Episodes

Nick Desai, founder & CEO of pea-based snack brand Peatos, spoke about why he’s taking direct aim at legacy junk food brands, how to achieve meaningful scale amid consumer skepticism about better-for-you snacking, why he believes that he’s doing the right thing regardless of the brand’s chances for success and his perspective that the American dream “is still very much alive.”

Carlton Fowler, managing partner of venture capital firm Goat Rodeo Capital, discussed his strategy for investing in brands with a unique consumer proposition or go-to-market strategy, explained why he’s bearish on alcohol-free beverage alternatives and how he evaluates the opportunity for cannabis-based drinks amid an uncertain regulatory environment.

Jeanne David, founder & CEO, Outer Aisle spoke about how being early on several current food trends helped the brand land its first major retailer, why the company aims to “revolutionize” a legacy food category, why she decided not to outsource manufacturing and why she urges entrepreneurs to use experienced advisors during a fundraising process.

Jason Barrett, founder & CEO of craft spirits producer Black Button Distilling, spoke about how a stint in small business consulting impacted his vision for the company, why he didn’t seek outside capital to launch Black Button and why he credits an effective systems management strategy as the key reason that spirits conglomerate Constellation Brands invested in the distillery.

Mark Samuel, founder & CEO of protein-centric snack company IWON Organics, spoke what he defines as the brand’s “why,” the most effective ways to engage with his audience of 20,000-plus followers on LinkedIn, how he incorporates both confidence and vulnerability in his content and why patience is a virtue, especially after hearing the word “no.”