Behind the Business with Michelle Toh

Joining us this week is Amina Belouizdad Porter, the CEO of PS, the first operator of private airport terminals for commercial flyers in the US. Its mission? To make you feel like you're flying private — even when you're not. This means even if you're flying — let's say, coach with Delta Airlines — you're getting valet service. Massages. Caviar and champagne. A chauffeur waiting to drive you to your plane. This is what PS, the company formerly known as Private Suite, sees as the future of luxury travel. And it's betting many more people will see it that way, too. In this episode… we actually go there — so you can see it for yourself. (Watch on YouTube — link below!) PS was first born in Los Angeles as a haven for paparazzi-weary celebrities — helping high-profile people avoid traipsing through the airport. Now, the company's expanded to Atlanta, with more terminals coming to Paris, Dallas and Miami. It was recently acquired by Groupe ADP, the operator of dozens of airports, including Paris-Charles de Gaulle. | 00:00 — Introduction | 02:19 — Amina's upbringing | 04:36 — Getting called to become CEO for the first time — and how she felt she was 'designed in a lab' to build PS | 05:14 — Taking inspiration from airports in Singapore, Dubai, Paris and London to offer a hospitality experience at the airport | 08:08 — The itch to become an entrepreneur | 09:14 — How Amina's experience in the US after 9/11 and being from the 'Middle East' shaped her world view | 13:05 — Amina's professional journey — her polyglot background, working in China, attending Wharton Business School, working in real estate | 16:43 — How PS got started | 19:49 — A 'zero-tolerance' approach to error | 21:08 — Lobbying Congress for approval for years | 22:05 — The serious congestion + security problem the company is tackling | 25:13 — The typical PS customer | 28:50 — The "once-in-a-career" moment Amina instantly recognized | 34:10 — Working with private equity + picking the right financial backers in a capital-intensive industry | 36:04 — What's next for PS after being acquired by the operator of Paris-CDG | 38:26 — The 'hardest part' of running the business | 39:10 — Company outlook: new PS locations and goal to be in every major US airport by 2030 | 40:58 — When tragedy strikes: How two life-changing losses shaped Amina's outlook on life and work | 47:08 — Audience question from young founder | 48:43 — Rapid-fire round | About Behind the Business: Behind the Business is a video series and podcast hosted by Michelle Toh, CNN and Fortune alum, that explores the decisions and philosophies behind today's most influential leaders. Recorded in person across the US, the show is grounded in the belief that business is in fact personal, providing the backstories of founders, corporate leaders, investors and creators and how they push through to make the most of both work and life each day. What's the worst day you've faced at your company? How do you cope with crisis or rejection? Or what's a pinch-me moment you'll never forget? In each episode, guests get into it all. New episodes every Thursday. | About Michelle Toh: Michelle Toh is an award-winning international journalist. She has covered some of the top stories in global business and tech, most recently as a reporter based in Hong Kong appearing across CNN's digital and television platforms. Before joining CNN, she was an associate editor of Fortune Magazine, and her reporting has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, USA Today, and the South China Morning Post. | Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YTBTB | Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/bymichelletoh | Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@behindthebusinessshow #BehindTheBusiness #Podcast #Leadership #FemaleCEO #LuxuryTravel

Joining us this week is Adam Park, CEO and managing director of Factor US — one of the fastest-growing names in health and nutrition that bills itself as the No. 1 ready-to-eat meal company in America. You might have seen them around delivering meals to people's doors that emphasize high-protein, veggie-forward, low-calorie or even GLP-1 supportive options, making it easier to eat clean at home. Since being acquired in 2020 by one of Europe's best-known consumer brands, HelloFresh, Factor has grown more than 20 times, fending off fierce competition to capture about 75% of the US market. Adam is the former CEO of HelloFresh UK and a former partner at Boston Consulting Group. Outside of work, he's also a passionate endurance athlete who's completed ultramarathons and expeditions all over the world. In this conversation, we get into: | 00:00 – Introduction | 02:38 – Early life from South Korea to the UK | 04:11 – Lessons from moving between cultures | 04:11 – Growing up in South Korea during economic boom | 05:04 – Adam's takeaways from watching his mother run a business | 07:47 – Lessons in grit and perseverance | 08:11 – Consulting at BCG | 09:55 – Transition to HelloFresh and Factor | 14:01 – Scaling HelloFresh UK | 15:08 – Opening new factories overnight, problem-solving, all-nighters | 16:36 – Becoming CEO of Factor US: initial mandate and growth opportunity | 19:10 – How the company has scaled so quickly: leveraging HelloFresh efficiencies | 20:24 – Unique operational model: fresh meals, large variety, complex fulfillment | 24:01 – The company's subscription model and focus on enticing repeat customers | 26:09 – Factor's "bold bet" on its biggest menu expansion yet | 28:15 – Industry competition | 30:29 – Consumer trends: GLP-1, healthier treats, treating food as medicine | 33:55 – Company roadmap and best-sellers | 34:26 – Tackling the stress of meal planning | 35:45 – Tapping into the convenience factor | 36:44 – Eating Factor every day | 37:26 – Diving into supplements | 39:17 – Using food as fuel in Adam's endurance athlete journey | 41:38 – Adam's toughest day as a leader | 43:25 – Goal to reduce food waste | 46:53 – Mid and long-term vision for Factor | 47:42 – Audience question | 50:03 – Rapid-fire round Disclosure: Factor is a partner of Behind the Business, and this is a branded conversation. We're grateful for their support this season. | About Behind the Business: Behind the Business is a video series and podcast hosted by Michelle Toh, CNN and Fortune alum, that explores the decisions and philosophies behind today's most influential leaders. Recorded in person across the US, the show is grounded in the belief that business is in fact personal, providing the backstories of founders, corporate leaders, investors and creators and how they push through to make the most of both work and life each day. What's the worst day you've faced at your company? How do you cope with crisis or rejection? Or what's a pinch-me moment you'll never forget? In each episode, guests get into it all. New episodes every Thursday. | About Michelle Toh: Michelle Toh is an award-winning international journalist. She has covered some of the top stories in global business and tech, most recently as a reporter based in Hong Kong appearing across CNN's digital and television platforms. Before joining CNN, she was an associate editor of Fortune Magazine, and her reporting has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, USA Today, and the South China Morning Post. | Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YTBTB | Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/bymichelletoh | Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@behindthebusinessshow #BehindTheBusiness #Podcast #BusinessLeadership

This week, we're joined by Touchland co-founder & CEO Andrea Lisbona, who turned an overlooked essential into a brand with $100 million in annual sales. Now, her company is being acquired for up to a whopping $880 million. From rebuilding after a "rock-bottom moment" to landing in Sephora and Ulta, Lisbona shares how she made people want to use hand sanitizer. With a cult following and expansion into all kinds of personal care products, Touchland now says one of its items sells roughly every two seconds. In this interview, we get into: | 00:00 — Introduction | 05:00 — Growing up in an entrepreneurial family and early influences in Spain | 09:10 — Coming up with the idea for Touchland | 11:40 - Financial crisis and deciding to help family rebuild | 14:00 — Lessons from Apple, Dyson and Nespresso — applying inspiration across industries | 15:50 — Moving to America and deciding to go all in on the US market | 19:00 — Financing the business and finding first investors | 21:40 — Finding success on Kickstarter and sharing crowdfunding tips | 23:15 — Designing the product | 25:10 — Why Touchland doesn't see itself as a direct competitor to Purell or Dettol | 27:34 — Strategic positioning in retail | 28:01 — Pitching Sephora and Ulta | 29:50 — Gaining traction as personal gifts | 32:14 — Disciplined approach to growth | 32:45 — Reaching $100M in annual sales | 33:30 — Managing the pressure of always looking to what's next | 36:00 — Running a lean team of 13 full-time employees and working to scale efficiently | 38:30 — Team culture and hiring philosophy | 40:46 — Building a waitlist of nearly 35,000 customers | 41:20 — Post-Covid growth — revenue jump from ~$16M in 2022 to over $100M in 2024 | 42:00 — Supply chain crisis that left it without product for a year | 43:37 — Rebuilding from scratch after a "rock-bottom moment" | 46:00 — Pushing back on the misconception that Touchland only took off because of Covid | 46:58 — Partnerships with Disney, Blackpink, and Sanrio/Hello Kitty | 48:42 — Celebrity shoutouts and social strategy | 50:00 — Dealing with copycats | 52:00 — Hardest moments of the journey: overcoming judgment and skepticism | 53:20 — Company roadmap and new product launches | 53:50 — Social media listening and always reading all the comments | 55:00 — International plans — Canada & Middle East expansions | 56:00 – Long-term vision: building a legacy brand | 57:03 – Working with her husband, a Touchland co-founder | 58:15 — Audience question and advice to entrepreneurs on retail expansion | 01:01:22 – Rapid-fire round: stress management, sleep, mental prep and lessons learned Note: This interview was recorded before the announcement of Touchland's sale to Church & Dwight for up to $880 million. 🎙️ About Behind the Business: Behind the Business is a video series and podcast hosted by Michelle Toh, CNN and Fortune alum, that explores the decisions and philosophies behind today's most influential leaders. Recorded in person across the US, the show is grounded in the belief that business is in fact personal, providing the backstories of founders, corporate leaders, investors and creators and how they push through to make the most of both work and life each day. What's the worst day you've faced at your company? How do you cope with crisis or rejection? Or what's a pinch-me moment you'll never forget? In each episode, guests get into it all. New episodes every Thursday. About Michelle Toh: Michelle Toh is an award-winning international journalist. She has covered some of the top stories in global business and tech, most recently as a reporter based in Hong Kong appearing across CNN's digital and television platforms. Before joining CNN, she was an associate editor of Fortune Magazine, and her reporting has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, USA Today, and the South China Morning Post. Follow for episode clips and updates:Instagram: https://instagram.com/bymichelletoh TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@behindthebusinessshow SUBSCRIBE + FOLLOW: - YouTube: https://bit.ly/YTBTB - Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3IFGuIA - Spotify: https://bit.ly/SpotiBTB - Amazon Music: http://bit.ly/4pPZZPp #BehindTheBusiness #Podcast #BusinessLeadership #Entrepreneurship

Arum Kang, co-founder and former longtime CEO of Coffee Meets Bagel, is our guest this week. She's one of three Korean sisters who, back in 2012, were fed up with how online dating often felt dejecting and demoralizing — especially for women. Their solution? To create a serious dating app. From the start, it billed itself as a platform for serious daters, boldly calling the app "the anti-Tinder." This meant that instead of giving users a sea of endless swipes to go through, it sent them just one curated match each day. Together, the Kangs have turned Coffee Meets Bagel into a household name. But not without plenty of tears, workshopping, sisterly "bickering" and key leadership lessons along the way. The company reports that 91% of its users are looking for a serious relationship — and have no time to waste. Meanwhile, the Asian American community, along with users in the Asia Pacific region, have become the app's biggest drivers of growth. We discuss: | 00:00:00: Introduction | 00:04:51: Growing up between South Korea and Hawaii, and the fear of being "ordinary" that fueled her ambition | 00:07:41: Lessons from Harvard Business School and conceiving the idea for Coffee Meets Bagel | 00:13:13: Convincing her sisters to leave their high-paying jobs to start the company together | 00:16:13: Building early traction through a minimum viable product (MVP), testing, and word of mouth in the online dating space | 00:20:55: Working with family | 00:24:36: The pressure of juggling life as a working mom and shifting her perspective on leadership | 00:28:11: Lessons from early hires and building company culture around trust and candor | 00:32:31: Advice to female and minority founders on fundraising and navigating bias in venture capital | 00:35:23: Choosing profitability over hypergrowth | 00:38:36: Navigating crisis, mass resignations, and leadership lessons | 00:46:01: Why "hi" isn't enough — fixing the small-talk problem in online dating | 00:47:13: Differentiating Coffee Meets Bagel from Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge | 00:49:26: Outlook for Coffee Meets Bagel — doubling down on the Asian American market and expansion into Asia Pacific, the company's biggest source of growth | 00:51:26: Product evolution — tackling ghosting, improving safety, and using AI to foster real connections | 00:54:16: How to stay motivated when your company no longer feels like that "shiny new dream" | 00:56:35: The endgame for Coffee Meets Bagel — thoughts on potential exits, IPO, or long-term independence | 00:57:40: Saying no to a surprising proposition from Mark Cuban on Shark Tank | 00:59:53: Energy management, founder burnout, and implementing a four-day workweek | 01:04:59: Building relationships with investors | 01:06:41: Audience question — advice to young entrepreneurs on fundraising strategy | 01:07:10: Rapid-fire round | About Behind the Business: Behind the Business is a video series and podcast hosted by Michelle Toh, CNN and Fortune alum, that explores the decisions and philosophies behind today's most influential leaders. Recorded in person across the US, the show is grounded in the belief that business is in fact personal, providing the backstories of founders, corporate leaders, investors and creators and how they push through to make the most of both work and life each day. What's the worst day you've faced at your company? How do you cope with crisis or rejection? Or what's a pinch-me moment you'll never forget? In each episode, guests get into it all. New episodes every Thursday. About Michelle Toh: Michelle Toh is an award-winning international journalist. She has covered some of the top stories in global business and tech, most recently as a reporter based in Hong Kong appearing across CNN's digital and television platforms. Before joining CNN, she was an associate editor of Fortune Magazine, and her reporting has appeared in TIME, USA Today, and the South China Morning Post. Follow for episode clips and updates:Instagram: https://instagram.com/bymichelletoh TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@behindthebusinessshow #BehindTheBusiness #Podcast #BusinessLeadership #Entrepreneurship

Dave Gilboa is co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker, the eyewear brand that started with a pair of lost glasses while he was studying at Wharton Business School. In 2010, he and three friends pooled their savings and bought the company's URL for $9. Almost everyone they spoke to said the idea would not work. Dave joins us to talk about the brand's early days, being so frugal they practically refused to buy pens, experimenting with retail, handling rejection, raising more than half a billion dollars before going public, and staying focused on mission and purpose. He also shares new details about Warby Parker's partnership with Google to develop AI-powered eyewear, and why he believes smart glasses may finally become a reality. Topics discussed: | 00:00 – Introduction | 02:14 – Dave Gilboa's early life: from Sweden to San Diego | 03:10 – From pre-med to management consulting at Bain | 04:57 – Working in finance and realizing he wanted more meaning | 05:44 – Losing his glasses and discovering a billion-dollar idea | 07:32 – Turning frustration into the Warby Parker startup | 08:45 – Why glasses are overpriced and ripe for disruption | 11:14 – How "Warby Parker" got its name from Jack Kerouac's journals | 14:49 – Bootstrapping with friends and pooling $120K in savings | 16:13 – Spending every dollar wisely: the three-spend rule | 18:16 – Launch week chaos and the 20,000-person waitlist | 25:36 – Rejection at Wharton and early pushback on pricing | 32:29 – Fundraising journey: from seed round to Series G | 32:58 – Taking Warby Parker public through a direct listing | 34:06 – How to raise capital the right way and keep control | 36:12 – Protecting the mission by walking away from wrong investors | 37:43 – The "Buy a Pair, Give a Pair" program: 20 million glasses donated | 40:24 – Home Try-On and inviting customers into their apartments | 41:14 – The yellow school bus pop-up tour that drove national buzz | 44:11 – Scaling brick-and-mortar retail across the U.S. and Canada | 45:13 – Expanding into contacts, exams, and full-service vision care | 45:48 – Partnering with Google to build AI-powered smart glasses | 46:57 – Why Dave believes smart glasses will finally go mainstream | 48:27 – How to grow a brand with no marketing budget | 50:45 – Rapid-fire round: habits, hiring, and advice on focus About Behind the Business: Behind the Business is a video series and podcast hosted by Michelle Toh, CNN and Fortune alum, that explores the decisions and philosophies behind today's most influential leaders. Recorded in studios across the US, the show is grounded in the belief that business is in fact personal, providing the backstories of founders, corporate leaders, investors and creators and how they push through to make the most of both work and life each day. What's the worst day you've faced at your company? How do you cope with crisis or rejection? Or what's a pinch-me moment you'll never forget? In each episode, guests get into it all. New episodes every Thursday. About Michelle Toh Michelle Toh is an award-winning international journalist. She has covered some of the top stories in global business and tech, most recently as a reporter appearing across CNN's digital and television platforms. Before joining CNN, she was an associate editor of Fortune Magazine, and her reporting has appeared in TIME, USA Today, and the South China Morning Post.. Follow for episode clips and updates:Instagram: https://instagram.com/bymichelletoh TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@behindthebusinessshow #BehindTheBusiness #Podcast #BusinessLeadership #Entrepreneurship