Every business starts with an idea. And it's easy to get jazzed up about that idea, so much so that you've forget to properly plan ahead for what you're going to need to make that happen. We're talking capital and runway. In this epsidoe, the 2nd most popular breakdancer off Wall Street, Kenny Jen, and I talk about what brands need to think about when prepping to launch and how you can succeed. Going big isn't necessarily the answer. In fact, in may be the opposite of that. Kenny's vast experience in everything from his current role of providing CFO Services to Consumer & Retail brands to product creation and retail strategy for Cannabis brands in LA give him a unique perspective that's hella fresh.

The Longer Game is a podcast focused on leaning into the trends and advancements in retail so brands see a clearer path to success across ALL channels. We’re looking at retail in a whole new way, looking to better understand the future of retail. It’s Retail Reimagined. Sharing hope about the future. No one channel can a business sustain. Go omnichannel.

A common theme among food & beverage entrepreneurs, as well as in almost any industry, is settling on the "Just For Now" branding that gets you by until you make more money. Do you start going to the gym once you lose 10 lbs? No! You get your ass in there and start doing the work and the results come later. The other problem with this way of thinking is it gets you "Just For Now" results, i.e. don't expect your brand to be successful if you aren't willing to invest the time and money into it that is necessary. Ainsley Moir, the Founder of Healthy Food & Beverage Group, joins us to share her extensive knowledge of creating successful CPG food & beverage brands and why the struggle to fight off shiny object syndrome and play #thelongergame with your brand is real.

While the title of this episode is a tad dramatic, the conversation does go pretty deep. Elizabeth Presher, the Owner of Hite Digital Dayton, is an experienced Entrepreneur helping other business owners grow their presence online. She has an advantage here because she knows the pressure that those business owners face. She is one, after all. The lessons she has learned, along with our host Michael, show you how steep the learning curve is when you get into business. Retail, and how consumers shop, are constantly evolving so staying ahead of the curve is important. Want to know more lessons from being an Entrepreneur? Have a listen.

Variables are the theme that runs throughout the conversation with Veena Giridhar, the CEO of salesBeat, an AI-driven platform that helps brands generate better efficiency with their inventory. When a customer gets "cheesed off," as Veena diplomatically puts it, how does that affect the consumer journey? The factors that alter that journey are numerous but let's simplify this; the consumer may not be back to that store, hurting your chance at building brand equity with them. The journey is now even more complicated with the mixture of in-store and online purchasing. Let's get into it.

The Longer Game is a podcast focused on leaning into the trends and advancements in retail so brands see a clearer path to success across ALL channels. We’re looking at retail in a whole new way, looking to better understand the future of retail. It’s Retail Reimagined. Sharing hope about the future. No one channel can a business sustain. Go omnichannel.

Veena is the CEO of salesBeat - a company dedicated to improving efficiency in retail and FMCG. salesBeat's AI-driven platform uses micro & macro factors to model consumer buying behavior and makes predictive recommendations to eliminate lost sales due to stocks and overstocking.

You can find them at...

Podcastify Me is designed to help coaches of all kinds enter the podcasting space with minimal lift for them. And, inviting past, current, and future clients to your show as part of your marketing and sales process sets you apart from your competition, at a time when podcasting is really gaining popularity.

Website: https://podcastify.me

As we dig back into the ever-evolving world of retail in the Season 2 opener of The Longer Game, we're talking with Carter Jensen, the Sr. Manager of Global Commerce at GMI, aka General Mills, about how they're taking brands we all grew up with and loved into the future with us. How we engage with these brands has to change because, well, how we engage with each other is different. Listen in to find out what Carter eats for lunch these days and what's going on in CPG in 2022. 

The Longer Game is a podcast focused on leaning into the trends and advancements in retail so brands see a clearer path to success across  ALL channels. We’re looking at retail in a whole new way, looking to better understand the future of retail. It’s Retail Reimagined. Sharing hope about the future. No one channel can a business sustain. Go omnichannel.  

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Want to learn more about The Longer Game? 

Head over to https://thelongergame.com to read show notes, watch more episodes, or contact us. 

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Our guest Guest Name is Carter Jensen. Carter is the Sr. Manager of Global Commerce at GMI, aka General Mills. Carter joined General Mills in 2020 amid ecommerce disruption driven by the Covid-19 pandemic. With a mission to help accelerate ecommerce capabilities, he supported the vision of “Connected Commerce” across the organization, transforming the go-to-market strategy for the company's collection of leading, global brands. 

You can find them at... 

Website: CarterJensen.com 

Find them on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/CarterJensen

Michael Maher, the host, would love to connect with you. 

Reach out to him at… 

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/immichaelmaher  

This podcast is sponsored by Cartology and Podcastify Me. Cartology is a customized done-for-you service agency that helps brands accelerate growth and get profitable on the Amazon marketplace. They work directly with brands to create a strategy and then go right out and execute it. 

Want to find out more? 

Website: https://thinkcartology.com 

Find Cartology on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/cartology

Find Cartology on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thinkcartology 

Find Cartology on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thinkcartology  

Podcastify Me is designed to help coaches of all kinds enter the podcasting space with minimal lift for them. And, inviting past, current, and future clients to your show as part of your marketing and sales process sets you apart from your competition, at a time when podcasting is really gaining popularity. 

Website: https://podcastify.me 

Find Podcastify Me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podcastify-me/

Find Podcastify Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcastify.me/ 

Find Podcastify Me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf2biqOTN2UbZ5aaM4Sx6NQ

We gather at the end of Season 1 of The Longer Game to talk LIVE about the current state of Amazon, the largest e-commerce retailer in the US,  and where the future of retail is headed. I've got the best and brightest minds with me to chat it out and answer questions.

Brands sometimes want a quick answer to growing and generating more revenue. Unlike Dollar General, most brands in retail take time to grow. James "Saywhatsales" Buckley explains why these misaligned expectations in retail lead to having a false sense of hope, which creates confusion, has you playing the chance game, and ultimately why "hope is not a strategy." The energy on Mr. Buckley is off the charts. He's got dope knowledge on sales, interacting with people, and is genuinely fun to be around. This episode rocks.

About our guest:

James' mission is to help sellers realize their full potential. He works to show them their real worth as the tip of the spear. He has had the pleasure of interviewing the best minds in sales and creating content that elevates the sales profession every day.

Connect with James @saywhatsales on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Twitter. Join him weekly for his new series "Surviving Sales" a Sell Better production brought to you by JB Sales

Find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamessaywhatsalesbuckley/

Find him on Instagram: @saywhatsales

Find him on Facebook: James Buckley

Find him on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOGBiBoHd5n3f9Sz2KZT3CA

Like what you’re hearing?

Subscribe to our channel and make sure to click or tap the bell so you get notified whenever new episodes drop.

 Want to learn more about The Longer Game?

Head over to https://thelongergame.com to read show notes, watch more episodes, or contact us.

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/thelongergame

Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thelongergame

Follow us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thelongergame

Michael Maher, the host, would love to connect with you.

Reach out to him at…

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/immichaelmaher

This podcast is sponsored by Cartology and podcastify.me.

Cartology is a customized done-for-you service agency that helps brands accelerate growth and get profitable on the Amazon marketplace. They work directly with brands to create a strategy and then go right out and execute it.

Want to find out more?

Website: https://thinkcartology.com

Find Cartology on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/cartology

Find Cartology on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thinkcartology

Find Cartology on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thinkcartology

Podcastify Me is designed to help coaches of all kinds enter the podcasting space with minimal lift for them. And, inviting past, current and future clients to your show as part of your marketing and sales process sets you apart from your competition, in a time when podcasting is really gaining popularity.

Website: https://podcastify.me

Find Podcastify Me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podcastify-me/

Find Podcastify Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcastify.me/

Find Podcastify Me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf2biqOTN2UbZ5aaM4Sx6NQ

People buy with their emotions. They buy what they vibe with. If consumers aren't feeling it, don't expect revenue to grow. And what about revenue? How can connecting with a consumer on a raw level actually help you generate revenue? Are those two things related? Erik Kiker, Chief Messaging Officer at tolovethebrand.com, knows how to connect the two and never skip a beat. We go deep into the psyche of how brands are sometimes inadvertently turning consumers off because of the discouraging messages they're sending out. Messaging makes a difference. Find yours and grow your audience now. 

Like what you’re hearing? 

Head over to https://thelongergame.com/ to read show notes, watch the episode or contact us. 

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/thelongergame 

Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thelongergame 

Follow us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thelongergame

About our guest: 

Eric is a Creative Director turned Messaging Strategist, for a really good reason. Frustrated by brand development processes that were too slow, too costly, and ultimately written from a consultant’s POV, he invented his own.  He’s helmed his process to help more than 100 brands find their greatness, something Eric calls, The Soul Difference. Naked Juice, Atkins, Jenny Craig, Lenny & Larry’s, Zespri Kiwifruit, Health Warrior and Perfect Bar have all been clients. And he’s remained close with these brands’ Founders, past and current owners, and investors. 

Website: https://tolovethebrand.com 

Find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erickiker/

Find him on Instagram: @erickiker1 

Find him on Facebook: Eric Kiker  

Michael Maher, the host, would love to connect with you. 

Reach out to him at… 

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/immichaelmaher 

This podcast is sponsored by Cartology and podcastify.me. Cartology is a customized done-for-you service agency that helps brands accelerate growth and get profitable on the Amazon marketplace. They work directly with brands to create a strategy and then go right out and execute it. 

Want to find out more? 

Website: https://thinkcartology.com/ 

Find Cartology on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/cartology 

Find Cartology on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thinkcartology 

Find Cartology on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thinkcartology 

podcastify.me is a full-service podcast production company that designs podcasts around people who are paid for their advice: coaches. If you're knowledgeable in your space and want a steady stream of people who have the exact kinds of problems you solve and they want to talk about it, a  podcast may just be your secret weapon. They handle everything from finding guests, to editing, publishing, and promoting episodes, all with the goal of helping you build your business. Check them out: https://podcastify.me

Sourcing has become a much bigger issue for brands as the pandemic continues to close down China and back up the pipeline, as well as loading docks and ports across the world. So scaling might seem difficult at a time like this. Not only scaling but making new connections and finding new opportunities feels almost impossible. Ben & Oliver want you to rethink that. With Checkpoint International, they've templated the processes for sourcing and are leveraging the incredible quick postal system in China to their advantage. Listen in to hear how Oliver gets his food delivered to him during quarantine and why these guys are onto something when it comes to growing your brand.

Like what you’re hearing?

Head over to https://thelongergame.com/ to read show notes, watch the episode or contact us.

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/thelongergame

Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thelongergame

Follow us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thelongergame

About our guests:

Oliver Knack, originally from Australia, has been working in sourcing and quality control in Asia since 2012. Primarily based in China for over 10 years, Oliver has worked in various capacities in the industry and helped hundreds of clients from North America, Latin America, Europe and the Asia Pacific manage their purchasing activities in all the major manufacturing countries in Asia. Oliver has worked with clients large and small ranging from large retail chains to independent Amazon sellers across a wide range of consumer products.

Ben started working in manufacturing in China after his junior year of college. The brand he started, Xtatix, sold private label consumer electronics into the US market. Xtatix closed in 2008 and shortly after Ben focused on growing Hatch, a company that sold private label consumer electronics to other brands. Hatch ended up selling millions of MP3 players and Android products to Walmart, Best Buy, and other top retailers through Hatch's client's brand. In 2015 Hatch pivoted to focus on the development and manufacturing of custom Android products. Ben has rare first-hand experience within the Chinese manufacturing and technology hardware ecosystem.

Website: https://Checkpointintl.com

Find Oliver on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverknack/

Find them on Facebook: @checkpointintl

Michael Maher, the host, would love to connect with you.

Reach out to him at…

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/immichaelmaher

This podcast is sponsored by Cartology and podcastify.me. Cartology is a customized done-for-you service agency that helps brands accelerate growth and get profitable on the Amazon marketplace. They work directly with brands to create a strategy and then go right out and execute it.

Want to find out more?

Website: https://thinkcartology.com/

Find Cartology on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/cartology

Find Cartology on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thinkcartology

Find Cartology on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thinkcartology

podcastify.me is a full-service podcast production company that designs podcasts around people who are paid for their advice: coaches. If you're knowledgeable in your space and want a steady stream of people who have the exact kinds of problems you solve and they want to talk about it, a  podcast may just be your secret weapon. They handle everything from finding guests, to editing, publishing, and promoting episodes, all with the goal of helping you build your business. Check them out: https://podcastify.me

Retail has drastically changed since the beginning of the pandemic,  where e-commerce saw a huge influx of growth. This has forced brands to have to be agile in order to stick around. Brands can no longer sit on one channel and focus on dominating there alone. I speak this week with  Destaney Wishon, CEO of BetterAMS, an advertising partner and service provider for brands on the Amazon marketplace, all about that change and how it's affected the brand's decision making, even giving us a peek behind the curtains of what BetterAMS has done to remain relevant.

Like what you’re hearing? Head over to https://thelongergame.com/ to read show notes, watch the episode or contact us.

About our guest:

Destaney Wishon is Co-Founder and CEO of BetterAMS.

Website: https://betterams.com

Michael Maher, the host, would love to connect with you. Reach out to him at…

This podcast is sponsored by Cartology and podcastify.me.

Cartology is a customized done-for-you service agency that helps brands accelerate growth and get profitable on the Amazon marketplace.  They work directly with brands to create a strategy and then go right out and execute it. Want to find out more?

Website: https://thinkcartology.com/

Find Cartology on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/cartology

podcastify.me is a full-service podcast production company that designs podcasts around people who are paid for their advice: coaches. If you're knowledgeable in your space and want a steady stream of people who have the exact kinds of problems you solve and they want to talk about it, a  podcast may just be your secret weapon. They handle everything from finding guests, to editing, publishing, and promoting episodes, all with the goal of helping you build your business. Check them out: https://podcastify.me