Lokai Founder and CEO Steven Izen Says, "Don't Cut Corners."

Ep. 61: Cornell track and field shaped this entrepreneur.  Lokai's brand of beaded bracelets has become a phenomenon sold in 5,000 locations in 170 countries. The bracelets each contain a droplet of mud from the Dead Sea and water from Mount Everest to represent the highs and lows of earth and of life. Steven paid his dues going "door-to-door" around New York City, trying to get stores to display his bracelets, and was rejected 95 percent of the time. Eventually, his hard work (and his discovery by celebrities like Justin Bieber, Cam Newton, and Blake Lively) helped the company turn the corner… and they haven't looked back since.  Six years later, he founded his second company Elements, which produces functional wellness drinks formulated to consistently balance the body's stress levels.  Listeners are sure to enjoy his descriptions of getting his businesses off the ground as well as the differences and similarities of being a founder versus a CEO, including why the numbers count… but aren't everything, and baking social responsibility into your bottom line. Steven offers a distinctive blend of unwavering confidence and hard-won humility that is sure to inspire and awaken your own creative juices. And one thing's for sure: you'll never look at a baton handoff in a track relay the same way again. Visit https://donyaeger.com/corporate-competitor-podcast/episode-61/ for a free gift and today's show notes!