Small to Big Season 1 Episode 8 S'well CEO's 'Wild Ride' to $100 Million in Sales

S'well CEO's 'Wild Ride' to $100 Million in Sales is the eighth episode of the first season of the show Small to Big. The episode takes us on a journey of Sarah Kauss, the CEO of S'well, a brand that produces stylish and reusable water bottles. The episode showcases how Sarah turned her passion for environmental sustainability into a business that generated over $100 million in sales in just 5 years.

The episode opens with Sarah Kauss sharing her journey to becoming the CEO of S'well. She talks about her love for the environment and how she wanted to create a product that would help reduce the use of plastic bottles. Sarah's inspiration for S'well came from a combination of her love for design, sustainability, and her inability to find a reusable bottle that was both stylish and practical.

The episode then transitions to show Sarah's struggles in the early days of S'well. She talks about how she quit her job to start the business and had to rely on credit card debt to fund the initial production run. Sarah also faced many challenges, including finding the right factory, sourcing materials, and convincing retailers to stock her product. Despite the numerous obstacles, Sarah remained persistent and never lost sight of her vision for S'well.

The episode then moves on to showcase the moment when S'well started gaining traction. Sarah talks about how she approached big retailers such as Starbucks and Whole Foods to stock her product. The episode features interviews with several of Sarah's early customers who were drawn to the product's stylish design and environmental benefits. We see how Sarah's passion for her product and personal touch helped her build a loyal customer base.

As S'well continued to grow, Sarah faced new challenges, including keeping up with production demands and managing the business's finances. The episode showcases how Sarah navigated these challenges and made tough decisions to ensure the business's continued success.

Towards the end of the episode, we see how Sarah's hard work and perseverance paid off as S'well crossed the $100 million sales mark. Sarah talks about how proud she is of S'well's impact on reducing plastic bottle waste and how she hopes to inspire others to be more environmentally conscious.

In conclusion, S'well CEO's 'Wild Ride' to $100 Million in Sales is an inspiring episode that showcases how one person's passion and determination can lead to the creation of a successful business that makes a positive impact on the environment. The episode provides insight into the challenges and triumphs of building a small business into a global brand and highlights the importance of staying true to one's values and vision.