Girl on Purpose with Vivian Tenorio

Carrie Morey had an early introduction to the food world courtesy of her mother, caterer extraordinaire, Callie White. The client favorite – Callie’s unique country ham biscuits. So in 2005, when Carrie convinced her mother to postpone retirement and start Callie’s Charleston Biscuits, devoted biscuit fans couldn’t have been happier. With seven different varieties of biscuits and retailers all over the country, Carrie never dreamed that success would taste so good – buttery good that is. Carrie has succeeded in building a business that works with balancing a growing family and can be passed down through generations. What was once a biscuit legendary in South Carolina has now become a favorite across America. Callie's Biscuits has appeared on the NBC Today Show and The Food Network’s hit television show Unwrapped. Carrie was chosen as one of Martha Stewarts’s “Dreamers into Doers”.   On Today's show Carrie will share: - Biggest business mistake - The 'Ah ha' moment that led you to launching your business - Greatest business decision - Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs - Plus much more...

Annie Lawless, Co-Founder of Suja Juice and Certified Holistic Health Coach (CHHC), is a health and wellness guru, who embodies Suja’s underlying message that encourages people to live a long, beautiful life. She plays a key role at Suja, bringing years of experience and firsthand knowledge in holistic nutrition and well being to every aspect of the company. Annie developed a passion for health and nutrition as a teenager after years of managing her own food sensitivities. She saw her health vastly improve when she began juicing and following a modified organic diet. She later strengthened her knowledge for health and nutrition through her work as a yoga instructor and during her training at the Integrative Institute for Nutrition, where she spent time studying the health benefits of dietary and physical influences on the body and mind. She not only serves as a brand spokesperson, but also speaks regularly on the topics of juicing, natural health and wellness at some of the nation’s leading conferences and events, including TEDx. In 2014, Annie was honored by Forbes magazine as one of only 13 female founders on the magazine’s list of America’s Most Promising Companies. When not in the kitchen helping develop Suja’s latest juice recipe concepts, or on the road, Annie spearheads consumer education for Suja, including blogging on behalf of the brand and sharing her innovative recipe creations with Suja fans on the company’s social media platforms. On Today's show Annie will share: - How and why she got into juicing - How social media is helping Suja Juice expand their brand - How she and Eric found investors - Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs - Plus much more...

An oh-so-simple idea: to make pasta using the finest ingredients possible for superior quality, nutrition, and most importantly, taste. Our name in Italian means “in the” because what goes inside the pasta is the trademark of our products. So what exactly is in our pasta? A unique, handcrafted mixture of produce, artisanal cheese, our signature wheat blend, and a profound respect for the freshness you find in Italy. We choose vegetables picked locally and in season whenever possible; roast, sauté or steam them for the best flavor, and complement them with creative and unexpected ingredients like specialty cheeses, fresh herbs, nuts and dried fruits. Then there’s our secret ingredient, a sustainable food movement, which is blended into each pillowy bite. Put it all together and you have a truly exceptional ravioli that’s good for you too. A notion worth chewing over-- indeed!       On Today's show Leigh & Rachel will share: - Personal Mission Statement: We take care in making our product from how its made to the ingredients we use to make it. We feel that it's important to share meal time with family and we do our part to create a nutritious product that you can be proud to serve to loved ones. We aim to help our customers embrace the values of the slow food movement by encouraging this together time with an emphasis on quality food. A delicious, wholesome bowl of Nella Pasta ravioli shared with loved ones, what could be better! - Biggest business mistake: We've had several instances where we should have trusted our gut instinct and we didn't. Often people will tell you how you have to run your business differently, adopt new technologies (vacuum packs), create new recipes (gluten free!), etc.. We've found that sometimes harping on these suggestions can only delay doing what you do best- your business! - Handling business stress and uncertainty: Map out options, use one another for a different view, or a martini or two?! - Greatest business decision that changed everything: Stepping away from every part of the business: first, hiring farmers market associates, next: help in the kitchen, and so on. Delegating tasks and allowing new talent to help you with your business allows you to grow. Letting go of control can be hard, but it allows you to focus on your greatest strengths. Or  The creation and innovative design of our packaging. We worked with a design team and local company to dream up very unique package for a freezer shelf. Traditionally, you will find plastic in all freezers and we decided to divert from that pack and create a more natural looking kraft box with a window to see the actual product instead of just a photo of the cooked product. We want people to see the product in its natural form because it's just as beautiful uncooked then it is plated and garnished on your dinner table. Today, our packaging along sells our product and we couldn't be happier with the decision made years ago while designing it and again, going with our gut! - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset It's not a book meant to be about entrepreneurship in any way, but we have both found after reading several books by Michael Pollan and Mark Bittman, we were encouraged to think about our food business as a larger picture-- one where we can make a difference and not just through taste! We were encouraged to seek out local, sustainable produce for our ravioli during our growing season and educate our customers about seasonality and making good food choices not just for health but the environment as well.  Also another quick little read for the sales minded folks is a book by Jeffrey Gitomer's called Little Red Book of Selling. It's a quick and short read that you can reference back to and re-read several times over. It's filled with principals and strategies that teach you how to sell and make sales forever. It's a great read for any entrepreneur because it not only teaches you about selling a product but also selling yourself and understanding why people buy. - Plus much more...

Autumn Martin is a proud 4th generation Washingtonian. She finds much inspiration in the natural elements found in the Pacific Northwest and is passionate about incorporating them into her creations—from innovative confections to the brand she’s created with Hot Cakes. Autumn founded Hot Cakes in 2008, selling the namesake, Take n Bake Molten Chocolate Cake in mason jars at Farmer’s Markets in Seattle. In May of 2012, she opened Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery, an artisan dessert and craft cocktail bar featuring creative, small-batch desserts and fine spirits, to rave reviews. In April of 2013, St. Martin’s Press released herfirst book, Malts & Milkshakes: 60 Recipes for frosty, creamy, frozen treats. Autumn has developed a devoted following over the years, and she is highly respected for her innovative flavor profiles and commitment to creating quality products. Hot Cakes was awarded “Best Dessert” at the NW Chocolate Festival for the last three years and was honored with a “Best New Dessert” nod from Seattle magazine. Most recently, her Pacific Coast Sea Salt Caramel Sauce became a Good Food Award finalist and her Molten Chocolate Cakes were featured on O magazine’s Wow list. Autumn is a graduate of the Culinary Arts Program at Edmonds Community College where she was honored as Student of the Year and now Distinguished Alumni. She worked at Seattle’s world-renowned Canlis restaurant from 2002 to 2004. In 2005, she devoted her life to chocolate and became the head chocolatier for Theo Chocolate where she created award-winning confections and chocolate bars for nearly 5 years. Autumn loves to rock climb, snowboard, surf, eat, love, and sleep.     On Today's show Autumn will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement Be as honest as possible, be compassionate and kind to myself and listen to my gut. - Biggest Business Mistake Hiring family to help me build out the restaurant – it created so much stress, and I knew in the beginning it would turn out to be a mistake but I did it any way. Big, painful mistake that I could have done without. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty I wait. I try to not make any large decision on the fly, so I contemplate and talk it over with friends and colleagues and wait it out until it feels right. For stress - it’s an everyday learning process. I am trying to practice empathy and compassion as most stress is brought on by the actions of others and getting worked up over other peoples actions doesn’t serve me that well, so I am working on keeping calm and staying open and understanding to their position. - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything Going for it. I hemmed and hawed over whether or not to open a brick and mortar dessert restaurant and doing so has changed the game completely. We are successful and it feels good. Also, waiting for the right location and the right mix of investors. Having good people on my team makes all the difference in the world. Everybody is so supportive. - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset Well, I must say that I LOVE Atlas Shrugged. I don’t think it is at all about greed and just about capitalism, but about passionate builders (not just of structures) with visions and their path to living with truth and justice outside the sticky cobwebs of untruthful people. - Plus much more... Useful links: http://www.getyourhotcakes.com https://twitter.com/getyourhotcakes https://www.facebook.com/getyourhotcakes

Long before Kate Schade became a business owner and whole foods advocate, she was a self-proclaimed ski bum.  Tram Bars, Kate’s preliminary food source for on-the-go fun, were made on off-days in her kitchen.  In line at 7:00 a.m., Kate would catch first box at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, ski all day, then grab a quick shower before slinging Italian food in the evenings. All the while, her Tram Bar pocket-fuel satiated any nourishment needs.The Tram Bar recipe evolved over time (consistent with Kate’s cupboard availabilities) and with each tweaking, the recipe perfected itself. Kate continued her routine; sometimes tossing bars to gawking, hung-over friends in the tramline. Still, she ignored her friends’ suggestions of starting a viable Tram Bar business. “Too much work,” she confessed before dropping into a powder-filled couloir. After years of poking and prodding by her sometimes-hostile comrades, Kate bit the bullet and became an entrepreneur.  While still working her night job and spending summers managing farm workers at Cosmic Apple Gardens, a local CSA farm, she also dedicated her spare time to produce and sell the now famous Tram Bars. Kate’s time on the farm helped her adopt the conscious eating habits that shaped today’s organic bar recipes.     On Today's show Kate will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement Personal – Personally, I strive to live true to my ethics, values and beliefs, and carry this into all areas of my life, including my business. As folks say, “It’s not what you do, but why you do it.” Whatever it may be, I’d like to make a difference in people’s life (be a good influence in whatever way I can), whether it be a good word, helping people when I can, or leading by example. Every new day is a day to better yourself. We are all human, and here to help each other get through what we call life in the best way we can. Read my blog, “Kate’s Way” which incorporates some of my beliefs. http://katesrealfood.com/blog/page/2/ Business – On the business side, I always thought that if I could create a great successful company, I’d be able to give back more to those things I believe in other than just what I was doing before the business started. And that brings us back to the roots of the company; inspired by outdoor play, and organic farming, Kate’s Real Food hopes to give back more to areas such as helping small organic farmers, and promoting outdoor play through trail building and similar efforts. - Biggest Business Mistake Well, certainly we all learn from our mistakes, and I feel I have learned a priceless amount of information by starting a company in the food industry. Mistakes can be costly for a small startup. That being said, I think my biggest mistake was not seeking consulting, and not networking enough with industry folks in the early stages of the business. There is a world of knowledge out there and people who want to help and share their experiences. As I learn, I am becoming one of those people! Small business is difficult and it’s really great to get or give help during the tough times. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty There are a few things I do currently to help combat these things. Stress really sucks, but as a start-up it seems inevitable. First and foremost, I get outside and exercise. It is a godsend. Luckily I live in the mountains, and can walk out my door in the morning and go for a run or a bike ride. It helps to relax, but also invigorate body and mind, it increases my productivity, and boosts my mood. I try to push the limits. The harder I exercise, the better I feel. Next. I try to talk to people. When there is uncertainty, anyone who can help give a little insight into the situation will help me feel at ease. Networking is so important, and a lot of people have gone through similar situations. Lastly, keep up your perseverance and you will surely get past the current stress and uncertainty until the next round of it comes on. Haha! - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything Starting this business! At first this was my third job for a little extra cash, and at one point I was either ready to throw in the towel, or just go for it. I decided I couldn’t let it go unless I gave it a good shot, so that’s what I did. I partnered with a self professed businessman who put in a little capital and I took it from there . . . - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset I resonate most with Let My People Go Surfing by Yvonne Choinard, and Raising the Bar by Gary Erickson. These are still 2 independently owned companies who do their best to stay true to their values, and have created an amazing company culture. I have a great amount of respect for them. There are always more books on my list, but finding the time for them can be another challenge. Other than that, sometimes an entrepreneur should read a little fantasy…just to get away from it all! - Plus much more...

A happy accident in my kitchen just about 3 years ago led to the launch of my natural ice cream company in March of 2013 and the early success of our flagship product, JC's Pie Pops, which is growing like crazy and gaining mainstream popularity every day in grocery stores.   On Today's show Jennifer will share: - What are your top 3 business tips for aspiring entrepreneurs 1) Ask for advice but ultimately trust your own instincts. 2) Don't ever lose your passion and enthusiasm. If you do, you're in the wrong business. 3) Be confident in yourself and your brand. If you don't trust yourself, no one else will. - What has been your biggest business mistake I don't believe in mistakes. I believe in lessons and opportunities for betterment. My biggest lesson was realizing that I can't do everything by myself. At some point your business becomes bigger than you and you have to relinquish some control, delegate and let others help. - What do you think is the difference between people who talk about starting businesses and those who actually do it Those who do it don't have time to talk about it!! - What has been greatest business decision you made that changed everything for the better Changing careers and spending almost all of my savings to start my brand. - Best book for the entrepreneurial mindset Truthfully, I'm not a huge believer in reading books about this kind of stuff. I believe in carving your own path and leaving the how-to books aside. - Plus much more...

Coming from a long history of sports and business.  Chris was a Division I full baseball scholarship recipient.  Playing and being involved around the minor and major  league baseball.   Received national accredited sports strength and conditioning certifications, and opened a training facility in Baltimore for, and upstate NY for athletes.   Later used his business degree to achieve a series 7, and 66 Financial Licenses and opened a Financial Planning Firm.  Modeled for various sports agencies, hosted a radio program in Baltimore MD,Ski patroller, avid mountain biker, back country snowboarder and is now also an athlete for BIC stand up paddle boards and surf boards.  Founded Vermont Peanut Butter in 2009 out of his kitchen.   On Today's show Chris will share: - What are your top 3 business tips for aspiring entrepreneurs Write your business plan thoughtfully.  When you think it is complete, write more, and turn over every “what if” scenario in your mind.   Be sure to have flexibility in your plan, as it may change monthly. - What has been your biggest business mistake Getting involved with investors too early.   I think everyone wants their business to go from 0-60 overnight, but being very cautious in whom you borrow from or allow to invest is important for the health and longevity of your business.   I could not have grown without some investment help, but like any good team, you must weed out the poor players before you have an all star lineup. - What do you think is the difference between people who talk about starting businesses and those who actually do it I have always said there are 97% naysayers and 3% doers.   If you look at all the successful people in the world they all have some common threads.   They think outside the box, they are not afraid of the word “No”, they do not let what others feel or say deter them, and they have a self motivating drive that is non learned..you are born with it.   I was told by my history teacher in 11th grade that I would not be able to attain a scholarship, as there are too many kids vying for the same thing out there.   That changed my life.   I never took no for an answer again, and that moment opened up my ability to simply go after my dreams. - What has been greatest business decision you made that changed everything for the better It was early on when I decided to start my own training center and work for myself.   I realized that hard work actually can not only bring you social rewards, but had a great economic impact.   The best decision I ever made, was designing, and implementing my own businesses. - Best book for the entrepreneurial mindset There are so many.   The only problem I see in these books are everyones different approach to success.   As I said the common threads are there, but the rest is purely suggestive and opinionated.   What works for a 6’1 handsome individual may not work for the kid who has never played a sport or had a date.  Equally what has worked for the person who was an honor student and excelled in music may not work for the varsity cheerleader.   I think books are fantastic as are their authors, but at the end of the day it is you and your drive that makes things work. - Plus much more...

I have a degree in Journalism and Political Science from UNC-CH and worked in marketing, business development and fundraising for 13 years. In 2004 I moved to Paris to study pastry at Le Cordon Bleu. Later, I earned a Professional Chocolatier certification from École Chocolat and worked in several San Francisco-area pastry kitchens, including Scharffen Berger chocolate’s Café Cacao. I opened Petit Philippe – a wine and chocolate retail store and tasting room – with my husband in December 2010. We launched Twenty Degrees Chocolates (a brand of Petit Philippe) at the same time; the chocolate kitchen is housed within Petit Philippe. I’m the executive chocolatier and oversee another chocolatier while also managing all administrative and business development responsibilities for the chocolate brand.       On Today's show Casey will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement Never be afraid to try. Live with no regrets. - Biggest Business Mistake Not designing my chocolate kitchen appropriately to allow for growth and expansion of our product line. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty Trying to anticipate ups and downs in the flow/cycles of our business helps you feel more empowered during uncertain times. Planning for when retail is slower and creating new ways to generate revenue when walk-in traffic may be slow diminishes surprises and, thus, stress. Talking things out w/ my husband (who is also my business-partner), friends and others who understand and empathize with the demands of the business. Brainstorming ways to broaden our appeal, customer base, etc. with fellow business owners. Exercise and reading to take my mind off of work and family demands helps me manage stress. - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything The decision to launch our business in the first place! It was a dicey time to launch a new business – likely the height of the recession in late 2010 – and not everyone in our circle was completely confident in the timing and the choice to take such a big risk given we have young children. But we felt strongly, based on our research of the local market and our deeply held passions, that we could make the business work despite the less than optimal conditions of the economy at the time. - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset “Raising the Bar” by Gary Erickson, founder of Clif Bar. It’s an inspirational story of entrepreneurship that illustrates that you can do really well by also doing good… I love his products, I love his story and I love how he conducts business and creates a desirable workplace for his employees. - Plus much more...

In the investment world, Ellin Purdom is known to her clients as a Director of Client Services. But Ellin is also Catherine Hughes’ cousin and best friend. The two women grew up together in Piedmont and share memories of enjoying Catherine’s godmother’s hand-made toffee on holidays and special occasions. Ellin now lives in Marin County, California, and she and Catherine talk often, preferably over toffee. Not surprisingly, Ellin found the notion of publicizing Toffee Talk as irresistible as the candy itself. Thirty years experience in the investment advisory business have turned Ellin into a networker extraordinaire. She has deep roots in the Bay Area and loves meeting new people and helping them connect with others. Not surprisingly, Ellin has developed a passion for, and a great expertise in, marketing through social media. As Toffee Talk’s Director of Social Networking, Ellin uses Twitter, Facebook, Linked In and Google Plus to get the word out about Toffee Talk. Her efforts have gotten Toffee Talk featured in influential foodie blogs and on the Daily Grommet, One Kings Lane and Daily Gourmet online marketplaces. And whether she’s wearing her financial hat or her marketing one, Ellin chooses Toffee Talk for all her business gifts.     On Today's show Ellin will share: - What her top  business tips are for aspiring entrepreneurs - How social media has helped them expand their business - How they landed a sweet gig - GOOGLE! - How they started the business - Plus much more...

Tito Beveridge is a geophysicist with an unlikely path to becoming a famed micro distiller. In 1997, Tito fought for his right to open the first legal distillery in the state of Texas, a one-room shack that he hand-built himself. In his own rags-to-riches story, he has become the pioneer of the microdistillery industry in the U.S., and attained success through word-of-mouth and loyal followers. When Tito embarked on opening his own microdistillery he worked day and night in the one-room shack, cooking vodka and catching sleep whenever possible. In the fifteen years since, the original shack and original pot still is still standing -- in fact, and Tito uses it as his office! Many more pot stills have been added on, but the method remains the same. Tito still tastes every batch, making adjustments when necessary.   On Today's show Tito's will share: - His top 3 business tips for aspiring entrepreneurs - He shares his Aha moment - How Tony Robbins inspired him and helped him discover his passion - He shares how he found funding and distribution for his business when everyone turned him away - Plus much more...

Kit and Amanda started Tiny Pies three years ago at the farmer’s market and it’s grown by leaps and bound since. The idea for Tiny Pies came from Amanda’s son’s wanting to take pie in their lunch to school. Tiny Pies bakes seasonally and sources ingredients from local farmers (when available). Pies are baked fresh daily with natural ingredients. Tiny Pies will open its’ first brick and mortar store on March 24, 2014.   On Today's show Amanda and Kit will share: - What are your top 3 business tips for aspiring entrepreneurs Top tips: 1. Trust your gut, (2) be fearless, (3) have faith in yourself. - What has been your biggest business mistake Our biggest business mistake was spending too much money on promotional materials and marketing in the first year. - What do you think is the difference between people who talk about starting businesses and those who actually do it I’ve found for me, that the more I talk about an idea the more energy and momentum the idea loses, thus, I try to keep my vision for the company close to me …I don’t talk much about what we’re doing but instead I visualize it every day and keep focused on that vision. - What has been greatest business decision you made that changed everything for the better There are two business decisions that I feel changed everything fro the better. (1) Investing time in talking with others who are in the business and learning from them…avoiding the mistakes/missteps they made. (2) Investing money in our brand/ logo creation and website. - Plus much more...

LIVE Kombucha Soda is the pioneer of better tasting Kombucha, providing a raw organic Kombucha that is not an acquired taste. Our founder, Trevor Ross wanted his family to be healthy, particularly his father who was a soda addict—so he set out to brew a Kombucha that combines all of its raw benefits with the popular taste of soda…Mission Accomplished! All LIVE Kombucha Soda products are USDA Organic, non-GMO, vegan, gluten free and made with Fair Trade Certified ingredient LIVE Kombucha Soda began in Austin, Texas as one man's mission to improve the health of his family by crafting a kombucha that tastes like soda. Trevor Ross first experimented with small batches, tweaking spices and flavors until he got each one just right. His kombucha went above and beyond industry standards of quality and probiotic content using only the purest ingredients - always USDA Organic, Non-GMO, Fair-Trade, and 99% raw kombucha. Soon, friends and family were raving about the delicious taste and asking him to sell bottles of the brew. Trevor had already achieved great success with Boundless Nutrition with his yummy Oatmega Bars and Perfect Cookies, so he teamed up with his friends David Smith of Sweet Leaf Tea and Mario Mendias of My Fit Foods to share LIVE Kombucha Soda with the world. Now this raw, organic beverage has come on the market, much to the delight of soda and kombucha lovers alike. Try it! Your digestive tract will thank you. "We lost my sister Courtney to breast cancer several years ago, and our family was devastated. I funneled my grief into finding ways to help the rest of my family stay healthy. I had begun drinking Kombucha, but could not convince anyone else in my family to also drink it. I started experimenting to see if I could make it taste more appealing. At the same time, I was trying to figure out how to convince my father, who was a soda addict, to find a healthier beverage to consume. Lightbulb! I thought, instead of taking away his soda, what if I could just sub it out for kombucha that actually tasted like soda? Give it a try. My dad did, and he's been soda-free ever since.” – Trevor Ross, Founder and Brew Master   On Today's show Trevor will share: - What are your top 3 business tips for aspiring entrepreneurs Find someone who was successful in your industry, and find a way to get them as your mentor/business partner. Know the market Watch your cash  - What has been your biggest business mistake Bad Hires  - What do you think is the difference between people who talk about starting businesses and those who actually do it? Risk tolerance and faith. Faith that it is going to work and faith in yourself  - What has been greatest business decision you made that changed everything for the better? Finding good business partners, take advice from people who know the industry.  - Best books for the entrepreneurial mindset? The Tipping Point Malcom Gladwell Outliers – Malcom Gladwell The Four Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss - Plus much more...

David is a serial entrepreneur who has built several successful companies over the past three decades. The regional consumer financial services company Pawn X-Change that he founded in 1993 that grew to 45 stores and 50mm in revenue, was sold in 2008 for 70 million dollar. David founded the upscale service repair company Home Smart in 2000 and sold in 2003 with 3mm in revenues. David was incarcerated from 2003 -2007 for charges related to Pawn X-change business in 1993, and this is where he found the concept that was the basis for POP Gourmet, writing a business plan while in prison and launching in late 2010. POP! Gourmet now has 90 employees and 35% are transiting ex-cons giving them an opportunity to have a positive life.     On Today's show David will share: - What are your top 3 business tips for aspiring entrepreneurs Know your market better than competitors, be the absolute best at what you do, and never see barriers, only hurdles you can get over. - What has been your biggest business mistake Giving to much rope to employees that obviously aren’t in to win. - What do you think is the difference between people who talk about starting businesses and those who actually do it Listening to NO or CANT. -What has been greatest business decision you made that changed everything for the better Having integrity, the highest quality products and service period. -Best book for the entrepreneurial mindset “They Can Kill You But They Can’t Eat You” By Dawn Steele - Plus much more...

Madeline Haydon, MBA is a versatile professional with a passion for people, products with strong communication and self-motivation to take on new challenges. She is a sales and marketing professional with a successful 14 year career in the medical industry, spanning medical devices to blood center donor management. After focusing her career in the medical field and being dissatisfied for a healthy, quality non-dairy creamer for her coffee, she elected to begin a new career as a food entrepreneur.  Seeing a market opportunity for a more wholesome option to the portable dairy-free coffee creamer singles, she created nutpods; a delicious dairy-free creamer made from almonds and coconuts which are packaged in convenient, easy to use coffee pod singles that require NO refrigeration and is perfect for on the go! For more information, please visit www.nutpods.com   On Today's show Madeline will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement To bring a better option for portable, dairy-free coffee creamers made from wholesome ingredients. - Biggest Business Mistake Be passionate about your business, but when you take the emotion away, there should be a solid, viable business opportunity left. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty An inner voice that is positive and respectful of the journey. The journey unfolds and I talk myself through the business stresses to see the positive of the situation or what I can learn from it. For example, my current production issues help assure me that it’s equally hard for my competitors to follow me. - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything Using Kickstarter as an indicator to test market demand/interest. - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset Launching New Ventures – Kathleen Allen - Plus much more...

Pacific Pickle Works is based in Santa Barbara, California and is committed to supporting local and sustainable agriculture by using locally grown produce for it's wide variety of pickled vegetable products - all of which use only natural ingredients and are hand packed here in Santa Barbara. The company was founded in 2010 by Santa Barbara native Bradley Bennett who had been making his spicy blend of pickles for friends and family for a decade before bringing them to market for the public to enjoy.  Bradley enjoys creating inventive new pickle recipes to add to the Pacific Pickle Works product line and today you can enjoy a wide variety of tastes including pickled asparagus, green beans, beets, carrots as well as the original spicy cucumbers. These products make terrific appetizers, drink garnishes, or are delicious just eaten straight from the jar!   On Today's show Brad will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement Have fun and do everything with quality - Biggest Business Mistake Risking too much – need to balance steady growth with risk - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty Manage growth at the rate you can handle. Don’t be in too much of a rush to where the risk will stress you out. - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything Saying ‘yes’ when presented with opportunity - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset Jack Welch – Straight From the Gut - Plus much more...

Sarah Wallace is a veteran marketer in the natural products industry, where she worked with companies such as Clif Bar (where she launched Luna Bar), Kashi, Bear Naked, Think Products, and PopChips.  In 2010 she started The Good Bean, Inc., and launched the first line of all-natural roasted chickpea snacks. Two years later she introduced The Good Bean’s Fruit & No-Nut Bar, the first chickpea-based nutrition bar. She brings her passion for innovation and making healthy food, and her experience creating strong natural brands to The Good Bean.   On Today's show Sarah will share: - Biggest Business Mistake - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything - Plus much more...

Emmy-winning journalist Cindy Morrison teaches everyone from network TV journalists to corporate CEOs how to strategically use social media to build brand loyalty, raving fans and their bottom line. Her social media savvy has been highlighted on national TV shows like FOX News, CBS’s “The Talk”, The Washington Post, The New York Post & The Huffington Post. Good Morning America’s Tory Johnson calls Cindy her favorite Social Media Strategist and they’ve spent two years together on the 2011 and 2012 National Spark and Hustle Tour to help women entrepreneurs across the country make more money. Cindy has helped create social media buzz at events from star-studded Hollywood fundraisers & red carpet events to national conferences.   On Today's show Cindy will share: - How to transition between corporate employee to entrepreneur - Why social media is so important for your business - Top 5 social media platforms for food entrepreneurs - Plus much more...

About 1 year after gradating college, I quite my management consulting job without a plan, just a strong feeling that I needed to be doing something I was more passionate about. Having traveled to organic tea estates in the Himalayan foothills as well as to every great speakeasy bar in NYC, I had the idea that maybe people would be interested in using premium cocktail mixers crafted from organic teas, local honey, and other fresh/organic ingredients. I made a video describing the idea, put it on Kickstarter, and since it funded Cocktail Crate has been my full time job.   On Today's show Alex will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement The journey is the reward - Biggest Business Mistake Rather than 1 giant mistake, I typically do every little thing wrong the first time I try it, then get it right the second. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty It’s really important to build a network of other entrepreneurs to offer advice/complain about things with. - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything Not sure I’ve made that yet, although listening to my customers and cutting the size of the mixer bottle in half was pretty big. - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset Steve Job’s official biography - Plus much more...

Susan O'Brien’s story started on the island of Maui where she fell in love with Superfoods and the Raw Foods lifestyle.  For the devoted daughter, wife & mother of three boys, this new way of living seemed like a natural progression from her decade long yoga practice The origin of food is in her DNA given that her grandparents were farmers growing heirloom vegetables and fruits in the small East Texas town of Grand Saline.  Her uncle (whom she adored) would continue the family farming tradition growing citrus fruits near the Mexican border town of McAllen Texas where she frequently visited as a child and has fond memories of picking fresh fruits from the trees. College would take her to UT Austin where she studied design and was a regular customer at Whole Foods Market at the original location on Lamar.   Her design skills and professional career of designing clinical laboratories would serve her well as the owner of a food company specializing in the unique techniques of food dehydration rather than typical baking. Upon turning 40 years old, Susan wanted to explore ways in which she could look and feel better as a sort of birthday present to herself, so she adopted the raw foods lifestyle entirely for 9 months and as a result, never felt better.  She studied the popular raw food chefs of the time and even trained with the famed raw foods chef, Juliano Brotman, of Santa Monica. In Dallas, she would later turn her home and back cabana into a test kitchen for these raw creations vowing to make them taste better than what she could find on the market.  She wanted her Hail Merry snacks to not only be functional but they had to taste good as well.  She sold her products into a few local health food stores and quickly gained a devoted following of people who were also seeking better for you good tasting snacks made with pure ingredients.  Susan trained her children’s nanny Lorraine (who is now Hail Merry’s Chief Mixologist), how to prepare the food and package it all so that she could spend her time selling and marketing the brand.     On Today's show Susan will share: - What are your top 3 business tips for aspiring entrepreneurs  1.  Know your target customer REALLY WELL as you are creating your brand and also know your competition and how you are different. 2.  Surround yourself with people who compliment your talents and bring knowledge/experience to the table that you don't have. 3.  You will always need way more capital than you think – plan accordingly.  Companies go out of business in the first 18 months because they are not well capitalized. - What has been your biggest business mistake Expanding the brand into new markets with out the capital to properly support the marketing needed to launch brand and sustain sales. - What do you think is the difference between people who talk about starting businesses and those who actually do it  Fear of failure. - What has been greatest business decision you made that changed everything for the better  Taking on partners who could help me expand and grow so I could keep doing what I love which is sales, brand strategy and marketing. - Best book for the entrepreneurial mindset David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell.  Every business starts out small and there will always be larger companies your competing with for customers.  You have to know how to expose their weaknesses.  I like to say “you have to zig when they zag”.  Innovation in the market place usually comes out of the founder’s personal challenges/hardships and the deep rooted passion for making the world a better place. - Plus much more...

Kelly Costello is the owner and founder of Puppy Cake LLC and is a graduate of Grove City College with a degree in international business in 2007. After a year in the corporate world, Kelly started Puppy Cake LLC and has most notably appeared on season 3 of ABC's Shark Tank. Puppy Cake headquarters are located in Evans City, PA where Kelly currently lives with her two rescued terriers.     On Today's show Kelly will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement My personal mission statement is to constantly grow and stretch myself as a business person (not allowing gender to influence or inhibit my growth) while maintaining my personal integrity. - Biggest Business Mistake I spent way to much money in the beginning. I was naïve and almost completely delusional about my business. My sales the first year were in the thousands while I spent nearly $20k that first year. It has taken a long time to get rid of all the debt I accumulated from the first 5 years. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty I often have an inner dialogue with myself. I will assess this situation for what it is. Perhaps its my fault that I am experiencing the stress. If I made a mistake, I analyze it, recognize it, forgive myself and move on. If the stress is a result of outside forces, I analize it, recognize the problems and can often commend myself for handling the situation well. For uncertainty, I love data and do my best to accurately predict sales numbers and changing trends, but I plan for the worst. - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything Best business decision I ever made was accepting the request to apply for shark tank. It has changed everything. - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset The E-Myth. Hands down. - Plus much more...

I have always loved bread pudding but was never able to find it served just right. I wanted something special, something unique, something so good you could taste the emotion that went into it. After years of fruitless searching, I turned on my own oven and got to down to the business of starting my own business. With the guidance of friends and family I soon found myself with a steady supply of wonderful, unique recipes. Schulzies bread pudding is the perfect interpretation of this timeless dessert. It’s rich and creamy, baked with love, and served chilled.   On Today's show Sarah will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement Bake Love - Biggest Business Mistake My dreams get ahead of reality. It’s great to be passionate, but the passion needs at least a small dose of reality in the mix. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty Yoga. And trusting my talented team. - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything Opening my first store in Venice. You realize that it’s a huge leap between a great idea in your mind and actual execution of that idea. It’s so hard to make that first jump – I’m so happy that I did. It opened up all the other doors for me. - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset “Pitch Anything” by Oren Klaff. - Plus much more...

Chris Woehrle is the co-founder and CEO of Kings County Jerky Co., a Brooklyn-based business  specializing in all natural, 10% grass-fed beef jerky. He co-founded the company in 2010, leaving his career as an art director to pursue a twin for passion for food and entrepreneurship. What began as a weekend booth at the local flea market is now a national business, with products available in specialty food stores across the country, including most recently, Williams-Sonoma. The company has been featured in The New York Times, Bon Appetit, Real Simple, and Men’s Journal, as well as on the Cooking Channel, ABC News, and NPR.   On Today's show Chris will share: - Personal Mission Statement Be the best at what you do, and always strive to be better. Question everything you do, always be learning how to improve, and always be open to change. - Biggest Business Mistake Trying to do everything ourselves. A a result, we overspent on a facility we quickly outgrew, and squandered a huge headstart in the market by thinking we could handle all of the production ourselves. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty I talk with other food business owners to compare experiences, seek advice, and generally commiserate about the difficulties we all face. We have a great and supportive food community in Brooklyn, and I always come away feeling better knowing that the problems and issues my business face are not unique, and that other business owners have found ways to successfully navigate through the same difficulties I encounter. - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything Shifting our manpower and focus from production to sales and marketing. - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset I’m so busy either running the business, learning new skills, or researching new ways to improve our business that I never find the time to read a full book anymore. Part of my problem is finding the time to research which of the millions of business-related books are worth reading. I’ve read several of these books before and find that they are often too general to be that helpful. I’d rather spend that time learning a new skill or developing a new strategy than read a book that may or may not help my business. I do read a number of blogs, and one of them just released a list of 40 must-read books for entrepreneurs – so maybe I’ll start there when I can find the time! - Plus much more...

I, Jessica, am 28 years old and was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. I attended the University of Florida which is where I met Sabrina. We both majored in Business Marketing. After school I moved to NY where I worked in non-profit marketing doing mostly social media for international development agencies. Sabrina was also living in NY working as a buyer for Macy’s. We remained friends after college which leads us to The Jam Stand. Jam Stand was started in 2011 by both Sabrina and myself. At the time it was just a hobby with no clear direction. We were making jam for fun and dabbled with the idea of selling it at farmers markets on the weekends. From there the company grew to online sales and then to stores.  The Jam Stand now has distribution for over 100 stores nationwide with distribution in the NE as well as the SW.     On Today's show Jessica will share: - What’s  Your Personal Mission Statement         Make products that are both delicious and promote creativity. We want our jams to have a personality and inspire our customers to be fun and silly. - Biggest Business  Mistake            We have definitely made a lot of mistakes, but we take everything with a grain of salt and learn from it. I wouldn’t say that anything in particular stands out as being “the biggest.” We’ve gotten to where we are now with a not of trial and error. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty               Just go with it and believe in ourselves. I think a lot of the time it’s easy to get caught up in the moment, it is important to take a step back, look at the bigger picture, and dive back in tackling things one at a time.  - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything                I think that after our second year we were seeing real growth. We had to make the decision to either raise capital, build out our own kitchen, and bring on full time employees or outsource to a co-packer. After long discussions we realized that a co-packer was the way to go. It felt weird handing our baby over and putting the production into someone else’s hands, but it allowed us to focus on a bigger picture. - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset                Sabrina is actually much more of a “business book” reader than I am. Don’t get me wrong, I love to read, but when I sit down to read a book I want to escape into a fantasy-land of relaxation. I asked her this question and she said “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” - Plus much more...

Prior to founding Canada Enterprises LLC Reuben Canada was a patent attorney at Woodcock Washburn. Reuben found his entrepreneurial calling when he focused his energy into bringing something he created in his kitchen that expresses his impression of what exceptional tastes like. Reuben received a B.S. in electrical engineering from Swarthmore College and his J.D. from Howard University.   On Today's show Reuben will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement Better life through better choices - Biggest Business Mistake Not taking full responsibility sooner - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty Always remember that this is an opportunity and be grateful for the challenges - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything Complete angel round of financing - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset Unlabel by Mark Ecko - Plus much more...

Julie Busha launched the Slawsa brand to the market in 2011 with rave reviews and retailer confidence that saw placement in over 5,100 stores in the US and Canada within two years. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur and landing a coveted spot on Season 5 of ABC's Shark Tank, Busha spent her entire professional career in the world of sport marketing. She worked with many Fortune 500 clients, starting with IMG and most recently leading the marketing efforts for an agency owned by NASCAR driver, Bobby Labonte - a company she was recruited to build in 2007. She is proud to have worked with General Mills for nearly a decade. Busha graduated with three departmental honors as Academic All-American and Order of Omega from Winthrop University and has since been published through various media outlets. She resides with her husband Brett and two weimaraners in Cramerton, North Carolina. More information about Slawsa, including a store locator, can be found at www.slawsa.com.   On Today's show Julie will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement I've got three little rules:  #1 Don't make excuses.  First of all, no one wants to be around people who don't take responsibility for their actions or inaction…they bring everyone else around them down. I have found that unsuccessful people can only achieve success on the backs of others. Don't be either one: the freeloader or the mule; and the freeloaders seem to be the ones who make the most excuses.  #2 Never let someone else's inability to see your value determine your worth.  If you want to achieve something, put in the work to get it done as it doesn't matter what other people think.  #3 Don't be afraid to bite off a little more than you can chew at times.  You lose fear when you dive into unknown territory head first and it'll make you stronger to take on more in the future.  It'll build confidence too. - Biggest Business Mistake  I have always been a people pleaser and desire to make people happy, proud, you throw in the adjective, has always been a personality trait of mine.  With that, I have found myself in situations where I have been too nice and that good nature has been taken advantage of.  You want to assume the best in people but at the same time, you have to learn how to spot people who are just wanting to take advantage of your generosity, efforts or both.  Its a fine line.  Don't stop being nice, generous and helpful to others, just use caution when you do. I've learned it's okay to look at life's scenarios with a cynical eye from time to time and sometimes you have to do that to protect yourself. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty  With more grey hair.  Honestly, because I am a very type-A person who feels she needs to be in control, it's not easy to think about the uncertainty of the future.  I probably stress more than most but, at the same time, I have confidence in my abilities and I need to trust in those to get me to my goals.  I just have to remind myself from time to time that I'm on the right path and as long as I stay focused, good things will happen.  Physically, I enjoy going for a good long run or doing an Insanity workout to relieve some stress. In shape people can take on more workload. - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything  Buying out my partner when he requested to sell his equity in the company to me.  To say that it was a shocking request is an understatement.  Considering everything I had put forth with the company in time, effort and finances to grow the Slawsa brand where it was at the time of the request, I can't say it's an easy decision.  I was now going to assume even greater risks with the added weight of an additional investment for the buyout and the legal fees in doing so.  It's not an opportunity that comes before a 34-year old often but, at the same time, it was one that I couldn't pass up, even if it meant making additional sacrifices to do so. - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset  I'm a big fan of Larry Winget's business books because of their comical, kick-you-in-the-pants, nature… but I'd like to change this question up and reference a SONG that I think every Entrepreneur should live by: Frank Sinatra's "My Way."  If you live like the person in this song lived, you probably kicked a little ass along the way.  It's a great anthem for us entrepreneurs. - Plus much more...

Kara's Cupcakes is the vision of executive pastry chef, Kara Haspel Lind.  A somewhat rebellious child, Kara's sweet tooth is almost legendary in her family.  The daughter of a dentist, Kara's love for sweet treats was discouraged by her parents.  She learned early in childhood to hide candy and other sweets throughout her family home. This appreciation of sweets is among Kara's earliest and strongest memories.  As an advertising sales executive and passionate home baker, Kara realized the importance of following her dreams and enrolled in Tante Marie pastry school.  With the goal of furthering her baking skill set, she diligently embraced this program. A small word of mouth cupcake catering business soon was born.  It quickly became so popular that demand for her cupcakes exceeded her ability to fill the orders.  Before long, the first Kara's Cupcakes bakery and retail store opened in San Francisco, followed by a retail outlet in historic Ghirardelli Square. Today, a mom and entrepreneur with eight busy bakeries selling her famous cupcakes, Kara can still be found most mornings working in the kitchen with her dedicated pastry staff.  She visits the farmers markets regularly, looking for inspiration, and sourcing seasonal items for upcoming cupcakes flavors.  Thankfully, as the owner of a cupcake bakery she no longer needs to hide sweets, preferring to share her new finds. Since 2006, Kara’s Cupcakes has continued its focus not only on its local and sustainable business and baking practices, but also ongoing philanthropy donating over $1.5 million to the community and local charities.  Last year, the company gave away more than 350,000 cupcakes to feed the needy and over $25K to local charities for schools, non-profit organizations, etc.  The company’s sustainable focus and green practices led to its most recent award for "Beyond the Check - Community Partnership in Sustainability" by the San Francisco Business Times.   On Today's show Kara will share: - What are your top 3 business tips for aspiring entrepreneurs Educate yourself on the market you are interested in pursuing and become an expert. Create a business mission that will guide and inspire you as the business grows/changes. Start small, know  your audience and stay focused.  It is a marathon not a race. - What has been your biggest business mistake Not listening to my intuition. - What do you think is the difference between people who talk about starting businesses and those who actually do it Are you fear based or not? You have to be willing to take a chance, follow your passion, create a mission for your business  and let go of the fear…just do it.  If you fail, there is always something else to do.  I followed my intuition on starting my own business.  I used my marketing background, my appreciation for fashion and my love for sweets to create a cupcake empire based on a community sensibility.   Our mission “Making the planet a little sweeter by creating celebratory moments with each cupcake we serve” guides us in our business everyday! - What has been greatest business decision you made that changed everything for the better One of the greatest decision was leaving my job at Conde Nast and committing full time to expanding Kara’s Cupcakes.  ( and listening to my husband)  Following my intuition. - Best book for the entrepreneurial mindset "Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life Without Losing Its Soul” by Howard Shultz, CEO of Starbucks Lean In ” by Sheryl Sandberg Pastry books and cookbooks are inspiration for me as an entrepreneur:  David Lebovitz, Ina Garten, Emily Luchetti, Shery Yard… Dot Complicated:  Randi Zuckerberg. Danny Meyer:  Setting the Table. - Plus much more...

Loren Brill started Sweet Loren’s after overcoming Hodgkin’s lyphoma at the age of 22. She started studying nutrition and took cooking classes, and soon cut out all highly refined ingredients. Without delicious cookies and brownies in the marketplace that were made of ingredients that she wanted in her body, she realized that she would have to make her own, and soon, Sweet Loren’s was born. Loren is a graduate of Columbia University’s Columbia Community Business Program (’12), University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Communication (’06), she completed the Master Class in Cooking at the New School, and is a certified Hatha Yoga instructor. She loves yoga, running, cycling, painting, traveling, the beach, dinners with friends, and has an insatiable sweet tooth.     On Today's show Loren will share: -What’s Your Personal Mission Statement My personal mission is to improve the baking industry by creating enlightened alternatives to conventional baked goods. I believe that your body is your temple—but, that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun and indulge, just choose smartly. Personally, I know I am happier and have more energy when I eat food that enhances my wellbeing—and to me, that means eating as whole and natural ingredients as possible. As a foodie, I always want delicious taste, and that the food I choose to eat takes me on an emotional adventure. I try to lead an active, healthy lifestyle that includes balance and conscious choices—even amidst a busy schedule. We live once—and I want to live life to the fullest. I know that good food helps us be our best self, and that it’s important to celebrate often--with yourself and those you love. Cancer has affected my family so much—my mother passed a way from a chronic leukemia in 2010, and I overcame Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of 22. Cancer is an epidemic that we’ve almost all been affected by. My goal is to not only inspire a healthier lifestyle in those around me, but also to be able to give back to cancer research in a big way as we grow. My goal is to change the world—through cookies—one day. -Biggest Business Mistake Ugh. Where to begin! Looking back, it is hard to have regrets, because I had to do what I did in that moment. If I could do it again, I would wish to start my business with a partner with complimentary strengths. If it’s the right partnership, you can go twice as fast. Also, I wished that I researched the industry more and wrote a more in depth business plan at the beginning. My business started the complete opposite way—it started with only me, creating recipes in my mom’s kitchen with my younger sister as my official taste tester—and Whole Foods Market being our first customer. I went from 0 to 60, really fast. -How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty I deal with uncertainty and stress with daily workouts, healthy food choices, meditation, and talking to everyone I respect in business…a lot. I have days of total clarity, and then days of total distraction. It is hard to stay stress-free when juggling so much, and having so much at risk in something you so believe in. I share what I am going through a lot with other entrepreneurs, and listen to what others in business and the food industry can share. Between all of the people that I talk to, I get an instinct of what feels right to do next. And, that gives me some sort of certainty so that I can lead my company the best and most direct way that I can. Doing yoga, going for a run outside, eating fresh food—all make me realize that I am just happy to be alive, right here, right now. -Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything Talk to anyone and everyone. I went straight up to Hoda Kotb from NBC’s The Today Show at a Fashion Night Out Event in NYC back in 2010, when I had just launched SL. Even though she was out with her girlfriends, I just walked up to her and told her all about Sweet Loren’s. Her best friend loved the concept, and invited me to drinks with them the next night. I just kept in touch with them --for over a year. When I emailed Hoda that I thought her viewers would love to hear about Sweet Loren’s, she told me she wanted me on and was going to interview me live the next week on the Today Show. That changed everything. -Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset I wish I had more time to read. Great books stay with you forever. I was very motivated by Steve Jobs’ biography. It feels good to see that nothing amazing is done over night, or easily. It simply takes time, care, attention, and an undying passion to make the best possible product you can. It also shows me that you don’t have to be the best at everything. Find your strengths and own them—hire people around you to round out an all-star team. - Plus much more...

Irene Costello – Corporate Executive Turned Culinary Maven After 20 years in the world of financial services, Irene broke out to develop her passion for cooking. She earned a Master's of Liberal Arts in Gastronomy and a certificate in Culinary Arts from Boston University and a certificate in Wine Studies from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. Irene joined forces with Joan MacIsaac at Ruby Chard in 2005 bringing a unique combination of culinary and business experience. Irene earned her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University. Joan MacIsaac – Acclaimed Chef and Culinary Instructor With more than 20 years professional culinary experience, Joan is a well-known chef in the Boston area. She worked six years in the restaurant industry, culminating as executive chef at Dahlia Lounge in Seattle before returning to Boston to start her own business. She created Ruby Chard Catering in 1996 and later expanded the business to include cooking classes. Joan partnered with Irene in 2005 delving into corporate team building cooking classes.     On Today's show Irene will share: - What has been your biggest business mistake - What has been greatest business decision you made that changed everything for the better - How winning a sofi award can impact your business - The benefits of trade-shows and festivals - Plus much more...

Katie Lee was born and raised in Saint Louis, MO. Katie has also lived in Florence Italy with her mother and professional artist Belinda Lee. Katie's time in Florence Italy shaped her vision for food and style and was one of the driving forces in her successful concept. Katie then worked for 7 years for her Aunt Zoe (Robinson) Pidgeon, local restaurateur and owner of many successful restaurants including Cafe Zoe, Zoe's Pan-Asian Cafe, Il Fratellini, Les Freres, and BOBO Noodle House. Katie Lee was the Creator/Founder and Executive Chef at age 25 of Katie's Pizzeria in Clayton, MO. Katie's Pizzeria will be open 6 years in Feb 2013. First year Revenues exceeded expectations, especially in a down market. Katie is now the owner and executive chef of Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Osteria in St. Louis, MO, with business partner and fiancé Ted Collier. Katie's Pizza & Pasta has been open 90 days and was funded in part by a successful Kickstarter.com campaign that raised $42,000. Katie’s Pizza & Pasta showcases in house from scratch artisan Italian cooking while using local and seasonal ingredients. The beautiful artisan pasta in all shapes and colors dries on racks throughout the restaurant. The wood burning pizza oven is exposed to the dining room in an open kitchen. The wall behind the bar plays retro Italian films on a large projector along with two beautiful living green walls. This success can be attributed to many things: Katie's full time management of front and back of house, focus on consistency, effective marketing strategies, an innovative concept, high quality product and service, and a desire to grow and change with the market. Katie was featured on the cover of the St. Louis Business Journal, where they recognized her current operations success during the recession. Katie was also featured in Small Business Monthly as one of the Top 6 Young Professionals in St. Louis. Katie and her current operation are often featured in local papers and magazines including Sauce Magazine, Feast Magazine, St. Louis Magazine, Riverfront Times, Ladue News, STL Today and Alive Magazine. Katie has also been invited to appear on local radio and TV programs to talk about Katie's Pizzeria and its success. Katie has won many awards for her menu including, best pizza by multiple publications 4 years in a row, best authentic pizza, best salads, best pizzeria, best toasted ravioli's and towns top toppings, along with glowing reviews and articles from all of the city's top publications and online blogs and reviews. Katie’s focus now is expanding the brand on national level and giving back to the community. Katie has started this process by developing a series of video’s showcasing her cooking and restaurant that will launch this month. Katie also has plans to publish a cookbook as well as sell her pastas and sauces in retail stores. Katie’s Pizza & Pasta is giving back by partnering with Food Outreach, Gateway:180, Siteman Cancer Center, Haven House and Dining Out For Life.     On Today's show Katie will share: -What is your personal mission statement “Inspire a unique culinary lifestyle brand through a mixed media experience” -What is your biggest business mistake I’ve had a ton of mishaps, but I honestly don’t consider any a mistake, I consider them all incredible learning experiences, and without those mishaps I wouldn’t have the success or clarity that I have today. When I opened the first restaurant I really didn’t understand the ups and downs of business and took a lot of things personally. I would give up a lot in the beginning. I don’t give up now.  My takeaway from all of those failures in the first few years was a checked ego and an understanding of the cycles of business and how to pivot quickly. No one is on top forever, but I now know how to regain strength, pivot, and march back up the hill. -How do you handle business stress and uncertainty Prayer and trust in God -Greatest business decision that changed everything Launching a kickstarter.com campaign. It’s what brought excitement and awareness to my brand, and introduced me to the right team of people. -Best book for the entrepreneurial mindset The Four Hour Work Week, by Timothy Ferris.  I don’t agree with everything in the book, but there are a few key messages that have really shaped and inspired my entrepreneurial thinking. - Plus much more...

As Founder and Chief Love Officer at Love Grown Foods, Maddy D’Amato not only spreads the LOVE far and wide, but also oversees many essential areas of the business. From managing domestic and international sales strategy, to overseeing packaging design, each day in Maddy’s life is different from the last. But one thing remains constant – her passion and enthusiasm for people and for Love Grown Foods is unyielding.  It was this enthusiasm that propelled Love Grown Foods to break into one of the most competitive and saturated categories in the grocery store: cereal. In five years, Love Grown Foods’ distribution has gone from one store in Colorado to over 7,500+ stores throughout the US and Canada. Love Grown Foods is a Denver-based, natural food company on a mission to create healthy, delicious, and affordable products, while educating kids on the importance of fueling their bodies right.     On Today's show Maddy will share: - What are your top 3 business tips for aspiring entrepreneurs Be passionate. Be persistent. Be fearless. - What has been your biggest business mistake Not hiring the right CPA off the bat. As a small company, every dollar is so hard to spend, but there are two areas you must spend money on in the beginning and it is on the right accounting firm and right legal team. - What do you think is the difference between people who talk about starting businesses and those who actually do it The fear factor. Being fearless enough to know you will make mistakes …and that you won’t sleep a lot… and that you might fail. - What has been greatest business decision you made that changed everything for the better From the very beginning we packaged our products in professional bags with barcodes and nutritional labels. It cost more and took time (we hand labeled clear bags front and back with large stickers), but that initial first impression is so profound and imperative for long-term success. - Best book for the entrepreneurial mindset Cooking Up a Business by Rachel Hofstetter. No matter what industry you are in, this book takes you through the trials and tribulations of founders who have not only overcome huge challenges, but who have also created incredible business and brands. It is a quick, easy, and enjoyable read that is bound to inspire! - Plus much more...

Diana Hardeman starting making ice cream out of her tiny New York kitchenette in the summer of 2009. She wanted a better pint and began crafting ice cream that dreams are made of - innovative flavors with only the finest and freshest local ingredients. She immediately gained a cult following and launched MilkMade's ice cream of the month subscription service at the end of 2009. Diana and the Milkmaids hand-source, hand-craft, and hand-pack every pint before hand-delivering them each month to their loyal members. MilkMade Ice Cream currently serves Manhattan and Brooklyn, and will soon launch its mail order membership service. On Today’s show Diana will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement Wow that is a loaded question. It’s easy to create a mission statement for a business – but one statement that defines my life will take some thought. My initial response is -- to make every day better than the last. For myself and everyone I touch – my family, my friends, colleagues, our MilkMade customers, even those I meet on the street. Also – spend as much time at the beach as possible. - Biggest Business Mistake Mistakes are never mistakes – they become a part of the story, they are a cause for improvement, they help define what you/your business are today. I have hundreds of things I could point to as mistakes – from day 1 to today – but I don’t view them as such – I view them as part of what make who I am today, and what MilkMade is today. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty By putting one foot in front of the other. - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything Greatest decision that changed everything was to go for it. To start MilkMade – to commit to trying it out, making it work, with brazen tenacity. - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset Three books. Different genres for each. 1. Brand Hijack – Alex Wipperfurth. Provides great case studies for brand building. 2. The E-Myth – Michael Gerber. Probably 15 people told me to read this book before I finally did. Great coaching for small business and solo entrepreneurs. 3. Daring Greatly – Brene Brown.  More psychology related – empowering us to put ourselves out there, be vulnerable, and let go of the outcome. - Plus much more...

Homesweet Homegrown was started by Robyn Jasko, founder of Grow Indie, and author of Homesweet Homegrown: How to Grow, Make and Store your Own Food No Matter Where You Live, and her husband and partner in crime, Paul David, and her 8 month old son, Ajax. All natural, vegan and GMO-free, Homesweet Homegrown is the first hot sauce to use chia seeds as a natural thickener and preservative without the use of gums. All of the peppers in Homesweet Homegrown sauces are grown without the use of pesticides in nearby Kutztown, PA. and feature organic ingredients. They recently partnered with Victory Brewing Company to include Victory Storm King Stout in their line of Punch Drunk Sauce. More about us: In 2012, Robyn and her husband Paul, along with her Illustrator Jenn Biggs (also of Philly) trekked around the country via Amtrak for an cross country book tour but before they left, Robyn planted way too many pepper plants. They returned to a bumper crop, all begging to be made into hot sauce. So they started making hot sauce and selling it along with Robyn's book at farmer's markets and local events.  It sold out each time, so in Spring of 2013, Robyn posted another kickstarted project to raise $850 for her crop of pepper plants, and the project took off, raising more than $53,000 to become the highest selling hot sauce in Kickstarter history. On Today’s show Robyn will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement Our main mission is to promote homegrown, non-gmo food, and help empower people everywhere to eat better and to vote with their dollar. - Biggest Business Mistake Listening to all the people who told me what I wanted to do couldn’t be done. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty Gardening! And, running---- Being outside in the fresh air, even just for 10 minutes--- changes your perspective and can turn any situation around. - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything Deciding to stick with organic ingredients----After several bottlers told me it wasn’t possible, I ended up sourcing my own organic ingredients and changed the system for the better. Now, my bottler is looking into organics for their other lines. The chain reactions of our positive perseverance always amazes and inspires me. - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset This changes all the time, but right now, my favorite is Get Big Fast and Do More Good: Start Your Business, Make It Huge, and Change the World - Plus much more...

Jennifer has 21 years of decorated experience leveraging the power of strategic design. Most recently leading design as Global Brand Design Director for leading Brands at Kimberly Clark. Jennifer’s unique visionary leadership enabled her brands to engage and penetrate meaningful connections with consumers by utilizing design as a business tool and leveraging global synergies while learning from regional (local) markets. Jennifer now uses her global experience to look through the lens as Co-founder of FlapJacked Protein Pancakes, where her acute sensitivity to consumers needs and desires drive the opportunity for her daily breakfast passion. Career Highlights: Jennifer has spoken in industries top design conferences; named an inventor on over a dozen patents; named "Brand Inventor of the Year, 2011" by Brand Packaging Magazine; earned Global Pentawards; earned several Effie’s in Advertising; has been recognized and published in CA, Print, HOW, GDUSA, Advertising Age, and many other publications.  On Today’s show Heath will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement Live life to the fullest. In areas where I can’t, I choose to live and love life vicariously through those who can. - Biggest Business Mistake Getting too excited too quickly and not being patient enough.  We have made a few rash decisions early and locked ourselves into exclusive situations that weren’t ideal. Sales take time and the promise isn’t alive until the PO comes through. We have learned to be more patient. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty I worry just as much as the next person, but the key for me is not letting business stress mix into my personal life. Half of my career has been spent working for myself, so I’ve learned over time how to keep work separate from personal.  Being married to my business partner makes it tough, but we try not to talk business past 8:00 p.m, otherwise our minds work all night long. We all need to take a break. I release my stress through physical activity… I run. - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything The best decision so far has been to keep complete ownership of our company and bootstrap as long as possible. Having full ownership of our company, not having to answer to investors or other partners makes decision-making easy. We have two distinct target markets and channels with a lot of opportunity to grow prior to considering a trade of shares for services or cash. - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset My most recent read is “Cooking up a Business” Lessons from Food Lovers Who Turned their Passion into a Career – and How You Can, Too. by Rachel Hofstetter.  This is perfect for our situation not only because it’s about food companies, but it’s about local companies and people that we have personally met.  It’s a great read on real stories in the industry.  What better way to learn than from relevant examples! - Plus much more...

Heath Hall is President and Co-Founder of Pork Barrel BBQ. A BBQ lover by birth, Mr. Hall learned the finer points of low and slow cooking as a kid watching his Dad work his magic on the many grills and smokers in their family’s backyard. As President of Pork Barrel BBQ, Mr. Hall oversees the day to day operations of America’s fastest growing barbecue company, which sells Pork Barrel BBQ products across America and operates a Pork Barrel BBQ Restaurant in Alexandria, Virginia that Food & Wine Magazine named one of America’s top new BBQ restaurants in 2012. He is the creator of the company’s national award winning line of BBQ sauces and spice rub, including Pork Barrel BBQ Original BBQ Sauce which was named by Men’s Health Magazine as the nation’s best BBQ Sauce and Cook’s Illustrated Magazine as America’s Supreme BBQ Sauce. He is head pitmaster of the Pork Barrel BBQ Competition BBQ Team which has won numerous competitions including the 2011 Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle in Washington, DC and the 2012 Sam’s Club National Barbecue Tour in Pleasantville, NJ. Mr. Hall has cooked in the most prestigious barbecue contests in the world including the American Royal Invitational, American Royal Open, Memphis in May, the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational and the Sam’s Club National Barbecue Championship. In 2011 the team was named the Perdue National Chicken Champions. Additionally, Mr. Hall has appeared on numerous local and national television and radio programs as a BBQ expert and guest chef including ABC’s hit reality show Shark Tank, Fox & Friends, Good Morning America, Fox 5 DC and the BBQ Central Radio Show. Mr. Hall received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Truman State University and holds a law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in Maryland. Before joining Pork Barrel BBQ, Mr. Hall was Strategic Operations Director for Leadership for America Operations at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC where he specialized in national security, foreign policy and judicial issues. Prior to joining The Heritage Foundation, Mr. Hall worked as Senior Legislative Assistant to United States Senator James M. Talent where he advised the Senator and developed policy positions and legislation on wide array of issues. Mr. Hall lives in Baltimore, MD with his wife Nisha and his two Black Labs Sam and Bones. On Today’s show Heath will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement Reward lives in the house of risk. - Biggest Business Mistake Our biggest business mistakes came from having no real world experience in the food world prior to starting Pork Barrel BBQ. As a result we entered into a lot of early deals with brokers, distributors and retailers where we ended up getting the short end of the stick just because we wanted to get on a new store shelf. Over time we have learned that there are deals worth walking away from if the negatives outweigh the positives. We’ve also learned that by walking away from the first offer you sometimes get a better second offer. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty The best way to handle stress and uncertainty is to be as prepared as you can possibly be. The more prepared you are the less likely you are to encounter uncertainty which lessons the likelihood of stress. In those times that you still encounter stress and uncertainty take a step back and look at the big picture and don’t rush into any immediate decisions if time allows so you can be sure you are making the best decision to tackle the stress and uncertainty head on. - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything There is no question that the decision that changed everything for Pork Barrel BBQ was our decision to accept the offer from Mark Burnett Productions to appear on Season One of Shark Tank. Our world changed overnight and has allowed us to take the company to places we could never have even dreamed about. - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset Shark Tales by Barbara Corcoran. - Plus much more...

Jen Groover has been tagged by SUCCESS Magazine as a “One-Woman Brand”, a “Creativity and Innovation Guru”, and a leading “Serial Entrepreneur” by Entrepreneur Magazine. Jen Groover’s name has quickly become synonymous with innovation, entrepreneurship and evolution. She has gone from guest hosting television spots, to inking deals with some of the industry’s biggest heavyweights. Jen recently made history at the New York Stock Exchange, as member of the first all-female group to ring the opening bell, representing women’s leadership and economic independence. Her influence and leadership has aligned her with amazing brands, such as USANA Health Sciences, Avon, Verizon and SkyMall, for which she acts as a spokeswoman. Her success skyrocketed with the creation of the Butler Bag, the world’s first compartmentalized handbag, and has not stopped since. Jen spring-boarded the Butler Bag’s success into an entire lifestyle brand, found at a variety of price points and well known retailers, which led to the creation of subsequent lifestyle brands, Leader Girlz, and Empowered by Jen Groover. Leader Girlz teaches young girls the importance of empowerment through play, while the recently launched “Empowered by Jen Groover” brand, including her one hour PBS special and forthcoming book, comprises a variety of consumer products that encompass her quotes and inspire people to live life with passion and purpose. The success and momentum of Jen Groover’s empowerment movement has led to the development of Jen’s upcoming, highly integrated tech platform, “Empowered for Purpose,” which will serve as a foundation for further expansion of the “Empowered by Jen Groover” brand. Jen is a top business and lifestyle contributor and content creator for major television networks such as ABC, CBS, CNBC, NBC, Fox News, Fox Business News and The CW. Jen also contributes editorial pieces to several prominent business magazines and online resources including The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur Magazine, Positively Positive, The Daily Love, and HealthyStyle NY. Her products, brand and work have been featured in hundreds of media outlets including O! The Oprah Magazine, Redbook, People, US Weekly, SUCCESS and Entrepreneur, to name a few. Jen’s passion for inspiring others to realize their greatest potential on all levels is the driving force behind her many successful brands. Jen’s diverse experiences and businesses span many different industries and she has no desire to slow down anytime soon. She constantly motivates and inspires through her keynote speaking engagements for corporations, universities and organizations all over the world. Jen continues to strive toward her ultimate goal, which is to innovate in every industry she is inspired to play in, while empowering others to achieve their goals. Jen is more than a more than a multifaceted, multitalented individual – she is, undoubtedly, a force to be reckoned with. Jen believes in active participation and lives by the belief that “if you are going to complain about something you better be willing to do something to inspire change.” On Today’s show Jenn will share: - How and why she started her businesses - How to gain confidence - How to find your purpose in life - Plus much more...

Rachel Hofstetter is the author of “Cooking Up a Business” (Penguin, 2013). She was so inspired by the entrepreneurs she wrote about that she left her food editor career to launch guesterly, a software platform that enables anyone to create a playbill for life’s special events. Today, you can find her sharing guesterly with the world by day — and recipe testing at night! On Today’s show Rachel will share: - What are your top 3 business tips for aspiring entrepreneurs? Pick something that makes your life easy as it grows (ie, non-perishable granola instead of pesto) Test, test, test your product with real users and customers Bring your enthusiasm! - What has been your biggest business mistake? Not going on a vacation before we started!! But seriously, nothing feels like a mistake. There are learning opportunities, but we’re grateful for the aha moments they provide, and then we move on. Starting a business is about learning constantly. - What do you think is the difference between people who talk about starting businesses and those who actually do it? As I traveled the country on my book tour, this was actually the #1 thing I heard… “For years I’ve wanted to start X, Y, Z!” Maybe it’s a business, maybe it’s writing a book. But it’s always hypothetical. I always say “Start this weekend then!” But people always have something planned this weekend, and then it’s the holidays, and then something comes up… just get started. When I had the idea to turn an article I wrote at O, the Oprah magazine into a book, I set aside the next two weekends and wrote my proposal. When we decided to start our company guesterly, I reached out to friends and family that day to ask for designer recommendations. Just get started! - What has been greatest business decision you made that changed everything for the better? I saw this story many times in my book, and it’s something I repeated myself: go into business with a partner you really truly trust and get along with. For me, that’s my husband Lorne, but it can be a best friend, boyfriend or girlfriend, etc. Having a very strong relationship makes everything easier. - Best book for the entrepreneurial mindset? I am loving The One Thing by Gary Keller—and of course, if you’re searching for inspiration I have to recommend Cooking Up a Business! It’s a fun, fast read that will get you itching to start your own business.  

When my daughter was six, we went to a petting zoo. At the dinner table, she made the connection between the chicken on her plate and the animals that she had held. It was then that she made the decision to become a vegetarian . There clearly was a lack of healthy vegetarian snacks in grocery stores, so we decided to create one of our own. Our requirements were stiff. We would only use real ingredients, organic fruits and healthy nuts untouched by harmful herbicides and pesticides. No refined sugars, no chemicals, no genetically-modified stuff. We wanted ingredients rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and omega-3 fats. Most importantly, it had to taste amazing. On Today’s show Veronica will share: - How and why she started her business - How she found manufacturing after a year of having no luck - How changing her packaging increased sales by 20-30% - Why social media is so important for her business -How she works with bloggers to help spread the word - Plus much more...

Revolutionizing the nut butter category, Danielle has developed and implemented the strategic rollout of the NuttZo™ brand, as well as, managed NuttZo™’s rapid growth period in which sales grew from $23K to $778K in less than 5 years. Danielle has more than 20+ years of sales and marketing experience. Previously, Danielle held the position as Senior Account Manager and Director of New Business where she managed over $1.75 million dollars in advertising sales; growing her account list from $50,000 to $1M in less than 5 years. Danielle is also the Founder of Project Left Behind; a project-based 501-c3 non-profit that supports the educational endeavors and health/nutrition needs of orphaned children worldwide.  She is an avid runner, traveler and yogini and resides with her family in San Diego, CA.   On Today’s show Danielle will share: - How and why she started her business - How she got her product on the Dr. Oz Show - Her first experience dropping off samples at Whole Foods Market - Why she started her non-profit - Project Left Behind - Plus much more...

Susan Petersen started making baby moccasins in 2009 after becoming frustrated by the lack of well-designed baby shoes. Using her second child, Gus, as a mocc-tester, and a bag of scrap leather she picked up at a yard sale, she began experimenting with designs. Working at her kitchen table, on a shoestring budget, Susan persisted through some disastrous attempts until she had created a pair of moccasins that not only looked adorable on Gus’ chubby little feet, but stayed on his feet as well.   On Today’s show Susan will share: - How and why she started her business - How she got her moccasins into the hands of Kourtney Kardashian - Her experience on ABC's Shark Tank and her tips for those thinking about going on the show - Greatest business decision that changed everything - Her secrets for growing her instagram following - Top 3 tips for aspiring entrepreneurs - Plus much more...

Guy Kawasaki is the former chief evangelist of Apple and special advisor to the Motorola business unit of Google. He is the author of APE, What the Plus!, Enchantment, and nine other books. Kawasaki has a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA as well as an honorary doctorate from Babson College. On Today’s show Guy will share:- His biggest business mistake- His greatest business decision- What he learned from Steve Jobs- He shares about his book What the Plus! Google+ for the Rest of Us- His best social media tips- A day in the life of Guy Kawasaki -  Guy at home- Plus much more...Useful links:http://www.viviantenorio.com/020-guy-kawasaki-founder-of-alltop-author-speaker-investor-and-business-advisorCOPYRIGHT © 2014  VIVIAN PRODUCTIONS LLC

From humble beginnings in her Brooklyn kitchen, Founder of Carol’s Daughter, Inc., Lisa Price transformed her beloved hobby of mixing up fragrances and creams at home into a multi-million dollar beauty empire.In the early 1990’s, Price began experimenting with making her own fragrances and perfume sprays when she wasn’t busy working on the legendary sitcom The Cosby Show. She added oils to unscented lotions, and began learning the aromatherapeutic and healing properties of the oils.When the show finished its remarkable TV run in 1992, Price used the end of one chapter of her life to embark on another. With $100 in cash, her own kitchen, and the simple notion that people should follow their hearts, Lisa started building the collection that would become a beauty revolution. She began by selling her homespun beauty products at flea markets, but then had to set up shop in her living room as demand increased. Favorable word-of-mouth spread like wildfire as her customers enjoyed such unique products as Love Butter, Hair Milk, Black Vanilla Hair Smoothie and Lemon Mint Manicure. Her business continued to grow, aided by the encouragement and assistance of family members and friends.In August of 1994, Price officially established Carol's Daughter (the company lovingly named after her mother). Initially starting out with a handful of steady customers, those numbers grew in leaps and bounds as women outside her neighborhood and circle of friends began to take notice. Almost overnight, celebrities like Jada Pinkett-Smith, Erykah Badu, Rosie Perez and Halle Berry became loyal customers.Price is the recipient of numerous awards, among them the National Black MBA Association's Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2000), the Working Woman Magazine’s Entrepreneurial Excellence Award (2001), the National Book Club Conference Terrie Williams Inspiration Award (2004), the YWCA “W” Award (2010), the FFAWN I’m Power – I’m Beauty Award (2010) and a Cosmetic Executive Women Achiever Award (2010).She is also the author of Success Never Smelled So Sweet, a remarkable memoir that chronicles her transformation from a young Black woman deep in debt and burdened by low self-esteem to the president of a multi-million dollar business. Looking back on her years growing up in Brooklyn, Price vividly recalls her recurring connection with nature: a profound love and appreciation of the natural fragrances of the world. Price continues to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit of other women through her book, speaking engagements and business seminars.Price is an active philanthropist and currently sits on the board of the Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now (FFAWN), a charity that is dedicated to empowering women and instilling confidence so that they may achieve their dreams through education, empowerment and encouragement. The foundation was founded by Steve Stoute and Mary J. Blige.Today, Carol's Daughter sells millions of dollars worth of products, employs more than 80 staff members and boasts nine stores across the country, with a flagship store in Harlem. Price hopes to continue expanding Carol's Daughter to other cities.Price is dedicated to giving back to the community through both her business and her personal life. She has taken a hands-on approach to involvement in community fundraising walks and gala events for the Lupus Foundation of America. Additionally, Price generously and frequently offers product donations to community organizations both large and small in an effort to help Carol’s Daughter's extended friends and family with their own outreach and fundraising efforts.Most recently, Price has been appointed as a member of the National Women’s Business Council, an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues that face female business owners.Price and her husband, Gordon, have two sons and a daughter and live in Brooklyn. When she can find the time (between managing her business and family), Price enjoys going to the beach, reading, crocheting, and watching movies. On Today’s show Lisa will share:- How she started Carol's Daughter- How Carol's Daughter became an internationally recognize brand- Her experience on the Oprah Winfrey show- How she landed celebrity investors to grow and expand her business- How important social media is to her business- Plus much more...Useful links:http://www.viviantenorio.com/019-lisa-price-founder-of-carols-daughterCOPYRIGHT © 2014  VIVIAN PRODUCTIONS LLC

Awesome Bars are for awesome people!Awesome Bars are vegan, handcrafted granola bars created in San Francisco by sisters, Leah & Stephanie.  Leah created this recipe because she found there was a demand for a natural snack that is high in protein and tastes delicious. On Today's show Leah & Stephanie will share:- Why their personal mission statement is: You Can't Fake Awesome!!!!!- Biggest business mistake?- How they handle business stress and uncertainty?- Greatest business decision that changed everything?- How they started their granola business- The benefit of starting a business at a local farmers market- Plus much more... Useful links:http://www.viviantenorio.com/awesome-bars-leah-stephanie-melnik COPYRIGHT © 2014  VIVIAN PRODUCTIONS LLC

After working as a marketing manager for an engineering and environmental consulting firm in CA for nearly 10 years, Karen and her husband, Jason, moved to Hawaii to follow their dream of creating their own all natural, old-fashioned soda company with the flavors of the islands. Founded in 2003, Karen is the President of Waialua Soda Works and mother of two young budding entrepreneurs. On Today’s show Karen will share: -What’s Your Personal Mission Statement To live my life to the fullest by enjoying time with my family and friends and work on something that I am passionate about. - Biggest Business Mistake Hiring consultants who did not perform as expected – anyone you bring on should be held accountable to produce results or they don’t get paid. -How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty With my husband as my business partner, we are able to work together and solve issues when we encounter stressful or uncertain times. I always know he has my best interest at heart – we have the same goals for the company and our own lives. -Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything I can’t point to just one business decision that seemed to change everything. There are a couple of smart decisions that we made that certainly help us make the “right choices” as we grow. First, we found a strong and interested mentor –President of Kona Brewing Company. He is not a direct competitor, but certainly an expert in the beverage industry with the unique knowledge and experience of running a business in Hawaii.  The other great choice was to work with investors who offer “smart money”. We were able to connect with a local investment group who are business savvy, have a passion for the brand, and offer important connections throughout Hawaii and elsewhere.  Both of these choices have helped us tremendously as we navigate the uber competitive beverage world. -Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset I would recommend the E-Myth and the E-Myth Revisited.  This book, and its follow up edition, offers sound advice for the new or struggling entrepreneur. It discusses how to “run” your business rather than letter your business run you. - Plus much more...

Tessa studied history and boys at Oxford University, and started in advertising. She then got a ‘proper job’ in branding research, working for Cadbury, British Airways, Nestle, and re-branding the UK Army, Navy, Royal Air Force and handsome Marines. She now loves and specializes in food and drink research, wrapping up in her duvet coat in the chilled aisles of major supermarkets, watching and talking to shoppers as they make their food choices. Her clients include established household name brands like innocent drinks, Rude Health, Yorkshire Provender, Firefly Tonics, MOMA! Foods, Daylesford, Leon Restaurants, and newer start-ups like G’Nosh Dips, Peters Yard Crispbreads, and Jimmys Iced Coffee. She helps food brands to adjust their customer offer, colour, sizing, branding, and pack health messages, so they can attract MAXIMUM attention and sales from shoppers in the super-competitive supermarket aisles. She is the author of the best-selling Packed: The Food Entrepreneur’s Guide – How To Get Noticed and How To Get Bought, available on Amazon and Kindle. In it she shares her 20 years’ food research experience in a tried and tested set of principles to get start-ups from idea, to a product on the shelf, and to THE next household name. And, once there, how to stay there!   On Today’s show Tessa will share: -The story behind your product is why people buy. They could buy any drink or any snack, but if they feel personally connected to the founder of the business that makes what they eat or drink, that emotion keeps them coming back to you. - How to pick the perfect price point (and how raising your prices can make people buy more). UK Supermarkets generally expect to make between 32% and 40% margin on the price of the product you supply into them. So work backwards from that to the price you need to offer them, which must take account of distribution costs to get the product to them, manufacturing costs, compliance with food regulations, packaging costs, and finally raw material costs. Whilst also leaving you some margin to live off!  If you are special or premium or hand-made or rare, price yourself accordingly. Cheapness signals poor quality. You can be stocked at a certain price, and if it’s too high, you can discount it slightly, but you can never work up if you cost too low, and most start-ups do! - To avoid being ousted from the shelf, you need to be very active on and off it. That means knowing the category of food you are in and understanding what customers want from it, and knowing how to present yourself to your store buyer as the expert on its dynamics, and where the category is headed in the future. It means connecting with your consumer through social media and in person to get them to build a habit and recommend you to others. It means constantly tweaking your offer so that it remains fresh and relevant to the customer. - Fancy over-elaborate highly shiny packaging doesn’t send the right messages in a health food store. Dull cardboardy uncolorful packs get overlooked in a supermarket aisle. You will need to move from one position to another as your business grows and you move out of specialty food stores and into mainstream supermarkets, where your messages on pack need to shout more and be super-clear to shoppers in a hurry with their minds elsewhere. Shine never goes amiss on packs at Christmas time – it signals luxury, especially in desserts. Dairy is white.  Getting the idea? - Plus much more...

My name is Stephanie Waring, the founder & co-owner of "juice. Nashville". Two years ago, my husband Wes and I opened the first cold-pressed juicery in Tennessee. It has been an amazing journey and we would love to share our story with you. Wes & I met while working at Mars, Inc. (yes.. the candy company!) We both had great corporate jobs working in the same office. But, as time went by, I began feeling restless. I felt like I had more inside of me to give. To add to the stress, I became sick. I was scared. It was the first time in my life that I faced significant health problems. I was literally in and out of the hospital and my body was in constant pain. The doctors were unable to figure out how to help me. I was fed up with not feeling well and willing to do anything to get better. My brother had recently started juicing and recommended that I check it out. Frustrated, I bought my very first juicer. Slowly, I started feeling better. Amazed, I became a "girl on fire". I had to learn everything I could about juicing. That is when I discovered cold-pressed juice and it's amazing benefits. I truly believe, that in conjunction with doctor's care, juicing changed my life. In June 2011, I gave my two weeks notice and began focusing on how to share juice with Nashville. A few weeks later we started "juice. Nashville". In August we sold the very first bottle of cold-pressed juice made in the state of Tennessee at the Nashville Farmer's Market. In 2012, Wes left Mars and joined the team full-time as the head of the juice prep & press team. What most people don't know about us - we have not taken investors or loans to help to fund "juice." Wes and I used our own personal savings to start the business. Our profits are constantly re-invested back to fund growth.  We are very proud to be able to say that!   On Today’s show Stephanie will share: - How getting sick was the beginning of her very successful juicery - The benefits of starting a business at a local farmers market - How she successfully raised $16,000 on kickstarter - Her top tips for aspiring entrepreneurs - How being a young single mom built her courage to plug into entrepreneurship - How community and other local business relationships have been so important for her business - Plus much more...

Dave Danhi, 45 has been part of the Los Angeles restaurant scene in some form or another for the last 31 years. Starting out at the local pizza joint, he realized his passion for food. As soon as the chains of high school were lifted, he relocated back to New York to hone his culinary skills. After spending a year in the Catskills working at various restaurants and resorts he decided to move back to the sunny beaches of So. Cal. Upon his return he started working with King's Seafood Company (DBA University Restaurant Group at that time). Dave flourished with the company and worked his way up from grill cook to the Sr. Sous Chef position at this company's prestigious steak house concept. After spending 5 years with KSC he was presented with a wonderful opportunity of the Exec. Chef position at the famous Roxbury Supper club in Hollywood, feeding the Hollywood elite. After a few years at Roxbury he took over the Exec. Chef position at Georgia restaurant, also in Hollywood. At Georgia Dave received numerous accolades including the Robert Mondovi Award of Culinary Excellence (naming him one of the country's top rising star chefs in 1994), best restaurant of the year for 1993 in numerous magazines including Bon Appetit, Esquire and Travel and Leisure, and best crab cakes in Los Angeles two years in a row. Having met his goals and challenges there he moved on and was the opening chef at Habana Restaurant in Costa Mesa, a Nuevo Latino restaurant with a Cuban flair. Within 8 months Habana received best new restaurant in Orange County for 1995. Feeling that he "sewed his wild oats" with the independent restaurants, he returned to Kings Seafood Company and worked his way up to the Company Executive Chef position. Once returning to KSC, Dave was the Executive Chef at the now Michelin stared Water Grill restaurant, putting out some of the best seafood in the city.In 2005 Dave bought DD Factor, a hospitality recruiting company that has been in LA since 1959 and has been an integral part of finding management for southern California restaurants.  In 2009, he competed in the 7th annual Grilled Cheese Invitational, a grilled cheese competition that over 10,000 people flock to yearly.  This was his 'ah ha' moment and realized that he was going to open the world's first grilled cheese truck.  The truck has been embraced locally as well as internationally with numerous accolades including "Best Food Truck" over 8 times. He and the truck have had countless television appearances, locally and internationally.  Dave's Melts have appeared on numerous list, naming them some of the best grilled cheese creations in the country.  His passion for quality product and a guest first attitude keeps people flocking to the trucks and waiting for up to three hours to try his innovative Melts. Dave also is the 'voice' behind The Grilled Cheese Truck's social media. The truck has been listed as the 3rd most influential 'tweeter' in all of Los Angeles and is currently the number one followed food truck on Facebook and the second most followed truck on Twitter in the world.  The Truck is now set for national expansion, moving into a franchise model and will be trading publicly in 2014.On Today's show Dave will share:-How he started his successful Grilled Cheese Truck business-How he is now franchising them-He shares the secrets behind his large social media following-The challenges of expanding his food trucks into other states-His tips for other entrepreneurs who want to get into the food ruck business- Plus much more...Useful links:http://www.viviantenorio.com/014-dave-danhi-founder-of-the-grilled-cheese-truckCOPYRIGHT © 2014  VIVIAN PRODUCTIONS LLC

An interest in community development and a passion for travel led Brook Eddy to India in 2002 to research a movement based on the principles of Bhakti, or devotion through social action. While there, she fell in love with fiery masala chai and it enveloped her senses in a way that she couldn’t forget years after returning home.Seeing an opportunity in the U.S. market for fresh, preservative-free, spicy chai, Brook concocted her own chai blend in her home kitchen in Colorado. She bottled her brew into Mason jars with handwritten Hafiz poetry labels and gave them to family and friends as holiday gifts. The taste inspired cravings beyond belief, and before she knew it she was delivering bottles of Bhakti Chai concentrate to local cafés. In 2006, Bhakti Chai was born with the vision of creating social action within enterprise. Today, Bhakti Chai continues to brew fiery chai from small batches with fresh-pressed organic ginger and Fair Trade Certified black tea, and the Bhakti philosophy drives the company’s business practices.Brook Eddy has a graduate degree in Social Policy and Non-Profit Management from the University of Michigan. She has spent her career working for social change through nonprofits, businesses, and NGOs. She also had a brief stint as a personal chef, writing coach, massage therapist, and non-profit consultant. She is the mother of eight-year-old twins; practices yoga, is a travel and spicy food enthusiast, a youth soccer coach and lives in Boulder, Colorado.On Today’s show Brook will share:- How and why she started her business- How winning a gold sofi changed her business- The difficulties of finding start-up funds as a single mom of twins- Her toughest financial decisions today as a national brand- She share her greatest business decision that change her business- Plus much more...Useful links:http://www.viviantenorio.com/013-brook-eddy-founder-of-bhakti-chaiCOPYRIGHT © 2014  VIVIAN PRODUCTIONS LLC

Erica's love for cooking started at the tender age of 9 years old. She got her inspiration as a young girl from a red and white checkered cookbook titled Good Housekeeping offered to her by her grandmother. From the time she was given the cookbook, Erica immediately started experimenting with recipes, which soon blossomed into meals for her family.Erica went on to attend Clark Atlanta University and earned a degree in Business Administration. She landed her first job at Target as an Executive Team Leader. Even at Target, she won food contest amongst her peers. It wasn't until years later that Erica entered a cooking contest with Lea & Perrins and Foodnetwork.com, that she really started to craft for making amazing dishes seriously. Erica ultimately became the grand prize winner of that contest. But it wasn't until she was making breakfast for her husband one weekend morning that she realized that something was missing from the grocery aisle, good breakfast. Erica left the store an entrepreneur and started Southern Culture Artisan Foods. Erica's mission was to totally re-invent breakfast. She wanted to make food  that was great tasting and clean to eat.She  started with pancakes, the kind that were light and airy, then decided to have fun with flavors like Vanilla and Bourbon Salted Pecan and Banana Pudding. Erica thought, "these are delicious, but what will people think?" So she asked neighbors, friends, and family to try them and they loved them. With the official stamp of approval, Erica placed the products for sale April 2012 and the rest is history. So now we are all  on a mission to save people from drab, boring breakfast and give them life with carefully hand-crafted batches of goodness. Everything we craft is hand made, all-natural and contains no genetically modified ingredients. Finally, we can eat a breakfast we are proud of.On Today’s show Erica will share:- How she has reinvented the pancake mix- How she prepared for Americasmart in 2 weeks and made $80,000- How she landed Nordstorm- How cold calling TJ Maxx got her a $19,000 order in just 3 weeks- Why she was rejected from ABC's Shark Tank in Season 4- Plus much more... Useful links:http://www.viviantenorio.com/012-erica-barrett-founder-of-southern-culture-foodsCOPYRIGHT © 2014  VIVIAN PRODUCTIONS LLC

Sam Polk is Founder and Executive Director of Groceryships and a recovering Pancake Addict. He is a graduate of Columbia University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, which he earned during his eight years as a bond and derivative trader for Bank of America, and King Street Capital Management. After leaving Wall Street in 2010, Sam spent the next few years writing a book and doing volunteer work in Los Angeles through organizations like My Friend’s Place and Aviva, before founding Groceryships. He speaks regularly at jails and juvenile detention centers about recovering from addiction, and is passionate about helping children.On Today’s show Sam will share:-How and why he walked away from millions of dollars a year-Why he wrote the New York Times article-How he's now living a life of purpose and service-He shares the spiritual teachings that changed his life-He tells us what Groceryships is and why he started it-How he plans on scaling his non-profit- Plus much more... Useful links:http://www.viviantenorio.com/011-sam-polk-former-wall-street-millionaire-and-founder-of-groceryshipsCOPYRIGHT © 2014  VIVIAN PRODUCTIONS LLC

In 2006, Brad Gruno, founder and CEO of Brad's Raw Foods, drastically changed his life by adopting a raw food diet. In a matter of months he lost 40 lbs., his cholesterol levels normalized, and ultimately he was able to unlock a youthful vitality he hadn't experienced in years. His personal quest to eat better and feel better led to the creation of Brad's Raw Foods. Eating a plant-based diet primarily consisting of salads and green smoothies, Brad longed for that familiar crunch we all know so well. He began experimenting in his kitchen in 2008, and eventually perfected a snack that was delicious and relentlessly healthy. Encouraged by family and friends, Brad began selling his homemade chips at Farmer's Markets and local health food stores. Their popularity was undeniable, persuading the long-time entrepreneur to leap into the natural foods industry head first. The rest, as they say, is history. Today Brad's Raw Chips and Raw Leafy Kale are available nationwide in a wide array of flavors and provide a healthy alternative to standard American snack foods. They're not baked or fried, and are dehydrated at or below 115 degrees to preserve essential nutrients and enzymes that enhance digestion and dramatically increase energy levels. On Today’s show Brad will share: -How he had to start his entire life over at 48 years old -How he went from working in construction to making $20 million dollars a year -How he got his health back and lost 40 lbs in 3 mouth by going RAW -How he got into his first 50 health food stores -He shares the story of his first meeting with Whole Foods Market - Plus much more...

CEO Natasha Case began her journey in ice cream while in college studying architecture. She started baking cookies, making ice-cream sandwiches for friends and named the combinations after famous architects and architectural movements. After receiving positive feedback, she and business partner Freya Estreller bought a beat up van on Craigslist, officially called the ice cream sandwich line Coolhaus (after architect Rem Koolhaas, Bauhaus, the minimalist design and lifestyle movement of the 1920's and 1930's) and launched at Coachella in 2009. They were a huge success at the festival and returned to LA to an eager foodie audience who demanded more. On Today’s show Natasha will share: - What’s Your Personal Mission Statement? Love your work, and create an environment where your work is your lifestyle. That's when work is the most fun [my mission is always for work to be fun!] and exciting---when the lines of work and pleasure are blurred. You'll inspire others (your team/staff) to function in the same light, and that is truly what creates the best corporate culture. - Biggest Business Mistake? Trusting employees beyond the boundaries of their responsibilities. - How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty? Keep it all in perspective. Even though work is serious, livelihoods are on the line, work [hey, it's ice cream and cookies] is not life and death. Keep in mind the long game and the big picture goals, and don't let the petty stuff block your view. You've got to see the trees for the forest! Uncertainty doesn't bug me: it's all uncertain, you never know where your business or even your day is going to take you some time. And you should enjoy that, not fret over it! The unpredictability keeps things fun and exciting. - Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything? Don't over think it, just go for it. The window of opportunity is narrow---you've got to move through it before it closes. OR Wandering into Whole Foods looking lost and confused, and finding someone who could point me towards our first buyer. - Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset? I really don't read business books, so I'd say anything that gets your mind OFF work so you can take a healthy break: Gone Girl, Game of Thrones are perfect for that. - Plus much more... Useful links:http://www.viviantenorio.com/009-natasha-case-co-founder-of-coolhaus