Office Chats

Episode 80: Skyler Mapes is the Co-Founder of EXAU Olive Oil and Co-Author of The Olive Oil Enthusiast. EXAU is a high-quality Italian olive oil brand that is listed on the official index of the world’s best olive oils and has been named on Oprah’s Favorite Things twice. Skyler’s Co-Founder and husband Giuseppe’s family have grown olives for over 100 years in Calabria, Italy. In this episode, Skyler chats about:How she and Giuseppe established an olive oil brand that was missing from U.S. markets.The ins and outs of their olive oil production process in Calabria, Italy.How EXAU is supporting and re-investing in the local Calabrian community. The importance of letting go of control as a founder.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

Episode 79: Caroline D’Amore is the founder of Pizza Girl, a brand of pasta sauces made with organic, locally sourced ingredients. Born into the D'Amores Pizza Family, Caroline is no stranger to the food industry. She created Pizza Girl to provide healthy and delicious sauces for a new generation of home chefs. In this episode, we chat about: Caroline's journey from the entertainment industry to launching Pizza GirlHer experience on Gordon Ramsey's Food StarsThe importance of embracing and learning from our mistakesIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

Episode 78: Siobhan Murphy is the founder of Babar PR, a communications and public relations firm specializing in founders and brands making a positive impact. With a wealth of experience in PR and strategic communications, Siobhan has worked in pivotal roles for Fortune 500 companies and startups across various industries. Most recently, Siobhan led consumer and entertainment communications at Twitter for over six years. At Babar, Siobhan focuses on helping founders and companies tell their stories, with clients including The Newsette, Amazon, Sephora, Rowely, and more.In this episode, we chat about: Siobhan's journey from the corporate world to starting her own firmTips for exploring career paths before entering the workforceTop skills it takes to be successful in the PR industryHow she helps founders shine in today's competitive landscapeIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

Episode 77: Victor Guardiola and Jordan Hicks are the founders of Bawi, a sparkling aqua fresca brand that combines the traditional flavors of Mexican agua fresca with better-for-you ingredients. In this episode, we chat about:Victor and Jordan's journey from starting Bawi in college to selling in retailers like SproutsActionable tips for finding potential investors and the one question to ask themTips for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to break into the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industryWhy the Hispanic CPG space has taken longer to pivot to better-for-you ingredientsIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

Episode 76: Bonny and Michelle are trailblazing a movement to ensure that women are never an afterthought in golf. Their brand, Sierra Madre Golf, is setting a new standard for women's golf apparel. In this episode, we chat about: Why women's golf apparel has been a relatively untapped markedHow Sierra Madre combines fashion and function for seamless designsWhat founders should know before partnering with a manufacturerHow Sierra Madre incorporates customer feedback and fosters connections with their communityIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

Episode 75: We all know Ben & Jerry’s for their flavorful pints of ice cream concoctions with clever, now-household names like “Americone Dream” and “Cherry Garcia.” However, even many ice cream enthusiasts are unfamiliar with the humble beginnings of Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield—two childhood friends that set out to create an ice cream shop in Burlington, Vermont with one sweet idea and no prior business experience. In this mini-episode, you’ll hear about:How Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield decided to go into the ice cream business togetherGreenfield’s distinct advantage for creating the chunk-filled scoops the company is known forThe top two business lessons from Ben & Jerry that you can apply to your journeyHow Ben & Jerry amplify the company’s social mission to this dayIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

Episode 74: Aaron and Julie Menitoff are the founders of Boarderie, an artisan cheese and charcuterie company that delivers fresh and beautiful boards nationwide. In this episode, Aaron and Julie chat about:Their pivot from running a successful catering company to launching Boarderie post-pandemicHow going on Shark Tank and making a deal with Lori Greiner impacted their businessThe logistics of delivering fresh, quality food overnight across the countryInsights on being partners both in business and in lifeIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

Episode 73: Erica Cole is the Founder and CEO of No Limbits, an adaptive clothing brand for wheelchair users, people with limited dexterity, sensory sensitivities, and other disabilities.After losing her leg in a car accident in 2018, Erica found that her prosthetic leg wasn’t compatible with her existing wardrobe. This led her on a journey to solve this problem and create an empowering business with a mission to help others. In this episode, we chat about:How No Limbits is positively impacting the disability community and vice versaThe design and manufacturing process for creating adaptive clothing tailored to unique needsErica's advice on starting a company with no prior business experience & tips for coordinating overseas manufacturing How going on Shark Tank and partnering with Good American's Emma Grede and Mark Cuban impacted her companyIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!

Episode 72: The iconic egg-shaped Beautyblender sponge is wildly popular and used by both makeup artists and everyday people all over the world. Yet, the company’s founder, Rea Ann Silva, remains relatively under the radar. In this mini-episode, we chat about:Rea Ann Silva’s background and early career as a makeup artistHow her experience on TV and film sets led to the creation of the BeautyblenderWhy Beautyblender doesn’t have a patent and how it promotes customer loyaltyThree business lessons from Silva you can apply to your own journeyIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/follow the show and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram here. Thank you!