Tardigrades, not unicorns

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced so many stores to close. For those selling products out there, this means fewer places we can sell in and have the necessary visibility to put our brands out there. It is time that we get down to the stores themselves and help find ways we can help stores thrive, and ultimately ourselves, in this tough environment. With a team who are in the trenches day in and day...

The world has been flipped upside down due to the pandemic. Many things have changed and adjustments to make. How can your business thrive in this situation? Alex Marx  gives an overview of how we could still make it in our business ventures despite this. He is the Director in Category Management at KeHE Distributors , a wholesale food distributor. How does a KeHE manager evaluate a brand? In...

The internet age delivered success to many online businesses, providing customers with rapid and reliable service at the comfort of their homes. But if one chooses to venture into the brick-and-mortar scene to earn more and increase reach, would that be a profitable idea? Elliot Begoun sits down with Tracy Miedema , Vice-President of Innovation & Brand Development at Presence , to talk about t...

The food industry is not lagging when it comes to innovating its products. With the pandemic exposing more unmet needs, healthy, sustainable solutions have become the forefront, especially for food start-ups. Today’s guest is Sarah Sha , Director of Strategy for KITCHENTOWN  and works together with Good Food Makers , a global accelerator of start-ups with transformative ideas. She joins host...

It’s hard to start your own business when it's something no one has done yet. But by pursuing it, you are actually creating your own opportunities. This is what Kara Goldin  did. Kara is the Founder and CEO of Hint, Inc.  and she didn't even start in the beverage industry. She had a good job, so why did she quit to start a beverage company? Kara joins Elliot Begoun in this episode to sha...

Is there a single human being who’s ever been a complete leader? Nope. Leaders become complete when they have a team that makes up for what they lack. Elliot Begoun’s guest in this episode is Xavier Naville , who was the Founder and CEO of Creative Food. Creative Food is a key supplier to major restaurant chains in China, like McDonalds and KFC. Join in the conversation and discover how you can fo...

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and burnt out, then it may be time to reap the benefits of retreats. Checking out and taking time for self-care and self-nourishment is important for a healthy personal and professional life. In this episode, Elliot Begoun interviews the founder of She Glows Retreats , Brie Doyle . Brie organizes and hosts retreats, and she talks about self-care and how taking a retre...

A unicorn is a popular and sought-after creature beloved by everyone. But they are also mythical. Tardigrades, however, are real, and they are resilient. They’ve gone through the test of time and are not going anywhere anytime soon. Why not build a brand like that? In today’s episode, Elliot Begoun lists down the ten important traits your company needs to become a tardigrade brand. He breaks down...

The first thing we need when starting a business is money. One of the best ways to have that is through investors. But what if the search for that investment is harder than you thought? Do you give up? The founder of Stratia Skincare , Alli Reed , didn’t. Instead, she bootstrapped her business all on her own shoulders without any outside investment. In this episode, she shares her inspiring journe...

A lot of business owners don't care much for accounting. They read the numbers and are done with it. You have to understand it. When the pandemic started, businesses weren't prepared. They didn't understand their numbers. They didn't know how to manage their inventory, and they closed. This is why accounting is important. Join your host Elliot Begoun and his guest Brad Ebenhoeh on all things accou...

With obesity and diabetes continuously on the rise, many Americans adopt various diets to stay healthy. But for Kelly Springer , people must not be satisfied with just that but also start consuming real food. Joining Elliot Begoun, she talks about empowering businesses to invest in higher levels of wellness and nutrition through her company, Kelly’s Choice . She explains why proper food education...

Third party logistics (3PLs) play an important role and fill in the gaps in your supply chain. In this episode, you’re going to learn how you can manage 3PLs. Join your host, Elliot Begoun and his guest Jeff Vertun , a real estate advisor at CBRE . Jeff helps executives align their business plans with strategic real estate. Learn all about 3PLs and how you should negotiate with them. Know when it'...

No one gets diagnosed with good things. At least, that's what most would like to believe. However, for those with ADHD, the diagnosis could be a gift. This is the story that  Peter Shankman  is working to tell. He is a three-time entrepreneur, host of an ADHD and neurodiversity podcast called  Faster Than Normal , and a best-selling author. In this episode, he talks to Elliot Begoun...

What is the secret to true happiness? Happiness may mean differently to different people, but for entrepreneurs, the first step to attaining any measure of it is to step out of the world of “not enough” and into the world of “more than enough.” David Meltzer sees this recognition of the abundance that already exists around us as the critical mindset shift that every entrepreneur has to make in ord...

Healthy discussions and strong connections between founders and their target customers are key to the success of emerging brands. Using the vast reach of online technology is significant in this mission, and this is where 1Q focuses its offers as a consumer engagement platform. Exploring this company even deeper, Elliot Begoun talks with Mike Murphy , Senior Vice President - Client Engagement, and...

There’s a deeper meaning to the relationship we have as a society with the food we choose personally. The show’s guest today is Jasmine Leyva , the director of the film The Invisible Vegan . In this enlightening episode, Jasmine shares with Elliot Begoun how one of the reasons why people think it's okay to treat black people this way is because we normalize treating animals a certain way. As long...

It is often said that you should save more and spend less so that you can sit back and relax during your later years. But sometimes, your current expenditures and plans are compromised just for the sake of building good retirement savings. Matt Reiner joins Elliot Begoun to share his mission in guiding entrepreneurs and investors in finding the right path towards financial freedom. He explains why...

Thanks to proper information dissemination and awareness, going vegan these days has been well-accepted by many. Now, it is about having a healthier diet and fighting for issues that truly matter. Kathy Freston joins Elliot Begoun to share her own vegan journey that inspired her to pursue a life purpose way bigger than her. She delves into her work as an activist for plant-based diet, animal welfa...

For you to continuously improve and be able to pivot at once whenever necessary, embracing a learning mindset is a must. By learning how to learn, there will be no excuses for you to always try and achieve endless growth, even with the constant risk of failing. Elliot Begoun sits down with DC Glenn  to discuss how this mindset brought him success in various fields, from being a club DJ, actor...

Just as Amazon is the go-to marketplace for buying stuff online, Kickfurther  strives to become the world’s first ever marketplace for inventory funding. Through its ingenious business model, the platform allows emerging brands to get access to funding relatively early in their journey in the competitive CPG space. This move has the positive effect of bridging the funding gap between founders...

GMOs have been on the rise in recent years, and most of the time, they dominate the marketplace. But since it contains pesticides, fertilizers, and many forms of additives, many favor organic products over them. Pat Sheridan , the President and CEO of INFRA , leads a community of retailers providing natural products that aim to widen their reach and increase public awareness about these healthy fo...

Entrepreneurship changes the world because of the millions of consumers it caters to daily. In this episode, Elliot Begoun  encourages entrepreneurs to be resilient and efficient like tardigrades. Why? Because each entrepreneur has the power to ignite small changes in the masses that will end up changing the world for the better. That is why Elliot shares essential tips on how you can succeed...

Who would have taught that freshness can still be found in food waste? By sourcing ingredients from things that would otherwise be simply thrown away by many, imagine what that can do in minimizing garbage and addressing hunger. This is exactly what Evan Lutz does through his company, Hungry Harvest. Besides sharing about his delivery service that finds perfectly good food from waste and transform...

So much has changed in the eCommerce space in a short matter of time that it merits special scrutiny. Elliot Begoun brings back Mike Gammarino of  Bluprint Partners  to talk about what is happening right now, what we should be aware of, where the opportunities lie, and where the constraints are for your eCommerce business. Mike is a 3PL guru and runs a consulting company that helps consu...

Businesses are borne out of an entrepreneur's dream or vision. That is why when starting a business, you might as well start it right because there might be areas that can take an unexpected turn, especially when it comes to contracts, regulations, and sometimes, litigation. Get yourself protected at all costs by exploring the importance of having a law firm behind you in this episode. Elliot Bego...