Episode 80: Skyler Mapes is the Co-Founder of EXAU Olive Oil and Co-Author of The Olive Oil Enthusiast. EXAU is a high-quality Italian olive oil brand that is listed on the official index of the world’s best olive oils and has been named on Oprah’s Favorite Things twice. Skyler’s Co-Founder and husband Giuseppe’s family have grown olives for over 100 years in Calabria, Italy. 

In this episode, Skyler chats about:

• How she and Giuseppe established an olive oil brand that was missing from U.S. markets.
• The ins and outs of their olive oil production process in Calabria, Italy.
• How EXAU is supporting and re-investing in the local Calabrian community.
• The importance of letting go of control as a founder.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 79: Caroline D’Amore is the founder of Pizza Girl, a brand of pasta sauces made with organic, locally sourced ingredients. Born into the D'Amores Pizza Family, Caroline is no stranger to the food industry. She created Pizza Girl to provide healthy and delicious sauces for a new generation of home chefs. In this episode, we chat about:

• Caroline's journey from the entertainment industry to launching Pizza Girl
• Her experience on Gordon Ramsey's Food Stars
• The importance of embracing and learning from our mistakes

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 78: Siobhan Murphy is the founder of Babar PR, a communications and public relations firm specializing in founders and brands making a positive impact. 

With a wealth of experience in PR and strategic communications, Siobhan has worked in pivotal roles for Fortune 500 companies and startups across various industries. Most recently, Siobhan led consumer and entertainment communications at Twitter for over six years. At Babar, Siobhan focuses on helping founders and companies tell their stories, with clients including The Newsette, Amazon, Sephora, Rowely, and more.

In this episode, we chat about:

• Siobhan's journey from the corporate world to starting her own firm
• Tips for exploring career paths before entering the workforce
• Top skills it takes to be successful in the PR industry
• How she helps founders shine in today's competitive landscape

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 77: Victor Guardiola and Jordan Hicks are the founders of Bawi, a sparkling aqua fresca brand that combines the traditional flavors of Mexican agua fresca with better-for-you ingredients. In this episode, we chat about:

• Victor and Jordan's journey from starting Bawi in college to selling in retailers like Sprouts
• Actionable tips for finding potential investors and the one question to ask them
• Tips for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to break into the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry
• Why the Hispanic CPG space has taken longer to pivot to better-for-you ingredients

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 76: Bonny and Michelle are trailblazing a movement to ensure that women are never an afterthought in golf. Their brand, Sierra Madre Golf, is setting a new standard for women's golf apparel.

In this episode, we chat about:

• Why women's golf apparel has been a relatively untapped marked
• How Sierra Madre combines fashion and function for seamless designs
• What founders should know before partnering with a manufacturer
• How Sierra Madre incorporates customer feedback and fosters connections with their community

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 75: We all know Ben & Jerry’s for their flavorful pints of ice cream concoctions with clever, now-household names like “Americone Dream” and “Cherry Garcia.” 

However, even many ice cream enthusiasts are unfamiliar with the humble beginnings of Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield—two childhood friends that set out to create an ice cream shop in Burlington, Vermont with one sweet idea and no prior business experience. 

In this mini-episode, you’ll hear about:

• How Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield decided to go into the ice cream business together
• Greenfield’s distinct advantage for creating the chunk-filled scoops the company is known for
• The top two business lessons from Ben & Jerry that you can apply to your journey
• How Ben & Jerry amplify the company’s social mission to this day

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 74: Aaron and Julie Menitoff are the founders of Boarderie, an artisan cheese and charcuterie company that delivers fresh and beautiful boards nationwide. In this episode, Aaron and Julie chat about:

• Their pivot from running a successful catering company to launching Boarderie post-pandemic
• How going on Shark Tank and making a deal with Lori Greiner impacted their business
• The logistics of delivering fresh, quality food overnight across the country
• Insights on being partners both in business and in life

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 73: Erica Cole is the Founder and CEO of No Limbits, an adaptive clothing brand for wheelchair users, people with limited dexterity, sensory sensitivities, and other disabilities.

After losing her leg in a car accident in 2018, Erica found that her prosthetic leg wasn’t compatible with her existing wardrobe. This led her on a journey to solve this problem and create an empowering business with a mission to help others. In this episode, we chat about:

• How No Limbits is positively impacting the disability community and vice versa
• The design and manufacturing process for creating adaptive clothing tailored to unique needs
• Erica's advice on starting a company with no prior business experience & tips for coordinating overseas manufacturing 
• How going on Shark Tank and partnering with Good American's Emma Grede and Mark Cuban impacted her company

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 72: The iconic egg-shaped Beautyblender sponge is wildly popular and used by both makeup artists and everyday people all over the world. Yet, the company’s founder, Rea Ann Silva, remains relatively under the radar. 

In this mini-episode, we chat about:

• Rea Ann Silva’s background and early career as a makeup artist
• How her experience on TV and film sets led to the creation of the Beautyblender
• Why Beautyblender doesn’t have a patent and how it promotes customer loyalty
• Three business lessons from Silva you can apply to your own journey

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 71: Kristin Marino is the founder and designer behind Kozy Kasa, a boutique interior design firm for residential and commercial projects. They offer everything from full-scale remodels to simple room refreshes, in Austin and beyond. In this episode, Kristin chats about:

• Discovering her passion for interior design at a young age
• What sets Kozy Kasa apart from other design firms
• Her advice for first-time business owners
• The skills necessary to be successful as an interior designer

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 70: Marte Cázarez es el Co-Fundador de Desserto. Con el propósito de crear una alternativa al cuero animal, Marte, junto con su cofundador Adrián López Velarde, crearon un cuero vegano elaborado con nopal y lo llamaron Desserto.

A través de su experiencia profesional, Marte y Adrian estaban conscientes del impacto ambiental que las industrias de la moda, el automóvil y el mueble estaban teniendo debido al uso de cuero animal y sintético. Los dos renunciaron a sus trabajos para fundar Adriano Di Marti, una empresa que se enfoca en desarrollar Desserto.

Si disfrutaste de este episodio, por favor suscríbete/sigue Office Chats y deja una calificación y reseña en Apple Podcasts y Spotify. Puedes seguirnos en Instagram aquí. ¡Gracias!

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Episode 69: Sarah Brennan Hughes is the founder of Rowely, an upscale re-sale platform that offers bridal essentials for every occasion. In this episode, Sarah chats about:

• Her journey to launching an e-commerce business
• Why resale is gaining popularity in the bridal industry
• Her mission to provide brides with a more cost-effective and eco-friendly way to shop
• Valuable lessons for aspiring business owners

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 68: Raeka Morar is the founder of Raeka Beauty. Raeka Beauty is a purpose-driven skincare brand that celebrates South Asian beauty traditions. In this episode, Raeka chats about:

• How her struggle to find skincare products that catered to her needs led her on a mission to create industry change.
• Lessons learned from navigating the competitive skincare industry
• How her products are influenced by South Asian traditions
• The incredible impact her business is having on its community

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 67: Arman Hezarkhani is the founder of Parthean AI. 

Parthean integrates cutting-edge AI tools with a user's financial information, allowing people to get personalized and immediate answers to their financial queries. For example, you can ask Parthean, “How much can I afford to spend on an upcoming trip to New York?” or “I want to pay off my debt in 2 years, can you build me a plan to pay it off?” 

In this episode, Arman chats about:

• His journey to founding Parthean and securing investors
• How his company ensures data privacy and security for its users
• His advice for entrepreneurs looking to get into the AI industry

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 66: Annie Leal, the founder of I Love Chamoy. Based in Mission, Texas, I Love Chamoy offers a delicious, tangy, and spicy chamoy that is free of sugar and artificial dyes. Annie is dedicated to providing a healthier and tasty alternative to the traditional Mexican sauce that we all know and love.

In this episode, Annie chats about:

• The personal story that inspired her to create I Love Chamoy
• Selling out a six-month product supply after going viral on TikTok
• How she got into 200+ H-E-B stores across Texas
• The power of connecting with customers as a small business

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 65: Nicole Haworth and Ashley Layfield are former professional dancers with impressive careers as celebrity trainers in LA's competitive fitness industry. Their passion for fitness, dance, and empowering others led them to create The Workout LA, a dance/pilates-based workout studio that offers online and in-person classes designed to make you move with intention and sculpt long, lean muscles.

In this episode, Nicole and Ashley chat about:

• Their relationship as friends and business partners
• How they approach fitness with a self-love mindset
• The biggest entrepreneurship lessons they’ve learned over the last few years.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 64: Kelly Williamson and Shelly Marshall are the Founders of True Scoops, a unique business that offers shelf-stable ice cream mixes for premium quality ice cream at home. In this episode, Kelly and Shelly chat about:

• The challenges they faced launching their business and establishing a new ice cream category.
• The process of developing delicious and high-quality ice cream mixes.
• Their experience in Target's accelerator program and tips for aspiring founders.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 63: Matthew Iommi is the Co-Founder and CEO of Fetii. If you live in Austin, College Station, or Lubbock, you've probably seen Fetii’s black ridesharing vans all over town! Fetii is a rideshare platform tailored towards groups and events, that utilizes a network of 15-passenger vans to allow groups to ride together, reducing congestion and emissions while providing a superior transportation experience.

In this episode, Matthew chats about:

• How he and his team have grown Fetii from a single shuttle service to a multimillion-dollar business that is a competitor of Uber and Lyft.
• How his upbringing shaped his work ethic and values.
• The strategies Fetii implements to create a superior rideshare experience and effectively grow its customer base.
• What he and his team hope to accomplish at Fetii in the future in terms of growth and expansion.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 62: Andy and Amanda Rodriguez are the husband-and-wife duo behind The Salty Donut. The Salty Donut is an artisanal donut shop & coffee bar with multiple locations across the U.S. In this episode, Amanda & Andy chat about

• Their journey from selling donuts out of a vintage camper to opening their first retail store and expanding across the U.S.
• What goes into creating The Salty's chef-made, small-batch, craft donuts, and building a loyal customer base.
• Challenges they faced when starting and financing their business.
• Tips for finding success in the food industry and as an entrepreneur in general.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

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Episode 61: Elle De Freitas is the Co-Founder and CEO of Wonderkind, an Austin-based branding agency specializing in brand identity, social media, packaged design, influencer marketing, and content creation. Whether it’s an out-of-the-box photoshoot, a logo refresh, or an Instagram makeover—Wonderkind continuously creates unique content for food and beverage brands like Yasso, Torchy's, Sunlife Organics, MudWtr, and more.

In this episode, Elle chats about:

• Launching and growing a creative studio
• What goes into creating unique content for CPG brands
• How she has adapted her leadership style to work effectively with a Gen-Z team
• Her advice on pursuing entrepreneurship with no formal business background

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.