

The Story of a Brand
CommerceFocused Media, Inc.
Welcome to The Story Of A Brand Show. Hear the unique entrepreneurial journeys of 1000+ Consumer Brand founders. We tap into the doubts, failures, wins and inspirations that come with building Consumer Brand startups in extremely competitive times. Whether you own a brand or work for one, you will learn from our guests as they share the building blocks of their brand’s evolution. Who knows, you may even discover a few new products that become faves.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 17, 2023 • 1h 5min
JARS By Dani - Give Jars & Cakes. Make friends. Simple.
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Dani says, "many people are putting desserts in jars now, but nothing looks like mine. Because it's labor intensive. They are hard to make. It is difficult. This is not an easy company to figure out how to scale, but I didn't want to compromise on the product. I wanted it to look this way, and I wanted to taste this way." Today, we interview Dani Beckerman, Founder of JARS By Dani. Jars by Dani started when founder Dani Beckerman wanted to share her love for baking. She came across a mason jar in a craft store and was driven to develop the next new dessert obsession. Something delicious and beautiful—that looked as good as it tasted. So she experimented with recipes until successfully creating her signature line of jars. Join Ramon Vela and Dani Beckerman as we break down the inside story of JARS by Dani on The Story of a Brand. For more on JARS By Dani, visit: https://www.jarsbydani.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Feb 15, 2023 • 1h
PetPlate - Human-grade Food, Personalized for Your Dog
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Renaldo says, “we actually put heart and soul into every product that we develop. And again, we think about this as if we were making a product specifically for our dog in our kitchen. In the same way, you would make food for your child or your spouse. That's how we want you to feel. That's the type of quality we want you to expect. And that’s what you're getting from PetPlate on every product you buy from us.” Today, we interview Renaldo Webb, Founder of PetPlate. PetPlate has had a simple mission: make better food for dogs so they can live longer, healthier, happier lives with their families. We discuss: * What he’s grateful for including his time on Shark Tank * The lessons learned from appearing on Shark Tank * Why your consumers want to know that they are building something special with you * Advice to raising capital for People of Color * His background as a consultant * His “lightbulb” moment * The story of his dog suffering from IBS * The PetPlat mission and approach * Why 60% of pets are obese and 50% of dogs get cancer * Why PetPlate is human-grade quality food * Why they make food the same way (and love) you make for your kids and family Join Ramon Vela and Renaldo Webb as we break down the inside story of PetPlate on The Story of a Brand. For more on PetPlate, visit: https://www.petplate.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Feb 11, 2023 • 1h 13min
Pulse - The Comfort You Deserve
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Amy says, “every element of building this product, whether in the device or in the consumable side, or in the formulations itself and your packaging, every detail, is something we're extremely proud of, that we've really looked at every detail to say, how can we integrate to make one really amazing experience for what whomever our consumer base is.” Today, we interview Amy Buckalter, Founder of Pulse. Pulse™ is the first-ever touchless personal lubricant warmer and dispenser. Gone are the days of messy, sticky, cold tubes and bottles of lubricant. Pulse’s patent pending heating technology warms your lubricant to the ideal temperature. We discuss: * What she’s grateful for * How she approaches raising funds and meeting with investors * The vision and transformative nature of the brand * The Pulse Vision explained * Hiring a PhD to survey women and their issues and needs * The biases she confronted with investors * Why 54% of purchases are from Men * Review of their product development and design * Why many lubricants are harmful and what they do differently * How their formulations have FDA approval * Their secret sauce and more… Join Ramon Vela and Amy Buckalter as we break down the inside story of Pulse on The Story of a Brand. For more on Pulse, visit: https://lovemypulse.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Feb 10, 2023 • 1h 2min
Sunshine Botanicals - The Skin Whisperer
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Emily says, “it blew my mind. So my brain started to integrate all of these things. I could still do the skin treatments, but not with the tools that most people know. I'm an alternative to Botox surgery, lasers and invasive procedures because I know that there are many roads to Rome. There are different ways to arrive at a solution.” Today, we interview Emily Fritchey, Founder & CEO of Sunshine Botanicals. Sunshine Botanicals believes in clinical skincare from a botanical perspective. They create effective, transformative products sourced straight from Mother Nature. We discuss: * What she’s grateful for * Why, foremost, the Sunshine story is a love story * Why her approach is an alternative to evasive procedures * How she works with cancer patients (and discusses her own skin cancer) * Advice for dealing with skin issues and where they should begin * What is wild crafting and why she uses this ancient art form * Simple things men can do to take of their skin * And so much more… Join Ramon Vela and Emily Fritchey as we break down the inside story of Sunshine Botanicals on The Story of a Brand. For more on Sunshine Botanicals, visit: https://www.sunshinebotanicals.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Feb 8, 2023 • 54min
Quinn - Be Better, Do Better Snacks
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Kristy says, “the mission that I've been on is how can we deliver the best food safely to our consumers? And some of that's organic, and some of that's conventional, but that conventional is the reduction of pesticides. How do we reduce pesticides? How do we reduce synthetics and inputs into our soil? How do we clean up waterways? What are our actions doing to meet all of that? And that was where we came up with this Be better, do better initiative.” Today, we interview Kristy Lewis, Founder of Quinn. Quinn is on a mission to shake up the food industry by reinventing snacks, using crazy delicious and intentionally sourced real ingredients, with a dedication to doing things better every step along the way. We discuss: * What she’s grateful for * Overview, origin, and evolution of Quinn * The origins of the Farm to Bag initiative * The secret to Quinn’s longevity * How microwave popcorn put them on the map * Advice for founders of Food & Beverage brands * Why less than 99% of food is grown organically? * The Be Better, Do Better initiative * How Whole Foods has been a great partner Join Ramon Vela and Kristy Lewis as we break down the inside story of Quinn on The Story of a Brand. For more on Quinn, visit: https://quinnsnacks.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Feb 4, 2023 • 1h 9min
Luminous - Supply Chain Platform Specifically for E-commerce
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Jared says, “we get in line with how e-commerce companies implement tools and what I mean by that is, we don't say, here's luminous, fit all of it in here. We instead say, what is going to work best for you? We have a purchase order tool and an inventory and a warehouse management tool. There is a B2B portal and an invoicing tool. And we can also connect to any tool that you currently use.” Today, we interview Jared Ward, Founder & CEO of Luminous. Luminous is an all-in-one platform that allows you to manage your entire e-commerce supply chain from one place. We discuss: * What he’s grateful for * Overview and origin of Luminous * The problems he saw as an e-commerce operator including forecasting, google sheets, organization, and more * The problem that data auditing solves, hint: your data is dirty * Trends with omni-channel and e-commerce brands * Advice for founders and operators * Why complexity is the culprit * Review of the Luminous platform and modules * Onboarding and implementation * And how to know if Luminous is right for your brand Join Ramon Vela and Jared Ward as we break down the inside story of Luminous on The Story of a Brand. For more on Luminous, visit: https://www.joinluminous.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Feb 4, 2023 • 1h 10min
Vervet - Bartender-made Cocktails with Unique Taste & Flavors
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Tuan compares their brand to hospitality. He says, “hospitality, at its best, provides a culinary and guest experience that just captures the imagination of the guest. It becomes memorable. You broaden their palette, and you really inspire them to know more. And suddenly they ask questions. Where did this flavor come from? What culture? Where did you source this? What farm? That really goes to what drives you to actually work in the industry and be able to share.” Today, we interview Tuan Lee, Founder of Vervet. Vervet is a Los Angeles-based woman & minority-owned cocktail company that’s dedicated to making clean draft drinks from the best products and flavors California offers. They use plant-based preservatives, no lab-made flavors, real ingredients, and BPA lining free can, makes what Vervet makes better for you. We discuss: * Why he’s grateful for his immigrant parents and their courage * Overview and origin of Vervet * The hospitality background of the founders and why it informs the brand ethos * A word on the amazing achievements of the Asian American community and tragedies * Their Bar Napkin origin story * Why building a brand is a solutions game * Hospitality style drinks, unique flavors, fresh ingredients no synthetic after taste * Why they push back against the status quo way * Making their own bitters and tonics from scratch * Product review including a “clear Bloody Mary” and sake cocktails * Advice to Founders * Why they may be the only brand using plant-based preservatives * And more… Join Ramon Vela and Tuan Lee as we break down the inside story of Vervet on The Story of a Brand. For more on Vervet, visit: https://drinkvervet.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Feb 3, 2023 • 59min
Wolf Project- Thinking Big about Men’s Skincare
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Francesco says, “I believe being an entrepreneur is one of the most rewarding things. It's the most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life. And it's by far the hardest. I like to think of launching your brand or company as being in front of a mirror where all of your strengths are amplified, but all of your weaknesses are amplified as well.” Today, we interview Francesco Urso, Founder of Wolf Project. Wolf Project is a brand of skin care for men, with the ambition of transforming the way men take care of their skin. They work with beauty experts in Korea to merge Swiss rigor and Korean know-how. We discuss: * Why he’s grateful for his wife * Mental health and entrepreneurship and why it needs more attention * Different ways of dealing with stress and anxiety, including journaling * A forecast and predictions for Skincare brands in 2023: What will it look like * How D2C brands are no longer laughing at large conglomerate brands * What 2022 looked like and lessons learned * Strategy differences between what he did in 2023 vs 2022 * How his thinking has evolved and why he believes you need to think bigger * Breakdown of products, including why they start by making products they would use * And more… Join Ramon Vela and Francesco Urso as we break down the inside story of Wolf Project on The Story of a Brand. For more on Wolf Project, visit: https://wolfproject.co/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Feb 2, 2023 • 1h
Fresh Bellies - Adventurous Snacking Starts Here
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Saskia says, “we make everything from toddler snacks to preschool snacks and adult snacks, and we season each of them with herbs and spices that you typically find in Latin American kitchens. So our goal really is to innovate in a space where you traditionally find either really sweet or really salty products, or run-of-the-mill flavors like barbecue, ranch and Cheddar. Instead, we're coming in with something unique that is just not offered today.” Today, we interview Saskia Sorrosa, Founder & CEO of Fresh Bellies. Fresh Bellies is creating a new generation of healthful, adventurous eaters. Made with whole, non-GMO and Kosher ingredients, Fresh Bellies products never mask vegetables or fruits with added sugars and feature flavors never seen in the kid aisle. We discuss: * What she’s grateful for * Overview and origin of the brand * Her background working with the NBA and her motivations for starting Fresh Bellies * How they develop recipes and make the snack at scale * Her biggest challenges in building the brand * The brand’s recipe philosophy and her focus on clean simple ingredients * Why parents are seeking alternatives to what is in the snack isle * The future of the brand and upcoming new products and more… Join Ramon Vela and Saskia Sorrosa as we break down the inside story of Fresh Bellies on The Story of a Brand. For more on Fresh Bellies, visit: https://freshbellies.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Feb 1, 2023 • 1h 14min
Fount - The Future of Health & Performance is Here
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Andrew says, “when I say that 19 out of 20 people can go to Australia or Tokyo or Europe and sleep well their first night, that's totally different from what’s happening in the market. We want to deliver that level of effectiveness to people. And the way we do that is this unique model that's a hybrid of high-end coaching, consulting and product development. And sure, it makes it more difficult, but I will do this right and I will this into existence no matter the market conditions, no matter what happens. Because this is my mission and I can't not do it.” Today, we interview Andrew Herr, Founder & CEO of Fount . Fount applies their expertise from optimizing the minds and bodies of US Navy Seals, professional sports teams, and leading business executives to design programs custom-tailored to anybody and any lifestyle so you can achieve your goals. We discuss: * What he’s grateful for * Overview and origin of Fount * His work running human performance for Navy Seals * Conclusions for everyone based on his work with elite military units * Understanding an individual’s peak state * FlyKitt: their unique guaranteed to eliminate jet lag * Why customization makes your results and performance go faster * The Mission and why he will see it happen no matter what * Advice for other entrepreneurs * Advice on how to improve your sleep results * How to use wearable technology effectively * Meeting people where they are and more… Join Ramon Vela and Andrew Herr as we break down the inside story of Fount on The Story of a Brand. For more on Fount, visit: https://www.fount.bio/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!