The Startup CPG Podcast · 7 Mar 2026 · 43m · Episode 271
Jamie Borteck, founder of JCB Growth and former CPG executive at Kraft Foods, Food Should Taste Good, Justin's, and Grillo's Pickles, discusses the dynamics of board-level advising for emerging brands. He outlines his criteria for evaluating potential investments, including brand name strength, founder energy, velocity data, and margin structure, while emphasizing the importance of building a financial foundation early. Borteck advocates for D2C as a proof-of-performance strategy to generate data for investors before pursuing national retail, and describes the ideal advisor-founder relationship as a flexible, empathetic partnership.
companies scaling up
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Scott Tannen of Boll & Branch and Jamie Siminoff of Ring join Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders. They discuss the trade-offs of bootstrapping versus venture capital for Q for Quinn, the strategic positioning of L Cubed Lifestyle against sunscreen rather than apparel, and expanding the market for Knox Provisions binoculars beyond traditional outdoor channels.
Guy Raz is joined by Daymond John, founder of the streetwear brand FUBU and a judge on Shark Tank, to answer calls from early-stage founders. Cristopher Navarro of Sabor a Mexico seeks advice on expanding his salsa brand from farmers markets to retail without losing margins. Darcy of Raised Nutrition asks whether to pivot his protein bar's messaging away from its jiu-jitsu origins as the customer base shifts to general health enthusiasts. Finally, Seema Sangavi of Cooks Who Feed wants strategies to increase B2B sales for her ethical kitchen linen company.
Jim Koch, founder of Boston Beer Company, joins Guy Raz to advise three founders on product-market fit and scaling. He advises Kim Jones of Tropical Vibes to build a brand story around the feeling of the tropics rather than just the founder, and to leverage direct-to-consumer channels for community building. For Lance Kessner of Millie's Sipping Broth, who is launching nationally at Walmart, Koch warns against taking expensive early-stage capital, suggesting instead that they negotiate faster payment terms with retailers to manage cash flow. Finally, he advises Amy Dana of Blay Electric to be transparent about their premium pricing and focus on customer experience to justify the cost.
Bonobos co-founder Andy Dunn and host Guy Raz advise three early-stage founders: Michele Casentino of Top Banana, Alek Supak of Broda Beverage Company, and Sabrina Nass of House of Biscotti. Dunn critiques Top Banana's DTC pricing and influencer strategy, suggesting wholesale partnerships with brands like Caraway and Paris Hilton. He advises Broda Beverage to leverage its 'better-for-you' ingredients and Polish heritage to create a 'shot culture' in bars, while telling House of Biscotti to abandon DTC e-commerce in favor of competitive wholesale pricing at retailers like Whole Foods and Walmart.
Orgain founder and CEO Andrew Abraham joins Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders on product positioning and growth. Bryn Snyder of Slate Electric Flosser discusses her $79.99 electric flosser and strategies for simplifying complex oral health benefits for consumers. Turner Lewis of 4 Craft Cocktails, a radiologist launching golf-inspired canned cocktails, seeks advice on scaling distribution and finding value-add investors. Catherine Smart of Not Just Co, a pasta sauce brand in 240 Target stores, asks how to secure seed funding despite investor skepticism about her $1 million sales run rate.
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