Open Residency
Open Residency
Podcast Description
Hosted by Mark Brazil, co-founder of IKONICK, Open Residency dives deep into the minds of true operators—the individuals who are the last line of defense in their business. Each conversation offers a glimpse into the operator’s playbook, sharing real-world insights from those who’ve navigated the toughest challenges in business. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a leader, this podcast is a must-listen for actionable lessons.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores themes like entrepreneurship, business strategy, and product innovation. Episodes delve into topics such as fundraising challenges, community-building in non-alcoholic beverages, and marketing strategies for consumer packaged goods, with specific discussions around the journey of Slate Milk in the protein drink market and the transformation of retail by Ghost.
Hosted by Mark Brazil, co-founder of IKONICK, Open Residency dives deep into the minds of true operators—the individuals who are the last line of defense in their business. Each conversation offers a glimpse into the operator’s playbook, sharing real-world insights from those who’ve navigated the toughest challenges in business. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a leader, this podcast is a must-listen for actionable lessons.
⚡️ BTS & More: https://openresidency.com/kent-yoshimura
In this episode, I sit down with Kent Yoshimura, Co-Founder & CEO of Neurogum, to unpack how the brand became one of TikTok’s fastest-growing success stories and scaled to over $100 million in revenue.
We dive into:
– The TikTok strategy that transformed Neurogum’s growth
– How the team shifted their marketing mix to make TikTok their top-of-funnel channel—while maintaining a 52x ROAS on Amazon with zero ad spend
– Their strategic approach to partnerships
– A hiring process that’s led to 98% employee retention over three years
– The origin story—and how they've sustained a competitive edge through patented manufacturing
This one’s packed with gems. Enjoy the conversation.
Chapters
00:00 Trailer
01:11 How to Crack TikTok
03:54 Neuro's Content Creation Pipeline
04:17 Coaching Creators on Engagement and Voice
06:09 The Culture Behind a Creative-Driven Brand
07:59 Anatomy of a Scroll-Stopping Hook
12:02 TikTok’s Untapped Power for Brands
15:15 The Best Influencer Strategy
16:43 Building a Full-Funnel Marketing Engine
27:00 Turning Customer Insights into Growth
32:06 Creating Content with AI
38:25 Fast Operators vs. Scalable Operators
39:32 The Masogi Challenge: Mental Toughness in Business
42:55 Running Ultra Marathons as Mental Training
45:55 How Kent Hires Creators and Builders
57:13 The Wild Origin Story of NeuroGum
01:01:06 What’s in NeuroGum? A Dive into Nootropics
01:12:11 Retail Distribution: Wins and Pivots
01:15:21 Why Data Shapes Every Decision
01:21:16 What It Takes to Be a Founder
01:34:15 What Shark Tank Didn’t Show
01:35:36 Lightning Round
🎙 Guest: Kent Yoshimura, Co-Founder & CEO of Neurogum- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kentaro/- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kentyoshimura/- Website: https://neurogum.com
📬 Get in Touch:- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/- Website: https://openresidency.com/- Contact: [email protected]
Powered by IKONICK- Get 30% off motivational art at https://ikonick.com/openresidency- Use code: OPENRESIDENCY30
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