Unbottled: A Startup Podcast by Kadeya

Inside a Double Alpha Household: Building Startups and a Marriage

What happens when two founders build companies—and a family—under one roof? In this episode of Unbottled, Manuela sits down with Andy Dunn — a founder of Bonobos, Monica + Andy, and Pie, venture investor, and author of Burn Rate — for a candid conversation on entrepreneurship, partnership, and the reality of a “double alpha household.” But this isn’t a typical founder interview. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to build ambitious companies while building a life together—navigating mental health, parenting, competing priorities, and the constant tension between ambition and presence. Together, they unpack how to support each other without collapsing into each other’s work, what venture capital often gets wrong about long-term bets like hardware and infrastructure, and why betting on your partner may be one of the boldest (and riskiest) investments you can make. In this episode, you’ll see: * What a “double alpha household” really looks like (and why winning isn’t the goal) * How to balance being a partner, investor, and operator at the same time * Why startups can feel like a “mind virus” * The role of sleep, exercise, and routine in protecting mental health while building * How parenting reshapes ambition, time, and identity * Why venture capital struggles with non-consensus, long-term investments like hardware Andy also shares how his relationship with ambition has evolved—from chasing outcomes to finding meaning in the process itself. Because when you zoom out, building a company is just one part of the equation—the harder challenge is building a life that can sustain it. 💧 Unbottled is brought to you by Kadeya — building closed-loop beverage systems for a world beyond single-use. ______  Follow Andy Dunn Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyrdunn/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyrdunn/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dunn/ [https://www.instagram.com/dunn/] Substack: https://dunn.substack.com/ [https://dunn.substack.com/]  ______  Follow Kadeya:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/  [https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/ ] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/ [https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/]  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club [https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/]  Website: https://www.kadeya.com/ [https://www.kadeya.com/]  ______  Follow Manuela:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/ ] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/ [ https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/]  Substack: https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/ [https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/] ______  💌 Go deeper with The Drip newsletter — Kadeya’s inside look at how we’re re-engineering the $2 trillion beverage industry. Get founder insights, progress updates, and ideas shaping the circular economy.   Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/4opCVW2 [http://bit.ly/4opCVW2] ______  Building the future of beverage—one sip, one story at a time.   Unbottled shares raw conversations with the people rethinking everything we know about water, plastic, and sustainability. Because the future of beverage isn’t bottled—it’s built. New episodes every Monday. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  If you like what you hear, rate, review, and subscribe to Unbottled

Building Better Products: Why Materials Science Matters More Than Ever

We can’t design better products if we don’t understand the materials they’re made from. In this episode of Unbottled, Manuela sits down with Dr. Carolyn Carta — materials scientist, educator, and founder of CArtLab Solutions — to bring a scientific lens to one of the most emotional conversations in sustainability: what our products are actually made of. With a career spanning conservation science, animation preservation at Disney, medical device 3D printing, and next-gen hardware systems, Dr. CC has built her reputation on asking better questions, and demanding better data. She’s on a mission to bring more scientific method (and a lot less greenwashing) to how we evaluate materials, risk, and real-world performance. Together, they unpack why so many material debates miss the mark — and how consumer fears like “all plastic is toxic” can distract from what really matters: testing, precision, and responsible system design. In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why the scientific method is essential to building responsible, effective hardware * What’s missing from most public conversations about plastic, polymers, and toxicity * Why early, rigorous R&D determines whether a product succeeds or fails at scale * How additives, trace chemistry, and real-world use conditions change the material safety conversation * Why “natural” doesn’t automatically mean safer * What better questions founders, consumers, and policymakers should be asking about materials like plastic * How to evaluate sustainability through performance, durability, and system design — not headlines Dr. CC also challenges popular narratives around microplastics and material risk, sharing how precision testing leads to better products. Because when you look closely, the issue isn’t just plastic — it’s whether we’re measuring, testing, and designing systems responsibly in the first place. 💧 Unbottled is brought to you by Kadeya — building closed-loop beverage systems for a world beyond single-use. ______  If this episode got you thinking about plastic systems change, product innovation, or how we build a better future - don’t just listen. Be an owner. Kadeya is raising a community round on Wefunder. You can invest with as little as $100 and help bring closed-loop hydration to more people, in more places. 👉 Learn more and join our investor community at: https://www.wefunder.com/kadeya ______  Follow Dr. Carolyn Carta Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ccarta/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ccarta/] ______  Follow Kadeya:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/  [https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/ ] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/  [https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/ ] Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club  [https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club ] Website: https://www.kadeya.com/  [https://www.kadeya.com/ ] ______  Follow Manuela:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/ ] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/  [https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/ ] Substack: https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/ [https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/] ______  💌 Go deeper with The Drip newsletter — Kadeya’s inside look at how we’re re-engineering the $2 trillion beverage industry. Get founder insights, progress updates, and ideas shaping the circular economy.   Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/4opCVW2 [http://bit.ly/4opCVW2] ______  Building the future of beverage—one sip, one story at a time.

From Robotics to Reuse: How Kadeya’s CPO Is Rebuilding the Beverage Supply Chain

How do you redesign an entire industry without asking people to change how they live? In this episode of Unbottled, Manuela sits down with Kadeya’s cofounder and Chief Product Officer Denis Lussault to unpack his personal journey from Formula 1 dreams and warehouse robotics to building the world’s first closed-loop beverage system. Denis explains how decades of experience across industries shaped the way Kadeya is designing smarter, circular systems — and why solving climate problems starts with solving operational ones. In this conversation, you’ll learn: * Why the real problem isn’t the bottle — it’s the system behind it * How robotics and automation make sustainability scalable * How AI helps optimize hardware, supply chains, and customer experience * Denis’s leadership philosophy and product vision * Lessons from Formula 1, startups, and team sports that now shape Kadeya’s culture * Why climate impact requires systems thinking, not surface fixes You’ll also hear about Denis’s path in startups and reimagining hydration infrastructure — plus basketball analogies, bikes-as-thinking tools, and what it takes to build something that people actually want to use. Because the future of beverages isn’t about better bottles. It’s about better systems. 💧 Unbottled is brought to you by Kadeya — building closed-loop beverage systems for a world beyond single-use. ______  If this episode got you thinking about plastic systems change, product innovation, or how we build a better future - don’t just listen. Be an owner. Kadeya is raising a community round on Wefunder. You can invest with as little as $100 and help bring closed-loop hydration to more people, in more places. 👉 Learn more and join our investor community at: https://www.wefunder.com/kadeya ______  Follow Denis Lussault Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denis-lussault-40691946/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/denis-lussault-40691946/] ______  Follow Kadeya:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/  [https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/ ] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/  [https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/ ] Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club [https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club]  Website: https://www.kadeya.com/ [https://www.kadeya.com/]  ______  Follow Manuela:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/ ] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/  [https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/ ] Substack: https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/ [https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/] ______  💌 Go deeper with The Drip newsletter — Kadeya’s inside look at how we’re re-engineering the $2 trillion beverage industry. Get founder insights, progress updates, and ideas shaping the circular economy.  Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/4opCVW2 [http://bit.ly/4opCVW2] ______  Building the future of beverage—one sip, one story at a time.   Unbottled shares raw conversations with the people rethinking everything we know about water, plastic, and sustainability. Because the future of beverage isn’t bottled—it’s built. New episodes every Monday. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  If you like what you hear, rate, review, and subscribe to Unbottled

Forecasting Our Future: Why Climate Is Personal with Meteorologist Angie Lassman

Everyone talks about the weather, few understand what’s really happening. In this episode of Unbottled, Manuela sits down with Angie Lassman, certified broadcast meteorologist and environmental reporter at NBC News, to break down the science behind climate change — and why rising heat, extreme weather, and misinformation are reshaping everyday life across the U.S.  Angie shares why clear, credible communication may be one of our most powerful climate tools. In this conversation, you’ll learn: * The real difference between weather and climate — and why confusing the two fuels misinformation * Why extreme heat is one of the deadliest and most overlooked climate threats * How climate change is already impacting health, housing, insurance, and infrastructure * Why climate change feels so polarizing — and how trust in science has eroded * What meteorologists and scientists need to do differently to communicate urgency without fear * How misinformation spreads — and how to spot credible climate sources Angie also shares her personal journey — from falling in love with science as a curious kid, to reporting from climate hotspots around the world — and why optimism, education, and action are essential in the face of accelerating change. Because climate change isn’t a future problem. It’s a systems problem — and it’s already shaping how we live. 💧 Unbottled is brought to you by Kadeya, building closed-loop beverage systems for a world beyond single-use. ______  Follow Angie Lassman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angielassman/ [https://www.instagram.com/angielassman/] Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@angielassman [https://www.tiktok.com/@angielassman] Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angielassman/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/angielassman/] ______  Follow Kadeya:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/  [https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/ ] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/  [https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/ ] Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club [https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club]  Website: https://www.kadeya.com/  [https://www.kadeya.com/ ] Invest in Kadeya on Wefunder: https://wefunder.com/kadeya  [https://wefunder.com/kadeya ] ______  Follow Manuela:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/ ] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/  [https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/ ] Substack: https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/ [https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/] ______  💌 Go deeper with The Drip newsletter — Kadeya’s inside look at how we’re re-engineering the $2 trillion beverage industry. Get founder insights, progress updates, and ideas shaping the circular economy.    Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/4opCVW2 [http://bit.ly/4opCVW2] ______  Building the future of beverage—one sip, one story at a time.   Unbottled shares raw conversations with the people rethinking everything we know about water, plastic, and sustainability. Because the future of beverage isn’t bottled—it’s built. New episodes every Monday. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  If you like what you hear, rate, review, and subscribe to Unbottled.

Investing in Supply Chain Transformation, with Co-Founders of REFASHIOND Ventures

The beverage supply chain wasn’t built for sustainability. It was built for scale, speed, and disposability. In this episode of Unbottled, Manuela sits down with Brian Laung Aoaeh and Lisa Morales-Hellebo, early Kadeya investors and supply chain operators, to break down how today’s beverage infrastructure actually works — and why single-use bottles became the default. Together, they unpack what most consumers never see: the hidden logistics, costs, and inefficiencies behind bottled beverages — from extraction and manufacturing to long-haul transport, waste, and landfill. In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why Refashiond Ventures built a thesis around investing in early-stage companies that are refashioning global supply chains and transforming industries. * How the traditional beverage supply chain was designed — and where it breaks down * Why recycling was never designed to handle beverage volumes at scale * How on-site production at point-of-service changes the economics of beverages * Why fixing waste requires disruption and rebuilding systems — not consumer guilt Brian and Lisa also share why they chose to invest in Kadeya — and why they believe the future of beverages will be decentralized, circular, and built closer to where people actually drink. Because when you understand the supply chain, you realize the problem was never the bottle — it was the system around it. 💧 Unbottled is brought to you by Kadeya, building closed-loop beverage systems for a world beyond single-use. ______  Follow & Support Refashiond Ventures: Website: https://www.refashiond.com/ [https://www.refashiond.com/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/refashiondvc/ [https://www.instagram.com/refashiondvc/] Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refashiond/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/refashiond/] ______  Follow Brian Laung Aoaeh  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/industrialsystemsengineeringandtransformationandsupplychaintechnology/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/industrialsystemsengineeringandtransformationandsupplychaintechnology/]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianlaungaoaeh/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/brianlaungaoaeh/?hl=en]  Follow Lisa Morales-Hellebo: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/supplychainlocalization/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/supplychainlocalization/]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisahellebo/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/lisahellebo/?hl=en]  ______  Follow Kadeya:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/  [https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/ ] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/ [https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/]  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club [https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club]  Website: https://www.kadeya.com/  [https://www.kadeya.com/ ] Invest in Kadeya on Wefunder: https://wefunder.com/kadeya  [https://wefunder.com/kadeya ] ______  Follow Manuela:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/ [https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/]  Substack: https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/< [https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/]