John’s Crazy Socks is a father-son venture inspired by co-founder John Lee Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome. John’s affinity for crazy socks paired with his love of making people smile made their mission clear: they want to spread happiness. John and co-founder / dad Mark join Justin to discuss this “crazy” fun brand!
They have developed a strong and flexible supply chain that is able to meet the unique needs of various customers, and offer samples to check the products before bulk order, offer various embroidery and printing techniques, covering flock and 3d puff embroidery, silk-screen print, direct-to-garment (DTG), reflective / holographic / foil special materials prints. Founder and CEO Joe Zhou joins Justin to discuss this unique and globally growing brand!
When GreenPod Coffee Packing failed to find a good compostable coffee pod solution on the market, they decided to create one! And they wanted to bring a solution to other small roasters having the same issue – the first such technology in the U.S. that brings accessibility to small roasters. GreenPod brings a completely compostable coffee pod made with zero plastics, packed for perfect extraction and freshness. Co-founders Gary and Julie Kratzer join Justin to discuss this new coffee brand.
Eat Good. Do Good. Simek’s creates feel-good food. Comfort food that makes you feel loved while helping your community and continuing to do all the things you tackle each day. Mealtime matters, but sometimes life can get in the way. As a busy mom, running a second-generation family business, Lindsey Hickey knows spending long hours in the kitchen is not always realistic. Simek’s wants you to always have convenient foods, crafted with quality ingredients and homemade taste, that also help the community you work hard in every day. Lindsey joins Justin to discuss this growing food brand!
Say hi to your go-to toast topper, smoothie swirler, eat-it-on-a-spoon-er, instant pantry staple. A dependable and delicious nut butter made from the best ingredients we can get our hands on. Founder and CEO Rachel Klein joins Justin to discuss this exciting new food brand!
Jen Morales and Jason Stitt are longtime friends and former law partners with a shared passion for cocktails. Their big idea was to bring the craft and taste of a top-notch cocktail experience, easily and simply, into our homes. Initially they experimented freezing into ice cubes all the ingredients that Jason used for his crowd-pleasing watermelon margaritas. Jen then put her Harvard education to novel use, envisioning a kaleidoscope of cubes that could be the building blocks for any imaginable cocktail. More to the story as you will hear in today’s episode as they both join Justin to discuss this exciting new frozen beverage brand!
Blue Standard & BetterBone are a consumer goods manufacturer and proud leaders in the charge to make closed-loop & sustainable manufacturing the norm, not the exception. Each day they strive to create safer, circular, and more sustainable alternatives to pet products and everyday consumer products. Betterbone is the only dog chew toy that is better for your dog and the planet. All-natural, nylon-free, non-splintering, dental cleaning design, sustainable materials, and absolutely no artificial flavors, colors, or chemicals. Co-founder Preston Craft joins Justin to discuss this new pet brand! Buy here - https://thebetterbone.com/
A meal that the Soom Foods family enjoyed in a town tucked against the Mediterranean Sea confirmed that the secret to bringing people together over good food could be a piece of cake. Literally! The ingredient that made the delicious difference in the dessert they shared that night was tahini. In the states, they felt that we had nothing close to the flavor found overseas. Eventually, they learned the magic lay in the Ethiopian sesame seeds used for ages to make the world’s best tahini. So Soom Foods crafted the blend that could bring that taste home. Co-founder Amy Zitelman joins Justin to discuss this fast-growing food brand!
Every Spring, Tea Drunk heads to the deepest mountains in China to eat, sleep and work alongside the heritage farmers to produce the world’s most prized teas. They walk an untrodden path to preserve a 2000-year old art that is the epic romance between man and nature. Tea Drunk’s unparalleled expertise allows them to commission and source teas that adhere to the rigorous standards set by a long heritage. It is their mission to bring the truly finest teas to the world. Through education and access, they aim to nurture a group of connoisseurs to sustain the height of tea that humans have achieved thus far in history. Founder and CEO Shunan Teng joins Justin to discuss tea and this growing brand.
In the words of Tony Daloisio, “This book is about you, the man you have become and the man you hope to become! It is about assessing your life, with your vision of a life-well-lived as the standard, the setting of aspirational goals in the movement toward that vision and charting a path to achieve that vision.” Tony joins Justin – for his second visit on the ContenderCast – to discuss his new book!
The best taste is plant based! Millet and sorghum are sustainable ancient grains that serve as pivotal ingredients for next-generation plant-based products. These ancient grains are used to replace resource-intensive dairy analogs such as soybeans, almonds, tree nuts, and oats. Through patented formulation, Mill It has crafted the first ever plant-based buttermilk and plant-based buttermilk dressings that match the taste, texture, and consistency of dairy, while being rich in micronutrients and hypoallergenic. Founder and CEO Bill Myers joins Justin to discuss this fast-growing brand!
What do you do when you want your Bloody Mary but can’t carry along all of the ingredients to mix the drink? You grab a MaryCan! Premium canned cocktails – cocktails on the go – are a fast-growing category and the team at Bar2Table is working hard to introduce your favorite cocktails, with great taste, the highest quality and in great packaging. Charlton Gronlund joins Justin to discuss this fast-growing alco-bev brand!
Siouxie Boshoff started making her own gummy bears a few years ago. Mainly because she loved the satisfying goodness that gummy bears provide but also, she has a long-term health condition called lipedema which has made it essential for her to control ingredients in her diet. Artificial and chemical ingredients are something she avoids in her diet (and environment) wherever possible, and she tries to stick to organic and non-gmo ingredients, preferably minimally processed. This is really why she started making her own gummy bears! Siouxie joins Justin to discuss this up-and-coming brand!
Steven and Lena are husband and wife and life-long entrepreneurs. Steven is the visionary and marketer for Xero Shoes. He is a Masters All-American sprinter (one of the fastest men over the age of 50 in the US) and former All-American gymnast. He was also a professional stand-up comic, cognitive psychology researcher, and taught Tai Chi and Zen Archery. Steven is also the creator of Scriptware, the industry-standard word processor for film and TV writers. Lena is an avid hiker. In her previous life she created and sold a home mortgage company, and has managed the back-end of numerous companies. She’s the glue that keeps Xero Shoes from busting at the proverbial seams as it grows, taking care of all things logistical and numeric. Steven joins Justin to discuss launching and growing this innovative footwear brand!