Innovator Insights Innovator Insights

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the CEO and Founder of The Ollie World, Hindi Zeidman. Hindi's path to entrepreneurship was unconventional. As a single mom by choice living in Southern California, she faced the daunting task of balancing her personal life with her entrepreneurial ambitions. Hindi grew up in an entrepreneurial family, which laid the groundwork for her business ventures. However, her initial career in social work, while fulfilling, took an emotional toll on her. It was through her work with drug-exposed infants in the foster care system that she found the inspiration for her groundbreaking product, the Ollie Swaddle.
The story of Oliver, a drug-exposed infant, was the catalyst for the Ollie Swaddle. Witnessing the struggles of these vulnerable babies, Hindi was moved to create a product that could make a real difference in their lives. Despite her lack of experience in crafting and sewing, she embarked on the prototyping stage, facing the challenges of sourcing materials and production head-on.
Starting a business is never easy, and Hindi's journey was no exception. She candidly shared the struggles of placing a large purchase order without a full grasp of manufacturing and distribution complexities. Rejection from larger retailers was disheartening, but Hindi found a silver lining through social media, which allowed her to connect with her community and find success through e-commerce.
Scaling the business brought its own set of challenges, including issues with manufacturers and supply chain disruptions. Hindi recounted the difficult period when Ollie World was out of stock for an entire year, affecting her team and the business profoundly. The shipping and freight crisis added another layer of complexity to restocking inventory.
Learn more about Hindi's work HERE and HERE.
Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.
To learn more about Henrik Johansson's work at Gembah, check out his website at https://gembah.com/.

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the CEO and Founder of RKS Design, Ravi Sawhney. Ravi's journey begins in the San Fernando Valley, where his early passion for design led him to work as a model maker at just 19. His talent quickly propelled him to a position at Xerox, where he was part of the pioneering team that developed the first touchscreen interface. This experience was the bedrock of Ravi's human-centered design philosophy, a concept that would guide his illustrious career.
Ravi's entrepreneurial spirit was not driven by a desire for wealth but by a profound need to create and improve lives through design. He shared a simple yet powerful business strategy: make a list of 100 contacts and start cold calling. By the time he reached number 93, Ravi had more business than he could handle, and RKS Design was born.
Learn more about Ravi's work HERE, HERE, and HERE.
Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.
To learn more about Henrik Johansson's work at Gembah, check out his website at https://gembah.com/.

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the Co-Founder and CEO of Harbor, Founder and Chairman of the Board at Mizzen+Main, Kevin Lavelle. Kevin's story begins in sunny Florida, where he grew up before moving to Dallas, Texas, for college. Dallas became his home, where he now lives with his wife and two kids. Outside of his business ventures, Kevin enjoys golfing and staying fit—a testament to his dedication to excellence in all areas of life.
The idea for Mizzen+Main, a company specializing in performance fabric dress shirts, simmered in Kevin's mind for years before he launched the product in 2012. Bucking the trend of exhaustive business plans, Kevin focused on creating a quality product and getting it into customers' hands. A dinner with Daymond John from "Shark Tank" proved pivotal, as it shifted his strategy to include wholesale—a move that would significantly impact the brand's trajectory.
Kevin's latest project, Harbor, was born from a need for a reliable baby monitor. He shared the challenges of raising funds, with Mizzen+Main being self-funded and later raising $4 million from angel investors. The brand's significant growth, reaching hundreds of millions in revenue and profitability, was a testament to the power of brand-building and press coverage.
Harbor stands out with its direct camera-to-monitor connection, bypassing the internet for enhanced security, and includes a memory chip for storing footage. Kevin's mission with Harbor is to provide parents with a reliable tool that reduces stress, steering clear of the fear-based marketing common in the industry.
Learn more about Kevin's work HERE, HERE, and HERE.
Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.
To learn more about Henrik Johansson's work at Gembah, check out his website at https://gembah.com/.

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the Founder and CEO of SunSail Shades, David Hathaway. The inspiration for SunSail Shades struck David during a family vacation in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. There, he encountered a beach shade called a kaboom shade. The design intrigued him, but he couldn't find anything like it online. Sensing an opportunity, David set out to create an affordable beach shade solution that could stand out in the market.
The journey wasn't easy. David faced the challenge of innovating around existing patents, which required extensive intellectual property research and collaboration with engineers. His hands-on approach and proximity to the beach allowed for real-world testing and refinement of his product.
Learn more about David's work HERE and HERE.
Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.
To learn more about Henrik Johansson's work at Gembah, check out his website at https://gembah.com/.

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the Founder of Rosbach Consulting, Travis Rosbach. Before Travis became an entrepreneurial sensation, his life was a series of high-octane jobs that would make any thrill-seeker envious. As a dive master, scuba dive instructor, boat captain, and even an airline pilot, Travis' background is as diverse as it is exciting. But beneath this adventurous exterior was a passion for business, kindled by his family's entrepreneurial spirit. This passion led him to explore various ventures, each one building the foundation for his future success.
The idea for Hydroflask was born out of frustration—a frustration we've all felt with products that don't meet our needs. For Travis, it was the lack of a suitable water bottle that could withstand the rigors of his active lifestyle. The pivotal moment came when he noticed empty shelves in a sporting goods store and envisioned them filled with his own product. Despite the self-doubt and uncertainty that plague many entrepreneurs, Travis took the leap.
Starting a business is never easy, and Travis's journey was no exception. Launching Hydroflask during the 2008 financial crisis meant self-funding the business, taking on credit card debt, and facing moments of fear and doubt. But Travis's resilience shone through. He shared the challenges of producing 40,000 bottles a month, a number that would eventually triple, and the financial strain of ordering from the factory, which required a significant upfront investment.
Travis' story is a testament to the power of grassroots growth. He began selling Hydroflask at local markets and trade shows, gradually expanding to retail stores. A significant partnership with Whole Foods marked a turning point, and soon, the business was growing at an astonishing rate. This rapid expansion required establishing warehouses, hiring staff, and embracing new marketing channels like social media and e-commerce giants such as Amazon.
Learn more about Travis' work HERE and HERE.
Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.
To learn more about Henrik Johansson's work at Gembah, check out his website at https://gembah.com/.

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the Founder of GoAtomico and GoBrixy, Kevin Brodwick. Kevin's first venture was a small software company named Akiddo, which pivoted to business fraud detection. Despite its potential, the company faced significant challenges, including a critical loss of talent to Apple Computers, leading to its closure. However, it was his work at a lab funded by the National Institutes of Health that sparked the idea for Thinkbaby and Thinksport. Witnessing firsthand the toxic chemicals in consumer products, Kevin was determined to create safer alternatives, especially for baby bottles that contained BPA.
Developing these products was no easy feat. Kevin recounted the hurdles of finding suitable materials, vetting manufacturers, and designing products that met new testing standards. He didn't shy away from the financial risks either, investing his life savings and seeking funding from venture capitalists in Austin. His mission-driven approach was clear as he aimed to establish credibility across multiple product categories.
Learn more about Kevin's work HERE, HERE, and HERE.
Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.
To learn more about Henrik Johansson's work at Gembah, check out his website at https://gembah.com/.