Side Hustlers (2024) s02e04 Episode Script

1
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
Show me what you can do ♪
La, la, la, la, la, la, la ♪
La, la, la, la, la, la ♪
Hey ♪
Come on ♪
I said, show me what you can do. ♪
I'm stressing out
because I still have not been able
to tell my employer about Gloria's Shito.
It's just trying to keep
what I have, and I think
I need that safety net,
in case it doesn't work out.
Light your candle ♪
Blow it out. ♪
This week, we're challenging
our hustlers to explore
the marketing options for their brands.
It could be with an event,
with social media or anything else
that they think will get
their brand exposure.
But it's got to show us
how good of an investment
their business can really be.
Every one of our hustlers has something
different to prove to us as investors.
And with the final pitch
just one week away,
we're gonna be watching really closely.
24/7 on a hustle ♪
All the blood, sweat and tears ♪
Through the years, baby, have no fear ♪
Oh, no. ♪
I have things.
Oh, I need the stuff
that's on the bottom of that.
Do we want to put some out
like this or leave it more open?
Yeah, I don't want to clutter it.
-I like it clean.
-Okay. Okay.
Our final pitch with Emma and Ashley
is coming up.
I think the pressure feels that much more
'cause I don't feel like we are headed
in the right direction.
This opportunity to be part
of this wellness event
just feels like the right time
to physically go and just meet people
before our marketing event in a few days.
I'm not gonna lie
and say that I love people,
-but I am gonna say
-(laughs)
talking about our products
is the easiest thing for me.
We also have an opportunity
to talk to them
-more broadly about our vision
-Yeah.
-and get more
consumer insights about
-Like, on the spot,
-unfiltered. Yeah.
-STACY: On the spot.
It's a brand. It looks cool, yeah.
I have to go online and check it out more.
MERAV:
There's this, which is our answer
to, like, a hydrocortisone.
So, you click the bottom, put it on.
You don't even have to touch
the bite with it.
We have to figure out
where the business needs to go.
So, these are
our Don't Scratch That Patches.
They're like pimple patches,
but for mosquito bites.
-Oh.
-So it's an all-natural anti-itch remedy.
I saw the words "first aid"
when I was sitting there.
-So I wasn't sure what it was.
-Wait, so
-I have a question for you.
-Yeah.
So when you do think of first aid,
what are the first three products
that come to mind?
-I think of, like, Band-Aids
-Mm-hmm.
gauze, maybe some, like, Neosporin.
STACY:
Our brand and our products,
it just doesn't land. It's confusing.
Even I was like, "I know,
if I were on the other side of this,
I'm a little bit unclear."
We started with mosquito bites
and mosquito bite remedies,
but the goal is ultimately
to, like, replace
the first aid kit as you know it
with "better for you,
better for the planet" products.
So that's, like, where you're probably
gonna try to evolve to, then.
-That's right. That's our goal.
-Okay.
I think this accelerated the need
to more clearly tell
a whole story about our brand.
I just wish we had more time.
♪
JAHAN:
I actually have
a contract that I need your help with.
So one party's basically qualifying
for the loan
-Mm-hmm.
-and the other party owns the land.
TANIA:
Balancing our day jobs with
the Brune is a constant feeling
of being behind, on everything.
Both of those jobs
are incredibly demanding.
So, this client reached out, and they said
they wanted to do a partnership,
but I think that it sounds
-more like a joint venture, so
-Okay.
We, as it is, can barely keep our cookies
stocked on the shelves.
So marketing has, honestly,
not been our top priority.
TANIA:
It's kind of fallen off the radar,
but now we have a marketing event
coming up soon.
We need to make sure that we are strategic
and efficient and correct.
We have a lot of learning to do.
And we are very aware of the stakes here,
and that keeps us up at night.
There are so many pressing things
to do for Brune.
So exhausting. Ugh.
♪
-KATHLEEN: Gloria.
-Hi, Kathleen. How are you?
-"She-too."
-"She-tor."
-"She-tor."
-Yes. That it.
-Okay.
-(chuckles) I know it's hard to pronounce.
Marketing for your business
is so important,
because it can make or break
not only the brand, but the launch.
It is the thing that can totally set
your business apart
from anything that's like it.
So I'm having Gloria meet
with Kathleen Griffith.
She is a marketing expert,
and she's gonna be able to help
with a great game plan.
I'm so excited to dive into your brand.
-Yeah.
-I want to hear
-the story of marketing.
-Okay.
That's been, um, a challenge.
It doesn't come naturally.
Yes, I do get some engagement,
but I think I need to let go of
-not doing it right.
-Social media is so tough.
-Mm-hmm.
-And content creation is so tough.
-Yeah.
-Especially when you, as the founder,
are front and center.
And so, I would just think about
sharing from a place
of genuine, authentic care.
To me, your brand is screaming,
"PR, PR, PR."
Just people who are in media
talking about your brand,
saying it's great.
And you are so PR-friendly.
From a marketing standpoint,
my thought for you would be to do
Maybe it's a curated dinner
where you bring in a chef
and work with them
on integrating your product
-into one of their dishes.
-Mm-hmm.
So it becomes this really interesting
signature dish
on their menu,
and you're called out on the menu
-Yeah.
-as featured.
Yeah, I have ideas.
-You have ideas?
-Yeah. Yeah.
-Okay, that's-that's good. That's good.
-Mm-hmm.
'Cause I have a favorite chef.
-Like, I'm obsessed with him.
-Okay.
Um, his name is
Chef Timothy Hollingsworth.
He owns a restaurant called Otium,
and that's my favorite restaurant in L.A.
I'm gonna ask him if he wants to do this.
-There you have the dream.
-Mm-hmm.
Go have that courageous conversation
-Yeah. Mm-hmm.
-make those outrageous asks
and see what's possible.
I'm gonna try and make this happen.
With the final pitch coming up,
I have to find the time to-to get it done.
If I didn't have to show up
at my day job,
I can accomplish all of these things.
If I want this dream, then what gives?
Thank you so much.
♪
We're doing this.
I'm living my dream that my favorite chef,
Chef Tim, is taking my favorite,
beloved Ghanian condiment, shito,
and creating a curated dinner experience.
That's going to be happening here
at my favorite restaurant, Otium L.A.
I just got, honestly,
the most exciting news
of my entire Bonbuz career.
-Mwah. (laughs)
-FAY: Outside of Ashley, obviously.
We just got into Bristol Farms.
Oh, thank you.
Bristol Farms that is, like,
a, you know, midsized regional retailer
said yes to us, which just shows me
that, actually, you know,
this category isn't just trending,
it's actually a movement.
Bristol Farms is creating shelf space for,
you know, non-alc and functional drinks.
And it gives us so much validation.
And hopefully,
Ashley's gonna be like, "Yo,"
like, "you're doing big things,
and I want to be a part of this,
like, right now."
(sighs)
That is a sigh of a day that, um,
just doesn't go as expected.
Juggling the kids being home,
getting ready for back-to-school,
our work, trying to do kind of, like,
the daily stuff that's necessary,
catching up on emails.
All the things, all the things, and
I'm just trying to show myself some grace.
Grace is the name of the game right now,
everybody.
♪
-Hi!
-Gloria!
EMMA:
Ashley and I both really love Gloria,
but right now,
it's really clear to me
that Gloria's lack of confidence
is what's holding her back at the moment.
And honestly, she's gonna need
to get out of her own way.
First of all, this is the first time
that we've actually been able
to sit down, the three of us,
since the pitch.
-Yes.
-Crazy.
I met with Kathleen Griffith.
-Yeah?
-She put, um, the idea in my head
to put Gloria's Shito
into the hands of a chef.
-Yes.
-And so, I reached out
-So good.
-to my favorite chef.
-You did?
-Chef Tim at Otium.
I'd like to invite you
to this culinary voyage.
-Yeah!
-Oh!
-We're gonna get to eat his food?
-Yes.
-We're eating his food!
-When? When, when, when?
-He's such a good chef. I'm telling you
-No, no. Literally
when he opened in New York,
you could not get a seat.
EMMA:
I love that
as a marketing event for you.
How much are you spending on the event?
GLORIA:
In total,
it's $4,000.
-I like you. Frugal.
-Yeah, and that came yeah, that came
-from the 15.
-Great.
-Good.
And I have a vision
to, like, bring my culture.
So the mission is not just Gloria's Shito.
The mission is to introduce people
in the Western world
to my cultural cuisine.
-How are you feeling?
-It's been a lot of challenge,
being a woman, a Black woman,
an immigrant woman,
trying to start a business.
Oftentimes, like, you're not respected,
'cause you look like a risk.
-If I talk to a manufacturer
-I get it.
they're like,
"Well, what do you have to show"
-Yeah, they're like, "Where are your
people? Where are your backers?"
-Right.
Emma, like, how have you done it?
Like, how have you been able to have
people respect you and listen to you?
I'm not immune from it, right?
Let's just tell the truth.
My Achilles' heel
is that I'm super dyslexic.
So when it comes
to numbers, sometimes, to me,
in the past,
it's just been scrambled eggs.
And so, it was always a source
of insecurity for me.
I'd be in an investor meeting,
be in a bank,
preparing for a board meeting,
and I'm, like
(strains)
you know, stumble over my words.
And then, you know, people start to assume
that you must have
other people around you.
Gloria, this is what I will tell you.
They are not your people.
-ASHLEY: Yes.
-The people you'll work with
and you'll be successful with
will look to you for the answers,
'cause this is your product.
You single-handedly went out there,
took your culture,
took everything you know,
and you put it in a jar.
You've already done the work.
You've already got the respect,
because it's, like, do you know what?
To do this, to do that journey
to be a chemist,
and then get a product like that,
it's, like,
if people don't understand
that they should respect you,
-they ain't the people
you need to be in business with.
-Exactly.
-You're sitting here now.
So it's all been validated.
-Mm-hmm.
-Girl, we believe in you.
-So I think that you've got to
Oh, yeah, we do.
-Mm-hmm.
-We really believe in you,
-but you got to believe in you.
-You have to know that
you're in this place right now
because you were meant to be here,
and you worked your ass off to be here.
So be proud of yourself.
-Thank you both.
-Yeah.
-Thank you so much.
-Good to see you.
-(laughs)
-GLORIA: Emma and Ashley
have given me great advice.
Doesn't, obviously, happen overnight.
I'm walking away today
feeling a little bit more clarity.
(exhales)
GLORIA:
I'm going to go back
and really put effort
in being more confident,
so that when I show up
for this marketing event,
I'm showing up with my confident self.
I'm showing up as Gloria 2.0.
Mwah. We'll see you at lunch.
-Yes.
-Whoo!
Can't wait.
♪
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
Gold, we're gold ♪
Oh, hi.
Happy to see you guys again.
Did you Are these cookies for me?
(laughing)
-These cookies are for you.
-It's a special batch.
-I feel like we don't know. Really?
-It is.
This is our first batch
out of our co-packer.
-(gasps) No way.
-Yeah.
Oh, my God. How exciting!
This is the scaled,
mass-produced version of Brune.
Wow. What do you guys think?
Let's see what you think.
This is gonna be a big test. I mean,
there's always this fear that,
when you go from hand-scooping
homemade cookies to mass manufacturing,
that there's gonna be a change in quality.
Should I just try
and tell you what I think?
I've eaten enough of these cookies by now
to feel like I can have
a-a nuanced opinion.
Listen, I'm always so honest.
They don't taste any different to me
-Yay.
-Amazing.
They do still taste very homemade.
Oh, my gosh. Okay.
This is the best possible reaction
that we could've gotten.
A huge weight has been
lifted off our shoulders.
I'm just, I feel really proud.
In these early days, it's like
you want to think about promoting
your product.
And that's what I'd really want to see
for your marketing event.
-Simple as that.
-Yes.
I'm a little bit nervous
about our marketing pop-up event.
We are going to be doing a cookie tasting
at a local coffee shop.
It's the first time
we're going to be sharing our
co-packer cookies with anyone
from the public.
We really like them.
Thankfully, Emma also liked them.
But this is the final test.
So, do you feel like
you guys are in a position now
that you can do some,
like, long-range planning?
-I think so.
-I think so, yeah.
I'd love for you to do that
because, I think, as far as
the final pitch goes, if I'm
gonna give you guys money,
I really want to know that
you thought about what's happening
right around the corner,
which is so important.
The next 12 months is gonna be
life-changing for you guys.
It's gonna change everything,
but you have to have a plan to be on that.
That's what I really want to see.
It's really clear to me that these girls
are at a critical point of their business.
There's so much retail opportunity,
so much interest,
they know how to scale production.
I really just want to make sure
that they're able to take advantage
of this opportunity.
And without a clear understanding
of their cash flow
and exactly how this business
is gonna run,
those opportunities can quickly
become overwhelming.
You're figuring things out as you
are, like, going through this business,
but I really want you
to be super inquisitive.
Yeah.
And I know 100% you can do that.
True.
The wicked get no rest together ♪
Protest and arrest together ♪
Settle for no less, not ever ♪
Get it off our chest together ♪
Left of center, off the record ♪
My people, gonna rise up ♪
Gonna, gonna rise. ♪
-ASHLEY: Hi, gorgie.
-Hi.
-How are you?
-I'm so good. How are you?
Good.
Here, have a seat.
Lot's-lot's been happening. (laughs)
I-I can't wait to get into it.
Okay, so tell me,
last time we spoke, we were talking
about talking to doc the Dr. Buz?
Dr. Buz. Dr. Buz has made an appearance
-on our TikTok.
-Oh.
You know, he's our
PhD formulation scientist.
The name is Buz. Dr. Buz.
Dr. Buz is the face of Bonbuz.
He drives our social media.
Today's ingredient du jour is 5-HTP.
Added to the Bonbuz beverages,
in the human body,
5-HTP is converted to serotonin,
which helps to balance sleep,
appetite, and mood,
among other things.
FAY:
With ten to 100,000 followers,
from a content standpoint,
I will do whatever it takes
to make Bonbuz successful.
This is Dr. Buz signing off.
This is what you need.
-That's great.
-I know.
But, more excitingly,
we got Bristol Farms.
Woop, woop, woop!
Woop, woop! That's awesome.
First regional retailer, so
-This is exciting.
-But it's all 20 stores
in the social tonic section.
Social tonic section.
-What are you gonna be by?
-It's-it's a refrigerated section,
which basically is functional
and nonalcoholic.
So, you'll be by, like, the kombucha,
and you'll be by your competitors.
-Yes.
-Okay.
So, this is why your bottle
also has to speak to the person
when they're, like, looking at it.
Like, why would I want that?
The buzz without the booze is the feeling
that we're trying to get people
to pick it up off the shelf.
But you're not getting a buzz.
You're-you're feeling good about yourself.
But saying that this is an alcohol
replacement is not accurate.
Why the F does alcohol
have to own the buzz?
You know? Like, it really
But what buzz are you getting from Bonbuz?
I don't get a buzz.
-Yeah.
-I'm not gonna pick up
a Bonbuz if I'm getting buzzed
in the middle of the day. I'm not.
-Yeah.
-FAY: I'm definitely listening,
but there's more that I want to say
that I'm not saying because
I need to be open to feedback.
If you're saying,
"Well, this and this and this,"
and I'm saying, "But this is how I feel,"
then this is exactly what's gonna
happen to your customer.
ASHLEY:
If she's not gonna take
constructive criticism,
I got to think about,
"Is this really where I want to put
a lot of my money?"
And that's where it's confusing.
So, for the marketing event,
I want you to do the blind taste test
that we discussed last time I saw you.
This is gonna be helpful.
I'm glad you're doing this.
We just have to get the messaging correct.
-The can has to snap, and that's it.
-Yeah.
I want to remind you that
this is all leading up
to a bigger moment when
you are going to pitch
to me and Emma again.
I want to see the timeline
of-of what you've done
since we met to now.
I still am like (grunts)
"Do I want to invest in something
that's so crowded?"
But I believe in the product.
You have a lot of work ahead of you.
Yeah, definitely.
FAY:
There's a lot happening,
but we really need this feedback
on Sunday to help us determine
what the next phase of Bonbuz cans
are gonna look like.
You guys follow me this way.
EMMA:
The last time I spoke with Stacy
and Merav, I gave them some real honest,
tough love about their business.
Your current plan,
like, literally, you know,
when you do that little trash, like,
trash it and then empty trash.
Like, I'm not joking.
I'm really anxious
to hear what they've done
since we last spoke,
and I really want to know,
how are they even planning
to move this business forward?
Last time we spoke,
we kind of ended our conversation
being like, "Let's rip up the plan
and start again."
So, I'm very curious to know
what you've been doing,
what you've come up with.
I think we have some thoughts based on
all the information we're taking in and
where we're feeling and where we could go.
All points are leading to this idea
that we haven't been clear
about how we convey our mission,
that we are about plant-powered first aid.
We have to decide if we are
going to just keep
trying to move inventory to get
small amounts of cash in the door,
or do we want to pause
and really kind of
go back to this, like, broader vision
-of what we're trying to do.
-Yeah. Back to the drawing board.
It's pausing,
but, like, I kind of freak out
when we say pause completely.
It's, like, more of, like, a simmer.
Take it to a simmer.
EMMA:
So, I know exactly where you're at.
There's a disconnect between
what you're actually doing right now
-plant-powered bug spray
-MERAV: Right.
and-and the broader mission.
And it's like you entered the market
in the only way
-that you could see possible and feasible.
-Yeah.
-Yes.
EMMA:
And then you wanted to branch out.
And I think the big issue is that
we're not necessarily
connecting with consumers.
We aren't getting the sales in.
It hasn't caught, right?
It's not like you've got
people going, "God, like, I get it.
I understand it."
That's gonna allow you to make
the sales, get the cash in the business,
and then keep organically growing.
The most important thing is you don't want
to be losing any more money here.
It's really, really important,
that discipline as an entrepreneur
'cause it doesn't make any sense.
Part of it is, I think, because we've been
so focused on
selling the products that we created
because we knew that we couldn't launch
with six products that were all different.
-We had to pick something.
-Totally.
And that's what we picked.
It's what got us here.
I think, at this point,
what you have to do
is take a step back and go,
"Actually, where are we
with this business?"
If you're going to talk about first aid,
it's Band-Aids, it's antiseptic cream,
it's a bandage.
The first stuff that you reach for.
I'm not coming to bug until, like,
maybe product three or four.
The company's at a stall.
You just need to go,
"This product doesn't sell."
I don't think you are meeting
the challenge head on here.
We've got to say, "We're gonna redo this
"All Better Co.
'cause we believe in our idea,
and we think it's really wonderful."
I don't necessarily agree
that the product is wrong
-But it isn't selling like you want it to.
-Correct.
-But it's
-EMMA: There's something in the product
'cause you're not selling it.
People either want
the product or they don't.
No good stuff just sits there,
and it's like, "Oh"
But this needed marketing.
Good stuff will sell. People will find it.
That's just the nature
of being on the Internet.
I don't know enough
to know if that's true.
I mean, do you believe that?
I'm sitting here with billions of dollars
in shareholder value, right?
I am one of the most successful
self-made women
in this country, bar none.
I've been here for six years.
Just listen to me.
I'm sitting here with billions of dollars
in shareholder value.
I am one of the most successful
self-made women in this country.
-STACY: Yeah.
-Just listen to me.
-Okay.
-If you make a product that people want,
they will come.
MERAV:
The way we're heading is not
it's not leading us down the right path.
-Totally.
-Just tell us what to do.
Tell you what to do?
I'm a mentor. I'm not your mother.
A founder that can't even take guidance
and run with it is someone
I have so much concern
about working with.
What are we doing here?
Listen, Merav, you are
the most no bullshit person,
so I feel like I'll talk to you.
This is not about me
putting you in a corner.
This is about just being really honest.
Here's what I would do today.
I don't want you to spend any more money
on what you were doing.
I think that you need to stop,
put that to the side,
refocus the business,
bring to life
what your initial intention
was with this brand.
To create a plant-powered first aid kit.
Going to retail right now,
would you waste a retail opportunity
trying to sell bug spray and the patches
when the reality is that
you want to come into market
with an entirely different
product proposition?
I don't think you need to host
a marketing event.
We want to get to a different place
where we've got a first aid kit.
You got to have a business to market.
I agree with every single thing
that you're saying,
and I'm down to do every single thing
that you're suggesting.
I'm three years in on no income.
-Like right now, I just don't
feel like I can breathe.
-I know.
I know that this is the thing
that's going to change our life.
I know it.
I really feel for you both, deeply.
Mistakes are fine so long
as you learn from them.
Stop the cash going out.
Focus on what it is that you want to do.
Start developing those products
and reformulate your pitch
so that when we stand
opposite each other,
you have some forward trajectory
from the moment I met you
to that final pitch moment.
That's all that matters. That's it.
That's my advice.
That's what I'm telling you to do.
Okay.
We know what we need to do.
It's just still scary
because we could still do
all of these things
and still not get investment.
There's no safety net.
We need to start putting in the work
and seeing how far and where we can get.
-I'm done feeling my feelings for today.
-No, you're not.
♪
After working for ten hours,
I was feeling delirious.
I went and got gas, and I drove away
with a pump still in my car.
Thank goodness for
the Ally emergency fund.
I'm going to be able to use this
to repair the damage.
I'm laughing now because it's funny,
but yesterday I was not laughing.
♪
We're doing a little tasting experience.
Properly launching the cans to consumers,
having some fun,
getting a little feedback.
The priority for us is going to be
getting feedback.
Right? This is going to be our first shot.
Oh, hi.
JAMIE:
Our brand is called Bonbuz.
We have ready-to-drink
functional beverages.
-We're doing a taste test.
-Against similar types of products
to see which one you like more.
FAY:
To have Jamie, who is
our head of finance, come out
for this blind tasting experience,
it's so important because
how is this actually going to go?
-Let's do it.
-JAMIE: Okay, perfect.
This is a huge risk we're about to take.
Well, you guys are going to need
to turn around
-so there's no cheating.
-(laughs)
Bonbuz, Bonbuz,
Bonbuz, Bonbuz. ♪
-You look so cute.
-FAY: Thank you.
-You look
-I dressed up for you.
You look You look like a walking Bonbuz.
This is a really saturated market
right now.
You're seeing a lot
of non-alc, a lot of functional.
So, I just want to make sure
that this is the drink
that everybody needs to have.
That's why this marketing event
is incredibly important.
Honesty. Brutal honesty.
CUSTOMER:
The flavor is really light.
I like this one a lot more.
-Yep.
-Just like fresh.
I could drink this all day.
I don't like this one
as much as the other two.
Oh, this is my favorite.
JAMIE:
Okay.
Judgment time.
What were everyone's favorites?
-The second, without a doubt.
-The second and the last were like
JAMIE: Second and the last?
Killed it!
Those are ours.
-Really? They did?
-No way.
Genuinely?
Seeing people say
that Bonbuz is their favorite?
So encouraging.
I don't really like
the aftertaste on this one.
-What are the favorites?
-Two and four for me.
-Yes!
-So, yeah, this was, this was
-This was four. This was two.
-Killed it.
-Oh, wow.
-Oh!
This is why it's so important in business
to have a marketing event,
so that you have proof of concept.
The fourth one for me
is probably my favorite.
And the second one was a close call.
JAMIE:
Okay.
They love Bonbuz.
ASHLEY:
Every single person that came in
and took a sip of each one of those drinks
proved not only to Fay,
but to me, the investor,
that Bonbuz is number one
across the board.
I'm just, like, jumping up and down.
I can't believe we won
on a blind taste test.
The hardest thing is, like,
you're on the shelf.
-How do you get people,
one, to take you off the shelf?
-Right.
To give you a try against brands
-that they already know and they like?
-Mm-hmm.
But it's like, oh,
on a blind taste test, we win.
Which is amazing feedback.
Anything that you're learning
that you didn't know?
People are like, "I would drink this
throughout the day."
There are some people who are like, oh,
-this is more of like a cocktail,
like happy hour vibe to me.
-Interesting.
We've been trying to figure out
are we a non-alc replacement
or are we a functional drink?
And today it was like, oh, people
are going to drink this throughout.
I've said it before and I'll say it again,
we're a functional non-alc drink. (laughs)
So, mission accomplished.
Because we're competing
against some big brands
with huge dollars behind them
and our product is winning.
Yay.
Next time I see you is at the pitch.
-Keep it up. I'm so proud of you.
-Thank you.
(both cheering)
♪
-So, Connie.
-Hmm?
I need your help.
Yes. That's what I'm here for.
What do you need?
We have to put together
this marketing event at Otium.
-Remember my favorite restaurant?
-Yes.
Chef Tim agreed and he's going
to add shito to the menu
to kind of showcase
the flavors of Ghana.
-That's amazing.
-My mentors are going to be there.
I have to prove to them
that the vision is attainable
and I'm the person to do it.
-And the global
condiment revenue is
-Skyrocketing.
It's about 140 billion.
I am thinking, how can I create
generational wealth,
creating stability
for the people around me?
My parents,
my siblings,
anyone that I'm able to support.
I have the potential
to make things better.
They want me to be confident,
and that's something that I doubt myself
and how do I show them
that I believe in this brand
and I'm confident in it?
Have you ever tried the power pose?
-Ooh.
-No, it's scientifically proven.
It works?
It raises your testosterone level,
apparently,
and, like, it builds confidence.
-Okay.
-So like right before you do anything
-And then just like put
your hands on your
-Yeah, yeah.
-On your hips and, like,
puff up your chest.
-Okay.
-Lift your chin up.
-I have to try it.
-Yeah, yeah.
-All right, you got to show me.
Yeah. It's like the confidence dance.
Yeah.
So you just walk in a room
and you just put your hands on your
I do that right before interviews.
Right before I walk in the door,
I literally stand there
and I take three deep breaths
and I'm like, "I got this."
-Okay.
-And then you walk in.
-I have to practice this
for the next couple of days.
-Yeah. Yeah.
I understand that it's important
to be personable
and let people trust
the person behind the brand,
but I know what I'm good at,
creating a delicious product.
I am a chemist. That's what I do well.
And I'm not comfortable
having attention on me.
So, this is going to be a challenge.
I'm putting in overtime ♪
I always stay on my grind ♪
Yeah, yeah, a girl's
got to work, yeah, yeah. ♪
-So, we'll put this
right here in the middle?
-I think so.
I'm really excited for people
to try these co-packer cookies.
I know. Up until now,
our cookies have always been
hand-scooped and hand-packaged.
This is the first time we're actually
going to be sharing cookies
that were made in, like,
a big automated facility.
This is going to be an exciting test
to see what people think.
You guys want to try some cookies?
Growing up as a woman,
I always wanted to prove myself,
especially to my Afghan community.
Part of that is why I became a lawyer.
Would you like to try some cookies?
Okay.
And now I feel like I need
to prove that this concept
is going to work, too,
and that I'm not just
going to make this big jump
in my career for no reason.
Would you like to try a cookie?
Sure.
All of our cookies are vegan
and gluten free.
-Beautiful.
-And they're all refined sugar free,
super clean.
-It's really good.
-Thank you.
-Thank you.
Does it taste vegan or gluten free to you?
No, it's really good.
It's, like, buttery.
The texture's a little crumbly.
-Ooh. "Buttery."
That sounds really nice.
-Yeah.
And they're actually
made with tahini. (chuckles)
-They're good.
-Thank you.
Does this taste vegan
and gluten free to you?
No, it's delicious.
-JAHAN: Thank you.
-TANIA: Yay. Thank you.
-Yeah.
-Would you like to try a cookie?
-No, thanks.
EMMA:
Tania and Jahan are so impressive,
but I've not really seen anything
from them on the marketing front.
-Oh, hello.
-TANIA: Oh, hi.
Fancy seeing you two here.
I'm interested to see how do they
interpret this marketing event
and can they create
something that's engaging
where they can make content
and actually use it?
What's the response so far?
-It's been really, really great, actually.
-No problem with the co-packer cookies.
EMMA:
Oh, that's really good. I'm so glad
that you're not seeing the difference.
So, talk to me a bit about marketing
because you don't do much of this, right?
So, the sampling we do oftentimes
at grocery stores or cafés
where we're already selling
to bring people back into the store
to buy Brune and introduce them to it.
With Brune Kitchen, marketing
is going to be absolutely essential.
It's a really expensive product
and it's a refrigerated cookie,
so it's not easy to find.
My expectation was way higher,
and that's why this stuff,
like your visual, how you tell the story,
becomes so important.
Because what happens
when you're not there, right?
It's like this has to do
all the heavy lifting.
I don't know if I'm just being critical.
I'm not sure I'm following it
as you've intended.
We already felt a little bit of pressure
going into this marketing event.
Now, this feedback from Emma,
it's definitely a disappointment.
There's so much work to do in this area.
And while they're brilliant,
brilliant businesswomen,
the creativity is really lacking
on this front.
At the end of all of this,
there's just the two of you.
And so one of you being full-time,
and absolutely dedicated
to the business is going to be a must.
Like right now, you can manage it
and get back to emails at 7:00 p.m.
When your business takes that step up,
that won't be the case anymore.
And so I think that's the big thing.
We're both kind of ready to go all in.
I think we'd probably go at the same time.
I think you're right on the precipice
of that being the right decision.
I would like to see you
with one more committed retailer
before you quit your job.
At that point, you're being realistic
about where you're at
and realistic about
what it's going to take
to get to where you need to go.
-Yes.
-You two have done like a real journey.
Yeah, we've accelerated a lot of things
we wanted to do, thanks to you.
-Yeah.
-So, we're excited to share it with you.
That makes me so happy.
I'm like, "Bring it on."
(laughter)
♪
-You nervous?
-To talk.
It's our first podcast.
It's gonna be great.
Purely from a marketing
and branding standpoint,
being able to go
on our very first podcast,
it's a really good way
to rebuild consumer awareness
about the future of our business.
-Hi.
-Hello.
STACY:
Now we're reinventing All Better Co 2.0.
We decided that we're gonna kick off
the All Better Co. podcast tour.
The ability to share our story
and get people hopefully bought into,
like, where we're heading with it,
that's what we want.
If you guys are ready,
we're gonna get going.
-Let's do this.
-KELSEY: Okay.
Hey. Hey, everyone.
Welcome back to another episode
of Whiskey & Work.
The skincare brand All Better Co. is
going wild this summer,
so I am thrilled to introduce you
to our incredible guests today,
Stacy and Merav.
You have a lot of different products
that are rolling out,
but do you have, like,
a favorite right now?
Mine is definitely
our Don't Scratch That Pen.
But mostly because
it's just become such a saving grace
for my entire family.
The goal for us is we're reinventing
mom's first aid kit.
So I think our roadmap for what's
on the horizon is-is really
what I'm excited about.
-Oh, my gosh.
-MERAV: Get ready to clean out
the drawers in the medicine cabinet.
We want to bring you
better versions from a trusted source.
KELSEY:
Oh, my gosh. It's time.
It's time for that, too.
STACY:
I feel
so optimistic and excited
to bring this version
of our business to people
because it makes so much sense.
And now I know that people
want it and it's just
very nice to get the validation
going into our final pitch.
This was so fun.
-This was great.
-KELSEY: Yeah.
BOTH:
Thank you so much.
♪
-GLORIA: I'm gonna go find Chef Tim.
-CONNIE: Okay.
-Remember to breathe.
-Okay. Okay.
-Okay? Remember to breathe.
-Okay.
-Hi, Chef Tim.
-TIM: Hey.
-How are you?
-I'm good. Good to see you.
Good to see you as well.
Thank you so much for today.
-Definitely.
-Thank you for saying yes.
-(laughs)
-Yes. We're excited to have you.
We-we had a lot of fun.
-Yeah?
-Developing the menu.
Oh, my goodness.
It's a dream come true.
A manifestation come true.
As a small brand,
collaboration with a world-renowned chef,
something that I didn't think
was attainable for me, is
unbelievable.
It says Gloria's Shito
on the menu.
My cup is overflowing.
Okay.
(chuckling)
Um
Let me get you doing a quick little trend.
Can you please come step over here?
Today I have with me
my social media coach, Andrea.
-Love that. That was magnificent.
-Yeah.
Also, my photographer Allesandra
will capture the event.
This is my chance to show my mentors
that I can step up to the challenge
and confidently be me.
-Hello
-(gasps) Kathleen.
Hi.
I am so happy you're here.
I really wanted you to be here.
You nailed it, girl!
It was your words.
I heard you,
and I was like, you know what?
I know exactly what I'm gonna go do.
ASHLEY:
So I'm bringing a surprise guest,
my friend Bozoma Saint John.
Gloria is going to be so excited.
Hello, Gloria.
(squealing):
What?
-We brought a special guest for you.
-(laughing)
-Hi!
-Special guest.
-Hello. Hello.
-GLORIA: Bozoma?
BOZOMA:
Yes.
Bozoma Saint John is a marketing genius.
-Bozoma.
-Yes. (chuckles)
She's also from Ghana,
so I felt like her meeting Gloria was
the perfect combination
of being able to talk about
how Gloria's Shito can scale in America.
(Bozoma laughs)
I'm glad to be here.
I'm glad to be here.
-Oh, my goodness.
-I'm glad to help.
She's a Ghanaian woman, a Black woman,
and I've been looking up to her
for the longest time.
-Bozoma is sitting here.
-Okay.
GLORIA:
I can't believe
she's here, like that's crazy.
And that's more pressure on me.
-GLORIA: Bozoma.
-BOZOMA: Yes.
I see you, like, a woman like you
-Aw. Yes.
-and
I just knew that I just had to keep going.
Oh, that's so great.
ASHLEY:
I decided to invite
Bozoma because she knows
about the culture and the richness
behind a shito.
So I want to see what Bozoma thinks
about Gloria's Shito.
Hi, everyone.
-Oh, perfect. Hi.
-Oh, there she is.
Thank you so much for being here today.
My heart is full.
I started my brand because
I was so passionate
about sharing my cultural cuisine
with the world,
'cause I just know it's delicious.
Thank you so much, Chef Tim,
for opening your heart, opening your mind,
and helping me put together
this amazing lunch.
-Thank you very much. Thank you.
-Yes, Gloria.
-Gloria!
-(cheering)
TIM:
First course, we have Hiramasa Tartare,
and the second course is a Burrata,
so I'm making vinaigrette
with the chili oil
and that tomato cuisson.
Give it all to me.
It's Oh
-It's the real smell.
-Of course.
-Girl. What?
-ASHLEY: It's the real smell!
Okay, first time, first time.
-First time for everything.
-All right.
Mmm.
♪
-My eyes are watering.
-Yeah! (laughs)
That is fantastic.
That's the way you know.
(mimics clearing throat)
(mimics clearing throat)
Yeah. Nicely done. Yeah.
ASHLEY:
Honestly, it was like a sigh of relief.
I'm sure that
Gloria had a sigh of relief, too,
that Bozoma loved it, but also for me.
Look, I'm very proud of you.
In Ghana, everyone is so passionate
-about their recipes.
-BOZOMA: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And so I put my name on it
to take accountability.
-Yes.
-If someone doesn't like it
It's Gloria's.
It's mine. Go make yours.
-BOZOMA: Right.
-(laughs)
-GLORIA: And then
-You tell them, Gloria.
Just the idea of all this confidence
that we've been able to pull out of her,
it's absolutely perfect.
And it's supposed to be spicy.
And I'm so impressed.
She's capturing everything
for social media.
Now, question.
Why do you have medium on here
when it's clearly not medium?
I think it's misleading.
Is the only problem.
So this is on the high side of medium.
-It's not quite spicy.
-It's hot.
-It's hot?
-No. No. This is hot.
ASHLEY:
Even Bozoma
agreed with Emma that this is a little bit
too hot for the American palate.
So I hope Gloria can hear us because
the heat needs to be taken down
just a little bit.
Or let's add a medium SKU.
Just hearing all the feedback,
what are you walking away with
from this lunch right here?
No limitation, no hesitation.
Just getting it done, going for it.
-I love that from you, Gloria.
-Yeah.
-That's on the Post-it note on the mirror.
-Yeah.
-100%.
-ASHLEY: I love that saying.
-I'm stealing that.
-EMMA: Yeah.
-ASHLEY: No hesitation.
-EMMA: No limitation.
Whoo!
♪
You okay?
Yeah.
There's so many things at once right now.
Ken and I were woken up
at 2:00 in the morning
by a call from my mother-in-law
that my father-in-law had passed.
(sighs)
There's a lot of life outside of
all of it.
So
Figuring out what that looks like.
Funeral is gonna be Monday at 2:00.
Do you need help with anything?
I don't know yet.
We'll see.
It just feels like it's
all the things all the time.
Wanting things to go well
for the business.
(sniffles)
Being supportive of Ken and his family
and being a mom.
♪
STACY:
This is life,
and this is the life
of a working mom entrepreneur.
There's
There's no boundary. Yeah.
no separation of our work
and home life.
But we make it work.
We make it happen.
Because there's a lot on the line.
Listen, he was an investor.
He and my mother-in-law are, like,
cheering us on.
They want us to win, too.
-Well, now we got to do it for Lee.
-Yeah.
Our final pitch with Emma and Ashley
is around the corner.
And the truth is, we have to get to work.
So the goal is that we are reinventing
and are gonna get ready to launch
All Better Co. 2.0.
MERAV:
Mm-hmm.
And that we are going to work to develop
a strategy to get into R&D
for the products
that will create a suite
of products to fill out this category.
And the three products
we're starting with are
the bandage,
the ointment, and some form
of, like, antiseptic cleaning something.
And we're gonna create a plan
to get us there.
-Mm-hmm.
-Okay.
Baby, don't you cry no more ♪
♪
Let the memories fade ♪
How do we want to be able to present
this new iteration?
Yeah, that feels scary for me
because going into that,
the first pitch felt so easy
and natural and clear,
and we have our products,
and we can speak to them so easily.
Now we're gonna go
into this pitch with an idea.
An idea. Yeah.
And that feels very different.
Now I'm scared.
There's fear.
Both of our families have
sacrificed a lot.
We have a lot at stake.
And we're all in.
We believe in this so much.
Failure is just not an option.
We just get one life ♪
We just get one life ♪
We just get one life ♪
We just get one life ♪
We just get one life ♪
We just get one life ♪
We just get one life ♪
We just get one life ♪
We just get one life. ♪