Julian Reese shares how he went from investment banking to building Skin Laundry into a global laser facial brand with 68 locations. He breaks down the early mistakes, pricing lessons, and why scaling too fast almost killed the business. Julian also reveals how Super Ordinary predicted the rise of social commerce years before TikTok Shop took off. This episode is packed with real founder lessons on brand building, fundraising, and the future of commerce.

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More on Julian Reis

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/superordinaryco/

https://www.instagram.com/skinlaundry

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianreis

Website: https://superordinary.co

https://www.skinlaundry.com

More on Natalie Holloway:

Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/“Bala” Instagram: www.instagram.com/bala/“Balacize” Instagram: www.instagram.com/balacize/Substack,“

Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.com

Book a 1-on-1 Call: intro.co/NatalieHolloway

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What actually separates successful founders from everyone else? In this episode, we break down 10 real habits that consistently show up in people who build lasting, high growth companies. From trusting your gut and validating early to learning when to say no and playing the long game, these lessons are practical, honest, and hard earned. If you are building a business or thinking about starting one, this episode is for you.

More Hot Takes Big StakesInstagram: www.instagram.com/hottakesbigstakes/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@hottakesbigstakes/More on Natalie Holloway:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/“Bala” Instagram: www.instagram.com/bala/“Balacize” Instagram: www.instagram.com/balacize/Substack,“Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.comBook a 1-on-1 Call: intro.co/NatalieHollowayMore on Lana Elie-Meyers:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/lanaelie/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lana-elie-875b383a/

Amy Liu, founder and CEO of Tower 28, shares the raw, behind-the-scenes story of building a bestselling beauty brand from scratch. From raising money fast and breaking into Sephora to formulating sensitive-skin-safe products that actually work, Amy breaks down what it really takes to win in a crowded market. This episode dives into failure, brand, leadership, and balancing motherhood while scaling a fast-growing company.

More Hot Takes Big StakesInstagram: www.instagram.com/hottakesbigstakes/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@hottakesbigstakes/More on AmyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyliu_t28/Website: https://www.tower28beauty.comMore on Natalie Holloway:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/“Bala” Instagram: www.instagram.com/bala/“Balacize” Instagram: www.instagram.com/balacize/Substack,“Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.comBook a 1-on-1 Call: intro.co/NatalieHollowayMore on Lana Elie-Meyers:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/lanaelie/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lana-elie-875b383a/

GLP-1 is everywhere, but most people do not actually understand what it is or how it works. In this episode, we break down the science behind GLP-1, how it affects appetite, metabolism, inflammation, and more, and why it is not just about weight loss. Becca, founder of Evolv, shares how she built a prescription-free oral GLP-1 alternative, the stigma around weight loss solutions, and what the future of metabolic health could look like. This conversation blends science, entrepreneurship, and real-world application in a way that finally makes sense.More Hot Takes Big StakesInstagram: www.instagram.com/hottakesbigstakes/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@hottakesbigstakes/More on Evolv Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evolvlife/Website: https://evolvlife.com/ More on Natalie Holloway:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/“Bala” Instagram: www.instagram.com/bala/“Balacize” Instagram: www.instagram.com/balacize/Substack,“Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.comBook a 1-on-1 Call: intro.co/NatalieHollowayMore on Lana Elie-Meyers:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/lanaelie/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lana-elie-875b383a/

Co-founders Max and Natalie Holloway share the real story behind Bala, from a napkin idea to a design- driven fitness brand with celebrity fans. They unpack their Shark Tank moment, the pandemicsurge from $2M to $16M, the inventory whiplash that followed, and the brutal reset from 30employees to just three. You will hear how they manage lenders, keep their marriage strong, andsplit product and marketing to move faster. Candid lessons on optionality, sustainable growth,and why smaller daily goals beat big vanity targets.

More Hot Takes Big StakesInstagram: www.instagram.com/hottakesbigstakes/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@hottakesbigstakes/More on Natalie Holloway:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/“Bala” Instagram: www.instagram.com/bala/“Balacize” Instagram: www.instagram.com/balacize/Substack,“Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.comBook a 1-on-1 Call: intro.co/NatalieHollowayMore on Lana Elie-Meyers:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/lanaelie/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lana-elie-875b383a/

Founder Cyndi Ramirez breaks down how she turned Chillhouse from a small New York “third space” into a fast-growing nail brand now carried at Target and Walmart. She shares the early PR and partnership strategy, why franchising didn’t fit, and how press-on nail art became the breakout product during lockdown. Cyndi opens up about a costly Paris expansion, what it taught her about focus, and how she’s mapping a three-year plan to become a legacy nail brand. If you care about brand, margins, and distribution strategy, this is your masterclass.

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Instagram: www.instagram.com/hottakesbigstakes/

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@hottakesbigstakes/

More on ChillHouse

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chillhouse/

More on Natalie Holloway:

Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/“Bala” Instagram: www.instagram.com/bala/“Balacize” Instagram: www.instagram.com/balacize/Substack,“

Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.comBook a 1-on-1 Call: intro.co/NatalieHolloway

More on Lana Elie-Meyers:

Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/lanaelie/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lana-elie-875b383a/

Nat & Lana compare battle scars from growing to eight and nine figure revenue, then surviving the fallout. They break down fundraising runways, hiring too fast, firing too slow, founder FOMO, short term debt, and why focus wins. You will hear practical frameworks for repeat business, unit economics, delegation timing, IP protection, and geographic expansion. If you are building now, this is the unfiltered playbook of what not to do.

More Hot Takes Big StakesInstagram: www.instagram.com/hottakesbigstakes/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@hottakesbigstakes/More on Natalie Holloway:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/“Bala” Instagram: www.instagram.com/bala/“Balacize” Instagram: www.instagram.com/balacize/Substack,“Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.comBook a 1-on-1 Call: intro.co/NatalieHollowayMore on Lana Elie-Meyers:Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/lanaelie/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lana-elie-875b383a/

Allison Evans and Kelly Love share the origin story of Branch Basics, the non-toxic cleaning brand built on education first. From a personal health crisis and a mentor’s hard-won wisdom, to shutting down a seven-figure business to reformulate transparently, they explain what “clean” should really mean. You will learn how everyday products can add to your body burden, what ingredients to avoid, and practical first steps to detox your home. This is a candid playbook on wellness, product integrity, and scaling a mission-driven brand.

More Hot Takes Big Stakes

Instagram: www.instagram.com/hottakesbigstakes/

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@hottakesbigstakes/

More on Branch Basics

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchbasics

Website: https://branchbasics.com

More on Natalie Holloway:

Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/

“Bala” Instagram: www.instagram.com/bala/

“Balacize” Instagram: www.instagram.com/balacize/

Substack,

“Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.com

Book a 1-on-1 Call: intro.co/NatalieHolloway

More on Lana Elie-Meyers:

Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/lanaelie/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lana-elie-875b383a/