The standard guidelines for building large language models (LLMs) optimize only for training costs and ignore inference costs. This poses a challenge for real-world applications that use inference-time scaling techniques to increase the accuracy of model responses, such as drawing multiple reasoning samples from a model at deployment. To bridge this gap, researchers at University…
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A rogue AI agent at Meta passed every identity check and still exposed sensitive data to unauthorized employees in March. Two weeks later, Mercor, a $10 billion AI startup, confirmed a supply-chain breach through LiteLLM. Both are traced to the same structural gap. Monitoring without enforcement, enforcement without isolation. A VentureBeat three-wave survey of 108…
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Anthropic today launched Claude Design, a new product from its Anthropic Labs division that allows users to create polished visual work — designs, interactive prototypes, slide decks, one-pagers, and marketing collateral — through conversational prompts and fine-grained editing controls. The release, available immediately in research preview to all paid Claude subscribers, is the company’s most…
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For the past year, early adopters of autonomous AI agents have been forced to play a murky game of chance: keep the agent in a useless sandbox or give it the keys to the kingdom and hope it doesn’t hallucinate a catastrophic “delete all” command. To unlock the true utility of an agent—scheduling meetings, triaging…
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Host Eric Bandholz has interviewed a slew of impressive entrepreneurs on this podcast. He says Drew Fallon is among the most versatile. Drew last appeared on the show in 2022 when he had co-founded a tattoo skincare company. Before that he was an investment banker. He now runs Iris, an AI-driven financial modeling platform, while…
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Subscribe to DTC Newsletter – https://dtcnews.link/signup Most brands test YouTube, don’t see conversions, and shut it off. The problem isn’t the channel. It’s how they’re measuring it. Dougie from Pilothouse breaks down how YouTube actually drives growth for DTC brands, and why cost per brand search is one of the most useful signals to track…
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Furniture.com is a new kind of furniture marketplace: a single platform aggregating more than 3 million SKUs from 80+ retail partners, using standardized data and AI-powered personalization to replace the 15-hour odyssey most shoppers endure. VP of Brand & Creative Olivia Hnatyshin joins Phillip and Brian to unpack how the team is rebuilding the third-most expensive purchase of a person’s life – one where hunter green and forest green finally mean the same thing.
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What does it take to build a modern luxury brand — without outside funding — and still grow at triple-digit rates?
On today’s episode, we welcome Kevin Keller, Co-Founder of Fulton & Roark — the American fine fragrance brand redefining how fragrance is designed, experienced, and sold. Launched in 2013 with just $11,000 and no outside investment, Kevin and his co-founder Allen Shafer set out to create products that felt more personal, practical, and modern — starting with their now-signature solid fragrance, a portable alternative to traditional sprays.
Since then, Fulton & Roark has grown into a nationally distributed brand carried in hundreds of retail locations, including Neiman Marcus and luxury hotel properties, while maintaining a strong direct-to-consumer business that drives the majority of its sales. With thoughtful product expansion into extrait de parfum, grooming, and body care, the company has built a loyal following by staying disciplined in its approach to design, storytelling, and customer experience.
In this episode, Kevin shares how he built Fulton & Roark from the ground up without outside capital, the importance of balancing DTC and wholesale in a competitive category, and how to scale profitably while staying true to your brand. We also discuss what “modern luxury” really means today, how consumer expectations around fragrance and grooming are evolving, and why intentional product development is critical to long-term success. Kevin also reflects on the lessons he’s learned as a founder, what he would do differently, and what’s next for the brand.
If you’re interested in building a capital-efficient business, redefining a legacy category, or creating products that truly resonate with modern consumers — this episode is for you. Tune in now on The Kara Goldin Show.
Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at karagoldin@gmail.com. You can also find me @KaraGoldin on all networks.
To learn more about Kevin Keller and Fulton & Roark:
https://www.instagram.com/fultonandroark/
https://www.fultonandroark.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinwilliamkeller/
Sponsored By:
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AT&T Business – Switch to AT&T Business at business.att.com
Warby Parker – Get 15% off + Free Shipping when they buy 2 or more pairs of prescription glasses at WarbyParker.com/KARAGOLDIN
Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/827
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What are the biggest hidden shifts happening inside seven- and eight-figure businesses right now, and how are they changing the way companies grow, hire, and manage money? In this episode, you’ll learn key insights from a large-scale industry trends report built from 300+ high-performing brands, breaking down the real operational and financial changes shaping the…
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Salesforce on Wednesday unveiled the most ambitious architectural transformation in its 27-year history, introducing “Headless 360” — a sweeping initiative that exposes every capability in its platform as an API, MCP tool, or CLI command so AI agents can operate the entire system without ever opening a browser. The announcement, made at the company’s annual…
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