Making It Real

Sarah Ribner – Piper Wai

"Make Sure You Have The Right Team In Your Corner"

In this two-part series, we share the stories of two ambitious young entrepreneurs who built a thriving all-natural deodorant brand from scratch. In Part 1, we meet Sarah Ribner, co-founder of Piper Wai, who has always made health and wellness a priority in her life. When her best friend, Jess Edelstein, presented her with a tub of homemade, all-natural deodorant, Sarah accepted it with open armpits! And the rest is history! Tune in to hear about how this company evolved from a community kitchen to a profitable independent brand featured on the hit show Shark Tank. And then tune in to Part 2 next week to hear Jess' perspective on the same fabulous story!

Whether you're a product manager in an established company or an aspiring business owner with an idea for a new product business, Making It Real will provide you with real tools and advice on how to be a successful product entrepreneur!

Hosted by Bob Caporale and Tate Tegtmeier

Original Music by Bob Caporale

Note: No endorsement of any product or service featured on Making It Real is either expressed or implied by its hosts or producers.

Damion Lupo – Total Control Financial

"Stop Smoking Hopeium!"

After the death of his father, Damion Lupo made it his mission in life to find a way for people to live without regrets and to help them find financial freedom. He later founded Total Control Financial and used his newly formed company to help spread the world about a little known retirement option that breaks the mold of a traditional 401K plan. In this episode, Damion shares his story of starting a business in college, losing 20 million dollars, investing in real estate, and working towards a goal that continues to be larger than life itself.  

Whether you're a product manager in an established company or an aspiring business owner with an idea for a new product business, Making It Real will provide you with real tools and advice on how to be a successful product entrepreneur!

Hosted by Bob Caporale and Tate Tegtmeier

Original Music by Bob Caporale

Note: No endorsement of any product or service featured on Making It Real is either expressed or implied by its hosts or producers.

Nik Hawks and Lee Selman – Paleo Treats

"You Can Do Whatever You Want If You Work Really Hard For It and Use Your Gifts To Make It Happen!"

Nik Hawks, a Navy veteran, and Lee Selman, a former camel handler, are passionate about fueling their bodies with clean energy. Together, they created Paleo Treats, a natural treat company aimed at Paleo dieters that want to have their cake and eat it too! This episode promises education, inspiration, and wanderlust as Nik and Lee share their adventurous stories, the mission behind their sweet treats, and the forces that continue to drive their company into the future.

Whether you're a product manager in an established company or an aspiring business owner with an idea for a new product business, Making It Real will provide you with real tools and advice on how to be a successful product entrepreneur!

Hosted by Bob Caporale and Tate Tegtmeier

Original Music by Bob Caporale

Note: No endorsement of any product or service featured on Making It Real is either expressed or implied by its hosts or producers.

Brian Smith – Founder of UGG

"You Can't Give Birth To An Adult"

Brian Smith, founder of UGG, the popular sheepskin boot, has the ultimate story to tell. This product entrepreneur shares his journey from idea conception to parking lot sales and from marketing to mass-production. Brian walks through each phase of his adventure while sharing how he helped UGG earn an overwhelming amount of popularity from its humble roots on the beaches of California to now being one of the most widely recognized fashion brands in the world!

Whether you're a product manager in an established company or an aspiring business owner with an idea for a new product business, Making It Real will provide you with real tools and advice on how to be a successful product entrepreneur!

Hosted by Bob Caporale and Tate Tegtmeier

Original Music by Bob Caporale

Note: No endorsement of any product or service featured on Making It Real is either expressed or implied by its hosts or producers.

Tony Post – TOPO Athletic

"The Best Lessons Are Learned In The Field"

After being in the footwear industry for over 30-years, Tony Post, decided to start his own brand, TOPO Athletic. This unique athletic shoe company, inspired by Tony's passion for running, focuses on comfort, support, and enabling proper running form. Listen in as Tony shares the wealth of knowledge that he gained as a product manager, an executive, and a successful product entrepreneur.

Whether you're a product manager in an established company or an aspiring business owner with an idea for a new product business, Making It Real will provide you with real tools and advice on how to be a successful product entrepreneur!

Hosted by Bob Caporale and Tate Tegtmeier

Original Music by Bob Caporale

Note: No endorsement of any product or service featured on Making It Real is either expressed or implied by its hosts or producers.

Jeffrey Woolf – Morpher Helmet

"Sometimes You Have to Eat a Lot of Eyes, and Chew a Lot of Knuckles"

With the rise of bike sharing programs in some of the largest cities across the globe, the inconvenience of carrying around a traditional helmet is becoming more real than ever. So instead of trying to change riders' habits, Jeffrey Woolf, founder of Morpher Helmets, paid attention to what they ultimately wanted instead. He invented an award-winning helmet that folds flat while preserving its most important feature – safety. In this episode, Jeffrey takes us along on his ambitious ride and shares his stories of researching, crowd-funding, manufacturing, and receiving the ultimate reward of saving someone's life.

Whether you're a product manager in an established company or an aspiring business owner with an idea for a new product business, Making It Real will provide you with real tools and advice on how to be a successful product entrepreneur!

Hosted by Bob Caporale and Tate Tegtmeier

Original Music by Bob Caporale

Note: No endorsement of any product or service featured on Making It Real is either expressed or implied by its hosts or producers.

Alex Shirley-Smith – Tentsile

"Grow With Your Business, Step By Step."

Alex Shirley-Smith of Tentsile had a longing desire to save the rainforest since he was a child. For Alex, that passion sprouted into a successful career in tree house design. But even after becoming an accomplished architect, Alex was not satisfied. He wanted to bring the idea of "hanging out in trees" to the masses with comfortable tree-based tents that were even more environmentally friendly than permanent structures. Tune into this episode as Alex Shirley-Smith shares his success story and shows us how he is fulfilling his childhood mission of saving the trees – one tent at a time.

Whether you're a product manager in an established company or an aspiring business owner with an idea for a new product business, Making It Real will provide you with real tools and advice on how to be a successful product entrepreneur!

Hosted by Bob Caporale and Tate Tegtmeier

Original Music by Bob Caporale

Note: No endorsement of any product or service featured on Making It Real is either expressed or implied by its hosts or producers.

J.P. Laqueur – Brand Foundations

"Find The Sacred Cow, and Change It."

As co-founder of Brand Foundations, JP Laqueur is determined to help corporations nix their mission, vision and value statements. He helps companies with their culture and encourages them to share their key differentiators through memorable brand storytelling. With a blog that went viral, and a 3-stage "PWI" process, JP's strategy is applicable and accessible to both corporations and entrepreneurs that are looking to set their brands apart from the competition. 

Whether you're a product manager in an established company or an aspiring business owner with an idea for a new product business, Making It Real will provide you with real tools and advice on how to be a successful product entrepreneur!

Hosted by Bob Caporale and Tate Tegtmeier

Original Music by Bob Caporale

Note: No endorsement of any product or service featured on Making It Real is either expressed or implied by its hosts or producers.

Karen Yankovich – Up Level Media

"Don't Limit Yourself"

Karen Yankovich, is a digital strategist, and founder of Up Level Media. She recognizes the importance of social connections for businesses in our evolving world. Karen is teaching and encouraging her clients to take social media marketing to a new and more conversational level; turning their valued connections into valued clients. Tune into this episode for advice, strategies and high-energy inspirations to fine-tune your social media profile and create more meaningful connections online.

Whether you're a product manager in an established company or an aspiring business owner with an idea for a new product business, Making It Real will provide you with real tools and advice on how to be a successful product entrepreneur!

Hosted by Bob Caporale and Tate Tegtmeier

Original Music by Bob Caporale

Note: No endorsement of any product or service featured on Making It Real is either expressed or implied by its hosts or producers.

Jane Och – Guac-Lock

"No One Knows About Your Product Like You Do!"

Jane Och, co-inventor of Guac-Lock, is a mom on a mission who solved a major party problem: brown guacamole. After some relentless brainstorming, and prototype testing, Jane developed a patent-pending plastic storage system that would keep her 'guac' green for days! With a design innovation award granted, a licensing deal created, and some minor snafus solved, Jane shares her energetic story along with a handful of lessons learned in product design.

Whether you're a product manager in an established company or an aspiring business owner with an idea for a new product business, Making It Real will provide you with real tools and advice on how to be a successful product entrepreneur!

Hosted by Bob Caporale and Tate Tegtmeier

Original Music by Bob Caporale

Note: No endorsement of any product or service featured on Making It Real is either expressed or implied by its hosts or producers.