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All I can say is WOW! Denise is an amazing woman and force! She has over 20 years of experience in the food industry with some incredible triumphs. She believes that a strong brand strategy plays a key role in a company’s success, and she has the background and successes to prove it. Previously, Denise was with Udi’s for 5 years. She took them from a $500K company and accomplished their biggest goal, to be acquired – not to mention, when they were acquired they had a $100 million run rate. Way. To. Go. When Udi’s sold to Boulder Brands, she then transitioned to the GM role over the Udi’s vertical and grew it to over a $250 million dollar business. Her dynamic background in chemistry has definitely given her an edge. She recommends that women not overlook S(cience)T(echnology)E(ngineering)M(athematics) when choosing their careers, as a math and science background will always serve you. We couldn’t agree more! During this episode we discuss: Her transition from chemistry, to sales, to marketing & strategy - she has an interesting journey. How startups often follow the money instead of the path (not always the best idea). Her leadership style and what works for her. Being politically correct and how it really doesn’t always serve the greater good in companies. Let’s just get to the point already. How and why she enjoys working for startups. How she got over being shy. The difference of working from a women-owned business vs a large corporation. I love her last pieces of advice, so listen to the end. There’s a lot to take in from this episode. Coolhaus is a certified woman-owned business. Coolhaus co-founders Natasha Case and Freya Estreller started baking cookies, making ice cream, and combining them into “cool houses” in 2008. With mutual backgrounds in the design and real estate fields, they began naming their ice cream sandwiches after architects and architectural movements that inspired them – and eventually decided to take their newfound passion (dubbed “Farchitecture,” or Food + Architecture) to their hometown streets in Los Angeles. So after a few days on Craigslist (and some time convincing their families they weren’t crazy), they found and bought a beat-up old postal van, trekked out to the world-famous Coachella Valley Music Festival in April 2009 to make their debut, and, well…the rest is history. Now, Coolhaus distributes in 6,000+ grocery stores ranging from Whole Foods to Safeway to Publix markets with 30 SKU’s including hand-crafted ice cream sandwiches, artisan pints and chocolate-dipped bars. Fans can also visit Coolhaus at its two Southern California-based storefronts in Culver City and Pasadena, or swing by one of the 10 mobile ice cream trucks and carts in Los Angeles, New York, and Dallas.
Katie is a go-getter in every sense of the word! She wears a ton of hats. Not only is she the Brand Manager for Coolhaus, but she’s also a legit pastry chef 3 days a week, on top of it all. Katie’s day-to-day consists of managing all things consumer facing for the Coolhaus brand. So, what does that mean? It means EVERYTHING you see with the Coolhaus brand name on it, she’s had a hand in – the store front, food trucks, packaging, social media, events, all things marketing, etc. Believe me, it’s a lot! In addition, she’s also the bridge between marketing and wholesale. While juggling the brand image, she’s working to create lasting relationships for Coolhaus. Needless to say, Katie is an ambitious woman with a ton of positive energy. During this episode we touch on: How she went from being a Coolhaus intern to their Brand Manager. How she’s also working at République, a French café and bakery here in LA, as a pastry chef while also excelling at Coolhaus. Why? Because she loves it! How relationships play a key role in both her success and the success of the company. How she went about applying for jobs (take notes ladies, it’s not the traditional route). How to overcome fear and put yourself out there. Katie has an enormous amount of drive. She takes initiative, learns everything she can about any given subject and excels. We can’t wait to see what’s up her sleeve next! Coolhaus is a certified woman-owned business. Coolhaus co-founders Natasha Case and Freya Estreller started baking cookies, making ice cream, and combining them into “cool houses” in 2008. With mutual backgrounds in the design and real estate fields, they began naming their ice cream sandwiches after architects and architectural movements that inspired them – and eventually decided to take their newfound passion (dubbed “Farchitecture,” or Food + Architecture) to their hometown streets in Los Angeles. So after a few days on Craigslist (and some time convincing their families they weren’t crazy), they found and bought a beat-up old postal van, trekked out to the world-famous Coachella Valley Music Festival in April 2009 to make their debut, and, well…the rest is history. Now, Coolhaus distributes in 6,000+ grocery stores ranging from Whole Foods to Safeway to Publix markets with 30 SKU’s including hand-crafted ice cream sandwiches, artisan pints and chocolate-dipped bars. Fans can also visit Coolhaus at its two Southern California-based storefronts in Culver City and Pasadena, or swing by one of the 10 mobile ice cream trucks and carts in Los Angeles, New York, and Dallas.
Natasha Case is the CEO of Coolhaus, a Los Angeles based ice cream company specializing in unique, sweet-meet-savory flavors. This is Part 2 of her interview. If you missed Part 1 which was Episode 86, I recommend you head back and listen to that one first. In Part 2 of her interview, Natasha talks about her approach to scaling, how she tackled grocery and scoop shops at the same time, and how she continues to entwine the three arms of the business to support each other. We talked about how she balances deadlines and creativity, the importance of thinking outside the box, and how Natasha’s perspective of leadership and management has changed over the years. Natasha also shared the importance of building new relationships and innovating ideas that keep Coolhaus on top of its game as zealous expansion continues. Here’s the background scoop on Coolhaus in case you missed it earlier- Natasha first began exploring the concept of “Farchitecture” – or, Food + Architecture – in her graduate architecture program. She started baking cookies, making ice cream, and combining them into “cool houses”. In 2009 she met co-founder Freya Estreller, and together they staged Coolhaus’ unforgettable launch in a refurbished postal van at the famous Coachella Valley Music Festival. In less than ten years, Coolhaus has snowballed into a nationwide company. They now distribute to 6,000+ grocery stores ranging from Whole Foods to Safeway to Publix markets with 30 SKU’s including hand-crafted ice cream sandwiches, artisan pints, and chocolate-dipped bars. Natasha has been named Forbes 30 Under 30 for food and beverage and Zagat's 30 Under 30 in New York City. She is also the co-host of the Start to Sale podcast, where she invites the brightest entrepreneurial minds to discuss all that it takes to build a company from launch to exit. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How the three arms of her business support each other The importance of tapping into your purpose Why leadership and managing are different skills How the Coolhaus team has grown over the years Why thinking outside the box is critical in a new era of marketing How Natasha’s Angeleno roots influence Coolhaus’s diversity and inclusion Her advice for other entrepreneurs just starting on their journey What’s up next for Coolhaus KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “Just grinding and doing the work with a sense of purpose, and with a sense of like, "This is something I love and I really want to get it out there." That's the most important thing .” - Natasha Case, Coolhaus “I just literally wandered into my local Whole Foods and I found the guy stocking the freezer shelf and I asked him, "How do I become a brand that you sell?” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “At that time we didn’t know what's going to hit, so we said let's do a little bit of both .” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “What has made that work is the trucks being that activation, private event, really, that specialty experience. And the shops having that element as well, but being a place to test ideas.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “You have to really learn to understand people and what motivates them and what about what you're doing is going to speak to them.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “As the company grows and you can afford to hire stronger and stronger people, it becomes this snowball effect and I think you learn from them and you become better at what you're doing.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “So trust your instincts, listen to the experts and know when to take the advice, but also know when to trust your gut.” - Natasha Case, Coolhaus “What does this mean for you in five, 10, 20 years? If this thing went all the way, if it was the biggest it can be, what does that look like? Where does that put you personally?” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “Always trying to think outside the box. That's definitely a big, big part of the marketing these days. And frankly, you often don't have a choice.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “There are so many different ways to put it out there. I think you kind of pick where you can really shine. And anything that you do, how does it align with your messaging and your storytelling? Every single time. You have to hammer it home so hard.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “I think leadership is more kind of in your DNA, like, you instinctually love to lead or know how to inspire people, because that's a lot of what business is, "Are people really believing in your mission?” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus CONNECT WITH COOLHAUS: Website: https://cool.haus/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coolhaus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coolhaus/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/coolhaus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/COOLHAUS Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/coolhausla What if you could sit in a room with 30 other product makers who are doing exactly what you’re doing -- building a business they love! You could share resources, leverage each other’s experiences and learn from those who are where you want to be. Imagine the growth potential! Join us March 14-15th in Los Angeles for our Paper Camp Conference. Over 800 brands have attended Paper Camp. Brands that sell to stores like Target, Paper Source, Container Store, Anthropologie and independent boutiques internationally. This program is for you if you’re a stationery or gift company interested in selling wholesale, exhibiting at trade shows or looking to expand your outreach to wholesale customers. We believe in the power of community, collaboration and sharing everything we know. Get all the details and register at www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list. SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!
Jackie has a ton of incredible insight to share! She’s done a little bit of everything, comes from a very diverse career background and has mastered the art of managing people. As the Director of Ops at Coolhaus she oversees the management of their trucks, storefronts and on top of that she handles all of their HR. No small feat! During this episode we discuss her ambitions and how they’ve shifted throughout the years. She went from pre-law to hospitality and is now working for one of our favorite companies, Coolhaus! She’s living proof that you can change careers without sacrificing your success. Listen as we discuss: The importance of quality of life. How to deal with and manage people (both customers & employees) – FUN FACT: She actually enjoys going through customer complaints! Situational management How to shift careers The importance of communication and listening I loved this discussion with Jackie. She’s real, down-to-earth and tells it like it is. We had an interesting conversation about some of her worst experiences in the hospitality industry... dealing with blatant gender bias, ageism and harassment. We also talk about her WORST day at work. A somewhat comical (yet not so comical at the time) experience. You’ll be impressed at how she handled these situations. Listen to the end, there are some important takeaways throughout this entire episode. Coolhaus is a certified woman-owned business. Coolhaus co-founders Natasha Case and Freya Estreller started baking cookies, making ice cream, and combining them into “cool houses” in 2008. With mutual backgrounds in the design and real estate fields, they began naming their ice cream sandwiches after architects and architectural movements that inspired them – and eventually decided to take their newfound passion (dubbed “Farchitecture,” or Food + Architecture) to their hometown streets in Los Angeles. So after a few days on Craigslist (and some time convincing their families they weren’t crazy), they found and bought a beat-up old postal van, trekked out to the world-famous Coachella Valley Music Festival in April 2009 to make their debut, and, well…the rest is history. Now, Coolhaus distributes in 6,000+ grocery stores ranging from Whole Foods to Safeway to Publix markets with 30 SKU’s including hand-crafted ice cream sandwiches, artisan pints and chocolate-dipped bars. Fans can also visit Coolhaus at its two Southern California-based storefronts in Culver City and Pasadena, or swing by one of the 10 mobile ice cream trucks and carts in Los Angeles, New York, and Dallas.
Natasha Case is the CEO of Coolhaus, a Los Angeles based ice cream company specializing in unique, sweet-meet-savory flavors. The inspiration for Coolhaus started when Natasha was exploring the concept of “Farchitecture” – or, Food + Architecture – in her graduate architecture program. She began baking cookies, making ice cream, and combining them into “cool houses”. In 2009 she met co-founder Freya Estreller, and together they staged Coolhaus’ unforgettable launch in a refurbished postal van at the famous Coachella Valley Music Festival. In less than ten years, Coolhaus has snowballed into a nationwide company. They now distribute to 6,000+ grocery stores ranging from Whole Foods to Safeway to Publix markets with 30 SKU’s including hand-crafted ice cream sandwiches, artisan pints, and chocolate-dipped bars. Natasha has been named Forbes 30 Under 30 for food and beverage and Zagat's 30 Under 30 in New York City. She is also the co-host of the Start to Sale podcast, where she invites the brightest entrepreneurial minds to discuss all that it takes to build a company from launch to exit. We covered a lot of ground in this interview. So much so, that we’re going to break it up into two separate episodes. Episode 86 is Part 1. On today’s episode, Natasha tells us how studying architecture led her to discover her entrepreneurial spirit and how she turned her side-hustle hobby into a national business. She shares why product development and innovation is not just about market research and data but also about trusting your intuition and how Coolhaus launched with a minimum viable product. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Natasha’s background in architecture and how it inspired her entrepreneurial spirit How working at Disney Imagineering helped her conceptualize brand storytelling The pros of combining strengths with a business partner How Coolhaus is reinventing classic flavors for a new generation Why trusting your intuition is just as important as market research The importance of launching with a minimum viable product How the Coolhaus food truck got 100 miles to Coachella Music Festival without an engine KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “There's always that element of surprise and just trying to be as educated and tactical and excited about really meeting that demand as you can be.” - Natasha Case, Coolhaus “We have so much in common with the people that we're really trying to target, and I think that creates a lot of authenticity in all aspects of the brand.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “No spreadsheet will ever tell you the thing that was the hugest risk with the biggest reward, and that's so much of what entrepreneurship is about.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “The entrepreneur will have a little bit of that crazy factor and think, "Well, I can do it and I want to create something from nothing.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “I always thought of myself as getting the skills of architecture in a way I would in my head say, or even out loud, that’s beating the system from within. Taking these rules, learning them, mastering them the best I could, and breaking it apart.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “Even in the traditional sense of architecture there is entrepreneurship because I think you are... One, you're an artist, but within this building has to stand up.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “ I'm a big believer in when things are fun, actually, ironically, so much more can get done. So much more work can get done.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “You put food in front of people and it's exciting, it's memorable, it brings people together.” - Natasha Case “There was nothing on shelf that spoke to us as millennials, and definitely not as women. And so we saw this big opportunity.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “We were actually going to be the first food truck to sell at Coachella. And so, now you remember the truck has no engine. How are we going to get to Coachella?” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “ It was just nonstop and then 5,000 Twitter followers in one afternoon. It was like, clearly there's demand for this.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus “There were no bells and whistles. I mean it was just putting this idea out there and showing that we had this vision.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus CONNECT WITH COOLHAUS: Website: https://cool.haus/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coolhaus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coolhaus/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/coolhaus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/COOLHAUS Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/coolhausla SPECIAL OFFER: 3 Free Months of Gusto! Gusto makes payroll, taxes, and HR actually easy for small businesses. Fast, simple payroll processing, benefits, and expert HR support all in one place. Gusto automatically pays and files your federal, state, and local taxes so you don’t have to worry about it. Plus they make it easy to add on health benefits and even 401(k)s for your team. Those old-school, clunky payroll providers just weren’t built for the way modern small businesses work. But Gusto is. Now is the best time to get set up for the new year. Don’t wait. Proof to Product listeners get 3 free months of Gusto when they run their first payroll. Try a demo and see for yourself at http://www.gusto.com/proof What if you could sit in a room with 30 other product makers who are doing exactly what you’re doing -- building a business they love! You could share resources, leverage each other’s experiences and learn from those who are where you want to be. Imagine the growth potential! Join us March 14-15th in Los Angeles for our Paper Camp Conference. Over 800 brands have attended Paper Camp. Brands that sell to stores like Target, Paper Source, Container Store, Anthropologie and independent boutiques internationally. This program is for you if you’re a stationery or gift company interested in selling wholesale, exhibiting at trade shows or looking to expand your outreach to wholesale customers. We believe in the power of community, collaboration and sharing everything we know. Get all the details and register at www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list. SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!
Bianca is an expert when it comes to event planning, brand activations and execution – and that says a lot! If you’ve never planned an event, let us tell you – IT’S NOT AS EASY AS IT LOOKS! And if you have planned an event, you know what we’re talking about. During this episode we talk about the important role events play for a brand and how many companies overlook this aspect in their marketing plans – a big mistake! We also talk about what it takes to create, plan and execute an event/brand activation. Many people think that hosting or creating an event is easy. Well, we’re here to tell you it’s not QUITE as easy as it seems! There are so many intricacies to executing large brand activations and events and it takes a truly talented and ambitious person to pull it off time and time again. Bianca is so incredibly humble about her success in doing just that! Listen as we discuss: How events create brand loyalty and love. How something as simple as a brand activation can make a big impact on your customers. The difference between creating events for event venues vs. creating events for brands. The importance of having think skin & being highly organized. Never being too good to get your hands dirty. The pain points and the joys that come from events. Events are a tough business and often look disguisedly glamourous. Why? Thanks to the highly talented people like Bianca who make it look effortless and perfect. We’re proud to stand alongside of this ambitious woman! We can’t wait to see all of the exciting events she’ll be bringing to the Coolhaus brand in 2019! Coolhaus is a certified woman-owned business. Coolhaus co-founders Natasha Case and Freya Estreller started baking cookies, making ice cream, and combining them into “cool houses” in 2008. With mutual backgrounds in the design and real estate fields, they began naming their ice cream sandwiches after architects and architectural movements that inspired them – and eventually decided to take their newfound passion (dubbed “Farchitecture,” or Food + Architecture) to their hometown streets in Los Angeles. So after a few days on Craigslist (and some time convincing their families they weren’t crazy), they found and bought a beat-up old postal van, trekked out to the world-famous Coachella Valley Music Festival in April 2009 to make their debut, and, well…the rest is history. Now, Coolhaus distributes in 6,000+ grocery stores ranging from Whole Foods to Safeway to Publix markets with 30 SKU’s including hand-crafted ice cream sandwiches, artisan pints and chocolate-dipped bars. Fans can also visit Coolhaus at its two Southern California-based storefronts in Culver City and Pasadena, or swing by one of the 10 mobile ice cream trucks and carts in Los Angeles, New York, and Dallas.
A super-premium ice cream brand that got its start slinging sweet treats out of a repurposed, beat-up postal van, Coolhaus is changing the perception of frozen pints, one scoop at a time. Known for its off-beat style and inventive, indulgent flavors -- think Fried Chicken & Waffles and Balsamic Fig -- Coolhaus is certainly not your father’s ice cream. But it’s not for him. Lauded by food critics and adored by celebrities and social influencers who’ve championed the Los Angeles-based brand since its 2009 launch, co-founder and CEO Natasha Case sees Coolhaus as "the signature millennial ice cream brand." In an interview included in this week’s episode of Taste Radio, Case explained the her belief that Coolhaus, which is represented at thousands of grocery retailers across the U.S. and is sold at company-owned stores and food trucks in Southern California, New York City, and Dallas, has made its mark by positioning the brand as a “point of view and a culture.” “The ice cream is our outlet,” she said. “The ice cream is our canvas for cool ideas.” Also included in this episode: A conversation with Trevor Smith, who’s the co-founder of cold-brew beverage brand Secret Squirrel. Starting as a side hustle selling cold brew coffee at farmers markets in L.A., the brand has since emerged at national retailers, including Target. Smith shared lessons from his entrepreneurial journey, from his time with the U.S. Army through to the sale of Secret Squirrel in 2016. And in this week’s edition of Elevator Talk, we hear from Eduardo Pentagna, the CEO and Master Brewer of Brazilian-inspired beer brand Novo Brazil. Show notes: 1:45: Review Taste Radio! -- Please do us a solid and review us on iTunes. It’ll improve our search rankings on the app and help other folks find Taste Radio. It’s a pretty simple process and will take about 2-4 minutes. Thanks! 3:15: That Sh_t is The Bomb, Yo -- Much of the Eastern U.S., including our beloved home of Watertown, Mass., has been recovering from a brutal storm aptly dubbed a “bomb cyclone.” It’s not a good thing. But while snow and ice ain’t our bomb, good food and drinks are. The hosts kick off the episode with a discussion about libations and snacks, including Olivious Daily Olive Oil Shot, GT’s Kombucha Pure Love and Ayoba-Yo Biltong South African Jerky, that caught their attention over the past week. 8:55: Interview: Natasha Case, Co-Founder/CEO, Coolhaus -- Project NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg met up with Coolhaus co-founder and CEO Natasha Case at BevNET Live Winter 2017 where they chatted about the inspiration behind the company (“Farchitecture" -- the intersection of food and architecture), Case’s perspective that “e-comm is the new food truck” and why Coolhaus is “in the game of one person buying us 1,000 times, not 1,000 people buying us once.” 36:11: Interview: Trevor Smith, Co-Founder, Secret Squirrel -- How to stay lean and mean in the early days of your brand? Bootstrapping. Natasha Case talked about it and we also heard it from Trevor Smith, who’s the co-founder of cold-brew beverage brand Secret Squirrel. In a conversation recorded last month in Santa Monica, BevNET Managing Editor Ray Latif spoke with Smith about his journey, including the early days of Secret Squirrel (“We weren’t prepared for the fundamentals.”), why entrepreneurship can often be a “lonely endeavor,” and how he defines success. 1:00:07: Elevator Talk: Eduardo Pentagna, CEO/Master Brewer, Novo Brazil Brewing -- Craft beer with a Brazilian vibe made in Southern California. What’s not to love? We caught up with the brand’s founder and CEO Eduardo Pentagna at Brewbound Session Winter 2017 where Novo Brazil triumphed in the event’s Startup Brewery Challenge competition. Just before the big win, Eduardo offered us for a quick introduction to the brand. Brands in this episode: Olivious, Ayoba-Yo, GT’s Kombucha, Jameson, Fireball, Gatorade, Essentia, Murray’s Bagels, Coolhaus, Secret Squirrel, Novo Brazil
Welcome our guest, Natasha Case! Natasha is the co-founder of Coolhaus- a company blending ice cream with architecture. She originally came up with the concept "Farchitecture" (Food + Architecture) during grad school at UCLA. The Coolhaus journey began at Coachella in 2009 with an ice cream truck found on Craigslist. Now their tasty architecturally inspired frozen treats can be found at over 4,000 stores nationwide. You can find the Coolhaus Ice Cream Book on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/1QjsT5Y Feedback or comments on this episode? Send them to startupexplorerpodcast@gmail.com Music was kindly provided by The Degs titled "Here They Come", licensed under CC BY 2.0.