100 episodes

Welcome to Building While Flying: a weekly business podcast from Gary Vaynerchuk’s agency The Sasha Group. We are the small- to medium-sized business arm of VaynerX, the most contemporary independent holding company in the industry. At The Sasha Group, we teach, guide, and execute modern-day brand building and marketing for ambitious businesses looking for meaningful growth.

Building a business isn’t linear. The journey is wrought with turbulence, delays, and re-routes. Those who win are resilient, unafraid of challenges, and willing to flex in order to reach their destination. We get it; entrepreneurship is in our DNA, and we’re built of people with entrepreneurial experience and empathy.

Right now, times are volatile and ambiguous. Across all sectors, there is an air of experimentation. Brands and businesses are investigating new methods, exploring new paths, testing and learning, adapting, and, well, building the plane while flying. By adopting an uncertainty mindset, we can navigate the ever-changing skies of entrepreneurship together by listening, learning, applying, and sharing.

On Building While Flying, we hear from a diverse range of business leaders about how they face challenges head on and stay calm under pressure. Their stories are riddled with the unexpected and share how their strategies have been put into practice and changed their business.

Past episodes have featured stories of turning side hustles into main hustles, building businesses inspired by their families’ needs, dealing with rejection, selling the company they built, innovating better-for-you foods and products, and above all else, following their dreams and navigating the trials of entrepreneurship.

Thanks so much for flying with us. We’re glad you’re on this journey, too. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss our weekly episodes.

Building While Flying The Sasha Group

    • Business
    • 4.9 • 27 Ratings

Welcome to Building While Flying: a weekly business podcast from Gary Vaynerchuk’s agency The Sasha Group. We are the small- to medium-sized business arm of VaynerX, the most contemporary independent holding company in the industry. At The Sasha Group, we teach, guide, and execute modern-day brand building and marketing for ambitious businesses looking for meaningful growth.

Building a business isn’t linear. The journey is wrought with turbulence, delays, and re-routes. Those who win are resilient, unafraid of challenges, and willing to flex in order to reach their destination. We get it; entrepreneurship is in our DNA, and we’re built of people with entrepreneurial experience and empathy.

Right now, times are volatile and ambiguous. Across all sectors, there is an air of experimentation. Brands and businesses are investigating new methods, exploring new paths, testing and learning, adapting, and, well, building the plane while flying. By adopting an uncertainty mindset, we can navigate the ever-changing skies of entrepreneurship together by listening, learning, applying, and sharing.

On Building While Flying, we hear from a diverse range of business leaders about how they face challenges head on and stay calm under pressure. Their stories are riddled with the unexpected and share how their strategies have been put into practice and changed their business.

Past episodes have featured stories of turning side hustles into main hustles, building businesses inspired by their families’ needs, dealing with rejection, selling the company they built, innovating better-for-you foods and products, and above all else, following their dreams and navigating the trials of entrepreneurship.

Thanks so much for flying with us. We’re glad you’re on this journey, too. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss our weekly episodes.

    Creating a Plant-based Hair Care Company That Doesn’t Use the Usual Chemicals - Tanya Perkins, Founder of The Refig

    Creating a Plant-based Hair Care Company That Doesn’t Use the Usual Chemicals - Tanya Perkins, Founder of The Refig

    Tanya Perkins is the founder of The Refig. The Refig is a plant-based hair care company without compromise. After finding out about an auto-immune condition, she needed hair care that didn’t have certain chemicals. She ended up making her own formula after being unable to find any. Once one of her college friends found out, she discovered there was a huge demand for her innovative hair care.
     
    In this episode of the Building While Flying podcast, Tanya joins Maribel Lara to talk about her journey to creating this company. She gives insight into its birth, finding the right partners, and encouraging change in behavior.
     
    In-flight topics:
    Birth of the company
    Creating accompany off a need
    Waiting for the right partner formulation
    Changes that were part of her journey
    How she makes time for this with all her other endeavors
    …and more!
     
    Connect with Tanya:
    Tanya’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanyaperkins
    The Refig Website: https://therefig.com/
    The Refig Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_refig/

    • 21 min
    Creating a Sustainable and Trustworthy US-based Hair Accessory and Jewelry Brand - Abby Dubois, Founder of EACH Jewelry

    Creating a Sustainable and Trustworthy US-based Hair Accessory and Jewelry Brand - Abby Dubois, Founder of EACH Jewelry

    Abby Dubois is the founder of EACH Jewelry. After years of designing for world-renowned brands, like Kate Spade and Coach, Abby set out to forge her own path and build her own jewelry brand. Her mission is to make ethical fashion fun, accessible, and empowering. Since starting the company six years ago, they’ve sold over half a million units.
     
    In this episode of the Building While Flying podcast, Abby joins Katie Hankinson to talk about her journey as a first-time founder. She gives insight into her background, shifting to hair accessories, and her big breaks.
     
    In-flight topics:
    Why she chose to start her own company
    Creating a brand around her values
    The shift to hair accessories
    Using brand partnerships to grow
    Her dreams for what’s next
    …and more!
     
    Connect with Abby:
    Abby’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-dubois-a463b132
    Abby’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparkleplentysparkleoften/
    EACH Jewelry Website: https://www.eachjewels.com/
    EACH Jewelry Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/each_jewels/
     
    “We are able to have something that’s super profitable while still being super accessible.” - Abby

    • 20 min
    Using AI to Help People Get Ready For South Asian Weddings/Events - Tania Kottoor, Founder and CEO of West X East

    Using AI to Help People Get Ready For South Asian Weddings/Events - Tania Kottoor, Founder and CEO of West X East

    Tania Kottoor is the Founder and CEO of West X East (pronounced “West by East”). Tania has effectively married tradition with innovation. She’s led her team in building the world’s first AI-powered design platform for custom-fit cultural clothing and re-envisioned the process of shopping for weddings and special events.
     
    In this episode of the Building While Flying podcast, Tania joins Maribel Lara to talk about how she uses AI to help you make the right choice for your big events and where her inspiration came from. She gives insight into her background, how she’s received so many grants, and what’s next.
     
    In-flight topics:
    Her background and what led to West X East
    Using AI to help you make the right choice
    How she keeps track of everything
    The secrets to receiving so many grants
    Their soon-to-launch two-tiered rebrand
    …and more!
     
    Connect with Tania:
    Tania’s Website: https://www.taniakottoor.com/
    Tania’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taniakottoor/
    West X East Website: https://www.westxeast.com/
    West X East Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westxeast/

    • 15 min
    Unpacking Longevity: Bridging Biotech and Tradition - Kas Bordier, Biotech and Medtech Entrepreneur

    Unpacking Longevity: Bridging Biotech and Tradition - Kas Bordier, Biotech and Medtech Entrepreneur

    Longevity expert Kas Bordier's story is one of tenacity and determination. As a biotech and medtech entrepreneur, Kas is commercializing the latest health innovations. She is making health and vitality not only the coolest but also an attainable thing. 
    In this episode of the Building While Flying podcast, Kas joins Joe Quattrone to talk about how to take control of your own health and shape the future of proactive healthcare, aiming to move from reactive "sick care" to sustainable "healthcare."
     
    In-flight topics:
    Kas' journey from communist Poland to leading a health tech revolution
    Her interest in longevity and the importance of proactive health management
    Reflections on the similarities between traditional health practices and modern biotechnology
    The role of Gen Z in shaping the future of health and wellness
    …and more!
     
    Connect with Kas:
    Kas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-ross-6bbaab2/
     
    “My body is the most important fuel that can either fuel my dreams or stop my dreams” - Kas

    • 23 min
    Making It Easy to Engage with Skincare - Adam Ross, CEO and Co-founder of Heyday

    Making It Easy to Engage with Skincare - Adam Ross, CEO and Co-founder of Heyday

    Adam Ross is the CEO and co-founder of Heyday, which launched its first skincare shop in New York City’s nomad neighborhood in 2015, with the belief that everyone should have access to professional skincare services, ultimately taking the facial out of the spa and into local communities across the United States.
     
    In this episode of the Building While Flying podcast, Adam joins Mickey Cloud to talk about how Heyday is making skincare and facials more accessible. He gives insight into the evolution of their business model, franchising, and innovation within the industry.
     
    In-flight topics:
    How he went from investment banker to the skincare industry
    The evolution of their business model
    Deciding to franchise and how to choose the right franchise partners
    The Wild Wild West that is skincare regulations
    The next challenges and how he stays calm under pressure
    …and more!
     
    Connect with Adam:
    Adam’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-ross-6bbaab2/
    Heyday Website: https://www.heydayskincare.com/
    Heyday Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heydayskincare/
     
    “Scale is the magic of the consistency of the experience.” - Adam

    • 30 min
    Using Product Innovation to Make Makeup More Fun - Natalie Mackey, CEO and Co-founder of Winky Lux

    Using Product Innovation to Make Makeup More Fun - Natalie Mackey, CEO and Co-founder of Winky Lux

    Natalie Maxey is the CEO and co-founder of Winky Lux. From working in fashion, finance, and e-commerce, Natalie decide that the self-serious beauty business was ready for an overhaul and to bring fun to everyday beauty rituals. Winky Lux is a joyful clean makeup and skincare line that proves you can do really beautiful special stuff that is a lot less expensive and also has an award-winning formulation factor.
     
    In this episode of the Building While Flying podcast, Natalie joins Maribel Lara to talk about how Winky Lux is making makeup more fun. She gives insight into product innovation, the balance between making great new products and getting them out as quickly as possible, and saucy gloss.
     
    In-flight topics:
    Getting product ideas from everywhere
    The balance between making great new products and getting them out quickly
    How AI is changing how we do business
    Partnership with Applebees (BBQ Lip Gloss!)
    Instagram Live Shopping
    …and more!
     
    Connect with Natalie:
    Natalie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-mackey-15169370/
    Natalie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natmack1/
    Winky Lux Website: https://www.winkylux.com/
    Winky Lux Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/winky_lux/

    • 18 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
27 Ratings

27 Ratings

carreon007 ,

Top 5 podcasts for builders!

I’ve found so much value in this podcast. It’s a solid place for real experience and industry expertise. Def a top 5 for me!

Missy Cracker ,

Very insightful

A great source of information for those who want to advance their business!

VziST ,

Love it!

Amazing podcast! If you’re serious about expanding your business, then this podcast will provide you with incredible real-world suggestions and ideas.

Top Podcasts In Business

The Ramsey Show
Ramsey Network
Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin
Money News Network
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
DOAC
NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast
NerdWallet Personal Finance
Planet Money
NPR
The Money Mondays
Dan Fleyshman