Shows
Retail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionEdward Starr - BMF Media GroupBig Swings, Real Vibes: How Brands Break ThroughEd Starr, partner at BMF Media, joins us to talk all things experiential marketing—what works, what wows, and why authenticity beats polish every time. We chat about what worked for Poppy, smart trade show strategy, and how mid-sized CPG brands can punch above their weight by showing up boldly and building real community. Ed brings the heat with sharp insights and future-forward thinking for the health & wellness and broader CPG space.Chapters00:00 Introduction to BMF and Ed's Journey03:56 Experiential Marketing and the Poppy Case Study...2025-07-0736 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionJane Phelps - Know AgencyIs SEO Dead? Not Even Close.Jane Phelps, Founder of Know Agency, joins us to unpack how AI is shaking up the world of SEO — and why it’s actually a huge opportunity. We talk user-generated content, smart strategies for staying visible, and how brands can thrive in the age of AI search. If you're ready to outsmart the algorithm, this one’s for you.Chapters00:00Introduction to SEO and AI in Wellness CPG01:03The Impact of AI on SEO07:12Jane Phelps: Journey to SEO Expertise11:53The Evolution of Sea...2025-07-0741 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionKyle Koehler - Wildway GranolaIn this episode, we hang out with Kyle Koehler, CEO ofWildway, as he shares how he traded spreadsheets for superfood. Kyle takes us on his journey from corporate accounting to launching a regenerative granola brand that’s shaking up the food system. We chat about the wild world of food industry incentives, why playing the long game matters, and how regenerative practices can actually change the game. Kyle also dives into the highs and lows of self-manufacturing, creative ways to raise money, and why food investing shouldn’t try to copy Silicon Valley. If you’re into real talk about...2025-04-3040 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionNeil Murphy - BridgNeil Murphy, Chief Revenue Officer at Bridg joins us to talk his journey from a minor league baseball player to a leader in retail media. He shares his extensive experience at Walmart, where he helped develop their advertising business, and his current role at Brid, focusing on identity resolution and customer insights. Neil emphasizes the importance of understanding customers, especially for regional grocers, and offers advice for brands looking to enter the retail media landscape.2025-04-0136 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionRyan Merry - El NachoRyan Merry, the creative director of El Nacho, shares his journey from hospitality to the world of CPG. He discusses the importance of owning manufacturing, the unique branding inspired by luchador culture, and the strategic pivots that have positioned El Nacho as a competitive player in the snack market. The conversation also covers retail strategies, the role of innovation, and future directions for the brand as it aims to become a lifestyle brand.2025-04-0134 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionMatt Cohen Founder of Kidfresh Matt Cohen the Founder of Kidfresh meals joins us. He discusses the evolution of Kidfresh, a brand focused on providing healthy food options for kids. He shares insights on the brand's strategic decisions, including their approach to retail partnerships, the importance of packaging redesign, and the role of social media in engaging with consumers. Matt emphasizes the significance of understanding consumer needs and the challenges of maintaining brand loyalty while attracting new customers. He also reflects on the value of trade shows and offers advice for young entrepreneurs navigating the complexities of building a CPG business.2025-02-2545 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionRyan and Isaac Catchup and S3 PreviewRyan has a new job! We talk through what else is new and a quick preview of the upcoming season2024-10-1540 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionS3 Ep 1 Lewis Goldstein from Better w/ BuckwheatIn this episode, Lewis Goldstein, CEO of Better with Buckwheat, shares his journey from Maine Crisp to rebranding the company. He discusses the challenges and strategies involved in the rebranding process, the importance of understanding market dynamics, and the reception from retailers. Lewis emphasizes the need for simplicity in marketing and the significance of consumer engagement as the brand expands its product offerings.
2024-10-1544 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionCreating and Emotionally Healthy Brand with David Brown from Alec's Ice CreamAs Isaac and I continue to deep dive regenerative agriculture we caught up with David Brown who is the Chief Marketing Officer at Alec's Ice Cream. We delve into the concept of creating an emotionally healthy brand and the unique positioning of Alex Ice Cream. Also, the retail and social strategy that the team deploys in this growth stage. A little buyer perspective sprinkled in and finally we end the podcast with a parent corner.
2024-07-031h 30Retail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionSPECIAL POD - Ryan BladOur first returning guest Ryan Blad comes on to talk through his teams viral video for Sun Warrior. We talk all about how this video came to life and what's next for the video and the brand.2024-05-2822 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionMary Purdy from the Nutrient Density AllianceIn an effort to continue our deep dive on Regerenerative Agriculture we invited Mary Purdy, from the Nutrient Density Alliance to discuss the importance of connecting regenerative agriculture with nutrient-dense outcomes. We explore the challenges of getting buy-in from various stakeholders, including consumers, farmers, retailers and food industry leaders. It also delves into the need for education and communication to help consumers understand the benefits of nutrient-dense food and the importance of regenerative farming practices. 2024-05-2852 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionDaniela from Big Picture Foods on Regen AgIn this episode, we interview Daniela, the founder of Big Picture Foods, a brand that focuses on regenerative farming and produces olives, peppers, and capers. Daniela explains the traditional slow curing process of olives using salt and how it has been replaced by industrialized methods. She emphasizes the importance of natural fermentation and the use of wild native cultures derived from the soil. The conversation also covers the challenges in the food system, the need for clean ingredient products, and the impact of regenerative agriculture on soil health and carbon sequestration. The sourcing and supply chain of Big Picture...2024-05-2054 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionMable Marketplace with Alex TempleWe are joined by Alex Temple from Mable Marketplace. Mable is turning itself into a valuable tool for emerging brands and Alex tells us how. Mable is a marketplace technology for distributors and a selling platform for brands in the food and beverage industry. They enable distributors to sell third-party products to their customers without warehousing them, and they enable emerging brands to drop ship products to customers they couldn't otherwise reach. We chat with Alex about how Mabel started as a B2B marketplace connecting emerging brands directly with retailers but pivoted to partnering with distributors to make...2024-05-2041 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionMarkus Lasky FDM SalesMarcus Lasky from FDM Sales discusses his background and the role of FDM in the consumer goods industry. He highlights the importance of supply chain and omni-channel strategies in the CPG business, as well as the role of social media in brand marketing. Marcus emphasizes the value of FDM's personal touch and its role as an extension of the brand. He also provides insights on trade shows, including the importance of being memorable and the value of attending category-specific shows. Marcus mentions Pop Daddy as a brand that has gained buzz and success in the industry.2024-05-2038 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionAC and Kyle from the ReGen Brands PodcastIn this episode, Isaac and Ryan are joined by Anthony Corsaro and Kyle Krull, hosts of a ReGen Brands Podcast. They discuss the concept and benefits of regenerative agriculture, the challenges of defining and certifying these products, and the importance of building a supply chain. Brands like Kettle & Fire and Zack's Mighty are highlighted as examples incorporating regenerative principles. The episode also explores the market potential for regenerative products, the connection to nutrient density, and the regulatory challenges of making health claims. Additionally, they discuss the adoption of regenerative practices by retailers, the need for clear messaging, and the...2024-05-2054 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionS2 Ep 7 Retailer Report CardIsaac discusses the social influence scorecard created by him and his team at Socialike. The scorecard focuses on midsize retailers and their ability to help CPG brands. Isaac explains that retailers can be considered influencers, as they already have a social following and a level of trust from consumers. The scoring methodology takes into account factors such as the number of stores, follower count, engagement rate, and the quality of community management. The top five retailers on the scorecard are Green Natural Foods, Kimbertons, Deer Bergs, Harmons, and Fresh Thyme. The conversation concludes with a discussion on personal shopping...2024-03-1230 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionS2 Ep 6 with Mike Scavuzzo from NumeratorIn this episode, Ryan, Isaac, and guest Mike Scavuzzo from Numerator discuss various trends and challenges in the beverage industry. They dive into the trending category of prebiotic and probiotic soda, highlighting brands like Ollipop and Poppi. They also explore the rise of non-alcoholic beverages and the challenges of merchandising these products. The conversation touches on the synergy between alcohol and non-alcoholic options, the growth of mocktails, and the specialty coffee market. In this conversation, Mike Scavuzzo discusses consumer insights, data collection methodologies, and the value of data for brands. He highlights the importance of understanding consumer behavior and...2024-03-1250 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionS2 Ep 5 Kamaal Jarrett from Hillside HarvestKamal Jarrett from Hillside Harvest discusses his journey in the food industry and the growth of his brand. He highlights the importance of regional collaboration and the impact of events like Naturally New England. Kamal shares his experience in expanding his brand's reach and the challenges and opportunities of marketing Caribbean-inspired products. He emphasizes the need for authenticity and innovation in the industry.
Kamal also discusses the value of social media and the benefits of participating in holiday markets and pop-up events. He provides advice for CPG founders and shares his excitement for Expo West.
2024-03-0635 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionS2 Ep 4 w/ Alex Adam from Boredom Kills CreativeIn this episode, we interview Alex Adam from Boredom Kills Creative, a creative agency based in England. We discuss Alex's background in music and how he transitioned to working with CPG brands. We also explore the value of mascots in branding and building a tribe.
Alex shares insights on the importance of food imagery in packaging and staying ahead of design trends. We talk briefly on the different approaches for e-commerce and retail brands and the importance of understanding the brand's problem and goals. The conversation concludes with a discussion on exploring opportunities at trade shows and...2024-03-0641 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionS2 Ep 3 w/ Matt Levine from Chlorophyll WaterMatt Levine, founder of Chlorophyll Water, shares his journey in the beverage industry and the success of his brand. He discusses the brand partnership with Alo and how it has influenced the growth of Chlorophyll Water. Matt also talks about the importance of strategic placement in stores and the approach to retail expansion. He emphasizes the focus on one core product and the frugal approach to growth.
Matt shares insights on trade shows, social media strategy, and leveraging trends to attract buyers. He discusses the challenges of educating buyers about chlorophyll water and how it differs from...2024-03-0646 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionSeason 2 Episode 2 with Brady Anderton from TruFruWe went deep with Brady. Beyond TruFru which is a great story by itself we really leaned on him to give his insight on larger aspects of marketing. Like why enlist Snoop Dogg and then fire a CEO? What is Whalebone? And showing up for your consumer.2024-02-2045 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionSeason 2 Episode 1 with Ryan Forsythe from Pitted LabsSeason 2 Premiere! In the first pod of season 2 we kick off with Ryan Forsythe from Pitted Labs. They help CPG brands with all things Amazon. We chatted a lot about Amazon but also picked Ryan's brain on a few other CPG topics2024-02-2047 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionEpisode 6: The finale with Erin Del Ponte from Swanson HealthIn our final episode we catch up with Erin Del Ponte from Swanson Health. Erin is the VP Marketing and shares her thoughts and processes around leveraging social media at a retail level2023-11-2830 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionEpisode 5: Interview with Ryan Blad VP Marketing Sun WarriorIn episode 5 we meet Ryan Blad. He is the VP Marketing for Sun Warrior vitamins and supplements. We've heard from agencies and founders so far. Ryan helps gives some perspective on how internal teams at brands view and execute social media in tandem with retail2023-11-2829 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionEpisode 4: Melissa Buckley from Honeybee GardenIn this episode we interview Melissa Buckley from Honeybee Garden. She provides her wisdom on retail and social and why her approach may differ from new founders.2023-11-2832 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionEpisode 3: Alison Cayne from Havens KitchenAlison Cayne everyone! Ali joins us talk about her journey with social media and its importance to her brand. Also, we couldn't let her go without getting her perspective on a handful topics in the CPG industry.2023-11-2838 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionEpisode 2: The Buyer AngleIn episode 2 we dig into Ryan's background as a buyer at Target and get his perspective on all things retail and social2023-11-2846 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionEp. 1 Marketing Agencies and RetailWe deep dive with Isaac on how his agencies works with brands at retail2023-11-2836 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionRetail & Social: Exploring the Connection (Trailer)Preview of our upcoming limited series on the intersection of social media, CPG brands and the retail space2023-08-0701 min
Retail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionDo millennials give a sh*t if your product is made in the USAToday we discuss the importance of products being made in the USA. One item we discovered was the negative impact the made in China stigma carries.2020-07-2308 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionHow has millennials audio consumption changed during COVIDEverything we do has been uprooted. Today David and I speak about how our consumption of audio has shifted during the 2020 pandemic.2020-07-1310 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionMillennials and discretionary spendingThere is no doubt that COVID-19 has drastically changed the way we all think about discretionary spending. Today David and I discuss if these impacts will be permanent.2020-07-1105 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionHow has millenials social media habits changed during the pandemic.How a 38 year old and a 21 year olds social media habits have changed for the better or worst during the 2020 pandemic.2020-04-2208 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionDo millennia's give a shit if your brand is "mission driven"?David and myself discuss the marketing impact on a brands mission.2020-02-1804 minRetail and Social: Exploring The ConnectionMillennials & Marketing2020-02-1200 min