Even the most ingenious technologies won't go far without a solid legal foundation and a forward thinking framework that will help it scale,  and this episode's guest knows all about that. Cindy Hess is a corporate partner at Fenwick and for over 10 years she's served as the co-chair of the firm's startup and venture capital group. Over the course of her practice, Cindy has counseled technology companies on a broad range of corporate transactional matters. She's worked with a wide range of high tech clients including some of the hottest and most innovative companies in mobile SaaS and social media.Cindy has had numerous industry honors, including being named as one of the Recorder's Top 10 Most Trusted Corporate Counselors, and one of the Top Women Leaders in Tech Law. She was also named to the Legal 500's Hall of Fame of the Venture Capital and Emerging Companies category. Cindy was the recipient of the Women in Business Law Award for Best in Technology, and the Silicon Valley Business Journal named her as one of the leading women of influence in Silicon Valley. She's a member of the State Bar of California and of New York. She received her undergraduate degree from Princeton, and her J.D. from Cornell.We sat down to talk about Cindy's incredible career working on some of the biggest deals in history, and what she sees for big tech deals in 2023 and beyond.Highlights:How Cindy got her start with Fenwick (3:24)What Fenwick does and why it's different than other firms (4:14)Cindy's client base (7:58)The part of the practice that Cindy thinks is strongest right now (9:17)How Cindy got into law (10:06)Cindy talks about some of the biggest deals at Fenwick (11:19)The deal that was most transformative for Cindy's career (13:21)Cindy talks about her experience as a woman in this field over the length of her career (14:36)Mentors that have helped along the way (15:27)Cindy's predictions for capital markets in 2023 (17:08)Cindy discusses the findings of the latest edition of Fenwick's Silicon Valley Venture Capital survey (19:20)Cindy's advice to founders going through the early stages of development, and what to consider when going public (23:05)What's next for emerging companies looking to grow their business (24:16)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteCindy Hess Bio FenwickCindy Hess LinkedInCindy Hess TwitterFenwick websiteFenwick LinkedInFenwick TwitterFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:If you're going to jump into the massive beverage market with a brand new product, you better have some incredible experience and a solid team behind you. And that's exactly what today's guest has. On this episode we're sitting down with Mike Pengue, who has been CEO of ZOA Energy since its launch in March of 2021. Prior to ZOA, Mike was Senior Vice President, General Manager for the Emerging Brands Group at Keurig, Dr. Pepper. He came to Keurig, Dr. Pepper from Bai Brands where he was Chief Strategy Officer, and was instrumental in the 1.65 billion sale to Dr. Pepper Snapple. Mike also spent 20 years at Nestle Waters North America in a variety of positions. His last role there was Executive Vice President, leading the $5 billion brand portfolio that included Perrier Pellegrino, Nestle's Pure Life, Poland Spring, Ozarka, and Deer Park, among others.Mike joined me to share the story of ZOA Energy and the amazing founders he's working with. We also discuss why this new drink is standing out and growing at breakneck speed.Highlights:Mike describes the ZOA Energy drink product, who the founders are and their collective strengths (3:04)Mike's initial thoughts about joining the company (5:58)The brand and what it stands for (7:46)The market size and where ZOA fits (9:18)ZOA's total addressable market (11:57)Mike talks about the company's remarkably fast growth (13:36)How the ZOA team have approached marketing spend (15:38)Mike talks new flavors and their approach to product size (17:12)The challenges that the team is looking at now (21:24)Mike discusses their international growth (23:32)Managing inflation, supply chain and other economic challenges (24:54)The mentors that Mike has had along the way (26:13)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteMichael Pengue LinkedInMichael Pengue bio - Beverage ForumZOA Energy LinkedInZOA Energy websiteZOA Energy TwitterFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:To really serve your customer, you have to understand them. And that's just one of the crucial ways that today's guest has led her company into remarkable growth. On this episode, we welcome Molly Langenstein, CEO, President and Board Member of Chico's FAS. She joined the company in August of 2019 and became CEO and President less than a year later, in June 2020. Molly is a 30-year retail industry veteran with a proven track record of building multiple successful brands, and revitalizing sales and profitability in the retail fashion industry. Prior to Chico's, Molly held multiple roles at Macy's, including General Business Manager for Ready to Wear, Private Brands Officer of Macy's in Bloomingdale's, and Executive Vice President of private brands for Men's and Children's wear. I sat down with Molly to talk about the unique strategy at Chico's and her amazing career in the retail industry, that in some ways, started when she was just a kid.Highlights:Molly tells about what she learned growing up in her mother's boutique (2:58)What has changed and what's stayed the same with consumers (4:27)Molly explains the main brands at Chico's (5:34)What attracted Molly to this opportunity at Chico's (8:36)The strategic pillars of their plan (9:56)The connection that is made with a customer through these brands (14:34)How an increasingly younger customer base and the multi-channel approach is significant to the company's growth (16:17)The company's digital tools for their customers, and their loyalty program (18:44)Chico's balance sheet (21:46)How Chico's is managing the economic challenges of the moment (22:53)Molly talks about the company's response to Hurricane Ian in Florida (24:17)Molly's signature piece of management advice (25:58)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteMolly Langenstein LinkedInMolly Langenstein BioChico's TwitterChico's FAS WebsiteFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:Extreme weather, aging grids, power storage and distribution; these are just some of the challenges that clean energy is stepping up to solve. And companies like Stem are at the forefront, with cutting edge AI-driven services. Today we hear from John Carrington, CEO of Stem. John leads the energy storage and analytics movement at the company and has more than 25 years of leadership experience in technology, energy, and industrial companies.John came to Stem from MiaSolé, the world's largest CIGS-based thin film solar company, where he was CEO and Director. Prior to that, John was the Executive Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at First Solar, growing the company from 250 million to more than 2 billion dollars in open markets in the US, Asia, and Europe. John also spent over 16 years at General Electric, most recently as the General Manager and Chief Marketing Officer of GE Plastics. He was part of a small executive team that executed on the 12 billion dollar sale of GE Plastics to SABIC in 2007.I sat down with John to talk about his interesting career trajectory and the huge runway he has in front of him with Stem. Highlights:John discusses how he got his start in the energy field (2:51)How John ended up at Stem, and what the company does (4:39)How Stem fits into the larger energy transition (7:28)John talks about the ground-breaking software that Stem has built and the real-life use cases (8:39)Stem's total addressable market (11:44)How the Inflation Reduction Act is benefiting energy storage (13:16)The ease of "going solar" today (14:40)Stem's partnership with In Charge, an EV charging infrastructure solution(16:17)John talks about Stem's truly innovative approach (18:07)The benefits of being a public company for Stem (18:58)How John is positioning Stem in this challenging economic time (19:29)The key drivers for margin expansion in the next few years (20:49)The backlog for 2022 vs. 2021 (22:01)John talks about his great team (24:08)Stem's approach to capital allocation (25:20)John's outlook for energy storage in the next three to five years (26:31)John's most important mentors (27:49)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteJohn Carrington LinkedInJohn Carrington, Stem Inc bioStem LinkedInStem websiteStem TwitterFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:It's been an amazing year on Welcome to the Arena, and we've heard from some of the most exciting and successful businesses and strategists in the game. On this brief episode of the show, Tom Ryan, founder and CEO of ICR, and host of Welcome to the Arena shares his reflections on 2022, and looks ahead to 2023 and the 25th anniversary of ICR. Enjoy the holidays, and look for new episodes and more incredible guests coming in January!Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteTom Ryan ICRTom Ryan LinkedInFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:Being a disruptor in business can be as uncomplicated as putting out high quality products, in a small-but-mighty category. And that's what today's guest has done, with incredible success. On this episode we're talking to Todd Lachman, the founder, President and CEO of Sovos Brands.For 25 years, Todd's delivered growth and value creation for some of the biggest names in consumer packaged goods. He served as Global President of Mars Pet Care, President of Mars Chocolate, North America and Latin America, and Executive Vice President of Del Monte Foods Company. He also held senior management roles at H.J. Heinz Company after moving up the marketing ranks at Proctor and Gamble. Outside of his extensive professional experience, Todd's an active board member with Big Brothers and Big Sisters in the Bay Area, and he's a super active guy who's into skiing, cycling and hiking with his family and two dogs.I managed to tear him away from his busy life for a conversation about how he built Sovos Brands into the huge success it is today, and what made him start the company in the first place. Highlights:Todd talks about starting Sovos and how he arrived at the idea (2:57)How each of the Sovos brands fit together (5:15)Why Sovos went public when they did (7:10)All about Rao's Sauce and why it's so successful (8:04)Becoming a billion dollar brand (11:03)Todd discusses their approach to international sales (13:13)Pricing premium products during a tricky economic and political time (14:25)Todd discusses efficiencies when it comes to P and L (16:00)The Sovos approach to innovation and new brands (18:24)The horizontal culture at Sovos (20:46)The achievements at Sovos this year (22:02)Todd's approach to M and A (23:40)The advantages of being a CEO who is from the marketing side (24:40)What Todd is most proud of with Sovos (26:49)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteTodd Lachman LinkedInTodd Lachman bioSovos Brands LinkedInSovos Brands websiteSovos Brands TwitterFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:There are a lot of things that California produces well: movies, wine, and now cannabis. Today's guest knows all about that. Kyle Kazan is co-founder and CEO of Glasshouse Brands, a vertically integrated sustainable producer of cannabis products. In 1991, he began investing in real estate, and became a manager of private equity funds. He's now launched a total of 23 funds with a current estimated value of almost $3 billion. In 2016 Kyle pivoted to the regulated cannabis industry. Since his early service as a special education teacher and law enforcement officer, Kyle's been a vocal advocate for police reform and ending the war on drugs.He makes frequent appearances on CNN and Fox and has been a guest professor at NYU, USC, and UCLA's business schools. Kyle's a graduate of University of Southern California where he played varsity basketball, and his long and varied career made for a great conversation.Highlights:Kyle talks about his early years as a basketball player, then a police officer turned real estate investor (2:57)What led Kyle to move into cannabis (5:38)The assets that Glass House has today (8:58)Glass House's vertical integration (10:49)Kyle discusses the brands of Glass House (13:37)How growing the product in California figures into Glass House's marketing (15:41)The challenges in this industry and the state of the market now (18:31)How the current political climate might affect Glass House (20:05)The total addressable market for Glass House (22:06)Kyle talks about his great team at Glass House (24:20)Their unique approach to investors (27:01)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteKyle Kazan BioKyle Kazan LinkedInKyle Kazan TwitterGlass House websiteGlass House LinkedInGlass House TwitterFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:At a time when many restaurants are cutting back on what they offer guests, the One Group is raising the bar on the dining experience, and positioning themselves for huge success in the process.Today's guest is Manny Hilario, CEO of The One Group and long-time friend of ICR. The One Group is a global hospitality company that develops and operates upscale and polished casual, high energy restaurants and lounges. Their two primary restaurant brands are STK and Kona Grill, where they aspire to be the global leader in vibe dining, a unique combination of casual, upscale lounge and restaurant experiences. They trade under the symbol T K.Manny joined The One Group as a board member in April 2017, and in October 2017 he became President and CEO. Prior to that he was CFO of Sizzling Platter, and was COO at Einstein Noah Restaurant. Manny began his career at McDonalds where he held various financial roles with the company. On this episode, Manny and I talked about the One Group's bold approach to hospitality, their growth strategy, and of course their unique vibe dining concept that is setting them apart from the competition.Highlights:What the vibe dining concept offers (2:57)Manny describes the STK and Kona Grill brands (4:16)New restaurant locations and how they're doing (6:00)The prospects for ROI on the expansion of the restaurants (7:57)The total addressable market for the restaurant brand (10:10)Manny discusses how their franchises work (12:41)The One Group's optimism heading into the holidays (14:33)Technology's role in the restaurant business (16:32)Manny talks about the deal with Reef Kitchens and the ghost kitchen opportunity (18:59)The One Group's philosophy on capital allocation (20:15)What Manny has learned from his various roles in the industry (22:09)Recent trends in the industry that have surprised Manny (24:00)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteThe ONE Group WebsiteThe ONE Group LinkedInManny Hilario LinkedInManny Hilario, The ONE GroupFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:You can never underestimate the power of high quality consumer research from a globally renowned team, especially when they're led with energy and heart by a top industry analyst.Case in point is today's guest, long-time friend of ICR, Dana Telsey. Dana is the CEO and Chief Research Officer of Telsey Advisory Group, which was founded in 2006. The firm has grown to be a leading equity research trade execution, investment banking and consulting firm focused on the consumer space.During her 35-year career, Dana has followed over a hundred companies. From 1994 to 2006, she was Senior Managing Director covering the retail sector at Bear Stearns. Prior to that, she was a retail analyst at CJ Lawrence and was a V.P. of the Baron Asset Fund at Baron Capital. In 2015, she also formed Telsey Consumer Fund Management, an asset management firm investing in consumer oriented companies.Dana's received countless awards and accolades during her career. This year, Dana was named for the third time as one of Barron's Hundred Most Influential Women in US Finance, and she was named for a second time as one of Rethink Retail's Top 100 Retail Influencers. And maybe most impressive is that she was a member of Institutional Investor Magazine's All America Research Team for 13 years, from 1992 to 2005.Dana is a regular on CNN and CNBC, she's a fountain of energy and knowledge, and on today's episode we had a great conversation about her career, the fascinating story of retail, and what's to come. Highlights:Dana talks about getting her start in the business (3:16)When and why she started the Telsey Advisory Group (TAG) (5:32)The industries and segments that TAG covers (8:08)The brands that Dana gets excited about (9:25)How equity research has changed in the last 20 years (10:25)Why differentiation matters for brands (11:50)Dana talks about being one of the few women-owned firms on Wall Street (13:14)Dana reflects on the uncertainty of the past 3 years (15:25)Which consumer areas are currently holding up well (16:32)Dana's observations on technology investment (18:11)What Dana sees happening with the IPO market, and what investors are looking for (19:44)Capital allocation and new channels like the metaverse (21:31)The holiday season and forecasting into 2023 (23:21)What TAG is investing in (26:27)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteDana Telsey BioDana Telsey TwitterDana Telsey LinkedInTelsey Group WebsiteTelsey Advisory Group LinkedInFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:We take for granted how rapidly restaurants have gone digital in the past few years, but it's actually been a vision 20 years in the making. And it all started with today's guest.Noah Glass is the founder and CEO of Olo, a leading commerce platform powering the restaurant industry's digital transformation. Over 600 of the most recognized restaurants and C-Store brands use Olo to grow digital sales, preserve direct consumer relationships, and maximize profitability. More than 85 million consumers run their orders through the platform annually.After attending Yale and spending some time abroad, Noah founded Olo at the age of 24. He established the company before the rise of the smart phone, starting out with a focus on text message ordering. Noah is now recognized as among the most influential leaders in the restaurant industry, and was named number one on 2020's Nation's Restaurant News Power List.Noah and I talked about Olo's inspirational origin story, the incredible impact the company has had on the restaurant industry, and the huge opportunities in this space going forward.Highlights:An introduction to Olo (3:23)Noah tells Olo's origin story (4:01)From protype to actually commercializing the product - getting restaurants on board in the early days (8:27)Noah takes us through Olo's products (10:51)The challenges of digital transformation in the restaurant industry (14:39)Noah talks about the total addressable market and how far into digital transformation we really are (16:38)The status of the restaurant industry, and the mindset around tech adoption (18:14)Olo's approach to R and D (21:06)Noah discusses Olo's financial position and philosophy on acquisitions (22:59)The culture at Olo (25:23)What investors might not understand about Olo (27:32)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteNoah Glass BioNoah Glass LinkedInOlo WebsiteOlo LinkedInFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.