The Tidbit

To mark the ending of this season of The Tidbit, the hotline is open once again and answering the most commonly asked question among aspiring entrepreneurs: I think I have a good idea for a food business, where do I start? On today's episode, we have FIVE Cureate Facilitators, Kim Bryden, Tessa Velazquez, Julia Raymond, Walton Smith and Candy Schibli, who are sharing their expertise on how to approach this big question by taking into consideration factors like vision and mission, unique value proposition and driving brand awareness in sales. These specialized coaches are also directly involved in Cureate Courses, a free 10-week food and beverage entrepreneurship program designed to help entrepreneurs navigate the industry, grow their businesses and join a community of like minded business owners. Applications are open for the Fall 2024 Maryland cohort until July 27th. To learn more visit: https://www.cureate.co/courses-md. If you are tuning in after the Maryland deadline or are interested in a Cureate Courses program near you, fill out our evergreen application at http://cureate.co/courses. Show notes:Host: Kim Bryden, Tessa VelazquezProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuests: Cureate Coaches and FacilitatorsWalton Smith, Founder of Black Woman Owned, https://blackwomanowned.co/Candy Schibli, Founder of Southeastern Roastery, https://southeasternroastery.com/Julia Raymond, Mid-Atlantic Director, Cureate, https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliarraymond/

Entrepreneurs of all types deal with a myriad of concerns about legal issues, like risk mitigation, trademark law and intellectual property, to name a few. These topics are especially prominent in the competitive food and beverage industry because legal rules about label and marketing claims are strict. On today's episode of The Tidbit, host Kim Bryden speaks with Lauren Handel, principal attorney of Handel Food Law, a law firm dedicated to food businesses. Lauren shares tidbits of knowledge for entrepreneurs who are starting and growing business and uncertain what to keep in mind when it comes to legal topics.Show notes:Host: Kim BrydenProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuests: Lauren Handel, Handel Food Lawhttps://www.handelfoodlaw.com/lauren-handel/

The Tidbit Hotline is open once again! On today's episode, hosts Kim Bryden and Tessa Velazquez are teaming up with guest Vance Reavie of Junction AI to continue the conversation from last week's episode about how AI can help small businesses. Small business owner Jon Henry of Jon Henry General Store in Virginia, called in wondering how to best add new specialty beverages to his existing line of traditional soft drinks. Kim, Tessa and Vance brainstorm ideas for Jon's challenge, including predictive retail analytics and in-person data collection strategies. Show notes:Host: Kim Bryden, Tessa VelazquezProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuests: Vance Reavie, Junction.ai, hello@junction.aiJon Henry, Jon Henry General Store, https://jonhenrygeneralstore.com/

Artificial Intelligence or AI has been hyper prominent in the news for the last few years because it is changing the way we work. On today's episode of The Tidbit, we are diving into all things AI, including how small business owners can use it to their advantage. Host Kim Bryden speaks with Matt Scharpnick, Associate Director at BCG X, the digital build unit of the Boston Consulting Group. He previously co-founded Elefint, a design studio aimed at advancing the storytelling capabilities of social sector organizations. He shares tidbits of knowledge about how entrepreneurs can harness the power of AI to benefit them and their business.Show notes:Host: Kim BrydenProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuests: Matt Scharpnick, Associate Director BCG X, the digital build unit of the Boston Consulting Grouphttps://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewscharpnick

The Tidbit Hotline is back! Hosts Kim Bryden and Tessa Velazquez are answering entrepreneurs' questions about everyday challenges they are facing. On today's episode, a Northwest Arkansas chocolatier is looking for advice about how to grow her small business — especially when scaling a labor-intensive product! To help answer her question, two scratch-made bakers who successfully scaled their once small operations into iconic D.C. area businesses share their advice and insights. Tune into learn invaluable insights from Founders, Jenna Huntsberger of Whisked! By Jenna and Caroline Yi of Sunday Morning Bakehouse.Show notes:Host: Kim Bryden and Tessa VelazquezProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuests:Jenna Huntsberger: Whisked! By Jennahttps://www.instagram.com/whiskeddc/Caroline Yi, Sunday Morning Bakehouse https://www.sundaymorningbakehouse.store/https://www.instagram.com/sundaymorningbakehouse/Stephanie Danielle Martinez, Musa Chocolatierhttps://www.instagram.com/musachocolatier/

To be successful in business, entrepreneurs need to be able to adapt to change, communicate clearly, build trust, and handle any unexpected challenges that come their way. On this episode of The Tidbit, Kim speaks with Mary Lemmer about how improv can help entrepreneurs navigate difficult situations, reduce stress and teach us important life lessons along the way. Mary's company Improve offers training for companies around the world on the techniques of improv so organizations can thrive amidst uncertainty and change.Show notes:Host: Kim BrydenProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuests: Mary Lemmerhttps://www.marylemmer.com/Kim on Mary's podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/improved-podcast/episodes/Kim-Bryden-on-Food-Entrepreneurship--Growing-Teams--and-Holiday-Dance-Videos-e2c352r

The Tidbit Hotline is officially open! In this new format of The Tidbit, entrepreneurs send in challenges they are facing and hosts Kim Bryden and Tessa Velazquez brainstorm solutions and suggest actionable ideas along with special guest experts. On today's episode, a mushroom farmer new to Northwest Arkansas is struggling to find a permanent place to grow their mushrooms. Kim, Tessa and Cory Babb, the owner of The Firelight Farm, offer creative strategies to get around having access to land.Hosts: Kim Bryden and Tessa VelazquezProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuests: Cory Babb, The Firelight Farm https://www.thefirelightfarm.com/Lucy and Rodrigo Menocal, Blooming Hope Mushrooms https://www.instagram.com/bhmushrooms/

Cureate is celebrating 10 years this Fall! To honor the occasion, for the first time on The Tidbit podcast, our founder Kim Bryden is sharing her story. Tessa Velazquez, Cureate Facilitator + Coach, takes over the host mic to interview Kim about how Cureate got its start and the ups and downs of entrepreneurship! Tessa and Kim reflect on a decade of growth and what the future holds for Cureate.Show notes:Host: Tessa VelazquezProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuest: Kim Bryden

This is the 100th EPISODE of The Tidbit —and our season finale! In this special live episode, Tessa Velazquez, Cureate Facilitator + Coach, spoke with Randy Wilburn, a communication strategist, entrepreneur, host of the “I am Northwest Arkansas” podcast, and founder of ONBoardNWA, a hyper-local jobs board. Randy shares strategies on how to stand out in a way that is authentic to your voice, tips for implementing guerilla marketing tactics, and attracting the right talent that aligns with your vision. Stay tuned until the end of the episode for two audience #tidbits! If you have a story to tell about your product or business, this episode is for you.Host: Kim Bryden, Tessa VelazquezProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuest: Randy Wilburn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randywilburn/https://www.instagram.com/iamnorthwestarkansas/

The two final episodes on this season of The Tidbit are focusing on goal setting and the future of your business using your unique positioning. On today's episode, we explore how to position your business in a B2B (business-to-business) context —specifically with institutional buyers. We address sustainability in the workplace, specifically when it comes to food systems and health, and overall core values that determine the “why” behind what institutions may want to buy. Kim talks to Sara Hoverter, a senior fellow, attorney and adjunct professor at Georgetown Law specializing in health and food policy, and Kai Abelkis, sustainability manager at University of Maryland Medical Center.Host: Kim BrydenProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuests:Sara Hoverter: https://www.law.georgetown.edu/faculty/sara-p-hoverter/Kai Abelkis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kai-abelkis/

On this episode of The Tidbit, Kim talks to Scott Shigeoka about his new book SEEK: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World. Scott says curiosity is key as a small business owner, and staying curious can help cure the disconnection and dissatisfaction in the workplace that has been so commonplace since the global pandemic. Host: Kim BrydenProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuest:Scott Shigeoka: SEEK: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World

On today's episode of The Tidbit, we don't want to do “business as usual." With everything transpiring in the world today, between global wars, the rise of hatred and vitriol, and overall mental health crises at an all time high, we thought it important to have a discussion around complex and profound emotions like grief, sorrow and loss. Kim speaks with Colin Campbell, author of Finding The Words, Working Through Profound Loss with Hope and Purpose about his story and his work to make grief less frightening, lonely and mysterious. Colin says that an important part of processing grief is to talk about it with a community that gets it.Host: Kim BrydenProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuest:Colin Campbell: https://colincampbellauthor.com/

The Tidbit is live! In this special episode, Kim hands over the host mic to Tessa Velazquez, coach and facilitator at Cureate. Tessa moderates a conversation with Teresa Velazquez, owner of iconic D.C. bakeries Baked & Wired and A Baked Joint, and Stephanie Long, owner of home-based artisan bakery The Cake Occasion. As bakers and entrepreneurs, Teresa and Stephanie have both successfully scaled their small businesses thoughtfully, even during the busy holiday season, and they share some tidbits of knowledge they've learned along the way.Host: Kim Bryden, Tessa VelazquezProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuests: Teresa Velazquez: Baked & Wired and A Baked JointStephanie Long:  The Cake Occasion

It is no surprise that individuals in the food, farm and beverage industry are masters of their craft. Through this mastery, they are able to differentiate themselves in the marketplace and provide education to consumers about their highly specific goods or services. On this episode of The Tidbit, Kim speaks with oyster sommelier Julie Qui about why she got interested in oysters, what it took to hone her craft and how she eventually went on to co-found the Oyster Master Guild. Julie leads master oyster classes worldwide, teaching people everything they need to know about this sometimes controversial product. Host: Kim BrydenProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuest:Julie Qiu: https://instagram.com/inahalfshellistThe Oyster Master Guild: https://www.oystermasterguild.com 

Traversing the U.S. from Mid-Atlantic to the Heartland, you'll pass by many farms and rural communities. The large majority of these farms are family owned and small to mid-sized operations that don't see large profits. How might we improve economic conditions, growth opportunities and access to new market channels for these entrepreneurs? On this episode of The Tidbit, Kim speaks with Philip Powell, Assistant Director of Local Affairs and Rural Development with The Arkansas Farm Bureau. He says the future of farming is in innovation. At the time of this recording Philip worked at ARFB, and has now stepped into a new role where he continues to serve rural communities in Arkansas.Host: Kim BrydenProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaArkansas Farm Bureau: https://www.arfb.com

The Tidbit is back! Last season, The Tidbit went on a cross country roadtrip to see how small businesses were innovating and adapting during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The trip was transformative for Kim, and for Cureate, which now has a second hub of operations in Northwest Arkansas. The new season of The Tidbit is going to reflect that expansion, featuring guests from both the Heartland and Mid-Atlantic discussing entrepreneurship with a food and beverage lens. On this first episode, Kim speaks with Philip Adams, Executive Director of FORGE Inc, and entrepreneurship consultant Jeannette Balleza Collins, about building inclusive ecosystems in Northwest Arkansas and how this region is reimagining community based businesses.Host: Kim BrydenProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuests: FORGE, Inc: http://forgefund.orgJeannette Balleza Collins: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannetteballezacollins

You are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and cities had been adapting and innovating. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, Kim finishes her journey exploring how people have undergone deep change and reflection over the past year. This conversation with Zephyr Rose Anders wraps up this series exactly on that note. From his website abajorio.com, it reads: "Returning to the place I grew up was not my plan until further down the road. However, today I stand on the soil I used to make mud pies out of and find shade under the trees I used to build forts in. It is here I am bringing forth a vision I had kept on the side [...] With such sudden news I was left with questions, new beginnings, why's, what the community of Hillsboro needs/wants, creativity and dreams. At this point, I had a lot of time to reflect and was open to new possibilities. This brought me to the birthing of Rio Abajo Rio." This episode is debuting in October 2021, exactly one year after this conversation was recorded. And, my oh my, what birthing of new possibilities there has been! Tune into the magic and wisdom that is Zephyr Rose Anders. 

You are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and cities had been adapting and innovating. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, Kim grabs a drink with Palace Coffee co-founders, Krystal & Patrick. It was incredible to hear from these life and business partners how they have managed growth opportunities and challenges, while maintaining their mission of being a place -- both for guests and employees -- of true relationship building. From their website: "Serving coffee is what we do, but creating relationships is why we do it. While we can't claim to be perfect, we strive to be the best that we can be in our craft, all the while establishing an environment where others can also work towards perfecting their own craft. Our cafes serve as a common ground for much of Amarillo, setting the stage for new ideas and relationships. We believe that local is better and are committed to the greater community outside our doors, taking large efforts to give back as much as we can." Grab a cup of local coffee and tune in!

Caption: You are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and cities had been adapting and innovating. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, Kim sits down with Angela Chase, owner/operator of Flora Bodega and co-organizer of the Paseo Farmers Market. Describing Angela's talents in the publication Edible OKC, the piece reads: "The inspired cakes, frittatas, and pastries served up by Flora Bodega combine years of skill with art, whimsy, and natural talent. Angela Chase is the woman behind the shop that sells her creative and beautiful confections alongside those from a variety of curated local vendors like Lovera's, Della Terra Pasta, and more. [...] Chase is an essential member of the Paseo Farmers Market board and has worked together with them to bring it to its current success and soon to be new brick-and-mortar space." Angela, Kim and guest host Katie Gage (KG Coaching, Outhome Farm) talk about building business in a values-aligned way, the challenges and opportunities facing small business — particularly women and BIPOC founders, and the chance we have to rebuild new systems that serve us all.

You are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and cities had been faring in 2020. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, Erin Rowe blends history, food and culture as we learn about Ozark cuisine and the ways in which businesses in NW Arkansas have survived and thrived now, and for decades. As a native chef and food author in the Ozarks, Erin's passion is connecting people with chefs and restaurants that make up the best of Northwest Arkansas through her company, Ozark Culinary Tours. She is also the author of An Ozark Culinary History: Northwest Arkansas Traditions from Corn Dodgers to Squirrel Meatloaf — which celebrates everything Ozark, from chow-chow to moonshine.

You are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and cities had been faring in 2020. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, we had the absolute pleasure of getting to know the genius of Ohun Ashe and how her power of being a thoughtful, intentional connector has spurred a citywide movement, For the Culture STL. From the fortheculturestl.com website: "We do a lot of talking about supporting black businesses, but provide a number of reasons as to why we can't: I don't know where to go, I didn't know that they were black owned, I don't know where to start. Well, no more. For the Culture STL is intended to connect black people with black owned businesses and events around the city. [...] Our intention is to put black dollars back into the black community and keep them there and build unity in the community. Support the businesses, show up to the events, get to know each other. #ForTheCultureSTL" Honestly, this is a not-to-miss conversation with Ohun —and we could not agree more, let's #shiftthedollar back into our local communities!

You are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and small towns had been faring in 2020. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, we chat with the owner and founder of Steve's Hot Dogs, the famous Steve Ewing himself! Fun fact: Steve was the frontman for the band The Urge. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, Steve's Hot Dogs launched a community giveback program called #FeedThePeople. Since its launch, the team at Steve's Hot Dogs has served thousands of free meals to people in need and first responders in the St. Louis area. What is so loveable about Steve, and sitting at Steve's Hot Dogs, is that you can absolutely feel the community "corner bar" feel. Everyone is genuinely happy to be there —and Steve's qualities of hospitality and generosity are the backbone of why!

You are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and small towns had been faring in 2020. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, we learn about Chef Rob Connoley and his journey to opening Bulrush in St. Louis, MO. We also learn about how his wildly thoughtful approach to fine dining pivoted during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The Bulrush website reads: "Bulrush STL is a contemporary dining and craft bar experience. James Beard semi-finalist Chef Rob Connoley features contemporary foods rooted in Ozark cuisine. Our goal is to define Ozark cuisine by looking into the past – the origin story, so to speak, when the indigenous Osage people first encountered the immigrants and settlers, who also brought the enslaved into the region known as the Ozarks. This is a messy story. A story often filled with troubling histories – histories that aren't ignored. And so we look at how each of these cultures offered ingredients, techniques and traditions to what melted together to become what we now know of as Ozark Cuisine." Come learn with us, what tidbit of knowledge are you taking with you?

You are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and small towns had been faring in 2020. How were they adapting and innovating? What new ways were people thinking about the economy? On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, we sit down with Marika Josephson, Co-Founder and Master Brewer at Scratch Brewing Company, a farmhouse brewery located five miles from the Shawnee National Forest in Ava, Illinois. "Named one of the top four breweries for foraged beer by Outside Magazine, and one of the most beautiful places to drink beer in the world by All About Beer Magazine, Scratch Brewing Company focuses on farmhouse beers and other styles brewed with home grown and locally farmed and foraged ingredients. The brewery has an ever rotating selection of styles enhanced by the innovative addition of local ingredients, such as nettle, elderberry, ginger, dandelion, maple sap, hickory, lavender, juniper, and chanterelle mushrooms." We chat about the importance of local supply chains, staying true to your vision, and the lesser-seen and known parts of production and supply chain.

You are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and small towns had been faring in 2020. How were they adapting and innovating? What new ways were people thinking about the economy? On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, we sit down with Kim Huston, President of the Nelson County Economic Development Agency and Author of "The Rebirth of Bourbon: Building a Tourism Economy in Small-town, USA". We learn about the economics of vice, why Bardstown is the "most beautiful small town in America" and Kim's strategy around economic development growth for the bourbon capital of the USA.

You are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and small towns had been faring in 2020. How were they adapting and innovating? What new ways were people thinking about the economy? On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, we sit down with Kitty Dougoud, the Kentucky State Main Street Coordinator, who oversees more than 35 designated "Main Street" programs throughout the state of Kentucky. Colloquially known as "two degrees from Dougoud", Kitty is tapped into a vast network of entrepreneurs and business leaders that inform her programming and future visioning for how small business could and should grow throughout the State. We chat at a local restaurant on Georgetown KY's Main Street about collaboration over competition and fostering small business talent from within over local beers from Country Boy Brewing. Cheers!

You are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and small towns had been faring in 2020. How were they adapting and innovating? What new ways were people thinking about the economy? This is the first of 13 recorded interviews from Ohio to New Mexico. On this episode of The Tidbit Takes the Road, we sit down with Mayor James of Cynthiana Kentucky. Mayor James is not only this city’s Mayor, but he also owns and operates the local theatre and is a radio show host for WCYN! Mayor James Smith and I discuss the importance of main streets in retaining talent and overall area attraction, and moreover, how to create community — especially when you may have to build bridges across both race and party lines. Easily one of the top interviews on this journey. Thank you, Mayor James! Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

You are tuning into a special series, The Tidbit Takes the Road. In October 2020 Kim Bryden, CEO of Cureate and Host of The Tidbit, decided to hit the road on a cross-country listening tour to learn more about how non-coastal small businesses and small towns had been faring in 2020. How were they adapting and innovating? What new ways were people thinking about the economy? This is the first of 13 recorded interviews from Ohio to New Mexico. On this episode, we sit down with Allie & Adam Lehman life partners and co-owners of The Wonder Jam - a family of brands that help scrappy, soulful businesses grow in Columbus, Ohio. We chat about diversifying revenue streams, reconfiguring company ownership, and how to readjust one's mindset on what “success” looks like. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

What is this duality? The duality of grief, and also seeing the silver lining. How can one hold that two-sides of the same coin feeling?It’s something I feel so deeply and wonder: is it a trait I was born with or a skill I have cultivated? Does this have anything to do with me being an entrepreneur and running my business for nearly 6 years? Perhaps I’ve built this skill set of duality, of living in and with uncertainty. We explore living with complexity on this episode featuring Jessica Carson. She is currently Georgetown University’s first Expert in Residence and the Director of Innovation at the American Psychological Association. Previously, she held positions at a startup and venture firm, and was a Research Fellow at the National Institutes of Health. With a background in psychology, neuroscience, startups, venture capital, and mindfulness, she has both a scientific and embodied understanding of the unique wiring of entrepreneurial spirits, and empowers them to develop their capacity for self-study. Jessica lives in Washington, D.C. with her cat, Cleopatra. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

The resiliency of a community depends on engagement with local and regional stakeholders. Tune into this minisode for our three tidbits on how we can build a new localized food system equipped to help communities overcome times of uncertainty. **IMPORTANT NOTE** We’re spearheading a local supply chain audit. Whether it's the coronavirus pandemic or any other type of disaster, we want to know from the food & beverage small business community (1) what you need in order to weather the storm; (2) what inventory you have on-hand right now to support our regional food supply system — whether it be through donations or through actual sales; and 3) what your production capacity is for the near future. Please go to http://shopsmall.biz/audit to participate in our audit and get connected with opportunities as they arise. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

In the name of efficiency and the advent of globalization, we’ve been even more removed from each piece of the supply chain funnel - which then creates a lack of transparency and a lack of control on your supply, inclusive of quality and cost. On this episode, we learn more about the business case as to why "Chipotle is putting farmers under contracts to prevent carne asada shortages" and the impact it has on young farmers. Tune in to hear from the writer of this piece, Danielle Wiener-Bronner, who chats with us about supply chain and her experience overall covering the food sector for CNN Business.

With global migration and pandemics knocking at our doorsteps, how are we thinking about our supply chains - who they are benefitting, how they are contributing to the health of our planet and not extracting from it, and how we have more direct relationships with the food we are consuming to know the true impact of how its grown in a healthy and transparent way. This is why we’re sitting down to talk with Sarela Herrada, the Founder of SIMPLi. She focuses on ethical food sourcing to create a vertically integrated supply chain from working directly with the international farming communities to the distribution of products to market. Prior to SIMPLi, Sarela spent 5 years at CAVA Group, where she led supply chain strategy and execution - which included national foodservice distribution for 350+ restaurants under two brand catalogs (CAVA + Zoe's Kitchen) - purchasing over 150MM+ spend and 300+ unique SKUs in various categories. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

What are you doing to strengthen your workforce, to create camaraderie and community amongst your staff because there are so many foodservice job opportunities on the table? We’re sitting down to talk with Ona Balkus, DC Food Policy Director, to discuss their latest report Make Food Work: A Strategy to Strengthen the DC Food Workforce. Ona’s provides a road map for improving job quality and expanding career pathways within the District’s food workforce. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

I always admire individuals who choose, over and over again, a life full of intention — especially when starting food businesses. Why? This industry can try one's patience time and time again with low margins, competitors entering and exiting constantly, and consumer dining habits ever-changing. How does one weather this fluctuation of emotion over multiple generations? I could think of no better than the dads and sons quadruple, Chef KN Vinod and Surfy Rahman, co-owners of Indique, and their respective sons, Rahul Vinod and Sahil Rahman, Founders of RASA. On this episode we talk about their respective business models, how they’re continuing to evolve, and how to set boundaries and wade through emotions of being in-business with your family and friends. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

What makes a product, a person, an initiative newsworthy? How do you stay relevant and tap into our cultural zeitgeist to get on the radar of journalists and media professionals? We sit down with Kara Elder, food and cooking writer (The Washington Post, Vox, Eaten: A Food History Magazine, and more!), to talk about her collaboration project - SMALL BATCH, People + Recipes from Around DC - with local artist Marcella Kriebel. We chat about the entrepreneurs highlighted in the cookbook, what trends we see emerging for local, small business in 2020, and how to craft a perfect media pitch. Powered and distributed by Simplecast

Building a business is a lot like dating. It’s also pretty much the same as maintaining any relationship in your life - with friends, with family, with intimate partners. How are we showing up? How are we maintaining respect and being mindful of one’s time and boundaries? What about just small touches of care and comfort? These are all important - not just in your personal life, but also professional. In fact, it could be the make or break for even staying in business! Everyone messes up. But those who approach a situation with humility, who have built that trust overtime, will fair the storm much easier. We're joined on this episode by Cureate's very own Director of Connection, Kathleen Overman. Tune in to learn more about her journey and tips on how to build more meaningful relationships. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Main Street Programs aim to revitalize their downtowns and commercial districts through preservation-based economic development and community revitalization. On this episode, we debunk the myth that Main Streets are dead. We’re joined in-studio by a group of incredible individuals who are in the fight to keep Main Streets alive — especially here in the District! — and how they’re adapting to the change in market forces and consumer demands. We have Kyle Todd and Jessica Mailander of Rhode Island Avenue Main Street, and Aster Abeje, Owner of 7 Days Market located on Rhode Island Avenue NE. Powered and distributed by Simplecast

As defined by Investopedia, Public-private partnerships involve collaboration between a government agency and a private-sector company that can be used to finance, build, and operate projects. We sit down to discuss inclusive innovation and breaking down barriers to entry with Joy James, Tech & Innovation Portfolio Manager for the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. BONUS: a SPECIAL announcement from Team Cureate and an innovation accelerator program we are launching! Powered and distributed by Simplecast

It can seem impossible for small to midsize farmers to survive in this world because they aren’t provided the monetary runway that big machines of businesses are afforded. It has always been hard, but especially with the increase of unpredictable weather, trade wars, and monopolies along our supply chains - it’s becoming increasingly difficult to manage and make a living by being a farmer. Maybe you’ve heard this before, kind of understand it, but don’t REALLY know why it would be so challenging — from a business standpoint. We explore the federal policy and regulations that are effecting our businesses with Dan Imhoff, the author of The Farm Bill: A Citizen's Guide. Powered and distributed by Simplecast

What does it take to build a business with thoughtful sourcing practices in mind, while working on sustainable growth and financial responsibilities? We sit down with Dave Wiseman, Co-Founder of Little Sesame, to talk about working with his partners Chef Ronen Tenne and Nick Wiseman, how he left his corporate career to do so, and why they made certain key business decisions along the way. If you're interested in starting a fast casual restaurant or learning how to align your core values along your supply chain, this episode is for you. Powered and distributed by Simplecast

Powered and distributed by Simplecast

Powered and distributed by Simplecast