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Nick Taranto, the co-founder of pioneering meal kid company Plated and beer alternative brand HOP WTR, spoke about why storytelling is the key to any successful company, how his experience in the Marines and at Harvard Business School influenced his perspective as an entrepreneur and why he’s bullish on Bitcoin and sober-curious lifestyles.
Starr and L.A. Edwards, the co-founders of vegan dip brand Bitchin’ Sauce, spoke about how consumers respond to the brand’s quirky name and why they’ll never change the primary elements of its packaging, how they landed a deal with Costco early into the brand’s development and why they believe that owning a production facility has given them an advantage when working with retailers.
Bill Shufelt, the co-founder and CEO of non-alcoholic beer maker Athletic Brewing Co., spoke about the critical importance of market research, how he dealt with consistent rejection from beer industry professionals and why he believes that “drama is so unproductive.” He also discussed how he planned for and is managing explosive growth and how he evaluates strategic partnerships.
Organifi CEO Mae Steigler spoke about the origins of the powdered juice and supplement brand, the company’s impressive DTC business and how she and her team crafted an effective consumer acquisition and retention strategy. She also discussed how Organifi scaled while being bootstrapped and how daily huddles and employee empowerment are key to the company culture.
Fitness icon and home workout pioneer Denise Austin, the founder of snackable protein bite brand Ever Better, spoke about her rise from college gymnast to one of the most recognized names in fitness, why she advocates for people to eat healthy food 80% of the time and indulgent foods for the other 20% and why integrity is the key factor in everything she does.
Denise Woodard, the founder and CEO of fast-growing allergen-friendly food brand Partake Foods, spoke about the benefits of “leaning into” cost-saving retailer programs, how she went from raising thousands of dollars at a time to multi-million, celebrity-led funding rounds, how the tragedy and social unrest of 2020 impacted Partake and why she sings the praises of a having a leadership coach.
John Fieldly, CEO of fitness-centric energy brand Celsius, discussed the company’s turnaround from turmoil to over $100 million in sales in 2020, including the importance of setting expectations with staff and investors, how to optimize placement at key retailers and why he has an open door policy.
Drew and Mac Anderson, co-founders of the fast-growing fermented food platform Cleveland Kitchen, spoke about how the brand drew its inspiration from their mother and from the city of Cleveland, their experience leaning into new use occasions for sauerkraut and why it was key to growth, the impact of data on its merchandising and sales and how the brothers balance family and business.
NFL legend Jerry Rice and Jaqui Rice, the co-founders of G.O.A.T. Fuel, spoke about the inspiration behind, planning and launch of the better-for-you energy drink brand and how they’re leveraging Jerry’s fame in a way that’s authentic to its positioning. They also discussed the products’ unique formulation, how they evaluate partnerships and the reason that Jerry’s name is not on the label.
This special edition of Taste Radio Insider highlights actionable insights and advice from interviews with four founders, creators and investors who joined us on the show during the second half of 2020. Our guests include Greg Fleishman, Co-Founder/CEO, Foodstirs; Jing Gao, Founder & CEO, Fly By Jing; Carlton Fowler, Managing Partner, Goat Rodeo Capital; and Breezy Griffith, Co-Founder & CEO, SkinnyDipped.