From the Ground Up

Inc.
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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. OCT 28

    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

    36 min

  2. OCT 21

    Finding Your Footing

    Before Monte Deere joined Kizik, the hands-free shoe brand, as chief executive, he had zero experience in selling consumer products–—and no experience in footwear. Heck, he’d never been a CEO before. But Kizik’s Kizik founder Mike Pratt had worked with Deere previously– and took a bet on him. Deere was tasked with recruiting a dream team of executives with experience at brands such as Hoka, Converse, and Nike--"—“shoe dogs,”" as he likes to call them, a reference to Nike founder Phil Knight's Knight’s memoir--—to complement the “"cool contingency of innovators”" led by Pratt. This year, Kizik is #No. 407 on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest fastest-growing companies in America. In 2023, its revenue was more thanover $100 million. In an interview with Inc. editor editor-at at-large Christine Lagorio-Chafkin, Deere explains Kizik’s pandemic-era brand transformation, how it found its loyal customers, and its expansion into DTC and wholesale–—plus its fascinating collaborations. Monte believes that soon 10% percent of the global footwear market could soon be hands hands-free. Following our regular episode, we have a special segment in collaboration with our partner at Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Inc. Editor-in-Chief Mike Hoffman spoke with Smarsh Founder Stephen Marsh about his remarkable journey, the legacy he has built, and the honor of being the first recipient of the inaugural Legacy Award presented by Glenfiddich at this year's Inc. 5000 gala. Skillfully Crafted, Enjoy Responsibly. Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky ©2024 Imported by William Grant & Sons, Inc. New York, NY. Additional research and information: Read on Inc.com: Is Kizik Building the Next Billion-Dollar Sneaker Brand? Read on Inc.com: Kizik Inc 5000 profile Visit Kizik website: https://kizik.com/pages/about-us Visit Hands Free Labs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handsfreelabs/ Visit Kizik’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRjtGcRZbkj4yQ3SrU4YcDQ Apple Podcasts Spotify

    52 min

  3. OCT 14

    How a Near-Death Experience Inspired This Founder to Revolutionize Office Lunch

    Dilip Rao had what he would call “the perfect life” until he was in a car accident on July 5, 2014, in New York City. What followed changed his outlook—and his values. That same year, he founded Sharebite to change the way workplaces bring their employees together for, and show them appreciation through, meals. And he built in a mission that has helped bolster struggling restaurants—and combat food insecurity. The company, of which Dilip is now CEO, is a meal benefit platform built for the modern workforce—one in which some workers are hybrid, some fully in-person, some fully remote—and all want to feel appreciated. It specializes in feeding in-office and remote employees food they want from local restaurants–and lets companies chip in, to make each meal feel like a real benefit for workers. The chipping in goes further than that, though: Through Sharebite, each meal bought is equal to one meal donated. Over the past three years, the company has had a growth rate of 4,914 percent, and it landed at No. 56 on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies. For this episode of “From the Ground Up,” Inc. executive editor Diana Ransom spoke with Dilip about his accident and recovery process, his stoic philosophy, and Sharebite’s lightning-fast growth. Source notes and additional research and information: Read: How This Food-Ordering Platform Gave Restaurants a Lifeline During Covid https://www.inc.com/magazine/202112/diana-ransom/sharebite-food-ordering-restaurants-covid-community.html by Diana Ransom, on Inc.com Read: Sharebite’s Inc. 5000 profile https://www.inc.com/profile/sharebite Visit Sharebite’s website https://sharebite.com/

    52 min

  4. OCT 7

    How Cult Brands Capture Imaginations–and Wallets

    This week, we kick off our Inc. feature coverage by exploring the making of–and proliferation of–cult brands. In this episode, executive editor Diana Ransom and editor-at-large Christine Lagorio-Chafkin invite Inc. staff writer Ali Donaldson to talk about an article she wrote that broke open a lot of consumer trends we’ve seen over recent years–and explained the anatomy of consumer-product virality. Certain brands seem to grow cult followings almost overnight. Turns out that’s no happy accident–it’s all in the plan. And Ali lays out precisely what that plan looks like for brands that achieve cult status. Stanley, Kendra Scott, and Bogg Bag are extremely different companies–aside from the fact that each has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. And it turns out, they are all fascinating case studies in appealing to customers, both online and offline. Bogg Bag, founded by Kim Vaccarella, out of Lodi, New Jersey, landed on the Inc. 5000 this year and expects to book over $100 million in revenue by the end of 2024. Kendra Scott, the Texas-based jewelry brand, continues to evolve with its customers online–and meets them where they are on campuses, too. And the Stanley cup stans are seriously engaged and proudly express it through TikTok and other social media channels. They might wonder: How on earth is this a 110-year-old company? Donaldson explains, and also dishes about her interview with the marketing genius behind both the Stanley brand shift that brought it to a new generation and the proliferation of Crocs. Source notes and additional research and information: Read: How Preppy Cult Brands Captured the Imagination and Wallets of Female Consumers, by Ali Donaldson, on Inc.com Read: How This Marketing Pro Got Crocs on Every Celebrity–and Also Was Behind the Stanley Tumbler Trend Listen: Kendra Scott interviewed on Inc.’s What I Know podcast Read: How Kendra Scott Crafted a Remarkably Wholesome Customer Service Philosophy Read: A history of Stanley Cups, via Stanley1813.com Read: Dive into the 2024 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in America Visit: Kendra Scott Visit: Bogg Bag Apple Podcasts Spotify

    41 min

  5. SEP 30

    Can Parachute Find Sustained Profitability as DTC's Golden Age Wanes?

    Ariel Kaye spent 10 years working in advertising and brand development in New York City before launching the Los Angeles-based home-goods brand Parachute. So she was equipped with insight into consumer purchase behavior and folks’ growing interest in comfort, quality, craftsmanship, and social responsibility—all of which are now tenets of the Parachute brand.   When it launched in 2014, Parachute was not only early to focus on sustainability and quality, but also early to the direct-to-consumer party. “We immediately saw this massive reaction from the customer,” Kaye says. And venture capitalists agreed. Parachute raised $47 million by 2018. Kaye didn’t stop there: She pursued an omnichannel strategy, starting with opening her first location in Venice, California.    It’s been a wild ride. She now has 25 stores, and plenty of brand collaborations. While the company has had moments of profitability, sustained profits have remained elusive. It’s a fascinating moment in time, as DTC companies across the United States continue a slow death march, and Kaye has stepped down as CEO of her brand. Inc. executive editor Diana Ransom and Kaye get into the future of Parachute in its quest for sustained profitability, what sustainability and circularity mean to brands today, and what it’s like stepping down from the helm of the company she founded. Read more about Ariel, Parachute, and the brand’s quest for profitability, on Inc.com  How Ariel Kaye opened Parachute’s first brick-and-mortar storefront, on Inc.com Parachute’s website Parachute’s mentorship and grant program for Black-owned small businesses Read more about Supercircle saves textiles from landfills: How a Supply Chain Startup Is Making Recycling in the Apparel Industry Scalable Apple Podcasts Spotify

    42 min

  6. SEP 27

    Unwrapping AI: How New Tech Enhances Holiday Season Sales

    Are you ready to take advantage of AI and the latest performance marketing tools to elevate your holiday sales? The explosion of AI tools in recent years has transformed key sectors like medicine and finance, but AI is also empowering small and medium-size businesses as they seek to elevate sales via online advertising. This impact is most evident during the all-important holiday season, when last year alone, AI-driven predictive recommendations generated nearly $200 billion in sales, according to Salesforce. From personalization and creative diversification to lead generation and customer support, AI offers a wide range of capabilities for companies looking to create efficiencies, unlock new audiences, and ultimately drive sales. But while AI is the latest trend helping SMBs level up their game, the question is, how else can marketers set up their ad strategies to maximize performance through Q4? In this custom episode, Skai Blue Media Founder Rakia Reynolds sits down with Meta’s Director of Small Business Group North America Becky Bui, KiwiCo Associate Director of Marketing Jonathan Fukuhara, and Jewels & Aces Founder & Designer Grace Wong. They discuss when you should get serious about planning for the holiday season, when the right time to integrate AI into your marketing strategy is, and which tools are most appropriate and for which outcomes? And, finally, how you can make the most of measurement and testing to prepare for the peak sales season.

    23 min

  7. SEP 23

    What Women Founders Still Have to Prove

    Anu Duggal has funded the businesses of hundreds of women—and has seen multiple hundred-million-dollar-plus exits. Now, she’s trying to make a statement.   For our season opener, we sat down with Anu Duggal, the founding partner of Female Founders Fund, a seed-stage venture capitalist fund focused on providing early-stage funding for startups by women entrepreneurs. Female Founders Fund has invested in more than 75 companies, including the digital financial service Tala, the razor company Billie, and the women’s health care company Maven Clinic. Ten years into running her fund, Duggal says she still has something to prove: “We’re really trying to make more of a statement than your typical VC fund that’s only looking for returns.”   Since starting Female Founders Fund in 2014, Anu has been a helping hand for female founders, but how is she navigating what companies to invest in during an election year? She speaks to Inc. editor-at-large Christine Lagorio-Chafkin about pulling back from funding direct-to-consumer brands, whether AI startups are forming a bubble, the female founder ecosystem, and her journey from being an entrepreneur to leading a fund working to bolster startups by women—and proving a point along the way. Article and transcript Read more about Female Founder Fund The Female Founders Fund website Apple Podcasts Spotify

    34 min

  8. AUG 14

    Sales lessons from America's fastest-growing companies

    Inc. editor-in-chief Mike Hofman and Salesforce's Adam Alfano talk about sales leadership and best practices based on an exclusive survey of Inc. 5000 companies.

    16 min
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About

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.

Information

  • Channel
    Inc.
  • Creator
    Inc. Magazine
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2024
  • Episodes
    41
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Inc. Business Media
  • Show Website
    From the Ground Up

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