The Kara Goldin Show

Latest Episodes:

845 Ryan Alovis: CEO of LensDirect May 29, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, Kara welcomes Ryan Alovis, CEO of LensDirect — the family business he bought back and transformed into a leading, customer-first vision care brand.
Ryan shares how he took a struggling company and rebuilt it from the ground up — without outside capital — turning it into a trusted destination for contact lenses, eyewear, and innovative services like lens replacement and subscriptions. This episode dives into the discipline, resilience, and customer obsession required to scale the right way.

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at karagoldin@gmail.com. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Ryan Alovis and LensDirect:
https://www.lensdirect.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanalovis
https://www.instagram.com/ryanalovis/

Sponsored By:

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/845

844 Trip Randall: CEO of Superfeet May 27, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, we sit down with Trip Randall, CEO of Superfeet — a brand most people don’t think about… but probably should.
Superfeet has been around for more than 50 years, originally built out of sports medicine and trusted by athletes who actually care about performance. But like a lot of legacy brands, it faced a question: stay relevant, or get left behind.
Trip didn’t found the company — he stepped into it after decades at Nike and Denon, bringing a different lens on growth, digital, and what consumers actually pay attention to. Now he’s focused on evolving Superfeet into something modern, without losing the credibility that made it matter in the first place.
In this episode, we get into what it really takes to scale a 50-year-old brand, why some of the biggest opportunities are hiding in “unsexy” categories, and how to make people care about something they’ve been ignoring for years. We also talk about what Trip learned from building billion-dollar businesses — and what doesn’t translate when you don’t have that same machine behind you.
If you care about brand building, category disruption, or how to rethink something everyone else has overlooked — this one’s worth your time.

To learn more about Trip Randall and Superfeet:
https://www.superfeet.com
https://www.instagram.com/superfeet/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/superfeet-worldwide/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/trip-randall/

Sponsored By:

AT&T Business - Switch to AT&T Business at business.att.com

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/844

843 Brian Keller: Co-Founder & CEO of Rorra May 25, 2026

Show notes

What happens when a personal health issue exposes a much bigger problem?
On today’s episode, we welcome Brian Keller, CEO and Co-Founder of Rorra — a brand rethinking how we access clean water. After struggling to find answers for his daughter’s severe eczema, Brian discovered the role contaminated water was playing — and it changed everything.
That moment led to Rorra — a company focused on high-performance, easy-to-use water filtration that removes PFAS, lead, microplastics, and more, without the need for plumbing. In a category that hasn’t evolved in decades, Rorra is bringing transparency, better technology, and a mission-first approach to protecting families.
In this episode, Brian shares the story behind Rorra, what’s broken in the filtration industry, and why water should be viewed as a foundational pillar of health.
If you’re interested in building a purpose-driven brand or challenging a legacy category — this episode is for you. Tune in now on The Kara Goldin Show.

To learn more about Brian Keller and Rorra:
https://www.rorra.com/
https://www.instagram.com/rorra/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/rorra/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandavid7/
https://www.instagram.com/briandkeller7/

Sponsored By:

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

Dell - Find technology built for the way you work at Dell.com/DellPCs

Fatty15 - Get an additional 15% off a 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to Fatty15.com/KARA and using code KARA at checkout.

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/843

842 Helen Christoni: Co-Founder of Make Time Wellness May 22, 2026

Show notes

Putting brain health at the center of women’s wellness — that’s the conversation 🧠✨
On The Kara Goldin Show, I sit down with Helen Christoni, Co-Founder of Make Time Wellness, a brand redefining women’s wellness by focusing on cognitive health, daily wellness habits, and science-backed support for the brain.
Helen’s journey started long before Make Time Wellness. A longtime wellness marketing executive and ultramarathoner, she spent years helping grow wellness brands while also navigating deeply personal experiences with dementia and mental health struggles within her own family. But through those experiences, she noticed a major gap she couldn’t ignore: women were prioritizing skincare, fitness, hormones, and longevity — but rarely talking about brain health until it became a crisis.
That realization became Make Time Wellness — a brand Helen co-founded alongside Emma Heming Willis to help women prioritize their brain, body, and beauty through education, awareness, and science-backed wellness products. Built around the idea that cognitive health should be part of everyday wellness, Make Time Wellness is helping bring a once-overlooked conversation into the mainstream.
We talk about Helen’s personal journey with dementia and cognitive health, why women’s brain health has been historically overlooked, and what it takes to build trust in a crowded wellness and supplement space. We also get into the realities of launching an emerging wellness brand, expanding into retailers like Vitamin Shoppe and Ulta, and how Make Time Wellness approaches education without fear-based marketing.
Helen also shares how her background in wellness brand-building shaped her approach as a founder, the lessons she’s learned scaling an early-stage company, and why she believes brain health is becoming the next major frontier in women’s wellness.
If you are interested in what it takes to build a mission-driven wellness brand, why cognitive health matters more than ever, or where the future of women’s wellness is headed — check out this interview on my podcast now.

To learn more about Helen Christoni and Make Time Wellness:
https://maketimewellness.com/
https://www.instagram.com/maketimewellness/
https://www.instagram.com/helenchristoni/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenchristoni/

Sponsored By:

AT&T Business - Switch to AT&T Business at business.att.com

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

Upwork - Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free.

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/842

841 Eric Ries: Author of Incorruptible May 20, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, we welcome Eric Ries, bestselling author of The Lean Startup and now Incorruptible — a new take on why good companies go bad, and what it actually takes to build one that doesn’t.
Eric has spent decades shaping how founders think about building companies. But this conversation goes beyond startups and into something bigger: what happens as companies scale, when pressure builds, incentives shift, and mission starts to drift. Because the reality is, most companies don’t fail overnight—they slowly lose their way.
In this episode, Eric breaks down the hidden forces that push companies off track, from what he calls “financial gravity” to the subtle ways governance and incentives shape behavior over time. We get into redefining profit, why mission has to be built into the operating system—not just the brand—and what founders often get wrong when it comes to long-term thinking. He also shares real examples of companies that have gotten this right—and why they’ve been able to endure when others haven’t.
If you care about building something that lasts—or making sure what you build doesn’t turn into something you never intended—this is a conversation you’ll want to hear.

To learn more about Eric Ries and Incorruptible:
https://www.incorruptible.co
https://www.linkedin.com/in/eries/
https://x.com/ericries
https://www.instagram.com/ericriesactual/

Sponsored By:

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

RULA - Go to Rula.com/KARAGOLDIN for convenient therapy that’s covered by insurance.

SelectQuote - Save more than fifty percent on term life insurance at SelectQuote.com/kara TODAY to get started.

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/841

840 Blake Mycoskie: Founder of TOMS & We Are ENOUGH May 18, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, we welcome Blake Mycoskie, Founder of TOMS and Founder of We Are ENOUGH — a leader who helped redefine purpose-driven business, and is now asking a much deeper question: what if success isn’t the thing that makes you feel whole?
What started as a simple idea—pairing business with giving—turned into a global movement and a $650M brand that changed how companies think about impact. But behind that success was a much more personal journey, one that led Blake to confront his own struggles with identity, mental health, and the pressure to constantly achieve. Not exactly the part of the story most people see.
In this episode, Blake shares what really happens after you “make it”—and why so many high performers still feel like they’re not enough. We talk about the hidden side of ambition, the mental health challenges founders don’t often discuss, and how redefining self-worth can change the way we build businesses and live our lives. He also opens up about the transition out of TOMS, what led him to create We Are ENOUGH, and why his new podcast, No Magic Pill, is focused on having more honest conversations about what’s really going on beneath the surface. This is a must listen.

To learn more about Blake Mycoskie and We Are ENOUGH:
https://weareenough.co/
https://www.blakemycoskie.com/
https://www.instagram.com/blakemycoskie/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakemycoskie/

Sponsored By:

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

AT&T Business - Switch to AT&T Business at business.att.com

Zocdoc - Go to Zocdoc.com/KARA to find and instantly book a doctor you love today.

Dell - Find technology built for the way you work at Dell.com/DellPCs

HomeServe - Go to HomeServe.com to find the plan that’s right for you.

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/840

839 Julia Hartz: Co-Founder of Eventbrite May 15, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, Kara welcomes Julia Hartz, Co-Founder and former CEO of Eventbrite — the platform that has transformed how millions of people create, discover, and experience live events around the world.
Julia’s journey is a powerful blend of creativity, vision, and leadership. From her early career in media at MTV and FX to co-founding Eventbrite in 2006, she helped grow the company into one of the largest marketplaces for shared experiences — powering more than five million events annually and processing millions of tickets every week. Along the way, she built a company known not just for its scale, but for its people-first culture and deep commitment to connection.
In this episode, Julia shares what it really takes to build and scale a mission-driven company, the lessons she learned leading Eventbrite through its IPO, and how she approached one of the most pivotal moments in the company’s journey — its recent acquisition and transition into a new chapter. She also opens up about leadership evolution, navigating major transitions, and why live experiences matter more than ever in today’s digital world. Julia’s story is a masterclass in building with purpose, leading with intention, and creating something that brings people together in meaningful ways.

To learn more about Julia Hartz and Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliahartz/
https://www.instagram.com/juliahartz/

Sponsored By:

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

Dell - Find technology built for the way you work at Dell.com/DellPCs

Scribe - To book a personalized enterprise demo, visit scribe.how/karagoldin

Momentum - Get a free Welcome Kit and Travel Collection at MomentumShake.com/karagoldin

Bombas - Go to Bombas.com/KARA and use code KARA for 20% off your first purchase

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/839

838 Stacey Fraser: Founder & CEO of Pink Chicken May 13, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, we welcome Stacey Fraser, Founder and CEO of Pink Chicken — a brand that proves you don’t need to overcomplicate things to build something meaningful. Sometimes, it starts with a needle, some fabric, and a point of view.
What began during nap-time sewing sessions for her daughters has turned into a multi-channel lifestyle brand with 400+ wholesale partners and a growing retail footprint. Not bad for something that wasn’t supposed to be a “business” at first.
In this episode, Stacey breaks down what it really takes to scale a brand rooted in creativity without sanding off the edges that made people love it in the first place. We get into building with instinct vs. data, why retail still matters (yes, even now), and how to stay disciplined while keeping things joyful. She also shares the reality of going from corporate fashion to founder life—and why sometimes stepping away is exactly what leads you to something bigger.
If you care about building brands that actually connect—or you’re sitting on an idea you haven’t acted on yet—this one’s worth your time.

To learn more about Stacey Fraser and Pink Chicken:
https://www.pinkchicken.com
https://www.instagram.com/pinkchickenny/
https://www.instagram.com/staceyfraser/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-fraser/

Sponsored By:

AT&T Business - Switch to AT&T Business at business.att.com

Pipedrive CRM - Get more leads and grow your business. Go to Pipedrive.com/kara and get started with a 30-day free trial.

Monarch Money - Use code KARAGOLDIN at Monarch.com to get your first year half off at just $50.

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

Rythm Health - Rythm is offering our listeners 15% off your first month and free shipping at RythmHealth.com/KARAGOLDIN

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/838

837 Monica Nassif: Founder of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day & Author of I Bottled My Mother May 11, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, we welcome Monica Nassif, Founder of Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day and author of I Bottled My Mother — a brand that proves even the most overlooked categories can be completely reimagined if you’re willing to challenge what everyone else accepts as “good enough.”
What started as a simple idea—to make cleaning products that actually smelled good, felt good, and worked—turned into a category-defining brand that disrupted a $30 billion industry. Not bad for something most people never thought twice about.
In this episode, Monica breaks down what it really takes to see opportunity where others don’t—and have the conviction to act on it. We get into building emotional connection in unlikely places, why failure is often the real teacher, and how instinct—not just data—can shape breakthrough brands. She also shares the deeply personal story behind her new book, I Bottled My Mother, and how family, resilience, and perspective shaped not just her life—but her leadership.
If you care about building something meaningful, navigating both success and failure, or learning how to think differently about opportunity—this one’s worth your time.

To learn more about Monica Nassif, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day and I Bottled My Mother:
https://www.monicanassif.com
https://www.instagram.com/themonicanassif/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-nassif-686876335/

Sponsored By:

Acorns - Head to Acorns.com/KARA or download the Acorns app to get started.

Dell - Find technology built for the way you work at Dell.com/DellPCs

Cash App - For a limited time, new customers can get $10 added to their balance. Use code CASHAPP10 when you sign up, and send at least $5 to a friend in the first two weeks. Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/0s6pfdl7 #CashAppPod

Merit Beauty - Meritbeauty.com to get your free signature makeup bag with your first order.

Physician's Choice - Go to Amazon or PhysiciansChoice.com and use code PCPODCAST10 for 10% off your entire order

Chime - Join the millions who are already banking fee-free today. Head to Chime.com/KARAGOLDIN.

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/837

836 David Rusenko: Founder of Weebly May 08, 2026

Show notes

What does it take to start a company at 20 years old — and scale it into a platform used by tens of millions before selling it for hundreds of millions?
On today’s episode, we welcome David Rusenko, Founder and former CEO of Weebly — one of the earliest platforms to make it possible for anyone to build a website without coding. Long before “no-code” became a movement, David and his co-founders set out to simplify the internet for small businesses and entrepreneurs. After joining Y Combinator in its early days, they built Weebly into a company with over 350 employees, hundreds of millions in revenue, and more than 50 million users worldwide — ultimately leading to its $365 million acquisition by Square.
In this episode, David shares the real story behind building Weebly from a college project into a global platform, including the scrappy early days, the challenges of scaling a team and culture, and the evolution of his leadership as CEO. We dive into the realities of hypergrowth, what it takes to maintain human connection while scaling, and the lessons learned from serving millions of small business owners. David also opens up about the acquisition process — how the deal with Square came together, what it felt like to sell, and the emotional and psychological transition that comes after stepping away from something you’ve built for years.
If you’re interested in early-stage hustle, scaling a company, navigating an exit, or what founders don’t talk about after the deal closes — this episode is for you. Tune in now on The Kara Goldin Show.

To learn more about David Rusenko:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drusenko
https://x.com/drusenko
https://www.instagram.com/davidrusenko/

Sponsored By:

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

Warby Parker - Get 15% off + Free Shipping when they buy 2 or more pairs of prescription glasses at WarbyParker.com/KARAGOLDIN

OneSkin - For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code KARAGOLDIN at OneSkin.co/KARAGOLDIN

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/836