The Empowered Challenger

All Fran Dunaway wanted was a nice shirt for work.

She was looking for a menswear-quality button-up shirt — the ones with cool patterns and fun details — but tailored for a woman’s body. To Fran’s frustration, this type of product didn’t exist — yet.

Fran knew she wasn’t the only one struggling to find gender-neutral clothes that would help her confidence, so she came up with her own solution: TomboyX. Fran and her wife created a Kickstarter campaign to launch the business. They raised $76,000 in just 30 days (!) — Fran knew they were on to something huge.

In this episode, Fran discusses how she and her wife built a successful clothing company from the ground up — with absolutely zero industry or marketing experience. She talks candidly about navigating the challenges, and how her brand is adapting to the current socio-economic climate.

Virtually everyone owns at least one pair of flip flops, but do you actually love wearing them? And are they comfortable?

For Jeremy Stewart, a political consultant-turned-flip-flop-entrepreneur, the answer was a resounding “no!” Fed up with the lack of comfortable and colorful flip flop options on the market, Jeremy and his wife created their own brand of flip flops with a focus on comfort and style — Hari Mari.

It took three days of focus groups, analyzing 30 flip flop brands, and traveling to China to source the right manufacturer, but Jeremy felt he finally understood what it would take to make an incredibly comfortable and appealing flip flop.

Learn how Jeremy went from 30 stores in three states to nearly 1,000 stores in 49 states in eight years to create his challenger flip flop brand.

For those who partake in the occasional alcoholic drink, having fun often seems to go hand-in-hand with alcohol — and it can be pretty exclusionary for those who don’t drink for one reason or another.

Jeff Stevens, founder of WellBeing Brewing Company, is working to change that.

Jeff spent years marketing top beer brands before founding WellBeing Brewing in 2017. The company is the first craft brewery in the country dedicated to brewing non-alcoholic beer.

In this episode, Jeff talks about how he built a pioneering brand from the ground up, his go-to marketing tactics, and what’s on the horizon for non-alcoholic beverages.

In part 5 of the 5-part series “5 Personalities of an Empowered Challenger,” Prentice digs into brands that are able to transcend product categories because they are trusted and respected by consumers. When customers trust in your brand, they’ll follow.

Ben Witte is the founder and CEO of NYC-based startup Recess, the CBD drink that aims to help people feel calm, focused, and creative despite the world around them.

Just as people associate Redbull with energy and Gatorade with high-intensity sports, Ben is on a mission to have consumers associate Recess’ CBD infused sparkling drinks with creativity.

Hear why he believes CBD is the caffeine of the 21st Century, and how the CBD category is expanding.

In part 4 of the 5-part series “5 Personalities of an Empowered Challenger,” Prentice discusses brands who serve with intention (think Trader Joe’s, The Ritz Carlton, Nordstrom, and Urban Stems) by empowering their employees to make great decisions and taking customer service to a whole new level.

Listen in as Veronique discusses her passion for inclusivity, and how she helped make ThirdLove one of the most inclusive underwear brands in America.

Fostering rejection helps challenger brands kick ass, and this week, Prentice is discussing Part 3 of this 5-part series.

Rick Elder, President of Beyond Clothing, served in the US Army, and later was a supplier for the military, where he spent 17 years developing clothing for US Special Ops.

A “Lightning Rod Personality” is one of the 5 traits your brand can leverage, and today, Prentice is diving into Part 2 of this 5-part series.