Starting Small

Cameron Nagle
  • 4.9 (63)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Starting Small, is a podcast hosted by entrepreneur Cameron Nagle. Tune in, as Cameron interviews CEO‘s, founders, and entrepreneurs, discussing the stories on how their organizations and businesses were created from the ground up.

  1. 4H AGO

    Pulp Riot / Danger Jones: David Thurston

    David Thurston didn’t set out to build the fastest-growing hair color brand in professional beauty history. But that’s exactly what happened. As the founder of Pulp Riot, David created a brand that shook up the salon industry — bold colors, artist-first culture, and a community that felt more like a movement than a product line. Just 23 months after launch, Pulp Riot was acquired by L’Oréal for $150M. The day the deal closed, David was sitting in a Jersey Mike’s when a bank notification popped up: $85M had just hit his account. Seven years later, he and his wife Alexis are back building — this time with Danger Jones, a brand that blends hair color, fashion, and film into something entirely different from traditional beauty companies. No corporate playbook. No venture capital. Just creativity, community, and a belief that artists deserve a brand that actually represents them. In this episode, David shares the full story behind Pulp Riot’s meteoric rise, what really happens after a life-changing exit, and why he decided to start over — building Danger Jones from scratch across 43 countries. Make sure to check them out at: https://www.dangerjonescreative.com/   Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/ Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup   Follow Starting Small: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Startingsmallpod/?modal=admin_todo_tour LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle   Thank you to this episode's mid-break sponsor, Morelux. If you’re someone who practices at home — golf, baseball, or really any ball sport — you know how hard it is to find gear that’s actually built to take a beating. That’s what impressed me about Morelux. They sent over one of their heavy-duty frame and net setups, and the first thing I noticed was the build quality. Their systems use thick steel frames and high-density mesh designed to absorb serious impact — not the flimsy nets that wobble or tear after a few sessions. It’s been perfect for our space. Super quick to set up, incredibly sturdy, and honestly just makes practicing way more fun. Make sure to check them our at https://www.morelux.store/

    47 min

  2. 5D AGO

    sunday: Christine De Wendel

    Christine de Wendel spent more than a decade helping scale two of Europe’s biggest startup success stories — first at Zalando, then as COO of ManoMano. Both companies grew from early-stage startups into multi-billion-dollar businesses. But at 40 years old, with three kids and years of scale-up experience behind her, Christine decided it was time to build something of her own. That idea became sunday — a simple but powerful solution that lets diners pay their restaurant bill instantly by scanning a QR code. What started during the chaos of COVID quickly turned into one of the fastest-growing platforms in hospitality tech. Today, sunday processes billions in payments each year and is used by restaurants around the world — from independent spots to major dining groups like TAO, Boqueria, Bareburger, and La Pecora Bianca. In this episode, Christine shares the full story behind sunday: moving back to the U.S. after 15 years abroad, starting a company with a restaurant operator friend during the pandemic, raising $25M in just weeks, and building a company now processing billions in payments. Make sure to check them out at: https://sundayapp.com/   Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/ Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup   Follow Starting Small: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Startingsmallpod/?modal=admin_todo_tour LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle

    38 min

  3. FEB 24

    MarqVision: Mark Lee

    Mark Lee started MarqVision while earning his J.D. at Harvard Law, convinced that brand protection was about to break. Counterfeiting and IP theft had grown into a $3 trillion global problem, but enforcement still relied on manual takedowns and fragmented systems. He believed AI could change that. Five years later, MarqVision has raised $90M, doubled revenue in a single year, and is now trusted by 350+ global brands including LVMH, MLB, MrBeast, Lush, Allbirds, Casetify, Panda Express, and Stüssy. The company is helping brands move beyond reactive enforcement toward measurable “cleanliness” across marketplaces — a shift Mark believes will define brand protection in 2026 and beyond.   Make sure to check them out at: https://www.marqvision.com   Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/ Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup   Follow Starting Small: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Startingsmallpod/?modal=admin_todo_tour LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle

    49 min

  4. FEB 23

    Saddleback Leather Co. - Dave Munson

    Dave Munson didn’t launch Saddleback Leather with a business plan. He was living in Mexico, burned out from ministry work, when he designed a leather bag he couldn’t find anywhere — simple, rugged, built to last. A local craftsman made it. Strangers kept stopping him to ask where they could get one. He went back, had a small batch made, and started selling them one by one. That small run turned into Saddleback Leather Co., now known worldwide for overbuilt bags backed by a 100-year warranty and a philosophy that products should be strong enough to be fought over when you’re gone. Dave went from selling on eBay to owning his own factory, collaborating with brands like Toyota and Major League Baseball, and building a loyal following of more than 250,000 customers who value durability over trends. Make sure to check them out at: https://saddlebackleather.com/   Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/ Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup   Follow Starting Small: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Startingsmallpod/?modal=admin_todo_tour LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle

    27 min

  5. JAN 16

    Art of Tea: Steve Schwartz

    Steve Schwartz didn’t start Art of Tea because tea was trendy. He started it after watching Western medicine fail his mother. That moment sent him down a path few founders take — studying Ayurveda, working in herbal pharmacies, traveling the world to source botanicals, and learning how plants affect the body at a deep, functional level. Art of Tea began in a living room, blending by hand, making just enough money to survive week to week. Today, it’s an award-winning tea company trusted by the White House, Caesars Palace, Wolfgang Puck, Slack, and The Peninsula Hotel.  Make sure to check out Art of Tea at: https://bit.ly/442ubxt   Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX Register for Starting Small Summit 2026: https://startingsmallmedia.org/startingsmallsummit Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/ Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup   Follow Starting Small: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Startingsmallpod/?modal=admin_todo_tour LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle

    41 min

  6. JAN 9

    CellarTracker: Eric LeVine

    Eric LeVine didn’t set out to build a startup. He was a Microsoft engineer during the dot-com boom who just wanted to keep track of the wine he owned. So he built a simple spreadsheet — an “Excel for wine” — to organize his own cellar. Friends started asking for access. Then friends of friends. In 2003, Eric put the tool online. That side project became CellarTracker. Today, it has 10M+ users, tracks over $21B worth of wine, and has quietly become the most trusted platform in the wine world. In this episode, Eric walks through turning a personal itch into global infrastructure, why obsession with data and community mattered more than monetization early on, and how CellarTracker now uses AI to help people know when to drink a bottle — not just what they own. Make sure to check out CellarTracker at: https://www.cellartracker.com/   Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX Register for Starting Small Summit 2026: https://startingsmallmedia.org/startingsmallsummit Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/ Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup   Follow Starting Small: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Startingsmallpod/?modal=admin_todo_tour LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle   Starting Small is powered by Riverside.fm, the AI-powered platform that lets you record, edit, repurpose,and distribute studio-quality content as easily as if you had a crew behind you. Check them out now at https://riverside.com/

    42 min

  7. 12/12/2025

    LIT: Justin Norris

    After years running a packed West Hollywood fitness studio and launching multiple FitTech products, revenue flattened, Justin Norris' health slipped, and the business stalled. A single cold plunge changed everything. The clarity he felt stepping out of the water sparked a pivot that would take LIT from a traditional fitness brand to a design-forward recovery company now backed by pro athletes and top investors. Today, LIT is redefining the recovery category with premium cold plunges, infrared saunas, and turnkey solutions for gyms, studios, and hospitality groups. In this episode, Justin breaks down how he rebuilt the business from the inside out — the mindset shift, the product decisions, and the bet on recovery becoming the next wave in wellness. Make sure to check out LIT at: https://www.litmethod.com/   Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX Register for Starting Small Summit 2026: https://startingsmallmedia.org/startingsmallsummit Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/ Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup   Follow Starting Small: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Startingsmallpod/?modal=admin_todo_tour LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle   Thank you to this episodes mid-break sponsor, Blue Sky. Blue Sky Clayworks has been hand-crafting whimsical, high-quality collectible ceramics for over 20 years — from seasonal candle houses and detailed figurines to tabletop classics you’ll want out year-round. Each piece is individually hand-painted and hand-packed to arrive perfect, and fans rave that the designs are unlike anything else you’ll find. Check out their 12 days of giving until Dec 12th for 20% off deals at https://blueskyclayworks.com/

    31 min

  8. 12/05/2025

    Archer (Formerly Country Archer): Eugene Kang

    At 22 years old, Eugene Kang bought a tiny jerky business from an 80-year-old butcher he met on a road trip. It was doing about $500K a year and relied entirely on private-label production. Over the next fourteen years, he rebuilt everything — the brand, the manufacturing, the product strategy — transforming it into Archer, one of the fastest-growing companies in meat snacks. From navigating USDA operations as a first-time founder, to unlocking national retail doors through a licensed Sriracha SKU that flipped early “no’s” into “yeses”, Eugene grew Archer into a projected $500M brand by 2026, with 90% YoY growth in 2024. In this conversation, he breaks down the operational grind, the rebrand from Country Archer to Archer, and how sticks became the engine behind one of the biggest category expansions in modern snacking. Make sure to check out Archer at: https://archerjerky.com/   Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX Register for Starting Small Summit 2026: https://startingsmallmedia.org/startingsmallsummit Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/ Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup   Follow Starting Small: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Startingsmallpod/?modal=admin_todo_tour LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle

    28 min
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4.9
out of 5
63 Ratings

About

Starting Small, is a podcast hosted by entrepreneur Cameron Nagle. Tune in, as Cameron interviews CEO‘s, founders, and entrepreneurs, discussing the stories on how their organizations and businesses were created from the ground up.

Information

  • Creator
    Cameron Nagle
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    264
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Starting Small

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