Brands for a Better World (formerly Evolve CPG)

By Gage Mitchell of Modern SpeciesBusiness Health & Fitness Nutrition Arts Marketing Food

Brands for a Better World (formerly Evolve CPG) episodes

November 23, 2022097 - A Passion for Productivity with Jessi Freitag of Startup CPG Podcast
People connect with a story far more than a tool. Joining us in conversation today is Season 3 host of The Startup CPG Podcast, Jessi Freitag, who specializes in helping people to leverage the power of digital systems to promote productivity and success. A multi-passionate coach, podcaster, and CPG expert, Jessi is here to share her story of promoting efficacy in the world of CPG by sharing her first-hand experience. While many people have great ideas and go as far as to start their projects, far fewer follow through and bring them to completion. Jessi’s secret sauce involves asking questions, building authentic connections, and capitalizing on the power of storytelling. If you’re looking to improve your output, stay connected, and motivate those around you, you can’t afford to miss today’s conversation.

Key Points From This Episode:
Jessi’s portfolio of passions and how each informs her work at The Startup CPG Podcast, Iroh’s Corner, Liv Bar, and Boyle Brands.
Leveraging the power of storytelling to motivate people.
How building authentic connections with people leads to great opportunities.
The integral role of well-placed systems to ensure movement towards your goals.
What is required for a Podcast to succeed and how that applies to all of life.
Learning to ask the right questions to extract useful information.
Tools Jessi built for CPG: Warehouse and 3PL Fulfillment Database, and Freight Provider Database.
How Jessi consults with individuals and businesses, connecting them to digital tools to organize information and maximize productivity.
The three different areas Jessi’s certification work entails at Boyle Brands.
Outsourcing tasks that fall outside of your zone of genius.
Jessi’s advice for navigating a changing world.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Jessi Freitag
Jessi Freitag on LinkedIn
The Startup CPG Podcast
Iroh’s Corner
Boyle Brands
Atomic Habits
Airtable
Trello
Hubspot
Notion
The Big Leap
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
1 hr 6 min
November 16, 2022096 - A Sense of Belonging with Katrina Tolentino of Naturally Network
Creating a feeling of community and connection can be so impactful to individuals and businesses on multiple levels, and the ecosystem of care that emerges through engaged networks can bring forth remarkable results. These are the driving forces behind the work of today's guest on the show, Katrina Tolentino. Katrina is the Executive Director of Naturally Network, a position she found somewhat surprisingly, but one she quickly identified with and became staunchly committed to. In our conversation, we get into her passion for community building, the three ways in which she understands the concept of community, and how she is working towards more inclusion and representation in her current role. Listeners can expect a relatable and inspiring story from Katrina, whose amazing dedication is moving things forward in her industry and beyond.

Key Points From This Episode:
How Naturally Network connects different parties in the natural food market.
Katrina's focus on inclusion and how this figures into her position.
A look at Katrina's background, and the roots of her passion for community building.
Katrina's attitude toward vulnerability and honesty when presenting.
The way in which Katrina has utilized play and games in her work.
Charting Katrina's route into the natural product business.
Katrina's commitment to the natural products industry and the task of creating community.
The evolution and future vision of Naturally Network.
Where to find out more about and support Katrina's work!
Some thoughts on the future of the natural products space.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Modern Species
Katrina Tolentino on LinkedIn
Naturally Network
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
47 min
November 09, 2022095 - Impact-Driven Holiday Shopping Guide with Kate Fosson of Brand Pollinators
Supporting brands and companies that are impact driven is essential for driving change on a larger scale. With so many options for consumers, it is often hard to find the company to suit your needs while creating positive change, particularly for gift-giving! Today, we highlight the top 16 brands that we think are impact-driven and leave customers happy in this special holiday shopping guide. Helping us through this guide is Kate Fosson, CEO and Co-Founder of Brand Pollinators; a company focused on helping emerging, impact-driven brands grow. If you are looking for a gift for someone then we have you covered. In this episode, we learn about all kinds of products ranging from world-changing sprinkles to sustainable camping lunchboxes. Discover how to give the gift of sleep and relaxation, the perfect gifts for kids, brands for outdoor lovers, and much more! Eliminate the shopping stress and tune in to learn how to give with intention this holiday season with Kate Fosson!

Key Points From This Episode:
A brief background about Kate and her company, Brand Pollinators.
Kate explains how she decided on which brands to feature for this episode.
She outlines the concept of gift-giving with intention.
Discover a brand for kids that is driven by nature.
A company that makes alternative baking ingredients with no artificial dyes.
Learn about some impact-driven gifts for outdoor enthusiasts.
What the ‘hard-workers’ category of the guide is focused on.
Gifts for people who are in desperate need of relaxation and sleep.
The gifts for people who love hosting parties and for the host themselves.
Hear about indulgent and sustainable gifts to help you make new friends.
Find out about some fun and interesting collaborations.
How the behavior of gift buying has shifted in recent years.
Find out how the buying guide has been structured for customers.
Learn how the buying guide for kids has been designed and why.
Why you should trust our choice of brands.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Kate Fosson
Kate Fosson on LinkedIn
Kate Fosson on Facebook
Kate Fosson on Twitter
Kate Fosson on Behance
Brand Pollinators
Brand Pollinators on Instagram
Brand Pollinators on YouTube
Brand Pollinators on LinkedIn
Brand Pollinators on Facebook
Impact-Driven Holiday Guide 2022
Shore Buddies
Ware
Alter Eco
Rock Hill Coffee
Episode 63: Mompreneur on a Mission with Pallavi Pande of Dtocs
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
55 min
November 02, 2022094 - Shifting Toward Sustainability with Alicia Lahey of Humble Snacks
Conscious consumerism has grown exponentially in recent years, with shoppers expecting more transparency and less waste from the brands they choose to support. While shifting towards more sustainable business practices obviously has a positive impact on the environment, there are also a number of benefits for your brand, which you’ll learn more about in today’s episode! To help us explore this topic, we are joined by Alicia Lahey, Co-Founder and CEO of Humble Snacks, Canada’s first organic potato chip packaged in 100% plastic-free, compostable bags. We discuss Alicia’s experience in big food, why she and her husband made the shift to a more sustainable lifestyle, and why she didn’t want to launch her own brand unless it came in better packaging, plus so much more. To find out how you can continue to innovate in the natural and organic snack category and ensure that your packaging mirrors the philosophy of your brand, you won’t want to miss today’s episode of EvolveCPG!

Key Points From This Episode:
Some of the challenges that come with adopting sustainable packaging solutions.
Why Alicia and her husband were so committed to creating eco-friendly bags.
Lessons learned from SunChips’ infamously noisy packaging.
A look at Humble’s partnership with A Plastic Planet to develop their plastic-free bag.
The importance of investing in plastic-free or plastic-neutral initiatives.
Limitations of compostable packaging and how Humble seeks to solve them.
How proving sustainable packaging successful will move the needle for larger brands.
Alicia’s take on the future of better snacking (and where there’s room for innovation).
Other product categories that Humble will expand into in the future.
The inspiration behind their ‘humble’ brand name.
Why communication is key when working with your spouse in your family business!
Hurdles Alicia and her husband had to overcome to get their product on shelves.
Valuable fundraising tips for other purpose-over-profit founders.
Identifying (and filling) a gap in the market for organic, light, crispy, skin-on potato chips.
Insight into Alicia’s research and development process for Humble Snacks.
How Alicia found her way into the CPG industry, starting with driving a truck!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Humble Snacks
Alicia Lahey on LinkedIn
Alicia Lahey on Instagram
A Plastic Planet
rePurpose Global
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG Email
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
53 min
October 26, 2022093 - 2021 HITS: A Plastic-Free Mission with Sandra Ann Harris of ECOlunchbox
There are some insights that we just have to go back to. This time, we bring back this conversation about reducing human dependence on plastics with Sandra Ann Harris, Founder of ECOlunchbox.
We leave you with the episode notes:

Our guest has a passion for protecting the oceans by reducing human dependence on plastics. Concerned about the toxins commonly found in lunchbox containers, plastic pollution activist and environmental entrepreneur Sandra Ann Harris decided to eliminate plastics from her kids’ lunchboxes. In 2008, she founded ECOlunchbox, a California green-certified business focused on plastic pollution aversion, offering plastic-free food containers that are non-toxic and healthy for both people and the planet. Sandra is also the author of a new book, Say Goodbye to Plastic: A Survival Guide for Plastic-Free Living. In this episode, listeners find out how Sandra has tried to make an impact, no matter what she was doing, and why she was inspired to start her own company to combat plastic pollution. Hear about some of the challenges she faced, from production to funding, and the tactic she has used to inspire change, as well as how each of us can be part of the change – in whatever way we can. She also shares some of her tips for other thought leaders and entrepreneurs thinking about writing a book, and explains how she continues to personally evolve. Tune in today to find out more!

Key Points From This Episode:
Hear a bit more about Sandra’s career arc, from journalist to aid worker to entrepreneur.
How the stories she chose to write as a journalist reflected her desire to make an impact.
What it was about the plastic crisis that inspired Sandra to start ECOlunchbox.
Some challenges that Sandra encountered in launching and growing her company.
Sandra believes that, with curiosity and creativity, there is nowhere we can’t go and nothing we can’t achieve.
The benefits of crowdfunding versus sourcing investors or self-funding your ideas.
From personal health benefits to the benefit of the planet – how people came to recognize the negative impact of plastic.
The value of using positive messaging rather than using negativity and fear to inspire action.
We don’t need to know all the facts, we just need to be part of the change, however we can.
Sandra shares the inspiration for her book: why this book, and why now?
Pro tips for other thought leaders and entrepreneurs thinking about writing a book.
How Sandra keeps evolving personally by continually taking on new challenges.
Where to find Sandra’s book, Say Goodbye to Plastic: A Survival Guide for Plastic-Free Living.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Sandra Ann Harris on LinkedIn
ECOlunchbox
Say Goodbye to Plastic
Kickstarter
Cradle to Cradle
The Upcycle
Lovemarks
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
46 min
October 19, 2022092 - Nobody Can Do This Alone with Caroline Cotto of Renewal Mill
Did you know that up to 40% of food in the USA goes to waste every year? In this episode of Evolve CPG, Caroline Cotto is here to discuss how conscious consumers and brands can fight this problem. Caroline is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Renewal Mill, President of the Upcycled Food Association, and she also is passionate about all things health, wellness and, food! Finding partners with the same mission is imperative and today, Caroline shares how her company found success with the help of theirs. We also discuss the importance of making sustainability a factor in the food that we buy before discussing how upcycling food is healthier for us and the planet. So to hear more about how to fight food waste and ultimately, climate change, tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:
The mission and vision of Renewal Mill to consider the health of people and the planet.
Why Renewal Mill wants to make sustainability sexy.
The products Renewal Mill used to market their upcycled ingredients.
How Renewal Mill found their partners and why they’re key for the company.
How marketing influences choices and who Renewal Mill is marketing their products to.
What Renewal Mill’s partnership focus is for the future.
How upcycled food has become popular and where Caroline thinks it’s going in the future.
Why conscious consumers/brands must ask questions and demand better for our food.
The importance of communicating to consumers in a truthful manner.
Where Caroline’s passion for food and nutrition came from.
Caroline’s research on what influences children’s food choices.
All about Caroline’s involvement in the Upcycled Food Association.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Caroline Cotto
Caroline Cotto on LinkedIn
Caroline Cotto on Twitter
Caroline Cotto on Instagram
Renewal Mill
Upcycled Food Association
Claire Schlemme on LinkedIn
Hodo Foods
Climate Designers - Climify
Climify on Apple Podcasts
Climify on Spotify
Climify on Instgram
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
53 min
October 12, 2022091 - Start with Health with Mark Samuel of IWON Organics
Nutrition is key to living healthy but is a challenge due to the demands of work and life. Unhealthy snacks are what many people rely on to keep themselves energized throughout the day; often leaving them feeling tired, cranky, and hungry for more. What if there was a healthy alternative? In this episode, we speak to Mark Samuel, the Founder of IWON Organics; a company providing people with healthy, organic meals and snacks that make people feel good. Mark has had a life-long obsession with health and fitness and is passionate about helping people make better meal and lifestyle choices. In our conversation, we discuss why a founder should be deep in the business, the motivation behind IWON Organics, and the importance of nutritional balance. We also learn about how Mark got interested in health and fitness, starting with the ‘why’ for your brand, and an exciting new concept helping people win together. Tune in and discover the world of healthy and guilt-free snacking with Mark Samuel!

Key Points From This Episode:
We start with a brief background about IWON Organics.
The inspiration behind Mark’s passion for health and fitness.
Find out why Mark decided on healthy snacks for his product line.
Hear about the hard lessons he learned as an entrepreneur.
Why being deeply involved with your business is an avenue for growth.
Mark explains his new concept of ‘winning together’ regarding nutrition.
He shares what got him hooked on weight training.
Hear how he ended up starting his own CrossFit gym.
Whether he competed professionally as a weight trainer.
Mark explains how following your passions is not always a good idea.
Outline of the previous companies he was involved with centered around fitness.
Why Mark chooses a healthy and active lifestyle.
Find out if Mark was always passionate about health and nutrition.
We discuss the consequences of eating unhealthy food.
Reasons why eating unhealthy is a choice.
The benefits of collaboration between business and community.
Advice Mark has for other founders and leaders in the industry.
Discover why Mark thinks health should be a priority for everyone.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Mark Samuel on LinkedIn
Mark Samuel on Twitter
IWON Organics
IWON Organics on Facebook
IWON Organics on Twitter
IWON Organics on Instagram
IWON Organics on LinkedIn
IWON Organics Email
Winning Together
6 Pack Fitness
Fitmark
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
38 min
October 05, 2022090 - Donations Beat Discounts Andrew Forman of Givz
Discounts are the default incentive to grow sales for many businesses. However, a change in consumer behavior is causing them to hack into margins and deteriorate brand value. In this episode, we speak to Andrew Forman about an alternative approach gaining traction in the marketing space, donation incentives! Starting in finance as an investment banker, Andrew decided to pursue an MBA degree at Harvard. After studying, he wanted to make a social impact while following his ambitions in business, culminating in him starting Givz; an e-commerce marketing platform with a twist. Givz is a digital commerce platform that grows sales, creates positive impacts, and reduces discount dependency through the implementation of donation incentives. We talk about donation incentives instead of discounts as an alternative to grow your business and increase sales while also doing good for your community and driving positive change. Hear how discount incentives work, how offering discounts only helps your brand in the short-term, why donation incentives will help grow your business, and the overall benefits for the consumer. Tune in to hear how aligning your impact goals with your brand can drive healthy business and help make the world a better place with Andrew Forman!

Key Points From This Episode:
A brief background about Givz and what they do differently.
We learn about Andrew and his professional career journey.
Details about how Givz started and became what it is today.
The initial model Givz used and why it pivoted to its current model.
He explains the motivation behind Givz and what the company aims to achieve.
Find out about how he rebranded his business and attained the domain name.
Benefits of using donation incentives instead of discounts.
We unpack the impact of donation incentives on customer base and sales.
Why he decided to study for an MBA degree at Harvard University.
The biggest benefit studying for an MBA at Harvard University.
Why using the same domain name for two business models caused confusion.
Outline behind the psychology of discounts.
How the donation incentive at Givz compares to similar approaches.
Andrew tells us about the positive impact the Givz model has on customers.
He shares what other brands could benefit from a donation incentive model.
We discuss how free shipping works as a purchase incentive.
Hear about the effectiveness of the donation incentive model on a brand.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Andrew Forman on LinkedIn
Andrew Forman on Twitter
Givz
Givz on Instagram
Givz on Facebook
Givz on Twitter
Givz on LinkedIn
Givz on YouTube
Givz on TikTok
Harvard University
TOMS
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
52 min
September 28, 2022089 - TikTok and Vulnerability with Erica Rankin of Bro Dough
Social media can be a fantastic way to grow your brand and increase sales, but this is easier said than done, especially for people that are not extroverts. In this episode, we speak to Erica Rankin, CEO, and Founder of Bro Dough, a healthy plant-based cookie dough alternative. Erica is driven by her passion for health and fitness but also enjoys indulging in the finer things in life, particularly cookie dough! She combined these loves with her ambitions and competitive nature to start Bro Dough. Although not a natural extrovert, Erica was able to step outside of her shell and use social media to grow her business. In our conversation, we discover how she was able to leverage social media to expand her brand, the advantages and disadvantages of being a self-starter, and when is the right time to bring on investors. Tune in to hear how you can successfully use social media to increase sales and help you reach your full potential with go-getter Erica Rankin!

Key Points From This Episode:
Introduction to Erica Rankin, Founder, and CEO of Bro Dough.
What makes Bro Dough unique compared to other cookie dough products.
The events that led her to start Bro Dough.
How she combined her love for health and fitness with her entrepreneurial spirit.
Why Erica chose to focus on cookie dough for her product line.
She outlines the various ways Bro Dough can be used.
Hear how she was able to overcome the challenge of less sugar.
Learn the ups and downs Erica experienced while starting Bro Dough.
She shares an example of a massive hurdle she recently faced.
Reasons why Erica decided to self-fund the business.
Advice she has for people considering bringing on investors.
Discover how Erica first began leveraging social media to grow her business.
Learn how she was able to grow her following on TikTok.
We learn more about the course Erica has set up and what he inspired her to start it.
Find out a compelling crowdfunding initiative she has planned.
She explains what she has planned for the company in the near future.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Erica Rankin on Instagram
Erica Rankin on LinkedIn
Bro Dough
Bro Dough on Facebook
Bro Dough on Instagram
Bro Dough on TikTok
Bro Dough on LinkedIn
Grow With Erica
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Episode 080 — Better Food Packaging in 30 Questions
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
42 min
September 21, 2022088 - The Keys to Success with John Foraker of Once Upon a Farm
To make a true impact, your mission needs to be baked into the DNA of your brand from the get-go. Joining us today to share the keys to the success of an impact-driven brand is John Foraker, Co-Founder and CEO of nutrition-focused kids’ food brand, Once Upon a Farm. In this episode, we discover the most valuable lessons John learned from scaling Annie’s Homegrown, how he came to partner with actress and Once Upon a Farm co-founder, Jennifer Garner, and how he weaves impact into the brands he builds. Tune in for this revealing episode on scaling without compromising culture, and committing to making an impact.

Key Points From This Episode:
Introducing John Foraker, Co-Founder and CEO of Once Upon a Farm.
John’s advice for scaling an impact-driven brand.
The importance of baking impact into the DNA of your brand.
The three most valuable lessons John learned from scaling Annie’s Homegrown.
How and why both John and actress Jennifer Garner got involved with Once Upon a Farm.
The fundamental belief that drives John to use business as a force for positive social change.
The benefits of the public benefit corporation model.
Hiring advice and criticism of the historical corporate mindset.
The importance of authenticity as a leader (and the danger of imitation).
Reframing the term “organic”.
How John married his passion for food and farming with business.
The value of graduate studies and continuous learning in business.
Once Upon a Farm’s purity promise and their partnership with Save the Children.
The evolving nature of B Corp.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
John Foraker on LinkedIn
Once Upon a Farm
Once Upon a Farm on Instagram
Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner on Instagram
Annie’s Homegrown
Modern Species
Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn
Evolve CPG
Evolve CPG Community
Evolve CPG on YouTube
Evolve CPG email
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
1 hr 2 min

About Brands for a Better World (formerly Evolve CPG)

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We're bringing you the stories behind the people and products building a more just, healthy, and regenerative future for us all. Tune in weekly and together, we’ll learn about why these better…

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Brands for a Better World (formerly Evolve CPG) episodes

About Brands for a Better World (formerly Evolve CPG)