To fulfill the packaging piece of their pixel-to-package promise, Narvar recently acquired Lumi! In this episode, Stephan and Amit talk about the flux in consumer expectations, what it takes for brands to please customers now, and what's next for Lumi and Narvar.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images.

Whenever climate change swoops in in the form of a flood, fire, or fuzzy caterpillars, Kendra is there to follow the story. Despite her "Gloom is my beat" Twitter username, Kendra has a bullish way of making you care about climate change — in her writing and in her reporting on How to Save a Planet. She does it by rooting her reporting in human stories, offering actionable solutions, and making it funny whenever possible.

On this episode, she pulls no punches and cracks lots of laughs. Get ready to get real about shifting climate responsibility from consumers to companies, devaluing oil, and being fueled by obligation over hope.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images.

After designing, building, and strategizing some of the most iconic modern brands — from Sweetgreen and Whole Foods to Warby Parker and Everlane — his design agency Gin Lane closed to pursue Pattern Brands. They're scaling down and venturing out to build a thoughtful collaborative of home brands that are, of course, stunningly functional and instantly essential.

In this episode, Emmett cuts right to the chase of what it took to get in the room with legacy fashion brands, the design and marketing strategy that built iconic ecommerce brands, and what he's looking for in new brands for Pattern.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images.

You're probably familiar with predictive text models offering suggestions for sentences in your Gmail or text messages. Sudowrite is built off of Open AI's GPT-3 model, and it generates word patterns based on learnings from millions of sentences online.

Amit's passion for writing took him down the path to build Sudowrite. While Sudowrite predicts the paths for a most immediate future — what words could come next — Amit's optimistic sci-fi imagines a more long term future. In this episode, he talks about breaking away from the dystopian sci-fi status quo, the upside of robots writing your emails, and how to chisel away at creative blocks by using learned word patterns.

Visit the Lumi blog for links, charts, and images.

Reggie James is the CEO and founder of Eternal, a new kind of identity platform. He's rejecting the comforting nostalgia of what users have "liked," and building a new way forward. In this episode, he challenges what we think about when we think about our online identity, praises the future-thinking theories of game design, and pushes product designers to think beyond the container.

Tyler Mincey is always thinking about the long view of new products. He's brought his decade of product experience from Apple, Fictive Kin, and Pearl Automation to the VC, Bolt, and on this episode, he's disassembling generations of past products and optimistically building toward a future that he's excited to invest in.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and show notes.

Returning guest Laura Behrens Wu is the CEO and founder of the shipping platform, Shippo and she had a front row seat to watch the rapid growth of brands and shipping providers. In this episode, she's unpacking the past year of shipping from every perspective: consumer, brand, and carrier.

Visit the Lumi blog for links, charts, and images.

Every one of his trips to Asia in the past fifty years has led to this 1000-page, three-volume book, capturing 9,000 photos. Kevin is known for being an eloquent futurist, a purveyor of tech and cool tools, and the founding executive editor of Wired. So at first glance, this project may seem like a departure from his work. But in this, his second visit on the Well Made podcast, Kevin shares how this 50-year visual anthology taps into what it means to plan for a payoff that will come after your lifetime.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images.

To build patient supply chain partnerships and keep an only-the-best product catalog, Jeremiah says they have to take their time, but you wouldn't know it from their 1 million members.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images.

In the three years since launching Golde, Trinity Mouzon Wofford is perfecting her knack for balance — between accessibility and quality, between scale and mission, and between business partner and life partner.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images.

When founder Kristy Caylor learned that on average, each person in the US sends 70 pounds of fabric to the landfill, it was an epiphany. If you think about how to shrink your annual pile of unwanted clothes, donation, resale, and repair may come to mind. But Kristy was concerned about the items that don't have a place in any of those reuse streams, which is why For Days is focused on basics. There are no greener pastures for your old t-shirts, socks, and underwear — that is until now.

For Days launched with an in-house recovery facility where they receive, source, and grade each item they collect from their takeback program. Depending on the condition and fabric of an item, For Days will rejuvenate it for sale on their site, or ship it to downcycling partners. In this episode, Kristy talks about what it really takes to build a circular fashion brand, how to motivate consumer behavior changes, and where brands need to invest to accelerate real industry progress.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images.

Over two years later, it's a case of same same but different. Hilary is still covering retail and fashion, but as the Americas Editor for Vogue Business. And now, one year into the pandemic, these trend trajectories have spiked, forcing brands to accelerate faster than anyone predicted. The customer-facing shifts came quickly — adapting to an online fashion month, pivoting retail strategies, and riding the ephemeral wave of creator-driven trends. But behind the scenes, supply chain shifts are still happening far too slow, leaving frontline fashion workers shortchanged and overworked, even amidst consumer outcries.

On this episode, Hilary Milnes has optimistic and pessimistic takes on which of these shifts will stick in a post-pandemic world. She also illuminates new opportunities or smaller fashion brands and the ever-growing, ever-elusive role of the "creator."

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images.

First, she says brands have to acknowledge that sustainability is not binary. One product can be more sustainable than another, but sustainability is an ongoing journey rather than a final destination. Next, brands need to define their sustainability strategies and what sustainability looks like to them. This requires unraveling the supply chain of each product to see the impact of your materials, manufacturing, and transit.

It's a lot to unpack, and Alden is always eager to investigate. In this episode, Alden answers the question, "What do we talk about when we talk about sustainability?" She advocates for a bigger focus on factories, warns against recycling red herrings, and confronts the challenge of assigning value to sustainability.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images.

Ian Montgomery says that designing for sustainability is all about getting comfortable with tradeoffs. He is the founder and Creative Director of Guacamole Airplane, a design studio focused on sustainable packaging, and one of the first Lumi Experts. If you've explored the Lumi Sustainability Properties, then you're familiar with Ian's work and his knack for finding clarity, and even conviction, in sustainability's gray areas.

To capture the shoes for recycling, they've developed a subscription model and a dedicated recycling stream. Staying true to the mission, these shoes aren't recycled to turn into other plastic goods down the line — they're recycled into new Cyclon shoes.

It's an experiment that co-founder Caspar Coppetti says is aimed at not only revaluing waste in the supply chain, but slowing down our behavior of consumption. In this episode, he goes in the weeds on sourcing, manufacturing, and open source sustainability after talking about the origins of On and their unique philosophy on sponsorship.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images.

Kristy has a list of impressive side projects in her creative think tank, Tomorrow Looks Bright. It's a place where she does more than invite herself to the table — she creates the table and sits at the head. Kristy's work is always driven by optimism and an urgent need for a more equitable future which doesn't start in a decade, or in a year, but tomorrow.

In this episode, Kristy talks about incentivizing diversity, acting on your values early, designing for millions of people at Slack, and before designing for 30 people with her new fellowship, Made in the Future.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images.

Wylie likes to ask people a simple question, "How many blankets do you have at home?" Then he asks, "How many of the brands can you name?" Outside of heritage brands like Pendleton or Woolrich, there is very little brand loyalty in the blanket business. Beyond that, there's little being done to bring performance textiles into the space.

On this episode, fresh off of his Shark Tank pitch, Wylie shares what he learned from being on the show, how Rumpl continues to scale and differentiate, and why the pandemic took their branding down a few notches on Maslow's hierarchy.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images.

Before he had a logo, or even a brand, Scott had drafted out the unwavering brand principals which deviated far from the norm of the textiles industry. Boll & Branch has adopted and created their own standards that meet or exceed qualifications for ethical labor, sustainable materials, and transparency.

As he puts it, "There are so many issues that exist within this manufacturing cycle, and if you don't break it all apart by starting from scratch, you can't fix it." Tune in to hear how Scott and his wife Missy have built a transparent supply chain that they're proud of.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images.

CEO and co-founder Andy Fallshaw has a unique brand of optimism that's a constant ebb and flow between digging into details, and panning out to see the full picture. On this episode, he's settling into the nuance of sustainability, talking through current and future solutions that adapt and evolve. To build for sustainability, you often have to break a few paradigms along the way.

Visit the Lumi blog for links and images. 

As President, Sara Fritsch works across teams to lead the company mindfully without wavering on quality. Their supply chain is a big part of their value statement and their competitive advantage. They manufacture as much as they can in the US, with the majority of their wares being manufactured and shipped from their very own factory in Portland.

With transparency and control over their supply chain, and a high mix / low volume approach to their catalog, Schoolhouse stays true to the task of making modern heirlooms.

In this episode, hear how Sara defines the criteria of making an heirloom, why employee engagement is their most important driver of success, and how — in a socially distanced era — home is more valuable than ever.

Since selling his company Tictail to Shopify in 2018, Carl has continued on his mission to help brands and shoppers discover each other. To make a marketplace that brings companies straight to customers without the rising costs of acquisition.

In this episode, Stephan talks to Carl about building a platform that gives brands the power of customization while giving customers the ease of streamlined simplicity. They discuss how the Shop team is prioritizing upcoming features, and why email is their main competitor. Carl also shares why the Shopify acquisition was the perfect fit and how the rapid growth of Tictail motivated him to slow down.

Visit the Lumi blog for links, images, and a full transcript.

In the newsletter's 26th issue, Emily is four months into the COVID-19 pandemic and reflecting on a shift in perspective and an overall lack of excitement for new brands — How could I get excited about a skincare company’s content strategy when thousands of people were dying and when I, myself, was doing the bare minimum to care for my skin?

Emily wasn't the only one in a brand rut. If you're immersed in the world of DTC ecommerce brands, you may have noticed that many of them fall within certain archetypes. These archetypes are well documented in a Bloomberg article titled Welcome to Your Bland New World. From fonts and photography to mission and story, the opinion piece chronicles similarities that make some of these brands seem downright interchangeable — but maybe similarity is not always a bad thing.

In this episode, Emily reflects on this article, contemplating the comfort of sameness, our human inclination toward trends, why brands have to have soul, and why sometimes, toothpaste should just be toothpaste.

For images and links, go to the Lumi blog.

Systemic change, Céline says, comes first with unlearning old systems, then relearning by way of open education. In fact, she plans to help boost the public's sustainability literacy with peer-to-peer initiatives like Study Hall, Open Education, and Landfills as Museums — an initiative to show product designers, firsthand, the impact and potential of waste (pictured above).

In this episode, Céline walks us through the perspective shift she's seen in the past nine months, and how optimism and progress can only come with discomfort. 

See links and images on the Lumi blog.

From launch, Who Gives a Crap has had purpose built into their business. They donate half of all their profits to non-profit organizations that are working to improve access to hygiene, water and basic sanitation in developing countries. With a 1,100% increase in sales, that's totaling out to a staggering $4m donation this year.

On top of that, the bulk of the toilet paper they sell is made from 100% recycled paper, and the rest is made from bamboo.

Their witty toilet humor and playful patterns may not be what you'd expect from a brand so grounded in giving back, and that's exactly the idea. In this episode, Danny talks sourcing, branding, and scaling to meet the demands of a pandemic.

You can find images and link on the Lumi Blog.

To answer all these questions, we're talking to Dan Frommer. Dan is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The New Consumer where he researches and writes about why and how people spend their money. (You may remember him from Episode 94.)

Head over to the Lumi blog for links and images.

Diaspora Co. is one of only a few direct trade spice companies out there, and sourcing these spices has been a lesson in disconnecting heirloom spices from the influence of Western colonization. For example, indigenous varieties of turmeric were introduced to the Western world under names which simply reduced them to a color, but with Diaspora Co., Sana is bringing story to Indian spices. In this episode, Sana shares how a more transparent supply chain can be a huge step for food justice. 

Ithaca Hummus can only be found in grocery stores but the founder, Chris Kirby, built the brand to be flexible so they could adapt to times like these. He's always been focused on making sustainable, scalable choices for the business, and that hasn't changed in the pandemic.

On this episode, Chris talks about how the packaging challenges of DTC made them focus their efforts on brick-and-mortar grocery, his biggest takeaways from being part of the Chobani incubator, and how they've had to shift their strategies to adapt to the new expectations of shoppers entering grocery stores.

As Leah Thomas talks about in this episode, Eric Garner's last words, "I can't breathe" take on an even bigger meaning when considering that poor air quality disproportionately affects the lives of people of color.

Leah Thomas studied environmental science and communications before joining the team at Patagonia. With several years experience learning how to message the urgency of climate change, she started her company, Intersectional Environmentalist to provide people with resources that dismantle systems of oppression in the environmental movement.

In this episode, Leah talks about how intersectional environmentalism has gone viral and how she's embracing the moment to build communities and resources for progress.

On this episode, True Botanicals founder Hillary Peterson talks customer education, pricing high performing products, her transition away from CEO, and how True Botanicals had to change their plans amid the pandemic.

Go to the Lumi blog for links and images.

Go to the Lumi blog for links and images.

Full episode transcript available.

Founder Julie Nguyen knows that the Methodology audience is niche — busy people who value high quality, sustainable ingredients — but since they launched five years ago, she's seen their dedicated customer base grow.

Every week with her co-founder Stephen Liu and their R&D team, Julie is sourcing new ingredients, while keeping their supply chain quality consistent. She's testing new menu items while continuing to produce customers' go-to favorites. And she's making health swaps while keeping their meals comforting and fulfilling.

In this episode, Julie talks about walking the line between keeping standards incredibly high while staying sustainable, finding a stride with automated marketing, traveling to expand the palate, and her discoveries about people's relationship with food.

Go to the Lumi blog for links and images.

With new flexibility and freedom, Fireclay Tile has experimented with all kinds of upcycled materials (from toilets to monitors), software for customization, sample processes, and sustainability initiatives. In 2015, they became the first tile company to be B Corp certified. Even in the midst of a pandemic, they didn’t lose speed. They were prepared with a plan of action, grounded in their core values: the health and safety of employees, business and client stability, love and kindness. 

Go to the Lumi blog for links and images.

When Health-Ade Kombucha launched in Los Angeles farmers' markets in 2012 Vanessa Dew and her co-founders had to explain it to health food early adopters. Fast forward eight years, and you can find their bright, colorful, nautical-themed bottles in grocery stores and health food stores across the country, but Vanessa realizes they still have a lot of space to make kombucha a household name. In this episode, Vanessa shares their strange path to kombucha, how they've seen buying habits shift dramatically since people have quarantined, and what they're doing to make kombucha as approachable as possible.

Go to the Lumi blog for links and images.

Judy launched weeks before the spike in coronavirus cases in the U.S. On one hand, a pandemic is certainly a worst-case scenario, so the prevalence of an emergency is not hard to imagine. But on the other hand, Simon and his team had a huge responsibility to build a genuine brand that isn't fueled by hysteria, but instead, guided by facts.

In this episode, Simon shares how bite-sized guidance plays a huge part in preparedness, how COVID-19 affected their supply chain, and plans for expanding their product line.

Go to the Lumi blog for links and images.

Vanessa Barboni Hallik didn't start in fashion. She started in finance, but as she was researching more sustainable finance, she uncovered the huge disparities in the supply chain ethics of fashion fashion brands and luxury sustainable brands. The gap felt unsurmountable, but Another Tomorrow is taking on the challenge, backed by science, data, and an incredible eye for fashion design.

In this episode, Vanessa shares how are patterns of apparel consumption can shift and she takes us into the depths of a carefully considered, ethical apparel supply chain.

Go to the Lumi blog for links and images.

As they've grown for the past six years, the Cotopaxi mission to Do Good has extended to new geographies with systemic supply chain shifts to start eradicating poverty in communities around the world. In this episode, Davis shares how he's always faced tough decisions by focusing on people first.

Go to the Lumi blog for links and images.

While a period of in-between can feel stagnant, Rhone founder Nate Checketts decided to take action. He recruited 20 brands to join BRANDS × BETTER — a new coalition of companies that have pledged to donate a portion of their funds to COVID-19 relief organizations. This not only supports to relief efforts, but keeps businesses up and running. 

From "Not another coronavirus email" to unwavering product launches, Nate and his team at Rhone have opted for action instead of reaction and adapted with solutions that are right for their business and their customers.

Links and images on the Lumi blog: https://www.lumi.com/wellmade

Alden worries that the strain on businesses could set back environmental progress by a decade. In Bangladesh, one million apparel factory workers have been laid off due to a shortage of new orders and huge businesses like JCPenney, Kohl's and Walmart declining to pay for orders — over $3B worth. Through the lens of sustainability, Alden is not only concerned about where those clothes might end up, but how these dire circumstances have already lead to the suspension of significant environmental regulations.

In this episode, Alden and Stephan discuss how these challenges have magnified issues in the apparel supply chain and Alden shares her three-prong solution for true environmental impact that's not solely reliant on conscious consumerism.

Find links and images for this episode on the Lumi Blog.

The creative community has adopted the fruit-infused CBD drink with open arms, which is very much by design. The pastel gradients, neon signs, and ephemeral imagery are all meant to evoke that easy sense of creative calm.

Lately, Benjamin has spent most of his time pushing for the FDA to issue final regulations for CBD. With clear regulations, his team has plans to expand way beyond fizzy drinks. In this episode, Benjamin shares how he hired writers to build a story driven marketing team, how he's generating the most impressions for the least amount of money, and what new products Recess has in the works.

These products may seem obvious, but the strategy behind them is not. Rather than expanding from dogs to other pets, Bark chose to dig deeper into the nuance of the dog space. Instead of launching these new products under the Barkbox product line, they launched them as new brands.

It's all part of the framework to innovate independently of brand clout and see if a concept can stand on its own.

In this episode, Henrik takes us through his Acorn Method and shares how the method has guided major decisions around choosing Bark's companion brands, incubating new talent, and keeping their entire team dedicated to the mission of making dogs happy.

Find more links and images from this episode on the Lumi blog.

In his first book, The Longing for Less, Kyle is on a quest to illuminate the origins of minimalism. He critiques various modern interpretations including the Marie Kondo methodology, the Wirecutter-top-pick purchases, and the sharing economy. These new philosophies and practices can all be part of a minimalist life, but Kyle believes that to be true and lasting, minimalism should be rooted in supply chain — in simplifying the steps between an item being made and an item being purchased.

On this episode, Kyle and Stephan weave their way through minimalism through the lens of stoicism, Marxism, and Bauhaus. They discuss how these movements reinterpreted minimalism within constraints of the time, and how our time of "simplified" technology puts us as far from minimalism as we've ever been.

He and his team always made sustainability a priority, but they wanted to do more to quantify their footprint and measure improvements. Peak Design took a huge step in January by getting B Corp certified. The other huge step they took was starting the nonprofit, Climate Neutral.

Peter found out that paying to offset carbon is not an unwieldily cost — it's actually affordable. Carbon Neutral provides a consistent system to measure carbon usage and pay to offset it. Hear exactly how Carbon Neutral calculates emissions businesses, and how offsets can actually make a real impact for climate change.

Find more links and images from this episode on the Lumi blog.

Pop-up Grocer is a highly curated 30-day activation featuring grocery brands that get an A+ for innovation, nutrition, and design. Emily has thoughtfully positioned Pop-Up Grocer to be an exciting space that leaves people wanting more. Just ahead of their Venice launch on February 7, she is sharing the careful balance between curation and discovery, the importance of location, and the paths envisions for Pop-Up Grocer in the future.

Find more links and images from this episode on the Lumi blog.

So far, co-founders Eric Prum and Josh Williams have helped to launch three brands in the Very Great family — W&P Design in the housewares space, Wild One in the pet space, and Courant in the tech space. Hear how Very Great ideates to create products that inspire loyal customers, their approach to building genuine brands, and their strategy to make a bullet proof supply chain.

Find more links and images from this episode on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, Elizabeth and Stephan weave in and out of micro and meta. Listen to hear how gradual consumer shifts have created substantial changes in what people expect of brands and which brands they're choosing to buy into.

Find more links and images from this episode on the Lumi blog.

Jermey Lang founded Pela part-time, doing the initial research and development with government funding. Eight years later, they’re expanding to eyewear and other new products that are the right fit for their Flaxstic material. Hear how Pela developed Flaxstic and how they’re making a place for themselves in the responsibility economy.

Find more links and images from this episode on the Lumi blog.

As more and more people adopt sustainable purchasing habits, the going philosophy seems to be, do what you can and make incremental improvements right now. On this episode, Stuart talks to Stephan about how they made incremental progress to get where they are and how they plan to get where they're going.

Mike comes from an operational background and this episode is a deep dive into how Trade approaches each component of their supply chain. From the roaster dashboard to their new compostable bags, every step has been optimized to create a journey that keeps customers coming back.

Find more links and images from this episode on the Lumi blog.

It's as simple as that. But building that experience is not simple. Photographing each item on every size model is not simple. Offering free exchanges with the Fit Liberty program is not simple. All of it requires research, agility, and thoughtfulness. Listen to hear how Alexandra and her team are working to build the largest size range in the world.

Find more links and images from this episode on the Lumi blog.

Listen in to hear how Susan sweated the details to build confidence through experience and how she's reverting back from her tech instincts to get to the root of efficient manufacturing.

Find more links and images from this episode on the Lumi blog.

Find more links and images from this episode on the Lumi blog.

This isn't the first time Gregory Sewitz and his co-founder Gabi Lewis have taken a gamble on a tough-sell protein. With their first company, Exo, they sold cricket flour protein bars. They learned a lot about regulatory challenges and supply chain complexities, then sold that company and tried their hand at cereal. High protein, low sugar, delicious, brightly colored cereal.

As Gregory plans ahead for a future on grocery store shelves, he's sharing everything they've learned in the first six months since launching.

Find more links and images from this episode on the Lumi blog.

Before launching the California aperitifs brand (just a few months ago!), Helena lived many lives in tech. You may know her from Techies — her photo project spotlighting people who are underrepresented in tech. Her husband and Haus co-founder, Woody Hambrecht is a grape farmer. When you combine their shared passions and skillsets, you get Haus. Helena is using her experience in tech to guide how she markets the brand, raises money, and creates real life, lasting experiences with customers. 

Find more links and images from this episode on the Lumi blog. 

We've heard how Leaf Shave, Seed, and Ollie have embraced the refill model, now, Blueland founder Sarah Paiji Yoo is sharing how she took that model and dehydrated it. Listen in to go behind the scenes of Blueland's rapid growth, the struggles to find a manufacturer for their cleaning tablets, and pitching on Shark Tank.

Find links, images, and show notes on the Lumi blog.

Tracksmith has garnered a lot of attention for being the “anti-Nike,” but that certainly doesn’t mean that their customers aren’t serious about the sport. Founder Matt Taylor is on the podcast to share how Tracksmith not only captures the Amateur Spirit — they glorify it. In fact, that subdued, inviting, honest brand image is one that they hope will survive 100 years. From the photography to the product offering, every decision is forward thinking. They are strategizing for the marathon, not the sprint.

Listen in to hear how Tracksmith’s passion for honest photography has paid off, how they’ve used their Boston retail space to become a leader in the running community, and how they stay focused on the long term.

Find links, images, and show notes on the Lumi blog.

If ThredUp's massive distribution center is any indication, the impact of secondhand has gone way beyond the appeal of the treasure hunt. While part of Erin's job as Brand Director is to make the treasure hunt as seamless and as fun as possible, she's also tackling the stale stigma of secondhand, and giving consumers the information they need to make more mindful purchasing decisions. It's no easy feat, but the world of secondhand is more exciting than it's ever been.

Find links, images, and show notes on the Lumi blog.

Dan Frommer knows that change is the only constant in how we shop and what we buy. He launched The New Consumer to track that change. Dan used to be the editor-in-chief at Recode and a reporter at Quartz and Forbes. Now, every other week, he sends out a members-only newsletter with a real point of view to help you digest the ecommerce and retail trade headlines. He's on the Well Made podcast to give us a state-of-the-ecommerce-union report, diving deep into everything from the Harry's acquisition and CBD to globalization and tariffs.

Find links and show notes on the Lumi blog.

The last time the beauty industry had a significant regulatory update was in 1938, so Beautyconuter founder Gregg Renfrew hired Lindsay Dahl to lead the charge and bring U.S. beauty regulations into this century. As a self-proclaimed "professional agitator" and veteran public health lobbyist, Lindsay is in the trenches. She travels back and forth to D.C., holding strategic meetings with elected officials, and presenting Beautycounter's science-backed issues and proposed solutions.

In just five years since she started as the Beautycounter SVP of Social Mission, Lindsay has already helped pass laws that have changed how beauty products are regulated — and this is only the beginning.

Find links and show notes on the Lumi blog.

Tony's roots in the coffee world run deep. His initial company, Tonx was the first coffee subscription around. Now, a couple years after selling Tonx to Blue Bottle, Tony launched Yes Plz. In many ways Yes Plz feels like the culmination of everything he's learned, not only about the nuances of the supply chain or the flavor complexity of different beans, but how coffee culture went wrong.

Yes Plz is on an earnest mission to make really great coffee easy to buy and brew at home. With their weekly deliveries and beautifully executed zine, Tony and his team are lowering the barrier to entry for exceptional home brewing, and they may steal back some pod coffee converts along the way.

Find links and show notes on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, Kathryn and Stephan chop it up over family heirlooms and a love of entertaining at home. They dive into the “playground of industrial design” — spoons, knives, and forks (3:16), the technical nuances of glazes (8:08), and the Gardiner Museum (9:29). Kathyrn designed all Year & Day plates, flatware, and glazes herself, and partnered with artisans in Portugal. She reveals the rich history of ceramics in that region (21:00). Kathyrn talks about defining their aesthetic to resonate with modern customers (38:02) and encouraging all types of home gatherings (47:18).

Link and images from this post can be found on the Lumi blog.

Joanna's career has been an exercise in risk-taking. On this episode, she reveals how she's finding Knix's brand voice (13:54) and solving unsexy problems (17:10). Joanna talks about launching products on their timeline since going completely online (21:28). She explains the benefits of not raising funding (for now) (22:53) and the creative control in only answering to yourself (28:42). She shares plans for events and how to know when it’s time to walk away from pop-up experiments when they’re not working (35:08). Lastly, Stephan and Joanna talk about Knixteen, Knix’s teenage line of underwear (38:08) and her plans for the Faces of Fertility podcast (44:30).

Link and images can be found on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, Manish talks about the logistics of online consumer-to-consumer resale (7:39). He shares how Poshmark negotiated PoshPost, the first-ever USPS shipping label designed for the marketplace economy (9:19). Most ecommerce plays start on the web and then move to mobile — Poshmark bet on an iPhone app first. Hear how they design their app as the expectations for selling pre-owned items evolve (12:21). He talks about challenging linear growth (15:56) and the Marie Kondo effect (23:46). Manish wants consumers to rethink the merchandising for social (31:50), and how Poshmark facilitates discovery amidst millions of items on the platform (33:04). Finally, Manish shares how he’s fostering an authentic community (36:59) and steadily growing their big ideas, even when it means taking a step back (43:27).

Also mentioned on the show:

• Celebrating the Stories We Wear with Nellie Cohen on Well Made
• Moving the Rock from Zero to One with Ryan Babenzien on Well Made
• Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations
• Oprah and Eckhart Tolle: A NEW EARTH

Links and images and can be found on the Lumi blog.

Now, Jeffrey spends most of his time as a professor at NYU, the co-founder of the American Sustainable Business Council, and a writer. His career path has been one of a steady zooming out. He started by facing the sustainability challenges of specific industries and products, and now he's working to fix the fundamental systems that are holding companies and consumers back. Jeffrey believes that systems thinking is invaluable, transparency is key in creating trust, and sometimes doing things the old way is best.

“Systems thinking is invaluable because it teaches us to anticipate the unintended consequences.”

In this episode of Well Made, Jeffrey starts at the beginning, sharing a bit about the teachers that put him on the path of sustainability advocacy (1:17). He talks about how education can create a fundamental shift in how we think about sustainability and how it impacted his kids’ firsthand (11:30). In his decades as a leader, Jeffrey has realized the importance of being a generalist. He shares how he prefers the generalist mentality over the specialist (12:07). Company culture was a huge focus on Jeffrey’s growth as a leader. He shares the importance of transparency and culture when building a business that’s good for people and the planet (19:31). He talks about the how systems thinking is not only a sustainable choice, but a competitive one (34:27). Jeffrey shares how he and his daughter Meika started Sustain (38:26). And finally, he talks about how he started working with Ben & Jerrys and the Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility(47:07).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode, Zahir talks about creating the hair quiz behind Function of Beauty's 54 trillion product combinations (6:36). Function of Beauty is on their 100th bottling iteration. Zahir explains how they automated their hand-filled process and improved their manufacturing methods (12:27). He gives the fundamental questions that successful startups should think about (19:50) and talks about how he applies personalization to the rest of his life (23:32). He shares how individualized haircare can be limiting (28:27) and creative ways to reach new customers (29:59). He talks about his previous business, Argan Tree, and how he’s building a sustainable enterprise today (31:30). Finally, Zahir talks about perfecting their product and focusing on creating a tailored and complete haircare system (45:26).

Also mentioned on the show:

• Well Made Episode 75 with Nancy Walton and Caitlin Strandberg: Launching a New Unboxing
• Well Made Episode 38 with Heidi Zak: Taking Measured Risks
• Well Made Episode 43 with Rachel Blumenthal: Designing Awesome Clothes, Backed by Data

Link and images can be found on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode of Well Made, Aishwarya talks about building a traceable olive oil supply chain (7:14). She reveals moments of self-doubt before taking the leap of faith into entrepreneurship (8:21). A particularly warm harvest led to a switch in olive varietals. Aishwarya talks about how sharing that openly with their customers led to one of their largest sale days (12:40). She unveils how she vets her partners (15:35) and the practicalities of launching a brand (27:17). She describes the inspirations for Brightland’s photography, color palette, and white powder-coated glass bottles (29:22). Finally, Aishwarya shares her favorite ways to use Brightland (36:52) and the lasting influence of her mother’s cooking (46:13).

Also mentioned on the show

• Blue ocean strategy
• Well Made Episode 72 with Backdrop Home: Connecting with Color
• Brightland's Spotify

Link and images can be found on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode, Matt talks about bringing together local, digitally native, household name brands together under one showroom (9:45). Rather than sales-oriented goals, he shares his hopes for helping online brands explore offline concepts (12:55). With so many featured brands, Matt created a unified point of sale through a consistent rule set, carving out in-store quadrants, and training staff to be brand experts (17:26). Matt speaks on discovery and utility with a rotating, pop-in business model (25:02), and reveals plans for opening a second store in Chelsea Market (28:01). Finally, Matt talks about combating the noise (36:09), creating a dignified retail experience (49:59), and bringing people together (54:27).

Also mentioned on the show:

• Vertical commerce and how the next generation of retail will be built
• Well Made Episode 70 with Paul Munford: Building on Greenfields
• Camp
• STORY
• b8ta
• Rothy's
• Unbranded
• Mizzen+Main
• MeUndies
• Sonos

Link and images can be found on the Lumi Blog.

In 2015, after leading the in-store returns program for Hautelook and Nordstrom Rack, co-founders David Sobie and Mark Geller started Happy Returns. Their reverse logistics company addresses a unique set of consumer and retailer challenges: inconvenient mail-in returns, shrinking in-store traffic, and management of an often complicated and expensive process. By appealing to customers who want the flexibility of shopping online and returning in-person, Happy Returns is building a critical solution.

On this episode, David talks about setting the standard for in-person returns. He talks about using technology to build out physical return locations (6:24) and tracking surveys and coupons to quantify the business they drive for local partners (10:00). David dives into the logistics of returning items to their original retailers (15:36). He talks about Amazon Prime’s effect on free returns and instant refunds (33:43) and retaining customers while leading marketing operations at big ecommerce retailers (50:15). Lastly, David talks about a future in product recalls, returns disposal, and reducing packaging waste during returns (56:07).

Also mentioned on the show:

• Everlane
• Parachute Home
• How China’s Recycling Bans Have Impacted The Fate of Curbside Recycling in the U.S.
• Find a Return Bar

Links and images can be found on the Lumi Blog.

Leaf Shave’s hero product combines the form factor of a disposable cartridge shaver with the durability of a double-edge safety razor. Adam still works for a surgical tech company but hopes to take Leaf Shave full-time, for now, he’s focused on creating great facial instruments and growing the small consumer brand on its own strength.

On this episode, Adam talks about making well-designed tools (3:21). Adam tried to shoehorn a consumable business model — it didn’t work. He shares how he and his co-founder Adam Hahn found value in a focused core product (10:30). Adam talks about building brand loyalty (12:32) and innovating distribution strategy with retailers, like Package Free Shop (20:44). Adam shares why they decided to fulfill in-house and how they found a great overseas manufacturing partner (24:42). Lastly, Adam talks about robots, regulations, and applying conscious consumerism to build the Leaf Shave brand (40:40).

On this episode, Adam talks about making well-designed tools (3:36). Adam tried to shoehorn a consumable business model — it didn’t work. He shares how he and his co-founder Adam Hahn found value in a focused core product (10:45). Adam talks about building brand loyalty (12:47) and innovating distribution strategy with retailers, like Package Free Shop (20:59). Adam shares why they decided to fulfill in-house and how they found a great overseas manufacturing partner (25:00). Lastly, Adam talks about robots, regulations, and applying conscious consumerism to build the Leaf Shave brand (39:03).

Also mentioned on the show:

• Well Made Episode 79 with Kyle Hoff and Alex O'Dell: Sitting is Timeless
• Well Made Episode 75 with Nancy Walton and Caitlin Strandberg:Launching a New Unboxing
• Patagonia’s Plastic Packaging – A study on the challenges of garment delivery

Link and images can be found on the Lumi Blog.

East Fork makes sought-after stoneware using clays from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Their minimalist mug is so popular that it sells out in minutes. East Fork plates and bowls come in seasonal glazes that mirror the energy of a family kitchen and the blanket warmth of a cup of cocoa. Co-founders Alex Matisse, his wife Connie Matisse, and friend John Vigeland are craftspeople at their core, but now they’re bringing their art to the masses by turning their simple handmade forms into scalable production methods.

On this episode, Alex shares how East Fork is growing big but staying small. Alex talks about the turning point when they bought a gas kiln from the Netherlands (7:30). He shares the insistent design process of The Mug (9:29). He gets real about the blunt impact he felt as the CEO when East Fork grew to 50 employees (10:39). He talks about keeping rituals like their bi-weekly team lunches (16:30). Alex discusses his high aspirations to grow beyond Heath and into the realm of Homer and Laughlin (18:22). He talks about why they started hiring photography and marketing roles in-house (30:02). Alex talks about standing on his own in spite of the expectations and legacy of his family name (32:25).

Also mentioned on the show:

• Heath Ceramics
• The Homer Laughlin China Company
• Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family by Bob Chapman
• Well Made Episode 45 with Helen Rice: Breathing Life into Brands
• The cut-outs by Henri Matisse
• Why funky ’70s-style fonts are popping up on brands like Chobani and Glossier by Eliza Brooke

Link and images can be found on the Lumi Blog.

Rothy’s makes stylish, close-knit flats from the fibers of recycled plastic bottles. The massive appeal of their shoes goes beyond functionality, their 3D knitting is less wasteful than the cut-and-sew approach. As consumer demand for eco-conscious footwear skyrocket, Rothy’s is strategically separating themselves from the sustainable shoe pack by expanding to China where their locally owned factory churns out their slip-on by the minute.

On this episode, Kerry talks about how sustainability is sewn into Rothy’s (13:50). She shares her polarizing views on raising capital and learning from investment mishaps (15:10). She talks about building products and teams at companies of all sizes — from 60 employees to 1.5 million. (18:50). Kerry shares what she loved about leading teams at Walmart.com (22:21): the value of servant leadership (27:30) and institutionalizing correction of errors. (29:11). Lastly, she talks about how Rothy’s is finding its footing in the Chinese market (32:00) by learning how to best market to overseas customers and leaning into the digital ecosystem of WeChat, Tmall, and KOL influencers (35:21).

Also mentioned on the show:

• How China’s Recycling Bans Have Impacted The Fate of Curbside Recycling in the U.S.
• 11 Strategies to Make Your Packaging More Sustainable
• Lumi Sustainability Properties
• Well Made Episode 62 with Ryan Babenzien: Moving the Rock from Zero to One
• Wirecutter
• Rothy's is hiring!

Link and images can be found on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode, Ara Katz talks about translating the science of 38 trillion microorganisms living in and on our bodies (7:54). Stephan and Ara ponder panspermia (26:25) and sending bacteria to space (27:35). Ara helped produce several films before founding consumer goods companies. She shares how she directs Seed’s marketing and user design through a three-act structure (29:01). Ara reflects on normalizing bacteria (32:01) and making microbiome patties for honey bees (33:45). Stephan and Ara talk about living in a “plastiferous” time (35:19), using mushrooms-based packaging (41:57), and telling the story of our microverse (53:55).

Also mentioned on the show:

• Sender R, Fuchs S, Milo R. Revised estimates for the number of human and bacteria cells in the body (PLoS Biology, 2016)
• Human Genome Project
• Seed Reference Library
• Seed Labs
• Microbiome 101
• Seed Sustainability
• Seed is hiring!
• Shop Seed (Use code WELLMADE for 20% off your first month subscription of the Daily Synbiotic.)

Links and images can be found on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, Kyle and Alex talk about scaling international growth when their Kickstarter raised 14 times more than their original goal (6:32). Alex talks about how Grand Rapids, Michigan is the secret land of furniture (9:32), how Cranbrook Academy is a wizarding world of historical art inspiration (11:29), and how iconic Herman Miller products influences their design thinking (13:48). They talk about finding inspiration from Ikea’s experiential model while building a competitive alternative to their consumerist culture (16:23). Kyle shares how Floyd layered competencies over time to evolve from a bare-bones minimum viable product (21:41). Alex talks about aligning with your partners, dealing with rejection, and the influence of the Motor City while fundraising (30:55). Finally, Kyle and Alex talk about planning long-term (38:23) and embedding enduring value into Floyd (50:23).

Also mentioned on the Show:

• Herman Miller
• Charles and Ray Eames
• Stay Floyd
• Floyd R&D Lab
• Floyd is Hiring!

On this episode, Cynthia talks about welcoming change and letting your interests be a career guide (2:00). She talks about the importance of labor in the apparel industry and respecting the origins of clothing (12:03). Cynthia shares the history of Renew (16:33) and gets real about the business and creative challenges of implementing renewable textile solutions for the EILEEN FISHER mainline (27:40). She explains the principles of circular fashion — keeping fabrics in use longer and at their highest value (29:15) — and continually creating best practices around manufacturing at the Tiny Factory (39:17). Lastly, Cynthia talks about EILEEN FISHER’s open source mentality (42:21) and slowly making strides toward a more responsible future.

Also mentioned on the show:

• Well Made Episode 19 with Iris Alonzo: Talking Trash
• zero waste daniel
• Well Made Episode 52 with Nellie Cohen: Celebrating the Stories We Wear
• H&M Sustainability
• The Circular Design Guide
• Vision 2020

Links and images can be found on the Lumi blog.

Now, as Chief Strategy Officer at Serta, JT has the challenge of retrofitting and dismantling existing systems at the traditional retailer. JT is doubling down to accelerate Tuft & Needle’s offline growth and guide Serta’s operations into the future, creating the lasting change Tuft & Needle had originally set out to achieve.

On this episode, JT talks about teaming up with their competitors to fundamentally transform the retail industry. Tuft & Needle didn’t take outside capital but pitched to VCs four times. Hear how pitching taught JT and Daehee how to build an operating plan, forecast and manage finances, and make a key executive hire (24:02). JT talks about turning down partnership opportunities and capital to stay true to their brand ethos (28:35). He emphasizes the importance of the digital customer journey (31:24) and adjusting their strategy to get ahead of the game (37:57). JT shares how they use promoter scores and customer satisfaction measurements to guide their omnichannel approach (43:16). Finally, he talks about their larger mission to transform Serta’s ecommerce channel (54:31), bringing two team cultures together (56:13), and building product companies that push the industry forward (1:01:00).

Links and images can be found on the Lumi Blog.

Most often, 3PLs (third-party logistics service), are responsible for storing and shipping products for ecommerce. Casey Armstrong is the Chief Marketing Officer of ShipBob, a 3PL that operates a growing network of distribution centers in major U.S. cities. They’re helping ecommerce businesses run a flexible and speedy supply chain. With tools getting more sophisticated, Casey says long term success comes back to actionable customer data.

On this episode, Casey answers fundamental questions businesses should ask when outsourcing their fulfillment. He shares the cost structure of 3PLs and gives insight into best practices around geography and vendor management. Casey talks about deciding what’s important for your business when splitting inventory, kitting, and shipping cold or bulky items (9:36). He gives indicators for when an ecommerce company should outsource fulfillment (23:46). Instead of solely focusing on the top funnel, Casey gives different levers brands can pull from to improve their bottom line (37:32). With companies like Shopify and Instagram reducing barriers to stay close to the wallet, Casey and Stephan talk about the future of the ecommerce stack, navigating new technologies, and improving instant, one-click checkout (42:25).

Also mentioned on the show:

• Well Made Episode with Paul Munford: Building on Greenfields
• Well Made Episode 73 with Jenny Gyllander: Testing Things
• Rebel Girls Case Study
• My Calm Blanket Case Study
• iloveplum Case Study

Links and images can be found on the Lumi Blog.

When launched, Ollie was shipping their human-grade dog food in single-use plastic trays. As their customer and canine base grew, they got the customer feedback they needed to scale and adapt their initial packaging experience. Last week, they launched a totally revamped packaging suite that uses less plastic and takes up less space.

Now, food is shipped in vacuum sealed film packs and customers can store the meals in the newly designed, reusable Pup-tainer for freshness. This fresh start for Ollie was over a year in the making. On this episode, we’re talking to Nancy Walton, Ollie’s Senior Operations Manager about the serious supply chain strategy behind this exciting milestone and their new packaging redesign.

Caitlin Strandberg is a principal investor at Lerer Hippeau, a seed investor in Ollie. She's joining Stephan on this episode to give big picture perspective on how this packaging update marks a milestone moment for Ollie, not unlike other startups at this scale.

On this episode, Nancy talks about interacting with customers early on (6:41) and adapting their cold chain (11:36) to support their growth. Caitlin shares the key indicators that it’s time to make the second bet on your minimum viable product (14:40). Nancy highlights the new Ollie unboxing (17:45), sharing how they addressed the challenges of the old packaging through user research (20:54). As the team at Ollie tested their product, their packaging solutions evolved. Nancy shares how Ollie responded with slimmed down food packs that pair with the new Pup-tainers and optimized their SKUs and spoons to address consistency in portioning and packaging waste (22:43). Nancy and Caitlin give advice on making actionable data-driven supply chain decisions (27:10). Caitlin talks about translating best practices for growing companies from early predecessors (44:53). And finally, Nancy and Caitlin talk about how creating a repeatable magical moment is the key unlock for burgeoning brands (48:11).

Also mentioned on the show:

• Well Made Episode 20 with Gabby Slome: Dogfooding
• Plated
• Casper
• InVision
• Stripe
• Gin Lane
• Get to Know Ollie's New and Improved Packaging

Links and images can be found on the Lumi blog.

As President of Supergoop!, Amanda Baldwin is leading the mission-driven sunscreen brand and layering a digital footprint over top. Amanda brings a long history in operations and marketing cosmetics and luxury goods from LVMH, Estée Lauder, Dior, and L Catterton. As a former private equity investor, she brings a broad perspective to the table. Now she’s building scalable and sustainable business solutions for Supergoop!

On this episode, Amanda talks about their omnichannel strategy to avoid counterfeits (9:43). Sunscreen is a challenging category because it’s regulated by the FDA. Amanda talks about navigating regulations and getting ahead of them (16:51) by continually evolving and improving formulas (23:24). Amanda shares how to think like an investor in your career and business (28:01). She explains the power of learning all that you can while working at enterprise companies and finding your value add (33:22). Amanda admits building a team is often a trial-and-error, matchmaking process (39:46). Lastly, Amanda shares how the importance SPF use informs the exciting product innovations they’re making at Supergoop! (41:37).

Links and images can be found on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, Jenny illuminates on the backstory on how she found herself in marketing to venture capital to best VC on Instagram (1:56). Jenny’s tested everything from prescription face wash to probiotics, she shares the three factors she looks for as a venture capitalist (6:18). A year and a half ago, Jenny didn’t know the term DNVB was, she shares how she uses the platform as a tool for constant learning (11:55). Stephan and Jenny discuss the difference between the US and European retail market (17:23), and the problems with homogeneity in the DTC space (25:12). Jenny shares how she balances her curation (29:39). As Thingtesting grows, Jenny considers her long term plans, hoping to make product discovery easier and crowdsource feedback (33:06). Jenny questions how she’ll stay scrappy while fostering her growing community (35:02). Finally, Jenny talks about her larger role as a thingtester (42:46).

Also mentioned on the show:

• Slush
• “Dear VC, now it’s your turn to pitch” – an exploratory study on Venture Capital firms’ brand and reputation by Jenny Gyllander
• Well Made Episode 70 with Paul Munford: Building on Greenfields
• The Best VC on Instagram by Hunter Walk
• Well Made Episode 62 with Ryan Babenzien: Moving the Rock from Zero to One
• Wirecutter
• Unboxing Things Show
• Well Made Episode 69 with Porter Road: Breaking Up the Meat Monopoly

Links and images can be found on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, Natalie and Caleb talk about their personal and working partnership (3:26). Most people can’t tell you the color or brand of the paint on their walls; Natalie and Caleb illuminate how they are creating brand affinity in the paint industry (13:17). Natalie explains how investing in their web experience and photography led to brand trust and sales (17:36). Caleb shares the design story behind the clean, gender-neutral line (31:00). Natalie reveals how they crowdsourced feedback pre-launch through a private Instagram and focus groups (34:16). Finally, they share how they use music, travel, and family to inspire their palette of paint colors. (38:35)

Also mentioned on the show:

• David McGillvray
• The Selby is Your Placeby Todd Selby
• Apartamento
• Well Made Episode 70 with Paul Munford: Building on Greenfields
• Darkroom App
• Salt & Straw
• International Rescue Committee
• Aruliden
• Unboxing Backdrop

Links and images can be found on the Lumi blog.

Baggu doubled their team size in a span of a year. On the show, hear their approach to hiring and training and implementing processes while preserving the heart of the brand with an influx of new hires (11:24). More than a decade in business, Emily illuminates how they recently delineated their company and product values (13:02). She shares how establishing those values boosted performance management and empowered more decision making among employees (19:26). Emily talks about finding freedom in their product designs through experimentation and worrying less about expectation (24:37). Baggu is taking incremental steps towards sustainability. Hear their efforts in sourcing ripstop nylon made of 40% recycled materials (34:50). Finally, Emily talks about embracing long-term thinking, growing the equity of the brand (45:59).

Follow Baggu on Instagram.

Also mentioned on the show:

• Well Made Episode 30 with Emily Sugihara: Making a Really Nice Thing
• Asana
• The Great CEO Within by Matt Mochary
• Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott
• Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs by John Doerr
• The New One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson M.D.
• Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio
• Katrina Lake, Stitch Fix founder and CEO, says trying to find people who fit in is the ‘anti-diversity’
• Well Made Episode 52 with Nellie Cohen: Celebrating the Stories We Wear
• Patagonia’s Plastic Packaging – A study on the challenges of garment delivery
• No online shopping company can figure out how to quit this one plastic bag
• Super Baggu
• Seminars About Long-Term Thinking Podcast

Links and images can be found on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, Editor-in-Chief, Paul Munford and Stephan Ango roundup the latest news and trends driving modern commerce. VCs poured a record $138 billion into U.S. startups last year, but were unicorn valuations and expectations realistic to begin with? Now that the dust has settled, Paul discusses the adjustments VCs are making (3:20). Stephan and Paul question if it’s getting harder to become a global brand despite greenfield opportunities in consumer products (9:07). They chew on the consumer-centric shift in commerce, arguing a more fragmented marketplace will emerge (24:14). He talks about the new problem with shopping (27:40) and the return of physical retail (37:55). They discuss brands’ challenges of creating a physical gathering place (39:01) and community-building as a distribution tool. Finally, Paul talks about the future of connecting online (45:52) and the big opportunity around niche platforms (51:44).

Follow LeanLuxe on Twitter and subscribe to the newsletter.

Also mentioned on the show:

• 2PM Newsletter
• Hims
• Procter & Gamble has acquired the startup aiming to build the Procter & Gamble for people of color
• Well Made Episode 56 with Max Temkin: Disregarding Rules
• The Trust Battery: My Interview with Shopify Founder Tobi Lütke
• Well Made Episode 54 with Studio Neat: Making Whatever You Want
• Well Made Episode 32 with Ken Tomita: Failing Without Fear
• "E-commerce sales in the third quarter of 2018 accounted for 9.8 percent of total sales."
• Well Made Episode 4 with Matt Alexander: Permission to Think Smaller
• Neighborhood Goods
• SHOWFIELDS
• Function of Beauty Innovation Lab
• thingtesting
• Angela Ahrendts: The life and rise of Apple's highest-paid executive
• Rapha Clubhouses
• Well Made Episode 53 with Eliza Blank: Cultivating a Modern Relationship with Plants
• The Sill Forum
• Winnie
• The Wing
• Girlboss Is Launching a LinkedIn-Like Platform That’s Exclusively for Women
• CrossFit and SoulCycle are becoming “churches” for millennials
• The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster

Links and images can be found on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, Chris and James talk about the decade-in-the-making evolution of Porter Road, first as a brick-and-mortar butchery and then as a vertically integrated ecommerce shop (5:33). James shares their desire for sourcing ethical foods (9:49) and hand-selecting farm partners (12:48). For Porter Road, education around whole animal butchery pushes them creatively as a business (15:08). They explain why they advocate for eating less meat and breakdown the importance of moving the meat industry in a new direction (21:31). Lastly, they talk about the logistics of shipping meat (25:57) and the challenges of packaging in the cold chain (28:45).

Also mentioned on the show:

• Food Inc.
• The River Cottage Meat Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Links and images can be found on the Lumi blog.

When we last spoke to Eva, Maude was still pre-launch. Together, with industrial designer Dina Epstein as her co-founder, they launched the company in April 2018. By simplifying sex essentials, Maude is subtly and authentically changing an industry that has for so long looked the same.

On this episode, Eva explains the two-year long process it took to launch Maude (5:45). Eva spent 18 months fundraising over two million dollars, she shares her do’s and don’ts for finding a right partner and cold emailing investors (12:19). In the last year, Maude was featured in everything from Vogue to Fast Company, Eva spills their strategic press strategy (21:40), and how running their own survey helped them narrow in on their customers’ pain points (24:49). Stephan and Eva talk about finding your first 1,000 true fans through consistency (27:50) and empathy (36:45). Eva talks about opening their Winter Studio retail space (40:16), their future physical and digital advertising plans (42:40), and how they’re standing out on social media with educational content (43:39). Finally, Eva shares how Maude revised their packaging to fit new products variations (48:55).

Also mentioned on the show:

• Luke Ragno
• The Long Now Foundation
• Well Made Episode 6 with Kevin Kelly: Embracing the Inevitable
• The Hero’s Journey: A Voyage of Self-discovery by Stephen Gilligan and Robert Dilts
• Peer Exchange Health
• The Maudern

Link and images can be found on the Lumi blog.

On the show, Joseph and Sina walk through the step-by-step process of bringing a physical product to market. They talk about how they design the playbook that they reference throughout a project (12:42). They cover the time, costs, and vetting that happens before a project begins (20:00). Sina talks about the design considerations for new products (23:43). Joseph shares the unconventional questions (28:08) and practices (29:15) that go into user research. They talk about designing for direct-to-consumer brands (33:30). Joseph explains the sketching, rendering, and prototyping phases (38:50). Finally, they share the final milestones before a project launches (52:06).

Also mentioned on the show:

• Dims. Barbican Trolley
• Misen Cookware
• Myro
• Roll & Hill Esper Pendants
• Tectona Furniture
• Wim Appliance
• Thoroughly Considered Podcast by Studio Neat
• Well Made Episode 54 with Studio Neat: Making Whatever You Want
• Mark One Pen
• Here’s Why Juicero’s Press is So Expensive by Ben Einstein

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

From the beginning, David established core values grounded in the community and customer experience. In fact, Dave was on customer service duty for the first nine months of the company, taking calls at all hours. Today, he’s piloting solutions, like the Giving Directory to connect customers to the impact a pair of socks can make. Bombas was bootstrapped on Indiegogo and springboard to success after appearing on Shark Tank, but arguably, Bombas’ growth rests on their dedication to giving.

On this episode, David recalls how a customer service call lead to their largest single investor (5:43). He shares what it takes to be a good leader at scale, his 75/25 rule, and management philosophy (11:00). David shares how Bombas builds great company culture and their best hiring practices (14:26). He describes how they used feedback to design a sock exclusively for the homeless community (24:16). David shares how he went from searching for community partners to accepting thousands of new inbound requests. (26:26). Stephan and David talk about the challenges of getting B Corporation certified (31:22) and making a social impact (35:43). He also shares the one tip for any ecommerce business appearing on Shark Tank (42:15). Finally, David talks about the tradeoffs Bombas made by planning for profitability rather than seeking venture capital (46:29).

Also mentioned on the show:

• Out of Control by Kevin Kelly
• Well Made Episode 6 with Kevin Kelly: Embracing the Inevitable
• Bombas is hiring!

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode, Meika talks about starting a condom startup with her dad (3:59), their relationship as business partners (5:43), and talking openly about sexual health with her family (9:41). Meika describes the dramatic shift in their business since the 2016 presidential election (15:10), gets candid about the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements (17:56), and shares how they’re positioning their advocacy (22:33). Meika shares hows they’re focused on diversifying their advertising strategy when the rules are constantly changing for a brand in a sensitive space (27:52). Meika speaks on Sustain’s approach to making and selling sustainable period products (36:55) and the importance of Organic, Fairtrade, and B Corporation certifications (38:58). Finally, Meika shares how a poker game led to ThirdLove founder, Heidi Zak investing in Sustain and the lessons Meika’s learned from her (46:36).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode, Charlie talks about the rapid growth of the company (10:51) and vetting third-party collaborators early (11:50). He illuminates the three things he looks for in a good partner (12:05). Charlie talks about upcycling the billboards from their nationwide campaign (19:12) and making calculated decisions on their digital ad spend (20:27). He shares how Love Your Melon is balancing their for-profit business with philanthropy (22:02). Charlie explains how his team uses Zapier (28:50) and Google Sheets (32:39) to power their operations, and the decision to transition to an outside enterprise resource planning system (33:35). Finally, he shares what Love Your Melon is tinkering with for 2019 (37:25).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

Through those early ventures, Jake learned the importance of brand. For MVMT, brand informs, motivates, and guides every part of their business, especially their influencer marketing.

On the podcast, we sit down with Jake to talk about the pillars of the MVMT lifestyle (2:15) and creating aspirational content with influencers (3:53). He talks about leveraging Shopify to scale (8:59) and the tools that are important they build in-house (10:15). He shares the most valuable lessons he learned from his failed t-shirt company (31:39) and finding the backbone of a successful business (33:31). Jake talks about not pursuing outside investment (33:55), hacking the crowdfunding system (34:57), and being financially disciplined early on (39:11). Finally, he shares how MVMT will grow their offline footprint with Movado (43:01) and how he’s all in for the foreseeable future (50:08).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode, Ryan talks about scaling influence (4:16). He shares how finding the razor’s edge in growth is an exercise in brand building (10:54) and managing marketing collaborations tightly (11:30). Ryan explains what all great brands have in common (12:56), and how he found the right wholesale partner in Nordstrom (15:51). He talks about GREATS’ design ethos (18:11) and how classics will always drive volume over trends (21:09) — arguing that hype is the enemy of brand (28:27). He shares how they leverage Single’s Day even when they don’t sell overseas (35:30) and their biggest design learning (36:46). Lastly, Stephan and Ryan evaluate cost per wear (47:11) and Ryan’s own set of “greats” (49:20).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode, Nicole explains why she choose to launch with a solution for the entire paint shopping process (6:28). She talks about predicting the lifetime value of their customer (9:56) and shaping a brand that sells to the DIY and professional markets (11:17). She shares the through line in her career (12:57) and how she built an audience at the height of the recession (17:39). She talks about exploring the licensing model, and choosing, ultimately, to operate on her terms (27:30), no matter the challenges (42:01).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode of Well Made, Erica talks about the warehouse labor shortage, the ramifications of Amazon’s $15 minimum wage increase (2:16), and how businesses will stay competitive to fill a projected 425,000 warehouse jobs by 2019 (7:52). Erica shares how fulfillment centers are using emojis, Alexa, and applications to train new hires and boost operational productivity (19:44). Stephan and Erica consider why you’re buying stuff from companies you’ve never heard of (30:03). They dive into the security of supply chains as they discuss the Bloomberg article, "The Big Hack" (35:36). Erica talks about the tariffs on $200 billion worth of goods (45:30), the ways importers are dodging these taxes (47:20), and she questions the macroeconomic effects of the trade war (49:42).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode, Michael and Carter share the secret to making fresh foods that travel well (2:11). With recent IPOs, acquisitions, and companies shuttering, Michael talks about the state of the meal kit and food subscription industry, and what it takes to be competitive in the space (3:22). They address some of the criticisms of meal delivery services (9:22). Carter talks about adopting and creating best practices for their cold supply chain (14:32). They talk about rebranding Freshly with early investments (22:26). Finally, they share the learnings that helped them pivot from a diet-specific service to a lifestyle food company (37:54) and what it’s like to work with Nestle (40:32).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, co-founder Alex Friedman talks about validating their idea for LOLA with early focus groups (6:31). After recently raising a Series B, she shares how they pitched tampons to male investors (14:00). Alex shares how their transparency is encouraging conversations around taboo subjects (17:32). She shares how she splits roles with co-CEO, Jordana Kier (24:31) and their recent launch, SEX by LOLA (28:23). Alex shares how they put a focus on dialogue (31:00) by building a sex hotline (32:09). Lastly, she opens up about LOLA helping women find their voice (41:50).

Link and images from this post are on the [Lumi blog].

On this episode, Halli talks about building trust with first-time clients (14:25) and teaching brands the role of agencies (17:39). He shares how collaboration and fostering personal relationships are important to their process (21:23). He talks about not wanting to be boxed into the same design style (25:59). As Ueno continues to boom, Halli talks about restructuring their company to be autonomous without his direct oversight (27:36). At the same time, he’s learning how to encourage creativity and bring geographically spread out teams together (30:01). Finally, Halli talks about overcoming alcoholism (38:30), taking things to their extremes (39:42), and bringing his big visions for Ueno to life (40:50).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode, Max talks about creating his own rules about doing business (4:54). He shares how they build Cards’s sometimes-inappropriate-but-always-hilarious brand of writing into the company (13:39). He shares more about Blackbox (23:30) and what they learned from shipping one of the most funded Kickstarter games (26:28). Even after rapid growth, Max talks about the growing pains of their startup (28:58). Max discusses the games he’s created and what he's playing nowadays (52:25). Finally, Max shares how a good game (and business) is all about creating a rich narrative.

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, Gloria talks about pursuing a creative career full-time (11:48). She shares how the makeup industry has changed with social media and paid advertising (13:53), and the importance of using queer, multi-racial, and gender-fluid imagery in the beauty space (15:16). Gloria talks about the stigma of makeup for men and aging for women (16:33). With her brand growing, she gets real about the tough manufacturing and hiring choices she’s facing (23:32). Gloria’s shares her big ideas for the future of NOTO Botanics (29:09) and how she's running an instinctive business (32:55) and embracing her whole identity (36:40).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, Tom and Dan share how a diverse product offering and slow-but-steadfast audience growth are tenets of running their business (7:00). Stephan, Tom, and Dan ponder being generalists versus specialists (12:17). Tom likens Studio Neat to a band (16:04). They talk about growing their email list through Kickstarter (21:18) and the long tail benefits of selling through Amazon (22:40). They talk about the creative process of making practical products (25:10) and how a product story is important (28:05). They explain why outsourcing works for their small operation (40:44), and finally, they talk about jealousy as a source of inspiration and motivation (48:25).

Link and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

When plants are your product, the information to keep them alive becomes part of the product offering. By taking the guesswork, and ultimately friction, out of buying and caring for plants, Eliza and her team are seeing the community (and sales) flourish. Their goal? To make the experience enjoyable, even for the sorest of green thumbs.

On this episode of the podcast, Eliza shares how The Sill is making the plant buying process approachable and directional through guidance and a growing supply chain (11:31). She goes through The Sill’s major business milestones and transitions (18:23), and how the brick-and-mortar business shaped how they marketed and sold their products online (20:54). She talks about outgrowing her bootstrapped business (22:31), acting on ambition (24:51), and investing in a solution-oriented online shopping experience (27:40). Finally, Eliza shares how they’re building beyond the zeitgeist of plant parenthood (41:50).

Link and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode of the podcast, Nellie shares the origins behind Worn Wear (6:24). She illuminates on the process of launching their ecommerce site (10:58), managing the logistics behind all the program elements (13:07), and creating cross-functional trainable systems (14:23). Nellie talks about the revenue goals of the program (17:56). Stephan asks about the organizational systems and values that enable Patagonia to implement programs like Worn Wear (23:10). Nellie shares how they’re still a scrappy startup under a larger parent company (34:43). They get big picture with sustainability in ecommerce and its impact on Patagonia (35:44); and finally, they dive into Patagonia’s case study on plastic packaging for garment delivery (38:48).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode, Cheryl talks about the flexibility and direct-response relationship they have (7:11). She gives examples of how they collect, use, and act on data (10:08). She talks about building authentic partnerships with influencers (15:47). She shares insights from her twenty-plus career in the retail industry (22:36) and lessons in working at startups (23:40). Cheryl details the logistical challenges of their weekly drop, and how it affects their different retail channels (32:54). Lastly, she explains how they’re building an engaged audience (34:57) and managing changing customer expectations (41:30).

Link and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, Hilary talks about brands realigning their physical retail strategy to evolve with their digital strategy (1:30). She talks about the cost of customer acquisition changing how a sustainable digital-first brand gets built. (4:13). Stephan and Hilary talk about retail concepts moving away from the showroom model (8:42), multi-brand retailers as an offline solution for brands without a large product offering (13:20), and how brands can navigate partnerships with and against Amazon (20:20). With dozens of private labels popping up, Hilary answers if Amazon can sell luxury and be a fashion destination (26:40). She illuminates on the areas brands will need to focus on in order to scale and gain exposure (36:47), and lastly, she predicts how brands will evolve in this increasingly complex digital-first world (41:55).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

On this episode of Well Made, Material CEO Eunice explains how they studied and identified core product values before designing their product (3:47). She dives into the form and function of their fundamentals set (4:41). She talks about setting themselves apart from heritage brands by telling a modern, consumer-centric story (11:19), and how they plan to do that with a new content series (12:33). She also talks about operating beyond the typical direct-to-consumer business model (20:14) and the duality of value in pricing and product design (22:02). Stephan and Eunice share their thoughts about the foodie movement and the power of Instagram in purchasing decisions (25:22), and lastly, the new traditions she hopes to create through the kitchen drawer (33:38).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

It’s been eight months since Web Smith was last on the podcast and a lot has changed with 2PM. He launched a paid executive membership, hired a new editor, and is releasing their first series of original content. With the ecommerce landscape shifting beyond DNVBs, it’s the perfect time to loop back and answer some questions.

On this episode, Web predicts how brands will advertise amidst Google’s shrinking reach and Safari’s expected disruption of Facebook tracking (3:57). He shares the digital and physical content strategies brands will use to acquire new customers (7:25), and his own approach to finding a formula for success (8:03). He answers who will be the biggest advertising company by 2025 (10:35) and why platforms that control conversion and commerce will win (14:20). Web talks trends we’re seeing in content and commerce, and how the New York Times is getting it right (18:19). Stephan and Web discuss Patreon (19:55), affiliate marketing strategies that are and aren’t working (24:08), and the tension for creators to operate as a business without losing their perceived status (26:14). Web shares what he’s learned adding a paid subscription model to his free newsletter (30:22), and lastly, why for DNVBs, brand matters (33:37).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

In this episode, Bianca and Marisa talk about making their business concept a reality and taking the leap from Facebook and consulting (5:53). They share how leveraging their social networks (11:35), making key influencer marketing choices (14:35), and good timing (16:43) helped them to scale quickly. They also share some insider knowledge about the royal wedding (17:32). Bianca and Marisa talk about manufacturing for a whole new product category (24:04), operating lean (26:08), and investing in technology and data as part of their business strategy (32:15). Lastly, they talk about raising capital and the life-changing decision of entrepreneurship (36:30).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

Raised by her uncles and grandmother, Karen's first business was an homage to her grandmother's colorful home, while Oui Shave’s signature razor was inspired by her uncles’ grooming tools. From Guyana to Brooklyn, where Karen runs the business, she’s embraced the culture of bootstrapping and leans into her scrappiness.

On this episode of the podcast, Karen talks about learning from her first business, Hammocks & High Tea (7:11), and the path that led her to the beauty industry and Oui Shave (8:14). She talks about challenging behemoth companies and other direct-to-consumer brands by marketing to women (10:52) and why she’s positioning her razor as an heirloom product (14:18). She gets real about the slow and steady growth of bootstrapping (37:02) and making a purposeful choice not to fundraise right out the gate (38:01). Finally, she shares the lows (41:11) and highs (42:57) of seeing her grooming products scale beyond giant blue Ikea bags.

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

Pretend Store is their pop-up-experiment-turned-ecommerce shop where they sell wildly creative and collaborative products, designed in-house. Serious Buildings is a design-driven real estate investment company where Helen and her husband restore historic buildings like Fuzzco’s 9th Charleston office.

On this episode, Helen talks about creating strong brand identity systems (13:08), using design templates (16:55), and building trust through thoughtful design (10:30). Helen and Stephan discuss minimalism (18:05) and modern graphic design challenges (12:08). She shares how she balances Pretend Store as a business and passion project (39:25), how Serious Buildings began (24:40), and lastly, how she’s learning to pursue all her interests while setting boundaries (43:45).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

To make their couch manufacturable and shippable, they had to balance form and function, to meet specific technical benchmarks. They reversed engineered their modular couch to minimize weight and fine-tuned every aspect of their product and packaging to make assembly and unboxing functional for the customer.

On this episode, co-founder Kabeer Chopra talks about designing an oversized product for efficient shipping (30:40). He talks about reducing purchasing barriers through online product pages (21:08) and offline showroom partnerships (22:27). He also shares the hardships of scaling a product from prototype to mass manufacturing (7:32), and manufacturing internationally (34:00). Finally, Kabeer shares how Y Combinator taught him to focus on learnings instead of perfectionism (11:12), and how they’re innovating their packaging design as part of their product experience (39:06).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode of Well Made, Rachel talks about using data to lean into product choices and mitigate risks as a startup (13:57). She gets granular about where algorithms, keep rates, and clicks drive design and operational decisions (16:57), and how they stay lean while managing inventory (19:30) and reverse logistics (23:08).  Rachel also shares direct-to-customer lessons she learned from working with her husband, Neil Blumenthal, co-founder of Warby Parker (38:31). Lastly, she talks about building a brand that speaks to the current generation of parents and kids (46:38).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

On Well Made, Daniel joins Stephan and special guest host, Lumi founder Jesse Genet, to talk about bootstrapping their newsletter business into a physical product sold direct-to-consumer (8:36), how storytelling and building a narrative are part of the FabFitFun DNA (8:06), and why staying intentional positioned them in a crowded subscription space (13:12). They talk about the operational obstacles of curating and shipping a quarterly box (14:01) and the initial challenges of sourcing and selling brands on their business (16:05). They dive into how they’re using data to improve the box experience via personalization (19:17) and lastly, they talk about the influence of his family (28:23) and Los Angeles (37:50).

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, Lauren talks about how traditional retailers are adapting to go direct-to-consumer, how DNVBs can succeed at physical retail, and if brand identity matters.

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode, Tabea shares how brands can focus in on social and environmental issues, impactful ways to integrate sustainability, and the tools to help establish a baseline at any scale.

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, Maria talks about the value of a brand narrative, preparation, and seeing the potential in promising brands.

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

Early manufacturing mistakes and marketing struggles could have spelled the end for the brand, but ThirdLove found creative, radical solutions. ThirdLove has found success in a better fitting product designed for all women, with a risk-free buying experience, and a brand voice focused on inclusivity, that’s driven by data.

On this episode, Heidi Zak talks about lessons she learned from her time at Google, experimenting with retail distribution models, marketing on television, opening a showroom, and the events that changed the course of the company.

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi Blog.

On this episode, Tina talks about reinforcing transparency through packaging, the future of brick-and-mortar retail, and the importance of nurturing the Brandless community.

Link and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

On this episode, David gives a brief history lesson on the cannabis industry, shares key metrics Meadow is focused on, and tackles the stigma surrounding cannabis.

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

Links and images are from this post are on the Lumi blog.

Ten years later, their growth is still as calculated as ever. They're continuously improving their style quiz for a seamless fit while scaling a methodical supply chain and diversifying their catalog for a complete menswear experience.

In this episode, Seph shares his bootstrapping experience, why Proper Cloth is building their tools in-house, how they're experimenting with marketing, and what’s in store for the future.

Links and images from this post are on Lumi Blog.

After challenging herself to eat healthier, Rachel realized the problem: eating healthy takes time. Daily Harvest is the direct-to-consumer solution, using the freezer as a tool for convenience. She started out in a test kitchen, filling smoothie cups on her own, and now she's expanding her product line to bowls and sundaes using a cold supply chain, and a network of organic farmers.

On this episode, Rachel talks about reframing the freezer, fighting food fatigue, cutting through the noise of the grocery industry, and staying hungry as they scale.

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog

In this episode, Ken talks about risks he took to invest in products, three-minute meetings, on-site customer research, and knowing when to outsource manufacturing.

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

There is no one-size-fits-all way to ship, but customers' expectations have changed in the last few years, thanks to Amazon. Amazon has shifted the status quo, and now customers to expect free and fast delivery from businesses of all sizes, without compromising the product or process. Building for this speedy future of ecommerce is where Shippo shines, innovating to reduce friction from the time a customer checks out to the time they receive their package.

In this episode, Laura breaks down why shipping dates are pivotal for customers, and how to use shipping to differentiate and grow your brand.

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

On this episode of the podcast, Emily talks about designing for herself, investing in great photography, understanding the manufacturing process, the influence of Japanese culture, and thinking beyond the zeitgeist.

Links and images from this post are on the Lumi blog.

In this episode, Richer Poorer founder, Iva Pawling talks about balancing distribution channels, learning from big mistakes, making decisions based on data, making a mobile ball pit, and staying inspired amidst the chronically glamorized entrepreneur hustle.

From Pittsburgh, 3,000 miles from Silicon Valley, Web tracks every new brand and acquisition that pops up in ecommerce. He shares his ecommerce predictions and reflections in his newsletter, 2PM Links. It's a hyper curated digest of all the latest data and news in ecommerce.

Web's experience is deep-seeded in the place where tech, retail, and ecommerce overlap. He's worked on every side of retail from his role as the CMO at Mizzen+Main to the Director of Ecommerce at Gear Patrol. With Amazon and Wal Mart swooping up new brands, it seems like the perfect time to talk to him. It's too early to know the long term effects these acquisitions will have on the ecommerce landscape, but if anyone has an informed prediction, it's Web.

In this episode, Stephan talks to Web about what to expect from the shifting ecommerce landscape, startup disruption burnout, and how DNVBs can adapt to compete with retail giants. To get links from this episode, go to the Lumi blog

Often, Jen's voice is synonymous with Ban.do's, but she's built an incredible list of her own 167k Instagram followers. On her feed and Instagram stories, she holds nothing back. She's extremely open about her obsessions, crushes, and deep dark late night thoughts. Even in the business of disco balls and glitter, being successful in business (and in life) requires some brutal real talk.

On this episode, Jen talks about her fearless approach to social sharing, the relentless pursuit of an audience, the crazy growth of the Ban.do, and Jen's big ideas about the future of what the brand can be. To see photos and get links from this episode, go to the Lumi blog

This artistic pair has made a diverse, meticulous cannon of work under the name YACHT, and on this episode Stephan talks to them about all of it. Claire and Jona also share where they discovered their love of science fiction, and how it's impacting their view of the real world. Get links to on the blog.

On this episode of Well Made, Sara talks to Stephan about how she built Reaction Commerce, fostering communities, why the platform will always be open source, and the future of e-commerce.

As they scale, change and flexibility are pivotal to keeping the brand fresh and their customer base engaged. Their home page changes a few times each month and they design new packaging for each season. It's all an effort to build a community and they're pushing their mission even further with a brand new rebrand.

On this episode, Jonathan talks about his early incubator days working alongside the founders of Dollar Shave Club and Dog Vacay, company culture, shifting to a more mission-based platform, and not taking things too seriously.

The brand is called EVERYBODY and it’s founded on unwavering principles of manufacturing practices that are good for workers and the planet. On the podcast, Iris talks about what she learned from American Apparel, the unique design process behind the clothes at EVERYBODY, and the making of their Trash Tee — the first tee made from 100% recycled cotton.

Craig experienced first hand the overwhelming lack of clarity in vitamin and supplement stores. With his background at Bonobos, he saw this as an opportunity to use the direct-to-consumer, VCB model to build a brand that people loved. In this episode of Well Made, Stephan talks to Craig about and the first few months of launching of Care/Of and how he's brought his marketing experience to the world of vitamins.

In this episode, Stephan also talks to Jesse about her recent viral essay — Running a Business with Boobs: The Things I Never Say. In 13 years of entrepreneurship, Jesse has raised over a quarter million dollars on Kickstarter, pitched on Shark Tank, participated in the Silicon Valley accelerator Y Combinator, and built a company into seven figure sales without a venture investment, and she hasn’t even turned 30. In her essay, she talks from firsthand experience about the five things people should never say to a female CEO.

On this episode of Well Made, Cotton Bureau founders Nathan Peretic and Jay Fanelli drop the big news about why and how they're making they’re own tees from scratch, why they raised their seed round and how Pittsburgh has impacted their brand ethos.

Visit the Lumi Blog for more more on Blank by Cotton Bureau, and photos of some awesome tees.

On this episode of Well Made, Stephan talks to Miki about her fundraising challenges and how she's fueled by creating products in blue ocean markets that create a positive impact.

Visit the Lumi Blog for links to Miki's brands and images of the artful branding.

On this episode, Stephan talks with Richie about brands that are changing how we think about retail and e-commerce, and what we can expect in the future.

Visit the Lumi Blog for links from the episode and to Richie’s blog and podcast.

In addition to her illustration work, Tuesday runs her online shop, Shop Tuesday and just launched her first apparel collection for fall. This summer, she opened her first brick-and-mortar shop, Friend Mart, in LA’s Chinatown.

On this episode, Stephan talks with Tuesday about she came into her signature style, built her audience, and how she continues to keep it amidst copyright battles with fashion giant Zara.

Visit the Lumi Blog for links from the episode and photos from Tuesday’s shop and her clothing line.

On this episode, Stephan gets meta, asking Grace questions about those good questions — What are they? How do you ask them? And why are they important?

Visit the Lumi Blog for links to women mentioned and highlights from the episode.

Visit the Lumi Blog for examples of Mig's work and highlights from the episode.

Visit the Lumi Blog for photos and highlights from the episode.

Visit the Lumi Blog for the full transcript.

Visit the Lumi Blog for the full transcript.

Visit the Lumi Blog for detailed show notes.

Visit the Lumi Blog for detailed show notes.

Visit the Lumi Blog for detailed show notes and pictures from our first Los Angeles meetup at Lumi HQ.

Visit the Lumi Blog for show notes and photos showcasing Mallory, made with Lumi vinyl decals, rubber stamps and silkscreen kit.

Full transcript and show notes