Launching a supplement brand is hard enough but building one around clean ingredients, outdoor performance, and spiritual alignment instead of hype and artificial formulas? That’s a very different approach to wellness.

In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, Dan sits down with Zac Curhan, co-founder of Truwild, a natural supplement brand creating clean hydration, kombucha, and performance products for people who push beyond the gym. From bootstrapping the company with just $5,000 to scaling across Amazon, Shopify, wholesale, and TikTok, Zac shares how intuition, adaptability, and relentless experimentation shaped Truwild into a growing force in the supplement space.

You’ll hear how Zac:

• Built Truwild from scratch with just $5K and reinvested profits to grow the business organically.
• Created products designed for hikers, surfers, endurance athletes, and outdoor adventurers — not just gym culture.
• Developed unique formulations using natural caffeine, kombucha powder, electrolytes, amino acids, and functional ingredients.
• Leveraged customer feedback and surveys to shape future products, flavors, and packaging formats.
• Pivoted away from underperforming SKUs and learned difficult inventory lessons along the way.
• Used Amazon as a primary growth engine while strategically narrowing focus across sales channels.
• Built wholesale relationships through cold calls, product seeding, and direct outreach to independent retailers.
• Used TikTok seeding campaigns, local events, and brand collaborations to drive organic awareness and traffic.

We also get into the bigger picture:

• Why electrolytes are far more important than most people realize.
• The realities of building a profitable supplement brand without outside funding.
• Why customer reviews and social proof are critical in modern e-commerce.
• How TikTok, Amazon, and organic content now work together in the customer buying journey.
• Using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and automation systems to streamline operations and decision-making.
• Zac’s philosophy around meditation, intuition, spirituality, and connecting to a “higher self” for entrepreneurial growth.

🌿 Whether you’re an e-commerce founder, wellness enthusiast, or someone interested in the intersection of business, health, and personal growth, this episode is packed with practical lessons and unconventional insights.

Brands & Mentions:

• Truwild
• Amazon
• Shopify
• Whole Foods
• GT's Kombucha
• Red Bull
• HOKA
• ChatGPT
• Claude
• OpenClaw
• Rolflex

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Truwild & Its Mission
02:45 Why Electrolytes Matter More Than You Think
05:20 Reinventing Kombucha as a Powder
08:10 Building Truwild with Just $5K
11:00 Early Product Development & Scaling Challenges
13:30 Why Amazon Became the Core Growth Channel
16:20 Organic Marketing, TikTok, & Community Events
19:00 Influencer Seeding & Brand Collaborations
22:15 The Realities of Paid Ads in Supplements
24:00 Wholesale Strategy & Cold Calling Retailers
32:30 Customer Feedback, Product Iteration, & SKU Decisions
35:40 Meditation, Spirituality, & Entrepreneurial Intuition
40:40 Using AI & Automation to Scale E-commerce Operations

Launching a food brand is never easy — but creating an entirely new category like frozen cottage cheese ice cream? That’s a different level of bold.

In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, Dan sits down with Joe Rotundo, founder of Smearcase, the first and only frozen cottage cheese dessert brand built for people who want indulgence and clean, protein-packed ingredients. From a late-night craving for a healthier dessert to landing on shelves at major retailers, Joe shares how relentless action, rapid iteration, and authentic storytelling helped turn a simple idea into a fast-growing CPG brand.

You’ll hear how Joe:

• Turned a DIY mix of cottage cheese, honey, and fruit into a brand-new product category.
• Went from idea to market testing in just a few months by prioritizing speed and feedback.
• Partnered with his sister early on to develop recipes and refine the product.
• Used real-world validation (not just friends and family) to shape flavors, branding, and positioning.
• Navigated early production, co-packing, and a 5,000-pint launch strategy.
• Leveraged trade shows like Fancy Food Show to land meetings with major retailers like Whole Foods and Sprouts.
• Built momentum through in-person demos, networking, and relationship-first outreach.
• Embraced a polarizing brand name — and why standing out mattered more than pleasing everyone.

We also get into the bigger picture:

• Why “healthy ice cream” is broken — and how Smearcase is redefining indulgence with real ingredients.
• The power of relentless execution vs. overthinking in early-stage startups.
• How founders can validate ideas quickly without overbuilding.
• Why human relationships still beat cold emails and LinkedIn pitches in CPG.
• Organic social strategy — and how to create content that actually feels authentic (even if you’re busy or camera-shy).
• The realities of launching in retail, scaling distribution, and building a brand from scratch.

🍦 Whether you’re a founder, fitness-minded foodie, or someone curious about how new food categories are born, Joe’s story is a masterclass in speed, simplicity, and showing up consistently.

Brands & Mentions:

• Smearcase
• Whole Foods
• Sprouts Farmers Market
• Fancy Food Show
• Good Culture
• HY.Q
• REI
• Dick's Sporting Goods

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Smearcase
02:00 The “healthy dessert” problem
05:30 From idea to action (June 2023 origin story)
08:45 Validating the product in the real world
12:00 Branding, flavor iteration, and feedback loops
16:20 Breaking into retail & first production run
20:00 Building relationships with buyers
23:00 Organic marketing & content strategy
26:00 Founder mindset and execution philosophy
29:00 Speed round & personal insights
31:00 What’s next for Smearcase

Launching a CPG brand is always a grind — but reinventing pork sausage with chef-crafted recipes, premium cuts, and a sixth-generation family farm story? That’s a whole new challenge.

In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, Dan sits down with Cassie Maschhoff, co-founder of Lottie’s Meats, the sister-run brand elevating pork with gourmet sausages and ground blends made from real ingredients, responsible sourcing, and culinary craftsmanship. Cassie shares how she and her sister Chelsea turned family heritage and Michelin-level technique into one of the most exciting new meat brands on the market.

You’ll hear how Cassie:

• Transformed a sixth-generation Illinois family farm legacy into a modern, premium pork brand.
• Partnered with her chef-trained sister to craft sausages using only pork loin, pork shoulder, and clean, real ingredients.
• Navigated nine different co-packers to finally find partners who could uphold their exacting standards.
• Built early traction through restaurant partnerships, farmers markets, pop-ups, and brewery takeovers in Denver.
• Created cult-favorite products like The Lottie and perfected flavors through years of behind-the-scenes R&D.
• Balanced the demands of cold-chain logistics, short shelf life, and monthly production while still growing fast.

We also get into the bigger picture:

• Why pork has gotten a bad rap — and how Lottie’s is changing that perception.
• The operational realities (and chaos) of scaling a perishable food brand.
• How retail, DTC, and food service each play their own role in Lottie’s growth.
• Why differentiation, quality, and ironclad non-negotiables matter when working with co-packers.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build a modern food brand — from sourcing to storytelling to scaling in an unforgiving supply chain — this conversation is full of hard-won lessons and real-world strategies.

🍽️ Whether you’re a foodie, a founder, or someone fascinated by how craft brands break through, Cassie’s story is proof that pork can be premium, purposeful, and genuinely delicious again.

Brands & Mentions:

• Scribe Winery
• Nugget Markets
• US Foods
• Get Right’s Bakery
• Culinary Institute of America
• Maine Beer Company (“Lunch” IPA)
• Lottie’s Family Pork Farm Network
• Shooka Sauce
• Jennies House
• Realsy

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Lottie's Meats
02:48 Crafting Quality Sausages
05:41 Navigating Co-Packing Challenges
08:48 The Founder's Journey
11:32 Scaling and Distribution Strategies
14:20 Innovative Marketing Approaches
17:25 Product Development and Consumer Feedback
20:07 E-commerce and Digital Marketing Strategies
23:05 Community Engagement and Partnerships
25:59 Speed Round and Personal Insights