Advice Line with Steve Ells of Chipotle

How I Built This · 9 Apr 2026 · 42m

What this episode covers

Guy Raz is joined by Steve Ells, founder of Chipotle, to answer calls from early-stage founders. Rebecca Smith of Streaky Bay Distillers seeks advice on differentiating her small-batch spirits in a crowded market, while Sri Holima of Mat Zero asks how to balance commercial growth with her humanitarian mission for her heated mats. John Rarek of Cantina Di Rosina discusses strategies for marketing organic wine to younger consumers despite declining alcohol consumption trends.

Mentioned

Companies
Chipotle, Streaky Bay Distillers, Mat Zero, Cantina Di Rosina, Taco Bell, McDonald's
Products
Colonel

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

    Founder Feature: Joe Cassinelli of El Nacho

    Joe Cassinelli, founder of El Nacho, explains how he and partner Toby transitioned from the restaurant industry to build a premium tortilla chip brand by constructing their own factory in Waltham, Massachusetts, during the pandemic. Cassinelli details the strategic pivot from a generic white corn chip to a premium product using regeneratively farmed corn, in-house nixtamalization, and avocado oil, supported by bold lucha libre-inspired packaging to stand out in a Frito Lay-dominated market. He discusses the challenges of scaling production, the importance of listening to consumer feedback for flavor iteration, and the collaborative nature of the CPG community compared to the restaurant world.

  • 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 · 1h 00m

    #66 Sharing is Caring: How Alison Cayne & Haven's Kitchen share cooking confidence and industry knowledge

    Alison Cayne, Founder & CEO of Haven's Kitchen, discusses scaling her fresh, high-pressure pasteurized sauce brand from a cooking school side project to national retail presence in Whole Foods, Target, and Sprouts. She details the operational challenges of managing supply and demand mismatches, the strategic decision to use Social Nature for pandemic-era trial instead of traditional demos, and the distinct margin and velocity dynamics between natural channel and mass retailers like Target. Cayne also shares her framework for founder decision-making, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between short-term fires and long-term structural issues, and the necessity of building a strong foundation before expanding.

  • 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 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.