The Good Food CFO Podcast
Food Industry Finances are unique, and no one understands them better than The Good Food CFO.
New Episodes Weekly
Episode 100 :: Exploring Product Margins: An In-Depth Examination of how 3 Different Margins Impact Your Need to Take on Debt
In this episode, Sarah Delevan walks Chelsea through the nuances of profit margin, specifically challenging the commonly accepted 50% target in the food industry. She shows that this one-size-fits-all approach doesn't suit every business and can lead to cash flow struggles and increased reliance on debt.
Episode 99 :: Errol Schweizer: An Insider Look at the Grocery Industry, the Policies and Profits Moving it in the Wrong Direction, and the Financial Impacts on Good Food Brands
In this episode, Errol Schweizer joins Sarah Delevan, The Good Food CFO, for a lively discussion covering everything from how grocery stores make money to the lack of policy enforcement that continues to hurt small food brands looking to find space on the shelf.
Episode 98 :: Clarifying COGS: The Only Calculation You Need, the Industry “Rules” to Break, and the Financial Impact They Create
In this episode, The Good Food CFO, Sarah Delevan breaks down the concept of cost of goods sold (COGS) and its importance in understanding the financial health of your business. We explore the differences between accrual-based accounting and cash-based accounting, and how each method affects the calculation of COGS. We also clarify the distinction between unit COGS and business COGS, and the significance of knowing both.
Episode 97 :: Improving the Profitability of Farmers’ Markets with Peter Henry
Most Good Food Businesses start out selling their products at the local farmers’ market. Many continue to utilize markets as a consistent sales channel for their business as they grow. But at the end of the day, transporting your goods, setting up your tent or booth, and working all day, just to break it all down and load out can be a lot for any one person. Not to mention the cost! What if there was an easier way? That was the question Peter Henry asked himself when he created Ten by Ten logistics in December 2019 after five years of selling cheese and running stands in NYC’s Greenmarkets. In this episode, he’s sharing all he’s done.
Episode 96 :: 3 Methods for Managing Your Cash Flow
In this episode, Sarah is breaking down 3 methods for projecting and managing your Cash Flow. Every business needs to understand their cash flow, ESPECIALLY if you don't have a lot of cash on hand, or a 12 week cash runway. You won’t find the answers looking at your P+L statement, that's looking to your past. A cash flow projection is looking to the future.
Episode 95 :: Burnout. Could Building a Business on Your Own Terms be the Solution?
When you are running your own business, it's never a question of if burnout will come, but when. Every founder has been there, and there are some telltale signs you might be going through it right now. But what if you could slow down, take a pause, and reflect on what is really important to you, in business, and in life? That’s what our guests, Elizabeth and Maggie, want to help you accomplish with their Slow Business Retreat.
Episode 94 :: Negotiating a Million Dollar Deal
A million dollar deal can be a game changer for most small businesses, but it could also be a financial burden, and not a benefit at all if the product pricing and the deal aren't structured correctly. In this episode, Sarah is sharing the role she played in the negotiations between her client and a distributor that could result in $1 Million in the first year alone! She walks us through everything the founder has done to ensure the deal will be successful, beneficial and profitable.
Episode 93 :: Launching with Confidence with Jason McAlpin
Are you getting ready to launch a new business? Or maybe you're preparing to launch a new product, or considering launching into a new sales channel? You don’t want to miss this episode! Jason McAlpin is the Founder and CEO of daio – a better sparkling water that combines incredible flavor with functional ingredients. The brand is set to launch in 2024. In this episode, Jason joins Sarah to discuss the work that he did throughout the pre-launch process. They both share the biggest lessons they have learned around planning and forecasting so that you can enter a launch with confidence.
Episode 92 :: The Great Game of Business
We’re back with another selection for The Good Food CFO Book Club! The Great Game of Business, written by Jack Stack and Bo Burlingham, is a documentation and story telling of how SRC Holdings Corporation was approaching business differently. SRC wasn’t run in the traditional top-down way most other companies are. They practiced what Jack calls “Open Book Management” and found success playing “The Great Game of Business”. The result was that they built a repeatable system that enabled their associates to run the company and even branch off to build a new arm of the business.