# #247 - How to Build a Board  with Seth Goldman, JUST ICE Tea

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2026-05-05
- Length: 48m
- Episode: 302
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-05-05-247-how-to-build-a-board-with-seth-goldman-just-ice-tea
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/14d4594b

## Summary

Seth Goldman, co-founder of Honest Tea and CEO of Just Ice Tea, along with his roles as chair of Beyond Meat and Plant Burger, explains the strategic formation and governance of corporate boards for CPG founders. He details how to vet investors, recruit high-caliber members like Gary Hirshberg and Jeff Swartz, and manage board dynamics to protect founder control while ensuring rigorous oversight. The conversation covers practical aspects of board compensation, the importance of diversity of thought over cheerleaders, and specific operational wins, such as optimizing pallet configurations to save hundreds of thousands of dollars at Just Ice Tea.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Seth Goldman and the Board Journey
2. When to Form a Board: Friends, Family, and Angels
3. Vetting Investors and Recruiting A-Players
4. Board Composition, Compensation, and the 1% Rule
5. Board Dynamics: 'Nose in the Tent, Hands Outside'
6. CEO Transitions and Board Governance Duties
7. Running Effective Board Meetings and OKRs
8. Protecting Control and Pallet Optimization

## Topics

- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Honest Tea (product)
- Just Ice Tea (product)
- Beyond Meat (company)
- Plant Burger (company)
- Tony's Chocolonely (company)
- Stonyfield Farm (company)
- Timberland (company)
- S2G Ventures (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- City Year (company)
- Kroger (company)
- Safeway (company)
- Publix (company)
- Coca Cola (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Honest Tea: Seth Goldman (2017)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-06-11-honest-tea-seth-goldman-2017) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Jonathan Neman of Sweetgreen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-04-24-advice-line-with-jonathan-neman-of-sweetgreen) (How I Built This)
- [Numi Organic Tea: Reem Hassani and Ahmed Rahim](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-05-numi-organic-tea-reem-hassani-and-ahmed-rahim) (How I Built This)
- [Perfect Snacks: Bill and Leigh Keith](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-06-09-perfect-snacks-bill-and-leigh-keith) (How I Built This)
- [Ben & Jerry's: Ben Cohen And Jerry Greenfield](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-11-20-ben-jerrys-ben-cohen-and-jerry-greenfield) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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