The Kara Goldin Show

What does it take to turn a beloved local food brand into a franchise without losing what made it special in the first place?
On The Kara Goldin Show, I sit down with Dinah Bengur, Co-Founder and CEO of Pitango Gelato Franchise Co. — the artisanal gelato brand known for authentic Italian gelato and sorbet made from scratch with high-quality ingredients.
We talk about why Pitango decided to franchise, what Dinah learned from working with major franchise systems before building one herself, and what entrepreneurs should really understand before buying—or building—a franchise.
We also get into choosing the right franchisees, protecting quality as you scale, the economics of restaurant growth, and what makes a concept truly replicable.
If you’re interested in franchising, restaurant growth, consumer brands, or what it really takes to scale a great local concept, you’ll want to hear this conversation. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. 🎧

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at [email protected]. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Dinah Bengur and Pitango Gelato:
https://www.pitangogelato.com/
https://www.instagram.com/pitangogelato/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dinahbengur/

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Cash App - Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/0s6pfdl7 #CashAppPartner Terms apply. Bitcoin services by Block, Inc. See the Bitcoin disclosures at cash.app/legal/podcast.

LinkedIn Hiring Pro - Get started by posting your job for free at LinkedIn.com/karagoldin

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Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/903

What if everything we’ve been taught about anti-aging skincare is focused on the wrong thing? What if the future isn’t about temporarily fixing what we see on the surface — but understanding how to help our skin function, repair, and regenerate differently as we age?
On today’s episode, we welcome Dr. Ivona Igerc, better known as Dr. Ivy, an internationally recognized aesthetic doctor and regenerative medicine expert with more than two decades of experience working at the intersection of science, skin health, and aesthetics. Her career has taken her across Europe and Asia, giving her a unique perspective on how beauty, aging, and skincare differ around the world. Today, she practices on Harley Street in London and is the Founder of Dr Ivy Skincare.
In this episode, Dr. Ivy shares what regenerative skincare actually means, what consumers should understand about exosomes and stem-cell science, and why she created a skincare line designed to bridge the gap between clinical treatments and daily at-home care. We also get into the Asian beauty movement, how approaches to aesthetics differ from East to West, LED and laser technology, collagen, biohacking beauty, and where the marketing around longevity and skincare may be getting ahead of the science. Plus, Dr. Ivy shares what she believes the next generation of regenerative medicine could mean for how we think about skin health and aging.
If you’re interested in skincare, healthy aging, regenerative medicine, beauty, wellness, or simply understanding what’s science versus hype in one of the fastest-moving areas of beauty — this one’s for you. Tune in now on The Kara Goldin Show. 🎧

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at [email protected]. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Dr. Ivy and Dr Ivy Skincare:
https://www.drivylondon.com/
https://www.instagram.com/dr__ivy/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ivona-igerc-london-uk-89245218/
https://www.drivylondon.com/

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Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/902

What happens when you see millions of consumers being overlooked—and realize that isn't just a problem, it's a massive business opportunity?
On The Kara Goldin Show, I sit down with KJ Miller, Co-Founder and President of Mented Cosmetics and President of Elevated Beauty Group. Mented launched in 2017 with six nude lipsticks created with deeper skin tones in mind, helping prove that inclusive beauty wasn't a niche—it was good business.
We talk about how KJ built Mented into one of the early leaders in inclusive beauty, what it took to expand beyond its original hero products, and how the category has evolved as inclusivity moved from an overlooked opportunity to an industry-wide conversation.
We also dive into the realities of raising outside capital, the toughest lessons KJ learned while scaling Mented, and the brand's 2024 acquisition by West Lane Capital Partners. Today, KJ oversees four beauty brands through Elevated Beauty Group, giving her a unique perspective on what separates a great product from a brand with real staying power.
If you're interested in inclusive beauty, building and scaling consumer brands, raising capital, navigating an acquisition, or what founders learn when they move to the other side of the table, you'll want to hear this conversation. You can find it here or anywhere you listen to podcasts. 🎧

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at [email protected]. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about KJ Miller and Mented Cosmetics:
https://www.mentedcosmetics.com/
https://www.instagram.com/mentedcosmetics/
https://www.instagram.com/kjmiller/
https://www.tiktok.com/@iam_kjmiller

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Square - Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at square.com/go/karagoldin

Rippling - Head to Rippling.AI/KaraGoldin and get the only AI to give you full visibility across your business and take complex actions across your entire organization.

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LinkedIn Hiring Pro - Get started by posting your job for free at LinkedIn.com/karagoldin

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/901

What does it take to build companies across three completely different eras of the internet — and then start all over again with AI?
On today’s episode, we welcome Jessica Herrin, Founder and CEO of Marklo, the AI revenue planning platform helping direct-to-consumer brands understand what actually drove revenue, decide what to do next, and execute smarter. A serial entrepreneur, Jessica previously founded Stella & Dot Brands and co-founded WeddingChannel.com, one of the first companies to bring wedding registries online.
In this episode, Jessica shares what she’s learned building companies across decades of technological change, why she decided to start over and build an AI company, and what makes scaling a DTC brand so challenging today. We get into attribution, marketing data overload, merchandising, inventory, margins, and why understanding what drove revenue is very different from simply knowing how much you sold. We also discuss where AI should make decisions, where humans still need to lead, and why creativity, judgment, and taste may become even more valuable as AI gets better.
If you’re interested in AI, entrepreneurship, DTC, marketing, brand building, or what the next generation of consumer companies will look like — this one’s for you. Tune in now on The Kara Goldin Show. 🎧

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at [email protected]. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Jessica Herrin and Marklo:
https://www.marklo.ai/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaherrin/
https://www.instagram.com/jessicaherrin

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Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/900

When did taking care of ourselves become another job?
On today’s episode, we welcome Danielle DuBoise, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Sakara — one of the pioneering companies behind the modern food-as-medicine movement. Danielle and her childhood friend and Co-Founder Whitney Tingle launched Sakara in 2012, building it from a small meal-delivery startup into one of the most recognizable names in wellness, with plant-based meals, functional foods, supplements, and wellness programs.
In this episode, Danielle shares how her own health journey led to Sakara, what she understood about food and wellness before much of the industry caught up, and how her thinking has evolved along the way. We also get into protein obsession, diet culture disguised as “wellness,” supplement overload, gut health, and whether all of our tracking, optimizing, and biohacking is actually making us healthier. Danielle also shares what it takes to build and protect a mission-driven brand in an increasingly crowded category.
If you’re interested in nutrition, wellness, entrepreneurship, brand building, or simply finding a healthier and less complicated relationship with food — this one’s for you. Tune in now on The Kara Goldin Show. 🎧

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at [email protected]. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Danielle DuBoise and Sakara:
https://www.sakara.com/
https://www.instagram.com/danielleduboise/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-duboise/
https://www.sakara.com/
https://www.instagram.com/sakaralife/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sakara-integrative-well-being/
https://www.tiktok.com/@sakaralife
https://www.facebook.com/SakaraLife/
https://www.youtube.com/@SakaraLife

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LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

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Terms apply. Bitcoin services by Block, Inc. See the Bitcoin disclosures at cash.app/legal/podcast.

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/899

On today’s episode, we welcome Olowo-n’djo “Olo” Tchala, Founder and CEO of Alaffia — a clean beauty brand rooted in West African traditions and built around fair trade, ethical sourcing, and creating economic opportunity.
Alaffia is what happens when purpose isn’t added to a brand — it is the reason the brand exists. In 2004, he co-founded Alaffia with a mission to create sustainable economic opportunities for women in West Africa through women-led cooperatives, while building effective, accessible beauty products using ingredients including unrefined shea butter and African black soap. In this episode, Olo shares how he turned that mission into a scalable consumer brand, what more than 20 years of building Alaffia has taught him about purpose and profitability, and why real ethical sourcing goes far beyond what appears on a package.
He also opens up about bringing in outside investors, losing control of the company he founded, ultimately regaining ownership, and the lessons every founder should understand about capital, governance, mission, and control.
Such an important founder story. Listen now.

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at [email protected]. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Olo and Alaffia:
https://www.alaffia.com/
https://www.instagram.com/alaffia/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/alaffia/
https://www.instagram.com/olowondjo/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/olowo-n-djo-tchala-114248199/

Sponsored By:

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/898

How do you take a place, a memory, and a feeling—and turn them into a fragrance brand that stands out in one of the most crowded categories in luxury?
On The Kara Goldin Show, I sit down with Andrew Rose, Founder of Montauk Man—a new fragrance house inspired by the raw beauty, contrasts, and character of Montauk.
We talk about Andrew’s lifelong fascination with fragrance, why experiencing Montauk in the quiet of winter inspired him to build the brand, and how he worked with renowned perfumers Rodrigo Flores-Roux and Antoine Maisondieu to create the debut collection of four distinct fragrances.
We also get into what actually makes a luxury brand, how you sell scent in a digital world, the connection between fragrance and memory, and how Andrew plans to take a brand rooted in one very specific place and make it resonate far beyond it.
If you’re interested in fragrance, luxury, entrepreneurship, brand building, or what it takes to turn a deeply personal idea into a consumer brand, you’ll want to hear this conversation. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. 🎧

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at [email protected]. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Andrew Rose and Montauk Man:
https://www.montaukman.com/
https://www.instagram.com/montaukman/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-rose-1a93bb3a6

Sponsored By:

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

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Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/897

Pet food needed a reality check. Open Farm gave it one. ✨
On The Kara Goldin Show, I sit down with Jacqueline Prehogan, Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Open Farm — one of the fastest-growing premium pet food brands in North America.
This is a brand built on a simple but powerful idea: if pets are family, then we should know what we’re feeding them.
We talk about how Jacqueline helped build Open Farm around responsibly sourced ingredients, high animal welfare standards, sustainability, and radical transparency — long before those words became marketing buzzwords in the pet aisle.
And let’s be honest: pet parents are asking harder questions now. Where did this ingredient come from? How was it sourced? Is this actually better for my dog or cat, or is it just another pretty bag on the shelf?
Jacqueline shares how Open Farm has scaled into more than 9,500 retail locations while staying true to its values, what it takes to build trust in a crowded category, and why transparency is not a nice-to-have when people are feeding your product to a member of their family.
We also get into building a certified B Corp, growing a mission-driven brand without watering it down, and what Jacqueline has learned from building both Open Farm and Canada Pooch.
If you care about consumer brands, pet health, sustainability, retail, or what it really takes to build a company with a point of view — this is one to listen to.
You can find it here or anywhere you listen to podcasts. 🎧

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at [email protected]. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Jacqueline Prehogan and Open Farm:
https://www.openfarmpet.com/
https://www.instagram.com/openfarmpet/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-prehogan-68242338/

Sponsored By:

AT&T Business - Switch to AT&T Business at business.att.com

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

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Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/896

Retail is not dead. Bad retail is. ✨
On The Kara Goldin Show, I sit down with Ron Johnson, the creator of the Apple Store and author of Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple’s Genius.
Ron worked directly with Steve Jobs and helped build one of the most successful retail concepts in history — not by making stores look cooler, but by rethinking what a store was actually for.
The Apple Store was not built to move boxes. It was built to teach, help, solve, connect, and build trust. The Genius Bar. Mobile checkout. Employees hired for curiosity, not pressure selling. All of it was designed around a simple but still radical idea: the customer relationship matters more than the transaction.
We talk about what most retailers still get wrong, why physical stores may become even more important in the age of AI, what he learned at Target bringing great design to more people, and what his very public J.C. Penney chapter taught him about timing, leadership, and change.
If you care about retail, leadership, innovation, customer experience, or building something that actually deserves people’s attention, this is a conversation worth hearing.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts. 🎧

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at [email protected]. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Ron Johnson and Shop Different:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shopdifferent/

Sponsored By:

AT&T Business - Switch to AT&T Business at business.att.com

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

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Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/895

Rethinking the cocktail — without the alcohol. That's the opportunity. ✨
On this episode of The Kara Goldin Show, I sit down with Milan Martin, Founder and CEO of Free Spirits — one of the fastest-growing independent non-alcoholic spirits brands in North America.
We talk about how Milan went from a 20-year career in advertising—leading Grey San Francisco to Global Agency of the Year three years running—to launching a self-funded beverage company in the middle of the pandemic. He shares the insight that sparked Free Spirits: what if alcohol wasn't actually the most important part of a great cocktail?
We also dive into the science behind Free Spirits' proprietary Distillate Reconstruction technology, how the company recreates the aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, and warming sensation of traditional spirits without the alcohol, and why they've chosen to build products for people who genuinely love cocktails—not just people who don't drink. Milan also shares how his background in consumer behavior shaped the brand, what it means to build an entirely new category, and why Free Spirits has earned gold medals competing head-to-head against traditional spirits.
If you're interested in entrepreneurship, consumer behavior, the future of the non-alcoholic spirits business, or what it really takes to build a category-defining brand, you'll enjoy this conversation. You can find it here or wherever you listen to podcasts. 🎧

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at [email protected]. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Milan Martin and Free Spirits:
https://www.drinkfreespirits.com/
https://www.instagram.com/drinkfreespirits/
https://www.instagram.com/themilanmartin/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/milanmartin/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-free-spirits-company
https://www.tiktok.com/@drinkfreespirits
https://www.youtube.com/@drinkfreespirits

Sponsored By:

AT&T Business - Switch to AT&T Business at business.att.com

Chime - Join the millions who are already banking fee-free today. Head to Chime.com/KARAGOLDIN.

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

Upwork - Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free.

Kalshi - Download the Kalshi app and use code KARAGOLDIN to get $20 when you trade $20.

Seed - Go to Seed.com/KARAGOLDIN and use code KARA to get 25% off.

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/894