Attend the HEI in person!
For $280 per person, you can select a single day ticket for the date of your choice. Attend all three days May 1 – 3, 2023 for the discounted rate of $689, which includes all meals. This year’s Institute will be held at the Boulder JCC, 6007 Oreg Ave., Boulder, CO. See the agenda for daily schedules. Note that you must be a registered guest (either in person or online) in order to apply to be a featured Case Study, pitch to investors, or pitch to the purchasing team from Sprouts Farmers Market.
We’re partnering with our friends at Naturally Boulder to offer a discounted add-on ticket to the HEI guests who might also like to attend Spring Fling, the nonprofit’s annual celebration of the natural and organic products industry’s roots in Boulder and the thriving ecosystem it now nurtures. For an additional $84, join 350 professionals at the Boulder JCC 4:30 – 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 3 for an evening of high-energy networking, sampling from budding brands in the Shoots Showcase, and toasting to our shared future!
Connect with the HEI virtually!
For $60 per person, you can select online access for a single day, on the date of your choice. Join all three days virtually for the discounted rate of $160. See agenda for daily schedules. Note that you must be a registered guest (either in person or online) in order to apply to be a featured Case Study, pitch to investors, or pitch to the purchasing team from Sprouts Farmers Market.
Event Schedule
REMINDER: ALL TIMES ARE MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT (DENVER) TIME
Items in BOLD are available to both the in-person and online audiences.
HIRSHBERG ENTREPRENEURSHIP INSTITUTE
MAY 2023
BOULDER, COLORADO AND ONLINE
REMINDER: ALL TIMES ARE MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT (DENVER) TIME
Items in BOLD are available to both the in-person and online audiences.
Monday, May 1, 2023 Schedule
| 9:00 – 9:10 am | WELCOME AND LOGISTICS |
| 9:10 – 10:00 | HOW TO NOT RUN OUT OF CASH Gary Hirshberg (Co-Founder and Chief Organic Optimist, Stonyfield Organic), Andy Whitman (Managing Partner, Loft Growth Partners) and Elliot Begoun (Founder and Brand Champion, TIG Brands) will provide a practical guide to how to project and manage your cash needs (and not run out of cash)CASE STUDIES – FINANCING YOUR BUSINESS – SESSION 1 Companies will present their real time case questions about determining your best financial strategy to a panel of experienced expertsPanelists: Gary Hirshberg, Elliot Begoun, Ryan Lewendon (Partner, Giannuzzi Lewendon), Megan Bent (Founder and Managing Partner, Harbinger Ventures), Carolyn Simmons (Partner, Melitas Ventures), Tom Spier (Founder and Managing Partner, Boulder Food Group), Jasper van Brakel (President and CEO, RSF Social Finance), Alisa Williams (Partner, VMG Partners), and Andy Whitman “ |
| 10:00 – 10:07 | Panelist Introductions |
| 10:07 – 10:52 | Case 1 – Thriving Design – Morgan Rider, presenter |
| 10:55 – 11:40 | Case 2 – Shire’s – Josh Velasquez and Adam Hamilton, presenters |
| 11:40 am – 12:20 pm | Lunch break |
| 12:20 – 1:20 | PANEL: INNOVATIVE FINANCING ALTERNATIVES with Elliot Begoun, Gigi Lee Chang (Managing Partner, BFY Capital), Jonny Price, (VP, Fundraising, Wefunder), and Jasper van Brakel |
| 1:20 – 1:30 | Break CASE STUDIES – FINANCING YOUR BUSINESS – SESSION 2 |
| 1:30 – 2:15 | Case 3 – G’s Dry Hard Ginger Beer – Donna Katz, presenter |
| 2:18 – 3:03 | Case 4 – Lil’ Gourmets – Shibani Baluja, presenter |
| 3:03 – 3:08 | Sponsor presentation |
| 3:08 – 3:58 | PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION WITH GROCERY OUTLET on a powerful way to turn your inventory into cash and build your everyday sales with Eric Lindberg (Chairman of the Board) and Paul Miller (SVP, Purchasing), moderated by Gary Hirshberg and Andy Whitman |
| 3:58 – 4:00 | Day 1 WRAP UP and Concluding Remarks |
| 4:00 – 6:30 | Happy hour and offline discussions with Grocery Outlet plus our Product Expo |
| 6:30 – 8:00 | Buffet dinner and evening panel: WHEN THINGS DID NOT WORK OUT with Simeon Margolis (Founder, Good Day Chocolate), Shari Leidich (Founder, Two Moms in the Raw), and Jared Lovenduski (Founder, Lillibee Snacks), moderated by Elliot Begoun and Liz Myslik (Partner, Loft Growth Partners) |
Tuesday, May 2, 2023 Schedule
| 8:00 – 9:00 am | Special NIELSEN IQ SPONSORED BREAKFAST AND DISCUSSION with Brandon Galindo (VP, Analytic Sales, NielsenIQ) and Lindsay Binnie (Associate Director, Analytics, NielsenIQ), moderated by Tara Burkley (Director, Data and Insights, New Hope Network) and Andy Whitman |
| 9:00 – 9:05 | WELCOME AND LOGISTICS CASE STUDIES – POSITIONING YOUR BRAND STORY – SESSION 1 “Companies will present their real time case questions about positioning their brand stories to our panel of experienced marketing expertsPanelists: Bob Burke (Founder, Natural Products Consulting LLC), Leslie Freeman and Dagny Scott (Co-Principals, Fearless Unlimited), Betsy McGinn (CEO, McGinn eComm), Ryan Pintado-Vertner (Founder and CEO, Smoketown), and Corinne Shindelar (Principal, All Natural Strategies)” |
| 9:05 – 9:12 | Panelist Introductions |
| 9:12 – 9:57 | Case 1 – Tomato Bliss – Monique Hypes, presenter |
| 10:00 – 10:45 | Case 2 – Body iQ (AAA Beverage Co) – Francis Mohajerin, presenter |
| 10:45 – 10:55 | Break CASE STUDIES – POSITIONING YOUR BRAND STORY – SESSION 2 |
| 10:55 – 11:40 | Case 3 – Wilt-Pruf Products – Blake Dressen, presenter |
| 11:43 am – 12:28 pm | Case 4 – American Vinegar Works – Rodrigo Vargas, presenter |
| 12:28 – 1:28 | Lunch break – Breakout tables by topic CASE STUDIES – EXPERIENCES WITH E-COMMERCE “Companies will present their real time case questions about their experiences with e-commerce to our panel of e-commerce expertsPanelists: Stephen Hennessey (Chief Growth Officer, Orgain), Luke Tierney (Director of Ecommerce, Eco D2C), and Betsy McGinn“ |
| 1:30 – 1:35 | Panelist Introductions |
| 1:35 – 2:20 | Case 1 – Green Regimen – Tyshawn Bryant, presenter |
| 2:23 – 3:08 | Case 2 – Surratt Beauty – Evadney Petgrave, presenter |
| 3:08 – 3:13 | Sponsor presentation |
| 3:13 – 3:23 | Break |
| 3:23 – 5:00 | NCG/INFRA BUYER PANEL with Summer Auerbach, (Owner, Rainbow Blossom Natural Food Markets), Nick Auzenne, (Director of Purchasing, INFRA); Rebecca Lee, (Director of Purchasing and Merchandising, Twin Cities Co-Op Partners); and Jason Stein, (Category Management Director, NCG), moderated by Bob Burke and Corinne Shindelar |
| 5:00 – 6:15 | Happy hour and Product Expo |
| 6:15 – 8:00 | Buffet dinner and TALES FROM THE TRENCHES presentation with Madeline Haydon (Founder and CEO, nutpods) and Gary Hirshberg |
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 Schedule
| 9:00 – 9:10 am | Welcome and Investor Introductions; PITCHES TO INVESTORS |
| 9:10 – 9:35 | Investor Pitching Session 1 – Lil Bucks – Emily Griffith, presenter |
| 9:38 – 10:03 | Investor Pitching Session 2 – Murphy’s Naturals – Geoff Keegan, presenter |
| 10:06 – 10:31 | Investor Pitching Session 3 – Bala Enzyme – Farnoush Fadavi, presenter |
| 10:34 – 10:59 | Investor Pitching Session 4 – The Humble Seed – Sarah Meis, presenter |
| 10:59 – 11:09 | Break |
| 11:09 – 11:34 | Investor Pitching Session 5 – Oat Haus – Ali Bonar and Eric Katz, presenters |
| 11:37 am – 12:02 pm | Investor Pitching Session 6 – Amazi – Renee Dunn, presenter |
| 12:02 – 12:27 | Investor Pitching Session 7 – Therapy Clean – Anne Ruozzi, presenter |
| 12:27 – 12:55 | Lunch break |
| 12:55 – 1:00 | Sponsor presentation |
| 1:00 – 4:15 | PITCHES TO THE SPROUTS FARMERS MARKET PURCHASING TEAM – Kim Coffin (SVP and Chief Forager) with Scott Romano (VP Forager, Non-Perishables) and Chris Vogel (Forager Manager) |
| 1:05 – 1:25 | Sprouts Pitch 1 – THEO’s Plant-Based – Theo Mourad, presenter |
| 1:25 – 1:45 | Sprouts Pitch 2 – Superfrau – Melissa Martinelli, presenter |
| 1:45 – 2:05 | Sprouts Pitch 3 – mmmpanadas – Kristen Fields, presenter |
| 2:05 – 2:25 | Sprouts Pitch 4 – Maine Crisp Co. – Lewis Goldstein and Read McNamara, presenters |
| 2:25 – 2:35 | Break |
| 2:35 – 2:55 | Sprouts Pitch 5 – Kreativa Gourmet LLC – Mauricio De La Torre, presenter |
| 2:55 – 3:15 | Sprouts Pitch 6 – Heritage Kulfi LLC – Mansoor Ahmed, presenter |
| 3:15 – 3:35 | Sprouts Pitch 7 – Harken Snacks – Katie Lefkowitz, presenter |
| 3:35 – 3:55 | Sprouts Pitch 8 – Cleanery – Mark Sorensen, presenter |
| 3:55 – 4:05 | CLOSING: KEY LEARNINGS FROM THE SPROUTS PURCHASING TEAM |
| 4:05 – 4:15 | Day 3 WRAP UP and Concluding Remarks |
| 4:30 – 8:00 | Boulder’s Spring Fling networking event at the Boulder JCC (separate ticket, discounted for HEI attendees who register in advance of 5/2/23) |
