Evolve CPG - Brands for a Better World: Recent Episodes
Modern Species
Evolve CPG is an online community and podcast committed to evolving the consumer packaged goods industry because we believe that better products, brands, and leadership are not only possible, but necessary if we want to live in a better world. /// Through interviews with innovative entrepreneurs, purpose-driven marketers, and other brilliant brand leaders we hope to uncover the best practices for using business as a force for good. /// Our host, Gage Mitchell, is the founder of Modern Species—a B Corp Certified brand design agency helping better-for-the-world brands launch, evolve, and grow.Tune in and join us at evolvecpg.com.
What does it take for a mission-driven brand to thrive in the competitive world of retail? In this episode, we explore the intersection of retail success and mission-driven branding with Alli Ball, the visionary founder and CEO of Food Biz Wiz. Food Biz Wiz is a consulting and coaching company dedicated to helping emerging food brands succeed in the competitive retail market. Known for her impact on the food industry, Alli has empowered countless emerging food brands through her Retail Ready® program and award-winning podcast. In our conversation, we dive into the critical elements consumers want in mission-driven brands, the potential pitfalls of over-investing in a company's mission, and how purpose-driven values can enhance brand loyalty. Discover why aligning packing, product, and purpose is essential for brand success, how to craft a successful sales pitch, why transparency is fundamental for consumers, and much more. Join us to learn how to transform your brand's mission into a powerful tool for growth and loyalty in the retail market with Alli Ball of Food Biz Wiz!
Key Points From This Episode:
- How sustainable and innovative retail brands communicate their value.
- Alli explains the omnichannel nature of the retail industry.
- How mission-driven brands fit into the traditional retail space.
- Attributes that are becoming a top priority for consumers.
- Recommendations for learning about trends in the wholesale space.
- Why you should never base a sales pitch on certifications.
- Hear about the mission-driven red flags that retail buyers avoid.
- The disconnect between what consumers value and buying behavior.
- Differences between direct-to-consumer and direct-to-retailer sale pitches.
- Common mistakes mission-driven brands make in marketing a product.
- Core concepts of the Retail Ready® program and how it benefits brands.
- Discover why product packaging is vital for convincing the consumer.
- Background about Alli, the Retail Ready® course, and Food Biz Wiz’s mission.
- What shifted her interest to working with brands and retailers.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Alli Ball on LinkedIn
Food Biz Wiz
Food Biz Wiz on Instagram
Food Biz Wiz Podcast
Bi-Rite
XincaFoods
Fortune
Fortune Article
B.T.R. NATION
‘Better Snack Options with Ashley Nickelson of B.T.R. Nation’
Liquid Death
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Vending machines might be convenient, but they are not exactly known for their nutritious, high-quality snacks, and it’s high time they got an upgrade! Today's guest is Ashley Nickelsen Founder, CEO, and Chief Snack Officer at B.T.R. Nation, a company on a mission to fix our broken food system, one snack at a time. Join us, as we dig into the problem with junk food in America, the reasons behind Ashley’s decision to build a healthier snack company, and what keeps her going in the face of each new entrepreneurial challenge. Learn about the rules that guide her product development process, the higher prices that accompany better ingredients, and the strategies that are helping Ashley keep her costs down. We also get into B.T.R.’s recent collaboration with Blue Bottle, the launch of their phenomenal co-branded chai spice bar, and much more. Tune in to hear all of Ashley’s fascinating insights and discover how B.T.R. Nation is reinventing the modern vending machine!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Ashley’s mission to fix America's broken food system with healthier snacks.
- Changes in American policies that would lead to a much-improved food system.
- Why Ashley is determined to reinvent the modern vending machine, especially in hospitals.
- Her parents’ cancer diagnoses: why it was foundational to the founding of B.T.R Nation.
- Naming B.T.R. in honor of her parent’s mantra: to be ‘bold, tenacious, and resilient’.
- The conscious decision to name B.T.R. Nation to sound like ‘better nation’.
- B.T.R’s guiding principles: low sugar, simple ingredients, and their never-ever list.
- Tackling the higher prices associated with quality ingredients.
- How they are instituting product development rules that prioritize health over cost.
- Why transparency is essential when it comes to ingredient lists.
- Simplifying B.T.R.’s messaging to reflect the needs of consumers.
- How they are building their own third-party logistics (3PLs).
- The exciting outcomes from B.T.R.’s collaboration with Blue Bottle.
- Ashley’s vision for a better world: why health should be a right, not a privilege.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Ashley Nickelson on LinkedIn
B.T.R. Nation
Blue Bottel
Climify Podcast
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
While many businesses and individuals are answering the call to be more impact-driven and sustainably conscious, few understand just how damaging their digital footprint is to their endeavors. Today we are joined by Avril Tomlin-Hood, the Founder and CEO of boa - a Vancouver, BC-based media buying agency focused on elevating sustainably-conscious brands. Avril is here to speak about our digital carbon footprints, particularly regarding media and advertising, and how we can band together to decarbonize our online world. We discover how our online exploits impact the real world, how small and simple adjustments can make a big difference, the platforms and campaign styles that promote a low digital footprint, and the importance of being B Corp certified if sustainability is one of your priorities. Be sure to tune in to discover how Avril and her team at boa are making big strides in decarbonizing our media, and how she has made it her personal mission to create a better world for all.
Key Points From This Episode:
- How what we do online impacts the real world; finding the carbon footprint of digital media.
- The smaller things that impact digital footprints (file size, page brightness, auto-refresh, etc.).
- How making invisible systems, visible will lead to better decisions on sustainability.
- What Avril means by “decarbonize media”, and how she and her team go about it.
- Why it’s important to pay attention to where and how your ads are targeted.
- A closer look at how boa audits its clients to determine the work that needs to be done.
- Simple adjustments that make a big difference.
- Avril details all the good things that are happening in sustainable, impact-driven marketing.
- Understanding how consumers rank sustainability on their list of priorities.
- Effective platforms and campaign styles for reducing your digital footprint.
- How Avril developed her passion for sustainability, and how she integrated it into her career.
- The modern importance of a B Corp certification.
- Ad Net Zero, Purpose Disruptors, Poshmark, Value Village, Solitaire Townsend, and more!
- Avril’s vision for a better world.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Avril Tomlin-Hood on LinkedIn
Avril Tomlin-Hood on Instagram
boa
In With the New
Makeena
Worldie Unboxed
Ad Net Zero
Purpose Disruptors
Poshmark
Value Village
Clean Creatives
MyBacon | MyForest Foods
Solitaire Townsend on LinkedIn
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Sustainable aquaculture may just be the long-awaited answer to responsible food consumption, and today's three remarkable guests are here to explain why this is most certainly the case. Today, we have the pleasure of welcoming three seafood brands to the show – Crave Fishbar, Gra-Bar Fresh Seafood, and American Unagi – which are represented by Todd Mitgang, Bart Molin, and Sara Rademaker, respectively. Sara, Bart, and Todd begin with how they became passionate about seafood before explaining the particular industry pain points that their brands are set on solving. Then, we learn about how the quality of seafood is measured and what it means to be 100% sustainable. To end, our guests explain the vital role of education in sustainability, so tune in to discover how you as a consumer can go about making better and more sustainable food choices.
Key Points From This Episode:
- The industry pain points that today's guests are set to solve, and the role of sustainability.
- What it means to be 100% sustainable, and the obstacles that stand in the way of this goal.
- The role of education in adopting and upholding sustainable cultures.
- How to get consumers to make more sustainable choices.
- Taste versus nutrition; farmed versus wildcut – understanding seafood's quality metrics.
- How sustainable aquaculture benefits other industries as well.
- Sara's vision for the future of eel farming and sustainable aquaculture as a whole.
- Our guest's advice for industry newbies who want to make a big impact within sustainability.
- How Sara Rademaker, Todd Mitgang, and Bart Molin developed their passion for seafood.
- What a better world looks like for Sara, Todd, and Bart.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Sara Rademaker on LinkedIn
American Unagi
Todd Mitgang on SFN
Crave Fishbar
Crave Sushibar
Taco Vision
Bart Molin on LinkedIn
Bart Molin on Facebook
Gra-Bar Fresh Seafood
Climify
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Are you worried about the nutritional benefits of the food you eat? Do you lack the energy you need to get through the day, despite healthy eating habits? In this episode, we sit down with Sara Cullen, Founder and CEO of GEM, to discuss why so many people suffer from nutrient deficiencies and how her company delivers delicious, effective, and holistic solutions. GEM is a nutrition company dedicated to transforming human and planetary health through the power of food. It is on a mission to deliver delicious nutrition to everyone while building a healthier food system. In our conversation, we discuss how she developed the first-ever real food multivitamin, the origins of her scientific advisement board, the transformative health benefits experienced by GEM’s customers, why food is medicine, and much more. Tune in to uncover the secrets of nutrition rooted in real food and how GEM is improving diets and revolutionizing the food system with Sara Cullen!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Problems and gaps in the food system and how GEM is providing solutions.
- How Sara’s health issues led her to GEM and fixing the current food system.
- The product development process and why she chose bit-sized food as the form factor.
- Learn about the importance of product innovation in achieving GEM’s mission.
- GEM’s multifaceted approach to improving human and planetary health.
- Challenges and hurdles of creating the first-ever real food multivitamin.
- Unique packaging problems of storing and transporting a food multivitamin.
- Why evidence-based approaches to product development are vital to GEM.
- How Sara created a scientific advisor panel for GEM and why.
- The exciting results of GEM’s consumer perception study.
- Sara’s entrepreneurial roots and hard lessons from her career journey.
- What GEM is currently focusing on and its plans for the future.
- Final takeaways for listeners and our round of rapid-fire questions with Sara!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Sara Cullen on LinkedIn
Sara Cullen on Instagram
GEM
GEM on Instagram
GEM on TikTok
Venture For America
Daily Harvest
Citruslabs
No Evil Foods
Episode 144: When Everything Goes Wrong with Sadrah Schadel of No Evil Foods
The One Thing
Let My People Go Surfing
Patagonia
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
From Goop by Gwyneth Paltrow to Fenty by Rihanna, Casamigos by George Clooney to Feastables by MrBeast, celebrities are increasingly leveraging their influence to launch products and lifestyle brands. But what makes celebrity brands successful? Today’s guest is a former Olympian and entrepreneur with a proven track record of successfully launching, managing, and scaling billion-dollar businesses and brands. When it comes to advising companies and vetting opportunities, Samyr Laine knows what it takes to win! In 2023, Samyr started Freedom Trail Capital, a venture capital firm that invests in consumer brands at the intersection of influence, culture, and lifestyle. In this episode, Samyr discusses the rise of celebrity-backed and founded brands, the companies his fund is invested in, his criteria for matching investors with brands, and his efforts to address venture capital inequities. Join us for an insightful conversation as Samyr shares his expert opinion on building a successful brand in today’s crowded market. To discover the secrets behind some of the most influential celebrity ventures and get inspired to take your own entrepreneurial journey to the next level, tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The “perfect storm” of influencers, actors, musicians, and more building their own brands.
- Why authenticity and purpose are key to the success of influencer and celebrity brands.
- What makes brands investable: the value of knowledge, expertise, and connections.
- How Freedom Trail Capital is challenging inequities in the venture capital market.
- Networks and certifications that can benefit minority-owned brands and enterprises.
- Insight into Samyr’s criteria for ensuring a good fit between brands and investors.
- Why celebrity involvement is the last step in Freedom Trail’s due diligence process.
- How celebrities can hinder business operations (and how they can do better).
- The relevance of a brand’s growth trajectory in Samyr’s investment strategy.
- Expanding on the role of synergistic partnerships in Freedom Trail’s investment portfolio.
- Reasons that Samyr would turn down a big check due to product-market-mission fit.
- How A/B testing could increase the impact of mission-driven brands and products.
- Renais gin by Emma Watson and other celebrity brands that Freedom Trail invests in.
- Personal favorite CPG brands, the power of perseverance, meaningful quotes, and more in the lightning round with Samyr Laine!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Samyr Laine
Freedom Trail Capital
Samyr Laine on LinkedIn
Samyr Laine Email
Naturally Network Minority-Owned Fellowship
Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification
Pronghorn
AfroTech
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
What if your actions had a ripple effect? Instead of waiting for someone else to be the solution, what if you took charge of your own sphere of influence?Diana Ingles is an Eco-conscious Designer at Rootlebox and she joins the conversation today to discuss her journey to working in sustainable solutions, unpack some of the problems with consumer culture, and explore how we are approaching our work differently as designers. As well as getting an insight into Diana’s work at Rootlebox, you’ll learn more about the philosophy behind Modern Species. You’ll also hear about some of the organizations, resources, and movements we’re most excited about. This is an empowering conversation between two sustainable designers leveraging their abilities to create the change the world desperately needs. Thanks for tuning in!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Introducing Diana Ingles, Eco-conscious Designer at Rootlebox.
- Her background in food and sustainability, from growing up in a family homestead to finding her ikigai.
- Inevitable shifts that occur once you start to question societal practices.
- Nurturing curiosity during the pursuit of sustainable solutions.
- Stepping into the spaces that need your support instead of waiting for someone else to.
- Factors that attract clients to Modern Species; from aligned values and resonant work to portfolio clients.
- The promising prospect of seaweed as a sustainable material.
- Nature’s waste-free processes and the emergence of sustainable packaging trends.
- New and old traditions of upcycling food to extract nutritional value and eliminate waste.
- Algae ink printing and education with Rootlebox.
- The philosophy behind Brands for a Better World.
- Underutilized educational resources such as 1% for the Planet.
- Different ways to contribute revenue and time.
- Challenges associated with building a more sustainable future.
- Different ways of responding to broken systems.
- Practical takeaways from this conversation.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Diana Ingles on LinkedIn
Rootlebox
Wild Routed
Climify Podcast
Upcycled Foods Inc.
1% for the Planet
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
To stay relevant as a CPG brand, you need to be willing to evolve, and it’s no different in the organic industry. Today, we sit down with Matt McLean, Founder and Chief Uncle of Uncle Matt's Organic, to uncover the journey behind the nation's number-one organic juice brand. Uncle Matt’s Organic has grown from a small family operation to a leader in the organic industry, offering a range of delicious and healthy beverages. In our conversation, Matt shares the origins of his company, the biggest challenges they’ve faced, and the innovations that have propelled its growth over 25 years. We explore how Uncle Matt's has navigated shifts in consumer preferences, why Matt decided to buy back the brand after successfully exiting, and their exciting decision to expand beyond juice. Discover the broader trends in the organic market, Matt's insights on differentiating your brand in a competitive industry, and the inspiring story of how passion, perseverance, and dedication to quality can transform your vision into reality!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Matt’s journey from a small farm to creating and leading Uncle Matt’s Organic.
- Challenges and successes over 25 years in the organic industry.
- Strategies for managing risk when starting a new venture.
- Innovations that propelled the company’s growth.
- Their commitment to sustainable and organic farming practices.
- How the organic industry has grown over the past two decades.
- Navigating shifts in consumer preferences for organic products (including juice).
- Strategic decisions that fueled Uncle Matt’s success.
- Insights on staying competitive in the organic market.
- Matt’s successful exit selling his brand to Dean Foods, and why he bought it back.
- Expanding into the tea market and the range of products they’re developing.
- Broader trends and future outlooks in the organic industry.
- Inspirational (and practical) lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs and organic advocates.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Matt Mclean on LinkedIn
Uncle Matt's Organic
Worldie Unboxed PodcastJohn Maxwell Leadership
Gary Hirshberg
Stonyfield Organic
George Siemon
Organic Valley
Arjan Stephens on LinkedIn
Nature’s Path
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Welcome to this special Climify and Brands For A Better World crossover episode, as we sit in on Eric Benson's conversation with Lauren Choi.
We all know about those infamous red cups that flood American streets in a plague of crimson litter. But did you know that these same cups - that are considered unrecyclable by many - are recycled to make sustainable fashion wear? That is the mission of today's inspirational guest, the Climate Entrepreneur and Founder of The New Norm Fabrics, Lauren Choi. Lauren joins us to share her journey in climate entrepreneurship, and we begin by learning about the great work being done at The New Norm. We discuss the role of climate entrepreneurs in educating those around them, how Johns Hopkins encourages students to break new ground in climate change and sustainability, the dangers of greenwashing, why consumers are at the forefront of meaningful change, and so much more. Enjoy.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Today we join the Climify podcast as Eric Benson sits down with Lauren Choi.
- Lauren explains how and why she birthed her sustainable fabrics company, The New Norm.
- How the FastForwad accelerator helped her career ambitions, and why it should be standard across all universities.
- How she manages the demands of working in multiple industries simultaneously.
- The specific materials that The New Norm is focused on producing.
- How Johns Hopkins approached climate change and sustainability while Lauren was a student.
- Her advice to educators on how to coach students through potentially groundbreaking ideas.
- What every new or prospective climate entrepreneur needs to know.
- The role of climate entrepreneurs in educating consumers and other service providers.
- Lauren's thoughts on greenwashing and the role of circular-design products in combating misinformation.
- Why consumers are always at the forefront of inciting impactful change.
- How educators should be supporting student entrepreneurs.
- How The New Normal delivers on its impact-driven metrics like transparency and accountability.
- Using her experiences as a case study, Lauren shares some helpful advice for other women founders.
- The sustainability project that she would implement in every classroom.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Lauren Choi on LinkedIn
Lauren Choi on Instagram
The New Norm
The New Norm on Instagram
The New Norm on TikTok
Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures
FastForward
Cradle to Cradle
Eric Benson on LinkedIn
Climify Podcast
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
What if frozen food could revolutionize the way we eat, nourish our bodies, and save the planet? In this episode, we sit down with Rachel Drori, the visionary founder of Daily Harvest, to delve into the benefits of sustainably sourced frozen food. Daily Harvest is a plant-based meal delivery service that offers a variety of chef-crafted, pre-portioned, and frozen meals made from organic fruits and vegetables. Join us as Rachel delves into the mission and values driving her company, how frozen food helped her start eating healthier, why direct-to-consumer was the best approach for the brand, and its entry into the retail market. We discuss her recent decision to step back from her role as CEO, the steep learning curve of the food space, how the company navigated a product recall, and how Daily Harvest’s overall mission keeps her motivated. Join us to unlock the secrets of frozen food's potential to transform your diet, health, and the world with Rachel Drori of Daily Harvest!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Rachel’s passion for sustainability and Daily Harvest’s mission.
- The light bulb moment behind launching her first line of frozen food.
- Her reasons for pursuing the direct-to-consumer model.
- Building brand awareness as a way to enter the retail market.
- Transitioning Daily Harvest’s product lines and business model.
- Daily Harvest’s efforts to help farmers shift to sustainable farming.
- Unpack why regenerative and organic farming is essential.
- The sustainability, nutritional, and quality benefits of frozen food.
- Learn about the opportunities the retail market offers.
- Why educating the consumer is a core value of the company.
- Discover how she got celebrity investors interested in the company.
- Explore how the pandemic positively impacted the company.
- She shares valuable lessons from her entrepreneurial journey.
- Her new role in the company and why she stepped down as CEO.
- Find out what she has planned next for Daily Harvest.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Rachel Drori on LinkedIn
Rachel Drori on Instagram
Daily Harvest
Episode: A Smoothie Transition with Alex Bayer of Genius Dreams
American Farmland Trust (AFT)
California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF)
Serena Williams
Paris Hilton
Wild Orchard
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
We all know just how difficult it can be to enter the world of CPG, let alone thrive in it. But what may be even harder is knowing when it's time to let go of the brand you've worked tirelessly to build. Today we are joined by the former CEO and Co-Founder of Genius Juice and current Founder and Manager Partner at Genius Dreams, Alex Bayer. In our conversation, Alex walks us through the highs and lows of founding a CPG business, the tightrope of fine margins that the industry forces you to walk, the main things to consider when it's time to close shop forever, and the importance of making time for self-care as a dedicated entrepreneur.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Alex Bayer shares the lessons he learned in founding, growing, and closing a CPG brand.
- How Alex got into CPG, and what inspired him to co-found Genius Juice.
- Whether it's better to have a large or small product catalogue.
- The biggest highs and most notable lows from Alex's 10 years at Genius Juice.
- How they navigated the innate CPG challenges of operating within fine margins.
- Key factors to be aware of when entering the refrigerated-products market.
- The ins and outs of Alex's decision to close the doors on Genius Juice.
- Taking a look at the processes of shutting a business down, and how to do it the right way.
- Navigating burnout and protecting your well-being as an entrepreneur.
- The services that Alex's consulting business, Genius Dreams offers and the clients it serves.
- Homemade smoothies, golfing, the CPG Vibes podcast, and Mark Samuel.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Alex Bayer on LinkedIn
Alex Bayer on Instagram
Genius Dreams
Genius Juice
GPG Vibes
Aflac
HiTouch
Mela
Aura Bora
Mid-day Squares
Taste Radio
Startup CPG
Genesis Nutrition
15 Minutes of Genius
Mark Samuel on LinkedIn
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Beyond simply being delicious, food can be a means to start conversations, cross cultural divides, and even inspire social change. In this episode of Brands for a Better World, you’ll hear from Alison Cayne, Founder of NYC-based Haven’s Kitchen, about how she combined her passion for cooking with her desire to change people’s lives for the better and turned it into a purpose-driven career. Join us as we delve into the social impacts of our food systems, why home cooking is good for our health, the health of our communities, and the health of the planet, and the immense power that everyday consumers hold to drive meaningful policy change. We also discuss how Alison’s podcast, In the Sauce, helped her speed up her CPG learning curve, the ways that Haven’s Kitchen has evolved based on customers’ needs and in response to the world at large, why the best marketing strategies are common sense, and so much more! To learn about the many compelling ways that food can transform communities and encourage people to create a better world through cooking, be sure to tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The important role that cooking plays in supporting the local economy and agriculture.
- An understanding of the correlation between home cooking and better food systems.
- Why we shouldn’t underestimate the power that consumers have to drive policy change.
- What led Alison to start a cooking school in the middle of her Master’s program.
- From urban planning and policy to food studies: how Alison’s interests have evolved.
- The story behind Alison’s cookbook and Haven’s Kitchen’s range of sauces.
- How the In the Sauce Podcast helped Alison accelerate her CPG learning curve.
- The personal satisfaction that Alison gets from being a connector in her industry.
- Insight into Alison’s unique CPG product strategy, supply chain, and packaging.
- Common barriers to feel-good home cooking that Haven’s Kitchen seeks to simplify.
- Theory versus practice: why the best marketing strategies are usually common sense.
- The Haven’s Kitchen initiative that donates 1% of gross profit to community-based organizations that fight inequity and hunger.
- New products, new channels, and more: what the future holds for Haven’s Kitchen.
- Alison’s favorite non-food hobby, best piece of advice, and more in the lightning round!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Haven’s Kitchen
Alison Cayne on LinkedIn
In the Sauce Podcast
The Haven's Kitchen Cooking School: Recipes and Inspiration to Build a Lifetime of Confidence in the Kitchen
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
America has a major sugar problem, which is evident in the fact that the United States consumes more sugar than any other country in the world! To explain how her company is helping to ease this particular pain point across the country, we are joined today by the Founder and CEO of Planet Bake, Kathrin Henon. Kathrin begins by explaining how her German background and America's diabetes problem combined to inspire her to help solve the sugar problem in the United States. Then, our guest explains why she adopted a vegan and sugar-free diet before walking us through the ins and outs of Planet Bake, the wonders of allulose, the value of avocado oil, and the problematic culture of brands hiding certain troublesome ingredients. We also learn about Kathrin's education and how it informed the way she built her brand, the important lessons she's absorbed as a founder, the future of Planet Bake, and why she loves being involved in research and development.
Key Points From This Episode:
- The (worrying) state of diabetes in America.
- Beyond the sugar: The ins and outs of Planet Bake.
- Why Kathrin chose to adopt a plant-based, zero-sugar diet.
- Why our guest reveres allulose as the perfect sweetener, and her list of sweeteners to avoid.
- Understanding her choice to use avocado oil in Planet Bake's products.
- The way her degree in Strategic Design and Management influenced how she built her brand.
- How some brands hide problematic ingredients but Planet Bake is fully transparent.
- The biggest lessons she's learned as a founder and brand-builder.
- What Planet Bake aims to achieve in the next 5 years, including its in-house chocolate line.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Kathrin Henon on LinkedIn
Kathrin Henon on Instagram
Planet Bake
‘The Declaration of Allulose and Calories from Allulose on Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels’
Daniel Lubetzky
Frontline Impact
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Have you ever found yourself in a grocery store, staring at rows of bland baby food jars and thinking, “There's got to be a better way?” Today, we sit down with David Fullner and Daniel Auld to discuss how their company, Kekoa Foods, is revolutionizing the baby food space. Kekoa Foods specializes in producing organic baby food and aims to provide nutrient-rich, natural, and organic food options that promote healthy infant development. In our conversation, we unpack how trying to find healthy, palate-expanding baby food for their son prompted starting their company, why variety in a baby’s diet is vital, how the company contributes to and celebrates diversity, and the hard lessons from their entrepreneurial journey. Discover why you don’t need to know everything about business to be an entrepreneur, the ups and downs of the CPG learning curve, why you don’t need to sweat the small stuff, and more. Join us as we explore how Kekoa Foods is nourishing the next generation with David Fullner and Daniel Auld!
Key Points From This Episode:
- How the premature birth of their son caused the start of their business.
- Discover the company’s ethos around diversity and community.
- Hear how they learned the fundamentals of running a business.
- Fostering healthy adventurous eaters with their baby food products.
- Find out where the habit of making their own food originated.
- Why it essential to involve children in making and cooking food.
- Ways their backgrounds and skills make for a good partnership.
- Learn about the lessons and unexpected challenges they overcame.
- Explore the current product range that Kekoa Foods has on offer.
- Their biggest wins and what they have planned for the company.
- Recommendations and resources for startups in the CPG space.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
David Fullner on LinkedIn
Daniel Auld on LinkedIn
Kekoa Foods
Everything Is Figureoutable
Sprouts Farmers Market
Rutgers University Food Innovation Center
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Sun and Swell is a wholesome food brand that’s on a mission to create a healthier and more sustainable food industry. Today we are joined by Sun and Swell’s Co-Founder and CEO, Kate Flynn, who walks us through the power of manifestation and how the practice has helped to transform all aspects of her life. Kate explains how manifestation works, the key components of purpose-driven manifestation, how manifesting helped her overcome many life and business challenges, and the role of masculine and feminine energies in determining how you manifest and what you prioritize as important. We uncover the world of limiting beliefs and discover how Kate has transcended hers, the toxic cultures that we can avoid both in life and at work, the undeniable power of intention, and the gift of failing forward. We also learn more about Sun and Swell including the brand’s origin story and history, where it currently stands in the market, its office setup, why it values simplicity, and why it reveres its B Corp and WBENC certifications. To end, our rapid-fire questions explore the human desire to understand our basic needs and wants, and we discover why trusting the universe is a key element of Kate’s philosophy.
Key Points From This Episode:
- How Kate Flynn discovered manifesting, and how it’s helped transform her life and business.
- Understanding why the concept of manifesting has had such a major impact on Kate.
- The importance of patience, resilience, and a determined mindset for manifesting.
- Kate’s entrepreneurial challenges and how she’s overcome them.
- Balancing masculine and feminine energies, and making room for adequate downtime.
- The limiting beliefs that Kate has transcended.
- Exploring the toxic cultures that manifest at home and at the office.
- The power of intention.
- Sun and Swell’s origin story and history, and where the brand stands today.
- Embracing the chaos of growth, failing forward, simplicity, and prioritizing.
- Why Sun and Swell values its B Corps certification and being women-owned.
- Shine, trusting the universe, kindness, and leaving the world better than you found it.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Sun and Swell Foods
Sun and Swell Foods on Instagram
Kate Flynn
Kate Flynn on LinkedIn
Kate Flynn on X
Kate Flynn on Instagram
Kate Flynn Email
Manifesting | Kate Flynn on LinkedIn
Bryan Flynn on LinkedIn
CIVANA Wellness Resort and Spa
Women Owned
WBENC
Patagonia
Yvon Chouinard
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Impact Driven Community
Get ready to unlock the secrets behind one of the most captivating beverages of our time: kombucha! Today, we sit down with Matt Thomas, Founder of Brew Dr., to delve into the world of kombucha brewing. We discuss how his kombucha company originally started as a tea company, the motivation behind launching his kombucha brand, and the shifts that the COVID-19 pandemic prompted in his business approach. Tuning in, you’ll hear about his exciting new SIPJOY product line, what makes kombucha so unique, and how Brew Dr. is making the world a better, healthier place through its products. Join us today as we sip on wisdom, unravel the magic of kombucha, and glimpse into the future of the beverage revolution!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Matt’s background and his entrepreneurial start in the tea business.
- How his kombucha business started from a single seed.
- The Kombucha SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) fermentation process.
- How the pandemic caused a shift in Matt's business approach.
- Balancing the growth of a sustainable business with entrepreneurial goals.
- Food culture trends and the growing interest in kombucha.
- Motivations behind Brew Dr.’s SIPJOY product range.
- What Matt has planned for the future trajectory of the company.
- Why Brew Dr. has chosen to use no artificial ingredients.
- Core values that drive Brew Dr.’s approach to making a difference.
- The evolution of the CPG industry toward sustainability.
- Challenges Matt has faced along his entrepreneurial journey.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Matt Thomas on LinkedIn
Brew Dr.
SIPJOY
Nixie
Spindrift
1% for the Planet
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
What matters more, the product or the brand? As today’s guest Christopher Gavigan explains, the brand and the product should be one and the same and therefore equally important! Christopher is the founder of multiple businesses and initiatives, including The Honest Company and Prima – wellness brands that are centered on health and sustainability – and he joins us today to share his insights as a conscious leader and brand pioneer. After getting to the roots of Christopher’s passion for creating sustainable brands, we learn about Healthy Child Healthy World and The Honest Company, and how the former paved the way for the latter. Then, we discover the role that Jessica Alba played in the genesis of The Honest Company, what Christopher’s current work entails, why it’s vital to build and support impact-driven brands in all industries, and the pain points that Christopher was trying to alleviate with Prima. To end, we learn how our guest views success, how he’s navigated difficult obstacles as an entrepreneur, why he values consistency over intensity, and his vision of utopia.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Welcoming Christopher Gavigan as he explains what drove him to family health.
- Where and how he developed his instinct for creating brands.
- How Healthy Child Healthy World helped birth The Honest Company.
- The importance of building and supporting impact-driven brands.
- Understanding Jessica Alba’s role in bringing The Honest Company to life.
- Christopher’s current job title and role, and how it’s changed over the years.
- The problems that he was trying to solve with the other company that he founded, Prima.
- Core attributes that he looks for or builds into a company to ensure success.
- The most surprising and difficult challenges that he’s faced as an entrepreneur.
- Hu Chocolate, spending time outdoors, consistency over intensity, and reading.
- Christopher names Yvon Chouinard as an impact-driven leader who is worthy of our praise.
- Our guest’s vision of a better world.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Christopher Gavigan
Christopher Gavigan on LinkedIn
Christopher Gavigan on X
Christopher Gavigan on Instagram
Christopher Gavigan Email
The Honest Company
Prima
Healthy Child Healthy World
Healthy Child Healthy World
Jessica Alba on Instagram
Hu Kitchen
The Creative Act
Patagonia | Yvon Chouinard
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Do you find yourself craving the crunch of potato chips but worry about their health and environmental implications? In this episode, we are joined by Betty Lu, Founder and CEO of Confetti Snacks, to delve into the world of sustainable snacking. Confetti Snacks specializes in creating delicious gourmet snacks using nutrient-rich vegetables infused with unique flavors from around the world. In our conversation, we discuss her experience traveling the world looking for unique flavors, her creative process behind the idea for a colorful veggie chip, how she acquired funding to test the concept, and how Confetti Snacks is making a positive impact on people and the planet. She also shares why authentic, genuine connections with end consumers are essential for success and answers our round of rapid-fire questions. Join us as we unwrap the story behind Confetti Snacks and explore the delicious possibilities of mission-driven snacking for a healthier, happier world. Tune in now!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Her motivation for traveling the world and what she learned from the experience.
- Betty’s idea of “travelpreneurship” and the value of traveling for entrepreneurs.
- Why she founded Confetti Snacks and what she hopes to achieve with the company.
- How she was able to acquire her initial investment from the Singapore Government.
- Learn about how she was able to enter the US market and her plans to scale.
- The company’s product range and why they are better for people and the planet.
- Ways her products stay true to its cultural inspirations while communicating its mission.
- Upcycling and how Confetti Snacks is helping the fight against food waste.
- Opportunities sustainability offers and reasons why companies should embrace it.
- Confetti Snacks’ ColorForHunger program and the impact it is making.
- She shares lessons from her career and valuable advice for budding entrepreneurs.
- Explore the real value of a brand and how to build a loyal customer base.
- Hear how listeners can support Confetti Snacks in achieving its mission.
- Rapid-fire questions: her favorite vegetable, country, impact-driven leader, and more!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Betty Lu on LinkedIn
Confetti Snacks
Confetti Snacks on Instagram
Confetti Snacks on LinkedIn
Confetti Snacks on Facebook
Confetti Snacks on X
Confetti Snacks on Amazon
ColorForHunger
Do the KIND Thing
KIND Snacks
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
How can we bake a better world, one delicious bite at a time? Join us as we delve into the world of sustainable and inclusive baking with plant-based baking mama Kimberle Lau, Founder of Bake Me Healthy. Bake Me Healthy is a company that specializes in providing baking mixes crafted with clean, plant-based ingredients. It is more than just a baking mix company; it's a movement toward inclusive, sustainable, and convenient baking that prioritizes health, taste, and the planet. In our conversation, we discuss her entrepreneurial origins in skincare, how her food intolerances motivated her to start a plant-based, gluten-free, and allergen-free baking business, the importance of supporting women-owned companies, and why her products are better for people and the planet. She also shares valuable lessons from her entrepreneurial journey and indulges us with our rapid-fire question round. Join us as we delve into the sweetness of conscious baking to a healthier, happier planet, one delectable treat at a time with Kimberle Lau of Bake Me Healthy. Tune in now!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Hear about her start in skincare and why she pivoted to plant-based baking.
- The opportunity she saw for an inclusive, healthy, and sustainable baking business.
- Why she finds the food industry more exciting than the beauty and skincare industry.
- Discover how she transitioned from baking for herself to developing a baking brand.
- She shares details about her research and development process.
- The role Drexel Food Lab played in creating the Bake Me Healthy product range.
- How her company champions upcycling techniques to combat food waste.
- Explore her passion for women-owned businesses and sustainability.
- Ways the Certification for Women-Owned Businesses offers support.
- Uncover her journey to sourcing sustainable packaging for her products.
- Unpack the hurdles and limitations of making compostable packaging.
- She shares the biggest lesson from her professional career.
- Gain insights into her approach to innovation and customer feedback.
- Find out how listeners can support Bake Me Healthy.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Kimberle Lau on LinkedIn
Bake Me Healthy
Drexel Food Lab
The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
Certification for Women-Owned Businesses
Upcycled Food Association (UFA)
1% for the Planet
Food Rescue
Outcast Foods
Humble Chips (Humble Snacks)
Nowhere Bakery
Just Date
Pallavi Pande
Dtocs
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Setting out and starting a business takes courage, determination, and the ability to learn as you go. It also requires a certain commitment to the foundational causes of the work. For Adam Hiner, our guest on today's show, combining his passion for food and regenerative agriculture with his work ethic and growing knowledge of the entrepreneurial landscape has enabled him to build two really inspiring and conscientious brands. Adam is the CEO and Founder of Pacha, a gluten-free, grain-free, sprouted, fermented, paleo, and plant-based bread company, as well as the Co-Founder of Boochcraft, through which he and his team introduced the market to organic hard kombucha! In our chat, we get to hear from Adam about the important steps on his evolving path, the morals that ground his work, and some of the challenges he has faced and overcome so far. If you would like to hear about true innovations in the food sector, how Adam approached business during the pandemic, and the power of intuition in a data-filled world, listen in with us!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Adam talks about regenerative agriculture and how Pacha is involved and supports this movement.
- Challenges in the baked goods space: distribution, freshness, packaging, and more.
- The environmental and social initiatives that Adam and Pacha have linked with so far.
- A little about the organic, hard kombucha company that Adam started called Boochcraft.
- Advice from Adam for aspiring CPG business owners on the realities of running a business and using intuition.
- How Pacha was birthed at the beginning of the pandemic and Adam's attitude towards riding that wave.
- Demand for kombucha and the surprising demographics that gravitated towards the products.
- Adam's journey before launching Pacha; selling mortgages, restaurants, catering, and more!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Adam Hiner ob LinkedIn
Pacha
Boochcraft
Rate Rabbit
Unity Vibration
JuneShine
Trilogy Sanctuary
1% for the Planet
CCOF
Episode 31 - Cultivating Heartset with Linwood Paul & Matt D'Amour of Subtle Distinctions
Episode 37 — Nailing The Pitch with Kayla Castañeda of Agua Bonita
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
No entrepreneurial journey is without its challenges, but even the biggest ones can be overcome with enough passion, drive, and support. Today’s guest is Sadrah Schadel, founder and CEO of No Evil Foods, a nationwide plant based protein company which she and her life partner started in their kitchen in 2014 with just $5000. After a few major hurdles which we discuss during today’s episode, they got to a point where they were weeks away from running out of money and having to shut their doors. Tune in to hear about the rise, fall, and recent rebrand of No Evil Foods!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Factors that inspired Sadrah and her life partner, Mike, to found No Evil Foods.
- An overview of the journey of No Evil Foods from Sadrah and Mike’s kitchen in upstate New York to a nationwide plant based meat provider.
- Factors that are foundational to the company culture at No Evil Foods, and the award they won as a result!
- Major hurdles that No Evil Foods has been presented with over the past few years.
- Sadrah shares the challenges they experienced during the process of scaling their manufacturing.
- How No Evil Foods differs from many other plant-based protein brands.
- Lessons that Sadrah learned through dealing with her employees' desire to form a union.
- The value of being transparent and showing vulnerability as a leader.
- The rebranding that No Evil Foods has recently undergone.
- Valuable advice for other entrepreneurs.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Sadrah Schadel on LinkedIn
No Evil Foods
No Evil Foods on Instagram
No Evil Foods on Facebook
No Evil Foods on Twitter
Climate Designers
Climify Podcast on Instagram
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Conscious consumerism has grown exponentially in recent years, with shoppers expecting more transparency and less waste from the brands they choose to support. While shifting towards more sustainable business practices obviously has a positive impact on the environment, there are also a number of benefits for your brand, which you’ll learn more about in today’s episode! To help us explore this topic, we are joined by Alicia Lahey, Co-Founder and CEO of Humble Snacks, Canada’s first organic potato chip packaged in 100% plastic-free, compostable bags. We discuss Alicia’s experience in big food, why she and her husband made the shift to a more sustainable lifestyle, and why she didn’t want to launch her own brand unless it came in better packaging, plus so much more. To find out how you can continue to innovate in the natural and organic snack category and ensure that your packaging mirrors the philosophy of your brand, you won’t want to miss today’s episode of EvolveCPG!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Some of the challenges that come with adopting sustainable packaging solutions.
- Why Alicia and her husband were so committed to creating eco-friendly bags.
- Lessons learned from SunChips’ infamously noisy packaging.
- A look at Humble’s partnership with A Plastic Planet to develop their plastic-free bag.
- The importance of investing in plastic-free or plastic-neutral initiatives.
- Limitations of compostable packaging and how Humble seeks to solve them.
- How proving sustainable packaging successful will move the needle for larger brands.
- Alicia’s take on the future of better snacking (and where there’s room for innovation).
- Other product categories that Humble will expand into in the future.
- The inspiration behind their ‘humble’ brand name.
- Why communication is key when working with your spouse in your family business!
- Hurdles Alicia and her husband had to overcome to get their product on shelves.
- Valuable fundraising tips for other purpose-over-profit founders.
- Identifying (and filling) a gap in the market for organic, light, crispy, skin-on potato chips.
- Insight into Alicia’s research and development process for Humble Snacks.
- How Alicia found her way into the CPG industry, starting with driving a truck!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Humble Snacks
Alicia Lahey on LinkedIn
Alicia Lahey on Instagram
A Plastic Planet
rePurpose Global
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG Email
To make a true impact, your mission needs to be baked into the DNA of your brand from the get-go. Joining us today to share the keys to the success of an impact-driven brand is John Foraker, Co-Founder and CEO of nutrition-focused kids’ food brand, Once Upon a Farm. In this episode, we discover the most valuable lessons John learned from scaling Annie’s Homegrown, how he came to partner with actress and Once Upon a Farm co-founder, Jennifer Garner, and how he weaves impact into the brands he builds. Tune in for this revealing episode on scaling without compromising culture, and committing to making an impact.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Introducing John Foraker, Co-Founder and CEO of Once Upon a Farm.
- John’s advice for scaling an impact-driven brand.
- The importance of baking impact into the DNA of your brand.
- The three most valuable lessons John learned from scaling Annie’s Homegrown.
- How and why both John and actress Jennifer Garner got involved with Once Upon a Farm.
- The fundamental belief that drives John to use business as a force for positive social change.
- The benefits of the public benefit corporation model.
- Hiring advice and criticism of the historical corporate mindset.
- The importance of authenticity as a leader (and the danger of imitation).
- Reframing the term “organic”.
- How John married his passion for food and farming with business.
- The value of graduate studies and continuous learning in business.
- Once Upon a Farm’s purity promise and their partnership with Save the Children.
- The evolving nature of B Corp.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
John Foraker on LinkedIn
Once Upon a Farm
Once Upon a Farm on Instagram
Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner on Instagram
Annie’s Homegrown
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
When you have a greater diversity of people at the table sharing their voices and insights, you inevitably get better solutions. Joining us today is Jamie Lamonde, CEO and Founder of Kindship Group, whose core mission is to scale and grow businesses for good. We talk with Jamie about her recent trip to Germany to attend BIOFACH, the world’s leading trade fair for organic food, how the experience compares to Natural Products Expo West, and her top tips for getting the most out of any trade show experience. Our conversation gets into some of the key differences between American and European food industries, the state of the organic movement and its relationship to non-GMO, regenerative, and biodynamic movements, and Jamie’s hopes for the future of these industries. Join us for an expansive conversation on global food industries, trade shows, and why greater inclusion and diversity are essential for a better world!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The upcoming Natural Products Expo West trade fair.
- What we are most excited about for Expo West.
- Tips to help get the most out of Expo West.
- An overview of BIOFACH, the world’s leading trade fair for organic food.
- How BIOFACH compares to Expo West.
- Jamie’s takeaways from her first trip to BIOFACH in Germany.
- The diversity of businesses that Jamie saw at BIOFACH.
- Some notable differences between the US and European food industries.
- Key insights from conversations on organic farming and regenerative agriculture at BIOFACH.
- Embracing how the regenerative movement can enhance organic, not compete against it.
- How bad actors and infighting within the movement can discourage consumers.
- A reminder of the concerted efforts being made to prevent organic fraud.
- Jamie answers our rapid-fire questions on favorite foods, impact-driven leaders, and more!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Jamie Lamonde on LinkedIn
Kindsdhip Group
IFOAM
Regeneration International
Natural Products Expo West
BIOFACH
Episode 10: Mission and Marketing with Jamie Lamonde of Kindship Group
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
There is a certain magic in creating a tasty snack that instantly fills one with joy, and when others are battling to match your experience, you know you’ve birthed something truly special! Daily Crunch is a nut-snacks unicorn and today, we are joined by its co-founder and CEO, Laurel Orley, who explains what makes her brand different from the rest and why its competitors struggle to keep up. Our conversation explores the value of being Women-Owned certified, how Daily Crunch prioritizes mental health, the power of upcycling, and so much more. Tune in to discover the difference between learning in corporate and learning on-the-go, and how ruined plans may actually be a saving grace for budding entrepreneurs. Tune in now!
Key Points From This Episode:
- What makes Daily Crunch unique, and why other nut companies struggle to keep up.
- Daily Crunch’s highest-performing products and flavors.
- Laurel defines “upcycled” and explains why we should all be excited about it.
- Why Daily Crunch prioritizes mental health and how this manifests throughout the brand.
- The value and impact of being certified by Women Owned.
- How the company navigates brand partnerships.
- The advantages of throwing out the playbook and embracing the pivot.
- How Laurel’s background and skills in media have helped her as a CPG entrepreneur.
- Her biggest wins and struggles since co-founding Daily Crunch during the pandemic.
- Cashew nuts, Japan, self-care, hot yoga, Daniel Lubetzky, and sustainability.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Daily Crunch
Daily Crunch on Instagram
Laurel Orley on LinkedIn
Natural Products Expo West
Upcycled Food Association
Cleveland Kitchen
Women Owned
‘Episode 124 - Women-Owned with Elizabeth Walsh of WBEC East’
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Are you ready to sink your teeth into the future of food? In this episode, we are joined by Adam Maxwell, CEO, and Kelsey Tenney, VP of R&D, from Voyage Foods, to discuss future-proofing the food industry with sustainable and delicious alternatives. Voyage Foods is a food technology company on a mission to create a future where sustainability, accessibility, and flavor go hand in hand in our food. In our conversation, we delve into their motivation for crafting tasty alternatives to ingredients with vulnerable supply chains, how they are changing lives with allergy-free peanut butter, their goals for expanding beyond their existing products, and their approach to future-proofing the food industry. Finally, we wrap up with a rapid-fire food-themed question round. Tune in and discover how to make food better for people and the planet with Adam Maxwell and Kelsey Tenney of Voyage Foods!
Key Points From This Episode:
- How Adam and Kelsey met and their motivation for starting Voyage Foods.
- Uncover the supply-chain issues associated with our favorite foods.
- Discover how their mission with chocolate extends to other products, like coffee.
- Their approach to tackling food industry problems before they happen.
- Unpack their goal of making sustainable food accessible to everyone, forever.
- Learn how crafting allergin-free products forms part of their mission.
- How their food science backgrounds inform their future-proof approach.
- Mentoring and helping other food companies to grow along the way.
- Balancing transparency with protecting their R&D developments.
- Hear about the initial powerful reactions from customers to their products.
- What aspect of Voyage Foods people resonate with the most.
- Insights into the challenges and hurdles of working in the food CPG space.
- The future vision of the company and the impact it hopes to create.
- Their commitment to incorporating upcycled ingredients.
- A food-theme round of rapid-fire questions for Adam and Kelsey!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Voyage Foods
Voyage Foods on LinkedIn
Voyage Foods on X
Voyage Foods on Facebook
Voyage Foods on Instagram
Adam Maxwell on LinkedIn
Kelsey Tenney on LinkedIn
Alter Eco
Tony's Chocolonely
Upcycled Food Association (UFA)
Indra Nooyi
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Kale is often considered the go-to green superfood. In the Battle of the Supergreens, however, moringa (or “super kale”) is a formidable opponent!While working with women farmers in West Africa, Lisa Curtis was introduced to the profound healing and energizing powers of moringa. Out of that experience, Lisa created Kuli Kuli, a Certified B Corp that allows Americans to experience the power of superfoods like moringa while also empowering farmers around the world. Today, this award-winning entrepreneur and thought leader joins us to share the incredible health benefits of moringa, Kuli Kuli’s journey from Peace Corps to grocery store, and some of the strategies the brand uses to educate consumers about its nutritious superfood products. We also touch on how Kuli Kuli is pioneering the future of food, delicious ways to add moringa to your diet, and so much more. To find out how Lisa is aligning mission and product to revolutionize the superfood industry, be sure to tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The incredible health benefits of moringa compared with kale.
- Building a brand that empowers farmers and delivers nutritious superfood products.
- How Kuli Kuli is pioneering the future of food through the plants of the present.
- When Lisa first learned about moringa as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger.
- Tactics that Kuli Kuli uses to educate consumers about the power of moringa.
- Certifications and business initiatives that make Kuli Kuli a force for good.
- The combination of luck and preparation that launched the success of Kuli Kuli.
- Ways that regenerative agriculture can be more profitable than conventional agriculture.
- How you can use moringa to boost energy, reduce blood sugar, and more.
- Different ways to consume moringa, whether fresh, powdered, or frozen.
- Where you can get your hands on Kuli Kuli’s products (at a discounted rate!)
- Lisa’s favorite superfoods, indulgent snacks, impact-driven leaders, and more.
- What “better for the world” means for communities, packaging, and consumers.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Lisa Curtis
Lisa Curtis on LinkedIn
Lisa Curtis on X
Kuli Kuli Foods
20% Discount Code for First-time Customers: MODERNSPECIES
‘Battle of the Greens: Moringa vs. Kale’
MUD\WTR
Alter Eco Truffle Thins
Jacqueline Novogratz
The Blue Sweater
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Plastic pollution is a significant environmental issue with far-reaching impacts. The beauty and personal care industry alone generates around 120 billion units of packaging annually. Today’s guest has a vision to change that. Kelly Perkins is the Founder and CEO of Spinster Sisters, a B Corp-certified women-owned plant-based water and plastic-free skin, hair, and body care brand on a mission to make the best products for people and the planet.Join us as we dive into Kelly and Spinster Sisters’ journey toward becoming plastic-negative, the hurdles faced in eliminating plastic from their supply chain, and the motivations behind their decision to obtain B Corporation certification. If you are passionate (or even curious) about the urgent need for action to reduce plastic consumption and promote sustainable alternatives to plastic products, then this episode of Brands for a Better World with Kelly Perkins is a must-listen!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Peace Out Plastic: Spinster Sisters’ journey to become plastic-negative
- Why Kelly believes that the growing awareness of plastic usage is important.
- Various hurdles Spinster Sisters has faced in eliminating plastic from their products.
- Highlights Kelly has seen from their Peace Out Plastic Campaign.
- The decision to obtain B Corporation certification and the associated benefits.
- What sparked Kelly’s interest in creating toxic-free personal care products.
- How her business and product line have expanded since founding Spinster Sisters.
- Shampoo bars and their increasing popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Kelly Perkins on LinkedIn
Kelly Perkins on Instagram
Spinster Sisters
Spinster Sisters on Facebook
Spinster Sisters on Instagram
Spinster Sisters on TikTok
FSC
rePurpose Global
Ep. 122: Plastic Neutral Certified with Anjali Malpani of rePurpose Global
Ep. 30: Business as a Force for Good with Veena Harbaugh Of B Lab US & Canada
Amy Aquino on Instagram
Nancy Birtwhistle on Instagram
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Have you ever wondered what sets thriving entrepreneurs apart? The secret lies in a single skill: effective pitching. In today’s episode, we sit down with Kat Weaver, Chief Executive Officer at Power to Pitch, to discuss mastering the art of pitching for startups. Power to Pitch is a dynamic platform that equips founders with the tools and knowledge to craft winning pitches, compelling stories, and robust fundraising strategies. In our conversation, we delve into why successful pitching is critical for founders, the formulae for a great pitch, common mistakes people make, how she helps raise more capital through successful pitching, and more. To discover invaluable insights and tips to elevate your pitching game and propel your entrepreneurial journey to new heights, tune in now!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Introduction and background to today’s guest, Kat Weaver.
- Power to Pitch and the services it provides founders.
- Why successful pitching is not just relevant for fundraising.
- Kat shares the secret sauce to a successful pitch.
- The power of ‘keeping it simple’ and knowing your audience.
- Pitching pitfalls and common mistakes people make.
- Hear how Kat practices her pitching skills.
- Tips and tricks to enhance your confidence when pitching.
- Strategies for weaving a brand’s impact into a pitch.
- Details about the Power to Pitch program and how it works.
- Insights into the latest fundraising market trends.
- Navigating founders’ fundraising and market expectations.
- Kat answers a rapid-fire round of pitching-related questions.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Kat Weaver on LinkedIn
Power to Pitch
Power to Pitch on YouTube
Power to Pitch on Instagram
Start with Why
Katherine Gold on LinkedIn
Goldbug
Episode: Upcycling Experiences with Will Nitze of IQBAR
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Many of us know what upcycling means as it pertains to physical things, but what does it mean to upcycle your personal experiences? Joining us today is Will Nitze, the Founder of IQBAR – a company that produces ready-to-eat brain foods. Will is here to talk about what it means to upcycle your personal experiences for them to be more valuable to your future self and others, and in our discussion, we extend this metaphor to discover how downcycling, recycling, and reusing play out in the human experience. If curiosity is getting the better of you (and to find out why that’s a good thing!), press play now.
Key Points From This Episode:
- What it means to upcycle your experiences.
- Examples of downcycling, recycling, and reusing as found in the human experience.
- Understanding what works for you and what doesn’t.
- Why it’s important to process correctly and have great channels of distribution.
- The necessity of curiosity, and the power of storytelling.
- Will explains what gives him his edge and unique creative style.
- The ins and outs of IQBAR.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Will Nitze on LinkedIn
Will Nitze on Instagram
Will Nitze on X
IQBAR
Will Nitze LinkedIn Post on Curiosity
Adam Brown on LinkedIn
Four Sigmatic
Mark Samuel
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Traditional candy bars have a LOT of sugar. And, while it may not be great for our health, most of us still believe that our taste buds prefer that level of sweetness. But what if the optimal level of sweetness were actually way more subtle than we thought, and required only a small amount of sugar? Joining us today is Stu Davidoff, Founder of Gigantic Candy Bars, to talk about his mission to create a better ‘sorta sweet’ candy bar with less junk and more fun. He tells us about the formulation process behind their products, how they hit the perfect level of sweetness, and their commitment to sourcing better, healthier, and more ethical ingredients. We get into the typical junk you can expect to find in most candy bars, why most people don’t even notice his products have less sugar, and the instrumental lessons he’s learned after three years on the market. If you want to learn more about how to find that sweet spot, whether it’s in business or with candy bars, be sure to tune in!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The story behind the founding of Gigantic Candy Bars.
- What inspired Stu to create his ‘sorta sweet’ candy bars.
- How they found the perfect level of sweetness for their products.
- Why most people don’t notice the reduced sugar in Gigantic products.
- The excessive amount of sugar (and other junk) found in most candy bars.
- Why Stu chose to prioritize non-GMO ingredients.
- Entrenched supply chain issues within the cocoa industry.
- Gigantic’s commitment to sourcing only fair trade cocoa.
- Their decision to only use plant-based, vegan ingredients.
- How they formulated vegan caramel for their candy bars.
- Other iterations on the traditional candy bar, and why Stu found them lacking.
- Ways that brands mislead consumers about the sugar contents of their products.
- Instrumental lessons Stu has learned after three years on the market.
- We end with our set of rapid-fire questions for Stu!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Stu Davidoff on LinkedIn
Gigantic Candy Bars
Gigantic Candy Bars Store Locator
Fix & Fogg
Fix & Fogg Everything Butter
glonuts
Lex Evan
Lexington Bakes
Lex Evan on LinkedIn
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Feeling inspired by the new year and the recent episode on changing behaviors, this episode focuses on motivating actions that will lead to a better 2024 and world for all. Compounding small actions over time creates a significant impact, and this episode will challenge you to take that first step in helping create a better tomorrow. One thing a day, week, or month, it is totally up to you. In this episode, I offer listeners 54 ideas to help get started. From eating healthily to protecting your time, unpack ways to create a better you before creating a better world. Discover how supporting fair trade, fostering mental health in the workplace, engaging with local communities, and making eco-conscious choices can collectively shape a future we all want to be a part of. Taking better actions is not just a philosophy. It is a roadmap for meaningful change. To hear about the various actions individuals, brands, businesses, and communities can take to contribute to a better world, tune in now!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Learn to eat better, dance freely, and master the art of self-kindness.
- Championing sustainability and exposing greenwashing villains.
- Transforming workplaces into happy spaces, donating profits, and setting impact goals.
- Discover how small acts in your community can create a ripple of positive change.
- Hear easy tips for recycling, sustainable transportation, and loving the Earth.
- Insights into Gage’s playbook on future-proofing your life.
- The secret sauce that makes Modern Species a beacon of change.
- Final words of wisdom for building a better world.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Better Action Slides
Episode 132: Changing Behaviors with Nick Budden of Flavor Forward
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World Email
Impact Driven Community
Can a brand, product, or marketing strategy change the world? Maybe not directly, but today’s guest believes that he can positively influence consumer behavior for a healthier and more sustainable future. Nick Budden is an innovation strategist on a mission to create $500 million in healthy, sustainable food innovation by 2030. He founded Flavor Forward Strategy to help food brands innovate with purpose and, in today’s episode, he joins us to talk about the psychology of behavior change, how you can use these principles to make a positive change in your life, and how brands can inspire life-changing behaviors through their products and marketing. We also share some recommended reads and resources, recipes to make vegetables taste better in 2024, and much more! If you're intrigued by the potential for brands to shape a better world, this episode is your gateway to understanding how you can become an agent of positive change. Tune in to be inspired to make a meaningful impact, one choice at a time.
Key Points From This Episode:
- How brands can inspire better behaviors by solving common problems in innovative ways.
- Examples of brands making a meaningful impact by influencing consumer behavior.
- Three elements that must converge for a behavior to occur (according to BJ Fogg).
- Benefits of employing process-oriented goals over outcome-oriented goals.
- Surprisingly simple and reliable strategies to build sustainable habits.
- Ways to reframe existing motivations rather than trying to create a new motivation.
- Why New Year’s resolutions typically don’t last and incremental changes work better.
- Consistency over intensity: why it's better to start with easy, practical, and enjoyable routines.
- Small interventions that add up to improve your daily lifestyle.
- The “nudge” that helped Nick make positive changes in his own life.
- Books to help you change your habits, ride the CPG growth curve, and even live longer!
- Why you should find ways to make vegetables taste good in 2024.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Flavor Forward Strategy
Nick Budden on LinkedIn
Fogg Behavior Model
Tiny Habits
Atomic Habits
The Power of Habit
Nudge
Ramping Your Brand
The Blue Zones
Liquid Death
GoodPop
Pledge Good Foundation
Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Program
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World Email
Impact Driven Community
Sustainable and green skincare products have become increasingly popular due to their focus on environmentally friendly practices and natural ingredients, but have we tapped into nature’s full potential?In this episode, we embark on a rejuvenating exploration of self-care and Latin American botanicals with the insightful Rebekah Jensen, Founder of Sanara Skincare, to discuss the importance of self-care for entrepreneurs, the untapped potential of Latin American botanicals, and her battle with cancer while trying to grow her business. We delve into her self-care practices that have been a guiding light through adversity and gain invaluable insights into balancing the demands of work and rest. As usual, we end our conversation with our rapid-fire questions for Rebekah. Tune in and discover how cultural wisdom can lead to products that create an impact and enhance the soul with Rebekah Jensen!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Rebekah explains the value of self-care routines for entrepreneurs.
- How solving her own skincare problems led her to launch a company.
- Discover how her kitchen was the start of Sanara Skincare.
- Overcoming market downturns and hurdles when launching.
- Finding the gap in the market regarding Latin American botanicals.
- Tapping into cultural wisdom to create a positive impact.
- Rebekah’s experience of battling cancer while growing a business.
- The power of reconnecting with her body and her spiritual side.
- Some self-care practices that have helped Rebekah.
- Keeping a balance between the demands of work and rest.
- Details about Sanara Skincare’s incredible range of products.
- Staying on top of the latest industry trends to keep competitive.
- We end with our set of rapid-fire questions for Rebekah!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Rebekah Jensen on LinkedIn
Sanara Skincare
Sanara Skincare on Facebook
Sanara Skincare on YouTube
Sanara Skincare on Instagram
Sanara Skincare on TikTok
The Alchemist
Zappos
Naturally Network
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World Email
Impact Driven Community
There’s nothing wrong with having beautiful, eye-catching packaging that grips a shopper from first sight. But what use is a pretty package if the contents inside are already spoiled? For this unique cross-show episode of Brands for a Better World, our resident host, Gage Mitchell turns interviewee as special guest, Adam Peek dons the host’s chair. Adam is the Senior Vice President of Sales at Meyers and also the host of the People of Packaging Podcast, and he’s here to discuss all things related to packaging and sustainability. We explore how brands can build trust and community with consumers before unpacking the role of packaging in food sustainability and preservation, how brands can get the most out of their packaging, and why it’s important for brands to simplify and clarify their on-packaging message.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Today, special guest, Adam Peek interviews Gage about packaging and sustainability.
- How brands can create connections and build community and trust with consumers.
- The role of packaging in food sustainability and preservation.
- How brands can use packaging to communicate their authentic commitment to sustainability.
- Why it’s important for brands to simplify and clarify their message.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Adam Peek
Adam Peek on LinkedIn
Adam Peek on Instagram
Adam Peek on X
Adam Peek on TikTok
People of Packaging Podcast
Meyers
‘The good news about packaging and the hope it offers for the future’ | Adam Peek | TEDxSaltLakeCity
Utah HS Hoops Podcast
Vicki Strull
Impact-Driven Gift Guide 2023
Brand Pollinators
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact-Driven Community
The brand Patagonia is renowned for its purpose-driven mission of finding solutions to problems, collectively working to battle climate change and help save our home planet. One of the solutions they’re focusing on is regenerative organic agriculture and food sourcing because, after all, everything we consume and eat has a profound impact on our planet. Today’s guest is part of that team working to create systems that foster healthier and “better-for-the-world” food practices. We are excited to introduce, Paul Lightfoot. Paul is the General Manager of Patagonia Provisions, the food business of Patagonia, and the Board Chair of Regenerative Organic Alliance, the non-profit that administers Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC™). In our conversation today, we dive into the why behind Patagonia’s journey into the food industry, what inspired their collaborative craft beer program and delve into the Regenerative Organic Movement. To hear about Patagonia’s only acquisition and explore its initiatives to solving the environmental crisis, be sure to start listening now. Enjoy!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Patagonia Provisions: why a clothing company decided to start a food company.
- How Kernza® Grain happened and the why behind the collaborative craft beer program.
- Patagonia’s journey from the apparel business to the food business.
- Patagonia Provision’s pursuits and ambitions in the food industry.
- Patagonia’s first and only acquisition and why crackers were the next space to invest in.
- What fires Paul up about the Regenerative Organic Movement (and what irks him).
- What ‘Regenerate, Rejoice, Restore’ means to Paul.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Paul Lightfoot on LinkedIn
Paul Lightfoot on X
Patagonia Provisions
1% for the Planet
Regenerative Organic Alliance
The Land Institute
Kernza® Grain
Yvon Chouinard
Patagonia Provisions: Unbroken Ground (Film)
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
The transition away from fossil fuels may be daunting, but achieving a clean, net-zero future promises a world that is not only environmentally sustainable but also remarkably hopeful. Joining us today is Austin Whitman, CEO of The Change Climate Project, an initiative that offers Climate Neutral Certification and helps companies accelerate on the path to net zero. In our conversation, we break down everything you need to know about their Climate Neutral Certification program, the importance of addressing climate change as a collective, what we as individuals can do to help, plus a whole lot more. To hear all the details about the impact of these initiatives and how you can get involved, be sure to tune in for a conversation that is not only informative but also deeply inspiring!
Key Points From This Episode:
- What The Change Climate Project is and how they support other companies.
- A breakdown of their Climate Neutral Certification program.
- How they built their diverse community of leading consumer brands and volunteers.
- The many challenges facing humanity and why everyone should be focused on addressing the climate change crisis.
- Companies that are currently certified and where listeners can learn more and support them.
- Austin answers our rapid fire questions with a special holiday twist.
- Learn about the Modern Species Impact Driven Gift Guide and how to use it over the holiday season!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Austin Whitman on LinkedIn
The Change Climate Project
The Change Climate Project on LinkedIn
Modern Species
Modern Species Gift Guide
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Working together to support the planet and its people is imperative, and 1% for the Planet has made it easier than ever for businesses to donate their time and money to this invaluable cause! Today, we are joined by Kaylee Duncanson, Membership Manager at 1% for the Planet, to discuss their mission and how you can get involved. Tuning in, you’ll find out what 1% of the Planet is, how it was created, how businesses can qualify, some of the ways that you can donate, and so much more! You’ll also learn how to support businesses that are part of 1% for the Planet. To hear more about how you can contribute to our planet, press play now!
Key Points From This Episode:
- What 1% for the Planet is, how businesses qualify, and why the donations are based on revenue, not profits.
- Different ways to donate to the organization and the most popular way businesses are giving, beyond monetary donations.
- How 1% of the Planet was founded and born from a passion for the planet.
- The wide range of causes the organization supports and how they expand their network.
- How many businesses are part of the organization and how to support businesses part of 1%.
- What inspired Kaylee to get involved in 1% for the Planet.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Kaylee Duncanson on LinkedIn
Kaylee Duncanson on Instagram
1% for the Planet
Impact-Driven Gift Guide
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on X
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World Email
Impact Driven Community
If we truly want to live in a just and equitable society, we need to embrace diversity everywhere, from the board of directors to the factory employees to the product we buy. Today’s guest, Katrina Tolentino, understands this concept well as she is on the frontlines of supporting diversity in her industry through her role as the Executive Director of Naturally Network, an organization that creates change in the natural and organic products ecosystem through community-based programming. Katrina joins us to talk about the Minority-Owned Fellowship and how this program helps to transform the lives of those who get involved. We also learn about what it means to “naturally network” and how businesses and individuals can evolve by adopting the philosophy. To learn more about the importance of diversification and what it means to be impact-driven, press play now!
Key Points From This Episode:
- What Naturally Network’s Minority-Owned Fellowship (MOF) is and how it works.
- Fighting back against the old-white-boys club: the transformative nature of the MOF.
- What it means to “naturally network”, and why it’s so important.
- Other programs and offerings from Naturally Network, and how you can get involved.
- Katrina’s holiday-themed rapid round of questions.
- Our guest’s definition of being impact-driven.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Katrina Tolentino on LinkedIn
Katrina Tolentino on Instagram
Katrina Tolentino on X
Naturally Network
Naturally Network’s Minority-Owned Fellowship
‘Episode 96 - A Sense of Belonging with Katrina Tolentino of Naturally Network’
Impact-Driven Gift Guide
SupplySide West
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact-Driven Community
As humans, we have managed to destroy the natural balance of the earth and now, we have to work hard to return it to its normal state. In this episode, we are joined by Elizabeth Whitlow from the Regenerative Organic Alliance to discuss regenerative organic certification. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about why this certification is important, what it entails, the differences between regenerative practices and regenerative organic practices, and more! We even share a few companies that have the certification. You don’t want to miss out! Thanks for listening in!
Key Points From This Episode:
- How the Regenerative Organic Alliance and the certification program were formed.
- Elizabeth explains regenerative organic certification and what it entails.
- The fundamental differences between regenerative practices and regenerative organic practices.
- Where to find regenerative organic certified products.
- What Elizabeth is most proud of in the Regenerative Organic Alliance.
- What ‘impact-driven’ means to Elizabeth.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Elizabeth Whitlow on LinkedIn
Regenerative Organic Alliance
CCOF
Above Food
Alec’s Ice Cream
Dr. Bronner’s
New Leaf
Wild Orchard
Impact Driven Gift Guide
Modern Species
Entrepreneurship is difficult for anyone but it is a whole lot more difficult for women who are carrying centuries of barriers, making running a business more difficult. Today we are joined by the president of the Women’s Business Enterprise Center (WBEC) East to discuss all things women-owned businesses and Women-Owned Impact Certification. You will hear all about what the certification entails, when it is necessary and when it isn’t, the barriers women face in the world of entrepreneurship, and how WBEC helps them overcome those barriers. You don’t want to miss this one so press play now!
Key Points From This Episode:
- What makes a business eligible for Women-Owned Impact Certification and why Elizabeth thinks it’s important.
- The kinds of people certification is beneficial for and why someone would jump through hoops to get it.
- The common barriers and challenges Elizabeth sees for female entrepreneurs.
- How the WBEC organization was founded and what it focuses on.
- The differences between the WBEC national and regional organizations.
- Elizabeth’s proudest accomplishments at WBEC East and how to support women-owned businesses.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Elizabeth Walsh on LinkedIn
Elizabeth Walsh on X
WBEC East
Impact-Driven Gift Guide
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
In this episode, we dive into the heart of the food waste crisis and explore innovative strategies to combat the staggering issue of food waste with Angie Crone, CEO of the Upcycled Food Association. The Upcycled Food Association is a nonprofit trade association focused on reducing food waste by growing the upcycled food economy through research, strategy, networking, and policy advocacy. In our conversation, we unpack the complexity of the food waste problem, the Upcycled Certified® Program, why solving the food waste problem is essential for combating climate change, and how trailblazing food brands are making it easier to be a part of the collective solution. Join us in this fascinating conversation and discover the urgency and compelling opportunities that lie in contributing to a sustainable, food waste-conscious future. Tune in now!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Overview of the food waste problem and the upcycling food process.
- Why solutions are needed and background about the Upcycled Food Association.
- The organization’s mission and how the upcycled food movement has grown.
- Learn about the Upcycled Food Association’s approach to providing solutions.
- Examples of how food waste can be made into something new.
- Angie highlights some of the organization’s main achievements.
- Discover the rigorous upcycle certification process and its requirements.
- Explore why upcycling food is the best way of combating climate change.
- Insights into the positive impacts on the environment from upcycling food.
- Hear the benefits of upcycling food throughout the supply chain.
- Opportunities upcycling provides to regenerative agriculture practices.
- She explains where listeners can buy certified upcycled food products.
- A holiday-round of rapid-fire questions for Angie.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Upcycled Food Association
Upcycled Food Association on X
Upcycled Food Association on LinkedIn
Upcycled Food Association on Instagram
Upcycled Food Association on Facebook
Upcycled Food Association on YouTube
An Everlasting Meal
Episode: The #1 Climate Change Solution with Turner Wyatt of Upcycled Food Association
Episode: Upcycling Opportunities with Daniel Kurzrock of ReGrained
Brands For A Better World: Upcycled Episodes
The EPA Wasted Food Scale
Market Hall Foods
Modern Species
Modern Species Gift Guide
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
In this episode, we unpack plastic-neutral certification, the immense scale of the global plastic problem, and how rePurpose is helping combat the plastic pollution crisis. Joining us today is Anjali Malpani, Senior Business Partnerships Manager at rePurpose Global, a pioneering company focused on combating plastic waste through empowering brands and businesses. To understand how the plastic-neutral certification is driving meaningful change in the fight against plastic pollution and how you can support the brands that are making a tangible difference in the world, tune in now!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Hear about rePurpose’s plastic-neutral certification, what it means, and how it works.
- Introduction and a brief background about today’s guest, Anjali Malpani.
- History about rePurpose, its mission, and what it has achieved so far.
- Why brands need to assess their plastic footprint from packaging.
- Current challenges and hurdles of reducing plastic pollution.
- How certifications can pave the way to sustainability and when to start.
- Discover when plastic-neutral certification is the right path for a brand.
- Setting actionable and reachable goals to begin being sustainable.
- Learn the difference between greenwashing and green-hushing.
- Focusing on making progress rather than seeking perfection.
- Building sustainable waste management and supply-chain processes.
- A gift-themed rapid-fire question round for Anjali.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Impact-Driven Gift Guide
Anjali Malpani on LinkedIn
Anjali Malpani email
rePurpose Global
rePurpose Global on LinkedIn
rePurpose Global on Facebook
rePurpose Global on Instagram
rePurpose Global on X
Innovation Alliance for a Global Plastics Treaty
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Learning from the successes and mistakes of others can help us all to go from strength to strength. Spencer Lynn is the North East Regional Manager of KOS, a health and wellness brand on a mission to improve everyday nutrition and make the world a healthier place. During this conversation, Spencer shares his journey to working in nutrition, how the ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates, inspired the founders of KOS, and how the brand is providing better nutrition to households and donating 10 million meals to those in need. Tune in to learn from this episode’s inspiring guest.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Allowing consumers to feel part of something bigger than themselves.
- The history and product range at KOS.
- The power of social media in action: the story of an influencer sharing KOS products on TikTok.
- Distribution of KOS and where to find it online and in brick-and-mortar stores.
- Background information on Spencer Lynn and his journey into working in nutrition.
- Spencer’s best advice: learn from the successes and mistakes of others and allow them to learn from you.
- Spencer’s hopes for the future of food.
- How the ancient Greek tradition of preventative healthcare has influenced KOS.
- The complex and interesting world of CPG in comparison to ingredients.
- Amazon A and B testing.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Spencer Lynn on LinkedIn
Spencer Lynn on Instagram
Spencer Lynn on X
KOS
Dtocs
Episode 98
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World Website
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Impact Driven Community
Here at Evolve CPG, we’re all about evolution. It’s time for us to practice what we preach and announce what’s next in our pipeline. In order for us to evolve in a way that works for you, we need your help. In this short episode, we fill you in on what’s new in the Evolve CPG community and how you can get involved! Although change can be unsettling, it’s necessary (and a far cry better than irrelevancy). Tune in to find out what’s next for Evolve CPG, how to leave feedback, and why your experience is so valuable to us.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Major milestones we’ve reached since embarking on the Evolve CPG journey.
- Why we’re pausing on creating new episodes.
- Please leave feedback and join our online community!
- What’s new in the Evolve CPG community.
- The necessity of change.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Evolve CPG Feedback Form
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Could the for-profit, for-purpose model be the most sustainable business model for making an impact? Today we are joined by Richa Gupta, Founder of Good Food For Good to share her entrepreneurial journey. She fills us in on her buy-one-feed-one business model and what inspired it, and shares her feelings on the non-profit model. We learn about her transition from fashion to food and what informed her approach to health and nutrition, before discussing the differentiating characteristics of impact-driven people. Tune in to learn how Richa is feeding the masses one delicious, nutritious sauce at a time!
Key Points From This Episode:
- What drove Good Food For Good founder Richa Gupta’s transition from fashion to food.
- Richa shares her feelings about the non-profit model.
- The benefits of for-profit, for-purpose models.
- What inspired Richa’s entrepreneurship journey and why she focused on nutritious sauces.
- How her pregnancy informed her approach to health, nutrition, and mindset.
- Why Good Food For Good focuses on organic, no-sugar-added, and vegan products.
- Pumpkin seeds as a replacement for meat and legumes.
- The addictive nature of sugar.
- The inspiration behind Good Food For Good’s buy-one-feed-one business model.
- What differentiates impact-driven people.
- Richa’s proudest moment to date on her business journey.
- Who inspired her to shift her relationship with money and set big goals.
- Richa’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Richa Gupta on LinkedIn
Good Food For Good
Good Food For Good on Twitter
TOMS
General Mills
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
While activism and change-making can require us to exercise emotional intelligence and perform certain balancing acts, there is also a power in standing up and unequivocally stating what you believe in. Miyoko Schinner is a champion of putting the truth in plain sight and allowing the cards to fall as they may, and today she sits down to talk about her inspiring journey through impact entrepreneurship and the lessons she has learned along the way. The conversation centers on her commitment to being honest and outspoken, and we discuss her difficult exit from her company, Miyoko's Creamery, vegan activism, food colonialism, and much more. Tuning in you'll hear all about the wisdom gained over a life in brand activism, her thoughts on non-profits, and how we can reinvent the future of food!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Care and strength; how Miyoko approaches sharing her truth with others.
- Pouring effort into building relationships with a true customer base.
- Activism versus product-peddling; Miyoko talks about the roots of her business ethos.
- Understanding food colonialism and the impact of the Western diet.
- Advice from Miyoko to younger people struggling to make a change and start something new.
- The benefits of age and experience; Miyoko talks about her journey and the seasons she has lived through.
- The role and responsibility of brands in stimulating social progress.
- Miyoko's thoughts on the non-profit model in today's climate.
- Miyoko unpacks some of her recent struggles and departure from the company she founded.
- Thoughts on success, money, and impact.
- The evolving role of a founder and visionary as a company grows and scales.
- Where to find out more bout Miyoko and her upcoming projects!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Impact Driven
Modern Species
Miyoko Schinner on Twitter
Miyoko's Creamery
Rancho Compasión
LEAP
The Vegan Good Life with Miyoko on YouTube
Forbes 50 Over 50
Maggie McGrath
NextWorld Evergreen
Seth Goldman
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
As public interest in sustainability grows, there are more and more consumers looking for ways to eat the foods they enjoy with less impact on the world around them. This means that today’s CPG brands are forced to innovate when it comes to both flavor and sustainability to meet the increasing demand for affordable, climate-friendly, and perhaps most importantly, delicious products. Today, we are joined by Alec Jaffe, the Founder and CEO of Alec’s Ice Cream, to learn how he created the world’s first and only Regenerative Organic Certified ice cream brand, which makes our planet a better place not only through the way it’s created but through the smiles it creates in turn! Tuning in, you’ll hear how Alec stumbled into the joys of making ice cream as a kid, the gut-friendly benefits of A2 dairy, and his advice for other impact-driven entrepreneurs to help them shift their perspective on adversity, plus so much more! Whether you’re a CPG brand or simply someone who likes to eat delicious food while being kinder to the planet, you’ll benefit from this fascinating conversation about building “feel-good, taste-good, do-good" brands. To find out why changing your habits doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite foods and how Alec is creating what he calls an ice cream utopia, be sure to tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The key to creating premium flavor profiles while also delivering on sustainability.
- An understanding of what A2 dairy is and why it’s better for you.
- What led Alec to become a Regenerative Organic Certified brand.
- Why being “naive enough to try” played a vital role in the success of Alec’s Ice Cream.
- Insight into what inspired Alec’s interest in sustainability and food systems.
- How starting from scratch gave Alec’s Ice Cream a competitive advantage.
- Reflecting on the growing A2 dairy trend (and the education that still needs to be done).
- The surprisingly simple secret that makes Alec’s unique flavor combinations so tasty.
- What tends to scare retail customers away from “weirder” flavor profiles.
- Challenges that Alec’s Ice Cream faces as an impact-driven company.
- The story of how Alec’s love for ice cream started with an elementary school project.
- A look at Alec’s career trajectory: from sports to tech to CPG entrepreneurship.
- What the future looks like for Alec’s Ice Cream and their innovative pints!
- Alec’s advice for impact-driven entrepreneurs: prepare to persevere through adversity.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Alec Jaffe on LinkedIn
Alec Jaffe on Twitter
Alec’s Ice Cream
Regenerative Organic Alliance
Salt & Straw
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World – Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World Email
Entrepreneurs are able to build their businesses because of the passion that fuels them, which also gives them purpose, helps them focus, and develops their resiliency. Jordan Buckner is joining us today to help us unlock the power of passion and purpose. He is the Founder of Foodbevy, a community platform aimed at helping founders in food and beverage grow from startup to scale. We discuss the differences between passion and purpose and how to align the two, before examining how you can improve your life by focusing more energy on what you are passionate about. By tuning in, you’ll gain key insight into how Jordan and Gage relate to their passions and purpose, and what you can do as an entrepreneur who has lost the internal fire for your business.
Key Points From This Episode:
- What passion is and where it comes from.
- The difference between passion and purpose.
- How passion is inherently found in us and also fueled by pursuing a topic of interest.
- Looking at balance as it pertains to passion, purpose, and earning a living.
- Prioritizing how you spend your time by centering it on your passions.
- The importance of choosing a job that is aligned with your passion.
- What an entrepreneur can do when they lose passion in their business.
- Appreciating the process, art, and journey of business rather than focusing on the money.
- Exploring Ikigai as a foundation for finding your passion.
- What Jordan is passionate about and how he recognizes when his internal fire has been lit.
- Gage’s various passions and interests and how they align with his purpose.
- How passion can’t be turned off, but it can decay if not used/pursued.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Jordan Buckner on LinkedIn
Jordan Buckner on Twitter
Foodbevy
Ikigai
Proceed and Be Bold!
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
There is much to consider when launching a product in the retail space. Joining us today to discuss the tribulations he faced through the process of launching (and subsequently closing) Wander Nut Butters, is The Think Tank’s president, Jared Kligerman. Jared’s mission with The Think Tank is to aid small businesses in standing out from the crowd and engaging customers. In this episode, we find out how his experience of running his own small business made him a better advisor, and what he learned through the process. He shares his marketing approach and touches on the four cornerstones of a successful startup, namely margins, capital, time, and purpose. Tune in to find out why it’s essential to be flexible in the startup space and to never stray from the black and white when it comes to financial decision-making.
Key Points From This Episode:
- The Think Tank’s succinct elevator pitch.
- Learn about the impetus behind Jared Kligerman’s former company, Wander Nut Butters.
- Jared’s approach to marketing.
- How his experience with Wander Nut Butters aids his mission at The Think Tank.
- Wander Nut Butters’ early wins and subsequent challenges.
- The complexity of retail in Canada versus the US.
- Insight into the nuances of altering pricing to raise margins.
- The importance of thoroughly researching your category before launching a product.
- An overview of the arduous process of shutting down a business.
- The importance of being committed (but not attached) when it comes to business.
- Requirements for a successful business: margins, capital, time, and purpose.
- Key lessons Jared learned about himself through launching a brand.
- The importance of knowing your strengths before striking out as an entrepreneur.
- Why it’s essential to be flexible in the startup space.
- How Jared got involved with The Think Tank, what they do, and what his role entails.
- The expense of certain certifications.
- Unpacking the danger of assumptions.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Jared Kligerman on LinkedIn
Jared Kligerman on Twitter
The Think Tank
Wander Nut Butters
True Founder by Marc LaFleur
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Much has been said in the last few decades about salt and its effects on our health. And more recently, some of the claims around its dangers have come into question and been clarified. Here on the show today is Darryl Bosshardt of Redmond, a company dedicated to making clean and natural salt more available to everyone. Our conversation centers on some of the misconceptions of the past and present, and what individuals should really be concerned about when considering their salt intake and general diet. We also get to discuss Redmond's company history and values, and what sets them apart as an organization. Listeners will come away with some fresh perspectives on this important piece of human history, as well as a clearer understanding of how to utilize salt's benefits in their diet, so be sure to tune in!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Darryl's upbringing in Redmond, the family farm, and the historic sea beds of Utah.
- The truth about how salt effects on our health.
- How salt and its usage have changed over the last hundred years.
- Recent studies on salt intake, and holistic approaches to nutrients.
- Darryl talks about real salt and how our ancestors retained its health benefits.
- Why salt cannot be classified as organic!
- Three questions to ask when purchasing salt; who, where, and what.
- The simple process that Redmond goes through with their salt.
- A little about the other products that Redmond offers and the process for launching these.
- The company philosophy around intention and purpose at Redmond.
- Team activities and initiatives at Redmond; supporting morale and connection.
- Darryl's thoughts on B-Corps and the next generation of business ethics.
- A closing wish from Darryl around intentionality and the future.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Darryl Bosshardt on LinkedIn
Redmond
Evidence for relationship between sodium (chloride) intake and human essential hypertension
The dietary guideline for sodium: should we shake it up? Yes!
Salt: A World History
Salt Your Way to Health
Dr James DiNicolantonio
The Salt Fix
Dr. David Brownstein
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Changing your behavior is no easy feat, especially when it comes to food. And for Bobbi Giudicelli, it took several dramatic health setbacks (both for herself and two close family members) to take action and truly re-examine how her relationship with food was affecting her quality of life. This led her to co-found Read The Ingredients, a company that produces some of the cleanest, healthiest, vegan, and gluten-free packaged meal alternatives available on the market. In today’s conversation, we draw on Bobbi's experience to explore the food industry: why it's broken and how processed food and big pharma are contributing to the declining health of all Americans. Bobbi explains why Read The Ingredients felt the need to dedicate the majority of its marketing budget to educating consumers before unpacking the unique challenges they face as a niche product at a higher price point and why she would never compromise the integrity of her products (even if it meant going out of business). Tune in for this thought-provoking conversation on the shortcomings of the traditional food industry and why it’s so important to empower the small brands that are challenging the status quo!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The story behind Bobbi’s company, Read The Ingredients, and how eating healthy can transform every aspect of your life.
- Understanding why processed food is so damaging to our bodies.
- Learn about the contents of Bobbi’s book, Freedom From A Toxic Relationship With Food.
- The three key things that inspired Bobbi to change her lifestyle and pursue clean eating.
- Why our food supply system is so broken and the impact this has on our overall health.
- How marketing is used to trick people into believing that a product is healthy.
- Big Pharma’s role in undermining the health of all Americans.
- The higher price point of Read The Ingredients products, its niche place in the market, and the challenges they face in educating consumers and marketing to them.
- Bobbi’s experience as a serial entrepreneur and why the food industry has been more challenging to navigate than any other.
- A rundown of how the odds are stacked against smaller consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies and the flaws in current distribution models.
- Why Bobbi would rather go out of business than compromise the integrity of her products.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Bobbi Giudicelli on LinkedIn
Read The Ingredients
Dennis Weaver on LinkedIn
Change Your Food - Change Your Life
Organic Marketing Association
Tiny Habits
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
During his junior year in college, Parker Olsen embarked on the first of a series of nutritional experiments that would change the course of his life in ways he could never have imagined. After becoming aware of the incredible properties of functional mushrooms during one of these experiments, Parker became the youngest board member of the Puget Sound Mycological Society and subsequently founded Forij, a granola product packed with mushroom extracts that is both very healthy and very delicious (as strange as it sounds!). During this episode, Parker talks about his scrappy approach to entrepreneurship (his dedication to the cause really comes through strongly when he shares his experience of sleeping in a tent for two years), his involvement in the psilocybin treatment space, and his thoughts on the future of functional food. Tune in today to hear how mushrooms could change your life too!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The nutrition experiments that Parker started conducting on himself during his junior year in college.
- How Parker became aware of the functionality of mushrooms.
- The founding story of Forij and the process Parker went through to develop the Forij products.
- Parker’s “claims to scrappy fame,” including the two years he spent sleeping in a tent.
- Valuable takeaways from Parker’s entrepreneurship degree (and the things you can’t learn in a classroom).
- Parker’s involvement in the movement to democratize psilocybin treatment.
- What Parker’s role on the board of the Puget Sound Mycological Society entailed.
- Parker’s thoughts on the future of functional food.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Forij
Forij on Instagram
Parker Olsen on LinkedIn
Puget Sound Mycological Society
Strategyzer Series
PsiloHealth
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Today, we’re speaking with Jake Karls, Co-Founder and Rainmaker at Mid-Day Squares, about their game-changing show, everything style brand marketing, and how he, Lezlie Karls, and Nick (Co-Founders) are committed to staying independent and true to themselves for the long haul.
Find out more about Mid-Day Squares here
Check out Jake Karls on LinkedIn
What has become known as conventional agriculture is part of the reason for the state of grave environmental degradation we find ourselves living in, which is having negative impacts on our health. Although regenerative farming may be a new term, it’s actually an ancient practice based on the way nature intended us to consume food. Through Wild Orchard Regenerative Teas, Michael Don Ham is doing his part to improve the health of our natural ecosystems and our bodies. In this episode, you will hear about the benefits of regenerative methods and products and what sets Wild Orchard apart from other tea companies, as well as how Michael’s other company, RePure, is optimizing indoor air quality. To hear Michael’s story, as well as the invaluable role that you, as a consumer, play in the “better for the world” movement, tune in now!
Key Points From This Episode:
- An overview of the Wild Orchard Regenerative Teas origin story, and the factors that make their products unique.
- The three pillars of air quality and how RePure devices optimize indoor space for health.
- The health benefits of regenerative consumable products (using Michael as a case study!).
- Why the state of our blood is a key determinant of our health, and the factors that contribute to it.
- Negative consequences of chemical agriculture.
- Michael’s upbringing and how it has influenced his educational choices and entrepreneurial endeavors.
- The invaluable role of consumers in the “better for the world” movement.
- Michael’s thoughts on what the future of health looks like.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Wild Orchard Regenerative Teas
Wild Orchard Regenerative Teas on Instagram
Wild Orchard Regenerative Teas on Facebook
RePure
RePure on Instagram
Michael Don Ham on LinkedIn
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Ever wondered about Gage Mitchell's journey into his current work and the early days of Modern Species? Today Gage gives listeners a short but sweet introduction to the career pivot he made about 15 years ago, what brought about this change, and the principles that he built into the foundations of his agency. Gage also talks about his prioritization of impact, indispensability, and avoiding the worst traps of capitalism, before sharing the four rules he baked into Modern Species from the start. So if you want a bite-sized shot of inspirational history, press play.
Key Points From This Episode:
- The main goal: helping to grow ethical brands and scale positive impact.
- Forming Modern Species and the four rules that were the foundation.
- Traveling Europe and Asia, and the impactful moments that broadened Gage's mindset.
- The beginning of Gage's journey into a different kind of graphic design.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World Email
At Firebrand Artisan Breads, making exceptional baguettes and brioche (which they do) is secondary to their mission of creating meaningful work for people who are often not given those opportunities. Matt Kreutz, the founder of Firebrand and our guest on today’s show, founded the company with the goal of making a positive impact on his community by hiring homeless and previously incarcerated people. During this episode, Matt explains how his open hiring policy, his commitment to living wages (and additional benefits), and his acceptance of the messiness that comes with the people-first approach has led Firebrand to become a thriving company of 100 employees with a long, bright future ahead. To hear about the life changing power of a bread-making business, tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The inspiration behind the founding of Firebrand Artisan Breads and the impact that Matt hopes it will make on people’s lives.
- Firebrand’s hiring and employment policy.
- The people-first philosophy that underpins everything that Firebrand does.
- Why Matt opted to use a trust model for Firebrand.
- Supportive measures that Matt has put in place to equip homeless and previously incarcerated people with valuable skills and resources.
- What drew Matt into the world of baked goods at age 14.
- How Firebrand has evolved since its founding.
- An overview of Firebrand’s Sliced Bread program.
- The importance of following your own path and not getting distracted by what other people are doing (or seemingly doing).
- What it means to be a good leader.
- Matt’s goals for the future of Firebrand, and his hopes for the future of the industry.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Firebrand Artisan Breads
Firebrand Artisan Breads on Instagram
Firebrand Artisan Breads on LinkedIn
Matt Kreutz on LinkedIn
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
All product markets and areas of business can benefit from a purpose-driven approach, and the pet food space is no different! Joining us for this episode is the Founder and CEO of Bundle x Joy, Jess Berger, and we have a fascinating chat with Jess about her winding career path and her passion for pets. We explore some important ideas around intentionality, the big mission that drives Jess, and some of the major issues that Jess has with the pet food industry at present. As a true pluralist, Jess is currently completing her doctorate in marketing and is staunchly dedicated to the empowerment of female entrepreneurs and doing things a little differently, so if you would like to get a dose of inspiration for living out the idea of purpose over profit, make sure to listen in!
Key Points From This Episode:
- How alignment can help with a feeling of completeness and satisfaction.
- The gap that Jess saw in the market and the target demographics for her products.
- The realities of a truly purpose-over-profit business philosophy.
- How Jess took her passion for pets and turned it into her current business!
- Further education and the value of the different avenues of learning.
- Tracing the roots of Jess' passion for business and marketing.
- Jess' thoughts on goal setting and reflecting on achievements.
- The different options that are available for building a brand these days.
- Building a strong team based on individuals' strengths and passions.
- Some of the plans that Jess has for the year ahead.
- Explaining the business model and strategy at Bundle x Joy.
- Jess' thoughts on the evolution of the pet industry going forward.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Jess Berger on LinkedIn
Bundle x Joy
Kauffman Entrepreneurship
The Big Leap
Rocket Fuel
The ONE Thing
Deep Work
Sprouts
Whole Foods
Pet Age
SuperZoo
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Breaking free from the shackles that we give ourselves can be one of the biggest challenges each of us faces, especially when these are shielded from our view. Today we sit down with Matt D'Amour and Linwood Paul from personal growth and development company, Subtle Distinctions, to talk about how they approach helping their clients transcend limiting beliefs, get over the fear of success, and step out of safety into an authentic and courageous version of themselves! The conversation covers the power of the stories we tell ourselves, how to go about 'installing new software', and applying the laws of minimum viable effort for progress. So if you would like to get some great tips for starting out on the most important journey each of us can undertake, join us to hear everything that Matt and Linwood have to say!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Letting your own light shine and providing permission and an example for others.
- Where to start with your journey towards living unchained!
- Methods for rewiring our inner systems; accountability partners, meditation, creating evidence, and lifestyle factors.
- The role of fear and hesitancy in holding us back from embodying our best selves.
- Getting to grips with our grounding belief systems and the steps that our guests lay out for their clients.
- The questions and small actions that can direct us toward the unchained version of ourselves.
- Pulling the target back, playing the long game, and setting achievable goals.
- Final thoughts from Matt and Linwood on showing up authentically and being somebody.
- Matt talks about his 'sprint goals' for the year 2023!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Subtle Distinctions
Matt D'Amour on LinkedIn
Linwood Paul on LinkedIn
William H. Murray
Radical Honesty
Brad Blanton
Dr. Seuss
Pretty Woman
James Clear
Tim Ferriss
Mark Twain
The Promise of Sleep
Mr. T
City Slickers
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World Email
Entrepreneurs need to be creative and forward-thinking to build a successful and sustainable business. Although making money is the main objective of any business, entrepreneurs are focused on much more than profit margins or the bottom line. Today's guest, Jordan Buckner, overcame many challenges while starting and running his own companies and realized that startups need help to succeed in the food and beverage space. He subsequently founded Foodbevy, a company helping aspiring entrepreneurs establish their brands in the food and beverage industry. In our conversation, we discuss his entrepreneurial journey, how to leverage fundraising platforms effectively, three aspects that will make your entrepreneurial journey easier, and what makes his subscription box service different from the rest. We also talk about his overall mission, supporting other entrepreneurs, how the food and beverage space has changed, how to establish a relationship between the customer and brand, and much more.Tune in and discover how entrepreneurs can contribute to society by finding innovative solutions to social issues with Jordan Buckner!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Some background on Jordan and his professional career journey.
- Learn about how he became interested in food as a business venture.
- Jordan shares details about some of his first food startups.
- Find out the reason he decided not to pursue funding opportunities.
- What Jordan would do differently if he could start over.
- He shares advice for building, funding, and sustaining a business.
- His opinion on using fundraising platforms to acquire capital.
- What inspired him to launch his own subscription box service.
- How he approaches finding brands for his subscription service.
- Details about Foodbevy, what motivated him to start it, and its mission.
- Ways in which other entrepreneurs and communities can support each other.
- Jordan reveals how he networks with and helps other founders.
- Whether he has criteria for partnering with other companies.
- The design and purpose of the Startup To Scale Podcast.
- We discuss the future of the food and beverage industry.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Jordan Buckner on LinkedIn
Foodbevy
Good Food Brands
TeaSquares
ChopBox
Startup To Scale Podcast
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World email
Throughout a person’s career, they acquire many skills beneficial to entrepreneurism. Recognizing those skills creates fantastic opportunities to pursue your passions and follow your dreams. In this episode, we talk to Lex Evan, the Founder, CEO, and chef of the first conscious and sustainable bakery. Lexington Bakes is a luxury bakeshop creating decadent, handmade desserts using consciously sourced ingredients. Lex is known for his audacious and inventive personality and for turning big ideas into reality. He is also deeply passionate about positively impacting society and the planet through effective leadership and entrepreneurship. In our conversation, we hear about his experience building brands, why he decided to start selling baked goods, how they constantly sell out despite the price, and his commitment to using only consciously sourced ingredients. We also discuss what he has learned from previous leadership roles, arrogance as an antidote for imposter syndrome, how design and marketing strategies have changed for global brands, and insider details about Lexington Bakes. Tune in and discover how to leverage your experiences to pursue your passions with Lex Evan!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Background about Lex and Lexington Bakes.
- How his past work experience prepared him for the CPG space.
- He shares where his inclination for leadership originated.
- We unpack what it takes to be an effective leader.
- The difference between arrogance and confidence as a business owner.
- His experience working at Johnson & Johnson and the lessons learned.
- Why Lex decided to leave his job and start a food company.
- Reasons why he chose to sell baked goods over skincare products.
- What makes Lexington Bakes products different from other baked goods.
- Find out why a square cookie is better than a round cookie.
- Learn tips for communicating a brand effectively to consumers.
- Lex explains why his products sell out despite the high price.
- Discover how a higher price point can help build a brand.
- How to build trust in your brand: transparency.
- Advice that Lex has for people considering starting their own company.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Lex Evan
Lex Evan on Twitter
Lex Evan on Instagram
Lex Evan on LinkedIn
Lexington Bakes
Lexington Bakes on Instagram
Lexington Bakes on TikTok
Lexington Bakes on Twitter
Lexington Bakes on Facebook
Johnson & Johnson
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Brands for a Better World - Evolve CPG
Brands for a Better World Community
Brands for a Better World on YouTube
Brands for a Better World Email
There are so many interesting and creative careers out there that slip by unnoticed by many of the population, and sometimes it takes a happy accident or chance encounter to align us with a career path that suits us brilliantly. Kimberly Schaub of PeasOnMoss exemplifies this idea, and her work as a research chef and curious culinary creator is making space for others to follow down a similarly unusual route. In our conversation, Kimberly talks about rethinking our impact on the planet, getting serious about regeneration, and how different parts of the food industry can aid sustainability for us all. She has a strong message about changing the greater culture around food, that we cannot wait for our listeners to hear, so tune in to hear it all.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Tracing the roots of Kimberly's fascination with food and aspirations to be a 'research chef'.
- What 'better for the world' means to Kimberly; and her emphasis on restoration and regeneration.
- Finding the courage to share a creative idea with the world at any age.
- The decision that Kimberly made to get into content creation and podcasting.
- Creating examples of new careers and spreading this awareness within communities.
- Learning by doing and getting over fear and self-doubt.
- Kimberly's recommendations for episodes of her podcast to check out!
- Bringing the gift of a fresh network and perspective to the industry you enter.
- Kimberly shares some of the highlights from her career path in product development.
- Thoughts on identity and how Kimberly sees herself in her current roles.
- How Kimberly helps people explore and realize their amazing ideas.
- Two other culinary podcasts that Kimberly has been inspired by recently.
- Where the name PeasOnMoss came from and Kimberly's different professional roles.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Kimberly Schaub on LinkedIn
PeasOnMoss
PeasOnMoss on Twitter
Griffith Food
Justin Kanthak
RCA
Mark Crowell
CuliNEX
Chef Life Radio
Mind Cook
Plate Magazine
Sugar Mountain
Lundberg Family Farms
Bulletproof
Dave Asprey
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
How do you grow your “brand” as a freelancer? Does the hype around the importance of a healthy work-life balance make sense?This week, we feature an episode of The Joyful Freelancer that our very own Gage Mitchell was on recently to answer these questions. The host of the podcast, Katherine Gustafson, evoked Gage to delve into some of his favorite social media rants, how to engineer your life to be more fulfilling, and his approach to growing mission-driven brands. Tuning in, you’ll hear the origin story of EvolveCPG and Modern Species, the value of marrying work with your passions, why saying no can lead to better opportunities, and the reasons why strengths and weaknesses are situational, plus much more. Gage hopes this episode will motivate listeners to reach for their goals in the coming year, so listen in to find out more and feel inspired!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Background about Gage, the work he does, and the projects he is currently working on.
- Whether or not he works with Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) exclusively.
- An overview of the many brands Gage has worked with.
- How he approaches working with brands to showcase their values and products.
- Growing your brand as a freelancer and why it is essential to be successful.
- How freelancing led to the formation of Modern Species and EvolveCPG.
- The inspiration behind the name of the company: Modern Species.
- What Gage means when he says, “work-life balance is a waste of time”.
- Why turning down work can actually lead to more and better opportunities.
- Ways in which strengths and weaknesses are dependent on the situation.
- Katherine and Gage share their experiences working as freelancers.
- The importance of understanding your character traits.
- What it is like being a creative working within a corporate space.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
The Joyful Freelancer on Instagram
The Joyful Freelancer on Twitter
The Joyful Freelancer on Apple Podcasts
The Joyful Freelancer on Audible
Organic Valley
Alter Eco
Mamma Chia
Nutiva
Yumbutter
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Gage Mitchell on Twitter
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG Email
How can a brand use the power of design to make the world a better place? This episode features our very own Gage Mitchell’s interview on The Creative Shit Show Podcast, where he talks in-depth about designing solutions that make a positive impact on our environment. Gage talks about the power of design, how it can make a meaningful impact, and why it is important to note the responsibilities that come with it. Gage discusses why he is passionate about B-Corp, its relationship to globalization, and how it all relates to designer and customer awareness. Tune in to find out why clear impact-driven design is the future of sustainable environmental change.
Key Points From This Episode:
- This episode contains Gage’s feature on The Creative Shit Show Podcast.
- Gage discusses the work of Modern Species.
- Why Gage is passionate about impact design.
- The effects of globalization.
- The power of design.
- Gage’s hopes for the B-Corp movement, its advantages, and why it is significant.
- Why manufacturers and wholesalers haven’t made a full shift to be more sustainable.
- The components of the complex, multi-stakeholder supply chain issues.
- How Gage has created his connections and found like-minded communities.
- Where Modern Species is currently based and how they ended up there.
- How packaging and printing can be beneficial for the environment.
- Gage’s favorite ‘Shit Show’ moments.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
The Creative Shit Show Podcast Episode 15
B-Corp Certification
1% for the Planet
Non-GMO
AIGA
AIGA Seattle
Path to Impact
Colorado State University
Geoduck
Detroit Zoo
Green Graphic Design
Enneagram
Saboteurs
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
We spend a lot of time talking about better-for-the-world products, brands, and businesses. But what does that really mean? During our milestone episode, we are reflecting on the types of advice and stories that are shared on the show by guests who are working to do better in different ways. We take a detailed look at what it means for purpose-driven brands to be committed to better for the world. We also explore real-world examples of industry leaders who are successfully infusing business strategy with their values before touching on the role of supportive policies in encouraging more businesses to become better for the world. Tune in today to hear all this and more!
Key Points From This Episode:
- A three-layered consideration for defining what it means to do better for the world.
- The relationship between how, why, and what.
- Gage’s four layers of better: purpose, sustainability and responsibility, outcomes, and measurable impact.
- What it means for purpose-driven brands to serve others in a meaningful way.
- Identifying real-world problems and testing solutions.
- Clearly defining your values and principles to move forward with integrity.
- Passion and commitment as illustrated by Seth Goldman.
- The main idea of sustainability: considering the future.
- Organic and regenerative agricultural practices.
- How Sandra Ann Harris enacts upcycling this at ECOLunchbox.
- What constitutes upcycling and why it has a positive impact.
- Carbon neutral and net zero or net positive practices.
- The ideal waste and pollution status of better for the world companies.
- What it means for brands to care for others.
- Five considerations for social responsibility: justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
- Distinguishing between equality and equity.
- What it means to have Worker First benefits and policies.
- Good governance and its far-reaching implications.
- Five pillars of social impact and what they mean.
- What non-profit organizations need beyond another check.
- The far-reaching implications of changing policy in favor of better for the world businesses.
- Leveraging collaboration as a better for the world business.
- Distilling what better-for-the-world businesses aim for into measurable categories.
- Understanding and leveraging your buying power and your actions as a consumer.
- What the show aims to contribute to shifting mindsets.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Slides: Defining Better for the World
YouTube Version of this Episode
A Plastic Free Mission with Sandra Ann Harris of ECOLunchbox
Seth Goldman on LinkedIn
Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle
Simon Sinek’s TedTalk
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG Email
In recent times, we have seen a rapid rise in technology used to enhance in-store experiences and even incentivize better food choices. Today on the EvolveCPG Podcast, we are joined by Karen Frame, an early innovator of such technology in the natural foods industry. Apart from her experience in accounting, law, real estate, coding, and even education, Karen is also a serial entrepreneur. She started two other companies before founding and becoming the CEO of her latest venture, Makeena, an awesome digital insights company that helps brands in the natural products space better understand their consumers. Tuning in, you’ll find out who Makeena was made for, how consumers interact with it, and how the company is geared toward servicing the industry as a whole. Suppose you’re looking to gain critical insight into how the conscious consumer behaves post-COVID and why it’s beneficial to be a conscious business in this day and age. In that case, this episode about Makeena’s translated definitions of “happiness” and “abundance” is the perfect fit. You won’t want to miss it!
Key Points From This Episode:
- How Makeena works, who it’s for, the brands it features, and examples of it in action.
- What it looks like when consumers interact with Makeena.
- Why Makeena is not just for the brand or consumer; it’s for the entire industry.
- Why it was important for Makeena to be a B Corp and a One Percent for the Planet member.
- Some data explaining the habits of the conscious consumer post-COVID.
- The way companies approach Makeena (and what they ask Karen and her team for).
- What conscious investors are looking for in prospective business partners.
- Karen’s view on the future of retail and how it will impact better-for-the-world brands.
- The benefits of being a conscious business.
- How Makeena was formed.
- How in-store grocery shopping can still be a valuable experience.
- Karen’s insatiable inner drive to make the world a better place.
- Happiness and abundance: the literal definitions of Makeena.
- Where Karen’s passion for law came from and the type of law she practiced.
- The accelerator that lit the fuse and helped Karen prove the Makeena doubters wrong.
- A look at the two businesses Karen started prior to Makeena.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Karen Frame on Twitter
Karen Frame on LinkedIn
Karen Frame Email
Makeena
Makeena Email
Makeena App on Google Play
What’s in Your Cart? Makeena on YouTube
Wild Oats
Natural Products Expo West
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG Email
The foods that we choose to eat represent our single biggest environmental impact. This is the belief of today’s guest, activist entrepreneur Seth Goldman, who wants to inform and empower consumers to make choices that align with their concerns around climate change and wellbeing. Seth is the co-founder and Chief Change Agent of Eat the Change, a snack company on a mission to create chef-crafted, nutrient-dense snacks that are kind to the planet and delicious to eat! He is also the Cofounder of PLNT Burger and Honest Tea, Chair of the Board at Beyond Meat, and the author of Mission in a Bottle: The Honest Guide to Doing Business Differently—and Succeeding. Today, we speak to Seth about his original mission when founding Honest Tea in 1998 and how that vision evolved as he developed the family of brands under the Eat the Change umbrella (including Just Iced Tea). He also shares his drive to make a real impact rather than simply being a passenger on our planet. Whether you want to launch a product in the natural foods category or just lighten your carbon footprint, you’ll gain inspiration from this conversation about why what we eat matters. Plus, you’ll learn something about persevering as a purpose-driven brand leader in the big food ecosystem along the way!
Key Points From This Episode:
- A deeper understanding of why what we eat matters.
- Persevering as a mission-driven entrepreneur in the big food space.
- The importance of being an actor rather than a passenger on our planet.
- The story behind how Seth because a purpose-driven entrepreneur.
- A snapshot of the food and beverage industry in 1998, when Seth launched Honest Tea.
- The honesty, sustainability, and taste at the heart of Honest Tea’s mission statement.
- Why Seth refers to what Eat the Change is doing as a “joyful experience.”
- The significant impact that Honest Tea/Honest Kids has had for consumers and Coca-Cola.
- Seth’s vision for the growing family of Eat the Change brands.
- What Seth loves about innovating in the planet-friendly snack category.
- Key advice for differentiating yourself as a mission-driven entrepreneur.
- Why Eat the Change gives every employee a stake in the company’s future.
- Why Seth says you can’t be a “desk chair entrepreneur” in the natural foods business.
- Consumer insights you can gain just from visiting the stores you’re stocked in.
- What the future of food looks like from Seth’s perspective.
- Encouraging trends in the plant-based foods category.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Seth Goldman on LinkedIn
Seth Goldman on Twitter
Eat the Change
Mission in a Bottle
Honest Tea Mission Statement
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
People connect with a story far more than a tool. Joining us in conversation today is Season 3 host of The Startup CPG Podcast, Jessi Freitag, who specializes in helping people to leverage the power of digital systems to promote productivity and success. A multi-passionate coach, podcaster, and CPG expert, Jessi is here to share her story of promoting efficacy in the world of CPG by sharing her first-hand experience. While many people have great ideas and go as far as to start their projects, far fewer follow through and bring them to completion. Jessi’s secret sauce involves asking questions, building authentic connections, and capitalizing on the power of storytelling. If you’re looking to improve your output, stay connected, and motivate those around you, you can’t afford to miss today’s conversation.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Jessi’s portfolio of passions and how each informs her work at The Startup CPG Podcast, Iroh’s Corner, Liv Bar, and Boyle Brands.
- Leveraging the power of storytelling to motivate people.
- How building authentic connections with people leads to great opportunities.
- The integral role of well-placed systems to ensure movement towards your goals.
- What is required for a Podcast to succeed and how that applies to all of life.
- Learning to ask the right questions to extract useful information.
- Tools Jessi built for CPG: Warehouse and 3PL Fulfillment Database, and Freight Provider Database.
- How Jessi consults with individuals and businesses, connecting them to digital tools to organize information and maximize productivity.
- The three different areas Jessi’s certification work entails at Boyle Brands.
- Outsourcing tasks that fall outside of your zone of genius.
- Jessi’s advice for navigating a changing world.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Jessi Freitag
Jessi Freitag on LinkedIn
The Startup CPG Podcast
Iroh’s Corner
Boyle Brands
Atomic Habits
Airtable
Trello
Hubspot
Notion
The Big Leap
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
Creating a feeling of community and connection can be so impactful to individuals and businesses on multiple levels, and the ecosystem of care that emerges through engaged networks can bring forth remarkable results. These are the driving forces behind the work of today's guest on the show, Katrina Tolentino. Katrina is the Executive Director of Naturally Network, a position she found somewhat surprisingly, but one she quickly identified with and became staunchly committed to. In our conversation, we get into her passion for community building, the three ways in which she understands the concept of community, and how she is working towards more inclusion and representation in her current role. Listeners can expect a relatable and inspiring story from Katrina, whose amazing dedication is moving things forward in her industry and beyond.
Key Points From This Episode:
- How Naturally Network connects different parties in the natural food market.
- Katrina's focus on inclusion and how this figures into her position.
- A look at Katrina's background, and the roots of her passion for community building.
- Katrina's attitude toward vulnerability and honesty when presenting.
- The way in which Katrina has utilized play and games in her work.
- Charting Katrina's route into the natural product business.
- Katrina's commitment to the natural products industry and the task of creating community.
- The evolution and future vision of Naturally Network.
- Where to find out more about and support Katrina's work!
- Some thoughts on the future of the natural products space.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Katrina Tolentino on LinkedIn
Naturally Network
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
Supporting brands and companies that are impact driven is essential for driving change on a larger scale. With so many options for consumers, it is often hard to find the company to suit your needs while creating positive change, particularly for gift-giving! Today, we highlight the top 16 brands that we think are impact-driven and leave customers happy in this special holiday shopping guide. Helping us through this guide is Kate Fosson, CEO and Co-Founder of Brand Pollinators; a company focused on helping emerging, impact-driven brands grow. If you are looking for a gift for someone then we have you covered. In this episode, we learn about all kinds of products ranging from world-changing sprinkles to sustainable camping lunchboxes. Discover how to give the gift of sleep and relaxation, the perfect gifts for kids, brands for outdoor lovers, and much more! Eliminate the shopping stress and tune in to learn how to give with intention this holiday season with Kate Fosson!
Key Points From This Episode:
- A brief background about Kate and her company, Brand Pollinators.
- Kate explains how she decided on which brands to feature for this episode.
- She outlines the concept of gift-giving with intention.
- Discover a brand for kids that is driven by nature.
- A company that makes alternative baking ingredients with no artificial dyes.
- Learn about some impact-driven gifts for outdoor enthusiasts.
- What the ‘hard-workers’ category of the guide is focused on.
- Gifts for people who are in desperate need of relaxation and sleep.
- The gifts for people who love hosting parties and for the host themselves.
- Hear about indulgent and sustainable gifts to help you make new friends.
- Find out about some fun and interesting collaborations.
- How the behaviorof gift buying has shifted in recent years.
- Find out how the buying guide has been structured for customers.
- Learn how the buying guide for kids has been designed and why.
- Why you should trust our choice of brands.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Kate Fosson
Kate Fosson on LinkedIn
Kate Fosson on Facebook
Kate Fosson on Twitter
Kate Fosson on Behance
Brand Pollinators
Brand Pollinators on Instagram
Brand Pollinators on YouTube
Brand Pollinators on LinkedIn
Brand Pollinators on Facebook
Impact-Driven Holiday Guide 2022
Shore Buddies
Ware
Alter Eco
Rock Hill Coffee
Episode 63: Mompreneur on a Mission with Pallavi Pande of Dtocs
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
Conscious consumerism has grown exponentially in recent years, with shoppers expecting more transparency and less waste from the brands they choose to support. While shifting towards more sustainable business practices obviously has a positive impact on the environment, there are also a number of benefits for your brand, which you’ll learn more about in today’s episode! To help us explore this topic, we are joined by Alicia Lahey, Co-Founder and CEO of Humble Snacks, Canada’s first organic potato chip packaged in 100% plastic-free, compostable bags. We discuss Alicia’s experience in big food, why she and her husband made the shift to a more sustainable lifestyle, and why she didn’t want to launch her own brand unless it came in better packaging, plus so much more. To find out how you can continue to innovate in the natural and organic snack category and ensure that your packaging mirrors the philosophy of your brand, you won’t want to miss today’s episode of EvolveCPG!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Some of the challenges that come with adopting sustainable packaging solutions.
- Why Alicia and her husband were so committed to creating eco-friendly bags.
- Lessons learned from SunChips’ infamously noisy packaging.
- A look at Humble’s partnership with A Plastic Planet to develop their plastic-free bag.
- The importance of investing in plastic-free or plastic-neutral initiatives.
- Limitations of compostable packaging and how Humble seeks to solve them.
- How proving sustainable packaging successful will move the needle for larger brands.
- Alicia’s take on the future of better snacking (and where there’s room for innovation).
- Other product categories that Humble will expand into in the future.
- The inspiration behind their ‘humble’ brand name.
- Why communication is key when working with your spouse in your family business!
- Hurdles Alicia and her husband had to overcome to get their product on shelves.
- Valuable fundraising tips for other purpose-over-profit founders.
- Identifying (and filling) a gap in the market for organic, light, crispy, skin-on potato chips.
- Insight into Alicia’s research and development process for Humble Snacks.
- How Alicia found her way into the CPG industry, starting with driving a truck!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Humble Snacks
Alicia Lahey on LinkedIn
Alicia Lahey on Instagram
A Plastic Planet
rePurpose Global
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG Email
Today’s guest has a passion for protecting the oceans by reducing human dependence on plastics. Concerned about the toxins commonly found in lunchbox containers, plastic pollution activist and environmental entrepreneur Sandra Ann Harris decided to eliminate plastics from her kids’ lunchboxes. In 2008, she founded ECOlunchbox, a California green-certified business focused on plastic pollution aversion, offering plastic-free food containers that are non-toxic and healthy for both people and the planet. Sandra is also the author of a new book, Say Goodbye to Plastic: A Survival Guide for Plastic-Free Living. In this episode, listeners find out how Sandra has tried to make an impact, no matter what she was doing, and why she was inspired to start her own company to combat plastic pollution. Hear about some of the challenges she faced, from production to funding, and the tactic she has used to inspire change, as well as how each of us can be part of the change – in whatever way we can. She also shares some of her tips for other thought leaders and entrepreneurs thinking about writing a book, and explains how she continues to personally evolve. Tune in today to find out more!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Hear a bit more about Sandra’s career arc, from journalist to aid worker to entrepreneur.
- How the stories she chose to write as a journalist reflected her desire to make an impact.
- What it was about the plastic crisis that inspired Sandra to start ECOlunchbox.
- Some challenges that Sandra encountered in launching and growing her company.
- Sandra believes that, with curiosity and creativity, there is nowhere we can’t go and nothing we can’t achieve.
- The benefits of crowdfunding versus sourcing investors or self-funding your ideas.
- From personal health benefits to the benefit of the planet – how people came to recognize the negative impact of plastic.
- The value of using positive messaging rather than using negativity and fear to inspire action.
- We don’t need to know all the facts, we just need to be part of the change, however we can.
- Sandra shares the inspiration for her book: why this book, and why now?
- Pro tips for other thought leaders and entrepreneurs thinking about writing a book.
- How Sandra keeps evolving personally by continually taking on new challenges.
- Where to find Sandra’s book, Say Goodbye to Plastic: A Survival Guide for Plastic-Free Living.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Sandra Ann Harris on LinkedIn
ECOlunchbox
Say Goodbye to Plastic
Kickstarter
Cradle to Cradle
The Upcycle
Lovemarks
Did you know that up to 40% of food in the USA goes to waste every year? In this episode of Evolve CPG, Caroline Cotto is here to discuss how conscious consumers and brands can fight this problem. Caroline is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Renewal Mill, President of the Upcycled Food Association, and she also is passionate about all things health, wellness and, food! Finding partners with the same mission is imperative and today, Caroline shares how her company found success with the help of theirs. We also discuss the importance of making sustainability a factor in the food that we buy before discussing how upcycling food is healthier for us and the planet. So to hear more about how to fight food waste and ultimately, climate change, tune in now!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The mission and vision of Renewal Mill to consider the health of people and the planet.
- Why Renewal Mill wants to make sustainability sexy.
- The products Renewal Mill used to market their upcycled ingredients.
- How Renewal Mill found their partners and why they’re key for the company.
- How marketing influences choices and who Renewal Mill is marketing their products to.
- What Renewal Mill’s partnership focus is for the future.
- How upcycled food has become popular and where Caroline thinks it’s going in the future.
- Why conscious consumers/brands must ask questions and demand better for our food.
- The importance of communicating to consumers in a truthful manner.
- Where Caroline’s passion for food and nutrition came from.
- Caroline’s research on what influences children’s food choices.
- All about Caroline’s involvement in the Upcycled Food Association.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Caroline Cotto
Caroline Cotto on LinkedIn
Caroline Cotto on Twitter
Caroline Cotto on Instagram
Renewal Mill
Upcycled Food Association
Claire Schlemme on LinkedIn
Hodo Foods
Climate Designers - Climify
Climify on Apple Podcasts
Climify on Spotify
Climify on Instgram
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
Nutrition is key to living healthy but is a challenge due to the demands of work and life. Unhealthy snacks are what many people rely on to keep themselves energized throughout the day; often leaving them feeling tired, cranky, and hungry for more. What if there was a healthy alternative? In this episode, we speak to Mark Samuel, the Founder of IWON Organics; a company providing people with healthy, organic meals and snacks that make people feel good. Mark has had a life-long obsession with health and fitness and is passionate about helping people make better meal and lifestyle choices. In our conversation, we discuss why a founder should be deep in the business, the motivation behind IWON Organics, and the importance of nutritional balance. We also learn about how Mark got interested in health and fitness, starting with the ‘why’ for your brand, and an exciting new concept helping people win together. Tune in and discover the world of healthy and guilt-free snacking with Mark Samuel!
Key Points From This Episode:
- We start with a brief background about IWON Organics.
- The inspiration behind Mark’s passion for health and fitness.
- Find out why Mark decided on healthy snacks for his product line.
- Hear about the hard lessons he learned as an entrepreneur.
- Why being deeply involved with your business is an avenue for growth.
- Mark explains his new concept of ‘winning together’ regarding nutrition.
- He shares what got him hooked on weight training.
- Hear how he ended up starting his own CrossFit gym.
- Whether he competed professionally as a weight trainer.
- Mark explains how following your passions is not always a good idea.
- Outline of the previous companies he was involved with centered around fitness.
- Why Mark chooses a healthy and active lifestyle.
- Find out if Mark was always passionate about health and nutrition.
- We discuss the consequences of eating unhealthy food.
- Reasons why eating unhealthy is a choice.
- The benefits of collaboration between business and community.
- Advice Mark has for other founders and leaders in the industry.
- Discover why Mark thinks health should be a priority for everyone.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Mark Samuel on LinkedIn
Mark Samuel on Twitter
IWON Organics
IWON Organics on Facebook
IWON Organics on Twitter
IWON Organics on Instagram
IWON Organics on LinkedIn
IWON Organics Email
Winning Together
6 Pack Fitness
Fitmark
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
Discounts are the default incentive to grow sales for many businesses. However, a change in consumer behavior is causing them to hack into margins and deteriorate brand value. In this episode, we speak to Andrew Forman about an alternative approach gaining traction in the marketing space, donation incentives! Starting in finance as an investment banker, Andrew decided to pursue an MBA degree at Harvard. After studying, he wanted to make a social impact while following his ambitions in business, culminating in him starting Givz; an e-commerce marketing platform with a twist. Givz is a digital commerce platform that grows sales, creates positive impacts, and reduces discount dependency through the implementation of donation incentives. We talk about donation incentives instead of discounts as an alternative to grow your business and increase sales while also doing good for your community and driving positive change. Hear how discount incentives work, how offering discounts only helps your brand in the short-term, why donation incentives will help grow your business, and the overall benefits for the consumer. Tune in to hear how aligning your impact goals with your brand can drive healthy business and help make the world a better place with Andrew Forman!
Key Points From This Episode:
- A brief background about Givz and what they do differently.
- We learn about Andrew and his professional career journey.
- Details about how Givz started and became what it is today.
- The initial model Givz used and why it pivoted to its current model.
- He explains the motivation behind Givz and what the company aims to achieve.
- Find out about how he rebranded his business and attained the domain name.
- Benefits of using donation incentives instead of discounts.
- We unpack the impact of donation incentives on customer base and sales.
- Why he decided to study for an MBA degree at Harvard University.
- The biggest benefit studying for an MBA at Harvard University.
- Why using the same domain name for two business models caused confusion.
- Outline behind the psychology of discounts.
- How the donation incentive at Givz compares to similar approaches.
- Andrew tells us about the positive impact the Givz model has on customers.
- He shares what other brands could benefit from a donation incentive model.
- We discuss how free shipping works as a purchase incentive.
- Hear about the effectiveness of the donation incentive model on a brand.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Andrew Forman on LinkedIn
Andrew Forman on Twitter
Givz
Givz on Instagram
Givz on Facebook
Givz on Twitter
Givz on LinkedIn
Givz on YouTube
Givz on TikTok
Harvard University
TOMS
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
Social media can be a fantastic way to grow your brand and increase sales, but this is easier said than done, especially for people that are not extroverts. In this episode, we speak to Erica Rankin, CEO, and Founder of Bro Dough, a healthy plant-based cookie dough alternative. Erica is driven by her passion for health and fitness but also enjoys indulging in the finer things in life, particularly cookie dough! She combined these loves with her ambitions and competitive nature to start Bro Dough. Although not a natural extrovert, Erica was able to step outside of her shell and use social media to grow her business. In our conversation, we discover how she was able to leverage social media to expand her brand, the advantages and disadvantages of being a self-starter, and when is the right time to bring on investors. Tune in to hear how you can successfully use social media to increase sales and help you reach your full potential with go-getter Erica Rankin!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Introduction to Erica Rankin, Founder, and CEO of Bro Dough.
- What makes Bro Dough unique compared to other cookie dough products.
- The events that led her to start Bro Dough.
- How she combined her love for health and fitness with her entrepreneurial spirit.
- Why Erica chose to focus on cookie dough for her product line.
- She outlines the various ways Bro Dough can be used.
- Hear how she was able to overcome the challenge of less sugar.
- Learn the ups and downs Erica experienced while starting Bro Dough.
- She shares an example of a massive hurdle she recently faced.
- Reasons why Erica decided to self-fund the business.
- Advice she has for people considering bringing on investors.
- Discover how Erica first began leveraging social media to grow her business.
- Learn how she was able to grow her following on TikTok.
- We learn more about the course Erica has set up and what he inspired her to start it.
- Find out a compelling crowdfunding initiative she has planned.
- She explains what she has planned for the company in the near future.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Erica Rankin on Instagram
Erica Rankin on LinkedIn
Bro Dough
Bro Dough on Facebook
Bro Dough on Instagram
Bro Dough on TikTok
Bro Dough on LinkedIn
Grow With Erica
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Episode 080 — Better Food Packaging in 30 Questions
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
To make a true impact, your mission needs to be baked into the DNA of your brand from the get-go. Joining us today to share the keys to the success of an impact-driven brand is John Foraker, Co-Founder and CEO of nutrition-focused kids’ food brand, Once Upon a Farm. In this episode, we discover the most valuable lessons John learned from scaling Annie’s Homegrown, how he came to partner with actress and Once Upon a Farm co-founder, Jennifer Garner, and how he weaves impact into the brands he builds. Tune in for this revealing episode on scaling without compromising culture, and committing to making an impact.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Introducing John Foraker, Co-Founder and CEO of Once Upon a Farm.
- John’s advice for scaling an impact-driven brand.
- The importance of baking impact into the DNA of your brand.
- The three most valuable lessons John learned from scaling Annie’s Homegrown.
- How and why both John and actress Jennifer Garner got involved with Once Upon a Farm.
- The fundamental belief that drives John to use business as a force for positive social change.
- The benefits of the public benefit corporation model.
- Hiring advice and criticism of the historical corporate mindset.
- The importance of authenticity as a leader (and the danger of imitation).
- Reframing the term “organic”.
- How John married his passion for food and farming with business.
- The value of graduate studies and continuous learning in business.
- Once Upon a Farm’s purity promise and their partnership with Save the Children.
- The evolving nature of B Corp.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
John Foraker on LinkedIn
Once Upon a Farm
Once Upon a Farm on Instagram
Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner on Instagram
Annie’s Homegrown
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
Although not particularly new to the US market, tahini has historically been found gathering dust at the bottom of the shelf in the international foods aisle instead of being celebrated in the kitchen for its versatility. Today we are joined by Amy Zitelman, CEO and Co-Founder of Soom Foods, to talk about the various culinary uses of tahini, why she and her sisters started importing it, and the sustainable, regenerative qualities of the sesame crop and supply chain. Tune in to hear from this inspiring entrepreneur who refused to allow the lack of evidence for a thriving tahini market in the US to deter her!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The role of consumer education when introducing products to a new market.
- Why Soom Foods founders, Amy Zitelman and her sisters chose to import tahini into the US.
- The rise of tahini in the national consciousness and its culinary versatility.
- What differentiates Soom from other tahini brands in the US.
- The importance of quality invariability in the US market.
- The pros and cons of prioritizing product simplicity.
- Soom Foods’ omnichannel sales approach.
- The sustainable and regenerative qualities of the sesame crop and supply chain.
- The advantages of regenerative agriculture.
- How Amy and her sisters manage the marriage of family and business.
- How the family dynamic permeates Soom’s company culture.
- Why ignorance is bliss when it comes to starting a business.
- The fine balance between trusting your intuition and calling on others’ perspectives.
- The value of feedback.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Amy Zitelman on LinkedIn
Amy Zitelman on Instagram
Soom Foods
Soom Foods on Instagram
The Green Marketing Academy
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
Design is so much more than aesthetics; it’s a tool for business. Today’s guest, Fred Hart, is a Partner and the Creative Director at Interact, a branding and design agency similar in many ways to our own. Fred’s passion for design began with sneakers and has since transitioned to food. Interact’s approach is underpinned by the principles of “simplify to amplify” and “brave design” and, during this conversation, we discuss the work they do with small, niche brands, as well as larger, more mainstream ones (Fred might even change your perspective on “big food!”) We also zoom out and talk about trends in the CPG market right now and Fred's thoughts on the future of the space. As Fred says, the opposite of bravery is conformity. If you want to know how to stand out, this episode is a good place to start!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Exploring Interact’s ‘simplify to amplify’ strategic principle.
- The power of design as a business tool.
- Why Interact isn’t interested in design awards.
- What brave design is (and an example of what it looks like).
- A warning against putting every possible claim on your packaging.
- Working with small, niche brands versus bigger, more mainstream ones (and why “Big Food” doesn’t wholly deserve its negative reputation).
- Work Interact has done with niche brands that Fred is most proud of.
- Noteworthy design trends in the CPG market right now.
- Fred’s thoughts on personalization as the future of CPG.
- Interact’s approach to enhancing the sustainability of their company.
- Two brands Fred and his team at Interact began building when the pandemic hit.
- What Fred gained from the altMBA and AIGA Business Perspectives for Creative Leaders programs.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Interact
Fred Hart on LinkedIn
Cleanli on Instagram
altMBA
AIGA Business Perspectives for Creative Leaders
Lift Economy: The Next Economy MBA
The Green Marketing Academy
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG Email
What are you doing to make the world a better place and help those around you? Creating change in the world requires dedication and handwork, leaving very little time to run a business, but what if you could use business as a tool for good? This is the approach of today’s guest, David Simnick, CEO and Co-Founder of Soapbox and Managing Partner at Impact Driven Brands. David believes that creating and running impactful businesses is how entrepreneurs can help meet the needs of society and help make the world a better place. In this episode, we discuss his early interest in politics, how a business can be used to create impactful change, why he chose to use business to help drive change, and the hard lessons he learned on his journey to success. Don’t miss out on this inspirational episode, and find out how you can create positive impact in the world through business with David Simnick!
Key Points From This Episode:
- We learn about David’s background and his professional career journey.
- What motivated him to shift from his previous career path to start Soapbox.
- Why he decided to use business as a way to create positive change.
- The similarities and differences he sees between politics and entrepreneurship.
- Learn the definition of a ‘sustainable’ positive impact.
- David’s approach to business and making a sustainable impact.
- A brief discussion about the role of the political system in society.
- An outline of the recent positive impacts Soapbox is creating.
- Learn why good packaging design is so vital for success.
- He shares some of the hard lessons he has learned working in the CPG space.
- What it takes to be a successful entrepreneur in the CPG sector.
- Essential advice to aspiring entrepreneurs that will save you time and money.
- How growing a business and customer base helps you create change.
- The idea of learning what your customers love and then scaling those aspects.
- Find out why David decided to start and support other brands.
- How many years it took for Soapbox to become profitable.
- The various steps David takes to make sure his products are quality.
- Why it is important to couple the product quality with the cause.
- His experience with the ‘Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses’ program.
PROMO: Get 10% Off products at Soapbox, Bushwick Kitchen, and Goodnest with promo code "gagerocks".
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
David Simnick on LinkedIn
David Simnick on Twitter
David Simnick on Instagram
Impact Driven Brands
Soapbox
Soapbox on LinkedIn
Soapbox on Instagram
Bushwick Kitchen
Bushwick Kitchen on Instagram
Goodnest
Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs 10KSB
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email<
Setting out and starting a business takes courage, determination, and the ability to learn as you go. It also requires a certain commitment to the foundational causes of the work. For Adam Hiner, our guest on today's show, combining his passion for food and regenerative agriculture with his work ethic and growing knowledge of the entrepreneurial landscape has enabled him to build two really inspiring and conscientious brands. Adam is the CEO and Founder of Pacha, a gluten-free, grain-free, sprouted, fermented, paleo, and plant-based bread company, as well as the Co-Founder of Boochcraft, through which he and his team introduced the market to organic hard kombucha! In our chat, we get to hear from Adam about the important steps on his evolving path, the morals that ground his work, and some of the challenges he has faced and overcome so far. If you would like to hear about true innovations in the food sector, how Adam approached business during the pandemic, and the power of intuition in a data-filled world, listen in with us!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Adam talks about regenerative agriculture and how Pacha is involved and supports this movement.
- Challenges in the baked goods space: distribution, freshness, packaging, and more.
- The environmental and social initiatives that Adam and Pacha have linked with so far.
- A little about the organic, hard kombucha company that Adam started called Boochcraft.
- Advice from Adam for aspiring CPG business owners on the realities of running a business and using intuition.
- How Pacha was birthed at the beginning of the pandemic and Adam's attitude towards riding that wave.
- Demand for kombucha and the surprising demographics that gravitated towards the products.
- Adam's journey before launching Pacha; selling mortgages, restaurants, catering, and more!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Adam Hiner ob LinkedIn
Pacha
Boochcraft
Rate Rabbit
Unity Vibration
JuneShine
Trilogy Sanctuary
1% for the Planet
CCOF
Episode 31 - Cultivating Heartset with Linwood Paul & Matt D'Amour of Subtle Distinctions
Episode 37 — Nailing The Pitch with Kayla Castañeda of Agua Bonita
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
Success within the CPG space is an arduous undertaking that requires immense drive and passion for overcoming the inevitable challenges. Following your passion is a fundamental driver of today’s guest, Fred Haberman, an entrepreneur whose businesses reflect his values and ideals. One of those businesses, Freak Flag Organics provides ultra-organic foods with extra-amazing flavors to help people create healthy dishes right at home. In our conversation, he explains how his various businesses act as a platform to communicate ideas to help drive change, the challenges with the CPG space, and the hard lessons he has learned during his 28 years of entrepreneurship. Tune in today to find out why chasing your passions is better than chasing money with guest Fred Haberman!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Fred tells us why he decided to start his most recent company, Freak Flag Organics.
- How his businesses act as a way to communicate ideas and drive change.
- Hard lessons he has learned while working in the CPG space.
- Different aspects of a business that should integrate with marketing.
- Find out if Fred outsourced some of the work required for Freak Flag Organics.
- Fred’s thoughts on whether or not he would start another enterprise within the CPG space.
- We learn about the Freak Flag Organics product range and the inspiration behind it.
- How long the brand has existed and what plans Fred has for the company.
- He shares what he feels are the most significant successes he has had so far.
- Fred’s advice for people interested in entering the CPG space.
- Fred’s motivation behind starting Haberman and his experience in creative services.
- Details about his entrepreneurial experience and the businesses he has started.
- Some of the essential qualities needed to be successful.
- Why it is okay to ask questions and find the right people for help.
- What Fred has struggled with the most during his career.
- Where he got his passion and entrepreneurial spirit.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Fred Haberman on LinkedIn
Fred Haberman on Twitter
Freak Flag Organics
Haberman
Haberman on LinkedIn
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
Making a sustainable CPG product a household name doesn’t sound as challenging as it is. Today we speak to Pilar Ochi, Vice President of Marketing at Alter Eco, a sustainable sweet snacks company. She joined the company because this was the first brand that she found that does more for people and the planet than they talk about. While this sounds like any marketer’s dream, narrowing down the messaging and the direction the brand should be taking when you have so much to say has been quite a challenge. Today she joins us to discuss how she settled on one key takeaway, how her background in economics and in the marketing departments of both big and small companies prepared her for this job, and the challenge of scaling that she now faces having updated Alter Eco’s brand. She provides valuable insight into how to build a brand by finding the balance between owning the thing that makes your product special and owning the thing that gets it into a consumer’s cart. For all this and other helpful advice on how to build a brand, tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Why making a sustainable CPG product a household name is so challenging.
- How building a brand is a balance between owning the thing that makes you special and owning the thing that gets you into a consumer’s cart.
- The challenge of mission-driven brands settling on one key takeaway.
- How companies benefit from hiring consumers because they don’t have to figure out what makes a consumer tick.
- How Pilar decided on the direction the brand should be taking from many possible options.
- The three pillars of Alter Eco’s brand strategy and which two they chose to focus on and why.
- How Pilar’s background in economics provided a framework for understanding human behavior at scale.
- How Pilar’s different experiences at Clorox and Blue Bottle Coffee Company became the perfect foundation for her current job at Alter Eco.
- The difference between a brand marketer and a brand manager and how this varies across different-sized companies.
- Paid media versus influencer and PR and why Alter Eco does both.
- The biggest challenge of scaling now that Alter Eco’s brand has been updated.
- How Pilar envisions the industry and the world evolving towards more sustainable products.
- The shift Pilar has noticed away from a minimalist aesthetic to one that is more colorful, detailed, and sensorial.
- Thoughts on how consumers are increasingly more interested in the simple things in life.
- How Pilar hopes the pandemic will impact consumers going forward.
- The marketing books that Pilar and Gage have found useful.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Pilar Ochi
Alter Eco
Clorox
Blue Bottle Coffee Company
Decoded: The Science Behind Why We Buy
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Modern Species
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG Email
Evolve CPG
It sounds confusing, but the word ‘recyclable’ doesn’t always mean that something can, in fact, be recycled. Hopefully, by the time you get to the end of this episode, you’ll have a greater understanding of the complexities of the recycling system as a whole. Through careful distillation of the procedural and consumer-based processes, you can begin to distinguish between greenwashing and truly recyclable products. Object, consumption, recovery, and market are all relevant to the conversation, along with contamination, consumer power, and demand. Join us to hear all this and more today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Why the word ‘recyclable’ cannot be trusted as an indicator that something can be recycled.
- How the three chasing arrows symbol only identifies that a material is plastic.
- The four layers used to determine whether or not something is recyclable.
- Considering the nature of an object along with its color.
- Why objects made from a combination of materials are harder to recycle.
- The greenwashing that happens when objects are labeled recyclable, when only one component actually is.
- What needs to be considered surrounding processing contaminants.
- End-user education and communication.
- The recovery question which determines if something can effectively be recycled.
- State-specific automation and recovery processes.
- Considering the cost to recycle versus the cost of the product and the demand for it.
- A reminder of your power as a consumer.
- The effect of contamination on the recycling process.
- Why, if you don’t know if something is recyclable, it’s better to put it in the trash.
- The influence of recycling on how a material behaves in comparison to virgin materials.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
Adobe Creative Jam Event: Virtual Product Photography
No studio, camera, or product? No problem! Learn how to use virtual photography skills for photorealistic scenes, CPG product shots, portfolio mockups, and more… to elevate marketing and e-commerce imagery in the Virtual Product Photography Creative Jam on August 17. In-house, agency, and freelance designers will be challenged to stage a product shot quickly in Adobe Substance 3D Stager and submit it for feedback and prizes. No experience necessary. Sign up now to learn and compete at cjam.in/virtualphoto
The way your product is packaged is almost as important as the product itself. Your packaging helps potential customers decide whether they should pick your product off the shelf, or go for one of your competitors’ products instead. During this episode, Gage covers 30 questions relating to product packaging within the realms of messaging, images, branding, form, and (of course) sustainability. From, “How would I use it?” to, “Is the packaging recyclable/compostable?” tune in to hear how you can use these 30 key questions as a guide to help you create better food packaging and sell more products as a result!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Why your messaging is the most important part of your packaging.
- Six questions that your potential customers are likely to be asking to help them determine whether or not they are going to buy your product.
- Key factors to take into consideration with regard to your images.
- How your branding can attract or deter customers.
- Examples of how to communicate your mission through your packaging.
- Questions to take into consideration regarding the form of your product.
- A real-world example of how the form of your packaging can make your product stand out.
- Six questions that potential consumers might be asking about the sustainability of your product.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Adobe Creative Jam
Sustainable Coalition
How2Recycle
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
Adobe Creative Jam Event: Virtual Product Photography
No studio, camera, or product? No problem! Learn how to use virtual photography skills for photorealistic scenes, CPG product shots, portfolio mockups, and more… to elevate marketing and e-commerce imagery in the Virtual Product Photography Creative Jam on August 17. In-house, agency, and freelance designers will be challenged to stage a product shot quickly in Adobe Substance 3D Stager and submit it for feedback and prizes. No experience necessary. Sign up now to learn and compete at cjam.in/virtualphoto
We're re-running our most successful episodes of 2021 because there are some insights that we just have to go back to. This time, we speak about sustainable coffee practices with Paul Evers, Co-Founder and CEO of Riff, an innovative cold brew coffee company
Your morning cup of coffee has a far greater environmental impact than you might realize. Ironically, the current unsustainable practices have the largest effect on the industry itself. Today’s guest, Paul Evers, is the Co-Founder and CEO of Riff, an innovative cold brew coffee company that looks to use the whole coffee plant, reducing waste and increasing sustainability. In this episode, Paul unpacks coffee’s dirty, not-so-little, secret and shares how uncovering it led Riff to venture into an entirely new range of products no one else in the space is creating. Paul also talks about his other passion, craft beer, and how the sector’s growth has had cascading effects for other small business growth. Consumers have grown to trust their neighbors more than corporations and this is in large part due to craft beer. Tuning in, you will hear why reducing waste in the coffee industry will not just benefit the environment but could improve your health too!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Coffee’s big, dirty secret and how this led Riff to have a new product range.
- The coffee industry has large stakes in more sustainable practices yet is contributing to environmental degradation.
- The craft beer sector has been the catalyst for artisanal manufacturing in other industries too.
- The importance of getting clear on purpose as a mission-driven brand.
- Get to know Paul, his background in creative services, and the ethos that underlies his career.
- What drew Paul to focus his work on beverage brands.
- Insights into the first brand Paul launched and the major lessons from this first big step.
- Building a brand is about more than just good marketing; it’s about community.
- What led Paul to transition into the world of cold brew coffee.
- We could potentially be overlooking a super fruit, cascara.
- All of the benefits of creating demand for cascara, which should be done through creating awareness.
- Paul’s advice for impact entrepreneurs and marketers.
- Parallels between craft alcohol and cold brew coffee.
- Why small, emerging brands are the bedrock of the economy.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Paul Evers
Riff
Crux Fermentation Project
Bobby Evers
Cascara
Climify Podcast
We're re-running our most successful episodes of 2021 because there are some insights that we just have to go back to. This time, we speak about how to market sustainability with Carolyn Parrs, CEO of Mind Over Markets.
So many businesses struggle to find the right words to market their sustainable and social impact products. Today’s guest is Carolyn Parrs, CEO of Mind Over Markets, and she joins us to talk about the green consumer and the best ways to market sustainability. The purpose behind Mind Over Markets is to help sustainable and social impact businesses market themselves so they can be seen and heard more clearly in order to grow and thrive.
Carolyn’s main marketing philosophy revolves around the fact that it is the brands that can communicate the clearest and the fastest that win at the end of the day. She talks about how she helps her clients find their main message by listening to their customer’s needs, whatever they may be – a tactic that ultimately wins people over more effectively at the end of the day!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Carolyn’s love of nature, skill in copywriting, and how she got interested in sustainability marketing.
- Different tiers of the green consumer and what their buying habits look like.
- How to tap into what already motivates people to convince them to buy your product.
- The services around distilling a marketing message that Mind Over Markets provides clients.
- Online marketing tips for keeping the messaging on your website clear and collecting emails.
- How to inform leads about the rest of your services after you hook them with the main problem you solve.
- Early adopters who help champion a cause and shift the opinions of less concerned groups.
- Big mistakes that brands often make when trying to market themselves.
- Digging into the problem you solve for your clients and building your story around that.
- The challenge of working out which group on the green spectrum to tailor your message to.
- Examples of how Carolyn has reframed her clients’ messaging to better suit their customers.
- The reality that it is often economic reasons that motivate people rather than green reasons.
- Big life incidents that make people more concerned about health.
- How unbalanced the American diet is and the need to eat more vegetables.
- Where on the green spectrum the LOHAS group exists.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Carolyn Parrs on LinkedIn
Carolyn Parrs on Twitter
Mind Over Markets
StoryBrand
Start With Why
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Climify Podcast
Candor isn’t just a word; it’s a practice. By using candor you can create positive culture and build stronger teams in business. Today we talk with the co-founders of Subtle Distinctions and find out how we can use candor in the workplace. To practice it effectively, we must first consider what it is in concept. In short, Linwood and Matt tell us that candor is truth, honesty, and a foundation of high professional and personal integrity. Following this, both Linwood and Matt add a great amount of detail to the concept, touching on Kim Scott’s model of radical candor. Then, they walk us through oversharing, speaking our truth, and how to communicate truth by sticking to fact. Linwood and Matt take time to consider how compliments oftentimes don’t mesh well with critique and observation and go on to share which words and phrases work well when practicing candor. Consider joining us today and you might leave the show with newfound knowledge and skill that could help strengthen your business and relationships.
Key Points From This Episode:
- How leaders should approach candor.
- First, we need to conceptualize candor to be able to use it.
- Using the model of radical candor to decide how candor can be, and should be used.
- Matt tells us what is, and what isn’t candor.
- How to you know where the line is of oversharing.
- The nuances that come with sharing truth.
- How to put your truth across in a way that it will be taken well.
- Different terms and words to use when approaching someone with facts and concerns.
- The danger of sharing compliments when sharing truth.
- Comparing compliments to smoke.
- Matt and Linwood roleplay a conversation where they share their truths with each other.
- Hear more on Marshall Rosenberg and Kim Scott.
- The best way to start practicing candor.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Linwood Paul on LinkedIn
Matt D’Amour on LinkedIn
Subtle Distinctions
Oprah Winfrey
Radical Candor by Kim Scott
Non-Violent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall Rosenberg
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
Radical Honesty by Brad Blanton
EvolveCPG
EvolveCPG Email
EvolveCPG on YouTube
The green marketing space is one that is in constant flux and to be a part of it requires a steady commitment to learning and adjusting. Michelle Miller has dedicated herself to aiding brands and organizations that wish to stay abreast of the latest learnings and contribute to a better culture of sustainability wherever possible. Michelle is the Founder and CEO of The Green Marketing Academy, as well as the owner and Creative Director of Minty Made, and on today's show, we get to hear from our guest about how she uses these vehicles to make a difference through branding, marketing, education, and the sharing of knowledge and resources. Listeners can expect some great insight into the contemporary landscape of green marketing, as well as some personal reflections on the best practices for tangible progress in the world of business. Join us to hear it all!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Michelle comments on the common points at which brands approach her for rebranding and a fresh identity.
- Why staying realistic is so important to Michelle and the general project of increased sustainability.
- A look at Michelle's journey and some pivotal points on her path to her current work.
- The beginnings of Minty Made; how Michelle has grown her side-hustle into something much bigger!
- Some of the biggest challenges that Michelle has faced; time-management and dealing with the unknown.
- The launch of the Green Marketing Academy, the ethos behind it, and what Michelle currently offers.
- The focus on action that Michelle has baked into her academy course.
- Advice from Michelle for marketers around education, change, data, and more.
- Pivots and shifts that Michelle has made since launching her business; a look at the evolution of her client base.
- Michelle's connection to Patagonia's brand and mission, and some reflections on the experience of the 1% for the Planet summit.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Michelle Miller on LinkedIn
The Green Marketing Academy
Minty Made
1% for the Planet Global Summit
Patagonia
Let My People Go Surfing
Climate Designers
Climify Podcast on Instagram
Climify Podcast
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG Email
No entrepreneurial journey is without its challenges, but even the biggest ones can be overcome with enough passion, drive, and support. Today’s guest is Sadrah Schadel, founder and CEO of No Evil Foods, a nationwide plant based protein company which she and her life partner started in their kitchen in 2014 with just $5000. After a few major hurdles which we discuss during today’s episode, they got to a point where they were weeks away from running out of money and having to shut their doors. Tune in to hear about the rise, fall, and recent rebrand of No Evil Foods!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Factors that inspired Sadrah and her life partner, Mike, to found No Evil Foods.
- An overview of the journey of No Evil Foods from Sadrah and Mike’s kitchen in upstate New York to a nationwide plant based meat provider.
- Factors that are foundational to the company culture at No Evil Foods, and the award they won as a result!
- Major hurdles that No Evil Foods has been presented with over the past few years.
- Sadrah shares the challenges they experienced during the process of scaling their manufacturing.
- How No Evil Foods differs from many other plant-based protein brands.
- Lessons that Sadrah learned through dealing with her employees' desire to form a union.
- The value of being transparent and showing vulnerability as a leader.
- The rebranding that No Evil Foods has recently undergone.
- Valuable advice for other entrepreneurs.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Sadrah Schadel on LinkedIn
No Evil Foods
No Evil Foods on Instagram
No Evil Foods on Facebook
No Evil Foods on Twitter
Climate Designers
Climify Podcast on Instagram
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
Do you want to maximize the odds of scaling your brand to $100 million and beyond? Then, you need to learn the rules of exponential growth for consumer brands! In today’s episode, we speak with Dr. James Richardson, Founder of Premium Growth Solutions and author of Ramping Your Brand: How to Ride the Killer CPG Growth Curve, about the actual data behind how brands grow and the importance of retaining customers. Based on years of anthropological research into how and why people pay for premium-priced consumer packaged goods, Dr. Richardson outlines his approach to thinking smarter about growth as a CPG entrepreneur and explains why he believes that your fans will get you through any recession. We also touch on the importance of consumer insights, growing your brand quickly enough to survive copycats, and creating a direct owned media relationship with your fans, plus so much more! To learn more about the value of doing your research and focusing on strategy over sales volume, make sure to tune in for this insightful conversation with cultural anthropologist, strategy consultant, and CPG expert, Dr. James Richardson!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The importance of collecting comprehensive data about your consumers.
- Insight into the different growth models Dr. Richardson outlines in his book.
- A major challenge facing brands in today’s market: growing too slowly to survive copycats.
- The key role of what Dr. Richardson calls “the new modern way of doing X.”
- Why Dr. Richardson cautions against ‘over-innovating’.
- Advice for retaining consumers: create a direct owned media relationship with them.
- What drew Dr. Richardson to cultural anthropology and then to market research.
- Why he says most of his clients are people who designed something clever, saw success, and are now having an ‘oh, shit’ moment.
- How Dr. Richardson engages with companies, starting with strategic planning work.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Premium Growth Solutions
Ramping Your Brand
Dr. James Richardson on LinkedIn
Dr. James Richardson on YouTube
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG Email
ClimateDesigners.org Resources
Climify Podcast
Looking for ideas and inspiration to improve your contributions to worthy causes? In this episode we share a panel discussion from the recent 1% for the Planet Global Summit, in which we talked about some exciting ways that 1% for the Planet is enabling companies to connect, give back, and make a difference! We look at the examples of our four panelists, Isabelle Bicaci from Outer, Jack Dyer from Topa Topa, Shanon Tysland from Experience Momentum, and Stella Murray, who is an Architectural Lighting Designer and individual contributor. We unpack the worthwhile monetary and non-monetary opportunities that our panel found impactful, and the way 1% for the Planet provides space for its members to connect and collaborate. So, join us today to hear about how this great organization is making effective donations and action easy, exciting, and inspiring!
Key Points From This Episode:
- A look at how Outer utilize 1% for the Planet's tools to reduce their carbon footprint, and reforestation.
- Topa Topa Brewing Company's history with 1% for the Planet and how they currently donate.
- Exploring Experience Momentum's creative approach to giving during the pandemic.
- Stella Murray's personal goals and contributions to finding a solution to the current climate crisis.
- The different ways that you can sign up for 1% for the Planet!
- Rounding up how Modern Species approaches their giving; UFA, events, and more.
- Details about the campaigns for emotional support available through 1% for the Planet.
- Finding nonprofits to support, and thoughts on donating to existing versus new projects.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
1% for the Planet
Planet Impact Fund
Isabelle Bicaci
Outer
Shanon Tysland
Experience Momentum
Jack Dyer
Topa Topa
Stella Murray
Upcycled Food Association
1% for the Planet Giving Circle
Wilderness Volunteers
One Tree Planted
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
In this episode, we're joined by Tim Richards, founder, and CEO of Philosopher Foods, to talk about the challenges of running a premium food product company, and the benefits of raw, sprouted, and generatively grown foods.
Philosopher Foods is a nut butter company, currently, focused on creating the most delicious, nutritious, ethical, and ecological nut butters that we can possibly produce. Find more: https://philosopherfoods.com/
Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/
Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/
As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com
Today, we speak with Moji Igun, founder of Blue Daisi Consulting, about the importance of figuring out what sustainability means to you and how she's helping companies find their path to zero waste.
Blue Daisi Consulting is a sustainability consulting company that focuses on zero waste. Find more: https://bluedaisi.com/
Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/
Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/
As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com
Today we’re speaking with Kaitlin Mogentale, founder of Pulp Pantry, about identifying a problem to solve, asking for help along the way, and leaning into opportunities even if they're intimidating.
Pulp Pantry transforms scraps into snacks by utilizing overlooked resources in our food system, or upcycled ingredients. They are made more sustainable, and are, of course, better for you. Find more: https://pulppantry.com/
Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/
Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/
As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com
This week we are joined by Kate Fosson, Co-Founder, and CEO of Brand Pollinators, about the experiences and knowledge we collect during a long journey, and how she's using her unique combination of skill sets to help brands scale sustainably.
Brand Pollinators tells your brand story, connects you with more customers, and helps you scale sustainably. Learn more: https://brandpollinators.com/
Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/
Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/
As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com
In this week’s episode, we're speaking with Matt D’Amour and Linwood Paul, Founders of Subtle Distinctions, about how the process of lifestyle design can help us achieve our dreams and therefore live our best lives.
Subtle Distinctions cultivate thoughtful leaders from the inside out. Direct your destiny here: https://subtledistinctions.com/
Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/
Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/
As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com
In today’s episode, we speak with Allyson Bartlett, Director of Brand and Marketing for 1% for the Planet, about why and how companies and individuals are formalizing their commitment to the planet in ways that does good, feels good, and makes good sense.
1% for the Planet is a global organization that certifies environmental giving. Find more: https://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/
Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/
Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/
As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com
Today, we welcome Radhika Manwani, Associate at Sieo, to talk about their hybrid venture studio and marketing agency model. Also, we dive into the lessons learned while developing, launching, and growing a new product brand during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sieo builds and grows impactful companies. Learn more: https://www.sieo.io/
Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/
Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/
As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com
In today’s episode, we are joined by Douglas Raggio, Founder of Pass the Honey, about understanding biases and blind spots, and the necessity of being in it for the long haul if you're trying to change the system.
Pass the Honey does raw honeycomb you can snack on. Find more: https://passthehoney.com/
Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/
Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/
As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com
In today’s episode, we are joined by Robert Koenen, Chief Revenue Officer of Boxed Water is Better, to talk about plastic pollution, sustainable alternatives, and the difficulties entrepreneurs face when they want to bring change to the market.
Boxed Water is Better is a sustainable alternative to plastic water bottles and aluminum cans for the grab-and-go water market. Their cartons are 92% plant-based and 100% recyclable and refillable. Find more: https://boxedwaterisbetter.com/
Check out the Key Points of the Episode: https://www.evolvecpg.com/the-show/persistance-beats-resistance-rob-koenen-boxed-water-is-better
Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/
Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/
As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com
In this episode, we are joined by Pallavi Pande, founder of Dtocs, to talk about the importance of pursuing something you’re passionate about, and the challenges of being a mompreneur.
Dtocs makes compostable tableware from naturally fallen palm leaves. Find more information about them here: https://dtocs.com/
Find the Key Points of the Episode on our website: https://www.evolvecpg.com/the-show/mompreneur-on-a-mission-pallavi-pande-dtocs
Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/
Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/
As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com
Continuing last week's episode about the problem with using motivation as a marketing tool, our host, Gage Mitchell, joins us to dive into the things a brand should focus on if they want to build a new behavior on consumers.
Find the Key Points of the Episode on our website: https://www.evolvecpg.com/the-show/make-it-easy-gage-mitchell-modern-species
Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/
Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/
As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com
While motivation and education can be effective in the right circumstances and the correct order, the bottom line is: if you're dumping your marketing dollars into motivation and education only, you're draining your brand of valuable time and money!
In this mini-episode, your host Gage Mitchell goes solo to dive into the reasons why you shouldn't rely purely on education or motivation tactics in your marketing, with numerous recognizable scenarios that show why motivation can be unpredictable and inconsistent. We also look at why education only works with specific types of products and doesn't really serve you in the long term, before briefly touching on the psychology principles of using lots of information to sell.
Tune in now to chew on this bite-sized and informative installment on why you might need to seriously rethink your marketing strategy!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Two reasons why education and motivation often fall apart when it comes to marketing!
- Gage walks us through 'motivation juice' and outlines why it's a difficult thing to deal with.
- Talking about the unpredictable nature of motivation.
- Some examples of products that use psychology principles and why that isn't sustainable.
- Diving into an example that illustrates why self-control isn't consistent.
- How motivation and education can be useful in the right order and circumstances.
- A sneak-peek into next week's topic: hot tips on what to do with motivation and your brand!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Modern Species
Episode 32: Persuasive Branding with Gage Mitchell of Modern Species
Evolve CPG Community
In today’s episode, we’ll be speaking with Rob Sinclair, founder of ImaginALL Collective, about understanding the issues that are material to your brand in order to futureproof your company and move beyond sustainability towards regeneration.
Learn more about ImaginALL Collective here: http://imaginallcollective.com/
Connect with Rob Sinclair on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/consciousbrands/
Check out our new impact workshop, Exponential Good: https://www.evolvecpg.com/brand-impact-workshop-exponential-good
As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com
In today's episode, we speak with Breyn Hibbs, Head of Social and Environmental Impact at Take Two about the complexities of calculating and communicating positive impact.
Take Two is an upcycled food company that makes barley milk out of the spent grain from beer brewing. Check out their website: https://taketwofoods.com/
Connect with Breyn Hibbs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/breyn-marr-hibbs-4031508/
We also mentioned in this episode:
ReFED Insights: https://insights.refed.org/
Regrained: https://www.regrained.com/
Upcycled Food Association: https://www.upcycledfood.org/
Check out our new impact workshop, Exponential Good: https://www.evolvecpg.com/brand-impact-workshop-exponential-good
As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com
In this episode, we are speaking with Aaron Wallach, Founder and Chief Energy Officer of Javazen, about the lessons learned from the brand’s initial launch and how he’s approaching the relaunch differently.
Javazen offers a harmonious blend of coffee, organic matcha, and cacao that fuels your body and mind creating the perfect balance of energy and focus. Find more here: https://javazen.co/
Do you have any questions or feedback about the product? Reach Aaron Wallach at aaron@javazen.co
Connect with Aaron Wallach on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-wallach-91037789/
Discount code for everyone listening: ZEN10
Check out our new impact workshop, Exponential Good, at evolvecpg.com
As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com
Today, we’re speaking with Jake Karls, Co-Founder and Rainmaker at Mid-Day Squares, about their game-changing show, everything style brand marketing, and how he, Lezlie Karls, and Nick (Co-Founders) are committed to staying independent and true to themselves for the long haul.
Find out more about Mid-Day Squares here
Check out Jake Karls on LinkedIn
In today's episode, we speak with Alise Zindiga, CSR Manager at Printful, about the demand for sustainable products, the benefit of on-demand production, and the complexities of scaling sustainability across the globe.
Printful is a company that designs and sells custom products online with print-on-demand drop shipping. Find more about them here
Find more about Alise Zindiga here
Books we talked about:
We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast
Eating Animals
If you’re someone who holds a high moral standard but still takes the cheaper option off the store shelf without considering the impact of the product you are buying, it’s time to make your shopping reflect your values! Today I’m joined by Steven Clift, whose career began at the intersection of politics, community building, and the internet, with the founding of an election information non-profit organization. His path has now shifted to the ecommerce space, but his goal of making the world a fairer place remains the same. As CEO of cross-promotional engine GoodCarts, Steve is helping shop-for-good and sustainable brands expand their reach. In this episode, Steve explains how GoodCarts works, some of the brands who form part of their 150 member strong network, and the big plans he has for the future of the company. If more people start shopping with their values in mind, we can begin to turn the tide on the social and environmental degradation that is rife in the world today. After listening to this episode, the next time you have the choice between Fair Trade certified coffee and its non-Fair Trade certified equivalent, you won’t have to think long before you spend the extra few bucks!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Steve shares what drew him into the political sphere.
- The mission behind the non-profit organization that Steve founded.
- How Steve feels about the current relationship between politics and the internet.
- Steve’s experience as a facilitator of Facebook communities.
- A characteristic of a community that has a sense of group ownership.
- Tips from Steve for building a successful online community.
- Why Steve was recognized as an Ashoka Fellow, and what this means.
- The focus of Steve’s second, and current, career with GoodCarts.
- 150: the number of brands that are part of the GoodCarts network.
- One of the major challenges that small, sustainable brands are faced with.
- A description of how GoodCarts works (with accompanying visuals available on YouTube).
- Examples of the different circles that brands fall under on GoodCarts.
- Ideas that Steve has for the future of GoodCarts.
- Steve shares some member success stories.
- The importance of a compelling feature image.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
GoodCarts
Steven Clift Website
Steven Clift on LinkedIn
Ashoka
Sezzle
Dean’s Beans
Women’s Bean Project
Soak iT Up Cloths
Clards
Hippy Feet
Modern Species
Evolve CPG
Being an entrepreneur through the COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly challenging for those in the food industry. However, with some key insights into your business and product, you can thrive in this environment, as exemplified by Zachary DeAngelo, Founder and CEO of Rodeo CPG. Join us on EvolveCPG today to find out how Zachary got to where he is now, what he has learned from his experience as an entrepreneur, and where he sees the food industry going in the future. We also hear some great advice for entrepreneurs across all industries and why being an entrepreneur is so rewarding. Tune in to learn about the clients that Rodeo CPG works with, what their role is and how it evolves, and how data is crucial in understanding what's impacting your business. For all this and so much more, join us today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Welcoming Zachary DeAngelo, founder, and CEO of Rodeo CPG.
- Why this such great timing for Zachary: defining their mission statement and value proposition.
- How he got to where he is now, and why nothing was mapped out.
- Launching his first business and the lessons he learned through Cocomama.
- The difference between studying for an MBA and founding a business in the real world.
- Zachary’s advice for those starting a business: you don’t need to innovate every step.
- How Zachary ended up in sales and his move from New York to Colorado.
- Insider knowledge in each industry and how Rodeo CPG is helping to share this.
- Zachary’s experience of a service-driven business versus a product-based businesses.
- The evolution of the food industry and where technology is impacting this.
- Examples of businesses that Rodeo CPG has helped grow and what their role is.
- The three most common entry points for Rodeo CPG: complete startups, brands in their growth phase, and larger CPG companies.
- The future of technology and data use: where Rodeo CPG helps with this and brands using technology well.
- The biggest challenges and wins Rodeo CPG has experienced.
- Signs of success for Rodeo CPG and scaling their business to support brands.
- What both Gage and Zachary love about being entrepreneurs: the constant change.
- How data can show you the small changes that have a big business impact.
- Tips from Zachary to address common problems: the product is always critical, velocity is key, always be willing to check your assumptions, and more!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Zachary DeAngelo on LinkedIn
Zachary DeAngelo Email
Rodeo CPG
Omsom
Evergreen
Little Duck Organics on LinkedIn
Dream Pops
Modern Species
Evolve CPG
If you regularly find yourself asking, “How did I get here?” you may be suffering from intentionality deficit disorder. If you are living intentionally, you are always conscious of your intended destination and the ‘why’ that drives you there. If you have an intentionality deficit, you will be taken on a journey of chance encounters that will lead you somewhere, but not necessarily anywhere that you want to be. Matt D’Amour and Linwood Paul, through their coaching company, Subtle Distinctions, are determined to help people clearly understand what they really want so that they can sculpt their lives in accordance with that. In today’s episode, they share what that process looks like and the simple steps you can take to begin your own journey of intention.
Key Points From This Episode:
- What it means to have an intentionality deficit disorder.
- The question that many people ask that signals a likely intentionality deficit.
- ‘Mental garbage’ that permeates our lives.
- Step one on the journey towards intentional living; understanding your why.
- How to determine which parts of your life came about through intentionality versus those which came through chance.
- Fear that so many people have around changing their identity.
- Why your intention is like a filtration system.
- How manifestation compares to being intentional.
- Questions that will help you better understand your purpose.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Subtle Distinctions
Modern Species
Evolve CPG
In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Jonathan Deutsch about the art and science of food product research, development, and testing.
Jonathan is a professor of Culinary Arts and Science at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is the founder & director of Drexel University’s Food Lab. Find more about him here
Drexel Food Lab is a food product development and culinary innovation lab focused on improving the health of people, the planet, and economies, as well as engaging their students in real-world product development and product design projects. Learn more
- Join our FREE CPG community: https://community.evolvecpg.com/
Follow our host, Gage Mitchell, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gagemitchell/
In today's episode, we're speaking with Timothy Lawlor, Director of Marketing at ReadyWise, a company that provides long-term food storage and freeze-dried food, about the power of understanding the consumer and the problem instead of getting stuck on your initial product or solution.
Find more about:
ReadyWise
Timothy Lawlor
Murray Brand Communications
So Delicious
WhiteWave
Farmhouse Culture
The world of brand messaging and public relations is evolving at a rapid pace in response to new technologies and societal shifts. In order to thrive, companies need to react to these trends and adjust accordingly. Our guest today is Molly Gaines, the Strategic Communications and Engagement Director at the Kindship Group, with a background in journalism and a love for storytelling! With Molly's help, we tackle the central importance of authentic, relevant, and clear brand communications, and how Kindship helps purpose-driven brands survive and scale in today's climate. We also look at Molly's personal story, the huge impact of social media on society, and we hear some thoughts on the future of this line of work. Listeners can expect to come away with some great insight into the current brand environment, what might lie ahead, as well as the evergreen importance of clear lines of communication with potential customers. Tune in to discover it all!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The role of companies as trustworthy sources; the evolution of the information age.
- What Kindship does and Molly's history in the world of branding and organic food.
- Molly unpacks her framework and how it can be applied to any brand!
- The relationship between authentic communication and brand loyalty.
- Molly's journalism studiesand the passion she had for telling stories from a young age.
- The power of great writing: how journalism skills have served Molly.
- The lessons that Molly took forward from her time working in bigger companies.
- Examples of what public relations work entails: stimulating the right kind of engagement with an audience.
- Reflections on the rise of social mediaand the positive and negative results of this.
- Molly's role at the Kindship Group and the central work of strategic messaging.
- Tips from Molly for brands to refine their communications and clarify their mission.
- The future of communications according to Molly: more direct messaging and creating multi-dimensional experiences.
- The dangers of echo chambers and balancing this with the need for customized information.
Tweetables:
“A lot of my work focuses on writing, and messaging, and telling stories. That's really been my passion since high school, if not before.” — Molly Gaines [0:03:20]
“Writing is the foundation of so of what we do and how people interpret what we do.” — Molly Gaines [0:08:43]
"I think it's really important for us when people talk to know what they are talking about and not just be trying to convince people and influence on things that they really have the background to be doing that.” — Molly Gaines [0:30:04]
“Public relations should be relating to stakeholders in a way that is authentic and truthful.” — Molly Gaines [0:31:03]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Molly Gaines
Kindship
Episode 1 with Sandra Ann Harris
Haberman
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
Michelle Hirons was introduced to the business world at a very young age; by 6 years old she was helping with pricing and customer service in her family’s pharmacy, and by 12 she was accompanying her parents on buying trips. When she entered the working world in her own capacity, she became acutely aware of the discrepancies that exist between how people are treated at different rungs on the business ladder, and this drove her desire to found a business that puts employee wellbeing at the forefront. This desire became HigherRing, a customer service outsourcing company that focuses as much on its people and the planet as it does on making a profit. In today’s episode you’ll hear about how HigherRing helps their partner companies grow through their variety of offerings, some important learnings Michelle has had since founding HigherRing 5 years ago, how the company is planning to evolve in the coming years, and why treating people like people makes good business sense!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Michelle’s early introduction to business, and what she learned from this experience.
- How Michelle’s family’s business has evolved over the years.
- Advantages that come with caring for your employees' wellbeing.
- Wisdom that Michelle brought back with her to the US after the year she spent studying in Europe.
- Some of the big retailers that Michelle worked for in the past.
- Discrepancies between the way customer-facing staff and headquarter-based staff are treated by many major brands.
- Michelle’s journey of founding HigherRing, and what the company does.
- Types of companies that HigherRing partners with.
- The process of becoming a Certified B Corporation and a member of 1% for the Planet.
- Two main learnings that Michelle took from the 10,000 Small Businesses Programme.
- Examples of how HigherRing helps their clients grow.
- Why HigherRing has been so successful in attracting employees.
- The value of giving feedback in the moment.
- Growth that Michelle is planning for HigherRing in the future.
Tweetables:
“There is a strategic advantage in treating people well and making sure that they’re cared for, and in running your business in a sustainable and holistic way.” — @michelle_hirons [0:07:03]
“We’re aiming to be that fire under the growth of all of our partner companies.” — @michelle_hirons [0:20:36]
“We’re trying to create great jobs. That’s our mission.” — @michelle_hirons [0:25:03]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
HigherRing
Michelle Hirons on LinkedIn
Certified B Corporation
1% for the Planet
Modern Species
Evolve CPG
Just slow down. So many entrepreneurs don’t have this phrase in their vocabulary, which is a big part of the reason that 34% of this population group suffer from anxiety. In today’s society, people are valorized for working 90 hour weeks and pushing themselves to breaking point, but today's guests, Linwood Paul and Matt D’Amour, are determined to change this. In today’s episode, the founders of Subtle Distinctions share how they help their clients handle the common fears which attach them to future scenarios, and get them back to the present moment instead. The practices they teach take work, but the benefits will be well worth the effort!
Key Points From This Episode:
- High levels of anxiety that are present in society today.
- What Linwood and Matt are hoping to achieve through Subtle Distinctions.
- A question to ask yourself which will help you to become more present.
- How anxiety and attachment are relative in effect.
- The flood of changes that we are constantly faced with, and how to navigate them.
- Lessons from Linwood’s sailing coach about the importance of slowing down.
- Pressure that entrepreneurs feel to be constantly productive.
- Dealing with some of the most common fears.
- An example of a non-attached way to deal with a particular scenario.
- The value of starting small.
Tweetables:
“Attachment can draw us into the future.” — Linwood Paul [0:09:00]
“This idea of becoming more present is a strategy for entrepreneurs, and everyone else, to be in a more peaceful calm state so that they can direct their destiny, direct their business, direct themselves in a more intentional and grounded way.” — Matt D’Amour [0:12:15]
“Slow down to speed up.” — Linwood Paul [0:16:09]
“The more you question, the more you don’t know. The more you question, the more you wonder.” — Linwood Paul [0:33:08]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Subtle Distinctions
Deep Work
The Big Leap
Evolve CPG
“When life gives you lemons, make aguas frescas!” As was the case for many people, 2020 started off on a difficult note for Kayla Castañeda, with a young child and no job. Instead of letting this knock her down, Kayla kicked into gear and put the skills she acquired after many years of working in the food and beverage industry to good use; the co-founding of Agua Bonita. Agua Bonita boasts the first line of better-for-you, ready-to-drink aguas frescas, which come in eco-friendly cans that are branded by Kayla’s co-founder, Erin. The quality of the product combined with the authenticity and transparency of the brand, and the relationship-building approach that Kayla adopted from week one, have led to her winning every pitch competition she has entered! That’s not to say that the past year has been easy for them, and in today’s episode, you’ll hear about the ups and downs, the lessons learned along the way, their plans for the future, and some valuable advice for nailing your pitch!
Key Points From This Episode:
- What the past year has looked like for Kayla and her business.
- Kayla shares what she learned from working in the hospitality industry.
- Experience that Kayla had working for Coca Cola, and why she decided to leave the company and start consulting.
- Circumstances which motivated Kayla to found Agua Bonita.
- The approach that Kayla and her cofounder, Erin, took to funding their business.
- A goal that Kayla and Erin set when they founded the company.
- Challenges of balancing work and family life and how this impacted the decision to make Agua Bonita a full-time job.
- When Kayla and Erin were able to start drawing salaries.
- How pitching and pitch competitions have benefited Agua Bonita.
- Why fundraising is a difficult task, and the importance of relationship building early on.
- Qualities that make Agua Bonita attractive to investors.
- Valuable tips for going into pitch competitions.
- Erin’s background, and how her skillset complements Kayla’s.
- The biggest challenge that Kayla and Erin have been faced with over the past year.
- Flavors of Agua Bonita that are currently available.
- Exciting plans that Kayla and Erin have for the future of Agua Bonita.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Agua Bonita
Agua Bonita on Instagram
Kayla Castañeda on LinkedIn
Modern Species
Evolve CPG
When we look at the sectors that are contributing significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions, agriculture is responsible for 15 to 20 percent, but today’s guest believes that the food industry has an opportunity to do better; a lot better! Today, we speak with Jonathan Reinbold, Sustainability Director for Thomas Foods, about the food industry’s impact on our health and the environment and the progress being made to turn any negative impacts into positive ones. Jonathan has worked in sustainability, agriculture, and climate action for over a decade now, and his experience spans sustainability strategy, CSR reporting, non‐profit management, food systems policy, renewable energy, and green design. In this episode, we touch on how companies can benefit from an increased focus on sustainability and how taking a more holistic approach to agricultural practices can help companies become climate positive and Jonathan shares some advice for brands entering into the sustainability space: identify your biggest opportunity areas and focus there. Don’t try and do everything! Tune in today to learn more about some of the major advances that the food industry is making when it comes to sustainability!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Minimizing negative climate impacts in agriculture and throughout the supply chain.
- The increasing focus on sustainability and how businesses stand to benefit in terms of profitability and reputation.
- How companies can become climate positive by taking a holistic approach to agriculture.
- The benefits of building a climate positive mindset into your business model; start early!
- Food and physical wellness as a common thread throughout Jonathan’s career journey.
- Why health food is more about abundance and variety than it is about elimination.
- What drew Jonathan to agriculture and his early roles in community and supply chains.
- Learn about Jonathan’s previous role as head of sustainability at Organic Valley.
- Some of the initiates worked on, including guiding Organic Valley to become the world’s largest 100 percent renewably-powered food company.
- Time spent creating impact strategies, collecting data, running initiatives, and storytelling.
- The value in viewing farmers as ‘price makers’ rather than ‘price takers’.
- Integrated supply chains at Thomas Foods and how they align with Jonathan’s values.
- How big brands like McDonalds are shifting strategies in ways consumers never expected.
- Why it’s not all about packaging; identify your biggest opportunity areas and focus there.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Jonathan Reinbold on LinkedIn
Thomas Foods
Organic Valley
Lopez Foods
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG Email
Evolve CPG on YouTube
To create a CPG product that is 100% organic, 100% traceable back to the family farm, and 100% tested for pesticides and herbicides is no small feat. In today's episode, we speak to someone who has done just that. Jason Freeman is the Founder and CEO of Farmer Direct Organic, a certified organic supplier of beans, grains, legumes, and all sorts of healthy whole foods to stores across the US and Canada. Today we discuss the challenges of traceable supply chains, affordable plastic-free packaging, finding the right investors, the rise in superweeds, the need for more widely-used environmentally-friendly farming techniques, and the problems of corporations fueling unhealthy addictions that create disease. This episode is jam-packed with valuable insight into a whole range of important issues, so don’t miss it!
Key Points From This Episode:
- How Farmer Direct Organic was established and the principles that it is founded upon.
- The evolution of Jason’s career from BioHemp to Farmer Direct Co-Op, to Farmer Direct Organic, and HempScience.
- Jason’s involvement in the early hemp legalization movement.
- Jason’s thoughts on democracy in light of the prohibition of cannabis.
- Shocking stats about diabetes in America and how corporations pray on unhealthy addictions.
- The rise in superweeds that are becoming resistant to GMO technology.
- How Farmer Direct Co-Op became the first national brand to be certified to domestic fair trade standards through the Agricultural Justice Project.
- Jason’s hope for the revitalization of rural America through organic farming.
- The value of Farmer Direct Organic being consumer-founded and therefore consumer-focused.
- The difference between non-GMO and organic.
- How Farmer Direct Organic just became part of Above Food and what this means.
- What Farmer Direct Organic is doing to try to eliminate plastic in its packaging.
- Jason’s goal to have everything that the company produces approved for a diabetic diet.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Jason Freeman on LinkedIn
Farmer Direct Organic
"Attack of the Superweeds” - New York Times
Kiss the Ground
Amy’s Kitchen
Agricultural Justice Project
HempScience
Non GMO Project
Above Food
rePurpose Global
For a Better World Podcast
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Modern Species
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG email
Making a sustainable CPG product a household name doesn’t sound as challenging as it is. Today we speak to Pilar Ochi, Vice President of Marketing at Alter Eco, a sustainable sweet snacks company. She joined the company because this was the first brand that she found that does more for people and the planet than they talk about. While this sounds like any marketer’s dream, narrowing down the messaging and the direction the brand should be taking when you have so much to say has been quite a challenge. Today she joins us to discuss how she settled on one key takeaway, how her background in economics and in the marketing departments of both big and small companies prepared her for this job, and the challenge of scaling that she now faces having updated Alter Eco’s brand. She provides valuable insight into how to build a brand by finding the balance between owning the thing that makes your product special and owning the thing that gets it into a consumer’s cart. For all this and other helpful advice on how to build a brand, tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Why making a sustainable CPG product a household name is so challenging.
- How building a brand is a balance between owning the thing that makes you special and owning the thing that gets you into a consumer’s cart.
- The challenge of mission-driven brands settling on one key takeaway.
- How companies benefit from hiring consumers because they don’t have to figure out what makes a consumer tick.
- How Pilar decided on the direction the brand should be taking from many possible options.
- The three pillars of Alter Eco’s brand strategy and which two they chose to focus on and why.
- How Pilar’s background in economics provided a framework for understanding human behavior at scale.
- How Pilar’s different experiences at Clorox and Blue Bottle Coffee Company became the perfect foundation for her current job at Alter Eco.
- The difference between a brand marketer and a brand manager and how this varies across different-sized companies.
- Paid media versus influencer and PR and why Alter Eco does both.
- The biggest challenge of scaling now that Alter Eco’s brand has been updated.
- How Pilar envisions the industry and the world evolving towards more sustainable products.
- The shift Pilar has noticed away from a minimalist aesthetic to one that is more colorful, detailed, and sensorial.
- Thoughts on how consumers are increasingly more interested in the simple things in life.
- How Pilar hopes the pandemic will impact consumers going forward.
- The marketing books that Pilar and Gage have found useful.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Pilar Ochi
Alter Eco
Clorox
Blue Bottle Coffee Company
Decoded: The Science Behind Why We Buy
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Modern Species
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG Email
Evolve CPG
If you have a food and beverage product, getting it onto the grocery store shelf is not enough; it has to sell! Today’s guest, Alli Ball, Founder of Food Biz Wiz, is a former grocery buyer turned wholesale consultant, and she helps food and beverage brands understand how to be successful on the retail shelf. In this episode, Alli pulls back the curtain and offers insights into the minds of buyers, and what they are looking for in brands. Stories and tasty products aren’t just a given in 2021; buyers do their research before they commit. Alli also touches on her unique course offering, who the program is targeted at, and what you can gain from it. For all this and more, tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Get to know today’s guest, Alli Ball.
- Alli’s start at Bi-Rite and the incredible expansion of the company.
- What Alli’s role as a grocery buyer entails.
- The misconception people have about how buyers evaluate products.
- Finding the balance between historical data and future predictions.
- Why Alli decided to become a consultant.
- Hear about the podcast Alli hosts and the three segments of the show.
- Details about Alli’s course, Retail Ready, and who it is for.
- The most common misconception brands have around wholesale.
- How brands can take advantage of the rise in e-commerce; it’s not what they think!
- What’s on the horizon for Alli and Retail Ready.
Tweetables:
“In that role of grocery buyer, my role was to figure out products for our shelves and make sure that once we did put them on the shelf, they sold.” — Alli Ball [0:05:40]
“The more feedback we can get from our audiences, the better.” — Alli Ball [0:23:38]
“If you want to sell on a shelf, whether that is a digital shelf or a physical brick and mortar shelf, Retail Ready is for you.” — Alli Ball [0:26:24]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Food Biz Wiz
Alli Ball
Retail Ready Course
Bi-Rite
Evolve CPG
Feeling constantly sick, tired, and weighing 300 pounds at 18 years old, Michael Fata embarked on a pursuit of health, which, after much experimentation, led him to the discovery of the benefits of hemp.
Hemp, though often confused with marijuana, has no mind-altering properties and is a great source of essential fatty acids. When Michael founded his company, Manitoba Harvest, not only did he have zero high school or college education, but he was also faced with the challenges of hemp being a product with a brand-new supply chain, laden with numerous regulatory challenges.
However, Michael’s passion for his products, his sound business ethics, and his decision to focus solely on hemp culminated in a hugely successful business. In today’s episode, you’ll hear about the learnings Michael had along his journey with Manitoba Harvest, some key insights from the experience he has had as an investor since he sold his company, and the various other ways he is helping entrepreneurs to succeed in the business world.
Key Points From This Episode:
- The motivation that sparked Michael’s health journey.
- How Michael became interested in hemp.
- Examples of some of the major learnings Michael had when he entered the world of business.
- Confusion relating to hemp and marijuana that made things challenging for ManitobaHarvest when it was starting out.
- The goals of the Canadian Hemp Trade Association that Michael founded.
- Why Manitoba Harvest chose to focus solely on hemp.
- Michael’s concern with entrepreneurs who put a lot of emphasis on selling their businesses from the beginning.
- Advice that Michael gives to entrepreneurs from an investor standpoint.
- How Michael and his partner are helping other entrepreneurs to succeed in the business world.
- Why Michael is a fan of social audio platforms like Clubhouse.
- How Michael maintains his commitment to his own health and wellbeing.
- The stage of a business’s lifecycle when Michael likes to invest, and why.
Tweetables:
“I always took the high road and built the brand known for the best quality and a great company to do business with, and that’s how we really outcompeted all the competitors.” — Michael Fata [0:12:29]
“Our mission was to become the experts in hemp, right from the genetics and the farming operation all the way through to the consumer.” — Michael Fata [0:13:27]
“If you grow a good business and become a leader in your space, and you get to the right scale, you’ll likely have a good opportunity to sell the business. If you overly focus on selling the business it could create the wrong culture and lead to failure.” — Michael Fata [0:14:59]
“I feel grateful that I found my health when I was 18,19 years old, so I too want to make this world a healthier place and I want to help founders make sure that their vision and mission is realized.” — Michael Fata [0:38:16]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Mike Fata on LinkedIn
Mike Fata on Clubhouse
Manitoba Harvest
Fata & Fleishmann Mentorship
Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill
The Promise of Sleep
The general trend towards healthier living and better information about nutrition has many layers, with one of the main tenets being an increase in transparency from food brands about the ingredients used and their sources. Today we are joined by Colleen Kavanagh, the CEO and Co-Founder of ZEGO Foods, to talk about how the company is enabling its customers to live healthy and fulfilling lives, and supporting achievement on multiple levels. Colleen shares some of her personal journey with nutrition and how this led into her career, the important shifts in the industry in recent years, how public policy fits into the picture, and the central theme of transparency at ZEGO! So, for a great check-in on the present and future of the world of health foods, be sure to listen in with and see what Colleen has to say!
Key Points From This Episode:
- How customer action can quickly impact the industry and make meaningful change!
- Advice from Colleen around the legalities of going to market and a safe marketing plan.
- Colleen's background and how her own celiac disease diagnosis led her getting into nutrition.
- ZEGO Foods' process to becoming a B-Corporation and the processes around certification.
- Pesticides and diseases; the research that has illuminated the dangers of what we consume.
- The launch of ZEGO Foods and how Colleen formulated the vision for the company.
- Concerns about safety and assurances related to allergies and ingredients lists.
- The centrality of the testing process at ZEGO Foods and bringing these practices up to speed.
- Information on A Better Course, Colleen's school nutrition program!
- Thinking about the next few years at ZEGO; the two current goals of the company.
- How local work in San Francisco deeply impacted Colleen's philosophy.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Collen Kavanagh on LinkedIn
ZEGO Foods
A Better Course
KRAFT Foods
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
The California Certified Organic Farmers, or CCOF, extends across the US and certifies more operations than any other organic certification company or organization in the country. This week we get together with Jessica Beckett Parr to discuss her work as director of the CCOF Foundation, and how her devotion to agriculture was shaped from a young age. Tuning in you’ll hear about the history of CCOF as well as the history of certification and organic farming in America. Jessica shares her expansive knowledge on the many benefits of organic and why it has such an important role to play in combating climate change. She elaborates on the expansive scientific data available on the benefits and effects of organic farming and how laypeople can access it. We also hear about the various initiatives the CCOF Foundation is pursuing, from pledging money to students who want to work in organic farming, to supporting farmers looking to transition to organic. Jessica interrogates how taboos around organic are changing and reflects on the individuals who give her hope for the future. Tune in today for this inspiring discussion on organic farming, the CCOF, and much more!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Introducing today’s guest Jessica Beckett Parr and how she developed her love for agriculture.
- More about Jessica’s career path and how she came to be the director of the CCOF Foundation.
- How Jessica worked with Deborah Koons Garcia on her movies The Future of Food and Symphony of Soil.
- What inspired Jessica to go back to school to earn a Master's in Science and Community Development.
- How CCOF was founded in 1973.
- The history of organic certification and how it has changed over the past fifty years.
- How CCOF was involved in creating a national standard for organic by petitioning the government.
- How certifiers are routinely audited by the government to maintain the standards for certification.
- The three legal entities of CCOF and their purpose, namely the Certification entity, their lobbying organization, and their foundation.
- How the CCOF foundation focuses on education and training.
- How they raise money to support students who want to pursue organic education.
- How the foundation supports farmers who want to transition to organic.
- The Benefits Report and how it has affected political engagement with organic agriculture.
- The processing bottleneck with certifying meat as organic.
- The importance of understanding your local habitat.
- Jessica’s thoughts on the future of organic and the young people and individuals inspiring her.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Jessica Beckett Parr on LinkedIn
CCOF
The Future of Food
Symphony of the Soil
Benefits Report
Roadmap to an Organic California
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Your morning cup of coffee has a far greater environmental impact than you might realize. Ironically, the current unsustainable practices have the largest effect on the industry itself. Today’s guest, Paul Evers, is the Co-Founder and CEO of Riff, an innovative cold brew coffee company that looks to use the whole coffee plant, reducing waste and increasing sustainability. In this episode, Paul unpacks coffee’s dirty, not-so-little, secret and shares how uncovering it led Riff to venture into an entirely new range of products no one else in the space is creating. Paul also talks about his other passion, craft beer, and how the sector’s growth has had had cascading effects for other small business growth. Consumers have grown to trust their neighbors more than corporations and this is in large part due to craft beer. Tuning in, you will hear why reducing waste in the coffee industry will not just benefit the environment but could improve your health too!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Coffee’s big, dirty secret and how this led Riff to have a new product range.
- The coffee industry has large stakes in more sustainable practices yet is contributing to environmental degradation.
- The craft beer sector has been the catalyst for artisanal manufacturing in other industries too.
- The importance of getting clear on purpose as a mission-driven brand.
- Get to know Paul, his background in creative services, and the ethos that underlies his career.
- What drew Paul to focus his work on beverage brands.
- Insights into the first brand Paul launched and the major lessons from this first big step.
- Building a brand is about more than just good marketing; it’s about community.
- What led Paul to transition into the world of cold brew coffee.
- We could potentially be overlooking a super fruit, cascara.
- All of the benefits of creating demand for cascara, which should be done through creating awareness.
- Paul’s advice for impact entrepreneurs and marketers.
- Parallels between craft alcohol and cold brew coffee.
- Why small, emerging brands are the bedrock of the economy.
Tweetables:
“My ethos is really oriented around relationships and that’s really driven a lot of my career path and what my interests are. I really see brand actually as being the conduit.” — @paulevers [0:02:03]
“Nobody understands that their normal up of Joe is actually contributing to the new normal; the extreme weather events, the floods, the fires, what’s happening to the planet.” — @paulevers [0:36:00]
“The coffee industry as a whole has this very significant sustainability risk moving forward and the irony is that they are contributing to the greatest threat.” — @paulevers [0:37:26]
“Failure is part and parcel of exploration.” — @paulevers [0:47:21]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Paul Evers
Riff
Crux Fermentation Project
Bobby Evers
Cascara
Food Waste is a global issue and plays a pivotal role in the onset of climate change. While the problem might seem overwhelming, there are increasing opportunities for consumers to impact change through their choices. This week we welcome Turner Wyatt, CEO at The Upcycled Food Association, to discuss how his company is helping producers and consumers make better decisions that will have a global impact on food waste reduction. Turner shares his journey with food waste reduction and sustainability and explains how taking a solution-based approach has led to outcomes that align environmental and sustainability goals with financial incentives and healthy profits, and why this is great news for the future of upcycling food. Make sure you tune in for this remarkable conversation to learn about the power of upcycling food and how you can make a difference!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Learn about the research-based evidence presented by Project Drawdown that illustrates the critical role that reduced food waste plays in curbing climate change.
- Why it’s essential to hold big companies accountable for the massive amount of food waste occurring every year and how they benefit from it.
- The huge benefit of aligning environmental and sustainability efforts with financial incentives.
- Our natural tendency to upcycle foods and how the industrialization of food products has disrupted those traditions and caused a dissociation with food in modern culture.
- Why Turner founded The Upcycled Food Association after working with multiple non-profits.
- The Upcycled Certification logo and how it empowers consumers to align their choices with their values.
- How concerns over food waste is a universal concern that bridges political divides.
- The important lessons that Turner learned about food charity and unintended consequences after co-founding Denver Food Rescue as a young adult.
- The Fresh Food Connect app and how it takes a solution-based approach to overcome complex barriers that prevent us from combating food waste and food insecurity.
- The future of upcycling and a circular economy.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Turner Wyatt
Turner Wyatt on LinkedIn
Upcycled Food Association
Project Drawdown: Reduced Food Waste
Denver Food Rescue
Fresh Food Connect App
Evolve CPG
After getting sober in 2015, today’s guest, Kelsey Moreira, set off on a journey to make the world a little sweeter by starting Doughp Legit Cookie Dough, a company that makes edible, bakeable, and ridiculously tasty cookie dough. You’ll hear about Kelsey’s lifelong interest in marketing and how her ambition drove her to use alcohol to relieve stress before reaching a turning point that changed sobriety from a ‘should’ into a ‘must’. Her huge life change left her with the capacity to pursue a new endeavor, and she began baking as a hobby until her entrepreneurial spirit led her to transform it into a business and pitch it on Sharktank to find an investor. Doughp has an ecommerce segment, as well as physical stores in San Francisco and the Las Vegas strip, which Kelsey chose because of her focus on addiction recovery. We explore the power of the message behind the brand to grow a community, and Kelsey reveals more about the non-profit piece of the company, donating one percent of total sales to a different organization each year, with She Recovers as this year’s non-profit. Kelsey shares plenty of actionable advice with listeners today, and points us in the direction of her podcast, Soberpreneur, where she interviews innovative business owners who have recovered from addiction. We hope you tune in to be inspired by this force for good today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Kelsey’s company, Doughp, and the edible, bakeable cookie dough products they make.
- Their focus on addiction recovery and mental health, sparked by Kelsey’s journey to sobriety.
- The brownie cookie dough Doughp produced with Regrained flour and other partnerships.
- Kelsey’s lifelong interest in marketing and how she worked at Intel from the age of 16.
- How she came to rely on alcohol to relieve the stress of building a career in tech marketing.
- What she learned from Intel’s focus on doing good by fighting online harassment.
- Kelsey’s journey to sobriety and the turning point that took her from ‘should’ to ‘must’.
- Her nickname, Monsterbaby, and the sweet tooth that led her to baking after she got sober.
- How her entrepreneurial spirit and love of baking sparked the start of Doughp.
- The best way to consume Doughp cookie dough: half baked.
- Flaxseed as a substitute for eggs, allowing you to eat the dough raw.
- How Kelsey pitched to go on Sharktank and ended up being chosen to appear on TV.
- What it was like to appear on Sharktank and how questions about health arose.
- The investor that came through shortly after and how they made it onto the 500 list.
- Her two locations in San Francisco at Pier 39 and on the Las Vegas strip.
- Why she chose to set up a store in Las Vegas; a hotspot for addiction.
- How the message behind the brand has changed lives and built a community.
- Doughp online, Doughp stores, and stocked at convenience stores.
- 7-Eleven’s Brands with Heart campaign focusing on mission-led companies.
- Kelsey’s actionable tip: the Hatch Restore light clock’s wind down routine.
- Her podcast, Soberpreneur, where she interviews recovered business owners.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Kelsey Moreira on LinkedIn
Kelsey Moreira on Twitter
Doughp
She Recovers
The Hatch Restore
Tiny Habits
The Big Leap
Soberpreneur Podcast
Company culture is one of the pillars that will define an organization's outcomes, and the more intentionality and balance that can be brought into a workspace, the better for all involved. Linwood Paul and Matt D'Amour join us on the show today to talk about the idea of the business zip code, and how geography and assumptions can negatively impact the systems and processes at any business. Our guests are the cofounders of Subtle Distinctions, where they help cultivate thoughtful leaders and better companies as a result. In our conversation, we get into the importance of balancing different approaches, especially strong leadership and inclusive decision-making. We also hear about the value of transparency and understanding, and the idea of a pool of share meaning. Listeners can expect to come away with some new ideas for leadership positions as well as what it means to engage appropriately as an employee, so do not miss this eye-opening conversation!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The pluralism of systems; finding the right balance of approaches for a healthy company.
- Developing a pool of shared meaning for better engagement and outcomes.
- The recent project at Subtle Distinctions that underlined the impact of geography on leadership.
- The dangers of analysis-paralysis and the destructive quality of too much processing and discussion.
- Promoting intentionality and priorities in a company culture to ward off automatic processes.
- Why clarity and understanding often trump having a role in decision-making.
- Differences in business culture across the world, and even with the US.
- The need for definitive leadership and direction at an organization.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Linwood Paul on Linkedin
Matt D'Amour on LinkedIn
Subtle Distinctions
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
So many businesses struggle to find the right words to market their sustainable and social impact products. Today’s guest is Carolyn Parrs, CEO of Mind Over Markets, and she joins us to talk about the green consumer and the best ways to market sustainability.
One of the big themes in today’s conversation is how to get people to adopt your sustainable product. People fall into different tiers according to their devotion to buying green products and this begs the question of which group to target so that you can make the most impact.
Also, she talks about how she helps her clients find their main message by listening to their customer’s needs, whatever they may be – a tactic that ultimately wins people over more effectively at the end of the day!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Carolyn’s love of nature, skill in copywriting, and how she got interested in sustainability marketing.
- Different tiers of the green consumer and what their buying habits look like.
- How to tap into what already motivates people to convince them to buy your product.
- The services around distilling a marketing message that Mind Over Markets provides clients.
- Online marketing tips for keeping the messaging on your website clear and collecting emails.
- How to inform leads about the rest of your services after you hook them with the main problem you solve.
- Early adopters who help champion a cause and shift the opinions of less concerned groups.
- Big mistakes that brands often make when trying to market themselves.
- Digging into the problem you solve for your clients and building your story around that.
- The challenge of working out which group on the green spectrum to tailor your message to.
- Examples of how Carolyn has reframed her clients’ messaging to better suit their customers.
- The reality that it is often economic reasons that motivate people rather than green reasons.
- Big life incidents that make people more concerned about health.
- How unbalanced the American diet is and the need to eat more vegetables.
- Where on the green spectrum the LOHAS group exists.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Carolyn Parrs on LinkedIn
Carolyn Parrs on Twitter
Mind Over Markets
StoryBrand
Start With WhyClimify Podcast
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Going green is set to be big business in the coming years, thanks, in part, to growing consumer demand for products that are good for the planet. But this can also be good news for brands, as embedding Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors into your core strategy can help deliver long-term value. In today’s episode, we speak with Ryan Williams, Operating Partner of NextWorld Evergreen, about how brands and investors are taking sustainability seriously, even when some experiments fail. Ryan also shares his tips for purpose-driven brands seeking mission-aligned equity and explains why profitability is the single most important thing mission-driven brands can do, plus a whole lot more! Tune in today to find out why ESG and sustainability principles are critical for the next 10 to 25-year time period and how they contribute to a brand’s resilience and long-term success.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Why ESG and sustainability principles are critical over the next 10 to 25-year time period.
- The resilience of brands that incorporate ESG and sustainability into their business strategy.
- How Ryan fell in love with consumer brands and felt more connected to the social impact of his work as a scientist.
- The intersection between disruptive innovation and consumer buy-in for market viability.
- How collaboration and obstacles during development can encourage product innovation.
- What drew Ryan to the study of toxicology and how it has served him on his career journey.
- Ryan’s experience of working at Clorox and what he learned during his time there.
- Ryan talks about his role as ‘Good Cop’ and ‘Global Greenskeeper’ at method products.
- Some sustainability case studies from Ryan’s time at method, including what he calls “spectacular failures.”
- An example of how Ryan offered technical support for business strategy at method.
- Ryan describes his position at NextWorld Evergreen, an equity firm focused on sustainability.
- Find out what NextWorld Evergreen looks for in their conscious consumer brands.
- What Ryan’s role at Operating Partner entails, such as implementing ESG frameworks.
- Why their acquisition of Alter Eco was one reason Ryan wanted to join NextWorld Evergreen.
- Ryan’s tips for purpose-driven brands seeking mission aligned equity: make every decision through the lens of your mission.
- Why the single most important thing mission-driven brands can do is achieve profitability.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Ryan Williams on LinkedIn
NextWorld Evergreen
Clorox
method products
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
The world of 3D printing and the cannabis space are two areas that have seen massive progress in the last few years. The intersection between these two spheres is what inspired today's guests to build the simple yet ingenious C-Bite! Joining us to talk about the C-Bite are the co-founders of Thriving Design, brother and sister team, Jordan and Morgan Rider! In our conversation, we get to hear about the steps that led up to Jason's invention of the C-Bite and how he asked Morgan to get involved to make a business out of his experimentation. We also talk about the rise of gardening during the pandemic, and how this trend shows no sign of slowing down. Tuning in, listeners can expect to hear about how combining interests, curiosity, and business-mindedness can produce innovative and exciting results, and the components of a truly inspiring small business, so make sure to join us!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Why expertise in branding is so valuable when launching a new product.
- The inspiration behind Jason's invention of the C-Bite!
- The decision to invest in a 3D printer and the first ideas that Jason had for it.
- How Jason and Morgan joined forces to work in the company after the patenting.
- Breaking down the specifics of the C-Bite and the different ways it can be used.
- The different skills and expertise that the two co-founders bring to the table at Thriving Design.
- The importance of fundraising early and advice for patenting an original product.
- Biggest realizations since entering the gardening industry; how businesses are run and the impacts of the pandemic.
- The target markets that Thriving Design is focused on: cannabis growers, home gardeners, and industrial agriculture.
- The process of experimentation involved in developing and selecting materials for the C-Bite.
- Future products for Thriving Design; how the brands under the umbrella might grow.
- Jason and Morgan's history of gardening and growing vegetables.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Thriving Design
Morgan Rider
Jason Rider
Jason Rider on Instagram
Tinkercad
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
No matter what kind of brand you are running, in order to be successful and create an impact, you need to be able to connect with a community and build an audience. Today we are doing things a little differently, and instead of interviewing a guest, Gage breaks down the principles detailed in the book, Influence, by Robert Cialdini, and applies them more particularly to the type of branding we are most interested in. The six psychological principles are reciprocation, commitment and consistency, social proof, liking, authority, and scarcity. If you have not yet read the book, it is well worth your time and can provide a really good foundation for a socially impactful business! So for a great introduction to a seminal work, with direct applicability and ideas for connecting the dots of your brand, make sure to listen in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The concept of reciprocation; giving in order to receive.
- Implementing commitment and consistency, and leaning into behaviors that support these.
- Gaining social proof and connecting your brand with the right community.
- The power of liking a brand and how this can ease transactions and decision-making.
- Using authority as a means to direct an audience to your offers.
- Creating a sense of scarcity to drive sales and the impetus to act.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Influence
Robert Cialdini
Social Nature
Seth Godin
Yumbutter
Clubhouse
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
In order to make the best possible decisions, we need to use all the tools available to us, and not just the rational mind, that often dominates our choices. This is where the concept of heartset comes into the conversation, and in this episode, we are joined by two inspiring guests to explore the idea of heartset and how to utilize this important tool for the benefit of ourselves, those around us, and the work and projects in which we are involved. Linwood Paul and Matt D'Amour are the cofounders of Subtle Distinctions, where they help cultivate thoughtful and well-rounded leaders. Our guests explain how heartset can fit into a system of tools, and the first steps that individuals can take in order to start listening more to their feelings. They also get into the idea of balance and why there is a place for each part of us, before talking about how these concepts can be applied in business and beyond. Listeners can expect a refreshingly simple approach to a potentially revolutionary path, so make sure to join us for this great chat!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The future-facing vision associated with entrepreneurship.
- How to start the journey of cultivating your heartset.
- Defining heartset and how our guests have experienced and used this concept.
- Using awareness to notice when the mind is dominating the heart.
- Connecting with others and building a network of hearts that serves everyone.
- The requirements of heartset and the importance of giving the mind a break.
- Intentional application and avoiding acting on automatic.
- Bringing the strength of heartset to the projects of business and leadership.
- Learning to trust the decisions that we make with the heart.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Linwood Paul on Linkedin
Matt D'Amour on LinkedIn
Subtle Distinctions
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Popularity and awareness of the B corp certificationhave been growing steadily and the burgeoning space is showing no signs of slowing down. Today we get to chat with Veena Harbaugh, who is the Director of Marketing and Communications for B Lab U.S. & Canada, about the topic of B corps and how her work at B Lab aims to champion this important step for the business world. In our conversation, we get into the multifaceted nature of B corp companies, why the growing number of businesses with the certification is creating a rising tide, and how the marketing and storytelling around different brands are important to the expansion of the public's understanding. Veena talks about the responsibility of business to take action in areas that matter, and how the B corp model is creating radical shifts in the economy, with real attention on important issues such as racial equality and environmental sustainability.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Advice from Veena for companies considering the transition to B corp.
- Growth in the B corp space and what these numbers show about the possibilities for the future.
- Veena's current professional role and the variety of things that make up her life!
- How Veena landed in marketing at B Lab and the important steps that led up to this point.
- Veena's thoughts on the shareholder model and why it does not have to be the norm.
- The startups and political campaigns that Veena worked on straight out of college.
- Veena's thoughts on the exciting short-term future of the B corp movement.
- How the B corp movement makes it possible to address the historical shortcomings of business.
- Challenging areas of marketing a B corp in a growing field.
- Improvements in marketing and communication within the B corp space in the last few years.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Veena Harbaugh
B Lab
Presidio
Salesforce
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Growth without a sense of responsibility is a recipe that can lead to many problems further down the road. Whether it be for a business or for a wider-reaching area of impact, sustainability and principle-led scaling of businesses should be a higher priority as we move into the future. Here on the show today to talk about this mission and how it is embodied at New Hope Network is Eric Pierce! Eric is the Vice President of Business Insights at New Hope and his passion for the intersection of marketing, psychology, and creativity, coupled with a desire to build a better future has manifested itself perfectly in this role, at this company. In our conversation, Eric unpacks some common mistakes from the world of marketing, how he managed to maneuver his weaknesses into becoming strengths, and how to really listen and understand the sectors of the market you want to serve. Listeners will come away with a newfound clarity on the responsibility attached to growing a business of the future, as well as how to avoid the common pitfalls of scaling an organization.
Key Points From This Episode:
- The roots of Eric's passion for ideas and creativity, working at a local store and at college.
- Building a company culture that values and listening to consumers with a strong email list.
- The specific services that New Hope provides for brands and how best to connect with them.
- Landing at New Hope and the life choices and events that informed this career move for Eric.
- Better research practices for brands; Eric weighs in on how companies can up their game.
- The goal of greater health and responsible growth for companies as they scale.
- Eric's style of learning and how he managed to play to his particular strengths for conceptually solving puzzles.
- Eric's thoughts on the future of natural products and his big-picture perspective on the present.
- A few of the jobs that Eric had in marketing research and the important lessons he started learning.
- Eric's time at the Wisconsin School of Business and his family connection to the area.
- Consulting and advisor work that Eric has done with other companies and organizations.
- The power of testing hypotheses for solving business problems and making decisions.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
New Hope Network
Eric Pierce on LinkedIn
Eric Pierce on Twitter
Amari
Findaway Adventures
Kiss the Ground
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
The recent years have shown that the vegan diet and movement are here to stay and that there is an ever-growing demand for alternatives to the traditional American diet. Joining us on the show today to speak about her journey in and perspective on the world of vegan foods and recipes is the amazing Ellen Kanner, also known as The Soulful Vegan. Ellen talks to us about her work with plant-foods, and the lifestyle she has been living for the last 20 years since turning away from animal products. Her goal is to empower individuals to be kind to themselves and the planet through what they cook and eat, and we get the inside scoop on her main avenues for doing this. As the author of several books including her latest, Feeding the Hungry Ghost, and the upcoming Miami Vegan, Ellen is helping to spread more impactful and illuminating information on vegan nutrition and practices while doing what she loves! Listeners can expect to come away with some great perspective on the exciting possibilities around veganism that may not have been available in the past, so be sure to listen in to hear what our wonderful guest has to say!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Growth of the vegan movement and the recent surges we have seen in the market.
- Ellen's current favorite plant-based products and recipes, and most common recommendations.
- The main motivations behind Ellen's decision to go vegetarian and then vegan.
- Getting away from associating vegan diets with austerity.
- content.
- The emphasis that Ellen puts on organic, unprocessed food sources.
- Some information on Ellen's book and the inspiration behind writing and publishing it.
- Concerns around protein and the amazing satiation that is possible through sources such as legumes.
- The new book about Miami that is currently in Ellen's pipeline and the different angle she is adopting this time.
- Innovative developments in the world of vegan foods and Ellen's concerns about certain types of technology.
- Thoughts on the future of the vegan movement and what Ellen is most excited about!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Ellen Kanner
Feeding the Hungry Ghost
Ellen Kanner on Twitter
Organic Marketing Association
Miyoko's
L'artisane
Vegan Treats
Bloom Bake Shop
Environmental Watch
Michael Pollan
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
With so much information available in the current age, finding trusted and convenient sources that are useful to our needs is more important than ever. This is the philosophy that has inspired Justine Reichman in her quest to supply a growing community with better information and resources for wellness and healthy foods. Justine is the Founder and CEO of NextGenChef and the host of the Essential Ingredients Podcast, where she serves her audience by providing them with amazing conversations to aid their decisions about nutrition and health. We talk about the centrality of volunteering work, and how Justine's roots in helping others led to the beginnings of her current initiatives. Justine is so excited about creating a healthier and better-informed future for the planet and its people, so listen in to get started on this journey with our amazing guest!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Justine's background in the arts and her passion for volunteer work.
- The launch of NextGenChef and what sparked the beginnings of the community.
- The wide-ranging audience and topics of the Essential Ingredients podcast!
- The family roots of Justine's entrepreneurial spirit!
- Excitement about the current spread of health and wellness information.
- How the Founder Institute supports entrepreneurs and Justine's work with them.
- The growth and evolution of NextGenChef app into the amazing network and resource it is today!
- Looking to the future with Justine and the family of brands she is working on bringing into the world.
- Types of users that NextGenChef is aimed at and the goal of more informed choices for all.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Justine Reichman
NextGenChef
Essential Ingredients with Justine Reichman
The Founder Institute
10,000 Small Businesses
Goldman Sachs
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
It seems ludicrous that farmers and grocers throw so much good food away. Surprisingly, very few people have come up with solutions to this problem. Outcast Foods is the world’s first sustainable nutrition company that is disrupting the status quo of food waste using dehydration.
Today's guest is TJ Galiardi, Co-Founder, and CMO of Outcast Foods, and he joins us to talk about the explosive growth of his brand and the upcycling movement. Our conversation covers TJ’s process of working out how to dehydrate a wide range of fruits and vegetables considering that each product needs to be treated differently. We talk about the issue that while upcycling seems like a no-brainer, TJ and his partner found the process of convincing farmers and lawmakers about the benefits of repurposing surplus fruits and vegetables to be a huge challenge. Join us today and listen to TJ’s simple but highly effective solution to the issue of food waste!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The idea of ending food waste by dehydrating surplus products and how TJ came up with it.
- The different applications for dehydrated food; protein powder, B2B ingredient powders, fruit chips, and more.
- What got TJ interested in the issue of food waste and doing something to solve it.
- Challenges around convincing farmers and passing regulations to get the upcycling idea off the ground.
- The evolution of the upcycling movement and the companies doing it in different ways.
- Great sales Outcast Foods is experiencing and the role of the upcycling and sustainability movement in this.
- How TJ got into food and nutrition and met his partner before starting Outcast Foods.
- The approach to marketing and sales, the role of an online B2C model, and the areas that Outcast Foods is focusing on serving.
- Why TJ became a vegan through the influence of his wife and the health benefits of the diet.
- Success Outcast Foods has had in raising capital and the new facilities they are building.
- The role of TJ’s partner Dr. Darren Burke in coming up with new product formulations.
- The elements of TJ’s past have fueled his success in his current role.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Evolve CPG
TJ Galiardi on LinkedIn
TJ Galiardi on Twitter
Dr. Darren Burke on Twitter
Outcast Foods
Hemp has got uses from the roots to the shoots and this magical plant along with organic farming is slowly helping America move toward a culture of health and sustainability.
Today’s guest is John Porterfield, founder of Woolen Hemp, and he joins us to talk about organic agriculture and the many uses of hemp. John has done a lot in his career to help farmers do more with less. His work ranges from practicing sustainable mining for minerals used in agricultural industries to growing hemp on farms in rotation to help companies eliminate weeds and make the transition to organic farming. Tune in today for an upbeat conversation where we sing the praises of hemp and organic!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Convincing farmers to adopt organic practices by introducing hemp into the rotation.
- The damage that mining and agriculture cause and John’s work finding greener organic processes.
- John’s work with hemp products and advocation for hemp as a weed deterrent for farmers.
- Stories of how hemp and organic processes are becoming more widely used by farmers.
- Stats for how many farms are growing organic in Montana versus other US states.
- The good work John is doing helping veterans get into organic farming in Montana.
- The move toward American-made products and how the organic movement is pushing for this.
- Connecting wool and hemp growers and the aim behind Woolen Hemp.
- The process of making hemp textiles and how it is more sustainable and efficient.
- John’s aims for what he hopes to achieve through the Organic Marketing Association.
- The movement toward using hemp in the production of beef and the benefits of this.
- Going back to how we did things before with hemp and organic.
- John’s previous careers in the recreation and outdoor activity space.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
John Porterfield
Woolen Hemp
Hemp Holding Company
Montana Organic Association
Organic Marketing Association
Evolve CPG
Social Nature is a product sampling community platform dedicated to helping people make greener choices, and today we speak to its Founder and CEO, Annalea Krebs.
Our guest is on a lifelong mission to ‘make green mainstream’ and we kick off our chat hearing about the different businesses she built as her journey unfolded. She weighs in on how her vision evolved as she built three companies, TheChange, ethicalDeal, and most recently, Social Nature.
We also talk about the methods Annalea has used to build communities around her companies over the years, the value of her bootstrapping experience to her current approach, and the exciting new developments to look out for from Social Naturelooking forward. So for an amazing conversation about how Annalea is driving consumers toward more sustainable choices while helping eco-friendly businesses reach new customers!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Annalea introduces herself and her life’s mission to make green mainstream.
- The different companies Annalea has founded and the evolution of her mission to link eco-friendly companies to consumers.
- Comparing Annalea’s previous company, ethicalDeal, to Groupon.
- Perspectives on bootstrapping a business versus taking venture capital.
- Strategies Annalea used to measure the growth of businesses that used ethicalDeals.
- The community acquisition and engagement methods ethicalDeal used: educational resources and more.
- How ethicalDeal triggered the concept for Social Nature and the different business model Social Nature uses.
- Providing customers with free samples online and capturing information for targeting.
- Strategies Social Nature used to grow their community; partnerships, referrals, and reviews.
- A deep dive into the ideal Social Nature client and the clever way it promotes their product.
- How clients use Social Nature whether they are promoting a new or existing product.
- Insights into consumer behavior and where the needle is moving based on the data Annalea has.
- Exciting new projects and what is in store for Social Nature: a new product launchpad and more.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Annalea Krebs
Annalea Krebs on LinkedIn
Annalea Krebs on Twitter
Social Nature
ethicalDeal
Evolve CPG
Companies are not legally obligated to get certified before they use the word ‘organic’ in their marketing, meaning they can charge more for products that are no less nasty to consumers. Today we speak to Kristine and Daniel Sperling, Co-Founders of Makes 3 Organics, about their certified Organic, EWG verified skincare brand that customers don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to enjoy. We speak about the backstory of the company and how their ‘organic for everyone’ philosophy has driven them to make products that are not only the real deal but are also accessible in different ways. Kristine and Daniel weigh in on how pricing at a loss allowed them to scale fast enough to start turning a profit while keeping the cost of their product low. We also get into the logistics behind running this business, hearing our guests weigh in on why they do their own packaging, challenges to the supply chain posed by the pandemic, and the centrality of agility in entrepreneurship. Tune in for insights into the process of starting a successful business selling healthy products today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The founding story behind Makes 3 Organics starting with their daughter’s allergies.
- Understanding our guests’ ‘organic for everyone’ philosophy and how it came to be.
- How our guests have structured their business to keep their products affordable.
- The financial and legal backgrounds our guests have and how it helps their business.
- Challenges of moving from institutional backgrounds to a more agile entrepreneurial approach.
- Why our guests started manufacturing themselves and how it led to co-packing opportunities.
- How being organic and EWG compliant have shaped our guests’ process.
- Dealing with confusion in the industry around branding as organic without certifications.
- Why our guests moved to California and how this has been for their business.
- Whether there is any interest in joining Makes 3 Organics from our guests’ daughter.
- What the future looks like for Makes 3: new products and a more efficient supply chain.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Daniel Sperling on LinkedIn
Makes 3 Organics
EWG Verified
USDA Organic
Evolve CPG
When customers know the stories behind the products they consume, they can see their connection to a wider ecosystem and feel more empowered to become active members in it. This is the founding principle behind the storytelling, transparency, and contact platform Into, and its Co-Founder and CEO Pablo Muñoz Ledo joins us on the show today. Into combines Pablo’s extensive experience in marketing and communication with his passion for supporting organic farming. In today’s conversation, we hear the story behind Into and the cutting-edge features it offers to connect purpose-driven producers with markets through storytelling. Pablo weighs in on the digital canvas format that allows producers the ultimate flexibility in multimedia storytelling that takes the form of cards that consumers can flip through on their devices. He talks about how the app uses image recognition technology to connect consumers with the stories of producers by simply taking a photograph of their product. Pablo also gets into how Into uses blockchain to secure the involvement of different parties in the production process in the storytelling journey. Another great feature of the app is its data collecting abilities, which allow farmers to see which parts of their stories are being engaged in most so they can get better at connecting with their audiences. Tune in to hear how Pablo is using technology for the good of the planet as well as humanity today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- How Into provides a digital platform for connecting farmers to markets through storytelling.
- Using the power of social media for people’s benefit rather than their harm.
- The connections between the food we eat and the health of the environment.
- An introduction to Pablo and the mission statement behind Into.
- The history of Pablo’s experience in marketing and organic farming.
- A deep dive into the features of Into which provides multimedia storytelling in a card-based UI.
- How Into allows consumers to access the stories behind products using image recognition.
- The analytics features of the Into platform helping farmers understand how to tell better stories.
- Powerful drivers in the form of love and fear and how they can be leveraged to influence people.
- How the pandemic has shifted humankind’s philosophy toward connection and love.
- The power of ‘first voice’ stories and how the Into platform is enabling them.
- Digging into the research Pablo has been doing into storytelling methods with pioneer brands.
- Paths for consumers to take to support a product after viewing a story about it.
- The many possibilities offered by the digital canvas format in Into.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Pablo Muñoz Ledo on LinkedIn
Aires de Campo
Into
100Stories
Despite decades of ascendancy, the health food market still has elements that make it niche and non-mainstream. Marlene's Market and Deli is a shining example of an established, independent store that has a committed customer base in its community, with a strong set of core values and goals.Lisa Gebhardt is the daughter of the founder of the company and is now the owner and general manager of this inspiring business. She joins us on the show today to share her journey as well as the history and hopes for the future of Marlene's.We speak about the ins and outs of running an independent, family-owned business, and the impact that the pandemic has had on their operations. The conversation also covers their business priorities as well as the focus on education and learning around health.
Listeners can expect a personable reflection on 45 years in the health retail business, as well as some inside information on how Marlene's has become such a mainstay!
Key Points From This Episode:
- What it means to be an independent, family-owned business in a connected community.
- Lisa's mom Marlene's beginnings in the natural food movement 45 years ago!
- The close relationships that Marlene's has with its local suppliers and vendors.
- Shifts and pivots that Marlene's made in response to the pandemic.
- Lisa's advice to retail brands and anyone considering opening a similar type of business as Marlene's.
- The natural process of Lisa's involvement in the business over the years.
- Priorities for stocking at Marlene's; non-GMO, organic, and sugar parameters.
- Changes that occurred in Lisa's home towards better ingredients and healthy options.
- Lisa's thoughts on trade shows, reps, brokers, and customers for sourcing new products.
- Decisions around products that Marlene's produce themselves.
- The future of Marlene's and the impact that the pandemic has had on their strategy.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Marlene's Market and Deli
Know Your Nutrition
Adelle Davis
Evolve CPG
What if you, as an ordinary person, had the opportunity to invest in a startup you loved, just like angel investors do? Wefunder is a platform that enables these opportunities, and today’s guest, Jonny Price, VP of fundraising at the platform, joins us to share some insights into how it all works. We talk about the benefits of this model of crowdfunding, both for investors and for founders. Not only does it democratize the space, but companies then have a built-in army of loyal followers. Disruptive technology that can work to distribute wealth is going to be a gamechanger in our increasingly unequal society, and with a company like Wefunder leading the charge, we are excited to see where this movement will go.
Key Points From This Episode:
- What Wefunder does and the policy changes that enabled them to publicly crowdfund.
- The fundraising model Wefunder uses is growing in popularity.
- The difference between fundraising from individual investors and accredited investors.
- How founders are typically using Wefunder and some of the use cases.
- Wefunder’s market share in this crowdfunding space.
- Tips Jonny would give founders who are looking to fundraise through Wefunder.
- The dual benefit of using Wefunder: quicker fundraising and an army of brand ambassadors.
- How a Wefunder campaign differs from a traditional pitch deck.
- The company size that works best on Wefunder.
- Where Jonny sees the democratized fundraising space going.
- Investing in startups is not risk-free, but there is potential for great upside.
- Get to know Jonny, his background, and why his family moved to Nashville last May.
- The work Jonny did at Kiva and the Zip Pilot Program he worked on.
- What Jonny’s role on the Community Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve entailed.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Jonny Price
Jonny Price on Twitter
Wefunder
Kiva
Premal Shah
Goldman Sachs 10000 Small Businesses
CurlMix
Jason Calacanis
Self-awareness is the first step to the attainment of healthy relationships and effective leadership because it is only from a full cup that we can authentically give to others. This is one of the foundational ideas that the coaching offered by Matt D’Amour and Linwood Paul is based on and today we have them on the show as our guests to hear more about their philosophy. Matt and Linwood are the Co-Founders of Subtle Distinctions, an integrative coaching community whose aim is to cultivate thoughtful leaders from the inside out. Matt and Linwood both speak with a huge amount of wisdom on the subject of personal development today, and we start our conversation on their ‘I before we before all’ framework. Matt and Linwood unpack this concept, highlighting the idea that we have to find our truth before we can effectively engage with others from a place of compassion and power. We talk about the misconception of seeing self-care as selfish, the debt-based system of giving from an empty cup, and the need to reframe boundaries as things that hold a space in which to grow rather than keep others out. Matt and Linwood also share their six pillars of health today, KPIs that we can use to be more self-aware and to treat ourselves better such as sleep, nutrition, breathing, and moving. So for wise words on the subject of personal development as the entry point to agency, leadership, and relationships, tune in today.
Key Points From This Episode:
- More agency and better relationships through the ‘I before we before all’ philosophy.
- Why Matt and Linwood begin their relationship coaching with self-awareness.
- What nourishing and being aware of the self involves.
- How the ‘I before we before all’ concept fits into the Serenity Prayer.
- Finding your truth and perspective on things by experiencing them for yourself.
- Developing a personal strength first and only then focusing on compassion for others.
- Misconceptions around viewing taking care of oneself first as selfishness.
- Reframing a boundary as something to grow toward and expand within.
- How trying to give when your cup is empty is a system based on debt.
- Taking care of yourself first by living by the foundational six pillars of health.
- Filtering the outside input we take in by seeing everything as food.
- Knowing whether to do a thing or not by asking if it is enjoyable.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Subtle Distinctions
Matt D’Amour
Linwood Paul
Creating a sustainable business is about more than your carbon footprint. Sure, your environmental impact is important, but so is your societal and economic impact, including how you affect the communities you work in and how you treat the people who work for you. Today’s guest is Ian Walker, Founder, and President of Left Coast Naturals, an organic and natural food distributor of ‘better ingredient’ brands like Hippie Snacks, among others. Ian has come a long way from selling nut butter with a friend at a local market. Today, Left Coast Naturals distributes 27 different brands, over 200 organic and natural bulk foods, and manufactures three of their own brands. They have never wavered on their commitment to, not just make great food and serve their customers, but to do it in an ethical and environmentally responsible way too. In this episode, Ian shares the three pillars of a sustainable business and highlights his commitment to “asking too many questions,” as you’ll find out.
Key Points From This Episode:
- The three pillars of sustainable business: environmental, societal, and economic impact.
- Learn more about Ian’s background in sustainability, particularly from a business perspective.
- Why going back to the basics of whole foods isn’t as complicated as others make it sound.
- The importance of continuous learning and striving to be better than the day before.
- How Ian arrived at this model, growing a manufacturing branded business in parallel with a distribution business.
- How knowing not just what you want to be, but also what you don’t, can benefit your business.
- The unique selling point that manufacturing their own products provides Left Coast Naturals.
- Ian’s mission to streamline the growing trend towards consuming more whole foods.
- How innovation has had to evolve as organic products have become more mainstream.
- The process of creating whole food products that are both price and format-friendly.
- Some of the biggest obstacles Ian has faced on this journey, including consumer perception.
- How Ian hopes to combat greenwashing and elevate B Corps in the eyes of consumers.
- Learn more about the inherent requirements for shelf-stable packaging, namely its seal and barrier properties.
- Ian explains why the illusion of recycling or composting plastic packaging is a false narrative.
- Why being challenged is an important part of leading the way in any field, and why businesses should be open to criticism.
- How businesses are quick to adopt sustainable initiatives when it costs less, but hesitant when it costs more.
- Ian’s commitment to “ask too many questions” when it comes to their non-GMO promise.
- Predictions for the future of the whole and organic foods industry: there will be end solutions.
- How a new generation of conscious employees is shifting companies for the better.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Ian Walker on LinkedIn
Left Coast Naturals
Hippie Snacks
The reason organic food only occupies 5% market share despite being so delicious and sustainable must be because of the preachy and argumentative narrative surrounding it.
Today we speak to Dennis Weaver about the work he has been doing to introduce the mainstream consumer to the fun side of organic. Dennis is the Founder of Change Your Food, Change Your Life, Organic. Eat me., and the Co-Founder of The Organic Marketing Association. He has spent his life as an ambassador to the organic good food movement, but rather than using lectures or science, he simply puts a smile next to the word organic.
Tune in today to hear the various ways he has applied his philosophy to organic activism through performance, music, and his radio show too.
Key Points From This Episode:
- How effective it is to sell the organic good food narrative using entertainment as a device.
- Introducing Dennis and his ideas about ‘selling the sizzle, not the steak.’
- Founding the Organic Marketing Association and changing the narrative around organic good food.
- The work that Organic Marketing Association is doing to help organic brands make a bigger dent in the marketplace.
- Dennis’s thoughts on the future of the organic industry and how it can move forward.
- The story of how Dennis collaborated with different artists to make an album about organic good food.
- How Dennis founded the Change Your Food - Change Your Life!™ radio show and the message it shares.
- How Dennis fell in love with organic good food and the work he does to advocate for it.
- Plans Dennis has to drop two new singles that advocate for organic products.
- The relationship Dennis developed with Pastor Gary L. Wyatt around organic good food and the songs he wrote.
- The organic good food social media marketing Dennis is doing and how successful it has been.
- How to join the Organic Marketing Association and why organic good food farmers get in for free.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Dennis Weaver
Change Your Food - Change Your Life!™
CHANGE YOUR FOOD – CHANGE YOUR LIFE!™ Presents: GOOD LiViN’ … a Compilation CD Album
Organic. Eat me.
Pastor Gary L. Wyatt
Organic Marketing Association
The Change Your Food - Change Your Life!™ Radio Show
RainierAvenueRadio.World
Organicology
John Porterfield on LinkedIn
Solely Organic
Covilli® BRAND ORGANICS
EvolveCPG
EvolveCPG Email
Today we hear from Linwood Paul and Matt D’Amour about how honestly we answer the question: how are you? Together, Linwood and Matt are co-founders of Subtle Distinctions, a business that offers integrative coaching for individuals, business leaders, and their teams. They help others make great decisions, exceed their goals, and create thoughtful leaders from the inside out.
Matt talks to Linwood about why sincerely asking others how they’re doing is such an important opportunity to establish a new connection or to nourish an existing one. We learn that there are three connection levels which include being curious, skillful, or respectful. We also need to be mindful of our answers when responding to such questions.
As Linwood tells us, we often formulate pre-packaged answers as a means of protecting ourselves or simply not taking a moment to look inward. To find out how you can move outside of your own pre-packed responses and how you can experiment with asking people how they are, be sure to join us today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Why asking somebody how they are is a chance to develop your connection.
- Hear about the three relationship levels that are addressed when asking someone how they are.
- How listeners can use these three levels more deeply.
- Some of the pre-packed responses that people tend to share.
- Why people default to pre-packaged responses when asked how they are doing.
- Ways you can move outside of your pre-packaged responses.
- How you can experiment with asking people how they are.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Linwood Paul on LinkedIn
Matt D’Amour on LinkedIn
Subtle Distinctions
Brad Blanton
EvolveCPG
EvolveCPG on YouTube
Trademarks, copyrights, and patents play an important role in the value of a business, but it can be confusing to know how to use them effectively.
Erin Ogden is the Managing Attorney at Ogden Glazer + Schaefer, a business law firm that focuses on intellectual property, and she joins us today to help us navigate these tricky waters. Our conversation begins on the subject of Erin’s training and she talks about how her education in the fields of genetics, law, and dairy science have uniquely positioned her as an expert in the field of intellectual property. From there, we take a deep dive into four of the biggest legal regimes surrounding intellectual property protection: trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets.
For a technical conversation bound to enhance your understanding of intellectual property, be sure to tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- An intro into Erin and the intellectual property services offered at Ogden Glazer + Schaefer.
- The story behind Erin studying genetics, law, and then dairy science.
- Erin’s experience working at big and small law firms and the differences between them.
- Growth through change and the reason why Erin started her own practice.
- Erin’s approach of using her clients as sounding boards when she has new ideas.
- Using client feedback as an opportunity to come up with solutions.
- Definitions of the intellectual property regimes: Trade secrets, patents, copyrights, and trademarks.
- Legalities surrounding application and rights given by trade secrets, copyrights, patents, and trademarks.
- Using budget, strategy, and goals to judge when and what to trademark versus copyright.
- Whether to create new colors to trademark or use colors being used by other brands.
- The best time to patent, copyright, trademark.
- Common mistakes companies make with trademarking, patenting, and copyrighting.
- Erin’s thoughts on the future of trademarking, patenting, and copyrighting.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Erin Ogden
Ogden Glazer + Schaefer
New Glarus Brewing
Search engine optimization is in a state of constant change, so it’s important to keep moving to fit with the algorithm. If you can do this, you can boost your online presence and maximize the traction you get from it.
Today, we speak with Casey Nifong, the founder of Mountain Laurel Digital, a full-service digital agency in Asheville North Carolina. In this episode, we go into great detail about SEO, discovering its mechanics and how its technical nature is becoming more dynamic. Early in the show, we talk with Casey about SEO as a method, and the ingredients it takes to make its recipe. We discuss research elements, the need for creative strategy, and how SEO’s characteristics are pushing for more holistic content. Make sure to tune in today for more on SEO!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Casey tells us about her professional background.
- Hear some of the reasons why Casey loves SEO.
- Casey walks us through what life is like launching an agency and starting a family.
- Find out Casey’s “why” and how it has influenced the way she goes through business.
- How Casey, as a leader, fosters a good team culture.
- Casey shares how she creates a good platform to communicate with her clients.
- Hear how SEO has changed over time and what good SEO requires today.
- Casey tells us why Google looks for quality, not quantity.
- Becoming an authority on a niche topic versus exploring uncharted topics.
- Casey shares her knowledge on the relationship between keywords and titles.
- We discuss the benefits of refurbishing previously successful content.
- How Mountain Laurel’s plastic-free challenge was a fantastic exercise for the business.
- We talk about food packaging solutions.
- Casey shares a glimpse of what Mountain Laurel’s future may look like.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Casey Nifong on LinkedIn
Mountain Laurel Digital
American Psychological Association
ASHVILLE GREENWORKS
Parkway Picnics
EvolveCPG
EvolveCPG on YouTube
Today, you'll hear from Linwood Paul and Matt D'Amour, co-founders of Subtle Distinctions, about why you should place connection before content when starting a conversation, either in a professional setting or in your private life.
Join us to listen more about their insight as to how we have become so attuned to the 'new normal', and gently remind you that people crave connection with others.
Key Points From This Episode:
- The show opens with connection-content role play session.
- Find out what connection-before-content really means.
- How you can go about creating intentional connections.
- How connection is built into your heart and nervous system.
- Matt challenges listeners to see what their natural tendencies are in their professional and personal environments.
- Lessons taken from Oprah Winfrey’s more than 36,000 interviews.
- Linwood explains how the “new normal” is impacting your connections.
- Matt describes what could be going on in many meetings.
- How to approach connection when you’re worried about the receiver.
- Hear why connection before content is a quality tip-off.
- Linwood touches on the word “suffering.”
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Subtle Distinctions
Linwood Paul on LinkedIn
Matt D’Amour on LinkedIn
Oprah Winfrey
Michael Jackson
Barack Obama
Clint Eastwood
EvolveCPG
EvolveCPG on YouTube
Fair trade is far more complicated than simply paying more for a product. It touches on all aspects of the supply chain and intersects with a range of issues. Anna Canning is the campaign manager of Fair World Project, a non-profit that advocates for fair trade policies and helps bring related topics into the public conversation. In this episode, we dive into the rigged economic system and how it benefits large corporations with profit-first mentalities and disadvantages those who are working to make a fairer world. We also touch on why fair trade matters and what brands can do to get the needle moving. While the issue of fair trade is complicated, our conversation with Anna inspires a great deal of hope in the fact that a more just system is certainly possible.
Key Points From This Episode:
- The issues that intersect with fair trade are a lot more complex than we realize.
- The type of work that Fair World Project does; advocacy, research, connecting conversations.
- Insights into how Anna got into fair trade and the first position she held in the space.
- How Anna came to work at Fair World Project, an organization that aligns with her values.
- What Anna wishes brands and designers in the fair trade space knew.
- Brands can start where they are at if they want to chip away at making a fairer system.
- The power of coffee and how it introduces many consumers to the idea of fair trade.
- Some of the most common questions and misconceptions in the fair trade space.
- Fair World Project’s decision to transition to a podcast after stopping its magazine.
- Details of season one of For A Better World and what the aims of the show are.
- The vision for the podcast going forward and the themes they hope to explore.
- There is a disproportionate risk that different people in the supply chain assume.
- Why it is not fair to put the responsibility on the consumer choice.
- Some of the campaigning work Fair World Project does around proposed bills and policy.
- Find out what’s on the horizon for Fair World Project.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Anna Canning on Twitter
Anna Canning on LinkedIn
Fair World Project
Peace Coffee
For a Better World Podcast
Ryan Zinn
Alter Eco
Modern Species
Center for Science in the Public Interest
EvolveCPG
EvolveCPG on YouTube
In our first bonus episode, we discussed with Linwood Paul & Matt D'Amour, co-founders of Subtle Distinctions, about the concept of the path to action from the book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High.
By tuning in, you'll hear about the four components of the path to action, why shaping your own story is important for taking better action, and how breaking down a thought or decision into its parts can help you understand what the trigger for your action was.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Linwood starts with the path to action that leads you to ask, “How did I get here?”
- The four components of the path to action, which are objective experience, perception, feelings, and actions.
- Why shaping your story is important for taking for more successful or productive action.
- Matt explains why he believes that successful people are able to see a different storyline than what circumstance or other people dictate.
- The physiological response you have to your thoughts; if you think, you are!
- How breaking down a thought or decision into its separate parts can be beneficial.
- Your responsibility to better serve the next person you meet (even if it’s unknowingly!)
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Linwood Paul on LinkedIn
Matt D’Amour on LinkedIn
Subtle Distinctions
Crucial Conversations
It takes both creativity and partnerships with mission-aligned people and organizations to effectively market ethical and organic consumer goods.
Today we speak to Jamie Lamonde and reflect on her top marketing lessons from working with mission-driven companies. Lessons that she’s used to found The Kindship Group, a full-service agency that empowers businesses to grow in size and impact. As we explore Jamie’s career, she unpacks what her varied roles have taught her as well as how she’s contributed to each company’s success.
Listeners looking to maximize their organizations will benefit from Jamie’s story. Join us to learn more about building agencies with an impact.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Jamie shares details about her personal journey and why she moved to Wisconsin.
- Hear about the impactful experiences that gave Jamie a love for organic food.
- What led Jamie to work for Organic Valley.
- How Jamie’s career has been guided by her desire for mission-driven work.
- Jamie talks about how she grew as Organic Valley scaled their business.
- Reflecting on Organic Valley’s mission to “save family farming culture through organic farming.”
- Aligning your organization’s mission with your marketing goals.
- The story of how Jamie created the magazine, Edible Madison.
- Unpacking Jamie’s role at Farmer Direct Organic.
- What Jamie did to grow e-commerce sales for Wonderstate Coffee.
- Why Kickapoo Coffee changed its name to Wonderstate Coffee.
- Exploring the challenges of rebranding Kickapoo Coffee.
- How communicating and working alongside your community can lead to effective rebranding.
- Jamie discusses her experience from having founded The Kindship Group.
- Find out about Jamie’s vision for Kindship’s future.
- Towards creating a more intentional and nurturing workplace culture.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Jamie Lamonde on LinkedIn
The Kindship Group
Organic Valley
Edible Madison
Farmer Direct Organic
Heirloom Marketing + Media
Wonderstate Coffee
Earth Block International
Joel Mellor
Theresa Marquez
The Kickapoo County Fair
Edible Portland
Ecotrust
Deborah Kane
Edible Communities
Tracey Ryder
Carole Topalian
Edible Austin
Jim Klousia
Jason Freeman
Shizue Roche Adachi
Tropicana
Modern Species
EvolveCPG
EvolveCPG on YouTube
With the right knowledge, we can shift the narrative of nutrition and organic eating, leading to sharper minds and more able bodies.
Today we’re joined by Zeke Khali, AKA ‘The Healthy Hueman’ to talk about his mission in making natural health and wellness accessible to all. In this episode, listeners will benefit from Zeke’s insights, as well as from his actionable ‘Stoplight’ approach to nutrition.
Join us to hear more about his method, and how easy it is to embrace holistic and organic living.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Zeke’s mission to connect people to themselves, their health, and the world around them.
- Exploring Zeke’s focus on communicating his health expertise across the generations.
- Challenges that everyday people face in understanding the latest health science.
- Where Zeke’s passion for health and wellness comes from.
- Zeke unpacks his process in learning about the body.
- How small upsets can profoundly impact our ‘pillars of success.’
- Tips on restarting your health routine after experiencing offsets.
- Why educating the youth is so important to long-term health.
- Activities that form the foundations for good everyday health.
- Learn about Zeke’s simple ‘Stoplight’ guide to nutrition and eating.
- Strengthening our health by simplifying the choices that we make.
- Zeke’s insights on making people care about organic farming practices.
- Why Zeke is so excited to share knowledge about organic produce.
- Advice on getting your brand out there and engaging with diversity.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
The Healthy Hueman
Zeke Khali on Instagram
The Blue Zones
EvolveCPG
EvolveCPG on YouTube
Candor isn’t just a word; it’s a practice that can promote a positive company culture and build stronger teams.
Our guests, Linwood and Matt, are the co-founders of Subtle Distinctions where they cultivate thoughtful leaders from the inside out. In this episode, they break down the concept of candor and how to effectively use it in the workplace and our personal lives. You’ll walk away with actionable tips and some new additions to your reading list—like Kim Scott’s Radical Candor.
Key Points From This Episode:
- How leaders should approach candor.
- First, we need to conceptualize candor to be able to use it.
- Using the model of radical candor to decide how candor can be and should be used.
- Matt tells us what is, and what isn’t candor.
- How do you know where the line is of oversharing.
- The nuances that come with sharing the truth.
- How to put your truth across in a way that it will be taken well.
- Different terms and words to use when approaching someone with facts and concerns.
- The danger of sharing compliments when sharing truth.
- Comparing compliments to smoke.
- Matt and Linwood roleplay a conversation where they share their truths with each other.
- Hear more on Marshall Rosenberg and Kim Scott.
- The best way to start practicing candor.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Linwood Paul on LinkedIn
Matt D’Amour on LinkedIn
Subtle Distinctions
Oprah Winfrey
Radical Candor by Kim Scott
Non-Violent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall Rosenberg
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
Radical Honesty by Brad Blanton
EvolveCPG
EvolveCPG on YouTube
Solving the world’s biggest problems is no easy task, but with a sustainable mindset and a regenerative approach, we have much more than just hope to rely on.
Today we talk with Adrian Reif, CEO and co-founder of Umana Venture Studio, an organization that’s working hard to provide lasting solutions to global issues. We open the episode by first asking Adrian about the travels that inspired him to create Yumbutter, his first ‘Robin Hood’ business.
Tune in to hear more about Adrian’s journey and how he’s inspiring change.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Adrian tells us about his travels.
- Hear what inspired Adrian to create a peanut butter company upon his return home.
- Adrian’s experience at a silent meditation retreat.
- Some of the lessons Adrian learned with his Yumbutter business.
- When Adrian decided to start writing about investing.
- Adrian’s know-how helped him create a book to help others invest sustainably.
- The process of writing his book, The Do Gooder’s Guide to Investing.
- Adrian talks about his latest journey in business and creating Umana Studio.
- How Umana Studio helps solve the world’s toughest problems.
- Ways that Adrian keeps his focus alive.
- Adrian shares his thoughts on life, wellness, and his future goals.
- How humanity can treat money like water.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Adrian Reif
Adrian Reif on LinkedIn
Yumbutter
Do-Gooder’s Guide to Investing
Do-Gooder’s Guide to Investing on Amazon
Umana Venture Studio
UBS Wealth Management
Aspiration Bank
Deep Work on Amazon
The ONE Thing
Naval Ravikant
Sapiens
Tiny Habits
Green Swans on Amazon
EvolveCPG
EvolveCPG on YouTube
Companies without a clear purpose are incapable of making an impact and reaching their full potential. In the words of today’s guest, the trick to becoming an impactful brand is to know that your “purpose is on purpose.”
In this episode, we speak with Conscious Brands founder Rob Sinclair about creating conscious businesses that pursue meaningful impact in the world. We open our conversation with Rob by exploring his varied business background and the period of self-discovery that led him to found Conscious Brands.
Tune in to hear more about what you can do to build a purpose-driven, conscious, and impactful brand.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Rob’s extremely varied background and business career.
- How his lavish lifestyle in his earlier career didn’t give Rob a sense of fulfillment.
- Rob’s journey of self-discovery and the creation of his show, Vegan in a VW.
- How Vegan in a VW became Rob’s gateway into the natural products industry.
- Reflecting on the ‘expensive education’ resulting from Rob’s business failures.
- We discuss Conscious Brands’ early direction and challenges.
- Rob talks about the deeper ‘why’ behind founding Conscious Brands.
- Rob’s views on how B-corp evolved over the last decade.
- The differences between regenerative and sustainable practices.
- Is your purpose on purpose? We look into Conscious Brands’ value proposition.
- Learn about the six pillars of a conscious brand.
- How Rob’s tool helps companies to focus on their purpose.
- The role of communication in co-creating an industry of conscious companies.
- Insights into how Conscious Brands developed their services as separate from their consulting offerings.
- Using the pandemic as a time to reflect and rethink our roles in the world.
- Why Conscious Brands has centered its attention on internal brand believers.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Rob Sinclair on LinkedIn
Rob Sinclair on Twitter
Conscious Brands
Ron Pickarski
The International Culinary Olympics
Carbon Trust
Whole Foods Market
Method
Guayaki
Modern Species
Burning Man
B-Lab
B-Corporation
Larry Fink
BlackRock Capital
Natural Products Expo West
EvolveCPG
EvolveCPG on YouTube
The organic chocolate company Alter Eco knows that there’s no quick solution to climate change reversal. Instead, they’re creating impact through long-term solutions that involve converting monoculture cacao farms to a regenerative agro forest model.
Today we speak with Antoine Ambert about what Alter Eco is doing to transform the chocolate industry. A senior director of sustainability at the company, we open our conversation by exploring Antoine’s education and professional background. We then dive into his start at Alter Eco, why their early marketing focused on the communities that they work with, and how their brand evolved.
Tune in to hear more about how one company is changing the world, one chocolate bar at a time.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Exploring Antoine’s education and professional background.
- Antoine shares his motivation to make an impact when building businesses.
- What Antoine learned about sustainable farming from his time in Peru.
- How Antoine got his start at Alter Eco.
- Insights into Alter Eco and Antoine’s early marketing focus.
- Hear about the evolution of Alter Eco’s brand and its promotion of sustainability principles.
- Alter Eco’s challenge in communicating their value proposition to consumers.
- Why Alter Eco puts their values at the forefront of their products.
- We discuss Antoine’s new role at the Alter Eco Foundation.
- How the Alter Eco Foundation is implementing more regenerative farming practices.
- The dangers of adopting monoculture farming practices.
- How non-organic farming methods can be detrimental to farming communities.
- Antoine talks about the issues around getting your products certified as organic.
- How becoming B Corp certified has affected Alter Eco.
- Antoine reflects on Alter Eco’s next big challenges.
- Ways that regenerative farming helps reverse climate change.
- What Antoine and Alter Eco do to keep pushing forward.
- Why a holistic approach to Alter Eco’s supply chain leads to a bigger environmental impact.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Antoine Ambert on LinkedIn
Alter Eco
Alter Eco Foundation
Fairtrade International
EvolveCPG
Modern Species
For the effective leader, curiosity is a powerful tool to build and nurture strong connections.
Today we speak with leadership experts Linwood Paul and Matt D’Amour of Subtle Distinctions about how fostering your curiosity will make you a better leader; especially at times when emotions run high. From taking stock of your inner-world to helping people feel seen and heard, we touch on the leadership benefits of being curious and how this leads to greater productivity and ultimately, higher returns.
This is a conversation filled with actionable steps to expand your leadership ability. Tune in to benefit from Linwood and Matt’s proven insights.
Key Points From This Episode:
- The need to free up space in our minds for what’s most important.
- Exploring the links between curiosity and building connections.
- What you can do to develop curiosity in your life.
- Building a connection by making people feel seen and heard.
- Hear about the pillars that lead to being a present and open leader.
- Advice on how people can stay connected during the pandemic.
- Linwood and Matt talk about how they maintain their connection as business partners and colleagues.
- The five currencies that we expend for any action and how this impacts our perception of a service or product.
- The differences between finding time, making time, or taking time.
- Connecting before doing business versus connecting after business has concluded.
- Modeling your work culture so that your team is aware of all expectations.
- Why you need to give your team an opportunity to share their views.
- How you can make excellent decisions by creating a pool of shared meaning.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Linwood Paul on LinkedIn
Matt D’Amour on LinkedIn
Subtle Distinctions
Oprah Winfrey
Michael Jackson
Barack Obama
Modern Species
Hooray Foods' Founder Sri Artham is on a mission to create what many have called the holy grail of plant-based meat: crispy, smoky bacon – without the pig. Sri is today’s guest, who tells us more about Hooray, a company that makes delicious plant-based meats designed to look, cook, and taste just like the real thing.
Tune in to find out what sparked Sri’s passion for food and products, given his background in systems, design, and business, and where the idea for creating his own plant-based meat product came from in the first place. All this and more in today’s episode, including where to find Hooray bacon and how to use it!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Sri shares a bit about his career arc, from a systems design background to business.
- How a belief that business can be a powerful force for good inspired Sri’s work with Fairtrade.
- What sparked Sri’s passion for products was learning that food was a force for change.
- How Sri became interested in plant-based meat, starting with his love for Impossible Foods.
- Where the idea for creating his own plant-based pork product came from – how could he save the world with his stomach?
- Finding the gap in the market and deciding to make plant-based bacon.
- Developing the recipe for his product without a culinary background.
- Sri explains that, when he set out to create plant-based bacon, he had no intentions of starting a company – he just wanted to learn.
- Some of the challenges Sri had in launching his own food brand, like fundraising.
- The obstacles Sri encountered in 2020 while building a business during a global pandemic.
- How Sri has used LinkedIn to build his network of collaborators and investors, as well as his team of employees and food scientists.
- Plant-based as a recent trend that Hooray Foods hopes to ride the wave of going forward.
- Sri speculates on the future of plant-based products and the growth of cell-based meat and mycelium-based products.
- Converting meat eaters versus giving existing vegans and vegetarians a tasty alternative.
- What Sri has learned about himself throughout this process – and what he is proud of.
- Staying up to date with TikTok trends and how that keeps Sri relevant and evolving.
- Where to find Hooray Foods products and his favorite way to use it (in a BLT sandwich!)
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Sri Artham on LinkedIn
Hooray Foods
Hooray Foods on Twitter
Hooray Foods on Instagram
Fair Trade USA
Impossible Foods
Good Food Conference
Whole Foods
Today, you will hear from Daniel Kurzrock, CEO and Co-Founder of ReGrained, an ingredient platform, and packaged foods innovator, that specializes in upcycling overlooked and undervalued ingredients.
In this episode, Dan explains how ReGrained works with brewery partners to rescue the grain after they have extracted the sugars needed to make beer, using this byproduct to create upcycled nutrition bars, puffs, and premium ingredients. Find out about the scale of the food waste issue and the exciting opportunities available in upcycling to put food to its best use – feeding people!
Dan believes that we can create real and effective change through creative thinking and acting on our ideas. Listen until the end to hear a simple process you can use to find upcycling opportunities in your business today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Hear a brief introduction of Dan and his work, and how upcycling combats food waste.
- Dan shares some of the numbers on food waste and explains why it is such a big issue.
- Exciting opportunities in upcycling and putting food to its best use; feeding people.
- The concept of creating products out of waste isn’t a groundbreaking one; think of whey, a byproduct in the cheesemaking process.
- Dan explains how this business was borne from a college hobby of home brewing beer.
- Hear about ReGrained’s basic business model; from beer to CPG products.
- The differences between upcycling, recycling, and downcycling in terms of food.
- The market opportunity in reducing food waste due to an increase in consumer interest.
- Why upcycling food is the ultimate intersection between sustainability and health – and, done well, it’s also very tasty!
- ReGrained’s vision is to work with other companies to create more upcycled food products.
- Choosing to engage in upcycling is 100% within your control to reduce your carbon footprint.
- Other examples of upcycling; including root-to-stem or nose-to-tail culinary trends.
- Dan reiterates that upcycling isn’t a new concept; food has always been like this!
- The issue with labeling a product “waste” and how ReGrained has gotten around it.
- Dan names some of his upcycling contemporaries, like Spare Food Co or Pulp Pantry.
- Utilizing cascara or the coffee fruit and leaf from the plant, rather than just the bean for coffee.
- Similarly, the cacao fruit can be used for a range of products, not just the seeds for chocolate.
- How Toast Ale brews craft beer with surplus fresh bread that would otherwise be wasted.
- Dan’s tip for those looking to get into upcycling: stop thinking about it and just get started!
- How upcycling presents opportunities to break down traditional silos within companies.
- Creating shared value between ingredient companies and food companies.
- How upcycling creates economic value for suppliers by buying ingredients that would otherwise be wasted.
- Advice for upcyclers to overcome future&
Today’s guest has a passion for protecting the oceans by reducing human dependence on plastics.
Concerned about the toxins commonly found in lunchbox containers, plastic pollution activist and environmental entrepreneur Sandra Ann Harris started by eliminating plastics from her kids’ lunchboxes, then founded ECO lunchbox, a California green-certified business focused on plastic pollution aversion, and most recently wrote the book, Say Goodbye to Plastic: A Survival Guide for Plastic-Free Living.
In this episode, listeners find out how Sandra has tried to make an impact and why she was inspired to start her own company to combat plastic pollution. Tune in today to find out more!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Hear a bit more about Sandra’s career arc, from journalist to aid worker to entrepreneur.
- How the stories she chose to write as a journalist reflected her desire to make an impact.
- What it was about the plastic crisis that inspired Sandra to start ECOlunchbox.
- Some challenges that Sandra encountered in launching and growing her company.
- Sandra believes that, with curiosity and creativity, there is nowhere we can’t go and nothing we can’t achieve.
- The benefits of crowdfunding versus sourcing investors or self-funding your ideas.
- From personal health benefits to the benefit of the planet – how people came to recognize the negative impact of plastic.
- The value of using positive messaging rather than using negativity and fear to inspire action.
- We don’t need to know all the facts, we just need to be part of the change, however we can.
- Sandra shares the inspiration for her book: why this book, and why now?
- Pro tips for other thought leaders and entrepreneurs thinking about writing a book.
- How Sandra keeps evolving personally by continually taking on new challenges.
- Where to find Sandra’s book, Say Goodbye to Plastic: A Survival Guide for Plastic-Free Living.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Sandra Ann Harris on LinkedIn
ECOlunchbox
Say Goodbye to Plastic
Kickstarter
Cradle to Cradle
The Upcycle
Lovemarks