In this in-depth episode of The Brand Blueprint, host Dana Ammons sits down with Nazr El-Scari, the visionary founder and CEO of Solecit, a next-generation fashion-tech platform delivering personalized styling and outfit inspiration. Nazr’s entrepreneurial journey began in Kansas City, where as a teenager he scaled a sneaker-resale hustle—flipping limited-edition Jordans—to learn the irreplaceable power of customer trust and the limits of resale margins alone.

While studying entrepreneurship at Lehigh University, Nazr realized that sustainable, scalable brands require more than passion—they demand product-market fit, sound unit economics, and a defensible value proposition. After graduating, he combined hundreds of user interviews, key lessons from a stint at Warby Parker, and community-driven research to launch Solecit’s MVP: live virtual styling consultations paired with data-driven outfit boards. His mission today is to help people feel confident in what they already own, reduce fashion waste, and democratize expert styling for all body types.

A pivotal chapter in Nazr’s story came when he joined the CIC Impact Accelerator, learning to choose “fit over fame” in program selection. CIC mentors sharpened his go-to-market strategy, challenged him to expand beyond footwear into sustainable apparel, and guided the integration of data-driven personalization into Solecit’s roadmap. Now, Solecit blends proprietary algorithms with human insight to recommend complete, shoppable outfits—offering both aspirational style and real-world sustainability.

Whether you’re a first-time founder or a seasoned entrepreneur, Nazr’s journey is packed with actionable insights on:

• Building and monetizing community trust

• Crafting a data-driven personalization engine

• Selecting accelerators and partners that match your stage

• Scaling a hybrid human + technology styling process

• Driving sustainable growth by encouraging purchase-less confidence

Tune in for a masterclass in combining hustle, heart, and hard data to build a purpose-driven fashion-tech brand.

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Show Notes & Timeline:

00:00 – Welcome to The Brand Blueprint

00:35 – Meet Nazr El-Scari: From Sneaker Reseller to Fashion-Tech Founder

02:10 – Rapid-Fire: Coffee Routine & First Business Lessons

05:00 – Early Hustle: Scaling Jordan 11 Flips & Trust Building

08:20 – College Pivot: From Resale Margins to Real-World Brand Fit

11:45 – Solecit MVP: Virtual Styling & Wardrobe Rediscovery

14:30 – CIC Impact: Choosing “Fit” Over Fame in Accelerators

17:15 – Sustainable Style: Encouraging Purchase-Less Confidence

20:00 – Data-Driven Personalization: Surveys, Segments & Scaling

23:10 – Tech Stack: Balancing Human Insight & Automation

26:00 – Growth Tactics: Community Referrals & Strategic Partnerships

29:30 – Founder Advice: Embrace Feedback, Iterate Rapidly

32:45 – Final Reflections & Next Steps for Solecit

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Key Resources & Links:

– Solecit platform & waitlist → https://Solecit.co/

– Nazr El-Scari on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazrelescari/

– CIC Impact Accelerator → https://cic.com/accelerator

– Subscribe to The Brand Blueprint → https://www.youtube.com/@brandblueprintpodcast

– Read the full blog post → https://www.thebrandblueprint.biz

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Hashtags:

#TheBrandBlueprint #FashionTech #SustainableStyle #Solecit #NazrElScari #CICAccelerator #PersonalStyling #StartupStory

In this episode of The Brand Blueprint, host Dana Ammons chats with John Gargiulo—co-founder & CEO of ReadySet and creator of AirPost.ai—about the future of direct-to-consumer marketing driven by AI-powered user-generated content (UGC).

John walks us through his journey from Miami Ad School to scaling Airbnb’s growth engine, then launching ReadySet to help DTC brands automate and amplify authentic video ads. He reveals how voice-prompted briefs and autonomouscreative assembly can move brands from testing just 3 ads per month to hundreds per day, all while maintaining the human touch that resonates with consumers.

Along the way, John shares real-world case studies, the two metrics every founder must track, and practical steps for integrating AI into your paid‐social workflow. If you manage paid social—whether you’re spending $5 K or $500 K permonth—this episode will show you how to leverage AI + UGC to unlock exponentialgrowth.

Show Notes & Timeline:
00:00 – Welcome to The Brand Blueprint
00:30 – Guest Intro: John Gargiulo, ReadySet & AirPost.ai
02:20 – Rapid-Fire: Coffee Rituals & Favorite AI Tools
05:10 – From Miami Ad School to Airbnb Growth Team
08:45 – The Birth of ReadySet: Solving DTC Creative Bottlenecks
12:15 – Voice-Dictated Briefs: How to Feed AI Rich Brand Context
15:30 – UGC vs. Polished Ads: Why Authenticity Wins
18:50 – Case Study: Scaling from 3 Ads/Month to 300 Ads/Day
22:40 – Key KPIs: Client Acceptance Rate & Cost-per-Acquisition
26:10 – Integrating AirPost.ai: Steps to Automate Your Video Pipeline
29:55 – Avoiding Creative Fatigue: Continuous AI-Powered Testing
33:20 – The Future of AI in Advertising: Where Do We Go Next?
36:45 – Founder Advice: Embrace Iteration, Measure What Matters
40:00 – Final Thoughts & How to Connect with John

Key Resources &Links:
• ReadySet Website → https://readyset.co/
• AirPost.ai Platform → https://airpost.ai/
• Connect with John on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-gargiulo/
• The Brand Blueprint Podcast → https://www.thebrandblueprint.biz

—
▶️ Subscribe for cutting-edgefounder interviews:
https://www.youtube.com/@brandblueprintpodcast

#TheBrandBlueprint#AIPoweredUGC #DTCMarketing #JohnGargiulo #ReadySet #AirPostAI #GrowthHacking

In this episode of The Brand Blueprint, host Dana Ammons sits down with Deanna DeFelice, founder of Ovease—a breakthrough brand that’s changing the way people treat chronic period pain. Deanna shares her personal journey from Kansas City to Boston and back, how her own struggles with endometriosis led her to create Ovease, and why personalized nutrition is the next frontier in menstrual health.

🔑 Episode Highlights:

00:00 – Welcome to The Brand Blueprint

00:45 – Introducing Deanna DeFelice: From Kansas City to Boston and Back

02:20 – Rapid Fire Questions: Favorite Comfort Food, Best Productivity Hack, and More

05:00 – Deanna’s Personal Journey with Chronic Period Pain

07:45 – What is Ovease and Why It’s Different from Other Period Products

11:10 – From Patient to Founder: How Deanna Built a Health Brand from Scratch

14:35 – The Power of CIC’s Social Impact Accelerator and Mentorship Network

18:20 – Why Personalized, Nutrition-Based Solutions Matter

22:00 – What Founders Can Learn from Listening to Their Bodies and Audiences

25:40 – Ovease Product Line, R&D, and Future Vision

30:00 – Final Thoughts: What’s Next for Deanna and Ovease

📌 Key Takeaways for Founders:

- Solve for real pain: Ovease was built out of necessity—proof that the best innovations come from lived experience.

- Don’t overlook community: CIC’s accelerator and Boston’s ecosystem gave Deanna tools and mentorship she couldn’t find elsewhere.

- Talk to your customers early and often: Deanna credits direct user feedback for key pivots in her product development.

- Trust your gut—literally: Your own body’s signals might be the roadmap to your best ideas.

📺 Watch the full episode now at https://youtu.be/EljMz0nC6Hs

Follow Deanna and learn more about Ovease at www.ovease.com or @oveaselife on Instagram.

#TheBrandBlueprint #Ovease #DeannaDeFelice #PeriodPainRelief #MenstrualHealth #WomenInHealthTech #StartupStory #SocialImpactStartups #FounderJourney

Welcome to our Brand Blueprint × CIC Special Series—today’s episode goes behind the scenes with CIC’s program managers, Kat Lazell & Sam Garcia. Learn how they power a global “passport” network, champion equity education, curate diverse cohorts, and sequence funding to lift founders worldwide.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: The Brand Blueprint × CIC Special Series kicks off

00:45 – CIC’s Global Footprint: Why one card unlocks every campus

02:15 – Cohort Diversity: Mixing sectors for breakthrough innovation

04:00 – Facing Political Scrutiny: Articulating CIC’s mission and impact

05:30 – Equity Reimagined: Teaching founders to wield capital wisely

07:25 – Funding Pathways: Banks → Angels → Revenue Finance → Grants → PitchContests

09:15 – Rising Tide Philosophy: Community practices that amplify success

11:00 – Closing Reflections: Keys to applying CIC’s model to your venture

Connect with CIC:

🌐 cic.com | 🔗 linkedin.com/company/cic | 📸 @cic_innovation

In this episode of The Brand Blueprint, host Dana Ammons sits down with serial entrepreneur Kam Price to explore how he’s built multiple purpose-driven ventures—ranging from youth transport in social services to Supreme Water convenience retail to Hesperia streetwear—without an MBA. Kam shares the grit behind his success: a relentless work ethic, learning from “haters,” and balancing fatherhood of 11 with fast-paced entrepreneurship.

You’ll also hear insider insights on the trucking industry, pivot strategies, and how community empathy informs every new business. Tune in for a masterclass in resilience, adaptability, and the mindset that fuels serial founders.

Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction to The Brand Blueprint
00:28 – Meet Kam Price: From Group Homes to Streetwear
01:40 – Rapid Fire: Kam’s Favorites & Daily Rituals
03:17 – Fitness, Family & Foundational Routines
07:39 – Early Hustles: Youth Transport & Social Services
10:30 – Visionary Goals: Building a Social Impact PAC
14:51 – Overcoming Challenges in Social Services
19:34 – Transition to Convenience Retail: Supreme Water
30:47 – Expanding the Portfolio: Side Gigs & Trucking
31:24 – Streetwear Appeal: Launching Hesperia
32:33 – Trucking Business Deep Dive & Margin Tips
35:27 – Advice for Aspiring Trucking Entrepreneurs
42:04 – Universal Lessons for Every Founder
51:02 – Balancing Entrepreneurship & Fatherhood
55:31 – Final Thoughts & What’s Next for Kam Price

🔗 Watch the full video & read complete show notes:
https://youtu.be/b_4xNQ0I12o

#SerialEntrepreneurship #PurposeDriven #KamPrice #TheBrandBlueprint #NoMBA #PivotStrategy #FamilyBusiness #StartupLessons

Ready to break free from burnout and unlock your highest potential? In this special Brand Blueprint episode, Dana Ammons sits down with Dr. Murray Heber, founder of MH Elevate and creator of Flow OS, to dive into the neuroscience of flow states, high performance, and brand-building.

Learn how to stop "shoulding" yourself, rewire your brain for success, and maximize your creativity and decision-making power. Whether you're a founder, entrepreneur, or leader, this episode will give you the mental edge you've been searching for.

▶️ Subscribe now for more real, unfiltered insights for brand builders:

https://www.youtube.com/@brandblueprintpodcast

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Timestamps:

00:00 — Intro: Why Flow States Matter for Brand Builders

01:30 — Meet Dr. Murray Heber: From Olympic Athletes to Entrepreneurs

04:15 — Rapid Fire: Coffee, Cycling, and Favorite Places to Travel

07:00 — Dr. Heber’s Origin Story: From Injury to Peak Performance Science

10:30 — What is a Flow State (and Why You Need It)?

14:00 — How Top Performers Tap Flow (Without Even Knowing It)

17:15 — Why Grinding Harder Doesn’t Lead to Breakthroughs

19:00 — Neurochemicals Behind Flow: Dopamine, Norepinephrine, Anandamide

22:30 — Cortisol, Choking, and Avoiding Burnout

27:00 — How Loss of Autonomy Leads to Founder Burnout

30:15 — Flow OS: A Neuroscience-Driven Path to Peak Productivity

35:00 — Feedback Loops and Why Entrepreneurs Must Build Them

39:00 — Why "Shoulding" Yourself Destroys Focus

44:00 — Small Practical Changes to Start Tapping Flow Today

49:00 — Final Advice from Dr. Heber: Focus, Freedom, and Flow

53:00 — How to Connect with Dr. Heber and Explore Flow OS

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Guest Information:

Dr. Murray Heber

Founder of MH Elevate | Creator of Flow OS

Website: https://www.mh-elevate.com

Email: drheber@mh-elevate.com

Instagram: @mh.elevate

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Follow The Brand Blueprint:

Website: https://www.thebrandblueprint.biz

YouTube Channel: Subscribe Here

Spotify: Listen Here

Instagram: @brandblueprintpodcast

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In this episode of The Brand Blueprint, host Dana Ammons speaks with Kirti Madhu, a trailblazing college founder and medical sciences major at Saint Louis University, who is transforming the way we think about addiction recovery and prevention.

At just 21 years old, Kirti is building Safe Use Solutions, a wearable + app system that detects early signs of substance abuse and overdose. Her journey is personal, courageous, and deeply inspiring.

✅ Learn how Kirti turned insight into invention

✅ Why listening to real users changed her product

✅ What founders can learn about building for impact

✅ How incubators like CIC and SLU Launch accelerated her startup

✅ Advice for students & first-time founders balancing it all

Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome + Episode Intro

02:00 – Meet Kirti: Coffee, Cities, and Organizing Like a Pro

07:00 – Why She Chose Resilience as Her Entrepreneur Word

10:00 – The Start of Her Journey: Teen Institute & PreventEd

14:00 – Working with Incarcerated Women & Recovery Stories

18:00 – The Birth of Safe Use Solutions

22:00 – Pivoting the Product Based on Real-World Feedback

28:00 – Partnerships, Prevention, and Access

33:00 – Why CIC's Social Impact Cohort Matters

35:00 – Kirti’s Advice to Young Founders

37:00 – Final Thoughts & How to Connect with Kirti

Connect with Kirti Madhu:

🌐 https://safeusesolutions.org

📧 kirti.madhu@slu.edu

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kirti-madhu