Rosie and Josh have a sweet story indeed (starting strong with the puns here). As founders of Sugarfina, a high end, fun, and unique confectionary company, their journey started on an early date watching Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. In a classic “there must be a better way” moment, they both wondered why candy wasn’t that much fun or memorable for adults too. Just 6 years in, Sugarfina has 50 retail locations around the US and now Hong Kong, 85 people at headquarters and over 500 including all their stores. They’re also at over $40MM in revenue with zero marketing spend. It’s hard to describe how incredible this really is. That said, people say their candy is as “beautiful to look at as it is delicious” so it’s no surprise they’ve really made their mark. In 2017, they were described as “The Tesla of Candy” which was just about the highest compliment Josh could have ever imagined as a big fan of the disruption Elon Musk continues to demonstrate. This was my first husband and wife joint interview (though third husband and wife run company!), and it was as much fun as you think it might be with a couple very much in love that gets to travel the world to be inspired to make the next incredibly delicious and beautiful candy! Somehow, they still manage to live in moderation and not overdo it on the candy… Check them out on Instagram at @Sugarfina and on their website where you can order or find their stores at sugarfina.com

Show Notes:

• 07:00 - $40MM in revenue with no paid marketing spend
• 10:10 - Everything in moderation
• 12:05 - Thoughts on angel investors
• 17:15 - Partnerships and work ethic
• 25:30 - The common thread for companies that thrive: how do you treat your employees
• 33:50 - Get out of the work mindset - phones down!
• 36:00 - A primer on and endorsement of Burning Man
• 43:00 - Being selected as Facebook gift and a major tipping point
• 46:00 - Sugarfina “broke the internet” with 7 BILLION media impressions
• 49:30 - The importance of saying "no"
• 50:20 - Getting it right (and wrong) on diligence of a few key hires
• 1:04:00 - Amazon is delivering fresh Christmas trees - no one is safe!