This week, Liz is joined by the CEO of Kodiak Cakes, Joel Clark.

When Joel Clark was just eight-years-old, he set out with his red wagon to sell his mother’s pancake mix to their neighbors in Salt Lake City. By the mid-‘1990s, Joel’s brother, Jon, decided to reinvigorate the brand, stocking their mix in stores throughout the American West. Today, with Joel at the helm, Kodiak Cakes celebrates its brand’s positioning as a fan favorite and the fastest-growing pancake mix in the United States.

In this conversation, Joel discusses how he “bootstrapped” Kodiak Cakes for over seven years while he worked to develop its exposure. After a series of trials and victories, from turning down “Sharktank” to landing a major deal with Target, Joel discusses how he has persevered through uncertainty, and where the brand is headed next.

Follow Liz on Twitter: @LizClaman