Sean Connor is the Co-Founder of ForceBrands, the recruiting firm specializing in placing leadership and key operators across food, beverage, beauty, and wellness brands. On this episode of ITS, Sean and Ali talk people - from hiring, to firing, and full-time hires to fractional support. Sean also shares the best advice Ali's heard for early stage founders as they start.

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Keegan Myles is Head of Business Operations at Confido, the end-to-end operations platform built specifically for CPG brands. On this episode of ITS, Keegan and Ali talk about how his experience at Simple Mills, MUSH, and PATHWATER led him to the team at Confido and why sales and operations planning with the right numbers are so critical to a brand's success.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cameron Gould-Saltman is a CPG growth leader, angel investor, and former Head of Food & Beverage at TikTok Shop, where he built one of the platform’s fastest-growing verticals by connecting emerging brands, creators, and consumers through social commerce. On this episode of ITS, Cameron explains all things social commerce: How to meet consumers where they are today and where they'll be tomorrow. Don't miss this one!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lucy Dana is the co-founder and CEO of One Trick Pony, the peanut butter rapidly gaining fame for its bright packaging that sits upside down on the shelf. On this episode of ITS, Ali and Lucy talk peanut butter problem solving, the new rules of social media, and how to build certain, lean and ready for learning.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tenley Fitzgerald is the VP of Marketing & Brand Strategy at Yes! Apples, a brand bringing marketing, partnerships, and storytelling to family-run orchards in Upstate New York. On this episode of ITS, Tenley and Ali talk brand-thinking, consumer behavior, convincing farmers, retailers and consumers that "apples to apples" is a wild misunderstanding.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Griffin Spolansky is the Co-Founder and CEO of Mezcla, the protein bar brand known for its bold flavors and distinctive “puff-crispy” texture. On this episode of ITS, Griffin and Ali talk about the bar category, getting partners to bet on your brand, and keeping your business as simple as possible.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Abe Kamarck is the founder and CEO of True Made Foods, the clean-label ketchup and BBQ sauce brand made with real vegetables instead of added sugar. On this episode of ITS, Abe shares his experiences with Ali as True Made Foods has lived through the full arc of modern startup CPG: The go-go growth years, over expansion, broken partnerships, logistics chaos, and the hard work of cutting back to get profitable.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Isabel Washington is the Founder and CEO of Laurel’s Coffee, the fast-growing RTD latte brand made with organic, regenerative A2 dairy. On this episode of ITS, Ali and Isabel talk about balancing conflicting consumer preferences, building for existing rituals, and the first thing you learn as a McKinsey consultant.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.