In this episode of The Orita Podcast, Aaron Schwartz sits down with Bianca Gates, Co-Founder & CEO of Birdies, to unpack what it really takes to build a beloved consumer brand, from the early scrappy days to leading a post-acquisition company without losing your spark.

They tackle:

• The “pick your seat” mindset, the childhood lesson that shaped Bianca’s entire career

• Sales as a superpower, why storytelling and persuasion matter more than design degrees

• Pivoting with purpose, how Birdies turned customer complaints into its biggest growth moment

• The emotional toll of feedback, staying resilient when your DMs turn into public reviews

• Omnichannel vs. DTC, when it’s time to leave the comfort of e-commerce and expand IRL

• AI & quality, why the future of consumer brands belongs to those who obsess over reviews

If you’ve ever wondered how great founders turn landmines into lessons, this one’s for you.

👥 Meet the guest Bianca Gates, Co-Founder & CEO, Birdies

🎙 Hosted by Aaron Schwartz, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Orita.ai

🎧 Chapters [00:00] Meet Bianca Gates: From Curiosity to CEO [02:33] How Sales Taught Her Everything About Leadership [05:27] Birdies: The Side Hustle That Took Flight [08:12] The Pivot That Changed Everything [11:13] Building Brand Love: Community Over Campaigns [13:59] Turning Complaints Into Growth Fuel [17:00] Resilience 101: Handling Hate and Staying Human [22:56] Life After the Exit: What Really Changes [26:26] Omnichannel vs. DTC: The Real Playbook [28:40] The Only Marketing That Matters: Great Product + Reviews [30:41] AI in the Trenches: How Birdies Uses It to Listen Smarter [33:47] Outsource or Own It? The New Brand Equation [38:19] What’s Next for Birdies (and Bianca) [40:25] Her Hard-Won Advice for Founders Everywhere

🌐 Check out Orita.ai for more episodes of The Orita Podcast, where we sit down with the most interesting operators, marketers, and founders in e-commerce to talk about what’s working right now. Hosted by the Orita team. Orita uses machine learning to help brands send smarter, more profitable marketing, by figuring out who actually wants to hear from you and when.

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