What does it take to build a national pastry brand without losing your soul—or your partner? Nancy Ridlen sits down with KRMA Foods co-founders Rachel Oostman and Marine Crile to share the real story behind their QVC debut, late-night spreadsheets, and the values that kept them grounded when things got tough.

They unpack how their partnership evolved, the principles that shaped their culture, and the moments that nearly broke the business before they finally hit break-even. Rachel and Marine also challenge old playbooks for women in food, showing how vulnerability, intuition, and aligned decision-making led them to the right deals and the right people.

If you’re building a business, considering a partner, or love a behind-the-scenes look at food entrepreneurship, this episode blends grit, heart, and practical wisdom.

From sales strategy to social influence — and a little bourbon in between 🥃

This week on Confessions Beyond the Food, Nancy Ridlen sits down with Anthony Salemi, VP of Strategic Sales at Ace Mart and the man behind Bourbon Badass. They talk about how the foodservice industry is evolving, what fuels his competitive spirit, and one powerful moment that brings it all back to what really matters.

🎧 Listen now — you’ll laugh, you’ll nod, and you might even tear up.

What happens when a chef known for speed, standards, and scaling brands decides to flip the script and live “God first, family second, work third”? We sat down with our friend John Franke—chef, leader, and founder of Franke Culinary Consulting—to talk about faith in a high-pressure industry and how convictions hold up when tickets are firing, clients are waiting, and home life is loud.

John opens up about the long arc from kitchen chaos to steady leadership, including a season when work paused, family tensions rose, and he had to choose surrender over spin. He shares how therapy and faith worked together, why boundaries are not posturing but proof, and how he measures success by integrity instead of applause. We unpack the shift from reputation with people to reputation with God, the daily practice of gratitude, and a simple idea that changed everything: enough. Enough time for family dinners. Enough humility to listen. Enough provision to keep moving when contracts fall through.

If you’re feeling frayed by the restaurant grind—or any hustle—this conversation offers practical steps and honest encouragement. You’ll hear how to set clear boundaries without burning bridges, how to lead teams without playing hero, and how to trust provision when plans take an unexpected turn. We end on a fun note with a candid food confession that proves even serious chefs savor simple comforts.

If this episode helps you exhale, share it with a friend who needs a reset. Subscribe for more candid conversations that put first things first, and leave a quick review to tell us what part hit home.

For more on Franke Culinary Consulting: https://www.frankeculinaryconsulting.com/about

Christian Counselors Network:

https://www.christiancounselordirectory.com/?https://ChristianCounselorDirectory.com&gad_source=1

Recovery:
https://celebraterecovery.com/

Focus on the Family: Offers a free, one-time phone consultation with a licensed or pastoral counselor at 1-855-771-HELP (4357).

What happens when a civil engineer discovers his true calling isn’t in concrete and steel—but in cast iron and cornbread? Meet Myles, the founder of Myles Comfort Foods, who traded spreadsheets for skillets and built a frozen food brand that’s shaking up supermarket aisles.

In this episode, Myles shares his extraordinary journey from corporate burnout to Food Network competitor to bold food entrepreneur. For him, the dinner table was always sacred—a place where southern comfort classics brought his family together. After just two days in an engineering job, an existential crisis led him back to that place of passion: the kitchen.

This is a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the messy realities of starting a food brand. Myles recounts walking into stores with bottles of homemade barbecue sauce, fumbling through food shows without knowing the lingo, and the financial lows that nearly ended it all. His story of resilience—through near-bankruptcy and burnout—offers essential lessons for anyone dreaming of building something from scratch.

What sets Myles apart? He reimagined frozen mac and cheese—notoriously seen as an “aisle of sacrifice” purchase—into a protein-packed, premium comfort food experience ready in just four minutes. His mission: to create a comfort moment in the chaos.

The real gem of this conversation is a decade’s worth of wisdom distilled into one tough truth: “The masses don’t care about your product.” Myles explains why claiming to make “the best version” isn’t enough—and how brands must prove real value to survive.

If you're hungry for inspiration, honesty, and practical advice about food entrepreneurship, this episode serves it up hot.

You can follow Myles Comfort Foods online to learn more about their products and where to find them in stores.

https://www.mylescomfortfoods.com/

Nancy Ridlen shares ten hard-earned lessons for women in foodservice, sales and entrepreneurship, drawing from her 25 years of experience navigating spaces that weren't always built for women. These personal confessions offer a roadmap for staying authentic while confronting biases and building successful careers in any industry.

1. Embrace Who You Are
2. Know You Will Face Challenges
3. Understand Communication Perception
4. Address Harassment and Microaggressions Head-On
5. Be Kind and Uplifting to Other Women
6. Mentor the Next Generation
7. Do Your Homework on Company Culture
8. Confront Bullying Tactics
9. Leverage the Unique Strengths Women Bring
10. Avoid Reverse Discrimination

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What separates a top-tier sales rep from the rest?
Jason Morgan, DSR of the Month at Edward Don & Company, shares how a customer-first mindset, operational insight, and strategic problem-solving helped him earn one of foodservice’s highest honors.

In this episode:
• How Jason uses his restaurant background to anticipate customer needs
• Managing multiple roles: sales, logistics, credit & more
• Navigating industry shifts: price transparency, e-commerce & AI
• Why relationships still matter more than ever
• And yes—a memorable story involving a Willie Nelson concert 🎤

🎧 Tune in to hear how putting customers first creates success that gets recognized.

#SalesLeadership #CustomerSuccess #FoodServiceSales #DSRoftheMonth #SalesStrategy #RelationshipSelling #PodcastEpisode

10 Real Things to Make the Job Fun

So let’s be honest, work is work. But, that doesn’t mean it has to be boring, stressful, or something you just ‘get through’. At W3 Sales we believe that fun isn’t just a perk, it’s a part of the process. From inside jokes to team banter to real vacation and Think Tanks that spark some really crazy ideas we found that building a connected, energized culture makes everything better. So today we are sharing 10 real things we do to make the job fun. And spoiler alert, none of them involve a ping pong table!

This episode is about creating a team that people actually want to be a part of and celebrating the little things that make a huge difference.

Let’s go have some FUN!

In this episode of Confessions Beyond the Food, listeners are taken behind the scenes with restaurant industry veteran and creative powerhouse Mark Brezinski—author of Fork Fight and the visionary behind some of the country’s most iconic dining concepts. From the early days of Macaroni Grill to the launch of Pei Wei and collaborations with brands like Pizza Hut and Velvet Taco, Brezinski has left a lasting mark on the foodservice landscape.

This conversation explores the emotional and often unpredictable journey of building a restaurant from the ground up. It’s a raw, revealing look at the spark of an idea, the grind of execution, and the highs and lows that come with bringing bold concepts to life. From risk and resilience to discovery and consequence, this episode pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to create something enduring in the ever-evolving world of dining.