Alan Chikin Chow Reveals What Actually Makes a Video Go Viral— and it’s not what you think.
In this meaningful, heart-felt interview Alan shares the remarkable journey from making videos to make his mom laugh in college, to building AU Studios. Through the conversion he reveals how he built such an engaged comedy empire, and the secrets to running a business around viral short form content. Plus he opens up about the pressures and responsibilities that come with 2 Billion+ monthly viewers. Get the inside scoop on what it takes to build out your own 10,000 sq ft production facility with 20+ employees from YouTube’s most prolific shorts creator of all time.
You'll Learn About–
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introducing Alan Chikin Chow & His Purpose in Life
3:33 How to Breakthrough on TikTok & Go Viral
4:23 What Gen Alpha Actually Wants to Watch & Discovering the True Alan’s Universe Audience (BIG Surprise)
6:57 Tips for Taking a Leap Of Faith: Why Alan Doesn’t Have Plan B
13:45 Alan Chikin Chow’s Creative Process Revealed!
16:23 The Short vs. Long-form Content Debate
27:27 YouTube's New Season Packaging Feature
30:01 The Power of Building IP beyond Alan's Universe: Building Disney Channel 2.0
31:25 Mental Health Tips for Entrepreneurs & Content Creators– All of Alan’s Hacks that Keep Him Sane
Connect with Alan Chikin Chow:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alanchikinchow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alanchikinchow
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Alanchikinchow
Watch On the Record with Julian Reis on YouTube here.
https://www.youtube.com/@OntheRecordwithJulianReis
Comment who you want Julian to interview next!
Connect with Julian on:
Website: https://superordinary.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianreis
Toni Bravo went from filming roller skating videos in Long Beach to becoming one of beauty's most authentic voices in just two years. Known as the "CEO of Blush," she's built a massive following by staying true to one principle: only promote what you actually use.
She’s garnered over 1M followers across platforms, launched products in collaboration with Tower28 Beauty,and landed on Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2025. Toni breaks down her completely unplanned journey from college student to full-time creator, revealing the strategies that helped her stand out in an oversaturated beauty market.
You'll Learn About–
CHAPTERS:
00:00 💄Introducing Toni Bravo: From Internet Kid to Beauty Creator
3:00 🛼How to Go Viral– Toni’s Rollerskating Journey
6:30 How Toni Landed a Job at Buzzfeed & Rare Beauty
11:00 🪞The Blush Video That Launched Her Beauty Career
15:30 🤳Going All In As a Full-Time Influencer: The Calculated Risk That Paid Off
20:00 💰Why Authenticity ALWAYS Wins & How Toni Selects Brand Deal Collaborations
25:20 🌟How to Stand Out on TikTok
30:45 🔥Beauty Industry Hot Takes What Brands Are Doing Right (and Wrong)
35:15 🚫Taking a Short-Form Timeout
40:20 🧑How to Build Community vs Audience
45:30 🔮Toni’s Future Career Plans
50:15 💭What are Your Dream Creator Collabs?
58:30 🎵Julian Gifts Toni Her FIRST Vinyl Record
Connect with Toni Bravo:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bonitravo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonitravo/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tonibravo
Watch On the Record with Julian Reis on YouTube here.
https://www.youtube.com/@OntheRecordwithJulianReis
Comment who you want Julian to interview next!
Connect with Julian on:
Website: https://superordinary.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianreis
Natalie Holloway Reveals How She Built Bala Into a Fitness Empire Starting with Just $5,000 (Bootstrap Secrets)
Natalie Holloway cofounded Bala after quitting her advertising job at 72andSunny to travel the world with her husband. What started as a $4,000 prototype funded by Chevy commercial residuals became one of the most recognizable fitness brands in America. From their viral Shark Tank appearance to surviving the fitness industry crash of 2022, Natalie shares the raw truth about building an iconic consumer brand.
In This Episode You'll Learn About–
💪 The yoga class in Indonesia that sparked the Bala idea
💰 Bootstrapping from $5K to a multi-million dollar brand
🦈 Behind the scenes of their Shark Tank experience and COVID boom
🤝 Secrets to landing collaborations with Emilio Pucci, Spanx, and New Balance
📉 Surviving the 2022 fitness crash: from 30 employees down to 3
🎯 Building a lean, profitable business with agency partnerships
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Meeting at 72andSunny: How Natalie Met Her Husband & Co-Founder
3:00 The Gap Year That Changed Everything: Traveling Asia on $5K
6:00 The Indonesia Yoga Class That Sparked Bala's Idea
10:00 From Prototype to Kickstarter: The Bootstrap Journey
15:00 Shark Tank Experience and the COVID Fitness Boom
22:00 Brand Collaboration Secrets: Landing Prada and Spanx
28:00 The 2022 Fitness Crash: From 30 Employees to 3
35:00 Rebuilding with Agencies: The New Lean Business Model
42:00 Competing Against Copycats and Nike
48:00 Launching a Podcast and Writing a Business Book
52:00 Balancing Three Kids Under 4 with Building an Empire
56:00 What's Next: Mentoring the Next Generation
58:00 Julian Gifts Natalie Her Vinyl Record
Connect with Natalie Holloway:
TikTok: @bala
Instagram: @natalieholloway
Website: https://shopbala.com/
Pre-order Natalie’s book: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bootstrap-empire-natalie-holloway/1147919680
Watch On the Record with Julian Reis on YouTube here.
https://www.youtube.com/@OntheRecordwithJulianReis
Comment who you want Julian to interview next!
Connect with Julian on:
Website: https://superordinary.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianreis
The Lipstick Lesbians Breakdown The REAL Cost of Your Favorite Beauty Products (Industry Insiders)
The Lipstick Lesbians have mastered the attention economy, changed the education system, and broken stereotypes. The journey from indie beauty founders to viral content creators and industry educators hasn’t happened overnight, and they’re here to break it all down. Alexis brings 15+ years of product development experience from NARS, Shiseido, and beyond, while Christina's education technology background helps translate complex beauty science for everyday consumers.
In This Episode You’ll Learn About–
💄The lipstick argument that started it all
💰Going from Good Morning America to bankruptcy
📱The strategy behind "documenting, not creating" content
👼Meeting their beauty heroes (Charlotte Tilbury, Pat McGrath, Bobby Brown)
📖Launching "Let's Learn About Beauty" course
CHAPTERS:
00:00 The Origin Story of The Lipstick Lesbians & How They Met
3:30 Landing a Job In Beauty: From Makeup Artist to Product Developer
8:15 Building Fem Power Beauty (And Losing It All)
15:45 How The Lipstick Lesbians Spotted The Biggest White Space/ Gap In the Beauty Market
22:10 Hitting Rock Bottom: Moving Back with Parents
25:00 From Broke to Brand Deals– How to Push Through Hardship
28:30 The Content Creator Blueprint That Worked
35:20 Industry Secrets: What Beauty Brands Don’t Tell You
42:45 Turning Down Millions: The Power of Saying “NO” & Which Brand Deals to Turn DOWN
52:30 Let’s Learn About Beauty
56:42 Mantras to Live By -The Lipstick Lesbians
57:37 Julian Gifts The Lipstick Lesbians Their Record!
Connect with The Lipstick Lesbians:
TikTok: @thelipsticklesbians
Instagram: @thelipsticklesbians
Website: letslearnaboutbeauty.com
Watch On the Record with Julian Reis on YouTube here.
https://www.youtube.com/@OntheRecordwithJulianReis
Comment who you want Julian to interview next!
Connect with Julian on:
Website: https://superordinary.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianreis
Catch an in-depth conversation with Amanda Baldwin, CEO of OLAPLEX, the revolutionary haircare brand that's transformed the industry with its patented Complete Bond Technology™.
As Supergoop CEO from 2016-2023 Amanda grew the brand into a household name, after leaving her career as an investment banker. If anyone knows how to master a career pivot, it’s her! She opens up about the challenges of scaling teams, the importance of mentorship, and how she's positioning Olaplex for the next phase of growth in the competitive haircare market. Whether you're an entrepreneur, beauty industry professional, or just curious about building world-class brands, this conversation is packed with actionable insights from one of beauty's most successful CEOs.
In this episode, Amanda shares:
🔬 Her journey from investment banking to beauty entrepreneurship
💡 How she spotted the opportunity in SPF at Supergoop early on alongside Holly Thaggard
🧪 The science and innovation behind Olaplex's game-changing hair technology
🌍 Building a global brand across 70+ countries
👥 Leadership lessons on team building and navigating difficult decisions
🎯 The future of AI in beauty and brand building strategies
📈 What it's really like running a public beauty company
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introducing Amanda Baldwin, CEO of Olaplex & Reflecting on her time as Supergoop CEO
3:40 Advice for Starting Your Career: Finance, Investment Banking & Wall Street 101
4:43 How to Transition From One Industry to Another: Breaking Into the Beauty Industry
6:02 The Key to Setting Trends & Spotting White Space in The Beauty Industry
10:00 The BEST Leadership Skills & How to Build Them
12:39 Team Building Challenges From Olaplex CEO & How To Overcome Them
15:06 Tips for Pivoting In Life & Business
17:00 Books Entrepreneur NEEDS To Read & The BEST Leadership Reads
20:02 Where to Find Community to Connect With
26:07 How AI Will Impact The Future of The Beauty Industry
30:25 How Amanda Re-Branded Olaplex Over 12 Months
35:33 Hot Takes on The Creator Economy & Influencer Marketing
39:06 Steps For Becoming A Global Brand & Building a Long Term Business
43:53 Julian Gifts Amanda a Special Vinyl Record
Watch On the Record with Julian Reis on YouTube here.
https://www.youtube.com/@OntheRecordwithJulianReis
Comment who you want Julian to interview next!
Connect with Julian on:
Website: https://superordinary.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianreis
Beauty mogul Bobbi Brown, Founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics and Jones Road Beauty, joins Julian Reis On the Record to discuss what it takes to really succeed in business. She shares the mission behind her second beauty empire and opens up about the hiring mistakes every entrepreneur makes early on. Discover why Bobbi tells aspiring founders to "calm down", how she met her most pivotal mentors, and where she goes for inspiration. Hint– it’s NOT what you’re thinking.
Watch On the Record with Julian Reis on YouTube here.
Comment who you want Julian to interview next!
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introducing Bobbi Brown & Catching up After Six Years
2:02 The Origin Story of Jones Road Beauty
4:27 How to Build The BEST Team & Tips for Working with Family
7:00 Why Bobbi Picked Her Son Cody Plofker as CEO
10:05 Bobbi Brown’s Top Storytelling Tips
12:20 Where to Find Your DREAM Mentor & How Bobbi Connects with Hers
14:59 Bobbi Brown’s Daily Routine & Non Negotiables
17:55 How Bobbi Stays Inspired & Builds New Businesses Alongside Jones Road Beauty
19:56 The Fears that Keep Bobbi Brown Up At Night & Common Mistakes Entrepreneurs Should AVOID
21:55 Tips for Aspiring Business Owners & The Message Bobbi Would Share with Her Younger Self
28:16 Hot Takes on The Beauty Industry
29:17 Top Beauty Industry Trends: The Peptide Search
31:00 Teasing Stories from Bobbi’s Upcoming Memoir: Still Bobbi.
32:35 Mantras for Entrepreneurs to Live By
34:05 Advice for Pitching Investors or New Business Partners
35:13 Julian Gifts Bobbi An Iconic Record (or two)
HASHTAGS: creators, content, commerce, SuperOrdinary, JulianReis, e-commerce, sales, business, podcast, BobbiBrown, JonesRoad, BeautyEntrepreneur, Makeup, Entrepreneurship, OnTheRecord, podcast, JulianReis, BeautyBusiness, Skincare, Cosmetics, femalefounder, founderjourney, businessadvice, careeradvice, beautyexpert, makeupartist
In this raw and honest solo episode, Julian Reis shares his incredible journey from his first job on Wall Street to building multiple successful companies– including Skin Laundry and SuperOrdinary. Julian reveals the most challenging moments, crushing rejections, and inconvenient truths about startup life that most founders never address.
Julian lets the audience into his entrepreneurial mindset, shares pivotal mentor moments, and his latest predictions for the creator economy. Learn how he turned his biggest fundraising failure into a $200 million success story, and why being comfortable with uncertainty is the ultimate entrepreneur superpower.
00:00 Introducing Julian Reis & His First Solo Episode EVER
2:30 What Makes This Podcast Different Than All the Others
4:00 Julian Opens up on His Childhood Experiences & Starting The Tequila Society
5:26 The Characteristics it Takes to Become A Successful Entrepreneur
6:20 How Julian Started Trading: Stocks, Bonds & Control
7:40 A Day in the Life on Wall Street at JP Morgan in 1997
8:12 How Julian Grew His Wealth From $6 in His Bank Account
10:19 Difficult Questions You Need to Ask in Order to Grow & Scale
11:04 The Steps Julian Took To Launch His First Hedge Fund
12:15 Facing Rejection: Why It’s Important To Fail Quickly!
13:30 Julian’s BEST Tips for Fundraising Millions & The Billion Who Feel Asleep at Julian’s Pitch Meeting…
14:34 How To Find a Mentor & Who Julian Looks Up To The Most
16:50 What Inspired Julian to Start Skin Laundry
19:45 What’s Harder: Being a Founder, Investor, or Creator?
20:44 Julian’s BIGGEST Accomplishment To Date
23:20 Best AI Tools & Hot Takes on The Creator Economy/Digital Commerce
25:15 What Advice Would You Tell Your Younger Self?
Watch On the Record with Julian Reis on YouTube here.
https://www.youtube.com/@OntheRecordwithJulianReis
Comment who you want Julian to interview next!
Connect with Julian on:
Website: https://superordinary.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianreis
Amy Liu didn't just build a beauty brand—she revolutionized an entire industry. Amy founded Tower28 Beauty in 2019, becoming the only beauty brand that is 100% compliant with the National Eczema Association's ingredient guidelines. Julian and Amy bond over their years of experience in the industry, discuss what works and what DOESN’T when it comes to marketing, and how entrepreneurs can build the best team possible. Amy will reveal how she transformed the clean beauty landscape and became one of Sephora's most impactful success stories.
00:00 Introducing Amy Liu, Founder/CEO of Tower 28 Beauty
1:15 When Amy’s Career in Beauty & Personal Struggle with Eczema
3:00 Eczema: Where it Comes From & How to Treat It
5:30 How to Turn a Personal Problem into A Business Plan
6:45 How to Name Your Brand: The True Story Behind The Branding of Tower28 Beauty
9:33 Step #1 for Launching a Business
11:50 How Much Money it Takes to Launch a Business
14:40 Amy Liu’s Career Path Before Raising Money for Tower28
18:00 Game Changing Marketing Tips from Tower28
24:30 The BEST Way to Prepare for Uncertainty in Life & Business
27:45 Tips for Making your First Hires as a New Founder/ Business Owner
30:00 The Power of Sharing Your Personal Story When Building a Brand
33:25 Behind the Scenes of the Beauty Industry & How it’s Changed in The Past Decade
38:40 How Amy Balances Business & Her Personal Life
40:59 The Do’s & Don’ts for Pitching Investors
45:05 The Future of Commerce & AI
50:17 Julian & Amy Exchange Their Favorite Records
Watch On the Record with Julian Reis on YouTube here.
https://www.youtube.com/@OntheRecordwithJulianReis
Comment who you want Julian to interview next!
Connect with Julian on:
Website: https://superordinary.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianreis
Shop Tower28 Beauty: https://www.tower28beauty.com/
Use code: ontherecord at checkout for 10%
Anthony Choe, Founder and CEO of Provenance Digital, joins Julian Reis to break down what it really takes to build consumer brands that scale from $40M to $200M+. As a consumer investing legend Anthony reveals the data-driven secrets behind building winning brands. Anthony has spent eight years building Provenance into one of the most unique consumer-focused growth funds, partnering with brands like Everyday Dose, MeUndies and Makeup by Mario.
00:00 Introducing Anthony Choe & Provenance Digital
6:00 The Different Types of Investors & Ways to Invest
15:30 The "Tribe vs TAM" Hypothesis That Changed Everything
23:30 Storytelling Tips for Creators & Brand Founders: How to Be Entertaining While Authentic
28:45 Why Makeup by Mario Has Been So Successful at Sephora & Beyond
30:00 Nonnegotiable Investment Criteria for Any Brand
36:00 Breaking Down the Impact of Rhode’s sale to e.l.f. Cosmetics
38:37 Why Some Brands Last 15+years and Others DON’T
44:05 The #1 Way People Are Using AI
57:23 Julian gifts Anthony One of His all Time Favorite Vinyl Records
Watch On the Record with Julian Reis on YouTube here.
Comment who you want Julian to interview next!
Connect with Julian on:
Website: https://superordinary.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianreis
Check out Provenance for more information or to get in touch with Anthony directly: https://provenanceconsumer.com/
Join Julian Reis as he sits down with Richard Christiansen, the visionary founder of Flamingo Estate. Richard shares his extraordinary journey from a small farming town to building one of the most coveted luxury lifestyle brands in America. His hustle built the Chandelier Agency where he brought to life campaigns for brands like Hermès and Nordstroms, before he left it all behind to pursue his latest passion– scaling the last great luxury–Mother Nature. Plus learn his philosophy on entrepreneurship, happiness, and how he prepared to pitch the LVMH team…
00:00 Introducing Richard Christiansen
2:24 Chasing the American Dream + How to Meet Life-Changing Mentors
9:15 Starting The Iconic Chandelier Agency
13:00 The New Generation of Creatives: Gen Z Career Paths
14:45 The Thrill of The Chase Became Treading Water
17:40 Pitching the Biggest Tech Company in The World
24:00 Should Be More Radically Inconsistent
26:01 How Flamingo Estate Became a Successful Brand
29:34 The Prolific Porn Studio
33:00 Pitching LVMH for Investor Money
35:03 The Inception Story of the Flamingo Estate Brand
42:00 Hot Take on The New Wave of Luxury Shopping: Grocery, Retail, etc.
44:12 Regenerative Farming & The Future of Produce
47:42 How Flamingo Estate is Scaling Business
56:10 Convincing the Chanel Family to Invest in SkinLaundry
1:00:48 Richard Christiansen reveals his FAV record of all time
Watch On the Record with Julian Reis on YouTube here.
Comment who you want Julian to interview next!
Connect with Julian on:
Website: https://superordinary.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianreis
Shop the Flamingo Estate with the code ontherecord for 10% off!
In a world where all business advice is starting to sound the same, "On The Record" cuts through with authentic conversations about topics that really matter.
Join Julian Reis, Cofounder of Skin Laundry, and Founder and CEO of SuperOrdinary for a refreshing exploration of our modern day trendsetters. Twice a month, catch revealing discussions inside Julian’s home where he interviews the most innovative creators, personalities and brand founders of our time.
Nobody knows these entrepreneurs quite like Julian does. He’ll get people to open up, sharing their unfiltered truth about what it really takes to build something meaningful today. No corporate jargon. No sugar-coating. Just real stories from those who've faced the music and created their own masterpieces.
