Advice Line with Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali of Chomps

Guy Raz sits down with Chomps co-founders Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali for an Advice Line episode packed with practical wisdom for founders at inflection points.

Intro

In this Advice Line special, Pete and Rashid bring their 13 years of grassroots growth experience to bear on three distinct challenges: scaling a physical retail operation, navigating e-commerce for perishables, and building a lifestyle brand around a hyper-specific niche. Their advice centers on depth before breadth—knowing when to replicate success versus when to explore new channels.

Caller 1: Yadi Derisse & Yadi's Artisanal Empanadas

Yadi Derisse calls in with a classic success problem: her empanada shop on the SUNY New Paltz campus averages $3,000 daily sales, and she's wondering whether to open a second location, pursue distribution, or both. Pete and Rashid quickly identify the real question isn't "can she grow?" but "what's the right growth vector?" Pete emphasizes that her existing operation runs smoothly without her constant presence, which is a prerequisite for expansion. They probe about labor, management, and real estate costs. Pete suggests a commissary model—central kitchen with delivery to multiple locations—similar to how New York bagel operations scale. Rashid adds that college towns provide a captive audience, but seasonality is a real cash flow consideration. The consensus: distribution or a food truck could extend reach without the fixed costs of a second brick-and-mortar. Yadi leaves with a clear next step: explore a hybrid model combining a small commissary with targeted retail rollouts within 45 miles.

Caller 2: Zachary Bonder & Noble Pies

Zachary Bonder, co-owner of Noble Pies, faces a different challenge: shipping costs have forced him off QVC, and he's considering bringing back e-commerce despite the logistical headaches. His frozen pies face natural friction in direct-to-consumer shipping. Pete acknowledges the high cost barrier but points to niche brands that make it work by leaning into seasonality and gift-giving moments. He suggests surveying existing customers to gauge appetite for online ordering, perhaps starting with limited regional shipments. Zachary also worries about cannibalizing his wholesale accounts. Pete's take: don't fear channel overlap if each serves a distinct purpose. E-commerce can build brand affinity and collect customer data that wholesale can't. They also touch on the importance of velocity—watching repeat purchase rates before scaling acquisition. Zachary walks away with a testing plan: soft-launch e-commerce for holiday gifts, measure unit economics, and decide based on data whether to invest further.

Caller 3: Josh Chrenko & Achiegen Brand

Josh Chrenko represents the niche-of-a-niche founder: his company, Achiegen Brand, is the "official brand of Smallmouth Bass," selling apparel and lures to an incredibly specific community. He's reached year five and wonders how to break out of his current niche without diluting what makes his brand special. Pete and Rashid immediately recognize the power of staying narrow. They advise Josh to deepen his relationship with the existing tribe before chasing broader audiences. Pete asks about the podcast Josh started—that's a powerful content asset to grow the community. Rashid suggests the eventual lure line could be the gateway product to bring new people into the ecosystem. The central insight: lifestyle brands centered on passionate interests rarely Need to "expand" in the traditional sense; they need to become the undisputed category leader and then extend naturally from that position of trust. Josh realizes his growth path might be more lures, more content, and maybe leveraging his community as ambassadors rather than chasing mainstream retail.

Final Thought

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