Most food founders think fundraising means perfecting your pitch deck. Angel investor Katie Dunn says you’re starting in the wrong place.

In our conversation, Katie breaks down the three fundamentals that actually get investors to meet with you, and say yes: understanding investor thesis (and why it saves you from wasting time), leveraging warm introductions instead of cold pitching, and building a financial model that shows exactly how you’ll reach profitability.

We cover the investment basics every founder needs to know—what a safe note actually is, why angels want equity, and whether regional brands can get funded (spoiler: yes, but with different deal structures). Katie also shares her strong recommendation on why your first hire should be finance, not marketing, and how to make it ridiculously easy for investors to want to help you.

If you’re considering fundraising or just want to understand how investment actually works in food CPG, this episode gives you the straight talk you need.

Connect with Katie:

Website: katiedunn.com

Advisory Board: The Masthead Strategy

LinkedIn: Katie Dunn

Instagram: @iamkatiedunn

TikTok: @iamkatiedunn

Join The Good Food CFO Community:

Follow us on Instagram: @thegoodfoodcfo

Watch on YouTube: @thegoodfoodcfo

Building a profitable food business without investors isn’t just possible—it’s a strategic choice.

Sarah sits down with Daniel Goetz, founder of Good Pop, who’s bootstrapped his popsicle brand for 16 years by prioritizing profitability over growth headlines.

Daniel shares practical strategies that kept Good Pop alive and thriving:

* Why he sold just 4 popsicles at his “big launch” (and what happened next)

* The 3am working capital discovery that kept his business going

* Why he focused on going “deep not wide” with retail expansion

* How to get packaging and ingredient suppliers invested in your vision

Hear how forcing profitability from day one shaped every business decision—and why Daniel chose this path after watching funded peers struggle under investor pressure.

Connect with Daniel:

Website: GoodPop

Instagram: @GoodPop

LinkedIn: @Daniel Goetz

The Good Food Collective

Join The Good Food CFO Community:

Follow us on Instagram: @thegoodfoodcfo

Watch on YouTube: @thegoodfoodcfo

Become a Member: BABOYOT

Sarah sits down with Shelley Elkovich, co-founder and CEO of For Bitter For Worse, to explore the financial strategy behind building a profitable specialty beverage brand. Shelley shares how self-manufacturing became a dual revenue stream through contract manufacturing, allowing her to control costs while generating additional income.

The conversation reveals practical insights on sustainable growth versus rapid expansion, how to filter customer feedback without compromising your vision, and the strategic decisions that kept this non-alcoholic cocktail brand resilient through major market shifts. Discover how Shelley evaluates each growth opportunity and makes decisions that prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term wins.

Shelley also graciously offered our listeners 20% off their products using the code Sarah20 on their website!

Connect with Shelley:Website: For Bitter For WorseInstagram: @forbitterforworseLinkedIn: Shelley ElkovichAmazon: Shop For Bitter For Worse

Join The Good Food CFO Community:

Follow us on Instagram: @thegoodfoodcfo

Watch on YouTube: @thegoodfoodcfo

Become a Member: BABOYOT