Chris Hunter, of Four Loko & Koia, shares his wild entrepreneurial journey. From the meteoric rise and regulatory battles of Four Loko to launching the plant-based protein drink Koia, Chris gets personal about the challenges of building businesses in highly regulated industries. He discusses lessons learned from tumultuous business partnerships, the decision to vertically integrate, and how personal growth and reflection have shaped his leadership style. Chris also opens up about his...

Sean Riley, CEO and co-founder of Dude Wipes, shares the story of how he and his friends started the company from their apartment with the goal of creating a better way to wipe. He discusses the challenges of bootstrapping the business, building the bold and irreverent Dude Wipes brand, and scaling the company to over $150 million in revenue. Sean dives into topics like viral marketing, focus and saying no, hiring, company culture, and his long-term vision for Dude Wipes. An insightful and...

In this episode of Eating Glass, we dive into the rollercoaster journey of Chris Savage, co-founder and CEO of Wistia, as he takes us behind the scenes of building a successful video marketing platform from scratch. From failed viral ideas, living on a shoestring budget to discovering product-market fit and growing a loyal customer base, Chris shares the ups and downs of bootstrapping a tech company in the early days of online video. Tune in for valuable insights on pivoting, marketing...

In this episode of Eating Glass, Pete Maldonado, co-founder and co-CEO of CHOMPS, shares his entrepreneurial journey from hitting rock bottom to building a successful meat snack brand. From bootstrapping with just $6,500 to navigating existential crises during COVID-19, Pete offers candid insights on focus, innovation, and the importance of people in scaling a startup. Join hosts Will Nitze and Joe LeMay as they dive deep into Pete's experiences, uncovering valuable lessons on resilience,...

Ever dream of taking a wild product idea and turning it into a $50 million exit? Your co-host (and today's guest) Joe Lemay did just that with Rocketbook. His initial idea was an app to digitize whiteboards in real-time. When that didn't pan out, Joe pivoted hard - creating the Rocketbook, a reusable notebook you could literally microwave to erase and reuse. This wacky "microwave to erase" gimmick went viral on Kickstarter, raising over $1 million. But actually manufacturing the microwavable...

Mike Fata, founder of Manitoba Harvest, shares his incredible journey from high school dropout to building a $419 million hemp empire. Discover the lessons he learned while navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, from humble beginnings to scaling a business, managing successful exits, and embracing servant leadership. Mike's insights on passion, persistence, and personal growth will inspire and motivate you on your own entrepreneurial path. Chapter Titles:00:00:00 - Intro00:05:16 -...

Welcome to the first episode of Eating Glass! In this inaugural episode, ho sts Will Nitze and Joe Lemay sit down with founder Preston Rutherford to dive into his journey starting his company ‘Chubbies’ and how he (and his friends) pioneered some of the raddest, most weekend-built gear ever. From the benefits (and drawbacks) he experienced by having co-founders and being in a niche product category – to how he managed headwinds, tailwinds and ultimately, to how he successfully exited, you’ll...

Mike Fata, founder of Manitoba Harvest, shares his incredible journey from high school dropout to building a $419 million hemp empire. Discover the lessons he learned while navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, from humble beginnings to scaling a business, managing successful exits, and embracing servant leadership. Mike's insights on passion, persistence, and personal growth will inspire and motivate you on your own entrepreneurial path. Chapter Titles:00:00:00 - Intro00:05:16 -...

Welcome to the first episode of Eating Glass! In this inaugural episode, hosts Will Nitze and Joe Lemay sit down with founder Preston Rutherford to dive into his journey starting his company ‘Chubbies’ and how he (and his friends) pioneered some of the raddest, most weekend-built gear ever. From the benefits (and drawbacks) he experienced by having co-founders and being in a niche product category – to how he managed headwinds, tailwinds and ultimately, to how he successfully exited, you’ll...

Welcome to Eating Glass