#0078 Tusol - Launch Pad Series

Hello and welcome to the Launchpad! This is an offshoot of the Startup to Storefront podcast where we talk to the founders of companies that are just getting started, and whose stories we find compelling.

Today we talk with Ingrid and Ilana, co-founders of Tusol. It was Ingrid’s own battle with Crohn’s disease that led her to take a deep dive into her own nutrition and develop a smoothie recipe that would act as a supplement replacement and be the cornerstone to a clean and healthy lifestyle. She was selling curated smoothies to private clientele when she met Ilana, who was working at a three Michelin star restaurant in Napa Valley. Together they grew Tusol into a brand that focuses on nutrition as a path to wellness and happiness. If you’d like to try Tusol for yourself, you’re in luck, because they’re offering our listeners $30 off of their month supply box using the code STARTUPTOSTOREFRONT. That’s enough time to start seeing real results from the smoothies.

#0077 The Almanack of Naval Ravikant - Eric Jorgenson

Today’s guest is Eric Jorgenson, author of the book The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: a Guide to Wealth and Happiness. Now, if you’re not in the tech world, you might be forgiven for not knowing the name Naval Ravikant. But to millions of people around the world, his teachings on business, investing, and life philosophy are the gold standard. Naval’s story is an inspiration to many, from being a first-generation immigrant to the US, founding a successful business, to becoming an early-stage investor in companies like Uber, Twitter, and Postmates. The problem was that Naval’s musings were scattered across many platforms. So Eric set out to solve that and consolidate them into one collective body of work. After jokingly floating the idea out to his Twitter followers, the response he received was overwhelming. He even got the blessing of Naval himself. And thus, without truly knowing what he was in for, Eric set about writing the book that Tim Ferris describes (in the foreword, no less) “will give you a good taste of what that cocktail of bullets looks like in Naval’s head.”

Listen in as we cover everything from how the process took Eric way longer to finish than he ever could’ve predicted, how he’s found that other people are more willing to help you if you’ve first shown that you’ve put in the work, and how his book got published with a little help from Tucker Max. Yes, that Tucker Max.

#0076 Love Good Fats - Suzie Yorke

Today’s guest is Suzie Yorke, founder of the snack brand Love Good Fats. As the name implies, the brand is centered around bucking the notion that all fats are bad. This notion began back in the 1960’s, when the sugar industry paid scientists to fudge their studies on the correlation between sugar and heart disease. Those scientists took their money and instead pointed the finger at fat. Suzie admits falling for this charade, and she developed lots of health issues as a result. It was her own research that eventually set her down the right path, allowing for a more nutritious diet with more healthy fats and less sugar. Some might have stopped there. But Suzie—a single mom and at this point in her late 40’s—was driven to shift gears and leave behind a 10-year career as a marketing executive to start her own company. It is through her hard work and perseverance that Love Good Fats can be found in over 14,000 stores today.

Listen in as we cover everything from how she managed her family, her startup, and her training for an Ironman Triathlon all at the same time, why she thinks there are more hurdles to starting a company in Canada as opposed to the US, and why it is never too late in life to switch gears and become your own boss.

#0075 Caraway - Jordan Nathan - Launch Pad Series

Hello and welcome to the Launchpad! This is an offshoot of the Startup to Storefront podcast where we talk to the founders of companies that are just getting started, and whose stories we find compelling. Today we talk with Jordan Nathan, founder of the cookware company Caraway. Born of an unfortunate incident where Jordan was actually poisoned by his Teflon cookware, Jordan set out to educate and inform the market while creating a high-end line of ceramic alternatives.

#0074 Hydroviv (as seen on Shark Tank) - Launch Pad Series

Hello and welcome to the Launchpad! Over the past year of doing this podcast, we’ve grown, and so have our guests. We have always strived to cover every aspect of the entrepreneurial journey, from the ideation to the product launch and possibly even the exit. Most of our guests have been in the game for a while, but we know that those aren’t the only stories worthy of telling. So we created this offshoot of the podcast to cover the companies that are just starting out.

Today we talk with Eric Roy, founder of Hydroviv. They create water filters, but this isn’t like the Brita that you might have in your fridge. These are water filters that are specific to your city’s water data. It might not be something you’ve ever considered, but the age of your home and city’s infrastructure, the natural geology of the region, and your proximity to industrial sites, farms, and military bases all affect the quality of the water that comes out of your faucet.

#0073 Mayor of West Hollywood - Lindsey Horvath

Today’s guest is Mayor Lindsey Horvath of West Hollywood California. In this election cycle, national political campaigns have taken over the entire news cycle. In the midst of this political fervor, it’s easy to gloss over the local elections that are in many ways just as important as the national elections. Though you may not reside in West Hollywood, the lessons and experience that Mayor Horvath brings to the discussion today resonate far beyond WeHo. Your own town council and mayor’s office probably operate in a very similar fashion. This is not the type of position that comes with national acclaim, a nice salary, and a full-time residence. These positions are filled with community organizers and political activists that can help make your community thrive. It’s time we got to know them.

Listen in as we cover everything from why she has a full-time job in addition to being Mayor, what it’s been like to run a city largely via remote digital platforms, and how the city plans to make voting this election day as easy and as safe as possible.

#0072 Netflix's Sneakerheads - Allen Maldonado

Today’s guest is Allen Maldonado, star of the new Netflix show Sneakerheads. But to say he’s an actor is only telling a small part of his story. He’s also the founder of an app and film festival aimed at connecting short films with consumers, he’s the co-founder of a music label that provides music for movies and television shows, and he’s the founder of a running coalition that promotes a healthy lifestyle and positive self-image. Fittingly, his website and instagram are named MaldonadoIsEverywhere. It’s safe to say that when he’s passionate about something, he spearheads a movement larger than just himself. But if you ask him, he’s just happy people are finally pronouncing his name correctly.

Listen in as we cover everything from why there needs to be an Indiana Jones equivalent for minorities, how a trip to Spain changed his outlook on life, and why shoe collections really aren’t all that different from fine art galleries.

#0071 - Moment - Tim Kendall (as seen on Netflix 'The Social Dilemma')

Today’s guest is Tim Kendall, former director of monetization at Facebook, former president of Pinterest, and the current CEO of Moment, an app designed to help you develop a healthier relationship with your phone and the amount of time you spend on it. And in case you’re wondering, he’s all too aware of the irony. It’s this kind of resume that also made Tim stand out to the producers of the much talked about documentary ‘The Social Dilemma’, where he lends his industry insight into how tech companies are manipulating and controlling us through social media platforms. If you’ve thought as much without having seen the documentary, the problem is probably worse than you’d imagine.

Listen in as we cover everything from the downside of trying to optimize your work/life balance, why Tim predicts that the inevitable end of social media will leave us at war with one another, and perhaps most importantly, how to gain back control over your phone.

#0070 - Beam - Matt Lombardi & Kevin Moran

Today’s guests are Matt Lombardi and Kevin Moran, co-founders of Beam, a line of THC-free CBD products. Beam was born from the aches and pains of athletic competition. You see, both Matt and Kevin were professional athletes, and though there many rewarding aspects to that achievement, it is not without its drawbacks; namely the physical toll it takes on one’s body. When the two of them concluded their professional careers, the CBD market was still in its infancy. But Matt and Kevin were quick to see the potential for CBD in both overall wellness and market growth potential. Looking back on their decision to start a CBD company, it seems like a no brainer. But as you’ll learn in this conversation, it has been far from easy.

Listen in as we cover everything from busting all the myths and misconceptions about CBD, the trouble with opening a bank account for their business, and why they decided to shun the THC market.

Watch full episode on YouTube here.

#0069 - Art of Sport - Matthias Metternich

Today’s guest is Matthias Metternich, co-founder of the skincare brand Art of Sport. This isn’t Matthias’ first rodeo. He’s been creating companies since his teenage years, and with that comes the kind of insight and knowledge that you can’t put a price on. Art of Sport came about as a collaboration between himself and Honest Company co-founder Brian Lee, and they set about to approach skincare from an athlete’s point of view. As they were developing their prototypes, they realized that as a brand geared towards athletes, it made sense to bring an athlete into the founder’s circle. So what do you do if it’s 2017 and you’re looking to bring a world-class athlete onto the team? You pitch Kobe Bryant your idea. Naturally. Fast forward to today and they’ve partnered with other athletic icons like James Harden and Juju Smith-Schuster, as well as securing an additional $6 million in VC funding just last week.

Listen in as we cover everything from how he went from creating video games as a child living in Mongolia to creating international brands, what it was like to work with Kobe on the development of this brand, and we learn that advertising on a billboard in Times Square is temporary, but a photo of that advertisement in Times Square will last forever on your Instagram.

#0068 - Lumen - Launch Pad Series

Welcome to the Launchpad! Over the past year of doing this podcast, we’ve grown, and so have our guests. We have always strived to cover every aspect of the entrepreneurial journey, from the ideation to the product launch and possibly even the exit. Most of our guests have been in the game for a while, but we know that those aren’t the only stories worthy of telling. Therefore, we created this offshoot of the podcast to cover the companies that are just starting out. The flow of the conversation will sound familiar to those of you who are frequent listeners, but the topics will trend more towards pitching investors, crowd-funding, product manufacturing, basically anything that budding entrepreneurs are dealing with.

Without further ado, we present to you Yashir and Kris from Lumen, a hemp juice company that provides the ultimate immune boost. They’ve created a nutrient-dense drink that reduces stress and inflammation. Since they began their journey in the hemp juice industry, they’ve created a product that is loved by over 17,000 customers. We’re excited to have them for the first episode of our new series!

#0067 - Mother Raw - Kristi Knowles

Today’s guest is Kristi Knowles, CEO of the plant-based product line, Mother Raw. Kristi initially joined the company in an advisory role. The founder, Michelle Kopman, had already shaped what was then known as Michelle’s RawFoodz into a successful company with VC-backers. Kristi’s role was to help better define the company’s business strategy and take their products to the next level of appeal and availability. Then, tragedy struck. Michelle passed away at the too-young age of 45, leaving Kristi tasked with carrying out her vision. It is a task Kristi has taken to heart, as she strives to guide the company with the same care and passion as Michelle would have done.

Listen in as we cover everything from why it’s been easier to raise money since the COVID-shutdown, the meaning behind giving her employees a “thank-you pay”, and why the dressing aisle at grocery stores was in need of disruption.

#0066 - HVNM - Geoffrey Woo

Today’s guest is Geoffrey Woo, co-founder of Health Via Modern Nutrition, or HVMN for short. And what you just heard is uncomfortable, but true. America’s obesity epidemic may be even worse than we thought, with the CDC releasing data earlier this year that showed the country’s obesity rate reaching 42.4% in 2017 and 2018. There are a lot of causes for this statistic, and so solving it will not be one simple solution. It will require addressing income inequality, education gaps, access to health care, fitness, and healthy eating. This conversation nicely dovetails with last week’s episode with Sergey Young. Both Sergey and Geoffrey are aligned in the quest for a healthier and longer-living population. The good news is that no matter who you are, there are steps you can take today in order to increase both the quality and quantity of your time here on earth. Because while systemic change is a big part of the solution, it’s empowering to know that there’s also power in your daily choices. 

Listen in as we cover everything from the ins and outs of a ketogenic diet, why Geoffrey supports “enlightened capitalism”, and the science behind intermittent fasting.

#0065 - Longevity Vision Fund - Sergey Young

Today’s guest is Sergey Young, founder of Longevity Vision Fund and author of the upcoming book Growing Young: An Insider’s Guide to the Breakthroughs That Will Dramatically Extend Our Lifespan. Sergey’s mission is to make 1 billion people live to be 100 years old. And we’re not talking about achieving the century mark while immobilized in a hospital bed while having seen the last of your healthy years run their course. No, we’re talking a happy and healthy 100. The kind of centenarian that inspires the phrase “age is just a number”. Sergey is putting his energy and his money into making this a reality by investing in companies who are developing technologies that will enable humans to blow past 100 years of age like the arbitrary benchmark it is.

Listen in as we cover everything from the ways in which you can increase your lifespan right now, why he’ll never quite get over passing up an early investment opportunity in Google, and the pros and cons of sharing your data with fitness trackers.