EP10: The reusable straw that raised over $1.8M on Kickstarter - FinalStraw
FUN FACT
FinalStraw launched on Kickstarter in April 2018 with a goal of raising $12,500. In a matter of weeks, the campaign raised $1.89 million.
FOUNDERS
Emma Rose Cohen
FLAGSHIP PRODUCT
TOTAL FUNDING
$1.89M
LAUNCHED
2018
HQ
100% Remote!
The Problem
Single-use plastics are a disaster—polluting our lands, endangering marine ecosystems, and contaminating the food chain. Americans use enough straws to wrap around the Earth 2.5 times every day. Because they're so lightweight, straws often blow into waterways, landing in the ocean and harming wildlife. On top of that- plastic straws can't be recycled and don't decompose, leading to long-term pollution of our land and oceans.
The Solution
Enter FinalStraw - the collapsible, reusable, metal straw ending single-use plastic straws for good.
Episode Brief
Emma Rose Cohen, Founder and CEO of FinalStraw, joins Peter on this week’s episode to discuss:
Why straws have become the “poster child” for the plastic reduction movement
Raising over $1.8M on Kickstarter and dealing with counterfeits
Building a massive social following
How they’ve been able to sell 100,000s of units
The implications of "extended manufacturer responsibility"
What's next and the moonshot
Lightning Round:
You’re operating this multi-million dollar company. On your instagram, there’s photos of you riding horses across the desert, at burning man, skiing at whistler. What is your philosophy around work/life balance?
Your team is 100% remote. What tools do you use to support this workflow and culture, and where would you like to see better ones built?
If you could invest in one company in the industry, who would it be?
Who has the greatest impact on your learning and why?
Credits
HOST
Peter Levin
PRODUCTION
Dan Mahoney
MUSIC
Eddie Knuckles