Awa Kone is the CEO and Co-founder of N/UM, a premium consumer packaged goods company that embodies the authenticity and luxury of the vast African cultural heritage. N/UM's mission is to use African gastronomy and storytelling to craft a new narrative for the continent. Their line of Artisan Salts is 100% natural, and hand-harvested in Southern Africa, using ancient and meticulous harvesting processes that ensure the highest quality. Their salts are not only visually stunning but packed with...

Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire is President of 50/50 Women on Boards, the global education and advocacy campaign committed to accelerating gender balance and diversity on corporate boards. She is the author of two books on the topic, "The Board Game: How Smart Women Become Corporate Directors” and “Winning the Board Game: How Women Directors Make the Difference.” Both books offer real-world guidelines and profiles of current women corporate directors for helping women seek board positions as their...

Jaclyn Johnson is the founder of Create & Cultivate and Cherub. Jaclyn has spent her career helping underrepresented founders build businesses and raise capital. She has, bootstrapped, built and exited two companies with valuations upwards of $35mm.  Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and “wantrepreneurs” looking for insider tips and secrets from the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large.  Each week, entrepreneurial special...

Annie Slabotsky and Morgan Lerner are the co-founders of GoNanas, a better-for-you banana-based baking mix company that is vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-friendly. By having the consumer add ripe bananas to their mixes, they’re making baked goods taste homemade from a mix and reducing food waste.  Since the company's inception, they have launched GoNanas into 2,500 retail locations including Whole Foods and Target and has earned appearances on QVC, Good Morning America, and in Forbes as a...

Chef Tai Lee is the mastermind behind Kanji Sushi, Sôlt Restaurant, and Urban Table in the Bryan/College Station area of Texas. Known for his culinary expertise, he's also the creator of Chef Tai's Artisan Sauces, showcasing his dedication to crafting unique flavors and culinary innovation. Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and “wantrepreneurs” looking for insider tips and secrets from the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large....

Account Manager and EYB Podcast Manager Gigi Toma, joins host Laurel Mintz for the 300th episode of Elevate Your Brand. Get a behind-the-scenes peak on how marketing agency, Elevate My Brand, records, edits and grows the podcast.  Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and “wantrepreneurs” looking for insider tips and secrets from the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large. Each week, entrepreneurial special guests join Laurel Mintz,...

Mike Schanbacher, Co-founder and co-CEO, leads marketing and growth strategy at Blobs. His leadership experience in startups has shown him the successes and failures that helped him navigate growing early-stage companies and now Blobs, where he lives & breathes their mission – to create a great-tasting product and fun brand that evokes the care-free joy of eating candy as a kid.  Nicholas Kheny, Co-founder and Co-CEO went from engineer to candy maker. Nick has built a career marked by...

Karen A. Clark is an award-winning leader currently serving as the multicultural strategy manager at City National Bank where she specializes in developing marketing and advertising strategies to serve clients from diverse communities while also building partnerships that are beneficial to multicultural business development. Under Karen’s leadership, City National ranked among Forbes’ “Best Employers for Diversity” from 2018 to 2020. Active in the community, Karen also serves on five...

Kendra is Maker’s President and Head of Sales. Kendra leads investor relations, sales partnerships, and wholesale strategy, and is responsible for spreading the gospel of premium canned wine and getting cans-in-hands all over the US. She built her early career as a healthcare management consultant at Huron Consulting Group where she specialized in operations, innovation, and B2B sales. At Huron, she was known for wearing multiple hats and tackling high-profile, complex problems and accounts,...

St Hildie's founding women believe that you can live a clean life but still have a cocktail with friends. Nothing on the market aligned with what we consumed each day. So, we started making our own drinks, with 5% alcohol, no added sugar, all real, functional ingredients and tinctures of beneficial herbs and roots. We then created a meaningful brand, with eye-catching designs, and a deep backstory around our muse, St Hildegard Von Bingen. We’ve won multiple Spirits Awards, and are available...

Gabrielle Reece is not only a volleyball legend but an inspirational leader, New York Times bestselling author, wife, and mother. Over the last decade, Gabby has transcended from sport to becoming an international fitness and wellness expert. With the release of her new podcast, The Gabby Reece Show, Gabby gets leading health, wellness, sport, psychology, and business experts to share their most valuable and actionable information with her audience. As co-Founder and co-Innovator of Laird...

David is a serial entrepreneur and has been self-employed since he was 19 when he bought interest in a nightclub he managed. David has developed multiple successful food companies, retail and service concepts that have ranged from upscale Facilities Maintenance Services to a patented truck-side advertising system. In early 2018 David founded GOOD PLANeT Foods, a premium plant-based cheese and food company. GOOD PLANeT just launched the world’s first non-dairy cheese made from OILIVE OIL, the...

B. is the award-winning founder of DVRGNT Ventures, product strategist, podcast host, startup advisor and investor, executive coach, and a respected thought leader in agile technologies. B.’s fierce drive to promote diversity in tech and impact authentic change continues to define their work and life outside of their work. B. is a proud graduate of Northwestern University with a focus on history and an MBA and master of information systems from Robert Morris University. B. gives back to...

Tero Isokauppila is the founder of Four Sigmatic, a wellness company helping people to nourish their bodies inside and out. Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and “wantreprenuers” looking for insider tips and secrets from the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large.  Each week, entrepreneurial special guests join Laurel Mintz, founder and CEO of award-winning marketing agency Elevate My Brand, to discuss the marketing failures and...

Meet The BAD Tea Co - it stands for Bold And Delicious, duh. The BAD Tea Co. is on a mission to modernize the tea industry with products that highlight global flavors and enough caffeine to make Big Coffee cry. For more info, visit badtea.co or reach out at [email protected].   Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and “wantreprenuers” looking for insider tips and secrets from the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large.  Each week,...

Rico, the visionary founder and CEO of Miz En Place, embodies a lifelong journey fueled by passions for photography, filmmaking, culinary arts, business acumen, exploration, and entertainment. His mission is to unite people in support of artisanal small businesses worldwide. Rico eagerly welcomes the opportunity to share his compelling story and expertise, inspiring your culinary adventures and culinary dreams. Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and...

Stacy is a 10-year entrepreneur in the creative space. Her passion lies with building and growing brands, creating deep immersive partnerships with compelling narratives that ultimately yield beautiful, authentic and memorable experiences for the consumer and brand loyalists.  As an independent creative business consultant who thrives in collaborative environments, her strength is in relationship building and leveraging her own extensive network of professionals, influencers and industry...

Lisa Odenweller is the Founder & CEO of Kroma Wellness, the functional wellness brand that’s revolutionizing the way we think about nourishing our bodies. Founded in 2021, the company was created with the belief that food is medicine, mother nature is our greatest resource, and that what we put in our body is as much about fueling our bodies as it is our minds and souls. Lisa is passionate about health and wellness and encourages others to live a life where they can thrive with food...

Shira Yevin is an Entrepreneur, Artist, Activist, and Founder. Her company Gritty In Pink is building INPINK, a global destination for hiring female freelancers, starting with the music industry -- backed by Live Nation and Melissa Etheridge. Shira became known for crashing the male-dominated Warped Tour and creating the Shiragirl Stage for 300+ artists, including Paramore and Joan Jett, and was featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for...

Guy Filippelli is the Managing Partner of Squadra Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm that makes concentrated, lead investments into early-stage companies in the National Security and Cybersecurity markets. He was previously founder and CEO of RedOwl Analytics and Berico Technologies. He began his career as a US Army intelligence officer, serving in Korea, Italy, Germany, and Afghanistan, and at NSA where he served as a Special Assistant to the Director, and led a highly successful...

Akilah Releford Gould is the founder and CEO of Mary Louise Cosmetics, a clean beauty brand that helps its Gen Z audience redefine beauty on their own terms by reviving  familial beauty rituals of the past. Releford created Mary Louise in 2017 from her college dorm room at Howard University with the intention of making fun and playful beauty products for the masses. Mary Louise Cosmetics has stamps of approval from Marie Claire, ELLE, and The New York Times  and can also be found in Macy's,...

Lucky de Leon is the Client Relations Manager at BodyContourz, a company that specializes in helping you achieve your body image goals with an innovative service: body contouring.  Our purpose is to service our clients across multiple facets. When we speak of “Body Contourz”, we are talking about a unique combination of non invasive technology that assists in the accomplishment of what you envision for your body. Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and...

Matthew Elonis is an accomplished entrepreneur known for his successful ventures in the online meal delivery industry. He is now the driving force behind Meepo, a company with a mission to revolutionize nutrition and food production. Matthew's passion for health and innovation has led him to work on products that democratize nutrition and make a global impact.  Meepo's core mission is to revolutionize nutrition by making it accessible, affordable and personalized—enriching every global...

Chef Fullilove's culinary journey has taken him from Ohio to New York to the Caribbean, ultimately landing him in the fresh food paradise of California. Along the way, he honed his skills under the guidance of some of America's top culinary figures. Recognized as one of the nation's emerging culinary stars, he is committed to innovative cuisine, sourcing the freshest ingredients, championing sustainability, working closely with local producers, and adhering to his simple credo: "Passion....