Stu Aaron and Martin Janousek, co-founders of Bespoken Spirits, a modern distilling company which claims that it can precisely tailor spirits to a desired aroma, color and taste, spoke about they are attempting to win over stakeholders and gatekeepers, how they validated their process and products and why they described Bespoken as an enabler of change, rather than a change itself.
Sarah Frey, founder & CEO of Frey Farms, spoke about how she engineered her company’s remarkable turnaround despite having no formal business training, how she identified and utilized advantages her company had over larger competitors and how she navigated Walmart’s corporate culture. She also discussed how consumers’ relationship with food has evolved during the Covid era and what she’s learned about building a beverage brand.
Filipp Chebotarev, co-founder of venture capital firm Cambridge SPG, spoke about what he learned from developing an unsuccessful food brand, effective strategies for initiating and cultivating relationships with investors, why he’ll review a 70-page pitch deck under the right circumstances and the general rules that predict success in food and beverage.
Dean Eberhardt, co-founder & CEO of Hoplark, spoke about how getting fired from his own prior startup led him to a “lightbulb” moment and inspired the creation of the fast-growing hopped tea brand, his belief that he’s “a marketing textbook’s worst nightmare,” how the company has succeeded during the pandemic, and why he turned down a venture capital investment this past summer.
Jing Gao, founder & CEO of Sichuan-inspired sauce and seasoning brand Fly By Jing, discussed the origins of her passion for Chinese food culture and why she set out to create a brand that could elevate consumers’ expectations for the cuisine’s flavors. She also spoke about how she managed a surge in demand in 2020 and how she addressed racist comments posted on the brand’s Instagram page.
Nick Desai, founder & CEO of pea-based snack brand Peatos, spoke about why he’s taking direct aim at legacy junk food brands, how to achieve meaningful scale amid consumer skepticism about better-for-you snacking, why he believes that he’s doing the right thing regardless of the brand’s chances for success and his perspective that the American dream “is still very much alive.”
Nicole Ledoux, co-founder & CEO of seed-based food company 88 Acres, spoke about the thoughtful process of scaling from a local to national brand, why she credits in-house production as a significant competitive advantage and how a successful Kickstarter campaign provided the foundation for the brand’s retail launch and successive fundraising initiatives.
Carlton Fowler, managing partner of venture capital firm Goat Rodeo Capital, discussed his strategy for investing in brands with a unique consumer proposition or go-to-market strategy, explained why he’s bearish on alcohol-free beverage alternatives and how he evaluates the opportunity for cannabis-based drinks amid an uncertain regulatory environment.
Paul Feig, the Hollywood director and producer behind blockbuster comedy “Bridesmaids,” sat down with us to discuss his latest project, Artingstall’s Gin. Feig spoke about how his personality is incorporated into the brand, why he compares the business of distilled spirits to that of directing a movie and his ultimate goal for Artingstall’s.
Jeanne David, founder & CEO, Outer Aisle spoke about how being early on several current food trends helped the brand land its first major retailer, why the company aims to “revolutionize” a legacy food category, why she decided not to outsource manufacturing and why she urges entrepreneurs to use experienced advisors during a fundraising process.
