Stairway to CEO

Today, Lee is joined by Alison Cayne, New York native, mother of five, and Founder and CEO of the revolutionary cooking school turned fresh, squeezable sauce brand, Haven’s Kitchen. In this episode, we discover how Alison combined her love for cooking, teaching, and entrepreneurship to create Haven’s Kitchen and what inspired her versatile range of sauces for home cooks. She sheds light on the product incubation process and the lack of fundraising opportunities for underrepresented founders. Tune in as Alison shares her inspiring story of becoming a leader, and the philosophies she stands by as she guides her team (and her brand) to new heights.

•    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.

• [03:02] Alison’s background: growing up in NYC, working in urban development, having five kids, and getting a master’s in food sciences.

• [14:33] How Alison combined her love for cooking, teaching, and entrepreneurship to create Haven’s Kitchen!

• [17:49] What inspired Haven’s fresh, squeezable sauces for home cooks (and what inspired Alison to pursue the business).

• [21:27] The versatility, accessibility, and sustainability of the sauces.

• [28:13] The product incubation and launch process (with help from Chobani and Whole Foods).

• [36:24] Alison’s greatest challenges (COVID aside!) and the importance of redefining growth expectations for a new category.

• [39:46] Fundraising challenges, particularly for underrepresented founders, and the importance of building a support network.

• [49:56] Alison candidly shares her strengths and weaknesses as a leader and her vision for the company.

• [58:31] What’s next for Haven’s Kitchen! Spoiler alert: a new product line.

• [59:14] Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs to solve a clear problem and ensure sustainable margins.

Alison Cayne on LinkedIn

Haven’s Kitchen

Haven’s Kitchen on Instagram

Chobani Incubator

Whole Foods

Blue Apron

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

“When my youngest son started nursery school, I went back to get a master's in food systems and food studies.” [0:13:48]

“There's just so much correlation with cooking and personal, community, and environmental health.” [0:16:57]

“We had an all-day cafe and an event space and we were profitable within a year, which was cool.”  [0:17:32]

“Why are we teaching our students how to make things like, romesco sauce, Thai peanut sauce, chimichurri, and salsa verde, but these things don’t exist where they're shopping in the grocery store?” [0:19:46]

“I got into the business because I wanted to help people feel great about cooking.” [0:20:14]

“You learn as you go, but can save you thousands of dollars and hours and really prevent failure if you get those lessons early.” [0:33:32]

“The companies that you're seeing that are raising gazillions of dollars and they look like they're doing it relatively easily — are not doing it relatively easily. Secondly, they are likely already in a group of people where they have access to capital and it is really unfair.” [0:39:55]

“Minority-owned brands [and] female-founded brands — are chronically underfunded.” [0:40:10]

“It is very important to have a network of people early on who can write checks. Banks don't do it. You will not find a VC to do it. You need to have angels.” [0:40:33]

“We have an ecosystem where money begets money.” [0:46:17]

“Your strengths and your weaknesses are basically two different sides of the same exact tree.” [0:56:07]

In this episode, Danielle Gronich joins Lee to share her journey to becoming the Co-Founder and CEO of CLEARSTEM. She shares her story from growing up as a tomboy in Southern California with dreams of traveling the world, to working at ADP where she met with all types of business owners and built the confidence to start her first company, the San Diego Acne Clinic. She talks about her experience at beauty school, the root causes and foods that can cause breakouts, how she met her Co-Founder, Kayleigh Christina, and how they bootstrapped the business and grew it to over $8 million in revenue in 2022. 

•  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.

• [02:55] Danielle’s tomboy childhood, entrepreneurial traits, and dreams to travel the world.

• [09:35] What led her to study at UC Santa Barbara, plus some key lessons from her first jobs.

• [14:30] Insight into the not-so-cute side of being a CEO and how working at ADP gave Danielle a real-world business education.

• [17:30] How she created the clinical career she always wanted but didn’t know existed!

• [21:54] Supplements, hormonal imbalances, and other things that can trigger acne.

• [23:12] Where the idea for CLEARSTEM originated after Danielle met her cofounder.

• [26:25] How they built the business from the ground up and how it was impacted by COVID.

• [30:15] The focus on product and messaging that have propelled CLEARSTEM’s growth.

• [31:43] Challenges that came with scaling the business and the role of nurturing the cofounder relationship and facilitating communication.

• [35:42] The CLEARSTEM vision and how community and education set the company apart.

• [40:34] Danielle's decision to keep the company self-funded and what's next for the business.

• [48:26] Why Danielle believes that trusting your instincts is key to business success.

CLEARSTEM Skincare

Danielle Gronich on LinkedIn

Danielle Gronich on Instagram

Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

“I was definitely entrepreneurial; always creative, thinking outside the box, thought that what I was being told to do was [boring]. I wanted to focus on something I thought was more important and I hated being told what to do by authority figures. I think that’s a key trait!” [0:06:13]

“I remember getting exposed to other cultures in depth at a really young age and I always found it fascinating, so I wanted to see the world and satisfy that adventurous spirit.” [0:09:25]

“Being a CEO seems one way to so many people. Once you’re in it, it is that way, but it’s also a lot of stuff you don’t want to do.” [0:14:42]

“How can I learn [business] on the street in a real-world way? [ADP] was the perfect job to do it. I met so many business owners at all different types of businesses – That became my MBA.” [0:16:06]

“While I was [at beauty school], I realized that treating acne was the medical profession I had always wanted but didn’t know existed.” [0:18:26]

“We love making [educational videos and] hosting free masterclasses. We do IG lives. We collaborate with other healthcare professionals, so we’re constantly spreading the [CLEARSTEM] message and ethos.” [0:30:28]

“One of our core values is that we have to be one with the customer at all times. Almost everyone on our team has dealt with acne or some other skin concern.” [0:30:44]

“I knew how to crush it in a [clinical and one-on-one setting], but that doesn’t automatically translate to mass market [success].”  [0:38:24]

“Our founder story is so unique and we’re always sharing that with people and constantly educating – The way we give to our community and educate freely is what really sets us apart.” [0:38:39]

“Being able to stick to the control of the ingredients and the ethos – was always something that was important to us. We swore we never wanted to have an investor because we never wanted someone to tell us, ‘Make this cheaper.’”  [0:41:02]

“So many brands claim to be everything to everyone, but if there ever was a brand that was, it’s us!” [0:47:06]

“The one thing I wish I could have told myself back then is to trust your instincts.” [0:48:44]

Katie Diasti is changing the world of period care as the Founder and CEO of the non-toxic and sustainable period brand Viv! She joins Lee to share her story of growing up as a first-generation Egyptian-American in Tampa, Florida, before a college project sparked her idea for the brand, with staggering data to fuel her passion. We touch on the early stages of growth at Viv, leveraging affiliate marketing to reach a wider audience, and fundraising as a young woman building a period care brand, before Katie shares what surprised her on her business journey, challenges her three-person team has faced with 2000 retail doors, and what’s next for Viv! In closing, she shares a word of advice with listeners.

•    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.

• [01:04] Introducing Katie Diasti, Founder and CEO of Viv, a non-toxic, sustainable period brand.

• [03:37] What it was like to grow up as a first-generation Egyptian-American in Tampa, Florida.

• [10:08] The college project that ignited Katie’s idea for the brand.

• [15:56] Usage data that fuelled Katie’s passion for sustainability in the industry.

• [19:10] Products and materials included in the Viv range, including the user-friendly Viv Cup.

• [26:11] Early growth drivers, affiliate marketing, and fundraising as a young woman building a period care brand.

• [29:28] Why focusing on retail has come as a surprise to Katie.

• [34:28] Where the name Viv originally came from and why Katie loves including ‘for your v’.

• [36:17] Challenges her three-person team has experienced with 2000 retail doors.

• [37:50] What’s next for Viv and some valuable advice from Katie’s journey for new entrepreneurs.

Viv

Viv on TikTok

Viv on Instagram
Viv on Twitter
Katie Diasti on LinkedIn
Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

“I’ve loved how Viv has shifted as a persona. I very much wanted to personify a brand when building Viv, thinking of it as an older sister or this badass person you look up to.” [0:14:08]

“In my own life I was looking to make more sustainable swaps, and I knew that there was a whole generation with me that was looking to be more of an eco-conscious buyer as well as more socially conscious, but there was no brand on the shelf that was really targeting those issues and resonating with the Gen Z and millennial audience.”  [0:16:37]

“Bamboo is not only better for the earth, [but] it also uses way less land and way less water to grow.” [0:18:43]

“Knowing that we could have [period products that are] both better for you and better performance was great.” [0:18:31]

“Viv pads actually break down in 150 days compared to 800 years.” [0:18:44]

“So many people are new to a menstrual cup, so making it as approachable as possible has been key.” [0:20:03]

“Building a startup also takes a village. It’s like raising a family in that sense.” [0:23:38]

“You just have to know that [affiliate marketing] might not work sometimes. Being okay with that in the early days is crucial.” [0:24:56]

“It’s about finding investors that believe in you. You never want to be begging someone to believe in you because that’s just not a great fit, either. It needs to be a two-way street in terms of interviewing the right fit for you.” [0:27:01]

“Wild how some of the things that you think are just for fun or might not have that big of an impact can really change the course of your distribution and growth. Because we’re giving so much of ourselves, being very authentic, and really embracing and embodying the Viv brand always. We’re always in Viv colors at every networking event.” [0:33:26]

“Nothing is ever going to be 100% perfect when you launch and you’re never going to feel 100% ready.” [0:28:35]

“If you’re not looking back and you’re not a little bit embarrassed by the first thing you ever ship out or launch, then you’re taking too long to launch. Launch and grow.” [0:38:58]

“Just start. That’s the hardest part. That mental hurdle.” [0:39:14]

Today, Lee is joined by the CEO and Co-Founder of Methodology, Julie Nguyen, who shares her journey of building a sustainable gourmet meal prep service. Tune in as Julie breaks down her career journey and explains how her personal health struggles inspired the genesis of Methodology. You’ll also find out why she decided against the venture capital route, focusing instead on product quality over scale, and gain some insight into her greatest challenges thus far. Finally, Julie emphasizes the benefits of planning, and making your business your mule (not the other way around)!

 • 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 Julie and Methodology: the sustainable gourmet meal prep service.

•   [02:55] Julie’s background and career journey, from dropping out of law school to working at JP Morgan to becoming passionate about health while working at Lumosity.

•   [18:03] The genesis and product development of Methodology, inspired by her own journey.

•   [26:16] Methodology’s focus on product quality over scale; why they decided against the venture capital route.

•   [28:34] Julie's dream for Methodology to be the first cloud kitchen to earn a Michelin star.

•   [32:22] The challenges of running the business profitably and navigating the pandemic.

•   [37:24] Why planning and being prepared for potential downturns is crucial and some of the lessons Julie learned along the way.

•   [41:55] Her goals for the business and why she’s currently based in Paris.

•   [46:37] Julie’s final words of advice: make your business your mule, not the other way around!

Julie Nguyen on LinkedIn

Julie Nguyen on Instagram

Methodology (Promo Code: Stairway to CEO)

Methodology on Instagram

Lumosity

Find Your Dream Job

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Awesome CX

“It happened very organically. I think that if I had done market research and seen actual food delivery PNLs, I would've probably never started this business because I would've realized there's very little room for error.” [0:20:14]

“For us, it's always flavor first [because] we hate diet food. None of us want to eat it.” [0:21:44]

“I don't want people to feel like they're making compromises when they eat our food.” [0:24:09]

“In the early years, we thought we were going to go the venture path, but then we realized that the venture business model is out of alignment with how we want to build the business, meaning quality first, even if that means it has to grow more slowly.” [0:26:29]

“When I look at our customer base, they're literally NBA players, owners of NBA teams, founders [who you’ve] heard of. They can afford to use anything in the world and they use Methodology.” [0:28:18]

“I want Methodology to be the first cloud kitchen to get a Michelin star.” [0:28:45]

“Our business is laser-focused on quality at the highest level in the world. Our goal is to create an at-home eating experience that is the most luxurious but also the most healthy of anything else in the world.” [0:29:35]

“I stared death in the face many times during the pandemic. But also, of course, in the early days of the business, it was the same. But it was just scarier during the pandemic because on top of the business being hard, overall life was hard.” [0:36:23]

“My dream is to settle down in Europe and marry a European. That’s the priority and that's what's going to happen!” [0:44:35]

“The business is a mule to us and not the other way around. Once we started running the business like that, everything transformed. The business was more successful. I was healthier and happier.” [0:47:40]

In this episode, Lee sits down with Cedar Carter, CEO of The Good Patch, a pioneering “wearable wellness” company offering plant-infused patches that deliver sustained relief for a variety of everyday ailments. Cedar shares her 20 years of collective experience across the apparel and wellness industries, from her first internship with Donna Karen in The Big Apple to her time at BCBG Max Azria, Roxy, and O’Neil. She also talks about her passion for wellness, her leadership style, her first fundraising experience, the importance of hard work, and why “big picture thinking” has been key to her success as well as why highly creative people don’t always make the best CEOs and 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.

•   [02:26] Cedar’s rustic upbringing and the leadership qualities she displayed early on.

•   [05:23] An overview of Cedar’s career journey, from gymnastics coach to CEO.

•   [16:03] The importance of thinking about the big picture and taking a long-term approach.

•   [19:13] What prompted Cedar to make the move from apparel to CPG at The Good Patch.

•   [22:09] The story of how she became CEO of The Good Patch in under a year.

•   [27:58] How her expectations of what it means to be CEO have been challenged.

•   [29:47] Things that have influenced Cedar’s empowering leadership style along the way.

•   [33:47] What growth looks like at The Good Patch (and some insight into the product).

•   [38:23] Inspiring lessons from Cedar’s first fundraising experience.

•   [44:44] What’s next for The Good Patch and Cedar’s advice for aspiring leaders.

The Good Patch

Cedar Carter on LinkedIn

The Artemis Fund

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Awesome CX

“We were very close to nature [as children] and it grounded me from the start.” [0:03:00]

“Coaching gymnastics was a very simple job, but it led to many other career opportunities along the way for me. The value of networking!”  [0:06:03]

“It’s important to work hard in any job that you have, regardless of how important or unimportant it seems at the time because you learn something from every experience, but also, you never know who you’ll meet along the way.” [0:07:01]

“When you’re young, it’s hard to know what you want to do until you try it.” [0:12:07]

“As a marketer, I’d always had an eye on the big picture, as you should.” [0:16:04]

“Because I knew how the wholesale, retail, apparel worlds worked so intimately and also knew how to build and scale a D2C business, The Good Patch approached me thinking that my background made sense for them.” [0:19:58]

“A lot of founders are very creative. They have this amazing out-of-the-box idea, then it comes to actually operating a business, and that’s not always that fun!” [0:25:23]

“The CEO role is a lot of pressure. That’s the biggest thing [that I didn’t expect or realize]. I’d always been working for somebody else. While I still work for somebody else, it is ultimately my responsibility to make sure that this business is successful.” [0:28:34]

“I’ve seen incredibly intelligent people become so disheartened because they feel like they cannot make a single decision on their own without running it by somebody.” [0:31:15]

“Once I met one person in [the female venture capital world in LA], they introduced me to two more, and then they introduced me to two more. It was such a supportive, wonderful group of women that I’m still very much in touch with.” [0:39:46]

“If you believe in your idea and you believe you’re going to be successful (which you should; that’s why you’re an entrepreneur, that’s why you started this brand), you’re giving investors the opportunity to be a part of it.” [0:42:48]

“It’s really about working hard to differentiate yourself as far as work ethic. It’s hard work. You can’t just sit back and work your 9-to-5 and have it fall in your lap. You’ve got to put some effort into your network.” [0:45:46]

“How does my piece of the puzzle fit into the entire puzzle? – How can I think bigger picture? How can I affect change for the whole organization?” [0:46:35]

Description:

In today’s episode, gifting expert Bridget Johns shares her story, from selling piglets for pocket money in Western Pennsylvania to following her passion for retail and working for upscale brands like Lancôme, Links of London, and Tiffany & Co. Join us as Bridget shares why she decided to build a “holistic gifting” platform and offers some insight into gifting occasions and trends, as well as the assumptions she made about fundraising, the lessons she learned from launching her first company, and 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:

• [02:50] Bridget’s humble upbringing and her early foundational experience in retail.

• [05:52] How her career aspirations evolved and her love for retail grew.

• [09:28] Major takeaways from her time at Ralph Lauren, L’Oréal, and Tiffany & Co.

• [11:40] Why Bridget refers to herself as a “weaver” on the path to success.

• [15:24] What gifting means to her and how To&From approaches it holistically.

• [25:08] Entrepreneurship from Bridget’s perspective and why nurturing relationships is key.

• [28:52] Investor bias against gifting and other lessons from Bridget’s fundraising journey.

• [30:51] Metrics to measure success by, the data points of gifting, and trends to watch.

• [37:32] Why Bridget encourages founders to take more time to reflect and think.

• [41:10] Advice for entrepreneurs: keep talking to people!

To Find Out More:

To&From

Bridget Johns on LinkedIn

Bridget Johns on Twitter

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Awesome CX

Quotes:

“When I think about entrepreneurship, the thing that does not scare me at all is how much hard work it is, because that’s what I’ve done my entire life.” [0:07:50]

“Retail is an amazing career. There are so many things you can do with it and so many ways you can grow and stretch yourself and earn a fantastic living.” [0:08:22]

“There are people who have a straight line to success and there are people who weave. I’m definitely a weaver.” [0:12:30]

“I may not have artistic talent (I would never say that I do), but I am in fact a really creative person. It took me most of my life to figure that out.” [0:14:17]

“In order to solve gifting and make gifting a better experience for people, you have to think about it holistically.” [0:15:33]

“I have incredible connections. I have nurtured my connections over time. Part of being a good gifter is keeping your relationships up to date.” [0:26:36]

“With gifting, you can be too cutesy or too clever, and we really wanted a name that would support us as we grew and solve a lot of different problems over time.” [0:30:35]

“I didn’t take any time [between] RetailNext and To&From and I felt this pressure to start building and to know what I was going to build right away – I wish I had taken more time to reflect and think and talk to people.” [0:38:23]

“The number one thing for any entrepreneur is to just keep talking to people.” [0:41:23]

“[Be open to having conversations] with people who are competitive in the space, because you always learn things. You learn the macro picture that helps to shape the industry more than it’s actually going to help shape your company.” [0:44:37]

Description:

In this episode, Lee is joined by Alicia Liu, Founder and CEO of Lavender and Truffles. Raised in the midst of art, food, and fashion, despite being encouraged to pursue business, it’s no surprise that she managed to incorporate all three in her career journey. Alicia joins us to discuss her varied career journey from her first job as a graphic designer to interning at fashion magazines, working at Prada, then Amazon, and ultimately founding Lavender and Truffles. Tune in hear Alicia’s advice and learn how her story weaves together her upbringing, experience, and passion to culminate in an inspiring, authentic business endeavor. 

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. 
• Listeners get 20% off with Lavender and Truffles by using the code: LTFRIENDS20

In This Episode You’ll Hear About:

• [02:38] Alicia Liu’s family background and how her exposure to art, food, and fashion growing up informed her career decisions.

• [07:37] Why entrepreneurship never occurred to her as a child and what her parents encouraged her to do.

• [09:59] Alicia’s career journey from her first job as a graphic designer to interning at fashion magazines, working at Prada, then Amazon, and ultimately founding Lavender and Truffles.

• [17:50] The two most pivotal figures in her career journey and how they inspired her to start her own business.

• [23:37] Alicia’s experience at Amazon, what she learned about e-commerce and digital marketing, and how it prepared her for her current role as Founder and CEO.

• [27:07] What inspired her to start her plant-based ice cream company, Lavender and Truffles, and how she incorporated her prior experience into the business.

• [31:27] How she developed her unique flavors and launched the product in record time.

• [36:35] Why she decided on the four-ounce portion size and how she landed on the name, Lavender and Truffles.

• [40:10] The greatest challenges Alicia has faced on her CP journey thus far and her advice for others looking to pivot to a more fulfilling career path.

• [47:55] Her greatest learning as an entrepreneur and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

To Find Out More:

Alicia Liu

Lavender and Truffles

Lavender and Truffles on Instagram

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Awesome CX by Transcom

Quotes:

“[My parents] told me I had to go to business school, so I told them I was majoring in business and minoring in art, but I actually majored in art and minored in business.”  [0:06:50]

“Instead of going to class for a semester, I actually went to work and I went to work in an ad agency in the art department.”  [0:12:45]

“[Patrizio di Marco] took me under his wing, and I'll never forget it. There are two people in my whole career that have made a big pivotal impact and he was one of them.”  [0:18:40]

“It came to a certain point where I was getting tired of the industry that I was in, and I wanted to switch to something else. I had to really think about what I wanted to do, and I always go back to cooking.”  [0:27:46]

“Dairy's not really in an Asian diet. My daughter was eating a lot of ice cream and I realized it's not healthy for her to eat it all the time, 'cause we get a tub every week. And I decided, ‘I'm going to make you a healthier version.’” [0:30:42]

“When you have to set up the business and come up with names and apply for permits and everything, and the tax ID number; I had that already set up for Lavender Truffles and I didn't want to go through the whole process.” [0:37:54]

“My flavors are unique to the point where, ‘Oh, that's interesting’ is sometimes not enough to grab off the shelf. So I started these tasting packs — so that people can have an opportunity to taste all eight.” [0:39:10]

“In this CP journey, the big shocker is that it's a pennies business. It really is. Every penny counts.”  [0:40:18]

“You get to a certain point in time — where you've got to take some calculated risks and you have to put the faith in the universe.”  [0:42:30]

“Follow your path, guys. Change is good. You can always make changes.”  [0:47:47]

“If you start your own business, you are open 24/7 for work, and it is very challenging to put the ‘closed’ sign on the door.”   [0:48:10]

“To be an entrepreneur or leader of any kind, I think you have to embrace change. And it doesn't mean that you have to be a complete 180 flip, but just be nimble and be flexible.” [0:49:56]

Description:
Joining the show today is Johnathan Bonnell, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Wholly Veggies, a company making it fun and easy to love your veggies with delicious veggie-forward meals and snacks inspired by restaurants around the world! Nothing can truly prepare you for the stress, hard work, and curveballs that come with being an entrepreneur, but as today’s guest has learned, sometimes the challenges that life throws at you can give you the training you need to trust you can make it through anything. Lee talk’s with Johnathan about his upbringing in Canada, some of the financial challenges his family faced growing up, and how his mother losing her job while he was in college shaped his outlook and influenced his path to entrepreneurship. Johnathan also shares how his varied work experience — from working as a garbage man during college to taking on various roles in advertising — influenced his entrepreneurial journey, so be sure to tune in to hear it all!

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:

• [02:56] Johnathan’s upbringing in Canada, the financial difficulties his family experienced, and his early immersion in nature and the concept of sustainability.

• [04:30] The devastating news of his mother losing her job while he was in college, its impact on him, and the turning point it represented in Johnathan’s life.

• [12:31] Johnathan’s experience working as a garbage man through college and what he learned about the industry.

• [17:17] What motivated Johnathan to work in the UK after college and how the recession forced him to move back to Canada.

• [23:50] The companies that Johnathan worked for while pursuing his advertising career and the events that gave him a much broader understanding of running a business.

• [29:09] How Johnathan and his partner first got the idea for Wholly Veggies and his desire to build a business that would positively impact the world.

• [35:24] The research behind Wholly Veggies’ recipes, how their products have evolved over the years, and the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on their business.

• [40:42] Johnathan’s advice on when to start talking to an investment bank about helping you fundraise for your business and why it’s so important to find balance as an entrepreneur.

• [51:53] The story behind the name ‘Wholly Veggies’, an overview of the rebranding they did in 2021, and what their plans are for 2024.

To Find Out More:

Johnathan Bonnell on LinkedIn
Wholly Veggie
Critical Mass

Sid Lee

Truth, Lies, and Advertising: The Art of Account Planning

Party Land
Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Quotes:

“I never wanted to be in a position where someone else can pull out the rug from underneath me. If anyone's going to do it, it's going to be me. I'd rather go out that way. So that was my first feeling of needing control with my destiny.” [0:05:32]
“There's always someone smarter than you in the room, but I knew I could outwork people.” [0:10:22]

“I knew what work ethic came down to a mental challenge, and how far you're willing to take the pain.” [0:10:27]

“My job was, I'd have to walk up and down a section of downtown with a bag and a broom and just sweep trash.” [0:13:29]

“It was terrible as a college kid, on a Friday night finishing your shift at 10pm smelling like garbage.” [0:13:52]

“We work for a company that is personally responsible for destroying our planet. What if we could find a way to do something more positive? What if we could take all this hard work, all this learning, and apply it to something that can make the world a better place?” [0:30:32]

“Being a vegetarian product, we were always getting this hate from people about not being fully vegan.” [0:34:40]

“I really wish it was possible for founders to almost go through a mock investment banking process earlier in your journey, because it really pokes holes [in] all aspects of your business.” [0:41:47]

“You can burn a lot of time, a lot of energy on the wrong product, [and] discover that too late in your journey.” [0:46:19]

“Once you start scaling, it's really hard to come back from that, because you're already hitting critical mass with your retailers or distributors.” [0:46:37]

“Find a way to reassess the business from an outsider's perspective, I would say, every six months.” [0:46:55]

Description:

In this episode, Lee is joined by Megan Klein, Founder and CEO of Little Saints, a sugar-free, functional, nonalcoholic beverage company that has ditched the spirits in favor of the spiritual. Megan’s career journey began in the field of environmental law but her curious, independent, rebellious nature (and her aversion to fighting) led her down the entrepreneurial path. Today, she shares what she learned from the successes and failures she experienced while working in the vertical farming space, how the inspiration for Little Saints came to her during the pandemic, and why she has made spirituality and her belief in the power of feminine energy (i.e. trusting your intuition) foundational elements of her business.

Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsor:

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:

• [02:58] The entrepreneurial qualities that were evident in Megan from a young age.

• [06:47] Some of the many jobs she had throughout her life: from frying mozzarella sticks to corporate law to environmental research.

• [12:54] Why she took her passion for the environment into the realm of business.

• [14:34] Where Megan’s obsession with vertical farming originated, how she found her way into this sector, and how she worked her way up to being president of FarmedHere.

• [19:06] How Megan and her team turned the failure of FarmedHere into a success story.

• [21:55] The gap in the non-alcoholic drinks market that inspired Megan to found Little Saints.

• [28:34] What plant spirit medicine is and how she has incorporated it into Little Saints.

• [34:26] The three functional ingredients found in each of the Little Saints Plant Magic Mocktails and how these drinks differ from others in the functional non-alcohol category.

• [41:20] How Megan has used money astrology to guide her decision-making.

• [45:25] The role that intuition plays in her approach to funding and running Little Saints. 

To Find Out More:

Little Saints

Megan Klein on LinkedIn

Megan Klein on Twitter

Megan Klein on Instagram

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

AwesomeCX

Quotes:

“I’m just really curious. I think it’s the quality that makes you a good entrepreneur.” [0:03:24]

“I wouldn’t say that I found my passion until well after 30.”  [0:08:04]

“I started to see that business was a great way to be an environmentalist because you could create products or be part of a team helping people think differently about the environment, helping people love plants in a certain way. That is the direction I wanted to go in.” [0:14:11]

“The failure of a business ended up being the birthplace of a business that is really sustainable and continues to grow.” [0:19:06]

“I was a wellness entrepreneur during the day and then an alcohol drinker at night. I started to see how that was [counterintuitive].”  [0:22:10]

“Sugar-free, functional, and scent; that’s what I went to my formulation team with.” [0:27:51]

“The premise of plant spirit medicine is that plants are all living beings and if we interact with them with intention, then they can have a reciprocal relationship with us and give us what we need.” [0:28:48]

“We’re the first functional non-alcoholic drink to call out a single adaptogen ingredient with how many milligrams of something it has in it.” [0:35:13]

“My goal is to share Little Saints with as many people as possible and spread joy through that.” [0:41:24]

“We talk a lot about feminine energy on team Little Saints and that just means being able to trust your intuition.” [0:46:08]

Description:

Today, Lee sits down with Alec Jaffe, Founder and CEO of Alec’s Ice Cream, the world’s first and only regenerative agriculture-verified and USDA-certified organic ice cream made using 100% gut-friendly A2 dairy. Alec gives us a glimpse into his background, from surfing in Laguna Beach as a child to playing football at USC with a dream of going pro before a shoulder injury shifted his career ambitions and led him to a job in corporate sponsorship for AEG Worldwide. You’ll gain some insight into his experience of working at a tech startup, what motivated his decision to start a delicious and sustainable ice cream brand, and the challenges he faced in finding an organic dairy supplier. We also dive into retail strategy, fundraising, and the importance of staying focused, plus so much more! To learn more about driving change in your industry, the value of patience, and what it takes to get your product on shelves, be sure to tune in today.

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:

• [02:39] Alec’s childhood in California and his first taste of entrepreneurship.

• [10:57] How his almost-pro athletic journey demonstrates Alec’s perseverance and drive.

• [14:04] The shoulder injury that led him to the corporate world (and what he learned there).

• [21:15] What working in a tech startup taught him about failure, focus, and being a founder.

• [24:34] Why Alec decided to build a sustainable ice cream brand that tastes good too.

• [30:23]Regenerative agriculture, A2 dairy, sourcing an organic dairy supplier, and more.

• [42:37] The complexities of running a retail business while driving change in the industry.

• [49:07] Advice for getting your product on shelves: think about the retail buyer!

To Find Out More:

Alec’s Ice Cream

Alec Jaffe on LinkedIn

Alec Jaffe on Twitter

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

AWESOME CX by Transcom

Quotes:

“I maybe had one or two lemonade stands, but I wasn’t the kid with the lemonade stand on the corner every single weekend!” — @alecjaffe [0:07:35]

“Seeing how my athletic journey transitions to what I’m doing now demonstrates so much perseverance and hustle and willingness to overcome all the obstacles put in my way.” — @alecjaffe [0:10:29]

“At AEG, I got to deal with [how to] grow businesses and also work with clients and people who were way older than me and expected me to be on top of my game.” — @alecjaffe [0:19:56]

“Focus is in everything that we’re doing as far as who is our customer target? — What retailers do we want to sell our product in? We don’t want to be everywhere all at once to start with. What is the product? Does this match the vision for what we want the product to be? Being really clear about that is the biggest thing that I’ve learned and then, on top of that, create a really amazing product.” — @alecjaffe [0:22:36]

“There is a cool opportunity to create an amazing-tasting ice cream that also talks about sustainability and uses really great ingredients because nobody is doing that.” — @alecjaffe [0:29:25]

“I wanted to create an ice cream that didn’t have to sacrifice flavor for sustainability. It would be an additive experience where, because of the sustainable ingredients, you’re actually creating a better product.” — @alecjaffe [0:30:09]

“Finding an organic dairy supplier]allowed us to further our mission in a way that I didn’t even know was possible through regenerative agriculture and also added a cool component with the digestion benefit through A2 dairy.” — @alecjaffe [0:34:11]

“One of the bigger challenges in the regenerative space is creating a market for regenerative products.” — @alecjaffe [0:45:23]

“How is this product going to be better for the shopper, for the consumer? Of course, your product needs to answer that question, but a lot of people don’t think about how their product helps the retail buyer.” — @alecjaffe [0:49:47]

“Take the time to get the details right, understand what you’re doing, and don’t just immediately rush into everything.” — @alecjaffe [0:56:01]