My guest for this episode of Paradoxical is Jessica Mozeico of Et Fille Wines.I love Jessica’s commitment to sustainable winemaking and how creative Jessica is in her approach to business. We had a great conversation discussing the origin and evolution of Et Fille. Here’s a few of the topics we explore:* What Cameron Diaz’s mother had to do with her career pivot* Jessica’s unique approach to describing Et Fille’s wines* How not having any formal training in winemaking has been an advantage* How Jessica’s perspective on failure helps her innovate in business* How curiosity contributes to creativity in business* Why Jessica chose to make Et Fille a B-Corp, and how her commitment to sustainable winemaking has shaped the business.If you’re someone who wants to find new ways to serve your audience or make a difference in the world, I think this conversation will spark some ideas for you.You can learn more about Jessica & Et Fille here:Web: etfillewines.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/etfillewines/Facebook: www.facebook.com/EtFilleWines This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stevemccready.substack.com

Today I’m joined by Danielle Ruttenberg. She’s a trained glassblower, entrepreneur and mother of two young children, and co-founder of Remark Glass, a fully-sustainable, zero-waste custom glass studio located in the revitalized Bok Building in South Philadelphia.  Combining art and sustainability, Remark Glass fulfills its mission of creating sustainable art and manufacturing practices by employing traditional glassblowing techniques to repurpose discarded bottle glass into small batch home accessories. in 2020, Danielle and her team also formed Bottle Underground, a 501(c)(3) organization committed to increasing their impact in waste reduction and generating jobs for the local community. In our conversation, Danielle discusses how Remark Glass transforms waste materials like bottles and jars into new wares such as barware, lighting, and tabletop accessories. We also explore their recycling methods and their commitment to providing fair employment opportunities. Along the way, we also explore the various challenges they've faced in blending social responsibility with business growth and explore some of the funding challenges they’ve been working through and creative ways they’re worked to supplement revenue during critical periods such as their popular ‘mystery’ boxes.You can see their beautiful work and learn more about Remark Glass at the following links: Web: remarkglass.comInstagram: instagram.com/remarkglassTikTok: tiktok.com/@remarkglassBlown Away (Netflix show on glass blowing): netflix.com/title/80215147 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stevemccready.substack.com

After having kids, Jessica Mathews made quite the career pivot! As is so often the case, though, there are things from her past career (family law attorney) that have helped her succeed in building Dancing Zebra Safari into a successful business where she helps others plan once (or more) in a lifetime adventures. Beyond the pivot, we also talked about specialization and why it matters for your business, the challenges of running a business from almost half a world away, and a whole lot more.While you’re listening, you can learn more about Jessica & Dancing Zebra Safari and see some great pictures at the below links:Web: https://www.dancingzebrasafari.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dancingzebrasafari/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stevemccready.substack.com

Being a visionary entrepreneur isn’t without it’s challenges, and certainly has it’s ups and downs. Rich Cohen, founder & CEO of Elevate Packaging, is very familiar with these. As someone who was thinking about sustainability long before others in his industry, it took him some time (and some challenging sacrifices) to gain traction, but Elevate is now a leader in the realm of compostable packaging, and Rich continues to be a powerful advocate for the environment who’s products match his values. In addition to exploring Rich’s journey and how he’s managed to build a successful, innovative business, I coach him on some challenges he’s having with finding the right people for his team, and we discuss the surprising thing that swimsuits and compostable labels have in common. You can learn more at Elevate Packaging’s website, and connect with Rich on LinkedIn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stevemccready.substack.com

So, I'll admit upfront that I'm a fan of MERGE4's socks, and you'll hear that pretty clearly in this conversation with Cindi Busenhart, their CEO & founder.Cindi’s a big believer in the power of team and you’ll hear that throughout this episode, as well as how she’s used her past experiences in business and a very clear focus on values to build MERGE4 into a unique sock brand.Bio: Cindi Busenhart, the Founder and CEO of MERGE4, has revolutionized the sock industry for action sports enthusiasts. MERGE4's unparalleled commitment to style and performance has resulted in socks that not only look great but can withstand the most rigorous demands of active individuals and extreme athletes, while providing maximum comfort and functionality. Boasting a list of artists and athletes deeper than Lake Tahoe, MERGE4 has rightfully earned its place as the ultimate sock company.Connect with MERGE4: Web: https://merge4.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/merge4socks This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stevemccready.substack.com

Ok, you’re probably not in the wine business … so why listen to this episode? Well, Fritz knows a lot about how to be successful in small business while being efficient with his time & energy and honoring himself and his identity. So, there’s a lot of strategies you can adapt to your business that you’ll hear about in our conversation. Some of the topics we explored include: * The magazine article that inspired Fritz’ career path* Fritz’ journey from employee, to solo business to small business.* Fritz’ approach to serving his clients and discussing renewals that results in a very high retention rate while saving him time & energy.* How Fritz took an established model used in other industries and translated it into the world of viticulture as a way of expanding his business.* Why Fritz does not engage in affiliate relationships.* Fritz’ challenges in balancing working on and in the business and why his support team is an important part of addressing that challenge.Connect with Fritz:Web: Virtual Viticulture AcademyPodcast: Vineyard UndergroundInstagram: Westover Viticulture This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stevemccready.substack.com

Today’s guest is Mary Jenner, founder of The Butterfly Pig, a business that creates doll-sized medical devices for children, to help them understand medical procedures and lower their anxiety around them.Here’s some of what we explored in our conversation:* The intersection of experience, interests, and identity that contributed to the beginning of The Butterfly Pig.* The origin of ‘The Butterfly Pig’ name.* How the ‘How hard could it be?’ gene has helped (and hindered) Mary.* The advantage Mary has over traditional doll makers and larger companies when it comes to developing products.* The role of family in helping her grow her business* How social media and Facebook groups have played an important role in the evolution and growth of the business.Find Mary & The Butterfly Pig online:Web: https://thebutterflypig.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/thebutterflypigFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheButterflyPigTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebutterflypigLiked what you heard? Share it with a friend or colleague who you think would also enjoy it! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stevemccready.substack.com

Reid Edgar is thinking differently about his environmentally-focused laundry detergent brand, Spot. He’s not the first one to do laundry detergent sheets, but he’s definitely the first to go about marketing a product like this in the way he is. Why? He’s thinking big. Listen in as we talk about why Reid created Spot, how he’s gone about developing and marketing the product, and his next idea for bringing environmentally-focused products to a wider audience.Learn more at Spot's website or on their Instagram. A few people have asked lately why I put my podcast on Substack. Well, it’s because I appreciate and enjoy the community aspects of the platform, and it allows for people to comment on episodes and for us to discuss them, which isn’t possible with most platforms. So, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, eco-friendly products, and how they’re marketed - leave a comment below! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stevemccready.substack.com

Elaine Frei is a landscape designer by training, but a balloon … artist? sculptor?(take a look and decide for yourself) in her business. Not wanting to settle for making beautiful, artistic spaces with her work, she’s also found ways to make a difference with it, too. While listening, check out the Luft website or their Instagram so you can get a sense of the work Elaine and the Luft team do, as I don’t think it can be captured in words! I really admire Elaine’s openness and vulnerability as she talks about both the ups and downs of her journey and the growth she’s had to undertake along the way. If you’re looking to have a business that does good in the world, but is fun as well, you’ll definitely want to listen in.Enjoying the podcast? If so, I’d appreciate your support - please pass it along to someone else you think would enjoy it! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stevemccready.substack.com

What happens when a maker who plays disc golf, cares about the environment and has a background in marketing starts experimenting in their garage? Well, in the case of today’s guest, Jesse Stedman, you get Trash Panda Disc Golf, a Colorado business that makes flying discs out of recycled plastic. Listen in as we talk about Jesse’s journey, including * Why it took a decade to go from inspiration to action in starting up Trash Panda* Why what Jesse didn’t know was so important in Trash Panda coming to life* The benefit of creating a YouTube channel before even having a product* Trash Panda’s unusual disc names and the meanings behind them* How Jesse turned a byproduct of the injection molding process into a key design element in Trash Panda’s first disc* How Jesse has used values & constraints both to simplify his decision making and strengthen the clarity of the brand* The good and bad of product launches* Why Jesse decided to pursue B-Corp certificationLearn more at Trash Panda Disc Golf’s YouTube channel and website.Want new episodes right in your inbox? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stevemccready.substack.com