Join us in our latest podcast episode as we host John Clinton, the creative mind behind ColoradoCool Apparel. Born out of passion and a relentless desire to be different, ColoradoCool Apparel is the brainchild of a designer who's always looking to push boundaries and create designs that embody the spirit of Colorado. Growing up in Colorado, John's love for the great outdoors and the state's vibrant culture always found a way into his art. It was this consistent theme in his designs that birthed the idea of ColoradoCool Apparel. From its humble beginnings as a personal project to improve his design skills, it has evolved into a brand that's all about celebrating Colorado's unique lifestyle. ColoradoCool Apparel is more than just a brand - it's a growing community of Instagram brand ambassadors across Colorado and the globe who resonate with the brand's designs and lifestyle, giving life and meaning to ColoradoCool. The brand is all about its people, those who love Colorado and the lifestyle it promotes. And as the brand continues to grow, John is committed to giving back to the Colorado community. Whether it's investing in environmental preservation or providing gear to those less fortunate, ColoradoCool Apparel is all about embracing and enhancing the Colorado lifestyle. Tune into this episode to hear more about John's journey in creating ColoradoCool Apparel, how he challenges the norms of design, and his vision for the future of this unique brand. Check out this inspiring episode anywhere you get your podcasts.

Joshua Mehzer tried to germinate his first cannabis seed while in high school, after attending one of the early public protests in the UK to decriminalize cannabis in the year 2000. Shortly after moving to the USA in 2010, he found himself dropping out of the University of Santa Cruz to grow medicinal cannabis full time. Since then he has grown cannabis hydroponically, aeroponically, soil medium, indoors, and outside in greenhouses and full sun. He developed the worlds 1st pair of smart electric scissors for timing cannabis and has participated at all levels of the industry. His love of plants goes back to an early age, but cannabis is his favourite and he has grown a lot of it. He started A Pot for Pot and A Pot for Plants to empower people to grow their own plants and to combat the stigma that pot is difficult to grow. He's been approached by countless amateur home hobbyists who would like to start a small personal grow, but don't know where to begin. They're overwhelmed with information, and think there must be some secret sauce to growing great plants. He created a kit so anyone can grow their own clean, plants at home. Everything needed is in the box. Just add water, seed, and sun. The simple directions take customers through the process step-by-step, and make it easy to grow their own natural herbs right on their desk or balcony, or in their living room or home garden. In this episode, Josh covers a lot of ground regarding how difficult it is for cannabis brands to advertise and grow their business in the current internet marketplaces, how he developed this product, and how he is scaling and moving into new markets with his brands.

Charminta Brown is the founder and owner of Brown Joy, a brand that highlights the importance of representation, worthiness, and normalcy by featuring Black and Brown characters in everyday products, such as stickers and other industries where Black and Brown people are not commonly seen. Char has daughter named Joy, and as a mom, she always wants Joy to see herself in everything positive specifically in children’s products. For example, every time Charminta would take her daughter Joy to the Pediatrician, Dentist office, or business that gave children stickers, Joy would always receive stickers of animals or of characters that do not look like her. Charminta was exhausted from witnessing the lack of representation in sticker selection, so she decided to create Brown Joy where Black and Brown characters can be showcased in everyday items we love and enjoy. Brown Joy wholeheartedly believes that all children need to see positive images of Black and Brown characters. The purpose of this brand is to create images that showcase Black and Brown characters to increase recognition. Due to the scarcity of Black and Brown characters portrayed on children's products, they believe it is crucial to create a space for diversity and inclusion to promote representation, worthiness, and normalcy of Black and Brown people. Brown Joy is a Black Women Owned Business that is on a mission to display Brown Joy characters on children’s products to promote cultural competence. In the first year of her business, Char found herself and her story written into the United States Congressional Record for her contribution as a distinguished Black female business leader in Central Florida. A truly historic moment, and one to shout from the mountaintops. Listen in to the early days of this business, and where it's going next.

The Black Chef Movement was inspired by activists and Black and brown communities stepping up to fight social injustice. Disturbed by civil unrest and the inequities in urban communities, Executive Director and chef Rasheeda McCallum used her love of food and passion for justice to create the Black Chef Movement. BCM works to create a network of Black and brown chefs together to provide healthy and nourishing meals to folks in need of mutual aid. In just three years, BCM has grown to include nearly 250 volunteers and has fed thousands of activists and families across New York State. Listen in to hear how Rasheeda started the organization and what's next as she continues to serve her community, one meal at a time.

Tiphanie Anirah started CreeAnna's LLC during the COVID pandemic, selling cookies, muffins sweet breads and African meat pies. Now, her products are available at almost every event in Pocatello, Idaho. She learned about African food and culture as a student at Idaho State University, and she started making food at home to share. On the behest of her friends, she soon started sharing her food with more than just friends. Tiphanie harnessed her passion for baking and started her brand by focusing on African Meat Pies, a flaky, pastry filled with meat, vegetables and African spices, as her flagship product. She added cookies, sweet breads, cakes and chin chin, which are small, fried, doughnutlike treats native to West Africa, to her menu. She used her middle name (CreeAnna) as inspiration for the business name and purpose. Now nearing her fourth year in business, she has plans to expand and grow the brand. Listen in to her how she got started and what's next.

Ethan Levy is the founder and host of Dork Dancing. Ethan, diagnosed as bipolar, has been hospitalized twice for his episodes of mania. These experiences were life-changing, altering his perspective on life entirely. During the early days of the COVID-19 lockdown, Ethan reflected on his values, purpose, and story. He decided to fight for a cause, advocating for mental health through dance. Ethan is going out to the streets making a statement and helping others let loose. Ethan is on a mission to help others move well and break free from psychological barriers. Dance holds tremendous power and Dork Dancing is helping more people tap into that power by letting loose. As a community, Dork Dancing is growing together while raising awareness for mental health. Dork Dancing is something that's visible, that's positive, and that can spread. Dork Dancing means dancing like dorks to do something good for mental health. Dork Dancing is also project of the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center, and StickerGiant is a sponsor of their stickers. Ethan joined the show to talk about how the idea is growing and helping to bring about awareness for mental health.

Chuck Williams is the Senior Director of R&D Global Platform at the Avery Dennison Corporation, and he joined the show for a special National Sticker Day episode where he talked about polymer science, sustainability and his path at Avery. He shared a few terrific stories, including his meeting with R. Stanton Avery, the founder of Avery Labels and the reason StickerGiant chose January 13th (his birthday) as the date for National Sticker Day. In his thirty years at Avery, he's been able to work on development projects that have changed the way labels are produced, and how the label industry continues to evolve.

Jennifer Santi is the Marketing and Communications Manager at Zingerman's Deli. Zingerman's is a community of eight food-related businesses all located in the Ann Arbor, MI area that has become an institution in itself. Their mission is to share the Zingerman’s experience selling food that makes people happy and giving service that makes people smile. Jennifer spoke on the podcast about Zingerman's iconic designs, local focus and community-oriented growth. She shared how they bring the Zingerman’s Experience to as many people as possible by focusing on their 3 Bottom Lines (Great Food, Great Service, Great Finance) and about how their Guiding Principles shape how they work together, how they relate to each other, to their guests, to their suppliers, and to their community. Listen in to learn more about how Zingerman's impacts the community in Ann Arbor and what's next for this growing group of businesses.

Hunnie Butter is a small family business owned and operated by husband and wife team, Jonathan & Jasmine. They are located in Mesa, AZ, but they are proud Los Angeles natives. They met 10 years ago at a bakery and they have been on the same team ever since. Their mission is to make incredible and beautiful, scratch-baked goods like layered cakes, cookies, bars, round cakes and caramels. Jasmine joined the show to talk about how she's growing her eCommerce brand while also creating a local business that offers Hunnie Butter baked goods and classes. Jasmine's passion for culinary arts, impeccable attention to detail, and customer-centric business ethics have helped her mold Hunnie Butter into what it is today. Her great grandmother instilled in Jasmine a passion for baking that gave her th extra push to go to culinary school. After completing school, she had some amazing opportunities to come her way including participating on four competitive baking shows: Cupcake Wars, Cake Boss: Next Great Baker, Duff til Dawn(winner!), and Cake Wars. After getting married and starting a family, Hunnie Butter was born. When the brand was being built, Jasmine wanted to tap into another one of her passions: teaching. Now they also share their years of knowledge and practice with others interested in learning the craft.

Nithin and Susan are two of the co-founders of JKL Teahouse, publishers of "R Is For Rice." They joined the show to talk about Asian American representation in children's literature and starting a self-publishing brand. As Asian Americans growing up in the U.S., they rarely saw themselves reflected in popular books and media. They created their first book, R is for Rice, to celebrate Asian cultures infused in daily American life. Their goal is to take readers on a journey through the alphabet with the ABC’s of Asian American foods. At JKL Teahouse, they are proud of their multiple Asian heritages, and they are proud to be Americans. Their mission is to inspire a broader definition of “American” by offering products that reflect Asian Americans and the impact of Asian communities on American life. They also spoke about starting their publishing and ecommerce brand, and how the creative process works in their business. Listen in to learn more about they are working to create a more inclusive world through kids books.

In this special episode, Andrew is joined by three members of the StickerGiant Marketing Team. Alison (SEO Content Strategist), Shandell (Community Manager) and KB (Social Media Strategist) to talk about upcoming StickerGiant promotions that kick off the holiday season starting with Black Friday and running into Cyber Week. Their discussion focused on how the marketing team pivoted into a new creative campaign the week before the holidays, and how they plan to execute the strategy across the multiple channels that StickerGiant uses for promotions and messaging. If you're a small business looking for ways to improve your marketing during the busiest time of the year, give this a listen. And if you're a business owner who wants to share your holiday success story, drop us a line at podcast@stickergiant.com to join the show.

Marisa Morrison is the color-loving, creativity-obsessed founder of The Neon Tea Party (TNTP). For as long as she remembers, she's made things: a “fashion line” at age 8, crystal bracelets at age 11, themed parties at age 14, a university magazine at age 19, and a lifestyle blog at 27. Now, in her 30s, Marisa aims to inspire others to tap into their own creativity by offering DIY tutorials, in-person workshops, virtual classes and more. When she’s not immersed in her latest crafting obsession or growing The Neon Tea Party from her colorful home office, you can find Marisa decorating her house, scrolling Pinterest for fresh project inspiration, or in the kitchen cooking. Marisa lives in New Jersey with her daughter Sofie, dog Kugel, and husband and TNTP Chief Hustle Officer Sam. Marisa spoke about how The Neon Tea Party is on a mission to empower people to celebrate their creativity through colorful, playful crafts. TNTP provides fun DIY tutorials, craft supplies, virtual classes, and even a virtual craft camp to help people make joyful items for themselves, their loved ones, and their surroundings.

Briana Boehmer is the Chief Operating Officer at Run the Edge, a Boulder-based fitness platform that aims to make fitness fun, accessible, and integral to daily life. They inspire and include people all over the world with their devoted team, dynamic challenges, and community-first approach. Briana ran collegiately for the University of Colorado and the University of Wisconsin, but now you'll find her standing atop the podium in multi-sport events. She’s completed 6 full Ironmans, including the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. She joined the show to talk about how they create gamified fitness experiences that challenge people to meet and exceed their goals. The platform at Run the Edge is a diverse set of virtual challenges that feature unique rewards and help foster community. There are seven different options that range from full-year challenges to monthly motivations. Briana loves working for startups with their hearts in the right place. Her 14 years of startup business development experience includes work for 5 different companies, each with a mission to help people lead healthier lives. Briana is a master organizer whose influence at Run The Edge is focused on ensuring everything they do centers on their mission “Everyone Included, Everyone Challenged, Everyone Successful.” Check out runtheedge.com to learn more about how they are trying to innovative fitness experiences for everyone.

Rita Ho-Bezzola is an entrepreneur based in Los Angeles with an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. After working at a furniture wholesale company, she decided to launch her own ventures, including establishing a raw material export company, creating a home furnishings wholesale and retail brand generating $22M in sales per year, as well as founding a local organic vegetarian eatery. She has extensive experience in international and domestic logistics, supply chain management, total quality management, and product development. As a mother of two, she strives to contribute to the well-being of the next generation in her future endeavors. Like millions of other parents around the world, the Covid pandemic turned Rita's life upside down. She started looking for resources that would support her in guiding her two young daughters through a strange and scary time. She was looking for any tool that could her help frame the conversation or give her the right words to say to make the situation easier for her kids to understand. This search brought with it a realization that for so many families, perhaps those with a sick child or parent, these conversations have to happen all the time. And because kids think about things so differently than we do, the words we use (and don’t use) matter when helping shape their perception. Piper + Enza wants to help kids and their families center on the good when faced with challenges, and to focus on the light as they are moving through the tunnel. The mission at Piper + Enza, a health and happiness company, is to support children and their families with the inevitable bumps and bruises of growing up, shifting the narrative from a place of fear to one of healing, knowledge and celebration. Using books, tools, toys, and resources developed in collaboration with early childhood educators, child life experts, pediatricians, and child psychologists, they want to give families strategies to navigate through the fears and unknowns of growing up and instead, support them in embracing the journey. Listen in to hear how Rita plans for the growth of the brand and other lessons she's picked up in the early days of this business.

Today is September 30 and it’s International Podcast Day, an international celebration of the power of podcasts! In this episode, Andrew talks about the history of our podcast, and then he re-shares the stories from 2017 until today on a little walk down memory. There are so many tips and tricks for small business across the episodes over the years, and we wanted to take a moment highlight how our show has changed along with the changing business climate. StickerGiant's podcast Stickers on the Mic started in 2017 as Sticker Stories and then spent two seasons under that moniker before we decided to rebrand the show to help differentiate it a bit and also own the brand name for the show. Since 2017, we've told 120 stories of entrepreneurs who took their passion and turned it into a growing business. This adds up to real awareness and actual business! This celebration is a great opportunity to connect with fellow podcasters, podcast listeners, podcast enthusiasts, and leaders in the podcasting industry. Help spread the word by telling your friends, sharing the celebration on your podcasts and social media feeds, and using #InternationalPodcastDay. We are excited to join this year, and we will help keep the celebration going year after year.

Adrienne Ruth is a Denver-based graphic artist who rose to prominence when one of the Colorado Avalanche players wore a shirt she design in the 2022 Stanley Cup Victory Parade. She's a passionate hockey fan, and she built a rapport with Nazem Kadri and his family over the years. Adrienne created a design that he wanted to wear for the celebration, and the rest is history. She's since partnered with the Nazem Kadri Foundation to donate proceeds from the shirt sales to benefit his pursuit of mental health awareness, while also expanding her product lines of designs. She joined the show to talk about her experience creating hockey-related art and how Murder on Ice (her design brand) responded to the influx of business that followed the Avs winning the Stanley Cup.

Abby Glassenberg is a co-founder of the Craft Industry Alliance and now serves as its president. She’s a sewing pattern designer, teacher, and journalist. She’s dedicated to creating an outstanding trade association for the crafts industry. The Craft Industry Alliance was founded in 2015 by Abby and Kristin Link. They each had over a decades’ worth of experience as craft industry professionals. They’d been designers and producers, makers and retailers, writers and teachers. Their vision was to build a thriving trade organization that meets the specific needs of today’s craft industry professionals and offers an opportunity for makers, suppliers, designers and writers to join together as allies under a united “craft industry” umbrella. In 2022, Craft Industry Alliance became the strategic partner for h+h americas, a new trade show for the crafts industry. This event is a uniting force for crafts, bringing all businesses together in one place where they can showcase new goods, discover trends, network, and make crucial connections at an exciting, in-person event.

Harsha Maragh is the owner and CEO of Wah Gwaan Brewing Company. This business was started Harsha and Jesse Brown in 2020. The idea for the brewery was driven by Harsha's Jamaican heritage, their shared love for craft beer, a passion for homebrewing and the desire to create social change within the brewing industry. Listen in as she shares the story of how their Denver-based brewery got started during the pandemic and how they are growing their business in the Colorado craft brewing industry.

Cidney Moorer started Herbal Ciddy four years ago to create plant-based skincare products for all skin types. Her vision was to have an all-in-one selccare and holistic wellness line. She wants everyone to love their skincare and bathing routine, which is we she provides all natural, vegan friendly skin care solutions for all skin tones. She joined the show to talk about how she started Herbal Ciddy in 2019 after sixteen months of trial and error that included learning all there was to know about skin and botanical ingredients to help alleviate particular conditions. Cidney also spoke about how she scaled her brand and developed new products like petcare and wholesale options. Up next for her is a retail presence in the Beachwood Place Shopping Mall in Beachwood, OH. We also chatted about how she built a loyal consumer base for her products that led to a massive marketing boost in June of 2020 from one of the most-prolific influencers in the world: Beyoncé. The music mogul and her fashion stylist Zerina Akers included Herbal Ciddy in their “Black Parade Route” promotion that put a spotlight on Black-owned brands across the country. Listen in to hear Cidney share her passion and plans for the future of Herbal Ciddy.

Brett Freedman is an LA based makeup artist that's worked within the Hollywood system for decades. Before starting Brett Glam Beauty, he had deals with Revlon, Neutrogena and Pantene, to name just a few. Throughout his work, he always had a knack for brows, and since that service was his calling card, he decided to create products with his favorite attributes, while also adding products where he saw a need. Brett says that developing the line was the hardest thing he's ever done, but that the journey has been vastly rewarding. After over a decade of selling his brow and lip products, he is in love with his work and his brand. Every product is created, formulated and developed by Brett. While his brand represents a true makeup artist's line, it's available to everyone. Listen in as Brett talks about his path into his business and where's it's going next.

Mikey Latner is a co-founder and the Executive Director of Project:Camp, based in Los Angeles. He is a leader and innovator that believes that disaster response should not end at providing food and shelter, but should provide joy and community. As a life-long camp director who understands how camp can impact and change the lives of children, he works to provide a safe space for kids whose lives have been disrupted, and to help them learn, grow and thrive as a result. Listen in to hear how they've responded to recent disasters and where he hopes to take Project:Camp in the future.

Kris Barnard started Posterity Ciderworks with her husband Brendan in 2018, and since they have been working hard to produce estate & small batch hard cider in Calaveras County, California. She’s fanatic about good pies, good organization systems, and friendly animals. Her favorite days are spent together picking apples and then finding some water to relax in. She wears the hats of operations, sales, and marketing for Posterity, and she joined the show to talk about how they are growing their business and expanding their brand. This year they have opened a brick-and-mortar tasting room in Mokelumne Hill, and they are expanding the footprint of the wild, rural and rare trees that help produce their unique ciders. She also spoke about branding, packaging and what it takes to create and to maintain an orchard. One example is the Posterity Cider Club that highlights their values of a commitment to locality and sense of place. From 150-year-old homestead orchards with towering trees to wild & beloved solitary trees growing in canyons and Sierra meadows, some of the varieties and places they share only produce a handful of bottles, and the cider club gives access to these hyperlocal batches. Listen in to hear Kris talk about how they make their ciders and what's next for their brand.

Jacklyn Rasmussen is the founder of Northern Ties and the creator of the TikTok viral hoodie. For the entire world, the 2020 pandemic changed everything. The same was true for Jacklyn. While in quarantine and on furlough, Jacklyn not only had time to plan and complete projects around the house, she started experimenting with reverse tie dye (or acid wash) fabric treatment--a technique that uses a bleach solution to chemically change fabric colors with organic, one-of-a kind results. What began as a personal project to satisfy her own creative curiosity soon took on a life of its own once friends, family, and coworkers saw her designs and requested commissioned articles of clothing. Jacklyn soon discovered she had a passion for the process and started bleaching everything. That’s where it all began. Northern Ties was founded in June of 2020, and a little over a month later Northern Ties launched their first official product. Jacklyn left her corporate job in March of 2021 to pursue Northern Ties full time. As a side hustle she now helps other small business owners with branding, logo creation, and having a social media presence. She joined the show to talk about her viral success on TikTok and what it takes to scale her small home business while also chasing around her two German Shepard dogs, Maxx and Meeka. Check out northerntiesmn.com to learn more about her business and shop her store.

Destiny Butler is an illustrator and entrepreneur who started up the Destiny Darcel brand as a "finsta" account in the early days of the pandemic. Her illustrations and the engagement with her audience on Instagram led her to open an online store to promote and sell her art. Now she's expanding line of products that celebrate Black women, and she joined us to talk about where's she taking her business and how she creates her work.

Yosi Sergant is a cultural strategist & movement entrepreneur who started TaskForce, an independent agency working at the intersection of arts, culture, and social change. He has spent his career investigating how intentionally designed cultural strategies can create new narratives, reshape cultural norms and spark lasting behavioral change. His mission is to champion the role of the artist in shaping culture, public opinion and public policy. Yosi is known for his role in commissioning and managing the Obama "Hope" poster created during the 2008 presidential election by Shepard Fairey. He spoke to us about how TaskForce is trying to help people and organizations build momentum to tackle our worlds toughest challenges. He covered three of their current projects. First, the Into Action project, a movement of designers, illustrators, animators and artists building cultural momentum around civic engagement and the issues affecting our country and world. Then he spoke about their Giflytics brand, which helps brands and agencies to better measure performance of GIF marketing campaigns. Lastly, he shared the TaskForce Impact Accelerator, which is an initiative that is turning on the full force of their team's creativity and experience to support small and emerging organizations - free of charge. Listen in to learn more about how Yosi thinks GIFs can create a new conversation around current events and cultural change.

Stickers on the Mic is proud to collaborate once again with the team at Art Sticks in Boulder to highlight the artists in their Series 8 collection of stickers. Sydney Schwindt wears many hats (actor, fight director, clown), but in this talk she shares her passion for what she calls "art for the warrior within." Her creative work centers on digital illustration, mixed media works, watercolor, and acrylics. Sydney is one of this season's artists who we will feature, and in this episode, you can hear about her creative process and how she finds inspiration. Art Sticks exists to bring affordable local art to the hands of their community. Using stickers as the medium, they seek to create a strong appreciation of art to stimulate healthy conversation and share diverse opinions in a safe and respectful manner.

Stickers on the Mic is proud to collaborate once again with the team at Art Sticks in Boulder to highlight the artists in their Series 8 collection of stickers. Will Betke-Brunswick is a transgender and nonbinary cartoonist, and recent graduate from the California College of the Arts MFA in Comics program. Will’s memoir, A PROS AND CONS LIST FOR STRONG FEELINGS, will be available from Tin House Books in November, 2022. Will is one of this season's artists who we will feature, and in this episode, you can hear about their creative process and how they find inspiration. Art Sticks exists to bring affordable local art to the hands of their community. Using stickers as the medium, they seek to create a strong appreciation of art to stimulate healthy conversation and share diverse opinions in a safe and respectful manner.

Stickers on the Mic is proud to collaborate once again with the team at Art Sticks in Boulder to highlight the artists in their Series 8 collection of stickers. Lily Binswanger is a Denver-based art director and aspiring advertising professional who is honing her craft and finding new avenues for storytelling. Lily is one of this season's artists who we will feature, and in this episode, you can hear about her creative process and how she finds inspiration. Art Sticks exists to bring affordable local art to the hands of their community. Using stickers as the medium, they seek to create a strong appreciation of art to stimulate healthy conversation and share diverse opinions in a safe and respectful manner.

Stickers on the Mic is proud to collaborate once again with the team at Art Sticks in Boulder to highlight the artists in their Series 8 collection of stickers. Aerica Raven Van Dorn is a Colorado artist exploring new ways to excite the imagination with murals, illustrations, and immersive installations. Aerica is one of this season's artists who we will feature, and in this episode, you can hear about their creative process and how they find inspiration. Art Sticks exists to bring affordable local art to the hands of their community. Using stickers as the medium, they seek to create a strong appreciation of art to stimulate healthy conversation and share diverse opinions in a safe and respectful manner.

The Otis Redding Foundation’s mission is to empower, enrich, and motivate all young people through programs involving music, writing and instrumentation. Justin Andrews, Redding's grandson, and Jared Wright, the foundation's Director of Development, joined the show from Macon, Georgia, to talk about the philanthropic commitment of Otis Redding to empower and enlighten all young people to fulfill their dreams. They shared how the Otis Redding Center for the Arts is breaking ground on a new facility that will house the Otis Music Camp and many more events to serve the community in Macon. Listen in to hear how the Foundation is building on the legacy of Otis Redding and creating a better future for kids through musical and cultural education.

Gaby and Teresa from The Central Coast Aquarium in Avila Beach, California, joined us to talk about how this nonprofit organization provides education and engagement with San Luis Obispo County’s marine habitats and estuarine environments. For 25 years, The Central Coast Aquarium has been a community resource with interactive exhibits, outdoor activities, and laboratory lessons for all ages, and has served over 23,000 visitors and 4,500 school students each year. The Central Coast Aquarium serves as a home to over 75 different species of local San Luis Obispo County marine life including sea stars, decorator crabs, swell sharks, moon jellies and, from time to time, a Giant Pacific Octopus. As the ocean spans across nearly three-quarters of the Earth’s surface, this small sample of animals represent only a fragment of the oceanic life that depends on the health and cleanliness of our oceans. Specifically focusing on the diversity of the waters off the coast of San Luis Obispo County, their exhibits highlight the fascinating adaptations these creatures develop to survive and thrive in the seas, just footsteps away in Avila Bay. Through this work, the Central Coast Aquarium has cultivated a community dedicated to ocean stewardship through education, engagement, and action. Listen in to hear about how the aquarium is growing its offerings and creating connections for visitors of all kinds.

Robert Liu-Trujillo is an Oakland-based author and illustrator who is co-founder of The Trust Your Struggle Collective, a contributor to The Social Justice Children's Bk Holiday Fair, Tone Magazine, The Bullhorn Blog, and the founder of Come Bien Books. Rob is the author and illustrator of Furqan’s First Flat Top and he’s illustrated numerous other children’s books. Always drawing, Rob grew up to be an artist falling in love with graffiti, fine art, illustration, murals, and children’s books. He spoke with us about Alejandria Fights Back, his latest book, and the many social justice projects he's working on to help children find themselves in popular literature. Learn more about Rob's work at robdontstop.com.

Alicia and Neal are a husband and wife photography & planning team. They create and capture down-to-earth weddings and intimate elopements for adventurous couples in beautiful outdoor locations across Montana. Their events range from backcountry elopements to large ranch weddings, and everything in between. They started Off the Beaten Path in 2017 to help other couples celebrate their love authentically. They combine our talents to bring photography, planning and officiating under one roof for those who desire a unique Montana wedding. We spoke to Alicia and Neal about how they help make Montana destination weddings possible for their clients, and they share how they ensure the process is stress-free so that they create an unforgettable experience that help couples remember their special day forever.

Andrew, the host and producer of Stickers on the Mic, takes a moment at the end of the year to give thanks to all of the customers who joined the show in 2021. Whether they were using stickers and/or labels, each business has is own unique story, and we are so honored to be able to share their stories. Please check out the businesses of our guests from 2021. Angie Chua - Bobo Design Studio Terah Eatmon - Body Baked Body Butter Katie Jesionowski - MySuperFoods Tisha McCoy-Ntiamoah - PrePOPsterous® Gourmet Popcorn & Sodas Jasmin Foster - Be Rooted inclusive stationery Tom Ludlow - Tend Studios 2021 Design Contest Winners Cassie and Vanessa - Art Sticks Boulder Chris Smith - Virgina Beer Co. Rebecca Ward - Clothe the West Stephanie Pitts-Noggle - Longmont Economic Development Partnership Faheema Chaudhury - Unicorn Crafts Art Sticks Boulder Artists Lou Mongello - WDW Radio Podcast Miriam Weiskind - The Za Report Amber and Andrew - The Cattyshack Cafe Michelle Barrionuevo-Mazzini - Casita Michi Candles Todd Olson - Angel Fox Foods

Todd Olson is a food and beverage entrepreneur in Sumner, Washington. He joined us to chat with us about his various brands. He recently started Lucille's Gourmet Honey, which includes a standalone CBD Honey spinoff that he discussed from a strategic standpoint. He also has deZirPremium Liqueurs, which started a project between friends and now has many unique flavors for mixing with spirits. We also talked about Laneway Cocktails, a spirit brand he launched in Australia. Listen in to hear about his marketing strategies for these various brands and what's next for his company Angel Fox Foods.

Michelle Barrionuevo-Mazzini launched a second small business in the Fall of 2020 called Casita Michi, a California-based brand that celebrates Latinx heritage and culture through artisan goods. Michelle is a self-taught artisan and one of the first Latinx candle makers to have her products featured at Macy's. Her mission is to inspire, empower, and motivate her community to be seen through her artisan goods, because representation matters. Her velas (candles) are made of vegan coconut wax and they are imbued with her Latinx heritage through various scents that conjure her upbringing with each light of the wick. For the whole story and video, head to stickergiant.com/podcast/casita-michi.

Amber and Andrew started the Cattyshack Cafe, the first cat cafe in Fort Myers, Florida, where feline fans can find adoptable cats, coffee, food, craft beer and wine. Cattyshack Cafe is a coffee shop and lounge with a separated area dedicated to interacting with adoptable rescue cats and kittens. While saving lives and enriching others, Cattyshack Cafe provides a home for adoptable cats that would have been otherwise overlooked at an animal shelter. Amber and Andrew's goal is to find wonderful homes for their cats, while provided a high-touch cafe experience for their human patrons. They believe that "believe every day should be vaCATion in PURRadise!"

Miriam Weiskind is a New-York based pizza connoisseur who started The Za Report during the pandemic and built up major media buzz by baking apartment pizzas and giving them away to anyone who need a hot meal. She likes to say she's just a small town girl from Dayton, Ohio, who moved to NYC in 2004 on a coin toss and a few hundred dollars in her pocket. Little did she know that her calling would be pizza. For the last eight years, she spent every Friday leading 16 strangers around NYC on the greatest tour NYC offered—the tour that retraced the footsteps of the evolution of pizza, it’s history and teaching the science behind cheese, sauce and crust. In 2019, she started baking pizza at home, she and quickly got a job at a pizza place to learn the ropes. Once Covid hit, she turned her passion into purpose by making 12 pies a night to give away. She encourages everyone to have a "Slice Day," and no, she's not kidding. Listen in to hear her truly inspiring entrepreneurial story and the twists and turns in her journey, plus how she comes up with her creative pies.

Lou Mongello is the host and producer of the WDW Radio Disney podcast, which has been named Best Travel Podcast by the Podcast Awards for nine consecutive years. Lou started podcast way back in the early days of the medium, and he's built a passionate fan base over the past 17 years. Now he and his community are giving back through the Dream Team Foundation, which we talked about on the show. Lou also provides mentoring, consulting, and workshops to those looking to build their business and brand. He is a keynote speaker who shares the magic of Disney and the importance of exceptional customer service as well as the power of new and social media, podcasting, live video, community, entrepreneurship, and how to follow your dreams and passions.

Stickers on the Mic is honored to collaborate with the team at Art Sticks in Boulder to highlight the artists in their Series 7 collection of stickers. Art Sticks exists to bring affordable local art to the hands of their community. Using stickers as the medium, they seek to create a strong appreciation of art to stimulate healthy conversation and share diverse opinions in a safe and respectful manner. Adriana is one of seven artists who we will feature this month, and in this episode, you can hear about her process and how she finds inspiration.

Stickers on the Mic is honored to collaborate with the team at Art Sticks in Boulder to highlight the artists in their Series 7 collection of stickers. Art Sticks exists to bring affordable local art to the hands of their community. Using stickers as the medium, they seek to create a strong appreciation of art to stimulate healthy conversation and share diverse opinions in a safe and respectful manner. Izzy is one of seven artists who we will feature this month, and in this episode, you can hear about her process and how she finds inspiration.

Stickers on the Mic is honored to collaborate with the team at Art Sticks in Boulder to highlight the artists in their Series 7 collection of stickers. Art Sticks exists to bring affordable local art to the hands of their community. Using stickers as the medium, they seek to create a strong appreciation of art to stimulate healthy conversation and share diverse opinions in a safe and respectful manner. Murphy is one of seven artists who we will feature this month, and in this episode, you can hear about her process and how she finds inspiration.

Stickers on the Mic is honored to collaborate with the team at Art Sticks in Boulder to highlight the artists in their Series 7 collection of stickers. Art Sticks exists to bring affordable local art to the hands of their community. Using stickers as the medium, they seek to create a strong appreciation of art to stimulate healthy conversation and share diverse opinions in a safe and respectful manner. Kirbe is one of seven artists who we will feature this month, and in this episode, you can hear about her process and how she finds inspiration.

Stickers on the Mic is honored to collaborate with the team at Art Sticks in Boulder to highlight the artists in their Series 7 collection of stickers. Art Sticks exists to bring affordable local art to the hands of their community. Using stickers as the medium, they seek to create a strong appreciation of art to stimulate healthy conversation and share diverse opinions in a safe and respectful manner. Jessica is one of seven artists who we will feature this month, and in this episode, you can hear about her process and how she finds inspiration.

Alyssa Aguilar is the head of Business Operations at Meek Monster Media in Austin, Texas. She is one of twelve winners from the 2021 StickerGiant Logo Sticker Design Contest, and we will be featuring these stories throughout the year. Listen in to this mini episode to hear about how Alyssa came up with her winning design and how she and her team are growing their new business.

Faheema Chaudhury started Unicorn Crafts to inspire people and remind them to tend their inner kid-at-heart. Her online story features a variety of products, from jewelry to watercolors and from planters and pots to stationery. All of the designs spring from Faheema's creative energy and her hope is that when customers wear her designs, they feel like their authentic self. Listen in to hear why she started up her own brand and what's next for her business.

Stephanie Pitts-Noggle is the interim CEO of Innovate Longmont and an Economic Development Specialist at the Longmont Economic Development Partnership. She joined the show to help promote Longmont Startup Week, along with the Innovate Longmont Business Accelerator program. Listen in as she gives tips to entrepreneurs about accessing funding and how medium-sized cities can encourage economic development. This continues our #OneGiantCommunity series about how people are creating opportunities in their communities.

Rebecca Ward is a community organizer in Louisville, Kentucky, who made a choice to give back to the West End of her hometown. She started Clothe the West in an effort to rally her neighbors, friends and family to contribute to those in need. This volunteer-driven organization is celebrating their first year, and they have big plans to keep growing and giving. Listen in to hear Rebecca's story and how she stays motivated during the tough times.

Chris Smith is the Co-Founder at The Virginia Beer Company, which he started with Robby, who he met at the College of William & Mary. Their time together at university in Williamsburg – along with a shared passions for philanthropy, adventure, and (of course) craft beer – led to a decade-long journey to start a business together in a community they cherished and a field they loved. Chris joined us to talk about how they brew their beer, how they give back to their community and how they designed their unique logo.

Cassie Clusman and Vanessa Kahn joined the show to talk about how Art Sticks, a volunteer-run nonprofit that exists to bring affordable local art to the hands of the Boulder community. Using stickers as the medium, Art Sticks seeks to create a strong appreciation of art that stimulates healthy conversation and shares diverse opinions in a safe and respectful manner. From the heart of an artist, to a local vending machine, to your hands. Each Artist Series features limited edition stickers designed by Boulder artists. Their distribution is as analog as art itself: an old school coin-operated vending machine in local businesses. Listen in to hear how this project got started and what's next for their latest release.

Tom Ludlow is the founder of Tend Studio, a multimedia production studio in Longmont, Colorado. We spoke to Tom about how he's taken on major aerospace clients and created content for the University of Colorado Boulder's Fiske Planetarium, along with opening a creative production space during a pandemic.

Michael Niu is an artist and college student based in Stony Brook, New York. His design is one of twelve winners from the 2021 StickerGiant Logo Sticker Design Contest, and we will be featuring these stories throughout the month of April. Listen in to this mini episode to hear about how Michael came up with his design and what's next for his creative process.

Madison Matlick is an artist based in Morgantown, West Virginia. Her design is one of twelve winners from the 2021 StickerGiant Logo Sticker Design Contest, and we will be featuring these stories throughout the month of April. Listen in to this mini episode to hear about how Madison came up with her design and what's next for her creative process.

Adrian DeBarros is an adventurer, rapper, artist and writer based in Denver, Colorado. His design is one of twelve winners from the 2021 StickerGiant Logo Sticker Design Contest, and we will be featuring these stories throughout the month of April. Listen in to this mini episode to hear about how Adrian came up with his design and what's next for his creative process.

Bailey Sadowsky is a graphic designer in Rapid City, South Dakota. She runs Shadow Sky Creative Co., where her passion is creating logos and marketing materials. She loves bringing personality to organizations and creating memories for businesses and personal libraries. Her design is one of twelve winners from the 2021 StickerGiant Logo Sticker Design Contest, and we will be featuring these stories throughout the month of April. Listen in to this mini episode to hear about how Bailey came up with her design and what's next for her creative process.

Miguel Vasquez is a graphic designer and artist in Longmont, Colorado. He is also one of our Giants at StickerGiant on the prepress team getting art ready for our printers. His design is one of twelve winners from the 2021 StickerGiant Logo Sticker Design Contest, and we will be featuring these stories throughout the month of April. Listen in to this mini episode to hear about how Miguel came up with his design and what's next for his creative process.

Dan Roe is a visual arts educator and artist currently working from Western Massachusetts. As a high school art teacher, Dan cultivates creativity in his students by mixing digital and traditional art styles to spark their passions and expression. His design is one of twelve winners from the 2021 StickerGiant Logo Sticker Design Contest, and we will be featuring these stories throughout the month of April. Listen in to this mini episode to hear about how Dan came up with his design and what's next for his creative process.

Hannah Gumbo is a multi-media artist currently working from her studio in downtown Eunice, Louisiana. She can usually be found working on a variety of projects at once, hoarding garage sale finds she hopes to someday re-purpose, and making art with whatever she can get her hands on. Her design is one of twelve winners from the 2021 StickerGiant Logo Sticker Design Contest, and we will be featuring these stories throughout the month of April. Listen in to this mini episode to hear about how Hannah came up with her design and what's next for her business.

Paska Griciene started Fabula Nebulae because her children had sensitive skin that needed healing. Now her family's Maine-based business is an extended family collaboration. Their design is one of twelve winners from the 2021 StickerGiant Logo Sticker Design Contest, and we will be featuring these stories throughout the month of April. Listen in to this mini episode to hear about how Paska and her family came up with their design and what's next for their business.

Grace Witherell is a full-time artist living in the Pacific Northwest. She is loves her cat Gaia, art supplies, cute RPGs and anime. Grace is one of twelve winners from the 2021 StickerGiant Logo Sticker Design Contest, and we will be featuring these stories throughout the month of April. Listen in to this mini episode to hear about how Grace came up with her design and what's next for her design business.

Gabrielle Lewis is an artist who illustrates, makes film and works across many mediums. She is one of twelve winners from the 2021 StickerGiant Logo Sticker Design Contest, and we will be featuring these stories throughout the month of April. Listen in to this mini episode to hear about how Gabrielle came up with her winning design and where she finds creative inspiration for her business Brelse Illustration.

In early 2020, Jasmin Foster started Be Rooted, an inclusively designed stationery company so women of color could see themselves in a place they hadn't been traditionally. Weaving her own culture into every design and message, Jasmin and Be Rooted inspire their customers to explore their inner muse and celebrate self. In this conversation, Jasmin shares how her idea went from a home business to Target store shelves nationwide, all in the space of a year. Her story is an incredible story of growth and marketing during a global pandemic, and she talks about how she's managing the future of her brand.

Tisha McCoy-Ntiamoah is the owner and Chief Popcorn Enthusiast of PrePOPsterous® Gourmet Popcorn & Sodas. In this episode she talks about the journey of her brand, from her first job experience serving popcorn to working with trademark attorneys that helped secure her business name. The story behind her branding is pretty unique and covers four major parts, including why she decided early on to invest in her intellectual property and trademark the brand and the rules she had for coming up with her name. Second, PrePOPsterous is a SWaM-certified business, which means they are a small, 100% woman-owned and 100% minority-owned business. No small feat, and a storyline that has some interesting advice for like-minded entrepreneurs. Third, this is a tale about a girl who's first job as a freshman in high school was working in a gourmet popcorn store, how she loved everything about it and vowed to have her own popcorn company one day, and how she launched that dream 25 years later. Listen in as Tisha shares how PrePOPsterous started in a home-based kitchen, evolved to a basement factory, and eventually launched into a retail space in the middle of a pandemic.

Katie Jesionowski is a co-founder of MySuperFoods, a food brand that is committed to empowering parents and growing healthy, SuperKids. MySuperFoods creates organic and gluten free, nutrient dense food for kids and families. In this episode, she shares some of their early success and how most recently they've adapted to the pandemic to keep growing their business.

Terah Eatmon started Body Baked Body Butter with the goal of helping people with dry skin. Her entrepreneurial journey is one based on perseverance, as she's found her market and she's updated her brand to meet the needs of her customers. In this episode, Terah shares how she rebranded her labels and is planning on launching a new product due to the feedback from her loyal fans. Listen in as she discusses juggling a full-time job in healthcare while keeping in touch with her passionate fans.

Angie Chua is a designer and entrepreneur who truly lives the travel life from her Airstream that doubles as Bobo Design Studios. Her business centers on The Wanderlust Passport, a custom journal that helps document the serendipity and discovery that happens during an adventure. She also has beautiful prints, calendars, stationery, and of course, stickers of all shapes and kinds. Listen in as she shares her creative process and where she gains inspiration, plus how she's turned a passion for travel into a business.

David Dewane is an architect, publisher, journalist, and educator. He is a co-founder and president of Mouse Books. David’s approach to life is part entrepreneur and part journalist. He maintains an ongoing commitment to design theory and regularly publishes essays and interviews. He was recently featured in the Wall Street Journal for his take on the future of the office. Courtney Garvin is a graphic designer and college professor. She is a co-founder and the vice president and creative director of Mouse Books. Her work has spanned all aspects of design: from strategy and design to final production and implementation. Her clients have ranged from large brands such as Accenture, The Coca-Cola Company, FedEx, Charles Schwab, The Walt Disney Company, Hewlett-Packard, and musician will.i.am. Together they are part of the small team that helps create and develop Mouse Books and the Mouse Book Club. They make books for readers who believe in the power of reading and the how a book can transform humanity. The Mouse Book Club is a quarterly book club of portable books that link human experiences across generations, languages and cultures. The Mouse editors carefully curate selections of literature, short stories, speeches, poetry, and more, all structured around themes that are topical, challenging, and varied. In this episode, they talk about starting their business and how they are taking intentional steps to manage their growth, while simultaneously creating a community of passionate readers through their book club meetings.

In 2018, Jon Bjorgo started a Chicago Style food stand called Jonny's of Longmont, where he brought a taste of Chicago to Colorado. When Covid-19 spread across America, he was forced to close down his brick-and-mortar shop and focus on his food trucks. Now working out of a commissary kitchen with a can-do attitude, he's pivoted his business, including pitching in to feed firefighters during one of the most devastating fire seasons in Colorado history. Listen in as he shares his passion for the food from the Windy City and how he's grown his community of loyal fans who travel to find his food.

Anna Costello is the founder of Ship Sunshine, a business where the goal is to make it easy to brighten somebody's day through thoughtful gifts. While hiking in Bali Anna watched the sun rise over the mountains, and at that moment, she wanted to capture the feeling of being washed over by warmth and light...and Ship Sunshine was born. Now she's developed a collection of different boxes available on the website along with custom options, which means more people can spread joy, one box at a time.

Josh and Jenine are the creators of Tubby Nugget. What started off as little doodles to make themselves laugh has reached thousands of people around the world. They went from printing stickers to actualizing a dream of theirs: to create plush toys and t-shirts based off their beloved character, Tubby. The main work they put into the world is their webcomic, which is wholesome, uplifting content for thousands of people to see, and they believe a little nugget-love can make a huge difference in people’s lives. Learn about how they started this business off an inside joke between them and where it's going next.

Heather Stenner is the National Sales And Marketing Director at Porch Box, a Colorado-based company that builds handcrafted outdoor wooden boxes in standard and custom sizes. A Porch Box is storage for your front door, and they are perfect for home milk delivery, concealing packages from porch pirates or storing frequently used items like dog toys, garden shears or umbrellas. Heather chatted with Andrew about how Porch Box is moving into a scaling stage after a few years of organic growth, and how their brand is expanding in digital marketing strategies. Listen in to learn about how this brand started and what they have planned for the business holiday shopping season ahead.

Debra's founders journey started as a way to make Pork Chop's eating more comfortable after he was diagnosed with vestibular disease. Eating from a bowl on the floor made him dizzy, and there wasn't anything on the market that fit his feeding needs. She worked with a product engineer to create the first prototype of the Fluff Trough on her 3D printer at home using food-safe epoxy to safely test the bowl with pets. Once she had the final design, she 3D-printed it in food safe epoxy and started the product testing. Pork Chop loved it. The Fluff Trough became his happy place, and feeding time was enjoyable again. Debra knew she had a success on her hands, so she poured time and money into developing a manufacturing system and then launched a successful Kickstarter campaign that was fully funded in 24 hours, which is a testament to the power of her potential market. Now Fluff Trough is a growing business that's ready to expand product offerings, all from this first innovative, non-toxic and food-safe elevated feeder designed for flat-faced breeds, handicapped pets, and pets with medical issues. Listen in as Debra shares what she learned along her journey and what's next for her brand and she scales the business.

Damon McLeese is the Executive Director at Access Galley, an inclusive nonprofit organization that engages the community by opening doors to creative, educational and economic opportunities for people with disabilities to access, experience and benefit from the arts. He has taught photography to blind people and dance to deaf people. Damon loves challenging the assumptions people have about those with disabilities—in fact, he thinks the word “disability” is inaccurate, contending that we all have challenges to overcome in life. At Access Gallery, he assists artists with disabilities as they create their own works and take part in the commissioned works the gallery makes for businesses. In 2014, Damon received the Denver Mayor’s Award for Innovation in the Arts. Access Gallery is located in the heart of Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe, located within blocks of other galleries, schools, museums, and countless artist studios. Their is a continual reminder of the equalizing power of art, breaking down social barriers and becoming a place where young adults from the neighborhood – or those without money – feel welcome to create, to question, and to learn from each other.

Leslie Reyes has always loved food, and a few years back "with $19 bucks and a blender," she started the Cocina de Leslie with homemade salsa and a dedicated delivery business. Now she's got customers lined up around the block as she serves a custom menu that she promotes through Instagram. Leslie dialed in from Thermal, California, where fans in the Coachella Valley flock to her custom drinks and her unique Mexican dishes. Her story is one of dedication to her craft and the passion of her customers.

Devon Rodriguez is an artist and painter from the South Bronx. He initially gained recognition for a series of realistic painted portraits of riders on the New York City Subway system, including a profile in the New York Times Style Magazine. He got his start doing graffiti with his friends, but he transitioned to portraits as a teenager. His work has been featured in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Students League of NY, and the National Arts Club. Devon has a passion for the details of everyday life, and his realistic style communicates life in the city with a keen eye for the small moments that make us human. Listen in as he talks about his artistic path and how he's staying busy with commissions and special projects.

Brittanie and Marcus Jones made a decision to adopt a vegan lifestyle and create a brand around healthy meal planning and engaging cooking videos. They created a YouTube channel called Fineapple Vegan, and Brittanie served as the video talent and inspiration for the brand, while Marcus serves as the producer and creative director. Their newest product Liquid Gold is coconut milk-based cheese sauce that's free of gluten, soy, nuts, sugar and dairy making it a great option for people with common food allergies or intolerance. We chatted with them about developing their company and the early stages of scaling their production, all while raising four young boys.

Laura McLeod leads Partnerships Marketing at 99designs. She was a History of Art major at University College London, and she is passionate about the visual arts, design and aesthetics. Laura has over a decade’s experience of B2B & B2C marketing for global brands, and she brings that insight to partnerships at 99designs, including the partnership with StickerGiant. That's right, StickerGiant has partnered with 99designs so our customers can create beautiful, print-ready sticker and label designs, and Laura shared how 99designs works with customers in many different industries and what's next for 99designs as they add services to their product suite.

Jim Pollock of Pollock Prints is best known for his art for the band Phish, starting with his iconic album cover art for the band's first album Junta. Since the mid-1980s, when he met members of the band at Goddard College in rural Vermont, Jim's artistic journey has been motivated by a singular urge: to create unique pieces that evoke a spirit of discovery and that are open for interpretation. These days, fans line up for hours before shows to get a poster from that night's shows, and Jim's live art-making installations have become a defining fixture of their festival experience. Listen in as Jim discusses his evolving creative process and how he first started making concert art for Phish in their early days. His recent work centers on their Dinner And A Movie series, with a graphic that serves as the animation for each episode of the weekly live archival concert broadcast.

Darnell Brown has always loved entrepreneurship. Since age 12, he's been working hard, whether he was selling pecans in the fall, mowing lawns in the summer or drawing family portraits. His current projects demonstrate his entrepreneurial range. He co-founded LETELLIER Skincare, a brand conceived by his wife Kim who is a master aesthetician. He has his own brand & entrepreneurship coaching business, and he started a podcast called Bulletproof Hustle. His goal is to help high-achievers turn their life stories into thriving businesses through brand coaching and design consulting. During his time on the show, he spoke about how his early days led him into startups and then into consulting with clients of all shapes and sizes. His story about the LETELLIER Skincare brand was a highlight of the show, as he spoke about how they use StickerGiant labels for their newest product and what the future will hold for this business that's still in the "larva" stage as he likes to call it. Darnell's passion is contagious, and his drive is unmatched. Listen as he shares his entrepreneurial journey and how he's building something to last in LETELLIER Skincare.

Ellie Lum is the founder, pattern designer, and head educator at Klum House. With over twenty years of professional bag making experience, she draws on her roots in the industrial sewing industry to make heavy-duty bag making fun and accessible to home stitchers. Ellie has taught hundreds of makers to sew over the years and is passionate about inviting makers to work with their hands, build new skills, and get lost in the flow of making. For Ellie, it's more than just bags, it’s about helping makers build confidence and establish a sense of efficacy in the world. Ellie's goal is for makers to discover that they are capable of so much more than they ever thought possible. Listen in as she shares how she started the business and how she is evolving her products and classes to meet the needs of her customers.

Izzy Fischer is Colorado-born entrepreneur and endurance athlete that found a plant-based lifestyle through a combination of her personal battles with inflammation and food allergies while training for triathlons. Currently, she lives in Boston and works as a data analyst at the Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University while pursuing her Masters in Science in Nutrition at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. These experiences led her to start her first company, Plant Bites, whose mission is to take processed sugar and food out of endurance sports. Fischer's goal is to change the mindset in athletics where fuel equals candy. Her business acumen and entrepreneurial nature is a family trait, as she was one of the first video personalities for StickerGiant where she played a big part in the early days of marketing at StickerGiant. Listen in as she shares how her business has gained funding and what it's like to build a startup in the sports nutrition space.

Sergio Ojeda is the musician behind TexMexChex, an inventive folk dance project offering up soul-filled music packed with electrifying melodies and the drumbeats of the cumbia norteña. TexMexChex channels the joyous communal experience of a Mexican dance and Ojeda’s Tex-Mex roots. Ojeda’s work showcases his deep passion for Latin American folk music as well as his fine-tuned ear for production, superior musicianship and sense of pure joy. He is a master at bringing out the distinct voices of each instrument he incorporates into his compositions, which overflow with lush Gabbanelli accordion, bright tenor saxophone, lively organ and infectious rhythms. The larger-than-life TexMexChex sound sparkles during playful performances and recordings that reflect Ojedo’s magnetic personality and mission to create shared memories and moments through music. TexMexChex’s debut single, “Que Tengas Suerte” is a fresh, dynamic instrumental interpretation of a Tex-Mex/Tejano folk dance tune. Offering up tropical rhythms, cheerful melodies and lush harmonies, the song invokes the lively spirit of the classic cumbia with a modern twist.

Jenny Penton is the founder of Planner Perfect, a company whose mission is to inspire women to Write a Better Story and become a visionary that can and map a life they love. She's sold over 200,000 planners, notebooks, journals and leather traveler's notebooks; plus countless rolls of washi tape and stickers. Planner Perfect ships to all 50 states and numerous countries world wide. Jenny created the Planner Perfect Method with corresponding planners and journals that are set-up as a tool to give anyone structure for their day and to give purpose for their lives. These planners, journals, and accessories are made with the finest paper, stitched with beautiful red thread and Jenny's artwork is featured on all of the books. Listen in as Jenny shares the Planner Perfect story and where the business is headed next.

Merline Engle is a Haitian-American who is passionate about education, hospitality and entrepreneurship. She’s committed to continuing her family’s legacy of giving back to her motherland. Merline remembered well how her grand father would make his students repeat: “Education is the only key to a better life.” Growing up in a diverse and international household helped Merline learn to serve as a bridge between Haitian and other internationals. She founded Wozo in 2006 to act as the Haiti Partners’ community choir, then started the Bellevue guest house, and she is the designer behind the handmade Haitian greeting cards crafted at the Children’s Academy. Merline is also a Co-founder of the Children’s Academy where she continues to play an active role. Merline is many things, the creator of Merline’s Hot Sauce, a foodie, a nature lover, a lifelong learner and a mentor. Listen in as we talk about starting an educational non-profit and a hot sauce brand that honors the past to build the future.

Co-hosted by Harris Kenny and Shawn Hymel, Hello Blink Show is a practical podcast for technical people who want to start their own company. From founding to building your business, Harris and Shawn are there to help. We spoke about business strategy and growth planning and how they strive to give aspiring entrepreneurs value through their podcast. We also touched on how their professional experiences brought them together and how that informs their own business.

Alejandro Rodriguez and his business partner Edward Perea started Summit Tacos as a taco truck, their dream was to open a storefront in Longmont to serve their passionate fans who adored their take on Mexican Street food. Now that they have their restaurant, they are focused on serving the cuisine of Mexico City to fans old and new. They worked hard from day one with their brand, and the many miles they put onto their food truck paid off once they opened up in Downtown Longmont. We spoke to Alejandro about transitioning from their food truck business into a physical space and how they view food as culture and community.

Welcome to Stickers on the Mic, the podcast from StickerGiant. On our show, we talk to our customers about business, growth and marketing, and we are going to share the stories behind the custom stickers and labels that we print in our factory. Every day millions of people use stickers to promote their brands and to label their products, and it's these people that will be the focus of this podcast. Along the way, we'll dig into business strategy, specifically how small businesses marketing themselves and grow. To do so, we'll also welcome on the show business experts and members of the StickerGiant team as guests. Be sure to sign up on Spotify or your favorite podcatcher and search for Stickers on the Mic. Lastly, check out the podcast page on our website, stickergiant.com/podcast where you can learn more about our guests and previous episodes. See you soon, friends...and as we like to say, Every Sticker Has A Story: What's Yours?

Keith Stoeckeler is the VP/Group Director of Digital at MKTG, an advertising and marketing agency. We connected with Keith on Twitter, and we invited him on the show to talk about digital strategy, content development, social listening and advertiser insights in the early days of Covid-19. He brought to our show a perspective based on early trends and marketing efforts during the coronavirus situation across the United States. Keith is a cheeseburger addict and typeface admirer, who claims he won’t eat at a restaurant based on the signage and menu font. You can find him on Twitter at @keiths.

Stephanie Baudhuin from Crummies Meatless Crumbles talks about how their delicious plant-based meat alternative behaves like ground meat in any recipe using seven ingredients come from the land and not the lab. She started building this food idea in 2017 after cutting out commercialized meat full-time. Then she testing and refined the recipe. Now this online business is adapting to Covid19, and Stephanie talks about all of her entrepreneurial adventures up until this point. There's something for every stage of entrepreneur to enjoy in this episode.

Long-time friends and nonprofit professionals Brittny and Nia started The Nonprofit Reframe Podcast to talk about the realities of the sector that nobody wants to talk about. They wanted to create something different that wasn't just another nonprofit best practices podcast. The show covers topics like dysfunctional boards, gala mishaps, the issues with philanthropy and much more. Nia and Brittny joined us to share their journey as podcasters, and how nonprofit staff are adapting during Covid-19 and social distancing.

Crystal Sagan started Cocktail Caravan to serve custom drinks for bespoke events. To create the concept, she took her mixology background and then applied her ingrained entrepreneurship to build out an old camping trailer that travels around Colorado to weddings, trade shows and corporate parties. She talks with our team about the new Community Support Cocktail project she launched in the midst of Covid-19 and what the future holds for events businesses.

Pete Jokisch started Teakoe Teas as an alternative energy source during his time as a professional lacrosse player, and he's grown the business in a nationwide distributor with three product lines. In this episode he talks about how the company grew and how they are contributing to the #ColoradoStrong campaign to recognize front-line workers during Covid-19 in Colorado.

Dave Hamilton started The Mac Observer in 1998, and then created BackBeat Media with his business partners. By 2005 he had started the Mac Geek Gab podcast where each week he talks all about Apple developments in the world of Apple products. In 2015, he started The Small Business Show to share the successes and growing pains of small businesses. In this conversation, he also discusses how he's spent the last two decades building a community around his media properties and what he's noticed as blogging and podcasting have gone mainstream in the last ten years.

Eric Kean from Left Hand Brewing joins us to share a special announcement about the Colorado Strong Pale Ale project, a benefit beer made with Colorado ingredients by Colorado breweries to support the local supply chain, neighborhood breweries, and raise funds for the Colorado Strong Fund to provide aid in response to the impacts of Covid-19 across Colorado. StickerGiant provided the label design and is offering a label donation for all brewers who participate. 20% of all sales of Colorado Strong Pale Ale will return to the Colorado Strong Fund and will be allocated directly to provide assistance to healthcare, hospitality, service industry, and gig economy workers across the state.

Julie Benoit and Stephanie Sterling are the duo behind Longmont’s newest brick and mortar shop, Maker General. The two Baltimore transplants were inspired to open the shop after years of working creatively, teaching, and toying with the idea of opening a creative space. The vision behind Maker General is to be a "general store" for makers who are working with textiles and fibers and to build the maker community as a hub for creatives in vibrant Longmont. They joined host Alison to talk about how Maker General is adapting during Covid-19 and how they are still selling hand-picked goods and supplies, while also offering a wide variety of DIY workshops and classes.

Kenny McMillan that specializes in original, branded, and short-form content. His company OWL BOT provides premium production and post production services as well as turnkey content creation for independent outlets and large corporations alike. Learn how he's growing his brand and produce high-quality work for clients in all industries.

Brendan Leonard started Semi-Rad in 2011 as a blog, and since then he's gained acclaim as an author, speaker and now the purveyor of branded illustrations and other merchandise on his sponsored website. Semi-Rad is more than a brand, it's an ethos for those who love to get outdoors and experience nature.

Cliff Couvillon started Leisuremann's Cocktails after a backcountry hiking trip with his friends. Cliff found that a portable cocktail mix paired well with adventure and travel, and in this episode he shares how he's coming up with new flavors and label designs to grow the Leisuremann's brand.

Mia Semingson of Two Hands Paperie talks about how she's growing a nearly 30-year-old brick-and-mortar artist supply business using a mix of new product acquisitions and in-store classes that enhance the retail experience on Pearl Street in Boulder.

Kiptoe is creator who makes his work come to life through stories and animations infused into paintings and videos. Listen in as Kiptoe chats with Andrew about how his new sticker packs are an example of his ability to transform his large-scale, real-world murals into compact, portable pieces of art. Read more at: https://www.stickergiant.com/blog/globetrotting-mural-artist-kiptoe-creates-traveling-art-with-sticker-packs/

To celebrate the fifth National Sticker Day and StickerGiant's 20th year in business, the team takes a look back into the archives to bring our Top Ten Stickers of All Time. Join Jesse, Andrew and Alison as they discuss stickers and labels that have made history.

Kim Pinkerton, co-founder of Aloha Trading Company, visits with Megan to talk about how their small business serves Main Street shoppers in Longmont. She also addresses how a modern consignment location can offer a different type of retail experience for discerning customers looking for that special item.

Sam dials in Shaquanda from Harlem, New York, to talk about how this hot sauce idea from a drag show at the Bowery turned into a growing small business. Born in Brooklyn but with roots planted firmly in Barbados, Shaquanda's sauce is a celebration of flavors and seasons of life that can turn every meal into a performance.

Phil Lewis is a visionary artist based in Colorado, and he joins Andrew to talk about his artistic process and how he uses stickers to promote his unique gallery space on Pearl Street in Downtown Boulder.

Elise Blaha Cripe is an accomplished entrepreneur, passionate crafter, long-time blogger, published author, and the host of her own Podcast: Elise Gets Crafty. In this episode, she talks with Hamish about her newest product, Get To Work Book, which a daily planner and goal-setting workbook that gives you the tools to help you do the work.

In this episode, Megan sits down with Mardi Moore, the Executive Director of Out Boulder County, an organization that builds community for the LGBTQIA population in Boulder County. Through events, activities, support groups, Out Boulder County reaches over 9,000 people each year.

Betsy Lay, Lady Justice head brewer and co-founder, joins this episode to talk with Sam about the early days of building a community supported brewery in Denver, CO, and how their commitment to social justice work assists Colorado-based organizations that promote the status and opportunity of women and girls.

Andrew Hyde and Ef Rodriquez of Glider.com, a community event non-profit, talk about how events like Boulder Startup Week, TEDxBoulder and Ignite Boulder have helped transform a college town into a hub for technological innovation, community organizing and new ideas.

Chef Bob Haney, founder of Heavenly Waffles, came by our factory to feed our team of Giants. Afterwards, he sat down with Andrew to talk about how he created the yogurt-based recipe for his waffles in his grandmother's kitchen in Omaha, and how his journey to becoming a chef with his own brand actually started as a fashion model. Along the way, they spoke about branding, marketing and how to evolve in the fast-paced food service industry.

Damon Baz Redd, founder of Kind Design, creates Colorado inspired clothing, gear and apparel. Hamish sat down with Damon to talk about how he's growing his eCommerce-based business, what's next as he branches into new markets with custom topographic ties, and how a disaster can lead to new opportunities.

Beth of Bee Square Apiaries chats with Megan about how her bee-powered business took flight, and how the many varietals of honey are made at her honey farm in Berthoud, Colorado. She also discusses the interesting life of bees and how their intelligence helps shape each hive, and in turn, the success of her business.

Jimmy Seidel talks with Hamish about starting Snarf's Sandwiches, and his path to making "the world's greatest sandwich." In the conversation they discuss how Jimmy learned the sandwich trade, how the business is growing into new markets, and what Snarf's does to promote their various locations.

Travis Towe from our Art Department sits down with Andrew to discusses his love of old school skateboard stickers and how that led to a career designing skateboards for Satellite Board Shop in Boulder and then working at StickerGiant.

John Fischer, founder and CEO of StickerGiant, shares the story of the annual cookbook tradition and how it helps create a company culture based around employees. This year's edition also features an digital-only offering of recipes and fun GIFs. See stickergiant.com/cookbook for more.

John Kure of Kure's Ginger Beer sits down with our podcast team to talk about how he started up his canned beverage business after a career in the craft beer industry. During this conversation, John talked about how they designed their company logo, how they decided on a sticker concept, what new flavors are on tap and what markets they plan to grow in the future.

Josh Crane of The Coffee Ride talks about his sustainable coffee business practices and growing a brand one bike ride at a time. Along they way, he and Hamish talk about grassroots marketing and how a small business can scale.

Our marketing team sits down to talk about the StickerGiant Five Step Proven Process for how we tell stories to sell stickers and labels.

Katie Hunt is the founder of Tradeshow Bootcamp, host of the Proof to Product podcast, a business strategist and mentor to creative entrepreneurs. Megan talks with Katie about her passion for creating, her mind for business and her desire to help others succeed with three essential tools: community, collaboration and education.

The folks at Johnny Battle embroider logos into professional apparel that their customers are excited to wear, and they are growing a new company culture as their business takes off.

Michael Memsic, co-founder and CEO of Sanitas Brewing, joins Hamish to talk about running a growing Colorado craft brewery and how his business has fundamentally changed since implementing Traction, a leadership system run by EOS Worldwide.

Sergio Angeles of the Longmont Observer, a local community media startup, sits down with Andrew to talk about the state of journalism in today's business climate and what's ahead for Longmont Startup Week. Longmont Startup Week is a collaborative annual gathering for entrepreneurs, intrepreneurs, investors and talent that invigorates and nurtures the local entrepreneurial ecosystem by leveraging innovative human and social capital, and infrastructure. The theme for Longmont Startup Week 2018 is “Smarter. Together.” Events and content throughout the week will focus on creators, commerce, capital, and community and will highlight Longmont as an entrepreneurial ecosystem for civic innovation.

Dakota and Sierra of Moon Bath Ritual Teas spoke to our team about the healing power of botanicals and how their new Boulder-based, woman-run business is growing into new markets. https://www.stickergiant.com/podcast/moon-bath

Sarah Welle, co-founder of Colorado Crafted, sits down with Jesse our marketing director to talk gift boxes, search engine marketing and how using stickers and labels has helped their brand grow from the basement to a thriving online business.

This month we spoke with Alan Peters of Jupiter Visual. Alan is a Boulder-based graphic designer who does creative work and branding for brands of all types. He touched on designing interesting stickers, and how a brand can allow design to inform marketing.

In this episode, we sit down with Leigh and Bart from Be Hippy,  a Colorado-based lifestyle brand that exemplifies a passion for music, the outdoors, traveling, and living life to the fullest. Their stickers have been a big part of their growth story, and we enjoyed having them at our studio to talk VW bus road trips, music festivals and their growing retail business.

In today's bonus Sticker Stories episode, our marketing director Jesse sits down with two members of the design team at Left Hand Brewing to talk label design, branding and craft beer.

This month we sat down with Matt Alexander from Georgia Boys BBQ Company. Matt is one of the co-founders of the restaurant group based here in Colorado. He tells the story of how he and his partner started the business after being laid off during the recession, growing from a low key catering service to having two locations with a third one coming soon.

This month we welcome Chris, one of the owners of the Longmont Bicycle Company, right here on Main Street. We spoke about the cycling industry, their first year of business, and how they plan to create more of a biking community here in Longmont and what's like to pour coffee at a local bike shop.

We're kicking off season two with a special episode to celebrate National Sticker Day. We welcome on Jesse, StickerGiant marketing director and the person behind Saul the world’s largest sticker ball. We’ll be diving into that story in the episode about how Saul was created, plus what we have in store for this new season.

In our season finale, we talk with Jennifer and Jerry from Colorado Liquor Pickles. They shared with us their entrepreneurial journey and how their Beer and Liquor pickles came to be. We also talked about their growing business and how they use labels for their products.

This week we welcome Rob Decker from National Park posters. He is the founder of the company as well as the artist creating the designs. All his posters are printed on recycled domestically produced materials and use nature friendly soy based inks. Along with the posters, his designs are available on larger artist canvases and as postcards. Now he has his first sticker, which we talk more about.

In this episode we sit down with Dani Billings, president of Nature's Root, which is a Colorado-based hemp spa--the world's first, in fact. She tells us their story and how they use our matte labels for their products. We also show some spooky stickers for Halloween and shoutout Ignite Talks, who we just joined for a global partnership to promote their public speaking events.

We discuss running a brewery and marketing with stickers, and we are happy to have Ted Risk from Wibby Brewing on the show to talk about how Wibby got started as a new business in Longmont. We'll talk about the fine art of brewing and how they use stickers for promoting the brewery. We also welcome Saul, the World's Largest Sticker Ball, since he's currently in the 2018 Guinness Book of World Records that's in bookstores now. https://www.stickergiant.com/blog/sticker-stories-podcast-episode-4-talking-world-records-beer-and-marketing-with-ted-risk-of-wibby-brewing/

Hamish and Jesse talk back to school stickers, Game of Thrones' relation to label design and chat with Bill Flagg about his ways of finding new customers in his businesses, which include; PosterBrain, SurveyGizmo, SnapEngage and Avid4 Adventure.

Welcome to the second episode of Sticker Stories, our podcast. This week's show is all about entrepreneurship, focusing on Founder's Stories, and we have an extra-special visitor on the show to tell us his story. Our guest will be John Fischer, the StickerGiant himself, and he will share with us the early days of this business and how it's become the company it is today. At the end of this post, we'll provide resources for budding entrepreneurs, and we'll preview some of the awesome entrepreneurial activity that we support worldwide--it's going to be a full show.

In our first full-length episode we talk about Delighting Customers, and some of the ways that we do it here at StickerGiant, whether it's our shipping camera photos or super-fun referral program. We also bring in some customer examples, and along the way take a deep dive into sticker sheets. Today's Top of Mind was all about the last apps we used and bought.

Welcome to the trailer of StickerGiant's podcast Sticker Stories. Meet Andrew and Hamish, the hosts of the show, and get a preview of the awesome small businesses that market their companies with stickers. Also, since it's National Doughnut Day, we share a fun die cut sticker that's in the shape of a doughnut. Today’s music was Cha Cappella from Jimmy Fontanez and My Rollercoaster from Kimya Dawson.

This is a song that a friend of ours wrote. It's whimsical and fun, and eminently dance-able. When we need a pick-me-up around the office, you can be sure this is cranked to 11.