The Firebelly Social Show

Kat Weaver is the CEO and Founder of Power to Pitch, a platform that helps early-stage founders craft compelling pitches and raise capital with confidence. Under her leadership, Power to Pitch has helped secure over $55 million in grants and venture funding. Kat is also a successful exited entrepreneur, active angel investor, and has built a community of over 30,000 LinkedIn followers. Her experie...

Matthew and Jasmine von Teichman are the Founders of Purplesful Snacking Popcorn, a company dedicated to creating healthy, antioxidant-rich purple corn popcorn while donating 25% of profits to children's nutrition charities. Purplesful has achieved widespread growth in both Canada and the US, including a significant launch into 400 Kroger stores, and is on a mission to donate $5 million over the n...

Mark Samuel is the Founder at MARK'S, a seed oil-free snack brand that just launched a non-GMO kettle chip line. He also drives growth initiatives at Siddhi Capital, a leading venture firm in food and beverage. With over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience, he is known for building high-performance, mission-driven brands, and his recent launch has received rave reviews for its clean ingredients...

Diana Fryc is the Chief Growth Officer and Partner at Voodoo Brands, a leading brand strategy and consulting firm helping food, beverage, and wellness brands rise above the noise and drive impact. Under her leadership, Voodoo Brands has guided Fortune 500 corporations and startups through major growth challenges while expanding its strategic services. Diana also serves as Chairperson and President...

Syed Khaleque and Amer Khaleque are the Co-founders of Auntie Rana's, a modern food brand inspired by their family's Bangladeshi heritage and their mother's homemade recipes. Together, they're reimagining traditional South Asian condiments and flavors for today's kitchens, blending authenticity with innovation. Their all-natural, preservative-free sauces have been featured by chefs and creators wh...

Duncan Alney is the Founder and CEO of Firebelly Marketing, an award-winning, top-ranked agency that helps founders of mission-driven food and beverage brands grow their businesses and connect with their audiences through social media marketing. Duncan has worked in marketing for 30 years and brings his expertise in engaging with clients and rebuilding brands to each project. He has worked with to...

Matt McLean is the CEO and Founder of Uncle Matt's Organic, a company that makes certified organic juices using fruit grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. He launched the business in 1999 on just three acres in his father's backyard in Florida, drawing on a family legacy of citrus farming. After selling the company to Dean Foods in 2017, he reacquired it in 2020 with a group of inves...

Duncan Alney is the Founder and CEO of Firebelly Marketing, an award-winning, top-ranked agency that helps founders of mission-driven food and beverage brands grow their businesses and connect with their audiences through social media marketing. Duncan has worked in marketing for 30 years and brings his expertise in engaging with clients and rebuilding brands to each project. He has worked with to...

Troy Bolotnick is the CEO of Filmland Spirits, a company that blends storytelling and whiskey by crafting small-batch American whiskeys inspired by retro B-movie themes. He launched the brand in 2022 after years in entertainment and entrepreneurship, combining his passion for movies, writing, and bourbon. Under his leadership, Filmland Spirits has earned multiple awards for both its whiskey and it...

Duncan Alney is the Founder and CEO of Firebelly Marketing, an award-winning social media marketing firm that increases brand likability through social media marketing. Duncan has worked in marketing for 30 years and brings his expertise in engaging with clients and rebuilding brands to each project. He has worked with notable brands such as Netflix, Fiji Water, and Sony. Duncan is also the host o...

Eric Martindale is the Founder and CEO of Elite Commerce Group, a full-service agency specializing in Amazon and retail media. Under his leadership, the company has driven over half a billion dollars in retail sales for clients, maintaining a strong focus on testing and innovation to stay at the forefront of digital marketing. A former Marine officer and adventure athlete turned e-commerce authori...

John Roulac is the Founder and CEO of Coco Clean, a company that makes plastic-free, enzyme-based laundry detergent using coconut and mineral ingredients to tackle tough stains while reducing environmental waste. Previously, he founded Nutiva, an organic superfoods brand with over $1 billion in retail sales, recognized as one of Inc. 's fastest-growing companies for seven straight years. A serial...

Anna Ison is the Founder and Principal Creative at Auros Design, a studio specializing in strategic packaging and brand design for CPG brands. Her firm helps brands grow through memorable visual identities, packaging, and portfolio architecture that stand out on the shelf and align with brand strategy. With over 20 years of experience at top-tier NYC agencies, Anna brings big-brand sophistication...

Jordan Buckner is the Founder of Foodbevy, an online community that helps food and beverage entrepreneurs grow from startup to scale through education, networking, and curated resources. As a serial entrepreneur and startup advisor, he is passionate about elevating minority-owned and women-led brands in the CPG space. He launched Foodbevy in April 2020 to reduce gaps in access to suppliers, invest...

Mike Levinson, RD, is the Founder of FS Octopus, a Colorado-based consultancy helping emerging CPG brands break into foodservice and alternative channels through strategic distribution, marketing, and channel positioning. With over 25 years of experience across foodservice and retail — from startups like CAULIPOWER to large-scale operations like Performance Food Group and Palermo's Pizza — he brin...

Belle Sharon, PhD, MBA, is the Co‑founder and President of Belle's Gourmet Popcorn, a Dallas-based, small-batch popcorn brand celebrated for its clean ingredients and bold, flavor-driven approach. With a background in food science, microbiology, food safety, and regulatory compliance, she leads ingredient sourcing and recipe development, ensuring all products meet FDA standards. Under her leadersh...

Gregory Willis is the Founder and President of Senspire, the company behind Flavor Studio — a cloud-based platform helping food and beverage companies accelerate innovation through tools for recipe development, nutritional analysis, sensory testing, and project management. He is a creative entrepreneur and flavor scientist who has built a career at the intersection of food, technology, and design....

Jay Baer is the Co-founder of Slingshot, a network of craft tequila brands dedicated to authenticity, quality, and culture. He is a renowned business growth and customer experience strategist, celebrated for his dynamic keynote speeches and best-selling marketing books. A seventh-generation entrepreneur, Jay has built five multimillion-dollar companies and advised over 700 brands, including Caterp...

Brooks Addington is the CEO of TÖST Beverages, a company renowned for its sophisticated, non-alcoholic sparkling beverages. With over two decades of experience in consumer goods and finance, he has successfully expanded TÖST's distribution to over 10,000 accounts across all 50 US states and eight countries. Under his leadership, TÖST has partnered with major national retailers such as Whole Foods...

Paul Fricke is the Co-founder of Nomad Snacks, a company renowned for its globally inspired popcorn flavors that blend culinary creativity with adventurous spirit. Under his leadership, Nomad Snacks has garnered multiple accolades, including the Most Innovative New Product Award at the Sweets & Snacks Expo in Indianapolis. In addition to his work in the food industry, Paul is the Founder and Manag...

Elvin Willgrass is the Sales Director of Freedom Confectionery, a UK-based company renowned for its inclusive, plant-based, and allergen-free confectionery products. Under his leadership, the company has launched several innovative treats, including the world's first chocolate-coated vegan gummy bar in collaboration with Pusheen. Prior to joining Freedom Confectionery, Elvin served as Managing Dir...

Dror Sharon is the Co-founder and CEO of Belle's Gourmet Popcorn, a Dallas-based company known for its handcrafted, small-batch popcorn made with high-quality ingredients. Originally from Israel, he brings a rich culinary background to the brand, having progressed from cook to kitchen manager in the hospitality industry. Dror's passion for flavor innovation has led Belle's to create unique popcorn...

Massiel Villanueva is the Founder and CEO of YÜJ Granola, a health-focused snack company based in Orlando, Florida. The brand offers vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and low-glycemic granola products, including bars, bites, and cereals. Combining her culinary background and yoga practice, Massiel built YÜJ Granola to promote unity, mindfulness, and nourishment through food. Beyond providing healthy s...

Aidan Mehigan is the Founder and CEO of Natterjack Irish Whiskey, a company dedicated to crafting unique Irish whiskey by blending traditional Irish and American aging techniques. In less than five years, he transformed Natterjack from a startup into an internationally recognized brand, now available in 16 US states and 13 global markets. The brand's excellence was acknowledged when it was named B...

Grant Hemingway is the CEO and Co-founder of Libby Non-Alcoholic Wines, a brand redefining modern moderation with its sparkling non-alcoholic wines, gaining remarkable traction in the inclusive beverage market. He is a seasoned winemaker and entrepreneur with over 18 years of experience spanning vineyard management, winemaking, and executive leadership in the wine and beverage industry.  A graduat...