Innovator Insights

How do you launch a new product brand into retail, before it even exists?

In this episode of Innovator Insights, we sit down with Jim and Melissa Schifman, co-founders of Project Hive Pet Company, to unpack their unconventional go-to-market journey: launching a full line of toys and treats into retail before COVID hit, and before they’d even completed manufacturing.

We explore:

• Why they skipped the DTC-first playbook a...

What do sweaty warehouses, spreadsheets, and side projects have in common? They all shaped Jagath Narayan’s journey from a curious coder in India to the founder and CEO of Ordoro, a software platform that powers the operations behind successful e-commerce brands.

In this episode, Jagath shares how he:

• Validated Ordoro’s idea by working in a literal Texas warehouse
• Built the MVP before raising a single dollar
• Found his technic...

Getting your product on retail shelves is only half the battle, the real challenge is staying there.

In this week’s episode of Innovator Insights, we sit down with Yohan Jacob, founder of Retailbound and former buyer for giants like OfficeMax and Sears. With over 30 years of experience on both sides of the desk, Johan shares hard-earned wisdom on what it really takes to succeed in retail, from pitch decks to pricing strategy to sell...

What happens when a classically trained artist becomes a three-time tech founder?

In this episode of Innovator Insights, we sit down with Dana Loberg, founder of MovieLaLa, MojiLaLa, and Leo AR, to explore her unlikely journey from painting and copywriting to leading cutting-edge ventures in augmented reality.

Dana shares:

• Why burnout in corporate America pushed her toward entrepreneurship
• The importance of choosing the...

What happens after you exit a company you built from the ground up?

In this episode of Innovator Insights, we talk to Connor Tomkies—founder of DelegateIt, Embark Vet, and Support Ninja (an Inc. 500 company). After bootstrapping and selling Support Ninja, Connor found himself in an unexpected identity shift. Instead of slowing down, he pivoted—launching a podcast, investing through Operator Equity, and building a 300-member en...

What does it take to successfully sell your online business—and why should you plan your exit from the very start? In this episode, we sit down with Blake Hutchison, CEO of Flippa, the world's leading marketplace for buying and selling online businesses. Blake shares his entrepreneurial journey—from bootstrapping newsletters and specialty marketplaces to scaling e-commerce giants and eventually becoming CEO at Flippa.

Discover criti...

Is there a better way to validate your next big idea than showing it to real customers—before you go all in? In this episode, we sit down with Justin Chen, co-founder and CEO of PickFu, the user-testing platform empowering thousands of entrepreneurs to make data-driven decisions on everything from book covers to brand packaging. Justin takes us behind the scenes of building a global SaaS business—bootstrapped and fully remote—from ...

What does it really take to revolutionize spine surgery? Sometimes, it’s more than a brilliant concept—it’s about surviving the impossible. In this episode, we sit with Alyssa Huffman, the visionary CEO behind ALLUMIN8 and Ortho Med Solutions. Alyssa shares her journey from overcoming a traumatic brain injury and personal setbacks to spearheading “therapeutic hardware,” a breakthrough approach that could forever change orthopedic a...

What really happens when you sell your startup? It's not always champagne and private jets. In this episode, Adam Rosen shares his raw and unfiltered journey as an entrepreneur. From starting a business straight out of college to navigating the emotional and financial highs and lows of selling his company.

Discover the unexpected challenges of building a tech startup, the reality of exits that don’t make headlines, and why execution...

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the Engineer, Founder, and Chairman of the Board at DefenderShield, Daniel DeBaun. Daniel shares his journey from a traditional engineering career in telecommunications and aerospace to entrepreneurship in electromagnetic radiation (EMF) protection. He discusses the inception of Defender Shield, sparked by personal concerns about EMF exposure from devices like laptops and cell phones. Daneil ...

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the CEO of Versadesk, Chris Laudadio. Chris shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting from his early days in real estate and fitness equipment sales to founding Versadesk, a company specializing in ergonomic office furniture. Chris covers the challenges of U.S. manufacturing, the importance of customer feedback, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on business operations. Chris emphasiz...

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the Founder of Bubbly-Doo, Toine Habets. Toine is a personalized children's product company. Toine shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting from university projects to building a multimillion-dollar business. The discussion covers the inception of Bubbly-Doo, the challenges in achieving product-market fit, and the importance of licensing and partnerships with larger brands like Peppa Pig....

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the Founder and CEO of InstaSteam, Ari Hirsch. Ari shares his entrepreneurial journey, detailing the creation of InstaSteam; the world's first electricity-free clothing steamer. He discusses the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of resilience, and the strategies employed to grow his business. The conversation covers manufacturing processes, supply chain diversifica...

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the President of CelebriDucks, Craig Wolfe. Craig's journey from publishing artwork for major companies to creating CelebriDucks is a testament to the power of innovative thinking and perseverance. Living in Penn Valley, California, Craig has always run his businesses from home, emphasizing the importance of minimizing overhead costs. His transition from publishing to manufacturing rubber duc...

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the Host of LegendsNLeaders, Ben Weiss. Ben grew up in Florida and Arizona, where consumer products and the groundbreaking innovations of tech giants like Steve Jobs deeply inspired him. His family's involvement in consumer products and entrepreneurship further fueled his aspirations, setting the stage for his future endeavors.

By creating limited-edition products, Ben generates exclusivity an...

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the CEO and Founder of The Ollie World, Hindi Zeidman. Hindi's path to entrepreneurship was unconventional. As a single mom by choice living in Southern California, she faced the daunting task of balancing her personal life with her entrepreneurial ambitions. Hindi grew up in an entrepreneurial family, which laid the groundwork for her business ventures. However, her initial career in social ...

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the CEO and Founder of RKS Design, Ravi Sawhney. Ravi's journey begins in the San Fernando Valley, where his early passion for design led him to work as a model maker at just 19. His talent quickly propelled him to a position at Xerox, where he was part of the pioneering team that developed the first touchscreen interface. This experience was the bedrock of Ravi's human-centered design philos...

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the Co-Founder and CEO of Harbor, Founder and Chairman of the Board at Mizzen+Main, Kevin Lavelle. Kevin's story begins in sunny Florida, where he grew up before moving to Dallas, Texas, for college. Dallas became his home, where he now lives with his wife and two kids. Outside of his business ventures, Kevin enjoys golfing and staying fit—a testament to his dedication to excellence in all ar...

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the Founder and CEO of SunSail Shades, David Hathaway. The inspiration for SunSail Shades struck David during a family vacation in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. There, he encountered a beach shade called a kaboom shade. The design intrigued him, but he couldn't find anything like it online. Sensing an opportunity, David set out to create an affordable beach shade solution that could stand o...