With an industry all-star lineup, Naturally Chicago's "Becoming a Category King" webinar on Monday, October 1 will provide a roadmap for emerging brands that want to soar to the top in sales for their product category.

Differentiation — what makes your brand or product stand out from the competition — is the key to sustainable growth and success. The webinar discussion will unpack how companies can shift their thinking from making better products to forging entirely new market categories.

The webinar was inspired by a podcast produced by S2G Ventures — a Naturally Chicago partner that invests in better-for-people-and-the-planet companies — that featured a conversation between host Chuck Templeton, Managing Partner of S2G Ventures, and Jason Wellcome and Mike Bruno of Play Bigger, a firm that consults with companies on category design.

Play Bigger is represented on the panel of our webinar, which similarly will delve into the strategies that enable businesses to identify unique problems, achieve "Category King" status, and ultimately drive unprecedented growth and market leadership.

The panel is made up of business leaders who range from industry legends to today's rising stars:

• John Foraker, Once Upon a Farm Co-Founder/CEO and former CEO of Annie's Homegrown
• Rashid Ali, Chomps Co-Founder/Co-CEO and Naturally Chicago Board member
• Emily Groden, Evergreen Waffles Founder/CEO and Winner of the 2024 Naturally Chicago Pitch Slam for Established Brands
• Sean Riley, Dude Wipes Chief Executive Dude/President
• Kat Cole, AG1 CEO
• Mike Bruno, Play Bigger Partner



Jim Slama, Naturally Chicago Managing Director, will moderate the panel.

The webinar will take place on October 1 from 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. central time.