Hellooo friends! I know it’s been a few weeks, I hope you’ve been doing well 🤍

I needed a little break because I was dealing with creative burnout (more on that in a sec), so I took time to rest, regroup, and get excited to create again.

In this week’s newsletter: I share how I recovered from creative burnout, a few exciting podcast updates, and my two cents on the almost $2B Poppi deal 👀

Real Talk…

In an online world full of highlight reels, let’s get real and dive into the authentic, unfiltered realities of entrepreneurship and being a founder. Here are some behind-the-scenes musings and reflections from my past week… ⬇️

Soo… Creative Burnout, eh?

I’ve experienced burnout before — in the early days of Recloseted, it was almost a monthly occurrence. But the past few weeks felt different…

Usually, my burnout shows up as brain fog, extreme exhaustion, zero motivation — the full works. But this time, I was still energized to support clients, work on biz strategy, and even attend venture capital events (more on my VC journey in next week’s newsletter…!)

It was content creation that felt like an uphill battle. Posting on Instagram, writing this newsletter, showing BTS on Stories — the mere thought made me want to sleep for 24 hours and toss my phone into Regent’s Canal.

I hated everything I was creating. I found myself doom-scrolling, comparing my content to creators I normally admire (and see as art/inspiration), blaming the algorithm… basically doing everything I tell my clients not to do. Then I felt even worse — because I knew better. Cue spiral 🌀

I have a rule for myself: I’m allowed to wallow and feel shitty for 1–2 days (max), but then I need to take action. So, I decided to step back. I paused social media, stopped posting for a week, and significantly cut down my screen time.

If you have an iPhone, you probably know about the “screen time” feature. But let’s be real — I was bypassing it with the passcode like it was muscle memory. So I did a little digging and discovered an app called OneSec (not sponsored but plz call me lol).

With OneSec, you can block apps with no way to override it. No passcodes or shortcuts. You can also build in breathing or mindfulness exercises before opening an app — which I really appreciate.

That first week, I blocked all my socials — Instagram, TikTok, Threads, etc. Once I felt more grounded, I eased back in, but with a different intention: to be inspired, not to compare. Every time I opened a social app, I’d take a deep breath and remind myself:

I’m not here to doom-scroll. I’m here to be inspired.

And honestly? It really helped.

I started brainstorming again — ideas I actually felt excited about. I worked on detaching my worth and income from social media (which is tough when your biz depends on it). But I’ve learned that pausing to fall back in love with the craft is so worth it.

One major shift: I realized I want to become a better storyteller.

I used to think I wasn’t good at filming or editing. But those are skills — and skills can be learned. Instead of waiting to be magically as good as someone like Chloe Shih (love her content!!), I decided to just start.

So I made something just for me — not the algorithm — and created this IG Reel about running my recent half marathon. I’m really proud of it. IMHO, it’s my best storytelling/editing work to date… and I hope it becomes my worst, as I continue to get better ✨

During this inspiration phase, I also got the idea for a new content series… What It’s Really Like to Build a Sustainable Business 👀

I’ll be posting it across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. It’s a limited series where I’ll share real-time lessons and reflections I’ve been sitting on for months. It’s also a way to commit to improving my storytelling, filming, and editing skills while nurturing and growing this beautiful community.

In true Selina fashion, I’m not going to kill myself trying to post every day. Instead of 15 straight days of posting, I’m spreading it over 4–5 weeks — so I can pace myself and create content I’m truly proud of.

I’m genuinely excited to take you behind-the-scenes of this process — and of course, I’ll share everything I learn once it’s all said and done 🤍

Real BTS Updates

ICYMI, I’m relaunching and rebranding my original Recloseted Radio podcast — and the new version will be called Confessions of a Conscious CEO 💫 

With so many business and entrepreneurship podcasts out there, I knew I wanted to create something different. One thing that frustrates me about a lot of existing shows? They don’t go deep enough. You might get a few surface-level tips if you’re lucky, but it often feels like they’re holding back. So I’m doing the opposite.

I’ll be sharing the unfiltered, behind-the-scenes truth of what it’s really like to build a business that loves you back — one that sustains your lifestyle, bank account, and the planet. I’ll also be bringing on expert guests and pushing them to go deeper than the usual “tell us your story” fluff.

The first episode drops April 30, and new episodes go live every Wednesday. I cannot wait for you to tune in! If you want to be the first one to listen, subscribe on Spotify or subscribe on Apple (whichever platform you prefer to listen to podcasts!)

Butttt, I need your help 🎶

Choosing podcast music is becoming the bane of my existence… I have been listening to stock music for the past few weeks and starting to go the audio version of cross-eyed.

So I’d love your input! I’ve narrowed it down to 3 options and would be so **grateful if you could take a listen and reply back with your fave (1, 2, or 3). Please keep in mind I have “previewed” these tracks so you might hear a random guy’s voice in the background which will go away once I purchase the song 😆 You can also DM me your song choice on IG @selinajho. Thank you in advance 🤍

Audio 1:

Audio 2:

Audio 3:

Real Business Updates

Let’s skip the fluff and get straight to actionable business insights that spark inspiration, ignite creativity, and solve problems. Check out some interesting trends and insights I found this week... ⬇️

The (Almost) $2B Poppi Acquisition from PepsiCo 🥤

In case you missed it, Poppi — the prebiotic soda brand that’s taken over the wellness and grocery aisles — is reportedly being acquired by PepsiCo for nearly $2 billion.

Some quick facts:

• Poppi launched in 2020 after appearing on Shark Tank

• They’ve raised $50M+ in venture funding from CAVU Consumer Partners, M13, and others

• The brand grew fast, hitting $100M+ in annual sales within just a few years

• They’ve absolutely crushed retail distribution (Target, Whole Foods, Costco, etc.) and leaned into the “TikTok virality meets gut health” wave

• And now... a rumored $2B acquisition from PepsiCo 👀

My honest take? I’m thrilled for the founders — and this is huge for the industry.

Wins like this shine a spotlight on health-forward CPG brands, and it’s inspiring to see a startup scale this quickly and get recognized by one of the biggest beverage giants in the world. But — and this is a big but — I also want to gently ground the narrative.

When articles like this go viral, there’s a tendency for folks (especially early-stage founders) to believe this is the norm or the natural “end goal.” But the truth is: a $2B acquisition is a once-in-a-generation outcome.

The beverage industry is brutal. Margins are razor thin, distribution is expensive and complex, and it’s a hyper-saturated, competitive market. It’s not impossible to build a breakout brand — Poppi is proof of that — but these types of exits are extremely rare.

Let’s zoom out: There are only a handful of companies that can write this kind of acquisition check — think PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, maybe a few other major CPG players. So when you look at the thousands of beverage startups chasing acquisition dreams… the math just doesn’t add up.

I’m not sharing this to be a downer — I’m sharing it because I care. As founders, it’s easy to get caught up chasing the exit.

But here’s your reminder: Don’t build your entire business banking on a $1B+ acquisition.

Build it in a way that supports you along the way:
✅ Pay yourself
✅ Keep enough equity
✅ Don’t over-raise and dilute to the point where a big exit leaves you with scraps
✅ And build a business that sustains you — mentally, emotionally, financially

That way, whether your business gets acquired for $2B or never exits at all, it’s still been worth it. I would love to hear your thoughts on this too!

Real Growth…

To be the best founder possible, continuous learning and growth are essential. Don’t let yourself become the bottleneck in your business! Here are some self-development resources I found valuable this past week... ⬇️

YouTube Videos: Over the past few weeks, I released three YouTube videos sharing the biggest mistakes I’ve made in business — in product development, marketing, and sales. These lessons were learned the painful, expensive, and hard way... so I filmed them to help you avoid the same pitfalls and grow smarter, faster.

Each video focuses on a different area:
✅ Product Mistakes — what I got wrong when creating offers
✅ Marketing Mistakes — where I wasted time + money
✅ Sales Mistakes — lessons that cost me thousands

Excited for you to watch it and can’t wait to hear what you think!

Book: I’ve been liking Mel Robbin’s book Let Them. Yes, there’s been some controversy around the originality of this concept — but as a recovering (and sometimes still active) people-pleaser, this book really hit home for me. The idea of letting go of what you can’t control and focusing only on yourself has been so liberating. It’s helped me release the need to constantly manage others’ perceptions and redirect that energy into my own lane. Highly recommend if you’re working on detaching from external validation.

Real Self-Care…

Sustainable success can only happen if you take care of yourself. Self-care is not selfish — it’s necessary. Here are some self-care tools to recharge and stay balanced this week... ⬇️

Self-Care Challenge: This week, try being more intentional with your social media use. Every time you open Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc., pause and take a deep breath. Then ask yourself: Why am I opening this app right now? Is it to take a break? To connect with friends? To find inspiration? Or is it just autopilot? Awareness is the first step toward a healthier relationship with your digital habits.

Journal Prompt: If social media didn’t exist, how would I live life differently? Let yourself explore this freely — no right or wrong answers, just reflection.

Andd that’s it for this week! Please send me your podcast music thoughts and I’ll be back next week with an exciting VC career update. Have a great week!! 🤍