Why We Work

Katie is the founder of Hosanna Revival - a faith based paper goods company that she started out of her college dorm room in 2015. What started as a creative outlet hand-painting Bibles, is now a thriving company with several employees, product lines and has had a huge impact on the industry as a whole. www.hosannarevival.com Music: Thirty Two by UTAH

Neighbors: a series of stories during the COVID-19 health crisis and how it is shaking and building our community.Today, I sat down with Janessa Brindza, owner of Crossfit Wilsonville along with her husband, Will Brindza. I’ve been a member for more than 3 years now. It’s a place of healing and deep community for many people. The decision to close it's doors temporarily due to COVID-19 was a tough decision, but they’re not alone in the small business community.

In 2009, Jamie Danek and Michelle Mitchell started brewing Kombucha on their kitchen counter in Bend, Oregon… 10 years later, Humm drinks are available in all 50 states – and internationally. Chances are you’ve seen the Humm brand at your local grocery store, restaurant or even on tap. You may be wondering ‘what Kombucha is exactly?’… In simple terms, it is a fermented tea rich in probiotics and claims many health benefits. Jamie and Michelle have been at the forefront, advocating these benefits and introducing this healthy alternative to sugary beverages. To make things even more interesting, Humm is the Official Kombucha of the Seattle Seahawks (the first kombucha company to ever forge a relationship with an NFL team!). I sat down with Michelle to talk about Humm’s beginnings. https://hummkombucha.com

Matt Lombardi and Kevin Moran are no strangers to the sport and fitness industry. They both played professional sports, Matt pitching for the Chicago White Sox and Kevin as a center forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins. As you can imagine, they followed a rigorous training schedule for many years. As a result, they looked for natural supplements that would help them recover from soreness and periodic injuries. Like most great business ideas, they then noticed a gap in the market and wanted to fix it. At this point Beam was born. There was a lack of clean, effective CBD products that felt safe and effective. You might be wondering what CBD is, or even assuming it is just marijuana. I’ll admit, it took me a while to fully understand, but what I know now is that CBD stands for cannabidiol—which is a naturally occurring essential oil extracted from the hemp plant - it works to regulate pain, mood, appetite, anxiety, and inflammation. They have now captured the attention of elite athletes and the recreationalists, alike. https://beamtlc.com/

Adam Simone is the co-founder of Leaf Shave, an online, direct-to-consumer brand that designs & sells modern, beautiful, sustainable shaving razors for men and women. Adam spent the first decade of his career commercializing medical surgical robotics, until his (now cofounder) Adam Hahn approached him at his desk one day and proposed an idea that would aim to revolutionize the shaving industry. The two Adams then ran a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2016, and fully launched in 2018. www.leafshave.com

Candace Molatore is a Self-Love Advocate, Branding Consultant and Photographer based in Portland, OR. With a passion for building community, Candace uses her photography and writing skills to broadcast the message of self confidence body positivity and inclusivity online. She shares her interests, inspiration, tips and everyday life with her audience regularly through social media. She has worked with brands including Aerie, Forever21 and 3Muskateers - continuing to redefine what it means to create value for both businesses and consumers. www.candacemolatore.com // reach out! whyweworkpodcast@gmail.com

Joanna Waterfall is the Founder of Yellow Co., an organization that exists to empower creative women to become agents of good. With a degree in graphic design and digital media and a background in branding, Joanna believes that creativity, business, and social impact should go hand in hand. She and her work have been featured in publications such as Forbes, The Huffington Post, Darling Magazine, LA Lady Magazine, Bossladies Magazine, and others. She is motivated by the belief that women can change the world through stepping out of fear and into what makes them come alive. www.yellowco.co

On Today’s bonus episode I talked to Noah Shultz, whose story has taken him to the TedX stage, the center of a documentary, and most recently a national speaking tour. His journey as an entrepreneur isn’t like most. Noah co-founded ‘Forgotten Culture Clothing’, designing unique streetwear piece, channeling the novelty of brands like Supreme. Most of his inspiration and skills developed while serving 7.5 years in the prison system, sentenced at just 17 years old. Forgotten Culture Clothing: http://bit.ly/2pLrqNY Watch Noah’s TedX Talk: http://bit.ly/2pL4cXY Watch ‘From Prison to Greatness’ documentary: http://bit.ly/2E2lHYc.

Growing up Caroline wanted to be Wonder Woman. She may not be able to fly, but has the magic touch when it comes to bringing ideas to life. As a venture catalyst, she helps people get their ideas off the ground by providing the mentors, resources and opportunities that money can’t. Plus, if you’ve ever felt like you didn’t fit in, so did she! // Follow @postgradmedia @whyweworkpod // Reach out! dawn@postgradradio.com

Su is the president of DHM research, leading teams in Portland, Seattle and Washington DC. She is at the head of providing information that affects taxes, voting, education reform, city planning, all the way to organization research at companies like Nike and Microsoft. But aside from all this, Su sits on several boards and is an investor in local restaurants - soon opening her own. Reach out dawn@postgradradio.com // Follow @postgradmedia and @whyweworkpod.

Tyrone identified a multi million-dollar problem while living in a homeless shelter. NoAppFee eliminates all housing applications with the single click of a button. Within two years Tyrone has become one of Oregon’s most promising entrepreneurs with investors lined up to back him. OneAppOregon launches December 2017.  www.oneapporegon.com // Follow @whyweworkpod @postgradmedia // Reach out! dawn@postgradradio.com

After building brands like Oliver Peoples, Juicy Couture, Ella Moss and many more, Kateigh Williams started a company she never foresaw. As the co-founder of Heritage Laboratories, Kateigh is creating the next level of skincare supplements - and not the kind you can get at the store… Or anywhere really. But there’s a twist. Heritage isn’t launching until 2018, which gives us a look at the unpredictable journey of becoming an entrepreneur, bringing a spark of inspiration to life, and then the daunting investment world. www.heritage-laboratories.com // Follow @whyweworkpod @postgradmedia // Reach out! dawn@postgradradio.com

Building a skincare empire… Tatcha is a luxury skincare brand drawing on the ancient practices of Geishas and Japanese culture. At the helm is Victoria Tsai, equipped with a Harvard education, careers on Wall Street, Procter & Gamble, Starbucks and more. Tatcha has been featured in INC’s 5,000 fastest growing companies in america, landing At #21. Follow @whyweworkpod @postgradmedia // Reach out! dawn@postgradradio.com

As the CEO of Extreme Arts and Sciences, Randy helps companies like Amazon, Adobe, and Microsoft strategize and develop winning teams. He’s also published two books ('Evolutionaries' and 'Slammed'), and travels the world as a speaker. In this interview, we talk about trying different careers, why his business still feels like a startup, losing a deal with Amazon, and why he wants to start dish-washing at his favorite restaurant. www.EASCI.com // follow @whyweworkpod and @postgradmedia // reach out! dawn@postgradradio.com

Molly Graves is the co-founder of Neat Method, a full service luxury residential organizing business launched in 2011. They have clients like Kate Hudson and are featured in Oprah Magazine, Vogue, Forbes, Buzzfeed, and the NY Times. In just a few short years, they have grown into a multi-city business. But it all started with a knack for organizing and a kindergarten classroom. www.neatmethod.com @neatmethod // Why We Work @whyweworkpod

You've probably seen Chinae on your explore page, or in the latest Adidas campaign. She's a social media entrepreneur, health and fitness advocate, and has been featured in publications like Women's Health, Well and Good, Refinery29 and is now a global Adidas ambassador. As if all that wasn't enough, she also started a successful event planning and design company in NYC. This lady is hilarious, relatable, badass and your new bff . Follow Chinae @chinaealexander.

I met Brittany when I attended her ‘Social Media Marketing’ workshop and learned so much I HAD to bring her on here to share her story. She is the 26 y/o founder of Arreis PR + Marketing and Laptops & Smalltalk, a growing community and resource for emerging fashion designers, and has been featured in Portland Business Journal and Portland monthly. All without a traditional 4 year degree. Listen to her journey from a dorm room jewelry business to running two companies, her top social media tips for growing an audience AND (of course) some mistakes along the way.

Krista is the 21 year old founder of 'Live Salted', a blog/conference/brand that helps college and millennial women discover their God-given calling and use their passions to mold culture and affect the world. Find out why Krista started Salt, the struggles of partying and college life, finding the right people to work with, and running a business with little to no funding. Oh, and why everyone is actually wired to be an entrepreneur. Website: www.livesalted.com IG: @LiveSalted / @kristahengesh DONATE: https://www.gofundme.com/livesaltedPNWconference Dawn (ME): dawnraemyers@gmail.com

Katie is a best-selling author, blogger, mentor, wellness enthusiast, and host of the podcast ‘Let it Out with Katie Dalebout’. Her work has been featured in Women’s Health, Huffington Post, and Glamour (just to name a few). Today, she shares how pursuing her interests lead to a book deal, why you should form multiple streams of income, and the importance of being a creator. Find Katie: www.katiedalebout.com Instagram: @katiedalebout iTunes Podcast: ‘Let it Out with Katie Dalebout’ Book: ‘Let It Out: A Journey Through Journaling’

This is one of my favorite episode to date… I interviewed 3 high schoolers (Siobhan, Josh and Maria) from Young Entrepreneur Business Week - a camp that is put on each summer to help young adults learn the language of business, how to start their own company, and bond with fellow students and mentors. Being a company advisor to a group of 8 reminded me of what it was like to have so much uncertainty about careers, college and finding purpose - which is why I wanted to ask a few of my group members some questions so we can all step back into the shoes of a high school student (the good and the bad). Overall, the experience at YEBW was incredibly rewarding, motivating and inspiring to see so many other creative minds in one place - hopefully this interview gives you a small taste. Enjoy!