Sarah Paiji Yoo, founder of BlueLand, shares how she went from Harvard and Wall Street to building a $400 million sustainable cleaning brand. She opens up about raising $35 million in venture capital, cutting $1 million per month in Meta ads, and choosing profitability over growth at all costs. This episode dives deep into product market fit, retail strategy, sustainability, and the mindset required to survive the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship. If you are building a business or thinking about starting one, this conversation is packed with hard earned lessons.

More Hot Takes Big StakesInstagram: www.instagram.com/hottakesbigstakes/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@hottakesbigstakes/More on SaraInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/spaiji/https://www.instagram.com/blueland/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahpaiji?utm_source=chatgpt.comWebsite: https://www.blueland.com/More on Natalie Holloway:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/“Bala” Instagram: www.instagram.com/bala/“Balacize” Instagram: www.instagram.com/balacize/Substack,“Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.comBook a 1-on-1 Call: intro.co/NatalieHollowayMore on Lana Elie-Meyers:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/lanaelie/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lana-elie-875b383a/

Sarah, founder of Y7 Studio, shares the real story behind building one of the most recognizable boutique yoga brands in the country. From starting as a scrappy pop-up in Brooklyn to scaling to 15 locations, raising private equity, and surviving 18 months with zero revenue during Covid, this episode dives into the highs, lows, and hard decisions behind the scenes. She opens up about leadership, criticism, layoffs, leases, and what it really takes to grow a wellness brand. Plus, what’s next after being acquired and preparing for franchising.http://Hirodiapers.com/natalieMore Hot Takes Big StakesInstagram: www.instagram.com/hottakesbigstakes/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@hottakesbigstakes/More on Sarahhttps://www.instagram.com/sarah_ayako/https://www.y7-studio.comMore on Natalie Holloway:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/“Bala” Instagram: www.instagram.com/bala/“Balacize” Instagram: www.instagram.com/balacize/Substack,“Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.comBook a 1-on-1 Call: intro.co/NatalieHollowayMore on Lana Elie-Meyers:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/lanaelie/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lana-elie-875b383a/

MERIT Beauty grew from launch to over $200 million in sales in just five years, without a hero product, heavy discounting, or chasing marketing trends. In this episode, the CMO shares how they built a minimalist beauty brand for millennials and Gen X by rejecting industry playbooks and focusing on trust, pricing psychology, and diversified marketing. From launching during COVID to engineering risk across platforms, this is a masterclass in modern brand building. If you are building a business or leading a team, this conversation is packed with hard-earned lessons.

This Hot takes big stakes episode is sponsored by: dtcmvp, shopify's modern expert network. Qualified brand leaders can discover vetted tools, get compensated for their time, and give feedback to founders and avoid the traditional sales pitch. For vendors, it's a great way to meet brands where they are, get feedback on what youre building, and improve your company. From intro to insights, dtcmvp handles everything. Together - brands and saas startups can improve the industry faster.https://dtcmvp.com/ http://Hirodiapers.com/natalieMore Hot Takes Big StakesInstagram: www.instagram.com/hottakesbigstakes/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@hottakesbigstakes/More on Aila Morinhttps://www.instagram.com/ailamorin/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ailamorinMore on Natalie Holloway:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/“Bala” Instagram: www.instagram.com/bala/“Balacize” Instagram: www.instagram.com/balacize/Substack,“Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.comBook a 1-on-1 Call: intro.co/NatalieHollowayMore on Lana Elie-Meyers:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/lanaelie/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lana-elie-875b383a/