Coffee N° 5 with Lara Schmoisman
Your Brew of Business Wisdom - Coffee N5 is your ultimate guide to running, growing, and scaling a successful business in today’s competitive landscape. Hosted by award-winning marketing strategist Lara Schmoisman—a Forbes Next 1000 honoree and LA Times Inspirational Women finalist—this Podcast is your secret weapon for actionable strategies, insider tips, and real-world success stories. Every episode dives into the tools, tricks, and tactics that help businesses thrive, featuring insights from industry leaders and innovators across beauty, wellness, lifestyle, and beyond. Lara’s unique approach combines her vast expertise in omnichannel marketing with her passion for helping brands unlock their potential. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, Coffee N5 gives you everything you need to create lasting success. So, pour yourself a cup, tune in, and let’s turn your business ambitions into reality—one episode at a time! Listen now and discover what it takes to build the business of your dreams.
Episodes
In the final Coffee Nº5 episode of the year, Lara Schmoisman breaks down the marketing ecosystem of 2026—an environment defined by AI clarity, human-led storytelling, micro-experts, privacy-first data practices, and integrated teams. This episode explains what it truly takes to operate, grow, and connect in a world where everything is interconnected.
We'll talk about:
- The 2026 ecosystem: why everythin...
In this solo episode of Coffee Nº5, Lara Schmoisman cuts through the noise around SEO and breaks down what actually matters: technical performance, quality backlinks, and audience-driven keywords. She explains how SEO fuels organic growth, why structure matters more than shortcuts, and how brands can build long-term momentum in a world shaped by AI. A clear, strategic guide for marketers who want results—not gimmicks.
...
Lara Schmoisman shares why your website is the true heart of your business—and why ignoring its performance can cost you growth, visibility, and conversions. From SEO and site speed to tech stacks and maintenance, this Coffee Nº5 episode breaks down how your site connects every part of your marketing strategy, from paid media to AI readiness.
We'll talk about:
- Your website is your brand’s heart—every trans...
Lara Schmoisman breaks down why blogging is still one of the most powerful tools in digital marketing—and what happens when brands stop. From keyword strategy to AI-ready content, Lara reveals how organic traffic, SEO, and conversions are directly tied to consistent, strategic content creation.
We'll talk about:
- What really happens when brands stop blogging: organic traffic drops, and sales follow.
- The 3 ke...
Lara Schmoisman breaks down her IEMA system on Coffee Nº5, showing how integrated marketing—content that is Informative, Entertaining, Memorable, and Actionable—drives real growth. From SEO and AI to storytelling and strategy, Lara shares practical insights to make your content work harder and smarter.
We'll talk about:
- Why dividing branding and growth is a mistake—and the power of integrated marketing
- The ...
Joanne Murphy, Senior Conference Producer at Kisaco Research, joins Lara Schmoisman on Coffee Nº5 to pull back the curtain on Beauty Connect LA—one of the industry’s most strategic gatherings for founders, investors, and innovators. From retail readiness and AI-powered insights to the evolution of “clinical credibility,” Joanne breaks down what’s really shaping the beauty ecosystem in 2025 and how connection drives ev...
Lalla Asmaa Alaoui, architect, luxury designer, and founder of AllMyAI, joins Lara Schmoisman on Coffee Nº5 to talk about the next frontier of AI—where emotional intelligence meets innovation. From building HorseHub, the world’s first AI-driven luxury equestrian brand, to launching a multi-agent platform that blends creativity and strategy, Lalla shares how she’s redefining collaboration between humans and machines.
Hugh Forrest, transformative leader of SXSW and founder of Gather and Grow, joins Lara Schmoisman on Coffee Nº5 to share how a local music festival became a global hub for technology, culture, and creativity. From building community to reinventing live experiences, Hugh reveals what it takes to lead in the event industry—and what’s next for 2025 and beyond.
We'll talk about:
- How Hugh Forrest grew SXSW from...
Bet Hannon, web accessibility expert and founder of AccessiCart, joins Lara Schmoisman on Coffee Nº5 to break down what accessibility really means for websites, marketing, and global compliance. From ADA lawsuits to the EU Accessibility Act, Bet shares why inclusive design is not just about avoiding legal risks—it’s about unlocking a $500 billion consumer market.
We'll talk about:
- How Bet pivoted from nonp...
Courtney Claghorn, co-founder of SUGARED + BRONZED, joins Lara Schmoisman on Coffee Nº5 to share how she bootstrapped a beauty service out of her apartment into a nationwide brand. From $1,000 in startup capital to 10 stores before raising funding, Courtney reveals the lessons of growth, customer loyalty, franchising, memberships, and creating a product line—all while keeping customer service at the core.
We'...
Alec Batis, beauty industry veteran and founder of Sweet Chemistry, joins Lara Schmoisman on Coffee Nº5 to unpack the pursuit of eternal beauty. From organ regeneration science to peptide innovation, he shares how true beauty goes beyond flawless skin—blending performance-driven skincare with wellness, meaning, and social impact.
We'll talk about:
- The personal story that drove Alec to chase beauty through ...
Mark Menning, PhD, pharmaceutical scientist and founder of MARK Los Angeles, joins Lara Schmoisman to unpack how flavonoids, clinical trials, and advanced delivery systems are reshaping skincare. From FDA-approved antivirals to cold sore serums and acne care, he shares how science—not hype—is driving the next era of beauty and wellness.
We'll talk about:
- Why drug delivery—not just ingredients—defines wheth...
Susanah Zeffiro, Brand Partnerships Lead at BeReal and former Spotify and Epic Games exec, joins Lara Schmoisman to explore the future of social media, authenticity vs. AI, and how brands can win with Gen Z by leaning into raw, unfiltered connection instead of glossy campaigns.
We'll talk about:
- Why Gen Z is rejecting filtered perfection and demanding authenticity
- The throughline of Susanah’s career: spotti...
Steven J. Edelstein, VP of Growth & Partnerships at MyFBAPrep, joins Lara Schmoisman to unpack why most brands fail before they scale—covering pricing strategy, supply chain traps, trade show mistakes, and the future of beauty innovation through personalization and smarter storytelling.
We'll talk about:
- Why pricing strategy must start with your audience—not just your ingredients
- The real margin rules t...
Henry Barton, Global Head of Network & Community at Duel Tech, joins Lara Schmoisman to reveal how the smartest fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands turn their most passionate customers into unstoppable advocates—and why community is your ultimate growth engine.
We'll talk about:
- Why your most loyal customers are your most powerful marketing channel—and how to activate them
- The difference between brand...
Ken Hughes, known as The King of Customer Experience, joins Lara Schmoisman to share why connection—not product—is the ultimate differentiator in today’s AI-driven world, and how brands can design loyalty that lasts.
We'll talk about:
- Why products and services are now commodities—and why connection is your only real differentiator
- The “goldfish moment” every brand should be creating (and how to scale it)
- How...
Nader Naeymi-Rad, Founder and Publisher of Beauty Independent, joins Lara Schmoisman to unpack the evolution of the beauty industry—from the death of indie beauty to the rise of professional founders, and what it really takes to build a brand that lasts.
We'll talk about:
- Why the “indie beauty” label is outdated—and what founders need to focus on instead
- The harsh truth about brand exits, celebrity equity, ...
Daniel Scharff, Founder & CEO of Startup CPG and host of a top 0.5% global podcast, joins Lara Schmoisman to talk brand-building, retail truth bombs, and what it really takes to grow in the crowded CPG space.
We'll talk about:
- How Daniel scaled Startup CPG into the most trusted brand community in the industry.
- What most CPG founders get wrong when pitching to retailers.
- The surprising reason brand story is mo...
Lara Schmoisman and Don Allen, CIO/CISO of Moda Operandi, discuss the evolution of e-commerce, the impact of AI on user experience and SEO, and strategic technology adoption for competitive advantage.
We'll talk about:
- The surprising truth about SEO today—and why organic reach is (almost) a myth.
- Why a "compelling website" is now just "table stakes" in e-commerce.
- The strategic shift: whe...
Lara Schmoisman and Mimi Banks of MB Social dive into real talk about social media strategy, content that converts, and the future of the creator economy—from beauty brands to medical experts.
We'll talk about:
- How Mimi helped turn nail art UGC into one of L'Oréal’s earliest creator strategies.
- The three types of creators you need to understand—and why the labels matter.
- Why good content alone isn’t eno...
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