ContenderCast with Justin Honaman

Amy's Kitchen, Inc., doing business as Amy's, is a family-owned, privately held American company based in Petaluma, California, that manufactures organic and non-GMO convenience and frozen foods. Founded in 1987 by Andy and Rachel Berliner, and incorporated in 1988, the company took its name from their daughter, Amy! Paul Schiefer, Amy's President, joins Justin to discuss this fast-growing, entrep...

Twenty years ago, four friends met at Georgia Tech, each driven by a unique passion for innovation, creativity, and excellence. Their paths diverged after graduation, leading them into different industries, but their shared love for wine remained a constant. Reuniting two decades later, they decided to blend their diverse skills and experiences to create a wine brand that reflects their journey an...

Sunday Lawn Care offers a subscription-based, personalized lawn care system that delivers eco-friendly products like fertilizers and grass seeds directly to consumers. It uses your location, climate, and soil test results to create a custom plan for your specific needs, aiming to provide a healthy lawn with fewer harsh chemicals. The service includes detailed instructions, and products are designe...

Born in 1928, Nan grew up on the Connecticut shoreline, where the salty sea air and small town charm forged her lifelong coastal spirit. A child of the Great Depression, Nan learned the fundamentals of resourceful cooking from her mother, who showed her how to create exciting meals from what grew in their garden. Eventually, Nan would hone her skills to recreate dishes from her travels around the...

Just Call Me Shirley invites you to the essence of the 60's era, where the clinking of glasses echoed through smoke-filled rooms with power suits and intriguing conversations. Their Original Shirley Temple Cocktail is a purposeful blend of classic charm and timeless sophistication. Inspired by the iconic Shirley Temple, their RTD 5% canned cocktail & NA collection elevates a classic experience to...

GoSpotCheck was born in the Mile High City, where a love for the outdoors, beer brewing, and the Broncos run deep. Their founders, Matt and Joey, were childhood friends, and Joey and Samantha met at DU in grad school. The three started GoSpotCheck in a garage together after graduating from Boulder Techstars in 2011. Their spirit lives on in their product, teams, and values. Cory Knopp joins Justin...

From toxins and harsh soaps to polluting plastics, oral care was long overdue for an upgrade. You don't need harsh ingredients for a healthy smile, so they said no to sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), fluoride, parabens, GMOs, artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives—forever. Meet Vladimir Vukicevic, co-founder and CEO of Better & Better. Justin and Vlad unpack bright and shiny toothpaste and oral...

Custom Neon™ offers stunning custom-made led neon signs worldwide. Their signs are handmade in the US, China and Australia and sold in over 60 countries to customers including some of the world's biggest brands. Founder and CEO Jake Munday joins Justin to discuss this bright and shining brand!

Top brands trust Passport. They help your DTC or marketplace business scale globally—whether you're shipping cross-border or fulfilling in-country to navigate de minimis and tariff changes, and maximize Q4 growth. Combining innovative technology, global logistics, and expert compliance, Passport delivers the right solutions for the right markets at every stage of global growth. Co-Founder and CEO...

At Distillery of Modern Art (DoMA), they celebrate the Art of the Spirit, distilling craft spirits that inspire community and connect people to what they love. Pour yourself a glass of their amaro, gin, vodka, or whiskey, and you'll notice that not only is the liquid inside the bottle exceptional, but each package features a unique print behind the label. The beauty and artistry in the label is a...

Eggs…Reinvented. Creating Simpler, Creamier Dairy-Free Foods from Nature's Perfect Protein. Oolie are egg experts who dared to dream differently. By reimagining what eggs could do, they created something extraordinary—deliciously creamy foods that are clean, protein-rich, and free from dairy and fillers. Their secret? They partner with small family farms, sourcing Free-Range eggs that would otherw...

Kültee Kaviar™   is the redefined premium popping boba balls experience with a refreshing burst of natural flavor. At just 6mm or 9mm in size, these tiny boba balls deliver unique taste and texture that consumers are continually seeking, while adding irresistible, vibrant pops of colors. Nils Schaede, Director of Marketing at Zentis, joins Justin to discuss this fast-growing brand!

Are you creating value for your customers? How do you really know? Your customers choose to do business with your company based on the value you deliver to them. And the relationship investment you make in them. Former Coca-Cola and Microsoft exec Ira Gleser joins Justin to discuss how customer relationships – earning trust first with executives – drive long-term invested partnerships. Link to boo...

Erica Groussman is the founder and CEO of TRUBAR, a delicious vegan protein bar brand made of 100% plant-based ingredients and free of gluten, dairy, soy, sugar alcohols, or harmful seed oils. Founded in 2019, TRUBAR has seen over 100% YoY growth every year since its launch and will expand into 15,000+ new retail locations this year including their most recent last month in Targets nationwide! Eri...

Meet Stacy Martin – the founder of Seahorse Snacks! She calls herself a seahorse because she chose to have her stomach removed due to an extremely rare genetic mutation (CDH1). Seahorses also don't have stomachs. Because she doesn't have a stomach, she has to eat frequently, like every two hours all day, every day. Because she eats so frequently, she often gets bored with eating the same thing ove...

Victoria Ha is the co-founder of Match My Makeup , the world's first scientifically and mathematically derived foundation shade matching platform. Match My Makeup's technology has been adopted around the world by major retail clients and cosmetics houses such as Net-a-Porter, Clarins and Harvey Nichols. Prior to launching Match My Makeup with her sister in 2012, Victoria was in Silicon Valley work...

Tony Roma's is a full service, casual dining family restaurant where you can find premier BBQ ribs and steaks in locations across the world. With over 100 family restaurant locations on five continents, Tony Roma's is one of the most globally recognizable names in the industry. CEO, Mina Haque joins Justin to discuss this growing restaurant industry brand!

Tip Top helps you quickly fix behavior problems and bring the best out of your dog! They got started 15 years ago in Oklahoma and now have locations across the U.S. where they help people communicate better with their dogs. With the Tip Top Method of Dog Training, you can quickly gain the control you have always wanted while still having a happy, tail-wagging dog! Ryan Wimpey, the visionary founde...

Let's dive in! Deborah Hall is CEO and Co-Founder of DIVE Billboards, a company renowned for transforming digital out of home (DOOH) screens with real-time, human-curated and brand safe content. Under her leadership, alongside Co-Founder Michael Girgis, DIVE Billboards is bringing the best of mobile and social to DOOH. Deb joins Justin to discuss how DIVE curates and translates dynamic, data-drive...

Discover the unexpectedly craveable taste of Dixie Grace's Boiled Peanuts. Unique taste, layered in flavor and texture. Plant-based protein grown in the ground, not in a lab. Minimally processed with carefully curated ingredients. Beloved snack all around the world for centuries! Dixie joins Justin to discuss this delicious brand!

Asha Shivaji is an accomplished marketer, having collaborated with renowned global brands, such as Apple, Disney, Moet Hennessy, Estee Lauder, and Johnson & Johnson. Throughout her career, Asha has focused on revamping and modernizing marketing initiatives that captured the hearts and minds of consumers. Most recently, Asha led the marketing strategy for Google's Advanced Brand Acceleration Team a...

WYNK was founded in 2020 by Casey Parzych, Angus Rittenburg, and Shawn Sheehan, three friends (a beverage manufacturer, mechanical engineer, and energy trader) looking for a new opportunity in the cannabis beverage market. Their challenge: find a way to dose the seltzer with THC legally, as current laws for dispensary distribution require dosing in the states where the drinks will be sold. Today,...

Trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle amidst changing diet trends and busy lifestyles can be overwhelming. In addition to being a wife and mother of three, Meredith Mann is a CPT and holistic nutrition and wellness consultant. She specializes in metabolisms, blood sugar, and emotional eating. Her happy place is her yoga mat and her kitchen, creating simple recipes that help balance blood sugar. S...

GoSili was founded in 2006 based on the principal that it was time to create a cultural shift away from toxic and excessive plastics. Founders, Giuliana Schawb and Stacey Feeley believed there was a better alternative to plastics, so they began creating stylish, incredibly durable, 100% nontoxic silicone products with the philosophy that it was time to make the "basics" better. They first founded...

Unlock the full adventure with Bake & Explore Kits, where engaging activities, global flavors, and fun challenges await. Or check out the Individual Baking Kits that offer fun and easy-to-follow recipes. Although these kits don't include all the extras found in Bake & Explore Kits, they're just as perfect for spending quality time with your little ones. CEO and Founder Shelley Gupta joins Justin t...