Food Biz Wiz: Recent Episodes

Allison Ball

Launching, growing, and scaling a packaged product in the food industry is daunting - from understanding production, incubator kitchens, and co-packing, to mastering your brand strategy, packaging design, and marketing, to navigating growth on the retail shelves and e-commerce platforms, and eventually working with brokers and distributors - every step of the way is challenging.

Join former Head of Grocery & Grocery Buyer at Bi-Rite Market, Alli Ball, as she tells you exactly how to build a brand that flies off the shelf through solo episodes, curated guest experts across the food industry, and live consulting calls with her Retail Ready™ students!

This week on the Food Biz Wiz Podcast, Charlie checks back in with Patricia Beets, the co-founder of Dell Cove Spices & More Co., in another "Is It Worth It, Charlie?" episode. Charlie and Patricia originally connected on whether or not she should exhibit at a trade show in episode 143 from April 2022. They discussed how to quantify the ROI for a trade show, what a realistic timeline for trade show prep is, and how she might otherwise use their potential trade show budget.

In this episode, Charlie and Patricia check back in on...

Patricia’s takeaways from being an attendee instead of an exhibitor
Dell Cove’s reasoning for planning to attend 2 upcoming trade shows
The money-saving tip from Charlie that Patricia still endorses
And how they used the potential trade show budget for building their team!

Are you considering a trade show but nervous to miss out on it? Let us know via Instagram or LinkedIn DM how this episode resonated for you and what part you needed to hear most. Find links to our Instagram, LinkedIn, as well as other relevant trade show episodes in our full show notes here!

This episode is sponsored by our Wholesale Week! We are hosting Wholesale Week from Monday, September 11th - Friday, September 15th, where we’ll have daily, bite-sized lessons on getting onto a path to profitability, learning Alli’s 4 step process to pitching to wholesale buyers, and understanding our Wholesale Success System. We’re also proud to be delivering Wholesale Week on a sliding scale (starting at free!) to raise funds for our favorite non-profit, Project Potluck, which supports mentorship and resources for CPG founders of color. Ten minutes per day is all you need to get you feeling even more confident before we head into Q4. Find out more and sign up here!

A packaging designer friend and I were chatting recently at an industry event about our CPG experiences. Within 10 minutes, we were listing off the common mistakes that we keep seeing well-meaning brands make over and over again. As industry vets, it’s easy for us to spot these mistakes instantly, but less easy for emerging brands. That’s why I'm taking our conversation and condensing it into this episode, so that we can save you time and money and help you avoid making these 5 CPG pitfalls!

In this episode, you'll hear a rundown of...

The 5 mistakes, plus the 1 design mistake, that brands make all the time!
What 5 things you absolutely need to prepare for a buyer meeting
And strategies you can use to avoid making these mistakes in the first place

We want to hear from you! Which mistake might you have made and which one are you fixing first? Let us know via Instagram or LinkedIn DM. Find links to our Instagram, LinkedIn, and other resources in our full show notes here!

P.S.: You might hear me say in the beginning that this is episode 210, but rest assured that this is actually episode 209!

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready® Right Now! If you listened in and want a place where you can learn even more strategies for fixing these mistakes, then you are the perfect fit for Retail Ready®. Retail Ready® is our online course and community for producers who are looking to have a solid retail strategy and increase their sales with less guesswork. Click here for our quickstart enrollment so that you can learn more and get started TODAY!

You want to land on more shelves. So, you stop by your retail target and leave samples...but you might be doing more harm than good for your brand. In this week's episode of the Food Biz Wiz podcast, I'm debunking myths about sharing samples with wholesale buyers and what you need to do to make sure you get it right.

You’ll hear all about…

The #1 mistake I see eager brands make when sharing their samples
What happens when you make this mistake
How you can be savvy about sharing your samples so that you don't waste time, effort, and money
And why sharing samples isn't JUST about your product's taste!

Make sure to connect with us on Instagram and LinkedIn and let us know what you’ll be doing differently the next time you share samples with a buyer. Find our Instagram and LinkedIn links, as well as other relevant podcast episodes, at our full show notes here!

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready® Right Now! If you listened in and want a place to ask specifics about best practices for sharing your samples and crafting a compelling pitch, then you are the perfect fit for Retail Ready®. Retail Ready® is our online course and community for producers who are looking to have a solid retail strategy and increase their sales with less guesswork. Click here for our quickstart enrollment so that you can learn more and get started TODAY!

Many CPG founders have been in this situation. A potential retail partner or a distributor or co-packer is asking you for something that you cannot afford or do not feel comfortable with -- but you do not feel like you can say "no." In this episode, Alli dives into how you can navigate these difficult conversations with negotiation. She’ll equip you with the mindset to know that you can work to create agreements that work for both parties and that ultimately, result in less stress for you!

Specifically, she covers:

What happens when brands never say "no" or never negotiate
The importance of knowing what you CAN offer – whether it's promos, marketing support, or other offers – in your negotiations
Why can you also say "no" and it won't be the end of the world
How you can receive support in figuring out what you can offer partners

Make sure that you follow this link to our full show notes, where you can connect with us via LinkedIn and Instagram to share where you’re using these tips next!

This episode is sponsored by our Secret Sauce Quiz! Do you want to know what’s working in YOUR biz? Then make sure to take our Secret Sauce Quiz! You’ll answer 10 quick questions on yourself and your biz, and you’ll learn your brand's current strength & how you can leverage that this year. (We promise that it’ll take less than 2 minutes!) You’ll receive a curated list of free resources for your exact stage of business and your business superpower - so that you can do MORE of what’s working. Click here to take the quiz and receive your results and resources today!

If you're wondering how other brands' journeys with co-packers or co-manufacturers are going, then this is the episode for you! In this "Is It Worth It, Charlie?" episode, Charlie checks back in with Kathrin Henon, the CEO and Founder of Planet Bake, around how her search for a co-packer has gone over the past year. Charlie and Kathrin first discussed whether co-packing was "worth it" for her in the August of 2022, in episode 158 of the Food Biz Wiz podcast.

Planet Bake makes vegan, gluten-free, better-for-you donuts. In this episode, you'll hear more about...

What challenges Kathrin faced along her co-packer search
Why your co-packer or co-manufacturer journey isn’t always linear
Why timing your co-packer transition is so important!
How she pivoted to find what works for her biz
And the lessons she learned in moving forward and what she recommends!

Be sure to check out our full show notes here with the link to the previous episode 158, Planet Bake's site, the resource Kathrin mentioned, and our Instagram and LinkedIn!

This episode is sponsored by our mini Reorder Checklist! This checklist is a list of ways to onboard a new retailer so that you’re more likely to sell off those shelves and receive reorders. If you’re thinking about how you can ensure that your sales in existing doors increase, then this is the perfect resource for you. You can find our simplified version at the link here OR, if you’re a Retail Ready® student, you can find the longform version and training directly within our course platform!

The COVID-19 pandemic forever changed how the CPG industry does business. Where we used to do primarily in-person events and meetings, much of our industry has now pivoted to include both virtual and in-person events. In this week’s episode 205 of the Food Biz Wiz podcast, I sit down with Sarah Davidson, the Executive Vice President of ECRM, the parent company of RangeMe, to talk about how they connect buyers and producers through their curated buyer meeting events.

When you listen in, you’ll hear all about…

How ECRM pivoted with the COVID-19 crisis to include virtual events and why they offer both now
What their sessions look like and all that their team does to ensure that meetings are valuable for producers and buyers
Why their events are different from trade shows
Some of the top things that buyers have been looking for in their events

Sarah has been in the CPG industry for 18 years, so tune in to hear her experience in creating valuable buyer meetings and events. Find the episode that I mention on optimizing your RangeMe efforts, as well as the ECRM links, Sarah’s information, and our Instagram and Linkedin links in our full show notes here!

This episode is sponsored by our Secret Sauce Quiz! Do you want to know what’s working in YOUR biz? Then make sure to take our Secret Sauce Quiz! You’ll answer 10 quick questions on yourself and your biz, and you’ll learn your brand's current strength & how you can leverage that this year. (We promise that it’ll take less than 2 minutes!) You’ll receive a curated list of free resources for your exact stage of business and your business superpower - so that you can do MORE of what’s working. Click here to take the quiz and receive your results and resources today!

Each week, I receive questions in my DMs around how brands can improve their D2C sales from their websites. I’ll often hear brands talk about how their sales aren’t where they want them to be or how they feel like they’ve put in so much effort and dollars to improve their sales – with little actual improvement.

Frustrating, right? In this episode, I’m taking a moment to discuss just why e-commerce sales can be so difficult. Listen in to hear…

Why your D2C sales might have improved during the pandemic then dipped again
What the reality of online sales is, so that you don’t have to beat yourself up!
Where to start if your D2C sales aren’t where you want them to be

Make sure to check out our full show notes to connect with us on Instagram and LinkedIn, and we’ll walk through doing the math on your conversion rates.

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Ready® Masterclass for growing YOUR food business! As I mentioned in this episode, in our Masterclass I cover how wholesale can be part of a profitable omnichannel strategy for your brand. Check out our Masterclass for our actionable tips to increase your sales now, plus an invite to join us in Retail Ready®. Plus, if you KNOW that you want access to ALL of my buyer insights and to be a part of our supportive, knowledgeable community, then Retail Ready® is THE place for you. Click here to watch our Masterclass and learn those tips, plus all that we cover with our course, strategic support & community!

Every brand is feeling the pinch of increased costs for shipping, packaging, ingredients, and more. If you're thinking about how you'll increase your prices to keep up with costs, then join us for this week's episode. We're re-airing an episode where Alli shares her simple steps for completing a price increase.

In this brief, 15 minute episode, you'll hear...

That price increases are normal and an expected part of business
What 4 steps should be in your price increase plan
Why communicating multiple times with your buyers is necessary
And what YOUR price increase game plan will be!

If you’ve been nervous to complete that price increase, then this episode will be key for you to finally complete it. Check out our full show notes here to find our LinkedIn and Instagram links so that you can connect with us and let us know your next step for your price increase!

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready® Right Now! If you listened in and want a place to ask specifics about your price increase plan (or more questions!), then you’d be the perfect fit for Retail Ready®. Retail Ready® is our online course and community for producers who are looking to have a solid retail strategy and increase their sales with less guesswork. Click here for our quickstart enrollment so that you can learn more and get started TODAY!

You've poured your heart and soul into your brand and now you're in the classic "chicken and egg" CPG challenge: “I need to build brand awareness for sales, but it’s hard to get into stores without a distributor.” Does this sound like what you've been thinking?

In this “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” episode, Charlie Berkinshaw and Giulietta Octavio, the founder and CEO of Ceybon, sit down and chat again. Charlie is our Retail Ready® VP of Student Success and the founder and CEO of Element Shrub. This time, Charlie and Giulietta discuss whether using a distributor is the right next step for Giulietta and her elixir brand. They explore the benefits and challenges of working with distributors so that she can make an informed decision on her next step.

Listen in to hear their key takeaways on...

What you can expect distributors to do and not do
Why it's important to prepare for best and worst case cash flow scenarios
The value of knowing your COGS for mapping your cash flow
How building a base of stores through different fulfillment options can help long-term and give you a middle ground before distribution

This episode dives all into the considerations that are helpful for determining if a distributor is right at this time. Be sure to check out our full show notes here to read more about Giulietta and her brand, Ceybon, as well as to hear more about Charlie and find our LinkedIn and Instagram!

This episode is sponsored by our mini Reorder Checklist! This checklist is a list of ways to onboard a new retailer so that you’re more likely to sell off those shelves and receive reorders. If you listened to this episode and are thinking about how you can ensure your sales in existing doors increase, then this is the perfect resource for you. You can find our simplified version at the link here OR, if you’re a Retail Ready® student, you can find the longform version and training directly within our course platform!

Are you a founder balancing multiple hats and self-funding your biz? Then this is the episode for you! Regina Trillo, former Retail Ready® student and the founder of Nemi Snacks, joins me to share her strategies for how she learned to prioritize all the life, work, and biz responsibilities.

In this episode, you'll hear Regina and I talk about...

Why she actually strives for prioritization instead of “balance”
The decisions that led her to stay self-funded
Why checking in with your capacity is crucial for you and your biz's wellbeing
How saying “no” is a superpower
Plus, the mindset shifts that encourage you to move forward and learn

Be sure to check out our full show notes for our resources, including more about Nemi Snacks, MyPocketCFO, our LinkedIn and Instagram links, and more! Connect with us on Instagram and LinkedIn and share which of Regina's tips you needed to hear most today.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready®! If you’re like Regina and want ways to simplify your work and also be part of a supportive & knowledgeable CPG community that makes being a founder less lonely, then Retail Ready® is THE place for you. Check out our Masterclass for our tips for taking guesswork out of your strategy, plus an invite to join us in Retail Ready®. Click here to watch our Masterclass and learn those tips, plus all that we cover in our course, strategic support & community!

Wizes, we are THRILLED to celebrate 200 episodes of the Food Biz Wiz podcast! In this episode, we are taking a moment to celebrate this win with you. And in true Food Biz Wiz fashion, we will also be sharing ONE quick lesson on a business practice that allows you to find even more success.

Listen in for these key takeaways:

How doubling down on what’s working in your business benefits you & saves you time
Why we will be archiving the Food Biz Wiz Facebook group soon
Plus, how YOU can figure out what’s working for your brand with our new, Secret Sauce Quiz!

Be sure to check out our full show notes here, where you can find our Instagram and LinkedIn links as well. Connect with us and let us know what practice you’ll be doubling down on next!

One more thing: would you do us a favor and leave us a review on your favorite podcast player OR share this podcast with someone else in our industry? We appreciate you and your support over the past years!

This episode is sponsored by our Secret Sauce Quiz! Do you want to know what’s working in YOUR biz? Then make sure to take our Secret Sauce Quiz! You’ll answer 10 quick questions on yourself and your biz, and you’ll learn your brand's current strength & how you can leverage that this year (We promise that it’ll take less than 2 minutes!) You’ll receive a curated list of free resources for your exact stage of business and your business superpower - so that you can do MORE of what’s working. Click here to take the quiz and receive your results and resources today!

Join Charlie Berkinshaw on the Food Biz Wiz podcast as he sits down with Giulietta Octavio, the founder and CEO of Ceybon, to discuss whether adding a ready-to-drink product line to her existing lineup is worth it. Ceybon currently produces mood, brain, and sleep enhancing mushroom elixirs. With asks coming from both wholesale accounts and customers, Giulietta is considering all the intricacies of creating a new product line.

In this episode, you'll hear Charlie and Giulietta discuss...

The consumer education necessary for her current product line
Pros and cons of developing this new RTD line
How she can approach cost-effectiveness, co-packing partnerships, cash flow management, higher volume sales expectations, and more
And what assumptions may or may not hold true for crossing into a new line

If you're considering a product crossover or adding a new line, you won't want to miss this conversation. Join us in this discussion to determine if developing this RTD sparkling line is “worth it!” As always, find more information on Giulietta and Ceybon, as well as the links to our Instagram, LinkedIn, and Food Biz Wiz Facebook group in our full show notes here!

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready® Right Now! If you listened in and KNOW that you’d benefit from Charlie’s expertise on your questions & your CPG challenges, then Retail Ready® IS the perfect place for you! Retail Ready® is our online course and community for producers who are looking to have a solid retail strategy and increase their sales with less guesswork. Click here for our quickstart enrollment so that you can learn more and get started TODAY!

This week we are sharing our first episode from our five part Goal Setting Mini Series from last year. In these final five episodes of the year, we'll be planning, mapping out, and discussing how to create systems for progressing on next year’s business goals.

Our first episode of the series starts with the WHY behind your goals. This will give us a foundation that will help us set up our goals intentionally and thoughtfully!

Click here for the full show notes, which include the link to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group and information on how to connect with Alli on Instagram!

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Ready® Right Now page! We heard from enough of you that you didn’t have time to watch our masterclass, BUT you KNEW that Retail Ready® was the perfect tool to help you navigate the retail world. We made an information & enrollment page for food founders who want to skip the masterclass, forgo a sales conversation, and enroll in minutes. We’re increasing the price of Retail Ready® by $400 in January 2023, so join us now to lock in your 2022 pricing & lifetime access to our course, our strategic support, and our community. Find the Retail Ready® Right Now link HERE!

As promised, we are turning the tables again by interviewing Charlie this week! Charlie shares his producer perspective with us, from how he started Element Shrub to what his 2022 takeaways are.

In this episode, hear Charlie and Gabby talk about…

Why brands need to track where they spend their time and the ROI on their activities
What free fills are and why you’ll need to plan for them
How knowing your COGs from day 1 can help you set yourself up for success
Plus, why continuing to find the audiences that love your product is critical for your brand’s success!

Find our full show notes on this episode here, including the link to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group and the link to last week’s episode, where Alli shared her BTS buyer insights.

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Ready® Right Now page! We heard from enough of you that you didn’t have time to watch our masterclass, BUT you KNEW that Retail Ready® was the perfect tool to help you navigate the retail world. We made an information & enrollment page for food founders who want to skip the masterclass, forgo a sales conversation, and enroll in minutes. We’re increasing the price of Retail Ready® by $400 in January 2023, so join us now to lock in your 2022 pricing & lifetime access to our course, our strategic support, and our community. Find the Retail Ready® Right Now link HERE!

This week we turn the tables and interview Alli to hear just how she got into her buyer role and how she gained the buyer expertise she shares with us today.

Listen in to hear Alli and Gabby discuss:

How Alli got into her buyer role and why she shares her buyer insights
Why you need to see the full picture and have a plan for what comes next – after getting on the shelf, getting a distributor, and more!
Why it’s so important to find a branding team that has package design experience
How building a business that works for you and YOUR goals encourages your success

We have all of the resources mentioned in this episode at our full show notes here, including the margin calculator and video, links to the episodes mentioned, and the link to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group.

Tune into next week’s episode, where we’ll interview Charlie on his journey and his 2022 takeaways!

This episode is sponsored by our 4th Quarter Masterclass for growing your food biz! If you listened in and wanted to have access to ALL of Alli’s buyer insights, plus our amazing, private student support community, then Retail Ready® is the place for you. Check out our Masterclass for Alli’s actionable tips to increase your sales NOW, plus an invite to join us in Retail Ready®. Click here to watch our Masterclass and learn those tips, plus all that we cover with our course, strategic support & community!

This week we turn the tables and interview Alli to hear just how she got into her buyer role and how she gained the buyer expertise she shares with us today.

Listen in to hear Alli and Gabby discuss:

How Alli got into her buyer role and why she shares her buyer insights
Why you need to see the full picture and have a plan for what comes next – after getting on the shelf, getting a distributor, and more!
Why it’s so important to find a branding team that has package design experience
How building a business that works for you and YOUR goals encourages your success

We have all of the resources mentioned in this episode at our full show notes here, including the margin calculator and video, links to the episodes mentioned, and the link to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group.

Tune into next week’s episode, where we’ll interview Charlie on his journey and his 2022 takeaways!

This episode is sponsored by our 4th Quarter Masterclass for growing your food biz! If you listened in and wanted to have access to ALL of Alli’s buyer insights, plus our amazing, private student support community, then Retail Ready® is the place for you. Check out our Masterclass for Alli’s actionable tips to increase your sales NOW, plus an invite to join us in Retail Ready®. Click here to watch our Masterclass and learn those tips, plus all that we cover with our course, strategic support & community!

In our Original Recipe episode this week, we’re revisiting an episode with marketing expert Ryan Pintado-Vertner. Ryan is the founder and CEO of Smoketown, a brand consultancy that focuses on fractional CMO services and strategy practice to help mission-driven consumer brands maximize their growth and build more traction.

Alli and Ryan discuss:

HOW using the “Jobs To Be Done” mindset can help you hone in on your target audience
WHERE you ACTUALLY should focus your marketing efforts, as based on Ryan’s strategy
Plus, what three marketing tactics that you can use are!

To check out Smoketown and our conversations on this episode in the Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here to our full show notes!

This episode is sponsored by our 4th Quarter Masterclass for growing your food biz! If you listened in and want to ask CPG questions to experts like Ryan, Alli, and Charlie, then Retail Ready® is the perfect place for you! Check out our Masterclass for actionable tips to increase your sales NOW, plus an invite to join us in Retail Ready®. Click here to watch our Masterclass and learn those tips, plus all that we cover inside our course, coaching & community!

In our Original Recipe episode this week, we’re revisiting an episode with marketing expert Ryan Pintado-Vertner. Ryan is the founder and CEO of Smoketown, a brand consultancy that focuses on fractional CMO services and strategy practice to help mission-driven consumer brands maximize their growth and build more traction.

Alli and Ryan discuss:

HOW using the “Jobs To Be Done” mindset can help you hone in on your target audience
WHERE you ACTUALLY should focus your marketing efforts, as based on Ryan’s strategy
Plus, what three marketing tactics that you can use are!

To check out Smoketown and our conversations on this episode in the Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here to our full show notes!

This episode is sponsored by our 4th Quarter Masterclass for growing your food biz! If you listened in and want to ask CPG questions to experts like Ryan, Alli, and Charlie, then Retail Ready® is the perfect place for you! Check out our Masterclass for actionable tips to increase your sales NOW, plus an invite to join us in Retail Ready®. Click here to watch our Masterclass and learn those tips, plus all that we cover inside our course, coaching & community!

This week, we’re sharing our episode on planning and achieving a successful crowdfunding campaign! Listen in to this episode with Courtney Boyd Myers (CBM), the founder of kelp jerky brand, Akua. CBM has launched multiple successful crowdfunding campaigns through Kickstarter.

Tune in to hear…

How to know if a crowdsourcing or Kickstarter campaign is right for you
What Courtney did to launch and plan for the campaign
Why the first 24 hours after launch are critical
Plus, what common mistakes to avoid in your campaign!

To check out our conversations on this episode in the Food Biz Wiz Facebook group and to connect with Akua, click here to our full show notes!

This episode is sponsored by our 4th Quarter Masterclass for growing your food biz! The fourth quarter is prime time to work on your sales strategy, pitch, and materials. Our Masterclass will provide actionable tips to increasing your sales now, plus an invite to join us in Retail Ready®. Click here to watch our Masterclass and learn those tips, plus all that we cover inside our course, coaching & community!

We are back with another “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” episode this week! Charlie and Eileen McGurty, founder of Mountain Meadow Bone Broth, discuss whether she should add new SKUs to her lineup.

Charlie and Eileen consider…

Where the demand is coming from for the potential new SKUs
What the financial and logistical costs of adding new SKUs are
How to test the potential SKU’s viability with the lowest risk possible
When she should time a potential rollout with her products’ seasonality

Listen to Eileen gain clarity on how she’ll move forward with the potential SKUs! To join our conversations on this episode in the Food Biz Wiz Facebook group and to learn more about Mountain Meadow Bone Broth, click here to our full show notes!

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Ready® Masterclass for growing your food biz! If you wanted to know exactly how Eileen gained confidence in pitching and which systems Eileen is implementing for increased sales, then you’re the perfect fit for Retail Ready®. Click here to watch our Masterclass to understand all we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join and start learning NOW!

We are back with another “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” episode this week! Charlie and Eileen McGurty, founder of Mountain Meadow Bone Broth, discuss whether she should add new SKUs to her lineup.

Charlie and Eileen consider…

Where the demand is coming from for the potential new SKUs
What the financial and logistical costs of adding new SKUs are
How to test the potential SKU’s viability with the lowest risk possible
When she should time a potential rollout with her products’ seasonality

Listen to Eileen gain clarity on how she’ll move forward with the potential SKUs! To join our conversations on this episode in the Food Biz Wiz Facebook group and to learn more about Mountain Meadow Bone Broth, click here to our full show notes!

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Ready® Masterclass for growing your food biz! If you wanted to know exactly how Eileen gained confidence in pitching and which systems Eileen is implementing for increased sales, then you’re the perfect fit for Retail Ready®. Click here to watch our Masterclass to understand all we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join and start learning NOW!

This week we are switching things up by sharing an episode from Djenaba Johnson-Jones’ The Food Means Business Podcast. Djenaba hosted Alli as a guest interviewee and they discussed multiple can’t-miss topics such as…

How psychographics are critical to knowing your target audience
What one essential thing most brands miss in their sales emails is
Plus, why it’s so important to follow up on your sales emails and calls

Djenaba is the founder and CEO of Hudson Kitchen. Hudson Kitchen is an incubator kitchen that she founded after wanting to provide other emerging brands a lower-risk way to launch their food businesses. For more information on Hudson Kitchen, the link to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, plus our 100 Buyer No’s worksheet, check out our full show notes here!

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Ready® Quickstart! If you listened and wondered what other buyer intel you NEED to inform your strategies, then Retail Ready® IS the perfect place for you! Retail Ready® is our online course, coaching, and community for producers who are looking to increase their sales THIS year. Click here for our quickstart enrollment so that you can get started TODAY!

This week we are switching things up by sharing an episode from Djenaba Johnson-Jones’ The Food Means Business Podcast. Djenaba hosted Alli as a guest interviewee and they discussed multiple can’t-miss topics such as…

How psychographics are critical to knowing your target audience
What one essential thing most brands miss in their sales emails is
Plus, why it’s so important to follow up on your sales emails and calls

Djenaba is the founder and CEO of Hudson Kitchen. Hudson Kitchen is an incubator kitchen that she founded after wanting to provide other emerging brands a lower-risk way to launch their food businesses. For more information on Hudson Kitchen, the link to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, plus our 100 Buyer No’s worksheet, check out our full show notes here!

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Ready® Quickstart! If you listened and wondered what other buyer intel you NEED to inform your strategies, then Retail Ready® IS the perfect place for you! Retail Ready® is our online course, coaching, and community for producers who are looking to increase their sales THIS year. Click here for our quickstart enrollment so that you can get started TODAY!

Traditional views of mentorship have us believe that only mentors have something valuable to offer mentees. In this episode, we sit down with Kathleen Casanova, the director of Project Potluck, and Cynthia Billops, the VP of Operations, Membership and Belonging at One Step Closer (OSC), to consider how we can shift mentorship for the better. We discuss…

How mentorship can be rewarding for mentees AND mentors
Why mentorship is critical for BIPOC founders in our industry
Where you can find mentorship
Plus, they share about their Mentor to Champion Skills Training for improving mentorship skills!

To connect directly with Project Potluck and OSC and for the sign up link for their Mentor to Champion Skills Training, check out our full show notes here. You’ll also find our episode on the J.E.D.I. Collaborative and the link to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group there!

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Roadmap! As Kathleen and Cynthia mention, having someone share their insider knowledge can make a world of difference to an emerging brand. I want to share my buyer expertise so that you know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf - AND have high sales once you're there! Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here so that you’re planning for each next step NOW!

Traditional views of mentorship have us believe that only mentors have something valuable to offer mentees. In this episode, we sit down with Kathleen Casanova, the director of Project Potluck, and Cynthia Billops, the VP of Operations, Membership and Belonging at One Step Closer (OSC), to consider how we can shift mentorship for the better. We discuss…

How mentorship can be rewarding for mentees AND mentors
Why mentorship is critical for BIPOC founders in our industry
Where you can find mentorship
Plus, they share about their Mentor to Champion Skills Training for improving mentorship skills!

To connect directly with Project Potluck and OSC and for the sign up link for their Mentor to Champion Skills Training, check out our full show notes here. You’ll also find our episode on the J.E.D.I. Collaborative and the link to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group there!

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Roadmap! As Kathleen and Cynthia mention, having someone share their insider knowledge can make a world of difference to an emerging brand. I want to share my buyer expertise so that you know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf - AND have high sales once you're there! Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here so that you’re planning for each next step NOW!

Today, we bring you the final re-air of our Fourth Quarter Focus Series from last year! As we’re nearly in the fourth quarter, this episode is dedicated to what you should actually be doing IN the fourth quarter and how to focus your business-building efforts for the remainder of the year.

We'll outline exactly what you should focus on in the 4th quarter to ensure you're ready when the new year arrives. Alli discusses your sales scripts, your sales materials, your sales strategy, and what updates she has since last year.

Click here to check out our full show notes, links to the previous episodes in our mini-series, and to join our Food Biz Wiz® Student Facebook group!

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Ready® Masterclass on growing your food business! Our Masterclass covers Alli’s framework for how to increase your sales. If you find yourself wondering precisely what strategy (or strategies) you actually need, then Retail Ready® is THE place for you. Click here to watch our Masterclass and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join before the fourth quarter begins!

In this third re-air of our Fourth Quarter Focus Series from last year, we’re zeroing in on what you need to do to nurture your existing accounts. If you joined us for the past weeks’ episodes, you’ll know that many buyers are about to be heads down in the busiest grocery season of the year, so it’s all the more critical to be ahead of the game.

In this week's episode, we'll discuss:

The two audiences you'll focus on and how to nurture them
Why nurturing those relationships sets your brand up for success in the fourth quarter
How to nurture your accounts with a multifaceted strategy
Plus, Alli’s updates on what’s changed since last year!

To check out our previous episodes from this series, see our show notes, and access even more useful resources, click here for the full show notes!

This episode is sponsored by the Retail Ready® waitlist! If you’re listening and wondering what other strategies you can be implementing for short and long-term success, then we KNOW Retail Ready® is the perfect place for you. Retail Ready® is our online course, coaching, and community for producers who are looking to increase their sales THIS year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

We’re back this week to revisit the 2nd part of our 4 part mini-series focusing on the 4th quarter! Wondering how to ace your last pitches for the quarter (unless, of course, you produce a seasonal product)?

In this episode, we're talking about what you need to have nailed down as you make those final pitches. We'll discuss the 4 P’s: product, pricing, promotion, and pitch script. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a checklist of what your pitch needs to appeal to busy buyers.

To access our full show notes, check out the previous episode of this series, and join our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here to our full show notes!

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Ready® Masterclass on growing your food business! If you found yourself wondering exactly what strategies you’ll need to perfect your pitch, then Retail Ready® is THE place for you. Click here to watch our Masterclass and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our third quarter cohort before the fourth quarter!

This week we are re-visiting a 4-part mini-series on where your focus should be in the 4th quarter! This week's 1st episode is all about the Wholesale Buyer's Perspective.

I'll discuss:

A breakdown of the Buyer's Perspective from October to December
Why Buyers may be ignoring your emails
What has or hasn’t changed since last year!

To check out our full show notes here and to join our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group, click here!

This episode is sponsored by the Retail Ready® waitlist! If you’ve found value in the bits of expertise I share on the Food Biz Wiz® podcast, then you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready®, our online course, coaching & community for producers who are looking to increase their sales THIS year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

In our latest “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” episode, Charlie weighs in on whether Kirk, founder of Power of the Almond, should change their pricing structure to work with a distributor. Charlie and Kirk consider the following questions:

Whether Kirk should include rent in COGs as they have a brick and mortar store
How different channels can affect his overhead
Whether expected grocery margins can support working with a distributor

By the end of the episode, Kirk has a clearer picture of how he’ll move forward! To see find more on Power of the Almond and to join our student community, click here to our full show notes!

Our Retail Ready® September Sales Sprint sponsors this episode! There’s so much out there on cutting costs for a recession, but what about increasing your revenue? In September, we're doing just that through 4 LIVE bonus calls for Retail Ready® students. Find our full course outline here to check out all that we cover, and watch our intro Masterclass at the link here. If you’re ready to jumpstart your revenue now, sign up now at this link!

Every week, I hear food founders with dilemmas like this: a potential business partner, such as a co-packer, distributor, retailer, etc. asks for something that you know you can’t reasonably fulfill. YET, you still feel like you MUST say yes. Does this sound familiar?

Well, I’m here to bring you a few important considerations:

What your three main options are in these situations
What you need to know before negotiating offers
How you can offer alternatives to the original ask
And why saying “no” is still a valid option

Once you listen in, you’ll have next steps for when you need to negotiate!

To join our student group and check out more about Retail Ready® and our other resources for food founders like yourself, click here to our full show notes!

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Ready® September Sales Sprint! There’s so much out there on cutting costs and knowing your numbers in anticipation of a potential recession, but what about the other half of the equation: actually increasing your revenue? In the month of September, we are focusing on increasing revenue in 30 days through 4 LIVE bonus calls for Retail Ready® students. Find our full course outline here to check out all that we cover, and watch our intro Masterclass at the link here. Or, if you’re ready to jumpstart your revenue and land in a retail community ready to support you now, sign up now at this link!

Every week, I hear food founders with dilemmas like this: a potential business partner, such as a co-packer, distributor, retailer, etc. asks for something that you know you can’t reasonably fulfill. YET, you still feel like you MUST say yes. Does this sound familiar?

Well, I’m here to bring you a few important considerations:

What your three main options are in these situations
What you need to know before negotiating offers
How you can offer alternatives to the original ask
And why saying “no” is still a valid option

Once you listen in, you’ll have next steps for when you need to negotiate!

To join our student group and check out more about Retail Ready® and our other resources for food founders like yourself, click here to our full show notes!

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Ready® September Sales Sprint! There’s so much out there on cutting costs and knowing your numbers in anticipation of a potential recession, but what about the other half of the equation: actually increasing your revenue? In the month of September, we are focusing on increasing revenue in 30 days through 4 LIVE bonus calls for Retail Ready® students. Find our full course outline here to check out all that we cover, and watch our intro Masterclass at the link here. Or, if you’re ready to jumpstart your revenue and land in a retail community ready to support you now, sign up now at this link!

Being an entrepreneur can feel like navigating a land with no maps. That’s why I’m thrilled to share this episode with Shulamit Ber Levtov, MA, RSW, CCTP. Known as The Entrepreneur’s Therapist, Shulamit joins us to take an honest look behind the CEO door at what mental health challenges female entrepreneurs face and how we can equip ourselves with the right tools for the journey.

Shulamit and I delve into the following topics:

The 7 main mental health challenges that entrepreneurs uniquely experience
How practicing self compassion instead of self esteem can benefit us
What plans you need to be making for you and your brand’s health

This episode was a refreshingly real unpacking of the challenges that we face as entrepreneurs, and a necessary reminder of the tools we can use to care for ourselves. After listening in, I know you’ll be ready to make a plan to take care of your most important asset: you!

Check out our full show notes here so that you can find Shulamit’s full resources and a link to our episode on the benefits of saying no. We can’t wait to share information on Shulamit’s book in the future!

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Ready® September Sales Sprint! There’s so much out there on cutting costs and knowing your numbers in anticipation of a potential recession, but what about the other half of the equation: actually increasing your revenue? In the month of September, we are focusing on increasing revenue in 30 days through 4 LIVE bonus calls for Retail Ready® students. Find our full course outline here to check out all that we cover, and watch our intro Masterclass at the link here. Or, if you’re ready to jumpstart your revenue and land in a retail community ready to support you now, sign up now at this link!

In our 158th episode of the Food Biz Wiz Podcast, Charlie brings another insightful conversation to the “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” series. Charlie discusses with Kathrin Henon, founder of Planet Bake, whether now is the right time to start using a co-packer.

As many businesses look to scale, they must consider how and when a co-packer can become a vital part of the brand’s team.

In this episode, Charlie and Kathrin consider the following:

How Kathrin can plan for best and worst case scenarios when using a co-packer
What financial constraints Kathrin should consider
And how Kathrin will move forward with her current resources and team

Through discussing these, Kathrin cements what her next steps in choosing to use a co-packer will be!

Charlie Berkinshaw is our VP of Student Success here at Food Biz Wiz, as well as the Founder of Element Shrub, a RTD and concentrate beverage line, and a Founding Partner of The Fountain Inn, a spirits tasting room in Washington, D.C. Charlie supports our students day in and day out, answering questions just like this in our private Retail Ready® student community and on our bi-weekly coaching calls.

Click over to our full show notes here so that you can see more of our resources and can see where to find Planet Bake!

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Roadmap! As Charlie discusses in this episode, it's more important now than ever to have an idea of what your retail journey will look like so that you plan ahead just like Kathrin did. Find our free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here so that you’re planning for each next step NOW.

In this week’s Original Recipe episode, we revisit episode 49. NOW is the time to prepare and plan for the 4th quarter so that you’re ready to maximize sales!

Alli details her four KEY steps to planning a strong holiday season: decide, pitch, schedule, and nurture. You’ll ensure that you know exactly what you’re selling, who you’re selling it to, and how to land in those valuable holiday guides and on consumers’ minds.

To continue the conversation and find more resources to prepare you for the fourth quarter, check out our full show notes by clicking here.

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass on growing your food business! If you found yourself wondering exactly what strategies you’ll be planning or how to better nurture buyer relationships, then Retail Ready® is the place for you. Click here to watch our Masterclass and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our third quarter cohort before the fourth quarter!

We’ve been hearing so much about what it potentially means to be in a recession, especially around COGS, financials, our margins, and more. But I tackle the elephant in the room: sales strategy.

In our 156th episode this week, I’ll cover:

Why a potential recession does NOT mean you should give up on sales strategies
How brands are still seeing huge wins even with supply chain challenges and labor shortages

Once you listen in, you’ll be motivated to continue your sales tactics and confirm your next steps! For our full show notes and even more resources on strategy and tips, check out our full show notes by clicking here!

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass on growing your food business! The students in Retail Ready® all joined after watching my Masterclass and recognizing that they had the potential to grow their sales even more. Click here to watch and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our third quarter cohort!

This week’s 155th episode wraps up our final three-part mini-series on the lessons learned from successful seven-figure CPG brands, with Umai Marketing cofounders Karin Samelson and Alison Smith, and the Head of Marketing at Rodeo CPG, Adam Pollack. In this episode, Alison and Karin guide us through the three levers of digital marketing necessary for success.

Hear them touch upon:

Why social media marketing, paid social, and email marketing are the three most important marketing levers for emerging CPG brands
Which KPIs you need to track to make informed decisions
When to know if you’re ready to expand past those three, and what to prioritize next in your business

Alison and Karin’s insights clarify so much of the confusion around which marketing tactics to explore, when. As this is the final episode in our mini-series, make sure that you’ve listened to the first two shows on our insights on operation strategy in episode 153 here and on retail strategy in episode 154 here!

GIVEAWAY: In celebration of this mini-series, we’re giving away a 60-minute, 1:1 session with each Rodeo CPG, Umai Marketing and Food Biz Wiz, in which you can ask any and all things operations, retail, and digital marketing! Click here for the full show notes and details on how to enter before the giveaway closes on 11:59pm CST on July 21st, 2022.

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass! If you listened to these mini-series episodes and nodded your head along when we talked about the importance of having a plan, then click here to watch our free masterclass. It focuses on the steps and strategy to growing your food business and shows exactly what we cover inside of Retail Ready®, our course for CPG brands that want to get onto shelves and have high sales once there!

We are back for our second episode of our mini-series on the lessons learned from successful seven-figure CPG brands! Once again, Adam Pollack, the Head of Marketing for Rodeo CPG, and Karin Samelson and Alison Smith, the cofounders of Umai Marketing, join as our co-hosts.

In this week’s episode, Adam, Alison, and Karin ask me critical questions on retail strategy. We cover:

My golden rule for trying to get ON retail shelves
What you need to remember when approaching buyers
What common mistakes you should avoid when trying to increase velocity

Once you listen in, you’ll have actionable next steps for getting onto and selling off the shelf! Find the first episode of this mini-series at this link or on your favorite podcast player.

GIVEAWAY: In celebration of this mini series, we’re giving away a 60-minute, 1:1 session with each Rodeo CPG, Umai Marketing and Food Biz Wiz, in which you can ask any and all things operations, retail, and digital marketing! Click here for the full show notes and details on how to enter before the giveaway closes on 11:59pm CST on July 21st, 2022.

As promised in the episode, I’ve created a freebie workbook outlining 100 Buyer No’s, which will walk you through preparing for any possible objection and guide you in crafting a rebuttal that lets buyers know you are ready to get on and sell off their shelf. Find the free download here!

Episode 153 begins a three part mini-series that we’re hosting with Adam Pollack, the Head of Marketing for Rodeo CPG, and Karin Samelson and Alison Smith, the cofounders of Umai Marketing, on the lessons learned from successful seven-figure CPG brands. In this episode, we zoom in on operations through the following topics:

Why knowing demand, production, procurement, and cashflow are ESSENTIAL for solid planning
Which plans brands need to make and a Rodeo CPG tool for planning
How saying ‘no’ and confirming your copacker’s constraints help you execute your plans

After hearing Adam’s ops wisdom, you’ll be motivated to dive into your own strategy! You can check out the Rodeo CPG planning tool and more about Rodeo CPG, at our full show notes here. In our next episodes, you’ll hear more about retail strategy and then digital marketing.

This episode is sponsored by our Retail Roadmap! As you hear in this episode, it's more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf - AND have high sales once you're there. Find our free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here so that you’re planning for each next step NOW.

In this week’s episode 152 of the Food Biz Wiz® Podcast, we kick off our 14th season with a rapid-fire episode to answer students’ most recent pressing questions.

I’ll covers a wide range of topics, including:

How brands can navigate pitches through supply chain issues & inflation
What brands can focus on NOW as we head into the summer months
Some of my tough love on sales strategy
Two questions to ask yourself when considering if you’re ready for PR
How to follow up from Fancy Food…even if you haven’t followed up yet!

Click here for the full show notes and to join us in our private Facebook group, or to connect with me on Instagram.

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join us!

This week, Charlie brings us another episode of the “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” series. In it, Charlie e-meets with Annabel Kalmar, director of Tea Rebellion, to discuss if she should continue to work with a distributor.

Working with a distributor is perhaps one of the most critical things you’ll think through when trying to expand into more retailers.

In this episode, Charlie and Annabel consider the following:

What benefits Tea Rebellion has experienced from working with a distributor
What challenges arise
How Tea Rebellion’s mission, values, and logistics fit with working with a distributor

After talking through all these considerations, Annabel has a clearer understanding of her next steps!

Charlie Berkinshaw is our VP of Student Success here at Food Biz Wiz, as well as the Founder of Element Shrub, a RTD and concentrate beverage line, and a Founding Partner of The Fountain Inn, a spirits tasting room in Washington, D.C. Charlie supports our students day in and day out, answering questions just like this in our private Retail Ready® student community and on our bi-weekly coaching calls.

Click over to our full show notes here so that you can see more of our resources and can check out more about Tea Rebellion.

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our second quarter cohort!

A well-crafted story can make the difference between apathy and commitment. Join my discussion with Adam Force, the founder of Change Creator, to hear more about how to leverage storytelling to drive sales for your food or beverage business.

In the episode, Adam shares:

What does storytelling have to do with your business
Why storytelling works to land sales over other hard marketing tactics
How to tell if you’re already using storytelling in your business, and what to do if you’re not
Why storytelling is a learned skill that we have to practice and hone, and how to do so

If you’ve ever wondered how to warm up those wholesale buyers and turn your online followers into raving fans - this episode will dive into that! Check out our full notes as well for Adam’s resources and how to check out Change Creator.

This episode is sponsored by our 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's!

Get the free download here!

So you’re on RangeMe…but you’re not quite sure about where to go from there. Well this week, I’m so excited for Brandon Leong, the SVP of Marketing and Growth for RangeMe, to join us.

In this episode, Brandon and I share some real talk on:

Why you NEED to be on RangeMe
How you can shift your thinking to use RangeMe more effectively and stop using hope as a strategy
The no and low cost way to drive your RangeMe profile’s visibility, plus…
What some of the biggest recent buyer trends are

This episode was packed FULL of valuable insights for food CPG brands and I know you’ll walk away with actionable next steps.

If you want to navigate to RangeMe’s site, check Brandon out, and see our full show notes, click here!

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join us!

If you’re in the CPG space and pursue wholesale channels, you’ve probably asked yourself some variant of “WHAT is going on with this buyer?!” You’ve sent them multiple emails and your sales materials…and then radio silence.

In today’s episode of the Food Biz Wiz® Podcast, I’ll share…

WHY buyers go quiet on you
WHAT it means when that happens
Then, HOW to rekindle the conversation after silence or if they’ve never responded in the first place

I can’t wait to share these necessary pieces of buyer intel with you. Listen in to catch them all!

Click on over to our full show notes, where you’ll find even more information and can group our podcasts by theme!

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our second quarter cohort!

We’re back this week with another juicy episode of our “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” series. In these episodes, Charlie typically works through a pivotal business decision with a Retail Ready® student.

This week though, Charlie dives into the THREE topics he considers essential to think through when weighing whether a decision is worth it:

Money: COGS, pricing, ROI, and more
The resources available to your business
Reflection on this decision’s impact

Whether you’re an emerging brand or have been in business for years, these topics are key when thinking through pivotal decisions. Tune in to hear what they’re all about!

Follow along here to our full show notes, where you’ll find even more information and can access podcasts relevant for CPG entrepreneurs like yourself!

Charlie Berkinshaw is our VP of Student Success here at Food Biz Wiz, as well as the Founder of Element Shrub, a RTD and concentrate beverage line, and a Founding Partner of The Fountain Inn, a spirits tasting room in Washington, D.C. Charlie supports our students day in and day out, using this framework in our private Retail Ready® student community and on our bi-weekly coaching calls.

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our second quarter cohort!

As founders, we often have to strike a difficult balance between completing the nitty-gritty, day-to-day tasks in our business and the tasks that actually work on our overall business.

In today’s show, we’ll focus on what the difference between working ON your business is versus working IN your business. We’ll also cover:

How to know if you’re working ON vs IN your business
My secret to making time to work ON your business
How our team here at Food Biz Wiz® can support you in working ON your business

This is the fourth episode of our Original Recipe series, where our student success coordinator Gabby hand-picks timely episodes to re-share. We originally aired this episode in the 4th quarter and its message is still relevant to intentionally setting yourself up for success.

Listen in for all my thoughts on how to get out of that rut and empower your business now!

For the full show notes and to learn even more about how we can support you in choosing to invest in your business and yourself, click here.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready®, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and find yourself nodding along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready®. We invite you to skip the line to sign up right here and now!

As business founders, we have ALL been in a space of overwhelm; of feeling like we have just too many tasks to complete and not enough energy or mental space to do it. That’s why I’m so excited for this week’s episode with Charlotte Smith.

Charlotte is a marketing expert who specializes in marketing for agricultural professionals AND mindset coaching to move your business forward and reduce overwhelm and anxiety.

Some of the questions we discuss include:

What even is mindset and what should we understand about it?
What questions can we start asking to shift our mindset?
How can we empower our productive thoughts and recognize our negative thoughts?
Plus even more!

If you’d like to see more about the resources mentioned or how to connect with Charlotte, check out our full show notes here.

This episode is sponsored by Wholesale Week, the FREE 5 days of actionable mini lessons for emerging food, bev and taxable grocery brands like yours. We have designed Wholesale Week to help you put your wholesale strategy in place for your next steps in 2022. Click here to sign up!

There’s one quote that shot straight to my heart when I read it. It’s a simple quote from James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, and I can’t wait to share it with you in this episode.

I’ll share what that piece of wisdom means for CPG brands AND tell you more about Food Biz Wiz’s Wholesale Week. It’s 5 days of free, actionable, mini lessons for emerging food, bev and taxable grocery brands, designed to help you land on more shelves, and get into more shopping baskets.

Listen along for more details and check out our full show notes at this link, where we’ll have all the resources mentioned.

This episode is sponsored by Wholesale Week, the FREE 5 days of actionable mini lessons for emerging food, bev and taxable grocery brands like yours. We have designed Wholesale Week to help you put your wholesale strategy in place for your next steps in 2022 and put that quote’s wisdom into practice. Click here to sign up!

Today we have another episode of our “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” series. In it, Charlie talks with Patricia Beets, co-founder of Dell Cove Spices & More Co., about whether or not it’s worth it to attend a trade show!

Charlie Berkinshaw is our VP of Student Success here at Food Biz Wiz, as well as the Founder of Element Shrub, a RTD and concentrate beverage line, and a Founding Partner of The Fountain Inn, a spirits tasting room in Washington, D.C. Charlie supports our students day in and day out, answering questions just like this in our private Retail Ready® student community and on our bi-weekly coaching calls.

Listen along to hear Patricia and Charlie talk through the questions that so many food founders consider when deciding whether to attend a trade show, such as:

How do I quantify the ROI for a trade show?
What is a realistic timeline for the potential payoff from a trade show?
Which samples do I bring? How do I hire help for staffing the show?
Plus more!

By the end, Patricia has a clear idea of her next steps forward!

Check out our full show notes here, with all of the resources they mentioned in the episode, and to connect with Dell Cove Spices & More Co.

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our second quarter cohort!

Diversity, equity, and inclusion, or “DEI” is something that’s on many of our minds. But what even is its impact on brands and how do we start implementing it into our practices?

If you were wondering that, then you’re in luck! Today, we are revisiting episode 102 as the third episode of the Original Recipe series, where we use your top questions to hand-pick previously aired episodes, all presented with fresh insights from our Student Success Coordinator, Gabby.

In this episode, DEI consultant Jennifer Yepez-Blundell (formerly of Hella Social Impact) and I discussed

Why should CPG brands care about DEI?
Do consumers care about DEI?
How working on DEI impacts your sales and customer base.
How Hella Social Impact works with clients and how you can use their “Notice, Name, Dismantle” framework to create a strategy around being a more inclusive, just CPG business

To find out more about Hella Social Impact and how they work with clients, see the full show notes by clicking here.

If you finished listening by wondering how you can find a community of supporters around your food biz questions, you’ve got to join us in Retail Ready®, my online course, coaching & community for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again, or choose the quickstart option on the waitlist confirmation page if you’re ready to join immediately! Click here to save your spot!

Refreshing your branding is a huge undertaking. There are so many considerations involved, from your brand’s story, to your physical packaging, to finding the right partners.

But when is the right time to undergo a rebrand?
What even are the processes involved in a rebrand?

In this episode, we are thrilled to talk with Diana Jarrar, the founder of MagicBites (and a Retail Ready(R) student), and Sam Laubach and Meghan Martin, the co-founders of Here and Now Creative, about the BEAUTIFUL rebrand they launched for MagicDates.

In this episode, we discuss:

The WHY behind Diana’s decision to rebrand in the first place
How she found the right design partners
The steps in the rebranding process
How Sam and Meghan guided Diana through the process

If you’d like to see our full notes and resources, to join us in our private Facebook group, or to connect with me on Instagram, click here for the full show notes!

This episode is sponsored by my Masterclass! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our second quarter cohort!

We are kicking off season 13 of the Food Biz Wiz Podcast with a new rapid-fire show!

In this episode, I’ll give you my short and sweet thoughts on the following topics:

Moving from farmer’s markets to wholesale stores
Hiring VA’s and “do’s” and “don’ts”
How to find wholesale buyer email addresses
How to be proactive in your business

Click here for the full show notes and to join us in our private Facebook group, or to connect with me on Instagram.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It's more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you're there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

Welcome to a new style of episode on the Food Biz Wiz® podcast: our “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” series! In today’s show, Charlie helps Karine, the founder of My Guiltless Treats, decide whether or not it’s worth it to change her packaging size.

Charlie Berkinshaw is our VP of Student Success here at Food Biz Wiz, as well as the Founder of Element Shrub, a RTD and concentrate beverage line, and a Founding Partner of The Fountain Inn, a spirits tasting room in Washington, D.C. Charlie supports our students day in and day out, answering questions just like this in our private Retail Ready® student community and on our bi-weekly coaching calls.

Tune in to hear them talk through the questions that any founder needs to be able to answer as you consider changing your packaging, size, product assortment, flavors, or other offerings to your wholesale accounts and direct-consumers.

At the end of this show, you’ll hear Karine exclaim that she is “mind-blown!” as she gains clarity during her conversation with Charlie.

Click here for the full show notes, all of the resources mentioned in today’s show, and to learn more about My Guiltless Treats!

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready®, our online course, coaching & community for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, WISHING you could get Charlie’s advice for your brand, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

Co-packer horror stories: we’ve all heard them! Finding the right co-packer for your food or beverage brand can be daunting, confusing, and downright scary (not to mention expensive!).

This is the second episode of the Original Recipe series, where we use your top questions to hand-pick previously aired episodes, all presented with fresh insights from our Student Success Coordinator, Gabby. In today’s show, we turn back to co-packing.

In this show, I’m joined by Ashley Sutterfield, the CEO of Metzger & Roth, a consultant who helps CPG brands navigate the daunting world of co-packers. We’ll revisit:

How to prepare for working with co-packers, and what you’ve got to nail down before you even consider moving to a co-man.
How to find the right partner for your brand, and how to evaluate potential partners as you start to do you research
How to execute your first trial runs, and what happens next…

Plus a whole lot more!

Find the full show notes, all of the resources that we mentioned on the show, and Ashley’s contact information by clicking here.

If you found value in today’s show, you’ve got to join us in Retail Ready®, my online course, coaching & community for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again, or choose the quickstart option on the waitlist confirmation page if you’re ready to join immediately! Click here to save your spot!

Stepping outside the traditional ways of doing things is one of the ways that CPG brands can stand out. Whether on physical grocery shelves or elsewhere, Emily Schildt of Pop Up Grocer joins me today to talk about how the physical retail industry is changing, plus how food founders can keep up.

Listen in to learn how to shift your mindset and start using industry changes to your advantage.

Find out where Pop Up Grocer is heading next and how you can get involved in the full show notes here!

This episode is sponsored by my 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's! Get the free download here.

One of the most exciting steps in growing your CPG business is being able to create job opportunities for your local community. In this episode, I sit down with hiring expert Cindy Harvey to give you insights into your next hire.

Listen in to learn how, when, and why to hire - plus we’ll talk about ways that the wrong fit can cost your business.

Learn about how to connect with Cindy in the full show notes here!

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It's more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you're there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

At first glance, selling your packaged food product online seems easy. But using eCommerce to fuel a profitable CPG business is more involved than you may think. In this episode, we’ll explore 3 different channels to sell your packaged product online, and what you need to know about each of them before getting started.

Check out the full show notes, and then be sure to continue the conversation in our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz® podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready®, our online course, coaching & community for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

Expo West is coming! In today’s episode, I sit down with Lacey Gautier, New Hope’s VP of Events to get all the insider knowledge you need to be successful at this year’s Expo West.

Listen in to learn how to get the most out of the show, with tips on what to prepare and the kinds of connections that even introverted CPG founders can make during the event. (Spoiler alert - there are some BIG retail buyers attending this year!)

Learn where to find Lacey and grab links to everything you need for 2022’s Expo West in the full show notes here!

This episode is sponsored by my 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's! Get the free download here.

Welcome to the first ever episode of the Original Recipe series, where we use your top questions to hand-pick previously aired episodes, all presented with fresh insights from our Student Success Coordinator, Gabby.

If you’re constantly feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and that you have a never-ending to-do list: this episode is for you. In today’s show, I teach you how to say “no” in your business, and why it’s so important.

Listen in to learn:

Why it’s important to say “no” in your business
What you’re risking if you don’t incorporate this into your business vocabulary
Four strategies for saying “no” even when it feels hard

PLUS, get something new from this Original Recipe by listening for 1) what you gain by saying ‘no,’ and 2) which tools you can start TODAY to be more effective in your business.

Check out the full show notes, and then be sure to continue the conversation in our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It's more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you're there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

It can be so intimidating - yet crucial! - for CPG brands to keep up an online presence that captures attention from their audience. But how can you create consistently beautiful content - WITHOUT a professional photographer or videographer on demand at all times?

Food photographer and course creator, Rupa Nagamootoo, joins me in today’s episode to answer that very question, with some real tips on how to put your brand in the spotlight using just your phone and some savvy video marketing.

Learn more about how to sync up with Rupa and her Viral Recipe Video Workshop in the full show notes here!

This episode was supported by Canva, my favorite, EASY design tool for creating branded images, graphics, and GIFs that will make your social media stories & feeds look SUPER PRO. If you’re looking for easy-to-use online software, you’ll want to check Canva out. You’ll be hooked!

Maybe you’ve heard of category reviews, but how do they even work? And what should you know about them to get your product on more retail shelves?

In this episode, we’re diving into what category reviews are, the types of stores that do them, and what that means for you (spoiler alert! I think they’re a little BS). I also build on the lessons in Episode 129, so be sure to give that a listen next.

Check out the full show notes, and then be sure to continue the conversation in our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group.

This episode is sponsored by my 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's! Get the free download here.

Tradeshows are back, and you might be feeling a bit unprepared or rusty as it’s been a LONG time since we’ve done those in-person events! In this episode, I’ll walk you through the three most important pieces of putting together a last-minute tradeshow plan (including my favorite FREE resource!) and you’ll immediately feel more at ease going into this season’s shows.

For the full show notes, click here.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, our online course, coaching & community for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

Wholesale buyers are more likely to work with brands that are easygoing, deliver upon their promises, and seem trustworthy. After all, they have their pick of whom to work with!

In today’s episode, I ask the hard question of “are you a high maintenance vendor,” and outline the top signs that you might be. With this knowledge, you can self-assess and adjust your ways, knowing that with small changes you’ll be a more trustworthy, reliable vendor and land on more shelves.

For the full show notes, click here and to continue the conversation in our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group, click here.

This episode is sponsored by my 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's! Get the free download by clicking here.

Is selling direct-to-consumer cheaper, faster, and easier than selling wholesale? And, if so, what’s going to happen to the future of wholesale?

In today’s episode, I talk through whether or not wholesale is dying in 2022, and what questions to think about as you decide whether you’ll sell through traditional wholesale accounts, eCommerce channels, or direct-to-consumer.

For the full show notes and invite to the Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group, click here.

Don't forget: we’re raising the price of Retail Ready® - our course, coaching & community for wholesale success- at the EOD on Tuesday, January 18th. Join us now to save $500 before we turn on our 2022 pricing! Skip the sales call, the educational masterclass, and the waitlist by clicking through to the enrollment page, linked directly here. See you soon in Retail Ready®!

We’re kicking off 2022 with my predictions of three industry trends that we’ll see around emerging food, beverage and taxable grocery brands this coming year. Tune in to hear me talk through each trend, what it is, and the impact that it will have on your business.

For this episode’s full show notes, more information on the resources I talked about today, including the complementary digital swag bag worth over $1,500 from our Brand Camp sponsors, click here.

From there, jumpstart your year by joining us inside of Brand Camp, our free, 5-day bite-sized workshop for planning out your successful 2022 wholesale strategy. In only 10 minutes per day from Monday, Jan 10 - Friday, Jan 14th, you’ll learn tools and strategies to reduce overwhelm in your day-to-day, increase your sales, land on more shelves, and speak the language of wholesale buyers. Register for free at www.alliball.com/brand-camp.

In this final episode of our 5-part 2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series, I’m walking you through my process of tracking progress on your goals, and ensuring that you get in the habit of working towards them, EVEN WHEN things get busy in your business, which they inevitably do.

Tune in to hear how you can create & stick to a small habit that will create BIG results in your food or beverage business in 2022. Remember, results come from action, and that’s what we’re outlining today.

Click here for the first four episodes of our 2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series, and for the full show notes.

From there, don’t miss out: our Fourth Quarter Cohort of Retail Ready® is now enrolling, before we raise prices in January! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business (even during this holiday season!) and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our Fourth Quarter cohort and lock in our 2021 pricing, before we increase the cost in January.

You’ve set your goals, figured out which tactics you’ll implement first and then…. The doubt sets in.

“How can I possibly set sales goals? I’ve never sold in this channel before!”

“I don’t know the first thing about hiring! I’m stuck!”

“I have NO IDEA what a placement deal is, or what I should offer.”

Does that sound familiar? In today’s show, I’m sharing my business superpower that helps me move forward, despite the feelings of overwhelm, being stuck, or having no idea how to navigate a new business challenge that comes up.

If you’re plagued by imposter syndrome, analysis paralysis, or plain ol’ fear of failure - you’ll want to tune in today! Click here for the first three episodes of our 2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series, and for the full show notes.

From there, don’t forget: our Fourth Quarter Cohort of Retail Ready® is now enrolling, before we raise prices in January! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business (even during this holiday season!) and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our Fourth Quarter cohort!

Food Founders often jump straight into the tactics of growing your business without setting goals or putting strategy in place. In today’s episode, we talk through narrowing down which tactics you’ll use to achieve your 2022 business goals, and how I use the “lever framework” to assess where to focus for business growth.

This episode is #3 of our five-part 2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series! To listen to the first two episodes and to find all of the resources outlined in today’s show, click here for the full episode notes.

From there, don’t forget: our Fourth Quarter Cohort of Retail Ready® is now enrolling, before we raise prices in January! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business (even during this holiday season!) and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our Fourth Quarter cohort!

Episode 2 of our 5 part 2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series is here! In today’s show, we’ll cover my process of reverse engineering your goals, and how to start from the end, and work your way back to the beginning.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have your 2022 First Quarter goals outlined, and will be ready to tune in to episode three of our mini series, where we outline my Lever Framework for determining the tactics that will help you hit those goals.

For the full 2022 Goal Setting mini series and episode show notes, click here.

From there, don’t forget: our Fourth Quarter Cohort of Retail Ready® is now enrolling, before we raise prices in January! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business (even during this holiday season!) and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our Fourth Quarter cohort!

This episode kicks off our 2022 Goal Setting Mini Series, where we’ll spend the next five episodes planning, mapping out, and putting systems in place for outlining and progressing on next year’s business goals.

In today’s show, we start with the WHY. Why do most food founders jump straight into the DOING rather than planning, and why is it important to break this habit?

Once you’ve listened and are ready to commit to ending 2021 with intention, click here for the full show notes, and to connect with me over Instagram, and further your learning in our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group.

From there, don’t forget: our Fourth Quarter Cohort of Retail Ready® is now enrolling, before we raise prices in January! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business (even during this holiday season!) and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our Fourth Quarter cohort!

To kick off season 11 of the Food Biz Wiz® podcast, we’re doing another rapid-fire episode! In this show, we’ll cover:

3 things to consider before hiring a PR Strategist
What to think through when hiring a social media or marketing agency
What minimum margins you’ll need in your food business
How to design an introductory promotion for wholesale
What to do to set up for success in 2022

Tune in to hear quick, off-the-cuff answers to our Food Biz Wiz® listener-submitted questions!

Click here for the full show notes, and to join us in our private Facebook group, or to connect with Alli on Instagram.

From there, don’t forget: our Fourth Quarter Cohort of Retail Ready® is now enrolling, before we raise prices in January! Click here for the full course outline and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our Fourth Quarter cohort!

We all know it’s “important” to be consistent on social media, but how can food & beverage founders prioritize that when you’re so busy running the day-to-day of your business?

In this episode, I’m joined by communications consultant Delaney Vetter, and we discuss:

Delaney’s best tips for getting off the cycle of overwhelm in content creation, and how you can create a system for executing with ease
How can brands decide where to focus your energy, and whether or not you should be active on every platform?
Whether or not you should outsource your social content and email marketing, and what to think about when you’re ready to bring on a pro

It’s time to take the overwhelm out of digital content creation!

Click here for the full show notes, all of the tools that Delaney recommends, and to keep in touch with her.

Truth talk: your time is running out to get organized before January, when Buyers start considering new products for their shelves again. You don’t want to wake up on January 1 and start winging your sales strategy: you want to join us inside Retail Ready® and get access to our course, coaching and community that will set you up for success in the new year. Click here to enroll in Retail Ready® directly. No waitlist, no sales calls, no back and forth emails: just straight to our enrollment page. See you inside Retail Ready®!

Today’s show welcomes supply chain and ops expert, Elena Guberman.

We’re discussing:

Where do you start when you think about supply chain optimization in your emerging business?
How do you move forward with limited capital?
Elena’s top 3 tips for creating a strong supply chain

You’ll also hear us rant about the food industry, give our tips for asking for feedback as you grow your brand, and drop a whole bunch of helpful resources for your business. Click here for the full show notes, all of our resources, and to keep in touch with Elena.

Truth talk: your time is running out to get organized before January, when Buyers start considering new products for their shelves again. You don’t want to wake up on January 1 and start winging your sales strategy: you want to join us inside Retail Ready® and get access to our course, coaching and community that will set you up for success in the new year. Click here to enroll in Retail Ready® directly. No waitlist, no sales calls, no back and forth emails: just straight to our enrollment page. See you inside Retail Ready®!

This is the year for price increases: almost every food, beverage or taxable grocery brand that we’ve encountered this year has been challenged by increased packaging, ingredient, and freight costs.

In this episode, we’re walking you through executing a price increase that is stress-free, and keeps you in good graces with your wholesale accounts.

Take a deep breath: you’ve got this.

Click here for the full show notes and your invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, and to connect with me on Instagram!

Truth talk: your time is running out to get organized before January, when Buyers start considering new products for their shelves again. You don’t want to wake up on January 1 and start winging your sales strategy: you want to join us inside Retail Ready® and get access to our course, coaching and community that will set you up for success in the new year. Click here to enroll in Retail Ready® directly. No waitlist, no sales calls, no back and forth emails: just straight to our enrollment page. See you inside Retail Ready®!

This episode welcomes Lev Berlin, the founder of ReciPal: a simple software for nutritional labels, costing and inventory management.

In today’s show, we’ll cover:

How Lev’s background launching SlantShack jerky lead him to start ReciPal
The regulations around nutritional facts panels, and whether or not you need them for your packaged product business
The different methods you can use to source nutrition facts panels for your products
The risks & responsibilities to consider as you label your packaged product

For the full show notes, including the blog posts and resources that we mention in today’s episode, click here.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

We all want more time in our days, especially in the food industry, right? In this episode, I’m talking about the difference between working ON vs IN your business, and why it’s so important this time of year.

In today’s episode, we’ll discuss:

How to know if you’re working ON vs IN your business
My secret to making time to work ON your business
Why it’s important to focus on that in the 4th quarter
How you can do that with me & my team at Food Biz Wiz.

Tune in to get more time back in your day, and work on the RIGHT things in your business in the fourth quarter!

For the full show notes, click here.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

Today's Food Biz Wiz Podcast guest is Asha Mody, the Founder & Chief Creative Officer and educator at Mindsy Design Studio.

Asha joins us with a wealth of knowledge and insider information on what packaging stands out on the shelf and why you need to prioritize this to grow your sales.

In today's show, we talk through Asha's five packaging secrets that will help increase your sales!

We’ll cover:

Telling your brand's story through your packaging.
How to make sure your packaging is easy to understand.
How to make the most of the space you have.
How to create positive tactile experiences for consumers with the right material.
How to achieve packaging that is both practical and functional for your product.

All of these steps are essential to achieving the level of success that powerful and effective packaging promises!

Click here for the full show notes, a link to a packaging design course with Mindsy Design Studio, or join our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group!

Have additional questions about how to create the right packaging for your product? You can connect with Asha @mindsdesignstudio or shoot me a DM @itsalliball on Instagram!

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It's more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you're there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

This week's show is the final episode of our Fourth Quarter Focus Series!

Today’s episode is about what to do now that we’re officially in the fourth quarter - and where to focus your business-building efforts for the remainder of the year.

I'll outline exactly what you should focus on for the next few months to ensure you're ready when January 1 gets here.

I'll discuss:

Your Sales Scripts
Your Sales Materials
Your Sales Strategy

This is the perfect time to make sure you know exactly how to craft a pitch that gets that Buyer to say "Yes!"

Click here for the full show notes and links to the previous episodes in our mini-series.

If you enjoyed this mini-series send me a DM on Instagram @itsalliball! Let me know what you’re excited about for the end of the year.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

In the third episode of our Fourth Quarter Focus Series, we're talking about nurturing your existing accounts.

During the holiday season, it's crucial to ensure you're getting all of the sales that you can out of the shelves you're already on.

In this week's show, I'll discuss:

The importance of nurturing your relationships to set up for sales success in the fourth quarter. The two audiences you'll focus on and how to nurture them. Why nurturing your accounts is a multipronged strategy.

Click here for the full show notes and links to the two previous episodes in our mini-series.

Are you enjoying this mini-series? I'd love to know your feedback, so send me a DM on Instagram @itsalliball, and let me know if you like this style where we take a larger topic and break it down into a series of shorter episodes.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

Are you hoping to land a few more wholesale accounts this year? You can't miss today's episode!

In episode two of our Fourth Quarter Focus mini-series, we're talking about your last chance pitch. In this week's show, I give you four things to focus on as you craft your last pitches of the year.

We'll discuss your:

Product
Pricing
Promotion
Pitch Script

Click here for the full show notes, a link to episode one, and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group.

Feeling stuck after listening to this episode? Send me a DM on Instagram @itsalliball and let me know what areas you're stuck in.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

We are officially kicking off Season 10 of the Food Biz Wiz podcast.

To start the 10th season, I am doing a four-part mini-series of things to focus on in the 4th quarter!

This week's episode is all about the Wholesale Buyer's Perspective. What are they thinking throughout the fourth quarter, and how should that impact the actions you take as a food business founder?

I'll discuss:

A breakdown of the Buyer's Perspective from October to December.
Why Buyers may be ignoring your emails.
The importance of understanding the rhythm of retail.

For the full show notes and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here.

If this episode was helpful to you, please share it! I'd love it if you tag me in your IG stories - I'm @itsalliball.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

We are ending Season 9 of the Food Biz Wiz podcast with a rapid-fire Q&A!

In today's show, I'm answering your questions on:

Pitching during the holiday season.
Connecting with buyers if you didn't go to tradeshows this year.
Establishing a minimum accepted retail price or MAP.

And more!

Have a question for a future rapid-fire episode? Shoot me a DM on Instagram, and I'll add it to the queue.

For the full show notes and all of the resources mentioned on today's show, click here.

This episode is sponsored by my 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's! Get the free download by clicking here.

This week's Food Biz Wiz Podcast guest is Jessica Thomas, the founder and CEO of Curate360.

Curate360 fills the gap between Diverse Suppliers that want to get on the shelves and Retailers that support Supplier Diversity.

In this week's episode, we talk through:

What Curate360 does
Five things minority-owned businesses should take advantage of to grow and scale
How we can help diversify the CPG industry
Some great resources that will help you get your business off the ground!

Click here for the full show notes, all of the resources mentioned on today's show, plus a discount code for a Curate360 membership.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

Feel like something is missing from your wholesale buyer pitches, and like you can't seal the deal with wholesale accounts? Today's episode is for you!

In this week's Food Biz Wiz podcast, I share the #1 mistake I see food founders make in their wholesale pitches and what to do instead.

I promise you that if you make this small switch, you'll start getting more calls back and more YES's to carrying your products.

For the full show notes and all of the resources mentioned on today’s show, click here.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

Today’s Food Biz Wiz guest is Good Food CFO and founder of Sarah Delevan Consulting, Sarah Delevan.

Sarah and her team at Sarah Delevan Consulting help good food businesses across the country achieve financial sustainability and profitability.

In this show, we’ll talk through:

What Profit First is.
How Sarah became the only Food Business Consultant Certified in Profit First.
Why Profit First implementation is different for CPG brands

And more!

For the full show notes and all of the resources mentioned on today’s show, click here.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

After a long break, trade shows are starting again, and it's time to prepare!

In this episode, I'll talk through:

Assessing whether you should display at a show or just walk the floor
How to make the most out of your time at the show if you DO attend
How to have someone else cover your tradeshow expenses.

For the full show notes and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

If you're sick of getting late payments, today's episode is for you! In today's show, I'm sharing three of my best practices for overdue invoices.

You'll learn how to:

Keep a credit card on file when you open new direct accounts with wholesale partners.
Set up late payment fees.
Stop delivering when you have overdue invoices.

For the full show notes and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here.

This episode is supported by Quickbooks, my favorite accounting software for keeping MY data and financials organized! Use my link to save 50% off your first six months when you sign up for a new account.

Today's Food Biz Wiz guest is Freelance Photographer Gwen Squires!

Gwen specializes in bringing the creations of CPG and specialty packaged food producers to life through custom visual content for brands both big and small.

In today's show, we talk about creating your visual content for the fourth quarter. That's right: even though it's July, we're thinking ahead to the holiday season and talking through the steps that you need to take NOW to set yourself up for seasonal success later this year.

To keep in touch with Gwen, check out her portfolio, the resources she mentioned, and see the full show notes, click here.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

Feedback is essential, especially when you're growing a new packaged product line. But, how do you make sure you're getting accurate feedback from the right people?

In today's show, I'm discussing the right and wrong way to get feedback for your packaged product line and the most important thing to avoid when asking your audience for their advice!

For the full show notes and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here.

This episode is sponsored by my 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's! Get the free download by clicking here.

Today’s Food Biz Wiz guest is Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Consultant Jennifer Yepez-Blundell from Hella Social Impact.

In this show, we’ll cover:

Why should CPG brands care about DEI?
Do consumers care about DEI?
How working on DEI impacts your sales and customer base.
Information on the upcoming The Hella Impact Cohort for CPG brands, and how you can use their “Notice, Name, Dismantle” framework to create a strategy around being a more inclusive, just CPG business.

To keep in touch with Jennifer, find out more about Hella Social Impact and their upcoming Hella Impact Cohort, and see the full show notes, click here.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

If you feel overwhelmed by digital marketing, this episode is for you. In today’s show, Karin Samelson & Alison Smith of Umai Marketing outline their CORE 3: their 3 step system to digital growth.

We discuss:

Organic Social Media
Paid Advertising
Email Marketing

PLUS their tricks to avoiding overwhelm and FOMO as you watch other food & beverage brands growing rapidly online.

You’ll learn their best strategies for what’s working right now, and how you can implement simple, effective digital marketing practices that get a positive return on investment.

For the full show notes, links to Umai’s in-depth training, contact info for Alison and Karin, and more, click here.

This episode is supported by Klaviyo: my FAVORITE email marketing software. You’ll love their integrations, list segmenting, powerful drip campaigns, ability to integrate with Shopify, and more. If you’re thinking about upgrading your email marketing, you’ve got to check them out. Find out more about Klaviyo here.

For the 100th episode of the Food Biz Wiz podcast, I’m outlining one hundred wholesale buyer’s possible “No's” and teaching you how to turn them into “Heck Yes’s!” instead! This show will help you land on more shelves, and craft a pitch that gets those first orders from your dream accounts.

In today’s show, I’ll talk through:

Why a Buyer says No
What to think through when you hear any Buyer’s objection
How to respond and change the conversation

As a bonus for today’s show, I’ve created a freebie workbook outlining those 100 Buyer No’s, which will walk you through preparing for any possible objection, and guide you in crafting that rebuttal. Find the free download and the full show notes by clicking here.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

We’re back with another rapid-fire Q&A episode as we wrap up season eight of the Food Biz Wiz podcast!

In today’s show, I’m answering:

If I missed the retailer's category review schedule, do I really have to wait until next year?
How can I stop comparing myself to other food founders I see on social media?
Should I lower my price if my product isn’t selling well?
How soon should I email the buyer back after I drop off samples if I haven't heard anything?
How do I gain confidence in pitching?
If my product isn't selling in a particular store, what should I do?
What should my minimum order quantity be?

For the full show notes and all of the resources mentioned on today’s show, click here.

Thank you to the Good Food Foundation for sponsoring this episode. The GFF is an organization that I have known, worked with, and respected for a decade, and I can’t wait for my listeners to get to know them as well! Don’t forget to use promo code FOODBIZWIZ for 10% off your first entry this year. Good luck!

How do you charge premium prices for your products, attract a loyal group of repeat customers, and build a business that fits into YOUR lifestyle? Chef Evelyn Williams has the answers for you on today’s show.

Chef Evelyn is a Culinary Brand Strategist who helps her clients build solid foundations that develop profitable and sustainable culinary businesses, and generate multiple streams of income to scale and expand their culinary business empires. She’s got a ton to share with us around building a high-end brand, so tune in!

For the full show notes, access to the spice brand that we reference in the show today, and to keep in touch with Evelyn, click here.

Thank you to the Good Food Foundation for sponsoring this episode. The GFF is an organization that I have known, worked with, and respected for a decade, and I can’t wait for my listeners to get to know them as well! Don’t forget to use promo code FOODBIZWIZ for 10% off your first entry this year. Good luck!

You’ve won a prestigious food industry award, or gotten a fantastic press mention for your food or beverage brand, but now what?

Time and time again, I see producers fail to use that recognition to fully support their retail accounts, boost sales, land new placements, or procure additional press. This episode will change that!

In today’s show, I’m sharing my best advice on what to do with industry praise - be it an award, a press mention, or some other celebratory event - and how to use it to drive sales. Tune in!

Find the full show notes, the links to the past episodes that I mention on today’s show, and that discount for entering the Good Food Awards by clicking here.

Thank you to the Good Food Foundation for sponsoring this episode. The GFF is an organization that I have known, worked with, and respected for a decade, and I can’t wait for my listeners to get to know them as well! Don’t forget to use promo code FOODBIZWIZ for 10% off your first entry this year. Good luck!

Join me in conversation with Sarah Weiner, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Good Food Foundation, as we talk about the history of The Good Food Awards, the changes that they’ve made in the past year, and the impact that this non-profit has on the food industry.

We also discuss who is eligible to enter, what winning an award has done for past recipients, and how to know if you’re right for one of their 18 categories. The entry period for the Good Food Awards is now open, from June 1 - June 30, 2021, so get to it!

Click here for the link to enter the Good Food Awards and for our full show notes. Don’t forget to use promo code FOODBIZWIZ for 10% off your first entry this year. Good luck!

Finally: we hope to see you in Brand Camp, our free 5-day online workshop for emerging food & beverage brands, running June 6 - June 11th. Come save your spot and you’ll be on your way to increasing your sales next week! Join us at www.takebrandcamp.com

Thank you to the Good Food Foundation for sponsoring this episode. The GFF is an organization that I have known, worked with, and respected for a decade, and I can’t wait for my listeners to get to know them as well!

Did you miss Expo West’s Natural Products Business School this year? Don’t worry! In this episode, I’m summarizing the three themes that came up again and again throughout the 48 hours of educational conferencing, and how YOU can use those lessons to drive your food or beverage business this year.

Once you tune in, claim your official seat in Brand Camp, our free, five-day online workshop for emerging brands who want to increase their retail success. Through a 10-minute daily prompt, you’ll get clear on what YOU need to do next to grow your packaged product business. Sign up for free at www.takebrandcamp.com!

For the full show notes, links to the Natural Products Business School video replay, the contact information of the speakers referenced in this episode, and more click here.

In this 10-minute episode, I’ll share my BEST tip on tweaking your sales emails so that Wholesale Buyers ACTUALLY respond. Tune in to hear how changing only one sentence in your retail pitch can make or break your new account.

Once you tune in, claim your official seat in Brand Camp, our free, five-day online workshop for emerging brands who want to increase their retail success. Through a 10-minute daily prompt, you’ll get clear on what YOU need to do next to grow your packaged product business. Sign up for free at www.takebrandcamp.com!

For the full show notes & to find me on Facebook and Instagram, click here.

Get ready for an episode all about food safety and regulatory compliance. While the topic might sound overwhelming, this episode is anything but!

Today’s show is with Valerie Madamba, a former food regulatory lawyer, FDA employee, and current Regulatory Principal at Foodwit, a consulting firm that provides regulatory and food safety managed services to food brands.

In our episode, we’ll talk through the basics of compliance, what to focus on when you first start out, who is responsible when issues arise, the risks of NOT complying, and some things to think through as you navigate the world of functional foods vs. supplements. Tune in!

For the full show notes, click here.

This episode is supported by Quickbooks, my favorite accounting software for keeping MY data and financials organized! Use my link to save 50% off your first six months when you sign up for a new account.

Join me in conversation with Charlie Berkinshaw, the VP of Product & Student Success here at Food Biz Wiz, and the founder of Element Shrub. Wait, what?

I’ve been keeping Charlie from my Food Biz Wiz audience for too long, and that changes with today’s episode! In today’s show, you’ll learn more about Charlie’s “Producer Perspective,” of growing his own ready-to-drink and concentrated beverage line, joining the team here at Food Biz Wiz, and his work consulting hundreds of emerging food & beverage brands.

He’s sharing the top three mistakes that he sees founders make (and mistakes he made in growing his own business!) and what to do instead. This short, digestible episode will save you time, money, and mental anguish as you grow your own packaged product line. Tune in!

For the full show notes and to keep in touch with Charlie, click here.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

In today’s show, I’m joined by Product Developer and upcycled foods-advocate, Phil Saneski, as we discuss Developing craveable products that build consumer loyalty and increase same-store sales. In this episode, we’ll cover:

Product development with an eye towards clean-label formulations or using upcycled ingredients
The difference between protocept & prototype R&D, and which you should focus on
How to ensure your product will actually sell OFF the shelf once formulated
How consumer perspectives have shifted around upcycled products over the past two years
Whether to keep production in-house or use a co-packer

This conversation is FILLED with juicy insights from one of my favorite Product Developers, so tune in!

Click here for the full show notes and to keep in touch with Phil. Finally, if this episode resonated with you, don’t forget to grab my retail roadmap, which outlines my nine steps to growing a brand that FLIES off the retail shelf. Click here to download it!

Taking the leap and deciding to launch your business is scary - just ask serial entrepreneur Noah Alper, who has done it six times, including two mega-successful ventures: the West Coast Noah's New York Bagels chain and Bread & Circus, once the Northeast’s largest natural foods chain and now part of Whole Foods Market. Six and a half years after founding Noah’s New York Bagels, he sold the business for $100 million.

Join me in conversation with Noah, as we talk through his past 50 years in the food industry and learn from his successes & mistakes. In this show, we’ll discuss:

Noah’s path of launching, growing and selling food & food-related businesses for the past five decades
The three things that Noah did NOT have in place when his business flopped in the 1980’s (you MUST focus on these in order to succeed!)
Why Noah turned down the first opportunity to sell Noah’s New York Bagels, only to turn around and sell it for $100M one year later

For the full show notes and to keep in touch with Noah, click here.

Retail Ready® students: here’s your exclusive invite to join Noah and me on May 19, 2021 for our monthly Industry Expert call! Note your questions for Noah as you listen in, and make sure to tune in live in May. More details to follow directly in our Retail Ready® student communications.

If you’re ready to invest in your business, you’ve got to check out Retail Ready®, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

On today’s show, I’m joined by Bri Leever of Ember Consulting for a conversation around turning your customers into advocates for your brand.

Bri & the team at Ember work with brands who have strong social or sustainable missions, helping to design programs to activate your superfans to take action with you to achieve your business goals.

Tune in to learn Bri’s methods for getting your fans & followers on board with YOUR company values, all with the goal of making more sales.

For the full show notes, an invite to the Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, and to keep in touch with Bri, click here.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

Spoiler alert: NOW is the time to pursue foodservice accounts as we start to see hope for the future and restaurants, bars, and venues put plans in place to reopen.

In today’s show, we’ll cover:

What defines the foodservice channel
The pros and cons of selling in foodservice
Why NOW is the right time to pitch to foodservice accounts

For the full show notes and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

We’re kicking off season eight of the Food Biz Wiz podcast with another rapid-fire Q&A episode!

Before we dive in, can I ask you a favor in celebration of the eighth season? My BIG goal is to get to 10,000 downloads/month, and YOU can help me by screenshotting (or snapping a selfie!) as you listen in. Please share & tag me on Instagram at @itsalliball. I’d love to give you a follow right back. Thank you for helping to promote and grow this podcast!

In this episode, we’ll cover:

How to service an account after they’ve placed the first order
The best time of year to reach out to new accounts
How to get the Buyer to remerchandise your product on-shelf
What mistake I want every foodpreneur to stop making
The lessons I’ve learned from the past 87 episodes of Food Biz Wiz
Where to source merchandising props like clipstrips & sign holders
Which channel will be the most successful in 2021

For the full show notes and additional resources that I mention on this episode, click here.

From here, watch my free masterclass on my three steps to growing a packaged food business! I present the other most common errors that I see founders make as they grow, and outline immediate action steps to take instead. Click here to find a time that works for you to watch.

This past year was TOUGH, but I’m so proud of the way my Retail Ready students handled the ups and downs with their food & beverage businesses. In today’s show, I’m sharing four lessons that my community learned over the past year, and how you can learn from their successes (and mistakes!) to position yourself for stability and success as we move forward.

I’ll address channel strategy, founder mindset, using data to make decisions, connecting with your community, identifying your values, and more. Tune in, and click here for the full show notes.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

The Specialty Food Industry went on a wild ride in 2020, growing over 40% in Q1 2020 alone! In today’s episode, I’m joined by data analyst & consultant David Browne, as he shares his research on what happened in the past twelve months of the pandemic, how the Specialty Food segment grew, and what habits will stick as we move forward in 2021 and 2022.

Tune in to today’s show to learn how this data can help you make business decisions for your food or beverage brand, and how David uses this information to strategically guide brands through unprecedented periods.

For the full show notes, to keep in touch with David, and to join our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here.

This episode was supported by Canva, my favorite, EASY design tool for creating branded images, graphics, and GIFs that will make your social media stories & feeds look SUPER PRO. If you’re looking for easy-to-use online software, you’ll want to check Canva out. You’ll be hooked!

In today’s episode, I’m celebrating ECRM’s milestone of hosting over 100,000 Virtual Buyer/Seller meetings since the launch of ECRM Connect in May, 2020. That’s right: they’ve facilitated over 10,000 virtual meetings every month since they launched their virtual platform!

Today I’m joined by Joe Tarnowski, the VP of Content at ECRM, and a legend in the CPG industry. We’re discussing the lessons he has learned about virtual pitching over the past year, how ECRM Connect can help you get in front of your dream retail buyers, what to expect as you pitch, follow up, and ship samples, and how the future of virtual pitches will evolve post-pandemic.

We drop a LOT of info in today’s show, so click through to get access to all of the resources that we mention in today’s episode. Click here for the full show notes.

If YOU enjoyed today’s episode and want the experience of getting direct feedback before YOUR next pitch, make sure you check out my free masterclass on my “Three Steps to Growing Your Packaged Food Business.” In this masterclass, you’ll learn:

The most common mistakes that I see as producers try to grow your food businesses, causing you to waste time, money, and sanity!
My three step process for building a brand that SELLS
How I work with students inside Retail Ready®, my online course, and how to know if you’re ready for wholesale growth through my program.

Click here to save your spot in my masterclass!

Join me in conversation with Jordan Buckner, the founder of Foodbevy.com, an online resource for emerging food & beverage brands, and the cofounder of TeaSquares, a line of superfood energy bars designed to help people stay focused and alert so they can achieve their passions.

In today’s show, Jordan talks about his experience being a Black male in the food industry, and how he’s building upon his experience to create opportunities for BIPOC and women CPG founders through his work at Foodbevy. BIPOC and women founders are less likely to receive investment, be taken seriously at the table (or get invited to the table in the first place!), and receive connections that come more easily to white and male founders, and Jordan is on a mission to change that.

While it may seem that Jordan and I are competing in the same space with Foodbevy and Retail Ready, as we both assist emerging brands, we believe in collaboration over competition. We have dozens of brands who choose to invest in both Foodbevy and Retail Ready, recognizing that our services complement one another. Together, we help you be more prepared in your challenging founder journey.

Tune in today to hear more about the typical barriers that founders have to overcome as you launch & grow your brand, and the resources that can support you along the way.

Click here for the full show notes and to stay in touch with Jordan.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

Earlier this month I had the pleasure of emceeing the Naturally Bay Area’s 3rd Annual Pitch Slam, where seven emerging food & beverage brands pitched on stage for a prize package of over 30k. In today’s episode I’m sharing some of the most impactful things these entrepreneurs did on stage, and some of the questions that our judges asked them as they evaluated the founders’ pitches.

I’ve seen hundreds of pitch slam, wholesale and investor pitches over the past seven years of my consulting business, and founders often seem to stumble on the same things, or forget to include key data or concepts in their pitches.

This episode will share important information to include in your pitch, and the judges or investor questions that I hear over and over again. By having this information, you can craft a pitch that resonates with your audience, and lands you the financials that you’re asking for.

Click here for the full show notes, including links to the additional resources that I mention in today’s episode.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

Food & Beverage Founders… listen up: not all of your products need to make a great margin, or be your top sellers, or keep your purchasers coming back for more.

Join me in conversation with Ellen Rawley as we discuss the eight roles that your individual skus can take on, and how they each work together to create a roadmap towards profitability for your packaged food, beverage, or natural products brand.

Don’t worry: we don’t just tell you to discontinue your favorite seasonal product, even if it’s got really poor margins.

For the full show notes, more information on the Value Added Producer Grant that we discuss in today’s show, and to keep in touch with Ellen, click here.

This episode is supported by Quickbooks, my favorite accounting software for keeping MY data and financials organized! Use my link to save 50% off your first six months when you sign up for a new account.

The food & beverage founders who have the most success are the ones who work on the right things, at the right time, in their businesses.

If you’re an entrepreneur, you likely have a million great ideas. The key is figuring out which ones will actually move the needle in your business, and get laser focused on executing those things. But how do you determine which ideas are the ones that will actually make an impact on your biz?

Enter: The Ideas Filter™. The Ideas Filter™ is a simple document and process that we use internally at Food Biz Wiz, helping us prioritize the right things in our company, and I’m sharing this exact process with our listeners today.

By implementing The Ideas Filter™, you’ll save time, money, and sanity as you grow your packaged food or beverage business.

Click here for the full show notes and to see my example Ideas Filter spreadsheet.

This episode is sponsored by the Food Biz Wiz® physical planner. This quarterly planner can be started on ANY Monday of the year, and is perfect for helping you stay on track and organized, despites life’s unexpected curveballs. Click here for more information, and to have your most focused 90 days this year!

I believe that we have a responsibility, as better-for-you brands, to speak for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in our industry.

Join me in conversation with Sheryl O’Loughlin of the JEDI (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion) Collaborative today, as she teaches my listeners how to begin, sustain, and regenerate a JEDI journey for your company, the food industry and the food system.

Food & Beverage founders constantly ask me how to navigate current events, politics, and topics around systemic racism & white supremacy with their brands. Questions around knowing what to say, when to say it, and how to speak up are common, and it can be daunting to take a stand as a brand, knowing that it might alienate some customers and have a negative impact on your sales.

If you’ve struggled with how to start this important work, tune in to today’s episode. From there, find the full show notes, Sheryl’s contact information, and the JEDI Collaborative’s website linked right here.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

As you head into 2021 with your food business, you likely have set new goals, articulated new accounts to pitch to, and thought through how you might shift your strategy this year. GREAT. Now, let’s make sure you’re avoiding the most common mistakes that I see food & bev founders make as they grow their brands.

In today’s show, I’m sharing three operations mistakes that growing brands make, and three personal mistakes that founders make as you’re in hustle mode.

Tune in to this episode to ensure you’re not wasting your time, money, or sanity in 2021.

For the full show notes, click here.

From here, watch my free masterclass on my three steps to growing a packaged food business! I present the other most common errors that I see founders make as they grow, and outline immediate action steps to take instead. Click here to find a time that works for you to watch.

Captivating product photography is key to selling your food or beverage products online, creating engaging sell sheets, having a professional website, and more - but it can be expensive, time consuming, and frustrating if you’re not a photographer!

Join me in conversation with professional photographer and the creator of the Flat Lay Play online course, Kimberly Murray, as she educates us on how to successfully create your product shots.

In this show, we’ll cover:

How to prepare for your photoshoots
When to DIY your photography, and when to hire a professional
What 3 key pieces of equipment to use when you decide to DIY
How to make your images stand out online

For the full show notes, including Kimberly’s Flat Lay checklist and contact information, and a link to join our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here.

This episode was supported by Canva, my favorite, EASY design tool for creating branded images, graphics, and GIFs that will make your social media stories & feeds look SUPER PRO. If you’re looking for easy-to-use online software, you’ll want to check Canva out. You’ll be hooked!

After working with over 500 food & beverage brands in Retail Ready®, I’ve seen many brands succeed, and others struggle to grow and sustain their business. What’s the secret to success?

In today’s episode, I’m joined by fellow food industry consultants Sarah Delevan of The Good Food CFO and Katie Mleziva of Real Food Brands as we talk through the three pillars of a successful food business. In this show, we’ll discuss how the most stable brands focus on brand strategy, financial strategy, and sales strategy - at the same time - to build a foundationally strong packaged food or beverage brand.

For the full show notes, including information on how to enter our giveaway, and how to keep in touch with Sarah and Katie, click here.

Being a food or beverage founder is HARD. You’re constantly “on,” solving problems in your business, and navigating the ups and downs of our industry. Far too often, founders burn out, lose your passion, and decide that it’s too much.

In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Leeann Rybakov, the founder of BuckWHAT Foods and a trained Health Coach, about her challenges with balancing her own physical and mental health as she grew her snack food business into Whole Foods and over 100 natural foods markets.

Join us as we talk about balancing the stress of being a founder with your passion to grow your business, how to prioritize and focus to avoid burnout, learning how to ask for help, and deciding when to walk away.

For the full show notes and to get in touch with Leeann, click here.

Don’t forget: we kick off 2021 with Brand Camp, my free five-day challenge for food & beverage founders who are looking to increase their sales this year. In only 10 minutes per day (hey, I know you’re busy!) we’ll ensure you’re set up for success in 2021. Join us for free by clicking here and I’ll see you in camp!

I see Food & Beverage founders make the same foundational mistakes over and over again, and it’s time to avoid that in 2021! In today’s show, I’m going to make sure that you’ve got four things nailed down so you can get out there, land on more shelves, and make more sales.

The four things are:

Identifying your target audience
Knowing your competition
Figuring out your sales strategy
Fine-tuning your pitch

While most seasoned founders feel like they’ve done this work before, I’ve never met one who couldn’t benefit from revisiting these foundations. Tune in to ensure that you’re setting yourself up for success in 2021.

Once you listen, register for Brand Camp below or through the full show notes, linked here.

Don’t miss your opportunity: we kick off 2021 with Brand Camp, my free five-day challenge for food & beverage founders who are looking to increase their sales this year. In only 10 minutes per day we’ll cover topics like ecommerce, virtual buyer pitches, succeeding on the shelf, and more! Join us for free by clicking here and I’ll see you in camp!

As a busy foodpreneur, you likely have lots of goals and ideas on how to achieve them. The challenge is figuring out how to prioritize the actions that will get you closer to hitting those goals each time, and figuring out what to focus on, and when, in your business.

In today’s episode, I share my process for reverse engineering my goals so that I hit them - or at least, come close! - every time.

To help you outline your goals and your path forward, download my free, editable workbook to accompany today’s show. It will walk you through this process, ensuring that you know how to make moves forward in your food or beverage business.

Find the free workbook and all of the show notes by clicking here.

You’re hearing it here first: we kick off 2021 with Brand Camp, my free five-day challenge for food & beverage founders who are looking to increase their sales in 2021. In only 10 minutes per day (hey, I know you’re busy!) we’ll ensure you’re set up for success in the new year. Join us for free by clicking here and I’ll see you in camp!

Co-packer horror stories: we’ve all heard them! Finding the right co-packer for your food or beverage brand can be daunting, confusing, and downright scary (not to mention expensive!).

Join me in conversation with Ashley Sutterfield, the CEO of Metzger & Roth, a consultant who helps CPG navigate the daunting world of co-packers. In today’s show, we’ll cover how to prepare for working with copackers, how to find the right partner for your brand, what happens as you narrow down your search and start into your first trial runs with your new partner, and a whole lot more.

Find the full show notes, all of the resources that we mentioned on the show, and Ashley’s contact information by clicking here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

Join Retail Ready® student Akua Kyerematen Nettey, the founder of Berry Bissap, for live, on-air wholesale coaching for her ready-to-drink refrigerated beverage line.

In today’s show, we discuss expanding cross-country, switching from a refrigerated product to a shelf-stable line (and the pros and cons of each!), and when to roll out new flavors for her brand.

To find the full show notes & connect with Berry Bissap, click here.

To hear more about the most common mistakes I see brands make (and how to avoid them!) plus learn the exact outline on how I work with brands in Retail Ready®, my online course for producers looking to increase their wholesale accounts, click here. You’ll get a free workbook to take notes, lots of tangible next steps for your brand, and an opportunity to learn more about working together. See you there!

How should you market your food or beverage brand to vegans? Today’s episode addresses this straightforward, yet nuanced topic with my guest, Lindsay O’Donnell of Piquant Marketing (a proud vegan herself!).

In this show, we cover:

The importance of knowing the difference between vegans, vegetarians, plant-based eaters, flexitarians and all the other ways of eating, plus how it impacts your brand’s messaging
The difference between vegan brands, vegan products, and products that are suitable for vegans to consume, and how to determine which you should position yourself as
The surprising stat around lab-based meat, and what to know about the future of food
Lindsay’s mistakes to avoid when marketing to vegans, and what to do instead to win hearts and capture sales
How to address criticism, negative reviews, or - even worse - protests from the vegan community as your brand grows

Find the full show notes and keep in touch with Linsday & Piquant Marketing by clicking right here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

Business lessons are always clearer in hindsight, right? In today’s show, I’m outlining three things that I’m grateful for that I’ve done in my own business (because they’ve WORKED!), and am inviting you to share my secrets and apply them to your food or beverage business.

This episode covers the power of community, investing in your success, and setting a theme for your work. Let’s get right to it!

Find the full show notes by clicking right here, and find the Retail Ready course outline linked right here!

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

You’ve launched your food or beverage brand, had good sales, and are now wondering… what’s next? Join one of my favorite consultants in CPG, Kevin Ryan, the founder of Malachite Strategy and Research, as he shares his best advice for creating a pipeline of innovation for your brand. On today’s show, we cover:

The most common mistakes brands make as they try to create a portfolio of products for their food or beverage company
The type of investment you’ll need for consumer research and R&D around product development as you grow your CPG business
The number one thing that Kevin sees startups do wrong when it comes to innovation
How to balance which products & categories you launch, and when, in your business growth

For the full show notes and to keep in touch with Kevin, click here.

From here, watch my free masterclass on my three steps to growing a packaged food business! I present the other most common errors that I see founders make as they grow, and outline immediate action steps to take instead. Click here to find a time that works for you to watch.

You land in your dream retail account, deliver your first order and then…. nothing happens. You don’t hear back from the Buyer, and it slowly dawns on you that they don’t need a reorder because your product just isn’t selling.

We’ve all been there.

In today’s episode, I share what food and beverage founders can do when you have slow sales. Tune in to hear my best advice on increasing your velocity when sales and reorders aren’t happening as quickly as you’d like!

For the full show notes, click here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

With the rise of functional food and beverages, so comes the importance of following guidelines for ensuring your brand is compliant, especially if you’re classified as an herbal supplement. Join me in conversation with herbalist, cookbook author, and marketer Summer Singletary, as we discuss how you can create engaging copy & content while staying compliant. In today’s show, we discuss:

How to determine if you’re a supplement brand
What you can and cannot say on your packaging as you try to boast the benefits of the plants & herbs that you’re using in your packaged food or beverage products
What guidelines to follow if you are, and how to push the boundaries on what’s acceptable in the CPG industry
How to build a team that supports compliancy
Summer’s process for drafting engaging copy that both meets the guidelines, but also converts your fans into purchasers and drives sales in your business

For the full show notes and additional resources that we discussed in today’s episode, click here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

Financial frustrations and money woes are often top of mind with food and beverage businesses, and today’s episode is diving deep into it. Join me in conversation with Finance Coach & the Founder of High Five SF, Luisa Alberto, as we talk through getting your personal and business finances in order, so you can thrive at both. We discuss:

How Luisa built a business that WASN’T financially sound, and what she did about it
What the very first (easy!) step is in getting your financials sorted out
Which reports to look at and why they’re important for your food business
The frequency with which to review your statements
What to do if you’re “not a money person” but run a packaged food or beverage business

For the full show notes and to keep in touch with Luisa, click here.

This episode is supported by Quickbooks, my favorite accounting software for keeping MY data and financials organized! Use my link to save 50% off your first six months when you sign up for a new account.

Season Six kicks off with another rapid fire Q&A episode! Tune in to hear me answer questions submitted directly from my community of food & beverage business owners, around the topics of:

How do I ensure my promotions are passed along to the shopper?
Do I really need UPCs for my food business?
What’s the difference between a broker & a distributor, and how do I know which one I need?
When should I offer guaranteed sales?
How often should I follow up with Grocery Buyers?

This show is jam-packed with advice for emerging food brands, so tune in. Find the full show notes and all of the resources, discount codes, and extra content by clicking here.

Finally, don’t forget to grab my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

Wholesale Buyers are heads-down in turkeys and candy canes from October - January, and it’s not the best time to reach out to new accounts. If you aren’t focused on landing new stores, what DO you focus on (besides sales!) during the fourth quarter?

In this episode, I outline my “Four P’s” that you should put in place NOW to set yourself up for success come January. Take the time to set these business foundations and you’ll be well-positioned for 2021.

Find the full show notes, as well as the invite to my free training on the “The Steps to Growing Your Packaged Food Business” and more information about my online course, Retail Ready®, by clicking here.

In today’s show, we’re talking about where food and beverage brands commonly waste their marketing dollars, how to assess your real ROI, and what tactics to focus on right now in the CPG industry. Join me in conversation with Ryan Pintado-Vertner of Smoketown as we discuss:

Smoketown’s process for figuring out where to focus your marketing efforts
How Ryan helps brands assess their overall marketing ROI in the food and beverage industry
How using the “Jobs To Be Done” mindset will help increase your sales
Which 3 marketing tactics you should prioritize right now

Find the full show notes, all of the additional resources that we talked about on today’s episode, and Ryan’s freebies linked directly here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

400 million people view Instagram stories every day so if your food or beverage brand isn’t using this feature… you’re missing out.

Today’s episode walks through my three steps to creating an engaging story WITHOUT the need to spend hours creating it, show up on video, or agonize over what to say. If you’ve ever struggled with creating content for your stories, you’ll love today’s quick show.

Once you’ve listened, let’s connect on Instagram! For the full show notes, a link to my IG profile, and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group, click here.

This episode was supported by Canva, my favorite design tool for creating images, graphics, and GIFs that will make your Instagram stories look SUPER PRO. If you’re looking for easy-to-use online software, you’ll want to check Canva out. You’ll be hooked!

Join me for live wholesale coaching with Emily Griffith of Lil Bucks. In this show we discuss:

How Emily should position her brand after two years in business
What it would take to change categories for her sprouted buckwheat line
Alternative demo ideas for product discovery & trial post-COVID in 2020
How to partner with retailers to market her products and increase sales of her packaged food business

For the full show notes and additional resources that we discussed in today’s episode, click here.

To hear more about the most common mistakes I see brands make (and how to avoid them!) plus learn the exact outline on how I work with brands in Retail Ready®, my online course for producers looking to increase their wholesale accounts, click here. You’ll get a free workbook to take notes, lots of tangible next steps for your brand, and an opportunity to learn more about working together. See you there!

Selling in Farmers’ Markets in 2020 is totally different than it was last year. In this episode, I’m joined by Catt Fields White, the MOST veteran Farmers’ Market advocate that I know, and the CEO and Founder of Farmers’ Market Pros. Tune in to hear us discuss:

What’s changed in Farmers’ Markets since COVID-19
Whether or not you should still get into Farmers’ Markets, and what Market Managers are looking for these days
The differences between Farmers’ Markets and retail stores, and how to know which you should pursue
How food and beverage brands can respond to our divisive political climate and need for racial equality in our industry
How racism is showing up at the Farmers’ Markets and the challenges of navigating it from a vendor or Market Manager’s perspective

We covered a TON in today’s show! For the full show notes, information on Farmers’ Market Pros and all of their incredible resources, and to keep in touch with Catt, click here.

If you found value in today’s show, you’ve got to join us in Retail Ready®, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

Every week I get the same question about eCommerce. Tune in to today’s show to hear:

What that question is (and how I answer it!)
Where shoppers are buying groceries online right now (so you can focus there and gain more sales!)
What to remember as you build-out your direct-to-consumer eCommerce strategy

For the full show notes and the link to the data that I present in this episode, click here.

Finally, don’t forget to grab my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

Join me in conversation with Michael Movitz of The Movitz Group & Brandjectory as we talk about the ins and outs of connecting with investors and raising money for your packaged food or beverage business. In today’s show we cover:

What you need to put in place before you raise capital
Different types of lending & investment options for different stage brands
What an investor looks for as they assess brands, products and Founders
How to find investors for your food or beverage business
The challenges that Founders face while raising capital, and how Brandjectory helps you overcome them

For the full show notes, financial resources, and Michael’s contact information, click here.

This episode is sponsored by the Food Biz Wiz® physical planner. This quarterly planner can be started on ANY Monday of the year, and is perfect for helping you stay on track and organized, despite life’s unexpected curveballs. Click here for more information, and to have your most focused quarter this year!

If you’re not using Google’s free tools to drive business to your brand, you’re leaving money on the table. Join my guest today, Micala Wright, a content strategist and published author, as we talk through:

WHY all food businesses - regardless of size - should be on Google
The four ways to increase your SEO to gain better ranking in online search results
How to claim and optimize your “My Business Page” on Google to gain higher sales
The importance of using Google Analytics (it’s free!) and the key step in setting it up for your food business

Plus a whole lot more on the immense power of Google, and the ways that your consumers are using it to find and purchase your products. For the full show notes and Macala’s information, click here.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

There are so many things I wish I could have said to food and beverage brands when I was a Grocery Buyer. In today’s episode, I share THREE secrets from my time in retail, each which will help you gain the respect of the Buyer, craft a pitch that captures attention, and gets you closer to landing on wholesale shelves.

Tune in for some tough love on what Buyers REALLY want you to know about how they select (or discontinue!) products for their shelves. Today I’ll share:

What to stop saying during your pitches (it’s doing you more harm than good!)
What my Buyer pet-peeves are (STOP doing these things!)
Why you don’t have to always have the highest sales in your category (PHEW!)

plus a whole lot more!

Once you’ve listened, come join us in the Food Biz Wiz® Facebook community! You can find the full show notes, plus an invite to our private group by clicking here.

If you found value in today’s show, you’ve got to join us in Retail Ready®, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again - plus you’ll be first in line to hear even more of my Buyer tough love! Click here to save your spot!

Today’s episode welcomes Nikki Nardick of Knack PR. In this show, we discuss securing press coverage for your brand, connecting with potential buyers through media mentions, and gaining a cult following for your food or beverage product - all through thoughtful PR. If you’re an emerging brand who is wondering HOW your fellow Foodpreneurs are getting those New York Times shout outs, mentions in Forbes, and full-page spreads in Sunset Magazine - you’re going to love today’s show. We also discuss:

The 3 different types of pitches that will work for your brand
When you should use PR to promote your product
How to gain great coverage WITHOUT using an agency
How to leverage the press that you do secure
And How to measure the results of your PR & media mentions

For the full show notes, resources that we mentioned in our conversation today, and Nikki’s contact information, click here.

Join me for live, on-air coaching with Lynn Wilford Scarborough, a Retail Ready® student and the founder of Cheeza Pleeza. In today’s episode, Lynn and I talk through:

How to narrow her target audience when “so many” different people enjoy her gourmet cheese spreads
How to move past “CPG Purgatory” - that challenging state of struggling to find the correct co-packer and increasing production sizes to meet the demands of larger retailers
How to figure out her product assortment and narrow down her 14 SKUs, especially as retailers have varying opinions on which products to carry and which she should produce

To find out more about Cheeza Pleeza, the copacker resources that I mention on today’s show, and the full show notes, click here.

I’m celebrating a full year of the Food Biz Wiz podcast by recapping my FAVORITE ah-ha moments and takeaways from the past twelve months of episodes. I’ve bundled my top three shows from the following categories for you:

Marketing for your food business
Increasing retail sales of your packaged product
Navigating COVID in the food & beverage industry
Building a successful BRAND
MUST HEAR advice for founders

If you haven’t listened to all 52 episodes of the podcast yet, this is a great opportunity to catch up and identify where you can turn for the most targeted support for your food or beverage business.

Find the links to all of the episodes mentioned in today’s show by clicking here.

From there, don’t forget to help me celebrate my first year of podcasting by sharing your favorite episode on social media, and tagging me! Once you tag me, I’ll send you a copy of “Successful Subject Lines,” my free mini course on creating captivating subject lines, ensuring that you’re one step closer to capturing that Buyer’s attention.

Finally, don’t forget to grab my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

Will Ahearn, the President of Dirty Hands, manages over 100 brands in 1,000 retail accounts with the help of about 125 employees - or, as he likes to call them, “brothers & sisters.”

On today’s episode, he’s sharing how your emerging food or beverage brand can support your sales on-shelf, develop key relationships in retail, and grow your brand through empathetic partnerships. Tune in to hear us discuss:

Why it’s important to support your brand after you get on the shelf
How you can continue to champion your product line from afar as you grow nationally
HOW to show up, physically, to your accounts right now, and who to talk to once you do
What you should avoid - at all costs - when you’re nurturing your brick & mortar retail accounts

Will drops SO much practical information on today’s show, and you’re going to love hearing his advice just as much as I loved speaking to him about brick & mortar grocery sales.

Find the full show notes & Dirty Hand’s contact information by clicking here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

In this episode, I’m joined by guest Daniela Bolzmann, the Founder of Mindful Goods and creator of the BUY NOW Method, a framework used to create show stopping Amazon listings that make your products stand out & SELL.

I know many of my listeners have gone full-force into ecommerce over the past few months, and I also know that a LOT of you guys are navigating the complicated world of selling on Amazon.

In today’s episode with Daniela, we’ll cover:

3 ways to improve your Amazon listings TODAY.
Daniela’s BUY NOW method, helping you turn browsers to buyers, AND
Daniela’s number one tip for getting feedback on your Amazon page that will lead to more traffic & more sales

Once you listen, click through for the full show notes, the links to the Amazon seller resources that we spoke about on the show (and a 50% off promo code for Pickfu!), and Daniela’s contact information.

Don’t forget: use code RETAILREADY100 to save $100 and grab your $49 Amazon mini audit, directly from Mindful Goods! In this personalized video, you’ll get insider information on what to do to improve you own Amazon page right now. Click here to find out more about the mini audit.

We’re 20 weeks away from Thanksgiving, and NOW is the time to get organized for the Fourth Quarter. In today’s episode, you’ll learn my four steps to planning for a strong holiday season, ensuring that you know exactly what you’re selling, who you’re selling it to, and how to land in those valuable holiday guides.

Grab your notebook and tune in to today’s episode to make sure you’re thinking in advance and primed to capture sales during the busiest time of the year for food & beverage brands! Click here for the full show notes and the resources that I talk about on today’s show.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

Join Retail Ready® student Sylvie Charles, M.D, the Founder of Just Date Syrup, as we do live coaching on today’s podcast episode! We talk about:

The biggest lessons that Sylvie learned from founding Spice Mama (her first CPG brand!) and how they contributed to the success of Just Date Syrup.
How to increase sales of your packaged food or beverage brand off the retail shelf without doing demos or in-person events during COVID
How to shift your grocery marketing strategy in 2020 to ensure that you’re working WITH your retailers to drive sales, both in-person and online

For the full episode notes and a link to join our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group, click here.

If YOU enjoyed today’s episode and want the experience of live coaching with me, make sure you check out my free masterclass on my “Three Steps to Growing Your Packaged Food Business.” In this masterclass, you’ll learn:

The most common mistakes that I see as producers try to launch & scale their food businesses, causing them to waste time, money, and sanity!
My three step process for building a brand that SELLS
How I work with students inside Retail Ready®, my online course, and how to know if you’re ready for wholesale growth through my program.

Click here to save your spot in my masterclass!

Join me in conversation with Daniel Morrison, the Director of Distributor Relations at Green Spoon Sales, as we spill the dirt on working with brokers & distributors to grow your packaged food or beverage business. In today’s episode, we’ll cover:

How, when and why you’d bring on a distributor for your brand
How you work with a broker to get your product on the retail shelf
How that delicate broker/distributor relationship works, and how you can leverage it for more sales
Which distributor programs, vehicles, and strategies are available to help ensure success for earlier stage brands

Plus we get into finding the RIGHT broker for your brand, the most common things that brands do incorrectly as they start working with brokers and distributors, and more.

Find the full show notes, Daniel’s contact information, and our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group linked here!

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

I’m back with another rapid-fire episode answering your submitted questions on growing your packaged food and beverage businesses! Here’s what I cover on today’s show:

How am I working towards inclusion in the food industry
Whether or not you should include pricing your sell sheet
What should I do now that I can’t demo in-store due to COVID-19?
Debating shelf life, and what’s expected from a wholesale perspective.
How to roll out new branding & packaging to existing retail accounts
Establishing payment terms with your wholesale accounts
Why is the Buyer saying “no” to my product line?

Click here to get the full show notes, a link to our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group, and the other resources that I talk about on today’s episode.

Thanks for listening to today’s show! If you’ve got questions just like this, you’ve got to join us in Retail Ready®, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year. Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

In today’s episode, I’m joined by social media & marketing expert Elle Defreitas of Wonderkind Co to talk about working with online influencers to increase sales of your food or beverage brand. In today’s show, we cover:

How and when you should consider working with influencers, and where to find the right people to shout-out your brand
Elle’s foolproof process of engaging influencers so that they actually promote your brand in an authentic way and you see a return on investment for all those samples that you send out
How to tell if your influencer-efforts are working, and what results to expect as you engage in influencer marketing campaigns for your food or beverage brand

For the full show notes, Elle’s contact information, and all the extras that we talked about on the show today, click here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

You can increase your online sales by at least 10% by putting in just 60 minutes of work this week. No joke! This episode will teach you how.

Studies show that 72.8% of online shopping carts are abandoned, so today’s episode is all about creating an email automation to capture those missing sales and turn your distracted browsers into completed purchasers. We’ll talk about:

Why carts are abandoned in the first place, and how you can make small changes to reduce the frequency to begin with
How to create an automation to recapture sales, outlining HOW many emails to send, WHEN to send them, and WHAT to say in them
My best piece of advice for getting this automation created this week

Once you listen, click here to find the full show notes and the resources that I mention in today episode.

Want more support working through this, or KNOW you need access to those monthly coaching calls that I mention in today’s episode? Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

With Wholesale Buyers taking very few in-person meetings and pitch appointments, food & beverage founders need to turn to a “virtual pitch” instead. Tune in to hear my five steps to crafting an online pitch that will get that Grocery Buyer to say “yes!” to carrying your product line.

In this episode, I cover:

Whether or not now is a good time to pitch to Buyers, and how to do so.
The #1 mistake that I see CPG founders make as they pitch their food or beverage brand to Wholesale Buyers
The real reason why Buyers say yes to bringing in your products
How to craft a virtual pitch that actually captures a Buyer’s attention and gets them to place a first order.

Virtual pitches aren’t going anywhere, so if you’re not already doing them - now is the time!

Grab the full show notes by clicking here, and come join in on the conversation in the Food Biz Wiz Facebook group here.

Once you listen in, come join us in Retail Ready! If you want the success that my students are having, start by watching my free masterclass on my three step framework to growing your packaged food business. In this training, you’ll learn how to build a brand that flies off the retail shelf, the most common mishaps I see brands make as they try to grow their sales, and more about Retail Ready. Click here to watch at a time that works for you.

I hear the same questions over and over again: “How do I connect with wholesale buyers? Do I need to use a broker? How do I know when I’m ready for distribution? Why won’t the buyer call me back?”

Today we’re addressing all of your concerns about landing on the retail shelf, and increasing sales once you’re there with Cameron McCarthy of WeStock.

Cameron brings seven years of national sales experience, and over $40M of sales revenue for emerging brands, to our podcast today. Join me in conversation as we talk about perfecting your wholesale pitch, how to grow your brand through brokers & distributors, and what makes that wholesale buyer actually say “yes!” to carrying your product.

Find the full show notes, WeStock & Cameron’s contact information, and our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group by clicking here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

I’m honored to be joined by food industry veteran, Elliot Begoun on today’s show, as we talk about the state of the industry, sixty days after the outbreak of COVID19 in the US. In today’s podcast, we discuss:

How the industry is changing, and what we can expect moving forward
What the “valley of death” is, and how Elliot & TIG helps brands move through that.
Whether or not investors are still investing in at this moment, and what to do if you’re looking to raise money in the food industry right now
What brands SHOULD and SHOULD NOT be doing right now to plan for future success

Whether you’ve been having high sales these past few weeks, or are frustrated with your financials, tune in to this episode to hear some good news, some tough love, and some inspiration for moving forward.

Find the full show notes, grab that free cash flow projection resource and find Elliot’s contact information by clicking here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock. WeStock streamlines the request process providing your brand with consistent retail leads and giving you the insights needed to grow your business. Learn more at WeStock.io and use promo code FoodBizWiz for 25% off your first year.

Stories sell. Join my guest Adam Force, the founder of Change Creator, to learn how to harness the power of storytelling to drive sales with your food or beverage business. In today’s show, Adam shares:

What does storytelling have to do with your business
Why storytelling works to land sales over other hard marketing tactics
How to tell if you’re already using storytelling in your business, and what to do if you’re not
Why storytelling is a learned skill that we have to practice and hone, and how to do so

If you’ve ever wondered how to warm up those wholesale buyers and turn your online followers into raving fans - this episode is going to teach you exactly that. Once you’ve listened, find the full show notes, including Adam’s contact information, here.

To share your own story, come join us in the Food Biz Wiz Facebook group and introduce us to your brand! Click here to take part in the conversation.

In today’s episode, I’m sharing my best tips for surviving your newfound reality of working from home, based off my past six years of experience doing just that - in a 700 square foot apartment with my husband and my dog. Tune in to hear: * The importance of mimicking a normal workday, plus how to STOP working at the end of the day * The mindset shift that you have to make when you work from home * My #1 tip for productivity while working in a distracting environment

From there, find the full show notes, and all of the resources mentioned in today’s episode by clicking here. This episode is sponsored by the Food Biz Wiz® physical planner. This quarterly planner can be started on ANY Monday of the year, and is perfect for helping you stay on track and organized, despites life’s unexpected curveballs. Click here for more information, and to have your most focused quarter this year!

You’ve heard me talk about it a thousand times: you’ve GOT to nail down your target audience before you can dial-in your messaging and marketing strategies. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Christie Lee, the founder of Nourishing Food Marketing, who shares her experience starting Tiny Hero, a quinoa brand, her time working on Hidden Valley Ranch, and her consulting work with emerging start up brands in the natural and conventional channels. In today’s episode, we dive deeper into getting specific with your target audience and how to glean important information from them to make BIG decisions in your business. Before you make another change to your website, packaging, or product assortment, tune in! Click here for the full show notes and to find Christie’s contact information. This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap. It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

With this shifting landscape, food businesses are seeing online sales skyrocket. At the same time, there’s a lot of noise online right now and you’ve got to be strategic in order to stand out. Join me in conversation with my guest, Cynthia Samanian of Hidden Rhythm, marketing agency focused on supporting food, beverage, and wellness producers, as we talk about how to connect with your consumers online, examples of what’s currently working to capture sales in eCommerce, and how this online shift will impact the future of digital marketing. Find the full show notes, Cynthia’s contact information, and our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group by clicking here. This episode is sponsored by Cynthia’s online course: Online Experiences For Food Brands. Online Experiences for Food Brands is THE ONLY course focused on creating engaging digital experiences using proven tactics from experiential marketing. If you’re trying to turn your online audience into active purchasers, you’re going to love this new program. Check it out by clicking here. Enrollment is open until April 17th, 2020, and you can use the code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your registration.

This final episode of Season Three revisits my favorite podcast episodes from Food Biz Wiz that are relevant now more than ever. Tune in to hear a recap of six of my favorite shows, and the key takeaways from each. Each summary will give you practical tactics and inspiring mindset shifts to continue moving forward in your food business, despite uncertainty about the future in the wake of the Coronavirus. Whether you need to focus on email marketing, refreshing your Instagram feed, working through your target audience, shifting your mindset, knowing how to focus right now, or how to prioritize your time… I’ve got you covered! For the full list of episodes that I reference on today’s show, click here. Once you’ve listened, make sure to join us in the “Key Three Accountability Challenge” to stay on track of your business goals, mental wellbeing, and community connections this month! Click here to join. We’d love to have you commit with us in finding balance and supporting yourselves and your businesses this month. Join for free here.

It’s on all of our minds: how to respond to COVID in the packaged food industry, and how to respond and adapt to change during this time of uncertainty. Join me in conversation with fellow food industry consultant Amrit Richmond, as we talk about what’s going on in CPG right now, weeks after coronavirus started to impact our food industry. In today’s episode, we discuss: * The state of the industry after the cancellation of EXPO West * How brick & mortar and eCommerce stores are responding, and how to interact with wholesale buyers at the present moment * Whether or not you should continue to promote your product * The bright side of being in the food industry right now * What you should think about for the wellbeing of your business and to guard for your future success

For the full show notes and Amrit’s contact information, click here. To join Alli’s free “Key Three Accountability Challenge” to stay on track of your business goals, mental wellbeing, and community connections this month, click here. We’d love to have you join us to focus on finding balance and supporting yourselves and your businesses this month. Join for free here.

Things change so rapidly in the food industry, and with so much uncertainty I always recommend planning just one quarter at a time. Ninety days: that’s it! As we approach the second quarter of the year, I’ve got a super-quick, super effective outline that you can use to plan your next three months of your food business. Grab a pen and paper, find a quiet place to focus, and take this time to outline where you want your food or beverage business to be at the end of the next ninety days. Let’s do this! My favorite way to outline my quarterly goals is with my Food Biz Wiz® quarterly planner. This physical planner is made specifically for the food industry, and helps my clients set, track, and achieve their business goals. Find the planner by clicking here, and get moving on the goals that you’ve set using today’s outline. For this week’s full show notes, click here.

If you’ve ever had the hunch that you should be using Pinterest to grow your packaged food business, you’re going to love this episode. Join me in conversation with Jennifer Priest, a social media strategist and the creator of Smart Pin Pro, as she educates us on: * How to determine if Pinterest is right for your food business, and what to actually pin once you decide to use this platform * What to do if you have a dormant account on Pinterest and you’d like to re-engage your boards * The biggest mistakes that Jennifer sees as brands try to promote their products on Pinterest * The importance of “fresh pins” and how to use them, plus how to market your products on Instagram so they actually lead to sales

I promise you’ll be as fired up as I am about Pinterest once you listen to this episode! Once you do, click here for the full show notes. From there, learn more from Jennifer in her free training on Pinterest, outlining the top mistakes that everyone makes, and why they’re costing you money. Click here to sign up!

Join me in conversation with professional food & beverage brand copywriter, Celsea Jenkins of Grassfed Copy, as we talk about writing copy that CONVERTS. The art of copywriting goes beyond being a fantastic creative writer. At the end of the day, if the words and selling points on your packaging and website don’t turn browsers into buyers - it hasn’t done its job. In today’s episode, we cover: * How to know when you’re ready to hire a copywriter, and what to expect from that relationship (hint: don’t waste your money too early!) * How brands can use creative copy to create a cohesive experience for their consumers - and why that’s key to brand loyalty * How bootstrapped brands can write successful copy themselves using Celsea’s best copywriting tips * How to ensure your copy actually leads to sales

From here, grab my behind-the-scenes insight from today’s episode by joining our free Facebook community at www.foodbizwiz.com, plus click here for the detailed show notes, including links to connect with Celsea’s social channels and her website. See you there! This episode is supported by Brand24, my favorite online platform for tracking what people are saying about me and my business, online, in real time. Grab your free account by clicking here!

In today’s episode, I outline the five most common mistakes I see early-stage CPG brands make as they try to grow their packaged food businesses. I’ve worked with hundreds of brands in Retail Ready®, and see the same mishaps over and over again: from financials, to marketing, to systems - it’s easy to stumble as you build your brand. Tune in to hear the top five things you should ensure you have figured out before you scale. For the full show notes and resources I mentioned on today’s episode, click here. From here, watch my free masterclass on my three steps to growing a packaged food business! I present the other most common errors that I see founders make as they grow, and outline immediate action steps to take instead. Click here to find a time that works for you to watch.

You’ve probably been gathering email addresses at demos, events, and through your website, but then what happens? If the answer is “not much” you’re going to love today’s episode: join me with digital marketing expert Carly Hackbarth as we talk through the three most important things that you need to be doing with your email list for your food business. In today’s show, we discuss: * How to feel about the number of subscribers you have * How to turn your website into a fast-paced list growing tool * How to automate your email series to turn your food business fans into purchasers

For the full show notes & to keep in touch with Carly, click here. Interested in seeing how I run my email opt-in (and want to copy my secrets)? Grab my free Retail Roadmap by clicking here. This roadmap outlines the nine-steps to growing a brand that flies off the retail shelf.

Putting out fires, being pulled in a million directions, and responding to “urgent” requests seems par for the course in the food industry, right? But what if you could change all that in under sixty seconds a day? Join me in today’s episode as I share my one habit - the KEY THREE - that I do daily to reduce overwhelm, make BIG moves forward in my business, and actually get the RIGHT stuff done. I’ve had clients use this technique for years - and you know what? It works! Listen to this speedy episode to get more done daily and reduce overwhelm in your food business. From here, grab the full show notes by clicking here, join my Facebook group here, and find out more about the Food Biz Wiz™ Quarterly Planner by clicking here.

As a strategic market researcher and consumer insights practitioner, Britta Schell knows exactly how to develop a target persona for your brand. In today’s episode she shares just that - plus how to survey your audience, assess your data, and use it to drive sales & growth. Join in on today’s episode to learn why thinking that “everyone” is your target audience will do more harm than good for your sales, and what to do instead. For the full show notes and Britta’s contact information, click here. Once you listen, come continue the conversation in our Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group, linked here! This episode was supported by Canva, my favorite design tool for creating images, graphics, and printed collateral that resonates with your exact target audience. If you’re looking for easy-to-use online software, you’ll want to check Canva out.

In today’s food landscape, almost anyone can create a beautiful brand - but it’s rare to create a product that stands out because of its taste. Join my guest Dave Hirschkop, the founder and creative force behind Dave’s Gourmet, as he talks about what it takes to create award-winning products, and WHY your product is the key foundation to your brand. In this episode, Dave covers: * Why is your product by far the most important part of your business? * What are some of the different ways to create a winning product? * What do you do if your product is not well received? * What are good ways to ideate and think of products? * How your product strategy impacts your exit strategy.

This episode is brought to you by my free masterclass on the 3 steps to growing your packaged food business. In this masterclass, you’ll hear me expand on the idea that “your friends & family are lying to you” that Dave and I joke about in this episode. Join me by clicking here. For the full episode notes and to keep in touch with Dave, click here.

You’re putting so much time and energy into Instagram for your food business, but you JUST KNOW the engagement could be better! Tune in to today’s episode to take my 15-minute Instagram audit to capture more sales, engage more with your audience, and turn your followers into raving fans. In this episode, you’ll hear: * Three questions to ask yourself to boost your food business’s Instagram * Examples of two CPG brands who are really getting it right, and one who misses the mark * How you should spend at least ten minutes per day, without fail. * Why you should send me a DM on Instagram, and what sort of response you’ll receive back.

For the full show notes, including links to the profiles used as examples in the show, click here. This episode is supported by Brand24 - my favorite way to keep up-to-date with what my fans and followers are saying about ME online. Check them out here.

Today’s episode is all about launching and executing successful crowdsourcing campaigns. Join my guest, Courtney Boyd Myers (CMB) as she shares her secrets on her most recent successful Kickstarter for her kelp jerky brand, Akua. In today’s show, CMB covers: * How to determine whether or not crowdsourcing is right for your brand * Her steps to planning & launching your campaign * Why the first 24 hours of your campaign are the most important * The most common mistakes she sees food businesses make as they wrap up their crowdfunding

For the complete show notes, including all of the resources that CBM mentions on today’s show, click here. This episode is supported by Canva, a free design software used by (and loved!) by both Alli & CBM.

Season three of the Food Biz Wiz™ podcast kicks off with another rapid fire episode where I answer your questions on building your packaged food business. In today’s show, I talk through: * How you can get feedback from Grocery Buyers as you fine-tune your product line * What happens if you miss your category review? * How to prepare for the Specialty Food Association’s Fancy Food Show * The most common mistakes I see on sell sheets * How to find a “good” broker or distributor * Whether or pursue E-commerce or brick & mortar accounts

Click here for the full show notes, or connect with me on Instagram at @itsalliball! This show was brought to you by Retail Ready™, my online course for producers of packaged product who are looking to increase their wholesale success. Click here to be notified when enrollment opens again!

I did three things in that past year that were scary as hell, but were total game-changers for my business. In today’s episode I share exactly the steps I took to double my revenue, hire two team members, and take more time off than I ever have before. I want that for YOU TOO and outline how to achieve that in today’s episode. In the past year, I’ve: 1. Learned an organizational system that guarantees that I’m working smarter, not harder 2. Made a single investment in my business that paid for itself within two months 3. Had a total mindset shift that allowed me to stop working into the evenings and weekends, and instead focus on my relationships, health, and wellbeing.

While we don’t have the same business models, we DO share an entrepreneurial mindset. I’ve seen these three things work time and time again for my clients, and I KNOW they can help you as well. Join me in today’s episode to learn how you can find balance while growing your packaged food business. As mentioned in today’s show, Retail Ready™ is open for enrollment again! Find out more by watching my free masterclass on my “Three Step Framework To Growing Your Packaged Food Business” and finally put a system in place for growing your packaged food business by understanding exactly how to craft a brand that captures the attention of a Wholesale Buyer and flies off the retail shelf. Click here to watch.

Today’s episode is all about setting and achieving your food business goals. Whether you’re listening just before we move into 2020, or long after, this episode will guide you through the process of goal planning for the future. In today’s show, we cover: 1. Why it’s important to set goals and plan for the future. 2. What timeline you should work with when thinking about the year ahead and setting food business goals for 2020 3. What questions to ask yourself as you set your business goals for next year 4. And, my #1 tip for achieving those goals!

This episode is brought to you by the Food Biz Wiz™ Quarterly Planner. This physical planner helps you set and achieve your food business goals, and is made specifically for our industry. Click here to check it out. Make sure to download the free workbook on setting & achieving your 2020 business goals, linked in the full show notes here!

Lack of time, feelings of overwhelm, and a constant worry about money seems like a given in the food industry - but in today’s episode I speak with the founder of Females in Food, Chelsea Ford, to talk through her best tips of moving past each of these stuck feelings. Tune in to hear Chelsea’s reasoning behind throwing away your to-do list, why systemisation is the key to creativity, how to quickly inject cash & time into your business, and more - all so that you’re positioned to move into 2020 feeling inspired and aligned with your business goals. Click here for the full show notes and all of Chelsea’s contact information, and don’t forget to grab my free Retail Roadmap here, which outlines my nine steps to building a brand that FLIES off the retail shelf!

Join me in conversation with David Browne, a Market Research Retail & Brand Analyst in the natural, organic, and specialty food space. Since 2009, David has been the principal writer and analyst of the State of the Specialty Food Industry report series for the Specialty Food Association and Mintel, and in today’s episode he shares his findings from the 2019 report. We discuss: * How David shifted from being a Whole Foods Category Manager and Store Trainer in the 1990s to THE leading Data Analyst in the natural products industry * What the Specialty Food Association and Mintel’s State of the Specialty Food Industry report is, and where the data comes from * How to use this report in decision making for your emerging natural, organic, or specialty brand * David’s key takeaways from the report, as well as a few big surprises that he found in the data this year * David’s assessment of what’s changed in the industry over the past decade that he’s been writing this report for the natural, organic, and specialty food industry - plus what that means for emerging brands.

Once you listen to this conversation, please join us in the Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group to continue the discussion. We can’t wait to see you over there! For full show notes, links to the report, information on the data companies and brands that are mentioned on today’s show, and David’s contact information, click here.

Join Retail Ready™ student Anjali Bhargava of Bija Bhar as we do live coaching on today’s podcast episode! We talk about: * How to roll out a packaging change to wholesale accounts * How to know which channel to focus on as your brand grows through food service, retail, e-commerce and direct-to-consumer * How to compete against lower priced, lower quality brands next to your own product on the shelf

If YOU enjoyed today’s episode and want the experience of live coaching with me, make sure you check out my free masterclass on my “Three Steps to Growing Your Packaged Food Business.” In this masterclass, you’ll learn: * The most common mistakes that I see as producers try to launch & scale their food businesses, causing them to waste time, money, and sanity! * My three step process for building a brand that SELLS * How I work with students inside Retail Ready™, my online course, and how to know if you’re ready to wholesale growth through my program.

Click here to save your spot in my masterclass! For the full episode notes, a discount code for Anjali’s turmeric elixir and more, click here.

How many times have you gone to a tradeshow or networking event, gathered a bunch of business cards and simply forgotten to follow up with those valuable connections? Or email a Buyer, never hear back, and forget to reach out again? It happens to all of us. That is, unless we use a CRM. Join me in conversation today with Brandon Leong of RangeMe, the platform dedicated to connecting Wholesale Buyers with producers, as we discuss the importance of having & maintaining a contact list of Buyers & Influencers. In this episode you’ll hear us talk about: * Why it’s important to maintain a contact list * How to organize your contacts as you scale * How to keep in contact with your network without feeling salesy or spammy

We also discuss a few of our favorite CRMs (both free & paid!), how producers can find success on RangeMe’s platform, and best practices for following up with Wholesale Buyers. Click here to find the full show notes, including Brandon’s contact information and all of the software recommendations that we discuss on today’s episode, and a link to join our Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group! Finally, if this episode resonated with you, don’t forget to grab my retail roadmap, which outlines my nine steps to growing a brand that FLIES off the retail shelf. Click here to download it!

Join one of my favorite fellow food industry consultants, Sari Kimbell, in today’s episode where we’re discussing the common question of, “how do I start a food business?” In this episode, we discuss: * The typical path for early-stage food businesses * Key markers that set apart food businesses who succeed and food businesses who fail (hint: it’s not about your product!) * Sari’s top three mistakes that she sees early-stage food business owners make, time and time again

This episode is supported by Sari’s course, the Farmers Market Jumpstarter Course! This course gives you all of the tools that you need to launch into farmers markets quickly and profitably. From getting the right permitting in place, to correctly pricing your products so you actually make money, to understanding how to drive sales at your booth - this course covers it all. Click here to learn more, and don’t forget to use the promo code “FOODBIZWIZ” for $50 off your course price! For full show notes, a link to Sari’s free class on finding profit at Farmers markets, and her full contact information, click here. As always, please join our Facebook group, the Food Biz Wiz™ community, where Sari and I will be continuing the conversation. Click here to join in!

If you’re constantly feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and that you have a never-ending to-do list: this episode is for you. In today’s show, I teach you how to say “no” in your business, and why it’s so important. Mastering the art of saying no has given me the ability to stay focused, accomplish my goals, and find a better work/life balance in the food industry. If you DON’T learn how to say no, you’ll always be putting someone else’s goals in front of your own, which leads to limited growth, feeling overwhelmed, and business burn-out. Tune in to hear: * Why it’s important to say “no” in your business * What you’re risking if you don’t incorporate this into your business vocabulary * Four strategies for saying “no” even when it feels hard

From there, find the full show notes, listen to past episodes, and join our Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group by clicking here!

On today’s episode, I welcome fellow food business consultant and podcaster, Katie Mleziva, to share her three steps for building your brand strategy. In this episode, she shares what a brand strategy is, why it’s important for emerging food businesses to prioritize this work, and how to know if you’re doing it successfully. From there, she talks us through her three step process for building your brand strategy, based on her extensive experience working at Kraft, and her six years of consulting with emerging food brands. After you listen, click here for the full episode notes, including more details on Katie’s steps, as well as links to her podcast, website, and free brand checkup workbook. Finally, if this episode resonated with you, don’t forget to grab my retail roadmap, which outlines my nine steps to growing a brand that FLIES off the retail shelf. Click here to download it!

As an emerging brand, you probably recognize the importance of connecting with your target audience through events, but you might not feel like you have the time, energy, or BUDGET to execute the pop-up of your dreams. Join my in conversation with Cynthia Samanian, the founder and CEO of Hidden Rhythm, an experiential marketing company focusing on natural food & wellness brands, as we talk about how to execute and in-person event, without breaking the bank. For full show notes, Cynthia’s PDF on ten simple ways to maximize your ROI, beautiful photos of a recent event that she did with Bare Snacks, and all of the other resources that we talked about in today’s episode, click here. When you’re ready to continue the conversation, join our Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group by clicking here. Cynthia and I are both in there, eager to chat about your next upcoming event!

To kick off Season Two of the podcast, I’m answering YOUR questions on-air! Join me as I answer my listener submitted questions on finding a co-packer, testing for shelf life, selling online, selling in-store, managing production, connecting with Buyers, using Instagram to grow your business and increase your sales, and more! For a recap of the show, links to all of the resources mentioned on today’s episode, and detailed show notes, please click here. And, as always, continue the conversation by joining our Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group, accessible here. Finally - don’t forget to grab my Retail Roadmap - my free PDF on my nine steps to building a brand that flies off the shelf. If you’re looking to expand your wholesale accounts, you’re going to love it. Click here to grab my PDF and start increasing your sales today.

I did three things in that past year that were scary as hell, but were total game-changers for my business. In today’s episode I share exactly the steps I took to double my revenue, hire two team members, and take more time off than I ever have before. I want that for YOU TOO and outline how to achieve that in today’s episode. In the past year, I’ve: 1. Learned an organizational system that guarantees that I’m working smarter, not harder 2. Made a single investment in my business that paid for itself within two months 3. Had a total mindset shift that allowed me to stop working into the evenings and weekends, and instead focus on my relationships, health, and wellbeing.

While we don’t have the same business models, we DO share an entrepreneurial mindset. I’ve seen these three things work time and time again for my clients, and I KNOW they can help you as well. Join me in today’s episode to learn how you can find balance while growing your packaged food business. As mentioned in today’s show, Retail Ready™ is open for enrollment again! Find out more by watching my free masterclass on my “Three Step Framework To Growing Your Packaged Food Business” and finally put a system in place for growing your packaged food business by understanding exactly how to craft a brand that captures the attention of a Wholesale Buyer and flies off the retail shelf. Click here to watch.

Join my favorite Amazon expert, Jennifer Kaylo Ruskin, for today’s episode as we talk all about whether or not Amazon is a viable channel for your brand. The food industry is changing rapidly, and with the rise of ecommerce, Amazon seems like a natural channel for most brands. But is it really? On today’s episode, Jennifer talks us through: 1. Validating your brand on Amazon, and how to determine if you should list on their platform 2. Her favorite resources for pulling data from Amazon, so you can make smart business decisions using this powerful channel 3. Determining which of the MANY Amazon channels is right for your brand, and how to decide 4. How to ship your items once you DO list your product on Amazon

Jennifer’s favorite tools that she mentioned on today’s show are: * MerchantWords * JungleScout * Feedback Genius on Seller Labs

For detailed show notes as well as full contact information for Jennifer, click here. If you loved this episode, please leave me a review on your favorite podcast platform. Leaving a written review is the single most helpful thing that you can do to support this podcast, and I am eternally grateful when you take the time to support this show. Thank you!

Join me in conversation with Evan Faber of Moxie Sozo, a design, advertising and interactive agency that has been creating and influencing brands for over twenty years. Evan teaches us the importance of competing on brand vs. product, his three guiding principles of building a brand, and how (and why!) to create an emotional connection with your consumers. Evan presents straightforward, practical advice that you can apply to your own packaged food brand, and talks us through a step-by-step exercise on building your brand platform. For a recap of that Evan’s brand building exercise, links to Evan’s FAVORITE book on brand messaging, and detailed show notes, please click here. As always, continue the conversation by joining our Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group, accessible here. This episode was supported by Canva - one of my favorite tools for creating on-brand, eye-catching sell sheets, social media posts, and graphic images for your food business (that is - after you’ve worked with an agency to establish your winning brand elements!)

The holidays are quickly approaching! Today’s episode talks you through three things that you can do NOW to ensure you’re set up for success come late November. Scratch that - three things that you SHOULD do now, in order to ensure you’re set up for success come late November! In today’s episode, you’ll learn: 1. How to warm up your audience so they’re primed to purchase come Black Friday 2. My steps for planning your holiday promotions so that you’re not scrambling, last minute, during the fourth quarter 3. One SMALL THING that will guarantee you’re putting the foundation in place to succeed year over year during the holidays

For detailed show notes and to join my Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group, click here. Also mentioned in today’s show was my instagram account! Please tag me while you’re listening @itsalliball, as well as my FREE Retail Roadmap - my nine steps to building a brand that flies off the shelf. This episode is supported by The Food & Beverage Business Growth Summit, one of my favorite free resources for emerging food and beverage brands. I’m honored to be a part of this annual summit, where Ainsley brings together seven days worth of free interviews and content for food & beverage businesses. The summit starts again on September 23rd, 2019, and you can sign up now, for FREE, by clicking here.

Join me in conversation with Ainsley Moir of The Healthy Food & Beverage Group as we discuss WHY your delicious product is only one ingredient in your food business’s success. In today’s episode, we cover Ainsley’s three key components that you must have in place in order to avoid your business becoming “another expensive hobby.” Click here for the full show notes which include information on Ainsley’s summit, the two examples of stellar brands that we mention in today’s show, and a link to my favorite book on getting more done. This episode is supported by The Food & Beverage Business Growth Summit, one of my favorite free resources for emerging food and beverage brands. I’m honored to be a part of this annual summit, where Ainsley brings together seven days worth of free interviews and content for food & beverage businesses. The summit starts again on September 23rd, 2019, and you can sign up now, for FREE, by clicking here. Don’t forget: continue the conversation with us by joining the Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group. Click here, and see ya there!

Join today's guest, Chelsea Rainey, of Culinistics as she educates us on how to create a packaged food business that is based on data rather than a gut reaction or a shot-in-the-dark guess about your category. Today we talk about using market research to get clear on these important areas of building your business: * Crafting Your Brand & Product Line * Identifying Your Customers & Their Needs * Understanding Your Opportunity in the Market

Next, we talk through Chelsea’s three-step process for using data-based research and we discuss where you can find big data, and how to know if it’s reliable. Click here for the full show notes, including all the resources for free data that Chelsea mentions in this episode, along with all her contact information to stay in touch. This episode is supported by Quickbooks, my favorite accounting software for keeping MY data and financials organized! Use my link to save 50% off your first six months when you sign up for a new account.

Two weeks out from a big trade show, and you still don't have a plan in place? Don't worry! This episode will talk you through two truths and a lie about creating and executing a last-minute plan for Expo East next month, or any future industry tradeshow - such as Fancy Food, or Expo West - that you're scrambling to prepare for. Once you listen, click here for details on this episode’s “two truths and a lie” giveaway, and to enter to win a thirty-minute one-on-one consulting session with me! Finally, if YOU are enjoying these episodes and want to be the first to hear about enrollment opening again for Retail Ready™, my online course for emerging brands in the packaged food industry, click here to jump on the waitlist. Enrollment opens again soon, and I’d love to have you join!

Annalea Krebs of Social Nature has built a platform of a half-million vocal enthusiasts of "better for you" brands, and connects them directly with YOU - the food entrepreneur. She's seen brands flop and brands soar over the past decade in good food, and uses that experience to share her five steps that YOU can take to succeed in a crowded marketplace. Join today's episode to ensure you're set up for success in launching and growing your CPG brand, regardless of how saturated your category is. Grab the full show notes by clicking here, plus gain access to direct links for Annalea, the resources that she mentioned today, and the link to join our Food Biz Wiz private Facebook Group. If YOU are enjoying these episodes and want to be the first to hear about enrolment opening again for Retail Ready™, my online course for emerging brands in the packaged food industry, click here to jump on the waitlist. Enrolment opens again soon, and I’d love to have you join!

You've connected with that Wholesale Buyer, they show an interest in your products and say they're going to start carrying you but then.... nothing happens. Why does it take forever to get that first order from Buyers, even when they say they love your brand? Listen in on today's episode to learn exactly why it takes so long for a Buyer to stock your product, and how to use that knowledge to your advantage. Before you go any further, make sure to grab my free Retail Roadmap to ensure you’re building a brand that flies off the retail shelf! Click here for your roadmap. From here, grab my behind-the-scenes insight & bonuses from today’s episode by joining our free Facebook community at www.foodbizwiz.com, or click here for the detailed show notes. See you there!

As an emerging food brand, you’re challenged to grow your sales, day in and day out. One of the easiest ways to expand your audience is through strategic partnering, and today’s episode is ALL about that! Join my guest, Sally Rogers of Parsnip, as she talks about building her marketing-focused business based on her experience in the packaged food industry, and seeing the need for a platform that facilitates that important connection between brands. In today’s episode we discuss: * What partnership marketing is, why it’s important, and who should do it * How to get started as an emerging brand, and how to level up as you grow * How to show up as a great partner, and what to do to convince bigger, more senior brands to collaborate with you * Plus a ton more!

From here, grab my behind-the-scenes insight & bonuses from today’s episode by joining our free Facebook community at www.foodbizwiz.com, plus click here for the detailed show notes, including links to connect with Sally’s social channels and her website. See you there! This episode is supported by Brand24, my favorite online platform for tracking what people are saying about me and my business, online, in real time. Grab your free account by clicking here!

Every week I have another CPG brand reach out to me, asking if they should launch direct-to-consumer, focus on e-commerce, and forget traditional grocery stores, retail outlets, and wholesale strategy in general. In today’s episode, I provide eye-opening stats on retail & e-commerce, and talk about the importance of having a omnichannel approach to launching and growing your packaged food business. We discuss: * The two main reasons why you should still consider retail & traditional wholesale accounts for your food business * That 17 million square feet of physical grocery stores were added in the US in 2018, and what that means for you * The typical conversion rates from Shopify on your own website, and how that influences your online sales * The number one thing to remember as you launch into e-commerce

Convinced you’ll pursue retail? Consult my free Retail Roadmap to help you on your journey by clicking here. From here, grab my behind-the-scenes insight & bonuses from today’s episode by joining our free Facebook community at www.foodbizwiz.com, or click here for the detailed show notes, including links to those studies mentioned above. See you there!

In this first episode of Food Biz Wiz™ you'll learn more about me (Alli!), my history as a Grocery Buyer, Head of Grocery, and Retail Store Manager in the food industry, and what you can expect from future episodes of this podcast with me. I’m so excited that you’re here, and I can’t wait to get to know you and your food business. From here, grab my behind-the-scenes insight & bonuses from today’s episode by joining our free Facebook community at www.foodbizwiz.com, or click here for the detailed show notes. See you there!