Finding Founders

The L.A. Times calls it “the epitome of broad scale shopping” while Vox News describes it as “a teen fashion paradise”. Despite its current renown, Melrose still follows the fundamental vision that inspired its inception: uniting the community through arts, education, and entrepreneurship. L.A.’s most beloved open air market initially started as a project to bridge the gap between the students of Fairfax High and the surrounding neighborhood. Today, Melrose Trading Post has raised over 10 million dollars, caters to around 5,000 visitors weekly and hosts hundreds of vendors and local artists. Pierson and Whitney’s journey isn’t one of ambition or personal glory. Instead, it’s a story about service, harnessing your passion to serve the needs of others while building something bigger than yourself. Their example demonstrates that big dreams begin with humble acts. By interacting with someone outside your circle or simply asking, “How can I help with that?”, you just might be setting the stage for the production

Andelain Roy is a third generation cannabis cultivator, and weed runs deep through her familial roots. But life on the farm wasn’t always easy. Andelain was also unfortunately exposed to the war on drugs as early as three years old. There was this confusing dichotomy between how the government viewed weed and how her family did. Despite all of this, the cannabis community supported her. It has always been tight-knit and relied on loyalty, trust and support. Although she had a brief teaching job, she would eventually begin to “take cannabis” seriously, encountering difficulties of all kinds ranging from the war on drugs to legalization and its impact on smaller businesses. Despite everything, Andleain’s company DewPoint Farms continues to operate as she holds on to her values and remembers the importance of her local community. https://hcga.co/ Subscribe to our Newsletter! https://findingfounders.co/subscribe Website: findingfounders.co Follow Sam: https://www.instagram.com/samueldonner/ Follow Finding Founde

Cartel Deals. Helicopter Surveillance. Weed Homesteaders. Artists. Outlaws. It all started with growing weed in Humboldt. Tommy’s relationship with cannabis began at 15 years old. He would plant seeds along bridges and places like the Museum of Modern Art. Eventually, the 60s would lead to a time where Tommy would receive a “life in prison” sentence for smoking a joint. Luckily, the sentence was reduced to 90 days, which encouraged him to ignore the system and instead follow his interests. Eventually, Karen and Tommy would relocate to California after a brief stint in Mexico, allowing them the opportunity to live self-sufficiently while also allowing Tommy the ability to develop as an artist. A Native American would teach them to live off the land, eventually allowing the Hesslers to build their own house and grow their own food. Eventually, their interest would expand to growing cannabis, earning them the title of “original outlaw growers” as well as helping to found the cannabis culture in California. https

Marijuana Outlaw. Smuggler. Draft Dodger. Commune Founder. Hippie Entrepreneur. Revolutionary. Protector of the Forest. At every opportunity Douglas Fir goes against the system. This philosophy, this way of moving through the world started with the war in Vietnam. Douglas was so opposed to the war that he gave himself two choices: become a revolutionary against the war, or remove himself from the political scene and move somewhere remote. Douglas chose the latter. After hitchhiking around the country and even traveling to South America, Douglas settled down with some friends and started a commune in Humboldt, California. The commune began to really develop when the residents discovered that growing and selling marijuana was a good – though illegal – source of income. The money made off of the marijuana was used to build houses, roads, and eventually an infrastructure for the community. Once the war on drugs began, the peaceful pot-growers stood up for their community against the federal government. https://hc

After finishing his education at the Savannah School of Art and Design (SCAD), Adam Amaral quickly put his VFX skills to good use in the professional world. He freelanced as a designer and animator for Nike and Target, while working on major studio projects such as Transformers, Star Wars, and Ender’s Game. Despite his great success with large media and commercial companies, Adam wished to create something for himself and started Master of Shapes. This design-driven interactive studio allowed him to showcase all of his skills, dabbling in game design, virtual reality, interactive installations, and app development (to name a few!). His artistry and innovation lead him to work with powerhouses such as DeadMau5 and Miley Cyrus, and extended to the co-founding of the augmented reality program Red 6. With this boundless creativity already evident throughout his young career, Adam Amaral is a founder you'll be inspired by. https://masterofshapes.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter! https://findingfounders.co/subscri

Marta Miller was always drawn to the fashion industry. Admiring the work of her fashion major friends in college, she moved to London after finishing her education at the University of Texas Austin and worked as a sales rep for Christian Siriano (who became the youngest winner of Project Runway in 2007). Her desire to deepen her experience led her to Los Angeles, where she was introduced to the fashion scene by Rosetta Getty. At the young age of 23, she started Moody Mamas, a maternity wear brand that drew the attention of Target, Nordstrom, and other large clothing suppliers. Despite these successes, the brand suffered from hurdle after hurdle in the international manufacturing process, which slowed production or even ruined whole shipments of clothing. Seeing firsthand how difficult it was for young designers to get off the ground, Marta co founded Lefty Production Company to streamline clothing brand creation through a US based, customer focused, and environmentally conscious approach. https://www.leftypro

Myra Christopher’s life changed forever when her mother’s doctor appointment turned into a diagnosis for Stage IV esophageal cancer. Given a life expectancy of two years at best, Juanita Etheredge’s condition deteriorated quickly and Myra fought the hospital tooth and nail to allow her mother to die at home as she had wished. Hospice care was still nearly unheard of at this time. This fact motivated Myra to dedicate her life to helping others choose the medical care they desired at the end of their life. After going back to school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, a teacher directed her to talk to philosophy professor, Hans Uffleman. Through her mentorship from Professor Uffleman, she learned about the developing field of bioethics, became a supplemental instructor in the college’s medical department, and was eventually approached with the opportunity to be the executive director of the Center for Practical Bioethics. Myra took the medical field by storm through political lobbying, drafting the Patie

Kyle Bergman doesn’t like to sit still. On an average day for the founder of Swoveralls, Kyle goes for a 6 mile run in the morning, teaches a class at NYU, leads a few fitness classes at his local gym, and manages his company. Yet, despite this hectic schedule, Kyle keeps his cool. He’s used to this. While working as an Associate Buyer at Bloomingdale’s, he applied for an MBA and joined the Israeli National Lacrosse Team. During his stint at Birchbox, Kyle started his own company and made an appearance on Shark Tank. Even during the height of the pandemic, a time when laying low felt inevitable, Kyle managed to create a virtual fitness company to continue sharing his love for athletics. Tune into this episode to learn how Kyle avoids burnout and how his work-life balance has evolved over the years. https://swoveralls.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter! https://findingfounders.co/subscribe Website: findingfounders.co Follow Sam: https://www.instagram.com/samueldonner/ Follow Finding Founders IG: https://www.inst

South Central LA: an area of Los Angeles where 31% of its inhabitants are below the poverty line and over 72%, are people of color. As a Mexican immigrant, this is the city Rita Ortiz Contreras grew up in. She spent her childhood in an area with a widespread lack of social support, and when it came to yoga it never seemed to be in the realm of possibility for her neighborhood. From what she saw in mainstream media, yoga was an activity reserved for thin, white, affluent women. So yoga wasn't a big part of her life. But that would soon change. After working in the Army and the fashion industry, she finally sparked her passion for yoga. Determined to make this practice more accessible to those in her community in South Central LA, Rita tells us of how she helped instruct at a yoga non-profit known as The Tree South LA and how she decided to work with others to open up their own POC-owned and run yoga school known as The Tree Yoga Cooperative. https://thetreeyogacoop.org/ Subscribe to our Newsletter! https://fi

Erik grew up in a family that was quickly building its wealth, but his father still made sure Erik understood the importance of money and a good work ethic. From collecting change, to selling knives, to starting a storm drain businesses; Erik was a resourceful kid. As he moved into adulthood, he went into real estate. Things were looking up, except he graduated into one of history’s worst housing market crashes. However, Erik remained resourceful and became the COO of a multi million dollar startup. Realising he could develop himself more elsewhere, he discovered an opportunity in a truck load of unwanted t-shirts that would eventually lead to his own $100M marketing consultancy, Hawke Media. https://hawkemedia.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter! https://findingfounders.co/subscribe Website: findingfounders.co Follow Sam: https://www.instagram.com/samueldonner/ Follow Finding Founders IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingfounderspodcast/

John Quirk didn’t start as a wellness coach. After graduating with a BA in Journalism, he plunged into the fast paced world of sports journalism, only to find himself trapped in his dream job. It was everything that he had ever wanted but the office politics and stress were eating away at him. Then, a miracle struck: he got fired. This blessing in disguise allowed him to discover yoga and find his true calling in leading wellness retreats. Moving to San Diego alongside his two rescue dogs, John transformed his life and made his passion his career as the founder of SoCal Wellness Retreats. https://www.socalwellnessretreats.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter! https://findingfounders.co/subscribe Website: findingfounders.co Follow Sam: https://www.instagram.com/samueldonner/ Follow Finding Founders IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingfounderspodcast/

Alisha Flecky felt aimless as a talent agent in Los Angeles. In 2010 she decided to drop everything and travel to gain a bit of perspective. The trip was initially six months through the south of India, the Andaman islands, and finally Rishikesh. But it was this final location that transformed a trip into a lifestyle. She spent the next decade training in tantric arts, yoga, and mystical dance. Soon she started a clothing business not to necessarily make money, but to fuel this lifestyle as a nomad and vagabond. This business would be called the Blonde Vagabond, which uses upcycled fabric and materials to recreate pieces influenced by styles she saw abroad. https://www.blondevagabond.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter! https://findingfounders.co/subscribe Website: findingfounders.co Follow Sam: https://www.instagram.com/samueldonner/ Follow Finding Founders IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingfounderspodcast/

Every weekend, Suze would go to New York City to wander the streets, while her father worked. She quickly fell in love with the city's fashion culture which would spark a successful 20-year career working for Giorgio Armani, Vogue, ELLE, Marie Claire, and Glamour. Suze had made it in the fashion world but was rarely present to enjoy it. Life moved so fast that she didn't realize all the tension she was carrying. In 2012, Suze learned a three minute meditation from her mother-in-law that turned her world upside-down and changed her life forever. She realized that she needed a change of pace. Once she discovered meditation, she was on a mission to keep doing it, but found that it wasn't easy to find a place to pop in, learn, and practice. Suze then realized that meditation needed a makeover and she was the one to do it. In 2014 with loads of research, Suze launched Unplug Meditation, the world’s first secular drop in meditation studio. Now Unplug has multiple studio and an app with over a million users. Her mis

Vince Ning co-founded Nabis, a company that is revolutionizing the cannabis industry and is quickly becoming the Amazon of Cannabis. But growing up in a conservative Asian household, Vince wasn't exactly raised in a weed friendly environment. His parents wanted him to do something safe and prestigious. After graduating from University of Virginia, Vince landed a great stable job at Microsoft, but that got stale quickly. Vince was doing some side projects with friends, which led to Y combinator, and even an acquisition by Amazon. With this his eyes opened to the world of successful entrepreneurship, Vince was searching for his next big project. Soon he would reconnect with his best friend from high school and start Nabis, a fully-licensed cannabis wholesale platform with the largest portfolio of cannabis brands in the world, supplying 100% of California’s dispensaries and delivery services. https://www.nabis.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter! https://findingfounders.co/subscribe Website: findingfounders.co Foll

What does it take to build a fitness business from the ground up? In today’s Founder Wisdom we talk with Jacob Saldana, the health and wellness expert behind Fit BAR Superfood Cafe and Space B.A.R. Wellness. Jacob grew up blue collar, and learned the value of a strong work ethic early on. This led him to buy into a gym franchise and eventually create his own gyms. He wouldn’t stop here and actually opened the very first Fit Bar Superfood Cafe in the parking lot of one of his Seattle gyms. He would go on to expand to a chain that is known for acai bowls, plant-based protein smoothies, and health conscious coffees. After opening up and running a few gyms of his own, Jacob tells us how he used his experience and entrepreneurial skills to create a space where his more novel ideas behind health and wellness could be shared with the world. https://www.spacebarwellness.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter! https://findingfounders.co/subscribe Website: findingfounders.co Follow Sam: https://www.instagram.com/samueldonner

Larry Fitzgibbon is the co-founder and CEO of Tastemade, a modern media company that creates award-winning video content and original programming in the categories of Food, Travel, and Home & Design. Since its launch in 2012, the company has garnered more than 300M+ Monthly Viewers. However, Larry's path towards building this incredible company wasn’t always so clear. Larry began his journey as a communications major with a special passion for technology. Throughout college, he devoured cyber-culture magazines such as Mondo 2000 and Wired, absorbed information about stocks and IPOs, and began to apply his tech knowledge to the professional world. Starting at Kinko’s and Intertainer, he found that his ambitious visions for online streaming were still too advanced for the current stage of the internet. After facing a series of hurdles during a stint at Demand Media, Larry finally found his niche at Tastemade. Since then, Tastemade has opened studios around the world and their shows can be found on Apple TV, Hul

In a world where Hydro Flask is now synonymous with water-bottle, how does one break into the insulated drink space? On today’s Founder Wisdom, we talk to Mike Beckham co-founder and CEO of Simple Modern, a drinkware company with the goal of designing water bottles as unique as you. Starting off in the non-profit space, Mike brainstormed a list of 100 products, decided on drinkware, and started one of the biggest companies in that space. In fact Mike has been responsible for over a billion dollars in sales! Mike talks us through his lows, his competition, and Simple Modern’s recent partnership with Disney. https://www.simplemodern.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter! https://findingfounders.co/subscribe Website: findingfounders.co Follow Sam: https://www.instagram.com/samueldonner/ Follow Finding Founders IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingfounderspodcast/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Born in Turkey, Ege's flair for design led him to found the clothing brand TUTUNJ. Initially he started with nothing but a few designs in his head and the encouragement of some friends. Since then, TUTUNJ has seen its products donned and praised by superstar models Meredith Mikelson and Alessandra Ambrósio. However, what makes Ege’s story truly inspiring are not only the victories he celebrated but also the challenges he braved. Along his journey, Ege faced an inordinate number of “No’s” compared to “Yes’s”. He grappled with the rejection of a big-time investor in the early days of TUTUNJ. He received one decline after another when seeking influencers to help promote his brand. Though these obstacles might have broken anyone else’s spirit, they did not break Ege’s. Instead, he saw each “No” as an opportunity to simply try again and each “Maybe” as a reason to push himself harder. If there’s anything to be learned from Ege’s story, it is this: With time, patience, and endurance, success is never too far out of

Alisha Flecky was delving into spirituality and came across a guru that would change her life. She followed him for years, abiding by his wisdom and feeling that her life was improving and slowly becoming the life she wanted. She saw this guru as perfect, as close to a deity. But everything changed when the veil was lifted and behind it was a flawed man that couldn't accept his humanity. This led to a question: Is the image perfection necessary for total devotion? Our full episode with Alisha will be coming out in a few weeks! https://alishaflecky.com/meetalisha Subscribe to our Newsletter! https://findingfounders.co/subscribe Website: findingfounders.co Follow Sam: https://www.instagram.com/samueldonner/ Follow Finding Founders IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingfounderspodcast/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Jason Lee grew up in Kansas raised by a family who idolized education. They even said school is “like Disneyland but better…”. School was important because it led to a “respectable job”, that job being a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer. Initially that was ok with Jason, but there was something missing. He didn't feel quite whole.  Regardless, he moved forward on the "right" path and attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He assumed his problems would be solved but eventually realized that he still wasn’t fulfilled. That same emptiness remained even as he began making 6 figures at Bain and Company. The turning point of Jason's life began on his 22nd birthday when the Haiti earthquake taught him the importance of empathy. Committed to do something, he decided to film himself bussing at a New York subway station. Jason would make a video that accumulated 10,000 views in a single week and raised hundreds for the cause. Inspired, he decided to pursue his passion for filmmaking, quit his jo