# Understanding Advisors with Jamie Borteck

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2026-03-07
- Length: 43m
- Episode: 271
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-03-07-understanding-advisors-with-jamie-borteck
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/1b4fa3f6

## Summary

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.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Jamie Borteck's CPG Career Path
2. The Role and Value of JCB Growth
3. Evaluating Founders and Brands for Advisory Roles
4. Advisor vs. Fractional: Strategic Mentorship
5. Building Financial Foundations and Cash Flow
6. D2C as Proof of Performance for Investors
7. When to Hire an Advisor and How to Connect

## Topics

- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Kraft Foods (company)
- Food Should Taste Good (product)
- Justin's (product)
- Grillo's Pickles (product)
- General Mills (company)
- Hormel (company)
- King’s Hawaiian (company)
- Rind Snacks (product)
- Actual Veggies (product)
- Stone and Skillet (product)
- AG1 (product)
- Sherbrooke Capital (company)
- Nielsen (other)
- Target (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Advice Line with Scott Tannen of Boll & Branch and Jamie Siminoff of Ring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-12-11-advice-line-with-scott-tannen-of-boll-branch-and-jamie-siminoff-of-ring) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Daymond John of FUBU](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-08-27-advice-line-with-daymond-john-of-fubu) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Jim Koch of Boston Beer Company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-08-08-advice-line-with-jim-koch-of-boston-beer-company) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Andy Dunn of Bonobos](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-04-17-advice-line-with-andy-dunn-of-bonobos) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Andrew Abraham of Orgain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-05-16-advice-line-with-andrew-abraham-of-orgain) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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