In this energetic episode, Charles sits down with Henrik Werdelin—creative entrepreneur and co-founder of BARK, the brand behind BarkBox—to explore how play, empathy, and identity fuel the growth of beloved consumer brands.

Henrik unpacks the origin of BARK, revealing how a deep emotional connection with customers (and their dogs) became the foundation of a company that redefined the pet industry. From building a brand with humor and heart to navigating product expansion and retail partnerships, he shares what it takes to scale without losing soul.

Together, they dive into the mindset of modern brand-building—why it’s less about product features and more about emotional experience, storytelling, and creating rituals people love.

This isn’t just a story about dog toys. It’s a blueprint for building joyful, mission-driven companies that customers don’t just buy from—but belong to.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
-How Henrik Werdelin helped turn a love for dogs into BARK, a brand that connects emotionally with millions of pet owners
-Why building a brand identity with humor, honesty, and humanity creates lasting customer loyalty
-How BARK uses playfulness and purpose—not just product—to deepen customer relationships
-The strategy behind expanding from subscription boxes to food, wellness, and retail without losing brand soul

Head over to provenpodcast.com to download your exclusive companion guide, designed to guide you step-by-step in implementing the strategies revealed in this episode.

KEY POINTS:
01:05 – From agency life to BarkBox:
Henrik shares his early career journey—from working in creative agencies to launching BARK—and how a deep love for dogs (and branding) led to a subscription box that grew into a global DTC powerhouse.
04:18 – The emotional core of brand-building:
Henrik explains why the most beloved consumer brands lead with emotion, not just function—while Charles connects this to how BARK turned dog toys into a lifestyle and cultural connection.
07:45 – Using play as strategy:
Henrik reveals how BARK uses humor, storytelling, and personality in everything—from marketing to product design—while Charles highlights how this playful tone differentiates them in a serious, commoditized space.
11:10 – The risks and rewards of retail expansion:
Henrik reflects on BARK’s leap from DTC to retail with partners like Target, and how they kept their brand voice intact—while Charles digs into the tension between mass scale and brand intimacy.
15:02 – Bark Eats and personalized wellness:
Henrik discusses the company’s move into personalized food and health products for dogs, and how listening to customer behavior led to deeper product innovation.
19:30 – Building a brand with a soul:
Henrik emphasizes that a brand should feel like a friend, not a product—and how BARK’s success came from being obsessively human in a category most treat as transactional.
24:20 – Advice for future founders:
Henrik delivers closing thoughts on what today’s entrepreneurs get wrong: over-focusing on short-term tactics instead of building emotional equity—and why staying curious and connected always wins in the long run.

In this dynamic episode, Charles sits down with Joe Foster—the legendary co-founder of Reebok—and Ben Weiss, CEO of Syntilay, to unpack what it really takes to build legacy brands that stand the test of time.

Joe shares the untold story of growing Reebok from a small UK-based athletic shoe company into a global powerhouse, despite early rejection, fierce competition, and family friction. Ben brings a modern lens to the conversation—revealing how today’s founders can blend legacy thinking with cutting-edge strategy to lead in both business and branding.

Together, they explore how purpose, persistence, and long-term thinking create lasting impact—whether you're building shoes that revolutionize fitness or companies that transform industries.

This isn’t just a business episode—it’s a masterclass on vision, resilience, and what it takes to win across decades.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
-How Joe Foster turned Reebok from a small UK family business into a global footwear brand by targeting overlooked niches like aerobics
-The story behind Joe’s departure from the family company—and how conflict pushed him to build a legacy of his own
-Why rejection from U.S. distributors became a turning point that forced Reebok to focus on a specific entry point into the American market
-The difference between building a business and building a long-term brand—with insights from both Joe and Ben

Head over to provenpodcast.com to download your exclusive companion guide, designed to guide you step-by-step in implementing the strategies revealed in this episode.

KEY POINTS:
01:10 – The birth of Reebok:
Joe Foster recounts how a misunderstanding over the family shoe business led him to break away and start Reebok with just a name, a vision, and relentless grit—while Charles is struck by the boldness of reinventing from scratch.
04:42 – Lessons from rejection:
Joe shares how 20+ rejection letters from U.S. distributors didn’t stop him—and how he eventually cracked the code by targeting a niche aerobics market—while Ben reflects on how modern founders overlook the power of niche entry points.
08:30 – Building a brand vs. building a business:
Ben Weiss explains why building a long-term brand is different from just running a business, emphasizing alignment with purpose and message—while Joe nods in agreement, relating it back to Reebok’s early culture.
11:55 – Scaling without selling your soul:
Joe opens up about the moment Reebok scaled globally and the tension between rapid growth and staying true to original values—while Charles notes the timeless struggle of founders facing explosive success.
17:25 – The Syntilay philosophy:
Ben shares how Syntilay focuses on building brand equity through meaningful human experiences, not just marketing hacks—while Charles sees the parallel between Ben’s approach and Joe’s legacy thinking.
21:40 – The Reebok-Nike showdown:
Joe details the brand rivalry, what it taught him about strategic differentiation, and why Reebok leaned into fashion and fitness while Nike owned performance—while Ben connects this to modern brand positioning.
28:30 – Advice to future legacy founders:
Joe and Ben deliver closing thoughts for future entrepreneurs: be patient, protect your vision, and play the long game—while Charles reflects on how real success is measured in decades, not quarters.

In this powerful episode, Charles sits down with Susan Sly—tech entrepreneur, AI innovator, and health warrior—to unpack how she rebuilt her life from rock bottom to billion-dollar impact.

Susan shares her gripping story of being diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis, losing her marriage, her business, and becoming homeless—all in 16 weeks. But instead of surrendering, she turned to biohacking, belief, and relentless self-reinvention.

Together, they explore the healing protocols Susan used to defy her terminal diagnosis, her rise to co-founding an AI company that led the largest deployment of computer vision at scale in U.S. history, and her newest mission: revolutionizing menopause care with AI.

The conversation covers everything from stem cell therapy and triathlon training to scaling tech companies and leveraging AI for real-world transformation. It's a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and using adversity as fuel for impact.

Key Takeaways:

• The exact health protocols Susan used to reverse her MS symptoms and regain peak performance

• Why Susan avoids support groups—and what she did instead to accelerate healing

• How she scaled an AI company with 8 patents and became a global authority in computer vision and generative AI

• The origin and mission behind Pause AI, the world's first menopause-focused AI wellness app

Head over to provenpodcast.com to download your exclusive companion guide, designed to guide you step-by-step in implementing the strategies revealed in this episode.

KEY POINTS:

00:57 - The MS diagnosis that changed everything: At the height of her career as a professional athlete and media personality, Susan collapses into chronic fatigue and neurological symptoms—only to be told she has progressive multiple sclerosis and 10 years to live.

06:42 - From rock bottom to reinvention: In just 16 weeks, Susan lost her business, her marriage, and her home—yet made a bold decision to surround herself with millionaires, dive into personal development, and rebuild her identity with intention and belief.

08:22 - The MS recovery protocol revealed: Susan details the exact biohacks and wellness strategies she still follows today—including acupuncture, IV therapy, ozone, fasting retreats, strength training, and ditching artificial sweeteners forever.

14:11 - Scaling AI from nothing to industry dominance: Susan explains how she co-founded a computer vision company that scaled nationally, holds 8 patents, and pioneered the largest deployment of vision-based AI in U.S. history—all without VC funding.

22:39 - AI committees are doing it wrong: Susan breaks down the three fatal mistakes companies make when adopting AI—and why excluding HR and finance from your AI strategy guarantees failure before it starts.

48:46 - The champagne bus moment that sparked Pause AI: At a high-powered women-in-AI event, Susan realized even the most elite women were suffering silently through menopause—and decided to build the first AI-driven solution to support them.

54:39 - What men need to know about menopause (and andropause): Susan offers a candid, science-based breakdown of how menopause affects women—and why male partners need to lean in, get educated, and prepare for the male equivalent: andropause.