Hours and hours in the pool did a number on Ann Ragan Kearns’ hair and skin. As an NCAA Division 1 swimmer, she struggled with acne and hair loss, and while she could purchase beauty products for her issues, she never encountered a brand that designed products specifically for her as a female athlete.

Fast forward and Kearns has learned a ton about the beauty market as founder of Odyssey Public Relations, a firm that’s worked with beauty companies including that the gap in it she encountered over a decade ago for a beauty brand aimed at female athletes hadn’t closed. And it became pressing to her to fill it with female athletes rising in prominence and inspiring girls around the world.

Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and “wantrepreneurs” looking for insider tips and secrets from the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large.

Each week, entrepreneurial special guests join Laurel Mintz, founder and CEO of award-winning marketing agency Elevate My Brand, to discuss the marketing failures and successes that have brought their brands to the next level. Learn from real-life experiences and be inspired by leaders in your industry about how smart digital and experiential marketing can elevate your brand.

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Meredith Cochran is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for authentic conversations and high quality craftsmanship. A roll-up-your-sleeves kind of girl. Meredith has a background in Cellular Molecular Biology, Electrophysiology, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. She uses this experience to pursue her passion of preventive health and food-as-medicine. Meredith is an accomplished author and founder of a BFY brand which generates multi-million dollar revenues annually with an omni-channel business model. She is currently focused on her role as Director of Marketing for one of the largest privately-owned businesses in the world and her new startup, which focuses on sustainably sourced teas formulated with the intention of reconnecting us to our body, mind, soul, and those who surround us. In her spare time, she enjoys time with her dog, Maui, bikram yoga, and reading.

Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and “wantrepreneurs” looking for insider tips and secrets from the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large.

Each week, entrepreneurial special guests join Laurel Mintz, founder and CEO of award-winning marketing agency Elevate My Brand, to discuss the marketing failures and successes that have brought their brands to the next level. Learn from real-life experiences and be inspired by leaders in your industry about how smart digital and experiential marketing can elevate your brand.

Contact us: https://www.elevatemybrand.com/contact

Stay connected & DM us feedback on the podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevatemybrandla/
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elevatemybrand

Sheria James is a dynamic strategist and marketing leader with a proven track record of elevating companies at the intersection of innovation and impact. With over a decade of experience across fast-paced startups and mission-driven organizations, she brings a rare blend of strategic insight, creative direction, and cultural fluency to every project she leads.

Sheria is especially passionate about helping organizations clarify their voice, tell better stories, and design experiences that create growth. She shows up with clarity, warmth, and an eye on what matters most: people. Whether she’s launching a brand from the ground up or leading a strategic repositioning, Sheria combines data-driven thinking with a human-first approach.

Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and “wantrepreneurs” looking for insider tips and secrets from the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large.

Each week, entrepreneurial special guests join Laurel Mintz, founder and CEO of award-winning marketing agency Elevate My Brand, to discuss the marketing failures and successes that have brought their brands to the next level. Learn from real-life experiences and be inspired by leaders in your industry about how smart digital and experiential marketing can elevate your brand.

Contact us: https://www.elevatemybrand.com/contact

Stay connected & DM us feedback on the podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevatemybrandla/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevatemybrandla/
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Lauren Alexander serves as the Senior Vice President of Marketing at Qualia Life Sciences, where she leverages over 15 years of experience to drive innovative marketing strategies that resonate with consumers and elevate the brand's presence in the wellness sector. In her current role, Lauren is at the forefront of direct customer acquisition initiatives, utilizing her expertise in paid advertising and media relations to enhance brand visibility and engagement. Her strategic approach encompasses a comprehensive understanding of SEO, content curation, and public relations, ensuring that Qualia Life Sciences not only reaches its target audience but also builds lasting relationships with them.

Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and “wantrepreneurs” looking for insider tips and secrets from the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large.

Each week, entrepreneurial special guests join Laurel Mintz, founder and CEO of award-winning marketing agency Elevate My Brand, to discuss the marketing failures and successes that have brought their brands to the next level. Learn from real-life experiences and be inspired by leaders in your industry about how smart digital and experiential marketing can elevate your brand.

Contact us: https://www.elevatemybrand.com/contact

Stay connected & DM us feedback on the podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevatemybrandla/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevatemybrandla/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elevatemybrand

Brandie Miller brings a wealth of food industry experience, blending expertise in startups, retail buying, and e-commerce with a passion for food accessibility. She began her career launching a small ice cream brand, driving it from food service into retail through strategic sales and marketing. She then transitioned to the buying side as a category manager for Grocery Outlet, a 400-store chain, where she championed Natural & Organic (NOSH) products, growing it into the company’s largest category. Her efforts contributed to Grocery Outlet’s 2019 IPO.

Her dedication to making healthy, high-quality food more accessible deepened at Misfits Market, where she served as Senior Director of Grocery. There, she and her team expanded affordable grocery options nationwide, launched an upcycled food initiative, and introduced thousands of new SKUs in just three years—all while scaling operations across four warehouses.

Brandie’s impact has been widely recognized, earning her industry accolades such as:

• Supermarket News’ 2016 Disruptor

• Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Top Women in Grocery – Rising Star

• Natural Foods Merchandiser’s May/June 2019 Cover Feature

• NEXTY Judge at Expo East 2022

In 2024, Brandie and Will Miller combined their vastly different experiences to create something completely new—Mochi Love. Driven by a shared passion for innovation, delicious food, and bringing joy to everyday moments, they set out to expand mochi beyond the freezer aisle and introduce it to more categories across grocery stores.

Mochi Love is upbeat, delicious, and simply irresistible—a modern take on a time-honored ingredient.

Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and “wantrepreneurs” looking for insider tips and secrets from the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large.

Each week, entrepreneurial special guests join Laurel Mintz, founder and CEO of award-winning marketing agency Elevate My Brand, to discuss the marketing failures and successes that have brought their brands to the next level. Learn from real-life experiences and be inspired by leaders in your industry about how smart digital and experiential marketing can elevate your brand.

Contact us: https://www.elevatemybrand.com/contact

Stay connected & DM us feedback on the podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevatemybrandla/
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Mikuna was founded by fifth-generation Ecuadorian farmer and former professional athlete, Ricky Echanique. While living in Santa Barbara, Ricky faced health and digestion issues that sent him on a new path: to find a better form of plant-based nutrition. This journey led him back home to Ecuador and to Chocho, the "Andean super protein." This powerful lupin has been harvested for thousands of years by Andean farmers yet remains relatively unknown because it grows so remotely. Given his deep roots within the Ecuadorian agricultural community, Ricky felt confident that he could share Chocho with the world. As he met with local farmers, he was moved by their kindness, hospitality and work ethic. Supporting and working alongside Chocho farmers quickly became a key part of his mission.

Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and “wantrepreneurs” looking for insider tips and secrets from the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large.

Each week, entrepreneurial special guests join Laurel Mintz, founder and CEO of award-winning marketing agency Elevate My Brand, to discuss the marketing failures and successes that have brought their brands to the next level. Learn from real-life experiences and be inspired by leaders in your industry about how smart digital and experiential marketing can elevate your brand.

Contact us: https://www.elevatemybrand.com/contact

Stay connected & DM us feedback on the podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevatemybrandla/
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Our guest PJ Monte carries on his family’s century-old culinary legacy with Monte’s Fine Foods, offering a vegan, gluten-free, and certified Kosher tomato sauce made from their original recipe, free of pastes, starches, and fillers. Sourcing premium U.S.-grown tomatoes, Monte’s prioritizes quality and tradition in every jar. With deep roots in the restaurant industry dating back to 1906, PJ expanded the family brand by opening Monte’s at the Manor in Montauk, blending classic Italian-American flavors with local ingredients. Through his passion for food, he continues to bring authentic, time-honored recipes to modern tables.

Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and “wantrepreneurs” looking for insider tips and secrets from the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large.

Each week, entrepreneurial special guests join Laurel Mintz, founder and CEO of award-winning marketing agency Elevate My Brand, to discuss the marketing failures and successes that have brought their brands to the next level. Learn from real-life experiences and be inspired by leaders in your industry about how smart digital and experiential marketing can elevate your brand.

Contact us: https://www.elevatemybrand.com/contact

Stay connected & DM us feedback on the podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevatemybrandla/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevatemybrandla/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elevatemybrand

Recognized as one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “Most Admired CEOs,” Jesslyn Rollins is the visionary leader who revolutionized the Sports Drink category. Her family's groundbreaking product, BIOLYTE®, combines the science of IV hydration with the convenience of a sports drink, delivering a medical-strength solution to the mainstream market.

Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and “wantrepreneurs” looking for insider tips and secrets from the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large.

Each week, entrepreneurial special guests join Laurel Mintz, founder and CEO of award-winning marketing agency Elevate My Brand, to discuss the marketing failures and successes that have brought their brands to the next level. Learn from real-life experiences and be inspired by leaders in your industry about how smart digital and experiential marketing can elevate your brand.

Contact us: https://www.elevatemybrand.com/contact

Stay connected & DM us feedback on the podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevatemybrandla/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevatemybrandla/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elevatemybrand