May is Small Business Month. And if you work in food, you already know that small food businesses aren't a niche. They're a significant and growing part of how this country eats, employs people, and builds local economies.

Small firms employ 62.3 million people, representing 45.9% of all private sector employees. From 2023 to 2024, small businesses accounted for 88.9% of overall private sector job growth.

In food specifically, the opportunity for small producers, makers, and brands has never b...

Foodborne pathogens are a massive global issue, and current testing methods aren't keeping up. But what if AI could change the game? This week on Real Talk with Jill & Tia, we’re joined by Matthew Theurer (THER) of Hyperspectral, who’s bringing a fresh perspective on how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing food safety. By combining AI with spectroscopy—an age-old technology—Hyperspectral is making pathogen detection faster, more accurate, and cost-effective. We’ll dive into the scale of t...

We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Angela Anandappa, CEO of the Alliance for Advanced Sanitation, to the show! With over two decades of experience in the food industry and a Ph.D. in Food Microbiology, Angela has built a remarkable career solving complex challenges in food safety, quality, and innovation. In this episode, Angela will share her journey from researcher to leader, offering insights into how evolving leadership skills are essential for driving meaningful success in today’s ever-changing ...

🌟 Join us for an exciting episode of "Real Talk with Jill & Tia" as we welcome special guest Dr. Brendan Niemira, a senior researcher at the USDA, to discuss Cold Plasma—a hot new food safety technology. Dr. Niemira will delve into the transformative power of a good idea and the professional commitment required to turn it into a working reality.

💡 Learn about the management and leadership skills that drive scientific progress and R&D, and how these elements come together to bring innovative foo...

🏪 Get ready for an exciting episode of "Real Talk Food Safety with Jill & Tia" as we delve into the world of convenience stores and food safety with our special guests, Melanie Harris and Amy Costello from Casey's. Join us as we explore the unique challenges and innovative solutions to ensuring food safety standards are upheld within C-stores.

💡 Melanie and Amy bring a wealth of experience and insights from Casey's, offering valuable perspectives on maintaining the highest standards of food saf...

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺?

People often LOVE our message and our mission to transform leaders to better take care of people; however, they may not know how we help people on this leadership journey.

Our people-focused approach to transforming technical experts into technical leaders delivers results that matter and change that lasts.

Helping leaders be more aware of their gifts, their team's gifts, and how to prepare for what's ahead to support the business. That's what Catalyst is...

🔍 Join us for an enlightening episode of "Real Talk Food Safety with Jill & Tia" as we delve into the fascinating world of food safety research, testing, and advocacy with our esteemed guests Brian Ronholm and James Rogers from Consumer Reports. 

💡 From product safety to impactful advocacy initiatives, this episode promises to provide a behind-the-scenes look at how Consumer Reports is shaping the landscape of food safety. Whether you're a seasoned professional or an aspiring advocate, this is ...

𝒪𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝓊𝓅𝑜𝓃 𝒶 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒...

It's been a while since we've introduced CATALYST LLC to the world. This month, we're showcasing our founders, our values, our mission and our programs that serve people like you. We start with our story.

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆. 📖 So does Catalyst. At Catalyst, we call it our 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂. 💛

𝕎𝕙𝕪?

When Tia and Jill met online in 2019, they felt an instant connection. They talked, talked, and talked some more for TWO YEARS knowing their paths were meant to cross.

They laughed,...

🍽️🔍 Get ready for another sizzling episode of Real Talk Food Safety! 🎙️ 🚨👩‍🍳 Discover how an organization's recall readiness status is a direct reflection of its leadership strength. 🌐 In this must-watch episode, we'll unravel the intricate connection between leadership maturity and the ability to navigate the challenging landscape of food recalls. Join us this week as we dive into the heart of the matter with a seasoned expert in food recall readiness - Stephanie Weinand of Recall InfoLink. Our...

Betsy Craig is an award-winning CEO and the founder of MenuTrinfo. She is considered the nation’s leading expert on food allergy management within the food industry.  Not only does she work with the manufacturing industry, her programs have been launched in over 1000 US university campuses to protect the lives of food allergic students.  Her path wasn’t always easy, in fact, it was downright life-threatening.  Join us to feel her unrivaled energy, passion and insights on living an unstoppable li...

Most people in FSQ have heard of Bill Marler and Shawn Stevens as prominent food safety lawyers, yet have you heard of food safety mediators?  We didn’t even know food safety mediation existed until we met David Ernst.  He practiced food safety law for decades, but started his own business recently to serve differently  - as a food mediator and law firm succession consultant.  Join us to learn all about food mediation, succession planning, and what drives David’s passion in these areas. 

Learn ...

Food safety isn’t always clear. Discussion and conversation are critical aspects of understanding complex food safety topics.  That’s why we’re having All Things Food Safety - an open conversation with our friend Bryan Armentrout where we’ll discuss current events and take questions from the audience. 

Learn more in THIS episode of Real Talk Food Safety with Tia & Jill.