Bulletproof Your CPG Brand-logo

Bulletproof Your CPG Brand

Business & Economics Podcasts

Most CPG brands don't have a growth problem—they have a visibility problem. Your data shows what happened, but not why it happened or what to do next. That gap is where brands waste trade spend, miss opportunities, and run out of runway. Bulletproof...

Location:

United States

Description:

Most CPG brands don't have a growth problem—they have a visibility problem. Your data shows what happened, but not why it happened or what to do next. That gap is where brands waste trade spend, miss opportunities, and run out of runway. Bulletproof Your CPG Brand, hosted by Daniel Lohman, helps CPG founders extend runway, improve retail execution, and make smarter decisions faster. Combining real-world retail strategy and decades of expert experience with AI-driven insights to help founders make smarter decisions faster. Learn how to: • understand real shopper behavior • improve trade marketing ROI • uncover hidden growth opportunities • compete with larger brands using better strategy—not bigger budgets This channel combines category management, trade marketing, shopper insights, and AI-driven insights to help you win in retail and e-commerce. 👉 Subscribe and start seeing what others miss. Build a Bulletproof Your CPG Brand

Twitter:

@CMS

Language:

English

Contact:

303748327


Episodes
Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

314. Where Your Trade Spend Is Quietly Bleeding Cash

4/14/2026
314. You're looking at your trade spend, your promotions, your deductions—and it feels like you're spending too much. But here's the truth: most CPG brands don't have a spend problem. They have a visibility problem. And that matters because the money you can't see leaking is the money shortening your runway. In this episode, I break down the three places your trade spend is quietly bleeding cash: ineffective promotions, poor timing vs competitors, and weak placement at shelf. You'll learn why your data can't show these leaks, how missed visibility leads to bad decisions, and how to shift from guessing to clarity using the Retail Clarity Framework™. Data tells you what happened. It does NOT tell you why. Download The 15-Minute Trade Spend Leak Finder™ and make sure your trade spend is not quietly working against you. It is designed to help you quickly spot the gaps that are quietly shortening your runway. It is practical by design. It is the kind of exercise that helps you find cash in the couch cushions, except in this case the "couch cushions" are your promotions, your timing, your placement, your execution, and your visibility. Get the show notes at: https://retailsolved.com/session314 Download Free The 15-Minute Trade Spend Leak Finder™ Guide at https://RetailSolved.com/guide30. If you want to go deeper, learn more about and register for the free webinar at: RetailSolved.com ⏰ Timecodes 02:00 Your leaking money 02:25 Why This Matters Right Now 02:59 Here are — The 3 Places You're Leaking Money 03:05 LEAK #1: Ineffective Promotions 03:59 What This Looks Like in Real Life 03:46 Let me repeat this, sales drop to the same level as soon as the event ends. 04:16 LEAK #2: Poor Timing vs Competitors 04:36 What This Looks Like 05:09 and your competitors are taking your sales 05:30 LEAK #3: Weak Placement (The Silent Killer) 06:49 An important INSIGHT — Why Your Data Doesn't Show This 07:16 The SHIFT — The Visibility Gap 07:33 New FRAMEWORK — The Retail Clarity Framework™ 08:09 The 15-Minute Trade Spend Leak Finder™ 09:03 Where You're Losing Money

Duration:00:11:09

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

313. Why Community Is the Shortcut to CPG Growth

4/7/2026
313. Building a CPG brand can feel isolating. You're making decisions alone, solving problems from scratch, and trying to figure out retail, marketing, and operations without a roadmap. That's expensive—and it slows your growth. In this episode, I sit down with Kristine Carey, Executive Director of Naturally Colorado, to break down why community is one of the most overlooked competitive advantages in CPG. You'll learn how the right network helps you avoid costly mistakes, accelerate learning, access mentors, and build relationships that open doors to retailers, investors, and strategic partners. We also unpack how Naturally Colorado evolved, how the pitch competition prepares brands for real-world selling, and why collaboration—not isolation—is how successful brands are built. You don't need to figure this out alone. Get connected, get involved, and start learning from people who've already done it. Visit NaturallyColorado.org and download your free guide at RetailSolved.com to take the next step.

Duration:00:28:43

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

312. Your Margins Are Unpredictable - You're Optimizing Trade Wrong

4/6/2026
312. You've invested in better dashboards, better reporting, and better trade marketing software. You're tracking everything—promotions, lift, ROI, deductions—and yet your margins still feel unpredictable and your growth still feels inconsistent. If that sounds familiar, here's the truth: what you think is giving you control is actually holding you back. In this episode, I break down why trade marketing software isn't the problem—but it's not the solution either. Most tools show you what happened, but they can't tell you why it happened or how to win next time. That blind spot keeps brands stuck optimizing performance instead of building strategy. You'll learn how to shift from reporting to real strategy by understanding shopper behavior, category dynamics, and competitive context—so your trade marketing actually compounds. Download the Free Trade Marketing Essentials Guide at RetailSolved.com and register for the live working session to learn how to turn your data into a true competitive advantage. Get it at https://retailsolved.com/session312 00:35 But here's the uncomfortable truth: 00:50 THE STORY — When "Better Data" Didn't Fix the Problem 01:39 INSIGHT — Trade Marketing Is Not a Reporting System 02:17 Most brands are optimizing their business in isolation 02:40 THE REAL PROBLEM — Data Without Context Creates False Confidence 03:19 #1 Internal Data vs External Reality 03:48 #2 You Can't See Your Competitive Position 04:18 #3 Volume Is Not the Same as Incrementally 05:07 #4 Brand Growth vs Category Growth 05:52 #5 Software Can't Build Strategy 06:16 #6 Category Growth vs. Brand Growth 06:47 REFRAME — You're Using the Right Tool for the Wrong Job 07:16 THE BETTER WAY — Start With the Shopper 08:39 RECAP — The Truth Most Brands Miss

Duration:00:09:59

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

311. The Trade Marketing Reality Check Every Brand Needs

3/31/2026
311. Trade marketing feels like a tax for most CPG brands. You spend money, run promotions, follow retailer plans—and still watch your margins shrink, cash flow tighten, and growth stay unpredictable. The problem isn't trade marketing. It's that you were never taught the system. In this episode, I break down how trade marketing actually works—and why 70%+ of trade spend is wasted. You'll learn why promotions should drive behavior change (not just volume), how to distinguish incremental sales from subsidized sales, why retailers want better promotions—not more of them—and how execution determines success at shelf. Trade marketing is not a cost. It's your most powerful growth lever—when used correctly. Download the free Trade Management Essentials Guide and learn how to turn trade spend into a predictable, scalable growth engine that protects margin, improves ROI, and extends your runway. Download the free guide: Trade Management Essentials To Grow And Scale Your Brand Retailsolved.com/guide15 Download shownotes at RetailSolved.com/session311 00:04 Why Trade Marketing Feels Like a Tax 01:15 When It Finally Clicked 02:18 Trade marketing is about behavior change 03:34 WHY THIS MATTERS — The $ Hidden in Plain Sight 03:29 #1 Trade Marketing Fails Without a System 04:24 #2 Most Promotions Don't Drive Growth (They Subsidize It) 05:24 #3 Retailers Don't Want More Promotions (They Want Better Ones) 06:38 #4 Execution Is Where Everything Breaks 07:31 #5 Trade Spend Becomes Dangerous Without Discipline 08:27 What Actually Works 08:59 The Real Opportunity

Duration:00:10:34

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

310. Your Products Aren't Selling? Here's the Real Problem

3/24/2026
310. You're doing everything "right"—promotions, social media, brokers, distribution—and still not growing. Your cash flow feels tight. Your strategy feels reactive. And your product is at risk of being discontinued. The problem isn't you. It's the advice. Most CPG advice fails because it's incomplete. It focuses on tactics instead of systems and ignores how retail actually works. In this episode, I break down why brands struggle—and how merchandising, execution, and alignment silently determine success at shelf. You'll learn why velocity without profitability destroys your runway, why retailers buy confidence—not products—and how poor execution (not demand) causes most brands to fail. Most importantly, you'll see how to connect pricing, promotion, merchandising, and messaging into one system that actually works. Download the free Merchandising Checklist at RetailSolved.com/session310 and start building the system that drives consistent sales, stronger retail relationships, and sustainable growth. Get the show notes: https://retailsolved.com/session310 Download Merchandising Checklist To Grow Sales And Shopper Loyalty: https://RetailSolved.com/guide5 00:58 Shoppers couldn't find the product 01:43 Your merchandising is the first impression - Make it a good one 01:51 How merchandising—silently destroys brands 02:02 When "Good Advice" Almost Cost Everything 03:35 WHY THIS MATTERS — Advice vs. System 04:13 STRATEGY #1: CHASING TACTICS INSTEAD OF BUILDING A SYSTEM 05:09 STRATEGY #2: CONFUSING VELOCITY WITH VALUE 06:12 STRATEGY #3: TREATING RETAIL LIKE A TRANSACTION 07:03 STRATEGY #4: IGNORING EXECUTION (WHERE EVERYTHING BREAKS) 08:20 STRATEGY #5: BUILDING A BRAND WITHOUT ALIGNMENT 09:05 RECAP — WHY MOST CPG ADVICE FAILS 09:36 WHAT TO DO NEXT

Duration:00:11:03

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

309. Why Your Products Aren't Selling? It's Not What You Think

3/17/2026
309. You're not losing at retail because of weak marketing. You're losing because you don't understand how the category works. Most brands rely on reports, velocity, and promotions—but retailers don't buy products, they buy category performance. In this episode, I break down True Category Management—the strategy that separates brands that win shelf space from those that get delisted. You'll learn how to think like a category leader, turn data into actionable insights, map how shoppers actually buy, identify assortment gaps retailers can't see, and position your brand as a trusted advisor instead of another vendor. Data tells you what happened. The shopper tells you why. The brands that combine both win. Download the New Item Essentials Guide at RetailSolved.com/session309 and learn how to build a category-driven selling strategy that earns trust, drives retailer profit, and gives your brand an unfair competitive advantage. Download the free New Item Essentials ebook: RetailSolved.com/guide13

Duration:00:15:47

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

308. Your CPG Brand's Biggest Retail Problem

3/10/2026
308. Most CPG brands think promotions grow sales. They don't. Pricing strategy does. If your pricing architecture is wrong, deeper discounts and more promotions will only destroy your margins, train shoppers to wait for deals, and drain your cash flow. In this episode, I break down the pricing and promotion architecture that premium brands use to scale profitably. You'll learn how to price for your core shopper instead of competitors, build a pricing ladder that protects margin at every level, design disciplined promotion strategies, use contribution — not velocity — to justify your pricing, and create guardrails that stop margin erosion. Promotions are tactics. Pricing is strategy. 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/session308 00:47 You don't control promotions until you control pricing 01:50 The Brand Who Lowered Price to "Grow Faster"… and Nearly Bankrupted Themselves 02:52 Pricing is a strategy. Promotions are a tactic. 03:25 Big brands invest heavily in pricing elasticity projects 04:50 WHY PRICING ARCHITECTURE MATTERS 05:35 #1: Price for Your Core Shopper — Not for Your Competition 04:58 #2: Build a Pricing Ladder — The Foundation of All Margin Protection 07:14 #3: Build a Promotion Architecture — Not Random Deals 11:05 #4: Use Contribution — Not Velocity — to Justify Pricing and Promotions 12:08 #5: Build Guardrails That Prevent Margin Erosion 13:07 HOW TO BUILD A PRICING & PROMOTION ARCHITECTURE THAT CREATES SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

Duration:00:15:41

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

307. Cash Flow, Profit & Focus for CPG Founders With Nate Littlewood, Future Ready CFO

3/3/2026
307. You can be "profitable" on paper and still go bankrupt. If you don't understand cash flow, margin, and focus, your CPG brand is at risk — and that matters because running out of cash is the #1 reason businesses fail. In this episode, I sit down with Nate from Future Ready CFO to simplify finance for founders. We break down the real difference between profit and cash, why cash is the lifeblood of your business, and how shiny-object syndrome destroys ROI. You'll learn how to prioritize using ROI frameworks, bottleneck analysis, and skills alignment so you stop wasting time and start allocating capital strategically. Finance isn't just accounting. It's clarity. It's focus. It's leverage. If you want to extend your runway, reduce risk, and make smarter decisions with your capital, this conversation matters. Download the free guide at RetailSolved.com/session307 and listen to related episodes on cash conversion cycles, deduction prevention, and trade marketing ROI to go deeper. Connect with Nate at: linkedin.com/in/nathanlittlewood FutureReadyCFO.com futurereadycfo.com/hidden-profit-audit-free-template

Duration:00:58:34

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

306. Expo West ROI Strategy for CPG Brands

2/24/2026
306. Expo West is expensive. If you're "hoping" it grows your brand, you're already losing ROI. Booth fees, travel, freight, samples, staffing — this is one of the biggest trade investments you'll make all year. And most brands waste it because they treat Expo like a sampling event instead of a leverage event. In this episode, I break down the 5 strategic ways to turn Natural Products Expo West into a growth engine. You'll learn how to define one clear objective, turn sampling into strategic engagement, use category data to differentiate, build a disciplined follow-up system, and treat Expo as a community accelerator — not just a retail show. Expo isn't about traffic. It's about leverage. Download the New Item Essentials Guide at RetailSolved.com/session306 before you go. Then listen to related episodes on category strategy, velocity, and trade marketing ROI to maximize your investment and extend your runway. Get the Free Expo West Checklist at RetailSolved.com/expochecklist

Duration:00:10:20

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

305. The Deduction Prevention System That Cuts Losses by 70%

2/17/2026
305. You're not losing money because you failed. You're losing it because your systems allow deductions to drain your margin before you see it. If you've ever opened a check that was thousands short — filled with vague codes, freight charges, compliance penalties, or unauthorized promo deductions — you know how fast cash flow disappears. In this episode, I break down the Deduction Prevention System that stops margin leakage before it starts. You'll learn how ironclad promotion agreements, pricing integrity audits, precision forecasting, accountability scorecards, and centralized documentation dramatically reduce retailer and distributor deductions. This isn't about fighting chargebacks. It's about preventing them. Download this week's free Effective Deduction Management guide at RetailSolved.com and build the systems that stabilize cash flow, protect your margin, and strengthen retailer relationships. Then listen to related episodes on pricing architecture, forecasting, KPIs, and trade promotion strategy to go deeper. The Story A founder called me after losing $42,000 in deductions she didn't owe. Unauthorized promotions. Freight errors. Late penalties on early shipments. She was right. But she couldn't prove it. No documentation. No signed agreements. No centralized system. Once we built a Deduction Prevention System, deductions dropped dramatically and her cash flow stabilized. Prevention changed everything. Secret #1: Treat Promotion Agreements Like Legal Documents If it's not in writing, it doesn't exist. Define SKUs, dates, pricing depth, execution steps, and who pays for what. Audit your last six promotions this week. You'll see the gaps immediately. Secret #2: Audit Pricing Quarterly Pricing drift silently kills margin. Pull invoices from every warehouse. Check pack sizes and pricing tables. Small errors create cascading deductions. Secret #3: Forecast Like Your Margin Depends On It — Because It Does Short shipments and penalties are predictable. Forecast 90 days forward using velocity, promo lift, ACV, and lead times. Share it proactively. Build your Deduction Prevention System and stop losing money before it leaves your account. Download the Free Effective Deduction Management eBook at: retailsolved.com/guide21 Download this weeks guide: retailsolved.com/session305

Duration:00:14:55

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

304. Strategic Advisory Thinking That Wins Retail

2/10/2026
304. If you're still pitching your product instead of guiding the category, you're leaving leverage on the table. Retail buyers don't reward brands with the best velocity — they reward brands that help them win. And if you don't shift from vendor to advisor, you'll stay stuck chasing space, promotions, and resets. In this episode, I break down how strategic advisory thinking transforms your retail conversations from transactional to influential. You'll learn how to lead with category insights, translate data into actionable recommendations, center your story around your most profitable shopper, and execute flawlessly so buyers trust your strategy. This is how brands double distribution, earn permanent displays, and win better decisions — even without deep discounting. Download the free 30 Days to Profitable Growth guide at RetailSolved.com and listen to related episodes to go deeper into category management, trade strategy, and retail execution. Stop competing. Start advising. You can get the episodes free guide and todays show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session304

Duration:00:15:09

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

303. You Are Now a Category Leader- The Final Roadmap

2/6/2026
303. You now think, plan, and execute like a category leader. In this final episode of 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth, I recap the full journey—from foundation and shopper insights to retail execution, systems, and discipline—and show you how to turn these lessons into a lasting competitive advantage. This isn't theory. It's a proven roadmap built from decades in the trenches. Listen to lock in the mindset, tools, and confidence to lead retailers, win shoppers, and scale with clarity. Congratulations on completing the 30-Day Challenge, which provided a framework, system, and strategy to build a strong brand foundation. The challenge covered essential aspects like customer journey, sales strategy, retail execution, and systems for growth. Now equipped with a proven playbook and mindset, you are ready to lead and differentiate your brand, becoming a category leader by out-serving and out-executing competitors. You can get the episodes free guide and todays show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session303

Duration:00:07:59

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

302. Help Retailers Win- The Key Trends Category Leaders Know

2/5/2026
302. Retailers don't need more discounts—they need partners who help them win. In Day 30 of 30 Days to Prosperity, I break down the key trends retailers care about most and how you can use them to become a trusted, go-to category leader. You'll learn how to help retailers drive traffic, differentiate without price wars, and grow sustainable profit by putting their needs first. Listen in to learn how real retail partnerships unlock opportunities money can't buy. To become a category leader, brands must help retailers achieve their three universal goals: driving foot traffic, gaining a competitive advantage, and growing sustainable profit. This involves making it easy for customers to find products, supporting product discovery, and highlighting complementary solutions. By becoming a trusted partner, brands can unlock opportunities like preferred placement and influence over category strategy. Action step: pick one trend and show how it grows basket and profit. What trend is most relevant to your category? For additional inspiration listen to the following Bulletproof Your CPG Brand podcast episodes: 🎙️ 23 Salesmanship 401 Mastering the Art of Sales, Andrew Therrien with Sampler 🎙️ 122 Brand Building Success Strategies for Retail Growth, Mathis Martines with M2 Brands 🎙️ 129 Know Your Core Customer to Boost Sales Growth, Ethan Hirshberg with Ethans 🎙️166 Produce Is The Gateway To Center Store Sales Growth, Lori Taylor with The Produce Moms. Day 30 of the Free 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth Tip of the day: Develop a collaborative partnership with retailers. Educate them about key trends they need to be aware of. Always put their needs first and savvy retailers might return the favor. 👉 Follow Daniel Lohman to Bulletproof Your CPG Brand! You can get the episodes free guide and todays show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session302

Duration:00:09:54

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

301. Look for & Close Category Gaps to Win at Retail

2/4/2026
301. Most brands lose shelf space because they sell products—not solutions. In Day 29 of 30 Days to Prosperity, I show you how to uncover and close category gaps by starting with the shopper's market basket and working backwards. You'll learn how to identify need states, remove friction from the shopper journey, collaborate with complementary brands, and build basket-driving solutions retailers actually value. This is how category leaders grow sales without relying on discounts. To close category gaps and drive sales, brands should start by understanding shopper need states and reverse-engineer the shopper journey. By identifying friction points and collaborating with complementary brands, brands can create basket-building solutions that benefit both shoppers and retailers. This approach positions brands as problem-solvers and category builders, leading to increased foot traffic, higher basket sizes, and a competitive advantage. Action step: find 3 category gaps: shopper, price tier, need state, format. What gap do you fill best? For additional inspiration listen to the following Bulletproof Your CPG Brand podcast episodes: 🎙️ 89 Solid Digital Brand Selling Strategy for Success, Madeline Haydon with Nutpods 🎙️ 93 Bridging the Gap Between Perimeter & Center Store = Sales Success, Doug Brent with Made In Nature 🎙️258 Proven Strategies To Drive Sales Growth At Retail, Scott Sensenbrenner with Enzymedica Day 29 of the Free 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth Tip of the day: Begin with the market basket and work backwards. How can you make it easier for shoppers to find and buy your products wherever they shop. You can get the episodes free guide and todays show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session301

Duration:00:09:45

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

300. Why Your CPG Brand Is Losing Shelf Space

2/3/2026
300. Shelf space isn't lost because your product isn't good—it's lost because your competitors are more prepared. In Day 28 of 30 Days to Prosperity, I show you how preparation and competitive intelligence create a true, sustainable advantage at retail. You'll learn how to study competitor pricing, promotions, merchandising, and growth patterns so you can help retailers win where others fall short. This is how emerging brands outmaneuver bigger players without outspending them. Preparation is crucial for success in retail engagements, as it builds confidence and reduces risk. To gain a competitive edge, brands should thoroughly understand their competitors' strategies, including their target audience, promotional tactics, merchandising, and growth drivers. By doing so, brands can position themselves as indispensable partners to retailers, ultimately becoming category leaders. Action step: choose your "one thing" you will be best at for 12 months. What's your unfair advantage? For additional inspiration listen to the following Bulletproof Your CPG Brand podcast episodes: 🎙️ 131 Profitable Digital Brand Building Strategies that Work, Josh Tabin with Wild Zora and NatchCom 🎙️ 213 Foodservice Is Not Dead It Wants Your Brand To Boost Sales, Stephanie Lind with Elohi 🎙️ 260 Market Domination Begins With Knowing Your Customer, Seth Greene with Market Domination LLC and The Sharkpreneur Podcast 🎙️ 263 Strategies To Explode Sales And Eliminate Risk Today, Ron Karr with Velocity Mindset® Day 28 of the Free 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth Tip of the day: Become an expert in your competition. Leverage the strategies from the 30 Day series to give your brand the edge it deserves. You can get the episodes free guide and todays show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session300

Duration:00:08:14

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

299. Why Great Products Still Don't Sell at Retail

2/2/2026
299. If your product isn't selling, it's rarely a product problem—it's a story problem. In Day 27 of 30 Days to Prosperity, I break down why inconsistent, fragmented messaging kills sales at retail and how a unified brand voice becomes a true growth lever. You'll learn how clear storytelling communicates value (not price), aligns brokers and retailers, reduces friction, and builds trust at scale. Master this, and you stop competing on deals—and start leading the category. A brand's value, not its price, is the key to success. A unified brand story, consistently communicated across all channels, is crucial for conveying this value to customers and retailers. This approach fosters trust, loyalty, and sustainable growth, enabling brands to lead their categories rather than simply compete on price. Action step: write your "turnkey sales story" and train the team. Is your team telling the same story? For additional inspiration listen to the following Bulletproof Your CPG Brand podcast episodes: 🎙️ 139 Solid Brand Position Key to Explosive Sales Growth, Suzie Yorke with Love Good Fats 🎙️ 57 Importance Of A Powerful Brand Message In Marketing, Steve Hoffman with Compass Natural Marketing 🎙️ 60 The Importance With Remaining Relevant At Retail, Michael Sansolo with Sansolo Solutions, Morning News Beat, and Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council This is episode: 299 Day 27 of the Free 30 Days to Profitable CPG Growth Tip of the day: Storytelling is the most effective way to communicate. The power of a good storyteller cannot be underestimated. Your brand's success relies on how effective your storytelling is. You can get the episodes free guide and todays show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session299

Duration:00:09:07

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

298. How To Develop Performance Indicators for Success (KPIs)

2/1/2026
298. KPIs are crucial for ensuring flawless retail execution and driving brand growth. They provide clarity, accountability, and eliminate guesswork, helping brands avoid costly mistakes and maintain consistency across all customer-facing elements. By implementing clear and measurable KPIs, brands can gain a competitive advantage, improve retailer relationships, and deliver a predictable and scalable brand experience. KPIs act as the guardrails that keep your brand on track. They ensure flawless execution at retail—and flawless execution is where real growth happens. KPIs are the guardrails that keep your brand from drifting off course. This is one of the most overlooked areas in natural CPG and one of the simplest ways to immediately out-execute your competitors—even those with deeper pockets and larger teams. And if you're truly ready to level the playing field, KPIs are how you do it. Action step: pick KPIs that predict outcomes: contribution, repeat, availability. Which KPI do you track that doesn't actually help? For additional inspiration listen to the following Bulletproof Your CPG Brand podcast episodes: 🎙️ 160 Reach Your Goals Tomorrow and Beyond, Top Strategies Revealed 🎙️ 84 Perseverance & Overcoming Obstacles in Retail Strategy, David Perkins with Beetnik Foods 🎙️ 218 Retail Horror Stories – How To Avoid Failures This is episode: 298 Day 26 of the Free 30 Days To Prosperity Challenge Tip of the day: KPI's act as the guard rails that keep everyone on track. They help to ensure flawless retail execution. You can get the episodes free guide and todays show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session298

Duration:00:08:57

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

297. How To Ensure Flawless Execution Using Scorecards

1/31/2026
297. Scorecards map out objectives in bite-size, manageable pieces that keep you focused, aligned, and on track. They can be the difference between success and failure. Scorecards are the most underutilized project-management tool in the CPG industry. And that's a problem—because scorecards are also one of the most effective tools to keep the business moving forward predictably. It's time for the tool that actually brings all of that to life. A tool that eliminates chaos. A tool that keeps everyone accountable. A tool that removes guesswork and replaces it with clarity. That tool is the scorecard. Here's why: They break big goals into small, doable action steps. They clarify exactly who is responsible for what. They eliminate assumptions that lead to mistakes. They create cross-functional alignment. They build accountability without micromanagement. If the MBO is the strategic what, the scorecard is the tactical how. And you need both to scale with confidence. Action step: create a weekly scorecard for distribution, OOS, promo, deductions. What would you measure weekly if you had to pick 5 things? For additional inspiration listen to the following Bulletproof Your CPG Brand podcast episodes: 🎙️ 124 Celebrating Real Food The Farmer's Essential Role, Phil Lempert with Supermarket Guru 🎙️ 134 Category Review Strategies to Maximize Sales 🎙️ 157 Tools To Ensure Sales Success with Scorecards 🎙️190, Promotion Analysis Growth Strategies to Maximize Your Trade Marketing ROI This is episode: 297 Day 25 of the Free 30 Days To Prosperity Challenge Tip of the day: Scorecards map out objectives in bitesize manageable chunks that keep you on-track and focused. They help you achieve your goals - they can be the difference between success and failure You can get the episodes free guide and todays show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session297

Duration:00:09:06

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

296. How To Use Management By Objective (MBOs) To Boost Sales

1/30/2026
296. Management By Objectives (MBOs) are a powerful system for aligning teams around common goals. By breaking down strategic objectives into actionable steps, MBOs create clarity, coordination, and accountability across departments. This system reduces risk, improves performance, increases ownership, and makes execution scalable, ultimately driving predictable growth. MBOs break your biggest strategic goals into clear, bite-sized, accountable actions that move the entire business forward. If the last few episodes focused on helping YOU stay centered, focused, and productive… today's conversation shifts to your team—the people who help carry the weight of your brand every single day. Because here's the truth: You can't scale a business on personal effort alone. You scale through systems, structure, and people. And one of the most powerful systems ever created for aligning a team around a common mission is Management By Objectives, commonly known as MBOs. Action step: set 1 objective + 3 measurable results for each function. Do you have measurable results—or activities? For additional inspiration listen to the following Bulletproof Your CPG Brand podcast episodes: 🎙️ 24 Brand Success 10 Strategies for Sustainable Profits 🎙️ 169 How To Gain A Competitive Edge In Business Today 🎙️ 217 Strategies To Help Natural Brands Grow and Expand Globally, Charlie Knight with Mr Lee's Noodles This is episode: 296 Day 24 Tip of the day: MBO's break strategic business objectives into bitesize chunks making them easier to digest and more attainable. Individual MBO's rollup to accomplish larger organizational objectives driving the business forward. You can get the episodes free guide and todays show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session296

Duration:00:09:36

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

295. Be Laser Focused- Say "No" to Distractions and Thrive

1/29/2026
295. If there's one universal truth in CPG, it's this: Your results—not your intentions—determine your success. You can have the best heart, the best mission, and the best intentions… but if distractions derail your execution, none of that moves the needle. Let's be honest: running a business means being pulled in a thousand different directions at once. Every day feels like a fight for focus. Tasks that seem urgent lure you down rabbit holes. Hours disappear. You come up for air wondering, "How did I get here?" Sound familiar? The hard truth is this: distractions are one of the biggest silent killers of emerging brands. They dilute your energy, delay progress, frustrate your team, and ultimately show up at the shelf as missed sales, missed opportunities, and missed connections with your shoppers. This is where old habits find you trying to manage the day-to-day stuff you previously delegated. Action step: list your distractions and pick one "no" for the week. What do you need to stop doing? For additional inspiration listen to the following Bulletproof Your CPG Brand podcast episodes: 🎙️ 11 Sales Growth Strategies That Focus On Shopper Satisfaction, Tim Joseph With Maple Hill Creamery 🎙️ 53 The Power Of Perseverance & Mission Focus in Business, Megan Reamer with Jackson's Honest 🎙️204 Why Regenerative Organic Is An Important Step For Sustainability, Birgit Cameron with Patagonia Provisions This is episode: 295 Day 23 of the Free 30 Days To Prosperity Challenge Tip of the day: 295 Your success is measured by your sales. Anything that does not drive sales needs to be secondary or needs to be delegated to so someone better equipped to handle it. Say "no" to these distractions! You can get the episodes free guide and todays show notes at: RetailSolved.com/session295

Duration:00:09:40