Farmgirl Flowers: Christina Stembel, Founder & CEO

Dormitus Brands: Mark Thomann, Founder: Fabian Geyrhalter talks with entrepreneur and investor Mark Thomann about his passion for revitalizing beloved but discontinued consumer brands. His portfolio includes CingularWireless, Brim Coffee, Aiwa, and as of late, the 90's PepsiCo drink, Slice. Mark is an entrepreneur who is dedicated to both relaunching iconic dormant brands as well as investing in early-stage consumer packaged goods companies, focused on better for you products. His fund, Spiral Sun Ventures and his brand revitalization company, Dormitus Brands, are currently collaborating on reinventing the soda brand Slice as a "better for you" beverage. This episode is full of branding and startup nuggets that no entrepreneur or marketer should miss out on. This episode is full of branding and startup nuggets that no entrepreneur or marketer should miss out on. Mark has been doing this for a while and gained an enormous amount of knowledge and his passion is contagious. You can lea by Hitting The Mark

30 min listen

&pizza: Michael Lastoria, Co-Founder: Fabian sits down with creative extraordinaire Michael Lastoria, who, after selling his New-York-based agency to beauty powerhouse Shiseido in 2017, is now Co-Founder of the counter culture pizza brand '&pizza,' which has 36 locations in the U.S. and is rapidly growing based on its inherent brand thinking and employee-first commitment. When your employees and customers alike start tattooing your brand mark onto their bodies, you know that you've been growing a special kind of brand. Full of energy and wisdom, Michael is sharing the stories and recipes behind &pizza's brand success with you on this whirlwind of inspiration we call Episode 16. I first learned about Michael Lastoria when his brand, &Pizza, has been named one of the world’s 50 Most Innovative Companies the second time in a row by Fast Company. Diving deeper into what at first glance would seem like a commodity-type business (we are talking about selling pizzas here after all) soon tu by Hitting The Mark

43 min listen

Base Culture: Jordann Windschauer-Amatea, CEO & Founder: Jordann Windschauer-Amatea is the third consecutive 'mom entrepreneur' on this show who successfully conquered the food business. And she is another amazing inspiration to anyone who wants to move a passion into a business and subsequently into a brand with heart and soul. Jordann founded Base Culture as a bakery catering to the healthy, pure, and primal lifestyle that can be summed up as the Paleo diet while she was in college. She wanted to live a healthy lifestyle, but have a brownie, so she baked it until it was perfect. She could not find a co-packing facility, so she created her own and waited for 2 years to have it finished while keeping hundreds of stores and journalists interested in her products waiting. What I learned about Jordann is that she is stubborn and passionate – and those two traits may just be the key ingredients to her success. Today, at age 27, she is working out of a 44,000 square foot facility and her ra by Hitting The Mark

46 min listen

Beboe: Clement Kwan, Co-Founder: In this 20th episode of Hitting The Mark, Fabian talks with the first founder of a 'new green economy' brand to make it on this show, Clement Kwan of bespoke lifestyle cannabis brand Beboe. Clement comes from the world of high-end fashion. He helped reposition the Diesel brand for America, moved to Milan to take the license back for D&G (Dolce & Gabbana), and later became the president of Net-a-Porter, the biggest online luxury retailer on a global basis. This episode shows what can happen when you follow your heart and how a brand is being built by adding one authentic layer of story, emotion, and design on top of another. by Hitting The Mark

35 min listen

IDAGIO: Till Janczukowicz, Founder & CEO: Fabian sits down with Till Janczukowicz, the founder of Berlin-based IDAGIO, which is often described as being the Spotify for classical music. As the future of music listening is streaming and streaming services aren't designed for classical music, Till is on a mission that is much bigger than his product: to save classical music from extinction in the digital age. This fascinating conversation shines a light on how to craft exciting and compelling brand messaging and design that works flawlessly to attract audiences of all ages. by Hitting The Mark

48 min listen

Bureo: Ben Kneppers, Co-Founder: Fabian is on the line with Ben Kneppers in São Paulo for what must be one of the most inspiring episodes to date. Ben is a co-founder of Bureo, an emerging B Corp focused on creating innovative solutions to ocean plastic pollution. The company is now collaborating with brands such as Trek, Humanscale and Jenga. We talk about how to create real, sustainable change, learn about forming a B Corp, how they secured Patagonia as 'a mentor,' and how to get a community involved in your cause. And so much more. , and he's doing it through his brand that is selling skateboards, sunglasses, surfboard fins, and Jenga games. Ben Kneppers is a co-founder of Bureo, an emerging B Corp focused on creating innovative solutions to ocean plastic pollution. Through the team's initiative, Net Positiva, Bureo has created Chile's first ever fishnet collection and recycling program. Net Positiva provides fishermen with an environmentally sound end-of-life solution for their f by Hitting The Mark

41 min listen

Plankk Studio: Colin Szopa, Founder: Fabian sits down with Colin Szopa, Founder of Plankk Studio, an on-demand streaming service that lets fitness enthusiasts sweat it out with on the go workouts alongside their favorite fitness influencers. We talk about the art of app naming, how to work with influencers and what branding means to Colin. In this episode, we dive into influencer marketing with Colin Szopa, who created a brand for fitness influencers to connect in deeper ways with their tribes. We debunk the myth that influencers are Prima Donnas to work with, learn about how personal brands support each other versus compete with each other on the same digital platform as well as the art and science of crafting a meaningful and descriptive name for the app store. You can find Plankk Studio in the app store if you are ready to sweat it out with some of the biggest names in fitness. by Hitting The Mark

25 min listen

Rogue Brands: Raaja Nemani, Co-Founder: Fabian Geyrhalter talks to Raaja Nemani on this inaugural episode of Hitting The Mark. Raaja is the Co-Founder of Rogue Trading Company (the parent company to Rogue Advising, MarketerHire, and Rogue Brands). Previously, he was the Co-Founder and CEO of Bucketfeet (a D2C, artist-designed footwear brand). Bucketfeet was acquired in 2017 by Threadless. We dive into his factory-direct platform and how brand strategy has affected his recent company launches as well as his time launching and scaling the successful footwear marketplace Bucketfeet. Fabian Geyrhalter talks to Raaja Nemani on this inaugural episode of Hitting The Mark. Raaja is the Co-Founder of Rogue Trading Company (the parent company to Rogue Advising, MarketerHire, and Rogue Brands). Previously, he was the Co-Founder and CEO of Bucketfeet (a D2C, artist-designed footwear brand). Bucketfeet was acquired in 2017 by Threadless. We dive into Raaja's factory-direct platform and dis by Hitting The Mark

24 min listen

The Futur: Chris Do, Founder: Fabian Geyrhalter talks with Chris Do, the Emmy award-winning designer, director, strategist, lecturer, consultant, and serial entrepreneur who is out to disrupt the world of education through his latest venture, the online content and education platform, The Futur. I made a promise to myself to never feature a client - or former client - of mine on the show, but I am good with sprinkling in an entrepreneur now and then who I also call my friend. Today is such a moment and I am sure you will all appreciate that I did so. I personally am always delighted to talk with him, learn from him and be the critic he never asked to have. If you are a founder, marketer, designer or just a curious human being, this episode is not to be missed as it clearly shows us why Chris Do, and his online platform, The Futur, have such a fanatic following and why the company is seeing 300% growth year over year. Chris shares his insights on how his passion project turned into a by Hitting The Mark

40 min listen

New Crop Capital: Chris Kerr, Chief Investment Officer: Fabian talks with Chris Kerr, Chief Investment Officer at New Crop Capital, as we go Beyond Meat (yes, that was a brand hint). This show was recorded on May 3rd, 2019, which happens to have been the day after Beyond Meat's stunning and widely publicized IPO. This marked a first for a brand making meat-like products from plants. Chris has been involved with Beyond Meat from the very beginning and we learn what role positioning and branding played in this incredible success story that any brand, may that be food and beverage or not, can learn from. Fabian sits down with Chris Kerr, the Chief Investment Officer at New Crop Capital, who has nearly 30 years of leadership experience with startups and venture capital investing. He has spent the last decade focused on impact investing with a concentration on the plant based foods sector. We recorded this episode the day after Beyond Meat hit the stock market. The brand is a poster child by Hitting The Mark

32 min listen

Tinybeans: Eddie Geller, Founder: Fabian talks branding with Eddie Geller who founded Tinybeans, an all in one app that provides a safe and loving space for parents to document their child's lives. We dive into the importance and power of naming and how to get it right from the get-go. In this episode, we break new ground with Eddie Geller, a startup founder who is well beyond his brand's IPO. His app has accumulated a staggering three million users, yet many of you may have never heard of it because he has a very targeted appeal: Young parents and their parents. We talk about the difficulty of marketing across generations, creating a brand name that can be used as a verb, and how going against users' expectations may turn into your startup's most important feature. Learn more about Tinybeans; and also check out this episode's sponsor, Mister Maginsky, a startup that is changing men's underwear forever. by Hitting The Mark

27 min listen

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams: Jeni Britton Bauer, Founder & Chief Creative Officer: Jeni Britton Bauer is the James Beard Award-Winning pioneer of the artisan ice cream movement. That is right, if you had small-batch ice cream as a culinary experience lately you have her to thank for. Jeni built Jeni’s into a cult brand with dedicated followers and hundreds, if not thousands, of copy cats. To finish this year off having her on this show is truly an early Christmas gift for myself and subsequently to you. We were fighting some sound issues throughout, but in the spirit of the holidays, please try not to focus on those and instead on the story and brand insights from one of the most admired culinary brands today. by Hitting The Mark

48 min listen

Dr. Ginger's: Dr. Ginger Price, Founder: On this episode of Hitting The Mark, Fabian Geyrhalter talks to Dr. Ginger Price. Dr. Ginger Price was a leading Cosmetic Dentist for over 30 years. In 2014 she created a unique line of coconut oil oral care products that are all natural, delicious and fun to use. She saw not only a gap in the market as far as coconut oil toothpaste was concerned, but also noticed that there were no brands with a female founder in the industry. Founders creating physical products, even more so if they are consumable, and even more so if they have to show provable results, sure are fascinating! Dr. Ginger's story from a swift idea to a working formula, design and actual consumers picking up a tube of toothpaste in stores around the US is surprising and uplifting. Listen to Dr. Ginger Price and her brand of oral care products, which will soon be seen at Target and Whole Foods stores around the country. by Hitting The Mark

26 min listen

Double Dutch: Raissa & Joyce de Haas, Co-Founders: On this episode, Fabian talks with 26-year old Dutch identical twins Raissa and Joyce de Haas, who have built Double Dutch, a London-based brand of award-winning premium mixers that sold well over 10 million bottles to date. We dive into the story from idea to shelf while building a beloved brand along the way. We talk about their story from idea to bottle to shelf, the advantages of having a co-founder, how the brilliant name Double Dutch came about (yes, it all happened at a bar), how the brand's fun copy has come together organically over the years and why Joyce and Raissa (who made it onto the Forbes 30 under 30 list this year) wish they would have paused and created a more cohesive visual and verbal brand when they saw initial interest in their products. You can learn more about Double Dutch and see where you can get your mixers for the perfect cocktail at www.doubledutchdrinks.com by Hitting The Mark

27 min listen

Frank Demmler, Angel Investor: Fabian talks with Frank Demmler, who Inc Magazine dubbed Pittsburgh's 'startup whisperer.' We discuss how branding can set the direction for a B2B brand and how vintage inspired clothing brand Modcloth used crowdsourcing on many innovative levels to turn into a brand that was worth between $51 million to $75 million to Walmart. In this episode, we talk with Frank Demmler, who can take credit for 500 companies, some 10,000 jobs, and $1 billion of investment capital. For over 30 years he has been an investor, advisor, and educator in Pittsburgh's technology-based entrepreneurial community, which hardly existed when he first started but has grown to be one of the most active and desirable entrepreneurship hubs today. We dive into two of the companies he assisted, Automated Healthcare, which deploys robots in hospital pharmacies and has been acquired by McKesson for $65 million, and clothing brand Modcloth. He shares Modcloth's startup story from college sw by Hitting The Mark

26 min listen

Peel Away Labs: Maxwell Cohen, Founder: Fabian Geyrhalter speaks with Maxwell Cohen, who founded the innovative startup that developed Peelaways, the bedding industry’s first multilayered, disposable, waterproof fitted sheet designed for the home, industrial and healthcare markets. Maxwell created his company while in college as a requirement from his parents. Fast forward and he appeared on Shark Tank and flopped. Today Maxwell is successfully running an array of disposable bed sheet brands that are available internationally. He shares how changing the brand name was a game changer for his startup, why the .com still reigns supreme, how carefully crafted words will lead to sales, and how he learned to persevere regardless of how often you hear the word 'no' along the journey – "Just get to that word quicker." You can learn more about his products at Peelaways.com or reach out to him directly via LinkedIn. by Hitting The Mark

27 min listen

Fourth & Heart: Raquel Tavares, Founder & CEO: Fabian sits down with Raquel Tavares, the founder and CEO of Fourth & Heart, an artisanal food brand based in Los Angeles, set on a mission to modernize ancient pantry food staples – starting with a line of grass-fed, flavored, pure spreadable butters known as 'ghee.' A fascinating story on how to make it in the food business while coming from a marketing background, how to utilize branding to introduce a product in a category unfamiliar to many shoppers, why crafting messaging from your heart is key, and how to juggle family and entrepreneurship. by Hitting The Mark

30 min listen

Distilled Bath and Body (Pit Liquor): Erica and Jason Feucht, Co-Founders: In November of 2017, Erica Feucht, pregnant with her first child, started a natural vodka-and whiskey-based (!) deodorant line together with her husband Jason. The product is named Pit Liquor and I fell in love with the quirkiness of the founders and their soon-to-be brand. This is one of the few episodes where I feature a company that is so young that it is hard to call it a brand yet, but I can bet you that I will have them back in a few years and that based on their brand philosophy, brand name, and innovative product, they will turn into a known and beloved brand within the year. We talk about the ups and downs (or may I say 'pitfalls') of starting a company that leads with a provocative product, name, and brand language, and how the husband-wife team stayed true to themselves throughout their entrepreneurial journey. If you enjoyed the Liquid Death episode (catch it if you have not heard it yet!), you w by Hitting The Mark

43 min listen

ReGrained: Dan Kurzrock, CEO and Co-Founder: Dan Kurzrock was brewing beer as a hobby in college when he realized that only 10% of the ingredients used to make beer actually end up in any pint of beer. All-in-all, we waste 40% of all edible food. Today Dan runs ReGrained, a mission-driven ingredient platform that leverages technology and culinary science to transform beer waste into food. Dan is a thought-leader in food waste business models, "edible upcycling" and the circular economy for food, and he made it onto the Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2018. The consumer brand is selling supergrain puffs like hotcakes despite a pandemic-related pivot into eCommerce. All the facets of Dan's brand is what made this a longer and deeper conversation than you are used to from Hitting The Mark, but it is for all the right reasons. 'Eat up' is the motto, listen up is where to start! by Hitting The Mark

54 min listen

Antis Roofing & Waterproofing: Charles Antis, Founder & CEO: Fabian sits down with Charles Antis, a founder who has been at it for 30 years. His is not a new brand, nor one that is shockingly innovative or disruptive at all as it relates to the services it provides, but Charles Antis, founder and CEO of Antis Roofing and Waterproofing, has built a brand on the power of good a long time before it became a mainstream business etiquette and to an extent most can only aspire to. This episode dives into how being empathetic, being adaptive, having high emotional intelligence and being a critical thinker can create a strong culture, a better planet, and an admired brand – even in commodity-type service categories where true brand thinking is rarely even being considered. by Hitting The Mark

43 min listen

Parlor Skis: Mark Wallace, Co-Founder: In this episode, Fabian is joined by Mark Wallace, Co-Founder of Parlor, a custom ski brand from New England that is taking the art of customization and personalization to new heights. We learn how Parlor skis are "customized for you, by you and with you, each one as individual as you are." Fabian talks with Mark Wallace for whom skiing has always been the driving force in his life. It took him from Saddleback to Park City and then all over the world as he lived the dream as a semi-pro ski racer. Mark learned the nuances of ski building during a job at a Boston construction firm, dedicating countless hours during nights and weekends. He started Parlor with two friends in an abandoned funeral parlor in Cambridge, honing the science and art of ski building. We discuss his company's focus and dedication to the sport and its tribe, how far the brand is able to take the important brand traits of customization and personalization and how Parlor leads by Hitting The Mark

29 min listen

Liquid Death: Mike Cessario, Co-Founder & CEO: In this episode, Fabian talks with Mike Cessario who founded Liquid Death, the first irreverent bottled water brand that can compete with the cool factor of unhealthy brands from beer to energy drinks. Inspired by the death metal and punk rock culture, Liquid Death takes an extreme approach to branding and marketing, in stark contrast to aspirational health and wellness brands. Launching into the water business with a brand named Liquid Death, while getting $2.3 million in funding from the likes of Michael Dubin, of Dollar Shave Club fame, and Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, is nothing but a genius brand move and the more you listen to Mike (who is an alumn of my alma mater, ArtCenter College Of Design), talk about his brand, the more you will adjust your own point of view on branding and marketing. So go ahead and go punk rock with us and 'murder your thirst' for an insanely inspiring episode. When I heard about a water brand called Liqui by Hitting The Mark

52 min listen

Bourbon Barrel Foods: Matt Jamie, Founder: Fabian Geyrhalter speaks with Matt Jamie, a self-taught chef from Louisville, Kentucky. Matt is the founder, president, and CEO of Bourbon Barrel Foods, and the author of the EAT YOUR BOURBON cookbook. Bourbon Barrel Foods is the original microbrewer of soy sauce in America and a manufacturer of gourmet food products that represent the rich history and heritage of Kentucky's Bourbon Country. Today you are in for a treat. A mouthwatering treat that sadly will remain a verbal-only treat to you and me as we will spend this episode with an innovator in a segment a lot of us would love to dive right into: Kentucky Bourbon. If you're a foodie, if you like soy sauce or bourbon, perhaps both, or if you run an F&B business, this is an episode to indulge in. Matt created a brand that is rooted in a romantic story; a story of place, taste, and craftsmanship. A story that created a company that continuously grows between 38-50% a year yet each of the 5 by Hitting The Mark

31 min listen

Relish: Lesley Eccles, Founder and CEO: To kick off 2020 I have an entrepreneur on Hitting The Mark who knows a thing or two about how to build a brand. From co-founding fantasy sports unicorn startup Fanduel to being left with nothing after their company's $465M acquisition. Today we will dive into Lesley Eccles' brand experiences while chatting about her new startup Relish. It is a fascinating story with - as you may imagine - plenty of branding insights along the way. This conversation with Lesley was both an honor and a delight, as you will be able to tell since it feels much more like a chat rather than an interview. We talk about how to build culture and instill values; about the emotional journey of running a startup; not to blindly trust data as you craft your brand; why every CEO should dedicate time to customer service calls; how to make it through the highest highs and lowest lows of entrepreneurship; how authenticity and sales should be the backbone of every successful s by Hitting The Mark

46 min listen

Unbound Merino: Dan Demsky, Co-Founder: If you launch a t-shirt brand in this day and age and you find a way to stand out, you bet I’ll have you on my show. And that is exactly what Dan Demsky did by co-founding a Merino wool clothing brand that is high-performance yet stylish. Dan was running a Creative Agency but sought to pivot into offering an eCommerce product that allows for scaling instead. That was the goal, then the journey of finding an actual need to built a brand around started. In this fascinating conversation, we talk about the power of having a very narrow positioning at first, how surrounding yourself with friends that are ambitious is a key to success and how the outrageous claim of being able to wear an Unbound shirt for 18 days without washing it was the right brand move. by Hitting The Mark

48 min listen

Sweet Flower: Tim Dodd, Co-Founder & CEO: Tim Dodd is a venture capitalist turned Co-Founder and CEO of Sweet Flower, Southern California's largest and leading independent cannabis retailer. A dispensary that is by and for LA., Sweet Flower leads with a clear brand positioning and a high sense for design in a sea of sameness. My chat with Tim came at a nerve-wracking time when L.A. was knee-deep in the coronavirus pandemic, but Sweet Flower seems to have been well prepared to weather the storm. There is much to learn from Tim as we not only talk about branding but also the operational challenges of running a dispensary. by Hitting The Mark

53 min listen

BrightStar Care: Shelly Sun, CEO & Founder: Shelly Sun created a company that assists the elderly with expert, compassionate, and personal home care. Her first location was launched in 2002. Since then, she grew BrightStar Care into over 340 franchise locations. Ranked number one franchise by Forbes in the investment level, BrightStar Care made it onto the top 10 on the American Express top 50 fastest-growing women-led companies for multiple years in a row. And Shelly has become a leader in the world of franchise executives. Learn from Shelly how to create a scalable brand that leads with compassion. by Hitting The Mark

37 min listen

Journey Meditation: Stephen Sokoler, Founder & CEO: Fabian talks with Stephen Sokoler, the founder and CEO of Journey Meditation. Stephen runs a company on a mission: to help all people live happier, healthier, less stressed lives. Founded in 2015, Journey is building the world's largest, most supportive meditation community both online and off. TechCrunch coined it 'the Peloton of meditation.' Journey also operates corporate programs with organizations ranging from Facebook, Disney, and Nike, to charter schools, hospitals, and non-profits. Take a breather and let your mind wander, away from the Donald Trump and Boris Johnson world on the outside, to start looking within, because here's a thing you don't see mixed very often: meditation and branding. And on this episode, we see the two blend together effortlessly and authentically since Stephen listened to his friend Simon Sinek's advice and asked the question 'why?' at the onset of his new venture, and a great brand foundation derive by Hitting The Mark

43 min listen

Verona Collection: Lisa Vogl, Founder and Director: I hustled to get Lisa Vogl on the show because the idea of starting a brand specializing in hijabs that is catering to the Muslim population and launching it successfully at Macy’s to me was fascinating on many levels. In fact, Verona Collection is the first modest fashion brand to be launched, featured, and sold in an American department store. Lisa is a young passionate entrepreneur driven by authenticity. I greatly enjoyed this swift interview with her about her brand’s strategy and I believe it shows. by Hitting The Mark

32 min listen

Buttercloth: Danh Tran & Bob Stevens, Founder & COO: In a rare move, we have a Founder and COO duo on the show for a brand tale that includes an aspirational economic migrant story from designing clothes for Barbies, literally, at Mattel, to making a pitch so successful it landed them a quarter-million-dollar deal with investor Robert Herjavec of Shark Tank fame. Danh and Bob are running LA-based Buttercloth, a brand that is a typical internet-born D2C brand, so much so that they don’t believe in experts like myself. And they told me so during my show. The company produces what they claim to be ‘The World’s Most Comfortable Shirt,’ a slightly unbelievable claim that they are justifying to the world now. Big risks brought big rewards and bootstrapping, even on the branding level, was no showstopper to their success. by Hitting The Mark

41 min listen

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Farmgirl Flowers: Christina Stembel, Founder & CEO

Farmgirl Flowers: Christina Stembel, Founder & CEO

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