In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Rochelle Jacobs, Co-Founder of Naturally Serious and a Wall Street veteran who returned to her roots in skincare. Rochelle shares how she blended clinical efficacy with clean ingredients to build a brand that's redefining modern beauty.
She talks about the power of partnerships, the lessons she learned launching just before the pandemic, and how learning to let go transformed her approach to growth. From bootstrapping a manufacturing facility to making clean beauty truly accessible, Rochelle’s story is a masterclass in purpose-driven leadership and quiet disruption.
00:00:13 – The importance of the right retail partners
00:00:36 – Meet Rochelle Jacobs
00:01:47 – Beauty roots: Her family’s skincare legacy
00:03:19 – Why finance came first and how she was pulled into skincare
00:04:18 – Launching a manufacturing facility with zero experience
00:05:47 – The hands-on MBA of building a beauty brand from scratch
00:07:20 – Learning by doing
00:08:27 – From spas to Sephora
00:10:36 – Product philosophy: Simplicity, transparency, and great naming
00:11:15 – Why fewer SKUs was a deliberate strategy
00:12:19 – Defining “clean”
00:14:25 – Clean meets clinical: Overcoming skepticism
00:16:21 – How the brand encourages organic discovery and accessibility
00:17:47 – Their patented antioxidant blend & anti-pollution edge
00:22:11 – Partnering with hospitals
00:25:13 – Creating healing products during breast cancer treatment
00:26:40 – Leadership lessons: Letting go, trusting your team
00:29:30 – Why word-of-mouth hiring still works
00:30:12 – The myth of work-life balance
00:32:29 – Biggest challenge: scaling in a TikTok-driven world
00:34:45 – Trends, distractions, and your phone
00:35:55 – Staying curious and humble as a founder
00:36:51 – Advice to past self
00:38:41 – Where to find Naturally Serious online
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Andre Wouansi, Founder of Accurate Legal Billing. He shares how he went from auditing law firm invoices to building an AI-powered platform that’s saved firms over $225M in lost revenue.
Hear how he overcame industry resistance, built a product without writing code, and why mindset is his most powerful leadership tool.
00:00:13 – The mindset that drives Andre as an entrepreneur
00:00:52 – Introducing Accurate Legal Billing (ALB)
00:01:32 – From bill auditing to legal tech founder
00:03:32 – Becoming part of the solution
00:05:41 – Building a product without being a developer
00:07:32 – Facing doubt and early industry resistance
00:09:06 – Turning every “no” into a “yes”
00:12:13 – How ALB evolved over the last 10 years
00:14:40 – Going from unknown to industry standard
00:17:00 – Landing ALB’s first enterprise clients
00:20:18 – Turning opportunity into case studies
00:24:32 – Why going straight to the top worked
00:26:00 – How COVID shifted law firm tech adoption
00:29:31 – Building tools for the next generation of lawyers
00:33:06 – Quantifying impact: $225M saved
00:35:01 – Leadership lessons and changing team mindset
00:43:55 – Why purpose matters more than profit
00:46:45 – The next five years for ALB
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Pedro Arellano, Co-Founder and CEO of Wallabi. He shares how his 25-year journey through the data and analytics world led him to build a new kind of business intelligence platform.
Listen now to learn how AI, accessibility, and empathy intersect to drive better business outcomes, and why simply having more dashboards doesn’t equate to impact.
00:00:13 — Pedro introduces himself and credits his team
00:00:51 — Courtney introduces Wallabi and Pedro’s background
00:01:55 — From WarGames to coding on a Commodore 64
00:02:45 — Discovering a passion for data in college
00:03:35 — Early BI landscape: IT-controlled and exclusive
00:04:45 — Two big disruptions: self-serve tools and generative AI
00:06:47 — Why LLMs are the next wave in BI
00:08:11 — The persistent issue of accessibility in analytics
00:09:41 — Grounding product in real user problems
00:11:08 — How to find valuable problems worth solving
00:13:11 — The gradual “aha” that led to launching Wallabi
00:15:33 — Moving from data access to contextual intelligence
00:18:29 — Helping users act on insights, not just see them
00:20:11 — What makes Wallabi exciting: solving existential business questions
00:22:15 — The first customers: direct sales and digital marketing
00:24:18 — Translating geek speak to real user pain
00:26:58 — Balancing vision with user feedback
00:28:56 — Avoiding the “order taker” trap
00:30:01 — Thinking through fundraising and growth pace
00:32:05 — Staying grounded as a founder
00:36:37 — Human-first culture in a tech-first space
00:38:11 — Pedro’s advice to new founders
00:41:48 — Where to find Wallabi
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Elina Wang, Co-Founder and CEO of ESW Beauty, as she shares the inspiring journey behind her wellness-driven skincare brand.
From a $25,000 bank loan and DIY packaging to launching in major retailers like Kohl’s, Target, and Whole Foods, Elina reveals the hard-won lessons of retail partnerships, building a values-driven brand, and creating standout experiences through grassroots marketing and creative events.
00:00:12 – Meet Elina Wang, founder of ESW Beauty
00:01:16 – How her wellness journey inspired the first product
00:03:14 – Taking a $25K leap and launching while in college
00:04:47 – Formulating custom products with a biochem background
00:05:41 – How a bold pitch at Cosmoprof landed Kohl’s
00:07:38 – The art (and obsession) of packaging design
00:09:32 – Differentiating in a crowded skincare market
00:10:45 – Her co-founder story: from dating to dream team
00:13:53 – Scaling from 2 people to a team of 15+
00:16:11 – Landing Target and Walgreens after years of follow-up
00:20:20 – Keeping brand vision aligned as you grow
00:22:42 – Why every product launch is a huge team effort
00:23:01 – Elina’s favorite unconventional marketing moment
00:24:37 – Building connection through events and community
00:27:18 – Elina’s personal rituals for staying grounded
00:29:16 – Building a great team through thoughtful hiring
00:30:59 – What’s next for ESW Beauty
00:31:40 – Elina’s advice: Have a funding plan & be agile
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Scott Kveton, Co-Founder and CEO of CaseMark, who has a track record of building companies that define categories.
Scott shares how intuition, scrappiness, and relentless customer focus shaped his journey, and why AI is set to transform legal tech in the same way the iPhone reshaped mobile.
00:00:13 – Scott on brand-building struggles and leaning on experts
00:00:52 – Courtney introduces Scott’s career journey
00:01:39 – The three T’s: team, tech, timing
00:03:06 – Learning to trust your gut as an entrepreneur
00:04:28 – Investor skepticism and TAM projections
00:07:08 – Urban Airship’s scrappy early launch
00:09:26 – Lessons from Twilio’s Jeff Lawson
00:12:18 – Why legal tech? The problem CaseMark solves
00:14:39 – Starting small with “easy buttons”
00:16:47 – Why AI will increase litigation
00:20:59 – Simplifying the product for attorneys
00:23:32 – Scaling medical chronology automation
00:26:34 – CaseMark’s subject matter advantage (Scott’s wife as advisor)
00:29:18 – The future of AI collapsing tools in legal
00:30:04 – Scott’s evolving leadership style
00:34:46 – Branding lessons
00:38:59 – Advice for legal tech founders
00:42:12 – What Scott wishes he knew at CaseMark’s start
00:44:19 – Where to find CaseMark and connect with Scott
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Dani Pickens, Founder & Chief Enablement Officer of The Executive Evolution (TEE). Dani shares how a non-compete lawsuit, career pivots, and personal grit led her to build a growing women’s network for tech and channel professionals.
With over 120 members across the US, TEE is redefining mentorship and support. No dues, no gatekeeping, just real talk and real community.
00:00:13 – Meet Dani Pickens and The Executive Evolution
00:01:33 – From Istanbul to door-to-door telecom sales
00:03:27 – What selling DSL taught Dani about grit
00:05:45 – Becoming Channel Chief before 40
00:07:26 – The non-compete lawsuit that changed everything
00:09:49 – Founding TEE out of personal pain
00:12:26 – The idea behind "The Human Channel"
00:15:56 – Building skills, sharing them freely
00:17:09 – What makes TEE different from other networks
00:20:32 – How TEE built a board from its first retreat
00:25:04 – Organic growth and member referrals
00:28:05 – Relaunching the mentorship program
00:31:22 – Cross-generational mentoring in action
00:33:33 – Annual Hope Kit fundraiser and impact
00:39:26 – Balancing leadership, TEE, and family
00:45:25 – Launching the Leadership Exchange program
00:47:55 – Dani’s advice to herself on Day 1: stay the course
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Claire Bing, Founder and CEO of Confiance Cosmetic Group. Confiance is a beauty and personal care consulting company specializing in regulatory and supply chain solutions for domestic and international sales.
Claire didn’t set out to be a regulatory expert, but today she’s behind the compliance success of over 200 clients. From her start in a donut factory to scaling Confiance into an international consultancy, Claire shares how science, systems, and empathy became her formula for growth.
She also opens up about evolving as a leader, using tech to scale smarter, and why clean beauty is about more than buzzwords.
00:00:13 – Why Claire didn’t like the leader she used to be
00:00:51 – Introduction to Confiance Cosmetic Group
00:01:46 – How a microbiologist ended up in beauty
00:03:34 – The pumpkin spice donut that launched her career
00:04:47 – From Ohio to NYC: landing at Tarte Cosmetics
00:05:49 – Becoming an accidental regulatory expert
00:07:48 – Why she started her consultancy
00:10:15 – The legal evolution of “clean beauty”
00:14:49 – Arsenic is natural—so what does clean really mean?
00:17:00 – Ingredients vs. process: where safety truly lies
00:20:28 – Accidental business launch via LinkedIn
00:23:01 – Building a mother-friendly, remote-first team
00:31:54 – How tech and Notion keep everything running
00:34:48 – Using Claude AI and PLM software to scale smarter
00:37:35 – Why kindness is a business strategy
00:40:41 – Claire’s leadership transformation
00:48:04 – Redefining success and legacy
00:50:39 – Claire’s vision for the future of Confiance
00:54:23 – The one piece of advice she’d give her younger self
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Rick Clark, VP of Strategic Partnerships at CloudNine and Co-Founder of The Masters Conference.
Rick has been on the frontlines of legal technology for over two decades. He has co-founded and developed several successful ventures including The Masters Conference, Wave Software, and ESI Analyst that have provided cutting-edge solutions and insights for complex data challenges.
From converting texts into court-ready evidence to crafting conferences that matter, Rick dives into the lessons and challenges of scaling in a niche, slow-to-change industry—and how strong partnerships made it all possible.
00:00:13 — How the pandemic changed digital evidence forever
00:00:36 — Meet Rick Clark: founder, innovator, connector
00:01:12 — Early days of discovery: from paper to digital
00:02:07 — Why 2006 was a turning point for eDiscovery
00:03:15 — Launching Wave Software at the perfect moment
00:04:16 — Starting The Masters Conference over coffee
00:05:55 — Differentiating in a sea of legal tech giants
00:07:16 — Creating ESG Analyst for chat and mobile data
00:09:11 — Pandemic-proof product-market fit
00:10:20 — From emails to WhatsApp: the new digital trail
00:12:42 — Scaling smart: how ESI Analyst stood out
00:14:28 — Cross-channel threading and human behavior
00:15:24 — Strategic differentiation in a crowded market
00:16:12 — When acquisition becomes the smartest path
00:19:51 — How The Masters Conference scaled to 15+ cities
00:21:34 — Why local relevance drives lasting impact
00:24:01 — AI adoption in legal: faster than ever before
00:26:45 — How lawyers are (finally) catching up
00:27:27 — Rick’s partnership strategy and why it works
00:30:04 — Build your network, protect your reputation
00:32:37 — Lessons Rick wishes he knew earlier
00:35:42 — What’s next: education, thought leadership, and mentorship
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Brittany Lo, Founder and CEO of two separate beauty companies: Beia and Beautini. In this episode, she shares how building a wedding beauty concierge gave her the insight to launch Beia, a premium body care brand solving real, often unspoken problems.
From launching during a pandemic to landing major retail partners and rebranding for scale, Brittany walks us through her intentional journey of building not just buzz, but businesses that last.
00:00:13 – Why solving real problems matters in beauty
00:00:50 – Brittany’s start with Beautini and the early insight that sparked Beia
00:02:06 – The awkward (but real) questions that led to a product idea
00:03:32 – Standing out in a saturated market with meaningful impact
00:04:58 – Developing the first Beia product during a pandemic
00:06:07 – How Brittany found her first manufacturer through relationships
00:07:31 – Why she hired a chemist to keep full formula control
00:09:27 – Seeding the launch through her network and the power of buy-in
00:10:53 – The moment she knew she had a real customer, not just support
00:13:03 – Using trade shows to break into retail early
00:15:29 – Why Beia pivoted from intimacy branding to lifestyle skincare
00:18:36 – How product quality won over retail buyers at Neiman Marcus
00:20:43 – Building for premium customers with intentional pricing
00:26:53 – Balancing profitability with brand integrity
00:30:21 – The real metric she uses to measure success
00:36:59 – Why Amazon became a breakout channel for Beia
00:39:03 – Leadership, hiring slow, and protecting company culture
00:44:26 – The advice she’d give her past self as a founder
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Chelsey Hayes, co-founder and CEO of Brown Babee. She shares how her decade-long fertility journey led to the creation of a purpose-driven skincare brand for infants and children with sensitive skin.
From overcoming cancer and endometriosis to trusting her instincts and betting on herself, Chelsey opens up about building with intention, leading with story, and finding strength in community. This episode is a must-listen for early-stage founders who want to launch mindfully and scale with heart.
00:00:13 – Chelsey introduces her 10-year path to motherhood
00:00:48 – Courtney introduces Brown Babee and the episode
00:01:27 – When Chelsey first knew she wanted to start a business
00:03:05 – From federal government contracting to founder
00:04:05 – Her daughter’s eczema diagnosis and early decisions
00:06:12 – Learning to formulate through YouTube
00:07:21 – Discovering her deeper “why”
00:08:29 – Learning to listen to intuition and filter the noise
00:10:00 – How surviving ovarian cancer shaped her mindset
00:12:44 – Early hurdles: funding and timing
00:14:17 – Betting on herself: the $90k turning point
00:19:18 – A co-founder leaves—and the lesson in that loss
00:21:54 – Balancing purpose with profitability
00:24:02 – Strategic partnerships and quality-first mindset
00:27:00 – Pushing back on the “move fast” mantra
00:28:48 – Why she stayed true to the name Brown Babee
00:33:08 – Accelerator programs and mentorship
00:36:02 – Building community as a pre-launch brand
00:40:03 – Her advice to her past self: “You are worthy”
00:41:56 – Where to follow Brown Babee online
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Natalie Cantave, the co-founder of MKTG WMN—a thriving community designed to uplift women and nonbinary professionals in marketing. She shares how a chance conference meetup with her now co-founder sparked a movement, and how they’ve grown it into a mission-led, member-supported platform with real industry impact.
Along the way, Natalie opens up about scaling without selling out, navigating imposter syndrome, and choosing intentionality over hype. From launching a paid model rooted in inclusivity to hosting IRL events with partners like Wistia, her story is a masterclass in building community with heart and a no-BS mindset.
00:00:13 – Why values and no-BS culture were foundational
00:01:21 – How Natalie and Gabrielle met and bonded over shared challenges
00:03:14 – The catalyst moment during COVID
00:04:39 – Early career lessons and salary transparency
00:06:01 – Launching MKTG WMN and overcoming imposter syndrome
00:07:10 – Going from events to mentorship and in-person meetups
00:08:32 – When and why they transitioned to a paid model
00:10:22 – How the community responded to monetization
00:11:36 – Creating a support system across all marketing verticals
00:14:11 – Highlights from co-working events and CEO conversations
00:15:24 – What didn’t work (and how they pivoted)
00:17:13 – Black Marketers Meetup and meaningful impact
00:19:54 – Natalie’s past experience with partnerships
00:21:29 – How they landed Wistia and Goldcast as sponsors
00:25:04 – Why authenticity is central to their growth strategy
00:28:31 – Scaling slowly and resisting profit-over-values temptation
00:30:16 – Building mentorship programs during high-need times
00:33:26 – Advice for founders building community
00:36:40 – How newsletters and storytelling keep the brand human
00:39:12 – What the future holds: team-building, more events, and 10-year vision
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Corina Pfeffer, co-founder and COO of Pipa Skin Care, to unpack how a Venezuelan trio of moms turned a gap in the skincare market into a viral, best-selling DTC brand for tweens.
With almost no paid ads, zero outside funding, and hands-on everything from fulfillment to customer service, Pipa is proving that thoughtful branding, organic growth, and a deep understanding of your customer can beat big budgets.
Corina shares the scrappy strategies, operational lessons, and brand-building mindset that have powered their rapid rise—and what’s next as they scale.
00:00:13 – Why customer experience is a core value at Pipa
00:00:40 – Meet Corina Pfeffer and the founding story behind Pipa Skincare
00:01:41 – How three childhood friends built a brand from a parenting problem
00:02:52 – The moment they realized there was a real market gap
00:04:27 – How each co-founder’s strengths shaped their success
00:05:43 – The surprisingly sentimental story behind the name “Pipa”
00:07:03 – Corina’s career path: from math to entrepreneurship
00:09:18 – Lessons from a failed startup that shaped Pipa’s strategy
00:10:59 – Why they insist on doing everything themselves—at first
00:13:29 – How a focus on delight drives their customer experience
00:15:31 – Their biggest challenge: explosive, unpredictable growth
00:18:24 – Why they ran out of stock during their first holiday season
00:19:12 – How they grew entirely through organic influencer buzz
00:21:30 – The role of PR and how British Vogue found them
00:23:17 – Pivotal moments that made them realize Pipa was taking off
00:25:32 – New products, sunscreen success, and what’s coming next
00:27:59 – Preparing for retail and what’s driving that shift
00:28:59 – Selling out on Amazon—even without optimization
00:30:23 – How living with their target customer (tweens!) helps
00:32:44 – Navigating international demand (and expensive shipping)
00:35:10 – Why they’re staying scrappy and bootstrapped
00:37:55 – The surprising power of email marketing for DTC
00:40:12 – Advice for career-changers and lifelong learners
00:44:15 – What Corina would tell herself when starting out
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Kunle Campbell, co-founder of Octillion Capital Partners and host of the 2X eCommerce podcast. Kunle shares how a curiosity-fueled SEO career led him to the operator seat—where he now acquires and grows wellness-first brands through a private equity-style model rooted in purpose, not just profit.
Along the way, Kunle breaks down how Octillion finds hero products, why subscriptions fuel their growth engine, and what it really takes to scale without compromising your values. From rebranding mushroom coffee to building founder-led stories that resonate, this episode is packed with sharp insights on sustainable, principle-driven growth in the DTC space.
00:00:13 Kunle’s philosophy: growth vs. profitability
00:01:37 How a lecture ignited Kunle’s e-commerce path
00:04:01 Surviving the 2008 crash and building an SEO agency
00:06:00 Discovering the limits of traffic without conversion
00:07:21 Building the 2X eCommerce podcast and agency
00:09:38 From consultant to operator: Why Kunle founded Octillion
00:11:39 Meeting his business partner via Google
00:14:17 The importance of financial literacy as an operator
00:17:29 Using subscriptions to drive growth while preserving LTV
00:23:04 Scaling brands vs. scaling products
00:26:10 How they found a new hero product when the original went out of stock
00:31:33 The cost of educating the market
00:34:56 Why Octillion only invests in wellness-first brands
00:40:34 Predictions for e-commerce, AI agents, and TikTok Shop
00:50:11 The power of high-volume content production
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Cat Lepetit, the visionary founder of Sun Drunk, a beach lifestyle brand rooted in joy, sustainability, and good vibes. She shares how a day at the sandbar sparked a movement and how she built a community-driven business—one pop-up at a time.
Along the way, Cat opens up about letting go of corporate playbooks, embracing slow growth, and redefining what success looks like on her own terms. From hand-selecting eco-conscious materials to building a fiercely loyal customer base face-to-face, her story is a lesson in intuitive, purpose-driven entrepreneurship.
00:01 Meet Cat Lepetit and the birth of Sun Drunk
01:21 The spark: a sandbar moment that inspired it all
03:19 The missing market for moms at the beach
05:12 Leaving corporate beauty to start fresh
08:51 Launching Sun Drunk on French Revolution Day
10:22 The reality of brand awareness in a noisy world
11:48 Grassroots pop-ups as brand incubators
14:42 Health-conscious events and finding product-market fit
16:02 Staying sustainable without compromise
19:25 More than towels: building a lifestyle and a vibe
21:02 The challenge of branding something intangible
24:03 Measuring success as a self-funded founder
25:30 Creating superfans through live shopping
27:21 Rejecting hollow innovation for timeless quality
29:43 Going back to tradition over trends
32:26 Dreaming bigger: stores, beach bars, and full experiences
34:37 Advice to her past self: follow the joy, and trust your gut
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Chaz Dean, the visionary founder behind WEN Hair & Body Care. From starting out as a photographer to launching a billion-dollar beauty brand, Chaz shares how he pioneered the cleansing conditioner category, defied industry norms, and stayed true to his values—long before clean beauty was trending.
He opens up about scrappy beginnings, getting burned early in business, developing a cult product in secret, and how a moment with Oprah changed everything. Whether you're a founder, beauty lover, or just into big brand stories with heart, this episode is a masterclass in trusting your gut and scaling with authenticity.
00:13 Introduction to How They Scaled It
00:36 From Photographer to Hairstylist
03:37 Early Hustle and Building Confidence
06:47 Why He Ditched Shampoo for Good
10:48 Creating His First Product (and Getting Underpaid)
15:04 Buying His First Salon and Changing the Game
17:55 The No-Lather Revolution Begins
21:58 Educating Clients and Perfecting the Formula
27:17 Naming WEN and Launching the Brand
33:52 Getting on QVC and Reaching the Masses
36:29 Celebrity Fans, Oprah’s Endorsement, and the Tipping Point
41:34 Trust, Confidence, and the Big Break
44:27 Staying Authentic in a Flash-in-the-Pan Industry
50:45 What Makes WEN Endure
52:18 Final Thoughts and Takeaways
Connect with Courtney:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-wasserburger-14543519/
Website: https://rightleftagency.com/
Connect with Chaz Dean:
Website: https://chazdean.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chazdean/
In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Aliett Buttelman and Nina LaBruna, the dynamic co-founders behind Fazit Beauty, the viral skincare and cosmetics brand redefining beauty with innovative patches (including their glitter freckle patches that Taylor Swift herself wore!).
They share how they bootstrapped their brand with just $13K, leveraged TikTok to explode their sales, and navigated the challenges of building a business without investors. If you're a founder, marketer, or just obsessed with beauty and branding, this episode is packed with scrappy marketing tactics, co-founder wisdom, and lessons in scaling without selling out.
00:13 Introduction to How They Scaled It
00:33 Meet the Founders of Fazit Beauty
01:20 The Journey to Launching Fazit
07:33 The Challenges of Being a Young Entrepreneur
15:10 The Power of Social Media Marketing
19:20 Developing Innovative Products
23:58 The Taylor Swift Viral Moment
26:54 The Moment Everything Changed
29:02 The Power of Authenticity
29:41 Strategic Celebrity Endorsements
36:41 Navigating Inventory Challenges
41:14 Lessons from Past Experiences
46:28 Future Plans and Advice
50:55 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Follow Courtney and Fazit:
Connect with Courtney:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-wasserburger-14543519/
Website: https://rightleftagency.com/about/
Connect with Fazit:
Website: https://fazitbeauty.com/
In this episode of How They Scaled It, Isit down with Lita Cunningham, founder and CEO of Lalais, a luxury skincare brand redefining solutions for misunderstood skin.
From her corporate HR career to creating an award-winning skincare brand, Lita shares how a personal frustration with available skincare options led her to take a leap into entrepreneurship. In just 13 months, Lalais has landed in Neiman Marcus, made it onto Oprah’s Favorite Things, and won multiple industry awards.
00:00 Introduction and Personal Story
00:22 Welcome to How They Scaled It
00:42 Meet Lita Cunningham
01:06 From Corporate HR to Entrepreneur
04:26 Developing the Perfect Skincare Formula
09:17 Challenges and Triumphs in Product Development
15:22 Retail Success and Oprah's Favorite Things
21:34 Creating a Luxury Customer Experience
26:46 Overcoming Entrepreneurial Challenges
32:38 Future Plans and Advice for Founders
42:27 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Follow Courtney and Lita:
Connect with Courtney:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-wasserburger-14543519/
Website: https://rightleftagency.com/about/
Connect with Lita:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lita-cunningham-21074813/
Instagram:@glamlitanyc
Follow Lalais:
Website:lalais.com
Instagram: @lalaisskincare
How do you build a skincare brand that breaks stigma and empowers men to look and feel their best? In this episode, I chat with Lekha Vyas, the founder and CEO of Elvy Lab, a groundbreaking men's skincare brand she launched in 2022. Lekha's journey from working with beauty giants like L'Oréal, Estée Lauder, and Chanel to becoming a trailblazing entrepreneur is inspiring. Today, Lekha is well on her way to scaling Elvy Lab into a legacy brand with lasting impact in the cosmetic hygiene market.
00:37 Introducing Laika Vyas and Elvy Lab
01:09 Laika's Journey in the Beauty Industry
05:11 Identifying the Gap in Men's Skincare
07:53 Challenges and Strategies in Men's Grooming
20:07 Transitioning from Big Brands to Startups
21:04 Recognizing Burnout and Embracing Slow Days
21:25 The Rewards and Challenges of Being a Founder
22:17 The Importance of Growth and Small Wins
24:15 Advice for Aspiring Founders
35:09 The Reality of Retail and Advertising Costs
36:52 Final Reflections and Advice
Follow Courtney and Lekha:
Connect with Courtney:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-wasserburger-14543519/
Website: https://rightleftagency.com/about/gma
Connect with Lekha:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lekhavyas/
Website: https://elvylab.com/
Lekha’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lekahontas/?hl=en
Elvy Lab’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elvy_lab/?hl=en
In this episode, I sit down with Jessie Healy, a celebrated marketer and the founder of Ecomm Rockets Coaching Group, a platform that helps DTC brands scale profitably by focusing on foundational business strategies. As the former owner of Webtopia, Jessie scaled her agency to 20 employees, worked with global clients, and eventually sold the business to focus on coaching and consulting.
00:00 Introduction to How They Scaled It
00:52 Jessie Healy's Journey to Webtopia
04:07 Challenges and Strategies in Growing an Agency
09:57 Transition to Coaching and Consulting
11:56 Balancing Business and Personal Life
20:13 Creating Profitable Ad Campaigns
24:14 The Essence of a Great Ad
26:07 The Importance of Intention in Advertising
27:08 Balancing In-House and Outsourced Content Creation
28:35 Navigating Profitability and Pricing Strategies
32:56 Scaling Your Business: Systems and Processes
40:58 Leveraging AI for Early-Stage Businesses
42:52 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Follow Courtney and Jessie:
Connect with Courtney:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-wasserburger-14543519/
Website: https://rightleftagency.com/about/
Connect with Sarah:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ecommercecoach/
Website: https://www.jessiehealy.com/
Customer behavior, identity, and emotions have the biggest impact on the success or failure of your marketing efforts. Still, so many businesses are unable to account for consumer psychology. This week on How They Scaled It, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Sarah Levinger, a Forbes-featured consumer behavior analyst, creative strategist, and performance creative consultant. Sarah is an expert at bridging the gap between psychology and marketing, helping D2C brands like Hexclad, True Classic, Fabletics, and others boost their paid advertising ROI by creating deep emotional connections with their customers. Now, she’s at the head of Tether Insights, where she helps other businesses apply behavioral science to produce faster and more meaningful results.
00:00 Introduction
00:38 Meet Sarah Levinger: Consumer Behavior Expert
03:37 The Power of Emotional Connections in Marketing
13:10 The Role of Surveys and Reviews
17:32 Understanding Generational Differences
22:19 Balancing Psychology and Authenticity in Branding
26:46 The Evolution of Trust in Brands
29:34 The Importance of Humanizing Your Brand
32:48 Future Consumer Expectations
35:34 Behavioral Analysis in Marketing
48:25 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
50:55 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Follow Courtney and Sarah:
Connect with Courtney:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-wasserburger-14543519/
Website: https://rightleftagency.com/about/
Connect with Sarah:
Tether Insights: https://www.tetherinsights.io/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahlevinger
