Listen to inspirational stories from successful inventors and entrepreneurs as our host, Jon LaClare, founder of Harvest Growth, leads interviews targeted at helping aspiring inventors and market-leading entrepreneurs alike. If you’d like to see how Harvest Growth can help grow your product business, click below.
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Millions of Views on a Small Budget: Mudplugz’s Product Launch Strategy
Episode 298
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 • Duration 34:39
What do you do when your product solves a real problem, but your advertising isn’t generating the growth you need? For Kevin Cost, founder of Mudplugz, the breakthrough came from an influencer demonstration that helped turn an unfamiliar product into something homeowners around the world wanted to try.
In this episode of The Harvest Growth Podcast, host Jon LaClare sits down with Kevin to explore how a Christmas Eve idea became an innovative drywall repair product and a growing business. A finish carpenter by trade, Kevin taught himself CAD and 3D printing, turned his kitchen into a product development lab, and brought Mudplugz from concept to first sale in roughly one year.
When his early Meta and Google advertising efforts fell short, Kevin found traction through creators who understood the frustration his product solved. One launch video generated approximately 40,000 views in its first 30 minutes, eventually reached millions, and brought in orders from around the world. Kevin shares why authentic product demonstrations, trusted creators, and personal relationships became central to his influencer marketing approach.
Kevin also opens up about nine years in recovery from alcoholism and how he uses his businesses to create opportunities for others rebuilding their lives. His story offers practical lessons in product development, marketing on a limited budget, and building a business with purpose.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
How Kevin developed a new consumer product without prior experience in CAD or 3D printing.
What made an influencer launch video generate millions of views and international orders.
Why showing a product solving a familiar frustration can help turn attention into sales.
How genuine creator relationships helped Mudplugz gain exposure on a limited marketing budget.
What Jon’s experience working with Billy Mays reveals about persuasive product demonstrations.
How Kevin creates work opportunities for people in recovery while growing his business.
The spending lessons Kevin carried from his carpentry business into his product launch.
Visit Mudplugz.com to learn more about Kevin’s drywall repair solution, or search for Mudplugz on Amazon. Explore the brand’s social media to see the product demonstrations discussed in this episode.
Ready to launch your product or grow your brand? Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free consultation and learn about the Perfect Launch Blueprint, a process designed to clarify your audience, messaging, offer, and marketing strategy before you invest in media.
Subscribe to The Harvest Growth Podcast for more founder interviews and practical strategies for product launches, video marketing, and business growth.
He Built a 7-Figure Brand Without Ads. Here’s Why That’s Changing.
Episode 297
Monday, September 21, 2026 • Duration 30:04
What does it take to build a seven-figure product business without paid advertising—and how do you know when it’s time to change your growth strategy?
In this episode of The Harvest Growth Podcast, host Jon LaClare sits down with Bill Carney, founder of ProPlugger, to explore how he turned a frustrating yardwork problem into a thriving lawn and garden tool business. After losing his commercial finance job during the Great Recession, Bill began experimenting with steel tubes in his garage. His goal was simple: make gardening easier without spending hours bending over or working on his knees.
Over the next 15 years, Bill and his family grew ProPlugger through product quality, customer reviews, simple demonstration videos, and customers sharing their own projects online. The self-funded business expanded onto Amazon, HomeDepot.com, Lowes.com, and Walmart.com, reaching customers in approximately 19 countries.
But a successful product doesn’t eliminate the need to evolve. With manufacturing costs and copycat competition putting pressure on the business, Bill shares why ProPlugger is now exploring paid advertising and outside manufacturing to support its next stage of growth. His story offers practical lessons for founders looking to build demand, protect their time, and recognize when their marketing strategy needs to change.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
How simple product demonstration videos helped generate organic interest and sales.
How customer-created content extended ProPlugger’s reach without paid promotion.
Why product quality and customer feedback became the foundation for lasting growth.
The benefits and trade-offs of building a self-funded family business.
Why introducing a new product creates a discovery challenge when customers don’t know what to search for.
How manufacturing costs, copycat competition, and changing family priorities prompted a new growth strategy.
Visit ProPlugger.com to see the tool in action and learn more. You can also find ProPlugger on Amazon.
Ready to take the next step in growing your own product business? Harvest Growth’s Perfect Launch Blueprint helps identify the right audience, messaging, offer, and marketing strategy before you invest heavily in advertising. Visit to book a free call with our team.
From Niche Product to QVC: How Farmers Defense Scaled Its Brand
Episode 296
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 • Duration 28:14
In this episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, Jon LaClare sits down with Whitney Glum, co-founder and COO of Farmers Defense, to explore how finding the right audience, testing ad creative, and listening to customers helped build a successful consumer brand.
What started as protective sleeves for cannabis growers evolved into an outdoor apparel brand serving gardeners, cyclists, hikers, and even dog groomers. Whitney shares how early advertising challenges pushed the company to rethink its target market and discover a much larger audience for its products.
We dive into the ecommerce marketing strategies behind that growth, including user-generated content, Meta advertising, and building a direct-to-consumer website that outsells the brand’s Amazon channel. Whitney also explains how appearances on Good Morning America and QVC generated sales spikes and helped build customer trust.
Beyond marketing, Whitney reveals how she used AI to build custom shipping and receiving software without a software engineering background. She also shares a simple way to uncover new product opportunities: paying attention to what customers search for on your website that you don’t yet sell.
In today’s episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we cover:
• How expanding beyond your original target audience can unlock new growth • Why relatable user-generated content works for Farmers Defense’s core customers • How testing ad creative helps identify the messaging your audience responds to • Building website sales while expanding into Amazon • The impact of Good Morning America and QVC on sales and brand credibility • Using AI to solve shipping and inventory challenges • Turning website searches and customer feedback into new product ideas • Encouraging repeat purchases through new styles and complementary products
Want to learn more about Farmers Defense?
Visit FarmersDefense.com to explore their protection sleeves, sun hoodies, hats, and outdoor apparel, or search for Farmers Defense on Amazon.
The Marketing Mistake That Leaves Growing Ecommerce Brands Behind
Episode 295
Monday, September 14, 2026 • Duration 37:19
In this episode, Jon LaClare sits down with Anderson Schoenrock, founder of Memory Ventures, whose entrepreneurial journey took him from investment banking at Lehman Brothers to nearly two decades of building, buying, and growing ecommerce businesses.
Anderson shares how a simple customer problem sparked his first business, Scan Digital, and how that company expanded into printing, Amazon sales, and third-party fulfillment. He explains why moving his business from California to Indiana improved its economics and how overlooked inventory and operational problems can eat away at profits even when sales are growing.
We also explore why centralizing marketing across multiple brands proved more difficult than expected, what Anderson learned from acquiring Crema Coffee Products, and why email marketing remains his top-performing channel for return on time and cost. You’ll discover how repeat purchases increase customer lifetime value—and how understanding that value can help you make smarter customer acquisition decisions.
In today’s episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we’ll cover:
• Why growing revenue alone isn’t enough to build a profitable ecommerce business • How overstocking, stockouts, and fulfillment inefficiencies erode margins • Lessons from expanding into Amazon and acquiring an ecommerce brand • Why individual brands need dedicated marketing attention • How email marketing drives repeat purchases and increases customer lifetime value • Why capturing an email address matters when shoppers aren’t ready to buy
If you’re launching a product, scaling an ecommerce brand, or managing multiple businesses, this episode offers practical lessons for building a stronger foundation for growth. To learn more about Anderson Schoenrock and his portfolio of businesses, visit MemoryVentures.com. For ecommerce fulfillment support, visit VictoryLaneSolutions.com.
To be a guest on our next episode of the podcast, contact us today!
How Authentic Storytelling Helped a New Autism Therapy Center Grow Fast
Episode 294
Monday, September 7, 2026 • Duration 22:10
In this episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, Jon LaClare sits down with physician and Sirica Center founder Uli Chettipally to explore how his family’s personal experience with autism inspired a new approach to therapeutic support—and how authentic, mission-driven storytelling helped the center attract immediate interest.
Uli’s daughter, Siri, was diagnosed with autism at three years old. As he studied which activities helped her remain regulated, focused, and engaged, he discovered the significant role that physical movement could play in her daily life. Those experiences eventually inspired Sirica Center, which combines virtual reality, video gaming, controlled sensory experiences, and whole-body exercise to make therapy more immersive and enjoyable.
Uli explains why support can become especially difficult to access as children with autism reach adolescence and adulthood. Sirica Center is working to fill that gap with experiences designed to encourage movement, engagement, and an improved quality of life—particularly for individuals who cannot communicate through speech.
The conversation also reveals an important marketing lesson for any mission-driven founder. Long before opening the center, Uli consistently shared his family’s story, educated people about the problem, and built an online community around the mission. That transparency created trust and anticipation, helping the first Sirica Center fill quickly and develop a waiting list.
In today’s episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we cover:
How Uli’s daughter inspired the creation of Sirica Center
Why physical exercise became an important part of Siri’s daily life
How virtual reality, gaming, and whole-body movement can make therapy more engaging
The growing support gap for teenagers and adults with autism
Why limited access to trained professionals remains a major challenge
How technology could make therapeutic experiences more widely accessible
Why educating your audience before launching can build anticipation
How personal storytelling creates trust around a mission-driven business
The importance of recognizing and respecting the intelligence of every person with autism
Mark Cuban Told Him to Walk Away From Walmart—Here’s Why
Episode 292
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 • Duration 26:06
In this episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, Jon LaClare sits down with Nic Lamb, professional big-wave surfer and founder and CEO of IceBeanie, to explore how a devastating surfing accident inspired a breakthrough consumer product.
After falling from a 70-foot wave in Nazaré, Portugal, Nic suffered a serious concussion and months of migraine headaches. Frustrated with holding bags of ice against his head, he developed IceBeanie—a wearable compression cold-therapy product designed to provide convenient cooling relief.
Nic shares how he launched with an imperfect first product, listened closely to customer feedback, and continually improved the design. That process eventually brought IceBeanie to Shark Tank, where Mark Cuban invested in the company. Following the episode, the brand generated nearly seven figures in sales in a single day—but that sudden success also triggered a series of major operational challenges.
From a hacked email server and a fulfillment center shut down by a historic storm to walking away from a Walmart offer on Mark Cuban’s advice, Nic explains how resilience, focus, and courage helped him keep the company moving forward. He also reveals why founders should master one product and one sales channel before chasing their next opportunity.
In today’s episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we cover:
How a 70-foot-wave accident inspired the creation of IceBeanie
Why an imperfect minimum viable product can be the best place to start
How customer feedback helped Nic improve the product through seven iterations
What Mark Cuban contributed beyond the exposure of Shark Tank
Why IceBeanie walked away from a major Walmart opportunity
How the company survived a hacked email server and fulfillment shutdown
Why founders should focus on one product and one sales channel first
How big-wave surfing prepared Nic for the fear and uncertainty of entrepreneurship
Why courage is essential when building and scaling a business
And so much more!
If you’re developing a new product, navigating a business crisis, or struggling to stay focused while scaling, this episode offers an inspiring and practical look at what it takes to keep moving forward when everything seems to go wrong.
She Used 17 Credit Cards to Build a Multimillion-Dollar Supplement Brand
Episode 291
Monday, August 31, 2026 • Duration 28:39
In this episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, Jon LaClare sits down with Sylvia Ortiz, founder and CEO of MacroLife Naturals, to share how she transformed 250 bottles, 17 credit cards, and an unwavering belief in her product into a business that has generated millions of dollars in revenue.
Sylvia’s entrepreneurial journey began during one of the most difficult periods of her life. After losing her mother and husband while facing a serious health crisis within her family, she decided to create MacroGreens—a nutritional greens supplement developed with holistic nutrition expert Dr. Edward Wagner. With no established customers and no traditional bank willing to finance an unfamiliar product category, Sylvia relied on resourcefulness, careful financial planning, and relentless persistence to get started.
She explains how chiropractors became her first customers, why product samples helped MacroLife Naturals earn trust, and how she built demand through independent retailers and Whole Foods before approaching major distributors. Sylvia also shares how a professional business plan eventually helped her move beyond credit cards and secure traditional bank financing.
Beyond the numbers, this conversation explores the mindset required to survive the difficult early years of entrepreneurship. Sylvia reveals the three principles that guided her journey—persistence, preparation, and positive thinking—and explains why helping people live healthier lives remains more important to her than revenue.
If you’re launching a consumer product, building a supplement brand, or trying to grow without outside investors, this episode offers an inspiring look at what can happen when a founder combines a meaningful mission with the determination to keep moving forward.
In today’s episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we cover:
How Sylvia launched MacroLife Naturals with only 250 bottles
Why she used 17 credit cards to finance the company’s early growth
How she found her first customers through an existing professional network
Why sampling remained one of MacroLife Naturals’ strongest marketing strategies
How building demand with independent retailers opened the door to larger distributors
This Simple Medical Device Solves a Problem Everyone Overlooked
Episode 290
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 • Duration 29:50
In this episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, Jon LaClare sits down with Chris and Jason Abboud, co-founders of Pressure on Wounds, to discuss how they developed an entirely new approach to bleeding control—and what it took to bring their patented invention to market.
The idea began when a dialysis nurse described having to manually apply pressure to patients’ wounds for at least 15 minutes after treatment. Because these patients are often older, have sensitive skin, and take blood-thinning medications, stopping the bleeding can be especially challenging. Chris, a mechanical engineer and inventor, immediately began developing a bandage that could apply constant, targeted pressure automatically.
Chris and Jason share how they tested early prototypes in a dialysis clinic, refined the product through repeated iterations, and solved the challenge of combining textiles, plastic components, gauze, and adhesives into something simple enough for anyone to use. By proving the product in one of the most difficult bleeding-control environments, they created what marketers call a “torture test”—demonstrating that a product capable of solving an extreme problem can also handle more common situations.
The conversation also explores the business behind the invention. Chris and Jason explain how live demonstrations at trade shows helped them validate the product, improve their messaging, earn support from experienced first responders and military professionals, and form a strategic partnership with another exhibitor. They also reveal how much work remains after a product is finished—from packaging and product photography to Shopify, Amazon, social media, trade-show materials, and other essential launch assets.
If you’re developing an original product, testing a new idea, or preparing to launch a brand, this episode offers valuable lessons about identifying real problems, validating difficult use cases, improving through customer feedback, and building the marketing infrastructure needed to reach the market successfully.
In today’s episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we cover:
How a dialysis nurse inspired the creation of Pressure on Wounds
Why constant, targeted pressure can be more effective than applying pressure manually
How Bivo Grew 70% Through Storytelling, Events, and Retail
Episode 289
Monday, August 24, 2026 • Duration 29:07
In this episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, Jon LaClare sits down with Carina Hamel, co-founder of Bivo, to reveal how the company transformed a familiar plastic cycling bottle into an innovative stainless steel product—and built a rapidly growing brand around it.
Carina shares how Bivo worked with a former NASA engineer to solve one of its biggest product-development challenges: creating a lightweight metal bottle that delivers water quickly without being squeezed. The resulting design gives cyclists cold, clean-tasting water through a simple high-flow system that customers often find easier to use than traditional plastic bottles.
Beyond the product, Carina explains how customer feedback shaped Bivo’s messaging, product features, and marketing strategy. Through approximately 70 in-person events across the country, the team discovered an underserved audience of everyday cyclists who care more about enjoying the ride than competing at the highest level.
The conversation also explores Bivo’s pivotal transition from push marketing focused on immediate sales to pull marketing built around authentic storytelling. That shift helped increase blog readership by 650% in one year, with approximately one-third of website visitors now engaging with the company’s stories.
Carina also breaks down how Bivo expanded into independent retailers, built a network of 35 sales representatives, supported retail staff, protected wholesale relationships, and turned tariff uncertainty into international growth opportunities.
In today’s episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we cover:
How Bivo engineered a high-flow stainless steel cycling bottle
Why customer feedback can uncover unexpected selling points
What in-person events reveal that online analytics cannot
How Bivo identified an underserved audience within the cycling industry
The strategy behind building a network of 35 independent sales representatives
Why product sampling helps retail employees become brand advocates
How Pretty Thai 10X’d Amazon Sales Without 10X’ing Ad Spend
Episode 288
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 • Duration 42:02
In this episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, Jon LaClare sits down with Robert Strong, co-founder and Head Saucier of Pretty Thai, to uncover how a food truck recipe grew into a successful sauce brand selling more than 5,000 bottles per month on Amazon.
Robert shares how Pretty Thai began as an Austin food truck called Pretty Thai for a White Guy, where an unexpected request from a late-night customer inspired Thai nachos that eventually appeared on national television. More importantly, listening closely to customers led Robert and his wife to begin bottling their sauces and later create the Thai peanut sauce that became the number-one product in its Amazon category.
The conversation explores how Pretty Thai moved beyond slow eCommerce growth by investing in professional Amazon content, properly optimizing its listings, targeting the right keywords, and carefully balancing paid advertising with organic growth. Robert explains how the brand increased sales from approximately 500 to more than 5,000 bottles per month without increasing its advertising spend at the same rate.
Robert also offers an honest look at Amazon Vine, the importance of choosing the right products for review programs, and why Amazon may be more effective than a direct-to-consumer website for certain lower-priced products.
Beyond the business strategy, Robert shares the deeply personal story of his son, Palmer, and how that experience gave Pretty Thai a greater purpose. Through the Palmer Nicholas Foundation, Robert and his family support families with children facing serious medical challenges through meals, financial assistance, hospital programs, and meaningful experiences.
In today’s episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we cover:
How Pretty Thai evolved from an Austin food truck into a national sauce brand
Why listening to customers can reveal your best product opportunities
How Robert created Amazon’s number-one Thai peanut sauce
The listing content and keyword strategies that helped Pretty Thai grow
How the brand increased monthly sales from 500 to more than 5,000 bottles
Why Amazon can outperform a Shopify website for lower-priced products
Subscribe to The Harvest Growth Podcast for more product marketing strategies and lessons from entrepreneurs building successful businesses.
Do you have a product you’d like to launch or scale?
Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free consultation and learn about The Perfect Launch Blueprint, our process for identifying the right audience, messaging, offer, and marketing strategy before you spend heavily on media. Our team has helped launch and grow hundreds of brands totaling over $2 billion in revenues.
Do you have a brand that you’d like to launch or grow? Do you want help from a partner that has successfully launched hundreds of brands totaling over $2 billion in revenues? Visit HarvestGrowth.com and set up a free consultation with us today!
And so much more!
If you’re building a mission-driven business, introducing an unfamiliar solution, or looking for a more authentic way to connect with your audience, this episode demonstrates how personal purpose, consistent education, and community building can turn an ambitious idea into genuine demand.
To learn more about Uli Chettipally and Sirica Center, visit SiricaTX.com or SiricaCenter.com. You can also connect with Uli on LinkedIn.
Do you have a brand you’d like to launch or grow? Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free consultation and learn how our team has helped generate more than $2 billion in product sales.
Want to learn more about Nic and IceBeanie? Visit IceBeanie.com or search for IceBeanie on Amazon.
Do you have a brand you’d like to launch or scale? Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free consultation and learn how our team has helped launch hundreds of brands that have generated more than $2 billion in revenue.
The importance of creating a professional business plan before approaching banks
Sylvia’s three principles for overcoming entrepreneurial challenges
How personal experiences can create confidence in a product and its mission
Why persistence and preparation matter more than having the perfect background
How focusing on helping customers can fuel long-term business growth
And so much more!
Want to connect with Sylvia?
Visit MacroLifeNaturals.com to explore MacroGreens, Miracle Reds, and the complete line of MacroLife Naturals products. You can also follow MacroLife Naturals on Facebook and Instagram for weekly health tips.
Do you have a brand you’d like to launch or scale?
Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free consultation and learn how our team has helped launch and grow hundreds of consumer brands, generating more than $2 billion in revenue.
How Chris and Jason validated the concept through real-world testing
Why testing against the most difficult use case can strengthen your marketing
The challenges of combining textiles, plastics, gauze, and adhesives
How repeated prototyping helped simplify the final product
Why an effective product demonstration can communicate value instantly
How trade-show conversations helped refine the brand’s messaging
Why fellow exhibitors can become valuable customers and strategic partners
The hidden work required between completing an invention and launching it
How Harvest Growth helped accelerate the brand’s path to market
And so much more!
Want to learn more about Pressure on Wounds? Visit PressureOnWounds.com or search for Pressure on Wounds on Amazon to explore its pressure strips, pressure wraps, and first-aid solutions.
Do you have a product you’d like to launch or scale? Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free consultation and learn how our team has helped launch hundreds of products and generate more than $2 billion in sales.
How to balance direct-to-consumer sales with wholesale partnerships
How Bivo responded to tariffs by expanding internationally
The brand-building strategy that helped the company grow 70%
If you’re developing a consumer product, expanding into retail, or trying to build a more sustainable marketing strategy, this episode offers practical lessons on listening to customers, creating authentic content, and turning product users into passionate advocates.
Want to learn more about Bivo?
Visit DrinkBivo.com, find Bivo on Amazon, or look for its stainless steel cycling bottles at your local bike shop.
Do you have a product you’d like to launch or scale?
Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free consultation and learn how our team has helped generate over $2 billion in product sales.
How to balance Amazon advertising with profitable organic growth
When Amazon Vine can help a product—and when it may hurt
How the Palmer Nicholas Foundation supports families in the fight
Why a deeper purpose can provide lasting motivation for entrepreneurs
If you’re building a consumer product, trying to improve your Amazon sales, or looking for sustainable ways to scale without sacrificing profitability, this episode offers practical lessons from a founder who transformed customer feedback, strategic marketing, and personal purpose into meaningful growth.
To learn more about Robert and explore Pretty Thai’s chef-crafted sauces, visit PrettyThaiBrand.com or search for Pretty Thai on Amazon.
To learn more about the Palmer Nicholas Foundation or support its work with families facing serious childhood medical challenges, visit PalmerNicholasFoundation.org.
Do you have a product you’d like to launch or scale?
Visit HarvestGrowth.com to book a free consultation and learn how our team has helped launch and grow hundreds of brands, generating more than $2 billion in product sales.
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