BE AN UPSTART FOOD BRAND

Starting a business is an exhilarating and absolutely frightening proposition for most of us regular Joes. Even the most confident entrepreneurially-minded individual with a can’t-miss idea questions his/her sanity at least a few times, and wonders if it’s truly greener on the other side. A lot of small businesses fail, and some of the best concepts never see the light of day due to lack of funding, poor planning, and inadequate execution. It’s rare to find an entrepreneur that understands all the facets of running a successful business, and all too often, they don’t have a broad enough group of experienced resources available to turn to for sound advice.

I’ve worked in this business for a long time and have worn most of the hats (including, now, ownership of my own company). I understand many of the challenges that an entrepreneur faces because I’ve spoken with them about their experiences, and have seen more than a few common threads. I know how expensive good branding and marketing services can be (and why), and I get that with a limited startup budget, tough decisions often have to be made about initial investments. I realize that a lot of small business concepts fail, no matter how good or disruptive the ideas might be, and I recognize that there’s often a very real struggle between maintaining the integrity of your craft and making money.

I will put the competing priorities in perspective for you. I will offer insight and creative solutions to help you carve the right path to success. I’ve intentionally planned my business model to be as lean as possible in order to provide the absolute most value for a modest investment. My recommendations are based on extensive experience helping food companies plan their businesses and budgets. I bring enthusiasm, integrity, and a sincere desire to accompany you on your journey.

Get in touch. Let’s start the conversation. Be an upstart food brand!

Josh Schipkowski

Josh Schipkowski is the founder and chief creative officer of Upstart Food Brands, a St. Louis-based branding agency for startup and emerging food, beverage, pet food, and supplement companies. He spent almost 14 years helping build MarketPlace into one of the country’s leading food marketing agencies before launching Upstart in 2015 to give smaller brands top-agency strategy and creative that make every dollar of their investment count. As CCO, he oversees everything creative and strategic that leaves the agency, from naming, brand strategy, and identity development to packaging and web design and development. At home, he does a self-reported 93.25% of the cooking, usually from scratch, often trying a new technique, and frequently using products from Upstart’s own clients. He also grows hops, grapes, and cider apples for brewing, winemaking, and cider, mostly as an excuse to share great food and drink with friends and family.