Browse Case Studies

Tristan founded Walker & Company after a personal frustration with shaving products unsuitable for coarse and curly hair. He launched Bevel, a subscription shaving system with a single-blade razor, which eventually expanded to 36 hair and beauty products used by millions across the U.S. The company was acquired by Procter & Gamble in 2018, making Tristan P&G's first black CEO.

Ellen Latham founded Orangetheory Fitness after being fired from her spa director job, developing a hybrid strength and cardio workout program for all fitness levels. She partnered with two co-founders to grow the concept into a franchise model, which expanded to over 1,500 locations worldwide, representing a successful second act business venture.

Backroads is a guided travel company founded by Tom in his 20s, starting with a single bike trip through Death Valley with four guests. The company scaled to run 5,000+ trips annually across 60+ countries by leveraging a "collect early, pay late" cash flow model and prioritizing quality control and iteration. The business survived multiple crises including 9/11, the Great Recession, and COVID-19 through strategic adaptation and focus on delivering authentic, uncrowded travel experiences.