Real Food Brands

01/09/2026

Being a speaker/mentor for Food Finance Institute Fellows program is one of my favorite ways to support shaking up shopping carts! 👏🛒

📣 We’re thrilled to welcome 15 food businesses into the Winter 2026 FFI Fellows Program! ❄️

This cohort includes 10 Wisconsin-based businesses and 5 from across the nation, all receiving free training and consulting to help them grow and scale with investible business models and financing strategies tailored to their unique needs.

👉 Meet the Fellows and read the full list in our latest blog post:
🔗 https://zurl.co/JATi3

The FFI Fellows Program is supported by FFI industry experts including P2R Group, Craveity, Real Food Brands, Compeer Financial, Ogden, Glazer, + Schaefer (Law), Summit Credit Union, Catapult Commercialization Services, Eurofins (Food Safety), and Farm Credit. Thank you!

01/05/2026

Have you chosen your Word of the Year yet? Let it be your guide to lean in and lead with intention every day. Here’s what I recommend:

➡️ 1. Listen to Ep 165 of the Food Business Marketing Podcast (this topic can help everyone…please share!)

➡️ 2. Download the Word of the Year worksheet from my weekly newsletter that went out today. If you’re not on my email list, let me know and I will get it to you. This worksheet will help you find the right-fit word and stay on track all year.

➡️ 3. Share your word with me! I love to cheer on, and also there is something more tangible once you’ve said it out loud/told someone.

➡️ 4. Wake up every day knowing you’re going to use your word as a guide to lean in to the best version of you and reach your goals.

👏

01/01/2026

I’m having fun thinking about all the good work we can do together this year…HAPPY 2026! 👏

12/31/2025

The best is yet to come! Episode 165 of the Food Business Marketing Podcast talks about choosing your “word of the year” to guide your mindset and decisions in 2026.

You can hear a few of my own examples — some years are more personal and some more business. Then DM me your thoughts. I can’t wait to hear, truly! This is one of my favorite topics because I know how impactful it can be.

I hope you have a safe and happy New Year’s Eve! 🥳

12/29/2025

I took my daughter and some friends to for a fun dinner and was reminded how much I love the energy of places like this!

➡️ Have you been here—or to another indoor market near you?

12/24/2025

Want to come to our virtual office holiday party? That’s sort of what this episode feels like! We’re talking about our favorite holiday traditions…with a little bit of work talk at the end 😂🎄

What is your favorite holiday tradition? I would love to hear. Whatever you celebrate — it’s interesting for me to learn!

12/23/2025

Wishing all who celebrate a VERY Merry Christmas! My amazing friend Amanda knew how much I’d love this little winter scene…these critters really know how to shake up shopping carts too. From a sad empty cart to party-ready with their .good.confections caramels!🥥🎄

Can’t wait to dig into all sorts of good topics with you in the new year. I always believe the best is yet to come! ✨

12/20/2025

I’ll start making those lists to highlight food businesses and farms doing great things to offer real food…in the meantime, sharing one— Heartland Craft Grains— because like me, you might not have even known something like this existed!

They grow and mill their grains - a farmstead mill - so you know exactly who, what, where, when, and why (ok how…regeneratively!) your food comes from.

And these craft grains from Lodi, WI are DELICIOUS.

Thankful to Liz Henry at J. Henry & Sons Wisconsin Straight Bourbon for introducing me to Rochelle at Heartland Craft Grains. Worth checking out 👏

12/20/2025

Who doesn’t like a little PLINKO for customer appreciation?! Thank you for the açaí bowl gift card, 🫶

Little experiential surprises like this can add up to help build brand loyalty, in addition to how much people love the products that you sell.

Plinko is a fun on-brand experience, but it is also a really great way to get people to come back and try something they might not have tried before!

As usual, well done Nona! I picked up some elderberry syrup too glad to see it in the cooler👏

💡what can you do to create on-brand unexpected delights for people?

12/16/2025

Is there something you’ve been avoiding in your business? Don’t be like Bailey this AM…maybe I can help? 😂

Get on my newsletter list before Friday to get access to 1 hr Brand Strategy Sessions (and Sales if you want Clint to join us!) for $150.

You can sign up for the newsletter via the link in my bio or comment below, and I will DM it to you if that’s easier!

It was easy to help Bailey. All I had to do is say “let’s go outside”… but I’m ready to work through whatever is on your mind! 😊🛒

12/12/2025

Anyone else find it impossible to think about tots without thinking about Napoleon Dynamite? 😆

These tots are no longer just on the street, even though we do love their food truck. Now in stores! 🛒

So happy to find the frozen at in Brookfield, WI… I fully intended to take a picture of the finished product, but they were gone in a flash. There’s more in the bag so I’ll share in my stories next time we make them.