Episode 211: Navigating CPG in 2023: How You Can Level Up with Wholesale Week & Project Potluck

If you're reading this, chances are high that you're a savvy founder. You want to learn more about navigating our CPG landscape and look for resources to do that even more successfully. Well, you're in extra luck today!

Kathleen Casanova, the Executive Director of Project Potluck, joins us on this week's episode of the Food Biz Wiz Podcast. Project Potluck is a non-profit organization that connects CPG founders of color with resources & mentorship in our industry. Kathleen has TONS of perspective into what our CPG landscape looks like right now.

In this episode, you'll hear more about...

📣 The challenges that all founders can expect right now in the CPG industry

📣 Why the industry STILL feels hard and solutions she sees working

📣 The ways that Project Potluck supports founders of color and how allies can also support their work

📣 AND, how Food Biz Wiz is partnering with Project Potluck and hosting Wholesale Week, our week of short trainings for emerging CPG brands!

📨 If you have questions on joining us, DM us on Instagram or LinkedIn. 

Looking for Kathleen and Cynthia Billops’ episode from last year? Find it here! 

⬅️ PS. Find the podcasts on Apple Podcasts or Spotify in the banner on the left!

SPONSORED BY: WHOLESALE WEEK!

This episode is sponsored by our Wholesale Week! We’re hosting Wholesale Week from Monday, September 11th - Friday, September 15th, where we’ll have daily, bite-sized lessons on getting onto a path to profitability, learning Alli’s 4 step process to pitching to wholesale buyers, and understanding our Wholesale Success System. We’re also proud to be delivering Wholesale Week on a sliding scale (starting at free!) to raise funds for our favorite non-profit, Project Potluck, which supports mentorship and resources for CPG founders of color. Ten minutes per day is all you need to get you feeling even more confident before we head into Q4. Find out more and sign up here!

MEET KATHLEEN CASANOVA:

Kathleen joined Project Potluck as the Founding Executive Director in March of 2022.  In her role she works with the Board of Directors to fulfill their important mission to help BIPOC people build successful companies and careers in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry.

Prior to joining Project Potluck, Kathleen spent more than a decade working in and with nonprofits and universities across the country as a fundraiser, talent consultant and DEI program manager. In 2018, Kathleen decided to pursue her lifelong dream of working with food (she’s been throwing dinner parties since she was nine) and entered the CPG space as a recruiter for emerging brands. She soon fell in love with the industry and also saw the need for support and resources for other professionals and entrepreneurs of Color in the field.  She’s thrilled to be working with Project Potluck to help ensure a more colorful and flavorful industry. 

Check out Project Potluck at the link here!