When Alix Peabody was in her early 20s, she suffered from an ovarian torsion, in which an ovary twists, cutting off blood flow. Doctors recommended that if she wanted children one day, she should freeze her eggs. The only problem? The procedure, which can cost over $20,000 wasn't covered by insurance. In an effort to raise funds, Alix started hosting ticketed parties and found a passion for creating female-dominated social spaces. She wanted to create that same energy in a product that...

Ocean Spray may have once conjured up images of bogs and cranberry juice, but the 92-year-old company made waves in 2020 with their arrival of CarryOn, a refreshing CBD beverage born from their Lighthouse Incubator.  In this episode, we talk to CarryOn's Innovation Lead and Managing Director Chris Petersen about the significance of behemoth brands entering the functional wellness space, the advantages of an Incubator operation, as well as its unique challenges. Chris also gets personal about...

Twist it! Flip it! Shake it! No, we're not talking about the old Bop It toys. We're talking about Drnxmyth's innovative packaging that houses fresh ready-to-drink cocktails from some of the best mixologists in the world. In this episode, we talk to Drnxmyth Co-founder Brandon Schwartz about the early challenges and a-ha moments behind creating their revolutionary packaging, establishing (and re-establishing) their target consumers, and partnering with passionate mixologists worldwide to...

It is officially the age of the hard seltzer. In fact, it feels like not a day goes by without a well-known beer or alcohol brand announcing their new low-calorie beverage, or a rookie brand announcing the same. So, what was it like to be the first? Before White Claw was in every corner and Truly was truly everywhere, Julius Makarewicz founded Nude Beverages, the low-calorie beverage brand based out of British Columbia. Eight years later, Nude has amassed fans across the globe with their...

In this episode, Erica Huss and Zoe Sakoutis share their proven strategies for turning fringe wellness trends into incredibly delicious and ‘sticky’ products that people can fall in love with. Plus, we get real and raw about the costly mistakes along the way that made them stronger entrepreneurs, brand builders, co-founders and friends. For full show notes and relevant links, visit snacknation.com/brandbuilder 

Where people see challenges, Kameron sees a new opportunity to build a life-changing brand. Not once, but twice.  In this inspiring episode, Kameron Norwood, co-founder of Half Day CBD and PackDash, reveals the surprising secrets and tested strategies that helped him navigate the stigmas of cannabis, launch his first brand and build an ecosystem to support it. Get ready for a crash course in hustling, being resourceful, and never letting roadblocks get in the way of your success.

How can today's founders find the most successful venture partner to help their brand grow? How can they rise above the noise, grab attention, and win support?  We thought, "Who better to ask than a venture capitalist?" That's why we sat down with Jay Hirsh, founder of Break Trail Ventures, an early-stage venture fund based in Boulder, CO. In this episode, he gives us insider tips to finding and attracting the right venture partner and red flags to avoid.

This week, we're joined by Eric Partaker, an award-winning Peak Performance Expert and author of The 3 Alarms, who combines his own entrepreneurial journey at Skype and Chilengo with his in-depth knowledge of behavioral science to guide Fortune 50 CEOs to reach their full potential in work and life.  In this episode, Eric reveals his proven strategies for unlocking new levels of performance and how to leverage your current knowledge and resources to overcome challenges and achieve...

How would we describe Mark Samuel, the founder of the award-winning wellness brand IWON Organics?  Intensely focused, brutally honest, and above all, ruthlessly authentic.  In this episode, Mark reveals his secrets to achieving optimal focus, dedication, and authenticity as a CEO, with tactical tips for pushing your brand forward.  

This week, we're joined by Caroo alumni Jordan Narducci, who now spearheads Kellogg's budding D2C efforts. After launching D2C at emerging startups, he's using these learnings to tackle Kellogg's unique challenges in a scrappy and innovative way.  In this episode, Jordan gives us an insider look at how Kellogg is taking on the world of D2C, and the secret weapon that emerging brands can leverage to make massive gains in D2C space.

You’ve heard the adage, “If you talk the talk, you’d better walk the walk.”  This week, we’re joined by Michele Liddle, founder of The Perfect Granola and a shining example of what it means to ‘walk the walk’ and build a truly cause-based brand. 

In this episode, founder Elexis Schroder bottles up her 15 years of experience to offer the ultimate crash course on brand marketing. From PR and media training, to influencers and branding on a budget, you’ll discover the secrets to creating a laser-focused marketing strategy where small steps make a massive impact.

This week on Brand Builder, we’re joined by Cole Riley, the founder of Wellfare. Not to be confused with government support, Wellfare is a nonprofit subscription box that’s making better-for-you foods more accessible to those navigating food insecurity. In this episode, Cole reveals the unique journey that led to Wellfare, breaks down the stigma behind nonprofits, and gives a sneak peek into how Wellfare plans to make healthier food more accessible to those in need.

In this episode, Velobar Founder Brant demystifies the world of cannabis and takes us on the journey of Velobar, from breaking through red tape to finding a niche customer base with fans nationwide. Plus, we announce the arrival of Brand Builder’s new co-host! 

Where some see an overwhelming problem, Julia Collins sees a wondrous opportunity. As founder and CEO of Planet FWD and Moonshot Snacks, Julia Collins is on a mission to tackle climate change using the magic of food, starting with the world’s first climate-friendly snack brand Moonshot Snacks.

There’s no doubt that Douglas is a founder on a mission to good. Pass the Honey on a mission to promote pollinator health, fight for land conservation and support habitat creation while creating 100% pure snacking honeycomb.  But he’s not afraid to admit his journey to Pass the Honey has been coupled with dark times, hard truths, and wrongs he’s working to make right. In fact, our interview went to some deeply personal and unexpected places that you’ve got to hear for yourself. 

This week on Brand Builder we’ve got Ryan Hansen, the President and Founder of FireCreek Snacks, joined by Dustin Riechmann, FireCreek’s Chief Marketing Officer. In this episode, Ryan and Dustin reveal the family values that drive FireCreek’s success, and how their niche retailing strategy has set them up for FireCreek’s next big move. Learn more about FireCreek Snacks! @firecreeksnacks on Instagram @firecreeksnacks on Twitter

Jeff Byers is a pro-athlete turned entrepreneur who is currently building the Amp Human, the next great human performance platform.  Amp Human's mission is to help athletes at all levels achieve their limitless potential.

Beverage has been described as a “brand forward” category.  But sometimes the brand - or the can - hides a lackluster product.  Fortunately, that’s never going to be the case for Cloud Water, makers of CBD-infused sparkling water.  The real genius of Cloud Water is that instead of thinking about brand and product separately, they focus on creating a holistic premium experience, marrying taste, function, and aesthetic. We talked to CEO Marc Siden to learn more.

Food is a ticking time bomb. The minute your product comes off the line, you have 90 days to get it to a distributor. If you’re not careful, you can whittle away your margin completely.  That’s what makes demand planning and forecasting so important. If you can nail the when, where, how often, and how much of your product, you’re well on your way to CPG success.  To help us understand all this we’re joined by CPG veteran and master-forecaster Alex Duong.

CPG veteran and insights guru Mark Mallardi is taking on a new challenge: build a brand from the ground up...and save the rainforest in the process.

How to create a category Leader: Step 1: Identify a category that’s ripe for disruption Step 2: Create a product to attack that category Step 3: Monitor the data to see if the brand is tracking the way it needs to If yes, scale it If no, shut it down Simple right? Well, not exactly. We learn how The Naked Market is borrowing tools from Tech and Finance to disrupt categories and create tomorrow’s household names.

It’s a law of entrepreneurship that never fails:  No matter how much you prepare, nothing ever goes precisely to plan. Sometimes, that thing is a typo on your packaging. Other times… it’s the onset of a global pandemic.  The latter was the case for Clara Paye, the founder and CEO of UNiTE Food. After spending years on R&D and planning their March 2020 launch to a tee, COVID-19 changed everything. 

If you want to understand what drives JanaBanana and its powerhouse founder Janaina Lopes, look no further than the JanaBanana soccer team.  In this interview, we learn why making a positive impact is at the heart of everything JanaBanana does, both for its customers and for the communities it cares about.