Welcome to the Arena from ICR – Conversations with Today's Innovators & Business Leaders

Krispy Kreme has built a global brand on the strength of their incredible doughnuts. But the brand has recently gone through some struggles, and they're turning it around by finding new ways to get their products to consumers.

Josh Charlesworth is the President and CEO of Krispy Kreme, which trades under the symbol D-N-U-T. Josh has served as President and CEO since January of 2024, and he joined the company as CFO in May of 2017. He was also appointed COO in May of 2019, and global president in 2022.

Josh joins us to discuss Krispy Kreme's revamped business plan, including their approach to domestic expansion, and their strategy for capital-light international franchising.

Highlights:

• How Josh Joined Krispy Kreme: From Mars to Doughnuts (2:28)
• Krispy Kreme's 89-Year History (3:32) 
• The Scale of the Business Today (4:38)
• The 2025 Turnaround: Why the Business Model Had to Change (6:29)
• Capital Light Strategy & the Hub-and-Spoke Model (9:02)
• US Expansion (10:16)
• International Growth: Brazil, Spain, France & Beyond (12:05)
• Surprising Markets & The Brand's Global Reach (13:27)
• Japan Case Study (14:30)
• Revenue vs. Profitability (16:22)
• Margin Improvements, Leverage Reduction & Outsourced Delivery (17:57)
• Preserving Quality while Franchising (20:57)
• Target, Costco, Walmart & Fresh Delivery Expansion (22:53)
• E-Commerce & Loyalty Membership (24:46)
• LTOs, Collaborations & Staying Culturally Relevant (26:27)
• GLP-1s & Changing Consumer Trends (29:07)
• Top Priorities for 2026–2027 (31:11)
• Josh's Favourite Krispy Kreme Doughnut (32:49)

Links:

Josh Charlesworth LinkedIn

Krispy Kreme LinkedIn

Krispy Kreme Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected]

Today, we're revisiting a conversation from this years ICR conference, where we sat down with Mark Goldston, a respected turnaround executive, and the Executive Chairman of The Beachbody Company. 

Summary:
When a once-successful business falls on hard times, it can sometimes be hard for them to diagnose and fix the problem from within. Today's guest has built a career out of helping these businesses turn things around, and he's doing it again with one of America's premiere fitness brands.

Mark Goldston is the Executive Chairman of The Beachbody Company, which trades under the symbol BODI. Mark is one of the world's most respected turnaround executives, and has spent his career reviving some of the best known brands in the world, including Revlon, Reebok, and LA Gear to name a few. He is also a prolific inventor with 135 US and foreign patents to his name.

Today, Mark walks us through the history of The Beachbody Company, the issues he identified within the business, and how he and his team are working to right the ship. 

Highlights:

• Mark's Career (1:40)
• Symptoms of a struggling business (6:34)
• The Beachbody Company turnaround (10:12)
• Navigating a difficult retail environment (17:16)
• Brand Awareness (21:58)
• How GLP-1's are impacting the business (26:46)
• What are investors missing about Beachbody? (29:50)

Links:

Mark Goldston LinkedIn

The Beachbody Company LinkedIn

The Beachbody Company Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

As we work on some new episodes for you, please enjoy this past interview with Alex Faherty, CEO and Co-founder of the awesome family-owned clothing company, Faherty Brand.

Summary: 
Alex and Mike Faherty built a clothing brand inspired by their origins as surfer kids on the Jersey shore, and their later years living in Manhattan. And even as the company has grown, they've always tried to stay true to that original vision, and the values that have made them a beloved brand for so many.

Alex Faherty is the co-founder and CEO of Faherty Brand, a family-owned lifestyle apparel company. Since its founding in 2013, he and his twin-brother have built a nine-figure omnichannel business, with nearly 80 stores, a large e-commerce presence, and a robust wholesale business with partners like Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, and numerous specialty stores across the country.

Alex joins us to discuss the origins of Faherty, their plans for international expansion, and how they plan on growing while remaining authentic to who they are.

Highlights:

• Faherty origins (1:46)
• Alex's PE Background (5:06)
• What is Faherty Brand? (7:21)
• Faherty Customers (8:51)
• Fashion Innovation (10:16)
• Embracing Wholesale (12:06)
• Faherty's Retail Strategy (14:01)
• Authenticity (16:35)
• Sustainability (18:34)
• Technology and AI (20:49)
• New Product Offerings (22:23)
• Competitive Landscape (24:58)
• 10-year Vision for Faherty (26:34)

Links:

Alex Faherty LinkedIn

Faherty Brand LinkedIn

Faherty Brand Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected]

Super Group runs gaming and betting operations on every continent, but where they really dominate is in Africa, where they have worked very hard to understand — and cater to — regional differences in consumer preference.

Our guest today is Kirsty Ross, Chief Operating Officer of Super Group, which trades under the symbol SGHC. As COO, Kirsty is responsible for global operations, organizational effectiveness, and scalable growth.

Kirsty joins us today to discuss Super Group's ongoing expansion in Africa, their strategy for utilizing AI, and how the upcoming World Cup will drive further brand engagement.

Highlights:

• What is Super Group? (2:07)
• Kirsty's evolving role (2:53)
• The African Market (4:44)
• Super Group's main brands (6:41)
• Using tech to service local markets (8:20)
• Plans to expand in Africa (9:35)
• The World Cup (11:31)
• Capitalizing on Brand Partnerships (13:41)
• Approach to Capital Allocation (15:32)
• Turning Strategy into Action (16:25)
• AI Deployment Strategy (18:21)
• Building Company Culture (20:25)
• 5-year Outlook for Super Group (21:52)

Links:

Kirsty Ross LinkedIn

Super Group LinkedIn

Super Group Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected]

As we work on some new episodes for you, we'll be re-running some old favorites from the archive. Please enjoy this episode from back in February with Will Ulrich, the co-CEO of Presidio Petroleum. 

Summary:
For most companies in the oil industry, drilling new wells is a major part of their business strategy. Today, we're highlighting a firm that's taking a very different tack.

Will Ulrich has served as co-CEO of Presidio Petroleum alongside his partner Chris Hammack, since founding the company in 2017. Presidio's mission is to generate the oil industry's best return on capital by delivering the industry's lowest operating expenses, highest profitability and best emissions profile — all without doing any drilling.

Today, Will shares Presidio's unique approach to value creation, their upcoming plan to go public via business combination, and the reasons why they're optimistic for the future.

Highlights:

• Founding Presidio (1:57)
• Going Public (4:45)
• The end of the 'Capital Intensive Shale Era' (7:06)
• Institutional Backing (8:58)
• Dividend (10:46)
• Private Equity (13:58)
• Reducing Operating Costs (17:21)
• Field Incentive Plan (20:55)
• Stable Well Production (22:30)
• Hedging (23:42)
• CapEx (25:43)
• Acquisition Strategy (27:23)
• 5-year Outlook (29:17)

Links:

Will Ulrich LinkedIn

Presidio LinkedIn

Presidio Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

Over the next few weeks, while we work on some new episodes, we'll be dipping into the archive and re-airing some old favorites. Please enjoy this episode from back in January with Tara Comonte, the President and CEO of Weight Watchers. 

Summary:
Weight Watchers became one of the most trusted brands in weight-loss by emphasizing the importance of human connection. Now, medications like GLP-1's have completely changed the weight loss landscape, and Weight Watchers has adapted their platform and product offerings to meet the moment.

Tara Comonte became the President and CEO of Weight Watchers in February of 2025 after serving as a director since June of 2023. Tara has over two decades of executive leadership experience across corporate and digital strategy, technology, operations, and finance. That includes serving as CEO of Tomorrow Life Sciences, CFO of Shake Shack, Chief Financial and Business Affairs Officer at Getty Images, and CFO of McCann World Group, the world's largest marketing communications business.

Today, Tara takes us through a whirlwind year for Weight Watchers, and discusses her plans for reinvigorating the brand through innovation, while maintaining their emphasis on personal connections.

Highlights:

• History of Weight Watchers (2:15)
• Brand Positioning (6:50)
• Pharmaceutical Company Collaborations (10:03)
• Rebranding Weight Watchers (11:38)
• Product Innovations (13:25)
• Brand Partnerships (15:39)
• Marketing Strategy (17:50)
• Weight Watchers' B2B Strategy (20:48)
• Using AI and Maintaining Human Connection (22:34)
• Outlook for 2026 (24:35)

Links:

Tara Comonte LinkedIn

Weight Watchers LinkedIn

Weight Watchers Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

As we work on some new episodes for you, please enjoy this look back at a conversation from back in October with Ed Nabrotzky, the CEO and Co-founder of Dot AI.

Summary:
When you're running a large industrial operation, tracking all of the elements of your process to know where they are and what they're doing in real-time, can be a huge challenge. Today, we're spotlighting a company whose revolutionary platform can help solve that problem.

Ed Nabrotzky is the CEO and co-founder of Dot Ai, a company specializing in industrial asset intelligence solutions. Ed brings with him over 25 years of experience in technology development, and has held executive leadership roles at large public enterprises, including Molex and Panasonic. 

Ed joins us to discuss Dot Ai's competitive advantage, how AI is changing the game when it comes to asset intelligence, and how their tech helps make companies more efficient. 

Highlights:

• What Dot Ai does (1:53)
• The gap in the market (2:25)
• The customers (3:21)
• Inflection point (4:01)
• The current emphasis asset intelligence (5:51)
• ROI (7:09)
• The Dot Ai platform (8:36)
• Data Security (12:04)
• Meeting Unique Client Needs (13:25)
• R&D (14:40)
• Puerto Rico Manufacturing (16:15)
• SPAC (18:49)
• Forces reshaping supply chains (22:59)
• Misconceptions about automated asset tracking (25:04)
• Future outlook (26:10)

Links:

Ed's LinkedIn

Dot Ai LinkedIn

Dot Ai Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

For all the recent negative news surrounding renewable energy in the US, the reality is that in 2025, around 80% of the new power generation that came online globally was renewable.

But to encourage global players to participate in that market for renewables, you need a rigorous system of verification, and a stable modern marketplace. That's where today's company comes in.

John Melby is the CEO of Xpansiv, the world's largest registry platform for renewable energy and carbon. John is an accomplished leader in energy and environmental markets, with over two decades of experience driving innovation in renewable carbon, natural gas, and power markets.

John joins us for an in-depth discussion on the current state of power generation, and how Xpansiv's platform is facilitating the growth of renewables.

Highlights:

• John's experience with energy markets (2:24)
• The opportunity for Xpansiv (3:44)
• Xpansiv's slate of services (5:05)
• Shifting energy consumption (6:22)
• Importance of registry infrastructure (9:05)
• Xpansiv's power business (11:39)
• Partnership with Constellation (13:56)
• Asia's role in the energy transition (15:25)
• Xpansiv's acquisition strategy (18:06)
• The evolving role of AI (20:48)
• Outlook for Renewables in the US (22:45)
• What's success for Xpansiv? (28:06)

Links:

John Melby LinkedIn

Xpansiv LinkedIn

Xpansiv Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected]

As we continue working on some new episodes for you, enjoy this look back at our episode from September with John O'Donnell, the visionary founder behind the clothing brand, Johnnie-O.

Summary:
When John O'Donnell founded Johnnie-O in 2005, his goal was to create a brand that combined East Coast prep with West Coast surf culture. 20 years later, you'll find their surfer logo in golf pro-shops and menswear stores across the country.

Today, John joins us to share his incredible journey from being a walk-on on the UCLA golf team to founding one of America's most iconic golf brands.

We get into the origins of Johnnie-O, discuss the source of their customer loyalty, and talk about their impressive growth over the last two decades.

Highlights:

• The opportunity John saw in 2005 (2:05)
• John's midwest roots (4:46)
• UCLA Golf team (5:50)
• Johnnie-O's differentiation (6:45)
• The origins of Johnnie-O (8:17)
• Distribution (9:28)
• Inflection point for the brand (10:28)
• Marketing evolution (11:37)
• Scale of growth (13:57)
• Breaking into women's wear (16:30)
• Avenues for growth (17:35)
• Tariffs (18:30)
• Outlook for Johnnie-O (20:27)
• Competitive Landscape (22:15)
• Lessons learned (23:13)

Links:

Johnnie-O LinkedIn

Johnnie-O Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

As we take a brief hiatus from releasing new episodes, we wanted to revisit Tom's conversation with WellWithAll CEO and Co-Founder, Demond Martin, from back in December. Demond has an incredible story, and he's built a powerhouse of a company while going to great lengths to lift up his community. Enjoy!    

Show Notes:

In this country, health outcomes are too often dictated by your ZIP code, but one company is working very hard to fix those inequities.

Demond Martin, is the CEO and co-founder of WellWithAll, a health and wellness company dedicated to advancing health equity for underserved communities. Operating under ‘inclusive capitalism’, WellWithAll reinvests 20% of its profits into health initiatives tailored to specific community needs, tackling health disparities, and ensuring a targeted approach to wellness.

Before WellWithAll, Demond was a senior partner at Adage Capital Management, where he invested in the consumer sector for 21 years. Earlier in his career, he served in the Clinton administration, and he has served on numerous nonprofit boards, including the Berkeley College of Music, The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and the Obama Foundation.

Today, we get into what WellWithAll does, how they're giving back to the community, and Demond's journey from a trailer in North Carolina to CEO of this incredible company.

Highlights:

• Demond's background (2:21)
• Stories from the White House (3:50)
• Working at a hedge fund (5:58)
• Lessons about investing (8:32)
• The origins of WellWithAll (11:42)
• Health inequities (13:54)
• How WellWithAll has evolved (15:08)
• Getting in with large retailers (17:08)
• Sources of funding (18:57)
• The Obama Foundation (20:19)
• A career in politics? (21:00)
• Demond's mentors (22:14)
• 27th ICR Conference (24:04))

Links:

Demond Martin LinkedIn

WellWithAll LinkedIn

WellWithAll Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].