Embarking on a decade-long journey marked by triumphs in branding and relationship building, Danielle Kidney brings her wealth of experience to our conversation. As the Founder of the Creative Pack LLC, an agency specializing in early-stage Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands, Danielle distinguishes herself in a competitive landscape by infusing her agency with a relationship-focused and detail-oriented ethos.In our conversation, Danielle reflects on the dynamic shifts within the industry, especially in the wake of the post-pandemic era. Delving into the core of The Creative Pack's mission, Danielle offers founders advice that she has learned through her impressive 10 year background as a founder herself. Discover how Danielle believes that getting help and expertise from agencies can help a brand grow and take the right steps in their business. We get to hear why Danielle says getting branding right is so important even when brands don’t think they can spend the money. Gain insights into the challenges encountered by CPG brands and learn from the common missteps Danielle has keenly observed. This week’s podcast is full of amazing advice to learn from. Give it a listen.

Join me for this weeks podcast, where we explore the stories behind extraordinary brands and the communities that surround them. In this episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Megan Klein, the visionary Founder and CEO of Little Saints, a very special nonalcoholic cocktail brand with the added benefit of functional mushrooms..Megan shares the inspiration behind Little Saints, a venture born out of a desire to spread the love of nature and her desire to have a truly great alcohol alternative. She takes us through the meticulous process of creating the brand, from conceptualization to deciding what to make and how to market it.

This week I got to re-interview Taylor Grant, the Co-Founder of Tribini Ready-to-Drink espresso martinis.We spoke last year in August when they were just about to launch and I’m excited to share the story of their first 18 months in business.In this episode, you’ll get to hear about what it was like to start a brand in a challenging category (aren’t they all?). Taylor and his team had a very clear vision on how the brand was going to launch (DTC) and what their path to success and profitability was and as expected, it wasn’t what they expected.They were quickly forced to either Pivot or give up. I’m sure you know they didn’t give up and the story of how they handled the initial disappointment and subsequent shifts is filled with valuable learnings and lots of inspiration.Don't miss hearing Taylor talk about• The Pivot from DTC to having to find their own distribution• How and when they decided they needed to expand their team• What jobs a founder should really expect to do• Why a little friendly competition is actually a good thing.I am excited to share the optimism and openness which appear to be part of Taylor’s DNA.Have a listen.

Joining us today on The Irresistible Factor is Lori Levine, CEO and Co-Founder of Scott’s Protein Balls. In this episode, Lori tells her inspiring story about how her struggle with breast cancer in 2017 led to her launching a brand. After conquering breast cancer, she realized that it was time to regain control of what she ate and how she took care of herself. At age 52 she was determined to get into the best shape of her life. Her nutritionist called the protein bar aisle “the walk of shame” as they are packed with sugar, soy, and preservatives. That caused Lori and her husband Scott to look for an alternative snack. Lori wanted a quick grab-and-go snack that was as nutritious as it was and tasty. Her husband Scott started experimenting with recipes that were clean, low in sugar, and delicious – all the things that protein bars weren’t. In this episode you’ll hear how Scott’s Protein Balls grew from a family snack to a thriving brand. This episode will give you hope and also perspective. You’ll also hear: How to keep a positive mindset through the highs and lows and turning hardships into opportunitiesTheir partnership with the Breast Cancer Research FoundationThe challenges and rewards of finding the right employees that are aligned with your mission

Welcome to another episode of The Irresistible Factor. Today, we are joined by one of the most special guests I've had on the show. Ava Faustini is the 14-year-old founder of 1023 Gelato. Ava’s story is beyond incredible. She started the brand as we were coming out of COVID because her parents told her she needed to get out and do something. Most 12-year-olds would have found friends to hang out with, but not this inspiring young lady. She decided to start a brand of dairy-free gelato. Find out what inspired her and how she navigates the challenging start-up CPG world, all while being a full-time student and varsity athlete. This episode is jam-packed with incredibly inspirational pearls of wisdom from a remarkable young woman, who proves you start a business at any age. You’ll also hear: • What inspired Ava to start her business at such a young age• What kind of help her family provides• The most exciting and challenging aspects of being a 14-year-old entrepreneur• How Ava manages her time with her business and school schedules • Ava’s advice for other founders

“I do believe [that] you’re [only] as limited as you think you are.”This short yet powerful quote is from today’s incredibly inspiring guest, Alan Cohen, the Founder and CEO of Kokomio - the coconut beverage unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Alan is a powerful entrepreneur and an incredible human being whose values serve his business and family. I’m not exaggerating when I say after our interview, you’ll feel like you’ve just been through an awesome and inspiring therapy session! Alan speaks a lot about our internal dialogue and how it can be extremely limiting and keep us from living up to our full potential. Alan talks about how to push past the negative thoughts, how to turn problems into opportunity, and how leaning into vulnerability and discomfort can pave the way for incredible growth opportunities. We also discuss what inspired him to found Kokomio and what sets the brand apart from others in the category. I promise you won’t want to miss this one because his words of wisdom are so profound that you’re bound to want more! You’ll get amazing business advice and also invaluable life advice. In this episode you’ll hear: -The importance of your internal dialogue and why how you view yourself will determine your fate -How to change your perspective and see problems as opportunities -Why Alan never says no to an opportunity -How being grateful and treating people with respect and love can translate into your own success

Revolutionizing the non-alcoholic beverage world, our guest today is blazing through this niche market with a quality product and an incredible tenacity. You’ll want to hear this interview with Molly Fedick, the Founder of Buzzkill Wines, on this episode of The Irresistible Factor.Molly shares her journey in creating a non-alcoholic wine for those who love the experience and taste of drinking without the consequences. In our conversation, she opens up about her path to becoming a founder, her experiences in fundraising, and her beliefs on the current trend of holding onto your cash at all costs. Molly talks candidly about her lack of experience and when that helped and hurt her on the journey to creating a successful brand.She also talks about the significant challenges she faced, including navigating capital raising as a woman entrepreneur.Be sure not to miss out on this insightful episode. Start listening now!In this episode you’ll hear:How Molly went from working in the tech start-up world at Hinge to becoming a CPG entrepreneurThe importance of being vulnerable and talking openly about your challenges Setting rules and boundaries as a founderHow she approaches marketing

In this episode, you’ll meet Luigi Marulo, one of the men behind the most delicious, premium pasta brands I’ve ever tried (and I’ve tried them all)! I had the pleasure of meeting Luigi at the Fancy Food show in New York. After recording this podcast episode with him, Luigi invited me to visit his pasta factory in Naples, Italy and it turned out to be one of the most profound experiences this crazy job has led me to. Before the podcast, I decided to try Marulo pasta for myself. I was initially a bit skeptical of its premium price, however, I was quickly won over by the taste and texture. Luigi attributes the excellence of their pasta to their use of ancient superior durum wheat, 100% Italian ingredients, and meticulous artisanal drying processes. And all of that is true. I saw it with my own eyes. The factory was pristine and organized and the ingredients and the process were beautiful. But what truly sets Pastifico Marulo apart is the love and passion that go into every step of the process. Every detail of the process and every ingredient they use has been carefully considered and was beautifully explained on our tour. There is a respect for the food, the land, and the meal, that I don’t know if most would appreciate without hearing it straight from Luigi.After the tour, Luigi treated my daughter and I to a delightful lunch at his family’s beach club where we sampled incredible pasta dishes. Luigi generously offered to drive us back to Naples where we were staying, with 8 boxes of pasta in tow. That pasta was carried by hand on 6 trains and one plane from Naples to Cinque Terre and then to Milan before making its way to my home. I learned a lot that day, but I felt even more. Many people say you have to “try it” to really get it. That has never felt more true to me. Yes, This is a blog about a founder. And also, a thank you for the reminders about what matters in our industry and more importantly, our lives.

“I don't ask any more for permission, I'd rather just apologize after.”This is the motto of our extraordinary and energetic guest on this week’s episode of The Irresistible Factor, Joseph Zeppilli, the ultimate rule breaker. Joseph’s knack for bending the rules, getting creative, and thinking way outside the box has catapulted his company, Bad Monkey Popcorn, into a nationally recognized brand in an astonishingly short timeframe.Joseph admits there may be better products out there, but he knows no one else has a brand quite like theirs.Listen to hear about the insane risk they took on the show Dragons’ Den (the Canadian version of Shark Tank) and why after they got an incredible offer, they turned it down! Learn about the crazy tactics they employed to get their product into the mouths of consumers, how he scored an incredible partnership with Disney, and the creative marketing strategy behind avoiding the snack aisle.This episode is filled with amazing stories, tons of passion, and invaluable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.In this episode you’ll hear:- How Joseph went from a successful job in finance to selling popcorn to teenagers at music festivals‌- The story of how they closed a deal on Dragons’ Den before they even auditioned‌- Why they give away thousands of bags away daily across 5 countries‌- The challenges and benefits that come with partnering with Disney