Advice Line with Chris Riccobono of UNTUCKit

How I Built This · 30 Jul 2026 · 46m

What this episode covers

Chris Riccobono, co-founder of UNTUCKit, discusses the challenges of running two apparel brands, UNTUCKit and Greatness Wins, while navigating tariffs and rising customer acquisition costs. He advises caller Adrian Alvarez of Era Shorts on scaling an athleisure brand by focusing on specific tribes like volleyball players and raising capital early. Riccobono also counsels Preet Anand of Snug Safety on reaching seniors through trusted channels like radio and earned media, and Derek of Hockey Ninja on leveraging NHL clearance and player equity to grow his hockey equipment brand.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 33m

    #232 - 2026 Brand Resolutions

    Host Daniel Scharff interviews Rebecca Styn of Blind Tiger Spirit Free Cocktails, Dava Guthmiller of A Dash of, and Andrew Schundler of CH Matcha about their 2026 brand resolutions. Rebecca resolves to eliminate noise by saying no to unaligned opportunities like expensive celebrity gifting, focusing instead on strategic regional growth. Dava aims to step into the spotlight by sharing her personal story and passion for salt terroir to build authenticity, rather than just curating others' products. Andrew plans to double down on retail execution and in-person tastings for his canned matcha brand, learning from early data to avoid stretching the business too thin.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 1h 10m

    #83 Trade Spend & Retail Promotions 101 with Jake Huber (+ Niramaya)

    Jake Huber, US Sales Director for St Pierre, explains how emerging CPG brands can navigate trade spend and promotions, distinguishing between off-invoice, manufacturer chargebacks (MCB), and scan-backs to drive trial without devaluing the brand. He advises founders to pitch retailers directly to create demand before engaging distributors, ensuring they maintain a healthy trade rate (15-30%) and monitor purchase orders to avoid costly inventory loading. Huber also discusses the strategic use of displays, shippers, and free fills, emphasizing that premium brands should avoid BOGOs and instead focus on building relationships with store-level staff and buyers. The episode concludes with a segment on Niramaya, founder Mehek Khera, who shares her journey from health coaching to launching shelf-stable Indian sauces, highlighting the challenges of scaling production and securing retail placement.

  • Product Startup · 31m

    095: Solve End-User Pain for Consumer Product Success

    Dan Soviero, founder of Signature Athletics, explains how his company achieved $10 million in sales by focusing on solving specific end-user pain points rather than chasing trends. He details the failure of a 'fidget spinner' accessory, which lacked utility, and contrasts it with the success of their durable lacrosse ball, pro-strung sticks, and Quick Connect goals. Soviero also discusses the strategic decision to abandon white-labeling for major brands like Under Armour to maintain direct consumer feedback and drive innovation in safety, visibility, and performance.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 1h 00m

    Founder Fundraising Journey: Craig Dubitsky, Happy Products

    Craig Dubitsky, Co-Founder and CEO of Happy Products, discusses his journey building brands like eos, hello, and Method, and his current venture, Happy, which partners with NAMI. He explains that Happy is in the 'Happy business' with coffee as the delivery system, and details how NAMI holds equity on the cap table from day zero. Dubitsky shares fundraising strategies, emphasizing the importance of an advisory board, identifying manufacturers, and managing expectations that projects will cost more and take longer than anticipated. He also reflects on the acquisition of hello by Colgate, framing it as an 'entrance' rather than an exit, and highlights the critical role of product-market fit, repeat sales, and cross-channel distribution.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 55m

    #207 - FFUPs' Shutdown: Post-Mortem & Lessons for Brands

    Sam Tichnor, founder of the puff snack brand FFUPs, explains how his background at Harry's and Capital One led him to launch a flavor-focused snack company during the pandemic. He details the strategic decision to use radical transparency in branding ('not healthy') and the operational pitfalls of launching with five SKUs and multi-size bags that confused consumers. Tichnor discusses the failure to sustain retail velocity in New York bodegas due to high pricing and insufficient marketing support, ultimately leading to the brand's shutdown in 2024. He now applies these lessons as a finance and ops advisor at Pale Blue Dot.

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.