Connections Leadership Series Podcast

Today’s guest is a former Shark Tank competitor whose idea was rejected and business name was teased. He didn’t give up, though, seeing a real opportunity to disrupt the flower industry and has successfully done so – even having one of the Sharks return, invest in his company and have him do the floral arrangements for this Shark’s wedding. He is John Tabis [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtabis], the Founder & CEO of The Bouqs Company [https://bouqs.com]. John believes so strongly that in order for a consumer brand to get off the ground you have to have a great story and a lot of hustle – two things he has an abundance of. Starting the company with a co-founder half-way around the world – communicating by WhatsApp, Skype and email – John built a brand with consumers at the heart of it, simplifying the flower-buying process and telling a wonderful story of where each stem come from and who are the people cultivating them. John shares many of his personal tactics that have helped him scale the business to success, his passion for big picture ideas and much more.

Today’s guest started literally in his garage, fulfilling orders made on an app he developed himself with his partners. He is Chieh Huang [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiehhuang/], CEO of Boxed [https://www.boxed.com/], a membership-free wholesale retailer that offers direct-to-consumer delivery of bulk goods. Like every startup, Chieh had to be very selective of what areas to scale and when, eventually coming up with the idea to hire robotic engineers to innovate new and exciting ways to fulfill customer orders. Though highly automated, Chieh has always believed in giving the customer a personal touch and so he ensured every order was sent with a hand-written thank you note. Chieh shares insights into his management tactics – having a very strong opinion against micro-managing, speaking as a former micro-manager – and how he takes the time to be present for his team members from the bottom to the top. His energy is quite infectious and I hope you enjoy listening to Chieh as much as I enjoyed chatting with him. Please welcome, Chieh Huang. This podcast is brought to you by Exact Media [http://www.exactconnections.com].

Today’s guest is in constant pursuit of helping other entrepreneurs reach their goals and for consumers to live healthier, happier lives. He is Gautam Gupta [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gautamgup/], Co-Founder of snack subscription service, NatureBox [https://naturebox.com/]. Gautam set out to disrupt how people consumed snack food, by creating healthy options and delivering them in a simple way. Given trends towards healthier eating, he felt the business model was going to be an instant success but quickly discovered he first had to build a thorough understanding of how consumers purchase snacks, as well as the retailer buying journey in order to get placement on store shelves. Since successfully growing NatureBox, Gautuam continues to advise other entrepreneurs on how to create a unique differentiated product and a compelling customer experience – both of which, he believes, are the biggest drivers to success today, over and above location and marketing. He shares his personal tactics on how to approach entrepreneurial problems and his love of teaching really shows. Please welcome, Gautam Gupta This podcast is brought to you by Exact Media [http://www.exactconnections.com].

Today’s guest on the Podcast (brought to you byExact Media [http://www.exactconnections.com]) is an avid outdoorsman, entrepreneur and wine aficionado. His approach to business is very matter-of-fact, he doesn’t mince words when it comes to big pivots like rebranding and he’s quick to learn and adapt. He is Geoff McFarlane [https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-mcfarlane-4b1b0a34/?originalSubdomain=ca], Co-Founder and CEO of Winc [http://winc.com/]. Geoff’s story definitely suggests entrepreneurship was woven into his DNA, with both his dad and older brother starting successful ventures, Geoff starting a mobile DJ company in high school that he later sold for a profit and realizing very early on that he was ‘unhireable’ and more passionate about paving his own path. He shares insights into some of other early ventures, including a real estate development company which he’d doubled-down on right before the economic crisis of 2008, forcing him to make some serious shifts in what came next. While searching for a wine gift for his friends, Geoff saw an opportunity ripe for the picking, finding many other wine clubs and subscription models too restrictive or pricey – so he set out to create an ideal club that catered to everyone. He shares his tactics for success, how he built and scaled a brand from the ground up and some suggestions on wine varietals you may enjoy. Please welcome, Geoff McFarlane.

Today’s guest is a real treat, who brings a real passion to what he does – that started from a very early age with a hilarious game of hide-and-seek – he is Kristian von Rickenbach [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kvonrickenbach/], the Co-Founder of direct-to-consumer mattress company, Helix Sleep [https://helixsleep.com/]. In a crowded marketplace, with several large competitors all launching around the same time, Kristian saw an opportunity to differentiate himself by not offering a one-size-fits all mattress, but rather a personalized experience for each customer based on their sleep preferences. He wasn’t always an entrepreneur – without a real plan after college he explored finance for a bit, before settling into a career in consulting for a variety of businesses. Ultimately, a chance encounter with one of his co-founders during a networking event sparked the idea to tackle an under-serviced, slow-moving industry. Kristian shares his personal tactics that have helped him scale the business to success, including how many hours of sleep he gets each night. Please welcome, Kristian von Rickenbach.