160. Smart Growth for Food Brands: Are You Using "Expedited Cautiousness"?

How food business owners can stay focused & grow intentionally, while building a brand that's in alignment with their strategy. 

Here's one major advantage smaller food businesses have:  the ability to move fast. But that freedom can also leave room to move too quickly into new sales channels, partnerships, or operational decisions...before the business is truly ready.

In other words, just because you can doesn't mean you should.

That's why today, Katie and Clint are digging into a concept and mindset Clint and his co-founder developed early on: EXPEDITED CAUTIOUSNESS — the idea that you can move quickly, but only when you have the clarity and data to make a confident, aligned decision. 

It's a fresh, practical way to navigate growth and respond to opportunities without reacting out of pressure or FOMO.

Together, we explore how this approach can help other food business owners grow smarter, avoid costly missteps, and build a business and brand they truly love.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

- Why "expedited cautiousness" can help you grow quickly and responsibly

- How to avoid reacting too quickly

- Why hoping financials "get better later" is a growth trap

- How to use your brand strategy as a decision filter for new opportunities

- Examples from Clint's business where moving too fast backfired — and what he learned

- Growth tips and mindset shifts to help you build a business & brand you love

Related Episodes:

• Ep 152: Sharing Lessons Learned to Build a Strong Food Brand
• Ep 158: Using Grants to Grow Your Brand: VAPG and Beyond
• Ep 141: Bridging Brand Strategy & Sales: Don't Just Sell More, Sell Smarter
• Ep 134: How to Shift From Running a Business to Growing a Brand

WHAT TO DO NEXT? 

1. 📧 Katie's Friday Newsletter - including a Weekly Worksheet to help you apply these ideas directly to your food business. Sign up here.

2. 💬 Join the Conversation! Tune in to the podcast, then join us in the Real Food Brands Marketing Round Table - a free food & farm business owner community to ask questions and meet other people who love producing real food as much as you do!

3. 📞 If you're ready to talk about building a clear, cohesive brand or integrating your brand + sales strategy, you can Request an Intro Call to discuss the ways we work with food, farm, and natural product brands.

Thanks for listening – let's go shake up shopping carts!

Katie Mleziva

Host & Food Brand Strategist | Real Food Brands