The Gozney story is an inspiring one — it all started when founder Tom Gozney, fresh out of rehab, built a pizza oven in his backyard as a means to connect with others without using drugs or alcohol. But a thriving business depends on more than its origin story, and that’s where Jonathan Kantor steps in. “[Tom] built an incredible brand with really good potential, but it wasn’t scaled up or professionalized,” Kantor says. With past experience at Burton, Oakley and Skullcandy, Kantor is no stranger to scaling and selling consumer brands. Now at Gozney as the dual chief revenue and marketing officer, Kantor is helping build a new category in outdoor cooking. “How do we create brand awareness on a scrappy budget?” Kantor asks. The answer lies in leveraging the brand’s strengths: storytelling, top-notch content and partnerships with the best chefs in the world (see: Matty Matheson, Brad Leone, Chris Bianco and many others). For Kantor, the vision is clear: bring pizza ovens to every backyard and redefine what outdoor cooking can be.
“The Daily Stoic” by Ryan Holiday
“Ryan Holiday takes the teachings of Stoicism and distills them into passages you can read in 30 seconds. To start my day, I wake up, work out and read ‘The Daily Stoic.’ … It’s like my form of meditation.”
Coffee and chia seed pudding from Hill’s Kitchen
“Hill’s Kitchen is my happy place, and they recently opened a new location three blocks away from our office. The coffee is the best around.”
On Cloudmonster running shoes
“Running is the single hour of each day that’s just for me. … The shoes make a massive difference. Good shoes prevent injuries and have a massive impact on your body.”
Opal
“In today’s world, we are all so distracted. This app allows you to choose what apps you block during the day and set time parameters.”
Gozney Dome (Gen 2)
“I recently upgraded to the Dome (Gen 2), our newest oven that launched this fall. It’s the most versatile oven we’ve made, has an insane amount of cooking space and is perfect for hosting large dinner parties. It’s used by some of the world’s best chefs and is the gold standard in backyard pizza ovens.”
Momentous supplements
“I take creatine, which is a life-changing supplement, every day. I first knew creatine as a bodybuilder supplement, but it’s actually more useful for your brain function than muscle building. I also take Omegas — everyone should be taking fish oil — and drink Momentous protein.”
Siggi’s Icelandic Yogurt
“Siggi’s is my afternoon snack. Yogurt is high in protein, satiates you and is healthier than other office snacks. I’ve replaced my afternoon M&M’s with yogurt.”
Re-Lyte Hydration
“Not all salts are created equal, and other trendy electrolytes don’t use good salt. LiquidIV has a bunch of sugar. You can’t compare the two.”
