Food Business Success® - Start Your Food Business Dream

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It takes a lot of courage to create a business that is in alignment with your authentic self; it's so easy to get distracted by the "shoulds" and what everyone else is doing. Courtney Thompson, founder of Blooming Kitchen Co, is doing just this (after a few detours) and her business is starting to bloom. You will laugh, you will cry (at least I did) and you will feel empowered to say YES to an aligned business and NO to everything that isn't that.

👋We're Food Business Success®. We mentor early-stage founders with real coaching, strategy, tools, and systems to help them avoid common pitfalls and build a brand that lasts. We're also home to the Launch & Grow Accelerator.

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When things get tough, most entrepreneurs make decisions from fear and scarcity—but what if there was a better way? In this episode, I explore why your internal guidance system (aka intuition) is actually your secret weapon for navigating uncertainty, finding creative solutions, and making aligned business decisions that feel good in your body. 

You'll learn the science behind why fear-based decisions hurt your business, discover practical ways to tap into your inner wisdom, and experience a guided meditation designed to open your mind to new possibilities and partnerships.

Get Intuitive Answers from Marie Manucherchi 

What if questions to get you started. Write them daily in your journal, post them by your computer or put them on your phone. Play with them - expand on them to fit your situation. Ponder them often and allow for a crack into possibility.

What if everything is ALWAYS working out for me?

What if I have access to everything I need to create a successful business?

What if a beautiful business is easier than I ever thought?

What if this business could be more fun than I ever imagined?

What if following my joy brings me the most fulfillment I have ever experienced?

What if I wasn't scared to take a risk or make an investment in my dreams?

What if I followed my intuition and it led me to the most creative answers every time?

What if I am letting go and allowing my internal guidance system to lead me to a delicious business I love?

What if people are out there who can help me do this faster and have more fun? 

What if it's possible for me to make money while doing what I love?

What if I trust myself to make amazing decisions?

What if people want what I have to offer and are ready and excited to pay for it?

What if it was easy?

👋We're Food Business Success®. We mentor early-stage founders with real coaching, strategy, tools, and systems to help them avoid common pitfalls and build a brand that lasts. We're also home to the Launch & Grow Accelerator.

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You've perfected your home recipe, but that doesn't mean it will hold up to time, temperature, transportation and larger-scale production. Depending on your product, you may need help from a food scientist to help with longevity, flavor, color, texture and to make sure it is food safe for your customers. This is called commercialization and Mike Gabel, director of The Food Innovation Center at CSU Spur, and I chat about when and why you might want a food scientist on speed dial. 

👋We're Food Business Success®. We mentor early-stage founders with real coaching, strategy, tools, and systems to help them avoid common pitfalls and build a brand that lasts. We're also home to the Launch & Grow Accelerator.

[Learn more about coaching] | [Explore Launch & Grow]

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We've completely revised our Launch & Grow Accelerator with a full update for 2026. Grab your m...

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Do you consider yourself a good negotiator? The truth is most of us aren't - our emotions get in the way or we end up compromising to end up with a bad deal we resent. Whether you're struggling with supplier costs, co-packer terms, or retail placement, these powerful tactics I share with you from the book Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss will help you secure better deals while building stronger partnerships.

You'll learn three of my favorite (and life changing) strategies from the book including:

• How "tactical empathy" helps you understand what buyers and suppliers truly want
• The mirroring and labeling techniques that reveal crucial hidden information
• Do an accusation audit ahead of time and name the elephant in the room to disarm your counterpart and open up dialogue

Packed with real-world examples from successful food founders in the Fuel community, this episode provides a practical framework for approaching any business negotiation with confidence. From farmers market customers to retailers, these FBI-tested strategies will help you navigate difficult conversations and create win-win outcomes that propel your business forward.

Join us for the bonus wholesale call inside Fuel on May 28th and get the negotiation strategy worksheet here.

👋We're Food Business Success®. We mentor early-stage founders with real coaching, strategy, tools, and systems to help them avoid common pitfalls and build a brand that lasts. We're also home to the Launch & Grow Accelerator.

[Learn more about coaching] | [Explore Launch & Grow]

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It doesn't matter how much money you have, your age, your current job, or your experience, a beautiful business is possible for you if you are willing to keep taking action and get outside of your comfort zone. 

This is exactly what Patty & Caroline, co-founders of Well Bean, makers of bean-focused bars and desserts (and they are delicious!) are doing. I've been so impressed working with them over the years as they keep making progress and taking calculated risks to advance their business. When Patty shared with me that she officially quit her J-O-B to go full time in the business, I had to have them on to share their story.

Use code SARI10 at https://wellbean.life/ for 10% off your first order. 

👋We're Food Business Success®. We mentor early-stage founders with real coaching, strategy, tools, and systems to help them avoid common pitfalls and build a brand that lasts. We're also home to the Launch & Grow Accelerator.

[Learn more about coaching] | [Explore Launch & Grow]

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We've completely revised our Launch & Grow Accelerator with a full update for 2026. Grab your m...

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When was the last time you shared something real about yourself to your current or potential customers?

I know it’s not what you want to hear - you just want to make a great product and have everyone fall in love with it, tell everyone they know and buy it repeatedly - but that's simply not enough to get traction as a small brand. 

On today's podcast I share the secret to small business success - that being vulnerable is one of the fastest ways to create new and raving fans.
 
People don’t just want your product — they want to know you.

👋We're Food Business Success®. We mentor early-stage founders with real coaching, strategy, tools, and systems to help them avoid common pitfalls and build a brand that lasts. We're also home to the Launch & Grow Accelerator.

[Learn more about coaching] | [Explore Launch & Grow]

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Market research can make a huge difference in your product offering and launch strategy, but bad data can be worse than no data at all according to my guest,  Lara Fordis. 

In this episode, Lara returns to discuss how market research has evolved in the CPG industry over the past four years, particularly with the emergence of AI tools that have made research both more accessible and potentially misleading. Lara shares insights on how entrepreneurs can properly validate their product ideas beyond the "echo chamber" of friends and family, highlighting the importance of getting feedback from representative target audiences who will actually pay for your product. We learn about the benefits of in-home use testing (IHUT), how to avoid common survey pitfalls like double-barreled questions, and why understanding your product's unique differentiation is crucial for success. 

Whether you're launching a new food product or scaling your existing brand, this conversation provides valuable perspectives on gathering meaningful consumer insights that can save you from costly mistakes and help you develop a viable market proposition.

Find out more info about Lara's work and new course at http://fordisconsulting.com or email her at [email protected]

👋We're Food Business Success®. We mentor early-stage founders with real coaching, strategy, tools, and systems to help them avoid common pitfalls and build a brand that lasts. We're also home to the Launch & Grow Accelerator.

[Learn more about coaching] | [Explore Launch & Grow]

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We've completely revised our Launch & Grow Accelerator with a full update for 2026. Grab your m...

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Do you dream of quitting your job and running your business full time? Sure, you can do the "quit and figure it out" approach that leads many founders to burnout or failure OR I'll share what has worked best for my clients and Fuel members to start a business while working full time and then to transition out of the your 9-5.  

Whether you're just starting your food business journey or already juggling a side hustle with your day job, this episode provides the roadmap to intentionally build your exit strategy.

👋We're Food Business Success®. We mentor early-stage founders with real coaching, strategy, tools, and systems to help them avoid common pitfalls and build a brand that lasts. We're also home to the Launch & Grow Accelerator.

[Learn more about coaching] | [Explore Launch & Grow]

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We've completely revised our Launch & Grow Accelerator with a full update for 2026. Grab your m...

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If you've ever laid awake worrying about getting someone sick from your product or if you are doing things correctly to not be sued, this episode is for you. 

I sat down with my go-to food safety expert Scott Roi, and he makes this “unsexy” topic feel doable and even empowering.

We break down what you actually need to be food safety compliant at different stages of business and you might be surprised at what you do, or don't need. 

Whether you're at farmers markets, selling nationally online, or about to pitch to Whole Foods, this is the episode to keep in your toolkit.

Hit play, take notes, and let’s make food safety one less thing keeping you up at night. If you need Scott's services, email him at [email protected] and be sure to tell him you heard our interview on Food Business success!

PS - Scott is our Fuel VIP guest in May - if you've been on the fence about joining a program from Food Business Success, now is the time to get inside!

Launch & Grow to get to $100K

Master Your Business to become a CEO and scale to $300K

👋We're Food Business Success®. We mentor early-stage founders with real coaching, strategy, tools, and systems to help them avoid common pitfalls and build a brand that lasts. We're also home to the Launch & Grow Accelerator.

[Learn more about coaching] | [Explore Launch & Grow]

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We've completely revised our Launch & Grow Accelerator with a full update for 2026. Grab your m...

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I'm pulling back the curtain on the three biggest mistakes that cause early-stage food entrepreneurs to struggle and often fail. Drawing from my experience over 7+ years helping hundreds of food businesses launch and scale, I give you an honest look at why so many passionate food makers hit roadblocks despite having amazingly delicious products.

You'll discover why listening to everyone's conflicting opinions leads to confusion rather than clarity, how spreading yourself too thin across multiple sales channels sabotages your momentum, and the surprising cost of operating without a proper long-term plan or budget. More importantly, I share practical solutions for each of these pitfalls, including how to filter advice, strategically choose your sales channels, and create a vision-driven plan that actually works.

Whether you're still in the dreaming phase or already knee-deep in your food business journey, this episode delivers the tough love and actionable strategies you need to avoid common traps and set your business up for sustainable success. Don't miss this essential guide to navigating the early stages of your food business with confidence!

👋We're Food Business Success®. We mentor early-stage founders with real coaching, strategy, tools, and systems to help them avoid common pitfalls and build a brand that lasts. We're also home to the Launch & Grow Accelerator.

[Learn more about coaching] | [Explore Launch & Grow]

NEW for YOU!
We've completely revised our Launch & Grow Accelerator with a full update for 2026. Grab your m...