Built on Passion

Matt sits down with Earth Echo Foods co-founder Craig Collins. Earth Echo Foods makes nutritious superfoods designed to promote a healthier lifestyle in the most natural way possible while pushing to help heal mother earth any way they can.

Craig and his wife and co-founder Danette are no strangers to the entrepreneurial world. They got their start by building a strong community around a fitness site and as they gained more and more traction their following started to ask about supplements. It didn’t take much for Danette and Craig to decide to answer the call of their community but they knew if this is something they were going to do they wanted to do it right and take it all the way. After going above and beyond to find the best possible ingredients, that aren’t just packed with vital nutrients but, also responsibly harvested, they came up with their Cacao Bliss. It didn’t take long for them to sell out and with their customers raving about what they had concocted it was pretty clear that they had once again caught lightning in a bottle and decided to officially start Earth Echo Foods. 

In this episode of Built On Passion Craig Collins shares the steps they took to fine-tune a product to fit exactly what their community wanted and some of the challenges they faced, the lengths they are going to make sure Earth Echo foods are operating as sustainably as possible, and their how & why behind starting Earth Echo Foods.

Matt sits down with HydroSwell co-founder Kaydn Jensen. HydroSwell is a budding supplement brand that has come out of the gate swinging with a hydration + protein mix filling a gap in the supplement world.

With a lot of people progressing into adulthood and beyond, it’s not uncommon for us to grab sugary drinks or caffeinated beverages as a pick-me-up. The problem is, that becomes a slippery slope when it turns into a habit, and that's exactly what Kaydn aims to help fight through HydroSwell. Creating healthy habits usually starts with your diet, and with creating HydroSwells Pro Loco Kaydn wants to help keep people satisfied and properly fueled without getting too carried away. So what was the spark that pushed Kaydn to concoct this kind of supplement? This was something that he himself was looking for but couldn't quite find and after reaching for one too many sugar drinks, he decided to get his hands dirty and create what he couldn’t find. After a long R & D process, he figured out something that not only worked for him but also filled a void within the market. A great drink mix to help keep you going, stay hydrated, stay satiated, and help you get started with living a healthier lifestyle.

In this episode of ReddyYeti | Built On Passion Kaydn Jensen shares, what it took to really develop what he wanted HydroSwell to be from idea to final product, how rocky waters can serve as a great proving ground for entrepreneurs, and his how and why behind starting HydroSwell

Matt sits down with HybridLight founder Terry Peterson. HybridLight makes high-quality flashlights and lanterns all of which have some kind of double feature. Most of them act as a device charge or have a solar charging component.

Terry got into the flashlight game because of an interesting opportunity. What he thought was a one-off business venture quickly became a hobby and snowballed substantially from there. After his first build, he ended up getting such great feedback to the point where he couldn’t ignore the writing on the wall and started HybridLight as a serious endeavor. As a brand HybridLight goes far above and beyond creating an incredible product while keeping their price point at a level that makes sure they have something in just about anyone’s price range. What’s even more jaw-dropping is Terry and his team haven’t spent a dime on advertising which in 2021 is beyond impressive. HybridLight has also been committed to creating opportunities to give back to the community and with their fundraising program, they’ve been able to help countless people in a truly unique way. HybridLight is a phenomenal example of how focusing on your product and really solving a problem in the most honest way possible can pay off in dividends and when you have passion in the driver seat, you can’t lose.

In this episode of ReddyYeti | Built On Passion Terry Peterson shares the value of not following your passion but bringing it with you. How staying product-driven can drive a business, and how & why he built HybridLight.

Matt sits down with MooseJaw Mountaineering CEO Eoin Comerford. MooseJaw Mountaineering is an online and brick-and-mortar retailer specializing in apparel and gear for skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, hiking, and camping.

If you’re already familiar with MooseJaw chances are it played a solid role in helping you get outdoors. If you haven't, well, let’s just say there’s still hope for you. Eoin has been with the company for over a decade and got to see it evolve but, more notably he’s helped steer it from being a small company with vibrant energy to a big company with vibrant enthusiastic energy without sacrificing the spirit of love for all things outdoors. Not only have they developed and kept a fantastic brand culture but, they also aren’t afraid to experiment with interesting ways to give customers a better experience. MooseJaw is more than just creating efficient systems, more than just numbers; It’s giving people a chance to interact with gear in new ways, connect with people who not only can help them find exactly what they’re looking for and would serve them best, but also help excite them to use their gear. 

In this episode of Built On Passion Eoin Comerford shares how to balance growth as a company without sacrificing culture and identity, his approach for balancing online and in-person sales, and MooseJaws plans to make getting outside a more enjoyable and inclusive experience.

Matt sits down with PurePower founder Don McLaughlin. PurePower Botanicals is a health and wellness company making supplements designed to help you live a healthy life. Their supplements are a combination of carefully CBD, herbs, minerals, and functional mushrooms to come together to give you the support you're looking for.

Don is an endurance athlete and a wellness advocate however, his foray into the wellness world was one that came after a long arduous journey that challenged what he knew about health. This stark shift nudged him towards CBD as a solution. Before long he took that even further, started doing research into herbs and minerals to further give him the health boost he was looking for, interviewing health experts and even publishing a book on sports medicine and the endocannabinoid system. He was looking at CBD in a new light, as a part of a system rather than a remedy in and of itself and this idea laid the groundwork for the philosophy behind PurePower Botanicals. So, he brought on an herbalist, built an all-star team, and with a ton of community support, began to build PurePower Botanicals.

In this episode of Built On Passion, Don McLaughlin shares his how and why behind PurePower Botanicals, what it took to create and market his products, and how he built an all-star team.

Matt sits down with Puori founder Oliver Amdrup. Puori is a supplement company dedicated to giving you the highest quality supplements while providing full transparency of the ingredients in their products.

Oliver’s passion for health and nutrition came way before he started Puori and was the main motivation for him to take the plunge into entrepreneurship. As Oliver studied nutrition he looked at what was on the market and realized that there was a huge lack of transparency with supplement brands who weren’t forthcoming with some of the finer details of their products' ingredients. This lack of transparency built the foundation of Puori and helped them not only stand out but give consumers something they’ve been searching for; accountability. Puori’s mission is to raise the standards of the supplement industry and create products that are made using the cleanest and highest quality possible. With their partnership with the Clean Labels Project, there’s no question that they are well on the way to raising the bar for the industry.

In this episode of ReddyYeti | Built On Passion Oliver Amdrup shares how and why he started Puori and what the road has been like in building a brand with such a high commitment to high-quality products and transparency.

Matt sits down with Cani-Brands founder Chris Lord. Cani-Brands is made up of four distinct CBD experiences (Cani-Sleep, Cani-Boost, Cani-Mend, & Cani-Fresh) designed to help you get the most out of your CBD products. 

Throughout Chris’s extensive experience in the business world, there are two things that for him always come first when building a successful company; Strong customer service and a problem-solving mentality. That’s precisely the idea behind each experience, to give the customer a solution for the problem they are turning to CBD to help treat. Not only do they provide different approaches to common ailments but offer options on how to enjoy your CBD products (tinctures, capsules, or even an oral spray just to name a few) Although Cani-Brands wasn’t his first rodeo and it hasn’t been all smooth sailing, Cani-Brands is on track to be a widely recognized brand built on relationships and positive experiences. Having already been accepted by a ton of professional athletes (and showing up in ¾ of NHL Locker Rooms) It’s pretty clear that Cani-Brands is on to something.

In this episode of ReddyYeti | Built On Passion Chris Lord shares his approach to customer service & marketing, how he built some poignant relationships, and what it takes to truly build brand identity.

Matt sits down with Zero dB founder Gary LeBlanc. Zero dB makes a plant-based science-backed cbd-free functional beverage that actively helps you relax and quiet your mind.

We’ve all been in a situation where we’ve been so tired, so run down, that we end up reaching for an energy drink or an extra cup of coffee. Well, what if we had the same option when we’re overly stressed? That’s the question that Gary and a team of scientists from NeuroTheryX (NTX) have been asking and, more importantly, have answered. After studying CNS (central nervous system)-related genetic pathways linked to anxiety, they tested combination after combination of plant extracts to finally find the perfect combination that will help center your mind and bring you back to your baseline. Beyond pioneering an experiential beverage Zero dB has taken a HUGE leap in opening up the functional beverage space for something other than energy drinks and other similar stimulants. What’s even more fascinating is that this isn’t just a holistic approach, this is carefully tested science at its best.

In this episode of Built On Passion Gary LeBlanc digs into the science behind what Zero dB is, his why behind creating such a unique beverage, and his philosophy on the importance of making space

Matt sits down with Lava Linen’s co-founder Mary Swanson. Lava Linens make linen travel towels designed to be a much more environmentally friendly option than microfiber towels. 

Lava Linens is a family business run by Mary, her sister Caitlin Dickman, and their mother Sheila Bannigan that was started when Mary decided to take a hard left turn with her career and found herself on the trip of a lifetime. While putting together her gear list, she wanted a towel she could easily travel with and still provide more comfort than your typical microfiber towel. After a ton of research, Mary and Sheila didn’t just stumble upon Linen as being the best option they also unearthed the fact that Linen in many ways was a wildly more sustainable fabric than microfiber and synthetic materials in general while still performing just as well. It wasn’t too long into her backpacking excursion when Mary realized she couldn’t be the only one looking for a non-synthetic option so she promptly called up her mother and sister and began rolling the snowball that is Lava Linens. Although they’re starting with linen travel towels, their sights are on the horizon and they have some serious plans for the future. This all-star team of women isn't just looking to change how people shop for products but, encourage them to be more mindful in the process.

In this episode of Built On Passion Mary Swanson shares how Lava Linens got its start and what sent her down a rabbit hole of sustainable manufacturing, the wonders of linen’s practicality, and how Lava Linens is helping to steer outdoors and travel enthusiasts away from petroleum-based products containing microplastics

Matt sits down with Smartish founder Matt Altschul. Smartish makes design-focused function optimized Phone cases and accessories to make your life a little easier. While they have a serious utilitarian side to their designs, they aren’t afraid to wave their weird flag.

Phones have become an everyday necessity and it’s an easy thing to take for granted or even worse, drop and crack your screen. Smartish’s aim is to make carrying around a phone more practical and even give you a chance to add a little personality to your life. Their phone cases aren’t JUST phone cases and often have a secondary feature built into the design, plus they have a ton of color and design options to give your case a little pizazz. It might seem like a simple thing on paper but, for founder Matt Altschul, the product building aspect of Smartish is something he holds close to his chest. With such a fun brand that’s adding convenient innovations to everyday simple items, it’s hard to not see the passion that’s fueled this creative rocket.

In this episode of Built On Passion Matt Altschul shares how Smartish came to be, how he approaches product development, how to build a brand that stands for something, and the importance of finding your strengths and sticking to them.