Pleasantly Persistent-Rooted Food Sales Podcast!

Topics Discussed: - Book Recommendation - Favorite Snack and Beverage - Taking a Walk for Clarity - Finding the Right Fit - Organizing with Trello - Improving as a Leader - The Importance of Deep Thinking

Join us as we chat with Kristoffer Quiaoit from Good Journey Doughnuts about his journey in the CPG industry and what he has learned along the way. -- Learnings from first CPG venture -What those learnings mean for current venture -How to focus to grow as a person and business leader... -Lessons learned along the way from building brands -Power of setting intentions

Topics Discussed: - LinkedIn Connection Requests/Sending Requests - LinkedIn Sales Navigator/What We Love  - Cold Prospecting - Subject Lines in Emails - If one food could instantly be as healthy as salad, what would you choose?

Topics Discussed: - Work-Life Integration and Authenticity - Embracing Personality Testing - Understanding Age Discrimination - The Fear of Hiring People Who Know More Than You - How Personal Life Affects Work - The Power of Hiring People Who Know More Than You - Navigating Generational Differences in the Workplace - Managing Multi-Generational Teams You can learn more about Erin-Kate at https://w...

Topics Discussed: - The Importance of Passion - The Joy of a Short Phone Call - Phone Calls as a Quick and Efficient Communication Tool - Building Culture and Humanizing the Remote Work Experience - Watching out for Ego - Lessons in Responsible Closure of a Company 

Topics Discussed: - How the CPG vibe differs in LA vs New York, and what are the biggest cultural distinctions?  - As a company grows, why things don't get easier, they get harder  - What are the current trends in the alternative caffeine space?  - How Steve organizes his work day and delegates his to-do list  - What is the inspiration behind the "Founder Dinners" Steve hosts?  - Ho...

Topics Discussed: - What categories across C-store foodservice are declining?  - From 15 years ago to the most recent NACS show, what has changed the most?  - In the "New Product Hall" better-for-you space, what are the growing trends?  - Which C-Store chains are on fire and doing a great job innovating?

How both retail & foodservice buyers will discover new products and gain access to new innovations.  What qualifies a brand to be able to participate in the Innovation Experience at Expo East? What is the Hosted Buyer Program and who is going to be a part of it? The Foodservice Workshop: a 90 minute intensive bringing foodservice education to Expo

Topics Discussed: - How Mark organizes his 6 hour work day, and helpful tips to stay laser focused  - LinkedIn is a powerful tool for building community, brand awareness and connections, but there is a flip side to it all  - Speaking organically on mental health & wellness and how impactful that has been for Mark  - Thoughts on attending trade shows for early stage CPG brands  - BONUS: In the...

Topics: What chain in the Fast Casual space is growing exponentially? What large scale QSR has done a great job of reinventing themselves and why? Outside of NRA, what other tradeshows is Danny attending and excited about? What type of innovation in the cooler/fountain beverage set is trending?  What newer QSR chains under 40 units should we watch out for? BONUS: What is Danny's favorite fast...

Topics: Best practices for organizing and attacking your ever growing to-do list? What is the process of "How to Work With Me" and how is it implemented within the company? As a salesperson, when days are dense and slower, how do you shift the energy? How much space do you need a week for creative and big picture thinking? What does your relationship with the phone and posting on LinkedI...

We discussed and learned about all things Dot Foods!

General banter with Will Nitze ranging from supplements, cold plunge, pickleball, and Joe Rogan

Topics: How Expo West and NRA is the barometer to seeing how fast a trend will move from inception to ubiquity What will the plant based movement look like in the culinary world 5 years from now? Are robots and AI here to stay and what are the implications in the food and beverage industry?  How NRA has evolved over the last few years, and what was the most memorable sample? Why "Veg-Centric&...

Questions: - What trends are fueling innovation in the convenience channel? - Has the consumer demand and behavior actually changed or is it just a really loud minority? - How does a brand best support once they launch into the C-Store channel? - What are best practices when cold prospecting to a C-Store buyer? - How much does data matter when presenting to 7-Eleven and other C-Stores? - What is t...

Topics: How extreme burn out in a high performing sales career led Tim to personal growth and development work What are the common themes with the men that Tim works with? Why all personal growth must start with building self awareness What does setting up an intentional work day look like for Tim? How important is goal setting and discipline in self development work?

Topics:  What does the creative flow look like when deciding what to post on LI? Why time blocking and "schedule send" has become an important tool for engagement  How reaching out and messaging CPG Founders has led to many mentoring Erica  What's Erica's biggest LinkedIn pet peeve, and how can they improve it? How launching "We Got the Goods" with Kyle Peters has evo...

Topics:  - How has the early vision of starting a company evolved over the last 8 years? - What is David most proud of going through this journey and building his own company? - Is the plant based milk trend as popular in other countries?   - What are the different processes for selling a brand in Canada vs the United States? - Within the coffee space, what is most interesting to David right now?...

Topics - The culture shock going from founding a CPG company, to working for a large scale corporate organization - When speaking with founders, what are some attributes Kyle looks for that shows the brand is on the right path? - Why growing deep regionally is a smart strategy before a large nationwide launch? - How posting consistently on LinkedIn has positively affected Kyle's career and re...

Topics: - How the broker model has changed & shifted over the years, and what are some foundations that have existed throughout? - Why you should go deep before you go wide with distribution  - What is the best use of time when working with distributors? - How should the interview process be structured when looking to hire a broker? - Recommendations on how to successfully manage and partner w...

Topics: - It is an immediate red flag if a candidate shows up 1 minute late to an interview? - Should resumes be a thing of the past? - What are some ways a candidate can stand out pre-interview? - The importance of sending a post follow-up email after an interview  - How to give constructive feedback if someone is not the right fit for the role/company? - What's the sweet spot for interview...

Questions: What advice would you give emerging brands who want to get into the college foodservice channel? When is the best time to approach a college & university, and when is a bad time? If a school has either a Pepsi or Coca-Cola contract, what % wiggle room do they have to bring in a beverage item outside that contract?  What are the titles someone should look for when selling a BOH item...

Topics: - The importance of doing your homework in a cold outreach - Why sending unsolicited samples, and samples in non-recyclable packing is Kyles biggest pet peeves (if you don't choose clip #2) - The value of being pleasantly persistent with a buyer, and how that can lead to a conversion - BONUS- What is Kyle's most purchased beverage and snack at the moment?

Topics: - The benefits of sending samples with a personal touch vs samples in a standard cardboard box  - What does the process for menu development look like, and what's the general buying cycle?  - What is the timeline for reviewing and launching a seasonal menu item?  - When a brand/supplier has made it to the menu, how can they support the partnership? - BONUS: If Stephan could show up in...

Topics Covered: - How the ramp is different in retail vs foodservice - Different investment requirements - Why quality accounts matter in foodservice vs quantity - Review schedules and sales cycles  Questions Asked: - Does the same model work in foodservice as it does in retail when looking to set-up a product with distributors? - What are the best channels and selling strategies for BOH vs FOH it...