<![CDATA[On Brand Magazine: Interviews]]>https://onbrandmag.substack.com/s/interviewshttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wgzW!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff08a6aeb-bd62-4726-a7e1-d8d1fac136fd_1280x1280.pngOn Brand Magazine: Interviewshttps://onbrandmag.substack.com/s/interviewsSubstackTue, 19 May 2026 12:51:26 GMT<![CDATA[How to build a brand customers obsess over with Angela Vranich from Little Spoon ]]>https://onbrandmag.substack.com/p/how-to-build-a-brand-customers-obsesshttps://onbrandmag.substack.com/p/how-to-build-a-brand-customers-obsessMon, 27 Apr 2026 13:01:56 GMTHello everyone!

I had the pleasure of sitting down with the incredible Angela Vranich from Little Spoon a couple of weeks ago, and I’m so excited for you to read the interview - she built Little Spoon into a cult-favorite brand among parents and pulled off the largest food and beverage launch in Target's history. A ton of great advice for founders and tips on how to manage running a demanding business with, you know, being a human.

Before we jump in, let’s catch you up on what’s hot on the internet this week.

Interesting things from last week

The best things we’ve read, watched, and listened to + news from the internet.

Meet Angela

Today, we're sitting down with Angela Vranich, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Little Spoon - the brand that basically reinvented baby food and then quietly became one of the most impressive D2C-to-retail stories in CPG. Angela spotted a glaring white space in a category nobody was paying attention to, built a loyal following of parents who genuinely love the brand, and then pulled off the largest food and beverage launch in Target's history. Oh, and she just launched a baby formula. Casual.

Angela’s Instagram: @angelavran
Little Spoon: @littlespoon
Shop Little Spoon: littlespoon.com

THE CONVERSATION

When did you know Little Spoon needed to exist?

I was working in the food space and just tracking trends. I really saw this shift toward fresh in the natural product space, and baby food was this glaring category that had not been disrupted at all. Nobody was doing fresh baby food. The options were the same ones our parents fed us.

So we saw an opportunity to create something better for this modern parent who was actively looking for it. It took a couple of years to get off the ground - finding a place to manufacture, creating recipes, figuring out packaging - because genuinely no one had done it before. But that was the beginning.

What was the breakthrough moment when you knew this was really something?

We’d originally planned to launch in retail, but hit roadblocks getting shelf space. So we pivoted to direct-to-consumer instead. In our first year of selling baby food online, we sold over a million units. That was the moment. My co-founder and I looked at each other and said: We definitely made the right call. Let’s go full speed.

Little Spoon has a famously loyal customer base. Where does that come from?

I think it comes down to our D2C model - that one-to-one relationship with customers. And the product itself is unique in that feeding your child, especially for the first time, is a highly emotional milestone. When you’re feeding Little Spoon, that emotion gets attached to the brand. It’s not like buying an energy drink or a pair of socks.

Alongside the food, we’ve leaned heavily into educational content, because first-time parents have so many questions. We really try to be the feeding partner and expert they can lean on. And we’re constantly gathering feedback - asking what they want to see next. All of that together creates something that’s hard to replicate.

You were the largest food and beverage launch in Target’s history. What’s your advice to founders who think retail is the finish line?

Walk before you run. There’s no way we could have gone into Target in our early years and had it go the way it did. We spent years building a solid D2C business, building real brand equity, getting the loyalty, and then we took all of those learnings and data to Target and said: here’s your exact core demographic, here’s what’s performing on our site, here’s what we think will work in your stores.

They launched 23 of our products across six aisles in all Target locations. Typically, a new brand gets one or two SKUs in a few hundred stores. We have the number one, two, and three selling baby puffs. The number one baby cereal. Three of the top five selling frozen items. It worked because we’d already done the work.

If you’re smaller and not ready for a national rollout, try smaller retailers or smaller chains first. Get the learnings and then take them to 1,800 stores.

What qualities make you a good founder?

Compartmentalisation, for sure. Sometimes you get really bad news, and you just can’t wear it on your sleeve, there are things you can’t talk about with the broader team. So the ability to not let your emotions take over in certain situations is huge.

Also being nimble. And honestly? A little bit of naivety. When we started, I was like, “ How hard can it be to start a fresh baby food brand? (lol) “ If someone had shown me everything we’d have to navigate, I might have said absolutely not. But once you’re in it, you’re in it.

Best piece of advice you’ve received?

Be very careful about the decisions you make at the start. Who you bring on as co-founders, your first hires, who you’re giving equity to - all of those decisions feel small in the moment because you don’t know what your business is going to become. But your business could be the next billion-dollar brand. And you want to make sure everything is in order before you get there.

Do references on everyone. Co-founder, first hire, advisor. Everyone.

What would you pass on to the next generation of female founders?

Build a network and ask for help. I didn’t do that early enough. Women genuinely want to help other women who are building, and the doors that open from one good connection are wild. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people who are several years ahead of you.

And honestly, cold outreach works. When we were building out Little Spoon, I needed subject matter experts I didn’t have access to, so I just reached out. Some of those people are still in my corner nearly a decade later.

How do you protect your energy when the business never really stops?

Compartmentalisation again - it’s a skill I’ve really honed over the years. When I’m home, I’m home. I try not to crack my laptop. And I protect my mornings fiercely. Coffee, workout, getting ready - that’s my time. If I don’t have that, my whole day is off.

My husband is also my co-founder, so yes, we do talk about work at dinner on weeknights. But on weekends, we try to think about other things. We stay in our lanes, we have our own areas of the business, and we really don’t have that many meetings together during the day. It works because we trust each other. And when you get bad news you can’t share with the team, at least you can commiserate with each other.

What resources are you loving right now?

I love reading Express Checkout (all things CPG launches), and New Motives by Ali Kriegsman - her perspective is really unique.

What’s next for you in 2026?

We’re growing our product offering in Target - we started with 23 SKUs and expect to have over 40 by the end of the year. And the infant formula we just launched? We’ve barely scratched the surface. There is so much more to come.

You can follow Angela here and Little Spoon here.

Cool jobs for cool gals

Looking for a new gig?! We got you! Here are some of the coolest jobs in social media, the creator economy & hot brands.

☀️ Global Director of Social Media & Community, Sol De Janeiro (NYC, 160-190K) - lead all things digital marketing, content and storytelling for this award-winning beauty brand.

🧘🏻‍♀️ Director of Social Media, Alo (LA, $140-$160K) - build a data-driven strategy to continue elevating Alo’s presence in the luxury wellness world.

🔥 Head of Social Media, Oner Active (London, not listed) - run all things social strategy for this female-founded activewear brand.

On Brand is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[Building a brand around a feeling with Melanie Masarin from Ghia ]]>https://onbrandmag.substack.com/p/building-a-brand-around-a-feelinghttps://onbrandmag.substack.com/p/building-a-brand-around-a-feelingMon, 06 Apr 2026 13:03:07 GMTA conversation with Melanie Masarin on leaving Glossier, launching during a pandemic, and building a brand around a feeling

Meet Melanie

Today, we’re talking to Melanie Masarin, founder of Ghia - the non-alcoholic aperitif that made not drinking actually cool. Before Ghia, Melanie was at Glossier, building their stores during one of the most-watched brand moments of the last decade. Then she left, realised she hadn’t had a drink in six months, and felt more alive than ever, except for one thing: she kept feeling excluded from her own social life. So she built the drink she wished existed. Ghia launched two weeks after the pandemic started, and found its way onto the menus of the coolest restaurants in the world.

Melanie’s Instagram: @melaniemasarin
Melanie’s Substack: Night Shade
Ghia’s Instagram: @drinkghia
Shop Ghia: drinkghia.com

THE CONVERSATION

What inspired you to build Ghia? What made you go “I need to make this happen”?

It was very gradual, kind of in front of my eyes, for a long time before I saw it. I was at Glossier building all of their stores; it was an incredible time, and when I left, I realised I hadn’t had a drink in six months. It wasn’t intentional. I was just really busy, and it never felt like a night that called for one.

Once I had that space, I started to feel so much better. But I kept noticing how excluded I felt - at dinners, at restaurants, even in my own home, hosting friends. People would question why I wasn’t drinking. It felt like it would almost be easier to say I was pregnant or sober than to just... not be drinking.

I started looking into what existed and found Seedlip and a few similar products, but they were all focused on the non-alcoholic angle rather than just making a genuinely great drink. I wanted to create something positive, not a lesser version of something else. Something playful, unique, and that made you feel like you were at the party, not watching it from the outside.

You launched in 2020. Was the timing a disaster or a blessing?

Both. We were supposed to launch two weeks after the pandemic started, in restaurants only. So in that sense, it was a total disaster. We had to pivot the launch, redo packaging, and figure out how to ship online with a glass bottle, which is incredibly expensive. A lot of hurdles.

But it also gave us attention that would have been hard to get otherwise. By the time we launched in June, people had been drinking themselves into oblivion and were genuinely open to trying something new. So in that sense, maybe it was the right time.

Ghia has become a cult favourite. What do you think made it resonate?

We didn’t make people feel excluded. So much of Ghia is an invitation to participate and join the party. We never focused on what’s not in the bottle. Instead, we took everything that’s amazing in nature and created something akin to an amaro, with flavour notes reminiscent of a proper aperitivo hour.

We also didn’t try to make it a fake Campari or a fake gin. It’s just never going to be the real deal, so why go there? The signature dryness of Ghia is what makes it feel like an adult drink. Mocktails in restaurants are often so sweet and quite infantilising. We wanted something that felt grown-up.

The Ghia brand world is so strong - everywhere you touch it, it feels like the French Riviera. How do you build that?

The brand is the easy part for us because we’re not precious with it. A new product calls for a new colour palette. We want the brand to be adaptable, not static and then every five years we’re doing a full rebrand. The brand is supposed to evolve because our customers today are different from who they were when we launched six years ago.

We always start with a feeling. What’s the memory? Is it a memory from childhood, a memory of taste, of being together, of travel? And from there, we extrapolate into something that feels like Ghia.

How important has it been for you to show up as a public founder?

Honestly? If I started a company again, I would not be the face of it.

I think unfairly, it’s something that’s way more expected of women than men. And because it was COVID, I was pushed into it more than I might have been otherwise. But I started my Substack as a bit of an escape from that, and that became its own thing that brings me real joy.

The truth is, being the face of your brand is another full-time job. I’m also running every other aspect of the business. Some of my founder friends are mothers, and by the end of the day, they’re exhausted - the kids are in bed, they finally have a moment, and then they feel like they have to show up somewhere online. Time is a zero-sum game. You just can’t do it all.

What’s something about founder life you wish people talked about more honestly?

How you spend your days is how you spend your life. It’s really easy to get lost in the life of being an entrepreneur. I try to carve out special moments throughout the week, whether it’s movement, communal meals, or time with my team. I work all the time, so those anchors matter.

The best business advice I’ve received is: just because an opportunity is good doesn’t mean you have to take it. If you say yes to something you shouldn’t, you’re saying no to something else. You only have one pie of time. I’ve learned to say no so much more, and I write about it a lot in my Substack because the question I get constantly is “how do you do it all?” Nobody does it all. The real question is, what do you choose to be really good at?

What are some of your favourite resources?

My founder group chat is essential, like a mom group chat but for founders. Every female founder I know has one, and it’s a lifeline.

I try to walk to work every day, about 25 minutes, and I use that time to listen to non-fiction and entrepreneurship books. I love Acquired for longer-form deep dives. And Emma Grede’s podcast lately, she’s such a beast.

At night, I switch to fiction. It helps a lot.

And what’s your real founder hack?

I don’t drink. When I stopped, I realised that for most of my life I was operating at 70%. And I was never even a big drinker. But the clarity, the energy, the consistency - it’s everything.

What’s next for you and Ghia in 2026?

We have a cookbook coming out in April, which I’m so excited about. We also just launched Ghia and our new blood orange flavour at Whole Foods, a huge milestone for us. And there’s more exciting stuff coming. Watch this space.

Follow Melanie @melaniemasarin, pre-order her cookbook Riviera here and find Ghia at drinkghia.com

Interesting things from last week

The best things we’ve read, watched, and listened to + news from the internet

Cool jobs for cool people

Looking for a new gig?! We got you! Here are some of the coolest jobs in social media, the creator economy & hot brands.

💍 Content & Brand Executive, D.Louise (London, not listed) - Love all things content, brand and jewellery? Female-founded jewellery brand D.Louise is looking for a content and brand executive to join their growing team.

👖 Director of Social & Content Strategy, Madewell (NYC, $180-$190K) - Define and lead how the beloved denim and lifestyle brand shows up socially and editorially across every channel.

📷 Head of Creators, Linktree (Los Angeles, not listed) - Build and lead Linktree's global creator strategy, shaping how the platform shows up in the creator economy. An exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of brand, creator culture and product.

💻 Influencer Marketing Manager, Anthropic (San Francisco or NYC, not listed) - Own and scale our influencer programs for Claude and build a strong community of creators that bring the story of Claude to life.

On Brand is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[Feel good, do good with Laney Crowell from Saie]]>https://onbrandmag.substack.com/p/feel-good-do-good-with-laney-crowellhttps://onbrandmag.substack.com/p/feel-good-do-good-with-laney-crowellMon, 16 Mar 2026 14:01:36 GMTA conversation with Laney Crowell on building a beauty brand with intention, what nobody tells you about fundraising as a woman and why waiting until you’re “ready” is a myth.

Interesting things from last week

The best things we’ve read, watched, and listened to + news from the internet

Meet Laney

Today, we’re sitting down with Laney Crowell, founder of Saie - my personal favourite clean beauty brand (I'm a Saie girl through and through). Laney started with a blog called The Moment, where she was having honest conversations about beauty ingredients and impact. That community became the foundation for Saie, and the rest is, as they say, history.

Laney’s Instagram: @laney
Saie’s Instagram: @saiebeauty
Shop Saie: saiehello.com

THE CONVERSATION

What inspired you to build Saie? What was the moment that made you go “I need to make this happen”?

When I was working at Estée Lauder, I started a blog called The Moment as a side project: a space to talk openly about beauty ingredients, impact, and community. It quickly became my passion project and a place where real, honest conversations were happening.

The true lightbulb moment came one night when I opened my bathroom cabinet full of beauty samples. Every bin was overflowing… except the makeup one. I’d struggled with my sensitive, acne-prone skin for years, and I realised I didn’t have makeup I actually wanted to use - products that I loved using, didn’t break me out, and aligned with my values.

So I turned to the community I’d built through The Moment and started asking questions: What clean beauty brands did they love? What was missing? Again and again, the same gap came up. People wanted clean, high-performing makeup that felt modern, cool, and genuinely good for their skin.

I didn’t set out to start a brand, but once that need became clear, creating Saie felt like the most natural next step.

Saie has built a very loyal audience without feeling overly loud (I’m a Saie girl myself!). What do you think people recognised themselves in early on, and how do you think about building a brand that lasts?

We wanted Saie to be a brand that makes people feel good from a full 360-degree perspective: not just how you look when you put makeup on, but how it feels to use it, how it’s made, and what it stands for. Our motto, “feel good, do good,” is the driving force behind all of our decisions.

Early on, I think people recognised themselves in our belief that makeup can be both high-performing and clean, without compromise. We never wanted to be the loudest voice in the room or chase every trend. Instead, we focus on listening, especially to our community, and letting that guide how we evolve.

For me, longevity comes from values. If you stay transparent, stay curious, and keep improving, the brand naturally grows with the people who believe in it.

Saie grew out of a relationship you’d already built with an audience through your blog, The Moment. How did that early experience shape the way you think about visibility as a founder today?

Being part of building their early social platforms showed me the power of community and content before it became the norm. At the same time, The Moment taught me the power of listening and being in direct conversation with your community. That experience shaped how I show up today - not trying to be everywhere, but being intentional, present, and in real dialogue.

What are some of the lessons you’ve had to learn since starting? What’s something about founder life that you wish more people talked about honestly?

One of the biggest learning curves for me was fundraising. I’d never done it before and women are still incredibly underrepresented when it comes to venture capital. Walking into rooms where only a small fraction of funding goes to women founders can be intimidating, especially early on.

A lot of my early experience meant having to clearly and confidently make the case for Saie: for the market gap, for clean beauty, and for building a business rooted in integrity. Often, that meant doing it in rooms where I didn’t immediately see myself reflected back.

What I wish more people talked about is how much of founder life is mindset. I had to learn how to push past imposter syndrome and trust that my conviction was enough. When you truly believe in what you’re building (and why it matters), you find your voice.

What’s the best business advice you’ve received? And what’s one piece of advice you’d love to pass on to the next generation of female founders?

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received is to do what you genuinely love and trust that the rest will follow. When you care deeply about what you’re building, that passion shows up in the work. I’ve also learned that it’s okay not to have all the answers. Some of the best decisions I’ve made as a founder came from surrounding myself with people with vastly different skillsets from mine, but who share the same values and drive.

For the next generation of female founders, I’d say: trust your instincts, ask for help, and don’t wait until you feel “ready.” You don’t need to know everything, you just need to believe in what you’re building and be willing to learn along the way.

Are there any books, podcasts, inspiring people, or resources that helped you on your journey as a founder?

I listened to How I Built This on repeat. There are some really influential episodes that helped to guide me in my founder journey.

Nowadays, I love listening to Emma Grede’s Aspire podcast.

What’s next for you and for Saie?

I’m incredibly proud that Saie has become a conduit for the kind of change I want to see in the world. My hope is that its legacy continues to show what’s possible when a brand leads with intention, and proves that beauty can help move an industry in a more conscious direction. For us, what’s next is about deepening impact. That means continuing to raise the standard on sustainability, being thoughtful about how we grow, and staying committed to progress.

Follow Laney and find Saie at saiehello.com.

(My faves are the Glowy Supergel and Slip Tint Tinted Moisturiser)

Cool jobs for cool gals

Looking for a new gig?! We got you! Here are some of the coolest jobs in social media, the creator economy & hot brands.

💼 Senior Social Media Manager, Chief (NYC, $150K) - Chief, a private membership network built for senior women leaders, is looking for someone to lead their social strategy.

👙 Marketing Manager, Frankies Bikinis (LA, $90-$110K) - Manage marketing campaigns for this swimwear and lifestyle brand beloved by influencers and celebrities.

💍 Brand Director, Missoma (London, not listed) - Own Missoma's global brand strategy and lead the creative, social, content, and PR teams. You'll work directly with the founder and CEO to translate creative vision into a coherent global brand.

👚 Head of Marketing, Jaded London (London, not listed) - Own the full marketing strategy for one of London's most culturally switched-on fashion brands, reporting directly to the Co-CEOs.

On Brand is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[How to bootstrap an empire with Natalie Holloway from Bala ]]>https://onbrandmag.substack.com/p/how-to-bootstrap-an-empire-with-nataliehttps://onbrandmag.substack.com/p/how-to-bootstrap-an-empire-with-natalieMon, 09 Mar 2026 14:02:47 GMTHello everyone,

Jampacked newsletter to get you motivated on this Monday morning! We’re talking to the amazing Natalie Holloway from Bala about how she built a cult brand from a napkin sketch, what it takes to balance it all, and the mindset hacks she swears by.

But before we jump in, let’s catch you up on what’s hot on the internet this week.

Interesting things from last week

The best things we’ve read, watched, and listened to + news from the internet

Meet Natalie

Today, we’re sitting down with Natalie Holloway, co-founder of Bala - the cult-favorite fitness brand that turned wrist weights into a status symbol, and somehow, a whole lifestyle. What started as a napkin sketch during a gap year became one of the most recognisable brands in wellness, with collabs that make people go oh how iconic and a Shark Tank moment that changed everything. Natalie just launched her book Bootstrap Empire, a playbook for early-stage founders who want the real how-to for building a brand.

Natalie’s Instagram: @natalieholloway
Bala: @shopbala
Shop Bala: shopbala.com
Listen to Natalie’s podcast: Hot Takes, Big Stakes
Read Bootstrap Empire here.

THE CONVERSATION

Take us back. What made you go, “I need to make this happen”?

My husband (then-boyfriend) and I were burnt out from advertising and quit our jobs to travel, basically a gap year in our late twenties. We were trying to stay active on the road, and one day we took this very mellow yoga class and came out thinking, how could we have made that harder?

That conversation turned into a napkin sketch. He drew the first version of the Bala Bangles on the spot. And once we looked at it, we both thought - nobody has redesigned wrist and ankle weights. They’re ugly, and nobody wants to wear them.

So we redesigned that one product. And then we realized there was a complete white space across all of the gym equipment where function met design and where you’d actually want to leave it out in your living room. We accidentally stumbled onto a massive category.

Bala became a cult brand. What made it resonate so much?

From the very beginning, we wanted to create this Bala Barbie dreamland world, something that made people feel something. Because working out is hard. I literally own a fitness brand, and I can barely get myself to work out. That’s just the psychology of it.

So we leaned into that. Playful, fun, fashion-forward. What we didn’t fully anticipate was that the design psychology would actually work - people would put on their pink weights and suddenly feel ready. It’s like a little armor.

Bala’s had some iconic collabs (House of Pucci and Spanx, for example). How do you choose your partners?

So much credit goes to Brooke, our CBO, who has been with us for five or six years and has a really strong instinct for this. But the filter is simple: it has to be a unanimous yes from me, Brooke, and Max. If one of us isn’t feeling it, we pass. That automatically sets the bar really high.

Beyond that, we want people to say oh, that’s so them but also be a little surprised. We know our customer. We want them to see a collab and think I need that. If we’re going to partner with someone, we’re going to make it exciting.

You just launched your book, Bootstrap Empire. What made now the right time to write it?

Honestly, I wrote most of it on maternity leave. Very pregnant, then newborn, and I just dove in. I was starting to mentor people more formally, taking on board seats, and I only have so much time, so it was a natural evolution. Three little kids and a business to run, I couldn’t keep giving physical hours to every conversation.

So the book was my way to keep mentoring without burning myself out. I pitched it, Wiley was interested, and it just aligned.

It’s very specifically for early-stage founders - someone thinking about launching, just launched, or maybe a year or two in. It’s a real playbook with specific tools, what they cost, mistakes I made that you can avoid, and how to make your products go viral. Bala’s story is woven throughout, but I wanted it to be what I wish I’d had nine years ago.

There's also a mindset shift at the end of each chapter because so much of building something is what's going on in your head.

What’s one that’s stuck with you?

Visualization, but getting really specific. I do vision boards every year between Christmas and New Year’s, but my daily practice is in the morning. I write down my to-do list, things I’m grateful for, plus specific manifestations. The more specific you get, the more you start forming pathways toward it without even realizing it.

What’s something about founder life you wish people talked about more honestly?

The people dynamics, nobody warns you about that part. Building a team, having someone not work out, tough conversations like firing your ad agency, negotiating costs, and telling someone they’re not right for a role. It’s a relentless series of hard calls where every decision feels like the weight of the world. My tip: make quick, decisive decisions. The longer you sit on something, the more it paralyzes you. Max and I will just say: we’re deciding this today and moving on. That momentum is everything.

You have three kids, a business, a podcast, and just wrote a book. How do you actually balance it?

Massive outsourcing, constantly. I’m always looking for the things I’m doing that are repetitive. Those are things someone else on my team should own. I’m still a key decision-maker, but my job is to keep leveling up and handing things off so the business can run without me. That’s genuinely the goal.

I also protect my meetings ruthlessly. I try to have no more than two a day if I can help it. If I’m stuck in meetings all day, I can’t actually do any work.

Becoming a mom made me ruthless about this in a way I wasn’t before. In the early days, I couldn’t outsource much as we just didn’t have the budget. But once I had kids, I decided I was not going to only see them at night. So, anything I can do that buys me back time with them? Immediate yes. And honestly, the more I let go, the more I realized my team was better at some of it than I was anyway.

What resources do you love right now?

I love Hot Smart Rich for podcasts.

League of Originals (community for brand builders) is one I’d shout out.

And for books, Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia.

What’s next for you? What are you looking forward to in 2026?

Weirdly, I’m looking forward to slowing down a little. The book feels like the culmination of a lot. So I want to enjoy that for a moment. And there are a lot of exciting things coming on the Bala side that I can’t wait to share!

Follow Natalie @natalieholloway and grab Bootstrap Empire wherever books are sold.

Cool jobs for cool gals

Looking for a new gig?! We got you! Here are some of the coolest jobs in social media, the creator economy & hot brands.

💻 Influencer Marketing Manager, Notion (NYC, not listed) - the beloved productivity platform with a cult following is looking for someone to help them scale their creator partnerships.

🎬 Director of Socials and Video, Hearst Magazine (NYC, $180-$190K) - Shape pop culture with platform & content strategy across Cosmopolitan and Seventeen. Heavy emphasis TikTok!

🌿 Influencer Marketing Senior Manager, Pique (Los Angeles, $120 - $140K) - Pique is building out its influencer marketing function and looking for someone to lead end-to-end creator partnerships.

🫦 Social Media Director, Savage X Fenty (El Segundo, $128 - $150k) - Savage X Fenty is hiring a Director of Social Media to own the brand's full social presence across all channels.

On Brand is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[How Jing built a cult-favorite condiment brand ]]>https://onbrandmag.substack.com/p/how-jing-built-a-cult-favorite-condimenthttps://onbrandmag.substack.com/p/how-jing-built-a-cult-favorite-condimentThu, 26 Feb 2026 14:02:46 GMTA conversation with Jing about trusting your gut, showing up authentically, and scaling without losing your vision.

New series alert!

I’m genuinely obsessed with founders who turn their biggest frustrations into actual businesses. Like, the ones who get so annoyed by something that they’re like “fine, I’ll just build it myself” and then... actually do it.

So we’re starting a new series where I sit down with these founders and get all the inside tea on their journey. We’ll dive into how they spotted the gap everyone else missed, how they’re building their business & brand in public, what content strategies are actually working for them, and what they’re learning as they go.

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Meet Jing

Today, we’re spotlighting Jing Gao, founder of Fly By Jing, the modern Chinese condiment brand that’s changing how Americans experience Sichuan flavors. After leaving tech to open a restaurant in Shanghai, Jing spotted a massive gap in the US market for high-quality Asian food brands. What started as a terrifying Kickstarter launch became a cult favorite, now distributed in thousands of stores nationwide.

Jing’s Instagram: @jingtheory
Jing’s Substack: jingtheory.substack.com
Shop Fly By Jing: flybyjing.com
Follow Fly By Jing: @flybyjing
Sua Superette (Jing’s LA restaurant): @sua_superette

THE CONVERSATION

Take us back to when you first started. What made you go, “ I need to make this happen”?

I ended up in the food industry in a roundabout way. I used to be in tech, and a job brought me to China. I was born there but grew up all over Europe and Canada, so I wasn’t really connected with my Chinese heritage until I moved back.

I discovered that side of my heritage through food. I was so enamored by these flavors and this 5,000-year culinary heritage. I quit my job, opened a restaurant in Shanghai, trained with a chef, and started cooking my own version of Sichuan cuisine.

I was doing pop-up dinners and traveling the world, cooking for people who had never tried Sichuan food. These high-quality ingredients never made their way out of China because of misconceptions that Chinese cuisine was low quality and cheap.

I went to Expo West in 2018 and didn’t see any modern Asian food brands or high-quality Chinese food brands. I knew from my dinners that these flavors were universal - people’s eyes would widen. They just had no way to access them.

Sauce lines came naturally. I figured out how to manufacture the sauces I was making in my kitchen at scale and moved to LA in 2019 to launch the business.

Fly By Jing became a cult favorite fairly quickly. What made it resonate with people so much?

I think it was a combination of things. For the longest time, there were such misconceptions around Chinese food and Asian food as a whole. I think people were ready for a new narrative about it - that it could be really high quality, all-natural, and also fun. So I think it was the right time.

And it was also the flavor. The quality of the product and the flavors really speak for themselves. In the very early days, I knew there was something there because you could see people’s reactions. When you expand somebody’s palette, they can’t really go back to how they used to be. They can’t eat bland food anymore. You’ve fundamentally changed their lives, and they’re gonna tell their friends.

So ever since day one, it was very much word of mouth.

Did you go into it knowing this was going to be huge, or was it more experimental?

No, I was terrified. I launched with a Kickstarter, and it was difficult to put it out there because as soon as it goes live, you’ve put all your hard work out for people to judge.

Even today, I couldn’t have imagined the way our company has evolved. But I believed in the product. The product needs to speak for itself, and then you build everything around it.

How did you think about building a brand around the product?

A brand is a point of view that sets you apart. Having clarity on who you are and what you stand for is everything. Product quality comes first - that’s the foundation of the brand. Then it’s about how it makes you feel.

It’s a very personal brand, intertwined with my own story of self-discovery and seeking belonging through flavor. That resonated with people because it’s universal and relatable.

At the same time, it’s irreverent and fun but has gravitas from the heritage and quality of ingredients. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. You can put chili crisp on ice cream, on pizza - you don’t have to follow any rules.

You’re a very forward-facing founder now. How do you think about showing up on social, and why is it important?

I’ve evolved a lot over the last few years. For the first few years, I was so heads down building the company that I didn’t put myself out there as much as I probably could have. That’s something I’m working on more now.

Our content strategy has evolved with our distribution. We started DTC-only with Kickstarter backers - cutting-edge consumers who are ahead of the curve. You talk to them differently from shoppers at Walmart. Online, you can tell a rich story. On the shelf, you have three seconds to communicate what you are.

Why is it important for you to be showing up and sharing lessons now?

People want to hear the why behind purpose-driven companies. As we’ve grown our team and brought in the right executives, I’ve realized I can create the most impact by leaning into my voice and elevating the brand with an authentic perspective. People connect to storytelling - they want to feel invested in the brands they support.

What advice would you give someone who feels resistance to putting themselves out there?

I had tremendous resistance for the first few years. I blamed it on being busy, but especially for women, there’s a real fear of visibility. That takes inner work to heal.

Business is a very spiritual endeavor. Everything inside comes out. If you don’t deal with it, it manifests in your business. I did a lot of work around self-worth - knowing your value isn’t based on output or others’ opinions.

Then it’s just practice. Little steps that reinforce the next step. You don’t need to know all the steps before you begin - the path reveals itself as you take them. Just focus on the first micro step.

What’s something about founder life you wish more people talked about?

Intuition. When you have initial success, people come in wanting to “professionalize” your organization. Investors have opinions. It’s easy for young founders to trust “professionals” too much - they’ve done it before, you haven’t.

But disruptors are people who haven’t done it before. That’s why they can disrupt. Veterans can’t. Take everyone’s feedback and assess it, but practice listening to your own voice. It’s a muscle - the better you get at it, the more successful you’ll be.

How do you cultivate that self-trust?

First, recognize that your intuition has taken you this far already. If you have a vision, you’ve created proof of concept, and there’s real momentum, you’re onto something. Your intuition led you in the right direction - otherwise you wouldn’t be there. Believe you’re on the right track and trust that you’re being guided.

Then it’s about practice and really tuning into your body. Sometimes it’s somatic. Some people get it in the gut, some people need to sleep on it and emotionally process a situation. Often, people have gut feelings - “I had this feeling about this person before I hired them, and I was right. I could have saved myself so much time and effort.”

Human Design is a great tool for understanding how you make decisions. I’m a 3/5 manifestor. I’m an emotional decision maker, which means I should probably sleep on things for several days or months before making a big decision. Whereas generators with sacral decision-making, their body tells them very swiftly.

Get to know yourself and check in with yourself. With practice, each time the results reinforce “okay, that was the right move,” it builds more trust.

What advice has changed things for you in business?

Get clear on what you want before you start. Many founders chase markers - raise a round, hit this level - because that’s what everyone else does. But raising venture or private equity isn’t for everyone, and it changes your trajectory.

You can get on a roller coaster you can’t get off, and lose control very quickly. Many founders find themselves in that position.

In CPG, you can build a proof of concept frugally before pouring fuel on the fire. Fuel from VCs comes with expectations - your business could go down a path where you lose it if things don’t pan out.

What are you looking forward to in 2026?

Launching new innovations beyond condiments. We’ve built a nice category, but we want to make these flavors as accessible as possible. Chili Crisp can seem intimidating if you don’t cook, so we’re creating products like noodles - everyone can boil water. Introducing people to these flavors and expanding their palates is what I'm most excited about.

Any resources you love?

For CPG, Ramping Your Brand is great. And Influence by Robert Cialdini is a classic on how to sell. I recommend more books on my Substack.

Thank you, Jing, for sharing your story with us.

If you want to follow Jing’s journey, follow her on Instagram and check out her Substack. Shop Fly By Jing at flybyjing.com or major retailers across the US and follow the brand on Instagram. And if you’re in LA, check out Jing’s restaurant Sua Superette.

On Brand is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[Finding the dog in you with Les Alfred from She's so Lucky ]]>https://onbrandmag.substack.com/p/finding-the-dog-in-you-with-les-alfredhttps://onbrandmag.substack.com/p/finding-the-dog-in-you-with-les-alfredThu, 12 Feb 2026 14:00:39 GMTA conversation with Les Alfred on creating your own luck, being unapologetically unrelatable, and knowing exactly where you want to go (even when you don't know how to get there).

New series alert!

I’m genuinely obsessed with founders who turn their biggest frustrations into actual businesses. Like, the ones who get so annoyed by something that they’re like “fine, I’ll just build it myself” and then... actually do it.

So we’re starting a new series where I sit down with these founders and get all the inside tea on their journey. We’ll dive into how they spotted the gap everyone else missed, how they’re building their business & brand in public, what content strategies are actually working for them, and what they’re learning as they go.

Meet Les

Today, we're talking to Les Alfred, host of the chart-topping She's So Lucky podcast (formerly Balanced Black Girl) - a show that's redefining what it means to be "lucky" and having crucial conversations about what really goes into success.

Les's Instagram: @lesalfred
Les's Substack: lesalfred.substack.com
She's So Lucky Website: shessoluckypodcast.com
Listen on Spotify: She's So Lucky Podcast
Listen on YouTube: @shessoluckypod

THE CONVERSATION

What made you decide to start a podcast back in 2018? You were one of the OGs!

I wish that I had some really great story about how passionate I was about podcasting. But honestly, one day I just got the idea for a show. I bought a microphone and started. There was really no more thought than that.

I’d been listening to podcasts for years. I loved wellness, personal development, and business podcasts, but a lot of them were quite male-focused. I couldn’t find a show that had the intersection of everything I was looking for with voices that felt like they were speaking to me. So once I had the idea of the show I wished existed, I just jumped right in.

When did you realize this could be more than a side project?

I realized I was onto something pretty quickly when I started receiving pitches within the first few months. At that time, podcasting wasn’t as popular as it is now. I was getting really cool women, founders of up-and-coming businesses, pitching to be on the show. I thought, “ Oh, I’ve just started this thing, and people already want to be a part of it.”

But it did take several years to truly turn into a business and really pick up steam. I joined a podcast network in 2023.

What made people resonate with Balanced Black Girl and now She’s So Lucky?

In a lot of ways, it was ahead of its time. I was having conversations about wellness that were really approachable during a time, particularly in the 2010s, where wellness felt very extreme - bikini body, do all the burpees, do all the things.

My show was a retreat from that. For people who felt like they were trying to cobble together information from a bunch of different places but nothing truly spoke to them, I think my show was one of the first that really spoke to people in a unique way.

Do you notice any patterns in topics or episodes that go viral?

I wish there were a pattern to it because then I could replicate it. But it’s truly a mixed bag of what hits and speaks to people at the right time.

At the end of 2024, I put out a compilation episode with seven top moments of the year. I had interviewed Alexis Barber about being unrelatable and pushing against the idea that, as visible women, we have to be relatable to everybody. When the episode first came out, it did okay. But we reposted that same clip in December, and it went super viral on Instagram and TikTok.

Sometimes things just hit at different times. We can do the exact same thing twice - one time it doesn’t hit and one time it does. It’s all about meeting people where they’re at.

Your video about “having that dog in you” went super viral recently! Let’s talk about it - can you cultivate it, or are you born with it?

I always try to be encouraging - you can cultivate any skill, you can do anything. But having that sense of inner drive and being relentless in your pursuit? I don’t think everybody has that quality.

A few months ago, I would have been too afraid to say it, but I really do think it depends on how you’re wired. Some people are just wired to be relentless in the pursuit of greatness. And for people who aren’t? That’s okay. Actually, if everybody were, the world might be more insufferable than it already is.

That internal drive? I don’t know if it can be taught. I can teach somebody how to work out, I can put the weights in their hands. But I can’t make them lift it. I can’t be the one who gets them out of bed. They have to do that themselves.

Where does your drive come from?

I’ve had it from a young age. My mom sent me a photo the other day of an assignment I did when I was in first or second grade - probably six or seven years old. It was about writing about your future. It asked what do you want to do when you get to middle school? I wrote, “I get straight A’s.” And the next part asked for three wishes for your future. My three wishes were: my parents are rich, I am rich, and I live a good life.

When I see something I want, I just go for it. And I’m not sure where it comes from.

The name She’s So Lucky is about women creating their own luck. What does that mean in practice?

I’ve been studying successful women my entire adult life. As good things would happen in my life, what I would hear people say is, “Oh, you’re so lucky.”

Meanwhile, I’m like, I actually have that opportunity because I’ve been working my ass off. I wake up at 5 in the morning and work on my podcast for several hours before clocking into my 9-to-5. And then, the second my 9-to-5 is over, I work on it some more. And you’re calling me lucky?

It really rubbed me the wrong way. Women's success is often chalked up as luck - something given to us. I wanted to flip that. Think of an iceberg - above the surface is luck. Beneath is dedication, work, focus, resilience, failure, and not stopping.

Can you share an example of how you created your own luck?

When I was about 20, I had my first corporate internship and was falling asleep at my desk every day. I thought, “I’m too young for this.”

I decided to start exercising to generate energy. That decision changed the trajectory of my life. I became so passionate about wellness, I became a trainer, and that led me to create content.

Someone might look at me and think I got lucky with content creation. But it’s been a conscious decision I made 15 years ago to do everything I could to feel as good as I could physically and mentally.

How do you think about building your personal brand as a podcast host?

Your personal brand is crucial as a podcast host. While viral moments are great, people ultimately come back for the host.

I have to be front-facing because people need to know who they’re tuning in to hear every week. It’s very intimate to have me talking in their ears for an hour. People come back because they resonate with me and trust the conversations I’m bringing to them.

Also, I don’t intend on podcasting forever. I’d love to move into other projects that won’t require a new episode every Tuesday. Having a strong personal brand is what opens up doors for the future. It’s the only thing you can take with you wherever you go.

Do you have a content strategy, or are you more in the moment?

The podcast is very strategically planned out and regimented. But on social media, it’s very off the cuff. I’ve tried to have a structured flow and script things out so many times, but for my own personal socials, it just never works.

Even that “having that dog in you” video was very off-the-cuff - I recorded it on my couch in horrible lighting. That went more viral than anything I did all year that I put a lot more effort into. Those organic moments where I’m sharing my true thoughts are what resonate the most.

What would you say to someone who wants to start their own podcast or creative project?

You need to be doing more doing than thinking. The days when someone can start a podcast about nothing are long over. If it’s “We’re two best friends in our 20s navigating life,” there are 2,000 of those. You’ve got to come with something better. It needs to be about something. You need to have a good idea.

Once you have that idea, it’s time to execute. Don’t sit on it. Don’t ruminate. You really have to start putting it out there and just do things.

What’s the hardest part about being a founder?

Being so clear on where I want to go, but really not knowing how to get there. I know exactly where I want everything to be in five years. But bridging the gap between where I’m standing right now and where I want to be in five years - it’s tricky, and there’s no manual to any of it.

When you’re in a founder role, it’s you and you. You don’t have somebody over your shoulder telling you exactly what to do. You can have people you trust who you ask for input, but ultimately, if something is your vision, it’s your responsibility to see it through. You’re never going to have all the answers, and there’s never going to be a manual telling you how to do it. That’s the hardest part.

And what’s the best thing about being a founder?

Taking something that was just an idea in your head and making it real. The fact that something that didn’t exist, that was just an idea I had one day, is now a living, breathing thing that sustains me, employs other people, and helps a community - that’s just the coolest thing ever.

What’s next for you and She’s So Lucky?

I want to grow She’s So Lucky into one of the biggest podcasts in the world. I want it to reach millions and millions of people. When I see those top podcasts getting nominated for awards, She’s So Lucky deserves to be there. And I’m going to figure out how to make that happen.

Thank you, Les, for sharing your story with us. If you want to follow Les’s journey, connect with her on Instagram and check out her Substack. Listen to She’s So Lucky on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts at shessoluckypodcast.com.

]]><![CDATA[How Olivia turned grief into eight-figure jewellery business ]]>https://onbrandmag.substack.com/p/how-olivia-turned-grief-into-eighthttps://onbrandmag.substack.com/p/how-olivia-turned-grief-into-eightWed, 28 Jan 2026 14:02:54 GMTA conversation with Olivia on turning grief into purpose, building in public, and creating a brand with real meaning.

New series alert!

I’m genuinely obsessed with founders who turn their biggest frustrations into actual businesses. Like, the ones who get so annoyed by something that they’re like “fine, I’ll just build it myself” and then... actually do it.

So we’re starting a new series where I sit down with these founders and get all the inside tea on their journey. We’ll dive into how they spotted the gap everyone else missed, how they’re building their business & brand in public, what content strategies are actually working for them, and what they’re learning as they go.

Meet Olivia

Today, we're spotlighting Olivia Jenkins, founder of D.Louise - the stainless steel jewelry brand that disrupted an entire industry. After losing her mum and feeling trapped in a job she despised, Olivia channeled everything into building a brand that's now backed by Gymshark's former CEO and beloved by a fiercely loyal community built around resilience, grief, and second chances.

Olivia’s Instagram: @olivialouise.jenkins
Olivia’s YouTube: youtube.com/@Olivialouise.jenkins
Shop D.Louise: dlouise.co.uk
Follow D.Louise: @d.louise

THE CONVERSATION

Can you take us back to the moment when you realized you needed to create D.Louise?

The start of D.Louise was actually a very dark time for me. I had lost my mom. I was in a job that I hated, like literally despised. And I had a complete disconnect from any sense of purpose or direction.

I was basically carrying this giant backpack. Every day, I would wake up, and I would have this sense of heaviness. I was kind of just going through every day with this constant weight on my shoulders, dragging me through life.

Then, during lockdown, I had a lot of time to think and reflect. That’s when I really realized for the first time in my life that there are certain things you can control and certain things you can’t. External influence, like my mom passing away, my job - you can’t control them. But I do have control over one thing, and that is me and my mind and where I wanna go.

It was really a light bulb moment where I was like, " You actually have full control of what happens next “. That’s when I made the conscious decision to change my life. I wanted to build something that gave me a huge sense of purpose, positively impacted my finances, and helped me tackle my relationship with grief. All of that pain was basically channeled into starting a business.

In the beginning, it genuinely wasn’t about creating jewelry. It was about wanting to create something meaningful. But I used to work at Pandora when I was younger, so I had industry knowledge about jewelry. I always hear that business is a little bit of magic and a little bit of good timing, and it was like the perfect little happy storm.

When did you realize you had something special with D.Louise?

Probably when Steve Hewitt invested. Steve was the ex CEO of Gymshark, and he took them from 3 million to their exit. When you’re a business owner, you’re so stuck in the day-to-day that you don’t actually zoom out and look at the bigger picture.

When someone like Steve wanted to invest in us, for the first time, I was like, oh s**t. We’ve created something really special here. Like a legacy. That was the first time I took a step back and was like, “Wow, this is actually going okay.”

We were quite small then. Maybe about 3 million pounds. So to have someone like that, it was kind of like, whoa, what is going on?

What was the first year or two like? Did it feel like a slow uphill battle?

Naivety is such a superpower when you’re small. From the beginning, I did everything myself - social media, ads, customer service. I didn’t have the money to hire anyone, so I literally did it all.

Looking back, being willing to do everything gave me a clear understanding of every part of the business, and that has been invaluable.

Here’s what I wish someone had told me, though. I still feel like I’m in an uphill battle. Early on, I’d think, “Oh, when I get to this point, it’ll just be fine.” But it’s about reframing that mindset. It’s always going to be an uphill battle - what used to be really hard becomes easy, but then new hard things appear. The challenges just evolve as you grow.

I don’t feel like we’ve had that hockey stick moment everyone talks about. It’s about enjoying the journey of where we’re going, not waiting for some magical turning point.

What made D.Louise resonate so strongly with people?

For the first year and a half, I didn’t tell my story. I had a private Instagram. I was like, “I don’t want anyone to know who I am.”

When we started in 2021, we were hugely disruptive to the industry. We’re a stainless steel jewelry brand, and that was basically unheard of back then. If you look at the market now, it’s saturated with waterproof jewelry brands. But back then? The big players were dismissive - like “stainless steel jewelry? That’s never gonna happen.”

In the beginning, it resonated because it was new and disruptive. Then that shift came when I opened up about my story and why I started, and the whole reason behind D.Louise. That’s when we started to build a true deep connection with our audience. People really resonated with me, the story, and why we started.

You do something so special with Walk and Talk on Mother’s Day. What did that teach you about community?

I genuinely believe what you get out of life is what you give. The business had success, and I really wanted to start giving back.

I walked over 300 kilometers from Cardiff to London - a symbolic journey of resilience, grit, and determination. We raised money for Marie Curie, the hospice where my mum was cared for.

But the biggest impact wasn’t the fundraising. It was creating a space for people who’ve lost someone to come together and talk about grief. Grief is such a hard thing to talk about, and I realized I could give people a platform to be heard, to be seen, and to feel understood in their experience.

What made you want to get yourself out there after being private for the first couple of years?

It was Steve who made me do it. He was like, “How does no one know your story?” And I told him because I didn’t want to share it. But he pushed back - he was looking at Ben Francis and Gymshark, how everyone thinks of Ben and Gymshark together as one. He told me I had to put myself out there.

It was really scary, really nerve-racking. I didn’t know how to talk on camera. It was like starting from zero.

What advice would you have for founders who feel paralyzed about showing up online?

Content and showing up online can feel quite like a selfish act - look at me, look at my life. But if you flip that narrative, it actually feels a lot better.

When I lost my mom when I was 21, I had no one online that I could look to for a point of reference that my life would ever get better. So whenever I’m making content now, I’m always thinking about that girl and asking myself, what does she wanna hear today? If I can help someone feel less alone or hopeful or more confident in their business, that one day it’s gonna be okay - that’s a very powerful mindset switch.

Think about who you’re gonna help versus how it’s gonna help you.

Why did you decide on YouTube in addition to short-form?

I’m a talker, and Instagram doesn’t show my true self. You have to worry about hooks, talking fast, and grabbing attention in three seconds. It’s a game, and you can win it, but I just wanted to be real.

YouTube lets me be myself. I can show up without obsessing over the perfect hook because people watch for 10 minutes, not 10 seconds.

On Instagram and TikTok, you filter yourself based on what performs well. On YouTube, I have space to go deeper and be creatively free. I feel like I’m helping more people there than I ever did on Instagram.

What about founder life do you wish more people talked about?

If you want extraordinary outcomes, you need to have extraordinary input. If you want that success, it’s not gonna come easy. You have to be dedicated to the hard work. Instagram makes it all very glamorized online, but if you pull back the curtain, it is really hard work.

You work with your partner. What’s that like?

It’s really good. When you are in business with someone, the core values are trust, communication, and connection. You need open, honest conversations. There are many synergies with an actual relationship.

It’s almost like our superpower because we can be so honest. We can be so open, and I know that if he’s in any room, he’s always gonna have my back, and I’m always gonna have his. I know for some people it doesn’t work well, but for us, it really does.

What would you say to someone sitting on an idea but scared to start?

All of the goals and ambitions you want come down to taking massive action. I even have it on my phone screen - “The path to success is to take massive determined action.” That’s my favorite Tony Robbins quote.

You’re not going to get anywhere just thinking about it. It’s about taking action over and over again until it works.

Were there any scary actions early on that changed the trajectory?

Taking massive action on practical things like setting up the website, the Instagram, the email address, and your domain - it feels scary when you're doing it, but they have such a high impact. When you can see your brand in real life, it's so motivating. Doing things that make it feel real early on definitely helps you keep going.

Any recommendations for podcasts and books for founders?

Michelle Obama’s biography - phenomenal. You can get so much out of someone who has achieved great things.

The Founders podcast - I think it’s so inspiring to hear real stories.

The Magic of Thinking Big - this made me realize the endless possibilities you can have if you just have a little self-belief.

What’s next for you and D.Louise?

We’re entering a new product category this year - still within jewelry, but a beautiful new direction centered around moments and memories.

And I’d love to do a physical pop-up in 2026. Our customers are really craving to see us in person.

Thank you, Liv, for sharing your story with us. If you want to follow Olivia’s journey, connect with her on Instagram and YouTube - and check out D.Louise for beautiful, long-lasting jewellery.

Interesting things from last week

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Cool jobs for cool gals

Looking for a new gig?! We got you! Here are some of the coolest jobs in social media, the creator economy & hot brands.

💻 Social Content Manager, Teachable (New York) - Own strategy and execution of Teachable’s social media presence.

❤️ Director of Brand Strategy, Hinge (New York) - Hinge is looking for a brand director to turn cultural insights into a clear strategy to give dating better PR :)

💰 Content Lead, Carry (New York) - Good with finance? Good with content? Love a fast-paced start-up environment? This might be the perfect fit for you!

👚 Senior Brand Marketing Manager, e.l.f. Beauty (Los Angeles) - Manage marketing & content campaigns for portfolio of brands, including Rhode.

On Brand is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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