Uncommon Brands

Shai Branover is the founder of Diamant Gear, a brand that designs functionally built, rugged travel bags for skiers and snowboarders. 

Shai took a hard left detour from his Wall Street career in M&A consulting to turn his early sketches into a fast-growing global adventure travel bag brand.  In this episode, Shai shares his experience navigating product prototyping, launching on Kickstarter, and defining the "like it" vs. "love it" product design framework. 

This episode is packed with practical insights on Meta and Google ad strategies, landing page optimization, and overcoming the trap of over-perfecting products.

What was covered:

• Kickstarter strategy: Building pre-launch demand and harvesting it for a massive launch day.
• The "Like It" vs. "Love It" product design framework and how it drives both product development and ad creative.
• Why launching at 80% finished beats over-perfecting a product.
• How Diamant splits its paid media between Meta and Google, and why founder-driven video content converts so effectively.

Diamant Gear Links:

• Website: https://diamantgear.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diamantgear

Parker Nash Links:

• Website: https://www.parkertnash.com/ 
• LinkedIn: ​​https://www.linkedin.com/in/-parkernash/ 

Addison LaBonte is the founder and CEO of Sweet Addison's, a fast-growing better-for-you dessert company on a mission to prove healthy desserts can taste indulgent. 

In this episode, she shares her journey from D1 athlete to launching a nationwide, bootstrapped brand that ships gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and seed oil-free cookies and brownies.

What was covered:

• How switching to a gluten-free diet helped Addison overcome severe inflammation and avoid career-ending surgery.
• How she grew an audience to 600,000 followers
• Short-form video techniques: hooks, "money shots," and automating recipe DMs
• Replicating viral content themes and utilizing controversy or engaging prompts to boost comments.
• Her product development and testing process
• How she supplements direct to consumer sales with high-engagement, in-person events.
• Customer acquisition, paid ad channels, and bootstrapping cash flow management.

Sweet Addison's Links:

• Website: https://sweetaddisons.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweet.addisons
• Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/organicallyaddison

Parker Nash Links:

• Website: https://www.parkertnash.com/ 
• LinkedIn: ​​https://www.linkedin.com/in/-parkernash/ 

Dr. Elizabeth Clayborne is an emergency physician and the CEO and co-founder of NasaClip, a hands-free, mess-free medical device designed to treat nosebleeds anywhere. 

In this episode, she shares the story and decade-long journey behind creating an intuitive product that shifts care out of the crowded emergency room and directly into the hands of everyday patients and caregivers.

They discuss the biomechanical realities of nosebleeds, the tactical pivots of launching into high-volume B2B channels like schools and athletic programs to feed D2C demand, and the distinct challenges of fundraising. 

This episode is packed with insights for medtech innovators and early-stage entrepreneurs.

What we covered:

• The clinical origin of NasaClip
• Identifying critical consumer pitfalls in treating nosebleeds and engineering a revolutionary solution.
• The strategy behind targeting a beachhead B2B market to build consumer word-of-mouth validation.
• Using consumer feedback to design better, more profitable product variations.
• Tactical advice on fundraising and building early in-house teams.

NasaClip Links:

• Website: https://www.nasaclip.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nasaclip/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NasaClip

Parker Nash Links:

• Website: parkertnash.com
• LinkedIn: Parker Nash
  
  

Scott Riley is the co-founder and CEO of Live Forever Golf, an '80s nostalgia-infused, music-centric golf lifestyle brand designed to disrupt the traditionally stuffy golf apparel industry. 

In this episode, Scott shares the story and five-year+ journey behind building an authentic, player-first apparel line, the inspiration behind their iconic club-toss logo, the realities of scaling from a garage whiteboard concept, and the unconventional marketing strategies, like handwritten notes on vintage sports cards, used to build customer devotion. 

This episode is packed with insights for direct-to-consumer founders.

What we covered:

• The origin of Live Forever Golf and capitalizing on an iconic PGA tour moment.
• Evolving the game's dress code by injecting a relaxed, casual aesthetic.
• The strategy behind their product ecosystem.
• Navigating the changing landscape of digital marketing, moving past paid ad dependencies toward high-touch customer service and partnerships.
• Scaling a hybrid business model by expanding into the green grass sector and deploying multi-line sales reps across the country.

Live Forever Golf Links:

• Website: https://liveforevergolf.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveforevergolf
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiveForeverGolf

Parker Nash Links:

• Website: parkertnash.com
• LinkedIn: Parker Nash
  
  

Dr. Jenny Hledik and Dr. Tom Andriacchi are the co-creators of KneeMo™, a motion-activated knee wearable designed to disrupt pain signals.

In this episode, they share the science and 10-year development journey behind a non-invasive  device helping people reclaim their mobility with chronic knee pain. 

They discuss the biomechanical engineering principles of the Gate Control Theory of Pain, the tactical realities of running clinical trials, and why maintaining physical activity is critical for long-term joint health. This episode is packed with insights for healthcare innovators and founders.

What we covered:

• The origin of KneeMo™ and how a decade of rigorous research and testing led to a breakthrough wearable device.
• Understanding the pain-weakness cycle of knee osteoarthritis and how early intervention prevents accelerated quadriceps deterioration.
• The science of movement-timed vibration to enhance muscle engagement and restore confidence during daily activities like walking and climbing stairs.
• Translating biomechanical research from the Stanford BioMotion Laboratory into a practical, easy-to-use consumer health product.
• Inspiring real-world success stories, from athletes recovering from injuries to seniors comfortably hitting their 10,000-step goals again.

KneeMo Links:

• Website: https://thekneemo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekneemo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theKneeMo
  
  

Parker Nash Links:

• Website: parkertnash.com
• LinkedIn: Parker Nash
  
  

Matt Stang is the co-founder of Swannies Golf, an apparel brand that started back in 2015 in Minnesota. In this episode, he shares the incredible journey of building a modern golf apparel brand that has scaled to a presence in nearly 3,000 golf courses.  

Matt discusses the tactical reality of bootstrapping a physical product brand, the power of listening to "green grass" buyers, and why bank financing worked better for them than raising traditional equity. This episode is packed with insights on shifting after a product flop.

What we covered:

• The origin of Swannies Golf and how a failed golf sandal concept ultimately opened the door to their first accounts.
• Identifying a gap in a stale market to create a casual and modern golf apparel brand.
• Why they chose a "green grass" sales strategy to build nationwide brand recognition door-to-door.
• How to finance a product-heavy business through bank credit lines without giving away company equity.
• Why tracking manual sell-through data is vastly more important than initial sell-in numbers.
• Earning placement in iconic courses like Pebble Beach and St. Andrews, and launching their first physical retail store.

Swannies Links:

• Website: https://swannies.co 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swanniesgolf/ 

Parker Nash Links:

• Website: parkertnash.com
• LinkedIn: Parker Nash
  
  

Phoebe McPherson and George Moulton are the co-founders of Fun Guy. In this episode, they share how they’ve combined their backgrounds to create a brand that defines its own category in the wellness space.

Phoebe and George discuss their journey from the snowboarding world to the forefront of the mushroom and Kanna revolution. This episode is full of insights on how they prioritize education and transparency over quick sales and the tactical reality of building a brand rooted in ancient plant medicine.

What we covered:

• George’s journey from competitive snowboarding to entrepreneurship.
• The origin of Fun Guy: Identifying a gap in the market for high-quality functional mushrooms.
• Why they chose to build an entirely new category rather than competing in a crowded one.
• How Phoebe uses direct education to build deep brand authority.

Fun Guy Links:

• Website: https://www.funguy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funguy
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heyfunguy

Parker Nash Links:

• Website: parkertnash.com
• LinkedIn: Parker Nash
  
  

Cam Schuler is the co-founder of RNWY, a sports nutrition brand dedicated to athletic longevity. In this episode, he shares how his roots as a collegiate athlete and his professional background at Nike and Vital Proteins led him to create a supplement brand that supports the long-term health of runners.

Cam discusses the whirlwind of RNWY’s first year, from the official launch to navigating the complexities of the CPG supplement space. This episode is packed with insights on identifying gaps in the nutrition market, the transition from corporate leader to startup founder, and why focusing on "athletic longevity" is the key to building a brand that lasts.

What was covered:

• The Nike & Vital Proteins Pedigree: How Cam’s experience with global giants shaped his approach to product development and athlete relations.
• Finding the Gap: Identifying why traditional supplements were failing endurance athletes and how RNWY fills that void.
• The "Year One" Reality: A look back at the challenges and milestones since their launch.
• Athletic Longevity: Why the brand focuses on keeping athletes healthy for the long run rather than just providing a quick fix.
• Scaling in CPG: The strategy behind moving from direct-to-consumer into specialized running retail.

RNWY Links:

• Website: https://rnwy.life/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rnwy.life/

Parker Nash Links:

• Website: parkertnash.com
• LinkedIn: Parker Nash
  
  

Chris Hough is the founder and owner of Artiken. In this episode, he shares how he transitioned from an employee at Nike to building a high-growth brand centered around the iconic handmade bracelets worn by elite Kenyan distance runners.

Chris shares his journey of identifying a gap in the marketplace and going "all in" on Artiken in 2019. This episode is packed with insights on scaling a brand, the importance of product customization, and the operational reality of managing a global supply chain rooted in Kenyan craftsmanship.

What was covered:

• From Nike to Founder: Chris’s journey from working at Nike to the "all in" moment of founding his own DTC brand.
• The product idea spark: How Artiken brought the coveted, handmade bracelets of Olympic medalists to the global running community.
• The 80/20 Rule: Why Chris is "scoping down" the product line to focus on the core items that drive the majority of revenue.
• The Power of Customization: How his background with Nike ID influenced a strategy where custom products now drive 30% of business.
• Handmade at Scale: The logistics and rewards of managing a supply chain consisting of local artisans in Kenya.
• Next Steps: The upcoming launch of the "Alter Ego" collection and Artiken's aggressive move into the wholesale market.

Artiken Links:

• Website: https://artiken.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artiken/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@artiken?lang=en

Parker Nash Links:

• Website: parkertnash.com
• LinkedIn: Parker Nash
  
  

Robert Nelson is the co-founder and CEO of The Just Brand. Just Brand is a coastal lifestyle classics brand that weaves together influences from prep, sportswear, and streetwear. A former Nike alum, Robert started the business with his sister to create a brand that represents the unique identity and "vibe" of the East Coast, specifically his hometown of Mystic, Connecticut.

Robert explains why they took a "contrarian" retail-first approach, the 10x growth of their email list thanks to a simple in-store photo booth, and the importance of "hand feel" in establishing product quality. He also shares how his military background and time at Nike shaped his focus on professionalism and "brand fit" when hiring a team.

Listen now.

What was covered:

• The Retail-First Strategy: Why Just Brand focuses on brick-and-mortar when 85% of commerce still happens in person.
• The Photo Booth: How a free in-store photo booth became a primary driver for foot traffic and email list growth.
• Location & Foot Traffic: The necessity of being on the "50-yard line" (Main Street) and paying a premium for location to ensure success.
• Defining Brand Identity: Blending three cyclical trends, prep, sportswear, and streetwear—to fill a gap in the coastal apparel market.
• Hiring for "Brand Fit": Why Robert prioritizes personality, apparel knowledge, and resourcefulness over technical retail skills.
• The Financial Pulse: The three key metrics Robert tracks daily: sales (compared to the previous year), Average Order Value (AOV), and returning customer rate.
• Scaling the Model: How the lessons from their flagship store are being applied to their new second location in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Just Brand Links:

• Website: https://justbrandapparel.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justmysticbrand/

Parker Nash Links:

• Website: https://www.parkertnash.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/-parkernash/