From the Ground Up

Latest Episodes:

Future Proofing your business Aug 18, 2025

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Today we have another panel from this past year's Inc. Founder’s House at SXSW, here is a panel that was hosted by former Executive Editor Diana Ransom. She was joined by Sowmiya Chocka Narayanan the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Lily AI, a female founded retail AI company, Richard Socher, founder and CEO of you.com, a chat search assistant, and cofounder of AIX Ventures, an AI-focused venture capital firm that invests in early-stage AI startups, and Naeem Talukdar, who is the cofounder of Moon Valley AI, a startup developing an AI video generator that allows users to create cinematic videos and animations from text prompts. In this discussion, they spoke about future proofing your business by integrating AI to scale in many different industries. They also talked about how to use AI with guidelines and guardrails.

EXPERT EXCHANGE: How to Stop Micromanaging and Let Your Team Shine Aug 13, 2025

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Scaling requires trust. Successful CEOs empower leaders and step back without losing control.

Beyond Bleeding Edge with Amy Webb Aug 11, 2025

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In this episode, we are featuring a panel from this year's Founder’s House at SXSW. Executive editor Diana Ransom spoke with futurist Amy Webb, the founder of Future Today Institute, a consulting firm specializing in strategic foresight. They discussed Amy’s SXSW presentation on her future trends report as well as the importance of not focusing too much on one task or project to the detriment of others, and preparing for uncertainty.

Growing Without Growing Pains - FROM SQUARE AND INC. CUSTOM STUDIO Aug 07, 2025

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As small businesses scale, growth can come at a cost — agility, personal connections, and the tight-knit community feel that set you apart from the start. While expansion brings more data, more reach, and new opportunities, it also adds complexity. Information overload, disjointed systems, and a growing gap between you and your customers can sneak in fast. In this bonus episode, discover how growth-minded business leaders — from restaurants to retail — are leveraging innovative solutions like Square to scale smart without sacrificing their core mission.

EXPERT EXCHANGE: Stop Grinding. Start Building Workplace Joy Aug 06, 2025

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From employee clubs to passion-driven assignments, here's how to make work engaging with Alderson Loop founder and president Lauren Asghari and Jose Herrera, CEO and cofounder of Horatio.

EXPERT EXCHANGE: From $1 Million to Market Leader: The Secret to Outpacing Competitors Jul 30, 2025

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To scale, you need to think bigger. Here’s how to design a standout product and stay ahead of change.

The Professional Is Personal with Lili Reinhart Jul 28, 2025

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Hello and welcome to our first episode of this year's From the Ground Up summer programming.
Today, we have a panel from the most recent South by Southwest, where staff reporter Chloe Aiello sat down with actor, producer, and entrepreneur Lili Reinhart.They discussed how her struggle with acne inspired her to launch a new skincare company called Personal Day.

EXPERT EXCHANGE: The Founder of Panera Bread Has a Great Recipe for Winning Over Investors Jul 23, 2025

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Panera Bread co-founder Ron Shaich coached John Yarusi, founder of Johnny's Pork Roll and Coffee Too, on clearing one of entrepreneurship’s greatest hurdles: proof of concept.

EXPERT EXCHANGE: How to Grow a Food Truck Into a Nationwide Brand Jul 16, 2025

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Seth Goldman, founder of Honest Tea, coaches Ron Holloway, co-founder of Woofbowl, on expansion and how to market a growing food brand.

The Alchemy of Branding (Flashback) Jul 14, 2025

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If you grew up in the ’90s, the “¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!" chihuahua commercial was inescapable. Remember the vital-to-surfers sunscreen Sun Bum? Both of these memorable branding moments were created by serial entrepreneur Tom Rinks.

Inc. executive editor Diana Ransom sat down with Tom for this episode of From the Ground Up to discuss his unusual path to becoming a branding whiz—and what he’s learned about identifying human desire along the way. His early job of selling furniture taught him how to read people, and his first branding deal, with the University of Michigan’s Fab Five, immersed him in the skills needed to identify talent. Diana and Tom discuss the complex art of brand-creation, company-building, and finding the niche audience who will fiercely love your product. They also discuss Tom’s most recent branding venture, the oral-care line Made by Dentists.

Additional research and information:

Visit: ⁠Made By Dentists ⁠

Visit: ⁠Made by Dentists’s profile ⁠

Visit: ⁠Made by Dentists’s educational page⁠

Visit:⁠ Sun Bum⁠

Visit: ⁠Sun Bum’s profile

(Original Air Date 12-16-2024)