What does it take to build a luxury brand that lasts nearly four decades? In this episode of Unicorn Campaigns, Jake “The Wizard” Tlapek sits down with Jack Georges, founder of his namesake leather goods company, to uncover the grit, discipline, and timeless craftsmanship that built a high-end brand long before the internet changed everything.

From starting out as an immigrant working 80-hour weeks for $2.50 an hour to running his own U.S. manufacturing operation, Jack’s story is one of resilience, adaptation, and relentless focus on quality. Together, Jake and Jack dig into:

• Why Jack put his own name on the brand and why it still matters 38 years later

• How growing up around shoemakers shaped his obsession with craftsmanship

• The lessons of working every job from factory floor to VP before starting his own business

• Why he defines “rich” not by income but by how much you save

• The shift from retail partners to direct to consumer online sales

• How to maintain premium positioning when cheaper competitors flood the market

• The role of integrity, consistency, and lifetime guarantees in building repeat customers

• Why your customer, not your title, is the real boss

🎯 Whether you’re building an e-commerce brand, launching a luxury product, or just starting out, this episode is packed with timeless wisdom on growth, resilience, and staying true to your craft.

🔔 Subscribe for more real stories of brand builders, trailblazers, and innovators who turned sparks into Unicorn Campaigns.

📣 Connect with us: Jake “The Wizard” Tlapek on TikTok: @jakethewizard Jack Georges: JackGeorges.com

What do Tommy Hilfiger, Warby Parker, and a viral TikTok account have in common? In this episode of Vox & Coin, Jake “The Wizard” Tlapek and Dave Valentine tackle the age-old business question: Can you fake it till you make it?

From puffing up early client rosters to pulling all-nighters for projects they had no idea how to complete, Jake and Dave share raw stories of when they stretched the truth—and how it shaped their businesses. They also break down:

• The Tommy Hilfiger billboard stunt that launched a fashion empire overnight

• How Warby Parker scaled demand before solving logistics

• The Kickstarter campaign that raised $1.8 million with no plan in place

• Why “calling the future into the present” can be a growth strategy

• Jake’s accidental TikTok growth hack that turned into real clients

• The fine line between projecting confidence and flat-out lying

• When it’s smarter to lean on authenticity instead of pretending

Plus: Lessons from Elon Musk, Gary Vee, and even taco trucks on when to project bigger than you are—and when to just own your size.

🎯 Whether you’re a founder, marketer, or side-hustler with big dreams, this episode unpacks the psychology, strategy, and pitfalls of “faking it” on your way to the top.

🔔 Subscribe for more marketing hot takes, business breakdowns, and legendary brand stories.

📣 Connect with us: Jake “The Wizard” Tlapek on TikTok: @jakethewizard Dave Valentine: @realdeval on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and more.

📡 Also check out our other shows: Unicorn Campaigns – Real success stories from real brands The Last Drop – Creative business strategy meets barstool banter

What do melamine plates, rainy camping trips, and a stubborn streak have in common? In this episode of Unicorn Campaigns, Jake “The Wizard” Tlapek sits down with OLPRO founder Daniel Walton to uncover how he went from doodling rejected product ideas in corporate meetings to building one of the UK’s most recognizable camping brands.

Daniel shares the bold leap from retail to direct-to-consumer e-commerce—starting with no money, no safety net, and a deep love for the outdoors. The two dig into:

• How starting small (with low-cost products) paved the way for premium tents and gear

• The power of designing everything in-house to stand out in a crowded market

• Why moving to D2C transformed OLPRO’s brand voice and customer loyalty

• How real-world events, PPC, and content marketing drive both first-time and repeat sales

• The importance of building a “tribe” and keeping customers engaged long after the purchase

• Lessons learned from big mistakes—and how saying “yes” to one thing can mean saying “no” to what matters most

• OLPRO’s 2025 vision: refreshed hero products, sustainable design, and 150+ smart accessories

🎯 Whether you’re an e-commerce founder, outdoor enthusiast, or just someone chasing a bold idea, this episode is packed with inspiration, practical strategy, and proof that big brands can start with small, scrappy moves.

🔔 Subscribe for more real-world brand stories, growth strategies, and marketing insights that take campaigns from spark to unicorn status.

📣 Connect with us: Jake “The Wizard” Tlapek on TikTok: @jakethewizard Daniel Walton: OLPROShop.com + @OLPRO on Instagram and Facebook

What do a donut, an alligator, and a billion-dollar search engine have in common? SEO. In this episode of Vox & Coin, Jake “The Wizard” Tlapek and Dave Valentine unpack how AI, Google’s lawsuits, and a wave of seismic algorithm updates are transforming SEO—and what that means for brands in 2025.

Jake breaks down the massive pre-AI shifts that changed SEO forever: from Google’s Helpful Content updates to the “spam purge” that tanked traffic for even well-established sites. Then, the duo dives into the AI revolution—how Google’s AI Overviews and soon-to-launch AI Mode are changing the click-through game, why “alligator” graphs have SEOs sweating, and which industries will feel the biggest hit.

You’ll also learn:

• The difference between keyword-driven SEO and Google’s new semantic, topic-centric model

• Why long-tail keywords are more valuable than ever (and how to pyramid your way to top rankings)

• How Reddit and TikTok became SEO powerhouses overnight

• Why diversifying your acquisition channels is no longer optional

• How AI is splitting SEO into brand-building vs. conversion-driving searches

• Where the next big search opportunities are hiding (hint: it’s not just Google)

Plus: Dave and Jake get real about the brands crushed by algorithm changes, why Bing conversions are secretly higher, and how to “future-proof” your visibility in a world where search is fragmenting faster than ever.

🎯 Whether you’re a founder, marketer, or SEO pro, this episode is your blueprint for staying visible—and profitable—through the biggest shake-up in search history.

🔔 Subscribe for more marketing deep dives, hot takes, and behind-the-scenes strategy breakdowns.

📣 Connect with us: Jake “The Wizard” Tlapek on TikTok: @jakethewizard Dave Valentine: @realdeval on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and more.

📡 Also check out our other shows: Unicorn Campaigns – Real success stories from real brands The Last Drop – Creative business strategy meets barstool banter

In this episode of Unicorn Campaigns, we dive deep with Steve, co-founder of Kuleana Rum Works, on how a sailing trip through the Caribbean turned into a mission to redefine what rum could be. We explore how a sip of agricole rum led Steve and his wife back to Hawaii to start a distillery rooted in heritage, excellence, and responsibility.

Steve unpacks how hard choices lead to an easier life and how that principle shapes every decision at Kuleana, from farming heirloom sugarcane to creating additive-free spirits. We discuss:

• Why most rum is made with flavors and colors—and how Kuleana does it differently

• The cultural philosophy of kuleana and how it shapes the company’s values

• How to win in a crowded market by building something truly world-class

• Why “additive-free” is the future macro-category in spirits

• How long-term thinking, reciprocity, and honoring land can scale to billion-dollar businesses

Whether you’re a founder, a marketer, or a lover of craft spirits, this episode will expand your thinking on business, branding, and doing good while doing well.

🌺 Visit: kuleanarum.com 📍 Distillery & farm: Big Island, Hawaii 🍹 Bar & restaurant: Kuleana Rum Shack

In this episode, Jake and Dave sound off on one of the most frustrating trends in branding: everyone trying to look, feel, and market like Apple. From solar companies with identical sun logos to jewelry brands mimicking Silicon Valley minimalism, it’s time for a wake-up call: your brand isn’t standing out; it’s disappearing.

They break down what real brand differentiation looks like, how to play to your strengths (instead of chasing someone else’s), and why features, price, and experience are the only levers that matter—until your brand actually has power.

💡 Topics include:

• Why most brands shouldn’t compete on brand (yet).

• How to win on price without racing to the bottom (hello, Costco’s chicken).

• Lessons from Dollar Shave Club, Liquid Death, and purple lawn trucks.

• How big brands can learn from the little guys (looking at you, MLB).

• The dangerous groupthink of internal marketing teams.

• What companies like Jaguar get right, and very wrong, about taking brand risks.

Whether you're at $500K or $50M and aiming to scale, this episode is packed with hot takes, strategy, and the reminder that brand isn’t just what you say. It’s how you behave, look, and show up every day.

👉 Subscribe for more irreverent takes and real insights on growing brands that actually matter.

In this episode of The Last Drop, your host Jake "The Wizard" Tlapek is joined by a longtime friend, colleague, and first-time guest Josh Joseph. Together, they dive headfirst into the brilliant madness that is The BroDega—a local sandwich shop concept that combines high-quality food with low-pressure, stylized micro-chat therapy sessions. It's not quite a tavern, not quite a café, but something brand new that’s part lounge, part community hub, and all about the vibe.

They explore:

• The psychology and marketing potential behind a "third place" in today’s remote-work world.

• Why younger generations are primed for casual, supportive conversation—especially when paired with truffle sandwiches.

• Whether or not this idea is really just a tavern in disguise (spoiler: maybe, but also definitely not).

• Wild ideas like TikTok booths, color-coded bro-chat signals, and how to gamify loyalty with hostess "badges."

• The importance of being brave in marketing and how swinging for the fences creates unforgettable brands.

Of course, all of this is washed down with a taste test and review of Glen Ry’s 12-Year Aged Japanese Mizunara Oak Cask-Finished Scotch (Jake) and a hot plug for Raven’s Brew Deadman’s Reach Coffee (Josh).

Whether you're a business dreamer, an introvert in need of connection, or just in it for the sandwich ideas, this episode is packed to the crust with insights, laughs, and unexpected takes. As always, we run it down to the last drop.

Guest Links 🧠 Connect with Josh Joseph on LinkedIn

More From The Wizard 🎙️ Follow The Last Drop and check out our other shows on the Vox & Coin Network:

• Vox & Coin

• Unicorn Campaigns

What happens when a micro creamery with punk rock roots turns its 10-year anniversary into a full-blown cultural campaign? In this episode of Unicorn Campaigns, host Jake Tlapek sits down with Jim Harper, Chief Marketing Officer of Clementine’s Ice Cream, to unpack one of the most unforgettable brand activations you’ve never heard of.

From a rock hitting his window at the top of the episode to tales of gooey butter cake and vinyl records, Jim shares how Clementine’s has scaled from a single location to a network of micro creameries while maintaining their hand-crafted identity. But the real highlight? Their anniversary campaign, “Tasty Tracks on Wax”—a vinyl record featuring 12 original songs about ice cream, created by St. Louis artists and distributed to customers. The result was less about direct ROI and more about becoming part of people’s lives—and their living rooms.

Jake and Jim also explore:

• 🍨 The difference between a creamery and a micro creamery.

• 🎶 How experiential marketing becomes brand permanence.

• 📈 Why sometimes, Facebook (yes, really) still pulls massive local weight.

• 📦 How Clementine’s leverages Goldbelly to go national.

• 📊 The evolving role of data and media agility in retail marketing.

If you’re a brand builder, product marketer, or just want to geek out about ice cream and integrated campaigns that break the mold, this episode is your jam.

🔗 Mentioned:

• Order via Goldbelly

• Featured band: Petty Grievances

🎙️ Subscribe to Unicorn Campaigns on your favorite podcast app, and check out other shows on the Vox & Coin Media Network.