#154. In our latest episode of Offense vs Defense we talk with Ryan Babenzien, CEO of GREATS, which makes timeless sneakers for men and women. We discussed how the brand is doubling down on digital at the expense of wholesale and retail and where it goes from here in this new world.
Jun 25, 2020•28 min
#153. In our latest episode of Offense vs Defense we talk with Lindsey Andrews, co-founder of Minibar, a marketplace for wine, liquor and beer. We discussed the rapid growth of at-home beverage consumption over the last three months and how the company shifted into customer service mode to manage the crisis so far.
May 28, 2020•25 min
#152. In our latest episode of Offense vs Defense we talk with Eliza Blank, the founder of The Sill, a modern plant company. We discussed how the brand is approaching advertising, customer communication, and what changes will remain once life is back to normal.
May 21, 2020•23 min
#151. In our third episode of Offense vs Defense we talk with Julia Hunter, the CEO of the lifestyle brand Jenni Kayne. We discussed her views on a rebalanced retail strategy and how the crisis has pushed her to realize how much of a business’s trajectory is outside of human control.
May 14, 2020•27 min
#150. In our second episode of Offense vs Defense we talk with Abe Burmeister, the co-founder of Outlier, a menswear brand pushing the limits of materials and performance. We discussed how the brand has handled supply chain woes, invested more in social media and struck a balance between customer communication about when to spend money on clothing and when to save it.
May 07, 2020•23 min
#149. In our first episode of Offense vs Defense we talk with Sarah Paiji Yoo, the co-founder of Blueland, a brand reimagining cleaning products to eliminate single-use plastic packaging. Blueland has seen a huge spike in demand in the last two months but it comes with all of the challenges every brand is facing deciding when to cut back and when to invest.
Apr 30, 2020•24 min
#148. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy to understand the upside and downside of the brand’s approach. We discuss Loop, a reusable packaging consortium’s decision to move into retail and whether or not the complex model will appeal to the masses.
Mar 11, 2020•13 min
#147. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy to understand the upside and downside of the brand’s approach. We discuss Elite Model Management’s decision to launch its own apparel brand and whether or not the modeling agency can run a fashion label.
Mar 04, 2020•15 min
#146. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy to understand the upside and downside of the brand’s approach. We discuss KIND Snacks’ expansion into four new product categories and if the brand can be more than just a snack bar company.
Feb 26, 2020•14 min
#145. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy to understand the upside and downside of the brand’s approach. We discuss Atari’s decision to open a handful of hotels across the U.S. and whether or not this move into experiences makes sense for the OG gaming company.
Feb 19, 2020•14 min
#144. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy to understand the upside and downside of the brand’s approach. We discuss Simon and Brookfield’s decision to buy Forever 21 out of bankruptcy and whether or not the brand is worth reviving.
Feb 12, 2020•15 min
#143. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy to understand the upside and downside of the brand’s approach. We discuss Shake Shack and Taco Bell’s approach to employee retention and whether or not these new initiatives will make a difference.
Feb 05, 2020•16 min
#142. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy to understand the upside and downside of the brand’s approach. We discuss the rise of second hand beauty platforms and the host of complications that could keep this market from taking off.
Jan 29, 2020•19 min
#141. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy to understand the upside and downside of the brand’s approach. We discuss Goop’s expansion into Sephora and whether or not the brand’s products will stand out beyond the Goop universe.
Jan 22, 2020•16 min
#140. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy to understand the upside and downside of the brand’s approach. We discuss SmileDirectClub's retail and product extension into Walmart and how both moves push the company further into oral care.
Jan 15, 2020•13 min
#139. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy. This week we discuss Helen of Troy’s recent acquisition of Drybar’s product business and what drove the brand towards a sale.
Jan 08, 2020•16 min
#138. Jenni Kayne is a well-known California lifestyle brand. We talk with CEO Julia Hunter about her journey plotting the brand’s next chapter after a decade of existence and how her back to basics strategy fueled the company’s growth. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.
Dec 18, 2019•42 min
#137. Espresso is a new talk show from Loose Threads where we dissect two different business strategies from the past two weeks, putting them under the microscope to see if they hold up or fall apart. In our third episode, we discuss legacy department store’s holiday pop-up shops in New York City hotels and Airbnb’s new program, Cooking Experiences.
Dec 11, 2019•25 min
#136. Richer Poorer is a men’s and women’s elevated basics brand. We talk with co-founder Iva Pawling about her journey selling her company, buying it back and taking control of the brand’s future. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.
Dec 04, 2019•48 min
#135. Espresso is a new talk show from Loose Threads where we analyze important developments in the consumer economy. In our second episode, we discuss Birchbox’s 500 store partnership with Walgreens and Ferrari’s quest to pull back on licensing and shore up its luxury brand.
Nov 20, 2019•18 min
#134. STATE Bags is a mission-driven accessories brand for men, women and children. We talk with co-founders Scot and Jacq Tatelman about how they balance building a thriving business while still giving everything they can to others. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.
Nov 13, 2019•47 min
#133. Espresso is a new talk show from Loose Threads where we analyze important developments in the consumer economy. In our first episode we discuss how Rebag’s new pricing index tool relates to what fractional ownership means today and Brooklinen’s new multi-brand platform that presents an updated but twisted take on modern wholesale.
Nov 06, 2019•19 min
#132. Clare is a direct-to-consumer brand reimagining the experience around painting one’s home. We talk with founder Nicole Gibbons about how she relied on her background in interior design and customer feedback to simplify the painting process. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.
Oct 23, 2019•48 min
#131. Health-Ade is one of the fastest-growing and earliest small-batch kombucha brands. We talk with co-founder Vanessa Dew about how she grew the brand from one farmers’ market to over 25,000 doors nationwide. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.
Oct 16, 2019•47 min
#130. Cha Cha Matcha is a beverage brand with five retail locations and a recently-released line of canned drinks. We talk with founders Matthew Morton and Conrad Sandelman about how they played a role in popularizing matcha. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.
Oct 09, 2019•42 min
#129. Michel et Augustin is a French confectionary brand that entered the U.S. market in 2016. We talk with Evan Holod, the CEO of U.S. operations, about the challenges of making a popular French cookie resonate with Americans. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.
Oct 02, 2019•47 min
#128. Recess is a CBD-infused beverage company. We talk with founder and CEO Ben Witte about how he set out to dominate the CBD category through a superior product offering and distinct marketing approach. The Megaphone Podcast features marketers, analysts and advertising professionals navigating the roller coaster ride of building a 21st-century brand.
Sep 25, 2019•34 min
#127. Zeus is a platform reimagining the corporate housing market. We talk with the founder and CEO Kulveer Taggar about how Zeus fills the gap between Airbnb and legacy players within the space. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.
Sep 18, 2019•48 min
#126. O2 is an oxygenated recovery drink for athletes. We talk with founder and CEO Dave Colina about being the first to scale and commercialize an oxygenated recovery beverage. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.
Sep 11, 2019•48 min
#125. New Stand merges your favorite blog and favorite bodega in a convenience store pop-up. We talk with co-founder and CEO Andrew Deitchman about the challenges and triumphs of merging physical products and space with digital content and experiences. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.
Sep 04, 2019•47 min