Hardware Podcasts

129 - Kirk Visola (Mind the Font) and Jake Karls from Mid-day Squares drops in on a live interview on LinkedIn

People of Packaging · 29 Apr 2022 · 38m

What this episode covers

Jake Karls, co-founder of Mid-Day Squares, and Kirk Visola of Mind the Font discuss the brand's bold marketing strategy, including a $65,000 parody music video targeting Hershey's to assert their identity amidst packaging infringement disputes. Karls details the emotional and operational chaos of a rapid packaging redesign due to legal threats, highlighting the company's commitment to authenticity through handwritten notes and transparent storytelling. The conversation also covers the company's current operational struggles with high demand, leading to online sold-out status, and Karls' personal journey with founder burnout and mental health.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Mid-Day Squares, Mind the Font, Hershey's, Unreal, Sprouts, Whole Foods
Also
Shark Tank, Ellen

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 49m

    #65 Mid-Day Squares - National Target Launch, Business Therapy, and Dance Vibes with Jake Karls

    Jake Karls, Co-Founder and Chief Rainmaker of Mid-Day Squares, discusses the company's national launch at Target, its transition to self-manufacturing, and the critical role of founder therapy in navigating business challenges. He details the decision to pause US e-commerce shipments due to prohibitive cold-chain shipping costs, the team's structure with co-CEOs handling operations while he focuses on brand building, and their strategy to become a 'world-class' legacy chocolate brand rivaling Hershey or Cadbury.

    Scaling productionLeadership, teams & culture
    6 chapters

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 36m

    How to Mind your Packaging, Branding, (and the Font) with Designer and Agency Owner Kirk Visola

    Kirk Visola, founder of the design agency Mind the Font, shares his journey from corporate graphic design to running his own firm, emphasizing the importance of brand strategy, naming, and product readiness before investing in packaging design. He advises CPG founders to secure their name and product formulation first, then build a brand story, noting that design is the final layer of execution. Visola also discusses how to vet design partners, the necessity of clear contracts to protect scope and payment, and the value of community engagement through platforms like Clubhouse and Slack.

    Packaging designMarketing & brand
    6 chapters

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 29m

    Founder Feature: Lex Evan of Lexington Bakes

    Lex Evan, founder of Lexington Bakes, discusses his transition from a 20-year graphic design career at Johnson & Johnson to creating luxury baked goods with radical ingredient transparency. He explains his trademarked 'no naughty ingredients' philosophy, the decision to print supplier logos like Nielsen-Massey and Artisana on packaging, and the recent shock of his co-manufacturer going out of business. Evan shares how staying true to his vision led to winning a NEXTY Award at Expo West and offers advice on protecting time as a solo founder.

    Validation & product-market fitMarketing & brand
    6 chapters

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 31m

    Founder Feature: Kartik Das of Doosra

    Kartik Das, founder of Doosra, explains how he leveraged his background as a classically trained French chef to create a modern Indian snack mix that blends spicy and sweet flavors. He details the brand's evolution from hand-packing bags at New York farmers' markets to securing retail partnerships with a deliberate, relationship-first growth strategy. Das discusses the critical role of packaging redesign, specifically the introduction of the 'Ladu' mascot, in capturing consumer attention and communicating the product's unique identity. He also highlights the importance of community within the South Asian CPG space and his decision to maintain small-batch production to ensure quality and direct customer engagement.

    Direct-to-consumer & e-commercePackaging design
    7 chapters

  • How I Built This · 41m

    Advice Line with Alexa Hirschfeld of Paperless Post

    Alexa Hirschfeld, co-founder of Paperless Post, joins Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders on scaling challenges. Jess Walker of 5.post discusses structuring a collaboration with Sweet Paws for pet sympathy cards and whether to maintain a combined brand or spin off a standalone identity. Caroline Hareski of The Creative Garland Company seeks advice on transitioning from handmade production to outsourcing or hiring, while Sayuri Tsuchitani of Sumo Yoga asks how to educate a national audience about her unique tatami yoga mats and brand concept.

    Validation & product-market fitScaling production
    5 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by People of Packaging. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.