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Melissa Vitelli – From Fashion Photographer to Co-founder & CEO of Jar Goods

February 17, 2021 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Melissa Vitelli on She's Got Moxie with Joy ChudacoffMy guest, Melissa Vitelli, had a successful career in fashion photography but she found her herself being drawn to the food industry through her hobby of vegetable gardening. She joined together with her sister-in-law Lauren and Jar Goods was born. They initially found success at Farmer’s Markets and this led them directly into the arms of Whole Foods.

On today’s show, Melissa talks about how she and her sister-in-law decided to take her father-in-law’s famous tomato sauce recipe and turn it into a thriving business. She shares how she brought her small side business into grocery stores across the country, some of her most pivotal moments as an entrepreneur, how she’s dealt with the challenges of entrepreneurship and more.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

People who need quick foods, should not be relegated to low quality.” – Melissa Vitelli

Show Notes:

  • What it was like to move from Fashion photography to the FOOD industry
  • How their decision to go with mom-and-pop stores first before hitting the Big Guns of Whole Foods and AMAZON paid off
  • Why beginning in FARMERS MARKETS was their Golden Ticket
  • WHEN she realized she was on to something with her business
  • The moment she decided to add more flavors to the mix – she shares it’s the key to creating a BRAND Block
  • She’s learned it’s all about being CONSUMER CENTRIC
  • Her experience at the CHOBANI Food Incubator
  • Why Jar Goods decided to try a subscription model
  • Her perspective on why you shouldn’t listen to other people’s ADVICE
  • Where she Finds her Joy
  • And much, much morel

In order to do it, it doesn’t matter what industry, you have to be very risk tolerant.” – Melissa Vitelli

Connect with Melissa Vitelli:

Facebook | Instagram | Jar Goods

The creative juices are not going to flow if you force them.” – Melissa Vitelli

Jennifer Saxton – Founder & CEO, Tot Squad, From Cleaning Dirty Car Seats to Partnering With Walmart and Amazon

February 3, 2021 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Jennifer Saxton on She's Got Moxie with Joy Chudacoff

From cleaning dirty car seats to partnering with Walmart and Amazon, she’s out to revolutionize the Baby Registry Business. It all started with cleaning dirty (Eew..) car seats.

My guest Today, Jennifer Saxton, is zeroed in on the millennial mindset. “They don’t want more ‘stuff,’ they want more help, more experiences.”

With that knowledge, she created Tot Squad, a business that connects parents with the experts they need from pregnancy until early childhood.

It all started with Jennifer driving around in a van cleaning dirty car seats and today, she’s expanded the business locking arms with giants such as Walmart and Amazon.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Finding the right people on your team is always the hardest part.” – Jennifer Saxton

Show Notes:

  • How Jennifer honed in on what millennials VALUE Most and created a business around it
  • How she CONVINCED retailers not to take a cut of her profits (Brilliant)
  • How Tot Squad changed, emerged and EXPANDED as Jennifer became a mother
  • Jennifer’s mentality on getting into stores and why that was a WIN-WIN for everyone
  • What it was like for a slice of Tot Squad to get ACQUIRED during the Pandemic
  • The incident that left her on the side of the road IN TEARS
  • How her LEADERSHIP style has evolved
  • Her advice on WHY you should keep your DAY JOB (PURE Gold)
  • The advice she wished she would have had on her FIRST DAY as an entrepreneur

When you're an entrepreneur you can't work this hard if you don't like the people that you work with and you don't like what you're doing.” – Jennifer Saxton

Connect with Jennifer Saxton:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tot Squad

With my team, I really focus on honing in on what your strengths are.” – Jennifer Saxton

Lisa Cook – Making BIG Waves in Business with Lisa Cook, Founder & CEO of kidSwim

July 8, 2020 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Lisa Cook on She's Got Moxie with Joy Chudacoff

I met my guest Lisa Cook, on a 7am flight to LA (no makeup, no hair, no coffee) years ago and the rest they say is history.

Lisa started her business, kidSwim, the Premier Development Based Swim Education Company in Southern California, as a way to make some extra money during the summer. Armed with a flip phone, a paper calendar and a rental car, she started jumping in the pool with LA toddlers. That was 19 years ago. Since then, she, along with her instructors, have taught nearly 10,000 kids how to swim.

On today’s show, Lisa talks about her mindset behind creating her swimming empire and her children’s book, See Me Bubble, which is available on Amazon in both English & Spanish. She also shares how to push aside the ego to achieve success, advice on cash flow and much more.

 

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Start delegating as soon as you can. Don’t wait until you feel like you are under a rock.” – Lisa Cook

Show Notes:

  • Her “Secret Sauce” on serving Influencers in Hollywood – this will probably shock you
  • The moment she recognized that it was time to get serious about her business
  • The astonishing (and positive) awareness that occurred as a result of the pandemic – she Now Feels Free
  • How her Biggest Challenge is something most would consider an asset
  • Why LEADERSHIP matters more than almost anything else in business
  • Advice she wished someone would have shared before she jumped in the water to teach that first lesson
  • Why waiting 24 hours can be PURE GOLD
  • The most important communication you can have with your TEAM that builds loyalty
  • And much, much, more

When the staff knows they are respected and supported, they are more willing to go the extra mile.” – Lisa Cook

Connect with Lisa Cook:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | kidSwim

Ego is your greatest enemy in pursuit of success in your business.” – Lisa Cook

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