Episodes

  • Building the Future of Work

    Building the Future of Work
    Dec 22 2025
    On today's episode, Josh Christensen talks with Room’s managing director Thierry Ondet about the company's line of soundproofed, sleekly designed meeting pods and easy-to-assemble phone booths. They discuss designing the modern office, meeting the needs of employees in 2025 and beyond, and how ROOM thinks about sustainability.
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    19 mins
  • How brands can win in 2026

    How brands can win in 2026
    Dec 12 2025
    In 2026, brands must contend with a lot: AI slop. Copycats. A sea of influencers and content and competitors. Breaking through to consumers has always been a struggle for every company, but the ever-changing media landscape makes it even tougher. So how can brands win in the year to come? On this episode of The Business Model by Inc., deputy editor Michelle Legro kicks off a new Founder Group Chat with experts in brand building: Tyler Fish, co-founder of Sun Home Saunas Sanja Komljenovic, CEO of ONA Creative Tyler has built a brand that has broken through. Sanja helps companies get there. And they’re sharing their insights with you.
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    31 mins
  • Co-Founders in Sync: Balancing Passion, Partnership, and Purpose - FROM INC. STUDIO AND CHASE FOR BUSINESS

    Co-Founders in Sync: Balancing Passion, Partnership, and Purpose - FROM INC. STUDIO AND CHASE FOR BUSINESS
    Dec 8 2025
    In this special episode of From the Ground Up, we sit down with Rica and Tasha Kendrick-Palmer, co-founders of Black Phlox, to hear how they’ve navigated the intertwined dynamics of partnership in both business and life. They share candid insights on dividing responsibilities, making tough decisions together, and maintaining a strong personal connection as their company grows. Robert Hines, South Region Area Manager at Chase, also joins the conversation to discuss how Chase for Business resources and mentorship help co-founders like Rica and Tasha stay collaborative, resilient, and focused on long-term growth—even when facing the unique challenges of entrepreneurship as a couple.
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    49 mins
  • Exit strategy: Learn from a founder who sold her company

    Exit strategy: Learn from a founder who sold her company
    Dec 5 2025
    The mere idea of selling or exiting their businesses can bring out all kinds of reactions in founders. Some don’t want to even think about it. Others are putting a target sale price into their launch plans — the exit is the goal. Wherever you fall on the exit-strategy spectrum, this Founder Group Chat has something for you. On this episode, Inc.’s Graham Winfrey finishes his conversation with three founders: Fany Gerson, founder of Mexican ice cream and sweets brand La Newyorkina, Sarah LaFleur, CEO of women’s clothing company M.M. LaFleur, and Ariela Safira, founder of recently acquired mental health startup Zeera. Watch and listen for their thoughts on exits. The Business Model will be back on Monday, and we’ll start another Founder Group Chat series next Friday with a new group of business leaders.
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    30 mins
  • From Pandemic Pivot to National Expansion: How Toss & Spin Is Making Racket Sports More Accessible

    From Pandemic Pivot to National Expansion: How Toss & Spin Is Making Racket Sports More Accessible
    Nov 17 2025
    Launched during the pandemic to bring people together outdoors, Toss & Spin is now scaling across the U.S. through smart growth decisions, strategic partnerships, and strong financial discipline supported by Chase for Business
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    23 mins
  • When disaster strikes, what do successful founders do?

    When disaster strikes, what do successful founders do?
    Nov 14 2025
    A few years ago, Ariela Safira’s Zeera was set to launch a brick-and-mortar mental health concept in New York. The opening month was set to be April 2020. As you might’ve guessed, things didn’t go as planned. Still, Ariela led her company through the hardships, a rebrand, and an acquisition. It’s something of a storybook ending for a founder. But how did Ariela cope with the challenges? And how did she take care of herself along the way? On this Founder Group Chat, Inc.’s Graham Winfrey continues his conversation with three founders. Fany Gerson, founder of Mexican ice cream and sweets brand La Newyorkina Sarah LaFleur, CEO of women’s clothing company M.M. LaFleur Ariela Safira, founder of recently acquired mental health startup Zeera Watch and listen to hear how they’ve successfully thrived and grown through adversity, plus how they look after their mental health along the way.
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    27 mins
  • Art Meets Ambition: How One Artist Turned Passion Into a Global Business

    Art Meets Ambition: How One Artist Turned Passion Into a Global Business
    Nov 13 2025
    From selling prints made at Kinko’s to global art exhibitions and collaborations with major brands like New Balance and Netflix, Chicago-based artist Louis de Guzman shares the leap-of-faith decisions and business tools that helped transform his creative vision into a thriving enterprise
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    39 mins
  • How to scale the right way

    How to scale the right way
    Nov 7 2025
    As a founder, trying to scale your business can feel like walking on a knife’s edge. Go too fast or too early, you’ll fall off. Move too slowly and you’ll get left behind. Every Friday on The Business Model, we’re hosting a Founder Group Chat. Each episode will feature a candid, in-depth conversation about one of the many pressing topics entrepreneurs are facing. On this first group chat, our topic is scaling. Specifically, how do you scale in the right way? Three founders from very different industries share lessons on scaling that can apply across business. Our roundtable is: Fany Gerson, founder of Mexican ice cream and sweets brand La Newyorkina Sarah LaFleur, CEO of women’s clothing company M.M. LaFleur Ariela Safira, founder of recently acquired mental health startup Zeera Graham Winfrey, deputy digital editor for Inc.
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    25 mins