In 2002, David Parker founded Benchmark Wine Group after having a successful history of high-tech ventures. With a unique blend of talents, plus wine and high-tech industry contacts, he has succeeded in bridging the gap between high-quality wine producers and well-informed fine wine collectors and connoisseurs. An avid wine collector, David has been involved in the wine industry since 1987 owning commercial vineyards in Geyserville, California and in the Eola Hills of Oregon. David joins Justin to discuss this leading wine marketplace brand!
From growing up on an Iowa farm to spending decades in corporate America, Eileen Gannon has always had a passion for baking, winning over 600 culinary awards. Now, she’s putting all her best-kept secrets into Sunday Night Foods to share her delectable sauces and recipes. Eileen joins Justin to share the secrets behind her new delicious brand!
People have used seaweed for food and medicinal purposes for millennia. Many scientists even believe our evolution from primitive ancestor to modern homo sapien wouldn’t have been possible without seaweed’s micronutrients (iodine, zinc) and fatty acids which enabled human cognitive development. And a growing body of research shows that in regions with seaweed-heavy diets, people live longer, healthier lives. Founder and CEO Sachi Singh joins Justin to discuss this “growing” brand!
Buoy doesn’t use ingredients linked to inflammation and disease like sugar, stevia, dextrose, natural flavors and artificial dyes and oils – even if they're organic. They made Buoy purposefully unsweetened and unflavored with just the essential minerals and nutrients needed to replenish, restore and refresh. Co-founder and CMO Eddie Zelenak joins Justin to discuss this booming drops brand.
The Run-A-Ton Group, Inc. family of brands was founded by Doon Wintz’ father, Bob Wintz, in 1972 as a conventional baked goods company. In 1978 he pioneered the concept of bringing natural foods to Northeast supermarket consumers. By the early ‘90’s they were thinking about how to merge their passion for baked and natural foods to bring better-tasting options to the table. Believing that consumers shouldn’t have to sacrifice their taste standards for their ingredient standards, they launched Wholly Wholesome in 1996. Since then, the business has grown along with their lines of products. Doon joins Justin to discuss this leading food brand!
Made in small batches and handcrafted in copper kettles, Blissfully Better's Almond Toffee, Crunchy Quinoa Toffee, Caramel, Coconut, and Mint Thins are the perfect indulgence. Certified Organic and sweetened only with low glycemic coconut nectar, our confections are Blissfully Better for you and your taste buds! Shop today on the Blissfully Better site with this code to save 20%: PodcastJH20. Founder Bonnie Boroian joins Justin to discuss this growing food brand.
Adam Albrecht, Founder & CEO of The Weaponry, an advertising and ideas agency, offers a broad range of useful ways to become a better professional and human through bite-sized stories of his own learnings. By reading the 80 pieces of wisdom (plus a bonus!) in this delightful book, you’ll gain perspective-altering ideas, gather thought-provoking suggestions for life and work, acquire reliable techniques for personal growth, take steps toward self-improvement by asking questions like “why not me?”, remember why and how to engage in positive thinking, engage the power of useful habits like blocking your time and exercising regularly, set your alarm a little earlier in the morning and go to bed a little earlier at night, and have the confidence and resources to see your goals through to their best outcomes. Adam joins Justin to discuss a wide range of purpose-built topics!
Podcast special - 20% off with code Contender20 at checkout on freshvictor.com! Fresh Victor is a line of premium mixers for consistently delicious and efficient cocktails – and mocktails too! Fresh Victor is here to let you put down the citrus press and get back to the party. These mixers are elegantly balanced to perfectly incorporate everything from your favorite spirit, beer or wine to seltzer, tonic or tea for a kicking mocktail. Drink up! Founder and CEO Ken MacKenzie joins Justin to discuss this mixer brand!
Since 1987, Jennifer Maxwell has been powering the fitness world with energy bars. Maxwell, who founded PowerBar with her late husband, Brian Maxwell, sold the company in 2000 to Nestle. When her husband passed away suddenly in 2004, she took some time to heal and to raise her six children, but soon set about crafting an energy bar for a new generation. Headquartered in San Rafael not far from Maxwell’s home in Ross, JAMBAR, whose name is inspired by Maxwell’s passion for music, makes organic, naturally sweetened energy bars crafted with high-quality protein and fiber. Jennifer joins Justin to discuss this new bar brand!
Gena and Davis Knox were young, eager and in love when they started their entrepreneurial journey together from their garage nearly 20 years ago. From her love of cooking and reading culinary magazines, Gena discovered the age-old method of using planks to grill fish. Intrigued, they had to try it. ‘Cedar planking’ salmon just sounded like the perfect dinner date! Fast forward to now, they think back on how that simple culinary pleasure sparked a passion to help others discover that same joy. Over the last two decades, they have taken an innovative yet simplistic approach in creating products to help share the culinary joy fire brings to flavor. From the original cedar planks to their charcoal to their seasonings and portable HERO grill, all natural and well-sourced materials are at their core. Davis joins Justin to discuss this hot brand!
Robbie Shoults is the third-generation owner of the Shoults family business, Bear Creek Smokehouse in Marshall, Texas. His ingenious ideas keep the 79-year-old business evolving. Robbie’s leap of faith in 2018 to build the General Store, has put Bear Creek Smokehouse on the map. Robbie is known for his ever-emerging, compelling projects that hold the attention of both employees and customers. Robbie joins Justin to discuss this nationwide food brand!
The Spirit of Bermondsey’s mission is to improve the world’s wellbeing by serving up great tasting, lower-alcohol spirits that are better for your mind, body and soul. A new approach to enjoying the night, without sacrificing the morning. Brad Crompton joins Justin to discuss this new UK-based spirits brand.
Meet the home-adventure kit that’s taking every kid to the farthest reaches of their imaginations. Fort. Rocketship. Treehouse. Boat. Figgy is anything and everything. Figgy co-founder Rachel Neill joins Justin to discuss this fun and growing kids brand!
PillowScript founder, Dihandria Bright had recently taken a MasterClass of Sara Blakely, the founder and inventor of Spanx. In her MasterClass, she mentioned keeping a notebook near your bed to write down any big business ideas as they materialized. So one night in September of 2019, the vision of PillowScript came to her and thus, a company and product were born. Dihandria joins Justin to discuss her new and growing business.
Anouck Gotlib is the CEO of Belgian Boys, a woman-owned sweet treats and snack brand on a mission to turn up the happy one sweet moment at a time. Belgian Boys offers a delicious assortment of breakfasts, sweet treats, and desserts, including stroopwafels, crepes, pancakes, and cookies. Anouck joins Justin to discuss this yummy brand!
Joanna Serra and Barbara Kent are sister owners of Birdy Boutique. They immigrated to the United States from Poland as children in 1988. Watching their mother perform hard physical work to put food on the table, they learned that hard work and determination can equal success. Education was of utmost importance and both sisters pursued college degrees and began conventional jobs immediately after graduation. When the career paths changed for both sisters, sewing projects for their own children quickly turned into a small business. They pushed forward with their ideas and now have a variety of children’s' items in unique designs and patterns you won't find elsewhere! They are booming online and in stores and they join Justin to discuss their growth story!
Yvette McGaffin is the CEO and co-founder of Reform RX, the world’s first digitally connected, commercial grade Pilates reformer. A former professional dancer, Yvette has taught Pilates and reformer Pilates for over 15 years. In 2015, she and her husband, Neal, opened their first boutique reformer Pilates studio in Belfast, Northern Ireland. They have been running studios for over six years but having tested every kind of Pilates reformer, Yvette wanted to design a more sleek and aesthetically pleasing reformer. It was along this process that they identified an opportunity to design the world’s first connected, commercial grade Pilates reformer. The Reform RX, or ‘RX’ as it’s commonly known, officially launched this year and is available to order in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland. Yvette joins Justin to discuss growing a leading Pilates brand!
Nebula Snacks creates and produces delicious and healthy snacking options that won't weigh you down with the gravity of added sugars or artificial ingredients. Their snacks are both Better for Humans and Better for the Earth with zero sugar, vegan chocolates that are shipped directly to your door in eco-conscious packaging. Co-founder David Jacobowitz joins Justin to discuss this up-and-coming brand!
The Black Rain Pepper Mill has taken off in popularity and has quickly surpassed its $20,000 funding goal. This milestone means Black Rain is ahead of schedule and will deliver its precision pepper mill to backers this Fall. Black Rain is designed to quickly dispense fresh ground pepper with one hand, at the desired exact grind, every time. No cranking, adjusting, or tightening required. Black Rain was born when inventor, watchmaker, serial entrepreneur, gadget junkie, and pepper lover Jimmy Olmes was inspired to solve the 180-year-old problem of ineffective peppers mills. Jimmy joins Justin to discuss this evolving brand.
Better Choice Company, Inc. is a rapidly growing pet health and wellness company focused on providing pet products and services that help dogs and cats live healthier, happier and longer lives. They offer a broad portfolio of pet health and wellness products for dogs and cats sold under our Halo brand across multiple forms, including foods, treats, toppers, dental products, chews, and supplements. They have a demonstrated, multi-decade track record of success and are well positioned to benefit from the mainstream trends of growing pet humanization and consumer focus on health and wellness. Their products consist of kibble and canned dog and cat food, freeze-dried raw dog food and treats, vegan dog food and treats, oral care products and supplements. Halo’s core products are made with high-quality, thoughtfully sourced ingredients for natural, science-based nutrition. Each innovative recipe is formulated with leading veterinary and nutrition experts to deliver optimal health. CEO Scott Lerner joins Justin to discuss this leading pet brand!
Whether you’re a surfer, athlete or mom and dad Keto Krisp is there for you when you need an extra pick me up to kick those afternoon carb cravings, a pre-workout snack at the gym, or even a keto-friendly snack to satisfy that sweet tooth. All without the added sugar alcohols, artificial sweeteners, cheap binders or fillers that are harsh on your digestive system. Their protein snacks are free of gluten, corn, soy and peanuts. CEO Matt Clifford joins Justin to discuss this high-flying brand! You CAN DO anything you set your mind to!
Proteus sets the new standard for branded in-store promotions. They offer smart displays as a service. Their sustainable smart solution is a welcome alternative to the cardboard consuming display typically found in retail stores. It is co-developed and backed by invested retailers and brands. Their promise is to drive increased ROI and improved operational insights using built-in sensors. Creator Bram van Schijndel Tromp joins Justin to discuss this new retail solution.
Wheyward Spirit’s founder and CEO, Emily Darchuk, forged her career as a food scientist in the natural food and dairy industry. While working with dairies she observed firsthand the problem of whey waste impacting small communities. What she saw made her motivated enough to do something about it. As a scientist Emily knew she could convert whey into alcohol. However, as a consumer who cares about flavor and the impact of her purchases, she wanted to make something unique for others, who like her, care about the origin of their food. The opportunity to give those who care a voice and influence both the dairy and spirit industry to work together to be more sustainable gave her the inspiration to launch Wheyward Spirit. Emily perfected our signature spirit through years of trials, carefully crafting the recipe while she mastered the distillation process hands on. Emily joins Justin to discuss this spirited brand!
As a teenager, Seattle native Billy Price suffered a spinal cord injury and became paralyzed from the chest down, losing the ability to move his fingers. Daily tasks became difficult, but using his creative mind and unyielding spirit, he never gave up. He continued on, facing life's challenges with tenacity and determination. Born out of a need, BILLY Footwear was founded on the principle of inclusion and perseverance. Along with co-founder Darin Donaldson, Billy strives to add value to the lives of others and make a measurable difference in the world, one foot at a time. Billy joins Justin to discuss this fast-growing brand!
Sean Castrina is the founder of The Weekend MBA, a serial entrepreneur, having started more than 20 companies over the last 20 years, and still seeks to launch a new venture annually. He is the author of 4 bestselling business books including 8 Unbreakable Rules for Business Startup Success, The Greatest Entrepreneur in the World, Developing The Entrepreneur Within and World’s Greatest Business Plan. He also hosts The 10 Minute Entrepreneur Podcast. Sean joins Justin to discuss the 8 Unbreakable Rules. (https://seancastrina.com/).