エピソード

  • The Brand Blueprint: Kaushik Boruah (LatentView) on AI-Led Product & Channel Strategy
    2025/09/12

    Founders: before you launch, run your plan through desirability, viability, feasibility—then measure velocity like your business depends on it. In this episode, Kaushik Boruah (Business Head, CPG & Hospitality at LatentView Analytics) breaks down how to pick the right channel (DTC vs. retail), what to track after launch, and how to use AI as a force multiplier—not a crutch.


    Timestamps:

    00:00 Intro

    01:15 Desirability–Viability–Feasibility framework

    07:40 Velocity & distribution: what retailers look for

    15:10 AI as a tool (and why judgment matters)

    22:35 Building dashboards that drive sell-through

    29:00 What’s next: agents “working for founders”


    👉 Subscribe to The Brand Blueprint for more founder playbooks.


    #SalesStrategy #Distribution #CPG #Retail #DTC #AI #LatentView #TheBrandBlueprint

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    49 分
  • The Brand Blueprint – Multilingual Content That Converts: Localization & Social Ops with Shaheen Samavati
    2025/08/22

    How do you scale social across Europe without losing the plot? VeraContent CEO Shaheen Samavati explains how her team builds multi‑market strategies, localizes content with native speakers, and sets KPIs before expansion. We cover team structure, platform differences, and when to use AI.


    Chapters:

    00:00 Welcome & capsule context

    01:15 Rapid fire warm‑up

    02:30 Spain blackout story & working across cities

    08:00 Shaheen’s path & VeraContent’s origin

    12:30 First 10‑market social client

    18:00 Editorial vs. social; platforms

    24:00 Why 3+ markets

    26:00 Europe ≠ one market

    31:30 U.S. brand missteps

    33:30 KPIs before scaling

    38:00 Workflows & research

    44:00 AI + human

    52:00 Expansion playbook

    56:00 Takeaways & closing


    Subscribe for more founder stories and brand playbooks.

    🎧 Listen everywhere: thebrandblueprint.biz

    💼 VeraContent: veracontent.com


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    59 分
  • The Brand Blueprint – Fashion-Tech Innovation | Personalized Style with Nazr El-Scari (Solecit)
    2025/08/11

    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.

    ________________________________________

    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

    ________________________________________

    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

    ________________________________________

    Hashtags:

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


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    1 時間 3 分
  • The Brand Blueprint – Revolutionizing DTC Growth with AI-Powered UGC | John Gargiulo
    2025/08/05

    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

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    48 分
  • The Brand Blueprint X CIC Special Series – Turning Pain into Purpose: Deanna DeFelice on Ovease
    2025/07/11

    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

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    50 分
  • The Brand Blueprint × CIC Series – Inside CIC’s Global Founder Engine: Kat Lazell & Sam Garcia
    2025/06/23

    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


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    54 分
  • The Brand Blueprint – Serial Entrepreneurship & Purpose-Driven Pivoting with Kam Price
    2025/06/23

    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

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    1 時間 3 分
  • The Brand Blueprint –Visual Strategy & Storytelling with Luis Carmona
    2025/05/12
    1 時間