Startup to Storefront

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

Hello and welcome to the Launchpad! Over the past year of doing this podcast, we’ve grown, and so have our guests. We have always strived to cover every aspect of the entrepreneurial journey, from the ideation to the product launch and possibly even the exit. Most of our guests have been in the game for a while, but we know that those aren’t the only stories worthy of telling. So we created this offshoot of the podcast to cover the companies that are just starting out. Today we talk with Eric Roy, founder of Hydroviv. They create water filters, but this isn’t like the Brita that you might have in your fridge. These are water filters that are specific to your city’s water data. It might not be something you’ve ever considered, but the age of your home and city’s infrastructure, the natural geology of the region, and your proximity to industrial sites, farms, and military bases all affect the quality of the water that comes out of your faucet. So without further ado, I present to you our conversation with Eric Roy. 

Today’s guest is Mayor Lindsey Horvath of West Hollywood California. In this election cycle, national political campaigns have taken over the entire news cycle. In the midst of this political fervor, it’s easy to gloss over the local elections that are in many ways just as important as the national elections. Though you may not reside in West Hollywood, the lessons and experience that Mayor Horvath brings to the discussion today resonate far beyond WeHo. Your own town council and mayor’s office probably operate in a very similar fashion. This is not the type of position that comes with national acclaim, a nice salary, and a full-time residence. These positions are filled with community organizers and political activists that can help make your community thrive. It’s time we got to know them. Listen in as we cover everything from why she has a full-time job in addition to being Mayor, what it’s been like to run a city largely via remote digital platforms, and how the city plans to make voting this election day as easy and as safe as possible.

Today’s guest is Allen Maldonado, star of the new Netflix show Sneakerheads. But to say he’s an actor is only telling a small part of his story. He’s also the founder of an app and film festival aimed at connecting short films with consumers, he’s the co-founder of a music label that provides music for movies and television shows, and he’s the founder of a running coalition that promotes a healthy lifestyle and positive self-image. Fittingly, his website and instagram are named MaldonadoIsEverywhere. It’s safe to say that when he’s passionate about something, he spearheads a movement larger than just himself. But if you ask him, he’s just happy people are finally pronouncing his name correctly. Listen in as we cover everything from why there needs to be an Indiana Jones equivalent for minorities, how a trip to Spain changed his outlook on life, and why shoe collections really aren’t all that different from fine art galleries.

Today’s guest is Tim Kendall, former director of monetization at Facebook, former president of Pinterest, and the current CEO of Moment, an app designed to help you develop a healthier relationship with your phone and the amount of time you spend on it. And in case you’re wondering, he’s all too aware of the irony. It’s this kind of resume that also made Tim stand out to the producers of the much talked about documentary ‘The Social Dilemma’, where he lends his industry insight into how tech companies are manipulating and controlling us through social media platforms. If you’ve thought as much without having seen the documentary, the problem is probably worse than you’d imagine. Listen in as we cover everything from the downside of trying to optimize your work/life balance, why Tim predicts that the inevitable end of social media will leave us at war with one another, and perhaps most importantly, how to gain back control over your phone.

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

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

Hello and welcome to the Launchpad! Over the past year of doing this podcast, we’ve grown, and so have our guests. We have always strived to cover every aspect of the entrepreneurial journey, from the ideation to the product launch and possibly even the exit. Most of our guests have been in the game for a while, but we know that those aren’t the only stories worthy of telling. Therefore, we created this offshoot of the podcast to cover the companies that are just starting out. The flow of the conversation will sound familiar to those of you who are frequent listeners, but the topics will trend more towards pitching investors, crowd-funding, product manufacturing, basically anything that budding entrepreneurs are dealing with. Without further ado, we present to you Yashir and Kris from Lumen, a hemp juice company that provides the ultimate immune boost. They’ve created a nutrient-dense drink that reduces stress and inflammation. Since they began their journey in the hemp juice industry, they’ve created a product that is loved by over 17,000 customers. We’re excited to have them for our first episode of our new series! Now that you’ve listened, what did you think? We’d love to hear from you!

Today’s guest is Kristi Knowles, CEO of the plant-based product line, Mother Raw. Kristi initially joined the company in an advisory role. The founder, Michelle Kopman, had already shaped what was then known as Michelle’s RawFoodz into a successful company with VC-backers. Kristi’s role was to help better define the company’s business strategy and take their products to the next level of appeal and availability. Then, tragedy struck. Michelle passed away at the too-young age of 45, leaving Kristi tasked with carrying out her vision. It is a task Kristi has taken to heart, as she strives to guide the company with the same care and passion as Michelle would have done. Listen in as we cover everything from why it’s been easier to raise money since the COVID-shutdown, the meaning behind giving her employees a “thank-you pay”, and why the dressing aisle at grocery stores was in need of disruption.

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