How This Addictive Cheese Brand Turned Startup Mistakes Into a $20M Empire | Entrepreneurship | How We Profit | E1
Young and Profiting with Hala Taha
Starting a business from scratch is hard enough, but Rebel Cheese co-founder Kirsten Maitland did it by borrowing against her home, only for COVID to hit three months later. With no outside investors and everything at risk, she pivoted from a physical restaurant to an online business, learning e-commerce, logistics, and marketing on the fly. Years of relentless work eventually led to a Shark Tank deal with Mark Cuban that fueled massive business growth. In this episode of How We Profit, Kirsten breaks down how she scaled Rebel Cheese into a $20M+ business with over 60% profit margins while retaining 90% ownership.
In this episode, Hala and Kirsten will discuss:
- (00:00) Introduction
- (03:34) Inside Rebel Cheese's Business Model
- (07:26) Revenue Streams and Shipping Challenges
- (14:52) Kirsten's Path to Entrepreneurship
- (23:10) How Shark Tank Fueled Business Growth
- (27:30) Rebel Cheese’s Branding and Marketing Strategies
- (33:26) Making Sales and Doubling Revenue in CPG
- (49:24) Using AI in Business to Scale Operations
- (1:00:28) Founder Pay, Equity, and Ownership
- (1:07:20) Entrepreneurship Lessons for Startup Founders
Kirsten Maitland is the co-founder and CEO of Rebel Cheese, an artisanal plant-based cheese brand based in Austin, Texas. She bootstrapped the business from scratch, landed a $750K deal with Mark Cuban on Shark Tank in 2023, and has since scaled to a $40 million valuation, now on pace to generate $21 million in revenue this year. Kirsten is also a passionate advocate for AI-powered business tools, having built her own shipping audit tool that recovered $400,000 in overcharges.
Sponsored By:
Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility atIndeed.com/profiting
Shopify - Start your $1/month trial atShopify.com/profiting.
Quo - Run your business communications the smart way. Try Quo for free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go toquo.com/profiting
Remitly - Transfer money internationally across 100+ currencies with no hidden fees. Download the Remitly app or visit remitly.com to get started. Use code BUSINESS to get a $100 bonus after you send $300 or more. New customers only.
Prolon - Reset your body with Prolon’s five-day plant-based program. Go to ProlonLife.com/PROFITING for 15% off sitewide plus a $40 bonus gift when you subscribe to their 5-Day Program.
Northwest Registered Agent - Get a complete business identity with Northwest. Visit northwestregisteredagent.com/YAPFree and start using free resources to build something amazing.
Resources Mentioned:
Kirsten’s Company, Rebel Cheese:rebelcheese.com
Kirsten’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kirstenmaitland
Rebel Cheese Instagram:instagram.com/rebel.cheese
How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger: bit.ly/DrMG-HowNot2Die
Active Deals -youngandprofiting.com/deals
Key YAP Links
Reviews -ratethispodcast.com/yap
YouTube -youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting
Newsletter - youngandprofiting.co/newsletter
LinkedIn -linkedin.com/in/htaha/
Instagram -instagram.com/yapwithhala/
Social + Podcast Services:yapmedia.com
Transcripts -youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new
Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Passive Income, Solopreneur, Networking
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Raw Description
<p>Starting a business from scratch is hard enough, but Rebel Cheese co-founder Kirsten Maitland did it by borrowing against her home, only for COVID to hit three months later. With no outside investors and everything at risk, she pivoted from a physical restaurant to an online business, learning e-commerce, logistics, and marketing on the fly. Years of relentless work eventually led to a Shark Tank deal with Mark Cuban that fueled massive business growth. In this episode of <em>How We Profit</em>, Kirsten breaks down how she scaled Rebel Cheese into a $20M+ business with over 60% profit margins while retaining 90% ownership. </p> <p><strong>In this episode, Hala and Kirsten will discuss: </strong></p> <p>(00:00) Introduction</p> <p>(03:34) Inside Rebel Cheese's Business Model</p> <p>(07:26) Revenue Streams and Shipping Challenges</p> <p>(14:52) Kirsten's Path to Entrepreneurship</p> <p>(23:10) How Shark Tank Fueled Business Growth</p> <p>(27:30) Rebel Cheese’s Branding and Marketing Strategies</p> <p>(33:26) Making Sales and Doubling Revenue in CPG</p> <p>(49:24) Using AI in Business to Scale Operations</p> <p>(1:00:28) Founder Pay, Equity, and Ownership</p> <p>(1:07:20) Entrepreneurship Lessons for Startup Founders</p> <p><strong>Kirsten Maitland</strong> is the co-founder and CEO of Rebel Cheese, an artisanal plant-based cheese brand based in Austin, Texas. She bootstrapped the business from scratch, landed a $750K deal with Mark Cuban on Shark Tank in 2023, and has since scaled to a $40 million valuation, now on pace to generate $21 million in revenue this year. Kirsten is also a passionate advocate for AI-powered business tools, having built her own shipping audit tool that recovered $400,000 in overcharges. </p> <p><strong>Sponsored By:</strong></p> <p><strong>Indeed</strong> - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at<a href="http://indeed.com/profiting"> Indeed.com/profiting</a></p> <p><strong>Shopify</strong> - Start your $1/month trial at<a href="http://shopify.com/profiting"> Shopify.com/profiting</a>.</p> <p><strong>Quo</strong> - Run your business communications the smart way. Try Quo for free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to<a href="http://quo.com/profiting"> quo.com/profiting</a></p> <p><strong>Remitly - </strong>Transfer money internationally across 100+ currencies with no hidden fees. Download the Remitly app or visit <a href="http://remitly.com"><u>remitly.com</u></a> to get started. Use code BUSINESS to get a $100 bonus after you send $300 or more. New customers only.</p> <p><strong>Prolon -</strong> Reset your body with Prolon’s five-day plant-based program. Go to <a href="http://prolonlife.com/PROFITING"><u>ProlonLife.com/PROFITING</u></a> for 15% off sitewide plus a $40 bonus gift when you subscribe to their 5-Day Program.</p> <p><strong>Northwest Registered Agent -</strong> Get a complete business identity with Northwest. Visit <a href="http://northwestregisteredagent.com/YAPFree"><u>northwestregisteredagent.com/YAPFree</u></a> and start using free resources to build something amazing. </p> <p><br></p> <p><strong>Resources Mentioned:</strong></p> <p>Kirsten’s Company, <em>Rebel Cheese</em>:<a href="https://rebelcheese.com/"> <u>rebelcheese.com</u></a></p> <p>Kirsten’s LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstenmaitland?utm_source=chatgpt.com"><u>linkedin.com/in/kirstenmaitland</u></a></p> <p>Rebel Cheese Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/rebel.cheese/"> <u>instagram.com/rebel.cheese</u></a></p> <p><em>How Not to Die</em> by Dr. Michael Greger: <a href="https://bit.ly/DrMG-HowNot2Die"><u>bit.ly/DrMG-HowNot2Die</u></a> </p> <p><strong>Active Deals</strong> -<a href="http://youngandprofiting.com/deals"> <u>youngandprofiting.com/deals</u></a> </p> <p><strong>Key YAP Links</strong></p> <p>Reviews -<a href="http://ratethispodcast.com/yap"> <u>ratethispodcast.com/yap</u></a></p> <p>YouTube -<a href="http://youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting"> <u>youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting</u></a></p> <p>Newsletter - <a href="http://youngandprofiting.co/newsletter"><u>youngandprofiting.co/newsletter</u></a> </p> <p>LinkedIn -<a href="http://linkedin.com/in/htaha/"> <u>linkedin.com/in/htaha/</u></a></p> <p>Instagram -<a href="http://instagram.com/yapwithhala/"> <u>instagram.com/yapwithhala/</u></a></p> <p>Social + Podcast Services:<a href="http://www.yapmedia.com"> <u>yapmedia.com</u></a></p> <p>Transcripts -<a href="http://youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new"> <u>youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new</u></a> </p> <p>Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Passive Income, Solopreneur, Networking</p> <p><br></p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a></p>
Chapters (1/10)
Show Notes
Starting a business from scratch is hard enough, but Rebel Cheese co-founder Kirsten Maitland did it by borrowing against her home, only for COVID to hit three months later. With no outside investors and everything at risk, she pivoted from a physical restaurant to an online business, learning e-commerce, logistics, and marketing on the fly. Years of relentless work eventually led to a Shark Tank deal with Mark Cuban that fueled massive business growth. In this episode of How We Profit, Kirsten breaks down how she scaled Rebel Cheese into a $20M+ business with over 60% profit margins while retaining 90% ownership.
In this episode, Hala and Kirsten will discuss:
- (00:00) Introduction
- (03:34) Inside Rebel Cheese's Business Model
- (07:26) Revenue Streams and Shipping Challenges
- (14:52) Kirsten's Path to Entrepreneurship
- (23:10) How Shark Tank Fueled Business Growth
- (27:30) Rebel Cheese’s Branding and Marketing Strategies
- (33:26) Making Sales and Doubling Revenue in CPG
- (49:24) Using AI in Business to Scale Operations
- (1:00:28) Founder Pay, Equity, and Ownership
- (1:07:20) Entrepreneurship Lessons for Startup Founders
Kirsten Maitland is the co-founder and CEO of Rebel Cheese, an artisanal plant-based cheese brand based in Austin, Texas. She bootstrapped the business from scratch, landed a $750K deal with Mark Cuban on Shark Tank in 2023, and has since scaled to a $40 million valuation, now on pace to generate $21 million in revenue this year. Kirsten is also a passionate advocate for AI-powered business tools, having built her own shipping audit tool that recovered $400,000 in overcharges.
Sponsored By:
Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility atIndeed.com/profiting
Shopify - Start your $1/month trial atShopify.com/profiting.
Quo - Run your business communications the smart way. Try Quo for free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go toquo.com/profiting
Remitly - Transfer money internationally across 100+ currencies with no hidden fees. Download the Remitly app or visit remitly.com to get started. Use code BUSINESS to get a $100 bonus after you send $300 or more. New customers only.
Prolon - Reset your body with Prolon’s five-day plant-based program. Go to ProlonLife.com/PROFITING for 15% off sitewide plus a $40 bonus gift when you subscribe to their 5-Day Program.
Northwest Registered Agent - Get a complete business identity with Northwest. Visit northwestregisteredagent.com/YAPFree and start using free resources to build something amazing.
Resources Mentioned:
Kirsten’s Company, Rebel Cheese:rebelcheese.com
Kirsten’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kirstenmaitland
Rebel Cheese Instagram:instagram.com/rebel.cheese
How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger: bit.ly/DrMG-HowNot2Die
Active Deals -youngandprofiting.com/deals
Key YAP Links
Reviews -ratethispodcast.com/yap
YouTube -youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting
Newsletter - youngandprofiting.co/newsletter
LinkedIn -linkedin.com/in/htaha/
Instagram -instagram.com/yapwithhala/
Social + Podcast Services:yapmedia.com
Transcripts -youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new
Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Passive Income, Solopreneur, Networking
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Raw Description
<p>Starting a business from scratch is hard enough, but Rebel Cheese co-founder Kirsten Maitland did it by borrowing against her home, only for COVID to hit three months later. With no outside investors and everything at risk, she pivoted from a physical restaurant to an online business, learning e-commerce, logistics, and marketing on the fly. Years of relentless work eventually led to a Shark Tank deal with Mark Cuban that fueled massive business growth. In this episode of <em>How We Profit</em>, Kirsten breaks down how she scaled Rebel Cheese into a $20M+ business with over 60% profit margins while retaining 90% ownership. </p> <p><strong>In this episode, Hala and Kirsten will discuss: </strong></p> <p>(00:00) Introduction</p> <p>(03:34) Inside Rebel Cheese's Business Model</p> <p>(07:26) Revenue Streams and Shipping Challenges</p> <p>(14:52) Kirsten's Path to Entrepreneurship</p> <p>(23:10) How Shark Tank Fueled Business Growth</p> <p>(27:30) Rebel Cheese’s Branding and Marketing Strategies</p> <p>(33:26) Making Sales and Doubling Revenue in CPG</p> <p>(49:24) Using AI in Business to Scale Operations</p> <p>(1:00:28) Founder Pay, Equity, and Ownership</p> <p>(1:07:20) Entrepreneurship Lessons for Startup Founders</p> <p><strong>Kirsten Maitland</strong> is the co-founder and CEO of Rebel Cheese, an artisanal plant-based cheese brand based in Austin, Texas. She bootstrapped the business from scratch, landed a $750K deal with Mark Cuban on Shark Tank in 2023, and has since scaled to a $40 million valuation, now on pace to generate $21 million in revenue this year. Kirsten is also a passionate advocate for AI-powered business tools, having built her own shipping audit tool that recovered $400,000 in overcharges. </p> <p><strong>Sponsored By:</strong></p> <p><strong>Indeed</strong> - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at<a href="http://indeed.com/profiting"> Indeed.com/profiting</a></p> <p><strong>Shopify</strong> - Start your $1/month trial at<a href="http://shopify.com/profiting"> Shopify.com/profiting</a>.</p> <p><strong>Quo</strong> - Run your business communications the smart way. Try Quo for free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to<a href="http://quo.com/profiting"> quo.com/profiting</a></p> <p><strong>Remitly - </strong>Transfer money internationally across 100+ currencies with no hidden fees. Download the Remitly app or visit <a href="http://remitly.com"><u>remitly.com</u></a> to get started. Use code BUSINESS to get a $100 bonus after you send $300 or more. New customers only.</p> <p><strong>Prolon -</strong> Reset your body with Prolon’s five-day plant-based program. Go to <a href="http://prolonlife.com/PROFITING"><u>ProlonLife.com/PROFITING</u></a> for 15% off sitewide plus a $40 bonus gift when you subscribe to their 5-Day Program.</p> <p><strong>Northwest Registered Agent -</strong> Get a complete business identity with Northwest. Visit <a href="http://northwestregisteredagent.com/YAPFree"><u>northwestregisteredagent.com/YAPFree</u></a> and start using free resources to build something amazing. </p> <p><br></p> <p><strong>Resources Mentioned:</strong></p> <p>Kirsten’s Company, <em>Rebel Cheese</em>:<a href="https://rebelcheese.com/"> <u>rebelcheese.com</u></a></p> <p>Kirsten’s LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstenmaitland?utm_source=chatgpt.com"><u>linkedin.com/in/kirstenmaitland</u></a></p> <p>Rebel Cheese Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/rebel.cheese/"> <u>instagram.com/rebel.cheese</u></a></p> <p><em>How Not to Die</em> by Dr. Michael Greger: <a href="https://bit.ly/DrMG-HowNot2Die"><u>bit.ly/DrMG-HowNot2Die</u></a> </p> <p><strong>Active Deals</strong> -<a href="http://youngandprofiting.com/deals"> <u>youngandprofiting.com/deals</u></a> </p> <p><strong>Key YAP Links</strong></p> <p>Reviews -<a href="http://ratethispodcast.com/yap"> <u>ratethispodcast.com/yap</u></a></p> <p>YouTube -<a href="http://youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting"> <u>youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting</u></a></p> <p>Newsletter - <a href="http://youngandprofiting.co/newsletter"><u>youngandprofiting.co/newsletter</u></a> </p> <p>LinkedIn -<a href="http://linkedin.com/in/htaha/"> <u>linkedin.com/in/htaha/</u></a></p> <p>Instagram -<a href="http://instagram.com/yapwithhala/"> <u>instagram.com/yapwithhala/</u></a></p> <p>Social + Podcast Services:<a href="http://www.yapmedia.com"> <u>yapmedia.com</u></a></p> <p>Transcripts -<a href="http://youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new"> <u>youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new</u></a> </p> <p>Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Passive Income, Solopreneur, Networking</p> <p><br></p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a></p>