Founder to Mentor: Recent Episodes
Mike Fata
Mike Fata is an entrepreneur with multiple nine figure exits, and a passion for health and mentorship. Join Mike on a journey where he connects with world class founder mentors to inspire your personal and professional growth.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Tara Bosh, founder of SmartSweets on a mission to “kick sugar, keep candy”.
Tara founded SmartSweets in 2016 after realizing the detrimental impact that sugar was having on her health. Eating less sugar only led to stronger candy cravings, and that is how the idea for SmartSweets began!
Throughout this episode, Tara talks about the early stages of the business, how she financed SmartSweets, the crazy adventures of entrepreneurship she has experienced, the power of women founders putting themselves out there, and so much more.
Connect with Tara Bosch on LinkedIn
Check out Smart Sweets
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Seth Goldman. Seth is the Chief Change Agent at Eat the Change, Co-Founder at PLNT Burger, Chair of the Board at Beyond Meat.
Seth co-founded Honest Tea and continued to lead the company after it was acquired by the Coca-Cola Company in 2011. After finishing his time with the Coca-Cola Company at the end of 2019, Seth stepped down from Executive Chair to Chairman of the Board of Beyond Meat. He is also the author of the book, Mission in a Bottle, a book that details the journey of building Honest Tea.
Throughout this episode, Seth talks about scaling Honest Tea, how running the business changed after joining the Coca-Cola company, what he is doing differently now building Eat the Change, his process writing Mission in a Bottle, one of the craziest things that has happened to him as an entrepreneur, what mentorship means to him, and so much more.
Connect with Seth on LinkedIn
Seth’s Book: Mission in a Bottle
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In this episode, Mike is joined by the youngest guest on Founder to Mentor, Lily Harper. At just 9 years old, Lily is the founder of her candle company, Lily Lou’s Aromas.
Lily and her mother loved to relax and unwind by watching a TV Show together with a candle lit. However, Lily began to notice that the aroma from the candles would give them headaches and discovered that the candles they were using had toxins in them. That’s how the idea for Lily Lou’s Aromas came to be and the business has gone viral online for it’s great product and young leadership.
Throughout this episode, Lily shares her journey to entrepreneurship at 9 years old, who helps her run the business, who inspires her, her passion for public speaking, who her mentors are, and more.
Check out Lily Lou’s Aromas
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In this episode, Mike is joined by David Karr. Co-Founder of Guayaki Yerba Mate.
David and four other friends decided to launch a company that would bring the South American drink, yerba mate, to American consumers. They lived out of a fan, touring around the country to different natural food stores, and gradually built the company to huge success. Guayakí Yerba Mate’s mantra is “COME TO LIFE,” which they say is “an invitation to personal, social, ecological and cultural regeneration”.
Throughout this episode, David talks about how the idea for Guayaki Yerba Mate came to be, building the business with his friends, different times they thought the business was going under, building a personal brand, and so much more.
Check out Guayaki Yerba Mate
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Sean Kelly, Chairman at Caroo and General Partner of The Family Fund & Founder Community.
Sean has co-founded three eight figure companies and three seven figure companies since he began his entrepreneurship journey. Tapping into his passion for health and wellness, Sean’s first company was HUMAN (Helping Unite Mankind And Nutrition), an award-winning and socially-responsible franchisor of automated retail businesses focused on increasing access to healthier foods through healthy vending machines, micro markets and snack delivery services. This was the start of Sean’s serial entrepreneurship, he went on to found 6 companies afterwards. Today, Sean is also a general partner of The Family Fund & Founder Community, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on pairing with new, high-growth consumer brands and technology companies that are solving problems for today’s wellness conscious consumer.
Throughout this episode, Sean shares what led him to stop pursuing medical school and become an entrepreneur, how he grew his first companies, what he learned from starting a franchise model business, how The Family Fund was created, what qualities he looks for when investing in a company, and more.
Connect with Sean Kelly on LinkedIn
Check out The Family Fund
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accelerated the commercialization of energy storage technologies through planning and development of energy storage parks around the world.
Throughout this episode, Annette takes us through how she started her career in the coal mining business to founding her own innovative energy storage solutions.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Josh Wand, Founder and CEO of ForceBrands.
Josh has always been passionate about helping people. From working in the brand world, Josh understood the struggle of finding people to hire to build a team. He saw this as an opportunity to create ForceBrands, an end-to-end recruitment and hiring solutions designed to help consumer brands match their talent strategy to their growth strategy.
Connect with Josh Wand on LinkedIn
Check out ForceBrands
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Shane Heath, co-founder and CEO of MUD/WTR.
Like most people, Shane fell in love with coffee and was in the routine of drinking it every day, becoming more and more reliant on it for energy . However, after he began to experience spurts of anxiety from drinking coffee, Shane was inspired to create MUD/WTR. Today, MUD/WTR has built a wildly loyal customer base and continues to grow!
Throughout this episode, Shane shares the chain of events that led him to founding MUD/WTR, designing the brand through an artistic lens, the importance of healthy habits, the craziest thing that has happened to him in business, routines that are critical to his day to day success, and so much more.
Connect with Shane Heath on LinkedIn
Check out MUD/WTR
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Ronak Shah, the CEO and co-founder of Obvi.
Obvi is a women’s health and wellness brand with collagen rich products to help improve customers hair, nails, skin, bones and gut health. Ronak and his team founded Obvi with one objective in mind: present the most obvious choice of transparent products which present real results without having to sacrifice taste. Collagen depletion at progressed age is the #1 reason for lines and wrinkles, dry skin, hair breakage, bad nail and bone, and joint support and Obvi is a no-brainer solution.
Throughout this episode, Ronak shares the strategy behind launching the brand, where Obvi is at today, finding a co-packer to work with, how expanding the product into Walmart is changing their strategy, the innovation process, how becoming a father has changed his view on work, and so much more.
Connect with Ronak Shah on LinkedIn
Check out Obvi
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Dionne Laslo-Baker. Dionne is the founder and CEO of DeeBee’s Organics.
As a Medical Scientist, Dionne has always been cautious about what she feeds her children. She combined her understanding of healthy, clean, pure ingredients with what her kids wanted to eat and has made some of the most delicious and nutritious snack foods. DeeBee’s has grown from making frozen novelties to crafting innovative shelf stable Freezies, to an array of innovative shelf stable and frozen foods that kids of all ages and with picky tastebuds will love. Dionne and her team have also built the DeeBee's Centre For Research & Innovation where they are busy disrupting the food industry with new delicious, nutritious products created with the simplest, cleanest, from the earth ingredients.
Throughout this episode, Dionne talks about how DeeBee’s was created from an idea her kids had, the early days of entrepreneurship, how she financed the business, DreamLauncher, mentors throughout her journey as a founder, and wisdom she wants other entrepreneurs to know.
Connect with Dionne Laslo-Baker on LinkedIn
Check out DeeBee’s Organics
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Gail Becker. Gail is the Founder of CAULIPOWER, one of the most disruptive companies in the better-for-you frozen food space.
As the mother of two sons diagnosed with celiac disease at an early age, Gail was disappointed with the gluten-free options lacking in nutrition and taste. She said goodbye to corporate America in 2016 to start CAULIPOWER, launching the company in 2017 with a mission to reinvent America’s favorite comfort foods. CAULIPOWER products include cauliflower crust pizza, cauliflower pasta, tortillas, breakfast scrambles, and more.
Throughout this episode, Gail talks about why she started CAULIPOWER, her experience getting products into retail stores, financing the company, advice for other female entrepreneurs, the difference between a mentor and a sponsor, crazy stories from running the business, and so much more.
Connect with Gail Becker on LinkedIn
Check out Caulipower
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Josh Simair. Josh has co-founded SkipTheDishes and his latest company, Pivot Subscriptions.
Pivot Subscriptions is a “circular approach to furniture”. Pivot is a technology company that is improving the way people furnish their homes.Through their subscription model, Pivot gives customers access to quality furniture with no locked-in time commitments. Their furniture is circular, which means that they design it so that they can extract and reclaim the materials (wood, metal, fiberglass, etc) when a customer is done with it.
Throughout this episode, Josh talks about his entrepreneurship journey, how the idea for Pivot was born, crazy moments throughout this time as a founder, his refreshing outlook on mentorship, what his advice is for entrepreneurs going through the economy right now, and more.
Connect with Josh Simair on LinkedIn
Check out Pivot
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Bob Crane. Bob is the Owner and President of N2 Ingredients and the CEO of Canbrands Specialty Foods.
Throughout this episode, Bob talks about his entrepreneurial journey, sharing the details of building and selling a business, the business of manufacturing, the value of mentorship, trendy health diets and foods, and so much more.
Connect with Bob Crane on LinkedIn
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In this episode, Mike is coming live from the floor at CHFA. the Canadian Health Food Association, with Ryan Benn from Alive Publishing Group.
Mike and Ryan have a great conversation about their journeys as entrepreneurs, advice for other founders around mentorship, what excites them when other founders reach out to them, the grieving process after selling a business, expanding business into the United States, and so much more. Towards the end of the episode you’ll hear them answer questions from other founders that were at CHFA.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Chris Meade, Co-Founder of CROSSNET, the world’s first four-way volleyball game.
After going to film school and working sales for Uber, Chris, his brother, and a friend got together to brainstorm business ideas. After coming up with a list of ideas, they had a lightbulb moment to create a four-way volleyball game. CROSSNET is now available at retail and e-commerce vendors such as SCHEELS, Walmart, Target, Academy, DICKS, and 20+ more retailers across the United States and Canada.
Throughout this episode, Chris talks about the beginning stages of the business, finding a co-packer, his experience co-founding a business with his brother and friend, using influencer marketing, the value of mentorship, building a personal brand as an influencer, and so much more.
Connect with Chris on LinkedIn
Check Out CROSSNET
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In this episode, Mike is joined by James Boettcher - Chief Empowerment Officer and “Custodian of Culture” at Righteous Gelato.
In 2009 with $1,800 to his name, James acquired a single scoop shop. Just before the shop was set to open, a fire took the building - and James plans - down. James began making batches of gelato in his garage and by 2013, his gelato began selling in a local grocer in Calgary. Since then,the brand has continued to expand and has found incredible success as a top gelato product.
Throughout this episode, James talks about the early days of Righteous Gelato, his approach to expansion, manufacturing process, becoming a B corp company, what sustainability means to him, the value of mentorship throughout his entrepreneurship journey, a crazy story from building the business, and so much more.
Connect with James Boettcher on LinkedIn
Check Out Righteous Gelato
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Anouck Gotlib, CEO of Belgian Boys.
Both from Belgium, Anouck and her husband started Beligan Boys to cure their nostalgia for European sweet treats. Their products are quick-and-easy breakfasts, individually wrapped cookies, and decadent desserts - always without GMOs, artificial flavors or preservatives. Fast forward to today and Belgian Boys has successfully appealed to the American consumer and is redefining the refrigerated breakfast options.
Throughout this episode, Anouck talks about co-founding the company with her husband, what she attributes to their successful relationship balancing business and their personal life, a crazy story during their time growing Belgian Boys, pioneering the category of refrigerated breakfast foods, the value of a personal brand for founders, and so much more.
Connect with Anouck Gotlib on LinkedIn
Check Out Belgian Boys
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Melissa Facchina, co-founder and general partner at Siddhi Capital.
Melissa’s experience growing up around the manufacturing business combined with her personal values around business, health, and products has led Siddhi Capital to success. Siddhi Capital was formed out of an opportunity to marry the operating expertise of Siddhi Ops and capital to create strategic, growth-based partnerships with food and beverage brands that are changemakers in the industry.
Throughout this episode, Melissa talks about her experience growing up on the floor of a manufacturing business, her personal health and wellness journey, how she improved her health, the different aspects of the Siddhi Capital business, what she looks for in brands, the value of mentorship, a crazy story from her entrepreneurship journey, and more.
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Check Out Siddhi Capital
In this episode, Mike is joined by Pete Malonado. Pete is the co-founder and co-CEO of Chomps, a better-for-you meat snack brand with products made from the highest-quality, sustainably sourced proteins and no hidden, harmful ingredients.
Pete started the Chomps business from his apartment in 2012 and since then they have raised $80 million and the brand continues to be one of the fastest-growing in the country.
Throughout this episode, Pete talks about co-founding Chomps, financing the business, marketing tactics, scrappy stories from his entrepreneurship journey, wellness habits that have helped him improve as a founder, how starting a family has changed his perspective, and Chomp’s mission of inspiring a healthier way of snacking.
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Check Out Chomps
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Matt Weiss, the founder and CEO of RIND Snacks.
RIND Snacks motto is “Keep it Real, Eat the Peel!” Their product line of craveable dried fruit blends is “powered by the peel” to maximize nutrition and minimize waste. RIND is leading two of the most powerful trends in CPG today, functional nutrition and sustainable snacking.
Prior to founding RIND, Matt spent 20 years in investment research at Baron Capital in New York. Matt also serves as the Founder and President of Friends of Chelsea Green, a grassroots non-profit dedicated to preserving open space in lower Manhattan.
Throughout this episode, Matt talks about building RIND, how the business has been financed, scrappy stories from his entrepreneurship journey, building a personal brand, their approach to marketing, the role that mentorship has played in his career, and more.
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Check Out RIND
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Marie Chevrier Schwartz, CEO and Founder of Sampler.
Sampler is the leading Direct-to-Consumer product sampling platform helping brands like L'Oréal and Nestlé deliver samples online and gather the insights they need to build one-to-one relationships with consumers. Sampler has worked with over 900 brands in 24 countries, and has built a reach of over 59M consumers. Some of Sampler’s most notable clients include Unilever, Pepsi, Henkel, and L'Oreal.
Throughout this episode, Marie talks about building Sampler, the scrappy stories from building the company, her experience fundraising, the value that mentorship has brought to her entrepreneurship journey, her perspective on building a personal brand as a founder, and so much more.
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Check Out Sampler
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Karen Danudjaja, co-founder and CEO of Blume.
During her time working in commercial realty and meeting with colleagues over coffee, Karen realized that there was nothing on the cafe menu that tasted great and actually did something good for your body. That's where her idea for Blume came from.
Blume is a simple way to enhance your daily rituals with lattes, done better. With Blume, you can now give your coffee a tasty superfood boost or swap it entirely for your favourite latte flavour that doesn't compromise your wellness.
Throughout this episode, Karen talks about what she learned from a failed co-founder relationship, her experience raising money as a woman, her approach towards innovation, building a personal brand, going on Dragon’s Den, and so much more.
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Check Out Bloom
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Jake Karls, Co-founder and Rainmaker of Mid-Day Squares.
Jake, his sister Lezlie, and his brother-in-law Nick are the trio behind Mid-Day Squares, the first functional Chocolate Bar. As they say, it’s “everything a chocolate bar isn't, everything a protein bar wishes it was.” Jake's ability to build hype, create a loyal fan base through social media marketing and relationship building has been a vital component to Mid-Day Square’s success.
Throughout this episode, Jake talks about discovering his strengths that he could bring to the Mid-Day Squares team, advice for young founders, the importance of relationship building, how he keeps himself healthy mentally and physically, the role mentorship has played in his life, what Mid-Day Square’s goals are, and so much more.
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Check Out Mid-Day Squares
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Claire Coder, founder and CEO of Aunt Flow.
After getting her period in public without a pad, tampon, or a coin to get one from the bathroom dispenser, Claire was inspired to create a solution to provide quality period products for free in public bathrooms. In 2016, Claire founded Aunt Flow.
Today, Aunt Flow’s freely accessible period product dispensers filled with organic cotton tampons and pads are in bathrooms at businesses and schools across North America.
Throughout this episode, Claire talks about the inspiration behind starting Aunt Flow, her passion for helping menstruators, challenges she has faced on her entrepreneurship journey, what her vision is for the future of the company, how she views personal branding as a founder, what mentorship means to her, and so much more.
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Check Out Aunt Flow’s Website
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Sean Riley, “Chief Executive Dude” at DUDE Wipes.
DUDE Wipes was created when Sean and his friends realized that baby wipes were a cleaner alternative to toilet paper. With $30k in cash DUDE Wipes was launched in 2012 out of an apartment in Chicago. A few years later they landed a Shark Tank deal and Mark Cuban invested in DUDE wipes.
Today, as DUDE Wipes puts it, they “wipe over 1 billion butts per year” and are sold in Walmart, Target, Kroger, and on Amazon.
Throughout this episode, Sean talks about the early days creating DUDE Wipes, what the challenges were as a team with zero entrepreneurial experience, how the business has been financed, how DUDE Wipes has scaled to the level it is at now, the role that mentorship has played in his life, the value of creating a personal brand and so much more.
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Check Out DUDE Wipes
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Matthew von Teichman, Executive Chairman of Purplesful Snacking. Purplesful Snacking is a mission driven snacking business that puts Purpose before Profits. They donate 25% of our profits to support kids in underprivileged communities, focusing on improving nutrition, education and access for kids who need it most.
Matthew is a natural entrepreneur, he has founded 9 companies in his career. He launched and sold his first business which was a bar/restaurant when he was in University, then launched and sold a franchised window cleaning company, after that he created Canada's first online recruiting company and sold that business as well, then a series of 6 Organic food brands that he took public in 2015. Today, Matthew is pursuing startups in the e-commerce and food space, while also helping other entrepreneurs as an investor, mentor, and advocate.
Throughout this episode, Matthew talks about the different companies he has created and what he has learned from them. He talks about the inspiration to donate 25% of Purplesful Snacking profits, why mentorship is invaluable to a founder, the pressure of leading a publicly sold company, investing in other founders, and so much more.
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Check Out Purplesful
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Alex Lieberman, the Co-founder of the Morning Brew. Alex and his co-founder Austin Rief founded the Morning Brew newsletter in 2015 while they were students at the University of Michigan. Since then, the newsletter has over 4 million readers and has sold a majority stake for 8-figures in October of 2020
Morning Brew creates accessible content for anyone interested in business. They have a lifestyle and recommendations publication, Sidekick, and podcasts, Business Casual and Founders Journal. For the people who love to dive deep into an industry, they also have Emerging Tech Brew, Retail Brew, Marketing Brew, and our new vertical HR Brew.
Throughout this episode, Alex shares the story of how Morning Brew rose to success after him and Austin started it while in college. He talks about the early days creating the Morning Brew, how selling the business has changed his life personally and professionally, the challenges that come with selling a business, what he is focusing his time on now, and so much more.
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Check out the Morning Brew
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Dominic Dube, the founder and CEO of Evive Nutrition. Evive was born after Dominic’s wife, Claudia, began making smoothies daily and the two of them had the idea to turn smoothie recipes into frozen cubes so they could prep their smoothies in 3 easy steps without using a blender.
Since 2016, Evive has grown nationwide in Canada, appeared on Dragon’s Den, and has expanded into the US. Today, Evive is one of the fastest-growing frozen food companies. Evive smoothies are certified organic, GMO-free, vegan, and allow you to prepare a delicious smoothie in less than 30 seconds without a blender.
Throughout this episode, Dominic talks about his journey as a founder since launching Evive in 2016. He shares what led him and Claudia to come up with the product, the ups and downs that come with expanding into the U.S. market, how they got the opportunity to appear on Dragon’s Den, the importance of community and mentorship, and so much more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Aaron Spivak, co-founder of Hush. Aaron is a 27-year-old Canadian serial entrepreneur, former Canadian Junior Hockey League player, public speaker, startup advisor, and was named to Forbes 30 under 30 in 2020.
Hush is a sleep improvement company that sells the World's Most Popular weighted blanket - designed to help those with sleep, anxiety, insomnia, ADHD, and more. Within its first 24 months, Aaron and his team grew Hush to become an 8-figure brand. The company launched a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised $1.5M+ in 30 days - making it the Top 10 most raised Canadian 30-day Campaign ever!
Hush also appeared on the Canadian Hit TV show Dragons Dens and earned "Most Epic Pitch" of the season securing a bidding war between all 6 dragons. In 2021, Hush was acquired by Sleep Country in a landmark deal for Canadian E-commerce.
Throughout this episode, Aaron talks about his entrepreneurial journey which started at just 18 years old when he co-founded Revitasize- an organic cold-pressed juice kitchen serving high-quality juices, smoothies, acai bowls, and a variety of vegan options. Within four years, Revitasize expanded to 8+ locations across Toronto. You will hear about his journey to co-founding Hush, what the inspiration was behind the product, the highs and lows of selling a business, what he’s focused on now, and more.
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Check Out Hush
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Margaret Coons to answer questions from other founders. Margaret is the Founder and CEO at Nuts For Cheese, which she launched in 2015 to combine the highest quality ingredients to create the world’s best-tasting, gourmet vegan cheese. Throughout this episode, Margaret answers questions from other founders about what marketing tactics have brought the most traction, her advice for building a team, what it was like doing product demos during the pandemic, how she decided on the right packaging, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Margaret Coons, the Founder and CEO at Nuts For Cheese. When she launched the company in 2015, Margaret set out on a mission to use the highest quality ingredients to create the world’s best-tasting, gourmet vegan cheese. Nuts For Cheese has since become an award-winning manufacturer and distributes its products throughout Canada and the United States. Throughout this episode, Margaret talks about her journey to starting the company, when she became vegetarian, how her yoga practice influences her approach to business, the manufacturing side of the business, how the plant based consumer landscape has changed, the different forms of financing the business, what inspires her, how the business supports the LGBTQ community, where she finds female CEO support, and so much more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Annalea Krebs. Annalea is the Founder & CEO at Social Nature, which she launched in 2015 as a product discovery and trial platform in the CPG space. Today, Soul Nature has a community with over 1 million members and is actively changing consumer habits by providing members the opportunity to sample healthy and sustainable products on their shopping trip in exchange for an online product review. Throughout this episode, Annalea answers questions from other founders about how to wear all hats of the business, if Soul Nature works with hemp products, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Annalea Krebs, the Founder & CEO at Social Nature. In 2015, Annalea launched Social Nature as a product discovery and trial platform in the CPG space which has now grown to a community with over 1 million members. Social Nature is working towards their mission of changing consumer habits by providing community members the opportunity to sample healthy and sustainable products on their shopping trip in exchange for an online product review. Throughout this episode, Annalea talks to Mike about the foundational mission behind Soul Nature, what motivated her to start the business, what she has learned about how to scale a business, raising capital, post COVID consumer trends she is seeing, brands she has her eyes on, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Shaun Crew for a question and answer session with other founders. Shaun is the original Founder and former President and CEO of Hemp Oil Canada Inc. After founding Hemp Oil Canada in 1998, Shaun grew the company to great success, eventually becoming the first company in the hemp industry to receive Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). Since selling the business in 2017, Shaun is now the Director at Merit Functional Foods and is passionate about helping other founders along their journey. Throughout this episode, Shaun answers questions about his thoughts on the new products in the hemp and cannabis space, how to find a mentor, advice on how to enter the market, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Shaun Crew, the original Founder and former President and CEO of Hemp Oil Canada Inc. Originally founded in 1998, Shaun grew Hemp Oil Canada to great success, eventually becoming the first company in the hemp industry to receive Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). Since selling the business in 2017, Shaun is now the Director at Merit Functional Foods and is passionate about helping other founders along their journey. Throughout this episode, Shaun talks about his entrepreneurship journey since starting Hemp Oil Canada Inc., using trade shows to build his business, how he creatively financed the business, what he learned about organizing and building an effective team, his experiences since selling the company, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Shelby Taylor, the Founder and CEO at Chickapea, which has had massive success since launching its organic pasta made from only chickpeas and lentils in 2015. As a previous health food store owner and a mom, Shelby recognized the challenge of finding a healthy meal that everyone would enjoy, so she turned the family favorite - pasta - into a superfood Throughout this episode, Shelby answers questions about her path to selling in retail stores, the most challenging part of the financial planning process, her current thoughts around broadening her product line, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Shelby Taylor, the Founder and CEO at Chickapea, which has had massive success since launching its organic pasta made from only chickpeas and lentils in 2015. Throughout this episode, Shelby talks about what got her interested in health, building a business while building her family, co packing vs manufacturing, building her team and the culture of her company, the differences between the US and Canadian market, learnings from financing the business, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Sean Holladay to answer questions from other founders. Sean is the Co-Founder The Spacestation which includes Spacestation Gaming, Spacestation Investments, and Spacestation Integrations . In this episode, Sean talks about raising capital through NFTs, what the hardest obstacle he has endured in his life has been, the importance of mentorship, and so much more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Sean Holladay. Sean is the Co-Founder The Spacestation which includes Spacestation Gaming, Spacestation Investments, and Spacestation Integrations . In this episode, Sean talks about his journey to creating The Spacestation, previous companies he created and sold, investing in other companies, what the culture is at The Spacestation, fostering creativity, brands that he is watching, social media marketing, the habits and routines that are integral to his success, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Adam Brown, the Founder and President of Sircle Media. Adam has worked in and around digital marketing since 1999 and has held various positions on both the client and vendor sides. Since founding Sircle Media, a Social Media Strategy Firm based in New York City, Adam and his team work with CPG, Beverage, and Spirits brands to help them successfully implement social media strategies and execution. In this episode, Adam answers questions about how to maintain energy as a founder, marketing and working with hemp and CBD companies, resources for social media strategy, when it would make sense to resurrect a brand, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Adam Brown, the Founder and President of Sircle Media. Sircle Media is a Social Media Strategy Firm based in New York City that works with CPG, Beverage, and Spirits brands to help them successfully implement social media strategies and execution. In this episode, Adam talks about how he became passionate about sales and marketing, the culture he has created at Sircle Media, how he began working in the CPG space, the importance of engagement over followers on social media, the future for Sircle Media, and so much more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Ari Raz, the CEO of The Coconut Cult.
The Coconut Cult is on a mission to help people restore their gut health through super probiotic coconut yogurt and gelato. Prior to joining The Coconut Cult team, Ari co-founded Once Upon a Farm and served as both CEO and President. Throughout this episode, Ari answers questions from other founders about shelf space, how everyone's strategy is different, how transparent to be with your team, increasing product in your product line, kpi’s to look at when launching a new product, what ideas to pursue, management best practices, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Ari Raz, the CEO of The Coconut Cult.
The Coconut Cult is on a mission to help people restore their gut health through super probiotic coconut yogurt and gelato. Prior to joining The Coconut Cult team, Ari co-founded Once Upon a Farm and served as both CEO and President. Throughout this episode, Ari talks about his experience as a founder, deciding to leave the business he founded, co packing vs manufacturing, innovation, geographic sales channels, marketing for a CPG brand, raising capital, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Lorna Vanderhaeghe, to answer questions from other founders. Lorna was the founder, CEO, and creator of Lorna Vanderhaeghe Health Solutions, a top-selling line of women’s nutritional supplements. Since Lorna Vanderhaeghe Health Solutions was acquired by Jamieson Wellness, the largest nutritional supplement company for 8 figures, Lorna is on a mission to help and empower as many women (and men) as possible to find optimal health. Throughout this episode, Lorna answers questions about overcoming imposter syndrome, how she learned to be comfortable talking about money and asking for investment, her main strategy for acquiring shelf space in retailers, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Lorna Vanderhaeghe, President at Headlines Promotions Inc. Lorna was the founder, CEO, and creator of Lorna Vanderhaeghe Health Solutions, a top-selling line of women’s nutritional supplements. From the beginning, Lorna Vanderhaeghe Health Solutions made Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies list every year and in four short years, it was acquired by Jamieson Wellness, the largest nutritional supplement company for 8 figures. Throughout this episode, Lorna talks about her education in nutritional medicine, alternative health, how she manifested getting out of poverty, ways that she found her mentors, product innovation, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Steven Singer to answer questions from other founders. Steven is the Founder of Fody Food Co, a business designed with your GI symptoms and digestive wellness in mind. He is also the Co-Founder of Glutino, which went on to become a global gluten-free leader and a 100 million dollar brand. Steven is on a mission to help millions of people around the globe improve their digestive help. Throughout this episode, Steven answers questions about finding the right retailers for your company, how to educate while also increasing sales, the one thing he wished he knew earlier in his career, and so much more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Steven Singer. With a passion to help people with their digestive help, Steven founded Fody Food Co, a business designed with your GI symptoms and digestive wellness in mind. He is also the Co-Founder of Glutino, which went on to become a global gluten-free leader and a 100 million dollar brand. Throughout this episode, Steven talks about product research, raising money, the operations behind co packing, differences between the US market vs. Canadian market, social and environment responsibility, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Patrick Higgins, to answer questions from other founders. Patrick is the President of Propel Natural Brands, a retail brokerage that specializes in complete sales management of the Canadian market for natural brands. With their focus on cultivating relationships and leveraging innovative technology, Patrick and his team provide their clients with the infrastructure necessary to compete in the Canadian market. Throughout this episode, Patrick answers questions about working with brands as a retail brokerage, his perspective on direct to consumer, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Patrick Higgins, President of Propel Natural Brands. As a retail brokerage, Propel Natural Brands specializes in complete sales management of the Canadian market for natural brands. With their focus on cultivating relationships and leveraging innovative technology, Patrick and his team provide their clients with the infrastructure necessary to compete in the Canadian market. Throughout this episode, Patrick talks about his entrepreneurship journey, choosing brands to work with, leveraging data, what he looks for when investing in companies, giving back to the industry, being in the brokerage business, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Erika Rankin, the founder and CEO of Bro Dough, to answer questions from other founders. Bro Dough is Canada's first better-for-you edible cookie dough - 100% vegan, contains plant-based protein, and uses natural sweeteners.Throughout this episode, Erika answers questions about leveraging TikTok for brand awareness, her thoughts around paid advertising, how to prioritize as an entrepreneur, developing flavors, and so much more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Erika Rankin, the founder and CEO of Bro Dough. After being involved in the fitness industry for years, Erika took her passion and turned it into a business. Bro Dough is Canada's first better-for-you edible cookie dough - 100% vegan, contains plant-based protein, and uses natural sweeteners.Throughout this episode, Erika talks about her body building and fitness background, why she started Bro Dough, her advice for selling direct to consumer, leveraging tiktok for brand marketing and awareness, her passion for helping brands with their social media, and so much more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Nima Fotovat, the Co-founder & President at Riverside Natural Foods, to answer questions from other founders. Riverside Natural Foods produces MadeGood, GOODTO GO and CookiePal, as well as private label products for leading retailers. Beyond their B Corp certification, Riverside Natural Foods is also a proud TRUE Zero Waste business with a silver rating, diverting a minimum of 92% of waste for reuse, recycling, composting and recovery for use in nature or the economy. Throughout this episode, Nima answers questions about ingredients for developing new products, tips and tricks while growing a business, building Canadian brand awareness, his rationale for using different ingredients in products, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Nima Fotovat, the Co-founder & President at Riverside Natural Foods. Riverside Natural Foods produces MadeGood, GOODTO GO and CookiePal, as well as private label products for leading retailers. Beyond their B Corp certification, Riverside Natural Foods is also a proud TRUE Zero Waste business with a silver rating, diverting a minimum of 92% of waste for reuse, recycling, composting and recovery for use in nature or the economy. Throughout this episode, Nima talks about his entrepreneurship journey, manufacturing, distribution, sustainability, and more. Stay tuned for Part 2 for a Q & A with Nima!
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Ian Walker. Ian is the Founder & President of Hippie Snacks, a British Columbia-based Certified B Corporation that is dedicated to using as few steps as possible in its manufacturing process to keep the ingredients close to nature. Ian answers questions from other founders about hiring and building a team, marketing sustainability, his process before product launching, what his retail sales philosophy is, entering the United States market, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Ian Walker. Ian is the Founder & President of Hippie Snacks, a British Columbia-based company that is dedicated to using as few steps as possible in its manufacturing process to keep the ingredients close to nature. Ian talks about his experience with co-founders, his experience being a single founder, selecting products to distribute, strategies for product innovation, building the ‘hug factor’, and so much more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Greg Fleishman. Greg answers questions from other founders about marketing, packaging, direct to consumer, scaling a team, and so much more. Greg has had multiple 9-figure exits as the Co-Founder/Board Director of Foodstirs, Co-Founder of Purely Righteous, Co-Founder Up To Good Energy, Co-Founder of Eat Union, Board Director for Lily's Sweets (exited to Hershey’s June 2021), Once Upon a Farm with Jennifer Garner, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Greg Fleishman. Greg is passionate about starting, nurturing, & funding Consumer Brands that help make the world better. He has had multiple 9-figure exits as the Co-Founder/Board Director of Foodstirs, Co-Founder of Purely Righteous, Co-Founder Up To Good Energy, Co-Founder of Eat Union, Board Director for Lily's Sweets (exited to Hershey’s June 2021), Once Upon a Farm with Jennifer Garner, and even more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by the CEO and founder of Dream Pops, David Greenfeld. David founded Dream Pops in 2018 with the mission of shaking up the dessert category with delicious and healthy plant-based products. Throughout this episode, David answers questions from founders about raising money from investors, marketing on social media platforms, what pivotal decisions he made early on after launching, friction points when selling direct to consumer, transitioning to retail, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by the CEO and founder of Dream Pops, David Greenfeld. David founded Dream Pops in 2018 with the mission of shaking up the dessert category with delicious and healthy plant-based products. Throughout this episode, David talks about what he credits the business’ success to, how he financed the company, selling direct to consumer, the impact of social media marketing, and so much more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Peter Neal, co-founder of Neal Brothers Foods. Since Peter and his brother founded the company in 1988, Neal Brothers Foods has provided families throughout Canada with better-for-you snack options. Throughout this episode, Peter answers questions from other founders about product manufacturing, what he looks for when making investments in other companies, the importance of collaboration and giving advice, creating a healthy balance between operational efficiency, sales & distribution, and so much more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Peter Neal, co-founder of Neal Brothers Foods. Since Peter and his brother founded the company in 1988, Neal Brothers Foods has provided families throughout Canada with better-for-you snack options. Throughout this episode, Peter talks about the ups and downs that come with working with family, their innovation process, sourcing co packers, building company culture, and the importance of mental health as an entrepreneur.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by John Foraker, the co-founder and CEO at Once Upon A Farm, a leading kid nutrition business for the next generation. John is also the founder and former CEO of Annie’s Inc and went on to be President of the Annie’s Unit when the company became a subsidiary of General Mills. Throughout this episode, John answers questions from other founders about how to find a compatible co-founder, tactical tips for gathering the valuable data, suggestions on packaging redesign process, qualities he looks for when investing in entrepreneurs, handling pressure as an entrepreneur, and more!
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In this episode, Mike is joined by John Foraker, the co-founder and CEO at Once Upon A Farm, a leading kid nutrition business for the next generation. John is also the founder and former CEO of Annie’s Inc and went on to be President of the Annie’s Unit when the company became a subsidiary of General Mills. Throughout this episode, John talks about his career journey in the natural food and organic space, his process and thoughts around innovation, being an entrepreneur with environmental responsibility, and so much more. Check out Part 2 for the Question & Answer session with John!
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Natasha Vandenhurk. Natasha is the co-founder and CEO of Three Farmers Foods, a Canadian brand that provides healthy, wholesome plant-based snacks. In this episode, founders ask Natasha questions about her initial distributions strategy and how she has built out her team throughout scaling the business.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Natasha Vandenhurk. Natasha is the co-founder and CEO of Three Farmers Foods, a Canadian brand that provides healthy, wholesome plant-based snacks. In this episode, Natasha shares her story of co-founding Three Farmers Foods with her sister and how they have built it to the successful brand it is today. She talks about changes she has seen over the decade in the industry, pros and cons of working with family, being on Dragons Den, manufacturing, the evolution of the brand, and so much more. Be sure to listen to Part 2 to hear a Q&A with Natasha!
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In this episode, Mike is joined by the CEO and founder of Uncle Matt’s Organic, Matt McLean. Since founding the business in 1999, Uncle Matt’s Organic is now the oldest organic OJ brand in the US and is sold in over 15,000 stores nationwide. Throughout this conversation, Matt answers questions from other founders about managing a budget while scaling, knowing the right time to raise capital, bringing a new ingredient to the market, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by the CEO and founder of Uncle Matt’s Organic, Matt McLean. Starting with one item sold locally in his backyard, Matt founded Uncle Matt’s Organic in June of 1999. Today, it’s the oldest organic OJ brand in the US and is sold in over 15,000 stores nationwide. Throughout this conversation, Matt talks about the early stages of the company, selling the company to Dean Foods, buying the company back, and lessons learned along the way. Check out Part 2 for a Q & A with Matt!
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In this episode, Mike is joined by the CEO and co-founder of Genius Juice, Alex Bayer. Alex founded Genius Juice with a mission to make nutrition widespread and available to everyone. Genius Juice is the world's first all organic plant-based smoothie made from whole coconut, simply blending two ingredients: organic coconut water and organic meat to make a delicious and clean smoothie.Throughout this conversation, Alex talks to Mike about his journey to founding Genius Juice, the company’s appearance on Shark Tank, focusing on direct to consumer, raising capital, perishable shipping solutions, and more. Check out Part 2 for a Q & A with Alex!
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In this episode, Mike is joined by the CEO and co-founder of Genius Juice, Alex Bayer. Alex founded Genius Juice with a mission to make nutrition widespread and available to everyone. Genius Juice is the world's first all organic plant-based smoothie made from whole coconut, simply blending two ingredients: organic coconut water and organic meat to make a delicious and clean smoothie.Throughout this episode, Alex answers questions from founders about product labeling and packaging, maintaining quality while scaling your formula, running advertisements through retailers, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Kara Goldin, CEO and founder of Hint, Inc. to answer founders’ questions. Kara answers questions about creating a direct to consumer strategy, switching delivery systems, and how to manage ingredients as the company scales. Kara founded Hint in 2005 when she decided to quit drinking diet soda and was in search of a delicious unsweetened flavored water.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Kara Goldin, CEO and founder of Hint, Inc. Hint is a San Francisco-based beverage company that was founded in 2005 and is best known for its delicious unsweetened flavored water. Throughout this conversation, Kara tells the story of how her personal health journey led to her to leave her tech executive position to founding Hint, Inc. She talks about entering the ready to drink industry, why she chose to co-pack, the importance of data, using social media to communicate with customers, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by the CEO and founder of IWON Organics, Mark Samuel. In 2016, Mark founded IWON Organics (I’m Winning On Nutrition), a legume-based food company that makes bold, flavor-infused snacks, cereal and granola made from plant-based proteins. Throughout this episode, Mark answers questions from other founders regarding the direct to consumer landscape, co-packing, raising brand awareness, validating product before going to market, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by the CEO and founder of IWON Organics, Mark Samuel. As a health enthusiast and serial entrepreneur, Mark has over 17 years of start-up experience. In 2016, Mark founded IWON Organics (I’m Winning On Nutrition), a legume-based food company that makes bold, flavor-infused snacks, cereal and granola made from plant-based proteins. Throughout this conversation, Mark talks to Mike about understanding your customer, the influence of social marketing, how to present yourself to the people who work for you, and more. Check out Part 2 for a Q & A with Mark!
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In this episode, Suzie Yorke, the CEO and founder of Love Good Fats joins Mike for a Question & Answer session with other founders. Suzie has had incredible success since launching Love Good Fats bars in 2016, surpassing $100 million in revenue in just over 3 years. She answers questions about digital sampling, when to decide to co-pack, making a launch successful, fundraising, doing consumer research, presenting to retailers, and more. Suzie’s insights and advice from her experience can help all founders no matter what stage their business is in.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Suzie Yorke, the CEO and founder of Love Good Fats. As a marathon runner, cyclist, and 11x Ironman athlete, Suzie realized that her low fat diet was doing more harm than good and that incorporating fats in her diet could fuel her better. Suzie then founded Love Good Fats, a nutrition bar company that is low in sugar and loaded with good fats, and the company has since surpassed 8 figures. Throughout this conversation, Suzie shares her story of founding Love Good Fats and what she has learned about building a business in the natural products industry.
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In this episode, Nicholas Reichenbach joins Mike for a Question & Answer session with other founders. Throughout this session, Nicholas answers questions about expanding distribution, when to ‘divorce’ from your company, how to enter new ventures, and more. Nicholas is the Founder, Executive Chairman, and former CEO of Flow Alkaline Spring Water- one of 11 companies he has built- and has great insights that founders in all industries can benefit from hearing.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Nicholas Reichenbach. Nicholas is the Founder, Executive Chairman, and former CEO of Flow Alkaline Spring Water. Throughout this episode, Nicholas talks about when he knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur, building Flow Alkaline Spring Water, strategic thinking for market and channel, how his role at Flow Alkaline Spring Water has changed, and more. Nicholas is an incredible entrepreneur, having built 11 companies and led Flow Alkaline Spring Water to massive success in the natural products industry.
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In this episode, Isabele Chevalier, the founder and former CEO of Bio-K+, answers other natural products founder’s questions. Some of the topics that she provides her insights and answers to are about building a business with family members, what she looks for when investing in other founders, getting customers to try your product, raising equity, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Isabele Chevalier, the founder and former CEO of Bio-K+. Bio-K+ is a Canadian company that provides premium-quality probiotic products backed by science. Since launching Bio-K+ over 20 years ago, the company has been massively successful and expanded internationally. Throughout this episode Isabele shares her story of building Bio-K+ with her family and what she has learned from being in the early stages of the probiotic industry to now. Check out Part 2 to hear Isabele answer other founders’ questions!
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In this episode, Mike hosts a Q & A session with Sol Cuisine Founder, Dror Balshine. Dror answers questions about working with wholesalers, building brand awareness, what he would tell his younger self, channel expansion, packaging, and more.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Dror Balshine the founder of Sol Cuisine (which was acquired by Plant Plus for $125mm). Dror first launched Sol Cuisine back in 1997 and the company has had incredible success over it’s 25+ years in the plant based food industry. Throughout this episode Dror shares the story of building Sol Cuisine and what has changed from the early stages in the industry to now.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by the legendary Canadian businesswoman, Arlene Dickinson. Arlene talks about her mission and vision behind her marketing firm, Venture Communications, how she balances her time, lessons from raising funds, what she looks for in Canadian entrepreneurs as an investing Dragon on CBC’s show, Dragons’ Den, and more!
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Here is the Audience Q&A with Mike and Arlene Dickinson the founder of Venture Communications.
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Here is the Audience Q&A with Mike and Lezlie Karls, Jake Karls and Nick Saltarelli, the founders of Mid-Day Squares.
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In this episode, Mike is joined by Lezlie Karls, Jake Karls and Nick Saltarelli, the founders of Mid-Day Squares. They tell the story of the early stages of the brand, how the business began to scale, why their number one focus is the customer, lessons from raising capital, and more. Check out Part 2 to hear their answers to founders' questions!
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