Scott Mandell is the Founder and Managing Partner of Mandell Strategic Growth, a boutique strategic business coaching firm focused on unlocking scalable growth for middle-market, privately held companies. The work is deeply informed by the Scaling Up framework (certification in progress), which centers on the Four Decisions every growth company must master: People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash.
Scott is the founder, former CEO, and board member of Enjoy Life Foods (2001-2016), a company dedicated to developing, manufacturing, and marketing great tasting gluten free and allergy friendly food products. In addition to starting Enjoy Life, Scott effectively created an entire category, which is now known as “Free From” through thought leadership, education, and certification standards. Scott advised in the creation of the Gluten Free Certification Organization (GFCO), the largest gluten free certification program in the world. Enjoy Life was the first company in the world to have its facility and products certified by the GFCO.
In February 2015, Enjoy Life Foods was acquired by Mondelēz International, Inc., a +$30 billion multinational food company in an all-cash transaction. Scott continued to oversee the Enjoy Life business (as a wholly owned subsidiary of Mondelēz) until October 2016.
Scott is an advisor and former CEO of The Shine Hope Company, a mental health education company whose mission is to teach everyone around the world the ‘how’ to hope, based on scientific research that hope is measurable and a teachable skill.
Scott was a board member and former president of Cannabistry (2017-2023), a company that developed and sold cannabis infused products under three company owned brands in the legal California cannabis market.
In 2013, Scott, and his brother (Steve) established Mandell Ventures, a family office partnership focused on investments in founder led early-stage food & beverage and CPG businesses, as well as investing in real estate assets.
From 1993-2001, Scott was a vice president in commercial banking at American National Bank / Bank One (currently JP Morgan Chase). Scott was a lender and relationship manager focused on middle market business clientele throughout the Chicagoland area.
Scott currently advises and/or is a board member of the following companies: Plus Wellbeing, a novel platform that delivers Medically Tailored Nutrition through telemedicine, combining licensed Dietitian services with AI-driven highly personalized meal plans and product recommendations; LiqueFi Holdings, a company focused on building a system that not only changes the nature of asset trading, but fundamentally transforms the nature of the asset itself; Ethel’s Baking Company, a gluten free baking company featuring delicious dessert bars, and cookies; and Fresh Picks, a food delivery business that focuses on providing locally sourced foods to homes throughout the Chicago area .
Scott has been a member of the Young Presidents Organization (currently YPO-Gold) since 2009 and a mentor to many upstart entrepreneurs. Scott is a co-chair of the FARE PACT Alliance, bringing together the food allergy community and industries focused on CPG, retail, food service, and manufacturing.
In 2016, Scott was named by Food Processing magazine as one of five company leaders who are “revolutionizing Big Food”. In 2015, he was named as an EY Entrepreneur of The Year® Award Winner, was the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) Chicago Gala Honoree in 2014, was named to the Crain’s Chicago Business “40 Under 40” list in 2008 and was inducted into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame in 2006.
Scott earned an MBA degree from the Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University) in 2001 with concentrations in the areas of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Finance, and Management & Strategy. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University (Bloomington) in 1993 with a major in History and a minor in Business.
Scott is an avid sports fan and enjoys golfing, skiing, paddle tennis, and poker. He resides in Deerfield, IL with his wife (Dana) and their three children (Ronnie, Ryan, and Reese).