On today’s episode, we welcome Kristi Lord, Co-Founder of L’AVANT Collective — the plant-based, design-forward home care brand redefining how everyday cleaning looks, feels, and smells.

Kristi’s journey to entrepreneurship wasn’t linear. After spending two decades in finance and accounting, she and co-founder Lindsay Droz set out to challenge an overlooked category by creating high-performance, non-toxic home care products that were not only effective, but beautiful enough to live on your countertop.

In this episode, Kristi shares how L’AVANT Collective was built at the intersection of efficacy, sustainability, and luxury — from developing formulas that truly work to scaling into more than 1,000 retail locations nationwide. We dive into co-founder dynamics, trust and alignment, category creation, and what it takes to grow a values-driven brand without losing its essence. A thoughtful, inspiring conversation for founders, operators, and anyone reimagining how functional products can also be aspirational.

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at karagoldin@gmail.com. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Kristi Lord and L’AVANT Collective:
https://www.instagram.com/lavantcollective
https://www.linkedin.com/company/lavant-collective
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristi-lord/
https://www.lavantcollective.com

Sponsored By:

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Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/796

On today’s episode, we welcome Alex Whitmore, Founder & CEO of Taza Chocolate — the pioneering craft chocolate brand known for its bold, stone-ground texture and radical transparency in sourcing.
Alex’s journey began with a single cup of traditional stone-ground chocolate in Oaxaca, Mexico — an experience that completely reshaped how he thought about food, sourcing, and business. When he returned to Boston, he and his wife Kathleen Fulton began making chocolate using the traditional methods he learned there, and Taza was born.
In this episode, Alex shares how Taza grew into one of the most values-driven chocolate companies in the U.S., why it became the first to implement third-party-certified Direct Trade cacao, and what it really means to publish exactly what farmers are paid. We also discuss how the chocolate industry has changed over the past 20 years, what’s happening behind the scenes with rising cocoa prices and supply chain pressure, and where Alex sees the future of ethical food heading next. This conversation is packed with insight for founders, operators, and anyone interested in building principled brands that challenge the status quo.

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at karagoldin@gmail.com. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Alex Whitmore and Taza:
https://www.tazachocolate.com
https://www.instagram.com/tazachocolate
https://www.linkedin.com/company/taza-chocolate/

Sponsored By:

Shopify - Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at Shopify.com/kara

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Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/795

On today’s episode, we welcome Heather Andersen, Co-Founder of New York Pilates — the cult-favorite reformer studio that helped define modern Pilates culture in New York and beyond.
Heather’s journey began as a professionally trained ballerina, where Pilates was first introduced as part of her classical training. After an injury shifted her path away from dance, she spent years teaching privately and deepening her expertise under industry leaders before identifying a major gap in the fitness landscape: the need for high-energy, results-driven group reformer classes that still honored the integrity of the Pilates method. That insight led to the launch of New York Pilates in 2013.
In this episode, Heather shares how she built a culture-driven wellness brand rooted in anatomy, precision, and thoughtful design, why the current Pilates boom has created confusion around the method, and what it takes to scale a cult-favorite fitness concept without compromising quality. We also discuss instructor training, leadership evolution, brand consistency, and where modern movement is headed next. This conversation is packed with insight for founders, operators, and anyone building enduring brands in wellness and beyond.

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at karagoldin@gmail.com. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Heather Anderson and New York Pilates:
https://www.instagram.com/newyorkpilates/
https://www.instagram.com/heatherandersen_/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-york-pilates/
https://www.newyorkpilates.com

Sponsored By:

LinkedIn Jobs - Head to LinkedIn.com/KaraGoldin to post your job for free.

Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/794