Shows
The TidbitThe Tidbit Hotline: I think I have a good business idea, where do I start?To mark the ending of this season of The Tidbit, the hotline is open once again and answering the most commonly asked question among aspiring entrepreneurs: I think I have a good idea for a food business, where do I start? On today’s episode, we have FIVE Cureate Facilitators, Kim Bryden, Tessa Velazquez, Julia Raymond, Walton Smith and Candy Schibli, who are sharing their expertise on how to approach this big question by taking into consideration factors like vision and mission, unique value proposition and driving brand awareness in sales. These specialized coaches are also directly involved in Cu...
2024-07-1843 min
The TidbitWhat Legal Concerns Small Businesses Should Keep In MindEntrepreneurs of all types deal with a myriad of concerns about legal issues, like risk mitigation, trademark law and intellectual property, to name a few. These topics are especially prominent in the competitive food and beverage industry because legal rules about label and marketing claims are strict. On today’s episode of The Tidbit, host Kim Bryden speaks with Lauren Handel, principal attorney of Handel Food Law, a law firm dedicated to food businesses. Lauren shares tidbits of knowledge for entrepreneurs who are starting and growing business and uncertain what to keep in mind when it comes to legal to...
2024-06-1328 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Hotline: How Do I Decide When to Add New Specialty Products?The Tidbit Hotline is open once again! On today’s episode, hosts Kim Bryden and Tessa Velazquez are teaming up with guest Vance Reavie of Junction AI to continue the conversation from last week’s episode about how AI can help small businesses. Small business owner Jon Henry of Jon Henry General Store in Virginia, called in wondering how to best add new specialty beverages to his existing line of traditional soft drinks. Kim, Tessa and Vance brainstorm ideas for Jon’s challenge, including predictive retail analytics and in-person data collection strategies. Show notes:Host...
2024-05-3042 min
The TidbitHow AI Can Benefit Your Small BusinessArtificial Intelligence or AI has been hyper prominent in the news for the last few years because it is changing the way we work. On today’s episode of The Tidbit, we are diving into all things AI, including how small business owners can use it to their advantage. Host Kim Bryden speaks with Matt Scharpnick, Associate Director at BCG X, the tech build and design unit of the Boston Consulting Group. He previously co-founded Elefint, a design studio aimed at advancing the storytelling capabilities of social sector organizations. He shares tidbits of knowledge about how entrepreneurs can harness th...
2024-05-1628 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Hotline: How to scale a small business when making an artisan product?The Tidbit Hotline is back! Hosts Kim Bryden and Tessa Velazquez are answering entrepreneurs' questions about everyday challenges they are facing. On today’s episode, a Northwest Arkansas chocolatier is looking for advice about how to grow her small business — especially when scaling a labor-intensive product! To help answer her question, two scratch-made bakers who successfully scaled their once small operations into iconic D.C. area businesses share their advice and insights. Tune into learn invaluable insights from Founders, Jenna Huntsberger of Whisked! By Jenna and Caroline Yi of Sunday Morning Bakehouse.Show notes:Host: Kim...
2024-05-0237 min
The TidbitHow Improv Helps Entrepreneurs Navigate UncertaintyTo be successful in business, entrepreneurs need to be able to adapt to change, communicate clearly, build trust, and handle any unexpected challenges that come their way. On this episode of The Tidbit, Kim speaks with Mary Lemmer about how improv can help entrepreneurs navigate difficult situations, reduce stress and teach us important life lessons along the way. Mary’s company Improve offers training for companies around the world on the techniques of improv so organizations can thrive amidst uncertainty and change.Show notes:Host: Kim BrydenProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuests: Ma...
2024-04-1833 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Hotline: What can new farmers consider regarding access to land?The Tidbit Hotline is officially open! In this new format of The Tidbit, entrepreneurs send in challenges they are facing and hosts Kim Bryden and Tessa Velazquez brainstorm solutions and suggest actionable ideas along with special guest experts. On today’s episode, a mushroom farmer new to Northwest Arkansas is struggling to find a permanent place to grow their mushrooms. Kim, Tessa and Cory Babb, the owner of The Firelight Farm, offer creative strategies to get around having access to land.Hosts: Kim Bryden and Tessa VelazquezProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuests: Cor...
2024-04-0436 min
The TidbitWhat 10 Years of Entrepreneurship Has Taught Kim BrydenCureate is celebrating 10 years this Fall! To honor the occasion, for the first time on The Tidbit podcast, our founder Kim Bryden is sharing her story. Tessa Velazquez, Cureate Facilitator + Coach, takes over the host mic to interview Kim about how Cureate got its start and the ups and downs of entrepreneurship! Tessa and Kim reflect on a decade of growth and what the future holds for Cureate.Show notes:Host: Tessa VelazquezProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuest: Kim Bryden
2024-03-2138 min
The TidbitStorytelling & Advocacy: Making a Name for Yourself with Randy Wilburn (LIVE)This is the 100th EPISODE of The Tidbit —and our season finale! In this special live episode, Tessa Velazquez, Cureate Facilitator + Coach, spoke with Randy Wilburn, a communication strategist, entrepreneur, host of the “I am Northwest Arkansas” podcast, and founder of ONBoardNWA, a hyper-local jobs board. Randy shares strategies on how to stand out in a way that is authentic to your voice, tips for implementing guerilla marketing tactics, and attracting the right talent that aligns with your vision. Stay tuned until the end of the episode for two audience #tidbits! If you have a story to tell about your p...
2023-12-2150 min
The TidbitStorytelling & Advocacy: Institutional Sourcing with Sara Hoverter & Kai AbelkisThe two final episodes on this season of The Tidbit are focusing on goal setting and the future of your business using your unique positioning. On today's episode, we explore how to position your business in a B2B (business-to-business) context —specifically with institutional buyers. We address sustainability in the workplace, specifically when it comes to food systems and health, and overall core values that determine the “why” behind what institutions may want to buy. Kim talks to Sara Hoverter, a senior fellow, attorney and adjunct professor at Georgetown Law specializing in health and food policy, and Kai Abelkis, sustai...
2023-12-0736 min
The TidbitLeadership & Emotional Resiliency: SEEK with Scott ShigeokaOn this episode of The Tidbit, Kim talks to Scott Shigeoka about his new book SEEK: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World. Scott says curiosity is key as a small business owner, and staying curious can help cure the disconnection and dissatisfaction in the workplace that has been so commonplace since the global pandemic. Host: Kim BrydenProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuest:Scott Shigeoka: SEEK: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World
2023-11-2247 min
How to Handle AnythingKim Bryden on Food Entrepreneurship, Growing Teams, and Holiday Dance VideosThis week’s episode features Kimberly (Kim) Bryden.
Kim Bryden runs a small business called Cureate where they focus on shifting the dollar back into our local communities by building an empowered supply to meet a changing consumer demand. They do this through food & beverage entrepreneurship education and local procurement for institutional foodservice.
During this episode we discuss…
Her business, Cureate, helping food and beverage entrepreneurs grow their businesses
Mary’s first business, a gelato business, and how as a food entrepreneur she benefitted from improvi...
2023-11-2034 min
The TidbitLeadership & Emotional Resiliency: Finding the Words with Colin CampbellOn today’s episode of The Tidbit, we don’t want to do “business as usual." With everything transpiring in the world today, between global wars, the rise of hatred and vitriol, and overall mental health crises at an all time high, we thought it important to have a discussion around complex and profound emotions like grief, sorrow and loss. Kim speaks with Colin Campbell, author of Finding The Words, Working Through Profound Loss with Hope and Purpose about his story and his work to make grief less frightening, lonely and mysterious. Colin says that an important part of proces...
2023-11-0927 min
The TidbitMastering Your Craft: Scaling Production with Teresa Velazquez & Stephanie Long (LIVE)The Tidbit is live! In this special episode, Kim hands over the host mic to Tessa Velazquez, coach and facilitator at Cureate. Tessa moderates a conversation with Teresa Velazquez, owner of iconic D.C. bakeries Baked & Wired and A Baked Joint, and Stephanie Long, owner of home-based artisan bakery The Cake Occasion. As bakers and entrepreneurs, Teresa and Stephanie have both successfully scaled their small businesses thoughtfully, even during the busy holiday season, and they share some tidbits of knowledge they’ve learned along the way.Host: Kim Bryden, Tessa VelazquezProducer: Gabriela Saldivia...
2023-10-2643 min
The TidbitMastering Your Craft: Oyster Sommelier & Co-Founder of The Oyster Master Guild, Julie QiuIt is no surprise that individuals in the food, farm and beverage industry are masters of their craft. Through this mastery, they are able to differentiate themselves in the marketplace and provide education to consumers about their highly specific goods or services. On this episode of The Tidbit, Kim speaks with oyster sommelier Julie Qui about why she got interested in oysters, what it took to hone her craft and how she eventually went on to co-found the Oyster Master Guild. Julie leads master oyster classes worldwide, teaching people everything they need to know about this sometimes controversial product.
2023-10-1225 min
The TidbitArkansas Entrepreneurship: Agriculture Innovation with Philip PowellTraversing the U.S. from Mid-Atlantic to the Heartland, you’ll pass by many farms and rural communities. The large majority of these farms are family owned and small to mid-sized operations that don’t see large profits. How might we improve economic conditions, growth opportunities and access to new market channels for these entrepreneurs? On this episode of The Tidbit, Kim speaks with Philip Powell, Assistant Director of Local Affairs and Rural Development with The Arkansas Farm Bureau. He says the future of farming is in innovation. At the time of this recording Philip worked at ARFB...
2023-09-2828 min
The TidbitArkansas Entrepreneurship: Building Inclusive Ecosystems with Philip Adams & Jeannette Balleza CollinsThe Tidbit is back! Last season, The Tidbit went on a cross country roadtrip to see how small businesses were innovating and adapting during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The trip was transformative for Kim, and for Cureate, which now has a second hub of operations in Northwest Arkansas. The new season of The Tidbit is going to reflect that expansion, featuring guests from both the Heartland and Mid-Atlantic discussing entrepreneurship with a food and beverage lens. On this first episode, Kim speaks with Philip Adams, Executive Director of FORGE Inc, and entrepreneurship consultant Jeannette Balleza Collins, about building...
2023-09-1435 min
I Am Northwest Arkansas®With the Opening of Northwest Arkansas’ Bauhaus Biergarten We Can Now Celebrate Oktoberfest ProperlyAbout the Show:In this podcast episode, we sit down with Chef Jennifer Hill Booker, Co-Owner of the Bauhaus Biergarten in Downtown Springdale. Chef Jennifer shared her origin story from birth in Ann Arbor to living in NYC and ending up in Tulsa, OK, with her parents. From an early age, Chef Jennifer was encouraged to cook and experiment in the kitchen. She grew up watching Julia Child and finding comfort and a home in the kitchen creating good food. Several years later, while her husband was stationed in Germany, Chef Jennifer attended Le Cordone Ble...
2022-10-0336 min
The Good Food CFO podcastDisrupting Food Service with Kim BrydenIf you have been following along with The Good Food Revolution, you know that I recently asked this community of Good Food Founders where they feel knowledgeable and confident in building a business on their own terms, and what they want to learn more about. There was a resounding response that you want to know more about alternative and unconventional sales channels. You want to know what’s beyond the retail store, and you were most interested in learning about Food Service. In this episode, I’m joined by Kim Bryden, the Founder and CEO of Cureate - an...
2022-09-2650 min
The DMV (Washington, DC | Maryland | Virginia) Business Show98 - Consistently Show Up with Kim Bryden of CureateKim Bryden is the Founder and CEO of Cureate in Washington, DC! They exists to shift the dollar back into our local communities by building an empowered food and beverage supply to meet a changing consumer demand. They do that by advising and counseling food and and beverage businesses, offering Cureate courses, and working with large institutions (universities, convention centers, and others) purchasing team to shift their funds to the purchasing of small and local food business goods, essentially demand and supply matchmaking or cureating the connection! Kim was born and raised in rural farmland New Jersey and was alw...
2022-09-2052 min
The Truth In This Art: Stories That MatterEmpowering Food Businesses and Community Connection with Kim Bryden: Storytelling, Growth, and Well-beingBegin your experience with 'The Truth in This Art' podcast, presented by the one and only Rob Lee. Today we have Kim Bryden, Founder and CEO of Cureate, a seasoned business development expert specializing in strategy, marketing, and operations within the food & beverage industry and economic development. Kim's diverse portfolio includes consulting over 300 small businesses, creating innovative growth strategies, and forging impactful public-private partnerships. As a World Economic Forum Global Shaper and board member of Land Betterment Corporation, Kim's insights are shaping industries. Join us on this episode of The Truth In This Art as we delve into Kim's...
2022-09-0936 min
I Am Northwest Arkansas®Is Cureate the Next Food and Beverage Matchmaker in Northwest Arkansas?About the Show:We recently sat down with Kim Bryden, founder of Cureate, to discuss her organization and the service they provide, “food and beverage supply and demand matchmaking.” Cureate is only seven years old, but they have built a three-legged stool of services to help these small businesses grow.Cureate Courses is a cohort model training program.Cureate Connect is a master supplier of local goods.Cureate Consult works with local governments and stimulates economic development for the food and beverage service space. Cureate, in conjunction with Forge Fund, is hosting a pitc...
2021-12-1350 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Takes the Road - Zephyr Rose Anders, Rio Abajo Rio 📍Hillsboro, NMYou are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and cities had been adapting and innovating. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, Kim finishes her journey exploring how people have undergone deep change and reflection over the past year. This conversation with Zephyr Rose Anders wraps up this series exactly on that note. From his website abajorio.com, it reads: "Returning to the place...
2021-10-2336 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Takes the Road - Krystal & Patrick, Palace Coffee 📍Amarillo, TXYou are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and cities had been adapting and innovating. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, Kim grabs a drink with Palace Coffee co-founders, Krystal & Patrick. It was incredible to hear from these life and business partners how they have managed growth opportunities and challenges, while maintaining their mission of being a place -- both for guests and...
2021-10-1136 min
The Startup Junkies Podcast262: Shifting The Dollar to NWA Food and Beverage Industry with Kim Bryden of CureateWelcome to the Startup Junkie's Podcast! Kim Bryden of Cureate joins our Startup Junkie hosts, Jeff, Caleb, and Davis to discuss shifting the dollar to Northwest Arkansas' food and beverage industry. Whether it's making a killer Bloody Mary, almost being in the FBI, running a grocery store, or having a massive heart for small businesses, Kim was beyond fascinating to learn from! Cureate will be NWA's new best friend; listen to the whole episode to hear how! Thanks for joining us! Shownotes: (1:06) Introducing Kim Bryden of...
2021-09-2755 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Takes the Road - Angela Chase 📍Oklahoma City, OKCaption: You are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and cities had been adapting and innovating. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, Kim sits down with Angela Chase, owner/operator of Flora Bodega and co-organizer of the Paseo Farmers Market. Describing Angela's talents in the publication Edible OKC, the piece reads: "The inspired cakes, frittatas, and pastries served up by Flora Bodega combine...
2021-09-2341 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Takes the Road - Erin Rowe, Ozark Culinary Tours 📍NW ArkansasYou are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and cities had been faring in 2020. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, Erin Rowe blends history, food and culture as we learn about Ozark cuisine and the ways in which businesses in NW Arkansas have survived and thrived now, and for decades. As a native chef and food author in the Ozarks, Erin's passion is...
2021-09-0125 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Takes the Road - Ohun Ashe, For the Culture STL 📍St. Louis, MOYou are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and cities had been faring in 2020. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, we had the absolute pleasure of getting to know the genius of Ohun Ashe and how her power of being a thoughtful, intentional connector has spurred a citywide movement, For the Culture STL. From the fortheculturestl.com website: "We do a lot of...
2021-07-2236 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Takes the Road - Steve Ewing, Steve's Hot Dogs 📍St. Louis, MOYou are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and small towns had been faring in 2020. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, we chat with the owner and founder of Steve's Hot Dogs, the famous Steve Ewing himself! Fun fact: Steve was the frontman for the band The Urge. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, Steve's Hot Dogs launched a community giveback program called...
2021-06-2926 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Takes the Road - Chef Rob Connoley, Bulrush 📍St. Louis, MOYou are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and small towns had been faring in 2020. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, we learn about Chef Rob Connoley and his journey to opening Bulrush in St. Louis, MO. We also learn about how his wildly thoughtful approach to fine dining pivoted during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The Bulrush website reads: "Bulrush STL is...
2021-06-0845 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Takes the Road - Marika Josephson, Scratch Beer📍Ava, ILYou are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and small towns had been faring in 2020. How were they adapting and innovating? What new ways were people thinking about the economy? On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, we sit down with Marika Josephson, Co-Founder and Master Brewer at Scratch Brewing Company, a farmhouse brewery located five miles from the Shawnee National Forest in Ava...
2021-05-2846 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Takes the Road - Kim Huston, The Rebirth of Bourbon 📍Bardstown, KYYou are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and small towns had been faring in 2020. How were they adapting and innovating? What new ways were people thinking about the economy? On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, we sit down with Kim Huston, President of the Nelson County Economic Development Agency and Author of "The Rebirth of Bourbon: Building a Tourism Economy in Small-town...
2021-04-2238 min
Impact Everywhere | Positive Impact in Unexpected PlacesCreating an Empowered Supply Chain Through Food ft. Kim Bryden of CureateThe food system is set up to keep consumers purchasing in a way that perpetuates inequality. Today we speak to Kim Bryden, Founder, and CEO of Cureate, about how she is trying to change this by creating an empowered supply chain through food. Cureate is a woman-owned business that exists to shift dollars back into local communities by building a supply to meet changing consumer demand. They do this by helping entrepreneurs start successful, ethical food businesses and then connecting them to big city governments and organizations with demand as well as purchasing power.Our conversation starts...
2021-03-2848 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Takes the Road - Kitty Dougoud, Main Street America 📍Georgetown, KYYou are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and small towns had been faring in 2020. How were they adapting and innovating? What new ways were people thinking about the economy? On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, we sit down with Kitty Dougoud, the Kentucky State Main Street Coordinator, who oversees more than 35 designated "Main Street" programs throughout the state of Kentucky. Colloquially known...
2021-03-2246 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Takes the Road - Mayor James Smith 📍Cynthiana, KYYou are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and small towns had been faring in 2020. How were they adapting and innovating? What new ways were people thinking about the economy? On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, we sit down with Mayor James of Cynthiana Kentucky. Mayor James is not only this city’s Mayor, but he also owns and operates the local theatre an...
2021-03-0434 min
The TidbitThe Tidbit Takes the Road - The Wonder Jam 📍Columbus, OHYou are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and small towns had been faring in 2020. How were they adapting and innovating? What new ways were people thinking about the economy? This is the first of 13 recorded interviews from Ohio to New Mexico. On this episode, we sit down with Allie & Adam Lehman life partners and co-owners of The Wonder Jam - a family of brands that...
2021-02-2647 min
Grow A Small Business PodcastAged 27 in 2014 skipped an MBA to get experience from her own business - empowering local food & beverage companies. Went from 1 to a team of 4, 50% growth p.a. over the 6 years and funded mostly from profits (Kim Bryden)In this episode, I interview Kim Bryden, CEO, and Founder of Cureate, a social enterprise based in Washington DC that aims to empower the food and beverage supply to meet the changing consumer demand. Kim has over 10 years of experience working in the food and beverage industry, and she helps small businesses build diversified revenue streams and identify new market opportunities. In 2014, aged 27, Kim decided to skip an MBA and get the experience from starting her own business. She brings the business side to companies in the local food and beverage supply, empowering them through courses, consulting, an...
2020-09-0644 min
The TidbitWired This Way Author Jessica Carson on Living with Complexity, Light and DarknessWhat is this duality? The duality of grief, and also seeing the silver lining. How can one hold that two-sides of the same coin feeling?It’s something I feel so deeply and wonder: is it a trait I was born with or a skill I have cultivated? Does this have anything to do with me being an entrepreneur and running my business for nearly 6 years? Perhaps I’ve built this skill set of duality, of living in and with uncertainty. We explore living with complexity on this episode featuring Jessica Carson. She is currently Georgetown University’s first Expert in Res...
2020-04-1533 min
The TidbitHow to Build a New Localized Food SystemThe resiliency of a community depends on engagement with local and regional stakeholders. Tune into this minisode for our three tidbits on how we can build a new localized food system equipped to help communities overcome times of uncertainty. **IMPORTANT NOTE** We’re spearheading a local supply chain audit. Whether it's the coronavirus pandemic or any other type of disaster, we want to know from the food & beverage small business community (1) what you need in order to weather the storm; (2) what inventory you have on-hand right now to support our regional food supply system — whether it be...
2020-03-1709 min
A Dose of Your FutureConnecting the Food and Beverage Supply Chain with Kim BrydenKim Bryden, CEO of Cureate, joined us for a discussion on how her company built a movement to replace our broken supply system, fulfill unmet consumer demand and shift dollars back into local economies through local sourcing. Cureate built suite of products and services for big and small businesses, and the cities they serve, to work together and create the foundation of a new local supply system.
2020-03-1136 min
The TidbitSupply Chain: Marketplace Analysis with Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN BusinessIn the name of efficiency and the advent of globalization, we’ve been even more removed from each piece of the supply chain funnel - which then creates a lack of transparency and a lack of control on your supply, inclusive of quality and cost. On this episode, we learn more about the business case as to why "Chipotle is putting farmers under contracts to prevent carne asada shortages" and the impact it has on young farmers. Tune in to hear from the writer of this piece, Danielle Wiener-Bronner, who chats with us about supply chain and her experience overall co...
2020-03-1026 min
The TidbitSupply Chain: Sustainable Sourcing with Sarela Herrada, Founder of SIMPLiWith global migration and pandemics knocking at our doorsteps, how are we thinking about our supply chains - who they are benefitting, how they are contributing to the health of our planet and not extracting from it, and how we have more direct relationships with the food we are consuming to know the true impact of how its grown in a healthy and transparent way. This is why we’re sitting down to talk with Sarela Herrada, the Founder of SIMPLi. She focuses on ethical food sourcing to create a vertically integrated supply chain from working directly with the international fa...
2020-03-0426 min
The TidbitFor the Love of Food: A Strategy to Strengthen the Food Workforce with Ona Balkus, DC Food Policy DirectorWhat are you doing to strengthen your workforce, to create camaraderie and community amongst your staff because there are so many foodservice job opportunities on the table? We’re sitting down to talk with Ona Balkus, DC Food Policy Director, to discuss their latest report Make Food Work: A Strategy to Strengthen the DC Food Workforce. Ona’s provides a road map for improving job quality and expanding career pathways within the District’s food workforce. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.
2020-02-2523 min
The TidbitFor the Love of Food: Intergenerational Family Business with Co-Owners of Indique and RASAI always admire individuals who choose, over and over again, a life full of intention — especially when starting food businesses. Why? This industry can try one's patience time and time again with low margins, competitors entering and exiting constantly, and consumer dining habits ever-changing. How does one weather this fluctuation of emotion over multiple generations? I could think of no better than the dads and sons quadruple, Chef KN Vinod and Surfy Rahman, co-owners of Indique, and their respective sons, Rahul Vinod and Sahil Rahman, Founders of RASA. On this episode we talk about their respective business models, how they’re c...
2020-02-1830 min
The TidbitSmall Batch to Big Time: How to Cultivate Newsworthiness & Strategic CollaborationWhat makes a product, a person, an initiative newsworthy? How do you stay relevant and tap into our cultural zeitgeist to get on the radar of journalists and media professionals? We sit down with Kara Elder, food and cooking writer (The Washington Post, Vox, Eaten: A Food History Magazine, and more!), to talk about her collaboration project - SMALL BATCH, People + Recipes from Around DC - with local artist Marcella Kriebel. We chat about the entrepreneurs highlighted in the cookbook, what trends we see emerging for local, small business in 2020, and how to craft a perfect media pitch.
Powered and...
2019-12-1027 min
The TidbitSmall Batch to Big Time: Building Valuable Relationships = Your Ability to Weather the StormBuilding a business is a lot like dating. It’s also pretty much the same as maintaining any relationship in your life - with friends, with family, with intimate partners. How are we showing up? How are we maintaining respect and being mindful of one’s time and boundaries? What about just small touches of care and comfort? These are all important - not just in your personal life, but also professional. In fact, it could be the make or break for even staying in business! Everyone messes up. But those who approach a situation with humility, who have built that...
2019-12-0335 min
The TidbitEconomic Development: What are Main Streets, and Who is Supported?Main Street Programs aim to revitalize their downtowns and commercial districts through preservation-based economic development and community revitalization. On this episode, we debunk the myth that Main Streets are dead. We’re joined in-studio by a group of incredible individuals who are in the fight to keep Main Streets alive — especially here in the District! — and how they’re adapting to the change in market forces and consumer demands. We have Kyle Todd and Jessica Mailander of Rhode Island Avenue Main Street, and Aster Abeje, Owner of 7 Days Market located on Rhode Island Avenue NE.
Powered and distributed by Simplecast
2019-11-1937 min
The TidbitEconomic Development: Fostering Inclusive Innovation & Breaking Down Barriers to Entry with City Government SupportAs defined by Investopedia, Public-private partnerships involve collaboration between a government agency and a private-sector company that can be used to finance, build, and operate projects. We sit down to discuss inclusive innovation and breaking down barriers to entry with Joy James, Tech & Innovation Portfolio Manager for the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. BONUS: a SPECIAL announcement from Team Cureate and an innovation accelerator program we are launching!
Powered and distributed by Simplecast
2019-11-1228 min
The TidbitFarming in America: Federal Policy, Regulations and How They Affect Your BusinessIt can seem impossible for small to midsize farmers to survive in this world because they aren’t provided the monetary runway that big machines of businesses are afforded. It has always been hard, but especially with the increase of unpredictable weather, trade wars, and monopolies along our supply chains - it’s becoming increasingly difficult to manage and make a living by being a farmer. Maybe you’ve heard this before, kind of understand it, but don’t REALLY know why it would be so challenging — from a business standpoint. We explore the federal policy and regulations that are effecting...
2019-11-0536 min
The TidbitFarming in America: A Restaurateur's Journey of Building a Thoughtful Supply ChainWhat does it take to build a business with thoughtful sourcing practices in mind, while working on sustainable growth and financial responsibilities? We sit down with Dave Wiseman, Co-Founder of Little Sesame, to talk about working with his partners Chef Ronen Tenne and Nick Wiseman, how he left his corporate career to do so, and why they made certain key business decisions along the way. If you're interested in starting a fast casual restaurant or learning how to align your core values along your supply chain, this episode is for you.
Powered and distributed by Simplecast
2019-10-2929 min
The TidbitSystems Change: Crowdsourced Placemaking & Community Ownership with Neil TakemotoPowered and distributed by Simplecast
2019-10-1531 min
The TidbitSystems Change: Seven Unlikely Cities That are Changing the Way We Eat with Food Town USA Author, Mark WinnePowered and distributed by Simplecast
2019-10-0137 min
The TidbitHow to Create an Environmentally Sustainable Food BusinessPowered and distributed by Simplecast
2019-09-2422 min
The TidbitAccess to Opportunity: Non-Traditional Financing and the Importance of Social Capital with Natasha's Just Brittle and Mama BiscuitPowered and distributed by Simplecast
2019-09-1733 min
The TidbitAccess to Opportunity: Building Community Through Business with B'more Kitchen and Well Crafted PizzaPowered and distributed by SImplecast
2019-09-1041 min
The TidbitFood as Medicine: Healing Our Planet through Thoughtful Agriculture & Sustainable Supply ChainsOn our last episode we talked about food as medicine — for the body. I want to explore this idea of food as medicine... but for the planet. I'm perhaps making up this metaphor but with impending climate catastrophe we really need to take a hard look at our supply chains and how we can produce food for the health of this planet. We've gotten ourselves into this highly productive and efficient global supply chain - but at what cost? Today we discuss thoughtful agriculture practices and sustainable supply chains with Jill from Vitick's Switchel and MK from Open Book Farm. Ji...
2019-08-2734 min
The TidbitFood as Medicine: Personalized Nutrition, Holisitic Living, and Diet/Allergen Market OpportunitiesAt Cureate, our mission is to shift purchasing dollars in institutions - like universities, hospitals, sports arenas - back into local, small business through food & beverage procurement. Every day I am researching the latest trends in food & retail and how this intersection of big and small business can work together. When I learned that Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City invested in a meal delivery service, I was fascinated. This is the future - our health system actually recognizing food as medicine. To explore this further, I invited three incredible individuals today to talk about this growing market in...
2019-08-2040 min
The TidbitTips for Combating Self Doubt in EntrepreneurshipWe surround ourselves with stories of the “one who made it”. We become fascinated with the idea of the struggle and endless hours of grinding to achieve the ultimate goal. For some entrepreneurs, the path to success can take 1 year — for others it could be 5, 10, or 20. And during that journey, you will be faced with an onslaught of emotions that is almost hard to define. It's this inner critic voice, this self-doubt that keeps creeping up. On this episode, we chat with local entrepreneur, Myles Powell of 8myles, to discuss tips on combating self-doubt in entrepreneurship with acitivities and exercises you ca...
2019-08-1317 min
The TidbitUnderstanding Your UVP: Food + Technology/Design with Killa Cakes and Punch Digital StrategiesThere has been a movement slowly building over the past decade around food and design that is now coming to the forefront of general consumers consciousness. On this episode of The Tidbit, we explore this intersection with Bria Taylor of Killa Cakes and Joe DePalma of Punch Digital Strategies. Tune in to learn more about their creative process, tools for design, and how to navigate complex client relationships. Really, this is a not-to-be-missed episode if you're looking to start a B2B business or are in a computer-heavy field looking to transition into a food business!
2019-07-2347 min
The TidbitUnderstanding Your UVP: Sustainable Snacking with Amäzi Foods and Shroom JerkyWhen creating a business, it's of the utmost importance for you to understand and define your Unique Value Proposition (UVP). On this episode, we feature two different entreprenurs in the sustainable snacking space who are creating thoughtful, intentional business models through Direct Trade relationships, supply chain transparency, education and overall local economic opportunity. Tune in to hear from Renee Dunn of Amäzi Foods and Wyatt Bryson of Jewels of The Forest on their UVP's — and moreover, how they are on the path to displace traditional, overly processed snack items on retail shelves and through direct-to-consumer sales channels.
2019-07-0944 min
The TidbitFour Tips for Crowdfunding CampaignsWe have discussed many different ways to access capital on this show - and have focused primarily on pitching potential investors and working with CDFIs (community development financial institutions). What are other ways in which you can raise money? On this episode we’re going to learn more about crowdfunding - especially as a product based business. The tips we share revolve around how to active your crowdfunding campaign and what you can do to maximize your success. In-studio we welcome David and Nadine of RevolSnax to share their insights. Revol Snax makes true keto-friendly snacks you can be ex...
2019-06-2520 min
The TidbitStrategic Planning, Forecasting: Building Trust with Investors - Angel Investing with Allyson RedpathWho has the power to be at the table, so to speak? What are new ways in which we can build trust in the decision making process - particularly around investment and how our money moves? On this episode we talk with Allyson Redpath, who just launched Citrine Angels. Their mission is to support the growth and success of female-founded businesses in the Washington DC metro area and increase access to investment opportunities for women. Tune in to learn about trust building in the investment process, what is angel investing, and pros/cons on structuing your investment through a...
2019-06-1834 min
The TidbitStrategic Planning, Forecasting: Building Your Checklist - Commercial Design & Architecture in Retail and RestaurantsWhether you’re a budding restauranter, café owner, or even possibly opening a craft brewery or distiller, what do you need to think about from an experience design perspective through to permitting and financing to make sure you are set up for success? We want to avoid as many financial pitfalls as we can before even opening doors! This is why I’ve asked Steven Sorrell of Sorrell Design to join us on this episode. Sorrell Design is a Washington, DC based design firm that focuses on defining spaces for corporate offices, restaurants, retail, hospitality, and specialty spaces such as br...
2019-06-1132 min
The TidbitThree Tips for Building Your Brand IdentityOne of the hardest pieces of the brand identity puzzle is putting into words the feelings you want to communicate to your end customer. On this episode, we pull examples from Chez Panisse to &pizza as to how you should be thinking about building your brand identity from vision to reality. We're joined in-studio with Alexi New, Co-Founder of Noted - a branding consultancy based in Washington DC - who shares her experiences and expert resources.
2019-05-2819 min
The TidbitOn Designing: Your Personal Compass, Self-Discovery and Emotional Intelligence with Allie ArmitageHave you ever desired a different way to navigate your life and career? Perhaps a source of guidance other than the advice or the models of 'success' or guidance around you, which may not resonate to you? What if you could create a new kind of clarity, and feel a more authentic connection with your own insight? These are the questions posed by this episode's guest, Allie Armitage. This is the importance of self-discovery, inner work, and the necessity of grounding/knowing oneself in an age where everything can seem like your "worth" is tied to an externality. Tune...
2019-05-1434 min
The TidbitOn Designing: Blended Business Models, The Creative Process with Torie Partridge of Cherry Blossom CreativeHow do we design a life, design a business where external market demands are in sync with our internal desires? We're often fed a narrative that a business must "figure it out" from the beginning - their business model, their scaling strategy, etc. - before ever entering into the market. Imagine rethinking what it means to be creative, and the creative process, applying it to our own lives and business models. We chat with Torie Partridge, Founder & Creative Director of Cherry Blossom Creative, on how her business has evolved over the past 5 years from services, to product production and...
2019-05-0741 min
The TidbitThree Tips for Food Business Financial HealthKnowing your numbers. This is THE MOST important part of running a business, and the bane of existence for most business owners. We sit down with Maryellen Georgiadis, Owner of Finance A La Carte, to discuss three core components you need to think about when starting and running a food and beverage business - especially as a budding restauranteur. What pieces of the finance and accouting puzzle are you looking to learn more about? Leave us a review in iTunes with the tidbit of knowledge you gleaned from this episode and send us a note with more topics you're...
2019-04-1626 min
The TidbitMentorship, Empowerment: James Beard Foundation Trustee, Rohini Dey, on Breaking the "Gastro-Ceiling"According to one analysis, roughly 2 percent of venture capital funding in 2017 went to all-female teams, compared to 79 percent that went to all-male teams. We’re all very tribal beings. We seek out what we know, what is familiar. But this has an extremely negative effect when the money held, access to opportunity is held, by one dominant race, gender, or class. How can we have a diverse, resilient, innovative economy when we’re only propping up one point of view? We sit down with Rohini Dey, Vermilion Restaurateur and James Beard Foundation Trustee, to discuss the "gastro-ceiling" in the food...
2019-04-0921 min
The TidbitMentorship, Empowerment: Invest2Innovate's Founder & CEO Kalsoom LakhaniWhat happens when you can really change behavior on a systems level, upending those traditional power dynamics through empowerment and mentorship? On this episode of The Tidbit we discuss entrepreneurship in challenging places, inspired by her recent SXSW talk, featuring Kalsoom Lakhani. Kalsoom is the Founder & CEO of Invest2Innovate, which aims to support and unleash the potential of young entrepreneurs in growth markets like Pakistan. She’s also a Partner at i2i Ventures, Invest2Innovate’s early stage investment fund for Pakistan, and the country’s first female-led fund.
2019-03-2632 min
The TidbitHow to Build Strategic PartnershipsA strategic partner is another business with whom you enter into an agreement that aims to help both of you achieve more success. But, of course, what that success is must be determined and agreed upon by both parties. On this episode, we explore the 4 key tenets of HOW to build a strategic partnerships with Erin Lenhardt and Sally Rogers, Co-Founders of Parsnip. Parsnip’s vision is to connect better-for-you brands with partnership opportunities. Tune in to learn more about growing your business reach through mutually-beneficial agreements and arrangements with likeminded brand partners.
2019-03-1917 min
The TidbitFood Production: Seed Experimentation & Lessons Learned from Thomas Jefferson's GardenThomas Jefferson’s gardening efforts resulted in success and failure. He used his 1,000-ft kitchen garden as a laboratory, growing over 300 types of vegetables. His focus wasn’t profit or production, though; but rather knowledge. Jefferson exchanged seeds with people from all over the world and as a result, introduced new and unusual plants not found elsewhere. One of Monticello's emeritus scholars says that the garden became like an “Ellis Island” of introduced vegetables. On this episode, we explore Monticello's complex history with two academics-in-residence using the garden as an example to highlight the importance of lifelong curiosity, experimentation, and over...
2019-03-1239 min
The TidbitFood Production: What is Co-Packing, and What Should You Look for in a Co-Packer?As your company grows and you can no longer fulfill demand, you have to make a decision: do you invest in a larger production facility, or do you outsource to a co-packer? We're joined on this episode by three incredible industry experts to discuss all of the reasons why co-manufacturing is a great business to get into, how you should do business with a co-packer so all parties are set-up for success, and challenges they have faced along the way. Tune in to hear from Matt Sebastionelli from Lucky Clover Packaging & CraftPack, and Marwan & Ryan from Maryland Packaging.
2019-03-0541 min
The TidbitHow to Determine Your Food Cost (Wholesale, MSRP)When I talk about the education and consulting side of our business at Cureate, I often say: you may know how to make jam, but not know how to run a jam business - that’s where we come in! A huge part in figuring out if your food business is going to succeed is understanding how to price your product, and all of the factors to consider when doing so. Grab a piece of paper and pen, because we’re about to discuss three tips on for determing your food cost (wholesale, and MSRP - manufacturer's suggested retail pric...
2019-02-2612 min
The TidbitSelf Health: “Hustle and Float” - Creativity & Productivity with Rahaf Harfoush, Author and Beyoncé-ologistWe're joined on this episode by Rahaf Harfoush, a Digital Anthropologist and Best-Selling Author who researches the impacts of emerging technologies on our society. Tune in to hear our discussion around our belief systems of work, the historical tension between creativity and productivity, and how Rahaf became a Beyoncé-ologist while researching the principles highlighted in her latest book, Hustle & Float.
2019-02-1931 min
The TidbitSelf Health: “The Rise of Anxiety Baking” - Creativity & Productivity with Sarah Malphrus of Rye Street TavernA topic that keeps surfacing these days is around self care and entrepreneurship. On The Tidbit, we're particularly interested in this discussion as it relates to the beliefs we tell ourselves, how the media exacerbates those beliefs, and how cultural collective consciousness norms keep us in race, gender, and/or socio-economic boxes. To discuss this intersection, we’re joined in-studio by Sarah Malphrus - the pastry chef at Rye Street Tavern by Andrew Carmellini in Baltimore, Maryland. Born and raised in Charleston, SC, she received a bachelor's degree in Gender & Women's Studies from Warren Wilson College before deciding to pu...
2019-02-1227 min
The TidbitThree Tips on Winning Over a Retail BuyerIf you’re an emerging CPG (consumer packed goods) business, and you’re looking to level up your game and get onto a retail shelf in a grocery store or corporate cafeteria, what do you need to do to be prepared? On this minisode we dicuss three tips for winning over a retail buyer. ★ ★ ★ Our mission includes the sharing of education and access to resources - and the best way to reach more listeners like you is to leave a review in iTunes. If you enjoyed this minisode, head over to your app and leave a little tidbit on what you’v...
2019-02-0511 min
The TidbitMarket Opportunity: The Hemp Industry & CBDThe 2018 Farm Bill was signed into effect in an unheard of (for this era!) bipartisan manner. Passage of the Farm Bill marks a watershed event for hemp, a crop planted centuries ago by America’s founding fathers - making it once again legal to grow and sell. Quoting Hemp is Now Legal. That's Huge for CBD Industry. a Vox piece states: "[This] Farm Bill opportunity isn’t just for farmers. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s lackadaisical approach to CBD has helped the CBD industry sell about $350 million worth of products last year, and experts believe it will easily hit $1 billio...
2019-01-2231 min
The TidbitMarket Opportunity: Innovations in Food/Bev Supply ChainWhat are the fields emerging in food & beverage broadly that we can begin to think up new ventures and new ways of approaching challenges that are encroaching upon us as a society? Our imaginations soar as we sit down with Jenn Goggin, a co-founder of Startle, an innovation studio for the food ecosystem. On this episode of The Tidbit we discuss new innovations across the food & beverage supply chain from smart packaging, to plastic-free products, to new retail models and technologies.
2019-01-1533 min
The TidbitHow to Set Business OKRs (Objectives, Key Results)Many entrepreneurs struggle with creating tangible metrics around focused goals. On today’s minisode, we’re going to discuss the framework created by Google called OKRs - Objectives, and Key Results. It’s a system for tracking your desired objectives and keeping yourself accountable. To supplement this episode, we've created an OKR template digital download for food & beverage small business owners.
2019-01-0812 min
The TidbitThree Tips for Staying FocusedAs the last show of the season and year, we discuss the framework - Core Desired Feelings by Danielle LaPorte - that is a healthier way of setting oneself up for success. For example, instead of saying: I want to lose weight or I want to make x-amount of dollars - what is it that you’re ACTUALLY looking to achieve by losing weight or making more money? Do you want to feel more confident? Do you want to feel liberated? Those are just means to a feeling - so what is it that you actually want? On this mi...
2018-12-1817 min
The TidbitWhy You Should Shop Local - YEAR ROUND'Tis the season for holiday shopping! Which means, this is also the season where many food entrepreneurs make at least 40% of their sales for the year. If you’re a longtime listener of The Tidbit, you know that we advocate for shifting our purchasing dollars back into the local economy YEAR ROUND. But, we certainly can not ignore the impact this time of year has on our local economies. Tune in as we provide statistics around shopping local, and feature one incredible local food condiment company that is "spreading" the love of dates while employing refugee women. Meet Lina Zd...
2018-12-0435 min
The TidbitSo, you want to work in food? Identifying Food System Opportunities for Impact with DC Central KitchenAt Cureate we get a ton of inbound emails from individuals who are looking to start a career in food. Yes, it is stated as plainly as that - I want to work in food. Now, the food system is extremely vast and there are certainly a lot of challenges - and therefore business opportunities - to tackle. Listeners, you are all at different stages in your food journey so, on this episode, we discuss the complexities of the food system with Alex Moore, Chief Development Officer at DC Central Kitchen. DC Central Kitchen develops and operates 5 different social...
2018-11-2736 min
The TidbitHow to Have Difficult ConversationsAt the time of this episode's recording, we are a couple of weeks after the 2018 midterm election and it is also Thanksgiving week. Now, The Tidbit is a show about entrepreneurship lessons learned and tips on starting/running a small business... and, this may be obvious, but - let's state this plainly - a lot of small business owners go into business with their family members; and/or, especially around the holidays, a lot of shit can be brought up around the dinner table. On this episode, we sit down with Mike Malloy, Halcyon Incubator Program Manager, to discuss...
2018-11-2036 min
The TidbitDMV Black Restaurant Week → Vote with Your DollarThis season on The Tidbit we’ve discussed ways to increase your access to social capital, and how to create infrastructure and support for entrepreneurial ecosystems. We continue to sit down with business owners to discuss their tidbits of knowledge and lessons learned along the way — and we’ve begun showcasing Buyers and the opportunities presented around increasing demand for local, small business products and services. A CRUCIAL part to this equation is us - the consumer drive. The demand generation that we as citizens, as consumers are placing on these Buyers to force their hand in creating a sizabl...
2018-11-0635 min
The TidbitHow to Create Infrastructure and Support for Entrepreneurial EcosystemsHow can we create ecosystems that build supportive infrastructure where small business owners feel taken care of and supported? Think of the base of Maslow’s Hierarchy - shelter, location. If you can’t rely on your business home to be a constant, how will you ever be able to grow? Naturally you’ll always be operating out of a scarcity mindset. We sit down with entrepreneurship ecosystem builder Dominic Bonaduce to discuss. Dom oversees Alley’s operations in Washington, DC and manages collaboration between Alley and their partners at Verizon to help the community build next-level ecosystems for entrepre...
2018-10-3027 min
The TidbitLiberating Artisans One Barrel at a Time: Freestate CooperageHave you ever been ready for growth but external factors limited your ability to reach your goals? This is the piece of the supply chain puzzle that Alice Blayne-Allard identified as a problem area as our craft spirits industry continues to boom. Freestate Cooperage is the only #madeinMaryland cooperage, creating heritage new white oak barrels for Mid-Atlantic made spirits. Fun fact: Alice is also the 2nd woman-owned cooperage owner in the entire United States. Tune into this live TED-Style talk to learn more about this fascinating part of the food business supply chain.
2018-10-2321 min
The TidbitFrom Foodservice to Fridge: The Soom StoryThree sisters out of Philadelphia — Jackie, Shelby, and Amy Zitelman — started Soom Foods. Their goal? To make tahini a staple in American pantries. But to start, they began with chefs. Who are your early adopters and how can those customers become your biggest brand advocates? How do you know when to diversify your sales channels? Tune into this episode of The Tidbit to learn the Soom story with CEO, Shelby Zitelman.
2018-10-0936 min
The Tidbit3 Tips on Increasing Your Social CapitalWe talk a lot about access to financial capital when starting a business - who has capital, how can you pitch to get more capital, what can you do to prove you’re worth capital, etc. What we don't talk enough about is access to social capital. In today’s era, one could plainly state that it is the sum of people you surround yourself with. But… what if you weren’t born into a particular sphere of people? What if you just don’t know how to expand your circle of connection? Tune into this episode of The Tidbit to...
2018-10-0111 min
The TidbitGovernment's Role in Food Procurement: BaltimoreWe're live on-site at the Chesapeake Food Summit where we're learning about innovation in food systems change throughout this region. One of the biggest areas of opportunity to effectuate change is through procurement - hello, local sourcing! We sit down with Baltimore Food Policy Director, Holly Freishtat, to talk about government's role in sourcing food and how contracts can be written (and broken!) to better align with our values.
2018-09-2535 min
The TidbitBuilding 30+ Years of Service: Occasions CaterersIn 1986, Occasions Caterers started in a tiny apartment kitchen with just a few printed business cards and a small van. They gradually built a team of executives, chefs, captains and waiters who were also committed to the Co-Founders’ vision (fun fact: the Co-Founders are also twin brothers!). Fast forward thirty years later and Occasions has indeed grown but the focus remains the same: a boutique approach to full-service catering with a focus on custom menus, creative décor, expert planning and gracious service. We sit down with Co-Founder and Creative Director, Eric Michael, and VP of Business Development, Matt Sip...
2018-09-1833 min
The TidbitFood and Experience DesignFood is a multi-sensory experience, but typically served in a semi-standard setting - or at least in a setting one is used to experiencing food. What if you took a part each piece of that sensory experience and created a new way of consuming, a new way of looking at food or beverage by getting hyper-focused on one of your senses? We're joined today by Kelly Bryden, Art Director for the Rosé Mansion in New York City and the upcoming Museum of Pizza. As you to listen to our conversation, think: how can I be intentional and thoughtful with t...
2018-09-1128 min
The Tidbit5 Ways to Save When Sourcing LocallyOver the past two seasons of The Tidbit we’ve discussed the foundations of starting a business, tactics to grow one’s business, and we’ve featured some amazing small business owners and their entrepreneurial journeys. As we head into our third season, we are going to take those topics and add another key voice to the conversation. Who are the businesses that are putting their money where their mouth is to buy from local businesses? Who are the organizations breaking down barriers to entry for entrepreneurship? This episode of The Tidbit is a minisode, a teaser, to explore that d...
2018-08-0711 min
The TidbitHomegrown by Heroes: Differentiating Veteran-Produced Products in Competitive MarketsThe Homegrown by Heroes program provides consumers a tangible way to support veterans. We're joined in-studio with Gary Matteson from the Farm Credit Council (the trade association for the nationwide Farm Credit System) and Calvin Riggleman, the owner of Big Riggs farm - an idea that was born in the sandy deserts of Iraq in 2003. Cal shares his story from military to civilian life, and finding a newfound comraderie in the Homegrown by Heroes program for his West Virginia farm and distillery operation.
2018-07-2530 min
The TidbitEntrepreneurship Meets Food ScienceEntrepreneurship meets food science on this episode of The Tidbit with Dr. Eric Schulze — VP of Product and Regulation at one of the leading cell-based meat companies, Memphis Meats. We talk manufacturing of cell-based meat and its impact on our future. Plus his tips on building a business without a predetermined roadmap, and how to make the world more creatively nerdy.
2018-07-1830 min
The TidbitWild Kombucha: Food Manufacturing in the Mid-AtlanticDrink Local. Live Wild. This is the motto of Wild Kombucha. Over the past 3 years, they've has seen a 200 percent increase in sales with zero dollars of outside investment. We sit down with Sid Sharma, Co-Owner of Wild Kombucha to talk about starting a food manufacturing business in the Mid-Atlantic, where that motto comes from, and their journey from starting in a garage to growing into a 4,000 sq. ft. brewery in Timonium — where they now produce 4,000 bottles a week for stores such as Whole Foods and MOM’s Organic, as well as hundreds of boutiques, bars, and cafes through the...
2018-07-1029 min
The TidbitOn Product Development and Scaling Up: Timber Pizza and Call Your Mother DeliIt takes a special team to take a classic food item and bring a new vibe to its creation. The nostalgia of a menu you fondly recognize and love, but with a unique spin. This is what our guest today has a special knack for crafting. On this episode, we sit down with Andrew Dana, the owner of the acclaimed Timber Pizza Company (a featured 2017 Best New Restaurant in Bon Appétit) and Call Your Mother Deli to chat product development, iterating with customer feedback in mind, and best practices for scaling up from farmers market to brick-and-mortar.
2018-06-2632 min
The TidbitBaltimore Arabbers: Preserving tradition. Feeding communities.Arabbing is a long-standing, locally-specific African American tradition out of Baltimore. An Arabber is a street vendor selling fruits and vegetables from a colorful, horse-drawn cart. Once a common sight in American East Coast cities, only a handful of Arabbers still walk the streets of Baltimore. On this episode, we sit down with James Chase, President of the Arabbers Preservation Society and an Arabber himself; and Holden Warren, filmmaker and producer of John & James - a documentary short about James’ work and his relationship with the Amish.
2018-06-1930 min
The TidbitI AM WANDA: A New Generation of Food SheroesEntrepreneur Spotlight: we welcome another incredible mission-driven entrepreneur on The Tidbit that is tackling a huge problem at the intersection of nutrition, dietetics and agriculture. Tambra Raye Stevenson is the founder and CEO of WANDA: Women Advancing Nutrition, Dietetics, and Agriculture, an organization inspiring a new generation of women and girls to become ‘food sheroes’ in Africa and Diaspora.
2018-06-1230 min
The TidbitBuilding Community-Based BusinessesKim discusses the future of corner store owners in relation to the Fast Company article: How Two Ex-Googlers Want to Make Bodegas and Mom-and-Pop Corner Stores Obsolete; and chats with guest, Paul Ruppert, on building community-based businesses in the District. Paul is a 6th generation DC resident, and his family has run a real estate business in D.C. since 1889! Paul shares three pieces of advice for emerging small business owners on how to best build a foundation for success.
2017-12-1933 min
The Food Startups PodcastEp122- Local Empowerment + Alternative Sales Channels - Kim of CureateYou don't HAVE to follow the cookie-cutter retail sales model. An entrepreneur can feel powerless when they are 100% dependent on one or two large grocery buyers for the success of their food startup. Hotels, catering, and local cafes are a few examples of local businesses that may be interested in carrying your brand. But they need a way to find out about your product. Kim Bryden is doing just that with Cureate Connect. She has a network nearing 250 food startups in DC and Baltimore with access to D.C. and Maryland businesses interested is local sou...
2016-12-0839 min