The Productpreneur Podcast

How do you find a unique, memorable name that speaks to your target audience?

One that isn't taken and that also has an available domain?

Brand naming is so important and there aren't many resources out there to help entrepreneurs in this area... until now.

My guest this week is Grant Polachek, the head of branding for Squadhelp.com, 3X Inc 5000 startup and disruptive naming agency. Squadhelp has reviewed more than 1 million names and curated a collection of the best available names on the web today. They are also the world's leading crowdsource naming platform, supporting clients such as Nestle, Dell, Nuskin, and AutoNation.

This episode is chock full of nuggets, including:

• What Squadhelp is and how it can help you name your brand
• Examples of a ‘strong domain’ 
• Why finding the right brand name is important 
• The biggest challenges with naming your brand
• Tips for brainstorming brand names
• The one secret to finding a great brand name

Enjoy the show!

Connect with Grant Polachek

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squadhelpinc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/squadhelp?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Website: https://www.squadhelp.com/ 

Connect with Nicole de Larzac

Join the free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theproductpreneur/

Website: https://nicoledelarzac.com/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicoledelarzac

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledelarzac/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemarketer/

Book a discovery call: https://calendly.com/ndelarzac/30min 

Love the episodes?  Share this episode and give a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.  Or if you have an Android, use this link: RateThisPodcast.com/productpreneur Thank you in advance!  It helps other amazing people like you find the show! 

Like the show?  Get updates on our newsletter via our website https://nicoledelarzac.com/

It’s the time of year when we start thinking about holiday promotions including Black Friday and Cyber Monday. But we also want to stray away from training our consumers to expect discounts.  So how can we increase our sales without using discounting? 

My guest this week is Andrew Forman, a founder who has developed a solution for this.

Andrew is the Founder and CEO of Givz. Prior to Givz, Andrew spent 6 years in investment banking and was the treasurer of a nonprofit organization. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Mathematics and Economics from Hamilton College. He lives in New York, is a proud dad of a 3-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son, and still tries to make time for recreational sports.

This episode is chock full of nuggets, including:

• Andrew’s unconventional dive into entrepreneurship
• How he came up with Givz
• Are consumers more likely to want to give back in today’s economy and climate?
• The types of product businesses Givz benefits 
• How businesses can leverage Givz 
• Changing the way we give back

Enjoy the show!

Connect with Andrew Forman

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getgivz 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/getgivz 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/givz-inc/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR55ZH8VQNuuMoha-RP2Fmw 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@getgivz?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc 

Blog post: https://www.givz.com/blog/ecommerce-reporting 

Website: https://www.givz.com 

Connect with Nicole de Larzac

Join the free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theproductpreneur/

Website: https://nicoledelarzac.com/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicoledelarzac

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledelarzac/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemarketer/

Book a discovery call: https://calendly.com/ndelarzac/30min 

Love the episodes?  Share this episode and give a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.  Or if you have an Android, use this link: RateThisPodcast.com/productpreneur Thank you in advance!  It helps other amazing people like you find the show! 

Like the show?  Get updates on our newsletter via our website https://nicoledelarzac.com/

Do you have a service-business and wonder how offering a product might help you further serve your clients?

My guest this week is Danielle Binns, who created her product suite out of the need to help the clients she serves in her nutrition business.

Danielle Binns is a Certified Nutritionist, Picky Eating Expert, and Company Wellness Consultant. She's also a mom of three who has over 15 years of experience working in the corporate world and experienced picky eating firsthand with her first daughter. Today she has helped thousands of families (and employees) around the world adopt healthier habits. With her revolutionary Curious Cookie mealtime games, kids are trying new foods faster and without a fight. Every family needs them on their kitchen table.

This episode is chock full of nuggets, including:

• Danielle’s journey to becoming a product-based business owner
• How Danielle developed her products and what need they serve
• Why having a product-based business is beneficial for her service-based business
• How Danielle is scaling her business today 
• How families and kids’ lives have changed thanks to her product

Enjoy the show!

Connect with Danielle Binns

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

Website: www.daniellebinns.com

The Curious Cookie Mat or Cards: www.curiouscookiekids.com

Connect with Nicole de Larzac

Join the free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theproductpreneur/

Website: https://nicoledelarzac.com/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicoledelarzac

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledelarzac/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemarketer/

Book a discovery call: https://calendly.com/ndelarzac/30min 

Love the episodes?  Share this episode and give a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.  Or if you have an Android, use this link: RateThisPodcast.com/productpreneur Thank you in advance!  It helps other amazing people like you find the show! 

Like the show?  Get updates on our newsletter via our website https://nicoledelarzac.com/

We spend most of our time at work or working within our teams and on our own businesses. So, why is employee engagement so important? 

Whether you’re a small team of entrepreneurs, a large corporation, or have a right-hand person that helps you with your day-to-day tasks, how your team members feel and enjoy their work is important.

Jess Podgajny is a mom, culture curator, podcast host, and the co-founder & CEO of LLUNA - technology to personalize the employee experience. She challenges companies to reimagine the employee experience – introducing a data-driven technology process that makes room for work designed for life. Her passion for people and business fuels her mission to personalize the future of work. Jess and her family live outside Philadelphia, PA and when not helping companies better attract, engage, and retain talent, Jess can be found enjoying one of the many incredible restaurants in and around Philly.

This episode is chock full of nuggets, including:

• The inception and creation of LLUNA
• What led Jess to launch a service like this and how she developed it
• How Jess launched it strategically 
• The personalization of work
• Why it’s important for companies to personalize their employee experience 
• The process of getting angel investors 
• How Jess plans to grow and evolve LLUNA

Enjoy the show!

Links mentioned in the show:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/llunalife

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/llunalife

Website: hellolluna.com

www.bubble.io 

Connect with Nicole de Larzac

Join the free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theproductpreneur/

Website: https://nicoledelarzac.com/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicoledelarzac

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledelarzac/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemarketer/

Book a discovery call: https://calendly.com/ndelarzac/30min 

Love the episodes?  Share this episode and give a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.  Or if you have an Android, use this link: RateThisPodcast.com/productpreneur Thank you in advance!  It helps other amazing people like you find the show! 

Like the show?  Get updates on our newsletter via our website https://nicoledelarzac.com/

Have you ever thought about how you could change an outdated consumer experience that we take for granted as being the way it is? 

Think of companies who've done this, like Uber for taxis or PayPal for payment. In this episode, you're going to be inspired by Brian Elliot, the co-founder of Wove, a company that has reinvented the way we design and buy engagement rings.  

Brian Elliott is a Serial Entrepreneur with a passion for reinventing outdated consumer experiences.

He is currently a Co-founder at Wove where he focuses on Digital Product, UX and Marketing. He previously worked in 2 Venture-backed consumer startups—1 as a Founder and 1 as an early employee. Prior to this, Brian served as a Platoon Leader in the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment, leading a team of 40 Special Operators in unconventional environments around the World.

In his free time, Brian enjoys kayaking the Charles River in Boston and writing comedy sketches.

This episode is chock full of nuggets, including:

• How Brian got into entrepreneurship 
• The hesitations consumers initially  have about Wove
• The challenges Brian and his team faced while developing Wove
• Their launch process and getting referrals 
• Building their brand awareness
• Raising capital

Enjoy the show!

Links mentioned in the show:

Website http://www.wovemade.com/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/briancelliott/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wove_made/?hl=en

Connect with Nicole de Larzac

Join the free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theproductpreneur/

Website: https://nicoledelarzac.com/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicoledelarzac

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledelarzac/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemarketer/

Book a discovery call: https://calendly.com/ndelarzac/30min 

Love the episodes?  Share this episode and give a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.  Or if you have an Android, use this link: RateThisPodcast.com/productpreneur Thank you in advance!  It helps other amazing people like you find the show! 

Like the show?  Get updates on our newsletter via our website https://nicoledelarzac.com/

How do you build a magnetic brand? What’s the secret sauce behind landing dream collaborations and scaling your product-based business?  Why is mastering your mindset the foundation for all successful businesses?

You’re going to love this episode with Anna Lozano. Anna co-founded Love Powered Co., an affirmation company that brings mindfulness to families around the world. She has experienced big success (and challenges!) in product-based business, network marketing, and coaching over the last 12+ years that have made her some sort of magician when it comes to mentoring other female entrepreneurs in embodying their own success stories. 

What’s your big vision? Whether it’s to start, scale, or sell the business of your wildest dreams - she is here to support you!

This episode is chock full of nuggets, including:

• Anna’s uncommon journey into entrepreneurship
• How to build a magnetic brand
• Balancing masculine and feminine energies 
• The power of outsourcing 
• Being okay with hearing ‘no’
• Partnering with Jillian Harris
• Tips for selling your product-based company
• Scaling your brand awareness

Enjoy the show!

Links mentioned in the show:

Instagram: Www.instagram.com/_annalozano

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

Website: https://www.lovepoweredco.com/

Connect with Nicole de Larzac

Join the free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theproductpreneur/

Website: https://nicoledelarzac.com/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicoledelarzac

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledelarzac/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemarketer/

Book a discovery call: https://calendly.com/ndelarzac/30min 

Love the episodes?  Share this episode and give a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.  Or if you have an Android, use this link: RateThisPodcast.com/productpreneur Thank you in advance!  It helps other amazing people like you find the show! 

Like the show?  Get updates on our newsletter via our website https://nicoledelarzac.com/

How did four Gen-Zers take an ordinary, everyday product and transform it into a life-changing product?

Meet Marlow: a lubricated tampon. Joining me for this conversation is one of the co-founders, Nadia Ladak.

Nadia (she/her) is passionate about start-ups and inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders. She is the founder of Marlow, a menstrual health brand that has created the first-ever lubricated tampon for smoother and more comfortable insertion. She is also on the Startup Canada Women Advocacy Network where she participates in government roundtables to advocate for female founders. 

Nadia is committed to giving back to her community through her role as a catalyst board member at Holland Bloorview Children's Hospital and as a mentor for the Junior Achievement Company Program where she provides weekly coaching to high school students as they operate their own small businesses. In her free time, you can find her reading, playing her guitar, or spending time outside biking & camping.

This episode is chock full of nuggets, including:

• How Marlow came to creation from a school project
• Tips for conducting consumer testing
• Securing $500,000 of Angel Investors 
• Creating a Crowdfunding campaign 
• How their team divides their roles and manage expectations 

Enjoy the show!

Links mentioned in the show:

Website:  https://www.wearemarlow.com/

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

Let People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard 

Connect with Nicole de Larzac

Join the free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theproductpreneur/

Website: https://nicoledelarzac.com/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicoledelarzac

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledelarzac/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemarketer/

Book a discovery call: https://calendly.com/ndelarzac/30min 

Love the episodes?  Share this episode and give a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.  Or if you have an Android, use this link: RateThisPodcast.com/productpreneur Thank you in advance!  It helps other amazing people like you find the show! 

Like the show?  Get updates on our newsletter via our website https://nicoledelarzac.com/

How is AI impacting e-commerce? I know this thought can be overwhelming for some, but there are benefits and ways that AI helps e-commerce companies thrive. 

In this episode, I sit down with Shanif Dhanani to discuss the ways in which AI is helping to shape the future of e-commerce, and some must-know tips as we move forward in the industry.

Shanif is the co-founder & CEO of Apteo. Apteo helps ecommerce brands personalize their marketing campaigns by predicting what their customers will buy next. Before Apteo, Shanif was the lead engineer and head of analytics at TapCommerce, an NYC-based ad-tech startup that was acquired by Twitter. Most recently, he was a data scientist and software engineer at Twitter, where he worked on a variety of projects across advertising, analytics, and machine learning.

Prior to TapCommerce, Shanif was a software consultant at Booz Allen. He has earned a BS in Computer Science from the University of Virginia and an MBA from NYU's Stern School of Business.

This episode is chock full of nuggets, including:

• How AI is helping e-commerce companies
• How Apteo personalizes campaigns
• Why it’s important for e-commerce companies to segment their customers
• Tips to improve customer retention 
• How privacy is going to affect marketing

Enjoy the show!

Links mentioned in the show:

Website: https://www.apteo.co

Twitter: https://twitter.com/apteoai

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/shanifdhanani

Medium: https://medium.com/@shanif

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apteoai

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

Connect with Nicole de Larzac

Join the free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theproductpreneur/

Website: https://nicoledelarzac.com/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicoledelarzac

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledelarzac/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemarketer/

Book a discovery call: https://calendly.com/ndelarzac/30min 

Love the episodes?  Share this episode and give a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.  Or if you have an Android, use this link: RateThisPodcast.com/productpreneur Thank you in advance!  It helps other amazing people like you find the show! 

Like the show?  Get updates on our newsletter via our website https://nicoledelarzac.com/

This is one of my favorite episodes.

It was an honor and a privilege to interview this VERY special guest, Lia Valencia Key, founder of VALENCIA KEY Jewelry.  From growing up in a homeless shelter to rising above her circumstances and growing a wildly successful jewelry business, Lia is an inspiration to all that anything is possible for all of us.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Lia grew up in poverty and almost went down the wrong path until her mother changed the trajectory of her life with one simple question
•  The power of speaking your dreams into the world, even when the odds are stacked against you
• How she made it to college even though her mother could not afford to put food on the table
• The power of using core values to make decisions in life
• How she created a jewelry brand that inspires others to follow their dreams
• The incredible accomplishment of winning QVC's Big Find competition and the mindset behind 'selling'
• How to know when to call it quits or when to never give up and keep going after your dreams 

And so much more...

About Lia Valencia Key:

Raised in very humble beginnings, a super impoverished neighborhood of Philadelphia, Lia Valencia Key lived in a homeless shelter with her mother, sister, and brother . Even in such dark times her mom told her “your predicament does not determine your destiny.” Lia's Mother believed she had a light inside that shined like sparkling earrings. Lia's mother would say “never dim your Light”. She encouraged Lia to never leave the house without wearing her sparkling earrings, because they would serve as reminders of the light within her.

Lia went on to rise above her challenges and obtained a master’s degree, became a licensed cosmetologist and stylist. She learned that all dreams are possible, and her mother’s words inspired her to choose joy and radiate light. Those keys to happiness are the messages she spreads through Valencia Key Jewelry. The mission of Valencia Key Jewelry is for all wearers to not only choose joy and light, but to also shine reflecting that light outwardly, as to positively affect all of those around them.

A resonating message of Valencia Key Jewelry is “If I can, you can.” The ethos of the brand is a stylized star key, meant to represent the philosophy that Joy and gratitude are the key to happiness. It is within each of the designs.

Lia reaches back to where she comes from, going to women’s homeless shelters, educating on the Key to Light -how to rise up out of rough environments. VALENCIA KEY Jewelry's Light has just been recognized to Win QVC'S BIG FIND competition which launched on QVC.

Links mentioned on the show:

Website: www.valenciakey.com

Business Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valenciakeydesign/

Personal instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liavalenciakey/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valenciakey and https://www.facebook.com/lia.v.key.3

Connect with Nicole de Larzac

Website: https://nicoledelarzac.com/

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledelarzac/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemarketer/

Like the show?  Get updates on our newsletter via our website https://nicoledelarzac.com/

Love the episodes?  Consider sharing this episode and giving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.  It helps other amazing people like you find the show!

In this episode, we interview a young serial entrepreneur who founded three successful food companies, including her most recent one launching during the pandemic.

Meet Madi Warnock, Co-Founder & Owner of Nook, a 100% plant based, organic, ready-to-eat meal delivery service and Galt Bakery, a plant based gluten-free bakery. The mission of her company is to bring healthy options straight to people’s doorstep.

Madi founded her first company - Galt Juice Company in 2014 in Cambridge, Ontario. It evolved into a small cafe where they started to sell their own gluten-free cookies. That led to them expanding and launching “Galt Bakery” in 2017. They quickly expanded to wholesale supplying Sobeys, Longos, select FarmBoys and independent stores. In 2020 she knew that she wanted to shift her focus from cold press juice to a full plant-based meal delivery company. She launched Nook in Sept 2020 this year.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Madi quickly expanded a cookie business to sell to grocery chains
• How she pivoted her business during Covid to launch a much-needed delivery service
• Why being close to your customers and getting feedback is so critical to the success of your business 
• How passion for your business will carry you through the hectic and hard times
• Lastly, Why it is so important to nourish your body and take time for self-care

Links mentioned on the show:

For Nook plant-based delivery, use the code NDL15 at checkout to get 15% off!

Website: www.eatnook.ca & www.galtbakery.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nookbygaltjuice/ and https://www.instagram.com/galtbakery/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/galtjuiceco and https://www.facebook.com/galtbakery

Connect with Nicole de Larzac

Join the free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theproductpreneur/

Website: https://nicoledelarzac.com/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicoledelarzac

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledelarzac/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemarketer/

Book a discovery call: https://calendly.com/ndelarzac/30min 

Love the episodes?  Share this episode and give a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.  Or if you have an Android, use this link: RateThisPodcast.com/productpreneur Thank you in advance!  It helps other amazing people like you find the show! 

Like the show?  Get updates on our newsletter via our website https://nicoledelarzac.com/