Innovator Insights

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...

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the Founder of Rosbach Consulting, Travis Rosbach. Before Travis became an entrepreneurial sensation, his life was a series of high-octane jobs that would make any thrill-seeker envious. As a dive master, scuba dive instructor, boat captain, and even an airline pilot, Travis' background is as diverse as it is exciting. But beneath this adventurous exterior was a passion for business, kindled ...

Your host, Henrik Johansson, talks with the Founder of GoAtomico and GoBrixy, Kevin Brodwick. Kevin's first venture was a small software company named Akiddo, which pivoted to business fraud detection. Despite its potential, the company faced significant challenges, including a critical loss of talent to Apple Computers, leading to its closure. However, it was his work at a lab funded by the National Institutes of Health that spark...

In the inaugural episode of Innovator Insights: From Idea to Impact, Josh Elledge speaks to the founder and CEO of Gembah and the host and creator of the show, Henrik Johansson.

Henrik discusses his Swedish roots and entrepreneurial journey in the US, detailing how Gembah assists brands in efficient product development. He highlights their marketplace that aligns new product concepts with consumer demand.

He also shares that the sh...