Brand Builder

Human beings are hardwired for stories.

Storytelling opens up neural pathways in the brain that excite us, make us feel, and help us retain information. In fact, people are 22 times more likely to remember information that's presented as a story rather than merely factually.

It's why crafting a compelling brand story can be so powerful. When done right, your brand's story engages your most important customers emotionally, developing invaluable brand loyalty and trust in the process.

Of course, it's a lot easier said than done. So many brands think they can slap some contrived, half-baked story on their website and call it a day, but they couldn't be more wrong. Telling your brand's story is an ongoing, always evolving project, one that extends to branding, packaging, and even customer experience.

In this episode, we learn more about these ideas from one of the best - SnackNation SVP of Customer Strategy Chelsie Rae Lee.

Chelsie breaks down the ins and outs of crafting your own compelling brand story, as well as the opportunities most brands miss when it comes to communicating this story to their most important customers and prospects.

Jump to

• Chelsie tells us her life's purpose and how it relates to brand story and customer strategy. 2:20
• What we mean by brand story and how it can drive outcomes for your business. 3:15
• The secret sauce for creating a compelling brand story. 4:40
• How internal culture and values can automatically build your brand story for you. 7:15
• How to differentiate your brand's story and cut through the sea of similar narratives. 8:50
• How building on a simple message keeps you from alienating your most important consumers. 11:15
• One tip to create (and scale) exceptional customer experiences. 16:50

Links

• The art of the TED talk
• The Most Astounding Fact, with Neil deGrasse Tyson
• Uncommon Service by Francis Frei
• Warby Parker
• Little Secrets
• "If I Should Have a Daughter" TED Talk
• Connect with Chelsie on LinkedIn

Have an idea for the show? Drop us a line! [email protected].

Brand Builder is a co-production of SnackNation and ForceBrands.

Why is Nestle reportedly selling off their candy business? Why does "big" seem synonymous with "bad," while artisanal is king these days? And why does every big food corporation seem to have a Silicon Valley-style venture capital arm?

The short answer:

Because this is CPG, where the C stands for consumer, and consumer trends dictate everything.

Staying ahead of consumer trends might be the difference between your brand truly taking off, and your brand being left behind by the next big thing in CPG. But distinguishing between a true trend and a passing fad isn't always easy.

In this episode, you'll learn all about how to do exactly that thanks to the trendiest person we know - Alysse Burroni, SnackNation's Sr. Manager of Brand Experience.

Alysse takes us through the forces that are shaping consumer behaviors, and tells us exactly how to stay one step ahead of the market.

Jump to

• Alysse takes us through the evolution of the consumer values that adrive consumer behavior. 4:00
• Alysse breaks down the current trends in CPG for 2018 and beyond. 7:22
• Alysse provides a super useful tactic for keeping up with the latest trends in your space. 22:00.

Have an idea for the show? Drop us a line! [email protected].

Brand Builder is a co-production of SnackNation and ForceBrands.

Content marketing can be a game changer for brands. It accomplishes so many things in one fell swoop - builds awareness, fosters goodwill and trust, and forges an emotional bond that makes your brand irresistible to consumers.

But the things that make content marketing so valuable are also the things that make it so difficult. Content marketing is an authentic, sustained conversation with consumers. It's not a campaign - and it's definitely not a transaction. It's a relationship, and it takes years.

This week, we have content marketing master John Hardesty to show us the way. John is the CMO of Nutrabolt, the makers of mega-hit protein bar FitJoy.

In our opinion, John deserves an honorary doctorate in content marketing. He honed his skill at places like Quiksilver, as the head of his own marketing agency, and as a top content strategist at Bodybuilding.com, a content juggernaut that attracts millions of unique visitors to its site every month with - you guessed it - high quality content.

In this episode, John reveals how to approach content in a way that resonates with your target consumer and inspires them to fall in love with your brand.

Takeaways

• Start with why. Simon Sinek said it best. Understanding why you do what you do is fundamental to brand marketing. John breaks down how to do it.
• Content is King. John explains both why content marketing can be so effective, and how to do it right.
• Ultimately, tasting is believing. In CPG nothing beats getting your product in the hands of real consumers. John helps us make the connection between marketing and trial.

Jump to

• John describes his journey to Nutrabolt, which includes a foray into entrepreneurship and formative years at Bodybuilding.com. 3:31
• Why John needed to join Nutrabolt and launch FitJoy. 8:49
• How to do content marketing right, and how it can work in CPG. 11:23
• The story behind the FitJoy name. 15:47
• John's biggest challenges, and his proudest achievement at FitJoy. 17:52

Links

• FitJoy
• John on Linkedin
• Bodybuilding.com
• Simon Sinek

Have an idea for the show? Drop us a line! [email protected].

Brand Builder is a co-production of SnackNation and ForceBrands.

"Ideas are ideas, and without great people they never come to life."

Translation: if you want your brand to take off, you better surround yourself with the right people.

And we can't think of anyone more qualified to tell us how to attract those people than Josh Wand, a 20 year veteran of CPG and the founder and CEO of ForceBrands.

ForceBrands builds the teams that build the best brands in CPG (and just so happen to co-present this show with SnackNation). Josh and his amazing team came to the Brand Builder studios, and we got him to discuss the origins of ForceBrands, his philosophy on business and leadership, and of course his particular area of expertise - building teams that build amazing brands.

In this episode, you'll learn the following three takeaways:

• Find your magic. Josh believes helping teams "find their magic" is really what his job is all about. He tells us what that means and how he does it.
• Flip the script. Josh describes a simple mindset shift leaders can use to make sure their teams feel valued - which is super important.
• Don't recruit, build a community. A lot of people see hiring as a transaction, but not Josh. He explain why the secret to building winning teams is to create a community.

Jump to:

• The ForceBrands origin story. 4:05
• The importance of the relationship between founders, plus a story about how Josh's business partner saved the company on Josh's wedding day. 8:17
• What it was like launching a recruiting business during the Great Recession. 9:30
• Why your employee experience determines your customer experience. 13:05
• Why Josh launched Piñata, a technology platform that matches amazing freelancers with brands. 20:12
• Josh's final piece of advice for entrepreneurs and brands. 24:02

Links

• ForceBrands
• Josh on LinkedIn
• Piñata

Have an idea for the show? Drop us a line! [email protected].

Brand Builder is a co-production of SnackNation and ForceBrands.

When you look at Mark Rampolla's resume, he almost seems like he might secretly be The Most Interesting Man in the World.

Here's a partial list of the jobs Mark has held: Landscaper. Dishwasher. Peace Corp Volunteer. President of International Paper (a multinational corporation). CEO of Beanfields (aka, Chief Bean Fiend). Partner at Powerplant Ventures (a venture capital fund that invests in sustainable, plant-based businesses). Author of the book High Hanging Fruit.

But he's probably best known as the guy who started ZICO coconut water.

Yep, he and his team essentially created an $8 billion beverage category - and believe it or not, the inspiration ties back to his days in the Peace Corps. We picked Mark's brain on building a CPG brand to exit, what it's like to go from entrepreneur to VC, and a whole lot more.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode.

• Presence = performance. According to Mark, when you make an effort to live in the moment and enjoy the journey, a funny thing happens. You enjoy life more - and you're better at whatever you're doing.
• Realize that "you've already won." Mark tells us his lowest moment while building ZICO (he almost lost his house), and reveals how this piece of advice helped him dig himself out and get back on top.
• It pays to go after the "High Hanging Fruit." It's not just the title of Mark's book. Going for the High Hanging Fruit means seeing beyond your limitations and striving for something greater. When you do that, magical things can happen.

Jump to:

• Mark's background, including why he joined the Peace Corps. 4:50
• Mark explains why he moved to El Salvador to run a division of International Paper. 9:09
• Mark tells the ZICO origin story. 12:35
• Mark describe his lowest moment in the early days of ZICO, and how he overcame it. 17:30
• Marks breaks down how he evaluates businesses that he invests in. 23:50

Check out Mark's book, High Hanging Fruit.

Links

• PowerPlant Ventures
• Beanfields
• ZICO

Have an idea for the show? Drop us a line! [email protected].

Brand Builder is a co-production of SnackNation and ForceBrands.

Food, family, and love.

For the folks at Skinny Dipped, these three things are hard to separate.

For one thing, it's because co-founders Val and Breezy Griffith are family - mother and daughter to be exact.

Another reason - this epic food brand was launched as a way to bring the Griffith family closer together after they experienced an intense personal tragedy.

The Seattle based company make irresistible dark chocolate covered almonds that are both healthy and indulgent. Their products contain way less sugar, more fiber and protein than traditional chocolate covered nuts - plus no artificial ingredients or GMOs. And while Val (the mom) thought maybe they'd sell these almonds at a few farmer's markets, CEO Breezy (the daughter) had much bigger ambitions.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Time doesn't heal all wounds - ACTION does. Big challenges are inevitable as you build your brand - and they won't solve themselves. Don't sit and ponder, attack your problems and find a way forward.
• Products are discovered, but brands are built. Val and Breezy describe an "instinctive" recognition of a great product offering. On the flipside, they remind us that brand building is a thoughtful, deliberate exercise.
• Don't run from difficult conversations, embrace them. Even if you aren't in business with your mom (or daughter), running a business can tax even the best relationships. Don't run away from difficult conversations - have them now or they'll cause much bigger problems down the road.

Jump to

• How a personal tragedy inspired Val and Breezy to launch their company. 5:29
• The challenges of working together while being mother and daugter. 10:10
• Breezy describes a potentially fatal challenge that almost sunk the business - and how they overcame it. 15:11
• The duo on the Skinny Dipped brand overhaul. 18:50

Links

• Skinny Dipped
• @GetSkinnyDipped on Twitter
• @GetSkinnyDipped on Instagram

Have an idea for the show? Drop us a line! [email protected].

Brand Builder is a co-production of SnackNation and ForceBrands.

If there's one constant in CPG, it's change. Startup CPG brands have to constantly adapt to changing taste preferences, changing retail trends, and changing norms around supply chain and ingredients.

Change is also ingrained in the entrepreneurial experience. It's sort of the entrepreneur's way - deploy a minimum viable product, test it in the market, iterate until you see real traction. In this model, change is inevitable, and the plan you start with is rarely the plan you end up with.

So it's fitting that 301 Inc. - an "emerging brand elevator" that helps startup CPG brands optimize for growth - underwent it's own strategic pivot a few years after launching in 2012.

In this episode we talk to John Haugen, the VP and General Manager of 301 Inc. 301 is a VC arm within General Mills, providing direct investment, strategic counsel, and the resources and expertise that only a company like General Mills can provide.

We spoke with John to learn how 301 have made themselves an indispensable partner for growth.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Capital and capabilities. When working with an investor or accelerator, the money is important, but the other value-adds can be make a much bigger difference.
• Make sure you've got something special. We get caught up in the importance of branding (this is Brand Builder, after all), but you must have a compelling product offering. The former can't exist without the latter.
• Avoid the paralysis of perfection. John explains why the entrepreneurs' willingness to make mistakes is her competitive advantage. Don't strive for perfect execution all the time.

Jump to

• How John landed at General Mills, and why he thinks of himself as a "realistic optimist." 4:33
• How 301 pivoted to their current model. 10:25
• The biggest advantage that startups have over big conglomerates. 12:05
• Why now is the best time to be an early stage entrepreneur. 17:03
• John weighs in on the age-old brand/product debate. 19:40
• Why the 301 Inc. story ultimately won't be told by John and his team. 25:31

Links

• 301 Inc.
• John Haugen on LinkedIn
• D's Naturals (No Cow)

Have an idea for the show? Drop us a line! [email protected].

Brand Builder is presented by SnackNation.

Serial entrepreneur Jim Simon knows a thing or two about launching successful brands. He's a veteran of Web 1.0 and has started or run six companies, mostly in tech. But ironically, he didn't recognize one of his biggest opportunities the first time out.

That opportunity? His namesake clean bar brand, JiMMYBAR!

A bout of pneumonia and several allergies inspired Jim to create a healthier bar that wasn't full of the usual garbage. The bars were a hit locally, but it took a fellow entrepreneur to say, "Hey, you should really pursue this bar thing," for Jim to see the potential.

Jim and team haven't looked back since. JiMMYBAR! has built a loyal following by focusing on alternative channels like hospitals, sports stadiums, museums, military bases, and college campuses - especially colleges. According to their site, they're available at nearly 400 colleges across the U.S. and counting.

Today, the Chicago-based bar brand has an ever-expanding footprint, and are putting their products in the hands of health- and taste-conscious consumers across the U.S. (and beyond). The company strives to be the "Ben and Jerry's of bars" - a purpose-driven, personality-infused brand that's fun and stands for something.

How are they doing it? We got the inside scoop from Jim himself.

In this episode, you will learn the following takeaways:

• Your Founder IS Your Brand. People want to buy from a person, not a corporation. DON'T be another boring brand.
• Diversify your distribution. Jim explains why their multi-channel approach has proven a key to their success.
• Pound the Pavement. According to Jim, investing in salespeople over brokers will always result in higher ROI. He tells us why.

Jump to

• JiMMYBARs are born. 3:14
• Some candid feedback from a woman in Whole Foods proves to be highly influential on the JiMMYBAR! strategy. 7:33
• Why "educating the consumer" can be a misguided approach. 10:47
• Jim breaks down the sales approach that has been so effective for JiMMYBAR!, and why alternative channels are their bread and butter. 12:39
• Why your founder is your brand, and why you CAN'T be just another boring brand. 14:53
• Jim on the challenges of scaling, and why access to alternative sources of cash is a must. 17:48
• How to know when it's time to bring on some CPG veterans. 20:30

Links

• Jim Simon on LinkedIn
• JiMMY Bars
• @JiMMYBars on Twitter
• @JiMMYBars on Instagram

Have an idea for the show? Drop us a line! [email protected].

Brand Builder is presented by SnackNation.

Vincent Kitirattragarn wasn't trying to start a company. He was just trying to find a traditional ingredient to make one of Mama Dang's delicious Thai recipes.

But, as so often happens, fate intervened, and a brand new snack category - and company - was born.

Dang.

Of course, creating a new category is always a challenge. You have to come up with something brand new that still feels familiar. But by all measures, Dang has done it. The Berkeley based company make whole food, Asian inspired snacks that people just can't get enough of.

And while they started with coconut chips, today they're a platform for all sorts of better for you, dang delicious snacks, including onion chips and their new sticky rice chips. We talked to Vincent to learn how he and his team did it.

In this episode, you will learn the following takeaways:

• You're unique - embrace it. Vincent definitely didn't grow up in the food biz, but he brought skills that served him well in his previous career, which turned out to be a major advantage.
• Data. Data. Data. Vincent doesn't like to sell. He lets the data tell the story - and do the selling for him.
• Educate the retailer before the consumer. With an innovative product, it's tempting to go straight for the consumer, but it's so important to start with retailers. Otherwise, you'll never get the chance to make your case to the consumer.

Jump to

• The Dang origin story. 3:10
• How Vincent's science and engineering background helped the Dang team grow their brand. 7:30
• The challenges of creating a new category, and how to do something new that's still familiar. 9:58
• Why you should over invest in data, and the specific metrics you can use to level up your business. 13:47
• Why finding - and leveraging - your unique ability is critical to a new brand's success. 16:42
• Why Dang went through a Dang refresh. 19:40
• Why sustainability is a hallmark of the Dang Foods brand. 21:30

Links

• Dang Foods
• Vincent on LinkedIn
• @DangFoods on Twitter

Have an idea for the show? Drop us a line! [email protected].

Brand Builder is presented by SnackNation.

It was a once in a lifetime break.

Just four months into launching their business, a chance encounter and a random act of kindness helped land Pipsnacks a coveted spot in Oprah's "Favorite Things" episode. This meant massive exposure and the halo effect that only comes from the one and only Lady O.

But elation quickly turned to devastation during the first airing. Within five seconds of their logo flashing on the screen, the influx of traffic crashed the company's home made site.

Pipsnacks are best known as the makers of Pipcorn, the delicious, artisanal mini popcorn that not only tastes great, but that's easier on the stomach and teeth thanks to a more delicate hull.

On this week's Brand Builder, we are fortunate to have all three of Pipsnacks' founders - siblings Jeff and Jen Martin and Jeff's wife Teresa - to tell the incredible Pipsnacks story, including how they landed on Oprah's radar, and how they went about assembling a brand and a culture that could weather all the ups and downs of CPG entrepreneurship.

In this episode, you will learn the following takeaways:

• Kindness really does count. While most brands would spend their time hunting for ways to get on TV with the biggest stars, Pipcorn found its way onto the main stage...through an everyday act of kindness.
• Power of brand. How did this brand make popcorn one of the trendiest snacks in the industry? Hint - it's all about brand.
• Tell the right story. Good storytelling should be a part of every single interaction, whether that's approaching a potential distribution partner, an investor, or even just a vendor you want to work with.

Jump to

• How Jeff and Jen Martin discovered Pipsnacks' signature product - Pipcorn. 3:00
• The moment Jen, Jeff, and Theresa decided to get serious and go into business together. 4:30
• How the Pipsnacks team knew they were on to something big. 5:07
• The dynamic of the Pipsnacks team, and how the family feel comes through in their brand. 6:35
• How Pipcorn ended up being one of Oprah's favorite things. 9:40
• How the team dealt with their site crashing during their big moment. 12:06
• Pipsnacks on the power of their brand values. 15:08

Links

• Pipsnacks
• Pipsnacks' new Bigs and Littles products
• Jeff on LinkedIn
• Jen on LinkedIn
• Teresa on LinkedIn

Have an idea for the show? Drop us a line! [email protected].

Brand Builder is presented by SnackNation.