Bulletproof Your CPG Brand

279. Most CPG brands don't actually know what their products truly cost—and that blind spot quietly destroys margins and runway. In Day 7 of 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth , I break down why estimating costs is dangerous, where hidden expenses show up from production to shelf, and how inaccurate costing leads to wasted trade spend. You'll learn why precision down to the penny gives you control,...

278. Trying to do everything yourself is one of the fastest ways to stall your growth. In Day 6 of 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth , I explain why great leaders scale by hiring wisely—not by working harder. You'll learn how to identify your superpowers, spot strategic skill gaps, and build a team or ecosystem that multiplies your impact. This episode shows how the right hires protect your energy,...

277.  Big goals mean nothing without structure and accountability. In Day 5 of 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth , I explain why most founders set goals that sound inspiring—but never move the business forward. You'll learn how to turn ambition into execution using SMART goals, scorecards, and measurable benchmarks that guide decisions, align teams, and protect your runway. This episode shows you h...

276. Burnout isn't a personal issue—it's a business risk. In Day 4 of 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth , I explain how a founder's energy, clarity, and well-being directly impact retail execution, decision-making, and brand performance. You'll learn why stress narrows strategy, how delegation and AI buy back time, and why focusing on high-impact work changes everything. This episode shows you how...

275. Trying to build a food brand alone is one of the fastest ways to make expensive retail mistakes. In Day 3 of 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth , I explain why founders who rely solely on brokers, agencies, or fundraising lose control—and how the right advisors collapse time, protect runway, and sharpen strategy. You'll learn how to choose mentors, build a strategic advisory bench, and use acco...

274. The fastest way to lose runway isn't bad product—it's not understanding how your business actually works. In Day 2 of 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth , I break down why founders avoid the financials, operations, and retail mechanics that determine success. You'll learn how misunderstanding sales, velocity, and execution caps growth, why guessing kills confidence, and how Category Management...

273. Most food brands don't fail because of product—they fail because the foundation cracks under growth. In Day 1 of 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth , I explain why scaling without strong fundamentals quietly destroys margins, forecasts, and retailer trust. You'll learn how distraction hides the real growth drivers, why foundations must be revisited continuously, and what systems retailers and i...

272. Scaling faster feels necessary—but for most CPG founders, it quietly destroys margin, cashflow, and control. In this opening episode of 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth , I explain why distribution-first growth fails, the hidden costs founders don't see, and how profitable scale is actually built. You'll learn why "doing more" shrinks runway, how retailers define success, and the systems requ...

271. Discover the common pitfalls that lead to trade spend failures and learn how to fix them with effective brand management and marketing strategies. In this video, we'll delve into the world of trade marketing, exploring the importance of data analytics and business intelligence in informing your brand strategy. By understanding consumer behavior and implementing a solid category management pro...

270. The Uncomfortable Truth About Why Retailers Say No is a crucial topic for entrepreneurs and small business owners, particularly those in the natural products and plant-based industry, to understand the intricacies of trade marketing and brand strategy. In this video, we delve into the world of consumer behavior, customer retention, and customer experience management, highlighting the importan...

269. In today's competitive consumer packaged goods (CPG) landscape, a single bad retail deal can have far-reaching consequences for your brand, impacting brand awareness, customer retention, and ultimately, your bottom line. Effective brand management and brand building require a deep understanding of consumer behavior, customer experience management, and strategic planning. By leveraging data an...

268. Most CPG brands chase the same shopper—and miss massive growth hiding in plain sight. If you only market to who's already buying, you cap your runway and leave revenue on the shelf. In this episode, I sit down with Diana Fryc of Retail Voodoo to unpack how "Better For You" brands can unlock real growth by identifying underserved communities, redefining value beyond price, and spotting white s...

267. Struggling to reach the right retail decision-makers? You're not alone—and you're probably targeting the wrong people. Most founders pitch CEOs who aren't active, waste time with generic outreach, and miss the real gatekeepers who can open doors. That's costing you growth. In this episode, I sit down with LinkedIn strategist Tracy Enos to break down how to identify the real decision-makers in...

266. Most brands walk into retail meetings armed with reports… and walk out empty-handed. If you can't explain why what happened happened, you don't have a strategy—you have noise. In this foundational episode, I sit down with Gordon Wade, co-creator of modern category management, to unpack how category management was born out of distrust between retailers and manufacturers—and how fact-based sell...

265. You don't need to build your CPG brand alone—but if you try, you'll burn cash, waste time, and miss critical growth opportunities. Most founders assume government resources are slow, bureaucratic, or irrelevant. That mistake costs brands runway. In this episode, I sit down with Michael Bevis, Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship for the City of Denver, to unpack how Denver is quietly bui...

264. You're losing cash every month to trade deductions—and you probably don't even know it. If 6–10% of deductions are invalid and 70% of trade spend is ineffective, that's not a small leak… that's lost runway, lost growth, and lost negotiating power with retailers. In this episode, I sit down with Yuval Selik of Promomash to unpack one of the most overlooked profit killers in CPG: deduction mism...

263. Burned out, busy, and still not growing? You don't need more tasks—you need direction. Most founders confuse activity with progress. You're running faster, chasing sales, managing fires… but without a clear destination, velocity becomes burnout. In this episode, Ron Karr and I unpack the difference between being task-driven and purpose-driven—and why direction is the missing ingredient in sus...

262. If you're building your CPG brand on Amazon but don't own the customer, you're building on borrowed land—and that puts your runway at risk. Amazon is a powerful search engine and discovery platform, but it's only one sales channel. In this episode, I sit down with Mike from AMZ Advisors to unpack how to optimize your Amazon listing for SEO, conversions, and profitability—without losing contro...

261. Your website recipes aren't building loyalty—they're leaking traffic, insights, and sales. That's a costly mistake in CPG where community and data drive growth. In this episode, I sit down with Michael from Plant Jammer to unpack how brands can transform static recipe pages into powerful engagement tools that reduce bounce rates, grow email lists, and uncover real consumer behavior. Instead o...

260. If you're trying to sell to everyone, you're invisible—and it's costing you sales, margin, and momentum. In this episode, I sit down with Seth Greene to break down why most founders define their target market too broadly—and how that mistake silently sabotages growth. We unpack the power of micro-niche positioning, building a connected community, and creating evangelists who grow your brand f...

259. If your brand is stuck competing on price, you're losing margin, leverage, and long-term growth. And it matters—because once your product is commoditized, retailers treat you like a line item, not a leader. In this episode, I sit down with sales expert Doug Brown to unpack why most CPG brands default to rinse-and-repeat strategies that erode value—and how to break that cycle. We dig into the...

258. Confused by supplement aisles packed with products that don't work? That confusion is costing you sales and trust. In this episode, I sit down with Scott from Enzymedica to unpack what really separates premium natural supplements from the noise — and why quality, science, and clarity matter more than price. We talk about microbiome health, the difference between real omega science and marketi...

257. Find out how to position your brand as a leader and implement the strategies your learned her that drive success and efficiency. Retailers need and want your help. Taking a leadership role in the category and with retailers can open doors to incremental opportunities to grow sales and profits giving you a sustainable competitive advantage!  Today's Free Downloadable Guide: 30 Days To Prosperi...

256. Enhance collaboration with your retail partners by learning what retailers really want to succeed and thrive in the marketplace. Retailers want #1 Increase Shopper Foot Traffic #2 A Competitive Advantage In Their Market #3 A Reasonable Profit. Leverage your ability to fill these voids and win at retail. Today's Free Downloadable Guide: 30 Days To Prosperity Workbook     podcasts: 226-257. The...

255. Learn how to look for and close category gaps and opportunities in the retail market to boost sales and customer satisfaction. Look beyond your brand to identify strategic opportunities to help grow category sales. Leverage that with retailers to gain incremental opportunities others overlook. Today's Free Downloadable Guide: 30 Days To Prosperity Workbook     podcasts: 226-257. The 30 Days T...