# Advice Line with Norma Kamali of Norma Kamali (November 2024)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2025-07-10
- Length: 50m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-07-10-advice-line-with-norma-kamali-of-norma-kamali-november-2024

## Summary

Fashion designer Norma Kamali joins Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders: Ahmed Ijaz of Cambridge Spectacle Company, Bob Wilkoff of Sunny Bowls, and Adriana Alvarez of Love Her Shop. Kamali advises Ijaz on translating his brand's Cambridge heritage into a compelling investor pitch, suggests Wilkoff innovate with grab-and-go soup formats to break category barriers, and warns Alvarez against premature wholesale expansion without strategic partners. The episode highlights the tension between creative vision and financial scalability in physical product businesses.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-07-10-advice-line-with-norma-kamali-of-norma-kamali-november-2024#t=0) Introduction: Norma Kamali and the Advice Line Format
- [7:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-07-10-advice-line-with-norma-kamali-of-norma-kamali-november-2024#t=428) Ahmed Ijaz and Cambridge Spectacle Company: Pitching Investors
- [22:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-07-10-advice-line-with-norma-kamali-of-norma-kamali-november-2024#t=1361) Bob Wilkoff and Sunny Bowls: Breaking the Soup Category
- [35:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-07-10-advice-line-with-norma-kamali-of-norma-kamali-november-2024#t=2148) Adriana Alvarez and Love Her Shop: Scaling and Wholesale Risks
- [48:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-07-10-advice-line-with-norma-kamali-of-norma-kamali-november-2024#t=2925) Final Advice: Learning from Mistakes and Business Wisdom

## Topics

- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Norma Kamali (other)
- Cambridge Spectacle Company (company)
- Sunny Bowls (company)
- Love Her Shop (company)
- Warby Parker (company)
- Jones Apparel (company)
- Walmart (company)
- Lululemon (company)
- Sweetgreen (company)
- Starbucks (company)
- Vogue (other)
- Bizarre (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#100 Toasting to 100 Episodes of The Startup CPG Podcast with Our Favorite Moments](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-07-25-100-toasting-to-100-episodes-of-the-startup-cpg-podcast-with-our-favorite-moment) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#169 - "How to Take Advice" with Nikhil Arora](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-11-12-169-how-to-take-advice-with-nikhil-arora) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#244 - Live Pitch Practice & Feedback](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-04-14-244-live-pitch-practice-feedback) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Tabi and Meena Hoshmand of Tursh](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-14-founder-feature-tabi-and-meena-hoshmand-of-tursh) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Investor Spotlight: Consumer Psychology, Channel Strategy, and What Actually Makes Brands Win — David Bell, Idea Farm Ventures](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-06-13-investor-spotlight-consumer-psychology-channel-strategy-and-what-actually-makes) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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