#273: Laila Ghambari of Guilder Coffee

#273: Laila Ghambari of Guilder Coffee

EPISODE OVERVIEW Welcome to the Meaningful Marketplace, the podcast that goes behind the scenes to tell the stories of female food entrepreneurs. Join hosts Sarah Masoni, the OSU Food Innovation Center director, famously dubbed the "woman with the million-dollar palate" by the New York Times, and Sarah Marshall, the farm-to-table visionary behind Marshall’s Haute Sauce. Each week, this powerhouse duo sits down with startup founders to explore the grit, innovation, and passion required to turn a kitchen-table dream into reality. Join them as they talk with Laila Ghambari of Guilder Coffee in Portland, Oregon. In this episode, we are joined by the absolute powerhouse of specialty coffee, Laila Ghambari, the co-owner of Portland’s beloved Guilder Coffee Company and a nationally recognized coffee business consultant. Laila’s journey in coffee spans more than two decades. Raised in a family of hospitality entrepreneurs, she fell in love with the craft of coffee in her father's Seattle café. After climbing the ranks to win the highly coveted title of U.S. Barista Champion in 2014, Laila spent years guiding multi-unit retail operations and executive-level channels for major national roasters, including leading education and cafes at Stumptown. In 2024, Laila took the next major leap: purchasing the Portland-based Guilder Cafe and Junior's Roasted Coffee. Tune in to hear Laila share the practical realities of café ownership, the strategic dance of merging two distinct local brands under the unified Guilder Coffee Company banner, and how she models leading with confidence, empathy, and grace while balancing motherhood and mentorship. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: PROSPER PORTLAND This episode of The Meaningful Marketplace is proudly sponsored by Prosper Portland. Prosper Portland is committed to building an equitable economy by supporting local small businesses, startups, and creative entrepreneurs. Through their diverse array of financial programs, technical assistance, and community partnerships, they provide the essential resources that help Portland’s food and beverage makers grow from early-stage concepts into thriving, regional brands. Prosper Portland believes that when we invest in our local creators—especially our women-owned, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ founders—we strengthen the entire fabric of our community. To learn more about how they can support your business journey, visit ProsperPortland.us [https://prosperportland.us]. EPISODE RESOURCES & CONNECT LINKS Shop Guilder Coffee Company: GuilderCoffee.com [https://guildercoffee.com/] Follow Guilder on Instagram: @guildercoffee [https://www.instagram.com/guildercoffee/] Learn More About Our Sponsor: Prosper Portland [https://prosperportland.us] OSU Food Innovation Center: fic.oregonstate.edu [https://fic.oregonstate.edu] Thank you for listening to The Meaningful Marketplace Podcast with your hosts, Sarah Masoni [https://www.instagram.com/sarahmasoni/] of Oregon State University's Food Innovation Center and Sarah Marshall [https://www.instagram.com/spicymarshall/], owner of Marshall's Haute Sauce. Connect with us on Instagram @meaningfulmarketplacepodcast [https://www.instagram.com/meaningfulmarketplacepodcast/].  Call our hotline with questions for Sarah and Sarah at 503-395-8858. If you want to support our show, write us a review, share episodes with friends, or subscribe to our Patreon [https://patreon.com/thejoyofcreationproductionhouse]. Producer: Sarah Marshall of The Joy of Creation Production House [https://www.thejoyofcreation.com] Audio engineer, mixer, and podcast editor: Haley Bowers

#272: Michelle Cairo of Olympia Provisions

EPISODE OVERVIEW Welcome to the Meaningful Marketplace, the podcast that goes behind the scenes to tell the stories of female food entrepreneurs. Join hosts Sarah Masoni, the OSU Food Innovation Center director, famously dubbed the "woman with the million-dollar palate" by the New York Times, and Sarah Marshall, the farm-to-table visionary behind Marshall’s Haute Sauce. Each week, this powerhouse duo sits down with startup founders to explore the grit, innovation, and passion required to turn a kitchen-table dream into reality. Join them as they talk with Michelle Cairo of Olympia Provisions in Portland, Oregon. In this episode, we sit down with Michelle Cairo, the visionary co-founder and CEO of Olympia Provisions, Oregon’s very first USDA-certified salumeria. What started in 2009 in a modest kitchen in Southeast Portland has grown into a nationally recognized, award-winning powerhouse of dry-cured meats, charcuterie, and beloved neighborhood restaurants. Michelle took a massive leap from the world of corporate finance to partner with her brother, Elias Cairo, a master charcutier who spent years training in the Swiss Alps. Together, they set out to do something many said was impossible: bring old-world, slow-cured European traditions to the Pacific Northwest under strict USDA regulations. Tune in to hear Michelle share the grit, heart, and financial choreography required to scale a gourmet food brand nationally while remaining fiercely dedicated to sustainable sourcing, local partnerships, and the Portland community. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: PROSPER PORTLAND This episode of The Meaningful Marketplace is proudly sponsored by Prosper Portland. Prosper Portland is committed to building an equitable economy by supporting local small businesses, startups, and creative entrepreneurs. Through their diverse array of financial programs, technical assistance, and community partnerships, they provide the essential resources that help Portland’s food and beverage makers grow from early-stage concepts into thriving, regional brands. Prosper Portland believes that when we invest in our local creators—especially our women-owned, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ founders—we strengthen the entire fabric of our community. To learn more about how they can support your business journey, visit ProsperPortland.us [https://prosperportland.us]. EPISODE RESOURCES & CONNECT LINKS Shop Olympia Provisions: OlympiaProvisions.com [https://www.olympiaprovisions.com/] Follow Olympia Provisions on Instagram: @olympiaprovisions [https://www.instagram.com/olympiaprovisions/] Learn More About Our Sponsor: Prosper Portland [https://prosperportland.us] OSU Food Innovation Center: fic.oregonstate.edu [https://fic.oregonstate.edu] Thank you for listening to The Meaningful Marketplace Podcast with your hosts, Sarah Masoni [https://www.instagram.com/sarahmasoni/] of Oregon State University's Food Innovation Center and Sarah Marshall [https://www.instagram.com/spicymarshall/], owner of Marshall's Haute Sauce. Connect with us on Instagram @meaningfulmarketplacepodcast [https://www.instagram.com/meaningfulmarketplacepodcast/].  Call our hotline with questions for Sarah and Sarah at 503-395-8858. If you want to support our show, write us a review, share episodes with friends, or subscribe to our Patreon [https://patreon.com/thejoyofcreationproductionhouse]. Producer: Sarah Marshall of The Joy of Creation Production House [https://www.thejoyofcreation.com] Audio engineer, mixer, and podcast editor: Haley Bowers

#271: Adriana And Wendy of Three Sisters Nixtamal

EPISODE OVERVIEW Welcome to the Meaningful Marketplace, the podcast that goes behind the scenes to tell the stories of female food entrepreneurs. Join hosts Sarah Masoni, the OSU Food Innovation Center director, famously dubbed the "woman with the million-dollar palate" by the New York Times, and Sarah Marshall, the farm-to-table visionary behind Marshall’s Haute Sauce. Each week, this powerhouse duo sits down with startup founders to explore the grit, innovation, and passion required to turn a kitchen-table dream into reality. Join them as they talk with Adriana and Wendy of Three Sisters Nixtamal in Portland, Oregon. In this episode, we sit down with Adriana Azcárate-Ferbel and Wendy Downing, the incredible co-owners and founders of Three Sisters Nixtamal in Portland, Oregon. What began as a personal quest to find real, traditional corn tortillas in the Pacific Northwest has grown into a beloved regional cornerstone of certified organic, stone-ground masa and fresh tortillas. Adriana, a native of Mexico City and a practicing naturopathic doctor, teamed up with Wendy, a trained chef with roots in San Francisco's legendary Zuni Cafe, to build a business honoring ancient food traditions. By utilizing the ancestral process of nixtamalization—cooking dry organic corn in water and slaked lime (cal)—they produce nutrient-dense, preservative-free corn products that have completely transformed the local food scene. Tune in to hear how Adriana and Wendy navigated the shift from home cooks to operating Southeast Portland’s primary community molino, supplying favorite local grocers like New Seasons Market and co-ops across the Northwest.   SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: PROSPER PORTLAND This episode of The Meaningful Marketplace is proudly sponsored by Prosper Portland. Prosper Portland is committed to building an equitable economy by supporting local small businesses, startups, and creative entrepreneurs. Through their diverse array of financial programs, technical assistance, and community partnerships, they provide the essential resources that help Portland’s food and beverage makers grow from early-stage concepts into thriving, regional brands. Prosper Portland believes that when we invest in our local creators—especially our women-owned, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ founders—we strengthen the entire fabric of our community. To learn more about how they can support your business journey, visit ProsperPortland.us [https://prosperportland.us].   EPISODE RESOURCES & CONNECT LINKS Shop Three Sisters Nixtamal: ThreeSistersPDX.com [https://www.threesisterspdx.com/] Follow Three Sisters on Instagram: @threesistersnixtamal [https://www.instagram.com/threesistersnixtamal/] Learn More About Our Sponsor: Prosper Portland [https://prosperportland.us]   Thank you for listening to The Meaningful Marketplace Podcast with your hosts, Sarah Masoni [https://www.instagram.com/sarahmasoni/] of Oregon State University's Food Innovation Center and Sarah Marshall [https://www.instagram.com/spicymarshall/], owner of Marshall's Haute Sauce. Connect with us on Instagram @meaningfulmarketplacepodcast [https://www.instagram.com/meaningfulmarketplacepodcast/].  Call our hotline with questions for Sarah and Sarah at 503-395-8858. If you want to support our show, write us a review, share episodes with friends, or subscribe to our Patreon [https://patreon.com/thejoyofcreationproductionhouse]. Producer: Sarah Marshall of The Joy of Creation Production House [https://www.thejoyofcreation.com] Audio engineer, mixer, and podcast editor: Haley Bowers

#270: Courtney Yones of We Must Dipping Mustard

EPISODE OVERVIEW Welcome to the Meaningful Marketplace, the podcast that goes behind the scenes to tell the stories of female food entrepreneurs. Join hosts Sarah Masoni, the OSU Food Innovation Center director, famously dubbed the "woman with the million-dollar palate" by the New York Times, and Sarah Marshall, the farm-to-table visionary behind Marshall’s Haute Sauce. Each week, this powerhouse duo sits down with startup founders to explore the grit, innovation, and passion required to turn a kitchen-table dream into reality. Join them as they talk with Courtney Yones of We Must Dipping Mustard in Portland, Oregon. In this episode, we sit down with Courtney Yones, the visionary founder and owner of We Must Dipping Mustard, a woman-owned brand disrupting the condiment aisle right here in Portland, Oregon. Courtney’s journey began not in a corporate test kitchen, but in her own home, inspired by her son’s deep love of mustard. Realizing there was a distinct gap in the market for an elevated, thick, and highly craveable dipping mustard, Courtney set out to create something worthy of that devotion. After refining her recipes through 14 meticulous iterations and graduating from the Portland Community College Get Your Recipe to Market program, Courtney teamed up with the OSU Food Innovation Center to bring her stunning small-batch line to life. Today, her silky, bold mustards can be found on the shelves of local favorites like New Seasons Market. Tune in to hear how Courtney took a simple kitchen-table idea and turned it into a beautiful, sustainable, and unapologetically bold community brand.   SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: PROSPER PORTLAND This episode of The Meaningful Marketplace is proudly sponsored by Prosper Portland. Prosper Portland is committed to building an equitable economy by supporting local small businesses, startups, and creative entrepreneurs. Through their diverse array of financial programs, technical assistance, and community partnerships, they provide the essential resources that help Portland’s food and beverage makers grow from early-stage concepts into thriving, regional brands. Prosper Portland believes that when we invest in our local creators—especially our women-owned, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ founders—we strengthen the entire fabric of our community. To learn more about how they can support your business journey, visit ProsperPortland.us [https://prosperportland.us]. FEATURED FLAVOR PROFILES Courtney walks us through her signature flight of bold, craveable dipping mustards: Garden Yellow: An elevated, flavor-first classic that swaps watery fillers for a thick, robust texture perfect for seed crackers and soft pretzels. Fresh Dill: An herbaceous, highly versatile mustard that brings a bright, fresh lift to sandwiches and shines as a secret cooking glaze for salmon. Cuvée Blanc Dijon: A luxurious, sharp dip blending white wine, brown mustard seeds, and clean vinegar to deliver an elegant heat built for charcuterie. EPISODE RESOURCES & CONNECT LINKS Shop We Must Dipping Mustard: WeMustMustard.com [https://wemustmustard.com/] Follow We Must on Instagram: @wemustmustard [https://www.instagram.com/wemustmustard] Learn More About Our Sponsor: Prosper Portland [https://prosperportland.us] OSU Food Innovation Center: fic.oregonstate.edu [https://fic.oregonstate.edu] https://wemustmustard.com/ [https://wemustmustard.com/]   Thank you to our sponsor: Propor Portland https://prosperportland.us/our-work/food-beverage-manufacturing/ [https://prosperportland.us/our-work/food-beverage-manufacturing/] Thank you for listening to The Meaningful Marketplace Podcast with your hosts, Sarah Masoni [https://www.instagram.com/sarahmasoni/] of Oregon State University's Food Innovation Center and Sarah Marshall [https://www.instagram.com/spicymarshall/], owner of Marshall's Haute Sauce. Connect with us on Instagram @meaningfulmarketplacepodcast [https://www.instagram.com/meaningfulmarketplacepodcast/].  Call our hotline with questions for Sarah and Sarah at 503-395-8858. If you want to support our show, write us a review, share episodes with friends, or subscribe to our Patreon [https://patreon.com/thejoyofcreationproductionhouse]. Producer: Sarah Marshall of The Joy of Creation Production House [https://www.thejoyofcreation.com] Audio engineer, mixer, and podcast editor: Haley Bowers

#269: Yvonne Smoker of Prosper Portland

Welcome to the Meaningful Marketplace, the podcast that goes behind the scenes to tell the stories of female food entrepreneurs. Join hosts Sarah Masoni, the OSU Food Innovation Center director, famously dubbed the "woman with the million-dollar palate" by the New York Times, and Sarah Marshall, the farm-to-table visionary behind Marshall’s Haute Sauce. Each week, this powerhouse duo sits down with startup founders to explore the grit, innovation, and passion required to turn a kitchen-table dream into reality. Join them as they talk with Yvonne Smoker of Prosper Portland. Episode: Cultivating Local Growth with Yvonne Smoker of Prosper Portland In this episode, we dive into the local support and connection of the Portland food scene with Yvonne Smoker, a champion for local makers at Prosper Portland. We explore how institutional support can act as a catalyst, helping small businesses move from a kitchen dream to market reality. Yvonne shares the vital resources Prosper Portland offers, specifically designed to help food and beverage producers scale their craft. We discuss the importance of community investment, the power of grants, and how to navigate the technical landscape of the Portland food economy. Explore Prosper Portland: Learn more about their dedicated support for makers on the Prosper Portland Food & Beverage Page. Stay Informed: The best way to catch new grant cycles and local opportunities is through their newsletter. Email Yvonne Smoker directly at SmokerY@prosperportland.us to be added to their mailing list. The Meaningful Marketplace is dedicated to the performance of business and the art of the craft. Subscribe for more conversations with the people building our community. https://prosperportland.us/ [https://prosperportland.us/] Thank you for listening to The Meaningful Marketplace Podcast with your hosts, Sarah Masoni [https://www.instagram.com/sarahmasoni/] of Oregon State University's Food Innovation Center and Sarah Marshall [https://www.instagram.com/spicymarshall/], owner of Marshall's Haute Sauce. Connect with us on Instagram @meaningfulmarketplacepodcast [https://www.instagram.com/meaningfulmarketplacepodcast/].  Call our hotline with questions for Sarah and Sarah at 503-395-8858. If you want to support our show, write us a review, share episodes with friends, or subscribe to our Patreon [https://patreon.com/thejoyofcreationproductionhouse]. Producer: Sarah Marshall of The Joy of Creation Production House [https://www.thejoyofcreation.com] Audio engineer, mixer, and podcast editor: Haley Bowers