#154. In our latest episode of Offense vs Defense we talk with Ryan Babenzien, CEO of GREATS, which makes timeless sneakers for men and women. We discussed how the brand is doubling down on digital at the expense of wholesale and retail and where it goes from here in this new world.

Offense vs Defense: How GREATS is doubling down on high-touch digital

#153. In our latest episode of Offense vs Defense we talk with Lindsey Andrews, co-founder of Minibar, a marketplace for wine, liquor and beer. We discussed the rapid growth of at-home beverage consumption over the last three months and how the company shifted into customer service mode to manage the crisis so far.

Offense vs Defense: How Minibar helped power online alcohol sales during COVID

#152. In our latest episode of Offense vs Defense we talk with Eliza Blank, the founder of The Sill, a modern plant company. We discussed how the brand is approaching advertising, customer communication, and what changes will remain once life is back to normal.

Offense vs Defense: How The Sill doubled down on its strengths to survive COVID

Jenni Kayne

#151. In our third episode of Offense vs Defense we talk with Julia Hunter, the CEO of the lifestyle brand Jenni Kayne. We discussed her views on a rebalanced retail strategy and how the crisis has pushed her to realize how much of a business’s trajectory is outside of human control.

Offense vs Defense: How Jenni Kayne rebuilt momentum in a time of crisis

#150. In our second episode of Offense vs Defense we talk with Abe Burmeister, the co-founder of Outlier, a menswear brand pushing the limits of materials and performance. We discussed how the brand has handled supply chain woes, invested more in social media and struck a balance between customer communication about when to spend money on clothing and when to save it.

Offense vs Defense: How Outlier has leaned into transparency during COVID-19

#149. In our first episode of Offense vs Defense we talk with Sarah Paiji Yoo, the co-founder of Blueland, a brand reimagining cleaning products to eliminate single-use plastic packaging. Blueland has seen a huge spike in demand in the last two months but it comes with all of the challenges every brand is facing deciding when to cut back and when to invest.

Offense vs Defense: How Blueland is taking the coronavirus crisis in stride

#148. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy to understand the upside and downside of the brand’s approach. We discuss Loop, a reusable packaging consortium’s decision to move into retail and whether or not the complex model will appeal to the masses.

Will Loop’s complex and costly recycling model replace single-use packaging?

#147. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy to understand the upside and downside of the brand’s approach. We discuss Elite Model Management’s decision to launch its own apparel brand and whether or not the modeling agency can run a fashion label.

Why is Elite Model Management launching its own fashion brand?

#146. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy to understand the upside and downside of the brand’s approach. We discuss KIND Snacks’ expansion into four new product categories and if the brand can be more than just a snack bar company.

Will KIND's new product launches expand or confuse its customer base?

#145. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy to understand the upside and downside of the brand’s approach. We discuss Atari’s decision to open a handful of hotels across the U.S. and whether or not this move into experiences makes sense for the OG gaming company.

Will Atari's hotels bring the gaming company into the modern era?

The Loose Threads Podcast explores the new consumer economy. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest that spans a range of topics, lasting about an hour. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the consumer, retail and commerce industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice: iTunes, Soundcloud, Overcast, Google Play. If you'd like to recommend a guest (including yourself!), don't hesitate to get in touch: hello@loosethreads.com. http://LooseThreads.com

Fantastic interview to learn about marketing and how to launch a company!

Fantastic

Great stories

The Loose Threads Podcast explores the new consumer economy. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest that spans a range of topics, lasting about an hour. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the consumer, retail and commerce industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice: iTunes, Soundcloud, Overcast, Google Play. If you'd like to recommend a guest (including yourself!), don't hesitate to get in touch: hello@loosethreads.com. <a href="http://LooseThreads.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://LooseThreads.com</a>

Loose Threads — Inside the new consumer economy

#123. Derris is a communications and brand consultancy that has been at the forefront of the direct-to-consumer revolution. We talk with founder and CEO Jesse Derris about how the fashion and tech press has changed the ways in which people discover and shop brands across the consumer landscape. Pressed Juice, a podcast by Loose Threads, talks with the journalists and PR leaders navigating this fast-changing industry about what warrants coverage today, how the media goes about covering it, and how both journalists and PR professionals define their relationship with brands throughout the process.

Derris defined direct-to-consumer communication strategy

Alana Branston

On the 26th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of fashion, technology and commerce, I talk with Alana Branston, a co-founder of Bulletin, a company known as the WeWork for retail that gives brands flexible options for showcasing their products. As legacy retail continues to struggle in the U.S., Bulletin is taking this space and repurposing it. Alana and her team believe that retail is far from dead, but it's fundamentally changing, and everyone from brand to landlords to technology companies need to rethink the experience from the ground up. Alana and I had a great talk about the non linear founding story behind Bulletin, the benefits of going through two different Y Combinator programs, how retail is turning into a marketing, not just a sales game, and where the company is headed after raising its first big round of funding. There are endless opportunities in the offline world for brands of all sizes. People often forget that retail sales still make up over 90% of all commerce sales, so there is plenty to work with and improve on in this space. Bulletin is still young but they will be fun to watch. — Show Notes — Bulletin https://bulletin.co/ Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of fashion, technology and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, an entrepreneur and writer, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest that spans a range of topics. The guests range from being fashion-focused to technology-focused to somewhere in between, but the unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on http://LooseThreads.com

On the 26th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of fashion, technology and commerce, I talk with Alana Branston, a co-founder of Bulletin, a company known as the WeWork for retail that gives brands flexible options for showcasing their products. As legacy retail continues to struggle in the U.S., Bulletin is taking this space and repurposing it. Alana and her team believe that retail is far from dead, but it's fundamentally changing, and everyone from brand to landlords to technology companies need to rethink the experience from the ground up. Alana and I had a great talk about the non linear founding story behind Bulletin, the benefits of going through two different Y Combinator programs, how retail is turning into a marketing, not just a sales game, and where the company is headed after raising its first big round of funding. There are endless opportunities in the offline world for brands of all sizes. People often forget that retail sales still make up over 90% of all commerce sales, so there is plenty to work with and improve on in this space. Bulletin is still young but they will be fun to watch. — Show Notes — Bulletin <a href="https://bulletin.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bulletin.co/</a> Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — <a href="http://LooseThreads.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://LooseThreads.com</a> Join the newsletter: <a href="http://eepurl.com/buLQY9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://eepurl.com/buLQY9</a> Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom</a> The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of fashion, technology and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, an entrepreneur and writer, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest that spans a range of topics. The guests range from being fashion-focused to technology-focused to somewhere in between, but the unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on <a href="http://LooseThreads.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://LooseThreads.com</a>

Rethinking the Purpose of a Store — with Alana Branston of Bulletin

#130. Cha Cha Matcha is a beverage brand with five retail locations and a recently-released line of canned drinks. We talk with founders Matthew Morton and Conrad Sandelman about how they played a role in popularizing matcha. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

How Cha Cha Matcha is expanding outside of retail

Paul Hedrick

#93. Tecovas is taking Westerns online with direct-to-consumer cowboy boots. We talk with founder Paul Hedrick about the innovations and challenges behind crafting and selling high-quality, timeless and affordable leather goods in the digital age. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

Bootstrapped — with Paul Hedrick of Tecovas

#137. Espresso is a new talk show from Loose Threads where we dissect two different business strategies from the past two weeks, putting them under the microscope to see if they hold up or fall apart.  In our third episode, we discuss legacy department store’s holiday pop-up shops in New York City hotels and Airbnb’s new program, Cooking Experiences.

Espresso: Macy’s and Nordstrom’s flawed holiday partnerships with hotels; Airbnb’s new Cooking Experiences are making food-related hospitality more accessible.

Ariel Kaye

#46. Parachute brings a new lifestyle to the home. We talk with founder Ariel Kaye about her quest to forge a brand that owns bedding products and the home more broadly. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

Sleepless Nights — with Ariel Kaye of Parachute Home

Zak Normandin

#96. Dirty Lemon quenches thirst with direct-to-consumer beverages. We talk with co-founder Zak Normandin about how the company uprooted the antiquated beverage industry to rapidly develop products and communicate with customers via text message. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

Drips and Drops — with Zak Normandin of Dirty Lemon

Ryan Babenzien

#56. GREATS is the first digitally-native footwear brand that is hyper-focused on bringing extreme value to the sneaker market. We talk with founder Ryan Babenzien about how GREATS has prioritized quality and simplicity and flourished into a booming online and now offline sneaker business that he is now seeking to extend to new categories and branch out internationally. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

Hyper-Value — with Ryan Babenzien of GREATS

Luke Droulez

#105. Inside the marketing journey of Parachute, which makes goods for the home. We talk with CMO Luke Droulez who joined the company as its first hire to discuss scaling with constraints and experimenting with a variety of channels and markets. The Megaphone Podcast features marketers, analysts and advertising professionals navigating the roller coaster ride of building a 21st-century brand.

The Megaphone Podcast: Luke Droulez of Parachute

Rachel Blumenthal

#69. Rockets of Awesome creates modern children’s clothes, conveniently delivered to busy parents. We talk with Founder and CEO Rachel Blumenthal, who started the company after running a previous business that made mothers’ lives easier, and has gone on to build a service that both mothers and kids love—a particular challenge as the buyer and the user are two different people. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

Kidproof — with Rachel Blumenthal of Rockets of Awesome

#141. Every week on the podcast we’ll challenge a recently-announced business strategy to understand the upside and downside of the brand’s approach. We discuss Goop’s expansion into Sephora and whether or not the brand’s products will stand out beyond the Goop universe.

Will Goop's expansion into Sephora help or hurt the brand’s long-term success?

Brian Berger

Mack Weldon

On the 35th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with Brian Berger, a co-founder of Mack Weldon, a company reinventing men's basics with a modern shopping experience and technical fabrics. Although there is a lot of activity in the basics space right now, most of it is incremental. Mack Weldon wanted to rebuild the entire shopping experience, as well as the materials that men rely on every day. Brian and I had a great talk about the founding story, how it’s incentivizing men to buy more from the brand, and how the brand landscape is rapidly shifting. I enjoyed talking with Brian about his time building Mack Weldon and how sometimes building things the hard way is the right way. His pragmatism about the potential of brands like Mack Weldon was also refreshing, and it seems that he’s architected the company to take advantage of that potential while also managing expectations. — Show Notes — Mack Weldon https://www.mackweldon.com/ Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 35th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with Brian Berger, a co-founder of Mack Weldon, a company reinventing men's basics with a modern shopping experience and technical fabrics. Although there is a lot of activity in the basics space right now, most of it is incremental. Mack Weldon wanted to rebuild the entire shopping experience, as well as the materials that men rely on every day. Brian and I had a great talk about the founding story, how it’s incentivizing men to buy more from the brand, and how the brand landscape is rapidly shifting. I enjoyed talking with Brian about his time building Mack Weldon and how sometimes building things the hard way is the right way. His pragmatism about the potential of brands like Mack Weldon was also refreshing, and it seems that he’s architected the company to take advantage of that potential while also managing expectations. — Show Notes — Mack Weldon <a href="https://www.mackweldon.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.mackweldon.com/</a> Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — <a href="http://LooseThreads.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://LooseThreads.com</a> Join the newsletter: <a href="http://eepurl.com/buLQY9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://eepurl.com/buLQY9</a> Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom</a> The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on <a href="http://LooseThreads.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LooseThreads.com</a>.

Back to Basics — with Brian Berger of Mack Weldon

#132. Clare is a direct-to-consumer brand reimagining the experience around painting one’s home. We talk with founder Nicole Gibbons about how she relied on her background in interior design and customer feedback to simplify the painting process. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

How Clare is reinventing the painting experience from top to bottom

Ashley Merrill

#76. Lunya makes luxury sleepwear that puts equal emphasis on function and aesthetics. We talk with founder Ashley Merrill about how her business is breathing new life into a frequently forgotten, but everyday apparel category. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

Pillow Talk  — with Ashley Merrill of Lunya

#131. Health-Ade is one of the fastest-growing and earliest small-batch kombucha brands. We talk with co-founder Vanessa Dew about how she grew the brand from one farmers’ market to over 25,000 doors nationwide. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

How Health-Ade kombucha grew from one farmers' market to 25,000 doors

Micky Onvural

#64. Bonobos was a healthy product-driven company, built on a strong vision and a small, but loyal audience. But since 2016, and Bonobos' Walmart acquisition, co-president Micky Onvural has helped steer the company into a resonating brand. We had a great talk with Micky about what it's like to take the reins at someone else's company, go through an acquisition and turn a company's core DNA into a long-lasting brand. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

Passing the Baton — with Micky Onvural of Bonobos

On the 12th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, I talk with Steven Alan, the founder of his eponymous brand that started as a retail store in 1994 and grew into the international empire it is today. We had an awesome talk about how Steven got started; how he grew the brand over the last two decades, adding stores, a showroom and many different verticals along the way; how the his customers have evolved over time; how direct to consumer brands are changing the landscape; what is was like selling on Amazon in the early days of its fashion play; why the brand entered into the optical market; and how 2017 is the year of reinvention. — Show Notes — Steven Alan stevenalan.com — About Loose Threads — Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadsxyz The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of fashion, technology and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, a fashion and tech entrepreneur and writer, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest that spans a range of topics, lasting about an hour. The guests range from being fashion-focused to technology-focused to somewhere in between, but the unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on http://LooseThreads.xyz

On the 12th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, I talk with Steven Alan, the founder of his eponymous brand that started as a retail store in 1994 and grew into the international empire it is today. We had an awesome talk about how Steven got started; how he grew the brand over the last two decades, adding stores, a showroom and many different verticals along the way; how the his customers have evolved over time; how direct to consumer brands are changing the landscape; what is was like selling on Amazon in the early days of its fashion play; why the brand entered into the optical market; and how 2017 is the year of reinvention. — Show Notes — Steven Alan <a href="http://stevenalan.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">stevenalan.com</a> — About Loose Threads — Join the newsletter: <a href="http://eepurl.com/buLQY9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://eepurl.com/buLQY9</a> Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/loosethreadsxyz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/loosethreadsxyz</a> The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of fashion, technology and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, a fashion and tech entrepreneur and writer, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest that spans a range of topics, lasting about an hour. The guests range from being fashion-focused to technology-focused to somewhere in between, but the unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on http://LooseThreads.xyz

Getting Better, Not Just Bigger — with Steven Alan

Rachel Shechtman

On the 19th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of fashion, technology and commerce, I talk with Rachel Shechtman, the founder of Story, a company that has the point of view of a magazine, that changes like a gallery and sells things like a store. Story is headquartered in a 2000 sqft store in Chelsea, Manhattan, and runs themed installations that change every few months. These installations feature everything from experiences to products to talks and events, acting as a lab that is merging the best of offline retail with the benefits of online media and commerce. Rachel has one of the more forward looking and open-minded perspectives on physical retail that I have encountered, and it was great talking with her about how Story is carving its own path in the dynamic retail landscape. We talked about the evolution of Story over the years and how it's used the limits of a 2000 sq ft space to make a massive, far reaching impact with brands and shoppers alike. Retail is not dead, it’s just evolving, and examples like Story are important proof that bringing new thinking to old industries is powerful and profitable, rather than sulking about the demise of how everything once was. The next Story is now open in Chelsea and it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re in New York, and even with a trip if you’re not. — Show Notes — Story http://thisisstory.com 144 10th Ave. at 19th Street Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadsxyz The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of fashion, technology and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, an entrepreneur and writer, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest that spans a range of topics. The guests range from being fashion-focused to technology-focused to somewhere in between, but the unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on http://LooseThreads.com

On the 19th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of fashion, technology and commerce, I talk with Rachel Shechtman, the founder of Story, a company that has the point of view of a magazine, that changes like a gallery and sells things like a store. Story is headquartered in a 2000 sqft store in Chelsea, Manhattan, and runs themed installations that change every few months. These installations feature everything from experiences to products to talks and events, acting as a lab that is merging the best of offline retail with the benefits of online media and commerce. Rachel has one of the more forward looking and open-minded perspectives on physical retail that I have encountered, and it was great talking with her about how Story is carving its own path in the dynamic retail landscape. We talked about the evolution of Story over the years and how it's used the limits of a 2000 sq ft space to make a massive, far reaching impact with brands and shoppers alike. Retail is not dead, it’s just evolving, and examples like Story are important proof that bringing new thinking to old industries is powerful and profitable, rather than sulking about the demise of how everything once was. The next Story is now open in Chelsea and it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re in New York, and even with a trip if you’re not. — Show Notes — Story <a href="http://thisisstory.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://thisisstory.com</a> 144 10th Ave. at 19th Street Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — <a href="http://LooseThreads.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://LooseThreads.com</a> Join the newsletter: <a href="http://eepurl.com/buLQY9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://eepurl.com/buLQY9</a> Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/loosethreadsxyz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/loosethreadsxyz</a> The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of fashion, technology and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, an entrepreneur and writer, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest that spans a range of topics. The guests range from being fashion-focused to technology-focused to somewhere in between, but the unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on <a href="http://LooseThreads.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://LooseThreads.com</a>

The Amorphous Evolution of Retail — with Rachel Shechtman of Story

Matthew Scanlan

#108. Naadam democratizes Mongolia-sourced cashmere. We talk with co-founder Matthew Scanlan about how the digitally-native brand began moving offline in 2016 after seeking the legitimacy that comes with going offline, which led it to open its first permanent store in 2018. Retail is Alive, a podcast by Loose Threads, talks with the founders, executives, designers and builders illuminating the spaces and experiences defining modern retail.

Retail is Alive: Matthew Scanlan of Naadam

#134. STATE Bags is a mission-driven accessories brand for men, women and children. We talk with co-founders Scot and Jacq Tatelman about how they balance building a thriving business while still giving everything they can to others. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

How STATE Bags is balancing growth and giving back

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