Lesser Evil is a clean, healthy and sustainable snack brand. They stand for the little things - both in their products and in life. They use organic inputs, compost food waste, and use more environmentally friendly packaging.

Interview with Charles Coristine - CEO of Lesser Evil

Bare Bones bone broth is made with organic ingredients and 100% grass-fed and pasture-raised bones. Tune in to learn about how Ryan and Katherine spearheaded this new market and brought forward the healing benefits of bone broth.

Interview with Ryan Harvey — Founder & Katherine Harvey - Co-Founder of Bare Bones

Plant People is a mission-driven company that provides doctor-formulated, regenerative plant and mushroom supplements that aid with various ailments such as pain, sleep and energy.

https://www.plantpeople.co/

Interview with Hudson Gaines-Ross — Co-Founder and CEO of Plant People

Q Mixers asks the question, why don't our mixers measure up to the spirits we see on the shelf?  That's why they made mixers with real ingredients that are less sweet and perfectly carbonated.

Interview with Jordan Silbert — CEO & Founder of Q Mixers

Waterloo is pure flavor artistry in purified sparkling water with amazing bold flavors! They're uniquely refreshing waters that awaken the senses.
Listen in to hear how they built this irresistible brand.

Interview with Jason Shiver — CEO of Waterloo Sparkling Water

CJ Rapp, founder of Karma Water, is on a mission to shake up the beverage industry, transforming water to wellness.
 

In Kristi Bridges' conversation with CJ, he talks about his long career in the beverage industry and experience with his first brand of energy drinks, Jolt. They discuss the story of Jolt and why CJ decided to make a pivot into the health and wellness space with Karma. 



They also talk about the Karma launch strategy, involving a process of iteratively improving through a slow rollout on a shoestring budget, and how this attracted the strategic partnership of beverage giant Constellation Brands. Tuning in, you’ll hear perspectives on the burgeoning cannabis industry and CJ’s plans to release a new CBD product as soon as regulations allow for it!

Interview with CJ Rapp — Founder of Karma Water

For Adam Grossman, founder and CEO of Papa & Barkley, relieving pain is personal. When Adam’s dad was struggling with chronic, debilitating back pain in 2015, Adam wanted to understand how to relieve it. Many traditional pharmaceutical products weren’t working, and out of desperation, Adam sent his dad to the hospital, where his condition worsened.

And so, Adam found another way, utilizing the power of the cannabis plant.
On this episode of The Irresistible Factor, Adam tells host Kristi Bridges how he first created a cannabis “Pain Bomb” to help his dad. Cooking up a crockpot of coconut oil and cannabis from a college friend, Adam was able to make his dad a mixture that provided relief. His dad could finally get out of bed.

“After a long career and a number of early ventures,” Adam told Kristi, “what all coalesced in Papa & Barkley was a personal experience that clarified that this was a road I wanted to be on, and an emerging cannabis market that captured the attention of investors and the world.”

There are two parts of Papa & Barkley’s business: The California-based brand is both a cannabis wellness company, best-known for its topicals and tinctures, and a CBD business, which allows them to target a larger market. That CBD business is critical, as Papa & Barkley face intense regulatory burdens, Adam said, making it difficult to run a profitable business in this market.

But Adam is in this for the right reasons: “​​Our most key performance indicator, ‘lives-changed,’ is an actual variable that we can apply to this business.”

Interview with Adam Grossman — Papa & Barkley Founder and CEO

Two years ago, Jessica Kates co-founded Rellevant, an early-stage growth equity firm, unique because of the way they conduct business — they provide strategic advice, rooted in real business experience. That work experience comes through Jessica’s long line of diverse and exciting job opportunities — from investment banker to hedge fund manager, from CFO of an online consumer products retailer to CEO of a fashion startup in New York.

On The Irresistible Factor, Jessica tells host Kristi Bridges why she’s created a niche working with food-related, lower-middle market companies, particularly restaurants and restaurant technology.

Jessica and Kristi discuss the value that Rellevant brings to their partners, some of the exciting companies they are investing in, and how they decide what to put their time and money into. Jessica also shares valuable advice for founders with companies in the early stages of growth: “Make sure what you’re doing is on point with your strategy, and also work simultaneously to improve the brand equity. Because that’s the only thing you can really speak to at these early stages.”

Interview with Jessica Kates — Private Equity Investor and Rellevant Co-Founder

When Andrew Pudalov founded Rush Bowls in 2004, he was ahead of the health food curve.

In the early 2000s, after a long career in banking, Andrew decided it was time to do something different. He left New York City, quit his job, and moved his family to Boulder, Colorado, where he bought a house and started a new business.

On The Irresistible Factor, the Rush Bowls CEO tells host Kristi Bridges his surprising story, and shares plenty of wisdom from his wealth of experiences, including what motivates his customer-centric approach to business.

“We can accommodate any dietary need. Many businesses can do that,” Andrew said. “The difference with Rush is we don’t upcharge for that. If you have a dietary need, we don’t feel as a company that you should be punished for it.”

Together, Andrew and Kristi explore why Rush Bowls opened stores in underserved communities. We talk about training, research, and brand identity, along with how to generate unique ideas.

Interview with Andrew Pudalov — Rush Bowls Founder and CEO

Bob Burke takes businesses’ ideas, and makes them real.

On The Irresistible Factor, Bob and host Kristi Bridges talk about how he is able to bring natural, organic and specialty products to market as a consultant with Natural Products Consulting. Bob is a real expert with serious experience, and his value to his clients is clear. (His roster of work includes Annie’s, Dr. Bronner’s, Mason Dixie Biscuit Co., Califia Farms, Bob’s Red Mill, Theo Chocolate and many, many more.)

Together, Kristi and Bob discuss the role of a brand’s online presence in their ability to eventually exit to a strategic buyer, along with the benefits of Amazon, outsourcing and planning ahead.

“You always have to be innovating,” Bob said. “You can never be complacent. You can never sit back and rest on your laurels, and you need to be tuned in to where the consumer’s going and where the market’s going.”

Interview with Bob Burke — Natural Products Consulting Consultant

The Irresistible Factor is dropping seven special bonus episodes this week! Listen to them all wherever you get your podcasts.  
 
***
 
Gem Misa believes in her product wholeheartedly.
 
She’s the Founder and CEO of FullGreen, a plant-based company that makes nutritious, shelf-stable products without preservatives. Notably, they create some of the best cauliflower rice — and have many more innovative products coming soon!
 
“I knew when I came across cauliflower rice,” Gem said, “I knew that this was the perfect product that could become so relevant in the years to come because of what was happening all around the world, and I think that’s what kept me going.” 
 
On this episode, Gem shares how FullGreen developed its cauliflower rice, and what her initial goals were. Together, Gem and host Kristi Bridges talk about what motivates Gem to push past the challenges, and the non-traditional funding format that has resulted in a stronger story, along with an amazing sense of community around the business.

Bonus Episodes Week! Interview with Gem Misa — FullGreen Founder and CEO

What’s a critical component to consider in the early stages of venture capital investing? People. And people are particularly important when a business is new — when it feels like just a few founders with a big, bold idea.

That’s why serial investor, Joe Tonnos, says that 75 percent of early-stage investment is the founders an investor is backing. The remaining 25 percent is the product, market, and everything else. Joe is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Ketch Ventures, an investment firm that partners with disruptive, early-stage entrepreneurs and management teams to add value and grow consumer-facing businesses to the next level.

On this episode of The Irresistible Factor, Joe shares his more-than-a-decade’s worth of experience investing in and advising companies across a number of different sectors. (In addition to his role at Ketch Ventures, he also serves as Principal and Associate Portfolio Manager at Meteora Capital and Venture Partner at Natureza Growth Partners.)

Joe outlines what early-stage investors like Ketch are looking for, highlights some of the defining characteristics of great founders. He also shares his advice for entrepreneurs: “It’s having the vision, it’s being prepared to explain it, and making an investor understand what makes [your business] compelling and how it’s going to benefit them.”

Interview with Joe Tonnos — Ketch Ventures Co-Founder and Managing Partner

“If there are small things that we can do to move in the right direction, that does matter. Then our growth could actually feel purposeful, and not just growth for the sake of making more money.” 

In this week’s episode of The Irresistible Factor, we find out how Stacey Marcellus’ experience living on a farm in Argentina led her to Co-Found a thriving frozen food brand – Cappello’s. Cappello’s is on a mission to set a new standard in frozen food like pizza, pasta, and cookie dough. But it’s made with awesome and healthier ingredients like almond flour and turnips (yes, turnips!), making their products grain-free and nutritious. Of course their products taste delicious, but Cappello’s is one brand that is focused on nutrition above all else. 

“We stand behind using whole food ingredients and having them be as unaltered as possible.” 

Stacey and I discuss how the frozen food market has changed drastically over the years and how frozen food is no longer “something you just eat in front of the T.V.” It is actually a way to keep products super fresh. 

Stacey also opens up about the flaws in the food industry (excessive packaging, all the freight it takes to transport food, and traditional farming practices) and how she is taking small steps to try to do better. Recently, Cappello’s partnered with one of their suppliers, Treehouse, and together, they are testing some regenerative practices over the next five years on their almond orchards. 

“Even though we're not purchasing regeneratively sourced almonds today, being part of a project like that feels really cool. And it's really exciting because if we get positive results over the next five years, that will influence the entire almond industry.”  

Kristi and Stacey talk about the evolution of Cappello’s over the last 11 years and the lessons that Stacey has learned. Stick around to the end for an inspiring story Stacey shares about the importance of asking for help.

Interview with Stacey Marcellus – Cappello’s Co-Founder

“Why food, beverage, and CPGs? Because it's tangible, it's something that's a part of everyday life. It's something that people get a lot of joy out of.”

On today’s episode of The Irresistible Factor, Kristi Bridges has a very special guest, Taylor Grant. Taylor is not only the Founder and General Partner of Cedar Capital, but he is also the Founder and CEO of Tribini – a ready to drink espresso martini company. 

When Taylor worked in finance, he started angel investing in products he believed in and immediately fell in love with the CPG industry. He claims he “caught the bug”. Taylor didn’t want to just invest, he wanted to add value. In 2020, Taylor discovered the world of venture syndicates and realized there was a white space in the CPG world, so he decided to fill it. Cedar Capital combines the investment side and the marketing side of growing a successful business.

Shortly after he founded Cedar Capital, he founded Tribini, a ready to drink line of espresso martinis.  Covid sparked the development of ready to drink cocktails and Taylor knew it was time to hop on board! Tribini offers mixologist-quality cocktails made with only the best ingredients.

“I really wanted to create an authentic product, something that people can resonate with the actual authentic Espresso martini or however they envision that experience. Using natural ingredients, vodka-based, six-times distilled vodka is very important. No malt, no wine, nothing alternative, straight vodka, real espresso, all-natural ingredients.”

Taylor talks about his decision to launch in DTC first so he can find the best product market fit while being efficient with their capital. Taylor believes this is the best tool to connect directly with their consumers and test things, so when it’s time to go to retail there is data to back that up. 

“We know how to reach our customers. We know who they are, and we'll know how to market to them”. 

Taylor and Kristi also talk about the perks of working in the CPG community, why the magic combination for a successful entrepreneur is being both a “dreamer” and a “doer”, and why having a solid network is absolutely everything. Taylor dives into important advice for both investors and entrepreneurs.

Interview with Taylor Grant – Cedar Capital Founder and General Partner, and Tribini Founder and CEO

“Numbers are the backbone of a company, whether you know it or not.”

If you’re starting a business, you know finances are more important now than ever before. That is why Kristi is so excited to share this interview with Vincent Biscaye of Step Two Advisors. Vincent started his career in investment banking as a commodity trader. He then took a leap of faith and became an entrepreneur, leading him to eventually start his own consulting firm – Step Two. Step Two offers affordable help to CPG start-ups in business planning, finances, investor relations, and fundraising.

Vincent is also a Co-Founder of BeyondSKU New York – a northeast accelerator for CPG brands, where brands work with mentors who are experts in their field. Vincent and the BeyondSKU team are dedicated to helping start-ups thrive, as evidenced by having graduated 16 companies!  

In this episode, Kristi and Vincent talk about his transition from a finance life to that of an entrepreneur, and just how important having a solid financial plan is for a successful brand. They also talk about the power of mentorship and advice.

“If founders can understand the word, not the word but the power to really calculate that runway, I think, and constantly re-evaluating their runway, if you’re ahead of that, you're going to really put all the chances on your side.”

Interview with Vincent Biscaye – Step Two Advisors Founder and BeyondSKU Co-Founder

“The growth that we’ve had and the response we’ve had to Chia Smash really speaks to the fact that I think consumers and grocery store buyers have really been looking for innovation in this category.”
Today’s guests on The Irresistible Factor have quite an unusual brand development story, with their product evolving naturally from a home recipe to a side hustle, and ultimately a serious (and successful!) full-time business.

Anna Peck and Steve Ford are the Co-Founders of the superfood jam brand, Chia Smash, which is categorically (excuse the pun) disrupting its category. Chia Smash is the first of its kind – made with only 4 simple ingredients, naturally sweetened with dates, and packed with superfoods. It is the only jam with no added sugar or preservatives and if that wasn’t enough, they are upcycled certified.

In this episode, we learn about the origin of the brand and how Chia Smash was first developed in their very own kitchen. Anna and Steve tell us about their fundraising journey, budget-friendly marketing strategies, and the importance of making your product by hand at first if possible. Lastly, we hear about what resulted in their efficient scale-up as well as their plans to expand. Tune in to hear much more of this couple’s inspiring entrepreneurial journey!

Interview with Anna Peck and Steve Ford — Co-Founders of Chia Smash

"What we don’t need is more sustainable Doritos. We need total transformative solutions and this is a mechanism that I think can do that, and that’s why I’m running in this direction because we need to do it.”

In this week’s episode of The Irresistible Factor, we welcome Outlaw Ventures CEO, Anthony Corsaro. Anthony tells us about how his autoimmune disease and his upbringing in a fresh produce family distribution business led him to his passion of using food as a tool to improve the well-being of ourselves and our planet. Anthony recently started his own venture fund and is investing in early-stage food and agriculture businesses. In this episode, we talk about how he started Outlaw Ventures, and why he believes the best way to do anything in life is to just start doing it, and learn along the way.

Anthony tells us how he evaluates prospective brand partners, his challenges around raising capital, and how he is navigating the daunting task of finding a partner that complements his own skill sets. We also talk about why founders are being asked to show more profitability upfront, and the importance of “trifurcating” things when evaluating the potential success of a business by analyzing the investment, the business, and the team separately. Lastly, we talk about Anthony’s thoughts on controlled farming, synthesized proteins, and the successes and failures of the plant-based movement. This is an episode you won’t want to miss!

Interview with Anthony Corsaro – Outlaw Ventures CEO

“…The world doesn’t need more stuff. Better packaging or a prettier can is not an answer, it’s not a solution. What is the problem that currently exists in the world that your product is solving? That should be number one.”

On today’s episode of The Irresistible Factor, Kristi is thrilled to be joined by powerhouse Alison Cayne, CEO and Founder of Haven’s Kitchen. Alison’s passion for sustainability and cooking led her to open her own cooking school in the Flatiron district of New York, Haven’s Kitchen. Haven’s Kitchen aimed to make cooking less stressful and more enjoyable, and quickly became one of the most beloved cooking schools in NYC. Shortly after, Alison realized she could reach a larger audience by selling her popular sauces in pouches.

While not an easy undertaking, Alison saw a need and Haven’s Kitchen went from a cooking school to a brand-new category of fresh sauces that is now a staple in many homes. Alison’s incredible sauces elevate any home cooked meal, including flavors like herby chimichurri, gingery miso, and red pepper romesco.

Alison tells us about how she got national Whole Foods distribution the very first week of the pandemic, and how her key mission has driven her company to major successes. Alison also speaks about the many challenges she faces every day while producing a fresh product. Lastly, she goes into detail about her belief that finding a group of people who truly love your product is far more important than going viral on TikTok. This episode is packed with amazing advice for early-stage founders. Don’t miss out!

Interview with Alison Cayne – CEO and Founder of Haven's Kitchen

“We’re four years in and we have consistently been acting as if we are way further ahead than we are. We’ve just been caught up in internal growth which is really unhealthy when you’re not seeing commercial success and when you don’t even know if you have product market fit, who’s your customers. “

Today’s guest, Sorosh Tavakoli, has big dreams of reducing the world’s carbon footprint and putting an end to climate change. When he decided he wanted to start another company,  he knew that he wanted the business model to be fully aligned with that goal. This led him to start Stockeld Dreamery, a brand of vegan cheese that currently features a plant-based cream cheese.  Interestingly, even though they only have distribution in 2 bagel shops in NYC, Sorosh managed to raise quite a bit of capital before the economy caused the capital raising belt to tighten. 

Being in the very early stages of the business, Sorosh tells us about the challenges of starting a company and speaks incredibly frankly about their biggest mistake so far – raising too much early capital growing the company prematurely. At the moment, Stockeld Dreamery is a relatively big team with a very small distribution footprint. Sorosh talks about his plans to navigate this imbalance. 

Tune in for Sorosh’s advice for entrepreneurs wanting to start plant-based brands and learn all about one of the newest (and most delicious) entries in sustainable plant-based cheese!

Interview with Sorosh Tavakoli – Stockeld Dreamery Founder

“We’ve had some opportunities in places that we had to say, “You know what? Not yet.” You know, we’ll come back in a few years when we’re ready to make that step because we want to make sure that we can support our customers and that you know, their customers are seeking a product like ours, right?”

Today on the Irresistible Factor Podcast, Kristi is joined by Claudio LoCascio, the CEO and President of Mochidoki. Mochidoki has been around for about seven years, looking to elevate the mochi ice cream experience. Mochidoki makes premium ice cream-filled mochi that is portion-controlled, low-calorie, and easily made vegan. Their diverse flavors range from black sesame to vegan leche to habanero chocolate (yum!). Not only do they taste amazing, but they look gorgeous too.

During their conversation, Claudio tells us how before he joined the team, they were growing predominately through food service. His job was to take the brand to the next level and make it a consumer-facing household name. We dig into the challenges of being in multiple different channels– like supply chain logistics, varying cost structures and separate marketing strategies. And of course, he leaves us with some crucial entrepreneurial advice – make time to manage your emotions and celebrate your wins.

This is an episode you won’t want to miss!

Interview with Claudio LoCascio — Mochidoki CEO and President

“We’re not family-friendly, you can’t say the word vagina and so we fought very hard to push through those, those boundaries and just a few weeks ago actually had a billboard in Time Square run that said, “We love healthy vaginas” and that was a really big one for us…” 

This is an episode Kristi is really excited about they talk about the challenges of marketing a subject matter that not everyone is comfortable talking about - women’s sexual health. Today, she is joined by Monica Cepak, the CMO of Wisp, a women’s healthcare company. Wisp is the largest provider of sexual and reproductive tele help services in the country, offering everything from same-day prescriptions for common vaginal infections to more taboo subjects like various forms of contraception and medication abortion services where it’s legal. 
 
With the current state of reproductive rights, taboo words, and a lack of access and awareness, women’s health can be a very difficult sphere to navigate, especially as a business. Monica passionately delves into the dynamic landscape of women's health and reproductive care and tells us how she is fearlessly navigating the polarizing topics of women's sexual health. She unveils the intricate challenges that lie within advertising in this category, all while competing with big pharmaceutical companies with massive budgets. She also talks about how their creative work uses humor to cut through the noise of tough subject matters. Monica leaves us with Wisp’s long-term goals envisioning revolutionary breakthroughs in the realm of female sexual pleasure and exploring verticals such as fertility, post-partum, and menopause. 

To all of our female listeners, I strongly encourage you to listen to this important and thought-provoking episode, and share with your female friends!

Interview with Monica Cepak —Wisp CMO

“I don't ask any more for permission, I'd rather just apologize after.”

This is the motto of our extraordinary and energetic guest on this week’s episode of The Irresistible Factor, Joseph Zeppilli, the ultimate rule breaker. Joseph’s knack for bending the rules, getting creative, and thinking way outside the box has catapulted his company, Bad Monkey Popcorn, into a nationally recognized brand in an astonishingly short timeframe.

Joseph admits there may be better products out there, but he knows no one else has a brand quite like theirs.

Listen to hear about the insane risk they took on the show Dragons’ Den (the Canadian version of Shark Tank) and why after they got an incredible offer, they turned it down! Learn about the crazy tactics they employed to get their product into the mouths of consumers, how he scored an incredible partnership with Disney, and the creative marketing strategy behind avoiding the snack aisle.

This episode is filled with amazing stories, tons of passion, and invaluable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.


In this episode you’ll hear:


- How Joseph went from a successful job in finance to selling popcorn to teenagers at music festivals
‌
- The story of how they closed a deal on Dragons’ Den before they even auditioned
‌
- Why they give away thousands of bags away daily across 5 countries
‌
- The challenges and benefits that come with partnering with Disney

Interview with Joseph Zeppilli – Bad Monkey Co-Owner and Co-Founder

Revolutionizing the non-alcoholic beverage world, our guest today is blazing through this niche market with a quality product and an incredible tenacity. You’ll want to hear this interview with Molly Fedick, the Founder of Buzzkill Wines, on this episode of The Irresistible Factor.

Molly shares her journey in creating a non-alcoholic wine for those who love the experience and taste of drinking without the consequences. In our conversation, she opens up about her path to becoming a founder, her experiences in fundraising, and her beliefs on the current trend of holding onto your cash at all costs. Molly talks candidly about her lack of experience and when that helped and hurt her on the journey to creating a successful brand.

She also talks about the significant challenges she faced, including navigating capital raising as a woman entrepreneur.

Be sure not to miss out on this insightful episode. Start listening now!


In this episode you’ll hear:

How Molly went from working in the tech start-up world at Hinge to becoming a CPG entrepreneur

The importance of being vulnerable and talking openly about your challenges 

Setting rules and boundaries as a founder
How she approaches marketing

Interview with Molly Fedick — Buzzkill Wines Founder

“I do believe [that] you’re [only] as limited as you think you are.”

This short yet powerful quote is from today’s incredibly inspiring guest, Alan Cohen, the Founder and CEO of Kokomio - the coconut beverage unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Alan is a powerful entrepreneur and an incredible human being whose values serve his business and family. I’m not exaggerating when I say after our interview, you’ll feel like you’ve just been through an awesome and inspiring therapy session! 

Alan speaks a lot about our internal dialogue and how it can be extremely limiting and keep us from living up to our full potential. Alan talks about how to push past the negative thoughts, how to turn problems into opportunity, and how leaning into vulnerability and discomfort can pave the way for incredible growth opportunities. 

We also discuss what inspired him to found Kokomio and what sets the brand apart from others in the category. 

I promise you won’t want to miss this one because his words of wisdom are so profound that you’re bound to want more! You’ll get amazing business advice and also invaluable life advice.

 

In this episode you’ll hear: 

-The importance of your internal dialogue and why how you view yourself will determine your fate 

-How to change your perspective and see problems as opportunities 

-Why Alan never says no to an opportunity 

-How being grateful and treating people with respect and love can translate into your own success

Interview with Alan Cohen — Kokomio Founder and CEO

Welcome to another episode of The Irresistible Factor. Today, we are joined by one of the most special guests I've had on the show. Ava Faustini is the  14-year-old founder of 1023 Gelato. 
 
Ava’s story is beyond incredible. She started the brand as we were coming out of COVID because her parents told her she needed to get out and do something. Most 12-year-olds would have found friends to hang out with, but not this inspiring young lady. She decided to start a brand of dairy-free gelato. Find out what inspired her and how she navigates the challenging start-up CPG world, all while being a full-time student and varsity athlete. 
 
This episode is jam-packed with incredibly inspirational pearls of wisdom from a remarkable young woman, who proves you start a business at any age. 
 

You’ll also hear: 
 
• What inspired Ava to start her business at such a young age
• What kind of help her family provides
• The most exciting and challenging aspects of being a 14-year-old entrepreneur
• How Ava manages her time with her business and school schedules  
• Ava’s advice for other founders

Interview with Ava Faustini — 1023 Gelato Founder

Joining us today on The Irresistible Factor is Lori Levine, CEO and Co-Founder of Scott’s Protein Balls. In this episode, Lori tells her inspiring story about how her struggle with breast cancer in 2017 led to her launching a brand. After conquering breast cancer, she realized that it was time to regain control of what she ate and how she took care of herself.  At age 52 she was determined to get into the best shape of her life.  Her nutritionist called the protein bar aisle “the walk of shame” as they are packed with sugar, soy, and preservatives. That caused Lori and her husband Scott to look for an alternative snack. 

Lori wanted a quick grab-and-go snack that was as nutritious as it was and tasty. Her husband Scott started experimenting with recipes that were clean, low in sugar, and delicious – all the things that protein bars weren’t.
 
In this episode you’ll hear how Scott’s Protein Balls grew from a family snack to a thriving brand. This episode will give you hope and also perspective.
 

You’ll also hear:
 
How to keep a positive mindset through the highs and lows and turning hardships into opportunities
Their partnership with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation
The challenges and rewards of finding the right employees that are aligned with your mission

Interview with Scott’s Protein Balls CEO and Co-Founder –  Lori Levine

This week I got to re-interview Taylor Grant, the Co-Founder of Tribini Ready-to-Drink espresso martinis.

We spoke last year in August when they were just about to launch and I’m excited to share the story of their first 18 months in business.

In this episode, you’ll get to hear about what it was like to start a brand in a challenging category (aren’t they all?). Taylor and his team had a very clear vision on how the brand was going to launch (DTC) and what their path to success and profitability was and as expected, it wasn’t what they expected.

They were quickly forced to either Pivot or give up. I’m sure you know they didn’t give up and the story of how they handled the initial disappointment and subsequent shifts is filled with valuable learnings and lots of inspiration.

Don't miss hearing Taylor talk about
• The Pivot from DTC to having to find their own distribution
• How and when they decided they needed to expand their team
• What jobs a founder should really expect to do
• Why a little friendly competition is actually a good thing.

I am excited to share the optimism and openness which appear to be part of Taylor’s DNA.
Have a listen.

Interview with Taylor Grant - Tribini Co-Founder & CEO

Join me for this weeks podcast, where we explore the stories behind extraordinary brands and the communities that surround them. In this episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Megan Klein, the visionary Founder and CEO of Little Saints, a very special nonalcoholic cocktail brand with the added benefit of functional mushrooms..

Megan shares the inspiration behind Little Saints, a venture born out of a desire to spread the love of nature and her desire to have a truly great alcohol alternative. She takes us through the meticulous process of creating the brand, from conceptualization to deciding what to make and how to market it.

Interview with Megan Klein - Founder and CEO of Little Saints

Embarking on a decade-long journey marked by triumphs in branding and relationship building, Danielle Kidney brings her wealth of experience to our conversation. As the Founder of the Creative Pack LLC, an agency specializing in early-stage Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands, Danielle distinguishes herself in a competitive landscape by infusing her agency with a relationship-focused and detail-oriented ethos.

In our conversation, Danielle reflects on the dynamic shifts within the industry, especially in the wake of the post-pandemic era. Delving into the core of The Creative Pack's mission, Danielle offers founders advice that she has learned through her impressive 10 year background as a founder herself.  Discover how Danielle believes that getting help and expertise from agencies can help a brand grow and take the right steps in their business. We get to hear why Danielle says getting branding right is so important even when brands don’t think they can spend the money. Gain insights into the challenges encountered by CPG brands and learn from the common missteps Danielle has keenly observed. 

This week’s podcast is full of amazing advice to learn from. Give it a listen.

Interview with Danielle Kidney -  Founder of The Creative Pack

“...I think for me, it’s just an expression of creativity, it’s an expression of innovation. I think that, like you said, there’s almost no choice. When you feel that passionate about something, there is no other option. So, through building this company, I have done it very slowly, very intentionally.”

Many founders start with the end goal of building a famous brand and/or a profitable one to sell. Today’s guest, Caitlin Cash, Founder of Kinship Milk Tea says it’s not about the end game. It’s about what she will learn, accomplish, and build during the exciting and challenging journey of starting her own brand. And I think she means it:)

Her inspiration for creating Kinship started while teaching English in Thailand. On her way to school, she would stop at 7-Eleven  and grab herself a milk tea, something we didn’t have here in the States. After returning to Austin and looking for milk tea, she realized there was a need in the market. 

This episode covers everything from the story behind the name, the rationale behind intentionally slow growth and distribution, and the supportive nature of the CPG community. She also gives fantastic advice for aspiring entrepreneurs like why slow and steady wins the race and how to find creativity through entrepreneurship.

Interview with Caitlin Cash – Founder of  Kinship Milk Tea

“Challenges are opportunities. I mean, to me, I don’t see them as setbacks.”
 
And talk about taking on challenges. This ambitious co-founder is on a mission to create a strong brand in what has become a highly commoditized category. Meryl Farr, Co-Founder and Owner of 4Sisters Rice intends to make rice the star of the plate. Meryl and her sisters are a family of farmers with deep roots in agriculture.
 
Meryl credits her success to some truly harsh criticism from a Walmart buyer. That difficult meeting caused her to rethink the name and packaging of the product, and 4Sister’s Rice was born. Just in time for Covid. 
 
And as difficult as that was, it turned out to be lucky for them. They launched when staples like rice were flying off the shelves like toilet paper. They were meeting a need that they didn’t even know existed. Their distribution gains were fast and furious. They found themselves constantly pivoting to meet the demand of the market, the challenges of the supply, and the massive responsibility of keeping employees safe. 
 
Meryl’s inspiring attitude towards these challenges paved the way for the successful launch of 4Sisters Rice. Listen to her tell the story of the obstacles they faced, the importance of a positive mindset, what it’s like to work with her four sisters, and so much more! 
 
 Here’s what you won’t want to miss from our conversation: 
 
- The story of how a meeting with a buyer at Walmart forced them to rethink their entire brand
- A 30-day rebrand
- Why tough critics are the key to success 
- What it’s like to be a woman in the male-dominated agriculture industry 
- The importance of supporting American farmers

Interview with Meryl Farr – Co-Founder and Owner of 4Sisters Rice

“...the goal is no longer to be fearless. It's to be bold and courageous. When I feel fear, which is inevitable when you're launching something new and doing something outside your comfort zone, I want to be courageous in the face of fear.” 

I am excited to sit down with the incredibly inspiring Addison LaBonte - Founder and CEO of Sweet Addisons.  Addison has one mission - to bring joy to people through her delicious better-for- you cookies. A tall order for an ambitious young lady.

In this episode, Addison tells the story of how a debilitating illness shifted her original goal of becoming a CFO in a big corporation to becoming an Instagram influencer turned brand founder. Addison launched Sweet Addison’s in January of 2024 (yep, just a couple of months ago!) And she already has plans about how she’ll scale and grow the business. For such a young founder she’s already faced quite a few challenges, which she shares with candor. She leaves us with insightful advice about how to take fear and turn it into courage. This is an episode you do not want to miss! 


 Here’s what you won’t want to miss from our conversation: 

• How Addison managed to cure her  ‘compartment syndrome’ by switching to a gluten-free lifestyle 

• The harmful effects of gluten (especially in the US) 

• What the day-to-day looks like at Sweet Addisons in their early stages

• Her dream to pitch her business on Shark Tank 

• A sneak peek of her  flavor launching in March of 2024

Interview with Addison LaBonte – Sweet Addison's Founder and CEO

The Irresistible Factor Podcast focuses on brands in the health and wellness space that want to become irresistible to consumers, investors and retailers. 

Kristi Bridges is the President and CEO of The Sawtooth Group where she has worked for over 20 years to create innovative, relevant strategies to bring brands and their consumers closer together. She is one of the creators of I-Factor®, the first and only research tool designed to understand today's digital consumer's relationship to brands.

The Irresistible Factor

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