0

Category: Success Stories

Discover how thriving entrepreneurs transformed their small businesses into industry success stories.

Where Is Ogee Makeup Made? The Vermont-Born BrandWhere Is Ogee Makeup Made? The Vermont-Born BrandWhere Is Ogee Makeup Made? The Vermont-Born BrandWhere Is Ogee Makeup Made? The Vermont-Born BrandWhere Is Ogee Makeup Made? The Vermont-Born BrandWhere Is Ogee Makeup Made? The Vermont-Born Brand

Where Is Ogee Makeup Made? The Vermont-Born Brand

From Vermont’s Forests to the Fashion Front Row

In the world of clean beauty, few names spark both luxury and legitimacy like Ogee. But recently, beauty enthusiasts have been asking: Where is Ogee makeup made?

The answer lies in the quiet forests of Vermont, where Ogee was born — not in a giant cosmetics lab, but in a small kitchen with a big vision.

continue reading
100 Thieves: The Esports Lifestyle Brand Redefining Streetwear100 Thieves: The Esports Lifestyle Brand Redefining Streetwear100 Thieves: The Esports Lifestyle Brand Redefining Streetwear100 Thieves: The Esports Lifestyle Brand Redefining Streetwear100 Thieves: The Esports Lifestyle Brand Redefining Streetwear

100 Thieves: The Esports Lifestyle Brand Redefining Streetwear

Founding the Esports Lifestyle Brand: Betting on a Gamer’s Vision

In a cramped Ohio bedroom in 2011, Matthew “Nadeshot” Haag clutched a gaming controller, sweat beading on his forehead as he secured the Call of Duty World Championship. Fast-forward to 2024: that same intensity fuels 100 Thieves, a $460M empire where esports fashion meets gaming lifestyle and streetwear culture. This isn’t just a brand — it’s a revolution.

continue reading
How Ancient Cosmetics Redefined Ancestral Skincare for Modern SkinHow Ancient Cosmetics Redefined Ancestral Skincare for Modern SkinHow Ancient Cosmetics Redefined Ancestral Skincare for Modern SkinHow Ancient Cosmetics Redefined Ancestral Skincare for Modern Skin

How Ancient Cosmetics Redefined Ancestral Skincare for Modern Skin

The Founding Story Behind Ancestral Skincare for Modern Skin

In a cramped Fayetteville kitchen circa 2018, a group of Black millennials stared at their latest failed skincare experiment. Their skin burned from chemical-laden products, their frustration mounting with each reaction. “What if we created what our ancestors used—but for modern skin?” one asked, holding up a jar of turmeric. That moment sparked Ancient Cosmetics, a vegan skincare brand that grew from kitchen experiments to a $4.8M empire by resurrecting ancestral skincare for modern skin.

Founders: A collective of Black entrepreneurs united by personal battles with synthetic skincare. Their research revealed disturbing truths: mainstream products contained toxins like lead and mercury—legacies from Egyptian kohl to Victorian arsenic creams.

continue reading
How Owala FreeSip Water Bottle Became a Viral Hydration IconHow Owala FreeSip Water Bottle Became a Viral Hydration IconHow Owala FreeSip Water Bottle Became a Viral Hydration IconHow Owala FreeSip Water Bottle Became a Viral Hydration IconHow Owala FreeSip Water Bottle Became a Viral Hydration IconHow Owala FreeSip Water Bottle Became a Viral Hydration Icon

How Owala FreeSip Water Bottle Became a Viral Hydration Icon

A Spout That Changed Everything: The Origin of Owala

In 2019, inside a garage in Lehi, Utah, Steve Sorensen, CEO of Trove Brands, spotted a gym-goer juggling a BlenderBottle® shaker and a basic water bottle. That frustrating moment sparked a question: “Why can’t hydration be simple?” The answer became Owala FreeSip Water Bottle, a water bottle designed to solve a problem many didn’t realize they had.

Key Milestones:

  • Founder: Steve Sorensen (CEO, Trove Brands — parent company of BlenderBottle®)
  • Problem Identified: Users had to choose between straws or wide-mouth bottles, disrupting flow during active routines
  • Solution: 18-month development led to the patented FreeSip® spout — combining a hidden straw and wide-mouth opening
  • Funding Path:
    • Bootstrapped →
    • $7.2M Series A (2022, Gobi Partners) →
    • NBA backing (e.g., Damian Lillard, 2023)
CONTINUE READING
en_USEnglish