Episodes

In this episode, Kate Weiler and Jeff Rose, the co-founders of maple water pioneer Drink Simple, spoke about how they prepared for and successfully executed upon a major rebrand. As part of our conversation, they explained why they only conducted one focus group, the hidden costs of a brand revamp, and how investors were involved in the process.

Bobo’s founder Beryl Stafford and company CEO T.J. McIntyre spoke about their work dynamic, how they assigned responsibilities and guidelines for their respective roles and why “the one thing that really serves as the foundational element of who we are is the actual bar.”

Misfit Foods co-founder Ann Yang opened up about how the stress of entrepreneurship led to unhappiness and depression, and, ultimately, her decision to leave the company. She also explained how therapy has become a critical part of her life, her belief that we live in a culture that “mythologizes who the entrepreneur is,” and the resulting pressure to build “a personal brand.”

No Cow founder/CEO Daniel Katz spoke about his passion for entrepreneurship and the genesis of his plant-based protein bar brand, which he launched with no business plan or extensive market research. He also discussed why his initial “play the numbers” retail strategy worked, why he rarely asks for advice, and why he decided to return as CEO less than a year after stepping down from the role.

Ray DeRosa, the founder of dandelion-based tea brand Lion Tea, understands the struggles of consumer education. In this episode, he explained how he’s tackled this issue by using a simple, yet powerful and efficient method to create brand loyalists. He also spoke about why “finding the partners that are going to provide you extraordinary support in the early days ultimately make you successful.”