Change of Plans

In our final episode of the series we feature De J. Lozada, founder of Soul Popped Gourmet Popcorn, who tells the story of how the coronavirus forced her to reimagine her Soul Food-inspired popcorn brand while staying true to her company’s core values. De J. openly shares the unique challenges she has encountered while shifting from in-person experiences to online sales, and how she's been able to stay connected to her fiercely loyal and active customers through authenticity and vulnerability. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/de-j-lozada-soul-popped

When Covid forced farmers markets to shut their operations, Jennifer Chan’s pop-up sorbet business, Banato, was on the verge of collapse. Instead of wallowing in despair, Jennifer chose to lead with love and serve her Chicago community hope (and sweet treats) during hard times. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/jen-chan-banato

When the global events industry dramatically collapsed in the wake of Covid-related shutdowns, Jeremy Fleming and his team at Sydney-based Stagekings faced a disastrous outlook. As a company that specializes in building state-of-the-art stages (think Formula 1 and a Shakespeare’s Globe replica), they had to think fast — and look to a whole new industry — after suffering mass cancellations. In this episode, Jeremy recounts the importance of keeping his team employed, and how a fear of having to let staff go motivated nimble action. He shares the fantastic story of how an idea from a friend inspired the team to use their existing skills and technology to quickly meet a new market need, and how his staff came together to launch a beautiful new product within just days. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/jeremy-fleming-stagekings

Dr. Michelle Dickinson is a nanotechnologist and founder of Nanogirl Labs, which helps kids around the world find their passion in STEM fields. When New Zealand went into lockdown to combat Covid-19, her in-person science theater events were all canceled, forcing Michelle to get creative at warp speed. In this episode, she tells the story of the pivotal Monday that changed everything — from losing the business' entire annual income, to juggling live interviews with national press and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern — and the inspiring week of teamwork (and tears) that followed to launch a new digital platform. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/dr-michelle-dickinson-nanogirl

2020 has been a pivotal year of growth and change for Jasmine Tiara, founder of The Black Wallet. From coronavirus throwing a wrench in her work and family routine, to the Black Lives Matter movement surging her business to new heights (and audiences), Jasmine has boldly faced each challenge head on. In this episode, she shares how a T-shirt led her to build an app for Black entrepreneurs and Black-owned businesses, and how the business has evolved. She also discusses the role of compassion in navigating challenges, the importance of keeping momentum going during a moment of awakening, and why supporting Black-owned businesses is important both to changing perceptions and to our collective success. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/jasmine-tiara-the-black-wallet

When New York-based Scott’s Pizza Tours was forced to stop offering in-person tours thanks to Covid, pizza expert Scott Wiener got creative quickly to keep connecting with his pizza-obsessed audience around the world. With pizzeria visits off the table, Scott shares how their unique virtual courses and cooking lessons keep both staff and customers engaged, with deep dives into pizza making, and pizza’s surprisingly fascinating history. Scott also introduces us to his non-profit, Slice Out Hunger, which has pivoted in an incredible way. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/scott-wiener-scotts-pizza-tours

When SXSW was canceled last-minute, Beth DiBaggio's Austin-based catering business faced imminent collapse. But instead of giving up, she and her partner Rafael Rodriguez looked to a family taco recipe as their life raft. Beth shares how a nostalgic "maybe someday" dream was revived as an in-the-shower spark of inspiration, and overnight became El Camaron, a seriously irresistible taco delivery business (if you love tacos, this episode will make you hungry!). Beth and Rafael are passionate about nourishing people, and in this episode Beth also shares the critical importance of deciding to keep moving when faced with a sink-or-swim moment, and the perspective they have gained in the process. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/beth-dibaggio-el-camaron

When New York City went into lockdown, the iconic Nuyorican Poets Cafe creatively took their powerful spoken word events from in-person to online. In this episode, Daniel Gallant, the Nuyorican's director, shares unique insights on the challenges and opportunities the crisis has created. Hear his thoughtful observations about the pros and cons of performing spoken word in virtual spaces, including the new layers of fluidity and interplay this new landscape offers, and the unprecedented breaking down of barriers to give more artists a place to share their work. Daniel also discusses the importance of psychological and emotional relief during isolating times, and gives brilliant advice on what makes for an effective “ask” at a time when there is great tension between generosity and scarcity in an uncertain world. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/daniel-gallant-nuyorican-poets-cafe

When her flower shop, House of Lilac, ran out of fresh flowers because of Covid-related disruptions, founder Melanie Fernandez had to act quickly to keep her business flourishing. In this episode, Melanie shares a huge risk she took just as things seemed to be taking a turn for the worse, and how looking locally to her Miami-based brick and mortar shop expanded her online sales to a whole new untapped market across the country. Melanie also discusses three key ways to listen to customers, and the importance of an engaging online presence in her business of making people happy. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/melanie-fernandez-house-of-lilac

For comedian and filmmaker Toni Nagy, performing live stand-up is an integral way to energetically connect with people and the cultural pulse. When the coronavirus wiped out Toni's in-person gigs, she found herself transitioning more fully to online work to continue engaging with her audience in meaningful ways. In this episode, Toni opens up about how the pandemic and concurrent racial justice movement have influenced her work, and how she toes the line of provoking people during sensitive times to dive deep into uncomfortable issues and inspire surprising conversations. We also discuss the advent of global inside jokes, a refreshing lack of FOMO, the appeal of imperfection, and tapping into the power of the scrappy underdog. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/toni-nagy

When his pet-focused travel gear company started to see the stagnating impact of Covid-19, Jamie Knowles knew he had to get creative with Roverlund. In this episode, Jamie shares how he tapped into his art background to partner with international illustrators on stylish custom pet portraits, a move which in turn brought him a whole new set of pet-loving customers who were seeking meaningful, joy-sparking products during the pandemic. Jamie also discusses the importance of community and escapism for individuals and small businesses during these isolating times. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/jamie-knowles-roverlund

When five high school friends decided to buy a flower farm in rural Washington State, they never imagined the disaster scenario their business would face in its very first year. Right before their biggest event of the spring, which typically draws hundreds of thousands of people — and brings in over 90% of their annual revenue — Tulip Town was forced to stop welcoming visitors due to the coronavirus pandemic. In this episode, Tulip Town's Andrew Miller and Angela Speer share various ways they've been able to pivot successfully, and how they've managed to stay positive (and act fast) to keep sharing the beauty and joy of tulips with others — and keep their business going. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/andrew-miller-angela-speer-tulip-town

Seattle-based Eric Rivera spent years working with one of the world's top chefs before opening his endlessly creative restaurant Addo. Unlike many restaurant owners, who were quick to lay people off when times got tough, Eric and his innovative employees have found myriad ways to survive and thrive throughout the crisis, ranging from multi-sensory “camping-at-home” experiences, to strategy-based dinner games and more. In this episode, Eric shares how his team approaches challenges, and how pivoting his life and career after the 2008 recession helped ingrain adaptability into his business' recipe for success. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/chef-eric-rivera-addo

Despite the challenge of meeting deadlines (and maintaining sanity) while working from home with young children, Australian illustrator Beck Feiner has kept her creative spark turned on through a bit of optimism, hard work, and a healthy dose of trickery. Learn how Beck has helped fellow small businesses, how her work has impacted health care workers, and how new business opportunities have emerged in unexpected ways. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/beck-feiner-illustrations

In the face of the coronavirus, employee-owned Modern Times Beer set a guiding principle to keep everyone on staff. Inspired by this goal, they have been able to use their existing infrastructure — and new ideas — to find creative ways to generate revenue. In this episode, Phil MacNitt, the brewery’s director of sales and marketing shares how concepts like “imagination buoyancy” and “fearless brainstorming” have fostered a more collaborative environment than ever. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/phil-macnitt-modern-times-beer

Following a Covid-induced trade show disaster, peanut butter maven Jill Van Gyn found a way to forge ahead while giving back to her community in the process. Jill walks us through her nerve-wracking journey, and shares inspiring ways she embraces the pain of vulnerability and rock-bottom moments to channel creativity and innovation. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/jill-van-gyn-fatso-peanut-butter

When rugby season was cut short due to the coronavirus, London-based commentator Nick Heath suddenly found himself without work — until he discovered the humor of commentating on ordinary life. In this episode, Nick tells the story of how a spontaneous video shot from a park bench made his hilarious #LifeCommentary videos go viral. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/nick-heath-rugby-media

A special “bonus” episode, featuring a behind-the-scenes conversation about how our travel company ended up also deciding to launch a podcast. Host Andres Zuleta chats with his colleagues, Eléonore Simon and Roni Sivan, and they delve into how their small team was inspired to dive headfirst into the world of podcasts when the coronavirus temporarily brought travel to a halt. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/eleonore-simon-roni-sivan-boutique-japan

Australian winemaker Brendan Carter's business was nearly obliterated overnight when Australia went into coronavirus lockdown. Inspired by the unprecedented challenge, Brendan and his team adapted quickly and took their small beverage empire online with daily happy hours, "isolation 6 packs," and lighthearted junk food pairings. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/brendan-carter-unico-zelo

The events industry took a huge hit from the coronavirus, and Sam Eitzen’s business was almost wiped out in a matter of days. In this episode, Sam explains how his thriving Inc. 500 company suddenly found itself without work, and shares his process for — literally overnight — coming up with the idea for a new care package business. Learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com/episodes/sam-eitzen-keep-your-city-smiling

On Change of Plans, host Andres Zuleta interviews innovative individuals — from entrepreneurs and winemakers, to artists and chefs — who have found creative ways to adapt in times of crisis. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and learn more at changeofplanspodcast.com