Inspired Insider With Dr. Jeremy Weisz | Ecommerce Interviews | Entrepreneurship | Inspirational Stories | Business Lessons

Dr. Andrew Goldman is the co-founder of Good Day Chocolate. Andrew created the business with his longtime friend and fellow entrepreneur, Simeon Margolis. Good Day Chocolate creates candy-coated chocolate balls that contain taurine — said to boost neurological development — alongside caffeine from green tea extract. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [0:45] Jeremy introduces his guest, Dr. Andrew Goldman. [2:30] What were some of the early Good Day Chocolate products? [4:25] Andy shares some milestones they’ve achieved along the way. [5:45] Why it’s a good idea to avoid trendy products. [6:40] Closing thoughts from Andy and Jeremy. In this episode… How do trends and fads start? Is there some secret global group out there that decides and dictates the timing of certain fads? How do you think trends and fads start in your industry? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from business leader and innovator, Dr. Andrew Goldman. In his conversation with Jeremy, Andrew opens up about how he started G

Anthony Constantino is the co-founder of Sticker Mule; one of the most popular custom sticker websites with printing operations in the United States and Europe. Stickermule is the easiest and fastest ways to buy custom printed products. You can order in simply 60 seconds and they turn your design or illustrations into custom stickers, magnets, buttons, labels and packaging in a few days. Their customers have included Amazon, Nike, Google, Facebook, Netflix and many more. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:50] Jeremy introduces his guest, Anthony Constantino. [4:45] Why does Sticker Mule allow small batch orders? [10:00] Anthony talks about connecting with GitHub. [12:30] Learning from customer feedback. [14:00] Anticipating customer needs. [16:00] An obsession with simplicity. [19:15] How did Anthony meet his business partner? What is that relationship like? [26:00] Anthony talks about how he sets his priorities and how they recruit employees. [29:10] Where did the name, Sticker Mule come from? [32:40

Dr. John and Debra Bruinsma are the founders of Dr. John’s Healthy Sweets. In 1995, Dr. John while leaving his dental office for the day and grabbed a sugar-free lollipop to enjoy on the ride home. That lollipop didn't even make it to the door before being thrown out. He thought, "We give these to our patients?" There had to be a better alternative! From there he went on a mission to develop the best tasting, sugar-free candy and Dr. John's was born! Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [0:45] Jeremy welcomes his guests, Dr. John and Debra Bruinsma. [3:00] Why the Bruinsma’s decided to add Xylitol to their product. [5:00] Some of the challenges they’ve faced along the way. [6:45] What was it like to have a product featured on Good Morning America? [9:45] John and Debra talk about what it is like working together. In this episode… Wouldn’t it be nice to have your cake and eat it too? If that cake or sweet snack is healthy too, then all the better! On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entre

Sayan Sarkar is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of the health supplement brand, InvigorateNOW Health Sciences. He is also the creator of Sark Media Direct, a direct marketing consultancy that specializes in helping entrepreneurs grow to seven figures and beyond in the health, e-commerce, and consulting agency industries. Sayan helps combine cutting edge online marketing strategies with traditional direct response marketing. He’s worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Martha Stewart, Organifi, Zenith Labs, and more. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [3:45] Jeremy introduces his guest, Sayan Sarkar. [6:30] What is the Star Story Solution? [8:40] Sayan talks about his early career. [11:00] How learning to copy write helped turn things around for Sayan. [15:50] Sayan talks about working with Martha Stewart. [20:45] Why using the word, “Free” can help your message work. [23:40] A common mistake that many direct mail advertisers make. [28:45] Should you sell your product on Ama

Tom and Eric Healy are the father and son team behind The No Bake Cookie Co and AvoLov Avocado Chips. AvoLov’s chips are made from real hass avocados, dried to a crisp and seasoned to perfection. The No-Bake Cookie Company is based in Bend, Oregon, the lifelong home of founder, Carol Healy. Both Carol and her husband Tom grew up in the small community located in the heart of Oregon, at the base of the Cascade Mountains. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [0:45] Tom Healy joins Jeremy to talk about The No-Bake Cookie. [2:10] Who was the first customer? How did they expand production? [3:30] Tom talks about getting The No-Bake Cookie featured on QVC. [4:00] Tom’s son, Eric joins Jeremy to talk about Avocado Chips. [6:15] Where can you find Avocado Chips? What is Eric proud of from the journey? In this episode… Remember when the days when the things you snacked on were made from simple ingredients? These days, there’s no telling what number of lab-grown chemicals and ingredients are used in the snacks we f

Alex Bates has spent the last decade bringing artificial intelligence and machine learning to the forefront of the industrial market. In 2016, Alex sold his company, Mtell to AspenTech for $38 million. Unlike most tech startups, Alex and his co-founder raised only $1m in funding and maintained ownership of the majority of the company. As part of the acquisition, Alex had to stay with AspenTech for two years. Now, he's dedicating his life to driving AI tech forward. Alex wrote his book, "Augmented Mind: Al, Superhumans and the Next Economic Revolution", he is an active angel investor, and he is a partner in AI incubator The Sandbox.  Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [3:10] Jeremy introduces his guest, Alex Bates. [5:15] What is the difference between AI and IA? Where did Mtelligence come from? [13:50] How did Alex and his team approach larger organizations? [15:45] Alex talks about how the business grew. How did they choose which product to focus on? [19:15] The highs and lows of a startup. [21:30] Alex

Tony Migacz is the Founder and President of Cheesewich. Cheesewich was designed with today’s fast-paced health-conscious consumer in mind. Healthy low-carb and gluten-free meals are not always readily available. However, Cheesewich prides itself in bringing healthy snacks to moms looking for great lunch alternatives for their children, busy laymen needing high protein fuel and executives craving that high energy to make that next risky deal. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [0:40] Tony Migacz joins the podcast to talk about Cheesewich. [2:30] What got Tony into the food business? What was the first Cheesewich? [4:45] A proud moment from Tony’s journey. In this episode… Do you have a good idea you’ve been sitting on for several years? When will you take action on that good idea? What is holding you back? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and business leader, Tony Migacz. In his conversation with Jeremy, Tony talks about how he got started in the food industry, why it to

Howard Marks is the co-founder of StartEngine, a premier equity crowdfunding platform. They connect investors with tomorrow’s progressive companies. StartEngine aims to revolutionize the startup business model by helping individuals invest in private companies on a public platform helping entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:25] Jeremy introduces his guest, Howard Marks. [2:20] What did the gaming industry look like in the early 90’s? [8:00] How did Howard get involved in the gaming industry? [13:40] Howard talks about how StartEngine started. [15:50] Who works with StartEngine? [18:00] What it takes to raise money for startups. [20:10] Howard talks about the future of StartEngine. [23:00] The lowest moment and proudest moment in business for Howard. In this episode… Can you imagine a business built around helping startups get the funding they need? Why do startup entrepreneurs need help? Why can’t they get the funding they need on their own? On this episode of Inspi

James Cruickshank is the founder and CEO of Treeting Cards. James came up with the idea for Treeting Cards when he was seven due to the deeply felt injustice of his mom not buying him an Xbox. James’ cards are filled with unexpected twists and turns and are a true reflection of what he loves to do most —make people laugh! His little brother, Jack, with his unrefined and outlandish humor, contributes a lot of ideas as well and works as his right-hand man. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [0:44] James Cruickshank joins the podcast to talk about his product, Treeting Cards. [3:50] What was the first version of Treeting Cards? What do people use it for? [5:40] How does James spend his time? Where do the ideas come from? [7:40] What are some of the challenges of running the business? [9:20] The proudest moment for James. In this episode… What if there was a way to send a funny card with treats built in? Sounds like a kid’s dream come true! That is because it is a kid’s dream come true, specifically, one ki

Cory Warfield is the co-founder of ShedWool. ShedWool is an employee scheduling and workforce management software company. What that means is they help staff at companies fill a shift or take on an additional shift. So if someone works at a restaurant they don't have to call all their buddies to see who can cover for them. They can put it in the ShedWool schedule and someone can pick up the shift easily. Early on they were able to work with companies like IBM, American Airlines, BP, Four Seasons and several other high-profile companies. Cory worked in the hospitality industry for years where he saw the need for a scheduling app. He is also the co-founder of Mentor You Global which is a pro bono consulting platform.  Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [3:20] Jeremy introduces his guest, Cory Warfield. [5:30] Where did the idea for ShedWool come from? [11:40] What caused Cory and the ShedWool team to change their price model? [15:00] Cory talks about their early free model. [20:00] How client feedback help

Alex Bates has spent the last decade bringing artificial intelligence and machine learning to the forefront of the industrial market. In 2016, Alex sold his company, Mtell to AspenTech for $38 million. Unlike most tech startups, Alex and his co-founder raised only $1m in funding and maintained ownership of the majority of the company. As part of the acquisition, Alex had to stay with AspenTech for two years. Now, he's dedicating his life to driving AI tech forward. Alex wrote his book, "Augmented Mind: Al, Superhumans and the Next Economic Revolution", he is an active angel investor, and he is a partner in AI incubator The Sandbox.  Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [3:10] Jeremy introduces his guest, Alex Bates. [5:00] Alex talks about getting into a “Flow state.” [8:45] What is Alex’s favorite aspect of his book, “Augmented Mind?” [12:00] Alex shares a low moment from his career. [14:45] A proud moment from Alex’s career. In this episode… Did you know that one of the most important lessons a leader c

Tim Sinclair is the founder of Ringr.com. Ringr allows you to record a conversation with anyone, anywhere in the world and have it sound like you are in the same room. Users of Ringr have interviewed Emmy award winners, New York Time best sellers, CEOS, athletes and many more. You may have heard him describing the taste of a Sausage McMuffin, interviewing guests on radio, television, and podcasts, or introducing the world's most popular athlete to a stadium filled with 60,000 screaming fans. By now Tim's voice has been heard by millions around the world and he has worked with companies like Audi, McDonald's, the Indiana Pacers, the University of IL and many more. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [2:00] Jeremy introduces his guest, Tim Sinclair. [4:00] Where did the idea for Ringr come from? [6:00] How did Tim gather the team he needed to create Ringr? [8:20] What was Tim’s pitch to investors? What did he discover with his research? [10:30] The difference between feedback from radio hosts and podcast ho

Sayan Sarkar is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of the health supplement brand, InvigorateNOW Health Sciences. He is also the creator of Sark Media Direct, a direct marketing consultancy that specializes in helping entrepreneurs grow to seven figures and beyond in the health, e-commerce, and consulting agency industries. Sayan helps combine cutting edge online marketing strategies with traditional direct response marketing. He’s worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Martha Stewart, Organifi, Zenith Labs, and more. Sayan has a knack for finding the “low hanging fruit” in his clients’ businesses with newspaper or radio ads, affiliate marketing or direct mail. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [3:45] Jeremy introduces his guest, Sayan Sarkar. [6:30] Sayan talks about the lowest moment in his career. [8:45] How losing 75 pounds helped Sayan gain self-confidence. [12:30] When did Sayan end up quitting his finance job? What systems did he put in place in his business? In this

Chad Collins is the co-founder of Open World Events. They have one of the clearest and best tag lines, “We produce massive family events.” In 2014, they launched, Brick Fest Live which is the #1 touring Lego event in the world and brings hands-on Lego attractions and exhibits. They often have more than 20,000 people show up to each of the shows. They launched Minefaire which is an official Minecraft community event that brings Minecraft players together for an immersive experience. They also have the Young Innovators Fair which is a K-12 STEM Event where attendees explore the latest in science and tech. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:40] Jeremy introduces his guest, Chad Collins. [3:30] Chad talks about his experience exploring Legos and YouTube with his daughter. [6:30] How did Chad grow his YouTube channel’s subscription and views? [11:45] The very first Brick Fest Live event. [14:10] How did Chad navigate the YouTube channel and working a full-time job? [16:45] Chad talks about that moment he q

Anthony Constantino is the co-founder of Sticker Mule; one of the most popular custom sticker websites with printing operations in the United States and Europe. Stickermule is the easiest and fastest ways to buy custom printed products. You can order in simply 60 seconds and they turn your design or illustrations into custom stickers, magnets, buttons, labels and packaging in a few days. Their customers have included Amazon, Nike, Google, Facebook, Netflix and many more. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:50] Jeremy introduces his guest, Anthony Constantino. [4:00] Anthony talks about his experience wrestling as a kid. [7:00] What motivates Anthony? [10:00] The lowest moment in Anthony’s career. [13:00] Anthony shares a proud moment in his career. In this episode… Some call it grit, some call it perseverance, but at the end of the day, we all need to learn the lesson never to give up. When did you learn this valuable lesson in your life? Did you come to it early on or later in life? On this episode

Tom Ross is the founder and CEO of Design Cuts. He has built an audience of 400,000 designers and grew the business to multiple 7 figures with more than 16 full-time staff. He is also one of the hosts of The Honest Designers Show which is one of the most popular shows in the design community and host of The Honest Entrepreneur Show where he gives a candid look at the life of an entrepreneur. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:30] Jeremy introduces his guest, Tom Ross. [3:15] Tom talks about the “Dark Side” of the entrepreneurial life. [10:30] How did Tom turn things around for his health and his business? [14:30] What did Tom learn from his father? [19:00] How do you build highly engaged communities? [21:00] What does it take to wow customers? [24:00] Why branding and website design is so important. [28:30] Tom talks about what they feature on Design Cuts. [31:20] Who should be using Design Cuts? [36:15] Creating value for your target audience. [39:00] Tom talks about some of the clients that he has w

Cory Warfield is the co-founder of ShedWool. ShedWool is an employee scheduling and workforce management software company. What that means is they help staff at companies fill a shift or take on an additional shift. So if someone works at a restaurant they don't have to call all their buddies to see who can cover for them. They can put it in the ShedWool schedule and someone can pick up the shift easily. Early on they were able to work with companies like IBM, American Airlines, BP, Four Seasons and several other high-profile companies. Cory worked in the hospitality industry for years where he saw the need for a scheduling app. He is also the co-founder of Mentor You Global which is a pro bono consulting platform. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [3:20] Jeremy introduces his guest, Cory Warfield. [6:30] A low moment in business for Cory. [10:20] Why Cory turned down a buy out offer. [12:30] Closing thoughts from Cory. In this episode… Are fame, fortune, and the life of an entrepreneur as good as the

Stephan Aarstol is the founder of Tower Paddle Boards and the No Middle Man Project. Founded in 2010 and funded by billionaire Mark Cuban, Tower Paddle Boards is one of the biggest success stories in Shark Tank history. With only $100K in lifetime sales at the time of the pitch, Mark Cuban invested just $150K, and since then Tower has done over $30M in sales. Tower was the #1 brand out of over 2 million 3rd party sellers signed up for the pilot Amazon Exclusives program. They also have branched into Tower Electric Bikes and Tower Beach Club. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:25] Jeremy introduces his guest, Stephan Aarstol. [3:00] Before and after Tower’s Shark Tank appearance. [7:40] Jeremy and Stephan talk about their paddle boarding experiences. [9:30] What does it take to capitalize on an ecommerce idea like e-bikes? [11:45] Stephan talks about Tower’s branding. [14:30] How Mark Cuban reacted to the 5 Hour Workday & other ideas from Stephan. [18:20] Stephan talks about the “No Middleman” plat

Susie Allport is the founder of Susie’s Smart Cookies. Susie started baking omega-3 rich cookies for her family shortly after writing her book, “The Queen Of Fats,” a history of the omega-3 fatty acid research. She used the fact that flaxseed meal, walnuts, and canola oil are rich in omega-3s to adapt favorite family recipes. Soon friends were asking her for her delicious and satisfying treats. Thus a science writer became a baker, and Susie's Smart Cookie was born. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [0:40] Jeremy introduces his guest, Susie Allport. [4:00] Why is it so important to consume Omega-3 Fatty Acids? [6:00] Susie talks about the cookies she’s created. [8:00] What flavors are available? Where do the Omega-3’s come? [10:00] How did the entrepreneurship society help Susie? Challenges and milestones. In this episode… Did you know that your diet is most likely lacking in essential fats like Omega-3’s and Omega-6’s? The fact is, most Americans don’t consume enough green vegetables or the meat of an

Jason Miles is the founder of Pixie Faire. He started a family business with his wife at the time called Liberty Jane at their kitchen table in 2008. In 2013 they launched Pixie Faire, which has become the world's largest online marketplace in their niche. The site averages 50-60 thousand transactions a month and they have had over 2million of their patterns downloaded. People describe Jason’s wife, Cinnamon Miles as “the Vera Wang of the 18-inch crowd.” In 2014 Jason retired from a 20-year career in non-profit management to work on the business full-time. They also started Sew Powerful a non-profit organization focused on creating purposeful products at a sewing cooperative in Zambia. Jason has several bestselling books published by McGraw-Hill on social media, “Instagram Power”, “Youtube Marketing Power”, “Pinterest Power.” He is also one of the most popular ecommerce instructors on Udemy. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:40] Jeremy introduces his guest, Jason Miles. [3:15] Jason talks about how h