The Foundr Podcast with Nathan Chan

Sarah Lee went from cold-emailing 700 journalists by hand and sleeping two hours a night to building Glow Recipe into a nine-figure global skincare brand inside Sephora. And she did it without raising venture capital.

In this interview, the co-founder of Glow Recipe breaks down how a $50,000 bootstrapped Korean beauty curation site turned into one of the most recognisable modern skincare brands in the world — including how they broke even in just three months, why they walked away from millions to stay in control, and the exact moment they knew it was time to build their own products.

From getting on Shark Tank in year one to launching their first SKU with nothing but a white jar and an iPad mockup, this episode is a masterclass in brand building, retail strategy, and founder-led execution.

What you’ll learn in this interview:
• How Glow Recipe broke even in just 3 months with a $50K bootstrap
• Why Sarah and Christine personally cold-emailed 700+ press contacts
• The real economics of starting as a curated marketplace vs owning the brand
• How they validated product demand before manufacturing anything
• What it took to pitch Sephora with no finished product
• Why Glow Recipe walked away from millions in potential funding
• Lessons from Shark Tank — and what didn’t make it on TV
• How Korean beauty education became their unfair advantage
• The biggest mistakes founders make when launching beauty products
• How Glow Recipe scaled from curation to a nine-figure product brand

By the end of this episode, you’ll understand how to validate demand early, build leverage without capital, and turn brand education into long-term defensibility — even in one of the most competitive categories in ecommerce.

If you’re building a product brand, thinking about retail expansion, or deciding whether to raise capital or stay bootstrapped, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about control, growth, and timing.

SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here →
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
→ Already have a store? Apply here →
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH SARAH LEE
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/sarah_glow/
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahleenewyork/
Website→ https://www.glowrecipe.com/

FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠

If you’re staring at an empty Instagram feed, TikTok account, or LinkedIn page thinking, “What the hell do I even post?”, this episode is for you. Every early-stage founder hits this wall — and most stay stuck because they don’t have a simple, proven system for figuring out what to post or where to start.

In this episode, I walk you through the exact method I used this year to rebuild my personal brand and dramatically grow Foundr’s content output. It’s simple, practical, and works even if you have zero followers. This is the content playbook for new founders — based on real evidence, not guesswork.

Here’s what you’ll take away:
• The recon method: how to reverse-engineer what works in your niche using outlier content
• Why you only need 2–3 formats and one platform to start building traction
• How to pick the content styles that match your energy, skills, and brand identity
• The unicorn strategy: find the top-performing posts in your niche and model the formula
• Why most founders fail by trying to “be everywhere” — and how focus accelerates growth
• The 90-day rule: why posting consistently for three months will transform your brand

If you follow this system, you’ll never wonder what to post again — and you’ll create content that actually grows your business instead of filling up your feed.

This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it.

SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS

Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER

Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+

Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?

→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

→ Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN

Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES

YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠

Lia Georgantis took over a multi-brand fashion boutique with no business experience, lost most of her suppliers overnight, then
rebuilt it into one of Australia’s most recognisable fashion brands by
posting relentlessly on social media.

In this interview, the founder of Girls With Gems breaks down how raw, unfiltered content, six to nine posts per day, and authentic storytelling helped her scale through Covid, build a cult-like community, and launch a private label brand that now drives half the company’s revenue.

What you’ll learn in this interview:
• How posting 6–9 times per day built a loyal ecommerce community
• Why relatable content outperformed polished fashion campaigns
• How Girls With Gems scaled through Covid while others stalled
• The exact mindset shift that unlocked sustainable social growth
• Why Lia refuses to participate in Black Friday promotions
• How Sneaky Link grew into 50% of total revenue
• The risks and rewards of launching a private label brand
• How to manage burnout while scaling a fast-growing business
• Why authenticity compounds faster than performance marketing
• How to build brand narratives without oversharing online

By the end of this episode, you’ll understand how to grow an ecommerce
brand through storytelling, community, and relentless execution
without copying competitors or waiting for the perfect strategy.

SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here →
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
→ Already have a store? Apply here →
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH LIA GEORGANTIS
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/liagirlswithgems/
GWG Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/girlswithgems/
Website→ https://www.girlswithgems.com/

FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠

Most founders won’t say this out loud… work-life balance doesn’t really exist. At least not in the early years. I didn’t want balance — I was obsessed. I worked until 5 a.m., skipped sleep, skipped holidays, ignored my health, and pushed myself until the wheels fell off. And eventually, they did.

In this episode, I share the truth about burnout, why obsession can be a superpower until it becomes a liability, and how I rebuilt my life using systems, structure, and intentional habits. This is the real story behind how I learned to operate at a high level without destroying myself.

Here’s what you’ll take away:
• Why obsession is normal early on — but unsustainable long term
• The signs of burnout I ignored and what finally forced me to change
• The rituals that saved me: steps, gym, sauna, therapy, family time, calendared rest
• Why rhythm matters more than balance — and how to design one that works
• The life audit exercise that revealed what was truly out of alignment

If you feel stretched thin, overwhelmed, or like you’re running on fumes, this episode will give you the tools and perspective to reset — and build a life that supports the business, not the other way around.

This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it.

SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS

Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER

Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+

Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?

→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

→ Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN

Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES

YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠

One billion dollars. That’s what today’s guest built — after being
rejected on Shark Tank, nearly going bankrupt multiple times, and
spending millions before making a single sale. In this video, Jamie
Siminoff, founder of Ring, breaks down the real story behind building
one of the most successful hardware startups of all time and selling it
to Amazon for over $1B.

What you’ll learn in this video:
• How to validate and pre-sell a hardware product before manufacturing
• The real cost of R&D when building a physical product business
• How Shark Tank rejection can accelerate growth, not kill it
• Why domain names matter more than founders realise
• How Ring survived massive supplier debt and cash pressure
• The risks of scaling too fast and hiring ahead of systems
• How constraint and pressure forced breakthrough growth
• What founders get wrong about raising capital vs bootstrapping

By the end of this video, you’ll understand what it truly takes to build
a billion-dollar hardware or eCommerce company — and how to avoid the
mistakes that silently kill most physical product startups.

If you’re serious about building something real, durable, and valuable,
this episode will change how you think about product, money, and scale.

SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here →
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
→ Already have a store? Apply here →
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH JAMIE
Website → https://ring.com/
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-siminoff-aaa44238a/

FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠