

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

May 5, 2023 • 54min
Yais Thai - Bringing Bold Thai Flavors Right to Your Home
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Leland says, "So the authenticity piece, obviously that's really core and central to our brand. One thing that I'm proud of myself and Sarah for doing and holding true to remaining authentic. Because, earlier on when we were trying to raise capital and got a lot of pushbacks on, is Thai a large enough section in the grocery store? Is the market large enough for that? And a lot of investors And other folks pushed us to try to, do something that was more Pan-Asian… and that's not central to our brand." Today, we interview Leland Copenhagen, Co-founder of Yais Thai. Created to bring Thai flavors into American households with the twist of a cap. Inspired by his Yai (translation: grandma) and mom's sense of ease in the kitchen, they want to share the joy of connecting over a delicious meal with everyone! We discussed: * What he's grateful for * An overview and origin story of Yais Thai * Seeing the opportunity with heritage products * How the consumer is driving demand for authentic foods * Marriage and running a brand with your spouse * How he handles the mental and emotional aspects of running a brand * A breakdown of the Yais Thai products, including ingredients * Why glass jars? * What are Leland's favorite sauces (currently) * What he's most proud of about the brand * Where to buy * and so much more… Join Ramon Vela and Leland Copenhagen as we break down the inside story of Yais Thai on The Story of a Brand. For more on Yais Thai, visit: https://www.yaisthai.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for "The Story of a Brand" on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Here's the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They're giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it's entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you're one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

May 4, 2023 • 1h 3min
BEAM, Be Amazing - Eat Up This Thing Called Life!
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Michael says, "We also have a nutritionist, a formula, a flavorist on staff that most brands don't have. And then the next layer is we get to manufacture the product. We control that process, so we have disclosure, we have control into all of that. There's no middleman. That allows us to make the top of the line product with no middleman, no surcharge, no upcharge. We're offering premium formulas, incredible flavors and experiences for market price." Today, we interview Michael Yewdell, President of BEAM - Be Amazing. BEAM's mission is to create superior supplement products. How do they guarantee this? By controlling the entire process. From sourcing and importing the raw ingredients, to an in-house flavor team, down to the manufacturing and production of the final product. They do it all. We discussed: * What he's grateful for * His personal story, his diagnosis & fight with cancer * What keeps him going every day * How cancer changed his life and fueled his mission and products with BEAM * How the owning the entire manufacturing process gives them an edge * A review of new products and customer feedback * Their philanthropic initiatives including raising money for cancer research and funding 500 plus hours of therapy * And more… Join Ramon Vela and Michael Yewdell as we break down the inside story of BEAM - Be Amazing on The Story of a Brand. For more on BEAM - Be Amazing, visit: https://youcanbeam.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for "The Story of a Brand" on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Here's the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They're giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it's entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you're one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

May 4, 2023 • 1h 3min
Barefaced - Skincare Formulated for Results
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Jordan says, "My goal is to be evergreen. We use evidence backed research when we're doing any of our formulations. So we can offer someone a medical grade experience, kind of in-office consult, from the comfort of their own couch." Today, we interview Jordan Harper, Found, CEO, and Nurse Practitioner of Barefaced. Barefaced® is a direct to consumer skincare brand dedicated to building relationships, confidence, and knowledge through healthy, beautiful skin. Offering only a rigorously curated collection of skincare products, Barefaced® is the home for those seeking the confidence and calm that comes with fresh, vibrant, healthy skin. We discussed: * What she's grateful for * Raising kids as an entrepreneur * How to live a life of intention * Overview of Barefaced and origin story * Her experience of working with doctors, patients, and giving injections * Why her primary mission is to educate * Caution: there is no miracle one product that solves everything, so don't get fooled * Why other brands release so many products * Ingredient and formulation philosophy; a breakdown of Barefaced products * Where to start? Start with her blog. * And more… Join Ramon Vela and Jordan Harper as we break down the inside story of Barefaced on The Story of a Brand. For more on Barefaced, visit: https://www.barefaced.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for "The Story of a Brand" on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Here's the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They're giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it's entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you're one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Apr 30, 2023 • 1h
Droplette - Improving Your Skin from Within
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Madhavi says, "we've started trying to design products where you see the result very quickly after one use.Things like lip pluming or blemish treatments, because you'll see results after a single use. And that's a way of positively reinforcing the use of our device because you're delighted by the results." Today, we interview Madhavi Gavini, CEO of Droplette. Droplette is a technology company revolutionizing the skincare industry with its breakthrough device. The Droplette device and capsules use our enhanced aerosol technology to deliver active ingredients under the skin - where they can actually work. We discussed: * What she's grateful for * An overview and origin of the brand * Discovering that for skin treatments, there is a delivery problem * How treatments get on your skin (usually) * What is "diffusion" * Being a start up founder and mathematician * The challenges with brand building * Droplette's big picture vision * Wanting to be a tech platform for other brands * The challenge of getting people to change behavior * New product versions and formulations coming out soon! * And more… Join Ramon Vela and Madhavi Gavini as we break down the inside story of Droplette on The Story of a Brand. For more on Droplette, visit: https://droplette.io/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for "The Story of a Brand" on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Here's the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They're giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it's entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you're one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Apr 30, 2023 • 1h 17min
Rodeo - Consumers Don't Want a Subscription?
Ben Fisher, Co-founder & CEO of Rodeo, shares insights on transforming consumer habits with a flexible subscription model that prioritizes customer needs. He discusses the challenges entrepreneurs face, including anxiety and the quest for success. Ben dives into the benefits of ketamine therapy and his effective morning routine for productivity. He also emphasizes the importance of adapting subscription services to be more consumer-friendly, blending personal anecdotes with practical strategies for thriving in today's e-commerce landscape.

Apr 25, 2023 • 1h 15min
Good Journey - Delicious Better-for-You Donuts
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Kristoffer says, "one thing that I'm practicing right now is distinguishing between fear and intuition. Because sometimes that gut feeling isn't necessarily intuition, it's your fear speaking or it's oh no, not this again. And so now it's like paying attention. If I am being present to whatever's happening in me internally and knowing when it's fear speaking. Today, we interview Kristoffer Quiaoit, Founder & CEO of Good Journey. Good Journey creates delicious donuts with magical macros 🍩. 3g Net Carbs and 1g sugar. They are made with wholesome ingredients like almonds and soluble tapioca fiber and are naturally sweetened. We discussed: * What he's grateful for * Closing his first business and how it affected him * Carrying armor and building a wall from feeling emotions * Why comparison is the thief of joy * How to recover from bankruptcy, closing a brand, and finding yourself again * Avoiding playing it small and overcoming imposter syndrome * Why entrepreneurs struggle with "not being enough" * Understanding the difference between "fear and intuition" * Why he stopped drinking alcohol * Having self-compassion for yourself * Starting fresh with Good Journey * Creating a delicious donut * Lessons learned that he is now applying to his brand, Good Journey * And more… Join Ramon Vela and Kristoffer Quiaoit as we break down the inside story of Good Journey on The Story of a Brand. For more on Good Journey, visit: https://www.goodjourneyfoods.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for "The Story of a Brand" on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Here's the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They're giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it's entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you're one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Apr 25, 2023 • 51min
Rare Circles - Turn Community Engagement into Revenue
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Ethan says, "Truthfully, any space can, because what we're talking about when we think about a community-based brand, we're really thinking about a set of values, right? A set of interests that people have been, may be into. They could be into cars, they could be into fitness, they could be into renovation. There's people that are passionate about it and want to talk about it. And so I would say it can be done in every single space. There are spaces where it's a more natural fit, but it can be done any where." Today, we interview Ethan Song, Founder & CEO of RareCircles. RareCircles is a membership and experiential loyalty platform, powering the world's best communities. We discussed: * What he's grateful for * His previous brand, Frank & Oak, and how it informed his new venture * What worked in the early days of Frank & Oak around community? * The challenges of building community and why more brands aren't doing so * What is the easiest way to build communities * A walk through the RareCircles platform and what it does * Who do they work and how to onboard? * Why building a community can fit with any sector and brand * And more… Join Ramon Vela and Ethan Song as we break down the inside story of RareCircles on The Story of a Brand. For more on RareCircles, visit: https://www.rarecircles.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for "The Story of a Brand" on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Here's the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They're giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it's entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you're one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Apr 25, 2023 • 1h 8min
Your Super - You Can Take Control of Your Health
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Michael says, "If you are eating more clean three to five days in a row, you're gonna feel a major difference. Three to five days, that's it. You don't have to do it for years and years. It's obviously better. You're gonna feel better. Just doing it for three to five days, you're gonna feel a major difference. You're gonna feel lighter, you're gonna feel less bloated. You're gonna feel more clear, more productive, more energy. And that's what it is. That's what true health is about, feeling your best." Today, we interview Michael Kuech, Co-founder of Your Super. Their mission is to make the world a healthier and happier place by providing natural, organic, and delicious products. Their mixes include Superfoods which are plant-based foods that contain high amounts of micronutrients, minerals and vitamins. We discussed: * What he's grateful for * He tells us about his Cancer diagnosis and how he recovered * Why 50% of Cancers are diet related and what to do about it * How to make a connection between what you eat and how you fee * Their book: Your Super Life: 100+ Delicious, Plant-Based Recipes Made with Nature's Most Powerful Superfoods * How to super charge your meals and the power of Detoxing * Why they want to be a vehicle for change * And more… Join Ramon Vela and Michael Kuech as we break down the inside story of Your Super on The Story of a Brand. For more on Your Super, visit: https://yoursuper.com/ Get the "Your Super Life book" at your favorite bookstore: Barnes & Noble, Booksamllion, Target, Amazon, Walmart, etc. Follow them on IG on @kristelandmichael and @yoursuperfoods. Learn more on kristelandmichael.com and yoursuper.com. Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for "The Story of a Brand" on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Here's the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They're giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it's entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you're one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Apr 14, 2023 • 1h 12min
Tiege Hanley, Inc. - The Voice for Uncomplicated Skincare
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Kelley says, "I was just astounded. What guy is educated enough about skincare to understand what these products are? There's nobody that I know in America that is in my sphere of friends or business people that would understand any of this, and I sure didn't. But big cosmetic companies really thought that they could market skincare to men how they market for women. And it just didn't work out very well. That's why Tiege has been so successful. Our tagline is Uncomplicated Skincare for men." Today, we interview Kelley Thornton, Founder & CEO of Tiege Hanley, Inc. Tiege Hanley is an uncomplicated skin care company for men, with the sole mission of taking out the guesswork by giving you every product you need and nothing you don't. The products are not only high quality but are affordable as well. We discussed: * What he's grateful for * The difficulties of building a business and lessons learned: Purchase Point story * What is entrepreneurship PTSD? * How he's applied previous lessons learned to Tiege * Building a voice in the market * Spotting cultural changes to find a market opportunity * Break down of ingredients and COGS * Why they produce their own products and why it's a competitive advantage * How their recycling efforts cost them more money but worth it * What the future holds for Tiege, including TV spots * And more… Join Ramon Vela and Kelley Thornton as we break down the inside story of Tiege Hanley, Inc. on The Story of a Brand. For more on Tiege Hanley, Inc. and to get a 30% discount, visit: https://tiege.com/storyofabrand Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for "The Story of a Brand" on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Here's the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They're giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it's entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you're one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

Apr 14, 2023 • 1h 1min
Chelsea & Rachel Co. - An Agency Obsessed with Helping Brands
This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Chelsea says, "I think what we're seeing is everybody's looking at every area for ways to tighten their budget and their marketing dollars. And what is exciting about what's possible with D2C is you're still seeing this pushback into stores, but those that have invested well into D2C, realizes it influences the store purchase." Today, we interview Chelsea Jones, Co-founder of Chelsea & Rachel Co. One of only five woman-owned Shopify-Plus Preferred Partners in the world, Chelsea & Rachel, Co has a proven track record of delivering increased sales for eCommerce clients. Focused on consumer food and wellness brands, Chelsea & Rachel, Co., is quickly leading the path on UX/UI design and custom Shopify development for enterprise brands looking to make a significant impact. We discussed: * What she's grateful for * Her origin story and overview of Chelsea & Rachel * What to do when you feel stuck * How do you raise kids when you're a mom and entrepreneur? * The big trends in the market * Current challenges faced by brands and solutions * What's working and what's not working * What type of brands does she work with * Why everything starts with strategy * And so much more… Join Ramon Vela and Chelsea Jones as we break down the inside story of Chelsea & Rachel Co. on The Story of a Brand. For more on Chelsea & Rachel Co., visit: https://chelseaandrachel.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for "The Story of a Brand" on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Here's the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They're giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it's entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane. When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you're one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!


