Architects of Impact
Architects of Impact is a podcast hosted by Shawn Edwards, founder of mindsight, for founders, operators, marketers, and investors building better-for-you brands. Each episode explores the high-stakes decisions that shape growth: the tradeoffs, the pressure, and the moments when leaders need real clarity to move forward. Through conversations with founders, operators, and investors, Architects of Impact reveals how smarter decisions create stronger brands, greater impact, and more valuable outcomes.
Episodes
How Great Marketing Wins at the Shelf | Lindsay Mecca, Brand Marketing & Insights, Bradshaw Home
In this episode of Architects of Impact, host Shawn Edwards sits down with Lindsay Mecca, Marketing & Insights at Bradshaw Home, whose career has taken her from PR for cloud-storage startups to Aquafina at PepsiCo, OXO, and emerging brands SkinnyDipped and Wilde.That range has given Lindsay a unique view of marketing. Big companies taught her rigor, discipline, and how to think through the dow
How to Build a Brand That Outlasts Trends | Stacey Hartnett, SVP of Marketing at Chomps
In this episode of Architects of Impact, host Shawn Edwards sits down with Stacey Hartnett, SVP of Marketing at Chomps. Stacey's path to one of the fastest-growing CPG brands in the country is anything but traditional. She started on the vendor side at News America Marketing, moved to performance media at Rise Interactive, where every dollar had to prove its ROI, and joined Chomps as employee
The Art of Driving Focus in Premium CPG | Jen Beechen, SVP of Marketing at Serenity Kids
In this episode of Architects of Impact, host Shawn Edwards sits down with Jen Beechen, SVP of Marketing at Serenity Kids and a powerhouse CPG marketer with over 25 years of experience leading category-defining brand turnarounds and product launches. Jen brings an elite, blue-chip foundation built at Procter & Gamble, Campbell’s, and Bimbo Bakeries—where she led the creation of Sandwich Thins,
Growth is Hiding in the People Who Love You | Joe Wilbeck, VP of Marketing at Remedy Organics
In this episode of Architects of Impact, host Shawn Edwards sits down with Joe Wilbeck, VP of Marketing at Remedy Organics and a seasoned CPG executive who has spent his 17-year career successfully scaling emerging brands to the 9-figure sales threshold. Joe brings a unique perspective shaped by his time at the intersection of big CPG discipline and challenger brand speed — with an established tra
What Building Your Own Brand Teaches You About Everyone Else's | Sarah Meis, SVP Innovation at JustFoodForDogs
In this episode of Architects of Impact, host Shawn Edwards sits down with Sarah Meis, SVP Innovation at JustFoodForDogs and former Co-Founder and CEO of The Humble Seed. Sarah brings a perspective that is genuinely rare in CPG: she has been a senior marketing leader at some of the most respected better-for-you brands in the industry — Vans Natural Foods, Lily's Sweets, Purely Elizabeth, and G
Why Emerging Brands Stall Out—And How to Win the Aisle | Lauren Start, Chief Marketing Officer at NuTrail
In this episode of Architects of Impact, host Shawn Edwards is joined by Lauren Start, Chief Marketing Officer at NuTrail, a premium nut-based granola brand backed by EagleTree Capital. Lauren represents a rare breed of CPG marketer who successfully transitioned from the highly structured, resource-rich world of Big CPG to the fast-paced, high-stakes environment of emerging, private equity-backed
The Consumer Signals Private Equity Investors Trust Most | Sharon Fox, Operating Partner at Stride Consumer Partners
In this episode of Architects of Impact, host Shawn Edwards sits down with Sharon Fox, Operating Partner at Stride Consumer Partners. With over two decades of experience spanning brand management at Kraft and Unilever, e-commerce leadership at Ralph Lauren and Quidsi, Sharon brings a rare, 360-degree perspective on consumer brands. Sharon demystifies Stride's core investment thesis—the "P
The Indulgence Paradox of the GLP-1 Journey | Erin Krubeck, Executive Director of Insights at mindsight
In this special bonus episode of Architects of Impact, host Shawn Edwards is joined by Erin Krubeck, Executive Director of Insights at mindsight, to break down the findings of mindsight’s massive, custom GLP-1 consumer study. Moving past clinical trials and superficial trend reports, Shawn and Erin dive into the deeply human, emotional, and strategic realities of the GLP-1 consumer journey.The con
How Suja Life Repositioned Cold-Pressed Juice for Double-Digit Growth | Saxon Seay, Chief Strategy Officer at Suja Life
In this episode of Architects of Impact, host Shawn Edwards sits down with Saxon Seay, Chief Strategy Officer at Suja Life. Fresh off the milestone of Suja Life going public, Saxon shares her journey from business school to leading major brand transformations at both The Coca-Cola Company and Suja Life. Saxon discusses the critical concept of "Brand Edge"—how a brand uniquely delivers on
Move Fast, Just Don't Move Blind: Launching Architects of Impact | with Shawn Edwards at mindsight
In this inaugural episode of Architects of Impact, host Shawn Edwards introduces the core mission of the show and shares the philosophy behind mindsight, the consumer and brand research firm he founded to help better-for-people and better-for-planet brands scale. Shawn breaks down why early traction can be a deceptive metric and how deep consumer understanding is the ultimate catalyst for durable
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