Startup to Storefront

On some level, we're probably all familiar with life-changing events. You never know when or where they'll take place; nor can you predict how you'll emerge from the ordeal. But we can all look back at our lives and pick out at least one point where our trajectories were forever altered. For Jennifer Stojkovic , one such moment came when a close friend was murdered. As she wrestled with the suffer...

Our guest today is Joan Barton, founder of Dirty Girl Construction . In another life, Joan was a music composer crafting everything from orchestral symphonies to commercial jingles. But when a friend asked her to oversee the construction of his house, she said yes and figured everything out as she went. The ability to create and build a house from the ground up spoke to her in such a way that she...

The concept of biohacking has been around for a while now, and the term can encompass everything from tracking your sleep to getting a blood transfusion from a younger person in an effort to fight aging. Yes. Really. The idea is to find ways in which we can harness the fullest potential of our bodies so that we may perform at our best in whatever we do. The term biohacking can be a deterrent to so...

Our guest today is Angela Cacace , founder of Move Over Bob , an online community sharing resources, inspiration, and knowledge to a growing number of women in skilled trades. Bob in this case refers to the men who have long dominated the industry, but Angela isn't trying to make this an 'us vs. them' fight. Instead, she wants those who already have a seat at the table to move over and allow anyon...

This episode is part of our continuing series centered around NFT communities . Like any other brand, creating a vibrant and engaged NFT community is no easy feat. Yet it is this trait that separates those with staying power from the ones that are only in it for the rug pull. It requires management, moderators, and members to be aligned and in constant communication. Our guest today is LeSandre Mo...

This month is women's history month, and we've partnered with Cat Footwear to bring you stories from female entrepreneurs in the construction industry. This is the first episode of our four-part series. The goal is to highlight some of the female movers and shakers in an industry where they make up only around 10% of the workforce. Our guest today is Katie Frank, founder of eMOD , a company focuse...

The Startup to Storefront team has been taking a deep dive into that world over the past few months, and as such we are sharing our findings with you, so that you may become better informed. Our guest today is Mike Szopinski , a part of the team behind the Moments in History NFT . This particular NFT community has a goal of uniting history novices and buffs, reflecting on moments throughout our gl...

We've all encountered instant foods. The trend of convenience took over American society after World War II and dominated the consumer market with a big assist from the microwave oven. You could eat instant oatmeal in the morning, a cup of noodles for lunch, and a TV dinner at night, all ready to eat with the touch of a few buttons on your microwave. Eventually, consumers realized that the trade-o...

The past decade has seen a meteoric rise in the popularity of sparkling water. The convenience of at-home soda streams gave way to La Croix, which in turn gave way to White Claw. Carbonated water isn't exactly new; in fact, it's much older than you'd likely guess. It was first invented in 1767 by suspending a bowl of water above a beer vat. The beverage has come a long way since then, highlighted...

With all the talk about NFT's, people are rushing to get in and test their luck on being early to the next Bored Ape Yacht Club. Our team recently hosted a public Space on Twitter to open up open what our team is learning within the various projects we've invested in. We'll help you identify the red flags and the green flags in an effort to help you learn what to look for when placing your next be...

What do these three things have in common: brushing your teeth, flossing, and Lenny Kravitz? They're all key components in Twice , the oral hygiene brand that believes a good smile has the power to change lives. Our guest today is Cody Levine, who co-founded the company with his brother Julian and yes, Lenny Kravitz . The two brothers grew up in a household that prioritized proper oral hygiene, bu...

Today's guest is Ross Mackay, co-founder of Daring , the plant-based chicken currently taking over your local grocery store. Maybe you're a carnivore. Maybe you're a vegan. Maybe you're even—as Ross would say—plant curious. No matter who you are, the three most important criteria you're likely to consider when buying food are taste, texture, and price. And Ross has managed to create a plant-based...

Today we talk with Haley Russell, founder of the dog food company Chippin . If you've ever bought dog food, chances are the ingredients included something like beef or chicken. Fine for your dog to eat, but when you scale the production those food groups become entirely unsustainable. On the other side of the equation is the invasive species known as silver carp. This fish has been slowly making i...

Today's guests are Keithan and Quiante Hedrick, the husband and wife duo behind Candi. Candi is a platform that allows you to video chat with celebrities in real-time and was born out of the ashes of their first joint venture, Instaspeakers. The failure of Instaspeakers, while difficult, showed them what to focus their money and energy towards with Candi. And the success of apps like Cameo showed...

Welcome back as we begin Season 4 of the show! Today's guest is Kevin Mendoza, founder of Crypto Collective and today we are—in fact—talking about all things crypto. By now you've likely heard everyone from your friends to that drunk guy in the bar talk about cryptocurrency and NFTs. Maybe you know a little, maybe you're somewhat of an expert. Maybe you're even a little bit skeptical. The point is...

Today's guest is Jill Bauman, head of Imagine LA , a nonprofit focused on breaking the cycle of family homelessness and poverty. Her organization is certainly not the first to attempt to tackle these problems, and she's realistic about the need for other organizations to do their part as well. But Imagine LA is having a real impact on the lives of over 200 families in the greater Los Angeles area,...

Today's guests are Carmen Dianne and Kara Still, founders of Prosperity Market . Last year, as the world was dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and the racial reckoning spurred on by the murder of George Floyd, Carmen felt inspired to do something about it. She partnered up with Kara and the two of them set out to create a market that would feature black farmers and businesses, also while provi...

Today's guests are the father and son duo Brad and Zach Gilbert. To say that tennis is a Gilbert family hobby would be like saying that the Kennedy family dabbles in politics. Brad was a former professional tennis player who was ranked as high as number 4 in the world and won a bronze medal at the '88 Olympics to boot. After his playing career was over he went into coaching, molding the next gener...

Today's guests are Leah O'Malley and Tori Robinson , lifelong friends and co-founders of the clothing brand Boys Lie . It's probably safe to assume that a fair share of us have experienced heartbreak, and in Leah and Tori's case, they turned their heartbreak into a mantra. That mantra would become the eventual inspiration to launch something bigger than the two of them; to connect with a world of...

Today's guest is James Beshara, founder of Magic Mind , a productivity drink designed to replace your morning cup of coffee for good. James' story is about so much more than Magic Mind though, as he's started a few other companies and invested in a few others as well. One of the companies he started was bought by AirBnB , which on the surface seems like a major win! Until you learn that he had to...

Today's guest is Kerrigan Behrens , founder of the CBD skincare brand Sagely Naturals . Kerrigan and her cofounder Kaley had used CBD products and experienced firsthand relief from the immense anti-inflammatory benefits that it offers. They wanted to bring this to the wider consumer market but even though there's no THC in their products, the US government doesn't distinguish between the two. And...

Today's guest is David Greenfeld , founder of the plant-based popsicle company Dream Pops . David is a student of successful entrepreneurs and takes a very academic approach to grow as an individual as well as a business owner. For instance, when he was starting out his professional journey, he figured it would be a good idea to have a grasp of finance, so he went into investment banking. And conc...

Today's guest is Jim DeCicco, co-founder of Super Coffee . By now you're probably familiar with the rise of adaptogen-infused wellness products, but six years ago this emerging market was still in its infancy. Jim and his brothers Jake and Jordan saw the potential early on and dove head-first into this opportunity, with Jordan dropping out of school and Jim quitting his job on Wall Street. Their f...

Today's guests are Drew Harrington and Amanda Klane, co-founders of the frozen greek yogurt brand Yasso . Drew and Amanda have been friends for a long time; since kindergarten, to be exact. They were also both Division 1 athletes in track and soccer, respectively. Nutrition is a very important component of athletic success, but let's not pretend that athletes are immune to cravings. Drew and Amand...

Today's guest is Taylor Frankel , co-founder of the beauty brand Nudestix . Together with her mom and her younger sister, the three women sought to create a company that would cater to the subtle looks and on-the-go applications that today's consumer demands. Though Taylor is still in her twenties, she has been in the game for quite some time now and speaks with the wisdom and maturity of someone...