Growth Mavericks

In this episode of Growth Mavericks, Adam Callinan sits down with Chrisi Hammer, co-founder of Sunshine Buns, to discuss the realities of building a high-growth consumer packaged goods brand. What started as a beloved family cinnamon roll recipe evolved into one of the fastest-growing frozen bakery brands in retail.
Chrisi shares how Sunshine Buns pivoted from a local bakery concept into a national CPG brand, the challenges of retail distribution, working with brokers, managing co-manufacturing relationships, securing major retailer partnerships, and navigating the constant uncertainty that comes with entrepreneurship.
The conversation also dives deep into founder psychology, imposter syndrome, problem-solving under pressure, and why successful entrepreneurs learn to become comfortable with uncertainty.
If you're building a consumer brand, scaling a business, launching a product, or simply trying to survive the entrepreneurial rollercoaster, this episode is packed with practical insights and hard-earned lessons.
In This Episode
  •  Building Sunshine Buns from a family recipe 
  •  Transitioning from brick-and-mortar to retail distribution 
  •  Scaling from local sales to thousands of retail locations 
  •  The realities of frozen food logistics 
  •  Finding the right brokers and retail partners 
  •  Managing rapid growth and operational challenges 
  •  Imposter syndrome and entrepreneurship 
  •  Becoming comfortable with uncertainty 
  •  Problem-solving during business crises 
  •  Lessons from scaling a consumer packaged goods company 
Key Takeaways
✅ Growth creates new problems—not fewer problems
✅ Entrepreneurship is often saying yes before you know how
✅ Retail success depends on relationships and execution
✅ Imposter syndrome doesn't disappear with success
✅ The best founders become elite problem solvers
✅ Confidence comes from surviving challenges, not avoiding them

Explore More
Growth Mavericks Podcast: https://www.growthmaverickspodcast.com
Pentane: https://www.pentane.com
Sunshine Buns: https://www.sunshinebuns.co

Creators and Guests

Host
Adam Callinan
Adam Callinan is the founder of Pentane, a financial and advertising command center that empowers brands to drive predictable revenue and intentional profit. Previously, Adam co-founded BottleKeeper, a bootstrapped consumer brand that scaled to $8M in sales within three years – without employees – and was later acquired in 2021 as an eight-figure business with a team of four, marking Adam's second successful exit.

What is Growth Mavericks?

This podcast dives deep into the tactical moves that drive business success, as well as the mental and physical resilience required to sustain it.

Hosted by Adam Callinan, a seasoned entrepreneur with multiple exits, an avid outdoorsman, and an family man with crystal-clear priorities, each episode unpacks real-world challenges, actionable insights, and the mental and physical disciplines that fuel long-term personal and professional growth.

Whether you’re scaling a startup or refining your mindset, disrupting your default is how business and life strike a balance.