We delve into the journey of Tom First, founder of Nantucket Nectars & Culture Pop. Discover the challenges and triumphs of building a beloved brand, the importance of authenticity in product development, and the lessons learned from navigating the beverage industry. Tom shares his experiences from the early days of creating a juice company that redefined the market to the strategic decisions that led to its success. Learn about the critical moments that shaped Nantucket Nectars, the philosophy behind making a product to be proud of, and the personal and professional dynamics of co-founding a business. Tom also discusses his new venture, Culture Pop, and how it continues his passion for creating innovative and healthy beverages.

Sponsors:

Ramp

IQBar - Amazon

Chapters:

[00:00:00] Brand Building Challenges
[00:00:34] Meet the Hosts
[00:02:00] Introducing Sponsors
[00:02:45] Welcome Tom First
[00:04:00] Culture Pop Origins
[00:06:30] Early Business Lessons
[00:08:00] Nantucket Nectars Beginnings
[00:10:45] Defining Soda and Seltzer
[00:15:00] Early Business Challenges
[00:17:30] Competing with Big Brands
[00:20:00] Building a National Brand
[00:21:45] Importance of Storytelling
[00:24:00] Key Decisions in Business
[00:27:00] Impact of Selling Business
[00:31:00] Moving Beyond Nectars
[00:34:00] Investor Dynamics
[00:37:30] Post-Nectars Ventures
[00:43:00] Developing Culture Pop
[00:49:00] Market Positioning
[00:52:30] Raising Capital
[00:54:00] Future of Functional Soda
[01:00:00] Advice for Entrepreneurs
[01:02:00] Building a Strong Team
[01:05:00] Personal Impact of Business
[01:07:00] Defining Success Today

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.

Connect with Tom:

Culture Pop: https://drinkculturepop.com/
X: https://x.com/drinkculturepop

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-first-532ab55/

Join us as we sit down with Mike Beckham, the co-founder and CEO of Simple Modern, a company that has gone from challenger to incumbent in the drinkware industry with a unique blend of style, quality, and philanthropy. Mike shares his journey from the nonprofit world to building a $250M+ profitable business, emphasizing the importance of mission-driven entrepreneurship. Discover how Simple Modern's commitment to giving away 10% of their profits has not only shaped their company culture but also fueled their remarkable success. This episode is packed with insights on scaling, maintaining a strong organizational ethos, and the real meaning behind business excellence. Don’t miss out on this inspiring conversation that goes beyond business to explore deeper questions of purpose and impact.

Sponsors:

Ramp

IQBar - Amazon

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Scaling and Overstimulation
00:00:25 - Welcome to Eating Glass
00:02:45 - Introduction to Mike Beckham
00:03:45 - Nonprofit World Insights
00:05:45 - Business with Dual Purposes
00:07:45 - Impact of Previous Experiences
00:09:00 - Quality of Life Insights
00:11:00 - Money and Contentment
00:12:00 - Responsibility and Trade-offs
00:13:45 - Rapid Company Growth
00:16:00 - Working with Family
00:17:45 - Business Partnerships
00:19:00 - Product Longevity Surprises
00:21:15 - Breaking Growth Barriers
00:22:30 - Sales Channels Expansion
00:23:00 - Drinkware Market Fragmentation
00:24:45 - Fashion and Trends
00:25:45 - Domestic Manufacturing
00:26:15 - Oreo Principle
00:27:45 - Challenges of Growth
00:29:45 - Entrepreneurship Motivations
00:31:00 - Market Opportunities
00:33:45 - Customer Satisfaction
00:34:45 - Amazon Strategy
00:36:15 - Product Excellence
00:38:00 - Digital Tools Advantage
00:40:00 - Brand Evolution
00:42:00 - Pricing Strategy
00:43:00 - Operational Excellence
00:45:15 - Competitive Advantages
00:47:00 - Challenger Brand Strategies
00:49:00 - Value and Quality
00:51:00 - Growth and Inventory
00:53:00 - Product Trends
00:55:00 - Licensing and Customization
00:57:15 - Focus vs. Variety
00:58:45 - Scaling and Distribution
01:00:15 - Strategic Insights
01:02:15 - Direct Response Marketing
01:04:00 - Business Model and Philanthropy
01:07:00 - Motivating the Team
01:10:00 - Building Organizational Values
01:12:45 - Financial Discipline
01:15:00 - Banking Relationships
01:18:00 - Forecasting and Growth
01:20:00 - Collateral and Credit
01:22:45 - Rapid Fire Questions
01:24:15 - Entrepreneurial Truths
01:25:45 - Startup Myths
01:27:15 - Personal Value Proposition
01:28:45 - Biggest Mistakes
01:30:00 - Personal Life Impact
01:32:45 - Long-Term Impact
01:35:00 - External Validation
01:36:15 - Hiring Strategy
01:37:30 - Cultural and Character Moats
01:39:00 - Wrapping Up

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.

Connect with Mike:

Website: https://www.mikebeckhamblog.com/
X: https://x.com/mikebeckhamsm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikebeckham/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikebeckhamsm/

Joe and Will sit down with Peter Rahal, co-founder of RXBAR, to delve into his journey from a challenging school experience to creating one of the most iconic protein bars on the market. Peter shares how early adversity shaped his relentless drive, the innovative approach behind RXBAR's success, and the pivotal moments that led to a $600 million exit to Kellogg's. Tune in to hear valuable insights on product development, navigating the nutrition bar market, and the importance of embracing failure.

Chapters:

[00:00:00] Peter Rahal's early challenges

[00:03:00] Harnessing adversity

[00:08:00] The origin of RXBAR

[00:14:00] The importance of product iteration

[00:23:00] Scaling without external funding

[00:32:00] The legendary rebranding of RXBAR

[00:45:00] The decision to sell

[01:00:00] Launching David

[01:12:00] Rapid fire

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.

Connect with Peter:

Website: https://davidprotein.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterrahal/?hl=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-rahal-037bba43/

In this episode of Eating Glass, we sit down with Anne Mahlum, founder of Back on My Feet and SolidCore. Anne shares her incredible journey from growing up in North Dakota with an addict father, to starting a running club for the homeless, and ultimately building a nationwide fitness empire. Discover how Anne’s personal struggles fueled her drive to create impactful businesses, and learn the secrets behind scaling and maintaining a successful company. Tune in to hear about her unique approach to community building, overcoming challenges, and her vision for the future.

Chapters:

[00:00:00] Anne's Early Life and Challenges

[00:00:11] Podcast Introduction

[00:01:40] Ramp Sponsorship

[00:02:40] Anne's Background

[00:04:15] Starting a Running Club

[00:06:00] Scaling Back on My Feet

[00:07:52] Discovering Pilates and SolidCore

[00:09:55] Early Stages of SolidCore

[00:11:00] Building Community in Fitness

[00:12:15] Nonprofits vs. For-Profits

[00:13:30] Marketing and Brand Niches

[00:15:15] Retention and Success Metrics

[00:16:30] Brick and Mortar Challenges

[00:18:45] Scaling and Geographic Expansion

[00:21:00] Vertical Integration and Innovation

[00:23:00] Community Building Strategies

[00:25:30] Trust and Customer Relationships

[00:27:15] Fitness Trends and Resilience

[00:31:00] Selling a Company

[00:35:15] Taking Money Off the Table

[00:39:00] Money and Success Philosophy

[00:43:00] Future Aspirations and Advising

[00:47:45] Selling to Private Equity

[00:52:15] Problem Solving and Leadership

[00:56:00] Rapid Fire Questions

[01:00:15] Episode Wrap-Up

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.

Connect with Anne:

Website: https://www.annemahlum.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemahlum/?hl=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-mahlum/

We're getting meta as Joe interviews Will!

Will Nitze is the founder and CEO of nutrition company IQBar. He shares his unconventional journey of growing his CPG business. Will discusses the importance of focusing on operational excellence and scaling quickly by taking calculated risks. He also dives into his contrarian approach to hiring, fundraising, and going to market, emphasizing the value of trust and taking advantage of opportunities others may deem too early. Throughout the conversation, Will offers candid insights on the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship, the future of IQBar, and his personal aspirations beyond this venture.

[00:00:00] Introduction
[00:03:04] Will's background and starting IQBar
[00:08:45] Early days of product development and manufacturing
[00:14:35] Fundraising strategy and dilution
[00:17:37] Measuring repeat purchase rate and customer retention
[00:18:50] Marketing strategy and growing the business
[00:20:21] Using Kickstarter
[00:24:19] Expanding product lines
[00:29:30] Breaking conventional wisdom
[00:34:50] Building a team and thoughts on nepotism
[00:38:17] LinkedIn strategy
[00:40:39] Thoughts on selling
[00:50:28] Rapid fire questions

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.

Connect with Will:

IQBar: https://www.eatiqbar.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-nitze/
X: https://x.com/willnitze

Chris Hunter, of Four Loko & Koia, shares his wild entrepreneurial journey. From the meteoric rise and regulatory battles of Four Loko to launching the plant-based protein drink Koia, Chris gets personal about the challenges of building businesses in highly regulated industries. He discusses lessons learned from tumultuous business partnerships, the decision to vertically integrate, and how personal growth and reflection have shaped his leadership style. Chris also opens up about his upbringing and how it instilled the grit and resilience needed to overcome entrepreneurial adversity. Tune in for a candid conversation on the realities of building iconic beverage brands.

Chapters

[00:00:00] - Introduction
[00:02:58] - Chris Hunter's Background and Companies (Phusion Projects and Koia)
[00:05:04] - How Success Has Changed Chris
[00:12:56] - Chris's Early Years and Troubled Past
[00:16:39] - Grit and Resilience in Entrepreneurship
[00:17:46] - Navigating Identity as the "Four Loko Guy"
[00:21:36] - Lessons Learned from Business Partnerships
[00:29:26] - Operating in Highly Regulated Markets
[00:33:57] - Challenges of the Ready-to-Drink Beverage Industry
[00:36:20] - The Decision to Vertically Integrate
[00:40:51] - The Koia Journey: Vision and Evolution
[00:44:51] - Humility, Ego, and Confidence in Entrepreneurship
[00:50:45] - Harnessing Emotions as Entrepreneurial Fuel
[00:58:28] - The Role of Coaches, Peer Groups, and Psychedelics in Personal Growth
[01:03:11] - Writing a Candid and Personal Book
[01:11:17] - Rapid Fire Questions
[01:14:16] - Conclusion

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.

Connect with Chris:

Chris' Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1963678028?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_PY8TMGHWK9J8Q4ARPF1W
Koia: https://drinkkoia.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-hunter-890a2315/

Sean Riley, CEO and co-founder of Dude Wipes, shares the story of how he and his friends started the company from their apartment with the goal of creating a better way to wipe. He discusses the challenges of bootstrapping the business, building the bold and irreverent Dude Wipes brand, and scaling the company to over $150 million in revenue. Sean dives into topics like viral marketing, focus and saying no, hiring, company culture, and his long-term vision for Dude Wipes. An insightful and entertaining look at building an iconic CPG brand.

[00:00:00] - Intro and Origin Story
[00:04:21] - Starting Dude Wipes
[00:08:12] - Bootstrapping Out of Necessity
[00:11:10] - Founder Dynamics and Goals
[00:13:00] - Developing the Dude Wipes Brand
[00:18:25] - Hiring Consultants vs Employees
[00:23:15] - Dude Wipes Company Culture
[00:25:11] - Word of Mouth Marketing
[00:28:46] - Making Butt Wipes Fun
[00:31:13] - Brand Positioning and Moats
[00:33:00] - Evolving Brand and Gender Dynamics
[00:36:56] - Defining the Dude Wipes Enemy
[00:39:30] - Personal Branding Benefits
[00:42:51] - Building to Sell vs Cash Flow
[00:48:00] - Acquisition Interest and Market Trends
[00:52:06] - Focusing on the Core Business
[00:57:45] - Rapid Fire Questions
[01:04:56] - Wrap Up

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.

Connect with Sean Riley:

DUDE Wipes: https://dudewipes.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spriles/

In this episode of Eating Glass, we dive into the rollercoaster journey of Chris Savage, co-founder and CEO of Wistia, as he takes us behind the scenes of building a successful video marketing platform from scratch. From failed viral ideas, living on a shoestring budget to discovering product-market fit and growing a loyal customer base, Chris shares the ups and downs of bootstrapping a tech company in the early days of online video. Tune in for valuable insights on pivoting, marketing strategies, and the power of perseverance in the face of entrepreneurial challenges. Don't miss this inspiring story of turning a passion for video into a thriving business.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Intro
00:02:56 - Motivations for starting a company
00:05:18 - Early failed ideas and pivots
00:11:04 - Surviving on a shoestring budget
00:16:50 - Building a simple solution for customers
00:20:35 - Raising angel money
00:22:29 - Navigating 2008
00:24:02 - Marketing strategies and content creation
00:26:40 - Growing the team and revenue
00:33:48 - Personal content creation
00:37:12 - Keeping creativity alive
00:41:40 - Balancing family and work
00:43:00 - Dealing with burnout and stress
00:49:43 - Trial and error as the best strategy
00:52:07 - Avoiding boredom
00:57:27 - The Next Decade
01:02:56 - Rapid-fire questions
01:13:13 - Wrap-up

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.

Connect with Chris Savage:

Chris' Podcast: https://wistia.com/series/talking-too-loud
Wistia Website: https://wistia.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjsavage
X: https://twitter.com/csavage
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/csavage