In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen sits down with Allan Glanfield, founder of Chuck, a Canadian meat snack brand built from a very real family problem: finding better, travel-friendly snacks that kids would actually eat.

Allan’s path to building a snack brand has been anything but linear. From screen printing and fashion design to photography, e-commerce, marketing, and product development, his story is a reminder that the messy parts of a builder’s journey often become the exact experience needed for the next thing. Chuck grew out of that layered background, combining product thinking, brand storytelling, family travel, and a practical need for better food on the go.

This conversation explores what it means to build from lived experience, how founders can turn small frustrations into meaningful products, and why focus becomes essential when your mind sees problems everywhere.

Key Takeaways

• The best product ideas often come from small, repeated problems in everyday life.
• Building something new does not always mean inventing from scratch. Sometimes it means improving what already exists.
• A winding career path can become an advantage when each chapter teaches a different part of the business.
• Founder-led brands work best when the story is real, not manufactured.
• Focus is one of the hardest parts of building, especially for people who naturally see opportunities everywhere.
• There is no perfect path. Builders often have to choose which kind of uncomfortable they are willing to live with.

Tune in for a conversation about building products from real problems, staying adaptable, and creating a business that fits the life behind it.