Dreaming Big with Alexis Allen

Celebrity chef Kristin O'Connor sits down with Alexis to share what it's really like cooking for A-list actors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Bradley Cooper and working on film sets for 12 hours straight. But the real story? She spent six years building Super Dirt Foods while working seven days a week. Kristin takes us inside her unconventional journey from art therapy to Food Network producer to private chef to founder, revealing how working for some of Hollywood's biggest names taught her about standards, excellence, and why patience might be your best competitive advantage. She shares the behind-the-scenes reality of CPG manufacturing, pitching Gwyneth Paltrow on Amazon Prime and what it actually takes to build something that lasts. If you're thinking about starting something, If you've ever thought you need to have everything figured out before you start, Kristin's story will change your mind.

In this episode of Dreaming Big, Alexis sits down with Rebecca Bahmani, founder of PreLoveYou, who spent 30 years in the fashion industry before learning the truth she’d been contributing to: 85% of donated clothes end up in landfills or incinerated, and there’s already enough clothing on the planet to dress the next six generations. Her turning point came while pregnant with her second child, when she realized how broken the system truly was. PreLoveYou was born as a credit-based circular fashion platform that teaches kids and parents alike, that clothes have value. Families send in outgrown clothes, earn credits, and shop sustainably, while kids learn firsthand how reuse works. From bootstrapping the business out of her barn to becoming B Corp certified and featured in Fast Company, Rebecca shares lessons on perseverance, ethical entrepreneurship, and how spring cleaning your kids’ closets can actually help change the world.

In this episode of Dreaming Big, Alexis sits down with Kamron Palizban, co-founder of Invisible Technologies and Ascendancy, who dropped out of college to pursue the ultimate learning opportunity - building a company from scratch. What started as six ambitious founders with a vision to eliminate coordination costs and make technology feel like magic quickly hit a wall, ran out of money, and forced a decision: walk away or fight through the dark days. Kamron and his co-founders chose to fight. The result? A unicorn company that's now helping train foundational AI models and powering operations for businesses people interact with every day. Kamron shares what it takes to demand the best from people while caring for them deeply, why success requires channeling all your energy toward a singular mission, and how his new venture Ascendancy is solving the ultimate human problem - helping founders connect with the right people at the right time. This is a masterclass in resilience, purpose-driven leadership, and building businesses that make us more human, not less.

In this episode of Dreaming Big, Alexis sits down with Margaret Trainor, founder of Atmo Home, who spent years evaluating startups at TechCrunch and working in venture capital before deciding to become a founder herself. What started as a European fashion rental concept pivoted completely when Margaret realized dry cleaning costs were eating her margins leading her to discover a gap in the home care market. Partnering with research chemists in Berlin, she fell in love with green chemistry and set out to create the cleanest candle in the world. But unlike the VC-backed playbook she knows so well, Margaret chose to build slowly, sustainably, and with strong financial fundamentals. From launching in Credo, Goop, and Revolve, Margaret shares why resilience defines early-stage success, why focusing on one hero product matters more than launching multiple SKUs, and how running a business is ultimately a personal growth experience that reveals your limiting beliefs. This is what happens when someone who's seen every startup mistake decides to build a company the right way.

In this episode of Dreaming Big, Alexis sits down with MiChaela Barker, founder of Matcha Scrubs, a healthcare meets lifestyle brand reimagining medical accessories with inclusion at the center all while working full-time as the manager of strategic projects for the CEO at 1-800-Flowers. MiChaela's journey started during the pandemic when she watched her mom struggle with scrub caps that damaged her natural hair and caused painful sores from uncomfortable PPE. That frustration sparked an idea, but MiChaela didn't rush, she spent four years earning her dual MBA and MPH at Yale, connecting with mentors, and intentionally designing scrub caps that work for everyone, not just one group. From waking up at 5am to answering emails before her day job to designing new products late at night, MiChaela shares why you should start before you're ready, why inclusivity makes products better for everyone, and how being an entrepreneur doesn't require sacrificing stability.

In this episode of Dreaming Big, Alexis sits down with Caroline Howard, Co-Founder of Walker Brothers, a Nashville-based kombucha brand that's redefining what sustainable growth looks like in the beverage industry. Caroline's path to entrepreneurship is anything but typical. She went from technical recruiting in New York to scaling an ad tech company across global markets, earned her MBA at Oxford, and nearly joined Facebook before becoming an investor and eventual Co-Founder of Walker Brothers. What started as writing a seed check and helping friends get their kombucha business off the ground turned into a full-time commitment when Caroline realized she couldn't walk away. From their first batch to scaling into Whole Foods and national distribution, Caroline shares how they've grown profitably by owning their backyard first, the importance of finding investors who align with your vision (not just any capital), and why your career is a jungle gym, not a ladder.

In this episode of Dreaming Big, Alexis sits down with Lizzy Livne, founder and CEO of The Quiet Lux, a modern concierge service redefining what luxury actually means by treating time as the ultimate luxury. Lizzy's path is anything but conventional - she's a military veteran, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, a former Wall Street analyst, and a venture capital investor who sat on the other side of the table before becoming a founder herself. From studying Hermès' obsession with craft to her goal of becoming the trusted partner for every ambitious professional in Manhattan, Lizzy shares what it really takes to build when you're mission-driven, unafraid of rejection, and ready to just go.

In this episode of Dreaming Big, Alexis talks with Angeline, co-founder of Cherub, who’s democratizing access to angel investing and startup funding. Angeline went from the music industry to scaling a real estate startup to IPO before building Cherub—a platform that’s already helped deploy over $5 million to founders, with 40% of checks coming from first or second-time angel investors. Angeline shares how she’s solving a problem both founders and angels face: founders can’t find strategic investors, and 97% of accredited angels never write checks, creating an AI-native fundraising co-pilot that’s changing how capital flows to those who need it most. Every entrepreneur starts with a dream. Dreaming Big is a podcast about the humans behind the hustle. Alexis Allen from The Teixeira Loughran Group sits down with entrepreneurs to explore where they come from, what they’re building, and why it matters. These are real conversations about identity, ambition, and the spark behind the story.

In this episode of Dreaming Big, Alexis sits down with Anna Rink, co-founder of Homebody Studios, who’s building what she believes will be the best movement studio in the world. Anna’s story reveals that entrepreneurship isn’t just about having one great idea—it’s a way of thinking that transcends any single venture, whether founding Conclude AI within IBM’s corporate structure, serving as chief of staff at Capital Factory, or now bootstrapping Homebody Studios. From opening their first Austin location in just 40 days to expanding to California and beyond, Anna shares how systems thinking, value alignment, and speaking the future into existence have shaped her journey from engineer to entrepreneur. Every entrepreneur starts with a dream. Dreaming Big is a podcast about the humans behind the hustle. Alexis Allen from The Teixeira Loughran Group sits down with entrepreneurs to explore where they come from, what they’re building, and why it matters. These are real conversations about identity, ambition, and the spark behind the story.

In this episode of Dreaming Big, Alexis sits down with Genevieve Bellaire founder and CEO of Realworld, an AI-powered life management platform helping young adults navigate everything from homebuying to healthcare to retirement savings. Despite having a law degree, an MBA from Georgetown, and landing at Goldman Sachs, Genevieve still felt completely unprepared when faced with her first W-4 and benefits package and instead of accepting that as normal, she built something to fix it for everyone. From pivoting during COVID to raising nearly $8 million and building a category from scratch, Genevieve shares how she’s turning life admin from a dreaded chore into an automated, even rewarding experience, and why there’s never been a better time to take the entrepreneurial leap. Every entrepreneur starts with a dream. Dreaming Big is a podcast about the humans behind the hustle. Alexis Allen from The Teixeira Loughran Group sits down with entrepreneurs to explore where they come from, what they’re building, and why it matters. These are real conversations about identity, ambition, and the spark behind the story.

In this episode of Dreaming Big, Alexis sits down with Natalie White, the 26-year-old founder and CEO of Moolah Kicks, the first performance basketball brand built exclusively for women. Natalie shares how a single ad sparked her mission to solve a critical problem: women basketball players have been forced to wear shoes designed for men’s feet, affecting both performance and safety. From bootstrapping through rejections to landing a historic deal with Dick’s Sporting Goods and expanding to 630 stores nationwide, Natalie discusses the hustle, trade-offs, and unwavering commitment it takes to turn a college idea into a movement that’s changing women’s basketball forever. Every entrepreneur starts with a dream. Dreaming Big is a podcast about the humans behind the hustle. Alexis Allen from The Teixeira Loughran Group sits down with entrepreneurs to explore where they come from, what they’re building, and why it matters. These are real conversations about identity, ambition, and the spark behind the story.