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Emily Groden - Winning with Waffles

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ÜBER DIESE EPISODE

From corporate lawyer to frozen-food founder, Emily Groden has taken a decidedly unconventional path to entrepreneurship.

In this episode of Boardroom Blitz, Emily, the Founder and CEO of Evergreen, shares how her search for a quick, nourishing breakfast for her daughter inspired her to begin making waffles in her own kitchen. That personal project eventually became Evergreen, a rapidly growing frozen breakfast brand built around whole grains and recognizable ingredients.

Emily takes us behind the scenes of the company’s origin story, the transition from idea to retail shelf, and the persistence required to build a consumer packaged goods brand from the ground up. She also opens up about raising venture capital, what founders should consider when choosing financial partners, and the lessons she has learned while scaling Evergreen.

Whether you’re building a business, considering outside investment, or simply curious about how an everyday consumer problem becomes a national brand, Emily’s story is packed with candid insights and entrepreneurial inspiration.

Learn more about Evergreen at https://eatevergreen.com/.

Firmengründung
Wirtschaft
Management
Englisch
Vereinigte Staaten
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20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: ⁓
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Welcome to Boardroom Blitz, presented by 1871. ⁓ Jeremy Bacon, a multi-time founder, investor, and mentor who's built, bought, backed, exited, and occasionally been punched in the face by the companies that I love. This is my dear friend, Gary.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Welcome to Boardroom Blitz, presented by 1871. I'm Jeremy Bacon, a multi-time founder, investor, startup mentor who's built, bought, backed, exited, and occasionally been punched in the face by the companies that I love. This is my dear friend, Gary.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yeah. And I'm Gary Cooper, a millennial founder, neuroscientist, investor, start mentor, who's been just punched in the face by a lot of people and things. Yes. Yes.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: And I'm Gary Cooper, I'm only the founder of Neuroscientist Investor, start mentor, who's been just punched in the face by a lot of people and things. Yes. Yes.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: That's what makes it so much fun to be an entrepreneur, right? Well, Gary, it's Friday and it's been a couple of days since you and I had a chance to chat about stuff. I'm just curious, yeah, how's the week ending for you?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: That's what makes it so much fun to be an entrepreneur, right? Well Gary, it's Friday and it's been a couple of days since you and I had a chance to chat about stuff. I'm just curious, you how's the week ending for you?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: The week is sitting on a good note. It's sunny in Chicago. We've gotten through some storms. ⁓ you know, we've gotten through a financial audit at my company, which I'm really excited about. ⁓ some really cool deals. ⁓ Techstar Chicago just ended. They had their demo day that I attended, some really cool company. So it's all good. How about yourself?
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: The week is sitting on a good note. It's sunny in Chicago. We've gotten through some storms. We've gotten through a financial audit at my company, which I'm really excited about. Some really cool deals. TechStore Chicago just ended. They their demo day that I attended. It's really cool company. So it's all good. How about yourself?
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: All good stuff. Yeah, lots of exciting stuff happening. ⁓ you know, just chilling. I had a great week to suspect because my wife and I got a chance to sneak away for a couple of days. So I worked ⁓ like a dog over the weekend and then Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday I was out. And ⁓ no, that's not true. Monda I don't remember when I was out. I was out for a few days, that's all I know, and now I'm back and and I don't. I I don't know what today is, let alone what yesterday was. ⁓ yeah. ⁓ I don't know. I do not know.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: All good stuff. Yeah, lots of exciting stuff happening. Well, you know, just chilling. I had a great week to suspect because my wife and I got a chance to sneak away for a couple of days. So I worked ⁓ like a dog over the weekend and then Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday I was out. And ⁓ no, that's not true. Monday I don't remember when I was out. I was out for a few days, that's all I know, and now I'm back and and I don't. I I don't know what today is, let alone what yesterday was. ⁓ yeah, yeah, I don't know. I do not know.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: ⁓ That's great. You don't even remember the days that you were out. That's that's would would you would you s how would you score your time away? Was it exactly what you needed? Okay. ⁓ amazing. Amazing.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: That's great, you don't even remember the days that you were out. That's... Would you, how would you score your time away? Was it exactly what you needed? Okay. ⁓ amazing, amazing.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: It was a ten out ten. It was fabulous. Yeah. Yeah. It was a ten out of ten. For two reasons. One is because I love my wife dearly. We've been married for twenty six plus years and she's just the best and I love her to death. ⁓ we don't get a chance to run away all that often together. Most of our kids are out of the house, as you know, we have one at home still. He's out ⁓ he's been out on a trip to Belize, the little punk, where he's been scuba diving for like looking at sunken treasures and meeting SpongeBob SquarePants and stuff, and we're super jealous. So that's why we ran away. We're like, We have to go somewhere cool too. So we did and it was great.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: It was a ten out ten. It was fabulous. Yeah. Yeah. It was a ten of ten. For two reasons. One is because I love my wife dearly. We've been married for twenty six plus years and she's at the best and I love her to death. ⁓ and we don't get a chance to run away all that often together. Most of our kids are out of the house. As you know, we have one at home still. He's out ⁓ he's been out on a trip to Belize, the little punk, where he's been scuba diving for like looking at sunken treasures and meeting SpongeBob SquarePants and stuff, and we're super jealous. So that's why we ran away. Like, we have to go somewhere cool too. So we did and it was great.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Amazing.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Amazing.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: And we're back. ⁓ yeah, yeah, we're back. So here we are, having some fun.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: And we're back. ⁓ yeah, yeah, we're back. So here we are, having some fun.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: I love that. I love that. ⁓ y y y you gotta teach me your tricks of how to get away. Like I don't I don't know it. I don't know that trick.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: I love that. I love that. ⁓ You gotta teach me your tricks of how to get away. Like, I don't know it. I don't know that trick. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: I will share that. ⁓ I will share the secrets in another episode. How's that sound? Yeah. Super cool. All right. Well, maybe we should jump in. So as everyone that is watching knows, the entire point of our show is to bring together real world experience where we can, some irreverent humor, ⁓ and then combine that with tactical advice for navigating what is often a super awkward leap into executive leadership.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: I will share that. ⁓ I will share the secrets in another episode. How's that sound? Yeah. Super cool. All right. Well, maybe we should jump in. So as everyone that is watching knows, the entire point of our show is to bring together real world experience where we can, some irreverent humor, ⁓ and then combine that with tactical advice for navigating what is often a super awkward leap into executive leadership.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yeah, absolutely. ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Whether that's through the path of a founder, entrepreneur, or the path of an executive working at a growth stage or ⁓ or forever time company, ⁓ we are here to sort of help share some advice and some some ⁓ some rules of the road. The goal, of course, is that anyone from a zoomer to a boomer can learn cool tips and tricks from from the entrepreneurs, investors, and executives that we bring onto the show each week who share their journeys with us. And so I'm super jazzed today about our guest. ⁓ you and I have known her for quite some time.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Whether that's through the path of a founder, entrepreneur, or the path of an executive working at a growth stage or ⁓ or forever time company, ⁓ we are here to sort of help share some advice and some some ⁓ some rules of the road. The goal, of course, is that anyone from a zoomer to a boomer can learn cool tips and tricks from from the entrepreneurs, investors, and executives that we bring onto the show each week who share their journeys with us. And so I'm super jazzed today about our guest. ⁓ you and I have known her for quite some time.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yeah.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm. See ya.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Meet them. Yes, yeah.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Yes,
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: She is one of the coolest people ever. Emily Groden of who is the founder of Evergreen. And Evergreen is I I would I always describe Evergreen as like the coolest company because what Emily has proven is that frozen waffles don't have to be these weird beige rectangles or ovals of like parental compromise that you throw into a toaster and hope don't kill you or your children when they pop up and you eat them. ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: She is one of the coolest people ever. ⁓ Emily Groden of who is the founder of Evergreen. And Evergreen is I w I always describe Evergreen as like the coolest company because what Emily has proven is that frozen waffles don't have to be these weird beige rectangles or ovals of like parental compromise that you throw into a toaster and hope don't kill you or your children when they pop up and you eat them. ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: You
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm, mm, mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: And so we're gonna hear about her journey today and what she's built and what her team has built with Evergreen. But we're super jazzed to have you with us, Emily. Thanks for joining.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: And so we're gonna hear about her journey today and what she's built and what her team has built with Evergreen. But we're super jazzed to have you with us, Emily. Thanks for joining.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-mm. you
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Thank you so much for having me and for that amazing introduction. I just wanna bottle it up and
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Thank you so much for having me and for that amazing introduction. I just wanna bottle it up and
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: I love
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: put it in my back pocket.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: put it in my back pocket.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: take it with you.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: And take it with you?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: But I love I love
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yeah, take it with me forever.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah, take it with me forever.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ Play whenever I need a little boost.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ Play whenever I need a little boost.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: I can already say, I can already
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: can already say, I can already
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: say Jeremy, Emily, I love your swag. First of all, I'm like already ha I'm already like iterating on like Reaper swag, but I'm like, I want some of that swag specifically. Is that is there a place that people can buy or I can buy that? ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: say Jeremy, Emily, I love your swag. First of all, like already, I'm already like iterating on like Reekly's swag, but I'm like, I want some of that swag specifically. Is there a place that people can buy or I can buy that? ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Do you ⁓ not currently,
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Do you ⁓ not currently,
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Okay.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Okay.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: but
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: but the best part about this swag is that it's not just a sweatshirt with a cute little waffle guy and pancake guy on there. It's actually a scratch and sniff sweatshirt. So
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: the best part about this swag is that it's not just a sweatshirt with a cute little waffle guy and pancake guy on there. It's actually a scratch and sniff sweatshirt. So when you scratch it, it smells like maple syrup.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: when you scrapped it, it smells like maple syrup.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Wow
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Yeah, it is.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Yeah, it is.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Wa
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah. ⁓ I think that might be the crowning achievement of my career so far is the sweatshirt. ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yeah. I think that might be the crowning achievement of my career so far is the selector.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mike Droff. ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mic drop.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Well, so when I first saw you wearing that sweatshirt, I thought for sure you were gonna start selling ⁓ on the internet. Like because, you know, obviously if you want to buy evergreen waffles on on the internet, you can. You have an e commerce thing, but it's that's not the focus of what you do. You're an in store thing. We'll talk about that. But like I was like, ⁓ my god, like the we need to have this swag on the internet. I would buy so many of these sweatshirts, so
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Well, so when I first saw you wearing that sweatshirt, I thought for sure you were gonna start selling ⁓ on the internet. Like, because, you know, obviously if you want to buy evergreen waffles on on the internet, you can. You have an e commerce thing, but it's that's not the focus of what you do. You're an in store thing. We'll talk about that. But like I like, ⁓ my god, like the we need to have this swag on the internet. I would buy so many of these sweatshirts, so
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: I will buy one
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: I will buy one too. ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: you should ⁓
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: you should ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I do I
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I do I
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: too.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ th I'm that there's a future state where
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: b I'm hopeful there's a future state where you can these the
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: you can these the
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Ha ha.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Ha ha.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: internet 'cause amazing we
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: internet 'cause amazing we
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Hehehehehe ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: we ha we them for Expo West, which is the big kind of better for you food and bev ⁓ and beauty trade show every year and they were such a hit. People loved them. It was so fun, like such a like surprise and delight moment. So
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: we ha we them for Expo West, which is the big kind of better for you food and dev ⁓ and beauty trade show every year and they were such a hit. People loved them. It was so fun, like such a like surprise and delight moment. So
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I would to that down big way.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I would to ⁓ them back.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: I have to imagine the entire expo hall smelled like maple syrup too, right?
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: I have to imagine the entire expo hall smelled like maple syrup too, right?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: I mean, ⁓
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: I mean, ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: We got these hilarious
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: We got these hilarious
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: messages
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: messages
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: afterwards from people who were like peep everybody was looking at me on the plane, like I had to wash everything in my closet 'cause everything smelled like
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: afterwards from people who were like, peep everybody was looking at me on the plane, like I had to wash everything in my closet 'cause everything smelled like
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: maple syrup afterwards.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: maple syrup afterwards.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Ha ha ha.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ The smell the s the scent does fade after a few washes. ⁓ but
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ The smell the s the scent does fade after a few washes. ⁓ but
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: but yeah. But it's part
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: but yeah. But it's of the fun of it. Like
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: of the fun of it. Like you don't expect
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: you don't expect
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Totally.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Totally.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: you
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: you
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: don't expect
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: don't expect maple syrup scent on sweatshirt.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: maple syrup scent on sweatshirt.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: You don't, but it's great. That's super cool.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: You don't, but it's great. That's super cool. Super cool.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Super cool.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: And
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: my name is Emily Groden. I'm founder and CEO of Evergreen. We make delicious ⁓ frozen breakfast products. ⁓ we are known, and our kind of hero original product was Waffles. We're actually launching pancakes this summer, which we can get into later. ⁓ but all of our products are worthy first. We like to say quietly nutritious behind the scenes. So we sneak things in like
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: my name is Emily Groden. I'm founder and CEO of Evergreen. We make delicious ⁓ frozen breakfast products. ⁓ we are known and our kind of hero original product was Waffles. We're actually launching pancakes this summer, which we can get into later. ⁓ but all of our products are crave worthy first. We like to say quietly nutritious behind the scenes. So we sneak things in like
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: you
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Yeah,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Hidden veggies and a hundred percent whole grains, and we don't use refined sugars, we use maple syrup, we don't use seed oils, we use avocado oil, but they're so yummy, you'd never know that it's good for you too. ⁓ but if you had told me eleven years ago when I was graduating from law school that I would be a waffle and pancake maker, I definitely would have would have laughed in your face. So it's been a really wild
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Hidden veggies and 100% whole grains, and we don't use refined sugars, we use maple syrup, we don't use seed oils, we use avocado oil, but they're so yummy, you'd never know that it's good for you too. ⁓ but if you had told me eleven years ago when I was graduating from law school that I would be a waffle and pancake maker, I definitely would have would have laughed in your face. So it's been a really wild
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: journey with ⁓ several real sharp left turns that I know we will dive into on the podcast.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: journey with ⁓ several real sharp left turns that I know we will dive into on the podcast.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: But that's how it works, right? Some of the best experiences and well, and some of the best businesses are built in this exact way, right? Where you wake up one day and you're like, you know, I'm a successful lawyer having a great time, living in the wonderful suburbs of Chicago, doing my thing, but I I need and want to do something a little differently. Let me figure this out for myself, right? And so that's really what's how this started, right? Like you said, I can't feed my daughters this thing that I picked up in the grocery store today. I don't feel good about it.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: That's how it works, right? Some of the best experiences and well and some of the best businesses are built in this exact way, right? Where you wake up one day and you're like, you know, I'm a successful lawyer having a great time, living in the wonderful suburbs of Chicago, doing my thing, but I I need and want to do something a little differently. Let me figure this out for myself, right? And so that's really what's how this started, right? Like you said, I can't feed my daughters this thing that I picked up in the grocery store today. I don't feel good about it. ⁓ I'm gonna sneak some nutrition into a meal for them and say you buy like a little waffle iron and start it going, right?
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: ⁓ I'm gonna sneak some nutrition into a meal for them and say you buy like a little waffle iron and start going, right?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Exactly. I I think I am truly the quintessential accidental entrepreneur. Like this idea pretty literally smacked me across the face when I was driving home from work one night. I was listening to a podcast that just so happened to be talking about frozen waffles.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Exactly. I I think I am truly the quintessential accidental entrepreneur. Like this idea pretty literally smacked me across the face when I was driving home from work one night. I was listening to a podcast that just so happened to be talking about frozen waffles.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: And the podcast basically
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: And the podcast basically
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Whoa.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: said clip notes version, it's this huge category in grocery retail at the time. So this was twenty eighteen, it was one point two billion dollars. And also at the time
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: said clip notes version, it's this huge category in grocery retail at the time, so this was twenty eighteen, it was one point two billion dollars. And also at the time
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: It was
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: It was
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: 80% eggs. Which
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: 80% eggs, which
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Sure, yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Sure. Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: blew my mind. Now, ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: blew my mind. Now,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Whoa.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I had I was not a frozen waffle consumer. don't think I'd ever thought twice about frozen waffles in my life. I don't think I ever would have thought twice about frozen waffles again, ⁓ except I was pregnant with my now seven year daughter. And I just remember sitting there in the car at a red light thinking, like, well, shoot, as much as I aspire to be one of those moms that makes everything from scratch and like, you know, ⁓ has spent
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I had I was not a frozen waffle consumer. I don't think I'd ever thought twice about frozen waffles in my life. I don't think I ever would have thought twice about frozen waffles again, ⁓ except I was pregnant with my now seven old daughter. And I just remember sitting there in the car at a red light thinking, like, well, shoot, as much as I aspire to be one of those moms that makes everything from scratch and like, you know, ⁓ has space.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mwahahahah
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: homemade spinach muffins for my kid every morning. Like I'm a lawyer. Like I'm a working mom. I know I'm not gonna have the time or the energy to do that. So I'm gonna need something like a frozen waffle. Like what's that other 20% of the category? And I went to my local Whole Foods and started flipping packages around of the frozen waffles that were on shelf at the time. And to my dismay realized that they were all ⁓ kind of like that brand I mentioned in the yellow box.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: homemade spinach muffins for my kid every morning. Like I'm a lawyer. Like I'm a working mom. I know I'm not going to have the time or the energy to do that. So I'm going to need something like a frozen waffle. Like what's that other 20% of the category? And I went to my local Whole Foods and started flipping packages around of the frozen waffles that were on shelf at the time. And to my dismay realized that they were all ⁓ kind of like that brand I mentioned in the yellow box.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Right.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ingredients, had to Google a bunch of stuff to figure out what it was, weren't exactly like packed with nutrition. And I was like, ⁓ I don't really want to feed her those either. So how about this? Instead of settling, I'll buy a mini waffle iron and I will basically meal prep on Sunday afternoons. And so that's what I did. I bought a mini waffle iron. I actually I have it right here.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ingredients had to Google a bunch of stuff to figure out what it was weren't exactly like packed with nutrition and I was like I don't really want to feed her those either so how about this instead of settling I'll buy a mini waffle iron and I will basically meal prep on Sunday afternoons and so that's what I did. I bought a mini waffle iron. I actually I have it right here.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I always keep ⁓ I always keep it right next to me for
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I always keep ⁓ it I always keep it right next to me for ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Of course you do. Is it bronzed? You should totally have that thing
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Of course you do. Is it bronzed? You should totally have that thing
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: bronzed
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: bronzed
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: if it's not there. it is.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: if it's not there. it is.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I should. I should I should turn it
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I should. I should I should turn it
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: into like a little a little trophy.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: into like a little a little silky.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Lordy, ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: lordy, ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ yeah, no, so I I bought that mini waffle iron on Amazon. I took out my blender ⁓ and I opened my pantry and my fridge and I was like, Okay, what would I want in a waffle? Like what do I want my kid eating every day? And pulled out whole veggies, whole fruits, whole grains, eggs, maple syrup, avocado oil, water, like not much else. Some spices, some nuts, threw it all into the blender, and
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ yeah, no, so I I bought that mini waffle iron on Amazon. I took my blender ⁓ and I opened my pantry and my fridge and I was like, okay, what would I want in a waffle? Like what do I want my kid eating every day? And pulled out whole veggies, whole fruits, whole grains, eggs, maple syrup, avocado oil, water, like not much else. Some spices, some nuts, threw it all into the blender, and
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: that was my
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Eleven delicious ingredients. Yeah,
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Eleven delicious ingredients.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: that was ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: ⁓ right.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: just
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Del just
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Yeah, right.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm. ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: real food, delicious ingredients.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: like real food, delicious ingredients.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: that was my batter. And on Sunday afternoons I'd make these big batches of waffles and I would stick them in a Ziploc bag and put them in the freezer. And that's what I pulled from during the week to feed my daughter when I had like five minutes before I had to run out the door.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: And that was my batter. And on Sunday afternoons I'd make these big batches of waffles and I would stick them in a Ziploc bag and put them in the freezer. And that's what I pulled from during the week to feed my daughter when I had like five minutes before I had to run out the door.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: So then this turns into a company how? You end up like feeding friends who are over for like wine night or something like that, and you're like, Hey, try my apple cinnamon waffle? What happened?
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: So then it turns into a company how? You end up like feeding friends who are over for like wine night or something like that, and you're like, Hey, try my apple cinnamon waffle? What happened?
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Sorry, my fault.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Try one.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: exactly.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: exactly.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: no,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: no, that's what my daughter ate for like the first year of her solid eating life for breakfast.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: that's what my daughter ate for like the first year of her solid eating life for breakfast. after that year, I kinda sat back and I was like, Well, like she loves them. She devours them. ⁓ I love them because they make my life so much easier. And I feel so much better about it. Like, but there plenty of mom guilt going on anyway. Like this was one thing that I knew I was doing right. ⁓ and I was like, I'm probably not the only mom out there and she's
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ after that year, I kinda sat back and I was like, Well, like she loves them. She devours them. ⁓ I love because they make my life so much easier. And I feel so much better about it. Like there was of mom guilt going on anyway. Like this was one thing that I knew I was doing right. ⁓ and I was like, I'm probably not the only mom out there and she's probably not the only kid out there who would actually eat them. I actually didn't give them to a whole lot of friends. I gave them to a few close friends. Like people are always like, talk about tell us tell me about the like consumer research and insights. I'm like, honestly, there wasn't much of it. Like it was just I had this intuition because I was the consumer. Like I was my own core consumer and I knew I needed this and I just I knew that I couldn't be the only one. And
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: probably not the only kid out there who would actually eat them. I actually didn't give them to a whole lot of friends. I gave them to a few close friends. Like people are always like, talk about tell us tell me about the like consumer research and insights. I'm like, honestly, there wasn't much of it. Like it was just I had this intuition because I was the consumer. Like I was my own core consumer and I knew I needed this and I just I knew that I couldn't be the only one. And
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Hehehehehe. Mm-hmm. ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: so ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: so ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Well, on that point, sorry not to show you off, but like customer discovery obviously is a huge deal, right? And so whether you're a software company or an AI thing or a hardware thing or whatever, like customer discovery is what it's all about. And so, you know, you to your point, you were the tar you are the target customer. You are the target audience, and so is everybody else that you're thinking about. So, you know, I would I would I would I would argue that ⁓ that that number one, you should have done more customer discovery, but ⁓ you get a hall pass to a certain extent because you know your target market so well because it's it's you.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Well, on that point, sorry not to kiss you off, but like customer discovery obviously is a huge deal, right? And so whether you're a software company or an AI thing or a hardware thing or whatever, like customer discovery is what it's all about. And so, you know, you to your point, you were the tar you are the target customer. You are the target audience, and so is everybody else that you're thinking about. So, you know, I would I would I would I would argue that ⁓ that that number one, you should have done more customer discovery, but ⁓ you get a hall pass to a certain extent because you know your target market so well because it's it's you.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: And the market would have told you really quickly if you didn't get it right, right? So and so that that's that that's what I think is is super awesome for our folks to hear is like how you how you made that leap and said, Great, I'm gonna go from my kitchen to I'm gonna hire a copacker and go make some stuff. Like what what
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: And the market would have told you really quickly if you didn't get it right, right? So and so that that's that that's what I think is is super awesome for our folks to hear is like how you how you made that leap and said, Great, I'm gonna go from my kitchen to I'm gonna hire a copacker and go make some stuff. Like what what
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: you
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: what was that choice like? And where'd you screw up?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: what was that choice like? And where'd you screw up?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yeah. There were like a lot of
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah. There were like a lot of
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: ⁓ Yeah. ⁓
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: ⁓ Yeah. ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: a lot of steps in between ⁓ me deciding to do this and actually getting into a cobacker.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: a lot of steps in between me deciding to do this and then actually getting into a cobacker.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: I was gonna say ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: I was gonna do a funny...
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Sure.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Sure.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ no, I I mean I really started
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: no, I I mean I really started
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: from ⁓ scratch. ⁓ I ⁓ I actually I spoke on a panel Northwestern, it was a joint law school business school panel for food food business and law. And I spoke on in capacity as the general counsel for the Alinea Group and TAC, which was my role at the time.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: from ⁓ scratch. ⁓ I ⁓ I actually I spoke on a panel at Northwestern, it was a joint law school business school panel for food and food business and law. And I spoke it my capacity as the general counsel for the Alinea Group and TAC, which was my role at the time.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: And there was a woman on the panel who had a bar company, like a nutrition bar company. And I looked at her packaging and I was like, Well, that that looks good. And so I asked her afterwards, I was like, Who'd you use to design your packaging? And she gave me the people's name and I emailed them and they designed our first package. So that was check, got the packaging done. Then I got certified to work out of a shared commercial kitchen and started
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: And there was a woman on the panel who had a bar company, like a nutrition bar company. And I looked at her packaging and I was like, Well that that looks good. And so I asked her afterwards, I was like, Who'd you use to design your packaging? And she gave me the people's name and I emailed them and they designed our first package. So that was a check, got the packaging done. Then I got certified to work out of a shared commercial kitchen and started Making waffles two days a week. I dropped down to part time at my role, walked into my boss's office, who who owns a three Michelin star restaurant and was like, Hi, I'm your lawyer and I
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Making waffles two days a week. I dropped down to part-time at my role, walked into my boss's office, who who owns a three Michelin star restaurant and was like, Hi, I'm your lawyer and I
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: wanna make frozen waffles. Can I drop down to part-time? It was hor it was horrifying. It was a horrifying conversation. ⁓ but have to give him credit. He was like,
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: wanna make frozen waffles. Can I drop down to part-time? It was hor it was horrifying. It was a horrifying conversation. ⁓ but have to give him credit. He was like,
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: I'm sure. Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: I'm sure.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: I'm sorry I can't stop laughing at the visual of like what that felt like.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Sure, you do ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Sure, you do. ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: I'm sorry, I can't stop laughing at the visual of like what that felt like.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Yeah, I know, right?
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Yeah, I know, right?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: It was I've never been so nervous. I
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: It was I've never been so nervous. I
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Well and if anyone who if
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Well and if anyone who if if anyone who's listening knows the Alinea group too, like these are like amazing ⁓ restaurants. Like this is like
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: if anyone who's listening knows the Alinea group too, like these are like amazing restaurants. Like this is like
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: the creme de la creme of yes, exactly, of like the food world. And so I'm half surprised that he like ⁓ no, how about not? But also not surprised because it's food, man, and and food is joy in life. And so you know you're it's it's great. Sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: the creme de la creme of Yes, exactly, of like the food world. And so I'm half surprised that he wasn't like ⁓ no, how about not? But also not surprised because it's food, man, and and food is joy in life. And so you you're it's it's great. Sorry, I didn't mean to cut you
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: World class less.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: world class.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Pre measurement first, yeah.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Reasonable first, yeah. Yeah.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: You
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: off there, but it's super cool.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: there, but it's super cool. ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: And he's and they're such entrepreneurs at heart. So yes, it
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: And he's and they're such entrepreneurs at heart. So yes, it don't in my mind I was like fifty percent chance I get fired. Liter I had a conversation with my husband the morning I was gonna go do this and I was like, just like, you know I might come home without a job
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: don't in my mind I was like fifty percent chance I get fired. Liter I had a conversation with my husband the morning I was gonna go do this and I was like just like you know I might come home without a job
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ Like, yes, I support you. Yeah. So ⁓ no, he didn't fire me. He didn't even laugh at me. He was like,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ Yes, I support you. Yeah. So ⁓ no, he didn't fire me. He didn't even laugh at me. He was like,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: He's like, No problem, you got waffles, it's good.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: He's like, No problem, you got waffles, it's good.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Hehehehehe
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: You do you on two days a week as long as you can get your work done for us on the other three. So I started two days a week.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: You do you on two days a week as long as you can get your work done for us on the other three. So I started Two days a week I had a little table at a shared commercial kitchen and I started making our waffles. And in the mornings I would go in the mornings I would go to Whole Foods in Costco to buy our ingredients, which I don't recommend
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I had a little table at a shared commercial kitchen and I started making our waffles and in the mornings I would go in the mornings I would go to Whole Foods in Costco to buy our ingredients, which I don't recommend buying your raw materials at Whole Foods ⁓ if you want to make a margin. ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: buying your raw materials Whole Foods ⁓ if you want to make a margin. ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Hehehehehe
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Right.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Right.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: but that's what I did and then I'd make waffles all day and I would bring them home to ⁓ my warehouse, which our basement freezer, and I would stick stick them in the freezer.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: but that's what I and then I'd make waffles all day and I would bring them home to ⁓ my warehouse, which was our basement freezer, and I would stay stick them in the freezer.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: And then I started going around to corner stores in Chicago with a duffel bag and I had my household toaster, some bags of waffles, maple syrup, paper plates, plastic utensils, and I'd walk into corner stores. So like Olivia's Market in Bucktown was my first account.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: And then I started going around to corner stores in Chicago with a duffel bag and I had my household toaster, some bags of waffles, maple syrup, paper plates, plastic utensils, and I'd walk into corner stores. So like Olivia's Market in Bucktown was my first account.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I walked in there and I basically was like, So so do I. Olivia I loved it as a
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I walked in there and I basically was like So so do I. Olivia I loved it as a
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: ⁓ w I love Olivia's. Yeah, I used to go there.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Oh, I love it, I love it. Yeah, I used to go there.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: consumer ⁓ and I love it. It has a special place in my heart, ⁓ as an entrepreneur. But
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: consumer and I love it. It has a special place in my heart, ⁓ as an entrepreneur. But
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Uh-huh. Yes.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: ⁓ huh. Yes.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I walked in and I was like, my name's Emily. I make waffles. I think they sell great here. ⁓ I have my toaster.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I walked in and I was like, my name's Emily. I make waffles. I think they sell great here. ⁓ I have my toaster. If can I plug them in ⁓ and hit you up some waffles?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: If can I plug them in and meet you up some waffles?
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Would you like to try?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ And much to my surprise, they said yes, as did all the other corner stores I went in, and they all loved them. so I got my first few accounts that way. I was my distributor. ⁓ I would leave, ⁓ I would drive. ⁓ I was our I was living in the suburbs at the time. And so on the days that I was making deliveries.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ And much to my surprise, they said yes, as did all the other corner stores I went in, and they all loved them. so I got my first view that way. I was my own ⁓ I would leave, I would drive. I was our I was living in the suburbs at the time. And so on the days that I was making deliveries.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I would drive to ⁓ down to my accounts. I would put ⁓ my waffles in a like igloo cooler full of ice
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I would drive ⁓ to ⁓ down to my accounts. I would put ⁓ my waffles in a like a glue cooler full of ice
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ and I'd I didn't even have like a case pack size. I did they I let order by the unit and I just walk in and deliver ⁓ my product and then I'd walk out and then I'd get to work a few minutes late and hope nobody noticed. But that was
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ and I'd del I didn't even have like a case pack size. I did they I people by the unit and I would just in and deliver ⁓ my product and then I'd walk out and then I'd get to work a few minutes late and hope nobody noticed. But that was
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Uh-huh.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: those were the days.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: those were the early days.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Can I just ask because like you, I had a real job and then kind of a fake job at the beginning, right? So I was like a neuroscientist in a lab and then one day I found myself like thinking about waste in a very weird way. When you were like, yeah, I don't know, week after that conversation of going part-time, like you were a lawyer for maybe the best restaurant group, definitely in Chicago, maybe in the country.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Can I can I just can I just ask because like you, I had a a real job and then kind of a fake job at the beginning, right? So I was like a neuroscientist in a lab, and then one day I found myself like thinking about waste in a very weird way. When you were like, yeah, I don't know, a week after that conversation of going part-time, like you were a lawyer for ⁓ maybe the best restaurant group, definitely in Chicago, maybe in the country. And now you're like hands in pan like waffle mix, like at a clout kitchen essentially, then delivering from an eagle like was there ever a moment where you're like, What is life? Like, you know what what am I doing?
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: And now you're like hands in pant like waffle mix, like at a cloud kitchen essentially, then delivering from an eagle. Like was there ever a moment where you're like, what is life? Like, you know, what am I doing?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: ⁓ Or was it all just smooth and like this is my purpose and this this feels right?
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Or was it all just smooth and like, this is my purpose and this ⁓ feels right.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Smooth is definitely not the word
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Smooth is definitely not the word
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I would use to describe it. ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I would use to describe it. ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Hehehehehe
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: especially when like there was this little like ⁓ lip like ledge I had to get over to get into kitchen and I always put my ingredients on a cart ⁓ and the number of times that cart tipped over and all of eggs I just bought at Costco would spill over and break and I'd have to go back to Costco. So yeah, smooth is like definitely not the phrase ⁓ the word I would use. But I don't know. I I don't
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: especially when like there was this little like ⁓ lip like ledge I had to get over to get into kitchen and I always put my ingredients on a cart ⁓ and the number of times that cart tipped over and all of eggs I just bought at Costco would spill over and break and I'd have to go back to Costco. So yeah, smooth is like definitely not the phrase ⁓ the word I would use. But I don't know. I ⁓ I don't
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: The cost got to pick ⁓ up, yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I genuinely don't know how to describe it. From the moment I had the idea, it like it it took over. Like I would lie in bed at night staring at the ceiling, thinking about waffles.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I genuinely don't know how to describe it. From the moment I had the idea, it like it it took over. Like I would lie in bed at night staring at the ceiling, thinking about waffles.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: This is the founder's curse, which is a blessing and a curse, right?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: This is the founder's curse, which is a blessing and a curse, right?
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yes,
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yes,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: it is the c i it is I feel so lucky, right, to ha to have had this idea, like I said, ⁓ literally smack me across the face. But just believe in it so deeply. Like even talking about it now, I can like physically feel in my core ⁓ that that this is what I was meant to do. ⁓ yeah, no, I never ⁓ that it was the right thing to do. ⁓ I
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: it is the c i it is I feel so lucky, right, to ha to have had this idea, like I said, ⁓ literally smack me across the face. But just believe in it so deeply. Like even talking about it now, I can like physically feel in my core ⁓ that that this is what I was meant to do. ⁓ so yeah, no, I never ⁓ that it was the right thing to do.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm. ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: think ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Well let's let's provide some ⁓ sorry, let's provide some context too.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Well let's let's provide some ⁓ sorry, let's provide some context too.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: No, I was gonna say I think it goes
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: No, I was gonna say I think it goes
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: back to what Jeremy was saying in the beginning about how
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: back to what Jeremy was saying in the beginning about how
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: when when when your business fills a authentic need in your life, it can that's ⁓ the way some of the best businesses are built for me, ⁓ because it was such an authentic need my life and like my kids, ⁓ one of whom tried interrupt our interview about thirty seconds
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: when when when your business fills a authentic need in your life, it can it that's ⁓ the way some of the best businesses are built for me, ⁓ because it was such an authentic need my life, and like my kids, ⁓ one of whom tried interrupt our interview about thirty seconds
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Bray. You
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: I can
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: ⁓ we heard it's awesome.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: ⁓ we heard it's awesome.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: figure out. ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: still both of them had our product this morning. And actually they ⁓ they both ate waffles yesterday too. Like
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: still both of them had our product this morning. And actually they ⁓ they both ate waffles yesterday too. Like
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Uh-huh.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: We would not survive mornings in my household without our waffles. And so whenever like the day feels tough or like something doesn't go our way, we don't get in a retailer we wanted to, if ever I thought like, ugh, I should just throw in the towel, I could never because I need it. I live my brand every day.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: We would not survive mornings in my household without our waffles. And so whenever like the day feels tough or like something doesn't go our way, we don't get in a retailer we wanted to, if ever I thought like, ⁓ I should just throw in the towel, I could never because I need it. I live my brand every day.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: You'd be back to making them for yourself.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: You'd be back to making them for yourself. Well, so to to to ⁓ confession here, I this morning I had ⁓ peanut butter banana bread waffles. ⁓ your peanut butter banana bread waffles for breakfast. ⁓ And I'm a like w I I extra peanut butter on top of them because I'm a super peanut butter fan. Anyway, super delicious and they're awesome. But I'm I'm ⁓ one of the things that might be helpful too is provide little bit of context with regards to like where you've come. So like ⁓ you you started this in your house, you
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Well, so t to t ⁓ confession here, I this morning I had ⁓ peanut butter, banana bread waffles. ⁓ your peanut butter banana bread waffles for breakfast. ⁓ And I'm a ⁓ like I put peanut butter on top of them 'cause I'm a super peanut butter fan. Anyway, super delicious and they're awesome. But I'm I'm ⁓ one of the things that might be helpful too is provide little bit of context with regards to like where you've come. So like ⁓ you you started this in your house, you
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: went to corner stores and then you've moved from like making all the stuff yourself and spilling your Costco eggs and having to go back to getting big enough to be able to raise some funding and then to go launch with some with a copacker ⁓ and and really start to grow. And you've gone from a handful of stores to I I don't want to steal your thunder. Why don't you tell us like where you've come and like this is not just like a corner store success story. This is a big deal at this point. and getting bigger every single day, which is really exciting. And it could only happen because of that passion.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: went to the corner stores and then you've moved from like making all the stuff yourself and spilling your Costco eggs and having to go back to getting big enough to be able to raise some funding and then to go launch with some with a copacker ⁓ and and really start to grow. And you've gone from a handful of stores to I I don't want to steal your thunder. Why don't you tell us like where you've come and like this is not just like a corner store success story. This is a big deal at this point. and getting bigger every single day, which is really exciting. And it could only happen because of that passion.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Thank you. Yeah, no, we are now fast forward six years from launch, we're in on nine thousand grocery store shelves across the country. so all whole food stores, all Sprouts Farmers Market stores, thousands of Kroger stores, all the way down to Tar Select Targets and Walmarts and a whole bunch of places in between. it is totally surreal, like even it does not get old saying that and thinking back to like my
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Thank you. Yeah, no, we are now fast forward six years from launch, we're in on nine thousand grocery store shelves across the country. so all whole food stores, all Sprouts Farmers Market stores, thousands of Kroger stores, all the way down to Tar Select Targets and Walmarts and a whole bunch of places in between. ⁓ it is totally surreal, like even it does not get old saying that and thinking back to like my
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: you know, my blender and my little mini waffle iron, ⁓ and my duffel bag with my household toaster. But we are now you know, we're the we're the number one frozen waffle brand in the two ⁓ largest national natural retailers. I'm not technically allowed to say, but you can probably fill in the blanks. ⁓ stores stores you know and love. ⁓ last year
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: you know, my blender and my little mini waffle iron, ⁓ and my duffel bag with my household toaster. But we are now you know, we're the we're the number one frozen waffle brand in the two ⁓ largest national natural retailers and not technically allowed to say, but you can probably fill in the blanks. ⁓ stores stores you know and love. ⁓ last year We were the sixteenth fastest growing food and beverage company in the United States and the three hundred and third fastest growing company period overall across all industries, according to Inc. magazine. So it is yes, it it is we've come we've come a long way from from my Costco egg breaking days ⁓ to today, but but I still in a lot of ways feel like we're just getting started and we have so much, so much further to go.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: We were the sixteenth fastest growing food and beverage company in the United States and the three hundred and third fastest growing company period overall across all industries, according to Inc. magazine. So it is yes, it is it is we've come we've come a long way from from my Costco egg breaking days ⁓ to today, but but I still in a lot of ways feel like we're just getting started and we have so much, so much further to go.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: So. Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: For sure. Well, I being where you are today is again super exciting and you do have lots of room to grow. So I'm I'm I'm curious which is also part of the cool story. So two ways you're growing. One is not just waffles. I see a pancake on your on your hoodie too. ⁓ why don't you tell us a bit about that? And then I'd love to jump into a little bit to talk about the seat, like the board, the raising the money, the some of the things that have come along the way, as you've sort of sort started to grow and gotten into the nine thousand locations you're in today.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: For sure. Well, I being where you are today is again super exciting and you do have lots of room to grow. So I'm I'm I'm curious which is also part of the cool story. So two ways you're growing. One is not just waffles. I see a pancake on your on your hoodie too. ⁓ why don't you tell us a bit about that? And then I'd love to jump into a little bit to talk about the seat, like the board, the raising the money, the some of the things that have come along the way as you've sort of sort starting to grow and gotten into the nine thousand locations you're in today.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Mm-hmm. Yeah, so we today we only sell waffles. So we've stayed super focused. and even even on nine thousand shelves and we have two different waffle lines. We have a mini waffle line, which was our kind of OG. That's what I started making for my daughter. ⁓ and then now we have a thick and fluffy waffle line, which are larger waffles, still have all the, you know, goodness that I described earlier, the hidden veggies, the hundred percent whole grains, etcetera, but they're bigger. ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah, so we ⁓ t today we only sell waffles. So we've stayed super focused. and even t even on nine thousand shelves and we have two different waffle lines. We have a mini waffle line, which was our kind of OG. That's what I started making for my daughter. ⁓ and then now we have a thick and fluffy waffle line, which are larger waffles, still have all the, you know, goodness that I described earlier, the hidden veggies, the hundred percent whole grains, etcetera, but they're bigger. ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Long story going back to consumer insights, long story short, my seven year old daughter, ⁓ who was a baby when I started making her the mini waffles, is now a big girl with a big
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Long story going back to consumer insights, long story short, my seven year old daughter, ⁓ who was a baby when I started making her the mini waffles, is now a big girl with a big
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: appetite and she wanted bigger waffles. So ⁓ so here we are, made her bigger
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: appetite and she wanted bigger waffles. So so here we are, made her bigger
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: grew up. ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: She's grown up.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: waffles. The difference between the early
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: waffles. The difference between the early
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: days and now is that when I told my team like I need to make bigger waffles for my bigger daughter, ⁓ they were like, Okay, no, can we like affirm that this is a good idea with s with some data? ⁓ so we did that, and what we learned was
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: days and now is that when I told my team like I need to make bigger waffles for my bigger daughter, ⁓ they were like, Okay, no, can we like affirm that this is a good idea with s with some data? ⁓ And so we did that, and what we learned was what we were seeing was like we we really kind of owned families with little kids, kids zero to six, like we overindexed relative to our competitors by 2.5 X. ⁓ and then that gap to our competitors started to fade as kids got older as we got into like families with kids seven to twelve. And so we were like, we're like maybe these little kids who love our mini waffles
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: what we were seeing was like we we really kind of owned families with little kids, kids zero to six, like we over-indexed relative to our competitors by 2.5x. ⁓ and then that gap to our competitors started to fade as kids got older as we got into like families with kids seven to twelve. And so we were like, we're like maybe these little kids who love our mini waffles
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: once they get older, are graduating from our mini waffles to a different waffle brand, another waffle brand that has bigger waffles. And I was like, I don't want them graduating to another brand. I want to grow with them and keep them within the Evergreen family. And so it did make sense at the end of the day to launch bigger waffles. ⁓ so we have those two lines now. We are launching pancakes this summer, which I am so excited about. Again, it all comes it really does all come back to my family.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: once they get older, are graduating from our mini waffles to a different waffle brand, another waffle brand that has bigger waffles. And I was like, I don't want them graduating to another brand. I want to grow with them and keep them within the Evergreen family. And so it did make sense at the end of the day to launch bigger waffles. ⁓ so we have those two lines now. We are launching pancakes this summer, which I am so excited about. Again, it all comes it really does all come back to my family.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: My daughter's
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: My daughter's
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: But minis or big ones,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: But ⁓ but minis or or or big ones or regular size?
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: regular size?
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ they are
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ they are four inch in diameter, so like kind of in the middle. ⁓ but they are thick and fluffy pancakes. They truly are like thick and fluffy and delicious and decadent. If I were served these at a at a diner or a restaurant, I would be thrilled. ⁓ my daughters love pancakes and they more and more were asking, kind of in between their waffle
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: four inch in diameter, so like kind of in the middle. ⁓ but they thick and fluffy pancakes. They truly are like thick and fluffy and delicious and decadent. If I were served these at a at a diner or a restaurant, I would be thrilled. ⁓ my daughters love pancakes and they more and more were asking, kind of in between their waffle
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm. So.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: breakfasts, if
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: breakfasts, if
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: me or my husband would make pancakes from a mix and even a mix, like on a weekday when I'm trying to get them to school before the bell.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: me or my husband would make pancakes from a mix and even a mix, on a weekday when I'm trying to get them to school before the bell.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: It's a lot. It's a lot. And it's messy. It's messy. Has anyone ever made pancakes?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: It's a lot, it's lot. And it's messy, it's messy. Has anyone ever made pancakes?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Forget about it. Like you're standing there, it's messy. It's a clean up. You stand there, you
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Forget about it. Like you're standing there, it's messy. It's like cleanup. You stand there, you stand there over the stove waiting for like the bubbles to form before you can flip it. And then I always flip it too fast because I was trying to shortcut and then it was even messier. So
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: stand there over the stove waiting for like the bubbles to form before you can flip it. And then I always flip it too fast because I was trying to shortcut and then it was even messier. So
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Yes... Yes...
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: green different.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: it's like
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: it's like
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: ⁓
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Sure, yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I was like, I need a pancake that can be ready in thirty seconds in the microwave. So ⁓ that was the idea. And then again, we looked at the data and it was like, ⁓ pancakes are one of the fastest growing frozen breakfast segments. You know, they're they're growing
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I was like, I need a pancake that can be ready in thirty seconds in the microwave. So ⁓ that was the idea. And then again, we looked at the data and it was like, ⁓ pancakes are one of the fastest growing frozen breakfast segments. You know, they're they're growing
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm. Hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: almost double digits year over year and there hasn't been a ton of innovation. So like actually it's a perfect next product for us. ⁓ and by the way, it's still super focused. Merchandise in a store, it'll be right next to our waffles, if not like right under or right above. So we can keep building out this brand billboard. So it worked perfectly. And then we're also this summer launching because we're gluttons for punishment, like why launch one product line when you can launch two. ⁓ We are launching protein, a protein waffle and a protein pancake.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: almost double digits year over year and there hasn't been a ton of innovation. So like actually it's a perfect next product for us. ⁓ and by the way, it's still super focused. Merchandise in a store, it'll be right next to our waffles, if not like right under or right above. So we can keep building out this brand billboard. So it worked perfectly. And then we're also this summer launching because we're gluttons for punishment, like why launch one product line when you can launch two. ⁓ we are launching protein, a protein waffle and a protein pancake.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Hehehehehe
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Which obviously, unless you're living under a rock, you know that protein is big these days.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Which obviously, unless you're living under a rock, you know that protein is big these days.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Amazing. Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: And ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: And ⁓
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Indeed it is.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Indeed it is.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: we've been asked for years to make a protein line ⁓ and really pushed it off because goes back to like, what do I want to be my kids? ⁓ And if it's not something I want to be feeding my kids, I'm not making it. And never felt authentic to me, to the brand, ⁓ to just dump a bunch of highly processed protein powder into our products to just kind of check the protein box.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: we've been asked for years to make a protein line ⁓ and really pushed it off because goes back to like, what do I want to be my kids? ⁓ And if it's not something I want to be feeding my kids, I'm not making it. And never felt authentic to me, to the brand, ⁓ to just dump a bunch of highly processed protein powder into our products to just kind of check the protein box. So we always said no, but then we realized like, wait a minute, maybe we could do the protein thing, but in the evergreen way, in a way that doesn't compromise on our values and our mission. And so our protein products, the added protein, is just from Greek yogurt and egg whites. So it's real food, real food protein, still real food ingredients, something I'd be thrilled if my kids ate to get a little extra protein in the morning, something I'm definitely gonna eat all the time. ⁓ so those are also launching this summer.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: So we always said no, but then we realized like, wait a minute, maybe we could do the protein thing, but in the evergreen way, in a way that doesn't compromise on our values and our mission. And so our protein products, the added protein, is just from Greek yogurt and egg whites. So it's real food, real food protein, still real food ingredients, something I'd be thrilled if my kids ate to get a little extra protein in the morning, something I'm definitely gonna eat all the time. ⁓ so those are also launching this summer.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm. Okay.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Which super exciting. Awesome. Super, super duper awesome.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Which super exciting. Awesome. Super, super duper awesome.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: I say, what's that?
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: It's saying, what it
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Happy birthday.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Happy birthday.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Jeremy, can ask can I ask a a question about the breakfast category? You know, so ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Jimmy, can I ask a question about?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: A hundred percent.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: A hundred percent.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: about the breakfast category. know, so ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: maybe, ⁓ you know, I I know you talked kind of the overall vision of the company at very top, but like can you talk a little bit about this category? I mean, one of the things as a consumer, ⁓ you know, especially when one's trying to lose weight, you're you know, people are both saying, eat really good breakfast. Sometimes they say fast, but when you actually look at the breakfast category for most consumers, there aren't a lot of healthy options unless you're just
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: maybe, ⁓ you know, I know you talked kind of the overall vision of the company at the very top, but like, can you talk a little bit about this category? I mean, one of the things as a consumer, you know, especially when one's trying to lose weight, know, people are both saying, eat a really good breakfast. Sometimes they say fast. But when you actually look at the breakfast category for most consumers, there are a lot of healthy options, unless you're just doing a protein shake and a banana, right? And so like,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Doing a protein shake and a banana. Right. And so, like you trying to bring quick, easy, tasty, nutritious options to what feels like a category everyone tells you you need to eat, but a lot the options are not great for you. I'm just curious, like how you think about like this category in general.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: you trying to bring quick, easy, tasty, nutritious options to what feels like a category everyone tells you you need to eat, but a lot of the options are not great for you. I'm just curious how you think about this category in general.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: B it.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yeah. One of my favorite statistics ⁓ that we've learned from syndicated data is that ⁓ six out of every ten households in the US already buy waffles, pancakes, or French toast, which is kind of wild to think about. Like that's such high household penetration. ⁓ and yet twenty percent of evergreen shoppers are brand new to the frozen waffle pancake French toast category.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah. One of my favorite statistics ⁓ that we've learned from syndicated data is that ⁓ six out of every ten households in the US already buy waffles, pancakes, or French toast, which is kind of wild to think about. Like that's such high household penetration. ⁓ and yet twenty percent of evergreen shoppers are brand new to the frozen waffle pancake French toast category.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: It is wild.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: It is wild.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: It is crazy.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: It's crazy.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: That's amazing. So what that means, right? So you're you're in a in a category that's already crowded and that is that's pretty well penetrated, you're actually introducing a whole new twenty percent to that mix. And I'm guessing that twenty percent are people that like your stores are interested in acquiring for a whole other reasons as well, right?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: That's amazing. So what that means, right? So you're you're in a in a category that's already crowded and that is that's pretty well penetrated, you're actually introducing a whole new twenty percent to that mix. And I'm guessing that twenty percent are people that like your stores are interested in acquiring for a whole other reasons as well, right?
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Exactly.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Exactly.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: you
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Right, so we right, so we are bringing a brand new consumer over who previously, you know, was probably like, I should eat breakfast, but like frozen breakfast isn't the
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Right, so we right, so we are bringing a brand new consumer over who previously, you know, was probably like, I should eat breakfast, but like frozen breakfast isn't the
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: That's me.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: That's me.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: healthy ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: healthy ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: I I fat I fast at breakfast because of this exact reason.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: I fast, fast at breakfast because of the exact reason. Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yeah. ⁓ like I can't find something that's convenient enough and frozen's convenient but doesn't check my nutritional boxes. Or maybe like me was like, I, you know, I want something quick and easy that my kid's gonna eat, but like this doesn't feel great to me, so I'm just gonna make it myself. ⁓ we're bringing that consumer over to the category now, which yes, to your point, from from a retail buyer's perspective, like, you know, one of our grocery store buyers is gold because they're like,
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah. ⁓ like I can't find something that's convenient enough and frozen's convenient but doesn't check my nutritional boxes. Or maybe like me was like, I, you know, I want something quick and easy that my kid's gonna eat, but like this doesn't feel great to me, so I'm just gonna make it myself. ⁓ we're bringing that consumer over to the category now, which yes, to your point from from a retail buyer's perspective, like, you know, one of our grocery store buyers is gold because they're like
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Hmm?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Yeah
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I can automatically grow my category by bringing an evergreen because I get a new consumer over that previously just walked right past.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I can automatically grow my category by bringing an evergreen because I get a new consumer over that previously just walked right past.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Yeah. Totally.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Totally.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Yeah.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: I literally avoid the aisle at the grocery store. Like I don't even go down this aisle until you are like, where's the, where is it? It's in the frozen section.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: I literally avoid the aisle at the grocery store. Like I don't even go down this aisle into U all I'm like where's the ever where is it? It's in the frozen section.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Well that
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Well that
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Right. Yeah.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Right. Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: It's cool. There's kind of there's a kind of a renaissance happening in the frozen aisle right now, which has been really exciting. And I have I have actually have a lot of ⁓ frozen friends ⁓ who are doing incredible things. ⁓ but it it's actually a great place if you can get past all the complications with supply chain and whatnot, which could be a whole other podcast. ⁓ But because the freezer is your preservative.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: It's cool. There's kind of there's a kind of a renaissance happening in the frozen aisle right now, which has been really exciting. And I have I have actually have a lot of ⁓ frozen friends ⁓ who are doing incredible things. ⁓ but it it's actually a great place if you can get past all the complications with supply chain and whatnot, which could be a whole other podcast. But ⁓ because the freezer is your preservative.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: I'm
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: you can make really clean label real ingredient products if you're willing to you know withstand the pain of being in the frozen category. ⁓ But yeah, there's some there's some really cool stuff happening in Frozen right now.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: you can make really clean label real ingredient products if you're willing to, you know, withstand the pain of being in the frozen category. ⁓ but yeah, there's some there's some really cool stuff happening in Frozen right now.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: So when you and I want to get to the bored
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: So when you, and I want to get to the board
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Which is so cool.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Which is so cool.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: bit of this Jeremy, but I'm curious, like just stepping the company up, when you go from, hey, ⁓ my daughter likes this, I like this product, you know, half quitting my job, then full quitting my job to kind of really make it happen. When was that moment in scale of a company where you're like, ⁓ like I have to hire people, I might have to take investments.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: bit of this, Jeremy, but I'm curious, like just stepping the company up, when you go from, hey, ⁓ my daughter likes this, I like this product, you know, half quitting my job, then full quitting my job to kind of really make it happen. When was that moment in scale of a company where you're like, ⁓ like I have to hire people, I might have to take investments, do I know what I'm doing? Like
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Do I know what I'm doing? Can you talk about that exact moment? then that could be a jumping off point for us to talk
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Can you talk about like that exact moment and then I and then I that could be a jumping off point for us to talk about a little bit more about like
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: about a little bit more about like,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Just gonna say it's a perfect,
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Just gonna say it's a perfect,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: perfect transition to the board piece. ⁓ yeah, I did this alone ⁓ as a one woman show the first three ⁓ years, which is in hindsight too long. ⁓ But ⁓ it was just So March of twenty twenty to March of twenty twenty three, it was like I I had ⁓ zero C P G experience. didn't even I literally didn't know what C P G stood for. I had to
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: perfect transition to the board piece. ⁓ yeah, I did this alone ⁓ as a one woman show the first three ⁓ years, which is in hindsight too long. ⁓ But ⁓ it was just So March of twenty twenty to March of twenty twenty three, it was like I had ⁓ zero C P G experience. didn't even I literally didn't know what C P G stood for. I had to
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: yeah, yeah, yeah. You
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Google what that was because I also wasn't like a business school student, you know. ⁓ I was just a lawyer mom who made waffles for my kids and tried was trying to navigate this like very complicated world that is not only grocery retail but distributors and frozen supply chain and and all that jazz. ⁓ at the end of three years, we were on about 650 shelves, I believe, at the time. We were in two regions of Whole Foods and then some kind of regional independent grocery stores.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Google what that was because I also wasn't like a business school student, you know. ⁓ I was just a lawyer mom who made waffles for my kids and try was trying to navigate this like very complicated world that is not only grocery retail but distributors and frozen supply chain and and all that jazz. ⁓ at the end of three years, we were on about 650 shelves, I believe, at the time. We were in two regions of Whole Foods and then some kind of regional independent grocery stores.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: And had seen just kind of like really organic growth year over year. And I wasn't doing a lot of marketing because I didn't I again I was a one-month show and I didn't really know what marketing was. ⁓ so it was just word of mouth. You know, moms were finding it and telling their mom friends like you gotta try this. And basically after three years, I kind of looked around and I was like, I think I've brought this as far as I can bring it myself, but I can tell that it has legs, like very confident that at this point that
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: And had seen just kind of like really organic growth year over year. And I wasn't doing a lot of marketing because I didn't I again I was a one-month show and I didn't really know what marketing was. ⁓ so it was just word of mouth. You know, moms were finding it and telling their mom friends like you gotta try this. And basically after three years, I kind of looked around and I was like, I think I've brought this as far as I can bring it myself, but I can tell that it has legs, like very confident that at this point that
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: You Mm-mm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: it is incremental to the category that it's resonating with the consumer. And so I think it's probably time to bring in some money and to hire some people who know a lot more about this than I do. And so that's what I did. I started kind of the first round with friends and family and some local angels and long jump ⁓ who has been a longtime supporter. I'm so grateful. and so brought in our kind of our first round
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: It is incremental to the category, that it's resonating with the consumer. And so I think it's probably time to bring in some money and to hire some people who know a lot more about this than I do. And so that's what I did. I started kind of the first round with friends and family and some local angels. and Long Jump, ⁓ who has been a longtime supporter. I'm so grateful. and so brought in our kind of our first round.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Hmm?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ that way and then made my first couple hires. So first two hires were sales and marketing. Importantly, the other detail that I have to mention is that around this time I really I figured out manufacturing. It had taken me basically three years to to figure out how do I make this product at scale. Like I said, I I started in a share commercial kitchen, then I found a small manufacturer outside of the city. I went to
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ that way and then made my first couple hires. So first two hires were sales and marketing. Importantly, the other detail that I have to mention is that around this time I really I figured out manufacturing. It had taken me basically three years to to figure out how do I make this product at scale. Like I said, I I started in a share commercial kitchen, then I found a small manufacturer outside of the city. I went to
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Again, that could be a whole other podcast. I showed up at that manufacturing facility with my blender on the first day. And the g the guy who ran the
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Again, that could be a whole other podcast. I showed up at that manufacturing facility with my blender on the first day. And the g the guy who ran the facility was like,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: facility was like,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yes. ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Sorry, ⁓ like why do you have your blender under your
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Sorry, w like, why do you have your blender under your
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: arm? And I was I'm gonna show you how to make my batter. And he was like, No, no,
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: arm? And I was I'm gonna show you how to make my batter and he like, ⁓ No, no,
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: I love this.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I'm gonna show you how to make your
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I'm gonna show you how to make your batter. ⁓ So I
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: batter. ⁓ So I
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Right, yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Right, yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yeah.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I like sheepishly went back to the car and put my blender away and came back inside.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I like sheepishly went back to the car and put my blender away and came back inside.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ but worked so worked worked there for a year. ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ but worked so worked worked there ⁓ For a year. Then I opened my own facility for a year, which gosh, I wish I had somebody around me at the time to be like, that is a terrible idea. What are you doing? Like I had this huge walk-in freezer built. I bought all this equipment to make our products. I hired a few folks. ⁓ and I was seven months pregnant when we when we opened it with my second daughter. So, ⁓ but by the end of that year, I
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Then I opened my own facility for a year, which gosh, I wish I had somebody around me at the time to be like, that is a terrible idea. What are you doing? Like I had this huge walk-in freezer built. I bought all this equipment to make our products. I hired a few folks. ⁓ and I was seven months pregnant when we when we opened it with my second daughter. So, ⁓ but by the end of that year, I finally we were large enough to partner with a large-scale manufacturer who had.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Finally we were large enough to partner with a large scale manufacturer who had, you know, all the quality assurance that I wanted and needed
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: you know, all the quality assurance that I wanted and needed,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yeah.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ and could make as many waffles as I could dream They're actually still our manufacturer today. They've been an incredible partner for the last four years. And so as soon as I had like the volume and the capacity, ⁓ and again, I felt like I'd taken it as far I could go, I was like, okay, now I need a salesperson to sell all these waffles, but then I also need a marketing person
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ and could make as many waffles as I could dream of. They're actually still our manufacturer today. They've been an incredible partner for the four years. And so as soon as I had like the volume and the capacity, ⁓ and again, I felt like I'd taken it as far as I could go, I was like, okay, now I need a salesperson to all these waffles, but then I also need a marketing person.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Because if we get on all these shelves, I need to know how to support those retailer partners and make sure that we have the velocities we need and we're turning product selling through all that product. So I made those first two hires in March of twenty twenty three.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Because if we get on all these shelves, I need to know how to support those retailer partners and make sure that we have the velocities we need and we're turning product selling through all that product. So I made those first two hires in March of twenty twenty three.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: I mean, obviously, we're so grateful to work with you at Long Chop.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: And when it's I mean, I obviously ⁓ and we're so grateful to work with you at Long Jump and I obviously you know Rebecca's story at Long Jump, you know, has a lot of similarities to yours. But were there were there people early on when you were making that what I think is somewhat of a quantum lead, right? Going from a solopreneur, literally from batter to finance to legal, you're doing everything and then hiring your first couple of hires. Was there someone who you reached out to who was like, Hey, maybe hire a sales and marketing person? Was it just gut and research or you know
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Obviously, know, Rebecca's story and Long Jump, you know, has a lot of similarities to yours, but were there people early on when you were making that, what I think is somewhat of a quatsom, right? Going from a solopreneur, literally from batter to finance to legal, you're doing everything, and then hiring your first couple hires. Was there someone who you reached out to who was like, hey, maybe hire a sales and marketing person? Was it just gut and research or, you know, taking
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yeah, technically.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: into that a little bit?
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: this industry well first Rebecca is incredible
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: this industry, well, first Rebecca is incredible
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: she has been like such a a sounding board, a shoulder to cry on over the years. ⁓ she she texts me all the time and is like just checking in, how you doing? Like and she's done it for
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: she has been like such a a sounding board, a shoulder to cry on over the years. ⁓ she she texts me all the time and is like just checking in, how you doing? Like and she's done it for
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Incredible.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Incredible.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yes, for all of us.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Yes, for all of us.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ so yes, I've leaned on Rebecca constantly o ⁓ over the last several years. ⁓ I've also this industry ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ so yes, I've leaned on Rebecca constantly ⁓ over the last several years. ⁓ I've also this industry ⁓ One of my favorite things about the work that I get to do is being part a part of this better for you food and bed industry. It is amazing. Like I think really at the end of the day, when if you step back, we're all in this with the same goal, which is to bring better food to people. And so you don't get like it's not like a zero sum game. You don't feel the competitiveness. Like I ha I literally have a text chain with some other frozen founders called
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: One of my favorite things about the work that I get to do is being part a part of this better for you food and bed industry. It is amazing. Like I think really at the end of the day, when if you step back, we're all in this with the same goal, which is to bring better food to people. And so you don't get like it's not like a zero sum game. You don't feel the competitiveness. Like I ha I literally have a text chain with some other frozen founders.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Thank Mmm. Mm-hmm. I love that.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Called Frozen Friends, and it's just like a constant back and forth asking questions like who, like what service provider do you like for this? It's so supportive. ⁓ and people, so people just want to help each other. And so early on, I was connected with just like word of mouth, you start to meet other founders within the industry. And a lot of my early hires were like I was talking to founders who were several years ahead of me, and they're like, hey, you should consider this person for this role. Or I heard
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: frozen friends and it's just like a constant back and forth asking questions like who like what service provider do you like for this? It's so supportive. ⁓ and people so people just want to help each other. And so early on I was connected with just like word of mouth, you start to meet other founders within the industry. And a lot of my early hires were like I was talking to founders who were several years ahead of me and they're like, hey, you should consider this person for this role. Or I heard
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: ⁓ Right Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: this person is now free and so and wants to do some consulting. Like why don't you work with them and see if they're maybe a good fit for the long term. And so it's been a lot of a lot of word of mouth. But yeah, I I rely on folks within the industry constantly for advice.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: this person is now free and st and wants to do some consulting. Like why don't you work with them and see if they're maybe a good fit for the long term. And so it's been a lot of a lot of word of mouth. But yeah, I I rely on folks within the industry constantly for advice.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Uh-huh. Hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: That's awesome. So ⁓ along the way too, you've gone from sort of friends and family and early pre seed angel and and pre seed ⁓ institutional investors to like Series A, like some of the most important, some of the best CPG food and beverage investors in the world are under cap table now. Like what was I'm curious about like the journey to that, right? And then what what has changed the most in terms of board governance, board relationship, like surprises to you as the CEO as you've sort of like gone from
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: That's awesome. So ⁓ along the way too, you've gone from sort of friends and family and early pre seed angel and and pre seed ⁓ institutional investors to like Series A, like some of the most important, some of the best CPG food and beverage investors in the world are on your cap table now. Like what was I'm curious about like the journey to that, right? And then what what has changed the most in terms of board governance, board relationship, like surprises to you as the CEO as you've sort of like gone from
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Okay, we're a fast growing startup. Okay, we're the fastest growing brand in this category and yes. Okay, we're about to launch much more products. Okay, all of our ⁓ all of our stores want us in more locations faster and more product and ⁓ my god, like how I'm curious to know how that relationship with those level of investors has sort of helped to inform your planning and and ⁓ what what what advice you've got for folks that are finding themselves in that same situation, and maybe in different categories.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Okay, we're a fast growing startup. Okay, we're the fastest growing brand in this category and the US. Okay, we're about to launch much more products. Okay, all of our ⁓ all of our stores want us in more locations faster and more product and ⁓ my god. Like how I'm curious to know how that relationship with those level of investors has sort of helped to inform your planning and and ⁓ what what what advice you've got for folks that are finding themselves in that same situation and maybe in different categories.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yeah, I I have always said like I actually really like fundraising and people are like, What? You're crazy. ⁓ but I like it because I view it similarly with building your team, like I view it as an opportunity to surround myself with again, people who know a lot more about this than I do. And that's always my goal. Like surround surround myself with people who have more experience, who see more, who I can learn from. I'm a lifelong athlete.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah, I I have always said like I actually really like fundraising and people are like, What? You're crazy. ⁓ but I like it because I view it similarly with building your team, like I view it as an opportunity to surround myself with again, people who know a lot more about this than I do. And ⁓ that's always my goal. Like surround surround myself with people who have more experience, who've seen more, who I can learn from. I'm a
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: You
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: lifelong athlete. I love being coached. And so that's kind of the lens that I approach fundraising with. And so when I thought about this round, for example, and like who I wanted to bring around the table, I try to think about like kind of what are what are what's the expertise of the folks who are already on the cap table and like where do we have holes and where can I like plug those holes? So, you know, we had from our series C we we had
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I love being coached. And so that's kind of the lens that I approach fundraising with. And so when I thought about this round, for example, and like who I wanted to bring around the table, I try to think about like kind of what are what are what's the expertise of the folks who are already on the cap table and like where do we have holes and where can I like plug those holes? So, you know, we had from our Series C, we we had an incredible
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: You
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: an incredible ⁓ venture capital fund who ⁓ let our series seed and they are invested in like the who's who of better free brands so they just their ex their experience is amazing they have seen so much there's nobody in this industry they don't know they could make any introduction incredible value add there. Then we we brought on ⁓ an another fund for a bridge round and then they ended up ⁓ co-leading our series A who
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ venture capital fund who ⁓ let our series seed and they are invested in like the who's who of better free brand. So they just their ex their experience is amazing. They have seen so much. There's nobody in this industry they don't know. They could make any introduction. Incredible value add there. Then we we brought on ⁓ an another fund for a bridge round and then they ended up ⁓ co leading our Series A who ⁓ have incredible experience in sales.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Have incredible experience in sales. Like the founder of the fund is one of the co-founders of our national broker. They know I bounce questions off him all the time about sales. So like we kind of checked the sales box. And then I was like, you know, it might be helpful to have some operational expertise around the cap table. And so we brought on a fund who is the kind of the investing arm of a big family-owned frozen bakery business. And so like they know a lot about.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: like the founder of the fund is one of the co-founders of our national broker. They know I I bounce questions off him all the time about sales. So like we kind of checked the sales box. And then I was like, you know, it might be helpful to have some operational expertise around the cap table. And so we brought on a fund who is the kind of the investing arm of ⁓ a big family owned frozen bakery business. And so like they know a lot about How to make frozen baked goods. And that has been incredibly valuable. And so I really do like I view my investors as an extension of my team. ⁓ I one of my investors once I I was ⁓ had a had a challenge and I picked up the phone and I called him and I was like, you know, your first person I call and just like want to bounce some things off you. And he was like, Can I just say how refreshing it is that like I'm the first person you called? So many founders do.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: How to make frozen baked goods. And that has been incredibly valuable. And so I really do like I view my investors as an extension of my team. ⁓ I one of my investors once I I was ⁓ had a had a challenge and I picked up the phone and I called him and I was like, you know, your first person I call, they just like want to bounce some things off you. And he was like, Can I just say how refreshing it is that like I'm the first person you called? So many founders do.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Amazing. Mm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: never call us and and then and then it's like what's the point of having you around the table? Like the point of having you around the table is that I have the privilege of getting to pick up the phone and call you and you've seen all these all these things scenarios play out before. So of course you're gonna be my first phone call. ⁓ and he was like, I just wish more founders thought like that. And so so yeah, I you know I I with every round I've gotten to tack
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: never call us and and then and then it's like what's the point of having you around the table? Like the point of having you around the table is that I have the privilege of getting to pick up the phone and call you and you've seen all these all these things scenarios play out before. So of course you're gonna be my first phone call. and he was like I just wish more founders thought like that. And so so yeah, I you know I I with every round I've gotten to tackle
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mmm. you ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: tack folks on who bring new perspectives and have new experiences and have different expertise that make me a better leader and make our company stronger too.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: tack folks on who bring new perspectives and have new experiences and have different expertise that make me a better leader and make our company stronger too.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Love
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Love
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: And and and Jeremy, that's a that's a pro move. I mean, even though she's you know, she's this her first time around the the horn, I mean, cap table construction where there's like people who have different expertise in different parts of your market, your value chain, where you're learning and or you feel less comfortable, that's like a pro like a pro move to do.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: And Jeremy, that's that's a pro move. mean, even though she's, you know, she's the first time around the horn, mean, cap table construction where there's like people who have different expertise and different parts of your market, your value chain, where you're learning and, you feel less comfortable. That's like a pro, like a pro move to do.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Totally. Yeah, it's it's rare that ⁓ that first time founders figure that out so early in the journey and you're I mean you're you're fortunate that you figured it out and that you're also smart enough and humble enough to be open to the coaching and to saying, Hey, look, I I I wanna win and so I'm gonna do what I have to do to win, which is get the right people. And it's not just the people that work with you every day in the trenches, it's the people that work with you from the cap table perspective too. And like I think a lot of times, and you know, Gary, d you you see this too, like
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Totally. Yeah, it's it's rare that ⁓ that first time founders figure that out so early in the journey and you're I mean you're you're fortunate that you figured it out and that you're also smart enough and humble enough to be open to the coaching and to saying, Hey, look, I I I wanna win and so I'm gonna do what I have to do to win, which is get the right people and it's not just the people that work with you every day in the trenches, it's the people that work with you from the cap table perspective too. And like I think a lot of times, and you know, Gary d you you see this too, like
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: you
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: you know, working with founders and ⁓ companies I'm invested in and and like you don't see the humility as much as you'd like to see it as an investor sometimes from the founders. Part of that I think sometimes is because like as a founder, I mean we all know this we're all founders, like you also feel like, ⁓ I should know the answer. I should just know this because it's my baby. I've been work I work on it every day. I think about it when I go to bed, when I wake up, I dream about it I all day long. So I should just know. I shouldn't have to
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: you know, working with founders and ⁓ companies I'm invested in and and like you don't see the humility as much as you'd like to see it as an investor sometimes from the founders. Part of that I think sometimes is because like as a founder, I mean we all know this we're all founders, like you also feel like, ⁓ I should know the answer. I should just know this because it's my baby. I've been work I work on it every day. I think about it when I go to bed, when I wake up, I dream about it I all day long. So I should just know. I shouldn't have to
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Thank you
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: But like that is of course silly. No one knows everything and no one's experienced everything. And so it takes a it takes a ⁓ it takes a a self confident ⁓ person to be able to be humble enough to say, I need your help. Like work with me here. ⁓ and then it takes a great salesperson to be able to sell to the right investors because it's also hard to get them to be like, ⁓ yeah, you got you got you've got what I'm looking for, right? And they 'cause they know what they're doing and they're looking for someone with that humility. And so it's really cool.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: But like that is of course silly. No one knows everything and no one's experienced everything. And so it takes a it takes a ⁓ it takes a a self confident ⁓ person to be able to be humble enough to say, I need your help. Like work with me here. ⁓ and then it takes a great salesperson to be able to sell to the right investors because it's also hard to get them to be like, ⁓ yeah, you got you got you've got what I'm looking for, right? And they 'cause they know what they're doing and they're looking for someone with that humility. And so it's really cool.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: It's it's great. Super fun to watch. Super fun to watch the story.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: It's it's great. Super fun to watch. Super fun to watch the story.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Should we ask you a couple of boardroom blitz questions? ⁓
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Should we ask you a couple of stupid boardroom blitz questions? ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Because they're they're fun and dumb. ⁓ s Gary has a question first, maybe? ⁓
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Because they're they're fun and done. ⁓ Gary Gary has a question first, maybe? ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: I have a before, before, before, before stupid, love stupid and funny, but, ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: I I have a before before be before before stupid, I love stupid and funny, but
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ yes.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ yes.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: and you said, just wrote down. You said a word, and that's really important for me. And I always tell folks, I get a chance to venture around using the word coaching. So when I, I deleted the word advice.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: and you said I just wrote it down. You said a word Emily that's really important me and I always tell folks I get a chance to mentor around using the word coaching. So when I I I've deleted the word advice from my lexicon when I'm asking someone who's singer to me, I say, What's your best coaching or can you coach me on this? So I'm curious, what's some coaching that you've gotten in your business?
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: from my lexicon when I'm asking someone who's senior to me, say, what's your best coaching or can you coach me on this? So I'm curious, what's some coaching that you've gotten in your business that has been like, whoa, like that, that either it was not great to hear, but right, or it was good to hear and right. Like what was something that a piece of coaching that you got that really kind of was a game changer in fudging for you?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Mm.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: That has been like whoa, like that that either it was not great to hear but right, or it was good to hear and right. Like what was something that ⁓ a piece of coaching that you got that really kind of was a game changer and inflection for you?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Hmm. ⁓ well back to Rebecca. ⁓ re one of the things that Rebecca text has texted me about incessantly over the last call a year and a half. She's like, Are you ready to talk to an executive coach yet? Speaking of literal coaching, are you ready to talk to an executive coach yet? Are ready to talk like over and over again? And I was like, nah, like I think I'm good. And then ⁓ finally when we got to the stage where I
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Hmm. ⁓ well back to Rebecca. ⁓ re one of the things that Rebecca text has texted me about incessantly over the last call a year and a half. She's like, Are you ready to talk to an executive coach yet? Speaking of literal coaching, are you ready to talk to an executive coach yet? Are you ready to talk? Like over and over again. And I was like, nah, like I think I'm good. And then ⁓ finally when we got to the stage where I
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: No longer everybody on my team like our team was big enough where not everybody was a direct report to me. I talked to her back and I was like, okay, I think I'm ready because I've never like this is new. This is very new for me to like how do I and we're a remote company too. So like how do I how do I keep make everybody feel like they've access to me? How do I make sure that the culture I wanna build pervades?
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: No longer everybody on my team w like our team was big enough where not everybody was a direct report to me. I tattoo back and I was like, okay, I think I'm ready because I've never like this is new. This is very new for me to like how do I and we're a remote company too. So like how do I how do I keep make everybody feel like they've access to me? How do I make sure that the culture I wanna build pervades
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Okay.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: across when I'm not talking to everybody every day anymore. and so she was like, perfect, I got the person for you. And so she introduced me, my executive coach who I've been working with for for a bit now. ⁓ but but yeah, I mean I think I think one of the pieces of it of of one of the learnings that I'd taken from kind of the first days of working with an executive coach is like you can have the best intentions, right? And be a kind and humble
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: across when I'm not talking to everybody every day anymore. and so she was like, perfect, I got the person for you. And so she introduced me, my executive coach who I've been working with for for a bit now. ⁓ but but yeah I mean I think I think one of the pieces of it of of one of the learnings that I'd taken from kind of the first days of working with an executive coach is like you can have the best intentions, right? And be a kind and humble
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm. That's right.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Okay.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: humble leader, but like that doesn't necessarily make you an effective leader all the time. ⁓ and so working with her on how do you like how do you give negative feedback in a way that that that's the heart and I'm still working on it. But like
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: humble leader, but like that doesn't necessarily make you an effective leader all the time. ⁓ and so working with her on how do you like how do you give negative feedback in a way that that that's the heart and I'm still working on it. But like
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: because nothing because I
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: because nothing because I
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: We all are, I think.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: We all are, I think. ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: like nothing
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: like nothing
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Okay.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Okay.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: makes me want to vomit more than giving somebody negative feedback.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: makes me want to vomit more than giving somebody negative feedback.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: You ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: But like how do you get
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: But like how do you get
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: But that's
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: negative feedback in a way like people deserve to get negative feedback that
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: negative feedback in a way like people deserve to get negative feedback. That
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: that can be a really helpful, valuable thing, not only for the company, but for them. And and so like how do you frame it in a way that can be viewed as as sometimes a positive, sometimes not, but effective either way. And so still working through that.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: that can be a really helpful, valuable thing, not only for the company, but for them. And and so like how do you frame it in a way that can be viewed as as sometimes a positive, sometimes not, but effective either way. And so still working through that. But
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Love it. Yeah, you sometimes you you you can run the risk of being too kind and too humble, right?
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Love it. Yeah, you sometimes you you you can run the risk of being too kind and too humble, right?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yeah.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Like it you've got to figure that.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Like it you've got to figure that out.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: It's not all all the time.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: It's not awful all the time.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Exactly. And so but that's the thing you learn with time. It just comes with the experience of doing it and making mistakes and tripping and falling over yourself. Yeah. Which we all do every day in certain ways, which is exciting. All right. I'm gonna make you trip and fall over a border and blitz
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Exactly. And so but that's the thing you learn with time. It just comes with the experience of doing it and making mistakes and tripping and falling over yourself. Yeah. ⁓ Which we all do every day in certain ways, which is exciting. All right. I'm gonna make you trip and fall over a border and blitz
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yeah. Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: question. Okay. All right. So
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: question. Okay. All right. So
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Well, perfect. Can't wait.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ perfect. Can't wait.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: ⁓ border and blitz is it's fun. We have so you know, random, there's like 10 random
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: ⁓ border blitz is it's fun. We have so you know, random there's like 10 random questions that are they're sort of silly but also they're serious ⁓ like everything else we try to be a little bit of both ⁓ and so I have a fun ⁓ vibe coded thing product that I built that did that I can push a button on here and it like randomly picks one of those questions. You've
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: questions that are they're sort of silly but also they're serious ⁓ like everything else we try to be a little bit of both ⁓ and so I have a fun ⁓ vibe coded thing product that I built that did that I can push a button on here and it like randomly picks one of those questions. You've
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: seen the questions
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: seen the questions
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Feels very Jeremy.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Is Mary Jeremy?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: but you never ⁓ such a dork, but you don't know what you're going to get so until you get it. So I just push the button. It's very exciting. And it says okay what's the dumbest thing you believed about the C-suite before you got there?
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: but you never ⁓ such a dork but you don't know what you're going to get so until you get it. So I just push the button. It's very exciting and it says okay so what's the dumbest thing you believed about the C-suite before you got there?
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Hehehehehe ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Ooh, dumbest thing I believed about the sea sweet bag.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Ooh, dumbest thing I believed about the sea sweet. ⁓ hmm.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I think that so I actually technically got to the C suite prior to this role. and it was when I was the general counsel.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: I think that so I actually technically got to the C suite prior to this role. and it was when I was the general counsel.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: And I think
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: And I think
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: one of the dumbest ⁓ was that ⁓ I thought that ⁓ the rest of the team would like ⁓ want my my business thoughts,
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: one of the dumbest ⁓ was that ⁓ I thought that ⁓ the rest of the team would like ⁓ want my my business thoughts,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: you know? Turns out people don't want lawyers. ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: you know? Turns out people don't want ⁓ lawyers' business thoughts.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Yeah.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: They're gonna run away from lawyers' business thoughts. ⁓ it's actually one of
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: They're gonna run away from lawyers' business thoughts. ⁓ it's actually one of
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: reasons that I
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: reasons that I
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: so sure that I wanted to leave the law because I was like, wait a minute, like nobody's gonna ever gonna listen ⁓ to
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: so sure that I wanted to leave the law because I was like, wait a minute, like nobody's gonna ever gonna listen ⁓ to
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: you Hehehehehe
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ideas on the business side.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ideas on the business side.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: And ⁓ and that
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: And ⁓ and that
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: me sad.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: me sad.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: And
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: And
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: you know, I think
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: you know, I think
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: l I love getting to make decisions and think strategically and have those discussions.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: l I love getting to make decisions and think strategically and have those discussions. with the rest of my team and I do solicit all that ⁓ information. ⁓ and by the way, I mu like my lawyers today, I view again as extensions of my team, as partners. But they do have to be business minded lawyers ⁓ for me to take their business in.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: with the rest of my team, then I do solicit all that ⁓ information. ⁓ and by the way, I mu like my lawyers today, I view again as extensions of my team, as partners, but they do have to be business minded lawyers for me to take their business.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Hehehehehe You
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: I love it. That's awesome. Okay. Another question. ⁓ no one wants to hear. They yeah. Lawyers just get a bad rap all the time. Yeah. We don't want to hear about risk mitigation strategies right now. Thank you very much. Yeah. Okay. All right. ⁓ if your leadership style had a theme song, what would it be?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: I love it. That's awesome. Okay. Another question. ⁓ no one wants to hear they yeah. Lawyers just get a bad rap all the time. Yeah. We don't want to hear about risk mitigation strategies right now. Thank you very much. Yeah. Okay. All right. ⁓ if your leadership style had a theme song, what would it be?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yeah. It was so disappointing. I was like, ⁓ nobody wants to wear like this.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah. It was so disappointing. I was like, ⁓ nobody wants to hear the word like this.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yeah.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Peter.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: They do.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yeah.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Well, we just talked about it. I think maybe humble and kind by Tim McGraw. But maybe I need to like asterisk it and add in some other things as I continue to grow as a leader. Because as we said, humble and kind's not gonna not gonna do it.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Ooh. Well, we just talked about it. I think maybe humble and kind by Tim McGraw. But maybe I need to like asterisk it and add in some other things as I continue to grow as a leader. Because as we said, humble and kind is not gonna not gonna do it.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: ⁓ there you go.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: ⁓ here you go.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: ⁓ wow.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: ⁓ wow.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Okay.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Okay.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: But in all seriousness, we ⁓ we just ⁓ one the things that we did ⁓ once we kind of, like I said, had that additional layer of of ⁓ folks on our team and it wasn't just like me and my direct reports anymore.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: no, in all seriousness, we ⁓ we just ⁓ of the things that we did ⁓ once we kind of like I said had that additional layer of of ⁓ folks on our team and it wasn't just like me and my drug reports anymore.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: was put pen to paper on our ⁓ values as a company. And so our values are we are kind, we are humble. ⁓ and I really do bel like I believe so deeply that those are they're so important. ⁓ you know I take nothing for granted. I know a lot of this is luck. I know a lot of it is because we've had incredible partners along the way and it really takes a village. So humble and kind are really important to me. But beyond that
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: was put pen to paper on our ⁓ values as a company. And so our values are we are kind, we are humble. ⁓ and I really do bel like I believe so deeply that those are they're so important. ⁓ you know, I take nothing for granted. I know a lot of this is luck. I know a lot of it is because we've had incredible partners along the way and it really takes a village. So humble and kind are really important to me. But beyond that,
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Yeah, it's a year.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: we are creative. ⁓ we are agile and we are honest are the other three. ⁓ all very important. And if you know if people walk away from working at Evergreen and say, We are, you know, if somebody says what was it like to work there and they say those five things, I I'll be really proud.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: We are creative, ⁓ we are agile and we are honest are the other three. ⁓ all very important. And if you know, if people walk away from working at Evergreen and say, We are, you know, if somebody says what was it like to work there and they say those five things, I I'll be really proud.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: So we'll take the ⁓ Tim McGraw song and we'll add the other three values to it and we'll we'll we'll pay him a royalty and then we'll put we'll send you a copy of the song. How's that sound?
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: So we'll take the ⁓ Tim McGraw song and we'll add the other three values to it and we'll we'll we'll pay him a royalty and then we'll put we'll send you a copy of the song. How's that sound?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yeah.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Right.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Right.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: re he re record it. ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Perfect. Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Perfect.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: record ⁓ commercial for the pancakes rollout. I'm just going to speak that into the air. We'll put that in the air. Exactly. ⁓ long as we have the sweatshirts. As long as we have the sweatshirts. ⁓
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Yeah, we'll sing it for you. Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Yeah, we'll sing it for you. Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Well, that sounds very easy to execute. Yeah, perfect.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Well, that sounds very easy to ask you. Yeah, perfect.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Gary will play the violin, I will play the guitar and we'll sing it to you. Okay. It'll be great. All right, I have another question for you.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Gary will play the violin, I will play the guitar and we'll sing it to you. Okay. It'll be great. All right, I have another question for you.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: That's even better. Please.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: That's even better, please.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Right.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Okay, let's see here. Here's another one. ⁓ it's spinning, it's spinning, it says, okay.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Okay, let's see here. Here's another one. it's spinning, it's spinning, it says, okay.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: You
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: so here's the what is the one decision that you made that looked insane ⁓ to everyone else but actually worked?
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: so here's the what is the one that you made that looked insane ⁓ to everyone else but actually worked?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm. One ⁓ B
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mmm. Mmm.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ like quitting the law and starting from
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ like quitting the law and starting from
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: ⁓ yeah. Aside from that one, yeah. So along the grow stage, so as you've gotten to the point where you got team, you got stuff, right? So it might be like when you did the re like a big brand refresh, which happened a couple of years ago, which was a catalyst,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: ⁓ yeah. Aside from that one, yeah. So along the grow stage, so as you've gotten to the point where you got team, you got stuff, right? So it might be like when you did the re like a big brand refresh, which happened a couple of years ago, which was a catalyst,
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: 1B.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: That actually was
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: That actually was ⁓ that as were
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ that as were
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: right? Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: right? Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: talking, I was the rebrand. ⁓ yeah, we did a massive rebrand ⁓ in the beginning of twenty twenty four. was one of the so that marketing person I mentioned, my first marketing hire, came to me shortly after she started working for us and was like, What is your goal for Evergreen? And I said, I want to be the next big frozen breakfast brand. She said, Awesome. I think you're a a leader who can get there. I think the product
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: talking, I was the rebrand. ⁓ yeah, we did a massive rebrand ⁓ in the beginning of twenty twenty four. was one of the so that marketing person I mentioned, my first marketing hire, came to me shortly after she started working for us and was like, What is your goal for Evergreen? And I said, I want to be the next big frozen breakfast brand. She said, Awesome. ⁓ I think you're a a leader who get there. I think the product
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: is nearly there, but like let me tell you, like that the brand is not even close. Like that brand is not the next big frozen breakfast brand. And I was kind of like, well, like I love the brand. What are you talking about? And like we're like a fast growing company. And she said, let's use ⁓ Expo S, which we start open talking about. Let's use Expo S, the big annual trade show ⁓ where there are 80,000 attendees to do like real scrabby data classes
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: is nearly there, but like let me tell you, like that the brand is not even close. Like that brand is not the next big frozen breakfast brand. And I was kind of like, well, like I love the brand. What are you talking about? And like we're like a fast growing company. And she said, let's use Expo S, which we start open talking about. Let's use Expo S, the big annual trade show ⁓ where there are 80,000 attendees to do like real scrabby data classes
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Yeah. Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: And just ask everybody we talked to about their experience with the product and with the packaging. And what we heard over and over and over and over again was these waffles are so delicious. They're so much better than we thought they'd be. And we're kind of like, love that you love them, but also not ideal that you thought they'd be bad. Like what made you think they would be bad? And we heard again, everybody said it's like the the white packaging. I have it somewhere. ⁓ beautiful.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: And just ask everybody we talked to about their experience with the product and with the packaging. And what we heard over and over and over and over again was these waffles are so delicious, they're so much better than we thought they'd be. And we're kind of like, love that you love them, but also not ideal that you thought they'd be bad. Like what made you think they would be bad? And we heard again, everybody said it's like, ⁓ the the white packaging, I have it somewhere. ⁓ beautiful.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Yeah.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: glad you do. I'm glad you're talking about this because I was gonna go into this with you. I I loved when you guys made the switch in branding. And I'll tell you why I thought so when you after you tell us why the the whole sport it was brilliant.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: I'm glad you do. I'm glad you're talking about this because I was gonna go into this with you. I I loved when you guys made the switch in branding. And I'll tell you why I thought so when you after you tell us why the the whole story but it was brilliant.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yeah.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yep.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yep. ⁓ okay, here is
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yep. ⁓ okay,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: the old packaging. ⁓ Here is the new Same skew. Very obviously very different. ⁓ So people are like at this packaging and they're like, ⁓ like the white background to me just shouts like healthy. And the green the green lettering and the sharp corners on the font just scream like it's like cold and snow.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: here is the old packaging. ⁓ Here is new packaging. Same skew. Very obviously very different. ⁓ So people like looking at this packaging and they're like, ⁓ like the white background to me just shouts like healthy. And the green ⁓ the green and the sharp corners on the font just scream like it's like cold and s
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: you
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: sterile, you know, and like and then like there's even like little drawings of of like full vegetables on there, which just doesn't like give you the like warmth and like happiness and joy and nostalgia that like it's it's waffles at the end of the day. Like waffles are should be fun and there's zero fun on that packaging. And so I looked at my
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: sterile, you know, and like and then like there's even like little drawings of of like full vegetables on there, which just doesn't like give you the like warmth and like happiness and joy and nostalgia that like it's it's waffles at the end of the day. Like waffles are should be fun and there's zero fun on that packaging. And so I looked at my
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: you
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: VP of marketing after that. And I was like, okay, you were right. Like we should definitely rebrand. And my my VP of sales was like,
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: VP of marketing after that. And I was like, okay, you were right. Like we should definitely rebrand. And my my VP of sales was like, ⁓ No, like
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ No, like absolutely not.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: absolutely not.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yeah.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Yeah
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Yeah.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Yeah.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Like I just got us on so many shelves.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Like I just got us on so many shelves. ⁓ You're telling me that
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ You're telling me that
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: after all the success we've seen, like you wanna like ⁓ throw that out the door and just hope that this brand does better? Like you've be crazy. ⁓ But we push forward. The week the new branding hit
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: after all the success we've seen, like you wanna like ⁓ throw that out the door and just hope that this brand does better? Like you've be crazy. But we push forward. The week the new branding hit shelves.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: And it was a flow through, meaning like we didn't pull all the old product off shelves, like it just started to show up. So the week it just started to show up on shelves, our velocities, which is the most important KPI in my world, the number of units per store per scoop or week you sell, jumped 62%. Nothing else changed. Like position on shelf didn't change. It was just the packaging. 62%.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: And it was a flow through, meaning like we didn't pull all the old product off shelves, like it just started to show up. So the week it just started to show up on shelves, our velocities, which is the most important KPI in my world, the number of units per store per scoop or week you sell, jumped 62%. Nothing else changed. Like position on shelf didn't change, it was just the packaging. 62%.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: So I'd say it was the right decision. It was scary. It was scary for a minute, but it but it definitely paid off. And
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: So I'd say it was the right decision. It was scary. ⁓ It was scary for a minute, but it but it definitely paid off. And
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: For sure.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: For sure.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Wow.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: And back to the investment question, like it we launched the new brand in January. We had our first institutional investment from the incredible fund I was talking about, ⁓ who invests in kind of the who's who of better free brands. I think we closed in June of that year. So it was I never talked to them before. They came by at Expo and it was real fast and it was done.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: And back to the investment question, like it we launched the new brand in January. We had our first institutional investment from the incredible fund I was talking about, ⁓ who invests in kind of the who's who of better free brands. I think we closed in June of that year. So it was I never talked to them before. They came by at Expo and it was real fast and it was done.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Well
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Well, so I'm I'm stoked that was the last border blitz question because so when I first became aware of the brand was right before the transition. And the first time I saw your product on the shelf, I said, Okay. And this is this is this is not meant to sound negative at all, right? But I was like, Okay. ⁓
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Well, so I'm I'm stoked that was the last border and blitz question because so when I first became aware of the brand was right before the transition. And the first time I saw your product on the shelf, I said, Okay and this is this is this is not meant to sound negative at all, right? But I was like, Okay. ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Mm.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Hm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: And and a bit of a preamble here. So I I I teach a class at University of Chicago at Booth, right? And one of the things I just harp on every single day in my class is the importance of brand and image marketing. And it all comes down to like what you're the what the message you're conveying, right? At the end of the day, it's all image, it's all brand, it's all that matters. And so, like, ⁓ when I saw the brand originally, I was like, okay, this is a millennial mother who is health conscious, wants to feed her kids vegetables and fruits, and like that's what the brand said, right? And so I said I I was like, I bet millennial moms.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: And and and a bit of a preamble here. So I I I teach a class at University of Chicago at Booth, right? And one of the things I just harp on every single day in my class is the importance of brand and image marketing. And it all comes down to like what you're the what the message you're conveying, right? At the end of the day, it's all image, it's all brand, it's all that matters. And so, like, ⁓ when I saw the brand originally, I was like, okay, this is a millennial mother who is health conscious, wants to feed her kids vegetables and fruits, and like that's what the brand said, right? And so I said I I was like, I bet millennial moms.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Who like want to feed their kids healthy stuff are looking at this packaging, ⁓ this is really cool. I'll try this out, right? But then, but who are you really selling to in the supermarket, right? You're selling to the the seven year old daughters, the five year old sons, the 12 year old kids, you're selling to them and they want to see like puffy, like happy rainbows and unicorns, right? And fun stuff. And so anyway, ⁓ it it it wasn't surprising to me at all when you rebranded and exploded because like the brand now hits. And when you look at your packaging now, right, it's like,
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Who like want to feed their kids healthy stuff are looking at this packaging being like, ⁓ this is really cool. I'll try this out, right? But then, but who are you really selling to in the supermarket, right? You're selling to the the seven-year-old daughters, the five-year-old sons, the 12-year-old kids, you're selling to them and they want to see like puffy, like happy rainbows and unicorns, right? And fun stuff. And so anyway, ⁓ it it it wasn't surprising to me at all when you rebranded and exploded because like the brand now hits. And when you look at your packaging now, right, it's like,
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yeah. Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yeah. Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: You're still saying eleven fruits and vegetables, whole things, whole this, like it's all this awesomeness. But like that's hidden. So moms see that, dads see that, the conscious advice see that, but the kids and everyone else feels, ⁓ this is party time at for breakfast, right? Which is really, really cool. ⁓ and I love it.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: You're still saying eleven fruits and vegetables, whole things, whole this, like it's all this awesomeness. But like that's hidden. So moms see that, dads see that, the conscious advice see that, but the kids and everyone else feels, ⁓ this is party time at for breakfast, right? Which is really, really cool. ⁓ and I love it.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yeah.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: The branding's just super cool. So I'm glad that was your I'm glad you
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: The branding's just super cool. So I'm glad that was your I'm glad you
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Thank you.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: And
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: And and and Jerem
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: connected to that. I think about the famous Steve Jobs bit about marketing, where he says, no, marketing is just selling your values. ⁓ Right. Emily was just talking about their values. And then in that rebrand, when she showed that second bag, I could see creativity. I could see
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: did that.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: did that.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: and Jeremy connected to that I think about like the famous Steve Jobs bit about marketing, which says, you know, marketing is just selling your values. Right. And so Emily was just talking about their values. And then in that rebrand, when she showed that second bag, ⁓ I could see I could see
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Like all those things, like ⁓ those values translate into the marketing. Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: kindness, like all those things like those those values translate into the marketing. Yeah, yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Mm. Mm. That's so cool. I love that.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Mm. Mm. That's so cool. I love that.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Kindness, humility, yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: That's humility, yeah.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Awesome. Well you're so cool. We're stoked that you came in and hang out with us today and and had a lifelong conversation with us. We really appreciate it. I have one question for you before we before we let you go on with the rest of your day. And that is I'm a super big reader, Dork. Gary's a super big reader, Dork. ⁓ I'm always looking for recommendations. Do you have a favorite book or like super nerdy article or something that you've read recently that you think everyone should read and that you'd like us to
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Awesome. Well you're so cool. We're stoked that you came in and hang out with us today and and had a lifelong conversation with us. We really appreciate it. I have one question for you before we before we let you go on with the rest of your day, and that is I'm a super big reader, Dork. Gary's a super big reader, Dork. ⁓ I'm always looking for recommendations. Do you have a favorite book or like super nerdy article or something that you've read recently that you think everyone should read and that you'd like us to
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yeah.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Yeah.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yeah.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: read?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: read?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: So here's a little secret about me. I pretty much exclusively read cookbooks cover to cover. Yep. All I say my name. I no, seriously. I ⁓ I mean like
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: So here's a little secret about me. I pretty much exclusively read cookbooks cover to cover. Yep. It's all I say in my name. I know seriously. I I mean like
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Yes.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Yes.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Nice. Okay, okay.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Nice. Okay, okay.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: when I say I'm obsessed with food, like I am obsessed with food and it like it's all the media I consume, I read cookbooks to cover. I am in the last few pages ⁓ of The Four Horsemen, which is a Brooklyn restaurant ⁓ that I'm now dying to go to. But I love a cookbook that like
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: when I say I'm obsessed with food, like I am obsessed with food and it like it's the media I consume, but I read cookbooks cover to I in the last few pages ⁓ of The Four Horsemen, which is a Brooklyn restaurant ⁓ that I'm now dying to go to. But I love a cookbook that like
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Wow. Mm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: not only the food is like I love s really seasonal local cooking. but I love a cookbook that tells like a good story and this is like a great storytelling cookbook outside of the recipes too. So the Four Horsemen's a a great cookbook. But li it I mean that is like if you can't see above, but in the shelves above it's just packed with cookbooks.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: not only the food is like I love s really seasonal local cooking. but I love a cookbook that tells like a good story and this is like a great storytelling cookbook outside of the recipes too. So The Four Horsemen's a a great cookbook. But li it I mean that is like if you can't see above but in the shelves above it's just packed with cookbook.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: ⁓ yeah. Amazing.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Amazing.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: buying it right now, thank you. That's fabulous. That is a fabulous recommendation.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: buying it right now, thank you, that's fabulous. That is a fabulous recommendation.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Amazing. Amazing. Have you have you as he's buying it, have you cooked a recipe from it or thought to cook a recipe from the from
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Amazing. Amazing. Have you, have you, as he's buying it, have you cooked a recipe from it or thought to cook a recipe from that, from
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: the
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: a
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ yeah, I did ⁓ I did two of the salads last weekend. My husband and I my husband loves cooking too. We're like really a food family. ⁓ but I did ⁓ the beet salad in there and an asparagus salad. ⁓ and I'm thinking about making some more. We we ⁓ belong to a CSA around from the Chicago area and so I get all my fresh local seasonal produce delivered on Fridays and ⁓ so I'm excited to to do some more.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ yeah, I did ⁓ I did two of the salads last weekend. My husband and I my husband loves cooking too. We're like really a food family. ⁓ but I did ⁓ the beet salad in there and an asparagus salad. ⁓ and I'm thinking about making some more. We we ⁓ belong to a CSA around from the Chicago area, and so I get all my fresh local seasonal produce delivered on Fridays and ⁓ so I'm excited to to do some more.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Okay.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: You
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: That's right.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: I think.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Mm-hmm.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Mm-hmm.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: What was that?
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Nice. Love it. Love it. Well, Emily, thank you so much for hanging out with us today. It's been super fun. It's always a pleasure. I know. Get some waffles, people. Woo!
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Nice. Love it. Love it. Well Emily, thank you so much for hanging out with us today. It's been super fun. It's always a pleasure. I know. Get some waffles, people. Woo!
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Go buy Emily's products, they're amazing. Go to the frozen food aisle.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Go buy Emily's products. They're amazing. Go to the frozen food aisle.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Yes, you can find them.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Yes, you can find them.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: get I'll can I can can I do a quick shout out where you can find them? ⁓
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: get I'll can I can can I do a quick shout out where you can find them? ⁓
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Yes.
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Yes.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Of course you can't plug it, plug it.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Course you can't plug it, plug it.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: we've got a great store locator ⁓ on our website, which is www.eatevergreen.com and it's you know one of those ones where you in your ⁓ zip code and it not only tells you ⁓ where we're sold, but what which of our flavors are in stock and then you actually even like add to cart ⁓ instacart from the website. It all bends my mind, but it works great.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: we've got a great store locator ⁓ on our website, which is www.eatevergreen dot com and it's you know one of those ones where you put in your ⁓ zip code and it not only tells you where we're sold, but what which of our flavors are in stock and then you can even like add to cart ⁓ to Instacart directly from the website. It all bends my mind, but it works great.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: ⁓ so you can go there and then on across all socials we are at Eat Evergreen.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: ⁓ so you can go there and then on across all socials we are at Eat Evergreen.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Love it. Good stuff. Cool. Thanks again. We really appreciate it. ⁓ yeah. ⁓ yeah. All right, Gary. We'll chat again here soon with our next fabulous guest and ⁓ ask some more Dumboard Blitz questions. It'll be great.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: What?
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Good stuff. Cool. Thanks again. We really appreciate it. ⁓ yeah. ⁓ yeah. All right, Gary, and we'll chat again here soon with our next fabulous guest and ⁓ ask some more Dumboarder Blitz questions, it'll be great.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Thank you both.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Thank you both.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR GARY: Big hook. Yes. Yes. And maybe we'll bring some pancakes to the to the mix. To the mix. Wow. That that was unintentional. ⁓ wait. ⁓
riverside garry cooper raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0002: Yes, yes. And maybe we'll bring some pancakes to the mix. Wow, that was unintentional.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: ⁓ totally. Well
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: ⁓ totally. Well
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Well I'll send you both pancakes as soon as I have ⁓ They are so good.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: I'll send you both pancakes as soon as I have ⁓ They are so good.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR JEREMIE: Soon as you have them. All right. All right. I can't wait. Of course. Thanks a lot, Emily.
riverside jeremie bacon raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0001: Soon as you had them. All right. All right. I can't wait. Of course. Thanks a lot, Emily.
20260612 BB Emily G MSTR EMILY: Thank you. Happy Friday.
riverside emily groden raw video cfr boardroom blitz 0003: Thank you. Happy Friday.

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