Stephen Lease – Wild Business Growth Podcast #291: Sunglasses Spirit Animal, Co-Founder of goodr

Work should be fun. Make it that way. That’s the story of this week’s Wild Business Growth podcast guest, Stephen Lease. Stephen is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Octopus of goodr. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and your other favorite podcast platforms.

• Episode Summary & Player
• Full Transcript
• Show Notes
• Wild Business Growth podcast Summary

Episode 291: Stephen Lease – Sunglasses Spirit Animal, Co-Founder of goodr

Stephen Lease, the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Octopus of goodr, joins the show to share his journey from ultradistance marathons to creating the best running sunglasses ever invented. Hear how a 100-miler works, how he comes up with goodr’s iconic designs and names, how to grow your flock of flamingos aka your team, how to create a fun place to work, and how to find your spirit animal. This episode covers everything from giant sunglasses to SpongeBob SquarePants. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• Do you sleep on a 100-miler
• Where did the idea for goodr come from
• How do you find a manufacturer
• Why are octopuses Stephen’s spirit animal
• How do you fine-tune your company culture
• Who are Stephen’s biggest inspirations
• What does he do when someone’s late for a goodr meeting
• Bosley’s Basset Hound Dreams

Connect with Stephen at goodr.com, on LinkedIn, on Instagram @StephenLease, and check out the CULTURE goodr podcast.

Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail. You can also find the full transcript here.

Show Notes

• Intro & Ultramarathoning
  • [0:31] Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:40] Connect with Stephen at goodr.com, on LinkedIn, on Instagram @StephenLease, and check out the CULTURE goodr podcast
  • [2:17] How does a 100-miler work
  • [3:45] Zion 100
  • [3:56] Do you sleep on a 100-miler
  • [4:34] How do you run ultramarathons
  • [5:02] Side Hustle
  • [5:10] Moving Meditation
  • [6:04] Out & Back
  • [6:18] Which mile is the hardest in a 100-miler
  • [7:08] This is true

• The goodr Story
  • [7:31] Where did the idea for goodr come from
  • [7:54] Wild!
  • [8:25] Entrepreneur
  • [8:35] Grand Traverse
  • [8:39] Ben Abell
  • [9:08] LA Marathon (Los Angeles Marathon)
  • [10:18] Led Zeppelin
  • [10:24] When did Stephen realize goodr could become the most important thing he ever did
  • [12:05] Line of Credit (LOC)
  • [12:51] goodrSTOCK
  • [13:23] Woodstock
  • [13:46] How did Stephen come up with the designs for goodr sunglasses
  • [13:53] Wayfarer
  • [15:30] How do you find a manufacturer
  • [15:55] Internet
  • [17:29] How did Stephen come up with the price point of $25
  • [17:57] Margin
  • [18:24] Goldilocks and the Three Bears
  • [18:23] How did Stephen start incorporating animals into goodr
  • [18:54] Flamingos On A Booze Cruise
  • [20:00] A Unicorn’s Calamity
  • [20:27] How does goodr name their sunglasses
  • [20:55] CEO (Chief Executive Octopus)
  • [21:34] Why are octopuses Stephen’s spirit animal
  • [22:06] Shoutout, Tyrek!
  • [22:25] How do you grow your team
  • [23:28] Sleight of Hand
  • [24:17] How do you know when you’re ready to hire
  • [25:02] When did Stephen realize the flat structure wasn’t sustainable
  • [26:16] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Stephen
  • [26:54] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
  • [26:55] Such an honor speaking at Podcast Movement ’23 in Denver! Sign up to grab the slides from my session at MaxPodcasting.com/PM23
• Inspiration & Creativity: Culture
  • [27:19] How do you create a fun place to work
  • [28:26] Sunday Scaries
  • [29:22] How do you fine-tune your company culture
  • [30:00] AMP (Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose), Drive by Daniel H. Pink
  • [30:59] Sunk Cost Fallacy
  • [31:11] How do you stay nimble and evolve as a company
  • [31:51] Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
  • [31:59] Performance Review
  • [32:21] How do you fix mistakes
  • [32:38] Notes App
  • [33:37] Who are Stephen’s biggest inspirations
  • [33:51] SpongeBob SquarePants
  • [34:08] Work Ethic
  • [34:42] Chris Zimmerman, Duke Stump (!!), Brené Brown, CULTURE goodr podcast Episode #74: “Seth Godin Talks Leadership, Commitment, and Culture“

• The Unusual: Pet Peeves, Quirks, and Weird Talents
  • [35:55] What’s Stephen’s biggest pet peeve
  • [36:25] What does he do when someone’s late for a goodr meeting
  • [36:29] Ari Gold
  • [37:13] What’s a Weird Talent Stephen has
  • [37:50] What’s a quirk he has
• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [38:42] What’s the most beautiful view in Zion
  • [39:07] Do you hallucinate during ultramarathons
  • [39:38] Easton
  • [39:52] The Dark Knight
  • [40:24] What’s the most random business Stephen started before goodr
  • [40:40] Gas Diffusion, O3 Molecule
  • [40:59] The goodr Cabana
  • [41:39] Grand Theft Auto (GTA)
  • [41:45] How do you find your spirit animal
  • [42:05] Bosley’s Basset Hound Dreams
  • [42:03] Connect with Stephen at goodr.com, on LinkedIn, on Instagram @StephenLease, and check out the CULTURE goodr podcast
  • [42:54] What are Stephen’s Final Thoughts
  • [43:32] Follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And show love (or roast me) by leaving 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify
  • [43:42] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Stephen
  • [43:50] Check out the Wild Business Growth podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [43:53] Connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter (aka X), and Threads @MaxBranstetter and TikTok @WildBusinessGrowth
  • [43:56] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • [44:02] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo

What is the Wild Business Growth podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur joins the Wild Business Growth podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, NFL RedZone, Big Mouth Billy Bass, the voice of Bart Simpson, and more Wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting a professional-sounding podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment of all those behind-the-scenes details? I’ve got you covered. Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Stephen Lease on the Wild Business Growth podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about it. And BE THE FLAMINGO with them. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!