Food Biz Wiz

152. Rapid Fire Q&A: Navigating Supply Chain Challenges, Fancy Food Follow Ups, Investing in PR, Sales Strategy Tough Love, and Fourth Quarter Prep! Jun 30, 2022

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 pressing questions.

I’ll covers a wide range of topics, including:

How brands can navigate pitches through supply chain issues & inflation
What brands can focus on NOW as we head into the summer months
Some of my tough love on sales strategy
Two questions to ask yourself when considering if you’re ready for PR
How to follow up from Fancy Food…even if you haven’t followed up yet!

Click here for the full show notes and to join us in our private Facebook group, or to connect with me on Instagram.

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join us!

151. [“Is It Worth It, Charlie?” Series] Should I Work with a Distributor? Jun 23, 2022

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 Rebellion, to discuss if she should continue to work with a distributor.

Working with a distributor is perhaps one of the most critical things you’ll think through when trying to expand into more retailers.

In this episode, Charlie and Annabel consider the following:

What benefits Tea Rebellion has experienced from working with a distributor
What challenges arise
How Tea Rebellion’s mission, values, and logistics fit with working with a distributor

After talking through all these considerations, Annabel has a clearer understanding of her next steps!

Charlie Berkinshaw is our VP of Student Success here at Food Biz Wiz, as well as the Founder of Element Shrub, a RTD and concentrate beverage line, and a Founding Partner of The Fountain Inn, a spirits tasting room in Washington, D.C. Charlie supports our students day in and day out, answering questions just like this in our private Retail Ready® student community and on our bi-weekly coaching calls.

Click over to our full show notes here so that you can see more of our resources and can check out more about Tea Rebellion.

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our second quarter cohort!

150. [Original Recipe] Episode 40: Storytelling for Sales: using the power of storytelling to build your packaged food or beverage business with Adam Force Jun 16, 2022

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 more about how to leverage storytelling to drive sales for your food or beverage business.

In the episode, Adam shares:

What does storytelling have to do with your business
Why storytelling works to land sales over other hard marketing tactics
How to tell if you’re already using storytelling in your business, and what to do if you’re not
Why storytelling is a learned skill that we have to practice and hone, and how to do so

If you’ve ever wondered how to warm up those wholesale buyers and turn your online followers into raving fans - this episode will dive into that! Check out our full notes as well for Adam’s resources and how to check out Change Creator.

This episode is sponsored by our 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's!

Get the free download here!

149. What's Working Now on RangeMe with Brandon Leong Jun 09, 2022

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 and Growth for RangeMe, to join us.

In this episode, Brandon and I share some real talk on:

Why you NEED to be on RangeMe
How you can shift your thinking to use RangeMe more effectively and stop using hope as a strategy
The no and low cost way to drive your RangeMe profile’s visibility, plus…
What some of the biggest recent buyer trends are

This episode was packed FULL of valuable insights for food CPG brands and I know you’ll walk away with actionable next steps.

If you want to navigate to RangeMe’s site, check Brandon out, and see our full show notes, click here!

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join us!

148. Why That Wholesale Buyer Is Ghosting You (And What To Do Instead) Jun 02, 2022

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 sent them multiple emails and your sales materials…and then radio silence.

In today’s episode of the Food Biz Wiz® Podcast, I’ll share…

WHY buyers go quiet on you
WHAT it means when that happens
Then, HOW to rekindle the conversation after silence or if they’ve never responded in the first place

I can’t wait to share these necessary pieces of buyer intel with you. Listen in to catch them all!

Click on over to our full show notes, where you’ll find even more information and can group our podcasts by theme!

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our second quarter cohort!

147. [“Is It Worth It, Charlie?”] How to Determine if “It’s Worth It?” In 3 Steps May 26, 2022

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 business decision with a Retail Ready® student.

This week though, Charlie dives into the THREE topics he considers essential to think through when weighing whether a decision is worth it:

Money: COGS, pricing, ROI, and more
The resources available to your business
Reflection on this decision’s impact

Whether you’re an emerging brand or have been in business for years, these topics are key when thinking through pivotal decisions. Tune in to hear what they’re all about!

Follow along here to our full show notes, where you’ll find even more information and can access podcasts relevant for CPG entrepreneurs like yourself!

Charlie Berkinshaw is our VP of Student Success here at Food Biz Wiz, as well as the Founder of Element Shrub, a RTD and concentrate beverage line, and a Founding Partner of The Fountain Inn, a spirits tasting room in Washington, D.C. Charlie supports our students day in and day out, using this framework in our private Retail Ready® student community and on our bi-weekly coaching calls.

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our second quarter cohort!

146. [Original Recipe] Time Management: Working ON your Business vs. Working IN your Business May 19, 2022

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 actually work on our overall business.

In today’s show, we’ll focus on what the difference between working ON your business is versus working IN your business. We’ll also cover:

How to know if you’re working ON vs IN your business
My secret to making time to work ON your business
How our team here at Food Biz Wiz® can support you in working ON your business

This is the fourth episode of our Original Recipe series, where our student success coordinator Gabby hand-picks timely episodes to re-share. We originally aired this episode in the 4th quarter and its message is still relevant to intentionally setting yourself up for success.

Listen in for all my thoughts on how to get out of that rut and empower your business now!

For the full show notes and to learn even more about how we can support you in choosing to invest in your business and yourself, click here.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready®, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and find yourself nodding along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready®. We invite you to skip the line to sign up right here and now!

145. How Mindset Matters: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Results with Charlotte Smith May 12, 2022

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 mental space to do it. That’s why I’m so excited for this week’s episode with Charlotte Smith.

Charlotte is a marketing expert who specializes in marketing for agricultural professionals AND mindset coaching to move your business forward and reduce overwhelm and anxiety.

Some of the questions we discuss include:

What even is mindset and what should we understand about it?
What questions can we start asking to shift our mindset?
How can we empower our productive thoughts and recognize our negative thoughts?
Plus even more!

If you’d like to see more about the resources mentioned or how to connect with Charlotte, check out our full show notes here.

This episode is sponsored by Wholesale Week, the FREE 5 days of actionable mini lessons for emerging food, bev and taxable grocery brands like yours. We have designed Wholesale Week to help you put your wholesale strategy in place for your next steps in 2022. Click here to sign up!

144. My BEST business advice + Your Free Invite To Wholesale Week! May 05, 2022

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 to share it with you in this episode.

I’ll share what that piece of wisdom means for CPG brands AND tell you more about Food Biz Wiz’s Wholesale Week. It’s 5 days of free, actionable, mini lessons for emerging food, bev and taxable grocery brands, designed to help you land on more shelves, and get into more shopping baskets.

Listen along for more details and check out our full show notes at this link, where we’ll have all the resources mentioned.

This episode is sponsored by Wholesale Week, the FREE 5 days of actionable mini lessons for emerging food, bev and taxable grocery brands like yours. We have designed Wholesale Week to help you put your wholesale strategy in place for your next steps in 2022 and put that quote’s wisdom into practice. Click here to sign up!

143. Should I Exhibit at a Trade Show? ["Is It Worth It, Charlie?" Series] Apr 28, 2022

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 & More Co., about whether or not it’s worth it to attend a trade show!

Charlie Berkinshaw is our VP of Student Success here at Food Biz Wiz, as well as the Founder of Element Shrub, a RTD and concentrate beverage line, and a Founding Partner of The Fountain Inn, a spirits tasting room in Washington, D.C. Charlie supports our students day in and day out, answering questions just like this in our private Retail Ready® student community and on our bi-weekly coaching calls.

Listen along to hear Patricia and Charlie talk through the questions that so many food founders consider when deciding whether to attend a trade show, such as:

How do I quantify the ROI for a trade show?
What is a realistic timeline for the potential payoff from a trade show?
Which samples do I bring? How do I hire help for staffing the show?
Plus more!

By the end, Patricia has a clear idea of her next steps forward!

Check out our full show notes here, with all of the resources they mentioned in the episode, and to connect with Dell Cove Spices & More Co.

This episode is sponsored by our Masterclass! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our second quarter cohort!

142. [Original Recipe] How & Why to Show up for Racial Justice & Inclusion in the Packaged Products Industry, with DEI Consultant Jennifer Yepez-Blundell Apr 21, 2022

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 implementing it into our practices?

If you were wondering that, then you’re in luck! Today, we are revisiting episode 102 as the third episode of the Original Recipe series, where we use your top questions to hand-pick previously aired episodes, all presented with fresh insights from our Student Success Coordinator, Gabby.

In this episode, DEI consultant Jennifer Yepez-Blundell (formerly of Hella Social Impact) and I discussed

Why should CPG brands care about DEI?
Do consumers care about DEI?
How working on DEI impacts your sales and customer base.
How Hella Social Impact works with clients and how you can use their “Notice, Name, Dismantle” framework to create a strategy around being a more inclusive, just CPG business

To find out more about Hella Social Impact and how they work with clients, see the full show notes by clicking here.

If you finished listening by wondering how you can find a community of supporters around your food biz questions, you’ve got to join us in Retail Ready®, my online course, coaching & community for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again, or choose the quickstart option on the waitlist confirmation page if you’re ready to join immediately! Click here to save your spot!

141. Behind The Scenes of MagicDates Stunning Rebrand Apr 14, 2022

Refreshing your branding is a huge undertaking. There are so many considerations involved, from your brand’s story, to your physical packaging, to finding the right partners.

But when is the right time to undergo a rebrand?
What even are the processes involved in a rebrand?

In this episode, we are thrilled to talk with Diana Jarrar, the founder of MagicBites (and a Retail Ready(R) student), and Sam Laubach and Meghan Martin, the co-founders of Here and Now Creative, about the BEAUTIFUL rebrand they launched for MagicDates.

In this episode, we discuss:

The WHY behind Diana’s decision to rebrand in the first place
How she found the right design partners
The steps in the rebranding process
How Sam and Meghan guided Diana through the process

If you’d like to see our full notes and resources, to join us in our private Facebook group, or to connect with me on Instagram, click here for the full show notes!

This episode is sponsored by my Masterclass! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our second quarter cohort!

140. Rapid Fire Q&A: Finding Buyer Contact Info, Hiring a VA, Being Proactive, & Moving Beyond Farmers Markets Apr 07, 2022

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 following topics:

Moving from farmer’s markets to wholesale stores
Hiring VA’s and “do’s” and “don’ts”
How to find wholesale buyer email addresses
How to be proactive in your business

Click here for the full show notes and to join us in our private Facebook group, or to connect with me on Instagram.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It's more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you're there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

139. Should I Change My Packaging? ["Is It Worth It, Charlie?" Series] Mar 31, 2022

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 founder of My Guiltless Treats, decide whether or not it’s worth it to change her packaging size.

Charlie Berkinshaw is our VP of Student Success here at Food Biz Wiz, as well as the Founder of Element Shrub, a RTD and concentrate beverage line, and a Founding Partner of The Fountain Inn, a spirits tasting room in Washington, D.C. Charlie supports our students day in and day out, answering questions just like this in our private Retail Ready® student community and on our bi-weekly coaching calls.

Tune in to hear them talk through the questions that any founder needs to be able to answer as you consider changing your packaging, size, product assortment, flavors, or other offerings to your wholesale accounts and direct-consumers.

At the end of this show, you’ll hear Karine exclaim that she is “mind-blown!” as she gains clarity during her conversation with Charlie.

Click here for the full show notes, all of the resources mentioned in today’s show, and to learn more about My Guiltless Treats!

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready®, our online course, coaching & community for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, WISHING you could get Charlie’s advice for your brand, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

138. [Original Recipe] Working With Co-Packers: How to Set up For Success Mar 24, 2022

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 scary (not to mention expensive!).

This is the second episode of the Original Recipe series, where we use your top questions to hand-pick previously aired episodes, all presented with fresh insights from our Student Success Coordinator, Gabby. In today’s show, we turn back to co-packing.

In this show, I’m joined by Ashley Sutterfield, the CEO of Metzger & Roth, a consultant who helps CPG brands navigate the daunting world of co-packers. We’ll revisit:

How to prepare for working with co-packers, and what you’ve got to nail down before you even consider moving to a co-man.
How to find the right partner for your brand, and how to evaluate potential partners as you start to do you research
How to execute your first trial runs, and what happens next…

Plus a whole lot more!

Find the full show notes, all of the resources that we mentioned on the show, and Ashley’s contact information by clicking here.

If you found value in today’s show, you’ve got to join us in Retail Ready®, my online course, coaching & community for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again, or choose the quickstart option on the waitlist confirmation page if you’re ready to join immediately! Click here to save your spot!

137. Thinking Outside the Box with Emily Schildt of Pop Up Grocer Mar 17, 2022

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 elsewhere, Emily Schildt of Pop Up Grocer joins me today to talk about how the physical retail industry is changing, plus how food founders can keep up.

Listen in to learn how to shift your mindset and start using industry changes to your advantage.

Find out where Pop Up Grocer is heading next and how you can get involved in the full show notes here!

This episode is sponsored by my 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's! Get the free download here.

136. How, When, and Why to Hire with Cindy Harvey Mar 10, 2022

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 down with hiring expert Cindy Harvey to give you insights into your next hire.

Listen in to learn how, when, and why to hire - plus we’ll talk about ways that the wrong fit can cost your business.

Learn about how to connect with Cindy in the full show notes here!

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It's more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you're there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

135. The 3 Ways to Win with eCommerce Mar 03, 2022

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 may think. In this episode, we’ll explore 3 different channels to sell your packaged product online, and what you need to know about each of them before getting started.

Check out the full show notes, and then be sure to continue the conversation in our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz® podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready®, our online course, coaching & community for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

134. What To Expect At Expo West 2022 with Lacey Gautier, VP of Events at New Hope Feb 24, 2022

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 successful at this year’s Expo West.

Listen in to learn how to get the most out of the show, with tips on what to prepare and the kinds of connections that even introverted CPG founders can make during the event. (Spoiler alert - there are some BIG retail buyers attending this year!)

Learn where to find Lacey and grab links to everything you need for 2022’s Expo West in the full show notes here!

This episode is sponsored by my 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's! Get the free download here.

133. [Original Recipe] Just Say No: How To Do Less To Accomplish More Feb 17, 2022

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 with fresh insights from our Student Success Coordinator, Gabby.

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 you how to say “no” in your business, and why it’s so important.

Listen in to learn:

Why it’s important to say “no” in your business
What you’re risking if you don’t incorporate this into your business vocabulary
Four strategies for saying “no” even when it feels hard

PLUS, get something new from this Original Recipe by listening for 1) what you gain by saying ‘no,’ and 2) which tools you can start TODAY to be more effective in your business.

Check out the full show notes, and then be sure to continue the conversation in our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It's more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you're there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

132. How To Use Video Recipes To Sell On Social Media with Guest Rupa Nagamootoo Feb 10, 2022

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 create consistently beautiful content - WITHOUT a professional photographer or videographer on demand at all times?

Food photographer and course creator, Rupa Nagamootoo, joins me in today’s episode to answer that very question, with some real tips on how to put your brand in the spotlight using just your phone and some savvy video marketing.

Learn more about how to sync up with Rupa and her Viral Recipe Video Workshop in the full show notes here!

This episode was supported by Canva, my favorite, EASY design tool for creating branded images, graphics, and GIFs that will make your social media stories & feeds look SUPER PRO. If you’re looking for easy-to-use online software, you’ll want to check Canva out. You’ll be hooked!

131. Category Reviews Are BS Feb 03, 2022

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 this episode, we’re diving into what category reviews are, the types of stores that do them, and what that means for you (spoiler alert! I think they’re a little BS). I also build on the lessons in Episode 129, so be sure to give that a listen next.

Check out the full show notes, and then be sure to continue the conversation in our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group.

This episode is sponsored by my 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's! Get the free download here.

130. Last Minute Trade Show Planning: Prepping for Fancy Food, Expo West, and the GF Mercantile! Jan 27, 2022

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 episode, I’ll walk you through the three most important pieces of putting together a last-minute tradeshow plan (including my favorite FREE resource!) and you’ll immediately feel more at ease going into this season’s shows.

For the full show notes, click here.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, our online course, coaching & community for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

129. Are You A High Maintenance Vendor? Jan 20, 2022

Wholesale buyers are more likely to work with brands that are easygoing, deliver upon their promises, and seem trustworthy. After all, they have their pick of whom to work with!

In today’s episode, I ask the hard question of “are you a high maintenance vendor,” and outline the top signs that you might be. With this knowledge, you can self-assess and adjust your ways, knowing that with small changes you’ll be a more trustworthy, reliable vendor and land on more shelves.

For the full show notes, click here and to continue the conversation in our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group, click here.

This episode is sponsored by my 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's! Get the free download by clicking here.

128. Is DTC Killing Wholesale? Jan 13, 2022

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 today’s episode, I talk through whether or not wholesale is dying in 2022, and what questions to think about as you decide whether you’ll sell through traditional wholesale accounts, eCommerce channels, or direct-to-consumer.

For the full show notes and invite to the Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group, click here.

Don't forget: we’re raising the price of Retail Ready® - our course, coaching & community for wholesale success- at the EOD on Tuesday, January 18th. Join us now to save $500 before we turn on our 2022 pricing! Skip the sales call, the educational masterclass, and the waitlist by clicking through to the enrollment page, linked directly here. See you soon in Retail Ready®!

127. Food Biz Predictions for 2022 Jan 06, 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 coming year. Tune in to hear me talk through each trend, what it is, and the impact that it will have on your business.

For this episode’s full show notes, more information on the resources I talked about today, including the complementary digital swag bag worth over $1,500 from our Brand Camp sponsors, click here.

From there, jumpstart your year by joining us inside of Brand Camp, our free, 5-day bite-sized workshop for planning out your successful 2022 wholesale strategy. In only 10 minutes per day from Monday, Jan 10 - Friday, Jan 14th, you’ll learn tools and strategies to reduce overwhelm in your day-to-day, increase your sales, land on more shelves, and speak the language of wholesale buyers. Register for free at www.alliball.com/brand-camp.

126. How to Make & Track Progress On Your Goals [2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series Episode 5/5] Dec 30, 2021

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 that you get in the habit of working towards them, EVEN WHEN things get busy in your business, which they inevitably do.

Tune in to hear how you can create & stick to a small habit that will create BIG results in your food or beverage business in 2022. Remember, results come from action, and that’s what we’re outlining today.

Click here for the first four episodes of our 2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series, and for the full show notes.

From there, don’t miss out: our Fourth Quarter Cohort of Retail Ready® is now enrolling, before we raise prices in January! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business (even during this holiday season!) and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our Fourth Quarter cohort and lock in our 2021 pricing, before we increase the cost in January.

125. How To Overcome Overwhelm & Business Setbacks [2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series Episode 4/5] Dec 23, 2021

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 sold in this channel before!”

“I don’t know the first thing about hiring! I’m stuck!”

“I have NO IDEA what a placement deal is, or what I should offer.”

Does that sound familiar? In today’s show, I’m sharing my business superpower that helps me move forward, despite the feelings of overwhelm, being stuck, or having no idea how to navigate a new business challenge that comes up.

If you’re plagued by imposter syndrome, analysis paralysis, or plain ol’ fear of failure - you’ll want to tune in today! Click here for the first three episodes of our 2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series, and for the full show notes.

From there, don’t forget: our Fourth Quarter Cohort of Retail Ready® is now enrolling, before we raise prices in January! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business (even during this holiday season!) and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our Fourth Quarter cohort!

124. Tactics for Hitting Your Goals [2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series Episode 3/5] Dec 16, 2021

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 talk through narrowing down which tactics you’ll use to achieve your 2022 business goals, and how I use the “lever framework” to assess where to focus for business growth.

This episode is #3 of our five-part 2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series! To listen to the first two episodes and to find all of the resources outlined in today’s show, click here for the full episode notes.

From there, don’t forget: our Fourth Quarter Cohort of Retail Ready® is now enrolling, before we raise prices in January! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business (even during this holiday season!) and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our Fourth Quarter cohort!

123. Reverse Engineer Your Goals [2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series Episode 2/5] Dec 09, 2021

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 start from the end, and work your way back to the beginning.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have your 2022 First Quarter goals outlined, and will be ready to tune in to episode three of our mini series, where we outline my Lever Framework for determining the tactics that will help you hit those goals.

For the full 2022 Goal Setting mini series and episode show notes, click here.

From there, don’t forget: our Fourth Quarter Cohort of Retail Ready® is now enrolling, before we raise prices in January! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business (even during this holiday season!) and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our Fourth Quarter cohort!

122. Introducing our 2022 Goal Setting Mini-Series: Why Set Goals? [Episode 1/5] Dec 02, 2021

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 for outlining and progressing on next year’s business goals.

In today’s show, we start with the WHY. Why do most food founders jump straight into the DOING rather than planning, and why is it important to break this habit?

Once you’ve listened and are ready to commit to ending 2021 with intention, click here for the full show notes, and to connect with me over Instagram, and further your learning in our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group.

From there, don’t forget: our Fourth Quarter Cohort of Retail Ready® is now enrolling, before we raise prices in January! Click here to watch our free masterclass on growing your food business (even during this holiday season!) and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our Fourth Quarter cohort!

121. Rapid Fire Q&A: Hiring PR & Marketing Help, Margins, Promo Offers + 2022 Success Nov 25, 2021

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 hiring a PR Strategist
What to think through when hiring a social media or marketing agency
What minimum margins you’ll need in your food business
How to design an introductory promotion for wholesale
What to do to set up for success in 2022

Tune in to hear quick, off-the-cuff answers to our Food Biz Wiz® listener-submitted questions!

Click here for the full show notes, and to join us in our private Facebook group, or to connect with Alli on Instagram.

From there, don’t forget: our Fourth Quarter Cohort of Retail Ready® is now enrolling, before we raise prices in January! Click here for the full course outline and to understand exactly what we cover inside our course, coaching & community - plus how to join our Fourth Quarter cohort!

120. Creating consistent content for your CPG brand: A guide to reducing digital marketing overwhelm Nov 18, 2021

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 day-to-day of your business?

In this episode, I’m joined by communications consultant Delaney Vetter, and we discuss:

Delaney’s best tips for getting off the cycle of overwhelm in content creation, and how you can create a system for executing with ease
How can brands decide where to focus your energy, and whether or not you should be active on every platform?
Whether or not you should outsource your social content and email marketing, and what to think about when you’re ready to bring on a pro

It’s time to take the overwhelm out of digital content creation!

Click here for the full show notes, all of the tools that Delaney recommends, and to keep in touch with her.

Truth talk: your time is running out to get organized before January, when Buyers start considering new products for their shelves again. You don’t want to wake up on January 1 and start winging your sales strategy: you want to join us inside Retail Ready® and get access to our course, coaching and community that will set you up for success in the new year. Click here to enroll in Retail Ready® directly. No waitlist, no sales calls, no back and forth emails: just straight to our enrollment page. See you inside Retail Ready®!

119. Supply Chain & Operations with Elena Guberman Nov 11, 2021

Today’s show welcomes supply chain and ops expert, Elena Guberman.

We’re discussing:

Where do you start when you think about supply chain optimization in your emerging business?
How do you move forward with limited capital?
Elena’s top 3 tips for creating a strong supply chain

You’ll also hear us rant about the food industry, give our tips for asking for feedback as you grow your brand, and drop a whole bunch of helpful resources for your business. Click here for the full show notes, all of our resources, and to keep in touch with Elena.

Truth talk: your time is running out to get organized before January, when Buyers start considering new products for their shelves again. You don’t want to wake up on January 1 and start winging your sales strategy: you want to join us inside Retail Ready® and get access to our course, coaching and community that will set you up for success in the new year. Click here to enroll in Retail Ready® directly. No waitlist, no sales calls, no back and forth emails: just straight to our enrollment page. See you inside Retail Ready®!

118. How to Execute A Price Increase Nov 04, 2021

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 increased packaging, ingredient, and freight costs.

In this episode, we’re walking you through executing a price increase that is stress-free, and keeps you in good graces with your wholesale accounts.

Take a deep breath: you’ve got this.

Click here for the full show notes and your invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, and to connect with me on Instagram!

Truth talk: your time is running out to get organized before January, when Buyers start considering new products for their shelves again. You don’t want to wake up on January 1 and start winging your sales strategy: you want to join us inside Retail Ready® and get access to our course, coaching and community that will set you up for success in the new year. Click here to enroll in Retail Ready® directly. No waitlist, no sales calls, no back and forth emails: just straight to our enrollment page. See you inside Retail Ready®!

117. Nutrition Labels 101 with ReciPal Oct 28, 2021

This episode welcomes Lev Berlin, the founder of ReciPal: a simple software for nutritional labels, costing and inventory management.

In today’s show, we’ll cover:

How Lev’s background launching SlantShack jerky lead him to start ReciPal
The regulations around nutritional facts panels, and whether or not you need them for your packaged product business
The different methods you can use to source nutrition facts panels for your products
The risks & responsibilities to consider as you label your packaged product

For the full show notes, including the blog posts and resources that we mention in today’s episode, click here.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

116. Time Management: Working ON your Business vs. Working IN your Business Oct 21, 2021

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 your business, and why it’s so important this time of year.

In today’s episode, we’ll discuss:

How to know if you’re working ON vs IN your business
My secret to making time to work ON your business
Why it’s important to focus on that in the 4th quarter
How you can do that with me & my team at Food Biz Wiz.

Tune in to get more time back in your day, and work on the RIGHT things in your business in the fourth quarter!

For the full show notes, click here.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

115. 5 Packaging Design Secrets To Drive Sales with Asha Mody Oct 14, 2021

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 wealth of knowledge and insider information on what packaging stands out on the shelf and why you need to prioritize this to grow your sales.

In today's show, we talk through Asha's five packaging secrets that will help increase your sales!

We’ll cover:

Telling your brand's story through your packaging.
How to make sure your packaging is easy to understand.
How to make the most of the space you have.
How to create positive tactile experiences for consumers with the right material.
How to achieve packaging that is both practical and functional for your product.

All of these steps are essential to achieving the level of success that powerful and effective packaging promises!

Click here for the full show notes, a link to a packaging design course with Mindsy Design Studio, or join our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group!

Have additional questions about how to create the right packaging for your product? You can connect with Asha @mindsdesignstudio or shoot me a DM @itsalliball on Instagram!

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It's more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you're there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

114. [4th Quarter Focus Series #4] What To Focus On For Business Growth Oct 07, 2021

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 quarter - and where to focus your business-building efforts for the remainder of the year.

I'll outline exactly what you should focus on for the next few months to ensure you're ready when January 1 gets here.

I'll discuss:

Your Sales Scripts
Your Sales Materials
Your Sales Strategy

This is the perfect time to make sure you know exactly how to craft a pitch that gets that Buyer to say "Yes!"

Click here for the full show notes and links to the previous episodes in our mini-series.

If you enjoyed this mini-series send me a DM on Instagram @itsalliball! Let me know what you’re excited about for the end of the year.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

113. [4th Quarter Focus Series #3] How To Win Over Buyers & Increase Sales Sep 30, 2021

In the third episode of our Fourth Quarter Focus Series, we're talking about nurturing your existing accounts.

During the holiday season, it's crucial to ensure you're getting all of the sales that you can out of the shelves you're already on.

In this week's show, I'll discuss:

The importance of nurturing your relationships to set up for sales success in the fourth quarter. The two audiences you'll focus on and how to nurture them. Why nurturing your accounts is a multipronged strategy.

Click here for the full show notes and links to the two previous episodes in our mini-series.

Are you enjoying this mini-series? I'd love to know your feedback, so send me a DM on Instagram @itsalliball, and let me know if you like this style where we take a larger topic and break it down into a series of shorter episodes.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

112. [4th Quarter Focus Series #2] Your Last Chance Pitch Sep 23, 2021

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-series, we're talking about your last chance pitch. In this week's show, I give you four things to focus on as you craft your last pitches of the year.

We'll discuss your:

Product
Pricing
Promotion
Pitch Script

Click here for the full show notes, a link to episode one, and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group.

Feeling stuck after listening to this episode? Send me a DM on Instagram @itsalliball and let me know what areas you're stuck in.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

111. [4th Quarter Focus Series #1] The Wholesale Buyer's Perspective Sep 16, 2021

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 on in the 4th quarter!

This week's episode is all about the Wholesale Buyer's Perspective. What are they thinking throughout the fourth quarter, and how should that impact the actions you take as a food business founder?

I'll discuss:

A breakdown of the Buyer's Perspective from October to December.
Why Buyers may be ignoring your emails.
The importance of understanding the rhythm of retail.

For the full show notes and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here.

If this episode was helpful to you, please share it! I'd love it if you tag me in your IG stories - I'm @itsalliball.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

110. Rapid Fire Q&A: 4th Quarter Pitches, Buyer follow-up, MAPs, Bribing Buyers, & Skipping Tradeshows Sep 09, 2021

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 holiday season.
Connecting with buyers if you didn't go to tradeshows this year.
Establishing a minimum accepted retail price or MAP.

And more!

Have a question for a future rapid-fire episode? Shoot me a DM on Instagram, and I'll add it to the queue.

For the full show notes and all of the resources mentioned on today's show, click here.

This episode is sponsored by my 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's! Get the free download by clicking here.

109. 5 Things to Take Advantage of as a Minority or Women-Owned Business Sep 02, 2021

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 want to get on the shelves and Retailers that support Supplier Diversity.

In this week's episode, we talk through:

What Curate360 does
Five things minority-owned businesses should take advantage of to grow and scale
How we can help diversify the CPG industry
Some great resources that will help you get your business off the ground!

Click here for the full show notes, all of the resources mentioned on today's show, plus a discount code for a Curate360 membership.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

108. Stop Making This Wholesale Pitch Mistake (And What To Do Instead)! Aug 26, 2021

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!

In this week's Food Biz Wiz podcast, I share the #1 mistake I see food founders make in their wholesale pitches and what to do instead.

I promise you that if you make this small switch, you'll start getting more calls back and more YES's to carrying your products.

For the full show notes and all of the resources mentioned on today’s show, click here.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

107. 4 Steps to Implement Profit First in Your CPG business Aug 19, 2021

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 help good food businesses across the country achieve financial sustainability and profitability.

In this show, we’ll talk through:

What Profit First is.
How Sarah became the only Food Business Consultant Certified in Profit First.
Why Profit First implementation is different for CPG brands

And more!

For the full show notes and all of the resources mentioned on today’s show, click here.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

106. How To Succeed at Food Industry Trade Shows Aug 12, 2021

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 display at a show or just walk the floor
How to make the most out of your time at the show if you DO attend
How to have someone else cover your tradeshow expenses.

For the full show notes and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

105. My 3 Best Practices for Avoiding Late Payments from Wholesale Accounts Aug 05, 2021

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.

You'll learn how to:

Keep a credit card on file when you open new direct accounts with wholesale partners.
Set up late payment fees.
Stop delivering when you have overdue invoices.

For the full show notes and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here.

This episode is supported by Quickbooks, my favorite accounting software for keeping MY data and financials organized! Use my link to save 50% off your first six months when you sign up for a new account.

104. Creating Holiday-Related Visual Content for your Food or Beverage Brand with Food Photographer, Gwen Squires Jul 29, 2021

Today's Food Biz Wiz guest is Freelance Photographer Gwen Squires!

Gwen specializes in bringing the creations of CPG and specialty packaged food producers to life through custom visual content for brands both big and small.

In today's show, we talk about creating your visual content for the fourth quarter. That's right: even though it's July, we're thinking ahead to the holiday season and talking through the steps that you need to take NOW to set yourself up for seasonal success later this year.

To keep in touch with Gwen, check out her portfolio, the resources she mentioned, and see the full show notes, click here.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

103. How to Solicit Customer Feedback (So That It's Actually Helpful For Your Biz!) Jul 22, 2021

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 right people?

In today's show, I'm discussing the right and wrong way to get feedback for your packaged product line and the most important thing to avoid when asking your audience for their advice!

For the full show notes and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here.

This episode is sponsored by my 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's! Get the free download by clicking here.

102. How & Why to Show up for Racial Justice & Inclusion in the Packaged Products Industry, with DEI Consultant Jennifer Yepez-Blundell Jul 15, 2021

Today’s Food Biz Wiz guest is Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Consultant Jennifer Yepez-Blundell from Hella Social Impact.

In this show, we’ll cover:

Why should CPG brands care about DEI?
Do consumers care about DEI?
How working on DEI impacts your sales and customer base.
Information on the upcoming The Hella Impact Cohort for CPG brands, and how you can use their “Notice, Name, Dismantle” framework to create a strategy around being a more inclusive, just CPG business.

To keep in touch with Jennifer, find out more about Hella Social Impact and their upcoming Hella Impact Cohort, and see the full show notes, click here.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

101. The 3 Step System to Digital Growth with Umai Marketing: Organic Social, Paid + Email Jul 08, 2021

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 CORE 3: their 3 step system to digital growth.

We discuss:

Organic Social Media
Paid Advertising
Email Marketing

PLUS their tricks to avoiding overwhelm and FOMO as you watch other food & beverage brands growing rapidly online.

You’ll learn their best strategies for what’s working right now, and how you can implement simple, effective digital marketing practices that get a positive return on investment.

For the full show notes, links to Umai’s in-depth training, contact info for Alison and Karin, and more, click here.

This episode is supported by Klaviyo: my FAVORITE email marketing software. You’ll love their integrations, list segmenting, powerful drip campaigns, ability to integrate with Shopify, and more. If you’re thinking about upgrading your email marketing, you’ve got to check them out. Find out more about Klaviyo here.

100. 100 Reasons Why a Buyer Says "No" to Your Product (And How to Change it to a "Yes!") Jul 01, 2021

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 “Heck Yes’s!” instead! This show will help you land on more shelves, and craft a pitch that gets those first orders from your dream accounts.

In today’s show, I’ll talk through:

Why a Buyer says No
What to think through when you hear any Buyer’s objection
How to respond and change the conversation

As a bonus for today’s show, I’ve created a freebie workbook outlining those 100 Buyer No’s, which will walk you through preparing for any possible objection, and guide you in crafting that rebuttal. Find the free download and the full show notes by clicking here.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

99. Rapid Fire Q&A: Slow Sales, Imposter Syndrome, Buyer Pitches, MOQ, Category Reviews, & more! Jun 24, 2021

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 the retailer's category review schedule, do I really have to wait until next year?
How can I stop comparing myself to other food founders I see on social media?
Should I lower my price if my product isn’t selling well?
How soon should I email the buyer back after I drop off samples if I haven't heard anything?
How do I gain confidence in pitching?
If my product isn't selling in a particular store, what should I do?
What should my minimum order quantity be?

For the full show notes and all of the resources mentioned on today’s show, click here.

Thank you to the Good Food Foundation for sponsoring this episode. The GFF is an organization that I have known, worked with, and respected for a decade, and I can’t wait for my listeners to get to know them as well! Don’t forget to use promo code FOODBIZWIZ for 10% off your first entry this year. Good luck!

98. Creating a High-End Culinary Brand with Chef Evelyn Jun 17, 2021

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? Chef Evelyn Williams has the answers for you on today’s show.

Chef Evelyn is a Culinary Brand Strategist who helps her clients build solid foundations that develop profitable and sustainable culinary businesses, and generate multiple streams of income to scale and expand their culinary business empires. She’s got a ton to share with us around building a high-end brand, so tune in!

For the full show notes, access to the spice brand that we reference in the show today, and to keep in touch with Evelyn, click here.

Thank you to the Good Food Foundation for sponsoring this episode. The GFF is an organization that I have known, worked with, and respected for a decade, and I can’t wait for my listeners to get to know them as well! Don’t forget to use promo code FOODBIZWIZ for 10% off your first entry this year. Good luck!

97. How to Use Awards to Drive Sales Jun 10, 2021

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, I see producers fail to use that recognition to fully support their retail accounts, boost sales, land new placements, or procure additional press. This episode will change that!

In today’s show, I’m sharing my best advice on what to do with industry praise - be it an award, a press mention, or some other celebratory event - and how to use it to drive sales. Tune in!

Find the full show notes, the links to the past episodes that I mention on today’s show, and that discount for entering the Good Food Awards by clicking here.

Thank you to the Good Food Foundation for sponsoring this episode. The GFF is an organization that I have known, worked with, and respected for a decade, and I can’t wait for my listeners to get to know them as well! Don’t forget to use promo code FOODBIZWIZ for 10% off your first entry this year. Good luck!

96. The Good Food Awards: How & Why You Should Apply Jun 03, 2021

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 Food Awards, the changes that they’ve made in the past year, and the impact that this non-profit has on the food industry.

We also discuss who is eligible to enter, what winning an award has done for past recipients, and how to know if you’re right for one of their 18 categories. The entry period for the Good Food Awards is now open, from June 1 - June 30, 2021, so get to it!

Click here for the link to enter the Good Food Awards and for our full show notes. Don’t forget to use promo code FOODBIZWIZ for 10% off your first entry this year. Good luck!

Finally: we hope to see you in Brand Camp, our free 5-day online workshop for emerging food & beverage brands, running June 6 - June 11th. Come save your spot and you’ll be on your way to increasing your sales next week! Join us at www.takebrandcamp.com

Thank you to the Good Food Foundation for sponsoring this episode. The GFF is an organization that I have known, worked with, and respected for a decade, and I can’t wait for my listeners to get to know them as well!

95. My Key Takeaways from Natural Products Business School at Expo West May 27, 2021

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 and again throughout the 48 hours of educational conferencing, and how YOU can use those lessons to drive your food or beverage business this year.

Once you tune in, claim your official seat in Brand Camp, our free, five-day online workshop for emerging brands who want to increase their retail success. Through a 10-minute daily prompt, you’ll get clear on what YOU need to do next to grow your packaged product business. Sign up for free at www.takebrandcamp.com!

For the full show notes, links to the Natural Products Business School video replay, the contact information of the speakers referenced in this episode, and more click here.

94. Rethink Your Sales Emails May 20, 2021

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 changing only one sentence in your retail pitch can make or break your new account.

Once you tune in, claim your official seat in Brand Camp, our free, five-day online workshop for emerging brands who want to increase their retail success. Through a 10-minute daily prompt, you’ll get clear on what YOU need to do next to grow your packaged product business. Sign up for free at www.takebrandcamp.com!

For the full show notes & to find me on Facebook and Instagram, click here.

93. Food Safety & Compliance: What your food or beverage business needs to know to stay safe & risk free! May 13, 2021

Get ready for an episode all about food safety and regulatory compliance. While the topic might sound overwhelming, this episode is anything but!

Today’s show is with Valerie Madamba, a former food regulatory lawyer, FDA employee, and current Regulatory Principal at Foodwit, a consulting firm that provides regulatory and food safety managed services to food brands.

In our episode, we’ll talk through the basics of compliance, what to focus on when you first start out, who is responsible when issues arise, the risks of NOT complying, and some things to think through as you navigate the world of functional foods vs. supplements. Tune in!

For the full show notes, click here.

This episode is supported by Quickbooks, my favorite accounting software for keeping MY data and financials organized! Use my link to save 50% off your first six months when you sign up for a new account.

92. Food Founder Mistakes with Charlie Berkinshaw, the VP of Product & Student Success at Food Biz Wiz® May 06, 2021

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, what?

I’ve been keeping Charlie from my Food Biz Wiz audience for too long, and that changes with today’s episode! In today’s show, you’ll learn more about Charlie’s “Producer Perspective,” of growing his own ready-to-drink and concentrated beverage line, joining the team here at Food Biz Wiz, and his work consulting hundreds of emerging food & beverage brands.

He’s sharing the top three mistakes that he sees founders make (and mistakes he made in growing his own business!) and what to do instead. This short, digestible episode will save you time, money, and mental anguish as you grow your own packaged product line. Tune in!

For the full show notes and to keep in touch with Charlie, click here.

This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

91. Formulating & Scaling Clean-Label and Upcycled Products with Phil Saneski Apr 29, 2021

In today’s show, I’m joined by Product Developer and upcycled foods-advocate, Phil Saneski, as we discuss Developing craveable products that build consumer loyalty and increase same-store sales. In this episode, we’ll cover:

Product development with an eye towards clean-label formulations or using upcycled ingredients
The difference between protocept & prototype R&D, and which you should focus on
How to ensure your product will actually sell OFF the shelf once formulated
How consumer perspectives have shifted around upcycled products over the past two years
Whether to keep production in-house or use a co-packer

This conversation is FILLED with juicy insights from one of my favorite Product Developers, so tune in!

Click here for the full show notes and to keep in touch with Phil. Finally, if this episode resonated with you, don’t forget to grab my retail roadmap, which outlines my nine steps to growing a brand that FLIES off the retail shelf. Click here to download it!

90. Launching & Selling a $100 Million Business with Noah's Bagels. Apr 22, 2021

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-successful ventures: the West Coast Noah's New York Bagels chain and Bread & Circus, once the Northeast’s largest natural foods chain and now part of Whole Foods Market. Six and a half years after founding Noah’s New York Bagels, he sold the business for $100 million.

Join me in conversation with Noah, as we talk through his past 50 years in the food industry and learn from his successes & mistakes. In this show, we’ll discuss:

Noah’s path of launching, growing and selling food & food-related businesses for the past five decades
The three things that Noah did NOT have in place when his business flopped in the 1980’s (you MUST focus on these in order to succeed!)
Why Noah turned down the first opportunity to sell Noah’s New York Bagels, only to turn around and sell it for $100M one year later

For the full show notes and to keep in touch with Noah, click here.

Retail Ready® students: here’s your exclusive invite to join Noah and me on May 19, 2021 for our monthly Industry Expert call! Note your questions for Noah as you listen in, and make sure to tune in live in May. More details to follow directly in our Retail Ready® student communications.

If you’re ready to invest in your business, you’ve got to check out Retail Ready®, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

89. How to Turn Your Advocates Into Superfans with Ember Consulting Apr 15, 2021

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 & the team at Ember work with brands who have strong social or sustainable missions, helping to design programs to activate your superfans to take action with you to achieve your business goals.

Tune in to learn Bri’s methods for getting your fans & followers on board with YOUR company values, all with the goal of making more sales.

For the full show notes, an invite to the Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, and to keep in touch with Bri, click here.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

88. Why NOW is the time to pursue Foodservice Apr 08, 2021

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 place to reopen.

In today’s show, we’ll cover:

What defines the foodservice channel
The pros and cons of selling in foodservice
Why NOW is the right time to pitch to foodservice accounts

For the full show notes and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

87. Rapid Fire Q&A: Reorders, Merchandising, DTC, Sales strategy, Clipstrips & more! Apr 01, 2021

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 celebration of the eighth season? My BIG goal is to get to 10,000 downloads/month, and YOU can help me by screenshotting (or snapping a selfie!) as you listen in. Please share & tag me on Instagram at @itsalliball. I’d love to give you a follow right back. Thank you for helping to promote and grow this podcast!

In this episode, we’ll cover:

How to service an account after they’ve placed the first order
The best time of year to reach out to new accounts
How to get the Buyer to remerchandise your product on-shelf
What mistake I want every foodpreneur to stop making
The lessons I’ve learned from the past 87 episodes of Food Biz Wiz
Where to source merchandising props like clipstrips & sign holders
Which channel will be the most successful in 2021

For the full show notes and additional resources that I mention on this episode, click here.

From here, watch my free masterclass on my three steps to growing a packaged food business! I present the other most common errors that I see founders make as they grow, and outline immediate action steps to take instead. Click here to find a time that works for you to watch.

86. Four Food Industry Lesson from 12 months of COVID Mar 25, 2021

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 today’s show, I’m sharing four lessons that my community learned over the past year, and how you can learn from their successes (and mistakes!) to position yourself for stability and success as we move forward.

I’ll address channel strategy, founder mindset, using data to make decisions, connecting with your community, identifying your values, and more. Tune in, and click here for the full show notes.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

85. 2020 Annual Report: The State of the Specialty Food Industry with Analyst David Browne Mar 18, 2021

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 & consultant David Browne, as he shares his research on what happened in the past twelve months of the pandemic, how the Specialty Food segment grew, and what habits will stick as we move forward in 2021 and 2022.

Tune in to today’s show to learn how this data can help you make business decisions for your food or beverage brand, and how David uses this information to strategically guide brands through unprecedented periods.

For the full show notes, to keep in touch with David, and to join our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here.

This episode was supported by Canva, my favorite, EASY design tool for creating branded images, graphics, and GIFs that will make your social media stories & feeds look SUPER PRO. If you’re looking for easy-to-use online software, you’ll want to check Canva out. You’ll be hooked!

84. 100,000 Successful Virtual Pitches with ECRM Connect Mar 11, 2021

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, 2020. That’s right: they’ve facilitated over 10,000 virtual meetings every month since they launched their virtual platform!

Today I’m joined by Joe Tarnowski, the VP of Content at ECRM, and a legend in the CPG industry. We’re discussing the lessons he has learned about virtual pitching over the past year, how ECRM Connect can help you get in front of your dream retail buyers, what to expect as you pitch, follow up, and ship samples, and how the future of virtual pitches will evolve post-pandemic.

We drop a LOT of info in today’s show, so click through to get access to all of the resources that we mention in today’s episode. Click here for the full show notes.

If YOU enjoyed today’s episode and want the experience of getting direct feedback before YOUR next pitch, make sure you check out my free masterclass on my “Three Steps to Growing Your Packaged Food Business.” In this masterclass, you’ll learn:

The most common mistakes that I see as producers try to grow your food businesses, causing you to waste time, money, and sanity!
My three step process for building a brand that SELLS
How I work with students inside Retail Ready®, my online course, and how to know if you’re ready for wholesale growth through my program.

Click here to save your spot in my masterclass!

83. Creating opportunities for BIPOC & Women CPG Founders: a convo with Foodbevy Mar 04, 2021

Join me in conversation with Jordan Buckner, the founder of Foodbevy.com, an online resource for emerging food & beverage brands, and the cofounder of TeaSquares, a line of superfood energy bars designed to help people stay focused and alert so they can achieve their passions.

In today’s show, Jordan talks about his experience being a Black male in the food industry, and how he’s building upon his experience to create opportunities for BIPOC and women CPG founders through his work at Foodbevy. BIPOC and women founders are less likely to receive investment, be taken seriously at the table (or get invited to the table in the first place!), and receive connections that come more easily to white and male founders, and Jordan is on a mission to change that.

While it may seem that Jordan and I are competing in the same space with Foodbevy and Retail Ready, as we both assist emerging brands, we believe in collaboration over competition. We have dozens of brands who choose to invest in both Foodbevy and Retail Ready, recognizing that our services complement one another. Together, we help you be more prepared in your challenging founder journey.

Tune in today to hear more about the typical barriers that founders have to overcome as you launch & grow your brand, and the resources that can support you along the way.

Click here for the full show notes and to stay in touch with Jordan.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

82. How to Win A Pitch Slam for Your Food Or Beverage Brand Feb 25, 2021

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 on stage for a prize package of over 30k. In today’s episode I’m sharing some of the most impactful things these entrepreneurs did on stage, and some of the questions that our judges asked them as they evaluated the founders’ pitches.

I’ve seen hundreds of pitch slam, wholesale and investor pitches over the past seven years of my consulting business, and founders often seem to stumble on the same things, or forget to include key data or concepts in their pitches.

This episode will share important information to include in your pitch, and the judges or investor questions that I hear over and over again. By having this information, you can craft a pitch that resonates with your audience, and lands you the financials that you’re asking for.

Click here for the full show notes, including links to the additional resources that I mention in today’s episode.

If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

81. Assessing Your Product Assortment: The 8 Roles Your Products Play In Your Profitability Roadmap Feb 18, 2021

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 for more.

Join me in conversation with Ellen Rawley as we discuss the eight roles that your individual skus can take on, and how they each work together to create a roadmap towards profitability for your packaged food, beverage, or natural products brand.

Don’t worry: we don’t just tell you to discontinue your favorite seasonal product, even if it’s got really poor margins.

For the full show notes, more information on the Value Added Producer Grant that we discuss in today’s show, and to keep in touch with Ellen, click here.

This episode is supported by Quickbooks, my favorite accounting software for keeping MY data and financials organized! Use my link to save 50% off your first six months when you sign up for a new account.

80. The Ideas Filter: How to make the RIGHT decisions at the RIGHT time in your biz Feb 11, 2021

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 an entrepreneur, you likely have a million great ideas. The key is figuring out which ones will actually move the needle in your business, and get laser focused on executing those things. But how do you determine which ideas are the ones that will actually make an impact on your biz?

Enter: The Ideas Filter™. The Ideas Filter™ is a simple document and process that we use internally at Food Biz Wiz, helping us prioritize the right things in our company, and I’m sharing this exact process with our listeners today.

By implementing The Ideas Filter™, you’ll save time, money, and sanity as you grow your packaged food or beverage business.

Click here for the full show notes and to see my example Ideas Filter spreadsheet.

This episode is sponsored by the Food Biz Wiz® physical planner. This quarterly planner can be started on ANY Monday of the year, and is perfect for helping you stay on track and organized, despites life’s unexpected curveballs. Click here for more information, and to have your most focused 90 days this year!

79. Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in the Natural Products Industry: an Interview with Sheryl O’Loughlin of the JEDI Collaborative Feb 04, 2021

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 conversation with Sheryl O’Loughlin of the JEDI (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion) Collaborative today, as she teaches my listeners how to begin, sustain, and regenerate a JEDI journey for your company, the food industry and the food system.

Food & Beverage founders constantly ask me how to navigate current events, politics, and topics around systemic racism & white supremacy with their brands. Questions around knowing what to say, when to say it, and how to speak up are common, and it can be daunting to take a stand as a brand, knowing that it might alienate some customers and have a negative impact on your sales.

If you’ve struggled with how to start this important work, tune in to today’s episode. From there, find the full show notes, Sheryl’s contact information, and the JEDI Collaborative’s website linked right here.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

78. 6 Mistakes To Avoid with Your Food Biz in 2021 Jan 28, 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 shift your strategy this year. GREAT. Now, let’s make sure you’re avoiding the most common mistakes that I see food & bev founders make as they grow their brands.

In today’s show, I’m sharing three operations mistakes that growing brands make, and three personal mistakes that founders make as you’re in hustle mode.

Tune in to this episode to ensure you’re not wasting your time, money, or sanity in 2021.

For the full show notes, click here.

From here, watch my free masterclass on my three steps to growing a packaged food business! I present the other most common errors that I see founders make as they grow, and outline immediate action steps to take instead. Click here to find a time that works for you to watch.

77. Product Photography: How To Create and Execute Your Visual Strategy For Food Businesses Jan 21, 2021

Captivating product photography is key to selling your food or beverage products online, creating engaging sell sheets, having a professional website, and more - but it can be expensive, time consuming, and frustrating if you’re not a photographer!

Join me in conversation with professional photographer and the creator of the Flat Lay Play online course, Kimberly Murray, as she educates us on how to successfully create your product shots.

In this show, we’ll cover:

How to prepare for your photoshoots
When to DIY your photography, and when to hire a professional
What 3 key pieces of equipment to use when you decide to DIY
How to make your images stand out online

For the full show notes, including Kimberly’s Flat Lay checklist and contact information, and a link to join our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here.

This episode was supported by Canva, my favorite, EASY design tool for creating branded images, graphics, and GIFs that will make your social media stories & feeds look SUPER PRO. If you’re looking for easy-to-use online software, you’ll want to check Canva out. You’ll be hooked!

76. The Three Pillars Of A Successful Food Business: A Roundtable Conversation With Industry Experts Jan 14, 2021

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 business. What’s the secret to success?

In today’s episode, I’m joined by fellow food industry consultants Sarah Delevan of The Good Food CFO and Katie Mleziva of Real Food Brands as we talk through the three pillars of a successful food business. In this show, we’ll discuss how the most stable brands focus on brand strategy, financial strategy, and sales strategy - at the same time - to build a foundationally strong packaged food or beverage brand.

For the full show notes, including information on how to enter our giveaway, and how to keep in touch with Sarah and Katie, click here.

75. Healthy Founder, Healthy Business: How to Succeed at Both with Health Coach & CPG Founder Leeann Rybakov Jan 07, 2021

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. Far too often, founders burn out, lose your passion, and decide that it’s too much.

In today’s episode, I’m speaking with Leeann Rybakov, the founder of BuckWHAT Foods and a trained Health Coach, about her challenges with balancing her own physical and mental health as she grew her snack food business into Whole Foods and over 100 natural foods markets.

Join us as we talk about balancing the stress of being a founder with your passion to grow your business, how to prioritize and focus to avoid burnout, learning how to ask for help, and deciding when to walk away.

For the full show notes and to get in touch with Leeann, click here.

Don’t forget: we kick off 2021 with Brand Camp, my free five-day challenge for food & beverage founders who are looking to increase their sales this year. In only 10 minutes per day (hey, I know you’re busy!) we’ll ensure you’re set up for success in 2021. Join us for free by clicking here and I’ll see you in camp!

74. Four Crucial Food Biz Foundations for A Prosperous 2021 Dec 31, 2020

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 going to make sure that you’ve got four things nailed down so you can get out there, land on more shelves, and make more sales.

The four things are:

Identifying your target audience
Knowing your competition
Figuring out your sales strategy
Fine-tuning your pitch

While most seasoned founders feel like they’ve done this work before, I’ve never met one who couldn’t benefit from revisiting these foundations. Tune in to ensure that you’re setting yourself up for success in 2021.

Once you listen, register for Brand Camp below or through the full show notes, linked here.

Don’t miss your opportunity: we kick off 2021 with Brand Camp, my free five-day challenge for food & beverage founders who are looking to increase their sales this year. In only 10 minutes per day we’ll cover topics like ecommerce, virtual buyer pitches, succeeding on the shelf, and more! Join us for free by clicking here and I’ll see you in camp!

73. Reverse Engineer Your Goals: How to Achieve Any Goal In Your Food or Beverage Biz Dec 24, 2020

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 that will get you closer to hitting those goals each time, and figuring out what to focus on, and when, in your business.

In today’s episode, I share my process for reverse engineering my goals so that I hit them - or at least, come close! - every time.

To help you outline your goals and your path forward, download my free, editable workbook to accompany today’s show. It will walk you through this process, ensuring that you know how to make moves forward in your food or beverage business.

Find the free workbook and all of the show notes by clicking here.

You’re hearing it here first: we kick off 2021 with Brand Camp, my free five-day challenge for food & beverage founders who are looking to increase their sales in 2021. In only 10 minutes per day (hey, I know you’re busy!) we’ll ensure you’re set up for success in the new year. Join us for free by clicking here and I’ll see you in camp!

72. Working With Co-Packers: How to Set up For Success Dec 17, 2020

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 scary (not to mention expensive!).

Join me in conversation with Ashley Sutterfield, the CEO of Metzger & Roth, a consultant who helps CPG navigate the daunting world of co-packers. In today’s show, we’ll cover how to prepare for working with copackers, how to find the right partner for your brand, what happens as you narrow down your search and start into your first trial runs with your new partner, and a whole lot more.

Find the full show notes, all of the resources that we mentioned on the show, and Ashley’s contact information by clicking here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

71. On Air Wholesale Coaching with Berry Bissap: National Expansion, Shelf Space, and New SKUs Dec 10, 2020

Join Retail Ready® student Akua Kyerematen Nettey, the founder of Berry Bissap, for live, on-air wholesale coaching for her ready-to-drink refrigerated beverage line.

In today’s show, we discuss expanding cross-country, switching from a refrigerated product to a shelf-stable line (and the pros and cons of each!), and when to roll out new flavors for her brand.

To find the full show notes & connect with Berry Bissap, click here.

To hear more about the most common mistakes I see brands make (and how to avoid them!) plus learn the exact outline on how I work with brands in Retail Ready®, my online course for producers looking to increase their wholesale accounts, click here. You’ll get a free workbook to take notes, lots of tangible next steps for your brand, and an opportunity to learn more about working together. See you there!

70. Marketing To Vegans: The How To, The Why, and Mistakes to Avoid with Piquant Marketing Dec 03, 2020

How should you market your food or beverage brand to vegans? Today’s episode addresses this straightforward, yet nuanced topic with my guest, Lindsay O’Donnell of Piquant Marketing (a proud vegan herself!).

In this show, we cover:

The importance of knowing the difference between vegans, vegetarians, plant-based eaters, flexitarians and all the other ways of eating, plus how it impacts your brand’s messaging
The difference between vegan brands, vegan products, and products that are suitable for vegans to consume, and how to determine which you should position yourself as
The surprising stat around lab-based meat, and what to know about the future of food
Lindsay’s mistakes to avoid when marketing to vegans, and what to do instead to win hearts and capture sales
How to address criticism, negative reviews, or - even worse - protests from the vegan community as your brand grows

Find the full show notes and keep in touch with Linsday & Piquant Marketing by clicking right here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

69. 3 Things I’m Grateful For (That Helped My Biz Grow!) That You Should Do Too Nov 26, 2020

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 business (because they’ve WORKED!), and am inviting you to share my secrets and apply them to your food or beverage business.

This episode covers the power of community, investing in your success, and setting a theme for your work. Let’s get right to it!

Find the full show notes by clicking right here, and find the Retail Ready course outline linked right here!

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

68. Driving Growth Through Product Development: Creating a Pipeline of Innovation in CPG Nov 19, 2020

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 Ryan, the founder of Malachite Strategy and Research, as he shares his best advice for creating a pipeline of innovation for your brand. On today’s show, we cover:

The most common mistakes brands make as they try to create a portfolio of products for their food or beverage company
The type of investment you’ll need for consumer research and R&D around product development as you grow your CPG business
The number one thing that Kevin sees startups do wrong when it comes to innovation
How to balance which products & categories you launch, and when, in your business growth

For the full show notes and to keep in touch with Kevin, click here.

From here, watch my free masterclass on my three steps to growing a packaged food business! I present the other most common errors that I see founders make as they grow, and outline immediate action steps to take instead. Click here to find a time that works for you to watch.

67. Slow Sales: What to Do When You DON'T Have High Velocity Nov 12, 2020

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 you that they don’t need a reorder because your product just isn’t selling.

We’ve all been there.

In today’s episode, I share what food and beverage founders can do when you have slow sales. Tune in to hear my best advice on increasing your velocity when sales and reorders aren’t happening as quickly as you’d like!

For the full show notes, click here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

66. How to Create Engaging (and Compliant!) Marketing Copy for Herbal Supplement Brands Nov 05, 2020

With the rise of functional food and beverages, so comes the importance of following guidelines for ensuring your brand is compliant, especially if you’re classified as an herbal supplement. Join me in conversation with herbalist, cookbook author, and marketer Summer Singletary, as we discuss how you can create engaging copy & content while staying compliant. In today’s show, we discuss:

How to determine if you’re a supplement brand
What you can and cannot say on your packaging as you try to boast the benefits of the plants & herbs that you’re using in your packaged food or beverage products
What guidelines to follow if you are, and how to push the boundaries on what’s acceptable in the CPG industry
How to build a team that supports compliancy
Summer’s process for drafting engaging copy that both meets the guidelines, but also converts your fans into purchasers and drives sales in your business

For the full show notes and additional resources that we discussed in today’s episode, click here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

65. How to build a solid financial foundation for yourself & your biz, so you can both thrive! Oct 29, 2020

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 conversation with Finance Coach & the Founder of High Five SF, Luisa Alberto, as we talk through getting your personal and business finances in order, so you can thrive at both. We discuss:

How Luisa built a business that WASN’T financially sound, and what she did about it
What the very first (easy!) step is in getting your financials sorted out
Which reports to look at and why they’re important for your food business
The frequency with which to review your statements
What to do if you’re “not a money person” but run a packaged food or beverage business

For the full show notes and to keep in touch with Luisa, click here.

This episode is supported by Quickbooks, my favorite accounting software for keeping MY data and financials organized! Use my link to save 50% off your first six months when you sign up for a new account.

64. Retail Rapid Fire Q&A: Promotions, UPCs, Brokers, Distributors, Buyer Communication & More! Oct 22, 2020

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 business owners, around the topics of:

How do I ensure my promotions are passed along to the shopper?
Do I really need UPCs for my food business?
What’s the difference between a broker & a distributor, and how do I know which one I need?
When should I offer guaranteed sales?
How often should I follow up with Grocery Buyers?

This show is jam-packed with advice for emerging food brands, so tune in. Find the full show notes and all of the resources, discount codes, and extra content by clicking here.

Finally, don’t forget to grab my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

63. Fourth Quarter Focus: The 4 P's Oct 15, 2020

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 aren’t focused on landing new stores, what DO you focus on (besides sales!) during the fourth quarter?

In this episode, I outline my “Four P’s” that you should put in place NOW to set yourself up for success come January. Take the time to set these business foundations and you’ll be well-positioned for 2021.

Find the full show notes, as well as the invite to my free training on the “The Steps to Growing Your Packaged Food Business” and more information about my online course, Retail Ready®, by clicking here.

62. Maximizing Your Marketing ROI with Ryan Pintado-Vertner of Smoketown Oct 08, 2020

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 tactics to focus on right now in the CPG industry. Join me in conversation with Ryan Pintado-Vertner of Smoketown as we discuss:

Smoketown’s process for figuring out where to focus your marketing efforts
How Ryan helps brands assess their overall marketing ROI in the food and beverage industry
How using the “Jobs To Be Done” mindset will help increase your sales
Which 3 marketing tactics you should prioritize right now

Find the full show notes, all of the additional resources that we talked about on today’s episode, and Ryan’s freebies linked directly here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

61. 3 Steps to Creating an Engaging Instagram Story Oct 01, 2020

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 walks through my three steps to creating an engaging story WITHOUT the need to spend hours creating it, show up on video, or agonize over what to say. If you’ve ever struggled with creating content for your stories, you’ll love today’s quick show.

Once you’ve listened, let’s connect on Instagram! For the full show notes, a link to my IG profile, and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group, click here.

This episode was supported by Canva, my favorite design tool for creating images, graphics, and GIFs that will make your Instagram stories look SUPER PRO. If you’re looking for easy-to-use online software, you’ll want to check Canva out. You’ll be hooked!

60. On Air Wholesale Coaching with Lil Bucks: Category Confusion, Demo Strategy & Marketing Ideas Sep 24, 2020

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 business
What it would take to change categories for her sprouted buckwheat line
Alternative demo ideas for product discovery & trial post-COVID in 2020
How to partner with retailers to market her products and increase sales of her packaged food business

For the full show notes and additional resources that we discussed in today’s episode, click here.

To hear more about the most common mistakes I see brands make (and how to avoid them!) plus learn the exact outline on how I work with brands in Retail Ready®, my online course for producers looking to increase their wholesale accounts, click here. You’ll get a free workbook to take notes, lots of tangible next steps for your brand, and an opportunity to learn more about working together. See you there!

59. Farmer's Markets in 2020: The good, the bad, and the racism Sep 17, 2020

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 Farmers’ Market advocate that I know, and the CEO and Founder of Farmers’ Market Pros. Tune in to hear us discuss:

What’s changed in Farmers’ Markets since COVID-19
Whether or not you should still get into Farmers’ Markets, and what Market Managers are looking for these days
The differences between Farmers’ Markets and retail stores, and how to know which you should pursue
How food and beverage brands can respond to our divisive political climate and need for racial equality in our industry
How racism is showing up at the Farmers’ Markets and the challenges of navigating it from a vendor or Market Manager’s perspective

We covered a TON in today’s show! For the full show notes, information on Farmers’ Market Pros and all of their incredible resources, and to keep in touch with Catt, click here.

If you found value in today’s show, you’ve got to join us in Retail Ready®, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

58. eCommerce Success: What's Working Now Sep 10, 2020

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 buying groceries online right now (so you can focus there and gain more sales!)
What to remember as you build-out your direct-to-consumer eCommerce strategy

For the full show notes and the link to the data that I present in this episode, click here.

Finally, don’t forget to grab my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

57. How to Find Investors & Raise Capital For Your Food Business with Brandjectory Sep 03, 2020

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 raising money for your packaged food or beverage business. In today’s show we cover:

What you need to put in place before you raise capital
Different types of lending & investment options for different stage brands
What an investor looks for as they assess brands, products and Founders
How to find investors for your food or beverage business
The challenges that Founders face while raising capital, and how Brandjectory helps you overcome them

For the full show notes, financial resources, and Michael’s contact information, click here.

This episode is sponsored by the Food Biz Wiz® physical planner. This quarterly planner can be started on ANY Monday of the year, and is perfect for helping you stay on track and organized, despite life’s unexpected curveballs. Click here for more information, and to have your most focused quarter this year!

56. Using Google: Driving Sales Through SEO Optimization & Google's Free Tools Aug 27, 2020

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 content strategist and published author, as we talk through:

WHY all food businesses - regardless of size - should be on Google
The four ways to increase your SEO to gain better ranking in online search results
How to claim and optimize your “My Business Page” on Google to gain higher sales
The importance of using Google Analytics (it’s free!) and the key step in setting it up for your food business

Plus a whole lot more on the immense power of Google, and the ways that your consumers are using it to find and purchase your products. For the full show notes and Macala’s information, click here.

This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

55. 3 Secrets From My Time As A Grocery Buyer: What I Wish Brands Knew Aug 20, 2020

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 from my time in retail, each which will help you gain the respect of the Buyer, craft a pitch that captures attention, and gets you closer to landing on wholesale shelves.

Tune in for some tough love on what Buyers REALLY want you to know about how they select (or discontinue!) products for their shelves. Today I’ll share:

What to stop saying during your pitches (it’s doing you more harm than good!)
What my Buyer pet-peeves are (STOP doing these things!)
Why you don’t have to always have the highest sales in your category (PHEW!)

plus a whole lot more!

Once you’ve listened, come join us in the Food Biz Wiz® Facebook community! You can find the full show notes, plus an invite to our private group by clicking here.

If you found value in today’s show, you’ve got to join us in Retail Ready®, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again - plus you’ll be first in line to hear even more of my Buyer tough love! Click here to save your spot!

54. Press Relations: How to Land & Leverage PR & Media Relations For Your Brand Aug 13, 2020

Today’s episode welcomes Nikki Nardick of Knack PR. In this show, we discuss securing press coverage for your brand, connecting with potential buyers through media mentions, and gaining a cult following for your food or beverage product - all through thoughtful PR. If you’re an emerging brand who is wondering HOW your fellow Foodpreneurs are getting those New York Times shout outs, mentions in Forbes, and full-page spreads in Sunset Magazine - you’re going to love today’s show. We also discuss:

The 3 different types of pitches that will work for your brand
When you should use PR to promote your product
How to gain great coverage WITHOUT using an agency
How to leverage the press that you do secure
And How to measure the results of your PR & media mentions

For the full show notes, resources that we mentioned in our conversation today, and Nikki’s contact information, click here.

53. On Air Wholesale Coaching with Cheeza Pleeza: Target Audiences, Co-Packer Searches, and SKU optimization Aug 06, 2020

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 and I talk through:

How to narrow her target audience when “so many” different people enjoy her gourmet cheese spreads
How to move past “CPG Purgatory” - that challenging state of struggling to find the correct co-packer and increasing production sizes to meet the demands of larger retailers
How to figure out her product assortment and narrow down her 14 SKUs, especially as retailers have varying opinions on which products to carry and which she should produce

To find out more about Cheeza Pleeza, the copacker resources that I mention on today’s show, and the full show notes, click here.

52. Highlights from Year One: Your Favorite Ah-Ha Moments from the past year of Food Biz Wiz Jul 30, 2020

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. I’ve bundled my top three shows from the following categories for you:

Marketing for your food business
Increasing retail sales of your packaged product
Navigating COVID in the food & beverage industry
Building a successful BRAND
MUST HEAR advice for founders

If you haven’t listened to all 52 episodes of the podcast yet, this is a great opportunity to catch up and identify where you can turn for the most targeted support for your food or beverage business.

Find the links to all of the episodes mentioned in today’s show by clicking here.

From there, don’t forget to help me celebrate my first year of podcasting by sharing your favorite episode on social media, and tagging me! Once you tag me, I’ll send you a copy of “Successful Subject Lines,” my free mini course on creating captivating subject lines, ensuring that you’re one step closer to capturing that Buyer’s attention.

Finally, don’t forget to grab my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

51. Supporting Your Brand On Shelf: What's Working Now Jul 23, 2020

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 call them, “brothers & sisters.”

On today’s episode, he’s sharing how your emerging food or beverage brand can support your sales on-shelf, develop key relationships in retail, and grow your brand through empathetic partnerships. Tune in to hear us discuss:

Why it’s important to support your brand after you get on the shelf
How you can continue to champion your product line from afar as you grow nationally
HOW to show up, physically, to your accounts right now, and who to talk to once you do
What you should avoid - at all costs - when you’re nurturing your brick & mortar retail accounts

Will drops SO much practical information on today’s show, and you’re going to love hearing his advice just as much as I loved speaking to him about brick & mortar grocery sales.

Find the full show notes & Dirty Hand’s contact information by clicking here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

50. Amazon Pro Secrets: The BUY NOW Method Jul 16, 2020

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 stopping Amazon listings that make your products stand out & SELL.

I know many of my listeners have gone full-force into ecommerce over the past few months, and I also know that a LOT of you guys are navigating the complicated world of selling on Amazon.

In today’s episode with Daniela, we’ll cover:

3 ways to improve your Amazon listings TODAY.
Daniela’s BUY NOW method, helping you turn browsers to buyers, AND
Daniela’s number one tip for getting feedback on your Amazon page that will lead to more traffic & more sales

Once you listen, click through for the full show notes, the links to the Amazon seller resources that we spoke about on the show (and a 50% off promo code for Pickfu!), and Daniela’s contact information.

Don’t forget: use code RETAILREADY100 to save $100 and grab your $49 Amazon mini audit, directly from Mindful Goods! In this personalized video, you’ll get insider information on what to do to improve you own Amazon page right now. Click here to find out more about the mini audit.

49. 4 Steps for Holiday Success: Planning NOW for Fourth Quarter Sales Jul 09, 2020

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 planning for a strong holiday season, ensuring that you know exactly what you’re selling, who you’re selling it to, and how to land in those valuable holiday guides.

Grab your notebook and tune in to today’s episode to make sure you’re thinking in advance and primed to capture sales during the busiest time of the year for food & beverage brands! Click here for the full show notes and the resources that I talk about on today’s show.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

48. On Air Wholesale Coaching with Just Date Syrup: Increasing Velocity without Demos Jul 02, 2020

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 biggest lessons that Sylvie learned from founding Spice Mama (her first CPG brand!) and how they contributed to the success of Just Date Syrup.
How to increase sales of your packaged food or beverage brand off the retail shelf without doing demos or in-person events during COVID
How to shift your grocery marketing strategy in 2020 to ensure that you’re working WITH your retailers to drive sales, both in-person and online

For the full episode notes and a link to join our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group, click here.

If YOU enjoyed today’s episode and want the experience of live coaching with me, make sure you check out my free masterclass on my “Three Steps to Growing Your Packaged Food Business.” In this masterclass, you’ll learn:

The most common mistakes that I see as producers try to launch & scale their food businesses, causing them to waste time, money, and sanity!
My three step process for building a brand that SELLS
How I work with students inside Retail Ready®, my online course, and how to know if you’re ready for wholesale growth through my program.

Click here to save your spot in my masterclass!

47. Working with Brokers & Distributors with Green Spoon Sales Jun 25, 2020

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 & distributors to grow your packaged food or beverage business. In today’s episode, we’ll cover:

How, when and why you’d bring on a distributor for your brand
How you work with a broker to get your product on the retail shelf
How that delicate broker/distributor relationship works, and how you can leverage it for more sales
Which distributor programs, vehicles, and strategies are available to help ensure success for earlier stage brands

Plus we get into finding the RIGHT broker for your brand, the most common things that brands do incorrectly as they start working with brokers and distributors, and more.

Find the full show notes, Daniel’s contact information, and our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group linked here!

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

46. Rapid Fire Q&A: Growing Your Packaged Food Business Jun 18, 2020

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 on today’s show:

How am I working towards inclusion in the food industry
Whether or not you should include pricing your sell sheet
What should I do now that I can’t demo in-store due to COVID-19?
Debating shelf life, and what’s expected from a wholesale perspective.
How to roll out new branding & packaging to existing retail accounts
Establishing payment terms with your wholesale accounts
Why is the Buyer saying “no” to my product line?

Click here to get the full show notes, a link to our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group, and the other resources that I talk about on today’s episode.

Thanks for listening to today’s show! If you’ve got questions just like this, you’ve got to join us in Retail Ready®, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year. Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

45. Working With Influencers: How To Execute A Successful Influencer Marketing Campaign For Your Food Or Beverage Brand with Wonderkind Co. Jun 11, 2020

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 increase sales of your food or beverage brand. In today’s show, we cover:

How and when you should consider working with influencers, and where to find the right people to shout-out your brand
Elle’s foolproof process of engaging influencers so that they actually promote your brand in an authentic way and you see a return on investment for all those samples that you send out
How to tell if your influencer-efforts are working, and what results to expect as you engage in influencer marketing campaigns for your food or beverage brand

For the full show notes, Elle’s contact information, and all the extras that we talked about on the show today, click here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

44. How to Increase Your Sales with an Abandoned Cart Automation May 28, 2020

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 show that 72.8% of online shopping carts are abandoned, so today’s episode is all about creating an email automation to capture those missing sales and turn your distracted browsers into completed purchasers. We’ll talk about:

Why carts are abandoned in the first place, and how you can make small changes to reduce the frequency to begin with
How to create an automation to recapture sales, outlining HOW many emails to send, WHEN to send them, and WHAT to say in them
My best piece of advice for getting this automation created this week

Once you listen, click here to find the full show notes and the resources that I mention in today episode.

Want more support working through this, or KNOW you need access to those monthly coaching calls that I mention in today’s episode? Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot!

43. Virtual Pitches: 5 Steps to A Successful Online Buyer Pitch May 21, 2020

With Wholesale Buyers taking very few in-person meetings and pitch appointments, food & beverage founders need to turn to a “virtual pitch” instead. Tune in to hear my five steps to crafting an online pitch that will get that Grocery Buyer to say “yes!” to carrying your product line.

In this episode, I cover:

Whether or not now is a good time to pitch to Buyers, and how to do so.
The #1 mistake that I see CPG founders make as they pitch their food or beverage brand to Wholesale Buyers
The real reason why Buyers say yes to bringing in your products
How to craft a virtual pitch that actually captures a Buyer’s attention and gets them to place a first order.

Virtual pitches aren’t going anywhere, so if you’re not already doing them - now is the time!

Grab the full show notes by clicking here, and come join in on the conversation in the Food Biz Wiz Facebook group here.

Once you listen in, come join us in Retail Ready! If you want the success that my students are having, start by watching my free masterclass on my three step framework to growing your packaged food business. In this training, you’ll learn how to build a brand that flies off the retail shelf, the most common mishaps I see brands make as they try to grow their sales, and more about Retail Ready. Click here to watch at a time that works for you.

42. Sales Secrets & Perfect Pitches: How to get ON the retail shelf with WeStock May 14, 2020

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 distribution? Why won’t the buyer call me back?”

Today we’re addressing all of your concerns about landing on the retail shelf, and increasing sales once you’re there with Cameron McCarthy of WeStock.

Cameron brings seven years of national sales experience, and over $40M of sales revenue for emerging brands, to our podcast today. Join me in conversation as we talk about perfecting your wholesale pitch, how to grow your brand through brokers & distributors, and what makes that wholesale buyer actually say “yes!” to carrying your product.

Find the full show notes, WeStock & Cameron’s contact information, and our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group by clicking here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock, a platform that we love and recommend to our clients. WeStock modernizes the customer request process, allowing your raving fans to help you get on the retail shelf, and for you to capture their interest to build a wholesale pitch that WORKS. Find out more about WeStock by clicking here, and use code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your subscription.

41. Cash, Current Affairs, and Community: The state of the food industry 60 days post-COVID19 with Elliot Begoun May 07, 2020

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 outbreak of COVID19 in the US. In today’s podcast, we discuss:

How the industry is changing, and what we can expect moving forward
What the “valley of death” is, and how Elliot & TIG helps brands move through that.
Whether or not investors are still investing in at this moment, and what to do if you’re looking to raise money in the food industry right now
What brands SHOULD and SHOULD NOT be doing right now to plan for future success

Whether you’ve been having high sales these past few weeks, or are frustrated with your financials, tune in to this episode to hear some good news, some tough love, and some inspiration for moving forward.

Find the full show notes, grab that free cash flow projection resource and find Elliot’s contact information by clicking here.

This episode is sponsored by WeStock. WeStock streamlines the request process providing your brand with consistent retail leads and giving you the insights needed to grow your business. Learn more at WeStock.io and use promo code FoodBizWiz for 25% off your first year.

40. Storytelling for Sales: using the power of storytelling to build your packaged food or beverage business with Adam Force Apr 30, 2020

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 or beverage business. In today’s show, Adam shares:

What does storytelling have to do with your business
Why storytelling works to land sales over other hard marketing tactics
How to tell if you’re already using storytelling in your business, and what to do if you’re not
Why storytelling is a learned skill that we have to practice and hone, and how to do so

If you’ve ever wondered how to warm up those wholesale buyers and turn your online followers into raving fans - this episode is going to teach you exactly that. Once you’ve listened, find the full show notes, including Adam’s contact information, here.

To share your own story, come join us in the Food Biz Wiz Facebook group and introduce us to your brand! Click here to take part in the conversation.

39. Working From Home - How to Stay Sane & Productive in Your New Environment Apr 23, 2020

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 just that - in a 700 square foot apartment with my husband and my dog. Tune in to hear:

The importance of mimicking a normal workday, plus how to STOP working at the end of the day
The mindset shift that you have to make when you work from home
My #1 tip for productivity while working in a distracting environment

From there, find the full show notes, and all of the resources mentioned in today’s episode by clicking here. This episode is sponsored by the Food Biz Wiz® physical planner. This quarterly planner can be started on ANY Monday of the year, and is perfect for helping you stay on track and organized, despites life’s unexpected curveballs. Click here for more information, and to have your most focused quarter this year!

38. Let Your Target Consumer Be Your Guide: how & why your ideal customer guides your business decisions with Nourishing Food Marketing Apr 16, 2020

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 strategies. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Christie Lee, the founder of Nourishing Food Marketing, who shares her experience starting Tiny Hero, a quinoa brand, her time working on Hidden Valley Ranch, and her consulting work with emerging start up brands in the natural and conventional channels. In today’s episode, we dive deeper into getting specific with your target audience and how to glean important information from them to make BIG decisions in your business. Before you make another change to your website, packaging, or product assortment, tune in! Click here for the full show notes and to find Christie’s contact information. This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap. It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

37. Mastering Online Experiences In A Shifting Landscape: How to connect with your consumers & capture sales online Apr 09, 2020

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 got to be strategic in order to stand out. Join me in conversation with my guest, Cynthia Samanian of Hidden Rhythm, marketing agency focused on supporting food, beverage, and wellness producers, as we talk about how to connect with your consumers online, examples of what’s currently working to capture sales in eCommerce, and how this online shift will impact the future of digital marketing. Find the full show notes, Cynthia’s contact information, and our Food Biz Wiz® Facebook group by clicking here. This episode is sponsored by Cynthia’s online course: Online Experiences For Food Brands. Online Experiences for Food Brands is THE ONLY course focused on creating engaging digital experiences using proven tactics from experiential marketing. If you’re trying to turn your online audience into active purchasers, you’re going to love this new program. Check it out by clicking here. Enrollment is open until April 17th, 2020, and you can use the code FOODBIZWIZ to save $100 off your registration.

36. Tactics & Strategy: Revisiting ways to work ON your food business during COVID Apr 02, 2020

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 recap of six of my favorite shows, and the key takeaways from each. Each summary will give you practical tactics and inspiring mindset shifts to continue moving forward in your food business, despite uncertainty about the future in the wake of the Coronavirus. Whether you need to focus on email marketing, refreshing your Instagram feed, working through your target audience, shifting your mindset, knowing how to focus right now, or how to prioritize your time… I’ve got you covered! For the full list of episodes that I reference on today’s show, click here. Once you’ve listened, make sure to join us in the “Key Three Accountability Challenge” to stay on track of your business goals, mental wellbeing, and community connections this month! Click here to join. We’d love to have you commit with us in finding balance and supporting yourselves and your businesses this month. Join for free here.

35. Adapting to Change: How to Move Forward in CPG Mar 26, 2020

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 uncertainty. Join me in conversation with fellow food industry consultant Amrit Richmond, as we talk about what’s going on in CPG right now, weeks after coronavirus started to impact our food industry. In today’s episode, we discuss:

The state of the industry after the cancellation of EXPO West
How brick & mortar and eCommerce stores are responding, and how to interact with wholesale buyers at the present moment
Whether or not you should continue to promote your product
The bright side of being in the food industry right now
What you should think about for the wellbeing of your business and to guard for your future success

For the full show notes and Amrit’s contact information, click here. To join Alli’s free “Key Three Accountability Challenge” to stay on track of your business goals, mental wellbeing, and community connections this month, click here. We’d love to have you join us to focus on finding balance and supporting yourselves and your businesses this month. Join for free here.

34. Quarterly Planning For Your Food Biz: Setting your next 90 day goals Mar 19, 2020

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’s it! As we approach the second quarter of the year, I’ve got a super-quick, super effective outline that you can use to plan your next three months of your food business. Grab a pen and paper, find a quiet place to focus, and take this time to outline where you want your food or beverage business to be at the end of the next ninety days. Let’s do this! My favorite way to outline my quarterly goals is with my Food Biz Wiz® quarterly planner. This physical planner is made specifically for the food industry, and helps my clients set, track, and achieve their business goals. Find the planner by clicking here, and get moving on the goals that you’ve set using today’s outline. For this week’s full show notes, click here.

33. Pinterest for Food Businesses: How you can generate massive traffic using Jennifer Priest's Smart Pin Pro system! Mar 12, 2020

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 conversation with Jennifer Priest, a social media strategist and the creator of Smart Pin Pro, as she educates us on:

How to determine if Pinterest is right for your food business, and what to actually pin once you decide to use this platform
What to do if you have a dormant account on Pinterest and you’d like to re-engage your boards
The biggest mistakes that Jennifer sees as brands try to promote their products on Pinterest
The importance of “fresh pins” and how to use them, plus how to market your products on Instagram so they actually lead to sales

I promise you’ll be as fired up as I am about Pinterest once you listen to this episode! Once you do, click here for the full show notes. From there, learn more from Jennifer in her free training on Pinterest, outlining the top mistakes that everyone makes, and why they’re costing you money. Click here to sign up!

32. Copy That Converts: Steal this Copywriter's Secrets to DRIVING SALES of your food or beverage brand Mar 05, 2020

Join me in conversation with professional food & beverage brand copywriter, Celsea Jenkins of Grassfed Copy, as we talk about writing copy that CONVERTS. The art of copywriting goes beyond being a fantastic creative writer. At the end of the day, if the words and selling points on your packaging and website don’t turn browsers into buyers - it hasn’t done its job. In today’s episode, we cover:

How to know when you’re ready to hire a copywriter, and what to expect from that relationship (hint: don’t waste your money too early!)
How brands can use creative copy to create a cohesive experience for their consumers - and why that’s key to brand loyalty
How bootstrapped brands can write successful copy themselves using Celsea’s best copywriting tips
How to ensure your copy actually leads to sales

From here, grab my behind-the-scenes insight from today’s episode by joining our free Facebook community at www.foodbizwiz.com, plus click here for the detailed show notes, including links to connect with Celsea’s social channels and her website. See you there! This episode is supported by Brand24, my favorite online platform for tracking what people are saying about me and my business, online, in real time. Grab your free account by clicking here!

31. Founder Fumbles: 5 Common Mistakes I see every Food & Beverage Founder Make (and how to avoid them!) Feb 27, 2020

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’ve worked with hundreds of brands in Retail Ready®, and see the same mishaps over and over again: from financials, to marketing, to systems - it’s easy to stumble as you build your brand. Tune in to hear the top five things you should ensure you have figured out before you scale. For the full show notes and resources I mentioned on today’s episode, click here. From here, watch my free masterclass on my three steps to growing a packaged food business! I present the other most common errors that I see founders make as they grow, and outline immediate action steps to take instead. Click here to find a time that works for you to watch.

30. The THREE Most Important Things To Do With Your Email List to Capture More Sales For Your Food Business Feb 20, 2020

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 going to love today’s episode: join me with digital marketing expert Carly Hackbarth as we talk through the three most important things that you need to be doing with your email list for your food business. In today’s show, we discuss:

How to feel about the number of subscribers you have
How to turn your website into a fast-paced list growing tool
How to automate your email series to turn your food business fans into purchasers

For the full show notes & to keep in touch with Carly, click here. Interested in seeing how I run my email opt-in (and want to copy my secrets)? Grab my free Retail Roadmap by clicking here. This roadmap outlines the nine-steps to growing a brand that flies off the retail shelf.

29. Constantly "putting out fires" in your food biz? How to stop spinning your wheels in your food business in under 60 seconds Feb 13, 2020

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 what if you could change all that in under sixty seconds a day? Join me in today’s episode as I share my one habit - the KEY THREE - that I do daily to reduce overwhelm, make BIG moves forward in my business, and actually get the RIGHT stuff done. I’ve had clients use this technique for years - and you know what? It works! Listen to this speedy episode to get more done daily and reduce overwhelm in your food business. From here, grab the full show notes by clicking here, join my Facebook group here, and find out more about the Food Biz Wiz™ Quarterly Planner by clicking here.

28. "Everyone" is not your target audience: how narrowing your target consumer leads to higher sales for your food business Feb 06, 2020

As a strategic market researcher and consumer insights practitioner, Britta Schell knows exactly how to develop a target persona for your brand. In today’s episode she shares just that - plus how to survey your audience, assess your data, and use it to drive sales & growth. Join in on today’s episode to learn why thinking that “everyone” is your target audience will do more harm than good for your sales, and what to do instead. For the full show notes and Britta’s contact information, click here. Once you listen, come continue the conversation in our Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group, linked here! This episode was supported by Canva, my favorite design tool for creating images, graphics, and printed collateral that resonates with your exact target audience. If you’re looking for easy-to-use online software, you’ll want to check Canva out.

27. How to Create Award-Winning Product Lines with a 17-time winner, Dave's Gourmet Jan 30, 2020

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 my guest Dave Hirschkop, the founder and creative force behind Dave’s Gourmet, as he talks about what it takes to create award-winning products, and WHY your product is the key foundation to your brand. In this episode, Dave covers:

Why is your product by far the most important part of your business?
What are some of the different ways to create a winning product?
What do you do if your product is not well received?
What are good ways to ideate and think of products?
How your product strategy impacts your exit strategy.

This episode is brought to you by my free masterclass on the 3 steps to growing your packaged food business. In this masterclass, you’ll hear me expand on the idea that “your friends & family are lying to you” that Dave and I joke about in this episode. Join me by clicking here. For the full episode notes and to keep in touch with Dave, click here.

26. The 15 Minute Instagram Audit Jan 23, 2020

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 episode to take my 15-minute Instagram audit to capture more sales, engage more with your audience, and turn your followers into raving fans. In this episode, you’ll hear:

Three questions to ask yourself to boost your food business’s Instagram
Examples of two CPG brands who are really getting it right, and one who misses the mark
How you should spend at least ten minutes per day, without fail.
Why you should send me a DM on Instagram, and what sort of response you’ll receive back.

For the full show notes, including links to the profiles used as examples in the show, click here. This episode is supported by Brand24 - my favorite way to keep up-to-date with what my fans and followers are saying about ME online. Check them out here.

25. Crowdsourcing 101: How to Launch & Execute A Successful Kickstarter Campaign Jan 16, 2020

Today’s episode is all about launching and executing successful crowdsourcing campaigns. Join my guest, Courtney Boyd Myers (CMB) as she shares her secrets on her most recent successful Kickstarter for her kelp jerky brand, Akua. In today’s show, CMB covers:

How to determine whether or not crowdsourcing is right for your brand
Her steps to planning & launching your campaign
Why the first 24 hours of your campaign are the most important
The most common mistakes she sees food businesses make as they wrap up their crowdfunding

For the complete show notes, including all of the resources that CBM mentions on today’s show, click here. This episode is supported by Canva, a free design software used by (and loved!) by both Alli & CBM.

24. Rapid Fire Answers to Your Wholesale Questions Jan 09, 2020

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 business. In today’s show, I talk through:

How you can get feedback from Grocery Buyers as you fine-tune your product line
What happens if you miss your category review?
How to prepare for the Specialty Food Association’s Fancy Food Show
The most common mistakes I see on sell sheets
How to find a “good” broker or distributor
Whether or pursue E-commerce or brick & mortar accounts

Click here for the full show notes, or connect with me on Instagram at @itsalliball! This show was brought to you by Retail Ready™, my online course for producers of packaged product who are looking to increase their wholesale success. Click here to be notified when enrollment opens again!

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. Jan 02, 2020

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 steps I took to double my revenue, hire two team members, and take more time off than I ever have before. I want that for YOU TOO and outline how to achieve that in today’s episode. In the past year, I’ve:

Learned an organizational system that guarantees that I’m working smarter, not harder
Made a single investment in my business that paid for itself within two months
Had a total mindset shift that allowed me to stop working into the evenings and weekends, and instead focus on my relationships, health, and wellbeing.

While we don’t have the same business models, we DO share an entrepreneurial mindset. I’ve seen these three things work time and time again for my clients, and I KNOW they can help you as well. Join me in today’s episode to learn how you can find balance while growing your packaged food business. As mentioned in today’s show, Retail Ready™ is open for enrollment again! Find out more by watching my free masterclass on my “Three Step Framework To Growing Your Packaged Food Business” and finally put a system in place for growing your packaged food business by understanding exactly how to craft a brand that captures the attention of a Wholesale Buyer and flies off the retail shelf. Click here to watch.

22. How to Set (and achieve!) Biz Goals Dec 19, 2019

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, this episode will guide you through the process of goal planning for the future. In today’s show, we cover:

Why it’s important to set goals and plan for the future.
What timeline you should work with when thinking about the year ahead and setting food business goals for 2020
What questions to ask yourself as you set your business goals for next year
And, my #1 tip for achieving those goals!

This episode is brought to you by the Food Biz Wiz™ Quarterly Planner. This physical planner helps you set and achieve your food business goals, and is made specifically for our industry. Click here to check it out. Make sure to download the free workbook on setting & achieving your 2020 business goals, linked in the full show notes here!

21. Secrets to Mastering Time, Money, and Overwhelm in Your Food Biz with "Females in Food" founder, Chelsea Ford Dec 12, 2019

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 the founder of Females in Food, Chelsea Ford, to talk through her best tips of moving past each of these stuck feelings. Tune in to hear Chelsea’s reasoning behind throwing away your to-do list, why systemisation is the key to creativity, how to quickly inject cash & time into your business, and more - all so that you’re positioned to move into 2020 feeling inspired and aligned with your business goals. Click here for the full show notes and all of Chelsea’s contact information, and don’t forget to grab my free Retail Roadmap here, which outlines my nine steps to building a brand that FLIES off the retail shelf!

20. State of the Industry: The Specialty Food Association's Annual Report Dec 05, 2019

Join me in conversation with David Browne, a Market Research Retail & Brand Analyst in the natural, organic, and specialty food space. Since 2009, David has been the principal writer and analyst of the State of the Specialty Food Industry report series for the Specialty Food Association and Mintel, and in today’s episode he shares his findings from the 2019 report. We discuss:

How David shifted from being a Whole Foods Category Manager and Store Trainer in the 1990s to THE leading Data Analyst in the natural products industry
What the Specialty Food Association and Mintel’s State of the Specialty Food Industry report is, and where the data comes from
How to use this report in decision making for your emerging natural, organic, or specialty brand
David’s key takeaways from the report, as well as a few big surprises that he found in the data this year
David’s assessment of what’s changed in the industry over the past decade that he’s been writing this report for the natural, organic, and specialty food industry - plus what that means for emerging brands.

Once you listen to this conversation, please join us in the Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group to continue the discussion. We can’t wait to see you over there! For full show notes, links to the report, information on the data companies and brands that are mentioned on today’s show, and David’s contact information, click here.

19. On Air Wholesale Coaching with Bija Bhar: New SKU roll-out! Nov 25, 2019

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 packaging change to wholesale accounts
How to know which channel to focus on as your brand grows through food service, retail, e-commerce and direct-to-consumer
How to compete against lower priced, lower quality brands next to your own product on the shelf

If YOU enjoyed today’s episode and want the experience of live coaching with me, make sure you check out my free masterclass on my “Three Steps to Growing Your Packaged Food Business.” In this masterclass, you’ll learn:

The most common mistakes that I see as producers try to launch & scale their food businesses, causing them to waste time, money, and sanity!
My three step process for building a brand that SELLS
How I work with students inside Retail Ready™, my online course, and how to know if you’re ready to wholesale growth through my program.

Click here to save your spot in my masterclass! For the full episode notes, a discount code for Anjali’s turmeric elixir and more, click here.

18. Contact Building with RangeMe: Secrets for Managing Your Buyer & Influencer List Nov 21, 2019

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 valuable connections? Or email a Buyer, never hear back, and forget to reach out again? It happens to all of us. That is, unless we use a CRM. Join me in conversation today with Brandon Leong of RangeMe, the platform dedicated to connecting Wholesale Buyers with producers, as we discuss the importance of having & maintaining a contact list of Buyers & Influencers. In this episode you’ll hear us talk about:

Why it’s important to maintain a contact list
How to organize your contacts as you scale
How to keep in contact with your network without feeling salesy or spammy

We also discuss a few of our favorite CRMs (both free & paid!), how producers can find success on RangeMe’s platform, and best practices for following up with Wholesale Buyers. Click here to find the full show notes, including Brandon’s contact information and all of the software recommendations that we discuss on today’s episode, and a link to join our Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group! Finally, if this episode resonated with you, don’t forget to grab my retail roadmap, which outlines my nine steps to growing a brand that FLIES off the retail shelf. Click here to download it!

17. From Idea to Launch: How to start your food business with Sari Kimbell Nov 14, 2019

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 start a food business?” In this episode, we discuss:

The typical path for early-stage food businesses
Key markers that set apart food businesses who succeed and food businesses who fail (hint: it’s not about your product!)
Sari’s top three mistakes that she sees early-stage food business owners make, time and time again

This episode is supported by Sari’s course, the Farmers Market Jumpstarter Course! This course gives you all of the tools that you need to launch into farmers markets quickly and profitably. From getting the right permitting in place, to correctly pricing your products so you actually make money, to understanding how to drive sales at your booth - this course covers it all. Click here to learn more, and don’t forget to use the promo code “FOODBIZWIZ” for $50 off your course price! For full show notes, a link to Sari’s free class on finding profit at Farmers markets, and her full contact information, click here. As always, please join our Facebook group, the Food Biz Wiz™ community, where Sari and I will be continuing the conversation. Click here to join in!

16. Just Say No: How To Do Less to Accomplish More Nov 07, 2019

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 you how to say “no” in your business, and why it’s so important. Mastering the art of saying no has given me the ability to stay focused, accomplish my goals, and find a better work/life balance in the food industry. If you DON’T learn how to say no, you’ll always be putting someone else’s goals in front of your own, which leads to limited growth, feeling overwhelmed, and business burn-out. Tune in to hear:

Why it’s important to say “no” in your business
What you’re risking if you don’t incorporate this into your business vocabulary
Four strategies for saying “no” even when it feels hard

From there, find the full show notes, listen to past episodes, and join our Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group by clicking here!

15. 3 Steps for Building Your Brand Strategy with Katie Mleziva Oct 31, 2019

On today’s episode, I welcome fellow food business consultant and podcaster, Katie Mleziva, to share her three steps for building your brand strategy. In this episode, she shares what a brand strategy is, why it’s important for emerging food businesses to prioritize this work, and how to know if you’re doing it successfully. From there, she talks us through her three step process for building your brand strategy, based on her extensive experience working at Kraft, and her six years of consulting with emerging food brands. After you listen, click here for the full episode notes, including more details on Katie’s steps, as well as links to her podcast, website, and free brand checkup workbook. Finally, if this episode resonated with you, don’t forget to grab my retail roadmap, which outlines my nine steps to growing a brand that FLIES off the retail shelf. Click here to download it!

14. How to execute an engaging in-person event for your brand, without breaking the bank! Oct 24, 2019

As an emerging brand, you probably recognize the importance of connecting with your target audience through events, but you might not feel like you have the time, energy, or BUDGET to execute the pop-up of your dreams. Join my in conversation with Cynthia Samanian, the founder and CEO of Hidden Rhythm, an experiential marketing company focusing on natural food & wellness brands, as we talk about how to execute and in-person event, without breaking the bank. For full show notes, Cynthia’s PDF on ten simple ways to maximize your ROI, beautiful photos of a recent event that she did with Bare Snacks, and all of the other resources that we talked about in today’s episode, click here. When you’re ready to continue the conversation, join our Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group by clicking here. Cynthia and I are both in there, eager to chat about your next upcoming event!

13. Ask Me Anything: Rapid Fire Answers to Your Burning Food Biz Questions Oct 17, 2019

To kick off Season Two of the podcast, I’m answering YOUR questions on-air! Join me as I answer my listener submitted questions on finding a co-packer, testing for shelf life, selling online, selling in-store, managing production, connecting with Buyers, using Instagram to grow your business and increase your sales, and more! For a recap of the show, links to all of the resources mentioned on today’s episode, and detailed show notes, please click here. And, as always, continue the conversation by joining our Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group, accessible here. Finally - don’t forget to 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 accounts, you’re going to love it. Click here to grab my PDF and start increasing your sales today.

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. Oct 10, 2019

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 steps I took to double my revenue, hire two team members, and take more time off than I ever have before. I want that for YOU TOO and outline how to achieve that in today’s episode. In the past year, I’ve:

Learned an organizational system that guarantees that I’m working smarter, not harder
Made a single investment in my business that paid for itself within two months
Had a total mindset shift that allowed me to stop working into the evenings and weekends, and instead focus on my relationships, health, and wellbeing.

While we don’t have the same business models, we DO share an entrepreneurial mindset. I’ve seen these three things work time and time again for my clients, and I KNOW they can help you as well. Join me in today’s episode to learn how you can find balance while growing your packaged food business. As mentioned in today’s show, Retail Ready™ is open for enrollment again! Find out more by watching my free masterclass on my “Three Step Framework To Growing Your Packaged Food Business” and finally put a system in place for growing your packaged food business by understanding exactly how to craft a brand that captures the attention of a Wholesale Buyer and flies off the retail shelf. Click here to watch.

11. Is Amazon right for my brand? Oct 03, 2019

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 brand. The food industry is changing rapidly, and with the rise of ecommerce, Amazon seems like a natural channel for most brands. But is it really? On today’s episode, Jennifer talks us through:

Validating your brand on Amazon, and how to determine if you should list on their platform
Her favorite resources for pulling data from Amazon, so you can make smart business decisions using this powerful channel
Determining which of the MANY Amazon channels is right for your brand, and how to decide
How to ship your items once you DO list your product on Amazon

Jennifer’s favorite tools that she mentioned on today’s show are:

For detailed show notes as well as full contact information for Jennifer, click here. If you loved this episode, please leave me a review on your favorite podcast platform. Leaving a written review is the single most helpful thing that you can do to support this podcast, and I am eternally grateful when you take the time to support this show. Thank you!

10. Competing on Brand: Moxie Sozo's three guiding principles of building a brand that wins Sep 26, 2019

Join me in conversation with Evan Faber of Moxie Sozo, a design, advertising and interactive agency that has been creating and influencing brands for over twenty years. Evan teaches us the importance of competing on brand vs. product, his three guiding principles of building a brand, and how (and why!) to create an emotional connection with your consumers. Evan presents straightforward, practical advice that you can apply to your own packaged food brand, and talks us through a step-by-step exercise on building your brand platform. For a recap of that Evan’s brand building exercise, links to Evan’s FAVORITE book on brand messaging, and detailed show notes, please click here. As always, continue the conversation by joining our Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group, accessible here. This episode was supported by Canva - one of my favorite tools for creating on-brand, eye-catching sell sheets, social media posts, and graphic images for your food business (that is - after you’ve worked with an agency to establish your winning brand elements!)

9. Preparing for Holiday Success Sep 19, 2019

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 late November. Scratch that - three things that you SHOULD do now, in order to ensure you’re set up for success come late November! In today’s episode, you’ll learn:

How to warm up your audience so they’re primed to purchase come Black Friday
My steps for planning your holiday promotions so that you’re not scrambling, last minute, during the fourth quarter
One SMALL THING that will guarantee you’re putting the foundation in place to succeed year over year during the holidays

For detailed show notes and to join my Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group, click here. Also mentioned in today’s show was my instagram account! Please tag me while you’re listening @itsalliball, as well as my FREE Retail Roadmap - my nine steps to building a brand that flies off the shelf. This episode is supported by The Food & Beverage Business Growth Summit, one of my favorite free resources for emerging food and beverage brands. I’m honored to be a part of this annual summit, where Ainsley brings together seven days worth of free interviews and content for food & beverage businesses. The summit starts again on September 23rd, 2019, and you can sign up now, for FREE, by clicking here.

8. Your product is only one ingredient to a food business's overall success Sep 12, 2019

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 food business’s success. In today’s episode, we cover Ainsley’s three key components that you must have in place in order to avoid your business becoming “another expensive hobby.” Click here for the full show notes which include information on Ainsley’s summit, the two examples of stellar brands that we mention in today’s show, and a link to my favorite book on getting more done. This episode is supported by The Food & Beverage Business Growth Summit, one of my favorite free resources for emerging food and beverage brands. I’m honored to be a part of this annual summit, where Ainsley brings together seven days worth of free interviews and content for food & beverage businesses. The summit starts again on September 23rd, 2019, and you can sign up now, for FREE, by clicking here. Don’t forget: continue the conversation with us by joining the Food Biz Wiz™ Facebook group. Click here, and see ya there!

7. Built with Logic: how to use market research to establish the foundation for your brand Sep 05, 2019

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 gut reaction or a shot-in-the-dark guess about your category. Today we talk about using market research to get clear on these important areas of building your business:

Crafting Your Brand & Product Line
Identifying Your Customers & Their Needs
Understanding Your Opportunity in the Market

Next, we talk through Chelsea’s three-step process for using data-based research and we discuss where you can find big data, and how to know if it’s reliable. Click here for the full show notes, including all the resources for free data that Chelsea mentions in this episode, along with all her contact information to stay in touch. This episode is supported by Quickbooks, my favorite accounting software for keeping MY data and financials organized! Use my link to save 50% off your first six months when you sign up for a new account.

6. SOS Trade Show Plan - Two Truths and a Lie about Prepping For Expo East Aug 29, 2019

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 about creating and executing a last-minute plan for Expo East next month, or any future industry tradeshow - such as Fancy Food, or Expo West - that you're scrambling to prepare for. Once you listen, click here for details on this episode’s “two truths and a lie” giveaway, and to enter to win a thirty-minute one-on-one consulting session with me! Finally, if YOU are enjoying these episodes and want to be the first to hear about enrollment opening again for Retail Ready™, my online course for emerging brands in the packaged food industry, click here to jump on the waitlist. Enrollment opens again soon, and I’d love to have you join!

5. Five Keys to Succeeding In A Crowded Marketplace Aug 22, 2019

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 YOU - the food entrepreneur. She's seen brands flop and brands soar over the past decade in good food, and uses that experience to share her five steps that YOU can take to succeed in a crowded marketplace. Join today's episode to ensure you're set up for success in launching and growing your CPG brand, regardless of how saturated your category is. Grab the full show notes by clicking here, plus gain access to direct links for Annalea, the resources that she mentioned today, and the link to join our Food Biz Wiz private Facebook Group. If YOU are enjoying these episodes and want to be the first to hear about enrolment opening again for Retail Ready™, my online course for emerging brands in the packaged food industry, click here to jump on the waitlist. Enrolment opens again soon, and I’d love to have you join!

4. Why it Takes so Long to get on the Shelf Aug 15, 2019

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 happens. Why does it take forever to get that first order from Buyers, even when they say they love your brand? Listen in on today's episode to learn exactly why it takes so long for a Buyer to stock your product, and how to use that knowledge to your advantage. Before you go any further, make sure to grab my free Retail Roadmap to ensure you’re building a brand that flies off the retail shelf! Click here for your roadmap. From here, grab my behind-the-scenes insight & bonuses from today’s episode by joining our free Facebook community at www.foodbizwiz.com, or click here for the detailed show notes. See you there!

3. Three Steps to Successful Partnership Marketing with Sally Rogers Aug 02, 2019

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 strategic partnering, and today’s episode is ALL about that! Join my guest, Sally Rogers of Parsnip, as she talks about building her marketing-focused business based on her experience in the packaged food industry, and seeing the need for a platform that facilitates that important connection between brands. In today’s episode we discuss:

What partnership marketing is, why it’s important, and who should do it
How to get started as an emerging brand, and how to level up as you grow
How to show up as a great partner, and what to do to convince bigger, more senior brands to collaborate with you
Plus a ton more!

From here, grab my behind-the-scenes insight & bonuses from today’s episode by joining our free Facebook community at www.foodbizwiz.com, plus click here for the detailed show notes, including links to connect with Sally’s social channels and her website. See you there! This episode is supported by Brand24, my favorite online platform for tracking what people are saying about me and my business, online, in real time. Grab your free account by clicking here!

2. Is Retail Dead? Aug 02, 2019

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 grocery stores, retail outlets, and wholesale strategy in general. In today’s episode, I provide eye-opening stats on retail & e-commerce, and talk about the importance of having a omnichannel approach to launching and growing your packaged food business. We discuss:

The two main reasons why you should still consider retail & traditional wholesale accounts for your food business
That 17 million square feet of physical grocery stores were added in the US in 2018, and what that means for you
The typical conversion rates from Shopify on your own website, and how that influences your online sales
The number one thing to remember as you launch into e-commerce

Convinced you’ll pursue retail? Consult my free Retail Roadmap to help you on your journey by clicking here. From here, grab my behind-the-scenes insight & bonuses from today’s episode by joining our free Facebook community at www.foodbizwiz.com, or click here for the detailed show notes, including links to those studies mentioned above. See you there!

1. Welcome to Food Biz Wiz™! Aug 01, 2019

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 the food industry, and what you can expect from future episodes of this podcast with me. I’m so excited that you’re here, and I can’t wait to get to know you and your food business. From here, grab my behind-the-scenes insight & bonuses from today’s episode by joining our free Facebook community at www.foodbizwiz.com, or click here for the detailed show notes. See you there!

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