Bulletproof Your CPG Brand

287. Retailers face immense pressure from online competition and changing shopper behaviors. Brands can gain a competitive edge by becoming category leaders, not just category captains. This involves understanding the retailer's shopper, leveraging complementary brands, providing actionable insights, and thinking like a retailer to help them win.

Retailers are under more pressure than ever.

Competition from online.
Razor-thin margi...

286. Not every retailer is suitable for every brand. Brands should focus on partnering with retailers that align with their ideal customer's shopping habits and values, rather than chasing big-name banners. By prioritizing contribution over coverage and owning their distribution strategy, brands can build impactful and profitable relationships with retailers.

Not all doors are good doors.

If there's one lesson that doesn't get talk...

285. Clarity and consistency are crucial for building a successful brand. When customers are confused or unsure about a product, they are more likely to choose a familiar or cheaper option. By providing a straightforward and predictable customer journey, brands can increase confidence, leading to more sales and customer loyalty.

Consistency is a growth lever.

Confusion pushes shoppers away.

When a customer is overwhelmed, unsure, o...

284. To increase sales and build customer loyalty, brands must make their products easy to find and purchase. This involves understanding the shopper's buying journey, identifying complementary products, and strategically placing products in stores. By removing friction and confusion from the shopping experience, brands can create a seamless journey that encourages repeat purchases and strengthens retailer relationships.

Availabili...

283. Storytelling is a powerful tool for building a brand that resonates with customers. By understanding your customer's internal dialogue and articulating your brand's value proposition, you can create a compelling story that positions your product as the guide to their success. This approach fosters loyalty, advocacy, and ultimately, brand growth.

If you want to build a brand that people love—really love—you must become a mast...

282. The Fastest Way to Avoid Costly Mistakes in Retail 

Building a loyal customer community is crucial for brand growth. Simply placing a product on a store shelf doesn't provide valuable customer insights, making it difficult to market effectively. By understanding customer behavior and needs outside of retail, brands can tailor their messaging, innovation, and retail strategy, leading t...

281. Brands must prioritize building a thriving, connected community around their brand to achieve predictable, profitable growth. Traditional customer targeting methods are failing because they oversimplify customers and miss their values and motivations. By nurturing a loyal tribe, brands can gain valuable insights, reduce acquisition costs, and differentiate themselves beyond price.

If you want your brand to be unshakable—if you...

280. A brand's WHY is its greatest competitive advantage, but only if communicated clearly and consistently. By embedding your WHY into your selling story, you can differentiate your brand, attract loyal customers, and increase your value to retailers. Understanding your unique shopper and their values is crucial to effectively communicating your WHY and driving growth.

If you want to build a brand that grows, scales, and earns fie...

279. Understanding the true cost of products is crucial for brand success, enabling accurate pricing, forecasting, and strategic planning. Many brands, however, lack this knowledge, relying on estimates and assumptions, which hinders profitability and scalability. By building a comprehensive cost model, brands can gain control over their finances, optimize margins, and make informed decisions for growth.

If you want to extend your ...

278. The strength of a leader lies in their ability to build a team that complements their strengths. Founders should focus on their unique genius zone and delegate tasks that others can do better. Hiring strategically, prioritizing revenue-generating roles, and leveraging mentors and advisors are crucial for scaling a business effectively.

The real strength of any great leader isn't measured by how much they do alone—it's measured...

277.  Traditional goal-setting often fails because it lacks specificity, measurability, and accountability. To achieve ambitious goals, founders should use the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) to break down goals into actionable steps. A business plan and scorecard are essential tools for tracking progress, maintaining accountability, and ensuring alignment across the team.

Goals without account...

276. Founders often neglect their well-being, negatively impacting their businesses. Prioritizing personal health is crucial for effective leadership, strategic decision-making, and brand success. By setting goals, delegating tasks, and utilizing AI, founders can free up time and energy to focus on high-impact activities and lead from strength.

Most founders I meet don't actually make themselves a priority. They allow life's distra...

275. Building a successful food brand requires more than just hard work; it demands strategic support. Founders should seek mentors, advisors, and experts to accelerate growth, avoid costly mistakes, and gain a competitive edge. By surrounding themselves with a diverse advisory team, founders can benefit from accountability, expertise, and a broader perspective, ultimately leading to sustainable growth.

You don't need more opinions...

274. Understanding how your business works, particularly your sales engine, is crucial for scaling and achieving growth. This involves knowing the rules of the game, simplifying your business to its core functions (making and selling), and learning from both successes and failures. By mastering these aspects, you can gain a competitive advantage, build trust with retailers and investors, and align your team for success.

Most founde...

273. If you're trying to scale a food brand, stop improvising.  

Growth isn't luck. It's sequence:
strategy → execution → retail trust → repeatable demand.

If you're building a food brand right now, you're probably feeling the weight of a thousand decisions—distribution, cashflow, supply chain, retail expectations, investor pressure, and the constant push to "scale faster." But here's the hard truth most founders don't hear until i...

272. If you're an emerging CPG founder, you're probably feeling it right now—the rising cost of doing business, the pressure to scale faster than your infrastructure is ready for, and the nagging fear that one wrong move could shorten your runway. Most of the advice you've heard—isn't only outdated, it's dangerous in this economy.

Here's the part no one says out loud: the path most founders are following is built on assumptions tha...

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 process, you can improve customer rete...

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 importance of data analytics and business i...

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 analytics, business intelligence, and...