Seth Goldman (Just Ice Tea, Honest Tea, Beyond Meat) A Conversation on Building Purpose Led, Mission Driven Businesses

In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin Rice sits down with Seth Goldman, the founder of Honest Tea, which he built from a home kitchen concept into a category-defining brand and sold to The Coca-Cola Company in 2011. Today, Seth is the CEO and co-founder of Just Ice Tea, co-founder of PLNT Burger, Chair of the Board at Beyond Meat, and Chair of Tony’s Mission Lock at Tony’s Chocolonely.

Seth shares what it really takes to build and rebuild an iconic company, including why Honest Tea was ahead of its time, what it felt like to watch it eventually be discontinued, and how that unexpected ending created the opportunity to launch Just Ice Tea into a market with a massive vacuum. He also breaks down the difference experience makes in entrepreneurship, from having no relationships early on to now being able to scale faster because trust and credibility are already established.

The conversation goes behind the scenes of leadership and parenting. Seth opens up about launching Honest Tea while raising three young sons, including a major family health scare that happened the same day as his first Whole Foods presentation, and the reality that balance is not always possible. He shares how parenting shaped his leadership philosophy, why you cannot manage people the same way, and how focusing on outcomes over process can unlock performance in teams.

If you are building something big while trying to show up fully at home, this episode is both grounding and practical.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Seth went from a mission-driven mutual fund career to founding Honest Tea with a breakthrough brand idea

• What it was like building a startup while navigating a major family medical crisis

• Why Seth believes balance is not always real, and how he stayed grounded anyway

• The story behind launching Just Ice Tea after Honest Tea was discontinued, and how to spot opportunity inside loss

• How parenting shaped Seth’s leadership style, including managing people based on how they learn and operate

• Why purpose-driven businesses must scale to create meaningful impact

Key takeaways:

• Startups and family life rarely move in neat seasons, life and business happen at the same time

• Your relationships and reputation become your unfair advantage the second time you build

• Great leaders focus on the outcome, then adapt the path based on how people work best

• Purpose is not just values, it is a strategy that strengthens teams, trust, and resilience

• The real legacy is not the exit, it is the impact you build and the family culture you leave behind

About Seth Goldman

Seth Goldman is the co-founder and CEO of Just Ice Tea and the founder of Honest Tea, which he grew into a leading organic beverage brand and sold to The Coca-Cola Company in 2011. He is Chair of the Board at Beyond Meat, co-founder of PLNT Burger, Chair of Tony’s Mission Lock at Tony’s Chocolonely, and serves on multiple mission-driven boards focused on ethical sourcing and sustainable food systems. Seth is widely known for building purpose-led consumer brands that scale without compromising values, with a leadership philosophy grounded in transparency, long-term stewardship, and real-world impact.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Seth Goldman's Current Ventures and Personal Life
• (00:04:35) - The Birth of Honest Tea
• (00:07:30) - Emotional Journey of Selling Honest Tea
• (00:10:08) - Transitioning to Just Iced Tea
• (00:12:54) - Family Life and Balancing Work
• (00:15:48) - Teaching Resilience to Children
• (00:18:44) - Health Perspectives on Plant-Based Products
• (00:25:44) - Teaching Resilience Through Adversity
• (00:27:41) - Navigating Learning Differences: A Personal Journey
• (00:30:26) - Leadership Lessons: Supporting Employees
• (00:32:28) - Building Relationships for Business Success
• (00:34:49) - Scaling Impact: A Vision for Change
• (00:38:00) - Avoiding Past Pitfalls in Business
• (00:40:00) - Evolving Parenting Styles: Lessons Learned
• (00:42:06) - From Authority to Friendship: Evolving Relationships
• (00:43:43) - Board Roles and Intentions