What does it take to build a profitable, purpose-driven company without venture capital?

In this episode of Innovator Insights, Henrik Johansson sits down with Dan Dicker, Founder & CEO of Circular, to unpack a 23-year journey of building a design-led business rooted in sustainability, long before the circular economy became mainstream.

Dan shares how his background at Dyson shaped his approach to product design, why dyslexia became a hidden entrepreneurial advantage, and how Circular grew organically from a backyard shed into a global leader in reusable and returnable drinkware.

You’ll also hear a deep dive into Circular’s Tap & Reuse system, an RFID-powered platform designed to eliminate single-use cups by making reuse seamless, habit-forming, and measurable. From consumer psychology to return-rate data, Dan explains why systems, not guilt, drive real behavior change.

Key themes covered:Why organic growth beat venture funding for Circular

1. Designing products from waste materials, before it was trendy
2. How constraints fuel innovation
3. The psychology behind reuse vs. deposits
4. Building technology around physical products to unlock scale
5. Why failure isn’t just acceptable, it’s essential
6. If you care about product innovation, sustainability, or building a business that lasts, this episode is packed with insight.
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If you care about product innovation, sustainability, or building a business that lasts, this episode is packed with insight.

Patrick Bishop didn’t start with a pitch deck. He started with a truckload of agave straws, and a decision to bet on himself.

In this episode, Patrick, Founder & CEO of Reroute Americas and Reroute AI, shares how a sustainability insight turned into a fast-growing hospitality supply business, and why inefficiencies in restaurant inventory management pushed him to build an AI platform from scratch.

We talk about:

• Why sustainable products don’t have to cost more
• How a hurricane wiped out 40% of the business, and forced a pivot
• What hospitality gets wrong about inventory, forecasting, and waste
• How AI can reduce over-ordering while improving ESG reporting
• The moment Reroute shifted from distribution company to tech company
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A candid look at building in a legacy industry, and redesigning systems most people accept as “just how it works."

Patrika Alis Cheston joins Innovator Insights to break down a topic every founder needs but few talk about: how to market products that aren’t naturally “sexy.”

From legal tech to compliance tools to infrastructure no one ever sees, Patricia has built a career turning complex, overlooked, or “boring” offerings into memorable, experience-driven campaigns. In this conversation, she shares how brands can stand out by focusing less on funnels and more on how people feel when they interact with you.

We dig into:

• Why experiential marketing works even for the driest industries
• How to create emotional relevance for technical products
• The danger of over-focusing on features instead of the human problem
• The rise of authentic, human-led marketing in an AI-saturated landscape
• Patricia’s journey through startups, agency life, and women in tech
• How democratized entrepreneurship is reshaping access and opportunity

Whether you're building a tech platform, a hardware product, or a service company, Patricia’s insights will help you rethink how your brand shows up, and why the experience around your product might matter more than the product itself.

Jeff Norling’s entrepreneurial path didn’t start in a boardroom, it started in the kitchen.

After years of running family-named cafés across Minnesota, Jeff took the leap into consumer goods, launching Outset, a brand that redefined grilling accessories for specialty retailers.

Today, as founder of Henning Lee, he’s building a product company rooted in craftsmanship, personal connection, and staying small by design.

In this episode, we explore:

• How Jeff transitioned from hospitality to hard goods, and found his niche
• Why deep factory relationships are a competitive advantage in modern manufacturing
• The hard truth about tariffs and the unpredictability they bring to small business
• Why he believes founders shouldn’t build brands on “rented land”

A story of reinvention, resilience, and the art of relationship-driven growth.

From dropping out of music school to building a multi-brand powerhouse, Michael Sirpilla’s journey is a masterclass in resilience and reinvention.

In this episode of Innovator Insights, Michael shares how Society Brands scaled through disciplined execution, smart acquisitions, and an unshakable focus on data-driven decisions.

We discuss:

• Why obsession (not balance) fuels success
• The mindset shift from employee to founder
• How to build long-term brand equity beyond Amazon
• What it means to “let the results decide”
• Why consistency beats talent in entrepreneurship

A candid look at what it really takes to build, scale, and sustain in today’s competitive consumer space.

Andrew Ackerman has seen startups from every angle, as a founder and investor.

In this episode of Innovator Insights, Andrew joins Henrik Johansson to share the frameworks, stories, and lessons that shape successful founders, and the painful truths behind those who fail.

You’ll hear:

🔗 Why startups are like chains, not ropes, and how one weak link can break everything

📉 The “three dimensions of pain” every product must solve to be fundable

🧠 Why storytelling sticks better than advice when mentoring founders

💵 How to validate assumptions with nothing but a spreadsheet and $100 in Facebook ads

📚 The journey behind his new book The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey, and how he turned years of startup lessons into a story that teaches better than a manual ever could

A must-listen for entrepreneurs, investors, and anyone looking to understand what really makes or breaks a startup.

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple, Pandora, YouTube, Audible, and iHeartRadio.

What does it take to turn a scrappy idea into a global wellness business?

In this episode of Innovator Insights, Henrik Johansson sits down with Sebastian Mierau, co-founder of Healthy Global and CEO of Clearlight Saunas. Sebastian shares his unconventional path, from struggling in school with dyslexia, to testing his first business idea by selling saunas online before he even had any in stock, and even living in a van to make it work.

We explore:

• How scrappiness and resilience fueled Sebastian’s entrepreneurial journey
• Why great products can sometimes “sell themselves”
• The future of wellness technology, from red light therapy to cold plunges and digital gamification
• The crucial role of team and culture in building a lasting business

This is a conversation about persistence, innovation, and finding the right mix of passion and practicality to create products that truly impact people’s lives.

Tune in and discover how Sebastian turned obstacles into opportunities, and why he believes the obstacle is the way.

How does an investigative journalist become the CEO of a fast-growing, venture-backed retail disruptor?

In this episode of Innovator Insights, Shraysi Tandon, former business reporter and director of the award-winning documentary Invisible Hands, shares her journey from uncovering child labor in global supply chains to launching KidC, a sustainable e-commerce platform tackling the $1 trillion returns crisis in the U.S.

We discuss:

• The undercover work that changed her perspective on business forever
• How she turned a shocking warehouse discovery into a viable, scalable business
• Why storytelling is the most underrated CEO skill
• The importance of building from first principles before scaling
• How Kidsy is flipping the script on discount retail and sustainability

If you’ve ever wondered how to turn an “aha” moment into a movement, or how to lead without a traditional industry background, this episode is packed with insights.