Kara Rubin has spent her career championing thousands of better for you brands. During this conversation, she shares her journey in the food business including: leading the Northeast Region Grocery division of Whole Foods and managing brand and product strategy for Just Water.  Kara also talks about her current role as CPG advisor for JPG Resources and as co-founder of Makor Partners as well as gives advice to emerging  and established brands on how to create and maintain a strong foundation.   In this episode, you’ll learn:  The universe’s role in the trajectory of her c ..read more

What happens when you step out of your comfort zone? If you are Lauryn Bodden, you win a Netflix reality cooking competition and launch a new food brand. In this conversation, Lauryn shares how her turn as a reluctant reality tv star inspired her to launch an innovative CPG food product. She discusses starting her snack brand, S’NOODS and the challenges that she faced along the way. Lauryn also emphasizes the importance of finding a supportive community of fellow founders and how seeking advice from experienced individuals has been invaluable during her entrepreneurial journey. In this episo ..read more

Think quality bread is off the menu? Think again! Now, you can get gluten-free sourdough products delivered right to your doorstep. In this episode, I’m joined by Sadie Scheffer, the founder of Bread SRSLY — a business born of a college crush and shared gluten intolerance. Hear the story of how Sadie leveraged the growing nationwide demand for healthier and more accessible food options to grow her business into what it is today.  Topics range from the early days of Bread SRSLY to Sadie’s adjacent business ventures into coaching and motivational speaking. Whether you practice your own glut ..read more

Have you ever dreamed of bringing your very own food product to market? The path to doing so isn’t always clear, and many would-be entrepreneurs might wonder how to take the first step. From research and development, to marketing and distribution, there are no shortage of factors to consider! In this episode, Crystal Ung, founder of Bowlcut, shares her transition from the corporate world to entrepreneurship and how growing up in the restaurant industry helped to inform her journey. You’ll hear, from start to finish, how she was able to transform traditional Asian sauces into healthier, more ve ..read more

In this solo episode, host Djenaba Johnson-Jones shares her experience with practicing gratitude and the positive impact it has had on her business, Hudson Kitchen. She discusses starting a gratitude journal and the therapeutic benefits it provides.  In this episode, you will learn… The role gratitude plays in the Law of Attraction Djenaba’s gratitude for the Hudson Kitchen community members Why she sleeps well at night Djenaba’s joy of hosting in-person events and upcoming virtual events that you can register for Her love of the work that she does with food entrepreneurs Join the waitl ..read more

In this episode, Jason Bedart, the Vice President of Merchandising for Food at Thrive Market discusses his career trajectory in the supermarket industry and his current role at Thrive Market. He shares how Thrive Market is structured and its mission to make healthy, sustainable living affordable and accessible. Jason shares insights into the evaluation process for brands and products, as well as the timeline for launching new products on the platform. He also touches on self-care, his love of all things Taylor Swift, and celebrates his amazing #foodfam.   In this episode, you will learn ..read more

In this episode, Kris Buchanan, a former Olympian and founder of nature inspired, organic food and beverage brand, GOODONYA, shares her journey from being an athlete to launching a CPG company. She discusses the challenges that she faced with product development, the importance of understanding the CPG industry, and what it takes to launch your product in a crowded marketplace.  Kris also highlights the need for unique and well-packaged products in the competitive food industry. She emphasizes the importance of quality ingredients and the impact of food on our health. Kris shares her se ..read more

In this episode, I’m joined by Melissa Facchina, co-founder of Siddhi Capital, who shares her journey of working with CPG brands and transitioning into investment. She emphasizes the importance of choosing the right business partner and aligning core values. Melissa discusses her criteria for partnering and investing in CPG businesses, highlights the changing landscape of investment, and offers advice for founders.  We also discuss Melissa’s approach to personal wellness and self-care and the significance of prioritizing health and wellbeing in order to effectively manage mental and emoti ..read more

In this episode, I’m chatting with Emily Pogany, the founder of Masah, a spiritual confectionary company and wellness brand, who shares her journey of starting a unique food business that combines her passion for healing and love for candy.  Emily introduces Chakra Caramels, her line of plant-based caramels infused with essential oils and charged with Reiki energy to balance and support each of the seven chakras. Emily  encourages fellow food business owners to listen to their intuition and hold themselves in high integrity. She discusses the process of developing the perfect carame ..read more

In this episode, Kris Buchanan, a former Olympian and founder of nature inspired, organic food and beverage brand, GOODONYA, shares her journey from being an athlete to launching a CPG company. She discusses the challenges that she faced with product development, the importance of understanding the CPG industry, and what it takes to launch your product in a crowded marketplace.  Kris also highlights the need for unique and well-packaged products in the competitive food industry. She emphasizes the importance of quality ingredients and the impact of food on our health. Kris shares her se ..read more