The Brand Blueprint

Retail is opening back up again… and most founders still aren’t ready. I’ve had multiple conversations this week with founders trying to expand into retail. And almost every one of them is focused on the same thing: 👉 Getting into stores. But here’s the problem: Getting into retail is not the win. It’s the test. Most founders treat retail like a milestone. In reality, it’s an exposure event. It r...

Hey Brand Builders, Retail is expanding again… but let’s be honest: most founders still are not ready. This episode with Patricia Lin, Founder & CEO of Scobucha, is really about one thing: Patricia’s story starts with a personal gut-health issue, a family kombucha tradition from her grandfather, and her mother’s daily kimchi practice. What began as healing at home turned into a clean-label fer...

In this episode of The Brand Blueprint, host Dana Ammons sits down with Bryce Piro, founder of OpenScope Health, to discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare operations and what it takes to build a scalable technology company in one of the most complex industries in the world. Bryce shares insights into building AI-powered healthcare solutions, navigating regulatory environmen...

Happy 2026, Brand Builders — welcome back to The Brand Blueprint ! 🎉 In this Scaling Capsule episode, I’m joined by Fitz Light , Founder & CEO of FlightSuite —an AI-powered CRM platform built to help service-based businesses automate outreach, follow-up, and operations. Fitz is a recognized 2025 Charlotte 30 Under 30 , started college at 18, earned a Master’s in Finance from Vanderbilt by 21...

Happy New Year 2026! 🎉 We’re back with our SeedSpot Special featuring founders who are scaling impact-driven brands from idea to shelf. Today we sit down with Victorine Sarr, Founder & CEO of Lyvv Cosmetics (operating in the U.S. as Maison Lyvv): a Dakar-born clean color brand built for global consumers. What you’ll learn • Why Product (quality + performance) beats everything long-term • How...

Hey Brand Builders, If you’ve ever wondered how anyone actually scales a biotech company in one of the most regulated, complex industries on earth — without venture capital and big-pharma profit pressure — this episode is for you. I’m sitting down with Eric Moyal, Founder and Executive Director of Project Insulin, a nonprofit on a mission to produce its own generic insulin and sell it directly to...

For SeedSpot Special Ep. 2, we’re joined by Logan Cuvo — Founder & CEO of Best Dam Tape — to unpack how a niche performance brand can scale from equipment rooms to big-box retail. Logan shares the exact steps behind his B2B-first traction with NCAA and pro teams, then walks through his retail-readiness plan: Walmart.com KPIs, Open Call prep, packaging/UPCs, EDI, 3PL, and PO financing. We cover...

We’re back from fall break! 🎉 After a 5–6 week reset, The Brand Blueprint returns with a special Seed Spot Founder Series rolling out over the next several weeks. We’re kicking it off with Tristan Gandolfi, VP of Programming at Seed Spot, to unpack what actually gets founders retail-ready: data-driven storytelling, buyer psychology, live buyer simulations, and non-dilutive support that turns proo...

Capsule 6 is here—and we’re zeroing in on the most under-praised growth engine in CPG: sales & distribution. In this 8-minute kickoff, host Dana Ammons (PepsiCo, Colgate-Palmolive, SC Johnson, P&G) breaks down why shelf strategy and channel selection beat flashy ads every time, and how founders can turn data + story into retail velocity. You’ll hear the four pillars we’ll explore this caps...

Founders: before you launch, run your plan through desirability, viability, feasibility—then measure velocity like your business depends on it. In this episode, Kaushik Boruah (Business Head, CPG & Hospitality at LatentView Analytics) breaks down how to pick the right channel (DTC vs. retail), what to track after launch, and how to use AI as a force multiplier—not a crutch. Timestamps: 00:00 I...

How do you scale social across Europe without losing the plot? VeraContent CEO Shaheen Samavati explains how her team builds multi‑market strategies, localizes content with native speakers, and sets KPIs before expansion. We cover team structure, platform differences, and when to use AI. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome & capsule context 01:15 Rapid fire warm‑up 02:30 Spain blackout story & working...

In this in-depth episode of The Brand Blueprint, host Dana Ammons sits down with Nazr El-Scari, the visionary founder and CEO of Solecit, a next-generation fashion-tech platform delivering personalized styling and outfit inspiration. Nazr’s entrepreneurial journey began in Kansas City, where as a teenager he scaled a sneaker-resale hustle—flipping limited-edition Jordans—to learn the irreplaceable...

In this episode of The Brand Blueprint, host Dana Ammons chats with John Gargiulo—co-founder & CEO of ReadySet and creator of AirPost.ai—about the future of direct-to-consumer marketing driven by AI-powered user-generated content (UGC). John walks us through his journey from Miami Ad School to scaling Airbnb’s growth engine, then launching ReadySet to help DTC brands automate and amplify authe...

In this episode of The Brand Blueprint, host Dana Ammons sits down with Deanna DeFelice, founder of Ovease—a breakthrough brand that’s changing the way people treat chronic period pain. Deanna shares her personal journey from Kansas City to Boston and back, how her own struggles with endometriosis led her to create Ovease, and why personalized nutrition is the next frontier in menstrual health. 🔑...

Welcome to our Brand Blueprint × CIC Special Series—today’s episode goes behind the scenes with CIC’s program managers, Kat Lazell & Sam Garcia. Learn how they power a global “passport” network, champion equity education, curate diverse cohorts, and sequence funding to lift founders worldwide. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: The Brand Blueprint × CIC Special Series kicks off 00:45 – CIC’s Global Fo...

In this episode of The Brand Blueprint, host Dana Ammons sits down with serial entrepreneur Kam Price to explore how he’s built multiple purpose-driven ventures—ranging from youth transport in social services to Supreme Water convenience retail to Hesperia streetwear—without an MBA. Kam shares the grit behind his success: a relentless work ethic, learning from “haters,” and balancing fatherhood of...

Ready to break free from burnout and unlock your highest potential? In this special Brand Blueprint episode, Dana Ammons sits down with Dr. Murray Heber, founder of MH Elevate and creator of Flow OS, to dive into the neuroscience of flow states, high performance, and brand-building. Learn how to stop "shoulding" yourself, rewire your brain for success, and maximize your creativity and decision-mak...

In this episode of The Brand Blueprint, host Dana Ammons speaks with Kirti Madhu, a trailblazing college founder and medical sciences major at Saint Louis University, who is transforming the way we think about addiction recovery and prevention. At just 21 years old, Kirti is building Safe Use Solutions, a wearable + app system that detects early signs of substance abuse and overdose. Her journey i...

Join Dana Ammons on this episode of the Brand Blueprint Podcast as he dives into the vibrant world of branding and business strategy for women's professional hockey with special guest, Krista Kirth. Krista, a seasoned sports agent and branding strategist, discusses her impressive career, the evolution of the PWHL, and the unique challenges faced by female athletes in establishing their personal br...

In this episode of The Brand Blueprint Podcast, host Dana Ammons sits down with Chris Cubba, the Chief Revenue Officer at Snipp, a leader in customer loyalty programs and promotional strategies. Chris brings over a decade of expertise in scaling businesses, helping brands enhance their customer engagement and retention. His insights into loyalty programs, the role of data in shaping marketing stra...

In this episode of the Brand Blueprint Podcast, host Dana Ammons sits down with Jeremy Chow, the founder of Tactus Technologies, a company focused on making music accessible to the deaf community through innovative wearable technology. Jeremy takes us through his inspiring journey, starting with middle school guitar lessons in Beijing, followed by his studies in engineering at Northeastern Univers...

In this episode of The Brand Blueprint Podcast, host Dana Ammons engages in a compelling discussion with Sheila Phicil, the founder of the Compass Project. Sheila’s initiative leverages AI and blockchain technologies to address healthcare inequities and drive social impact. With over 15 years of experience in healthcare operations, Sheila shares her journey from advocating for underserved communit...

In this episode of The Brand Blueprint Podcast, Cataanda James interviews Joy Ogunneye, a leading brand strategist who has worked with major beauty companies like L'Oreal and Aveeno. Joy shares her journey from the corporate world into brand innovation and talks about what it takes to create a brand that connects with audiences and stays true to your values. Joy discusses the importance of und...

Learn how Oatley’s bold, authentic marketing strategy helped them dominate the plant-based milk market, and how Peloton’s marketing failure provides crucial lessons in audience understanding and crisis management.