Startup To Scale

EXPLORE

Society & Culture

Health & Fitness

© 2024 PodJoint

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts221/v4/7a/88/ff/7a88ff06-f55b-8731-b91a-426b45c5e75a/mza_1642057593499084805.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

Startup To Scale

Foodbevy

243 episodes

4 days ago

Getting a meeting with a retail buyer is tough — but winning that meeting is even tougher. In this episode, Jordan Buckner talks with Tia Ellis, Founder and CEO of Wildflower Insight, about how to pitch your product to retailers the right way. Tia shares her Golden Retail Rule, breaks down the 3 types of pitches every founder should master, and reveals how to understand buyer psychology so you can connect, persuade, and close that coveted purchase order — all without relying on a broker. 💡 Wa...

Show more...

Entrepreneurship

All content for Startup To Scale is the property of Foodbevy and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Getting a meeting with a retail buyer is tough — but winning that meeting is even tougher. In this episode, Jordan Buckner talks with Tia Ellis, Founder and CEO of Wildflower Insight, about how to pitch your product to retailers the right way. Tia shares her Golden Retail Rule, breaks down the 3 types of pitches every founder should master, and reveals how to understand buyer psychology so you can connect, persuade, and close that coveted purchase order — all without relying on a broker. 💡 Wa...

Show more...

Entrepreneurship

Episodes (20/243)

Startup To Scale

244. Pitch to PO: How to Win a Retail Buyer Meeting Without a Broker

Getting a meeting with a retail buyer is tough — but winning that meeting is even tougher. In this episode, Jordan Buckner talks with Tia Ellis, Founder and CEO of Wildflower Insight, about how to pitch your product to retailers the right way. Tia shares her Golden Retail Rule, breaks down the 3 types of pitches every founder should master, and reveals how to understand buyer psychology so you can connect, persuade, and close that coveted purchase order — all without relying on a broker. 💡 Wa...

4 days ago

24 minutes

Startup To Scale

243. Redefining Success: Building a Business That Fits Your Life

What does success really mean to you? For many founders, that answer gets buried under industry pressures, investor expectations, and comparisons to competitors. In this episode, I sit down with Howie Sher of JPG Resources to discuss how he helps founders uncover their own definition of success—and build their businesses accordingly. We’ll talk about why defining success in personal terms is essential, how to avoid chasing metrics that don’t matter to you, and practical advice for aligning yo...

2 weeks ago

23 minutes

Startup To Scale

242. How Opply Is Fixing Supply Chain Chaos for CPG Founders

When I ran my own CPG brand, supply chain headaches nearly broke me — late POs, cash crunches, and endless supplier follow-ups. In this episode, I sit down with Helen Murphy, Founder and CEO of Opply, who’s building an operating system for small and mid-sized CPG brands to simplify sourcing, forecasting, and funding. Helen shares how her background in consumer goods and tech inspired her to solve the pain points we’ve all felt — from ingredient sourcing to retail readiness — and how Opply hel...

3 weeks ago

20 minutes

Startup To Scale

241. Holiday Cash Flow Strategies with Brad Ebenhoeh of BELAY

I sat down with Brad Ebenhoeh of Belay (formerly Accountfully) to unpack how CPG founders can actually make money during Black Friday and Q4 instead of burning it on discounts and excess inventory. In this episode, we talk about: Knowing your true landed costs and margins by channelForecasting demand without tying up too much cash in inventoryNegotiating supplier terms and securing credit before you need itDeciding if Q4 is really your season—or if you should shift focus to Q1Brad brings year...

1 month ago

19 minutes

Startup To Scale

240. Behind the Scenes at Little Spoon: Scaling a Perishable Supply Chain

I sat down with Garrett Otondo, Director of Strategic Operations at Little Spoon, to explore how their team scaled from DTC to retail while shipping 30,000+ fresh meals each week. We cover: Cold chain packaging + logisticsData-driven demand planning to reduce wasteHow Owlery streamlined freight and retail launch👉 Need help managing freight? Owlery is one of our partners and they’re offering CPG founders a 60-day free trial with a dedicated success manager to help you get set up and strea...

1 month ago

18 minutes

Startup To Scale

239. Better Sour: Reimagining Candy with Global Flavors

I sat down with Semira Nikou and Bella Hughes, co-founders of Better Sour, to share how they’re redefining the candy aisle with bold sour flavors inspired by their roots in Hawaii and Iran. We talk about scaling into 4,000+ retail doors, building a new category, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Sponsored by Highbeam – The financial platform built to protect and empower modern brands. Highbeam is a founder-focused cash and banking platform. With FDIC-insured accounts, high-yield...

1 month ago

18 minutes

Startup To Scale

238. From Chef to Quinoa Milk Pioneer: How Kyle Stoulil is Shaping the Future of Plant-Based Dairy

I sit down with Kyle Stoulil, founder of Kyle’s Organics, to explore how a trained chef turned his home-kitchen experiments into a pioneering brand in the nut and seed milk space. From the creation of his quinoa milk to developing clean-label nutrition bars, Kyle shares the story of building the brand, the strategic choice behind quinoa, and the realities of marketing two very different product lines under one umbrella. If you’re a founder navigating a crowded category, wondering how to stand...

1 month ago

13 minutes

Startup To Scale

237. Innovation that Wins: Smarter Risk-Taking & Packaging Insights with Christy Lebor of Smashbrand

Innovation is a buzzword in the food and beverage industry—but for emerging brands, it can be the difference between thriving and burning out. In this episode, Christy Lebor, Partner at SmashBrand, breaks down a practical approach to innovation that helps founders move beyond gut instinct into consumer-driven decision making. We’ll explore: How to avoid taking the wrong risks as an emerging brandWhy consumer testing—before launch—is your best insurance policyWhy packaging isn’t just design p...

2 months ago

21 minutes

Startup To Scale

236. Pitch Perfect: How to Fund Your Startup with Kat Weaver, Founder of Power to Pitch

If you’ve ever wondered how to get funding for your startup without giving away all your equity, this episode is for you. I’m joined by Kat Weaver, founder of Power to Pitch, who helps early-stage founders master their message, win grants, and pitch with confidence. Kat turned her own scrappy startup into a six-figure business by winning pitch competitions—and now she teaches others how to do the same. In this episode, we break down: How to find and win non-dilutive grantsWhat makes a pitch i...

2 months ago

23 minutes

Startup To Scale

235. Founder Stories: Loopini – Damiano Messineo

Damiano Messineo, founder of Loopini, set out to reinvent pizza with lupini beans—creating a high-protein, high-fiber crust that actually tastes like pizza. From 13 months of recipe trials to launching at Pop Up Grocer and scaling across the Northeast, Damiano shares how he’s building a better-for-you brand while managing supply chain challenges and educating U.S. consumers on lupini beans. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, be...

2 months ago

17 minutes

Startup To Scale

234. Scaling Sweet Success: How Clio Snacks Grew Nationwide Distribution

I sit down with John McGuckin, CEO of Clio Snacks and seasoned CPG executive, to unpack the brand’s remarkable journey from niche yogurt innovation to nationwide distribution. Clio’s Greek Yogurt Bars are now selling in 28,000+ doors — a case study in CPG scaling done right. We explore John’s leadership approach, how Clio has navigated the competitive snacking landscape, and what it takes to build a brand that earns shelf space and customer loyalty. Whether you're a founder navigating your f...

2 months ago

21 minutes

Startup To Scale

233. Go Solo or Find a Cofounder? Choosing Your Founding Path

Being a founder is one of the most rewarding — and isolating — journeys you can take. In this episode, we sit down with Howie Sher to explore the emotional and strategic decisions behind building a business alone versus bringing on cofounders. We unpack: How to know if you’re meant to build solo or with a teamThe pros and cons of going it aloneHow to handle decision fatigue and emotional weight as a solo founderStrategies for building your support system and avoiding burnoutWhat to look for i...

3 months ago

28 minutes

Startup To Scale

232. Founder Stories: PSquared - Morgan Rucker and Olivia Stevermer

Launching a CPG brand is never easy—but talking with Morgan Rucker and Olivia Stevermer of PSquared Foods reminded me just how rewarding the journey can be. In this episode, I sat down with them to hear the full story behind their shelf-stable, banana-flavored protein pudding in a spouted pouch—from awkward picnic samplings and 80+ product iterations to the uphill battle of finding a manufacturer and scaling a format that’s often dismissed as “just for kids.” We talked about how they went fro...

3 months ago

22 minutes

Startup To Scale

231. How TÖST Built Smarter Operational Systems

This episode is sponsored by Cin7 — the operating system for food and beverage brands. Foodbevy listeners get 50% off for 3 months when you sign up. Learn more at cin7.com/foodbevy TÖST went from a simple, elegant idea to a global beverage brand — and the key to their growth wasn’t just demand, but operations. If you’re ready to take control of your COGS and scale with confidence, consider what tools like Cin7 can unlock for your team. Learn more at cin7.com/foodbevy and grab a bottle o...

4 months ago

17 minutes

Startup To Scale

230. The New Way to get PR for CPG Brands

Getting media coverage for your CPG brand can feel overwhelming—especially with limited budgets and time. In this episode, I chat with Heather and Austin Holmes, the co-founders of Signal Raptor and Publicity for Good, about a new, more accessible way to do PR. We dive into how AI, niche media, and earned storytelling are reshaping the landscape, and how their platform helps brands like yours get featured and grow visibility without breaking the bank. If you're looking to boost your bra...

4 months ago

21 minutes

Startup To Scale

229. How to Drive Velocity in Whole Foods

In this episode, I sit down with Sabrina Kautz, a fractional CMO who helps emerging food and beverage brands grow their retail footprint. With a sharp focus on Whole Foods, Sabrina shares tactical strategies to drive sustained velocity—from in-store marketing to managing buyer relationships and executing demo programs that actually convert. We cover: Why velocity matters more than ever at Whole FoodsWhat new brands get wrong about retail marketingHow to evaluate the ROI of promotions, demos, ...

4 months ago

24 minutes

Startup To Scale

228. Building a Brand While Raising a Baby: Minky Muffins’ Journey to Product-Market Fit

Angie Kaminky launched Minky Muffins just months before giving birth—and never stopped moving. In this episode, we dive into the reality of launching a food brand while navigating parenthood, production challenges, and early retail wins. A must-listen for founder-parents balancing growth and grit. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us...

5 months ago

27 minutes

Startup To Scale

227. Stop Selling Ingredients, Start Selling Solutions How to Rethink Your CPG Brand Messaging

When I launched my first brand, I made the mistake a lot of founders do—I built the entire brand around a hero ingredient. We were called TeaSquares, and yep, the name locked us into tea and a square shape, which made it tough to grow beyond our initial idea. In this episode, I’m joined by Adam Feller, founder of Avidity Creative, to talk about why leading with your ingredient can actually hurt your CPG brand. We unpack how to focus your messaging on what customers actually care about—and it’...

5 months ago

23 minutes

Startup To Scale

226. Tariffs, Deductions, and Margins: Stress Testing Your CPG Business

Tariffs have been top of mind for every CPG founder I talk to—including myself. In this episode, I’m joined once again by my friend and frequent guest Yuval Selik, co-founder and CEO of Promomash, to unpack how tariff pressures are impacting our businesses beyond just the bottom line. We dive into how tariffs are exposing hidden inefficiencies in supply chains, why blindly raising prices can damage your brand, and how distributor deductions can quietly drain your profits. Yuval shares his own...

5 months ago

23 minutes

Startup To Scale

225. Accounting for CPG Food and Beverage Brands

Accounting for beverage brands isn’t just about balancing the books — it’s about understanding the unique financial challenges that come with scaling a physical product business. In this episode, I sit down with Jessica Howes, founder of Wizard Accounting, to unpack the essentials of CPG accounting tailored specifically for beverage brands. Jessica shares her insights on how to properly account for co-manufacturer fees like tolling and setup charges, how to calculate true gross margin across ...

5 months ago

24 minutes