563: From $500 to 120 Stores - How She Lost It All | Kristina Karlsson

In this episode, Mark Rushmore and Gyve Safavi, co-founders of SURI (Sustainable Rituals), share how they turned a simple personal care item into a sustainable, design-led movement—challenging legacy players like Oral-B and Philips. They share: • Why the electric toothbrush was overdue for disruption • The intentional product and packaging design that drove early virality • Their approach to building a mission-led brand without greenwashing • How they scaled operations and manufacturing for a regulated hardware product • The mindset shifts needed to build a physical product business with lean resources • How their background in finance and tech shaped their founder journey If you're building a physical product or a brand that stands for something bigger, this conversation is packed with practical advice and inspiration. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect With SURI Website → ⁠https://trysuri.com⁠ Instagram → ⁠https://www.instagram.com/discoversuri⁠ Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here

In this episode, Rytis Lauris, co-founder of Omnisend, shares how he bootstrapped a leading email and SMS marketing platform used by over 125,000 eCommerce brands worldwide. He shares: • Why most ecommerce founders start email marketing too late • How to convert more website traffic into high-intent subscribers • The 2% of automations that drive 40% of ecommerce revenue • Why segmentation and personalization outperform batch-and-blast emails • Creative SMS tactics that build loyalty—not just conversions • His vision for how AI will transform martech in the next decade Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠ Connect With Omnisend & Rytis Lauris Rytis Lauris LinkedIn → ⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Omnisend Website → ⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠ Omnisend Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠Click here

In this episode, Brittney Saunders, founder of FAYT, Staple Swim, Form Active, and OUTDŌ, shares how she went from YouTuber to multi-brand empire builder—running multiple 7-figure businesses with a hands-on, no-agency approach. She shares:• How she transitioned from influencer to real founder with 40+ staff• The power of brick-and-mortar stores in an online world• Why she refuses to use agencies for content or growth• Her real thoughts on product quality, hiring, and customer experience• The viral moment that sparked her love for fashion• How she deals with pressure, burnout, and building a career she loves If you want to grow a product brand, keep full creative control, and build something real - Brittney’s story will fire you up. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ Connect With Brittney Saunders Instagram → ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ LinkedIn → Click here⁠⁠⁠ Fayt The Label Site → ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠Click here

What You’ll Learn in This Episode In this episode, Richmond Dinh, founder of the Tiny Challenge model, reveals how he went from nearly going bankrupt to building a 7-figure coaching empire—without a big audience, paid ads, or complex funnels. He shares: • How he rebuilt his life after losing it all in property investing • The one framework that helped him launch 8-for-8 successful online programs • Why you only need a few high-quality clients to make 6 or 7 figures • The simplest way to land your first 5 clients—even if you’re starting from scratch • How to scale a coaching business with integrity, client obsession, and 80%+ profit margins • His mindset shift from flashy metrics to meaningful impact If you’ve ever wanted to launch a course, coaching offer, or digital product—but didn’t know where to start—this episode is packed with tactical wisdom you can implement today. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠Click here⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠Click here⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠Click here⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠Click here⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠Click Here⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠Click here⁠ Connect With Richmond Dinh Instagram → ⁠Click here⁠ Tiny Challenge Site → ⁠Click here⁠ Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠Click here⁠ Website → ⁠Click here⁠ Instagram → ⁠Click here⁠ Facebook → ⁠Click here⁠ Twitter → ⁠Click here⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠Click here⁠ Podcast → ⁠Click here

In this episode, Maggie Sellers—founder, investor, creator, and force behind Hot Smart Rich—shares how she turned vulnerability, storytelling, and a scrappy content strategy into a multimillion-dollar movement and investing powerhouse. She shares: • The celebrity deal that taught her the power of owning your narrative • How she built Hot Smart Rich from a TikTok idea into a full-blown venture platform • The moment she knew she had a real business (hint: it wasn’t when she went viral) • Her strategy behind raising and deploying over $1.6M via syndicates • Why she passed on buzzy deals like Spritz Margs—and what she looks for instead • The future of DTC, social selling, and creator-led commerce If you’re a modern founder, creator, or investor—or looking to be all three—this episode is a blueprint for building something meaningful and magnetic in today’s world. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠Click here⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠Click here⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠Click here⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠Click here⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠Click Here⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠Click here⁠ Connect With Maggie Sellers Instagram → ⁠Click here⁠ Hot Smart Rich→ ⁠Click here⁠ HSR Instagram→ ⁠⁠Click here⁠ Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠Click here⁠ Website → ⁠Click here⁠ Instagram → ⁠Click here⁠ Facebook → ⁠Click here⁠ Twitter → ⁠Click here⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠Click here⁠ Podcast → ⁠Click here

In this episode, Holly Thaggard, founder of Supergoop!, shares how she redefined the sunscreen category and built a globally recognized $700M brand from the ground up. She shares: • The heartbreaking moment that inspired her SPF obsession • How she created the world’s first chemical sunscreen without oxybenzone • Her failed school program—and why it led to retail success • The crazy story of how she landed in Sephora thanks to Burt’s Bees’ founder • How she brought Maria Sharapova on as an investor • The gritty truth behind long-term brand-building (including selling harp gigs to fund inventory) If you’ve ever dreamed of building a brand from scratch with zero industry experience, this episode is a goldmine of vision, hustle, and heart. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠Click here⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here Connect With Holly Thaggard Holly’s Instagram → ⁠Click here⁠ Supergoop! Website → ⁠Click here⁠ Supergoop! Instagram → ⁠Click here Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠Click here⁠ Website → ⁠Click here⁠ Instagram → ⁠Click here⁠ Facebook → ⁠Click here⁠ Twitter → ⁠Click here⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠Click here⁠ Podcast → ⁠Click here

In this episode, Fameez Haroon, co-founder of OTAA, shares how he and his brother bootstrapped a fashion accessories brand from a Melbourne bedroom to $40M+ in sales—without outside funding. He shares: • How they built OTAA from $2,000 and zero fashion experience • The customer pain point that sparked the brand idea • Their scrappy PR hustle that led to a $4K launch and 400K+ customers • Why investing in branded content (even when everyone said not to) paid off • How they scaled their Facebook Ads to 6-figures/month profitably • The mental game of entrepreneurship—and learning to tolerate pain If you’re struggling with traction, brand-building, or growing on a limited budget—this episode is a masterclass in creativity, resilience, and long-term thinking. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠Click here⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠Click here⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠Click here⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠Click here⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠Click Here⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠Click here⁠ Connect With Fameez Haroon & OTAA Fameez Instagram → Click here OTAA Instagram → ⁠Click here⁠ OTAA Website → ⁠Click here⁠ Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠Click here⁠ Website → ⁠Click here⁠ Instagram → ⁠Click here⁠ Facebook → ⁠Click here⁠ Twitter → ⁠Click here⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠Click here⁠ Podcast → ⁠Click here

In this episode, Kristina Karlsson, founder of Kikki.K and Dream Life, opens up about building a $100M global brand, losing it all, and why she's starting again—this time, on her own terms. She shares: • The wild journey of scaling Kikki.K to 120 stores in 6 countries • How losing her business twice reshaped her view of failure and resilience • Why journaling became her most powerful tool for balance and clarity • The hard lessons from choosing the wrong investors and CEOs • How she’s building Dream Life with more freedom, purpose, and creativity If you’ve ever had to start over—or fear what would happen if you did—this episode will leave you inspired, grounded, and ready to create again. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠Click here⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠Click here⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠Click here⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠Click here⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠Click Here⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠Click here⁠ Connect With Kristina Karlsson Instagram → ⁠Click here⁠ Website → ⁠Click here⁠ Dream Life Store → ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠Click here⁠ Website → ⁠Click here⁠ Instagram → ⁠Click here⁠ Facebook → ⁠Click here⁠ Twitter → ⁠Click here⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠Click here⁠ Podcast → ⁠Click here

In this episode, Dany Garcia - founder, producer, chairwoman, and the powerhouse behind brands like ZOA Energy, Teremana Tequila, GSTQ, Seven Bucks Productions, and the XFL—shares how she built a billion-dollar business empire from scratch. She shares: • How she went from finance to managing Dwayne Johnson and producing blockbuster films • Why she “fires herself” from roles to grow her companies faster • The mindset needed to lead high-performance brands across fashion, sports, and film • How she built GSTQ from a teenage idea into a mindset-driven fashion label • The origin story behind buying and reinventing the XFL• Why obsession and ROI go hand-in-hand when creating legacy brands If you’re an entrepreneur thinking bigger, craving full creative control, or balancing multiple business ventures—Dany’s insights will shift your perspective entirely. Foundr Community Offers Want 1-on-1 mentorship to launch or scale your brand faster? Apply for eCommerce coaching: → Starting your ecom biz? ⁠Click here⁠ → Already selling and want to scale? ⁠Click here⁠ Want all-access to step-by-step training from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders? Start your Foundr+ $1 trial today → ⁠Click here⁠ Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. ⁠Click here⁠ to get started. Connect With Nathan Chan Instagram → ⁠Click Here⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠Click here⁠ Connect With Dany Garcia Instagram → ⁠Click here⁠ Website → ⁠Click here⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠Click here⁠ Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies YouTube → ⁠Click here⁠ Website → ⁠Click here⁠ Instagram → ⁠Click here⁠ Facebook → ⁠Click here⁠ Twitter → ⁠Click here⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠Click here⁠ Podcast → ⁠Click here

In this episode, Jordan Menard breaks down what it really takes to scale Facebook ads in 2025. He shares why creative is now the targeting, why brands need to focus more on offers than tactics, and how to fix your conversion economics to unlock serious scale. Jordan also walks through his exact ad creative process—including scripting, ad types, and how to test offers to find your hero. If you're spending money on ads and not getting results, this episode will change the way you approach performance marketing forever. Listen to Nathan and Jordan discuss: - How Jordan built a $300M+ track record in Facebook ads without a website or outbound marketing - Why scaling doesn’t start in Ads Manager—it starts with better inputs: offer, creative, numbers - The four leverage points that unlock profitable scale: product, audience, margins, and operations - How to use AI to generate ad angles and customer pain points - The two creative briefs Jordan uses for every ad: scripted for actors, unscripted for influencers And much more business advice… Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine