Starting Small

David Thurston didn’t set out to build the fastest-growing hair color brand in professional beauty history. But that’s exactly what happened.

As the founder of Pulp Riot, David created a brand that shook up the salon industry — bold colors, artist-first culture, and a community that felt more like a movement than a product line. Just 23 months after launch, Pulp Riot was acquired by L’Oréal for $150M.

The day the deal closed, David was sitting in a Jersey Mike’s when a bank notification popped up: $85M had just hit his account.

Seven years later, he and his wife Alexis are back building — this time with Danger Jones, a brand that blends hair color, fashion, and film into something entirely different from traditional beauty companies. No corporate playbook. No venture capital. Just creativity, community, and a belief that artists deserve a brand that actually represents them.

In this episode, David shares the full story behind Pulp Riot’s meteoric rise, what really happens after a life-changing exit, and why he decided to start over — building Danger Jones from scratch across 43 countries.

Make sure to check them out at: https://www.dangerjonescreative.com/

Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX

Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO

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Thank you to this episode's mid-break sponsor, Morelux.

If you’re someone who practices at home — golf, baseball, or really any ball sport — you know how hard it is to find gear that’s actually built to take a beating. That’s what impressed me about Morelux.

They sent over one of their heavy-duty frame and net setups, and the first thing I noticed was the build quality. Their systems use thick steel frames and high-density mesh designed to absorb serious impact — not the flimsy nets that wobble or tear after a few sessions.

It’s been perfect for our space. Super quick to set up, incredibly sturdy, and honestly just makes practicing way more fun.

Make sure to check them our at https://www.morelux.store/

Christine de Wendel spent more than a decade helping scale two of Europe’s biggest startup success stories — first at Zalando, then as COO of ManoMano. Both companies grew from early-stage startups into multi-billion-dollar businesses.

But at 40 years old, with three kids and years of scale-up experience behind her, Christine decided it was time to build something of her own.

That idea became sunday — a simple but powerful solution that lets diners pay their restaurant bill instantly by scanning a QR code. What started during the chaos of COVID quickly turned into one of the fastest-growing platforms in hospitality tech.

Today, sunday processes billions in payments each year and is used by restaurants around the world — from independent spots to major dining groups like TAO, Boqueria, Bareburger, and La Pecora Bianca.

In this episode, Christine shares the full story behind sunday: moving back to the U.S. after 15 years abroad, starting a company with a restaurant operator friend during the pandemic, raising $25M in just weeks, and building a company now processing billions in payments.

Make sure to check them out at: https://sundayapp.com/

Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX

Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO

Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/

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Mark Lee started MarqVision while earning his J.D. at Harvard Law, convinced that brand protection was about to break. Counterfeiting and IP theft had grown into a $3 trillion global problem, but enforcement still relied on manual takedowns and fragmented systems. He believed AI could change that.

Five years later, MarqVision has raised $90M, doubled revenue in a single year, and is now trusted by 350+ global brands including LVMH, MLB, MrBeast, Lush, Allbirds, Casetify, Panda Express, and Stüssy. The company is helping brands move beyond reactive enforcement toward measurable “cleanliness” across marketplaces — a shift Mark believes will define brand protection in 2026 and beyond.

Make sure to check them out at: https://www.marqvision.com

Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX

Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO

Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/

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LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle

Dave Munson didn’t launch Saddleback Leather with a business plan. He was living in Mexico, burned out from ministry work, when he designed a leather bag he couldn’t find anywhere — simple, rugged, built to last. A local craftsman made it. Strangers kept stopping him to ask where they could get one. He went back, had a small batch made, and started selling them one by one.

That small run turned into Saddleback Leather Co., now known worldwide for overbuilt bags backed by a 100-year warranty and a philosophy that products should be strong enough to be fought over when you’re gone. Dave went from selling on eBay to owning his own factory, collaborating with brands like Toyota and Major League Baseball, and building a loyal following of more than 250,000 customers who value durability over trends.

Make sure to check them out at: https://saddlebackleather.com/

Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX

Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO

Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/

Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup

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LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle

Starting Small is powered by Riverside.fm, the AI-powered platform that lets you record, edit, repurpose,and distribute studio-quality content as easily as if you had a crew behind you. Check them out now at https://riverside.com/

Steve Schwartz didn’t start Art of Tea because tea was trendy. He started it after watching Western medicine fail his mother. That moment sent him down a path few founders take — studying Ayurveda, working in herbal pharmacies, traveling the world to source botanicals, and learning how plants affect the body at a deep, functional level.

Art of Tea began in a living room, blending by hand, making just enough money to survive week to week. Today, it’s an award-winning tea company trusted by the White House, Caesars Palace, Wolfgang Puck, Slack, and The Peninsula Hotel. 

Make sure to check out Art of Tea at: https://bit.ly/442ubxt

Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX

Register for Starting Small Summit 2026: https://startingsmallmedia.org/startingsmallsummit

Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO

Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/

Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup

Follow Starting Small:

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LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle

Eric LeVine didn’t set out to build a startup. He was a Microsoft engineer during the dot-com boom who just wanted to keep track of the wine he owned. So he built a simple spreadsheet — an “Excel for wine” — to organize his own cellar. Friends started asking for access. Then friends of friends.

In 2003, Eric put the tool online. That side project became CellarTracker.

In this episode, Eric walks through turning a personal itch into global infrastructure, why obsession with data and community mattered more than monetization early on, and how CellarTracker now uses AI to help people know when to drink a bottle — not just what they own.

Make sure to check out CellarTracker at: https://www.cellartracker.com/

Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX

Register for Starting Small Summit 2026: https://startingsmallmedia.org/startingsmallsummit

Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO

Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/

Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup

Follow Starting Small:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Startingsmallpod/?modal=admin_todo_tour

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle

Starting Small is powered by Riverside.fm, the AI-powered platform that lets you record, edit, repurpose,and distribute studio-quality content as easily as if you had a crew behind you. Check them out now at https://riverside.com/

After years running a packed West Hollywood fitness studio and launching multiple FitTech products, revenue flattened, Justin Norris' health slipped, and the business stalled. A single cold plunge changed everything. The clarity he felt stepping out of the water sparked a pivot that would take LIT from a traditional fitness brand to a design-forward recovery company now backed by pro athletes and top investors.

Today, LIT is redefining the recovery category with premium cold plunges, infrared saunas, and turnkey solutions for gyms, studios, and hospitality groups. In this episode, Justin breaks down how he rebuilt the business from the inside out — the mindset shift, the product decisions, and the bet on recovery becoming the next wave in wellness.

Make sure to check out LIT at: https://www.litmethod.com/

Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX

Register for Starting Small Summit 2026: https://startingsmallmedia.org/startingsmallsummit

Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO

Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/

Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup

Follow Starting Small:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/

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LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle

Thank you to this episodes mid-break sponsor, Blue Sky. Blue Sky Clayworks has been hand-crafting whimsical, high-quality collectible ceramics for over 20 years — from seasonal candle houses and detailed figurines to tabletop classics you’ll want out year-round. Each piece is individually hand-painted and hand-packed to arrive perfect, and fans rave that the designs are unlike anything else you’ll find. Check out their 12 days of giving until Dec 12th for 20% off deals at https://blueskyclayworks.com/

At 22 years old, Eugene Kang bought a tiny jerky business from an 80-year-old butcher he met on a road trip. It was doing about $500K a year and relied entirely on private-label production. Over the next fourteen years, he rebuilt everything — the brand, the manufacturing, the product strategy — transforming it into Archer, one of the fastest-growing companies in meat snacks.

From navigating USDA operations as a first-time founder, to unlocking national retail doors through a licensed Sriracha SKU that flipped early “no’s” into “yeses”, Eugene grew Archer into a projected $500M brand by 2026, with 90% YoY growth in 2024. In this conversation, he breaks down the operational grind, the rebrand from Country Archer to Archer, and how sticks became the engine behind one of the biggest category expansions in modern snacking.

Make sure to check out Archer at: https://archerjerky.com/

Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX

Register for Starting Small Summit 2026: https://startingsmallmedia.org/startingsmallsummit

Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO

Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/

Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup

Follow Starting Small:

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LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle

When Michael Jacobson took over his uncle’s barely-profitable flower shop in 2018, many saw a sinking business — he saw potential. Through a mix of technology, obsessive customer care, and operational discipline, he turned what was doing roughly $600K a year into a $9.5M+ powerhouse. Today, French Florist isn’t just surviving — it’s preparing to scale nationally through franchise expansion. In this episode, Michael walks us through the behind-the-scenes rebuild: from modernizing outdated systems, rethinking margins, and making flowers a product people rely on, to proving that even a flower shop can be built like a high-growth business.

Make sure to check out French Florist at https://www.frenchflorist.com/

Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX

Register for Starting Small Summit 2026: https://startingsmallmedia.org/startingsmallsummit

Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO

Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/

Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup

Follow Starting Small:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/

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LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle

Thank you to this episodes mid-break sponsor, Suri.

a sleek, travel-friendly sonic brush that delivers 33,000 vibrations a minute for a deep clean, has plant-based heads you can recycle for free, and now comes with a UV-C charging case that wipes out 99.9% of bacteria at the touch of a button. Brush better. Help the planet. And skip the landfill guilty-conscience — because SURI treats your teeth like the everyday essential they are. Explore it now at https://www.trysuri.com/en-us

As the founder of Pocono Mountain Maple, a 450-acre certified organic maple farm located in the heart of Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, Nicole has always had a deep appreciation for nature. Under her direction, the farm produces Pocono Maple Water, a naturally hydrating, subtly sweet water tapped fresh each spring from organic maple trees.  In addition to its flagship product, the property also offers the region’s only exclusive family nature retreat, blending wellness, sustainability, and outdoor connection in one unique destination.

A Pocono native, Bentler returned to the region after more than a decade working in the health and wellness space. Driven by a vision to revive and reimagine a historic maple farm, she transformed it into a source of both nourishment and nature-based experience. Her work with traditional syrup and sap led to the discovery of maple water’s deeper potential—a rare, mineral-rich drink high in manganese that reflects the purity of its origins.

Make sure to check out Pocono Mountain Maple at https://www.poconomtnmaple.com/

Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX

Register for Starting Small Summit 2026: https://startingsmallmedia.org/startingsmallsummit

Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO

Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/

Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup

Follow Starting Small:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Startingsmallpod/?modal=admin_todo_tour

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle