The Story of a Brand Show

In the next part of this episode Tim Sharif, founder and CEO of 310 Nutrition, talks about the difficult challenges he faced while getting his product off the ground. He remembers the nail-biting 2 ½ years he worked without a paycheck- something he says, all entrepreneurs can understand. Finally, Tim talks candidly about his passion for healthy living and why his brand is more than just a company- it’s family. All this and more. In the second part of this episode, Tim discusses: What challenges he faced in the early days of growing the brand; cutting costs in his personal life; starting small and reinvesting all profits for 2.5 years;  How 90% of their profits come from their own website; vertically integrating and keeping as self-sufficient as possible; staying true to their core values; How the digitally native brands are feeling a boost from the stay-at-home orders; His prediction about how viable businesses will survive and thrive following the pandemic; Why having a mission-driven company is the best of both worlds; the disadvantages of focusing solely on money-  seeing beyond money; What’s coming up next for 310 Nutrition; becoming fully organic, more locally-sourced ingredients “farm-to-bag” and expanding a distribution center in Nevada; Why his main differentiator is his willingness to re-invest in his own company, community.

    Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Tim in Part 2 of this episode and listen to him share the inside story of a brand.   For more on 310 Nutrition visit: https://310nutrition.com/     Fenix Commerce - https://www.fenixcommerce.com/ MarketerHire -  https://marketerhire.com/ (code: SOB) Retention Science - RetentionScience.com

In the first part of this episode Tim Sharif, founder and CEO of 310 Nutrition, talks about his early days working as an entrepreneur in Las Vegas. He recalls suffering a big blow following the stock market crash of 2008. Looking for a fresh start, he moved to Manhattan Beach, California. He earned a living selling and marketing a protein shake designed for weight loss. To his surprise, health-conscious Californians wanted nothing to do with this product. Full of filler ingredients and sugar, Tim learned that the product he’d been peddling wasn’t exactly healthy. Fueled by a passion for true health and quality of life, he immersed himself into the “clean eating” lifestyle. It wasn’t long before he got the brilliant idea to create his own plant-based protein shake. Here is his story. In the first part of this episode, Tim talks about Working and living in Las Vegas as an entrepreneur; Surviving the market crash in 2008/2009; How he moved to Los Angeles for a fresh start - working for a protein shake company; How learning the difficult realization that the shakes were not as healthy as he thought sparked his passion for “clean eating”; The many different benefits that come from eating fresh, clean, non-processed foods; How he determined to make the jump to start his own brand of clean protein shakes; How he was able to grow 310 Nutrition as a digitally native brand; his unorthodox entrepreneurial approach; authentic brand advocates; an honest approach to health products and lifestyle change; Why 310 Nutrition was ahead of the curve- plant-based protein, clean ingredients; and more. 

    Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Tim in Part 1 of this episode and listen to him share the inside story of a brand.   For more on 310 Nutrition visit: https://310nutrition.com/     Fenix Commerce - https://www.fenixcommerce.com/ MarketerHire -  https://marketerhire.com/ (code: SOB) Retention Science - RetentionScience.com

In part two of this Feature, Pamela Shainhouse, founder and president of The Shainhouse Group, talks about the difficult psychological effects that many plus-sized women face when shopping for clothes. She passionately discusses the various ways in which retailers fail to properly include women of all sizes. She then offers her expert advice, and market predictions for the near future. All this and more. In the next part, Pamela goes into detail about How an early memory of shopping for wedding gowns stuck with her and fueled her passion for disrupting the psychology of shoppers, Why she believes brands should invest in manufacturing plus size, offsetting costs, falling into traps of taking shortcuts, Why she believes many brick-and-mortar brands have the ability to bounce back following the pandemic, what steps they should be taking in the meantime, Why brands need to look into more sustainable practices, from textures, fabrics, and fibers, How she educates and trains retailers, brands on better marketing, displaying and personal connections with plus-size customers, and more.   Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Pamela in Part 2 of this episode and listen to her share the inside story of a brand.   For more on The Shainhouse Group visit: https://www.theshainhousegroup.com/     Attentive - https://www.attentivemobile.com/ Enquire Labs - https://www.enquirelabs.com/commercefocused Retention Science - RetentionScience.com

Did you know that over 68% of women worldwide fall into the “plus-size” category? And yet, a majority of the world’s most prominent fashion brands and retailers have failed to integrate the growing demand for plus size clothing and apparel. It seems mind-boggling that retailers are willing to segment ¾ of potential customers into the background of their manufacturing and marketing strategies. Pamela Shainhouse, founder and president of The Shainhouse Group, has made it her life’s mission to educate retailers and help change the narrative surrounding plus size women in fashion. Following the tragic loss of her young daughter, Pamela created her own plus-size fashion line. She set out to bring the same luxury, quality, and dignity afforded to mainstream lines into plus-size clothing. Using her powerful personal experiences, along with years of market research, she has become the foremost expert in plus size fashion. Here is her story... In part one of this Feature, Pamela talks about: Why she decided to create her own plus-size fashion line, How she developed the expertise to service the many different customers outside the mainstream fashion population, How 68.9% of women worldwide are a size 14 and up, Why many women feel frustrated with the segmented marketing geared toward “plus-size”, Which brands she sees as bringing inclusivity to the forefront, How the teen “plus-size” market has doubled in the last five years, and the changing mindset of millennials and gen Z that is affecting the market, Her predictions for market changes following the pandemic including the fall of “fast fashion”, How many brands are helping to evolve marketing strategies to serve changing attitudes and promoting inclusivity for all consumers, Why it’s important for fashion brands to integrate models of all sizes, shapes, and ages, and more.    Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Pamela in Part 1 of this episode and listen to her share the inside story of a brand.   For more on The Shainhouse Group visit: https://www.theshainhousegroup.com/     Attentive - https://www.attentivemobile.com/ Enquire Labs - https://www.enquirelabs.com/commercefocused Retention Science - RetentionScience.com

In part two, Wylie Robinson, Founder & CEO of Rumpl, goes into detail about the different variations of his innovative blanket. He discusses his long-term vision of his brand. Although he admits that focusing on his core products is the most important priority of his team. He realizes that his ability to dive deep into the smallest details has allowed for a rich assortment of choices for customers. Wylie then discusses the growth of the outdoor industry in general, and the many ways his brand is giving back to the community. All of this and more... In part two of this Feature Wylie discusses: The different products offered from Rumpl- the fabrics, innovative technology, What is his long-term vision for Rumpl-specialized products for different uses, collaboration with interesting artists and brands, Why he feels there is a greater advantage to staying focused on blankets for now, What are the key factors that differentiate Rumpl from competitors- style, focus on a niche product, deep assortment, and being the originator of the product, The future of the outdoor industry- projected growth, retail partnering, The major distribution channels, growing the direct-to-consumer channel, How Rumpl is offsetting its carbon footprint- give-backs to the environment and their community, and more.    Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Wylie in Part 2 of this episode and listen to him share the inside story of a brand.   For more on Rumpl visit: https://www.rumpl.com/     Malomo - https://gomalomo.com/cf Klaviyo -  https://www.klaviyo.com/ Retention Science - RetentionScience.com

Back in 2012, Wylie Robinson, Founder & CEO of Rumpl, took a surf/ski trip with his childhood friend all throughout California. One day, while camping in the Sierra Nevada mountains, Wylie and his friend woke up to find themselves stranded under a foot of snow that had rendered their truck useless. Stuck in the middle of nowhere, without cell phone service, Wylie and his friend had no choice but to snuggle under their sleeping bags and wait for help to arrive. Find out how Wylie was able to turn this icy situation into a goldmine. Here is the story of a brand. In Part one of this episode, Wylie talks about: What He was doing before he started Rump, How a surf/ski trip in 2012 led to the idea of a sleeping bag style blanket, How he was able to launch his brand from a Kickstarter fund, Why he saw an opportunity to apply innovative fabric to the blanket industry, What categories of products are filled with massive opportunities for innovation, The different challenges he faced when building up his brand- learning about back-end logistics, How he dealt with the frustration of roadblocks, How the company has been dealing with the effects of the pandemic, Re-positioning marketing strategy and listening to their customers, Why blankets produce such a powerfully emotional response from people.   Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Wylie in Part 1 of this episode and listen to him share the inside story of a brand.   For more on Rumpl visit: https://www.rumpl.com/     Malomo - https://gomalomo.com/cf Klaviyo -  https://www.klaviyo.com/ Retention Science - RetentionScience.com

In the next part of this feature, Laurie Wiluan, founder and CEO of Personal Space MB,  talks about the change in buying trends that she’s seen since the start of the pandemic. She discusses her brand’s mission and her personal philosophy about the value of hand-crafted, high-quality goods. She realizes that this sort of appreciation has been hidden from mainstream culture. She goes into detail as to why it’s so important for her to hold on to this reverence for quality and craftsmanship. All this and much more. In part two, Laurie discusses: What buying trends have changed since the lockdown, Why her goal is to provide affordable designer items- the importance of personalizing the home space with well-made, high-quality items, What are the many different ways consumers and design clients can view and buy products- why she loves offering her clients choices, How she finds new designers through a variety of online and in-person opportunities, How she helps designers free their creative process- why it is such an intense and grueling process, Why high-quality designer products are worth the extra price, How her passion for well-crafted, hand-made designs helps set her brand apart.

  Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Laurie in Part 2 of this episode and listen to her share the inside story of their brand. For more on Personal Space MB visit: https://personalspacemb.com/ Justuno -  justuno.com/ramon Pattern89 - pattern89.com/pod Retention Science - RetentionScience.com

For 25 years Laurie Wiluan, founder and CEO of Personal Space MB, traveled throughout Asia working as a fashion photographer. Eventually, the time came to settle down back home in the United States. She figured it was also the perfect time to switch gears professionally. Using her vast network of connections, Laurie became a bridge for the very best designers in Asia to bring their goods to America. Here is her story…. In part one of this Feature Laurie talks about: Her early years working as a fashion photographer in Asia, How she decided to jump into home design upon returning to the United States, How she used her network connections in Asia to create her unique store, The challenges of wearing many different hats starting a new company, What action steps she took to introduce her brand and why she focused on face-to-face personal connections, What she looks for when deciding on designers to feature, How working on photography productions is similar to building a business, How she had the foresight to shift completely digital before the global pandemic- and her savvy decision to avoid doing business with China.  

Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Laurie in Part 1 of this episode and listen to them share the inside story of their brand. For more on Personal Space MB visit: https://personalspacemb.com/ Justuno -  justuno.com/ramon Pattern89 - pattern89.com/pod Retention Science - RetentionScience.com

In Part two of this Feature, Cara Brook, Founder & CEO of Maskcara Beauty, goes into detail about the hero products of her brand. She explains how she used her knowledge as a make-up artist to create an innovative 3-D foundation. It was this single product that catapulted her brand into the spotlight overnight. She then talks about the natural evolution that led to offering brand ambassadorships- something she had never previously thought possible. Today, there are over 10,000 Maskcara beauty ambassadors across the United States. 

In Part two, Cara discusses How she is able to stay grounded amidst her massive success, What drove her to want to create a totally unique beauty product- her perspective on beauty and make-up and the science she used for her invention, How her company has innovated the traditional make-up bag, How her childhood dream has evolved into something more than she could have ever imagined… and so much more.

  Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Cara in Part 2 of this episode and listen to her share the inside story of a brand.   For more on Maskcara Beauty visit: https://www.maskcarabeauty.com/en     Fenix Commerce - https://www.fenixcommerce.com/ MarketerHire -  https://marketerhire.com/ (code: SOB) Retention Science - RetentionScience.com

Some lucky people know very early on what is their true calling in life. Cara Brook, Founder & CEO of Maskcara Beauty, discovered her dream when working on a 5th-grade science project. But her beauty company didn’t come as easily as her vision. For years she struggled with financial setbacks such as living in her mother’s garage as a single mom. All the while, however, she never let go of her dream. Find out how she was able to grow a humble beauty blog into a multi-million dollar brand. Here is her story... In the first part of this Feature, Cara talks about The overall mission of Maskcara Beauty, How her dream of starting a make-up company started all the way back in 5th grade, How becoming pregnant at 25 put her through an emotional crisis- and how it ultimately led her to commit to self-sufficiency, How she was able to grow her beauty blog to reach 4 million hits a month, What the early stages of creating her own beauty product looked like, How she handled the terrifying process of funding her business, Why it was so important to stay in the present moment while building her brand, and so much more.   Join us while Ramon Vela interviews Cara in Part 1 of this episode and listen to her share the inside story of a brand.   For more on Maskcara Beauty visit: https://www.maskcarabeauty.com/en     Fenix Commerce - https://www.fenixcommerce.com/ MarketerHire -  https://marketerhire.com/ (code: SOB) Retention Science - RetentionScience.com