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

“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 I am 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, we talk about Vincent’s transition from a finance life to that of an entrepreneur, and just how important having a solid financial plan is for a successful brand. We 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.”

 

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with Step Two  Advisors Founder, Vincent Biscaye. 

 

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

  • The process used by Step Two when consulting with new brands and clients
  • The customizable approach Vincent takes for  each of his clients
  • New barriers to gaining funding
  • A look at BeyondSKU’s business model, goals, and functions
  • How Vincent balances his two companies

 

Links mentioned in this episode: 

 

Vincent Biscaye on LinkedIn 

Vincent Biscaye Email 

Step Two Advisors 

BeyondSKU 

Fidelis 

The Irresistible Factor Podcast  

Sawtooth Group 

Kristi Bridges on LinkedIn 

Kristi Bridges on Twitter 

 

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

 “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, I have 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 DTC is best tool to connect directly with their consumers and test things out, 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”. 

We 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.

 

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with Cedar Capital Founder and General Partner, and Tribini Founder and CEO, Taylor Grant. 

 

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

  • Why Taylor loves CPG
  • Taylor’s decision to launch on premise in NYC
  • Taylor’s thoughts on the founder community of the food/beverage space
  • How Taylor is going about creating the logo, design, and all the foundational elements of pitching your company

 

 

Links mentioned in this episode: 

Taylor Grant on LinkedIn 

Taylor Grant on Twitter 

Tribini 

The Irresistible Factor Podcast  

Sawtooth Group 

 

 

Interview with TRUFF Co-Founders, Nick Guillen and Nick Ajluni

On this episode of The Irresistible Factor, I am joined by “the Nicks,” Nick Guillen and Nick Ajluni – Co-Founders of TRUFF – the world’s first luxury hot sauce brand.

“There’s no limit to things we deal with in terms of like growing the business. I think it’s, if anything, potentially a little harder for us because of how unique and custom everything is. So make no mistake that it’s not an easy bill. But that’s what I feel like being business savvy is, working through all of those things.”

Nick and Nick always have had a passion for start-ups and small businesses. Throughout college they liked to collect stand-out usernames on Instagram, and in 2015, they scored the name “sauce” and started posting content that they thought would resonate with the “pop culture foodie.” They wanted to create an account that was the bridge of food, fashion, lifestyle, and pop culture. Once they started to gain some major traction on Instagram, they decided it was time to start a brand – and TRUFF was born.

Nick and Nick never really played by the rules. They’ve been doing things their way from the very beginning – making custom caps, custom molds, and custom bottles. Many were convinced their unique (and expensive) approach wasn’t going to work, but they were able to overcome all of the odds and create a unique and successful brand in their own way.

 You’ll hear how they developed TRUFF’s flavor profile, the intricacies of their brand launch, and how they used social media as a growth track. Nick and Nick offer compelling advice to entrepreneurs on how to overcome adversity and talk about where they see the brand in the future.

“We want to create a brand that we never have to step away from. Something where Nick and I are 65 on the golf course, and our grandkids are sending us photos of putting TRUFF on their dino nuggets.”

  

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with TRUFF Co-Founders, Nick Guillen and Nick Ajluni

  

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

  • How they developed the flavor profile of their hot sauce   
  • Some of the many challenges they faced
  • TRUFF’s e-com versus retail split
  • A sneak peek at their innovation plan
  • An announcement about a TRUFF-Hidden Valley collaboration

 

Links mentioned in this episode: 

 Nick Guillen on Twitter 

Nick Guillen on LinkedIn 

Nick Guillen on Instagram 

Nick Ajluni on Twitter 

Nick Ajluni on LinkedIn 

Nick Ajluni on Instagram 

TRUFF 

Last Crumb 

Hidden Valley 

The Irresistible Factor Podcast  

Sawtooth Group 

Kristi Bridges on LinkedIn 

Kristi Bridges on Twitter 

Interview with Cappello’s Co-Founder, Stacey Marcellus

“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 my podcast, 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 – Capello’s. Capello’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 Capello’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, Capello’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.” 

We talk about the evolution of Capello’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.

 

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with Capello’s Co-Founder, Stacey Mercellus.

  

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

  • How Stacey’s experience in Argentina inspired her to create a food brand
  • The reason that they opted to do frozen meals as opposed to fresh ones
  • How the frozen food set has transformed in recent years
  • Why Stacey often feels disheartened by our food system
  • How they choose investors

Interview with GFB Co-Founder, Marshall Rader

When Marshall Rader was diagnosed with celiac disease, finding gluten-free products was no easy feat. This inspired him to develop a gluten-free bar which led him to co-found a gluten-free product company with his brother. GFB, originally “Gluten Free Bar” is now “Gluten Free Brother’s”. GFB launched their first product 11 years ago, when ‘gluten free’ was a term no one had really heard of.

On Today’s episode of The Irresistible Factor, Marshall talks about how the market for gluten-free products has changed since the start of his company, and how the growth of the market and the rise in competition have affected their brand. He also talks about how they raised capital through bootstrapping, and how they have grown tremendously while maintaining honorable principals. 

Not only do their products taste delicious, but they are also a brand that does good. Marshall shares why they decided to get certified as a B Corp, and how they have been a zero-waste facility for 3 years now – over 90% of what goes into their facility does not go into the landfill. They also have inclusive hiring programs, focusing on people that have challenges gaining employment, oftentimes with criminal background.

Join us to hear Marahsall’s inspiring success story, and advice worth listening to.   

“Even if you don’t really have a real company yet, you could be organized and show up prepared, and show up on time. And it sounds weird, but wear a suit to a meeting”..

  

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with GFB Co-Founder, Marshall Rader

 

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with GFB CO-Founder, Marshall Rader. 

 

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

  • How the market for gluten-free foods has changed since GFB first started
  • Insight into the current size of GFB’s distribution channels
  • Insight into how the company supports 15,000 retailers and the value of open communication  
  • How GFB decides when to innovate and when to create new products versus continuing to push the ones that are already successful
  • Marshall’s career background as a paint salesman and what inspired him to quit and go into GFB full-time

 

Links mentioned in this episode: 

 

Marshall Rader  

GFB 

The Irresistible Factor Podcast  

Sawtooth Group

Interview with Jeremy Vandervoet – Little Secrets Chocolate CEO

You know that candy bar you’ve kept hidden from your family? – Your “little secret”? Well, joining us today on The Irresistible Factor is the CEO of the chocolate company wanting to make your little secret better-for-you.

On this week’s episode of The Irresistible Factor, I am joined by Jeremy Vandervoet, CEO of Little Secrets Chocolate – a better-for-you chocolate company. Little Secrets makes your childhood favorites like KitKat and Twix bars with better taste, better ingredients, and way less sugar (YUM!) 

Jeremy brings 20 years of incredibly valuable experience in the chocolate industry at Nestlé to Little Secrets Chocolate. We discuss what it was like transitioning from a huge corporation, to a small, early-stage brand. We also discuss the many lessons he has learned since joining Little Secrets – like the  importance of getting your margins right early on  and why defining your value in the marketplace is imperative.

“You cannot rely on scale and growth to solve your margin structure. I know that’s so simple to say, easy to say, but in a lot of – and I think a lot of people are getting very sober on that idea too, is you need to price it early, pricing that lever and getting your margin structure right now, versus just saying, ‘Oh, when I double this business…”

We also discuss Little Secrets’ marketing, capital raising, manufacturing and hopes for the future. Jeremey is a wealth of information for entrepreneurs and other startups looking for advice.

 

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with Little Secrets Chocolate CEO, Jeremy Vandervoet.  

 

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

  • How Jeremy made the decision to leave corporate America 
  • Why the lifetime value of the customer is so imperative  
  • Jeremy’s three year goals for the brand and what it will take for them to get there.  
  • Why Little Secrets chose to manufacture a large portion of products in Europe

 

Links mentioned in this episode: 

 

Jeremy Vandervoet on LinkedIn 

Jeremy Vandervoet on Twitter 

Little Secrets Chocolate 

Nestle  

Target  

Walmart 

The Irresistible Factor Podcast  

Sawtooth Group 

Kristi Bridges on LinkedIn 

Kristi Bridges on Twitter 

Interview with Imaware Co-Founder, Jani Tuomi

Jani Tuomi is the Co-Founder of the at-home testing service, Imaware. Imaware removes the barriers of access to traditional testing and provides a more affordable and easily accessible route to discovering your own biometric data, a trend that is gaining traction fast!

In this episode of The Irresistible Factor, Jani and I discuss how Imaware has worked closely with reputable doctors and scientists from the start to ensure reliable, lab grade testing. When Imaware first launched back in 2018, there was a lot of skepticism around at-home testing, but post COVID consumers and even doctors have adopted this new way of testing.

Jani talks about how Imaware has been able to gain some amazing partnerships with many of the biggest scientific companies in the world like BD, and with clinician groups that are starting to look at preventative cardiology. He also talks about their approach of educating their consumers – leading with facts, not fear. 

“…We never ran a Facebook ad that would say things like, ‘One in two people will develop heart disease in their life’ and fear factor it. It’s like, ‘Did you know that 50% of people who have heart attacks have normal cholesterol’. Leading with fact, and education, and citing that, showing study data around it, and then saying, ‘Here’s what you can do about that.’ It’s just been an approach we’ve taken right from the start. 

Jani also discusses why he isn’t worried about competitors, Imaware’s challenges around raising capital, and his hopes for the future of the brand.

 

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with Imaware Co-Founder, Jani Tuomi. 

 

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

  • Jani’s background and how his brother’s illness led him to co-found imaware
  • The implication of the word ‘consumer’ versus ‘patient’
  • Imaware’s commitment to protecting consumer data
  • The benefits of having access to and control of your own biometric data
  • The challenges imaware faces as it grows

 

Links mentioned in this episode: 

 

Jani Tuomi on Twitter 

imaware  

iwi 

The Irresistible Factor Podcast  

Sawtooth Group 

Sawtooth Group 

Kristi Bridges on LinkedIn 

Kristi Bridges on Twitter 

Interview with RIND Founder and CEO, Matt Weiss

In this episode of The Irresistible Factor, I’m joined by Founder and CEO of RIND, Matt Weiss. RIND was inspired by Matt’s great-grandmother who was as Matt says “a foodie before kale was cool”. She emphasized the importance of the roots, rinds, seeds, and stems to capture the nutrients, minimize food waste, and to stretch your food budget. Her philosophy was the start of Matt’s journey of creating RIND.

Prior to RIND, Matt was in finance for twenty years, working for an old school mutual fund that put as big of a focus on founders as it did on the businesses themselves. Matt has taken those experiences and lessons with him to RIND, and he eventually made the jump to take RIND from a side hustle to a full time business.

“The moment I pushed myself out of that comfort zone by this completely new venture in a new category, as a first time entrepreneur, the personal growth and satisfaction, fulfillment, I started to enjoy from that, was so bright.” 

Matt elaborates on what it means to feel fulfilled, the importance of learning, and why it’s okay to not have it all figured out. He also speaks about challenges he has faced: Scaling products, rising prices of produce, and finding the best suppliers.

Matt also offers advice from his personal business background: How small emerging brands can take market share from bigger companies, how his finance background helped him raise capital, how he creates tastes that are aligned with consumers’ wants, and the importance of having both a brand and a business in order to be successful.

“Our brand logo and packaging is our value proposition. It’s the RIND. It’s fruit with benefits. That was brand magic, but the business had to have heft to it. It really had to have substance to it. The magic happens at the intersection of these two, and it’s what informs our product portfolio”.

 

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with RIND Founder and CEO, Matt Weiss

 

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

 

  • The process Matt took to move from finance to starting his own business
  • Matts’ children’s involvement and the positive impacts they have had in growing his business
  • What motivates people, energizes them, and inspires them
  • How Matt rationalized his risky decision by allowing himself to be outside of his comfort zone
  • How to be valuable to big retail businesses and manage your supply chains
  • What motivates people, energizes them, and inspires them

 

Links mentioned in this episode: 

 

Matt Weiss on LinkedIn 

RIND Snacks 

RIND Snacks on Twitter 

The Irresistible Factor Podcast  

Sawtooth Group 

Kristi Bridges on LinkedIn 

Kristi Bridges on Twitter 

Interview with Rodeo CPG Founder, Zachary DeAngelo

“I think that there is an opportunity to consolidate, for the lack of a better word, operating system within a CPG business, where all that continuity and connectivity exists. So you don’t have to patch work together, you know, a network of advisors and companies and all sorts of things. That ultimately is sort of the core vision of Rodeo at large.

 

Rodeo capital isn’t Zachary’s first rodeo (get it?). Zachary has lots of experience in the CPG industry – he’s started a gluten-free cereal company, a baby food company called “Little Duck Organics”, and he ran sales for a natural pet food company. Through these experiences, Zachary found himself disappointed in the services and infrastructure in the start up CPG world. 

 

In this episode of The Irresistible Factor, Zachary talks about how he started Rodeo as an outsourced operations group with the goal to help navigate the challenging CPG marketplace. Rodeo now partners with leaders in CPG to develop, scale, and sell their products through product development services, retail services, and operations services. 

 

Zachary talks about why he made the change from building his own brands to helping other entrepreneurs build their own. In addition, he talks about the type of brands he likes to work with, what he believes is stopping founders from succeeding, and the importance of being able to emotionally detach yourself from your business. 

 

“It allows you to reduce your ego so that you can better respond to a consumer’s perception of your brand rather than your own and that’s a really fun sort of psychological but very important piece of what we do.”

 

 

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with Rodeo CPG Founder, Zachary DeAngelo. 

 

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

  • The challenges in the investment community postCOVID
  • Why it’s easier than ever to start a CPG brand, but harder to succeed 
  • What Zach believes is stopping founders from succeeding
  • What made Zach transition from building his own brand to  to helping others
  • Advice Zach for founders looking  to scale

 

Links mentioned in this episode: 

Rodeo CPG  

Zachary DeAngelo on LinkedIn 

Zachary DeAngelo on Twitter 

Zachary DeAngelo Email Address 

Matt Clifford on LinkedIn 

OMSOM 

David Paz on LinkedIn  

Dream Pops 

Liquid Death 

The Irresistible Factor Podcast  

Sawtooth Group 

Kristi Bridges on LinkedIn 

Kristi Bridges on Twitter 

 

 

Interview with Restore Hyper Wellness Founder and CEO, Jim Donnelly

In this episode of The Irresistible Factor, Jim talks about how his first experience with cryotherapy inspired him to start a business around wellness that has grown to 135 locations and many services that go well beyond cryotherapy. He also talks about his plan to open 1,000 locations in the next four to five years. 

Jim had a plan, and he followed through. He attributes his success to his incredible team and their ability to attract (and keep) great talent through an impressive culture they have built within the brand. He also believes that  being self-aware is their “superhero.” 

“We know where our weaknesses are, we know where our blind spots are, we make sure that we address those things. We do it in a relatively egoless, emotionally mature way.”

Jim has a lot of experience in the health and wellness world. Both Jim and his wife were high-level athletes and have been consumers of wellness products for decades. Jim also owns high-end health clubs on the East Coast and learned many lessons along the way, which contributed  to the success of Restore Hyper Wellness. 

In this interview, Jim shares his eye-opening  experience starting this business. He originally thought that his primary target audience would be athletes, however, that wound up being  only 15% of their clientele, leading to a much bigger opportunity for Jim and his team. Jim shares how his company has grown astronomically in a short time, and challenges he faced along the way. 

 

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with Restore Hyper Wellness Founder and CEO, Jim Donnelly.

 

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

  • The three principles of hyper wellness
  • How Restore operates from a medical point of view 
  • How they managed to scale so quickly from a financial perspective
  • The high standards Restore requires for their franchisees
  • What has contributed the most to Restore’s success as a brand

 

Links mentioned in this episode: 

Jim Donnelly on LinkedIn 

Restore Hyper Wellness 

Jesse Itzler on LinkedIn 

The Irresistible Factor Podcast  

Kristi Bridges on LinkedIn 

Sawtooth Group 

Interview with Boba Bam Chairman and Founder Bob Yau, and The Big Boba Boss, Brian Khoddam

“So, what I’ve discovered as an entrepreneur, starting Boba Bam, starting my other companies, is  as long as you collect enough information about a particular issue, or risk or whatever, then it takes away all of that fear. Because then it turns into steps, and you know what to do at that point. So, my advice is to collect as much information to defeat your fear, and then it turns into actions, and then actions become results.”

Chairman and Founder of Boba Bam, Bob Yau, and the big Boba boss, Brian Khoddam saw a gap in a growing market and were able to create a successful business with the help of a resourceful tool that’s literally available to everyone – Google Trends. 

In this episode of my podcast, The Irresistible Factor, Bob and Brian share their perspective on Boba Bam’s rapid success with their at home boba making kit. They started down a very unique path with one of the largest retailers in the world, Costco, and have since been expanding nationwide. Bob and Brian talk about their funding process, product awareness strategies, challenges thus far, and the importance of truly believing in your product. 

“If you really believe in something, you should take chances in life and go for it. Otherwise, you could go through your whole life regretting why you didn’t take that chance.” — Brian Khoddam

This is a success story entrepreneurs will be inspired by. 

 

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with Boba Bam chairman and founder Bob Yau, and the big Boba boss, Brian Khoddam.

 

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

  • How the Boba Bam journey began and succeeded during a pandemic
  • How they’ve handled their greatest challenges thus far: ocean freight and logistics, and awareness.
  • Why they haven’t yet explored a DTC option
  • Bob and Brian’s advice for founding  a successful enterprise

 

 

Links mentioned in this episode: 

Boba Bam 

Brian Khoddam on LinkedIn 

Bob Yau on LinkedIn 

The Irresistible Factor Podcast  

Sawtooth Group 

Loft Growth Partners Managing Partner, and Champion of Mission-Driven Brands, Liz Myslik.

“The consumer is rainbow of colors, and all different genders and different backgrounds. We don’t have necessarily that representation in the companies that are creating products and services for them.” 

In this episode of my podcast, The Irresistible Factor, Liz shares her experience of being a female investor and how she believes we are just scratching the surface in creating a more diverse field of investors. In fact, this is what really pushed Liz to become an investor – “I never really saw the type of person that looked like me or had my kind of background.” 

Liz has a real passion for helping others create and innovate – especially around  things that help us live healthier, or help make the  planet be healthier. Liz touches on a variety of topics from how she landed her unique position, to the types of companies she gravitates towards, to what it takes to be a successful brand.

 

Liz is a wealth of information and is full of important advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and investors. 

 

“Where you start is not where you end up. Just enjoy the journey and the journey of growth. If you don’t enjoy that journey, maybe being an entrepreneur isn’t the right job.”

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with Loft Growth Partners managing partner, and champion of mission-driven brands, Liz Myslik. 

 

 

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

  • Why people are the most important part of building a business 
  • What it takes to be a successful brand 
  • The importance of having all types of people represented as investors 
  • Advice to founders who are feeling unsure 

 

 

Links mentioned in this episode: 

 

Liz Myslik on LinkedIn 

Liz Myslik on Twitter 

Loft Growth Partners 

Back to the Roots 

The Irresistible Factor Podcast  

Sawtooth Group 

Kristi Bridges on Linkedln  

Kristi Bridges on Twitter 

Interview with Sarah Galletti – Founder of Tattooed Chef

“I really wanted to create a brand that changed the way we eat and helps us feel a little bit more connected to each other and the world that we share and I’m hoping that that is what we’re doing today at tattooed chef”. 

In this week’s episode of my podcast, The Irresistible Factor, we find out how the founder of the company, Sarah Galletti, went from film school to being the founder of Tattooed Chef – creating delicious and healthy sustainable frozen meals. After traveling to Italy and reconnecting with her Italian routes, Sarah wanted to continue creating delicious sustainable food in the US. Tattooed Chef is serving up plant-based enchiladas, mac and cheese, pizza, and smoothie bowls in the notoriously challenging frozen category. Sarah’s innovative branding and delicious “better for you” meals have created a brand that is quite irresistible.  

On the podcast, Sarah talks about her unique approach to creating her brand by starting in the club channel (a surprising choice!) and how going public early on has led her to over 16,000 points of distribution today. 

Sarah explains how she used “nostalgic innovation” – taking something familiar and making it relevant to what consumers are looking for today – to create her brand that people can’t get enough of. 

Sarah also shares advice on how to conquer the stress that comes with being an entrepreneur and how sometimes pressure and stress can motivate you to do your best work.  

“I believe when you’re really pushed through those moments that is when the best work happens, and you see things quicker, and you push harder, and you make things happen faster, and that’s where I kind of like it” 

 

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with Tattooed Chef founder, Sarah Galletti

 

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

  • When and how Tattooed Chef became a brand and the dream Sarah had that came true.  
  • How Tattooed Chef managed to transition from club to more conventional channels.   
  • The misperceptions that people have about frozen food and how this is changing. 
  • Sarah’s goals for the brand and some of the products that are soon to launch.  
  • What inspired her to create a club channel first and the role of nostalgic innovation. 

 

Links mentioned in this episode: 

Tattooed Chef

Tattooed Chef on Instagram 

Sarah Galletti on Linkedin   

 

Interview with Drink Sound Co-Founder, Tommy Kelly

For food-and-beverage brands, being unafraid to ask questions is key.

“Something I wish that we had done early on is leaning into the [food and beverage] community,” shares Co-Founder of Drink Sound, Tommy Kelly. “And not feeling like every problem needed to be solved internally. And being more vulnerable and again. I think that this comes back to sort of the LinkedIn conversation a little bit — around, if you see everyone’s posting wins and how well they’re doing, you can be reluctant to say, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing,’ or “I can’t figure this out,’ or you know, ‘Help me,’ right?”

On this episode of my podcast, The Irresistible Factor, we dive into the story of how two engineers working in the nuclear power industry became the founders of the coveted carbonated, unsweetened, organic tea company. Tommy shares how this journey has come with its fair share of challenges, but how his long-term focus and passion for quality ingredients catapulted the brand to household-name status. 

Tommy’s advice? Welcome change, but be clear on your values.

“Our brand name has changed,” he says, “our packaging has changed, our flavors have changed, our route to market has changed. All of these things have evolved but one thing that hasn’t is our commitment to ingredient quality, our commitment to helping people drink less sugar.”

 

Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with Co-Founder, Tommy Kelly

 

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

  • Why Tommy and his co-founder, Salim, decided to call their company Sound. 
  • Why Sound discontinued one of their flavors
  • The community-centered attitude characteristic of the natural foods industry
  • Sound’s expansion plans

 

Links mentioned in this episode: 

Sound

Sound on Facebook

Sound on Instagram