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  • Founders Series: Finding the White Space - Data & Analytics

Founders Series: Finding the White Space - Data & Analytics

  • 26 Feb 2020
  • 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Datassential, 18 S Michigan Ave, 12th Floor, Chicago, IL 60603

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The Founders Series returns for 2020!  The series returns to explore the topics and conversations that growing, capitalizing, and emerging brands and companies want to be a part of!

Join us for the February series launch to explore data and analytics...

  • How do you spot trends before they happen?
  • How does your company uncover opportunities and capitalize on them?
  • What are different business units doing to leverage data and analytics to help steer their company towards growth and market leadership?

This conversation will feature:

Alok Advani, President, SuckerPunch Gourmet

Alok Advani is the president of SuckerPunch Gourmet, based out of Bridgeview, Illinois.  He is passionate about all things food, and especially a sustainable and humane food ecosystem. Alok is a graduate of Northern Illinois University, and began his CPG career 13 years ago in finance roles with Kraft Foods and the Kroger Corporate.  He then went back to get his MBA at The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University under a research fellowship, focusing on primary shopper marketing research with Target, Stop N Shop, and HEB.  After graduating, he joined Bayer Consumer Health as an Assistant Brand Manager on the Aleve Brand, Anheuser-Busch InBev as Experiential Marketing Manager for Michelob ULTRA, and ConAgra brands, where he managed the Emerging Brands/Acquisitions Portfolio, including Frontera, Blake’s, and Alexia Foods.  Alok lives in Chicago.  He enjoys building furniture in his woodshop, and is passionate about adult literacy.    

Erin Murray, Director - Customer Success, Datassential

Erin Murray has worked in market research and consulting for more than 20 years, serving dozens of clients in food & beverage with insight for innovation and marketing success.  Erin earned degrees in Psychology and Education from The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Additionally, she has a Master’s Degree from Northwestern University in Integrated Marketing Communications.  Passionate about the opportunities represented by trends, Erin is a marketing instructor at Robert Morris University where she also sits on the Board of Advisors.

Michael Gloer, Senior Analyst - Business Intelligence, CA Fortune

Michael’s first exposure to the Food and Beverage world was through a Global Sales and Marketing internship with Organic Valley. There, he found professional purpose in advancing foods and beverages that are better for both people and the planet. One and a half years ago, he joined the fast-growing fully integrated sales agency C.A. Fortune where he developed a knack for telling data-driven selling stories for hundreds of brands across categories and channels. Now, he is a dedicated analyst to the organization’s largest client leveraging data from various syndicated and distributor data sources to optimize their national strategy.

Marla Commons, Vice President Research - The Americas, Mintel

Marla has over 20 years of marketing research experience running both quantitative and qualitative research. She works within a variety of industries and focuses on consumer packaged goods. Her areas of specialization include global research and new product development/early stage innovation. She rejoined Mintel in 2013 and leads The Americas Mintel Reports research team. Marla has a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from DePaul University.  

Steve Gaither (Moderator), Chief Marketing Officer, CA Fortune/CA Branding

Steve Gaither is the Chief Marketing Officer at C.A. Fortune, and leads the C.A. Branding pillar. Founded as JB Chicago, C.A. Branding is an integrated marketing agency whose clients range from Fortune 500, middle-market, to emerging brands.  As a mentor at the Good Food Business Accelerator, ICNC, the Food Foundry, Chicagoland Food and Bev, and The Hatchery, his relationships with entrepreneurs led him to co-found the Windy City Troublemakers, an early-stage food meetup in Chicago. Steve was formerly a partner in Spiral Sun Ventures and Windy City Food Brands, where he and his fellow CPG experts provided the capital and go-to market strategies that help brands accelerate their growth. Steve graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Architecture and Planning. He resides in Munster, Indiana with his wife and three children.

This event will feature light refreshments and Happy Hour drinks.

Are you a start-up company or emerging brand in the food & beverage space?  Growth stage brand or manufacturer?  Don't forget that CFBN members in these categories always can attend Founders series events at NO charge!  Send us an email to access the discount code and get registered as a FREE GUEST today!

Would you like to attend the FULL Founders Series at a discount?  We are offering a special pre-registration to all FIVE (5) events of the Founders Series - including our brand showcase - for a discounted price to CFBN members of $100 (a discount of $25 off individual registration)!  Send us an email for assistance with full series registration!

The Founders Series is presented in partnership with CA Fortune:

                  

We appreciate the support of our member company site host and primary sponsor for this event, Datassential!



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