Hardware Podcasts

Advice Line with Gary Erickson of Clif Bar (May 2024)

How I Built This · 5 Dec 2024 · 57m

What this episode covers

Clif Bar founder Gary Erickson joins Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders: James of Stoke Plastics and Opolis Optics, who recycles ocean-bound plastic into performance eyewear; Valerie Franklin of Artisans Cooperative, a member-owned marketplace challenging Etsy; and Elsie of Lily Brush, who invented a reusable pet hair remover. Erickson advises James to position his material as the 'organic' of plastics and target competitors directly, suggests Valerie differentiate her platform by curating unique gift categories rather than competing on fees, and recommends Elsie leverage word-of-mouth and strategic retail partnerships to scale her lean operation.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Stoke Plastics, Etsy, Artisans Cooperative, PetSmart, Container Store, Amazon, Bissell, Shark
Products
Clif Bar, Opolis Optics, Lily Brush, Power Bar, TRX

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