Social Currency with Sammi Cohen

Episod

• Eugene Remm (CATCH) on the Business of Vibe, Restaurant Economics and Critics Who Gatekeep 02.06.2026 51min

  Eugene Remm didn't set out to build a hospitality empire. He started as a bartender, worked in nightlife, and chased success through New York's club scene… until a major failure forced him to rethink everything. Today, Eugene is the co-founder of CATCH Hospitality Group, the company behind some of the most sought-after restaurants in America, including CATCH, The Corner Store, Or’esh, and The Eighty Six. He breaks down the restaurant formula that most operators get wrong, why "vibe" is actually the last thing you should focus on, and how he thinks about building unforgettable guest experiences. He explains the psychology behind New York's line culture, why restaurant critics have lost their gatekeeping power, and how social media has completely reshaped hospitality. They also dive into the business side of restaurants: scaling without losing quality, managing celebrity demand, hiring people who genuinely care, and the lessons Eugene learned from failed nightclub ventures and unsuccessful expansion deals. Plus, Eugene shares what happened after Taylor Swift started visiting The Corner Store, why he believes no celebrity has a bigger impact on consumer behavior, and how AI is poised to transform hospitality without replacing the human touch. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Follow Eugene’s Work: Catch Restaurants, @catch  The Corner Store, @thecornerstore The Eighty Six, @the86.nyc  Or'esh, @or.esh  Here’s What Sammi Covers with Eugene 00:00 Eugene Remm’s Social Currency 02:10 Partner Message: Mercury for Business 03:31 From Bartender to Hospitality Entrepreneur 06:13 How Failure in Nightlife Led to CATCH 08:10 Reinventing a 15-Year-Old Restaurant Brand 10:58 Why Big Restaurants Stopped Working 13:53 The Three Pillars: Food, Service, and Vibe 14:05 Why Guest Experience Is the Hardest Thing to Scale 15:37 Partner Message: Mercury for Personal 16:50 Partner Message: Bilt 17:56 How Eugene Hires People Who Actually Care 20:30 Why Great Teams Beat Great Individuals 21:18 Why Most Restaurants Get Vibe Wrong 22:22 The Art of Curating a Dining Room 23:03 Building a Celebrity-Filled Restaurant Without Chasing Celebrities 25:14 The Million-Dollar Reservation Strategy 26:32 Why Restaurant Critics No Longer Matter 27:27 Michelin Stars vs. Customer Demand 29:14 How Social Media Replaced Traditional Gatekeepers 31:02 Why Eugene Chooses 10 A-Minus Businesses Over One A-Plus 32:45 What’s Next for CATCH Hospitality Group 35:03 Building an LVMH of Restaurant Brands 36:11 The Corner Store’s Viral Rise36:28 The Taylor Swift Effect 38:00 Why Fast Casual Is the Next Frontier 39:54 The Psychology of the “New York Hour” 41:28 Lessons From a Failed Dubai Expansion 43:02 How Tilman Fertitta Changed the Business 44:32 Eugene’s “Constant Gentle Pressure” System 45:28 How AI Will Transform Hospitality 47:53 When You’re Ready to Open Restaurant Number Two 49:31 Why Restaurants Might Be the Hardest Business in the World Thanks to Our Sponsors! Mercury: mercury.com Bilt:  joinbilt.com/socialcurrency  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Rick Caruso (Caruso) on Disney-Inspired Retail, Political Leadership, and Why California Is Losing Entrepreneurs 26.05.2026 1j 2min

  Rick Caruso has spent decades reshaping Los Angeles through projects like The Grove, Americana at Brand, and Palisades Village. In this conversation with Sammi, Rick talks through his entrepreneurial strategy with real estate and beyond. Rick explains how he built a billion-dollar real estate empire by studying people instead of the industry, why he intentionally ignored traditional mall design rules, and the Walt Disney philosophies that shaped his approach to hospitality. He shares why he believes founders need to be comfortable being over their skis, how criticism actually signals progress, and the surprising rituals he still personally does for guests at his properties. Then the conversation turns to Los Angeles. Rick gives an unfiltered breakdown of the Pacific Palisades fires, explaining exactly how Palisades Village survived while much of the surrounding area burned. He walks through the fire prevention systems his team built years in advance, the operational decisions that protected the property, and the broader lessons for government competency and crisis management. Sammi and Rick also discuss why small businesses are increasingly struggling in California, why entrepreneurs are leaving cities like LA and New York, and the political climate that ultimately led Rick to decide not to run for governor.  Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Follow Rick Caruso’s work Here’s What Sammi Covers with Rick: 00:00 Rick Caruso’s Social Currency 02:50 Why “Follow Your Passion” Is Bad Advice 05:16 Why Not Knowing the Rules Helped Him Win 08:05 Why Founders Need to Be “Over Their Skis” 09:23 The “Celebrate vs. Isolate” Framework 10:00 Building The Grove Around the Farmers Market 12:08 Why Criticism Means You’re Doing Something Important 14:00 The Hospitality Details Guests Never Notice 18:12 Walt Disney’s Biggest Lesson for Entrepreneurs 22:12 Why People Propose at the Americana Fountain 25:00 Expensive Mistakes 28:32 Why Retail Must Constantly Reinvent Itself 29:14 How Palisades Village Reinvented Retail Layouts 30:00 Why Rick Writes a Fictional Story for Every Project 31:17 What Saved Palisades Village During the Fires 35:05 Why Rick Thinks LA Leadership Failed 37:13 Why Rick Decided Not to Run for Governor 41:00 Why California Needs Business-Minded Leadership 44:18 Solutions to Homelessness in LA 49:29 Why Small Businesses Are Struggling in California 51:45 Rick’s Personal System for Life and Leadership 54:13 Why Entrepreneurs Are Leaving California 56:02 Innovation vs. Naivety for Founders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Harley Finkelstein (Shopify) on AI Shopping Agents, Merit-Based Commerce, and the “Give a Sh*t Factor” That Makes Founder-Led Companies Win 19.05.2026 1j 8min

  Harley Finkelstein believes we’re entering the most important shift in commerce since the invention of online shopping itself. As President of Shopify, Harley has helped build the infrastructure powering millions of businesses across more than 175 countries. Now, he says AI is about to fundamentally change not only how consumers discover and buy products online— but how “machine customers” might do our shopping for us. Harley explains why agentic commerce could replace traditional search, his take on the idea that every brand is becoming a media company (featuring a Favorite Daughter case study), and why this new era may reward product quality more than ad spend. Harley also shares the story of joining Shopify in its earliest days, why founder-led companies consistently outperform, and why he believes modern entrepreneurs can now go from a kitchen-table idea to a multi-billion-dollar company faster than ever before. Plus: the brands he thinks are getting retail right—and the critical “give a sh*t factor” he believes only founders truly have. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Follow Harley’s work and updates at Shopify Here’s What Sammi Covers with Harley: 00:00 Harley Finkelstein’s Social Currency 01:57 Partner Message: Mercury 02:30 Growing Up Around Immigrant Entrepreneurs 05:40 Why Harley Went to Law School 08:00 Meeting Shopify Founder Tobi Lütke 12:00 Why Shopify Felt Like a “Superpower” 15:00 Partner Message: Mercury 16:19 Partner Message: Mosh 18:00 The Moment Shopify Became a Generational Company 21:00 From E-Commerce Platform to Commerce Operating System 22:30 Every 26 Seconds a New Entrepreneur Gets Their First Sale 24:00 Why Some Brands Become Media Companies 25:00 Favorite Daughter and the Founder-Led Brand Flywheel 27:00 Why Most Brands Feel Inauthentic 28:30 What Great Retail Brands Understand About Emotion 30:00 Shopify’s OpenAI and ChatGPT Announcement 31:00 What “Agentic Commerce” Actually Means 32:00 AI Personal Shoppers and Curated Buying 35:00 Why AI Could Help Small Brands Win 37:00 The End of Traditional Search? 39:00 How Brands Maintain Identity Inside AI Platforms 41:00 Why Storytelling Matters More in an AI World 42:00 The Rise of Machine Customers 44:00 Why Harley Is a Techno-Optimist 47:30 Why Founder-Led Companies Win 50:00 The Founder “Give a Shit Factor” 51:00 Harley’s Framework for Finding Your Life’s Work Thanks to Our Sponsors!Mercury: mercury.com Mosh Bars:  moshlife.com/socialcurrency Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Todd Kahn (Coach) on Winning Gen Z, Shrinking to Grow, and the Brand Turnaround That Changed Everything 12.05.2026 58min

  Todd Kahn took over the commercial responsibility for Coach in March of 2020. Two weeks later, he closed all North America stores.  Today, Coach CEO Todd Kahn sits down with Sammi to break down the strategy behind one of fashion’s biggest brand turnarounds, and why Coach had to do the exact opposite of conventional growth advice to pull it off. He explains why trying to be “for everyone” almost destroyed the brand, how flash sales quietly trained customers to wait for discounts, and why the company stopped greeting shoppers with coupons entirely during the pandemic. Todd also shares how Coach rebuilt itself for Gen Z through “expressive luxury,” viral bags like the Tabby and Brooklyn, immersive retail experiences, and unexpected ideas like coffee shops, book charms, and co-creation stations inside stores. Plus: the real reason Gen Z shops in person more than people think, why virality can’t be engineered, and the internal operating system Todd uses to run a nearly $7 billion business. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Follow the Coach branding masterclass Here’s What Sammi Covers with Todd: 00:00 Todd Kahn’s Social Currency 02:30 From Corporate Lawyer to Coach CEO 07:52 Joining Coach During the Financial Crisis 10:00 What Actually Went Wrong at Coach 14:00 Flash Sales, Discounting, and Brand Dilution 15:00 Hiring Stuart Vevers and Resetting Creativity 19:00 Rediscovering Coach’s Brand Codes 20:44 Why Coach Focused on Gen Z 23:00 Closing 250 Stores to Save the Brand 24:00 Why “Stores Are Commercial Activities” 26:00 Cutting 40% of the Assortment 27:10 The “Timeless Gen Z” Strategy 28:40 Taking Over Coach Right Before COVID 29:50 Why Coach Stopped Leading with Discounts 30:20 Building a Billion-Dollar Digital Business 31:00 Why People Bought Handbags During Lockdown 32:00 From Performance Marketing to Brand Building 33:00 Bringing 2.9 Million New Customers Into Coach 34:00 Why Coach Wants to Be Your First Luxury Bag 35:30 The Real Story Behind Bag Charm Mania 38:00 What Actually Creates Virality 39:45 Why Coach Only Does Two Big Campaigns a Year 40:00 What “Expressive Luxury” Really Means 42:00 Why Gen Z Loves Shopping In Person 43:00 Coach Play Stores and Experiential Retail 44:00 The Business Strategy Behind Coach Coffee Shops 47:30 Todd’s Operating System for Leadership 50:22 The Story Behind Coach’s Viral Book Charms 52:00 Why Gen Z Is Returning to Books and Community Thanks to Mercury for sponsoring this episode! mercury.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Rebecca Hessel Cohen (LoveShackFancy) on Building a Multi-Generational Fashion Brand, D2C Versus Retail, and Collaborations That Actually Work 05.05.2026 1j 9min

  Rebecca Hessel Cohen didn’t set out to build a company, she just wanted better bridesmaid dresses. But that small idea turned into LoveShackFancy, a multi-generational, cult-favorite brand with dozens of stores, hundreds of retail partners, and a fiercely loyal community. Today, Rebecca joins Sammi to break down the unfiltered reality of building a fashion business from scratch. From leaving her dream job at Cosmopolitan, to launching her first collection the same week she had her first child, to schlepping dresses in her car to early customers— this the unfiltered look at what it means to start a business. They also get into Rebecca’s viral social media moments (including the most epic bat mitzvah), building a brand that resonates from “babies to eighties,” how she evaluates collaborations from Stanley to Victoria's Secret, and what actually makes a retail store feel magical instead of transactional.  Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Follow Rebecca and LoveShackFancy Here’s What Sammi Covers with Rebecca: 00:00 The Gwyneth Paltrow Moment That Changed Everything 02:03 Partner Message: Mercury for Personal Banking 03:00 Growing Up in Fashion Closets 06:00 Life as a Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan 10:30 The Bridesmaid Dress That Started It All 14:00 Turning a Side Hustle Into a Business 18:30 Launching a Brand While Having a Baby 20:53 Partner Message: Mercury for Business Banking 22:07 Partner Message: Mosh Bars 23:42 Why LoveShackFancy Wasn’t an Overnight Success 26:00 Building a Team and Scaling the Business 29:00 Opening Retail Stores During COVID 33:00 Dividing Roles With Her Husband 36:00 Building the Beauty Business and Sephora Strategy 38:30 Where Inspiration Actually Comes From 41:00 Designing for “Babies to Eighties” 43:30 How LoveShackFancy Approaches Collaborations 47:00 What Makes a Partnership Actually Work 49:30 Building a Brand Through Community and Retail 52:00 The Power of Experiential Shopping 55:00 Supporting Female Founders Through Trunk Shows 58:00 The Viral Home Tour and Social Media Strategy 01:02:00 Instagram vs. TikTok: How Rebecca Thinks About Both 01:05:00 What She Shares Online (And What She Doesn’t) Thanks to Our Sponsors! Mercury: mercury.com Mosh Bars:  moshlife.com/socialcurrency  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Steven Schwartz (Whop) on Building a Unicorn, Creating Millionaires, and the Future of Work 28.04.2026 56min

  What if the future of work doesn’t look anything like the office jobs we were told to chase? Steven Schwartz started building businesses as a teenager and eventually turned that obsession into Whop, one of the fastest-growing marketplaces for internet businesses. Today, the company is valued at $1.6 billion and helps thousands of people earn income online. In this episode, Steven joins Sammi to break down how he met his co-founder on Facebook at 13, why they almost quit Whop after just three months, and how they scaled it into a unicorn backed by names like Peter Thiel and Kevin Hart. They also unpack the creator economy, why everyone is a creator now, why traditional 9-to-5 career paths are being disrupted, and what “agentic income” could mean in the next era of work. Plus: why Steven thinks the biggest mistake aspiring entrepreneurs make is waiting to feel ready. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Check out Whop Here’s what Sammi covers with Steven: 00:00 How Steven Met His Co-Founder at 13 on Facebook 03:15 Building Sneaker Bots as a Teenager 06:00 20+ Side Hustles Before Whop 10:30 Almost Quitting Whop After 3 Months 14:00 What Whop Actually Is 19:00 50,000+ New Users Per Day 22:00 The $1.6 Billion Valuation Explained 25:00 Why Stablecoins Matter for Global Business 29:45 Whop Has Created Hundreds of Millionaires 32:30 Advice for New Entrepreneurs 36:00 AI and the End of the Creator Economy 39:30 What “Agentic Income” Means 41:30 The Company That Tried to Buy Whop 43:00 Why Steven Wants to Redefine Work 46:00 Whop Finance and the Future of Money 50:00 Why Creators Shouldn’t Rely on One Platform Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Suzy Welch (NYU) on the Joy of Getting Fired, Decoding the 10/10/10 Method, and Why Most People Settle for a B+ Life 21.04.2026 1j

  Suzy Welch has built a career helping people answer one deceptively simple question: What should I do with my life? She’s a bestselling author, professor at New York University Stern School of Business, former editor at Harvard Business Review, and creator of the “Becoming You” methodology. Today Sammi sits down with Suzy to unpack why getting fired can actually benefit your career, why so many people get trapped in what she calls a “B+ life,” and how fear, expectations, and convenience quietly pull people away from who they really are. She also shares the framework that made her famous: the 10/10/10 method, how to make better decisions by thinking about consequences in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years. Plus: why only a small percentage of people truly know their values, how AI is changing career anxiety, and what to do when the life you built no longer fits you. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Claim 15% off the Values Bridge with the code SOCIALCURRENCY Here’s what Sammi covers with Suzy: 00:00 Suzy Welch’s Social Currency02:15 Starting as a Crime Reporter in Miami06:30 What Covering Crime Taught Her About Human Nature09:00 Falling in Love with Business Journalism13:25 Why Everyone Should Get Fired Once17:30 The Workplace Dynamic of “Toxic Handlers”19:45 Rebuilding After Loss and Choosing Life Again23:00 The Origin of “Becoming You”25:15 Why AI Is Changing Career Anxiety28:50 Why Only 7% of People Know Their Values32:40 Can Your Values Change Over Time?34:10 Why Family Isn’t Everyone’s Top Value38:05 The Trap of a B+ Life40:50 The Four Horsemen of Values Destruction48:30 How the 10/10/10 Framework Works 51:43 Social Currency Corner 55:51 How to Show Social Currency Some Love Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Jay Luchs (Newmark) on Building a Real Estate Empire, Strategy for Brick and Mortar, and Newbie Lease Mistakes 14.04.2026 51min

  If you’ve driven through Los Angeles, you’ve already met today’s guest. Jay Luchs is one of the most influential retail real estate brokers in LA; his “For Lease” signs are plastered across the city’s most valuable streets, from Rodeo Drive to Melrose. But behind those signs is a business built on relationships, taste, and a deep understanding of what actually makes a retail concept work. In this episode, Jay sits down with Sammi to break down how the business really works: how he wins listings in one of the most competitive markets in the country, what founders consistently misunderstand about signing their first lease, and why picking the wrong landlord can quietly kill a business. They also go deep on the future of retail in LA—from why food and coffee are now the backbone of any successful retail strip, to how brands like Erewhon can completely transform a street overnight, to why there’s actually less available space than people think.  Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Follow Jay Luchs on Instagram Learn more about Mercury for Personal and Business Here’s what Sammi covers with Jay: 00:00 Jay Luchs’ Social Currency 02:22 Real Estate Origin Story 06:40 Why Real Estate Is a Creative Business 09:27 How the “For Lease” Empire Works 12:05 Winning Listings in a Competitive Market 14:19 What Founders Get Wrong About Leases 15:25 How to Spot a Bad Landlord 17:00 Choosing the Right Retail Location 18:46 Why LA Has Less Retail Space Than You Think 21:15 What Makes a Retail Area Thrive 22:24 How Social Media Changed Real Estate 29:03 Inside a Decade-Long Development Project 32:00 Turning Retail Into a Destination 37:23 Building Relationships That Last 40:01 Jay’s Daily System for Clarity 41:21 Can Retail Rebuild Communities? 45:12 What Makes a Brick-and-Mortar Store Succeed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Shreya Murthy (Partiful) on Winning Over Gen Z, Beating Copycats and Engineering Fun 07.04.2026 1j 2min

  Shreya Murthy built one of the rare social apps people want to open—and then immediately close. It’s all going according to plan. Her company, Partiful, has quietly become the go-to way Gen Z and millennials plan parties, birthdays, dinners—and even weddings. But what’s more interesting is how it won: by rejecting everything Big Tech historically has optimized for. In this episode, Shreya sits down with Sammi to break down why she turned down the metaverse narrative, refused to pivot to virtual events during the pandemic, and built a product designed to get people off their phones… not glued to them. They also get into what happened when Apple launched a nearly identical invite app, why Partiful draws a hard line on user privacy, and how tiny features like “boops” and “crushes” are actually the secret to product-market fit. Plus: the real monetization plan, why Gen Z hates “cringe” design, and how one party invite helped spark a viral cultural moment. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Follow Partiful and find your next party Here’s what Sammi covers with Shreya: 00:00 Shreya Murthy’s Social Currency 00:50 The Problem With Social Media 02:22 From Palantir to Consumer Tech 08:22 The Idea That Sparked Partiful 10:04 Turning Parties Into a Product 11:05 Launching During the Pandemic 13:56 Resisting the Metaverse Pivot 15:40 Building for IRL Connection 16:00 Why Gen Z Loves Partiful 18:27 The “Least Cringe” Product Strategy 20:20 Consumer vs Corporate Use Cases 22:05 Why Partiful Protects User Data 24:57 Monetization Without Selling Data 29:27 How Partiful Makes Money Today 31:23 The Philosophy: Get Off Your Phone 32:00 Discovering Events IRL 33:17 Brick and Mortar? 34:38 Features Like Boops and Crushes 38:00 Apple’s Copycat Moment 41:00 Growth Despite Competition 42:00 The Viral Timothée Chalamet Event 47:00 What Winning Looks Like 50:16 Social Currency Corner and Touching Grass Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Seth Goldman (Just Ice Tea) on Selling Honest Tea to Coca-Cola, Starting Again, and the Future of Food 03.04.2026 45min

  Seth Goldman built one of the most iconic beverage brands of the last two decades… only to watch it get discontinued by Coca-Cola. In this episode, Seth tells Sammi the full story: bootstrapping Honest Tea in the late ’90s when the category didn’t exist, educating consumers one sample at a time, and eventually partnering with Coca-Cola to scale what he believed could become a billion-dollar brand. Then came the gut punch: years after the acquisition, Coca-Cola made the decision to shut Honest Tea down. Instead of walking away, Seth did something few founders would do— he started over. He shares how he launched Just Ice Tea, rebuilt his supply chain using decades-old relationships, and scaled faster the second time around. Sammi and Seth also get into what it really takes to build a sustainable CPG brand, why most beverage startups fail, and the one mistake founders make before they even launch: focusing on branding before validating taste. Plus, Seth shares his long-term perspective from his work with Beyond Meat—and why he still believes the biggest consumer shifts take decades, not years. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Check out Just Ice Tea Here’s what Sammi covers with Seth:00:00 Seth Goldman’s Social Currency 00:50 Building Honest Tea Before The Market Existed 03:03 Creating Demand Through Sampling 05:00 Bootstrapping And Staying Scrappy 06:06 The Coca-Cola Investment Story 09:26 Inside The Coca-Cola Acquisition 10:48 Culture Clash With A Corporate Giant 11:00 The Day Honest Tea Was Discontinued 12:10 Why Seth Decided To Start Again 15:26 Why Beverage Is The Hardest Category 19:29 Launching Just Ice Tea Differently 20:53 The Mission Behind “Just Ice Tea” 23:17 What Makes The Product Different 25:00 From Eat The Change To Just Ice Tea 26:46 Betting Early On Beyond Meat 28:05 The Rise, Fall, And Rebuild Of Alt Meat 35:05 What It Takes To Build A CPG Brand 36:45 The Power Of Relationships And Karma 37:00 Would Seth Sell Again? 39:11 Seth’s Daily System For Clarity 40:03 The Future Of Food 41:18 The #1 Thing Founders Must Validate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Nayeema Raza (Smart Girl Dumb Questions) on the Manosphere, How to Launch a Podcast (and Whether You Should) 31.03.2026 1j 15min

   Everyone has a podcast. So, where is the whitespace and what does it really take to break through?  Sammi sits down with Nayeema Raza, host of Smart Girl Dumb Questions and former The New York Times journalist, for a conversation on the modern media landscape, the podcast boom, and what they tell people who are thinking about starting a podcast. Sammi and Nayeema break down what it really takes to launch a podcast—and share exactly how much they’re making from theirs. Sammi and Nayeema also get into the bigger shift happening across media: why podcasting is becoming the new “TV” and why creators today need to think more like founders than talent. Plus, they unpack the rise of controversial content ecosystems like the “manosphere,” what it teaches about audience-building (even if you hate it), and where the line between journalism and creators is headed. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter Follow Nayeema and listen to Smart Girl Dumb Questions Here’s What Sammi Covers with Nayeema: 00:00 Have We “Made It” In Podcasting? 03:45 Social Vs. Podcast Growth 06:52 Why Everyone Has A Podcast 07:09 The Intimacy And Power Of Podcasting 08:00 The Rise Of The Manosphere 12:41 What Controversial Creators Get Right 17:12 “Is It A Scam?” Rapid-Fire 21:20 The Real Work Behind Podcasting 26:09 Is Podcasting Saturated? 28:38 Why Most Podcasts Fail 31:53 Is Podcasting Overhyped? 33:00 How Much Money Podcasts Actually Make 35:00 Building A Studio And Betting On Yourself 36:08 The Hidden ROI Of Podcasting 41:00 Journalism Vs. Creators 47:00 The Scariest Part Of Starting A Podcast 54:00 How To Break Through Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Listener Grab Bag: Career Risks, Leaving Corporate, and Building in Public 27.03.2026 16min

  This episode is a little different. Instead of a deep dive, Sammi turns the mic around and answers your questions—from career risks and leaving corporate to building a business, growing an audience, and figuring out what to keep private in a “build in public” world. She shares the unconventional bet that changed her career (starting on TikTok when people thought it was a “teen dancing app”), why she believes the best way to escape the corporate rat race is to test ideas on the side, and the fears that held her back longer than she wishes. Sammi also breaks down how to actually grow on social media (without burning out), what people don’t tell you about running a podcast, and the surprising lesson she learned after interviewing the founder of Juicero—and why every business story has more than one side. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Here’s what Sammi covers today: 00:00 A Different Kind of Episode 01:29 How to Escape Corporate 04:39 The Fear that Kept Sammi in Corporate Too Long 05:29 How to Grow on Instagram 07:23 What Nobody Tells You About Podcasting 09:23 A Found Story That Changed Sammi’s Perspective 10:49 What to Keep Private When Building In Public 12:00 The Question Sammi Can’t Answer Yet 12:36 Sammi’s Plan B 13:11 Is USC Worth It? 14:07 Dream Podcast Guests Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Reid Hoffman (Manas AI, LinkedIn) on Why AI Is a “Humanity Elevator,” Digital Twins, and the Skills You Need Now 24.03.2026 31min

  Reid Hoffman has spent decades shaping how we work, from building LinkedIn to investing in some of the most important tech companies of the last generation. Now, he’s focused on what might be the biggest shift yet: artificial intelligence. In this episode, Reid breaks down why most people are thinking about AI wrong. Instead of replacing humans, he argues that AI is a “humanity elevator”—a tool that expands agency, unlocks new opportunities, and fundamentally reshapes how we work, learn, and make decisions. Sammi and Reid also get into the real fears: job displacement, misinformation, and biosecurity risks—and what people can actually do about it. Reid shares practical advice for anyone worried about falling behind, including the three AI skills that matter most right now, how to use AI to pivot your career, and why “just start using it” is the most important step. Plus: Reid’s take on digital twins, why creators won’t be replaced anytime soon and the reason he believes AI is not an existential risk. This episode was recorded on 2/12/2026. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter Check out Reid’s book SuperagencyHere’s what Sammi covers with Reid: 00:00 Reid Hoffman’s Social Currency 01:35 Why AI Expands Human Agency 05:08 The Real Risks of AI 08:11 What To Do If AI Threatens Your Job 11:21 Reid’s Daily AI Workflow 18:25 AI in Healthcare and Drug Discovery 21:05 Digital Twins and the Future of Creators 24:56 Reid’s Hottest AI Take 26:00 The Rise of AI Agents and Moltbot 27:00 Skills You Need to Stay Ahead Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• How e.l.f. Beauty Turned $1 Makeup Into a $4.8B Cultural Machine 20.03.2026 12min

  e.l.f. Beauty started as the makeup brand retailers thought was too cheap to trust: one-dollar products, white-label formulas, and no major retail partner willing to take the bet. Today, it’s one of the most culturally agile companies in consumer products, and one of the few beauty brands that consistently moves at internet speed. Today, Sammi unpacks how e.l.f. built that machine: from landing early credibility through magazine editors before influencer marketing even existed, to using TikTok before legacy beauty brands understood what the platform could do. She breaks down how CEO Tarang Amin helped transform the company by improving product quality while keeping prices low, aligning every employee around stock ownership, and building a culture that rewards speed. Then she gets into the campaigns that made e.l.f. impossible to ignore: the three-week Super Bowl ad starring Jennifer Coolidge, the provocative “So Many Dicks” Wall Street takeover, the backlash from a partnership misstep, and why the brand’s newest Melissa McCarthy campaign shows how precisely they read culture before they spend against it. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Here’s what Sammi covers today: 0:00 - Intro: How e.l.f. Became a Cultural Powerhouse 1:00 - The Origin Story: $1 Makeup Nobody Wanted to Carry 2:40 - Tarang Amin's CEO Playbook & Giving Equity to Everyone 4:00 - Marketing Move #1: Early Adoption of TikTok 4:40 - Marketing Move #2: The Jennifer Coolidge Super Bowl Ad 6:20 - Marketing Move #3: "So Many Dicks" Wall Street Takeover 7:20 - Marketing Move #4: The Matt Rife Misstep & What It Revealed 8:40 - Marketing Move #5: Melisa – The Telenovela Super Bowl Campaign 9:20 - The Takeaway: Moving at the Speed of Culture 10:40 - Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Julie Smolyansky (Lifeway) on Power Struggles, Creating a Category, and How GLP-1s Are Changing Food Companies 17.03.2026 59min

  When her father died of a heart attack, Julie Smolyansky became the youngest female CEO of a publicly traded company. Then, she helped turn kefir from a niche probiotic drink into a mainstream wellness product found in major retailers across the country. Today, Julie tells Sammi how she scaled an unfamiliar category by teaching consumers what kefir even was before they were ready to buy it, why family businesses can become some of the hardest companies to lead, and how a public company changes when legacy, control, and outside pressure collide. She also opens up about the recent takeover fight involving Danone, what she believes was at stake for Lifeway, and why category leadership matters more than ever as GLP-1 trends reshape how food companies position protein, digestion, and health. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter Follow Julie’s story here Here’s what Sammi covers with Julie: :00:00 - Cold Open 01:00 - Introduction 02:20 - From Soviet Refugees to American Entrepreneurs 05:00 - The Lightbulb Moment: Discovering Kefir in Germany 08:20 - Building the Brand from the Basement Up 10:40 - Taking Lifeway Public in 1988 14:00 - Kefir vs. Yogurt: Understanding the Category 19:40 - Joining the Family Business 24:00 - Becoming CEO at 27 After Her Father's Death 29:20 - The Early Years of Leadership 32:00 - Marketing on a Zero Budget: Social Media as a Secret Weapon 37:00 - Scaling from Niche to Mainstream 40:40 - Entering the Cultural Zeitgeist (Wordle, Jeopardy) 43:40 - The Danone Takeover Attempt 48:00 - The Future: GLP-1s, Protein, and Food as Medicine 51:40 - Social Currency Corner: Would Lifeway Ever Do a Super Bowl Ad? 53:20 - Listener Question: Advice for Educating Consumers on New Categories 55:40 - ClosingHere's what Sammi covers with Julie: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• 6 Habits of the Most Successful Female Founders 13.03.2026 14min

  Months into interviewing founders for this podcast, Sammi noticed something surprising: the most successful women were often practicing the same habits, but almost none of them were the things people usually talk about in founder profiles. Today, Sammi breaks down six patterns she has seen repeatedly across standout founders. The examples come directly from conversations with founders like Amy Liu (Tower 28), Maria Davidson (Kojo), Julia Hartz (Eventbrite), Babba Rivera (Ceremonia), Dianna Cohen (nm) Jenn Hyman (Rent the Runway), and others who built category-defining companies under very different circumstances—but often with strikingly similar instincts. Sammi also shares where she is still actively learning these lessons herself: leaving Amazon, building her own media business, overcommitting early, tying performance too closely to outcomes, and learning in real time what sustainable ambition actually looks like.  Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter Here are the full episodes Sammi mentions today: Amy Liu, CEO of Tower 28  Maria Davidson, Founder of Kojo Julia Hartz, CEO of Eventbrite  Babba Rivera, CEO of Ceremonia  Dianna Cohen, CEO of Crown Affair  Jenn Hyman, CEO of Rent the Runway Here’s what Sammi covers today: 00:00 The Founder Strategies Nobody Says Out Loud 01:19 Why Great Founders Build Networks Early 03:22 Launching Before You Feel Ready 05:00 Your Calendar Like a Financial Document 06:38 Self-Advocacy and Defending Your Vision 08:20 Hiring For Your Weaknesses 09:20 Separating Identity from Outcomes 11:15 One Habit to Start this Month Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Laura Meyer (Envision Horizons) on AI’s Shopping Disruption, How to Show Up in ChatGPT Searches and the New Cost of Attention 12.03.2026 57min

  Laura Meyer has spent nearly a decade helping brands navigate Amazon, TikTok Shop, retail media, and now the next major shift in commerce: AI-driven shopping. Today, Sammi is partnering with Laura’s strategic commerce agency Envision Horizons to help brands get— and keep— attention in the changing world of online shopping. Laura explains why consumers are facing what she calls an “invisible tax on attention,” where prices rise because brands have to spend more on advertising just to stay visible in increasingly crowded digital platforms. She breaks down how rising customer acquisition costs are reshaping pricing, product quality, and platform strategy, and why even legacy brands are being forced to rethink where they spend every marketing dollar. Then the conversation turns to what may be the biggest shift ahead: consumers using AI before they buy. Laura shares new survey data showing that half of consumers switch brands after seeing recommendations from ChatGPT, why legacy brands are suddenly more vulnerable than they realize, and how platforms like Amazon, TikTok, and Shopify could each be affected differently as AI becomes the new shopping gatekeeper. She also explains why TikTok Shop remains a winners-and-losers platform, why she’s bearish on live shopping despite industry hype, and why logistics may still determine who wins the next era of commerce. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter Download the free report Laura references in this episode — "The New Blind Spot: Why AI Is Sending Your Customers to Competitors" — including the full consumer survey results and AI Readiness Checklist Want to know how your brand shows up when consumers ask ChatGPT? Book a free AI Readiness Audit Follow Laura Meyer on LinkedIn and learn more about Envision HorizonsHere’s what Sammi covers with Laura: 00:00 Laura Meyer’s Social Currency 02:31 Laura’s Background and Launching Envision Horizons 09:07 The Changing Online Landscape 11:28 Retail Media Explained 12:36 How AI is Changing Brand Discovery 16:00 What Happens when AI Ads Arrive 23:50 TikTok Shop vs Amazon Economics 29:44 Why Amazon Still Wins Fulfillment 35:00 New AI Consumer Survey Findings 40:23 Why UX May Matter Less in Agentic Commerce 46:37 What Brands Should Ask Agencies 52:00 Laura’s POV on Live Shopping Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Julian Reis (SuperOrdinary) on Creator IPOs, Monetizing on TikTok Shop and Where China is Beating American Entrepreneurialism 10.03.2026 59min

  Julian Reis has built businesses across hedge funds, beauty clinics, China e-commerce, creator monetization, and now TikTok Shop infrastructure, but the throughline is the same: spotting where consumer behavior is headed before most people do. In this episode, Julian tells Sammi how he went from trading at JPMorgan Chase to founding Skin Laundry, pricing mistakes that almost hurt the business, and the lessons that came from building a beauty concept globally. Then he explains why moving to Shanghai in 2018 changed everything: watching creators sell inside China’s super-app ecosystem convinced him that American retail was years behind and that social commerce would eventually reshape how Americans shop. Julian breaks down how his company SuperOrdinary scaled from zero to 350 employees in China, helped brands like Drunk Elephant and Olaplex grow in Asia, and why TikTok Shop is creating a new kind of retail where creators function more like digital storefronts than influencers. He also shares why affiliate data matters more than follower counts, what kinds of products actually work on TikTok, why he believes creators may eventually IPO themselves, and how micro dramas could become the next major content-to-commerce engine. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter Learn More about SuperOrdinary Here’s what Sammi covers with Julian:00:00 Julian Reis’ Social Currency04:07 The Finance Chapter11:18 Why Skin Laundry Almost Failed19:37 Moving to Shanghai23:19 Building Brands in China31:00 Why China’s KOL Economy Changed Everything34:49 TikTok Shop’s Massive U.S. Opportunity39:00 What Brands Need To Win TikTok45:14 Fanfix, Micro Dramas, and Creator Monetization51:43 Could Creators Become Public Companies? 53:03 Social Currency Corner54:31 The Future of AI Twins and Creator IP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• QVC Built the Blueprint for Live Shopping—Then Lost the Market 06.03.2026 13min

  Before TikTok Shop, before influencers sold products through livestreams, QVC had already perfected the live shopping formula: charismatic hosts, product storytelling, and frictionless buying through a screen. Today, Sammi unpacks how the company that built the category became trapped protecting the wrong business. QVC saw digital change coming, but instead of building for where consumer attention was moving, it spent billions doubling down on legacy retail through acquisitions like Zulily and HSN just as cable television was collapsing. Now, with $6.6 billion in debt, restructuring talks underway, and TikTok becoming one of its last major growth bets, QVC has become a case study in what happens when a company masters a format but loses control of the platform that made it powerful. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Here’s what Sammi covers today: 00:00 How QVC Became a Cash Flow Machine 03:15 The First Big Wrong Turn 03:33 Why Zulily Failed04:33 The HSN Bet 05:17 Doubling Down on a Shrinking Market 06:37 Rebrands, Layoffs, and Decline 08:06 Why QVC Turned to TikTok 09:18 The Debt Problem 10:19 The Capital Allocation Lesson 11:05 The Big Lesson From the Billion-Dollar Crisis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Doug Evans (Juicero) on the Viral Takedown, Blessings in Disguise and Reinvention With The Sprouting Company 03.03.2026 1j 12min

  Doug Evans didn’t just build a juicer… he built one of Silicon Valley’s most debated startups. As the founder of Juicero, Doug raised more than $100 million to bring cold-pressed juice into people’s homes, only to watch the company crumble after a viral Bloomberg article questioned whether the machine was even necessary. In this episode, Doug tells Sammi his side of the story.  He shares what Juicero was actually trying to solve, the power of a takedown piece, and the surprising role geography played in the company’s fate. He opens up about stepping down as CEO, the shock of watching the company shut down with capital still in the bank, and the fallout that followed. Doug sets the record straight and shares what never made it into the takedown pieces.  Then comes the reinvention. Doug shares how he retreated to the Mojave Desert, wrote a national bestselling book on sprouting, and launched a new direct-to-consumer company built around countertop food production.  Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Follow Doug and The Sprouting Company Here’s what Sammi covers today with Doug: 00:00 Doug Evans’ Social Currency 02:55 The “Genetically Cursed” Mindset Shift 04:23 Building Organic Avenue Before Juice Was Cool 09:37 Why Juicero Had to Exist 14:52 The Bloomberg Squeeze Story 17:53 The Media Pile-On and Fallout 25:34 Lessons on Leadership and Investor Alignment 27:38 Going Reclusive After Juicero 33:51 Mojave Desert Reinvention 37:37 The Science Behind Sprouts 41:15 Writing The Sprout Book 46:23 Pitching Sprouts on Shark Tank 51:45 From Trauma to Confidence 56:39 Making Sprouting Mainstream 01:12:12 Social Currency Corner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices