Hardware Podcasts

Turning Customers Into Investors: A Popcorn Brand's Crowdfunding Playbook

The Startup CPG Podcast · 5 Sept 2026 · 38m · Episode 364

What this episode covers

Tal Moore, founder and CEO of Popsmith, details his journey from selling candy as a child to launching a premium stovetop popcorn brand with his business partner Dave Stickland. He explains how $2.2 million in personal capital and a $1.6 million friends-and-family round funded the development of heirloom-quality poppers designed by Branch Creative, which nearly failed due to a massive inventory miscalculation. The business was saved by an Oprah's Favorite Things feature, leading to a successful equity crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine that allows customers to invest as little as $500. Moore emphasizes the importance of community involvement and avoiding undercapitalization to ensure long-term growth and profitability.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Williams Sonoma, Branch Creative, Crate and Barrel, Sur La Table
Products
Popsmith
Tools
StartEngine, We Funder
Also
Oprah's Favorite Things

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