Today on Momentum, we welcome Alan Shamah. After Alan's father passed away at a young age, he had no choice but to work in his family's apparel company. Within a couple of decades, he had taken over a family member's company and built invaluable relationships with suppliers and retailers. He used these relationships and the skills he developed to build e.l.f Cosmetics, an innovative brand now worth over $10B. In this episode, we discuss how Alan set himself apart from other cosmetics brands, how his skills from the family business helped him grow his startup, and the advice he has to fellow community members feeling stuck in their professional lives.

🎙️ Momentum is the podcast where we sit down with interesting and successful community members in order to extract insights that inspire the next generation of our community's leaders.We release a new episode every Friday and tons of clips on our Instagram page. Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe!

(00:00) Intro(01:08) Early beginnings in business(03:30) Lessons from the apparel industry(06:41) Hardships after closing his apparel company(13:24) The birth of e.l.f. Cosmetics(16:31) Growth and pivoting at e.l.f.(26:00) Expanding into fitness and headwear(29:36) Community involvement(35:31) Overcoming setbacks and health challenges(42:08) Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs(51:02) Momentum Moment(53:03) Closing remarks

(00:00) Intro

(02:52) Career Beginnings on Wall Street

(07:42) Life as a Broker and Trader

(16:28) Handling Risks and Losses

(19:58) Transition to Real Estate

(23:40) Entrepreneurial Journey

(27:02) Utilizing Our Community

(28:02) Following Your Passion

(33:57) Real Estate vs Finance Industry

(36:04) Working from Home

(38:39) Key Principles for Success

(42:07) Public Speaking and Mentorship

(44:19) Elliott's Momentum Moment

(46:21) Closing Remarks

__

Today, I welcome Elliot Horowitz to the show.

Elliot spent the first 15 years of his career grinding it out on Wall Street. After deciding the corporate world wasn't for him, he quit his comfortable job to start his own real estate finance company, H Equities.

We speak about Elliot's early career, including his 12-hour days on the trading floor, and how he was able to take the leap and start his own company. He gives his advice to young adults who are nervous about which industry they will enter, and we highlight the difference between the corporate and entrepreneurial world.

Enjoy the episode and let us know what you think!

Today, I sit down with Marshall Mizrahi.

By day, Marshall is VP at Handcraft Manufacturing, one of the world's leading providers in branded children's underwear. By night, Marshall enjoys quality time with his wife and kids, serves on the boards of both SBH and Magen David Yeshivah, pursues stand-up comedy, playwriting, and apparently sleight-of-hand card tricks.

Enjoy the episode and let us know what you think!

(00:00) Intro

(01:04) Marshall’s Diverse Interests

(03:04) Importance of Hobbies and Interests

(06:05) Selling Yourself in Business

(10:00) Growing Handcraft Manufacturing

(12:44) Impact of Hobbies on Personal and Business Life

(18:01) Gaining Life Experience

(25:02) Learning and Growth Through Education

(29:29) Speaking to the Youth

(33:34) Mentorship and Community Involvement

(37:04) Perception and Self-Worth

(39:17) Parenting and Family Balance

(42:31) Setting and Achieving Goals

(44:38) Momentum Moment

(46:36) Closing Thoughts

Today, we sit down with Sophia Cohen, the Founder of Urban Pops. We discuss everything: her story of starting the company when she couldn't pay the bills, balancing work and running a household, and, most importantly: her favorite flavor.

Enjoy the episode and let us know what you think!

Subscribe to be notified about our weekly episodes!

(00:00) Introduction

(01:15) Sophia’s Early Jobs and Work Ethic

(03:31) Starting Urban Pops

(07:24) Building the Business from Home

(19:15) Expanding with First Locations

(25:02) Community Support and Business Growth

(31:49) Reflections on Work-Life Balance

(39:07) Lessons Learned and Advice for Young Entrepreneurs

(45:00) Favorite Flavors and Fun Questions

(46:21) Momentum Moment

(49:06) Closing Thoughts

Welcome to the 1st episode of the Momentum Podcast! Today, we welcome Michael Harary, whose snack company, Crack N' Up Crackers, is taking the community by storm.

We discuss some insights on business, branding, and growing a company from the ground up.

Michael also tells us about Enough is Enough, an organization he founded to help educate, empower, and unite college students in the fight against campus antisemitism.

Let us know what you think!

Stay tuned for more episodes!

(00:00) Intro

(01:03) Overview of Michael’s initiatives

(03:42) The importance of building community in business

(06:09) Starting with an imperfect product

(09:45) The story behind Crack N' Up Crackers

(14:36) Marketing creativity and community engagement

(21:52) The role of improv in marketing

(26:04) Advice for young entrepreneurs

(29:12) The origin and impact of Enough is Enough

(36:00) Responding to campus anti-Semitism

(42:26) How to get involved with Enough is Enough

(44:33) Momentum Moments

(47:55) Closing remarks