The Entrepreneur’s Studio

S2 E13 | Jeni Britton | The Artistry of An Ice Cream Empire

Jeni Britton began making ice cream in 1996, as a 22-year-old art history student obsessed with scent. In her spare time, she studied perfuming and experimented with making her own essential oils. On a whim one day, she added cayenne to a tub of chocolate ice cream. When she tasted the combination of cold, sweet and spice, she knew she was going to make ice cream for the rest of her life. The rest is history.  
 
Jeni Britton is an American ice cream maker and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the artisan ice cream movement, she introduced a modern, ingredient-driven style of ice cream making that has been widely emulated across the world but never duplicated. 
 
In this episode, Jeni shares her journey of leaving art school to create an ice cream empire devoted to making the finest ice creams the world has ever known. From her tenacity to take creative risks to the grit and determination to navigate her business through a time of crisis, Jeni’s story is an inspiring testament to the power of perseverance, pushing boundaries, and staying true to your entrepreneurial vision.
 
Key Points:
 
Starting small and building slowly
Taking a hands on approach to building a business
Prioritizing people, vision and values
Resources/Links: 
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S2 E12 | Caterina Fake | Ethics of Technology

In the world of technology, there is often a prevailing mindset that, ‘if it can exist, then it should exist.’ But according to serial entrepreneur and tech pioneer Caterina Fake, this may not always be the case. As a maverick in her industry, Caterina asks the question, “Should this exist?” And if so, what is our ethical responsibility for making it available to the world? 
Caterina Fake is known for co-founding the ground-breaking photo sharing platform Flickr as well as having played a pivotal role in the development of foundational AI algorithms through her company, Hunch. 
As a member of Yes VC Venture Capital Firm, Caterina invests in pre-seed and seed stage companies, making a significant impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.
In today’s episode Caterina joins us in-studio to share some of the early stories that shaped her career, mindsets that guide her creative ventures and her unique insights into the future and ethics of technology.
Key Points:
How Art, Technology & Community intersect
The importance of sharing ideas 
Caution and Excitement of where AI is headed
Resources/Links: 
Learn More about Caterina Fake
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S2 E11 | Jabee Williams | Preserving History and Innovating Change

Oklahoma City’s ”East Side" had been a social and economic center for African American life but through gentrification and neglect, the area became a marginalized part of town. 
 
In 2016, Jonathan Dodson’s Pivot Project selected an abandoned strip mall on Northeast 23rd Street for what would ultimately become the EastPoint Project.
 
The development at Eastpoint gave activist and award-winning rapper Jabee Williams the opportunity to establish Eastside Pizza House alongside other black business owners in a thriving community atmosphere. 
 
In today’s episode, Jabee shares his story of going from entertainer to activist, preserving history and innovating new business models.    
Key Points:
Creating positive change through creativity and collaboration.
Honoring the past while innovating the future
Advocating the under-served through community engagement 
Resources/Links: 
Learn More about Jabee
Eastside Pizza House 
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S2 E10 | Jonathan Dodson | Re-Development That Matters

Developer Jonathan Dodson left his job as a corporate banker and followed his passion to revitalize Oklahoma City through urban infill and adaptive reuse of commercial property. 
His development group, Pivot is committed to creating ethical community development that is the product of public interest and addresses a community need.
In today’s episode, Jonathan shares his story about how he felt a moral imperative to invest in underserved communities and the challenges he faced in establishing what became an internationally recognized economic revolution.
Key Points: 
The importance of ethical development principles
The impact of gentrification
Unorthodox funding methods and creative negotiations  
Resources: 
Pivot Project  
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S2 E09 | Christina Tosi | Cultivating the Creative Mindset

Christina Tosi is a chef and the founder and CEO of Milk Bar, a unique bakery concept reinventing classics like cereal and birthday cake with plenty of imagination. Creativity is the spirit of Milk Bar and a throughline for everything Christina does, but it can be hard to run a business without some of the traditional, tried-and-true practices.
In this episode, Christina takes a deep dive into her creative process, business practices and the four core values which guide her to leading a successful enterprise. 
This is part 2 of our conversation with Christina Tosi. 
 
Key Points:
Nurturing a creative mindset
Streamlining operations 
Learning how to bend the rules 
Resources/Links: 
Connect with Christina Tosi
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S2 E08 | Christina Tosi | Reinventing Desserts with Milk Bar

Nostalgia was a key driver of Christina Tosi’s vision for Milk Bar. As it turns out, the masses share her sentiments. Whether your plan is to make childhood memories the theme of your business or a single item on your menu, Christina feels everyone can benefit by touching customers on a personal level.
Christina Tosi is the award-winning chef and founder of Milk Bar, a singular bakery concept that merges her love for down-to-earth, comforting baked treats, culinary expertise and unexpected, creative combinations. 
In this episode, Christina shares how she went from being a math major in college to a James Beard recipient, a TV personality and the founder of a bakery empire.
This is part 1 of our conversation with Christina Tosi. 
 
Key Points:
Nostalgia as a key driver for entrepreneurial pursuits
Gut instinct as a business guidepost 
What it takes to build a business model that does not exist 
Resources/Links: 
Connect with Christina Tosi
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S2 E07 | Charles Best | From Classroom To Crowdfunding: The Story Behind DonorsChoose P2

In part one of our conversation with philanthropist Charles Best, we discussed the 3 Innovations of Crowdfunding, Digital Marketplace and Cause Marketing. In today’s concluding segment, we take a deep dive into some of the processes behind those innovations. 
 
We’ll find out what motivated Charles to choose the non-profit model, how he raised his operating Capital while still teaching high school and his unique method of value-based screening of potential team members. 
 
Key Points:
Benefits of choosing the non-profit model 
Value-based screening of potential team members. 
The art and science of getting to yes when making a pitch to potential donors.  
Resources: 
DonorsChoose
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Book mention: ‘Drunk Tank Pink’ by Adam Alter.
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S2 E06 | Charles Best | From Classroom To Crowdfunding: The Story Behind DonorsChoose |

Charles Best is the founder of DonorsChoose, a nonprofit organization that connects teachers in need of classroom resources with donors who want to help.
Charles launched DonorsChoose in 2000 while teaching history at a Bronx high school. His efforts began as a local, independent passion project among peers but went on to be named one of the 50 most Innovative organizations in the world. 
Today, half of all the public schools in America have at least one teacher who has created a classroom project request on DonorsChoose.org, and more than 5 million people have donated, providing books, art supplies, technology and other resources to students in low-income communities.
In this episode, Charles shares the story of what motivated him to take on this philanthropic work as well as the unwavering determination that guided him from grassroots marketing techniques to gaining national attention from The New York Times, Newsweek and Oprah. 
 
Key Points:
3 Innovations of crowdfunding, digital marketplace and cause marketing
The importance of correct branding from the start
Increasing brand awareness through partnerships  
This is part one of our conversation with Charles Best. 
Resources/Links: 
DonorsChoose
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S2 E05 | Rebecca Minkoff | Fearless Fashion:The Art of Having Nothing to Lose P2

Showing up “on time” and “on brand” may look like an easy win from the outside, but underneath outward success is a long journey of perseverance and dedication. 
In this episode, fashion icon Rebecca Minkoff shares how she secures out-of-the-box partnerships, handles imposter syndrome and critical feedback, and believes it’s important to define success on your own terms. 
Key Points include:
Separating yourself from your brand 
The team sport of partnerships 
Wins and losses in the hiring process 
This is part 2 of 2. 
 
Resources/Links: 
Rebecca Minkoff 
Transcript
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S2 E04 | Rebecca Minkoff | Fearless Fashion: The Art of Having Nothing to Lose

Rebecca Minkoff is a fashion designer, podcast host, author and founder of The Female Founder Collective. Though she’s known far and wide for her namesake brand of clothing and accessories (including her uber-popular handbags), Rebecca’s entrepreneurial path was riddled with character-shaping challenges from the start. 
In this episode, Rebecca shares the story of how her hard work, persistence and creativity took her from humble brand beginnings through post-acquisition life today.
 
Key Points:
Staying persistent through challenging times 
Cultivating purposeful relationships
The importance of handling negative feedback well.
Read The Transcript
This is part 1 of 2.
 
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