When Celtic Sea Salt founder Selina DeLangre decided it was time to bring in outside capital, she wasn’t looking for the highest bid — she was looking for a partner who would protect the company’s soul. In this Impact CEO Series conversation, Big Path CEO Michael Whelchel spoke with DeLangre and Ben Rudman (now CEO of Celtic Sea Salt and leader at Charis Consumer Collaborative) about how shared values, early trust, and clear roles turned a standard transaction into a mission-forward partnership.
From Growth Spurt to Crossroads
After decades of steady growth, Celtic Sea Salt experienced a dramatic surge in demand during the pandemic, with sales and backorders climbing faster than the small company could manage alone. DeLangre knew it was time to bring in a capital and operating partner, but she refused to compromise on her values. “At the end of the day, that’s what I was looking for — do I vibe with them?” she recalled.
Rudman, meanwhile, came with a thesis shaped by years in food and natural products: that many organic brands don’t stumble for lack of capital, but because of scaling and supply chain challenges. His approach emphasized operations as much as investment. The match was unusual in that DeLangre began inviting Rudman into business decisions before the deal closed — a level of collaboration that most attorneys would discourage, but that quickly established trust.
The Chemistry of Trust
For both sides, authenticity proved to be the glue. Rudman described his first impression of DeLangre: “It takes no more than 30 seconds with Selina to realize this person is really authentic. She’s living it.” That authenticity reassured him that the company’s story wasn’t just a marketing angle but its foundation.
For DeLangre, the turning point was in the questions Rudman and his team asked. “I could tell these people were asking questions of integrity. Yes, the money was important, but that wasn’t the focus. We talked about the quality of the salt and the sourcing, and the milestones. That gave me confidence that they wouldn’t interrupt the integrity.”
This alignment extended beyond polite conversations. As real-world challenges surfaced, both sides leaned into them together. That willingness to share decision-making early signaled that the mission, not just the transaction, would guide the partnership.
Lessons from the Salt Mine
Selina’s story underscores the importance of knowing your mission and your limits. If your north star is getting a high-integrity product into more hands without diluting what makes it special, you need a partner who can operationalize that promise at scale. DeLangre admitted the process was daunting but emphasized the long-term payoff: “Entrepreneurs tend to have so much of their identity tied up with the company that they can’t see the blessings past not being identified as the brand. What I’ve learned is that if you really care about the mission, you have to ask whether you’re still the right person to lead it to the next level.”
Rudman’s advice to founders was equally clear: “Good business deals are a dime a dozen. The best partnerships are a melding of life stories and missions aligning.” Watching how a potential partner behaves in difficult, pre-close moments, he said, often reveals more than any pitch deck.
Bottom Line
This wasn’t a sale for sale’s sake; it was a deliberate, values-led match designed to scale a beloved staple without stripping away its essence. By treating mission as the compass throughout diligence, negotiations, and early collaboration, Celtic Sea Salt and Charis Consumer Collaborative turned a transaction into a strategic union. The result proves that founders can bring in the “gold” while protecting the “golden goose.”
Watch the full conversation here: