The Story of a Brand Show

This episode is also brought to you by Sendlane.

HOBO Bags doesn't follow trends; instead, they design leather bags with purpose and an eye on their ultimate use, says Koren Ray, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer at HOBO Bags, a female-founded, family-run brand that makes leather goods.

"We make leather goods, and we're committed to making leather goods that only get better with use," Koren says. "That's why we design products with pockets for planning and plotting and everywhere you need to go. But I think the other key to HOBO is that we do believe that we can use our craft to inspire a life of creativity, joy, and self-expression."

The name of the brand itself is a nod to the company's code, she says.

"We were inspired by the original American Hobos who traveled out of necessity for work and shared a value system based on kindness, responsibility, and hard work," Koren says. "So that code has informed many of the decisions and things we've done over the 30 years."

HOBO got its start before the Internet boom days, so it began as a wholesale company that sold to small retail stores around the country.

"We went to trade shows all over the country in our beat-up van with our homemade trade show booth," Koren says. "Eventually, the Nordstrom buyer stumbled upon our booth, and my mother, being the amazing visionary she is, stepped out into the aisle and said, 'Do you carry leather goods?” She was then able to get an amazing conversation going with the Nordstrom buyer. That was kind of our big break."

To this day, HOBO doesn't have a vast marketing machine, Koren says.

"We are in the business to make products that we love, that we're proud of, that women enjoy, that are creative and innovative and interesting and fun and colorful," Koren says. "The products speak for themselves ultimately, and the consumer is voting with her wallet that this is a brand she believes in that she will invest in. And that just makes us so, so proud and inspired to keep going."

In Part 1, Koren talks about:

* Gratitude to her mother for sharing her values and financial support. * An overview of the brand. * How HOBO's bags are unique. * What inspired the name HOBO Bags. * How the company spread the word on its products in the pre-Internet days. * The big break with Nordstrom. * The brand's approach to marketing.

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

For more on HOBO Bags, visit: https://www.hobobags.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 also 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 normally 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.

Retail Reworks exists to help companies do good business, say Mike Kitko and Brian Adams, co-founders of the brand that offers complete return solutions for DTC sellers and retailers.

"At the end of the day, we want to help you do good business," Brian says. "Good business means making the best financial decisions with what you've done. We're trying to help you turn $1 into $2, not $1 into 50 cents.

Mike says that Retail Reworks' ideal customer is the brand with thousands of monthly returns, but they have programs for smaller volume returns. He says two categories that don't work as well in the return system are perishables and furniture.

"We deal with many brands and different scenarios," Mike says. "We've seen nearly everything, and we know how to make a program work that allows you to make good business decisions."

In Part 2, Brian and Mike talk about:

* The mission of helping brands do good business.

* The brand's ideal customer.

* The onboarding process.

* Which brands don't work as well in the return space.

Join Ramon Vela, Mike Kitko, and Brian Adams as they break down the inside story on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Retail Reworks, visit: https://retailreworks.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 also brought to you by Sendlane.

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 normally 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.

Retail Reworks' mission is to make DTC and retail brands happy while making the planet a better place. That's the goal of its complete return solutions, say Mike Kitko and Brian Adams, Co-founders of Retail Reworks.

"We're problem solvers in a variety of ways for direct-to-consumer brands and retailers through a variety of channels, returns, management - complete return solutions is what we call it," Mike says. "Our goal is to keep stuff out of the landfill."

Brian started the recycling business in Texas, a company that recycled tires and plastic. The labor costs required to run the business effectively were so high that he opened himself up to other ways his experience could help a brand.

He says the fashion retail business seemed to be a good target because it faced similar hurdles. The profitability of retail is based on how they handle reverse logistics.

"We help that brand manage that process," Brian says.

Mike says that could mean anything from replacing a zipper on a pair of pants to replacing tickets and tags or even cleaning the product.

Brian says that Retail Reworks can get about 95 percent of returned items back to retailers in a condition where they can resell them.

The bottom line for Retail Reworks is making three people happy: the retailer, the customer, and the planet.

"We've got to make Earth happy - 15 percent of the landfills are dominated by fast fashion and clothing consumption," Brian says.

In Part 1, Brian and Mike talk about:

* Mike's gratitude to Brian for taking a chance on him and letting him help start the company. Brian's gratitude for having people work with him instead of for him.

* An overview of the company.

* Their background in the recycling business.

* Why the retail returns business is so huge.

* The ins and outs of reverse logistics.

Join Ramon Vela, Mike Kitko, and Brian Adams as they break down the inside story on The Story of a Brand.

For more on Retail Reworks, visit: https://retailreworks.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 also 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 normally 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.

When coming up with its bites, GEM chose not to focus on a single medical angle but instead incorporates multiple ways of determining the best daily nutritional needs, says Sara Cullen, the Founder and CEO of GEM.

For Sara, it’s required that suppliers and farmers are non-GMO even if they're not officially registered for that designation.

"We make sure they still follow those practices, even if they're not certified as that, that they don't have any extra fillers, that they're extracting the vitamins, minerals in a holistic way, that they're grass certified, generally regarded as safe, so they're FDA approved," Sara says.

Another key to GEM's success is its community, which is particularly strong on Facebook. Sara says the brand doesn't market to this group; instead, it provides a platform where people can maintain an open conversation.

"That's what this community now is - a place where people can go to feel safe, to share their own stories and ask people, what are they doing? What are some tips and tricks on how they can help with this ailment or a hack that they have for X, Y and Z," she says. "It's beautiful to see this sort of transformation over time."

Sara gained business experience through an entrepreneurial fellowship and began a CBD beverage brand in 2016. The experience taught her what to do - and what not to do - setting the stage for the GEM brand. It also gave her access to a network of people she could lean on.

To fellow entrepreneurs, she offers this advice: Focus on building the right team for your brand. Ultimately, the team is more important than fundraising.

For now, GEM's immediate future goals are to continue to improve the products and promote the future of food as medicine.

In Part 2, Sara talks about:

* A rundown of GEM's products. * The need to use responsible suppliers and farmers. * The importance of consulting with your community. * Her business background. * Advice for other entrepreneurs. * The necessity of good team building. * A closer look at the product flavors. * Where to find the products.

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

For more on GEM, visit: https://www.dailygem.co/ 

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 also 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 driving more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is normally 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 in to 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.

Food is medicine - that's the philosophy at GEM, a brand that turns vitamins and minerals into "essential bites," says Sara Cullen, the Founder and CEO of GEM.

"Our bite is made from whole foods. Our vitamins and minerals are derived from whole foods. We use sustainable plant-based ingredients like algae. It's a completely vegan product," Sara says. "These are, of course, trends and tailwinds - people looking for healthier natural alternatives. But it's not just a trend. It is here to stay. Food is here to stay. And this food is medicine is needed for not only our human health but our planetary health as well."

Sara's journey to starting a brand began in her early 20s when she began having chronic inflammation and digestion issues. Supplements weren't of much help because they contained binding ingredients she was sensitive to, so she started creating her concoctions, beginning with spirulina.

"It's nature's original multivitamin," she says. "It's the first thing that originated on our earth, believe it or not, three and a half billion years ago. And I started using that along with other superfoods and creating my smoothie routines in the morning that were expensive and time-consuming but made me feel amazing."

At first, Sara didn't realize her efforts were heading toward creating a new multivitamin. She brought in science advisors who helped tweak the product, started a Facebook group for feedback, and the demand grew.

Part of the demand for the GEM bite is the ongoing trend of micronutrient deficiency in today's population.

"Our food supply is like our soil - it's not what it was 20 years ago, and apple today is just not as nutrient-dense as an apple 50 years ago," Sara says. "We do need to fill the gaps in our diets."

Sara calls GEM bits the "nutritional insurance" consumers need in their diet. The bites are plant-based, wheat-free, gluten-free, and have no added sugar. Still, the majority of GEM's customer base is not vegan.

In Part 1, Sara talks about:

* Gratitude to her team at work for their silliness in stepping outside their comfort zones and handling new challenges. * An overview of the brand. * The importance of food as medicine. * How health problems led her to research better supplements. * The trend of micronutrient deficiency. * The brand's customer base.

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

For more on GEM, visit: https://www.dailygem.co/ 

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 also 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 driving more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is normally 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 in to 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.

Allison McNamara's background with makeup artists, celebrities, and influencers helped create an instant demand for her Mara line of clean skincare products when they launched.

"I'm impressed that people were buying it and loving it," she says. "Much of that's from my background and the relationships I had before launching the brand."

Based on her experiences so far, Allison has words of wisdom for fellow entrepreneurs who might be considering starting a new brand.

"I believe you go through everything because you need to go through it, and you learn from it," she says. "Everything will happen in due time, and you're going to be presented with the opportunities you're ready for."

Mara's products themselves are gender- and carbon-neutral. It's also a skincare line that doesn't require many steps.

"Everything fits into one of three categories: cleanse, treat and hydrate," Allison says.

Details about future product launches are closely held secrets, but Allison says they will likely do something in the treatment and body categories.

In Part 2, Allison talks about:

* How her background helped initial marketing efforts. * The target audience of Mara. * How people find out about the brand. * Advice for fellow entrepreneurs * A closer look at Mara products. * A tour of the Mara website. * Where consumers can find the products.

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

For more on Mara, visit: https://themarabeauty.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.

The television and entertainment business seems an unlikely place to lead to a career in skincare products, but it suited Allison McNamara, Founder of Mara, just fine.

"My background as a television host taught me the skill of not getting nervous," Allison says. "I also think there's beauty in ignorance - I had no idea how hard it would be. If you are shown how difficult something is, maybe you wouldn't go through it. So because I had that kind of shield from the beginning, I never hesitated towards launching a brand."

Allison said it was interviewing the Ulta Beauty executives at a trade convention that first got the idea of a skincare line into her head. Her hometown - the coastal town of Palos Verdes - provided the ocean angle and inspiration for turning to algae as the "clean" ingredient in the skincare formula.

"I say that in air quotes because everyone's got a different definition of clean," she says. "But I wanted to do something that felt very transparent and authentic but also had good-for-you ingredients."

Mara began work on five products, ultimately launched with a single one. The strategy was to have the other ideas ready to go when the time was right.

"The big thing that I took away from being on the other side, on the media side, is that you always want newness to talk about," she says. "We focus on two launches a year, and to do that, I wanted to ensure I had the formulas lined up to launch."

Rather than researching the market for the right initial product, Allison says she decided she was the "target customer" and went with the product she wanted to use - Universal Face Oil.

"I have this storytelling kind of side to me - I knew that there was going to be a compelling way to share this with our customers," she says. "Luckily, people love the concept too."

In Part 1, Allison talks about:

* Gratitude to a friend who introduced her to a huge buyer. * An overview of the Mara brand. * Her background in journalism and entertainment and how she transitioned into the beauty space. * The connection between the ocean and the skincare formula. * Her launch strategy.

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

For more on Mara, visit: https://themarabeauty.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.

The world's No. 1 global THC beverage was birthed from "a place of inexperience," says CANN Co-founder Luke Anderson.

"It was birthed from a place of inexperience, both from an inexperience with cannabis and inexperience with startups and having my hands on it," Luke says. "But it's encouraging because it means that anybody can do it. Anybody can start a company as long as they're ruthless about resource allocation and focused on their activities and how much value they're bringing in."

Luke was a consultant at a management consulting firm, coaching companies on how to innovate when an "a ha" moment struck.

"I kind of started feeling this a little bit of imposter syndrome," he says. "Why am I teaching people how to innovate and behave like a startup when I've never actually been an operator at a startup myself?"

A heavy drinker at the time, Luke had a friend in Colorado who was witnessing that state's cannabis legalization movement. Together, they had the skills to bring CANN to market.

"When you are growing a business and you're relentlessly focused on the outcomes, you have your head down, and you just keep sprinting. ... We're continuing to put our foot on the gas and just go, go, go because the people keep telling us to and they're voting with their dollar," he says. "I remember celebrating our 100,000 can. I remember celebrating our 1 million can. And now that we're at 10 (million), it does feel like this is a real thing and not just a dream."

One of the keys to the beverage's success is the flavor, Luke says, which comes from picking the best possible ingredients. That means lavender from Switzerland, agave nectar from Mexico, and lemons from Italy.

More flavors and lighter sugar drinks are in the works, Luke says. Seasonal flavors also are available. The brand also launched its first music video campaign with an original song.

In Part 2, Luke talks about:

* The inspiration for starting the brand. * A rundown of the products. * The importance of quality ingredients. * Upcoming releases and seasonal flavors.

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

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

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 normally 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.

Luke Anderson, Co-founder of CANN, believes people are falling out of love with alcohol. That's why he's touting a TCH beverage that provides a bit of the buzz without the hangover.

CANN is an alcohol substitute with a micro-dose of the active cannabinoid that provides a safer high, Luke says.

"Overall, if you incorporate it into your lifestyle, either as a full-scale alcohol substitute or a way to displace unwanted alcohol consumption, it is easier to exist and have a healthy relationship with alcohol or enjoy this idea of taking the edge off socially without as much guilt and as many harmful effects," he says.

Luke says consumer feedback on the beverage has been largely positive, but the beverage still faces hurdles because federal regulations make it challenging to buy. The price point - $4 a drink - also holds some potential customers back.

The customer base is cross-generational and gender-neutral, Luke says. It's a beverage for people who want to drink less alcohol.

Luke says the brand had hoped that federal legalization of the cannabinoid would have happened during President Biden's administration but realizes that other more urgent priorities have emerged and could delay that for several more years.

"We're figuring out how in an unpredictable regulatory timeline do we continue to grow and continue to be the No. 1 beverage," he says. "I'm still incredibly bullish on what we're doing. And I think that our company is just as valuable as ever, if not more so, because of our ability to execute in ways that other people won't be able to and the ability for us to get resources that other people won't be able to find."

In Part 1, Luke talks about:

* Gratitude to his mom for her unwavering support.

* An overview of the brand.

* Feedback from consumers.

* The difficulties in distributing the beverage.

* A closer look at the customer base.

* Navigating federal regulatory timelines.

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

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

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 normally 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.

As the founder of a not-so-simple syrup brand, Daysie's Tara Pate has some simple advice for fellow entrepreneurs starting brands.

The first? Get legal representation.

"I think that sometimes can be overlooked because if you say the word lawyer, there's a hefty price tag," she says. "But the consequence of not having that person behind you is an even heftier price tag. Going through things like a trademark of a name or if you're creating a food and beverage product, you're going to spend a lot of money on the creation of a label for your product. And it's always, I think, the best advice to have a lawyer make sure that they're looking over all those claims that you're making."

Another piece of advice: Have a Plan B and a Plan C regarding suppliers and supply chain. That's a challenge Daysie faced when sourcing the right glass for its syrups.

"Even though you've secured your one manufacturer or supplier already, have plan B behind you so that if you get that call from Whole Foods or whomever, you're able to scale at the growth that you want to," she says.

Finally, expect the unexpected.

"Everything is going to cost ten times more than you think it's going to cost, and it's going to cost, and then it's going to take ten times longer than you ever expected - that's the truth," she says.

Daysie is a public benefit company, Tara says, aiming to increase access to capital for female entrepreneurs in the CPG business. It's part of Tara's goal to get Daysie its B Corp certification.

"It's at the core founding of Daysie - the want to do better business," she says. "I'm going to create a better business with hopes that one day as the team grows and my social and carbon footprint grows, I can make those good choices and then get that B Corp certification."

Focusing on the company's products, Tara says the goal was to use taste-forward ingredients. No preservatives are used - just natural ingredients.

"I wanted it to be something that the current market of consumers understood," she says. "I didn't bring vanilla to the world and say, taste this incredible ingredient. But I said I'm going to make something better."

In Part 2, Tara talks about:

* Advice for fellow entrepreneurs. * The importance of legal representation. * Expecting the unexpected. * The importance of being a public benefit company. * The pursuit of B Corp certification. * A rundown of the products. * A tour of the Daysie website. * Where to find the brand on social media.

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

For more on Daysie, visit: https://enjoydaysie.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 also 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 driving more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is normally 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 in to 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!