The Good Food CFO podcast

Do you ever feel like building your business the way you “should”, isn’t right for you?   You’re not alone. There are many paths to building a successful food business and how you’ll do it is truly up to you!  You don’t have to make decisions based on ‘how it’s always been done.’   In this episode we’re talking with Katie Mleziva, Food Brand Strategist and host of the Real Food Brands Marketing Po...

Today on Podcast we’re talking about Credit Cards, Letting Go of Negative Thoughts around Personal Business Debt, Avoiding the Debt Cycle in your Food Business so you can eventually be debt-free, and the steps you can take toward becoming a self-funded, cash-based business.  If you have any guilt or shame around having business debt, I want you to let it go because... You're not "bad with money" b...

In the last episode of the Good Food CFO Podcast, Sarah shared how she learned about Profit First, her experience in the Profit First Certification process and she answered the question: Will Profit First Work For Your Good Food Business? In this week’s episode Sarah shares: The 4 steps you need to take to start implementing Profit First in your business  How Profit First differs for Good Food Bus...

You started a business to do good, create change, and earn a living doing something you love... No matter what your WHY is, Financial Sustainability and Profitability ensures that it becomes and remains a reality. Profit First is a national best selling book and Cash Flow Management strategy utilized by businesses across countless industries - from dentist offices to construction firms to real est...

Getting your product in front of the right buyers is one of the biggest challenges for CPG brands.   While there are multiple platforms to assist brands in getting noticed, they don’t come without nuances and learning how to make the most of them can be complicated and time consuming. Today on the show we’re talking to Georgiana Dearing, RangeME expert and founder of Water Street Marketing for Man...

Don’t wait until you’re drowning in tasks to hire help!  And rethink that strategy for saving money by hiring contractors… Kira La Forgia, founder of Paradigm Consulting - the go-to People Operations resource for business owners ready to protect, streamline, and scale their businesses - joins Sarah for a candid conversation about growing your team.  In this episode Kira’s sharing: When it’s the ri...

Selling your product online is a great way to reach potential customers nationwide and almost every food and beverage business that I work with does. But, how do you know if your online sales are profitable?  If you can’t answer that question with confidence, you’re not alone. Nine out of ten business owners are unclear on how to gather financial details from the online platforms they sell through...

Not seeing profits on Amazon? Unsure if the Amazon marketplace is right for your brand, or how to make the most of it?  You’re not alone!  In this episode, Sarah is joined by Alexander Johnson, Founder of Mixt Solutions - a turnkey solution for brands of all sizes to optimize their Amazon presence.  Alexander is laying out the Costs + Realities of selling on Amazon!  In this episode we cover:  Det...

Scaling a food + beverage business often requires outsourcing your manufacturing to a Co-packer, and if you’re new to the industry there is a lot to learn!  Ashley Sutterfield, CEO of Metzger & Roth joins Sarah in this episode to help you clear on the process and (you guessed it) costs of partnering with a Co-packer. In this episode Ashley covers:  When it’s the right time to partner with a Co-pac...

Thinking about raising capital?  Wondering which type of investment is right for you + your business?  Want to make sure you’re well prepared to meet potential investors?  This week’s guest MichaeI Movitz will help you get clear on all othat, and more! Michael is the founder of The Movitz Group and founding partner of Brandjectory, an online platform that helps early stage CPG founders and investo...

Starting a food business takes money. Bootstrapping, taking out a line of credit, and pitching to investors are not the only routes to funding your business!  Elizabeth Eichhorn says that Crowdfounding is a great alternative to these traditional routes, and in fact she recommends it!   In this Episode of the Good Food CFO Podcast...  Why Crowdfunding is a great first step for funding your business...

Marketing can be a significant expense for growing food businesses - from reaching new customers, to encourage repeat business, to costs associated with acquiring new wholesale customers, the list goes on… so you want to be sure you’re investing in the right places and that your investments are making an impact on your bottom line!  In this episode of The Good Food CFO Sarah is joined by Christie...

The Pittston Ketchup Co. was born out of a desire to create a local product and become contributing members of a community that many young entrepreneurs and professionals were fleeing for “better” opportunities.  In this episode Sarah is joined by co-founder Amos Valenti, and he is sharing Pittston Ketchup Co.’s journey from idea, to their first bottling, to today’s efficient production, and how t...

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) tell us how efficiently and effectively we’re achieving our business objectives.  In this episode Sarah is focusing on the Financial KPIs that will reveal your business’ financial efficiency, and get you moving in the direction of financial sustainability, profitability and consistent cash flow!  Sarah’s also sharing…  5 Essential Financial KPIs that all food + be...

“... Before you get excited about what you are going to GET. Make sure you understand what you have to GIVE.  Many a brand have paid slotting fees and free fills to get into a chain they could NOT afford to support only to get discontinued.”  This quote from Sandra Valasqueze instagram feed was the source of inspiration for this conversation, centered around the costs  involved in growing your CPG...

It’s common for good food business owners to calculate their perfect product price, only to find that it’s higher than they think they can (or should) sell it for.  Doubts often follow as to whether or not they can successfully sell their product at a premium price, and whether or not the right move is to lower costs.   In this episode Sarah and CPG Consultant Alli Ball discuss the steps you can t...

Setting your prices to achieve Product Profitability does not guarantee that you can build a profitability business  In this episode, Sarah is diving into this critical financial concept and sharing 3 rules for pricing that will help you understand your business better and ensure that your products are priced right, so you can build a profitable business.  She also touches on: Financial Modeling,...

Our personal money mindset and financial beliefs translate into our businesses and can affect how we deal with our finances; from pricing, to how much we pay ourselves, to how much we pay others, and so much more. In this episode, Sarah is joined by Caroline Snyder, Financial Coach and Founder of Verdi Daily to discuss the many ways that our emotions can play a role in our financial decision makin...

Having a good working relationship with your bookkeeper means accurate, timely financial information and that has a BIG impact on your ability to build a profitable food business.  But, every bookkeeper is not going to be a match for your business and you can’t simply hand over your receipts and access to Quickbooks and walk away from the task.  In this episode of The Good Food CFO podcast Sarah i...

In this special “Round Table” episode of The Good Food CFO podcast Sarah joins Alli Ball and Katie Mleziva, CPG experts in Sales Strategy and Brand Strategy, respectively to talk about the 3 Pillars of a Successful Food + Beverage Brand.  Join three food industry experts as we discuss:  The basics of each pillar: Brand, Finance and Sales strategy How the 3 Pillars come together and inform one anot...

This episode focuses on the MOST popular topic on this blog + in Sarah’s social media posts.  Sarah is shining a light on: The fact that Many food business owners are working with Financial Reports that don’t serve them, why that matters 3 Signs that will help you identify if YOUR Financial Reports are in need of a revamp, and the steps you can take to improve them Tips for communicating reporting...

Building a solid financial foundation for your food business will save you time + money on your way to achieving financial success.   In this episode Sarah is joined by CPA and Business Finance Coach, Melissa Houston   Together they are covering the elements of building a solid financial foundation for your food business. In this episode of The Good Food CFO Podcast  The difference between a bookk...

The Good Food CFO podcast is a weekly podcast for Good Food Business owners striving to achieve financial sustainability and maximum profitability.   Whether your good food business produces a packaged food or beverage product, is a catering company, Meal Delivery Business, Wholesale Business, regional market or cafe - you will find value + inspiration in this podcast.  A new episode will be relea...