Brand Builder

Here’s a fact: when it comes to setting goals for the coming New Year, the odds are... you’re doing it wrong. The numbers don’t lie. 92% of people who set goals, never achieve them. In fact, only 45% of people even set them to begin with. So what separates the people who crush their goals from the rest? Turns out, it’s just a few simple adjustments to your strategy and mindset that make all the difference.

This week we have a conversation with Lisa Kane from Siegel+Gale. Siegel+Gale is a global brand strategy, design and experience firm. They’re all about unlocking the power of simplicity to help organizations realize their full potential. Lisa is the firm’s Group Director of Strategy, and her specialty is Employee Engagement - which is why we had to have her on this series.

Ghee is officially having a moment. For those not yet in the know, Ghee is a filtered butter reduction, and a staple ingredient in traditional Indian cooking. It has a higher smoke point - which makes it great for cooking - is full of healthy fats like CLA, and boasts a nutty, delicious flavor that people just love. When it comes to bringing Ghee to the mainstream, you’d be hard pressed to find a more influential brand and founder than Fourth & Heart’s Raquel Tavares.

This week on Brand Builder, we seek to find out the answer to one question - what makes great chocolate? After all, the ingredients are essentially the same for everyone. So what separates phenomenal product from the rest? To find out, we spoke to Brad van Dam, the president and CEO of Marich Confectionery Co.

This is the second installment of our 4-part founder’s bootcamp miniseries. Our goal with this series is to feature a different subject matter expert in each episode to supplement your knowledge and help you get to that next level, faster. This week we have investor Andy Whitman, a Managing Partner at 2X Partners.

This week on Brand Builder, you’re going to hear us roar. Well... ok, you’re going to hear from ROAR Organic CEO & President Roly Nesi. ROAR is an organic electrolyte infusion drink that is making a huge splash. ROAR started as a side project, but early velocity made its founders realize that they had a hit on their hands. Less than a year and a half since launching, the brand can be found in more than 6,000 retail doors, including COSTCO, Target, Kroger, and Whole Foods.

This week we have story that proves that a brand is so much more than a name or a logo. It’s about the way you show up, and the way you do business. We’re talking to LesserEvil, out of Danbury, CT. One of the big challenge for LesserEvil is that some of the most interesting things they do … are essentially invisible. There is a fascinating obsession with doing things the right way - in terms of processing and sourcing - that isn’t always apparent on the surface.

Welcome to the first episode in our Founder’s Bootcamp series - a conversation with lawyer Nick Giannuzzi. We obviously talk to a lot of founders on this show, and many of our guests have cited one man as a major influence, mentor, and partner - someone who helped show them the way to CPG success. That someone is Nick Giannuzzi. We spoke to Nick about the biggest legal mistakes that early stage brands need to avoid, his advice on fundraising, and his predictions for the M&A landscape.

This week we’ve got Adam Deremo, founder & Managing Partner of AWAKE Chocolate. Launched in 2012, AWAKE make great-tasting caffeinated chocolates. They’re all about providing consumers with a quick, easy - and delicious - energy boost to help them get the most out of their day.  One of the unique things about AWAKE is that Adam and his cofounders have a history in big, traditional CPG. He talks about how this experience has given them a competitive advantage as they’ve built their brand.

This episode is all about Ugly Drinks, the UK’s first flavored sparkling water brand with no sugar, no sweetener and no calories. Ugly is a bit of an “anti-brand” - but it’s not a “brand-less” product, not in the least. When everyone else is maybe going for this minimalist approach, Ugly has chosen a bold aesthetic. Ugly CEO and co-founder Hugh Thomas on the show this week joins us to talk about the origin story of the brand, plus their strategy for bringing the Ugly truth to the U.S.

Brand Builder was the exclusive podcast on the floor at this year’s WORLDZ event - a global summit that unites tomorrow’s leaders with CEOs, CMOs & cultural icons to create the world of tomorrow. One of the things I was most interested in learning: Why is brand the right platform for tackling these problems? How do you approach it? Here's what we found out. This is the Brand Builder X WORLDZ Mashup. 

What would life be without coffee? It’s a daily ritual for millions of people across the world, and the lifeblood of business here in the States. With a product so ubiquitous, and with coffee brands seemingly a dime a dozen, how do you build a brand that cuts through the noise? To find out, we’ve got the folks from RISE Brewing - co-founders Grant Gyesky and Justin Weinstein.

A conversation with Josh Tetrick, the CEO and co-founder of JUST.  https://justforall.com/

It's time for another Culture Builder, our ongoing series on culture and leadership. And as promised, Soylent CEO Bryan Crowley is once again our subject. This episode features Bryan's unique take on culture, which he picked up during his 22 year career in CPG.

This week on Brand Builder our guest is Bryan Crowley, the CEO of Soylent. Founded in 2013, the Los Angeles-based company garnered a ton of early attention by bringing a futuristic, Silicon Valley-style approach to food and nutrition. Because of all this early press, Soylent is a brand that people think they understand… but we'd argue really don’t.