Stairway to CEO

Today, Lee is joined by Kate Foster, Co-Founder and CEO of The Outset, a skincare line, co-founded and represented by none other than Scarlett Johansson! In catching up with Kate we hear all about her journey; from growing up playing soccer and varsity softball to her internship in the PR department of Sex in the City at HBO to her marketing roles at esteemed brands like Victoria's Secret, Anne Taylor, and Juicy Couture, leading up to her role as the CMO of 'Not Your Daughter's Jeans.'  She shares the pivotal moment when she realized she wanted to become CEO one day, how she launched her first company at the age of 40, the acquisition of her company by Meredith Corporation, and what it’s been like collaborating with Scarlett Johansson. To learn all about her fascinating journey, plus the exciting things coming up for her and The Outset, be sure to tune in!

AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.  

• [02:07] Kate’s upbringing in California, her competitive nature as a kid, how she learned to get comfortable with failure, and how she gravitated towards leadership positions.

• [10:34] How she first got a job in the beauty industry, fell in love with the work, and got a master’s in beauty, marketing, and management.

• [15:54] The moment Kate first realized that she wanted to become CEO and what it was like going to Columbia Business School.

• [18:54] Balancing starting a family with her career, and how building marketing for 'Not Your Daughter's Jeans' gave her the idea for her first startup ‘Swear By’.

• [25:39] The story of how Kate met Scarlett Johansson and co-founded The Outset.

• [32:04] Scarlett’s struggles with her skin and the authentic drive this gave her to create products that would help others.

• [37:15] Kate’s favorite products from The Outset, an overview of their best sellers, and why they wanted to make the price point accessible.

• [40:40] How Kate came up with the name ‘The Outset’, Scarlett’s decision not to have social media, and why they don’t consider themselves to be a celebrity brand.

• [45:08] The benefits of not relying on Scarlett’s social media presence, the art of collaboration, and what Kate has learned from working with her.

• [51:32] What’s next for The Outset and Kate’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Kate Foster on LinkedIn

Kate Foster on Instagram

The Outset

The Outset on Instagram

Awesome CX
Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

“I think that's the challenge that a lot of people face. Sometimes when you're doing a good job – they want to keep you there. And so it's difficult, often, to make parallel moves – if you've gotten too far ahead.” [0:16:38]

“I had to get serious about the other parts of my executive toolkit.” [0:17:31]

“It was a concept that I rejected. If I'm close to the customer, and I understand who the customer is, it doesn't matter if I'm the customer. It's about whether or not I can articulate ways to make their life better through our product offerings and understand their problems.”  [0:21:09]

“There's something really impactful about word of mouth, friend-to-friend, recommendations. And there just isn't a way to amplify these at scale. That's when I came up with this idea for my own startup.” [0:22:37]

“It was a totally crazy thing to leave a very stable job to [try] my hand at entrepreneurship on my own at 40 years old when most people are really doubling down on the growth of their career.” [0:22:58]

“When I met [Scarlett] it was just very natural and very easy. And I think it's because there's a foundation of shared values.” [0:30:56]

“Being curious about the world is something that me and Scarlett share and creates a very good foundation for partnership.” [0:31:13]
“[Scarlett’s] vision for what she articulated to me in that very first meeting is actually what we wound up building. I'm just so shocked because it never really works out that way [where] you can have this clarity of vision and be able to connect it to the execution.”  [0:31:43]

“It's not about ‘how to look like her’, it's about how to reveal your skin's true potential. And really, the customer is at the center of everything that we do.” [0:43:38]

“Trusting your gut is something that I'm constantly a work-in-progress on.” [0:47:11]

“Collaboration also comes from a place of trust and security. And people do their best collaborating when they feel that they're in a safe space.” [0:47:42]

Our guest, Kristy Morris, has had a close relationship with entrepreneurship from a young age and saw first-hand what it was like to be a business owner when her parents ran one of the earliest McDonald’s in Australia after the brand was introduced into the country. Today she is the Co-Founder and CEO of Kailo, Australia’s leading luxury wellness brand. Tuning in you’ll hear about her upbringing in Australia, the influence her entrepreneurial parents had on her, her struggles at school, and how she came to own a coffee shop when she was just 24 years old! We then go on to learn how her eldest son inspired her to start Kailo, the pivots she and her business partner had to make during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with her reflections on how the business has grown and changed in ways she could never have predicted. Tune in to learn the full scope of Kristy’s story and the many lessons she continues to learn as a leader.


 

AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.  

• [02:13] Kristy’s upbringing, the influence of her entrepreneurial parents, the early days of McDonald’s in Australia, and how her parents were approved for a franchise.

• [04:33] The struggles she experienced in school, her cultural exchange trip to America, the positive impact it had on her, and why she eventually decided to drop out of high school.

• [10:48] Her experience working at McDonald’s, how she worked her way up the ranks, and what this taught her about business operations.

• [14:34] Why Virgin Airlines was considered such an innovative company at the time and the extraordinary lengths Kristy went to to make an impression on them.

• [16:59] Her decision to open up a coffee shop as a 24-year-old and how this led to her joining HR at Virgin Airlines.

• [22:48] Kristy’s marriage, starting a family, and her entrepreneurial partnership with her husband before they got divorced.

• [25:39] How Kristy’s eldest son inspired her to start Kailo and how she met and teamed up with her wonderful business partner Kath Merlo.

• [29:33] The strategic steps they took to survive as a business during the COVID pandemic, how they expanded into nutrition products, and the huge impact it’s had on their company.

• [36:01] An overview of their recent business growth, their expansion plans, and how Kristy is developing herself as a leader.

• [41:21] Details about what’s next for Kailo and Kristy’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs.

Kristy Morris on LinkedIn

Kailo

Kailo on Facebook

Kailo on Instagram

Kailo on YouTube

Kailo on LinkedIn

Awesome CX

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

“My dad was trying to instill a really strong work ethic that ‘you are no different to anybody else’. I genuinely can say I think that is a gift.” [0:13:14]

“I was lucky enough to get a job with Virgin [Airlines] and they there were such a new company at the time. You felt like you were part of something really exciting.” [0:16:59]

“The more vulnerable [you are], the more successful you will be because you're just opening up for people to come in and help you.” [0:22:24]

“[Kath and I] often talked about all the gaps that we were seeing. From what we were seeing in LA [versus] Australia, around wellness. — And all the clinics and things that you have on offer in the US. And we [wondered] ‘what if we can bring a concept back to Australia.’” [0:27:13]

“We've grown the services based on the guests’ needs, learning from our guests what they want.” [0:29:02]

“It was a much bigger beast that we took on than we realized. You go into something that you've never done before and go ‘yeah, this is going to be – easy.’” [0:29:16]

“Fourteen months into opening, we hit COVID. [It is] by far the hardest moment that we've ever been through. Closing the doors to our business and realizing we only had $20,000 in the bank. We were still in such a startup mode.” [0:29:35]

“The hardest part has been not having such a close relationship to every single person in the team.” [0:38:39]

“I feel lucky to be in a business partnership, I think that always gives you that comfort.” — [0:40:05]

“Always surround yourself with really positive, successful, humble people. Because you don't want to lose sight.” [0:42:39]

Today,  Lee sits down with Tom Hale, CEO of ŌURA, which delivers personalized health data and guidance to make wellness and recovery part of your daily practice. Tuning in, you’ll find out how Tom went from growing up with dreams of becoming a train engineer to discovering the OŪRA Ring and writing a letter to the board about why they should hire him as CEO. You’ll gain some insight into Tom’s journey as a leader, which started with executive positions at Macromedia and Adobe, to becoming President of Momentive, where he set enterprise strategy and led product growth. Join us as we discuss Tom’s leadership style, why he says it’s lonely at the top, how he got a crash course in fundraising from raising $40 million in less than a month, and so much more!

AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.  

•   [02:29] Tom’s upbringing in a “dusty town” and his love for trains (and Dungeons & Dragons).

•   [08:21] What sparked his interest in the impact that business and tech can have on society.

•   [10:42] Some of Tom’s early jobs, including computer consulting and summarizing scripts.

•   [18:54] The importance of learning on the job and how he went from Adobe to Second Life.

•   [24:23] What Tom learned about the gig economy from his time at HomeAway.

•   [26:27] How losing sleep led him to discover the Oura Ring and how it improved his health.

•   [36:49] The story of how Tom went from a customer of Oura to the company’s CEO!

•   [44:05] Challenges facing newbie CEOs and the value of having a leadership mandate.

•   [46:07] Little-known realities of being CEO, including the loneliness that comes with it.

•   [51:44] Oura’s company values, which encompass a spirit of collaboration and aiming higher.

•   [53:35] Viewing the fundraising journey as a lesson in what investors find compelling.

•   [55:42] Insight into Oura’s vision for the future: from sick care to human care.

ŌURA

Tom Hale on LinkedIn

Tom Hale on X

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

“Pulling on the threads of technology, its impact on society, how people change because of technology, and [my experience] with personal computers – it came together and led me on the path that I’m on today.” [0:10:24]

“They put me in [a product management job at Macromedia], and it was probably my [biggest] learning-on-the-job moment, figuring stuff out. I remember some moments of high anxiety because I was like, ‘I have no idea what I’m doing!’” [0:17:45]2

“Early in your career, if you’re at a company where there’s more work than there are people to do it – you can move up really quickly in your career.” [0:19:17]

“[When] I went to HomeAway, I was captured by the idea that you could rent a property to someone over the internet and they would come and stay in it. It was an interesting confluence of what we today call the gig economy.” [0:25:22]

“For me, during that period of losing sleep, [the Oura Ring] really changed my life.”  [0:27:57]

“That kind of power, giving your body a voice, is central to what Oura does.” [0:36:40]

“It was all very rational and logical, but there was a strong intent behind [my letter to Oura]. Sometimes, you get that intent coming through and people say, ‘Here’s somebody who’s motivated.’ And motivation counts.” [0:38:53]

“I get most excited about working on products that I can understand, touch, and feel and [that are] relevant and relatable – on a really human level.” [0:39:43]

“The role of a CEO sometimes is to go against the grain.” [0:47:14]

“Our big vision is: how do we become part of the behavioral change that improves health outcomes, that transforms the healthcare industry from one where it’s about sick care to something we call human care?” [0:56:14]

Coming to share their story today is Jeanine Lobell, the Founder of Neen. Her story is truly remarkable and underlines the unexpected turns we can all encounter and how far a commitment to one's ideals and ideas can take things. Jeanine talks about the acquisition of her previous company, Stila, and what it took for her to take a dive into something new and exciting. The lessons around healing, community, and authenticity that Jeanine has learned and generously touches on here, are truly inspiring. Tune in to hear it all!

AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.  

• [03:12] Jeanine's childhood years in Sweden, the activities she enjoyed, and how she taught herself to read.

• [08:01] Living in San Francisco, London, and Paris, and the difficulties of her teen years.

• [13:20] A humble entry into the make-up industry before getting work as an artist.

• [19:55] Jeanine reflects on her independent spirit and distrust of authority.

• [23:46] Building Stila and discovering her new personality and capabilities.

• [29:54] Jeanine's thoughts on the challenges of having a company acquired, following Estée Lauder's acquisition of Stila.

• [36:13] The decision to start Neen; the ideas and motivations that drove Jeanine to begin a new adventure.

• [43:55] Sustainability at Neen and the way that Jeanine has approached packaging.

• [51:43] The funding process at Neen so far and the meaning behind the brand's name.

• [56:19] Jeanine's suggestions for the questions entrepreneurs should ask themselves.

Awesome CX

Neen

Jeanine Lobell on Instagram

Stila

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

“[As kids], we just made stuff all the time!”  [0:07:18]

“I kind of woke up to find a whole other person living inside me that I didn't know.” [0:24:13]

“I just need to be smarter than the problem in front of me.” [0:25:22]

“That's a big driver for me, like how do I make things different?” [0:25:32]

“Acquisition is tough. I don't think I know anyone who is super happy after an acquisition, unfortunately.” [0:34:17]

“When you make a business – [and] it comes from your personal values, people feel that.” [0:40:28]

“I wanted to make a sustainable, refillable package.” [0:45:54]

“I'm not on the soapbox about it, I just don't want to make more trash, period.” [0:47:01]

“I always say, makeup is a mood-altering chemical. 100%. It can totally change the way that you feel and that's what I like about it.” [0:53:47]

“You don't have to change yourself to feel that way about yourself. You have to learn to feel that way about yourself, period. And then makeup is just the icing.” [0:55:25]

“Don't ever let anyone tell you that you shouldn't be an entrepreneur.” [0:57:31]

Greg Starkman, the Founder and CEO of Innersense Organic Beauty generously shares some of his defining moments with us, touching on the intentional way they have selected, produced, and released products, surviving the tougher times before things started to tip toward success, and how an approach of steady and continued growth has served the company so well. Our guest also talks about leadership and his continual journey of learning and support for his team, so make sure to tune in to catch it all in this inspiring conversation with Greg.

AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.  

• [02:12] Greg talks about the recent changes in San Francisco, growing up in Los Angeles, and the family values present in his home.

• [09:52] Entering the beauty industry and finding purpose in professional life.

• [18:07] Challenges that Greg and the company faced around sourcing ingredients after launching.

• [21:40] The key products that Innersense brought to market initially and more recently.

• [26:47] Greg reflects on the biggest challenges and surprises on his journey with Innersense; demand, marketing, and the 2008 recession.

• [32:20] Moments of learning and self-doubt, and the fundamental place these have in the life of an entrepreneur.

• [35:40] People, planet, and purpose; Greg shares why standards for the cosmetic industry are so important to him.

• [39:35] Thoughts on growing as a leader and allowing increased autonomy for the team.

• [45:15] Advice from Greg about pivoting, learning, and a steadfast attitude.

Awesome CX

Innersense Organic Beauty

Greg Starkman on LinkedIn

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Lee Greene Email

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

“As a kid, I did a lot of different things. I would work and earn extra money in salons sweeping hair, and I would actually fill product vats for my mom.” [0:07:32]

“In my early teens I definitely became that wayward kid that was always out and about, and always in some level of trouble.”  [0:08:00]

“Even though we were very affluent growing up, there were never any handouts.”  [0:08:42]

“I was kind of a late bloomer, I never really figured out what I wanted to do until I was probably in my early 20s. And I think at that point I felt like I found some level of purpose when I got into the beauty industry.” [0:09:38]

“We took that cosmetic ingredient standard and brought that into hair care.” [0:15:25]

“It literally took a good ten years for us to even spark at the level of scalability.” [0:16:24]

“We made a commitment from day one to work with ingredients that were very pure, and highly efficacious.” [0:19:18]

“It doesn't matter how clean or how organic a product is, if it doesn't perform, the consumer is not going to come back and buy it.” [0:19:34]

“It's just about continuing to educate and inform the safe cosmetic consumer who is looking to make healthier and cleaner choices, and do it in a very authentic way.” [0:21:28]

“We have been very intentional over the last 18 years with the types of products we introduce. Believe it or not, we only have 22 products.” [0:23:37]

“It was just perseverance, and an unwillingness to fail.” [0:30:11]

Description:

Endangered Species Chocolate was a mission-driven company long before it was cool. CEO Curt Vander Meer joins us today to share the story of his career and impact, the five key duties of a CEO, and how he came to own the Endangered Species Chocolate brand. Join us for an insider’s look at Curt’s unexpected journey to protecting wildlife and continuing the legacy of his founder, mentor, and friend.

Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:

AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats. 

In This Episode You’ll Hear About:

• [01:03] Curt Vander Meer’s journey through the world of finance to becoming the CEO of Endangered Species Chocolate.

• [16:40] His unexpected initial experiences of the business and how his vision differed in comparison to his focus today.

• [22:07] Goals to donate a million dollars a year and create moments of joy through abundant giving at Endangered Species Chocolate.

• [23:59] The behind-the-scenes process of pairing animal facts with chocolate flavors.

• [28:59] What it was like to transition from financial lead to CEO at Endangered Species Chocolate.

• [31:43] Expectations versus the reality of occupying the CEO seat.

• [33:29] The five duties of a CEO: setting direction, speed, risk, resources, and culture.

• [34:30] Becoming the sole owner and CEO of Endangered Species Chocolate.

• [36:00] How Curt’s leadership style has changed and how his role has promoted personal growth through hard lessons.

• [44:30] What surprised Curt most along the way despite his classical training in business.

• [49:55] How he intends to continue the legacy of Endangered Species Chocolate, Randy Deer.

To Find Out More:

Curt Vander Meer on LinkedIn

Endangered Species Chocolate

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Quotes:

“There are a lot of things I haven’t scripted that have turned out way beyond and far exceeded the expectations of the plan I created.” [0:18:25]

“When you put an accountant in charge, what’s the first three things they do? They cut people, they cut places, and they cut things, and that’s a little bit of what I did.” [0:20:19]

“I had a different idea than our previous CEO of what we wanted to do. I wanted to really explore the roots of the business.” r [0:20:32]

“Being in the chocolate industry is very fun and there are so many different avenues that you can go.” [0:20:57]

“I wanted to, and still want to, magnify the impact of our brand promise.” [0:21:52]

“I’ve heard it said that being CEO can be a lonely position. There’s some truth to that so I would encourage people to find those that they can lean on. ” [0:31:44]

“I really have five duties as a CEO that I need to do. I need to set direction, speed, risk, resources, and culture.”  [0:33:30]

“Being CEO is one thing. Being owner is another whole mindset that you need to have.” [0:34:39]

“I really want people’s input before a final decision needs to be made.” [0:35:19]

“Really [make] sure you get the right talent in the right positions, and that is easier said than done.” [0:36:07]

“You weigh in so that you can buy in.” [0:37:21]

“We’re all called to use our talents to the best of our ability, so don’t assume that I can think about everything that’s necessary. That’s why you have trusted advisers on your leadership team.” [0:40:26]

“It’s so important to stay quiet and let people talk. That’s the best strategy that’s worked for me.”  [0:40:40]

“Grandma Vansingel always said that mistakes only happen to those people who do things, and I try to use that mantra here as well.” — Curt Vander Meer [0:43:04]

Description:

Today, Lee sits down with Vanessa Pham, a first-generation Vietnamese-American and the Co-Founder and CEO of Omsom, a loud and proud Asian pantry staple brand. In this episode, Vanessa shares her journey from growing up with her sister (and business partner) Kim, and their Vietnamese refugee parents outside of Boston, to attending Harvard, working in consulting, and starting Omsom after being inspired by the 2016 elections to build something that would shift culture. Tuning in, you’ll find out how her father tried to escape Vietnam seven times before he was successful, the pressure Vanessa felt to honor her parents’ sacrifices and make them proud, and how she bootstrapped the business for the first year by offering SAT tutoring services just to make rent, plus so much more!

Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:

AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.

In This Episode You’ll Hear About:

•   [03:16] Ways that Omsom’s proud and loud ethos is a response to growing up “othered.”

•   [07:52] What Vanessa wanted to do and how she was motivated by her parent’s sacrifices.

•   [10:20] Insight into her career trajectory and the pivotal conversation with her dad that helped her let go of external pressure and expectations.

•   [14:09] A look at her journey toward taking more risks and her desire to influence culture.

•   [16:48] How food (and particularly ready-to-use sauces) aligned with Vanessa and Kim’s mission to celebrate Asian stories.

•   [27:20] How they navigated launching Omsom during the early days of the pandemic.

•   [30:27] Vanessa’s advice for community building, marketing, and fundraising.

•   [34:18] Her relentless commitment to personal growth and how it benefits her as a CEO.

•   [41:26] Reflecting on some of the biggest surprises that came with building a business!

•   [46:42] Why Vanessa encourages fledgling founders to be authentically themselves.

To Find Out More:

Omsom

Vanessa Pham

Vanessa Pham on LinkedIn

Vanessa Pham on Instagram

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Quotes:

“Omsom in Vietnamese means rowdy, rambunctious, riotous. Our ethos is all about being proud and loud. In some ways – reclaiming our narratives and telling our stories loudly and proudly is our way of pushing back on that initial experience we had in that small town outside of Boston.” [0:04:22]

“Building a proud and loud brand was when I learned to be more true to myself, be [comfortable] in my skin, and be more authentic about who I actually am.” [0:06:07]

“My dream for most of my life has been to honor my parents and their sacrifices. Nothing has been more motivating to me than that.” [0:07:56]

“There’s not enough Vietnamese-American women that are seen as thought leaders. I felt really called by that.” [0:15:29]

“After the 2016 election, Kim and I wanted to build something that could influence culture, narratives, and dialogue at a national level.” [0:15:40]

“Food – has been such an incredibly meaningful part of our lives and a way for us to connect to our culture and our identities.” [0:17:59]

“What we’re building is in service of giving people a sense of home and a sense of joy. In [hard times], they’re actually going to want to engage with a brand like ours. What we stand for is relevant and timely.” [0:28:40]

“There was this flywheel that we created by building and fostering a community that understood our values, saw what we [stood for], and that really resonated with them.” [0:29:53]

“[Ask yourself]: Is my story and my brand story authentic? Because consumers’ bullshit meters are higher than ever. Same with the press. Beyond that, does it parlay into broader dialogues that are happening at a national level?” [0:31:12]

“I dedicate so much of my time and mindshare, and emotional energy to evolving my worldviews and my relationship with myself – so that I can navigate this journey with grace, trust, belief, and conviction. Those are so important for getting the job done.” [0:35:21]

“My advice would be to continue to show more of who you really are in the [CEO] journey.” [0:46:53]

In this episode, Lee sits down with Michael Broukhim, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of FabFitFun, a women’s lifestyle membership and shopping experience bringing joy and well-being to its members. Michael shares his experience growing up with his older brother in Los Angeles, his incredible story of starting an online media consulting company, some ups and downs of developing websites for politicians, pivoting to launching a wellness blog, and how this all unfolded into his trailblazing CEO journey. Tune in to hear how he has evolved as a leader, the challenges of growing the company, the secret sauce to launching a brand, the top tips he recommends to stay grounded. 

•    AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.

• [03:13] Growing up in Los Angeles, his roots in media entrepreneurship and the profound influence his parents had on his passion for the written word.

• [07:25] Navigating his brother's cancer diagnosis, early job experiences, and a transformative college journey that paved the way for FabFitFun.

• [13:42] Starting his first business, working with politicians, and mixing wellness with the red carpet treatment.

• [19:54] Value lessons from earlier ventures, from monetizing emails to business expansion, and how this led to FabFitFun.

• [26:31] Pivoting the business model of FabFitFun and what makes the company and its products unique.

• [31:47] What qualities they look for in other brands and the success stories of the companies they have worked with.

• [34:06] The joint venture approach to business and how Michael has evolved as a leader.

• [37:20] The difficult challenge of raising capital and how this inspired Michael and his brother to form Green Meadow Ventures.

• [41:24] The biggest obstacles to founding FabFitFun; a wedding, COVID, and his brother’s cancer diagnosis.

• [44:22] Invaluable advice for budding entrepreneurs and what’s next for FabFitFun!

Michael Broukhim on LinkedIn

Michael Broukhim on Twitter

FabFitFun

Charlie on LinkedIn

Green Meadow Ventures

Awesome CX

Casaléna

Unhide

Spongelle

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Quotes:

“Maybe it was the combination of having access to the internet and having a printer, but I started just putting things into a word processor and laying them out.” [0:05:33]

“I was a pretty resilient kid, and in a lot of ways, I didn’t have anything too tough, and only later in my life did I come to understand that.” [0:07:29]

“We didn’t seek out to build a political new media consulting firm, it was just the first opportunity that fell into our laps.” [0:15:26]

“We learned really well how to get people onto our newsletter, how to monetize an email list, and how to produce incredible content.” [0:20:16]

“I think email is interesting. It is kind of like the cockroach of the internet. It will never go away. It is a truly open platform.” [0:20:31]

“In some ways what we came up with, through FabFitFun, was an alternative way to tell your story as a brand, and that was to get the product into consumers’ hands.” [0:28:33]

“Consumers have a much higher tolerance for trying new things if they know they are getting a deal.” [0:28:52]

“What is going to make any brand or product successful in the long run is you have to own the consumer for something unique and something differentiated that you have tapped into.” [0:31:54]

“Getting into that mode of constantly working on yourself, being a self-learner, and in some ways your own harshest critic, I think are really essential to leading a company.” [0:35:26]

“I think surrounding [ourselves] peer groups that [we] can talk to and learn from has been really critical.” [0:37:06]

“I think right now, trying to really stretch your dollar is important because the capital is more expensive.” [0:38:47]

“Keep powering through. I think if you are really committed to [starting a business], it is an incredible privilege to be able to run a business.” [0:44:24]

“I think finding a way to stay level is really critical as an entrepreneur.” [0:44:51]

Sharing his extraordinary story today is Olympic-level rowing coach turned entrepreneur, Bruce Smith. Bruce has been self-sufficient since his teens and in this episode, we discover his journey to becoming the Founder and CEO of Hydrow; the rowing machine company connecting the indoor rowing experience to the magic of rowing on water. From breaking into hotels and churches in order to practice piano, he transferred his passion wholly into rowing. Tune in to discover what he finds so engaging about the sport and hear all about his inspiring personal journey and entrepreneurial story.

•     AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.

• [01:02] Introducing Bruce Smith, the Founder and CEO of Hydrow.

• [03:37] Bruce’s early days: Growing up in Canada with a schizophrenic mother, leaving home early, and supporting himself financially while pursuing music.

• [11:16] How he supported himself in college; how he became a hustler by necessity!

• [14:24] His journey from academia to entrepreneurship, real estate, and coaching.

• [20:08] Bruce’s passion for rowing and his transition from rower to rowing coach.

• [22:49] The mind-body connection associated with rowing and the addictiveness of synchronization.

• [25:18] Bruce shares success stories from his career as a rowing coach.

• [27:42] The genesis story of Hydrow; the rowing machine company connecting the indoor rowing experience to the magic of rowing on water.

• [33:49] Hydrow’s impressive fundraising journey in the face of countless rejections.

• [47:09] The company’s team structure, Bruce’s leadership approach, and Hydrow’s future goals!

Bruce Smith on LinkedIn

Hydrow

Community Rowing, Inc.

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

“[Entrepreneurship] is really hard but it's really satisfying. Honestly, I think it's the most fun thing you can do. It's like creating art that's worth the trouble.” [0:03:21]

“I got my driver's license the day that I turned 16 and I got in the car and I drove away and I basically never went back.” [0:07:40]

“I really do believe poverty is an amazing motivator.” [0:13:12]

“The power of the man is real and you’ve got to adapt and bend a little bit if you're going to be successful.” [0:17:28]

“In the United States, especially in Chicago, it is a meritocracy. If you have good ideas, people embrace you with open arms.” [0:19:46]

“That moment of synchronicity – is wildly addictive.” [0:23:59]

“We wanted to take that smoothness and that analog feeling [of rowing on water] and translate it to a machine. So we had to reimagine how people think of our machines from the ground up.” [0:32:28]

“You want to be sure that the people who invest in your company will be able to continue to invest in your company.” [0:38:54]

“I like bankers. They're the most socially capable people I've ever met.” [0:40:35]

“Overall, I've become an even stronger believer in investing in culture and – who you are.” [0:47:52]

In today’s episode, we hear Francisco Pergola the Co-Founder of Cheddies Crackers, a high protein, low sugar snack brand made with real cheese sourced from regenerative farms. During this episode, Francisco shares his story of making something out of nothing, time and time again, from growing up in San Antonio, Texas (with dreams of working on Wall Street) to starting the first Ping Pong club in high school, and beyond. Francisco created Cheddies after realizing that hospital patients had limited healthy snack options. Working with nutritionists and testing his concept within clinics, Francesco and his family have taken the snack world by storm. Tune in to hear more today!

•  AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.

• [01:05] Francisco Pergola’s childhood, studies, and career before co-founding Cheddies Crackers.

• [09:23] The inception and development of the Cheddies Crackers concept.

• [13:48] Researching what patients needed with nutritionists and testing the concept in hospitals.

• [20:14] Taking the product to market, finding a big break, and getting stocked at H-E-B.

• [31:09] Navigating fearlessness as an entrepreneur and asking for forgiveness rather than permission.

• [40:10] The ratio of challenge to celebration on the journey and weighing up the benefits along the way.

• [48:55] Francisco reflects on the early days of the business and what he would recommend others do differently.

• [53:07] Background on the cracker industry in the USA and Nabisco.

Francesco Pergola on LinkedIn

Cheddies Crackers

Outlaw Ventures

H-E-B
Awesome CX

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

“I’d go in and talk to their patients and just listen to what they needed which is something that, in the medical industry, not many people do.” [0:14:07]

“When we go into the clinics, the easiest selling point for us was familiarity and approachability.” [0:18:14]

“[It] was near and dear to our hearts when we started Cheddies — it’s a snack; it’s meant to be fun; it just so happens to be better for you.” [0:19:38]

“I tell people all the time, just ask for forgiveness later.” [0:21:12]

“I don’t like having limits on what I can and cannot do, because you only live once, so why not try to do as many things as you can?” [0:38:38]

“95% of what we have done and dealt with have been challenges and like 5% have been celebratory moments.” [0:40:10]

“The good is always at the end, somewhere, somehow.” [0:40:36]

“There are going to be moments where you seek answers, you seek help from others, and the truth is, it’s your journey, and they are your answers to figure out.” [0:47:37]

“I think taking on debt at an early stage is an effective tool.” [0:48:57]