Browse Case Studies

Lynda.com is an online learning platform founded by Lynda Weinman and Bruce Heavin offering video courses on design, technology, and business topics. Without access to the full podcast transcript, specific traction metrics and growth channels cannot be determined.

Headspace is a meditation and mindfulness app founded by Andy Puddicombe and Rich Pierson. Without specific details provided in the podcast episode reference, the exact traction metrics and business story cannot be determined from this source alone.

ClassPass is a subscription service for in-person exercise classes founded by Payal Kadakia. The company faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic when gyms and studios shut down, requiring a pivot to virtual events and wellness offerings to survive. The company was eventually acquired by Mindbody in October 2021.

Saeju Jeong founded Noom in 2007 with just $5,000 in savings after immigrating from South Korea to the U.S. The app focuses on preventative wellness by tracking eating, sleep, and stress patterns, inspired by his late father's critique of reactive medicine. Noom has become one of the most popular weight loss/wellness apps in the U.S. and is rumored to be preparing for an IPO with a potential valuation of $10 billion.

BARK is a subscription service for dogs of all sizes co-founded by Matt Meeker in 2012 after he was disappointed with pet store offerings for his Great Dane. The company has expanded beyond subscriptions to include dog food, furnishings, and luxury charter flights where dogs roam free in the cabin. Matt leveraged lessons from his prior startup experience including a failed text-messaging company and the social platform Meetup to build BARK into a multi-million dollar company.

Calm is a meditation and sleep app co-founded by Alex Tew and Michael Acton Smith in 2011 that brought meditation into the digital age through celebrity-narrated meditations and Sleep Stories. Despite early investor skepticism about monetizing meditation on mobile, Calm grew to nearly $2 billion in valuation with 180 million total downloads.

Dollar Shave Club started when Michael Dubin, a marketing professional with improv comedy training, met Mark Levine who had razors to sell. Dubin created a viral launch video that became iconic, attracting investors and customers. Five years after launching, the company sold to Unilever for $1 billion in cash, becoming one of the most well-known early DTC brands.

Netflix was a scrappy DVD-by-mail startup that nearly didn't survive the dot-com crash in 1997, when Blockbuster dominated home entertainment with 9,000 stores. Reed Hastings navigated the company through a near-death experience with a $50M LVMH funding round, cultural innovation with the famous 'keeper test,' and a pivotal shift to original content with House of Cards. Today, Netflix competes in a crowded streaming landscape where it represents less than 10% of TV viewing, facing threats from YouTube and other platforms.