The Good Food CFO podcast

She called numbers “hugely intimidating.” Working with a fractional CFO, she grew The Salt Market’s monthly profit from $19,000 to $107,000 anyway.In this episode of The Good Food CFO Podcast, Sarah Delevan sits down with Maude Kusserow, founder and CEO of The Salt Market and Good Wolf in Bar Harbor, Maine, for a rare, in-depth look back at three years of working together - from the recipe-cost work that reset her menu & pricing, to realizing she was spending way too much on labor, to the educated gambles she takes each year to keep her business growing.In this episode, you’ll hear:* The weekly check-in habit that became Maude’s early-warning system, no matter how busy the season got.* How Maude found her real product costs and what it changed about her menu & profits.* Why Sarah refuses to make revenue projections for her clients.* Maude’s approach to increasing revenue and expanding production.* Why Maude calls her boldest decisions “educated gambles,” not just risks.The recipe-cost work and weekly forecasts that got Maude here are the same tools now built into the Good Food CFO software — as the COGS Calculator, Financial Insights, and Growth Scenarios — plus free CFO Office Hours with Sarah every week. If numbers still feel hugely intimidating to you too, start at thegoodfoodcfo.com/software.The Good Food CFO offers independent food businesses a low-cost and partnered approach to financial strategy and day-to-day financial management. Our mission is to create innovative tools and resources that provide founders critical financial insights, education and support to build profitable businesses. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegoodfoodcfo.substack.com

For years, food founders have had exactly two bookkeeping options:* Pay a bookkeeper hundreds of dollars a month (and hope they understand your industry and provide accurate & timely numbers)* Do your own bookkeeping (with no access to guidance or support)And if we’re being honest, the third option… don’t think about it until tax time.There was never anything in between.Until now.In this episode of The Good Food CFO Podcast, Sarah Delevan sits down with Jennifer DeFilippo, Founder of Hello Jenn D, to share how they’re reimagining bookkeeping support for small food businesses and truly meeting founders where they are in their bookkeeping and financial journey.Here’s what this episode covers:* The founder feedback Sarah got that inspired this new take on bookkeeping support* How the most common bookkeeping mistakes - overestimating income and not capturing all expenses - hurt cash flow and increase your tax bill.* The three new ways all founders can get budget-friendly bookkeeping support, from monthly office hours, to 1-on-1 sessions, to done-for-you servicesLearn more about The Good Food CFO Software at https://thegoodfoodcfo.com/software_______________________________________________________________The Good Food CFO software offers independent food businesses a low-cost and partnered approach to financial strategy and day-to-day financial management. Our mission is to create innovative tools and resources that provide founders critical financial insights, education and support to build profitable businesses. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegoodfoodcfo.substack.com

Revenue is up 40%. Online ads are working! But cash is tighter than ever. Should they raise their prices?If you’ve ever stared at growing sales numbers while your bank account tells a completely different story, this episode is for you. Sarah is walking you through a real client case study - a brand with 70% gross profit margins and 40% revenue growth that was still cash strapped - and breaks down exactly how she identified the true source of their cash flow problem. Spoiler: it wasn’t their prices.Here’s what this episode covers:* Why raising your prices when you’re cash strapped can actually make things worse, and how to know when it is the right move* The shift from “should we raise our prices?” to “why don’t we have enough cash?” and why asking the right question changes everything* The two-step framework Sarah uses to pinpoint exactly where a cash flow problem is coming from* The inventory strategy this brand used to free up tens of thousands of dollars without touching their prices or their productReady to do this work in your own business? The Good Food CFO software walks you through exactly this process — investigate your margins, run your financial audit, and dig into your inventory — so you can find the true source of your cash flow problem. Learn more at https://thegoodfoodcfo.com/software Every subscription includes free access to weekly office hours with Sarah. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegoodfoodcfo.substack.com

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thegoodfoodcfo.substack.comThrive Market has built a loyal following of health-conscious consumers who are actively looking for better-for-you brands.For good food founders, it’s a direct line to your target audience. And the conventional wisdom has always been that selling direct to retail, cutting out the distributor, means better margins and more money staying in your business. But the Thrive Market relationship isn’t as cut and dry as we assumed, and as Sarah uncovered many founders don’t realize the financial impacts until it’s too late. In this episode In this episode Sarah breaks down the real cost of selling through Thrive Market, shares insights into Thrive's price negotiation process, and what she learned from Founders actively selling to Thrive Market right now.You’ll hear: * What Thrive Market actually charges brands on every invoice* Why the direct-to-retail margin assumption doesn’t always hold* How Thrive Market margins stack up against national distributor KeHE (the numbers might surprise you)* The 5 steps every founder should take before signing with any retail or distribution partner Before you say yes to Thrive Market, or any retail partner, listen to this episode.

Most food founders think fundraising means perfecting your pitch deck. Angel investor Katie Dunn says you’re starting in the wrong place.In our conversation, Katie breaks down the three fundamentals that actually get investors to meet with you, and say yes: understanding investor thesis (and why it saves you from wasting time), leveraging warm introductions instead of cold pitching, and building a financial model that shows exactly how you’ll reach profitability.We cover the investment basics every founder needs to know—what a safe note actually is, why angels want equity, and whether regional brands can get funded (spoiler: yes, but with different deal structures). Katie also shares her strong recommendation on why your first hire should be finance, not marketing, and how to make it ridiculously easy for investors to want to help you.If you’re considering fundraising or just want to understand how investment actually works in food CPG, this episode gives you the straight talk you need.Connect with Katie:Website: katiedunn.comAdvisory Board: The Masthead StrategyLinkedIn: Katie DunnInstagram: @iamkatiedunnTikTok: @iamkatiedunnJoin The Good Food CFO Community:Follow us on Instagram: @thegoodfoodcfoWatch on YouTube: @thegoodfoodcfo This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegoodfoodcfo.substack.com

Building a profitable food business without investors isn’t just possible—it’s a strategic choice.Sarah sits down with Daniel Goetz, founder of Good Pop, who’s bootstrapped his popsicle brand for 16 years by prioritizing profitability over growth headlines.Daniel shares practical strategies that kept Good Pop alive and thriving:* Why he sold just 4 popsicles at his “big launch” (and what happened next)* The 3am working capital discovery that kept his business going* Why he focused on going “deep not wide” with retail expansion* How to get packaging and ingredient suppliers invested in your visionHear how forcing profitability from day one shaped every business decision—and why Daniel chose this path after watching funded peers struggle under investor pressure.Connect with Daniel:Website: GoodPopInstagram: @GoodPopLinkedIn: @Daniel GoetzThe Good Food CollectiveJoin The Good Food CFO Community:Follow us on Instagram: @thegoodfoodcfoWatch on YouTube: @thegoodfoodcfoBecome a Member: BABOYOT This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegoodfoodcfo.substack.com

Sarah sits down with Shelley Elkovich, co-founder and CEO of For Bitter For Worse, to explore the financial strategy behind building a profitable specialty beverage brand. Shelley shares how self-manufacturing became a dual revenue stream through contract manufacturing, allowing her to control costs while generating additional income.The conversation reveals practical insights on sustainable growth versus rapid expansion, how to filter customer feedback without compromising your vision, and the strategic decisions that kept this non-alcoholic cocktail brand resilient through major market shifts. Discover how Shelley evaluates each growth opportunity and makes decisions that prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term wins.Shelley also graciously offered our listeners 20% off their products using the code Sarah20 on their website!Connect with Shelley:Website: For Bitter For WorseInstagram: @forbitterforworseLinkedIn: Shelley ElkovichAmazon: Shop For Bitter For WorseJoin The Good Food CFO Community:Follow us on Instagram: @thegoodfoodcfoWatch on YouTube: @thegoodfoodcfoBecome a Member: BABOYOT This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegoodfoodcfo.substack.com

Sarah shares real stories from beta testers using The Good Food CFO financial strategy software for the first time:* A founder running five sales channels discovered their revenue tracking wasn’t set up to support strategic decision-making* A 16-year bakery owner finally understood where profit actually goes when monthly debt payments take it right back out* A founder learned why categorizing marketing expenses as cost of goods sold makes their numbers nearly impossible to interpretThe software isn’t just a tool—it’s revealing the blind spots that most founders don’t even know they have. Tune in for practical insights about organizing your financial foundation and unlocking better decision-making in your business.Want this same clarity in your food business? Join our waitlist for 50% off your first month’s subscription.Join The Good Food CFO Community:Follow us on Instagram: @thegoodfoodcfoWatch on YouTube: @thegoodfoodcfoBecome a Member: BABOYOT This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegoodfoodcfo.substack.com

Can you build a CPG brand without chasing unicorn status? Kelley Scanlin, founder of Pure Simple Foods (parent to Lark-Ellen Farm and Purely Sprouted), shares how she grew from farmer’s market beginnings to operating a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility—all while refusing to compromise on quality.Sarah and Kelley dig into the strategic path most founders overlook, exploring:* Why regional growth beats racing for national distribution* How mission and values guide major business decisions (including which distributors to work with)* The evolution from founder to CEO and knowing your end game from day one* Why slow, intentional scaling protects quality and profitability* The reality check every founder needs: you don’t have to be the next RX Bar* Building with strategy first—not just hoping for viral growthKelley’s honest perspective on defining success differently offers a refreshing alternative to the “grow fast, exit big” narrative. This conversation redefines what CPG success can look like when you build on your own terms.Join The Good Food CFO Community:Follow us on Instagram: @thegoodfoodcfoConnect on LinkedIn: @sarahdelevanWatch on YouTube: @thegoodfoodcfoBecome a Member: BABOYOT This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegoodfoodcfo.substack.com

Margins matter—but what’s the rest of the financial strategy that transforms good margins into actual profitability and positive cash flow?Sarah lays out the complete three-part framework behind “Profit by Design,” the philosophy helping food founders escape the 70% failure rate. Beyond product margins, you need clarity on your true operating expenses and the ability to build financial scenarios that answer critical questions: How many units do I need to sell to break even? How much capital will this really take? How long until I stop reinvesting?Sarah shares the story of a baker whose scenario modeling revealed she’d need to bake cookies around the clock just to break even—saving her from launching an unsustainable business. Learn why planned losses are easier to navigate than surprises, how to know if you’re on or off track each month, and why having this complete financial roadmap transforms entrepreneurship from constant uncertainty into strategic execution.This is the missing link between understanding your margins and building a food business that actually works financially.Join The Good Food CFO Community:Follow us on Instagram: @thegoodfoodcfoWatch on YouTube: @thegoodfoodcfoBecome a Member: BABOYOT This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegoodfoodcfo.substack.com