Julia Collins: How Joy Built a Billion-Dollar Unicorn | Planet FWD & PlanetHaus

Can you lead with joy and still build a billion-dollar company? Julia Collins—serial entrepreneur, climate tech CEO, and history-maker—joins Shannon Nash to share the unboxed journey of a leader who refused to play by traditional rules.

In this episode, Julia discusses her deep San Francisco roots, the grind of her early career, and the pivotal moment she decided to trade a traditional professional services path for the restaurant industry. She reveals the mechanical necessity of learning a business from the ground up—including working the fry station after earning a Stanford MBA—and how that operational credibility allowed her to make history as the first Black woman to found a unicorn startup.

Guest Bio:
Julia Collins is a serial entrepreneur and climate tech CEO currently leading Planet FWD, a platform helping brands decarbonize supply chains, and Planet Haus, a creative venture focused on purpose-driven brand building. She made history as the first Black woman to found a unicorn startup with Zume Pizza and later founded Moonshot Snacks, which was acquired by Patagonia. A Harvard and Stanford alum, Julia is an active investor and serves on multiple boards dedicated to education and climate advocacy.

Key Lessons in this Episode:
*Why standing on the shoulders of giants provides the inner confidence to belong at any table.
*The importance of a squad and the collective resilience required to build in New York City.
*How claiming joy as a superpower drives influence and successful venture capital fundraising.
*Navigating the goodbyes of serial entrepreneurship and finding what truly endures beyond a company.
*The mission behind Planet FWD and Planet Haus to make sustainability beautiful and delicious.

The Leadership Playlist:
The World Is Yours – Nas
We Gon' Make It – Jadakiss
Joy – Whitney Houston
As – Stevie Wonder
Time To Move On – Tom Petty
Sittin' on Top of the World – Da Brat
Happy Song: Imbattable (France 2026 World Cup Anthem)

CONNECT WITH JULIA COLLINS:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-collins-8b0a909/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliaecollins/
Planet FWD: https://www.planetfwd.com/
PlanetHaus: https://www.planethaus.us/
Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/74A4YmN1lMsJM0RPMUqNI5?si=vCXBsNSpQVmv1xdV4jkCUA

CONNECT WITH SHANNON:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/No-Boxes-Just-Verses/61579213285399/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noboxesjustverses/
LinkedIn Shannon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonknash/
LinkedIn NBJV: https://www.linkedin.com/company/no-boxes-just-verses/
Theme Song: No Boxes Just Verses by Thane Kreiner
https://suno.com/s/DTffROM8I57QQN5k

Chapter Markers:
00:00:00 Intro: Beyond the Bios and Titles
00:06:00 San Francisco Roots & Unapologetic Authenticity
00:11:31 The Grind: Harvard, New York, and Collective Resilience
00:17:31 Learning the Business: From MBA to the Fry Station
00:24:54 Claiming Joy as a Professional Superpower
00:28:00 Founding a Unicorn: The Zume Pizza Journey
00:37:06 Planet FWD: Decarbonizing the Future of Food
00:44:58 Self-Grace and the Rediscovery of Dance

#ClimateTech #StartupLife #UnicornFounder #Leadership #JuliaCollins #NoBoxesJustVerses #WomenInTech

Видео Julia Collins: How Joy Built a Billion-Dollar Unicorn | Planet FWD & PlanetHaus канала Shannon Nash