My guest today has already given us one inspiring and insightful episode, and I’m excited to welcome him back for an update. Jim Simon from JiMMYBAR! is a gifted serial entrepreneur who has built JiMMYBAR! into an innovative powerhouse in the CPG sector.

In this episode, we’ll discuss some of the challenges JiMMYBAR! faced during the early days of Covid, and how they were able to turn a dire situation into an opportunity for innovation.  JiMMYBAR!has expanded its range of products outside of bars (most recently to keto pudding!) to establish itself as a formidable snack company.

From making drastic cuts in staff, converting to a virtual office, and heading off supply chain issues with their smart, nimble, family-based team, join us for a motivating discussion of how you too can look for CPG opportunities when times get “weird.”

The “NexxtLevel Brands Podcast’ is hosted by G. Steven Cleere, Founder and “Chief Pot Stirrer” of NexxtLevel Brands. This show focuses on disruptors and thought-leaders from the Entrepreneurial Food, Beverage, and CPG Industry, but we also share tips from veterans and key suppliers that may help fellow CPG professionals achieve their goals.

Discussion Points

• Jim Simon intro and background
• The JiMMYBAR! transition from C-store to grocery, alternative, and private label business
• Selling through Amazon and Shopify
• The drastic cuts that were necessary due to Covid, and the resulting profitability
• How JiMMYBAR! maintains momentum in new product development
• The grocery walk through that led to their newest product
• What Jim wishes he had known/done early in his journey– raised more money
• JiMMYBAR! uses hundreds of “micro-influencers” for their social media marketing
• Covid challenges and adjusting to selling to buyers over Zoom
• Why a vertical business – the advantages and efficiencies of making your own products
• What would you have done differently looking back now?
• Can you give us some “Words 2 Grow By?”
• Join us for Round 3 with Jim sometime in the future

Resources:

Jim Simon LinkedIn

JimmyBars.com Website

NexxtLevel Brands Website

Steven Cleere LinkedIn

My guest today has already given us one inspiring and insightful episode, and I’m excited to welcome him back for an update. Jim Simon from JiMMYBAR! is a gifted serial entrepreneur who has built JiMMYBAR! into an innovative powerhouse in the CPG sector.

In this episode, we’ll discuss some of the challenges JiMMYBAR! faced during the early days of Covid, and how they were able to turn a dire situation into an opportunity for innovation.  JiMMYBAR!has expanded its range of products outside of bars (most recently to keto pudding!) to establish itself as a formidable snack company.

From making drastic cuts in staff, converting to a virtual office, and heading off supply chain issues with their smart, nimble, family-based team, join us for a motivating discussion of how you too can look for CPG opportunities when times get “weird.”

The “NexxtLevel Brands Podcast’ is hosted by G. Steven Cleere, Founder and “Chief Pot Stirrer” of NexxtLevel Brands. This show focuses on disruptors and thought-leaders from the Entrepreneurial Food, Beverage, and CPG Industry, but we also share tips from veterans and key suppliers that may help fellow CPG professionals achieve their goals.

Discussion Points

Resources:

Jim Simon LinkedIn

JimmyBars.com Website

NexxtLevel Brands Website

G. Steven Cleere LinkedIn

Udo Erasmus is the Co-founder of Udo's Choice, a health brand that can be found in Whole Foods and other health food stores nationwide. He began his natural food career by designing the machinery for making oils with health in mind and pioneering flax oil, which is now a billion-dollar industry. 

Today, Udo is an acclaimed speaker and author of many books including the bestseller, Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill. He speaks at events hosted by Tony Robbins and Deepak Chopra, and has traveled to over 30 countries to conduct thousands of live presentations, media interviews, and staff trainings on oils, health, peace, and human nature.

How Udo Erasmus' background during the Second World War influenced his life and how he emigrated to Canada from Germany

Udo talks about working in biochemistry and genetics, his entry into healthy living, and what he’s learned about healthy oils

The reasons why Udo uses flax to make oil and his nutritional advice for increasing intake of healthy omega oils

How a ban on the importation of linseed oil by the FDA impacted Udo's business

Selling and positioning a health brand in Whole Foods

Does Udo's Choice serve the food service industry and how did they go global?

How the COVID-19 pandemic created more awareness about what people eat

Udo's advice to fellow entrepreneurs on dealing with tough times

Omega 3 and 6 oils are very important for our health and wellbeing. However, most people don't pay attention to the type of oil they use in their cooking and this often prevents them from getting necessary nutrients.

After getting poisoned while working with pesticides, Udo Erasmus went on a journey of discovery where he learned the benefits of eating clean healthy food and oils. He became a pioneer in the healthy fats/oils movement and started Udo's Choice to provide better and healthier oil products to the market.

In this episode of the NexxtLevel Brands Podcast, Steve Cleere sits down with Udo Erasmus, the Co-founder of Udo's Choice, to talk about healthy eating and the benefits of healthy oils. They also talk about sources of different food nutrients, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on people's food choices, and how Udo grew his oils brand to go global. Stay tuned. 

iTunes

Spotify

Stitcher

Google Play

Deezer

iHeartRadio

TuneIn

Amazon Music

Kitchen2Shelf

NexxtLevel Marketing

Udo's Choice

Udo Erasmus

Udo Erasmus on LinkedIn

Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill: The Complete Guide to Fats, Oils, Cholesterol and Human Health by Udo Erasmus

Our podcast today is sponsored by Kitchen2Shelf, the educational arm of NexxtLevel Brands. Kitchen-2-Shelf provides online and in-person courses and workshops for CPG entrepreneurs at any stage of growth. 

Whether you're an early-stage startup, a local growing business, or if you want to just expand your distribution to a national level, Kitchen-2-Shelf can help you learn what you need to know to grow.

Visit their website to get access to some free tools that can help you understand where your business stands. 

Contact them today to find out how they can help you grow your brand and expand your business to reach its full potential.

Elizabeth Edwards is the Founder and Managing Partner of H Venture Partners, a venture capital firm that invests in science-based consumer products brands. She has been in the venture capital space for over 17 years. Before launching H Venture Partners, Elizabeth invested in over 45 companies including Peloton, Freshly, and Roots.

Today, H Venture Partners has led brands to become household names with a portfolio of companies including Avaline, Cameron Diaz's clean wine line, Cerebelly, a patented line of baby foods from a Stanford neurosurgeon and mom, Hazel, a novel incontinence brand for active women, and Kinship, a sustainable skincare brand aimed at Gen Z.

How Elizabeth Edwards' background prepared her for venture funding

The differences between returns from technology brands and consumer brands

What Elizabeth looks for in an investment

Why have some acquirers sold their investments back to the founders?

How Elizabeth's company and personal life have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

How the pitching landscape has changed over the last two years

Elizabeth explains what she looks for in investor decks, how her funds are used by brands, and where to learn more about her firm

The market trends that interest H Venture Partners

Elizabeth's advice to fellow entrepreneurs

Venture funding is an important element in the growth and scale of CPG brands. However, most investments made by venture capital firms are limited to the technology space. So what can CPG brands do to attract and secure financing to grow their brands?

Elizabeth Edwards founded H Venture Partners to help entrepreneurs get funding for their consumer brands. She targets companies that take a scientific approach to the health-boosting products they produce. Today, she’s here to share her advice on what such entrepreneurs can do to get venture financing.

In this episode of the NexxtLevel Brands Podcast, Steve Cleere is joined by Elizabeth Edwards, the Founder and Managing Partner of H Venture Partners, to discuss what venture capital firms look for in CPG brands. Elizabeth explains why most VCs concentrate on technology brands, talks about market trends, and shares what she looks for in investor decks. Stay tuned.

iTunes

Spotify

Stitcher

Google Play

Deezer

iHeartRadio

TuneIn

Amazon Music

Kitchen2Shelf

NexxtLevel Marketing

H Venture Partners

Elizabeth Edwards on LinkedIn

Peloton

Expo East

Expo West

Our podcast today is sponsored by Kitchen2Shelf, the educational arm of NexxtLevel Brands. Kitchen-2-Shelf provides online and in-person courses and workshops for CPG entrepreneurs at any stage of growth. 

Whether you're an early-stage startup, a local growing business, or if you want to just expand your distribution to a national level, Kitchen-2-Shelf can help you learn what you need to know to grow.

Visit their website to get access to some free tools that can help you understand where your business stands. 

Contact them today to find out how they can help you grow your brand and expand your business to reach its full potential.

Andrew Criezis is the General Manager for small and medium-sized businesses at NielsenIQ. Before joining NielsenIQ, he was the Chief Product Officer during the creation and launch of a new best-in-class CPG platform called Byzzer, which helps small CPG manufacturers win more market share with actionable retail data insights. His track record of success is best exemplified in global operations and product development. He is an expert not only in crafting data-driven business solutions but also in embedding analytics into all aspects of NielsenIQ products. 

Andrew Criezis explains what NielsenIQ is and how it aggregates data

How NielsenIQ has been building products for small brands

The type of data small and medium-sized brands look out for

Where to learn more about Byzzer

How Byzzer helps brands with distribution, promotions, and performance evaluation

The Byzzer platform's ease of use and its benefits when dealing with distributors

Does NielsenIQ consider consumer data from large retailers?

Andrew explains what household panel data is, how it is acquired, and the typical competitor’s response to NielsenIQ's data

The value of getting data about health and wellness

One of the biggest challenges many startups face involves finding the data they need to successfully start and scale their businesses. This could include information about their target market, their competitors, investors, and finding the right price points. In addition, as the brand grows, there is a need to gather information about the performance of the products and future market insights.

NielsenIQ created a platform called Byzzer that helps CPG brands acquire the data and insights they need to grow and scale. Through it, business leaders are better equipped to make strategic business decisions about creating new products, distributing them, and evaluating performance.

In this episode of the NexxtLevel Brands Podcast, Steve Cleere interviews Andrew Criezis, the General Manager at NielsenIQ, about the products the company has created to help CPG brands make better business decisions. Andrew explains how Byzzer works, talks about the type of data companies often look out for, and explains how household panel data is acquired. Stay tuned.

iTunes

Spotify

Stitcher

Google Play

Deezer

iHeartRadio

TuneIn

Amazon Music

Kitchen2Shelf

NexxtLevel Marketing

Steve Cleere's email: [email protected]

Andrew Criezis on LinkedIn

NielsenIQ

NielsenIQ Brand Score

Byzzer

Rakuten

Our podcast today is sponsored by Kitchen2Shelf, the educational arm of NexxtLevel Brands. Kitchen-2-Shelf provides online and in-person courses and workshops for CPG entrepreneurs at any stage of growth. 

Whether you're an early-stage startup, a local growing business, or if you want to just expand your distribution to a national level, Kitchen-2-Shelf can help you learn what you need to know to grow.

Visit their website to get access to some free tools that can help you understand where your business stands. 

Contact them today to find out how they can help you grow your brand and expand your business to reach its full potential.

Sean Lake is a Co-founder at BUBS Naturals, a line of collagen peptides and other all-natural supplements. He is a former professional snowboarder who went on to Burton Snowboards, worked as Shaun White's team manager, and landed a spot as the Director of Sports Marketing at DC Shoes. After decades in action sports marketing, Sean co-founded BUBS Naturals.

BUBS was named after Sean's childhood best friend Glen “BUB” Doherty, a Navy SEAL who was tragically killed in Benghazi, Libya in 2012. A devoted husband, father, and fitness fanatic, Sean is also passionate about helping people feel great and do good while leading a business that gives back. 

Sean Lake talks about dropping out of college to go after his passion for snowboarding

Why Sean went back to college, what he did after that, and how he was drawn to nutrition and fitness

Sean talks about the life of his best friend, Glen Doherty, and how he lost his life

How Sean was introduced to collagen and the origin story of BUBS Naturals 

Sean explains how they found a collagen supplier and the way they grew the company

Where to learn more and purchase BUBS Naturals

The other products produced by BUBS Naturals

Sean's advice to fellow entrepreneurs

Storytelling remains one of the best strategies a CPG brand can use to market and promote its products. A story-first branding strategy helps educate consumers about the history of the brand and build connections with them.

Sean Lake and his business partner at BUBS Naturals have been leveraging storytelling to build their brand since they started. They have also been using professional certifications to stand out from their competitors, obtaining Whole30 approval and ultimately scaling their business.

Sean Lake, the Co-founder of BUBS Naturals, joins Steve Cleere in this episode of the NexxtLevel Brands Podcast to talk about starting and building a brand centered around a charitable cause. Sean talks about his passion for snowboarding and other sports, his lifelong friendship with Glen Doherty, and how he got started in the food industry. Stay tuned.

iTunes

Spotify

Stitcher

Google Play

Deezer

iHeartRadio

TuneIn

Amazon Music

Kitchen2Shelf

NexxtLevel Marketing

BUBS Naturals

BUBS Naturals on Instagram

BUBS Naturals on Facebook

BUBS Naturals on Amazon

Sean Lake on LinkedIn 

Burton Snowboards

World Surf League

X Games

Tony Hawk

DC Shoes

The Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation

Reebok

TJ Ferrara on LinkedIn

NSF International Certified for Sport

Melissa Urban on LinkedIn

The Whole30

Our podcast today is sponsored by Kitchen2Shelf, the educational arm of NexxtLevel Brands. Kitchen-2-Shelf provides online and in-person courses and workshops for CPG entrepreneurs at any stage of growth. 

Whether you're an early-stage startup, a local growing business, or if you want to just expand your distribution to a national level, Kitchen-2-Shelf can help you learn what you need to know to grow.

Visit their website to get access to some free tools that can help you understand where your business stands. 

Contact them today to find out how they can help you grow your brand and expand your business to reach its full potential.

Caroline Adams is a Client Project Manager at Bobsled Marketing, an agency that helps brands scale on Amazon. As a marketing expert, Caroline specializes in brand management, new product development, and marketing communications with a focus on consumer goods in both brick and mortar and e-commerce channels. She has mastered the Amazon 1P and 3P business models, driving increased sales for various brands. 

Caroline is also the Author of Forever Determined: An inspiring novel of hope, courage, and a woman’s will to overcome adversity. Caroline continually grew her book sales by over 400% through Amazon PPC advertising, social media, and public relations initiatives.

• What is the Amazon Maturity Index, and how can it help your brand accelerate growth?
• Caroline Adams discusses CPG trends and best practices in the Amazon space
• The findings of Bobsled Marketing’s index development survey and analysis
• Who can utilize the Amazon Maturity Index?
• Caroline breaks down the methodology and insight behind the index
• Caroline’s predictions for the future of Amazon 
• How Bobsled will continue updating the index
• Caroline’s best advice: never stop learning 

Amazon is constantly changing — and has skyrocketed since the pandemic. But how can your e-commerce brand keep up with these changes? Is there a way to quickly grow and scale on Amazon? 

Meet the Amazon Maturity Index. Created by the Bobsled Marketing team, this index collects and analyzes data to uncover what drives success on an Amazon channel. With the Amazon Maturity Index, you can see where your brand falls in comparison to others, gain insight from internal and external sources, and begin accelerating growth today, no matter the size of your brand! 

On this episode of the NexxtLevel Brands Podcast, G. Steven Cleere sits down with Caroline Adams, Client Project Manager at Bobsled Marketing, to talk about how your Amazon brand can use data to drive growth. Caroline shares the methodology behind Bobsled’s Amazon Maturity Index and how you can use it to develop your brand, why being an active participant on Amazon is important, and the surprising truths behind Amazon growth.

iTunes

Spotify

Stitcher

Google Play

Deezer

iHeartRadio

TuneIn

Amazon Music

• Kitchen2Shelf
• NexxtLevel Marketing
• Caroline Adams on LinkedIn
• Bobsled Marketing
• The Amazon Savviness Score
• The Amazon Maturity Matrix webinar
• Kiri Masters on the NexxtLevel Brands Podcast

Our podcast today is sponsored by Kitchen2Shelf, the educational arm of NexxtLevel Brands. Kitchen-2-Shelf provides online and in-person courses and workshops for CPG entrepreneurs at any stage of growth. 

Whether you're an early-stage startup, a local growing business, or if you want to just expand your distribution to a national level, Kitchen-2-Shelf can help you learn what you need to know to grow.

Visit their website to get access to some free tools that can help you understand where your business stands. 

Contact them today to find out how they can help you grow your brand and expand your business to reach its full potential.

Hector Saldívar is the Founder and Owner of Tia Lupita Foods, a better-for-you, healthy Mexican-inspired food brand that uses clean and simple ingredients in all its products. Tia Lupita is also the first brand to introduce the nopal cactus as an alternative, functional, and sustainable ingredient in the US market. 

Hector was born in Monterrey, Mexico, and later earned a bachelor's degree in international business and a master's in European business administration. He moved to the US in 2005 as a territory manager for a Mexican startup and climbed the ranks working for companies like Nestlé USA and Diamond Foods. He has also been an integral part of the Pop Secret team that became the best-selling microwave popcorn brand in the USA.

Hector explains what Tia Lupita means and how Tia Lupita Foods was formed

Hector's background in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) business

How Hector used his mother's hot sauce recipe to produce his product

The current product lineup for Tia Lupita and how the company has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

Hector talks about his decision to go retail and the regions he serves

How Hector got funding to start his hot sauce business and his future expansion plans

The biggest challenge Hector faced growing Tia Lupita Foods

Similar to material things, family recipes can be inherited and passed down from generation to generation. This is very common in Mexico and many delicious secret recipes have been passed down to younger people as a result.

When Hector Saldívar saw a business opportunity in his mother’s recipes, he flew her down to San Francisco so she could teach him how to make her special hot sauce. He then started small, crafting the products in a commercial kitchen and bringing the business to a slow simmer, eventually reaching independent stores to promote and sell his product.

In this week’s episode of the NexxtLevel Podcast, Steve Cleere is joined by Hector Saldívar, Founder and Owner of Tia Lupita Foods, to find out how Hector used his mother's recipe to create a healthy hot sauce business. They also talk about Hector's background in the CPG industry, how his company has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the current and future product line for Tia Lupita Foods.

iTunes

Spotify

Stitcher

Google Play

Deezer

iHeartRadio

TuneIn

Amazon Music

Kitchen2Shelf

NexxtLevel Marketing

2-Do Tuesdays by Kitchen2Shelf

Debra Armstrong on LinkedIn

Tia Lupita Foods

Hector Saldívar on LinkedIn

Shopify

Our podcast today is sponsored by Kitchen2Shelf, the educational arm of NexxtLevel Brands. Kitchen-2-Shelf provides online and in-person courses and workshops for CPG entrepreneurs at any stage of growth. 

Whether you're an early-stage startup, a local growing business, or if you want to just expand your distribution to a national level, Kitchen-2-Shelf can help you learn what you need to know to grow.

Visit their website to get access to some free tools that can help you understand where your business stands. 

Contact them today to find out how they can help you grow your brand and expand your business to reach its full potential.

Andrew Suzuka is the Founder of Otamot Foods, a brand that makes organic and veggie-filled tomato sauces. Otamot Foods was launched in 2019 after adding some veggies to a pizza sauce he was making for his daughter, Evelyn. The brand's sauce is now sold in over 1,000 stores, including Whole Foods, Kroger, Fresh Thyme Market, and others. If the name looks familiar, that’s because it is: “Otamot” is “Tomato” spelled backwards.

Andrew is a results-driven entrepreneur focused on building meaningful brands with the help of amazing people. As the CFO of Bayard Advertising and delivering projects for companies like Google and Coca-Cola, he joined the food industry with 20 years of experience in advertising.

How Andrew Suzuka came up with the idea for launching a CPG product

Andrew talks about his agency background and what he learned after moving to the CPG world

How Andrew started his business, his co-packer search, and the ingredients used to make his sauces

The distribution strategies Andrew used to enter retail stores and his approach for driving direct-to-consumer sales

How appearing on QVC has impacted Otamot Foods and how the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the brand

Andrew explains how he works with agencies to build his brand and how he balances his day job with growing the company

Andrew’s future expansion plans for Otamot Foods and how they plan to raise funds for the business

Andrew shares his advice for growing a successful CPG brand and explains how he came up with the name, Otamot Foods

Where to find Otamot Foods online and in retail 

To grow a successful CPG brand, founders have to work smart and ensure that they are scaling the right way. What does this mean for you? Simple: you have to work with the right employees, partners, and agencies.

Andrew Suzuka has been growing his CPG brand over the last couple of years by ensuring that he works with the right partners and agencies. He works with a PR agency, a social media agency, and brokers. He finds people with experience who will guide him and provide good feedback on the decisions he makes.

Andrew Suzuka, the Founder of Otamot Foods, joins Steve Cleere in this episode of the NexxtLevel Podcast, to talk about how he has been growing an organic, veggie-filled tomato sauce brand. Andrew also explains how he works with different agencies and brokers to build his brand, how his QVC appearances have had a positive impact on his business, and his future expansion plans.

iTunes

Spotify

Stitcher

Google Play

Deezer

iHeartRadio

TuneIn

Amazon Music

Kitchen2Shelf

NexxtLevel Marketing

Andrew Suzuka on LinkedIn

Otamot Foods

Otamot Foods at Whole Foods

Expo East

Fancy Food Show

“The Frozen Little Pie with the Big Homemade Taste! - Mamie's Pies on the NexxtLevel Podcast!” with Kara Romanik, the Founder of Mamie’s Pies

Our podcast today is sponsored by Kitchen2Shelf, the educational arm of NexxtLevel Brands. Kitchen-2-Shelf provides online and in-person courses and workshops for CPG entrepreneurs at any stage of growth. 

Whether you're an early-stage startup, a local growing business, or if you want to just expand your distribution to a national level, Kitchen-2-Shelf can help you learn what you need to know to grow.

Visit their website to get access to some free tools that can help you understand where your business stands. 

Contact them today to find out how they can help you grow your brand and expand your business to reach its full potential.