We all want more time in our days, especially in the food industry, right? In this episode, I’m talking about the difference between working ON vs IN your business, and why it’s so important this time of year. In today’s episode, we’ll discuss: How to know if you’re working ON vs IN your business My secret to making time to work ON your business Why it’s important to focus on that in the 4th quarter How you can do that with me & my team at Food Biz Wiz. Tune in to get more time back in your day, and work on the RIGHT things in your business in the fourth quarter! For the full show notes, click here.  This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

Food Biz Wiz

116. Time Management: Working ON your Business vs. Working IN your Business

Today's Food Biz Wiz Podcast guest is Asha Mody, the Founder & Chief Creative Officer and educator at Mindsy Design Studio.  Asha joins us with a wealth of knowledge and insider information on what packaging stands out on the shelf and why you need to prioritize this to grow your sales.  In today's show, we talk through Asha's five packaging secrets that will help increase your sales!  We’ll cover: Telling your brand's story through your packaging. How to make sure your packaging is easy to understand.  How to make the most of the space you have. How to create positive tactile experiences for consumers with the right material. How to achieve packaging that is both practical and functional for your product. All of these steps are essential to achieving the level of success that powerful and effective packaging promises! Click here for the full show notes, a link to a packaging design course with Mindsy Design Studio, or join our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group! Have additional questions about how to create the right packaging for your product? You can connect with Asha @mindsdesignstudio or shoot me a DM @itsalliball  on Instagram! This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It's more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you're there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here.

115. 5 Packaging Design Secrets To Drive Sales with Asha Mody

This week's show is the final episode of our Fourth Quarter Focus Series! Today’s episode is about what to do now that we’re officially in the fourth quarter - and where to focus your business-building efforts for the remainder of the year. I'll outline exactly what you should focus on for the next few months to ensure you're ready when January 1 gets here.  I'll discuss:  Your Sales Scripts Your Sales Materials Your Sales Strategy This is the perfect time to make sure you know exactly how to craft a pitch that gets that Buyer to say "Yes!" Click here for the full show notes and links to the previous episodes in our mini-series. If you enjoyed this mini-series send me a DM on Instagram @itsalliball! Let me know what you’re excited about for the end of the year.  This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon! 

114. [4th Quarter Focus Series #4] What To Focus On For Business Growth

In the third episode of our Fourth Quarter Focus Series, we're talking about nurturing your existing accounts.  During the holiday season, it's crucial to ensure you're getting all of the sales that you can out of the shelves you're already on.  In this week's show, I'll discuss: The importance of nurturing your relationships to set up for sales success in the fourth quarter.  The two audiences you'll focus on and how to nurture them.   Why nurturing your accounts is a multipronged strategy.  Click here for the full show notes and links to the two previous episodes in our mini-series. Are you enjoying this mini-series? I'd love to know your feedback, so send me a DM on Instagram @itsalliball, and let me know if you like this style where we take a larger topic and break it down into a series of shorter episodes. If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot! 

113. [4th Quarter Focus Series #3] How To Win Over Buyers & Increase Sales

Are you hoping to land a few more wholesale accounts this year? You can't miss today's episode!  In episode two of our Fourth Quarter Focus mini-series, we're talking about your last chance pitch. In this week's show, I give you four things to focus on as you craft your last pitches of the year.  We'll discuss your: Product Pricing Promotion Pitch Script Click here for the full show notes, a link to episode one, and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group. Feeling stuck after listening to this episode? Send me a DM on Instagram @itsalliball and let me know what areas you're stuck in.  This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

112. [4th Quarter Focus Series #2] Your Last Chance Pitch

We are officially kicking off Season 10 of the Food Biz Wiz podcast. To start the 10th season, I am doing a four-part mini-series of things to focus on in the 4th quarter! This week's episode is all about the Wholesale Buyer's Perspective. What are they thinking throughout the fourth quarter, and how should that impact the actions you take as a food business founder? I'll discuss: A breakdown of the Buyer's Perspective from October to December. Why Buyers may be ignoring your emails.  The importance of understanding the rhythm of retail.  For the full show notes and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here. If this episode was helpful to you, please share it! I'd love it if you tag me in your IG stories - I'm @itsalliball. If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot! 

111. [4th Quarter Focus Series #1] The Wholesale Buyer's Perspective

We are ending Season 9 of the Food Biz Wiz podcast with a rapid-fire Q&A! In today's show, I'm answering your questions on: Pitching during the holiday season. Connecting with buyers if you didn't go to tradeshows this year. Establishing a minimum accepted retail price or MAP. And more! Have a question for a future rapid-fire episode? Shoot me a DM on Instagram, and I'll add it to the queue. For the full show notes and all of the resources mentioned on today's show, click here. This episode is sponsored by my 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's! Get the free download by clicking here. 

110. Rapid Fire Q&A: 4th Quarter Pitches, Buyer follow-up, MAPs, Bribing Buyers, & Skipping Tradeshows

This week's Food Biz Wiz Podcast guest is Jessica Thomas, the founder and CEO of Curate360.  Curate360 fills the gap between Diverse Suppliers that want to get on the shelves and Retailers that support Supplier Diversity.  In this week's episode, we talk through:  What Curate360 does  Five things minority-owned businesses should take advantage of to grow and scale How we can help diversify the CPG industry Some great resources that will help you get your business off the ground! Click here for the full show notes, all of the resources mentioned on today's show, plus a discount code for a Curate360 membership. This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon! 

109. 5 Things to Take Advantage of as a Minority or Women-Owned Business

Feel like something is missing from your wholesale buyer pitches, and like you can't seal the deal with wholesale accounts? Today's episode is for you! In this week's Food Biz Wiz podcast, I share the #1 mistake I see food founders make in their wholesale pitches and what to do instead.  I promise you that if you make this small switch, you'll start getting more calls back and more YES's to carrying your products. For the full show notes and all of the resources mentioned on today’s show, click here. This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon! 

108. Stop Making This Wholesale Pitch Mistake (And What To Do Instead)!

Today’s Food Biz Wiz guest is Good Food CFO and founder of Sarah Delevan Consulting, Sarah Delevan.  Sarah and her team at Sarah Delevan Consulting help good food businesses across the country achieve financial sustainability and profitability. In this show, we’ll talk through: What Profit First is. How Sarah became the only Food Business Consultant Certified in Profit First. Why Profit First implementation is different for CPG brands And more! For the full show notes and all of the resources mentioned on today’s show, click here. This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

107. 4 Steps to Implement Profit First in Your CPG business

After a long break, trade shows are starting again, and it's time to prepare! In this episode, I'll talk through:  Assessing whether you should display at a show or just walk the floor How to make the most out of your time at the show if you DO attend How to have someone else cover your tradeshow expenses. For the full show notes and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here. This episode is sponsored by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who want to land on more retail shelves, and have high sales once you do. If you listen to this episode and nod along, YOU are the right fit for Retail Ready. Find out all about our program, how we work with brands, and our three step process for growing food businesses by watching this free masterclass. Find a time that works for you, and join us soon!

106. How To Succeed at Food Industry Trade Shows

If you're sick of getting late payments, today's episode is for you! In today's show, I'm sharing three of my best practices for overdue invoices.  You'll learn how to:  Keep a credit card on file when you open new direct accounts with wholesale partners.  Set up late payment fees.  Stop delivering when you have overdue invoices.    For the full show notes and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here. This episode is supported by Quickbooks, my favorite accounting software for keeping MY data and financials organized! Use my link to save 50% off your first six months when you sign up for a new account.

105. My 3 Best Practices for Avoiding Late Payments from Wholesale Accounts

Today's Food Biz Wiz guest is Freelance Photographer Gwen Squires!  Gwen specializes in bringing the creations of CPG and specialty packaged food producers to life through custom visual content for brands both big and small.  In today's show, we talk about creating your visual content for the fourth quarter. That's right: even though it's July, we're thinking ahead to the holiday season and talking through the steps that you need to take NOW to set yourself up for seasonal success later this year.  To keep in touch with Gwen, check out her portfolio, the resources she mentioned, and see the full show notes, click here.  If you’ve found value in the Food Biz Wiz podcast, you’re going to be blown away by Retail Ready, my online course for producers who are looking to increase their sales this year! Jump on our Retail Ready® waitlist to be the first to know when we open enrollment again. Click here to save your spot! 

104. Creating Holiday-Related Visual Content for your Food or Beverage Brand with Food Photographer, Gwen Squires

Feedback is essential, especially when you're growing a new packaged product line. But, how do you make sure you're getting accurate feedback from the right people?  In today's show, I'm discussing the right and wrong way to get feedback for your packaged product line and the most important thing to avoid when asking your audience for their advice!  For the full show notes and an invite to our Food Biz Wiz Facebook group, click here. This episode is sponsored by my 100 Wholesale Buyer "No's" Workbook, where I walk you through 100 different ways the Buyer might turn down your product. Using this resource, you can prepare yourself to be READY to respond to these No's and turn them into Yes's! Get the free download by clicking here.

103. How to Solicit Customer Feedback (So That It's Actually Helpful For Your Biz!)

Today’s Food Biz Wiz guest is Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Consultant Jennifer Yepez-Blundell from Hella Social Impact. In this show, we’ll cover: Why should CPG brands care about DEI?  Do consumers care about DEI?  How working on DEI impacts your sales and customer base. Information on the upcoming The Hella Impact Cohort for CPG brands, and how you can use their “Notice, Name, Dismantle” framework to create a strategy around being a more inclusive, just CPG business. To keep in touch with Jennifer, find out more about Hella Social Impact and their upcoming Hella Impact Cohort, and see the full show notes, click here.  This episode is sponsored by my Retail Roadmap! It’s more important than ever to know what it takes to get ON the retail shelf - be it a physical or digital shelf -, and have high sales once you’re there. Find my free, nine-step guide to building a brand that flies off the shelf by clicking here. 

102. How & Why to Show up for Racial Justice & Inclusion in the Packaged Products Industry, with DEI Consultant Jennifer Yepez-Blundell

Launching, growing, and scaling a packaged product in the food industry is daunting - from understanding production, incubator kitchens, and co-packing, to mastering your brand strategy, packaging design, and marketing, to navigating growth on the retail shelves and e-commerce platforms, and eventually working with brokers and distributors - every step of the way is challenging. Join former Head of Grocery & Grocery Buyer at Bi-Rite Market, Alli Ball, as she tells you exactly how to build a brand that flies off the shelf through solo episodes, curated guest experts across the food industry, and live consulting calls with her Retail Ready™ students!

hubhopper

Food Biz Wiz

hubhopper