CJ Bruce is the Founder and CEO of The Missing Ingredient, a Sacramento-based food marketing agency that helps healthful and sustainable food and beverage brands grow. The agency specializes in performance marketing, paid media, influencer campaigns, and AI-driven strategies. Since 2016, CJ has led a team of 15, working with brands like Amy's Kitchen, Sumo Citrus, Baskin-Robbins, and Milk Bar. A certified plant-based chef and former food influencer, he combines his passion for food and technology to help brands stand out, connect with consumers, and scale.

What makes some food products stand out while others fade into obscurity? Why do certain brands go viral, gaining devoted fans almost overnight, while others never leave the shelves? Could the secret lie in the right mix of marketing creativity, influencer partnerships, and technology?

As noted by food marketing veteran CJ Bruce, the intersection of creative passion, tactical strategy, and AI integration defines the modern path to success. He highlights the importance of building genuine relationships with influencers rather than relying on one-off partnerships, creatively engaging consumers through contests, and leveraging digital workflows to scale brands quickly. By combining micro-influencer campaigns, viral video content, and AI-driven processes, even niche products can gain cult followings and achieve measurable growth. He emphasizes that balancing technology with authentic human connection is key to capturing attention in today's fast-moving food landscape.

In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with CJ Bruce, Founder and CEO of The Missing Ingredient, to discuss mastering food and beverage brand growth in the digital era. They explore how CJ uses AI to streamline campaigns, the strategies behind viral influencer marketing, and how to tap into emerging food trends for rapid growth. CJ also shares practical tools and workflows that help brands scale while staying agile.

Dan Lee is a Partner at Pin High Strategies, a merchant banking and advisory firm serving independent sponsors and founder-led businesses on capital raising and strategic growth. He has spent 25 years investing in private companies across both debt and equity. Previously, Dan was a Partner at Garnett Station Partners and a co-founder of Comvest Capital Partners, which he helped grow from $250 million to $12 billion. He has partnered with more than 100 founders and small businesses to support long-term growth and value creation.

Strong businesses don't grow from setbacks alone — they grow when leaders turn experience and relationships into leverage. What separates founders who scale from those who plateau isn't just strategy, but how well they activate networks and capital. How do entrepreneurs rebound from career shifts, tap deep connections, and leverage the rise of independent sponsors?

Drawing on decades of private equity and advisory work, Dan Lee explains how enduring relationships and strategic focus create a competitive advantage. As a partner at Pin High Strategies, he explains how collaboration, trust, and long-term alignment transform networks into genuine opportunities rather than one-off transactions. Dan also explores the growing influence of independent sponsors — operators who acquire and grow companies without traditional institutional funds — and why this model gives founders both flexibility and control.

In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Dan Lee, Partner at Pin High Strategies, to discuss building resilient business platforms and leveraging deep networks for capital and growth. They explore why independent sponsors are gaining traction, how strategic niches accelerate success, and how to turn professional setbacks into new opportunities. Dan also shares lessons on raising capital, scaling platforms, and building partnerships that last.

Justin Brooke is the Founder of AdSkills and AgentSkills, companies that help marketers and businesses master paid advertising and advanced AI tools for marketing and automation.

Seva Ustinov is the Founder and CEO of Plurio by Elly Analytics, a marketing analytics platform that delivers full-funnel insights and AI-powered automation to optimize performance and growth.

Paul Powers is the Founder and CEO of Physna, a world-leading 3D AI and geometric search platform that codifies 3D models into detailed data that is understandable by software applications.

Are you searching for tools and strategies that give you an edge, but find everyone using the same playbook? What if scaling and outsmarting competitors came not from pricey courses but from overlooked books, AI tools, and tactics used by top founders? What unconventional approaches keep today's most innovative entrepreneurs ahead?

Justin Brooke, Seva Ustinov, and Paul Powers reveal how they're transforming marketing, operations, and productivity with innovative AI and business strategies. Justin highlights how product-led growth and sales-focused copywriting can boost conversions and uncover customer behavior insights. Seva explains how integrating AI agents with workflow tools like ClickUp can streamline processes, reduce unnecessary tasks, and optimize ad management for software and service companies. Paul emphasizes how leveraging AI for both personal and professional use — like creating personalized GPTs or tracking key metrics — can replace multiple apps and enhance efficiency across teams.

In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Justin Brooke, Seva Ustinov, and Paul Powers to discuss how AI and innovative strategies are transforming business growth. They cover product-led growth and sales insights, AI-driven workflow optimization, and leveraging AI for personal and professional productivity. They also share tips on using AI tools to streamline operations and gain a competitive edge.