Food Biz Wiz
Launching, growing, and scaling a packaged product in the food industry is daunting - from understanding production, incubator kitchens, and co-packin…
May 16th, 2024 |
44:04
245. Should I Sell My Products in a Franchise?
The opportunity to sell our products in a franchise seems like a no-brainer. Right? Well, there is usually more to consider: distribution, our product…
May 9th, 2024 |
44:23
244. 3 Food Founder Mistakes You Might Be Making
We know. When someone tells you what not to do, it’s easy to tune them out. Maybe they aren’t in your position or they don’t have ex…
May 2nd, 2024 |
56:42
243. How to Avoid the Most Common Food Biz Finance Pitfalls
Online, on TV, and from your next door neighbor, you’ll hear tons of financial advice for your business. “Avoid debt at all costs.”…
Apr 25th, 2024 |
21:27
242. From Cookies to Cash: 3 Girl Scouts' Sales Strategies to Borrow
We can all agree: it’s TOO easy to dust off a box of Girl Scout cookies. So when Girl Scout cookie season rolls around, I try to avoid buying th…
Apr 18th, 2024 |
45:35
241. How to Keep Your Cool and Adjust When SKUs Underperform
Hearing "your SKU is underperforming" from a retailer can easily put brands into a panic. It's natural. We don't want to be on the chopping block when…
Apr 11th, 2024 |
39:24
240. What Buyers Really Want from You at Trade Shows
The Portland Good Food Mercantile is coming up soon and we know that tons of tasty food brands will be attending. As you prepare for this trade show a…
Apr 4th, 2024 |
1:04:31
239. Hook, Line, and Sinker: Creating Brand Names that Reel In Customers
Have you heard these myths about creating memorable brand names? Myth 1: All the good names are taken. Myth 2: It's too late to change your name. Myth…
Mar 28th, 2024 |
45:38
238. Part II: Kai's Transparent Take on Building Your Biz Conscientiously
We are back this week with part II of last week’s episode 237 with Kai Nortey! In this episode 238 of the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’ll con…
Mar 21st, 2024 |
40:15
237. Kai's Transparent Take on Building Your Biz Conscientiously
The CPG industry remains OPAQUE in many ways. It can feel hard to enter it prepared. That's why we're thrilled to have Kai Nortey, the CEO & Co-Fo…
Mar 14th, 2024 |
48:22
236. From Hustle Mode to Healthy Growth: Pivoting, Using Your Strengths, and Saying No
We are thrilled to continue celebrating female founders' businesses and their CPG wisdom during this Women’s History Month. In this week&rsq…
Mar 7th, 2024 |
53:05
235. B.T.R. Nation's Path to Tripling their Number of Retail Doors in 2 Months
Busy caregivers, busy founders, busy people have at least ONE thing in common. They all deserve healthy AND delicious snacks to fuel them! This is par…
Mar 1st, 2024 |
56:40
234. This 30 Under 30 CEO's 3 Words for Moving Forward
Today's guest on the Food Biz Wiz podcast is Skyler Mapes, the Cofounder and CEO of EXAU, a high-quality Italian olive oil brand. Skyler has been…
Feb 22nd, 2024 |
24:07
233. An Introvert's Guide to Expo West & Other Industry Events
Most people don't believe me when I say this, but here’s a secret of mine: I am actually an introvert. I often dread the small talk of indus…
Feb 15th, 2024 |
44:40
232. Ibraheem Basir of A Dozen Cousins on Not Sacrificing Values for Growth
In business, we often feel that we might have to compromise on our values to see our brands grow. But on the Food Biz Wiz podcast, we want to highligh…
Feb 8th, 2024 |
54:45
231. Know Your Numbers, Know Your Customers: Using Data to Get Past Plateaus
We often get into this trap of thinking: we've put hours of work in, so the sales will automatically follow. Right? The truth is that it's not…
Feb 1st, 2024 |
54:59
230. Beyond Buzzwords: How Brands Can Start Supporting a More Equitable Industry
As we enter February and celebrate Black History Month with our Food Biz Wiz community, we are excited to revisit this episode with CPG industry veter…
Jan 25th, 2024 |
45:05
229. [Is It Worth It, Charlie?] Defining Business Success Beyond the Numbers
We are back with our first “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” episode of 2024, with Karen Hetz. Karen is the Chief Happiness Officer of Kids&rsquo…
Jan 18th, 2024 |
55:46
228. 3 Pitch Lessons from 30 Years of CPG Experience
Welcome to our first episode of season 20 of the Food Biz Wiz Podcast, wizes! As promised, we are kicking off this season with Sarah Davidson. Sarah i…
Jan 4th, 2024 |
18:11
227. My controversial business belief that will change YOUR 2024
In this brief first Food Biz Wiz episode of 2024, I want to share the game-changing business belief that I tried on over the past 2 years. Honestly, t…
Dec 21st, 2023 |
57:05
226. Our 2024 CPG Forecast: The Good, The Bad, and The Surprising
Joe Tarnowski, the VP of Content & Global Media at ECRM, joins me today on the Food Biz Wiz podcast to join forces in sharing our 2024 CPG predict…
Dec 14th, 2023 |
21:45
225. Thriving, Not Just Surviving: Prioritizing Rest as Entrepreneurs
I've got to say, wizes: I'm a little bit nervous to share this episode. While we typically focus on directly CPG-related topics here on the Fo…
Dec 7th, 2023 |
54:42
224. Confidence in Going Slow: How Anjali Grew Anjali's Cup By Emphasizing Her Values
In the CPG industry, we often feel the pressure to “grow, grow, grow” in order to reach success. We have to keep our foot on the gas in or…
Nov 30th, 2023 |
18:17
223. Setting YOUR 2024 Goals Thoughtfully by Answering “Why”
As we approach the new year, goal-setting advice is par for the course. The thing is, everyone’s course might look different! That’s why i…
Nov 22nd, 2023 |
09:31
222. Giving YOU My Thanks + An Invitation to Our FREE Not Another Goal Workshop
We have a brief episode this week due to the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, but we still wanted to take a moment to connect with you, wize…
Nov 16th, 2023 |
32:24
221. Fourth Quarter FAQs: Gifts, Margins, Minimum Advertised Price (MAPs), & Keys to 2024 Success
In this week's episode of the Food Biz Wiz podcast, I'm answering the fourth quarter questions from YOU that have come up in our DMs over the…
Nov 9th, 2023 |
39:24
220. [Is It Worth It, Charlie?] How Many SKUs Should I Launch?
One of the most common questions we hear emerging brands ask is: how many SKUs should I launch into stores with? And for good reason. Determining the…
Nov 2nd, 2023 |
20:35
219. 3 Simple Steps to Engaging Instagram Stories
Instagram stories receive over 400 million views per day. Over a third of those views are for business accounts. As you double down on connecting with…
Oct 26th, 2023 |
27:08
218. Fourth Quarter Focus (4/4): 3 Places to Focus Behind-the-Scenes Before Q4 Ends
If you've been listening into this fourth quarter focus mini-series, then you'll know that for most brands, Q4 is not the time to pitch to buy…
Oct 19th, 2023 |
20:11
217. Fourth Quarter Focus (3/4): How You Can Build Trust to Max Your Holiday Sales
The holiday season is almost upon us. Whether you're pitching your product or not -- and check out my last episode if you're not sure whether…
Oct 12th, 2023 |
17:12
216. Fourth Quarter Focus (2/4): How to Pitch (or not Pitch!) Successfully in Q4
Now that we're IN Q4, time is ticking. Are you thinking about pitching your product before the year ends? If so, I want you to listen into this ep…
Oct 5th, 2023 |
19:34
215. Fourth Quarter Focus (1/4): What's The Deal With Wholesale Buyers This Season?
There's so much buzz around the 4th season and what it means for the retail and CPG world. How do we separate fact from fiction, when it comes to…
Sep 28th, 2023 |
44:13
214. How Faire Can Help Your Brand Reach MORE Retailers & Receive MORE Orders
I WISH that Faire existed back when I was a buyer. If you're not familiar with Faire, Faire is an online B2B marketplace allowing independent reta…
Sep 21st, 2023 |
24:36
213. Increase your D2C Sales by 10% in 1 Hour
Q4 is nearly upon us. Before your holiday D2C sales start ramping up, there's one, one hour task that can increase your holiday sales: implementin…
Sep 14th, 2023 |
18:00
212. From Pitch to Partnership: The 5 P's of a Successful Wholesale Pitch
A successful wholesale pitch depends on multiple factors. But one thing is certain: without these 5 P's, you are all the less likely to nail your…
Sep 7th, 2023 |
55:37
211. Navigating CPG in 2023: How You Can Level Up with Wholesale Week & Project Potluck
If you're reading this, chances are high that you're a savvy founder. You want to learn more about navigating our CPG landscape and look for r…
Aug 31st, 2023 |
30:10
210. Trade Show FOMO: How you can be strategic about exhibiting, attending, and not attending
This week on the Food Biz Wiz Podcast, Charlie checks back in with Patricia Beets, the co-founder of Dell Cove Spices & More Co., in another "…
Aug 24th, 2023 |
25:11
209. The Top 5 Sales Pitfalls that Food Founders Make When Trying to Grow Sales
A packaging designer friend and I were chatting recently at an industry event about our CPG experiences. Within 10 minutes, we were listing off the co…
Aug 17th, 2023 |
16:47
208. What buyers wish you knew about dropping off samples
You want to land on more shelves. So, you stop by your retail target and leave samples...but you might be doing more harm than good for your brand. In…
Aug 10th, 2023 |
18:14
207. [Original Recipe] How To Negotiate In Wholesale (Even With Brokers & Distributors!)
Many CPG founders have been in this situation. A potential retail partner or a distributor or co-packer is asking you for something that you cannot af…
Aug 3rd, 2023 |
26:23
206. [Is It Worth It, Charlie?] Where They're at Now: Co-Packing with Kathrin Henon
If you're wondering how other brands' journeys with co-packers or co-manufacturers are going, then this is the episode for you! In this "…
Jul 27th, 2023 |
35:48
205. Boost Your Brand: Talking with Sarah Davidson on the Power of ECRM Sessions in Building Buyer Relationships
The COVID-19 pandemic forever changed how the CPG industry does business. Where we used to do primarily in-person events and meetings, much of our ind…
Jul 20th, 2023 |
26:29
204. Why is eComm so hard?
Each week, I receive questions in my DMs around how brands can improve their D2C sales from their websites. I’ll often hear brands talk about ho…
Jul 13th, 2023 |
14:44
203. [Original Recipe] How to Execute A Price Increase
Every brand is feeling the pinch of increased costs for shipping, packaging, ingredients, and more. If you're thinking about how you'll increa…
Jul 6th, 2023 |
57:38
202. [Is It Worth It, Charlie?] Is Distribution Worth it?
You've poured your heart and soul into your brand and now you're in the classic "chicken and egg" CPG challenge: “I need to bu…
Jun 29th, 2023 |
1:02:47
201. Wearing Multiple Hats: How Regina Trillo Balances Life and Her Self-Funded Startup
Are you a founder balancing multiple hats and self-funding your biz? Then this is the episode for you! Regina Trillo, former Retail Ready® student…
Jun 22nd, 2023 |
22:06
200. Celebrating 200 Episodes with our Secret Sauce For Success
Wizes, we are THRILLED to celebrate 200 episodes of the Food Biz Wiz podcast! In this episode, we are taking a moment to celebrate this win with you.…
Jun 8th, 2023 |
1:11:22
199. [Is It Worth It, Charlie?] Should I create a RTD version of my product?
Join Charlie Berkinshaw on the Food Biz Wiz podcast as he sits down with Giulietta Octavio, the founder and CEO of Ceybon, to discuss whether adding a…
Jun 1st, 2023 |
52:43
198. [Original Recipe] The Good Food Awards: How & Why You Should Apply
You’re a food crafter making tasty, high quality products in an industry with many challenges. Ever wonder if there’s a way to receive rec…
May 25th, 2023 |
55:09
197. Unlocking the Secrets to Scaling with Co-Packers: The 6-Step Guide with Ashley Sutterfield
Are you an emerging food entrepreneur feeling some growing pains, wondering how you’ll grow your production? Ashley Sutterfield, the creator of…
May 18th, 2023 |
14:10
196. [Original Recipe] Stop Making This Wholesale Pitch Mistake (And What To Do Instead)!
Don't let this mistake ruin your chances with wholesale buyers. Discover the common pitching mistake food founders make AND how to avoid it in thi…
May 11th, 2023 |
14:28
195. Should You Offer Guaranteed Sales? The How, What, and Why of This Sales Tactic.
Have you heard these common myths about guaranteed sales and consignment sales? Myth #1: Guaranteed sales are always better for your business. Myth #2…
May 4th, 2023 |
1:04:36
194. [Is It Worth It, Charlie?] How to know what to focus on next? Balancing family and running your CPG brand
Are you an overwhelmed solopreneur, trying to balance family and business commitments while being told to just manage your time better? In this episod…
Apr 27th, 2023 |
42:43
193. Building a Retail-First, National, Values-Aligned Brand with Ibraheem Basir of A Dozen Cousins
Ibraheem Basir, the founder and CEO of A Dozen Cousins, joins us for episode 193 of the Food Biz Wiz Podcast! If you haven’t heard about A Dozen…
Apr 20th, 2023 |
43:43
192. [Original Recipe] Let Your Target Consumer Be Your Guide: how & why your ideal customer guides your business decisions with Nourishing Food Marketing
Wizes, we hear questions like these all the time: “How should I describe my product?” or “Is it better if I choose this color over t…
Apr 13th, 2023 |
12:58
191. Markup vs. Margin: The Importance Of Knowing The Difference
You’re sitting in a meeting or on a phone call with a buyer and they throw out a percentage. Are they referring to margin? Markup? Which one? An…
Apr 6th, 2023 |
28:55
190. [Is It Worth It, Charlie?] Should I expand my product line or stick with what I know?
Today’s episode 190 of the Food Biz Wiz Podcast visits an age-old CPG question: should I add new products to my product line or not? We hear Cha…
Mar 30th, 2023 |
36:13
189. What Buyers Want From You At A Trade Show: An Interview with Joyce Attar of World Foods PDX
Are you heading to the Good Food Awards and Mercantile in Portland this coming April? In this week’s episode 189 of the Food Biz Wiz Podcast, I…
Mar 23rd, 2023 |
18:39
188. What Does It Mean To Be Retail Ready?
We’ve said this phrase 100s of times here on the Food Biz Wiz podcast. It’s literally the name of our signature course, Retail Ready®.…
Mar 16th, 2023 |
20:17
187. [Original Recipe] Are You A High Maintenance Vendor?
Food founders, I know. As soon as you hear the words “high maintenance”, the anxiety-inducing music starts to play in your head. Almost no…
Mar 9th, 2023 |
28:08
186. [Is It Worth It, Charlie?] How do you know when it's time to pivot?
As entrepreneurs, it’s par for the course for us to navigate and decide between many business choices. In this episode, Charlie and Rebecca Styn…
Mar 2nd, 2023 |
44:17
185. Quarterly Planning For Busy Food Founders
Founders, managers, and CPG operators alike – we’re just about one month away from Q2. In this episode, Charlie and I dive into quarterly…
Feb 23rd, 2023 |
46:26
184. Approaching Co-Branded Collabs & Balancing your Social Mission with your Biz Strategy with Ground Up PDX
Knowing just how to approach celebrities or influencers for brand collaborations is hard. That’s why we’re so excited to share this episod…
Feb 16th, 2023 |
21:00
183. [Original Recipe] Last Minute Trade Show Planning: Prepping for Fancy Food, Expo West, and the GF Mercantile!
Food founders, Expo West 2023 is just around the corner. If you’re going, then you’re in luck! We’re re-sharing an episode on how to…
Feb 9th, 2023 |
41:17
182. The Power of Setting Expectations with Sadie Scheffer of Bread Srsly
We’re thrilled to share episode 182 of the Food Biz Wiz podcast with Sadie Scheffer of Bread SRSLY. Sadie is the CEO and founder of Bread SRSLY,…
Feb 2nd, 2023 |
15:25
181. How To Have Dedicated CEO Time (And What To Do During It!)
Ok, you’ve heard me talk about working ON your business, but what does working ON your business actually mean? In this episode 181 of the Food B…
Jan 26th, 2023 |
42:11
180. [Is it Worth it Charlie?] How to Balance Customer Experience with Ops Efficiency
Does your brand offer multiple SKUs? If so, then you’re probably familiar with this dilemma: “how the heck do I balance giving customers a…
Jan 19th, 2023 |
50:30
179. [Original Recipe] Working With Influencers: How To Execute A Successful Influencer Marketing Campaign For Your Food Or Beverage Brand with Wonderkind Co.
Food founders, have you been considering an influencer marketing campaign? Today’s episode 179 of the Food Biz Wiz Podcast revisits an episode w…
Jan 12th, 2023 |
14:01
178. What Do You REALLY Want In 2023? Borrow My New Way Of Defining Success.
Today’s episode 178 kicks off SEASON 16 of the Food Biz Wiz Podcast!
Food founders, do you…
Want to feel more connected to YOUR…
Jan 5th, 2023 |
15:01
177. [Original Recipe] How to Make & Track Progress On Your Goals [2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series Episode 5/5]
Today’s episode 177 is our final episode of five in our Goal Setting Mini-series.
Alli shares her process for tracking progress on your busin…
Dec 22nd, 2022 |
16:49
176. [Original Recipe] How To Overcome Overwhelm & Business Setbacks [2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series Episode 4/5]
So you know your “why’s” and now you have a plan with tactics. But what happens when the doubt sets in? Or a setback comes up and yo…
Dec 15th, 2022 |
15:30
175. [Original Recipe] Tactics for Hitting Your Goals [2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series Episode 3/5]
Oftentimes when we set goals, we don’t give ourselves a roadmap to get where we need to go. This episode 175 brings part 3 of 5 of our mini-seri…
Dec 8th, 2022 |
16:26
174. [Original Recipe] Reverse Engineer Your Goals [2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series Episode 2/5]
Episode 173 brings part 2 of our 5 part mini-series on Goal Setting from last year! Alli shares her process of reverse engineering your goals by start…
Dec 1st, 2022 |
14:03
173. [Original Recipe] Introducing our Goal Setting Mini Series: Why Set Goals? [Episode 1/5]
This week we are sharing our first episode from our five part Goal Setting Mini Series from last year. In these final five episodes of the year, we…
Nov 17th, 2022 |
23:05
172. Behind The Scenes with Charlie: His CPG Producer Insights
As promised, we are turning the tables again by interviewing Charlie this week! Charlie shares his producer perspective with us, from how he started E…
Nov 10th, 2022 |
57:41
171. Behind The Scenes with Alli: Her Wholesale Buyer Insights
This week we turn the tables and interview Alli to hear just how she got into her buyer role and how she gained the buyer expertise she shares with us…
Nov 3rd, 2022 |
51:09
170. [Original Recipe] Maximizing Your Marketing ROI with Ryan Pintado-Vertner of Smoketown
In our Original Recipe episode this week, we’re revisiting an episode with marketing expert Ryan Pintado-Vertner. Ryan is the founder and CEO of…
Oct 27th, 2022 |
42:47
169. [Original Recipe] Crowdsourcing 101: How to Launch & Execute A Successful Kickstarter Campaign
This week, we’re sharing our episode on planning and achieving a successful crowdfunding campaign! Listen in to this episode with Courtney Boyd…
Oct 20th, 2022 |
1:00:00
168. Should I add another SKU to my lineup? [“Is It Worth It, Charlie?” Series]
We are back with another “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” episode this week! Charlie and Eileen McGurty, founder of Mountain Meadow Bone Broth,…
Oct 13th, 2022 |
45:08
167. Buyer Mindset, Target Audience, and Pitching Hacks: An Interview with Alli
This week we are switching things up by sharing an episode from Djenaba Johnson-Jones’ The Food Means Business Podcast. Djenaba hosted Alli as a…
Oct 6th, 2022 |
57:56
166. Finding & Building Mutually Beneficial Mentorship with Project Potluck & One Step Closer
Traditional views of mentorship have us believe that only mentors have something valuable to offer mentees. In this episode, we sit down with Kathleen…
Sep 29th, 2022 |
28:10
165. [4th Quarter Focus Series Re-Air #4] What To Focus On For Business Growth
Today, we bring you the final re-air of our Fourth Quarter Focus Series from last year! As we’re nearly in the fourth quarter, this episode is d…
Sep 22nd, 2022 |
21:57
164. [4th Quarter Focus Series Re-Air #3] How To Win Over Buyers & Increase Sales
In this third re-air of our Fourth Quarter Focus Series from last year, we’re zeroing in on what you need to do to nurture your existing account…
Sep 15th, 2022 |
19:13
163. [4th Quarter Focus Series Re-Air #2] Your Last Chance Pitch
We’re back this week to revisit the 2nd part of our 4 part mini-series focusing on the 4th quarter! Wondering how to ace your last pitches for t…
Sep 8th, 2022 |
16:54
162. [4th Quarter Focus Series Re-Air #1] The Wholesale Buyer's Perspective
This week we are re-visiting a 4-part mini-series on where your focus should be in the 4th quarter! This week's 1st episode is all about the Whole…
Sep 1st, 2022 |
59:13
161. Should I Change My Pricing Structure When Working with a Distributor?" ["Is It Worth It, Charlie?" Series]
In our latest “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” episode, Charlie weighs in on whether Kirk, founder of Power of the Almond, should change th…
Aug 25th, 2022 |
18:59
160. How To Negotiate In Wholesale (Even With Brokers & Distributors!)
Every week, I hear food founders with dilemmas like this: a potential business partner, such as a co-packer, distributor, retailer, etc. asks for some…
Aug 18th, 2022 |
51:37
159. The Seven Factors of Entrepreneurial Vulnerability to Mental Health Challenges: What are they and how can we mitigate their impact?
Being an entrepreneur can feel like navigating a land with no maps. That’s why I’m thrilled to share this episode with Shulamit Ber Levtov, MA, RSW, C…
Aug 11th, 2022 |
46:04
158. [“Is It Worth It, Charlie?”] To Co-pack or Not to Co-pack?
In our 158th episode of the Food Biz Wiz Podcast, Charlie brings another insightful conversation to the “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” series. Charlie dis…
Aug 4th, 2022 |
18:55
157. [Original Recipe] 4 Steps for Holiday Success: Planning NOW for Fourth Quarter Sales
In this week’s Original Recipe episode, we revisit episode 49. NOW is the time to prepare and plan for the 4th quarter so that you’re ready to maximiz…
Jul 28th, 2022 |
19:44
156. Sales Strategy During A Recession: How to Increase Revenue
We’ve been hearing so much about what it potentially means to be in a recession, especially around COGS, financials, our margins, and more. But I tack…
Jul 21st, 2022 |
44:38
155. Digital Marketing Strategy for 7-Figure CPG Brands [Rodeo CPG + Food Biz Wiz + Umai Marketing Mini-Series Episode 3/3]
This week’s 155th episode wraps up our final three-part mini-series on the lessons learned from successful seven-figure CPG brands, with Umai Marketin…
Jul 14th, 2022 |
39:46
154. Retail Strategy for 7-Figure CPG Brands [Rodeo CPG + Food Biz Wiz + Umai Marketing Mini-Series Episode 2/3]
We are back for our second episode of our mini-series on the lessons learned from successful seven-figure CPG brands! Once again, Adam Pollack, the He…
Jul 7th, 2022 |
35:01
153. Operations Strategy for 7-Figure CPG Brands [Rodeo CPG + Food Biz Wiz + Umai Marketing Mini-Series Episode 1/3]
Episode 153 begins a three part mini-series that we’re hosting with Adam Pollack, the Head of Marketing for Rodeo CPG, and Karin Samelson and Alison S…
Jun 30th, 2022 |
23:40
152. Rapid Fire Q&A: Navigating Supply Chain Challenges, Fancy Food Follow Ups, Investing in PR, Sales Strategy Tough Love, and Fourth Quarter Prep!
In this week’s episode 152 of the Food Biz Wiz® Podcast, we kick off our 14th season with a rapid-fire episode to answer students’ most recent pressin…
Jun 23rd, 2022 |
36:24
151. [“Is It Worth It, Charlie?” Series] Should I Work with a Distributor?
This week, Charlie brings us another episode of the “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” series. In it, Charlie e-meets with Annabel Kalmar, director of Tea Reb…
Jun 16th, 2022 |
34:20
150. [Original Recipe] Episode 40: Storytelling for Sales: using the power of storytelling to build your packaged food or beverage business with Adam Force
A well-crafted story can make the difference between apathy and commitment. Join my discussion with Adam Force, the founder of Change Creator, to hear…
Jun 9th, 2022 |
41:41
149. What's Working Now on RangeMe with Brandon Leong
So you’re on RangeMe…but you’re not quite sure about where to go from there. Well this week, I’m so excited for Brandon Leong, the SVP of Marketing an…
Jun 2nd, 2022 |
16:47
148. Why That Wholesale Buyer Is Ghosting You (And What To Do Instead)
If you’re in the CPG space and pursue wholesale channels, you’ve probably asked yourself some variant of “WHAT is going on with this buyer?!” You’ve s…
May 26th, 2022 |
22:38
147. [“Is It Worth It, Charlie?”] How to Determine if “It’s Worth It?” In 3 Steps
We’re back this week with another juicy episode of our “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” series. In these episodes, Charlie typically works through a pivotal…
May 19th, 2022 |
22:39
146. [Original Recipe] Time Management: Working ON your Business vs. Working IN your Business
As founders, we often have to strike a difficult balance between completing the nitty-gritty, day-to-day tasks in our business and the tasks that actu…
May 12th, 2022 |
44:45
145. How Mindset Matters: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Results with Charlotte Smith
As business founders, we have ALL been in a space of overwhelm; of feeling like we have just too many tasks to complete and not enough energy or menta…
May 5th, 2022 |
18:56
144. My BEST business advice + Your Free Invite To Wholesale Week!
There’s one quote that shot straight to my heart when I read it. It’s a simple quote from James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, and I can’t wait t…
Apr 28th, 2022 |
46:52
143. Should I Exhibit at a Trade Show? ["Is It Worth It, Charlie?" Series]
Today we have another episode of our “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” series. In it, Charlie talks with Patricia Beets, co-founder of Dell Cove Spices & Mor…
Apr 21st, 2022 |
35:51
142. [Original Recipe] How & Why to Show up for Racial Justice & Inclusion in the Packaged Products Industry, with DEI Consultant Jennifer Yepez-Blundell
Diversity, equity, and inclusion, or “DEI” is something that’s on many of our minds. But what even is its impact on brands and how do we start impleme…
Apr 14th, 2022 |
40:29
141. Behind The Scenes of MagicDates Stunning Rebrand
Refreshing your branding is a huge undertaking. There are so many considerations involved, from your brand’s story, to your physical packaging, to fin…
Apr 7th, 2022 |
30:08
140. Rapid Fire Q&A: Finding Buyer Contact Info, Hiring a VA, Being Proactive, & Moving Beyond Farmers Markets
We are kicking off season 13 of the Food Biz Wiz Podcast with a new rapid-fire show! In this episode, I’ll give you my short and sweet thoughts on the…
Mar 31st, 2022 |
56:14
139. Should I Change My Packaging? ["Is It Worth It, Charlie?" Series]
Welcome to a new style of episode on the Food Biz Wiz® podcast: our “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” series! In today’s show, Charlie helps Karine, the foun…
Mar 24th, 2022 |
45:49
138. [Original Recipe] Working With Co-Packers: How to Set up For Success
Co-packer horror stories: we’ve all heard them! Finding the right co-packer for your food or beverage brand can be daunting, confusing, and downright…
Mar 17th, 2022 |
34:58
137. Thinking Outside the Box with Emily Schildt of Pop Up Grocer
Stepping outside the traditional ways of doing things is one of the ways that CPG brands can stand out. Whether on physical grocery shelves or elsewhe…
Mar 10th, 2022 |
44:43
136. How, When, and Why to Hire with Cindy Harvey
One of the most exciting steps in growing your CPG business is being able to create job opportunities for your local community. In this episode, I sit…
Mar 3rd, 2022 |
23:27
135. The 3 Ways to Win with eCommerce
At first glance, selling your packaged food product online seems easy. But using eCommerce to fuel a profitable CPG business is more involved than you…
Feb 24th, 2022 |
36:12
134. What To Expect At Expo West 2022 with Lacey Gautier, VP of Events at New Hope
Expo West is coming! In today’s episode, I sit down with Lacey Gautier, New Hope’s VP of Events to get all the insider knowledge you need to be succes…
Feb 17th, 2022 |
34:17
133. [Original Recipe] Just Say No: How To Do Less To Accomplish More
Welcome to the first ever episode of the Original Recipe series, where we use your top questions to hand-pick previously aired episodes, all presented…
Feb 10th, 2022 |
40:34
132. How To Use Video Recipes To Sell On Social Media with Guest Rupa Nagamootoo
It can be so intimidating - yet crucial! - for CPG brands to keep up an online presence that captures attention from their audience. But how can you c…
Feb 3rd, 2022 |
12:16
131. Category Reviews Are BS
Maybe you’ve heard of category reviews, but how do they even work? And what should you know about them to get your product on more retail shelves? In…
Jan 27th, 2022 |
22:02
130. Last Minute Trade Show Planning: Prepping for Fancy Food, Expo West, and the GF Mercantile!
Tradeshows are back, and you might be feeling a bit unprepared or rusty as it’s been a LONG time since we’ve done those in-person events! In this epis…
Jan 20th, 2022 |
18:48
129. Are You A High Maintenance Vendor?
Wholesale buyers are more likely to work with brands that are easygoing, deliver upon their promises, and seem trustworthy. After all, they have their…
Jan 13th, 2022 |
15:42
128. Is DTC Killing Wholesale?
Is selling direct-to-consumer cheaper, faster, and easier than selling wholesale? And, if so, what’s going to happen to the future of wholesale? In t…
Jan 6th, 2022 |
18:55
127. Food Biz Predictions for 2022
We’re kicking off 2022 with my predictions of three industry trends that we’ll see around emerging food, beverage and taxable grocery brands this comi…
Dec 30th, 2021 |
18:07
126. How to Make & Track Progress On Your Goals [2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series Episode 5/5]
In this final episode of our 5-part 2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series, I’m walking you through my process of tracking progress on your goals, and ensuring…
Dec 23rd, 2021 |
16:43
125. How To Overcome Overwhelm & Business Setbacks [2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series Episode 4/5]
You’ve set your goals, figured out which tactics you’ll implement first and then…. The doubt sets in. “How can I possibly set sales goals? I’ve never…
Dec 16th, 2021 |
15:37
124. Tactics for Hitting Your Goals [2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series Episode 3/5]
Food Founders often jump straight into the tactics of growing your business without setting goals or putting strategy in place. In today’s episode, we…
Dec 9th, 2021 |
16:31
123. Reverse Engineer Your Goals [2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series Episode 2/5]
Episode 2 of our 5 part 2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series is here! In today’s show, we’ll cover my process of reverse engineering your goals, and how to s…
Dec 2nd, 2021 |
14:50
122. Introducing our 2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series: Why Set Goals? [Episode 1/5]
This episode kicks off our 2022 Goal Setting Mini Series, where we’ll spend the next five episodes planning, mapping out, and putting systems in place…
Nov 25th, 2021 |
29:57
121. Rapid Fire Q&A: Hiring PR & Marketing Help, Margins, Promo Offers + 2022 Success
To kick off season 11 of the Food Biz Wiz® podcast, we’re doing another rapid-fire episode! In this show, we’ll cover: 3 things to consider before hi…
Nov 18th, 2021 |
47:41
120. Creating consistent content for your CPG brand: A guide to reducing digital marketing overwhelm
We all know it’s “important” to be consistent on social media, but how can food & beverage founders prioritize that when you’re so busy running the da…
Nov 11th, 2021 |
45:20
119. Supply Chain & Operations with Elena Guberman
Today’s show welcomes supply chain and ops expert, Elena Guberman. We’re discussing: Where do you start when you think about supply chain optimizati…
Nov 4th, 2021 |
14:06
118. How to Execute A Price Increase
This is the year for price increases: almost every food, beverage or taxable grocery brand that we’ve encountered this year has been challenged by inc…
Oct 28th, 2021 |
44:29
117. Nutrition Labels 101 with ReciPal
This episode welcomes Lev Berlin, the founder of ReciPal: a simple software for nutritional labels, costing and inventory management. In today’s show,…
Oct 21st, 2021 |
22:46
116. Time Management: Working ON your Business vs. Working IN your Business
We all want more time in our days, especially in the food industry, right? In this episode, I’m talking about the difference between working ON vs IN…
Oct 14th, 2021 |
51:17
115. 5 Packaging Design Secrets To Drive Sales with Asha Mody
Today's Food Biz Wiz Podcast guest is Asha Mody, the Founder & Chief Creative Officer and educator at Mindsy Design Studio. Asha joins us with a weal…
Oct 7th, 2021 |
20:31
114. [4th Quarter Focus Series #4] What To Focus On For Business Growth
This week's show is the final episode of our Fourth Quarter Focus Series! Today’s episode is about what to do now that we’re officially in the fourth…
Sep 30th, 2021 |
16:40
113. [4th Quarter Focus Series #3] How To Win Over Buyers & Increase Sales
In the third episode of our Fourth Quarter Focus Series, we're talking about nurturing your existing accounts. During the holiday season, it's crucia…
Sep 23rd, 2021 |
16:28
112. [4th Quarter Focus Series #2] Your Last Chance Pitch
Are you hoping to land a few more wholesale accounts this year? You can't miss today's episode! In episode two of our Fourth Quarter Focus mini-serie…
Sep 16th, 2021 |
14:55
111. [4th Quarter Focus Series #1] The Wholesale Buyer's Perspective
We are officially kicking off Season 10 of the Food Biz Wiz podcast. To start the 10th season, I am doing a four-part mini-series of things to focus o…
Sep 9th, 2021 |
28:15
110. Rapid Fire Q&A: 4th Quarter Pitches, Buyer follow-up, MAPs, Bribing Buyers, & Skipping Tradeshows
We are ending Season 9 of the Food Biz Wiz podcast with a rapid-fire Q&A! In today's show, I'm answering your questions on: Pitching during the holid…
Sep 2nd, 2021 |
41:47
109. 5 Things to Take Advantage of as a Minority or Women-Owned Business
This week's Food Biz Wiz Podcast guest is Jessica Thomas, the founder and CEO of Curate360. Curate360 fills the gap between Diverse Suppliers that wa…
Aug 26th, 2021 |
12:40
108. Stop Making This Wholesale Pitch Mistake (And What To Do Instead)!
Feel like something is missing from your wholesale buyer pitches, and like you can't seal the deal with wholesale accounts? Today's episode is for you…
Aug 19th, 2021 |
47:39
107. 4 Steps to Implement Profit First in Your CPG business
Today’s Food Biz Wiz guest is Good Food CFO and founder of Sarah Delevan Consulting, Sarah Delevan. Sarah and her team at Sarah Delevan Consulting he…
Aug 12th, 2021 |
30:16
106. How To Succeed at Food Industry Trade Shows
After a long break, trade shows are starting again, and it's time to prepare! In this episode, I'll talk through: Assessing whether you should displ…
Aug 5th, 2021 |
10:59
105. My 3 Best Practices for Avoiding Late Payments from Wholesale Accounts
If you're sick of getting late payments, today's episode is for you! In today's show, I'm sharing three of my best practices for overdue invoices. Yo…
Jul 29th, 2021 |
58:55
104. Creating Holiday-Related Visual Content for your Food or Beverage Brand with Food Photographer, Gwen Squires
Today's Food Biz Wiz guest is Freelance Photographer Gwen Squires! Gwen specializes in bringing the creations of CPG and specialty packaged food prod…
Jul 22nd, 2021 |
13:52
103. How to Solicit Customer Feedback (So That It's Actually Helpful For Your Biz!)
Feedback is essential, especially when you're growing a new packaged product line. But, how do you make sure you're getting accurate feedback from the…
Jul 15th, 2021 |
34:28
102. How & Why to Show up for Racial Justice & Inclusion in the Packaged Products Industry, with DEI Consultant Jennifer Yepez-Blundell
Today’s Food Biz Wiz guest is Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Consultant Jennifer Yepez-Blundell from Hella Social Impact. In this show, we’ll cover: W…
Jul 8th, 2021 |
53:41
101. The 3 Step System to Digital Growth with Umai Marketing: Organic Social, Paid + Email
If you feel overwhelmed by digital marketing, this episode is for you. In today’s show, Karin Samelson & Alison Smith of Umai Marketing outline their…
Jul 1st, 2021 |
18:39
100. 100 Reasons Why a Buyer Says "No" to Your Product (And How to Change it to a "Yes!")
For the 100th episode of the Food Biz Wiz podcast, I’m outlining one hundred wholesale buyer’s possible “No's” and teaching you how to turn them into…
Jun 24th, 2021 |
28:03
99. Rapid Fire Q&A: Slow Sales, Imposter Syndrome, Buyer Pitches, MOQ, Category Reviews, & more!
We’re back with another rapid-fire Q&A episode as we wrap up season eight of the Food Biz Wiz podcast! In today’s show, I’m answering: If I missed th…
Jun 17th, 2021 |
49:08
98. Creating a High-End Culinary Brand with Chef Evelyn
How do you charge premium prices for your products, attract a loyal group of repeat customers, and build a business that fits into YOUR lifestyle? Che…
Jun 10th, 2021 |
25:21
97. How to Use Awards to Drive Sales
You’ve won a prestigious food industry award, or gotten a fantastic press mention for your food or beverage brand, but now what? Time and time again,…
Jun 3rd, 2021 |
50:39
96. The Good Food Awards: How & Why You Should Apply
Join me in conversation with Sarah Weiner, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Good Food Foundation, as we talk about the history of The Good…
May 27th, 2021 |
24:21
95. My Key Takeaways from Natural Products Business School at Expo West
Did you miss Expo West’s Natural Products Business School this year? Don’t worry! In this episode, I’m summarizing the three themes that came up again…
May 20th, 2021 |
11:14
94. Rethink Your Sales Emails
In this 10-minute episode, I’ll share my BEST tip on tweaking your sales emails so that Wholesale Buyers ACTUALLY respond. Tune in to hear how changin…
May 13th, 2021 |
46:48
93. Food Safety & Compliance: What your food or beverage business needs to know to stay safe & risk free!
Get ready for an episode all about food safety and regulatory compliance. While the topic might sound overwhelming, this episode is anything but! Toda…
May 6th, 2021 |
43:46
92. Food Founder Mistakes with Charlie Berkinshaw, the VP of Product & Student Success at Food Biz Wiz®
Join me in conversation with Charlie Berkinshaw, the VP of Product & Student Success here at Food Biz Wiz, and the founder of Element Shrub. Wait, wha…
Apr 29th, 2021 |
43:55
91. Formulating & Scaling Clean-Label and Upcycled Products with Phil Saneski
In today’s show, I’m joined by Product Developer and upcycled foods-advocate, Phil Saneski, as we discuss Developing craveable products that build con…
Apr 22nd, 2021 |
48:13
90. Launching & Selling a $100 Million Business with Noah's Bagels.
Taking the leap and deciding to launch your business is scary - just ask serial entrepreneur Noah Alper, who has done it six times, including two mega…
Apr 15th, 2021 |
45:45
89. How to Turn Your Advocates Into Superfans with Ember Consulting
On today’s show, I’m joined by Bri Leever of Ember Consulting for a conversation around turning your customers into advocates for your brand. Bri & t…
Apr 8th, 2021 |
18:12
88. Why NOW is the time to pursue Foodservice
Spoiler alert: NOW is the time to pursue foodservice accounts as we start to see hope for the future and restaurants, bars, and venues put plans in pl…
Apr 1st, 2021 |
42:13
87. Rapid Fire Q&A: Reorders, Merchandising, DTC, Sales strategy, Clipstrips & more!
We’re kicking off season eight of the Food Biz Wiz podcast with another rapid-fire Q&A episode! Before we dive in, can I ask you a favor in celebrati…
Mar 25th, 2021 |
20:38
86. Four Food Industry Lesson from 12 months of COVID
This past year was TOUGH, but I’m so proud of the way my Retail Ready students handled the ups and downs with their food & beverage businesses. In tod…
Mar 18th, 2021 |
58:12
85. 2020 Annual Report: The State of the Specialty Food Industry with Analyst David Browne
The Specialty Food Industry went on a wild ride in 2020, growing over 40% in Q1 2020 alone! In today’s episode, I’m joined by data analyst & consultan…
Mar 11th, 2021 |
1:08:24
84. 100,000 Successful Virtual Pitches with ECRM Connect
In today’s episode, I’m celebrating ECRM’s milestone of hosting over 100,000 Virtual Buyer/Seller meetings since the launch of ECRM Connect in May, 20…
Mar 4th, 2021 |
37:02
83. Creating opportunities for BIPOC & Women CPG Founders: a convo with Foodbevy
Join me in conversation with Jordan Buckner, the founder of Foodbevy.com, an online resource for emerging food & beverage brands, and the cofounder of…
Feb 25th, 2021 |
23:25
82. How to Win A Pitch Slam for Your Food Or Beverage Brand
Earlier this month I had the pleasure of emceeing the Naturally Bay Area’s 3rd Annual Pitch Slam, where seven emerging food & beverage brands pitched…
Feb 18th, 2021 |
38:22
81. Assessing Your Product Assortment: The 8 Roles Your Products Play In Your Profitability Roadmap
Food & Beverage Founders… listen up: not all of your products need to make a great margin, or be your top sellers, or keep your purchasers coming back…
Feb 11th, 2021 |
26:44
80. The Ideas Filter: How to make the RIGHT decisions at the RIGHT time in your biz
The food & beverage founders who have the most success are the ones who work on the right things, at the right time, in their businesses. If you’re a…
Feb 4th, 2021 |
53:35
79. Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in the Natural Products Industry: an Interview with Sheryl O’Loughlin of the JEDI Collaborative
I believe that we have a responsibility, as better-for-you brands, to speak for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in our industry. Join me in…
Jan 28th, 2021 |
24:27
78. 6 Mistakes To Avoid with Your Food Biz in 2021
As you head into 2021 with your food business, you likely have set new goals, articulated new accounts to pitch to, and thought through how you might…
Jan 21st, 2021 |
48:42
77. Product Photography: How To Create and Execute Your Visual Strategy For Food Businesses
Captivating product photography is key to selling your food or beverage products online, creating engaging sell sheets, having a professional website,…
Jan 14th, 2021 |
48:06
76. The Three Pillars Of A Successful Food Business: A Roundtable Conversation With Industry Experts
After working with over 500 food & beverage brands in Retail Ready®, I’ve seen many brands succeed, and others struggle to grow and sustain their busi…
Jan 7th, 2021 |
43:48
75. Healthy Founder, Healthy Business: How to Succeed at Both with Health Coach & CPG Founder Leeann Rybakov
Being a food or beverage founder is HARD. You’re constantly “on,” solving problems in your business, and navigating the ups and downs of our industry.…
Dec 31st, 2020 |
12:51
74. Four Crucial Food Biz Foundations for A Prosperous 2021
I see Food & Beverage founders make the same foundational mistakes over and over again, and it’s time to avoid that in 2021! In today’s show, I’m goin…
Dec 24th, 2020 |
21:39
73. Reverse Engineer Your Goals: How to Achieve Any Goal In Your Food or Beverage Biz
As a busy foodpreneur, you likely have lots of goals and ideas on how to achieve them. The challenge is figuring out how to prioritize the actions tha…
Dec 17th, 2020 |
45:12
72. Working With Co-Packers: How to Set up For Success
Co-packer horror stories: we’ve all heard them! Finding the right co-packer for your food or beverage brand can be daunting, confusing, and downright…
Dec 10th, 2020 |
51:26
71. On Air Wholesale Coaching with Berry Bissap: National Expansion, Shelf Space, and New SKUs
Join Retail Ready® student Akua Kyerematen Nettey, the founder of Berry Bissap, for live, on-air wholesale coaching for her ready-to-drink refrigerate…
Dec 3rd, 2020 |
43:50
70. Marketing To Vegans: The How To, The Why, and Mistakes to Avoid with Piquant Marketing
How should you market your food or beverage brand to vegans? Today’s episode addresses this straightforward, yet nuanced topic with my guest, Lindsay…
Nov 26th, 2020 |
20:29
69. 3 Things I’m Grateful For (That Helped My Biz Grow!) That You Should Do Too
Business lessons are always clearer in hindsight, right? In today’s show, I’m outlining three things that I’m grateful for that I’ve done in my own bu…
Nov 19th, 2020 |
42:06
68. Driving Growth Through Product Development: Creating a Pipeline of Innovation in CPG
You’ve launched your food or beverage brand, had good sales, and are now wondering… what’s next? Join one of my favorite consultants in CPG, Kevin Rya…
Nov 12th, 2020 |
17:33
67. Slow Sales: What to Do When You DON'T Have High Velocity
You land in your dream retail account, deliver your first order and then…. nothing happens. You don’t hear back from the Buyer, and it slowly dawns on…
Nov 5th, 2020 |
49:31
66. How to Create Engaging (and Compliant!) Marketing Copy for Herbal Supplement Brands
With the rise of functional food and beverages, so comes the importance of following guidelines for ensuring your brand is compliant, especially if yo…
Oct 29th, 2020 |
44:58
65. How to build a solid financial foundation for yourself & your biz, so you can both thrive!
Financial frustrations and money woes are often top of mind with food and beverage businesses, and today’s episode is diving deep into it. Join me in…
Oct 22nd, 2020 |
21:01
64. Retail Rapid Fire Q&A: Promotions, UPCs, Brokers, Distributors, Buyer Communication & More!
Season Six kicks off with another rapid fire Q&A episode! Tune in to hear me answer questions submitted directly from my community of food & beverage…
Oct 15th, 2020 |
17:24
63. Fourth Quarter Focus: The 4 P's
Wholesale Buyers are heads-down in turkeys and candy canes from October - January, and it’s not the best time to reach out to new accounts. If you are…
Oct 8th, 2020 |
49:54
62. Maximizing Your Marketing ROI with Ryan Pintado-Vertner of Smoketown
In today’s show, we’re talking about where food and beverage brands commonly waste their marketing dollars, how to assess your real ROI, and what tact…
Oct 1st, 2020 |
19:11
61. 3 Steps to Creating an Engaging Instagram Story
400 million people view Instagram stories every day so if your food or beverage brand isn’t using this feature… you’re missing out. Today’s episode wa…
Sep 24th, 2020 |
58:10
60. On Air Wholesale Coaching with Lil Bucks: Category Confusion, Demo Strategy & Marketing Ideas
Join me for live wholesale coaching with Emily Griffith of Lil Bucks. In this show we discuss: How Emily should position her brand after two years in…
Sep 17th, 2020 |
48:42
59. Farmer's Markets in 2020: The good, the bad, and the racism
Selling in Farmers’ Markets in 2020 is totally different than it was last year. In this episode, I’m joined by Catt Fields White, the MOST veteran Far…
Sep 10th, 2020 |
18:56
58. eCommerce Success: What's Working Now
Every week I get the same question about eCommerce. Tune in to today’s show to hear: What that question is (and how I answer it!) Where shoppers are…
Sep 3rd, 2020 |
43:33
57. How to Find Investors & Raise Capital For Your Food Business with Brandjectory
Join me in conversation with Michael Movitz of The Movitz Group & Brandjectory as we talk about the ins and outs of connecting with investors and rais…
Aug 27th, 2020 |
46:02
56. Using Google: Driving Sales Through SEO Optimization & Google's Free Tools
If you’re not using Google’s free tools to drive business to your brand, you’re leaving money on the table. Join my guest today, Micala Wright, a cont…
Aug 20th, 2020 |
18:08
55. 3 Secrets From My Time As A Grocery Buyer: What I Wish Brands Knew
There are so many things I wish I could have said to food and beverage brands when I was a Grocery Buyer. In today’s episode, I share THREE secrets fr…
Aug 13th, 2020 |
51:52
54. Press Relations: How to Land & Leverage PR & Media Relations For Your Brand
Today’s episode welcomes Nikki Nardick of Knack PR. In this show, we discuss securing press coverage for your brand, connecting with potential buyers…
Aug 6th, 2020 |
44:58
53. On Air Wholesale Coaching with Cheeza Pleeza: Target Audiences, Co-Packer Searches, and SKU optimization
Join me for live, on-air coaching with Lynn Wilford Scarborough, a Retail Ready® student and the founder of Cheeza Pleeza. In today’s episode, Lynn an…
Jul 30th, 2020 |
26:54
52. Highlights from Year One: Your Favorite Ah-Ha Moments from the past year of Food Biz Wiz
I’m celebrating a full year of the Food Biz Wiz podcast by recapping my FAVORITE ah-ha moments and takeaways from the past twelve months of episodes.…
Jul 23rd, 2020 |
43:12
51. Supporting Your Brand On Shelf: What's Working Now
Will Ahearn, the President of Dirty Hands, manages over 100 brands in 1,000 retail accounts with the help of about 125 employees - or, as he likes to…
Jul 16th, 2020 |
30:28
50. Amazon Pro Secrets: The BUY NOW Method
In this episode, I’m joined by guest Daniela Bolzmann, the Founder of Mindful Goods and creator of the BUY NOW Method, a framework used to create show…
Jul 9th, 2020 |
17:41
49. 4 Steps for Holiday Success: Planning NOW for Fourth Quarter Sales
We’re 20 weeks away from Thanksgiving, and NOW is the time to get organized for the Fourth Quarter. In today’s episode, you’ll learn my four steps to…
Jul 2nd, 2020 |
52:59
48. On Air Wholesale Coaching with Just Date Syrup: Increasing Velocity without Demos
Join Retail Ready® student Sylvie Charles, M.D, the Founder of Just Date Syrup, as we do live coaching on today’s podcast episode! We talk about: The…
Jun 25th, 2020 |
39:40
47. Working with Brokers & Distributors with Green Spoon Sales
Join me in conversation with Daniel Morrison, the Director of Distributor Relations at Green Spoon Sales, as we spill the dirt on working with brokers…
Jun 18th, 2020 |
28:22
46. Rapid Fire Q&A: Growing Your Packaged Food Business
I’m back with another rapid-fire episode answering your submitted questions on growing your packaged food and beverage businesses! Here’s what I cover…
Jun 11th, 2020 |
48:50
45. Working With Influencers: How To Execute A Successful Influencer Marketing Campaign For Your Food Or Beverage Brand with Wonderkind Co.
In today’s episode, I’m joined by social media & marketing expert Elle Defreitas of Wonderkind Co to talk about working with online influencers to in…
May 28th, 2020 |
23:47
44. How to Increase Your Sales with an Abandoned Cart Automation
You can increase your online sales by at least 10% by putting in just 60 minutes of work this week. No joke! This episode will teach you how. Studies…
May 21st, 2020 |
24:03
43. Virtual Pitches: 5 Steps to A Successful Online Buyer Pitch
With Wholesale Buyers taking very few in-person meetings and pitch appointments, food & beverage founders need to turn to a “virtual pitch” instead. T…
May 14th, 2020 |
48:07
42. Sales Secrets & Perfect Pitches: How to get ON the retail shelf with WeStock
I hear the same questions over and over again: “How do I connect with wholesale buyers? Do I need to use a broker? How do I know when I’m ready for di…
May 7th, 2020 |
46:00
41. Cash, Current Affairs, and Community: The state of the food industry 60 days post-COVID19 with Elliot Begoun
I’m honored to be joined by food industry veteran, Elliot Begoun on today’s show, as we talk about the state of the industry, sixty days after the out…
Apr 30th, 2020 |
32:11
40. Storytelling for Sales: using the power of storytelling to build your packaged food or beverage business with Adam Force
Stories sell. Join my guest Adam Force, the founder of Change Creator, to learn how to harness the power of storytelling to drive sales with your food…
Apr 23rd, 2020 |
31:29
39. Working From Home - How to Stay Sane & Productive in Your New Environment
In today’s episode, I’m sharing my best tips for surviving your newfound reality of working from home, based off my past six years of experience doing…
Apr 16th, 2020 |
41:49
38. Let Your Target Consumer Be Your Guide: how & why your ideal customer guides your business decisions with Nourishing Food Marketing
You’ve heard me talk about it a thousand times: you’ve GOT to nail down your target audience before you can dial-in your messaging and marketing strat…
Apr 9th, 2020 |
49:08
37. Mastering Online Experiences In A Shifting Landscape: How to connect with your consumers & capture sales online
With this shifting landscape, food businesses are seeing online sales skyrocket. At the same time, there’s a lot of noise online right now and you’ve…
Apr 2nd, 2020 |
29:09
36. Tactics & Strategy: Revisiting ways to work ON your food business during COVID
This final episode of Season Three revisits my favorite podcast episodes from Food Biz Wiz that are relevant now more than ever. Tune in to hear a rec…
Mar 26th, 2020 |
45:59
35. Adapting to Change: How to Move Forward in CPG
It’s on all of our minds: how to respond to COVID in the packaged food industry, and how to respond and adapt to change during this time of uncertaint…
Mar 19th, 2020 |
19:13
34. Quarterly Planning For Your Food Biz: Setting your next 90 day goals
Things change so rapidly in the food industry, and with so much uncertainty I always recommend planning just one quarter at a time. Ninety days: that’…
Mar 12th, 2020 |
49:20
33. Pinterest for Food Businesses: How you can generate massive traffic using Jennifer Priest's Smart Pin Pro system!
If you’ve ever had the hunch that you should be using Pinterest to grow your packaged food business, you’re going to love this episode. Join me in con…
Mar 5th, 2020 |
46:35
32. Copy That Converts: Steal this Copywriter's Secrets to DRIVING SALES of your food or beverage brand
Join me in conversation with professional food & beverage brand copywriter, Celsea Jenkins of Grassfed Copy, as we talk about writing copy that CONVER…
Feb 27th, 2020 |
19:31
31. Founder Fumbles: 5 Common Mistakes I see every Food & Beverage Founder Make (and how to avoid them!)
In today’s episode, I outline the five most common mistakes I see early-stage CPG brands make as they try to grow their packaged food businesses. I’…
Feb 20th, 2020 |
49:03
30. The THREE Most Important Things To Do With Your Email List to Capture More Sales For Your Food Business
You’ve probably been gathering email addresses at demos, events, and through your website, but then what happens? If the answer is “not much” you’re g…
Feb 13th, 2020 |
16:25
29. Constantly "putting out fires" in your food biz? How to stop spinning your wheels in your food business in under 60 seconds
Putting out fires, being pulled in a million directions, and responding to “urgent” requests seems par for the course in the food industry, right? But…
Feb 6th, 2020 |
36:24
28. "Everyone" is not your target audience: how narrowing your target consumer leads to higher sales for your food business
As a strategic market researcher and consumer insights practitioner, Britta Schell knows exactly how to develop a target persona for your brand. In to…
Jan 30th, 2020 |
36:17
27. How to Create Award-Winning Product Lines with a 17-time winner, Dave's Gourmet
In today’s food landscape, almost anyone can create a beautiful brand - but it’s rare to create a product that stands out because of its taste. Join m…
Jan 23rd, 2020 |
19:17
26. The 15 Minute Instagram Audit
You’re putting so much time and energy into Instagram for your food business, but you JUST KNOW the engagement could be better! Tune in to today’s epi…
Jan 16th, 2020 |
41:21
25. Crowdsourcing 101: How to Launch & Execute A Successful Kickstarter Campaign
Today’s episode is all about launching and executing successful crowdsourcing campaigns. Join my guest, Courtney Boyd Myers (CMB) as she shares her se…
Jan 9th, 2020 |
23:00
24. Rapid Fire Answers to Your Wholesale Questions
Season three of the Food Biz Wiz™ podcast kicks off with another rapid fire episode where I answer your questions on building your packaged food busin…
Jan 2nd, 2020 |
41:00
23. Three Business Game Changers: how I doubled my revenue, hired two team members and took more vacation that ever this year - and how you can do it too.
I did three things in that past year that were scary as hell, but were total game-changers for my business. In today’s episode I share exactly the ste…
Dec 19th, 2019 |
29:53
22. How to Set (and achieve!) Biz Goals
Today’s episode is all about setting and achieving your food business goals. Whether you’re listening just before we move into 2020, or long after, th…
Dec 12th, 2019 |
50:20
21. Secrets to Mastering Time, Money, and Overwhelm in Your Food Biz with "Females in Food" founder, Chelsea Ford
Lack of time, feelings of overwhelm, and a constant worry about money seems like a given in the food industry - but in today’s episode I speak with th…
Dec 5th, 2019 |
55:26
20. State of the Industry: The Specialty Food Association's Annual Report
Join me in conversation with David Browne, a Market Research Retail & Brand Analyst in the natural, organic, and specialty food space. Since 2009, Dav…
Nov 25th, 2019 |
49:55
19. On Air Wholesale Coaching with Bija Bhar: New SKU roll-out!
Join Retail Ready™ student Anjali Bhargava of Bija Bhar as we do live coaching on today’s podcast episode! We talk about: How to roll out a packagi…
Nov 21st, 2019 |
46:34
18. Contact Building with RangeMe: Secrets for Managing Your Buyer & Influencer List
How many times have you gone to a tradeshow or networking event, gathered a bunch of business cards and simply forgotten to follow up with those valua…
Nov 14th, 2019 |
50:13
17. From Idea to Launch: How to start your food business with Sari Kimbell
Join one of my favorite fellow food industry consultants, Sari Kimbell, in today’s episode where we’re discussing the common question of, “how do I st…
Nov 7th, 2019 |
33:50
16. Just Say No: How To Do Less to Accomplish More
If you’re constantly feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and that you have a never-ending to-do list: this episode is for you. In today’s show, I teach y…
Oct 31st, 2019 |
40:28
15. 3 Steps for Building Your Brand Strategy with Katie Mleziva
On today’s episode, I welcome fellow food business consultant and podcaster, Katie Mleziva, to share her three steps for building your brand strategy.…
Oct 24th, 2019 |
54:07
14. How to execute an engaging in-person event for your brand, without breaking the bank!
As an emerging brand, you probably recognize the importance of connecting with your target audience through events, but you might not feel like you ha…
Oct 17th, 2019 |
41:56
13. Ask Me Anything: Rapid Fire Answers to Your Burning Food Biz Questions
Grab my Retail Roadmap - my free PDF on my nine steps to building a brand that flies off the shelf. If you’re looking to expand your wholesale a…
Oct 10th, 2019 |
39:33
12. Three Business Game Changers: how I doubled my revenue, hired two team members and took more vacation that ever this year - and how you can do it too.
I did three things in that past year that were scary as hell, but were total game-changers for my business. In today’s episode I share exactly the ste…
Oct 3rd, 2019 |
35:36
11. Is Amazon right for my brand?
Join my favorite Amazon expert, Jennifer Kaylo Ruskin, for today’s episode as we talk all about whether or not Amazon is a viable channel for your bra…
Sep 26th, 2019 |
46:25
10. Competing on Brand: Moxie Sozo's three guiding principles of building a brand that wins
Join me in conversation with Evan Faber of Moxie Sozo, a design, advertising and interactive agency that has been creating and influencing brands for…
Sep 19th, 2019 |
27:36
9. Preparing for Holiday Success
The holidays are quickly approaching! Today’s episode talks you through three things that you can do NOW to ensure you’re set up for success come la…
Sep 12th, 2019 |
47:45
8. Your product is only one ingredient to a food business's overall success
Join me in conversation with Ainsley Moir of The Healthy Food & Beverage Group as we discuss WHY your delicious product is only one ingredient in your…
Sep 5th, 2019 |
26:09
7. Built with Logic: how to use market research to establish the foundation for your brand
Join today's guest, Chelsea Rainey, of Culinistics as she educates us on how to create a packaged food business that is based on data rather than a gu…
Aug 29th, 2019 |
27:02
6. SOS Trade Show Plan - Two Truths and a Lie about Prepping For Expo East
Two weeks out from a big trade show, and you still don't have a plan in place? Don't worry! This episode will talk you through two truths and a lie…
Aug 22nd, 2019 |
55:45
5. Five Keys to Succeeding In A Crowded Marketplace
Annalea Krebs of Social Nature has built a platform of a half-million vocal enthusiasts of "better for you" brands, and connects them directly with YO…
Aug 15th, 2019 |
21:49
4. Why it Takes so Long to get on the Shelf
You've connected with that Wholesale Buyer, they show an interest in your products and say they're going to start carrying you but then.... nothing ha…
Aug 2nd, 2019 |
35:59
3. Three Steps to Successful Partnership Marketing with Sally Rogers
As an emerging food brand, you’re challenged to grow your sales, day in and day out. One of the easiest ways to expand your audience is through strate…
Aug 2nd, 2019 |
15:10
2. Is Retail Dead?
Every week I have another CPG brand reach out to me, asking if they should launch direct-to-consumer, focus on e-commerce, and forget traditional groc…
Aug 1st, 2019 |
10:35
1. Welcome to Food Biz Wiz™!
In this first episode of Food Biz Wiz™ you'll learn more about me (Alli!), my history as a Grocery Buyer, Head of Grocery, and Retail Store Manager in…