Starting Small

Scarlett Chase: Sandra Powers Murphy

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Sandra Powers Murphy spent decades building a career in finance — running her own firm, working with institutional clients, and raising six kids alo...

Colossal: Mary Hagen

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mary Hagen knew early she wanted to build something — launching her first business at 20. Today, she’s the CEO of Colossal, a company that’s qui...

Magiktea: Julian Tcherassi

27 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Julian Tcherassi didn’t start Magiktea trying to compete with traditional tea brands. He found something most people had never heard of — palo azu...

Pulp Riot / Danger Jones: David Thurston

13 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

sunday: Christine De Wendel

07 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 Mano...

MarqVision: Mark Lee

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Saddleback Leather Co. - Dave Munson

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 leathe...

Art of Tea: Steve Schwartz

16 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 d...

CellarTracker: Eric LeVine

09 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 owne...

LIT: Justin Norris

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After years running a packed West Hollywood fitness studio and launching multiple FitTech products, revenue flattened, Justin Norris' health slipped, ...

Archer (Formerly Country Archer): Eugene Kang

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 relie...

French Florist: Michael Jacobson

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When Michael Jacobson took over his uncle’s barely-profitable flower shop in 2018, many saw a sinking business — he saw potential. Through a mix o...

Pocono Mountain Maple: Nicole Bentler

08 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the founder of Pocono Mountain Maple, a 450-acre certified organic maple farm located in the heart of Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, Nicole has...

Whisker (Litter-Robot): Jacob Zuppke

24 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From early experiments in pet tech to running one of the most successful bootstrapped companies in the country, Jacob Zuppke has led Whisker (maker of...

Nomi Health: Mark Newman

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Newman has spent his career fixing broken systems. At just 20, he co-founded HireVue, a company that reimagined hiring through video interviews, ...

MINNIDIP: Emily Vaca

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Emily Vaca launched MINNIDIP in 2017 as a bold antidote to sad blue kiddie pools — designing a sleek, adult-friendly inflatable that was missing in ...

Highland: Boone Whiteside and Ben Medalie

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What started on a Denver apartment stovetop has turned into an eight-figure clean haircare brand trusted by tastemakers and barbers alike. In this epi...

BeatBox Beverages: Justin Fenchel

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I'm joined by Justin Fenchel, co-founder and CEO of BeatBox Beverages, one of the fastest-growing RTD (Ready-To-Drink) brands in the U...

Rotten: Michael Fisher

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Fisher was making gummy worms in his kitchen during COVID when he realized candy hadn’t been reimagined for today’s consumer. With no food...

HOP WTR: Jordan Bass

30 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a career in venture capital and running e-commerce at The Wonderful Company, Jordan Bass set out to reinvent the occasion of “cracking a cold ...

Full Glass Wine Co.: Neha Kumar

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In less than two years, Neha Kumar has helped build Full Glass Wine Co. into one of the fastest-scaling wine companies in the U.S., completing 7 acqui...

Gardyn: FX Rouxel

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After building a career in AI and tech, FX Rouxel set out to solve a massive problem: how to grow real food at home—without soil, land, or waste. He...

Free Rein Coffee: Karl Pfluger, Paul Anderson, and Arlyn Davich

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Co-founders Karl Pfluger, Paul Anderson, and Arlyn Davich teamed up with actor Cole Hauser to acquire a 25-year-old roastery in San Angelo, TX. Since ...

Ozlo (sleepbuds): N.B. Patil

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After 22 years at Bose, N.B. Patil left with the IP behind their discontinued Sleepbuds—and turned it into the most funded sleep product in Indiegog...

Forbes Functions: Cameron Forbes

20 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I'm joined by Cameron Forbes of Forbes Functions, a full-service event planning agency known for creating stylish, story-driven event...

REBEL: Emily Hosie

15 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Emily Hosie spent over a decade inside some of the biggest names in off-price retail—Saks Off 5th, Holt Renfrew, and TJX—before launching REBEL, t...

Halfday Iced Tea: Mike Lombardo

30 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Lombardo didn’t come from food and bev. He was a college student, Army National Guard soldier, and drummer chasing big ideas. But when his high...

Heraclea: Berk Bahceci

30 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Berk Bahceci left a career in antitrust law in Washington, D.C., to build something deeply personal. Born in Turkey and raised around olive groves, Be...

Aceable: Blake Garrett

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From a nearly $50k debt to a multi-million dollar company, Blake Garrett, founder of Aceable, didn’t follow the usual path. In this episode, Blake s...

Curious elixirs: JW Wiseman

26 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Starting Small, we’re joined by JW Wiseman, founder of Curious Elixirs, a booze-free craft cocktail company that’s changing the...

Staff: Charlie Weisman

18 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Starting Small, we’re joined by Charlie Weisman, founder of Staff, a brand that's redefining the most overlooked items in our hom...

Elix: Lulu Ge

12 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Starting Small, we chat with Lulu Ge, founder of Elix, a wellness brand that’s changing how women approach health. Lulu’s journ...

G2A.com :Bartosz Skwarczek

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I'm joined by Bartosz Skwarczek of G2A. He started G2A in 2010 with a small team and a big idea—create the world’s largest digital...

Birdy Grey: Grace Lee Chen

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I'm joined by Grace Lee Chan of Birdy Grey, the direct-to-consumer bridal brand that’s shaking up the wedding industry. Grace Lee Ch...

Former CEO of 7-Eleven & Blockbuster: Jim Keyes

09 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I'm joined by Jim Keyes, the former CEO of 7-Eleven and Blockbuster, to talk through his journey from humble beginnings to leading two...

Trainual: Chris & Jonathan Ronzio

28 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I'm joined by Chris & Jonathan Ronzio of Trainual, the leading SaaS platform transforming the way businesses onboard, train, and ...

Career Group Companies: Susan Levine

22 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Susan Levine, founder of Career Group Companies. Susan didn’t just build a recruiting agency—she redefined the indu...

Boxbollen: Jacob and Victor Eriksson

14 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Jacob and Victor Eriksson, founders of Boxbollen. What do Khloe Kardashian, Will Smith, and thousands of TikTok creator...

Pattern Brands: Suze Dowling

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Suze Dowling, co-founder of Pattern Brands. Suze Dowling has spent her career shaping some of the most recognizable bra...

Yo Mama's: David Habib

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by David Habib, founder of Yo Mama's. Tired of bland, preservative-packed sauces that caused him relentless heartburn, Dav...

HEALiX: Mike Browne

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Mike Browne, founder of HEALiX Infrared. Mike shares his transformative journey from competitive hockey and professiona...

SUGARED + BRONZED: Courtney Claghorn

10 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Courtney Claghorn of SUGARED + BRONZED, the national leader in sugaring and spray tanning services with over 38 locatio...

Happy Home: Priya Vij

09 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Priya of Hapny Home, a brand redefining hardware with its curated collection of solid brass pieces. Growing up immersed...

Fur: Laura Schubert & Lillian Tung

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Lillian Tung and Laura Schubert, lifelong friends and co-founders of Fur, pioneered the pubic hair and skin care catego...

Filterbuy: David Heacock

20 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by David Heacock, Founder of Filterbuy. David took a bold leap from a seven-figure career at Goldman Sachs to save his fam...

We Feed Raw: Amy Zalneraitis

13 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Amy Zalneraitis, co-founder of We Feed Raw, the fastest-growing DTC raw dog food company. Amy shares the deeply persona...

Bartesian: Ryan Close

06 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Ryan Close, Founder & CEO of Bartesian, behind the revolutionary at-home cocktail machine that has transformed home...

Renais: Alex Watson (w/ Emma Watson)

03 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Alex Watson, co-founder of Renais—a premium gin crafted from upcycled grape skins sourced from his family's renowned ...

Homage: Ryan Vesler

22 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Ryan Vesler, founder of Homage, building a brand that transforms nostalgia into iconic apparel, celebrating pop culture...

W: Woodie Hillyard (w/ Jake Paul)

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Woodie Hillyard, Co-Founder and CEO of W, co-founded by Jake Paul, a disruptive personal care brand redefining men’s ...

Evvy: Priyanka Jain

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Priyanka Jain, founder and CEO of Evvy, transforming women’s health by building the largest dataset on the vaginal mi...

Airtasker: Tim Fung

02 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Tim Fung, founder and CEO of Airtasker, the platform that connects people with skilled local taskers to get more done. ...

EBY: Renata Black

25 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Renata Black, founder of EBY, a brand committed to both innovation in intimate apparel and women’s empowerment worldw...

Training Mate: Luke Milton

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Luke Milton, former professional Australian rugby player and founder of Training Mate, the fitness brand that blends HI...

NightCap: Shirah Benarde

11 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Shirah Benarde, co-founder of NightCap, who created the drink spiking prevention tool at just 16 after a friend’s har...

Rodial: Maria Hatzistefanis

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Dragons' Den judge Maria Hatzistefanis, CEO and Founder of Rodial, a high-end skincare and beauty brand. Launched in 19...

Rootine: Rachel Sanders

29 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Rachel Sanders, CEO and Founder of Rootine, science-backed, personalized health solutions like fast-acting adaptogen dr...

UNREAL Snacks: Kevin McCarthy

20 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Kevin McCarthy, CEO of UNREAL Snacks, making addicting chocolate snacks without the unnecessary sugar. Over the last 10...

HumanCo (HuKitchen/Chocolate): Jason Karp

13 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Jason Karp, Founder and CEO of HumanCo, a next-generation family of trusted brands that make your favorite foods better...

CertifyOS: Anshul Rathi

10 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Anshul Rathi, Founder and CEO of Certify, a healthcare provider management company that takes an API-first approach to ...

Ollie & Pumpkin: Alex Douzet

23 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Alex Douzet, co-founder and CEO of Pumpkin®, the highest-rated pet insurance provider on Google as of January 2024, an...

Solely: Simon Sacal

16 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Simon Sacal, CEO of Solely, a vertically integrated clean fruit snack company that diverts over 1.6 million pounds of f...

Ro(man) & Snagged.com: Rob Schutz

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Rob Schutz , Co-Founder of Ro and Snagged.com. Rob started TWO +$1B companies and now spends his time hunting premium d...

ROAR Organic: Roly Nesi

02 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Roy Nesi, Founder of ROAR Organic, delivering Complete Hydration products with replenishing electrolytes packed into ev...

DeeBee's Organics: Dr. Dionne Baker

26 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Dr. Dionne Baker, Founder of DeeBee's Organics, all-natural SuperFruit Freezie Pops & fruit-filled treats. With a P...

Doughlicious: Kathryn Bricken

24 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Kathryn Bricken, Founder of Doughlicious, award-winning gluten-free, dairy-free, & vegan, ready to bake cookie doug...

Prime Roots: Kim Lee

28 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Kim Le, Co-Founder of Prime Roots, taking on the plant-based meat industry, one deli counter at a time. Prime Roots has...

HexClad: Danny Winer

25 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Founded only 8 years ago, HexClad is now one of the fastest growing cookware brands in the world, growing more than 100% YOY nearly every year since i...

Âme Atendre: Ashley Gould (ex-CAO of JUUL, ex-CLO of 23andMe)

25 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Ashley Gould, Founder of Âme Atendre™. Âme Atendre™, translating to “tend to the soul” in French, captures th...

BFG Partners: Tom Spier

11 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Tom Spier, Founder of BFG Partners, a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage consumer products including the ...

Bezel: Quaid Walker

04 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Quaid Walker, Founder of Bezel, a marketplace for authenticated luxury watches with +$400M in listings from Rolex, Aude...

Happy Coffee, EOS, Method, Hello Products: Craig Dubitsky

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Craig Dubitsky, Co-Founder & CEO of Happy Coffee, alongside actor Robert Downey Jr. Slow roasted coffee creates com...

IQBAR: Will Nitze

10 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Will Nitze, Founder & CEO of IQBAR, the leading brain and body nutrition company most known for their low-sugar, hi...

GOODLES: Jen Zeszut

03 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Jen Zest of GOODLES. GOODLES quickly took over the mac and cheese category with its bold packaging and “adult” flav...

Entrupy: Vidyuth Srinivasan

19 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Vidyuth Srinivasan of Entrupy, scalable AI-powered solutions for product verification—anytime, anywhere. At the palm ...

Frame Fitness: Melissa Bentivoglio and Lee Belzberg

12 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Melissa and Lee of Frame Fitness, the first at-home, digitally-connected pilates reformer. The husband-and-wife team be...

Wildwonder: Rosa Li

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Rosa Li of Wildwonder, the world’s first prebiotic + probiotic sparkling drink. As a child, Rosa Li was inspired by h...

Pop & Bottle: Jash Mehta

29 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Jash Mehta of Pop & Bottle, serving up pure, organic almond and oat lattes using simple ingredients. Jash and her c...

Kanga Coolers: Austin Maxwell

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Austin Maxwell of Kanga Coolers, the worlds first iceless cooler for your case, keeping beverages cold for up to 7 hour...

Petaluma: Caroline Buck

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Caroline Buck of Petaluma. As one of the only certified B Corp businesses in any pet category, Petaluma is challenging ...

Firstleaf: Philip James

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Philip James of Firstleaf. Firstleaf has helped over a million people find wines they love. Their custom algorithm meti...

Mad Rabbit: Oliver Zak

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Oliver Zak of Mad Rabbit, your easy tattoo care solution from soothing new ink to reviving & protecting current one...

The Chopping Block: Shelley Young

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Shelley Young of The Chopping Block, Chicago’s premier school for home cooks, offering intimate, interactive cooking ...

ButcherBox: Mike Salguero

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Mike Salguero, CEO and founder of ButcherBox. Founded in 2015, ButcherBox® began with a simple mission to make high-qu...

NON (non-aloholic beverages): Aaron Trotman

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Aaron Trotman of NON, non-alcoholic beverages with bold and complex flavors. Non is redefining the wine occasion using ...

Chubbies: Preston Rutherford

02 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by Preston Rutherford of Chubbies, a weekend apparel brand and leaders of the proper length shorts revolution. Make sure t...

Maderight Furniture: Edgar Blazona (A 21' Starting Small Alum)

26 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by a Starting Small alum from 2021, Edgar Blazona, with his new venture Maderight CA, luxurious, audacious, contemporary f...