The Pour Decisions Podcast

Dino Sarti and Danny Stepper
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Business

The Pour Decisions Podcast focuses on business and consumer packaged goods through the lens of beverage business. We sit down and have conversations with entrepreneurs, strategics, investors retailers, distributors and supply chain players.

  1. 4d ago

    The Beverage Forum Europe Takes Over Abbey Road Studios in London

    The Beverage Forum Europe returns for year two—this time at one of the world’s most iconic venues, Abbey Road Studios. Today, we're joined by Danny Stepper and Dino Sarti, Co-Founders of L.A. Libations and Co-Owners of The Beverage Forum. With a powerhouse speaker lineup and a sold-out room of founders, retailers, investors and industry leaders, this year’s programme brings the drinks industry together for candid conversations, meaningful connections and opportunities to move business forward. Thank you to our partners, sponsors and the dedicated teams whose hard work has brought this experience to life.

  2. 4d ago ·  Video

    Behind the Holiday Rush: How CPG Founders Navigate the Busiest Season of the Year with Laura Taylor

    What happens when the drink you want doesn’t exist? For Laura Taylor, it became the starting point for Mingle Mocktails. In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti, Co-Founder of L.A. Libations, reconnects with Laura Taylor, Founder and Chief Mingle Officer of Mingle Mocktails. Laura shares how giving up alcohol led her from a career in technology to building a beverage brand around a simple idea: everyone should feel part of the party. They discuss the early challenge of explaining mocktails to consumers and retailers, the strategic move from glass bottles to cans, and how Mingle has expanded into functional beverages with Mingle Mood. Laura also previews the limited-edition Espresso Martini launching October 1, sharing how customer demand and new drinking occasions connect back to the brand’s original mission. The conversation also explores seasonal demand planning, holiday entertaining, gifting, Dry January, influencer partnerships, and how Laura evaluates opportunities as the business grows. Having celebrated 11 years sober in August, she reflects on the personal purpose and resilience behind the brand.

  3. 5d ago

    Why Getting on the Shelf Is Only Half the Battle for CPG Brands with Jonathan Sacks

    Getting your product onto the shelf is one challenge. Getting shoppers to pick it up, try it, buy it—and come back for more—is an entirely different game. In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti, Co-Founder of L.A. Libations, sits down with Jonathan Sacks, Founder & CEO of Push Agency, to break down what actually happens between a product landing on a retail shelf and becoming a product that moves. Jonathan has spent decades in experiential marketing, building a massive network of brand ambassadors and helping CPG brands drive trial, retail velocity, customer engagement, and measurable lift through sampling, demos, street teams, and retail activations. The conversation goes far beyond handing out free samples. Jonathan explains how brands can use the right people, the right training, data collection, digital coupons, incentives, and technology to turn an in-store activation into a measurable growth engine. He also shares what founders should expect from an activation agency, why accountability matters, how to train brand ambassadors, and why getting on shelf may actually be the easy part. If you're a CPG founder trying to get into retail—or trying to stay there—this episode is packed with practical lessons on how to turn retail presence into retail velocity.

  4. 5d ago

    Can You Sell It? This is the Sprouts Retail Test Every Founder Needs to Know with Sean Lyons

    What does it take for an emerging food or wellness brand to get a shot at Sprouts? According to Sean Lyons, it starts with one deceptively simple question: “What is it?” In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti, Co-Founder of L.A. Libations, sits down with Sean Lyons, Foraging Manager at Sprouts Farmers Market, for an inside look at how one of the most important functions in emerging CPG actually works. Sean takes us through his journey from growing up around health and wellness, to working in supplements and category management, and ultimately joining Sprouts’ foraging team—where the job is part data, part intuition, and part betting on what could become the next big thing. He also breaks down the differences between working with major CPG companies and founders, how he helps entrepreneurs beyond getting them on shelf, why founders should listen closely to their category managers, and what he looks for when a product lands on his desk. And then the conversation gets even more interesting: How are influencers and AI changing the way consumers discover and trust brands? Sean and Dino explore what happens when AI starts recommending specific products—and why consumer trust could become the most valuable currency of all. If you're building a CPG brand, trying to get into retail, or simply want to understand how emerging products make it onto shelves, this conversation is for you.

  5. 5d ago

    Force Brand's Talent Strategy Every CPG Founder Needs to Know with Sean Connor

    What separates founders who attract incredible talent from those who struggle to fill key roles? According to Sean Connor, it starts long before the job description ever goes live. In this episode of the Decisions Podcast, Dan Weisbach, Vice President of SIP at L.A. Libations, sits down with Sean Connor, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Force Brands, at the first-ever Better Bites Forum in Austin, Texas. Sean shares nearly two decades of experience helping consumer brands build teams, recruit executives, and navigate the challenges that come with scaling a business. The conversation covers everything from attracting top talent and knowing when to hire, to fractional leadership, AI, interview processes, and whether your next executive hire really needs to come from a competitor. They also put several hiring decisions to the test in a rapid-fire "Great Decision or Poor Decision" round. If you're a founder, investor, operator, or leader in CPG and you're thinking about building your next team, this conversation is packed with practical perspectives on when to hire, who to hire, and how to think about talent strategically. This episode is powered by IM Collective — bringing ideas, stories, and experiences to life. Ideas in Motion.

  6. Sep 24

    The Strategy Behind Whole Foods Partnerships Shaping the Future of Grocery

    What does it take for an emerging brand to grow with Whole Foods Market? In this episode of Pour Decisions Podcast, Dan Weisbach, Vice President of SiP at L.A. Libations, sits down with Ellen Gora, who oversees business development at Whole Foods Market. Ellen shares how she works with brands in Whole Foods’ investment and partnership portfolio, what she learns from speaking with hundreds of founders, and why the strongest partnerships go beyond a place on the shelf. They also discuss the mission behind some of Whole Foods’ brand investments, the food categories catching Ellen’s attention, and the supply chain challenges that can stand between an international product and a U.S. grocery shelf.

  7. Sep 24

    How WISEcode is Changing the Way Consumers Choose Food with AI

    What if you could understand a product’s ingredients before deciding whether it belongs in your cart? In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti, Co-Founder of L.A. Libations, sits down with WISEcode’s Stu Gold, Chief Revenue Officer, and Eric Katzenberg, Chief Brand Officer, at the Better Bites Food Forum. They discuss WISEcode’s mission to make food information easier to understand and how ingredient-level data could help shoppers make choices based on what matters to them. The conversation moves from confusing labels and ultra-processed food to AI-powered grocery recommendations, product reformulation, and the influence consumers can have on what brands make next. They also explore how better choices can become accessible to more people.

  8. Sep 9

    From Shark Tank to Walmart: How Tom Leach Is Building Osmo to Last

    In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti, Co-Founder of L.A. Libations, sits down with Tom Leach, CEO of Osmo and Media RED, to explore how storytelling, creator influence, product quality and operational discipline come together to build enduring consumer brands. Tom shares the unconventional journey that took him from film school to working alongside television producer Mark Burnett, developing a show with Sir Richard Branson and witnessing the power of Shark Tank firsthand. Those experiences ultimately led him to the CPG industry and Osmo, the premium salt, seasoning and sauce brand he is building with culinary creator Nick DiGiovanni. The conversation explores why a large audience is only an advantage when the product earns repeat purchase, how Osmo generated 50 million organic views around its Magic Sauce launch and why the most overlooked grocery categories may hold the greatest opportunities for innovation. Tom and Dino also discuss the tension between emerging brands and legacy CPG companies, the risks of growing too quickly, how storytelling can influence billion-dollar valuations and why AI and better retail data could give smaller brands a major competitive advantage.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

The Pour Decisions Podcast focuses on business and consumer packaged goods through the lens of beverage business. We sit down and have conversations with entrepreneurs, strategics, investors retailers, distributors and supply chain players.

Information

  • Creator
    Dino Sarti and Danny Stepper
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Pour Decisions Podcast

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