The food and beverage industry is experiencing a kind of Renaissance as bold startups are trying out new things and new ways of doing things that have been done before. Often in this industry, you are hardly trailblazing as a startup. How do you differentiate yourself sufficiently so that you can attract the right customers and, equally importantly, the right investors? Witness another pitch sprint as four food and beverage startups pitch in front of investors, Nick McCoy of Whipstitch Capital and Sabrina Merage Naim, Ben Levy, and Stephen Daubert of Echo Capital Group. With host, Elliot Begoun, they scrutinize each of the pitches and home in on some crucial learning points on the food and beverage industry and venture capital.

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Business and entrepreneurship is an adventure full of ups and downs. There will be times where, as an entrepreneur, you will have to find funding solutions for your business. Jessica Bates discusses the world of finance, debt, and funding in today’s episode with Elliot Begoun. Jessica is a Director of Business Development at Dwight Funding. This company focuses on its mission to change the lending industry. Listen in as Jessica talks about how business owners can manage their finances as they scale.

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Many first time entrepreneurs are apprehensive about working with a fund. It would be an advantage to work with a founder-centric fund that cuts through the BS, gives realistic valuations for your business, and helps you step by step into fulfilling your vision. Spiral Sun Ventures is dedicated to applying that philosophy inside their niche – investing in consumer product companies that promote a healthier lifestyle. Joining Elliot Begoun to elaborate on the company’s investing strategy are its Managing Partners, Michael Kaplan, Margot Shapiro and Mark Thomann. Spiral Sun Ventures works with partners who are passionate about their business, but they do the one thing that is absolutely critical in venture capital – being brutally honest about scalability prospects and working from there. Join in as the Three Ms share some aspects of the fund’s strategy, including investing early, making unique investments, and leveraging your network.

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Pitching a new idea to anyone opens hundreds of opportunities for how it could go. Entrepreneurs dive into these opportunities by pitching a brand. In this episode, Aditi Dash and Chuck Cotter join Elliot Begoun to give their insights on pitching as four founders pitch to them live. Aditi is a partner at CircleUp Growth Partners whose mission is to help entrepreneurs thrive by giving them the capital and resources they need. On the other hand, Chuck Cotter is a partner at Holland & Hart LLP and advises companies at all stages of growth, from startups to ready-to-exit. Listen in as they talk about great insights as well as helpful feedback all about pitching your brand.

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Empathizing with consumers allows you to get to know them better, and as a result, better understand how to give them what they need. Don’t underestimate the impact that this kind of consumer kinship will have on your brand going forward as you poise yourself for growth. Ryan Pintado-Vertner is the founder of Smoketown LLC. He joins Elliot Begoun to talk about why you should give priority to empathizing with consumers. Human beings are extremely complicated, but with empathy, you may just be able to peel back the layers further and gain a more complete understanding of who it is you’re serving.

For too long, the industries around the country have been slow in recognizing and reflecting the changing needs of an increasingly diverse society. The JEDI Collaborative is committed to breaking down these systemic barriers to inclusion in the natural products industry. It is a newly-created platform that strives to get the industry to lean into justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Lara Dickinson, the Cofounder and Executive Director of the platform, believes that it is their mission to radically transform the industry to be more inclusive and reflect the county’s rapidly changing demographics. No time is more apt for this project’s launch than now, as America broils with the unrest sparked by systemic oppression. Join in as she talks to Elliot Begoun about the project’s vision and endeavors, and hear the stern message of inclusion they are putting out into the world.

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Many changes in eCommerce today are prompted by the massive change in the way consumers are beginning to buy. A report shows that an estimated 40% of groceries are being sold online right now, with 55% to 60% of all searches starting on Amazon. With all these changes happening, there is no reason to lose money on Amazon, especially if you have a roadmap. In this episode, Elliot Begoun talks with Betsy McGinn, the author of The Amazon Roadmap. After working with Amazon for over a decade, Betsy has learned a thing or two about the ins and outs of eCommerce. Today, they discuss how you can successfully launch on Amazon and set yourself up to maximize the opportunity that currently exists. 

More than anything, the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us to recognize that we are what we eat, that the earth is not our subsidiary, and that policy matters to protect our health and family. As such, we become more conscious of the chemicals that surround our system, our home, and our environment. Talking about the impacts of COVID-19 and the need for a cleaner world, Elliot Begoun sits down with none other than Gary Hirshberg, the CEO of Stonyfield Farm—the world’s leading organic yogurt producer. Gary discusses the major shift that is happening in commerce, where values-driven businesses, especially those that people can trust and promote organic and healthy eating, are becoming more visible than ever. He then answers some of the questions in the organic business world about accelerating growth, meeting consumers, getting funding, doing consumer research, and more.

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In unprecedented times such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, it is hard not to notice the overall speed at which our world is changing around us. It seems more of an upheaval that has dramatically accelerated us into a new way of living and doing business. In this episode, Elliot Begoun sits down with Bob Burke, principal at Natural Products Consulting, to talk about what we see in the CPG industry, what is going on, and what changes are most likely to stick and are transitory. Bob then answers some questions from the audience on going fully plant-based, starting D2C programs, managing success, developing a channel strategy, managing PR on a limited budget, expanding a new product line, and more. These things may not be able to take away the uncertainty of our current times, but what Elliot and Bob can do is provide you the support to see the challenges through. Don’t miss out on this great conversation.

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As an eCommerce business, an online presence is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle that you have to focus on. Without this online presence, of course, your business is rendered invisible, so you have to take every opportunity to keep your company top of mind. Alex Hanifin is the VP of Marketing at The Good Crisp Company. Alex and Elliot Begoun talk about the massive importance of maintaining a strong online presence for an eCommerce business. Being that this is such a vital piece of the eCommerce puzzle, make sure you don’t get left behind. With Alex and Elliot’s help, you’ll create a much stronger online presence for your company in no time.

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