The Harvest Growth Podcast

Jon LaClare
  • 4.9 (18)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

Listen to inspirational stories from successful inventors and entrepreneurs as our host, Jon LaClare, founder of Harvest Growth, leads interviews targeted at helping aspiring inventors and market-leading entrepreneurs alike. If you’d like to see how Harvest Growth can help grow your product business, click below.

  1. 1d ago

    From Product Idea to Viral Success: The Crown Quality Products Story

    In this episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, Jon LaClare sits down with Robert Watson, founder of Crown Quality Products, to share the story behind one of the most unique premium hair care brands in the market. Robert explains how his journey began with a simple but powerful product idea: a better hairbrush designed to solve a real grooming problem. After struggling to manufacture the product in America, he traveled to China, faced repeated rejection, and eventually found a supplier willing to take a chance on his vision. That persistence helped launch Crown Quality Products and turn a once-unusual curved brush design into a premium product trusted by loyal customers, celebrities, and barbers alike. The conversation dives into Robert’s commitment to making every product unique, useful, and high quality. From curved wave brushes and handleless Caesar brushes to beard durags, pomades, duster bags, and new product launches, Robert shares how customer feedback has shaped many of the brand’s most successful ideas. Jon and Robert also discuss the power of beta testing, building an engaged email list, creating products that naturally inspire word-of-mouth, and why viral marketing often starts with a product that is truly different. Robert also shares valuable lessons on decisiveness, trusting your intuition, bringing the right people into your business, and even “fasting from complaining” as a mindset shift for personal and entrepreneurial growth. In today’s episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we cover: How Robert Watson turned a simple product idea into Crown Quality ProductsWhy persistence was critical when manufacturing seemed impossibleHow customer feedback helped shape the brand’s best-selling productsWhy premium products can succeed even in low-cost categoriesHow beta testing helps improve new products before launchThe story behind the Beard Durag and its viral successWhy product uniqueness can drive organic sharing and word-of-mouthThe importance of decisiveness when opportunities appearHow mindset, intuition, and discipline influence business growthAnd so much more!If you’re building a product brand, launching a new invention, or trying to stand out in a crowded category, this episode offers a powerful reminder that quality, persistence, and customer connection can turn a simple idea into a lasting business. Want to connect with Robert? Visit CrownQualityProducts.com or search for Crown Quality Products on Amazon to explore their brushes, beard durags, pomades, and other premium grooming products. Do you have a brand you’d like to launch or scale? Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free consultation and learn how our team has helped generate over $2 billion in product sales.

    From Product Idea to Viral Success: The Crown Quality Products Story

  2. 6d ago

    Email Marketing Strategies That Turn Subscribers Into Repeat Customers

    In this episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, Jon LaClare sits down with Melissa Donohoe, founder of Send It Team, to break down the email marketing strategies that help direct-to-consumer brands convert more subscribers, build stronger customer relationships, and generate repeat sales. Melissa explains why an email list is one of the few marketing assets a brand truly owns—and why relying entirely on platforms like Amazon, Meta, or organic social can put growth at risk. She shares how brands can use email not just to sell, but to create meaningful connections through customer-informed messaging, helpful content, and a brand voice that feels personal rather than promotional. The conversation covers the highest-impact places to start, including welcome flows and cart-abandonment emails, along with the importance of measuring engagement—not only revenue. Melissa also shares practical advice for improving deliverability, using transactional emails strategically, growing a higher-quality list, and leveraging partnerships when paid traffic is limited. In today’s episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we cover: Why your email list is one of your most valuable owned marketing assetsHow welcome and cart-abandonment flows can create fast returnsWhy selling in every email hurts engagement and customer trustHow to use customer language to create more effective email copyWhat email deliverability really means—and how to evaluate itHow transactional emails can improve the customer experience and drive actionThe best ways to build a list of high-value, engaged subscribersWhy partnerships can help emerging brands grow without a major ad budgetHow to balance promotional offers with relationship-building contentIf you’re launching or scaling an eCommerce brand, this episode offers a practical framework for turning email marketing into a dependable growth and retention channel. Want to connect with Melissa? Visit Send It Team. Do you have a brand you’d like to launch or scale? Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free consultation and learn how our team has helped generate over $2 billion in product sales.

    Email Marketing Strategies That Turn Subscribers Into Repeat Customers

  3. Sep 28

    From Oprah’s Favorite Things to $9 Million: How PopSmith Built a Breakout Brand

    In this episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, Jon LaClare sits down with Tal Moore, founder and CEO of PopSmith, to break down how a premium stovetop popcorn brand went from a new product concept to a rapidly growing direct-to-consumer business approaching $9 million in annual revenue. Tal shares the behind-the-scenes story of developing PopSmith’s premium stovetop popcorn popper, including nearly three years of branding, engineering, product development, and testing before launch. He also reveals how one cold LinkedIn message eventually landed PopSmith on Oprah’s Favorite Things — an opportunity that caused the company to sell seven months of inventory in less than three weeks and opened the door to additional national media exposure. The conversation also dives deep into the marketing strategies driving PopSmith’s continued growth. Tal explains how the company rebuilt its Meta advertising strategy after initially spending nearly 50% of revenue on ads, why creative testing and customer-focused messaging matter so much, and how PopSmith uses direct customer feedback to guide everything from new products to new colorways. You’ll also learn how equity crowdfunding can give loyal customers the opportunity to become actual investors in the brands they support. In today’s episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we cover: How PopSmith developed a premium stovetop popcorn product from the ground upHow a cold LinkedIn message helped PopSmith land on Oprah’s Favorite ThingsHow national television exposure generated major sales growthThe difference between traditional crowdfunding and equity crowdfundingHow PopSmith is using its community to help fund future growthWhy scaling Meta Ads too quickly can burn through your marketing budgetHow creative testing helped PopSmith dramatically improve advertising efficiencyThe three messaging pillars driving PopSmith’s marketingWhy owning your customer relationship matters for direct-to-consumer brandsHow customer surveys can guide smarter product development decisionsWhy founders should plan for more time and capital than they think they’ll needAnd so much more!Want to learn more about Tal and PopSmith? Visit PopSmith.com to explore the PopSmith stovetop popcorn popper and its growing line of popcorn products. To learn more about PopSmith’s equity crowdfunding campaign, visit InvestInPopSmith.com. To be a guest on our next episode of the podcast, contact us today! Do you have a product or brand that you’d like to launch or grow? Harvest Growth has helped launch and scale hundreds of consumer brands totaling more than $2 billion in revenue. Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free consultation with our team today!

    From Oprah’s Favorite Things to $9 Million: How PopSmith Built a Breakout Brand

  4. Sep 23

    Millions of Views on a Small Budget: Mudplugz’s Product Launch Strategy

    What do you do when your product solves a real problem, but your advertising isn’t generating the growth you need? For Kevin Cost, founder of Mudplugz, the breakthrough came from an influencer demonstration that helped turn an unfamiliar product into something homeowners around the world wanted to try. In this episode of The Harvest Growth Podcast, host Jon LaClare sits down with Kevin to explore how a Christmas Eve idea became an innovative drywall repair product and a growing business. A finish carpenter by trade, Kevin taught himself CAD and 3D printing, turned his kitchen into a product development lab, and brought Mudplugz from concept to first sale in roughly one year. When his early Meta and Google advertising efforts fell short, Kevin found traction through creators who understood the frustration his product solved. One launch video generated approximately 40,000 views in its first 30 minutes, eventually reached millions, and brought in orders from around the world. Kevin shares why authentic product demonstrations, trusted creators, and personal relationships became central to his influencer marketing approach. Kevin also opens up about nine years in recovery from alcoholism and how he uses his businesses to create opportunities for others rebuilding their lives. His story offers practical lessons in product development, marketing on a limited budget, and building a business with purpose. In this episode, you’ll discover: How Kevin developed a new consumer product without prior experience in CAD or 3D printing.What made an influencer launch video generate millions of views and international orders.Why showing a product solving a familiar frustration can help turn attention into sales.How genuine creator relationships helped Mudplugz gain exposure on a limited marketing budget.What Jon’s experience working with Billy Mays reveals about persuasive product demonstrations.How Kevin creates work opportunities for people in recovery while growing his business.The spending lessons Kevin carried from his carpentry business into his product launch.Visit Mudplugz.com to learn more about Kevin’s drywall repair solution, or search for Mudplugz on Amazon. Explore the brand’s social media to see the product demonstrations discussed in this episode. Ready to launch your product or grow your brand? Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free consultation and learn about the Perfect Launch Blueprint, a process designed to clarify your audience, messaging, offer, and marketing strategy before you invest in media. Subscribe to The Harvest Growth Podcast for more founder interviews and practical strategies for product launches, video marketing, and business growth.

    Millions of Views on a Small Budget: Mudplugz’s Product Launch Strategy

  5. Sep 21

    He Built a 7-Figure Brand Without Ads. Here’s Why That’s Changing.

    What does it take to build a seven-figure product business without paid advertising—and how do you know when it’s time to change your growth strategy? In this episode of The Harvest Growth Podcast, host Jon LaClare sits down with Bill Carney, founder of ProPlugger, to explore how he turned a frustrating yardwork problem into a thriving lawn and garden tool business. After losing his commercial finance job during the Great Recession, Bill began experimenting with steel tubes in his garage. His goal was simple: make gardening easier without spending hours bending over or working on his knees. Over the next 15 years, Bill and his family grew ProPlugger through product quality, customer reviews, simple demonstration videos, and customers sharing their own projects online. The self-funded business expanded onto Amazon, HomeDepot.com, Lowes.com, and Walmart.com, reaching customers in approximately 19 countries. But a successful product doesn’t eliminate the need to evolve. With manufacturing costs and copycat competition putting pressure on the business, Bill shares why ProPlugger is now exploring paid advertising and outside manufacturing to support its next stage of growth. His story offers practical lessons for founders looking to build demand, protect their time, and recognize when their marketing strategy needs to change. In this episode, you’ll discover: How simple product demonstration videos helped generate organic interest and sales.How customer-created content extended ProPlugger’s reach without paid promotion.Why product quality and customer feedback became the foundation for lasting growth.The benefits and trade-offs of building a self-funded family business.Why introducing a new product creates a discovery challenge when customers don’t know what to search for.How manufacturing costs, copycat competition, and changing family priorities prompted a new growth strategy.Visit ProPlugger.com to see the tool in action and learn more. You can also find ProPlugger on Amazon. Ready to take the next step in growing your own product business? Harvest Growth’s Perfect Launch Blueprint helps identify the right audience, messaging, offer, and marketing strategy before you invest heavily in advertising. Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free call with our team. Subscribe to The Harvest Growth Podcast for more product marketing strategies and lessons from entrepreneurs building successful businesses.

    He Built a 7-Figure Brand Without Ads. Here’s Why That’s Changing.

  6. Sep 16

    From Niche Product to QVC: How Farmers Defense Scaled Its Brand

    In this episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, Jon LaClare sits down with Whitney Glum, co-founder and COO of Farmers Defense, to explore how finding the right audience, testing ad creative, and listening to customers helped build a successful consumer brand. What started as protective sleeves for cannabis growers evolved into an outdoor apparel brand serving gardeners, cyclists, hikers, and even dog groomers. Whitney shares how early advertising challenges pushed the company to rethink its target market and discover a much larger audience for its products. We dive into the ecommerce marketing strategies behind that growth, including user-generated content, Meta advertising, and building a direct-to-consumer website that outsells the brand’s Amazon channel. Whitney also explains how appearances on Good Morning America and QVC generated sales spikes and helped build customer trust. Beyond marketing, Whitney reveals how she used AI to build custom shipping and receiving software without a software engineering background. She also shares a simple way to uncover new product opportunities: paying attention to what customers search for on your website that you don’t yet sell. In today’s episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we cover: • How expanding beyond your original target audience can unlock new growth • Why relatable user-generated content works for Farmers Defense’s core customers • How testing ad creative helps identify the messaging your audience responds to • Building website sales while expanding into Amazon • The impact of Good Morning America and QVC on sales and brand credibility • Using AI to solve shipping and inventory challenges • Turning website searches and customer feedback into new product ideas • Encouraging repeat purchases through new styles and complementary products Want to learn more about Farmers Defense? Visit FarmersDefense.com to explore their protection sleeves, sun hoodies, hats, and outdoor apparel, or search for Farmers Defense on Amazon. Do you have a product you’d like to launch or scale? Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free consultation and learn about The Perfect Launch Blueprint, our process for identifying the right audience, messaging, offer, and marketing strategy before you spend heavily on media. Our team has helped launch and grow hundreds of brands totaling over $2 billion in revenues.

    From Niche Product to QVC: How Farmers Defense Scaled Its Brand

  7. Sep 14

    The Marketing Mistake That Leaves Growing Ecommerce Brands Behind

    In this episode, Jon LaClare sits down with Anderson Schoenrock, founder of Memory Ventures, whose entrepreneurial journey took him from investment banking at Lehman Brothers to nearly two decades of building, buying, and growing ecommerce businesses. Anderson shares how a simple customer problem sparked his first business, Scan Digital, and how that company expanded into printing, Amazon sales, and third-party fulfillment. He explains why moving his business from California to Indiana improved its economics and how overlooked inventory and operational problems can eat away at profits even when sales are growing. We also explore why centralizing marketing across multiple brands proved more difficult than expected, what Anderson learned from acquiring Crema Coffee Products, and why email marketing remains his top-performing channel for return on time and cost. You’ll discover how repeat purchases increase customer lifetime value—and how understanding that value can help you make smarter customer acquisition decisions. In today’s episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we’ll cover: • Why growing revenue alone isn’t enough to build a profitable ecommerce business • How overstocking, stockouts, and fulfillment inefficiencies erode margins • Lessons from expanding into Amazon and acquiring an ecommerce brand • Why individual brands need dedicated marketing attention • How email marketing drives repeat purchases and increases customer lifetime value • Why capturing an email address matters when shoppers aren’t ready to buy If you’re launching a product, scaling an ecommerce brand, or managing multiple businesses, this episode offers practical lessons for building a stronger foundation for growth. To learn more about Anderson Schoenrock and his portfolio of businesses, visit MemoryVentures.com. For ecommerce fulfillment support, visit VictoryLaneSolutions.com. To be a guest on our next episode of the podcast, contact us today! Do you have a brand that you’d like to launch or grow? Do you want help from a partner that has successfully launched hundreds of brands totaling over $2 billion in revenues? Visit HarvestGrowth.com and set up a free consultation with us today!

    The Marketing Mistake That Leaves Growing Ecommerce Brands Behind

  8. Sep 7

    How Authentic Storytelling Helped a New Autism Therapy Center Grow Fast

    In this episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, Jon LaClare sits down with physician and Sirica Center founder Uli Chettipally to explore how his family’s personal experience with autism inspired a new approach to therapeutic support—and how authentic, mission-driven storytelling helped the center attract immediate interest. Uli’s daughter, Siri, was diagnosed with autism at three years old. As he studied which activities helped her remain regulated, focused, and engaged, he discovered the significant role that physical movement could play in her daily life. Those experiences eventually inspired Sirica Center, which combines virtual reality, video gaming, controlled sensory experiences, and whole-body exercise to make therapy more immersive and enjoyable. Uli explains why support can become especially difficult to access as children with autism reach adolescence and adulthood. Sirica Center is working to fill that gap with experiences designed to encourage movement, engagement, and an improved quality of life—particularly for individuals who cannot communicate through speech. The conversation also reveals an important marketing lesson for any mission-driven founder. Long before opening the center, Uli consistently shared his family’s story, educated people about the problem, and built an online community around the mission. That transparency created trust and anticipation, helping the first Sirica Center fill quickly and develop a waiting list. In today’s episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we cover: How Uli’s daughter inspired the creation of Sirica CenterWhy physical exercise became an important part of Siri’s daily lifeHow virtual reality, gaming, and whole-body movement can make therapy more engagingThe growing support gap for teenagers and adults with autismWhy limited access to trained professionals remains a major challengeHow technology could make therapeutic experiences more widely accessibleWhy educating your audience before launching can build anticipationHow personal storytelling creates trust around a mission-driven businessThe importance of recognizing and respecting the intelligence of every person with autismAnd so much more!If you’re building a mission-driven business, introducing an unfamiliar solution, or looking for a more authentic way to connect with your audience, this episode demonstrates how personal purpose, consistent education, and community building can turn an ambitious idea into genuine demand. To learn more about Uli Chettipally and Sirica Center, visit SiricaTX.com or SiricaCenter.com. You can also connect with Uli on LinkedIn. Do you have a brand you’d like to launch or grow? Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free consultation and learn how our team has helped generate more than $2 billion in product sales.

    How Authentic Storytelling Helped a New Autism Therapy Center Grow Fast
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4.9
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About

Listen to inspirational stories from successful inventors and entrepreneurs as our host, Jon LaClare, founder of Harvest Growth, leads interviews targeted at helping aspiring inventors and market-leading entrepreneurs alike. If you’d like to see how Harvest Growth can help grow your product business, click below.

Information

  • Creator
    Jon LaClare
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    300
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Harvest Growth Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Harvest Growth Podcast