Startup To Scale

Running a family business comes with a lot of benefits, and a few challenges along the way. You know you have someone you can trust, but what happens when you have different ideas on how to grow?  I talk with Josh and Shlomo, two of the 2nd generation owners of Josh Packaging about how they navigated joining their family business. We also discuss their share values around always delivering for the...

I delve into the often misunderstood world of distributor partnerships and explore how brands can build strong, productive relationships with their distributors. Our discussion tackles the common misconceptions brands have about working with distributors, shedding light on what often goes awry and how to set the foundation for a successful collaboration. I interview Elizabeth Hemphill-Burns is a s...

Let’s break down exactly how to get a buyer to agree to take your meeting and then get them to say “yes” to bringing your product in store. For this conversation I talk with James Pippin with Good Now Foods and share actionable tips and tricks to stand out.   Looking for a Directory of Retail Buyers, Category Reviews, and Review Schedules? Check out Harvest Hub. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Fo...

 As a CPG founder, you’ll encounter new risks at each stage of your business. I spoke with Russ Taylor of SecureCPG to share a roadmap for anticipating potential challenges and proactively addressing them, ensuring that your brand is resilient and prepared for success at every stage of your journey.  Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy , an online community to connect emerging food, beverage...

Plastic storage containers for food and home organization are a fairly commoditized category. I spoke with Pall Musaev about how he purchased the Mr. Lid brand from the original founders and is transforming it into a fun brand that supports sustainable storage solutions. Learn More at https://mrlid.com/ Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy , an online community to connect emerging food, bever...

 So, you’re growing in retail and think you may be ready to start searching for a system to manage your trade spend, deductions and promotions. Have you thought about what you need internally to be ready for such a system? Do you have the right team in place? Does that team have the skill sets needed? How much guidance are you going to need? I invited on Chris Ambarian, Co-Founder of Promomash, to...

Just a few years ago it seemed like Compostable packaging was hitting mainstream, even with large multinational corporations starting to implement. Now, there are few CPG products with compostable packaging on the market. I talk with Shlomo and Elie from Josh Packaging about the state of the Compostable Packaging industry, the challenges and opportunities, along with what you can do to make your p...

We take hundreds of photos of our products, but often times we keep coming back to using the same dozen or so. But why do these photos stand out more than others? It’s often because they share a compelling narrative about your brand/products that the others don’t capture. So how do we take more of these effective photos? It starts by understanding the role of each photograph, why you’re taking it,...

We’re at a pivotal time in the CPG industry right now. The dry spell of capital has put a lot of VC funded companies out of business and is preventing the launch of many more. So what’s a founder to do? I’ve invited on Howie Sher, who’s been in the food industry for decades and has seen it all. Howie grew up in the grocery store business before starting his own CPG nut business, What-A-Ya Nuts, wh...

Getting funding to support your business growth is the #1 concern I hear from founders. How do you get access to the financing you need to make an impact? I’ve invited on Matthew Featherstone, founder of Hiatus Cheesecake to share their story on how a line of credit from Aion Financial gave them the cashflow to fund inventory to expand into hundreds of new retailers. Need working capital for your...

As a founder, it’s important to have a strong grasp on your business financials, but when do you actually hire someone to help? In this episode, we talk through what is the role of a CFO, Controller, and Bookkeeper, and when’s the right time to hire them as a contractor or full time role. Joining me for this conversation is Brad Ebenhoeh, founder of Accountfully to provide his expert experience. N...

 Getting insurance can be a little bit of a black box for companies, what coverage do you need? How do your application answers affect pricing? What are common red flags or issues that can delay or complicated the application process? I invite on Russ Taylor with SecureCPG to discuss how to apply and audit your insurance coverage to make sure you’re getting the best coverage and pricing.  Startup...

Developing a food or beverage product is deceptively hard. Anyone can whip up a batch of say, BBQ sauce or cookies in their home kitchen, but commercializing them takes a lot of time, nuance, and consideration. I’m joined today by Jamie Valenti-Jordan , founder of Catapult Consulting to discuss the new product development process for CPG brands.  Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy , an onli...

 Kristin Taylor is the co-founder of Mom Juice, a unique wine brand that's reshaping the narrative around motherhood and wine. Kristin, inspired by her Southern roots and a memorable visit to an Italian vineyard, co-created Mom Juice to bring women and mothers together over a glass of wine. With a commitment to authenticity and simplicity, Mom Juice has grown rapidly, offering wines made with...

 Debbie Wei Mullin, founder and CEO of Copper Cow Coffee , the sustainably sourced and (soon to be) very first certified organic Vietnamese coffee company. Debbie founded Copper Cow in 2016 out of her sister’s garage with a mission to transform Vietnamese coffee farming via sustainable practices – now, they’ve sold 20 million+ coffees to date, all while supporting farmers in Vietnam. they've...

Tip Top Proper Cocktails is an Atlanta-based beverage company that is making delicious cocktails available on the go. The company co-founders, Yoni Reisman and Neal Cohen, are music industry veterans who identified quality cocktails as a missing piece in the beverage offering at festivals, music venues and other high volume events. Join me as I talk with Neal on building the business during the pa...

Imagine you finally get to a point as a beverage company where you can upgrade to your first printed cans. You had to secure a new contract with a can company and co-packer to make it happen. Everything is all set for your production run, and the co-packer starts running your product through the line. But then, disaster strikes. All 10,000 cans come out of the tunnel pasteurizer with labels peelin...

Alex Matthews is the co-founder and CEO of De La Calle , a brand that's bringing tepache—a fermented pineapple drink with roots dating back to pre-Columbian Mexico—to the forefront of the beverage industry. Alex's journey is one of passion, innovation, and a deep respect for cultural heritage. We'll dive into how Alex discovered tepache, the challenges he faced in bringing this uniq...

You need to know where you’re going in order to get there. For CPG brands this means creating a brand strategy, knowing your business, and then mapping a path to getting where you want to go. I’ve been pitched by agencies who charge $50,000 for this service, but if you’re like me, you have no where near that budget to pay for strategy. So how can you do it yourself? I’ve invited on Ashley and Sara...

Launching a CPG brand is definitely hard, but competing in the highly competitive snacking category is comes with it’s own unique challenges. Laurel Orley, the co-founder of Daily Crunch just launched her sprouted nut snacks in over 450 Target stores nationwide. In this episode you’ll learn about how she and her team hold themselves accountable through KPIs and weekly check-ins, how to acquire new...

It’s no secret that money is tight for CPG brands. The era of surplus investor funding is gone for now, and businesses need leaner operations. That said, you still need cash to grow, so when and how can you get it? I’ve invited on Jim and Carly from Aion to discuss when you should access working capital as a CPG Brand. Learn more about Aion Financial Here Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy...

When Ori left his previous VC funded tech startup, he was determined that his next company would be bootstrapped so he could control his own destiny. Ori co-founded Burlap & Barrel with Ethan Frisch, a single-origin spice company. They made sure the company was profitable from day 1 (without paying themselves). Initially they put all the money back into the company, doing consulting on the sid...

 Building a CPG brand can be a winding road. Often times the product you start out creating ends up changing as you learn and iterate with your customers. Now, changing from your original idea can be hard, but ultimately you’ll create a better product if you align your core vision with customer feedback.  Shibani Baluja knows this journey well. She’s a long time friend and founder of Lil gourmet’s...

Will Nitze created IQ Bar, a protein bar to increase mental health and cognition, and now runs a multi-million dollar brand selling bars, hydration sticks, and mushroom coffees. Learn his strategy for growing a brand to a projected $55 million including fundraising, channel strategy, and mindset. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy , an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, an...

As a CPG founder, it’s necessary to understand where you want to go in your business in order to get there. Financial Modeling, Forecasting, Budgeting are crucial steps to turning your strategic vision into actionable steps. Join me for a conversation with Brad Ebenhoeh, CEO of Accountfully as we break down how to do each of these for your business. Need help with your finances? Accountfully speci...