Podcast appearances and mentions of kayla casta

Kayla Castañeda, founder of Agua Bonita, brings a refreshing twist to the traditional Mexican drink, aguas frescas, blending heritage and innovation in every sip. With a rich personal story rooted in her family's heritage, Kayla's mission is to share an elevated version of this beloved beverage. After navigating challenges like job loss during the pandemic and financial struggles, she successfully funded her startup through pitch competitions, culminating in a victory on Amazon Prime Video's Buy It Now series, where she secured a $20,000 cash prize. Her winning recipe? A powerful blend of authenticity, determination, and connecting with the right audience. You can watch Agua Bonita's episode on the Buy it Now show titled: Tony Pops Off.Tune in and get inspired by the real stories behind the entrepreneurs and products featured on Buy It Now. You can find winning products on the Buy It Now Store. Follow TISB: Behind the Buy on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and make sure to watch Buy It Now on Prime Video.

Setting out and starting a business takes courage, determination, and the ability to learn as you go. It also requires a certain commitment to the foundational causes of the work. For Adam Hiner, our guest on today's show, combining his passion for food and regenerative agriculture with his work ethic and growing knowledge of the entrepreneurial landscape has enabled him to build two really inspiring and conscientious brands. Adam is the CEO and Founder of Pacha, a gluten-free, grain-free, sprouted, fermented, paleo, and plant-based bread company, as well as the Co-Founder of Boochcraft, through which he and his team introduced the market to organic hard kombucha! In our chat, we get to hear from Adam about the important steps on his evolving path, the morals that ground his work, and some of the challenges he has faced and overcome so far. If you would like to hear about true innovations in the food sector, how Adam approached business during the pandemic, and the power of intuition in a data-filled world, listen in with us!Key Points From This Episode:Adam talks about regenerative agriculture and how Pacha is involved and supports this movement. Challenges in the baked goods space: distribution, freshness, packaging, and more. The environmental and social initiatives that Adam and Pacha have linked with so far.A little about the organic, hard kombucha company that Adam started called Boochcraft.  Advice from Adam for aspiring CPG business owners on the realities of running a business and using intuition.How Pacha was birthed at the beginning of the pandemic and Adam's attitude towards riding that wave.Demand for kombucha and the surprising demographics that gravitated towards the products.  Adam's journey before launching Pacha; selling mortgages, restaurants, catering, and more!Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Modern Species Adam Hiner ob LinkedInPacha   BoochcraftRate RabbitUnity VibrationJuneShineTrilogy Sanctuary1% for the Planet CCOFEpisode 31 - Cultivating Heartset with Linwood Paul & Matt D'Amour of Subtle Distinctions Episode 37 — Nailing The Pitch with Kayla Castañeda of Agua BonitaGage Mitchell on LinkedInEvolve CPGEvolve CPG CommunityEvolve CPG on YouTubeEvolve CPG email

President Joe Biden passionately outlined his vision for a second term, tackling critical issues such as Roe v. Wade, immigration and the economy.With daylight saving time on the horizon, some parents are already worried their children don't get enough sleep. Research shows that more than 18% of children aged 5 to 9 are given melatonin to sleep, and 19% of adolescents take it as well. Dr. Celine Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor at large for Public Health at KFF, has more.On International Women's Day, a groundbreaking movie in China is capturing attention by showcasing the fierce determination of modern Chinese women who are resisting patriarchal pressures amid a declining birth rate.Chelsea Peretti, best known for her iconic role as Gina Linetti in "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," takes on the world of filmmaking with her directorial debut in "First Time Female Director."Inspired by the homemade agua frescas of her childhood, Kayla Castañeda transformed her longing for a taste of home into a thriving business. Since launching Agua Bonita in 2020, she has successfully brought the refreshing blend of fruit, water, and sweetener to major retailers nationwide, including Target, Whole Foods and Amazon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kayla Castenada, of Agua Bonita who has broken into the Beverage industry with her Agua Bonita drinks, a non-alcoholic beverage,  saw an opportunity in the Non-Alcoholic Drinks market with Agua Frescas being something viable within a large industry, but wasn't recognized as an option by global brands. The market opportunity for 2023  amounts to US$496.50bn! That's a lot of BEBIAS! The market's largest segment is the segment Soft Drinks with a market volume of US$328.10bn. Kayla, being from the heart of the Central Valley, Hanford California, where most of America receives its food, saw the opportunity and took her shot. Now, Kayla is the first Latina in her industry to raise more than $1 million dollars and has been honored with a Forbes 30 Under 30 lister, a Cartier global impact entrepreneur, a top 100 Female Founder as recognized by Inc. magazine. In addition,  Agua Bonita has now achieved success in retailers nationwide, 1300 stores and counting,  and part of their sales goes towards supporting farm workers rights.  Let's get into the business of seeing our super powers and presenting it to the world! Los Vamos! This episode was sponsored by Latinas And Power, a network of thousands of Latina Professionals and Entrepreneurs from Across the United States that are ready for leadership opportunities. Join today or inquire about their Latinas In Leadership Institute @ Latinasinleadershipinstitue.com Production and Host by Theresa E. Gonzales of 5-E Leadership and Marketing Audio Engineered by Robert Lopez of Crates Audio Subscribe to our Newsletter Latinasb2b.com Follow us: YouTube @Latinasb2b IG @ Latinasb2b LinkedIn @ Latinasb2b.marketing X @LatinasB2B 

Kayla Castañeda is the Founder and CEO of Agua Bonita, a line of aguas frescas that come in fun and bold flavors that are true to tradition. Kayla shares with cohost Carolina Arenas that she created this line of beverages with migrant farmworkers in mind. Tune in as Kayla goes in depth about creating this cuturally-inspired brand, navigating motherhood and entrepreneurship, and sharing her top insights for other Latina entrepreneurs. This conversation will surely inspire you! To learn more, visit us at latinaleadershippodcast.com

Welcome to a brand new episode of the ¿Quién Tú Eres? podcast, where we explore the conflict we often face between "professionalism" & being our authentic selves. This week's guest is Kayla Castañeda, who is the founder of Agua Bonita. Here's a quick bio...in Kayla's own words... Much like the aguas frescas we make, my family history starts in Mexico and settles in the fruit fields of the Central Valley of California. My ancestors immigrated to the states pursuing the opportunity for a better life and following the migrant farm work as field workers, which led us here – where we grow 60% of the nation's produce!  Growing up here, my grandpa would bring us home super ripe fruit from the fields that he couldn't just stand to let go to waste. This fruit would be sprinkled with chile powder or made into aguas frescas for the whole family to enjoy. When I lost my job mid-pandemic, I took it as “when life gives you lemons, make aguas frescas.” I decided to create something that is reflective of my culture, my family, and my grandpa's teachings of never letting food go to waste (and not too much sugar – he was diabetic), and Agua Bonita was born. We've carried on the tradition of taking real fruit from the fields and creating a delicious drink to share with everyone, from our home to your hands. Resources & Links 1) Agua Bonita website 2) Quick video highlighting the unfortunate business practices from Coca-cola. It's an experience that's highlighted towards the end of the episode. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/quientueres/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/quientueres/support

Kayla Castañeda (@so.fresca.so.clean) is the guest of the week on the Latin Wealth podcast. Kayla Castañeda is the CEO and founder of Agua Bonita. Which is a Latina owned company that makes 100% real fruit aguas frescas out of rescued produce. Kayla Castañeda is the first Latina owned company in Food & Beverage to raise over 1 million dollars! To put that in perspective, there's only been 90 Latinas to do ever raise over 1 million dollars ever in history. With $0 in marketing, Agua Bonita has reached over 1,000 doors across America.  Guest information -Instagram -Website Follow us on IG: @latinwealth Email for questions or inquiries: latinwealthpodcast@gmail.com

Kayla Castañeda turned a favorite childhood treat into a successful and fast-growing good-for-you beverage company. In this episode of Women on the Move, the CEO and co-founder of Agua Bonita sits down with host Sam Saperstein to talk about her family, company, thoughts on ambition, and advice for other founders.   Journey from California's Central Valley   Kayla tells Sam that she grew up in a family of migrant farm workers in California's Central Valley. Her grandfather would bring home fruit from the fields and make aguas frescas for the family. She also grew up with a dream of owning her own business—and although she didn't realize it then, producing good-for-you versions of those refreshing fruit-based beverages would become her business plan.   First she cut her teeth in the food and beverage industry from the inside. Growing up in a small town made her crave something entirely different, so after high school she moved to New York City and started working in food and beverage, eventually moving into a sales and marketing position with Major League Baseball. She then took a role with Coca-Cola that bought her back to her roots in California. It was during the pandemic, while working as a consultant for food and beverage companies, that she had the inspiration for Agua Bonita. “Oh, this is something that has been around in my family and in our culture forever,” she recalls thinking. “So why am I not doing something like this and why is this not commercially available?” Within a week she had fleshed out a business plan and embarked on a learning curve with venture capitalism. Agua Bonita's product of a “modern” agua fresca—they use 80 percent less sugar than traditional recipes—was a hit. They first found a place on shelves in small California retailers and recently landed their first national retailer with Whole Foods Market. Kayla attributes their success to their healthy approach as well as their commitment to corporate responsibility. Their sustainability efforts include a reliance on using imperfect fruit and recyclable aluminum containers, and they work with nonprofit partners like Justice for Migrant Women to help current migrant farm workers. But she says she believes their defining characteristic is their flavor profiles. “Right now our current offerings range from some more traditional ones like hibiscus and pineapple and sweet melon to some more fun and modern takes on these drinks like mango habanero and watermelon chili and some really cool new innovations coming soon. And then our packaging, we use a lot of fun packaging that's inspired by our culture and put it on shelf as a work of art. It's the Bonita part of Agua Bonita.” Ambition and helping others In keeping with this season's theme of ambition, Kayla also talks with Sam about her perceptions of her own ambition. “I do consider myself ambitious,” she says. “I asked my mom, have I always been this ambitious? And her answer was yes. And there's been teachers along the way that have helped you with that. So I think I've just always been ambitious and that ambition really stems from my family. No one has ever capped my dreams or told me that I could not do something internally. . . . It gave me the mindset of if not me, it's gonna be someone else, so why not me?” In terms of advice, what Kayla most wants to convey to others is that everything is going to be okay. “I think sometimes we can get really tunnel vision, and there's a lot of things that you're juggling when you're trying to get a company off the ground, and the wins are really high, but sometimes the losses can be really low,” she says. “And I think just having people around me to remind me that it's all gonna be okay, whether it works out or whether it doesn't, it's all gonna be okay, is sometimes just like that humbling thing that I need to hear to just be able to get on with my day.” She adds that she tries to encourage others by making sure that they're feeling fulfilled in other areas of their life. “Because I don't think that you can pour from an empty cup,” she says. “And so that is how I encourage people to keep going with things is that there are other things that you find joy in than just this one thing. So don't let this one thing eclipse everything else.”   Ful transcript here 

This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Kayla Castañeda, co-founder of Agua Bonita. An agua fresca company based in California, Kayla has found success in a booming space largely dominated by soda and juice. She's also a fellow millennial who can tell you about her journey from humble beginnings to entrepreneurship. drinkaguabonita.com To be on the next episode of The Embracing My Markings Podcast visit: EmbracingMyMarkings.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/embracingmymarkings/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/embracingmymarkings/support

Today on the show we're learning from Kayla, the founder of Agua Bonita. Agua Bonita is a Latina-owned beverage company making the first better-for-you aguas frescas on the market. A modern take on a traditional Mexican fruit drink, their aguas frescas come in ready-to-drink 12oz cans, made with real fruit, low sugar, and fun flavors (like mango habanero). And this story is a wild one. I actually came across a post of Kayla's on LinkedIn sharing a pretty crappy story for any small business owner to go through. I'm sure you'll find plenty of takeaways in this episode because she's just so insightful. We talk through those initial 6 months of building the brand. Agua Bonita launched conceptually in July 2020, but those first months were really stealth mode. You conceptualize your brand, identify your values, and what makes you different from the whole market. A lot of thinking through that for the first 6 months. What do we want to do that's different, how can we do this sustainably, and how do we communicate that? And we can confidently say this initial stage was a success, with 10,000 units flying out the door in the first month. Kayla talks us through how exactly this came about, this complete wildfire response. Firstly, the people were ready for Agua Bonita. This product was just completely absent from the market, and people wanted it. On top of that, Agua Bonita was ready for the people: extensive research into where they can find their consumers, and then showing up in their life throughout the day. Kayla also shared some pretty key know-how around a concept called free-fill when it comes to giveaways in retail. Heard of it? Check out the full chat for the low-down. You should stick around to the end of the episode, where Kayla shares the number one piece of advice she's ever received, and some of her own advice. When it comes to the first, everything takes way longer than you expect it to. Even when you allot a lot of extra time, add even more time onto that timeline. In business, time really does equal money. So you'll need money to make sure those things work out in your favor. When it comes to Kayla's own piece of advice, she's a strong advocate for leaning into your community. You will find so many other founders and resources, so many people that really want to help you. When you're building a brand, that's all your really trying to do as a brand. Lean into the community, there are people that want to help.  If you love this episode and get something out of it please do share it on your Instagram stories with us @femalestartupclub. You can also find me in the DMs directly @dooneroisin where I love to chat and hear about what you're working on. Let's get into it. LINKS WE MENTION: Kayla's Instagram Agua Bonita's Instagram Hello Alice Website Join thousands of small business owners who are reading our newsletter every Monday at: www.femalestartupclub.com Join our tool and private community for small business owners, Majic [formerly known as Hype Club] Female Startup Club's Instagram Doone's Instagram Doone's TikTok Say hello to Doone: hello@femalestartupclub.com

Today on the show we're learning from Kayla, the founder of Agua Bonita. Agua Bonita is a Latina-owned beverage company making the first better-for-you aguas frescas on the market. A modern take on a traditional Mexican fruit drink, their aguas frescas come in ready-to-drink 12oz cans, made with real fruit, low sugar, and fun flavors (like mango habanero). And this story is a wild one. I actually came across a post of Kayla's on LinkedIn sharing a pretty crappy story for any small business owner to go through. I'm sure you'll find plenty of takeaways in this episode because she's just so insightful. We talk through those initial 6 months of building the brand. Agua Bonita launched conceptually in July 2020, but those first months were really stealth mode. You conceptualize your brand, identify your values, and what makes you different from the whole market. A lot of thinking through that for the first 6 months. What do we want to do that's different, how can we do this sustainably, and how do we communicate that? And we can confidently say this initial stage was a success, with 10,000 units flying out the door in the first month. Kayla talks us through how exactly this came about, this complete wildfire response. Firstly, the people were ready for Agua Bonita. This product was just completely absent from the market, and people wanted it. On top of that, Agua Bonita was ready for the people: extensive research into where they can find their consumers, and then showing up in their life throughout the day. Kayla also shared some pretty key know-how around a concept called free-fill when it comes to giveaways in retail. Heard of it? Check out the full chat for the low-down. You should stick around to the end of the episode, where Kayla shares the number one piece of advice she's ever received, and some of her own advice. When it comes to the first, everything takes way longer than you expect it to. Even when you allot a lot of extra time, add even more time onto that timeline. In business, time really does equal money. So you'll need money to make sure those things work out in your favor. When it comes to Kayla's own piece of advice, she's a strong advocate for leaning into your community. You will find so many other founders and resources, so many people that really want to help you. When you're building a brand, that's all your really trying to do as a brand. Lean into the community, there are people that want to help.  If you love this episode and get something out of it please do share it on your Instagram stories with us @femalestartupclub. You can also find me in the DMs directly @dooneroisin where I love to chat and hear about what you're working on. Let's get into it. LINKS WE MENTION: Kayla's Instagram Agua Bonita's Instagram Hello Alice Website Join thousands of small business owners who are reading our newsletter every Monday at: www.femalestartupclub.com Join our tool and private community for small business owners, Majic [formerly known as Hype Club] Female Startup Club's Instagram Doone's Instagram Doone's TikTok Say hello to Doone: hello@femalestartupclub.com

When do you know that it's time to step out on your own, peers? For today's guest, Kayla Castañeda, it was losing her job mid-pandemic that made her think, “When life gives you lemons, make aguas frescas.” Now, Kayla is the CEO and Co-Founder of Agua Bonita, a drinks company that sells a take on a delicious Mexican drink.In this episode of Peers2Peers, powered by Shopify, Kayla shares why there's never a “perfect” time for anything in life, how her heritage shaped her business, and why everyone can have an opinion but you're the one building your brand. Discover more:Start your Shopify 14-day free trial: https://bit.ly/3fuq58CCheck out Agua Bonita: https://www.drinkaguabonita.com/Instagram Page: https://instagram.com/drinkaguabonitaConnect with Kayla: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylacastaneda10/Follow The Peers Project on Instagram: http://bit.ly/3adVmYG Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How has your background as a Latina inspired your dreams today?Our cultural history is something that should be celebrated and there are so many ways we can share it with the world. There are some incredible amigas that we can all look up to who have intertwined their passions, their background as a Latina, and their creativity to the projects that they share with the world. In this episode, I am excited to be joined by Kayla Castañeda. Kayla is an inspiring amiga, as the CEO of Agua Bonita and a place on the Forbes 30 under 30. Kayla grew up in central California where the majority of the nation's produce is grown and her grandfather would bring home fruit and create delicious aguas frescas for the family. After her grandfather passed away, Kayla was inspired to create the same delicious blends for every one. Tune in to Episode 104 of Amiga, Handle Your Shit, and hear Kayla's experience creating her company, Agua Bonita. She talks about why she decided to leave her corporate job to start Agua Bonita, what the challenges have been for her as a Latina entrepreneur, what the future has in store for Agua Bonita, and her advice for amigas to handle their shit. In This Episode, You Will Learn:What inspired Kayla to build her company, Agua Bonita (4:55)The learning curve Kayla experienced when starting Agua Bonita (7:25)The challenges Kayla faced as a Latina entrepreneur (12:30)What's next for Kayla and Agua Bonita (16:19)Kayla's advice for amigas to handle their shit (20:18)Connect with KaylaLinkedInAgua Bonita WebsiteLet's Connect!WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInJackie Tapia Arbonne website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Setting out and starting a business takes courage, determination, and the ability to learn as you go. It also requires a certain commitment to the foundational causes of the work. For Adam Hiner, our guest on today's show, combining his passion for food and regenerative agriculture with his work ethic and growing knowledge of the entrepreneurial landscape has enabled him to build two really inspiring and conscientious brands. Adam is the CEO and Founder of Pacha, a gluten-free, grain-free, sprouted, fermented, paleo, and plant-based bread company, as well as the Co-Founder of Boochcraft, through which he and his team introduced the market to organic hard kombucha! In our chat, we get to hear from Adam about the important steps on his evolving path, the morals that ground his work, and some of the challenges he has faced and overcome so far. If you would like to hear about true innovations in the food sector, how Adam approached business during the pandemic, and the power of intuition in a data-filled world, listen in with us!Key Points From This Episode:Adam talks about regenerative agriculture and how Pacha is involved and supports this movement. Challenges in the baked goods space: distribution, freshness, packaging, and more. The environmental and social initiatives that Adam and Pacha have linked with so far.A little about the organic, hard kombucha company that Adam started called Boochcraft.  Advice from Adam for aspiring CPG business owners on the realities of running a business and using intuition.How Pacha was birthed at the beginning of the pandemic and Adam's attitude towards riding that wave.Demand for kombucha and the surprising demographics that gravitated towards the products.  Adam's journey before launching Pacha; selling mortgages, restaurants, catering, and more!Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Modern Species Adam Hiner ob LinkedInPacha   BoochcraftRate RabbitUnity VibrationJuneShineTrilogy Sanctuary1% for the Planet CCOFEpisode 31 - Cultivating Heartset with Linwood Paul & Matt D'Amour of Subtle Distinctions Episode 37 — Nailing The Pitch with Kayla Castañeda of Agua BonitaGage Mitchell on LinkedInEvolve CPGEvolve CPG CommunityEvolve CPG on YouTubeEvolve CPG email

In this episode, we go behind the scenes with Kayla Castañeda and Erin PonTell, co-founders of Agua Bonita, about the founding story of their rapidly growing agua fresca brand. The founders chat with Kristen about: The origin story of Agua Bonita, which began in the early days of the pandemic Finding the right balance between honoring cultural recipes and traditions with creating something that would resonate with modern consumers Fundraising and growth challenges, as well as the pressures associated with being the *first* Latinx-owned beverage brand to raise more than $2M in funding

We have Kayla Castañeda on Female Founder World! She's the founder of Agua Bonita, a better-for-you agua fresca business that launched in 2020 and sold 10,000 units in the first month. Kayla has never lost a pitch competition. In fact, she's raised nearly half a million dollars for her business this way. We get into her approach and why it works so well in this episode of the Female Founder World podcast.    This episode is brought to you by Gorgias, the ecommerce helpdesk that turns your customer service into a profit center. We can't hype up our new sponsor enough—learn more about how Gorgias can help you build your personalized experience, and nab a free two month trial here: https://gorgias.grsm.io/fgtl7d2cuz4j Links: www.femalefounderworld.com  https://www.drinkaguabonita.com https://www.instagram.com/drinkaguabonita  The Secret Life of Groceries by Benjamin Lorr  Join the community and watch the PR workshop: https://links.geneva.com/invite/00c30313-1566-470a-a764-62010d8301bd instagram.com/femalefounderworld instagram.com/jasminegarnsworthy  Get the free 10-minute newsletter keeping thousands of consumer brand builders in the know: www.femalefounderworld.beehiiv.com  

We talk beverages, working on a small budget and being scrappy, testing DTC before any retail launch and working with good food brokers.

In the world of beverage creation, it's hard to come up with a new angle. But after Kayla Castañeda had spent a decade working in the beverage industry, she decided it was time to make something of her own. Taking inspiration from her cultural heritage, Kayla decided to put a healthy spin on classic aguas frescas, and the company Agua Bonita was born. Ethically made and good for the consumer and the planet, Agua Bonita's drinks are a fruit-forward beverage that pays homage to its cultural roots. In this episode, Kayla told us the story of her startup, how she dealt with copycats, and why failure shouldn't discourage you. Check out Agua Bonita  Check out Perfy Connect with Kayla Castañeda on LinkedIn  Check out Perfy on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok Connect with Vasa Martinez on LinkedIn and Twitter Save 15% on Perfy with code: FOODCHAINED15

Today on the show we're learning from Kayla, the founder of Agua Bonita.Agua Bonita is a Latina owned beverage company making the first better-for-you aguas frescas on the market. A modern take on a traditional Mexican fruit drink, their aguas frescas come in ready-to-drink 12oz cans, made with real fruit, low sugar, and fun flavors (like mango habanero). And this story is a wild one. I actually came across a post of Kayla's on linkedin sharing a pretty crappy story for any small business owner to go through. I'm sure you'll find plenty of takeaways in this episode because she's just so insightful.If you love this episode and get something out of it please do share it on your Instagram stories with us @femalestartupclub. You can also find me in the DMs directly @dooneroisin where I love to chat and hear about what you're working on.LINKS WE MENTION:Kayla's InstagramAgua Bonita's InstagramFemale Startup Club's InstagramDoone's InstagramDoone's TikTokIn sponsorship with Zyro, easiest to use website builder and eCommerce platformIn partnership with Klaviyo, the best email marketing tool for ecommerce businesses.Female Startup Club's YouTubeFemale Startup Club's Private Facebook GroupSay hello to Doone: hello@femalestartupclub.comFemale Startup Club + Clearco: Clear.co/partner/female-startup-club

Today on the show we're learning from Kayla, the founder of Agua Bonita.Agua Bonita is a Latina owned beverage company making the first better-for-you aguas frescas on the market. A modern take on a traditional Mexican fruit drink, their aguas frescas come in ready-to-drink 12oz cans, made with real fruit, low sugar, and fun flavors (like mango habanero). And this story is a wild one. I actually came across a post of Kayla's on linkedin sharing a pretty crappy story for any small business owner to go through. I'm sure you'll find plenty of takeaways in this episode because she's just so insightful.If you love this episode and get something out of it please do share it on your Instagram stories with us @femalestartupclub. You can also find me in the DMs directly @dooneroisin where I love to chat and hear about what you're working on.LINKS WE MENTION: Kayla's InstagramAgua Bonita's InstagramFemale Startup Club's InstagramDoone's InstagramDoone's TikTokIn sponsorship with Zyro, easiest to use website builder and eCommerce platformIn partnership with Klaviyo, the best email marketing tool for ecommerce businesses.Female Startup Club's YouTubeFemale Startup Club's Private Facebook GroupSay hello to Doone: hello@femalestartupclub.comFemale Startup Club + Clearco: Clear.co/partner/female-startup-club

Bienvenidos, Moneda Moves listeners! Lately, we've been thinking a lot about fundraising for companies. Because as we discuss the rise of new Latinx entrepreneurs, this kind of capital you can secure as a founder is just as important. It's what helps a company scale and grow. But attaining this kind of capital and raising more than $1 million has not historically been a straightforward journey for entrepreneurs of color, and even less so for Latinas. So today, we are sharing a story to help shed some light on the process and how the pandemic thrust former startup employees into the world of entrepreneurship. This is the story of Agua Bonita's Co-Founder and CEO Kayla Castañeda, who broke fundraising records in 2021 while selling canned aguas frescas, a delicious fruit-derived drink popular in Mexico and Central America. Both she and her co-founder, Erin PonTell, arrived at entrepreneurship experienced in the beverage industry but also out without jobs after their employer startup closed mid-pandemic. As they so wittingly shared with Bustle: “We joke a lot — when life gives you lemons, make aguas frescas.” Castañeda became one of two Latina co-founders who raised $2 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed round for their company. This happened just a year out from founding it and also made Castañeda the first Afro-Latina owned beverage brand to raise this amount. Among the investors? Supply Change Capital, whose founder Noramay Cadena we interviewed in just our last episode of Moneda Moves. (And we suggest you listen to it!) Our hope is that Agua Bonita is an example, but not the exception, to help many other Latina founders raise the capital needed to grow their business. Without further ado, here's our interview with Kayla Castañeda, Co-Founder and CEO fo Agua Bonita. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive a weekly digest of Latinx and money news: https://monedamoves.substack.com/ Follow Moneda Moves on Instagram: @MonedaMoves Follow your host Lyanne Alfaro on Instagram: @LyanneAlfaro Main podcast theme song from Premium Beat. Our music is from Epidemic Sound.

This week we have Kayla Castañeda, founder of Agua Bonita, joining us to share her story. For some of us, the decision about quitting our jobs to pursue our business full-time takes years or many attempts before actually doing so. For Kayla, the decision was made for her when her company went under in the early pandemic days and left her unemployed. When that happened, Kayla decided it was time to take a chance on herself and decided to start Agua Bonita with co-founder Erin PonTell. As of today, Agua Bonita has raised over 2 million in venture capital funding. For context, only 2.7 percent of all venture funding goes to women CEOs... Now think about what percentage of that goes to Latina CEOs. Visit the Agua Bonita site: https://www.drinkaguabonita.com/ Follow Agua Bonita on Instagram: @drinkaguabonita Follow me on Instagram: @firstgenmoney

“When life gives you lemons, make aguas frescas!” As was the case for many people, 2020 started off on a difficult note for Kayla Castañeda, with a young child and no job. Instead of letting this knock her down, Kayla kicked into gear and put the skills she acquired after many years of working in the food and beverage industry to good use; the co-founding of Agua Bonita. Agua Bonita boasts the first line of better-for-you, ready-to-drink aguas frescas, which come in eco-friendly cans that are branded by Kayla's co-founder, Erin. The quality of the product combined with the authenticity and transparency of the brand, and the relationship-building approach that Kayla adopted from week one, have led to her winning every pitch competition she has entered! That's not to say that the past year has been easy for them, and in today's episode, you'll hear about the ups and downs, the lessons learned along the way, their plans for the future, and some valuable advice for nailing your pitch! Key Points From This Episode:What the past year has looked like for Kayla and her business.Kayla shares what she learned from working in the hospitality industry.Experience that Kayla had working for Coca Cola, and why she decided to leave the company and start consulting. Circumstances which motivated Kayla to found Agua Bonita.The approach that Kayla and her cofounder, Erin, took to funding their business.A goal that Kayla and Erin set when they founded the company. Challenges of balancing work and family life and how this impacted the decision to make Agua Bonita a full-time job.When Kayla and Erin were able to start drawing salaries.How pitching and pitch competitions have benefited Agua Bonita. Why fundraising is a difficult task, and the importance of relationship building early on.Qualities that make Agua Bonita attractive to investors. Valuable tips for going into pitch competitions. Erin's background, and how her skillset complements Kayla's. The biggest challenge that Kayla and Erin have been faced with over the past year.Flavors of Agua Bonita that are currently available.Exciting plans that Kayla and Erin have for the future of Agua Bonita. Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Agua BonitaAgua Bonita on InstagramKayla Castañeda on LinkedIn Modern SpeciesEvolve CPG

As Kayla Castañeda puts it, “When life hands you lemons, make aguas frescas.” Kayla is Co-Founder and CEO of Agua Bonita, a growing social enterprise producing the first line of healthy alternatives to the traditional Mexican drink, aguas frescas. Made with no added sugar, no chemical sweeteners and rescued produce, the refreshing product fuels their mission and dedication to reinvesting profits back into their community. Stream this episode now to learn more about Kayla, how innovation has helped Agua Bonita grow to where it is today and further insight on the social enterprise's people management practices, including:   -How transparency guides their approach to staying authentic, approachable and affordable  -How creativity and clarity of goals are the key to growth with intention -How placing value on ideas and feedback at every level is essential to maximize impact and become a first mover in the market Interviewers: Patty Hampton, Managing Partner and Chief Social Impact Officer for SITA by Nonprofit HR Lisa Wright Ponce, Senior Consultant for Strategy & Advisory, Nonprofit HR

In this episode, we're joined by Kayla Castañeda, Co-Founder, and CEO of Agua Bonita, a beverage brand made with 100 percent real fruit aguas frescas which gives the end-product a delicious flavor profile. Kayla discusses launching her company during the pandemic and only meeting her Co-Founder in person once before launch. She walks us through Agua Bonita's timeline, from the genesis of her idea to this month when her company won the BEVNET and Coca-Cola best new beverage award. Kayla had some great advice for people looking to break into the beverage industry, including how to work closely with your packer to ensure you get the product you expect. She also delves into topics such as the best way to plug into the CBG community and how to keep your head up when going through hard times. We see big things in Kayla and Agua Bonita's future and are delighted that they are so successful.

#003: Kayla Castañeda, founder of agua frescas company Agua Bonita, joins us in this week's episode of Please Advise. Kayla and Sam dive into the importance of diversity (and authenticity) in the food industry, fundraising, starting a sustainable food company, and much more. This is an episode you don't want to miss. You can find Kayla Castañeda on LinkedIn. You can find Agua Bonita on LinkedIn, Instagram, their website, and Amazon. You can find Sam Ruiz on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and at Tgthr Collective. Episode edited by Inês Peixoto. Music: Rewind by Jay Someday

In this episode, we're joined by Kayla Castañeda, Co-Founder, and CEO of Agua Bonita, a beverage brand made with 100 percent real fruit aguas frescas which gives the end-product a delicious flavor profile. Kayla discusses launching her company during the pandemic and only meeting her Co-Founder in person once before launch. She walks us through Agua Bonita's timeline, from the genesis of her idea to this month when her company won the BEVNET and Coca-Cola best new beverage award. Kayla had some great advice for people looking to break into the beverage industry, including how to work closely with your packer to ensure you get the product you expect. She also delves into topics such as the best way to plug into the CBG community and how to keep your head up when going through hard times. We see big things in Kayla and Agua Bonita's future and are delighted that they are so successful.

In this episode of Black on Shelf, I welcome my new friend, Kayla, CEO and Co-Founder of Agua Bonita, a women-owned beverage brand, producing authentic Mexican agua frescas. Kayla and her Co-Founder Erin PonTell are inspired by perfectly delicious, fresh produce that would otherwise go to waste, and fueled by a passion to create something culturally authentic, unique, better for the planet, and beautiful, hence Agua Bonita was born.Agua Bonita has recorded a lot of accomplishments and received a number of awards; Including Winner of New Beverage Showdown 2021 - Best New Beverage award presented by BevNET and Coca Cola and Winner of Black Girl Ventures x Nike Pitch Competition. Kayla stresses the importance of hardwork. All achievements came at a cost, sacrifices had to be made and they took all the support that they could get from family, and a number of programs. Kayla speaks extensively about wanting to build generational wealth and a commitment to give back to the community. This means alot to her as she is the first generation of her family that did not have to work in the fields. With Agua Bonita, Kayla and Erin reinvest into education for the children of immigrants through their non-profit partners. For the full show notes, visit our website: https://www.blackonshelf.com/episodesStream Black on Shelf NOW on Apple Podcast, Spotify, YouTube, Google Podcast, Amazon Music, Stitcher, and Pandora!Connect with Kayla:Visit Kayla's website: https://www.drinkaguabonita.com/Follow Agua Bonita on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkaguabonita/Connect with Kayla on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylacastaneda10/Connect with Black On Shelf:Follow BOS on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/blackonshelf/Connect with BOS on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/black-on-shelf/Connect with Tenaj on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tenajfergusonFollow BOS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blackonshelf/Visit the Black on Shelf website: https://www.blackonshelf.comWatch the full interview on Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH5yI1fUz67nCaME8JIRfLAResource:Hello Alice: https://helloalice.com/tools/

Returning from the last episode is Kayla Castañeda, C.E.O. and co-owner of agua fresca company Agua Bonita. She is here to elaborate more on her journey and discuss some topics such as what it was like to launch a company amid the COVID-19 pandemic last year and how the pandemic has impacted her business currently, and she also gives some advice on what the first step should be for someone who wants to launch their own business. Kayla also agrees to a business breakdown round with Andy in which she presents a current challenge that she is having with Agua Bonita and then bounces ideas back and forth with him about how to find a solution to the challenge and what tools will be needed to achieve the desired result. She reveals that her greatest challenge right now is fundraising, and Andy strongly encourages her to come up with a list of 100 dream investors and explains why that is so important. We hope that you enjoyed the second half of our conversation with Kayla of Agua Bonita, and we can't wait to see how Agua Bonita grows and flourishes in the future! Please stay tuned in to Freed Stories as more guests share their stories of entrepreneurship – their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, etc.! Be sure to also hit the subscribe button so that you never miss an episode, and remember to free your mind; free your media!   Time Stamps [1:38] – Kayla discusses how she navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has affected her business now. [3:58] – Kayla reveals how she came to realize what her individual skills are. [5:18] – We learn what kind of work Kayla did with previous companies prior to launching Agua Bonita. [6:47] – Kayla advises us on the first step to take if we want to launch our own business. [9:55] – Kayla's greatest challenge lately has been figuring out who to speak to and the structure of her business. [10:15] – Andy explains the three components of the business breakdown model: (1) the pain point, (2) the desired result, and (3) what tools are needed to achieve that result. [13:12] – Andy identifies Kayla's pain point, and Kayla touches upon what her desired result is. [14:28] – Not all money is good money, Kayla asserts. [17:10] – Andy advises Kayla to develop a list of approximately 100 dream investors. [19:55] – Andy offers Unshackled Ventures as an example of a venture capital firm and describes its focus. [21:35] – Kayla reveals that Agua Bonita currently has a dream 50 list but that there is room for growth. [23:54] – We learn where we can find Agua Bonita online and get updates.   Links and Resources Freed Fellowship - Website Freed Fellowship's Twitter Page Email Us: team@freedfellowship.com Agua Bonita – Website Agua Bonita - Instagram Page Unshackled Ventures - Website

Most small business stories from the pandemic are about about pivoting or perishing, but there's also been an unexpected surge in new small business creation. One example is Agua Bonita, a canned beverage company that launched last year after both of its co-founders were laid off. Dan talks with Agua Bonita co-founder Kayla Castañeda and Techstars founder David Cohen about what it was like for startups over the past 14 months and what recovery means for businesses that didn't even exist before COVID-19. Plus, a conversation with Wall Drug proprietor Rick Hustead. Note: This episode first aired 5/28/21. Due to platform issues that blocked it from some listeners' feeds, we are rerunning it for all listeners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andy and Maggie take the reins in this episode of Freed Stories to interview our Freed fellow of April, Kayla Castañeda! Kayla is the C.E.O. and co-owner of Agua Bonita, a company that makes healthy and ready-to-drink agua frescas (a traditional Mexican drink). Kayla is here to share her Freed story and share some background information about herself and Agua Bonita! Kayla got her foot in the beverage industry working for Coca-Cola as a market developer. This led to her consulting for beverage startups where she met her would-be Agua Bonita partner, Erin PonTell. She reveals why she centered her company around agua frescas and what her vision is for the company and also talks about how the company came to be and how, because it launched amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it naturally grew into being a direct-to-consumer company. Kayla also shares some insightful advice with listeners who might be on (or plan to soon be on) a similar path as hers. For example, we at Freed often say that the road to entrepreneurship can sometimes be lonely, and Kayla says that a major factor in having combatted that for her is having a partner in the business, so she recommends having a partner and/or co-founder if possible. She shares that that has also helped her stay on top of things and be efficient because work can be delegated between her and Erin depending on their individual strengths and skills. Kayla also recommends staying true to yourself and to your vision, even if that means not keeping up with what's trendy! We hope that you enjoyed our conversation with Kayla of Agua Bonita and that you will stay tuned as more guests share their stories of entrepreneurship – their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, and so on. Be sure to also hit the subscribe button so that you never miss an episode, and remember to free your mind; free your media!   Time Stamps [1:12] – Andy reveals this episode's guest to be Kayla of Agua Bonita. [1:40] – Kayla provides us with some background information about herself and her company. [4:21] – Kayla discusses the gap in the beverage industry and how she wanted to fill that gap with Agua Bonita. [6:18] – Andy enthuses over the importance of your company being unique even if you're in a category that already exists. [7:30] – Kayla compares Agua Bonita's products to traditional agua frescas. [9:28] – Kayla reflects on drinking agua frescas as a child. [11:10] – We learn about some of the spices that Agua Bonita tends to incorporate into its drinks. [12:48] – Kayla shares what the process of going from the kitchen to commercial formulation has been like. [15:46] – Kayla elaborates upon her experience with an accelerator program. [18:49] – We discover how Kayla has avoided loneliness in the world of entrepreneurship. [21:19] – Agua Bonita, Kayla explains, is currently a direct-to-consumer company. [23:55] – Kayla had predicted that Agua Bonita's products would be most popular in southern California and southern Texas, a hypothesis that was proven true. [25:16] – Kayla expounds upon how she and Erin manage their time and stay on top of things. [27:27] – We receive a couple tidbits of advice from Kayla: (1) network as often as you can and (2) budget efficiently. [29:55] – Kayla credits LinkedIn as an invaluable resource. [30:33] – Kayla also recommends and gives some background information on the book Capital Gaines by Chip Gaines. [31:39] – We learn what Kayla would tell herself five years ago if she could. [32:01] – Kayla hopes to still feel good about what she does five years from now.   Links and Resources Freed Fellowship - Website Freed Fellowship's Twitter Page Email Us: team@freedfellowship.com Agua Bonita - Website Agua Bonita - Instagram Page LinkedIn - Website Chip Gaines – Capital Gaines: The Smart Things I've Learned by Doing Stupid Stuff

We chat with Erin PonTell and Kayla Castañeda from Agua Bonita about how they launched their brand during covid, the pivots they had to make, and how they have positioned themselves as the drink of Summer 2021. https://www.drinkaguabonita.com/ https://www.instagram.com/drinkaguabonita/ https://www.westock.io/

Most small business stories from the pandemic are about about pivoting or perishing, but there's also been an unexpected surge in new small business creation. One example is Agua Bonita, a canned beverage company that launched last year after both of its co-founders were laid off. Dan talks with Agua Bonita co-founder Kayla Castañeda and Techstars founder David Cohen about what it was like for startups over the past 14 months and what recovery means for businesses that didn't even exist before COVID-19. Plus, a conversation with Wall Drug proprietor Rick Hustead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aqua Bonita makes the first 100% real fruit, ready-to-drink aguas frescas. Inspired by perfectly delicious, fresh produce that would otherwise go to waste, and fueled by a passion to create something culturally authentic, unique, better for the planet, and beautiful, Kayla Castañeda co-founded Agua Bonita. Kayla joins Justin to discuss this fresh beverage concept.