The Failure Factor: Stories of Career Perseverance

Sasha Plavsic, Founder of ILIA Beauty, the clean cosmetics brand known for redefining performance makeup, opens up about what it took to build a $100M business from a garage and a $25,000 line of credit. In this raw and vulnerable conversation, Sasha shares how a deeply personal quest to heal her skin led to the creation of ILIA, a brand that went on to help define the "clean beauty" category alongside industry giants like Sephora. But behind the brand's success story lies an untold reality of burnout, identity loss, and a literal health collapse that forced her to reckon with the cost of carrying it all. From almost closing ILIA's doors to hiring a CEO and eventually selling a majority stake to the Courtin-Clarins family, Sasha walks us through the most defining and difficult moments of her journey.  Whether you're bootstrapping your first venture or navigating scale, Sasha's story is a powerful reminder that success should never come at the cost of your health or your joy.   Key Takeaways and Topics: How Sasha built ILIA Beauty from a garage with no outside funding for the first 7 years The personal skin struggles that led her to question conventional beauty products Why she rejected the “all natural” label and pioneered a hybrid formulation model Early setbacks, including being told labs couldn't make the products she envisioned The pivotal moment she considered shutting ILIA down—and what saved it The decision to hire a CEO and why it was the best move for the brand and her health How ILIA scaled from $5M to $100M, eventually catching the eye of the Courtin-Clarins family The physical collapse that forced Sasha to finally slow down—her kidneys started shutting down How hustle culture and perfectionism nearly cost her life, and what she's doing differently now The guilt and double standards faced by working mothers and women founders How Sasha protects her energy today: boundaries, executive coaching, and saying “no” Her advice to founders: trust your gut, delegate what drains you, and stop trying to do it all   The Failure Factor Podcast was brought to you by Off The Field Coaching. Explore working with one of our coaches at http://offthefieldcoaching.com Hosted by Megan Bruneau: therapist, executive coach, speaker, Forbes contributor, and host of The Failure Factor. For more info, visit https://meganbruneau.com    Follow ILIA Beauty Ig: https://www.instagram.com/iliabeauty  Follow Sasha Ig: https://www.instagram.com/sashaplavsic  Follow Megan Ig: https://www.instagram.com/meganjbruneau In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-j-bruneau-m-a-rcc Subscribe to the podcast newsletter at https://thefailurefactorpodcast.com   Themes: entrepreneurship, clean beauty, burnout, founder health, motherhood, bootstrapping, female founders, exit strategy, scaling a startup, sustainable success, executive coaching, mental health, delegating, work-life balance, hustle culture, investor-free growth, ILIA Beauty, women in leadership, resilience, skin care innovation, founder vulnerability

Olivia Landau, Co-Founder and CEO of The Clear Cut—the largest digitally native natural diamond jewelry company in the United States—shares how a side hustle selling engagement rings through Instagram DMs transformed into a $100M company. Despite being dismissed by venture capitalists and warned by her family not to become an entrepreneur, Olivia Landau chose to bet on herself. Alongside her then-boyfriend (now husband and co-founder), Kyle, she took a leap of faith, walking away from the safe path and rejecting startup “best practices” that didn't feel aligned. Instead of following the noise, she doubled down on what felt right: human connection, deep education, craftsmanship, and building slow and intentionally. Her voice is a powerful reminder of what can happen when you block out the noise, trust your gut, and build your way—even when everyone says you're doing it wrong.   Key Takeaways and Topics: How The Clear Cut started as an educational blog and Instagram side hustle Olivia's generational roots in the diamond industry and how that shaped her approach The myths around lab-grown vs. natural diamonds—and why she refuses to sell lab-created stones Fundraising rejection: Why no VCs would invest and how they raised $700K from angels and customers instead The Clear Cut's breakthrough moment during the pandemic and how their custom-built tech scaled the business Why “unscalable” things are worth doing first The emotional toll and impostor syndrome that come with fundraising and startup leadership How Olivia navigates being a new mom, co-founder, and CEO Debunking ethical misconceptions about natural diamonds—and why the real story matters Why having a personal brand and showing your face on social media can be a competitive advantage Her advice to aspiring founders: Don't wait for perfection, just take the first step   Disclaimer: Olivia shares her view that natural diamonds can be more ethical than lab-grown alternatives. This is a nuanced topic; what is “ethical” depends on your values. Natural diamonds may support economies like Botswana's, while lab-grown stones produced with renewable energy may appeal to those prioritizing environmental impact. Some stats shared from memory have been clarified: Diamonds make up 25–30% of Botswana's GDP, not 80% as mentioned (that figure refers to exports). Diamond revenues fund free primary education, subsidized secondary education, and universal healthcare in Botswana. While “stipends” aren't standard, the government provides scholarships and financial support to students and select groups. We've included these clarifications to support informed decision-making.   The Failure Factor Podcast was brought to you by Off The Field Coaching. Explore working with one of our coaches at http://offthefieldcoaching.com Hosted by Megan Bruneau: therapist, executive coach, speaker, Forbes contributor, and host of The Failure Factor. For more info, visit https://meganbruneau.com Follow Olivia and The Clear Cut Her Ig: https://www.instagram.com/olivialandau  The Clear Cut: https://www.instagram.com/theclearcut  Follow Megan Ig: https://www.instagram.com/meganjbruneau/ In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-j-bruneau-m-a-rcc Subscribe to the podcast newsletter at https://thefailurefactorpodcast.com Themes: entrepreneurship, diamond industry, The Clear Cut, venture capital, scaling a startup, personalized luxury, ethical sourcing, tech, jewelry, women founder, e-commerce, working with a partner, motherhood, impostor syndrome, custom jewelry, resilience, lab-grown diamonds, natural diamonds, storytelling, brand building

Join us for an unflinchingly honest conversation with Peter Rahal, founder of RXBAR (sold to Kellogg's for $600M) and David Protein. Once labeled "disabled" by the school system, Peter reveals how his dyslexia fueled his contrarian mindset, relentless hustle, and ability to spot market gaps others missed. Learn how childhood humiliation became his rocket fuel, why he refuses to celebrate wins, and how his "anti-authority" approach built two category-defining brands. This episode is for entrepreneurs, neurodivergent thinkers, and anyone who's been told they don't fit the mold. Key Takeaways and Topics: Peter Rahal's background in the food industry and how this influenced his entrepreneurial journey. The idea for RX Bar emerged from a gap in the market for paleo-friendly protein bars. Early partnerships can significantly impact the success of a startup. Scaling production requires understanding supply chains and manufacturing processes. Product market fit is crucial for the success of any consumer product. Rebranding helped RX Bar reach a broader audience and clarify the product's value proposition. Rahal's childhood experiences shaped his resilience and contrarian nature. The importance of teamwork and aligned values in partnerships cannot be overstated. His success in business came from organic growth and word-of-mouth marketing. Be very, very efficient with your time. Seek criticism, seek feedback. The positive feedback loop of being doing something you're good at is motivating. Your 20s are the time to go all in and take risks. The Failure Factor Podcast was brought to you by Off The Field Coaching. Explore working with one of our coaches at http://offthefieldcoaching.com Hosted by Megan Bruneau: therapist, executive coach, speaker, Forbes contributor and host of The Failure Factor. For more info visit https://meganbruneau.com Follow Peter and his ventures: His Ig: https://www.instagram.com/peterrahal  David Protein: https://www.instagram.com/davidprotein  Follow Megan Ig: https://www.instagram.com/meganjbruneau/ In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-j-bruneau-m-a-rcc Subscribe to the podcast newsletter at https://thefailurefactorpodcast.com Themes: RX Bar, entrepreneurship, protein bars, startup culture, product market fit, rebranding, personal growth, childhood experiences, resilience, business challenges, David Protein, dyslexia, work ethic, fatherhood, humility, business lessons, nutrition, leadership

Gara Post—serial entrepreneur, franchise mogul, and self-proclaimed “hyper-emotional” leader—joins Megan Bruneau to unpack the realities of building The Now Massage and Bowie Barker. From her early days as a jewelry designer to franchising during a pandemic, Gara reveals how she balances perfectionism with scalability, why she leans into therapy, and the painful lessons she learned from business partnerships gone wrong. Key Takeaways and Topics: Gara's journey in the corporate world before transitioning to entrepreneurship. Her jewelry design venture while working as an executive assistant. How the support from her husband was crucial in her entrepreneurial journey. The Now, born out of a need for affordable luxury wellness experiences. How Gara's family life influenced her business decisions and priorities. The Now has grown to 77 locations and continues to expand. Authenticity and passion are key to successful business ventures.  Franchising can be risky but offers opportunities for growth. Challenges often present opportunities for innovation. Quality control is essential in maintaining brand integrity. Emotional intelligence is crucial for effective leadership. How therapy has played a significant role in her personal and professional growth. Flexibility within a framework is key to managing a franchise. Empathy and compassion enhance leadership effectiveness. Understanding trauma can improve interpersonal relationships in business. Partnership dynamics can significantly impact business success. Hard conversations are essential in business. Compartmentalization is crucial for personal and professional balance. Integrity and authenticity are vital in navigating challenges. Surround yourself with supportive and honest people. Recognizing triggers can help manage emotional responses. It's important to take risks and move forward. Learning from past mistakes is key to growth. Finding passion and purpose drives success. The Failure Factor Podcast was brought to you by Off The Field Coaching. Explore working with one of our coaches at http://offthefieldcoaching.com Hosted by Megan Bruneau: therapist, executive coach, speaker, Forbes contributor and host of The Failure Factor. For more info visit https://meganbruneau.com Follow Gara and her ventures: Ig: https://www.instagram.com/garadanielle The Now: https://www.instagram.com/thenowmassage Bowie Barker: https://www.instagram.com/bowiebarkerbath Follow Megan Ig: https://www.instagram.com/meganjbruneau/ In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-j-bruneau-m-a-rcc Subscribe to the podcast newsletter at https://thefailurefactorpodcast.com Themes: entrepreneurship, wellness, business growth, investment, self-care, personal journey, franchising, business expansion, COVID challenges, emotional intelligence, leadership, therapy, quality control, wellness industry, partnership dynamics, business challenges, co-founding, communication, integrity, entrepreneurship, 

Scott Harrison is the founder and CEO of charity: water, a nonprofit that has funded over 171,000 projects to bring clean, safe, drinkable water to more than 20 million people across 29 countries. Unfulfilled from a decade of living the fast-paced extravagance of a nightclub promoter, he decided to seek a more purposeful life. He parted toward West Africa to serve as a volunteer in a hospital, where he witnessed first hand the devastating impacts of dirty water on the health and lives of people in developing countries. Join us as we unravel Scott's journey –how this experience began a profound transformation so he turned his life around and built an organization dedicated to providing drinking water to millions around the world. We discuss the challenges faced in this transition, the global water crisis, the role of women in water collection, and the importance of education and sanitation. Scott also reflects on his childhood experiences and the pivotal moments that led him to seek true happiness beyond material success. Scott is the author of the New York Times bestselling book "Thirst" and has been recognized in Fortune Magazine's 40 under 40 list, the Forbes Magazine Impact 30 list, and in Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business issue. Listen to the story that will challenge you to think differently about giving and inspire you to create meaningful change in the world. Key Takeaways and Topics: Scott Harrison's transitioning from nightclub promoter to philanthropist. Charity Water's vision was to provide clean water to every person in the world. 703 million people currently drink contaminated water. 80% of those without water live in rural areas. Women and girls bear the burden of water collection. Lack of water and sanitation leads to girls dropping out of school. Scott's childhood shaped his caregiving role and independence. A moment of clarity led Scott to seek fulfillment beyond wealth. True happiness is found in purpose, not material possessions. The pivotal moment that led to a desire to serve others. Scott's experiences in Liberia highlighted the dire need for clean water. Sharing stories helped build awareness and engagement. Art exhibitions became a means to raise funds for humanitarian efforts. Scott's vision to reimagine charity with creativity and transparency. Promoting the right cause is crucial for impact. Visual storytelling can evoke stronger emotional responses. A clear solution to a problem can drive donations. Creating a business model that ensures transparency builds trust. Emotional experiences can motivate people to take action. The 100% model attracted donors who wanted to see direct impact. Financial crises can lead to innovative solutions and growth. Learning from failures is essential for organizational improvement. Effective risk management is key in charity work. Building strong relationships with donors can lead to long-term support. Failures can lead to significant growth and learning. Radical transparency is essential for restoring trust. The subscription model significantly increased revenue. Personal fulfillment often outweighs financial gain. Integrity is the most important value in leadership. Perseverance is key during challenging times. The Failure Factor Podcast was brought to you by Off The Field Coaching. Explore working with one of our coaches at http://offthefieldcoaching.com Hosted by Megan Bruneau: therapist, executive coach, speaker, Forbes contributor and host of The Failure Factor. For more info visit https://meganbruneau.com Learn more about Charity: Water: https://www.charitywater.org Sponsor a water project: https://www.charitywater.org/donate Buy the book: https://www.charitywater.org/thirst Ig: https://www.instagram.com/charitywater In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/charity-water Follow Scott Ig: https://www.instagram.com/scottharrison In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottharrison1 Follow Megan Ig: https://www.instagram.com/meganjbruneau/ In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-j-bruneau-m-a-rcc Subscribe to the podcast newsletter at https://thefailurefactorpodcast.com Themes: Charity Water, Scott Harrison, clean water, global philanthropy, water crisis, women empowerment, education, sanitation, personal journey, faith, personal growth, humanitarian work, clean water, charity, transformation, service, awareness, community, mission, charity, fundraising, storytelling, business model, emotional impact, nonprofit, marketing, visual communication, donor engagement, innovation, entrepreneurship, integrity, failure, purpose.  

Alexandra Zatarain is the co-founder and VP of Brand and Marketing of Eight Sleep, the world's first sleep fitness company. With accolades like being named to Forbes 30 Under 30 and Inc's 100 female founders lists, Alexandra is the marketing genius that helped put Eight Sleep on the map.  Starting Eight Sleep with minimal marketing experience, she managed to redefine their product category through a long process of trial and error. Alexandra shares her thoughts about the importance of feedback, effective communication, humility, and long-term planning while emphasizing the need to embrace challenges, learn from failures, and maintain a growth mindset. Listen to her insights on navigating the complexities of entrepreneurship and innovation, particularly in the tech space.   Key takeaways: The journey of entrepreneurship is often messy and filled with failures. Understanding customer needs is crucial for product development. Feedback from early users can guide product improvements. Positioning is critical for startup success. Growth comes from learning through challenges and failures. Embracing feedback as a learning opportunity can lead to growth. Humility is a key trait for effective leadership. Scaling a business introduces new complexities and challenges. Long-term planning is necessary for sustainable growth. Feedback should be immediate and constructive, not just negative. Assuming good intentions helps in receiving feedback positively. Continuous learning is vital in entrepreneurship. Building a supportive community can alleviate the fear of failure.   The Failure Factor Podcast was brought to you by Off The Field Coaching. Explore working with one of our coaches at http://offthefieldcoaching.com  Hosted by Megan Bruneau: therapist, executive coach, speaker, Forbes contributor and host of The Failure Factor. For more info visit https://meganbruneau.com   Learn more about Eight Sleep: https://www.eightsleep.com Ig: https://www.instagram.com/eightsleep In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eight-- Follow Alexandra Ig: https://www.instagram.com/alexzatarainj In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrazatarain Follow Megan  Ig: https://www.instagram.com/meganjbruneau In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-j-bruneau-m-a-rcc    Subscribe to the podcast newsletter at https://thefailurefactorpodcast.com  Themes: entrepreneurship, sleep technology, Eight Sleep, failure, innovation, marketing, crowdfunding, product development, difficult conversations, leadership, entrepreneurship, feedback, leadership, scaling, business growth, humility, team dynamics

After more than a year of silence, Megan Bruneau returns with the Failure Factor to share a deeply personal episode about navigating one of the most challenging years of her life. In this raw and insightful conversation, Megan shares her journey through profound grief, major life transitions, and the lessons she discovered along the way.  In this episode, she opens up about how the sudden loss of her mother transformed her understanding of grief, both as a therapist and as a daughter, and how emotional avoidance only compounds our suffering. Whether you're navigating grief, major life changes, or simply feeling stuck, this one's for you. Megan's story provides compassionate guidance, actionable wisdom, and the reassurance that you're not alone.   The Failure Factor Podcast was brought to you by Off The Field Coaching. Explore working with one of our coaches at http://offthefieldcoaching.com Hosted by Megan Bruneau: therapist, executive coach, speaker, Forbes contributor and host of The Failure Factor. For more info visit https://meganbruneau.com Subscribe to the podcast newsletter at https://thefailurefactorpodcast.com   Follow Megan  Ig: https://www.instagram.com/meganjbruneau In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-j-bruneau-m-a-rcc     Themes: grief, compassion, emotional avoidance, emotional health, lessons, authenticity, therapy, ACT, resilience, personal growth, family dynamics, community  

Naveen Jain is a serial entrepreneur and self-made billionaire whose latest venture, Viome, is revolutionizing personalized health and longevity. Jain rose to success as the founder and CEO of InfoSpace, previously one of the largest internet companies in the Northwest, and has since inspired millions to go after their most audacious goals as the founder of Moon Express – the only company permitted to harvest resources from the moon. In this episode, he shares his story of going from being an immigrant with five dollars in his pocket – to having a worth of 6 billion dollars and living on a private island. Listen in to hear how he thinks technology has democratized entrepreneurship; and why he believes passion, naivete, and viewing entrepreneurship as "research" is the secret to persevering through a goal that's "so big, people think you're crazy."

Carly Stein Kremer is the founder of Beekeeper's Naturals, a collection of natural remedies and immune support products she developed after years of living with a chronically suppressed immune system. She was recognized on the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 list and has raised nearly 20 million dollars to date. In this episode, she tells the story of how she left Goldman Sachs to pursue her dream of developing a line of bee propolis-based products. Listen in to hear her advice for staying confident when taking a risk, convincing the person across the table of the upside, modeling healthy emotional expression at work, and the importance of celebrating wins. 

Payton Nyquvest is the founder and CEO of Numinus, a mental health company at the forefront of the psychedelic-assisted therapy movement. He's raised over $80 million for the startup, which currently offers psychedelic-assisted therapy, traditional talk therapy, and practitioner training--and conducts research trials. In this episode, Payton shares with Megan how psychedelics saved his life and the challenges of marketing and scaling while maintaining clinical ethics and integrity. 

Hayley Williams--who you might know as the lead singer of Paramore--and her longtime stylist Brian O'Connor are a best-friend duo and the cofounders of Good Dye Young. They're unapologetically making creative self-expression more accessible through the brand's bold hair color products and social justice mission. In this episode, they share with Megan how being outcasted inspired Good Dye Young, the challenges of being first-time founders, the hiring mistake that almost cost them the company, and how they manage their mental health today.   

Serial entrepreneur Tara Simich launched Mermade Hair's hero product, the Mermade Waver, right before the pandemic hit. The brand became an overnight success, blowing up on Instagram to the point at which she and her team couldn't keep up with supply. The supply chain issues were wildly exacerbated by the pandemic, and she was soon faced with unhappy customers calling the product a sham – which, given the main marketing platform was Instagram, threatened to bring down the brand. Listen in to hear how Tara managed the stress of the supply issues and trolling customers, how she mitigates "mom guilt," and the growth mindset she brings to entrepreneurship that's been at the root of her success. 

Nicci Levy is the founder and CEO of Alchemy 43, a DryBar-meets-Botox-and-fillers concept transforming the experience of cosmetic injectables. In this episode, she shares the story behind Alchemy43; how she and her team almost had to close their doors because they ran out of money; and the empowering wisdom for taking risks and persevering through challenges that she learned along the way.  

Chris Pan is the founder of MyIntent.org, which has gained a cult following from its intention-personalized necklaces and bracelets. In this episode, the former McKinsey consultant and early Facebook employee shares: how a dark time in his life led to MyIntent.org, how he navigated the depression of isolation and his business screeching to a halt during the pandemic, and why every entrepreneur should sing. 

Erica Huss and Zoe Sakoutis are largely responsible for the success of the cold-pressed juice industry. But on their bootstrapped five-year journey to a $26m sale, they encountered repeated challenges and feedback that their idea could "never work." In this episode, they share how they persevered, plus what they learned from their failed venture, and how it led to the new f&b trend they're capitalizing on now. 

In this episode of The Failure Factor, Megan sits down with Bluemercury co-founder and Marla Beck. The CEO of the rapidly-growing luxury beauty retailer shares how the initially Ecommerce company almost ran out of money, sparking the inaugural pivot "from clicks to bricks." Thanks to Beck's perseverance, in 2015 Bluemercury was acquired by Macy's for $210 million. You won't want to miss Beck's advice on authoritative leadership, secrets to employee retention, why she doesn't endorse "productivity," and the growth-inspiring way she responds to failures and mistakes – both personally and in managing others. 

In this episode of The Failure Factor, Megan interviews Michael Cammarata: serial entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder and CEO of Schmidt's Naturals – one of the worlds fastest-growing wellness brands. Despite being told he'd "never amount to anything" after being diagnosed with dyslexia, Michael had made his first million by thirteen years old. Listen in to hear why Michael can't stand "Five Year Plans," the mistake he believes entrepreneurs make that holds them back from opportunities, and the question he urges founders to ask themselves from day one.

In this special episode, Megan sits down with her good friend: writer, American History teacher and feminist sociopolitical expert Sari Rosenberg to clarify myths around feminism and how it relates to sexual assault, dating, body image and eating disorders, and more. If you want to participate in the conversation but feel under-resourced, are curious or skeptical about the movement, or want to know how not to be a "white feminist," this is a great place for listeners of all genders to start. 

In this episode of The Failure Factor, Megan talks resilience, sexism, and changing the world with Julie Smolyansky.  Julie became the youngest female CEO of a publicly held firm when she took over Lifeway Foods at the age of 27 in 2002 after the tragic death of her father.  Even through her grief, she managed to send the company's growth trajectory and revenues soaring, while considerably expanding distribution.  She has been named to Fortune Business ‘40 under 40,' Fortune's 55 Most Influential Women on Twitter and Fast Company's Most Creative People in Business 1000.  Listen in as she and Megan talk about the challenges she has faced, the strength she has acquired, and the world she hopes to build for her two daughters as well as women everywhere.

Ah, dating - a topic close to Megan's heart. In this episode, she interviews The League founder and CEO Amanda Bradford on the building of the elite dating app. They discuss what it's like to date as an "alpha woman," the parallels between dating and entrepreneurship, why the skill of difficult conversations is integral to both dating and hiring, and how to cope with rejection. Listen in for Amanda's go-to first-date and first-interview questions, advice on overcoming fear of failure, and why hiring her best friend as her first hire was a mistake. Oh, and skip the 300,000 person waiting list at The League by telling your concierge you heard about it on The Failure Factor! 

Simon "Thor" Damborg is a former competitive CrossFit athlete, small business consultant, and the owner of Raincity Athletics and the Functional Fitness League in Vancouver, Canada. In this episode, which isn't your typical TFF conversation, Simon opens up about the challenges of building his businesses, dating in a culture of toxic masculinity, his "privileged guilt," the pain, isolation and shame of creating a “macho” personal brand, and how to make room for failure as an entrepreneur.

Amy Briant and Lisa DeLarco Bonoff are the founders of Lumion, a skincare product line revolutionizing skin health technology. In this episode, Amy shares the story of her painful split from a co-founder in her former venture, and what she learned the hard way. Tune into hear her advice on protecting yourself legally, setting boundaries, mitigating conflict, and optimizing co-founder relationships.

At 25 years old, Jessie Andrews is the founder and CEO of four successful businesses. Formerly an adult-film star and international DJ/Producer, she's now also a globally sought-after photographer, in-demand brand builder, and successful model and designer. In this episode, brought to you by Discover LMS, Jessie shares her unconventional journey from dropping out of high school to becoming one of the few adult actress to break through to mainstream. Listen in for her wisdom and grit-filled story, plus how to prevent the past from defining you, plus her advice in starting up and owning who you are.

Mark Sisson is an serial entrepreneur and ex-endurance athlete turned ancestral health pioneer and New York Times bestselling author. What began as his blog (MarksDailyApple.com) has now become one of the top-rated health and fitness websites, and has led to Mark founding of several companies of "primal" nature: Primal Blueprint, Primal Kitchen, Primal Kitchen Resturaunts, and Primal Health Coach- all devoted to promoting the Primal lifestyle of balancing healthy nutrition, exercise and play.   In this episode, brought to you by Discover LMS, Mark shares his perspective on taking risks to obtain the life you want – and switching gears when you find yourself on a path that's just not working for you anymore. He offers advice on integrating "failures," as well as other lessons he learned through his television show-flop, a mindset that's led to his being one of the most renowned figures in health and wellness today .

Gabby Slome is the co-founder of Ollie; an all-natural, human grade dog food delivery service.  In this episode, brought to you by Discover LMS, she shares how she overcame “analysis paralysis" and what she believes is most important in starting a successful business. Warning: Gabby shares some stomach-turning truths about the dog-food industry, so you might not want to eat while listening to this episode! 

It's one thing to leave a job you hate to follow your dreams; but what about leaving that "cushy" job that's not totally terrible?  In this interview, brought to you by Discover LMS, Sarah Merrill of "Big Kid problems" walks Megan through how she traversed this decision in her own life and how she's made a successful business out of social media. From appearing as a guest on the day- time Emmy winning Steve Harvey Show on three separate episodes teaching “Social Media 101” segments, and being featured on various podcasts and websites as a “millennial thought leader”, listen in as Sarah shares how she embraces fear and failure, and lets us in on her secrets to growing and monetizing her following to a quarter-million.

Known for taboo industry innovation, controversial subway ads, and a publicly challenging departure from her role as CEO of THINX Period Underwear, Miki Agrawal is a serial entrepreneur, author, and speaker. The four-time founder sat down with Megan for an exclusive first interview since what she describes as "trial by fire." Agrawal also shares how she believes anyone can be an entrepreneur, and how she navigates gender biases and double standards. 

Cassandra Bodzak is the founder of the online mind-body-soul support community, Aprecity.com,and best-selling author of "Eat With Intention." She's a global meditation and wellness teacher, host of Eat with Intention TV, and former host of ABC's The Taste. Hear Cassandra's story on how she successfully built an online community and personal brand alongside the grief of heartbreak and her brother's life-changing diagnosis – then rebranded and did it all over again – as well as her advice for how to combat perfectionism and own your success. 

Bobby Kim (also known as Bobby Hundreds) is the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of The Hundreds – a massively popular streetwear line worn by celebrities such as Kanye West and Justin Bieber. Hear Bobby's story about the conversation that gave him the courage to leave law; how he's built a trustworthy brand; and the unique way he copes with success and failure. 

Megan Driscoll is the founder and CEO of Evolve MKD, a public relations and social media agency in New York City. She's grown her business from one employee (herself) to 19 in two and a half years. But Megan's success came out of a "bad breakup" at her previous company. Listen in to hear her advice on building an agency, outsourcing PR, using fear as a motivator, negotiating the conflict of being a woman who doesn't want children, and more. 

Danielle LaPorte is an internationally renowned speaker, writer, entrepreneur, and blogger. The wise, hilarious, self-proclaimed "seeker" has mastered scaling the personal brand; but prior to Danielle's massive success, she was fired – from her own company. Listen to this rich interview filled with Danielle's personal story of challenge and "failure," as well as her advice for protecting oneself when building your company, dealing with haters, and building a successful brand.  

Lauren Berlingeri and Katie Kaps are the founders of HigherDOSE, the infrared sauna experience that's taking over NYC. In this episode, they share with Megan how past career challenges have led to their present success. Berlingeri, previously a fitness model and star of the popular web show Woman v. Workout, opens up about her struggles in the world of modeling, while Kaps shares a painful near-death experience that transformed her perspective. Listen into hear their founder story, as well as their advice for owning weaknesses, building relationships, and not taking things too seriously. 

Christina Carbonell and Galyn Bernard are the founders of Primary.com, a direct-to-consumer children's clothing company known for its evergreen basics and affordable prices. Tune in to hear them discuss their "failure" – believing they could take care of the supply chain themselves. The result? Little product in-stock and a lot of unhappy customers and investors. Listen in for their advice for managing supply chain, hiring with value proposition in mind, asking for help, and handling rejection. 

Lauren Foundos spent a decade on Wall Street before starting Forte, a boutique fitness streaming platform. A first-time founder, Foundos stresses spending wisely, building authentic partnerships, detaching from an expectation of what the company will be, and several other nuggets of wisdom you won't want to miss. Tune into hear Megan and Lauren share laughs and advice on how to optimize your starting-up success as an entrepreneur, in business, and in life. 

Melissa Hartwig is a Certified Sports Nutritionist, co-author of the New York Times bestsellers The Whole30 and It Starts With Food, and the author of Food Freedom Forever and The Whole30 Cookbook. She's been featured by Dr. Oz, The Today Show, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Details, Shape, Outside, and SELF; she has presented more than 150 health and nutrition seminars worldwide; and she also provides support to more than 2 million people a month through the Whole30 website. But before Melissa's massive success, she struggled with heroin addiction. Listen in to hear the details of her journey, including how in the early stages of her business she made the mistake of undermining her competition as a strategy (that seriously backfired). Listen in to hear Melissa's advice for coping with shame, apologizing, and building a "fiercely loyal community."

A former gang member, Ryan Blair is now a self-made multimillionaire, New York Times bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and CEO of the global healthy lifestyle company, ViSalus. He appears regularly on CNBC, MSNBC, Bloomberg TV, CNN, and Fox, and has been featured in Inc Magazine, Fortune Magazine, BusinessWeek, the Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times. But along the way, Ryan hit rock bottom--at one point standing on a balcony contemplating suicide following bankruptcy. Listen in to hear his poignant and inspiring journey, plus his advice on owning failures, bouncing back from depression, and asking for help.

Shalini Vadhera is a serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, beauty expert and internationally recognized TV personality. From jewelry and fashion entrepreneur, to celebrity makeup artist, to Founder of a $21-million beauty brand, to founder and CEO of Passport 2 Beauty and Power Beauty Living, she helps women power up their business, beauty, and life. But Power Beauty Living was birthed from Shalini's most traumatic "failure." Listen in to hear Shalini's gripping story, and her advice for choosing the right investors, trusting in the process when life feels out of control, and finding the beauty in failure.

Matt Mayberry realized his dream of becoming a professional football player, then watched it all crumble in a instant. He suffered a career-ending injury in his FIRST game in the NFL. Shattered both physically and emotionally, Matt entered a deep depression. If he wasn't a football player, who was he? But Matt persevered and ultimately found his purpose in his pain. Drawing on his previous experiences of failure in the sport, and as a teenage drug addict, Matt recreated his identity as a keynote speaker and performance strategist. As the CEO of Matt Mayberry Enterprises, he now helps individuals and organizations all over the world maximize their potential. Listen in to hear how Matt survived the darkest time of his life, and the formula he uses for capitalizing on failure.

Joe Cross is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, filmmaker, and wellness advocate. He's the founder of the socially conscious health and wellness company, Reboot With Joe, as well as the founder of the Reboot Media, which produces educational media. Joe is best known for the hit film in which he juiced his way from sickness to health, Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead. But Joe makes it clear he's had "more failures than successes." In this episode of The Failure Factor, Joe tells the story of investing in a fashion brand and losing millions. He shares why some people bounce back from failure and some don't, how to create your own luck, and why failing 80% of the time can still be a recipe for success.

Terri Cole is a licensed psychotherapist, transformation coach, and a relationship expert. A psychotherapist to the stars, she was the featured therapist on A&E's Monster In-Laws, The Lisa Oz Show, had a weekly radio show on Hay House Radio, and was included in the Top 100 Bloggers to watch. In this episode, Terri shares her expert advice on how to overcome unhelpful patterns in relationships with romantic partners and colleagues, plus how to follow your dreams and change careers when fear, your current paycheck, or the belief that it's "too late" is holding you back.

Whitney Wolfe is a serial entrepreneur who, by the time she was 25, had already founded 3 companies. The first, a non-profit inspired by the BP oil spill; the second, Tinder, the app that normalized swiping left or right on potential dates; and most recently, Bumble, a female-first connection platform for anyone looking for love, friendship, and soon so much more. But it hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows for Whitney. In fact, Bumble was born after a painful--and very public--split from Tinder. Listen in for Whitney's view on failure that's kept her persevering through the challenging times, and what she does to gain perspective when it feels like her world is crashing down.

Deepak Chopra MD, FACP is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism, he is the founder of The Chopra Foundation, the co-founder of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing, and the author of more than 85 books. In this episode, Deepak shares a highly entertaining "failure" story--in which he emptied his briefcase on his boss's head. Tune into hear why, plus his advice finding and following your passion and why "happiness is actually a form of misery."

Radha Agrawal is a serial entrepreneur, advocate, feminist, visionary, and community-building expert. Most recently, Radha is the cofounder of sober early morning dance-party Daybreaker, and cofounder of Thinx period proof Underwear. In this interview, Radha tells the powerful story of her experience as a woman in business, and how decisions made out of desperation resulted in her ultimate departure from one of her former companies. Relevant to all genders, she shares the lessons and wisdom she learned from her mistakes.

Dave Finocchio launched Bleacher Report in 2008 with three friends from middle school. Self-described 'sports nuts,' the Notre Dame alumni saw an opportunity in filling the 'white space' in the sports media world. Bleacher Report is now the second-largest digital sports publisher, with a loyal monthly audience of more than 60 million. The company sees more social engagement across Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram than any other publisher (sports-related or not) in America. But getting there wasn't without its challenges. As emotionally developing early 20-somethings in a 300 sq-ft office (without air conditioning!), 'emotions ran hot' and conflict and ego threatened the company's survival. Learn how Dave and his team overcame the challenges of founding with friends and transformed Bleacher Report into the massively successful enterprise it is today.

Courtney Nichols Gould is the CoFounder/CEO of SmartyPants Vitamins, a company she launched with her cofounder and husband, Gordon, just over 5 years ago to bring more health to more people every day (in the shape of a really tasty and trustworthy gummy). In this episode, Courtney shares how she went from "leading from fear," to creating a culture with virtually no turnover that's gotten STRONGER as the number of employees has increased. Listen for her favorite alternative to meditation, what her office offers instead of ping pong tables, and what she believes are the most important leadership skills.

Gunnar Lovelace is the founder and co-CEO of Thrive Market, the fastest growing health-food e-commerce company in history. In this episode, Gunnar tells the story of a previous "failure," after which he found himself hitting rock bottom. He describes the learnings he took from the experience that contributed to his massive success with Thrive Market. Entrepreneur or not, you won't want to miss this profoundly inspiring interview in which Gunnar shares his authentic wisdom for relating to failure and achieving startup success.

Danielle DuBoise and Whitney Tingle are the co-founders of Sakara Life, an organic meal delivery service and wellness lifestyle brand. Danielle and Whitney went from making meals in their SoHo kitchen and delivering them on bicycles, to an 85-person company that delivers its signature plant-based, nutritionally-designed meals to thousands of customers across the United States each week. Hear their advice on how to "make your mess into your mission," turn a sulfurous kale salad into an opportunity for customer retention, and what to do when everyone's telling you to play it safe.

Jason Wachob is the Founder and CEO of mindbodygreen and the author of “WELLTH: How I Learned to Build a Life, Not a Resume”. He has been featured in The New York Times, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Goop, and Vogue. It hasn't always been health and "Wellth" for Jason, though. He used the wisdom he gained from failures along the way to make mindbodygreen the leading independent media brand dedicated to wellness. Listen in for his bang-on advice about how being comfortable with uncertainty, and when it's time to let go and move on.