BABOYOT with Sydney Karmes-Wainer of French Squirrel: Lessons in Pricing, Negotiations and Sustainable Growth

The Good Food CFO podcast

From accidental entrepreneur to confident business owner: Sydney, founder of French Squirrel, reveals how she transformed her healthy snack company by confronting hard truths about pricing and profitability.

After years of underpricing her premium date-based treats and struggling with razor-thin margins, Sydney shares the pivotal mindset shifts that helped her raise prices, say "no" to unprofitable opportunities, and put her business health first. She candidly discusses overcoming people-pleasing tendencies, learning to be transparent with retailers about costs, and finding manufacturing partners who believe in her vision.

This eye-opening conversation challenges common assumptions about food business margins and scale, offering valuable lessons for founders about sustainable growth. Sydney's journey proves that understanding your numbers and staying true to your risk tolerance can lead to better business decisions – and sometimes even increased sales after raising prices.

Connect with French Squirrel

Website: French Squirrel

Instagram: @frenchsquirrel.co and @sydney_kw

Tiktok: @frenchsquirrel.co

LinkedIn: Sydney Karmes-Wainer

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