Did Austin Turn Soda Into Fashion? | Stephen Ellsworth, Co-founder, Poppi

Poppi is a fashion brand that happens to be soda. Stephen Ellsworth, Co-founder of Poppi, joins us to walk through the operating choices behind turning a vinegar problem into a modern soda badge. It’s how you build, scale, and exit a consumer brand. It’s another signal that Austin’s flywheel is real and accelerating. 

Highlights

• 01:48 Dark days, PMF before funding
• 08:05 Farmers market to Whole Foods
• 14:50 Rebrand beat Shark Tank awareness
• 24:58 Poppi as Fashion
• 33:46 Make healthy default via taste
• 38:54 AI palate mapping
• 46:48 Austin needs cross-sector collisions
• 51:40 What's Next Austin?

Guest Links
Stephen Ellsworth: Instagram, LinkedIn
Poppi: Website, X, Instagram
 

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

What is Austin Next?

Austin's evolution into a global innovation superstar is at the heart of Austin Next. We uncover insights into the region's transformation and what it means for ecosystem building.

Our exploration extends to emerging trends, technologies, and their convergence. Using Austin as our real-world case study and experts from around the world, we aim to understand the true nature and mechanics of innovation.