In this live-recorded edition of the Ugly Talk Podcast at NomadWorks, Times Square in New York City, we hosted an open and honest conversation about how eCommerce brands can pivot in today’s downturn.

Moderated by Manish Chowdhary, founder & CEO of Cahoot, the panel features three founders & strategists digging into how they’re reengineering growth when old tactics no longer work:

Sabir Semerkant (Growth by Sabir) unveils his Rapid 2X Protocol, the model behind $1B+ in revenue across 200+ brands, and warns why many brands won’t survive 2025.

Maya Juchtman (Roswell NYC) blends artistry and performance marketing, sharing how to build brand stories that convert, even when consumer attention is fractured.

London Glorfield (Kickback) talks culture, product, and community: how to launch a youth-forward electronics brand in a time of shrinking attention spans and rising expectations.

🎙️ Expect real talk on:

- What growth tactics are relics now (and need to go)

- Fresh playbooks beyond Meta & Google ads: marketplaces, communities, wholesale, B2B pivots

- How to build resilient unit economics and margin-first growth

- Which experiments are worth backing in a down market

Whether you’re still early in your founder journey or navigating your fifth scaling phase, this episode offers the raw behind-the-scenes of how to build profitable eCommerce when everything else seems broken.

In this episode of Ugly Talk Podcast, Anson and Matthew chat with Sevak Avakians, an AI pioneer who built one of the first artificial intelligence models back in 2008. Sevak shares his journey of tackling the black box problem in AI, building explainable predictive models, and the challenges of scaling a business in an industry filled with skepticism.

Discover how perseverance, innovation, and a deep belief in transparent AI shaped his entrepreneurial path.

Check out Sevak’s work and learn more about explainable AI!

Follow/Contact Sevak Avakians

🔗https://linkedin.com/in/avakians

🔗https://x.com/sevakavakians

🔗https://medium.com/@sevakavakians

For more episodes and to learn more about our mission, visit uglytalk.com.

Want to get on the show and share your Ugly stories? Go to uglytalk.com/podcast and send us a message!

In this episode of Ugly Talk Podcast, Anson and Matthew chat with David Kobrosky, founder of Intros AI, a platform revolutionizing how communities connect.

David shares his story, from a life-changing phone call with Gary Vee at age 19 to facing the ugly challenges of pivoting, fundraising, and layoffs.

Discover how grit, learning from failure, and a passion for meaningful connections shaped his entrepreneurial journey.

Check out Intros AI at intros.ai and start your free trial!

Follow/Contact David Kobrosky

linkedin.com/in/kobrosky/

instagram.com/davidkobrosky/

For more episodes and to learn more from our mission visit uglytalk.com

Want to get on the show and share your Ugly stories? Go to uglytalk.com/podcast and send us a message!

In this episode of Ugly Talk Podcast, Anson and Matthew chat with David Simnick, the founder of Soapbox Soaps. David shares the gritty reality of building a mission-driven brand, including his company’s near-collapse in 2017. From laying off half his team to turning down a life-changing acquisition offer, David’s story is packed with hard-earned lessons about grit, leadership, and transparency. His journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, innovation, and staying true to your values—even when things get ugly.

Don’t miss this inspiring episode, packed with lessons for every entrepreneur.

As a special thank-you, David is offering podcast listeners 25% off their first order at Soapbox. Use the code UGLY25 at checkout on soapboxsoaps.com

Follow Soapbox Soaps on social media

instagram.com/soapbox/

Follow/Contact David Simnick

linkedin.com/in/davidsimnick/

instagram.com/davidsimnick/

For more episodes and to learn more from our mission visit uglytalk.com

Want to get on the show and share your Ugly stories? Go to uglytalk.com/podcast and send us a message!