Brand Architects

In this episode, Bora Celik sits down with Brent Ridge, co-founder of Beekman 1802 and co-author of  G.O.A.T. Wisdom , to talk about the real story behind building an enduring brand. Brent shares how a farm, a herd of goats, and a difficult moment during the financial crisis turned into one of the most distinctive brands in consumer products. We get into why kindness is more than a slogan at Beekm...

In this episode, Bora sits down with Tyson White, founder of Salvation Brands, as he reveals his remarkable transformation from legendary runs at Quicksilver, Burton, and Nixon to multi-brand entrepreneur managing four revolutionary companies: SPC/LST, Brown Buffalo, Ruby Mint, and °bootcap. After 25 years building iconic brands during the golden era of action sports, Tyson shares how designing a...

In this episode, Bora dives deep with Ben Conniff, co-founder of Luke's Lobster, as he reveals the extraordinary journey from answering a simple Craigslist ad to building a global seafood empire. Ben shares how he transitioned from food writer to restaurant entrepreneur, partnering with third-generation lobsterman Luke Holden to revolutionize how premium Maine lobster reaches consumers around...

In this episode, host Bora Celik sits down with siblings Kristina and Matthew Orlić, founders of Qure Skincare, to reveal their extraordinary journey from a personal skin struggle to building a $50 million skincare technology brand in just three years. After Matthew invested in a $5,000 industrial-sized LED light panel that transformed his skin, the siblings experienced their entrepreneurial &quot...

In this episode, Bora sits down with Jeanelle Teves, Chief Commercial Officer at Bugaboo, who shares her remarkable journey from spending nearly a decade at Nike to leading one of the world's most prestigious parenting brands. Jeanelle reveals the untold story behind Bugaboo's meteoric rise from its Dutch design origins to becoming a global phenomenon—including that iconic "Sex and th...

In this conversation, Bora chats with Sarah O'Leary, CEO of Willow. We dive deep into how a revolutionary product transformed an entire industry by putting mothers' needs first. Sarah shares the fascinating journey of how Willow created the world's first all-in-one in-bra wearable breast pump, shifting from clunky wall-tethered devices to a sleek, mobile solution that's changed how women experienc...

In this conversation, Bora sits down with Larissa Thomson, founder of ONDA Beauty, to uncover her remarkable transition from a 27-year career in fashion magazines to creating one of the most respected clean beauty retail spaces in the industry. Larissa shares the "lightning bolt moment" that sparked her vision for ONDA Beauty—a middle-of-the-night epiphany that provided complete clarity...

In this conversation, Bora chats with Amy Chiu, founder/CEO of Dear Brightly. We explore the fascinating journey of how an embarrassing moment in an engineering meeting launched a skincare brand. Amy shares her transition from roles at Airbnb, Google, and Optimizely to creating a pioneering telehealth skincare company focused on prescription-grade retinoids. For brand builders, this episode delive...

In this episode, Bora chats with Carolina Oliveira, who takes us through her remarkable journey from being a stem cell biology PhD to becoming the founder of OneSkin, a revolutionary skincare brand that's changing the anti-aging industry. This episode is a must-listen for brand builders and entrepreneurs who want to understand how to: - Transform groundbreaking scientific research into a succe...

In this episode, Bora chats with Michelle Simmons, who shares her remarkable journey of building Slow North, a premium natural candle and wellness brand, from her garage while on maternity leave. Originally planning it as an Amazon-only business, Michelle's story takes an unexpected turn when she decides to make the products herself, leading to exponential growth and valuable lessons for aspir...

In this episode, Bora chats with Dr. Courtney Rubin, co-founder of Fig.1 and practicing dermatologist. She reveals how she's revolutionizing the skincare industry by making high-end, science-backed formulations accessible to everyone. For brand builders and entrepreneurs, this episode is packed with invaluable insights on: - The fascinating origin story of Fig.1, sparked by observations from D...

In this episode, Bora chats with Kelly Kreusler, co-founder of Crunchi. She shares her remarkable journey from pharmaceutical sales to revolutionizing the clean beauty industry. Discover how a chance meeting at a mom's night out led to a powerful partnership that would challenge the status quo in beauty manufacturing. For brand builders, this episode offers invaluable insights into: - Building...

In this episode, Bora delves into the fascinating journey of Dr. Vivek Lal, a double board-certified physician scientist and an authority in microbiome research. Discover the following key topics discussed in detail: Dr. Vivek Lal's Journey: Explore Dr. Lal's path from medical school to becoming a research scientist, highlighting his realization of the need for research to create a broader impact...

In this episode, Bora chats with John Antonelli, who reveals how a moment of clarity during his honeymoon transformed him from a CPA into the co-founder of Austin's first cut-to-order cheese shop. This episode is packed with invaluable insights for entrepreneurs and brand builders, including: • The power of redefining success: Learn how John and his wife Kendall set themselves up for success by fo...

In this episode, Bora chats with immigrant entrepreneurs Luis Gramajo and Hans Schrei and shares their remarkable journey from selling cookies at Austin farmers markets to building Wunderkeks, a million-dollar cookie brand that caught the attention of celebrities and landed them features in Vanity Fair and Wall Street Journal. Learn how they: - Transformed a pandemic crisis of 25,000 unsold cookie...

In this episode, Bora sits down with Marina Larroudé, founder of the luxury footwear brand Larroudé. She shares her remarkable journey from being the VP of Fashion at Barneys to launching her own successful shoe brand during the pandemic. For brand builders and entrepreneurs, this episode is packed with invaluable insights on: - The reality of bootstrapping a luxury brand: Learn how Marina and her...

Join Bora for an inspiring conversation with Sidra Qasim, co-founder of Atoms, as she shares her remarkable journey from building Pakistan's first Y Combinator company to establishing a thriving direct-to-consumer shoe brand in New York City. In this episode, you'll learn: • The power of "building in public" and how transparency helped Atoms build a 40,000-person waitlist before launch • How const...

In this episode, Bora chats with Courtney Claghorn, co-founder of SUGARED + BRONZED, who reveals how she transformed a humble apartment-based spray tanning service into a thriving beauty empire with over 30 locations across multiple states. Starting with just $1,000 in initial capital ($500 each from her and her co-founder), Courtney shares the remarkable journey of bootstrapping a business while...

In this episode, Bora chats with Lisa Curtis who shares her remarkable journey from discovering Moringa as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger to transforming it into a mainstream superfood ingredient through her company Kuli Kuli. Here's what brand builders will learn: Key Business Insights: - The strategic path from farmers' markets to national retail presence - Critical lessons in consumer testing...

In this episode, Bora chats with Cristina Lynch, who shares her remarkable journey of building Mi Golondrina, a luxury fashion brand that bridges Mexican artisanal craftsmanship with modern fashion. As a former Oscar de la Renta sales executive, Cristina reveals how she transformed her $20,000 investment into a thriving business working with over 850 artisans across Mexico. For brand builders and...

In this episode, Bora sits down with Taylor Johnson, founder of Hazel and Olive, who unknowingly pioneered social commerce in 2012 when Facebook was just a social network with no shopping features. Starting with six sweaters and a blurry phone photo, Taylor recognized patterns in social behavior that would later become the foundation of modern social shopping. In this episode, you'll learn: - How...

In this episode, Bora sits down with Pauline Nakios, founder of Lilla P, who shares her remarkable 25-year journey from selling a single t-shirt design to building a successful fashion brand. She reveals the nitty-gritty details of starting and scaling a clothing business, offering invaluable insights for aspiring brand builders. What you'll learn in this episode: • The reality of starting with mi...

In this episode, Bora chats with Cheryl Sew Hoy, founder and CEO of Tiny Health. She shares her remarkable journey from serial entrepreneur to pioneering force in the tech-bio space. After experiencing drastically different health outcomes with her two children—one born via C-section and another through natural birth—Cheryl discovered the critical role of the gut microbiome in early childhood deve...

In this episode, Bora sits down with Chris Salgardo, former President of Kiehl's and founder of ATWATER Skincare, shares raw insights about transitioning from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship. With 18 years at L'Oreal and having built Kiehl's into a powerhouse brand, Chris reveals why even his impressive background didn't make starting ATWATER a smooth journey. Key insights you'll learn: -...

In this episode, Rebalance Health's leadership team sits down with Bora to discuss their scientific approach to solving multiple modern health crises through cortisol control. Justin Hai (Co-Founder/CEO) and Dina Keenan (CMO) share how they're revolutionizing hormone health with their clinically-proven Superceutical® technology. What You'll Learn: • The Master Hormone Theory: - Why cortisol is the...