109. Big CPG brands dominate with budgets and data—but they're slow, rigid, and disconnected. If you're a small natural brand trying to win shelf space, you don't need billions… you need leverage.

In this episode, I sit down with leaders from Red's All Natural to unpack what mainstream CPG gets right—and where small brands have the unfair advantage. We break down fact-based selling, speed to innovation, customer-centric strategy, category leadership, and how to use insight (not guesswork) to grow profitable retail sales.

You'll learn how to position your brand as a category growth engine, how to say "yes" strategically, and how to compete without commoditizing your product.

Listen to related episodes to go deeper into building sustainable CPG growth.

Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session109

108. Most CPG trade promotions fail—and they're quietly draining your runway. If you're discounting without driving sustainable base sales, you're rewarding existing shoppers instead of acquiring new ones. That's how brands go broke.

In this episode, I break down how to measure promotional effectiveness the right way so you can stop acting like an ATM for retailers and start becoming a strategic category partner. We unpack base sales vs. total sales, why over-discounting erodes profit, how to align pricing with value, and how to design promotions that build loyalty—not just spikes. I also explain why retailers need brands that understand their unique shopper and how that insight becomes your unfair competitive advantage.

If you want to extend your runway, grow sustainable sales, and maximize trade marketing ROI, this episode is your blueprint.

Listen to related episodes to go deeper into trade marketing, pricing, and category leadership strategy.

Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session108

107. If you're chasing rankings, promotions, and slotting fees—but still struggling to grow—your brand health may be the real problem. And that matters because retailers don't reward volume… they reward profitable category growth.

In this episode, I unpack what brand health actually means in CPG and why ACV (All-Commodity Volume), contribution, and distribution matter more than vanity metrics. You'll learn how over-promotion erodes margin, how to measure your opportunity gap, and how to position your brand as a category growth engine—not an ATM machine.

When you understand your contribution to profitable category growth, you gain leverage. Leverage for better merchandising. Leverage for smarter promotions. Leverage for sustainable runway.

Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session107

106. Your product isn't selling because shoppers can't find it—and that's killing your growth. If you don't control where and how your brand is merchandised, someone else will… and it may be your competitor.

In this episode, I break down how to land shelf space and win at retail using strategic category management, schematic recommendations, and fact-based insights. You'll learn why generic planograms fail natural brands, how poor product placement destroys velocity, and how to guide retailers to merchandise your product where your ideal shopper actually looks.

We dig into shopper behavior, need states, premium vs. budget positioning, holding power, fair share myths, and how to use simple visual schematics to differentiate your brand as a category leader.

Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session106

105. Are you tired of paying slotting fees, deep discounts, and endless trade spend just to stay on shelf? That push strategy is draining your runway—and it's not sustainable. If you want predictable retail growth, you need to shift from paying for placement to earning it.

In this episode, I break down the difference between push vs. pull strategy selling in CPG and why your real asset isn't your product—it's your customer. Retailers don't need another canned topline report. They need actionable insights that help them grow traffic, increase basket size, and drive sustainable category sales.

You'll learn how to leverage your unique shopper, use fact-based selling and true category management, build a unified selling story, and present recommendations retailers can act on immediately. This is how you become a category leader—not just another brand chasing distribution.

Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session105

104. Your product launched… and shoppers can't find it. That mistake can cost you distribution, velocity, and your runway.

In this episode, I break down The Essential New Item Checklist—the critical steps most brands overlook when launching into retail. I share a real-world story of a brand that secured distribution, only to watch sales collapse because the item was merchandised in the wrong department. No visibility. No velocity. No second chance.

You'll learn the 11 things retailers REALLY want—from a consistent turnkey sales story and fact-based selling to planogram recommendations, trade promotion ROI, category growth strategies, and merchandising execution that converts.

This isn't theory. It's the blueprint I've used to help brands land shelf space and keep it.

Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session104

103. If shoppers can't find you online, you lose the sale—even if you're on the shelf. And if your story doesn't connect, your product collects dust. That's costing you velocity, margin, and growth.

In this episode, I sit down with Jeff Cohen of Seller Labs to break down how to build a unified selling strategy that drives sales both online and in traditional retail. We unpack why "just listing on Amazon" doesn't work, how to identify your true customer persona, and how to use reviews, Q&A, and keyword data as free market research.

You'll learn how to optimize titles, bullets, images, and backend keywords so shoppers can actually find you—and why building community around your consumer (not your product) creates long-term loyalty.

If you want profitable growth, you need alignment across channels.

Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session103

102. If your brand sounds like everyone else, you're being ignored—and that's costing you sales.

Most CPG brands focus on price, promotions, and velocity. But shoppers don't buy products—they buy stories. In this episode, I sit down with Beau Haralson of Human Design to unpack why emotional storytelling—not discounts—is what drives sustainable growth in natural and emerging brands.

We discuss why 80% of buying decisions are emotional, how to stop commoditizing your customer, and how to build a pull strategy that makes retailers call you instead of the other way around. You'll learn how to connect with the human behind the purchase, differentiate from big brands, and create loyalty that isn't driven by coupons.

If you want to stop chasing shelf space and start attracting it, this conversation is for you.

Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session102

101. If you don't truly understand your core consumer, you're leaving retail growth on the shelf. Most brands think they know who buys their product—but they're wrong. And that mistake costs you distribution, velocity, and trust.

In this episode, I sit down with Ted Ning to unpack the LOHAS consumer—Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability—and why this psychographic drives sustainable growth across every CPG category. We break down what LOHAS really means, why these shoppers will pay for value over price, and how to align your brand story, retail strategy, and digital presence around the consumer who fuels category growth.

You'll learn how to identify your true core customer, pivot when the data surprises you, and use that insight to strengthen retailer conversations and brand positioning.

Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session101

100. You're building your brand alone—and the pressure is heavier than you admit. What if CPG's most iconic founders told you exactly how to win?

In this milestone episode, I bring together Seth Goldman (Honest Tea, Beyond Meat), Gary Hirshberg (Stonyfield), Miyoko Schinner (Miyoko's), Kyle Garner (Organic India), Chuck Muth (Beyond Meat), and Sheryl O'Loughlin (Clif, Luna, REBBL) to answer the questions you've been asking:

• What advice would they give their younger selves? • How did they overcome fear, doubt, and burnout? • What keeps them motivated? • What does the future of natural and organic CPG look like?

The themes are clear: ignore doubters, trust your instincts, build relationships, protect your mental and physical health, and never lose sight of your mission.

This episode is your reminder that category leadership isn't about size—it's about conviction, contribution, and discipline.

Listen to related episodes to go deeper into sustainable retail growth, trade marketing, and building a brand retailers trust.

Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session100