Aaron Zagha is the CMO of Newton Baby, one of the largest DTC baby sleep brands in the U.S., known for its innovative baby mattresses, cribs, and more.
Expect to hear about:
– From Banking to Ecom: How Aaron went from M&A to e-commerce after two failed startup, and found his calling in data-driven marketing.
– Bootstrapped Growth: Why Newton Baby scaled to 8-figure sales without outside funding, and how Aaron thinks about profit-first marketing.
– The Influencer Bet: How leaning into Instagram creators early helped Newton dominate a premium, trust-based category.
– COVID Opportunity: Why Aaron doubled ad spend while competitors pulled back, and how that unlocked a lasting step change in growth.
– AI & Brand: How Aaron's using GenAI for creative and his take on what marketers get wrong about the difference between "brand" and "performance" marketing.
Find Aaron on:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronzagha/
Brad Woodgate is the founder and CEO of Joyburst and The No Sugar Company, the two latest brands in Brad's long history in CPG, beginning with Wellnx Life Sciences in 2000.
Expect to hear about:
– Bootstrapped from Day 1: Why Brad never raised outside capital, and how each brand he started built the financial foundation for the next one.
– The No Sugar Bet: How Brad recognized that “no sugar” would be a lasting global health movement, and built a brand to lead it.
– Disney x Joyburst: The story of how Disney’s executive team discovered Joyburst and made them the official beverage partner for Inside Out 2 and Lilo & Stitch.
– On Stage with Vanilla Ice: How Brad met Vanilla Ice and created a "Joyburst" song with him, to help Joyburst break into Costco.
– Founder Advice: How Brad manages his time running 4 companies and his #1 piece of advice for other founders.
Find Brad on:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-woodgate-b30b8113/
Henrik Jonsson is the CEO of agood company, a Swedish brand that creates truly sustainable or "circular" phone cases and other products, hitting profitability in 2025 under his leadership.
Expect to hear about:
– The Circular Revolution: How agood company turns old phone cases into new ones using a circular model, creating products that are truly sustainable.
– The Retail Pivot: How agood company shifted from DTC to 85% retail sales after realizing online acquisition wasn’t profitable.
– Breaking the Premium Myth: Realizing that reports from consumers saying they'll pay more for sustainable products are simply not true, and how agood company adapted.
– Local Production, Global Scale: The strategy behind opening factories in Texas, South Africa, and India to localize production and enable their circular model.
– Leadership in Balance: Henrik’s candid take on the emotional rollercoaster of being a first-time CEO, and why sleep, health, and family time are how he stays in balance.
Find Henrik on:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrik-jonsson-1915378/
Dr. Andrew Hughes returns to the "Human Thread" series to help Forest and Leah tackle one of marketing’s most delicate frontiers: emotion. Where’s the line between resonance and manipulation? Together, they unpack how emotion captures attention, why overload leads to burnout, and how brands can use emotion responsibly in an always-on digital world.
Expect to hear about:
Nick Saltarelli is the co-founder and co-CEO of Mid-Day Squares, a functional chocolate brand doing $40M in annual revenue across North America.
Expect to hear about:
– Family as Cofounders: The journey of building with his wife and brother-in-law, and why weekly therapy was non-negotiable.
– Starting with Constraints: Why they made a self-imposed rule to not use Facebooks ads in year one and still hit $1M in sales.
– Building in Public: How transparency and a commitment to authenticity shaped Mid-Day Squares’ bold content strategy.
– Securing Costco: How they relied on their fanbase to beat Costco's Road Show record in 36 days.
– Bitcoin & Cocoa: How a 700% spike in cocoa prices led Nick to start transacting directly with farmers in Bitcoin.
Find Nick on:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-saltarelli-063a5965/
Twitter/X - https://x.com/nickywonka
Jenny Casson, a two-time Olympic rower with team Canada, and Manuella Widjaja, a former YC startup operator, are the co-founders of Daylilie, a new apparel brand rethinking bras for broad-shouldered women. This episode is part of "The Climb," our series featuring founders in the early stages of building their brands.
Expect to hear about:
– Meet-Cute to Cofounders: How a cold DM about fit surveys turned into a partnership that led to Daylilie’s founding.
– Silhouettes, Not Sizes: Why they’re challenging outdated bra design by focusing on body shape, not just cup and band.
– Prototype to Patent: Their journey through seven prototypes and securing provisional patents on their side strap and cup designs.
– Going Viral: Their internal debate about whether to push for viral moments with Daylilie or a slower but steadier social media growth strategy.
Jenny's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercassonoly/
Manuella's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuellawidjaja/
Tiana Ravden is the founder and CEO of Eroe, a lingerie brand that keeps sweat stains off your clothes with an innovative, patented bra design that's been 10 years in the making and launched February 2025. This episode is part of "The Climb," our series featuring founders in the earliest stages of building their brands.
Expect to hear about:
– The DIY Spark: How Tiana cut up a T-shirt and slipped it under a silk dress, sparking the idea that became Eroe.
– Fabric Failures: Losing her “perfect fabric” right before launch and why the timing delay during COVID turned out to be a blessing.
– Patent Patience: Spending three years in back-and-forth battles with the patent office before securing her patent.
– Breakout Moment: How a Today Show feature sent Shopify orders flooding in from across the country.
– What’s Next: Fundraising, hiring key team members, and chasing wholesale partnerships to scale Eroe into a household name.
Tiana's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiana-ravden-%E2%9C%B4%EF%B8%8F-09778a3/
Wylie Robinson is the founder, former CEO, and Chairman of Rumpl, an 8-figure brand that makes performance blankets and sleeping bags for the outdoors.
Expect to hear about:
– Frozen Van Epiphany: How a night stranded in the Sierras inspired the idea for Rumpl.
– Kickstarter Launch: Turning a “sleeping bag blanket” prototype into $250K of preorders in 30 days.
– Co-Founder Split: Why diverging visions led to an early breakup, and Wylie’s advice for navigating founder separations.
– Shark Tank Spotlight: The reality of pitching on national TV, walking away from offers, and what the exposure delivered.
– Stepping Back as CEO: Why Wylie handed over the reins in 2024, and how returning to product and creative has reenergized him.
Extras:
– Wylie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wylierobinson/
– Wylie's article (mentioned in episode) on navigating co-founder splits: https://www.entrepreneur.com/growing-a-business/why-i-had-to-fire-my-co-founder-ceo-and-close-friend/321499
Abdul Altaf is the 21-year-old co-founder of Yay Nuts, a Gen Z snack brand doing $250K in monthly revenue one year after launch. This episode is part of "The Climb," our new series featuring founders in the early stages of building their brands.
In this episode, expect to hear about:
– First Hustles: How Abdul went from Amazon bans, eBay flips, and vending machines to spotting a gap in the snack aisle.
– Gen Z Branding: Why he saw the opportunity to launch a fresh, trend-driven nut brand his generation could connect with.
– Breakout Growth: The TikTok strategy that drove $40K in the first month and $2M in sales within a year.
– Scaling Pains: The supply chain bottlenecks stopping the brand from jumping from $250K to $1M per month.
– What’s Next: Abdul’s plan to launch new flavors, expand DTC channels, and eventually take Yay Nuts past $50M in sales.
Abdul's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdul-altaf/
Chase Fisher is the founder, former CEO, and current Brand Evangelist of Blenders Eyewear, an 8-figure sunglasses brand born in San Diego.
Expect to hear about:
– The Early Hustle: How Chase started Blenders by selling shades out of his backpack, opening up about just how hard the early days really were.
– Buying Out His Cofounder: Why their visions split, and how going solo unlocked 300% growth over the next two years.
– $90M Acquisition: The chaos behind a deal delayed by redlines and COVID, and how Chase held it all together.
– Coach Prime x Blenders: The bold partnership that put Blenders on the global stage and reignited the brand’s momentum.
– Stepping Down as CEO: Why Chase hired a CEO for Blenders in 2025, and how he’s reclaiming his zone of genius as the face of the brand.
Follow Chase on:
Instagram - @chasefisher
Dr. Andrew Hughes returns to the "Human Thread" series to help Forest and Leah unpack one of the most urgent questions in modern life: why can’t we focus anymore? From brain chemistry to platform design, we explore how attention is being hijacked — and what that means for marketers, brands, and human beings.
Expect to hear about:
Garret Akerson is the co-founder and former CEO (now Chairman) of Kindred Bravely, one of the largest maternity and breastfeeding brands in the U.S.
Expect to hear about:
– Origin Story: How Garret and his wife Deeanne started Kindred Bravely after she was expecting and couldn’t find quality maternity clothes.
– 2018 Crisis: How he saved the business by scaling ad spend and pulling off a make-or-break Black Friday & Cyber Monday sale.
– Hiring A+ Players Fast: Their unique group-interview process that surfaces top talent quickly and efficiently.
– 2021 Exit: Why he and Deeanne sold a majority stake to PE, to de-risk and de-stress.
– Life After Exit: Staying involved in Kindred Bravely and launching a Vistage CEO peer group in San Diego to mentor other founders.
Ian Blair is the former co-founder and CEO of the mobile app builder BuildFire, and today is the co-founder and CEO of Laundry Sauce, a laundry detergent brand.
Expect to hear about:
– BuildFire: How Ian started a mobile app builder that built 15,000 apps and sold it during a SaaS downturn.
– CEO x2: How Ian managed 80+ hour work weeks to run both BuildFire and Laundry Sauce at the same time.
– Betting Big on Detergents: How Ian reverse-engineered his financial goals by choosing a high-LTV, non-discretionary DTC category.
– Leveraging AI: Why Ian believes AI will unlock efficiency in ad creative and customer research across ecommerce.
– Personal Interests: Ian's obsession with biohacking and love for extreme sports like skydiving, big-wave surfing, and heli snowboarding.
Rob Fraser is a former Canadian national team cyclist and current founder and CEO of Outway, a fast-growing DTC sock brand doing 8 figures in annual revenue.
Expect to hear about:
– Pro Cycling to Start-Up Life: How Rob’s athlete mindset helped him build a business from scratch.
– Co-Founder Buyout: Why Rob took on $150K in debt to buy out his cofounder and regain control of his company.
– Name Change Crisis: Being forced to change his company's name under legal pressure, and sprinting on a full rebrand in 6 months.
– Burnout: Rob's story of burning out hard and being sick for a year post-rebrand, and how he recovered.
– 90% YOY Growth: An inside look at the decisions Rob made in July 2023 that led to massive growth in early 2025.
Rob's:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbfraser/
X/Twitter - https://x.com/robbfraser
Taylor Offer is the co-founder and former CEO of apparel brand Feat, doing over $50M in lifetime sales, and is now building his new startup in stealth, backed by a16z.
Expect to hear about:
– College Hustle: Launching Feat from campus with $300 and a pop-up table.
– Betting on Influencers Early: Moving to LA and striking deals with Logan Paul, Aly Raisman, and The Chainsmokers.
– Hitting Burnout: Making the difficult choice to sell a majority stake and step down as CEO after 10 years at Feat.
– Finding Himself Again: A healing journey through therapy, psychedelics, yoga, and more.
– Back to Build Mode: A sneak peek at Taylor’s new venture, and why he’s aiming to build a multi-billion dollar company.
Adam Schwartz co-founded TeePublic (acquired by Redbubble) and is now co-founder and CEO of Parable, helping enterprise orgs uncover and fix operational inefficiencies through AI-powered analysis.
Expect to hear about:
– Bootstrapping to $20M+: Why Adam focused entirely on supply-side growth at the start of TeePublic—and how it quietly paid off.
– The Exit Decision: How he knew it was time to sell, and why growing “too big” can kill your shot at getting acquired.
– Enterprise Inefficiency at Scale: What Adam saw on public company boards that shocked him—and sparked his idea for Parable.
– How AI Actually Impacts Teams: Why efficiency gains through AI don’t necessarily lead to layoffs and often lead to more hiring, not less.
Michael Perry (known as "MP") is the founder of Kit (sold to Shopify in 2016) and founder and CEO of Maple – a platform that enables parents to share and manage family responsibilities.
Expect to hear about:
– From Debt to Acquisition: MP’s journey from food stamps and $70K debt to selling his 3rd company, Kit, for millions.
– Hard Truths About Founder Life: MP's candid take on the real costs of entrepreneurship and how it's reshaped his views on time, money, and ambition.
– The Mission Behind Maple: His vision to transform parenting culture in America through his company.
– On Support and Priorities: Why he believes no one is truly self-made, and how being a parent comes before being a founder.
Ryan Beltran is the co-founder and CEO of Original Grain, a watch brand that creates unique watches with reclaimed wood, metal, and other materials.
Expect to hear about:
– Breakout Success: How Ryan turned a $10k Kickstarter goal into $390k in 30 days to launch his business.
– Scaling to $100M: The highs, lows, and lessons learned on the road to 9-figure lifetime revenue.
– Growth Tactics: Ryan's advice on building a brand identity, driving LTV, and more.
– Partnership Signals: How to spot brand collaborations that actually boost your revenue.
– Big Bets: Where Ryan is investing in his business to achieve the next $100M in 3 years.
Jacob Peters is the co-founder and CEO of Superpower, a health "super-app" for tracking and improving your health that just raised a $30M Series A.
Expect to hear about:
– The Story Behind Superpower: How his mom’s chronic illness and Jacob's own near-death hospitalization inspired him to start Superpower.
– $30M Series A: Jacob's plan to deploy this capital to put an AI doctor in everyone's pockets within 5 years.
– Building a 150K Waitlist: How creative drops, referral loops, and a viral hoodie campaign helped Superpower explode pre-launch.
– Creating a Movement: How Jacob is turning Superpower into the first healthcare brand people want to belong to through community building.
– Balancing Health and Hustle: Jacob’s reflections on the personal cost of building Superpower.
Extras:
Jacob's Twitter/X thread on tactics he used to build a 150k person waitlist:
https://x.com/J__Cub/status/1873810708573671601
Jacob's personal link to skip Superpower's waitlist, visit:
superpower.com/jacob
Lily Walla is the founder of SPOTS (sold in 2023) and today is the founder and CEO of Auggie, a community and marketplace platform for parents.
Expect to hear about:
– The Founder's Mindset: Lily’s belief in “delusional conviction” as essential for startup success.
– Funding & Growth: How she raised nearly $4M for Auggie and her insights on bootstrapping vs. VC.
– Scaling in Hyper-Growth: Tactics for building systems fast and succeeding in saturated markets.
– Balancing Life & Leadership: Lily's reflections on navigating motherhood while leading a company.
