Bulletproof Your CPG Brand

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 accountability to turn advice into execution. Listen to build a support system that helps you scale smarter, not harder.

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.

Action step: list your "board of 5" (ops, finance, retail, marketing, leadership). Where's your biggest gap right now?

For additional inspiration listen to the following Bulletproof Your CPG Brand podcast episodes:

🎙️ 196 Leveraging Wisdom to Unlock Leadership and Brand Growth, Brad Barnhorn

🎙️ 81 Passion For Real Food Strategies for Success, Greg Fleishman with Foodstirs and Purely Righteous Brands

🎙️ 46 Community Is The Magic Ingredient Behind Every Brand's Success, Alex Hanifin with Naturally Boulder and Alpine Start Foods

Day 3 of the Free 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth

Tip of the day: You are not alone. Find a trusted mentor and/or advisor. Join mastermind groups that educate, inspire, and hold you accountable

You can get the episodes free guide and todays show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session275

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 gives you control. This episode helps you move from reactive to strategic—so you can lead with clarity and scale with confidence.

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.

For additional inspiration listen to the following Bulletproof Your CPG Brand podcast episodes:

🎙️ 42 How We Need To Inspire & Educate Shoppers About Brands, Gary Hirshberg with Stonyfield

🎙️ 136 The Retail Game – What You Need To Know to Win, Bob Burke with Natural Products Consulting

🎙️5 Using Advanced Strategies to Boost Retail Sales, Adam Lowry with Ripple Foods and Method

🎙️ 126 Well Defined Business Strategy for Lasting Success, Dustin Finkel with KAPOP

Day 2 of the Free 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth

Tip of the day: Commit to learn and appreciate the different roles in your business. This will keep you grounded and help you better understand how your business works.

You can get the episodes free guide and todays show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session274

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 investors expect before saying yes. This episode resets how you think about scale—and why strong foundations accelerate profit instead of slowing it down.

The 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth is relaunched as a masterclass to help emerging CPG founders scale profitably. The series focuses on building systems, discipline, and retail execution for sustainable growth, rather than simply increasing distribution. It provides actionable strategies, retail insights, and tools to help founders align their brands with retailer goals and convert shoppers into loyal customers.

If you're trying to scale a food brand, stop improvising. Growth isn't luck. It's sequence: strategy → execution → retail trust → repeatable demand.

Action step: write your next 90 days as 3 phases: build / prove / scale. What phase are you in right now?

For additional inspiration listen to the following Bulletproof Your CPG Brand podcast episodes:

🎙️ 142 Maximize Sales With A Solid Business Plan Today, Michael J. O'Donnell

🎙️ 4 Strategies To Grow Sales And Profits Effectively

🎙️ 115 Success = Brand Strategy + Execution Essentials, Michael J. O'Donnell

Day 1 of the Free 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth

Tip of the day: You put your whole heart and soul into creating a product to revolutionize the category, shouldn't your go-to-market strategy be as innovative as the ingredients in your package. Building a solid foundation today will support explosive growth tomorrow and beyond.

What do you plan to do to strengthen your brands foundation?

You can get the episodes free guide and show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session273

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 required to make growth stick. This episode sets the foundation for the entire 30-day roadmap—listen now to reset how you scale.

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 that were never designed for small, mission-driven brands. And when the rules don't serve you, you need a better rulebook.

This series a masterclass to help you extend your runway, strengthen your retail partnerships, and convert occasional shoppers into loyal evangelists.

For additional inspiration listen to the following Bulletproof Your CPG Brand podcast episodes:

🎙️ 87 Build Your Brand With These Sturdy Foundation Essentials, Peter Burns with ONE Brands, Justins, and Hain Celestial

🎙️ 100 Sage Brand Building Advice from Industry Leaders, Gary Hirshberg, Seth Goldman, Miyoko Schinner, Kyle Garner, Sheryl O'Loughlin & Chuck Muth

🎙️ 32 The Supermarket Guru Insights for Retailers with Phil Lempert

Tip of the day: Commit to continually learning and growing. Don't allow life's distractions to derail you or keep you from achieving your goals - your purpose!

You can get the episodes free guide and todays show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session272

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 retention and drive sales. We'll also discuss the role of brand positioning and branding 101 in creating a strong brand awareness, as well as the benefits of strategic planning and merchandising in the natural products expo and plant based markets. Whether you're an entrepreneur or a small business owner in the fmcg industry, this video will provide you with valuable insights and tips on how to optimize your trade spend and achieve your business goals through customer experience management and retail solved strategies. By leveraging data analyst expertise and applying a well-crafted positioning statement, you can take your brand to the next level and stay ahead of the competition. Learn how to create a successful brand strategy that drives results and grows your business.

Trade spend often fails for emerging CPG brands due to a lack of strategy, leading to excessive spending and reduced profitability. This episode explores the five main reasons for trade spend failure, including a lack of understanding of true costs, incomplete promotion agreements, and promoting the wrong SKUs. By implementing a fully loaded cost model, creating detailed promotion agreements, and focusing on promoting the right products, brands can turn trade spend into a strategic growth lever.

Promotions should drive trial and build awareness, not reward existing customers. To be effective, promotions should focus on SKUs that drive repeat purchases, increase basket size, and reflect core brand attributes. Measuring post-promotion retention is crucial to determine the success of promotions, as it indicates whether shoppers are becoming loyal customers.

Download the New Item Essentials Guide at RetailSolved.com/Guide13 and learn how to build a pricing architecture that protects margin, strengthens retailer relationships, improves promotion ROI, and creates sustainable growth for your brand. Get the show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session271

⏰ Timecodes

0:53 The truth about promotions

1:09 Promotions frequently cost more than you earn

1:48 Promotions - from a big brand perspective

4:31 Why trade spend matters

4:42 What Trade Spend really is (and isn't)

5:33 STRATEGY #1 — Trade Spend Fails Because Brands Don't Know Their True Costs

7:33 STRATEGY #2 —Trade Spend Fails Because Promotion Agreements Are Incomplete

9:01 STRATEGY #3 — Trade Spend Fails Because Brands Promote the WRONG SKUs

11:40 STRATEGY #4 — Trade Spend Fails Because Brands Don't Measure Post-Promo Retention

13:48 STRATEGY #5 — Trade Spend Fails Because Brands Don't Forecast Properly

14:54 RECAP — THE FIVE REASONS TRADE SPEND FAIL

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 intelligence in making informed decisions. By examining the category management process and merchandising strategies, brands can better position themselves in the market, creating a strong brand awareness and brand building foundation. Whether you're attending the Natural Products Expo or simply looking to improve your marketing strategy, this video provides valuable insights into the uncomfortable truth about why retailers say no, and how to use this knowledge to inform your strategic planning and brand positioning. With a focus on branding 101, fmcg, and category insights, this video is a must-watch for anyone looking to improve their customer journey and ultimately drive sales. By leveraging data analyst expertise and understanding the complexities of customer behavior, brands can develop a robust positioning statement and improve their overall brand management, leading to increased customer retention and a stronger brand presence in the market.

Emerging CPG brands often fail to secure retail placement because they focus on pitching their product rather than demonstrating how it contributes to the retailer's category growth. Retailers prioritize products that increase basket size, drive traffic, and differentiate their assortment. To succeed, brands must align with retailer strategies, understand shopper behavior, and showcase how their product solves a specific need and drives profitable category growth.

To successfully pitch a brand to retailers, focus on selling category growth rather than the product itself. This involves understanding the retailer's persona and strategy, using data effectively, and demonstrating how the brand can help the retailer achieve their objectives. By positioning the brand as a strategic partner, rather than just a vendor, and providing unexpected insights and merchandising solutions, small brands can compete with larger ones and secure shelf space.

Download the New Item Essentials Guide at RetailSolved.com/Guide13 and learn how to build a pricing architecture that protects margin, strengthens retailer relationships, improves promotion ROI, and creates sustainable growth for your brand. Get the show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session270

⏰ Timecodes

0:52 What retailers really buy

1:13 Landing shelf space is a partnership

2:03 The First Time I Realized Why Retailers Say "No"

2:56 The truth - what retailers really want

4:09 Why this matters

6:06 STRATEGY #1: RETAILERS BUY CATEGORY GROWTH — NOT PRODUCTS

9:06 STRATEGY #2: PERFECT YOUR "RECOMMENDED PLACEMENT" ARGUMENT

10:58 STRATEGY #3: MASTER THE RETAIL PERSONA

12.41 STRATEGY #4: USE DATA LIKE A CATEGORY LEADER

13.50 STRATEGY #5: BUILD PARTNERSHIPS, NOT PRESENTATIONS

15:35 RECAP: 5 WAYS TO LAND SHELF SPACE & WIN AT RETAIL

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 trade marketing insights, you can develop a robust brand strategy that drives brand positioning and merchandising efforts. A well-crafted positioning statement is also crucial in differentiating your brand and guiding category management processes. For entrepreneurs and small business owners, understanding the customer journey, category insights, and customer engagement is vital in navigating the complexities of the fast-moving consumer goods (fmcg) industry. In this video, we'll explore the importance of retail analytics, trade insights, and customer experience management in building a successful CPG brand, and provide actionable tips on how to avoid common pitfalls and create a winning brand strategy that resonates with your target audience and drives long-term growth. By applying these principles and leveraging the power of data analyst expertise, you can ensure your brand stays ahead of the competition and achieves branding 101 success.

The podcast "Bulletproof Your CPG Brand" focuses on helping emerging CPG brands extend their runway and boost sales. The host, Dan Lohman, emphasizes the importance of protecting the value these brands create, rather than solely focusing on velocity. He highlights three strategies, including fixing promotion agreements and deductions, to achieve this goal.

The show outlines three strategies to help small brands succeed in retail. First, tighten up promotion agreements to prevent unnecessary deductions and maintain cash flow. Second, own your shelf strategy by proactively guiding product placement and ensuring consistent merchandising. Third, align your brand story across all platforms to create a consistent and compelling message that resonates with customers.

Download the New Item Essentials Guide at RetailSolved.com/Guide13 and learn how to build a pricing architecture that protects margin, strengthens retailer relationships, improves promotion ROI, and creates sustainable growth for your brand. Get the show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session269

⏰ Timecodes

0:04 The pressure you are feeling

0:28 Why the rebrand

4:28 The focus is sharper

6:14 Why "Velocity" Is Failing You

8:26 Strategy #1: Fix Your Promotion Agreements

11:02 Strategy #2: Own Your Shelf Strategy

13:51 Strategy #3: Align Your Brand Story Everywhere

16:03 Recap

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 space your data alone won't reveal. We discuss how to observe shoppers in-store, how to reposition without alienating your core, and why inclusive innovation is a strategic advantage—not a trend.

If you want to extend runway, increase retail relevance, and build a brand that retailers see as indispensable, this conversation will challenge how you think about growth.

Download the free episode guide to go deeper, and listen to related episodes on trade marketing, storytelling, and retail execution to stack these strategies into a competitive advantage.

Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session265

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 inside retail organizations, craft a powerful unique selling proposition, optimize your LinkedIn profile for search, and use Sales Navigator to filter prospects with precision. We also unpack why your profile is more than a résumé—it's your positioning platform—and how relationship-first outreach gets you meetings faster.

If you want to get in front of brokers, buyers, investors, and retail executives without sounding salesy or spammy, this episode is your roadmap.

Download the free episode guide to go deeper and explore other episodes to strengthen your retail growth strategy.

Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session265

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 selling transformed the industry. We break down the original 7-step process, the power of shared data, and why insights—not templates—drive growth.

You'll learn how to move beyond canned reports, how to turn data into retailer trust, and why need states and shopper behavior matter more than velocity. If you want an equal seat at the table, this is required listening.

Download the free episode guide at RetailSolved.com and listen to the companion episodes to go deeper into trade marketing, KPIs, and retail execution.

Get instant access on the show webpage: retailsolved.com/session266