Learn more about: Bank & Vogue

A single pair of jeans can live many lives, and sometimes its next one is a luxury handbag or a cult-favorite sneaker. In this episode, we sit down with Steven Bethell, co-founder of Bank & Vogue and Beyond Retro, to talk about how secondhand fashion has gone from thrift bins to high-profile collaborations with Converse, Coach, and Wrangler. 👖

Steven takes us behind the scenes of circular fashion at scale: moving millions of garments each week, partnering with charities and private collectors, and building remanufacturing pipelines that give old materials a new life. He explains why he refuses to use the word “waste,” how language can shift mindsets, and why circular design is about more than sustainability—it’s about culture, creativity, and style. 👟

Along the way, we explore how authentic, lived-in textiles can be transformed into something new, how brands are measuring impact through life cycle assessments, and why embracing the “consistently inconsistent” nature of secondhand is actually a strength.

🎧 If you’ve ever wondered how secondhand becomes first choice, this conversation is for you.

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Learn more about: Vivobarefoot

What if the shoes you've been wearing your whole life are actually hurting your feet? That's the startling revelation at the heart of our conversation with Galahad Clark, seventh-generation shoemaker and co-founder of Vivobarefoot.

Coming from a family with 200 years of shoemaking history, Clark's journey took an unexpected turn when he discovered that conventional footwear actually weakens our feet and disconnects us from nature. "The big shoe industry is genuinely one of the least sustainable industries in the world," he explains. "It's devastating for both planetary and human health." This realization led him to create Vivobarefoot, a company dedicated to making shoes that allow feet to function naturally.

The concept is surprisingly simple yet revolutionary: our feet evolved over millions of years to work perfectly without shoes. When we encase them in rigid, padded footwear with heels, arch supports, and narrow toe boxes, we're actually causing long-term harm. As Clark puts it, "Most people in the West wearing those cookie-cutter shoes have deformed, weak feet because of the shoes." These weakened feet then create problems in other areas of the body, like the knees, hips, and back.

Clark points out that indigenous cultures worldwide created perfect barefoot footwear for thousands of years, crafting shoes person by person, foot by foot from local sustainable materials. Now, through their VivoBiome system, the company is using AI, mobile scanning, and local 3D printing to return to this personalized approach while minimizing environmental impact.

While the journey hasn't been without challenges, Clark's vision extends beyond just better footwear. It's about reconnecting humans with nature, starting literally from the ground up. "When you wear barefoot shoes or less shoes and you put your feet on the earth, you psychologically can't help but believe that living in local communities and local food systems is the right path for humans."

Ready to reconsider the relationship between your feet and the earth beneath them? Listen now and take the first step toward stronger, healthier feet and a more sustainable future.

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Ever ruined an expensive brisket? You're not alone. The fear of wasting time and money keeps most of us from attempting serious barbecue—until now.

Christopher Huang, founder of Brisk It, joins us to reveal how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing home cooking, starting with the intimidating world of smoking and grilling. What began as a mission to make barbecue more accessible has evolved into a vision for transforming our entire relationship with food preparation.

"I'm much more passionate about eating barbecue than making it," Huang confesses, explaining how this philosophy drove Brisk It's development. Unlike traditional "smart" appliances that simply follow pre-programmed instructions, Brisk It's Grills employ what Huang calls "agentic AI"—technology that adapts, learns, and makes decisions based on real-time data and your personal preferences.

The technology is impressive: adaptive temperature algorithms maintain perfect stability; the system detects and addresses common issues like temperature stalls automatically; and the more you use it, the better it understands your preferences. One early user assembled their grill and successfully smoked a perfect brisket on their very first attempt—a feat that would typically require multiple failed attempts and cost hundreds of dollars.

We explore Brisk It’s unique approach to product development, including their decision to hire industrial designers from Apple and automotive backgrounds rather than traditional grill designers. This fresh perspective, combined with Silicon Valley-style rapid iteration, has allowed them to create something truly revolutionary.

Looking toward the future, Huang shares his vision for automating the entire home cooking experience, meal selection and grocery shopping to preparation and sharing. The goal isn't to remove humans from cooking, but to eliminate the stress while ensuring consistently delicious, nutritious results that match individual preferences.

Check out Brisk It Grills on their website, Amazon, Lowes.com, or Sam's Club, and stay tuned for their next big announcement at CES 2026.

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