The Founder Hour

Peiman Raf is the co-founder and CEO of Madhappy, an optimistic lifestyle clothing brand focused on positivity and mental health.Peiman was born in Italy but moved to America at a young age. His parents are Iranian immigrants who ultimately brought their family to America for a better life and more opportunities for Peiman and his younger brother, Noah.Before launching Madhappy in 2017, Peiman worked as an investment banker in New York for several months after graduating college but quickly realized he wasn’t on a path that he wanted to go down. Over the holidays, while on a ski trip, he reconnected with a couple of friends from high school and discussed the idea of starting a clothing brand - they decided to call it Madhappy (a catchy name that their co-founder and friend, Mason, had come up with a few months prior).Since then, the four founders (Peiman, Noah, Mason, and their friend Josh), along with their growing team, have gone on to build an incredible community and a brand that stands for something. They’ve put on pop-ups, thrown massive parties, and sold millions of dollars worth of product. In May 2019, they raised a strategic round of capital from high-profile investors such as LVMH, Tommy Hilfiger, and the founders of Sweetgreen.In this episode, Pat and Posh hang with Peiman at Madhappy HQ to chat about the early days of starting the brand, the mistakes and lessons they’ve learned, and what’s to come for the growing label. They also discuss the topic of mental health and the personal connection to the founding team, how Peiman maintains his own mental sanity while building the next big clothing brand, and his advice to anyone who’s just starting out in the space.SUBSCRIBE TO TFH NEWSLETTER & STAY UPDATED > http://bit.ly/tfh-newsletterFOLLOW TFH ON INSTAGRAM > http://www.instagram.com/thefounderhourFOLLOW TFH ON TWITTER > http://www.twitter.com/thefounderhourINTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR? EMAIL US > partnerships@thefounderhour.com ***Follow The Founder Hour on:Instagram | www.instagram.com/thefounderhourTwitter/X | www.x.com/thefounderhourLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/company/thefounderhourYouTube | www.youtube.com/@thefounderhour

Everette Taylor is a serial entrepreneur, marketing executive, and public speaker. His entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 19 when he started an event marketing technology company, EZ Events, which he successfully sold 2 years later.Since then, Everette has been a leader in the world of entrepreneurship and marketing, building several multi-million dollar brands.As CEO of ET Enterprises, Everette oversees a diverse portfolio of companies that include PopSocial, MilliSense, ArtX, Southside Fund, Hayver, and GrowthHackers.As a marketing executive, he helped lead both Qualaroo (acquired by Xenon Ventures) and Skurt (acquired by Fair) to successful acquisitions, oversaw growth for new mobile apps for Microsoft China, and led e-commerce company Sticker Mule to unprecedented growth as their youngest executive ever.He has been called a "marketing genius" by Forbes, a "marketing star" by Fortune Magazine, and "an innovator who's changing the consumer marketing game" by Black Enterprise. Most recently he was named one of the "100 Most Influential African-Americans" by The Root and Forbes 30 Under 30.In this episode, Pat and Posh sit down with Everette to learn about his upbringing in Richmond, VA, overcoming homelessness at a young age, getting his first marketing job at 14, and launching his own businesses after running marketing for various successful startups.He also shares his thoughts on today’s social media landscape, growing one’s personal brand, putting impact over profits, and what “wanting more” means to him.Tune in for a super genuine conversation with Everette as he uncovers some truths about being an entrepreneur and demystifies the crazy world of startups!SUBSCRIBE TO TFH NEWSLETTER & STAY UPDATED > http://bit.ly/tfh-newsletterFOLLOW TFH ON INSTAGRAM > http://www.instagram.com/thefounderhourFOLLOW TFH ON TWITTER > http://www.twitter.com/thefounderhourINTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR? EMAIL US > partnerships@thefounderhour.com ***Follow The Founder Hour on:Instagram | www.instagram.com/thefounderhourTwitter/X | www.x.com/thefounderhourLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/company/thefounderhourYouTube | www.youtube.com/@thefounderhour

This week, The Founder Hour is coming to you LIVE from Summit LA19, Summit’s flagship event and the world’s preeminent ideas festival, which went down on November 8-11 in DTLA’s historic Broadway Theatre District!Pat and Posh start off the episode by doing a quick recap of the weekend’s festivities followed by an insightful conversation with Summit co-founder, Elliott Bisnow, and legendary chef Alice Waters, founder of Chez Panisse and the farm-to-table movement in America.Summit, founded in 2008, is a global community of today’s brightest leaders. Through a series of invitation-only events, Summit fosters a global community of entrepreneurs, academics, athletes, artists, astronauts, authors, chefs, engineers, explorers, philanthropists, spiritual leaders, scientists, and beyond.Chez Panisse, founded in 1971 by Alice Waters, is a neighborhood restaurant in Berkeley, CA, famous for its organic, locally grown ingredients and for pioneering California cuisine. Alice, known as the founder of the farm-to-table and slow food movement in America, also started The Edible Schoolyard Project in 1995 which has led the national movement to transform the health and academic experience of students in America and advocated for a sustainable, delicious, free lunch for every student.In this episode, we cover everything from the vision behind Summit as well as Chez Panisse, building communities and widespread movements, fast food vs. slow food, and what can shape the next generation of food consumption.SUBSCRIBE TO TFH NEWSLETTER & STAY UPDATED > http://bit.ly/tfh-newsletterFOLLOW TFH ON INSTAGRAM > http://www.instagram.com/thefounderhourFOLLOW TFH ON TWITTER > http://www.twitter.com/thefounderhourINTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR? EMAIL US > partnerships@thefounderhour.com ***Follow The Founder Hour on:Instagram | www.instagram.com/thefounderhourTwitter/X | www.x.com/thefounderhourLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/company/thefounderhourYouTube | www.youtube.com/@thefounderhour

Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Tony Gonzalez, Drew Bledsoe, Warren Moon, Evander Holyfield, Oscar De La Hoya, Lennox Lewis, Patrick Mahomes. These are just a few of 300+ pro athletes that Leigh Steinberg, founder of Steinberg Sports & Entertainment, has represented throughout his 45-year career as a sports agent.Growing up in LA, Leigh attended UC Berkeley in the late 1960s during the historic Free Speech Movement era. While a dorm counselor, he met Steve Bartkowski, who was the starting quarterback for the UC Berkeley football team and would later become the #1 pick in the 1975 NFL Draft (Steve Wozniak, co-founder and creator of Apple, was also a student on his floor).Leigh, fresh out of law school with zero professional legal experience, was asked by Bartkowski to represent him and the rest is history. Leigh went on to negotiate the largest rookie contract in NFL history for Bartkowski and has successfully negotiated over $3 billion in contracts ever since. He was also the real-life inspiration behind the movie, Jerry Maguire, starring Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding, Jr. ("SHOW ME THE MONEY!").In this episode, Pat and Posh sit down with Leigh to hear the incredible story of how he pioneered the sports agent world and was able to represent such successful talent across several sports, his approach to finding the right athletes to represent, the massive successes as well as setbacks he’s faced throughout his life, and the accomplishments he’s most proud of.He also shares his thoughts on the parallels between sports and life, athletes as today’s biggest influencers, advice for those who are looking to have a successful career as a sports agent, and the nationwide debate around college athletes getting paid.SUBSCRIBE TO TFH NEWSLETTER & STAY UPDATED > http://bit.ly/tfh-newsletterFOLLOW TFH ON INSTAGRAM > http://www.instagram.com/thefounderhourFOLLOW TFH ON TWITTER > http://www.twitter.com/thefounderhourINTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR? EMAIL US > partnerships@thefounderhour.com ***Follow The Founder Hour on:Instagram | www.instagram.com/thefounderhourTwitter/X | www.x.com/thefounderhourLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/company/thefounderhourYouTube | www.youtube.com/@thefounderhour

For the first time ever on the show, we have a mother-daughter power duo, Jenefer and Melissa Palmer, founders of OSEA. OSEA is a line of high-quality, naturally sourced skincare products that are also vegan, gluten-free and biodegradable.Jenefer, the visionary behind the company, originally came up with the formulations for OSEA’s products in the 1980s while she was a spa director, but the discovery of seaweed as an active ingredient in skincare dates back to her grandparents. After realizing the massive benefits it had for her clients, she and her daughter Melissa decided to team up and officially launch the company in 1996.In this episode, Pat & Posh sat down with Jenefer and Melissa to learn about their origin story, the journey to building a successful skincare business, their approach to creating high-quality consumer products, and the lessons and challenges they’ve experienced along the way.SUBSCRIBE TO TFH NEWSLETTER & STAY UPDATED > http://bit.ly/tfh-newsletterFOLLOW TFH ON INSTAGRAM > http://www.instagram.com/thefounderhourFOLLOW TFH ON TWITTER > http://www.twitter.com/thefounderhourINTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR? EMAIL US > partnerships@thefounderhour.com ***Follow The Founder Hour on:Instagram | www.instagram.com/thefounderhourTwitter/X | www.x.com/thefounderhourLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/company/thefounderhourYouTube | www.youtube.com/@thefounderhour

Timothy Hollingsworth is a chef, restaurateur, and the founder of Otium, a contemporary restaurant located next to The Broad museum in Downtown LA. He is also the founder of C.J. Boyd’s, Free Play, and Baste, a streetwear brand.Before opening Otium, Timothy was the Chef de Cuisine at Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry in Napa Valley. He was also the winner of The Final Table, an American reality cooking competition show on Netflix, in 2018.In this episode, we sat down with Chef Tim on the rooftop deck at Otium to chat about his upbringing, experience working at The French Laundry, what he learned and the pressures that came with it, and what ultimately inspired him to create Otium. We also learn about his insane work ethic, behind the scenes of running a restaurant, and how a little bit of persistence can go such a long way.This was one of our best conversations yet and, whether or not you’re into the food scene, we can all learn and draw inspiration from Chef Tim’s incredible story of taking the unconventional path to become a successful entrepreneur. Tune in!SUBSCRIBE TO TFH NEWSLETTER & STAY UPDATED > http://bit.ly/tfh-newsletterFOLLOW TFH ON INSTAGRAM > http://www.instagram.com/thefounderhourFOLLOW TFH ON TWITTER > http://www.twitter.com/thefounderhourINTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR? EMAIL US > partnerships@thefounderhour.com ***Follow The Founder Hour on:Instagram | www.instagram.com/thefounderhourTwitter/X | www.x.com/thefounderhourLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/company/thefounderhourYouTube | www.youtube.com/@thefounderhour

Shelby and Sandy are brothers and artists based in LA who are known for creating modern, contemporary art inspired by nostalgia and culture - pretty much their childhood!Born and raised in Orange County, Shelby and Sandy were best friends growing up and both had an undying passion for painting and drawing. Influenced by their parents’ interest in art, they always knew they would end up in the creative field.When they decided to go all in on their craft in 2013, they took advantage of Instagram’s growing platform and quickly gained attention from high-profile celebrities and collectors who wanted a piece of the action. Since then, they’ve created art for Zac Efron, Nick Cannon, Bradley Cooper, Lucy Hale, and David Dobrik (to name a few) and collaborated with countless brands.In this episode, Pat and Posh hang out with Shelby and Sandy at their creative studio to learn about their upbringing, early days of working together, their approach to creating, and where they see themselves headed to next. They also discuss the future of art, what their day-to-day looks like, and what makes them work so damn well together.Don’t miss this incredibly interesting conversation with the artist duo who’s making some serious waves and only getting started!SUBSCRIBE TO TFH NEWSLETTER & STAY UPDATED > http://bit.ly/tfh-newsletterFOLLOW TFH ON INSTAGRAM > http://www.instagram.com/thefounderhourFOLLOW TFH ON TWITTER > http://www.twitter.com/thefounderhourINTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR? EMAIL US > partnerships@thefounderhour.com ***Follow The Founder Hour on:Instagram | www.instagram.com/thefounderhourTwitter/X | www.x.com/thefounderhourLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/company/thefounderhourYouTube | www.youtube.com/@thefounderhour

Robert Keith is the founder and chief creative of Hoorsenbuhs, a luxury jewelry brand based in Santa Monica whose clients include Jay-Z, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lopez, and Barack and Michelle Obama.Before starting Hoorsenbuhs in 2005, Robert was part of the Hollywood scene, first as a photographer and eventually an actor. After realizing the industry wasn’t for him, he decided to venture off on his own but didn’t quite know what he wanted to pursue. After experimenting and creating the prototype for his first ring, he was approached by a woman at a Starbucks who noticed it on his hand and was interested in a custom piece just like it. He made his first sale that day for $3,000 and the rest is history.In this episode, Pat & Posh visit Hoorsenbuhs HQ to chat with Robert about his upbringing, the journey to launching Hoorsenbuhs, the struggles and successes he’s endured while building out the brand, and the valuable lessons he’s learned along the way. Tune in!SUBSCRIBE TO TFH NEWSLETTER & STAY UPDATED > http://bit.ly/tfh-newsletterFOLLOW TFH ON INSTAGRAM > http://www.instagram.com/thefounderhourFOLLOW TFH ON TWITTER > http://www.twitter.com/thefounderhourINTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR? EMAIL US > partnerships@thefounderhour.com ***Follow The Founder Hour on:Instagram | www.instagram.com/thefounderhourTwitter/X | www.x.com/thefounderhourLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/company/thefounderhourYouTube | www.youtube.com/@thefounderhour

Jeff Cole is a digital artist and the co-founder of Ikonick, an online retailer of entrepreneur-inspired art and canvas prints.Growing up in Chicago in the 90s, Jeff was the “art kid” and always had a passion for creating. He majored in Illustration in college and had a deep interest in what was happening in pop culture, citing Michael Jordan as his biggest idol. This would eventually lead to the inspiration behind his art.Before going in full-time on Ikonick in 2016 with his partner, Mark Brazil (hear his story on Episode 41!), Jeff was working various jobs as a graphic designer but ultimately hit a wall in his career. After noticing the wave of digital art and the rise of Instagram as a distribution platform, Jeff taught himself how to use Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop and the rest is history.Today, he’s amassed over 500,000 followers on Instagram and has partnered with the likes of Gary Vaynerchuk and Scooter Braun to help grow Ikonick to become a global, household brand.In this episode, Pat & Posh hung out with Jeff in their brand new DTLA office to hear about his upbringing, breaking into the art scene, meeting his co-founder Mark, and the moment he realized Ikonick was on its way to becoming a successful business.We also chat about Jeff’s approach to creating, how he has maintained his killer instinct and optimism through difficult times, finding your purpose, what success means to him, and what’s in the works for himself and Ikonick. He also shares what the owl symbol represents for him and why he’s just not into the traditional art gallery.PROMO CODE ALERT! Head on over to ikonick.com/thefounderhour and use the code FOUNDER15 for 15% off your next order!SUBSCRIBE TO TFH NEWSLETTER & STAY UPDATED > http://bit.ly/tfh-newsletterFOLLOW TFH ON INSTAGRAM > http://www.instagram.com/thefounderhourFOLLOW TFH ON TWITTER > http://www.twitter.com/thefounderhourINTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR? EMAIL US > partnerships@thefounderhour.com ***Follow The Founder Hour on:Instagram | www.instagram.com/thefounderhourTwitter/X | www.x.com/thefounderhourLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/company/thefounderhourYouTube | www.youtube.com/@thefounderhour

Steve Stewart is the co-founder and CEO of Vezt, a mobile app and platform where music fans can acquire rights in their favorite songs and recordings by the artists they love. Pretty sweet, right?!Before launching Vezt in 2017, Steve was the long-time manager of the Grammy Award-winning, multiplatinum rock band Stone Temple Pilots. After 10 years with the band, he ventured off into the world of technology and eventually found himself back in the music industry with Vezt.In this episode, Pat & Posh hang out with Steve to hear about his journey as a talent manager, how he first broke into the music scene, how the industry has changed in the last two decades, and how he sees the space evolving in the near future. We also talk about how the idea for Vezt came about, blockchain technology, and the challenges he’s faced while building a transformational tech startup.Whether you’re into music, technology, media, or just good conversation, you don’t want to miss this educational and incredibly interesting conversation with Steve!SUBSCRIBE TO TFH NEWSLETTER & STAY UPDATED > http://bit.ly/tfh-newsletterFOLLOW TFH ON INSTAGRAM > http://www.instagram.com/thefounderhourFOLLOW TFH ON TWITTER > http://www.twitter.com/thefounderhourINTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR? EMAIL US > partnerships@thefounderhour.com ***Follow The Founder Hour on:Instagram | www.instagram.com/thefounderhourTwitter/X | www.x.com/thefounderhourLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/company/thefounderhourYouTube | www.youtube.com/@thefounderhour