Episode # 125. On today's show we spend time with Ryan Moore- CEO & Cofounder of Modus Planning. If you don't understand trade spend management and planning- this is a can't miss episode. Even if you are a CPG veteran, you will pick up valuable insights from Ryan today. Trade spending is generally the #2 or #3 line item on a brand P&L. Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast:
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YouTube channel- https://www.youtube.com/@road2retail327.
Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Discussion points today include: - We cover a definition of trade spending, its reason for being, and define some of the components of this line item- The trade promotion "hierarchy of needs"- The importance of building trust with the buyers at your distributor and the important role they play- How to evaluate your trade spending effectiveness, course correct, and navigate towards efficient promotions- "No one ever regrets taking the time to get their trade spending well organized"Special thanks to our sponsor-Eagle Labs- https://wwweaglelabsinc.com
Enjoy the show! Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Want to be on the show? DM us on LinkedIn!
Episode # 124. On today’s episode the Road 2 Retail team speaks with Kat Weaver the founder of Power to Pitch. Kat chats with us about the different ways small and emerging brands can raise money and the insights she has gained in helping multiple brands. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast: Apple podcasts-https://lnkd.in/gs3BfXbdSpotify- https://lnkd.in/ewWcnYpY YouTube channel- https://www.youtube.com/@road2retail327. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Among the topics covered with Kat today include:- The different types of funding available to brand founders- What separates founders who get funded from the those who don’t?- What type of funding is available to brands that are early in the fund raising journey?- How do you use grants to raise money? What is the process?- A fan of Sarah Blakley, the founder of SpanxThanks to our sponsor Markey Performance Group-https://www.marketperformancegroup.com/ Enjoy the show! Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Want to be on the show? DM us on LinkedIn!
Episode # 123. On today's show we spend time with Allison Ball. Alli is founder of Food Biz Wiz and the creator of Retail Ready. The discussion centers around some of the errors emerging brands tend to make as they move to expand their business to retail. Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast: Apple podcasts-https://lnkd.in/gs3BfXbdSpotify- https://lnkd.in/ewWcnYpY YouTube channel- https://www.youtube.com/@road2retail327. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Topics covered today include: - Don't skip the strategy stage and jump right to selling. Strategy is your road map of what you will, and won't, do to grow- Why a brand can't use their DTC selling approach when dealing with a buyer at a retailer- As a former buyer, Alli shares what she looked for in a brand before bringing it into her set- The importance of persistent, but professional, follow up. 80% of sales take five follow ups to close a sale!- Why she admires the Golden State WarriorsSupport us by supporting our sponsorsEagle Labs: Contract manufacturing of OTC and HBA products: https://www.eaglelabsinc.com Enjoy the show! Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Want to be on the show? DM us on LinkedIn!
Episode # 122. On today's show the Road 2 Retail team discusses how a brand should prepare for a line review or category review meeting with a retailer. You worked hard to get into this retailer- but happens as the time to review your brand performance approaches? Based upon our long history working in the CPG industry, we share our views on what to expect, how to prepare, and what the results of this meeting may be. Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast at:Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast: Apple podcasts-https://lnkd.in/gs3BfXbdSpotify- https://lnkd.in/ewWcnYpY YouTube channel- https://www.youtube.com/@road2retail327. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Specific topics around the line review process covered today include: - What exactly is a line review? - How to prepare for this meeting? Spoiler alert: bring facts and proof- not opinions alone- If there are issues with your brand- bring them up early and directly. Don't hope no one noticed- they did- Detailed review of your performance versus expectations: sales, margins, service levels- Key questions to ask and the importance of fast, accurate follow up Enjoy the show! Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Want to be on the show? DM us on LinkedIn!
Episode # 121. On today’s episode the Road 2 Retail team speaks with Eli Moore VP of data strategy at Burke, about AI and its potential impact on the CPG industry. Eli shares how AI can best be utilized by emerging CPG brands.
Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or on our YouTube channel. Plus, give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.Among our discussion points, we cover:
Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast: Apple podcasts-https://lnkd.in/gs3BfXbdSpotify- https://lnkd.in/ewWcnYpY YouTube channel- / @road2retail327 . Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Enjoy the show! Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Want to be on the show? DM us on LinkedIn!
Episode # 120. On today’s episode the Road 2 Retail team speaks with Alex Gelbert Cofounder and CEO of Let There Be. Alex shares his insights on the importance of innovation in healthcare products and how to best utilize video to communicate innovation to the end consumer. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast: Apple podcasts-https://lnkd.in/gs3BfXbdSpotify- https://lnkd.in/ewWcnYpY YouTube channel- / @road2retail327 . Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Among the topics covered with Alex today include:
Enjoy the show! Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Want to be on the show? DM us on LinkedIn!
Episode # 119. On today's show we are joined by Jeff Lovering- Chief Data Scientist at Customer Marketing Group (CMG). Our discussion centers on all things pricing today - one of the most critical elements for any brand to get right.
Episode # 118. On today's show we speak with Raj Shah - Head of Sales Operations at the fast growing collagen brand, Obvi. Raj discusses in detail the highs and lows of bringing their brand from its DTC beginnings into the brick & mortar retail world and what they have learned along the way. Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast at:
Road 2 Retail podcast at: Apple podcasts-https://lnkd.in/gs3BfXbd
Spotify- https://lnkd.in/ewWcnYpY
YouTube channel- https://www.youtube.com/@road2retail327. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.Additional points discussed with Raj today include: - The origin story of the brand led by people that had been helping other DTC brands grow- and saw an opportunity to build their own - What motivated them to move into brick & mortar retail? And how they learned the DTC playbook does not translate perfectly to the brick & mortar environment- Some hard truths about brick & mortar distribution: slotting, trade spending, deductions and other matters a brand will have to deal with- What to look for in a contract manufacturer- and it goes far beyond price alone- Hiring, managing and working through rough patches with your brokers. Hint: treat your brokers like they work inside your company and not as an outside vendor to your company- Finally, a Knicks fan!Enjoy the show! Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Want to be on the show? DM us on LinkedIn!
Episode # 117. Today we spend time with Adam Brown- Founder and President of Sircle Media. Our discussion covers how Sircle Media helps their clients think about, navigate, and drive their business across social networks. Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts , Spotify our YouTube channel. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast at:
Apple podcasts-https://lnkd.in/gs3BfXbd
Spotify- https://lnkd.in/ewWcnYpY
YouTube channel-https://www.youtube.com/@road2retail327. Among the keys points covered today: - The Sircle Team has a focus on brands in traditional brick & mortar distribution. They are very focused on helping drive sales and hit sales velocity hurdles- We spend time discussing 'social interest' versus 'social media'.- The potential risk to an emerging brand of bringing on creative people that may focus more on art than on creative and content that drives the brand- The benefit of working with boutique marketing agencies that do a very few (or one!) thing VERY well versus a larger integrated agency- Key to work with agencies that not only know the social networks, but they know your category. Enjoy the show! Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Want to be on the show? DM us on LinkedIn!
Episode # 116. On today's show we speak with Mike Lyons- Vice President at Market Performance Group. The focus of our discussion today is understanding what Tik Tok Shop is, how to drive your brand's business in this environment, and services MPG offers to help emerging brands work effectively with Tik Tok Shop. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.
Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast at: Apple podcasts-https://lnkd.in/gs3BfXbd
Spotify- https://lnkd.in/ewWcnYpY
YouTube channel- https://www.youtube.com/@road2retail327.
Among the many interesting points Mike shares about working effectively with the booming Tik Tok Shop marketplace: - We ground the discussion with a definition of social commerce: social commerce = selling through others- Tik Tok Shop is "word of mouth on steroids". Sales on the marketplace have grown from basically zero three years ago to $22B+ in past 12 months- What does it take to be successful on Tik Tok Shop? How does Tik Tok Shop get paid?- What is an affiliate, what do they do for a brand, and how do they get paid?- How MPG works with their clients to help them navigate this constantly evolving marketplace and profitably drive business- A Mets fan Enjoy the show! Please follow to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Want to be on the show? DM us on LinkedIn!Running a retail business means making nonstop decisions—inventory, staffing, marketing, tech. The SKUpe is the weekly newsletter designed to help you make smarter calls, faster.Curated by industry experts, The SKUpe delivers clear, trustworthy insights on what’s working for small and mid-sized retailers today. Join 20,000 owners and operators who rely on it to stay sharp and ahead of the game.Subscribe at t-h-e-s-k-u-p-e dot c-o.
Episode # 115. On today's episode we spend time with Tanay Kothari the founder and CEO of the deduction management platform, Floret. Tanay shares with the audience the importance and the labor that goes into managing deductions from both retailers and distributors. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.
Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast at:
Apple podcasts-https://lnkd.in/gs3BfXbd
Spotify- https://lnkd.in/ewWcnYpY
YouTube channel- https://www.youtube.com/@road2retail327. Discussion points today with Tanay include: - How Floret supports brands of all sizes (from Small to large brands) manage their deductions. Understanding the types of deductions- How Floret started, and the gap Tanay saw in the market- What does Floret look for when deciding to work with a brand- How much savings can be realized when working with Floret- How Floret is different from other deduction management platformswww.tryfloret.com Enjoy the show! Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Want to be at the show? DM us on LinkedIn!
Episode # 114 Today we speak with David Simnick, the cofounder and CEO of the mission driven personal care brand- Soapbox. David and his team have been building Soapbox for over a dozen years. He candidly shares the highs and lows of starting and running an emerging brand and how the team's desire to 'give back' led to their mission to provide personal cleansing products to those in need. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast at: Apple podcasts-https://lnkd.in/gs3BfXbdSpotify- https://lnkd.in/ewWcnYpY YouTube channel- https://www.youtube.com/@road2retail327. Among the many points we cover with David today include: - That no matter how hard they tried in the early days to kill their brand- the team kept plugging away and learning. Eventually evolving to a winning commercial approach- With a mission driven brand- the mission must make sense to the consumer that the tie to the brand is logical- While the brand mission may be a differentiator in the category and help you secure some retailer meetings and distribution- the products must perform and sell in order to remain in distribution- Why it is best to focus on your top skus and to have a unique growth plan with each retailer versus 'getting too clever with your plan'- Counsel on what to expect when taking on an investor- In the very early days of Soapbox, his landlord thought he was up to 'illegal activities'!- David is offering a special discount for listeners of the Road 2 Retail podcast. Go to www.soapboxsoaps.com and enter the promo code: Road2retail20 to save 20% on your purchase!Enjoy the show! Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Want to be on the show? DM us on LinkedIn!
Episode # 113. On today’s episode the Road 2 Retail team speaks with Kate LaBrosse from the Naturally Network. Kate shares great insight from her vast experience in the natural channel. Give us a follow-on LinkedIn. Learn more at https://www.road2retail.com.Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast at: Apple podcasts-https://lnkd.in/gs3BfXbdSpotify- https://lnkd.in/ewWcnYpY YouTube channel- https://www.youtube.com/@road2retail327. Among the topics covered in this episode include:- What is the Naturally Network and how does the Naturally Network help small/emerging brands?- What is the CPG Academy? What does the Academy offer Naturally Network Members?- The introduction of the Retail Launch Pad: An on-line learning platform- Why establishing pricing is critical to brands starting out. Kate shares the definition of COGS and her margin calculator.Enjoy the show! Please follow to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcast, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Want to be on the show? DM us on LinkedIn!
Episode # 112 Our guest on today's show is Patty Post - Founder and CEO of the at home medical testing firm Checkable. Patty shares her story (and determination!) of working with subject matter experts and the regulatory authorities to bring an at home Strep Test to market. Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast at Apple podcasts-https://lnkd.in/gs3BfXbdSpotify- https://lnkd.in/ewWcnYpY or our YouTube channel- / @road2retail327 . Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Among the many topics covered with Patty today, a few of them include:
Enjoy the show! Please follow to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Want to be on the show? DM us on LinkedIn
Episode # 111. On today's episode we spend time with Nick McCoy- Cofounder and Managing Director at Whipstitch Capital. Nick and the Whipstitch Capital team have completed over 170 transactions since 2004 and have worked with both long-established brands as well as becoming a 'go to' investment bank for emerging brands looking to grow or transact. Nick shares his views on emerging brand transactions from the perspective of both the buyer and the seller. Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast at Apple podcasts-https://lnkd.in/gs3BfXbd or Spotify: https://lnkd.in/ewWcnYpY or our YouTube channel- https://www.youtube.com/@road2retail327 . Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Discussion points today with Nick include: - The dry spell for transactions in the consumer space that may be resolving now and the conditions that drove that environment- A brand that wants to sell needs to demonstrate they have the "head room" to keep growing. If you are a smaller brand- strong profitability is vital- Post covid, unit level economics and profitability are now looked at closely versus simply history of sales growth- What are the steps and approximate timing of a transaction when a brand enters a sell process?- Advice on what profile to look for in an investor when an emerging brand looks to take on outside capital Enjoy the show! Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Want to be on the show? DM us on LinkedIn!
Episode #110
Our guest on today's show is Marie Mount - Senior Director of Marketing for the SneakPeek gender reveal brand. Marie takes us through how the team at SneakPeek has taken the brand from DTC into retail and how they have used insights from consumers, retailers and their agencies to position the brand for continued growth. Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast at Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Discussion points with Marie today include: - 80% of people want to know the sex of their baby in advance- The importance of deeply and truly understanding your consumer and their needs- How they helped to build a new category delivering incremental sales to retailers- How the SneakPeek team used insights to develop new packaging for retail- The changes they have made to their approach to marketing as the brand evolves from DTC only to brick & mortar retail- A Blue Apron fan! Enjoy the show! Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.
Episode # 109.
Our guest on the show today is John Pearson - CEO of Navage. John walks us through the team's disciplined approach to growth, their commitment to solving consumer problems, and working with investors. Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast at Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.
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Among the topics discussed with John today include: - Taking over the business from successful, innovative founder: Martin Hoke - How to position, manage and grow a product that is roughly 5X the cost of most solutions in the category- The point of difference of your product must be clear to both the consumer and potential retail partners- Make a little, sell a little, learn a lot! No learning better than live selling to the consumer- How important it is to control your pricing across channels and retailers- Working with investors, advisors and your Board. Alignment is critical! Enjoy the show!
Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.
Episode # 108. On today’s episode of the Road 2 Retail podcast, the team provides a recap of The Fancy Food show that occurred on June 29th through July 1 in New York City. The team discusses trends, new brands at the show, and the educational programs the Specialty Food Association offers to members. Please follow the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts [insert link], Spotify [insert link], or on our YouTube channel [insert link]. Plus, give us a follow-on LinkedIn and learn more at https://www.road2retail.com.Among the topics covered in this episode include:- What is the Specialty Food Association (SFA) and how are they supporting small and emerging brands via their Makers Prep Course? - We discuss all the details around this show and note the next FSA show set for San Diego in early 2026.- What should first time and exhibitors and attendees due to maximize their investment of time and money?- What were the biggest trends at the show?- What were the coolest and most innovative brands at the show?- What are the best practices for following up after the show?https://www.specialtyfood.com/
Episode # 107. Today's guest is Todd Matherly - Executive Vice President of Market Performance Group. Todd talks to us today about MPG's new initiative to help emerging brands achieve business success across all channels and disciplines of commercial operations. Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast at Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Today's discussion points include: - A recap of Todd's experience as a long time merchant at Walmart and Sam's Club. - The familiar refrain of the importance of differentiation for your brand relative to competitors. - Todd discusses MPG's "end to end solution" his firm offers to help emerging brands manage their business. These services are also offered a la carte so founders can offload certain important tasks to experts in order to spend their valuable time on the aspects of their business they enjoy.- Authenticity and a great story are common characteristics of emerging brands that gain traction with consumers.- A detailed discussion around actions a DTC/Amazon only brand needs to consider (and nail) when considering the move into traditional brick & mortar retail.- And finally- we have found a highly dedicated Mizzou fan. Enjoy the show! Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.
Episode # 106. Today's guest on the Road 2 Retail podcast is Charles Miller - President & CEO of Persuadable Research. Charles takes us through the types of foundational research an emerging brand should execute in order to give themselves the greatest chance at success. Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast at Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. Plus- give us a follow on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.road2retail.com. Topics covered with Charles today include: - The differences in the two types of people that start an emerging brand and their approaches: CPG veterans and pure entrepreneurs - The importance of a 'habits & practices' study so that emerging brands can understand the category they are entering and where they fit- Bringing the right research to the table when pitching a retailer is critical: is your pricing logical, is your communication strategy clear, and will you drive incremental category performance?- Once again, we hear from another expert the importance of your brand packaging: is it working hard for you?- A/B testing can tell a brand which executions within their marketing programs are working better, but research is still needed to understand the consumer and shape communication strategy- A reference to The Cure, Yeti, and the Miami Dolphins? What a combo! Enjoy the show! Please subscribe to the Road 2 Retail podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on LinkedIn. Please share the show with a colleague and leave us a review. Learn more at www.road2retail.com.