Stairway to CEO

Description:

Coming to share their story today is Jeanine Lobell, the Founder of Neen. Her story is truly remarkable and underlines the unexpected turns we can all encounter and how far a commitment to one's ideals and ideas can take things. Jeanine talks about the acquisition of her previous company, Stila, and what it took for her to take a dive into something new and exciting. The lessons around healing, community, and authenticity that Jeanine has learned and generously touches on here, are truly inspiring. Tune in to hear it all!

Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:

AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.

In This Episode You’ll Hear About:

• [03:12] Jeanine's childhood years in Sweden, the activities she enjoyed, and how she taught herself to read.

• [08:01] Living in San Francisco, London, and Paris, and the difficulties of her teen years.

• [13:20] A humble entry into the make-up industry before getting work as an artist.

• [19:55] Jeanine reflects on her independent spirit and distrust of authority.

• [23:46] Building Stila and discovering her new personality and capabilities.

• [29:54] Jeanine's thoughts on the challenges of having a company acquired, following Estée Lauder's acquisition of Stila.

• [36:13] The decision to start Neen; the ideas and motivations that drove Jeanine to begin a new adventure.

• [43:55] Sustainability at Neen and the way that Jeanine has approached packaging.

• [51:43] The funding process at Neen so far and the meaning behind the brand's name.

• [56:19] Jeanine's suggestions for the questions entrepreneurs should ask themselves.

To Find Out More:

Awesome CX

Neen

Jeanine Lobell on Instagram

Stila

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Quotes:

“[As kids], we just made stuff all the time!” [0:07:18]

“I kind of woke up to find a whole other person living inside me that I didn't know.” [0:24:13]

“I just need to be smarter than the problem in front of me.” [0:25:22]

“That's a big driver for me, like how do I make things different?” [0:25:32]

“Acquisition is tough. I don't think I know anyone who is super happy after an acquisition, unfortunately.” [0:34:17]

“When you make a business – [and] it comes from your personal values, people feel that.” [0:40:28]

“I wanted to make a sustainable, refillable package.” [0:45:54]

“I'm not on the soapbox about it, I just don't want to make more trash, period.” [0:47:01]

“I always say, makeup is a mood-altering chemical. 100%. It can totally change the way that you feel and that's what I like about it.” [0:53:47]

“You don't have to change yourself to feel that way about yourself. You have to learn to feel that way about yourself, period. And then makeup is just the icing.” [0:55:25]

“Don't ever let anyone tell you that you shouldn't be an entrepreneur.” [0:57:31]

Description:

Greg Starkman, the Founder and CEO of Innersense Organic Beauty generously shares some of his defining moments with us, touching on the intentional way they have selected, produced, and released products, surviving the tougher times before things started to tip toward success, and how an approach of steady and continued growth has served the company so well. Our guest also talks about leadership and his continual journey of learning and support for his team, so make sure to tune in to catch it all in this inspiring conversation with Greg.

Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:

AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.

In This Episode You’ll Hear About:

• [02:12] Greg talks about the recent changes in San Francisco, growing up in Los Angeles, and the family values present in his home.

• [09:52] Entering the beauty industry and finding purpose in professional life.

• [18:07] Challenges that Greg and the company faced around sourcing ingredients after launching.

• [21:40] The key products that Innersense brought to market initially and more recently.

• [26:47] Greg reflects on the biggest challenges and surprises on his journey with Innersense; demand, marketing, and the 2008 recession.

• [32:20] Moments of learning and self-doubt, and the fundamental place these have in the life of an entrepreneur.

• [35:40] People, planet, and purpose; Greg shares why standards for the cosmetic industry are so important to him.

• [39:35] Thoughts on growing as a leader and allowing increased autonomy for the team.

• [45:15] Advice from Greg about pivoting, learning, and a steadfast attitude.

To Find Out More:

Awesome CX

Innersense Organic Beauty

Greg Starkman on LinkedIn

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Lee Greene Email

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Quotes:

“As a kid, I did a lot of different things. I would work and earn extra money in salons sweeping hair, and I would actually fill product vats for my mom.” [0:07:32]

“In my early teens I definitely became that wayward kid that was always out and about, and always in some level of trouble.” [0:08:00]

“Even though we were very affluent growing up, there were never any handouts.” [0:08:42]

“I was kind of a late bloomer, I never really figured out what I wanted to do until I was probably in my early 20s. And I think at that point I felt like I found some level of purpose when I got into the beauty industry.” [0:09:38]

“We took that cosmetic ingredient standard and brought that into hair care.” [0:15:25]

“It literally took a good ten years for us to even spark at the level of scalability.” [0:16:24]

“We made a commitment from day one to work with ingredients that were very pure, and highly efficacious.” [0:19:18]

“It doesn't matter how clean or how organic a product is, if it doesn't perform, the consumer is not going to come back and buy it.” [0:19:34]

“It's just about continuing to educate and inform the safe cosmetic consumer who is looking to make healthier and cleaner choices, and do it in a very authentic way.” [0:21:28]

“We have been very intentional over the last 18 years with the types of products we introduce. Believe it or not, we only have 22 products.” [0:23:37]

“It was just perseverance, and an unwillingness to fail.” [0:30:11]

Description:

Endangered Species Chocolate was a mission-driven company long before it was cool. CEO Curt Vander Meer joins us today to share the story of his career and impact, the five key duties of a CEO, and how he came to own the Endangered Species Chocolate brand. Join us for an insider’s look at Curt’s unexpected journey to protecting wildlife and continuing the legacy of his founder, mentor, and friend.

Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:

AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.

In This Episode You’ll Hear About:

• [01:03] Curt Vander Meer’s journey through the world of finance to becoming the CEO of Endangered Species Chocolate.

• [16:40] His unexpected initial experiences of the business and how his vision differed in comparison to his focus today.

• [22:07] Goals to donate a million dollars a year and create moments of joy through abundant giving at Endangered Species Chocolate.

• [23:59] The behind-the-scenes process of pairing animal facts with chocolate flavors.

• [28:59] What it was like to transition from financial lead to CEO at Endangered Species Chocolate.

• [31:43] Expectations versus the reality of occupying the CEO seat.

• [33:29] The five duties of a CEO: setting direction, speed, risk, resources, and culture.

• [34:30] Becoming the sole owner and CEO of Endangered Species Chocolate.

• [36:00] How Curt’s leadership style has changed and how his role has promoted personal growth through hard lessons.

• [44:30] What surprised Curt most along the way despite his classical training in business.

• [49:55] How he intends to continue the legacy of Endangered Species Chocolate, Randy Deer.

To Find Out More:

Curt Vander Meer on LinkedIn

Endangered Species Chocolate

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Quotes:

“There are a lot of things I haven’t scripted that have turned out way beyond and far exceeded the expectations of the plan I created.” [0:18:25]

“When you put an accountant in charge, what’s the first three things they do? They cut people, they cut places, and they cut things, and that’s a little bit of what I did.” [0:20:19]

“I had a different idea than our previous CEO of what we wanted to do. I wanted to really explore the roots of the business.” r [0:20:32]

“Being in the chocolate industry is very fun and there are so many different avenues that you can go.” [0:20:57]

“I wanted to, and still want to, magnify the impact of our brand promise.” [0:21:52]

“I’ve heard it said that being CEO can be a lonely position. There’s some truth to that so I would encourage people to find those that they can lean on. ” [0:31:44]

“I really have five duties as a CEO that I need to do. I need to set direction, speed, risk, resources, and culture.” [0:33:30]

“Being CEO is one thing. Being owner is another whole mindset that you need to have.” [0:34:39]

“I really want people’s input before a final decision needs to be made.” [0:35:19]

“Really [make] sure you get the right talent in the right positions, and that is easier said than done.” [0:36:07]

“You weigh in so that you can buy in.” [0:37:21]

“We’re all called to use our talents to the best of our ability, so don’t assume that I can think about everything that’s necessary. That’s why you have trusted advisers on your leadership team.” [0:40:26]

“It’s so important to stay quiet and let people talk. That’s the best strategy that’s worked for me.” [0:40:40]

“Grandma Vansingel always said that mistakes only happen to those people who do things, and I try to use that mantra here as well.” — Curt Vander Meer [0:43:04]

Description:

Today, Lee sits down with Vanessa Pham, a first-generation Vietnamese-American and the Co-Founder and CEO of Omsom, a loud and proud Asian pantry staple brand. In this episode, Vanessa shares her journey from growing up with her sister (and business partner) Kim, and their Vietnamese refugee parents outside of Boston, to attending Harvard, working in consulting, and starting Omsom after being inspired by the 2016 elections to build something that would shift culture. Tuning in, you’ll find out how her father tried to escape Vietnam seven times before he was successful, the pressure Vanessa felt to honor her parents’ sacrifices and make them proud, and how she bootstrapped the business for the first year by offering SAT tutoring services just to make rent, plus so much more!

Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:

AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.

In This Episode You’ll Hear About:

• [03:16] Ways that Omsom’s proud and loud ethos is a response to growing up “othered.”

• [07:52] What Vanessa wanted to do and how she was motivated by her parent’s sacrifices.

• [10:20] Insight into her career trajectory and the pivotal conversation with her dad that helped her let go of external pressure and expectations.

• [14:09] A look at her journey toward taking more risks and her desire to influence culture.

• [16:48] How food (and particularly ready-to-use sauces) aligned with Vanessa and Kim’s mission to celebrate Asian stories.

• [27:20] How they navigated launching Omsom during the early days of the pandemic.

• [30:27] Vanessa’s advice for community building, marketing, and fundraising.

• [34:18] Her relentless commitment to personal growth and how it benefits her as a CEO.

• [41:26] Reflecting on some of the biggest surprises that came with building a business!

• [46:42] Why Vanessa encourages fledgling founders to be authentically themselves.

To Find Out More:

Omsom

Vanessa Pham

Vanessa Pham on LinkedIn

Vanessa Pham on Instagram

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Quotes:

“Omsom in Vietnamese means rowdy, rambunctious, riotous. Our ethos is all about being proud and loud. In some ways – reclaiming our narratives and telling our stories loudly and proudly is our way of pushing back on that initial experience we had in that small town outside of Boston.” [0:04:22]

“Building a proud and loud brand was when I learned to be more true to myself, be [comfortable] in my skin, and be more authentic about who I actually am.” [0:06:07]

“My dream for most of my life has been to honor my parents and their sacrifices. Nothing has been more motivating to me than that.” [0:07:56]

“There’s not enough Vietnamese-American women that are seen as thought leaders. I felt really called by that.” [0:15:29]

“After the 2016 election, Kim and I wanted to build something that could influence culture, narratives, and dialogue at a national level.” [0:15:40]

“Food – has been such an incredibly meaningful part of our lives and a way for us to connect to our culture and our identities.” [0:17:59]

“What we’re building is in service of giving people a sense of home and a sense of joy. In [hard times], they’re actually going to want to engage with a brand like ours. What we stand for is relevant and timely.” [0:28:40]

“There was this flywheel that we created by building and fostering a community that understood our values, saw what we [stood for], and that really resonated with them.” [0:29:53]

“[Ask yourself]: Is my story and my brand story authentic? Because consumers’ bullshit meters are higher than ever. Same with the press. Beyond that, does it parlay into broader dialogues that are happening at a national level?” [0:31:12]

“I dedicate so much of my time and mindshare, and emotional energy to evolving my worldviews and my relationship with myself – so that I can navigate this journey with grace, trust, belief, and conviction. Those are so important for getting the job done.” [0:35:21]

“My advice would be to continue to show more of who you really are in the [CEO] journey.” [0:46:53]

Description:

In this episode, Lee sits down with Michael Broukhim, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of FabFitFun, a women’s lifestyle membership and shopping experience bringing joy and well-being to its members. Michael shares his experience growing up with his older brother in Los Angeles, his incredible story of starting an online media consulting company, some ups and downs of developing websites for politicians, pivoting to launching a wellness blog, and how this all unfolded into his trailblazing CEO journey. Tune in to hear how he has evolved as a leader, the challenges of growing the company, the secret sauce to launching a brand, the top tips he recommends to stay grounded.

Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:

• AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.

In This Episode You’ll Hear About:

• [03:13] Growing up in Los Angeles, his roots in media entrepreneurship and the profound influence his parents had on his passion for the written word.

• [07:25] Navigating his brother's cancer diagnosis, early job experiences, and a transformative college journey that paved the way for FabFitFun.

• [13:42] Starting his first business, working with politicians, and mixing wellness with the red carpet treatment.

• [19:54] Value lessons from earlier ventures, from monetizing emails to business expansion, and how this led to FabFitFun.

• [26:31] Pivoting the business model of FabFitFun and what makes the company and its products unique.

• [31:47] What qualities they look for in other brands and the success stories of the companies they have worked with.

• [34:06] The joint venture approach to business and how Michael has evolved as a leader.

• [37:20] The difficult challenge of raising capital and how this inspired Michael and his brother to form Green Meadow Ventures.

• [41:24] The biggest obstacles to founding FabFitFun; a wedding, COVID, and his brother’s cancer diagnosis.

• [44:22] Invaluable advice for budding entrepreneurs and what’s next for FabFitFun!

To Find Out More:

Michael Broukhim on LinkedIn

Michael Broukhim on Twitter

FabFitFun

Charlie on LinkedIn

Green Meadow Ventures

Awesome CX

Casaléna

Unhide

Spongelle

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Quotes:

“Maybe it was the combination of having access to the internet and having a printer, but I started just putting things into a word processor and laying them out.” [0:05:33]

“I was a pretty resilient kid, and in a lot of ways, I didn’t have anything too tough, and only later in my life did I come to understand that.” [0:07:29]

“We didn’t seek out to build a political new media consulting firm, it was just the first opportunity that fell into our laps.” [0:15:26]

“We learned really well how to get people onto our newsletter, how to monetize an email list, and how to produce incredible content.” [0:20:16]

“I think email is interesting. It is kind of like the cockroach of the internet. It will never go away. It is a truly open platform.” [0:20:31]

“In some ways what we came up with, through FabFitFun, was an alternative way to tell your story as a brand, and that was to get the product into consumers’ hands.” [0:28:33]

“Consumers have a much higher tolerance for trying new things if they know they are getting a deal.” [0:28:52]

“What is going to make any brand or product successful in the long run is you have to own the consumer for something unique and something differentiated that you have tapped into.” [0:31:54]

“Getting into that mode of constantly working on yourself, being a self-learner, and in some ways your own harshest critic, I think are really essential to leading a company.” [0:35:26]

“I think surrounding [ourselves] peer groups that [we] can talk to and learn from has been really critical.” [0:37:06]

“I think right now, trying to really stretch your dollar is important because the capital is more expensive.” [0:38:47]

“Keep powering through. I think if you are really committed to [starting a business], it is an incredible privilege to be able to run a business.” [0:44:24]

“I think finding a way to stay level is really critical as an entrepreneur.” [0:44:51]

Description:

Sharing his extraordinary story today is Olympic-level rowing coach turned entrepreneur, Bruce Smith. Bruce has been self-sufficient since his teens and in this episode, we discover his journey to becoming the Founder and CEO of Hydrow; the rowing machine company connecting the indoor rowing experience to the magic of rowing on water. From breaking into hotels and churches in order to practice piano, he transferred his passion wholly into rowing. Tune in to discover what he finds so engaging about the sport and hear all about his inspiring personal journey and entrepreneurial story.

Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:

•     AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.

In This Episode You’ll Hear About:

• [01:02] Introducing Bruce Smith, the Founder and CEO of Hydrow.

• [03:37] Bruce’s early days: Growing up in Canada with a schizophrenic mother, leaving home early, and supporting himself financially while pursuing music.

• [11:16] How he supported himself in college; how he became a hustler by necessity!

• [14:24] His journey from academia to entrepreneurship, real estate, and coaching.

• [20:08] Bruce’s passion for rowing and his transition from rower to rowing coach.

• [22:49] The mind-body connection associated with rowing and the addictiveness of synchronization.

• [25:18] Bruce shares success stories from his career as a rowing coach.

• [27:42] The genesis story of Hydrow; the rowing machine company connecting the indoor rowing experience to the magic of rowing on water.

• [33:49] Hydrow’s impressive fundraising journey in the face of countless rejections.

• [47:09] The company’s team structure, Bruce’s leadership approach, and Hydrow’s future goals!

To Find Out More:

Bruce Smith on LinkedIn

Hydrow

Community Rowing, Inc.

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Quotes:

“[Entrepreneurship] is really hard but it's really satisfying. Honestly, I think it's the most fun thing you can do. It's like creating art that's worth the trouble.” [0:03:21]

“I got my driver's license the day that I turned 16 and I got in the car and I drove away and I basically never went back.” [0:07:40]

“I really do believe poverty is an amazing motivator.” [0:13:12]

“The power of the man is real and you’ve got to adapt and bend a little bit if you're going to be successful.” [0:17:28]

“In the United States, especially in Chicago, it is a meritocracy. If you have good ideas, people embrace you with open arms.” [0:19:46]

“That moment of synchronicity – is wildly addictive.” [0:23:59]

“We wanted to take that smoothness and that analog feeling [of rowing on water] and translate it to a machine. So we had to reimagine how people think of our machines from the ground up.” [0:32:28]

“You want to be sure that the people who invest in your company will be able to continue to invest in your company.” [0:38:54]

“I like bankers. They're the most socially capable people I've ever met.” [0:40:35]

“Overall, I've become an even stronger believer in investing in culture and – who you are.” [0:47:52]

Description:

In today’s episode, we hear Francisco Pergola the Co-Founder of Cheddies Crackers, a high protein, low sugar snack brand made with real cheese sourced from regenerative farms. During this episode, Francisco shares his story of making something out of nothing, time and time again, from growing up in San Antonio, Texas (with dreams of working on Wall Street) to starting the first Ping Pong club in high school, and beyond. Francisco created Cheddies after realizing that hospital patients had limited healthy snack options. Working with nutritionists and testing his concept within clinics, Francesco and his family have taken the snack world by storm. Tune in to hear more today!

Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:

•  AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.

In This Episode You’ll Hear About:

• [01:05] Francisco Pergola’s childhood, studies, and career before co-founding Cheddies Crackers.

• [09:23] The inception and development of the Cheddies Crackers concept.

• [13:48] Researching what patients needed with nutritionists and testing the concept in hospitals.

• [20:14] Taking the product to market, finding a big break, and getting stocked at H-E-B.

• [31:09] Navigating fearlessness as an entrepreneur and asking for forgiveness rather than permission.

• [40:10] The ratio of challenge to celebration on the journey and weighing up the benefits along the way.

• [48:55] Francisco reflects on the early days of the business and what he would recommend others do differently.

• [53:07] Background on the cracker industry in the USA and Nabisco.

To Find Out More:

Francesco Pergola on LinkedIn

Cheddies Crackers

Outlaw Ventures

H-E-B
Awesome CX

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Quotes:

“I’d go in and talk to their patients and just listen to what they needed which is something that, in the medical industry, not many people do.” [0:14:07]

“When we go into the clinics, the easiest selling point for us was familiarity and approachability.” [0:18:14]

“[It] was near and dear to our hearts when we started Cheddies — it’s a snack; it’s meant to be fun; it just so happens to be better for you.” [0:19:38]

“I tell people all the time, just ask for forgiveness later.” [0:21:12]

“I don’t like having limits on what I can and cannot do, because you only live once, so why not try to do as many things as you can?” [0:38:38]

“95% of what we have done and dealt with have been challenges and like 5% have been celebratory moments.” [0:40:10]

“The good is always at the end, somewhere, somehow.” [0:40:36]

“There are going to be moments where you seek answers, you seek help from others, and the truth is, it’s your journey, and they are your answers to figure out.” [0:47:37]

“I think taking on debt at an early stage is an effective tool.” [0:48:57]

Description:

Today, Lee is joined by Alison Cayne, New York native, mother of five, and Founder and CEO of the revolutionary cooking school turned fresh, squeezable sauce brand, Haven’s Kitchen. In this episode, we discover how Alison combined her love for cooking, teaching, and entrepreneurship to create Haven’s Kitchen and what inspired her versatile range of sauces for home cooks. She sheds light on the product incubation process and the lack of fundraising opportunities for underrepresented founders. Tune in as Alison shares her inspiring story of becoming a leader, and the philosophies she stands by as she guides her team (and her brand) to new heights.

Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:

•    AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.

In This Episode You’ll Hear About:

• [03:02] Alison’s background: growing up in NYC, working in urban development, having five kids, and getting a master’s in food sciences.

• [14:33] How Alison combined her love for cooking, teaching, and entrepreneurship to create Haven’s Kitchen!

• [17:49] What inspired Haven’s fresh, squeezable sauces for home cooks (and what inspired Alison to pursue the business).

• [21:27] The versatility, accessibility, and sustainability of the sauces.

• [28:13] The product incubation and launch process (with help from Chobani and Whole Foods).

• [36:24] Alison’s greatest challenges (COVID aside!) and the importance of redefining growth expectations for a new category.

• [39:46] Fundraising challenges, particularly for underrepresented founders, and the importance of building a support network.

• [49:56] Alison candidly shares her strengths and weaknesses as a leader and her vision for the company.

• [58:31] What’s next for Haven’s Kitchen! Spoiler alert: a new product line.

• [59:14] Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs to solve a clear problem and ensure sustainable margins.

To Find Out More:

Alison Cayne on LinkedIn

Haven’s Kitchen

Haven’s Kitchen on Instagram

Chobani Incubator

Whole Foods

Blue Apron

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Quotes:

“When my youngest son started nursery school, I went back to get a master's in food systems and food studies.” [0:13:48]

“There's just so much correlation with cooking and personal, community, and environmental health.” [0:16:57]

“We had an all-day cafe and an event space and we were profitable within a year, which was cool.”  [0:17:32]

“Why are we teaching our students how to make things like, romesco sauce, Thai peanut sauce, chimichurri, and salsa verde, but these things don’t exist where they're shopping in the grocery store?” [0:19:46]

“I got into the business because I wanted to help people feel great about cooking.” [0:20:14]

“You learn as you go, but can save you thousands of dollars and hours and really prevent failure if you get those lessons early.” [0:33:32]

“The companies that you're seeing that are raising gazillions of dollars and they look like they're doing it relatively easily — are not doing it relatively easily. Secondly, they are likely already in a group of people where they have access to capital and it is really unfair.” [0:39:55]

“Minority-owned brands [and] female-founded brands — are chronically underfunded.” [0:40:10]

“It is very important to have a network of people early on who can write checks. Banks don't do it. You will not find a VC to do it. You need to have angels.” [0:40:33]

“We have an ecosystem where money begets money.” [0:46:17]

“Your strengths and your weaknesses are basically two different sides of the same exact tree.” [0:56:07]

Description:

In this episode, Danielle Gronich joins Lee to share her journey to becoming the Co-Founder and CEO of CLEARSTEM. She shares her story from growing up as a tomboy in Southern California with dreams of traveling the world, to working at ADP where she met with all types of business owners and built the confidence to start her first company, the San Diego Acne Clinic. She talks about her experience at beauty school, the root causes and foods that can cause breakouts, how she met her Co-Founder, Kayleigh Christina, and how they bootstrapped the business and grew it to over $8 million in revenue in 2022. 

Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:

•  AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.

In This Episode You’ll Hear About:

• [02:55] Danielle’s tomboy childhood, entrepreneurial traits, and dreams to travel the world.

• [09:35] What led her to study at UC Santa Barbara, plus some key lessons from her first jobs.

• [14:30] Insight into the not-so-cute side of being a CEO and how working at ADP gave Danielle a real-world business education.

• [17:30] How she created the clinical career she always wanted but didn’t know existed!

• [21:54] Supplements, hormonal imbalances, and other things that can trigger acne.

• [23:12] Where the idea for CLEARSTEM originated after Danielle met her cofounder.

• [26:25] How they built the business from the ground up and how it was impacted by COVID.

• [30:15] The focus on product and messaging that have propelled CLEARSTEM’s growth.

• [31:43] Challenges that came with scaling the business and the role of nurturing the cofounder relationship and facilitating communication.

• [35:42] The CLEARSTEM vision and how community and education set the company apart.

• [40:34] Danielle's decision to keep the company self-funded and what's next for the business.

• [48:26] Why Danielle believes that trusting your instincts is key to business success.

To Find Out More:

CLEARSTEM Skincare

Danielle Gronich on LinkedIn

Danielle Gronich on Instagram

Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)

Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Quotes:

“I was definitely entrepreneurial; always creative, thinking outside the box, thought that what I was being told to do was [boring]. I wanted to focus on something I thought was more important and I hated being told what to do by authority figures. I think that’s a key trait!” [0:06:13]

“I remember getting exposed to other cultures in depth at a really young age and I always found it fascinating, so I wanted to see the world and satisfy that adventurous spirit.” [0:09:25]

“Being a CEO seems one way to so many people. Once you’re in it, it is that way, but it’s also a lot of stuff you don’t want to do.” [0:14:42]

“How can I learn [business] on the street in a real-world way? [ADP] was the perfect job to do it. I met so many business owners at all different types of businesses – That became my MBA.” [0:16:06]

“While I was [at beauty school], I realized that treating acne was the medical profession I had always wanted but didn’t know existed.” [0:18:26]

“We love making [educational videos and] hosting free masterclasses. We do IG lives. We collaborate with other healthcare professionals, so we’re constantly spreading the [CLEARSTEM] message and ethos.” [0:30:28]

“One of our core values is that we have to be one with the customer at all times. Almost everyone on our team has dealt with acne or some other skin concern.” [0:30:44]

“I knew how to crush it in a [clinical and one-on-one setting], but that doesn’t automatically translate to mass market [success].”  [0:38:24]

“Our founder story is so unique and we’re always sharing that with people and constantly educating – The way we give to our community and educate freely is what really sets us apart.” [0:38:39]

“Being able to stick to the control of the ingredients and the ethos – was always something that was important to us. We swore we never wanted to have an investor because we never wanted someone to tell us, ‘Make this cheaper.’”  [0:41:02]

“So many brands claim to be everything to everyone, but if there ever was a brand that was, it’s us!” [0:47:06]

“The one thing I wish I could have told myself back then is to trust your instincts.” [0:48:44]

Description:

Katie Diasti is changing the world of period care as the Founder and CEO of the non-toxic and sustainable period brand Viv! She joins Lee to share her story of growing up as a first-generation Egyptian-American in Tampa, Florida, before a college project sparked her idea for the brand, with staggering data to fuel her passion. We touch on the early stages of growth at Viv, leveraging affiliate marketing to reach a wider audience, and fundraising as a young woman building a period care brand, before Katie shares what surprised her on her business journey, challenges her three-person team has faced with 2000 retail doors, and what’s next for Viv! In closing, she shares a word of advice with listeners.

Exclusive Deals from Our Sponsors:

•    AWESOME CX by Transcom provides high touch, personalized customer experience services to consumer brands of any size! Email Lee at [email protected] to learn more about their award-winning services and Awesome Coffee Chats.

In This Episode You’ll Hear About:

• [01:04] Introducing Katie Diasti, Founder and CEO of Viv, a non-toxic, sustainable period brand.

• [03:37] What it was like to grow up as a first-generation Egyptian-American in Tampa, Florida.

• [10:08] The college project that ignited Katie’s idea for the brand.

• [15:56] Usage data that fuelled Katie’s passion for sustainability in the industry.

• [19:10] Products and materials included in the Viv range, including the user-friendly Viv Cup.

• [26:11] Early growth drivers, affiliate marketing, and fundraising as a young woman building a period care brand.

• [29:28] Why focusing on retail has come as a surprise to Katie.

• [34:28] Where the name Viv originally came from and why Katie loves including ‘for your v’.

• [36:17] Challenges her three-person team has experienced with 2000 retail doors.

• [37:50] What’s next for Viv and some valuable advice from Katie’s journey for new entrepreneurs.

To Find Out More:

Viv

Viv on TikTok

Viv on Instagram
Viv on Twitter
Katie Diasti on LinkedIn
Lee Greene on LinkedIn

Stairway to CEO

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Stairway to CEO on Instagram

Quotes:

“I’ve loved how Viv has shifted as a persona. I very much wanted to personify a brand when building Viv, thinking of it as an older sister or this badass person you look up to.” [0:14:08]

“In my own life I was looking to make more sustainable swaps, and I knew that there was a whole generation with me that was looking to be more of an eco-conscious buyer as well as more socially conscious, but there was no brand on the shelf that was really targeting those issues and resonating with the Gen Z and millennial audience.”  [0:16:37]

“Bamboo is not only better for the earth, [but] it also uses way less land and way less water to grow.” [0:18:43]

“Knowing that we could have [period products that are] both better for you and better performance was great.” [0:18:31]

“Viv pads actually break down in 150 days compared to 800 years.” [0:18:44]

“So many people are new to a menstrual cup, so making it as approachable as possible has been key.” [0:20:03]

“Building a startup also takes a village. It’s like raising a family in that sense.” [0:23:38]

“You just have to know that [affiliate marketing] might not work sometimes. Being okay with that in the early days is crucial.” [0:24:56]

“It’s about finding investors that believe in you. You never want to be begging someone to believe in you because that’s just not a great fit, either. It needs to be a two-way street in terms of interviewing the right fit for you.” [0:27:01]

“Wild how some of the things that you think are just for fun or might not have that big of an impact can really change the course of your distribution and growth. Because we’re giving so much of ourselves, being very authentic, and really embracing and embodying the Viv brand always. We’re always in Viv colors at every networking event.” [0:33:26]

“Nothing is ever going to be 100% perfect when you launch and you’re never going to feel 100% ready.” [0:28:35]

“If you’re not looking back and you’re not a little bit embarrassed by the first thing you ever ship out or launch, then you’re taking too long to launch. Launch and grow.” [0:38:58]

“Just start. That’s the hardest part. That mental hurdle.” [0:39:14]