The Story of a Brand Show

This episode is brought to you by Yotpo.

Banish is on a mission to make every person feel confident - with or without acne, says Daisy Jing, Founder and CEO of the skincare brand.

"When I had my experience with acne, I felt like I needed to hide," Daisy says. "I couldn't leave my house. I had to wear ten layers of makeup. But our mission is to make everyone feel confident about who they are, regardless of their skin condition."

Daisy's journey began in college when she started recording YouTube videos reviewing various skincare products. She found that she had developed a loyal following and then began formulating products on her own. Banish essentially started when she started shipping those products out to followers.

"There wasn't like a huge business plan ... I had intentions of going to med school, all of that. I just wanted to help people with their problems. I solved mine. I wanted to help others," Daisy says. "And that's how Banish was born."

Her advice to others is just starting a brand: Take it one step at a time, and don't be distracted by things that don't help your business. Focus on the basics of business.

In Part 1, Daisy talks about:

* Gratitude toward one of her earliest hires. * Her experience of having acne since the third grade. * Why it's not the way you look that matters; it's how you feel that's important. * Her company's philosophy about social media. * How her YouTube reviews of skincare products sparked the idea for the brand. * The discouragement she got from those around her when first dreaming up the brand.

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

For more on Banish, visit: https://banish.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 Ordergroove.

Evvy is trying to rebuild the relationship between their members and the health care system, says Priyanka Jain, co-founder of CEO of Evvy. To that end, the brand uses "health coaches" who are trained to help patients better understand the results of their vaginal health tests.

"A lot of what we do is help people advocate for themselves," Priyanka says. "I think, unfortunately, a lot of our members have disengaged from the health care system. I think they feel burned...and we very much are trying to educate women with the information and the research that they can then bring to their provider to have a much more educated and productive conversation."

In order to create the much-needed community behind the brand, Evvy has invested heavily in building up content across different types of social media, she says.

Evvy's team includes a wide range of experts, doctors, and professionals in the company's ranks and on the board.

"We always say one of our values is leveraging each other's superpowers," Priyanka says. In addition, Priyanka and her co-founder work with 45 other founders in the women's health space.

In Part 2, Priyanka talks about:

* The disconnect between women and the health care system. * How community and education are integral parts of the Evvy solution. * The challenges of starting up Evvy because people didn't understand that they're not a "life stage company" and are instead focused on everyone who has a vagina at any stage of their lives. That being said, Evvy serves anyone over the age of 18. * Why it's essential to bring health care expertise to the table. * Her strong belief in collaboration, including academic and clinical collaboration. * Where to start on the company's website and how to access information.

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

For more on Evvy, visit: https://www.evvy.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.

There is so much unknown about the female body - particularly how disease manifests itself in the female body, says Priyanka Jain, co-founder of CEO of Evvy. That's why her brand is focused on discovering and leveraging "biomarkers" to better understand the science of female health.

"Unfortunately for most of history, we only studied middle-aged, mid-sized white men, and we assumed that women were small men," Priyanka says. "(It) turns out there is more to the story, and our goal at Evvy is to find out what those other stories are."

In 2020, women, were diagnosed four years later than men across 770 diseases. That's partly because most of the metrics are based on middle-aged, mid-sized men. Priyanka hopes Evvy can be part of the solution that changes those percentages.

She mentions that the vaginal microbiome is the cause of common conditions in women's health, including yeast infections, urinary tract infections, and bacterial vaginosis.

To begin the journey to better health awareness, Evvy offers vaginal health tests that can be used at home. The patient uses a cotton swab and then sends back to a lab for testing. That's the start of the educational experience, Priyanka says.

In Part 1, Priyanka talks about:

* Gratitude for the support and encouragement from her co-founder Laine Bruzek. * The continued challenges facing female health care. * Her lifelong passion for making life better for women, whether in health care, education, leadership programs, and more. * Helping to solve the problem starts with giving people with vaginas access to information on their bodies. * Explaining the importance of the vaginal microbiome. * Why throwing a "bomb" of antibiotics at common vaginal issues isn't the right medical solution.

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

For more on Evvy, visit: https://www.evvy.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.

Reinvention can be brought about by major external forces or through an inner need to change, says Raoul Benavides, founder of Heart Soul Heat.

Raoul's career path - and his reinvention - has included stints as a photographer, record store owner, and now the founder of a brand that makes spicy hot honey.

"Sometimes you go one way, and you exhaust something, and then you find a need for something else, and you reinvent yourself to the left or the right," he says. "There I was."

Heart Soul Heat's ghost honey is "uncomplicated ... a raw, beautiful thing," Raoul says. He uses it on fried foods, pizza, even ice cream.

In Part 2, Raoul talks about:

* The joy of self-awareness in his career. * How failure shows things in a different and important light. * How his honey is an "accessible" way of bringing culture to people who aren't foodies. * Future products include a couple of plant-based products, including possibly spicy candies.

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

For more on Heart Soul Heat, visit: https://heartsoulheat.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.

There's "a beauty" to starting a company with one product, says Raoul Benavides, founder of Heart Soul Heat, a brand that makes DTC spicy hot honey.

"The direct-to-consumer space is difficult enough already, and I'm excited that I have the wonderful idea of starting with one product and making the mistakes and watching it grow," Raoul says.

Right now, that product is an American-made, ghost pepper-infused raw honey.

"I'm not driven by money because I know that money will follow where my happiness is," Raoul says. "For me, it's taken me so long to figure out my recipe for happiness. And now that I found it..there are no other gears but my own."

For Raoul, the arena of e-commerce comes down to two things: creativity and vulnerability. The challenge is: What can you do with what you have?

In Part 1, Raoul talks about:

* Gratefulness for the mentors who have guided him along his path in entrepreneurship. * Why he's happy to start his company with just one product. * How his journey revolves around his happiness and not the money. * The closer you are to your product, the more vulnerable you are. And that's a good thing. * The zen of Walt Whitman's philosophy of "containing multitudes" - you can be two or three things simultaneously. * The joy of reinvention and clarity.

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

For more on Heart Soul Heat, visit: https://heartsoulheat.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.

Aside from serving as a trusted ally to their clients, Horatio also makes it a point to give back to the community in the Dominican Republic, says Jose Herrera, CEO and co-founder of the omnichannel customer support and back-office outsourcing company.

The company's year-round initiative is called Horatio Cares, and it includes tree revitalization projects and food and clothing drives.

"We have a team of over 800 employees, and they all can voluntarily participate in the initiatives that are closer to their hearts," Jose says. In addition, Horatio's clients donate items for the community.

As for working with new clients, Jose says working on the tone of voice for communicating with customers is a top priority. After implementation is complete, only then is a full team hired to service the brand.

"Our model works very well with any company," Jose says.

In Part 2, Jose talks about:

* The company's community service initiative, Horatio Cares. * The implementation timeline and process for new clients. * The importance of tone of voice when creating social channels. * Why teams are completed dedicated to every brand. * Apparel, food and beverage, and crypto are just a few industries Horatio commonly works with. * The most significant trend we can expect is the continued proliferation of channels through which customers can reach you. * Advice for those starting a brand, including reliance on a network of people willing to help. * Listening to your team and resisting the urge to micromanage.

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

For more on Hire Horatio, visit: https://hirehoratio.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.

Horatio's company motto is: "Do what you do best and Hire Horatio to do the rest," says Jose Herrera, CEO and Co-Founder of the omnichannel customer support and back-office outsourcing company, Horatio.

It's an appropriate motto because the company's name is based on William Shakespeare's play "Hamlet," in which Horatio was Hamlet's only trusted friend, Jose says.

The idea for starting Horatio came as Jose and his co-founders discovered that the outsourcing industry is geared towards telecommunication and large enterprises - not startups and small businesses.

One unexpected factor in the company's development was the acceleration of e-commerce due to the pandemic. As Horatio adjusted its strategy, the company's leaders found the same business models worked for other faster-growing industries.

In Part 1, Jose talks about:

* His gratitude for the inspiration a speaker provided during his MBA studies. * How growing up in the Dominican Republic inspired his passion for working with quality talent. * How the COVID pandemic affected the company's strategy. * Why the Horatio model provides fully dedicated teams for every brand they work with. * How the talent pool in the Dominican Republic has a strong background in customer support for the U.S. market.

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

For more on Hire Horatio, visit: https://hirehoratio.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 Sendlane.

To make sure everyone has a chance to have seafood in their diet, that's what Blue Circle Foods emphasizes. In the second part, Nina Damato, Product Director of Blue Circle Foods, talks about the absence of certified organic seafood in the US.

Blue Circle Foods institutes its standards in the seafood industry that go way beyond current standards. They sell products like Happy Fish, delicious smoked salmon, and many other products at reasonable prices. They will also launch salmon burgers and sausages in the coming days.

Nina mentions that cold storage has become a hindrance in foods like seafood. The brands are on a mission to make seafood accessible, convenient, and thoughtful.

Here she talked about:

* Absence of certified organic seafood in the US * Blue Circle Foods creating its’ own standards * Supply challenges and big players * Products at Blue Circle Foods * Where they sell * New products * Their mission

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

For more on Blue Circle Foods, visit: https://bluecirclefoods.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.

Your trusted seafood source - that's Blue Circle Foods. Today we have Nina Damato, Product Director of Blue Circle Foods, a sustainable seafood company.

Blue Circle Foods brings sustainably sourced seafood to consumers. They are making seafood preparation less intimidating through their innovative packaging. They work with certification bodies, farmers, and fishers to bring quality, easy to cook, and organic seafood.

Nina grew up in an entrepreneurial environment. Her uncle, dad, and mom started Blue Circle Foods because they wanted to motivate people to try organic seafood. She is a part of a brand that believes in being transparent.

In the first part, she talks about:

* Gratefulness * Overview of the brand * How they are dealing with challenges around seafood * Sustainability in seafood * How they deal with general trends like meat * What opportunity her uncle, dad, and mom saw in the seafood industry

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

For more on Blue Circle Foods, visit: https://bluecirclefoods.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.

I wanted the forms to be so beautiful, and I wanted the formulas to be clean and vegan, and cruelty-free,” says Terri Bryant, founder of Guide Beauty, talking about her products

In part 2, she talks about the WHO’s mathematical model vs. societal model regarding disability. We also listen to her analyzing the design flaws in the products she cannot use. She also explains the importance of including more people in the design process to foster inclusiveness.

Later, Terri humorously explains the joke regarding applying eyeliner and how her eyeliner applicator makes applying eyeliner easier. No matter what technique someone uses, the products have built-in stability and will work perfectly when applying eyeliner.

She also talks about:

* Inclusive design and societal model of disability * How her tools help you with applying makeup * She walks us through her hero product * Focusing on the form and functionality of her products * Brief about the design changes and her product’s USP

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

For more on Guide Beauty, visit: https://www.guidebeauty.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.