The Folio

Paul Millerd — Rethinking Success, Work, and Meaning

In this conversation, author & creator Paul Millerd and I discuss breaking from the "default path" of work and success, how to navigate uncertainty, and redesigning our work lives with intention. He shares insights on the pathless path, the role of leisure in creativity, and the evolution of work paradigms in society. Timestamps: 00:00 Navigating Identity and Labels 02:22 The Influence of Location on Personal Growth 05:06 The Pathless Path: Embracing Uncertainty 07:21 Work, Worth, and the Default Path 10:06 The Role of Leisure in Creativity 12:28 Shifting Paradigms in Work and Life 15:01 Embracing Emotions and Existential Fear 17:19 The Hero's Journey in Personal Growth 20:17 Parenting, Needs, and Self-Actualization 22:23 Writing as a Journey of Self-Discovery 25:05 The Interconnection of Work and Life 27:39 The Evolution of Success and Fulfillment Paul's website [https://pmillerd.com/] Paul's Substack [https://substack.com/@paulmillerd] Paul's Twitter [https://x.com/p_millerd]

Melissa Palmer — CEO of OSEA on Intuition, Authenticity & Impact

In this episode I talk to Melissa Palmer, co-founder and CEO of OSEA Malibu, a wellness brand doing good for people and the planet through its beloved clean beauty & skincare products. Melissa shares insights into her family's inspiring history, the evolution of OSEA, and her mother's pioneering approach to clean beauty before it became a trend. We delve into the challenges and triumphs of running a mission-driven business, the importance of intuition in leadership, and how they build their brand with authenticity and kindness at its core. Melissa also discusses the impact of community and support networks in her entrepreneurial journey and offers valuable advice for aspiring founders. (01:10) Introducing Melissa Palmer of Osea Malibu (03:47) The Story of Elsa and the Inspiration Behind Osea (07:09) Osea's Commitment to Sustainability16:38 Balancing Intuition and Business (23:20) The Victoria Beckham Story (30:26) Navigating Challenges and Scaling the Business (31:38) Navigating FDA Regulations (32:18) The Power of Community and Networking (32:58) Personal Development and Leadership Growth (34:02) The Importance of Founders' Support Systems (34:46) Finding Balance and Groundedness (37:22) The Role of Kindness in Business (39:17) Authenticity and Brand Building (40:21) Embracing Uniqueness and Weirdness (42:52) Challenges and Successes in Entrepreneurship (49:29) Customer Feedback and Product Impact (54:02) Leadership Evolution and Team Dynamics (58:08) Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs Melissa's Instagram [https://oseamalibu.com/] OSEA's website [https://www.instagram.com/happypalmer/?hl=en] Get 10% off your first OSEA [https://oseamalibu.com/] order with code INFLUENCEFM Get 20% off Magic Mind with code INFLUENCEFM20

Liah Yoo - Building A Sustainable Brand & Career

In this episode, I interview Liah Yoo, founder & CEO of Krave Beauty and skincare creator with 1.6M follower across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. We discuss Liah's path from launching her YouTube channel in 2012 while living in South Korea to starting Krave Beauty, her sustainable skincare brand in 2017. We delve into topics like the book that helped her unlock her growth as a YouTube creator, how to slow down the beauty industry & why it's so needed, evolving as an entrepreneur and a content creator, self-censorship in content creation, and lessons on sustainability for consumer brands. Links & resources: Liah's YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/LiahYoo] Liah's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/liahyoo/] Krave Beauty's website [https://kravebeauty.com/]

Michelle Lin — Blending Art & Commerce with Mooncat

In this episode, I interview Michelle Lin, CEO and co-founder of Mooncat, the cult favorite witchy nail care brand known for its ethereal & artistic shades. We dive into Michelle's creative process, exploring how she transformed Mooncat from a nail care brand into wearable art. We discuss overcoming Asian cultural expectations, her unique leadership style, the balance between structure and creativity as an entrepreneur, and the mental health challenges of being an online creator in addition to being a founder. We also talk about her latest collection, the importance of staying true to oneself, and what it means to create wearable art for a passionate community of 'weirdos.'

Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton — Navigating The Entrepreneurial Roller Coaster

Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton is the cofounder & CEO of ⁠Chillhouse⁠ [https://chillhouse.com/]. In this conversation we discuss the importance of founder storytelling, how to stay focused while experimenting, decision-making that combines data with intuition, the challenges of running a brick-and-mortar business, how to evolve your brand while staying true to its DNA, and hard-won lessons from the last 8 years. Cyndi also shares how she approaches self-care as a mother & founder and what it's like to work with her husband as her co-founder & COO.(04:39) How I discovered Chillhouse (05:07) Heritage as superpower (06:11) Chillhouse's approach to wellness (09:28) Business challenges and COVID-19 (10:28) Product innovation & omnichannel (14:17) Balancing focus & experimentation (23:49) Hospitality industry lessons (27:32) Brick-and-mortar survival tips (30:21) Expanding to Paris (32:45) Closing the Paris location (33:33) The emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship (37:51) Balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship (46:55) Personal branding for founders (52:51) Working with your partner/husband (53:55) Reflections on resilience & more Links & resources: Chillhouse ⁠website⁠ [https://chillhouse.com/] Cyndi's ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/cyndiramirez/?hl=en] Brands mentioned: ⁠Magic Mind⁠ [https://magicmind.com/products/magic-mind?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=dulmaaltan&selling_plan=445022342] — Get 20% off using INFLUENCEFM20