How I Built This · 27 Nov 2017 · 57m
Susan Tynan, founder of Framebridge, explains how a $1,600 sticker shock at a local framing store inspired her to build a mail-order framing company that offers curated frame styles at lower prices. She details the journey from her time at LivingSocial and Taxi Magic to raising $1 million in seed funding, navigating the operational crisis of a production backlog during her first holiday season, and managing recent fundraising challenges including a sudden CFO departure. Framebridge has raised $37 million and continues to scale its direct-to-consumer business by balancing high-quality manufacturing with efficient logistics.
early-stage companies
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Hannah Perez, co-founder of SEEQ Supply, explains how the brand launched clear protein during the pandemic after co-founder Ben’s job offer was revoked. They navigated supply chain delays and sold out their initial 4,000-unit inventory by leveraging viral TikTok content and pre-orders. Now scaling to nine employees, SEEQ is raising funds to support a strategic shift into retail distribution while maintaining its DTC roots.
Val Emanuel, co-founder of Rif Care, discusses building a sustainable feminine care brand using hemp fiber, detailing her journey from a talent agency career to securing manufacturing partners overseas. She explains how the company achieved early retail success with Erewhon through direct networking and highlights the critical importance of email capture workflows for DTC growth. Emanuel also shares candid experiences regarding bias in VC fundraising, advocating for grants and accelerators like Techstars and Jumpstart Foundry as viable alternatives for capital and support.
Troy Bonde, co-founder and CEO of Sauz, explains how he and co-founder Winston used proceeds from a pandemic-era hand sanitizer dispenser business to bootstrap the tomato sauce brand, launching at Erewhon in July 2023. Bonde details how rigorous in-store demo data and unique flavors like hot honey and summer lemon marinara drove rapid expansion from 10 to 3,500 doors, including Whole Foods and Target, within 12 months. He discusses the strategic decision to raise institutional capital from Coefficient Capital to fund growth in a low-margin category, the challenges of fundraising with compelling but early-stage data, and the importance of hiring an ops lead early to manage unit economics and scaling.
Tamar Lucien, founder of Mental Happy, explains how she launched the Cheerbox, a personalized care package, starting with a $250 credit card charge and validating demand through a simple LaunchRock page. She details the pivot from a vague concept to a highly personalized product, sourcing items from local crafters to avoid inventory risk, and the critical decision to keep fulfillment in-house to preserve the emotional connection with customers. Lucien also discusses the operational challenges of scaling, including the failure of early outsourced production teams and the importance of maintaining empathy in customer service and product design.
Becca Wright, founder of Piedmont Pennies, explains how she turned her grandfather's North Carolina cheese cracker recipe into a bootstrapped CPG brand now sold in 35 states. She details the decision to self-manufacture to protect product quality, describing the transition from hand-pinch production to semi-automated packaging and the challenges of finding affordable commercial real estate. Wright also discusses her retail strategy, focusing on boutique and gifting channels rather than mass grocery, and her use of grants to fund early equipment purchases.
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