In this conversation, Hayley and Stephanie Painter, co-founders of Painterland Sisters, share their journey as fourth-generation organic dairy farmers. They discuss their childhood experiences on the farm, the values instilled in them, and how these experiences shaped their approach to business and agriculture. The sisters emphasize the importance of community, integrity, and creating nutrient-dense products, like their Skyr yogurt. They reflect on the challenges and perceptions faced by farmers and the entrepreneurial spirit that drives their mission to connect consumers with quality food sourced from family farms. In this conversation, Hayley and Stephanie Painter discuss the importance of empowering farmers through education, community connection, and financial incentives. They emphasize the role of mentorship in agriculture, the power of storytelling to connect consumers with their food sources, and the impact of funding on their brand's future. They also share personal insights and advice, culminating in their vision for a better world through sustainable agriculture.

Takeaways:

• Growing up on a farm instills deep-rooted values and work ethic.
• Childhood experiences on the farm shape adult perspectives and business practices.
• Traveling broadens horizons and influences business decisions.
• Farmers are inherently entrepreneurs, learning business from family traditions.
• Integrity in farming leads to better quality products.
• The importance of community and relationships in agriculture.
• Understanding the balance of nature is crucial for sustainable farming.
• Education can challenge traditional farming practices and perceptions.
• Creating nutrient-dense products is a priority.
• The journey of building a business involves learning from failures.
• Farmers are reacting a lot of times and doing the best they can with the situations that they're in.
• It's all about the process and spectrum of betterment for the land.
• There are many programs that provide financial incentives for farmers.
• Our dream is to get all farmers more financially stable.
• Mentorship plays a crucial role in agriculture.
• Storytelling is powerful in connecting consumers to their food.
• Funding helps us build credibility and stability for our brand.
• A better world means diversity in agriculture and food supply chains that are thriving for future generations.
• We need to keep farmers farming to ensure food security.

Sound Bites:

“Farming is literally our roots and our DNA."

"We grew up on hard work and community, love, family, and being connected to nature.”

"Farmers are entrepreneurs. We watched our parents and our grandparents run the farm, which is a business. It's was our first education.“

"We learned business isn't just transactional."

“Our goal is to provide the most nutrient dense product we can. So we choose to keep all those nutrients in there instead of extracting and selling them off as byproducts and replacing them with fillers.

"We like to give the credit back to the farmers.”

“There are a lot of programs with financial incentives out there right now, to help farmers make improvements they  may not be able to financially afford otherwise. These grants have really helped them.”

“We can have all the information we want about regenerative organic agriculture and all these big concepts, but if you don't know how to like make that information digestible and fun, it's not going to hit the way it needs to.”

“A better world is a world with diversity, equity, and parity across the food supply chain.”

"Keep farmers farming first and foremost."

Chapters:

03:00 - Roots of Farming: A Family Legacy

05:59 - Childhood Adventures and Life Lessons on the Farm

09:00 - The Dual Nature of Farm Life: Balancing Tradition and Exploration

14:59 - Pride in Agriculture: Overcoming Societal Perceptions

21:08 - Education and Entrepreneurship: Building a Business from the Ground Up

27:00 - Creating Nutrient-Dense Products: The Journey to Skir Yogurt

32:51 - The Integrity of Farming: Maintaining Quality in Production

39:25 - Empowering Farmers Through Education and Connection

42:48 - Financial Incentives and Sustainable Practices

46:56 - Mentorship and Community in Agriculture

51:02 - The Power of Storytelling in Agriculture

53:53 - Funding and Future Vision for the Brand

57:56 - Personal Insights and Advice

62:59 - A Better World Through Agriculture

In this conversation, Matthew Dillon, co-CEO of the Organic Trade Association, discusses the growth and challenges of the organic industry. He highlights the importance of generational shifts in consumer behavior, particularly among Millennials and Gen Z, who are increasingly committed to organic products. Dillon emphasizes the need for investment in infrastructure to support domestic organic production and the role of advocacy in shaping policies that benefit the organic sector. The conversation also touches on the evolution of organic quality and the economic impact of organic farming on rural communities. In this conversation, Matthew Dillon discusses the Organic Trade Association's (OTA) efforts to drive organic agriculture forward through legislative initiatives, transparency, and community engagement. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration among stakeholders in the organic sector, the need for integrity in growth, and the role of vulnerability in building trust. Dillon also highlights the significance of investing in future generations and the power of community in overcoming challenges and fostering change.

Takeaways:

• The OTA serves the organic sector from seed to shelf.
• Organic industry growth is driven by generational shifts in consumer preferences.
• Millennials and Gen Z are more committed to organic products than older generations.
• Success in agriculture should be measured in succession, not just immediate returns.
• The quality of organic products has significantly improved over the years.
• Domestic organic production faces challenges due to reliance on imports.
• Investment in infrastructure is crucial for the growth of the organic sector.
• Organic farming can positively impact rural economies and biodiversity.
• Advocacy for organic standards and funding is essential for the sector's future.
• The return on investment for organic programs is significant for the economy. OTA is focused on driving organic agriculture forward through legislative efforts.
• Transparency and trust are crucial for the organic sector's integrity.
• Integrity in growth requires balancing desirability with feasibility.
• Cultivating a culture of collaboration is essential for the organic movement.
• Community and advocacy play a vital role in the success of organic businesses.
• Investing in future generations is a responsibility of the organic sector.
• Hopelessness can be transformed into action through community support.
• Vulnerability is necessary for building trust in brands.
• Continuous improvement is key to maintaining the integrity of organic standards.
• The organic movement is about more than just farming; it's about creating a better world.
   

Sound Bites:

"Organic food in the U.S. grew to a $71.6 billion market in 2024."

"90 % of Millennials and Gen Z are either committed or highly aspirational organic consumers"

"Success has to be measured in succession."

"OTA is helping drive organic forward."

“If you're not at the table, you're on the menu.”

"Integrity requires vulnerability."

“That continuous improvement in integrity is essential to that consumer trust.”

“He said, it's time for us as an industry to re-embrace the movement. We didn't tell him to say it, but we were like, yes!That's the value of joining OTA. Come be part of a movement.”

“Every $1 invested in USDA National Organic Program staff and operations yields over $3,000 in retail value for the U.S. economy.”

"Raise the soil for all farms."

"Planting trees for future generations."

“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”

"Community is the engine for transformation."

"Hope is not a good strategy on its own."

Links:

Matthew Dillon on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sustainmdillon/

Organic Trade Association (OTA) - https://ota.com/

Organic Trade Association (OTA) on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/OrganicTrade

Organic Trade Association (OTA) on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/organictrade/

Organic Trade Association (OTA) on X - https://x.com/organictrade

Organic Trade Association (OTA) on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OrganicTradeAssoc

Organic Trade Association (OTA) on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/organic-trade-association/

…

OTA’s Organic Market Report 2025 - https://ota.com/OrganicMarketReport

TOPP Impact Report 2024 - https://www.organictransition.org/impact-report/

…

Brands for a Better World Episode Archive - http://brandsforabetterworld.com/

Brands for a Better World on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-for-a-better-world/

Modern Species - https://modernspecies.com/

Modern Species on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/modern-species/

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gagemitchell/

…

Print Magazine Design Podcasts - https://www.printmag.com/categories/printcast/

…

Heritage Radio Network - https://heritageradionetwork.org/

Heritage Radio Network on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/heritage-radio-network/posts/

Heritage Radio Network on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeritageRadioNetwork

Heritage Radio Network on X - https://x.com/Heritage_Radio

Heritage Radio Network on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heritage_radio/

Heritage Radio Network on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@heritage_radio

Chapters:

03:00 - Introduction to the Organic Trade Association (OTA)

05:26 - Growth of the Organic Industry

09:39 - Generational Shifts in Consumer Behavior

13:11 - The Evolution of Organic Quality

17:52 - Challenges and Opportunities in Domestic Organic Production

22:35 - Infrastructure Needs for Organic Growth

27:22 - The Role of Investment in Organic Infrastructure

31:20 - The Future of Organic Advocacy and Policy

34:29 - Driving Organic Forward: Legislative Efforts and Challenges

39:54 - The Importance of Transparency and Trust in Organic

44:13 - Integrity in Growth: Balancing Desirability and Feasibility

49:31 - Cultivating a Culture of Collaboration in Organic

55:34 - The Value of Community and Advocacy in Organic

61:38 - Investing in the Future: Intergenerational Responsibility

01:01:05 - Harnessing Hopelessness: Community as a Catalyst for Change

While many businesses and individuals are answering the call to be more impact-driven and sustainably conscious, few understand just how damaging their digital footprint is to their endeavors. Today we are joined by Avril Tomlin-Hood, the Founder and CEO of boa - a Vancouver, BC-based media buying agency focused on elevating sustainably-conscious brands. Avril is here to speak about our digital carbon footprints, particularly regarding media and advertising, and how we can band together to decarbonize our online world. We discover how our online exploits impact the real world, how small and simple adjustments can make a big difference, the platforms and campaign styles that promote a low digital footprint, and the importance of being B Corp certified if sustainability is one of your priorities. Be sure to tune in to discover how Avril and her team at boa are making big strides in decarbonizing our media, and how she has made it her personal mission to create a better world for all.

Key Points From This Episode:

• How what we do online impacts the real world; finding the carbon footprint of digital media. 
• The smaller things that impact digital footprints (file size, page brightness, auto-refresh, etc.).
• How making invisible systems, visible will lead to better decisions on sustainability. 
• What Avril means by “decarbonize media”, and how she and her team go about it. 
• Why it’s important to pay attention to where and how your ads are targeted. 
• A closer look at how boa audits its clients to determine the work that needs to be done. 
• Simple adjustments that make a big difference. 
• Avril details all the good things that are happening in sustainable, impact-driven marketing. 
• Understanding how consumers rank sustainability on their list of priorities. 
• Effective platforms and campaign styles for reducing your digital footprint. 
• How Avril developed her passion for sustainability, and how she integrated it into her career. 
• The modern importance of a B Corp certification.
• Ad Net Zero, Purpose Disruptors, Poshmark, Value Village, Solitaire Townsend, and more! 
• Avril’s vision for a better world. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Avril Tomlin-Hood on LinkedIn

Avril Tomlin-Hood on Instagram

boa

In With the New 

Makeena

Worldie Unboxed 

Ad Net Zero

Purpose Disruptors 

Poshmark 

Value Village 

Clean Creatives 

MyBacon | MyForest Foods 

Solitaire Townsend on LinkedIn

Modern Species 

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Gage Mitchell on X

Brands for a Better World Website

Brands for a Better World on YouTube

Brands for a Better World email

Impact Driven Community

In this episode, we're joined by Tim Richards, founder, and CEO of Philosopher Foods, to talk about the challenges of running a premium food product company, and the benefits of raw, sprouted, and generatively grown foods.

Philosopher Foods is a nut butter company, currently, focused on creating the most delicious, nutritious, ethical, and ecological nut butters that we can possibly produce. Find more: https://philosopherfoods.com/

Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/

Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/

As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com

Today, we speak with Moji Igun, founder of Blue Daisi Consulting, about the importance of figuring out what sustainability means to you and how she's helping companies find their path to zero waste.

Blue Daisi Consulting is a sustainability consulting company that focuses on zero waste. Find more: https://bluedaisi.com/

Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/

Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/

As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com

Today we’re speaking with Kaitlin Mogentale, founder of Pulp Pantry, about identifying a problem to solve, asking for help along the way, and leaning into opportunities even if they're intimidating.

Pulp Pantry transforms scraps into snacks by utilizing overlooked resources in our food system, or upcycled ingredients. They are made more sustainable, and are, of course, better for you. Find more: https://pulppantry.com/

Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/

Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/

As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com

This week we are joined by Kate Fosson, Co-Founder, and CEO of Brand Pollinators, about the experiences and knowledge we collect during a long journey, and how she's using her unique combination of skill sets to help brands scale sustainably.

Brand Pollinators tells your brand story, connects you with more customers, and helps you scale sustainably. Learn more: https://brandpollinators.com/

Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/

Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/

As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com

In this week’s episode, we're speaking with Matt D’Amour and Linwood Paul, Founders of Subtle Distinctions, about how the process of lifestyle design can help us achieve our dreams and therefore live our best lives.

Subtle Distinctions cultivate thoughtful leaders from the inside out. Direct your destiny here: https://subtledistinctions.com/

Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/

Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/

As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com

In today’s episode, we speak with Allyson Bartlett, Director of Brand and Marketing for 1% for the Planet, about why and how companies and individuals are formalizing their commitment to the planet in ways that does good, feels good, and makes good sense.

1% for the Planet is a global organization that certifies environmental giving. Find more: https://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/

Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/

Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/

As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com

Today, we welcome Radhika Manwani, Associate at Sieo, to talk about their hybrid venture studio and marketing agency model. Also, we dive into the lessons learned while developing, launching, and growing a new product brand during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sieo builds and grows impactful companies. Learn more: https://www.sieo.io/

Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/

Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/

As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com

In today’s episode, we are joined by Douglas Raggio, Founder of Pass the Honey, about understanding biases and blind spots, and the necessity of being in it for the long haul if you're trying to change the system.

Pass the Honey does raw honeycomb you can snack on. Find more: https://passthehoney.com/

Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/

Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/

As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com

In today’s episode, we are joined by Robert Koenen, Chief Revenue Officer of Boxed Water is Better, to talk about plastic pollution, sustainable alternatives, and the difficulties entrepreneurs face when they want to bring change to the market.

Boxed Water is Better is a sustainable alternative to plastic water bottles and aluminum cans for the grab-and-go water market. Their cartons are 92% plant-based and 100% recyclable and refillable. Find more: https://boxedwaterisbetter.com/

Check out the Key Points of the Episode: https://www.evolvecpg.com/the-show/persistance-beats-resistance-rob-koenen-boxed-water-is-better

Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/

Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/

As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com

In this episode, we are joined by Pallavi Pande, founder of Dtocs, to talk about the importance of pursuing something you’re passionate about, and the challenges of being a mompreneur.

Dtocs makes compostable tableware from naturally fallen palm leaves. Find more information about them here: https://dtocs.com/

Find the Key Points of the Episode on our website: https://www.evolvecpg.com/the-show/mompreneur-on-a-mission-pallavi-pande-dtocs

Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/

Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/

As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com

Sustainable aquaculture may just be the long-awaited answer to responsible food consumption, and today's three remarkable guests are here to explain why this is most certainly the case. Today, we have the pleasure of welcoming three seafood brands to the show – Crave Fishbar, Gra-Bar Fresh Seafood, and American Unagi – which are represented by Todd Mitgang, Bart Molin, and Sara Rademaker, respectively. Sara, Bart, and Todd begin with how they became passionate about seafood before explaining the particular industry pain points that their brands are set on solving. Then, we learn about how the quality of seafood is measured and what it means to be 100% sustainable. To end, our guests explain the vital role of education in sustainability, so tune in to discover how you as a consumer can go about making better and more sustainable food choices. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• The industry pain points that today's guests are set to solve, and the role of sustainability.
• What it means to be 100% sustainable, and the obstacles that stand in the way of this goal.
• The role of education in adopting and upholding sustainable cultures.
• How to get consumers to make more sustainable choices. 
• Taste versus nutrition; farmed versus wildcut – understanding seafood's quality metrics. 
• How sustainable aquaculture benefits other industries as well.
• Sara's vision for the future of eel farming and sustainable aquaculture as a whole.
• Our guest's advice for industry newbies who want to make a big impact within sustainability.
• How Sara Rademaker, Todd Mitgang, and Bart Molin developed their passion for seafood.
• What a better world looks like for Sara, Todd, and Bart. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Sara Rademaker on LinkedIn 

American Unagi

Todd Mitgang on SFN

Crave Fishbar 

Crave Sushibar

Taco Vision

Bart Molin on LinkedIn

Bart Molin on Facebook

Gra-Bar Fresh Seafood 

Climify

Modern Species 

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Gage Mitchell on X

Brands for a Better World Website

Brands for a Better World on YouTube

Brands for a Better World email

Impact Driven Community

Continuing last week's episode about the problem with using motivation as a marketing tool, our host, Gage Mitchell, joins us to dive into the things a brand should focus on if they want to build a new behavior on consumers.

Find the Key Points of the Episode on our website: https://www.evolvecpg.com/the-show/make-it-easy-gage-mitchell-modern-species

Find more about Modern Species: https://modernspecies.com/

Join our FREE community for CPG leaders: https://community.evolvecpg.com/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-cpg/

As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com

While motivation and education can be effective in the right circumstances and the correct order, the bottom line is: if you're dumping your marketing dollars into motivation and education only, you're draining your brand of valuable time and money! 

In this mini-episode, your host Gage Mitchell goes solo to dive into the reasons why you shouldn't rely purely on education or motivation tactics in your marketing, with numerous recognizable scenarios that show why motivation can be unpredictable and inconsistent. We also look at why education only works with specific types of products and doesn't really serve you in the long term, before briefly touching on the psychology principles of using lots of information to sell. 

Tune in now to chew on this bite-sized and informative installment on why you might need to seriously rethink your marketing strategy!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Two reasons why education and motivation often fall apart when it comes to marketing!
• Gage walks us through 'motivation juice' and outlines why it's a difficult thing to deal with. 
• Talking about the unpredictable nature of motivation.
• Some examples of products that use psychology principles and why that isn't sustainable.
• Diving into an example that illustrates why self-control isn't consistent. 
• How motivation and education can be useful in the right order and circumstances.
• A sneak-peek into next week's topic: hot tips on what to do with motivation and your brand!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Modern Species

Episode 32: Persuasive Branding with Gage Mitchell of Modern Species

Evolve CPG Community

In today’s episode, we’ll be speaking with Rob Sinclair, founder of ImaginALL Collective, about understanding the issues that are material to your brand in order to futureproof your company and move beyond sustainability towards regeneration.

-

Learn more about ImaginALL Collective here: http://imaginallcollective.com/

-

Connect with Rob Sinclair on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/consciousbrands/ 

-

Check out our new impact workshop, Exponential Good: https://www.evolvecpg.com/brand-impact-workshop-exponential-good

-

As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com

In today's episode, we speak with Breyn Hibbs, Head of Social and Environmental Impact at Take Two about the complexities of calculating and communicating positive impact.

Take Two is an upcycled food company that makes barley milk out of the spent grain from beer brewing. Check out their website: https://taketwofoods.com/

Connect with Breyn Hibbs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/breyn-marr-hibbs-4031508/

We also mentioned in this episode:

ReFED Insights: https://insights.refed.org/

Regrained: https://www.regrained.com/

Upcycled Food Association: https://www.upcycledfood.org/

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Check out our new impact workshop, Exponential Good: https://www.evolvecpg.com/brand-impact-workshop-exponential-good

As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com

In this episode, we are speaking with Aaron Wallach, Founder and Chief Energy Officer of Javazen, about the lessons learned from the brand’s initial launch and how he’s approaching the relaunch differently.

Javazen offers a harmonious blend of coffee, organic matcha, and cacao that fuels your body and mind creating the perfect balance of energy and focus. Find more here: https://javazen.co/

Do you have any questions or feedback about the product? Reach Aaron Wallach at aaron@javazen.co

Connect with Aaron Wallach on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-wallach-91037789/

Discount code for everyone listening: ZEN10

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Check out our new impact workshop, Exponential Good, at evolvecpg.com

-

As an ever-evolving show, we also love feedback. Send us your thoughts or ideas for who we should talk to next to evolve@modernspecies.com

Today, we’re speaking with Jake Karls, Co-Founder and Rainmaker at Mid-Day Squares, about their game-changing show, everything style brand marketing, and how he,  Lezlie Karls, and Nick (Co-Founders) are committed to staying independent and true to themselves for the long haul.

Find out more about Mid-Day Squares here

Check out Jake Karls on LinkedIn 

In today's episode, we speak with Alise Zindiga, CSR Manager at Printful, about the demand for sustainable products, the benefit of on-demand production, and the complexities of scaling sustainability across the globe.

Printful is a company that designs and sells custom products online with print-on-demand drop shipping. Find more about them here

Find more about Alise Zindiga here

Books we talked about:

We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast

Eating Animals

If you’re someone who holds a high moral standard but still takes the cheaper option off the store shelf without considering the impact of the product you are buying, it’s time to make your shopping reflect your values! Today I’m joined by Steven Clift, whose career began at the intersection of politics, community building, and the internet, with the founding of an election information non-profit organization. His path has now shifted to the ecommerce space, but his goal of making the world a fairer place remains the same. As CEO of cross-promotional engine GoodCarts, Steve is helping shop-for-good and sustainable brands expand their reach. In this episode, Steve explains how GoodCarts works, some of the brands who form part of their 150 member strong network, and the big plans he has for the future of the company. If more people start shopping with their values in mind, we can begin to turn the tide on the social and environmental degradation that is rife in the world today. After listening to this episode, the next time you have the choice between Fair Trade certified coffee and its non-Fair Trade certified equivalent, you won’t have to think long before you spend the extra few bucks! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Steve shares what drew him into the political sphere.
• The mission behind the non-profit organization that Steve founded. 
• How Steve feels about the current relationship between politics and the internet. 
• Steve’s experience as a facilitator of Facebook communities.
• A characteristic of a community that has a sense of group ownership.  
• Tips from Steve for building a successful online community. 
• Why Steve was recognized as an Ashoka Fellow, and what this means. 
• The focus of Steve’s second, and current, career with GoodCarts.
• 150: the number of brands that are part of the GoodCarts network.
• One of the major challenges that small, sustainable brands are faced with. 
• A description of how GoodCarts works (with accompanying visuals available on YouTube).
• Examples of the different circles that brands fall under on GoodCarts. 
• Ideas that Steve has for the future of GoodCarts.
• Steve shares some member success stories. 
• The importance of a compelling feature image.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

GoodCarts

Steven Clift Website

Steven Clift on LinkedIn

Ashoka 

Sezzle

Dean’s Beans

Women’s Bean Project

Soak iT Up Cloths

Clards

Hippy Feet

Modern Species

Evolve CPG

Being an entrepreneur through the COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly challenging for those in the food industry. However, with some key insights into your business and product, you can thrive in this environment, as exemplified by Zachary DeAngelo, Founder and CEO of Rodeo CPG. Join us on EvolveCPG today to find out how Zachary got to where he is now, what he has learned from his experience as an entrepreneur, and where he sees the food industry going in the future. We also hear some great advice for entrepreneurs across all industries and why being an entrepreneur is so rewarding. Tune in to learn about the clients that Rodeo CPG works with, what their role is and how it evolves, and how data is crucial in understanding what's impacting your business. For all this and so much more, join us today! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Welcoming Zachary DeAngelo, founder, and CEO of Rodeo CPG.
• Why this such great timing for Zachary: defining their mission statement and value proposition. 
• How he got to where he is now, and why nothing was mapped out. 
• Launching his first business and the lessons he learned through Cocomama.
• The difference between studying for an MBA and founding a business in the real world. 
• Zachary’s advice for those starting a business: you don’t need to innovate every step.
• How Zachary ended up in sales and his move from New York to Colorado. 
• Insider knowledge in each industry and how Rodeo CPG is helping to share this. 
• Zachary’s experience of a service-driven business versus a product-based businesses. 
• The evolution of the food industry and where technology is impacting this.
• Examples of businesses that Rodeo CPG has helped grow and what their role is. 
• The three most common entry points for Rodeo CPG: complete startups, brands in their growth phase, and larger CPG companies.
• The future of technology and data use: where Rodeo CPG helps with this and brands using technology well.
• The biggest challenges and wins Rodeo CPG has experienced. 
• Signs of success for Rodeo CPG and scaling their business to support brands. 
• What both Gage and Zachary love about being entrepreneurs: the constant change. 
• How data can show you the small changes that have a big business impact. 
• Tips from Zachary to address common problems: the product is always critical, velocity is key, always be willing to check your assumptions, and more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Zachary DeAngelo on LinkedIn

Zachary DeAngelo Email

Rodeo CPG

Omsom

Evergreen

Little Duck Organics on LinkedIn

Dream Pops

Modern Species

Evolve CPG

If you regularly find yourself asking, “How did I get here?” you may be suffering from intentionality deficit disorder. If you are living intentionally, you are always conscious of your intended destination and the ‘why’ that drives you there. If you have an intentionality deficit, you will be taken on a journey of chance encounters that will lead you somewhere, but not necessarily anywhere that you want to be. Matt D’Amour and Linwood Paul, through their coaching company, Subtle Distinctions, are determined to help people clearly understand what they really want so that they can sculpt their lives in accordance with that. In today’s episode, they share what that process looks like and the simple steps you can take to begin your own journey of intention. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• What it means to have an intentionality deficit disorder. 
• The question that many people ask that signals a likely intentionality deficit.
• ‘Mental garbage’ that permeates our lives. 
• Step one on the journey towards intentional living; understanding your why.
• How to determine which parts of your life came about through intentionality versus those which came through chance. 
• Fear that so many people have around changing their identity. 
• Why your intention is like a filtration system. 
• How manifestation compares to being intentional. 
• Questions that will help you better understand your purpose. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Subtle Distinctions

Modern Species

Evolve CPG

Are you worried about the nutritional benefits of the food you eat? Do you lack the energy you need to get through the day, despite healthy eating habits? In this episode, we sit down with Sara Cullen, Founder and CEO of GEM, to discuss why so many people suffer from nutrient deficiencies and how her company delivers delicious, effective, and holistic solutions. GEM is a nutrition company dedicated to transforming human and planetary health through the power of food. It is on a mission to deliver delicious nutrition to everyone while building a healthier food system. In our conversation, we discuss how she developed the first-ever real food multivitamin, the origins of her scientific advisement board, the transformative health benefits experienced by GEM’s customers, why food is medicine, and much more. Tune in to uncover the secrets of nutrition rooted in real food and how GEM is improving diets and revolutionizing the food system with Sara Cullen!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Problems and gaps in the food system and how GEM is providing solutions. 
• How Sara’s health issues led her to GEM and fixing the current food system.
• The product development process and why she chose bit-sized food as the form factor.
• Learn about the importance of product innovation in achieving GEM’s mission. 
• GEM’s multifaceted approach to improving human and planetary health.
• Challenges and hurdles of creating the first-ever real food multivitamin.
• Unique packaging problems of storing and transporting a food multivitamin.
• Why evidence-based approaches to product development are vital to GEM.
• How Sara created a scientific advisor panel for GEM and why. 
• The exciting results of GEM’s consumer perception study.
• Sara’s entrepreneurial roots and hard lessons from her career journey.
• What GEM is currently focusing on and its plans for the future.
• Final takeaways for listeners and our round of rapid-fire questions with Sara!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Sara Cullen on LinkedIn

Sara Cullen on Instagram

GEM

GEM on Instagram

GEM on TikTok

Venture For America 

Daily Harvest 

Citruslabs

No Evil Foods

Episode 144: When Everything Goes Wrong with Sadrah Schadel of No Evil Foods

The One Thing

Let My People Go Surfing

Patagonia

Modern Species 

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Gage Mitchell on X

Brands for a Better World Website

Brands for a Better World on YouTube

Brands for a Better World email

Impact Driven Community

In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Jonathan Deutsch about the art and science of food product research, development, and testing.

Jonathan is a professor of Culinary Arts and Science at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is the founder & director of Drexel University’s Food Lab. Find more about him here 

Drexel Food Lab is a food product development and culinary innovation lab focused on improving the health of people, the planet, and economies, as well as engaging their students in real-world product development and product design projects. Learn more 

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Join our FREE CPG community:  https://community.evolvecpg.com/
Follow our host, Gage Mitchell, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gagemitchell/

In today's episode, we're speaking with Timothy Lawlor, Director of Marketing at ReadyWise, a company that provides long-term food storage and freeze-dried food, about the power of understanding the consumer and the problem instead of getting stuck on your initial product or solution.

Find more about:

ReadyWise
Timothy Lawlor
Murray Brand Communications
So Delicious
WhiteWave
Farmhouse Culture

The world of brand messaging and public relations is evolving at a rapid pace in response to new technologies and societal shifts. In order to thrive, companies need to react to these trends and adjust accordingly. Our guest today is Molly Gaines, the Strategic Communications and Engagement Director at the Kindship Group, with a background in journalism and a love for storytelling! With Molly's help, we tackle the central importance of authentic, relevant, and clear brand communications, and how Kindship helps purpose-driven brands survive and scale in today's climate. We also look at Molly's personal story, the huge impact of social media on society, and we hear some thoughts on the future of this line of work. Listeners can expect to come away with some great insight into the current brand environment, what might lie ahead, as well as the evergreen importance of clear lines of communication with potential customers. Tune in to discover it all!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The role of companies as trustworthy sources; the evolution of the information age.
• What Kindship does and Molly's history in the world of branding and organic food. 
• Molly unpacks her framework and how it can be applied to any brand!
• The relationship between authentic communication and brand loyalty.
• Molly's journalism studies and the passion she had for telling stories from a young age.
• The power of great writing: how journalism skills have served Molly.
• The lessons that Molly took forward from her time working in bigger companies. 
• Examples of what public relations work entails: stimulating the right kind of engagement with an audience.
• Reflections on the rise of social media and the positive and negative results of this. 
• Molly's role at the Kindship Group and the central work of strategic messaging.
• Tips from Molly for brands to refine their communications and clarify their mission.
• The future of communications according to Molly: more direct messaging and creating multi-dimensional experiences. 
• The dangers of echo chambers and balancing this with the need for customized information.

Tweetables:

“A lot of my work focuses on writing, and messaging, and telling stories. That's really been my passion since high school, if not before.” — Molly Gaines [0:03:20]

“Writing is the foundation of so of what we do and how people interpret what we do.” — Molly Gaines [0:08:43]

"I think it's really important for us when people talk to know what they are talking about and not just be trying to convince people and influence on things that they really have the background to be doing that.” — Molly Gaines [0:30:04]

“Public relations should be relating to stakeholders in a way that is authentic and truthful.” — Molly Gaines [0:31:03]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Modern Species 

Molly Gaines

Kindship

Episode 1 with Sandra Ann Harris

Haberman 

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Evolve CPG

Evolve CPG Community

Evolve CPG on YouTube

Evolve CPG email

Michelle Hirons was introduced to the business world at a very young age; by 6 years old she was helping with pricing and customer service in her family’s pharmacy, and by 12 she was accompanying her parents on buying trips. When she entered the working world in her own capacity, she became acutely aware of the discrepancies that exist between how people are treated at different rungs on the business ladder, and this drove her desire to found a business that puts employee wellbeing at the forefront. This desire became HigherRing, a customer service outsourcing company that focuses as much on its people and the planet as it does on making a profit. In today’s episode you’ll hear about how HigherRing helps their partner companies grow through their variety of offerings, some important learnings Michelle has had since founding HigherRing 5 years ago, how the company is planning to evolve in the coming years, and why treating people like people makes good business sense! 

 Key Points From This Episode:

• Michelle’s early introduction to business, and what she learned from this experience. 
• How Michelle’s family’s business has evolved over the years. 
• Advantages that come with caring for your employees' wellbeing.
• Wisdom that Michelle brought back with her to the US after the year she spent studying in Europe.
• Some of the big retailers that Michelle worked for in the past.
• Discrepancies between the way customer-facing staff and headquarter-based staff are treated by many major brands.
• Michelle’s journey of founding HigherRing, and what the company does.
• Types of companies that HigherRing partners with. 
• The process of becoming a Certified B Corporation and a member of 1% for the Planet. 
• Two main learnings that Michelle took from the 10,000 Small Businesses Programme.
• Examples of how HigherRing helps their clients grow. 
• Why HigherRing has been so successful in attracting employees.
• The value of giving feedback in the moment. 
• Growth that Michelle is planning for HigherRing in the future. 

Tweetables:

“There is a strategic advantage in treating people well and making sure that they’re cared for, and in running your business in a sustainable and holistic way.” — @michelle_hirons [0:07:03]

“We’re aiming to be that fire under the growth of all of our partner companies.” — @michelle_hirons [0:20:36]

“We’re trying to create great jobs. That’s our mission.” — @michelle_hirons [0:25:03]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

HigherRing

Michelle Hirons on LinkedIn

Certified B Corporation

1% for the Planet

Modern Species

Evolve CPG

Just slow down. So many entrepreneurs don’t have this phrase in their vocabulary, which is a big part of the reason that 34% of this population group suffer from anxiety. In today’s society, people are valorized for working 90 hour weeks and pushing themselves to breaking point, but today's guests, Linwood Paul and Matt D’Amour, are determined to change this. In today’s episode, the founders of Subtle Distinctions share how they help their clients handle the common fears which attach them to future scenarios, and get them back to the present moment instead. The practices they teach take work, but the benefits will be well worth the effort! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• High levels of anxiety that are present in society today.
• What Linwood and Matt are hoping to achieve through Subtle Distinctions. 
• A question to ask yourself which will help you to become more present. 
• How anxiety and attachment are relative in effect. 
• The flood of changes that we are constantly faced with, and how to navigate them.
• Lessons from Linwood’s sailing coach about the importance of slowing down.
• Pressure that entrepreneurs feel to be constantly productive. 
• Dealing with some of the most common fears. 
• An example of a non-attached way to deal with a particular scenario. 
• The value of starting small. 

Tweetables:

“Attachment can draw us into the future.” — Linwood Paul [0:09:00]

“This idea of becoming more present is a strategy for entrepreneurs, and everyone else, to be in a more peaceful calm state so that they can direct their destiny, direct their business, direct themselves in a more intentional and grounded way.” — Matt D’Amour [0:12:15]

“Slow down to speed up.” — Linwood Paul [0:16:09]

“The more you question, the more you don’t know. The more you question, the more you wonder.” — Linwood Paul [0:33:08]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Subtle Distinctions

Deep Work

The Big Leap

Evolve CPG

“When life gives you lemons, make aguas frescas!” As was the case for many people, 2020 started off on a difficult note for Kayla Castañeda, with a young child and no job. Instead of letting this knock her down, Kayla kicked into gear and put the skills she acquired after many years of working in the food and beverage industry to good use; the co-founding of Agua Bonita. Agua Bonita boasts the first line of better-for-you, ready-to-drink aguas frescas, which come in eco-friendly cans that are branded by Kayla’s co-founder, Erin. The quality of the product combined with the authenticity and transparency of the brand, and the relationship-building approach that Kayla adopted from week one, have led to her winning every pitch competition she has entered! That’s not to say that the past year has been easy for them, and in today’s episode, you’ll hear about the ups and downs, the lessons learned along the way, their plans for the future, and some valuable advice for nailing your pitch! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• What the past year has looked like for Kayla and her business.
• Kayla shares what she learned from working in the hospitality industry.
• Experience that Kayla had working for Coca Cola, and why she decided to leave the company and start consulting. 
• Circumstances which motivated Kayla to found Agua Bonita.
• The approach that Kayla and her cofounder, Erin, took to funding their business.
• A goal that Kayla and Erin set when they founded the company. 
• Challenges of balancing work and family life and how this impacted the decision to make Agua Bonita a full-time job.
• When Kayla and Erin were able to start drawing salaries.
• How pitching and pitch competitions have benefited Agua Bonita. 
• Why fundraising is a difficult task, and the importance of relationship building early on.
• Qualities that make Agua Bonita attractive to investors. 
• Valuable tips for going into pitch competitions. 
• Erin’s background, and how her skillset complements Kayla’s. 
• The biggest challenge that Kayla and Erin have been faced with over the past year.
• Flavors of Agua Bonita that are currently available.
• Exciting plans that Kayla and Erin have for the future of Agua Bonita. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Agua Bonita

Agua Bonita on Instagram

Kayla Castañeda on LinkedIn 

Modern Species

Evolve CPG

When we look at the sectors that are contributing significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions, agriculture is responsible for 15 to 20 percent, but today’s guest believes that the food industry has an opportunity to do better; a lot better! Today, we speak with Jonathan Reinbold, Sustainability Director for Thomas Foods, about the food industry’s impact on our health and the environment and the progress being made to turn any negative impacts into positive ones. Jonathan has worked in sustainability, agriculture, and climate action for over a decade now, and his experience spans sustainability strategy, CSR reporting, non‐profit management, food systems policy, renewable energy, and green design. In this episode, we touch on how companies can benefit from an increased focus on sustainability and how taking a more holistic approach to agricultural practices can help companies become climate positive and Jonathan shares some advice for brands entering into the sustainability space: identify your biggest opportunity areas and focus there. Don’t try and do everything! Tune in today to learn more about some of the major advances that the food industry is making when it comes to sustainability!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Minimizing negative climate impacts in agriculture and throughout the supply chain.
• The increasing focus on sustainability and how businesses stand to benefit in terms of profitability and reputation.
• How companies can become climate positive by taking a holistic approach to agriculture.
• The benefits of building a climate positive mindset into your business model; start early!
• Food and physical wellness as a common thread throughout Jonathan’s career journey.
• Why health food is more about abundance and variety than it is about elimination.
• What drew Jonathan to agriculture and his early roles in community and supply chains.
• Learn about Jonathan’s previous role as head of sustainability at Organic Valley.
• Some of the initiates worked on, including guiding Organic Valley to become the world’s largest 100 percent renewably-powered food company.
• Time spent creating impact strategies, collecting data, running initiatives, and storytelling.
• The value in viewing farmers as ‘price makers’ rather than ‘price takers’.
• Integrated supply chains at Thomas Foods and how they align with Jonathan’s values.
• How big brands like McDonalds are shifting strategies in ways consumers never expected.
• Why it’s not all about packaging; identify your biggest opportunity areas and focus there.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jonathan Reinbold on LinkedIn

Thomas Foods

Organic Valley

Lopez Foods

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Evolve CPG

Evolve CPG Community

Evolve CPG Email

Evolve CPG on YouTube

To create a CPG product that is 100% organic, 100% traceable back to the family farm, and 100% tested for pesticides and herbicides is no small feat. In today's episode, we speak to someone who has done just that. Jason Freeman is the Founder and CEO of Farmer Direct Organic, a certified organic supplier of beans, grains, legumes, and all sorts of healthy whole foods to stores across the US and Canada. Today we discuss the challenges of traceable supply chains, affordable plastic-free packaging, finding the right investors, the rise in superweeds, the need for more widely-used environmentally-friendly farming techniques, and the problems of corporations fueling unhealthy addictions that create disease. This episode is jam-packed with valuable insight into a whole range of important issues, so don’t miss it! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• How Farmer Direct Organic was established and the principles that it is founded upon. 
• The evolution of Jason’s career from BioHemp to Farmer Direct Co-Op, to Farmer Direct Organic, and HempScience.
• Jason’s involvement in the early hemp legalization movement.
• Jason’s thoughts on democracy in light of the prohibition of cannabis.
• Shocking stats about diabetes in America and how corporations pray on unhealthy addictions.
• The rise in superweeds that are becoming resistant to GMO technology. 
• How Farmer Direct Co-Op became the first national brand to be certified to domestic fair trade standards through the Agricultural Justice Project.
• Jason’s hope for the revitalization of rural America through organic farming.
• The value of Farmer Direct Organic being consumer-founded and therefore consumer-focused.
• The difference between non-GMO and organic. 
• How Farmer Direct Organic just became part of Above Food and what this means.
• What Farmer Direct Organic is doing to try to eliminate plastic in its packaging.
• Jason’s goal to have everything that the company produces approved for a diabetic diet. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jason Freeman on LinkedIn

Farmer Direct Organic 

"Attack of the Superweeds” - New York Times

Kiss the Ground 

Amy’s Kitchen

Agricultural Justice Project 

HempScience 

Non GMO Project 

Above Food 

rePurpose Global

For a Better World Podcast

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Modern Species

Evolve CPG

Evolve CPG on YouTube

Evolve CPG Community

Evolve CPG email

Making a sustainable CPG product a household name doesn’t sound as challenging as it is. Today we speak to Pilar Ochi, Vice President of Marketing at Alter Eco, a sustainable sweet snacks company. She joined the company because this was the first brand that she found that does more for people and the planet than they talk about. While this sounds like any marketer’s dream, narrowing down the messaging and the direction the brand should be taking when you have so much to say has been quite a challenge. Today she joins us to discuss how she settled on one key takeaway, how her background in economics and in the marketing departments of both big and small companies prepared her for this job, and the challenge of scaling that she now faces having updated Alter Eco’s brand. She provides valuable insight into how to build a brand by finding the balance between owning the thing that makes your product special and owning the thing that gets it into a consumer’s cart. For all this and other helpful advice on how to build a brand, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why making a sustainable CPG product a household name is so challenging. 
• How building a brand is a balance between owning the thing that makes you special and owning the thing that gets you into a consumer’s cart. 
• The challenge of mission-driven brands settling on one key takeaway.
• How companies benefit from hiring consumers because they don’t have to figure out what makes a consumer tick.
• How Pilar decided on the direction the brand should be taking from many possible options.
• The three pillars of Alter Eco’s brand strategy and which two they chose to focus on and why.
• How Pilar’s background in economics provided a framework for understanding human behavior at scale. 
• How Pilar’s different experiences at Clorox and Blue Bottle Coffee Company became the perfect foundation for her current job at Alter Eco.
• The difference between a brand marketer and a brand manager and how this varies across different-sized companies.
• Paid media versus influencer and PR and why Alter Eco does both. 
• The biggest challenge of scaling now that Alter Eco’s brand has been updated.
• How Pilar envisions the industry and the world evolving towards more sustainable products. 
• The shift Pilar has noticed away from a minimalist aesthetic to one that is more colorful, detailed, and sensorial. 
• Thoughts on how consumers are increasingly more interested in the simple things in life.
• How Pilar hopes the pandemic will impact consumers going forward.
• The marketing books that Pilar and Gage have found useful.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Pilar Ochi 

Alter Eco

Clorox 

Blue Bottle Coffee Company

Decoded: The Science Behind Why We Buy 

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Modern Species

Evolve CPG Community

Evolve CPG Email

Evolve CPG

If you have a food and beverage product, getting it onto the grocery store shelf is not enough; it has to sell! Today’s guest, Alli Ball, Founder of Food Biz Wiz, is a former grocery buyer turned wholesale consultant, and she helps food and beverage brands understand how to be successful on the retail shelf. In this episode, Alli pulls back the curtain and offers insights into the minds of buyers, and what they are looking for in brands. Stories and tasty products aren’t just a given in 2021; buyers do their research before they commit. Alli also touches on her unique course offering, who the program is targeted at, and what you can gain from it. For all this and more, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Get to know today’s guest, Alli Ball.
• Alli’s start at Bi-Rite and the incredible expansion of the company.
• What Alli’s role as a grocery buyer entails.
• The misconception people have about how buyers evaluate products.
• Finding the balance between historical data and future predictions.
• Why Alli decided to become a consultant.
• Hear about the podcast Alli hosts and the three segments of the show.
• Details about Alli’s course, Retail Ready, and who it is for.
• The most common misconception brands have around wholesale.
• How brands can take advantage of the rise in e-commerce; it’s not what they think!
• What’s on the horizon for Alli and Retail Ready.

Tweetables:

“In that role of grocery buyer, my role was to figure out products for our shelves and make sure that once we did put them on the shelf, they sold.” — Alli Ball [0:05:40]

“The more feedback we can get from our audiences, the better.” — Alli Ball [0:23:38]

“If you want to sell on a shelf, whether that is a digital shelf or a physical brick and mortar shelf, Retail Ready is for you.” — Alli Ball [0:26:24]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Food Biz Wiz

Alli Ball

Retail Ready Course

Bi-Rite

Evolve CPG

From Goop by Gwyneth Paltrow to Fenty by Rihanna, Casamigos by George Clooney to Feastables by MrBeast, celebrities are increasingly leveraging their influence to launch products and lifestyle brands. But what makes celebrity brands successful? Today’s guest is an Olympian and entrepreneur with a proven track record of successfully launching, managing, and scaling billion-dollar businesses and brands. When it comes to advising companies and vetting opportunities, Samyr Laine knows what it takes to win! In 2023, Samyr started Freedom Trail Capital, a venture capital firm that invests in consumer brands at the intersection of influence, culture, and lifestyle. In this episode, Samyr discusses the rise of celebrity-backed and founded brands, the companies his fund is invested in, his criteria for matching investors with brands, and his efforts to address venture capital inequities. Join us for an insightful conversation as Samyr shares his expert opinion on building a successful brand in today’s crowded market. To discover the secrets behind some of the most influential celebrity ventures and get inspired to take your own entrepreneurial journey to the next level, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The “perfect storm” of influencers, actors, musicians, and more building their own brands.
• Why authenticity and purpose are key to the success of influencer and celebrity brands.
• What makes brands investable: the value of knowledge, expertise, and connections.
• How Freedom Trail Capital is challenging inequities in the venture capital market.
• Networks and certifications that can benefit minority-owned brands and enterprises.
• Insight into Samyr’s criteria for ensuring a good fit between brands and investors.
• Why celebrity involvement is the last step in Freedom Trail’s due diligence process.
• How celebrities can hinder business operations (and how they can do better).
• The relevance of a brand’s growth trajectory in Samyr’s investment strategy.
• Expanding on the role of synergistic partnerships in Freedom Trail’s investment portfolio.
• Reasons that Samyr would turn down a big check due to product-market-mission fit.
• How A/B testing could increase the impact of mission-driven brands and products.
• Renais gin by Emma Watson and other celebrity brands that Freedom Trail invests in.
• Personal favorite CPG brands, the power of perseverance, meaningful quotes, and more in the lightning round with Samyr Laine!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Samyr Laine

Freedom Trail Capital

Samyr Laine on LinkedIn

Samyr Laine Email

Naturally Network Minority-Owned Fellowship

Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification

Pronghorn

AfroTech

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses

Modern Species 

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Gage Mitchell on X

Brands for a Better World Website

Brands for a Better World on YouTube

Brands for a Better World email

Impact Driven Community

Feeling constantly sick, tired, and weighing 300 pounds at 18 years old, Michael Fata embarked on a pursuit of health, which, after much experimentation, led him to the discovery of the benefits of hemp.

Hemp, though often confused with marijuana, has no mind-altering properties and is a great source of essential fatty acids. When Michael founded his company, Manitoba Harvest, not only did he have zero high school or college education, but he was also faced with the challenges of hemp being a product with a brand-new supply chain, laden with numerous regulatory challenges. 

However, Michael’s passion for his products, his sound business ethics, and his decision to focus solely on hemp culminated in a hugely successful business. In today’s episode, you’ll hear about the learnings Michael had along his journey with Manitoba Harvest, some key insights from the experience he has had as an investor since he sold his company, and the various other ways he is helping entrepreneurs to succeed in the business world.

Key Points From This Episode:

• The motivation that sparked Michael’s health journey.
• How Michael became interested in hemp.
• Examples of some of the major learnings Michael had when he entered the world of business.
• Confusion relating to hemp and marijuana that made things challenging for ManitobaHarvest when it was starting out.
• The goals of the Canadian Hemp Trade Association that Michael founded.
• Why Manitoba Harvest chose to focus solely on hemp.
• Michael’s concern with entrepreneurs who put a lot of emphasis on selling their businesses from the beginning.
• Advice that Michael gives to entrepreneurs from an investor standpoint.
• How Michael and his partner are helping other entrepreneurs to succeed in the business world.
• Why Michael is a fan of social audio platforms like Clubhouse.
• How Michael maintains his commitment to his own health and wellbeing.
• The stage of a business’s lifecycle when Michael likes to invest, and why.

Tweetables:

“I always took the high road and built the brand known for the best quality and a great company to do business with, and that’s how we really outcompeted all the competitors.” — Michael Fata [0:12:29]

“Our mission was to become the experts in hemp, right from the genetics and the farming operation all the way through to the consumer.” — Michael Fata [0:13:27] 

“If you grow a good business and become a leader in your space, and you get to the right scale, you’ll likely have a good opportunity to sell the business. If you overly focus on selling the business it could create the wrong culture and lead to failure.” — Michael Fata [0:14:59]

“I feel grateful that I found my health when I was 18,19 years old, so I too want to make this world a healthier place and I want to help founders make sure that their vision and mission is realized.” — Michael Fata [0:38:16]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Mike Fata on LinkedIn

Mike Fata on Clubhouse

Manitoba Harvest

Fata & Fleishmann Mentorship

Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill

The Promise of Sleep

The general trend towards healthier living and better information about nutrition has many layers, with one of the main tenets being an increase in transparency from food brands about the ingredients used and their sources. Today we are joined by Colleen Kavanagh, the CEO and Co-Founder of ZEGO Foods, to talk about how the company is enabling its customers to live healthy and fulfilling lives, and supporting achievement on multiple levels. Colleen shares some of her personal journey with nutrition and how this led into her career, the important shifts in the industry in recent years, how public policy fits into the picture, and the central theme of transparency at ZEGO! So, for a great check-in on the present and future of the world of health foods, be sure to listen in with and see what Colleen has to say!

Key Points From This Episode:

• How customer action can quickly impact the industry and make meaningful change!
• Advice from Colleen around the legalities of going to market and a safe marketing plan.
• Colleen's background and how her own celiac disease diagnosis led her getting into nutrition. 
• ZEGO Foods' process to becoming a B-Corporation and the processes around certification.
• Pesticides and diseases; the research that has illuminated the dangers of what we consume.  
• The launch of ZEGO Foods and how Colleen formulated the vision for the company.
• Concerns about safety and assurances related to allergies and ingredients lists.  
• The centrality of the testing process at ZEGO Foods and bringing these practices up to speed. 
• Information on A Better Course, Colleen's school nutrition program!
• Thinking about the next few years at ZEGO; the two current goals of the company. 
• How local work in San Francisco deeply impacted Colleen's philosophy.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Modern Species

Collen Kavanagh on LinkedIn

ZEGO Foods

A Better Course

KRAFT Foods

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Evolve CPG

The California Certified Organic Farmers, or CCOF, extends across the US and certifies more operations than any other organic certification company or organization in the country. This week we get together with Jessica Beckett Parr to discuss her work as director of the CCOF Foundation, and how her devotion to agriculture was shaped from a young age. Tuning in you’ll hear about the history of CCOF as well as the history of certification and organic farming in America. Jessica shares her expansive knowledge on the many benefits of organic and why it has such an important role to play in combating climate change. She elaborates on the expansive scientific data available on the benefits and effects of organic farming and how laypeople can access it. We also hear about the various initiatives the CCOF Foundation is pursuing, from pledging money to students who want to work in organic farming, to supporting farmers looking to transition to organic. Jessica interrogates how taboos around organic are changing and reflects on the individuals who give her hope for the future. Tune in today for this inspiring discussion on organic farming, the CCOF, and much more!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing today’s guest Jessica Beckett Parr and how she developed her love for agriculture.
• More about Jessica’s career path and how she came to be the director of the CCOF Foundation.
• How Jessica worked with Deborah Koons Garcia on her movies The Future of Food and Symphony of Soil.
• What inspired Jessica to go back to school to earn a Master's in Science and Community Development.
• How CCOF was founded in 1973.
• The history of organic certification and how it has changed over the past fifty years.
• How CCOF was involved in creating a national standard for organic by petitioning the government.
• How certifiers are routinely audited by the government to maintain the standards for certification.
• The three legal entities of CCOF and their purpose, namely the Certification entity, their lobbying organization, and their foundation.
• How the CCOF foundation focuses on education and training.
• How they raise money to support students who want to pursue organic education. 
• How the foundation supports farmers who want to transition to organic.
• The Benefits Report and how it has affected political engagement with organic agriculture.
• The processing bottleneck with certifying meat as organic.
• The importance of understanding your local habitat.
• Jessica’s thoughts on the future of organic and the young people and individuals inspiring her.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jessica Beckett Parr on LinkedIn

CCOF

The Future of Food

Symphony of the Soil

Benefits Report

Roadmap to an Organic California

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Evolve CPG

Your morning cup of coffee has a far greater environmental impact than you might realize. Ironically, the current unsustainable practices have the largest effect on the industry itself. Today’s guest, Paul Evers, is the Co-Founder and CEO of Riff, an innovative cold brew coffee company that looks to use the whole coffee plant, reducing waste and increasing sustainability. In this episode, Paul unpacks coffee’s dirty, not-so-little, secret and shares how uncovering it led Riff to venture into an entirely new range of products no one else in the space is creating. Paul also talks about his other passion, craft beer, and how the sector’s growth has had had cascading effects for other small business growth. Consumers have grown to trust their neighbors more than corporations and this is in large part due to craft beer. Tuning in, you will hear why reducing waste in the coffee industry will not just benefit the environment but could improve your health too!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Coffee’s big, dirty secret and how this led Riff to have a new product range. 
• The coffee industry has large stakes in more sustainable practices yet is contributing to environmental degradation. 
• The craft beer sector has been the catalyst for artisanal manufacturing in other industries too. 
• The importance of getting clear on purpose as a mission-driven brand. 
• Get to know Paul, his background in creative services, and the ethos that underlies his career. 
• What drew Paul to focus his work on beverage brands. 
• Insights into the first brand Paul launched and the major lessons from this first big step. 
• Building a brand is about more than just good marketing; it’s about community. 
• What led Paul to transition into the world of cold brew coffee. 
• We could potentially be overlooking a super fruit, cascara. 
• All of the benefits of creating demand for cascara, which should be done through creating awareness. 
• Paul’s advice for impact entrepreneurs and marketers. 
• Parallels between craft alcohol and cold brew coffee. 
• Why small, emerging brands are the bedrock of the economy.

Tweetables:

“My ethos is really oriented around relationships and that’s really driven a lot of my career path and what my interests are. I really see brand actually as being the conduit.” — @paulevers [0:02:03]

“Nobody understands that their normal up of Joe is actually contributing to the new normal; the extreme weather events, the floods, the fires, what’s happening to the planet.” — @paulevers [0:36:00]

“The coffee industry as a whole has this very significant sustainability risk moving forward and the irony is that they are contributing to the greatest threat.” — @paulevers [0:37:26]

“Failure is part and parcel of exploration.” — @paulevers [0:47:21]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Paul Evers

Riff

Crux Fermentation Project

Bobby Evers

Cascara

Food Waste is a global issue and plays a pivotal role in the onset of climate change. While the problem might seem overwhelming, there are increasing opportunities for consumers to impact change through their choices. This week we welcome Turner Wyatt, CEO at The Upcycled Food Association, to discuss how his company is helping producers and consumers make better decisions that will have a global impact on food waste reduction. Turner shares his journey with food waste reduction and sustainability and explains how taking a solution-based approach has led to outcomes that align environmental and sustainability goals with financial incentives and healthy profits, and why this is great news for the future of upcycling food. Make sure you tune in for this remarkable conversation to learn about the power of upcycling food and how you can make a difference!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Learn about the research-based evidence presented by Project Drawdown that illustrates the critical role that reduced food waste plays in curbing climate change.
• Why it’s essential to hold big companies accountable for the massive amount of food waste occurring every year and how they benefit from it.
• The huge benefit of aligning environmental and sustainability efforts with financial incentives.
• Our natural tendency to upcycle foods and how the industrialization of food products has disrupted those traditions and caused a dissociation with food in modern culture.
• Why Turner founded The Upcycled Food Association after working with multiple non-profits.
• The Upcycled Certification logo and how it empowers consumers to align their choices with their values.
• How concerns over food waste is a universal concern that bridges political divides.
• The important lessons that Turner learned about food charity and unintended consequences after co-founding Denver Food Rescue as a young adult.
• The Fresh Food Connect app and how it takes a solution-based approach to overcome complex barriers that prevent us from combating food waste and food insecurity.
• The future of upcycling and a circular economy.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Turner Wyatt

Turner Wyatt on LinkedIn

Upcycled Food Association

Project Drawdown: Reduced Food Waste

Denver Food Rescue

Fresh Food Connect App

Evolve CPG

After getting sober in 2015, today’s guest, Kelsey Moreira, set off on a journey to make the world a little sweeter by starting Doughp Legit Cookie Dough, a company that makes edible, bakeable, and ridiculously tasty cookie dough. You’ll hear about Kelsey’s lifelong interest in marketing and how her ambition drove her to use alcohol to relieve stress before reaching a turning point that changed sobriety from a ‘should’ into a ‘must’. Her huge life change left her with the capacity to pursue a new endeavor, and she began baking as a hobby until her entrepreneurial spirit led her to transform it into a business and pitch it on Sharktank to find an investor. Doughp has an ecommerce segment, as well as physical stores in San Francisco and the Las Vegas strip, which Kelsey chose because of her focus on addiction recovery. We explore the power of the message behind the brand to grow a community, and Kelsey reveals more about the non-profit piece of the company, donating one percent of total sales to a different organization each year, with She Recovers as this year’s non-profit. Kelsey shares plenty of actionable advice with listeners today, and points us in the direction of her podcast, Soberpreneur, where she interviews innovative business owners who have recovered from addiction. We hope you tune in to be inspired by this force for good today!  

Key Points From This Episode:

• Kelsey’s company, Doughp, and the edible, bakeable cookie dough products they make.
• Their focus on addiction recovery and mental health, sparked by Kelsey’s journey to sobriety.
• The brownie cookie dough Doughp produced with Regrained flour and other partnerships.
• Kelsey’s lifelong interest in marketing and how she worked at Intel from the age of 16.
• How she came to rely on alcohol to relieve the stress of building a career in tech marketing.
• What she learned from Intel’s focus on doing good by fighting online harassment.
• Kelsey’s journey to sobriety and the turning point that took her from ‘should’ to ‘must’.
• Her nickname, Monsterbaby, and the sweet tooth that led her to baking after she got sober.
• How her entrepreneurial spirit and love of baking sparked the start of Doughp.
• The best way to consume Doughp cookie dough: half baked.
• Flaxseed as a substitute for eggs, allowing you to eat the dough raw.
• How Kelsey pitched to go on Sharktank and ended up being chosen to appear on TV.
• What it was like to appear on Sharktank and how questions about health arose.
• The investor that came through shortly after and how they made it onto the 500 list. 
• Her two locations in San Francisco at Pier 39 and on the Las Vegas strip.
• Why she chose to set up a store in Las Vegas; a hotspot for addiction. 
• How the message behind the brand has changed lives and built a community.
• Doughp online, Doughp stores, and stocked at convenience stores.
• 7-Eleven’s Brands with Heart campaign focusing on mission-led companies.
• Kelsey’s actionable tip: the Hatch Restore light clock’s wind down routine. 
• Her podcast, Soberpreneur, where she interviews recovered business owners.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Kelsey Moreira on LinkedIn

Kelsey Moreira on Twitter
Doughp
She Recovers

The Hatch Restore

Tiny Habits

The Big Leap

Soberpreneur Podcast

Company culture is one of the pillars that will define an organization's outcomes, and the more intentionality and balance that can be brought into a workspace, the better for all involved. Linwood Paul and Matt D'Amour join us on the show today to talk about the idea of the business zip code, and how geography and assumptions can negatively impact the systems and processes at any business. Our guests are the cofounders of Subtle Distinctions, where they help cultivate thoughtful leaders and better companies as a result. In our conversation, we get into the importance of balancing different approaches, especially strong leadership and inclusive decision-making. We also hear about the value of transparency and understanding, and the idea of a pool of share meaning. Listeners can expect to come away with some new ideas for leadership positions as well as what it means to engage appropriately as an employee, so do not miss this eye-opening conversation!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The pluralism of systems; finding the right balance of approaches for a healthy company.
• Developing a pool of shared meaning for better engagement and outcomes.
• The recent project at Subtle Distinctions that underlined the impact of geography on leadership. 
• The dangers of analysis-paralysis and the destructive quality of too much processing and discussion.
• Promoting intentionality and priorities in a company culture to ward off automatic processes.
• Why clarity and understanding often trump having a role in decision-making.
• Differences in business culture across the world, and even with the US.
• The need for definitive leadership and direction at an organization.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Linwood Paul on Linkedin

Matt D'Amour on LinkedIn

Subtle Distinctions

Modern Species

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Evolve CPG

So many businesses struggle to find the right words to market their sustainable and social impact products. Today’s guest is Carolyn Parrs, CEO of Mind Over Markets, and she joins us to talk about the green consumer and the best ways to market sustainability. 

One of the big themes in today’s conversation is how to get people to adopt your sustainable product. People fall into different tiers according to their devotion to buying green products and this begs the question of which group to target so that you can make the most impact. 

Also, she talks about how she helps her clients find their main message by listening to their customer’s needs, whatever they may be – a tactic that ultimately wins people over more effectively at the end of the day!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Carolyn’s love of nature, skill in copywriting, and how she got interested in sustainability marketing.
• Different tiers of the green consumer and what their buying habits look like.
• How to tap into what already motivates people to convince them to buy your product.
• The services around distilling a marketing message that Mind Over Markets provides clients.
• Online marketing tips for keeping the messaging on your website clear and collecting emails.
• How to inform leads about the rest of your services after you hook them with the main problem you solve.
• Early adopters who help champion a cause and shift the opinions of less concerned groups.
• Big mistakes that brands often make when trying to market themselves.
• Digging into the problem you solve for your clients and building your story around that.
• The challenge of working out which group on the green spectrum to tailor your message to.
• Examples of how Carolyn has reframed her clients’ messaging to better suit their customers.
• The reality that it is often economic reasons that motivate people rather than green reasons.
• Big life incidents that make people more concerned about health.
• How unbalanced the American diet is and the need to eat more vegetables.
• Where on the green spectrum the LOHAS group exists.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Carolyn Parrs on LinkedIn

Carolyn Parrs on Twitter

Mind Over Markets

StoryBrand

Start With Why

Climify Podcast

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Evolve CPG

Going green is set to be big business in the coming years, thanks, in part, to growing consumer demand for products that are good for the planet. But this can also be good news for brands, as embedding Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors into your core strategy can help deliver long-term value. In today’s episode, we speak with Ryan Williams, Operating Partner of NextWorld Evergreen, about how brands and investors are taking sustainability seriously, even when some experiments fail. Ryan also shares his tips for purpose-driven brands seeking mission-aligned equity and explains why profitability is the single most important thing mission-driven brands can do, plus a whole lot more! Tune in today to find out why ESG and sustainability principles are critical for the next 10 to 25-year time period and how they contribute to a brand’s resilience and long-term success.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why ESG and sustainability principles are critical over the next 10 to 25-year time period.
• The resilience of brands that incorporate ESG and sustainability into their business strategy.
• How Ryan fell in love with consumer brands and felt more connected to the social impact of his work as a scientist.
• The intersection between disruptive innovation and consumer buy-in for market viability.
• How collaboration and obstacles during development can encourage product innovation.
• What drew Ryan to the study of toxicology and how it has served him on his career journey.
• Ryan’s experience of working at Clorox and what he learned during his time there.
• Ryan talks about his role as ‘Good Cop’ and ‘Global Greenskeeper’ at method products.
• Some sustainability case studies from Ryan’s time at method, including what he calls “spectacular failures.”
• An example of how Ryan offered technical support for business strategy at method.
• Ryan describes his position at NextWorld Evergreen, an equity firm focused on sustainability.
• Find out what NextWorld Evergreen looks for in their conscious consumer brands.
• What Ryan’s role at Operating Partner entails, such as implementing ESG frameworks.
• Why their acquisition of Alter Eco was one reason Ryan wanted to join NextWorld Evergreen.
• Ryan’s tips for purpose-driven brands seeking mission aligned equity: make every decision through the lens of your mission.
• Why the single most important thing mission-driven brands can do is achieve profitability.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Ryan Williams on LinkedIn

NextWorld Evergreen

Clorox

method products

Modern Species

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Evolve CPG

The world of 3D printing and the cannabis space are two areas that have seen massive progress in the last few years. The intersection between these two spheres is what inspired today's guests to build the simple yet ingenious C-Bite! Joining us to talk about the C-Bite are the co-founders of Thriving Design, brother and sister team, Jordan and Morgan Rider! In our conversation, we get to hear about the steps that led up to Jason's invention of the C-Bite and how he asked Morgan to get involved to make a business out of his experimentation. We also talk about the rise of gardening during the pandemic, and how this trend shows no sign of slowing down. Tuning in, listeners can expect to hear about how combining interests, curiosity, and business-mindedness can produce innovative and exciting results, and the components of a truly inspiring small business, so make sure to join us!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why expertise in branding is so valuable when launching a new product.
• The inspiration behind Jason's invention of the C-Bite! 
• The decision to invest in a 3D printer and the first ideas that Jason had for it.  
• How Jason and Morgan joined forces to work in the company after the patenting.    
• Breaking down the specifics of the C-Bite and the different ways it can be used.
• The different skills and expertise that the two co-founders bring to the table at Thriving Design.  
• The importance of fundraising early and advice for patenting an original product.
• Biggest realizations since entering the gardening industry; how businesses are run and the impacts of the pandemic. 
• The target markets that Thriving Design is focused on: cannabis growers, home gardeners, and industrial agriculture.  
• The process of experimentation involved in developing and selecting materials for the C-Bite.  
• Future products for Thriving Design; how the brands under the umbrella might grow.
• Jason and Morgan's history of gardening and growing vegetables.  

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Thriving Design

Morgan Rider

Jason Rider 

Jason Rider on Instagram

Tinkercad

Modern Species

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Evolve CPG

What if your actions had a ripple effect? Instead of waiting for someone else to be the solution, what if you took charge of your own sphere of influence? Diana Ingles is an Eco-conscious Designer at Rootlebox and she joins the conversation today to discuss her journey to working in sustainable solutions, unpack some of the problems with consumer culture, and explore how we are approaching our work differently as designers. As well as getting an insight into Diana’s work at Rootlebox, you’ll learn more about the philosophy behind Modern Species. You’ll also hear about some of the organizations, resources, and movements we’re most excited about. This is an empowering conversation between two sustainable designers leveraging their abilities to create the change the world desperately needs. Thanks for tuning in! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing Diana Ingles, Eco-conscious Designer at Rootlebox.
•  Her background in food and sustainability, from growing up in a family homestead to finding her ikigai. 
• Inevitable shifts that occur once you start to question societal practices. 
• Nurturing curiosity during the pursuit of sustainable solutions.
• Stepping into the spaces that need your support instead of waiting for someone else to.
• Factors that attract clients to Modern Species; from aligned values and resonant work to portfolio clients.
• The promising prospect of seaweed as a sustainable material. 
• Nature’s waste-free processes and the emergence of sustainable packaging trends.
• New and old traditions of upcycling food to extract nutritional value and eliminate waste.
• Algae ink printing and education with Rootlebox. 
• The philosophy behind Brands for a Better World.
• Underutilized educational resources such as 1% for the Planet. 
• Different ways to contribute revenue and time.
• Challenges associated with building a more sustainable future.
• Different ways of responding to broken systems.
• Practical takeaways from this conversation. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Diana Ingles on LinkedIn

Rootlebox

Wild Routed

Climify Podcast

Upcycled Foods Inc.

1% for the Planet

Modern Species 

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Gage Mitchell on X

Brands for a Better World Website

Brands for a Better World on YouTube

Brands for a Better World email

Impact Driven Community

No matter what kind of brand you are running, in order to be successful and create an impact, you need to be able to connect with a community and build an audience. Today we are doing things a little differently, and instead of interviewing a guest, Gage breaks down the principles detailed in the book, Influence, by Robert Cialdini, and applies them more particularly to the type of branding we are most interested in. The six psychological principles are reciprocation, commitment and consistency, social proof, liking, authority, and scarcity. If you have not yet read the book, it is well worth your time and can provide a really good foundation for a socially impactful business! So for a great introduction to a seminal work, with direct applicability and ideas for connecting the dots of your brand, make sure to listen in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The concept of reciprocation; giving in order to receive.
• Implementing commitment and consistency, and leaning into behaviors that support these. 
• Gaining social proof and connecting your brand with the right community.
• The power of liking a brand and how this can ease transactions and decision-making. 
• Using authority as a means to direct an audience to your offers. 
• Creating a sense of scarcity to drive sales and the impetus to act. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Influence

Robert Cialdini

Social Nature

Seth Godin

Yumbutter

Clubhouse

Modern Species

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Evolve CPG

In order to make the best possible decisions, we need to use all the tools available to us, and not just the rational mind, that often dominates our choices. This is where the concept of heartset comes into the conversation, and in this episode, we are joined by two inspiring guests to explore the idea of heartset and how to utilize this important tool for the benefit of ourselves, those around us, and the work and projects in which we are involved. Linwood Paul and Matt D'Amour are the cofounders of Subtle Distinctions, where they help cultivate thoughtful and well-rounded leaders. Our guests explain how heartset can fit into a system of tools, and the first steps that individuals can take in order to start listening more to their feelings. They also get into the idea of balance and why there is a place for each part of us, before talking about how these concepts can be applied in business and beyond. Listeners can expect a refreshingly simple approach to a potentially revolutionary path, so make sure to join us for this great chat!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The future-facing vision associated with entrepreneurship.
• How to start the journey of cultivating your heartset.
• Defining heartset and how our guests have experienced and used this concept. 
• Using awareness to notice when the mind is dominating the heart.
• Connecting with others and building a network of hearts that serves everyone.
• The requirements of heartset and the importance of giving the mind a break. 
• Intentional application and avoiding acting on automatic.
• Bringing the strength of heartset to the projects of business and leadership. 
• Learning to trust the decisions that we make with the heart. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Linwood Paul on Linkedin

Matt D'Amour on LinkedIn

Subtle Distinctions

Modern Species

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Evolve CPG

Popularity and awareness of the B corp certification have been growing steadily and the burgeoning space is showing no signs of slowing down. Today we get to chat with Veena Harbaugh, who is the Director of Marketing and Communications for B Lab U.S. & Canada, about the topic of B corps and how her work at B Lab aims to champion this important step for the business world. In our conversation, we get into the multifaceted nature of B corp companies, why the growing number of businesses with the certification is creating a rising tide, and how the marketing and storytelling around different brands are important to the expansion of the public's understanding. Veena talks about the responsibility of business to take action in areas that matter, and how the B corp model is creating radical shifts in the economy, with real attention on important issues such as racial equality and environmental sustainability.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Advice from Veena for companies considering the transition to B corp.
• Growth in the B corp space and what these numbers show about the possibilities for the future.
• Veena's current professional role and the variety of things that make up her life!
• How Veena landed in marketing at B Lab and the important steps that led up to this point.
• Veena's thoughts on the shareholder model and why it does not have to be the norm.
• The startups and political campaigns that Veena worked on straight out of college.  
• Veena's thoughts on the exciting short-term future of the B corp movement.
• How the B corp movement makes it possible to address the historical shortcomings of business.
• Challenging areas of marketing a B corp in a growing field.
• Improvements in marketing and communication within the B corp space in the last few years.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Veena Harbaugh

B Lab 

Presidio

Salesforce

Modern Species

Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn

Evolve CPG