Scott Mandell

Mandell Strategic Growth is a boutique coaching firm that helps privately held, middle-market companies scale with focus, alignment, and lasting momentum. We partner directly with founders and leadership teams to improve execution, strengthen leadership, and unlock growth — blending decades of real-world operating experience with the structure of proven frameworks. Our approach is anchored in the Scaling Up methodology, built around the Four Decisions every growing company must master: People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash. We offer high-impact strategic planning, leadership team development, organizational clarity, accountability systems, and exit readiness — all designed to help businesses scale smarter and lead better. Beyond coaching, we work with select companies as strategic advisors and operating partners — helping businesses navigate critical inflection points, enter new markets, and build the operational infrastructure needed to scale. This includes international brands entering the U.S. market and founder-led businesses that need an experienced operator without a full-time hire.

Mandell Ventures is a family-backed investment firm started in 2013. We invest our own capital in a range of sectors, including consumer packaged goods, health & wellness, food & beverage, and residential and office real estate. I source and evaluate opportunities and actively support portfolio companies where we can add value — especially in consumer, wellness, and emerging brand categories.

YPO is a global leadership community of chief executives committed to lifelong learning and peer-to-peer connection. Engage regularly with fellow business leaders to exchange ideas, strengthen leadership, and drive personal and professional growth.

Helped lead The Shine Hope Company during it start-up phase. The company is on a mission to teach everyone around the world ‘how’ to hope, based on the founder’s research that hope is a teachable skill.

Cannabistry was a science-forward cannabis innovation company through growth, commercialization, and strategic capital development. Oversaw the company's operations, brand development, and go-to-market execution across a portfolio of differentiated cannabis products. I led cross-functional teams spanning R&D, product commercialization, sales, and finance — all within a highly regulated and evolving industry. My focus was on building scalable infrastructure, forging strategic partnerships, and positioning the company for long-term value creation. I also played a key role in shaping capital strategy, investor relations, and brand positioning as the company transitioned from R&D to revenue. This role leveraged my background in scaling high-integrity consumer brands and navigating complex regulatory landscapes.

Built a market-leading brand in the emerging "free-from" category and led its successful acquisition by a global CPG company. I co-founded Enjoy Life Foods to meet the unmet needs of millions living with food allergies and intolerances. Under my leadership, the company became the #1 brand in the “free-from” category, selling gluten-free, allergy-friendly snacks and baking ingredients across North America. Over 13 years, I built and scaled the business from startup to national distribution, leading strategy, brand development, manufacturing, and capital formation. In 2015, I led the sale of Enjoy Life to Mondelēz International — the first major acquisition of an allergen-friendly food company by a global player. Our journey helped shape the modern allergen-friendly category and set new benchmarks for quality, safety, and consumer trust.

Provided credit and banking solutions to middle-market businesses across the Chicago area. As a Vice President in the Commercial Banking group at the former American National Bank, I managed a portfolio of middle-market clients while driving new business development across the region. I structured and underwrote a range of credit facilities — including working capital lines, term loans, and real estate-backed financing — tailored to the needs of privately held businesses. My role combined relationship management with active prospecting, allowing me to build strong, trust-based partnerships with company owners, CEOs, CFOs, and financial sponsors. I gained deep experience in evaluating business models, managing credit risk, and supporting growth through thoughtful financial structuring. This foundational experience shaped my long-term perspective on capital, operating strategy, and entrepreneur-led businesses.