TikTok Shop Strategies for Food & CPG Founders

Join us for an exciting and informative Community Day & Founders Forum at Finnovation Lab on July 31st, from 11 AM to 1:30 PM, designed specifically for founders in the food and consumer packaged goods (CPG) sectors.

This educational and networking session will dive deep into the world of TikTok Shop, the latest platform revolutionizing e-commerce and marketing.

Register here!

Event Agenda:

11am: TikTok Shop 101: From Scrolling to Spending

Join TikTok Shop CPG Partners for an overview of how to turn your customers' scrolling into spending on the fastest growing social e-commerce platform!

Americans spend an average of 95 minutes per day scrolling, discovering, reposting, and creating on TikTok. What better way to help current and potential customers discover your products where they already are than making your products available for sale on TikTok Shop? Join us for our Scrolling to Spending webinar on 7/31 to further understand the basics of TikTok Shop and how you can enhance your business through the fastest growing social e-commerce platform!

Can't make it to the Community Day In-Person? Registrants will be able to attend this session virtually via a Zoom Webinar link.

12:00-12:30pm: Lunch + Networking

Lunch is included with your ticket.

12:30-1:30pm: Founders Forum: Designed specifically for founders. Learn firsthand from local food founder Yubi Hassan from Bluehorn tea how he leverages the platform, create engaging content, understand TikTok algorithms, and utilizes the platform's unique features to maximize your reach.

Our Founders Forum (intended for Founders only), is free for Naturally Minnesota Members, but costs $10 for non-members. You will see the option to add this on to your ticket once you begin the registration process.

1:30pm-3 pm Open Networking: Connect with fellow entrepreneurs, potential partners, and industry leaders over lunch. Build valuable relationships that can help take your business to the next level. Plus, enjoy free co-working from our partners at FINNOVATION LAB.

Whether you are new to TikTok or looking to refine your existing strategy, this event will provide you with the knowledge and tools to thrive in the rapidly evolving digital marketplace. Don't miss this chance to elevate your brand and connect with a community of like-minded innovators.

Reserve your spot today and get ready to transform your TikTok presence into a powerful growth engine for your business.

Speakers

• Cameron Gould-Saltman

  Head of Food and Bev at TikTok Shop

• Ayub (Yubi) Hassan

  Founder of BlueHorn Tea

Register here!

Social is a beast to do and do well for your brand. In an ever-changing landscape, you may feel chronically behind or “late”, but social can—and should—be fun!

Tessa Loeck from JT Mega will share tips to lay the groundwork, build your community and win on social. Join us to hear her “hot takes” on today’s social landscape and resources to tap into to stay ahead of the game. Be prepared to walk away with your wheels turning wherever you’re at in your social media journey.

This session will be led by Tessa Loeck, who lives and breathes social as the Social Program Manager at advertising agency JT Mega. You can find her deep-diving up-and-coming social trends and explaining why Meta is well… Meta. Tessa loves the balancing act of strategy and creativity. She graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities with a B.S. in Retail Merchandising. In the few hours of her day that aren’t screen time, she’s likely catching sunshine or watering her plants.

Register here!

FINN Lab Members can attend for free. Become a member here.

Limited scholarships are available if the cost of this workshop is prohibitive. Apply here.

This session features insights from self-manufacturing brand owners and operations experts, Tiffany Putland of Smart Start Solutions, Inc. and Asa Bielenberg of FoodOps LLC.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to make changes in your manufacturing process, this event will provide valuable information on the various options available, along with the pros and cons of each. You'll also learn the first steps to take on your manufacturing journey.

After the session, enjoy a Happy Hour and take advantage of office hours from 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM for more personalized advice and networking opportunities.

Don't miss this chance to gain expert knowledge and enhance your manufacturing strategy!

Register Here

May Community Day: Explore the Dynamic World of Foodservice with Us! 

Join us on May 22nd at Finnovation Lab for a deep dive into the evolving landscape of foodservice. From farm to table and packaged goods, discover diverse revenue streams and forge successful partnerships. Learn about distinct buyer needs, local farm-to-school opportunities, and the latest updates from the National Restaurant Association trade show. Plus, connect with industry experts and seasoned founders in our Founders Forum.

Whether you're in farming or packaged goods, this event is for you! Free for members. $10 for non-members. Learn more and register now at: https://app.glueup.com/event/may-community-day-founders-forum-107486/

In CPG, a great package is your calling card. But there are so many (expensive) decisions to make: materials, design, suppliers. Join Jessica Schwartz, CEO of Strategic Packaging Partners to learn more about how to think about your packaging options, what to consider with sustainable packaging and what to expect from the industry. And get great feedback on your questions whether this is your first package or a redesign! Jessica brings over 20 years of experience in CPG packaging and is able to move with ease from R&D to logistics to marketing, all while keeping your bottom line in mind. Bring your questions and any samples you'd like to share. Free for FINN Lab members, $25 for non-members.

Register here!

Naturally Minnesota is proud to present our Velocity Workshop! This hands-on full-day of retail education is sure to set your brand apart and prepare you for the next step. Join us on April 19th at FINNOVATION Lab if the following applies to you: 

Who should attend? Any founder and/or leadership team – with clarity that grocery retail is a channel you already have a focus on – or you know you want to pursue. A desire to truly understand this complex channel and have the baseline resources to successfully execute.

Tools you’ll leave with:

• Retailer Roadmap - excel grid of all grocery accounts across the US, including channel segmentation, location, number of stores, and primary distributor partner

• Templates:

  • Account Tracker

  • Master presentation deck

  • Sell & Spec sheets

  • Retail incentives

• Annual promo plan

Register here!

Support a local agriculture start-up and FINNOVATION Lab member as they prepare and refine their pitch!

A light lunch and networking time will be provided at noon, followed by their presentation at 1:00. After the question-and-answer period, they will have time for you to provide them with your notes on the overall presentation. 

As you look back on Q1, are you stuck on something and could use a new perspective? Whether you're looking to launch a new product, revamp operations, or need help with your business plan, consumer research, or packaging and engineering, our experts can help! Office hours are powered by BankCherokee.

Sign up to speak to one of our fractional professionals here: https://loom.ly/aiCEx-A

Stick around or come early to chat with Angela Divine Knox from The Divine Group MN about tips and tricks to improve your product photography at the FINN Lab Photo Studio!

Need to understand what your target audience really thinks, and how to use it to tighten your brand story without spending a fortune on research? We’ve got just what you need to RISE. In this interactive workshop you will walk away with an understanding of consumer needs and tips and tricks in how to look at competitors. Optional pre-work is available and will be sent via email to participate. Register here!

Naturally Minnesota, The Good Acre, and FINNOVATION Lab are excited to bring together top local resource providers for a one-of-a-kind networking event at FINNOVATION Lab on April 5th, 1 – 4:00 pm.

We will be connecting early-stage food entrepreneurs with expert resource providers across a variety of disciplines (think packaging, licensing, marketing, etc.). Gain valuable connections and insights crucial for building a successful business.

This event is especially beneficial for early-stage CPG founders who have an idea, are pre-revenue, are selling in the farmers’ markets, or are in minimal retailers. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity! Register here!

Register here!

Women’s History Month Coffee Celebration 9:00 am - 9:30 am

Enjoy coffee and breakfast treats, sponsored by Nosh Posh!

FOUNDERS FORUM 9:30am-11:00am:

Diverse thought leadership and peer mentorship are key tenants of the mission of Naturally MN.

This round table discussion will be casual and fun, so join us at the FINNOVATION Lab​ (4th floor) at FINNEGANS Brewery and Taproom on March 27th 2024 at 9:30am. We are excited to have seasoned founders share their experience around a specific topic, answer questions, and then the session will open up for general questions. The March session will feature Lee Wallace and Alec Davis, of Peace Coffee​, and Molly Clark of Taking Stock Food​. They will be talking about how they navigated distribution, with a focus on retail strategy so come prepared to discuss and ask questions related to understanding different distributors, when and how to add them, and what to consider before expanding your business's footprint. If you are a Founder don't miss out on this opportunity to connect and learn from your peers!

Naturally Minnesota & FINNOVATION Lab Community Day: 11am-5pm

Join Naturally MN and FINNOVATION Lab for a day full of education and connection. This month's community day will feature a session on Consumer Insights with Richard Gentner. All attendees are welcome to stick around for a full day of co-working and networking.

11 - 12am Consumer Research for Startups by Richard Gentner​ in Training Lab

12-1pm Lunch

1-5pm Open Networking and Co-Working

¿Tienes preguntas sobre tu negocio? Trade Center for the Americas y FINNOVATION Lab te invitan a la primera feria bilingüe de servicios profesionales fraccionales para emprendedores y negocios latinos! Tráeles tus problemas a nuestros profesionales y recibe consejo personalizado. Los servicios están disponibles en inglés o español. ¡Más información aquí!

Serviremos bocaditos y bebidas gratis, y todas las mujeres que participen recibirán un regalo especial para celebrar el Día Internacional de la Mujer. ¡Regístrate aquí!

Do you have questions about your business? Trade Center for the Americas and FINNOVATION Lab invite you to the first bilingual fractional professionals services fair for Latin@ entrepreneurs and businesses. Bring your problems to our professionals and receive personalized advice. Services are available in English and Spanish. Learn more here! 

We will serve free food and drinks, and all participating women will receive a special gift to celebrate International Women's Day! Register here. 

How do you determine your innovation strategy as a startup? Join Allison Hohn (Naturally MN) and Jennifer Barta (FINN Lab) as they take you through assessing an appropriate innovation strategy for your brand. Together, Allison and Jennifer have nearly 40 years of Product Development and Innovation experience and are excited to share their knowledge with founders like you. Register here!

You will learn:

• The pros and cons of tackling either core innovation or platform innovation

• How you can decide which strategy is best for you and your goals

• A few of the best ideation strategies for startup brand

Lunch will be served at 12pm and the session starts at 12:30pm! See you there!

Work with a team of professionals from JT Mega to do a deeper dive into elements of your brand and marketing strategy. This program will run twice in 2024, and these first sessions are for brands that are selling in retailers or have significant DTC revenue. Apply here!

Join us on February 23rd from 8 AM-4 PM for our Cracking the Retail Code: Winning Tools, Tactics & Strategies for CPG Brands event! This workshop is for businesses with sales between $75,000 to $500,000 that want to take their performance to the next level with retail. This event features a FREE one-on-one session with Kate LaBrosse Consulting, a fresh pricing strategy, tools and templates, a promo playbook, retail incentives, a spec sheet, order form, sell sheet, master presentation deck, outreach information, and much more.
Spots are limited!

Register and learn more here!

Connect with industry experts to get personalized answers to your burning questions. Sign up to talk with an expert and bring your unique needs to the conversation. Our experts can help you problem-solve and get unstuck. See the experts and sign up here: https://loom.ly/0gCIIas

Whether you're looking to scale up, refine your marketing strategy, tackle operational challenges, or talk about product development and packaging, talk through it with people who have the tools to help.

Working Wednesday Office Hours are powered by BankCherokee.

Monthly community days are back! In January, we will be going over the new programming offerings for 2024 and we will have separate breakouts for founders and volunteers/fractional professionals.

If you can't make it, mark your calendars for the last Wednesday of each month! We've got a whole year's worth of great topics lined up! 

Are you an entrepreneur looking to explore more options for funding your business? Dive into this capital access education workshop that will cover the wide array of funding options that are appropriate for each stage of a company, from pre-revenue to over $1 Million. You'll have the chance to learn from industry experts, connect with local financing leaders, and take the next step to growing your natural product, tech, or agriculture-based business.

Join us on January 26th at FINNOVATION Lab and learn what it takes to raise capital and prepare yourself for success in 2024 and beyond.

FINNOVATION Lab and JT Mega are combining our industry expertise, strategic powers, and endless optimism to support founders.

Your potential is out there. All you have to do to meet it is... RISE.

Marketing and Branding Workshops. Quarterly sessions are hosted from 10 am - 12 pm at FINNOVATION Lab.

Exclusive to FINNOVATION Lab Members. Become a member here!