#206 - Exit Interview: The Sale of Aura Bora

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff is joined by Paul Voge of Aura Bora, who returns to share the full story behind the recent sale of his sparkling water brand. Paul takes us through the founding of Aura Bora, its rapid growth, and the hard financial truths of operating in the beverage industry. He dives deep into the reasons for selling, what the sale process looked like, and how changing investor expectations in CPG shaped their outcome.

From fundraising strategies and capital efficiency to navigating the saturated sparkling water space, Paul offers transparent, hard-won advice on what it really takes to build — and eventually exit — a consumer brand. He also reflects on what he’s learned about himself, creativity, and the importance of timing in business.

This is a must-listen for any emerging CPG founder or operator — candid, tactical, and full of real-life lessons.

Listen now!

Listen in as they share about:

• The Sale of Aura Bora
• Fundraising and Financial Journey
• Challenges in the Beverage Industry
• Decision to Sell
• Market & Exit Dynamics
• Entrepreneurial Reflections
• Personal Growth & Self-Discovery
• What’s Next for Paul

Episode Links:
Website: https://aurabora.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvoge/ 

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (20K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Daniel's Linkedin 
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at [e-mail]
• Episode music by Super Fantastics