Ep. 16: Jon Sebastiani: Krave Jerky Founder and serial food entrepreneur

Jon was the Founder and CEO of Krave Pure Foods, a gourmet jerky company.  The company became one of the fastest growing food brands in the country and was acquired by The Hershey Company for around $220 million in 2015. Today he is the CEO of Sonoma Brands, an investor and incubator for new branded food startups. Jon lives in Sonoma, California.

 

Some interesting insights from this episode:

  • Learn how he reinvented the entire jerky category and broadened its appeal.
  • The most important litmus test as to whether a new product will succeed is simply whether it makes sense to you. If it’s a problem you can personally relate to, that’s a good start.
  • The lean startup method isn’t just for technology companies but consumer packaged goods businesses as well.
  • Learn how he brought a new product to the market for just $10,000.
  • His experience in the ultra-competitive wine industry gave him a “PhD” in branding.
  • While serendipity plays a role, there is a playbook that allows new brands to come to life.
  • Excellence is an aspiration that you never quite reach. It’s a mindset.

 

 

Ep. 15: Seth Goldman: Co-Founder of Honest Tea

Seth Goldman is the Co-founder of Honest Tea, a company he started in 1998 and has grown to over $200 million in revenue.  Today, Honest Tea is the nation’s top selling ready-to-drink organic bottled tea. The Honest Tea brands are available in over 130,000 outlets across the United States.  The company was acquired by Coca Cola in 2011.

 

Some interesting insights from this episode:

  • Learn how he reinvented the entire bottled tea industry.
  • Being a relentless optimist helped get him through the tough times.
  • The company wasn’t just about a better tasting drink but about an expression of his personal values (health, the environment, working conditions in developing countries).
  • To successfully launch a startup, start with a very strong vision of the brand and then everything else will fall into place.
  • The best way to learn is simply by doing. Market research will only get you so far and doing too much of it could become a hindrance.
  • Excellence is having a vision and being able to execute on that vision without compromise.