Social Currency with Sammi Cohen

• How Trader Joe’s Broke Every Rule in Retail—Then Outsold Everyone

  Trader Joe’s has no loyalty programs. No flashy ads. Stores that look like they time-traveled in from the '70s. And yet… Trader Joe’s generates more sales per square foot than almost any other grocery store in America. Why?  Today, Sammi unpacks the genius of Trader Joe’s—how a company that breaks every retail rule has built one of the most beloved (and profitable) grocery brands in the country. From decision paralysis and private-label domination to its anti-corporate vibe, cult-like fanbase, and German ownership, Trader Joe’s is proof that sometimes the most radical business model  is the simplest one done exceptionally well. Plus: Sammi explains the psychology behind limited-time products, how mystery breeds loyalty, and why treating your employees right isn’t just good karma—it’s good business. Follow Sammi on Instagram here Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter here Here’s what Sammi covers today: 00:00 The Retail Rule-Breaker Nobody Saw Coming 01:35 How Trader Joe’s Was Built for the Over-Educated and Underpaid 04:02 From Flashlights to Fearless Flyers: The Early Days 06:18 Why Fewer Choices = More Sales 09:15 The Power of Private Label and the Two-Buck Chuck Strategy 12:50 The Real Reason You Love Their Packaging 14:07 How Trader Joe’s Built a Culture—Not Just a Store 16:34 The Anti-Influencer Marketing Model That Actually Works 19:15 Cult Products, Secrecy, and Brand Mythology 23:02 The German Empire Behind America’s Favorite Grocer 25:44 What You Can Learn From Trader Joe’s Playbook 27:10 How to Support the Show + Stay in the Loop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Cassandra Grey (Violet Grey) on Buying Her Company Back, Finding Your Look, and the Vogue Effect

  What does it take to build a luxury beauty brand that’s as cool as it is strategic? Cassandra Grey has the answer. She’s the force behind Violet Grey—the ultra-curated beauty platform that has become a tastemaker in Hollywood and beyond. Cassandra’s playbook is not the usual one: she launched her brand, grew a cult following for nearly a decade, sold the company in 2022, and then bought it back in 2024. Today, she shares what she learned from every milestone. Cassandra explains what selling her brand taught her about business, insights from her early meetings with Anna Wintour and Gwyneth Paltrow, and how to find your aesthetic as a brand.   Here’s what Sammi covers with Cassandra: 00:00 Meet Cassandra Grey 01:30 Cassandra’s Introduction to Glamour and an Unusual Childhood 04:06 The Violet Grey Origin Story 05:20 Crafting a Business Plan Without an MBA 12:29 The Violet Code 17:31 THE Gwyneth Paltrow Phone Call 19:40 Acquisition by Farfetch 24:04 Why Delusion is Good in Business 25:56 Buying Back Violet Gray 28:02 Incubating Brands with Violet Labs 30:29 The Push into Retail 37:26 Hiring for Your Weaknesses 40:31 Actionable Tips for Finding Your Brand’s Look 44:34 How to Show Social Currency Some Love Follow Sammi on Instagram here Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter hereFollow Violet Grey here Follow Cassandra here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• The Rise and Fall of Away Luggage

  Away wasn’t just luggage—it was millennial wanderlust personified. Backed by $150 million in funding and powered by influencer buzz, Away rocketed to unicorn status in four years. But behind the minimalist branding and Instagrammable carry-ons was a workplace culture scandal, a global travel shutdown, and the hard truth that they were never a tech company… they were just selling suitcases. Today, Sammi unpacks the stunning rise and near-collapse of Away: the Slack surveillance, the CEO whiplash, the overfunding problem, and the brutal reality check of pandemic-era travel. Plus, what happens when your brand is built on vibes… and the vibes shift? Follow Sammi on Instagram here Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter here Here’s what Sammi covers today: 00:00 Away: A Millennial Success Story 01:04 The Broken Luggage Origin Story to Unicorn Status 03:33 The Marketing Magic of Creating a Must-Have Brand 04:56 Rocket Ship Growth and Market Competition 06:08 Toxic Culture and the Beginning of the End 07:54 … and Then There’s COVID 09:06 Post-Pandemic Strategies 12:43 Lessons From The Rise and Fall of Away 13:50 How to Show Social Currency Some Love Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Grant LaFontaine (Whatnot) on Building a Unicorn, Scaling with a Cofounder, and the Future of Shopping

  Grant LaFontaine says the future of shopping is here— and it’s live. Literally.  Grant is the cofounder and CEO of Whatnot—a $5 billion live shopping brand that’s shaking up the traditional retail playbook and betting big on the future of social commerce. Sammi sits down with Grant to unpack what it takes to build a unicorn; from the lesson Y Combinator taught him about working with a cofounder, to the unique way he thinks about hiring, and why user feedback is his North Star. He shares what he’s learned building in tech, what AI can and can’t do, and why a little paranoia is good for founders.  Follow Sammi on Instagram here Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter here Learn more about Whatnot here 00:00 Grant LaFontaine’s Social Currency 01:40 Understanding Whatnot and the Live Shopping Opportunity 02:48 Who Is the Whatnot Customer  04:38 Social Interactions as a Secret Weapon 11:33 The Value of Y Combinator  13:42 Finding Product-Market Fit with Funko Pop 17:29 Scaling Whatnot and Entering New Markets 19:13 The Importance of Hiring and Company Culture 26:13 Fixing Breaks and Providing User Value 26:41 Why Paranoia is an Asset in Business 29:25 Using Mistakes as Data Points 31:32 User Feedback and Product Evolution 33:39 Co-Founder Dynamics and Decision Making 37:06 Social Currency Corner 48:59 How to Show Social Currency Some Love Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• The Business of Labubu and the Power of Manufactured Obsession

  People are lining up at 4 AM, crashing websites, and dropping thousands on a fuzzy vinyl creature with nine teeth and a cult following. Meet Labubu: part toy, part fashion statement, part emotional coping mechanism. Born from a Nordic mythology-inspired art project and catapulted to fame by Pop Mart, Labubu has become a collector’s dream and a status symbol—thanks to limited drops, blind box buying, and celebrity fans like BLACKPINK’s Lisa. Today, Sammi unpacks how scarcity, nostalgia, and the chaos of modern life created the perfect storm for Labubu’s rise—and what that says about the future of fandom, consumption, and identity. Follow Sammi on Instagram here Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter here Here’s what Sammi covers today: 00:00 Labubu’s Bizarre Social Currency 01:08 Where Labubu Came From 02:55 Scarcity as a Business Plan 04:10 The Lisa of It All 05:27 What Labubu Tells Us About the State of the World (Really)  06:31 The Future of Fandom 07:22 How to Show Social Currency Some Love Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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