AskThePods › Stairway to CEOStairway to CEO Entrepreneurship
About Stairway to CEO Stairway to CEO is a masterclass in entrepreneurship, offering deep dives into the journeys of founders who have successfully built and scaled CPG and hardware startups. This podcast is essential listening for Shopify merchants and DTC operators looking to navigate the complexities of product development, fundraising, and market disruption. Learn how to challenge norms and innovate in established markets, as exemplified by Ben Lewis of Little Spoon, who disrupted the baby food industry and raised $90 million by solving complex manufacturing problems [1] . Discover the intricacies of launching physical products and refining go-to-market strategies from Courtney Toll, Co-Founder and CEO of Nori, who shares her experience navigating hardware innovation and fundraising during challenging times [2] . The Stairway to CEO podcast also delves into the critical role of co-founder relationships and building transparent customer connections, insights brought to light by Jake Karls of Mid-Day Squares, who details their unique approach to scaling in the competitive CPG market [3] . Each episode provides actionable intelligence for overcoming startup challenges and achieving significant growth. Dive into the full episode list below for more strategic insights.
Baby Steps to Big Bucks with Ben Lewis, Founder and CEO of Little Spoon Wrinkles and Wins with Courtney Toll, Co-Founder and CEO of Nori Making it Rain, One Square at a Time with Jake Karls, Co-Founder and Chief Rainmaker of Mid-Day Squares Listen on Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Website
Recent episodes Sharing the Gift of Yoga and Growing Through Grief with Niki Leondakis, CEO of CorePower Yoga — Jun 25, 2024 Silicon Valley, AI, and Solving Customer Service with Puneet Mehta, Founder and CEO of Netomi — Jun 18, 2024 Baby Steps to Big Bucks with Ben Lewis, Founder and CEO of Little Spoon — Jun 11, 2024 Brooklyn, Brews, and Botanical Breakthroughs with Hudson Davis-Ross, Co-Founder and CEO of Plant People — May 7, 2024 Widening the Wealth Circle for Women with Allegra Moet Brantley, Founder and CEO of Factora — Apr 2, 2024 Turnarounds, Transformations, and Taking Charge with Mary van Praag, Global CEO at Milani Cosmetics — Jan 16, 2024 Connection, Community and Conversation with Julie Rice, Co-Founder and CEO of Peoplehood — Jan 9, 2024 Behind the Frames with Nathan Kondamuri, Co-Founder and CEO of Pair Eyewear — Jan 2, 2024 Wrinkles and Wins with Courtney Toll, Co-Founder and CEO of Nori — Dec 26, 2023 Travel Inspiration for Makeup Innovation with Fiona Chan, Founder & CEO of Youthforia — Dec 19, 2023 Making it Rain, One Square at a Time with Jake Karls, Co-Founder and Chief Rainmaker of Mid-Day Squares — Dec 12, 2023 K-Pop Beats and Skincare Feats with Paul Baek, Founder and CEO of Matter of Fact — Dec 5, 2023 Dental Dreams and Endless Flossibilities with Samantha Coxe, Founder and CEO of Flaus — Nov 28, 2023 Perfectionism and Plastic-Free Packaging with Kate Flynn, Co-Founder and CEO of Sun & Swell Foods — Nov 21, 2023 Hydration, Hangovers, and Becoming CEO with Jesslyn Rollins, CEO of BIOLYTE — Nov 14, 2023 Pizza, Periods, and Pooping with Miki Agrawal, Founder of TUSHY — Nov 7, 2023 Money, Mindset, and Magic Mush with Ashley Thompson, Co-Founder and CEO of MUSH — Oct 31, 2023 From Sears Intern to Celebrity Brand CEO with Sarah Jahnke, Co-Founder and CEO of Homecourt — Oct 24, 2023 Factories, Feedback, and Furniture with Stephen Kuhl, Co-Founder and CEO of Burrow — Oct 17, 2023 Cutting Crusts Instead of Corners with Dillon Ceglio, Co-Founder & CEO of Chubby Snacks — Oct 10, 2023 Startups, Skincare, and Scarlett Johansson with Kate Foster, Co-Founder and CEO of The Outset — Oct 3, 2023 Fries, Flights, and Wellness Insights with Kristy Morris, Co-Founder and CEO of Kailo — Sep 26, 2023 CEO Has a Nice Ring to It with Tom Hale, CEO of ŌURA — Sep 19, 2023 Acquisitions and Ambitions with Jeanine Lobell, Founder of Neen — Sep 12, 2023 Roots of Resilience with Greg Starkman, Founder and CEO of Innersense Organic Beauty — Sep 5, 2023 From CPA to CEO with Curt Vander Meer, CEO of Endangered Species Chocolate — Aug 29, 2023 Sacrifices, Successes, and Sauces with Vanessa Pham, Co-Founder and CEO of Omsom — Aug 22, 2023 Media, Memberships, and Marketing with Michael Broukhim, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of FabFitFun — Aug 15, 2023 Rowing, Resilience, and Reimagining Fitness with Bruce Smith, Founder and CEO of Hydrow — Aug 8, 2023 Crackers, Cheese, and Challenges with Francisco Pergola, Co-Founder of Cheddies Crackers — Aug 1, 2023 From Cooking Class to Condiments with Alison Cayne, Founder and CEO of Haven's Kitchen — Jul 25, 2023 A Clear Win for Clear Skin with Danielle Gronich, Co-Founder and CEO of CLEARSTEM — Jul 18, 2023 Pro Planet and People, Period. with Katie Diasti, Founder and CEO of Viv — Jul 11, 2023 Michelin Dreams and Gourmet Themes with Julie Nguyen, Co-Founder and CEO of Methodology — Jul 4, 2023 Willpower, Work Ethic, and Wearable Wellness with Cedar Carter, CEO of The Good Patch — Jun 27, 2023 Unwrapping Gifting and Grit with Bridget Johns, Founder and CEO of To&From — Jun 20, 2023 From Fashion to Frozen Flavors with Alicia Liu, Founder and CEO of Lavender and Truffles — Jun 13, 2023 Garbage, Grit, and Greens with Johnathan Bonnell, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Wholly Veggie — Jun 6, 2023 Little Saints, Big Spirits with Megan Klein, Founder and CEO of Little Saints — May 30, 2023 Scoops of Approval with Alec Jaffe, Founder and CEO of Alec's Ice Cream — May 23, 2023 Harvard, Health, and Hormones with Allie Egan, Founder and CEO of Veracity — May 16, 2023 Something in the Water with Sandro Roco, Founder and CEO of Sanzo — May 9, 2023 From Forbes to Foods with Courtney Boyd Myers, Founder and CEO of AKUA — May 2, 2023 From Nike to Fertility with Ronit Menashe, Co-Founder and CEO of WeNatal — Apr 25, 2023 From Manwich to Murad with Paul Schiraldi, CEO of Murad — Apr 18, 2023 From Private Equity to Personalized Skincare with Ming Zhao, Co-Founder and CEO of PROVEN Skincare — Apr 11, 2023 Big on Brand and Obstacles with Joe Spector, Founder and CEO of Dutch — Apr 4, 2023 From Grey to Arey with Allison Conrad, Co-Founder and CEO of Arey — Mar 28, 2023 Gel Nails and Target Sales with Christina Kao, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Le Mini Macaron — Mar 21, 2023 Baking a Sweet Business with Loren Castle, Founder and CEO of Sweet Loren's — Mar 14, 2023