We are a Visionary Consulting Agency Co-Creating Sustainable Business in Food, Beverage, Fashion, Beauty, Nutraceuticals & Cannabis 2016
We are a Visionary Consulting Agency
Co-Creating Sustainable Business in Food, Beverage, Fashion, Beauty, Nutraceuticals & Cannabis
2016
What would happen if we stopped dreaming of a better world?
If we no longer looked beyond the confines of our day-to-day existence to think of what’s possible, what should be, what we can each do to make our world better…
BeyondBrands is a lifestyle collective—of minds, talents, experiences and dreams. Passionately channeled to deliver results for our partners and clients that are beyond all expectations.
We’ve spent years getting here.
From the most respected natural products companies, to the most recognized consumer brands in the world; we exist to do one thing—help entrepreneurs and established companies provide better, healthier, more natural and sustainable products and services to our homes and daily lives.
We dream of a co-creating a brighter tomorrow, one brand at a time...
Our Co-Visionary FoundersBeyondBrands is the 7th Conscious Products
company launched in the past 2 decades by
husband and wife, Co-Visionaries, Eric and
Marci.
The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Steaz,
Under the Canopy, MetaBrand, I AM &
MetaWear are all recognized as disruptors in
their categories and visionary in their approach
to shifting the paradigm of how companies can
look to position their brand, and their voice, as
vehicles for positive change.
BeyondBrands is for Appreciators and
Creators of Conscious Brands…
Our goal is to help new entrepreneurs and
established companies provide better,
healthier, more natural and sustainable
products to our homes and daily lives.
Co-Founder
Marci Zaroff
Chief Visionary Guru
Welcome Co-Creator,
BeyondBrands is a culmination of my life’s work that spans over two decades. After coining the term "ECOfashion" in 1995, I am honored to have played a pivotal role in pioneering the sustainable apparel and home textile movement. As co-Founder of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Founder of ECOfashion lifestyle brands Under the Canopy and Metawear, and Producer of the documentary film series "THREAD | Driving Fashion Forward", I feel proud to be manifesting my passion to educate, inspire, innovate and collaborate. I absolutely love to learn and travel the world extensively exploring new supply chains, materials and manufacturing methods, as well as connecting with my global community to celebrate fair trade, social justice and consciousness expansion.
With a mission to shift old paradigms and drive an "ECOrenaissance," I speak and consult worldwide on organic/sustainable textiles, social innovation and green business practices. On a personal level, I am deeply appreciative of and dedicated to my two wonderful “green” children and loving soul mate and husband Eric.
Join me, as together, we can truly affect positive change in the world.
In Service & Vision,
Namaste,
I AM a lifelong believer in natural products and the sustainability revolution.
I have dedicated my career to the creation and growth of innovative organic food & beverage brands, including co-founding Steaz Tea in 2002 after gaining years of invaluable experience as an executive at Country Life Vitamins. I went on to found MetaBrand and I AM in 2011 and since that time nurtured many of the rising stars in natural food & beverage channels today including Martha Stewart, Tio Gazpacho and Runa Tea.
Our collective team of over 50 senior-level natural products industry friends at BeyondBrands have dedicated their careers to serving people who want to live healthier, longer lives, each of us having our own unique passion around disrupting categories and creating new trends in order to drive growth at retail towards a more healthy, conscious and eco-lifestyle.
Our passion is deep, our commitment unified and our outlook is positive as we know the future of Food, Beverage, Fashion, Beauty, Nutraceuticals and Conscious Cannabis is finally here, “today”.
We strive to become the category captains in the sustainability movement and healthy living marketplace and our unique model of outsourced executive level client services allows us to go as deep as we need in order to become the value-added choice for brands to partner with.
Our Spheres of focus were formed to Co-Create, Innovate, Incubate, Illuminateand Accelerate our clients projects from concept to shelf and beyond in order to become the future’s brand leaders.
In Service & Vision,
Co-Founder
Eric Schnell
Chief Service Guru
Our 5 Spheres of Service
Executive Mentoring Product DevelopmentFormulationManufacturing SelectionCertification Services
Business PlanningFinance / FundingOrganizational Setup Corporate StewardshipSweat EquityPartnerships
Market/Channel Analysis Go-to-Market Support
Marketing StrategiesSales & Marketing Oversight
Launch strategy
Brand StrategyBrand DevelopmentCreative Messaging
Graphic Design
Women's Business
Sales R&D
Branding Corporate
Why a Butterfly
To us, the butterfly is the perfect metaphor for BeyondBrands. We all start in the world as one type of being, and through our lives — and the experiences within its chapters — we evolve into something more… beautiful.
Through this transformation, we are able to reach up, touch the sky, and see things differently.
We see what can be versus what is.
…And that is our inspiration at BeyondBrands.
Total food sales growth is down for the third year in a row.
Natural and organic sales growth is up for the past 5.
A Summary Perspective on the Conscious
Market & Consumer
• Many consumers feel a strong connection between personal and planetary health, and they see this
link everyday from the foods they eat to the cars they drive to the products & services they support.
• Consumers incorporate eco-focused behaviors in their lives in many different ways, at varying levels
and for different reasons. While not all consumers hold ‘deep green’ inclinations, marketers can
appeal to a consumer groups’ specific motivations.
• Millennials are driving the growth of many green products and are more likely to buy from companies
whose values are like their own. They have the potential to fundamentally change the shape of
sustainability as we know it today.
• Despite years of talking “green,” corporations still lag behind consumer expectations for taking
environmental responsibility.
The U.S. Conscious Market: $1.5 Trillion in 2020
NMI’s 2016 Proprietary Sustainability Consumer Trends Database®
43%
39%
38%
38%
37%
37%
35%
31%
29%
29%
29%
26%
22%
18%
40%
42%
42%
43%
44%
43%
43%
47%
44%
48%
39%
48%
47%
40%
Foods
Household cleaning products
Pet Products
Laundry detergent
Household paper goods
Personal care products
Beverages
Appliances
Cars/trucks/vans/SUVs
Clothing/Apparel
Home fragrance
Electronics
Furniture
Travel (vacations, hotels, etc.)
very interested somewhat interested
Interest in Conscious Consumption Solutions is Titanic
% American Adults indicating they are very/somewhat interested in buying green versions of the following
NMI’s 2016 Proprietary Sustainability Consumer Trends Database®
Companies Which Keep Consciousness As A Focus Are Being Viewed In A More Positive Light – Impacting
Trial, Quality Perceptions And Price Elasticity.% American Adults (2009 vs 2015) who completely/somewhat agree
that knowing a company is mindful of its impact on the environment and society…
NMI’s 2016 Proprietary Sustainability Consumer Trends Database®
Conscious Capitalism = Higher Brand Value/ROI
The relationship between consciousness and the strength of brand value is an indication a values-
based ecosystem does indeed have a positive impact on return on investment. Recent research
has shown that the link between brand value strength and conscious capitalism is getting stronger.
Low Consciousness Rating High
Low
B
ran
d v
alu
e st
ren
gth
Hig
h
2015
2008
NMI’s 2016 Proprietary Sustainability Consumer Trends Database®
Behold, Our SuperTribe. A Conscious Products Industry Collective.
Our Collective team has played a role in the success of many of the leading sustainable brands today. We havegained unique insight and appreciation for just how much magic they have been able to create. We believethere are 5 core key attributes that will be the business model that sets the brands of the future apart fromthe ones that don't survive the current mainstream shift in consumer values. In service to our clients, and theindustry at large, we proudly promote the “5 Ps” that make up our Quintuple Bottom Line business values;Passion, Purpose, People, Planet, Prosperity. Focusing on these attributes as guideposts are fundamental tomarketing the Conscious Products & Services thatBeyondBrands strives to co-create in the world.
BeyondBrands Philosophy
Our Collective Experience
Our 14 Co-Founding Partners…
Lee Brody
Expertise: Brand
Strategy,
Marketing,
Communications,
PR, Change
management.
Brands: Airborne,
ZonePerfect,
Steaz, Marley
Beverage, Heinz,
Whitewave
Veronica Park
Expertise: Retail
management,
operations, finance,
international
business. A
SuperStar Problem
solver, Navigator,
Communicator, Team
builder & Facilitator
Brands: Starbucks
(24 yrs),Teavana,
Bareburger
Jon Lapham
Expertise:, Client
Services, Business
Development,
Sales
Management,
Marketing, Project
Management.
Brands: GNC, T-
Mobile, I AM
Products
Renée Loux
Expertise: Organic
chef, restaurateur,
consultant, TV
personality & author
of 4 books,
established the Food
First Institute at the U
of Hawaii Maui
Culinary Academy.
Brands: Stone Barns
Natural Gourmet
Institute, Exhale Spa,
Andalou Naturals
Women’s Health
Rodale Books
Derek Sarno
Expertise: Whole
Foods Senior Global
chef & culinary
educator and served as
resource across all
departments within the
company, include R&D,
restaurants and
catering businesses
until 2016. Former
Chef/ for international
Tibetan Buddhist
monastery, a
restaurateur, vegan
organic farmer, food
designer, educator of
vegan, vegetarian and
animal-based cuisines.
David Tsiang
Expertise: 25 years
in ‘C’ level ex mng,
Wall St. corporate
finance, governance
and CPG brand
mng. Currently a
finance & ops
advisor to emerging
food & beverage
companies. Past
clients include
Brad’s Raw Chips,
UlivJava Coffee (a
Martha Stewart
brand) & New Leaf
Tea
Mirran Raphaely
Expertise: Full-suite
global branding,
Consumer
relationships &
retention, Customer
growth plans Product,
market and sales
strategy, creation &
deployment. Executive
management. Social
responsibility expert,
luxury public relations
& team structuring.
Strategic partnerships
Brands: Dr. Hauschka
Skin Care, 16 years
Chief Executive
Officer
Jeff Wasserman
Expertise: Dietary
Supplement &
Cannabis industry
expert, corporate
law partner,
entrepreneur &
investor advising
emerging growth
companies on
capital raising,
strategic
alliances, and exit
transactions.
April Karr
Marketing strategist,
social marketing pro and
forward-thinking leader
with over 10 years of
sales and marketing
experience. Passion for
authentically connecting
brands and their
audiences with thoughtful
content and experiences.
Excels at high level
strategy development
and management,
especially in the field of
digital marketing.
Inspired by brands with
purpose and a story to
tell.
Brands: Guayaki,
Lunafest, Sotheby’s &
Kitsbow
Rob Streisfeld, NMD
Dr. of Naturopathic
Medicine & Certified
Natural Food Chef,
provides innovation to
branding, marketing,
PR & biz dev needs
with focus on
education +
community. In 12
years in Natural
Products Industry,
Doc Rob has helped
to identify and expand
key health categories
- probiotics,
enzymes, whey
protein, fermented
foods, whole food
supplements & now
cannabis.
Errol Schweizer
Expertise: Product
Development,
Ingredient Sourcing,
Pricing Promotions &
Distribution. Errol was
VP Grocery at the
largest, most profitable
department at Whole
Foods for over 7 years.
He holds a decade of
experience in Organic
purchasing leadership,
possesses strong
operations
background, has
collaborated with 100s
of supplier partners
across over 80
categories to
successful launches of
1000s of innovative
new products.
Kenn Israel
Expertise: Senior
Executive working
in supplements,
botanicals,
nutraceuticals
industry over 25
yrs., Seasoned pro
in the product
development and
manufacturing
space, brings a
passion for the
transformative
power of healthy
living and
supplementation.
Product
Development,
Branding, Trade
Show Marketing,
Print Media and E-
Marketing
Kara Rubin
Expertise: Retail, brand,
distribution strategy,
category analysis. Kara
spent a decade leading
the largest business
unit for the NE Region
of Whole Foods,
including the
companies highest
volume stores. She
worked with partners
from local start-ups to
large scale, broadly
recognized brands to
scale businesses. Kara
holds degrees from
Duke and the University
of Michigan Business
School. Brands: Whole
Foods, Siggi’s, Rick’s
Picks, Star Anise
Foods.
Chad Sarno
Expertise: Chef,
educator & public
speaker,
Chad’s projects
range from
international chain
restaurants and as
executive chef to
Whole Foods Mkt.
Contributed to over
10 recipe books,
been a guest on
dozens of morning
shows and in 2012
teamed up with
bestselling author,
Kris Carr to write
the NYTimes Best
Seller, Crazy Sexy
Kitchen.
Our Collective SuperTribe of Illuminaries & Expert Advisors…
Zak Zaidman
Expertise: Brand
concept, Digital
Strategy,
Ingredient
Expertise, Natural
Channel Sales,
Mission Driven
Business Values
& Leadership.
Brands: Kopali,
Sunkist, Gravity
Ashley Koff, RD
Expertise: Award-
winning nutrition expert
& spokesmodel, works
with global food
brands, teaching
healthcare providers
about better nutrition,
helping brands on
product R&D, brand
positioning,
competitive
landscapes, and PR.
Brands: Manitoba
Harvest, Nature's Path,
Natural Vitality, Proctor
& Gamble, Westin
Jeremiah McElwee
Expertise: National
Retail Operations,
Category
Management,
Personal Care, E-
Commerce Strategy
& Execution, Supply
Chain Expert.
Brands: Whole
Foods, Thrive
Markets, Weil
Nutrition
Erin Schrode
Expertise: “face of the
new green gen”, co-
founder of Turning Green
promotes Global
Sustainability & Conscious
Lifestyle, nationally
recognized speaker &
leader among next gen
social entrepreneurs.
Youngest woman ever to
run for USA Congress
(2016.)
Brands: Apple, The Coca-
Cola, Nestlé, Chipotle,
Seventh Gen, Nature's
Path
Stephanie Bernstein
Expertise: Social
Venture entrepreneur
and Product and
Marketing innovator,
deep understanding
of multi-channel
strategy for
sustainable products.
Brands: Founded To-
Go-Ware, Yoga
Journal, World of
Good, FSTV
Crispin Argento
Expertise:
Sustainable
Fashion & Apparel
strategist,
Business
Planning,
Development and
Product Design
and Production;
Branding,
Marketing and
Communications
activation.
Brands: Founder,
Portland Apparel
Lab
Tony deMoraes
Expertise:
Creative strategy.
Graphic Design,
Packaging,
Brand Essence,
Digital
Advertising, Web,
E-Commerce.
Brands: Steaz,
FitPro, Plant
Fusion, Element
18
Mark Neveu, PhD
Our R&D partner and
Founder of Wellomics,
providing science-
based innovation for
the nutraceutical,
beverage, and
functional food
markets. Delivers
more effective natural
health products
ushering in a new
paradigm of evidence-
based wellness on a
platform of
proprietary, cutting-
edge technologies.
Kenny Morrison
Co-Founder The
Farmacy, combining his
knowledge of cannabis /
communications, the
dispensary positioned
cannabis in its rightful
place within the
Traditional Chinese
Medicine, with licensed
herbalists and
acupuncturists presiding
over a wide array of
plant-based herbs,
founded Venice Cookie
Company; a leading
manufacturer of infused
products, including top
selling brand 4.20 BAR.
Michele Promaulayko
Expertise: Current Editor-in-
Chief Cosmopolitan.
Previously VP/Editor-in-
Chief of both Women’s
Health and Yahoo Health.
Responsible for all facets of
the brand, including the
magazine, website, digital
apps, books, and
international editions.
Under Michele, Women’s
Health evolved into one of
the largest women’s
lifestyle mags in the US. It
was #1 in newsstand sales
among all wellness titles,
outselling the competition
by 100K copies each per
month.
Lisa Leleu
Expertise: Creative
Director, Brand
strategist, innovator
& designer, Project
Management
includes brand
strategy, product
ideation, and
product and
packaging design.
Brands: M&M Mars,
Elmer’s, Kraft
Foods and ACME
United.
Kiran Stordalen
After nearly 20 years
at the forefront of the
world’s leading plant-
based beauty and
health brand AVEDA,
building and exiting
the business with her
husband Horst
Rechelbacher, Kiran
is now co-owner of
Intelligent Nutrients,
an certified organic
beauty line that offers
hair, skin, and body
care products as well
as pet care products.
Karen Ballou
Expertise: Develops
brands in the health &
beauty industry, with
curriculum & programs
for the medical
esthetician in the
medicinal field, named
Subject Matter Expert
for National Esthetic
exam for the National
Cosmetology Board.
Partner, Lucas Brand
Equity, P/E fund
focused in skincare,
beauty & personal
care, CEO
Immunocology, a
Global Skincare Brand
focused on "Natural
Skin health”.
Coming Together to Serve our Client Partners.
Yogi Cameron
Expertise; Ayurvedic
medicine, Yogic lifestyle,
digital TV and media,
online health and
wellness marketing
consultant
featured on The Dr. Oz
Show, Ellen DeGeneres,
Today Show, Extra &
Martha, he has also
been featured in The
New York Times, Men's
Journal.
Brands; The Bodhi Tree,
Yogicameron.com
Michael Christopher
Business/product developer,
mobile POS, e-commerce,
strategy, finance/business
management & operations.
Ambassador/consultant for
PeaceBoat NGO, U.N.
organization focused on
cultural exchange and the
preservation of the
environment.
Brands: Founder LoftTea,
Sonic Platforms, BUREAU,
BreadcrumbPro by Groupon,
PeaceBoatNGO,
BravoTV/Top Chef Kitchen
Janice Hall
Expertise: Pioneer targeting
new markets (demographic,
psychographics), trends
forecasting, market
intelligence, BizDev,
integrative sciences mkt,
environmental sustainability,
climate change business
impacts, public speaking,
extensive global network.
Brands: Wellomics, Probiotics
International, Biotivia Longevity
Bio, New Hope 360, Delicious!
Mag, Nature’s Secret, Imagine
Foods, Borlind Cosmetics, Zao
Organic Makeup.
Michael Martin
Expertise: Effect
Partners Founder,
create strategies and
crafts campaigns that
produce social change
while building
consumer awareness,
partners with
environmentally
conscious musicians &
business to go green.
Brands: CLIF Bar, Ben
& Jerry's, Stonyfield,
Live Nation, Seventh
Generation
Zhena Muzyka
Expertise: Conscious
Media, International
Supply Chain, Fair
Trade Formulation &
Sourcing, Sales
Strategy, Licensing,
Cause Marketing,
Branding, Strategic
Partnerships; Podcast,
Books, TV, Web,
Beverage, Tea, Candle
& Body Care.
Brands: Founder
Zhena’s Gypsy Tea,
author Life By the Cup,
Simon & Schuster
Steve Hoffman
Expertise: Natural
Channel PR expert,
Publishing, e-
newsletters,
Blogs &Social Media
Sustainability
Consulting,
LOHAS Market
Intelligence, Event
Marketing &
Production.
Brands: Alfalfa’s
Market,
Whole Foods, Zola,
Horizon Organic Dairy
To Help Make the World a Better Place.
Susan Leger-Ferraro
Expertise: Serial
entrepreneur for businesses
w conscious values & 2
things in common; Human
Development as core focus
& Creative access to capital,
totaling $40M+ in public and
private funds.
Works w socially conscious
private & public orgs,
access to alternative, free
capital grants, microfinance,
crowdsourcing, provides
transformational leadership
and well-being training
designed in collaboration w
Deepak Chopra & Gallup.
Derek Mulhern
Expertise: BS in
Agricultural Education &
Leadership, current Dir.
of Membership Organic
Trade Association. Past
Dir. of Program Dev for
American Farm Bureau
Federation. As Dir. at
OTA he is responsible
for overall membership
growth strategy including
outreach & represents
OTA to new members at
trade shows/conferences
Joshua Sheridan Fouts
Expertise: Exec Dir at
Bioneers, globally
recognized media
innovator & social
entrepreneur in public
policy, government,
digital journalism, social
networks, social good,
major gifts, grants,
philanthropy, grant
making, foundations,
government relations,
nonprofit mng,
endowments, corporate
social responsibility &
global communications in
human & international
development.
Samantha Thomas
Samantha is Executive
Director of Dream
Change, Inc., creator
of the Love Summit
Business conference
and a sustainable
business consultant.
She Is a Global
Shaper Of the World
Economic Forum and
has been featured in
publications such as
The Huffington Post,
The Oregonian and
Real Leaders, for her
work in social and
environmental
activism.
Hudson Ross
Expertise: Former
Head of Ops Aloha,
Hudson navigates
multiple industries to
build ventures from the
ground up and serves
as Managing Partner
at Breadhouse, where
he advises startups
and mid-large
businesses on their
brand building, supply
chain, creative,
marketing, packaging
design, fundraising
and end-to-end
customer experience
strategies.
Jeremy Adams
Expertise: Brand Strategy,
Marketing, Communications,
Brand Architecture.
Growth-driving marketer
with a passion for building
iconic lifestyle brands in the
natural beverage space (e.g.,
GT's & Synergy Kombucha,
POM Wonderful, Bossa
Nova). Background as an
award winning CPG
marketer, strategy &
innovation consultant and
head of marketing for
entrepreneurial/ PE backed
companies.Proven operating
executive, with strategic and
multi-disciplinary expertise of
a top-tier consultant.
Jennifer Gilbert
Expertise: 25 years brand
strat mkt,, biz dev w positions
at high-profile ad agencies J.
Walter Thompson & TBWA
Chiat/Day, current CMO I:CO,
global recycling co. ,providing
closed loop recycling solutions
for unwanted apparel,
footwear and textiles. Leads
mission in NA to keep these
material resources in
everlasting production cycle
and to providing a sustainable
approach to environmentally
responsible consumption.
Brands: Boeing, Coca-Cola,
Hewlett-Packard, Mattel,
Toyota, Ralston Purina
Mia Morgan
Expertise: ecofashion stylist,
has dressed countless
celebrities and high-profile
individuals for events and
editorials ranging from Nicole
Kidman and Beyonce
Knowles. In Mia maintains a
high-low sensibility in her work,
as she continues to utilize her
wide, design-house expertise to
develop fashionable brand
archetypes through “sustainable
fashion” methodology, Mia has
emerged as The Fashion
Alchemist, holds a B.A. Fashion
Design from Wayne State
University and studied film at
the School of Visual Arts (SVA).
Sarah Jay
Expertise: Celebrity
Stylist and eco beauty
expert, BOD Member of
Fashion Takes Action, an
NGO encouraging
sustainability & fair trade
through events and
initiatives including the
World Ethical Apparel
Roundtable (WEAR)
conference, Fashion
Revolution Day etc.
BOD member of
Environmental Defence's
Just Beautiful Campaign,
The Green Shows,
Project1127. Brands:
Harper's Bazaar, InStyle,
Elle
Isaac Nichelson
Expertise: Dubbed,
"Johnny Appleseed of
Eco Fashion”, in 2007
by California Apparel
News. Strategic
Marketing & Biz Dev
for Textile & Fashion
sector; Brand Dev,
R&D, Product
Innovation, Supply
Chain
Brands: Volcom,
Element Founded
LIVITY & Sustainable
Source Studios
Lars Von Bennigsen
Expertise: Bsc degree
in Mng London School
of Economics, career
has spanned as Head
of Asian Equity Sales
at Nomura to co-
founding iconic fashion
brand, Temperley
London. Now
dedicates life to finding
solutions that make the
world a better place
with focus in bringing
plant based medicines
to the mainstream
consumer.
How May We Serve You, In Achieving Your Dreams?
Céleste Lilore
Expertise: Luxury &
Ethical Fashion.
Positive Psychology
Practitioner, Business
Coach & Mentor.
Brand, Product,
Business Development
& Customer
Engagement. Focused
on Strategic Marketing,
Partnerships and
Sustainable Sales.
Brands: BF+DA (a
Pratt Initiative),
RESTORE Clothing,
Donald J.Pliner Shoes,
Charles Jourdan
Shoes & Parfums
Christian Dior
Amy Williams
Strategist/designer
specializing in creative
development for the
fashion/wearables/apparel
industry. Consulting for
design direction and biz dev
with focus on mindful
materials, make and
methodology practices.
Expertise in contemporary
young designer and active
sports categories, with
specialized skills in sweater
and cut/sew knits. Business
and design consultation in
aesthetics/color/design/bra
nd development for
International product
development & production
planning.
Kate Black
Founder of Magnifeco.com,
the digital source for eco-
fashion & sustainable living,
Kate has written over 1,000
articles about eco-designers
and ethical fashion before
her first book "Magnifeco:
Your Head-to-Toe Guide to
Ethical Fashion and Non-
toxic Beauty“, 2015.
A passionate eco-
evangelist, speaking &
consulting is focused on
conscious consumerism,
buying better, transparency
in fashion, etc.
Kate also sits as an advisor
on the boards of the New
York City Fair Trade
Coalition & MadeSafe.org.
Steven Lazarski
Steven has extensive
international experience
in apparel sourcing,
supply chain mng. &
production, starting at
Liz Claiborne, then
growing to executive
positions at Tommy
Hilfiger & Ralph Lauren.
Consulting is focused on
improving supply
chains/overseeing
the production process.
Steven is a vegetarian
and consumer of organic
products with a passion
for living a healthy and
authentic life.
Amy Johnson
Former Executive
Director, Master &
Muse by Amber
Valletta, Amy is now
Co-Founder at LA
based Squared
Films, a Creative
Studio, in
partnership with
Amber. Amy focuses
on the Sustainable
Fashion industry &
co-produced Driving
Fashion Forward for
Lexus' LStudio.com
with Marci Zaroff &
Tree Media. Amy
also Produced PSA
for 2014 Fashion
Revolution Day.
Anthony Lilore
Expertise: Fashion Design, Sustainability, Process and Manufacturing. Industry panelist and guest lecturer. Parsons, Pratt, FIT and Philadelphia University critic and mentor with 25+ yrs industry experience spanning every aspect of concept development, branding, design and production. Parsons grad ('83). Women's wear (design): Bill Blass, Alfred Sung, Leslie Faye. Member of the original Club Monaco design team in Toronto. Men's wear w Perry Ellis as Technical Design Director.
Libby Fearnley
As a designer of
Women's apparel for
over a decade, her
increased awareness of
the impacts of fast
fashion spurred a career
shift. Complicated and
difficult-to-trace supply
chains offer countless
opportunities for a more
efficient, safe,
meaningful, and
profitable industry, Libby
has achieved a
Sustainable Design
certificate from FIT in
2014 and is currently
collaborating on a book,
aDRESSing Change.
Janie Marshall
Expertise: Fashion
Design, Graphics,
Tech Packs, Product
Development,
Merchandising,
Marketing Direction
(photography/packa
ging/labels/hangtag/
sales materials/point
of purchase)
Suzanne McKenzie
Expertise: An award-winning
creative director/designer and
strategist by trade, Suzanne is
passionate about using design
and collaboration to make the
world a better place.18 years in
the advertising and design
consultancy worlds, she is also
Founder/Creative Director of Able
Made, an active lifestyle brand
that inspires healthy living via
sustainable, high-end fashion
accessories and product
collaboration with fashion's top
established & emerging brands.
Brands: Founder of Able Made;
MoMA; Tom Ford; FEED
Projects; Supergoop/Maria
Sharapova; the Olympic Games;
AIGA; Institute Contemporary Art
Daniel Sanders
Expertise: Eco-fiber to
fashion originator and co-
founder of Ecosport Inc.,
the first mass producer of
organic cotton textiles.
Co-founder Spiritex.
Extensive local and
domestic fabric and
garment manufacturing
and supply chain
management
experience. Catalyst for
getting textile projects
from concept to fruition.
Has worked with, NIKE,
Patagonia, Esprit, Ralph
Lauren, Levi's, Danksin
and many others
Beryl Jacobson
An entrepreneur who has
lead through a combination
of business savvy and
creative direction with a
unique hands on approach
to production with over 20
years experience. He has
founded and run multiple
companies including a
boutique creative digital
agency, a music and video
studio, and an education
focused technology/game
company. His focus has
always been on eco holistic
and healthy lifestyle
products and brands., Beryl
has advised many food and
beverage companies,
specializing in e-commerce
and other digital strategies.
Bonnie Trust Dahan
Expertise: Brand Strategist, Product
Visionary, Merchandising, E-Comm
& Marketing Expert. As a best-selling
author of Wise Concoctions, Elixirs
and Tonics for Health and Energy,
Garden House, Garden Home City,
and Living with the Seasons,
(Chronicle Books) and former EVP,
at Banana Republic and Smith &
Hawken, Bonnie combines her
extensive expertise in brand,
merchandising, and strategic
marketing with a personal passion to
prove that distinctive home & fashion
design and social values can co-
exist. Bonnie has developed and
brought to market over 2,000+
specialty/artisan products across
apparel, home décor, personal care,
gift and wellness, both mainstream
and LOHAS focused.
Terry Peterson
Expertise: Purchasing,
POP/POS,
Merchandising, Budget
Management,
Warehousing,
Shipping, member of
PPAI/Sage, utilize
analytics,
forecasting/negotiation
skills to procure
displays, print and
wearables..
Brands: Schieffelin &
Somerset, Arizona,
ZICO, Apple & Eve,
Steaz, Honest Tea
Greg Fleishman
Expertise: created &
grown some of the
world's largest and
most successful
brands during his 20-
year career - launching
500+ items across 17
food & beverage
categories i 12
countries - focusing
primarily on the
"natural green Space".
Co-founder of Purely
Righteous Brands, LA
agency dedicated to
growth of "green
space" health food &
beverage.
Lauri Maerov
Expertise: Verbal
Branding (Brand
Voice, Storytelling,
Naming),
Packaging & Web
Content, Social
Media, Brand
Strategy & Identity.
Brands: Zia
Naturals,
SpaRitual, Malie
Organics, Natural
Instincts (Clairol),
I AM
Mackenze McAleer
Expertise: Mac brings
15 years of
entrepreneurial digital
media experience to a
budding passion for
regenerative
agriculture,
agroecology and clean
tech. For years, he’s
been developing an
innovative geoponics
growing system and a
business model that
will fulfill institutional
demand locally, and
make growing at
home, year-round,
easier and tastier.
Jim Schifman
Expertise: Marketing,
Consulting, Licensing, for
retail brands going mass
with focus on bringing
innovative,
merchandising
strategies, ideas, and
products to retail and
manufacturing partners.
Works as a broker to
both retail and
manufacturers on
category & product
invention initiatives
across retail channels
and around the world.
Brands: TARGET,
Natures Path
Joyce Longfield
Expertise:
Microbiology, Food
Additive Submissions,
Novel Food Petitions
Regulatory guide
(HPP), Designing
validation, shelf life
studies.
Brands: BluePrint
Cleanse, Suja, Tio
Gazpacho, Hyperbaric
Russ Napolitano
Brand Essence, Consumer
Insight & Strategy. Russ’
entire 25+ yrs has been
dedicated to strategic
branding within the CPG
world. Working for
Gerstman+Meyers (now
Interbrand), Bailey Brand
Consulting & Wallace
Church, gives packaging
experience including food &
beverage HBA.
Brands: The Dial
Corporation, Johnson &
Johnson, Kraft Foods,
Welch’s, The Healthy
Beverage Corporation
(Steaz), Nestlé, Ocean
Spray, William Grant & Sons,
Logitech and P&G.
Mica Gross
Expertise: Organizational
Management and
Leadership, process
development, organic
food, functional
ingredients, dietary
supplements, cannabis
therapeutics, product
development, brand and
product innovation,
documentation, urban
gardening, formulations,
cost and inventory
modeling, cGMP, HACCP.
Brands: Wana Brands,
Native Roots, AeroGrow &
Azantic
Matthew Tollin
Founder of WireLawyer; JD
from The Harvard Law School.
In 2014 Matthew partnered
with Mindful Medical New
York (MMNY) which was
created for the purpose of
serving as a registered
organization providing a
medical marijuana program in
New York State. The
Company is a joint venture of
RAM Holdings Group, LLC
and NY Canopy Venture
Group, LLC. RAM represents
a group of highly successful
New York business executives
with a vast array of experience
in farming, medicine, banking,
technology, and law
enforcement.
Beth Wilson-Parentice
A former mixologist,
Beth comes from years
of experience in
the restaurant industry
where she curated the
best-selling drinks on
bar menus. She then
began her own organic
cocktail catering
company, Eco-Bar,
providing drinks at high
profile events before
coming up with the
concept of Sipp, which
she founded and has
grown into an innovative
national organic soft
drinks brand today.
Lannie Moore
Expertise:
organizational and
people management,
executive leadership,
growth strategy,
fundraising, systems
building, tech and
digital initiatives, app
development. MBA
from CEU Budapest.
Brands: gem+bolt
mezcal, Sol Flower
Farm, Pyure Brands
Adomas Pranevicius
CEO of MyDrink
Beverages, a premier
beverage R&D co with
offices in Lithuania
and United Kingdom,
w team in Denmark &
India. Specializes in
beverage concept
development, start-up
beverage projects,
business development
and brand building.
Professional in-house
beverage laboratory
W over 1000 recipes,
servicing clients from
Europe, Middle-East,
Asia, Africa & USA
Melissa Schifman
Expertise:
Developing and
implementing
organizations'
Sustainability
Strategy, Metrics
and Goals,
Corporate
Sustainability
Reporting, LEED
certification of
buildings,
campuses,
Corporate Financial
Planning & Analysis.
Partner Sustology,
helps businesses
green their bottom
line. Services: LEED
for Buildings.
Vincent Porpiglia
Founder of Dream Water
which was he grew to over
$10M in sales, extensive
experience in determining
company’s growth strategy
and overall management of
operations, sales and
business development. He
developed and managed
Dream Water from concept
to nationwide distribution in
35,000 stores in under 4
years. He is knowledgeable
in international business
and has strategic sales &
ops experience at large
retailers and distributors
such as Wal-Mart,
Walgreens, CVS, Kroger,
Safeway, Hudson News,
Paradies & Mclane.
Brette SimonMichelle Kozin
Expertise: Helping brands to rapidly scale by defining, finding and aligning the right individuals, teams and leaders needed to execute strategic plans and accelerate business results. Specializing in sales team optimization, marketing/sales alignment, leadership development, culture/engagement, reducing turnover. Worked as change management consultant at Accenture. Conscious consumption advocate and author of pioneering book on how to drive values-based spending into the multi-billion dollar wedding industry.
Expertise: Former
corporate law partner,
advises on capital
raising, strategic
alliances, and exit
transactions. Worked
with numerous
companies in food &
beverage, spoken at
numerous industry
conferences,
recognized as a top 13
dealmakers in the U.S.
for middle markets by
The Deal, winner of
“40 Under 40″ award by
M&A Advisor.
Amy Summers
Expertise: Founder
Pitch Publicity,
secures PR & major
media exposure for
companies, nonprofits,
influential medical
doctors, scientists,
authors,entrepreneurs,
environmentalists &
humanitarians.
Brands: Vitamin
Angels The Organic
Center, American
Nutrition Association,
NBJ Summit &United
Natural Products
Alliance
Andrew Jon Thomson
Andrew’s a coalition builder
and product developer in the
Cannabis industry having
helped bring opposing
parties together to pass Prop
215, the first medical
cannabis law, and inventing
many popular products and
processes in use today. He
brings an array of expertise
in sustainable health, and as
a certified Permaculture
Sustainable Systems
Designer, apprenticed
to evidence-based master
herbalist and creator of
many successful nontoxic
technology, methods and
products on the market
today.
Friends We Love to Partner With
Please join us in Co-Creating a better tomorrow.
At BeyondBrands, we often refer to our sense of discovering and understanding of inner purpose, our deep
commitment behind everything we do, our passion and greatest excitement.
Our “Collective” provides the highest standards of integrity and expertise in developing and executing
cohesive strategies across brand creation, product development & formulation, finance, production,
operations, sales & marketing. We believe in service to others, as serving our clients and industries ultimately
serves ourselves and our global community.
Even the best products and services, biz plan, marketing and branding won’t be enough in today’s
marketplace if a brand lacks clear passion and purpose. Each step of the way, our teammates ensure that
your products, services, brand and company are aligned with core-values and future trends in order to stay
on-top and ready for success.
Headquarters: 227 West 17th Street, #3A. New York, NY 10011
Contact us at 844.579.1133 + [email protected]
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