The Story of a Brand

How does your brand, your message and mission fit in support of Pride Month and LGBTQ culture and issues in 2023 and how are the controversies with Bud Light and other brands affecting how or whether you support in 2024?  Today, we interview Arthur Gallego, Founder & CEO of Gallego & Co. Marketing Consultants and pop culture expert. In this special “brand strategy” episode, we discuss pride month and the latest controversies with Bud Light + Dylan Mulvaney, Nike, Target, Cracker Barrel, Starbucks, and Google.   Highlights: * How long will Bud Light be dealing with the current controversy * The commercialization of Pride Month * Why many brands are terrified about taking a stand * Why the impact of how large brands react will be seen in 2024 * Brands and Risk Tolerance * Advice for brands around Pride Month support * Why you should spend your energy and resources on the customers who love and support you Join Ramon Vela and Arthur Gallego as we break down “Pride month, brands, and the latest controversies” on The Story of a Brand. For more on Arthur Gallego and Gallego & Co. Marketing Consultants, visit: https://www.gallegoandco.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.     Jules says, "GF Jules is a premium baking mix and flour company, and everything we do is gluten-free. From the foundation, everything has always been a hundred percent gluten-free. We also have tried to address other people's food allergy needs as well. So we've always broadened the foundational mix line and flour line so it's been vegan, kosher, and nut free. And we have become one of the first baking mix and flour companies in the country to be certified top nine allergen free as well. So we've tried to be inclusive in what we can bring to families who have different dietary needs." Today, we interview Jules Shepard, Founder & CEO of GF Jules. GF Jules is the #1 gluten-free flour and baking mixes company in the US. We discussed:  * What she’s grateful for * An overview of GF Jules * Why it started with her diagnosis of Celiac disease * The story of how her partners shut her out of the business * Restarting again both personally and professionally with GF Jules * Why her competitor is the only person she trusts in the CPG Industry * Her big lessons learned in business, partnerships, and trusting people * How you can be nice yet aggressive and ferocious when needed * Why her story is a story of integrity * Her focus is on her ideal customers * A review of products, flour, mixes and what you can do with them * And more… Join Ramon Vela and Jules Shepard as we break down the inside story of GF Jules on The Story of a Brand. For more on GF Jules, visit: https://gfjules.com/ Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player. * This episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Our primary sponsor, Sendlane, has a gift for you. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing! This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.  When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine. Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Andrea says, “I always grew up with that sense of otherness and this sense that people looked down on Chinese cuisine and they thought of it as unhealthy or oily or this and that. And it was like, well, I eat this food at home. It's amazing. Like, it's so diverse. So I think that was something always that bothered me…”   Today, we interview Andrea Xu, Co-Founder & CEO of Umamicart. Umamicart is an online grocery store delivering hundreds of your favorite Asian products and ingredients.    Their carefully curated selection includes both traditional staples and up-and-coming Asian-American owned brands. Umamicart delivers an online grocery shopping experience that highlights and celebrates the endlessly diverse, unique, and ever-evolving Asian American culture and cuisine.   Highlights:  * What she’s grateful for (her family, her sister, and growing up in Spain) * Why investors initially did not like her idea * How she felt a sense of otherness as a child * Why she created Umamicart and what she hopes to change * Learnings from being a new mom and entrepreneur * Why Asian foods have a right to evolve as other foods do * A review of Umamicart Collab products * Criteria for brands who want to be on Umamicart * What she is most proud of about the brand * And so much more…    Join Ramon Vela and Andrea Xu as we break down the inside story of Umamicart on The Story of a Brand.   For more on Umamicart, visit: https://umamicart.com/   Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.   *   This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!   This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.    When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.   Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Yarden says, “I'm never worried about competitors too much because when you do something and it's so in the weeds that you're like, no one is gonna do this. It's just so nuanced. But the customers really care about the nuances.”   Today, we interview Yarden Shaked, CEO of Varos. Varos is the largest e-commerce & Saas data co-op in the world.    See how your performance stacks up against your competitors: Compare KPIs anonymously and securely with companies in the same vertical and spend level as yours.   Highlights:  * What he’s grateful for * The Sunk Cost Fallacy and why a lot of startups fall for it * Overview of Varos * What problems do they solve for brands, agencies, SaaS companies? * Why they solve for the nuances (of data) * A look at their fundraising experience and advice for other founders * How are agencies, brands, and SaaS companies using Varos? * Breakdowns of platforms, onboarding, and future of Varos * And more…    Join Ramon Vela and Yarden Shaked as we break down the inside story of Varos on The Story of a Brand.   For more on Varos, visit: https://www.varos.com/   Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.   *   This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!   This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.    When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.   Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Kara says, “We don't work with a type of company, we work with a type of person… The ones who want to grow on a revenue level, but the growth in the revenue is more of a means to an end, which is to have impact, create something, change something, improve something. Their business is a vehicle for them to fulfill a legacy or a destiny in their lives.”   Today, we interview Kara Redman, Founder & CEO of Backroom. Backroom is a brand strategy and performance marketing agency.    They've helped both startup and global clients reposition, 3x growth, launch, exit, raise up to $9M in funding, build measurable brand equity, merge, acquire, and exit.   We discussed:    * What she’s grateful for   * The finite nature of life (we get existential on this topic)   * Overview and origin of Backroom   * The foundational branding elements that every brand should do   * Building community and why it’s so hard   * Insights and advice for brands owners and founders   * What kinds of companies or individuals does Backroom work with?   * How they work with brands   * Are the needs of larger brands different from small or midsize brands   * Last words (this is deep)   * And so much more…   Join Ramon Vela and Kara Redman as we break down the inside story of Backroom on The Story of a Brand.   For more on Backroom, visit: https://www.backroom.io/   Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.   *   This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!   This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.    When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.   Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Chris says, “I figured I should make something that just goes back to basics and gives people something a little better than ingredients go.”   Today, we interview Chris Wysong, Owner & Founder of Bucket of Bread. Bucket of Bread provides baking mixes that are made with certified organic ingredients, preservative-free, vegan-friendly, and super easy to prepare.    Add lukewarm water to the recyclable bucket, mix, and you'll end up with dough that can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge. This gives you complete flexibility to make a variety of baked goods. You can make garlic knots, pizzas, cinnamon buns, breadsticks, pretzels, bagels, naan, doughnuts, or even more with recipes available on our website.   Bucket of Bread is also Veteran-owned and shares profits with charities fighting food insecurity and combating hunger in America.   We discussed:    * What he’s grateful for * How he got started with baking * Baking bread with Iraqis and being a veteran-owned business * Why it’s like a meal prep kit * A breakdown of ingredients, including no dairy, preservatives, fat, or egg * The charitable side of the business or why he does what he does * His goals as a business: 500 online sales per month * Why he has more than the bottom dollar in mind   Join Ramon Vela and Chris Wysong as we break down the inside story of Bucket of Bread on The Story of a Brand.   For more on Bucket of Bread, visit: https://bucketofbread.com/   Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.   *   This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!   This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.    When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.   Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   David says, “Our head of R&D is continuously working day by day. Yes, we have new products coming, but we’re always trying to figure out how to make that melt better. How to find a better ingredient. How to make the stretch better. We're all about innovation, quality, and improvement, nonstop.”   Today, we interview David Israel, Founder & CEO of GOOD PLANeT FOODS. Their goal is to bring you the true experience and joy of cheese, with plant-based offerings that are GOOD for you and good for the PLANeT!   We discussed:    * What he’s grateful for * His personal story - Incarceration, second chances and more…  * Lesson’s he’s learned on how to overcome personal tragedies * The story of his first snack company * How he got into plant-based cheeses with the help of his Sister-in-law * How and why they created a better plant-based cheese * Getting people to lean into plant-based cheese because of the message * Why this time and this brand is more than about money; It’s about doing the right thing * New product that’s going to revolutionize the industry (coming out July/August 2023) * And more…    Join Ramon Vela and David Israel as we break down the inside story of GOOD PLANeT FOODS on The Story of a Brand.   For more on GOOD PLANeT FOODS, visit: https://goodplanetfoods.com/   Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.   *   This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!   This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.    When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.   Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Our friends at Review.io are giving my listeners 20% Off the Lifetime of Any Plan. Use the following link: https://www.reviews.io/front/founders-paradiso-offer   Today, we interview Joe Fox, Global VP of Partnerships and Joe Santillan, Regional Growth Manager of REVIEWS.io. REVIEWS.io is a powerful review collection and management tool that helps businesses grow their online reputation.   We discussed:    * What they’re grateful for * What trend they are seeing in the market * How REVIEWS.io works with multiple channels * Why you should audit your tech stack more frequently * How they work with agencies and tech partners * What sets them apart from competitors? * Onboarding from a brand's perspective * What is their vision for the future? * Integrations like Rebuy Engine, Gorgias, and Dotdigital * What other platform they work with * Future Product Launches * Advice and insights around user generated content * Case studies and customer success stories * And more…   Join Ramon Vela, Joe Fox and Joe Santillan as we break down the inside story of REVIEWS.io on The Story of a Brand.   For more on Reviews.io, visit: https://www.reviews.io/front/founders-paradiso-offer   Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.   *   This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!   This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.    When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.   Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Christian says, “often the authentic story is sitting there, but often as well, agencies or the marketing team may be afraid to go there but we push to go. That's the interesting thing. That's what's going to connect the audience because it's a genuine real conversation.”   Today, we interview Christian Lachel, Chief Creative Officer for BRC Imagination Arts. BRC Imagination Arts is a full-service, strategic design and production company that translates brand and cultural stories into transformative human experiences.   We discussed:    * What he’s grateful for * Overview and Ethos for BRC * Why great brand experiences start with the heart of the audience * If you have a unique message to tell, does the customer really want to hear it? * Case studies on how they have created transformative experiences * How they grew out of Disney’s Imagineering * Always look for a great storyteller * And more…    Join Ramon Vela and Christian Lachel as we break down the inside story of BRC Imagination Arts on The Story of a Brand.   For more on BRC Imagination Arts, visit: https://www.brcweb.com/   Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.   *   This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!   This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.    When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.   Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!

This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Thomas says, “The biggest thing we offer in all is the mentoring platform. We have a platform called The Orbit, because we're launching into space all together. And the orbit is mentoring and coaching from investors and industry experts. And we have industry experts in there who cover every aspect of CPG.”   Today, we interview Thomas Malengo, Co-Founder of Brandjectory. Brandjectory guides early-stage CPG brands to be investor-ready faster and smarter, with a robust network, structured process, and expert resources.   We discussed:    * What he’s grateful for * How he got started in the consumer brand world * How investors and consumers look at brands * What are investors focused on? * Advice for the Founders of consumer brands * How to make sure you know who your customers are? * The two parts of Brandjectory and how they help brands * What brands are ideal for joining Brandjectory * How to validate or qualify your product idea in the marketplace * And so much more…    Join Ramon Vela and Thomas Malengo as we break down the inside story of Brandjectory on The Story of a Brand.   For more on Brandjectory, visit: https://www.brandjectorynow.com/   Subscribe and listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand” on your favorite podcast player.   *   This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!   This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is typically a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.    When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.   Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!