Gen ZEOs Podcast

Hot sauce—and truffles for that matter—are having an especially big moment right now. Thanks in part to the popularity of internet hits like Complex Media and First We Feast’s “Hot Ones,” the condiment has gained popularity in fashion, music and streetwear communities alike. Nick Ajluni and Nick Guillen, co-founders of TRUFF, took note of this and determined that the category was ripe for disruption. Having built a community surrounding the Instagram page @sauce, Ajluni and Guillen decided to launch a hot sauce as a testament to the page, that sauce was TRUFF. Today, TRUFF announces its expansion into a new category. Find out more about their approach to this new product, the story behind the brand, and what other CPG brands can learn from media companies.

It’s certainly a strange time to be discussing the luxury market. With record unemployment, economic contractions and a worldwide pandemic on our hands, it’s hard to imagine many consumers using their disposable income on luxury products. However, Generation Z (who are predicted to be 10-15% of total luxury consumers by 2025 according to Bain and Co.) is using this time to exert their influence on what exactly it means to be a luxury brand. In this episode, I sit down with Liz Toney and Larry Milstein, co-founders of Gen Z consultancy PRZM to discuss how Gen Z is reshaping the luxury market, what it really means to be a luxury brand, and how Gen Z’s interest in luxury goods has created a booming secondhand market.

Tiffany Zhong first became the "Gen Z Whisperer" in 2017 when she founded Zebra IQ, an intelligence platform focused on helping brands better understand and connect with Generation Z through real-time insights. Seeing a gap between creators and the monetization tools at their disposal, Tiffany pivoted her platform earlier this year to focus more on community, content and commerce in a way that can help creators supercharge their audience and of course, revenue. In this episode, we discuss Zebra IQ's newly-released annual State of Gen Z report that covers all things from up-and-coming platforms you may not have heard of but should get to know, how the influencer landscape has evolved and the role of fashion and sports today.

Jeff Levin is an entrepreneur, entertainment executive and talent manager with over 10 years of experience in the entertainment industry. He previously helped launch the Gen Z focused entertainment network AwesomenessTV (acquired by DreamWorks), serving as their Head of Talent. He currently manages entertainers like Logan Paul and That Girl Lay Lay. On this episode, we discuss the current and future Gen Z content and entertainment landscape, managing and monetizing social influence, and the things that networks and brands are currently getting wrong about Gen Z.

In times of crisis, Gen Z consumers are especially discerning regarding a brand’s messaging and actions in response. Maxine Marcus, founder and CEO of The Ambassadors Company, surveyed more than 100 trendsetting and thought-leading Gen Z’ers to find out what exactly they want to see from brands right now and going forward. In this episode, we cover segmenting, messaging, perceived authenticity, brand loyalty and more.

Many of the most popular online dating apps have been forced to rethink their offerings due to Covid-19, introducing new digital date ideas and building video call options into their platforms. However, video-first dating app GOATdate–founded by my guest today, Heather Hopkins–has had video calling at its core since its inception in November 2018. Now, less than 3 months into its official launch, the brand’s experiencing exponential growth week after week. In this episode, Heather and I discuss the state of the online dating industry, how GOATdate went from wireframes to app, and how the company has shifted to adapt to the current crisis.

In this episode, I’m joined by Kieran Mathew, Founder and CEO of Amplify Solutions, for an exclusive look at the results from their soon-to-be-published research report titled “Gen Z - Responding and Adapting to COVID-19.” Kieran and I discuss the things that Gen Z consumers hope to see from brands when it comes to advertising right now, Gen Z’s new shopping habits and outlook on the future, and what can brands do right now to establish a connection with Gen Z that will continue in the post-coronavirus world. For the latest from the series, visit adweek.com/genzeos.

On this episode of the Gen ZEOs podcast, I'm joined by our youngest guest to date, 18-year-old Tania Speaks. Tania is the founder of Brow Boost, a company that she started when she was still in high school at just 15 years old. Brow Boost manufactures and distributes beauty/grooming products including their namesake eyebrow gel, and a beard grooming product for men. Tania is also a public speaker who shares her story of youth entrepreneurship and how starting her own business helped her overcome bullying. Today on the show, we'll be discussing Tania’s journey, her tips for young entrepreneurs, and a new rapid-fire Q&A segment to find out what's top of mind for Gen Z. For more episodes like this, visit www.adweek.com/genzeos

Just two years ago, Andy McCune co-founded the popular social stories template app Unfold, which has already amassed over 9 million monthly users including celebrities like Selena Gomez and Camila Cabello. The app was recently acquired by website platform Squarespace, where Andy is taking on the role of Head of Operations for Unfold. In this episode, we chat about Andy's story, the Squarespace acquisition, and how Unfold is partnering with brands like Tommy Hilfiger. We also discuss how brands can better leverage Instagram stories and how Gen Z is redefining the role of work. For more on Andy and to tell us what you think of the podcast with a quick survey, visit www.adweek.com/genzeos

At just 21 years old, Jacob Pace is the VP of Business Development at Create Music Group and the CEO of Flighthouse, the largest music curation profile on TikTok with more than 20 million followers, generating over one billion views per month. In this episode, we discuss Gen Z taking control of their own content, how brands can stay authentic on TikTok and the future of short-form content. For the latest from the series, visit adweek.com/genzeos.

Jorge Richardson credits most of his life to 'pure dumb luck.' But after talking to him, it's clear that while happenstance played a role in linking him up with Closca's founder Carlos Ferrando, he has both the skills and the passion to drive societal change. Closca is a sustainability design company that builds products focused on the UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) with products like The Closca helmet and water bottle, both International Red Dot Design Award winners. But looking beyond the sleek, modern design, Jorge wants the products like the water bottle to be known for much more. At Cannes Lions this year, for example, Closca partnered with the festival, giving their water bottles to attendees with the goal of eliminating 150,000 plastic bottles during the event. On this episode, we'll hear Jorge's journey (which involves almost dying in an earthquake and meditating in Nepal) to a mission of sustainability. We'll also talk about designing for good, how to stand out in a crowded category and how to successfully collaborate with other brands.

At the age of just 14, Ziad Ahmed founded Redefy, an organization aimed at making schools and communities more inclusive. Three years later, JUV Consulting was born and Ziad has been on a mission to ensure Gen Z is not just talked about, but actually talked to when it comes to marketing. He's spoken at VidCon, TED, Duke, Stanford, and Columbia Universities, and has even been personally recognized by Barack Obama. On this episode, we talk about the importance of activism for Gen Z, Gen Z values, and how brands can authentically take on and support social causes.

Claire Coder started her first business, a promotional products company, at age 16 while still in high school. And after one year at the Ohio State University, she dropped out to pursue Aunt Flow, a full solution provider that stocks businesses and school bathrooms with organic tampons and pads. Aunt Flow recently closed a $1.5 million funding round and is stocked in hundreds of schools and businesses, including Google, Twitter and Princeton University. On this episode, we chat about mission-driven companies, B2B marketing, customer acquisition and Claire's experience as an entrepreneur. For highlights from this episode and the latest from the series, visit adweek.com/genzeos.

At just 19 years old, Drake Rehfeld was part of the research engineering team at Snapchat. In 2017, Drake co-founded influencer ecommerce platform Demeanor, which is now a part of NTWRK, specializing in "shoppable shows" with influencers and celebrities. On this episode, we discuss why product drops work for Gen Z, trends with influencer monetization and much more. For highlights from this episode and the latest from the series, visit adweek.com/genzeos.

As a student at Syracuse University, Kelsey Davis was already landing video gigs with companies like Coca-Cola, Land Rover and Conde Nast. She quickly realized how difficult it was to be a creative freelancer in a high-intensity, academic environment and succeed at both. That's when she had the idea to start Cllctve, a digital platform that connects college creatives looking for paying jobs with major brands. On this episode, we talk about Kelsey's days as a freelancer, the inspiration to build Cllctve and how Gen Z is shaping a new wave of content creation, even from often over-looked Middle America. For highlights from this episode and the latest from the series, visit adweek.com/genzeos.

On this special mini-episode of the Gen ZEOs podcast, we get to know your host. Adweek Video Producer Nick Gardner has never been afraid to seize opportunities or raise his hand for a new challenge. From taking a same-day job offer to work in St. Thomas to moving to NYC and becoming one of the youngest Adweek staff members to now hosting the Gen ZEOs podcast, Nick strives to learn as much as he can from all he takes on. On this new podcast series, Nick helps to uncover what's top of mind for Gen Z and how they're changing the future of work and marketing as we know it. They also dive into which brands are winning with Gen Z, which brands are missing the mark, and ways they can more authentically engage. Be sure to tune in weekly for new episodes!

While still in high school, Dylan Gambardella started his first business venture Students4Students, which is a consultancy aimed at helping students through the college admissions process. In 2014, he co-founded the Next Gen Summit and has since grown it to a community of more than 20,000 members across 90 different countries. He's also an accomplished speaker, having addressed global audiences at Yale University, UCLA and more. On this episode, we dive into all sorts of exciting topics including building and maintaining a community, how Gen Z entrepreneurs are changing workplace expectations, and his advice to young entrepreneurs. For highlights from this episode and the latest from the series, visit adweek.com/genzeos.

At just 22 and 21 respectively, Trufan co-founders Swish Goswami and Aanikh Kler already have a ton of overwhelming achievements for their ages. Swish is a serial tech entrepreneur, venture capitalist and author who's consulted for brands like Google, Western Union and American Express. Aanikh, at age 14, became one of the youngest app developers in the world to have a top three app when his app UndrTheRadr reached the No. 2 spot in the app store, beating out apps like Angry Birds and Minecraft. On this episode, we talk about what's not working with influencer marketing, ways brands can track influencer ROI and the impact of social on mental health. For highlights from this episode and the latest from the series, visit adweek.com/genzeos.

Dunk, which started as a passion project in 2015 for its founder and CEO Eliot Robinson, has grown to over 2.2 million followers thanks to his knowledge of culture and crafty social media strategies. On this episode, we're talking about emerging social media platforms, social media hacks and how to create and distribute content that people actually want to see and engage with. For Eliot's 5 C's of social media success and the latest from the series, visit adweek.com/genzeos.

After graduating and interning at Snapchat and Spotify, Julia Haber founded WAYV, an experiential marketing company that brings retail pop-up shops to college campuses all over the country for brands like Lululemon, AT&T and Rent the Runway. On this episode, we discuss experiential marketing do's and don'ts, what brands can do to better reach Gen Z and the future of WAYV. For highlights from this episode and the latest from the series, visit adweek.com/genzeos.

At just 15 years old, Nik was already handling social strategy for celebrities like Pitbull and Priyanka Chopra. Now at age 22, he's already built up a long list of accomplishments, including prior roles leading DTC for hint and VaynerMedia. Listen in to hear which brands are killing it in direct-to-consumer marketing and truly resonating with Gen Z. For highlights from this episode and the latest from the series, visit adweek.com/genzeos.