Host Guy Raz is joined by Susan Griffin-Black, co-founder of personal care brand EO Products, on this episode of the Advice Line. Together, they consult with three entrepreneurs facing distinct scaling challenges: Dr. Ruchi Gupta, a pediatrician and founder of probiotic skincare brand Yobe; Peter Andrews, founder of South African wine importer Culture Wine Company; and Dominic Windham Giddens, co-founder of Barbados-based Cane Dog Coffee.

The episode begins with Susan sharing how EO Products navigated a massive 10x demand spike and subsequent 50% sales crash during the pandemic. The hosts then advise Dr. Gupta on leveraging her medical credentials and local Chicago networks to scale Yobe's clinical skincare line. Next, they help Peter Andrews strategize on expanding the market for premium South African Chenin Blanc amidst rising tariffs and margin pressures. Finally, Dominic Windham Giddens seeks guidance on transitioning his successful $2 million Barbadian coffee brand into international markets like the United States and the United Kingdom.

How EO Products Survived a 50% Post-Pandemic Sales Drop

During the COVID-19 pandemic, EO Products saw a 10x surge in hand sanitizer demand, which eventually collapsed into a 50% drop in sales.

To survive the downturn, Susan negotiated a two-year promissory note on a $2 million packaging liability, highlighting the value of relationship-based business.

Susan and her co-founder Brad maintained their business partnership for decades after their divorce, prioritizing the company's health as 'the highest good.'

Leveraging Medical Authority to Scale Probiotic Skincare

Dr. Ruchi Gupta founded Yobe, a probiotic skin and scalp care line, after developing a natural formula to treat her daughter's severe eczema.

Yobe generated $330,000 in sales last year, boasting a strong 40% customer repeat purchase rate on its direct-to-consumer website.

Guy advises Dr. Gupta to feature her medical credentials on the packaging, stating, "Your story is so compelling... That's your asset. It's trust." - Guy

Susan recommends focusing sales efforts within a 150-mile local radius first, advising, "If you just get grounded kind of where you are... it sort of ripples from there." - Susan

Premiumizing South African Wine Amidst Margin Pressures

Peter Andrews launched Culture Wine Company in 2023 to import organic, minimal-intervention South African wines, growing year-to-date sales by 150%.

The company relies heavily on wholesale distribution, with 70% of business coming from California direct sales, which has an 80% reorder rate.

Peter highlights the impact of tariffs, noting that the import tariff was 30% in 2025 before reducing to 10%, which still creates severe margin pressure.

To change the narrative around South African wine, Peter focuses on Chenin Blanc, noting that South Africa grows "60% of the world's Chenin now." - Peter

Translating Local Island Success Into Global Coffee Sales

Dominic Windham Giddens has co-run Windham's Bajan Coffee Roasters for 25 years in Barbados, recently hitting $2 million in annual sales.

The business is highly concentrated locally, with 80% of sales coming from hotels, restaurants, and cafes serving high-end tourists.

Guy suggests leveraging the 'Provencal Paradox' by marketing the coffee as an evocative island experience that tourists want to recreate at home.

To break into the US market, Guy recommends pitching regional grocery chains like H-E-B rather than attempting a broad national launch.

Resources Mentioned

Eczema Food & Itch Journal Track Meals, Water Intake and Skin Reactions

'm actually a pediatrician. Okay. I'm a professor at Northwestern and Lurie Children's and I lead a research lab that studies eczema and food allergies. Wow. Wow. So I'm assuming that's how the— yeah

Make Your Own Website using Wordpress the Easy Way Build Website for Free using Wordpress.com or Learn How to Create a Website on your Own Domain from Scratch (How to Create Your Own Website)

re. Sure. I'm like, you know, holding back from jumping in. So excited to meet you and did a little research on your website. And I wish you were around when my kids were little. Yeah. You know, ther