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

Launching a consumer brand is never easy — but launching a brewery without alcohol? That’s a whole new challenge.

In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, I sit down with Joe Chura, founder of Go Brewing, the non-alcoholic beer brand redefining how we think about social drinking. Joe shares his journey from idea to launch, the countless recipe iterations, and the marketing moves that helped Go Brewing quickly find its place in a competitive industry.

You’ll hear how Joe:

• Turned a personal vision into one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic breweries in the U.S.
• Perfected the brewing process through relentless testing and innovation.
• Built an online-first business with Shopify at the core of its growth strategy.
• Leveraged subscriptions to create community and recurring revenue.
• Collected and used customer feedback to guide new products and campaigns.
• Balanced storytelling, social media, and PR to build credibility and excitement.

We also dig into the bigger picture:

• Why health-conscious consumers are fueling the non-alcoholic movement.
• How “hybrid drinking” is changing beverage culture.
• Where Joe sees opportunities in THC-infused beverages and beyond.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build a modern CPG brand — from brewing to branding to building community — this conversation will inspire and challenge you.

🍺 Whether you’re sober curious, an entrepreneur, or just fascinated by where consumer trends are heading, Joe’s story is proof that you don’t need alcohol to build a buzz-worthy brand.

Brands mentioned:

• Go Brewing
• Easy Man
• Rich Roll
• 75 Hard
• Heineken
• Athletic Brewing
• Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller
• Just for Men
• Simpler Hair Color
• Naperville Running Company
• Jolie

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Go Brewing and Non-Alcoholic Beers

07:33
The Journey to Starting Go Brewing

15:33
Brewing Process and Challenges

19:59
Launching and Marketing Go Brewing

28:24
Subscription Model and Customer Engagement

37:52
Future Trends in Non-Alcoholic Beverages

In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, Dan sits down with Francine Voit, co-founder of Pistakio, to talk about how she turned an underused nut into a standout brand — and made pistachios fun, accessible, and delicious for everyone.

Fran shares the inside story of how Pistakio started as a college capstone project, went viral with creative sampling stunts (including a tiramisu purse that made it through TSA!), and grew into a fast-scaling DTC and retail brand — all while staying taste-first and relentlessly scrappy.

You’ll hear:
✅ The simple sampling strategy that built word-of-mouth and early traction
✅ How Pistakio turned customer feedback into product improvements
✅ Creative ways they inspire customers to use their spreads in everyday recipes
✅ Why taste-first product development beats trendy buzzwords
✅ How Fran thinks about growing retail, DTC, and content — without paid ads

If you love founder stories packed with practical CPG marketing lessons and organic growth tactics, this one’s for you.

Tune in, grab a snack (maybe a pistachio or two), and enjoy!

Products and brands mentioned during this episode include:

• Pistakio
• Faire
• Bezi Labneh
• Lottie's Meats
• Michele Ferrero

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Pistachio and Francine Voit
02:27 The Inspiration Behind Pistachio Products
05:25 Product Development and Market Entry
09:04 Sampling Strategy and Initial Sales
14:39 Balancing Direct-to-Consumer and Retail Sales
17:46 Viral Marketing and Content Creation
19:55 Retail Partnerships and Growth Strategies
21:50 Advice for Aspiring Founders
24:09 Speed Round and Personal Insights

How do you scale and optimize 45+ Shopify stores without losing your mind—or your margins?

In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, Dan Cassidy sits down with Dov Quint, Storefronts Lead at OpenStore, to explore the playbook he’s built for operating dozens of DTC brands at scale.

You’ll hear:

• How OpenStore standardizes tech stacks without sacrificing performance
• Why A/B testing offers (and pricing) is non-negotiable
• Creative growth tactics like cashback offers that boosted list opt-ins by 40%
• What Shopify brands are doing to navigate tariffs without raising prices
• A smart strategy for post-purchase revenue (that won’t annoy your customers)
• How AI is being used for CRO, analytics, and review mining
• Why Dov is leading a mission-driven eCommerce delegation to Israel this fall

Plus, hear Dov and Dan crack a Blue Moon and discuss ASMR marketing and whether your mom should test your website (spoiler: yes).

🎧 Tune in for a masterclass in operational excellence, CRO tactics, and why sometimes the best feedback comes from your mom.

Show Notes:

🍻 Drinks of the Day:

• Dan: Blue Moon (bottle)
• Dov: Blue Moon 19oz can with bonus ASMR pour

📍 Guest Info:

Dov Quint
Storefronts Lead, OpenStore
Mission Lead, Israel Tech Mission
Connect on LinkedIn

📘 Books Mentioned:

• The Five Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom
• Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

🧰 Tools & Tech Stack Shoutouts:

• Rebuy – Smart upsells & cross-sells
• Okendo – Reviews, UGC, and surveys
• Replo – Landing page builder
• Fermat – Embedded shopping experiences
• Fondue – Cashback instead of discounts
• Onward – Post-purchase insurance + experience layer
• IntelliGems – A/B testing for price, offers, landing pages
• Microsoft Clarity – Free heat mapping tool
• Heatmap.com – Revenue-based behavior analytics

🛍️ Brands Mentioned:

• Jack Archer – DTC men’s performance apparel brand
• Jolie – Luxury filtered showerhead with powerful DTC funnel
• Brez – THC-infused sparkling beverages
• HexClad – Hybrid cookware (Jason Panzer mentioned as Tech Mission guest)

✈️ Israel Tech Mission (September 2025):

• Curated trip for eCommerce founders, execs, and investors
• Dates: Sept 14–18, 2025
• Led by Dov Quint in partnership with Israel Tech Mission
• Application link: https://tinyurl.com/ITM-for-eCommerce-Leaders
• Includes: meetings with Israeli tech leaders, Air Force base visit, NOVA site, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv
• Featured guest: Jason Panzer, President of HexClad

In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, we sit down with Xeba Zareie—founder of Preme Foods, a wellness-driven CPG brand helping people with chronic illness and sensitive stomachs enjoy indulgent nutrition again.

What started as a personal battle with gut health turned into a mission: create functional, prebiotic-powered products that don’t compromise on taste or ingredients. From handmaking puddings to launching a shelf-stable, collagen-rich cocoa mix, Xeba’s story is equal parts resilience, research, and real innovation.

We talk about:

• Why most gut health products on shelves are not made for sensitive stomachs
• The difference between prebiotics and probiotics (and why that matters)
• How Xeba scaled from small-batch to co-manufacturing without compromising quality
• What most new founders get wrong about packaging, messaging, and retail
• Her exact process for landing ideal retail partners—including a few bold outreach tactics
• Why powders > puddings (at least to start)

If you’re building a wellness brand, formulating a CPG product, or launching on Shopify, this episode is packed with firsthand lessons from the trenches.

Also: it’s our Aries birthday episode—cheers to that!

Connect with Xeba Zareie
Instagram: @x_eba
Brand: @drinkpreme
More info: drinkpreme.com

Products mentioned during the episode:

• Zero to One by Peter Thiel
• Ramping Your Brand by James F. Richardson PhD
• 7 Laws of Spiritual Success by Deepak Chopra
• Organify Shilajit Gummies
• Revolve
• Erewhon
• Pistakio
• Charmlee
• Nour Dressing

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Preme Foods and Xeba Zareie

02:11
The Science Behind Gut Health and Nutrition

06:18
Founder's Journey: From Personal Struggles to Business

11:09
Scaling Production: Challenges and Solutions

12:03
Transitioning from Puddings to Powders

13:39
Navigating Retail Partnerships and Consumer Education

19:16
Marketing Strategies for D2C Success

21:19
Lessons Learned and Future Directions

In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, Dan sits down with Ronnie Teja, founder of Branzio Watches, to unpack his inspiring journey from picking blueberries as a new immigrant to building a global watch brand with a scrappy $10K start.

Ronnie shares real stories of entrepreneurship—burnout, supplier scams, PayPal bans, and team drama—and how he overcame it all by staying relentlessly curious, leaning into AI, and building a brand that now operates with global scale.

They also dive into:

• The early days of Facebook ads and retail media buying
• The mindset shift from performance marketing to brand-building
• How AI is changing e-commerce—from analytics to ad copy
• Tips on outsourcing, remote teams, and hiring middle management
• His philosophy on leadership, karma, and connecting people

Whether you're a solo founder, aspiring operator, or scaling ecom brand, this one is packed with gold.

👉 Learn more about Ronnie: Just Google his name — he’s everywhere.
🎧 Available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you tune in.

Products / products mentioned:

• Ghost
• Alibaba
• 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss
• Traction by Gino Wickman
• Rockefeller Habits by Verne Harnish
• Neil Patel
• BK Beauty
• The Big Short by Michael Lewis
• Barbarians at the Gate by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar
• Four Seasons

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Shopify Happy Hour

02:46
Ronny Teja's Journey to E-commerce

05:51
Lessons from Blueberry Picking

08:21
Marketing Education at Best Buy

11:31
Starting Branzio Watches

14:12
Challenges in E-commerce

16:49
Navigating Entrepreneurship

19:41
Building a Team and Leadership

22:31
The Evolution of Branzio Watches

24:50
The Evolution of Online Advertising

27:10
Shifting Mindsets: From Performance to Brand Marketing

29:41
Current Trends in Performance Marketing

31:51
Harnessing AI for Marketing and Business Decisions

36:31
Leveraging AI for Strategic Insights

39:48
Building a New E-commerce Business from Scratch

41:10
Choosing the Right Niche for E-commerce

43:19
Exceptional Customer Experiences in E-commerce

45:12
The Art of Connection and Networking