From the Ground Up

From the Ground Up

It takes audacity to start a company, grit to grow it, and community to survive the ordeal. Join Inc. Executive Editor Diana Ransom and Editor-at-Large Christine Lagorio-Chafkin as they host From the Ground Up, a new podcast from Inc. that features frank and unfiltered conversations—with some of the most successful founders in the world—about navigating the role of the founder, the tips and tricks entrepreneurs need to know to be successful, and the secrets that nobody really tells you before you start a business.

  1. 23/12/2024

    Year In Review

    Ah, 2024. So much to say! For our last episode of the season, we analyze the biggest small-business and workplace topics of the past year and highlight what’s on the horizon for 2025. Inc. executive editor Diana Ransom and editor-at-large Chrsitine Lagorio-Chafkin sat down with senior editor Tim Crino, and staff writer Sarah Lynch to discuss the annual changes that have taken place here at Inc., the massive layoffs in the tech sector, DEI backlash, and the generational workplace mismatch between managers and Gen Z employees. Also, we look ahead to Trump’s proposed tariffs and the new wave of crypto hype and scams. Don’t worry, we are optimistic about a few things in the startup landscape, though. Additional research and information:  To read more from our Inc. 5000 coverage: How Tiny Changes Have Reaped Enormous Results at America’s Fastest-Growing Company   How Inflation Shaped the Companies of the Inc. 5000 To read our coverage from the tech layoffs: Employees Are Still Worried About Layoffs The 2024 Layoff Landscape Is Better Than You Might Think To read our coverage of Gen Z in the workplace: Gen-Z Hits Some Bumps as it Enters the Workforce Are You Leading on Empty? How to Recognize and Combat Manager Burnout Why Gen-Z Workers Are Consciously ‘Unbossing’ To read our coverage DEI Backlash: U.S. Workers Might Be Souring on DEI Here Are the Most Common Anti-DEI Legal Cases Right Now — and What You Need to Know About Them To read more on tariffs and crypto: Here’s What Trump Says About Tariffs, and How They Would Work New Trump Crypto Venture Gets Boost From GOP Candidate Himself

    57min
  2. 09/12/2024

    Brand Building With Ayesha Curry

    Honing one's craft. Dedicating many, many hours to perfecting a skill set. Entrepreneurship can, in some ways, resemble the work life of a professional athlete. Ayesha Curry is certainly focused on her burgeoning lifestyle and culinary brand, Sweet July, and the multiple businesses within it—but that’s where she might say the similarities she has with her husband, NBA star Stephen Curry, end. Whereas Steph brings a calm sense of logic to business and philanthropic decisions, Ayesha says she’s the kind of creative founder who brings passion to a project. In this interview with Inc. editor-at-large Christine Lagorio-Chafkin, Ayesha describes how, when building Sweet July, she built in soul: It is designed to empower and celebrate women and BIPOC creators, and multiple arms of the business were inspired by her family’s Jamaican heritage. Ayesha explains to Christine how she’s navigated her career from aspiring chef to business owner, including the early tumultuous moments in the company, how she delegates responsibility to her small team, and how she creates an atmosphere of autonomy and trust. They also discuss the Currys’ Oakland-based philanthropic endeavor, Eat. Learn. Play., which builds playgrounds, opens access to nutrition, and fosters literacy skills through partnerships with local schools. Additional research and information: To read our Inc. 5000 coverage on Ayesha Curry: How Ayesha Curry Cooked Up Her Own Business Empire   Read more on Ayesha Curry on Inc.com: Ayesha Curry Launches a Food Startup, So You Can Eat Like a Golden State Warrior Visit: Sweet July To learn more about: Sweet July bio Visit: Sweet July’s Instagram Visit: Eat. Learn. Play.

    41min
  3. 25/11/2024

    The Year of Disappearing Brands

    Have you ever wondered what happened to your favorite kettle chip brand or kombucha in your local supermarket? Don’t see your favorite cranberry sauce for the holidays? For this episode, Inc. executive editor Diana Ransom and editor-at-large Christine Lagorio-Chafkin spoke with editor-at-large Tom Foster about his recent article, “Why Are So Many Supermarket Brands Losing Shelf Space?” By the end of last year, the total amount of early-stage venture-capital funding for consumer-product brands was down about 60 percent from its 2021 high. And new product launches were down about 70 percent in the same period, according to consumer-products data provider Spins. What’s going on? Is it a CPG rupture? Paul Voge, co-founder of the sparkling water brand Aura Bora, told Tom that getting on store shelves “is astronomically harder today.” He adds that “I had a smaller, worse business in 2019, and it was easier to run than my larger, better business today.” One thing’s clear: Gone are the days of consumer-product brands being able to use the strategies of Silicon Valley tech startups to fuel their rapid growth. This fascinating conversation explains why this is happening in so many supermarkets, how having shelf space for a product in a supermarket is like paying rent for an apartment, and how brands such as Me & the Bees lemonade and Aura Bora are finding ways to thrive in this industry by being creative and navigating their business relationships. Additional research and information:  Read Tom Foster’s story on Inc.com: Why Are So Many Supermarket Brands Losing Shelf Space? Read another article from Tom Foster on Inc.com: At This Company, the Free Office Lunches Are So Good, Even Remote Employees Can’t Resist To learn more about Me & the Bees lemonade and Mikaila Ulmer on Inc.com: Forget an "$11 M Contract" with Whole Foods. This Kid Did Better To learn more about Aura Bora and Paul Voge on Inc.com read: Scott Galloway Called Public Universities ‘America’s Greatest Innovation.’ These Founders Agree Visit: Me & The Bees Lemonade Visit: Me & The Bees Lemonade’s bio Visit: Aura Bora Visit: Aura Bora’s bio

    48min
  4. 11/11/2024

    The Billion-Dollar Whiskey Story

    It’s a young company, but its legacy spans generations. And thanks to Fawn Weaver, the story and legacy of her whiskey brand, Uncle Nearest, is becoming ever more expansive. Its most recent chapter: The company reached a $1.1 billion valuation in 2024. However, none of this would have been possible without Weaver, Uncle Nearest’s founder and CEO, who envisions herself as not just an executive and leader, but also as the company’s chief historian. She’s made it her mission to build a brand honest to the legacy of a man named Nearest Green, or Uncle Nearest, the formerly enslaved laborer who taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey. Weaver has spent much of the past decade researching and piecing together the story of Nearest Green. Her book Love & Whiskey: The Remarkable True Story of Jack Daniel, His Master Distiller Nearest Green, and the Improbable Rise of Uncle Nearest was released in June. Inc. editor-at-large Christine Lagorio-Chafkin sat down with Weaver recently to discuss her legacy as well: This year she became one of the first-ever African American women to run a company valued at more than $1 billion. Additional research and information: Christine interviewed Fawn Weaver in this 2021 episode of the What I Know podcast Read Fawn Weaver’s advice on Creating a Winning Team on Inc.com Visit: Uncle Nearest For more on Fawn Weaver Visit: Fawn Weaver’s Instagram For more on Love & Whiskey Apple Podcasts Spotify

    58min
  5. 28/10/2024

    Let’s Talk About Skims!

    The shapewear brand that exploded onto the scene with the most famous pitchwoman in the business as a co-founder recently hit a major milestone: Kim Kardashian’s Skims is now a unicorn four times over. Writer Max Berlinger sat down to talk with Kardashian for his feature article in our September issue of Inc. magazine—so Christine and Diana sat down to talk with Max to get the behind-the-scenes. He delivered. Kardashian launched her shapewear brand, Skims, in 2019 in Los Angeles, and over the past three years, the company more than quintupled its annual revenue to nearly $713 million in 2023. That landed it at No. 1,168 on our annual Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing companies. Just over a year ago, Skims raised a round of funding that catapulted its valuation to $4 billion. Kardashian created Skims out of personal need—with the side benefit that it might just change people’s perspectives on shapewear. She wanted to make the brand fun. Cheeky, even. It is all about owning the shape of your body. However, the brand’s progress also has a lot to do with its CEO and co-founder, Jens Grede, who has launched other successful companies. He and his wife—Emma Grede, the third founding partner at Skims—have long worked closely with the Kardashian family. Additional research and information: Read on Inc.com : The Inside Story of How Kim Kardashian Made Shapewear Sexy Read Max Berlinger’s story on Inc.com: Skims Is a Huge Hit for Kim Kardashian. But Is It Ready for an IPO? Read on Inc.com: Skims Inc 5000 profile For more Inc.com coverage on Skims: The WNBA Is Teaming Up With Women-Led Businesses For more Inc.com coverage on Emma Grede: How to Successfully Launch Products in Crowded Categories, According to Emma Grede Visit Skims Visit Skims’ Youtube Visit Skims Instagram page Apple Podcasts Spotify

    45min
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Sobre

It takes audacity to start a company, grit to grow it, and community to survive the ordeal. Join Inc. Executive Editor Diana Ransom and Editor-at-Large Christine Lagorio-Chafkin as they host From the Ground Up, a new podcast from Inc. that features frank and unfiltered conversations—with some of the most successful founders in the world—about navigating the role of the founder, the tips and tricks entrepreneurs need to know to be successful, and the secrets that nobody really tells you before you start a business.

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