ContenderCast with Justin Honaman ContenderCast

With the arrival of her daughter in 2018, Emily Groden (Founder and CEO) knew she would not have as much time to cook. She needed a new go-to: something that was simple, tasty, and truly nourishing. But frozen waffles? Are they simple? Yes. Tasty? Definitely. Nourishing? Uh… no. It’s a classic tale of a mom, a mission, and a waffle maker. Cramming all the good stuff like fruits, veggies, nuts and spices into something that tastes as good as it makes you feel. A few years and a few hundred recipes later, flavor, protein, fiber, and a whole serving of fruits and veggies are together at last… in a toaster. Emily joins Justin to discuss this delicious and fast-growing brand!

Moss Pure was created during a startup competition at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in June 2020, where it won First Place Startup in Track 1B: Health, Energy, and Waste Management (MIT Lebanon Challenge). It then went on to participate in the United Nations Development Programme where it won Top 10 Startup in August 2020. While most moss wall companies use preserved moss that is no longer living, Moss Pure is the first and only live moss air filter and stress relief device. Their patent pending science extends the lifespan of live moss within our design without needing any watering, sunlight, or maintenance. All while being an aesthetically pleasing decor piece in your modern space. Founder Jamie Mitri joins Justin to discuss this “growing” company!

Amante, the Italian word for lover, is designed to stimulate the senses and inspire a life of passion. LA DELIZIOSA VITA, the delicious life. Hailing from the historic Il Palagio 1530 estate in Tuscany, this latest innovation in amaro offers a new take on an old classic; combining aromas of Italian citrus, ginger and honeysuckle to help you enjoy a unique bittersweet taste and a thoroughly delicious afternoon. Amante 1530 transports the art of Italian spirit-making into the 21st century, and heralds a new era of amaro. Amante 1530. The delicious life. CEO Ana Rosenstein joins Justin to discuss this fast-growing brand!

Based in Las Vegas, Noovo introduces two groundbreaking models in 2024: Noovo Lite and the innovative Noovo Plus, the ‘First Super High Roof Camper Van in the US. Designed for the evolving needs of remote workers, retirees, travel nurses, and adventurers, these vans represent our vision of seamless integration between life’s work and pleasures. These vans are ideal for full-time van living. Co-founder Paul Aubert joins Justin to discuss this moving brand!

Renewal Logistics provides fulfillment solutions tailored to accommodate each brand’s unique needs. Renewal streamlines the supply chain with customizable value-added services supporting direct-to-consumer, retail brick-n-mortar and ecommerce marketplaces routes to market. Founder and CEO Courtney Folk joins Justin to discuss this fast-growing CPG service brand!

Rebecca van Bergen is the Founder and Executive Director of Nest, a nonprofit supporting the responsible growth and creative engagement of the artisan and maker economy to build a world of greater gender equity and economic inclusion. Rebecca leads an organization that is partnering with brand leaders such as Etsy, Madewell, Patagonia, Target and West Elm to improve transparency, social wellbeing, and economic opportunity for handworkers which includes both artisans and less skilled manual laborers, often working from their homes. Nest’s comprehensive suite of artisan and maker programming reaches over 250,000 handworkers working across 1,500+ artisan businesses in 124 countries.