Advice Line with Jim Koch of Boston Beer Company (August 2024)

How I Built This · 3 Jul 2025 · 51m

What this episode covers

Jim Koch, founder of Boston Beer Company, joins Guy Raz to advise three founders on product-market fit and scaling. Kim Jones of Tropical Vibes seeks advice on branding as she launches a rum line, receiving tips on community building and leveraging early adopters. Lance Kessner of Millie's Sipping Broth discusses national retail expansion with Walmart, focusing on cash flow management and pricing strategy. Finally, Amy Dana of Blay Electric asks how to communicate a premium value proposition in the electrical contracting market, with advice on transparency and customer education.

Mentioned

Companies
Boston Beer Company, Tropical Vibes, Walmart, Blay Electric, Starbucks
Products
Samuel Adams, Millie's Sipping Broth, Red Bull

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 33m

    #232 - 2026 Brand Resolutions

    Host Daniel Scharff interviews Rebecca Styn of Blind Tiger Spirit Free Cocktails, Dava Guthmiller of A Dash of, and Andrew Schundler of CH Matcha about their 2026 brand resolutions. Rebecca resolves to eliminate noise by saying no to unaligned opportunities like expensive celebrity gifting, focusing instead on strategic regional growth. Dava aims to step into the spotlight by sharing her personal story and passion for salt terroir to build authenticity, rather than just curating others' products. Andrew plans to double down on retail execution and in-person tastings for his canned matcha brand, learning from early data to avoid stretching the business too thin.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 30m

    #179 - Bootstrap Heroes: Hazard's Hop Water, SWAIR, Gourmend Foods

    Host Daniel Scharff interviews Ryan Hansen of Hazard's Hop Water, Carrie Sporer of SWAIR Hair, and Ketan Vakil of Gourmend Foods about bootstrapping their consumer packaged goods brands to six-figure revenues without venture capital. Hansen details scaling a non-alcoholic hop water brand to $500k by targeting golf courses and breweries, while Sporer explains how SWAIR reached $350k in revenue by focusing on fitness enthusiasts and managing co-founder dynamics. Vakil shares how he built Gourmend Foods to nearly $850k in revenue by reformulating low-FODMAP broths and leveraging online sales and dietitian networks.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 38m

    #115 Pure Gold Series: Lessons on Iterating from Seth Goldman + Updates on Eat the Change & Just Ice Tea

    Seth Goldman, Co-Founder of Eat the Change and Honest Tea, discusses the rapid scaling of his new beverage brand, Just Ice Tea, which has reached $16 million in gross sales and distribution in over 5,000 stores. He details the strategic decision to discontinue the company's first product, mushroom jerky, due to low velocity, and the subsequent packaging redesign of Cosmic Chews to improve consumer appeal. Goldman also covers the company's recent $14 million raise, the upcoming launch of a canned product line, and his leadership philosophy on mental health support and prioritization during hyper-growth.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 39m

    Ep. 7: "You had me at wine" - Gregorio Santiago, on shifting your mindset from product to brand

    Gregorio Santiago, former head of Acceleration and Discovery at Distill Ventures and serial entrepreneur, shares lessons from his experience in the beverage industry, including launching his own gin and non-alcoholic brands. He emphasizes that founders must prioritize gross margin and 'financial storytelling' in their pitch decks to convince investors of a viable path to profitability. Santiago argues that successful brands shift focus from product-centric features to narrative-driven brand experiences that connect with consumers on an emotional level.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 38m

    Founder Feature: Brenna Turner and Joey Labes of Sake High!

    Brenna Turner and Joey Labes, co-founders of Sake High!, discuss building a premium sake brand that bridges Japanese tradition with modern U.S. consumption habits. They detail the launch of their innovative Sake Hard Teas, the challenges of international sourcing from Japanese breweries, and their grassroots marketing strategy focused on community and education. The founders also share insights on navigating alcohol distribution, managing a couple-founded startup, and expanding their product line beyond traditional sake.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by How I Built This. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.