Brandon Brubaker, co-founder of the 10-year-old SoCal sneaker brand Clearweather, is somewhat of a sneaker legend. In the sneaker game for 30 years, he first designed iconic sneaker styles for Vans after being recruited by the company at age 20. He then went on to launch the multimillion-dollar skate sneaker division at Nike-owned Converse.  Today, Brubaker is hitting the gas on growing his own company, with a fresh round of funding, a new business partner, a relaunched website and big plans for international expansion. He’s intentionally taking a unique approach to the market, which, so far, has served his brand well.  “[We decided] to stop trying to fight for dollars with Nike, which completely dominates everything, when it really comes down to it,” he said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “Instead, we want to just be a really premium California culture brand, and that's where we're at today." Also on the podcast, Brubaker discusses how the sneaker market is faring and what it takes to maintain relevance in the crowded, competitive industry. 

As chief creative officer of the 20-year-old jewelry brand Catbird, Leigh Batnick Plessner is always thinking of ways to bring the brand's story to life through innovative products and collaborations. In 2015, for example, Catbird introduced the concept of "getting zapped," the brand's term for custom-fitting and welding one of its solid gold Forever Bracelets on a customer's wrist. Since joining Catbird a year after its 2004 launch, Plessner has worked alongside Rony Vardi, co-owner and founder of Catbird, to grow the Williamsburg-birthed brand beyond its first 225-square-foot retail store on Metropolitan Avenue. In 2006, they opened a second location on Bedford Avenue that quickly became Catbird's flagship. Under Plessner's creative direction, Catbird also evolved into a popular retailer of demi-fine jewelry. After David Yurman alum Mo Sakurai joined the company as CEO in September 2022, Catbird has accelerated its growth mode, including by opening stores across the country. The company plans to open at least 10 more by 2026. On the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast, Plessner discusses Catbird's strategies for becoming a national brand and staying true to its mission: to create the ultimate luxury jewelry that can be repaired.