476: Design Slow to Go Fast with Phillip Fierlinger of Upstock

Melisa Vong returns to the Foundr Podcast with her business partner Bryce Alderson to discuss Orphic Nutrition. Bryce is a former professional soccer player, and Melisa is a serial entrepreneur and cofounder of 2 multi-million dollar ecommerce brands.    Four years ago, a catch-up over coffee led to the idea of building a nutrition business together. Using Bryce’s knowledge in sports nutrition and Melisa’s Amazon experience with her first company, Namskara, they identified complementary skills that could be successful. Fast forward 3 years later, and they built Orphic Nutrition into a multi-million dollar supplement brand on Amazon and exited the company in December of 2020.    Listen to Nathan chat with Melisa and Bryce about:  Bryce’s transition from being a pro athlete to business owner The similarities of sport and business  How they reconnected and started Orphic Nutrition Using the location feature on Instagram to find microinfluencers  The importance of finding a cofounder you can rely on Mistakes and strategies navigating selling on Amazon The journey of exiting the company and finalizing the sale What’s next for the duo and much more... Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

1 Dec 202153min

Your relationship with a supplier is one of the most important aspects of running a business. That’s why we’re chatting with Kian Golzari, a sourcing specialist who has designed, developed, sourced, and manufactured over 2,500 products. Kian has manufactured products for the NBA, United Nations, Olympic Games, Ministry of Defense, and top athletes like Neymar Jr.    Listen to Nathan and Kian discuss:  How he sourced products for the 2012 Olympic Games in London  How to source a supplier on Alibaba Using whiskey and WeChat to build a personal relationship with a supplier What you should look for when visiting a factory  Why you should disassemble your product  Canton Fair, China’s international import and export fair Why you should have a universal specification sheet for negotiating with suppliers  How to imitate and innovate products that manufacturers have already made  And much more supplier and manufacturing tips...   Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

24 Nov 202147min

Melisa Vong believes that if you’re running an ecommerce business, you can’t ignore Amazon. Melisa started and sold 2 multi-million dollar brands using Amazon FBA’s infrastructure. Now she’s taking her successful strategies and sharing them on the Foundr platform with a new course on how to sell on Amazon.   Listen to Nathan and Melisa discuss:  How selling on Amazon changed her work/life balance Launching her first brand, Namskara, and earning $30,000 in the first month  Her PRIME Product Method for selecting products to sell on Amazon The importance of being adaptable as an Amazon seller  Why proper quality control can save you from expensive mistakes  And much more…  Sign up for Melisa's free training series to learn how to generate selling success on Amazon. Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

17 Nov 202151min

If you’ve never heard of Derral Eves, you’ve probably watched one of his hundreds of viral videos on YouTube. Derral currently owns 19 YouTube channels with “Gold Play Buttons” and collaborates with record-breaking YouTubers like Mr. Beast.    Eves is a lifelong learner and created VidSummit 8 years ago as a conference specialized for YouTube professionals. He also has a book called The YouTube Formula, which reveals the proven strategies that have made his YouTube videos successful.    Listen to Nathan and Derral discuss:  Discovering YouTube on Craigslist in 2005 Breaking the all-time TV and film crowdfunding record with The Chosen  Meeting YouTuber Mr. Beast and becoming collaborators Hot takes on Star Wars and how it applies to nurturing an audience Understanding the ideal viewer and how to increase retention rate Tactfully growing an audience instead of just being “on” the platform And much more...     Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

10 Nov 20211h

Adam D'Angelo was on the frontlines of the internet-startup boom. A passion for programming, which began in middle school, led him to work at Facebook in 2005 and launch Quora in 2009. Quora is a question and answer site that has 300 million visitors a month. He's experienced the highs and lows of the ever-evolving industry but is still motivated to use his skill set to give back to the world.   In this episode, Nathan Chan chats with Adam about:  Going to high school with Mark Zuckerberg and becoming Facebook’s Chief Technology Officer Why the day after Halloween was the most challenging day for engineers at Facebook The decision-making process to leave Facebook and eventually start Quora  Reorienting Quora on reuse of answers rather than just ask and answer Building momentum from a community of the early-adopters  Why it’s important to invest and think long term Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

3 Nov 202146min

Thomas Tull didn’t know anything about Hollywood when he started Legendary Pictures. However, he did know how to build a financial model and reach the untapped market of comic book fans. Legendary Pictures has produced films such as The Dark Knight, The Hangover, and 300. Under Thomas' leadership, they became a disruptor in the film industry by focusing on a global distribution strategy.    After selling Legendary in 2016, Thomas started Tulco LLC, a holding company that invests in artificial intelligence and technology solutions.    Listen to Nathan Chan chat with Thomas about:  His origin story as a local laundromat owner Raising half a billion dollars to launch Legendary Pictures Working with directors Christopher Nolan, Zack Synder, and Todd Phillips The portfolio theory of building a sustainable production company The feeling of creating a product that becomes part of the lexicon Behind the sale of Legendary Pictures to Chinese-company Wanda Group His strategy for selecting partners to invest in Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

27 Okt 202151min

JSHealth is one of the fastest-growing companies in Australia and sells a bottle of vitamins every 20 seconds. But for founder Jessica Sepel, JSHealth’s success is defined by how its products and philosophy change the lives of its customers.    JSHealth began as a health and recipe blog Jessica started at university while studying nutrition. The blog's success led to a book deal, content platform, and ecommerce business. Alongside her husband and CEO, Dean Steingold, Jessica is scaling her brand through vulnerability, honesty, and listening to JSHealth's powerful community.    Listen to Nathan Chan discuss with Jessica and Dean about: How 90% of their staff came from their community Creating the “JSHealthGirls” ambassador program Gaining 17,000 verified reviews on their product pages  Starting a UK office remotely during the pandemic  The pressure on female founders to perform in everything they do How to scale by overcoming challenges And much more...   Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

20 Okt 20211h

Running a travel company in the middle of a global pandemic is not something Brian Kidwell would suggest for aspiring entrepreneurs. But Brian and his team were able to endure by trusting their product market fit and member base.   Scott’s Cheap Flights started in 2015 when Brian teamed up with his cofounder, Scott Keyes, to build a flight-tracking travel website. What started as a side hustle now has become a technology platform with over 2 million subscribers.    In this interview, Nathan Chan talks with Brian about: How a backpacking trip in Europe inspired him to start a travel company Why he didn’t meet Scott in-person for over a year "Duct taping" the early platform together using WordPress, Zapier, and ActiveCampaign Why hunting down a reporter’s email changed their business How they were able to survive the pandemic without making staffing cuts  The craziest airline deal he’s ever had  And much more... Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

13 Okt 202145min