You’ve built something truly transformative. It delivers real results. Customers love it. But the market doesn’t get it... That’s the story behind Own It, the high-performance health platform founded by Justin Roethlingshoefer. Designed for executives and entrepreneurs, it’s part functional medicine, part performance coaching, part custom-formulated supplementation—all unified through one integrated team and system.

It’s powerful. It works. Retention is 94%. But early on, scaling was a struggle.

“We had the antidote to what people were suffering from,” Justin says. “But I didn’t know how to package it. Nobody knew what box to put us in.”

That’s the challenge with category-defying innovation: if your audience can’t instantly understand what problem you solve and why you're different, they move on. And no amount of clinical results or founder passion can fix that without a clear story.

Here’s what Own It had—but struggled to articulate:

    •    A solution built for high-performing founders and execs who’ve deprioritized their health

    •    A fully virtual coaching team: functional medicine, nutrition, fitness, therapy—all integrated

    •    Daily communication and real-time adaptation to lifestyle, travel, stress, and goals

    •    Deep testing at the cellular level—plus custom supplements, not stock vitamins

    •    An experience designed to feel like a board of directors for your health

    •    Quarterly in-person labs and community events that build accountability and connection

“People asked, ‘Are you fitness? Biohacking? Concierge care?’ We were none of them—and all of them.” Once Justin clarified the story, Own It began to scale. With his wife (former EVP at Christian Louboutin) as CEO, the company now serves over 1,500 clients with a team of 50+.

The takeaway for founders and investors:

The more innovative your offering, the harder you must work to simplify the story. It’s not about dumbing it down. It’s about meeting your audience where they are—so they can run toward what you’ve built. 

Listen in as Justin unpacks the story behind scaling something the world didn’t know it needed.

Nick Ovenden is proving that fitness can be a powerful vehicle for family connection and community change. By creating spaces where families grow stronger—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

As the president of GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness, Nick Ovenden is on a mission to help people live healthier, more purposeful lives—starting with his team. In this conversation, Nick shares how a conversation about how to make better use of conference room space at a golf club sparked the development of a vision to get families involved in fitness.  

Some Key Takeaways from Our Conversation:

• Kids Aren’t Sidelined- They’re Included
  Rather than keeping children in a childcare room, GreatLIFE encourages active family zones where kids participate and learn in a dynamic environment.
• Fitness As A Family Value
  GreatLIFE's mission goes beyond memberships and workouts; it's about helping families stay healthy together. From youth sports to multi-generational fitness programs, their goal is to make wellness a family affair.
• Creating Space for Connection
  Whether it's playing a round of golf together or taking a group fitness class, Nick believes shared experiences build stronger bonds. GreatLIFE is intentionally designed to encourage families to unplug, show up, and spend meaningful time together. 
• Wellness that Lasts a Lifetime
  Nick’s leadership training emphasizes tools like DISC assessments, calendar management, and communication techniques to help individuals grow in every aspect of life. 
• Business with Purpose
  Even in tough seasons financially, Nick stands by the belief that investing in his team, not just profit, creates the only kind of success that matters. 

In this episode of The Irresistible Factor, Kristi talks with Josh Rogers, Founder and CEO of Ancient Drinks, to explore how he turned frustration with sugary sports drinks into a groundbreaking beverage brand inspired by history’s first hydration formulas. Drawing on his background in branding and product development, Josh reveals the challenges of launching a health-focused brand in the crowded beverage market and the unwavering tenacity it takes to stay true to a mission of integrity and innovation. 

Josh shares his journey of creating Ancient Drinks, from brewing recipes in his kitchen that are rooted in real ancient health practices. With a clear focus on values and strategy, Josh dives into why starting with a strong brand foundation (a sometimes tough investment for a start-up) is absolutely critical. They also dig into how being a “polarizing” brand can help a brand stand out in a crowded category.

Tune in for a conversation packed with inspiration, expert advice, and actionable insights for aspiring CPG entrepreneurs.

Here’s what you won’t want to miss:

• The importance of starting with a solid brand foundation to guide every decision 
• Just how important having a mission and staying true to it is, even when cost-cutting is tempting. 
• Josh’s insights on navigating the competitive beverage market and why not being a brand for everyone is key to success.
• Ancient Drinks’ innovative plans for product expansion, including new SKUs, “Power Dust” powders, and customizable flavor boosters.
• Josh’s advice for founders: Believe deeply in your vision, filter advice carefully, and focus on learning and scaling with purpose.

“There’s just so many ways for you to sink the ship in those early stages,” said Robert Petrarca, Co-Founder and CEO of Maxine’s Heavenly, a brand that makes delicious, homemade-style cookies that are sweetened by nature. “It’s also running out of money and overspending and the retail industry with the nuances of distribution and all the challenges that go into that… I think there was a culmination of luck, grit and tenacity that got us through those stages.”On The Irresistible Factor, Robert shares how he got into the foodie world and managed to grow his business, even through those rocky early stages.Robert gives listeners advice on how to approach investors, how to create a funnel for capital and how to ensure holistic health within your business. He also helps us understand his own personal recipe for creating the perfect mix of characteristics that helped fulfill his vision of building a successful business. (It helps that he has a performing arts background!)Plus, we learn about how to stand out in your brand market, the power of adaptability, and how Robert was able to blend his passions for food and health with healthy cookies.To other founders, Robert has clear advice on branding: “An attribute is not a brand: it is simply a quality. It’s a descriptive.”

Today, it seems like sugar is added to almost every food product. That’s why the brand High Key’s mission is to remove 10 million pounds of sugar from the American diet, one sugar-free cookie at a time.On this episode of The Irresistible Factor, Joe Ens, CEO of HighKey, joins host Kristi Bridges to talk all things small business. He shares how he transitioned his career from the corporate world to something smaller — something he really believes in.In this episode, you’ll hear about High Key’s distribution, challenges, investment, marketing and innovation. Joe also discusses the importance of having a growth mindset and a strong sense of values to incorporate company culture.Together, they explore how the hybrid workforce of today has affected the workplace, as well as the difficulties small companies experience. Kristi and Joe also discuss how Joe’s disciplined routine helps him get through difficulties and where he hopes to see HighKey in the next five years.To founders and CEOs, Joe’s advice is, “You have to have something that has a value proposition — and in food, it better taste good!”

What’s a critical component to consider in the early stages of venture capital investing? People. And people are particularly important when a business is new — when it feels like just a few founders with a big, bold idea.That’s why serial investor, Joe Tonnos, says that 75 percent of early-stage investment is the founders an investor is backing. The remaining 25 percent is the product, market, and everything else. Joe is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Ketch Ventures, an investment firm that partners with disruptive, early-stage entrepreneurs and management teams to add value and grow consumer-facing businesses to the next level.On this episode of The Irresistible Factor, Joe shares his more-than-a-decade’s worth of experience investing in and advising companies across a number of different sectors. (In addition to his role at Ketch Ventures, he also serves as Principal and Associate Portfolio Manager at Meteora Capital and Venture Partner at Natureza Growth Partners.)Joe outlines what early-stage investors like Ketch are looking for, highlights some of the defining characteristics of great founders. He also shares his advice for entrepreneurs: “It’s having the vision, it’s being prepared to explain it, and making an investor understand what makes [your business] compelling and how it’s going to benefit them.”

How do you bring plant-based, nutrient-dense snacks to America, and make them irresistibly good?That’s what Scott Jensen, Co-Founder and CEO of Rhythm Superfoods, set to find out, creating the most delicious, nutrient-packed snacks. On Kristi Bridges’ podcast, The Irresistible Factor, she and Scott discuss how he built this innovative company, along with what it was like transitioning into the health food industry after decades of working with barbeque sauce at Stubb’s. They also explore how Rhythm Superfoods has, impressively, been able to scale over the past decade.Scott shares his advice for young entrepreneurs and breaks down the importance of being able to move fast: “Sometimes, what you think you have control of, life will give you something that you never could have ever thought of.”Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at one of America’s most exciting health snack companies, learn how they secure funding, navigate the ups and downs of entrepreneurship and more!

Manny Lubin, Co-Founder of Slate Milk, strongly believes in following your gut. That’s what he did by launching a product during the pandemic, and it paid off for him.Slate Milk is a better-for-you line of lactose-free chocolate milk, packaged in 100% recyclable cans. On this episode of The Irresistible Factor, Manny shares the need he and his business partner identified for a product like this, how they started Slate Milk and how they came up with the name.Together, host Kristi Bridges and Manny dive into why Slate Milk has focused its marketing efforts on social media and the benefits of influencer marketing. They also discuss why Manny values employee satisfaction so highly. “We want 100% of our employees to be happy,” he said, “to just love what they’re doing.”Manny delves into why the Slate Milk team doesn’t want to grow too quickly, along with how their somewhat negative Shark Tank experience impacted them positively.To other founders, Manny’s advice is: “It’s okay to have opinions. Be stubborn and go against people who have longer resumes and have way more money and have done it.”

You might be surprised to know how a journalism background fueled the popular gluten-free pasta brand Chickapea’s success.“My real skill was research,” Shelby Taylor, Chickapea Founder and CEO, told host Kristi Briges, “and that came from my curiosity and my journalism background. I have no fear of asking all the questions to every person that will listen, and that’s a lot of why it succeeded.”Together, Kristi and Shelby dive into Shelby’s story, uncovering what motivated her to launch her product range, and how she became a CEO. Chickpea uses clean ingredients with no additives, and Shelby attributes much of the brand’s success to its unique formula. She tells the story of how Chickapea unexpectedly thrived during the pandemic, and reveals how they continue to differentiate themselves from competitors in the market.Shelby also shares powerful advice for women entrepreneurs, along with some of the challenges that the company is facing today.“I think that being naive absolutely worked in my favor,” Shelby said. “I believed everything could be done, and in my timeline. I’ve learned so much. If I ever started something new it would have to be in a completely different industry.”

Geoff Alexander, President and CEO of Wow Bao, has a unique business concept that pushes boundaries.In 2017, Wow Bao’s parent company, Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, had an idea: They wanted to create a product that could help restaurants and catering businesses that were really struggling. Geoff shared that the company considered catering companies that do one big order a week, then sit dormant; the ice cream shop that isn’t working over the summer; and the hotel that has a whole room service staff, but isn’t producing to its full capacity. Host Kristi Bridges and Geoff talk about how all of these businesses could benefit by selling Wow Bao — fast Asian-inspired street food. (The company sells bao, pan-seared potstickers, steamed dumplings, rice & noodle bowls and more.)In the pandemic, this idea exploded, with ghost kitchens operating all over the country. Wow Bao had always been on the cutting edge — opening on college campuses and at stadiums, using technology in the early 2010s. Wow Bao was able to adapt quickly, especially with Geoff at the helm.On this episode, Geoff shares how the company expanded, advice for entrepreneurs, the challenges and growth they’ve navigated and so much more!

Kombucha has become one of the superstars of the health and wellness movement. George Thomas Dave, Founder and CEO of GT’s Living Foods, one of the few global kombucha giants, has worked hard to maintain quality and values since creating the category in the ’90s.On The Irresistible Factor, GT shares his personal story of how kombucha changed his life, and how he found himself managing a multibillion-dollar company. Together, host Kristi Bridges and GT dive into GT’s personal history, including why he started selling kombucha as a teenager. GT shares his heartfelt story of wanting to create a product that truly healed people; when his mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, she drank her family’s own kombucha. (The brand still makes their product in the same way.) They also explore how he scaled his company while maintaining its high quality and personal touch, and how his ethos helps ensure the company’s continued success.“My North star is making sure that I’m doing good,” GT said “making the best product that I’m physically capable of doing, and that I’m helping people live better lives. And as we know, one of the key ways of doing that is by being healthy.”

The Irresistible Factor is dropping seven special bonus episodes this week! Listen to them all wherever you get your podcasts. *** Gem Misa believes in her product wholeheartedly. She’s the Founder and CEO of FullGreen, a plant-based company that makes nutritious, shelf-stable products without preservatives. Notably, they create some of the best cauliflower rice — and have many more innovative products coming soon! “I knew when I came across cauliflower rice,” Gem said, “I knew that this was the perfect product that could become so relevant in the years to come because of what was happening all around the world, and I think that’s what kept me going.” On this episode, Gem shares how FullGreen developed its cauliflower rice, and what her initial goals were. Together, Gem and host Kristi Bridges talk about what motivates Gem to push past the challenges, and the non-traditional funding format that has resulted in a stronger story, along with an amazing sense of community around the business.

The Irresistible Factor is dropping seven special bonus episodes this week! Listen to them all wherever you get your podcasts. *** Susan Griffin-Black wanted to work for a brand that honors her values. And so, she created one. (Well, two!) Susan, EO and Everyone Co-Founder and CEO, and host Kristi Bridges explore how the brands began, along with their growth trajectories. Importantly, consumer consciousness has become integral to their success. EO and Everyone are B-Corps, meaning that they, “put planet, people and purpose — in that chronology — before profit.” “I always think that learning is a lifelong thing,” Susan shared. “And if you are naturally curious and want life to be a more expansive experience, then all of this is very exciting, because [we are] working out new solutions, better solutions and better products always — greener, better, safer!”

"The biggest challenge is really getting through these gatekeepers who don’t understand our culture."

In this episode of The Irresistible Factor, I sit down with Bricia Lopez, Co-Founder of I Love Michelada, to explore her inspiring journey from growing up in her family’s Oaxacan restaurant in Los Angeles to building a thriving michelada brand. Raised in the restaurant business, Bricia was immersed in food culture from a young age, but it wasn’t until customers began requesting to buy the restaurant’s signature michelada mix that she saw an opportunity. Along with her brother, Fernando, she turned their family recipe into a business.

Bricia recounts how they went from filling tequila bottles with their homemade mix to launching I Love Michelada, now available in major retailers. In this conversation, she shares the challenges and triumphs of transitioning from restaurant owners to CPG entrepreneurs.

We dive into the obstacles Bricia faced, including navigating distribution hurdles, supply chain issues, and educating retailers on a product that was still unfamiliar to many. She also discusses her focus on expanding I Love Michelada’s offerings and building a strong community around the brand.

Here’s what you won’t want to miss:

• How Bricia and Fernando transitioned from running a restaurant to building a CPG brand.
• The importance of creating systems to support business growth.
• Bricia’s vision for expanding I Love Michelada’s reach while staying true to its cultural roots.

Join us as Bricia offers valuable insights into building a brand that not only represents her culture but also brings the joy of micheladas to fans across the country!

The Irresistible Factor is dropping seven special bonus episodes this week! Listen to them all wherever you get your podcasts. *** Duck Donuts is the fastest-growing donut shop in the United States. Incredibly, even during the pandemic, the company doubled its workforce! This growth is possible in large part because of Betsy Hamm, Duck Donuts’ CEO. Host Kristi Bridges and Betsy discuss how she worked her way up the corporate ladder — from marketing to COO to ultimately CEO. They also explore why Betsy made the decision to leave a large, well-established company to move to a smaller, still-growing one. Betsy shares the lessons she’s learned throughout her career, and how she walks the line between optimism and keeping it real. She also sheds light on why it's important for CEOs to shield employees from stressors, just as a parent would do with their kids. “[Building a team] is about putting the right people on the bus, in the right seats,” she said. Listen to learn about Duck Donuts’ exciting prospects. both locally and internationally, along with Betsy’s two pieces of advice for fellow CEOs.

The Irresistible Factor is dropping seven special bonus episodes this week! Listen to them all wherever you get your podcasts. *** How does a company grow from creating home-brewed ginger beer in a SoCal garage to a nationally recognized brand? Norm Snyder, CEO of Reed’s Ginger Beer, has the answer. Alongside host Kristi Bridges, Norm shares his story of serving Reed’s Ginger Beer since 2019, alongside his 36+ years of extensive industry experience in operations, sales, marketing, finance and manufacturing, as well as business development and management. Norm offers insight into his sustainable approach to brand growth, and also talks to how the company has evolved since he joined the team. “I’m not about bureaucracy,” he said, “but [we] have formalized processes to make sure that we don’t make errors. Once you start doing this, it becomes routine, you get really good at it, and you can deliver innovation both [promptly and] in a real quality way.” Norm also shares how he’s tackling the challenges that come with the territory in a COVID business landscape, and what he believes has been the key to Reed’s longevity.

The Irresistible Factor is dropping seven special bonus episodes this week! Listen to them all wherever you get your podcasts. *** “Putting your name on the bottle shows that you are a family, and that you are not just thought up in some corporate boardroom by some executives,” said Zach Brinley, Owner of Brinley Gold Shipwreck Rum. In 2002, Zach left his job on Wall Street to join the family business, selling rum. (The company was founded by his dad, Bob Brinley, in St. Kitts in 1986.) Shipwreck’s mission is clear and time-honored: They want to create the smoothest flavored rum in the world. Alongside host Kristi Bridges, Zach shares why the company started selling vanilla-flavored rum, how they transitioned from selling to tourists, and what he hopes the next five years will look like. They also talk about how the COVID pandemic has impacted the brand, and the challenges they’re up against as they work to increase revenue over the next few years.

The Irresistible Factor is dropping seven special bonus episodes this week! Listen to them all wherever you get your podcasts. *** Rick Gillis, President of The Tinley Beverage Company, knows what it takes to develop a highly innovative brand. Under Rick’s leadership, Tinley’s is creating Cannabis-Infused Classic Tonics & Mixers. He tells host Kristi Bridges how the company uses nano-technology to make cannabis drinkable and why California was the best place to launch the products. Rick also shares insights into cannabis legislative developments in the United States, shedding light on the economic potential of the industry, and the challenges of trying to launch Tinley’s in other states. Together, Kristi and Rick dive into Rick’s impressive career, and how he helped launch Beckett’s, a range of non-alcoholic cocktails without the cannabis, for the sober and sober-curious. (This market has major potential.) “[Success is] the intersection of a bit of luck and hard work,” Rick said. “It creates opportunities. You just have to keep fighting, keep pitching your story, and have nothing but faith and commitment that you’ll figure it out.”

The Irresistible Factor is dropping seven special bonus episodes this week! Listen to them all wherever you get your podcasts. *** When building a brand, it’s crucial to differentiate it, recognize its growth potential and discover its vitality, advises Mark Timbie, former President of McCormick & Co North America and Chief Administrative Officer. (He now serves as Operating Partner at Centre Partners. “The key [for brands] is that it’s got to be unique,” Mark told host Kristi Bridges. “It’s got to be different. It’s got to have a differentiation of some sort.” Mark brings an exciting take on entrepreneurship, brand-building and what makes something irresistible to investors. On this episode, he shares how investors find brands, how COVID impacted distribution and retailers, and why a company’s potential growth is an important indicator of whether it’s a good buy. He also shares advice to companies: Have honest communications and trust with the people you work with.

Can jerky be disruptive? Absolutely.Joe Oblas, co-founder and CEO of Stryve, decided to disrupt the beef snacks category with a brand that doesn’t believe in compromises. Stryve’s “jerky without the junky” product is nutritious and delicious. That’s because they use biltong, an air-dried meat snack with 50% more protein than jerky — and no sugar, nitrates, preservatives, or chemicals. “Typically, the healthier a snack product is, the worse it tastes,” Joe shared. But that isn’t true with biltong — it’s almost like a miracle snack.Together, Joe and host Kristi Bridges explore biltong’s South African roots and its growing foothold in the U.S. market. “It checked every single box we had,” Joe said. “We were all in.”Despite hurdles — a pandemic and drastically increased commodity prices — Stryve has grown significantly since its founding in 2018. Joe shares why he and his business partner chose to become a publicly-traded company, what keeps him motivated through difficult times, and some valuable advice for entrepreneurs at the beginning of their founding journey.

Founder and CEO Yanni Hufnagel created a product that met a consumer need, and has a super compelling mission to make the world a healthier place. It’s true that his brand, Lemon Perfect, is “literally on fire.” So much so that they just announced $31 million Series A with investments from Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and leading consumer products funds. Yanni’s story and his passion are just the kind of magic that gets investors and consumers excited.So, what does it mean for a brand to be “literally on fire”?On The Irresistible Factor, you’ll find out, with a little help from the always-energetic Yanni. Together, host Kristi Bridges and Yanni explore the story of how the founder first saw a need for this better-for-you product — super-refreshing, full-flavored, hydrating lemon water with zero sugar — and the life-changing advice that really made him go for it.With a background in coaching college basketball, Yanni made quite the pivot. He’d been dabbling in keto dieting and drinking lemon water every morning — driving to Whole Foods for organic lemons, getting juice on his counters, and stomaching the bland taste. At the end of a basketball season, he had what he describes as a “lightbulb moment” in the locker room. *What if there was a lemon water that tasted great, just like the drinks his players wanted after a game?*In this episode, you’ll find out why Yanni decided to flip from produce to grocery, and how the business has grown significantly as a result. Kristi and Yanni also cover his views on entrepreneurship, why he believes a lot of building a business requires putting on blinkers and just following your heart, and why he is grateful for the rare opportunity to create a great business that also does good.“Scaling a beverage brand is beyond hard,” Yanni said. “Not impossible, but very challenging. And what I would tell you is that we are more focused on growth versus our bottom line.”

Bob Burke takes businesses’ ideas, and makes them real.On The Irresistible Factor, Bob and host Kristi Bridges talk about how he is able to bring natural, organic and specialty products to market as a consultant with Natural Products Consulting. Bob is a real expert with serious experience, and his value to his clients is clear. (His roster of work includes Annie’s, Dr. Bronner’s, Mason Dixie Biscuit Co., Califia Farms, Bob’s Red Mill, Theo Chocolate and many, many more.)Together, Kristi and Bob discuss the role of a brand’s online presence in their ability to eventually exit to a strategic buyer, along with the benefits of Amazon, outsourcing and planning ahead.“You always have to be innovating,” Bob said. “You can never be complacent. You can never sit back and rest on your laurels, and you need to be tuned in to where the consumer’s going and where the market’s going.”

When Andrew Pudalov founded Rush Bowls in 2004, he was ahead of the health food curve.In the early 2000s, after a long career in banking, Andrew decided it was time to do something different. He left New York City, quit his job, and moved his family to Boulder, Colorado, where he bought a house and started a new business.On The Irresistible Factor, the Rush Bowls CEO tells host Kristi Bridges his surprising story, and shares plenty of wisdom from his wealth of experiences, including what motivates his customer-centric approach to business.“We can accommodate any dietary need. Many businesses can do that,” Andrew said. “The difference with Rush is we don’t upcharge for that. If you have a dietary need, we don’t feel as a company that you should be punished for it.”Together, Andrew and Kristi explore why Rush Bowls opened stores in underserved communities. We talk about training, research, and brand identity, along with how to generate unique ideas.

In 1993, Greg Hoyt graduated from college, and landed his first job with Caribou Coffee. He discovered two things: He fell in love with the coffee industry, and he learned that he wanted to become an entrepreneur.Now, Greg is an investor who helps entrepreneurs. He’s also the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Gather Venture Group, a Minneapolis-based investment fund focused on emerging food and beverage businesses.On The Irresistible Factor, host Kristi Bridges and Greg discuss why he decided to become an entrepreneur, and how he’s drawn to the uncertainty, ups and downs of starting a company. Greg knows that food brands can take many years to become established and profitable, and Gather is in it for the long game.“Trends will come and go, as far as methodology, and ways to build a business,” Greg told me. “But it really comes down to fundamentals, and the fundamentals are: ‘Do I have something that somebody wants? Am I solving a problem that exists? Is there value for the consumer? Is this something that I can see myself doing, and can it be something that generates a profit?’”Together, Kristi and Greg explore Gather’s approach to investments, what the fund currently looks like — and how he hopes to see it evolve in the future — and the fundamental elements that lead to business success.

"I wanted more in life, meaning a purpose. why am I getting up in the morning?"

In this episode of The Irresistible Factor I sit down with Kathrin Henon, Founder and CEO of Planet-Bake. Kathrin shares her unique journey from being in the fashion industry  to launching a health-conscious dessert brand that offers sugar-free, gluten-free, and vegan doughnuts. 

Kathrin is no stranger to being a founder. Her journey kicked off in New York’s luxury fashion scene, where she launched her own label. But as the industry evolved and her passion for something more meaningful grew, she made a bold pivot to something else she loved, food. Spotting a chance to help local pastry chefs thrive, she created a marketplace to help them sell their creations. 

When the pandemic struck, Kathrin’s business hit a wall. But as the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining, and from the challenges of the COVID shutdown, Planet-Baked was born.

In this episode,  Kathrin shares her journey of bootstrapping and highlights how many entrepreneurs often overlook the critical step of understanding their profit margins from the start. We also discuss the challenges of starting a business, how her experience in fashion translates to her current role as a food founder, and her exciting plans for expanding Planet-Bake’s product line.

Here’s what you won't want to miss!

• How Kathrin transitioned from fashion to food, using design skills to create dessert
• How hands-on marketing and direct customer feedback drive the brand’s success
• How Kathrin aims to expand into more nutrition-rich dessert options across the U.S

What if your beverages worked harder for you than water? That’s exactly what Nuun Hydration delivers.On The Irresistible Factor, Kevin Rutherford tells host Kristi Bridges how he became Nuun’s CEO, combining his passions for health, wellness, fitness, and natural products. With a deep background in marketing — and experience at SC Johnson and Miller Brewing Company, along with “the OG” natural products brand, Kashi — he learned the ins and outs of business. Eventually, he found his way to Nuun, “the first real sports drink,” Kevin told Kristi, “to separate your hydration from your fuel.”Kevin calls himself Nuun’s Chief Eternal Optimist, and it’s true. His energy is infectious. And he has an incredible, diverse career path to show for it.Together, Kristi and Kevin dive into the incredible recognition Nuun has received over the past few years, and how Kevin has been able to connect with his team, inspiring them to rally together.“You’ve gotta start with a belief, create a belief, create a future vision of the world you want to create,” Kevin said. “And then get people to believe in themselves.”

Two years ago, Jessica Kates co-founded Rellevant, an early-stage growth equity firm, unique because of the way they conduct business — they provide strategic advice, rooted in real business experience. That work experience comes through Jessica’s long line of diverse and exciting job opportunities — from investment banker to hedge fund manager, from CFO of an online consumer products retailer to CEO of a fashion startup in New York.On The Irresistible Factor, Jessica tells host Kristi Bridges why she’s created a niche working with food-related, lower-middle market companies, particularly restaurants and restaurant technology.Jessica and Kristi discuss the value that Rellevant brings to their partners, some of the exciting companies they are investing in, and how they decide what to put their time and money into. Jessica also shares valuable advice for founders with companies in the early stages of growth: “Make sure what you’re doing is on point with your strategy, and also work simultaneously to improve the brand equity. Because that’s the only thing you can really speak to at these early stages.”

For Adam Grossman, founder and CEO of Papa & Barkley, relieving pain is personal. When Adam’s dad was struggling with chronic, debilitating back pain in 2015, Adam wanted to understand how to relieve it. Many traditional pharmaceutical products weren’t working, and out of desperation, Adam sent his dad to the hospital, where his condition worsened.And so, Adam found another way, utilizing the power of the cannabis plant.On this episode of The Irresistible Factor, Adam tells host Kristi Bridges how he first created a cannabis “Pain Bomb” to help his dad. Cooking up a crockpot of coconut oil and cannabis from a college friend, Adam was able to make his dad a mixture that provided relief. His dad could finally get out of bed.“After a long career and a number of early ventures,” Adam told Kristi, “what all coalesced in Papa & Barkley was a personal experience that clarified that this was a road I wanted to be on, and an emerging cannabis market that captured the attention of investors and the world.”There are two parts of Papa & Barkley’s business: The California-based brand is both a cannabis wellness company, best-known for its topicals and tinctures, and a CBD business, which allows them to target a larger market. That CBD business is critical, as Papa & Barkley face intense regulatory burdens, Adam said, making it difficult to run a profitable business in this market.But Adam is in this for the right reasons: “​​Our most key performance indicator, ‘lives-changed,’ is an actual variable that we can apply to this business.”

Ayeshah Abuelhiga took a big risk: She left corporate America, and started a company making something that really mattered to her — high-quality comfort food.On this week's episode of The Irresistible Factor, Mason Dixie Founder and CEO, Ayeshah, tells host Kristi Bridges how she pushes boundaries in everything she does. What amazed Kristi most about Ayeshah is that she’s self-made, self-taught and self-funded. Together, they discuss her journey from the transportation sector to CEO of one of America’s most delicious, better-for-you brands. From the response to the KickStarter fund, to its first day in business, with customers wrapped around four city blocks, Mason Dixie continually exceeds expectations. “One of the rules in business that’s really important for any entrepreneur to remember is,” Ayeshah told Kristi, “when you’re hot, don’t stop. Don’t dilly-dally. You have to keep the fire going.” Ayeshah plans only to keep going upwards from here, and she is determined to help other women build their own legacies, too.

Jake Kneller wanted to bring a truly healthy product to the frozen aisle. And so, he co-founded Sweet Nothings, a brand of convenient, ready-to-eat, spoonable smoothies made with organic fruits, nuts and seeds, where he’s now CEO.On this week's episode of The Irresistible Factor, host Kristi Bridges talks with Jake about all the frozen food space has going for it. Together, they dive into why the frozen food aisle’s options are so often unnecessarily unhealthy options, and how Jake and his team set out to create something better. They also explore why Jake is so passionate about food that’s not just “better for you,” but truly good for you.Jake tells Kristi that the company initially aimed to create a product for cafeterias, before COVID forced them to pivot. And even then, Sweet Nothings faced challenges of getting distribution in grocery stores, and struggled with getting a new customer to make that first purchase.Listen to hear Jake’s advice to founders, why hiring the right people is important, and how you can differentiate your brand from the rest!

Brands need funding. And capital investors need brands with good ideas. On this week's episode of The Irresistible Factor, Kristi Bridges speaks with Christopher Jane, CEO and co-founder of Proper Good, and Al Sambar, General Partner at XRC Labs, a venture capital firm and accelerator that invested in Proper Good. You'll hear what investors like Al look for in a startup, and the importance of quality founders. And Chris talks about the need he identified that inspired him to start this brand, along with the challenges and benefits of launching it at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. And you'll learn how Proper Good mitigates risk while developing new products.

CJ Rapp, founder of Karma Water, is on a mission to shake up the beverage industry, transforming water to wellness. In Kristi Bridges' conversation with CJ, he talks about his long career in the beverage industry and experience with his first brand of energy drinks, Jolt. They discuss the story of Jolt and why CJ decided to make a pivot into the health and wellness space with Karma. They also talk about the Karma launch strategy, involving a process of iteratively improving through a slow rollout on a shoestring budget, and how this attracted the strategic partnership of beverage giant Constellation Brands. Tuning in, you’ll hear perspectives on the burgeoning cannabis industry and CJ’s plans to release a new CBD product as soon as regulations allow for it!

Nick Saltarelli always wanted to build a legacy as an entrepreneur. From the age of 14, he was mentored by and worked for several high-growth companies in Canada, with the goal of one day becoming one. Going into his thirties, he decided that he wanted to compete at the highest level of entrepreneurship and put his love for chocolate to the test; and that’s how Mid-Day Squares, the first functional chocolate bar, was born! In today’s conversation, Nick shares how he is building his chocolate empire at lightning speed and working his way toward his goal of $100 million in revenue. We dive into some of the fascinating and disruptive things he is doing in the category, and he also shares his advice for other entrepreneurs, his formula for success, and some of the valuable lessons he learned from his previous entrepreneurial ventures. We touch on the success of his role as co-CEO with his wife, Lezlie, as well as why he is such a big proponent of professional performance coaching. Tune in today to receive practical insights and so much more from prolific entrepreneur, Nick Saltarelli!

Waterloo is pure flavor artistry in purified sparkling water with amazing bold flavors! They're uniquely refreshing waters that awaken the senses.Listen in to hear how they built this irresistible brand.

Q Mixers asks the question, why don't our mixers measure up to the spirits we see on the shelf? That's why they made mixers with real ingredients that are less sweet and perfectly carbonated.

"My fascination with food was from a place of fear rather than love. It was obsessive, toxic, and stressful."

For many founders, their journey into entrepreneurship starts with passion, a great idea, or the dream of disrupting an industry. But for Ali Bonar, the founder and CEO of Oat Haus, it began with a deeply personal struggle—her battle with multiple eating disorders. Her journey of healing and rediscovery ultimately led her to create Oat Haus, the first-ever oat-based Granola Butter, which is now shaking up the food industry.

What began as a kitchen experiment in 2017 became a business in 2018 when Ali launched Oat Haus online. But it wasn’t just the unique product that set Oat Haus apart—it was Ali’s honest, raw storytelling. Openly sharing her recovery journey on Instagram, she connected deeply with others who had faced similar struggles, building an engaged and loyal community around her brand.

In this episode, Ali talks about the unconventional ways she reached out to retailers and investors, her view on the current state of influencer marketing, and how quick and limited flavor drops drive marketing. Kristi and Ali also talk about how being a founder can feel lonely and how Ali navigates prioritizing her mental health as an entrepreneur. 

Not only is Ali an incredible entrepreneur, she is an inspiration and role model for many women. I can’t wait for you guys to hear this one!  

You’ll also hear:

• Why oats are the perfect neutral canvas for innovative flavors 
• How Oat Haus transitioned from DTC to major retailers like Whole Foods and Target 
• Ali’s business and personal goals for the next 5 years 
• What it means to create work-life balance
• Why documenting your journey is a great idea

Verde Farms is a pioneer and leading U.S. provider of 100% grass-fed, 100% pasture-raised, organic beef for retail, club, and food service. Listen in to see how CEO Dana Ehrlich has helped evolve this category and bring their consumers products they can trust and feel good about buying.

Peace Coffee makes sustainably grown, freshly roasted coffee beans where their values are at the core of their business. Listen in to see how such a strong mission has helped grow their business– tackling not only a consumer problem but a societal problem at large.

Plant People is a mission-driven company that provides doctor-formulated, regenerative plant and mushroom supplements that aid with various ailments such as pain, sleep and energy.https://www.plantpeople.co/

Bare Bones bone broth is made with organic ingredients and 100% grass-fed and pasture-raised bones. Tune in to learn about how Ryan and Katherine spearheaded this new market and brought forward the healing benefits of bone broth.

Chomps eliminates the guessing game in eating healthy and creates simple snacks that are made with the highest quality, sustainably sourced proteins and no hidden, harmful ingredients.

John McDonnell has launched and marketed a number of successful global spirits brands. His career started at Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, spending 18 years in domestic and global sales and marketing. In January 2005, he joined The Patrón Spirits Company and became President, International and Chief Operating Officer. Today John invests in many other popular spirits brands such as Ghost Tequila.

Elly spent nearly a decade at Whole Foods Market as Global Director of Local Brands & Product Innovation, where she supported the growth and national expansion of dozens of today’s most beloved brands. She is currently a partner at Almanac Insights where she leverages her experience of the food and beverage industry to manage current and potential Almanac investments.

Original founder of Pop Chips, CEO Keith Belling talks to his newer product Right Rice. Right Rice is a delicious rice alternative that filled a void in the market. It is easy to cook, ready in about 10 minutes, has no preservatives or GMOs, is gluten-free, and vegan.

Caulipower is a healthier version of the foods you crave, that actually tastes like the foods you crave. Caulipower products are packed with vitamins, are cauliflower-based, and always gluten-free.

PopBar is a natural frozen ice cream treat on a stick! They use only all-natural ingredients, made fresh daily with real fruit and no artificial flavors.

“I always say it’s kind of like building an airplane while it’s in the air.”      

In this episode of The Irresistible Factor Whitney shares her inspiring journey of transitioning from a career in the fashion industry to launching a food brand driven by her family’s health needs. Despite her knack for baking, Whitney faced significant challenges in creating recipes that were keto, gluten-free, and sugar-free—and still delicious. 

From failed test batches to finding the perfect ingredient combinations, Whitney discusses the trial and error of product development. She also highlights the strategic lessons learned from her fashion background and the complexities of scaling a food brand in a competitive market. Tune in for a candid conversation on perseverance, the value of CPG community, and the realities of building a better-for-you food company from the ground up.

We also touched on:
- What it means to build a foundation  before scaling 
- Challenges with cash flow and sustaining growth 
- Her natural aversion to financials and how she’s overcoming it
- Why you shouldn’t be afraid to pivot and “shake things up” 
- Where she envisions her products in the next 5-10 years

FitVine Wine was born around a table with friends and family looking for an alternative to other wines that fit our lifestyles. From there it grew as we found more and more people were looking for wines that were a better fit for their lifestyle, whatever that fit might be.

Alison Minter from North Castle Partners and CEO Brandon Fishman talk about their relationship and the success of the Vita Cup brand. Vita Cups are gourmet coffees and teas infused with vitamins and superfoods.

Mother Raw organic, plant-based products aren’t just inspired by nature; they’re made by nature. Their salad dressings, dips, and condiments take the best of what Mother Earth has to offer and create something amazingly delicious and versatile.