Why the Best DTC Brands Build Slow (with Steph Hon @ Cadence)

She spent two years building one product. Went through 207 prototypes. Filed 4 patents. Heard 2,500 nos from investors. And now has 200 of them.

That's Steph Hon, founder and CEO of Cadence: the modular, magnetic, TSA-compliant capsule system that's redefining how people carry their routines on the go. Made with recycled ocean plastics. Built with a philosophy that hasn't wavered since day one: don't rush. Don't compromise. Get it right.

Before building one of the most innovative product brands in the DTC space, Steph was a ballet dancer, then a film director, then a sports marketer. None of which is a traditional path to founding a CPG company. But every chapter built something she'd eventually use: a heightened physical awareness of how people interact with their products, where friction lives, and how design can make everyday life genuinely easier.

On this episode of Unfinished Business, Alex and Lee sit down with Steph for a conversation about what it actually takes to invent a new category.

In this episode:

- Why "we don't rush product" is the most controversial thing about Cadence and why they don't care

- How Steph went from cold-messaging angel investors on LinkedIn to 200 investors (after 2,500 nos)

- What it means to build a product that only truly "clicks" once it's in your hands and how you sell that DTC

- How her background as a ballet dancer and filmmaker shaped how she designs product

- The kombucha meeting that changed how she thought about fundraising entirely

- How she's thinking about retail expansion, DTC growth, and Amazon strategy in 2025

- Building a loyal, long-term team when you can't afford to pay anyone yet

Steph is the kind of founder who doesn't take shortcuts when no one's looking.

If you're a founder building something genuinely new, or fighting the urge to ship before it's ready, this episode is for you.