Ep.27 / Richard Mumby, CEO, Wip
In this episode of Professional Jealousy, Natasha Jakubowski chats with Richard Mumby, CEO of Wip, to discuss the birth of the next generation energy pouch. Richard shares his journey from DTC pioneers like Gilt and Bonobos to the front lines of category disruption at Juul, and how those experiences informed the launch of Wip.
Ep.26 / Rachel Liverman, Founder, Glowbar
In this episode of Professional Jealousy, Natasha Jakubowski chats with Rachel Liverman, founder of Glowbar to peel back the curtain on how she turned a 2017 manifestation email into a multi-city skincare empire. Rachel shares why she stripped away the "fluff" of 90-minute massages to focus on 30-minute clinical results, and how she maintains a high-performance culture with over 400 employees.
Ep.25 / Monica Molenaar, Co-Founder, Alloy Health
In this deep dive, Natasha Jakubowski sits down with Monica Molenaar, the co-founder and co-CEO of Alloy Health, a digital health platform revolutionizing how women navigate perimenopause and menopause. Monica shares her powerful personal journey—from a BRCA gene discovery and preventive surgery to the "aha moment" that led her to solve the menopause care crisis.
Ep.24 / Dejan Rankovic, Co-Founder, Man Cereal
On this episode I talk with Dejan Rankovic, co-founder of Man Cereal, creatine-infused food that is low carb, high protein with a trending functional ingredient that isn’t as maxed out in the food aisles as fiber and protein. He describes it as "Serious Nutrition" with an "Unserious Name", offering benefits that have led to health conscious adults leaving the cereal aisle.
Ep.23 / Pam Weekes & Connie McDonald, Founders, Levain Bakery
On this episode I sit down with Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald, the legendary founders of Levain Bakery. Over the course of 30 years, they have grown from one tiny shop on New York’s Upper West Side to a globally recognized brand famous for its six-ounce cookies (and coincidentally, my son’s favorite treats). Unlike many modern startups focused on rapid growth, Pam and Connie prioritized a "lifestyle" approach for the first two decades that was all about locale and community. They said that “We grew the business the way that we wanted to live our lives”.
Ep.15 / Craig Dubitsky, Founder Happy Coffee, Hello Oral Care, EOS
Craig Dubitsky is a serial entrepreneur, having blazed a trail within CPG with disruptive, design-led brands like EOS, Hello Oral Care which he sold to Colgate, and most recently Happy Coffee co-founded with Robert Downey Jr.
Ep.10 / Asmeret Berhe-Lumax, Founder & CEO, One Love Community Fridge
Asmeret Behr-Lumax is a force for positive change, with a deep commitment to social justice and giving back. She’s the founder and CEO of One Love Community Fridge, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing food insecurity and increasing access to healthy foods. She is also a passionate advocate for girls empowerment as board chair of Dream Maker and its Phenomenal Girls Club, and she’s been recognized as a UN Women Champion of Change.
I’ve known Asmeret quite a long time, and always admired her style, coolness, ability to effortlessly balance work and being a mom - but I am also incredibly impressed by the her life story as an immigrant from East Africa to Sweden, and then the US, and the fact that over the years she has found her ‘why’ after a successful career in fashion and beauty.
Ep.09 / Clara Paye, Founder Unite Foods
Clara is entrepreneur and founder of Unite Food, the world’s first globally inspired protein bar brand and great business growth story. With a mission to bring unique flavors from around the world to your pantry, Unite Food celebrates global tastes and wholesome nutrition.
Before starting Unite Food, she spent 17 years as the Managing Director of EZ-FLO International, developing expertise in marketing, operations, and leadership. She is also the founder of (Included), a non-profit supporting founders in CPG; a mentor at SKU, a leading CPG accelerator; and an active member of NextUp and YPO
Ep. 08 / Jennifer Zuccarini, Founder, Fleur du Mal
Jennifer Zuccarini is a fashion designer and entrepreneur, known for her work in the lingerie space. She co-founded Kiki de Montparnasse, the first luxury brand surrounding intimacy in 2005, and went on to found the premium lingerie, ready-to-wear and swim brand Fleur du Mal in 2012.
Jennifer’s ambition is to change the way women approach lingerie, understanding the power and emotion that it holds. Feminine, chic, and slightly subversive, the Fleur du Mal brand explores the notion of desire and artful provocation, while maintaining style and wearability. Zuccarini's designs have been featured in top fashion publications around the world, and her brand has been worn by everyone from Rihanna to Gigi Hadid.