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The Science of High-Protein Snacking to Scalable CPG Brand – Juan Salinas of Pnuff Crunch
Dr. Juan Salinas, founder of Pnuff Crunch, a baked peanut-based protein puff made with peanuts, navy beans, and rice with no added flavors or preservatives. Dr. Juan shares his journey from immigrating from Honduras in 1985 to earning a PhD at Rutgers and working 20–25 years at major CPG companies before starting Pnuff in 2015. He explains how fitness and performance nutrition work at Nestlé inspired a crunchy, high-protein snack, developed flavors at home while testing formulas on specialized equipment, and invested about $250K initially plus $200K from his brothers to buy equipment. He discusses allergen-driven manufacturing challenges, shifting from “peanut puff” to “protein puff,” 50/50 retail vs DTC, marketing via organic/social/events, and how Shark Tank (2020) led to a clean deal and ongoing support from Mark Cuban’s team.
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The Exact Strategy Behind a Viral Product Brand – Tim Swindle of PaddleSmash
Tim Swindle, co-founder of Paddle Smash, shares his journey from selling a venture-backed software startup to LinkedIn to building and scaling consumer products. He discusses launching the game Utter Nonsense (later acquired by PlayMonster) and how Paddle Smash evolved from a rough prototype into a viral outdoor game through a year of R&D. He highlights key growth strategies, including a DTC-first launch, early retail success, and leveraging social media (75M+ views). Tim also covers operational challenges like seasonality, manufacturing shifts from China to Vietnam, and fulfillment through Amazon and third-party logistics. Additional insights include navigating Shark Tank exposure, dealing with copycats, building a remote contractor team, and his core advice: focus on product quality and take action quickly.
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How Failure Led to a Million-Dollar Idea – Steve Adams of Tick Mitt
Steve Adams, founder of TiCK MiTT, a patented reusable microfiber mitt designed to quickly and safely remove ticks from people and pets, inspired by his family’s experiences with Lyme disease. Steve shares his entrepreneurial journey from early hustle and real estate to building a celebrity-home construction firm and then acquiring Magnolia Bakery, scaling it from one shop to 35–40 locations across 14 countries before selling amid the pandemic and partnership disputes. He explains how TiCK MiTT was developed with a tick scientist and product engineer, how trade shows and retail distribution accelerated growth, and how his daughter Olivia now runs the company as CEO. Steve recounts their Shark Tank experience, key lessons on failure, integrity, partnerships, and the impact of tariffs on CPG economics.
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The Art of Gifting, Innovation in Curated Care Packages – Debbie Quintana of Jocelyn and Co.
Debbie Quintana, founder of Jocelyn & Company, shares how she transitioned from 12+ years in corporate security at Cisco to building a gourmet foods and corporate gifting brand during COVID. Starting with limited capital, she grew the business to $1M in 11 months and $5M in 2022 by leveraging her network, scaling B2B gifting (now 80% of revenue), and using platforms like Faire. Debbie discusses managing cash flow, running a lean team, integrating AI into gifting, and preparing to scale toward $10M.
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