Story In A Bottle Podcast

It’s said that true innovation is the reduction of complexity, and if that’s the case, Naama Bloom is an innovator amongst innovators. Most recently acclaimed as the woman who brought the period to virality status, she has made a business of taking the often overly complex conversations of women’s health and milestone moments (which were reserved for whispers or clinical jargon) to the tens of millions of views on YouTube and furthering it to content and newsletters via her company HelloFlo. However, while demystifying these conversations amongst women seems like a “no brainer,” it is not without a sharp strategic mind and business savvy that it has been executed.

As a tech vet, for better or worse earning her nickname as “the Closer,” Naama spent majority of her early days jumping from digital company to digital agency and over again as they folded in the early nineties, which inspired her to eventually go to Cornell Business School. Upon completion, she emerged with more solid footing in the business world and began to climb the ranks as a marketing executive at both American Express and Harvest before she was inspired to take on founder life full-time.

Over a bottle (or two) of red Zinfandel from Sonoma County, Naama shared her experiences of starting a company with just a great idea and great chutzpah, the importance of choosing a cofounder with complementary skills, and the painful battle of raising money while trying to build a brand (and the battle of maintaining a two founder household with her husband, David Bloom). True to her nature as an innovator, she tells her story without euphemism or pleasantries and for that and more, she is truly commendable.

For more from Naama, she tweets as @NaamaBloom and be sure to check out Camp Gyno and First Moon Party on YouTube.

Direct download: SIAB_NamaBloom_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:29pm EDT

We at SIAB call Gene DeRose the “O.G. of the New York Tech Scene.” In his 25 year career here, he’s surely seen and been a part of his fair share of the evolution of the industry. Hailing from Westchester and going to school in Virginia, he landed back in NYC originally in the pursuit of journalism. However, as the tides shifted, he steered a new course (well, with a brief stint as a bartender) and became the co-founder of Jupiter Communications; taking it from a newsletter to the media success it became, and then taking it public. Beyond that, he’s consulted and founded a number of interesting projects, harnessing digital-virtual power and bringing it back to the real world with both Mouse and House Party.

Gene joined us for Herradura Añejo on the rocks (with a little lime) and bestowed his saga; from those early journalistic experiences, surviving the “digital winter” of the mid 2000’s, taking a company public (and maybe not doing it soon enough), making good and bad investments, and the “borderless internet” he’s working towards now. Gene’s is a true founder’s story and we can all take a page from his experience.

You can find Gene on Twitter @genederose.

Direct download: StoryInABottle_GeneDerose_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:50pm EDT

Kristen Hawley

Kristen Hawley has one of the most diverse and inspirational stories we’ve heard to date. With a journalism degree, background in media, love of epicurean culture and experience dabbling in the tech world, she’s created a path for herself which only begins at the intersection of these things. However, her agility and strategic perspective has lead her to create Chefs + Tech, offering an interesting and unique spotlight on the emerging technology trends in the culinary world.

 

Kristen has certainly earned her chops along the way by navigating various industries and cities; circumventing the treacherous publishing and media world at Hearst in New York City and skimming the tech scene at PopSugar and Twitter in San Francisco, she ultimately decided to combine the two things she’s most passionate about - food and media - to create her ideal job. Her story encourages us to follow our gut and remain adaptable, and do not be fooled. What she calls “luck,” is really her tenacity to adapt quickly and to create the next best opportunity (when it otherwise doesn’t exist).

 

Oh, and she changed our minds about Pinot Noir, as well!

Get in on the latest on Chefs + Tech here. And more from Kristen: @kh.

Direct download: SIAB_KristenHawley_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:59am EDT

Soraya Darabi

This week's episode features our friend Soraya Darabi, the co-founder of Zady. Zady is the online destination for conscious consumers. They source and sell and make stylish apparel for men and women, and detail the stories and origins of the items produced. Much more than a fashion startup, her company is a brand and a movement towards responsible manufacturing, global sustainability, and human rights in the apparel industry.

 

However, before that, we follow her journey from working as a College Marketing Rep for Sony Music, to jobs in media, both bringing journalists at The Washington Post into the digital present and discovering the NYC tech world while at Conde Nast & The New York Times. Ultimately, she found her way to become an entrepreneur at startups like drop.io, foodspotting and now Zady. Her path is in no way ordinary and extends beyond the “tech socialite” description she’s been ascribed. Oh, and she also offers up the secret to a mean mango mimosa.


Hit her up with follow up questions at @SorayaDarabi.

Direct download: SIAB_SorayaDarabi_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:34am EDT

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