Predicting The Turn W/ Dave Knox

In the world of Consumer Packaged Goods, businesses are generally defined by their categories and where they appear on shelf at retail. To fuel growth, Kraft Heinz is taking a different approach, looking at their businesses by consumer platforms instead of category definitions. I sat down with Nina Barton, Chief Growth Officer at Kraft Heinz, to learn more about why this is such a meaningful change and to discuss the new operating model behind this move.

In 2004, Nader Masadeh decided to take the entrepreneurial leap, leaving the corporate world for something new. The path Masadeh took was to buy a small 4 store restaurant chain called Buffalo Wings & Rings. Fifteen years later, Masadeh has transformed the business and brand, growing it to over 80 locations. We sat down to talk about his journey, how restaurants continue to evolve, and why he decided to take the path of entrepreneurship through acquisition.

After 30 years in franchising, Todd Leff has seen the ups and downs of the economy. As CEO of Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa, Todd believes that staying true to their brand is the key to their growth over the last decade. We sat down to discuss their journey, the impact of COVID on their franchisees, and why Todd thinks the brand will come out even stronger from the last few months.

With a strong background in digital marketing. Amanda Tress recognized an opportunity in the fitness marketplace to do things differently. The result is FASTer Way To Fat Loss, a business Tress started in 2016 and has grown from $1 million in revenue to $65 million in just two years. I saw down with Amanda to talk about her journey building FASTer Way, what is next for the business, and why micro influencers are the most important strategy for marketers today.

The story of Blake Mycoskie starting TOMS Shoes is well known in entrepreneurial circles. While many would be content after building a half billion-dollar business, Blake is not one of them. After experiencing his own burnout after TOMS, Blake was inspired to start Madefor, a 10-month program where people learn a new habit or practice each month. We sat down to talk about the inspiration for Madefor and why this focus on well-being is more important than ever.

In April, Chipotle announced their 4Heroes buy one, give one program to support healthcare heroes across the U.S.  But did you ever wonder how Chipotle and other companies are able to verify if the person on the receiving end is actually a healthcare professional?  Thanks to Jake Weatherly and the team at SheerID, you do not have to worry.  SheerID is the leader in identity marketing, allowing companies to instantly verify eligibility for consumer tribes like nurses, teachers, and college students.  I sat down with Jake to learn more about the inspiration for starting the company and why they believe consent-based marketing will be the future of engaging with consumers.

In his 15 years at Target, John Peine met with hundreds of brands looking to get on their retail shelves. And while marketing and package design could help you stand out momentarily, the brands that sold the best, were the ones where the product just plain worked. This lesson is at the heart of FRISKA, the new supplement company John recently started aimed at achieving better overall health through improved gut health. We sat down to talk about his journey starting the brand and why he thinks digestive enzymes and gut health are the next major trend in wellness.

The P&G Alumni Network is a nonprofit founded by former P&G employees to connect the talent, ideas and resources of P&G Alumni. With 45,000+ registered members in 40+ chapters worldwide, the P&G Alumni Network connects via global conferences, local and industry events, and online content such as their Learnings from Leaders podcast. I sat down with P&G Alumni Network Board Member Raman Sehgal to learn more about the Alumni Network and why they made the move into podcasting recently.

Grove Collaborative believes that consumer products can be a positive force for human and environmental health. They do not mean just less bad, but actually more good. I sat down with Stu Landesberg, the co-founder and CEO of Grove Collaborative, to learn about how they doing this through a concept called regenerative concept and how data has allowed them to launch their own brands.

Offering a diversified portfolio of specialized fitness concepts in eight unique verticals, Xponential Fitness is the largest curator of boutique fitness brands in the world. As an industry disruptor, the company was ranked in Fast Company's annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies. I sat down with Anthony Geisler, CEO and founder of Xponential Fitness, to learn more about their unique approach to the fitness world.

With over 30 years in the industry, Peter Holt knows just about every angle of the methodology of running a franchise system. But when he joined The Joint as CEO four years ago, he had to learn the concept of chiropractic care. We sat down to talk about this unique challenge of a concept and methodology, as well as why franchising presents such a great opportunity for fragmented industries.

Many companies want to believe that innovation is a process that you can map out in a nice clean path. But Katlin Smith, Founder and CEO of Simple Mills, knows that more often, innovation comes about by mistake. I sat down with Katlin to talk about her journey building Simple Mills, how the company is leading the clean food movement, and why some of their best innovations have come by hiring people who share a passion for changing the food that we eat.

For over 25 years, ECRM has been driving efficiencies into the buying and selling process between retailers and brands by hosting over 100 programs per year. When the COVID-19 Pandemic shut down travel, the company quickly pivoted, launching not just one, but three new takes on their business model in just under two months. I sat down with Joe Tarnowski, VP of Content for ECRM, to talk more about how the company the company’s culture and long-standing embrace of a Continuous Beta mindset helped them move quickly when time was of the essence.

When Art Saxby gives advice to aspiring marketing leaders, he encourages them to follow a mantra that has guided his own career - “don’t confuse the thing you do every day with the business that you’re in.” That same mantra guides the thinking of the 75 marketers that make up the team of Chief Outsiders, one of the top Fractional CMO firms in the country and where Saxby serves as CEO. I sat down with Art to talk more about the role of the Fractional CMO, why it is becoming increasingly attractive for companies, and marketers need to think early on about the bigger picture of their company.

John Tabis, CEO of The Bouqs Co, believes that the consumer brands that are going to win are the ones that are where customers want them to be. That is why he thinks of Bouqs as much more than just an e-commerce company, with plans to be in retail and anywhere else a customer might want them to be. I sat down with John to talk more about the journey of Bouqs, his viewpoint on business models, and how launching a brand has changed in the last decade.

The world is filled with people that look at something and think to themselves, can’t this be better? Breezy Griffith is part of the minority of entrepreneurs that actually take the step and do something about it. Breezy is the CEO and cofounder of SkinnyDipped, maker of truly delicious chocolate covered nuts. I sat down with Breezy to learn more about their story, how they went from their kitchen to the shelves of Target, and why entrepreneurs need to come together in these trying times.

In 2002, Scott Price was 26 years old when his employer, Arthur Andersen, went out of business following Enron. With his focus on auditing security around technology controls, Scott started his first company, growing it to $11 million in revenue seven years later. Sensing a broader opportunity, Scott left to start A-LIGN in 2009. As CEO and Founder of A-LIGN, they help companies comply with different regulatory and information security standards globally. We sat down to talk about the rise of cybersecurity and why today – particularly in our new work from home environment – it is becoming a topic of board room discussion.

As the SVP of Marketing for Tractor Supply Company, Christi Korzekwa leads the company’s integrated marketing efforts across a variety of channels. At the heart of this strategy is celebrating “Life Out Here” and the unique role that Tractor Supply Company plays for its communities and customers. We sat down to talk about their efforts around Out Here, launching the new Neighbors Club, and why working on the agency side made her a better leader.

Over 4,000 people have tattoos of the Anytime Fitness running man logo. But as Chuck Runyon tells it, those tattoos aren’t about the Anytime Fitness brand but instead it’s a statement of the personal transformation that each individual has experienced. Chuck is the co-founder and CEO of Self Esteem Brands, one of the top 25 franchise systems in the world and the parent company of Anytime Fitness, Waxing the City, Basecamp Fitness, and The Bar Method. We sat down to talk about the history of Self Esteem Brands, how they have built a franchise platform, and why they ended up building a full-time tattoo studio in their headquarters.

Inspired by an injury that would ultimately end his NFL career, Will Bartholomew was looking for a training facility that was made for someone like him, someone wanting to train like a Division One athlete. Not finding the right place, Will decided to start D1 Training and like a true entrepreneur, he played every position in those early days from coach to bill collector to toilet cleaner. Today, D1 Training is one of the fastest growing fitness franchisees in the country. I sat down with Will to learn more about the breadth of the D1 offering and how they are helping their members through the long “offseason” caused by COVID-19.