JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS

Episode 523: Brian Youngblood of Prest Hummus - Boston, MA. A Harvard Business School Side Hustle turns Hummus Business Reinvention. WHERE to GO as an ENTREPRENEUR is [OFTEN] already in YOUR HANDS.

How does a mechanical engineer who cut his teeth at Tesla and Apple pivot to revolutionizing one of the oldest foods in the world while earning his MBA at Harvard Business School?
In this fascinating episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS Show, host Justin Bizzarro sits down with Brian Youngblood, the innovative founder of the hummus brand Prest. This is a conversation about the intersection of high-tech manufacturing, environmental responsibility, and the grit required to build a Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brand from a dorm room.
Brian shares his journey from a childhood spent tinkering and building on a South Carolina lake to the high-stakes, fast-paced worlds of Tesla and Apple. He reveals how a pivotal role at a food-waste reduction startup opened his eyes to the massive environmental impact of spoiled food and single-use plastics, sparking the idea for Prest. His solution? A shelf-stable, powder-based hummus that consumers mix with water and their own fresh olive oil at home—eliminating the slimy residue, rapid spoilage, and plastic waste of traditional store-bought brands.
This episode is a masterclass in "scrappy" entrepreneurship. Brian details how he bootstrapped his brand while studying at Harvard, utilizing the university's network of CPG alumni while ignoring the pressure to pursue trendy tech or AI ventures. He explains the strategic decision to skip building his own manufacturing facility in favor of partnering with a co-packer, allowing him to focus on sourcing high-quality, sesame-free ingredients and perfecting the formula.
Listeners will also learn how Brian navigated the expensive world of branding on a tight budget by creatively partnering with a talented graduating design student. Justin and Brian discuss the deeper philosophy of entrepreneurship—how true innovation often comes from identifying a problem right in front of you, managing resources outside of your control, and ultimately, building a legacy that betters the world.
Tune in for an inspiring look at how one entrepreneur is using lessons from the tech world to solve real-world problems in the food aisle.
Key Takeaways
The Problem with Store-Bought Hummus: How traditional packaging and preservatives lead to massive food and plastic waste, and how Prest’s powder-based formula solves this.
The "Scrappy" Startup: How Brian leveraged university networks, cold-emailed design professors, and utilized co-packers to launch a CPG brand on a student budget.
Sesame-Free Accessibility: How the decision to remove tahini (due to powderization issues) unexpectedly opened the product up to a massive allergy-conscious market.
Tech Lessons for Food: Applying the rapid problem-solving skills learned at Tesla and Apple to the slow, physical world of food manufacturing.
The "Hero" Product: Why focusing intensely on perfecting one core item is essential before expanding a product line.
IG: @presthummus
Address: www.eatprest.com 
Articles: https://www.entrepreneur.com/side-hustle/harvard-dorm-room-side-hustle-500000-in-sales-this-year-prest 
 
Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast
 
Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME )
 
Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro?
Justin Ryan Bizzarro is a multi-dimensional entrepreneur, mentor, and strategist whose career is defined by the intersection of legacy, leadership, and human growth. With a journey that began in his family’s basement in 1998, Justin helped scale a 24-year-old ecosystem of food and technology enterprises into a global benchmark for vertical integration and lean manufacturing.
While his professional foundation is built on complex supply chains, restaurant development, and brand acceleration, Justin’s true north is development—whether it’s a startup, an elite athlete, or a community. As the founder of GorillaBrave, he has transitioned from building businesses to building humans, utilizing his "Troop" philosophy to empower the next generation of culinary and agricultural entrepreneurs.
Justin is a sought-after voice on free markets, food diversity, and high-performance culture. His influence extends from the boardroom to the soccer pitch, where he coaches with the same tactical precision and "warrior" mindset he applies to his corporate ventures. Whether he is hosting a global podcast that reaches millions or developing curriculum for youth athletes, his mission remains constant: accelerating human potential.
A lifelong student of leadership and service, Justin holds a BA from Dickinson College and an MBA from UNC-Chapel Hill, and deepen his perspective through taking classes towards a  Master of Divinity in Leadership at Denver Seminary. Based in Colorado, he is a dedicated father, a steward of his family’s legacy, and a persistent advocate for those brave enough to capitalize on their own opportunities.
 
Our [ELITE] Food, Farming, Hospitality, Nutrition, and Beverage Entrepreneurs Community: Under [NEW] Construction
Blog Anyone?: GorillaBrave Blog
On Instagram: GorillaBrave on Instagram
GorillaBrave Group on Whoop: COMM-473D96
 
Free Podcast.  No Advertisements.  The stories of Food, Beverage, Farming, Hospitality, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs and how their failures led to the successes in their lives and in their business.  What does the future have in store for the food, beverage, and nutrition entrepreneur?
 
JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS
Email: justin.bizzarro@gmail.com
Instagram: @justinandthefoodentrepreneurs ( #foodentrepreneurs )
 
All music is scored by host or royalty free.

Episode 522: Zhamilya Koshmambetova of Azaya Fruit Design Studio - Overland Park, KS. From Kazakhstan to Kansas. The Fruit Artist Reinventing [HEALTHY FOOD] Celebrations. Being Powered By Self Belief.

How does a young girl from Kazakhstan, whose mother encouraged her to wear high heels and oversized belts at age eight, eventually become a high-end fruit carving artist in Overland Park, Kansas?
In this fascinating episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS Show, host Justin Bizzarro sits down with Zhamilya Koshmambetova, the founder and creative force behind Azaya Fruit Design Studio. This is a conversation about the power of creativity, the immigrant journey, and how a simple act of bringing fruit to a party blossomed into a unique and thriving business.
Zhamilya shares her incredible international story. Born in Kazakhstan to an artistic family that championed self-expression, she traveled to Moscow for her education in advertising. It was there she met her husband, leading them on a global journey to Australia, Canada, and eventually Denver, before finally putting down roots in the welcoming community of Overland Park.
This episode delves into the unexpected origin of her business. As a mother of three, Zhamilya was searching for a creative outlet when she noticed a recurring issue at social gatherings: many friends couldn't eat traditional sugary desserts due to health or dietary restrictions. Her solution? Bringing beautifully arranged fruit platters. What started as a thoughtful gesture for friends quickly escalated into a demand for her stunning, hand-carved fruit displays at weddings and major events.
Zhamilya opens up about the realities of being a self-taught artist, learning intricate carving techniques from Russian masters on YouTube, and the constant drive to elevate her craft from simple platters to grand, architectural fruit table installations. She also discusses the importance of community support, leaning on her faith during challenging times, and her commitment to giving back through local charities like KC for Refugees.
Tune in for an inspiring discussion on finding your niche, the beauty of building a business that aligns with your values, and why true entrepreneurial success is about more than just profit—it's about bringing joy, health, and a touch of art to your community.
Key Takeaways
The Power of the Pivot: How Zhamilya transitioned from a background in ballroom dancing and advertising to becoming a self-taught fruit carving artist.
Solving a Problem: The origin of Azaya Fruit Design Studio, born from a desire to provide beautiful, healthy dessert alternatives for friends with dietary restrictions.
The "Free" Marketing Strategy: How Zhamilya built her brand and portfolio by initially offering her elaborate fruit displays for free at large community weddings.
The Importance of Community: The role of the supportive vendor community in Kansas and the necessity of asking questions and learning from peers.
Faith-Driven Business: How Zhamilya’s faith shapes her approach to business, emphasizing the importance of giving back (Zakat/Sadaqah) and trusting the journey during difficult times.
 
IG: @azayafruits
Address: https://www.facebook.com/azayafruits/ 
 
Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast
 
Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME )
 
Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro?
Justin Ryan Bizzarro is a multi-dimensional entrepreneur, mentor, and strategist whose career is defined by the intersection of legacy, leadership, and human growth. With a journey that began in his family’s basement in 1998, Justin helped scale a 24-year-old ecosystem of food and technology enterprises into a global benchmark for vertical integration and lean manufacturing.
While his professional foundation is built on complex supply chains, restaurant development, and brand acceleration, Justin’s true north is development—whether it’s a startup, an elite athlete, or a community. As the founder of GorillaBrave, he has transitioned from building businesses to building humans, utilizing his "Troop" philosophy to empower the next generation of culinary and agricultural entrepreneurs.
Justin is a sought-after voice on free markets, food diversity, and high-performance culture. His influence extends from the boardroom to the soccer pitch, where he coaches with the same tactical precision and "warrior" mindset he applies to his corporate ventures. Whether he is hosting a global podcast that reaches millions or developing curriculum for youth athletes, his mission remains constant: accelerating human potential.
A lifelong student of leadership and service, Justin holds a BA from Dickinson College and an MBA from UNC-Chapel Hill, and and deepen his perspective through taking classes towards a Master of Divinity in Leadership at Denver Seminary. Based in Colorado, he is a dedicated father, a steward of his family’s legacy, and a persistent advocate for those brave enough to capitalize on their own opportunities.
 
Our [ELITE] Food, Farming, Hospitality, Nutrition, and Beverage Entrepreneurs Community: Under [NEW] Construction
Blog Anyone?: GorillaBrave Blog
On Instagram: GorillaBrave on Instagram
GorillaBrave Group on Whoop: COMM-473D96
 
Free Podcast.  No Advertisements.  The stories of Food, Beverage, Farming, Hospitality, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs and how their failures led to the successes in their lives and in their business.  What does the future have in store for the food, beverage, and nutrition entrepreneur?
 
JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS
Email: justin.bizzarro@gmail.com
Instagram: @justinandthefoodentrepreneurs ( #foodentrepreneurs )
 
All music is scored by host or royalty free.

Episode 521: Matthew Kosoy of Rosalind Bakery and Jerry’s Roast Pork - San Francisco, CA. From Skate Parks to Sourdough to SAMMI STARDOM. Building a Bay Area Bakery Empire One Loaf at a Time.

How does a kid immersed in the high-velocity, rebel culture of East Coast skateboarding and punk rock eventually become a leading figure in the San Francisco Bay Area bakery and restaurant scene?
In this fascinating episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS Show, host Justin Bizzarro sits down with Matthew Kosoy, the founder of Rosalind Bakery and Jerry’s Roast Pork. This is a story about the intersection of tech, art, and food, proving that the DIY ethos of a skateboarder translates perfectly into the grit required to build a culinary brand from the ground up.
Matthew shares his journey from building websites for BMX and skate brands in Philadelphia to moving to the Bay Area. Seeking an escape from the repetitive grind of startup tech culture, he found a new obsession: baking sourdough bread. What started as a hobby in his kitchen quickly exploded into a sold-out farmer's market booth, pushing him to take the terrifying leap of leasing an abandoned 3,400-square-foot grocery store in the food desert of Pacifica.
This episode is a masterclass in learning by doing and failing fast. Matthew details the sheer physical labor of building his bakery—literally chipping up concrete and doing the demolition with family and friends—while maxing out credit cards and learning the business side on the fly. He shares how his willingness to be vulnerable, hire experts (like attending the San Francisco Baking Institute), and embrace failure allowed him to survive the grueling early years.
Discover how the pandemic turned Rosalind Bakery into an essential community hub, and how Matthew’s relentless drive led him to launch Jerry’s Roast Pork in downtown San Francisco. He explains how a single product—a custom-developed hoagie roll—became the "hero" that connected his baking expertise to his Philadelphia roots.
Tune in to hear how Matthew is now bringing his journey full circle, combining his tech background with his baking experience to develop a new ERP software designed specifically to help small and medium-sized bakeries streamline their operations. It’s an inspiring look at how stacking your unique skills can lead to unexpected, community-changing success.
Key Takeaways
The DIY Mindset: How the independence, creativity, and resilience learned from skateboarding culture directly applied to the struggles of entrepreneurship.
Failing Fast: Applying software development principles to food—being willing to make mistakes, learn quickly, and pivot without losing momentum.
The "Hero" Product: How focusing intensely on perfecting one item (the sourdough loaf, and later the hoagie roll) creates a strong foundation for a brand.
Community Building: The importance of choosing a location that needs your product (like a food desert) and growing deep roots in that neighborhood.
Stacking Skills for the Future: How Matthew is combining his past as a web developer with his present as a baker to build software that will help the entire baking industry.
 
IG: @jerrysroastpork
Address: https://www.jerrysroastpork.com/ 
Roast Pork Sammie Location: 2 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA.
 
IG: @ rosalindbakery
Address: https://www.rosalindbakery.com/ 
Bakery Location: 450 Manor Plaza Pacifica, California 94044
 
Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast
 
Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME )
 
Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro? – Justin Bizzarro is a serial food, restaurant, technology, media and marketing entrepreneur, who helped build a 24-year-old group of food and restaurant related businesses, he created with his father and business partners out of his family’s basement, in 1998. He is a highly desired business management, personal and athlete growth, free market, food diversity, and entrepreneurial leadership speaker. Justin’s expertise are in human growth, motivation, leadership and management development, health foods and beverages, global lean manufacturing facilities, vertically integrating businesses, food marketing and advertising, supply chain creation and management, direct to consumer fulfillment, transportation and distribution, personal brand building, restaurant development and construction, and entrepreneur acceleration. Justin received his BA in International Business and Management from Dickinson College, in 2002, and his MBA from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, in 2014. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity in Leadership from Denver Seminary. His leadership and entrepreneur podcasts have positively impacted millions of people across the globe.
 
Our [ELITE] Food, Farming, Hospitality, Nutrition, and Beverage Entrepreneurs Community: Under [NEW] Construction
Blog Anyone?: GorillaBrave Blog
On Instagram: GorillaBrave on Instagram
GorillaBrave Group on Whoop: COMM-473D96
 
Free Podcast.  No Advertisements.  The stories of Food, Beverage, Farming, Hospitality, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs and how their failures led to the successes in their lives and in their business.  What does the future have in store for the food, beverage, and nutrition entrepreneur?
 
JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS
Email: justin.bizzarro@gmail.com
Instagram: @justinandthefoodentrepreneurs ( #foodentrepreneurs )
 
All music is scored by host or royalty free.

Episode 520: Barry Levine of The Law Offices of Barry R. Levine - Beverly, MA. Shielding Your Personal Assets. Avoid Bankruptcy Before It Hits. Legal Lifelines for Food Entrepreneurs. Cost Accounting.

How do you bulletproof a food business in an industry notorious for its failure rate? You start by planning for the worst-case scenario.
In this sobering but essential episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS Show, Justin sits down with veteran bankruptcy attorney Barry Levine. With over 45 years of experience navigating business failures and Chapter 11 reorganizations, Barry delivers a masterclass in defensive entrepreneurship.
This conversation strips away the romanticized version of owning a restaurant and tackles the harsh financial and legal realities that can sink a business—and ruin personal finances—if ignored. From the hidden traps of "trust fund taxes" to the vital importance of proper cost accounting, Justin and Barry provide an actionable roadmap for structuring your business to survive crises and pivot when necessary.
Here is a breakdown of the vital legal and practical strategies discussed in the episode:
1. The Danger of Blind Optimism
Entrepreneurs are natural optimists, but Barry warns that this trait becomes fatal when a business starts failing. Instead of making the hard choice to close the doors, owners often drain personal savings, take out second mortgages, or borrow from family to keep a sinking ship afloat.
The Fix: Establish your "breaking point" metrics from day one. Know exactly what your absolute bottom line is, and have the discipline to cut your losses before you compromise your personal livelihood.
2. Shielding Your Assets: Entity Structure
Operating a food business as a Sole Proprietorship or a DBA (Doing Business As) exposes all of your personal assets—including your home—to business liabilities.
The Fix: Form a proper LLC or Corporation. Treat it as a completely separate entity with its own bank accounts and tax returns. Do not commingle funds, or you risk "piercing the corporate veil," which allows creditors to come after you personally.
3. The "Trust Fund Tax" Trap
When money gets tight, struggling businesses often stop paying meals taxes, sales taxes, or employee withholding taxes to cover rent or inventory. Barry highlights that these are "trust fund taxes." The government views this money as theirs from the moment it is collected. If you fail to remit it, the corporate shield disappears, and you are held personally liable.
The Fix: Outsource your HR and payroll to a third-party company or Professional Employer Organization (PEO). Let them handle the tax compliance and withholding so you never have the opportunity to repurpose those funds.
4. Navigating Personal Guarantees
In today's lending environment, it is nearly impossible to secure a business loan without a personal guarantee. However, not all guarantees are created equal.
The Fix: Understand the difference between secured and unsecured guarantees. An unsecured personal guarantee can often be discharged in bankruptcy. But if a lender (like the SBA) secures that guarantee with a second mortgage on your home, your house is directly on the line.
5. Cost Accounting & The "Micro-Adjust"
Justin points out that businesses often fail because owners stick their heads in the sand regarding volatile ingredient prices (like wild fluctuations in dairy or beef). When costs jump, restaurants wait too long to raise prices, eventually hitting customers with massive sticker shock (e.g., a $62 lobster roll).
The Fix: Run a cost analysis on your recipes monthly or quarterly. Adjust your menu prices incrementally. Customers are much more likely to accept a consistent 25-cent increase than a sudden $5 hike.
6. The "Bankruptcy First" Business Plan
The most powerful piece of advice from the episode is a paradigm shift in how to start a company. Don't just plan for success; plan your business backward from bankruptcy.
The Fix: Before you sign a lease or take a loan, ask yourself: If this fails in 12 months, what exactly do I lose? Structure your operating agreements, supplier contracts, and corporate entities to minimize the blast radius if the worst happens.
 
Address: https://bankruptcythrough.podbean.com/ 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1pJOOD1GCTNn3YpmqZ884j10DC_T1K3c 
 
Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast
 
Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME )
 
Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro? – Justin Bizzarro is a serial food, restaurant, technology, media and marketing entrepreneur, who helped build a 24-year-old group of food and restaurant related businesses, he created with his father and business partners out of his family’s basement, in 1998. He is a highly desired business management, personal and athlete growth, free market, food diversity, and entrepreneurial leadership speaker. Justin’s expertise are in human growth, motivation, leadership and management development, health foods and beverages, global lean manufacturing facilities, vertically integrating businesses, food marketing and advertising, supply chain creation and management, direct to consumer fulfillment, transportation and distribution, personal brand building, restaurant development and construction, and entrepreneur acceleration. Justin received his BA in International Business and Management from Dickinson College, in 2002, and his MBA from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, in 2014. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity in Leadership from Denver Seminary. His leadership and entrepreneur podcasts have positively impacted millions of people across the globe.
 
Our [ELITE] Food, Farming, Hospitality, Nutrition, and Beverage Entrepreneurs Community: Under [NEW] Construction
Blog Anyone?: GorillaBrave Blog
On Instagram: GorillaBrave on Instagram
GorillaBrave Group on Whoop: COMM-473D96
 
Free Podcast.  No Advertisements.  The stories of Food, Beverage, Farming, Hospitality, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs and how their failures led to the successes in their lives and in their business.  What does the future have in store for the food, beverage, and nutrition entrepreneur?
 
JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS
Email: justin.bizzarro@gmail.com
Instagram: @justinandthefoodentrepreneurs ( #foodentrepreneurs )
 
All music is scored by host or royalty free.

Episode 519: Neata Goutier of Sabai Thai Spa - Vancouver, BC. From Thai Village to Seven Spas. The Story of Community and Franchises. A Journey of Trees, Kelp and Consistency. Building a Dynasty.

How does a young girl from a tiny Thai village with no running water build a multi-location spa empire in Canada, all while preserving the authentic, communal spirit of her homeland?
In this deeply restorative and insightful episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS Show, host Justin Bizzarro welcomes Neata Goutier, the founder of Sabai Thai Spa, an established brand with seven corporate locations in Vancouver and a newly launched franchise model. This is a conversation about the intersection of hospitality, healing, and the long-game of building a legacy business.
Neata’s story begins in a 200-person village in Thailand, where community support was a way of life and natural healing—through herbal remedies and massage—was a daily routine. Discover how she identified a massive cultural gap when she moved to North America: a fast-paced society that felt guilty about self-care. Neata opened her first spa 20 years ago with less than $1,000 and a vision to create a sanctuary where Westerners could experience the warmth, five-sense hospitality, and preventative health benefits of traditional Thai culture.
This episode is a masterclass in slow, sustainable growth. Neata details her evolution from an exhausted owner-operator to a strategic CEO. She explains the critical importance of stepping back to work on the business rather than in it, the necessity of trusting your team, and why she spent nearly three years meticulously building out her systems and SOPs before ever offering a franchise.
More than just a business playbook, this is a profound discussion on purpose. Neata and Justin delve into the difference between a money-driven "sole proprietor" and a true "entrepreneur" who seeks to elevate the world. Learn about Sabai Thai Spa’s incredible commitment to the environment—planting a tree for every massage and kelp for every product sold—and why Neata believes that the ultimate superpower in business is finding joy in the journey and leaving the world better than you found it.
Key Takeaways
Cultural Translation: How Neata successfully introduced the Thai philosophy of holistic, preventative self-care to a fast-paced North American market.
The Power of Grassroots Marketing: Building a customer base by physically knocking on doors, introducing the business to neighbors, and sponsoring local sports teams and schools.
Scaling with Systems: Why it took two and a half years to build the foundational systems (HR, accounting, training) required to support a franchise model, ensuring long-term success over rapid expansion.
From Operator to CEO: The necessary, often difficult transition of handing over the keys to management and stepping back to focus on business development.
Purpose-Driven Profit: How tying the business to environmental restoration (planting trees and kelp) provides deep motivation and connects the brand to a larger global mission.
 
IG: @sabaithaispa
Address: www.sabaithai.com 
 
Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast
 
Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME )
 
Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro? – Justin Bizzarro is a serial food, restaurant, technology, media and marketing entrepreneur, who helped build a 24-year-old group of food and restaurant related businesses, he created with his father and business partners out of his family’s basement, in 1998. He is a highly desired business management, personal and athlete growth, free market, food diversity, and entrepreneurial leadership speaker. Justin’s expertise are in human growth, motivation, leadership and management development, health foods and beverages, global lean manufacturing facilities, vertically integrating businesses, food marketing and advertising, supply chain creation and management, direct to consumer fulfillment, transportation and distribution, personal brand building, restaurant development and construction, and entrepreneur acceleration. Justin received his BA in International Business and Management from Dickinson College, in 2002, and his MBA from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, in 2014. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity in Leadership from Denver Seminary. His leadership and entrepreneur podcasts have positively impacted millions of people across the globe.
 
Our [ELITE] Food, Farming, Hospitality, Nutrition, and Beverage Entrepreneurs Community: Under [NEW] Construction
Blog Anyone?: GorillaBrave Blog
On Instagram: GorillaBrave on Instagram
GorillaBrave Group on Whoop: COMM-473D96
 
Free Podcast.  No Advertisements.  The stories of Food, Beverage, Farming, Hospitality, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs and how their failures led to the successes in their lives and in their business.  What does the future have in store for the food, beverage, and nutrition entrepreneur?
 
JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS
Email: justin.bizzarro@gmail.com
Instagram: @justinandthefoodentrepreneurs ( #foodentrepreneurs )
 
All music is scored by host or royalty free.

Episode 518: John Smiddy of NutraMarketers - Las Vegas, NV. From Warped Tour Musician to Scaling Supplement Brands. The Math Behind the Marketing. From Rock Shop Kid to MULTI-EQUIPED ENTREPRENEUR.

How does a kid selling rocks from his bedroom turn into a touring musician, and eventually the founder of a powerhouse marketing agency?
In this episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS Show, Justin sits down with John Smiddy, the visionary behind NutraMarketers (www.nutramarketers.com).
This conversation dives deep into the gritty reality of building a business from the ground up. Justin and John bond over the mental toughness forged through physical disciplines like 75 Hard, exploring how training the body is the ultimate preparation for surviving the chaotic, high-stress world of entrepreneurship.
John pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to market consumer packaged goods and nutritional supplements today. Listeners will get a masterclass in consumer psychology, learning why having a great product simply isn't enough if you don't understand the math behind your marketing. John breaks down the exact formulas for scaling: balancing customer acquisition cost (CAC), maximizing lifetime value (LTV) through strategic subscribe-and-save models, and crafting a unique "story within the formula" that builds instant brand credibility.
Whether you are trying to break into a crowded retail market, dialing in your e-commerce strategy, or just need the raw motivation to keep pushing forward when you want to throw in the towel, this episode delivers the exact playbook you need to win.
 
Address: www.nutramarketers.com
 
Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast
 
Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME )
 
Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro? – Justin Bizzarro is a serial food, restaurant, technology, media and marketing entrepreneur, who helped build a 24-year-old group of food and restaurant related businesses, he created with his father and business partners out of his family’s basement, in 1998. He is a highly desired business management, personal and athlete growth, free market, food diversity, and entrepreneurial leadership speaker. Justin’s expertise are in human growth, motivation, leadership and management development, health foods and beverages, global lean manufacturing facilities, vertically integrating businesses, food marketing and advertising, supply chain creation and management, direct to consumer fulfillment, transportation and distribution, personal brand building, restaurant development and construction, and entrepreneur acceleration. Justin received his BA in International Business and Management from Dickinson College, in 2002, and his MBA from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, in 2014. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity in Leadership from Denver Seminary. His leadership and entrepreneur podcasts have positively impacted millions of people across the globe.
 
Our [ELITE] Food, Farming, Hospitality, Nutrition, and Beverage Entrepreneurs Community: Under [NEW] Construction
Blog Anyone?: GorillaBrave Blog
On Instagram: GorillaBrave on Instagram
GorillaBrave Group on Whoop: COMM-473D96
 
Free Podcast.  No Advertisements.  The stories of Food, Beverage, Farming, Hospitality, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs and how their failures led to the successes in their lives and in their business.  What does the future have in store for the food, beverage, and nutrition entrepreneur?
 
JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS
Email: justin.bizzarro@gmail.com
Instagram: @justinandthefoodentrepreneurs ( #foodentrepreneurs )
 
All music is scored by host or royalty free.

Episode 517: Michael Spencer of Nash Dogs - Nashville, TN [Part 7]. Remember JUDAS DIES ALONE for 30 Pieces of Silver. Garage Hot Dog Stand to Big Café. The Nash [TOWN] Dogs Rise Despite All Odds.

What does it actually take to turn a dilapidated fast-food shell into a thriving, community-centered brand?
In this gritty and revealing episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS Show, host Justin Bizzarro welcomes back Michael Spencer, the founder of Nash Dogs, for a raw look at the transition from food truck to brick-and-mortar.
This isn't just a success story; it’s a survival guide. Michael walks listeners through the harrowing eight-month journey of converting an old Subway location into his new café. He shares the nightmares that no business plan can predict: peeling back wallpaper to find walls crumbling with black mold, HVAC units venting directly into block walls, and contractors quoting $30,000 for grease traps that the city eventually approved for $2,000.
Discover the financial and emotional reality of scaling up. Michael explains how a project budgeted for $35,000 ballooned to $65,000, and how he had to teach himself mold remediation to save the budget. He opens up about a frustrating battle with a sign contractor who took his money and delivered nothing, highlighting the critical importance of integrity and iron-clad contracts in a world where handshake deals are fading.
But the struggle yielded massive rewards. Michael details the strategic menu expansion that turned Nash Dogs from a lunch stop into a destination. Learn how adding high-margin items like homemade banana pudding (a customer favorite), loaded curly fries, and fountain drinks increased his average ticket from $11 to nearly $18.
This episode is a masterclass in resilience, resourcefulness, and the power of asking questions. It’s about the difference between a task-oriented manager and an entrepreneurial leader, and why, in a world of shortcuts and "good enough," sticking to your morals and delivering excellence is the only way to build a legacy that lasts.
Key Takeaways
The General Contractor Trap: How Michael saved over $25,000 by calling the city water department himself rather than accepting a contractor's quote for a grease trap.
Menu Engineering: The pivot from pre-packaged sides to high-margin, house-made items like banana pudding and loaded fries to boost profitability.
The Reality of Renovation: The unexpected horrors of taking over a second-generation restaurant space, including mold remediation and HVAC failures.
Marketing for Survival: Why waiting for customers to walk in is a death sentence, and Michael's strategy of hiring a marketer to aggressively pursue B2B catering.
Integrity as a Strategy: The long-term value of keeping your word and building a brand based on trust, even when vendors and contractors fail to do the same.
 
IG: @nashdogs
 
Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast
 
Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME )
 
Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro? – Justin Bizzarro is a serial food, restaurant, technology, media and marketing entrepreneur, who helped build a 24-year-old group of food and restaurant related businesses, he created with his father and business partners out of his family’s basement, in 1998. He is a highly desired business management, personal and athlete growth, free market, food diversity, and entrepreneurial leadership speaker. Justin’s expertise are in human growth, motivation, leadership and management development, health foods and beverages, global lean manufacturing facilities, vertically integrating businesses, food marketing and advertising, supply chain creation and management, direct to consumer fulfillment, transportation and distribution, personal brand building, restaurant development and construction, and entrepreneur acceleration. Justin received his BA in International Business and Management from Dickinson College, in 2002, and his MBA from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, in 2014. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity in Leadership from Denver Seminary. His leadership and entrepreneur podcasts have positively impacted millions of people across the globe.
 
Our [ELITE] Food, Farming, Hospitality, Nutrition, and Beverage Entrepreneurs Community: Under [NEW] Construction
Blog Anyone?: GorillaBrave Blog
On Instagram: GorillaBrave on Instagram
GorillaBrave Group on Whoop: COMM-473D96
 
Free Podcast.  No Advertisements.  The stories of Food, Beverage, Farming, Hospitality, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs and how their failures led to the successes in their lives and in their business.  What does the future have in store for the food, beverage, and nutrition entrepreneur?
 
JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS
Email: justin.bizzarro@gmail.com
Instagram: @justinandthefoodentrepreneurs ( #foodentrepreneurs )
 
All music is scored by host or royalty free.

Episode 516: Kim Prince of Hotville Chicken and Dulansville Food Truck - Los Angeles, CA. The [TRUE] Legacy of Nashville Hot Chicken. The Spicy Journey From Nashtown to LA. GREAT LEGACY = BIG ONUS.

How does a family recipe born in the 1930s survive Jim Crow, traverse the country to Los Angeles, withstand a global pandemic, and spark a worldwide culinary phenomenon?
In this fiery episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS Show, host Justin Bizzarro sits down with Kim Prince, the dynamic force behind Hotville Chicken and the Dulansville Food Truck. Kim is third-generation royalty of the Prince family—the undisputed originators of Nashville Hot Chicken. This is not just a story about frying poultry; it is a masterclass in legacy, resilience, and the relentless spirit of "keeping it going."
Kim takes listeners back to her roots in College Grove, Tennessee, where she grew up on 13 acres in a family of educators and entrepreneurs. She shares the profound advice passed down from her grandmother: "Handle many pots." This mantra drove Kim to master multiple skills, from the entertainment industry to the kitchen, eventually leading her to bring the authentic heat of Nashville to Los Angeles in 2016.
The conversation dives deep into the realities of operating in a tough market. Kim details the rollercoaster of opening a brick-and-mortar location in Baldwin Hills, only to face the "triple threat" of COVID-19, civil unrest, and gentrification that led to the demolition of her building. Rather than folding, she pivoted. Discover how she formed a powerful partnership with Greg Doolin (of Doolin’s Soul Food) to launch the Dulansville Food Truck, a mobile concept that combines the best of both their family legacies.
This episode explores the soul behind the spice. Kim explains why she refuses to compromise the integrity of the product for rapid expansion, emphasizing that true Nashville Hot Chicken isn't just about heat—it's about a 24-hour marinade, hand-dredging, and a specific frying process that requires patience and love. She also touches on her work with World Central Kitchen, feeding communities during wildfires, proving that a business is only as strong as its connection to the people it serves.
Key Takeaways:
The Origin Story: The history of the Prince family and how they turned a revenge recipe into a global staple.
The "Handle Many Pots" Philosophy: How diversifying skills prepares an entrepreneur for the unexpected.
Resilience in Crisis: How Hotville pivoted from a closed restaurant to a thriving food truck through strategic partnership.
Authenticity over Expansion: Why Kim chooses to keep the operation tight to ensure quality rather than selling out for rapid franchising.
Community First: The role of the food truck in disaster relief and community support.
 
IG: @hotvillechicken
IG: @dulanville
IG: @dulangregory
IG: @kimprincetwin
 
Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast
 
Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME )
 
Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro? – Justin Bizzarro is a serial food, restaurant, technology, media and marketing entrepreneur, who helped build a 24-year-old group of food and restaurant related businesses, he created with his father and business partners out of his family’s basement, in 1998. He is a highly desired business management, personal and athlete growth, free market, food diversity, and entrepreneurial leadership speaker. Justin’s expertise are in human growth, motivation, leadership and management development, health foods and beverages, global lean manufacturing facilities, vertically integrating businesses, food marketing and advertising, supply chain creation and management, direct to consumer fulfillment, transportation and distribution, personal brand building, restaurant development and construction, and entrepreneur acceleration. Justin received his BA in International Business and Management from Dickinson College, in 2002, and his MBA from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, in 2014. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity in Leadership from Denver Seminary. His leadership and entrepreneur podcasts have positively impacted millions of people across the globe.
 
Our [ELITE] Food, Farming, Hospitality, Nutrition, and Beverage Entrepreneurs Community: Under [NEW] Construction
Blog Anyone?: GorillaBrave Blog
On Instagram: GorillaBrave on Instagram
GorillaBrave Group on Whoop: COMM-473D96
 
Free Podcast.  No Advertisements.  The stories of Food, Beverage, Farming, Hospitality, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs and how their failures led to the successes in their lives and in their business.  What does the future have in store for the food, beverage, and nutrition entrepreneur?
 
JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS
Email: justin.bizzarro@gmail.com
Instagram: @justinandthefoodentrepreneurs ( #foodentrepreneurs )
 
All music is scored by host or royalty free.