Growth isn’t always linear. From opening new locations to driving retail sales, the story of Boichik Bagels offers valuable lessons for food founders on their own path to building a successful business. In this episode, Sarah welcomes back Emily Winston, Founder and CEO of Boichik Bagels, to discuss the growth and expansion of her business. Emily o…

Uncover the many advantages of bill pay systems for a more efficient and organized operation! In this episode, Sarah Delavan and producer Chelsea Stier dive into the topic of Bill Pay Systems and the financial workflows of food businesses. Along with learning about the primary functions and benefits of bill pay systems, you’ll hear how they can be …

How can cutting-edge technology like generative AI benefit Good Food Founders? What opportunities and challenges might arise from incorporating AI into your business operations? In this episode, Sarah welcomes Meg Faibisch Kuhn, an expert in AI, to discuss the applications of generative AI in your food business. Meg is the founder of Aioli, an AI e…

From starting small and leveraging diverse experiences to embracing challenges and making strategic decisions, this story is a testament to the power of resilience and adaptability. In this episode, Sarah is joined by entrepreneurs Pace Webb and Chris Georgalas as they share their journey in the food industry. They discuss their backgrounds, the fo…

Trusting in the process can be the hardest and most rewarding thing you can do for your Good Food business. In this episode, Sarah is joined by Lauren Montgomery, the founder of Monty’s, to discuss the intricacies of building a sustainable food brand. Lauren's journey from a deep passion for nutrition to creating the cleanest ingredient cashew crea…

You’ve got questions The Good Food CFO has answers! In this episode, Sarah Delevan, The Good Food CFO is answering financial and business questions submitted by our BABOYOT members, and offering live coaching to member Chris Gilmour, Co-Founder of Wild Muskoka Botanicals. Sarah answers: What is the difference between Debt and Equity funding? I know…

Navigating the distribution maze is no small feat for emerging brands. Join us in peeling back the layers of this complex process, examining the limitations when partnering with large distributors and the dire need for alternatives. In this episode, Sarah is joined by Peter Gialantzis, CMO of Pod Foods, as they explore the difficulties that emergin…

There is a lot to consider when it comes to online marketing: ​​ Are you confident in choosing the right platforms to reach your consumer base? How do you incorporate consumer preferences into your marketing strategies? How can you measure the success of your marketing efforts? In this podcast episode, Sarahis joined by Ali Cox, CEO of Noble West, …

Ever wondered how a promising startup can suddenly falter? Sometimes, growth isn't just about expanding - it's about evolving. In this episode, Sarah and Chelsea delve into the story of Foxtrot - the convenience store delivery business that soared with ambition but faced the stark reality of rapid expansion. Founded in 2015, Foxtrot's initial succe…

This is a testament to the power of building a business on your own terms. When you focus on YOUR vision, the health of your business and brand loyalty, and have the patience to see those seeds blossom, there is no limit to what you can achieve. In this episode, Sarah welcomes Jeff Wiguna to the show. Jeff is the co-founder and CEO of Kuju Coffee, …

For a Good Food Business there are many paths to success, and for some that path may include outside investment. But today’s Venture Capital landscape can be difficult to navigate, with high expectations for returns, investors that don’t quite understand your business, and the overall slow down of venture funding in the last year. In this episode, …

Ever encountered challenges with syncing apps to accounting software or using online-only banks? You are not alone! In this episode, I’m sharing the financial "never do's" - things that founders should be wary of, and the cautionary tales from my experience as a CFO consultant that I believe are crucial for any business owner to heed. Chelsea and I…

Inclusivity isn't just a buzzword – it's a strategic imperative. Our population is growing more diverse by the day, and businesses must evolve to meet the changing demographics. In this episode, Sarah is joined by brand strategist Kathy Guzmán Galloway. Kathy shows us that success doesn't necessarily mean creating a product for every niche, but rat…

You’ve probably heard The Good Food CFO say “50% is not good for your food business!” Well today, we’re diving into what that really means. In this episode, Sarah walks Chelsea through the nuances of profit margin, specifically challenging the commonly accepted 50% target in the food industry. She shows that this one-size-fits-all approach doesn't …

Errol Schweizer has over 25 years of experience in the food industry and was V.P. of Grocery for Whole Foods from 2009-2016. His team grew sales to over US$5 Billion by supporting the launch and commercialization of thousands of new products, many of which are now household names. He has developed plant-based, Organic, Non-GMO and regenerative supp…

In this episode, The Good Food CFO, Sarah Delevan breaks down the concept of cost of goods sold (COGS) and its importance in understanding the financial health of your business. We explore the differences between accrual-based accounting and cash-based accounting, and how each method affects the calculation of COGS. We also clarify the distinction …

Most Good Food Businesses start out selling their products at the local farmers’ market. Many continue to utilize markets as a consistent sales channel for their business as they grow. But at the end of the day, transporting your goods, setting up your tent or booth, and working all day, just to break it all down and load out can be a lot for any o…

Every business needs to understand their cash flow, ESPECIALLY if you don't have a lot of cash on hand, or a 12 week cash runway. You won’t find the answers looking at your P+L statement. That shows the operational profitability of your business and it's looking at your business in the past. A cash flow projection is looking to the future. In this …

When you are running your own business, it's never a question of if burnout will come, but when. Every founder has been there, and there are some telltale signs you might be going through it right now. But what if you could slow down, take a pause, and reflect on what is really important to you, in business, and in life? That’s what our guests, Eli…

A million dollar deal can be a game changer for most small businesses, but it could also be a financial burden, and not a benefit at all if the product pricing and the deal aren't structured correctly. In this episode, Sarah is sharing the role she played in the negotiations between her client and a distributor that could result in $1 Million in th…

Are you getting ready to launch a new business? Or maybe you're preparing to launch a new product, or considering launching into a new sales channel? You don’t want to miss this episode! Jason McAlpin is the Founder and CEO of daio – a better sparkling water that combines incredible flavor with functional ingredients. The brand is set to launch in …

We’re back with another selection for The Good Food CFO Book Club! The Great Game of Business written by Jack Stack and Bo Burlingham, is a documentation and story telling of how SRC Holdings Corporation was approaching business differently. SRC wasn’t run in the traditional top-down way most other companies are. They practiced what Jack calls “Ope…

In this episode we are celebrating the life of a hugely influential member of the food industry, Bryce Fluellen. Sarah had the honor of sitting down with Bryce at the end of 2023. Unfortunately, the world lost Bryce in early 2024. We hope that this interview tells his story and preserves his legacy as a Servant leader for so many in this industry, …

Scaling promises to bring not just more revenue, but more profit, more cash flow, and a sense of ease in doing business. And it seems every business owner is eager to get there. In this season opener, we are answering the #1 question we get asked inside The Good Food CFO Community - “How do I scale my business?” You’ll hear Sarah breakdown: The dif…

Profitability is the goal of every business. But at times it can feel like you are doing everything right, everything traditional business media says that you should be, and yet your business is still running out of cash. In this episode, Sarah breaks down a different way of thinking about your finances and improving your cash flow and profitabilit…

Nikki McNeil is a Co-Founder at Vividly, a trade spend management software which aims to deliver clear value through efficiencies when analyzing trade spend dollars. Whether you’re a founder managing trade spend for one partner or hundreds, having the right system in place can ensure you stay on budget and receive proper payment from all of your di…

Sourcing the best ingredients for your good food product has many implications for your business. Eran Mizrahi co-founded Ingredient Brothers to support founders in this process. Eran grew up watching his father grow a successful import business that was built on integrity and customer service. A South African transplant, Eran started his career at…

Traditional business media celebrates big revenue, new accounts, and most of all growth and scale. Cutting revenue in the short term, letting go of accounts and scaling back are the exact opposite of that. So of course right-sizing your business can make you feel bad, and like you’re moving in the wrong direction. We need to look at the benefits of…

In 2022, Francesca Pittaluga launched Ciao Pappy, drawing from her 14-year career in luxury fashion. Her inspiration came from a passion for high-quality food, a love for the California and Italian coastal lifestyles, and a dedication to her Italian father's culinary traditions. In this episode, Francesca joins Sarah to talk about her transition to…

Retail is a complex and, at times, difficult sales channel to navigate for Good Food Founders. In this episode, Sarah and Chelsea discuss two articles that put the Brand/Retail relationship at the forefront. First, in the news segment, Sarah shares a Civil Eats article that highlights why mid-size farms and brands are disappearing from retail shelv…

Emily Dyer-Schiefer traded her chef's knife for a business blueprint, and she hasn't looked back since. Tired of the conflicting advice and clichés saturating the food business landscape, Emily founded two platforms designed to streamline success. Whether through bite-sized lessons at Food Biz School or a dive into strategy at The Kitchen Think, s…

Sarah Delevan is an avid reader, committed to reading at least one book a month. Those around her know when the current read is a good one, because she won’t stop talking about it! This inspired us to create The Good Food CFO Book Club. In this episode, Sarah and Chelsea share all the details on the Book Club, and announce the very first book, Stol…

When it comes to building a business, it can be tempting to skip to the tactical work that feels like action, but we really need to make sure we get a few foundational pieces of strategy in place first to get all those tactical decisions optimized and working together as part of an integrated plan so have the ability to be proactive and cohesive vs…

We are kicking off Season 8 of the podcast with a run down of the changes that are happening this season. You’ll meet our show producer, Chelsea Stier, as she and Sarah share all that we have in store for you. Then, you’ll hear the conversation that has been on Sarah’s mind since August. It all started on a birthday road trip, while overhearing man…

As a Food Founder, knowing your costs is the first and most important step you can take toward profitability. Having a tool that helps guide that work will make your life easier, and give you the confidence that you are on the right track. In this episode, Sarah talks with Percy Swint, founder and designer of Prophit App. Percy has worked for some …

Q4 and the Holiday season bring with them HUGE opportunities for sales and top line revenue. But without the proper planning, sales don’t always translate to profits. Q4 planning includes having a strategy for not only your sales, but also production, labor and shipping! In this episode, Sarah is taking the stress out of creating your Q4 plan! And …

In this Building a Business on Your Own Terms episode, Sarah is joined by Bree & Michaela Fuller. Bree and Michaela are Seattle natives who have been paving their career paths with a mission to lead a purpose-driven and passion-filled life. The sisters currently own three businesses: Fuller Nutri-Fuel, a Seattle-based meal prep company; Table & Tin…

When you are ready to grow your food business beyond your backyard, you may seek the support of a broker. And how you build that relationship can make or break your business. In this episode, Sarah is joined by Paul Christian. Paul is an industry veteran with over thirty years of experience working with powerhouse companies like Hormel, Coca-Cola, …

The conversation about the true cost of food is one of layers, complexity, and nuance. As good food founders, and those in the industry who support and work daily to create a food system that is based on fair wages for all members of the supply chain, consider their impact on the environment, center transparency, and deliver real, good food. We kno…

In this Building a Business on Your Own Terms episode, Sarah is joined by Chauniqua Major, affectionately known as Major. Major is a dynamic creative based in Orlando, Florida. Her unwavering commitment to doing good work powers her to achieve remarkable feats in her community. She is the founder of Whatever’s Good, a PR and marketing shop, and the…

In this episode, Sarah is joined by Cat Turner, Founder of CZero. Cat is an entrepreneur, software engineer, and scientist who is passionate about using technology to empower people and solve hard problems. CZero is a company that’s providing a solution for CPG brands to distribute their products without the need to have warehouses or transportatio…

Whether your business already has a team of employees, or you are getting ready to hire and expand, clarity in your organization matters! In this episode, Sarah is sharing how role clarity affects every aspect of your business and day to day activities. You have a unique vision and goals, and creating clear accountability for your team enables them…

B2B E-Commerce sites can be a great channel to expand your business beyond your backyard. And a platform like Mable can serve as a bridge to growing into national distribution on your own terms. In this episode, Sarah is joined by Arik Keller, Founder and CEO of Mable, the B2B wholesale platform designed to make it easy for grocery & convenience st…

Getting clear on where you are, so that you can decide where you are going Like many founders, you may be asking yourself, “how can I make my business financially sustainable?”. Maybe you have big ideas for how to move your business forward, but lack the confidence to bring those ideas to life. This episode is for you. Today, Sarah is sharing her p…

Networking is so important for personal and professional success, but you told us that it can feel scary, uncomfortable, too salesy, and aimless. In our first ever live recording of The Good Food CFO Podcast, Sarah is joined by Felice Thorpe, and our Good Food CFO+ community members, to break down all the hang ups we have around networking, and how…

What started as a way to sell some extra pumpkins out of a garage, Vincent Finazzo has turned Riverwards Produce Market into a community staple that is creating a better experience for his shoppers, his team, and the food industry at large. A Goldman Sachs 10K Scholar, Vincent earned Best of Philly honors from Philadelphia Magazine in 2022, while a…

Tyler Dawley is a guy who has lived in one spot his entire life. That spot is Big Bluff Ranch, the family ranch. Since he was a kid, driving the ranch truck looking through (not over) the steering wheel, he has found purpose and passion working with the land and animals. Starting in 2000, he has been driving innovations on the ranch. Trying everyth…

Saying "no" to opportunities for growth can be a difficult thing to do. Saying "yes" to the wrong customers can cost you your business. In this episode, Sarah welcomes Gwen Richardson to the podcast. Gwen is the Sales Director at Repurpose, a leading retail brand of sustainable disposable tableware, garbage bags and soft paper for the home. She cut…

Are you ready to expand your production, but are unsure where to begin? Maybe you’re just starting to produce your product, and want to put the right systems in place now to ensure efficiency when you are ready to move into a commercial kitchen or partner with a co-packer? In this episode, Sarah is joined by Charlotte Walter, Chocolatier and Founde…

Martha Bourlakas launched Storied Goods, a celebration business that creates infused Sugar Cubes for cocktails, coffee, and tea, in 2018. However, Martha considers 2022 the true start of her business. 2022 was the year Martha focused on foundational internal goals like identifying and onboarding a co-packer, transitioning accounting software and bo…