The Story of a Brand Show

This episode is brought to you by Ordergroove.

Sustainability is a goal many companies covet, but it's difficult and pricey. Treet's goal is to help brands be more sustainable and circular and increase customer lifetime value, and loyalty through resale, says co-founder and CEO Jake Disraeli.

"We take on the burden of support and logistics and shipping and things like that so the brands can focus on what they do and have a path to be more sustainable through resale," Jake says.

Interestingly, Jake majored in entrepreneurship in college and initially planned to join a large consulting firm upon graduation rather than create a new business.

"I was young and inexperienced and (thought) my chances of succeeding as an entrepreneur would be reduced if I didn't have any more real-world experience," Jake says. A college professor talked him into staying at the college to head up the school's entrepreneurship program.

"That was the first decision where I prioritized my happiness and what I wanted to do with my life over my immediate financial income," he says. He says the experience taught him a good lesson.

"I think that what I would recommend is carefully making decisions based on what you think the greater good is long term and what's going to open up the most doors for you later on, whether that's going immediately into entrepreneurship or whether it is taking a job at a company that you can hone in your skill sets and do entrepreneurship afterward," he says.

At Treet, Jake says the company's goal is to find a way to make sustainability work and access new customers, boost revenue and increase loyalty.

"We're like the beneficiaries of this new conscious consumerism movement and resale where these customers want brands to be more sustainable, but it's tough to do overnight," Jake says. "And so with Treat, they can do it overnight or at least one component of it. We're cautious about saying that resale does not make you a, quote, sustainable brand, but it does help, and it makes you more sustainable."

He says that makes Treet a player in the "extension of life" business.

In Part 1, Jake talks about: * Gratitude for a college professor who encouraged him to stay at the school and head up its entrepreneurship program. * Lessons learned when making career decisions. * The economics and side benefits of sustainability. * The company's first few launches.

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

For more on Treet, visit: https://www.treet.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 brought to you by Ordergroove.

It’s time to let your customers enjoy the products they love without the friction of reordering...

That’s why innovative brands like Peet’s Coffee and Il Makiage rely on Ordergroove’s subscription solution to build long-lasting relationships that drive recurring revenue.

From enrollment incentives to churn-fighting AI, Ordergroove gives your business the tools it needs to be a subscription success story.

Book a demo today and receive 2-months off your contract. Visit https://www.ordergroove.com/story/ 

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Education is the most expensive piece of marketing, says Abianne Falla, co-founder of CatSpring Yaupon, a brand that cultivates and roasts farm-fresh yaupon. That's why her company set up to be an ingredient supplier first so that other brands could share the onus of education.

"The more forms you see it on the shelf that Whole Foods, the more it will be familiar to a customer," Abianne says. "And each of these brands will be focusing on different things like the regenerative, organic or the local sourcing or the taste or the health benefits."

Another challenge is the duality of the company, she says. She's a farmer and a manufacturer, which requires some unusual and unexpected steps along the way.

When it comes to starting a business, it's important to realize there can be more than one possible answer to any question. Even good answers have flip sides, too, says Abianne.

"The best advice I got was to just focus on asking the best questions you can at each step and with the intention to kind of narrowing that region of darkness," she says.

CatSpring's products work with three different preparation methods. A new product - a dehydrated concentrate in crystal form - just launched. It can be rehydrated with hot or cold water.

In Part 2, Abianne talks about:

* Why her company focuses on being a producer first. * Why education is the company's largest challenge. * Advice for other entrepreneurs starting a brand. * How her career started as a CPA served her once she shifted to community development. * A review of the company's products.

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

For more on CatSpring Yaupon, visit: https://catspringtea.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.

If all DTC companies were forced to turn off Facebook ads, they'd be dead on arrival. Why is that?

They over-invest in paid acquisition and under-invest in retention.

Luckily, Sendlane makes it easy to solve this problem. Sendlane is an E-Commerce Customer Experience Platform helping hundreds of DTC brands to tighten their existing customer relationships.

Sendlane automates personalized customer experiences through Welcome and Abandoned Cart workflows, SMS, Deep Data Integrations with Shopify and WooCommerce, multi-store functionality, and much more.

Plus, they don't stand for lazy customer support. Their San-Diego-based team has an average 1-minute response time from a live human, making sure you never get stuck in a chat queue ever again.

Curious about how Sendlane can help your DTC brand grow? Schedule a demo with a Specialist. Visit https://www.sendlane.com/story 

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Did you know there's only one caffeinated plant native to North America? Yaupon is the only domestic source - "it's Texan for tea," says Abianne Falla, co-founder of CatSpring Yaupon, a brand that cultivates and roasts farm-fresh yaupon.

CatSpring Yaupon is more than a beverage, though, says Abianne. The company is "a platform for dignified employment opportunities in our rural community through our harvesting and packaging and production facility," she says.

The company sells the item via e-commerce and sells it to other companies, including kombucha brewers, energy drink makers, restaurants, hotels, and bars.

The product itself has a fascinating history. Yaupon traditionally flourishes along the Gulf Coast and partway up the East Coast. Virtually every indigenous community had a tradition of using it, with historical references going as far back as 1542. Ultimately its use waned as Native Americans were forced to relocate, and British traders pushed the use of imported tea. It wasn't until a bad drought devastated Texas in 2011 that attention turned back to the very resilient yaupon still prospering in the state.

At the same time, studies from the University of Florida and Texas A&M University uncovered the caffeine content of the shrub and its health benefits.

"It's hard - it's nuanced - especially in light of the indigenous history. How do we pay respect to the centuries and millennia of the people that drank this and then were wholly eradicated?" she says. "There's no tradition in our rural community. ... Our family was from the Cherokee, the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma. And so while that's part of our family, the yaupon wasn't part of the tradition...so there's a lot of nuances that come into sharing in a respectful way."

In Part 1, Abianne talks about:

* Gratitude for a blacksmith shop owner who converted his shop into a production facility, allowing CatSpring Yaupon to overcome early challenges and create deeper ties to its community. * A background and history of yaupon. * The health benefits of the shrub. * How she and her family grew to think of the plant as a possible source of employment. * The challenge of revitalizing the use of the product in a respectful way.

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

For more on CatSpring Yaupon, visit: https://catspringtea.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.

If all DTC companies were forced to turn off Facebook ads, they'd be dead on arrival. Why is that?

They over-invest in paid acquisition and under-invest in retention.

Luckily, Sendlane makes it easy to solve this problem. Sendlane is an E-Commerce Customer Experience Platform helping hundreds of DTC brands to tighten their existing customer relationships.

Sendlane automates personalized customer experiences through Welcome and Abandoned Cart workflows, SMS, Deep Data Integrations with Shopify and WooCommerce, multi-store functionality, and much more.

Plus, they don't stand for lazy customer support. Their San-Diego-based team has an average 1-minute response time from a live human, making sure you never get stuck in a chat queue ever again.

Curious about how Sendlane can help your DTC brand grow? Schedule a demo with a Specialist. Visit https://www.sendlane.com/story 

This episode is brought to you by Yotpo.

If you're going to make mistakes, you better learn from them, says Mathieu Mireault, co-founder and marketing director of Dermadry, a brand that sells a tap water iontophoresis device designed for home treatment.

"Make sure that you're ready for some hardship because the hardships are there as an entrepreneur," Mathieu says. "But you need those hardships to become a better person, become a better entrepreneur, and learn."

One of the keys to success for Dermadry was getting doctors on board to help reduce any perceived risks.

"People who want to buy an iontophoresis machine have probably never heard of it - the concept of putting your hands, feet, or underarms near water and electricity in most cases sounds completely crazy," he says. "So we needed to have doctors say, 'You know what? Not only is it not crazy, but it's very, very effective.' "

To that end, making the interaction with the customer as productive and straightforward as possible is also critical. That includes 24/7 customer support.

Ultimately, in the future, Dermadry would like people to think of their device as competition to deodorants. That means becoming more mainstream.

"We would love to be a household item because everybody would need to have there is always these moments where even though you don't have excessive sweating, you have a big conference, you had a big date, and you would like not to sweat during those moments," he says.

In Part 2, Mathieu talks about:

* Advice for other entrepreneurs creating a new brand. * The inevitability of hardships and the need to learn from them. * The brand's marketing mission is to reduce perceived risk. * How the interaction with a customer works. * The brand's future goal is to become a household item. * The difference between the brand's three products.

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

For more on Dermadry, visit: https://dermadry.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 podcast is supported by Yotpo, the leading eCommerce marketing platform for brands looking to drive customer loyalty.

As I’m sure many of you know, customer retention is the new acquisition. With Yotpo, brands can provide value through a strategic loyalty program — and ensure shoppers come back time and again.

Want to know more? Visit https://yotpo.com/storyofabrand 

And turn your one-time shoppers into lifelong brand lovers.

This episode is brought to you by Yotpo.

A high school friend's struggle with excessively sweaty feet and hands provided the spark that created Dermadry, says Mathieu Mireault, co-founder and marketing director of the brand that sells a tap water iontophoresis device designed for home treatment.

"When he told me that 'Hey, I have the solution where I put my hands in water and electricity, and I don't sweat anymore,' I was astounded, and I was even more blown away when he told me that he went from being very, very sweaty to being completely dry," Mathieu says.

It turns out that about 5 percent of the general population deal with excessive sweating. Dermadry has helped more than 100,000 people globally with the condition.

"If we knew how hard it was initially, we probably would have never started the company," Mathieu says. The team originally planned to have the device on the market in six months. After several six-month extensions, ultimately, they finished it in three years.

The motivation to continue the quest in that development period was knowing the product would help many people.

"When you do something that inspires and helps other people, it's almost as good as a salary, just the feeling of purpose that you get from all that, that it is such an amazing motivator and a driver in a company," he says.

In Part 1, Mathieu talks about:

* Gratitude for his family not standing in the way of his dream to become an entrepreneur. * The inspiration behind the creation of Dermadry. * Stories from satisfied customers who used the machine to change their lives or help enjoy a special moment. * The delays his team encountered in creating the device and getting it to market. * The motivation to push through the darkest days of development.

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

For more on Dermadry, visit: https://dermadry.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 podcast is supported by Yotpo, the leading eCommerce marketing platform for brands looking to drive customer loyalty.

As I’m sure many of you know, customer retention is the new acquisition. With Yotpo, brands can provide value through a strategic loyalty program — and ensure shoppers come back time and again.

Want to know more? Visit https://yotpo.com/storyofabrand 

And turn your one-time shoppers into lifelong brand lovers.

This episode is brought to you by Mercury.

Tackling fear is essential both in a career and a personal life, says Taja Dockendorf, founder and creative director of Pulp + Wire, a consumer packaging firm focusing on natural and organic CPG brands.

"Fear can be debilitating, and it can stop you right in your tracks and stop growth," Taja says. "For each person, you have your journey to decipher what your fear and your triggers are, and then what your modality is to find to pull yourself out of it."

Taking on the weight of the world is not healthy, she says. We should be mindful and generous but give up on the idea that we can fix everything.

"There's a heaviness to fear, and there's a lightness when you have a solution," she says. "It's about finding that balance that makes you the best version of yourself."

Likewise, for her company, a foundation roadmap is needed. That map consists of strategy, market research, understanding the audience, beautiful design, and taking it all to market.

"The way we work with our clients, they're all different," she says. "We do take a very customized approach to some of our brands. Some come to us needing a name, and we start with naming, which is the hardest."

These days, Pulp + Wire works with startups and pre-launch companies, and much larger established brands.

"Wherever I can be a resource to my brands, I bring it," she says.

For the future, Taja says she's focused on "thought leadership."

"It's everything I've learned over the years between my team, the ups and the downs, how we work, the culture that I'm creating for my team," she says. "I've got an amazing team, and they're very capable, and I trust them intrinsically and 100 percent. So being able to give me the space to help promote them and get projects out there and do thought leadership is like their way of giving back to me too."

In Part 2, Taja talks about:

* The debilitating cycle of fear. * Suggestions on maintaining the best version of yourself, be it a hot shower or a good night's sleep. * How her company has succeeded thanks to focusing on the elements of a good roadmap. * The steps of the process when working with a client. * The difference between working with startups and more prominent, older brands. * Her future with thought leadership.

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

For more on Pulp + Wire, visit: https://pulpandwire.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.

*

Episode brought to you by Mercury.

Mercury is the banking stack for startups & ecommerce.* Get FDIC-insured US accounts, virtual and physical debit cards, currency exchange, and domestic and international wires.

Easily create an account from your laptop, and non-US citizens are welcome to apply.

Connect to payment processors (Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, etc.) and instantly create virtual debit cards for inventory and ad spend.

Customize the banking experience with features like read & write API access, custom team-management, and integrations with the tools your startup uses, like Quickbooks and Xero.

Keep growing with Mercury Raise DTC or with financing options through Mercury Capital. *Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. All banking services provided by Evolve Bank & Trust®️; Member FDIC.

Visit: https://mercury.com/partner/storyofabrand 

This episode is brought to you by Mercury.

Nothing about the career journey of Taja Dockendorf has been clear-cut. The founder and creative director of Pulp + Wire originally wanted to be a designer but didn't want to be pushed to the side when strategy conversations took place.

Today, Taja runs one of the fastest-growing, 100 percent woman-owned consumer packaging firms, focusing on natural and organic CPG brands.

"I wanted a seat at the table being the account manager, being the strategist, being able to flex those skills and learn about myself," she says. "It's about having that conversation and having the hard conversations so that we can drive to the solution necessary to see them grow. ... We're not just thinking about what is today in a brand and a package. We're thinking about what's three years going to look like, what is five years look like?"

Pulp + Wire's formula is similar to its approach to CPG and product packaging - it's about creating a relationship between the brand and the consumer.

"That's been my founding principle for the company - no matter how hard things are, no matter how difficult it becomes, there is always a solution," Taja says. "Sometimes, the trick to a good business is getting the client in on that solution sooner than later."

Taja talks about the "universal energy" needed to make the process work at optimal levels with a client.

"You have to be excited about what you do," she says. "If you're not passionate about it and you don't bring a level of kinetic energy to the project, the client will know that, and the brand's ultimately going to suffer, and the work you do will suffer because it's going to feel lackluster."

Taja says she gets a lot of inspiration from her husband, a classically trained chef and a Reiki master. She credits him for reinforcing the idea that there's a solution for everything once you remove fear from your life.

In Part 1, Taja talks about:

* Gratitude toward a pair of long-time clients and her husband being a stay-at-home dad while pursuing her career. * Her unlikely career path as a would-be industrial designer for the automobile industry. * The advantages of having a team where strategy is a conversation with everyone along the creative process. * The relationship between a brand and a customer. * The inspiration her husband provides to her and their children.

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

For more on Pulp + Wire, visit: https://pulpandwire.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.

*

Episode brought to you by Mercury.

Mercury is the banking stack for startups & ecommerce.* Get FDIC-insured US accounts, virtual and physical debit cards, currency exchange, and domestic and international wires.

Easily create an account from your laptop, and non-US citizens are welcome to apply.

Connect to payment processors (Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, etc.) and instantly create virtual debit cards for inventory and ad spend.

Customize the banking experience with features like read & write API access, custom team-management, and integrations with the tools your startup uses, like Quickbooks and Xero.

Keep growing with Mercury Raise DTC or with financing options through Mercury Capital. *Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. All banking services provided by Evolve Bank & Trust®️; Member FDIC.

Visit: https://mercury.com/partner/storyofabrand 

This episode is brought to you by Ordergroove.

Ed Donnelly started AmourCBD without a price point or even a budget in mind. The brand's founder says his only thought was to make the best and safest product possible.

"I had the belief that if I made the absolute best and communicated the safety and the quality and tried to price it as best, I would get a certain group of customers - the intelligent buyer or the safe buyer - (and) they will buy it without hesitation," Ed says.

The result is a simple website with just five products and news and testimonials.

"The opportunity for the cream is tremendous, and we have barely started to scratch the surface," he says. "So I'm not letting people run off to develop a patch ... I'm not running off to put CBD in shampoo or pet formulations ... I'm not launching them because I want the cream to be successful. It's that important. People needed that badly."

Ed advises fellow entrepreneurs to form strong, personal relationships with suppliers as critical of an overall strategy.

"I had a personal relationship with them, and they knew how important their company was to me and that we weren't going to leave them for a penny or two or a buck or two," he says. "Those were the people who, when times get tough, I could pick up the phone and call them and ask them to partner with me."

Another tip he offers: To have a viable business, make sure you're taking care of your employees. When costs rise, don't pass it along to the consumer incrementally.

Ed's final piece of wisdom: Context and perspective.

"I don't have any problems in business. I have challenges, but there are no problems," he says. Ed explains he's had two real problems: Sept. 11, when his brother - a fireman - was killed at the World Trade Center. And his granddaughter's health journey.

"Those were problems," Ed says. "Amour is an opportunity."

In Part 2, Ed talks about: * His strategy concerning the costs of the product at its inception. * A tour of the brand's website. * The critical importance of the brand's cream product. * Advice for other entrepreneurs considering starting up brands. * His strategy on passing on the cost of rising prices to consumers. * His perspective on putting things in context. * Why his granddaughter's health struggles remain an inspiration for him personally and professionally.

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

For more on AmourCBD, visit: https://amourcbd.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 Ordergroove.

It’s time to let your customers enjoy the products they love without the friction of reordering...

That’s why innovative brands like Peet’s Coffee and Il Makiage rely on Ordergroove’s subscription solution to build long-lasting relationships that drive recurring revenue.

From enrollment incentives to churn-fighting AI, Ordergroove gives your business the tools it needs to be a subscription success story.

Book a demo today and receive 2-months off your contract. Visit https://www.ordergroove.com/story/ 

This episode is brought to you by Ordergroove.

CBD products aren't new, but a brand offering an FDA-registered version of the pain relief solution is, says Ed Donnelly, founder of AmourCBD.

"We are the only CBD company with the combination of lidocaine and CBD 200 milligrams of CBD. It is the Good Housekeeping seal of approval," Ed says. "It gives people - the consumers - the comfort."

AmourCBD uses its website and a PR effort to get the message out to educate customers on the differences in quality among CBD products.

"We just try to get the word out one user at a time -one publication at a time," he says.

AmourCBD's cream is the brand's banner product, used for pain relief for sore elbows, sore hands, and sore backs. Other offerings include drops, dummies, and other delivery systems. They're mainly used for anxiety. But to be clear, consumers can't get high from CBD.

"If someone's trying to use it recreationally, they're barking up the wrong tree," Ed says.

Other active ingredients in AmourCBD's products are skincare soothers and lidocaine, which delivers the CBD to the intended destination.

In Part 1, Ed talks about: * Gratitude for the continued health of his granddaughter, who's had to endure two heart transplants. * The difference between cheaper CBD products and AmourCBD products. * What does FDA registration mean, and what is the difference between registration and FDA approval. * How AmourCBD uses its website and a PR group to spread its message. * An explanation of the brand's products.

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

For more on AmourCBD, visit: https://amourcbd.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 Ordergroove.

It’s time to let your customers enjoy the products they love without the friction of reordering...

That’s why innovative brands like Peet’s Coffee and Il Makiage rely on Ordergroove’s subscription solution to build long-lasting relationships that drive recurring revenue.

From enrollment incentives to churn-fighting AI, Ordergroove gives your business the tools it needs to be a subscription success story.

Book a demo today and receive 2-months off your contract. Visit https://www.ordergroove.com/story/ 

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.

Part of the mission of Somos is to dispel the idea that Mexican food is unhealthy, says Miguel Leal, Founder and CEO of the Mexican food brand.

"You know those yellow fluorescent tacos don't exist," Miguel says. "Mexican food was 100 percent plant-based before the Spanish Conquest era in Mexico. They are the ones that brought a lot of the animal protein that is used now in Mexican food."

Instead, authentic Mexican food is full of vegetables, legumes, and grains.

"That's why we launched first with plant-based, gluten-free, non-GMO because we wanted to completely turn over that misconception and show that Mexican food can be authentic, delicious, and also healthy and convenient," he says.

Another Somos objective is to feature regional cuisines. One of the first products is chilaquiles, a popular dish that best resembles breakfast nachos.

Miguel's life-long obsession with food began growing up in Monterrey, Mexico, where his family would journey to Texas to do grocery shopping. Fascinated by the number of choices in the stores, he began a career with big food companies after college. He fell in love with the CPG community in 2009. Being from a family of entrepreneurs, he made the next natural step to try starting a brand.

"If I had any regrets, it's that we didn't do it sooner," he says.

Somos combines online sales with retail sales as part of its strategy.

"I think we could do this company for 20, 30, 50 years and still have new things that we can bring into the market because Mexican cuisine and culture are so rich," Miguel says.

In Part 2, Miguel talks about:

* The difference between Mexican food in America and Mexican food in Mexico. * The popularity of chilaquiles. * How he came to love the CPG marketplace and community. * A tour of the brand's website. * An explanation of the brand's products. * The meaning of the name "Somos."

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

For more on Somos, visit: https://eatsomos.com/ 

To celebrate Cinco de Mayo, now through May 5th, all SOMOS meal kits on eatsomos.com  – including the Cinco de Mayo Taco Kit – are 50% off with code CELEBRATECINCO at checkout.

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.

If all DTC companies were forced to turn off Facebook ads, they'd be dead on arrival. Why is that?

They over-invest in paid acquisition and under-invest in retention.

Luckily, Sendlane makes it easy to solve this problem. Sendlane is an E-Commerce Customer Experience Platform helping hundreds of DTC brands to tighten their existing customer relationships.

Sendlane automates personalized customer experiences through Welcome and Abandoned Cart workflows, SMS, Deep Data Integrations with Shopify and WooCommerce, multi-store functionality, and much more.

Plus, they don't stand for lazy customer support. Their San-Diego-based team has an average 1-minute response time from a live human, making sure you never get stuck in a chat queue ever again.

Curious about how Sendlane can help your DTC brand grow? Schedule a demo with a Specialist. Visit https://www.sendlane.com/story