Jen Hardell: Founder & CEO of Subourbon Life

On today’s episode, we welcome Jen Hardell, Founder & CEO of Subourbon Life — the bourbon-based ready-to-drink cocktail brand redefining how—and when—America’s native spirit is enjoyed.
Jen is a visionary founder with deep operational experience in consumer and spirits businesses. With Subourbon Life, she identified a clear gap in the fast-growing RTD category: while vodka and tequila dominated shelves, bourbon lacked a lighter, more social, lifestyle-forward expression. She set out to change that by creating non-carbonated bourbon cocktails made with real aged bourbon, thoughtfully sourced ingredients, and a strong emphasis on community through the brand’s “Find Your People” philosophy.
In this episode, Jen shares how she translated operational rigor into building a founder-led spirits brand, the challenges of bringing an RTD bourbon from concept to shelf, and how Subourbon Life balances quality, consistency, and scalability in a crowded market. From flavor development and branding to distribution and leadership, this conversation offers valuable insight for founders, operators, and anyone curious about innovation in CPG and spirits.

Tyler Smith: Founder & CEO of Hundred

On today’s episode, Kara welcomes Tyler Smith, Founder and CEO of Hundred — the innovative health platform turning personalized data into real, measurable transformation.

Tyler’s story is as compelling as it is inspiring. After discovering that his biological age was eight years older than his chronological age, he made a life-altering decision: invest in the world’s top physicians, build a private longevity lab, and completely reengineer his health. The result? He reversed his biological age by an astounding 15 years — and uncovered just how broken and inaccessible personalized health optimization has been for everyday people.
That breakthrough became the foundation for Hundred, a fully integrated health platform that merges blood work, wearables, medical history, AI, and guidance from top clinicians into a clear, evidence-based 100-day action plan. Before launching Hundred, Tyler built and sold SkySlope for a reported $80M, and he now brings that same focus, rigor, and obsession with outcomes to transforming how we approach our health.
In this episode, Tyler shares what drove him to build Hundred, the gaps he saw in traditional and DTC testing models, and why knowing your data is only half the battle — the real power lies in turning insight into action. He opens up about his own transformation, the science behind the platform, and what it takes to build a company at the intersection of longevity, technology, and human performance.
A must-listen for anyone passionate about proactive health, entrepreneurship, or building a life with intention.

Betsy Fore: Author of Built on Purpose

On today’s episode, Kara welcomes Betsy Fore, author of the bestselling book Built on Purpose: Discover Your Deep Inner Why and Manifest the Business of Your Dreams. Betsy is a two-time founder, former CEO, investor, and community builder whose work spans consumer innovation, Indigenous entrepreneurship, and purpose-driven leadership.
Before becoming an investor, Betsy founded WonderWoof and co-founded Tiny Organics, scaling both into multimillion-dollar companies rooted in solving deeply personal problems. She is also the Co-Founder of Natives Rising, now the largest community of Indigenous technologists and founders, and today serves as Founding Partner of Velveteen Ventures, investing in solutions that will improve life for the next seven generations.
In Built on Purpose, Betsy reveals the inner framework behind her own journey — from showing up five times at Mind Candy with no appointment, to rebuilding her life after a near-fatal accident, to pitching on Shark Tank, to helping founders uncover their “Deep Inner Why.” She blends neuroscience, purpose, and practical tools to show how creators and leaders can manifest the businesses and lives they feel called to build.
In this episode, Betsy opens up about the experiences that shaped her, the science behind manifestation, and why the most successful founders are also the most aligned. We discuss how to uncover your Deep Inner Why, how to turn intuition into action, what her Indigenous values taught her about leadership, and why purpose isn’t just personal — it’s a business strategy. She also shares how motherhood, community, and resilience continue to drive her work and her investments.
Whether you’re a founder, a leader, or someone searching for deeper clarity in your work, this conversation is packed with wisdom, insight, and inspiration. Don’t miss it!

Gyve Safavi: Co-Founder & CEO of SURI

On today’s episode, Kara welcomes Gyve Safavi, Co-Founder and CEO of SURI — the award-winning sustainable electric toothbrush brand redefining how we care for our teeth, our health, and the planet.
SURI was born from a simple but overlooked truth: every toothbrush you’ve ever owned still exists. In an industry built on disposability, Gyve and his Co-Founder, Mark Rushmore, saw an opportunity hiding in plain sight. They set out to create a beautifully designed, high-performance electric toothbrush made with better materials and built to last — resulting in a sleek aluminum body, recyclable plant-based heads, and thousands of passionate customers who believe in fewer, better products.
Before launching SURI, Gyve spent years shaping global brands at Procter & Gamble, AKQA, and WPP — experiences that helped him reimagine what oral care could be. Raised in New York by immigrant parents who instilled the belief that anything was possible with enough focus, Gyve brings a thoughtful blend of purpose, discipline, and design-driven thinking to every part of the SURI journey.
In this episode, Gyve shares how breaking a long-ignored category wide open required fresh thinking, how he and Mark balanced sustainability with true performance, and why community feedback has become central to SURI’s evolution. He opens up about early challenges, product innovation, what’s next with SURI 2.0, and how conscious entrepreneurship is reshaping consumer expectations in everyday essentials.
A must-listen for anyone interested in sustainability, product innovation, consumer brands, or the art of turning a simple idea into a movement.

Adam Bedford: Co-Founder & CEO of Sans

On today’s episode, Kara welcomes Adam Bedford, Co-Founder and CEO of Sans — the fast-growing home-wellness brand reimagining clean air and water through thoughtful design and advanced purification technology.

Adam’s journey began far from the typical startup playbook — in his mother’s kitchen in Spain, where clean water wasn’t a given and wellness was simply a way of life. Decades before it was mainstream, his mom installed reverse osmosis at home, sparking Adam’s early fascination with how our environment shapes our health.
That personal foundation eventually led Adam to co-found Sans in the earliest days of COVID — bootstrapping the brand from day one alongside his co-founder, John Fanelly. Their belief was simple but bold: wellness products shouldn’t force people to choose between function and design. Today, that vision has propelled Sans into a leading DTC home-wellness brand on track to hit nine figures in 2026 — all without a single dollar of outside investment.
In this episode, Adam shares the origin story behind Sans, how he transitioned from EdTech to hardware, what he learned bootstrapping a category-defining wellness brand, and why design, simplicity, and accessibility are at the core of everything Sans builds. We also dive into the future of air and water purification, whole-home wellness, and what it really takes to scale a consumer hardware company without VC backing.
Adam’s story is a powerful example of intuition, focus, and building something meaningful — and beautiful — for the modern home.

Interview Replay: Kara on Founder’s Journal

Always be asking, “What else can we do?” On today’s show, Kara joins Alex Lieberman on Founder’s Journal to share why this is critical for every founder.

She shares how important asking this question is as well as other key drivers that helped her open doors for success. What else can we learn? Listen now.

Pete Olander: Founder & CEO of Happie

On today’s episode, Kara welcomes Pete Olander, Founder and CEO of Happie — the wellness-focused cannabis brand redefining how we experience plant-based health and vitality.
Pete’s journey is anything but typical. After launching his career as a private banker at JP Morgan, he made the bold leap into cannabis—building Happie from the ground up into a vertically integrated wellness brand with CBD-infused beverages, premium flower, and kief-infused prerolls. Designed to support relaxation, clarity, and joy, Happie’s products are crafted with intention, rooted in organic farming, and built to meet the modern consumer’s demand for clean, trustworthy alternatives.
In this episode, Pete shares how he went from finance to full-on founder, what it takes to run a compliant cannabis business across multiple states, and why transparency, sustainability, and customer experience sit at the center of Happie’s mission. From market expansion to his Vitalism 3.0 philosophy, Pete’s story is a masterclass in conviction, credibility, and building something that truly works—from seed to shelf.

Interview Replay: Kara on Marketing For The Now

On today’s show, Kara joins Gary Vaynerchuk for his video series “Marketing For The Now” to discuss trends for 2021 and beyond. Kara zeroes in on four key areas of focus: supply chain, health and wellness, brand trust, and direct-to-consumer businesses.

Kara also discusses formulating the best strategies going forward, with those vital business areas in mind. Were her predictions correct? Listen in to find out!

Interview Replay: Kara on Follow Your Different

Tune in this week to hear Kara on the Christopher Lochhead Follow Your Different Podcast!

In this episode, we do have a world changer. She’s both an entrepreneur, author, and podcaster. She’s the category queen of a new, flavored, healthy-water category. Her name is Kara Goldin, and she’s the founder of a product you probably have tried and most likely love called Hint water. Fortune named Kara one of the most powerful women entrepreneurs, and Forbes says she’s one of the 40 Women To Watch Over 40. Today, she reveals how Hint Water could have just been another idea that never went anywhere if she had let her own doubts or others’ doubts be the end of the story. Undaunted: Overcoming Doubts and Doubters. Kara has recently launched a new book called Undaunted: Overcoming Doubts and Doubters. It is currently number one on the Amazon charts. In fact, Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer at Facebook, says it’s a great read for entrepreneurs looking for proof that her dream can come true. Even if you’re not an entrepreneur, you’re going to love this conversation with Kara and the story behind her book.

Interview Replay: Kara on Breaking Precedent

In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan talks with Kara Goldin, founder and CEO of Hint Water, to talk about her journey from AOL exec to beverage industry disruptor. Kara shares how her father’s influence, a knack for asking the right questions, and a fearless approach to problem-solving led her to create an entirely new category in drinks. She also opens up about learning from visionaries like Jeff Bezos, balancing entrepreneurship with family, and refusing to compromise on product integrity—despite having no industry experience.