Food Business Success® with Sari Kimbell

It takes a lot of courage to create a business that is in alignment with your authentic self; it's so easy to get distracted by the "shoulds" and what everyone else is doing. Courtney Thompson, founder of Blooming Kitchen Co, is doing just this (after a few detours) and her business is starting to bloom. You will laugh, you will cry (at least I did) and you will feel empowered to say YES to an aligned business and NO...

When things get tough, most entrepreneurs make decisions from fear and scarcity—but what if there was a better way? In this episode, I explore why your internal guidance system (aka intuition) is actually your secret weapon for navigating uncertainty, finding creative solutions, and making aligned business decisions that feel good in your body. 

You'll learn the science behind why fear-based decisions hurt your business, discov...

You've perfected your home recipe, but that doesn't mean it will hold up to time, temperature, transportation and larger-scale production. Depending on your product, you may need help from a food scientist to help with longevity, flavor, color, texture and to make sure it is food safe for your customers. This is called commercialization and Mike Gabel, director of The Food Innovation Center at CSU Spur, and I chat about w...

Do you consider yourself a good negotiator? The truth is most of us aren't - our emotions get in the way or we end up compromising to end up with a bad deal we resent. Whether you're struggling with supplier costs, co-packer terms, or retail placement, these powerful tactics I share with you from the book Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss will help you secure better deals while building stronger partnerships.

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It doesn't matter how much money you have, your age, your current job, or your experience, a beautiful business is possible for you if you are willing to keep taking action and get outside of your comfort zone. 

This is exactly what Patty & Caroline, co-founders of Well Bean, makers of bean-focused bars and desserts (and they are delicious!) are doing. I've been so impressed working with them over the years as they kee...

When was the last time you shared something real about yourself to your current or potential customers?

I know it’s not what you want to hear - you just want to make a great product and have everyone fall in love with it, tell everyone they know and buy it repeatedly - but that's simply not enough to get traction as a small brand. 

On today's podcast I share the secret to small business success - th...

Market research can make a huge difference in your product offering and launch strategy, but bad data can be worse than no data at all according to my guest,  Lara Fordis. 

In this episode, Lara returns to discuss how market research has evolved in the CPG industry over the past four years, particularly with the emergence of AI tools that have made research both more accessible and potentially misleading. Lara shares insights on how...

Do you dream of quitting your job and running your business full time? Sure, you can do the "quit and figure it out" approach that leads many founders to burnout or failure OR I'll share what has worked best for my clients and Fuel members to start a business while working full time and then to transition out of the your 9-5.  

Whether you're just starting your food business journey or already juggling a side hus...

If you've ever laid awake worrying about getting someone sick from your product or if you are doing things correctly to not be sued, this episode is for you. 

I sat down with my go-to food safety expert Scott Roi, and he makes this “unsexy” topic feel doable and even empowering.

We break down what you actually need to be food safety compliant at different stages of business and you might be surprised at what you do, or don'...

I'm pulling back the curtain on the three biggest mistakes that cause early-stage food entrepreneurs to struggle and often fail. Drawing from my experience over 7+ years helping hundreds of food businesses launch and scale, I give you an honest look at why so many passionate food makers hit roadblocks despite having amazingly delicious products.

You'll discover why listening to everyone's conflicting opinions leads to...

Someone has probably told you to "just run ads" or "get on TikTok Shop" if you have an ecommerce business, and they're not wrong, but...

There is a time and place for each of these strategies depending on the size and stage of your business. When done at the wrong stage it is a waste of time and money - two things busy entrepreneurs don't have a lot of. 

My guest on today's podcast is Ari Gordon of...

How do you feel after talking with with someone or listenening to a podcast or scrolling on social media? It's interesting to note any changes in your mood or energy after engaging with different people and influences.

Who and what you surround yourself with will either slow you down—or help you soar.

In this week’s podcast, I’m diving into why your environment matters so much as an entrepreneur and how it di...

A lot of founders I work with are inspired to finally start their business - if others can do it, so can they! 

I was SO excited when Chennelle and Justin, co-founders of GoodLove Foods called to me they were going to be on Shark Tank.

I had to sit down with them for the podcast and hear about this epic experience, what led up to making this decision, and what they are doing now that the episode has aired (and spoiler alert - they ma...

It's trade show season with the biggest one of the year, ExpoWest, wrapping up this week. Whether you are walking the floor of regional shows, distributor shows or buyer shows like Fancy Food or Expo, it can be overwhelming at best and deflating at worst. 

I've seen founders come back from shows feeling hopeless caught in compare and despair or a "how will I ever succeed with all the other brands out there" minds...

Ever wonder why your email to a buyer, influencer, or supplier fell flat? Or why customers aren't responding to your carefully crafted message at events or in their inbox?

The secret lies in understanding that communication isn't just what you say—it's a four-part cycle that has a huge influence on whether you'll get the results you want (and we always want a results - that's the whole purpose of communicati...

Markets, pop-ups and in person events are a sales channel that Danny and I both love and on today's podcast we discuss why we love them so much, how to get into the events and markets you really want and how to make more money per minute once you are there. 

Plus, I give you a bonus tip on what you can be doing right now to get ready to hire and train well, so someday you don't have to attend the market (by choice or becau...

Are you spending hours (or days!) dwelling on things that didn't go as planned in your business? In this episode, I break down Mel Robbins' powerful Let Them Theory and how to apply it specifically to common setbacks in the packaged food industry. 

Learn how to handle everything from market rejections to late deliveries to competitive pressures with this simple but transformative two-part approach. You'll discover how...

If grocery store retail is part of your success strategy, then you don't want to miss today's podcast episode. My guest is Lisa Thorson, founder of Run The Numbers, who has 14 years of experience in the natural food industry including brokering brands into big retailers like Sprouts and Safeway.

We’re diving deep into the numbers—COGS, contribution margin, trade spend, and all the key factors you need to understand to succ...

Do you think of SELL as a bad, four-letter word? If you struggle to sell without feeling pushy or salesy, you're not alone—I see it plague many of the founders I work with.  

You launch our great product and then avoid selling because of the fear of rejection, imposter syndrome, or discomfort around "taking" money. 

But selling is not about taking—it's about offering value, creating connections, and building trust...