Best Startup
At Best Startup US we track over 1,000,000 US startups and over 3 million people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top California based Founder operating in the Lifestyle space. If you think a Founder is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.us.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Brian Sugar
Founder of POPSUGAR
Brian Sugar is the President at Group Nine Media.
Follow Brian Sugar:
About Group Nine Media, POPSUGAR, Sugar Capital: PopSugar is an online network of websites that offers updates, trends, and tips in entertainment, fashion, parenting, fitness, and shopping.
Lennie Sliwinski
Co-Founder of Trusted Health
Lennie Sliwinski is the co-founder and CEO of Trusted Health. Prior to co-founding Trusted Health, Lennie served as the director of marketing at Hired, Inc.
Follow Lennie Sliwinski:
About Trusted Health: Trusted Health is a labor marketplace for healthcare professionals.
Matt Pierce
Co-Founder of Trusted Health
Matt is a future of work thought leader who is passionate about the impact flexible workforce solutions can bring to the healthcare industry. As the President of Trusted Health, he is responsible for defining the vision and go-to-market strategy for the company. Prior to joining Trusted, Matt was a General Manager at tech talent marketplace Hired, where he oversaw product and go-to-market strategy for the company’s contingent worker division. Prior to that, he started his career at TEKsystems, the world’s largest provider of IT staffing. While there, Matt progressed from a technical recruiter to the company’s executive leadership program. In 2018, Matt was named one of Staffing Industry Analyst’s 40 Under 40. He is CCWP certified, served as a Board Member for the Risk Management Association, and advises organizations in the future of work category.
Follow Matt Pierce:
About Trusted Health: Trusted Health is a labor marketplace for healthcare professionals.
Doreen Bloch
CEO & Founder of Poshly
Doreen Bloch is the CEO & Founder of Poshly Inc., a data analytics company focused on consumer intelligence. Inc. Magazine named her one of the 30 Under 30 CEOs of 2015, and she is the winner of L’Oreal’s NEXT Generation Women in Digital Award. Doreen is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley (Class of 2010), where she was awarded the Jack Larson Fellowship for Entrepreneurship & Innovation for her work founding BARE magazine, one of the nation’s first collegiate fashion publications. She was a three-time Yahoo! Inc. intern during college, and after graduation she worked at SecondMarket, where she helped on auctions for shares of pre-IPO companies, including Facebook Inc. Doreen is also the Author of “The Coolest Startups in America” published February 2012, and a member of the Young Entrepreneur Council. Her work is regularly featured by publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, Inc., ForbesWoman, Feministing, Women 2.0, and more.
Follow Doreen Bloch:
About Makeup Museum, Poshly: Poshly is the consumer intelligence company that specializes in the fields of internet, data, consumer packaged goods, and technology.
Robert C. Walker
Founder, Investor, and Board Member of LARQ
Robert C. Walker has 20 years experience in the LED and compound semiconductor world, particularly in Asia, and 6 years of venture capital experience. He was formerly a Partner at Sierra Ventures and CEO of BridgeLux. He has a Ph.D. in Physics from Caltech.
Follow Robert C. Walker:
About LARQ: LARQ helps people access pristine drinking water easily and sustainably.
Allen Chen
CEO & Co-Founder of Fitbod
Allen is the Co-founder & CEO of Fitbod.
Follow Allen Chen:
About Fitbod: Fitbod allows users to maximize the use of indoor gym equipment and confidence to train effectively for strength.
Jesse Venticinque
Co-Founder, Product Head of Fitbod
Follow Jesse Venticinque:
About Fitbod: Fitbod allows users to maximize the use of indoor gym equipment and confidence to train effectively for strength.
Eric Grossberg
Co-CEO & Co-Founder of Brilliant Earth
Follow Eric Grossberg:
About Brilliant Earth: Brilliant Earth is a luxury jewelry company that offers ethically sourced jewelry.
Beth Gerstein
Co-CEO & Co-Founder of Brilliant Earth
Follow Beth Gerstein:
About Brilliant Earth: Brilliant Earth is a luxury jewelry company that offers ethically sourced jewelry.
Tal Pink
Founder of Looksy
Tal Pink is an established entrepreneur with over 10 years experience in the internet and startups. One of the early employees of Israeli company ICQ (acquired by AOL), Tal went on to launch Tar Networks (a startup incubator), as well as [Fonogenic](http://www.fonogenic.com) (DRM free music store for independent artists). His latest project, [Dopetracks.com](http://www.dopetracks.com), brings his love of musical collaboration to the web in a fresh new way by connecting producers and emcees in an interactive environment. Tal is an accomplished musician and a world-traveler who has lived in Israel, London, and California.
Follow Tal Pink:
About Adly, Dopetracks, Looksy, Sparitual: Fashion and Beauty Social Media
Katherine Power
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Clique
Katherine Power is the Co-Founder and CEO of Clique Media Group (CMG), the parent media company of WhoWhatWear (fashion), MyDomaine (lifestyle) Byrdie (beauty) and Obsessee (new omni-channel platform, specifically targeted at Gen-Z). In 2006, Katherine left her editorial role at ELLE to launch Who What Wear with her co-founder, Hillary Kerr. The goal was to disrupt the DNA of the magazine industry with a simple idea: do it digitally. By bringing print magazine sensibilities to the online space, CMG was born to offer readers elevated and curated access to their core passions: fashion, beauty, home and shopping. At CMG, Katherine drives all business operations, advertising and brand partnerships, along with the development of branded technology products. Just within the last year, Katherine has led the charge on exciting new initiatives for CMG, which include announcing the brand’s first foray into product with the launch of the Who What Wear collection at Target, a Series B round of funding that Amazon participated in, international expansion to the UK and Australia, and the acquisition of Wantering, a Canadian startup and social shopping search engine. Additionally, a third co-authored book, The Career Code, which serves as the modern girl’s guide for creating your own professional success, came out in the spring of 2016. As a leader that constantly innovates about what readers and consumers might want next, Katherine and her CMG team are continuing to enhance their offerings and user experience for the new generation of consumers.
Follow Katherine Power:
About AVALINE, Clique, MERIT Beauty, Sonoma Brands, Versed, Who What Wear: Clique is a media and commerce company
Mark Thomas Lynn
Co-Founder & Co-CEO of DSTLD
Mark T. Lynn co-founder @winc @dstld. Founder and CEO of @AMASS.botanics
Follow Mark Thomas Lynn:
About AMASS Botanics, Digital Brands Group (DBG), DSTLD: DSTLD is a direct-to-consumer premium denim brand.
Tyler Bleszinski
Founder of Vox Media
Tyler is the founder of SB Nation which laid the groundwork for the creation of Vox Media. He served as the CEO of SB Nation for the first four years of its existence. The disruption of traditional sports media started with Bleszinski’s coverage approach and led to massive growth immediately. The young company’s rapid success attracted the attention of investors and future CEO Jim Bankoff. Tyler now functions as SB Nation’s vice president of talent, serving as a mentor, advocate and teacher for the team blogs in the network. He manages the team blog leadership and leads the recruiting, credentialing and editorial planning for our team blogs. He has a keen eye for talent, with many of the current full time sports employees starting as bloggers early on in SB Nation’s history. Tyler started the network when he launched his Oakland Athletics site Athletics Nation in November 2003. The site became the model for how to approach coverage in the new media landscape with an open and distinct bias. He set out with the purpose of raising the level of discourse that existed at the time and empowering fans to embrace their own community on the Web. His approach became the blueprint for the company’s success as he developed a close relationship with A’s general manager Billy Beane as well as owner Lewis Wolff. He remains a driving force behind the team blogs today.
Follow Tyler Bleszinski:
About SBNation, The Verge, Vox Media: Vox Media is an operator of an online media publishing agency created to influence editorial properties and premium advertising.
Shashank P S
Founder & CEO of CasaOne
Shashank is the founder and CEO of CasaOne. Prior to CasaOne, he worked at Accel and Bessemer Venture Partners. He previously founded two companies in the e-commerce and marketing automation respectively.
Follow Shashank P S:
About CasaOne: CasaOne is an online store for furniture, decor, and home goods. Furniture is also available on rent in SF, LA and NY!
Susan Feldman
Founder of In The Groove
Susan Feldman is the founder of In The Groove(www.getinthegroove.com), a new life-style destination for age-defying women. In The Groove is a community that celebrates and engages these women as the evolving and relevant women they are. Founded with a sense of humor, community, and self-awareness, In The Groove is on a mission to free women from rules, age limits, and expectations. Prior to In The Groove, Susan was the co-founder and visionary behind One Kings Lane, the go-to destination for home decor. One Kings Lane launched in March 2009 and an industry was disrupted. Today One Kings Lane is a daily source of shopping and design inspiration for millions of people both online and offline One Kings Lane was sold to Bed, Bath & Beyond (Nasdaq: BBBY) in June 2016. Susan remains a strategic advisor to the company. Susan has been featured in national publications including Elle Décor, House Beautiful, INStyle, New York Magazine, BusinessWeek, and The New York Times. She has appeared on Bravo’s Million Dollar Decorators and NBC’s The Today Show. Susan was named to Vanity Fair’s “New Establishment” list twice in the past six years. Prior to co-founding One Kings Lane, Susan held executive positions in the apparel industry—at Ralph Lauren Swimwear, Polo Jeans, Warnaco/Authentic Fitness Corp., and Liz Claiborne. Susan has an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and a BA from Stanford University. Since 2013 Susan has served on the Parson Board of Govenors.
Follow Susan Feldman:
About Authentic Fitness Corp., In The Groove, Liz Claiborne, One Kings Lane, Ralph Lauren Corporation: content/ commerce
Imran Khan
Co-Founder & CEO of Verishop
Imran Khan is the Chief Strategy Officer at Snapchat.
Follow Imran Khan:
About Verishop: Verishop is a premium lifestyle company that offers everyday luxury in fashion, beauty, home, and more.
Amanda Micallef
Co-Founder & COO of Arsenic
Follow Amanda Micallef:
About Arsenic: Arsenic Magazine is a by-the-people, for-the-people, online lifestyle and culture magazine based in the Arts District.
Jeroen Cappaert
CTO & Co-Founder of Spire Global
Mechanical/Electrical/Aerospace engineer, passionate about space and astronautics. Currently Lead satellite payload and avionics engineer and co-founder at Spire Global Inc. in San Francisco. Previous work and research includes high-enthalpy flow simulation, computational mechanics and fluid dynamics, spacecraft avionics and payload design, geo-engineering, and low-thrust astrodynamics at institutions such as NASA Ames, Von Karman Institute, International Space University.
Follow Jeroen Cappaert:
About NASA Ames Research Center, Spire Global: Spire Global is a space to cloud data analytics company utilizing satellites to provide maritime, aviation, and weather tracking.
Alex Glasscock
Founder/CEO of The Ranch Malibu
Alex Glasscock is the founder and CEO of The Ranch Malibu.
Follow Alex Glasscock:
About The Ranch Malibu: The Ranch Malibu is dedicated to creating a safe, secure, and sacred place to allow for personal awareness and life transformation.
Moj Mahdara
CEO & Founder of BeautyCon
Moj Mahdara, CEO of Beautycon Media, is an entrepreneur in the entertainment, digital, and emerging technology spaces with a well-honed business development, marketing acumen and sharp insight into consumer behavior. She has been at the helm of three award winning global agencies and has been instrumental in the launch of a multitude of successful consumer brands. Prior to forming the agency, Made With Elastic (MWE), and becoming the CEO of Beautycon Media, Moj served as the CEO of Exopolis, a digital interactive studio. Moj grew the company from four to 100+ employees and developed a client list that included Apple and Microsoft. Under her leadership Exopolis executed the highly acclaimed “U2 Loves Blackberry” campaign and boasted annual gross revenue of more than $30M. After selling Exopolis at peak value, Moj founded MWE, which quickly became one of Los Angeles’ most sought-after teams to execute innovative digital and consumer campaigns. MWE’s global client roster includes/included: Levi’s®, HTC (AOR), Motorola (AOR) Lacoste, BMW, and segued Moj into her current Beautycon Media venture. Beautycon Media is THE global community of content creators, celebrities, fans, and brands that come together to celebrate all things fashion, beauty, style and the passion points of the Gen Z and Millennial lifestyle. The company successfully creates meaningful connections for these communities through an innovative three-pronged business strategy: Beautycon Festivals, Beautycon Box, and a robust editorial and social content offering. The goals of Beautycon Media, under Moj’s leadership, are to: redefine beauty, provide one-of-a-kind opportunities for brands to reach consumers, spotlight the influence of GenZ and challenge the status quo; all while creating a “style” destination for all. Under Moj’s leadership the company has expanded globally, made key executive hires, raised successful Angel investment funding, brought the Beautycon Box to market and partnered with the likes of Bethany Mota, CAA, AOL (Built By Girl), L’OREAL, Hearst Media, Jay Brown, Allen DeBevoise (Third Wave Partners), and more. As an Entrepreneur who is open-minded and always staying ahead of the curve, Moj ensures that the content and experiences that Beautycon Media creates and curates resonates with all diverse communities. Moj has also invested in businesses such as, Hello Giggles, in an effort to support other female entrepreneurs. She was included in both Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire Magazine’s “Top Female” Lists for 2015 and resides in Los Angeles with her partner. You can usually find her online.
Follow Moj Mahdara:
About BeautyCon: BeautyCon Media is a community for content creators, celebrities, fans, and brands to come together for all things beauty and fashion.
Hilary Coles
Co-Founder and VP Product of Hims & Hers
Hilary Coles is the co-founder and VP of product at Hims & Hers, men’s and women’s wellness brands that provide access to medical-grade products and preventative solutions via telemedicine.
Follow Hilary Coles:
About Hims & Hers: Hims is a wellness brand that helps men and women get access to products for skin care, hair loss, and sexual health.
Andrew Dudum
Founder and CEO of Hims & Hers
Andrew is a Founder & CEO at Hims & Hers. He is also a Cofounder and General Partner at Atomic, a venture-builder in San Francisco backed by Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen and many of the leading venture funds in the world. He is serial founder, active angel investor and advisor to over two dozen startups. Andrew graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in Management and Economics.
Follow Andrew Dudum:
About Atomic, Cherubic Ventures, Hims & Hers, LendforPeace.org, Paravision, Trumaker: Hims is a wellness brand that helps men and women get access to products for skin care, hair loss, and sexual health.
Tyra Banks
Founder of TZONE
Tyra Banks is an actress, author, television personality, supermodel, and founder of TZONE. In the fashion industry, Banks is known for her extensive list of “firsts.” Over the course of her distinguished modeling career, successfully transitioning from high-fashion to commercial, she became the first African-American woman to grace the covers of GQ and the coveted Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. At the height of her success with global supermodel status, Banks made the decision to leave the modeling world and pursue ventures in media and entertainment. In 2003, Banks established Bankable, the parent company to the Digital, Studios, and Books divisions, creating a multi-faceted company where beauty meets entertainment. She became a pioneer in reality TV as the creator, executive producer, and host of America’s Next Top Model which is viewed in over 170 markets, with 20 international editions. In 2005, Banks became the first woman seen simultaneously on primetime and daytime with the launch of her own talk show, as host and executive producer of the Emmy-winning, “The Tyra Show.” Banks is also the co-executive producer of ABC’s primetime reality series “True Beauty.” In 2011, Banks announced an exclusive partnership with Demand Media to launch a highly-interactive, beauty-and fashion-focused online platform. She also released her first fiction novel in 2011 titled ModelLand, a fantasy trilogy published by Delacorte Press of Random House, which hit the New York Times bestseller list. Through all her endeavors, Banks remains committed to her personal mission to empower women and expand the definition of beauty.
Follow Tyra Banks:
About Fierce Capital, Tyra Beauty, TZONE: TZONE is a foundation that works towards developing teen girls’ self-esteem and independence.
Mike Melby
Co-Founder and Co-CEO of FITLAB
Follow Mike Melby:
About ELECTRIC, FITLAB, FITLAB, FITLAB, Mayweather Boxing & Fitness, XPT: FitLab powers experiences that inspire you to move.
Thayer Sylvester
Co-Founder & CEO of Carve Designs
Follow Thayer Sylvester:
About Carve Designs: A Mill Valley, Calif.-based apparel maker.
Jennifer Hinton
Co-Founder & Creative Director of Carve Designs
Jennifer B. Hinton is Co-Founder of Carve Designs, Inc. Ms. Hinton studied at University of Colorado Boulder.
Follow Jennifer Hinton:
About Carve Designs: A Mill Valley, Calif.-based apparel maker.
Anupam Tulsyan
Founder and CEO of Peachmode
Follow Anupam Tulsyan:
About Peachmode: High Quality Ethnic Wear at Affordable Price
Bob Messerschmidt
Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Cor
Bob’s career spans more than 25 years in the field of instrumentation for spectroscopy. Bob was awarded the Williams-Wright Award in 1996 for outstanding contributions to infrared spectroscopy. He is the author or co-author of 12 articles and book chapters and co-editor of one book on infrared microspectroscopy, he holds 42 issued and pending US patents. He has made numerous conference and seminar presentations in the United States, Europe and Japan, and organized and chaired symposia in infrared spectroscopy. His interests include biomedical applications of spectroscopy, microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and other developing techniques. He is past president of the Coblentz Society, past president of the Rio Grande section of the SAS, a past-president of the Southwestern Connecticut section of the Optical Society of America, and a member of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy.
Follow Bob Messerschmidt:
About Cor: Lifestyle Science™ platform
Fred Helou
Founder & CEO of Vagaro
Follow Fred Helou:
About Vagaro: Vagaro is an online platform that allows its users to find salons and spas in their local area and make appointments online.
Meaghan Rose
Founder & CEO of Rocksbox
Meaghan started Rocksbox by lending pieces from her own personal jewelry collection, and quickly saw a need amongst women to simplify the jewelry shopping process. Before Rocksbox, Meaghan was a consultant with McKinsey & Co, and Bain & Co, leading product innovation and social media strategy for some of the largest consumer and retail brands around the world. Meaghan holds a BS in Economics from George Mason, an MS in Economics from Johns Hopkins, and an MBA from the Wharton School.
Follow Meaghan Rose:
About Rocksbox: Rocksbox is a jewelry membership service transforming the way women discover and buy jewelry.
Karina Sulzer
Founder of Skin Gym
Follow Karina Sulzer:
About SKIN CAMP, Skin Gym, YOUTH HAUS: Skin Gym is a natural beauty tool brand featuring crystal facial massage rollers in addition to crystal healing products.
Evan Richardson
Founder and CEO of Form Health
Evan founded Form Health with the mission of making modern medical weight loss available for everyone. He was previously part of the founding management team at Grand Rounds, a telemedical concierge and primary care practice that helps patients get access to the highest quality, most appropriate healthcare. Prior to Grand Rounds, Evan was an early employee at Castlight Health, a pioneer in the healthcare price transparency space. Evan is a member of the board of directors at Bicycle Health, the national leader in delivering medication assisted therapy to people with opioid dependency. He received a BA with honors at Dartmouth College, and an MBA with honors from the Harvard Business School.
Follow Evan Richardson:
About Form Health: Form Health is a telemedical weight loss company that focuses on individuals dealing with obesity.
Bianca Gates
CEO & Co-Founder of Birdies
Bianca Gates is the slipper obsessed CEO and Co-Founder of Birdies, the company that is disrupting the slipper market and creating a new category of footwear. Prior to Birdies, Bianca was a Sales Executive at Facebook/Instagram leading retail partnerships. During her time at Facebook, Bianca launched the first Lean In Circle with Sheryl Sandberg and is passionate about bringing women together to support each-others dreams. Bianca is a graduate from the University of California at Irvine and lives in San Francisco with her husband and two kids.
Follow Bianca Gates:
About Birdies: Direct-to-consumer brand that designs stylish flats that feel like slippers thanks to their exclusive cloud-like comfort technology.
Michael Barlow
Co-Founder & CEO of Fernish
Michael L. Barlow is the Co-Founder of Fernish. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of Atom Tickets.
Follow Michael Barlow:
About Fernish: Fernish is a furniture rental startup company that offers furniture as a subscription model to consumers living a mobile lifestyle.
Lucas Dickey
Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder of Fernish
Lucas Dickey is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Fernish, a Board Observer at Fractal, and an Angel Investor of Lucas Dickey. He is also an Advisory Board Member at Trellis Research and an Advisor at Chatlingual. Prior to that, he was the Advisory Board Member of Mapfit, the Principal Product Manager at Rival and Atom Tickets, and VP of Product at Thinknear. Earlier in his career, he was also the Head of Product at doubleTwist. Prior to joining doubleTwist, he was product manager for Amazon Cloud Player, Amazon Cloud Drive, Amazon MP3 Uploader, and Amazon MP3. He’s also an active angel investor.
Follow Lucas Dickey:
About Fernish: Fernish is a furniture rental startup company that offers furniture as a subscription model to consumers living a mobile lifestyle.
Bobby Farahi
CEO & Founder of Dolls Kill
Follow Bobby Farahi:
About Dolls Kill: Dollskill is a website showcasing various fashion designs of women’s clothing.
Joseph Heller
CEO and Founder of The/Studio
Joseph Heller is the CEO and founder of The/Studio.
Follow Joseph Heller:
About The/Studio: The/Studio is an on-demand product creation and manufacturing platform for businesses to easily bring products to market.
Jigar Shah
Founder & CEO of Miles
Jigar Shah is the Founder & CEO of Miles. Formerly he was a Senior Product Manager & Technical Leader at Cisco with P&L responsibilities over $750M.
Follow Jigar Shah:
About Miles: Miles is a startup that offers rewards for traveling, regardless of the mode of transportation.
Isaac Scharf
Founder & CEO of Pillow Guy
Follow Isaac Scharf:
About Pillow Guy: Pillow Guy is bringing lifestyle fashion into the “Man’s Home” starting with our line of luxury bedding
Jared Berry
Founder of Carlsbad Naturals
As a pioneer in the CBD industry in the United States, Jared Berry has forged trails in multiple territories, establishing businesses and technologies that have set standards in the cannabis marketplace. He singlehandedly identified CBD as a viable ingredient for multiple supplements and delivery systems and as an international commodity. As such, his early efforts laid the groundwork for entities like Medical Marijuana, Inc. (Hemp Meds), Cannavest (now CV Sciences), and other CBD companies. His innovative vision set the industry in motion and continues to move it forward as the multi-billion dollar movement into which it has evolved. He founded BPSG/BioSynthesis Pharma Group and went on to found Isodiol, the industry’s most innovative hemp cannabinoid product developer and manufacturer.
Follow Jared Berry:
About Carlsbad Naturals: Carlsbad Naturals brings cutting edge science to deliver nutrients and hydration in an effective way
Sascha Mornell
Co-Founder & CEO of GetMyBoat
Sascha Mornell is a serial entrepreneur. He is the Co-Founder of GetMyBoat, ZigAir, and Phacil. Previously, he worked for register.com, where he served as SVP of Sales & Marketing. Mr. Mornell also worked at the National Basketball Association and Dreyer’s, Japan in Tokyo. Mr. Mornell has served as an advisor/investor to several small businesses, including Osmio (acquired by Aramark), Markmonitor, AW Media and others. Mr. Mornell graduated cum laude from UC Berkeley and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Follow Sascha Mornell:
About GetMyBoat, SaraGEO, ZigAir: GetMyBoat is the marketplace for boat rentals, yacht charters, and on-the-water experiences.
Raf Collado
Co-Founder of GetMyBoat
Rafael Collado is a serial entrepreneur. He is the Co-Founder of GetMyBoat, ZigAir, and Phacil. Mr. Collado has founded, built, managed and sold three companies, including: Inabox, a web-based software company dedicated to web site creation tools acquired by register.com in 2000, BERN Associates, Inc., a company that provided Internet consulting, network services and content development tools to telephone companies that was acquired by Prime Cellular in 1996, and Sigma Research, a software company acquired by FastComm Communications in 1993. Mr. Collado also founded and was CEO of Protocom Devices, which he took public in 1985.Mr. Collado was an Associate Professor in the Electrical Engineering Department of The Cooper Union Institute in New York, and he attended the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn where he majored in Electrical Engineering.
Follow Raf Collado:
About GetMyBoat, Protocom Aviation, SaraGEO, ZigAir: GetMyBoat is the marketplace for boat rentals, yacht charters, and on-the-water experiences.
Adam Messner
Co-Founder of Yardzen
Follow Adam Messner:
About Yardzen: Where beautiful, functional outdoor spaces start online.
Marc Lickfett
Founder, Managing Director and a non-executive director of King & McGaw.
Marc Lickfett is Founder, Managing Director and a non-executive director at King & McGaw & Knife Aid.
Follow Marc Lickfett:
About King & McGaw., Knife Aid: King & McGaw sells art prints and framed art items online.
Taylor Shupe
Co-Founder | CPO of Stance
Follow Taylor Shupe:
About BooSocki, Stance: Stance is a designer and manufacturer of socks for men, women, and kids.
Aaron Hennings
Co-Founder | VP Creative of Stance
Follow Aaron Hennings:
About Stance: Stance is a designer and manufacturer of socks for men, women, and kids.
Ryan Kingman
Co-Founder | CMO of Stance
Follow Ryan Kingman:
About Igloo, Stance: Stance is a designer and manufacturer of socks for men, women, and kids.
John Wilson
Co-Founder & CEO of Stance
Follow John Wilson:
About Stance: Stance is a designer and manufacturer of socks for men, women, and kids.
Jeff Chapin
Co-Founder, Chief of Product of Casper
Jeff designs things that solve fundamental human needs and has had the opportunity to do so on a global scale. Between IDEO, The Gates Foundation and the World Bank, he has designed products in clean water, sanitation, agriculture and clean energy. With Casper, he’s trying to make sure we all get a good night’s rest.
Follow Jeff Chapin:
About Casper: Casper is a sleep startup that launches a comfortable mattress sold directly to consumers, eliminating commission-driven inflated prices.
Matt Anderson
Co-Founder & Innovation of TaxJar
Matt Anderson is CTO at TaxJar.
Follow Matt Anderson:
About TaxJar: TaxJar is the leading technology solution for busy eCommerce sellers to manage sales tax. We’re 100% remote.
Iskra Tsenkova
Co-Founder & CEO of Angel Shave Club
Follow Iskra Tsenkova:
About Angel Shave Club: First Online Boutique Shave Club for Women!
Joe Cloyes
Co-Founder & CEO of Youth To The People
Founder & CEO at Youth To The People.
Follow Joe Cloyes:
About Youth To The People: Youth To The People is a provider of skincare products that helps to replenish and renew tired skin.
Greg Gonzalez
Co-Founder of Youth To The People
Follow Greg Gonzalez:
About Youth To The People: Youth To The People is a provider of skincare products that helps to replenish and renew tired skin.
Jake Miller
Founder of Fellow
Founder of Fellow.
Follow Jake Miller:
About Fellow: Fellow specializes in product design and brings ideas from sketchbook to a kitchen table.
Hillary Kerr
Co-Founder of Who What Wear
Follow Hillary Kerr:
About Clique, Who What Wear: Who What Wear is an online platform for premium and original style and shopping content.
Shai Rozen
Co-Founder & CPO of Suggestic
Human being, currently living on planet earth. Serial entrepreneur, growth hacker and product builder. Passionate about life and the quest for immortality.
Follow Shai Rozen:
About 0BS, Suggestic: Suggestic operates as a personalized nutrition platform that utilizes AI to deliver food recommendations.
Ethan Gromet
Co-Founder & Product Designer of Hutch Interiors
Follow Ethan Gromet:
About BCG Digital Ventures, Hutch Interiors: Hutch Interiors is a mobile app that transforms spaces from before to after, faster than ever.
Julie Wainwright
Founder & CEO of The RealReal
Julie Wainwright is transforming the luxury resale marketplace and buying habits of luxury shoppers through The RealReal, the premier online luxury consignment site. Julie was an e-commerce pioneer as CEO of Reel.com in 1997 and Pets.com in 1999. In 2014 she was named one of Tech Crunches “40 Over 40” Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, and was recognized by The San Francisco Business Times as one of the most admired CEOs of the year. In 2013 she was recognized as a top female entrepreneur by the San Francisco Business Times and received the FashInvest Innovation Award.
Follow Julie Wainwright:
About The RealReal: The RealReal is an online marketplace for authenticated and consigned luxury goods.
Gideon Yu
CEO & Co-Founder of EVA Automation
Gideon is currently a General Partner at [Khosla Ventures](/financial-organization/khosla-ventures). Previously, Gideon was the Chief Financial Officer of [Facebook](/organization/facebook), where he led the $375 million investment round from [Microsoft](/organization/microsoft) and Hong-Kong billionaire [Li Ka Shing](/person/li-ka-shing) at a record $15 billion valuation. Before that, Gideon was a Partner at [Sequoia Capital](/financial-organization/sequoia-capital), and was also the Chief Financial Officer at [YouTube](/organization/youtube) where he negotiated its $1.65 billion sale to [Google](/organization/google) amidst a highly competitive auction for the company. Prior to YouTube, Gideon was the Treasurer and Senior Vice President of Finance for [Yahoo](/organization/yahoo), executing over 30 acquisitions / investments, including Shimon, Alibaba / Taobao, Overture, Haber, Inktomi, [Flickr](/organization/flickr), and del.icio.us and over $5 billion of capital markets transactions, including $750 million in zero coupon / zero yield convertible notes – Yahoo’s first financing since its IPO. Prior to Yahoo, Gideon was the Chief Financial Officer of Haber Software (acquired by NeuStar, NYSE: NSR) and held positions at Disney, Shimon, Hilton, and DLJ / CSFB. Gideon graduated from Stanford University majoring in Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management and received his MBA from Harvard Business School. Gideon is also very active philanthropically, likes art, movies, fast cars. Currently serves on the Board of Directors of the UCSF Medical Foundation.
Follow Gideon Yu:
About Cloudera, EVA Automation, San Francisco 49ers: EVA Automation is a Silicon Valley-based startup that reimages audio and video experiences.
Brad Handler
Founder of Inspirato
As one of Inspirato’s founders, Brad focuses on corporate finance and strategic initiatives. For more than 20 years, Brad has worked at some of the world’s most exciting and innovative companies. He started his career at Apple, and later served as eBay’s first attorney during a time of tremendous growth in the online world. In 2002, he founded Exclusive Resorts with his brother Brent and served as the company’s CEO and chairman. Brad continues to bring his passion for entrepreneurship to a number of private companies. He is a lecturer at Stanford Law School and the University of Virginia School of Law. Brad earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, a bachelor’s degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and a juris doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Follow Brad Handler:
About Inspirato: Inspirato is an innovative luxury travel and lifestyle subscription company.
Travis Lubinsky
Co-Founder of Flex Watches, Inc.
Travis is a highly accomplished and goal-oriented professional, with extensive years of experience in leading sales, developing business ideas, and promoting brands (including celebrities). He is well-versed in analyzing market trends and activities, prospecting, sourcing, and establishing strong relationships to drive revenue goals. He is adept at creating marketing plans, strategies and promotions to optimize business performance and expand territorial coverage. Travis is also an analytical problem solver, proactive team leader, and start-up specialist with success oriented in lead generation and pipeline management. He has a proven track record of delivering unequaled service in manufacturing and Retail Sales as well as utilizing cutting-edge solution selling techniques which produce higher sales revenue, secure market capture and generate large profit accounts. He has held over 50 licenses including the WWE, Anaheim Ducks and several notable organizations. Please visit www.travislubinsky.com for additional information.
Follow Travis Lubinsky:
About Flex Watches, Inc.: Flex Watches creates watches inspired by living in the now and staying flexible throughout life.
Michael Topolovac
Founder and CEO of CRAVE
He is the co-founder and CEO of CRAVE.
Follow Michael Topolovac:
About CRAVE, Light & Motion: Crave is a lifestyle brand that offers sex toys through designed, discreet, and luxurious vibrators.
Tony Podell
Founder & CEO of Laundry by Shelli Segal
Tony brings decades of apparel retailer experience as the founder of Laundry by Shelli Segal. He was also one of the lead investors in 7 for all Mankind.
Follow Tony Podell:
About Laundry by Shelli Segal: A leader in the contemporary market, Laundry by Shelli Segal has been inspiring women for more than 25 years.
Joe Dahan
Founder & Creative Director of Joe’s Jeans
Joe Dahan is a Founder & Creative Director at Joe’s Jeans.
Follow Joe Dahan:
About Joe’s Jeans: Joe’s offers a full range of styles for men, women and children through their casual chic denim line and lifestyle collection.
Ann Crady Weiss
Founder, CEO of Hatch
Ann is a partner at True Ventures. She has deep experience as an entrepreneur, having founded and run two companies, both funded by the firm. Her experience to date spans early-stage consumer, mobile, and IOT companies. Her passion is working with early stage founders who have a clear vision and quiet confidence. Ann is currently the CEO and co-founder of Hatch Baby, creator of smart nursery products that use technology and user-centric design to make caring for a baby a little easier and more joyful. A testament to the company’s traction, Hatch Baby products appear on 20 percent of all baby gift registries. Ann previously founded and ran Maya’s Mom, a social network that was acquired by Johnson & Johnson. She was an executive in the search and marketplace division of Yahoo and also served as the senior vice president of consumer experience for BabyCenter. Ann received a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego and a law degree, cum laude, from Georgetown Law Center. When she’s not working at True or Hatch Baby, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children. She aspires to exercise more and reads fiction to relax her mind.
Follow Ann Crady Weiss:
About Hatch, True Ventures: Hatch offers a suite of smart sleep products to help humans of all ages and stages develop and maintain natural healthy sleep habits.
Tim Nybo
Co-Founder of Vincero Watches
Follow Tim Nybo:
About Vincero Watches: Luxury Watches. Handcrafted. Fair Prices. To inspire as many people as possible to elevate their game and live their legacy.
Mohammad Mehdi Safari
Co-Founder of UpUdate
Entrepreneur, Angel Investor
Follow Mohammad Mehdi Safari:
About OppNLyfe, UpUdate: UpUdate is a mobile Super App that consists of Shopping, Social Media, News, Services, Streaming, Podcasts & Much More! Join The Waitlist!
Mohammad Hadi Safari
Co-Founder of UpUdate
Follow Mohammad Hadi Safari:
About OppNLyfe, UpUdate: UpUdate is a mobile Super App that consists of Shopping, Social Media, News, Services, Streaming, Podcasts & Much More! Join The Waitlist!
Kevin Yip
COO & Co-Founder of Blueboard
Founder at Blueboard.
Follow Kevin Yip:
About Blueboard: Blueboard is an experiential rewards and recognition platform for the modern workplace.
Jason Osni
Founder of Old Pal
Follow Jason Osni:
About Old Pal: Old Pal is a cannabis lifestyle brand based in California
Luke Iseman
Co-Founder of Boxouse
Luke Iseman is the Co-Founder at Boxouse.
Follow Luke Iseman:
About Boxouse, Edyn: Boxouse converts shipping containers into tiny off grid houses and promotes sustainable communities.
Sarah Peterson
Co-Founder of The Nudge
Marketing at Livday. Formerly Apple.
Follow Sarah Peterson:
About The Nudge: The Nudge is a text-based planning service used to help people explore their city.
John Peterson
Co-Founder & CEO of The Nudge
CEO of The Nudge
Follow John Peterson:
About The Nudge: The Nudge is a text-based planning service used to help people explore their city.
Kfir Gavrieli
Founder, CEO of Tieks
Kfir Gavrieli is the founder and CEO of Tieks. Tieks designs and sells a line of women’s flat shoes known for it’s signature split-sole, Italian leather, comfort and portability. Tieks was one of the early brands to sell exclusively through it’s own website and today is one of the top web-only fashion brands in the world. Kfir founded the company with his sister, Dikla, in 2008, and the line officially launched in 2010. The company has been recognized by Forbes (25 Most Innovative Consumer Brands), Inc (30 Under 30), Entrepreneur (Top 30 Startups to Watch), The Oprah Magazine (The O List) and several other national publications. Tieks is committed to women’s empowerment and, through the Gavrieli Foundation, has become the largest individual lender in the world on Kiva, sending over $5,000,000 to women entrepreneurs living in poverty around the world. Prior to Tieks, Kfir worked in the hedge fund, venture capital, real estate and tech industries. He completed BA, MS and MBA degrees at Stanford and lives in Los Angeles.
Follow Kfir Gavrieli:
About Tieks: Tieks, The most versatile designer flats in the world. Made of the finest Italian leathers and designed to fold and fit in a purse.
Prachi Baxi
Co-Founder of SmartyPans
Experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the consumer electronics industry. Skilled in Nutrition Education, School Nutrition, Wellness Coaching, Yoga, and Fitness Training. Strong entrepreneurship professional with a Master’s in Clinical Nutrition
Follow Prachi Baxi:
About SmartyPans: We are the cookware brand for fitness focused home cooks. Our patented cookware automate nutrition tracking of home cooked meals
Mac Harman
Founder & CEO of Balsam Brands
Follow Mac Harman:
About Balsam Brands, Woodland School: Balsam Brands is a multi-brand E-Commerce retailer with roots in holiday and home décor.
Brett Lovelady
Founder and CEO of Astro Studios
Brett Lovelady founded Astro Gaming, LLC in 2006 and serves as its Chief Design Officer and President. Brett Lovelady founded Astro Studios, Inc., in 1994 and serves as its Chief Executive Officer. At ASTRO, he acts as Chief Design Officer, juggling a variety of directorships and venturous fireballs. His portfolio of work at ASTRO Studios includes the design direction of the Xbox 360, Alienware PCs & laptops, Nike Triax Watches, the original iPaq for Compaq, 2 BusinessWeek Design of the Decade awards and many other industry blockbusters. Brett Lovelady served as Vice President of Design at both Lunar and Frog Design.
Follow Brett Lovelady:
About Astro Studios: They create multi-dimensional brand experiences that define popular culture.
Diane ranger
Founder of Colorescience
Founder Of Colorescience.
Follow Diane ranger:
About Colorescience: Colorescience is a luxury aesthetic makeup products line in the medical and resort spa sectors.
Mitchell Hayes
Founder and CEO of Los Sundays Tequila
Mitchell Hayes is the Founder and CEO at Los Sundays Tequila.
Follow Mitchell Hayes:
About Los Sundays Tequila: Los Sundays is a tequila company and lifestyle brand that offers 100% Blue Weber Agave Tequila.
Hana Lee
Founder & CEO of Melixir
Follow Hana Lee:
About Melixir: Melixir is a cult beauty brand rooted in Korean skincare rituals backed by science.
Jill Layfield
Co-Founder and CEO of Tamara Mellon
Jill Layfield is Co-Founder and CEO at Tamara Mellon Brand.
Follow Jill Layfield:
About Tamara Mellon: Tamara Mellon offers apparel and accessories for women.
Lee Bellon
Founder and CEO of Wishfinity
Follow Lee Bellon:
About Countsy, Eggtooth, GameApart, SuitePeach, Warehouse Exchange, WishExpress, Wishfinity: Wishfinity is a universal shopping cart and virtual mall for consumers to manage everything they’re considering to buy.
Jill Koziol
Co-Founder + CEO of Motherly
Jill Koziol is the co-founder and CEO of Motherly a modern lifestyle brand redefining motherhood with it’s 30M+ monthly audience. She is also the co-author of “This Is Motherhood: A Motherly Collection of Reflections and Practices” and the forthcoming book, “The Motherly Guide to Becoming Mama: Redefining the Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum Journey”. Jill is passionate about serving and empowering women and mothers because when mamas are successful, everyone wins. She is an advocate for families, female founders, and how to thrive with multiple sclerosis. Jill lives in Menlo Park with her husband and two daughters.
Follow Jill Koziol:
About Motherly: Motherly is a community-driven lifestyle brand redefining motherhood.
Elizabeth Tenety
Co-Founder & Chief Digital Officer of Motherly
Elizabeth Tenety is a co-founder and chief digital officer at Motherly.
Follow Elizabeth Tenety:
About Motherly: Motherly is a community-driven lifestyle brand redefining motherhood.
Charles Park
Founder & CEO of Offline Inc
Follow Charles Park:
About DreamDojo, Offline Inc: Offline is the owner of Sugarlips Apparel, a women’s clothing brand based in Los Angeles, California.
Allison Streuter
Founder & CEO of Emerald & Palm
Allison Streuter is the Founder and CEO of Emerald & Palm, a direct-to-consumer womenswear brand inspired by Old Hollywood glamour and influenced by current trends. Prior to starting Emerald & Palm, Allison was at WME, and Atom Factory, where she was the Director of Technology Partnerships.
Follow Allison Streuter:
About Emerald & Palm: A social first womenswear brand bringing timeless, elegant clothing to women regardless of age or size. Made in LA.
Keemia Ferasat
Founder & CEO of Style Salute
Keemia Ferasat is the founder & CEO of Style Salute, a mission-driven digital media, and entertainment company with a global audience footprint of 400 thousand a month across platforms. Focused around the core values of individuality and creativity, Style Salute delivers content and experiences that speak to an audience that’s highly engaged across a variety of devices and destinations, from original content and email newsletters, to live experiences and social storytelling. Our audience is comprised of self-made dreamers who are smart and passionate, always seeking out the next thing and living to their full potential in every aspect of their lives. As a next-generation women’s media company, Style Salute is changing the way content speaks to and represents women, always sparking the conversations that matter most. Delivering on that mission, Keemia is driven every day to celebrate women and to help them see, feel and own their power — walking the walk in all that she does.
Follow Keemia Ferasat:
About Style Salute: Style Salute is a digital media and entertainment company dedicated to inspiring young women to live a smarter, more stylish life.
Lavinia Errico
Founder of Equinox Fitness
Follow Lavinia Errico:
About Equinox Fitness: Equinox Fitness is an American luxury fitness company with its national headquarters in New York.
Hilary Novelle
Co-Founder of The Style Club
Hilary Novelle is Founder and CEO at The Style Club.
Follow Hilary Novelle:
About The Style Club: The Style Club features modern day vintage clothing for women with a minimal look and feel.
Ann Marie Hudson
Founder & Co-Owner (MDC – North Hollywood) of Millennium Dance Media, LLC
Follow Ann Marie Hudson:
About Millennium Dance Media, LLC: Millennium Dance Media, LLC An international expansion of commercial dance studios and the building of a lifestyle brand.
Jelica Baker
CEO and Founder of Saddle Shoppe
Jelica Baker is the founder and CEO of Saddle Shoppe.
Follow Jelica Baker:
About Saddle Shoppe: Saddle Shoppe is a luxury e-commerce platform for the equestrian industry.
Tyler York
Founder & CEO of Achievable
Follow Tyler York:
About Achievable, Electronic Arts: Achievable provide better way to study for the FINRA Series 7.
Justin Pincar
Founder & CTO of Achievable
Follow Justin Pincar:
About Achievable, Unety: Achievable provide better way to study for the FINRA Series 7.
Roya Ansari
Co-Founder – VP Business Development of Trendage
Extensive experience in sales, customer negotiations, business development, global alliances and establishing VARs. Building company infrastructures from concept to delivery leading to Merger & Acquisition. A team builder and a team player, result oriented and well respected by customers, partners and peers. Has worked for fortune 500 companies and startups with proven track record. Co-founded two companies and has successfully led the companies from start through final sale. The scaling involved sales and business development, building a global customer base and revenue pipeline from scratch to sustain the company’s operations, consistent revenue growth, securing multi-year contracts and customer retention, strategic partnerships, increasing profitability, and shape product offerings.
Follow Roya Ansari:
About Trendage, Z2Data: Trendage develops and operates an online platform, which allows retailers to make recommendations for shoppers.
David Miró Llopis
Co-Founder of ManiMe
Follow David Miró Llopis:
About ManiMe: ManiMe is a beauty-tech company that delivers fitted and ready-to-wear manicures made with 3D scanning technology.
Payom Niazmandi
Founder & CEO of Unibui, Inc.
Follow Payom Niazmandi:
About Unibui, Inc.: Unibui helps local businesses reach and convert students as physical customers with unique QR channels.
Alexander Wong
CEO & Founder of Alexander Wong, Inc.
Follow Alexander Wong:
About Alexander Wong, Inc.: The premier designer and manufacturer of high-end, luxury wearables and electronics.
Ravneet Vohra
Founder of Wear Your Voice
Ravneet is the Founder of Wear Your Voice Magazine. Founded in February of 2014, redefining the way women are represented in the media. Over the five years following graduation, Ravneet enjoyed a very rewarding career in the European fashion industry. Starting out in Merchandising (statistical analysis) and moving into PR and marketing, for smaller luxury brands, it is here that Ravneet fine tuned her business skills and learnt the inner workings of growing a small business. She helped stabilize the integrity of the business by developing relationships with key media players, while successfully placing their brand into high end editorial spreads such as Vogue, Vanity Fair & Harpers to selling product to International boutiques, Harrods, Comme Des Garcons, Neiman Marcus, Barneys, Saks 5th Avenue, to name a few. She also successfully managed trade shows and events at Paris and New York fashion week. Following this, she started her own business providing clients with a very unique whole body makeover, combining her skills in fashion and nutrition she formulated personalised packages for her high end clients. She found this extremely challenging and yet fascinating, interacting with clients on a personal level really gave a her a full understanding of the different shapes of every persons mind, that when women are treated as individuals rather than huddled together as one, there was so much to be seen. It was here that Ravneet’s fascination around negative media messaging for women was sparked.
Follow Ravneet Vohra:
About Journey Software, Wear Your Voice: Wear Your Voice is a digital magazine for women that covers news on issues such as LGBTQI rights, race, gender and body politics, and more.
Morgan Dunn
Founder & Chairman of Wild Attire, Inc.
Morgan Dunn has been in the tech space since webmasters was still used as a buzzword. He is the CEO of Wild Attire, Inc. an e-commerce company which he founded in his garage. Since then, he has grown the company to own brands such as Ties.com, Scarves.com, Alynn.com and InfectiousAwareables.com. Prior to WA Inc. Morgan was Director of Investor Relations at QuePasa.com a (then) publically traded company.
Follow Morgan Dunn:
About Wild Attire, Inc.: Wild Attire, Inc., designs, manufactures, sells, and distributes fine quality fashion goods through Ties.com | Scarves.com | Alynn.com
Abby West
Co-Founder of Thatch
Follow Abby West:
About Thatch: The is a mobile app for travel creators that makes is remarkably easy to curate, share and sell travel guides and planning services.
West Askew
Founder and CEO of Thatch
Follow West Askew:
About Thatch: The is a mobile app for travel creators that makes is remarkably easy to curate, share and sell travel guides and planning services.
