Social Currency with Sammi Cohen

Social Currency with Sammi Cohen

On Social Currency, Sammi Cohen unpacks the stories that are shaping business, culture and the intersection of the two. From boardrooms to Instagram trends, Sammi speaks with business leaders to connect the dots between brand, consumer and influence, so you don’t just keep up—you get ahead. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday. Follow now to stay in the know. Want more? Find Sammi on Instagram @sammicohentalks.

Episodes

The Business of Labubu and the Power of Manufactured Obsession

June 13, 2025 • 9 mins
People are lining up at 4 AM, crashing websites, and dropping thousands on a fuzzy vinyl creature with nine teeth and a cult following. Meet Labubu: part toy, part fashion statement, part emotional coping mechanism. Born from a Nordic mythology-inspired art project and catapulted to fame by Pop Mart, Labubu has become a collector’s dream and a status symbol—thanks to limited drops, blind box buying, and celebrity fans like BLACKPIN...
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Loren Castle (Sweet Loren’s) on Turning a Diagnosis Into a Mission, Scaling a Food Brand and Supply Chain Lessons

June 10, 2025 • 47 mins
Meet Loren Castle, the powerhouse behind Sweet Loren’s—the #1 natural cookie dough brand in the U.S. Today, Sammi chats with Lauren about how a shocking medical diagnosis pushed her to turn her kitchen experiments into a multimillion-dollar business. They get into the wild ride of breaking into the food world—from the first big break with Whole Foods to juggling supply chain chaos and sticking to Loren’s mission of allergen-free, ...
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Why Saks Is In Trouble — and How PE Is To Blame

June 6, 2025 • 15 mins
Today Sammi digs into the retail scandal that ties together private equity, power plays, broken promises, and a $2.65 billion luxury merger that's now unraveling in public. Also known as: the story of Saks.   Sammi follows the money trail to the center of Saks’ downfall: the mastermind behind the merger that would lead to the financial and reputational mess the brand is in now. This isn't a story about just one department store. I...
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John Hu (Stan) on the Path to $1 Billion, the Creator Economy and Building in Public

June 3, 2025 • 56 mins
Think it's too late to become a creator if you don't have a social media following? Think again. According to John Hu, cofounder of Stan—a platform that helps creators turn their platform into income—the creator economy is just getting started.  Today, John shares how he’s building Stan with unicorn status in mind, what MrBeast’s business empire can teach us about the business of content, and why he is “guarded” when it comes to f...
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The Epic Comeback of Barnes & Noble

May 30, 2025 • 19 mins
Once dismissed as the next big retail casualty, Barnes & Noble had all the makings of a cautionary tale—shrinking sales, shuttered stores, and a revolving door of leadership. But in a surprising turn of the page, the bookstore giant is not only surviving—it’s thriving. Today, Sammi unpacks the epic comeback story of Barnes & Noble under the leadership of James Daunt. You’ll hear how the company pivoted away from a centralized, coo...
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Rea Ann Silva (Beautyblender) on Owning 100% of Her Company, Dupes and Creating a Category

May 27, 2025 • 52 mins
Before the Beautyblender sponge was a staple in every makeup bag, it was a clever DIY tool dreamed up on set by professional makeup artist Rea Ann Silva. Then came a hot pink hero product, a cult following, and a revolution in the beauty industry. Today, Sammi sits down with Rea Ann to unpack how she turned her first invention into a multi-million dollar brand— and what it took to stay on top. They dig into the battle against dupe...
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Uncovering the Wedding Industrial Complex

May 23, 2025 • 13 mins
Why is saying “I do” costing Americans more than ever? In today’s episode, Sammi rips the veil off the modern wedding machine—revealing how a once-simple ceremony ballooned into a multibillion-dollar status symbol. From five-figure flower budgets to wedding cake surcharges, Sammi tracks who’s cashing in (think The Knot, Zola, and a swarm of luxury vendors) and how the creator economy has cranked up the pressure to go bigger, farthe...
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Brian Kelly (The Points Guy) on How to Travel for Free, Turning a Hobby Into an Empire and Beating Burnout

May 20, 2025 • 53 mins
Before credit card points were a lifestyle, Brian Kelly was just a travel-obsessed guy with a blog. Then came a viral New York Times article, a flood of traffic, and a big bet on affiliate marketing that turned The Points Guy into a multi-platform media empire. Today, Brian tells Sammi how he turned his passion project into a profitable business, what he learned from selling his brand twice, and how he secured partnerships with the...
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How I Created Social Currency

May 16, 2025 • 30 mins
Ever wondered if your side hustle could become your full-time gig? Today, Sammi shares everything she learned from taking that leap herself. If you’re sitting on a big idea or just curious what it really takes to bet on yourself, Sammi uses her own story as a case study to share actionable advice and a behind-the-scenes look at building a brand from scratch. She shares the key lessons from working the opening shift at Aldi, launch...
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Erewhon Economics: The Billion-Dollar Hype Behind America’s Bougiest Grocery Store

May 13, 2025 • 16 mins
 How did a small health food store become the go-to grocery destination for celebrities, influencers, nepo babies, and anyone who wants to signal their status and health to the world?  Today, Sammi unpacks how your favorite influencer’s favorite grocery store, Erewhon, cultivated its cult following. Sammi traces the brand’s rise from its origin story, to the acquisition that changed everything, and how much money the brand is maki...
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Ty Haney (Outdoor Voices, TYB, Joggy) on Leaving Her $100M Brand, the Girlboss Achilles Heel and Second Acts

May 13, 2025 • 54 mins
At just 23 years old Ty Haney was the face of Outdoor Voices—the mind behind the “Doing Things” movement and a figure of the Girlboss era. Then came the backlash, boardroom battles, and exit from the brand she built. Today, Sammi sits down with Ty to unpack the rise and fall of Outdoor Voices and Ty’s game-changing second act. Ty reveals what she wishes she knew as a first-time founder, the dark side of VC and the most important l...
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Introducing Social Currency

May 2, 2025 • 57 secs
On Social Currency, Sammi Cohen unpacks the stories that are shaping business, culture and the intersection of the two. From boardrooms to Instagram trends, Sammi speaks with business leaders to connect the dots between brand, consumer and influence, so you don’t just keep up—you get ahead. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday. Follow now to stay in the know. Want more? Find Sammi on Instagram @sammicohentalks. Learn more a...
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