The Story of a Brand Show

This episode is brought to you by Yotpo.

“We noticed a trend that commerce was moving from search to social. Meaning, people were buying more and more off, scrolling through Instagram and watching YouTube. And so we asked ourselves, if this trend holds true, then how do we enable every single brand, no matter how small or big they are, no matter where they are in the world, to drive revenue and performance via micro influencers, influencers, celebrities on YouTube, Instagram, and the whole creator economy. That’s how Affable.ai was born.”

In today’s episode, we interview Nisarg Shah, Co-founder & CEO at Affable.ai. The Affable.ai platform allows brands to discover, engage and measure social media influencers through artificial intelligence algorithms that profile influencers and their audience across social media such as Instagram, YouTube, twitter, Facebook, etc.

We discussed everything from trends in the market, being a Saas entrepreneur, best practices in influencer marketing, how the Affable.ai platform works for brands, and more.

* The gratefulness he feels for his team * The origin story of Affable * Trend #1 - Why commerce is moving from search to social * What will brands need to support new trends in ecommerce * Nsarg’s eureka moment * Trend #2 - Why brands are thinking of influencers as affiliates * Why more and more of brand’s marketing spend is going toward influencer channels * Why influencers signify trust * The Four Influencer Marketing Best Practices brands should implement * The features of the Affable.ai platform * Future plans

Join Ramon Vela and Nisarg Shah, as we break down the inside story of Affable.ai on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Affable.ai, visit: https://www.affable.ai/ 

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen on your favorite podcast player.

*

This episode is brought to you by Yotpo.

Rising acquisition costs and the return to in-store shopping have eCommerce marketers double-clicking on their retention strategy.

Now more than ever, brands need to focus on lifetime value. Yotpo is proud to announce Yotpo Subscriptions on Shopify, making retention easy and affordable for growing brands.

Take 8 minutes or less to add a recurring revenue channel to your business.

Download Yotpo Subscriptions from the Shopify App Store today https://apps.shopify.com/yotpo-subscription 

This episode is brought to you by Yotpo.

Ty and Jesse say, “We started with flowers, so we ship flowers nationwide. And, we focus on really the simplicity and the heart behind sending a gift, the gesture of it. We are planning on launching other non-perishable gifting products later this year, which is really exciting. It's been so fun to see how, how our product resonates with our consumer and really focusing on how can we foster authentic connections and help people feel seen, known, and loved through our products. That's the mission of it.”

Today we talked with Ty Hiss and Jesse Hiss, Co-founders at Fresh Sends. Fresh Sends is building a go-to gifting brand that delivers products you and your recipient will love with an experience that’s unmatched. They’ve renamed gifting, and it’s called sending.

We discussed topics from becoming entrepreneurs to building a go-to-gifting brand, and the lessons learned along the way. Topics include:

* Their gratefulness towards their family and the support given in their entrepreneurial journey * Why they started the brand? * Why the business took off right away * Why it’s important to them that the brand stands for something * Lesson #1 - You never know who you meet in college * Lesson #2 - Don’t get trapped in analysis paralysis * Their mission of helping people feel seen, heard, and loved * Why their partnerships are so important to them * The tremendous opportunity in business-to-business * Advice for entrepreneurs including play the long game, don’t overthink things, and don’t be afraid to ask for help * Their goal of buying flowers in 5 clicks or less * Review of current and future products * And more…

Join Ramon Vela, Ty Hiss and Jesse Hiss as we break down the inside story of Fresh Sends, on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Fresh Sends, visit: https://freshsends.com/ 

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen on your favorite podcast player: Listen now.

*

This episode is brought to you by Yotpo.

Rising acquisition costs and the return to in-store shopping have eCommerce marketers double-clicking on their retention strategy.

Now more than ever, brands need to focus on lifetime value. Yotpo is proud to announce Yotpo Subscriptions on Shopify, making retention easy and affordable for growing brands.

Take 8 minutes or less to add a recurring revenue channel to your business.

Download Yotpo Subscriptions from the Shopify App Store today https://apps.shopify.com/yotpo-subscription 

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Jakes recounts the opportunity he saw in consumer packaged goods, “If Filipinos are such a big part of the community, then how come when I go to the major supermarkets and groceries in U.S., there's no Filipino food on the shelf at all. It's like we're almost kind of relegated to that dusty corner of the Asian section where you have these MSG packets and things like that.”

He continues, “So I just saw this huge disconnect because I saw a lot of things happening at pop culture about Filipino cuisine, a lot of Filipino celebrities popping up, and it kind of seemed like the right time to introduce Filipino food.”

Today we talked with Jake Deleon, Founder of Fila Manila. Fila Manila offers a range of Authentic Filipino simmer sauces inspired by the rich flavors of the Philippine Islands.

We discussed topics from becoming entrepreneurs, failed startup and the lessons learned and building the #1 Filipino food brand in the USA. Topics include:

* His gratefulness for his previous startup experience and the lessons learned * Why food and beverage is such a special category to be in * The story of how and why his first startup shutdown * What is Fila Manila? * Origin story of brand * His biggest fear and why it benefits the consumer * Why there aren’t more Filipino brands in U.S. market and why representing Filipino culture is so important to him and the brand * Advice for Founders on price points, product value and ingredients * Why he accepts and loves the idea of Fila Manila representing Filipino culture * What is Filipino cuisine? * Where to start in your journey with Fila Manila

Join Ramon Vela and Jake Deleon as we break down the inside story of Fila Manila, on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Fila Manila, visit: https://filamanila.com/ 

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen on your favorite podcast player.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary Sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Gilad says, “We're not just applying the science of warm up, refresh and recovery to athletes but to weekend warriors and average people. People who may never have thought that they should look at what we’re doing at Hyperice. Maybe someone who thought I'm just gonna grow old slowly, and it is what it is. Instead, we’re giving them an option and reason to reevaluate what's possible. Showing them they can continue to do the things they enjoy and feel really fantastic while doing them.”

Today we interview Gilad Jacobs, Chief Innovation Officer at Hyperice, Inc., and Founder of Normatec Recovery. Normatec by Hyperice uses dynamic air compression to create a restorative massage that is shown to increase circulation and help you warm up, recover, and feel refreshed faster. It’s made for professional athletes and consumers alike.

We discuss:

* Origin story: the story of a brilliant woman, scientist, and mother * Exclusive: The Israel Mop Story * How Normatec was originally only a medical device company * How his mother prepared him for business * His mother’s sage career advice * How he started in sports with “two Normatec machines and $5,000” * How it started with the University of Florida * How athletes discovered they could use Normatec for both recovery and pre-performance * Meeting the founder of Hyperice * How Normatec works with consumers and weekend warriors * Review of products, including Normatec Go and Core * How, where, and when to get started with Normatec by Hyperice

Join Ramon Vela and Gilad Jacobs as we break down the inside story of Normatec by Hyperice on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Normatec by Hyperice, visit: https://hyperice.com/ 

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen on your favorite podcast player: Listen now.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary Sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Edouard says, “our mission is to be stay brand ambassadors of Naples and we will not change that. And if I have to have lower profitability because I am using the best ingredients, I will do that. And if I have to stay in Naples and pay astronomical ocean freight, which is what is happening now with the logistical crisis, I will do that. I want to go to bed at night and know that I am making an authentic Neapolitan pizza, period. Otherwise I will do something else.”

Today we interview Edouard Freda, Founder & CEO of Talia di Napoli. Tali di Napoli offers people authentic Neapolitan pizza - made in Italy, by master pizzaiolos, using local, all-natural ingredients.

Edouard’s approach to making the high quality pizza is rare in the frozen pizza market. He says “it's not a very capitalistic approach because when we pick ingredients, we go by taste and not buy price. And that's a mistake, if you ask any buyer. However, when we try the ingredients and we fall in love with them, and we look at the price, we're like, Oh, wow that's four times what we thought but we're ready to pay for the quality.”

We discuss:

* Grateful for the family business and the trust they place on him * Overview of the brand * How he got started * The opportunity they saw in the market * Why they want to bring Naples to the world * Breakdown of their model from craftsmanship to quality control to their unique freezing process * Why following the Neapolitan Pizza Guide is so critical to them * What he means by the “sleeping pizza” * Why their approach is not aggressively capitalistic * The story of the Margherita pizza * How they choose their local ingredients * Review of the products

Join Ramon Vela and Edouard Freda as we break down the inside story of Talia di Napoli on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Talia di Napoli, visit: https://www.taliadinapoli.com/ 

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen on your favorite podcast player: Listen now.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary Sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Yotpo.

Camille and Levi say, “What does it do for the individual? What is the problem we solving? When we first started talking to chemists, they would say don't put so much energy and effort into your formula, because people only stick to a skincare routine for about six months, and then they jump. And we were like, why? It’s because they are paying for something they're not getting, so they move on looking for something better.”

They go on to say, “We think, if you focus your energy on solving a genuine problem, then why would customers go anywhere else?

Today we talked with Camille Chulick and Levi Chulick, Founders of Averr Aglow. Averr Aglow is a brand that offers natural skin care products to help achieve clear, nourished, and radiant skin by using the best ingredients, vitamins, and minerals..

We discussed topics from becoming entrepreneurs to building a skincare brand, and the lessons learned. Topics include:

* Why they are grateful for their parents * What they would if they had kids * An overview of Averr Aglow * Why they look for patterns of success in business and you should too * Why they think you should bet on yourself * If you want to be an entrepreneur, combine a problem to solve and passion * How their research led them to more than just a product business * How Acne works * Where they find their ingredients * Why they prefer the term “healthy aging” versus Anti-aging * Why people jump from skincare to skincare routine and what they do differently * A review of their products

Join Ramon Vela, Camille Chulick and Levi Chulick as we break down the inside story of Averr Aglow, on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Averr Aglow, visit: https://averraglow.com/ 

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen on your favorite podcast player.

*

This episode is brought to you by Yotpo.

Rising acquisition costs and the return to in-store shopping have eCommerce marketers double-clicking on their retention strategy.

Now more than ever, brands need to focus on lifetime value. Yotpo is proud to announce Yotpo Subscriptions on Shopify, making retention easy and affordable for growing brands.

Take 8 minutes or less to add a recurring revenue channel to your business.

Download Yotpo Subscriptions from the Shopify App Store today https://apps.shopify.com/yotpo-subscription 

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Heather says, “the difference with StoryFile is you're not just leaving a video message. You can actually ask questions and the image can have a conversation with you. It’s something you just have to see for yourself.”

Today we interview Heather Maio-Smith, Co-founder and Chief Visionary Officer for StoryFile. StoryFile is truly a unique platform. It will sound like it came straight out of a Star Trek or Watchmen movie like.

StoryFile records an immersive interactive video interview for yourself or a loved one so that future generations can ask questions, converse, and interact with the person being recorded. There is also a tremendous opportunity for businesses as well.

We discuss:

* How she is highly grateful to her husband, who left his established career to support her in her dream. * Overview of a video that talks back * Why capture the story of a loved one? * Giving people the ability to leave their legacy * Asking questions you didn’t have time to ask * The difference between StoryFile and regular video * How to choose the right questions to ask * Why Everyone has a story to tell * The opportunities for business * Letting the CEO answer questions from dozens, hundreds, or thousands of employees * How can a StoryFile can help the athletes with their coaching in sports? * The mechanics for using StoryFile?

Join Ramon Vela and Heather Maio-Smith as we break down the inside story of StoryFile on The Story of a Brand.

For more on StoryFile, visit: https://storyfile.com/ 

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen on your favorite podcast player: Listen now.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary Sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alix says, “I think we're probably the only alcohol company that encourages people to do Dry January and not drink our product. We even have a system in place where people can pause their subscription if they're taking a break. I would imagine for most alcohol product companies, this approach is highly unusual. But I believe that because of encouraging Dry January and the other things we discussed, we've been able to build a vast community of brand ambassadors.”

Today we interview Alix Peabody, Founder and CEO of Bev. Bev makes premium canned wine made from California grapes, with zero sugar, in 6 fizzy varieties. They are on a mission to empower women in business and beyond starting with their women-led team and wine “Made By Chicks”.

We discussed a lot of things today, including:

* Alix’s gratefulness practice * Her experience as a survivor of sexual assault * Gratitude for the mentorship of an ex-boss * Advice for women who have gone through a similar experience * How they strive to turn social situations and gender dynamics in to a positive environment * A brand that is unapologetically feminine * Changing the industry from the inside and operating from a position of strength * The origin story * Throwing a party to pay for her medical expenses * Why it was important that the wine be zero-sugar * Having a brand before the company was born * Why Bev is like taking the company’s vision and putting into a can * Rundown of “Old Dude” campaign * How they partner with LGBTQ youth organization, Way Out * Review of Bev flavors * First Federally approved zero-sugar canned wine * Their National Bar Safety program * The challenge of being a growing female-led company in a male dominated industry * What the younger Alix would tell her older self * Advice for other entrepreneurs * How she got turned down 386 times

Join Ramon Vela and Alix Peabody as they break down the inside story on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Bev, visit: https://drinkbev.com/ 

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen on your favorite podcast player: Listen now.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary Sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Yotpo.

Sandro says, “A lot of what I'd seen in the grocery aisles were Asian-inspired beverages I loved from childhood, but they filled these beverages with a lot of sugar preservatives. And the labels hadn't been updated in 20 or 30 years. These were beverages I couldn't drink anymore, because I'd learned more about health and wellness and the impact of a high-sugar diet on your health, but they were still flavors that I wanted to like experience in my life.”

Today we talked with Sandro Roco, Founder and CEO of Sanzo. Sanzo is the first Asian-inspired sparkling water brand with real fruit flavors and no added sugar. Their vision is to create a bridge between traditional Asian flavors and modern taste.

We discussed so many topics, from the product to building a consumer packaged goods brand, and the lessons he learned from his previous startup, including:

* Reflections on their 3rd year anniversary * Grateful for a job at an early startup and the experience and trust he received * Learning from other entrepreneurs with more experience * How he invests in and develops employees in a growing startup * Why culture building is part of employee development * A 360 overview of the brand * Why Sanzo is a manifestation of his own self-actualization journey * The uniqueness of the Sanzo beverage * Why Sanzo is really about representation * Why there hasn’t be a brand like Sanzo before * The value of attractive packaging for the consumer and retailer * The secret of Sanzo’s early success with retailers * What’s something about Sanzo that consumers don’t know * Why legacy is so important for Sandro * The simple elegance of their ingredients: real fruit and sparkling water * A walk through the Sanzo flavors * Inspiration for aspiring food and beverage entrepreneurs

Join Ramon Vela and Sandro Roco as we break down the inside story of Sanzo, on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Sanzo, visit: https://drinksanzo.com/ 

Subscribe and Listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen to your favorite podcast player: Listen now.

*

This episode is brought to you by Yotpo.

Rising acquisition costs and the return to in-store shopping have eCommerce marketers double-clicking on their retention strategy.

Now more than ever, brands need to focus on lifetime value. Yotpo is proud to announce Yotpo Subscriptions on Shopify, making retention easy and affordable for growing brands.

Take 8 minutes or fewer to add a recurring revenue channel to your business.

Download Yotpo Subscriptions from the Shopify App Store today https://apps.shopify.com/yotpo-subscription 

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Our brains release unique neurotransmitters to support energy, mood, sleep, and more. Chris and Joe Claussen tell us that First Person is the first supplement system designed to target and support them separately, allowing you to enhance your mental wellbeing when and how you choose.

Chris says, “The good news, the sooner you start, the better. It's definitely not too late. Part of our big message across the board is whether it's for cognitive decline or just general wellbeing don't wait until it's broken. Get these things taken care of along the way, cross the river while it's just a little stream don’t wait until it’s a roaring river.”

Today we have talked with Chris and Joe Claussen, the Co-founders of First Person. First Person is a company which produces naturally advanced and scientifically based brain supplements which are made from functional mushrooms.

Today in this episode we discuss:

* Why Chris is grateful to the chaos of his life which strengthened him
* Why Joe is grateful to the people who believed in them and helped them?
* How can this brand be a great help for the future and society?
* How Psychedelics and Mushrooms can help people to get connected with nature and the natural system.
* Why taking care of brain health in early age is so important to preventing dementia
* What is the mission of this brand?
* The science behind the mushrooms?
* What is a functional mushroom?
* 3 pillars of First Person
* What is micro-dosing? Why is it important?
* What do the products look like?
* What is the ideal age group for using this product?
* Are there restrictions while using this product?
* Why does deep sleep matter?
* Alternatives of drinking in social situations

Join Ramon Vela, Chris and joe Claussen as they break down the inside story on The Story of a Brand.

For more on First Person, visit: https://getfirstperson.com/

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen on your favorite podcast player: Listen now.

*

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!

This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.

When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.

Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!