Defining Next is a podcast where we dive into the founder stories behind tomorrow's most talked about brands. Hosted by Tina Harirchian of Sand Studio Designs, we’re peeling back the layers to explore the messy, inspiring, and game-changing moments behind today’s visionary brands. From unexpected pivots to big wins, we’re celebrating what it really takes to build something that redefines their industries. At its core, Defining Next is about spotlighting the founders who lead with intention and purpose—those who aren’t just building businesses, but reshaping the world around them.
Clean, Cool, and Created for Her with Body of Work Vitamins
Entrepreneurs Alex Brown and Jacqueline Maslan discuss building Body of Work, a vitamin brand designed for young women, and share insights on identifying market gaps and creating intentional products in this interview.
15 Aug 2025
Redefining Women’s Strength with Lifting the Mood
Host Sarah Jones interviews Laura Meyer, founder of Lifting the Mood, about her journey creating functional and beautiful adjustable dumbbells designed for women, redefining strength training.
30 Jul 2025
Creating the World’s First Dissolving Mascara with Aer Cosmetics
Founder Paige DeAngelo discusses creating Aer Cosmetics' dissolving mascara, navigating product development, and using transparency on TikTok to build momentum in the beauty industry in an interview with the host.
11 Jun 2025
The Brand That Tall Girls Have Been Waiting For with LARSON the Brand
Host Tina Harirchian interviews Camryn Larson, founder of LARSON, about building a fashion brand for tall women, focusing on niche marketing and community engagement to address representation and confidence.
17 May 2025
Just Wellness, no Hype with Indigo Tonics
Can natural supplements be both effective and elegant? Michelle says yes—and she’s built a brand to prove it.
On this episode of Defining Next, I sit down with Michelle Parra, the founder of Indigo Tonics, a nutraceutical company creating high-quality, science-backed tinctures designed to support focus, sleep, and immunity—without the overwhelm. What began as a personal health transformation became a mission to simplify wellness, elevate natural solutions, and redefine how we think about supplements.
Michelle opens up about the mindset shifts, misconceptions, and early experiments that shaped her journey—plus the deeper “why” behind both Indigo Tonics and her educational platform, Indigo Wellness Collective.
We talk about:
— Building a wellness brand without the hype
— Why functional mushrooms and adaptogens actually work
— Clean formulation and third-party testing
— Starting small, staying grounded, and scaling with purpose
— The daily practices that shape her brand and life
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by wellness routines, confused by the supplement aisle, or curious about natural alternatives that actually do something—this episode is for you.
🎧 Listen in to hear how Michelle is defining what’s next for mindful, modern wellness.
16 Apr 2025
Building What You Wish Existed with Cozy Clip
From the notes app to sold-out launches, this is how Elena turned a simple frustration into a viral, waitlisted product.
In this episode of Defining Next, I sit down with Elena diStefano, founder of Cozy Clip—the world’s first flexible claw clip. What started as a personal annoyance with traditional clips turned into a three-year journey of prototyping, pitching, and building something entirely new from the ground up.
Elena shares how she took her idea from a note in her phone to a first-place win at a university pitch competition, securing $45K in funding, teaching herself 3D design, and launching a brand that’s redefining comfort and innovation in beauty. We talk about building a product-based business with purpose, designing for real people, growing through social media virality, and navigating the emotional and mental load of being a solo founder.
This episode is full of honest insights, thoughtful pivots, and real inspiration for anyone building something meaningful—especially if you're figuring it out as you go.
In this episode, we cover:
The moment that sparked Cozy Clip
Prototyping, pitch competitions, and scrappy product development
Building a brand while managing a full-time job
What to know before launching your first product
Mental health, mentorship, and moving forward after going viral
🎧 Tune in to hear how Elena is defining what’s next—not just for her business, but for the future of beauty products.
Find Cozy Clip online at @cozyclip on instagram and tiktok or thecozyclip.com (https://thecozyclip.com/)!
24 Mar 2025
Rewriting the Skincare Narrative with Figgi Beauty
From human rights to hypersensitive skin — Dr. Jeanne’s journey is anything but ordinary. In this episode, we get into the real story behind Figgi Beauty, the skincare brand redefining what it means to care for sensitive skin and sensitive souls. After being diagnosed with panic disorder, Jean quickly realized that healing had to go deeper than just the surface — and so began a new chapter rooted in science, softness, and soul. We dive into the emotional connection between mental health and skin health, the intentional formulation behind Figgi Beauty's products, and the birth of Figgi Soul — an online course and community supporting those navigating anxiety.
We also dig a bit deeper in the beauty industry's blind spots, building trust through community, and why skincare should feel like a safe space — not just a step in your routine.
In this episode, we cover:
What panic disorder taught Jean about beauty, identity, and burnout
The science behind sensitive skin and emotional stress
Why Figi Beauty products are formulated without essential oils, fragrance, or hype
The connection between skincare rituals and mental wellness
How Jean built community through storytelling, not just selling
Her vision for redefining self-care — from skin to soul
Follow more about the Figgi journey and Dr. Jeanne Reteif, by visiting www.figgibeauty.com (https://www.figgibeauty.com/) and @figgi.beauty on instagram.
11 Mar 2025
Designing a lamp That feels like a friend with Buddy
In this conversation, Chevy Chanpaiboonrat shares the journey of creating Buddy, a lighting brand that’s redefining how we experience our spaces with lighting. She discusses the emotional connection behind the design, the importance of community, and the challenges faced as a young entrepreneur. Chevy emphasizes the significance of marketing strategies and the future of the lighting industry, while also celebrating her wins and looking ahead to the product launch.
In this episode, here’s what we’ll talk about:
03:03 Emotional Design: Connecting Through Aesthetics
06:13 Wellness at the Forefront: The Philosophy Behind Buddy
08:59 Marketing Strategies: Building a Community
14:16 Celebrating Wins: Exhibitions and Feedback
22:59 Innovations in Lighting: Trends and Challenges
26:03 The Vision for Buddy: Beyond Just a Product
You can now pre-order Buddy at buddydesign.co (http://buddydesign.co) and follow Buddy's journey on Instagram @buddydesign.co
4 Mar 2025
Bridging the divide with the hot girl's CFO, Investrio
In this episode of Defining Next, I sit down with Joyce Medeiros and Laura Texidor, the powerhouse duo behind Investrio—a platform designed to help women entrepreneurs take control of their finances and secure the funding they deserve.
We dive into their journey of launching Investrio, the challenges they’ve faced as fintech founders, and why they decided to pivot their focus toward solopreneurs. We’re talking about the gaps in financial access, the real struggles women founders face when securing funding, and how Investrio is bridging the divide.
Joyce and Laura share what it takes to build a user-first fintech platform, why community is at the heart of everything they do, and the importance of celebrating wins—big and small—as a founder.
If you’re a business owner who’s ever wondered how to make funding feel more accessible, or you just want to hear an inspiring story about women shaking up an industry—this episode is for you.
You can visit Investrio on social @investrio.io on TikTok and Instagram and www.investrio.io on the web!
In this episode:
02:54 The Evolution of Investrio: From Concept to Community
08:56 The Investrio App: Features and Benefits
11:37 Empowerment Through Financial Management
17:46 Building a Community of Women Entrepreneurs
24:16Celebrating Wins and Milestones
36:19 User-Centric Revolution in Financial Management
40:45 Building Community and Brand Identity
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/zayner/falling
24 Feb 2025
Reinventing the way energy feels with Drink Benny
On today’s episode, I’ll get to chat with Paige and Julie the co-founders and co-CEOs of Benny, the energy brand reinventing the way energy feels. After transforming their mental and physical "rock bottoms" with major lifestyle changes, including cutting the excessive caffeine and incorporating superfoods like adaptogens and nootropics, Julie and Paige knew they needed to share these ingredients with the world. Since launching a little over a year ago, Benny has landed on 500+ shelves across North America, with features in Forbes, Inc Magazine, Food + Wine, and more.
We'll discuss their personal experiences that led to the founding of the brand, the importance of community, and their roles as co-founders. The conversation also touches on the challenges of launching a product, building a brand, and their vision for the future of Benny, including the upcoming Benny 2.0. They emphasize the need for healthier energy options and the shift in consumer behavior towards more thoughtful choices.
Add yourself to the waitlist for their first product at https://drinkbenny.com/pages/new-product-waitlist (https://drinkbenny.com/pages/new-product-waitlist) and visit them online at www.drinkbenny.com (https://drinkbenny.com/)
Benny is on Instagram and TikTok @drinkbenny
Here's what we'll get into:
04:10The Name and Brand Identity of Benny
17:41 The Journey from Idea to Launch
22:48 Building Community and Marketing Benny
27:49 Building Retail Relationships
29:33 Sneak Peek into Benny 2.0
32:50 Lessons Learned from Brand Evolution
36:36 Celebrating Milestones and Core Memories
40:32 Defining the Future of Benny
43:53 The Soft Life Movement
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/zayner/falling
12 Feb 2025
Changing the Way We Talk with Off the Record Card Game
What happens when you realize the conversations we have daily barely scratch the surface?
Kate Terentieva, the founder of Off the Record, set out to change that.
In this episode, I sit down with Kate to talk about her journey from creative director in the ad world to launching a product that’s all aboutreal connection. Off the Record is more than just a card game—it’s a tool for fostering deeper, more meaningful conversations.
We get into:
The problem with surface-level conversations (and why we crave more)
How the mechanics of Off the Record encourage vulnerability
The unexpected places the game has made an impact—from team-building to date nights
What it takes to launch a product-based business and build a brand beyond marketing
The power of community, word-of-mouth growth, and an unexpected celebrity endorsement 👀
The pandemic changed the way we connect—and Kate’s mission is to help us rebuild those connections in a way that feelsgenuine. If you’ve ever wished your conversations went beyond small talk, this episode is for you.
Kate’s Social Links: https://playofftherecord.com/ (https://playofftherecord.com/)
https://www.instagram.com/katarinaterentieva/ (https://www.instagram.com/katarinaterentieva/)
https://www.tiktok.com/@katarinaterentieva (https://www.tiktok.com/@katarinaterentieva)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateterentieva/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateterentieva/)
OTR’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playofftherecord (https://www.instagram.com/playofftherecord)
Episode Highlights:
03:13 → The problem with superficial conversations (and why Off the Record is the antidote)
06:00 → How the game is structured to create natural, engaging discussions
11:25 → Why deeper conversations are essential for stronger relationships
19:14 → What Kate learned from launching a product-based business
26:29 → The role of authentic connection beyond just marketing strategies
31:31 → The power of word-of-mouth and an unexpected celebrity endorsement
39:20 → Where Off the Record is headed next
---
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/zayner/falling
License code: U0BDBN1OTOYR4U6H
10 Feb 2025
This Is Defining Next: Why I’m Here & What’s Next
Welcome to the very first episode ofDefining Next! In this quick preview, I’m pulling back the curtain on why I started this podcast, whatDefining Nextis all about, and the kinds of conversations you can expect. Think founder stories, creative breakthroughs, and the messy, game-changing moments behind building a brand that leads. If you’re a founder, creative, or just someone who loves a behind-the-scenes look at the brands shaping culture—this is for you.
Hit play, and let’s get into it.
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/zayner/falling
License code: NPAOG5KEBRK48Z7A
Who has been a guest on Defining Next
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Alex Brown
Jacqueline Maslan
Laura Meyer
Paige DeAngelo
Camryn Larson
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Podcast Authority Score: 24 / 100
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