This week, I sat down with Patrick Coyne, founder and chief executive of Laoban Dumplings, for a conversation that reminds you why some brands just hit differently. From teaching English in China to running dumpling shops in D.C. to building one of the most exciting frozen food brands in the country, Patrick’s journey is proof that authenticity travels, even into the freezer aisle.

We get into how Laoban went from brick and mortar to CPG during the pandemic, with Patrick and his team hand-packing dumplings and delivering them to local stores, often with the brand’s mascot, Rollie the Chief Dough Officer, riding shotgun and controlling the music.

Patrick breaks down his philosophy on hospitality and why frozen food deserves the same level of care as a restaurant experience. From packaging and cooking instructions to emotional branding and clarity of communication, every detail is intentional. He also shares how the team uses kids’ reactions to Rollie, retailer feedback, and product testing to shape the future of the brand.

We talked about the whitespace in frozen Asian food, why the category has not evolved in decades, and how Laoban plans to change that with items like scallion pancakes, Taiwanese popcorn chicken, bao, and of course dumplings. Patrick also opens up about hard decisions, like pulling a product launch from Whole Foods until it met their standards — a choice that led to an even stronger partnership and their successful bao rollout.

If you love brand building, hospitality, food culture, or founder stories that do not take themselves too seriously, this episode is full of heart, honesty, and plenty of Rollie energy.

📲 Follow Patrick:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-patrick-coyne/

📲 Check out Laoban:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/laoban-dumplings/

Website: https://laobandumplings.com/

👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?

Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!

Connect with Jess on:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellon

Twitter: x.com/jesscervellon

Instagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon

This week, I sat down with Erin Meskers, Director of Brand at Brami, to talk about what it really means to build a food brand people feel connected to, not just buy from.

We cover brand building, community, and the kind of marketing that makes people slow down and care. Erin shares how her work at Supergoop, Aviva, and Cadence shaped her approach to storytelling, and how those lessons now guide Brami’s mission to bring Italy’s food culture to the U.S.

We get into everything from educating customers about lupini beans and building loyalty through authenticity, to launching at Costco and learning how to scale without losing soul. Plus, Erin opens up about her journey across brand, growth, and retail, and why empathy, curiosity, and care are at the center of every campaign she leads.

If you’re in the business of brand storytelling, community, or CPG growth, this episode will remind you that real connection always wins.

Listen now for insight on marketing, brand experience, and what it takes to create a lifestyle around your product, one that’s built on purpose, not pressure.

Brami is currently hosting community events across the U.S., in New York, Seattle, Chicago, San Diego, and Atlanta.

If you live in one of these cities, DM Erin or Brami to join one of their upcoming experiences.

📲 Follow Erin:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinmeskers/

📲 Check out Brami:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brami/

Website: https://enjoybrami.com/

👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?

Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!

Connect with Jess on:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellon

Twitter: x.com/jesscervellon

Instagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon

This week, I sat down with Sydney Chestler, Director of CX at Fresh Clean Threads, to talk about what it really takes to build trust in customer experience, not just close tickets.

We get into what it means to lead CX at two wildly different brands, from helping a 25-year-old skincare fan find her first serum to supporting a 45-year-old dad buying tees for vacation. Sydney shares how she’s built a career around understanding what customers actually care about and how to design experiences that feel human, honest, and clear.

We cover the shift from reactive support to proactive CX, the importance of tracking “silent wins” like low ticket-to-order ratios, and why transparency should be your brand’s default setting. Sydney breaks down why the best metric isn’t how many tickets your team closes, it’s how many you prevent by setting the right expectations.

We also talk about leadership. Sydney opens up about how mentors shaped her career and how she now pays it forward by building teams that feel heard, supported, and empowered. Her approach is rooted in empathy and connection, and it shows up in everything she does, from team culture to how she thinks about the customer journey.

If you care about building trust, leading with transparency, and empowering your CX teams to do their best work, this episode’s for you.

Listen now for insights on leadership, trust, and how to turn every touchpoint into a relationship, not just a transaction.

📲 Follow Sydney:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneychestler/

📲 Check out Fresh Clean Threads:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fresh-clean-threads/

Website: https://freshcleantees.com/

👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?

Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!

Connect with Jess on:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellon

Twitter: x.com/jesscervellon

Instagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon