A Conversation About Building Brands That Actually Matter

What makes a brand feel… human?

We spend a lot of time thinking about coffee. (Shocking, we know.)

But we also spend a lot of time thinking about people — how they feel, what makes everyday moments better, and why some brands quietly become part of your life while others just sit on a shelf.

Recently, our co-founder Craig Dubitsky sat down for a conversation about exactly that: how great brands aren’t built by chasing trends or shouting louder… but by understanding people a little more deeply.

In the episode, Craig talks about the idea of emotional innovation — the belief that the best products don’t just work well, they make you feel something. It’s the same thinking behind brands like E.O.S, hello®, and now happy®.

There’s talk of entrepreneurship, creativity, design, risk-taking, and the unexpected moments that lead to big ideas. But mostly, it’s a conversation about noticing what’s missing — and having the optimism (and maybe stubbornness) to try to fix it.

If you’ve ever wondered: