As Foxtrot Market, one of the most hyped retailers in recent memory, prepares to open dozens of new locations, we sat down with co-founder/CEO Mike LaVitola to talk about how the company cultivates an intimate understanding of its consumers, its uniquely curated product selection and why the chain is simultaneously going head-to-head with the likes of Starbucks, 7-Eleven and DoorDash.

Joshua Ellis, the founder and CEO of super-premium mixer brand WithCo, explained how, despite being the company’s sole employee in early 2020, he weaved together a DIY and paid social marketing strategy that fueled a surge in direct-to-consumer sales, how he’s thoughtfully expanding the brand’s retail footprint and what he means when he says that he’s “building to sell.”

This episode features an interview with Wes Henderson, the co-founder and chief innovation officer of Angel's Envy, who chronicled the history and development of the revered whiskey brand and how the company rapidly scaled while staying true to its values. This podcast also includes a conversation with the founders of two innovative brands that focuses on how each landed placement in their dream retailers. Teresa Tsou, the co-founder of better-for-you snack brand Pipsnacks, and Andrew Suzuka, the founder of organic, vegetable-infused tomato sauce brand Otamot, discussed the key steps along their respective paths into Whole Foods and Sprouts.

This special edition of the podcast features highlights from interviews with six founders, creators and innovators who joined us on the show during the first half of 2021. Our guests include Denise Woodard of Partake Foods; Mike Fata of Manitoba Harvest, Lezlie Karls Saltarelli, Nick Saltarelli and Jake Karls of Mid-Day Squares, Bill Moses of Flying Embers; Ayeshah Abuelhiga of Mason Dixie Foods and Seth Goldman of Honest Tea, Eat The Change and Beyond Meat.