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Ep #226 The 100/80 Rule to End Perfectionism & Procrastination

I know how entrepreneurs think (because I'm one too!) - you make a list of all the BIG things you are going to do in the year and are super excited to get going. In a flurry of excitement you start on a project and then find yourself dragging it out. 

Whether it is procrastination or a desire for perfection, everything grinds to a halt and you don't know why. And then frustration sets in and you might tell yourself that "you're just not a finisher". That all ends today!

After a coaching call with the 10X Mastermind about what it takes to create the future you want and listening to Dan Sullivan's 80% rule, I am sharing with you my take and calling it the 100/80 rule. Commit to this rule and you will end the two biggest sabotagers that plague entrepreneurs: perfectionism and procrastination. 

Ep #225  Making a Big Leap with Pup & The Pepper

When you look back over the year, did you accomplish all you set out to do?

Most likely, no. There were twists and turns you didn't anticipate and we always overestimate what is doable in a short period of time.

But, that doesn't mean you can't still make huge progress in 12 months like Ryan and Phillip did with Pup & The Pepper. 

I've watched them do really hard things, make investments and show up consistently in the 10X Mastermind and Fuel membership and it has had compounding effects to equal a really BIG leap in 2024!

You can listen and learn from them all about the highs and lows of the year and how they are getting ready for a next big leap in 2025 on this episode of the podcast.

Also, it was fun to listen to Ryan's first episode (#93) back in June of 2022 and compare it to where they are now - some things really changed!

Ep #224 Make a Big Leap in 2025!

Are you ready to make a BIG leap in 2025? Whether you're just getting started with a delicious idea, growing to $100K or scaling to the next level, today's podcast is for you. 

There is a certain amount of energy and investment required and it is ALWAYS more than you think - just talk with any founder! 

I share with you my own experiences in my business and working with 100s of food founders on how to accept the truth of Hofstadter's Law (things always take longer than you think, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law). 

To compensate for this, it is important to make investments that create a meaningful commitment and create real momentum to fast track your success.  

Ep #223 Increase Your Tolerance for Success

Have you ever felt like any success comes with a side of sabotage and you just can't seem to make forward progress in a meaningful way?

In this episode, I dive into the concept of what Gay Hendricks, author of the book The Big Leap calls "Upper Limit Problems".

Learn and understand why entrepreneurs often hold themselves back after a big win and how to break free from self-sabotaging patterns.

I’ll share practical tools and personal insights that helped me expand my capacity for success and create lasting momentum in my business—so you can do the same!

Ep #222 How to Not Hate Social Media with Kayla King

In this episode, Kayla King, a social media expert with over five years of experience and viral success with over 80,000 followers, is back to share how small businesses can embrace social media without fear or overwhelm.

Kayla and I debunk common misconceptions, highlights the power of consistency, and explains why your unique voice is the key to cutting through the noise.

Tune in for practical tips, inspiring stories, and a fresh perspective on making social media your most effective (and fun) marketing tool yet!

Ep #221 Ending a Business Like a CEO with Susie Veech

I’m sitting down with Susie Veech, founder of Well Rounded Meals, to have an honest, raw conversation about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.

Susie shares the journey of "accidentally" starting a freezer meal delivery business that scaled to six figures, the challenges of declining sales in a different consumer landscape, and the tough decision to shut it all down.

But this isn’t a story of failure—it’s about resilience, learning, and redefining what success looks like. If you’ve ever wondered how to separate your self-worth from your business results or how to navigate the emotional rollercoaster of being an entrepreneur, this episode is for you!

Ep #220 Wiling & Unwilling

The speed of the success of your business (and whether it gets there at all) is made up a series of decisions of things you are "willing" and "unwilling" to do or not do.

Often we are making these decisions unconsciously without evaluating on purpose if it's something you are actually unwilling to do or if it's out of habit or fear.

On today's podcast, I'm exploring the “willing vs. unwilling” framework—a game-changer for anyone looking to take control of their entrepreneurial path and speed up their success.

Ep #219 Designing a Brand from the Inside and Out with Karyn Savory

Your brand can be so much more than a logo or fonts or colors. When a brand is in alignment with you as a unique person and your purpose on this planet, there is a magnetic quality to it that attracts raving fans ready to support you!

My guest today is Karyn Savory, an incredible graphic designer, who also uses Human Design to help founders discover key insights about who they are that are then infused into the branding of the business and product. The result of combining design with Human Design is incredible as founders feel so confident putting their business and product out into the world.

Ep #218 Amazon Tools to Create Customer Relationships with Luke Tierney

In the podcast today, I’m sitting down with Luke, founder and CEO of EcoD2C, a digital marketing agency focused on helping natural product brands launch and scale on Amazon. You can watch the presentation too on YouTube here.

Luke shares the latest tools Amazon has rolled out which allow brands to engage customers more directly—and even email them! This is a big shift, especially with Amazon’s usual “black box” approach to customer data.

Ep #217 Bite Sized Annual Planning Tips with Carlo Stuart of Denali Alignment

Annual planning doesn't need to evoke a frustrated sigh or a roll of the eyes (maybe that's just me); it can be fun and work for you in the year to come. My guest today is Carlo Stuart, founder of Denali Alignment, and he is breaking down how to do annual planning effectively as a small business and how to use the plan during the year so it doesn't just collect dust on a shelf.

Ep #216 Using Data to Make Decisions with Benji Fitts SPINS Data

There's a time and place for research and digging into the data to make the best decisions you can about your product and next steps in the business. My guest today is Benji Fitts, Director of Customer Education with SPINS Data and we are discussing when the right time is to get data and how you can use it to make decisions.

Ep #215 Be The Only with Ben Bacon of Lentiful

Ben Bacon, founder of Lentiful, isn't a unicorn and his success wasn't overnight. But, he once he found his idea of creating a quick heating lentil meal in a cup, he went full steam ahead to be the only one and proving it worked with direct to consumer e-commerce sales. Now in year two, he has retailers knocking on his door asking for the product.

Ep #214 CEO Series: Four Traits for Success

There is a shift in yourself that has to happen for your business to be successful. On today's podcast, I share with you the four traits you must train for to become a CEO and run your business like a boss. 

Ep #213 CEO Conversations: Morning Routine & Decision Coaching with Kirati & Melissa

Thank you to founders Kirati of Let Me Snack and Melissa of I Love Heart Beets for their willingness to be coached and share it with all of you! 

There are huge bonuses happening now when you apply for Master Your Business 2025 including a savings of $300 plus Q4 bonus trainings. If you want to get off of entrepreneur island, make decisions like a CEO and set your business up to scale and give you the time and money freedom you want, seize this opportunity!

Ep #212 CEO Series: Culture Creator 

A CEO is first and foremost a manager of people. Most entrepreneurs don't actually want this role, but nevertheless, it is necessary, even if it is a team of one (yourself). Many founders I work with start businesses to be in charge and escape a bad boss or poor work environment, but fail to intentionally set up a positive culture. They develop some poor habits, like overworking and not celebrating wins, that are hard to break later with a team.

Ep #211 CEO Series: Know the Score

Running a business is like playing a game and every great game keeps score. A CEO knows the numbers and uses them to make decisions and celebrate progress. In this episode I share the tools that a CEO uses to measure Key Performance Indicators (or KPIs) and why they are so important to creating a beautiful business. 

Ep #210 CEO Series: Constraint & Uncommitting

We have been talking about what it means to be a CEO of your business with some amazing guests like Tim Bradley, CEO of Teatulia, and Stephen Adelé, author of Ready, Set, Scale.

I decided to expand this topic and put together a CEO series sharing with you key traits a successful brand founder embodies as he or she wants to go beyond the stress of doing it all as the maker to running a beautiful business with more time and money freedom.

Today's topic is perfect as we head into a "fall" 🍁 state of mind (I love this time of year to reset and evaluate routines and habits).

A CEO is willing to constrain their activities with a single focus in mind AND do the hard thing of uncommitting from things that were made with the best intentions.

Ep #209 Ready Set Scale with Stephen Adelé

This is a must listen to episode today if you want to go from maker and doing everything in your business to true entrepreneur who earns the freedom of time and money that's possible from a business.

My guest is DU School of Business Professor and co-author of the new book Ready, Set, Scale; How to Scale Your Business without Losing Your Soul, Stephen Adelé.

He and I have an incredible conversation on what it means to truly scale a business so that it runs without you always doing more.

Ep #208 A Beautiful Business

I have spent much of the last 18 months working through a concept to create I like to call a "beautiful business". First, for myself in my business and then in the Master Your Business program with Fuel members. This is a business that doesn't meet some outside standard of success, but one that energizes and serves both your life and your customers' lives.

I challenge you to move beyond the chaos and stress of early entrepreneurship which is necessary, but will lead to burnout and resentment if left unchecked for too long. Instead I want you to build a business that aligns with your personal values and goals and this takes you stepping into the role of CEO to build a solid foundation to scale.

Ep #207 Working with Your Spouse + CEO Conversations with Tim Bradley of Teatulia

This is one of those episodes that you do NOT want to miss! My conversation with Tim Bradley, CEO of Teatulia, is packed with nuggets for aspiring and scaling founders.  We dive into his first CPG business, Rocky Mountain Popcorn, that he ran with his wife, Karen. He shares his his wisdom around the dynamics of working with a spouse, including the importance of clear roles, and the necessity of turning off "work mode".

When Tim talks CEO, I listen! He has helped to grow Teatulia 6X and does it with kindness, discipline and patience while making tough decisions based on data. Last year, the brand decided to pull out of retail, which also meant letting go of his VP of Sales, who was also his wife.

Ep #206 10 Things No One Believes About Starting a Business

Working with 100s (maybe even 1000s) of founders launching or growing a packaged food business for over six years has been an exercise in trying to figure out how to say the things people really need to know in ways that are digestible. And there are some things that you just don't really know until you have been through it and are on the other side. 

It's not a problem that people don't believe me, but I do think if you are just starting out, it is helpful to note these and try to save yourself some of the mental drama that comes with a business launch. 

And if you already have a business, I would love you share on YouTube or Instagram in the comments for this episode what resonated for you or if there are any additional things you wish you believed, but didn't, when you started? 

Ep #205 From Clueless to CEO: Evolving Her Business Through Change with Lisa of PremOla Granola

Lisa Bastian and her son Ben started PremOla granola in a year of great change and the business continues to evolve as it has grown. I love that Lisa is committed to creating a business that she loves and works for her life even as Ben has shifted his involvement. This is a must listen to episode on how Lisa has grown her confidence in her abilities to be a CEO and create a beautiful business.

Ep #204 Why You Want to Be Holiday Ready Now with Jordan Buckner

Jordan Buckner, founder of Tea Squares, FoodBevy and Joyful Co, a curated gift boxing company and I, as a former Marketing Team Leader at Whole Foods Market, nows a thing or two about retail. He and I have an awesome conversation about why holiday planning starts in the summer (or earlier) and how to craft a great roadmap for success.

Ep #203 Mid Year Check In : Your Vision, Strategy and Tactics

We are halfway through the year and it's time to do a check in on the goals and milestones you set waaayyy back in January. It's likely you aren't where you thought you "should" be at the 6 month mark. Don't beat yourself up - we always underestimate how long something will take! it's time to refocus, re-strategize, and ensure your actions align with your vision.

I share with you a powerful framework to help you achieve your goals with intention and clarity, avoiding common pitfalls like overwhelm and scattered efforts. Get ready to make the next six months your most productive yet!

Ep #202 What You Need to Know About SEO with Chuck Aikens of Tymoo

Many founders ask me about SEO and what they can do to increase their "organic reach". I finally found THE person to help us understand SEO as a small business, not one with a ton of money to through at ads. What I learned from Chuck Aiken, founder of Tymoo, will surprise you and give you a new way to "do" SEO for best results. Visit tymoo.com or go directly to tidalwavecontent.com

Ep #201 Your Questions Answered with Sari and April- Part 2

In this part two of the Q&A interview featuring Fuel member questions, Sari and April address growth questions as brands move past the launch phase of their business and want to scale into online and wholesale sales. Questions include addressing the best strategies for selling products directly to consumers, overcoming the challenges of navigating the competitive CPG market, balancing multiple business channels and the importance of having a clear vision for your food brand’s future. We also reflect on the growth and evolution of the Fuel community, highlighting how the blend of technical expertise and practical experience has created a rich learning environment. Join us for a deep dive into the realities of entrepreneurship and valuable advice for food business owners at all stages. 

Ep #200 Your Questions Answered with Sari and April

It's a huge milestone today as Food Business Success hits 200 episodes of a weekly podcast! Tune in for my answers to questions from our Fuel members about launching a business including my story of starting a food business.

Ep #199 Creating a $100M Business on His Own Terms with Scott Edwards of Elevated Gains

Scott Edwards, founder of Elevated Gains, has BIG dreams for his protein bar brand to create a $100M business, but he's doing what a great CEO does: not rushing, constraining his activity and focused on learning while making money.

After struggling to get out of the startup stage with his CBD protein bars for years, we started working together last year to do a brand and product pivot.

He relaunched this spring and finally got into a farmers market and is crushing it each week using the strategies from the Up Level Your Farmers Market Workshop. 

You don't want to miss this interview - it's power packed with protein bites for your business!

Ep #198 Money Drama and How I [mostly] Avoid Money Mistakes

I have been in own money drama recently about making an investment in my business and fear about making (yet another) money mistake.  Yep, I've made more than a few "mistakes" with money 😵‍💫. Most of them I would say were "learnings" and stepping stones, with only one really bad one that I still cringe about when I think about it. 

But, the good news is, you get to learn from my mistakes and how I consider and decide on the investments in my business. 

Ep #197 Right Sizing Your Business with Sarah Delevan

You have already overcome so much (we survived a pandemic!), but most of us fail to think of ourselves as the hero in the story and use it as evidence of what we can accomplish in our businesses.

In this episode, I explore how to turn setbacks into powerful comeback stories for your business and life. Learn practical strategies for handling challenges with self-compassion and actionable steps to keep moving forward.  Tune in for my insights and tips on how to use this simple tool to achieve resilience and success in your entrepreneurial journey.

Ep #196 Setbacks and Comebacks

You have already overcome so much (we survived a pandemic!), but most of us fail to think of ourselves as the hero in the story and use it as evidence of what we can accomplish in our businesses.

In this episode, I explore how to turn setbacks into powerful comeback stories for your business and life. Learn practical strategies for handling challenges with self-compassion and actionable steps to keep moving forward.  Tune in for my insights and tips on how to use this simple tool to achieve resilience and success in your entrepreneurial journey.

Ep #195 Starting a Buzz-Worthy Brand

In this episode, I chat with Anna Zesbaugh, the inspiring founder of Better Buzz Brands that makes Hooch Booch and Corpse Reviver beverages, to discuss her journey launching an alcoholic hard kombucha company during the pandemic and then adding a non-alcoholic beverage to pave the way for more sales. 

Despite facing significant challenges, Anna's tenacity and innovative thinking led her to create a unique product that has captivated the Denver market and beyond. She shares her experiences navigating the complexities of the alcohol industry, from finding the right brewers to securing distribution and educating consumers about hard kombucha. Join us as we explore the creative process, the power of persistence, and the exciting future of Better Buzz Brands.

Ep #194 How To Take Time Off As An Entrepreneur

Are you a good time off taker? Are you able to turn off your phone and get present with the people and experiences, or do you feel ancy, agitated and anxiety wondering what you are missing and what messes will await you when you return? Most business owners I meet are TERRIBLE at taking real time off and it is actually hurting their businesses more than they realize.

Ep #193 Sage Wisdom from Coach Maz

Deb Mazzaferro (aka Coach Maz) has been in the CPG industry for decades and she shares her insights and wisdom in a conversation we had together recently. With vast experience with legacy brands, importers, start-ups, brokers and distributors, she has a lot we can learn from when navigating the industry. From who you want on your "board of directors" to how she would use data to build a CPG business if she were to do it now. 

Ep #192 Routines for a Successful Season

Our brain loves a great routine and it's important that as things shift in our lives that we take some time as CEOs of our business to re-evaluate them and make decisions ahead of time to set ourselves up for success. Often we just let the seasons run us and run us over instead of setting up systems and routines that shift with the needs of the season. 

In today's episode, I share with you when to re-evaluate your routines and some practical tips for planning out a successful season so you feel in the drivers seat and make more money in your business. 

Ep #191 Your Permission Slip to Do Business Your Way

There's a lot of ways to do business and a lot of people telling you how you "should" do it "right". The truth is that there is no ONE way and there is no RIGHT timeframe for success. The whole reason you got into business is probably to have more time and money freedom and to chart your own course and then it's easy to start comparing yourself to others and conclude that you are doing it "wrong".  

I hope this episode gives you a sense of freedom and release from the "shoulds". A business, if it is to last longterm, needs to fit into your life, not the other way around. You have permission to do it the best way - your way. 

Ep #190 The Future of Business with AI with Dax Hammon of FOMO.ai

Do you want to run and hide when people start talking about AI and using it in your business? I kinda do...it's a little overwhelming and feels hard. My guest today, Dax Hammon of FOMO.ai, is an expert on the topic and he is going to blow your mind with where AI is going and how fast things are changing. He sent me a video as well so you can SEE what he is talking about and I posted on the YouTube channel here.

Ep #189 Grow Sales with the Reciprocity Principle

When we understand human nature and how to tap into powerful persuasive techniques, not out of manipulation, but simply to help people be more open to buying from you, everyone wins! The reciprocity principle is something we touched on in the Up Level Workshop and I expand on more here. It is one of the most deeply ingrained principles in humans and it can open the door to increased sales with more fun and ease!

Ep #188 Facebook Ads That Work with Zach Spuckler

Advertising on social media can feel pretty overwhelming and a lot of people burn through a lot of money to figure it out (or never figure it out). My guest today, Zach Spuckler of Heart, Soul & Hustle helps entrepreneurs figure this whole advertising thing with ease (if I can learn it, you can too) and focuses them on the one type of ad that actually works on a small budget and gets BIG results: Lead Ads.

Ep #187 Sales Can Be Easy & Fun with These 4 Mindset Shifts

In today's podcast, I share with you four mindset shifts you can make that are backed up by science. The beauty is that they are simple to do,  cost you nothing and will increase your sales with practice - then combine them with the strategies in the workshop and you are on your way to a profitable business!

Ep #186 They Earned their Badass Titles with Amber, Kerrieann and Genevieve

Becoming a badass CEO with a successful business doesn't happen overnight (I wish!). Instead, one day you wake up different after weeks, months and even years of stringing together small decisions and actions that are a vote for the person you want to be.

A badass is someone who follows through on what (and when) he or she says it will be done, takes action even when it feels scary and increases their capacity for failure (aka learning). 

Ep #185 Up Level Your Farmers Market Strategy to Make Money

Danny and I love farmers markets as one of the first places for brands to go, but did you know that many brands continue with the market sales channel because it makes really good business sense? And it doesn't mean you have to do them all! Danny of Peak State Coffee is doing just this and using markets to fund his business while also taking 2 months off last summer!

Ep #184 Getting You More Customers with Mark Josephson of Castiron

It's one thing to make something delicious, but then you have to spend even more time finding the customers to buy your products. I'm joined today by Castiron founder, Mark Josephson, who is changing the way brands find customers and making it so much easier!

Ep #183 Be A Better Boss (to yourself) 

Are you a good boss to yourself? Probably not...most traditional bosses aren't that great (only about 30% are) and entrepreneurs are even worse!

In today's podcast I am sharing my presentation I did for Castiron's Flour Power event called How To Be The Boss You Deserve. 

I LOVE teaching this concept and I go into more detail in Chapter 9 of Key Ingredients. It's a concept - being a better boss to yourself - that resonates with many of you.

Ep #182 Expand Your Inner Circle with Julie Nirvelli

My guest today is the amazing Julie Nirvelli, founder of Winking Girl Salsa, curator of Network In Action groups, and now creator of Natural Products Executive Collective or NPEC. Julie is kind of a "professional networker", but she doesn't call it that and she shares some incredible stories of how building relationships and her inner circles helped her grow and sell her salsa business. 

Ep #181 Second Score (how to receive feedback better)

There's asking for feedback and then there's the receiving of the feedback. This is hard to do well! I love Adam Grant's concept of the second score and I share some tips on how to be a better feedback receiver so that you can get better or make your business better. I also share some of the feedback I received from the survey you may have taken in November of 2023 - the good, bad and the ugly! Find out how I handled it and what will or won't change as a result. 

Ep #180 Going For 10X with Jessica of Fireworks Butters

In the four years Jessica, founder of Fireworks Butters,  and I have worked together we have never recorded a podcast together...that changes today!  Hear her 8-year journey of starting her business and keeping it going with a busy household of three kids and husband and then COVID. 

Ep #179 Making Investments in Your Biz: Conversation with Danny Walsh

Are you worried about making money mistakes or making the wrong investments in your business? Danny Walsh and I have a frank conversation about making investments in an early stage business. He shares what investments he made into his business, Peak State Coffee, early on and what mistakes he made along the way so you can avoid the pitfalls. We both believe in a lean business and getting something out into the world quickly to test and get feedback. It's important to stop planning in your head and jump into the water with a full commitment to your success.

Ep #178 Focus on Your Strengths with Dr. Lee Koles

We are often told in school and work to try to fix our weaknesses and spend energy there attempting to overcome them. That's the hardest and least fun way to go about being an entrepreneurs on my guest today, Dr. Lee Koles, shares with you the Clifton Strengths tools and why it's important to actually lean into your strengths and not focus so much on your weaknesses. She also breaks down my top five strengths as well as the top strengths of members in Fuel who took the assessment. 

Ep #177 Identity vs. Result: How to Create Better Habits That Last

How's that New Year's resolution coming along? If you find that it has petered out, it's probably because the set up was wrong from the start and it was set up as a results goal versus an identity shift process. In today's episode I share with you what the difference is and one of my identity shifts I am making this year as part of our 30 day discipline challenge called Badass30. 

Ep #176 Get That Brand Out of Your Head with Christopher McLaughlin

Ever wonder if you logo or other visuals make a difference in sales and customer loyalty? My guest is Christopher McLaughlin of Tenfold and he is my long-time partner in graphic design for many client projects. We discuss why it is so important to get that brand out of your head to communicate with your designer and your customers.

Ep #175 Subtract To Do More

When setting your new year's goals, it's so easy to just add more and more to the list as a way to get you there. Studies show that most of us never even consider doing LESS and subtracting activities.  In today's podcast I share with you insights from the book Subtract by Leidy Klotz and how you can apply it to your bigger goals and also in your daily business activities. 

Ep #174 Going Viral and Converting to Sales on IG with Kayla King

Social Media Marketing Manager Kayla King seems to have cracked the code on growing a social media following and going "viral" on Instagram and she is sharing some of her secrets on the podcast today! We love to celebrate and use Fuel Member, Chennelle of GoodLove Foods, as an example who recently had a reel go viral with over 1.6M views, tripled her followers and blew up her website with orders.

Kayla is going to be the first Fuel VIP guest for 2024 and you can get in on this even more in-depth, pull out your phone, and let's make these changes kind of call by joining today.

Ep #173 The Only Good Comparison

Think about when you have gotten stuck in comparison or competition with another brand or founder. It probably feels terrible and as Seneca says, "comparison is the thief of joy".  But, there is one type of comparison that can be useful and help you go 10X. Find out on today's podcast. 

Ep #172 Going 10X in his business with Danny Walsh of Peak State Coffee

Danny has had some amazing growth over the past three years since launching Peak State Coffee in the spring of 2020 and he is getting ready to have another huge 10X growth period. Danny and I talk about what it means to him to go 10X and why he loves this concept, how Master Your Business has helped him and can help founders set up your business to run without you always there and how to use the "who, not how" strategy to go 10X.

Ep #171 Why You Want To Set a 10X Goal

Yes, it's that time of year when everyone is talking about goals...blah, blah, blah. I am so over the traditional way to setting goals because they just leave me feeling like a failure. Until I found the 10X method of setting goals! In today's episode I share with you why a 10X goal (making the goal HUGE and nearly impossible) is scientifically backed the best way to get so much closer to creating the business you actually want.

Ep #170 Influencer Marketing Made Easy with Yash of Saral

There are so many strategies to get more people to try your product and become raving fans from ads to events. One of my favorites is influencer marketing because it's pretty easy to get started even on a low budget and there are some great fringe benefits that come with collaborating with others. On today's podcast I interview Yash Chavan, creator of Saral, who is my go-to expert on all things influencer marketing. He explains what influencer marketing is and why it works so well, gives you a six step process to get started and shares the three biggest mistakes to avoid.

Ep #169  Don't Use Gratitude Against Yourself [Reprise]

Gratitude is generally a positive emotion, but sometimes I see how people use gratitude to try to tamper down their desires and not go after their dream. On today's podcast, I share with you what this looks like and then give you three very useful ways to use gratitude to fuel you into action even when you feel fear. 

Ep #168 Scenario Planning for Next Year

Don't skip over this one! I know you may not love to do this planning CEO-type work, but at this time of year it is the difference between celebrating huge wins or possibly giving up next year.  I share with you the basics of creating a strategic plan and what it means to do scenario planning. At the end of this type of planning you will know exactly what you need to do, what it will cost in time and money and whether you are all in to take action in January.

Ep #167 How to Get Feedback That Matters

Do you shy away from asking for feedback about your business or even yourself as a founder and entrepreneur? It makes sense that we would be afraid of the answers, because then we might have to change something or we might take things personally.  I share with you a new way to ask for feedback based on Adam Grant's latest book Hidden Potential.

Ep #166 Your Time Isn't Free

I hear this so often and I am over it! Your time is not FREE - it is actually the MOST valuable resource you have and so many of you are trading hours for dollars and this is the OPPOSITE of how you create a profitable, successful business. Listen in to get the strategy and mindset a true entrepreneur needs to adopt to create the freedom, fun and wealth you desire.

Ep #165 Use Your Body FOR Your Success with Kendra Seoane

Do you ever feel like your body and mind are working against what you say you really want: a successful business?  On today's podcast I talk with Kendra Seoane, a somatic weight loss coach who helps entrepreneurs end emotional eating struggles.  You don't have to struggle with your weight to fall prey to emotional eating, drinking or any other habits that help you escape the hardships of life. I have struggled with both for most of my life and when I overate and over drank, my business became so much HARDER.

Ep #164 High Hopes 

Hope is not a strategy, but it is a crucial foundation of your business. High hope people go after bigger goals and take bigger risks. Entrepreneurs have to have high hopes and fortunately, it can be learned. In today's podcast I give you a fourth quarter pep talk to help you build up your hopefulness. 

Ep #163 Is it a good fit with Charles + when life doesn't go as planned with Kirati

This is part two featuring two members on our bonus mindset call inside Fuel. Charles and I discuss how to work with that first wholesale account especially when you aren't sure if it is a good fit. Kirati shares with us how life presented her with some unplanned obstacles that are slowing down her business and causing her anxiety. I offer coaching to help her release the pressure of the rush and make a new plan going forward.

Ep #162 Problem Solving with Amber + Dropping Perfectionism with Debi

We are having the most amazing conversations inside Fuel especially on the bonus mindset calls. Everyone thinks its about strategy and getting the "how" of creating a successful business, but it's never that. It's always the head trash that gets in the way of taking action. 

Ep #161 Stop Feeling Like a Fraud

Feeling like a fraud when you start this business or every time you go to a new level is very common. I coach people on this all the time. Why? Because you have never done this before! Who are you to create an incredible business? Who are you NOT to!? In this episode I offer you two strategies to conquer (or at least calm down) the feelings of being a fraud or imposter. 

Ep #160 What's a CEO and why do I need one? 

CEO is both a title and a state of being that gets used a lot, but do you really know what a Chief Executive Officer is and why it's so important to have one guiding your business? That is today's podcast topic and I share with you some of the key roles, skills and responsibilities of a CEO.

So when I say, "become the CEO your business needs", you know exactly what I mean! Be sure to grab the download of the CEO's schedule that I created for Master Your Business students. You can get your copy here.

Ep #159 An Antifragile Business

Resilience is great, but it is not the opposite of fragile. The term coined by author Nassim Taleb is Antifragile. This goes beyond withstanding stress (robust) or bouncing back (resilience) to having the stress or challenge transform the object to become even better. This is definitely possible with your business to become more antifragile and be ready to more than just be ready for shocks, but to actually thrive and be more creative because of the shocks. 

Ep #158 The September Reset

I love this time of year as we transition to fall. Take full advantage of the mental and physical reset that happens in September and recommit to your business.  On today's podcast I give you two exercises that I am doing with my 1:1 clients right now to help them get off autopilot and create the time and space to achieve big results for 2023!

Ep #157 Building a Business That Lasts with Susie & Jan

The odds aren't great for small businesses, but on today's podcast I talk with Jan of Oma & Popie's and Susie of Well Rounded Meals, have made big shifts in their business to set themselves up for long term success.

To be a sustainable company requires a profitable business model and you stepping into the role of CEO. Not just working IN the business, but working ON the business and take more ownership over the vision and direction of the company. No more doing things on the fly and running around putting out fires - calm and confidence is possible and my guests are living proof!

Ep #156 Keys to Success: Fall in Love with the Process

This podcast episode celebrates 3 years 🎉! That's over 160 episodes released with over 60,000 downloads! Thank you for listening and sharing with others. 

There is no magical arrival to some future place where everything is perfect in your biz and you are happy all the time. Founders who think this usually get so frustrated that "it" never comes that they give up all together. The founders who embrace the process as what really matters and make it fun, curious and open are the ones who succeed the fastest and ultimately love that there is never a "there", just milestones of accomplishment and celebration along the way.

Ep #155 Keys to Success: Purpose over Passion

There are 1000s of granolas, kombuchas, hot sauces and cookies out there. What will make yours stand out and make people want to take the time to learn about (and hopefully buy) yours? Your story as a brand and as the founder are your best tools in your belt to go up against larger, well-funded brands. On today's podcast, I share with you our June Fuel VIP call with our special guest, Kristine Carey, founder of Brand Guide. ou are so passionate about your products, but if you find that you go in fits and starts and can't sustain motivation or you just can't get out of your own way to take bigger risks, then you probably don't have a big enough purpose. On today's podcast, I share with you the first key to success I see after working with hundreds of entrepreneurs. 

Ep #154 Tell Your Story Better with Kristine Carey

There are 1000s of granolas, kombuchas, hot sauces and cookies out there. What will make yours stand out and make people want to take the time to learn about (and hopefully buy) yours? Your story as a brand and as the founder are your best tools in your belt to go up against larger, well-funded brands. On today's podcast, I share with you our June Fuel VIP call with our special guest, Kristine Carey, founder of Brand Guide. 

Ep #153 Are You A Good Bet? 

If I had $1000 to bet on you and your business, what odds of success would you give me? Is it a 100 to 1, 50 to 1 or 10 to 1? Or is it a 60%, 70% or 90%?

I have worked with hundreds of want to be entrepreneurs over the past six years and have noticed patterns for the ones who achieve the success they sought.

Ep #152 Build a Business that Runs Without You with Rob of Mor Kombucha

Rob Spiewak is the founder of Mor Kombucha and is currently on a six week paternity leave and is confident the business will run smoothly because of the work he put in to create a team and systems. Listen in to find out how he did it and get support with Master Your Business to do the same (join the waitlist to start 9/19). 

BONUS Holiday Planning Starts Now - Be Ready for Sales! 

When I was with Whole Foods Market, I would have been wrapping up my holiday plan for the season right about now. For those unfamiliar with the rhythms of retail, this can be a bit mind-blowing. Jordan Buckner of FoodBevy and I talk show based on our experiences in retail, wholesale and e-commerce to help you know what to do and what not to do this year. We want you to start now so you can actually enjoy the holidays personally and have huge sales in 2023. 

Ep #151 Seller Hacks to Improve Your Sales Online with Jess Young of Bubble Goods

Jess Young is the founder of Bubble Goods, a curated online marketplace for better for you brands to leverage the power of their platform and marketing.  On this podcast, she and I share strategies and seller hacks for how brands can increase their sales and be found by more customers.  We also celebrated Bubble Goods onboarding their 1000th brand this month! 

Ep #150 Mind Your Mind

As entrepreneurs, we have a responsibility to manage our mind more than most people. Starting and growing a business will bring up all of your negative self-talk, which of course feels terrible. Yes, your brain is trying to get you to quit because you are going against your programming (to stay safe, focus on pleasure and don't exert unnecessary energy). It is possible to manage these thoughts, not by pushing them away, but through some tools I give you on today's podcast.  

Ep #149 The Importance of Downtime this Summer

Have you taken the time to plan out your summer for both your downtime, rest and connection as well as your business? The importance of psychological detachment has been proven in study after study and yet you are either in full beast work mode or are rebelling against your slave-driver boss (also you). I want you to look at your calendar for this summer and plan in both downtime, vacation, free days AND focused time to work on your business (as well as in your business). 

Ep #148 The Nerve to Have Fun & Be Authentic with Bryan of Magic Chonk

Launching a business is definitely not all unicorns and rainbows once you decide to make it happen and Bryan's story is one I am so excited to share with you. He gets real about the anxiety and doubts he had to work through (and still does) to launch Magic Chonk and keep it aligned to his vision of a fun and magical one selling ice cream to kids and kids at heart adults.  

Ep #147 The 16 Phases of Launching a Business (or a book)

There are roughly 16 phases I noted that each of my clients goes through when launching their business. I noticed these as I went through the process of launching a book and on today's podcast I share them with you. If you have already launched enjoy the walk down memory lane. And as the last phase says, "now the real work begins".

Thank you to everyone who has purchased a book - we are celebrating #1 on Amazon in "Start a Business" and "Hot Releases"! I hope you get your invitation to the book launch party on July 6th!

Ep #146 Super Thinking

Feeling stuck, confused or starting a new project and want to be fired up? I am sharing with you the most amazing tool in my coaching toolkit to supercharge your business and life! Your brain is the most powerful app out there and yet we rarely consult it and seek outside validation instead. Super Thinking is a way of accessing the power of your subconscious and generating new connections, ideas and ahas.

After you listen to this episode with the why and how to do it, make time on your calendar and then get the guided Super Thinking session at superthinksession.com 

Ep #145 Why You Need an Awesome Name with Alexandra Watkins

Are you stuck on a name for your business or wondering if it the brand name you have is helping or hurting you? Or do you need a great tagline or want to name a product, collection or subscription something catchy and memorable?

My guest today on the podcast is a professional namer Alexandra Watkins, founder of Eat My Words and Author of Hello, My Name is Awesome. For 18 years she has been naming brands, products and more. We discuss why your name is your most important investment and a few of the things that make a name great and what to avoid.

Ep #144 Eat The Frog (Do The Things You Have Been Putting Off)  

What have you been putting off in your life and business? Are you just making mental notes of what needs to be done and it's weighing you down? Mark Twain has a great quote that says:  "if you have to eat a live frog, do it first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you for the rest of the day."

I just finished an hour of eating 5 or 6 frogs and I feel such relief and satisfaction! I want that for you too. 

Ep #143 What's Your Score? 

You set some lofty goals for yourself at the beginning of the year and now we are 21 weeks into 2023. How would you score yourself on the activities and progress you have made towards your goal in the last five months?

The quote "what gets measured, gets managed" is appropriate here in that if we make time to measure something it becomes a priority. I want you to set some higher standards for yourself - what is the version of you who achieves your goals doing and NOT doing - and then give yourself a score each week. 

Ep #142 [REPRISE] The Value of a Coach

If you are questioning the value of working with a coach or inside a coaching program like Master Your Business, this podcast is for you! Recorded almost two years ago as the one-year anniversary episode, there isn't much I would change about the list: accountability, expertise, making decisions, setting big goals and helping you see the big picture when things get hard. I would just amplify it after coaching 100s more entrepreneurs in this space. 

Ep #141 What's Your 3 Year Vision?

I get some pretty blank stares back when I ask a lot of founders this question. Once the business is launched there seems to be a lot of activity, but not in one specific direction with measurable outcomes except overwhelm, pressure and anxiety. 

Ep #140 Mastering Her Business with Stephanie Wiley, Founder of Fat Kid Cookie Co

Cookies have been a part of Stephanie's healing journey as she launched her business after the tragic death of her son. But, it is one thing to get a product out in the world and a totally different thing to make it a profitable, successful and enduring one. She had never done it before so she got help and now she is on a road to mastering her business and turning it into the cookie empire she wants it to be!

Ep #133 My Money Coach, Robin Hanover

When I hired Robin back in August, I knew she would be a future guest on the podcast and here we are! It's not easy or "fun" to look at the real numbers and the choices (or not) I made about my money.  There was A LOT of drama for sure. 

As a single female entrepreneur, there is a lot of fear that comes up for me around safety and security. Hear my journey to face my money beliefs and the organize the physical dollars head on with my wealth coach, Robin Hanover

To learn more about working with Robin visit https://robinhanover.com. I cannot recommend her highly enough to help you with a wealth-building strategy for retirement and your business while supporting you with coaching. 

Ep #138 Solve Problems with the Right "Who" featuring Jeff Salisbury

I met Jeff at the Fancy Food Show this year and I continue to be amazed at his expertise at problem solving to help early stage brands. His speciality is around packaging and finding the right manufacturer, but his experience spans the entire CPG industry from financing to strategy planning for creating a profitable brand. 

Ep #137 Finding Your Purpose

Artificial intelligence is a big topic of conversation these days and you may be wondering how you can leverage it to help you in your business. On today's podcast, I share with you some ways that I am seeing it being used and I invite you to join me on our Fuel VIP call on April 19th to get all the tips and tricks to write everything from your social media posts to your website copy. If you get Food Business Success by April 18th, you are immediately upgraded to VIP so you can join me live!

Ep #136 Finding Your Purpose 

Are you a purpose chaser? Always trying new things to finally find the one thing you were meant to do in this life? I certainly was! Today's podcast is a replay of my interview with Lee Koles on her podcast, The Career Sequel. It is top downloaded episode of 2022, so I know we are talking about a topic that is of interest to so many of you!

Ep #135 Becoming the CEO her Business Needs with Chennelle of GoodLove Foods

As you grow your business, you as a boss and CEO will need to evolve. Your business needs you to step into a leadership role steering the ship and doing less of the "doing" in your business. Chennelle's journey is doing just this as she scales GoodLove Foods from a baby brand to a mighty one. Hear what has happened since the last time we talked on the podcast (ep 72) and how she used coaching and Master Your Business to step into this new identity.

Ep #134 Money Mistakes

In over five years of helping people start and grow a handmade packaged product businesses, I have seen A LOT of money mistakes. I am giving you the roadmap on what to do and what to avoid on today's podcast.

Ep #139 Who Not How to Go Farther Faster 

What if every time you said "how do I do that?", you replaced it with "who can help me with that?" This shift has been a game changer for me and Master Your Business founders. "How" requires effort, resources and force - it quickly leads to confusion and overwhelm. "Who" simplifies the whole process - we just find people to either take over the things we don't enjoy or we aren't very good or we find partners and connectors to collaborate with.

Ep #132 Prioritizing Profit

I hear it all the time...I hope to make a profit this year (and it's year 3 of their business).   I want you to start a real business (not a hobby) and set up habits that prioritize profit. Because you are going to work way too HARD to not bring home something for yourself to delight in. And if you never have any monetary reward, most people quit in the first year or two.

Ep #131 How to Fund Your Small Biz with Marie Peters

Maybe you are starting out with a more complex product and you want to launch into larger sales channels or you are ready to move from farmers markets to the next step. Every time you scale up, even just a little bit, there is an investment of money that you will need. So where do you get this money when you are still pretty small and definitely not ready for investors? My guest on the podcast is Marie Peters is the Fund Director of B Side Capital. She is an expert in helping early stage entrepreneurs find funding to help them get to the next level.

Ep #130 Create a Home-Based Business You Love with Lisa Kivirist

Have you thought about starting that delicious dream, but aren't quite ready to make a large investment of time and money?

A Cottage Food Business is a wonderful way to start and test the waters of entrepreneurship. Not every maker should be an entrepreneur!

On today's podcast, I talk with Lisa Kivirist, co-author of the book Handmade For Sale and co-host of the Home-based Food Entrepreneur Virtual National Conference April 10-13, 2023. Get yourself registered if you have a Cottage Food business or are thinking about starting one. I will be presenting a workshop on financial considerations including taxes and profit. Link in comments to register for just $35 with some great bonuses if you sign up before March 1.

Ep #129 Love Note to Your Biz 🧡

We put a lot of expectations on our business to make us feel happy, successful and love for it. But what if it isn't our biz's job to make us feel love for it? What if we get to decide that we we love it as the the vehicle that gives us opportunities for connection, service, doing hard things and being proud of ourselves. Write a love note to your business on this Valentine's Day and keep it close by for all the times your business gets hard (because is will some days). 

Listen in on how I do this with my business - from loving my clients, the colleagues around me, the transformation of coaching, the satisfaction from creating value and the growth of myself. And then go record or write your own love note to your business. 

Ep #128 Be Investment Ready with Michael Movitz

This month I am talking money with some amazing guests, both in mindset, but also the tactical strategy for finding the money you need to launch and scale your business.  My guest on the podcast this week is Michael Movitz, co-founder of Brandjectory. He's kind of a big deal in the industry (he wouldn't say that, but I will 😊), especially around raising money in the CPG space.

And he is also one of the coolest people I have connected with recently. There are a lot of really cool people in this industry!

 We talk about how to know if you are ready to take on investors to scale your business. It is not something a brand does lightly and you need to be prepared. It is like a marriage - until exit do you part. 

Grab the 5 page guide Michael put together for you here to get the steps to take on investors successfully. 

Ep #127 The Right Fuel

Your business is like a rocket ship going to the moon.

You do all the work to perfect your product, put it into a nice package and even start a website or go to a farmers market. But you just can't seem to get full liftoff. Maybe you get it off the ground for a bit, but then it sputters out.

On today's podcast I share with you the wrong fuel (imagine you put 💩 into the rocket ship's tank) and the high octane fuel + additives that will get you off the ground and into orbit faster and easier than you ever thought possible.

Ep #126 Yes or No: Get Out of Indecision

I hear so many stories from you about waffling on whether to start your business, or to make the next level of investments to grow it. Indecision is a decision, but not one you make on purpose.  It robs you of your joy and keeps you spinning out in "I don't know" land.

You miss opportunities when you don't make decisions and ultimately regret creeps in as you wish you had acted sooner. On today's podcast I explain why indecision is fatal for entrepreneurs and offer you some tools to become a person who makes decisions and has their own back...no matter what. You get to decide that after all 😉.

Ep #125 What's Your Obstacle Strategy?

There will for sure be external obstacles that come up that will slow us down in our pursuit of our goals. It's a question of when, not if. And it is good to have a strategy of self-compassion and problem-solving ready to go when they do. But the most insidious obstacles are actually internal. You are the problem. You are the one who slows you down most. But the good news is you are the solution.

On today's podcast I share with you the most common internal obstacles I see in my clients and members and some strategies and hacks to put in your tool belt ahead of time so that when the obstacles come up you move through, around and over them so much faster.

Ep #124 Are you a maker or entrepreneur?

There is a big difference between a true entrepreneur and a maker who has a business. Most of the time we have created (or will create) a business from an maker state of mind. You just want to make your product and you wish you had other people to do all the other things.

I hear it ALL THE TIME.

In today's podcast I explain the three roles you MUST perform for your business to work and how most people are only performing one of them. If you aren't willing to step into the other two roles, your business will run (or ruin) you. I've seen it over and over again and I don't want that to be your story. 💔

Ep #123 Want to > Decide to Want to > Decide to 

Are you caught up in the excitement and motivation of a new year? It's easy to make resolutions about what you will do in the next 12 months? 

But the reality is that most resolutions made with a "want to" in them don't actually happen.

 
On today's podcast, I am sharing with you a different phrase that will change your life. Instead of hoping you will achieve it, you can make this year's goal a foregone conclusion. And then get to work.

Ep #122 First Time Fun

Routine, habit and consistency serve us in a lot of ways, but if we aren't purposefully seeking out new challenges and first time experiences, we are missing out on so much. Neophilia, the pursuit of novel experiences, has amazing benefits including living a happier and healthier life.

And we get a little rush of dopamine when we experience a first which lights up our brain and strengthens long-term memory and our ability to learn.

There is nothing like the thrill of starting a business to drop you feet first into uncertainty. And with a mentor and community, you will learn the skills of overcoming challenges and problem solving in a way that builds your confidence and reliance.

Ep #121 A Rich Life

What makes for a "rich" life?

I find this term makes some people uncomfortable (you might even comment below to tell me why that is a terrible word), but we actually use rich in all kinds of ways from money to describing fabric or characterizing a dessert. I also think of a rich life in terms of time, freedom, relationships, love and experiences.

I am reclaiming the word "rich" for my life from the "money makes us greedy and is for others" to "the more rich I feel, the more I have to give and to create more value in the world."

On today's podcast, I share with you some examples of ways you can start to feel more rich in your life now. There is no magical arrival of when you will finally feel "rich". The secret is to start to feel it now so that you can create more of it in the future.

Ep #120 Push vs Pull 

How are you feeling about your goals for 2022? How about setting new goals for 2023? If you are feeling a little discouraged and pessimistic, as I was, it is probably because you are doing it the hardest way.  In today's episode, I share with you two ways to set goals. The push method, which is what most of us have been taught, and the pull method. The pull, or desire, method is how really amazing goals are achieved. It is the more fun, easier and less stressful way of accomplishing BIG things in your life and business.

Ep #119 Hook Your Future Self Up

Are you sabotaging your future self with your current actions. Most of us do. It isn't your fault (blame your primitive brain), but you can easily override it and start to become the person you need to be to achieve the goals you want in your life and business.

In today's podcast episode I share with you a simple concept I have been using to get huge compounding results called hooking your future self up! Start doing this today and see results this week.

Ep #118 Launching a Fun Home-Based Cottage Food Business with Lauren & Stacie

It is possible to launch a brand new idea and have fun figuring it out at the same time! On today's podcast episode, you get to hear from two foodpreneurs, Lauren of Royall Cookie Co and Stacie of Cassavaberry,  who launched their cottage food businesses this summer. They share their biggest set backs, some strategies they have used to make it easier and also what they are excited about for 2023.

Ep #117 Prime Yourself For More Good

Do you see the world as usually good or usually bad? How you see the world is directly connected to your experience OF the world. It is possible to shift your perception and it starts with a technique called priming. You can't be both afraid and truly grateful at the same time.  In this season of gratitude, I offer a priming technique for increasing the gratitude you feel on a daily basis. Because when you feel more grateful for what you have and what is coming, your life opens up and more is always coming for you.

As a foodpreneur, you are doing hard things that don't always feel great. So, it is EXTRA important that you take responsibility for directing your mind. Otherwise, it will do it for you. And you probably won't like the results it creates (imagine a toddler running around with two permanent markers and a lot of white furniture).

I also want to offer so much gratitude for all of you listening and using the resources I offer. It is so amazing to me that I created a business helping you build your dream business in food. Thank you for being here and thank you for believing in yourself enough to consider what's possible for you.

Ep #116 Raise Your Standards

What are you tolerating that isn't serving your health, your relationships or your business?  Your future vision of yourself as a business owner requires you to set new, higher-level standards to become the person who creates a profitable food business.  

To have the dream you want - your successful, fun and profitable food business - you need to be outstanding. It is possible for you. Set new standards and over time you will reap the excellent rewards that follow. 

Ep #115 Better Outcomes Part Two: Easier, Faster, Funner

Being an successful entrepreneur really just means that you are an excellent problem solver. If that is true, then to create a successful business, you just need to get better at it! No more taking things personal.

In today's podcast episode, the second of a two part series, I share with you the strategies I use with my clients to help them become better decision makers and problem solving machines to create better outcomes for their life and business.

Ep #114 Better Outcomes Part One: Feel Better Inside

Are you letting fear, discouragement, frustration, self-pity, lack of motivation, confusion and anxiety get in the way of the outcome you want in your food business? These pesky emotions slow you WAY down. 

This is part one of a two part series on creating better outcomes, ie: faster, easier and more profitable. Today's episode is addressing our emotions first so we can actually start the work of problem solving. This has to come first. And I share my experience of anxiety as well as tools and strategies I presented in the Hard Times Ahead call to help you feel better.  

Ep #113 Create your Alter Ego

Remember when you were a kid and you put on that cape or crown and you became a real superhero. You could (a probably did) things that you wouldn't normally do as the "real" you, but somehow that article of clothing transformed you.

In today's podcast episode, I am sharing more about how to use an alter ego to step into the version of a business owner you need to be. Anytime you are required to do something outside of your comfort zone, use this tool and you will be amazed at what you are capable of! Thank you to Todd Herman's and his book The Alter Ego Effect as inspiration for this episode. 

Ep #112: When It Doesn't Go As Planned

You spend time and money to get do your first run at your kitchen or copacker or to go to your first trade show or to get in front of that buyer for that pitch. And while you show up as your best self, something happens and it is a total "fail". The equipment breaks, the formula doesn't work scaled up, no leads at the show or it is a no from the buyer.  Yes, we know success is built on a pile of failures...ya, ya, ya. But when you are IN it, it SUCKS.

This recently happened to me after my Hard Times Ahead zoom link didn't work in the very last reminder email. I made a follow up video in the moment to model how to process the embarrassment, rejection, disappointment (fill in your own emotion) and how to make meaning from the experience to move forward quickly like a boss.  I share the learnings on today's podcast.

Ep #111: Your Purpose Filter with Kathy Zhang 

This week's podcast episode is one that will leave you different than when you started if you let it. You may be wondering why I interviewed the amazing Kathy Zang, a palliative care physician and life coach to help you with your packaged food business.

Honestly, this conversation couldn't have come at a BETTER time as we are all facing more uncertainty and anxiety about our businesses in the face of inflation. Having a purpose filter is MOST important when we are in challenge and hard times. Take some time with us to dial in your own filter. 

Ep #110: Tell Yourself The Truth

Ever feel like you are throwing darts in a dark room trying to hit the target in your business? Just like a doctor gets all the facts (the good, bad and ugly) before she makes a diagnosis with treatment, we have to be willing to tell ourselves the truth in our business.

Are you willing to have this conversation with your CEO hat on? No judgement or self-loathing - just the facts of where you are and where you want to be. Only then do you look at where you are sabotaging yourself, where you are lacking in knowledge and start solving for it.

Ep #109: Buyerology for more sales with Karen Green

Want to get more YES's from your customers and wholesale buyers? My guest on the podcast is Karen Green aka The Food Mentor. She shares a concept she created called Buyerology that helps you increase your close rate and develop better partnerships with new accounts and even your employees.

We also talk about the three things she would be doing right now if she was a food brand owner.

Ep #108: Stop Trying

If you had a counter around your neck that counted how many times you said the word "I'll try" in a week, would that number be off the charts? When I give you a strategy to use or an action plan, do you hear yourself saying "I'l try"? How is this "trying" working out for you?

I just got back from my four day meditation retreat in Sedona, AZ and it was absolutely incredible. At the end there was the inevitable conversation with Master Daniel about how to incorporate the learnings from the weekend into our everyday lives. People in my group and then later I heard others in the welcome center responding with "I want to and I'll try". Does that instill confidence in you when you hear someone else say they will try? Not really.

Tune in to hear what Master Daniel told us and why the word "try" is one you want to eliminate from your vocabulary. Start noticing and replace it. Yoda told us, "there is no try, there is only do and not do."

Ep #107: Courage Never Feels Good

There is a *good* reason many people don't go after their dreams including starting a business. It requires a ton of courage as you put yourself out there and risk rejection, judgement, failure and the dreaded "no". In today's podcast episode I share with you my recent adventure that reminded me that courage never feels good and I offer some strategies that I gave a client recently as he was feeling the nerves come up about the launch of his business.

I recommend micro-dosing acts of courage in less risky environments to help you build up the muscle of doing hard things and I give you some examples of things to try. Force yourself to do a small, but brave, bold thing every day. Do that enough times and you will blow your own mind with what else you can do when the stakes are higher.

Ep #106: Unleash Your Inner Superhero with Judith Gaton 

In theory you know you will have to do hard things and have failures to launch or grow your food business, but in reality it is something we resist and avoid.

My guest today, the amazing Judith Gaton, and we talk about putting on your cape to unleash the superhero within who gets hard things done.

We also dive into how your clothing and your environment has a huge effect on your confidence. When confidence is low, you don't put yourself out there and make offers. This slows you down!

This is an area that is often surprising to entrepreneurs, but some small changes in your environment and how you see yourself can create massive shifts in your success.

Ep #105: How to Achieve Your 2022 Goals 

I love autumn for the reset it offers us to get back into routines and recommit to our big goals for the end of the year.

Life has happened over the last 8 months (all the shoulds and shouldn'ts that we didn't plan for) and summer is a little more relaxed with less structure. Don't beat yourself up if you aren't on "track" to achieve your year end goal. Take inventory and look at the facts. Then make a plan.

In today's podcast I revisit the strategy of consistency to help you achieve a big goal in your business.

Now is the time to dig deep, commit, find a coach and a team and take action!

Ep #104: This Shouldn't Be Happening

I shouldn't be here. It should be this way and not that way. It shouldn't be taking so long and on and on and on. The shoulds and shouldn'ts are two of the most toxic words you can say to sabotage your business and slow you down as an entrepreneur.

On the two year anniversary of the podcast I share with you some strategies I use to help my clients take their power back and do more in the world and in their business.

Ep #103: Justin's Nut Butter 15-year "overnight" success with Justin Gold 

Whether you know it or not, Justin Gold of Justin's Nut Butter helped pave the way for you to start your packaged food business and launch into stores with much more ease and faster. When I was at Whole Foods Market I regularly featured Justin as the poster child of local brand success in my store.

I thought it would be so fun to interview him and have him share about his early days as a foodpreneuer starting out when no stores were really featuring "local" like they do now.  My goal is to help you realize that your business will require patience and investment of time and money on your part. I want this to be a reminder that you are not entitled for your business to be easy, but if you never give up, you will get there; wherever "there" is for you.

Ep #102: How to Reinvent Yourself

You have explored possibility in Ep 99 and then decided you want to reinvent yourself into a successful entrepreneur in ep 100 and now you want to know the steps to create this, right? Here they are! In today's episode, I am giving you the four steps to make reinvention happen. The are simple, but not easy because they will require discipline and effort. Are you in?

Ep #101: Networking the New Way to Grow Your Business Faster

The FASTEST way to grow your business (and launch your business successfully) is to grow your connections and community. But don't take my word for it.

My guest today is the amazing Lee Koles who is helping us understand how to better network (is this the most painful word ever for an introvert?) in person and on LinkedIn. This is a must listen episode!

Ep #100: Reinvention 

100 episodes! 🎉 I'm taking just a moment to take it all in and be so grateful for you bringing me along in your journey!

On this special episode we are taking a deep dive into the concept of reinvention. Have you considered that to step into entrepreneurship you MUST reinvent yourself, on purpose? I share with you the next steps to go big and go all in on your possibility you created last week for your food business.

This is something I have been reading and learning a lot about as I have been on an intentional reinvention of my own business over the past three months. You might notice that the intro and outro are completely new as well as the podcast cover. But the reinvention doesn't stop there. Food Business Success® is all new too with the introduction of Fuel, our food business founder membership.

Ep #99: 3 Minutes in Possibility

Are you looking to your past for the "how" to create something you have never done before like starting a packaged food business? Sorry, but that will never work.

That results in the start-stop-start-stop cycle. Sound familiar? You get really excited and then you start making progress and then freak out or get distracted.

On today's podcast episode I share the concept of remembering your future and give you a strategy for speeding up your business that I use every day. And it only takes 3 minutes!

I also make a bold (and scary) declaration that you can now hold me accountable for taking the action required.

Ep #98: Accidental Entrepreneurship with Sara Lemmon of 3rd Bird Kombucha 

In just a little over two years Sara went from brewing kombucha at home as a stress release and a way to help her son with Autism to leaving her full time teaching job, moving to her own space, adding four additional farmers markets, hiring and scaling her growing business, 3rd Bird Collective.

There are so many takeaways about why to start, the benefits of entrepreneurship, being resilient and investing in coaching to help you transition to the next level of business.

Ep #97: Using Regret to Make Better Decisions 

Regret is a powerful emotion that can drag us into a pretty self-loathing, unkind place if we let it. It can also be used as a tool to help you improve your decisions, raise performance and deepen the meaning in your life according to Daniel Pink and his book The Power of Regret.

I recently used regret to help me make a decision about my summer and it was really helpful. I want to share how you can harness the power of regret, not to beat yourself up, but to step into a future that is different than your past and create a life with more purpose and passion (and fun!).

Ep #96: Is it Time to Quit?

I got this question from a Food Business Success member on our call last week and it sparked an episode idea I have been wanting to tackle for a while now. How do you know if it is time to quit. Sometimes quitting comes in the small "q" form when it gets a little hard and sometimes we need to evaluate the big "Q" quit of our business. 

I give you some ideas and strategies on how to manage the small "q's" and how to evaluate if it is time to shut down the business. 

Ep #95: Problem Solving Machine (part 2)

Your business requires you to think bigger and use your brain for solving higher level problems. Welcome to entrepreneurship my friend! In this episode, I share the strategy I use to solve either recurring issues in my business (after I solve the urgent problem) or focus on the longer term strategy to achieve the results I want in my business.

Ep #94: Become a Problem Solving Machine (part 1)

What if I told you that from where you are at to where you want to go in your business, there are 10,000 problems (big and small) that need to be solved (scientists estimate you make 35,000 decisions each day which are essentially problems you are solving).  Wouldn't you just want to get better at solving problems so they aren't such a BIG deal?

On this episode, I share my strategies for solving those immediate, gotta get fixed now, kind of problems and some ways you can think about them to make them less dramatic and exhausting. What if problems weren't really a problem...? Think about that for just a minute.

Ep #93: Enjoying the Journey with Ryan Hussey of Pup & The Pepper 

Ryan was exactly where many of you listening are at right now. He had a dream and a desire to create a food business. His passion is hot sauce and after listening to the podcast and YouTube videos, he finally reached out. But he wasn't quite ready...yet.

Then he decided to go all in and we started our work together just over a year ago to bring Pup & The Pepper to life. His story is such an amazing example of (mostly) enjoying the journey. It doesn't mean things won't go wrong or get hard sometimes, but that doesn't mean you have to have a negative experience. Your business is a rollercoaster and Ryan is on for the ride. He has had some amazing successes, but that is because he is also willing to fail a lot.

I loved our conversation and I know you will too. Maybe it will be you one day on the podcast!

Ep #92: 2% Happier

Are you happy? In your life and your business pursuit?

Sure, it's fun to fantasize about turning your hobby into a real business and having more freedom as an entrepreneur. Often times what happens is that you put so much pressure on yourself to achieve success really fast and are not enjoying the process. And when your business feels like a grind and brings on anxiety, you are actually LESS effective when you do actually do the work. Or I see you give up entirely...until the next time you feel inspired.

What if I told you there is a direct correlation between happiness and productivity? What if you found a way to be 2% happier in your business - just a small shift - that a Harvard Business Review showed a 23% increase in output. So, how do we create more happiness in your business? You will just have to listen to find out!

Ep #91: Procrastination as a Tool 

Do you consider yourself a procrastinator? 

A successful entrepreneur is a person who more often than not chooses longer term results over quick instant gratification.

But, what if you find yourself really avoiding something. Or just never seeming to make the time for it, even though it is something you know "should" be done?

In today's podcast, I am exploring how procrastination can be a good thing. What?!

When we stop and notice where procrastination shows up and explore why, we can use it as a tool to propel our business forward.

You will just have to listen to find out!

Ep #90: Fewer Things with Kristin Graham

I debated whether to call this episode "words matter" or fewer things better. With my amazing guest today, Kristin Graham, self professed word nerd and brain science teacher, we talk about both. But I love the beauty of her podcast by the same name, Fewer Things Better, so I went with that.

This is a must listen to episode with an expert who offers simple, easy to do brain hacks that will increase your productivity AND help you feel better while doing the work and living your life. This is a perfect episode for May which is all about being more productive.

Ep #89: How to Be more Productive

Whether you are creating a food business as your side hustle or this is your full time career, I see a lot of my clients struggle with productivity. It is challenging to manage yourself when the work that needs to be done is self-directed without a lot of structure or accountability (like when you work for an employer). Overwhelm, stress, anxiety and hustle quickly become a way of life for many entrepreneurs. As one of my clients recently told me "it feels like my week is happening to me instead of me taking charge of my week".

I get so much done AND have a lot of fun in my business. This wasn't always the case. Anxiety, overwhelm and self-loathing used to dominate my days, whether I was working or not. In today's podcast I want to offer you with the mindset shifts that have helped me and my clients get so much more sh*t done and accelerate their businesses.

Ep #88: The Model

Do you ever feel like things are always happening TO you? That you just can't help feeling stressed, confused, overwhelmed or just plain discouraged.

Get ready for a tool that will change your life. Get ready to feel better.

I have been promising an episode devoted to The Model for a while. I have discussed different parts, but now I bring it all together to help you unlock the secret ingredient in your business and your life.

Ep #87: Becoming the CEO of Your Business

You wear a lot of hats as the food business founder, but is one of them the CEO? Most of the people I work with have never even thought about this - they are so busy being the maker, the marketer and sales person.

But what does it even mean to be a CEO as an entrepreneur? No, you may not have employees and you most likely don't have a board of directors to report to, so why does it matter?

Because the most successful brand founders adopt a CEO mindset even when it is just them. And on today's episode, Andra Erickson, a good friend, coach and colleague who coaches women entrepreneurs to become the CEO, is here to share with us the three things every CEO must have. This episode is SO GOOD.

Ep #86: Thoughts on Money 

I have a lot of thoughts on money lately. There is a certain amount of money we all need to meet our basic needs. But then what? Why do some people create big businesses and some seem to struggle consistently?

On today's episode, I am opening up about all of it. And I am terrified to talk about my business and this topic of money and the judgements you may have. Which is just crazy, because money is just pieces of paper or numbers in a bank account. It is totally neutral. And if I can help one entrepreneur see that making money in their business will help them do more good in the world and help more people, then I am willing to be judged.

I also check in with Erika of Southern Girl Granola after the Generosity as a Strategy episode aired two weeks ago and get her thoughts on money as well. Her story after that episode aired will blow your mind! 

Ep #85:  Insider Grocery Tales with Tania Ellis

Getting onto grocery store shelves is one of the goals many of my clients come to me with.

They have big dreams of Whole Foods Market, Natural Grocers, Publix, Kroeger and more.

It is rarely the case that a brand goes from no shelves to a large store. The more usual path is to start at small independent stores, then move to regional stores and keep working your way out to national stores.

My guest today, Tania Floyd Ellis, Store Director for Lucky's Market and formerly with Whole Foods Market is giving you the inside scoop on what it takes to land on shelves and how to stay there.

Ep #84: Generosity as a Strategy

This might be the most important episode I have ever done. If you want to know the ONE trait I see that leads to success in this industry it is generosity.  And don't just take my word for it...Erika of Southern Girl Granola, one of my 1:1 clients took me up on my challenge and she shares her story of leaning into generosity.

And if you are having a bad day or low on energy, this is one to come back to again and again.

At the end I spontaneously threw in a generosity gift to Erika that is for all of you. Be sure to check out our IG channel to get your granola and show Erika some love at southerngirlgranola.com!

Ep #79 Burning Up Your Limiting Beliefs 

There is no more permanent totem or reminder of a transformation you can adopt than a tattoo on your body, especially one that is in a noticeable place!

In this episode, I share the story of getting a tattoo in Las Vegas this month both as an example of how to set and achieve goals, but also to share my story of burning up my limiting beliefs and how you can go about doing the same.

Once you make peace with and choose new beliefs, anything is possible for your life!

Ep #83: The Truth about Inspiration & Motivation 

Are you waiting around for inspiration to strike? Or waiting to finally feel motivated? Well, you might be waiting around for a very long time, and then even if it does arrive magically on one day, it is fleeting. The fuel we need to create a business you love needs to be something else. In today's podcast episode, I share with you why you need to kick inspiration and motivation to the curb and what will actually fuel your success.

Ep #82 How to Scale Successfully as a CPG Brand

Rob Allen is a dear colleague, mentor and friend I met while working at Whole Foods. He now puts all of his skills and expertise in the industry to help midsize brands scale up into national, large businesses.

While that may not be you yet or even your business model, it is good to know where you are heading (or if you even want to).

Not every brand owner wants to be a national brand with a big exit...we need our farmers market and online producers just as much!

That is why I bring in guest experts like Rob to share their insights and success tips.

Rob is a stickler for the foundations and fundamentals of your business. If your business isn't built on a strong foundation and business practices, then as you scale it will crumble.

He has some great words of wisdom for any business at any level. Don't miss this one!

Ep #81 Who & What You Surround Yourself With

“You become like the five people you spend the most time with. Choose carefully.” I love this quote by Jim Rohn and when I am really honest with myself, I can see that it is definitely true.

And Oprah said it well when she instructed "surround yourself with those who only lift you higher.”

You do get to choose who and what you surround yourself with and it does have a huge impact on the results you get in life.

Ep #80 Overcoming the Biggest Challenges of 2022

My first repeat guest is my friend, colleague and mentor, Brandon Hernandez of Whole Brain Consulting. He works with mid to large brands in the areas of food safety, QA, contract manufacturing contracts and acquisition/evaluation for investors. 

We discuss some of the biggest challenges he is seeing in 2022 going forward as we live with the endemic of COVID19 and the realities of manufacturing, food safety, supply chain, etc. It is important to know what is happening in the industry at a larger scale so that we can adjust our expectations and get in front of the issues when possible. If you want to listen to our first episode together, check out Ep 27.

Ep #78 Create a CPG Business You Want

"Work with the willing" and "focus on more gain and less pain" were just some of the golden nuggets Jordan Buckner of FoodBevy dropped in today's podcast interview. Jordan is using his experience as a CPG founder of the national brand Tea Squares to help close the resource and networking gaps for food brands working to scale their packaged food business.

I love how open and real Jordan is about his experience (ie mistakes) getting his own product into Whole Foods Market and how he pivoted and then pivoted again to help other CPG brands be more successful.

Ep #77 The Power of "And" 

Just three letters can shift the way you see things. This concept is so simple and yet it is a game changer for my clients to open them up to possibility instead of arguing for their limitations.

You will just have to listen to learn why I keep a framed image of an "&" in my office and how it has helped lessen the negative emotions when problems come up and shift into creativity to solve problems.

Ep #72 Making The Dream A Reality With Eric and Chennelle

This is a really special podcast! I love sharing success stories from clients inside Food Business Success and my interview with Eric of Tuturu Coffee and Chennelle with GoodLove Foods is just amazing.  They share so many generous insights into their business launches and what they each had to overcome to step into the role of being a true entrepreneur and boss. Inspired to start your delicious dream? Get yourself registered for the Whip Up a Business Workshop" on January 18th!

Ep #76 Creating Content With Purpose 

Video, reels, animation, recipes, lifestyle and product photography, paid advertising campaigns, influencer marketing, content creators. There is so much to create as a brand owner and it can be really overwhelming.

My guest on the podcast today is Emily Teater of Set Creative, a boutique agency dedicated to helping CPG brands show their best sides on social media no matter how small or large they are.

Emily gives us some tactical strategies on how to create more purposeful content that moves the needle on your social media and email channels to create raving fans and lifelong customers.

We also learn about trends she is seeing in the social media space for 2022.

Ep #75 Focus on Less to Grow with Umai Marketing 

One of my passions is connecting YOU with the right people to help with your biggest pain points as you launch and grow your business.

And one of the BIGGEST pain points almost all my clients have is how to reach and attract new customers.

Love it or hate it, social media and email marketing are your most important (and accessible) tools you have in your tool belt.

In today's podcast episode, I interview CPG marketing mavens, Alison and Karen of Umai Marketing. They break down the three levers you as a brand founder need to focus on when you are just starting out and how to do them well by focusing on less, not more.

Ep #74 How to Be More Decisive

Your life is the sum total of the decisions you have made to the this point. Wow. That is such a true statement and it is a little big of a gut punch if I am honest.

We all need to learn to become more decisive and make powerful decisions that serve us.

In this episode I am giving you some new ways to reframe decisions and some strategies that have helped me and my clients become much more decisive.

Because taking action, even if it is the "wrong" action, is how you speed up our success!

Ep #73 The Perfect Time

Today is HUGE milestone for anyone with a big goal for the year.

Find out what it is on today's podcast and hear my thoughts on why waiting around for the "perfect time" will just have you WAITING for a very long time.

It is easy to focus on why NOW is NOT the perfect time. I bet you can list of tons of reasons. But as Marie Forlio says, "you can have reasons, or you can have results".

Food Business Success® is now OPEN for you to join me and your fellow foodpreneurs inside to get the expertise, accountability and support you need to quickly start or grow your packaged food business. Don't wait though...the doors close soon.

Ep #71 Make It Inevitable

It is the first episode of 2022 and I know you have set a big goal for yourself this year!

What if you could guarantee your results of launching your idea into the world, scaling up to manufacturing or replacing your full time job with your business income?

I give you some ideas, both actions and also mindset ideas to set you up for actually achieving your big goal this year, this quarter, this month and this week.

Ep #70 Measure the Gain, Not the Gap

How do you measure your progress?

We are all constantly measuring ourselves and our progress in relationship to some goal or ideal of how you want your life to be. 

Do you look to where you wish you were and compare yourself to others or beat yourself up for past mistakes that you just can't get over? 

If you really want to do it differently in 2022 and actually have FUN achieving your goals, I have an amazing new tool to share with you called the gap vs the gain.

This is a concept by Dan Sullivan and Ben Hardy in their book by the same title. 

This is changing the way I view my own business and life for the better. This will propel you into inspired action motivating you from feelings of gratitude and excitement, rather than comparison and willpower.

And there is no better time than just before a new year to evaluate your gain and generate action from a better feeling emotion to do more easily.

Ep #69 Social Enterprise with Women's Bean Project

On this holiday week I wanted to bring you a feel good story of how a food business can also do good in the world. Tamra Ryan of The Women's Bean project joins me today on the podcast. She tells us about how she became an accidental food brand entrepreneur when she became the CEO of the company 18 years ago and how she has grown the business to help more women go from under skilled employees to changing their lives with desired skills in the workforce.

Ep #68 From Cottage Foods to over 100 Stores with Brady of J Brady Seasonings

I love how every client's journey is so different and watching you become a different person is one of the things I enjoy the most about the work I do. On today's episode, I am catching up with Brady of J Brady Seasonings. He is one of my favorite people to watch as he navigates his business and is also one of my first clients. 

He has come a long way from starting as a cottage food producer to finding a copacker and working his way into small stores, and now over 90 Safeways! We talk about the learnings from him taking a chance with large broker firm that didn't turn out quite as planned. And that's ok. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take (thanks Wayne Gretsky).  

Ep #67 The Nudge & How To Be More Successful If You Go For it!

Are you getting the "nudge" to turn your delicious idea into a packaged food business? This is what I call that small voice in your head (and it will keep getting louder if you ignore it) that says "you should really do this" or "what if this was possible". So, how do you know if this is a voice to listen to and if you do listen to it, how can you be more successful?

I share with you nine traits I have observed over the years working with hundreds of foodpreneurs just like you that have generated more success, and more quickly and with less suffering and stress. 

Ep #66 April & Earl: The Compound Effect

I can't think of a better episode to air the week after Thanksgiving than my interview with April and Earl King of Better Than Provisions®.  Their story is one of resilience and deep work to step into the brand founders they are meant to be and share their delicious product with the world. And it is just the beginning for them! 

This episode is a celebration of the work they have put in over the last three years and showing up as well as looking ahead to solving the next set of problems in their business to get to next level success. 

Ep #65 What Do You *Really* Want?

Do you let yourself dream? Do you know what you really want? For many of us, we let our dreams die in our 20s and are just too overwhelmed by life to be able to put much thought into what we want. Or it brings up so much pain because of the contrast of not having it (and no way to actually get it, that you know of).

This is not another gratitude podcast. This is about designing a life with intention. About feeling better now and not waiting for a future thing to bring you happiness (not possible btw).

Grab a pen and paper or open the notes in your phone. We are going on a journey with in this episode that will get you closer to going after what you truly want for your life and blowing your own mind with what is possible!

Ep #64 Breaking Free from Imposter Syndrome with Steve Haase

Do you ever feel like you are fraud? Who are you to be starting or growing your packaged food business? The imposter syndrome is real and can really slow you down (or stop you completely) and my guest today, Steve Haase, and I want to help you break free so you can step into being a big brand and an amazing founder.

You are worthy of creating an amazing business. We need you and your products! You are changing the world and the way we eat. Thank you. Now get out of your own way and get to work.

Ep #63 Final Thoughts on Sales & Starting Your Food Business

This has been such a fun and amazing series to create on sales because I know this "little" thing (convincing people to pay you money) can be such a BIG thing that stops you from realizing the dream you want to create. 

I want to wrap up with some great concepts on sales or for anyone starting on this journey as a reminder and as an episode you can come back to when you need a little encouragement or direction. 

I mention a few other podcasts that are so helpful in your journey!

Ep #62 Ways to Increase Online Sales with Shannon Roddy

Amazon expert, Shannon Roddy, and I are back on the podcast this week to give you four steps to increase your sales online, whether through your own website or Amazon.

You know Shannon is one of my favorite go-to experts for Amazon because he knows the CPG space and offers amazing value to early stage bootstrapping entrepreneurs like you!

Ep #61 From Superconductor Sales to Salsa Supreme

Bryan of BarFly Salsa is crushing it with his local salsa brewery business model. In today's podcast he shares his journey and how he is using his day job in sales to grow his sales exponentially.

Listen in on his valuable insights about how to remove the stigma of "sales" and feel more confident talking with a buyer.

And we also talk about the importance of a brand both in the confidence to approach customers and buyers and to help it stand out when you aren't there to personally sell a product.

Ep #60 Thoughts on Sales Part 2

Are you willing to sit in discomfort long enough to actually get a yes?

Are you selling water to thirsty people?

Two very important topics are discussed on this companion podcast to Thoughts on Sales Part One including:

• Asking for the Sale
• Your Offer

If you want to get better at, and feel more confident growing accounts or one-to-one sales this is a not to be missed episode! 

Ep #59 Growing Your Business Sustainably with Rachael Walker

Want to get better at sales, learn from someone who is doing it and having fun.

 I work with some pretty amazing "natural" sales people. So, when I was planning this sales series, I definitely wanted to interview this badass boss...the queen of kombucha!

 Here is your chance to learn from someone who does it so well, Rachael of Life's a Buch is on the podcast today!

 She drops so many gems of wisdom, so be sure to soak it all up.

Ep #58: Building a Powerhouse Team

If you're planning to launch a new brand, or refresh your existing one, and you are feeling overwhelmed with all the to-dos on your list, this episode is for you. 

Hiring contractors is important, but there are a lot of wrong turns that can leave you with a patchwork of mis-matched expectations and inconsistent results.

On this episode, I'm joined by designer Christopher McLaughlin, brand strategist David Bisek, and copywriter Anna Bradshaw. We talk about how you can put together your own dream team and get the marketing strategy, design, and copy you need to launch with confidence - knowing your brand is compliant, cohesive, and compelling.

Ep #57: Your 4th Quarter Pep Talk

We are just about to start 4th quarter (October 1) and this is THE time where goals are achieve or they are given up on (maybe you will wait till next year). This is YOUR pep talk to remind you about your IMPOSSIBLE goal and get you fired up to turn on the gas for the last three months of the year.

This is the time to re-evaluate if what you are doing is working. If it is not and you are not where you want to be in your goal - whether it is to launch your delicious idea or to grow your sales and your business - then it is time to think differently.

Ep #56: Thoughts on Sales Part 1

Even if you think you are not a natural born sales person, you are actually selling all the time. Or you are being sold to. Think about it. Either you are converting someone into a customer or they are convincing you that your product isn't for them.

In this episode I offer some insights and thoughts about sales that will probably be new to you, or a great reminder. I am not a natural born sales person either, but I sharpen my skills listening to and working with amazing people who excel at this: Grant Cardone, Stacy Boehman and Dave Moreno. 

If you are ready to improve your probability of getting a YES, then don't miss this podcast!

Ep #55: Protect & Conquer Your Space with Dylan Schoettley

I am kicking off a sales series of podcasts with an interview with Dylan Schoettley, a VP of Sales and former broker.  No matter the size of brand, it is important to carve out your space on a shelf and then do everything in your power to hold it.  Learn from Dylan's many years in the CPG industry especially in the food service and C-store channels for better for you brands. We also talk about the value of community for your success and how important it is to find yours. 

Ep #54: How to Get More Done

If you feel a tightness in your chest when you think about your to do list and like there are never enough hours in the day and you are always in reacting mode, then today's podcast is for YOU!

That was my life before I found coaching and implemented a productivity process that has changed everything. I actually work less now than I ever have since starting my business six years ago and I achieve bigger results.

First, I had to change my thoughts about how I felt about time. It wasn't the enemy, my thoughts were. And then I created a weekly routine that has released the anxiety and because I trust myself to actually do what I plan to do and don't procrastinate, I have so much more time for FUN and connection.

Ep #53: What's Possible: April's Coaching Journey

Is it possible to have fun even when you are doing hard things, stepping into a bigger version of yourself as a CEO of your business, creating momentum to increase sales AND improving your relationships and personal life as a result of becoming an entrepreneur?

Yes! And coaching is the way to do it all so much faster!
 
But don't take my word for it. Meet someone who has done just this and so much more: April, co-founder of Better Than Provisions® and a coaching client.

Ep #52: The Value of Coaching

Ep #51 The Impact of Coaching on Your Business with Dave Moreno

I hear it over and over again. "I'm not confident in what I need to do next" or "I wish I had more self-confidence". So, how do we create more confidence? I have THE secret weapon. It is the tool I have used to radically change my life and my business and I have seen it transform my client's lives as well.

Ep #50 Increase Your Self-Confidence by Becoming a Badass

I hear it over and over again. "I'm not confident in what I need to do next" or "I wish I had more self-confidence". So, how do we create more confidence? I have THE secret weapon. It is the tool I have used to radically change my life and my business and I have seen it transform my client's lives as well.

Ep #49 Are You Having Fun?

So, you are DOING your business, but are you actually having any fun? I truly believe that if it isn't fun, at least most of the time, then you shouldn't be doing it. Taking things too seriously really slows down the process and the temptation to quit is always in the back of your mind. Learn how I changed by own tune and started having fun in my own business and how I help others starting their packaged food business have more more fun inside Food Business Success®!

Ep #48 When Bad Things Happen

You know that failure is part of the deal...in theory. I'm not talking about a typo in an email or a photo that isn't your best on social media. I'm talking about real #adulting things.  Have you decided ahead of time what you will do  when "bad" things happen in your business? Will you fall apart and make it mean that you are a failure and should quit? This is one option.
The other option is to see this as part of the plan that is making you a better foodpreneur and human and to learn from it to make your business even better.

Ep #47 How Greed

If Steve Jobs didn't know the how to create the amazing Apple brand, what makes you think you should too?

Your need to know the "how" before you start may be the biggest excuse I see that stops want to be foodpreneurs from taking action and moving their business forward. Learn how to identify when you are in how greed and how to move past this entitlement excuse that doesn't serve you or your dream.  

Ep #46 Inside Co Packing with AVA Manufacturing

My guest today is Andrea Blau, owner of AVA Manufacturing, and we are going in deep to help you feel more confident about when the right time is to find a manufacturer, what to expect when you start reaching out, how to form a great working partnership and how to work with a copacker when something isn't quite right.

Ep #45 You Can Do Hard Things!

Hard things are a part of life and I tell myself and my clients all the time that "we can do hard things". This phrase has helped so many of you as you build a business (which is about as hard as it gets in my opinion, but I don't have kids).

Today I am taking this one step further and inviting you to strengthen your "hard things" muscle by purposefully doing hard things on purpose! Listen in as I share a few of the hard things I have done this summer. It is so much easier to do them on your own terms and the benefits of doing hard things is huge! Not only do you build up confidence and trust in yourself, but you also build up resiliency and evidence for future hard things that you will get through it too. 

Ep #44 Is Your Business Legal? What You Need to Know

Do you have the right license? Are your labels compliant? Do you need a trademark? What about contracts with suppliers?

These questions come up a lot in my work with clients and one of the experts I turn to is Lauren, a CPG focused attorney. Don't avoid these issues but also don't be fearful. Knowledge is power. Educate yourself by listening to today's podcast episode about your risk when starting a packaged food business.

Ep #43 Overcoming the Dream Killer

Are you letting anxiety steal your dreams of starting or growing your packaged food business? I see this in my clients a lot (and myself), especially women. The fear of feeling anxiety stops you from doing hard things, from taking action and moving your business forward. What if anxiety was no big deal. That is was the price of admission to living your big life and contributing your amazingness to the world?

In this episode, I share some aha's and some tools I have used to transform anxiety in my own business and have seen work with my clients to go after big dreams. These are just my own thoughts. I am in no way diagnosing or treating anxiety. I am a coach, not a psychologist.

Ep #42 How to Put Your Feelings to Good Use

Have you ever thought about your feelings from an academic perspective? We aren't taught about feelings in school. How to process them and to let them in and that they are totally normal. Emotions often seem like they are happening TO us, especially negative ones, and that we are powerless over them.

In this episode, I break down what feelings are, why we WANT to feel the full spectrum of emotions, which feelings are useful and not useful and how to use feelings to drive massive action to help you reach your goals.

Ep #41 Going All In On Yourself & Your Customers with Melonie DeRose

Founder of Empact Bars, Melonie has gone all in on her brand's voice and identity to achieve amazing things in her business. This conversation covers so much including making the big leap to go all in on yourself to start your dream. Empact is a great example that puts into practice the last three episodes featuring guest experts on your branding and connecting to your customer.

This really does work if you do it! Don't miss this step win your business.

Ep #40 Using Your Creativity to Connect with Peggy Lyle

Connecting with your customer doesn't have to be boring! Let's have a little fun (don't you want to do business with brands who inspire you and help you feel a certain way?). 

My guest today is one of the most creative people I know. Peggy has pushed me for years to uplevel my work with fun brainstorming sessions, and now you get the benefit of what she does to help so many creative entrepreneurs. And yes, you are in the culinary ARTS, so welcome to the creative club. 

Ep #39 Dialing in Your Customer Communication with Anna Bradshaw

Ok, so you know who your customer is and you get that you need to make them the priority. Now what? My guest today, Anna Bradshaw, is an amazing CPG copywriter who helps her clients craft that perfect sentence that helps their product fly off the digital shelf. 

Anna breaks down your home page and several email sequences that need to be a part of your marketing strategy to start and continue that conversation with your almighty customer. There are so many great tips and ideas in this episode, you will want to listen again to get them all down!

Ep #38: Connecting with Your Customers with Katie Mleziva

There's you, there's your customer and there is your competition. You really only have control over two of the three and often I see entrepreneurs put too much emphasis on themselves. My guest today, Katie Mleziva of Real Food Brands, is a master at explaining why we need a brand story and how it will help make your life so much easier AND increase your sales.

Ep #37: Becoming More Resourceful

Do you consider yourself a resourceful person? We have more information than ever at our fingertips, and yet, we look to outside sources to give us the answer or we quickly give up when we can't find it. 

I know many of you are fueling your business on your dream, and that is great, but wishing and hoping don't buy packaging or pay rent at the kitchen. On the last segment in this money series, I share with you some mindset tips to creating more resources (including money) in your life.

Episode 36: How Your Business is Like a Jet Ski Adventure

What does starting your business and going on a 2-hour ocean jet skiing adventure have in common?

Listen to today's podcast to find out (this is a super fun one)! Then join the conversation in the private Facebook group.

Ep #35: Raising Money & Your Money Mindset with Elliot Begoun

You have proven your concept and now you  want to take your business to the next level. Every time you scale up you need to plan further ahead to raise the larger capital needed to scale. How do you find the money and are you ready to take on stakeholders in your business? My guest today is kind of a big deal in the industry! 

Eliott Begoun is a veteran of the CPG and helps brands level up to be ready to take on equity partners. He is also the buddha of mindset and offers his insights on daily money habits the founders and CEOs adopt to achieve amazing success.

Ep #34: Money Matters with Lorne Noble

The conversation about cash continues and this week we are getting into the practical side of money management AND why it is so important in your business with Lorne Noble of Simple Startup. From cash flow, inventory management and quickbooks setup up, Lorne has great tips and knowledge on how to do it right in your business and why it matters that you do.

As he says, "just start". Don't hide your head in the sand where money is concerned. When you know your numbers you can make better decisions. All successful entrepreneurs have to overcome their money matters to stay in business over the long haul. So, let's jump in.

Ep #33: Money Intolerance

Do you have a money intolerance? A WHAT? Most of you are thinking, "of course not! I want more money!!"

 But really think about how you might be blocking abundance in your business.  If money was a person, how would you describe your relationship with it? As a jilted lover or an adoring grandparent who just soaks it all up? 

In today's podcast, I give you some easy money tools to shake up your money blocks and start allowing more abundance to flow into your life and business. 

Ep #32: Money Lies with Jill Wright

It is time to talk about MONEY! This is a topic many of us don't want to talk about. Why can't we just want to make our product and make people smile with our delicious product, right?

But then we have to start selling and put ourselves out there to be rejected and that's where things start to unravel. Before we tackle the practical side of running a business, we need to start with your money mindset and the money lies we have been telling ourselves.

My guest today is money mindset coach, Jill Wright and you are definitely going to hear your money lie(s) reflected back to you in this interview. But don't worry, this is normal. Once you know them, you can start taking action from awareness and empowerment and crush the lies that keep you stuck or quitting all together!

BONUS- April Generosity Challenge

In April we are talking about all things MONEY on the podcast. Want to bring up all of your money drama...start a business!

I want to invite you to join me for an exercise, a generosity challenge, in April to shake loose some of your drama and start creating more wealth in your life and your business.

I would love to hear about your experience and how you spend your money from the challenge I give you on the private Facebook group.

If you want to watch the video of this podcast, head over to the YouTube channel and while you are there like and subscribe!

Ep #31: Think Like a Scientist

Are you looking for the magic formula, the one way, to launch or grow your food brand? In today's episode, I offer a different way of thinking. Thinking like a scientist is how I have watched hundreds of entrepreneurs create the business they want. 

I was inspired by Adam Grant's book Think Again and highly recommend it for thinking about everything in your life, but most definitely in your business. 

Are you willing to experiment, to cast off the biases that can lead to wasted money and time, and fail 100 times on your way to success? This is what every successful entrepreneur will tell you is THE formula. 

Ep #30: Tap Into Your Future Self

Now you are clear on the gap between where you are now and where you want to be. I am sharing another tool to help you build the bridge to your goals.  Tapping into your future self in a great way to help you get clarity on the decisions and actions to take NOW to become the person you want to be. 

Ep #29: In Her Own Words

This episode came together at the perfect time just in time for Women's month! I'm talking with four Food Business Success clients who are starting or growing their packaged food business and getting expert guidance, accountability and support from me.

This interview with Yvonne of LeafBerri, Tania and Leonor of Miami Food Co and Sara of SaraBell Soups is so inspiring! Each of their products and journeys are so different and you will be excited and inspired to keep taking action for your dream.

Ep #28: The Gap

Everyone has a gap in their business. It is that goal far off in the distance. But how you close that gap can be difficult or easy. This episode gives you six strategies to close the gap and help you get to where you want to be in your life and career.

Ep #27: Uplevel Your Business: Food Safety and Operations with Brandon Hernandez

A year ago we were all reeling from lockdowns and uncertainty. Brandon Hernandez, co-founder of Whole Brain Consulting was at the forefront of working with large and small brands on their food safety protocols and manufacturing operations and supply chain. 

Food safety is top of mind for a lot of businesses, more than ever with COVID. If you aren't taking your food safety and manufacturing operations seriously or don't know where to start, then you definitely want to listen to this episode. 

Ep #26: Avoid the Big Three on Amazon with with Shannon Roddy

Shannon Roddy is my go-to Amazon expert, especially for clients who want to take a more DIY approach, but want the guidance of an expert so they don't royally f*&K it up (which is easy to do on Amazon).

In this episode we go over the three biggest mistakes entrepreneurs (you) make and how to avoid them when you are ready to go on Amazon. His monthly membership to get his full Amazon Brand Success Academy is amazing for only $97 a month and I highly recommend it (I have gone through it myself and it is amazing all the things I didn't know, but needed to).

Ep #25: Confessions of a Farmers Market Manager

I am getting so many questions about farmers markets lately and so I recruited a friend who runs a large market in Denver and we are having a frank conversation about COVID and how vendors can be more successful at a market.  

Ep #24: Getting Your Business to the Breakthrough Stage with Chelsea Ford

Are you in the grind of your business and wondering if there is a light at the end of the tunnel? My guest today, Chelsea Ford, is a fellow CPG food industry expert helping women with operations and scaling up their business to get to the breakthrough cycle (where they can hire people and not work so many hours and wear all the hats).  This is probably why you started your business in the first place! 

Join us as we discuss three phases in the foodpreneur's roadmap to reach the much anticipated phase of your business. 

Ep #23: What is Your Belief Plan? (And why you need one!)

Not getting the results you want in your business? It may be time to check your beliefs before you take any action. Are you coming from a belief that supports your goals and dreams or from a place that says you "always mess it up" or "it's too hard or too expensive".

This week's episode is all about creating a belief plan first BEFORE taking any action. I share my belief plan and give you ideas for what might be in yours.

Ep #22: Leverage Your Budget on Amazon with Luke Tierney

Many of my clients wonder if they need a digital strategy. My answer is it depends...on your goals and your product. But, there is no question that the opportunity is huge on Amazon and my guest today, Luke Tierney, founder of Eco D2C, specializes in capitalizing on the opportunity. He helps brands large and small be more successful on Amazon and their own ecommerce websites. 

If you are considering going online and are wondering how much it will cost and what to expect, you definitely want to check out this interview!

Ep #21: Failing on Purpose for Your Impossible Goal

What if you took a completely different approach this year to get closer to your impossible goal?  Instead of trying to avoid failure, you actually leaned into it and did it on PURPOSE?! 

I know...sounds crazy, but it works! And there are huge benefits that come from getting better at failing. This week's podcast is the third in the series on your Impossible Goal and you don't want to miss it! 

Ep 20: Living the Dream with Christopher Hesse

By his own admission, Christopher, founder of Vukoo Nutrition,  shouldn't even be here after a near death experience, let alone a be a successful packaged food founder.  He was a food industry nubie going into the very competitive bar category AND it was a refrigerated bar, so people weren't even looking for it.

Our interview is a deep dive into what it really takes to launch a product into retail and online. We talk about the many failures and what it takes to be a self-funded successful brand in today's environment.

Ep #19: How to Start Your Impossible Goal in 2021

So, you have your impossible goal defined. Now what?  Remember, we are doing things differently so we actually create a sustainable system. This week's podcast lays the groundwork and gives you two actionable, and VERY doable, steps to take this week to kick off your year of doing the impossible.

Ep #18: The Year of Doing the Impossible

What do you want to achieve for yourself in 2021? If you are thinking about starting a packaged food business or you want to grow the one you have, you can't just set a small goal. Tune in to today's episode about how and why you need to set a BIG goal that seems impossible to generate enough action to achieve something amazing and blow your own mind. 

Ep #17 How to Not be a Perfectionist

Perfectionism will steal your dreams. It keeps you safe and allows you to never get it out into the world. Whether it is a product or a social media post or an email. I see it all the time with my clients. They stay stuck under the thumb of perfectionism.

I offer all of my clients the 80% rule and I give them permission to put it into action. Learn more about this and three ideas you can put into action to get more done and achieve your goals!

Ep #16 Grow Your Sales to $1M and Beyond with Doug Helbig

Whatever your measure of success, from a great day at a farmers market to a $15M exit and everything in between, you need to hone your data story to increase your sales and profitability over time. My guest today is Doug Helbig, VP of Sales for Alter Eco and previously brands like Wandering Bear and Dang Foods.  

We get into a ton of topics around growing your business into wholesale including how to use...

Ep #15 Entrepreneurs Will Save the World

We need you more than ever. Entrepreneurs really will save the world! They always have during downtimes, and this is no different. There is so much opportunity right now to share your delicious foods with the world  and step into the entrepreneur you want to be. Now is the time to take the risk. What are you waiting for...a pandemic? 

It isn't going to be easy, but nothing worth having is. Being an entrepreneur means it is all on you, the good and the bad. If you are ready to go on this journey...

Ep #14 Starting in Your Home Kitchen with David Crabill

Many states have a law called the Cottage Food Act that allows certain products to be made in a home kitchen and sold directly to a consumer. My guest today, David Crabill, is who I turn to as the expert on all things Cottage Food with his website Forrager.com.

David shares his own cottage food journey...

Ep #13 Using Gratitude to Fuel You into Action

This is not your typical Thanksgiving week gratitude podcast. Believe it or not, we often use gratitude against ourselves to stay in the status quo and not go after our dreams. Instead, I give you three exercises to try to use gratitude in an active way that fuels your action and gets you past the fear and discomfort you feel when you think about starting your business. Try one of them on this week and see how it feels. I hope you feel more empowered and ready to start your business this year! 

Ep #12 Validate Your Idea Before You Jump In

My guest this week is Lara Fordis, a former corporate market researcher turned independent who loves helping small brands validate their idea and make sure they know their target customer and whether they will be successful in the marketplace.

Lara has great ideas on how to do market research on a small scale and tips to avoid to get false positives. In fact, it has gotten easier to do marketing research during COVID!

My big piece of advice for any entrepreneur is...

Ep 11: Expressing Your Brand Visually with Karyn Savory

 This week I sit down and chat with Karyn Savory, Owner & Creative Director of Sweet and Savory Designs to discuss the importance of solid visual branding and taking your products to the next level.

Karen Savory is a design connoisseur with a food fetish. She helps restaurants and food & beverage companies create top-shelf visual brands that directly impact both the vitality of the business and the bottom line. Using visionary thinking, a commitment to excellence, and a deep understanding of the industry, she can create everything a delicious brand requires.

Ep #10 Celebrating Your Small Wins

This is week 10 of the podcast and I am celebrating this small victory! What are you celebrating today, this week, this month? Focusing on the small wins are what add up to your big successes. It is so important that you break down your big goal into small, bite sized pieces and celebrate yourself along the way. Join me as I will share some of the wins my clients are having and some ways you can get better at celebrating your wins!  

BONUS: Why I Created Food Business Success™

I was reflecting back on this time two years ago when I was ready to throw in the towel and go get a "real job". I dug deep and leaned on my hard why to double down and go all in on my purpose to serve early stage packaged food business entrepreneurs just like you start or grow their delicious dream. That was when I created Food Business Success™ and started on this journey.

Ep #7 Getting Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

Feeling a lot of discomfort with starting or growing your business? Me too. This episode is something we all need to hear and be reminded of. I am guilty of this myself - thinking that once I decide to start my business or a project that it will just be easy without any discomfort - success entitlement. 

The key is to first accept, feel the feelings and then...

Ep #9 Email Marketing Strategies to Increase Sales with Sarah Shuda

If you think email is dead, think again! The only customers you truly own are ones that have given you their email. If you aren't leveraging this resource, you are definitely missing out on sales from loyal customers and raving fans who just need to be reminded about how awesome you are!

Sarah Shuda of Lynn Design Co. has some great strategies even the earliest stage brands...

Ep #8 Guest Interview with Alli Ball

 I have a special guest today, colleague, mentor and fellow badass woman helping CPG brands, Alli Ball. If you don't know her yet, she is the creator of Retail Ready and host of the Food Biz Wiz podcast and you definitely want to...

Ep #6 Sweet Logic's success with Alli Owen

Alli and Matt launched Sweet Logic a year and a half ago on Amazon and they have big dreams to become a big brand. 

Alli shares her learnings about Amazon, product R&D, email marketing, re-branding and working with her husband. 

Ep #5 Why You Need a Hard Why

Starting or growing your packaged food business is hard! You need a compelling reason that is strong enough to overcome your doubt and desire to quit. It doesn't have to be noble, but it has to be true for you. 

BONUS Is NOW a Good Time to Start Your Food Business?

I get this questions ALL the time, especially now. In fact, I am probably talking with more people interested in starting their packaged food business BECAUSE of COVID...

Ep #4 Profitability and Looking Ahead in the Industry with Tera Johnson

 Join me in this podcast as special guest Tera Johnson and I discuss the importance of managing your cash flow as a startup business, especially during a pandemic...

Ep #3: Turning Your Obstacles into Strategies

This episode brings it all together. Understand why you set a goals to start or grow your packaged food business and then immediately freak out and stop taking action.

BONUS Holiday Planning Starts in September!

It may be September, but it is time to plan your holiday strategy for profitability and ending the year with great sales. In this podcast...

Ep #2: You Can Do Hard Things

Starting a packaged food business is HARD! But guess what, you can do hard things! In this episode I give you seven concrete things...

Ep #1 How to Achieve Your Goals : Consistency Challenge

In this episode, Sari discusses the importance of consistency and showing up for yourself and your business. 

Food Business Success Podcast Trailer

In this welcome podcast I introduce the Food Business Success podcast and...