Hardware Podcasts

Stasher and Modern Twist: Kat Nouri

How I Built This · 22 Nov 2021 · 1h 08m

What this episode covers

Kat Nouri, founder of Modern Twist and Stasher, explains how she leveraged her experience with silicone manufacturing to create reusable storage bags, aiming to replace single-use plastics. She details the strategic pivot from high-end placemats to Stasher bags, the critical role of a partnership with Anova for initial funding and molds, and her decision to reject Mark Cuban’s Shark Tank offer to maintain control. Nouri describes how she secured a major retail deal with Target through a compelling video pitch and successfully sold Stasher to S.C. Johnson to achieve massive distribution.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies and companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Modern Twist, S.C. Johnson, Anova, Electrolux, Target, Swell, Method, Mrs. Meyer's, TerraCycle
Products
Stasher, Ziploc
Also
Shark Tank, Mark Cuban, Red Point

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 1h 00m

    #80 From turning down Shark Tank offers to raising $2.7 million for Nopalera with Sandra Velasquez

    Sandra Velasquez, CEO and founder of Nopalera, discusses her journey from a musician to launching a high-end Latina bath and body brand, including her appearance on Shark Tank where she turned down two offers. She details the process of raising a $2.7 million seed round from scratch, highlighting the importance of valuation assessments, legal costs, and overcoming the 'money begets money' dynamic. Velasquez also shares specific metrics on the post-Shark Tank sales surge, the operational prep required for the influx of demand, and the company's current scaling efforts into new product categories like aluminum-packaged body wash.

    Fundraising & investorsCrowdfunding & preorders
    6 chapters

  • People of Packaging · 1h 10m

    350 - Beyond the Dieline - Dr Juan from PNuff Crunch joins Tom Seymour

    Dr. Juan Salinas, founder of Pnuff Crunch, discusses his transition from food science roles at Nabisco, Cadbury, Kraft, and Nestle to launching his own functional snack brand. He details the operational challenges of scaling production, specifically the costly mistake of over-purchasing long-run packaging film rolls and the strategic pivot to digital printing and smart plate design to manage inventory. Salinas also recounts his viral Shark Tank appearance, where Mark Cuban’s intervention saved the pitch, leading to Cuban’s investment, and explains how Pnuff Crunch’s high-protein, high-fiber formulation targets modern dietary trends including GLP-1 companion foods.

    Crowdfunding & preordersPricing, margins & unit economics
    7 chapters

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 32m

    Oddball's Path From Idea to Funding a Nationwide Target Launch

    Sophia Cheng, Founder and CEO of Oddball, details her unconventional path from management consulting and Bridgewater Associates to launching a fruit snack brand inspired by her childhood in Singapore. She explains how she validated the product through benchtop formulations at farmers markets and pitch competitions before securing funding, ultimately achieving a nationwide launch at Target. Cheng discusses the specific challenges of fundraising as a first-time, minority woman founder in 2023, emphasizing the mental shift from convincing investors to finding aligned partners, and her strategy for managing a cap table with approximately 20 investors in her first round.

    Fundraising & investorsValidation & product-market fit
    6 chapters

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 1h 00m

    From turning down Shark Tank offers to raising $2.7 million for Nopalera with Sandra Velasquez (2023)

    Sandra Velasquez, CEO & Founder of Nopalera, discusses her journey from a musician to launching a high-end Latina bath and body brand, her appearance on Shark Tank where she turned down two offers, and her subsequent $2.7 million seed round. She details the rigorous preparation for the TV pitch, including valuation assessments and inventory scaling, and explains how the show drove significant sales across Shopify and Amazon. Velasquez also shares insights on building a fundraising network from scratch, the importance of brand positioning in the beauty category, and Nopalera's expansion into aluminum-bottled liquid products.

    Fundraising & investorsCrowdfunding & preorders
    7 chapters

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 34m

    Founder Feature: Sarah Nathan of NOOISH

    Sarah Nathan, founder of NOOISH, discusses launching a shelf-stable instant matzo ball soup, leveraging her decade of CPG experience from roles at Chobani Incubator and Patagonia Provisions. She details the two-year recipe development process, utilizing barter networks and resources from the American Egg Board to create a clean-label broth. Nathan explains her decision to self-manufacture to ensure quality control and her strategy of funding the venture through a community-driven pre-order campaign and diverse business loans.

    Starting a product companyValidation & product-market fit
    8 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by How I Built This. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.