Raising the Bar with Alli and Adrian

Latest Episodes:

Kentucky Straight Ice: Converting Ice Cubes Into Cash Nov 22, 2019

Show notes

Entrepreneur Rich Finck could sell ice to an Eskimo, literally. That's because his company Kentucky Straight Ice specializes in handcrafted, stunningly clear, luxury beverage-ice. A family-owned company based in Louisville, KY since 2015, Kentucky Straight Ice is designed to enhance the "on the rocks" experience for Bourbon, Scotch, Whiskey, and the entire premium spirits class. Rich visited Alli and Michael to talk all things Kentucky bourbon and how he came up with his crystal-clear business idea, the science behind Kentucky Straight Ice's trademark freezing and melting process, and why companies are spending boatloads on ice cubes. Learn more at @kystraightice and kentuckystraightice.com. Don't forget to follow @alliwebb for #BTS of Raising The Bar and subscribe and rate us!

NetSuite is offering you valuable insights with a FREE guide – “Seven Key Strategies to Grow your Profits” at NetSuite.com/bar

Get 45 days of Acuity Scheduling absolutely free - no credit card required - by going to acuityscheduling.com/bar

Produced by Dear Media.

Supergoop!: Turning SPF Into $40 Million Nov 15, 2019

Show notes

Supergoop! founder Holly Thaggard is the queen of sunscreen. She never intended to build a $40-million company sold in Sephora, Nordstrom, and Bluemercury until a close friend of hers was diagnosed with skin cancer. In 2007, she launched her brand with the goal of creating an SPF that everyone would want to wear every single day. With sunscreen is at the forefront of Supergoop!, Holly's mission is to prevent skin cancer and premature aging with her products. She met up with Michael and Alli to talk about her first career as a professional harpist, challenges she faced creating an FDA-regulated product, and disrupting the sunscreen industry. Keep up with Holly @hollythaggard and @supergoop. Don't forget to follow @alliwebb for #BTS of Raising The Bar and subscribe and rate us!

Go to mejuri.com/rtb for free shipping on orders over $100!

Use coupon code "BAR" for $10 off your first box at www.fabfitfun.com!

Produced by Dear Media.

The Giving Keys: Unlocking A Social Impact Company Nov 08, 2019

Show notes

The Giving Keys are repurposed key necklaces stamped with inspirational words like FEARLESS, HOPE, STRENGTH, and COURAGE. When the wearer of the key encounters someone else who needs the message—they are encouraged to give it away and share their “pay-it-forward” story. Seen on celebrities like Taylor Swift and Nina Dobrev, the Giving Keys is not your average accessories brand in Los Angeles. That's because founder Caitlin Crosby started the company to employ those transitioning out of homelessness to make and assemble their products. Caitlin met up with Alli and Michael to talk about ending homelessness through employment, why "STRENGTH" is their all-time best-selling word, and when she knew it was time to turn her side gig into a full-blown social movement. To get involved, reach out to caitlin@thegivingkeys.com and keep up at thegivingkeys.com and @thegivingkeys. Don't forget to follow @alliwebb for #BTS of Raising The Bar and subscribe and rate us!

Get 45 days of Acuity Scheduling absolutely free - no credit card required - by going to acuityscheduling.com/bar !

NetSuite is offering you valuable insights with a FREE guide – “Seven Key Strategies to Grow your Profits” at NetSuite.com/bar ! 

Produced by Dear Media. ᐧ

Sugar Paper: On Becoming The Best Stationery Company In The World Nov 01, 2019

Show notes

Sugar Paper, Los Angeles's premier goods shop and custom letterpress stationery company, was born in 2003 when college pals Chelsea Shukov and Jamie Grobecker started designing custom letterpress cards after graduation as a hobby. Now, Sugar Paper is carried in 1,500+ shops around the world and has storefronts in Brentwood, Newport Beach, and Marin. With a commitment to bespoke, local, and hand-made pieces, the Sugar Paper brand has won over celebrities from Reese Witherspoon to Zac Efron and earned them partnerships with brands like Target, J. Crew, and Goop. Chelsea and Jamie stopped by to tell Alli and Michael why handwritten notes are still thriving in the digital age, how their business is like a marriage, and what's next for the ever-growing stationery company. Keep up with Chelsea and Jamie at @sugarpaperla and sugarpaper.com, and don't forget to follow @alliwebb for #BTS of Raising The Bar and subscribe and rate us!

Go to Mejuri.com/rtb, you’ll get free shipping on orders over one hundred dollars!

Explore the virtual world of SPARKED on ulta.com/sparked.

Produced by Dear Media.

ᐧ

The Clear Cut: Selling Diamonds In Your DMs Oct 25, 2019

Show notes

Engagement ring company the Clear Cut has sold millions of dollars in diamonds over Instagram's direct messages since launching in 2018. By creating tailor-made jewelry and demystifying the buying process for a new generation, they've disrupted an industry and paved the way to become the next Tiffany & Co. Co-founders Olivia Olivia Landau and Kyle Simon, who met as students at the Gemology Institute of America (aka GIA) and married this year, have grown their business 100% quarter-over-quarter since quitting their day jobs to take on the Clear Cut fulltime. Olivia, a fourth-generation jeweler, and Kyle, a fair-trade diamond mining alum, joined Alli and Michael to talk about how their booming business, the power of organic growth and engagement on Instagram, and redefining a luxury market. Keep up with them @theclearcut and theclearcut.co, and don't forget to follow @alliwebb for #BTS of Raising The Bar and subscribe and rate us!

Free shipping on orders over $100 at mejuri.com/rtb !

Produced by Dear Media.

Maya Brenner: Spinning Success Out of 14k Gold Oct 18, 2019

Show notes

Maya Brenner’s eponymous jewelry line first caught the public’s attention more than 20 years ago, while the jeweler was still creating pieces out of her studio apartment and working full-time as a social worker. Specializing in fine, 14K gold jewelry, Maya Brenner Designs boasts a slew of celebrity admirers, including Meghan Markle who first revealed her relationship with Prince Harry thanks to Maya's Asymmetrical Letter Necklace's "MH" initials. The LA-based jeweler caught up with Michael and Alli to talk about the brand's many successful collaborations, moving to Los Angeles and starting from scratch, and the transformative power of a necklace. Keep up with Maya at mayabrenner.com and @mayabrenner, and don't forget to follow @alliwebb for #BTS of Raising The Bar and subscribe and rate us!

Ignite your curiosity and discover SPARKED in select Ulta Beauty stores! Explore the virtual world of SPARKED on ulta.com/sparked

Produced by Dear Media.

Afterpay: The Millennial's Answer to Buy Now, Pay Later Oct 11, 2019

Show notes

Five years ago, Nick Molnar had a theory that recession-scarred Millennials would prefer to spend their own money and spread their purchases across a series of payments rather than use a loan or credit card. His Australian company Afterpay—which operates similarly to a layaway system where consumers buy a product and pay it off in four installments—has since spread to the U.S. and is now worth billions. The 29-year-old co-founder global chief revenue officer visited Alli and Michael to talk about his start as the number-one seller of jewelry in Australia on eBay, why Afterpay has resonated with debt-ridden, credit-averse young consumers, and how he's tackling international growth and scale. Keep up with Nick at @afterpayusa and @molnarnick, and don't forget to follow @alliwebb for #BTS of Raising The Bar and subscribe and rate us!

Three Day Rule: Modern Day Matchmaking Oct 04, 2019

Show notes

Talia Goldstein officially started her matchmaking company Three Day Rule in 2010, but she’s been setting people up since she was in high school. Today, Three Day Rule employs 50 matchmakers who arrange dates in 10 major cities in the U.S. These matchmakers combine tech with human intuition, meeting with each of their clients and potential matches in person and using facial-recognition software to help improve the search. Founder Talia joined Raising The Bar to share how she went from office matchmaker to CEO, raising money for a startup while pregnant, and how she's found matches for hundreds of clients, including top executives, entrepreneurs, and celebrities. Learn more at threedayrule.com and @threedayrule. And don't forget to follow @alliwebb for #BTS of Raising The Bar and subscribe and rate us! Ignite your curiosity and discover SPARKED in select Ulta Stores. ᐧ

S2 Ep. 26 Grow Marketing: Two Ex-Rivals Make Peace & PR Sep 27, 2019

Show notes

For years, Cassie Hughes and Gabrey Means were rivals in the cutthroat world of corporate publicity campaigns, trying to outdo each other with store launches, press events, and stunts, all before experiential marketing was barely a standard marketing practice. The competition ended one day over a bottle of wine, as Cassie and Gabrey realized they could build the agency they longed for but never found. Since starting Grow in 2001, Gabrey and Cassie have built Grow from a two-person consultancy into an award-winning agency that counts Google, Target, Sephora, Levi’s, Nike, and more as clients. The two marketing whizzes sat down with Michael and Alli to talk about what makes their strategies unique, how to execute an experiential event, and why brands are engaging in the culture more than ever before. Learn more at grow-marketing.com, and don't forget to follow @alliwebb for #BTS of Raising The Bar and subscribe and rate us! ᐧ

S2 Ep. 25 Sweet Laurel Bakery: Why Instagram Came First For This Bakeshop Sep 20, 2019

Show notes

As a lifelong amateur baker, Laurel Gallucci had to remove gluten, dairy, and refined sugar from her diet when she was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease Hashimoto's. She had to re-learn how to eat, and applied this newfound knowledge to her love of baking. Eventually, Laurel teamed up with her partner Claire Thomas to create Sweet Laurel Bakery, an Instagram and marketing phenomenon that has lead to two cookbooks and brick-and-mortar bakeshop in the Palisades Village. Tune in to hear Laurel discuss the origins of Sweet Laurel (hint: branding came before business) and how her business is presently scaling to cater to its rapidly growing, niche fan base. Keep up with Laurel at @sweetlaurelbakery, and don't forget to follow @alliwebb for #BTS of Raising The Bar and subscribe and rate us!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Raising the Bar with Alli and Adrian

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected