Domenique Mastronardi, President of Beck’s Bone Broth (Podcast #122)

About Domenique Mastronardi

Dominique Mastronardi, President of Beck’s Bone Broth, joins us to share her journey from engineering student to co?leading one of Canada’s most creative emerging food startups. At Bex Broth, she helps bring bone broth?based lattes to market — a product that blends comfort, wellness, and innovation. Her role spans marketing, finance, fundraising, team leadership, and building the strong retailer relationships that drive real growth.

In this episode, Dominique talks candidly about what entrepreneurship actually looks like behind the scenes — navigating uncertainty, balancing structure with creativity, and learning to trust your intuition. She also discusses the unique nature of Canadian vs. U.S. trade shows, the importance of genuine networking, the power of authenticity online, and how unconventional marketing can set a brand apart. It’s an inspiring, high?energy conversation filled with practical insights for students curious about startups, product development, or careers where every day is different.

Key Take-aways

1. Entrepreneurship requires adaptability — your role evolves constantly as the business grows.
2. Relationships drive real success in food and beverage — “relationships first, strategy second.”
3. Authenticity and vulnerability resonate with audiences and strengthen your brand.
4. Your university experience builds critical skills like resilience, teamwork, and problem?solving that transfer directly into business.
5. You can test entrepreneurship early — start small, join an incubator, or work at a startup to learn what fits.

Sponsor

CareersNOW! is Food and Beverage Ontario’s multi-year workforce development initiative that is connecting students and job seekers with employers in Ontario’s food and beverage processing industry for exciting career opportunities. Check out CareersNOW.ca for more information on exciting jobs, career information, industry mentors and training opportunities for professional development.

Watch the Episode Below

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Links

• Dominique Mastronardi – LinkedIn
• Beck’s Broth Website
• Beck’s Bone Broth Instagram
• Beck’s Bone Broth LinkedIn

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Introduction to Startup Life and Entrepreneurship in Food
• 01:27 – A Week in the Life of a Startup President: Strategy, Travel, and Flexibility
• 03:00 – Canadian vs. U.S. Trade Shows: Brand Awareness vs. Direct Selling
• 05:04 – How a Startup President’s Role Evolves: Fundraising, Finance, and Networking
• 06:34 – Getting Into Retail: Why Relationships Come Before Strategy
• 09:04 – Navigating Uncertainty: Mindset Tools for Startup Life
• 10:51 – What University Actually Teaches You: Resilience, Teamwork, and Problem Solving
• 12:02 – From Engineering to Entrepreneurship: Transferable Skills That Surprised Her
• 14:14 – [Sponsor: CareersNOW!]
• 15:26 – Finding Your Spark: How Food Product Development Changed Everything
• 18:20 – Listening to Your Intuition: Why Your Hobbies Are Telling You Something
• 21:17 – Book Rec: EOS Traction by Gino Wickman
• 21:53 – Unconventional Marketing: Spice Girls, Karaoke, and Authentic Branding Online
• 26:06 – Vulnerability as a Strength: Building Confidence to Share Your Story
• 27:55 – Career Advice That Doesn’t Always Land — and What Actually Works
• 30:30 – Skills and Habits to Build Now If You’re Curious About Startups
• 33:39 – How to Test If Entrepreneurship Is Right for You: Incubators, Side Projects, and Startup Jobs
• 35:17 – Getting Co-op Positions at Startups: What You Need to Know
• 36:03 – How to Network Without It Feeling Forced: LinkedIn, Events, and Cold Outreach
• 40:07 – What’s Next for Beck’s Bone Broth
• 40:53 – Where to Find Beck’s Bone Broth