# Advice Line with Gary Hirshberg of Stonyfield

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2024-11-14
- Length: 44m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-11-14-advice-line-with-gary-hirshberg-of-stonyfield

## Summary

Gary Hirshberg, co-founder of Stonyfield, advises three early-stage founders on scaling their physical product businesses. He counsels Kate Havstad of Range Revolution to prioritize brand building over a B2B material play, Jamie Poe of Poe & Co. Folk Foods to leverage their chef pedigree for direct-to-consumer growth, and Dianna Darr of Cult Crackers on hiring a versatile operations leader to free up her time for sales and R&D.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-11-14-advice-line-with-gary-hirshberg-of-stonyfield#t=0) Introduction: Gary Hirshberg and the Power of Mission
- [8:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-11-14-advice-line-with-gary-hirshberg-of-stonyfield#t=509) Advice for Range Revolution: Brand vs. Material Supply
- [23:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-11-14-advice-line-with-gary-hirshberg-of-stonyfield#t=1385) Advice for Poe & Co. Folk Foods: Targeting the Right Consumer
- [34:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-11-14-advice-line-with-gary-hirshberg-of-stonyfield#t=2096) Advice for Cult Crackers: Hiring an Operations Leader
- [43:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-11-14-advice-line-with-gary-hirshberg-of-stonyfield#t=2594) Gary's Reflections on Entrepreneurial Optimism

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Stonyfield (company)
- Range Revolution (company)
- Poe & Co. Folk Foods (company)
- Cult Crackers (company)
- Bread and Circus (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Kate Spade (company)
- Tory Burch (company)
- Mountain House (product)
- Patagonia Provisions (company)
- REI (company)
- Erewhon (company)
- Berkeley Bowl (company)

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- [Founder Feature:  Elan Halpern & Kiki Couchman of Sourmilk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-07-founder-feature-elan-halpern-kiki-couchman-of-sourmilk) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#74 First Hire Series: Foodservice Sales with Jenna Cameron (+ For Good Granola)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2022-12-28-74-first-hire-series-foodservice-sales-with-jenna-cameron-for-good-granola) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
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## Citing this page

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