Today we’d like to introduce you to Holly Goodenow.
Hi Holly, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have worked in the food/beverage industry for over 20 years. During that time, I worked for retailers, distributors, manufacturer’s all along the west coast. I have also sold overseas to southeast Asia. I wanted to start a brokerage that focused on only clean, organic, and non-GMO brands. I also wanted to make the client fell like we are an extended arm of their sales team. In the past, I used the term “Brokers make you broker” because many small brands got lost in large broker portfolio we wanted to take on emerging brands that need more of a hands-on approach. We also do business with private label for some National retailers.
Soon I’ll be launching my own consulting firm that will focus only on women, minority and LGBTQ-owned businesses. The launch will take place in March. I will still partner with Good Now Foods for brands where it’s a good fit.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Getting our name out was hard, but our mission was clear. We deal with only clean, organic, and non-GMO items and we provide services for all the paperwork for a very low retainer rate. This allowed us to get referrals and build our company one client at a time.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
We are a sales agency that only sells and promotes clean, organic and non-GMO items. We keep our portfolio small, so we can give a lot of energy to each client. We also charge a very low retainer rate for all the work that we do. We take retail buyer meetings, complete all paperwork, only have one brand per category, and even exhibit at trade shows for our brands. We are an extension of their sales team and work side by side with them.
What makes you happy?
Being in nature makes me happy. It brings me energy and makes me feel connected to what matters in life. I am an avid hiker and love exploring as well. Making a difference also makes me happy. I want to make a positive impact in my industry by promoting brands that have a great environmental/social message. My next venture will focus more on that.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.goodnowfoods.com
- Instagram: @hollygoodenow
