Prompt Cast
S'well: From Harvard Business School to a $100 Million Revenue Water Bottle Company
TLDR Sarah Kauss, founder of S'well, started the company after a moment of inspiration during a hike with her mom, creating sleek and iconic water bottles with a social mission. Despite facing challenges like counterfeit products, S'well reached $100 million in revenue by strategically growing and emphasizing community and resilience.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Business travelers are finding that mixing leisure with work trips keeps them recharged and excited.
06:08
S'well reached $100 million in revenue in 2016 without external funding, growing methodically and strategically, facing current economic challenges.
11:41
Sarah Kauss worked at Ernst & Young and attended Harvard Business School, where she realized she wanted to start her own business, but struggled to find the right idea after graduating during challenging economic times.
17:10
Sarah Kauss felt unfulfilled in her career, but during a hike with her mom in Arizona, she got the idea to create a water bottle company with a social mission tied to environmental issues.
22:26
Sarah Kauss started by envisioning S'well as a water bottle company that would be a fashion statement, conducting market research by purchasing different water bottles to understand how hers could stand out.
27:51
Sarah Kauss designed the S'well bottle to be sleek, elegant, and iconic, aiming to encourage people to drink tap water and reduce plastic usage, eventually producing 3,000 blue bottles in China after facing challenges in finding a U.S. manufacturer.
33:06
Sarah Kauss was initially nervous about selling her S'well bottles, facing rejection from buyers before eventually selling all 3,000 bottles through personal pitches and giveaways to showcase the product's quality.
39:15
Sarah Kauss sent samples of her S'well bottles to editors, leading to a feature in Oprah's magazine, but had to quickly expand her color options to meet the demand.
44:19
Sarah Kauss set up a fulfillment center to handle orders efficiently, attended trade shows to meet retailers like Crate and Barrel, and learned the importance of meeting vendor requirements for national accounts.
49:24
S'well faced challenges with counterfeit products, leading to legal battles and the need to protect their intellectual property rights.
54:37
S'well faced challenges with counterfeit products, leading to customer confusion and a need to protect the brand's reputation.
59:59
Sarah Kauss faced challenges and maintained humility throughout S'well's growth, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and seeking help when needed.
01:05:38
S'well is focusing on community, resilience, and their mission during uncertain times, aiming to support customers and maintain a sense of togetherness.
Categories:
Business
