The Business Model by Inc.

What do Alloy Health, Actual Veggies, and Turtlebox Audio have in common?  

Well, it’s certainly not their industry. Could it be that they’re all on this year’s Inc. 5000 list? That’s true, but it’s not the only reason they’re on this episode of Founder Group Chat.  

Instead, it’s that each of these companies started in a highly personal way. Covering friendships to family to lived experiences, Anne Fulenwider, Hailey Swartz, and Will Bradley join Inc.’s Rebecca Deczynski to explain how they got their brands off the ground even with sometimes-heavy relationships in the mix.  

In this special custom episode, Inc. editor-in-chief Mike Hoffman joins Dina Apostolou, CMO of Agentforce Sales at Salesforce, to explore the biggest lessons from this year’s exclusive Inc. 5000 CEO survey. As AI shifts from experimentation to everyday execution, the nation’s fastest-growing companies are using it to strengthen sales teams, improve forecasting, streamline customer engagement, and free employees to focus on higher-value work. Watch the video to discover why leading CEOs are investing in integrated AI, prioritizing culture alongside technology, and treating customer retention as a powerful engine for long-term growth.

What do Patagonia, American Girl, and LinkedIn have in common?  

All three started as small businesses but beat the odds to become household names.  

Along the way, each landed on the Inc. 5000, the list of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. 

Inc. has published this list for over 40 years and it has included countless companies that started small and went onto massive success.  

On this episode of The Business Model, Inc. journalists Tim Crino, Rebecca Deczynski, and Jennifer Conrad chat over six of these household names: Patagonia, Under Armour, Clif Bar, American Girl, Fitbit, and LinkedIn.  

Listen or watch to learn what it takes to become a household name and make sure you’re following this feed to get continued coverage of the Inc. 5000.  

The THC products scattered across the country on restaurant menus and in gas stations and grocery stores are all legal because of a loophole.  

Now, Senator Mitch McConnell and the alcohol lobby are leading a group that is battling to close that loophole as the burgeoning hemp-derived THC industry fights for its very survival.  

These federally legal THC products have opened up a new range of treatments for a variety of health conditions, while providing an alternative to alcohol for folks looking to unwind with something healthier.  

On the other hand, “gas station weed” has reportedly sent scores of kids who got their hands on a less healthy, more potent hemp product to the emergency room.   

Journalist Alexander Zaitchik joins Inc. senior editor Leah Carroll on this episode of 1 Smart Business Story to give us the full story as both sides race against the clock — a deadline looms this fall.   

Plus, this week's Action Item: How to set your prices as a new consultant.  

Veterans gain a lot of valuable insight from their service that makes them stand out in the market. A lot of the time, it helps propel them in their careers and shapes them into great leaders and employees. However, not all of their skills and experiences easily translate in business.  

In this last episode for this batch of Founder Group Chat, veterans Tim Hsia of VetraFi, John Keh of Valtec, and Brad Genser of Farther share the military habits and mindsets that served them well, and the ones they had to unlearn or rethink. 

In honor of the dog days of summer, Inc. finance reporter Brian Contreras brings us a story on the pitfalls of private equity. Why is it summery? It focuses on a national swimming pool company! 

Together with host Chloe Aiello, Brian walks us through the fascinating rise and decline of Leslie’s Poolmart, once valued at $3.8 billion and now holding a market cap of about $13 million. 

On this edition of 1 Smart Business Story, you’ll learn:

Nearly all companies claim they recruit military veterans. But many of those companies don’t have staff trained to recruit those vets. At the same time, data shows that former military personnel face high levels of underemployment.   

How can we fix that? Well, on Founder Group Chat, Inc. senior editor Rob Verger gets some answers from leaders who know: Tim Hsai of VetraFi, John Keh of Valtech, and Brad Genser of Farther.  

All three are veterans themselves, and they make it a point to hire their peers. They’ll explain how and why on this episode of The Business Model.  

We’re continuing our Founder Group Chat with a panel of military veterans who now run their own companies.  

The path from military service to the boardroom almost guarantees one thing: That you’ve tried a lot of different paths. That’s definitely true for Brad Genser of Farther, John Keh of Valtec, and Tim Hsia of VetraFi. 

Together, they’ve done just about everything, from venture capital to running a Thai restaurant to founding a drone company.  

They’ll discuss why experience — and a lot of it — is key to making you a better leader.  

Cat litter may seem unsexy. But Daniel Rotman was able to turn PrettyLitter from $1 million in capital into a $1.4 billion exit. 

Inc. reporter Ali Donaldson discusses her conversation with Daniel Rotman and shares his advice to look for “unsexy” categories, why staying scrappy and small can sometimes pay off, and the benefits of focusing on unit economics rather than topline growth. 

Then, this week’s Action Item: Why you should read off paper and not off your screens. 

Over the next four episodes, Inc. senior editor Rob Verger is going to chat with three veterans about how they made the jump from military life to the private sector and start their own businesses. Our three founders are: 

They tackle some of the biggest questions veterans face during the transition to civilian life: How did they lean on their veteran networks to navigate a new chapter? What were the biggest adjustments they had to make? And which lessons from military service helped them stand out as entrepreneurs?