In this new episode, we discuss how Kristyn Carriere is using the “Nike” niche strategy for her product brand to go from small to mainstream.

Drawing on her experience at global giants like Godiva and Mondelez, Kristin explains why the secret to mass-market appeal often starts with a hyper-focused niche. We break down the "aspirational flywheel", designing for elite endurance athletes to capture the everyday consumer, and discuss the raw operational hurdles of scaling a physical product, from surviving a six-month manufacturing blackout to navigating the sudden inventory demands of Amazon.

Inside this episode:

✅ The "Nike" Strategy: Why winning a specific niche is the fastest way to build mainstream brand equity.✅ Supply Chain Survival: How Kristin managed six months of zero revenue after losing a manufacturer.✅ Pricing & Retention: The strategy behind raising prices by 25% while rebuilding a customer base.✅ The Amazon Reality Check: Why "instant demand" can be a nightmare for bootstrapped inventory.✅ Corporate to Founder: Transitioning from executive roles to the "all-in" reality of a startup.

⚡️Join the waitlist to be notified about our monthly workshops ➡️ https://learn.rectified.co/2026-workshop-waitlist

⚡️Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner

Seven Summits Snacks’ Website: https://sevensummitssnacks.com/

Seven Summits Snacks on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/7summitssnacks/

Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/

Chapters:

0:00 - The “Nike” Niche Strategy: How This Product Brand Is Going Small to Go Mainstream

4:05 - Identifying the Gap: Functional Chocolate vs. Traditional Energy Gels

7:45 - The Corporate Pivot: Applying Big Brand Experience to a Bootstrapped Startup

12:15 - Surviving the Nightmare: 6 Months of Zero Revenue and Supply Chain Crisis

18:30 - The Growth Playbook: Scaling Through Niche Marketing and Retail Expansion

23:05 - The Amazon Reality Check: Navigating Unpredictable Inventory Demands

27:10 - Founder Mindset: The "Not-To-Do" List and the Power of Networking

In this Rectified podcast episode, Sandy interviews Julian Hattem, founder of Juju’s Protein Snacks, about building a standout protein snack brand in a fast-growing global market projected at $8–$10B. 

Julien shares how his career as a personal trainer led him to create better-tasting, clean-label snacks, including Juju’s early protein donuts and the pivot to refrigerated protein cookie dough driven by customer demand and nostalgia. 

He explains product formulation priorities—clean ingredients, strong macros, 24g protein per tub, low sugar (about 3g), keto-friendly net carbs, and sweeteners like honey and monk fruit—plus the strategy behind bright, playful packaging to stand out in refrigerated cases. 

The conversation covers launching a freeze-dried version for 18–24 month shelf life and easier portability, retailer growth from Popeye’s Supplements to Metro, and upcoming expansion to Super C. 

Hattem also discusses CPG fundamentals such as the importance of team, margins, accounting, managing refrigerated logistics, raising capital through partners who believe in the product, handling manufacturing and formulation mistakes, delegating social media to his brother, and scaling carefully one account at a time while staying calm and operating in solution mode.

⚡️Join the waitlist to be notified about our monthly workshops ➡️ https://learn.rectified.co/2026-workshop-waitlist

⚡️Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner

Juju’s Protein Snack on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jujusproteinsnacks/

Find me here: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/

Chapters: 

00:00 Protein Snacks Boom + Meet Juju’s Founder Julian Hattem

01:40 From Personal Trainer to CPG Leap: Shutting Down the Gym

05:56 New Innovation: Freeze-Dried Cookie Dough Bites for Shelf Stability

10:22 Clean Macros Breakdown: Keto-Friendly, Low Sugar, High Protein

14:24 Branding That Pops: Fun Colors, 2-Second Hook & Clean Label Trust

18:27 Surviving CPG: Team, Margins, and Scaling Without Going Broke

20:36 First Retail Wins: Popeye’s, IGA, Metro—and Getting Buyers to Call You

25:56 Freeze-Dried Pivot: Shelf-Stable Snacking & New Tech

32:05 Founder Mindset: Staying Calm, Managing Cash Flow & Clean Accounting

39:13 The Volume Game: Margins, Manufacturing Costs & Co-Packer Tradeoffs

43:06 Final Takeaways: Belief, Plan, Team, and Relentless Action

How do you take a "fun" idea from a home kitchen to retail shelves across the country?

In this episode, I’m joined by Jenny Yu, co-founder of Ohme Foods, a Vancouver-based brand revolutionizing the healthy snack space with freeze-dried innovation. Jenny shares the raw, behind-the-scenes story of how she and her husband pivoted their brand name, bootstrapped their growth while working full-time jobs, and navigated the steep learning curve of retail expansion.

If you are a product founder wondering how to balance "on-trend" innovation with the strict financial realities of CPG, this conversation is a masterclass in resilience and strategic agility.

• The "Accidental" Business: How a New Year’s resolution and a message from a local cafe turned a weekend hobby into a wholesale brand.

• The Rebranding Mistake: Why Jenny changed her company name from "Oatme" to "Ohme" and the importance of avoiding confusing brand names for retail success.

• Bootstrapping Strategy: Why they chose not to quit their day jobs immediately and how that financial safety net allowed them to reinvest in the brand.

• The Realities of Retail: Navigating the "hardest part" of business—figuring out pricing, margins, and the cost of goods sold (COGS).

• Innovation & Trends: How Ohme stays relevant by combining "cool ideas" with massive market trends like protein and probiotics.

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE for more deep dives into the strategy behind successful product brands.

⚡️Join the waitlist to be notified about our monthly workshops ➡️https://learn.rectified.co/2026-workshop-waitlist

⚡️Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner

Ohme’s Website: https://www.ohmefoods.com/

Ohme on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohmefoods

Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/

⚡️Subscribe to our Substack and receive the podcast in your inbox ➡️ https://sandydedeian.substack.com/

Chapters: 

00:00 Introduction to Omi Foods

03:12 The Journey of Health and Wellness

06:16 Evolution of Omi Foods

09:03 Challenges in the Food Industry

12:11 Funding and Financial Strategies

15:13 Innovation and Product Development

17:20 Creating a Joyful Brand Identity

20:18 Omnichannel Marketing Strategies

24:36 The Power of Customer Connection

27:08 The Benefits of Co-Founding

29:09 Personal Growth Through Entrepreneurship

Unleash the potential of your physical product brand! Today, we’re doing something a little different. After a poll on Instagram, you asked for more personal content, so I’m sitting in the guest seat!

In this episode, I'm being interviewed by my producer, Charles (Speak Up Studio). We’re pulling back the curtain on the journey behind The Rectified Podcast and what it really looks like to build a brand in today’s Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) and retail landscape.

We’re diving into:

• Family Business Lessons: What I learned working with my father for 11 years.

• The Lebanese Touch: How resilience and navigating uncertainty shaped my business.

• Why Product Brands? The reason I focused my strategy on physical goods over services.

• Founder Mindset: The truth about the "entrepreneurial rollercoaster" and cash flow.

• The Future of Rectified: My new founder community and upcoming workshops.

Stop the "trial and error" cycle. SUBSCRIBE to get actionable insights every week and turn your vision into a scalable, profitable reality.

Join the Journey:

• Free Founder Community: community.rectified.co/scalepartner

• Workshop Waitlist: https://learn.rectified.co/2026-workshop-waitlist

• 100th Episode Live Event (Montreal): [Link]

Find me here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/

Chapters: 

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

04:29 Working with Family: Challenges and Insights

14:06 Moving to Montreal and Starting Over

19:47 Understanding Product-Based Business Strategies

22:44 Launching a Podcast: From Blog to Audio

26:32 Building a Community for Entrepreneurs

31:54 Celebrating the 100th Podcast Episode

34:26 Final Thoughts and Audience Engagement

What does it actually look like to build a brand in real-time before you even have a product to sell? 

In this episode of the Rectified Podcast, Sandy sits down with Martin McNicholl, a former Canadian Armed Forces member and tech entrepreneur who exited his successful cloud solutions company to start a whiskey distillery. Martin is currently in the "waiting period". He’s documenting every step of the process long before the first bottle hits the shelf.

We dive deep into why documenting is the ultimate marketing strategy for modern founders, the importance of standard operating procedures (SOPs), and Martin's philosophy on why "Sales is vanity, Profit is sanity, and Cash is king."

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The Power of Building in Public: Why Martin is acting as a media company first and a distillery second.

• The "Stop Doing" List: A productivity hack for entrepreneurs to scale by delegating what they hate.

• Transitioning Industries: How to bring skills from the military and tech into the world of physical products and agriculture.

• Managing the "Critical Path": How Martin used project management to fix production bottlenecks in the distillery.

• Surrounding Yourself with Experts: Why you don't need to know everything if you know who to ask.

If you are a product founder or an entrepreneur currently in the "unpolished" phase of your journey, this conversation will give you the perspective you need to keep building.

⚡️Join the waitlist to be notified about our monthly workshops ➡️ https://learn.rectified.co/2026-workshop-waitlist

⚡️Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner

Distillerie des Cantons’ Website: https://www.distilleriedescantons.ca/

Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinmcnicoll/

Find me here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/

⚡️Subscribe to our Substack and receive the podcast in your inbox ➡️ https://sandydedeian.substack.com/

Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction: Meet Martin McNicholl 04:50 - The Trigger: Why Martin Left a Secure Career to Start a Business 07:30 - The Risks of the Service Industry vs. Product Businesses 12:40 - The Power of SOPs: Bringing Military Discipline to Whiskey 15:00 - Exiting a Tech Company 18:45 - The "Aha" Moment in Scotland: Why Start a Distillery? 25:30 - Why Every Company Must Be a Media Company First 28:45 - Managing the 3-Year Wait32:15 - Sales is Vanity, Profit is Sanity, Cash is King 36:00 - Using Tech & Data to Optimize an Old-World Industry 41:20 - Solving the "Critical Path" in Production 45:10 - Martin’s Advice for New Product Founders 48:30 - Life is a Road, Not a Destination

In this first episode of 2026, we’re diving deep into Fashion for Entrepreneurs and the "Invisible Tax" you might be paying if your personal branding isn't on point. 

Joining us is fashion entrepreneur Sarah Khatib to break down exactly how your professional grooming—including your outfits, hair, and makeup—directly impacts your ability to land promotions and close high-ticket deals.

Most entrepreneurs focus entirely on their product, but in 2026, you are the brand asset. We discuss the ROI of style and why "dressing for success" is no longer a cliché. It’s a measurable business strategy.

🚀 What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why the business world decide your worth before you even open your mouth.

• How subtle changes in grooming can speed up your career trajectory.

• How to align your hair and makeup with your business values to build trust.

• 2026 Fashion Trends: What high-performance entrepreneurs are wearing this year to command authority.

  
  

⚡️Join the waitlist to be notified about our monthly workshops ➡️ https://learn.rectified.co/2026-workshop-waitlist

⚡️Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner

Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesarahkhatib/

Find me here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/

⚡️Subscribe to our Substack and receive the podcast in your inbox ➡️ https://sandydedeian.substack.com/

Chapters: 

00:00 Introduction and welcome to the podcast

05:12 Sarah Khatib's journey in the fashion industry

12:45 The impact of grooming on career growth

24:38 Structuring your business wardrobe

35:20 Wardrobe investments that pay off

Dragons’ Den startup founder Joseph Karam shares how Bello built a smart water dispenser and scaled a product-based hardware business.

From Dragons’ Den to market, this episode breaks down the real challenges of building and scaling a startup.

In this episode of The Rectified Podcast, host Sandy Dedeian sits down with Joseph Karam, co-founder of Bello, a Dragons’ Den–backed startup reinventing hydration with a smart countertop water dispenser.

Joseph shares what really happens after Dragons’ Den, why deals aren’t always binding, and how Bello went from a 3D-printed prototype to a fully manufactured product now scaling in the market. This is an honest conversation about building a product-based startup, managing inventory, running paid ads, and avoiding the mistakes that kill hardware businesses.

In this episode, we cover:

• What happens after Dragons’ Den (behind the scenes)
• How Bello built a smart water dispenser startup
• The real challenges of hardware startups
• Scaling a product-based business with paid ads
• Paid ads vs organic marketing for startups
• Selling out inventory and managing cash flow
• Working with family in business and investor pressure
• Why hydration is a billion-dollar opportunity
• The future of functional drinks and personalized health
  

This episode is ideal for startup founders, entrepreneurs, and product-based business owners who want practical insights into scaling physical products, running ads profitably, and building a brand that lasts.

⚡️ Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner

Belllo’s Website: https://origenseawater.com/
Bello on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biainilinyc/

Find me here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/
⚡️Subscribe to our Substack and receive the podcast in your inbox ➡️ https://sandydedeian.substack.com/

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:19 Introducing Bello: The Innovative Water Dispenser
02:23 The Origin Story: From Dragons' Den to Market
03:07 Joining the Family Business
07:43 Challenges and Strategies in Hardware Startups
08:24 Marketing and Sales Tactics
12:04 Balancing Inventory and Demand
16:29 Working with Family: The Dynamics and Lessons
21:36 Balancing Growth and Quality
22:05 Identifying Market Potential
23:52 Expanding Beyond Quebec
25:44 Innovations in Filtration
27:24 Future Plans and Inventory
29:15 Outcome-Based Capsules
36:31 Marketing Strategies and Trends
40:49 Recommended Reads and Podcasts

⚡️ Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner

In this episode of The Rectified Podcast, Sandy reconnects with Lorie Dishoyan — founder of Maison Branding Marketing Agency — for a deep, honest conversation about what’s actually working in marketing today.

Lorie walks us through her journey from PR to launching Maison Branding, and breaks down how social media has evolved from curated perfection to the era of authentic, organic content. We talk about why micro-influencers are winning, how AI is reshaping content creation, and what brands must focus on to grow in 2025 and beyond.

Whether you're a founder, marketer, or content creator, this episode is packed with actionable insights you can start using right away.

✨ In this episode, we cover:

• How Lorie transitioned from PR to building a successful marketing agency

• Why organic, real content is outperforming polished brand campaigns

• The rise of micro-influencers (and how to work with them effectively)

• How AI is changing marketing workflows and brand strategies

• What small & medium businesses should focus on to grow through content

• Practical tips for staying relevant in an oversaturated digital landscape

Maison Branding’s Website: https://origenseawater.com/Maison Branding on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biainilinyc/

Canada Luggage Depot: https://www.canadaluggagedepot.ca/Nanor: https://nanorcollection.ca/

Find me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/⚡️Subscribe to our Substack and receive the podcast in your inbox ➡️ https://sandydedeian.substack.com/

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Rectified Podcast

00:31 Meet Lorie Dishoyan: Founder of Maison Branding

02:15 The Shift to Organic Content in Social Media

06:57 The Role of Micro-Influencers

08:34 Challenges and Misconceptions in Influencer Marketing

16:41 The Rise of AI in Marketing

18:45 AI's Impact on Visual Content

20:15 The Cost of Quality AI Content22:16 Rapid Fire Questions

23:38 Underrated Social Media Strategies

27:04 Going Viral: Risks and Rewards

30:15 Favorite Creator Brands

⚡️ Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner

Use code RECTIFIED 20 for 25% ➡️ 

In this episode of The Rectified Podcast, we sit down with Serge Maghalian and Michael Rockwell, the innovative founders of Origen Seawater. They share the fascinating journey behind their product— an organically sourced seawater electrolyte drink packed with over 92 minerals for optimal hydration and performance. 

Learn how Origen Seawater stands out in the market with its direct-from-France, highly bioavailable mineral content, and how the founders pivoted their business strategy from direct-to-consumer to retail success. Tune in to discover their insights on wellness, customer engagement, and future expansion plans.

Origen’s Website: https://origenseawater.com/Origen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biainilinyc/

Find me here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/

⚡️Subscribe to our Substack and receive the podcast in your inbox ➡️ https://sandydedeian.substack.com/

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:44 What is Origin Seawater?

01:31 Product Composition and Source

03:09 Usage and Convenience

05:48 Morning Routine and Personal Preferences

08:24 Founders' Journey and Product Development

14:27 Marketing and Community Building

22:15 Contaminated Salts and Health Trends

23:26 Building a Product-Based Brand

23:49 Montreal as a Test Market

24:32 Positive Feedback from Users

25:23 The Unique Benefits of Origin Electrolytes

26:42 The Science and Marketing of Origin

28:45 Introducing the Prototype Water

33:09 Future Plans and Expansion

35:00 The Importance of Water Security

39:09 Staying Inspired and Grounded as Founders

41:23 Proudest Moments and Community Support

46:14 Where to Find Origin Products

⚡️ Join the Scale Partner Community, a FREE space where founders connect, exchange ideas, and support each other ➡️ community.rectified.co/scalepartner

Use code THANKYOUSANDY for 25% ➡️ https://www.biainili.com/

In this episode of the Rectified Podcast, Sandy is having a discussion with Victoria Arakelyan, and Astrid Sarkissian to discuss their entrepreneurial journeys, focusing on their respective brands. 

They explore the importance of collaboration, the challenges of running a business, and the cultural inspirations behind their products. The conversation highlights their shared Armenian heritage and how it influences their work, as well as their strategies for growth and market presence.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Founders and Their Brands

02:02 Victoria's Journey with Bia Nili

05:59 Astrid's Artistic Ventures

09:56 The Collaboration Story

11:59 Navigating the Business Landscape

16:02 Product Development and Future Goals

19:59 Challenges and Opportunities in Business

23:57 Sales Strategies and Market Presence

28:01 Closing Thoughts and Future Plans

Bianilii’s Website: https://www.biainili.com/

Biainili on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biainilinyc/

Astrid’s website: https://shop.astridsarkissian.com/

Astrid on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astridsarkissian/

Find me here: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandydedeian/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandydedeian 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandydedeian/

⚡️Subscribe to our Substack and receive the podcast in your inbox ➡️ https://sandydedeian.substack.com/