
Baby Got Backstory BGBS 035: Sarah Kauss | S'well | What Would You Do If You Could Not Fail?
Jul 22, 2020
53:23
Founder and Chairwoman of S’well, Sarah Kauss created a new product category when she fused fashion and water bottles. Her business was birthed from a passion to find a way to combat single-use plastics and has now sold over 20 million products since launching. S’well is a brand that my family and I use and as I interviewed Sarah, I had my sleek white S’well on my desk. Sarah has been recognized as a Fortune 40 under 40 honoree and EY Entrepreneurial Winning Woman, while S’well has been named the #1 fastest growing women-led company by Women Presidents Organization. S’well has also received the brand design award from INC magazine and is sold at places such as MOMA and Bloomingdales in New York City. Find out how Sarah has built a global lifestyle brand that is giving back.
Is your water bottle making the world a better place to live?
What we’re talking about
- Creating A Business Based On Passion & Purpose
- Hearing “No” As A Challenge & Pivoting Along The Way
- A Product That Is Literally Changing The World
- 36:43 - 37:36 (53 sec SK) - Bloomingdales said no...great partner and really fun to work with now.
- 9:30 - 10:04 (34 sec SK) - I was living in New York City for awhile…more impact overall.
- I was underestimating the size of the market when I created S’well. SK
- When you force it, it just doesn’t come. SK
- Any situation you’re in, there’s something to be learned. SK
- Even if it’s a bad experience, there’s something you can learn that you’ll do different in your venture. SK
- I needed that fire in my belly to sell, sell, sell in the early days. SK
- In order to further your mission you have to backup forward facing from it. MG
- If there’s a way for me to turn this upside down and make a product that’s beautiful and by the way, works better than anything….it could lead to more action and impact overall. SK
- You have to start somewhere. All little steps have the opportunity to grow if you just put your mind to it. SK
- Tiny steps grow from support of customers, collaborations and others. SK
- Each one of our products is like one of my favorite children. SK
- I still get really excited about our company and our product even this many years and products in. SK
- I wanted to create accidental activists. SK
- We aren’t a water bottle, we’re a hydration fashion accessory. SK
