215: Navigating the Unpredictable Journey From Failure to Triumph, With Stuart McKeown, Co-Founder of Gleam

I almost walked away from Foundr. Not because the business wasn’t working—but because I wasn’t. In this episode, I’m sharing the truth about burnout. After seven years of building nonstop, I hit a wall—mentally, emotionally, and physically. What followed was one of the hardest seasons of my entrepreneurial journey. But it also forced me to change everything: how I work, how I lead, and how I show up in my life. Here’s what you’ll take away: • The real signs of burnout I ignored for too long • The boundaries and routines that brought me back • How to grow your business without sacrificing your health This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Email me directly at nathan@foundr.com — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here

12 Aug 10min

Brittany Stewart turned toothbrushes into a breakout DTC success story—co-founding one of America’s fastest-growing eCommerce brands: Burst Oral Care. In this episode, she shares how Burst launched at dental conventions, scaled through hygienist word-of-mouth, and partnered with A-list influencers like Khloé & Kim Kardashian—all while keeping product quality and customer obsession at the center of their brand. What you’ll learn: • Why they skipped traditional launch playbooks and scaled through hygienists • The two growth levers that made Burst explode • How Brittany navigated inventory stress, funding rounds & 75-day lead times • Her philosophy on hiring, culture, and leadership • Why they chose the more expensive delivery option—and how it paid off • How they gave back with campaigns that also drove profit If you’re building a physical product brand and want to do it the smart, scrappy way—this is a masterclass in operational excellence and brand building. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect With Brittany Stewart Website → Click Here Instagram → Click Here Brittany’s Instagram → Click Here Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here

8 Aug 42min

I got sued just a few months into starting Foundr—and it nearly crushed everything I was building. In this short episode, I’m sharing the full story behind how I was forced to change the name of my business, the legal mistakes I made, and the surprising reasons it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me. If you’re launching a brand or picking a name right now, this lesson could save you years of pain. Here’s what you’ll take away: • The #1 mistake I made when choosing the original name for Foundr • How to know if your brand name could get you in trouble • The simple steps to protect your brand before it’s too late This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Email me directly at nathan@foundr.com — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here

5 Aug 9min

In this episode, Ty Haney, founder of Outdoor Voices, shares how she turned her public downfall into the blueprint for an even bigger comeback—building multiple new brands and redefining how community drives growth. She reveals: • How she built Outdoor Voices into a $100M cult brand by age 30 • Why the DTC playbook failed—and what she’s doing differently now • The four-part community-building formula that makes customers 4x more valuable • Her biggest mistakes as a first-time CEO—and how she’s fixing them with Joggy and TYB • Why owning your story and controlling your cap table is non-negotiable • The future of founder-led content, brand building, and consumer trust If you’re building a product brand, fighting for comeback, or want a masterclass in turning failure into fuel—don’t miss this one. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect With Ty Haney Ty's Instagram → Click Here Joggy's Instagram → Click Here TYB's Instagram → Click Here Joggy's Website → Click Here TYB's Website → Click Here Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here

1 Aug 51min

In this episode, Andrew Lacy, founder of Prenuvo, shares how he went from two startup exits to building one of the fastest-growing health tech companies in the world—revolutionizing preventative healthcare with full-body MRI scans. He reveals: • Why most healthcare systems are reactive and backwards—and how Prenuvo flips it • How Prenuvo scaled from one small Canadian clinic to global recognition • Why he struggled to raise funding (even with traction!)—and what changed • How Kim Kardashian and other celebrities discovered Prenuvo organically • The scrappy marketing strategies that created viral word of mouth • Lessons from multiple exits, failed startups, and why timing matters more than talent • Why saving lives—not vanity metrics—is his #1 business KPI If you want a masterclass in building a mission-led brand from scratch—this is an absolute must-listen. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect With Andrew Lacy Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Click Here⁠ Trinny's Instagram → ⁠Click Here⁠ Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here

25 Jul 51min

In this episode, Trinny Woodall, founder of Trinny London, shares how she turned her mission to help women feel confident into a multi-million dollar global beauty brand. She reveals: • Why she focused on the overlooked 35+ market and won their loyalty • How she started with just £150,000 and her own wardrobe to fund the dream • The retention-first strategy behind Trinny London’s explosive growth • How the Trinny Tribe community drives word of mouth and deep trust • Her honest take on raising capital vs. bootstrapping—and how to protect your vision • The future of beauty retail, DTC, and the AI-powered personalization fueling their expansion If you're building a community-led brand or want to grow with purpose and authenticity—this episode is packed with practical takeaways. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect With Trinny Woodall Website → ⁠⁠Click Here Instagram → ⁠⁠ Click Here Trinny's Instagram → Click Here Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here

18 Jul 51min

Worried someone’s going to steal your business idea? You’re not alone — and you’re not powerless. In this short episode, I’m sharing exactly what to do when copycats come for your product — because they will. I’ll break down why fear of being copied holds so many founders back, how I learned this lesson the hard way, and the real strategies that protect what actually matters: your brand, your story, and your unfair advantages. Here’s what you’ll take away: • Why you can’t stop people copying your product — and why that’s okay • The protection steps you should take once you have traction • How to make your brand, community, and story impossible to replicate If you’re ready to launch with confidence — and stay ahead of copycats for good — this bite-sized episode is for you. This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Love it or hate it, you can email me directly at nathan@foundr.com which your thoughts and feedback — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here

11 Jul 10min

In this episode, Christina Stembel, founder of Farmgirl Flowers, reveals how she built a $65M+ floral business from her dining room—with no funding, no degree, and no industry experience. She reveals: • Why she chose a perishable, logistics-heavy product in a recession • How she scaled with no marketing budget and $411 left in the bank • The scrappy strategies that drove early word of mouth and virality • Why she received 104 VC rejections—and why she’s now grateful • How she handles seasonality, shipping subsidies, and customer obsession • Why bootstrapping gave her the power to run the business her way If you're building a physical product brand or navigating growth without outside capital—this episode is a masterclass in grit, resourcefulness, and strategic thinking. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect With Farmgirl Flowers Website → Click Here Instagram → Click Here Christina’s Instagram → Click Here Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here

4 Jul 42min