Bulletproof Your CPG Brand

168. Retail is broken—and if you don't adapt, your brand could be next. Stores are closing, private equity is squeezing margins, and retailers are chasing price instead of loyalty. That's a dangerous game for emerging CPG brands. In this episode, I sit down with industry insider Jon Springer of Winsight Grocery Business to unpack what's really happening behind the headlines. We dig into why retail...

167. If you're relying only on retail to grow your CPG brand, you're shrinking your runway and giving away leverage. That's dangerous in today's market where shoppers research, compare, and connect before they ever step into a store. In this episode, I unpack the key insights from NatchCom and show you how to build a digital strategy that supports retail growth, strengthens investor conversations,...

166. If your brand isn't winning at retail, you may be ignoring the most powerful department in the store—produce. And that mistake could be costing you traffic, loyalty, and sustainable sales. In this episode, I sit down with Lori Taylor, founder of The Produce Moms, to unpack why produce is the gateway to center store growth. We discuss plant-based momentum, shopper behavior, food transparency,...

165. Wasting Expo West? If you show up unprepared, you burn cash and lose retail opportunities. Here's how to win. Trade shows like Expo West are one of the biggest investments emerging CPG brands make—yet most founders wing it. They run out of business cards, fail to capture retailer insights, and never follow up strategically. That's not a marketing problem. That's a growth problem. In this epis...

164. You don't need a Shark Tank deal to win—but you do need to pitch like your brand's survival depends on it. In this episode, I sit down with Dustin Finkel, founder of KaPop Snacks, to unpack what really happens behind the scenes on Shark Tank—and what every CPG founder can learn from it. From relentless preparation and financial discipline to understanding velocity, contribution, and retail st...

163. If your "loyal customers" disappear when the promo ends, you don't have loyalty — you have rented volume. And that's killing your growth at retail. In this episode, I break down what real shopper loyalty actually is — and why loyalty cards and discounts are not the answer. Retailers don't make products. They sell real estate. They want three things: more traffic, a competitive advantage, and...

162. Are you chasing distribution that could quietly bankrupt your brand? More shelf space does not always mean more profit—and the wrong retail placement can derail years of hard work. In this episode, I break down the difference between good distribution and bad distribution, and why chasing "any" retailer is one of the most dangerous mistakes emerging CPG brands make. You'll learn how to align...

161. If shoppers can't find your product, they can't buy it — and misplaced merchandising is silently killing your retail sales. Too many CPG brands assume retailers or brokers will automatically put their product in the right spot. That's a costly mistake. In this episode, I break down how to guide retailers with fact-based merchandising strategies that increase visibility, protect your brand fro...

160. If you're working nonstop but your brand still isn't scaling, you don't have a goal problem — you have a strategy problem. Most CPG founders set vague revenue targets, chase the wrong retailers, and stay busy instead of building momentum. In this episode, I break down the 10 proven brand-building strategies big brands use to grow distribution, increase sales, and execute with precision — with...

159. Running out of cash isn't your real problem—wasting runway is. Most CPG brands focus on raising money instead of maximizing it. And that mindset keeps founders stuck in perpetual fundraising mode instead of building sustainable, profitable growth. In this milestone episode, I share why I launched the podcast and the biggest lessons from industry icons like Gary Hirshberg, Seth Goldman, Miyoko...

158. You're spending thousands on promotions and marketing… but you still don't truly know your customer — and that's costing you sales, leverage, and runway. In this episode, we unpack how emerging CPG brands can stop guessing and start owning the relationship with their shopper. Big brands rely on expensive syndicated data and outdated focus groups. But today, you can leverage e-commerce insight...

157. If shoppers can't find your product, you don't have a sales problem — you have an execution problem. And every out-of-stock, pricing error, or misplaced SKU is costing you revenue, retailer trust, and repeat customers. In this episode, I break down the single most overlooked growth tool in CPG: retail scorecards and KPIs. This simple system helps you execute flawlessly at shelf, manage broker...

156. Wasting 70% of your trade spend? That's why your retail growth is stalling—and it's costing you more than you think. In this episode, we break down the essential trade marketing strategies that separate high-performing CPG brands from those stuck repeating last year's playbook. Most brands treat trade spend as a cost of doing business. The truth? It's your largest growth lever—and your bigges...

155. You're wasting trade spend—and it's killing your runway. Most CPG brands blindly pour 25% of gross revenue into trade marketing, yet 70%+ of promotions don't even break even. That's lost margin, lost leverage, and lost shelf life. In this episode, we break down what trade marketing really is, why "cost of doing business" is the most dangerous myth in CPG, and how poor promotion strategy silen...

154. If your brand story doesn't match your company culture, shoppers will sense it—and you'll lose trust before you ever win loyalty. In this episode, I sit down with Emily and Justin from Root + River to unpack why your brand isn't just your logo, packaging, or marketing—it's the soul of your company. We talk about intrinsic branding, the "fishbowl effect," and why modern consumers demand transp...

153. If your brand disappeared tomorrow, would anyone care? That question determines whether you win shelf space—or lose it to cheaper competitors. In this episode, I sit down with brand strategist Mitch Duckler to unpack what it really takes to build an indispensable brand in today's crowded CPG landscape. We dive into why meaningful differentiation—not price—drives loyalty, margin, and long-term...

152. Most CPG brands waste thousands launching into retail before they validate real demand. That mistake can bankrupt you before you ever scale. In this episode, we break down why farmer's markets are the smartest, lowest-risk way to test your product, refine your pricing, validate your messaging, and build raving fans before chasing wholesale distribution. You'll learn how to use live customer f...

151. Are you wasting trade spend and still wondering why retail growth feels unpredictable? Most brands burn 25% of gross sales on trade—and 70% of it underperforms. That shortens your runway, erodes margin, and weakens your leverage with buyers. In this episode, I sit down with Mike Forbes, CEO of Alter Eco, to unpack how to blend big CPG discipline with natural channel hustle to win at retail. W...

150. Your product isn't losing at retail because of price—it's losing because you're not telling the ingredient story that builds trust. If shoppers don't understand where your ingredients come from or why they matter, you become just another SKU on a crowded shelf. In this episode, I sit down with Kristyn of Krissy Farms to unpack how regenerative sourcing, real ingredient integrity, and mission-...

149. If your marketing sounds great but your sales calls fall flat, you don't have a sales problem—you have a brand alignment problem. That disconnect costs you distribution, velocity, and retailer trust. In this episode, I sit down with Katie from Real Food Brands to unpack how emerging CPG brands can align branding, marketing, and sales into one unified, powerful voice. We dig into the Three C's...

148. You're leaving growth—and profit—on the table if you ignore upcycled ingredients. Food waste isn't just an environmental issue. It's a massive competitive opportunity. In this episode, I sit down with Daniel Kurzrock, co-founder of ReGrained, to unpack how edible upcycling transforms brewery byproducts into high-protein, high-fiber ingredients that power scalable CPG innovation. We break down...

147. Your brand is losing shelf space because retailers commoditize your shopper—and you let them. That's why this episode matters. Big CPG competes on price and velocity. You can't win that game—and you shouldn't try. The real opportunity is leveraging your unique consumer as your sustainable competitive advantage. In this episode, I sit down with David Lemley of Retail Voodoo to unpack why natur...

146. Struggling to scale your plant-based brand without losing margin, focus, or retail traction? If you're innovating in plant-based CPG but retailers don't know where to merchandise you—or copackers can't scale you—you're leaving growth on the table. In this episode, I sit down with Daniel from PlantBased Solutions to unpack what it really takes to develop, launch, and scale a plant-based produc...

145. If 70% of your trade spend is wasted, you're burning runway—and risking your brand's survival. Trade marketing represents roughly 25% of your gross sales, yet most brands can't clearly measure what works, what lifts base sales, or what simply rents volume. In this episode, I break down why in-store execution—not just discounts—determines your profitability at shelf. We unpack the real cost of...

144. Retail is broken—and shoppers are paying the price. Stores push what's on their shelves instead of listening to what customers actually want. That disconnect costs brands sales, retailers loyalty, and communities access to better food. In this episode, I sit down with Mike Fogarty, founder of Choice Market, a disruptive retail concept redefining grocery, convenience, and community. We unpack...