The Building Culture Podcast

#18 Justin Mares - Pt 1: The Great American Poisoning

Jun 20, 2024

Entrepreneur Justin Mares discusses starting Kettle and Fire with a landing page, promoting a healthy food system, and critiquing FDA failures. Contrasting US and EU food regulations, he addresses chronic diseases in America, emphasizing the link between physical and mental health for a better future.

47:09

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Episode guests

Justin Mares

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Testing business ideas through landing pages can validate concepts effectively.

US food regulations lag behind Europe, impacting public health and contributing to high chronic disease rates.

Deep dives

Innovative Business Start with Landing Pages

Starting a business like Justin Mares did with Kettle & Fire highlights the effectiveness of testing business ideas through landing pages. By creating a landing page and testing product interest before fully launching, he was able to validate his bone broth concept, paving the way for successful ventures like Kettle & Fire.

Intro

4min

Launching Business Experiments with Landing Pages

6min

Prioritizing Health in the Food Industry

5min

Discussion on Sierra Pacific Windows, Window Distributors, and Critique of Food System and Regulatory Bodies

4min

The Impact of Food Additives and Chemical Contamination

11min

The Health Crisis in America and the Impact on Future Generations

17min

Justin Mares is the founder of Kettle and Fire, Perfect Keto, and Surely Non-Alcoholic Wines, and is working on his fourth company: Truemed. I am super impressed with what Justin has accomplished, and am a big fan of Kettle and Fire. My wife and I drink their bone broth regularly. What I am most inspired by is that Justin isn’t in business just to be in business. He is in business to solve problems that make peoples’ lives better, specifically around their physical and mental health and wellbeing. As the sickest generation of Americans in history–and it’s not even close–he is on a mission to rescue the food system and transform the industry into something that serves people first, not profits. Health is foundational to human flourishing – even before shelter.

We discuss how Justin started Kettle and Fire by testing the idea with a landing page and no actual product to gauge demand. We discuss the importance of a healthy food system, and the failures of regulatory bodies like the FDA. Justin emphasizes the need for companies to prioritize consumer health and wellness. Our conversation explores the impact of food regulations and the state of health in the US. Justin highlights the differences between the US and the EU in terms of food regulations, with the US allowing thousands of chemicals in food that are banned in Europe. We also discuss the high rates of chronic diseases and obesity in the US, and the connection between physical and mental health.

TAKEAWAYS

The most profitable food products are often the worst for people, highlighting the brokenness of the food system.
Starting a company that prioritizes consumer health and wellness is important but challenging.
Bone broth is a nutrient-dense food that can improve gut, skin, and joint health.
The FDA and other regulatory bodies have failed to protect consumers, leading to high rates of chronic disease.
The food system needs to be reformed to prioritize healthier and more sustainable options. The US allows thousands of chemicals in food that are banned in Europe, leading to worse health outcomes for Americans.
The US has high rates of chronic diseases and obesity, with 60% of Americans living with at least one chronic disease and 80% being overweight.
There is a strong connection between physical and mental health, and addressing physical health through food interventions can improve mental health.
Food regulations and the food system play a significant role in the overall health of the population.