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“I love matzo! I eat matzah year-round as a snack.” —Ashley Albert
“The goal is to do something out of the box that people wouldn't normally do to give matzo a rebrand.” —Jeremy Nelson
Passover is a joyous springtime holiday that celebrates freedom and renewal. At the heart of the Passover seder meal and ritual is matzo, an unleavened flatbread that represents the hurried departure of the Israelites from ancient Egypt. Made simply of flour and water, matzo takes center stage during the week-long celebration as a symbol of the oppression the Jews endured.
However, modern chefs and food entrepreneurs are putting a fresh spin on matzo, rebranding it as a versatile ingredient for light and healthful spring recipes. Companies like The Matzo Project are keeping matzo traditions alive while introducing new ways for people to celebrate Passover with healthful, innovative recipes.
The Matzo Project Founder, Ashley Alberts returns to the Essential Ingredients Kitchen along with Floura’s Chief Product Officer, Jeremy Nelson to share new recipes and partnerships that are continuing to push the boundaries of what's possible with Matzo.
Tune in as Justine, Ashley, and Jeremy share the beginnings of The Matzo Project, Jeremy’s journey as a plant-based chef, a recipe for Mexican Matzo Ball soup from Chef Fany Gerson, exciting new potential products from Ashley and Jeremy’s collaboration, and more.
Meet Ashley:
Ashley Albert is an accomplished American voice actress, singer, and entrepreneur, born in 1973 in Miami Shores, Florida. With a multifaceted career spanning various industries, Ashley has left an indelible mark on each endeavor she undertakes.
However, Ashley's entrepreneurial journey took an unexpected turn when she revisited a long-dormant idea from her past. In collaboration with her old friend Kevin Rodriguez, Ashley resurrected her concept of artisanal matzo, inspired by a childhood encounter with her neighbor's pizza shop. What began as a nostalgic reminiscence evolved into "The Matzo Project," a thriving enterprise that revolutionized the traditional Jewish cracker.
With unwavering determination and a commitment to quality, Ashley and Kevin embarked on a journey to redefine matzo, infusing it with innovation and culinary excellence. Their meticulous attention to detail, coupled with a bold and unconventional approach to branding, propelled The Matzo Project to unprecedented success. From humble beginnings in a small bakery in Coney Island to securing coveted placements in prestigious establishments like Zingerman's and earning recognition from cultural icons like Oprah Winfrey, The Matzo Project has become a testament to Ashley's entrepreneurial vision and Kevin's dedication.
While Kevin oversees the day-to-day operations of The Matzo Project, Ashley remains actively involved, infusing her unique perspective and creative flair into every aspect of the business. As she reflects on the remarkable journey they've embarked upon, Ashley's pride in their accomplishments is palpable, serving as a testament to the power of perseverance, creativity, and the enduring bond of friendship.
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Meet Jeremy:
Jeremy Nelson is a Michelin-starred chef from San Francisco and the Chief Product Officer at Floura. He has over 15 years of experience in the culinary industry with a background in plant-based and health-supportive cooking. At Floura, he applies his culinary expertise to develop delicious, nutritious products using upcycled fruits and vegetables. Jeremy is passionate about connecting with others through food and creating options that are good for both humans and the planet. In his role, he oversees product development and ensures Floura's recipes deliver on taste, nutrition, and sustainability.
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Episode Highlights:
00:59 Beginnings: The Matzo Project
04:17 Meet Chef Jeremy
06:12 Matzo and Ricotta Dumpling Recipe
07:45 Mexican Matzo Ball Soup Recipe
08:38 Matzo All Year Round
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“That's the lesson of baking bread that you think you're in control and you're not. You're just a guide in the process. You're on the bread’s timeline.” —Molly Carney
Bread is a simple yet profound food that has sustained cultures for millennia. More than just a vehicle for nutrients, bread represents community, tradition, and comfort. Today, artisans continue this living tradition, honoring ancestral practices while innovating with modern techniques and heirloom ingredients, providing nourishment for both body and soul while keeping alive the memories and meanings embedded in this most humble of foods.
This week, Justine interviews Molly Carney to discuss the time-honored craft of artisanal bread baking and its impact on community health and sustainability. Molly Carney is the founder of Dirt Lady Bread, a small bakery in Tucson, Arizona that makes organic, sourdough, and fermented breads using locally grown ingredients. She started the bakery to connect people to high-quality, nutritious food through her artisanal breads.
Listen in as Justine and Molly talk about the importance of regenerative farming partnerships and efforts to educate customers about intuitive eating, how the quality of soil affects the quality of food, the challenges and rewards of running a values-aligned food business with a long-distance partner, and insights into the nutritional benefits of traditional fermentation methods as well as cultivating a culture that values artisanal food producers.
Meet Molly:
Baker Molly Carney has been trained in naturally-leavened bread from James-Beard semi-finalist chef, Taylor Petrehn. Under Petrehn and Executive Chef Jake Dodd-Sloan, Carney learned the trade at “Kansas’ Top Bakery” (Food and Wine 2022) 1900 Barker Bakery and Cafe where she served as head baker.
In her recent move to Tucson, Carney noticed that local support is present and the demand is high; the market is nowhere near saturated. In this niche market, the demand is not being fully met. Carney created Dirt Lady Bread as a response to her community - clean-ingredient yummy bread for everybody!
Prior to baking, Carney was an organic farmer, growing heritage varieties that best benefited environmental and human health. Carney incorporated her deep understanding of place and farming practices with her MA in Sustainable Communities to develop a healthy and earth-conscious sourdough bread.
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Episode Highlights:
02:26 Artisanal Bread-Making
07:09 Gluten-Free Bread and Gut Health
09:43 Integrating Regenerative Farming Practices
14:21 Seeking Partnerships for Business Growth
17:22 Involving the Community
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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“For functional mushrooms, you need to take a medicinal dose daily for about three weeks to feel something. They do not work instantly. That's a big gap in the market that people don't understand.” —Charlotte Cruze
When it comes to wellness, some pairings just make perfect sense. Mushrooms and chocolate may seem an unlikely match made in hedonistic heaven, but their union holds untapped potential.
Mushrooms have long been prized for their healing properties across cultures. Science now shows their ability to boost brain health, energy levels, and more. Chocolate, too, has benefits, with flavonoids that uplift mood and antioxidants aplenty. By melding mushrooms' functional powers with chocolate's feel-good compounds, a new generation of treats could emerge.
This episode explores the exciting world of functional mushroom chocolate with Charlotte Cruze, the Co-Founder and COO of Alice Mushrooms, a company pioneering the use of functional mushrooms in delicious chocolate formulations. With a master's degree in Food Studies from NYU and over 10 years in the consumer food industry, she is dedicated to educating people about evidence-backed natural wellness solutions. Through her leadership of Alice, Charlotte is helping more individuals harness the profound benefits of functional foods like mushrooms in an enjoyable and effective way.
Listen in as Charlotte provides an overview of Alice's three flagship mushroom chocolate products, their thoughtful formulation process to deliver both instant and long-term benefits, and tips for taking the chocolates throughout the day. Justine and Charlotte also discuss partner dynamics in business and the importance of complementing each other's skills, the role of education in spreading awareness of functional mushrooms' profound effects, as well as real customer success stories demonstrating the life-changing impacts of mushrooms.
Meet Charlotte:
Charlotte Cruze is the co-founder and COO of Alice Mushrooms, a pioneering company crafting functional mushroom chocolates. She holds a master's degree in Food Studies from NYU and has over 10 years of experience in the consumer food industry.
Prior to founding Alice, Charlotte worked on early-stage food brands and developed a passion for food's role in wellness. She is an advocate for natural, whole-food solutions and believes in food's power to profoundly impact lives.
Under Charlotte's leadership, Alice has launched three flagship mushroom chocolate SKUs focused on energy, sleep, and arousal. She oversees formulation, operations, and education initiatives. Charlotte is dedicated to spreading awareness of functional mushrooms' benefits through delicious products and informative content.
When not running Alice, Charlotte enjoys yoga, long-distance cycling, and learning about new functional foods. She finds fulfillment in empowering others to feel their best through high-quality nutrition.
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Episode Highlights:
03:14 Mushroom-Infused Chocolate
08:26 Different Chocolates for Different Feelings
13:23 Chocolate as a Functional Food
17:17 Formulating Functional Mushroom Products
21:13 The Benefits of Functional Mushroom
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“We're not doing a marketing campaign to try to convince you that we're doing good stuff. It doesn't work. What works is creating beautiful products as a team who's devoted because we believe in the mission.” —Jeni Britton
“When you can put your ego aside and focus on the larger vision, you can achieve so much more than you can alone.” —Jeremy Nelson
Upcycling in the kitchen isn't just about saving money— it's about redefining what "waste" truly means and unlocking a hidden world of culinary creativity. It empowers us to break the cycle of consumption and injects valuable nutrients back into our diets, promoting a more mindful and resourceful approach to cooking and eating.
This week, Justine sits down with James Beard Award-winning ice cream maker and founder of Jeni's IceCreams, Jeni Britton and Michelin-starred chef, Jeremy Nelson, to discuss their new venture, Floura, a company creating high-fiber, prebiotic snacks and ingredients from upcycled produce trimmings.
Listen in as Jeni and Jeremy delve into their personal wellness journeys and how it inspired Floura’s mission and innovative processes. They also explain the importance of fiber and prebiotics for microbiome health, the importance of upcycling, the power of building a company alongside customers, farmers, and investors, and the role of research in moving toward sustainability and planetary wellness.
Meet Jeni:
Jeni Britton is a James Beard Award-winning ice cream maker and the founder of Jeni's IceCreams. She has over 25 years of experience in the food industry, constantly developing direct relationships with farmers and using fresh, local ingredients in her products. More recently, she has focused her efforts on gut health and microbiome research. As the co-founder of Floura, Jeni is leading the company's mission to upcycle fresh produce trimmings into high-fiber, prebiotic ingredients, and snacks to support overall wellness. She enjoys spending time in nature, where she finds inspiration for her creative work.
Meet Jeremy:
Jeremy Nelson is a Michelin-starred chef from San Francisco and the Chief Product Officer at Floura. He has over 15 years of experience in the culinary industry with a background in plant-based and health-supportive cooking. At Floura, he applies his culinary expertise to develop delicious, nutritious products using upcycled fruits and vegetables. Jeremy is passionate about connecting with others through food and creating options that are good for both humans and the planet. In his role, he oversees product development and ensures Floura's recipes deliver on taste, nutrition, and sustainability.
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Episode Highlights:
02:04 The Floura Mission
05:30 Nutrition on a Personal Level
09:03 The Bridge Between Health and Entrepreneurship
12:52 Prebiotics and Fiber for Gut Health
16:56 Upcycling For Health and the Environment
20:46 Working Remotely
28:05 What’s Next?
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“In the case of a business, pick a few ideas, do them well, and scale them up instead of doing a whole bunch of things at a very small scale.” —Aaron Hodgins Davi
The medicinal mushroom industry is primed for exponential growth as research continues to uncover the vast health benefits of fungal powerhouses. Research found that mushrooms support brain, immune, cardiovascular, and digestive health in ways no other food or supplement can match. As public interest in preventative healthcare rises, medicinal mushrooms are emerging as highly effective and easily accessible wellness all-stars.
Hence, many forward-thinking farmers are now helping to bring these adaptive allies from the forest to the forefront by making high-quality mushroom products available nationwide. One of them is Aaron Hodgins Davis. Aaron is the founder and operator of Hodgins Harvest, a certified organic mushroom farm in Hudson Valley. Through Hodgins Harvest, Aaron cultivates medicinal mushrooms organically and sustainably while educating communities about their health benefits.
This interview offers fascinating insights into the past, present, and promising future of the medicinal mushroom industry. Listen in as Justine and Aaron talk about the wide-ranging health benefits of mushrooms supported by research, their adaptogenic properties and healing applications, and their potential in the preventive wellness industry. They also offer valuable advice for balancing a side hustle with a day job, maintaining focus, keeping realistic expectations, and overcoming challenges as an entrepreneur.
Meet Aaron:
Aaron Hodgins Davis is the founder and operator of Hodgins Harvest, a certified organic mushroom farm based in the Hudson Valley region of New York. As the chief fungi enthusiast at Hodgins Harvest, Aaron oversees all aspects of growing and producing medicinal mushrooms such as Lion's Mane, Reishi, Turkey Tail, and Shiitake.
With over five years of experience in the mushroom farming industry, Aaron is passionate about cultivating mushrooms using organic and sustainable practices. He is also dedicated to educating communities about the health benefits of medicinal mushrooms through growing kits, extracts, and community outreach.
Prior to starting Hodgins Harvest, Aaron worked in the documentary film industry for 15 years. He founded Hodgins Harvest as a side hobby that has now grown into a full-time career focused on the future of medicinal mushroom farming.
When not working on the farm, Aaron enjoys foraging for wild mushrooms, cooking with culinary varieties, and staying up to date on the latest mushroom research. He aims to continue expanding Hodgins Harvest's organic mushroom operations in the years to come.
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Episode Highlights:
01:30 Hobby Turned Full-Time Business
02:49 Balancing Side Hustle and Career
07:25 Overcoming Challenges
12:07 Medicinal Properties of Mushrooms
16:40 Scaling Up Operations
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“You're not going to heal unless you're creating that environment in your body. We should understand that fruits and vegetables help you every single day.” —Amber Benson
While we're often told the importance of "eating the rainbow" each day, many struggle to fit those colorful servings of produce into their busy routines. Without sufficient intake of these nutrient-dense whole foods, we miss out on essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and plant compounds shown to support longevity and decrease the probability of chronic illnesses. Hence, this widespread deficiency has become a major public health issue that demands innovative solutions.
This week, Justine is joined by Amber Benson, the co-founder of Ruvi, a company that uses freeze-dried technology to preserve the nutrients in fruits and vegetables while making them easy to enjoy anytime in a convenient powder form.
Listen in as Amber discusses how their clean label approach and use of freeze-dried technology help more people increase their fruit and vegetable consumption. Justine and Amber also explore the importance of balancing fruit, vegetable, and fiber intake for wellness, strategies for educating consumers, making healthy eating easier through convenient fruit and veggie delivery, and more!
Meet Amber:
Amber has a passion for healthy eating and a disdain for waste. The co-founder of Ruvi, she is on a mission to crush nutritional deficiency with the planet’s purest source of nutrition: fruits and veggies. Amber worked in food and supplements for 20 years and loves the challenge of starting a new business. She received an MBA from Brigham Young University. She’s married with three children and feels accomplished when she gets a healthy meal at her family’s dinner table at night. Her favorite fruit is papaya with a squeeze of lime.
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Episode Highlights:
01:16 Leveraging Freeze-Dried Technology
04:25 The Benefits of Delivery Service
09:02 How Fruits and Vegetables Impact Health and Wellness
13:25 Product Development foe Healthy Eating
17:57 The Power of Easy and Readable Labels
22:01 Go Ruvi, Get Ruvi
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“Realistically, as we age, we just physiologically are not the same as we used to be. And that has not just a physical effect on us; it has a mental, cognitive, and emotional effect on us as well.” —Dustin Baker
While modern medicine has achieved incredible feats, dependence on synthetic prescription drugs is not without its downsides. By their very nature, these medications are designed as "selective poisons" that incur side effects for many users. From minor issues like drowsiness or nausea to more serious long-term health impacts, taking synthetic drugs always involves trading one's well-being for another. As more people seek to proactively manage their health and optimize wellness without compromising on risks, the demand has grown for natural alternatives that can provide prescription-level benefits without the potential dangers.
Led by Dustin Baker, BioProtein Technology develops natural, non-synthetic supplements that provide the same benefits as prescription drugs without any side effects. Through innovative research and clinically-backed products, BioProtein Technology aims to help individuals enhance their health, performance, and quality of life in a safe and natural way.
Listen in as Justine and Dustin share a behind-the-scenes look at product research and development processes, scaling a company, developing gender-specific products to meet more customer needs, and innovating revolutionary products for a healthier future without dependence on synthetic medications.
Meet Dustin:
Dustin Baker is the Founding President of BioProtein Technology and BioPro+, the first non-synthetic alternative to HGH - Human Growth Hormone and Peptide Treatments that works FASTER, EASIER, and SAFER. With over 15 years of experience in the fitness, health, and wellness industries, Dustin brings a passion for human optimization and performance to his role. Under Dustin's leadership, BioProtein Technology is focused on developing innovative, gender-specific products and continuing clinical research to support its mission of providing prescription-level benefits without side effects. When not in his office, Dustin enjoys spending time with his family and staying active in the community.
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Episode Highlights:
01:52 Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy
06:59 From a Small Company to a Global Organization
11:05 Business Growth Strategies
15:57 Developing Gender-Specific Products
21:03 Optimizing Wellness with NO Side Effects
26:03 Natural Supplements for Brain Health
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“It's a big undertaking when you start thinking about data and how you want it to move. But that foundational layer of data and getting that right internally is the first step whether you're a small business, or whether you're a large business.” —Liz Sertl
Supply chain visibility refers to the ability to access accurate and real-time data across all processes within the supply chain, from raw material sourcing to the final delivery to the consumer. This allows them to proactively address issues and inefficiencies, better manage risks and disruptions, and meet evolving customer demands. When implemented effectively, visibility can help reduce costs, improve on-time delivery rates, strengthen customer relationships, and boost overall supply chain resiliency.
This week, we hear from Liz Sertl, a seasoned supply chain leader passionate about enabling efficient and sustainable commerce through global standards. As Senior Director of Supply Chain Visibility at GS1 US, she's helping businesses of all sizes streamline operations and future-proof for compliance using foundational data standards.
Listen in as Liz pulls back the curtain on the real-world impact of clean, shared supply chain data. Justine and Liz also discuss how even the smallest operations can start reaping rewards today, tips for getting supply chain-savvy without breaking the bank, food safety regulations every business needs to address, the simplest path to competitive advantage, and much more.
Meet Liz:
Liz Sertl is the Senior Director of Supply Chain Visibility at GS1 US. She has over 15 years of experience in supply chain management and data quality in the consumer packaged goods industry, having previously worked at Anheuser-Busch and Coca-Cola. Liz is passionate about enabling efficient and interoperable supply chains through the use of global standards. At GS1 US, she leads initiatives to promote supply chain visibility and data sharing across industries. Liz enjoys educating others on how foundational standards can drive impactful results for businesses of all sizes. In her role, she aims to increase awareness of key issues like food safety compliance and sustainability in the supply chain.
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Episode Highlights:
01:42 Supply Chain Efficiency and Data Quality
06:22 The GS1 Standard for Small Businesses
10:43 Supply Chain Tech and Its Impact on Businesses
14:47 Food Safety and Visibility
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“Soil health can be complicated but it's also super simple and something that everybody can participate in.” —Sarah Wentzel Fisher
Soil health is the foundation of our food systems and ecosystems. Yet many are disconnected from the living soil that sustains us. The soil is a complex web of microbial and ecological activity below our feet, working constantly to cycle nutrients, sequester carbon, and support plant life above and below ground. When soil health declines, it impacts water quality, biodiversity, our ability to grow nutritious food, and ultimately all living beings.
In this episode, Justine interviews Sarah Wentzel Fisher about the transformative potential of getting more people involved in agriculture and stewarding soil health.
Sarah is the Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition and a regenerative farmer. Through her work with the Carbon Ranch Initiative, she aims to improve soil health on rangelands and educate farmers and ranchers on the importance of soil stewardship.
Listen in as Justine and Sarah discuss the importance of soil health for functioning ecosystems and its central role in mitigating climate change, the impact of research in providing practical solutions, ways to inspire conversation around soil health, and more.
Meet Sarah:
Sarah has worked in food and agriculture planning for over a decade with a focus on supporting young and beginning farmers and ranchers. She was the editor of Edible Santa Fe from 2011 to 2017. From 2013 to 2015 she worked for the National Young Farmers Coalition as an organizer and is currently on the board of the Southwest Grassfed Livestock Alliance and the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. She is a committed champion of the local food movement and of resilient and regenerative agriculture. In her free time, you can find her feeding pigs, turkeys, and cows, checking the compost pile, or possibly weeding a patch of beans at Polk’s Folly Farm where she lives.
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Episode Highlights:
02:21 Creative Conveing and Food Systems
06:27 Soil Health and Its Impact on Ecosystems
10:40 The Importance of Understanding Soil Health
15:03 How Soil Health Impacts Climate
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“My goal and still is, is to be able to create a business that's ethical from the farm to the end.” —Daniel Korson
The emerging category of ethical vegan chocolate appeals to health-conscious consumers who demand transparency and sustainability in their treats. As demand grows for plant-based options produced with care and compassion, vegan chocolate represents an opportunity for small businesses to delight taste buds while upholding values from bean to bar.
On this special Valentine's Day episode, Justine sits down with chocolatier Daniel Korson. Daniel is the Founder and President of Coracao Chocolate, an organic and fair-trade chocolate company based in California. After developing digestive issues as a teenager, Daniel was inspired to create clean, allergen-free treats and has grown Coracao into an award-winning brand known for innovative flavors and sustainable practices.
Listen in as Justine and Daniel walk us through the process of crafting decadent treats, scaling production and ingredients, employing innovative practices like employee ownership programs and sustainable packaging, tempering chocolate, and maintaining high standards for organic ingredients and sustainability in the business.
Meet Daniel:
Daniel Korson is the founder and owner of Coracao Chocolate, an organic and fair-trade chocolate company based in Berkeley, California. With over 15 years of experience in the specialty food industry, Daniel pioneered the category of clean, allergen-free chocolate.
Prior to launching Coracao, Daniel worked as a pastry chef where he began experimenting with raw cacao ingredients. This sparked the idea to recreate nostalgic childhood treats that he could enjoy despite developing digestive sensitivities. Under Daniel's leadership, Coracao has grown into an award-winning brand distributed nationwide, known for unique fillings and a commitment to ethical sourcing from farm to factory.
When he isn't developing new chocolate recipes or running the day-to-day operations, Daniel enjoys educating consumers and the trade about bean-to-bar production techniques. He also advocates for sustainability initiatives in packaging and farming practices. Daniel continues advancing Coracao's mission to spread health and joy through thoughtfully crafted confections.
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Episode Highlights:
03:15 Tempering Chocolate
08:17 How Employee Ownership Works
12:17 Sourcing Quality Ingredients
17:37 Ethical From Farm to End
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“You have to give something away to get someone in.” —Kourtney Jason
For any small business, getting noticed isn't easy. Between all the noise online and in their communities, it's hard for owners to get their message heard. Hence, increasing visibility through smart PR and marketing can really help spread the word. When more potential customers learn about what the business has to offer, it leads to more opportunities for sales, growth, and success.
This week, Justine chats with Kourtney Jason about getting publicity for small businesses and authors. Kourtney is the Co-Founder of Pacific & Court, a boutique book publicity and digital marketing firm based in Brooklyn. She helps small businesses and independent authors and publishers to expand their media outreach through various digital marketing services.
Tune in as Justine and Kourtney discuss strategies for restaurants and startups to create buzz, the importance of following up, and tips for pitching media effectively. They also outline the PR process for hiring an agency and managing expectations as well as insights on digital advertising and maximizing publicity opportunities.
Meet Kourtney:
Kourtney Jason is the President and Co-Founder of Pacific & Court. With more than 13 years of experience as a publicist, she has worked with and represented celebrities, world-renowned chefs, and bestselling authors. She led the in-house publicity departments at Ulysses Press and Time Inc. Books, and further honed her strategic communications skills at Bread & Butter and Smith Publicity agencies.
Since its launch in 2021, P&C’s publisher clients have included Ulysses Press, KeyPress Publishing, Jesse B. Creative, The Collective Book Studio, Rocky Nook, Dzanc Books, and more. She’s secured coverage for clients in top-tier national media that includes the TODAY show, Associated Press, People magazine, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CNN, Oprah Daily, Salon, Reader’s Digest, and much more.
Her past work includes high-profile authors such as country music icon Martina McBride, actress Valerie Bertinelli, chef Todd Richards, TODAY’s Siri Daly, New York Times bestselling authors Syd and Shea McGee (of Studio McGee) among others. She is the author of five non-fiction books, including Lights Camera Booze: Drinking Games for Your Favorite Movies, which was included in the Academy Awards swag bags. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.
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Episode Highlights:
02:41 People and Perspectives
06:39 PR Strategies for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs
11:17 The Importance of a Well-Written Pitch
16:03 The Importance of Building Long-Term Relationships with Professionals
20:08 How to Make Advertising Less Intimidating
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“You don't start by showing them everything; you start with what's that one thing that matters most. But then through that journey at the end, you make available everything that may matter to them.” —Aditya Varanasi
Digital advertising has become vital for businesses as consumers spend more time online. Advanced tools now allow advertisers to precisely target audiences across platforms based on detailed data. For startups and small businesses especially, digital provides an affordable and measurable way to efficiently build awareness, engage customers, and boost sales.
In this episode, Justine Reichman interviews Aditya Varanasi to discuss effective yet affordable advertising strategies for startups and small businesses.
Aditya is the founder and CEO of Awarity, a digital advertising platform that helps small businesses efficiently build brand awareness. With over a decade of experience in marketing, he was able to make targeted and data-driven advertising affordable and accessible for all businesses.
Listen in as they explore the challenges of building brand awareness with limited budgets, when digital advertising makes sense, how to determine the budget and target the right audience, how targeted digital ads can help businesses stretch their dollars further, actionable tips on crafting clear messaging, consistency, analyzing campaign performance, and allowing time for behaviors to change, grassroots marketing alternatives, and how to amplify their message in a way that makes sense for their goals and budget.
Meet Aditya:
Aditya Varanasi is the founder and CEO of Awarity, a digital advertising platform that helps small and mid-sized businesses maximize the impact of their marketing budgets. With over 15 years of experience in brand marketing and advertising, Varanasi previously led brands at Frito-Lay and worked as the CEO of a startup funded by private equity. He holds an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. Varanasi founded Awarity to make world-class advertising accessible and effective for all businesses. Under his leadership, Awarity has grown to serve thousands of clients across industries and helped boost their sales and brand awareness through targeted digital campaigns.
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Episode Highlights:
01:52 Advertizing Challenges and Strategies for Startups
08:32 How Advertizing Impacts ROI
12:03 Marketing Strategies and Agency Costs
18:26 Aligning Goals with Advertising Strategies
22:30 Simple and Consistent Advertising
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“What we needed was the diversity of what nature provides, we needed to get better nutrition to more people… not in the big corporate way, but doing something different than anything that we've done before.” —Todd Rands
With sugar consumption linked to health issues like obesity and diabetes, consumers are looking for healthier options that allow for moderation without compromise. Innovation in natural low-calorie sweeteners holds promise for addressing this need and empowering personal choices.
Led by CEO Todd Rands, ELO Life Systems is developing sustainable, natural ingredients by engineering plant biofactories. With decades of experience in molecular biology, agriculture, and venture capital, Todd's vision is for ELO to make healthier, plant-based products accessible to all through agricultural innovation.
Join in as Justine and Todd explore ELO's research process, partnerships with major brands, goals of making plant-based ingredients widely accessible, and leveraging molecular farming to revolutionize global agriculture and food production.
Meet Todd:
A seasoned life-sciences executive, Todd Rands has more than 25 years of scientific, legal, and business leadership at Fortune 500 companies, venture capital-backed startups, and top-tier law firms. With Elo’s advanced technology and a world-class team of innovators, Todd brings a singular focus to making everyday foods consumers love more nutritious and better for the planet.
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Episode Highlights:
02:10 Reimagining the Food System with Cutting-Edge Tech
06:58 A Natural Alternative to Sugar
13:13 Molecular Farming for a Healthier, More Sustainable, and More Affordable Food
19:22 Sugar Alternatives and Their Health Impacts
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“Food as your medicine is anything that's not processed. These are things that we should be eating [because they] prevent you from having to take drugs. So if you're interested in health, you should be eating holistically in that regard.” —Kevin Bressani
Your best self starts on the plate!
The food we put on our plates each day has a profound impact on our health and well-being. Yet in our fast-paced world, it's easy to lose sight of how the small daily choices around what we eat can nourish our minds and bodies.
During his travels abroad, Healthy Roots Chef Kevin Bressani was exposed to permaculture and the connection between soil health, biodiversity, and nutrition. This experience brought him to an awareness of how this impacts the whole food production process, and ultimately the health of the consumers.
In this conversation, Chef Kevin shares insights into how eating for optimal health starts on the plate by cooking in tune with the seasons from sustainable, organic sources. Justine and Chef Kevin also delve into how prioritizing whole, minimally processed foods and supporting local farms through our shopping decisions can help optimize wellness from the ground up. Tune in to learn practical strategies for making meals that not only taste delicious but also care for people and the planet.
Meet Kevin:
Chef Kevin Bressani has always been passionate about food and nutrition. As a young kid, he became interested in cooking by watching great chefs such as Jacques Pepin and Julia Child on television. This interest sparked a desire to work in various restaurants and to travel around the world to places like Australia where he worked and learned on organic and biodynamic farms. Kevin also traveled to Belize to study the natural healing power of plants and herbs with traditional Mayan healers. Through these adventures, he became inspired to nourish his community by creating healthy meals.
In 2009, he enrolled in the Natural Chef program at Bauman College in Berkeley, California. He polished his culinary skills and expanded his knowledge of therapeutic cooking at Bauman College and an internship at Three Stone Hearth, a community supported kitchen in Berkeley, CA. Chef Kevin believes that food is a powerful medicine and a vital component in our own longevity. As a personal chef, his cooking philosophy emphasizes the use of whole, local, and organic foods to provide every cell in the body with the vital nutrients and minerals needed to stay healthy and prevent disease.
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Episode Highlights:
01:30 Food Choices and Seasonal Eating
05:59 Personalized Meal Planning and Holistic Health
11:13 Private Chef Services
15:59 Evolving a Food Business with a Focus on Healthy Products
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“We're doing some work, but not enough work. We need to move away from just talking about our impact, and we need to actually start making an impact.” —Meredith Danberg-Ficarelli
Digital tools hold great potential to transform waste management strategies. By tracking waste data and providing actionable insights, new technologies can optimize diversion efforts and maximize recycling rates. This revolution in waste analytics promises to make resource recovery vastly more efficient and sustainable.
Waste Administration and Tracking Software (WATS) is a waste management software company co-founded by Meredith Dannenberg. It provides tools to help businesses track, measure, and reduce their waste streams like trash, recycling, compost, and e-waste.
Listen in as Meredith shares insights about digitizing waste data and processes, understanding local composting guidelines, choosing a co-founder wisely, addressing the issue of food loss, and focusing on action over just measuring impact.
Meet Meredith:
Meredith Danberg-Ficarelli built services and operations as Exec Director of Common Ground Compost LLC from 2017-2022. She sits on the US Composting Council board of directors and was a founding member of the New York City Microhaulers and Processors Trade Association. She believes that materials literacy and upstream/downstream supply chain transparency are foundational building blocks of the circular economy. Meredith is a TRUE Zero Waste Advisor.
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Episode Highlights:
03:48 Waste Reduction and Entrepreneurship
09:26 Recycling Best Practices
16:03 Streamlining Waste Management with Digital Tools
22:01 Co-Founding a Software Company
29:13 Addressing Food Loss Across the Supply Chain
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“We are more microbes than we are human cells. And it's the only alien thing that's in our body that we have to form a unity with in order to enjoy phenomenal health.” —Natasha Trenev
Probiotics are live microorganisms that can enhance digestive health when consumed in adequate amounts. Cutting-edge research continues to reveal exciting new ways specific probiotic strains can promote a healthy immune response and reduce inflammation throughout the entire body. As the gut microbiome plays a vital role in overall wellness, maintaining a diverse population of beneficial bacteria through probiotic intake is crucial, but only if done the right way.
Joining us for the premiere episode of Season 8 is probiotic pioneer Natasha Trenev, a pioneer in the fields of fermented foods and probiotics, introducing these concepts over 40 years ago. As founder and president of Natren Probiotics, she continues her mission to educate on gut health and choose probiotic strains that support the immune system.
Listen in as Natasha provides a historical perspective on how our understanding of gut health and functional foods has evolved. She details early studies on probiotics and women's health as well as controversial topics like soy milk, kombucha, and raw foods consumption based on her decades of research and experience.
Justine and Natasha also share important factors to consider when choosing a probiotic supplement and practical advice on reintroducing foods and incorporating fermented options like homemade yogurt into our diet.
Meet Natasha:
Probiotic pioneer, Natasha Trenev, has significantly contributed to the evolution of the probiotics industry. Prior to her work in the field, consumers had very limited knowledge of the supplement and its many benefits. Natasha's extensive experience and knowledge of the industry began with her family's 750-year history of producing the most beneficial yogurt prized by the royal family of Yugoslavia.
After graduating from UCLA in 1970, a decade of research led to Natasha's development of the first revolutionary method of producing an effective and scientifically validated single-strain probiotic bacteria product. Her efforts helped to establish the entire probiotics category in the world!
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Episode Highlights:
01:42 Gut Health and Holistic Approach to Health
06:28 Research Studies
12:26 Probiotics and Gut Health
17:55 A Focus on Safety and Effectiveness
24:06 The Impact of Diet on Overall Health
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“It's a business, but more than anything, it's a community, and it's a movement.” —Marika Messager
The level of consciousness profoundly shapes a leader’s effectiveness. Self-awareness of one's blindspots, biases, and triggers is key to leading with wisdom, empathy, and care for all people affected by decisions. This approach benefits every member of the company as it centers around long-term well-being over temporary gains.
In this episode, Justine is joined by Marika Messager, a researcher and teacher of consciousness, and Founder of Conscious Leadership, an organization that helps develop conscious leaders capable of creating systemic change.
Tune in as Justine and Marika explore how unconscious biases, emotional triggers, and disconnect from one's emotions can negatively impact leadership, tools for cultivating presence, ways to create a more inclusive culture, and strategies for managing energy states.
Meet Marika:
Marika Messager is the founder of Conscious Leadership, an organization dedicated to researching unconscious behaviors and toxic patterns. Through her work, Marika helps individuals and organizations uncover the root causes of unhealthy behaviors and transform themselves. With years of experience, she guides her clients on their journey of self-awareness and emotional mastery to become conscious leaders. Marika is passionate about creating systemic change by developing healthy behaviors in individuals, families, and professional circles.
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Episode Highlights:
00:56 The Connection Between Consciousness and Leadership
03:07 Leadership Core Values
09:18 Energy Management and Emotional Regulation in Business
16:19 The Importance of Cultural Competence
19:11 Conscious Leadership and Inclusion
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“The three main factors are taste, price, and availability. Make sure things taste amazing, make sure it's affordable, and make it even more healthy.” —Alan Perlstein
Cell-culture technology is unlocking new frontiers in food production by growing crops from single cells instead of plants. This novel approach allows us to see a new generation of "designer" foods engineered at the cellular level to promote wellness in tasty new ways.
California Culture is pioneering the use of cell culture to grow cocoa and coffee from single cells, allowing them to produce chocolate and coffee with unprecedented health benefits. By cultivating cocoa cells in bioreactors, they can infuse chocolate with high levels of heart-healthy cocoa flavanols while removing lead and other toxins. Their vision is to make chocolate not only more delicious but also a secret weapon for cardiovascular health.
Listen in as California Culture CEO, Alan Perlstein shares how his background in biotechnology and entrepreneurship led him to this innovative idea, the health benefits of cocoa flavanols, and his vision to make chocolate healthier and more sustainable through this technology. Justine and Alan also talk about the potential of cellular agriculture in improving the food industry, the process of scaling your biz from lab to market, expanding distribution, making products more affordable, guiding principles for product development, and more.
Meet Alan:
Alan started working in a tiny cell-cultured fish lab in Long Island 17 years ago, back in the early days of cell-culture technology. He launched his first food tech company Joywell Foods (formerly Miraculex), where he commercialized protein-sweetened foods. When he saw tension brewing between the huge demand for chocolate and the sustainable/ethical issues surrounding it, he knew he had to look towards something bigger and thus, California Cultured was born.
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“A lot of times, taking over business legacy doesn't necessarily mean that brand or that company, but how do you continue that story.” —Jia Liao
The bold and complex flavors of a hotpot have introduced many new food lovers to unique culinary experiences. Eating hotpot allows diners to immerse themselves in the tingling, numbing, and spicy sensations as different ingredients are cooked in the communal broth. Gathering with friends and family to cook ingredients has also won fans worldwide and helped spread appreciation for this cuisine to distant parts of the globe.
This week, we are joined by Jia Liao. Jia has dedicated her career to sharing the rich culinary traditions of Sichuan that she grew up with through her brand Hotpot Queen. Having worked for many years in her family’s hotpot restaurant, Jia is passionate about introducing new audiences to authentic Sichuan flavors and the cultural experiences that can be shared through food.
Listen in as Jia shares her journey of carrying on her family's culinary legacy while innovating to introduce Sichuan cuisine to a global market. Justine and Jia also talked about sourcing ingredients from local Chinese chili farmers, tips on making family business work, the challenges of building a new product line for expansion, popular ways to use Hotpot Queen products, goals of expanding distribution, and insights about bridging cultures through food and sparking curiosity about diverse flavors.
Meet Jia:
Jia Liao is the founder and passionate leader behind Hotpot Queen. She was born and raised in Sichuan, China where her family has operated a hotpot restaurant for over 40 years. Jia studied economics and business in the United States before returning to China to work in the hospitality industry for 13 years. In 2021, Jia launched Hotpot Queen to share Sichuan cuisine and málà flavors with a global audience through premium condiments and sauces. Her goal is to make málà the next umami sensation and start a málà revolution.
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Episode Highlights:
03:14 Innovating Legacy
09:06 Cultural Exchange in the Food Industry
13:36 Creating New Culinary Experiences
17:41 Expanding the Family Biz with a New Product Line
21:33 How to Make Family Biz Work
27:06 Building Online Presence
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“When we think about our community, we don't feel alone at all. We look at all of our farmers, all of these amazing other CPG brands, we are becoming a loud minority that is shaking and moving the system.” —Maddy Rotman
“Be a little bit more curious when you're out there shopping for alcoholic products. Gravitate towards the brands that fully disclose everything.” —Taylor Lanzet
As the world of spirits embraces regenerative organic farming, a new era of eco-conscious consumption is taking root. By adopting practices that mimic nature's restorative cycles, distillers are not only crafting exceptional spirits but also nurturing a more sustainable and equitable future for the industry. This shift reflects a growing awareness that the spirits we enjoy come not just from the land but also from the hands of those who care for it.
Driven by their passion for sustainability, Maddy Rotman and Taylor Lanzet founded Anytime Spritz, a company offering a line of low-ABV canned cocktails made with ingredients sourced from regenerative organic farms. Their commitment to regenerative agriculture led to the creation of three delicious flavors, expanding distribution from New York to California. This initiative sets a new standard for the alcohol industry, paving the way for a more sustainable future.
Listen in as Maddy and Taylor share how they met, the inspiration and vision behind launching Anytime Spritz, what regenerative farming means to them, and the importance of partnering with organic growers. They also discuss the challenges of entering the alcohol industry as first-time entrepreneurs, why transparency around ingredients is so important to their brand, and their upcoming spirits releases.
Meet Taylor:
Taylor Lanzet is a passionate food policy expert dedicated to transforming the food system for the benefit of farmers, workers, and consumers. Known as a food policy nerd, Taylor blends academic expertise with practical experience, working tirelessly to bridge the gap between policy and action. With a focus on sustainability and equity, Taylor collaborates with diverse stakeholders to advocate for mission-driven initiatives and build a more resilient and ethical food system for all.
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Meet Maddy:
Maddy Rotman has extensive experience in sustainable food systems and building farm-to-table supply chains. She met her co-founder Taylor Lanzet while they were students at Brown University where they studied the intersection of food systems and climate change. Maddy brings her passion for organic and regenerative agriculture as well as her business experience to Anytime Spritz's mission of creating transparent, organic canned cocktails.
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Episode Highlights:
00:55 The Sustainable Farm-To-Can Cocktail
06:31 Identifying Market Need
13:02 Sustainable Spirits and Consumer Impact
19:08 Regen Ag and Natural Flavors
23:30 Lack of Transparency in the Alcohol Industry
25:20 Drink Mindfully
- Visa fler
