The Lazy CEO Podcast with Jane Lu

This week on The Lazy CEO podcast, Jane is joined by Elysia Krstevski, founder of Mekė Baby. Elysia came up with the idea after battling mastitis as a new mum and realising there was no easy way to safely warm expressed breast milk while out with her baby. With no product development experience, she decided to create the solution herself. Three years later, Mekė Baby has sold out seven times and landed on the shelves of Baby Bunting.

In this episode, they get into:
How Elysia turned a personal problem into a product, then built an entirely new category around it.
How she convinced Baby Bunting to back a category that barely existed, and why she turned down international distribution opportunities early on.
How Elysia has dealt with copycats.

Whether you're building a product from scratch or trying to take your business into retail, Elysia's story is a great reminder that some of the best business ideas start with a problem you can't believe hasn't already been solved.

Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopodStay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceoConnect with Elysia: @elysiakrsSee what Mekė Baby is up to: @mekebaby.au
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Help My Small Business, Jane and Ethan Yong, founder of UmamiPapi, review Neon Goat, a natural deodorant brand for tween and teenage boys.The challenge? Boys are the consumers, but Mum is the one buying it.

Jane and Ethan unpack how Neon Goat can appeal to both audiences, from branding and social to building trust with parents without losing its cool factor with kids.

By the end of this episode, you'll learn:
How to build for both the buyer and the consumer
How to make a brand feel cool while still building trust
How to market to two very different audiences
Connect with us:Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcastStay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceoStay updated with Ethan: @flavourenhancer621Follow UmamiPapi!: @itsumamipapi
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO, I’m joined by Ethan Yong, founder of UmamiPapi. Ethan started making chilli oil during COVID while working his first job as a graduate, spending his weekends cooking and packing orders before and after work.
A few years later, UmamiPapi is a 7-figure business, stocked in thousands of retailers including every Coles store nationally, exporting to Malaysia and the UAE. And if that wasn’t enough, Gordon Ramsay tasted the chilli oil and gave it his very own verdict: “absolutely fucking delicious.”
In this episode, we get into:
What it was actually like building a food business from scratch while working a full-time job.
The biggest mistakes Ethan made while scaling a bootstrapped business.
How to build a brand that stands out in such a competitive category.
What it was really like appearing on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars.
Connect with us:Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcastStay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceoStay updated with Ethan: @flavourenhancer621Follow UmamiPapi!: @itsumamipapi
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO, Jane is joined by the founder of Hairification, Jordan Mylius. Hairification has hit $20 million in turnover in just three years and expanded into some of the biggest retailers across Australia and overseas.

But getting onto retail shelves is only half the battle. The real challenge is proving your product works, staying ranged and turning that first retail opportunity into serious growth.

In this episode, we get into:
What retailers actually look at once your product is on the shelves, and what good sell-through really looks like.
How quickly retailers decide whether a product is working and what can make or break your relationship with them.
The hidden costs of major retail that founders often don't see coming.
Listen to Jordan's founder story - Hairification: How Jordan Mylius Sold His Brand Nationwide Before Having a Product

Connect with us:Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcastStay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceoStay updated with Jordan: @mistermyliusFollow Hairification! @hairification_haircare
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO, Jane is joined by Renata Black, co-founder and CEO of EBY, the performance intimates brand that's grown from $10 million to $75 million in revenue in just 3 years, while competing against some of the biggest names in the industry.

What makes Renata's story so compelling is that this wasn't an overnight success. She spent years refining the business, received 436 investor nos, nearly lost the company, and even put her family's life savings on the line before everything finally clicked.

In this episode, we get into:
Why the founders who make it aren't always the smartest, but the ones who can endure the most pain.
How Renata built a category-defining product by obsessing over customer problems.
Why she believes innovation is what separates market leaders from everyone else.
The storytelling behind EBY's sold-out launches and the marketing strategy that's helped the brand stand out in a crowded category.
Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopodStay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceoConnect with Renata: @renatamblackCheck out EBY: @joineby
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.