The Divi Deal

Summary

De-Influenced with Dani + Jordan: Episode Summary - "The Divi Deal"

Release Date: November 14, 2024
Hosts: Dani and Jordan from Dear Media

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1. Health Challenges and Upcoming Doctor Visit (00:00 - 05:11)

The episode opens with Dani and Jordan discussing their daily lives, with Dani revealing her recent struggles with pregnancy discomfort and chronic health issues. Dani shares that she has been frequently ill throughout 2024, experiencing seven out of eleven months battling the flu, alongside previous ailments from 2023 such as bronchitis, low blood pressure, and a UTI. She attributes part of her ongoing health decline to breast implants, speculating that they may have triggered an autoimmune response (03:46).

Notable Quote:
Dani: "There's so much that goes into it, like... I've never gotten this sick this often in a year before." 03:51

As a result of these persistent health issues, Dani and Jordan are scheduled to visit an immune specialist, Dr. Jane Lee. Dani expresses a mix of apprehension and hope, emphasizing the uncertainty surrounding her condition until medical tests are completed.

Notable Quote:
Dani: "I didn't want people's opinions because... nobody's gonna really know what's going on until we get the blood work." 02:23

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2. Impact on Daily Life and Relationships (05:11 - 12:56)

The conversation shifts to how Dani's health issues have affected their social interactions and relationships. Both Dani and Jordan contracted a stomach bug, leading to missed social events like election night plans. Jordan observes that Dani's frequent illnesses have become normalized within their circle, with friends showing concern yet treating her sickness as an everyday occurrence.

Notable Quote:
Jordan: "It just has become so commonplace for you to be sick that I was like, oh. Like, she'll... she's good." 06:05

Dani also discusses her reluctance to share her health struggles openly, noting that she rarely informs friends unless necessary. This secrecy stems from her desire to avoid pity and maintain a semblance of normalcy despite her chronic ailments.

Notable Quote:
Dani: "I don’t even tell people anymore because I... I literally would be texting them every other week." 06:34

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3. Fashion and Personal Branding: Jordan's Style Debate (12:56 - 24:56)

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to a lighthearted yet candid discussion about Jordan's wardrobe choices. Dani initiated a poll comparing "Cali Jordan" (casual, youth-oriented attire) versus "Dad Jordan" (more traditional, subdued outfits). The poll results indicated a split preference, with approximately 60% favoring the "Dad Jordan" look and 40% preferring the "Cali Jordan" style.

Notable Quote:
Dani: "I used the picture of you in your classic outfit, and then Cali Jordan and then dad Jordan. I did a poll and seems pretty split. It's about 60 like dad Jordan and 40% like Cali Jordan." 23:10

Jordan laments his perceived outdated fashion sense, expressing a willingness to collaborate with Dani to modernize his wardrobe. They discuss the challenges of staying current with fashion trends, especially amidst their busy lives managing personal and professional responsibilities.

Notable Quote:
Jordan: "I think when you were 30, 31, I was like, oh, he's cool, he's hip. But now that you're 33 going on 34... it's like you're trying too hard." 20:05

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4. The Divi Deal: Expansion and Partnership with a Private Equity Firm (24:56 - 46:19)

The core of the episode revolves around a major announcement concerning Divi, their self-funded beauty brand. Dani provides a comprehensive background on Divi's journey since its inception in 2021, highlighting the unexpected success of their flagship product, the scalp serum "Skew," which achieved over a million sales.

Notable Quote:
Dani: "We've sold a million bottles of that serum now." 25:49

Given Divi's rapid growth and their limited brand awareness (only 6% recognition in a recent survey), Dani and Jordan decided to seek a partnership with a private equity (PE) firm to facilitate further expansion. Initially resistant to external investments to maintain the company's founder-led magic, they eventually recognized the necessity for specialized expertise to navigate global markets and complex industry politics.

Notable Quote:
Dani: "Divi grew so fast, and we were so tired as founders that we kind of just needed help...." 31:17

They emphasize choosing a PE firm with a female-led team to ensure alignment with their brand and values. The partnership aims to enhance Divi's presence in major cities like Chicago and expand internationally, leveraging the PE firm's experience to drive sustainable growth without diluting the company's core identity.

Notable Quote:
Dani: "I want to work with a female team because they get it...they're the demo." 36:45

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5. Reflections on Social Media and Influencer Culture (17:04 - 24:56)

Dani and Jordan delve into the intricacies of influencer culture, particularly focusing on Instagram Stories and TikTok. Dani expresses a deep understanding of the psychology behind content creation on these platforms, likening her insight to that of a college professor. They discuss how Instagram Stories remain a niche yet significant area within influencer marketing, contrasting it with the evolving dynamics of TikTok.

Notable Quote:
Dani: "I really feel like I understand the science of Instagram stories on like a level that I could teach a college class." 18:17

Jordan adds that while many influencers focus on broader engagement metrics, a smaller group heavily relies on Stories for their content strategy. They acknowledge the need to adapt and stay relevant in the fast-paced social media landscape, emphasizing authenticity and connection over superficial online personas.

Notable Quote:
Jordan: "We have a little small pocket of us that like relies so heavily on stories." 18:29

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6. Controversy Surrounding Zach Bryan (46:19 - 65:07)

In a candid and somewhat contentious segment, Dani and Jordan discuss the recent scandal involving musician Zach Bryan and his ex-girlfriend Brianna Chicken Fry. They dissect the situation where Bryan allegedly offered Brianna $12 million to stay silent about his misconduct, drawing parallels to high-profile cases like Epstein's. The hosts speculate on Dave Portnoy's involvement, positing that he might have financially supported Brianna to reveal the truth about Bryan.

Notable Quote:
Dani: "It's just, how often does that happen? If it happens with Zach Bryan and Brianna chicken fry, think about the major celebrities..." 48:50

They express skepticism about Bryan's chances of a career comeback unless he addresses his personal issues, particularly his alleged alcohol addiction. The hosts argue that true redemption would require Bryan to seek rehabilitation and authentically confront his problems, despite his poetic and emotionally charged lyrics that reflect his internal struggles.

Notable Quote:
Dani: "If he goes to rehab and he truly faces his addiction issues with alcohol... I think that he could come out with an album that people would listen." 52:08

The discussion also touches on societal double standards, comparing Bryan's fallout to what might happen if a female artist faced similar allegations. They critique the handling of the situation by media outlets like TMZ, advocating for more responsible reporting that presents the full context of such incidents.

Notable Quote:
Jordan: "We hold you to a high standard." 58:25

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7. Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts (65:07 - End)

As the episode wraps up, Dani and Jordan briefly reflect on their personal growth and the importance of maintaining authenticity both in their health journey and professional endeavors. They reinforce their commitment to building Divi into a globally recognized brand while balancing their personal lives and ongoing health challenges.

Notable Quote:
Dani: "We're going to hire people smarter than us, which I love." 44:53

They conclude by encouraging listeners to follow their podcast on social media platforms and express gratitude towards their audience for their continued support.

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Key Takeaways:

• Health Struggles: Dani's ongoing health issues, potentially linked to breast implants, have significantly impacted their personal and professional lives, prompting an upcoming visit to an immune specialist.

• Personal Relationships: The couple navigates the complexities of their relationships with friends and family amidst chronic illness, emphasizing the normalization of Dani's frequent sickness within their social circles.

• Fashion and Branding: A playful yet sincere debate about Jordan's wardrobe highlights the balance between personal style and maintaining a professional image, reflecting broader themes of identity and societal expectations.

• Divi Expansion: The major announcement regarding a strategic partnership with a female-led PE firm underscores Divi's ambition for global growth and the desire to preserve the brand's authentic, founder-driven ethos.

• Influencer Insights: Dani and Jordan offer deep reflections on the mechanics of influencer marketing, particularly the nuanced roles of Instagram Stories and TikTok in shaping online personas and engagement.

• Celebrity Controversy: The candid discussion on Zach Bryan's scandal reveals the hosts' perspectives on accountability, media responsibility, and the potential for redemption within the celebrity sphere.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Dani on Chronic Illness: "I've never gotten this sick this often in a year before." 03:51
• Jordan on Dani's Health Impact: "It just has become so commonplace for you to be sick... she's good." 06:05
• Dani on Poll Results: "It's about 60 like dad Jordan and 40% like Cali Jordan." 23:10
• Dani on Divi's Success: "We've sold a million bottles of that serum now." 25:49
• Jordan on Divi's Growth: "We have a little small pocket of us that like relies so heavily on stories." 18:29
• Dani on Zach Bryan's Potential Redemption: "If he goes to rehab and he truly faces his addiction issues with alcohol...." 52:08

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This detailed summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and narratives shared by Dani and Jordan in the "The Divi Deal" episode of De-Influenced with Dani + Jordan. From personal health battles and their impact on daily life to strategic business expansions and deep dives into influencer culture, the episode offers a multifaceted exploration of both personal and professional realms.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

Podcast is a dear media production. Hello and welcome back to your favorite podcast de Influenced. Okay, our. Our outfits today.

[A]

Yeah. You dress me like a golfer.

[B]

You look really good. Do I look like Austin Powers?

[A]

Austin Powers? I know you heard you say that a couple times. I don't get it.

[B]

This big long checkered cardigan.

[A]

Oh, yeah, the checkers.

[B]

You don't think so?

[A]

No. You look very comfortable.

[B]

Thank you. Thank you. I. I got to the point in this pregnancy where I just ordered a bunch of. Have you ever heard of bump suit?

[A]

No.

[B]

So Kylie Jenner kind of like made it pop off when she was pregnant apparently. I don't know, like the ads got me. So I don't know if that's true or not, but they're these. I usually wear beyond yoga, but I ordered all these bump suits that are like basically colored bump suits.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And they're so soft. And so now I think I'll just be wearing these for the rest of my pregnancy.

[A]

I can tell you're getting to that stage where you're starting to get uncomfortable.

[B]

I'm uncomfortable every day.

[A]

It's. It's harder for you to get out of bed.

[B]

My right sciatica is like.

[A]

Yeah, you're kind of. You're rolling a lot.

[B]

No, you know. You know it hurts when I let you hit the record button.

[A]

I know of this.

[B]

So I always hit the record button. But I'm having really bad sciatica pains on my right side right now. And so like you can hit the record button and I usually get pissed when he touches it.

[A]

Today's a big day though, because we, after this podcast are going to an immune specialist. Immunology.

[B]

Yeah. It's a big day for me. What's it called?

[A]

What's the specialist called?

[B]

So she's actually an allergy and immune. Immune specialist.

[A]

Immune specialist?

[B]

Yeah, specialist. Her name is Dr. Jane Lee, which I'm like, how many Dr. Jane Lee's are there out in the world? There's probably a bajillion, but I'm going to see one of them.

[A]

But why are we going. Give them the facts.

[B]

Okay, so this is actually kind of depressing and something I haven't really talked about because I don't really want people's opinions because I'm like, nobody's gonna really know what's going on until we get the blood work.

[A]

I don't know. They called that gallbladder attack, like faster than any doctor out there. True. I mean, true.

[B]

I'm like, it's heartbreaking.

[A]

They're like no, we're not endorsing that. You should crowdsource your medical information. But it, like, kind of hits like, they kind of know.

[B]

No, I know, but this one is, like, so much. There's so much that goes into it, like. So anyway, when I look back at 2024, out of the. Let's see, we've had 11 months out of 2024. And out of the 11 months. Let me see, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Seven out of the 11 months, I have had the flu, and. Which is just not normal. And it usually switches from influenza A to B to A to B. I got coveted one time this year. And, yeah, so I just have been sick a lot, and I'm usually out for, like, a week, but then I just push through and I get my Tylenol cold and flu, and I move on. But this started before I was pregnant. Now, the only thing I was looking back. And so I also was looking at 2023. In September of 2023, I had bronchitis. October, I went to the hospital for low blood pressure, and I had a UTI. So, but anyway, when I look back at 2024, in January, I got my boobs done. And that's the only thing that, like, I can find any correlation to the increase in sickness.

[A]

What's it called?

[B]

Bii, Breastplant illness? Bpi?

[A]

B. Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

So sometimes, because it's a foreign object, it can trigger, like, an autoimmune response because your body can't fight the other things going on because it's fighting these foreign objects. Apparently. That's what Ellie told me. I also know nine. Nine girls that have their boobs done. So I'm like, why would I be the one? But I've never gotten this sick this often in a year before.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And it was before my pregnancy because I actually didn't find out I was pregnant till, like, May. Right. In London. And so, yeah, it's not.

[A]

It can't be correlated with pregnancy.

[B]

Yeah. So. And then every time they've done two immunology panels where they look at your blood and they look at your blood cell count and red blood, white blood cells, and every time I get anything done, I even did a full body scan, remember, with that im, Imaginary vision, whatever. And there's nothing ever wrong. I'm always healthy.

[A]

Ovarian cysts.

[B]

I've had ovarian cysts for, like, 15 years. They always bring up the ovari variances. They're like, yeah, you have a spot on your ovaries, but that's I've always had that. So, anyway, we're going to this doctor today. I'm. I'm feeling hopeful, but, you know, I didn't realize.

[A]

So we also both got the stomach bug this week. And, you know, it was election night, and I had a lot of plans with my friends to watch the election, and so you were very sick. And I was very torn because I'm like, it's election night. I know we all want to. We all want to watch that tour.

[B]

And I was like, you can go. You're like, okay.

[A]

Well, so what I realized is that when I left and I went and hung out with my friends, Ellie and Janelle were there.

[B]

I know they didn't want me to come.

[A]

Well, there's no way you were out.

[B]

But I was not have gone if I was that sick.

[A]

I was not sick. And I. I had my shirt over my nose every moment that I talked to you that day, because I was like, I don't want to be sick for election night. But when I went over there, just for election night. Well, when I went over there, they were like, you're not at home, like, with Danny, like, is she ok? And I realized how bad and severe this issue was when it's like you being sick is just like a Tuesday.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Like, I was like, oh. Like, it just has become so commonplace for you to be sick that I was like, oh, no. Like, she's good. Like, she'll.

[B]

I mean, to be honest, I don't even tell people, like, 50 of the time. I only tell people if I have to, like, cancel something. No, but, like, I don't even tell people anymore because I. And when I say don't tell people, I mean, like, my friends. Because, like, typically, if you're sick, like, you tell your friends, like, can you pray for me? Like, I'm sick. No, I don't tell you anymore because I'm like, I literally would be texting them, like, every other week.

[A]

You were in. You were in the emergency room, and our friends didn't even text us. Like, they were just like. They came to, you know, Stella's birthday the next day. They're like, it's. So that's how I looked at you in the car the other day. And I go, I. I have a sick wife. Like, I. My wife is sick. Like, the frequency is pretty out of this world. But what really scared me about Tuesday night was I was talking to. I think it was Devin and Janelle and Ellie was there. And your friends are really worried about you. I Just want you to know that they deeply care, but they also. Ellie thinks you're incredibly stubborn. And I was like, well, Ellie, I was like, you're like a naturopath. Why don't you tell Danny this stuff? And she got like, very feisty. And she was like, oh, don't even. She was like, I talk to Danny all the time. You have to catch her at the perfect moment. Like, I'm always having to, like, upseller on all these things that, like, I do.

[B]

I started taking the garlic pills. I started taking them. I still got sick.

[A]

But she thinks this problem goes way deeper than garlic pills.

[B]

Well, then what is it? Is it in my soul? Is it stress? My mom called me this one, she's like, I think you're stressed. I'm like, I'm not stressed, mom. You're stressing me out.

[A]

Oh, what time does she call you? Because I think I. I think she called me before that.

[B]

I. Let me tell you something about me this year. I am not stressed this year. Yeah, like, I told her that I know when I'm stressed. 20, 20, 20, 21. I was really stressed. I have been canceled multiple times. You know what that stress looks like? I literally, like, can't even function. I am not stressed this year. Yeah, like, I'm not. I'm not stressed and I'm not depressed. Like, I know when I'm also depressed. And yes, I was depressed that at the very beginning of my pregnancy. Yes, I will admit I like, because being depressed, like, I know because I think about death.

[A]

So, yeah, sure, sign.

[B]

Sorry. I think about and not death. Like, like I'm going, you know, like going to hurt myself, but more so, like, what's the point of life? Why are we here?

[A]

Right?

[B]

Why do I even have to get up today? Am I a burden on everyone? Like, those are the thoughts that go through my head when I'm depressed. That's not where I'm at right now.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So I'm not stressed or depressed. So we can cut those out. My mom is like, really bothering me with those, those conversations. But no, like, I honestly, like, I feel like I'm healthy. Like, yeah, what does she think is the problem?

[A]

So I don't. I don't think anyone knows. But here's what the statement that she said. This is a story about. I think it was like, Devin's parents, but they went to this, like, have you heard of these, like, executive health retreats where you, like, they ship you off for like two weeks and it's kind of like a, you know, Med spa. But like, you know, you're at this resort and they just take a bunch of blood panels and like all this. But it's a whole process.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So his parents did it and it was after, I think they went through a really stressful season in life.

[B]

And.

[A]

And basically after getting all of these like, you know, tests done and the stress associated with that season they went through, they told Devin's parents, like, yeah, you. This probably took about eight years off of your life. Like the amount of stress that you.

[B]

I believe that. I believe that. And so what really got 20, 20 probably took about 10 years off of it.

[A]

No, that's what really got me, was like, really got me paying attention. And I was like. Cuz Ellie was very concerned. She was like, I feel like Danny is so sick that her, her body is like taking years off her life. And I told Ellie, I go, I can't, I can't live without Daniel. It's like, we gotta get this girl healthy.

[B]

That's why you ordered all those air things.

[A]

Yeah. And I was like, I was like, I ordered a bunch of air purifiers for our house. I ordered a 23andMe. And Ellie was like, Jordan, like what you're gonna like learn that she's Scandinavian? Like what is that gonna do? And I was like, I'm just throwing everything at the wall here. And so today's a, Today's a big important day.

[B]

Wait, so. But what does she think is causing it? I'll get my boobs taken out. If that's like the issue, I'll take them out. I don't really care that much.

[A]

You were so excited about those.

[B]

Yeah, but it's like, it's like, it's like a fun handbag.

[A]

Like I don't really need part of the family now.

[B]

Yeah. But I don't really like, you know.

[A]

I would rather have you healthy and.

[B]

Present than the, the biggest bummer about that, which is having would be having these scars with no. You know, but whatever, I don't care. Nobody's gonna see it. I'm not, I'm not gonna be like taking pictures of my top off, so.

[A]

Let's hope not.

[B]

Who knows? No. So yeah, my health has just been on the decline and I know everyone's gonna tell me that it's for my breastplants or my breast implants, but you.

[A]

Think the doctor is going to tell you that today?

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

I know.

[B]

I mean, honestly, like, I really, I'm so 50. 50. Like I'll just once I'M done. I'll just get them taken out. If it's like a concern this much. I thought this was going to be. It' fun. It's not supposed to be like stressful getting your boobs. You know what I mean? Like this is not supposed to be a health thing. Like it's not worth it if it's, if it affects your health. But anyway, so yeah, we did get over the stomach flu. The most interesting thing about me having the stomach flu was I went to an event on Saturday. Well, no, I can say cuz Sarah Rose talked about this on our stories. Her baby got sick. And then Connor and Sarah both got sick and I went to an event and was around them that evening and. But here's the thing. There were like 20 other girls.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And they texted on Monday, said, hey, is anyone feeling sick? You know, baby was sick. Now we're, we have the stomach bug. We've had it for 24 hours. It's brutal. And everybody's like, nope, nope, we're good, we're good. I mean like all the girls. And I'm like, yeah, no, I'm fine. Tuesday, I'm. I'm throwing my guts up in the morning. I'm the only person that got it. And I didn't even sit next to her at the table. I was across the room. I didn't share any drinks actually. Everyone was like holding, holding baby Caden and like. And I, I didn't because I had to go home early.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And so I left early. Like I don't know. It's like I have no immune system.

[A]

No, you really don't.

[B]

It's like I'm just, like, I absorb everything.

[A]

So anyway, I got it. You know what's so funny is I actually don't know if I got it. Like I can't tell if it was the stomach flu or that it. I ate quite a bit of carrot cake on election night because like it really didn't hit me until like 2am in the morning.

[B]

I don't think that you had the same thing as me, but let me ask you this. Did you have aches?

[A]

No, I was just so tired.

[B]

Okay. Baby, you didn't have what I had. That's so annoying. I. Like, I knew you didn't. I was like, I knew you didn't.

[A]

Yeah, and then you faked it. I just wanted to sleep in.

[B]

No, but I knew you didn't because like the way, like the way you would pop out of bed and get in and out of bed and like, you weren't like, throwing up or your tummy didn't hurt. Any of that.

[A]

I had issues.

[B]

Okay, well, then maybe. Yeah, maybe you did.

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

Because I had issues. Yeah. So we. I went on the brat diet. Bananas, rice, Brat.

[A]

Like.

[B]

Like. Like brat Summer, but brat diet.

[A]

Yeah. Gotcha.

[B]

Bananas, rice, applesauce.

[A]

I feel like brat Summer lives on Gen Z. Podcast producer says, yes.

[B]

Yes. And the T stands for toast. But I had, like, a lot of crackers, too. Yeah. Because. But then. Oh. Should I even tell what happened yesterday about my health? Honestly, I don't even need to tell y'all. Should I even tell them what happened yesterday?

[A]

Yeah, tell them.

[B]

Well, I had another gallbladder attack.

[A]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

It's. Honestly, it's old news. Like, just. If you're looking at me, just know I'm sick again.

[A]

So we were at Div's office.

[B]

Like, we have, like, the most important.

[A]

We have a huge, important meeting, which.

[B]

We'Ll tell you guys about.

[A]

And, you know, all these new people are in the room at Divi, and everyone's like, where's Danny? And I go, oh, yeah, she's downstairs. She's walking off her gallbladder attack. And they were all like, is she okay? And I was like, oh, yeah. No, it's not a big deal. It's like a heart attack, but not. And then. But it's.

[B]

So I'm literally calling. I'm literally calling an Uber to take me to the hospital.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, I'm literally like. And then, because I don't want to cause a scene, we had these people flying from San Francisco, this big meeting, and I don't want people to be like, oh, my God, we're so worried about her. So I just go downstairs, and I'm on the phone trying to get a hold of my doctor for two, like, an hour and a half, almost two hours. Gets to the point where I'm in so much pain. I'm like. I text Jordan. He doesn't reply because he's meeting. So then I text our HR girl. I'm like, hey, can you tell Jordan I'm going to go to the hospital? And she's like, yeah, sure. I'm like, thank you.

[A]

I'm like, oh, yeah. She. Everyone say bye. Danny said to the hospital, like, it's all just. It's like a Wednesday.

[B]

Just another day.

[A]

Oh, man.

[B]

Yeah. So anyway, to health, wealth, and happiness.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Should we go into, like, kind of our big announcement?

[A]

I feel like maybe we should. It's been under the radar since June.

[B]

Yeah. You know, people have been wondering, why has Jordan been wearing so many suits lately? Because, you know, he either dresses like a 17 year old Cali boy, which I do want to read you the, the poll results. Do you. Do you ever watch my stories anymore?

[A]

No.

[B]

Okay. Sometimes I know you didn't watch my stories on Halloween, and it really hurt my feelings. I thought they were so great.

[A]

Babe, I know. I believe your stories are great. I don't watch. Really?

[B]

No, they're not always great. It's okay. They're not always great. Just some days they are.

[A]

Okay, well, that. What I'm saying is, like, I just, I don't. I don't watch. Release any stories anymore. Big Twitter guy, big Reddit guy.

[B]

You're. You're lying. Because I see you in bed watching stories.

[A]

If you do, it's very brief. It's like a. It's almost like a muscle memory habit. Like, I'm not really, like learning too much from stories.

[B]

It's so interesting. Like, if you posted stories, I probably wouldn't watch them either.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

You know, we have our separate lives.

[A]

Does it hurt your feelings that I don't want your stories? I will tell you the best thing about.

[B]

Sometimes I feel like you're embarrassed of me.

[A]

Really? You cannot be serious.

[B]

Sometimes I feel like you're like, oh, the stories aren't good because I'm not in them anymore.

[A]

That is so you. That is so you. To like spin this weird ace narrative in your head and believe that. That is so, so freaking you. What?

[B]

I literally was about to say, I feel like if my stories were good, you would watch them every day.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. This is so you. I. I was literally about to say. You know what I like about not watching your stories is I feel like we have so much to talk about. Like, I'm like, how was your day? Like, tell me about your day. And I don't get the Internet version. I get like the actual.

[B]

The real version.

[A]

The real version. Like, I feel so much more connected to you by not watching the story version of you.

[B]

Okay, I'll take it. I'll receive that.

[A]

That's. That's true.

[B]

It's sweet.

[A]

That's true.

[B]

So, you know, going back to the poll I did this morning, I used.

[A]

To really, I will say, can I tell you one story about stories?

[B]

Okay.

[A]

On. On election night, it was like 11:30, so we were just like waiting to see what happened.

[B]

And I. I hadn't posted because I was dying in bed.

[A]

And I did this exercise and I really Made me miss the game a little bit. I did this exercise with Devin and Janelle where we would open up. I'm not going to say who, like different influencer couples, like Instagram stories. And I would give them a play by play of like who was fighting in the background of actually filming these stories. And I would give them a play by play of like, okay, he probably said film yourself doing this at this point. And like he handed her the phone at this point and then I think he wrote the text on this slide and she wrote the text on this slide and we just like gave a. Yeah, we gave a play by play of like the behind the scenes of like my thesis on like what their actual relationship dynamic was, like creating these stories. It was really fun.

[B]

Yeah, because we know.

[A]

I think I, I honestly feel like I understand the science of Instagram stories on like a level that I could teach a college class. I really do believe this.

[B]

No, I know, but it's so funny because like, you know, Forbes is coming out with all these lists and everybody's tick tockers, but like nobody's really like a story influencer. Like I feel like that's an industry or that's like a little niche that no one has really honed in on.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And cuz everyone's so worried about their engagement in other areas, but like there's a little small pocket of us that like relies so heavily on stories.

[A]

It's like Instagram stories and vloggers. Like, I feel like I understand, I think I understand the psychology of tick tockers too. Like what they're actually thinking in the moments that they film these things.

[B]

No, I don't. So I, I thought so too, but not. I think you're thinking like the old style Tick tock. The new style Tick tock is so. It's so different.

[A]

Yeah, you're right. I probably couldn't get like the real Tiktokers, but like you, you, you put me like I could play by play anyone's Instagram stories and I think understand like the psychology behind every shot that they did.

[B]

No, I agree with you. Going back to my poll that I took this morning. So Travis, Matthew Matthews, whatever, sent over a PR box of new clothes for Jordan. I guess for Holiday. They're sending out like a bunch of men's clothes. And I was so excited because it's exactly how I want Jordan addressed, which is like kind of like an old man, but like, not really like. No, this is like a cool old man, you know, and, but like they sent everything over. And I was like, there's no freaking way Jordan's gonna wear this.

[A]

Like, I feel aged by about at least seven years today. And maybe that's good for me. Maybe I need to start.

[B]

I think, I think it's time. Like, I think when you were 30, 31, I was like, oh, he's cool, he's hip. But now that you're 33 going on 34, it's like you're try. You're dressing like a little boy a little bit, but, you know, I still love you and everything. It's okay. But it. The. The T shirts that you're wearing over and over again.

[A]

Abercrombie.

[B]

Yeah. Which I do love those TE's. And if you wear it like, you know, once in a blue moon, I'm like, okay with it. But the everyday look with that and then the jeans and they're not everyday.

[A]

Essential tees I have in every color.

[B]

But they even have, like, a little distressing on them, which is just a very casual, laid back look. And like, we're doing things a little different these days. Like, you know, like, you're having calls with the mayor. Like, I feel like.

[A]

Yeah. Yes, yes, yes.

[B]

Just like.

[A]

So the distressed tee I wore to meet with our PE partners is not a good look.

[B]

And you wear it yesterday. It.

[A]

See, thought I. I thought I was just being like, cool.

[B]

No, Cool.

[A]

Fun founder.

[B]

Yeah, See, no, no, to me it's just like, oh, now he's stuck. Like, that's the vibe it gets. Like, oh, he's stuck. He can't get out of. He can't get out of it. It's not like, coming across as fun or. Or what's the word? Like, humble anymore. Yeah, yeah. It's like, it's like, oh, he doesn't know.

[A]

Okay, but here's the thing.

[B]

I think that style in and of itself has, like, people have evolved out of that. You know what I mean? So even, like, the cool kids aren't wearing that anymore, so you're wearing, like, do you know what I'm saying?

[A]

Oh, man, that's hard. I know what you mean, and that is really tough to hear. That would be like, me like, still wearing Jinkos or like, True Religion jeans.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

You know, it's like, I, like, don't.

[B]

Hate on the true religions. Some people still love this.

[A]

We've already talked about this. But yeah, it's. I. I get what you're saying. It's like you're so out of style, but you don't know. It's and so it's not. It's not, like, ironic anymore or, like, cool. It's like. It's actually just.

[B]

Well, it's like. Yeah, that's a good word for it. Chewy dang.

[A]

How does that happen so fast?

[B]

Because I do think with age, like, there is. There are clothes that are age appropriate, and, like, you can't go too far back. And if you go back, you can just touch into that space. But, like, you really just shouldn't be dressing that way. Like, if my mom was wearing Brandy Melville, we'd have a problem. You know, even if it fit her and she looked great and it was flattering, it's just, like, not appropriate. You know what I mean?

[A]

Do you think that you're, like, pretty up with the trends in terms of, like, fashion?

[B]

Look at me. I look like Austin Powers. I'm also pregnant. I'm just trying to get by.

[A]

No, it's. It's hard to keep up with culture.

[B]

I think I have a good eye for it, but I don't think I dress like that. Like, I dress like a slob. Bam. I shouldn't even be talking right now. But you're like my little. You're like my little trophy husband, so I'm trying to make you look good.

[A]

Well, I. Yeah, maybe we can, like, collaborate on this a little bit more, because I just don't. I mean, I'll wear this today because we can find a middle change, but I'm not.

[B]

But here's the thing. My point with this whole thing going back to the poll that I took.

[A]

I feel like a dad. I just feel like a dad right now.

[B]

You are a dad. You're gonna be a dad of three. What's wrong with that?

[A]

But.

[B]

But we can work with this. I think, like, the shoes are probably a. No.

[A]

Yeah, the shoes.

[B]

He's like, those are my favorite part.

[A]

They're comfortable, but what do they used to call these? Kicks or.

[B]

No, those are Travis Matthews.

[A]

Oh, I know.

[B]

But I mean, they're not bad. They're not bad. They look like dad shoes. We can work on it a little bit. What really got me. Do you have the belt on?

[A]

I have the belts on. Do people rail on me all the time for not wearing belts? I always thought I was, like, fashion forward, but everyone comments. They're like, oh, you're a no belt guy. And I was like, yeah, I just don't like them.

[B]

Okay. So I did this poll, and I put the picture of you in your classic outfit, and then. So Cali Jordan and then dad Jordan. I did a poll and seems pretty split. It's about 60 like dad Jordan and 40% like Cali Jordan.

[A]

Hey, I'm not here to play to the masses. I'm talking about not putting fluoride in drinking water. I mean, the masses will come and join me, but, like, sounds like I should be playing to my base here.

[B]

Here's the thing, though. We're going to find a good middle ground.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

We're going to collaborate.

[A]

I think we should go to suit supply. I feel like supply. You cannot go wrong. I feel like any male listening to this podcast, which is like, three they know.

[B]

No, I'm so over supply. Like, I want you to try some new brands. You should see the other stuff that Travis Matthew sent over.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

This was the most, like, traditional, classic one I could get because I was trying to really push you to the extreme. The other ones are, like, cool, We'll. We'll play around with it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay. So, yeah, let's talk about our big Divi announcement.

[A]

So you've been wondering why I've been in suits.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Back in June. Man, how do we even tell this story?

[B]

Okay, so basically, let me just give you a background. We launched Divi in 2021.

[A]

Self funded.

[B]

Self funded. We worked out of Stratton's. He wasn't born yet, but we worked out of hers nursery. That's where we hired our first two employees, and we launched with just our hero Skew, which was our scalp serum that I created with a chemist, essentially, and launched that and really had no idea where this thing could go. And it grew really fast. The first year, we did 40 million in sales of just that one skew. And that was mainly because that was even outside of me. It was like. Mainly because of the. Just, like, the word of mouth, the before and after pictures, people like the testimonies.

[A]

We've sold a million bottles of that serum now.

[B]

Over a million.

[A]

Over a million.

[B]

I think it's like 1.2 million of those. Yeah.

[A]

And so did not expect that.

[B]

Yeah. And so, honestly, ever since then, every product that we've come out with since has just been, like, listening to y'all and, like, hearing kind of what your concerns are, what your hair problems are, and coming out with solutions for that. So now we have eight skis, which is still, like, really small. You know, it's. But, you know, we got into Ulta Ulta by Target on Amazon, and I have a lot of. I still have a lot of dreams for Divi. I want to go international. I also want to go more domestic, because we actually did this, this, like, survey, and Divi has actually pretty low brand awareness. Like, if you took, I think. How many people did they take? A thousand?

[A]

No, I don't know how they ran the survey, but our overall awareness score is 6%.

[B]

So that means if you take a hundred people, only six people. So like, random people.

[A]

A neutral is like 80%.

[B]

Yeah. So if you take like a hundred random people all over the country and you ask them, do you know about divi? Out of 100, only six people knew, which is really exciting for us because that means that there's so much more growth that we could, you know, have. And there's some, like, major cities that I really want to hit, like Chicago and some of the west coast and east coast, because we're really, like, heavy in the middle, but not so much in, like, the coast. The coast. So anyway, there's just. We have a lot of dreams. We hired our first CEO this year.

[A]

January.

[B]

In January. And that's why Jordan and I have a marriage again. It was really hard. He was CEO for a couple years and never again.

[A]

Guys, I think hardest job in the world.

[B]

Well, I think what we like to do together is we like to. To start companies and to like, grow them from zero to something, but not, like, run the company.

[A]

Yeah. The way I. The way I characterized it is like, you know, when you're the CEO, you're responsible for everything. And I'm glad I had that experience for two years. But I like where I'm at now. Technically, my role is chairman.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I'm like, fun uncle.

[B]

You get to come in, and I.

[A]

Like to come in. I don't have to deal with any of the drama. And I can be like, hey, guys, like, we should do this idea. Like, TikTok shop is popping off. We should work on it. And then, like, you know, there's smart people that like, actually execute actually the work.

[B]

Yeah. Which is so great. And so we. In June, you said.

[A]

Yeah, in June we started a process to find a. They typically call them, like, growth partners or private equity partners.

[B]

Can I actually, like, go back a little bit?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

To be honest, we didn't really start it. I feel like we were approached a lot. Like, my email every single day was like, 10 PE firms being like, we want to work with you. We want to partner with Divi. Do you want to sell one day? And I was like, no, I don't want to sell. I like, no, we're self funded. We don't need you. And then like these emails just kept coming in, kept coming in and we started having like more conversations and we were like, wait, these people really know what they're talking about.

[A]

Well, so here's what I would say is like the reason. And I don't know how much people care about this, but we'll put in the podcast. So like, basically, I think that companies that are bootstrapped, you know, you typically have what I think are like very founder led companies. That's when the magic happens, right? You have these like really cool stories of companies popping off because it has a extremely passionate founder behind it, right? So usually the challenge is when you bring in like other partners or other money, you kind of lose some of the magic, right? And so we had always been like, hey, we don't, we don't really need other people to like run our company. Like, we're well capitalized. It's. It's a successful company.

[B]

Well, we were trying to like, you know, they say walk before you run. We were trying to grow really fast. I was like, I don't want more stress.

[A]

So we would have a lot of these investment groups reaching out and you know, usually they want to get in early enough. And typically what happens is they'll say, hey, like, let us invest. We'll help you do this, we'll help you do that, we'll help you grow. And we just kind of ignored their emails. Like, I remember snoozing a lot of them because I was just like, I.

[B]

Don'T now I look back at like, who were snoozing. I'm like, no, I know, it's horrible.

[A]

No, it's so funny. Like, I will say this and we'll, we'll finish this story. The group that we ended up going with, I'm. They're, I'm really close with them now. Like, I, I've never asked this question. I think that they showed up in Dallas like three times just being like, hey, we're in Dallas. And I literally snooze the email, like.

[B]

Sorry, we're watching the football game.

[A]

But no, I never would even respond because I never wanted to give anyone hope or because if you.

[B]

Well, and I didn't know who they were.

[A]

No, yeah, I knew who all the groups were. They're very prestigious. Like, like, there's a group, Blackstone is like a big, huge. They did goop. Like, all of them were like world class premium, built the largest beauty brands type of companies. But I just didn't want to entertain anything and give anyone false hope. So I would Snooze.

[B]

Oh, false hope. I just didn't know who they were. I was like, can you leave me alone?

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. What's so funny?

[B]

And then they would get my phone number and call me.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

They would call randomly, and I would, like, answer, and they're like, hi, this is so and so. And I would just be like, okay, can you call my husband?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I'd be like, I don't know. I'm doing my makeup right now. Can you please call my husband? No.

[A]

What's hilarious. This is what's so funny is that, like, you know, we have an email for Danny that's like, her Divi email, but, like, it was really set up just for, like, like, insurance purposes because.

[B]

Like, do I use it?

[A]

You do.

[B]

I mean, like, probably once every two weeks.

[A]

Well, what's so funny is, like, they would get my email, and they would never get a response, and they would just email you, but it's forwarded to me. So then I would just be like, hey, it's still me.

[B]

It's me again.

[A]

We're not looking for capital right now, but anyway, so, yeah, we would. We kind of just tried to, like, leapfrog the whole bringing in investors. But I think that what really changed our tune was, like, Divi grew so fast, and we were so tired as founders that, like, we really just kind of, like, needed help knowing, like, okay, if we want this to be a global brand, you know, there's like, kind of a mental toll that that would take on us by doing it alone.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

For sure that we're.

[B]

This episode is brought to you by Saks.com and I am so grateful because it is that time of year again, y'all. The holidays are upon us, and finding the perfect gift, those cute holiday outfits and more can be such a struggle. This is why I love shopping sex.com. it makes it so easy to find great gifts for those that you love. Saks.com's holiday gift guide makes it easy to find presents for hard to shop people. From the viral Celine sunglasses your college age daughter has been wanting to the Chloe bag you've had your eye on for months. Saks.com has it all. Plus, it makes it so easy for this pregnant mama to make sure I get all of my shopping done before baby number three arrives without having to worry about crowded stores and long lines. It truly is making my life so much easier this holiday season. It goes even beyond clothes. You know, your girl loves to shop cute home decor for the holiday season. And Saks.com has me covered and you can make wish lists which is so helpful for me because we have so many family members and friends I need to shop for. Being able to shop off their list just makes my life so much easier to just get everyone exactly, exactly what they want for the holidays. Find gifts guaranteed to bring joy to every. Hardest shop for person this [e-mail] another company we have loved for so long that has made our lives 10 times easier is Thrive Market. You guys know how much I love Thrive Market. I think it's because I'm such a, I'm such a snacker and I really have been getting so much more into like the ingredients of everything especially I'm giving my kids. Thrive Market is the number one destination for parents looking for healthy stress free grocery shopping for the whole family during back to school season. From nut free snacks to high protein bars and snack packs for lunch boxes, Thrive Market has you and your kids covered as you get back into the school year and your routine. They have everything from smart sweets, candy, oh they're so good to pasta sauce, chopsticks and so much more. You can even get non toxic cleaning products which I really need to do because the other day I like found my kids and they had gone into the cleaning closet and pulled out Clorox and I was like oh my God I'm such a bad mom. Like we need some some clean cleaning products. I love that Thrive Market only allows trusted top quality ingredients while restricting more than 1000 harmful ingredients like artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup and more. They make it easy for me to get the right nutrition for Stella and Stratton with the click of a button. Plus you can do the buy it again feature. Oh I love this feature and which means like anything you bought in the future like you just see everything and just in onsite filters to save time and easily get lunchbox staples and afternoon snacks delivered to your front door. Not only do I save time shopping as a Thrive Market member, I also save money on every single grocery order. On average I save about 30% each time. They even have a price match guarantee and a deals page that changes weekly. Oh I love that when you join Thrive Market you are also helping a family in need for their one with their one for one membership matching program. Want to shop at a grocery store that actually cares for your health? Go to thrivemarket.com dinfluence for 30 off your your first order plus a free 60 gift. That's T H R I V E market.com dinfluence and there's a lot of, there's a lot of value bringing in people that have kind of done this before. But also it, it came when, like, I just knew we were ready. I felt like we had, we had accomplished the goals that I wanted Divi to accomplish and the next set of goals was over my head. Yeah, like, it was, it was over my head. I didn't know how to do it. And there was too much on the line. There's too many people's jobs at risks. At risk. There's too many. There's like, it's just. You can't make a wrong step. Like, maybe you kind of can, but like, I wanted someone to kind of hold our hands and, and help us going globally if we ever went into other retailers or just like building our relationship with, with Ulta. There's a lot of like politics that go into the beauty space too. Like, that you just don't know how to navigate unless you've done it before. And so once I knew we were ready, I was like, okay, we can start having a conversation, but we're gonna like, still maintain majority of our company. It's going to be a minority partner that comes in that has a ton of experience and can just help us get from point A to point B. And so we did like tons of interviews and talked to so many firms and we found a firm that I personally love because it was an all female team. Not only were they all female, but do you remember the first time that we like hung out with them? I was like, babe, I love them. I could have a sleepover with them. And I'm so sick of like, it can be really hard working with men in the beauty space. Like, I remember one of the scientists that we almost worked with was completely bald.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And now we have an all. And like, you live and learn, right? And, and he was a, he was a male and he was not our demo. He had no idea what like influencing was. And it was just so hard to create products with him because I want someone I can like text at like 7pm and be like, hey girl, how's it going? What's the smell like? Should it smell more fruity? Should it smell, you know, whatever. And that's why we brought in like a female team of scientists because like, I want not only that, but I want these girls to be the ones that like, they're creating it for people like themselves too, you know. And so when I met with this team, I was like, not only are they all female, they're also like, kind of around my age. Well, not. Not Sonia, but, like, of the other girls on the team. And they're. They're like our demo. Like, they get it. And they were young, and they were so smart. Like, one of them went to Harvard, right?

[A]

No, they pretty much all went to Harvard.

[B]

They all went to Harvard? No, they all went to Cal. Cal Poly.

[A]

They're all really smart.

[B]

They're also. They're just smart people. Smart gals. And so I just felt. I was like, we have some synergy here. Like, I can tell. Not only do they care, but they're the demo. And, like. And here's the thing. Like, it's so fun to work on growing a brand and growing products that you actually, like, love, and you actually use. You know what I mean? Like, I wouldn't want to be working on a brand of, like, you know, creating products for, like, a demo that I don't relate to. And I felt like these girls, like, got it, and so that was, like, a huge factor for me choosing our. Our PE group. But anyway, so we went into diligence that only lasted for 45 days. But, like, the whole process took about six months.

[A]

It was about five months. It was brutal. I'm not gonna lie.

[B]

Yeah. So, you know, I was. I was home at. I was home sick and pregnant. Like, literally, I was sick all the time. So that's why you saw Jordan in suits all the time. I'd be at home, and he would go off to New York or go to San Francisco or wherever and take all these meetings for me, because all. Especially during the first trimester, I was, like, out.

[A]

Yeah, it's so funny, like, whenever you're pregnant and. Or sick. Like, it. It gives the vibes of, like, when UT wanted you to speak and I showed up.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

It's. It's really an artful thing for me to be able to use you as, like, this mysterious figure. Like, I've really figured out how to spin it.

[B]

They're like, oh, she's just so busy. And it's like.

[A]

And I, like, I know for a fact you're, like, eating popcorn, watching, like, you know, Bravo. And I'm like, yeah, you know, her schedule's crazy. That is so true. Yeah, but it's. It's really funny because, I mean, they. They. They're most excited always to meet Danny.

[B]

And I don't know. I don't know if that's true.

[A]

I think it's true.

[B]

I think they really enjoy talking to both of us. We're both so different.

[A]

But I think once they get to know me, they, they are excited, you.

[B]

Know, but it's to get to know me, they like me.

[A]

Yeah, you just get to know me. Just give me a shot, guys.

[B]

I don't think so. I think especially because of this podcast, people have seen a different side of you that they, they really appreciate and they love.

[A]

Oh, that's sweet. But yeah. So I would say, you know, just for any advice to any founders out there, if you're going to do an investment deal, it is going to be the hardest three to six months of your life.

[B]

It was wild.

[A]

It was, it was. If, if only this whole deal wasn't locked under NDA. I could tell you every twist and turn that happened because it is the most I. It's the craziest story that I've ever lived through.

[B]

Let's. Oh, I'm so excited about this one too. I actually just got my new Nanit in the mail yesterday for baby number three. Speaking of must have baby items, I want to talk to you guys about the Nanit baby monitor. The best baby monitor ever. You all know we are about to have a full house with a four year old, a two year old and a newborn. So it is an extra important to me that I have a baby monitor I can trust. My busy moms know it's so hard to leave your babies for work, but with Nanit, I can keep an eye on things at home and check in right from their app when I'm on the go. It's truly given me so much peace of mind, especially as baby number three is quickly approaching and things are about to get a little more crazy in the Austin Ramirez household. The Inanna baby monitor has won over 25 awards in 2024, including the new including from the New York Times, Wirecutter, Parents magazine, and the Skim. But Nanit isn't just a high definition camera. It also monitors your baby's sleeping and breathing patterns. Plus it helps you not miss any of your baby's milestones. With all those tools, Nanit makes more sleep for your baby possible. Nanit parents tend to get an extra 36 nights of sleep per year and Nanit babies sleep 10% longer. And we all know sleep is so important. So I now have one ready for baby number three. But I also been using Nanit for Stella and Stratton and it's just as effective for the toddler age. And let me tell you, we had a different baby monitor. We had multiple before. I actually think I was really stubborn and like I was like I'M not gonna do that for a year. And then I got the Nana. I'm like, what was I doing with my life? It's so nice because I could be out at a restaurant if we have a babysitter or something, or my coco's watching them. I can pull it up and just. And like, do the split screen. And it works even if there's no WI fi. Right? It works like, just like with cell service. Right. I don't really get how, like, the.

[A]

The camera has to be on WI fi, but you can pull it up with self service.

[B]

You can pull up. Okay.

[A]

Yeah, you don't have to be on WI fi.

[B]

That's right. So, like, we, we check them when we're like, in Cabo. I mean, I don't know the last time we've been in Cabo without our kids.

[A]

Yeah, it's been a while.

[B]

It's been a while. But we have done that before. The Nana baby monitor is the MVP of baby gear. It's the one baby item we can't live without. And of course, we have a special offer just for our listeners. Get 20 off of your first order with the code DREAM20. That's D R E A [e-mail] N A N I T.com it is that time of year again. The cold is coming even in Texas, which is why I'm so excited to tell you guys about my recent pajama obsess. Cozy Earth pajamas. I'm so thankful for Cozy Earth. I'm so thankful that my husband looked on Reddit pages, Reddit pages to find the most first comfy sheets, which were Cozy Earth. And then we found Cozy Earth pajamas. You all know I'm a sucker for good quality comfort, especially this far along in my pregnancy and during the holiday season, this is the best time of year to lounge around with your family and pajamas, making new memories. Cozy Earth has the softest, comfiest pajamas for both men and women that are designed for those cherished moments of relaxation, ensuring you feel cozy and stylish all season long. Plus, y'all know we absolutely love our Cozy Earth bamboo sheet set. Jordan actually found these while looking for a solution to my night sweats. Literally, he's like on a Reddit page of like, like, like stinky hot, sweaty wife. Um, he saw these were recommended and we've never liked Stinky Hot Sweaty Wife. Yeah, Stinky Hot. Like stinky stinky hot, sexy, sweaty wife. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah, that's it. You're missing a word.

[B]

We absolutely love them. And we think they'd be great for your loved ones this season too. Actually we got Luke and Rick sheets last year for for Christmas. It is a good gift. We are great givers. Their products have 100 night sleep trial and a 10 year warranty. You can't go wrong. Visit cozyearth.com Danny and use my exclusive 40 off code y'all 40 off Danny to give the gift of Lux luxury this holiday season. If you get a post purchase survey say that you heard about Cozy Earth from this podcast. Wrap the ones you love in luxury with Cozy Earth.

[A]

I, I would say the coolest thing about the partners that we chose is they are the ones that made Kendra Scott a billionaire.

[B]

Yeah, they blew up Kendra Scott ritual, the vitamin ritual. They're. They're theori.

[A]

Yeah. A lot of like really good consumer.

[B]

Brands and like founder led brands too.

[A]

Yeah. So I think that like what does this mean for Jordan and Danny? Does this mean that we were.

[B]

Not really much. Because I feel like, I mean whenever I've talked to them I told them I'm like I'm still involved in product development. Like I'm still involved. Like yeah, like it doesn't mean much in terms of like our day to day.

[A]

I think it doesn't change day to day. I think that it means we're going to have a, a team that's way smarter than just us. So we're going to hire people smarter than us, which I love. Which I love. I think you're going to start seeing Divi hopefully more in your favorite influencer's hands. So I think that we'll see a. But not only that, just brand awareness like that we haven't had. We're very like low penetrated. Like no one knows still about Divi.

[B]

Nobody knows about us.

[A]

Nobody knows. And, and then I think that you will see Divi in international markets.

[B]

We'll see.

[A]

We'll see.

[B]

We'll see. That's the goal. And then also just creating a really, really good experience for you guys shopping when you're at Ulta or at Target and just some. Oh. And not only that but like oh, oh. I just got so excited thinking about that new product that we're working on.

[A]

Yeah, it's good.

[B]

Not only that because now like these companies have like the best access to science and ingredients and like they just, they just know things. And so now we have even more access to all of that. And like there's this one product that we're working on. Y'all, like I'm literally like y'all are gonna die. I can't say it because I don't want to say it, because if it doesn't work out, then I'm gonna be really, really bummed. And I don't want everybody to be disappointed in me.

[A]

So I know everyone's probably asking. They're saying, oh, my gosh, Jordan's not the CEO anymore. What is Jordan gonna go do? Oh, my gosh, what's he up to?

[B]

We'll keep you posted.

[A]

Let's talk about Zach Brian.

[B]

Should we talk about Zach Brian?

[A]

Yeah, I mean, he's. He's kind of the talk of the town right now.

[B]

I. I actually don't really know too much about what's going on. I mean, I just knew that I stopped listening to his music after he tweeted about Taylor Swift.

[A]

Oh, it's so funny. I listened to it this morning.

[B]

How.

[A]

How I was like, yeah, he's pretty good. I'm not gonna lie. Like, as a songwriter. Oh, terrible guy. Yeah, terrible guy.

[B]

No, he's great. I love his music.

[A]

No, I mean, he's a poet for sure.

[B]

No, he's amazing.

[A]

But yeah, we should not support him. But that 28 song.

[B]

What? So, like, what's going on with Zach Brian and his girlfriend? He. Bro, I know that he broke up with his girlfriend. Barstool's BFFs Brianna chicken fry. She's on a podcast with Dave Portnoy. Dave Portnoy and Josh. Josh Richards. Yes. And. But she, like, was her own. She was an influencer, kind of famous on her own. And then they started dating. And I know that he broke up with her, like, publicly or something. Like, what. What went on?

[A]

So here's what I understand, and I'm going to get fact checked throughout this. So what I understand is that. And I'm going to give you my interpretation too. Wait, he was married before, so I think that they started dating and he seemed to be. I think alcohol has played a large, large role in a lot of his shortcomings. Meaning, like, I think that he has a serious alcohol problem. But I. What she reported on that, I heard was a lot of fits of rage, you know, that would typically, like, come out to her and to her friends. A lot of verbal abuse. She didn't really note any physical abuse. But, you know, I. I think, like, her phone is cracked because he, like, threw it on the ground.

[B]

Sometimes the mental hurts more than the physical.

[A]

Yeah, no, I mean, I think that that's why she's so torn up about it. But what's crazy about this Situation is that he basically broke up with her and then, like, went online and publicly tried to get ahead of the story the next day.

[B]

He just seems like a total D bag.

[A]

Yeah. Total douche.

[B]

He also offered her, like, millions of dollars to stay silent.

[A]

So. Yes. So she came out, and then I think that she came out. Then after he came out, and I think the tide started turning in her favor. And that's when, hey, sign this NDA. I'll pay you. $12 million came about.

[B]

That's, like, so much money.

[A]

So much money.

[B]

I feel like I would have taken it.

[A]

I think a lot of people are, like, debating it.

[B]

But here's what that makes me wonder, like, how often that happens.

[A]

Well, so here's what I think.

[B]

If it happens with Zach Bryan and Briana Chicken Free Fry, who's like, think about the major celebrities that, like, oh, my gosh, this makes me think so much more about the Epstein case.

[A]

Whoa. How did we get there?

[B]

I mean, the fact that you could pay off, like, Brianna chicken fry for 12 million, like, think about what those billionaires are paying off.

[A]

I was trying to find the road of how you got there, but no.

[B]

But, like, you just can't believe. Or P. Diddy.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, there's probably so many people that were just paid off that can't say anything.

[A]

Well, and it wasn't him directly. It's like, what happens, I think, with a lot of these celebrities is they have teams that are like, okay, I am invested in you. If you go down, we all go down. And so, like, lawyers.

[B]

So you're saying you didn't know?

[A]

No, he knew for sure. But, like, his team basically goes and says, hey, like, we'll handle this, essentially.

[B]

Oh, that's so painful.

[A]

And so she turns it down. But here's why I think, and I don't know how much this is just my theory, so this might be out there, but Dave Portnoy is one of the most genius media people out there.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I think that what happened was he got wind of the 12 million, and I think that he was like, I can use this, and I will pay you some portion of it. If, like, you don't sign that, you keep your integrity. Because I don't think she wanted to sign it. I think she wanted to be like, this is so icky. I don't want this looming over my head.

[B]

This is a conspiracy theory. I don't know if I believe this. So you think Dave Portnoy paid her off instead?

[A]

I don't think she paid. Paid her off. I Think that he was like, hey, don't take 12 million from this scumbag. I will help you. Because Dave Portnoy is very loyal, like, if you're in his circle. So he was like, we will capitalize. He came out with a song with Josh Richards that probably made some money. He let her leak the story on, like, tell her entire side on a BFF's episode that gave the podcast a huge bump. I bet he was like, hey, I'll give you this percentage of ad proceeds if, like, you tell the story here, like, to help her out. He offered, like, Zach Brian was like, hey, I'm gonna take back the Bronco that I gifted you. And she. He wouldn't let her pay the money back. And Dave was like, I will buy this Bronco from you so that, like, I can take care of Bri. So he's just very much like, a media genius slash, knows how to, like, capitalize on Internet moments. And so I think that he was involved to somehow fiscally support Brianna. Brianna in helping tell, like, the truth. Yeah. Because walking away from 12 million is crazy. Like, that's. Yeah, that's crazy. Money to walk away from.

[B]

That's insane.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But that would make sense.

[A]

And so she kind of, like, I didn't listen to the podcast, but I saw clips of it. It sounds like she told everything, you know, like, she was not under any type of NDA, didn't sign it. And so she was like. She went beyond what is already public and just, you know, told the true character of who he is.

[B]

So my question for you now, and I was reading it says in our notes that he had cheated on multiple girls, including his former wife. So he's just kind of has bad character.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, in general. But my question is, do you think that he will make, like, a comeback from this? Because I personally feel like so many people listen to his music that are not on social media.

[A]

I think there's only one way. This is, like, my whole theory. I think that if he goes to rehab and that he truly faces his addiction issues with alcohol because, like, he got arrested and it came. It was like, there's a public clip of it. He was. He was drunk. Then he backed out of Noah Kahan's tour because he was drunk the night before. Like, Bri, I think even said on the podcast, like, he was drunk all the time. You know, like, alcohol played a huge role. And, like, you and I have, like, been around that before. Like, I think if he goes to rehab and he faces his alcohol addictions and he truly atones for the sins that he committed against others in a very authentic way. I think that he could come out with an album that people would listen.

[B]

To, but how can he be more authentic than his lyrics already are?

[A]

But his lyrics, to me, are, like, the work of, like, a crazy genius. Like, it's like all his demons and his sadness and his sorrow, like, come out in his music, which I think is his wrestling with. I don't think he knows. I don't know if he's admitted that he has an addiction to alcohol, but, like, it's him wrestling with, like, the feelings and the kind of lack of clarity that comes from having an addiction to alcohol.

[B]

Right, right.

[A]

Does that make sense?

[B]

Yeah. I mean, it seems like he has a lot of other issues.

[A]

Well, yeah. I mean, I think he's a POS too.

[B]

Yeah, like, but so. Dude. No, but, like, you think that. So you think right now with everything going on, his numbers are affected? Because I personally don't.

[A]

It's hard. I listened to 28 this morning. I'm sorry.

[B]

That's what I'm saying. I mean, you're saying that he has to go on this huge comeback tour and go to rehab and write this album, and I just.

[A]

For his reputation, I think that people.

[B]

But here's the funniest thing I just want to say. If this would have happened to Taylor Swift, it, like, would have demolished her.

[A]

Are you trying to make the argument that because he's a man, he'll recover?

[B]

Yeah. 100.

[A]

See, I think you're. I. I. Okay.

[B]

And I'm not trying to be, like, feminist, whatever. Like, I'm just. It's just factual that, like, I just feel like people give. They're like, he's. He's a douchebag. Whatever. He's a crazy genius. He's a crazy artist. Like, the John Mayer effect. Like, just let him be this crazy, sad, alcoholic man. But, like, let's just listen to it anyway.

[A]

No, I think I.

[B]

So I think Taylor Swift, they'd be like, I hate her. I can't stand her. Like, ew. Like, you know, turn her off.

[A]

Here's what I would say, is that females are way meaner to other females than they are males. And I think that a large part of his base is female listeners. Like, every. I learned about Zach Bryan from the females at DIVI who were obsessed with him. And I think that they. I texted them last night. I was like, hey, what's the word on Zach Brian? And they were, like, never listening to him again. And I think that there's truly enough of a movement of females who are going to detract from listening to his music that he will feel it? Yeah. I mean, I don't know, Danny. I. I really do. You agree with me? I think that there's going to be enough of a female exodus for a time, but I think his. I think the exodus that's going to happen from Zach Bryan's music could be enough to wake him up to be like, I need to get help. Like, I have psychotic.

[B]

I feel like Zach Bryan and Morgan Wallen are, like, kind of one in the same.

[A]

Well, that was another thing. She. He. He banned her.

[B]

Who?

[A]

He. He banned Brie.

[B]

Who's he?

[A]

Zach Bryan banned Bri from listening to Morgan Wallen or Noah Kahan. He banned it.

[B]

Why?

[A]

Because he's jealous. He was like, you're supporting them by listening to them? Like, how dare you? He was very controlling. Very, very odd. Yeah.

[B]

Huh. That's empty right there.

[A]

This guy's branded. I mean, these females, they are going to.

[B]

I need to listen to the podcast. I need to listen.

[A]

Yeah, they're going to.

[B]

But, you know, so many people like him that probably are not listening to BFF's podcast. Like, my know, my mom's just going to be like, I love this guy. He's so good. Yeah.

[A]

But I think there's just too much.

[B]

And look, I'm pretty in tune with, like, culture, and I haven't listened to it yet.

[A]

Oh, well, babe, this is. This is breaking news. Came out yesterday.

[B]

Oh, it did? Okay. So, like, it's. We're still on top of it.

[A]

The only reason I know about this is because, you know, I was on your Tik Tok algorithm.

[B]

Yeah, that thing will get you.

[A]

He actually has come out with two songs from this situation, and the 1.

[B]

Listen to them in the car.

[A]

Yeah, we'll listen to him later. The second road, the one he came out with 17 hours ago, was after all the BFFs stuff came out, and it's called High Road.

[B]

Like, he's taking the high road.

[A]

Yeah. Like, come on, man. No one. No one's gonna believe that. No, he's screwed. He's screwed with the females right now for sure.

[B]

Well, I'm not. Like, I quit. It's so funny. I was still on top of this. Like, I quit listening to him after the Taylor Swift tweet, which was like. Like months ago. It might have been like four or five.

[A]

But didn't he say he was drunk then, too?

[B]

Yeah, but, like. And then Taylor Swift Was like, why? Like, why? So he tweeted. He said the Eagles over the Chiefs or something and Kanye over Taylor Swift. Like, who's with me? Like, why? And why would you come after Taylor Swift? Like, you have to be so dumb to do that because you know the Swifties are going to come after you so hard because.

[A]

So speaking of the Eagles, I actually know. I'm so curious. Your thoughts. I think I know your thoughts on Jason Kelsey, on Jason Kelsey smashing that phone.

[B]

Because, you know, I. Did you see my comment? Like, I never comment on these, like, TMZ accounts. You know, I commented on a TMZ video.

[A]

Oh, you did?

[B]

Where? They. They clipped him. They clipped it where? And they put in text. It was like, Jason Kelsey calls a fan the F word after. And I was like, that is not what happened. Like, yes, he might have done that. If you see the whole video, it was like they were trying to make Jason Kelsey look bad. I was like, why?

[A]

Wait, wait, the F word that he was called first. Really?

[B]

And I. I.

[A]

So he said it back.

[B]

So apparently he said it back, which I didn't hear that, but.

[A]

But did he say it back in the context of like, no, let me.

[B]

Tell the whole story. And so also, like, I commented that, and I was like. But you got to show, like, you got to show the whole video, though.

[A]

Like, yeah, you're like. You're like, be responsible with your reporting tmz.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. We. We hold you to a high standard. No, so Jason Kelce got in. Got in trouble, and he actually issued an apology. He was heckled by a fan at Penn State. And there is a video where he turns around and takes this kid's phone and smashes it to the ground. And they exchanged some not so nice words. He was there for college game day because he works for ESPN now, and this guy came up heckling him, calling Travis his brother the F word.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

Do people know. Do people know what. That one. I actually didn't know what it was.

[A]

The F slur.

[B]

F slur. Yes. Calling Travis the F slur for dating Taylor Swift. And he keeps saying it over and over again. And then finally. And he's following him like a foot behind him, filming him. So finally Jason turns around, and I guess they. He exchanged some words. I didn't hear what Jason said, but takes his phone and smashes it to the ground and just keeps on walking. And everybody like, I. I'm like, yeah, you get him, Jason.

[A]

I was like, good for you.

[B]

Yeah, he's standing up for his brother. He's standing up for Taylor Swift. He's standing up a really, like, this guy that is just. I mean, he's getting in his face. He's getting on his little last nerve. Now, I know it's not the right thing to do, the same way that it wasn't right for the Texas fans to throw beer on the field. Like, I get that. But it just felt good in the moment to watch someone stand up for themselves and to stand up for their brother. And so anyway, he issued several statements apologizing, which is so funny because I don't feel like anybody was mad at him.

[A]

No, I don't either. I thought the Internet was on his side.

[B]

I think everyone, like, was on his side. And I don't know who gave him the advice to apologize.

[A]

I would not have given him the advice. What were they seeing a turn on the Internet.

[B]

It's updated news as we're. As we're recording this. So apparently he retaliated by taking the phone and calling the other guy the F word, which I don't agree with you, Jason. You should have just smashed the phone. Honestly, you should have just resorted to the physical violence.

[A]

Just dealing with a physical altercation. We would be. Yeah.

[B]

I mean, but now you. You. Yes, you met. You met evil with evil, and now you have to apologize. The phone part, to me was just so funny.

[A]

It's hard. I don't know. This is a controversial stance, but, like, should he have still apologized?

[B]

I think the fact that he used a bad word, like such a. Such an offensive slur. Yes. Now, if he would have been like, shut up, you butthead. I'd have been like, no, like, you know what I mean? But he did say a pretty offensive slur, but I feel like just shouldn't be used.

[A]

So, like, let's use butthead, for example. So, like, this is. I'm just contextualizing this because the facts matter. So, like, you're like, hey, butthead. Jordan, you are a butthead for dating Taylor Swift. And then I turn around, but he's heckling him.

[B]

He's not just saying that. He's heckling. He's following.

[A]

He's getting in his face.

[B]

He's. He's invading his personal space.

[A]

No, he was asking for it. So then I, Jordan, turn around to you, and I grab your phone and I say, I'll show you butthead, and then I throw the phone down. Is that me using butthead in the wrong context, or is that me just saying, I'm going to show you, but.

[B]

Butthead Is not a Slurpee. Like, the F word is. It's just like. No, I honestly, like, I'm telling you, I think if he would have used the word butthead or, like, stupid head, he wouldn't have had to apologize.

[A]

Can I just imagine this for a second? If someone calls me the F word or Jason Kelsey, the F word. And then he smashed the phone and said, I'll show you. Butthead walks away. He would be Internet gold. It's absolutely Internet gold.

[B]

And that's.

[A]

Everyone will be like, did he just. But that just smashed that phone call.

[B]

That's where he made his mistake. That's what he should have done. That's when everybody would have been, like, celebrating him being like, that's exactly, like, that's okay. But because he met hate with hate in that, like, with that evil word, that's where the apology had to come. And I get that now.

[A]

I love that he was just carrying a 12 pack this entire time.

[B]

Oh, he was holding a beer, going.

[A]

To college game day.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

You can tell it kind of like, he's probably used to Travis getting all the hate because, like, he's.

[B]

No, no. They're both super famous. Both of them.

[A]

But do you get a lot of hate? No, no, Jason doesn't. He's kind of a golden boy, and so you can tell that that him getting some, like, backlash has gotten to him, Babe.

[B]

But here's the thing. He has to get a lot of hate. He played for the Eagles, and, like, I mean, those fans are vicious. And when you play a professional sport, like, you get hate. I honestly, you're born, like, you're like, listen. Born with people just trying to, like, they want you to lose and fail every day.

[A]

I just, I'm. Listen, I'm not endorsing violence, but I feel like that guy needed his phone smashed.

[B]

No, I, I. We all did.

[A]

Like, we agreed he needed his phone.

[B]

I'm surprised he didn't. His face.

[A]

And honestly, why are we not. Why is tick tock knock finding out who this guy is?

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

I mean, why is Jason getting all the. The reaming?

[B]

No, I, I don't know. I don't think that Jason is getting reaming. No, I think people, like, like, actually, if you read the comments on tmz, everyone is like. Like, I don't know why TMZ just did that for the clickbait is my point. But no, people in the comments were, like, all defending him. Like, we were all like, show that. Roll the clip. Roll the Clip. The whole clip. The entire clip.

[A]

I still think he should have moved on and not apologized.

[B]

Okay. He has kids. And you have a video of your dad calling somebody else an F word.

[A]

Fair. Fair. Okay, done. I got me. You got me. That's. I agree.

[B]

Now, if my dad. If somebody was bothering my dad and my dad turned around and smashed her phone, I'd be like, yeah, I don't f. With my dad, but if my dad called them the F word, I'd be like, dad, like, not cool.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, you know, which I know maybe my, like, moral compass is off.

[A]

Dude. I. Yeah.

[B]

You have to watch the video, though, because, like, you, you know, I'm typically against physical violence, even though my mom did tell me that if a girl ever messes with me, you just turn around and punch her as hard as you can in the face. Yeah.

[A]

I mean, your mom tells that story about how she punched that girl in the place for stealing her basketball like, every Thanksgiving, and I'm kind of like, you know what my mom. Street justice. That's kind of what you got to do.

[B]

My mom.

[A]

It's a dog eat dog world out there.

[B]

My mom said all, like, the Latinas, like, all the Mexicans had to stand up for, like, they had to, like, stick together and stand up for themselves or they would get, like, beat up.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

At her school. So they stuck together, she said. But my grandfather endorsed it, too. He was like, anna, if somebody bothers you, you just punch him. My mom always told me that.

[A]

Jason.

[B]

Kelsey, I will say I've never punched anyone. Probably. I did probably punch my brother a couple times growing up, but.

[A]

Okay, anyway, because we gotta go figure out how your immune system.

[B]

Yeah. Oh, do I have any announcements? Announcements, Announcements? And now. Okay, well, we gotta go. We love you guys. Feel free to come follow us on D influence podcasts, on Instagram and on Tick Tock, and we'll catch up with you next week. Love you. Bye. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.