Essential Ingredients Podcast

"The truth is, when you start checking out other brands, you will start to notice how inconsistent they are. So just by being consistent, you're already ahead of the game." —Jeff Greenfield.

Most entrepreneurs are drowning in a sea of marketing noise, desperately trying to be heard while burning through limited resources with little measurable return. But the real battle isn't about having the most sophisticated tactics, but about crafting a message so compelling that it cuts through the digital clutter and speaks directly to our ideal customer's deepest desires and unspoken needs.

Jeff Greenfield is the Co-Founder of Provalytics, a cutting-edge analytics platform that transforms how companies measure marketing effectiveness. With decades of experience decoding complex marketing data, Jeff has advised some of the world's largest brands on optimizing their advertising strategies.

Tune in as Justine and Jeff expound on marketing analytics, revealing how businesses can leverage historical mathematical techniques, harness the power of digital platforms, and make data-driven decisions that dramatically boost profitability—all while telling a compelling brand story that resonates emotionally with their target audience.

Meet Jeff:

Jeff Greenfield is the Co-Founder and CEO of Provalytics, where he is revolutionizing marketing attribution with privacy-centric, cookie-less solutions tailored to a rapidly evolving digital landscape. With over three decades of expertise in strategy, growth, and marketing innovation, Jeff has a proven track record of building transformative companies and delivering measurable results. At C3 Metrics, which he co-founded, Jeff developed industry-first technologies like the cookie-less identifier. These innovations helped clients such as JP Morgan and Nestlé achieve marketing ROI improvements exceeding 25%.

Jeff's journey began with his studies in biochemistry at the University of Maryland, where he developed a data-driven approach that has shaped his career. His diverse expertise spans strategic leadership, technology innovation, and creativity, drawing from experiences that include aviation, magic, and healthcare. Today, Jeff leads Provalytics with a commitment to empowering marketers to make smarter, faster decisions that drive measurable impact, helping businesses thrive in a privacy-first world.

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Episode Highlights:

02:29 Marketing: From Traditional to Digital

07:37 Why Old-School Marketing Techniques Still Work

10:25 Ancient Math Powering Modern AI

14:40 Building Brand Awareness with Limited Budgets

22:58 Navigating Social Media Platforms

26:53 Turning Data into Millions

29:14 Beyond Clicks: Rethinking Marketing Metrics

"You follow your passion, and when you have a purpose behind it, everything becomes a little bit clearer." —Nancy Rimbergas

Clean beauty isn't just another Instagram hashtag—it's a real movement that starts with actually caring about what we're putting on our skin. Every lotion, cream, or serum is like a tiny decision that ripples out, affecting not just our body, but the whole planet. We're not just buying products anymore; we're voting with our dollars, pushing brands to be real about their ingredients, and showing the beauty industry that we want something better.

Nancy Rimbergas is the co-founder of Earth Based Body, a purpose-driven skincare line that harnesses the potent, scientifically backed ingredients native to the Sonoran Desert. By prioritizing local, non-toxic ingredients and maintaining a commitment to transparency, she aims to bridge the gap between natural wellness and high-performance beauty.

Tune in as Justine interviews Nancy about her inspiration and challenges behind creating a clean, non-toxic skincare line, the unique healing properties of Sonoran Desert ingredients, the importance of local sourcing and ingredient transparency, how to balance creativity and business strategy in product development, entrepreneurial lessons learned in starting and scaling a business, and the power of relationships and community in business growth.

Meet Nancy:

Nancy Rimbergas is a Chicago native drawn to the mythical desert from an early age when visiting with family. Her connection grew with each visit, and she finally took the leap and moved to Arizona to experience the desert every day. True to her maximalist vibe, she now lives the Earth Based Body lifestyle with her husband, surrounded by an obnoxious amount of original artwork collected through their travels.

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Episode Highlights:

01:14 Crafting Natural Skincare

07:05 Clean Beauty: A Personal Mission

10:02 Product Development and Ingredient Selection

13:15 Packaging with Purpose

16:06 Challenges of Starting a Business

20:24 Prioritizing Relationships OVer Rapid Expansion

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"I had to find that niche, that core community of people who were trying to solve the same problems that I was and who were passionate about the solution. But if I hadn't found that, I think it would be tough to try to keep promoting your product and your brand without actually knowing where it fits." —Belinda Lau

Every toothpaste tube and toothbrush we've ever used might still be existing somewhere on this planet! Plastic dental care products are silent environmental destroyers, with each toothbrush lingering for about 500 years in landfills and oceans.

Belinda Lau, a biomedical engineer with 15 years in medical device innovation, co-founded Elims with her dentist husband to transform oral care through sustainable, science-backed products. Motivated by the environmental impact of traditional dental care and her background in medical technology, she developed a breakthrough toothpaste using nano-hydroxyapatite that delivers clinical effectiveness while dramatically reducing plastic waste.

Tune in as Justine and Belinda explore NASA's nano hydroxyapatite technology, sustainable oral care packaging, TerraCycle's recycling innovation, clean ingredient alternatives to fluoride, bootstrapping a CPG business, growing business as a couple, flavor development strategies, dental professional insights, plus much more.

Meet Belinda:

With a background in biomedical and material science engineering and over 20 years of experience in the medical device industry, Belinda brings deep science and heart to every product. Inspired by a mission to create better-for-you, planet-friendly health care, she leads ELIMS with purpose, innovation, and impact. Belinda was named to the Forbes Next 1000 list and recognized by the Los Angeles Times as a Visionary CEO for her leadership in driving innovation and impact in sustainable consumer health.

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Episode Highlights:

02:24 ELIMS: Bridging Sustainability and Dental Health

09:07 Nano Hydroxyapatite: An Alternative to Fluoride Developed by NASA

16:44 TerraCycling: Sustainability Beyond Product

24:29 Flavor Innovation: Making Toothpaste Fun Again

36:42 Power Couple Entrepreneurship

45:21 Funding Mistakes

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Episode Description:

"In the CPG industry, so many individuals are just so friendly and eager to help emerging brands and founders succeed. Ask for help and they're always willing to make an introduction." —Danny Auld

Early childhood nutrition is more than just filling tiny bellies with food. It's about creating lifelong eating habits that can shape health, curiosity, and cultural understanding. The first few years of a child's diet can determine their relationship with food for decades to come.

Danny Auld and David Fullner are the co-founders of Kekoa Foods, a groundbreaking baby food company born from their personal mission to provide nutritious, globally-inspired meals for children. As an educational psychologist and former entertainment industry professional, they've developed a revolutionary approach to introducing complex flavors and healthy eating habits from infancy.

Tune in as Justine Reichman explores with Danny and David their innovative "Taste Training" program, uncovering how parents can help children become adventurous eaters, why 93% of kids aren't eating recommended vegetables, and the transformative power of introducing global flavors from the very first bite.

Meet David:

David Fullner, the visionary CEO and co-founder of Kekoa Foods, turned his passion for cooking, gardening, and healthy living into a bold mission after the birth of his son in 2013, when he saw the lack of flavorful, high-quality baby food options. Motivated to create something better, he began crafting organic baby food blends using fresh vegetables, herbs, roots, and spices — a unique approach his son instantly loved. What started as a personal solution quickly evolved into Kekoa Foods, a company now known for challenging industry norms and prioritizing taste, wellness, and ingredient integrity. Under David's leadership, Kekoa Foods is reshaping the future of baby food to ensure every child has access to clean, nutritious, and flavorful meals.

Meet Danny:

Dr. Danny Auld is the co-founder and President of Kekoa Foods, where he leads business operations, sales, financial strategy, and production logistics with a strong focus on excellence and community impact. He manages fundraising, investor relations, and compliance while also shaping the company's public presence through digital content, influencer partnerships, and nationwide food donation initiatives. With a PhD from Fordham University and a background in academic leadership, Danny brings strategic insight and a passion for meaningful change. Beyond his professional work, he enjoys cooking, family time with his husband and co-founder David, and their son, and actively mentors young professionals while supporting efforts to combat food insecurity and promote youth development.

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Episode Highlights:

01:49 Kekoa Foods: Providing Nutritious Food to the Youngest Eaters

04:14 Introducing New Flavors to Young Eaters

08:00 Enhancing Flavor and Ensuring Safety

13:00 Taste Training Program

18:40 Funding and Networking in the CPG Industry

23:43 Strategic Retail Expansion

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Get a 25% discount when you shop at: https://kekoafoods.com/

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Episode Description:

"I would say stick to your values because once we start to slip on that, everybody knows it and we're not authentic anymore— and what people want is the transparency of who's making their food." —Sam Paone

We've all been there—watching those beautiful farmers market finds slowly wilt in the fridge, feeling guilty with every sad, soggy leaf. What if there was a delicious way to rescue those forgotten vegetables and turn them into something not just healthy and edible, but absolutely crave-worthy?

Sam Paone is a culinary alchemist who traded restaurant kitchens for a mission to reinvent pickling. As the founder of Golden State Pickle Works, she transforms organic, seasonal produce into probiotic-rich delicacies that challenge everything people thought about fermented foods.

Tune in for a flavor-packed journey that transforms kitchen waste into probiotic gold as Justine and Sam talk about how fermentation can boost gut health, support local farmers, and preserve seasonal produce as well as the surprising health benefits, cultural significance, and gourmet potential of transforming humble vegetable scraps into delicious, sustainable treats.

Meet Sam:

Sam Paone is the founder of Golden State Pickle Works, a California-based artisan fermentation company. With a background in restaurant cooking, she transitioned to entrepreneurship, creating organic, hyper-seasonal pickled vegetables, condiments, and salad dressings. Sam is passionate about preserving local produce, supporting organic farmers, and introducing innovative fermented food products. She has developed a unique line of pickles and fermented goods that celebrate seasonal ingredients, and is currently working on a preservation-focused television series. Her culinary approach emphasizes flavor, sustainability, and community connection.

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Episode Highlights:

01:45 Golden State Pickle Works: Exploring the Concept of Pickling

10:05 Marketing and Business Challenges

14:56 Community and Customer Feedback

22:44 What's Next for Sam?

28:54 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

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Episode Description:

"How can we make growing your own food possible in environments where it normally wasn't? Or can we drastically lower the impact of water use, fertilizer use, or resources used to drive to the grocery store? That's a big impact that we can have if we can allow you to grow your own food right at home." —Conner Tidd

What if you could grow fresh, pesticide-free produce just steps from your refrigerator, regardless of where you live? Indoor vertical farming isn't just a trend— it's a revolutionary approach to sustainable, accessible food production.

Conner Tidd is a sustainability expert and the co-founder of Just Vertical, a pioneering company reimagining how urban dwellers grow food. With a Master's in Sustainability and a passion for solving global food challenges, Conner has developed innovative indoor gardening solutions that make fresh, local produce possible for everyone.

Tune in as Justine and Connor reveal how indoor vertical farming can slash water usage, eliminate pesticides, reduce food miles, and empower individuals to become home producers—transforming our relationship with food, one garden at a time.

Meet Conner:

Conner Tidd is the co-founder of Just Vertical, an innovative indoor farming company that designs indoor gardens and vertical farming solutions. With a Master's degree in Sustainability, he aims to make fresh, locally grown food accessible to people in urban environments and remote locations. Conner's entrepreneurial journey focuses on addressing food security, reducing environmental impact, and providing sustainable solutions for growing produce in challenging climates. Through Just Vertical, he helps individuals grow pesticide-free, fresh vegetables and herbs in their own homes, with a mission to create resilient and affordable food systems.

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Episode Highlights:

03:25 Historical Context and Current Trends in Food Production

05:09 Water and Resource Efficiency in Vertical Farming

21:14 Pesticide-Free Produce

23:23 A Journey Into Entrepreneurship: Mistakes and Lessons Learned

33:37 How to Set up a Vertical Garden

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Episode Description:

"Once you start eating your own food, it expands your taste horizons and you can't be afraid to experiment. If it doesn't work out and it's horrible, just put it in the compost bucket and start over. It's okay, you'll be fine." —Marjory Wildcraft

Food is not just sustenance; it's a fundamental human right that we've outsourced to complex, fragile systems. This disconnection from food sources has transformed us into passive consumers dependent on a market that creates an illusion of abundance, masking a precarious supply chain that can unravel in moments. But we are not powerless. Our backyard is a potential fortress of food security, self-sufficiency, and resilience.

Marjory Wildcraft is a pioneering educator who teaches sustainable food production and home medicine skills. She has developed innovative systems for growing food in diverse environments, helping people reclaim their food independence.

Tune in as Justine and Marjory explore how we can transform our living space into a productive food ecosystem through urban gardening, home medicine, animal protein production, seed diversity, nutrient cycling, and economic resilience strategies.

Meet Marjory:

Marjory Wildcraft is the founder of The Grow Network, which is a community of people focused on modern self-sufficient living. She has been featured by National Geographic as an expert in off-grid living, she hosted the Mother Earth News Online Homesteading Summit, and she is listed in Who's Who in America for having inspired hundreds of thousands of backyard gardens. Marjory was the focus of an article that won Reuters' Food Sustainability Media Award, and she recently authored The Grow System: The Essential Guide to Modern Self-Sufficient Living—From Growing Food to Making Medicine.

She is best known for her DVD series Grow Your Own Groceries, which has over half a million copies in use by homesteaders, foodies, preppers, universities, and missionary organizations around the world.

Beloved for her humorous, non-judgmental, get 'er done style, Marjory raised two teenagers in Central Texas and currently splits her time between Paonia, CO, and Puerto Rico. When she's not building an online network, being "Mom," and tending her family's food supply, Marjory loves playing, running, doing gymnastics, skateboarding, acquiring skills from the Paleolithic era (yes, she is part cavewoman!), and experimenting with anything and everything related to food production and sustainability.

Join the I Can Grow Food webinar to learn the fastest and easiest ways to produce healthy and delicious meat, eggs, and vegetables with Marjory: http://www.backyardfoodproduction.com

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Episode Highlights:

00:20 Meet Marjory: A Journey of Food Security

08:00 Practical Tips for Urban Food Production

14:55 Transitioning to Home Medicine

21:11 The Role of Marketing in Sustainability

26:56 Preparing for Future Food Security

30:01 Integrating Ancient Practices with Modern Needs

33:01 The Nutritional Value of Backyard Livestock

38:54 Start Growing Your Food

Episode Description:

"I don't have an MBA. I only have a food knowledge background, and that doesn't make me an expert, either. But I know how to inquire and how to connect. So I have just been digging and grinding through my process, always finding the answers when I need them." —Seena Chriti

Snack innovation is more than just creating a product—it's about telling a cultural story through flavor. Every bite carries the potential to bridge traditions and challenge culinary expectations.

Seena Chriti is a culinary arts graduate from Mexico City with a deep passion for food, media, and cultural storytelling. Her entrepreneurial journey transforms traditional Mexican snacks into modern, health-conscious offerings through her CPG brand.

Tune in as Justine sits with Seena to share her journey of launching a culturally inspired snack brand and how she navigated challenges in product development, market positioning, consumer education, scaling, cultural food innovation, and more.

Meet Seena:

Seena Chriti is a Food and culture expert with TV and print media experience. Her focus is on visual media, such as TV and video production of Food segments. Her passion is the relationship of food with culture, history, art, its meaning, and symbolism.

Seena has worked in television, newspaper, and magazines, always highlighting the historical or symbolic value of food so that it is never taken for granted since it is considered one of the most important aspects of human life. She believes that food is the only element of culture that enters our body and becomes part of us.

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Episode Highlights:

01:52 Meet Seena

04:26 The Role of Incubators and Accelerators

08:41 Consumer Feedback and Product Adjustments

14:21 Exciting Innovations

20:38 Consumer Perception and Market Challenges

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Episode Description:

"We need to think more about the ecosystem, and it's not always the cheapest way to do stuff. I think we're just trying to make a difference. And if we can make a living while making a difference, then that's really important." —Jason Walker

Regenerative organic farming is more than just a method—it's a revolutionary approach to healing our planet's most critical resource: soil. It offers a holistic approach that sees agriculture not as an extraction process but as a recuperative, life-giving partnership with the Earth.

Jason Walker is a visionary third-generation farmer who leads StarWalker Organic Farms, championing regenerative organic agriculture and raising heritage breed livestock in their natural environments. With a deep commitment to soil health, animal welfare, and sustainable farming practices, Jason is not just a farmer, but an educator and advocate for transforming our understanding of food production and its impact on human and environmental well-being.

Listen in as Justine and Jason decode the complex landscape of regenerative organic farming, exploring the intricate connections between soil vitality, heritage breeds, certification standards, and the profound impact of conscious agricultural practices on nutrition and environmental sustainability.

Meet Jason:

Jason Walker is a third-generation farmer and co-founder of StarWalker Organic Farms, a pioneering regenerative organic farm with nearly 45 years of organic farming experience. As a passionate advocate for sustainable agriculture, Jason has transformed his family's farm by implementing regenerative practices that prioritize soil health, animal welfare, and ecosystem diversity. Jason is committed to educating consumers about the importance of regenerative farming and its impact on nutrition, environmental sustainability, and food production.

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Episode Highlights:

01:23 The Origin: StarWalker Organic Farms

07:34 Transitioning to Regenerative Organic

10:19 The Impact of Regenerative Farming on Soil and Ecosystem

21:38 Regenerative Farming: Challenges and Opportunities

29:03 Heritage Breeds and Nutrient-Dense Meat

38:44 Future Aspirations and Community Engagement

40:04 Availability and Accessibility of Regenerative Products

Episode Description:

"Trust that you can do the Math and that you have the tenacity and that nature will give you way more opportunities than you even need." —Jamiah Hargins

Imagine a world where water conservation isn't just a choice, but a critical strategy to survival.

Water isn't just slipping through our fingers—it's vanishing before our eyes. Yet, our current consumption patterns are writing a dangerous narrative for future generations. Hence, the silent crisis of water conservation demands immediate, innovative solutions that reimagine how we interact with this precious resource.

Jamiah Hargins is a visionary urban farmer and social entrepreneur who founded Crop Swap LA, a nonprofit revolutionizing food production in unused urban spaces. With a mission-driven approach, he has developed groundbreaking strategies for community-based agriculture and water management.

Tune in as Justine and Jamiah talk about water conservation, community-driven food independence, entrepreneurial resilience, organic gardening techniques, local food distribution, and innovative strategies for creating sustainable, resilient food systems.

Meet Jamiah:

Jamiah Hargins is the founder of Crop Swap LA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to growing food on unused urban spaces and promoting food independence. With a mission to transform local food systems, he has developed innovative approaches to urban agriculture, water conservation, and community-driven food production. Over the past seven years, Crop Swap LA has impacted approximately 1,000 people monthly, growing food across 10 different locations in Los Angeles.

An experienced social entrepreneur, Jamiah has previously launched multiple ventures and is passionate about creating sustainable, regenerative solutions to food insecurity. His work focuses on empowering communities to grow their own food, implement water recycling systems, and reduce dependency on traditional agricultural supply chains. Jamiah is also developing educational resources to help other communities replicate Crop Swap's model across the United States.

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Episode Highlights:

02:54 Empowering Community Leaders

06:50 Water Conservation and Rainwater Capture

17:44 Expanding the Movement

26:05 Community and Mentorship

29:49 Crop Swap: Impact and Future Plans

35:22 Upcoming Events and Campaigns