Eric Ryan Retail Rescue
There’s a saying, “It takes one to know one.” I believe entrepreneurs are the backbone of our economy because I’m one of them. I speak their language. I can also tell when they’re full of sh*t. One of my unfair advantages is the fact that I’m a fixer.
That means I can’t help walking into a store or shopping online and seeing what can and should be improved about a product packing, taste, ingredients and more. It’s a gift and a curse because I’m not easier satisfied. To me innovation and disruption is about seeing what others don’t see and either reinventing the category or introducing something totally unique. It’s mostly common sense combined with a high level of taste, the right team and a bit of luck.
Welcome to Eric Ryan Retail Rescue, where I spotlight products and in-store categories that need to be rescued and revived! Want to know more about me? Visit my website: https://www.gobstop.com/bio
Eric Ryan Retail Rescue
Master of the Mid-Day Munchies | Jake Karls, Mid-Day Squares
From hand-delivering 25-cent chocolate bars in Montreal to building a 65-million-bar business with a fully automated factory - this is the raw, unfiltered story of Mid-Day Squares co-founder Jay Karls.
What happens when three family members risk everything to disrupt the chocolate industry? You get therapy sessions every 10 days, a $30 website mistake that nearly bankrupted the company, and one of the most transparent "build out loud" journeys in entrepreneurship.
In this episode, you'll discover:
• Why Jay hired a videographer before a food scientist • The UPC code disaster that cost millions in sales • How documenting family business drama became their secret weapon • Why refrigerated snacks are the next big retail opportunity • The Target pitch that changed everything • How a near-recall taught them about quality over everything
Jay opens up about struggling in school, getting rejected from 36 jobs, and finding his calling after watching Shark Tank on his parents' couch. His approach to business reads like a masterclass in momentum creation - from hand-delivering products to meet every customer face-to-face to using social media as a reality show about building a business.
This conversation gets into the nitty-gritty of consumer packaged goods: cold custody challenges, shelf-life nightmares, and why being the "class clown turned entrepreneur" became his superpower in retail.
Key insights for entrepreneurs: • How to build authentic momentum from zero • Why collaboration beats competition every time
• The importance of hiring operators when you're an artist • How to turn business failures into your biggest wins
If you're ready to hear what building a modern food brand really looks like - without the glossy Instagram version - this episode delivers the truth about entrepreneurship, family business dynamics, and the unglamorous path to retail success.