The Foundr Podcast with Nathan Chan

A few years ago I lost half a million dollars in 30 days. Not in crypto, not in a speculative bet. In the business I built from my parents' basement and launched on $3,000 from a credit card. And the part that still gets me is that the loss itself was not the dangerous part. The dangerous part was everything that led up to it. Here is the thing nobody warns you about: your most vulnerable moment as a founder is not when things are falling apart. It is when everything is working, people are telling you everything you touch turns to gold, and you start to believe it. In this episode, I share the full story publicly for the first time, what actually caused it, how I got through it, and the two lessons that came out of it and completely changed how I build now. Here's what you'll take away: Why success is the moment you need to be most paranoid, not most relaxed, and what stops most founders from seeing it that way How spending $1 million a month on ads with no back end system or unit economics in place set up the fall before it happened The ego shift that happens when you stop questioning, stop running worst case scenarios, and start thinking the machine will just keep running Ray Dalio's principle of pain plus reflection equals progress, and why most founders feel the pain and skip the part that actually matters Why being in the repeat business is the first thing I focus on now when building anything What Drew Houston means when he says founders must be learning machines, and how I stopped being one right when it mattered most If you are in a season right now where something has gone wrong, or you are riding a wave and quietly getting comfortable, this episode is for you. The reflection is where the progress lives. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → <a href="https://foundr.com/pages/c

Yasmina Elmerkaoui had one shot - use the house deposit to buy a home, or bet it all on a hair gel she'd spent two years formulating. She chose the hair gel. On launch night she packed orders until 5am, drove them to the post office herself, and woke up to find all 20,000 units - what she thought was a year's worth of stock - completely gone in 24 hours. Macao is now on track for eight figures in its third year, built on 90,000 Instagram followers, zero outside funding at launch, and a pre-launch call to her manufacturer that saved everything. In this interview, Yasmina breaks down the exact pre-launch move that meant stock was already in production when she sold out overnight, how she turned copycats into a celebration, and the investor email she kept deleting because she thought it was a scam. What you'll learn in this interview: Why she bet the house deposit on a hair gel - and the mentor conversation that pushed her over the line How nearly $10,000 in sampling and a $30,000 first run taught her what building a real product actually costs The pre-launch gut call - why she paid a deposit to start production before launch, and how it saved the business when everything sold out in 24 hours Why she started signing customer service emails under a male alias - and why it actually worked How she used UGC creators from day one to fill the feed with different faces, ethnicities, and hair types so the brand didn't rely on just her The Black Friday disaster that made a year's revenue in one week - then nearly broke her entire operation Why she kept deleting the investor email from Capital Influence because she thought it was a Facebook scam What finally convinced her to give up equity - and why it was about experience, not money The "create your own bundle" feature that raised average order value without a single extra product Why she celebrates copycats - and the mindset that keeps her focused on what's next instead of what's being copied If you're an early stage DTC founder, a content creator thinking about launching your own product, or trying to figure out how to turn a loyal audience into actual sales without burning the trust you've built, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about community, launch strategy, and what it really takes to go from house deposit to eight figures. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUS

This is not a growth hack. It is not going to go viral on a Twitter thread. But I genuinely believe it is one of the highest leverage things you can do for your brand right now, and most founders never do it properly because it is not exciting. Here is what a mentor told me years ago that I keep coming back to: a dollar saved is a dollar earned. And depending on your margins, that dollar saved is probably worth $1.30 or $1.40 on the bottom line. In this episode, I walk you through a full line by line expense audit covering every major cost area in a typical e-commerce business, the same process we have run at Foundr that has saved us tens of thousands of dollars a month. Here's what you'll take away: Why the average growing Shopify store is paying for 15 to 30 apps but actively using only eight of them, and how to fix that fast How to negotiate your SaaS tools, 3PL rates, merchant fees, and supplier costs in ways most founders never think to try Why agency retainers are one of the most expensive line items you can cut, and what to build in-house instead How to use AI and Claude Code to replace tools and creative spend that is quietly draining your budget every month The Meta ads Net 30 arrangement that can make a significant difference to your cash flow if you are spending at scale Why businesses waste an average of 26% of their marketing budget on campaigns that are not performing, and where to redirect it If your margins are tighter than they should be or you have not done a proper audit in the last six months, this episode will show you exactly where to look and what to do about it. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jay Klein lost $2 million on a gum nobody wanted. He sold the remaining stock to a pig feed company for $13,000 - then used every cent of it to launch Pur. Sixteen years later, Pur is the fastest-growing gum in North America, the #1 selling gum on Amazon, sells in over 50 countries, and does over $250 million in retail sales annually. All bootstrapped. All founder-owned. And built in a $20 billion industry controlled by fewer than ten giants who still haven't managed to take him out. In this interview, the founder of The Pur Company breaks down how he discovered his winning product insight for free at 30,000 feet, why he deliberately ignored Walmart and Tesco to win thousands of tiny independent stores first, and how he absorbed a brutal 39% tariff - without raising a dollar or passing a cent to his customers - and still grew 30% that year. What you'll learn in this interview: • How losing $2 million on his first gum brand rewired everything - and why getting back to zero was his greatest victory • The airplane focus group: how he discovered the aspartame insight for free that became the entire Pur thesis • Why he targeted independent health food stores instead of big retailers - and the "major league attitude in a minor league setting" strategy behind it • How he convinced his manufacturer to extend 30-day credit on a $250K first order with only $13K to his name • The "assemble the crumbs to make the cookie" philosophy: why Pur has never been built on a single big retail relationship • How duty free airports became his global expansion engine - and why he treated them like his version of New York City • Why he turned down the Dragon's Den deal even after it went through - and what he got out of it anyway • The 39% Swiss tariff crisis: how he absorbed the full hit rather than disrupt his retail relationships - and why scale actually amplified the problem instead of solving it • Why he keeps the lowest possible balance in his checking account on purpose - and what it does for his hunger as a founder • What he looks for now as a Dragon's Den investor: the two things that matter before any unit economics conversation If you're building a CPG or retail brand, trying to figure out how to grow without giving away equity, or looking for the real story behind what bootstrapped category-building looks like across 16 years and 50 countries, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about distribution, resilience, and what it means to outwork the competition one crumb at a time. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operato

Dr. Angela Casey spent nearly 15 years treating skin cancer before she had her business idea. She didn't come from entrepreneurship - she came from molecular biology, medical school, residency, and a clinical practice. When the idea hit her, it was so obvious she couldn't believe nobody had done it properly. She searched every major retailer - Ulta, Sephora, Target, Walmart, Macy's - and found nothing worth recommending to her own three daughters. A Macy's assistant tried to sell her 12-year-old an anti-aging eye cream. Bright Girl was the answer to that gap, and it cost her $350,000 and three years to bring it to life. In this episode, Angela gets completely honest about what it takes to launch a product the right way from scratch - the hundreds of surveys, the thousands of patient conversations, the Covid shipping crisis that sent her costs up six times overnight, and what nearly $120,000 in packaging sitting in a warehouse actually feels like when you're still flying the plane as you build it. What you'll learn in this interview: How Angela validated Bright Girl before spending a cent - surveying hundreds of people on SurveyMonkey, questioning thousands of patients over two years, and physically visiting every major beauty retailer to confirm the gap was real Why she interviewed dozens of cosmetic chemist teams around the world before finding the right fit - and how three years of clinical research meant she only needed three rounds of formula revisions The real cost of a custom, premium launch: $50K for the first filled run, $120K when you include the 36,000 empty bottles in reserve, and $350K all in when you add branding and design What it felt like to order 40,000 bottles and jars across four SKUs in 2020 - just as Covid hit and shipping costs multiplied by six Why she spent the first year of DTC sales proving market fit before ever approaching dermatology practices as a distribution channel - and why that sequencing mattered The exact moment she knew the product had real credibility: when other dermatologists - notoriously skeptical of new skincare brands - started recommending Bright Girl not just to patients but for their own children How selling through dermatology practices built the trust that made mass retail possible - and the retailers Bright Girl is now stocked in Why Amazon, launched just over a year ago, is now growing at 10-20% month over month - and how TikTok Shop became an unpredictable but consistent additional channel The email marketing lesson from her Founder mentor that unlocked 15-20% of website revenue from a channel she had barely touched What two full-time jobs actually looks like - five days a week in clinical practice, seven days a week on Bright Girl - and the non-negotiable routines that hold it together If you're early in your journey and wondering whe

After interviewing over 700 founders, including more than 100 billionaires, I kept noticing something that never made it onto the podcast. When the recording stopped and I asked privately how they were really doing, so many described the same thing. The weight of carrying something you cannot put down and cannot hand to anyone else. Here is the truth I wish someone had told me earlier: entrepreneurs are five and a half times more likely to experience loneliness than the general population. And the founders who are struggling the most are almost always the last ones to say anything about it. In this episode, I share things I have never talked about publicly before, including losing half a million dollars in a single month, showing up for my team the next morning like nothing happened, and what losing my best friend Aaron taught me about what actually matters on this journey. Here's what you'll take away: Why founder loneliness is not about being physically alone, and why that distinction makes it so much harder to recognise and address The moment that almost broke me at Foundr, and what it actually felt like to carry it without anyone to call Why the skill of showing up calm and projecting confidence eventually becomes a wall that keeps out the people who could actually help What Scooter Braun, Steve Huffman, and the co-founder of Airbnb all said privately about whether it ever feels like enough Why the wins can feel just as isolating as the hard moments, and what to do about that The one thing that has made the biggest difference: surrounding yourself with founders who are a few steps ahead of where you are right now If you have been carrying something heavy lately and telling everyone it is fine, this episode is for you. The gap between what you are actually feeling and what you let anyone see will keep growing unless you actively close it. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-applic

Jennifer Fisher started with $5,000 and a dog tag she sketched on a piece of paper for her son - a son she almost never had, after chemotherapy, failed IVF, and years of surrogacy attempts. She knocked on doors on 47th Street, got Uma Thurman to wear her piece on a Glamour cover, and bootstrapped the brand for 20 years without taking a single dollar from investors. Now Jennifer Fisher Jewelry is on track for nine figures, growing 50% year over year, and targeting 200-300% growth by 2028 - with a $20 jar of salt as her secret customer acquisition weapon. In this interview, Jennifer breaks down the Instagram pivot in 2017 that tripled sales overnight, how 6% of salt buyers convert to jewelry customers, and the manufacturing mistake she made after Covid that nearly broke the entire business. What you'll learn in this interview: • How a dog tag she sketched for her son became Hollywood's go-to jewelry brand - starting with Uma Thurman on a Glamour cover • Why she launched DTC before Shopify existed - and what running a jewelry brand on Magento in 2005 actually looked like • The 2017 Instagram pivot: how showing her real life - cooking, dogs, kids - tripled sales overnight • How a $20 jar of salt she made in her kitchen became a full customer acquisition funnel - with 6% of buyers converting to jewelry • Why founder-led creative outconverts every influencer she's ever worked with - and why she still does it all herself • The manufacturing mistake that nearly broke her: why not moving production out of NYC fast enough after Covid was her biggest business regret • How a JV with Centric Brands unlocked the operations, manufacturing scale, and systems she couldn't build alone in 20 years • Managing 4,000 SKUs (cut from 10,000) - and the inventory planning challenge that still costs her sales every season • Why she's launching men's jewelry, silver, sunglasses, and home as category expansions - and how she decides what's actually her • What surviving chemo, years of IVF, and the loss of her father taught her about handling fear in business If you're building a DTC fashion or lifestyle brand, trying to figure out how founder-led content and creative actually works at scale, or just want 20 years of hard-won bootstrap lessons from someone who built nine figures without ever raising a round, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about brand building, customer acquisition, and what it means to show up as yourself. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Lea

Most founders make their first hire reactively. They're overwhelmed, stretched across every function, and they just want someone to take the pressure off right now. So they bring in a generalist, hand them a list of everything they hate doing, and a few months later they're more frustrated than before. Here's the problem: hiring to relieve pressure is not the same as hiring strategically. And when you get it wrong early, it doesn't just cost you money. It costs you trust in the whole process of building a team. In this episode, I walk through the framework I wish I had when I made my first hire at Foundr, including the question that reframes the whole decision, why attitude always beats skill, and how to use freelancers and AI agents to buy back time before you are ready to bring on a full time team member. Here's what you'll take away: • Why hiring reactively is the most common and most expensive mistake solo founders make • How to identify what only you can do in the business, and why that answer should drive every hiring decision • Why focusing on outcomes instead of tasks completely changes how you set a new hire up to succeed • The case for starting with freelancers and AI agents before committing to a full time salary • How to run a test project that actually tells you whether someone is the right fit before you sign them on • Why trust is earned over time and what happens when you hand over too much too fast If you are doing everything yourself right now and wondering whether it is time to bring someone on, this episode will give you a clear framework for making that call and help you avoid the mistakes that set most first hires up to fail. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNEC

Ryan Duey was living in an RV with his float spas closed and no backup plan when he and Michael Garrett built their first cold plunge from a retrofitted $100 bathtub in a garage. They turned their Shopify store on with zero marketing—and got a sale. What followed was one of the most unlikely scaling stories in DTC history: $30 million to $80 million in a single year, $250 million in cumulative revenue, four sharks bidding on Shark Tank, and a category they essentially created from scratch—all bootstrapped, all assembled in-house in California. In this interview, the co-founders of Plunge break down the real cost of scaling a high-ticket inventory business, why they lost an estimated $20 million in revenue from lead times alone, and the organic influencer strategy that built the brand before they ever ran a paid ad. What you'll learn in this interview: • How they got their first sale with zero marketing—and the Black Friday that showed them how big this could get • The cash flow trap every inventory-heavy founder hits: why a great P&L and an empty bank account can exist at the same time • How customer prepayments funded growth for years—and what forced the switch to holding inventory • Why long lead times cost Plunge an estimated $20 million in lost sales • From buying parts on Amazon to co-designing a custom chiller in China—the full supply chain evolution • How a single Instagram comment to Aubrey Marcus started a chain of organic gifting to Huberman, Tony Hawk, and Rich Roll • The Shark Tank deal that never closed—and why they still got the PR, the airing, and the exposure • How they bought plunge.com from a New Orleans jazz band for $250K—and why the trademark was the bigger win • Why nearly half of all orders close through a phone call or SMS, not a checkout button • How they raised $1.3 million from their own customers in under two weeks via Wefunder If you're building a high-ticket DTC brand, navigating the brutal cash flow realities of an inventory-heavy business, or trying to grow without burning cash on paid ads before you're ready, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about scaling, supply chain, and what it actually takes to build a category from a garage. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROA

Alisha dropped out of year 10 to become a hairdresser, opened her own salon at 20, and ran it for nearly a decade - applying five different products to every client's hair, every single day. By the time she sold the salon, she already knew exactly what was wrong with the industry. What she didn't know was how to start an e-commerce brand. James Jade, her all-in-one leave-in conditioner that replaces up to five separate products, took two years and close to $21,000 to get off the ground. She doesn't regret a cent of it. In this episode, Alisha walks through the full build - the custom formula she landed on her second sample, the five delays before launch, and the first two years of selling almost entirely through word of mouth, mystery notes left in cafe bathrooms, and conversations at the World Surf League. She gets honest about what held her back, how slow it actually was, and what finally started to move the needle. What you'll learn in this interview: How 16 years on the salon floor became the most credible form of product validation - and why Alisha already knew her formula before she ever met a cosmetic chemist Why she got the formula right on the second sample when most founders go through 20 - and the one thing that was actually the hardest to nail The real cost of custom formulation: $7,000 for packaging, ~$14,000 for 1,000 units at $15 a bottle, and why she was told to double her budget - and it ended up being triple What she did during the two years between starting development and actually launching, including freelancing to fund each invoice one at a time Why refusing to be the face of the brand in the early days made everything slower - and the exact moment she realised the product alone wasn't enough The scrappy, offline community tactics that built early brand awareness - leaving minis in nice bathrooms, mystery notes in cafes, street conversations at events How she started posting four times a week on Instagram with no ads, no influencers, and no email marketing - and what eventually changed The decision to build weekly emails around real hair advice rather than promotional content - and why her salon background made this the easiest part of the whole business Why she waited until she'd recouped her initial investment before developing the shampoo - and what the waitlist looks like before it's even launched Lessons from nearly $21K invested in a first run, five launch delays, and two years of slow, deliberate building before the business started to accelerate If you're in the early stages and wondering whether the slow growth means you're doing it wrong - this episode is for you. Alisha's story is a reminder that domain expertise is an unfair advantage, that the long, unglamorous build is often the only way to get it right, and that $7K a month on a single pro

I've wasted so much money over the years running Foundr that I don't even want to know the number. And if I'm honest, it came down to one thing: when it's the business's money, it doesn't always feel like yours. So you spend it like it isn't. Here's the problem: when your personal and business finances are tangled up together, revenue starts to feel like income, a good month makes you feel like you can relax, and before long the business account becomes a piggy bank. You can't read your own numbers, you can't make good decisions about hiring or inventory or marketing, and you have no real idea what the business actually has. In this episode, I share the exact framework I wish someone had handed me earlier, including the Profit First model, how to pay yourself properly, and the software audit we just ran at Foundr that is saving us tens of thousands of dollars a month. Here's what you'll take away: Why treating business money as separate from personal money is harder than it sounds, and what it actually costs you when you get it wrong How the Profit First model works: splitting every dollar that comes in across dedicated accounts for tax, operating expenses, and profit Why paying yourself a fixed salary, even a modest one, forces you to run the business like a real business The one question to ask before any significant spend: can I measure the return against the risk? How a simple software audit can uncover thousands of dollars quietly leaking out every month Why a quarterly P&L review with an external accountant is one of the highest leverage habits a founder can build If your business finances and personal finances are still mixed together, or you have money in the bank but no real clarity on what the business actually has, this episode will give you a clean, practical system to fix that and start making decisions from a place of clarity. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Demi Marchese started with $800, no investors, and no fashion background—just a clothing rack in the back of her car and 30 sororities to pitch in 30 days. She made $40,000 in her first month dressing girls for Coachella out of her living room, turned $800 into $40K, and never took a dollar from investors. Ten years later, 12th Tribe does close to $50 million a year with $250 million in lifetime revenue—fully founder-owned, profitable, and competing head-to-head with VC-backed brands like Fashion Nova and Revolve that have raised over $100 million. In this interview, Demi breaks down the contrarian playbook she calls "living in the group chat," the mass micro-influencer strategy that turned free product into serious revenue, and what it actually looks like to build a fashion brand from the ground up with no money, no partner, and no safety net. What you'll learn in this interview: • How she made $40K in 30 days dressing girls for Coachella out of her car and living room • Why vintage thrifting at 90–95% margins funded her first $1–2 million—and when it became impossible to scale • The "living in the group chat" strategy: how she anticipates what customers want before they know they want it • Why founder-led content has consistently outperformed every other ad format at 12th Tribe • The mass micro-influencer playbook: how to reverse-engineer gifting volume from revenue goals and posting rate • How she balances one big six-figure creator launch per month with mass micro gifting—and what actually converts • Why she's leaning offline as everyone else leans into AI—and the Tribe Table dinner series building real community • What a warehouse crisis during peak season taught her about crisis communication and customer retention • The imposter syndrome of being a 24-year-old solo founder running eight figures—and what finally made it go away • Why she competes on soul, storytelling, and founder personality—not ad spend—against brands with 100x her funding If you're building a DTC fashion or lifestyle brand, trying to grow profitably without outside capital, or looking for the real story behind what founder-led marketing actually looks like at scale, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about community, content, and what it means to build a brand with genuine soul. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Most founders are still thinking about AI as a faster way to do their work. But that is not what is happening anymore. AI agents do not help you do the task. They do the task for you. And if you have not started asking which roles in your business actually need a human, you are already behind. Here is the thing: this is not a big tech problem or a future problem. Small and medium sized businesses are rebuilding their teams around this right now, and the ones doing it well are not replacing people for the sake of it. They are freeing up their human team to focus on the things that actually require judgment. In this episode, I break down what AI agents actually are, how we are using them at Foundr across customer support, lead qualification and ad optimisation, and the practical first steps any e-commerce founder can take today. Here's what you'll take away: Why AI agents and AI tools are completely different things, and why that distinction changes how you think about hiring How one founder cut his team from 48 to 30 people, replaced four software subscriptions, and saved $250,000 a year without losing any revenue How Klarna deployed a single AI agent to do the work of 700 customer service reps The repeatable, process-driven roles in every e-commerce business where agents are already outperforming humans Where to start if you are a solo founder or small team: the customer support use case that pays off fastest The one question to ask before every single hire from this point forward If you are growing your team right now or thinking about your next hire, this episode will completely change how you evaluate that decision and what a lean, high-output operation can actually look like in 2026. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

While every brand was raising prices during inflation, Elina Wang cut hers—and nearly tripled revenue. The co-founder of ESW Beauty turned a juice bar epiphany and a $25,000 bank loan into a $20 million business across 10,000 retail doors, fully bootstrapped and profitable from day one. She did it by making the contrarian bet on retail-first when every founder around her was chasing DTC—then survived Covid wiping out every purchase order overnight while going through a co-founder breakup at the same time. In this interview, Elina breaks down the real cost of getting into major retail, why she deliberately chose wholesale over DTC from day one, and the pricing move that took ESW Beauty from $4 million to $11 million in revenue. What you'll learn in this interview: • Why she bet on retail over DTC from day one—with just $5,000 left after her first trade show • How a $25,000 SBA loan, a scrappy juice bar booth, and aggressive hallway pitching landed $250K in purchase orders • The contrarian pricing move: why cutting price from $6 to $4.99 per mask nearly tripled revenue • How Covid wiped out every PO overnight—and how Faire and gifting programs kept the business alive • Why 95% wholesale requires 70%+ gross margins—and the hidden retail fees most founders discover too late • The in-store promotional math: clip strips, end caps, and PDQ displays that cost $25–75K each but drive real velocity • How she navigated building a business with her co-founder after they broke up—and why they kept going anyway • Why it took three years of persistence to crack Target—and what metrics finally convinced the buyer • The leadership shift every founder dreads: how she learned to let go and trust a team after running everything herself • What she'd tell founders about choosing a co-founder before anything else If you're building a CPG or beauty brand, trying to crack retail without burning through cash, or wondering what profitable bootstrapped growth at eight figures actually looks like, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about distribution, pricing strategy, and what it takes to survive the moments that would end most companies. Ready to scale with Meta Ads the right way?Join Nick Shackelford (BREZ $90M+), Phoenix Ha, and Nathan Chan LIVE on 19 June (EDT) / 20 June (AEST) for a FREE 2-hour workshop packed with proven strategies for creative testing, customer acquisition, and profitable scale.Save your free spot: https://foundr.com/pages/fom-workshop SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → <a href

Tori Gill was still cutting hair on weekends when she sold her first 20,000 sunscreens. A former hairdresser with two kids, no e-commerce background, and a product that took two years to develop, she launched Sun & Daughter on Boxing Day 2024 and hasn't really stopped since. This is the follow-up episode - and a lot has happened. In this episode, Tori gets real about what scaling from $100K to a million-dollar brand actually looks like from the inside: the stockouts, the 54-hour Facebook ad account lockout, the $20,000 orders she had to back herself on, and the retail decision she's made that could either be her smartest move yet - or, in her own words, "the biggest mistake of my life." What you'll learn in this interview: How a consumer watchdog report on failing sunscreen SPF tests became an unexpected growth moment - and how Tori moved fast enough to capitalise on it Why she packed every order from her spare room for a full year, alongside two kids and two days a week in the barber shop, before finally moving into a warehouse the week before Christmas The exact moment a Choice magazine article turned into a sales spike, and how having your formula independently tested can become your most credible marketing asset How Tori used a trending audio format - kids in hats, waiting for SPF results - to make an ad that outperformed every polished campaign she'd ever run Why she treats her Instagram like a reality TV show, and what that means for how she handles UGC, consistent visuals, and the decision never to post other people's faces on her brand page The average order value lesson she learned from Founder that led her to build out hats, brushes, wet bags, and bundles - and push her AOV from $75 to over $111 Why she skipped Black Friday, never ran a sale in year one, and then sold 1,000 sunscreens in 24 hours the first time she did - and why she hasn't done it since Lessons from adding 5 to 10 new ad creatives every single week, and why she's changed her entire campaign structure three times in 15 months How she uses Instagram Stories polls to let her community choose product colours, hat designs, and packaging - and why it's as much about solving her own indecisiveness as it is about building loyalty What she's learned about going into major retail - the upfront stock commitments, the hidden marketing costs, and why she still doesn't know if it was the right call If you're building a product brand and starting to feel like you're holding multiple plates in the air at once - ads, content, stock, manufacturing, team, retail - this episode is worth your time. Tori doesn't have it all figured out, and she says so. But the way she thinks through each decision, tests before she scales, and keeps backing herself anyway is exactly the kind of thinking that turns a spare-room operation into somethi

I see it every single time. Great product. Solid branding. Ads running. And yet it won't scale. Conversions are flat, the economics don't work, and the founder is convinced it's the creative or the funnel or the targeting. It's never the ads. It's the offer. Here's the problem: most founders spend 90% of their time perfecting the product and almost no time on the complete package around it. The framing, the bundle, the guarantee, the AOV. And without that, no amount of ad spend is going to save you. In this episode, I break down what a deliberately engineered offer actually looks like, why getting it right is the single biggest unlock for scaling, and the real-world examples from our Foundr Operators members and the brands spending $100K-plus a day that prove it. Here's what you'll take away: Why conversion problems are almost always an economics and offer problem, not a product, creative, or funnel problem How IM8 turned a supplement powder into an irresistible offer and why every element of their bundle is deliberately engineered How Foundr Operators member Emma tripled her brand's revenue with Sisu without increasing traffic, just by rebuilding her offer The AOV floor every e-commerce brand needs to hit before paid ads can scale profitably What makes an offer feel risk-free: guarantees, social proof, returns policy, and friction reduction done right Why your customer isn't buying a product. They're buying certainty, value, and the feeling that this is the obvious choice If your ads aren't scaling and your conversion rate isn't moving, stop tweaking your creative and start here. Getting the offer right is the thing that changes the trajectory, and everything else gets easier once it clicks. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. Ready to scale with Meta Ads the right way?Join Nick Shackelford (BREZ $90M+), Phoenix Ha, and Nathan Chan LIVE on 19 June (EDT) / 20 June (AEST) for a FREE 2-hour workshop packed with proven strategies for creative testing, customer acquisition, and profitable scale.Save your free spot: https://foundr.com/pages/fom-workshop WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

A Victoria's Secret Angel and a Goldman Sachs investor built one of the most talked-about luxury body care launches in recent memory without raising a cent or paying a single influencer. Jasmine Tookes spent two decades on the world's biggest runways turning down incubator deal after incubator deal, waiting to build something real. When she finally met Sabrina Carstensen—who spent years evaluating consumer brands at Goldman—they launched Brunel bootstrapped, profitable, and with a two-person team that pushed their chemists harder than any brand they'd ever worked with. In this interview, the co-founders of Brunel break down how they built a luxury body care brand from scratch on a lean budget, why organic community came before paid ads, and what it actually takes to get suppliers and manufacturers to take a self-funded brand seriously. What you'll learn in this interview: • Why Jasmine turned down 15 years of incubator deals before building her own brand • How they kept capital in reserve for collection two before collection one ever sold • Why word of mouth and organic TikTok drove their entire early growth—no paid influencers • Why the three-oil bundle outsold every individual product on launch day • The packaging crisis four months before launch—and how sheer persistence solved it • Why they stayed fully organic for six months before turning on paid ads • How Sabrina's investor background shapes every capital decision at Brunel • Why they didn't hire until they were ready—not desperate • Why their chemists said no brand had ever pushed them this hard • What Miranda Kerr's 11 years building Kora taught Jasmine about legacy brands If you're building a beauty or lifestyle brand, trying to grow profitably without burning cash on paid ads before you're ready, or just want the real story behind what luxury brand building looks like on a bootstrapped budget, this conversation will change how you think about product standards, community, and building something that lasts beyond the founder's name. Ready to scale with Meta Ads the right way?Join Nick Shackelford (BREZ $90M+), Phoenix Ha, and Nathan Chan LIVE on 19 June (EDT) / 20 June (AEST) for a FREE 2-hour workshop packed with proven strategies for creative testing, customer acquisition, and profitable scale.Save your free spot: https://foundr.com/pages/fom-workshop SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7,

Most founders think their product is different. But if your marketing sounds like everyone else's — better ingredients, better results, better formula — your customer hears nothing. Because when everything sounds the same, nothing stands out. Here's the problem: customers don't just buy outcomes. They buy belief that your way of getting there is different. And without a unique mechanism, you're leaving that belief on the table — and handing the sale to whoever communicates their difference more clearly. In this episode, I break down the concept of unique mechanisms — what they are, why the fastest growing DTC brands all have one, and how to find and articulate yours even if you think you don't have one yet. Here's what you'll take away: What a unique mechanism actually is — and why naming the process, not just the outcome, is what makes a product feel proprietary How IMAÉ's "90-plus clinically dosed ingredients across nine organ systems" turns a supplement into a category of one Why Instant Hydration's Sel Gris sourcing and Pillar Performance's triple magnesium are textbook examples of mechanism done right How WHOOP repositioned from fitness tracker to "recovery-based performance system" — and why that framing is the whole game The four questions to ask yourself right now to uncover the unique mechanism you already have but aren't communicating Why most founders already have something differentiated — they just can't articulate it clearly enough to make customers believe it If your ads aren't converting the way they should, or your product feels like it's competing on price instead of value, this episode will show you exactly what's missing — and how to fix it before your next campaign. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http

Paul Tran started Manscaped with $50,000, a bloody problem nobody was talking about, and a category that didn't exist. The company hit $300 million in revenue in just 36 months, eventually turned down a $1 billion SPAC deal, and has become the #3 men's grooming brand in a category dominated by companies over 100 years old—while staying profitable the entire way. In this interview, the founder and CEO of Manscaped breaks down the exact DTC playbook that got him from 10,000 units sold out in two weeks to nine figures in annual media spend, why he waited until $50–60 million in marketing spend before entering retail, and the counterintuitive brand decisions—including turning down better-performing ads—that built one of the most recognizable men's lifestyle brands in the world. What you'll learn in this interview: • How Paul identified a completely unaddressed category and validated it with just 10,000 units and $5-a-day Facebook ads • Why Manscaped had lower revenue than Paul's other two businesses at launch—and the three signals that told him it had the highest potential • The $18,000 mistake that wiped out a third of the starting budget in one hour—and what it taught him about brand vs. performance media • Why he deliberately waited until $50–60 million in annual media spend before entering retail—and why most brands jump in too early • The brand values decision that cost them short-term revenue: why they turned down better-converting ads that used provocative imagery • How 66% of first-time buyers chose a starter kit—and the bundle-testing framework behind it • Why he walked away from a $1 billion SPAC deal in 2021—and why that decision looks like genius three years later • The post-purchase upsell structure that turns a single transaction into a lifetime customer • Why consumer brands should never adopt the VC "raise and burn" playbook—and how Manscaped scaled to $300M while staying profitable • What Paul would do radically differently if he started today—and why AI changes the entire early-stage playbook If you're building a DTC brand, trying to figure out the right time to go into retail, or looking for the real story behind how a category-defining brand gets built from scratch on a shoestring, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about timing, positioning, and what profitable scale actually looks like. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → <a href="https://www.foundr.com/s

Victor Chan bought a $2,000 engraving machine off Amazon to make his girlfriend Jess a necklace — a hand-engraved star map of the exact moment they met. She thought it was the most thoughtful gift she'd ever received, and two weeks later they had a store. Two years on, By Lumine is doing $30–40K a month and Jess has quit her accounting job to go all in. A software engineer and a Big Four accountant — both with zero e-commerce or marketing experience — they started with $100 worth of blank pendants, cardboard packaging with a sticker logo, and a lot of figuring it out on evenings and weekends. What they built is a fully customisable, hand-assembled personalised jewellery brand where no two pieces are the same, consistently hitting 10x growth year on year. In this episode, Jess and Victor get completely honest about what the first two years actually looked like — two weeks with zero sales after launch, wasted batches from engraving errors, influencer gifting that went nowhere, and how US tariffs hit them just as they were finding their feet. What you'll learn in this interview: How a personal gift sparked a business idea — and the Etsy research that validated there was a real market for it Why starting with $100 worth of blank pendants and a $50 sticker logo is a legitimate launch strategy The early production mistakes that wasted entire batches — and the lesson on communicating with manufacturers down to the millimetre Why two weeks of zero sales nearly broke them — and what finally turned things around How Victor's software background became an unexpected competitive advantage — and the live preview tool that changed their conversion rate Why Meta ads outperformed every other channel for an emotional, personalised product — and how they learned it all from scratch The honest truth about influencer marketing: what they tried, what it cost, and why it didn't convert How they grew 10x in a single year while both still working full time jobs What getting hit by US tariffs mid-growth actually feels like — and how they kept going anyway Why Jess wishes she'd started earlier — and what she'd tell any founder sitting on the fence If you're thinking about starting something with your partner, building a brand in a saturated market, or just trying to figure out whether the grind of evenings and weekends is actually worth it — this episode will change how you think about what a real start looks like. Jess and Victor prove that the scrappiest beginnings can lead somewhere genuinely remarkable. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT

I still remember the day I launched Foundr. After all that work, all that effort — I made $5.50. And when I told someone close to me, they laughed. I was embarrassed, jaded, and genuinely questioning whether any of it was worth it. Here's the truth: that feeling never fully goes away. It just shows up in different forms. And if you're avoiding it, you're avoiding the exact things that grow your business. In this episode, I share why embarrassment isn't a sign you're doing something wrong — it's a sign you're doing something that matters — and walk through the real stories, including one of our Foundr Plus members who went from terrified of founder-led content to selling out her brand in days. Here's what you'll take away: Why visibility isn't about confidence or personality — it's about reps, and what happens when you commit to showing up before you feel ready How Foundr Plus member Donna launched Journey, put herself out there, got a shoutout from Brittany Saunders, and sold out in days The pattern every successful founder shares: awkward beginnings that nobody sees, and what that means for where you are right now Why avoiding embarrassment doesn't protect you — it just slows your growth How the discomfort of posting, launching, pitching, and hiring compounds into a skill set that gets easier over time The reframe that changes everything: stop asking "what if this is embarrassing?" and start asking "what if this moves my business forward?" If you've been sitting on a piece of content, a product launch, or a partnership pitch because it doesn't feel ready — this episode will show you that the discomfort you're feeling isn't a warning sign. It's the starting point. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Eric Ries wrote the book that changed how the entire world builds startups. Now he's back with a more urgent argument: the way we're taught to build companies is quietly turning them against everything that made them worth building in the first place. The creator of The Lean Startup has spent years watching mission-driven founders get fired from their own companies, watching the spark that started everything get extinguished by the very success they worked so hard to create—and he's finally written the blueprint to stop it. In this interview, Eric breaks down the core ideas behind his new book Incorruptible, why your corporate charter was designed to sound boring so you'd ignore it, and how the loyalty of your best customers is the most valuable—and most endangered—asset your business has. What you'll learn in this interview: • Why the metrics you're tracking are actively destroying customer loyalty—and what to measure instead • The IMVU pivot story: how six months of data finally broke through Eric's stubbornness and forced the pivot that saved the company • Why product improvements that don't change customer behavior aren't improvements at all • How to know when it's time to pivot—and why the real problem is never the decision itself but getting your team to agree on the facts • Why DTC brands are systematically burning their most loyal customers with re-acquisition marketing they've already earned • The Saul Price story: how the founder of Fed-Mart was locked out of his own company—and came back to build Costco • Why only 20% of founders are still CEO three years after IPO—and the governance decisions made at founding that cause it • Why your corporate structure was deliberately designed to sound boring so you'll ignore it until it's too late • The two paths every mission-driven founder must master: the path of ethos and the path of integrity • How Novo Nordisk's 100-year-old governance structure—built by a Nobel laureate in the 1920s—accidentally created the most profitable pharmaceutical in history If you're an early-stage founder, a DTC operator who cares about building something that lasts, or anyone who's ever wondered why the companies that start with the most idealism seem to end up the most corrupt, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about structure, loyalty, and what it actually means to build a company worth protecting. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figu

When I started getting serious about e-commerce, I genuinely believed the more products you had, the more successful you'd be. More SKUs meant scaling. I was completely wrong. Here's the problem: most founders launch a hero product, get early traction, and then the anxiety kicks in. What if it runs out of steam? What if a competitor copies me? So they launch a second product, then a third — and suddenly they're mediocre at five things instead of exceptional at one. In this episode, I share how I built and sold a seven-figure brand off a single water bottle, and break down how IM8 — co-founded by David Beckham — hit $120 million in annualised revenue in under a year on essentially one product, and what both stories mean for how you should be thinking about your brand right now. Here's what you'll take away: Why the urge to launch a second product is almost always driven by fear — and how to reframe it The three questions to ask yourself before you add a single new SKU How AG1, Liquid IV, and IM8 all built empires off one hero product — and what that blueprint looks like for a smaller brand Why going deeper on your hero product is a stronger competitive defence than launching more products The rule of thumb for knowing when you're actually ready to expand — and the mistake I made with Healthish that I'd do differently How simplicity in your product lineup directly improves your margins, your ops, and your mental bandwidth If you're thinking about launching a second product line before your first one is fully optimised, this episode will show you exactly what to focus on instead — and what's possible when you commit to doing one thing at the highest level possible. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Daniel Kitay put everything he had—his savings, his mortgage, and two months before his first child was born—on a container ship full of sugar-free gummy lollies from Switzerland. When a $250,000 shipping bill landed before he'd sold a single product, he had no option but to make it work. Five years later, Funday Natural Sweets does over $100 million in retail sales across 8,000 stores in Australia alone, selling a product every single second. In this interview, the founder of Funday breaks down how he convinced Chemist Warehouse to submit a purchase order before he had funding, why he deliberately avoided the confectionery aisle to sidestep Nestlé, Mars, and Mondelez, and his brutally honest take on when retail will make you—and when it will destroy you. What you'll learn in this interview: • How Daniel convinced Chemist Warehouse to submit a purchase order before he had a single dollar of funding • Why a $250,000 shipping bill with no backup plan was the moment that forced Funday to work • The $50,000 stock mistake that accidentally invented their limited edition drop strategy • Why he deliberately launched in the health food aisle—not the confectionery aisle—to avoid competing with the multinationals • The symbiotic DTC and retail flywheel: how retail drives online discovery and online fuels in-store velocity • Why he spent $25,000 on a brand agency before launch—and the real reason behind that decision • His brutally honest take on retail: when it's the biggest unlock for scale, and when it will wreck your margins • How Funday runs a $100 million business with just 25 employees—and the two-part hiring filter that makes it possible • Why he's launching into US retail nationwide in September, and the economies of scale that finally made it possible If you're building a CPG brand, weighing up when to take the leap into retail, or trying to figure out how DTC and bricks-and-mortar can work together instead of against each other, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about distribution, risk, and what it actually takes to build a category from scratch. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

A 20-year career in high-level finance ended in a single day when Donna Gilbertson was made redundant with one day's notice. No plan B, two kids at home, and a household now running on one income — she could have played it safe and taken the next accounting role that came along. She went to the interviews. Every single time, she didn't want to be there. So instead, she pulled $7,000 from her home loan offset account and bet it on a hair towel. Two months after launching Junie, she'd done $51,000 in sales. In this episode, Donna walks us through the full journey — from product validation surveys and months of failed fabric samples, to a viral moment she almost missed because she was watching MasterChef on the couch. She gets honest about the slow weeks, the seven days without a single sale, and what it actually took to be ready when the opportunity came. What you'll learn in this interview: How a $7,000 first order placed in October and shipped by sea set the foundation for a February launch that was deliberately timed to avoid Black Friday, Christmas, and the January spending slump Why Donna surveyed just 25 people before committing to the product — and how that small step gave her enough confirmation to keep going The exact sourcing process that led her through dozens of fabric rejections before finding the one supplier who could produce what she needed How she built six months of Instagram content before ever announcing the product, and why posting vague "hair content" was a deliberate strategy The 15-minute school pickup filming hack that got her consistent with face-to-camera content when nothing else was working Why having 50+ reviews live on her store before the viral moment mattered as much as the viral moment itself The comment on a stranger's Instagram reel — written while watching MasterChef — that turned into 347 orders and a complete sellout in under 24 hours How she validated opening preorders by going back to her audience and asking them directly, before touching a single Shopify setting Lessons from going from $0 in orders one week to 600 orders the next — and how her accounting brain helped her scale inventory decisions with confidence The mindset shift that changed everything: the moment she stopped treating Junie as something she was "dabbling in" and decided it was her job If you're sitting on a business idea while still applying for jobs — or you've launched but you're deep in the slow, invisible stretch between start and traction — this episode is for you. Donna's story is a reminder that the boring, unglamorous work of validation, reviews, and showing up consistently before anything goes viral is exactly what makes it possible to handle it when it does. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS

Most founders think they're ahead of the curve because they're using AI. But if you're only using it for basic ad copy and product descriptions and wondering why it sounds like everything else on the internet — you're not using AI. You're scratching the surface of it. Here's the problem: the advantage was never just having access to the tools. It's knowing how to direct them at scale. And right now, the brands pulling ahead aren't adding more headcount — they're finding one person who can build autonomous agents across the entire business. In this episode, I share why I think the AI operator might be the most important hire an e-commerce brand can make right now, what I'm seeing inside Foundr and our members' businesses, and exactly where to start if you want to bring this into your operation today. Here's what you'll take away: Why using AI for basic tasks is actually holding your brand back — and what the next level looks like What an AI operator actually does, and how one person can touch ads, email, design, customer support, and data analysis simultaneously The difference between using AI tools and building AI systems — and why that gap is where brands are winning or losing How to find an AI operator today using Upwork, even if you've never hired for this kind of role before Why the businesses that win won't just be the ones using AI — they'll be the ones with autonomous agents owning outcomes If you're still thinking about AI as a content shortcut rather than a business multiplier, this episode will completely reframe how you approach your next hire — and what's actually possible with the right person directing it. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/

Molly Sims spent nearly six years modeling in Europe, graced the cover of Sports Illustrated, and starred in Las Vegas and The Carrie Diaries—then quietly spent three years and over $2 million of her own money developing a skincare brand nobody asked for. When she launched YSE Beauty on April 24, 2023, she had no idea if it would work. It did. The brand hit close to $30 million in revenue, is growing nearly 100% year-on-year, landed an exclusive partnership with Sephora, and closed a $15 million Series A with Silas Capital—all in under three years. In this interview, Molly breaks down why she launched DTC before she was ready, how she turned her podcast into a brand-building machine two years before she had a product to sell, and the hard-won lessons on ops, retail margins, and building a team that can survive when things go wrong. What you'll learn in this interview: • Why Molly self-funded over $2 million of her own money into product development—and the Christmas moment she nearly didn't • How three years of testing 100+ formulas to solve her own melasma led to genuine product-market fit in a crowded category • Why she launched DTC-first and treated social media as her brick-and-mortar before ever approaching a retailer • How starting her podcast Lipstick on the Rim two years before launch built the community and credibility that made YSE possible • The ops reality nobody tells you: being sold out on five products isn't a good problem—it's a sign of broken demand planning • Why she sold the Home Edit show to Netflix in 2015—and how producing taught her to spot talent and build content that converts • The exact mindset she brings to Sephora: be raggedy, negotiate your margins, and never just take what the retailer gives you • How she chose Silas Capital over larger funds—and why alignment on the customer is more important than the size of the check • Why the third year of a brand is "disciplined growth"—and how she's shifting from whack-a-mole survival mode to a three-year roadmap • The hiring mistake most fast-growth founders make: assuming who got you here will get you there If you're building a DTC beauty or lifestyle brand, trying to navigate the leap from direct-to-consumer into retail, or looking for the no-BS truth about what founder-led growth actually looks like in year one, two, and three, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about product, community, and when to jump off the cliff. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly fr

Most founders can tell you their follower count, their reach, their impressions. But ask them which channel is actually driving revenue — not likes, not email subscribers, actual revenue — and most of them can't answer that confidently. Here's the problem: we've been told to be everywhere. More platforms, more visibility. But being everywhere without knowing what's working means you're spending more time creating than building — and quietly holding your business back. In this episode, I break down the channel clarity framework I've been applying at Foundr, including why we nearly broke the business by over-indexing on one channel that was spending close to $1M a month in Facebook ads — and what I'd do differently. Here's what you'll take away: • Why platform-reported data lies to you — and how every channel claims credit for the same sale • How to audit your channels properly: what to measure beyond views, reach, and vanity metrics • The real reason this podcast drives Foundr's best and most engaged customers — and what that means for your long-form strategy • Why doubling down on what's working is almost always the move — and the one risk that can make it backfire • How to treat your marketing as an ecosystem, not a collection of separate channels competing for budget • The difference between a content problem and a clarity problem — and which one you're actually solving If you're spreading yourself across five platforms without a clear signal on what's converting, this episode will show you how to cut through the noise, find your best channel, and build from there instead of starting over. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN Instagram → <a hre

These two brothers sold a profitable airsoft business to bet everything on a sport most people had never heard of. In 2014, Rob and Mike Barnes founded Selkirk Sport in the pickleball space—back when the sport was small, the products were cheap, and the category felt entirely mom and pop. Eleven years later, the company is valued at over $200 million with revenue up 1,900% since 2019, and pickleball is closing in on tennis as America's most-played racket sport. In this interview, the co-founders of Selkirk Sport break down how they built the premium brand in an emerging category—from serializing their first 360 paddles expecting mistakes, to investing $1 million into a dedicated R&D lab, to their contrarian take on athlete sponsorships and why signing a pro is only 30% of the work. What you'll learn in this interview: • Why they sold a profitable business to go all-in on a sport nobody had heard of • How serializing their first 360 paddles shaped Selkirk's premium quality obsession from day one • Why they invested $1 million in an in-house R&D lab instead of white-labeling cheap product like everyone suggested • The four P framework (Product, People, Process, Promotion) that's driven Selkirk's growth from day one • How they built an in-house marketing agency and cut all external agencies to move faster at lower cost • Why athlete sponsorships are only 30% of the work—and why investing in promotion is what actually builds brand equity • Their counterintuitive COVID strategy: reduce hours, keep every employee, and bet on the rebound • Why they launched SLK by Selkirk as a separate sub-brand to compete at lower price points without destroying the premium brand • How Selkirk Labs—a members-only experimental product program—created a real-time consumer feedback loop • When and why they moved away from digital advertising and became one of the only pickleball brands buying linear TV • How they identified the coming consolidation in pickleball and why they took on strategic investment from Bluestone Equity Partners to be part of it If you're building a brand in an emerging category, navigating the tension between premium positioning and mass-market growth, or trying to turn a niche obsession into a category-defining company, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about brand building, product strategy, and timing your bets. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → <a href="https://ww

Chloe Widera spent 15 years as a freelance makeup artist, ran a hair and makeup agency, worked inside one of the world’s fastest-growing beauty brands, and still felt like something was missing — until she built a gifting brand from her living room that hit $54,000 USD in a single month. Based in Dubai with two kids, an autoimmune diagnosis, and zero e-commerce experience, Chloe launched Inwords Gifting — meaningful, personalised gifts designed for highly sensitive people — without a business background, without formal product validation, and without anyone handing her a roadmap. She figured it out anyway, and she’s been packing every single order herself ever since. In this episode, Chloe gets completely honest about the costly early mistake that cost her thousands, why she refuses to build a brand that takes over her life, and how she’s consistently pulling in $20–30K USD months while still being the only person running the business. What you’ll learn in this interview: How working inside Huda Beauty shaped Chloe’s understanding of what a brand built on social media could actually become Why skipping formal validation isn’t always fatal — and what gut instinct gets right that spreadsheets miss The $5,000 mistake that’s still sitting in storage — and the lesson on MOQs every new founder needs to hear How Chloe uses ChatGPT and Midjourney to design every product herself, without ever hiring a creative agency Why communication beats capability when choosing a manufacturer — and what the early signs of a bad fit actually look like How organic content and Instagram DMs became a genuine sales channel — and why replying as the founder changes everything The exact moment Meta ads changed the game, and how she uses organic content to test creative before spending a cent on paid Why she deliberately holds back on scaling — and what building a business around your life actually looks like in practice The counterintuitive decision she made when a regional crisis hit — and why it paid off One win at a time: the mindset that got her from nothing to a $54K month without burning out If you’re building something on your own terms — around your family, your health, your life — this episode will change how you think about what success is supposed to look like. Chloe’s story is proof that slow, intentional growth can still get you somewhere extraordinary. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com

Most e-commerce founders see the fuel crisis in the news and think it's someone else's problem. But if you're shipping products right now, it's already showing up in your bills — and if you're still running last year's shipping model, you're bleeding margin without realising it. Here's the problem: this isn't one cost squeeze. It's three hitting at the same time — carrier rate hikes, fuel surcharges, and geopolitical disruption — and the effective rate increase for most e-com brands right now is sitting between 8 and 12%. In this episode, I walk you through the four moves I'd make right now to protect your margins, from rebuilding your AOV strategy around your new shipping threshold to the packaging audit most founders never think to run. Here's what you'll take away: The actual numbers: what USPS, UPS, FedEx, Amazon, and Australia Post surcharges mean for your cost per order right now How to use the threshold gap strategy to raise your free shipping threshold without killing conversion Why product bundling done right can lift AOV by 30 to 70% — and the real-world example of how a sleep tape brand is doing it with digital add-ons When to seriously consider switching to a 3PL — and the volume crossover point that makes it a no-brainer The dim weight formula and why most brands are literally paying to ship air Why nearly 50% of cart abandonment comes down to surprise shipping costs — and how radical transparency fixes it If you're absorbing these cost increases without a plan, this episode will show you exactly where to start — and how the brands that come out ahead during downturns are already thinking about this differently. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching

Tori Robinson and Leah O'Malley launched Boys Lie as a cosmetics brand with 16+ SKUs and generated $250,000 in revenue in year one—against $250,000 in debt. But they discovered customers only wanted the two branded hoodies, not the makeup. Sitting on mountains of unsold inventory and ready to quit, they sent a blind gift to Gigi Hadid. Two months later, Gigi stepped out in their "Boys Lie Goodbye" sweatsuit in a paparazzi moment during her breakup with Tyler Cameron. Demand exploded overnight. They pivoted entirely to apparel and never looked back. In this raw conversation, the co-founders of Boys Lie break down why they'll never do unsolicited celebrity gifting again despite it saving their business, the brutal employee embezzlement that cost them significantly and the financial controls they built to prevent it, and why they turned down a major buyout offer two years ago. What you'll learn in this interview: • How they launched with 16+ cosmetics SKUs but only sold two hoodies • Why they were ready to close shop before the Gigi Hadid moment changed everything • How they sent blind gifts to Gigi Hadid through personal connections at Coachella • Why they waited two months before Gigi wore their sweatsuit in a paparazzi moment • Their pivot from cosmetics to apparel after realizing clothing spoke for itself • Why they'll never do unsolicited celebrity gifting again—all gifting is now pre-approved • The brutal employee embezzlement that cost them a significant amount • How they now use three accountants cross-checking credit card reconciliation • Why they're jaded about hiring and don't trust people immediately anymore • Their long-term vision: House of Brands with sub-brands under Boys Lie • Why they turned down a major buyout offer two years ago • What's coming: Girls Lie, potential baby line, and a secret February 2027 launch • How their podcast "Boys Lie Stories" gives customers a voice and drives the brand If you're building a fashion brand, navigating a major business pivot, or trying to build cultural resonance without massive ad budgets, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about product-market fit, celebrity moments, and building a brand that emotionally connects. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING

Most e-commerce founders treat influencer marketing and community like two separate strategies — two separate budgets, two separate teams. But that split is exactly why so many brands hit a ceiling they can't explain. Here's the problem: influencer marketing is a reach play. Every time you want that reach, you pay for it again. Community works differently — when customers feel genuinely connected to your brand, they come back without you paying to reach them. In this episode, I break down what Fate The Label did over eight years that turned their community into a business asset so valuable that Bondi Sands, Fount, and other major brands paid to be in the room with them — and what it means for how you should be thinking about your brand right now. Here's what you'll take away: Why community is an asset that compounds — not a feel-good strategy that's hard to attribute to revenue How Fate The Label's "Fate Estate" festival event in Byron Bay was eight years of deliberate community-building made visible The real economics: why a customer embedded in your community has dramatically higher LTV than one who bought from a single influencer post Why treating influencer and community as separate budgets is the mistake holding most brands back How to start thinking beyond your next campaign — and what strong community makes possible If you're running influencer campaigns but not building anything between them, this episode will show you exactly what you're leaving on the table — and how to start changing that. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Danny Yeung went from selling baseball cards at age 12 to scaling Ubuy-Ibuy to nearly a million a month in revenue in just six months before Groupon acquired it in 2010. Then during Covid, he launched a PCR testing operation that processed 28 million tests and generated over $800 million in revenue across three years. He listed the company on the Nasdaq at a billion-dollar valuation—then watched it crash to $40 million within 18 months. Instead of giving up, he bet the entire company's future on launching IM8, a consumer supplement brand co-founded with David Beckham that scaled from zero to nearly $10 million a month in just over a year. In this interview, the co-founder of IM8 breaks down how he processed 40,000 PCR tests daily with a 2,000-person operation running 24/7, why he pivoted from Covid testing to launching a premium supplement brand, and the brutal $500,000 lesson he learned trying to unlock ad spend too quickly on Meta without the right infrastructure in place. What you'll learn in this interview: • How Danny scaled Ubuy-Ibuy to nearly $1M/month in 6 months before Groupon acquired it • Why he processed 28 million Covid tests generating $800M+ in revenue over 3 years • How he ran a 24/7 operation with 2,000+ people processing 40,000 tests daily • Why he listed on the Nasdaq at $1B valuation then crashed to $40M in 18 months • How he bet the company's future on launching IM8 with David Beckham • Why product obsession is the baseline—you can't even play without a great product • How IM8 scaled from zero to $10M/month in just over a year • The $500,000 mistake: trying to unlock ad spend too fast on Meta • Why consolidating multiple Meta accounts into one unlocked massive scale • How they now spend $200K/day on Meta while maintaining profitability • Why their average order value is over $200—one of the highest in supplements • How they signed athletes like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Fernando Alonso organically • Why NSF certification for sport was critical for credibility with elite athletes • His philosophy: you can't have a backup option—burn the boats and go all in If you're scaling a DTC brand, trying to unlock paid advertising at scale, or navigating a massive pivot after a business collapse, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about product obsession, risk-taking, and building brands that elite athletes actively seek out. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → <a href="https://ww

Michael Forshaw read a book, taped his mouth shut every night for a year, and then built a business out of it — launching Breath Sleep Tape from idea to live store in just ten weeks. A recruiter by trade with zero experience in e-commerce, digital marketing, or product development, Michael turned a personal obsession with nasal breathing into a brand that hit $60,000 in its first six months. The product? A sleep tape designed to keep your mouth closed at night — something that sounds strange until you realise an estimated 70% of people breathe through their mouths while they sleep. In this episode, Michael gets real about what it took to get there — an $8-10K first production run, the customer objection that completely changed his product design, and why two years in he deliberately pulled back on paid ads to focus on something more sustainable. What you'll learn in this interview: How reading a single book sparked a product idea — and the one-year personal experiment that confirmed it was worth building Why launching in ten weeks is possible, and what actually has to happen to pull it off The customer objection during validation that led to a physical product change — and the lesson it holds for every early-stage founder How to source and test manufacturers on Alibaba, what red flags to look for, and why Michael stuck with the supplier that had the best communication The real cost of getting started: an $8-10K first run, 50% upfront, and what you get for it Why Google Ads outperformed Meta for a niche health product — and what that says about intent-driven buying How bundles, combo deals, and a free intro pack helped lift average order value on a naturally low-ticket item The honest reflection on paid ads: why chasing top-line revenue made the business harder, not better What two years of building taught Michael about skills, confidence, and why personal growth might be the biggest ROI of starting a brand Why the number you're chasing at the start is probably focused on the wrong thing If you're early in your journey — or still sitting on an idea — this episode will change how you think about what a successful launch actually looks like, and why starting small and staying close to your customer beats scaling fast every time. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure fou

Most founders are still treating social media as a vanity channel — a place for likes, views, and followers. And here's the tough truth: if your social media isn't converting into customers, subscribers, or owned audience, you're building on rented land. And that's incredibly risky. I talked to a founder today who's been building his business for a couple of years. He's got Facebook ads running, active social media channels — but he doesn't have a large email list. And that's a massive problem. Because algorithms change, platforms evolve, and accounts get deleted overnight. I've lost a lot of money relying on these platforms back in the day, and I've seen it happen to some of the smartest creators I know. In this episode, I break down why social media should no longer be just about organic reach, how to measure performance properly, and why tools like ManyChat and strong CTAs are essential for e-commerce brands in 2026. Here's what you'll take away: • Why Instagram's new affiliate tagging feature changes the game — and how to track performance from social to sales • The shift from vanity metrics to revenue metrics: leads, conversations, clicks, email subscribers, and purchases • Why social media is rented land but your email list is an owned asset — and the stories of founders who lost everything overnight • How to think about social content as a funnel: top, middle, and bottom of funnel content with intentional CTAs • Why the moment of highest engagement is when you need to capture — not hope they find you again • How ManyChat automates conversations and guides users through your funnel (DMs, keyword triggers, coupon codes, email opt-ins) • The metrics that actually matter in 2026: email subscribers, website clicks, DM conversations, lead magnet opt-ins, and customer acquisition If you're obsessing over views and followers but not building owned assets, this episode will shift how you think about social media — from a reach channel to a conversion channel. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.

Christina Stembel built Farmgirl Flowers into a $55 million bootstrapped business by 2021, betting on simplicity, direct-to-consumer, and zero VC money. Then as Covid vaccines became widely available, sales crashed 50% overnight. To save the business, she had just 36 hours to test a radical pivot or go bankrupt in three weeks. She took out a $3.5 million loan, white boarded new distribution models for two days straight, ran a fake scenario on the website for 36 hours, and prayed sales wouldn't drop more than 12%. They dropped 11.6%. The company survived—but Christina's philosophy completely changed. In this raw and honest conversation, the founder of Farmgirl Flowers is back on the Foundr Podcast to break down why she turned down acquisition offers because the industry multiples were insulting, her controversial pivot from chasing $100 million to optimizing for double-digit profit and slow growth, and the brutal lesson she learned hiring an entire C-suite because "that's what you're supposed to do"—then firing them all a year later. What you'll learn in this interview: • How Christina survived a 50% sales collapse in 2021 with a 36-hour pivot test • Why she took out a $3.5 million loan while paying herself $60,000 a year • The exact whiteboarding process she used to rebuild the business model in 48 hours • Why she turned down acquisition offers and what founders need to know about exit comps • How researching industry multiples before you start can change your entire strategy • Why the best comp in her industry was 0.5X revenue—and why that matters • Her pivot from growth-at-all-costs to double-digit profit margins and slow growth • The mistake of hiring an entire C-suite because "that's what you're supposed to do" • Why bootstrapping's superpower is the ability to move fast without 104 investor nos • How she built infrastructure for $75M in sales then watched forecasts collapse overnight • Why she now prioritizes finding the right people and trusting her gut on hiring • Her advice: don't spend more than half of what you think you should If you're building a bootstrapped DTC brand, navigating a crisis pivot, or questioning the growth-at-all-costs narrative, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about exits, profitability, and building a business you actually want to run. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ww

The brands that win don't just deliver products. They create moments. And once you see this pattern, you start noticing it everywhere. I recently came across a concept from one of our course instructors, Camille Moore, called the overflow effect. It's simple but incredibly powerful, and it highlights a key truth about building brands in 2026: most e-commerce founders focus heavily on the product, the price, the ads, and the website all important but they overlook the experience. More specifically, the surprise and delight of how you make people feel. In this episode, I break down why this works so well and how you can apply it to your own brand to create moments that people remember, talk about, and come back for. Here's what you'll take away: The overflow effect explained: why a burger chain's "extra fries" strategy creates surprise, delight, and generosity How the law of reciprocity works: when you give more than expected, people naturally want to give something back (reviews, word of mouth, repeat purchases) Why asymmetric upside matters: a small cost (extra fries, a Tim Tam, a handwritten note) creates a disproportionately large return The difference between good brands and iconic brands: they make you feel something — surprised, delighted, understood, excited Why meeting expectations isn't enough in today's market — the brands that grow faster create memorable moments How to apply the overflow effect: unexpected bonuses, over-delivering on packaging, thoughtful gestures that feel intentional The big truth: people hate to be sold to, but they love to buy — so how can you make the buying experience joyful? If you want to build a brand that stands out, creates loyalty, and drives word of mouth, this episode will show you how to turn transactions into memorable experiences. If you want to learn directly from Camille Moore, you can dive into her course Ecommerce Branding Blueprint available exclusively inside Foundr+ Membership. You can access it here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you’re enjoying this solo series, I’d really appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate and review the episode it helps us reach more founders like you. Thanks so much for listening, and I hope you enjoy it. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → <a hr

Noura Sakkijha is a third generation jeweler who realized the entire fine jewelry industry was fundamentally broken—built on the outdated idea that men buy diamonds for women, not that women buy the diamonds themselves. In 2013, she launched Mejuri with a radical mission: create fine jewelry for women to buy for themselves. What started as a crowdsourcing platform quickly pivoted after just one year when sales didn't materialize. Over 11 years, Mejuri has sold 6.5 million pieces of jewelry and is now expanding globally. In this interview, the founder and CEO of Mejuri breaks down why she completely pivoted the business model after realizing there was no product-market fit, the brutal 2021 lesson about hiring ahead of growth that forced her to revise her entire approach to team building, and why she now refuses to hire until the team feels real pain. What you'll learn in this interview: • Why Noura pivoted from a crowdsourcing platform to direct-to-consumer after one year • How she started Mejuri with a $25,000 CAD grant while working full time • The moment she realized building a brand requires a specific POV and staying consistent • Why she prioritizes culture fit over skills when hiring every single time • The 2021 market crash lesson: why hiring ahead of growth is dangerous advice • How she rebuilt her hiring philosophy around waiting until the team feels pain • Why a bad culture hire creates noise that kills momentum and collaboration • Her mission to build one of the most loved jewelry brands in the world • How Mejuri is expanding internationally into Australia and the Middle East • Why she obsesses about brand distinctiveness more than ever in changing markets • Her biggest regret: returning to work three months postpartum instead of taking more time • Why 50% of the work is just showing up every single day and doing your best If you're building a DTC brand, navigating team growth decisions, or trying to challenge an industry that's been doing things the same way for generations, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about brand building, hiring strategy, and sustainable scaling. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → <a href="https://foundr.com/pages/coachin

Most people with a full-time job, 14-hour shifts, and zero business experience don't start a brand — Jesse did, and he's closing in on half a million dollars a year to prove it. After 16 years working in the mining industry, Jesse knew the gear handed to workers on site was genuinely not fit for purpose. So he did something about it, building Wolf Workwear — durable, functional workwear for heavy industries — one hour at a time between fly-in, fly-out shifts. He still hasn't quit his day job. He's doing it anyway. In this episode, Jesse gets brutally honest about what those first two and a half years actually looked like — overspending $40-50K on a launch, building 4,000 Instagram followers who had zero intention of buying anything, and the UGC pivot that changed everything overnight. What you'll learn in this interview: Why 4,000 followers didn't translate to sales — and the critical difference between an engaged audience and a buying one How Jesse validated his product idea by handing samples to his workmates on site before ever building a brand The real cost of launching with too much conviction: a $40-50K first run and what he'd do differently How to build a business on 1-2 hours a day while working 14-hour shifts — and where to spend that time first Why switching from static product shots to UGC ads was an overnight game changer for paid performance How to find and iterate products on Alibaba without a design background — function and comfort as your only brief The B2B opportunity hiding inside a D2C brand, and how supplying mining companies unlocked a second revenue stream Why disappointing a customer hurts more than any slow sales period — and what that tells you about building a brand worth caring about The honest maths behind staying in your day job longer than everyone says you should What it actually feels like to build something from nothing when nobody's watching yet If you're trying to build something real around a full-time job and wondering whether it's worth the grind — this episode will change how you think about time, patience, and what early traction actually looks like. Jesse's story is proof that you don't need the perfect conditions. You just need to start. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → <a href=

Email marketing doesn't sound flashy. It's not the newest channel, not the trendiest platform, and it definitely doesn't get the same attention as TikTok, Instagram, or Meta ads. But that's exactly why it's so powerful. Here's the truth: while most founders are chasing reach on social media, the smartest ones are quietly building something much more valuable — an owned audience they can reach directly, not through an algorithm or platform. It's not rented. It's a relationship they control. And in a world where social platforms change constantly, this kind of ownership is incredibly valuable for your brand. In this episode, I share the lesson I learned early on at Foundr that changed everything — and why your email list, even if it's small, is one of the most powerful assets you can build in 2026. Here's what you'll take away: The story of how I learned the power of email from a mentor who asked, "How many names do you have on your list?" Why an email list isn't just about names — it's about the relationship and permission to show up in someone's inbox The revenue benchmark: you should be generating at least 20-30% of your total revenue from email marketing The biggest mistakes founders make: not optimizing flows, not running enough campaigns, and treating email as an afterthought How to build your email list: exit intent pop-ups, quizzes, giveaways, waitlists, exclusive offers, and educational content Why it doesn't cost more to generate sales from email — and how optimizing this channel is low-hanging fruit The golden rule: build your list and treat it like gold, but never abuse the relationship If you're not generating at least 20% of your revenue from email, or you've been neglecting this channel while chasing social growth, this episode will show you why email is still the most valuable asset you can own. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chris Voss spent decades as the FBI's lead international kidnapping negotiator, where a single wrong word could cost someone's life. After talking down armed bank robbers and negotiating with terrorists, he discovered something critical: the rational bargaining models taught in business schools don't just fail—they're dangerous. Compromise is guaranteed lose-lose. Win-win deals are often code for "I'm picking your pocket." And everything you've been taught about getting to yes is actually destroying your leverage and costing you millions without you even realizing it. In this interview, the former FBI negotiator and author of Never Split the Difference breaks down why forcing someone to say "no" is more powerful than chasing a yes, the exact calibrated questions that make aggressive counterparts solve your problems for you, and how to spot the verbal and tonal cues that reveal when someone is lying or hiding critical deal information. What you'll learn in this interview: • Why compromise is guaranteed lose-lose and destroys value in negotiations • How cutthroat negotiators use "win-win" terminology to pick your pocket • Why Chris responds with "mutual gain" instead of accepting win-win framing • The Black Swan skills: tiny tweaks that massively accelerate trust and profitability • How to gather information without making people feel questioned • Why asking questions decreases trust and what to do instead • The power of mirroring: repeating the last 1-3 words to uncover hidden information • How to use calibrated questions to make counterparts solve your problems • Why focusing on terms instead of price creates more profitable deals • The one negotiation habit that compounds over decades: summarizing their perspective • How to get "that's right" confirmations that create instant collaboration • Why understanding their perspective accelerates deals and employee alignment If you're raising capital, hiring executives, negotiating supplier deals, closing enterprise contracts, or navigating any high-stakes conversation, this episode will completely rewire how you communicate under pressure and extract value from every interaction. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠ WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → https://foundr.com/operators HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/sta

Most founders think if their company is profitable on paper, they're safe. But here's the truth I learned the hard way: businesses don't fail because they're unprofitable. They fail because they run out of cash. I had a really good run for about 6-7 years at Foundr before I ever faced a serious cash crunch. And when it hit, it was terrifying — that feeling when you don't know if you're going to make payroll is something I'll never forget. You can have strong revenue, good margins, be growing, and technically be profitable — but if the timing of when cash comes in and goes out isn't managed correctly, you can find yourself in serious trouble. In this episode, I break down why cash flow is the number one thing founders need to obsess over, and the practical moves you can make to manage it better before it becomes a crisis. Here's what you'll take away: • Why revenue is exciting but cash flow is what keeps your business alive — the timing gap can suffocate you • How e-commerce founders experience cash pressure differently: inventory upfront, ads before sales, seasonality cycles • Why scaling too aggressively with ads can grow your revenue while shrinking your bank balance • The unit economics you need to obsess over: contribution margin, payback periods, and CAC • Why subscription models and high-margin products (70-80%+) give you breathing room to scale profitably • Practical cash flow moves: negotiate payment terms, cut software bloat, increase AOV, optimize conversion rates • The cash buffer rule: maintain 2-3 months of operating costs in reserves and secure lines of credit before you need them • Why you should always plan for worst-case scenarios, not best-case forecasts If you've ever felt stressed even when your business looks healthy from the outside, or you're scaling fast but the bank balance tells a different story, this episode will show you how to build a sustainable business that doesn't just look good on paper. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠

Rosie Collins had a Christmas epiphany about baby shower gifts—every present focused on the baby, never the mom. That single observation turned into Deja Marc, a multimillion-dollar personalized jewelry brand that captures fingerprints, handwriting, and meaningful moments in elegant, timeless pieces. Within a year, she hit $400,000 in revenue while working full time. The secret? An engraving fairy she never actually met who packed orders while Rosie was at work, and an obsessive focus on mastering the craft before outsourcing anything. In this interview, the founder of Deja Marc breaks down how she built this customer-obsessed brand without burning out, why she tracks MER (marketing efficiency ratio) over ROAS as her primary metric, and her counterintuitive take on Black Friday promotions—why doing 40 hours instead of two weeks can deliver the same results without destroying your team or margins. What you'll learn in this interview: How a Christmas epiphany about baby shower gifts sparked a multimillion-dollar brand Why Rosie quit her agency job after hitting $400K in year one How she found an "engraving fairy" to pack orders while she worked full time Why mastering the craft yourself before outsourcing is critical How she built a relationship with her first supplier that still lasts today Why she tracks MER (marketing efficiency ratio) instead of ROAS Her approach to Black Friday: 40 hours vs two weeks of promotions How organic contribution to paid marketing changes profitability Why she believes in building expertise in-house before delegating The importance of unit economics and sustainable growth over hustle If you're building a product-based business, juggling full-time work with side hustle ambitions, or trying to scale profitably without burning out, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about sustainable growth, customer obsession, and building a brand that lasts. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Most people spot a gap in the market and do nothing — Konnie Tsimiklis spotted one, had zero fashion experience, and built a brand around it anyway. A management consultant by trade, Konnie spent decades avoiding swimming pools because no swimwear on the market made her feel like herself. So she created her own — Unity Cove, Australia's first gender-inclusive swimwear brand — and hit $27,000 in sales in her first three months without spending a cent on ads. In this episode, Konnie holds nothing back about what it really costs to bring a physical product to life — the $20K+ first production run, selling out on Black Friday and going three months without stock, and the single TikTok she filmed before launch that still drives the majority of her revenue today. What you'll learn in this interview: How one unscripted TikTok with no call-to-action generated 1,000 waitlist signups and became her highest-performing ad The real cost of launching a physical product — and why the "start with $500" advice doesn't always hold up Why being the face of your brand isn't just a strategy — it might be your biggest competitive advantage How to choose a manufacturer when your top two options don't both tick every box What selling out too fast actually costs you — and how to fix your inventory strategy before it happens again The difference between unisex and truly inclusive product design (and why it matters more than most brands realise) How she went from one-off hype drops to monthly pallet deliveries in under 18 months The unglamorous cash flow reality of apparel: long production cycles, tied-up capital, and hard-won supplier negotiations Why in-person community events created the kind of brand loyalty no paid ad ever could How to keep building when the financial payoff hasn't come yet — and what actually makes it worth it If you've ever had an idea you talked yourself out of because you didn't have the right background, the right budget, or the right moment — this episode will change how you think about what it actually takes to start. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply he

Followers are easier to get than ever. But here's what most founders don't realize: genuine community and real relationships are becoming significantly more valuable. At Foundr, we've built an audience of over 5 million followers across social channels. We started growing that audience when organic reach was strong and content traveled far. But the landscape has completely changed. Content is faster, AI can generate posts in minutes, and attention is more fragmented than ever. And what I'm noticing is this: in a world where content can be replicated, real connection is what actually stands out. In this episode, I break down the shift happening across e-commerce and brand building — and why doubling down on community is the move for 2026 and beyond. Here's what you'll take away: The difference between an audience and a community — and why one scrolls while the other buys, engages, and advocates Why followers don't mean dollars: connection and loyalty are what actually grow a brand long-term How AI has made content creation so accessible that content alone no longer differentiates your brand The question every founder should ask: "What brings my customers together?" — not "How do I get more followers?" How physical product brands build community around shared identity, lifestyle, or problems (like Straps Co. did with Kindle readers) Practical ways to build community without a Facebook group: resharing UGC, meaningful DMs, involving customers in product decisions, and value-led experiences Why in-person activations and genuine touchpoints compound over time to create cult-status brands If you're building a brand in 2026, this episode will shift how you think about growth — from chasing followers to building relationships that actually last. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM

Rebecca Minkoff arrived in New York City at 18 with no money, no degree, and a low-paid internship that paid $3 an hour. She lived in a relative's playroom just to make it work. Twenty-one years later, she's built a globally recognized fashion empire and become one of the most influential voices in the fashion and entrepreneurial world. But the journey from handing out postcards in Union Square to building a $100 million brand wasn't linear—it was filled with $60,000 in credit card debt, strategic pivots, and bold reinventions. In this interview, the founder and creative director of Rebecca Minkoff breaks down how she went from consignment sales in the East Village to building a licensing empire with 16 partners, why she joined The Real Housewives of New York as a strategic business move, and the exact moment she realized she needed to pivot from vertical integration to a licensing model to survive. What you'll learn in this interview: • How Rebecca survived on $3/hour while building her first collection in NYC • Why she spent $10,000 on pattern-making before getting a single order • How handing out postcards in Union Square led to her first sales • The costly mistakes she made not understanding margins and costing early on • How she landed $60,000 in credit card debt and climbed out of it • Why she pivoted from vertical integration to a licensing model with 16 partners • The strategic decision to join The Real Housewives of New York for one season • How the show tripled website traffic and increased brand awareness by 40% • Why she's telling founders to go back to house parties and grassroots marketing • What's next: kids, loungewear, home, intimates, jewelry, and potentially another book If you're building a fashion brand, navigating the trade-offs between control and scalability, or trying to understand when to pivot your business model, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about reinvention, strategic risk-taking, and what it takes to build a legacy brand. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → https://foundr.com/operators HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → <a

You've heard from the best in the business — Mark Cuban, Alex Hormozi, Emma Grede. Their stories are incredible. But sometimes, you need to hear from someone who's exactly where you are right now. Little Empires is a brand new series from the Foundr team, shining a spotlight on the builders inside our own community. These are Foundr students who are in the trenches — taking action, learning the hard lessons, and building their businesses in real time. No million-dollar investor checks. No built-in audiences. Just real founders, real journeys, and the honest, unfiltered realities of building something from the ground up. Because the truth is, some of the greatest businesses start small. With an idea. A side hustle. A late night after your day job. Or that one moment you finally decide to bet on yourself. Every big empire starts small — and this is where their story begins. Little Empires is proudly produced by the Foundr team as part of our mission to democratise entrepreneurial education and support the next generation of founders. Available now in the Foundr Podcast feed on all major platforms.

If you're just getting started with e-commerce and you're wondering how to actually scale with limited cash and no audience, this episode is for you. I get asked this all the time: "Nathan, how do I get started when I only have a small budget?" Here's the truth: most founders tattoo their business idea to their arm. They fall in love with the brand, the product, the vision — and they hold on even when the unit economics don't work. But after launching Healthish to $1 million a year at close to 40% net margins, and helping thousands of DTC brands inside Foundr, I know exactly what works. In this episode, I break down the exact playbook I'd use if I were starting a brand new e-commerce business tomorrow with no audience and just a $10,000 budget. This is strategic, tactical, and based on what I've done and what I've seen work inside the Foundr ecosystem. Here's what you'll take away: Why high-margin products are non-negotiable — aim for 70-80% gross margin, lightweight, easy to ship How to allocate $2,500 to influencer seeding: gifting to 50-100 nano/micro influencers for UGC and organic reach The AI tool stack that lets you run lean: Manus, ChatGPT, Notion AI, Triple Whale, Canva Pro, and AdCreative.ai Why I'd spend $2,000 testing paid ads on warm audiences and messaging before scaling — not chasing 10x ROAS on day one How to build one strong product landing page using tools like Unbounce, ClickFunnels, or Shogun instead of a massive Shopify site The $2,000 emergency fund strategy: reserve cash for unexpected wins, scaling inventory, or paying creators who blow up If you're sitting on $10K and wondering where to start, or you've already launched but your unit economics don't work, this episode will show you the modern playbook for building a profitable DTC brand using AI, influencers, and smart budgeting. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → <a href="https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-st

Leila Hormozi went from six arrests in 18 months to building a portfolio generating over $250 million in annual revenue by age 30. What makes her story fascinating isn't just the rags-to-riches narrative—it's her unflinching honesty about the messy middle, her unconventional approach to leadership, and how she scales companies with ruthless precision while maintaining her humanity. Alongside her husband Alex, Leila has become one of the most respected operators in the business world, and in this conversation, she holds nothing back. In this interview, the co-founder of Acquisitions.com breaks down the exact moment her father's words saved her life and sparked a complete transformation, why pain—not discipline—is the real driver of massive change, and her framework for hiring and building lean, high-performing teams that punch way above their weight. What you'll learn in this interview: • The exact moment Leila's father's words sparked her complete transformation • Why pain, not discipline, is the real driver of massive life change • How she went from arrested six times to building a $250M+ portfolio by 30 • Her framework for hiring and building lean, high-performing teams • The truth about building a business partnership with your spouse • Why most people misunderstand what they see on social media • How to make decisions about what to outsource versus keep in-house • Why she believes in being a "multidimensional" leader • The importance of asking "What does my life look like if I don't change?" If you're trying to transform your life, build a high-performing team, or understand what it really takes to scale a business to nine figures, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about personal transformation, leadership, and operational excellence. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH LEILA HORMO