UMAI Social Circle

Independent Brand Strategist, Katie Mleziva left the corporate world after working with brands like American Girl and Kraft Foods to pursue her own entrepreneurial journey as an independent Brand Strategist working with smaller more natural food businesses and farms. She joins UMAI Social Circle podcast to chat about why brand strategy is paramount and dives into detail on her three-pronged strate...

Join Alison and Karin as they audit The Cumin Club with Stef Shapira and Lindsey Leroy of The Rind PR! Learn about everything you need, from website click throughs to social copy as they look over this up-and-coming CPG brand. 

Join Alison and Karin as they audit Sippin Snax with Stef Shapira and Lindsey Leroy of The Rind PR! Learn about everything you need, from product bundling to social posting as they look over this up-and-coming CPG brand. 

Join Alison and Karin as they audit Lost River Apothecary with Stef Shapira and Lindsey Leroy of The Rind PR! Learn about everything you need, from sending product to influencers to product linking as they look over this up-and-coming CPG brand. 

Join Alison and Karin as they audit Willow St. Snacks with Stef Shapira and Lindsey Leroy of The Rind PR! Learn about everything you need, from influencer affiliates to product photography as they look over this up-and-coming CPG brand. 

Join Alison and Karin, Co-Founders of UMAI Marketing, as they talk CPG business tips that brands need to know before marketing with Sari Kimbell, founder of Sari Kimbell Coaching. Learn all about what you could be forgetting, and what you need to be keeping in mind, with running your CPG business.

Join Karin and Alison, co-founders of Umai Marketing, as they interview Trish Wesevich, founder of Capital Kitchens and LaunchPoint Culinary Services. Get the inside scoop on challenges and some key tips on how to start and grow your dream CPG business.

Dragon Spirits founder Lamar Romero joins Alison and Karin to discuss his brand activation strategy in a post-pandemic world, offers hope in the form of humanity’s need to congregate, and shares his business philosophy. Romero revolutionized the brand ambassador marketplace by creating a more inclusive workplace. He does not believe in the need to hire models to sell products, instead focusing on...

You’re at the grocery store, heading down the chip aisle. 💭 There’s a bag of fairtrade plantain crisps to your right and a box of sustainably packaged pretzels to your left. As a mindful consumer with an equal appetite for both flavors, you’re torn. So… as a CPG brand or marketer, how can we ease the burden of choice for our customers? We’ve invited Marissa Epstein of Springdale Ventures onto the...

If you wanna work smarter, not harder, you’ve got to MoSCoW it! And, we’re not talking about the mule variety. 🍸It’s an acronym for… M - Must have, S - Should have, C - Could have, W - Won't have. Or, creating priority-based systems that truly move the needle. Joi Chevalier is the Founder and CEO of The Cook’s Nook - a culinary incubator at the intersection of food and tech made for CPG entrepren...

The Good Food CFO, Sarah Delevan , breaks down the best processes and strategies for creating and implementing a stand-out financial model that will help your business become more profitable.

Alison picks Buttermilk Creative’s Founder , Andy Kurtts’, brain to discover the inside scoop on branding and packaging. Find out what buyers look for, how to draw consumers in for a bite, and the small details that can make or break packaging.

Photographer, Food Stylist, and Educator Ashleigh Amoroso joins the podcast to discuss what CPG brand owners should know leading up to that big day. She’s worked with such household names as Magnolia Home (Chip and Joanna Gaines, how cool?!), Patron, and Tillamook - now, she’s sharing some of those lessons learned with YOU. Ya better listen.

How MUCH of your product should you STOCK? Whether it’s your first product run or your 100th - it’s a question you’re continuously asking yourself! While it’s tempting to consult your nearest fortune teller on this matter, it’s 100% not recommended. 🙅 Instead, check out this interview with Ellen Wilson! She’s Amplify Snack Brands’ very own Senior Supply Chain Planner and answering the above quest...

Of course your product is delicious! But, that’s just the baseline. 😜 It takes so much more work to get your product on to grocery shelves AND into consumers’ pantries. Luckily, we have Alli Ball on our latest episode of the pod - spilling the beans on retail success! She’s the creator of Retail Ready®, host of the Food Biz Wiz® Podcast, and founder of her own CPG consulting business. And togethe...

Do the haters deserve a response? 💬 Consumers just aren’t emailing customer support like they used to. 😅 Instead, it’s commonplace for customers to comment on your most recent social posts or ads. Meaning, convos once handled in private have now become a public affair. So, short answer: it depends. Slightly longer answer: listen to this latest episode of UMAI Social Circle. We’ve got all the tip...

Ever heard of Mother Beverage? Okay, how about Poppi?? 😛 We’re willing to bet that 2nd one rings a bell, especially if you’ve spent some time on the ‘gram.    After they snagged a partnership with entrepreneur Rohan Oza in the Shark Tank, they got a seriously awesome rebrand and quickly became the bubbly probiotic product that we love today.    Learn how their new look has fueled an equally epic...

Austin’s food, bev, and better-for-you packaged goods community is growing at an ever-more rapid pace. But, industry leaders like Emily Kealey, Naturally Austin, and Notley say it’s an atmosphere of collaboration over competition. 🙌 Learn how Emily Kealey went from spreading the good word on mangos (it’s true!) all the way to the CPG expert she is today. Follow us on Instagram at @umaimarketing!

When a huge retailer wants your product, it’s a good sign - sure! But, Nathan points out how the pressures of these kinds of partnerships can hurt your biz more than they help it. Plus, how monthly coffee shop hangs are keeping Austin’s CPG network (and beyond) connected in a time when we need it more than ever. Want more? Follow us on Instagram at @umaimarketing.

To quote Michelle Breyer’s LinkedIn: “Don’t tell me something can’t be done. Let’s work to make it a reality.” 💭🤝🛠️  This applies to Breyer’s current position as Chief Operating Officer at SKU as well as her founding role at NaturallyCurly.com - a leading resource for the natural and textured hair community! 💁  Her advice for small-biz CPG owners? See a need in the market - fill it! Stay flexib...

Caroline Fabacher might’ve entered the biz world as an attorney at law. ⚖️ But, it was always her love for finances and startups that continually drew her closer to her current position: Principal at Springdale Ventures. 💸  We chat all about -   - Beam, the 1st Texas-based Angel Network dedicated to women-founded companies  - What makes some pitches sing 🎵 and others screech 🦉 (to a grinding ha...

Alyssa Padron got her start at SKU - and, man! Their accelerator program has seen a TON of growth since then.  Just look at alumni brands Siete Foods 🌮 and Epic Bar! 🐃    The very same can be said for Padron who has continued her journey onward to grow into a new role at The Ronin Society.    Together, we unpack what’s really going on behind the scenes at accelerator programs, 2020 trends leadin...

This is NOT your average yogurt brand, and we’re so pumped about that - ‘cause who needs the “other guys” when you’ve got Culina Yogurt. 😉 Plenty to unpack in this one. Like, what does The Rock have to do with yogurt exactly?? As well as a look at strategic retailer shoutouts, messaging buckets, and nailing an eco-minded angle. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @umaimarketing!!

We connect with Pabst Brewing Brand Director Emily Hoyle to discuss embracing industry trends, overcoming imposter syndrome, and leaning into an ever-changing day-to-day workflow.  You’ll be reaching for a can of Lone Star before this one’s over with. Cheers! 🍻  Follow us on Instagram @umaimarketing!!

In 2005, @nadamoo seriously shook up the frozen dessert market with the first ever dairy-free coconut milk ice cream. 🥥🚫🐄  Not long after, CEO @nadamoodan joined the team - re-working his mechanical engineering skills to put their books in order and become a chief problem solver as the company expanded to the well-known CPG brand 🍦 it is today.  We chat flavors, seasonal SKUs, expansion to Can...