Shows
Well Made152 What comes next with Amit Sharma, CEO and founder of NarvarSince the early 2000s, Amit Sharma has worked with commerce giants like Walmart and Apple to build supply chain infrastructure. In 2012, he founded Narvar. If you've bought anything online in the past few years, you've no doubt interacted with Narvar. Brands like Sephora, Patagonia, Gap and Sonos, ship millions of products per year using Narvar's comprehensive pre-to-post-purchase software.To fulfill the packaging piece of their pixel-to-package promise, Narvar recently acquired Lumi! In this episode, Stephan and Amit talk about the flux in consumer expectations, what it takes for brands to please customers now, and what's next for...
2021-12-3049 minWell Made138 Getting comfortable with trade-offs with Ian Montgomery, Founder and Creative Director of Guacamole AirplaneWhen you're researching a sustainability topic, it can feel like a Russian nesting doll of rabbit holes — you often end up with more questions than when you started. The good news is, if you find yourself deliberating the gray areas of sustainability, then you're in the right place.Ian Montgomery says that designing for sustainability is all about getting comfortable with tradeoffs. He is the founder and Creative Director of Guacamole Airplane, a design studio focused on sustainable packaging, and one of the first Lumi Experts. If you've explored the Lumi Sustainability Properties, then you're familiar with Ian...
2021-02-1150 minWell Made131 Building direct relationships with Carl Rivera, General Manager of ShopIn April, Shopify launched Shop, the consumer-facing counterpart to Shopify. In the app, buyers have direct access to thousands of companies selling through Shopify. The Shop app not only connects shoppers to brands of all sizes, but it makes the checkout flows we're used to feel incredibly arduous and clunky. Even with its intuitive UI, simple payments, and transparent shipment tracking, Shop General Manager Carl Rivera says this is just version 0.5. Since selling his company Tictail to Shopify in 2018, Carl has continued on his mission to help brands and shoppers discover each other. To make a m...
2020-09-301h 00Well Made127 Adopting new shopping behaviors with Dan Frommer, founder and Editor-in-Chief of The New ConsumerIn the US, more people are shopping online than ever. This stark jump in ecommerce has left a lot of industry experts asking how new ecommerce businesses can successfully launch in the midst of a pandemic, where does the ecommerce experience still falls short, and if the pandemic has permanently changed how we shop. To answer all these questions, we're talking to Dan Frommer. Dan is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The New Consumer where he researches and writes about why and how people spend their money. (You may remember him from Episode 94.)Head over to th...
2020-08-2657 minWell Made123 Looking to Nature with Hillary Peterson, Founder of True BotanicalsOne of the biggest obstacles for True Botanicals was the preconceived notion that natural products don't work as well as those riddled with toxins. To prove the potency of natural ingredients, True Botanicals invested in top notch suppliers promoting biodiversity and clinical trials to prove that these ingredients outperformed leading skincare products.On this episode, True Botanicals founder Hillary Peterson talks customer education, pricing high performing products, her transition away from CEO, and how True Botanicals had to change their plans amid the pandemic.Go to the Lumi blog for links and images.
2020-06-241h 05Well Made122 Scaling Environmental Accountability with Chelsea Mozen, Director of Sustainability at EtsyEvery time you order an item from a seller on Etsy, the company offsets the emissions created from shipping that order. Since the start of this initiative in February of last year, Etsy has invested in offsetting 173,000 metric tons of CO2. While offsetting these emissions accomplishes a big goal for the Etsy Sustainability team, Director of Sustainability, Chelsea Mozen says it's not the first or last item on their to-do list.Go to the Lumi blog for links and images.
2020-06-1756 minWell Made120 Trying New Things with Julie Nguyen, CEO and Co-founder of MethodologyA fridge that's full of Methodology meals isn't stacked with disposable trays. A Methodology fridge is stocked with columns of colorful foods, visible through glass jars.Founder Julie Nguyen knows that the Methodology audience is niche — busy people who value high quality, sustainable ingredients — but since they launched five years ago, she's seen their dedicated customer base grow.Every week with her co-founder Stephen Liu and their R&D team, Julie is sourcing new ingredients, while keeping their supply chain quality consistent. She's testing new menu items while continuing to produce customers' go-to favorites. And she...
2020-05-2055 minWell Made119 Knowing What it Means to Be a Good Business with Eric Edelson, CEO of Fireclay TileThe tile industry moves slowly, but when Eric Edelson joined the Fireclay Tile team, he was set on speeding things up. They were making a phenomenal product and it felt like they’d hit their limit in wholesale. In a sort of eureka moment, Eric penned a new manifesto/business model for a going direct to consumer. That was in 2008.With new flexibility and freedom, Fireclay Tile has experimented with all kinds of upcycled materials (from toilets to monitors), software for customization, sample processes, and sustainability initiatives. In 2015, they became the first tile company to be B Co...
2020-05-1355 minWell Made118 Making Kombucha Mainstream with Vanessa Dew, Co-founder and CSO of Health-Ade KombuchaIf you already know that kombucha is fermented tea, you're in the minority. If you drink it, you're in an even smaller minority. In the US, only 17% of US households drink kombucha. The idea of a fermented tea made from a hunk of slimy-looking culture is not immediately appetizing, but the taste and health benefits have appealed to people for thousands of years — it's only in the past decade that it's become a mainstay in every health foods store.When Health-Ade Kombucha launched in Los Angeles farmers' markets in 2012 Vanessa Dew and her co-founders had to explain it...
2020-05-0645 minWell Made117 Preparing for the Unexpected with Simon Huck, CEO and Co-founder of JudyThe very nature of an emergency is that you don't know when it's coming. It's this vast unknown that paralyzes most people from making plans for worst-case scenarios. Simon Huck, CEO and co-founder of Judy says that people who are unprepared often fall victim to thinking that emergencies could never happen to them or being overwhelmed by all the preparation that has to be done. Judy’s emergency kits and preparedness content are setting out to change that. Judy launched weeks before the spike in coronavirus cases in the U.S. On one hand, a pandemic is cer...
2020-04-2949 minWell Made116 Rethinking your Framework with Vanessa Barboni Hallik, CEO of Another TomorrowAnother Tomorrow launched in January, and already they've built an impressive criteria of sustainability standards to keep their supply chain ethical for human, animals, and the planet. Those are the three pillars of their business.Vanessa Barboni Hallik didn't start in fashion. She started in finance, but as she was researching more sustainable finance, she uncovered the huge disparities in the supply chain ethics of fashion fashion brands and luxury sustainable brands. The gap felt unsurmountable, but Another Tomorrow is taking on the challenge, backed by science, data, and an incredible eye for fashion design....
2020-04-2357 minWell Made115 Navigating Difficult Times with Davis Smith, Founder and CEO of CotopaxiDavis Smith is the founder of Cotopaxi and to grow his team, he's built an environment where people can create. One of the most physical manifestations of those creations is the Del Dia Collection of bags. They're repurposed from remnants of fabric and each bag is a one-of-a-kind colorway, designed by the craftspeople sewing them.As they've grown for the past six years, the Cotopaxi mission to Do Good has extended to new geographies with systemic supply chain shifts to start eradicating poverty in communities around the world. In this episode, Davis shares how he's always faced tough decis...
2020-04-2153 minWell Made114 Finding Strength in Numbers with Nate Checketts, founder and CEO of RhoneIn the midst of a pandemic, businesses and consumers are prompted to hurry up and wait. Meanwhile, the definition of essentials is governed, retail locations are ordered to close, and more and more people are out of work. While a period of in-between can feel stagnant, Rhone founder Nate Checketts decided to take action. He recruited 20 brands to join BRANDS × BETTER — a new coalition of companies that have pledged to donate a portion of their funds to COVID-19 relief organizations. This not only supports to relief efforts, but keeps businesses up and running. From "Not another coron...
2020-04-1540 minWell Made113 Trying to Do Right with Alden Wicker, sustainability journalist and founder of Eco CultWith fewer cars on the road, COVID-19 could lead to the biggest drop in emissions since WWII, but this stat doesn't paint a full picture of the pandemic's environmental impact. Sustainability is complicated, and journalist Alden Wicker is an expert in navigating the nuances.Alden worries that the strain on businesses could set back environmental progress by a decade. In Bangladesh, one million apparel factory workers have been laid off due to a shortage of new orders and huge businesses like JCPenney, Kohl's and Walmart declining to pay for orders — over $3B worth. Through the lens of su...
2020-04-081h 06Well Made111 Becoming a Forest with Henrik Werdelin, CEO and Co-Founder of BarkBarkbox hasn't followed the conventional direct-to-consumer-brand growth plan. Since launching Barkbox in 2012, Henrik Werdelin and his co-founders have launched several companion brands including Super Chewer and Bark Bright — dog dental hygiene products.These products may seem obvious, but the strategy behind them is not. Rather than expanding from dogs to other pets, Bark chose to dig deeper into the nuance of the dog space. Instead of launching these new products under the Barkbox product line, they launched them as new brands.It's all part of the framework to innovate independently of brand clout and see if...
2020-03-2558 minWell Made109 Offsetting Carbon with Peter Dering, Co-Founder of Climate Neutral of CEO at Peak DesignPeter Dering knows that there's some controversy around purchasing carbon offsets, but as the founder of Climate Neutral, he thinks it's an immediate path forward. Before Climate Neutral, he founded Peak Design. He and his team design photographic accessories and outsource the manufacturing. After visiting one of his factories, he was looking around at all of the materials and energy that went into production and he started strategizing options to cut down on resources where they could, and offset carbon where they couldn't.He and his team always made sustainability a priority, but they wanted to do...
2020-02-1249 minWell Made108 Culling Through the Clutter with Emily Schildt, founder of Pop-Up GrocerThe grocery store model hasn’t adapted with how people shop. Traditional big box stores stock up on everything under the sun and rely on small margins based for big cart sizes. With traditional grocery stores struggling and US consumers being slow to adopt online grocery, Emily Schildt saw an opportunity to prioritize discovery over convenience as a way to help people find brands they actually love.Pop-up Grocer is a highly curated 30-day activation featuring grocery brands that get an A+ for innovation, nutrition, and design. Emily has thoughtfully positioned Pop-Up Grocer to be an exciting sp...
2020-02-0555 minWell Made107 Building Genuine Brands with Very Great Co-founders, Eric Prum and Josh WilliamsThere are dozens of tools out there to build and launch products, but Very Great has set out to launch brands — companies creating products that improve lives and keep people coming back. They're doing it with a platform that centralizes the functions of any consumer brand. From research and development, through launch and logistics, Very Great is an infrastructure to build a brand that lasts.So far, co-founders Eric Prum and Josh Williams have helped to launch three brands in the Very Great family — W&P Design in the housewares space, Wild One in the pet space, and...
2020-01-221h 01Well Made106 Predicting the Next Decade with Elizabeth SegranFast Company Senior Staff writer, Elizabeth Segran is an expert in the cross section where fashion, technology, and ecommerce overlap. For every company that recycles innovative materials for fabric, opens an immersive retails space, or builds a sustainability initiative into their model, she's there to cover it. That's why we invited her on the show to reflect on the past couple decades of consumer trends and — more importantly — make some insightful predictions about what's to come. On this episode, Elizabeth and Stephan weave in and out of micro and meta. Listen to hear how gradual consumer shifts have c...
2020-01-171h 00Well Made105 Using Waste as Currency with Jeremy Lang, Founder of PelaPhone cases don’t need to last a lifetime, but in a landfill, they might. Pela cases are made from a blend of biopolymers and flax scraps meant last a few years — basically, the lifetime of your phone. When you get a new device, you can compost the case or ship it back to Pela. As more and more consumers are choosing sustainable products, phone cases may not be obvious, but the impact is significant.Jermey Lang founded Pela part-time, doing the initial research and development with government funding. Eight years later, they’re expanding to eyewear and ot...
2020-01-0847 minWell Made103 Creating a Customer Journey with Mike Lackman, CEO of Trade CoffeeTrade Coffee ships customers new coffee based on their tastes. It's a subscription, but CEO Mike Lackman says that part s a necessary evil. Some subscriptions help you discover new products while others help you replenish the products you already love. Trade does a bit of both.Mike comes from an operational background and this episode is a deep dive into how Trade approaches each component of their supply chain. From the roaster dashboard to their new compostable bags, every step has been optimized to create a journey that keeps customers coming back.Find more link...
2019-12-181h 14Well Made102 Reflecting the World As It Is with Alexandra Waldman, Co-founder and Creative Director of Universal StandardUniversal Standard is creating a world where size is obsolete. To hear co-founder and Creative Director Alexandra Waldman talk about it, what they're doing at Universal Standard is overdue and obvious. She said, "All of us actually believe in the body positivity movement, [but] the brand is not about that because we do not believe that you should have to make an emotional payment to buy a frock."It's as simple as that. But building that experience is not simple. Photographing each item on every size model is not simple. Offering free exchanges with the Fit Liberty pro...
2019-12-1147 minWell Made101 Solving a Worthy Problem with Susan Tynan, CEO and Founder of FramebridgeFor founder Susan Tynan, the MVP version of Framebridge had to be maximum, not minimum. If they wanted people to feel confident sending invaluable art and artifacts for custom framing, there was no way around it. They had to launch knowing that they could get it all right the first time. Getting it right the first time meant building out a full factory, several rounds of fundraising, and most recently, launching two retail stores in their home city, Washington D.C.Listen in to hear how Susan sweated the details to build confidence through experience and how...
2019-12-0452 minWell MadeAsk Lumi: Looking Back on 100 Episodes with Jesse Genet, Lumi CEO and Co-founder“Ninety percent of the innovation that we're going to see over the next 10 years is going to come from backing into how we send products to someone in the mail in the most efficient way possible.”Find more links and images from this episode on the Lumi blog.
2019-11-201h 26Well Made99 Feeling Like a Kid Again with Gregory Sewitz, Co-Founder of Magic SpoonAt first, Magic Spoon may sound like a tough sell, but there are a few reasons why people are buying it. Nutritionally, it's more in line with a protein bar than a cereal. It's made for adults, but aesthetically it channels a childlike nostalgia. And even at $10 a box, per gram of protein, it's a pretty good deal. This isn't the first time Gregory Sewitz and his co-founder Gabi Lewis have taken a gamble on a tough-sell protein. With their first company, Exo, they sold cricket flour protein bars. They learned a lot about regulatory challenges a...
2019-11-1951 minWell Made98 Controlling the Narrative with Helena Price Hambrecht, founder of HausIn most states, you can't buy liquor on the internet, but you can buy Haus. Haus exists inside a loophole of the traditional alcohol model. It bypasses all the rules of what Helena Price Hambrecht calls the alcohol mafia.Before launching the California aperitifs brand (just a few months ago!), Helena lived many lives in tech. You may know her from Techies — her photo project spotlighting people who are underrepresented in tech. Her husband and Haus co-founder, Woody Hambrecht is a grape farmer. When you combine their shared passions and skillsets, you get Haus. Helena is using he...
2019-10-301h 01Well Made97 Changing Consumer Behavior with Sarah Paiji Yoo, Founder of BluelandIt's hard to believe that Blueland only launched this year. In fact, it's hard to believe that stores are still stocked with single-use bottles of cleaner. It's definitely not easy to change consumer behavior around CPG items, but Blueland has already made a real splash with their just-add-water cleaning tablets and this is just the beginning.We've heard how Leaf Shave, Seed, and Ollie have embraced the refill model, now, Blueland founder Sarah Paiji Yoo is sharing how she took that model and dehydrated it. Listen in to go behind the scenes of Blueland's rapid growth, the...
2019-10-2356 minWell Made96 Running Authentically with Matt Taylor, Founder of TracksmithMost runners don't end up on a Wheaties box or an Olympic podium. Most runners squeeze in their workout before coffee or after work. Those are the runners that Tracksmith is made for.Tracksmith has garnered a lot of attention for being the “anti-Nike,” but that certainly doesn’t mean that their customers aren’t serious about the sport. Founder Matt Taylor is on the podcast to share how Tracksmith not only captures the Amateur Spirit — they glorify it. In fact, that subdued, inviting, honest brand image is one that they hope will survive 100 years. From the photograph...
2019-10-0952 minWell Made95 Replacing Consumer Behavior with Erin Wallace, Brand Director at ThredUpEven with sustainability being top-of-mind for many brands, ThredUp's Erin Wallace says, "We're still creating too much." This year, Burberry had so much extra inventory that they burned millions of dollars worth. ThredUp's open letter to Burberry got a ton of traction. In addition to nudging Burberry to end the practice, the letter made it clear that secondhand is a simple way to offset fashion industry waste.
If ThredUp's massive distribution center is any indication, the impact of secondhand has gone way beyond the appeal of the treasure hunt. While part of Erin's job as Brand Director...
2019-09-1848 minWell Made94 Converting Shoppers into Buyers with Dan Frommer, Founder of The New ConsumerThere was a time when the idea of shopping online was revolutionary. When you may have called yourself an ecommerce convert and swore to never step foot in a brick-and-mortar store ever again. But the truth is, while Prime Day gets bigger ever year, so does the line outside of Everlane's X retail stores.
Dan Frommer knows that change is the only constant in how we shop and what we buy. He launched The New Consumer to track that change. Dan used to be the editor-in-chief at Recode and a reporter at Quartz and Forbes. Now, every...
2019-09-041h 03Well Made93 Fixing Broken Beauty Laws with Lindsay Dahl, SVP of Social Mission at BeautycounterIn the U.S., federal regulations are lagging decades behind the science of the beauty industry. That's why Beautycounter hired its own lobbyist.
The last time the beauty industry had a significant regulatory update was in 1938, so Beautyconuter founder Gregg Renfrew hired Lindsay Dahl to lead the charge and bring U.S. beauty regulations into this century. As a self-proclaimed "professional agitator" and veteran public health lobbyist, Lindsay is in the trenches. She travels back and forth to D.C., holding strategic meetings with elected officials, and presenting Beautycounter's science-backed issues and proposed solutions.
In...
2019-08-2852 minWell Made92 Stepping on All the Rakes with Tony Konecny, Co-founder of Yes PlzNo matter how you brew it, coffee is hot water dripped through ground beans. But somewhere down the line, good coffee started to feel out of reach, even for the everyday coffee drinker. Some coffee historians may disagree, but Tony Koecny (aka Tonx) believes that coffee's turn toward the bourgeois came with its third wave — a post-Starbucks generation of gadget obsessed brewers looking for the best quality beans.
Tony's roots in the coffee world run deep. His initial company, Tonx was the first coffee subscription around. Now, a couple years after selling Tonx to Blue Bottle, Tony la...
2019-08-211h 36Well Made91 Extending the Invitation with Kathyrn Duryea, founder of Year & DayThe way people entertain at home has completely shifted. As consumers look for opportunities to design their ideal morning coffee ritual or movie night in, they’re investing in more items that make a personal connection more attainable. Founder, Kathyrn Duryea is betting on it. She started tableware company, Year & Day, after 10 years working in ecommerce and brand marketing. Year & Day offers complete table sets of ceramic plates, bowls, and flatware. By focusing on functionality and a direct-to-consumer model, the startup encourages customers to focus on what and who is around the table.
On this episode, Kathryn an...
2019-08-0757 minWell Made90 Being Unapologetically Free with Joanna Griffiths, founder of KnixIn 2016, Joanna Griffiths found herself at a crossroads. Knix, the size-inclusive functional intimates apparel brand she founded three years prior, was omnichannel. They were selling online and in hundreds of retail stores, but their customers were experiencing a disconnect. That’s when Joanna took her bras and leakproof underwear brand completely online, 100% direct-to-consumer. This fresh start was a chance for Knix to transform their marketing and share honest stories directly with customers. Knix photographs their products on everyday women and they tell raw, honest stories about the messiest, unsexiest, and most humbling challenges women face.
Joanna's career ha...
2019-07-2456 minWell Made89 Letting Community Lead the Way with Manish Chandra, founder of PoshmarkFor the last 15 years, Manish Chandra has motivated pivotal shifts in how and where we buy things. Manish is the CEO of Poshmark, a social marketplace for people to buy and sell secondhand fashion and home goods. Long before founding Poshmark, he was creating social shopping experiences online. An engineer and marketer by trade, he believes in connecting community and technology, with people at the platform’s core. Community guides all the decisions that he makes for his company.
On this episode, Manish talks about the logistics of online consumer-to-consumer resale (7:39). He shares how Poshmark negotiated PoshPost, th...
2019-07-1749 minWell Made88 Taking Responsibility with Jeffrey HollenderJeffrey Hollender co-founded Seventh Generation on a mission to create home products that are better for the planet. He co-founded of Sustain Natural (with his daughter Meika) to make sex and wellness products that are healthier for women and the planet. But now, he says his product making days are over.
Now, Jeffrey spends most of his time as a professor at NYU, the co-founder of the American Sustainable Business Council, and a writer. His career path has been one of a steady zooming out. He started by facing the sustainability challenges of specific industries and products...
2019-07-1057 minWell Made87 Perfecting Personalization with Zahir Dossa, CEO and Co-founder of Function of BeautyFunction of Beauty never makes the same products twice. Each bottle of shampoo, conditioner, or leave-in is individually mixed, colored, and filled into personalized bottles for your unique hair type and goals. Every step of the process is rooted in technology. Founder, Zahir Dossa believes that lack of personalization is the biggest problem in haircare, so he rounded up the best team to tackle the problem.
On this episode, Zahir talks about creating the hair quiz behind Function of Beauty's 54 trillion product combinations (6:36). Function of Beauty is on their 100th bottling iteration. Zahir explains how they automated...
2019-07-0249 minWell Made86 Chasing the Sun with Aishwarya Iyer, founder of BrightlandMost people don’t understand the muddy manufacturing process of olive oil. Aishwarya Iyer is changing that. She is the founder of Brightland, a new olive oil brand that’s grounded in honest, conscious production and local sourcing of olives. After working in public relations and marketing for startup and technology companies in New York, Aishwarya switched coasts and careers. Now, she makes fresh, traceable olive oils with farms she trusts in California. The hand-harvested oils are meant to make you feel alive, awake and nourished from deep within.
On this episode of Well Made, Aishwarya talks abou...
2019-06-2650 minWell Made85 Holding Space with Matt Alexander, co-founder of Neighborhood GoodsThe throughline of Matt Alexander’s career is his ability to curate and create community. Three years ago, on episode four of the podcast, Matt talked about building a focused set of small retail brands. Today, he’s running Neighborhood Goods — a modern department store that’s the culmination of those early ideas. Neighborhood Goods is a unique retail experience that rotates featured brands, products, in-store activations, and ultimately, the stories they want to tell.
On this episode, Matt talks about bringing together local, digitally native, household name brands together under one showroom (9:45). Rather than sales-oriented goals, he share...
2019-06-201h 03Well Made84 Recovering Returns with David Sobie, co-founder of Happy ReturnsAs online shopping grows, ecommerce companies are struggling to make returning products as easy as buying them. Enter Happy Returns. It’s simple: buy online, return in-store at any Return Bars. You get your refund and Happy Returns handles the rest.
In 2015, after leading the in-store returns program for Hautelook and Nordstrom Rack, co-founders David Sobie and Mark Geller started Happy Returns. Their reverse logistics company addresses a unique set of consumer and retailer challenges: inconvenient mail-in returns, shrinking in-store traffic, and management of an often complicated and expensive process. By appealing to customers who want the fl...
2019-06-1259 minWell Made83 Engineering Lifelong Razors with Adam Simone, co-founder of Leaf ShaveA mechanical engineer by trade, co-founder Adam Simone worked for medical technology companies before bootstrapping his sustainable razor brand, Leaf Shave. After the acquisition of his first company, and a year of product refinement, Adam took his experience creating medical-grade tools to develop the refillable, plastic-free Leaf razor.
Leaf Shave’s hero product combines the form factor of a disposable cartridge shaver with the durability of a double-edge safety razor. Adam still works for a surgical tech company but hopes to take Leaf Shave full-time, for now, he’s focused on creating great facial instruments and growing the...
2019-06-0548 minWell Made82 Kilning It with Alex Matisse, co-founder of East ForkScaling a craft brand isn’t easy, not only on manufacturing, but company values and ethos. Alex Matisse's company East Fork is producing traditional pottery that’s distinctly modern while forging a big, ambitious path forward.
East Fork makes sought-after stoneware using clays from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Their minimalist mug is so popular that it sells out in minutes. East Fork plates and bowls come in seasonal glazes that mirror the energy of a family kitchen and the blanket warmth of a cup of cocoa. Co-founders Alex Matisse, his wife Connie Matisse, and frie...
2019-05-2258 minWell Made81 Turning All the Dimmers Up with Kerry Cooper, President of Rothy'sKerry Cooper has 20 years of executive retail expertise. She helped build cornerstone ecommerce platforms for Walmart and she’s lead marketing and operations for ModCloth and Levi’s. Now, as President of Rothy's, she’s stepping into a new challenge of expanding the sustainable shoe startup globally.
Rothy’s makes stylish, close-knit flats from the fibers of recycled plastic bottles. The massive appeal of their shoes goes beyond functionality, their 3D knitting is less wasteful than the cut-and-sew approach. As consumer demand for eco-conscious footwear skyrocket, Rothy’s is strategically separating themselves from the sustainable shoe pack by expandi...
2019-05-1558 minWell Made80 Seeding with Ara Katz, co-founder of SeedThere are a kajillion microscopic cells in the human body, and at least half are bacteria. Seed is a life science and consumer health company exploring the vast connections between microbiomes and health. Their Daily Synbiotic is a supplement that promotes the community of microbes that dwell inside us. Ara Katz co-founded Seed when the birth of her son helped flourish her interest in the microbiome. The company is focused on educating people about the power of the microbiome.
On this episode, Ara Katz talks about translating the science of 38 trillion microorganisms living in and on our...
2019-05-0855 min
Well Made78 Closing the Clothing Loop with Cynthia Power, Director of EILEEN FISHER RenewEILEEN FISHER is closing the loop on their apparel through Renew. The brand starts with high-quality fabrics and designs and takes back their used clothes in any condition. Since 2009, Renew has recovered over one million garments. The pieces go on to be cleaned, then they're resold, deconstructed and remade into new garments, or regenerated into other innovations. At their east coast recycling workshop, the Tiny Factory, Renew is developing ways to extend their products’ lifecycles while implementing ethical and sustainable systems. Cynthia Power is the Director of EILEEN FISHER Renew and she's at the frontline of Tiny Factory. By ta...
2019-04-2452 min
Well Made77 Merging the Disruptor and Disrupted with JT Marino, co-founder of Tuft & NeedleIn 2012, Tuft & Needle co-founder JT Marino set out to fix the broken bed industry. The digitally native brand began by shipping mattresses in boxes with a focus on consumer experience. In their first six years, JT and his co-founder Daehee Park bootstrapped the company to $170M in sales, then in September 2018, they merged with the largest U.S. mattress manufacturer, Serta Simmons Bedding.
Now, as Chief Strategy Officer at Serta, JT has the challenge of retrofitting and dismantling existing systems at the traditional retailer. JT is doubling down to accelerate Tuft & Needle’s offline growth and guide Se...
2019-04-171h 08
Well Made76 Delivering Like Amazon with Casey Armstrong, Chief Marketing Officer at ShipBobLogistics is one of the most complex pieces of running an ecommerce company. Cost-effective shipping solutions that don’t compromise customer experience are not one-size-fits-all, and keeping up with the expectations set by Amazon Prime is a constant struggle.
Most often, 3PLs (third-party logistics service), are responsible for storing and shipping products for ecommerce. Casey Armstrong is the Chief Marketing Officer of ShipBob, a 3PL that operates a growing network of distribution centers in major U.S. cities. They’re helping ecommerce businesses run a flexible and speedy supply chain. With tools getting more sophisticated, Casey says long...
2019-04-101h 01
Well Made75 Launching a New Unboxing with Ollie and Lerer HippeauWe first spoke to Ollie in 2017, less than a year after they launched. Gabby Slome was on the podcast talking about building a brand on great ingredients and an innovative model for shipping ready-to-serve, refrigerated dog food. Now, two years later, Ollie is scaling to keep up with their growing customer base.
When launched, Ollie was shipping their human-grade dog food in single-use plastic trays. As their customer and canine base grew, they got the customer feedback they needed to scale and adapt their initial packaging experience. Last week, they launched a totally revamped packaging suite that...
2019-04-0354 min
Well Made74 Taking Sunscreen Seriously with Amanda Baldwin, President of Supergoop!Protecting your skin from the sun is important, yet sunscreen is a surprisingly sleepy category. Initially conceived as a product for schools in 2007, now you can shop for Supergoop! on their website and on shelves alongside beauty products at Sephora and Nordstrom. The brand is changing the reception around suncare with first in-their-class, feel-good SPF essentials like their Superscreen moisturizer and new Shimmershades.
As President of Supergoop!, Amanda Baldwin is leading the mission-driven sunscreen brand and layering a digital footprint over top. Amanda brings a long history in operations and marketing cosmetics and luxury goods from LVMH...
2019-03-2745 min
Well Made73 Testing Things with Jenny Gyllander, founder of ThingtestingIt was Jenny Gyllander's passion for branding and her studies and experiences in venture capital that led her to start Thingtesting — an Instagram account dedicated to DTC product reviews with a twist. On the Thingtesting Instagram, Jenny, a former CMO of Slush and investor at Backed VC, offers her perspective from the lens of an everyday user and venture capitalist. A year later, she’s amassed over 22K followers, an accompanying newsletter, and website.
On this episode, Jenny illuminates on the backstory on how she found herself in marketing to venture capital to best VC on Instagram (1:56). Jenn...
2019-03-2045 min
Well Made72 Connecting with Color with Natalie and Caleb Ebel, co-founders of BackdropAfter careers in marketing and finance and starting their own family, wife and husband co-founders, Natalie and Caleb Ebel took on their next project — making over the paint market. By painting a jargon-free consumer experience, newly launched startup, Backdrop is moving the hardware store paint chip model forward.
On this episode, Natalie and Caleb talk about their personal and working partnership (3:26). Most people can’t tell you the color or brand of the paint on their walls; Natalie and Caleb illuminate how they are creating brand affinity in the paint industry (13:17). Natalie explains how investing in their web...
2019-03-1346 min
Well Made71 Getting Weirder with Emily Sugihara, CEO and founder of BagguThings are getting weird at Baggu, and that’s a great thing. The Standard Baggu has been around for 12 years, but the company is still finding ways to grow and experiment. By trusting their experiences, founder Emily Sugihara and her team are finding confidence and empowerment in their brand voice and values.
Baggu doubled their team size in a span of a year. On the show, hear their approach to hiring and training and implementing processes while preserving the heart of the brand with an influx of new hires (11:24). More than a decade in business, Emily illuminates ho...
2019-03-0649 min
Well Made70 Building on Greenfields with Paul Munford, Editor-in-Chief of LeanLuxeIf you're of the modern luxury business set, chances are you're reading LeanLuxe. Launched in July 2016, LeanLuxe is an online newsletter of noteworthy developments and big picture happenings in retail.
On this episode, Editor-in-Chief, Paul Munford and Stephan Ango roundup the latest news and trends driving modern commerce. VCs poured a record $138 billion into U.S. startups last year, but were unicorn valuations and expectations realistic to begin with? Now that the dust has settled, Paul discusses the adjustments VCs are making (3:20). Stephan and Paul question if it’s getting harder to become a global brand despite gr...
2019-02-2757 min
Well Made69 Breaking Up the Meat Monopoly with Chris Carter and James Peisker, co-founders of Porter RoadWhile shipping meat isn’t a new concept, the guys at Porter Road are the first to bring the art of whole animal butchery to home cooks. Chris Carter and James Peisker are the co-founders of VC-backed online butcher shop, Porter Road. In 2010, after years at the back of the house, Chris and James began Porter Road as a catering business in Nashville. After realizing how difficult it was to get fresh, traceable meats, they decided to run and own their entire supply chain. While boxed and bulk meats are the industry standard, the team at Porter Road is lo...
2019-02-1345 min
Well Made68 Setting the New Standard for Sex with Eva Goicochea, CEO and co-founder of MaudeMaude is a sex essentials company founded by brand strategist, Eva Goicochea. The brand is muted and the products are pared-down. It's is a far departure from the loud, hypermasculine messaging you see in drugstore aisles, and that's the point. From the beginning, Eva focused on creating inclusive sex products that were simply designed and intuitive to use.
When we last spoke to Eva, Maude was still pre-launch. Together, with industrial designer Dina Epstein as her co-founder, they launched the company in April 2018. By simplifying sex essentials, Maude is subtly and authentically changing an industry that has...
2019-02-0653 min
Well Made67 Designing Your Product Playbook with Joseph Guerra and Sina Sohrab, founders of VisibilityVisibility is an industrial design office based in New York, co-founded by Joseph Guerra and Sina Sohrab. They create products, furniture, lighting, and spaces. The studio established an impressive roster of direct-to-consumer clients including Away, Outdoor Voices, and Harry's. Behind Visibility is an empirical approach to design, and their most recent projects demonstrate the pair’s endeavor for simple, functional objects.
On the show, Joseph and Sina walk through the step-by-step process of bringing a physical product to market. They talk about how they design the playbook that they reference throughout a project (12:42). They cover the time, co...
2019-01-3058 min
Well Made66 Making the Greatest Sock Never Sold with David Heath, CEO and co-founder of BombasBombas’ take on the tube sock is engineered for all walks of life, no matter the circumstances. After learning socks are the number one most requested clothing item at homeless shelters, David Heath started the premium sock brand with a giving mission. Bombas donates one pair of socks for every pair sold. The five-year-old company surpassed 10 million sock donations as of November 2018.
From the beginning, David established core values grounded in the community and customer experience. In fact, Dave was on customer service duty for the first nine months of the company, taking calls at all hours. To...
2019-01-1651 min
Well Made65 Having the Sustainable Sex Talk with Meika Hollender, CEO and co-founder of Sustain NaturalIf it’s going in, on, or around women’s bodies, you can bet Sustain Natural is making it. Meika Hollender never thought she’d start a company. She grew up seeing her father, Jeffrey Hollender found, Seventh Generation and she was in business school when their career paths aligned. Starting a sex and period essentials brand with her dad was never in Meika’s plans, but she’s taken the reigns to create more sustainable reproductive health products, inciting conversations around women’s health and sex along the way.
On this episode, Meika talks about starting a condom sta...
2019-01-0251 min
Well Made64 Scaling Up to Give Back with Charlie Carlisle, Chief Operations Officer of Love Your MelonLove Your Melon started as a university class project in Minnesota. Six years later, the brand is selling beanies, headgear, and apparel, and giving fifty percent of net profits to nonprofit charities in the fight against pediatric cancer. To date, they've given nearly $5 million dollars and over 156,000 hats to children battling cancer. Chief Operations Officer, Charlie Carlisle says the key to their growth is the mission behind their brand and the fostering key partnerships.
On this episode, Charlie talks about the rapid growth of the company (10:51) and vetting third-party collaborators early (11:50). He illuminates the three things he...
2018-12-1942 min
Well Made63 Owning Your Brand with Jake Kassan, CEO and co-founder of MVMTAfter two failed business, Jake Kassan started MVMT. MVMT’s minimal, sleek take on watches and accessories in addition to their focused marketing gained them millions of followers. In 2013, Jake bootstrapped MVMT through Indiegogo, and this August, the five-year-old brand was acquired by the Movado Group.
Through those early ventures, Jake learned the importance of brand. For MVMT, brand informs, motivates, and guides every part of their business, especially their influencer marketing.
On the podcast, we sit down with Jake to talk about the pillars of the MVMT lifestyle (2:15) and creating aspirational content with influencers (3:53). He...
2018-12-1352 min
Well Made62 Moving the Rock from Zero to One with Ryan Babenzien, CEO and co-founder of GREATSAfter leading Entertainment Marketing at Puma and K-Swiss, GREATS co-founder, Ryan Babenzien built his own brand of premium footwear, online. Four years in, Ryan is sharing how GREATS is toeing the line of tradition and trend in retail.
On this episode, Ryan talks about scaling influence (4:16). He shares how finding the razor’s edge in growth is an exercise in brand building (10:54) and managing marketing collaborations tightly (11:30). Ryan explains what all great brands have in common (12:56), and how he found the right wholesale partner in Nordstrom (15:51). He talks about GREATS’ design ethos (18:11) and how classics will always driv...
2018-12-0553 min
Well Made61 Picking the Right Swatch with Nicole Gibbons, CEO and founder of ClareDesigned to bring the expert to you, Clare simplifies the paint shopping process. The direct-to-consumer brand opts for a focused color selection, user-friendly sample swatches, and an intuitive color picking guide. By bringing together her personal and professional experiences, founder Nicole Gibbons is hoping to build a brand that’s primed for the long haul.
On this episode, Nicole explains why she choose to launch with a solution for the entire paint shopping process (6:28). She talks about predicting the lifetime value of their customer (9:56) and shaping a brand that sells to the DIY and professional markets (11:17). She sh...
2018-11-1446 min
Well Made60 Asking the Bajillion Dollar Question with Erica E. Phillips, Business Reporter, The Wall Street JournalErica E. Phillips covers logistics and global supply chain for The Wall Street Journal, reporting on the latest news affecting retail, manufacturing, and consumer goods. Between increased online buying overhauling supply chain best practices and the escalating US-China trade war, we wanted to talk to her about the effects of ecommerce industry-wide.
On this episode of Well Made, Erica talks about the warehouse labor shortage, the ramifications of Amazon’s $15 minimum wage increase (2:16), and how businesses will stay competitive to fill a projected 425,000 warehouse jobs by 2019 (7:52). Erica shares how fulfillment centers are using emojis, Alexa, and applications to...
2018-10-1755 min
Well Made59 Making it Easy to Eat Healthy with Carter Comstock and Michael Wystrach, co-founders of FreshlyJust a few years ago, on-demand meal delivery services were non-existent. Today, you can find brands specializing in everything from smoothies to family dinners. In a crowded space, Freshly is betting on healthy, heat-and-eat, pre-portioned meals. Since founding the subscription meal service in 2012, Michael Wystrach and Carter Comstock have used a growing cold supply chain to deliver fresh food direct-to-consumer, adopting and creating their own systems along the way.
On this episode, Michael and Carter share the secret to making fresh foods that travel well (2:11). With recent IPOs, acquisitions, and companies shuttering, Michael talks about the state...
2018-10-0445 min
Well Made58 Learning the Value of Conversation with Alex Friedman, co-CEO and co-founder of LOLAIt's not always easy for women to talk and learn about their periods or reproductive health. LOLA co-CEOs and founders, Alex Friedman and Jordana Kier realized they weren't the only ones confused or curious about the products coming in contact with their bodies. So in 2015, they set out to answer a seemingly simple question: What are tampons made of? LOLA launched with organic, non-toxic cotton tampons and have since built a product line of feminine hygiene and sexual health products.
On this episode, co-founder Alex Friedman talks about validating their idea for LOLA with early focus groups (6:31...
2018-09-1944 min
Well Made57 Bringing the Chocolate with Haraldur Thorleifsson, founder of UenoFrom Airbnb to Uber, creative agency Ueno is designing digital experiences for Silicon Valley's biggest tech companies. Founder Haraldur Thorleifsson is on Well Made sharing how the most important part of their process has nothing to do with design.
On this episode, Halli talks about building trust with first-time clients (14:25) and teaching brands the role of agencies (17:39). He shares how collaboration and fostering personal relationships are important to their process (21:23). He talks about not wanting to be boxed into the same design style (25:59). As Ueno continues to boom, Halli talks about restructuring their company to be autonomous...
2018-08-2945 min
Well Made56 Disregarding Rules with Max Temkin, co-creator of Cards Againsts Humanity and BlackboxIn 2011, Max Temkin and several friends crowdfunded one of the most successful games on Kickstarter — Cards Against Humanity. On Well Made, Max is talking about Blackbox, the shipping company he co-created after realizing how difficult shipping a wildly popular physical product could be.
On this episode, Max talks about creating his own rules about doing business (4:54). He shares how they build Cards’s sometimes-inappropriate-but-always-hilarious brand of writing into the company (13:39). He shares more about Blackbox (23:30) and what they learned from shipping one of the most funded Kickstarter games (26:28). Even after rapid growth, Max talks about the growing pain...
2018-08-221h 04
Well Made55 Creating a Safe Space for Beauty with Gloria Noto, founder of NOTO BotanicsAfter a decade-long career in the editorial makeup industry, Gloria Noto, would found her own makeup and skincare line, NOTO Botanics, in 2016. Her all-natural full body collection of uni-sex oils, serums, and skin tints are multi-use and formulated for everyone. Her brand is a platform for education, activism, and inclusive brand messaging — all things she felt were missing in the wellness world. Even as NOTO grows, it’s Gloria’s vision of openness and authenticity that defines the line.
On this episode, Gloria talks about pursuing a creative career full-time (11:48). She shares how the makeup industry has change...
2018-08-1543 min
Well Made54 Making Whatever You Want with Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost, co-founders of Studio NeatTom Gerhardt and Dan Provost are the founders of Studio Neat, a design company making gadgets and tools through Kickstarter. Their first campaign, the Glif tripod mount, helped launch other Kickstarter hardware back in 2010. Since then, they’ve crowdfunded seven more projects, everything from the Cosmonaut to the Neat Ice Kit. Their products are simply designed and delightful to use.
On this episode, Tom and Dan share how a diverse product offering and slow-but-steadfast audience growth are tenets of running their business (7:00). Stephan, Tom, and Dan ponder being generalists versus specialists (12:17). Tom likens Studio Neat to a band...
2018-08-0856 min
Well Made53 Cultivating a Modern Relationship with Plants with Eliza Blank, CEO and founder of The SillIn 2012, CEO and founder Eliza Blank bootstrapped The Sill through a Kickstarter campaign and started the ecommerce business locally — hand-delivering indoor potted plants around New York City. Six years later, The Sill is shipping everything from ferns to succulents nationwide.
When plants are your product, the information to keep them alive becomes part of the product offering. By taking the guesswork, and ultimately friction, out of buying and caring for plants, Eliza and her team are seeing the community (and sales) flourish. Their goal? To make the experience enjoyable, even for the sorest of green thumbs.
...
2018-08-0152 min
Well Made52 Celebrating the Stories We Wear with Nellie Cohen, Patagonia's Worn Wear ManagerNellie Cohen oversees Patagonia’s Worn Wear program. Worn Wear encourages people to do more with the clothing they already have through repair, reuse, and responsible recycling. They do this by offering trade-in credits for pre-owned Patagonia merchandise that’s then resold online at a discount. While a smaller operation, Worn Wear is part of Patagonia’s larger commitment to ethical environmental responsibility. More than that, the program is about the true stories of people and their Patagonia gear and preserving the planet in a small way.
On this episode of the podcast, Nellie shares the origins behind...
2018-07-2547 min
Well Made51 Predicting Trends in Real Time with Cheryl Kaplan, President of M.GemiM.Gemi releases new styles every Monday, teasing a sandal, loafer, or heel online and immediately selling out hours later. It’s a new kind of retail model they’re able to execute because of a strategic supply chain set up in Italy. President, Cheryl Kaplan says that working with this timeline helps keep the brand agile. They can turn around a customized inventory of styles and sizes based on instant data from across their channels. Setting a new standard for a responsive, data-driven shoe company, M.Gemi seem to have their hands (and feet) full.
On this...
2018-07-1849 min
Well Made50 Changing Retail with Hilary Milnes, Managing Editor, GlossySince joining Digiday in 2015, Hilary Milnes has worked her way from retail reporter to Managing Editor of Glossy, Digiday Media’s online publication covering the impact of technology on the fashion, beauty, and luxury industries. As the host of the Glossy podcast, she talks to founders, designers, and industry leaders at the forefront of that change. On this episode of Well Made, she’s discussing the resurgence of the retail store and where the luxury world is at in the transition from wholesale to direct-to-consumer.
On this episode, Hilary talks about brands realigning their physical retail strategy to e...
2018-06-2745 min
Well Made49 Connecting People to their Kitchens with Eunice Byun, CEO and co-founder of MaterialTo bring clarity to the kitchen drawer, Material co-founders, Eunice Byun and Dave Nguyen did two years of research, testing, and sourcing for their kitchenware brand. The result? An eight-piece Fundamentals set of multi-tasking knives, spatulas, and tongs nestled in a sleek magnetic wood base. Eunice believes narrowing in on their product offering sets themselves apart in functionality. And by ultimately focusing on the people using their products, they're laying the groundwork for a shift from incumbent kitchen brands.
On this episode of Well Made, Material CEO Eunice explains how they studied and identified core product values...
2018-06-2041 min
Well Made48 Converting Influence with Web Smith, founder of 2PMIn his hyper curated newsletter, 2PM, Web Smith covers the latest ecommerce news, trends, and data insights happening in media and retail.
It’s been eight months since Web Smith was last on the podcast and a lot has changed with 2PM. He launched a paid executive membership, hired a new editor, and is releasing their first series of original content. With the ecommerce landscape shifting beyond DNVBs, it’s the perfect time to loop back and answer some questions.
On this episode, Web predicts how brands will advertise amidst Google’s shrinking reach and Safari...
2018-06-1343 min
Well Made47 Elevating the House Slipper with Bianca Gates and Marisa Sharkey, co-founders of BirdiesWhen friends and Birdies co-founders, Bianca Gates and Marisa Sharkey dove head, or rather feet first, into their shoe company, they didn’t expect they’d be outfitting royal duchess, Meghan Markle. They weren’t even sure how they were going to sell their first run of 2,000 slippers just two years ago.
Both women held highly successful jobs before turning their side hustle into a full-time operation in 2017 and they’ve used their extensive consumer sales background to grow their business incrementally.
In this episode, Bianca and Marisa talk about making their business concept a reality and taki...
2018-06-0549 min
Well Made46 Refining Women's Shaving with Karen Young, CEO and founder of Oui ShaveAfter a career in retail sales and operations at Estée Lauder, Karen Young started Oui Shave. The ecommerce startup sells skincare and shaving tools specifically crafted for the female experience. Their rose gold safety razor is engineered to last longer and cause less irritation; when paired with their natural oils and rich balms, the whole experience is designed to elevate women's shaving.
Raised by her uncles and grandmother, Karen's first business was an homage to her grandmother's colorful home, while Oui Shave’s signature razor was inspired by her uncles’ grooming tools. From Guyana to Brooklyn, where...
2018-05-3053 min
Well Made45 Breathing Life into Brands with Helen Rice, co-founder and Creative Director of FuzzcoFrom launching a creative agency to a real estate brand, Helen Rice isn’t afraid to try something new. In 2005, Helen and her husband Josh Nissenboim launched Fuzzco. From their bi-coastal offices in Charleston and Portland, Helen and her team have done branding, photography, illustration, and animation for companies like MailChimp and Google all while launching their own side projects with the same curious point of view and distinct design sense.
Pretend Store is their pop-up-experiment-turned-ecommerce shop where they sell wildly creative and collaborative products, designed in-house. Serious Buildings is a design-driven real estate investment company where He...
2018-05-2244 min
Well Made44 Shipping Couches with Kabeer Chopra, co-founder of BurrowBurrow aspired to create a couch you’d expect from high-end competitors without breaking the bank. Their biggest challenge? Shipping furniture through commercial carriers in compact boxes, quickly and for free.
To make their couch manufacturable and shippable, they had to balance form and function, to meet specific technical benchmarks. They reversed engineered their modular couch to minimize weight and fine-tuned every aspect of their product and packaging to make assembly and unboxing functional for the customer.
On this episode, co-founder Kabeer Chopra talks about designing an oversized product for efficient shipping (30:40). He talks about re...
2018-05-1543 min
Well Made43 Designing Awesome Clothes, Backed by Data with Rachel Blumenthal, CEO and founder of Rockets of AwesomeAfter 12 years and two other companies, Rachel Blumenthal landed on Rockets of Awesome — a kids clothes subscription that moms love too. Rockets of Awesome was a natural culmination of her past experiences and her new role as a mom. The brand simplifies parents’ lives by delivering a convenient, risk-free way to find stylish clothes for their children. Behind Rockets’ space-themed aesthetic and bright blue coloring box is personalization via data. From the initial style quiz to tracking what items are returned or repurchased, they’re using information to customize and improve the experience for parents and kids.
On this episo...
2018-05-0849 min
Well Made42 Subscribing to a Community with Daniel Broukhim, co-CEO and co-founder of FabFitFunFabFitFun built an extensive community of customers and influencers who share their quarterly unboxings all over social media. Daniel Broukhim is the co-CEO and co-founder of the FabFitFun. He believes bringing value to the customer through their full-size products, digital content integrations, and experiential marketing are keys to their growth.
On Well Made, Daniel joins Stephan and special guest host, Lumi founder Jesse Genet, to talk about bootstrapping their newsletter business into a physical product sold direct-to-consumer (8:36), how storytelling and building a narrative are part of the FabFitFun DNA (8:06), and why staying intentional positioned them in a...
2018-05-0142 min
Well Made41 Going Direct to Consumer with Lauren Sherman, Chief New York Correspondent, Business of FashionLauren Sherman is the Chief Correspondent at the Business of Fashion — an online publication delivering industry news on emerging and global brands, designers, and trends happening in retail. From Amazon to Allbirds, the former Forbes reporter and Editor-at-Large at Fashionista, covers why and how people are spending their money on fashion.
On this episode, Lauren talks about how traditional retailers are adapting to go direct-to-consumer, how DNVBs can succeed at physical retail, and if brand identity matters.
Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.
2018-04-2453 min
Well Made40 Making Sustainability Practical with Tabea Soriano, co-founder of FuturemadeTabea Soriano is the co-founder and managing partner at sustainable innovation and consulting agency Futuremade. At Futuremade she advises startups on how to integrate environmental, ethical, and socially responsible strategies into identity and business. Before starting Futuremade, she came from a decade-long product and supply chain background. As the former Head of Product at ethical fashion line, Reformation, she lead the research and development of innovative materials and design. Operationally, she helped establish a more sustainable supply chain.
On this episode, Tabea shares how brands can focus in on social and environmental issues, impactful ways to integrate s...
2018-04-1745 min
Well Made39 Practicing the Narrative with Maria ThomasMaria Thomas has 20 years of tech industry experience. From Amazon to NPR to SmartThings, if there’s one through line in Maria’s career, it’s having the curiosity and vision to help brands get off the ground at an early stage. She’s a seasoned consumer internet pro who experienced the evolution from Web 1.0 to its current state, navigating brands through good and bad times.
On this episode, Maria talks about the value of a brand narrative, preparation, and seeing the potential in promising brands.
Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blo
2018-04-101h 03
Well Made38 Taking Measured Risks with Heidi Zak, co-founder of ThirdLoveThirdLove set out to face two huge challenges in the bra industry: designing a fit for all women and selling it with no risk to the customer. Their solutions — the Fit Finder quiz and try-before-you-buy program — changed how people buy bras online.
Early manufacturing mistakes and marketing struggles could have spelled the end for the brand, but ThirdLove found creative, radical solutions. ThirdLove has found success in a better fitting product designed for all women, with a risk-free buying experience, and a brand voice focused on inclusivity, that’s driven by data.
On this episode, Heidi...
2018-03-2751 min
Well Made35 Taking Nobody's Word for It with Jesse Genet and Stephan AngoCo-founders Jesse Genet and Stephan Ango launched Lumi in 2015, and they're excited to share what's next. It's been a year since their last episode so it's a perfect time to loop back, talk about the fundraising process, and answer some of your questions.
Links and images are from this post are on the Lumi blog.
2018-02-201h 05
Well Made28 Outmaneuvering the Behemoth with Web Smith, founder of 2PMWeb Smith's past experiences in retail, tech, and ecommerce have all lead to his current role as Director of Partnerships at Cotton Bureau. This new role fits him like a glove (or a very comfy tee.) Long before Andy Dunn coined the abbreviation DNVB (Digitally Native Vertical Brand), Web was creating thoughtful content and genuine connections to sell stuff online.
From Pittsburgh, 3,000 miles from Silicon Valley, Web tracks every new brand and acquisition that pops up in ecommerce. He shares his ecommerce predictions and reflections in his newsletter, 2PM Links. It's a hyper curated digest of all...
2017-10-1952 min
Well Made16 Becoming Your Own Refuge with Jesse GenetRunning a business for 13 years, Lumi founder Jesse Genet has learned a lot of the ins and outs of entrepreneurship. She's been an entrepreneur since she was 16, so on this episode, we fielded questions from listeners about everything from small space living (Jesse lives in an Airstream trailer) to finding the right systems for your business.
In this episode, Stephan also talks to Jesse about her recent viral essay — Running a Business with Boobs: The Things I Never Say. In 13 years of entrepreneurship, Jesse has raised over a quarter million dollars on Kickstarter, pitched on Shark Tank, pa...
2017-03-161h 06
Well Made13 Tackling Taboos with Miki AgrawalMiki Agrawal's career as a social entrepreneur covers the three Ps — periods, pee, and poop. As you might expect, tackling the three Ps has meant breaking taboos and facing stigmas, not only in the face of skeptical consumers, but also investors.
On this episode of Well Made, Stephan talks to Miki about her fundraising challenges and how she's fueled by creating products in blue ocean markets that create a positive impact.
Visit the Lumi Blog for links to Miki's brands and images of the artful branding.
2017-02-0332 min
Well Made12 Leveling Out and Narrowing in With Richie SiegelWriter Richie Siegel and Stephan talk about 2016’s big trends in the digital, direct-to-consumer market. In the past few years, with the boom of vertical commerce brands like Glossier, Everlane, and Warby Parker, the cross section of tech, retail, and fashion has been all the rage in the startup world. Instead of starting new apps, tech-inclined, business-savvy, design lovers have started direct-to-consumer brands in an attempt break down monopolies, disrupt age old supply chains, and change how consumers shop.
On this episode, Stephan talks with Richie about brands that are changing how we think about retail and e-comme...
2017-01-2052 min
Well Made11 Being Happy is the Best Revenge with Tuesday BassenIllustrator and entrepreneur Tuesday Bassen talks to Stephan about the evolution of her work through a series of “What do I have to lose?” milestones in her life. From Nebraska to New York to Los Angeles, Tuesday has made big changes to find the wit and honesty that’s so distinct about her work.
In addition to her illustration work, Tuesday runs her online shop, Shop Tuesday and just launched her first apparel collection for fall. This summer, she opened her first brick-and-mortar shop, Friend Mart, in LA’s Chinatown.
On this episode, Stephan talks with Tue...
2016-10-2548 min
Well Made10 Asking Good Questions with Grace BonneyGrace Bonney is a blogging trailblazer. With an eye for interior design, DIY, and writing, she started Design*Sponge in 2004. It’s a super popular destination for all things creative — home, design, and entrepreneurship — that gets 1 million views daily. Now Grace has launched a new book, “In the Company of Women” talking to over 100 diverse women who have started their own creative careers and asking them really good questions.
On this episode, Stephan gets meta, asking Grace questions about those good questions — What are they? How do you ask them? And why are they important?
Visit the Lu...
2016-10-0446 min
Well Made9 Moving On When Everything is Perfect with Mig ReyesMig Reyes is a writer and traditionally trained graphic designer who found himself designing for the web before the UI and UX designers were common job titles. In addition to being the co-president of AIGA Chicago, he's formerly worked at Tock, Basecamp, and Threadless, really blazing a trail of beautiful spaces and experiences on the web. Now Mig is taking his talent and experience to Trunk Club as a design lead. On this episode of Well Made, Stephan talks to Mig about his role in the conception of these iconic web companies, and how he sees the role of...
2016-08-2943 min
Well Made8 Staying Small on Purpose with Jeff SheldonJeff Sheldon’s lifestyle brand Ugmonk has earned a faithful following of designers and entrepreneurs. He started the brand at the beginning of his design career and his faithful followers have been there every step of the way. In this episode, Jeff talks to Stephan about how promoting brand transparency and staying small has earned Ugmonk an ever-growing, faithful following.
Visit the Lumi Blog for photos and highlights from the episode.
2016-08-0336 min
Well Made7 Making the Rulebook for Your Life with Aaron DraplinAaron Draplin is as iconic as his work for Nike, Esquire and the Obama Administration. While running his companies Draplin Design Co and Field Notes, Aaron has learned a lot about how to work hard while making lasting relationships with all the people who matter. Stephan Ango talks to him about his new book “Pretty Much Everything,” his tendency for optimism, and what how his dad shaped his personality.
Visit the Lumi Blog for the full transcript.
2016-07-2837 min
Well Made6 Embracing the Inevitable with Kevin KellyKevin Kelly is founding executive editor of “Wired,” and the former editor of the “Whole Earth Catalog.” In this fast-paced episode, Stephan Ango talks to Kevin about his new book, his predictions of the future, and how we an embrace them.
Visit the Lumi Blog for the full transcript.
2016-07-2240 min
Well Made5 Democratizing Design, Watches, and Sex with Eva GoicocheaEva Goicochea — web designer, brand strategist and co-founder of Tinker and Maude talks to Stephan Ango about her minimal aesthetic and the evolution of modern brands.
Visit the Lumi Blog for detailed show notes.
2016-07-1237 min
Well Made4 Permission to Think Smaller with Matt AlexanderMatt Alexander, founder of Edition Collective talks to Stephan Ango about his growing brand and how he aspires to meet customers' needs by thinking small and staying flexible.
Visit the Lumi Blog for detailed show notes.
2016-06-1338 min
Well Made3 The Silicon Valley of Leather with Mike MacadaanIn our first live episode of Well Made, Stephan Ango talks to designer and entrepreneur, Mike Macadaan. Founder of leather accessories brand, This is Ground, Mike has a storied past as a product designer at AOL, Myspace and the startup incubator, Science. He shares his experiences crossing over from digital to physical design, and the challenges that come with it.
Visit the Lumi Blog for detailed show notes and pictures from our first Los Angeles meetup at Lumi HQ.
2016-05-3034 min
Well Made2 Sphinx of Black Quartz with Tobias Frere-JonesIn our second episode of Well Made, Stephan Ango talks to designer and typography legend, Tobias Frere-Jones. Tobias tells us about the concept behind his new typeface Mallory. We talk to him about the personality and potential of type, and how it level the playing field in business. Type affects the impact of how we communicate and in this episode, we definitely wax poetic about our love for typography. And pangrams.
Visit the Lumi Blog for show notes and photos showcasing Mallory, made with Lumi vinyl decals, rubber stamps and silkscreen kit.
2016-05-1936 min