Unfinished Biz with Robin and Wayne

Stu Landesberg grew up in a home with sustainable products at arm’s reach, which inspired him to develop household products that are good for you, your home, and the planet. Like so many great brands often do, Grove Collaborative saw an opportunity in an emerging market and built their business to meet the moment. Learn more about how Stu kept on track despite the lack of initial interest and where Grove Collaborative is headed next.

Ariel Kaye loves comfort and quality in a home, which made her the perfect founder for Parachute - an online-only, direct-to-consumer bedding brand that expanded into a thriving brick-and-mortar business. Parachute makes premium quality sheets, towels, robes, rugs, even furniture designed to make every home that much more comfortable. Join Robin and Wayne as they learn all about how Ariel's vision evolved over time, the lessons she learned along the way, and where Parachute is headed next.

NFL veteran Justin Forsett has had a storied football career, but when it came time to hang up his cleats, Justin was already well engulfed in the entrepreneurial game. Hustle Clean's line of products are redefining the self-care movement by focusing on hygiene, wellness and recovery with a variety of face and body wipes for anyone committed to the fitness lifestyle. Join Robin and Wayne as they learn more about how Justin's vision for Hustle Clean evolved over time, what challenges he faced as an athlete-turned-founder, and why Hustle Clean sees itself in a category all its own.

Bea Dixon, The Honey Pot Co-Founder and CEO, has had an entrepreneurial journey unlike any other. From pharmacy work to running a cleaning business to working with vendors at Whole Foods, Bea learned how to hustle, how to take charge in business, and how to treat her Honey Pot team with care and respect. Join Robin and Wayne as they learn more about the genesis of The Honey Pot brand, Bea's highs and lows along the way, and why feminine wellness is so important.

G.O.A.T. Fuel Founder Jerry Rice and his Co-Founder (and daughter) Jaqui Rice have had quite the entrepreneurial journey. G.O.A.T. Fuel a lifestyle and health-focused energy brand that focuses on a variety of flavors and unique ingredients designed to separate it from its competitors. Jerry Rice also happens to be a National Football League Hall of Famer and 3-time Super Bowl champion who holds the record for most touchdowns in the NFL, so G.O.A.T. Fuel has big shoes to fill! Join Robin and Wayne as they uncover the full story.

Nobody knows fitness quite like [solidcore] Founder Anne Mahlum. [solidcore] describes itself as pilates redefined, with a full-body workout that utilizes slow and controlled movements, now one of the biggest boutique fitness brands in the US. Join Robin and Wayne as they learn how Anne grew to know and love the exercise, what challenges she faced while scaling her business, and where [solidcore] is expanding next.

Founder & CEO of ethnic e-grocer Weee! Larry Liu believes in bringing fresh groceries to customers across the United States. Weee!’s products include meats, snacks, beverages, health and beauty tools, even household essentials. Join Robin and Wayne as they learn how Weee! was born from demand, how scaling as quickly as Weee! did created new business models, and what Larry hopes for the future of retail.

Vintner's Daughter Founder and CEO April Gargiulo honed her entrepreneurial skills running her family's wine business, but it wasn't until she took a leap of faith creating her own skincare line that she truly understood the challenges ahead. April joins Robin and Wayne to share her motivation behind Vintner's Daughter, the parallels of growing grapes and developing face serums, and why her approach to growth at Vintner's Daughter is unlike that at other startups.

Saeju Jeong, Noom Co-Founder and CEO, spent his early years immersed in the world of medicine, but his eventual path took a much less traditional turn. Join Robin and Wayne as they learn how Saeju found his calling, why Noom is more than a weight loss app, and where the future of heathcare is headed next.

Nailah Ellis' entrepreneurial journey literally started from scratch - her family's Jamaican sweet tea recipe was passed down for generations before Nailah decided to share it with the world as Ellis Island Tea. But perfecting taste, securing distribution, and scaling for demand is more than just a labor of love, and Nailah was doing it all on her own. Today, the brand now known as Ellis Isle has fresh funding, celebrity partnerships, and is on store shelves everywhere. Join Robin and Wayne for a truly inspiring story from one founder who never stopped believing in her destiny.

When Bentley Hall joined the Good Eggs team five years ago, he had his work cut out for him. Good Eggs needed an overhaul of not only its grocery delivery business plan but its leadership and company goals, and that forced Bentley to make some tough decisions. Today, Good Eggs is a very different company that's managed to thrive during the pandemic - thanks to some big strategy shifts and a lot of teamwork. Join Robin and Wayne as they learn all about Bentley’s entrepreneurial journey.

Muniq Founder and CEO Marc Washingon is the first to admit that despite his vast experience over the years working with entrepreneurs, becoming one himself hasn't always been easy. Join Robin and Wayne as they uncover how Marc recreated his business expertise into a direct-to-consumer brand that aims to be both delicious and healthy.

When Denise Woodard's daughter was diagnosed with a long list of food allergies, Denise had to start getting creative in the kitchen. But after realizing how much "safe" foods could still be fun and tasty to eat, Denise turned her family's lifestyle into a successful product line called Partake Foods. Join Robin and Wayne as they hear all about Denise's journey, and how much she had to risk early on to find eventual success.

When Mark Taira's father began what's now known as the King's Hawaiian empire, it was a very different business...smaller, scrappier, and family run through and through. Today, King's Hawaiian is beloved all over the world and with $500M in annual revenue, the company has made incredible growth strides to keep up with demand. Robin and Wayne chat with CEO Mark Taira and President, Chief Strategy & Planning Officer and International Officer John Linehan for the decades-long story of success.

When Maggie Patton and Alex Buckley co-founded Bitsy's after many years in the child education and wellness non-profit sector, they knew their mission to offer nutritious kids' food to all families was solid. But when mother, actor, and activist Gabrielle Union joined the team as co-founder, Bitsy's entered a new era of brand visibility and core team strength. Find out how the three co-founders found each other, how they've developed their synergy, and how the Bitsy's brand differentiates itself in a sea of healthy snacks. Learn a little more about some of their lessons learned from other entrepreneurial endeavors as well!

As the Unfinished Biz team continues to shelter in place and the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect companies of all sizes worldwide, we decided to highlight one of our favorite up-and-comers in the brick and mortar space. Nicci Levy, Alchemy 43 Founder and CEO, started her beauty career at a very young age and hasn't looked back. With years of cosmetics experience under her belt, Nicci sought out to revolutionize the dermatology and med-spa experience, one aesthetics bar at a time. Find out how Alchemy 43 is rebranding the microtreatment space and how Nicci's ambitious growth plans aim to change the face of beauty forever.

FRAME Co-Founder and Chairman Jens Grede was already an advertising rockstar alongside his business partner Erik Torstensson when he decided he needed a change. Pairing his deep connections within the fashion industry with his own branding savvy, Jens zeroed in on Los Angeles to launch a premium denim line like no other, and FRAME was born. Find out why Jens put lifestyle at the core of the FRAME brand, how the company set itself apart in a saturated market, and what Jens wants to conquer next.

In this special episode of Unfinished Biz, Robin and Wayne are joined by VMG partners Kara Roell and Mike Mauzé for a candid discussion about the potential effects of COVID-19 on business ecosystems worldwide. VMG’s partners have been working closely with their portfolio companies to ensure that team efficacy and morale stays solid in the face of instability. Supply chain and liquidity concerns must be dealt with proactively to weather a rapidly unfolding storm. And after many years of experience through past financial crises and uncertain times, the VMG team is sharing their advice with you.

Randi Christiansen, Necessaire Co-Founder and CEO, knows what she is doing. After honing her skills at one of the most prestigious beauty and personal care companies in the world, Randi knew what was missing and what she wanted to build. Join Robin and Wayne as they uncover the story behind Necessaire and find out which products Randi believes have yet to disrupt the beauty industry.

When Rachel Drori, Daily Harvest Founder and CEO, found herself in need of better nutrition while juggling work and family, she realized she could solve the problem for others as well..Find out how Rachel’s formative years paved the eventual way to her own nutritional food line, how making smoothies turned into a much bigger business, and why frozen food is better for you than you think.