The Story of a Brand Show

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Michael Lovitch says, “The biggest difference between other entrepreneur groups and us is that we bet on kindness, generosity, and being fun, not success. We're not success junkies. We are looking for people we're going to want to grow old with. We're looking for our friends. That's the biggest difference between what we're doing and others. We look for good humans over how badass they are in business”.

In today’s episode, we talk to Michael Lovitch, Founding Partner of Baby Bathwater Institute, a selective membership community for entrepreneurs that is part music festival, part business forum, and 100% unique and fun.

In this interview, we cover a wide range of topics. We discuss:

* There’s no "one way" of doing entrepreneurship * Know yourself and what type of person you are * Hire for your weakness, and don’t hesitate to pay a good recruiter * Don’t grow for growth's sake * Don’t wait for the miracle of an exit. Cash flow along the way and invest * Hire a coach in the early days * Invest in venture capital but never take it * What’s a Baby Bathwater event look like * Why it’s transformative * And so much more…

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

For more on Baby Bathwater Institute, visit: https://babybathwater.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 also brought to you by Sendlane.

ESW Beauty is clean beauty skincare inspired by healthy living that features a line of raw juice-inspired sheet masks, says Elina Wang, Co-founder and CEO of ESW Beauty.

That line features masks with kale, spinach, broccoli, and apples.

"It's just like you're putting a light green juice on your skin, and that's great for anti-aging," Elina says.

Other facial tools are inspired by pineapple, strawberries, cream, and various teas.

"I love tea," Elina says. "It's my favorite self-care beverage when I want to drink something after a long day to decompress. And this is how these facial tools make me feel."

Elina says her entrepreneurship was inspired by her mother, who did lots of import/export work with garments.

"I would always see her being very passionate and talking about what she's working on and traveling all the time and just being inspiring," she says. "That's something I always looked up to and knew I wanted to do in the future."

Elina got into the green juice space during college when she found that consuming Whole Foods - including plenty of juices - helped stomach flare-ups, which had begun in high school. When she decided to create a brand, she combined her passion for healthy living with her love for skincare.

She advises other entrepreneurs who struggle with mixing business demands with their personal lives: Strive for balance. Find out what makes you whole, and be sure that's part of the work-life equation.

In this episode, Elina talks about:

* Gratitude to store owners who have given her so much positive feedback at trade shows over the past few years. * An overview of the ESW Beauty brand, including its line of juice-inspired face masks. * How fresh juice and teas came to be the inspiration behind facial masks. * How health problems in high school and college led her into the whole food space. * Her mom's reaction to the business. * Advice for entrepreneurs who are romantically involved with their business partners. * What she would tell her younger self. * How to use the brand's products.

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

For more on ESW Beauty, visit: https://eswbeauty.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.

Charlie's Table is the non-gluten pasta made for everyone at the table, says David Landay, CEO and Co-founder of Charlie's Table, an artisanal food brand that started with gluten-free, non-GMO fresh pasta.

The pasta creator owned an Italian restaurant in New York City when he discovered he was gluten-sensitive. He and a chef spent 18 months creating a gluten-free pasta that would be so good that nobody would know the difference.

The pasta is more than gluten-free - it's also peanut-free, soy-free, dairy-free, GMO-free, and Keto-friendly.

David says he creates things because that's what he loves to do.

"I see things differently than other people - I'm aware of that," he says. "That's what's led to doing things, as I say, that people are doing. But if you think that way, I don't want to run anything. I want to start it. I leave organizations after I start them. Other people are good at running them. That's not what turns me on."

Plans for Charlie's Table include making a new flour for restaurants to help create healthier pasta.

In this episode, David talks about:

* An overview of Charlie's Table and gratitude to the man who inspired the name. * How the brand developed its original pasta product. * The effect COVID had on the brand, particularly given the supply chain issues. * The brand's charitable mission. * David’s history is working with nonprofits and Broadway Cares. * Why he'd instead start a business than run one. * Where to find the pasta now?

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

For more on Charlie’s Table, visit: https://charliestable.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.

Origin offers physical therapy for the pelvic floor and whole body, focusing on women in every stage of life, says Origin CEO and Co-founder Carine Carmy.

"We focus on treating women and individuals with vaginal anatomy, and that's a deep expertise we've built, given the systemic gender bias in medicine and some of the very common but pretty overlooked issues that impact women throughout our lives, things like painful sex, incontinence, birth recovery, and issues around menopause," she says.

Carine says she's "one of the crazy people" who love starting businesses repeatedly - Origin is her fifth startup, but the first with her in the CEO role.

"I call it 'Type 2 Fun,' where we like to do tough things like climbing mountains and starting companies, and you get that peak at the end," she says. "But there's a lot of pain and fun along the way."

Carine started in the health care consulting business but transitioned to marketing. After getting married and traveling back and forth constantly between jobs and her husband, she began to develop some chronic health issues. Other female friends shared similar problems - none of which seemed helped by traditional medical interventions. It turned out that physical therapy finally helped and thus was born the idea of Origin.

Carine has words of wisdom for other entrepreneurs considering opening new businesses.

"Honestly, just put one foot in front of the other," she says. "If you're an entrepreneur, you probably can solve different types of problems. You're resourceful. You know when to ask for help, when to figure things out on your own, and that you'll get through it and that it just gets easier, and you gain that muscle over time."

Origin's vision remains to "elevate the standard of care for women and people with vaginal anatomy around the country," Carine says. "We want to make sure pelvic floor therapy is accessible to patients through every stage of life and to all populations, to women, to men, to pediatric patients, because these issues are chronic, they're pervasive."

In this episode, Carine talks about:

* Gratitude to a previous career coach who taught her it's okay not to ask for permission anymore. * An overview of Origin. * How her career began in health care at a large management consulting firm. * Never losing her love of marketing because it ties to the brand to the people people who show up every day. * Her memories of when she began to break down from the stress of her health issues. * Why there's a medical gap in treating women's health issues. * The mechanics of the pelvic floor. * How therapy can help with common female issues. * Advice for fellow entrepreneurs. * Navigating the health care business during a pandemic. * The difference between physical and virtual office visits. * The company's expansion plans.

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

For more on Origin, visit: https://www.theoriginway.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 also brought to you by Sendlane.

How do Consumer Brands increase revenues while decreasing their negative environmental impacts? That’s CEO and Founder Anshey Bhatia’s big concern and the main subject of his latest guide, “The Ultimate DTC Guide to Sustainability.”

In today’s episode, we discuss Anshey and his team’s sustainability mission at Verbal+Visual, an agency that designs, builds, and grows digital flagships for thoughtful brands.

In this episode, we discuss:

* Why they love working with mission-driven brands * Verbal+Visual’s sustainability journey and goals * Where should brands start their sustainability journey * The low-hanging fruit of sustainability * What role does “re-commerce” play in a brand’s business model * Sustainability and the supply chain * How authentic sustainability missions drive trust with consumers * Examples of sustainable brands * Why B-corp certification is worth the effort * Where to download the Sustainability Guide for Free

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

For more on Verbal+Visual, visit: https://www.verbalplusvisual.com/ 

The URL for the sustainability guide is: https://verbalplusvisual.com/sustainability 

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.

“We don't want to first and foremost say we're plant-based. We want to say we taste good and there's no sacrifice between us and say an animal protein chicken nugget”, says Dave Zilko, Co-founder of Skinny Butcher, a Plant-based poultry brand that offers breakthrough Soy-Free and Palm Oil Free Plant-Based Proteins that win on branding and taste profile.

The story of Skinny Butcher starts decades ago with Garden Fresh Gourmet, a brand Dave and his previous co-founder took from zero to 100 million and eventually sold to Campbell Soups for nearly a quarter of a billion dollars.

In today’s episode, Dave breaks down the product & flavor philosophy, the sustainability focus, the marketing and branding strategy, and the innovative tactics he uses to launch and distribute the Skinny Butcher to consumers everywhere. Dave also shares many of the entrepreneurial practices, strategies, and concepts, found in his book, “Irrational Persistence,” which made his first company a huge success.

In this feature, we discuss:

* How to find a great product and market * What makes a great food and beverage brand * Why does he think you should sell your company, not the product * Whether you should manufacturer your own product or outsource * Advice to other Entrepreneurs * Why founders should not fear the recession * Why the Skinny Butcher competes on branding and Flavor profile * Why he's offering Skinny Butcher in both retail and virtual kitchens

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

For more on Skinny Butcher, visit: https://skinnybutcher.com/ 

Interesting in his book, “Irrational Persistence: Seven Secrets That Turned a Bankrupt Startup Into a $231,000,000 Business,” you can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CXT4JMU/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_1RH79VDXQKSRZPVDR89S 

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 also brought to you by Sendlane.

It all started with Lure, Co-Founder Monica Reese's experience with her dad, a Vietnam vet suffering from PTSD and Alcoholism. “I grew up in quite a chaotic situation…I was always nervous and very anxious,” says Monica. That’s when she turned to CBD, “It changed my life. I felt more patient. I was more present for my children because I could take it, and the nerves were gone, but I was still very present.”

In today’s feature, we talk to Monica Reese, Summer Rice, and Kara Kelly, Co-founders of Lure. This brand produces premium domestically and organically grown hemp-based products designed for women and which men can enjoy too.

With each having a unique story of how CBD impacted their lives, they realized they could help other women too. Whether as moms or caregivers for aging parents, executives, or entrepreneurs, “it's hard to take time out for yourself,” and Lure was created to bring just a little calm to a chaotic life while still being present.

In this feature, we discuss:

* Their gratefulness for each other, investors, and their community of women * Why they chose the business * Their “non-negotiables” in the business and products ingredients * The social justice aspect of the brand * Advice for entrepreneurs * How the products work * Breakdown of the product line * How they choose which products to produce Plans, including upcoming products * Why they chose the name “Lure”

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

For more on Lure, visit: https://thelurelife.com/ 

***Here's a gift from Lure for my listeners, Get 20% off the Relief Stick. Just use promo code THESTORYOFABRAND***

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.

The food and beverage space is enjoying a lot of "glamorization" right now, says Najwa Khan, Founder, and CEO of Dalci, a brand that makes crave-worthy desserts that are better for you. But all that sexy growth comes with many sacrifices, especially in your personal life.

"It's going to be quite painful in the sense where you are giving up a lot of your personal life, your time, time with your family, time with your friends," she says.

She says the best way to get through the tough times is by having a mission and believing in it.

Another piece of advice: Don't assume that any brand can be omnichannel, DTC, or just retail.

"There are a plethora of channels to sell on in a food and food and beverage, particularly with food," she says.

Najwa says it took about a year to determine the recipes for the first product. She spent the time testing recipes in a commercial kitchen while getting feedback and tweaking. She put the product on the website before it was ready and was stunned to get 150 orders in the first 24 hours.

"I just kept making and making it until the brownies like were the brownies similar to what you see today," she says. "And I remember my husband and I stayed up all night till seven in the morning packaging and sealing to get these orders out to these first 150 people."

The company's mission - while currently focused on sweets - is "transferrable," she says. Plant-based options are the No. 1 request from customers, but that's a challenge because Dalci won't use egg substitutes. The company is also working on breakfast sweets.

In Part 2, Najwa talks about:

- Advice for other entrepreneurs - The variety of channels open to food and beverage brands. - A closer look at the product. - The stress of filling the first 150 orders. - What makes their brownies different? - Plans include plant-based items and breakfast products. - Where you can find Dalci products.

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

For more on Dalci, visit: https://www.dalci.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 Yotpo.

Dalci isn't a diet dessert, or dessert alternative, says Founder and CEO Najwa Khan. Dalci is trying to educate consumers about ingredients and provide a "better for you" option.

"One core ethos is that we don't want to fit into a diet, she says. We're not a diet brand. We're not trying to help people have restrictive eating. We're trying to do the opposite: educate consumers about ingredients, why we choose the eight ingredients we currently do, and why we're not trying to do a low calorie, high protein keto brownie."

Najwa has her hands deep in the business, pitching in to handle baking duties and customer service - even after hours and on the weekends.

"I love what we do, and I love that people love our brownies," she says. "So, yes, I'm irrationally at the kitchen every day. I was even there on Saturday. I'm not going to lie - baking, producing, tasting. I've been doing that to get this company to the next stage."

Najwa says the brand's inspiration came from "personal annoyance." She was constantly complaining about packaged foods while at the same time going through a series of health challenges. Friends recommended she try eating holistically. Additional research led her to conclude that food she thought was healthy was anything but healthy. She began preparing clean meals for herself but was miserable because she couldn't find a clean dessert. After learning to make her brownies, she was on the road to creating Dalci.

In Part 1, Najwa talks about:

- Gratitude to three former colleagues who helped her get experience working in a tech company. - An overview of the brand. - Her hands-on approach to running the business. - How health issues led her to discover clean eating. - The lack of clean desserts.

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

For more on Dalci, visit: https://www.dalci.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 also brought to you by Sendlane.

Using Social Chat is easy - it's a one-click install on a Shopify store or embedding a widget to get started, says Social Chat Founder Frost Li.

"Usually, the customers can start using it within the same week once they already have the content prepared," Frost says.

Making the content itself is usually something the brand tackles, but the nice thing about live shopping events is that the content creates itself, she says. And this type of content usually has a much higher conversion rate.

Brand identity is critical for consistent sales engagement, Frost says.

Frost says that one recent client had a 66 percent higher purchase rate when using Social Chat. Live shopping sessions and widgets also lead to a higher average order value. One client reports order values were up 260 percent after a live shopping session.

"We just give users the relevant content they like, and they purchase - way more, and they come back way more," Frost says.

Future plans include concierge features and sales representatives that can take one-on-one appointments.

In Part 2, Frost talks about:

* How the onboarding process works. * The beauty of using live shopping events as content. * The importance of brand identity. * Results recent clients are reporting. * How machine learning works. * Future services that are in the works. * Other available integrations.

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

For more on Social Chat, visit: https://socialchat.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: 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!