Real Quick Real Quick

Tune into our first-ever extended audio feature with Karen Young, founder and CEO of the barrier-breaking beauty brand Oui the People!

In this unedited and candid interview, Help Scout’s VP of Brand Kristen Bryant Smith gets real with Karen about big topics like:


The inspiration (and frustration) that led to founding Oui the People
Karen’s experience and emotions around running a Black-owned company in 2020, during the rapid rise of the Black Lives Matter movement and protests
How her identity shapes her business, and how she's creating a platform for others to express their unique identities through the Oui the People brand, team, and community
The ways in which motherhood has impacted her perspective and her business
…and so much more. Add this one to your must-listen list.

In this episode of Real Quick, Jolene DeLisle chats with Kristen about:


The inspiration that led to founding The Working Assembly, and how she transitioned from side hustle to full-time
Why it matters to her to support other women and founders of color, and how she helps founders build their brands and networks
Her newest creative project — converting a roadside ice cream stand into an all-in-one space for sweet treats, art classes, and community

In this episode, we go behind the scenes with Kayla Castañeda and Erin PonTell, co-founders of Agua Bonita, about the founding story of their rapidly growing agua fresca brand. The founders chat with Kristen about:


The origin story of Agua Bonita, which began in the early days of the pandemic
Finding the right balance between honoring cultural recipes and traditions with creating something that would resonate with modern consumers
Fundraising and growth challenges, as well as the pressures associated with being the *first* Latinx-owned beverage brand to raise more than $2M in funding

When Sirena Rolfe, founder of Tempus Hood, was repeatedly caught out in unpredictable weather, she saw the opportunity to solve a problem. But she didn’t realize that her idea — to create a packable, detachable hood — would turn her into an entrepreneur and an inventor.

In this episode, Sirena shares her journey to receive a patent and build her business, along with her purpose to help break common barriers to outdoor recreation.

Of the 5,452 outdoor equipment stores in the U.S., only three are Black-owned. Mark Boles, founder and owner of Intrinsic Provisions, is one of those three pioneers. In this episode, Mark describes why he feels passionate about helping people of color participate in outdoor recreation and the challenges he faces as a Black business owner in the outdoor industry.

Kay Rodriguez, CEO and founder of Urban Outdoors, wants to shift the narrative around who participates in outdoor activities — and help city dwellers, specifically, get out there.

Kay’s commitment to creating an online hub to connect people who live in urban areas with outdoor recreation within easy reach of their homes grew from her own experience with the therapeutic benefit — to mind and body — of getting outside. In this episode, Kay shares the Urban Outdoors origin story and her belief in the healing power nature offers in the face of today’s mental health crisis.