From Building Brands to Fighting Division, With Daniel Lubetzky

04/14/25 • 47 min

Daniel Lubetzky, the founder of Kind Snacks, is perhaps best known for his appearances on Shark Tank. But much of his focus these days is on expanding his Builders Movement, the initiative he co-founded that aims to bring together “builders” from around the world to help replace extremism with practical problem-solving. Lubetzky is trying to counter the political polarization that is taking over our culture and discourse, and to build better communities by promoting compromise and efforts to find common ground among people who disagree.

Inc. editor-at-large Christine Lagorio-Chafkin spoke to Lubetzky about Shark Tank, his investment firm Camino Partners, his business philosophy, and how Builders Movement got started. He told From the Ground Up: “We need to bring a builder’s mindset to all conversations by relying on curiosity, compassion, creativity, and courage.” He said that, while founders, and leaders, are important to the process of change, it’s an anti-authoritarian movement that he’s trying to spur. “There’s no chance we’re going to change things in a community, let alone across the world, with a centralized model,” Lubetzky said. “We need a distributed model where everyone, everyone here is empowered to bring change to their own communities.”

Additional research and information:

For more Inc. coverage of Daniel Lubetzky, read:

Daniel Lubetzky, Founder of Kind Snacks, Joins ‘Shark Tank’

Billionaire Daniel Lubetzky’s Simple Strategy for Overcoming Toxic Divisions

To learn more about the Builders Movement, visit its website.

Visit KIND Snacks

Additional research and information:

For more Inc. coverage of Daniel Lubetzky, read:

Daniel Lubetzky, Founder of Kind Snacks, Joins ‘Shark Tank’

Billionaire Daniel Lubetzky’s Simple Strategy for Overcoming Toxic Divisions

To learn more about the Builders Movement, visit its website.

Visit KIND Snacks

Previous Episode

Being Fearless, With Arian Simone

Over the past 13 months, venture capitalist Arian Simone has been tested. A federal court case against her Fearless Fund, which backs under-resourced entrepreneurs such as women of color to ensure they have the support they need to succeed in business, became one of the most closely watched anti-DEI lawsuits in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action. Those months of litigation meant substantial costs for Fearless Fund, including the loss of two-thirds of its team and stymied fundraising efforts. That's not to mention the emotional toll on Simone and her remaining team. However, in September 2024, the case was settled and she remains optimistic despite the continuing challenges facing DEI.

As part of our 2025 Female Founder’s series, Inc. executive editor Diana Ransom sat down with Arian to talk about her upbringing, the federal court case, and how to pursue a mission-driven venture. She even spoke about her family’s relationship with civil rights legend Rosa Parks.

Additional research and information:

Inc.’s 2025 Female Founder List

To read more on Arian Simone:

How Arian Simone Overcame Her Greatest Fear and Helped Entrepreneurs of Color Fight Another Day

To learn more about Arian Simone Visit

Next Episode

Trump’s First 100 Days

As the Trump administration closes out its first 100 days, significant changes have taken place. The Small Business Administration has cut at least 20 percent of its workforce, while Trump has tasked the agency with managing student loans. Meanwhile, the IRS is in turmoil, as some 7,000 employees have been laid off, and it’s at risk of losing tens of thousands more. In addition, we have witnessed a resurgence in cryptocurrency, and surges and flip-flops in tariffs, and we are beginning to see the impact of Trump’s trade war with China on the global economy.

Inc. executive editor Diana Ransom recently hosted a roundtable discussion with senior staff writer Jennifer Conrad, policy correspondent Melissa Angell, and staff writer Brian Contreras to share the latest updates from their reporting during the first 100 days.

Additional research and information:

To read more Inc. coverage on Trump’s first 100 days:

Trump’s First 100 Days of Tax Policy: A Lot of Ideas—and Waiting

First 100 Days of Tariffs: Who’s Hit Hardest—and What Could Come Next?

To read the latest articles from our panelists:

Visit Jennifer Conrad

Visit Melissa Angell

Visit Brian Contraras