Meet our Team
Sam Wiley
Founder & Managing Partner, SkySail Solutions
Founder, SkySail Consumer
Sam is a proven and accomplished business leader in the natural products, supplement, and specialty food space.
As the founder and former CEO of Wiley’s Finest, an influential dietary supplement brand in the essential fatty acid & specialty nutrition space, Sam formulated and brought to market numerous award-winning natural products. He has built successful businesses in both the United States and the United Kingdom market, along with developing both sales & supply relationships for International markets. Sam was a key member of the team that developed AlaskOmega®, a global leader in American sourced and made EPA & DHA Omega-3 concentrates from wild Alaskan Pollock fish oil.
Sam is experienced at brand management, go-to-market strategy, and opportunity development. He has a rare practical, first-hand knowledge of specialty chemical and nutritional ingredient manufacturing, supply chains, industrial chemistry, human nutrition, and business leadership required to execute and be successful as an ingredient or consumer brand.
His entrepreneurial mindset can be a powerful force-multiplying resource for time-challenged entrepreneurs and business leaders in the food & supplement industry.
Chris Speed
Partner & Co-Founder, SkySail Solutions
A dietitian by training, Chris Speed is an experienced, versatile C-suite Sales, Business Development, and Marketing executive with proven results for major enterprises in the nutritional ingredients, supplements, and foods spaces. He has led sales & marketing for numerous influential ingredient manufacturers within the Omega-3 EPA/DHA, Vitamin K2 and Cannabinoid sectors. His skill added relevance to their consumer promise, fostered meaningful relationships with key industry stakeholders, and used public relations tactics that ensure marketing messages are heard loud and clear by the intended audience.
A proven expert in pioneering successful consumer brands, Chris led the launch of Minami Nutrition in the US and English speaking countries; he was the lead commercial executive for the successful go-to-market launch of Wiley’s Finest. His contributions drove innovation and awareness of the public health importance of Omega-3 fatty acids, ensuring those brands stood out from the rest. Chris is a perceptive catalyst for change in an interpersonal environment; he can deliver results yet always keep people at the forefront.
His track record of commercial success coupled with a strong understanding of the complex biochemical underpinnings of proper nutrition for optimal health makes him a unique strategic resource for any firm in nutritional ingredients & supplements. As a dietitian, he brings a knowledge of the factors that influence food and nutrition decisions and the consequences of these for his clients’ end-user, and as marketer the need-to-know what communication strategies will resonate with a buyer and end-user.
Ben Kelly
Principal Consultant, SkySail Solutions
An entrepreneurial-minded leader and connector, Ben has spent the past 14+ years in business development and leadership roles in the dietary supplement and food ingredient industry. He holds his B.A. (Honors) from the University of New Brunswick and his M.P.A from the University of Saskatchewan. Ben’s partner Katie, their two daughters and three dogs make their home in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Ben began his professional career in business development with POS Bio-Sciences (a global leader in contract R&D services) where he developed a keen interest to understand processing, how to work with a range of business types (from entrepreneur to multi-national) and how to create new businesses. While at POS, Ben Co-Founded Algarithm, with Dr. Udaya Wanasundara building on his interest in lipids, childhood nutrition and sustainability. Together they grew the business from an idea into the 2nd largest vegan omega-3 lipid producer in the world, by making the best tasting omega-3 oil in the world. They built the company to be a force for good in the world, using the profit earned to give back to various communities. In 2021 the business was acquired by Mara Renewables Corporation, creating a fully integrated ingredient organization.
In 2024 Ben left Algarithm and joined Virun as their Vice President of Business Development, moving one step closer to the consumer. He now supports CPG businesses of all types bringing their idea from concept to commercialization, while still pursuing a range of entrepreneurial ideas. Ben enjoys providing specialized strategic advice to both brands and ingredient firms.