The Irresistible Factor

The Irresistible Factor

By Kristi BridgesBusinessEntrepreneurshipHealth & FitnessMarketing
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The Irresistible Factor episodes

  • Interview with Addison LaBonte – Sweet Addison's Founder and CEO

    “...the goal is no longer to be fearless. It's to be bold and courageous. When I feel fear, which is inevitable when you're launching something new and doing something outside your comfort zone, I want to be courageous in the face of fear.” 

    Kristi sits down with the incredibly inspiring Addison LaBonte - Founder and CEO of Sweet Addisons.  Addison has one mission - to bring joy to people through her delicious better-for- you cookies. A tall order for an ambitious young lady.

    In this episode, Addison tells the story of how a debilitating illness shifted her original goal of becoming a CFO in a big corporation to becoming an Instagram influencer turned brand founder. Addison launched Sweet Addison’s in January of 2024 (yep, just a couple of months ago!) And she already has plans about how she’ll scale and grow the business. For such a young founder she’s already faced quite a few challenges, which she shares with candor. She leaves us with insightful advice about how to take fear and turn it into courage. This is an episode you do not want to miss! 

     Here’s what you won’t want to miss: 

    - How Addison managed to cure her  ‘compartment syndrome’ by switching to a gluten-free lifestyle
    - The harmful effects of gluten (especially in the US) 
    - What the day-to-day looks like at Sweet Addisons in their early stage
    - Her dream to pitch her business on Shark Tank 
    - A sneak peek of her new flavor launching in March

    38 min
  • Interview with Meryl Farr – Co-Founder and Owner of 4Sisters Rice
    “Challenges are opportunities. I mean, to me, I don’t see them as setbacks.” And talk about taking on challenges. This ambitious co-founder is on a mission to create a strong brand in what has become a highly commoditized category. Meryl Farr, Co-Founder and Owner of 4Sisters Rice intends to make rice the star of the plate. Meryl and her sisters are a family of farmers with deep roots in agriculture. Meryl credits her success to some truly harsh criticism from a Walmart buyer. That difficult meeting caused her to rethink the name and packaging of the product, and 4Sister’s Rice was born. Just in time for Covid. And as difficult as that was, it turned out to be lucky for them. They launched when staples like rice were flying off the shelves like toilet paper. They were meeting a need that they didn’t even know existed. Their distribution gains were fast and furious. They found themselves constantly pivoting to meet the demand of the market, the challenges of the supply, and the massive responsibility of keeping employees safe. Meryl’s inspiring attitude towards these challenges paved the way for the successful launch of 4Sisters Rice. Listen to her tell the story of the obstacles they faced, the importance of a positive mindset, what it’s like to work with her four sisters, and so much more! Here’s what you won’t want to miss from our conversation: - The story of how a meeting with a buyer at Walmart forced them to rethink their entire brand- A 30-day rebrand- Why tough critics are the key to success - What it’s like to be a woman in the male-dominated agriculture industry - The importance of supporting American farmers
    32 min
  • Interview with Caitlin Cash – Founder of Kinship Milk Tea

    “...I think for me, it’s just an expression of creativity, it’s an expression of innovation. I think that, like you said, there’s almost no choice. When you feel that passionate about something, there is no other option.

    So, through building this company, I have done it very slowly, very intentionally.”Many founders start with the end goal of building a famous brand and/or a profitable one to sell. Today’s guest, Caitlin Cash, Founder of Kinship Milk Tea says it’s not about the end game. It’s about what she will learn, accomplish, and build during the exciting and challenging journey of starting her own brand.

    Her inspiration for creating Kinship started while teaching English in Thailand. On her way to school, she would stop at 7-Eleven and grab herself a milk tea, something we didn’t have here in the States. After returning to Austin and looking for milk tea, she realized there was a need in the market. This episode covers everything from the story behind the name, the rationale behind intentionally slow growth and distribution, and the supportive nature of the CPG community. She also gives fantastic advice for aspiring entrepreneurs like why slow and steady wins the race and how to find creativity through entrepreneurship.

    35 min
  • Interview with Danielle Kidney - Founder of The Creative Pack
    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.
    42 min
  • Interview with Megan Klein - Founder and CEO of Little Saints
    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.
    33 min
  • Interview with Taylor Grant - Tribini Co-Founder & CEO
    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.
    38 min
  • Interview with Scott’s Protein Balls CEO and Co-Founder – Lori Levine
    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
    31 min
  • Interview with Ava Faustini — 1023 Gelato Founder
    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
    19 min
  • Interview with Alan Cohen — Kokomio Founder and CEO
    “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
    37 min
  • Interview with Molly Fedick — Buzzkill Wines Founder
    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
    42 min

About The Irresistible Factor

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The Irresistible Factor Podcast focuses on brands in the health and wellness space that want to become irresistible to consumers, investors and retailers. Kristi Bridges is the President and CEO of…