Dr. Jason shares how a devastating injury led him to hack together the first Theragun, then spend eight relentless years turning it into Therabody. He explains the science he discovered along the way, why 40Hz matters, and how early believers from the New England Patriots to Justin Timberlake helped the idea spread. We also get candid lessons from painful business missteps, a pandemic pivot, and a rebrand that brought recovery tools home. If you’re building, healing, or both, this story is loaded with takeaways.More Hot Takes Big StakesInstagram: www.instagram.com/hottakesbigstakes/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@hottakesbigstakes/More on Dr. Jason WestlandInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjasonwerslandLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jason-wersland-0116846a/Website: https://www.therabody.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/

Lana the founder of Floom, a premium flower marketplace featured in Vogue, Forbes, and The New York Times, breaks down how she sold her company to a strategic buyer without a banker. We cover spotting the right time to sell, building a data room, running a buyer process, and handling LOI exclusivity risk. She shares the emotional side too, identity after the exit and why deals can fall through. If you are considering selling, this conversation is a practical roadmap and a reality check.

More Hot Takes Big Stakes

Instagram: 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.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/

00:00 Intro, who is Lana and what is Floom

01:09 Deciding it was time to sell, reading the signals

04:30 Burnout vs. timing, why she aimed for profitability first

07:00 What M&A advisors do, why she went solo

08:56 Building the data room, financials, legal, and IP proof

12:15 Finding buyers, using LinkedIn and a short strategic list

14:54 When deals fall through, managing the emotional crash

16:11 Should you sell before you hate it, practical advice

18:33 Identity after an exit, grief, journaling, and reset

22:00 Life design, profitability, and alternatives to venture scale

24:27 LOI exclusivity risks, spotting unserious buyers

26:59 Deal structures 101, lessons she wishes she knew earlier

28:07 When to sell, hot vs. right-for-you timing

29:57 After the handoff, how closely to watch the brand

30:47 Hot take, does a company need to be your identity

31:26 Time off between companies, sprint or sabbatical

33:08 Does selling give you clout, second-time founder advantages

34:28 Wrap up, subscribe and comment

Founder Diana Cohen shares how Crown Affair went from a viral haircare Google Doc to a nationwide Sephora brand. She walks through lessons from early roles at Away, Outdoor Voices and Harry’s, the Japanese rituals that shaped her formulas, and the Laura Mercier powder hack that inspired Crown Affair’s dry shampoo. Diana breaks down scalp versus strand health, why brushing matters, and her “raise as you go” approach that led to sustained, profitable growth. If you care about brand, product and calm, durable company building, this one is packed with takeaways.Hot Takes Big Stakes listerner get to enjoy 15% off their purchase at https://www.crownaffair.com using code HTBS15.More Hot Takes Big StakesInstagram: www.instagram.com/hottakesbigstakes/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@hottakesbigstakes/More on DiannaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/diannacohenLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannacohenWebsite: https://www.crownaffair.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/

This episode is the honest look at building a business while breastfeeding, corralling toddlers, and cleaning up midnight messes, the kind of chaos that never makes the highlight reel. We talk about the Shark Tank bump, finding out we were pregnant, and how priorities shifted as the family grew.You will hear the rules that keep us sane, one night out per week and a no-meetings policy that protects deep work and bedtime.We cover real help, from full-time family support to outsourcing errands, flexible schedules for working parents, founder maternity leave during nap windows, and giving yourself permission to let a few things slip.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/

00:00 Cold open, what real chaos looks like
00:48 Mom first, company second
02:00 Shark Tank growth and a surprise pregnancy
02:50 Rules and tools that keep motherhood first
04:45 The night from hell, still doable
06:10 Why help matters, full-time family support and outsourcing
08:00 Designing flexible schedules for working parents
10:10 Time-saving rules, one night out per week
11:20 The no-meetings policy that protects deep work
12:50 When meetings are necessary, compress to 30 minutes
14:20 Identity shifts and the rise of mom anxiety
17:30 How we handled maternity leave as founders
20:15 Give yourself grace, some things will slip
24:20 Postpartum must-haves and hydration habits
26:14 Wrap up and call to action

Danny Alexander, co-founder and Chief Product and Purpose Officer of Who Gives A Crap, shares how a cheeky name, clever packaging, and an audacious mission turned a humble household product into a $100M brand. The team bootstrapped for nine years, then cracked growth by treating every touchpoint as marketing and by learning to land initiatives, not just launch them. Highlights include the infamous 51-hour toilet livestream that powered their IndieGoGo debut, and why donating 50% of profits builds real retention and trust. Danny also breaks down the pivot from a multilingual EU push to a focused Canada relaunch and how DTC plus selective retail keeps the brand experience tight.

More Hot Takes Big Stakes Instagram: www.instagram.com/hottakesbigstakes/

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@hottakesbigstakes/

More on Danny Alexander

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

“Who Gives A Crap” Website: https://us.whogivesacrap.org

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/

00:00 Intro

00:49 Danny’s background in industrial design and social impact

05:12 The name “Who Gives A Crap,” testing and why it stuck

08:20 Packaging as marketing, paper wrap insight

10:00 The stripe concept and present-style unboxing

11:35 Mission talk, 50% of profits to impact

15:56 Bootstrapping for nine years, why investors said no

16:53 IndieGoGo strategy and the $50K threshold

17:48 The 51-hour toilet livestream

24:58 Early UK retail moment and momentum check

26:18 “Everything is marketing,” touchpoints that spread

27:51 One big thing per year, the focus thesis

31:06 Second brand experiment and hard tradeoffs

34:53 Launch vs land, scaling lessons

36:10 Europe attempt, translation reality check

36:44 Pivot to Canada, partnerships and pre-launch plan

37:25 DTC first, selective retail like Whole Foods

52:31 Wrap up and call to action

You never forget your First Million.

On Hot Takes, Big Stakes, host Natalie Holloway, founder of Bala, and co-host Lana Elie, founder of Floom, are here to help you turn your time into real value.

In today’s episode, Natalie directly interviews Lana about the process of making the first million dollars with her company, “Floom.” For both Natalie and Lana, their companies reached this milestone in only their second year of operation.

Times are changing quickly, and with the advent of Artificial Intelligence, the barrier to entry for many software companies is lower than ever. In this conversation, Lana shares her advice on building a company from the idea stage to its first 100 customers, then 1,000 customers, one million dollars, and beyond.

Each episode of Hot Takes, Big Stakes brings you real conversations with high profile business leaders. No jargon. No sugarcoating. Just the honest truth about what it takes to build a company from the ground up.

00:39 Introduction & Today’s Topic: Floom’s First Million
02:25 Doing Your First Million in One Year
04:00 Executing an Idea in the Tech Space Without Experience
06:35 Pitfalls to Avoid
09:26 Finding Your First 100 Customers
17:55 Finding Your First 1000 Customers
18:26 Managing Your Mindset
22:00 Biggest Mistakes When Striving for Your First Million
27:23 Hot Takes

More on Natalie Holloway:

• Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/
• “Bala” Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bala/
• “Balacize” Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balacize/
• Substack, “Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.com
• Book a 1-on-1 Call: https://intro.co/NatalieHolloway

More on Lana Elie-Meyers:

• Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lanaelie/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lana-elie-875b383a/

Let’s Talk About the Elephant in the Room… Shark Tank.

On Hot Takes, Big Stakes, host Natalie Holloway, founder of Bala, and co-host Lana Elie, founder of Flume, are here to help you turn your time into real value.

In today’s episode, Lana interviews Natalie about one of the most pivotal moments in her career with Bala: her appearance on Season 11 of Shark Tank. The pitch led to a major turning point for the brand when Natalie received an offer from Mark Cuban and Maria Sharapova for $900,000 in exchange for 30 percent of the company.

Understanding your brand, defining your valuation, and crafting a razor-sharp pitch are some of the most valuable skills you can develop as a business founder. Whether or not you ever end up on Shark Tank, the insights Natalie shares in this conversation will be key to your ability to attract investors and grow with confidence.

Each episode of Hot Takes, Big Stakes brings you real conversations with high profile business leaders. No jargon. No sugarcoating. Just the honest truth about what it takes to build a company from the ground up.

Key Takeaways:

• Just try. If you get a call, you can discuss timing. But go for it.
• Your pitch is everything.
• Closing the deal itself is a process.
• Respond quickly to emails, it shows you value your employees.

More on Natalie Holloway:

• Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/
• “Bala” Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bala/
• “Balacize” Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balacize/
• Substack, “Working Out in Heels”: natalieholloway.substack.com
• Book a 1-on-1 Call: https://intro.co/NatalieHolloway

More on Lana Elie-Meyers:

• Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lanaelie/
  
  

Lucas Lappe, co-founder of Canopy and Doris Dev, joins Hot Takes, Big Stakes to share how he built a successful wellness brand from the ground up without raising venture capital. From launching his first absurd product (a hot glue gun for string cheese) to designing mold-resistant humidifiers now sold at Sephora, Lucas explains what it really takes to launch and scale a physical product.

This episode covers how Canopy focused on solving real user problems, stayed profitable from day one, and turned a bootstrapped product into a trusted beauty and wellness brand. Whether you're building in DTC, design, or consumer goods, there's something in here for you.

Key Takeaways:

• Bootstrapping forced every dollar to count, which shaped the company’s focus on ROI
• Canopy reimagined the humidifier as a beauty and wellness product
• Sephora helped position the brand as more than an appliance
• The team avoided flashy packaging to cut costs and reduce waste
• Doris Dev was created as a learning platform and support system for launching Canopy
• Having a founding team with clear strengths in product, ops, and brand was key
• Spending time with manufacturers was critical for building better products

More Hot Takes Big Stakes

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hottakesbigstakes/

More on Lucas Lappe

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

“Canopy” Website: https://getcanopy.co/

X Profile: https://x.com/lucas_lappe

More on Natalie Holloway:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/

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

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

Substack,

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

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

More on Lana Elie-Meyers:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lanaelie/

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

Chapters

00:00 - Intro

01:15 - Lucas’s Engineering Roots & Startup Beginnings

03:40 - Quirky, Goby & Lessons from Failing Fast

07:10 - Launching Doris Dev to Solve Real Problems

09:45 - How Canopy Was Born from an Idea & a Bad Humidifier

13:00 - The Beauty Consumer Deserves Better

14:45 - Getting Into Sephora Without Funding

17:30 - The Real Benefits of a Humidifier

19:15 - Their Strategy Across Sephora, Amazon, & Baby Retailers

21:00 - Expanding into Shower Heads & Bathroom Wellness

23:30 - Why Canopy Doesn’t Do Fancy Packaging

26:00 - Scaling a Business with a 20-Person Team

29:00 - Why ROI Dictates Every Business Decision

33:00 - Advice for Product-Based Startup Founders

36:30 - Hot Takes: Reinventing the Pet Industry?

38:15 - The Product That Shouldn’t Exist