their website.

In-flight topics:

• Finding a business partner 
• Refocusing on DTC during the pandemic
• Importance of transparency in building a brand
• Educating your customers through marketing
• Building authentic relationships with influencers 
• Developing sustainable packaging
• Having a growth mindset as an entrepreneur
• …and so much more!

Connect with Isabelle:

Lupii website: https://getlupii.com/ 

Lupii on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getlupii/ 

Isabelle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelle-steichen-she-her-1523b969/ 

The Plantiful Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-plantiful-podcast/id1157229959

Kara Hill is the founder and CEO of My Recruiting Solutions, the nation’s leading expert in recruiting for girls’ volleyball. Kara offers recruiting services and consulting for athletes and their families to help them better navigate the college recruiting process. She also runs VBallRecruiter, a website full of resources for prospects, coaches, and scouts. 

In her conversation with Mickey Cloud, Kara focuses largely on how technology, NIL, and social media have significantly altered how the recruiting process works. From the start of the process through the athletes’ time in school, recruiting looks nothing like what Kara experienced. She discusses what she and her team are doing to better educate and prepare athletes: teaching them social media, preparing them for potential NIL partnerships, and most importantly, developing their personal brands. Kara is also a 4Ds alumnus and speaks about the value and knowledge she gained from the program—so much so that she’s going back for round 2! 

In-flight topics:

• How My Recruiting Services helps volleyball athletes and their families
• Differences in recruiting now vs. 20 years ago
• How NIL impacts the recruiting process
• The role of social media in recruiting
• Adapting your business as culture and technology change
• …and more! 

Connect with Kara:

My Recruiting Solutions website: https://myrecruitingsolutions.com/ 

Kara Hill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vballrecruiter/ 

Kara Hill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrskarahill/ 

Kara Hill on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vballrecruiter09

Sarah Apgar is the Founder and CEO of FitFighter, a global fitness brand and transformative strength training system that’s accessible, unintimidating, and good for everyone of all fitness levels. It’s rooted in the training firefighters go through and Sarah’s own innovation of a steel hose at its core. Before starting FitFighter, Sarah served in the Iraq War, spent five years at Warby Parker, and is a volunteer firefighter, athlete, and mother of two. 

In her conversation with Maribel Lara, Sarah shares how FitFighter got started, her early “steel hose” innovation, and her vision for the company moving forward. In the beginning she had no expectations of building a global fitness brand. After nine years, FitFighter shows no signs of slowing down. Sarah talks about facing challenges head on, always having a “stubborn curiosity” as an entrepreneur, choosing where to focus in your business, building a successful brand, and much more. 

Topics in this episode include:

• How FitFighter got its start
• Important qualities in entrepreneurship
• What it means to be “strong”
• Standing out in a crowded industry
• How FitFighter pivoted in response to challenges
• Choosing where to focus
• …and more!

Connect with Sarah:

FitFighter website: https://www.fitfighter.com/ 

FitFighter Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/fitfighter/ 

FitFighter YouTube channel

Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahapgar/ 

Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarah.apgar/

This week we are absolutely privileged to share an episode from the Business For Builders podcast featuring our own Joe Quattrone, SVP, Head of Education at The Sasha Group. The Business for Builders podcast provides business-building information and insight for general contractors looking to remove deficiencies and vulnerabilities in their businesses.

Joe and host Max Peterson cover a wide range of topics, from how Joe’s career got started, the earlier days of VaynerMedia, building a strong company and team culture, The Sasha Group’s education products, and of course, marketing your contracting business. 

This episode is jam-packed with value and insights from an industry veteran, including:

• Working for money vs. love
• Patience in business
• Work-life balance 
• Prioritization and delegation in leadership
• Building for the next generation 

Connect with Joe and Max:Joe on LinkedIn

Joe on Instagram

Business for Builders on Instagram

Max on LinkedIn

Learn more about the 4Ds

Learn more about STORK

Antonio Ramirez is the founder of Pixel506, a boutique digital innovation agency offering nearshore creative and digital solutions and technology services. Its combination of services and locations in Brooklyn, Peru, and Costa Rica offers a unique perspective to Pixel506’s clients and partners. Antonio is a client of The Sasha Group’s Mentors program, a 3-year partnership aimed at helping small businesses unlock strategic growth.

Recently, Pixel506 was purchased by 10Pearls, a monumental achievement in Antonio’s career and life. In this episode, Antonio opens up about building Pixel506 to sell, the process of selling, what’s changing, and what he’s learned throughout the process.

In-flight topics:

• How Pixel506 was born
• Dealing with rejection as a business owner
• Knowing when to sell your company
• Making the best decisions for your business and team
• Advice for business owners looking to sell
• What’s ahead for Pixel506

Connect with Antonio:

Pixel506 Website: https://pixel506.com/ 

Pixel506 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pixel506official/ 

Pixel506 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pixel506/ 

Antonio Ramirez LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonioramirezcr/ 

Antonio Ramirez Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antonionyc506/

Rachel Connors is the Co-Founder and CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of Yellow Leaf Hammocks, a social enterprise dedicated to defeating global poverty through sustainable artisan job creation. Yellow Leaf was born after Rachel’s husband met a group of women in a small village in Thailand making what he dubbed the world’s most comfortable hammocks. It then became their mission to share those hammocks with the world—and help those women and their families overcome poverty through artisan work. 

In this episode of the Building While Flying podcast, Rachel joins Katie Hankinson, SVP at The Sasha Group, to dive into what it means to be a social enterprise. Rachel says, “You can’t only be focused on doing good, because if you aren’t running a sustainable business, the opportunity goes away.” Rachel also talks about how microfinance organizations like Kiva.org are helping businesses like Yellow Leaf make a difference for women around the world.

In their conversation, Rachel and Katie discuss:

• Yellow Leaf’s origin story 
• Scaling an early-stage business
• Defining a “social enterprise”
• Balancing messaging in content 
• Product innovation at scale 
• Diversifying marketing channels
• Balancing strengths among leadership

Connect with Rachel and Yellow Leaf Hammocks:

Yellow Leaf Hammocks website: https://www.yellowleafhammocks.com/ 

Yellow Leaf on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yellowleafhammocks/ 

Rachel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelconnors/

Kari Warberg Block is the Founder and CEO of EarthKind, an eco-friendly pest control product that keeps bugs and critters at bay without harming or killing them. She started EarthKind with just some seeds and a powerful vision for a kinder world—for people and critters. 

In this episode of the Building While Flying podcast, Kari shares her founder’s story: from growing up poor to a near-death accident, to building EarthKind into an 8-figure company and making the Earth a better place. Her biggest message to listeners is, “With a lot of passion and tenacity, and dog-headed discipline, you can make some amazing things happen.” 

Want to try EarthKind products in your home? Browse their products here or find them in a retailer near you.

NOTE: EarthKind is a client of The Sasha Group.

In-flight topics:

• Kari’s founder’s story
• Working with government bodies to change policy
• Leading a company with purpose
• Listening to your customers
• Growing up on a farm
• Treating the Earth better with better products

Connect with Kari & EarthKind:

EarthKind on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earthkind.living/ 

EarthKind on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@earthkind.living 

EarthKind website: https://www.earthkind.com/ 

Kari on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kariwarbergblock/ 

Kari on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KariWBlock 

Gracie Poulson is the Co-Founder of Grace Rose Farm, one of the biggest suppliers of fresh, garden-grown roses in the United States. They’re committed to ethically growing and harvesting more than 90 varieties of roses. Grace Rose Farm started as a flower farm and supplier to florists around the country, born purely out of Gracie’s love for growing roses. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, they found themselves needing to pivot quickly. And they did, by shifting to a direct-to-consumer model. Now they’re continuing to grow their brand, spread joy via roses across the country, and working towards their Series A funding. 

In this episode, Gracie Poulson and Katie Hankinson discuss:

• Transitioning to direct-to-consumer
• Partnering with bigger flower farms
• Finding joy in your work 
• Building connection on social media
• Sustainability in the flower industry 
• Challenges with hiring and turnover rates
• Wins and challenges marketing a seasonal business
• …and much more!

If you want some beautiful Grace Rose Farm roses in your home, you can shop their collections here: https://www.gracerosefarm.com/collections/our-favorite-bouquets 

Connect with Grace Rose Farm:

Website: https://www.gracerosefarm.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracerosefarm/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gracerosefarm 

We love taking questions from our listeners and answering them in our episodes. In this episode of Building While Flying, Joe Quattrone, SVP at The Sasha Group, is back to answer some of YOUR questions!

Topics in this Q&A include:

• When to add staff at your agency
• When to start your own company
• Increasing engagement on your content
• KPIs for evaluating creative effectiveness 
• Business vs personal account on TikTok
• …and more!

Like what you heard? Want to have YOUR questions answered on the podcast? Connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and/or LinkedIn, and tell us what you want to know.

Subscribe to Building While Flying so you don’t miss out on future episodes—including more Q&As!

Connect with Joe: LinkedIn / Twitter

Miguel Leal says he was “destined” to work in the food industry. He’s an industry veteran who’s served as CMO and executive vice president with brands like Cholula, Kind Snacks, Diamond Foods, and more. He and his co-founders started SOMOS Foods with the mission to “share the best of Mexico with the world.” Somos products are plant-based, nutritionally dense, gluten-free, and can be used to create a meal in 10 minutes or less. 

In his conversation with Maribel Lara, Miguel shares how SOMOS Foods was born, and how family recipes play a role in their product development. He also discusses the “ownership mentality” they practice at SOMOS and how that impacts the culture they’re building. 

If you’re feeling hungry after this episode, you can browse and order SOMOS products directly from their website.

In-flight topics:

• Breaking misconceptions in the food industry
• Building a brand that’s true to heritage and culture
• Innovation in the CPG food industry
• Developing plant-based food products
• The meaning of the name “SOMOS”
• …and more!

Connect with Miguel and SOMOS Foods:

SOMOS website: https://eatsomos.com/ 

SOMOS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatsomos/ 

Miguel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguelleal/