Bulletproof Your CPG Brand

18. If your brand is built on shortcuts instead of standards, consumers will eventually find out. Today's shoppers demand transparency, traceability, and real farmer partnerships—not factory food. In this powerful conversation with Jefferson Heatwole of Shenandoah Valley Organic (SVO), we unpack how a group of farmers disrupted the conventional poultry model by creating a farmer-owned, certified o...

17. If shoppers can't find your product, they can't buy it—and they'll buy your competitor instead. Distribution isn't optional. It's the foundation of your brand. In this episode, I break down why distribution is the single most important growth lever in CPG—and why not all distribution is good distribution. We explore push vs. pull strategies, how to build an evangelistic following that drives r...

16. If you're spending thousands on trade shows hoping the right buyer "walks by," you're gambling with your runway. Booth fees, samples, travel, and staffing add up fast—but how many real purchase orders do you get in return? In this episode, I sit down with Sarah Davidson and Joe Tarnowski from ECRM to unpack a smarter way to get in front of retail buyers. Instead of chasing distracted buyers ac...

15. If you think Amazon buying Whole Foods only means lower prices, you're missing the bigger shift. This merger is reshaping natural retail—and independent stores must decide how to respond. In this episode, I sit down with Laurie of Whole Foods Magazine to unpack why Jeff Bezos was named 2017 Person of the Year and what Amazon's data-driven culture means for natural brands and retailers. We expl...

14. If you "hand the keys" to a broker and hope for results, you're setting your brand up for disappointment. Brokers can accelerate growth—but only if you lead the relationship. In this episode, I sit down with Bryan to break down what a broker really is, when to use regional vs. national firms, and how to maximize an external sales force without losing your brand voice. We unpack the difference...

13. If you're building a food brand without authentic storytelling, you're invisible. Consumers don't remember features—they remember stories. In this episode, I sit down with Matt Aaron, host of The Food Startup Podcast, to unpack how conversations with founders can accelerate growth, sharpen confidence, and reveal the truth behind successful brands. Matt shares how he built his podcast to learn...

12. If you're only thinking Canada for expansion, you may be missing one of the fastest-growing natural markets in the world. Mexico's natural category is growing 42–45% annually—and hungry for U.S. brands. In this episode, I sit down with John Pagliaro, founder of the Mexican Healthy Products Summit, to unpack the real opportunity in Mexico and broader Latin America. With a population of 125 mill...

11. If you think organic is the pinnacle of dairy, you're only halfway there. Grass-fed organic is redefining what "healthy" really means—and consumers are waking up. In this powerful conversation with Tim Joseph, CEO of Maple Hill Creamery, we unpack how one farmer's persistence transformed a struggling dairy into the nation's first third-party certified 100% grass-fed organic brand. From maxed-o...

10. If shoppers can't find your product, they will buy your competitor's—and you may never get them back. Retail doesn't forgive execution mistakes. In this Halloween-themed episode, I share real-life retail horror stories—from products that didn't fit on shelves, to packaging that fell over, to out-of-stocks mistaken for slow sales, to brands biting off more distribution than they could support....

9. If your packaging takes 40–75 days to produce, you're already behind. Long lead times, bulk minimums, and outdated supply chains are killing agility for emerging CPG brands. In this episode, I sit down with Tom Dunn and Kelly Williams of FlexPack Knowledge to unpack how digital printing and a reconfigured packaging supply chain can transform retail execution. Imagine designing packaging on your...

8. If your marketing is louder than your innovation, you're building on hype—not value. Real, sustainable sales happen when innovation drives the marketing story. In this powerful conversation with Joel Warady, former CMO and Chief Innovation Officer of Enjoy Life Foods, we unpack how a bold "gluten-free plus top 8 allergen-free" strategy created an entirely new category. While other brands chased...

7. If shoppers can't find your product, they can't buy it—and they'll switch brands without hesitation. Merchandising isn't busy work. It's your frontline growth engine. In this episode, I sit down with Mat Brogie, COO of Repsly, to break down what separates average merchandisers from true brand evangelists. We unpack why enthusiasm, articulation, integrity, and attention to detail matter more tha...

6. If you think your only competition is the store down the street, you're already behind. Today's consumer builds a personal supply chain —and if you're not in it, you're irrelevant. In this powerful conversation with Bill Bishop of Brick Meets Click, we unpack how digital technology is fragmenting the mass market and reshaping retail. Bill explains why your most valuable 20% of shoppers drive 80...

5. If shoppers can't find your product, they can't buy it—and nothing happens until someone buys your product. Sustainable sales don't happen by accident. They require strategy, discipline, and execution. In this foundational episode, I break down the Top 10 Strategies to Build Sustainable Sales and Profits —a practical roadmap to help you get on shelf and stay there. We cover SMART goal setting,...

4. If you're a small natural brand competing against billion-dollar companies, the deck is stacked against you—and that's exactly why this podcast exists. In this episode, I answer the question I was repeatedly asked at Natural Products Expo: Why are you doing this? The answer is simple. I believe the food system, retail system, and educational system are broken—and entrepreneurial health-focused...

3. If you don't know what retailers expect from you, you're already at a disadvantage. Most brands fail not because of product—but because they don't understand what they don't know. In this foundational episode, I share a practical checklist for entrepreneurial CPG brands to level the playing field with larger competitors. We unpack how to maximize relationships with brokers and distributors, how...

2. If you believe retailers hold all the power, you're already negotiating from weakness—and that's costing you shelf space and margin. In this foundational episode, we unpack the retailer–brand relationship and why natural, organic, and better-for-you brands are not powerless—they are driving sustainable category growth. I challenge the myth that price is the only driver of sales and explain why...

1. If you're tired of feeling like an ATM machine—writing checks to retailers, brokers, and distributors while struggling to grow sales—you're not alone. This is the original introduction to the show—now rebranded as Bulletproof Your Brand . In this episode, I answer four critical questions: Why this podcast? Who is it for? What will you gain? And why should you trust me? This show was built for e...

0. Start with the problem sitting in front of you. Maybe you are trying to get into retail. Maybe you already got the retailer's yes, but the stores are not producing what you expected. Maybe sales are growing while cash keeps getting tighter. Maybe promotions are moving cases but you cannot tell whether they are actually making money. Maybe your broker is busy, but you still do not know what is h...