The Story of a Brand Show

In the first part of this Feature, we interview Ashley Thompson, Co-Founder & CEO of MUSH.  Mush is a health food company that makes, distributes, and markets foods that are great for you. She recalls that she never really thought of herself as an entrepreneur. When she was young, her sister was diagnosed with type one diabetes, which started Ashley’s path down healthy foods. That’s where it all started. Ashley previously worked a big job in finance. Due to time restraints, she would make oatmeal in the evening and take it to work for breakfast the following morning. This left her wondering if she could commercialize this product. She then left her job to follow her dream. Even when things were tough, she used that as fuel to fight through to achieve her dream. In Part 1, we hear how the idea started, the romanticism of taking a risk and starting your own business, and the stress associated with it.   Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Ashley and listen to her share the inside story. For more on MUSH, visit: https://eatmush.com/ Retention Science - RetentionScience.com/SOB

In the second part of this Feature, we continue the conversation with David Roger, Co-Founder & CEO of Felix Gray.  He starts by discussing the evolution of his glasses. It took two years to introduce a prescription option for his brand because he wanted to perfect the model first. He wants to create a better relationship between people and the technology that they use. He tailors his business to be useful for customers of any age. In fact, he started a line of glasses that are specifically for kids. David says that his team puts a lot of focus on making glasses that look as great as they work. He wants to provide an affordable, fashionable pair of glasses that keep your eyes healthy. In part 2, he discusses the affordability of his glasses, reinforces the purpose of his brand, and the trouble of running a business during the pandemic.   Join us while Ramon Vela interviews David and listen to him share the inside story. For more on Felix Gray, visit: https://felixgray.com/ Klaviyo -  https://www.klaviyo.com/ Retention Science - RetentionScience.com/SOB

In the first part of this Feature, we interview David Roger, Co-Founder & CEO of Felix Gray.  Felix Gray sells glasses that filter light and allow the user to look at an electronic screen more comfortably. It started when David suffered from eye strain due to working long days in front of a computer screen. He talked to eye experts and they told him that it’s due to the blue light emitted from computer screens. His goal was to create a product that solves this problem. David was interested in entrepreneurship since college, and he tried a few different products. He points out that different CEOs come from different backgrounds, and there’s no cookie-cutter model to entrepreneurship. In Part 1, we hear about David’s excitement for building brands, the complex background of different entrepreneurs, and the path to building a business.   Join us while Ramon Vela interviews David and listen to him share the inside story. For more on Felix Gray, visit: https://felixgray.com/ Klaviyo -  https://www.klaviyo.com/ Retention Science - RetentionScience.com/SOB

In this second part of this Feature, the conversation continues with Sajani Amarasiri, Co-Founder of Kola Goodies.  She starts this episode by talking about her strategy in the beginning. It was hard for her to get traction as an immigrant because she didn’t have a network of help she could turn to. She resorted to hundreds of emails and the help of her different friends. She points out that the timing of her brand is very important to her found success. Her product helps people during quarantine, and she’s happy she could get the product to market in time. Her plan was to slowly and organically build her brand, letting the product speak for itself and win over the hearts of her customers. In part 2, she talks about adjusting initial plans, how her products help customers during the quarantine and pandemic, and how important balance is in your life. Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Sajani in this episode and listen to her share the inside story. For more on Kola Goodies, visit: https://www.kolagoodies.com/ Visit our advertisers: CartText - https://carttext.com/  Retention Science - RetentionScience.com/SOB

In this first part of this Feature, we hear from Sajani Amarasiri, Co-Founder of Kola Goodies.  Kola Goodies is a wellness brand that brings South Asian superfoods and rituals to Western countries. Sajani talks about her life growing up in Sri Lanka. She came to the States for college and fell in love with the culture. Over time, she noticed that American consumers became more open to international ideas and products. She used this opportunity to bring her southern Asian products to America. She would explain to friends that she missed South Asia's food, and she would wonder how she could freeze and ship her mother’s drinks. It dawned on Sajani that she could make and sell them herself in America. In Part 1, we hear how Kola Goodies started, the trouble of finding the right ingredients, and how she made her products taste like the traditional drinks she was used to.   Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Sajani in this episode and listen to her share the inside story. For more on Kola Goodies, visit: https://www.kolagoodies.com/ Visit our advertisers: CartText - https://carttext.com/  Retention Science - RetentionScience.com/SOB

In the second part of this Feature, the conversation continues with Carly Stein, Founders & CEO of Beekeeper's Naturals.  She talks about the troubles of creating her products to be more than just clean.    This really hurt her supply chain and made it hard to get traction with her brand. She wants her products to be perfectly safe for people, even if they have a long list of allergies like herself. She discussed how she felt lost because she wasn’t an entrepreneur or businessperson; she was just someone who had a dream and a mission. Despite doubting herself along the way, she found her own path in the market. In part 2, Carly outlines her supply chain's troubles, finding her own path in life, and how her customers’ excitement kept her dream alive.   Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Carly and listen to her share the inside story. For more on Beekeeper's Naturals, visit: https://beekeepersnaturals.com/ Klaviyo -  https://www.klaviyo.com/ Retention Science - RetentionScience.com/SOB

In the first part of this Feature, we interview Carly Stein, Founders & CEO of Beekeeper's Naturals. Beekeeper’s Naturals is a natural medicine company that replaces pharmaceutical products. She realized that natural alternatives didn’t work as well as they claimed, and she wanted to do something about it. It all started when Carly got tonsilitis in Italy. She didn’t want to end the trip early, so she spoke to a pharmacist over there. That’s when she learned about an ingredient that later became a capstone for her brand. Her brand uses the healing powers from bee products to replace over-the-counter solutions. In Part 1, we hear how the brand started, how her love for beekeeping began, and how she left her big finance job to pursue a passion.   Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Carly and listen to her share the inside story. For more on Beekeeper's Naturals, visit: https://beekeepersnaturals.com/ Klaviyo -  https://www.klaviyo.com/ Retention Science - RetentionScience.com/SOB

In the second part of this Feature, we hear from Ofek Arush and George Passantino, co-Founders of Quokka Brew. We continue the conversation and listen as the co-founders talk about how their product is changing how people get their daily energy. People who previously couldn’t drink coffee can now enjoy Quokka Brew. They want their customers to be happy like the animal quokka, hence their name. The co-founders talk about their future plans for their products. They also discuss their early troubles with trying to get their product to market in time. Quokka Brew faced a lot of troubles early on, and they used each problem as a stepping stone to move forward. They learned from each issue and became a better brand overall. In part 2, we hear how they named their brand, their mission to change how we get our energy, and how they want to change the coffee industry.   Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Ofek and George and listen to them share the inside story of a brand. For more on Quokka Brew, visit: https://www.quokkabrew.com/ Visit our advertisers: Retention Science - RetentionScience.com/SOB

In the first part of this Feature, we hear from Ofek Arush and George Passantino, co-Founders of Quokka Brew. Quokka Brew is a coffee brand that manufactures and sells coffee without the jitters. It started when the pair were students at UC Berkeley. After talking to their classmates, they realized that everyone was struggling with the anxiety and jitters of coffee while studying for exams. On top of that, the pre-packaged options were filled with sugar. After five months and hundreds of emails to different food scientists, George and Ofek found a blend (which is now patent-pending for them). They talk about how great it was that they had a huge community of college students who they could leverage for feedback since they were students themselves. In Part 1, we hear about the power of starting a brand while enrolled in college, the balance of going to school and running a company, and how to use the data to your advantage.   Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Ofek and George and listen to them share the inside story of a brand. For more on Quokka Brew, visit: https://www.quokkabrew.com/ Visit our advertisers: Retention Science - RetentionScience.com/SOB

In the second part of this Feature, the conversation continues with Emily Griffith, Founders & CEO Lil Bucks.  She talks about some of the early troubles with her business and how she now views them as learning points. Her vision and passion for buckwheat snacks have always been her driving motivators – she isn’t in it for the money, just the love of the snack. Emily realized that her business started running smoother when she allowed other people to contribute and help her. Whenever times get tough for her, she just thinks back to her first time experiencing buckwheat in Australia, and she gets back in the right mindset. She urges entrepreneurs to find their own experience like this one that grounds them and gives their business a reason. In part 2, Emily talks about how perfectionism can stop people from starting their own business, the early pitfalls of her business, and how her passion is her driving force.   Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Emily and listen to her share the inside story. For more on Lil Bucks, visit: https://www.lovelilbucks.com/ Klaviyo -  https://www.klaviyo.com/ Retention Science - RetentionScience.com/SOB