Road 2 Retail

Episode #56 A detailed discussion with Eric Koppelman - CEO of Ruby Jewel Ice Cream Sandwiches

Today we were fortunate to spend some time with Eric Kopplelman to discuss how he and his team are building out their brand of super premium ice cream sandwiches. He leads with a very interesting history of Ruby Jewel and how they went about bringing the focus of the business back to the core: delicious ice cream sandwiches. Eric also provides detail around the following topics:

- As you consider retail expansion- ability to hit velocities is vital

- Sales is a profession and not anyone can do it

- Take the time to really understand working with distributors- it is a complex relationship

- Solid plans are a must - as is the ability to be flexible

- Dealing with investors: their expectations and yours when accepting their money

Enjoy the show! Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Spotify, iTunes and on LinkedIn. Please leave us a review and share the episode with those who may find the content useful.

not.  Some are very authentic and simply find ways to keep going and

evolving while others can't change fast enough to survive.  After years of

studying challenger brands extensively- Dan shares his 10 Traits winning

challenger brands possess.  Give the show a listen to hear Dan

walk us through this list - they are also in the show notes on iTunes and

Spotify.

Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Spotify, iTunes and on

LinkedIn.  Please leave us a review and share the episode with those who

may find the content useful. 

DARK HORSE: How Challenger Brands Rise to Prominence.

It was 10 Years of Interviews, Research and BEST Practices from 100 companies.

THE 10 TRAITS

1. Their business is personal, is an extension of their identity, and is inspired by a story.

2. They listen until it hurts, stay in alignment, and are ONE with customers, team, retailers.

3. They create a simple, flexible business blueprint and share it with their community. There are NO COMPETING INTERESTS.

4. They are experiential, storytellers who carefully pick their customers and partners.

5. They quickly co-create innovation w/ customers, becoming more invaluable. Fix Things.

6. They pay attention to emerging trends at the convergence of culture / design / tech shifts.

7. They authentically partner w/ influencers & they carry the message creating a movement.

8. They are specialists, who experiment creating brand love with their zealous followers.

9. Their corporate culture is contagious, human, and likeable, creating soulful connection.

10. They use their hidden intangible assets to create differentiating value for everyone The Intangibles Include: Ideas, Insight, unique skills digital know-how, their Network of Creative People, and corporate curiosity, agility, experimentation, speed to market and a likeable culture.

Larissa Dannenberg, Vice President of Consulting at Market Performance Group, shares her views on how brands can best work with Retailer Media Networks.

Retailer Media Networks (RMNs) are an emerging vehicle with many of the nation's largest retailers. After years of watching Amazon build out their massive advertising business, many retailers have responded by building out their own advertising platforms. How a brand should approach and work with these new media options is the focus of our discussion with Larissa. She provides insight and counsel around the following topics:

- Brick & mortar retailers have a massive footprint (stores) - RMNs help them capitalize on this advantage

- Don't jump into multiple relationship with RMNs until your basics are covered: PDPs (product detail pages) are optimized, your image carousel is current and communicates your brand benefits, etc.

- Brands need to completely understand what they are getting into with these relationships. Understand fulfillment, attribution expenses - understand your "all in" cost of doing business

- Select one account that has an excellent shopper match to your brand demographics and go deep. Figure it all out with one account- then expand.

- RMNs are strategic initiatives for these retailers - so understanding how to best work with these platforms to grow your brand will become increasingly important

Enjoy the show! Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Spotify, iTunes and on LinkedIn. Please leave us a review and share the episode with those who may find the content useful.

On today’s episode we discuss what it has taken for Doug and the team to make Sweet Loren's the #1 'better for you' cookie dough in the USA. Having been a senior leader at several successful emerging brands, Doug discusses some of the key points he has learned along the way:

- Do you have a solid strategy? Are you flexible?

- Do you have enough margin to expand your business successfully?

- Must understand the all in costs of doing business with each retailer?

- Pay close attention to your velocities!

- The "grinder" mindset

Enjoy the show! Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Spotify, iTunes and on LinkedIn. Please leave us a review and share the episode with those who may find the content useful.

On today’s show we speak with Buck Robinson- the President of Media Manager Marketplace. Buck and his experienced team have a long history of helping non big budget brands test and learn their way into the world of offline media (TV, print, radio, etc). You don't need a seven figure budget to make a positive impact on your business with offline media. Right up front, Buck discusses how offline media is not a substitute for digital and social- but simply another piece of a comprehensive marketing/media plan to drive demand for your brand. At times, brands are happy being on a retailer's shelf; retailer's like brands moving off their shelves. Discussion points include:

- Truly understanding who your customer is and not who you wish they were

- His firm's commitment to candid discussions with prospective and ongoing clients about objectives and what it will take to execute a plan

- The importance of truly understanding what you are getting for your investment versus only worrying about what you are spending

- How they can help brands drive business in specific markets and even with specific retailers

- Using a data backed growth story to source, or remove uncertainty from, prospective investors

Enjoy the show! Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Spotify, iTunes and on LinkedIn. Please leave us a review and share this episode with those who may find the content useful.

On today’s episode, we speak with Marc Perez - President of The Menper Group. Marc leads a family owned business intensely focused on delivering health and wellness products to the US Hispanic consumer. Marc discusses how they think about expanding their business, the way they have structured their sales organization, and how they vet suppliers. In addition, Marc reflects on his time as a private equity investor and offers his insights regarding what he looked for in brands and founders before committing capital.

We hope you enjoy today's show and will follow the Road2Retail podcast on iTunes, or Spotify. You can also find Road2Retail on LinkedIn and YouTube. Please leave us a review and consider sharing the podcast with colleagues who may find the content interesting as they look to drive their business.

On today’s episode we discuss the important actions small, emerging and challenger brands need to make when preparing to raise money with Genevieve Gilbreath - Co-Founder of Springdale Ventures. Given her experience, Genevieve discusses the keys to successfully raising money and the importance of having a good "match" with an investor. Among the topics discussed are:

- What should a brand look for in an investor?

- What investors look for in a brand?

- What materials and information will a brand need to provide?

- What mistakes brands make when seeking an investor?

Enjoy the show! Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Spotify, iTunes and on LinkedIn. Please share the episode with those who may find the content useful.

Road 2 Retail: Episode 47. Today we speak with the Founder & CEO of Backstroke - RJ Talyor. RJ is a multi exit entrepreneur in the technology space. His latest venture is helping brands and companies utilize email marketing and AI to grow their businesses. RJ discusses how their service works, how to manage budgets and discusses their methodology to ensure nothing offensive gets generated and distributed by their service. Email marketing can deliver a high ROI and budgets of all sizes can be deployed effectively. Finally, RJ shares his thoughts on raising money, what he looks for in his investors and, interestingly, what he wants investors to know about him.

We hope you enjoy today's show and will follow us at The Road2Retail podcast on iTunes, Spotify or follow us on LinkedIn or YouTube. The link to follow the show on Spotify is right here:

Episode Links

https://open.spotify.com/show/5MmvhUkvFsukmbl1RDzNAJ

www.backstoke.com

On today’s episode, we speak with Andrew Weiss- the founder and CEO of the Partnered CEO. Andrew has been a part of the teams driving sales of several CPG brands. His biggest achievement is building the largest plant-based protein brand: Vega. Andrew shares his experiences building brands both his successes and the things he'd like to do over. We also discuss the importance of generating consumer demand and building a winning sales team. Hint: don't cut corners with your sales organization!

We hope you enjoy today's show and will follow the Road2Retail podcast on iTunes, or Spotify. You can also find Road2Retail on LinkedIn and YouTube. Please leave us a review and consider sharing the podcast with colleagues who may find the content interesting as they look to drive their business. The link to follow the show on Spotify is right here:

https://open.spotify.com/show/5MmvhUk...

Show Links

https://www.thetop100magazine.com/and...

Road 2 Retail: Episode 45. On today's show we speak with the founder of 3 Roads Brewing, Chris Sadler. Chris shares his reasons for starting 3 Roads Brewing and the journey he and his team have been on ever since. Chris discusses the complexity of the multi tier alcohol distribution system, the importance of building the brand out from (and winning) in your home market, the vital role a high quality product plays, and how to begin the journey to retail while competing with the industry giants.

We hope you enjoy today's show and will subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on iTunes, Spotify or follow us on LinkedIn or YouTube.