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Want to know the state of the M&A market for CPG brands in 2024? I sat down with Taliesen Hollywood, CEO at Hahnbeck and M&A specialist for consumer and digital-first brands. He and his team have spent the last 7 years helping eCom brands scale - whether they’re at the $20M mark or $200M. The goal? A successful exit. We dove deep into the art of preparing brands for acquisition, as well as: 💼 Strategies to build strong gross margins and lasting brand equity ⚙️ Key steps to optimize a brand for a smooth exit 🔍 The biggest challenges of scaling to sell in today’s market 💸 How to ensure founders can successfully step back from day-to-day operations And so much more… Huge thanks to Taliesen for coming on the pod and sharing his expertise with us – and for any brand owner eyeing an exit, trust me… This is one you don’t want to miss. Check it out! 👇👇

Why is the CPG journey from inception to consumer so freaking difficult?? So many hurdles to overcome and battle through... The system is broken and we have been trying to figure out how to build some kind of a road map that allows founders to at least have an idea of what is coming. After talking to 100's of founders and industry experts we have compiled the beginnings of what we feel should be able to help, we are calling it SKU Trails. This info is straight from the source and from our own experiences. We simply laid it out in a way that we feel can at least start to shed some light on the journey of CPG products. We've worked on this layout with a few founders and their brands already (including our own) and its been invaluable. Gonna start sharing the madness and we encourage any and all feedback as we do. The ULTIMATE goal is to help the ecosystem and improve the chance of brand success! Jonny Boyarsky Tim Xenos Catapult Commercialization Services Trevor Davis #cpg #founder #journey

I flew to Dallas to watch the Cowboys demolish my Jets 🏈😞…but the real game was happening off the field – and it's a copywriting goldmine. ⛏️💎 The game was just part of the story. My visit was equally about peering behind the curtain of "America's Business" and not just “America’s Team” – the top-valued sports franchise known as the Dallas Cowboys. A white glove business with unparalleled leadership. Believe me, their mastery in crafting an unparalleled customer experience is second to none. Credit goes to my pal Howard Getson (a finance sage and one of the Cowboys' premier VIPs), who provided me with a comprehensive backstage pass that shifted my outlook on the client experience paradigm. Here's what this sports powerhouse taught me: ✅ Exceeding Expectations: The Cowboys ensure that every fan, no matter the cost of their ticket, feels appreciated. Their dedication to exceptional service fosters deep loyalty and propels sustained revenue growth. ✅ Investing in Experience: Their stadium is a prime example. It might have cost less than the Jets' stadium, but it's a palace, not a warehouse. The Cowboys invested wisely, prioritizing fan comfort and a strong brand personality. ✅ Leadership Matters: Jerry Jones, the owner, played football himself before turning to business. This background gives him intimate knowledge of both the sport and the business model needed for success. ✅ Prioritizing High-Value Customers: The Cowboys treat top spenders exceptionally well, not just for financial gain, but to create enthusiastic brand evangelists. This leads to enhanced experiences and attracts more customers across the board. ✅ Winning Beyond Championships: Consistent on-field performance is important, but the Cowboys win off-field every year. They focus on creating a winning culture and a premium fan experience, resulting in major long-term financial success. The Cowboys may not clinch a Super Bowl victory annually, yet it's their unwavering excellence that has cemented their brand, garnered deep fan devotion, and bolstered their financial success. Dive deep into understanding what your audience craves, design an exceptional experience, and forge a brand that becomes the talk of the town. That's how you win in the long game. I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. ⬇️ #OffTheField #CopywritingGoldmine #CustomerExperience #BrandBuilding #ExceedingExpectations #InvestInExperience #LeadershipMatters #HighValueCustomers #WinningCulture #MarketingInsights #SportsBusiness #FanLoyalty #LongGameSuccess #CraftingExperiences #AudienceUnderstanding #StrategicLeadership #CopywritingTips

Rebrands or refreshes? The semantics may seem trivial, but this thought-provoking piece by Zachary Petit at Fast Company sheds light on the significant implications behind these terms.   Rick Barrack, chief creative officer and founding partner of CBX, says it’s critical to remember that creative teams also have to navigate their own internal audiences to sell an initiative.   “Particularly when you’re dealing with big category leadership brands, it’s easier to … get buy-in with a refresh than it is a rebrand,” he says.   He adds that sometimes an initiative is sold as a refresh … but it turns into a rebrand (while likely simultaneously being dubbed a refresh). Other times, a client who signed up for a rebrand gets spooked, and the work gets spun as a “refresh” when, in actuality, it’s… a rebrand. And that’s all without getting into the politics of the client’s own internal team and their emotions around the two terms. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eCp_kjJE #BrandingStrategy #RebrandVsRefresh #BrandingDebate

𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗣𝗚: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗚𝗮𝗽 At Ad Age Business of Brands conference, Michael Smith, Head of Starry for PepsiCo, shared this insight which really got me thinking: Big companies still have problems when launching new products, but they're "rich people problems."  What did he mean? • They can secure near-universal distribution instantly • But they can't guarantee matching awareness • Meanwhile, retailers expect immediate performance It's a stark contrast to startups, where distribution is the greatest challenge, but they tend to build distribution and awareness in tandem. There's a whole case that can be done on PepsiCo's approach to creating a challenger brand positioning for Starry and Michael covers some of it here - https://lnkd.in/em7qw4VX. But PepsiCo tackled the awareness gap on Starry like only a big company can, with big spending: • Big media investments, including a Super Bowl spot with Ice Spice • Celebrity partnerships, like the NBA playoffs ad featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo • Integrated communications including retail, social, and out of home    However, even for the biggest businesses, this level of investment is reserved for a small fraction of launches and only the biggest of strategic bets. So, is there an alternative?  Yes, take a page out of the start-up playbook. • Rethink universal approach to launches • Develop targeted promotion skills • Build strategic retail partnerships • Match targeted awareness approaches Most CPGs lack expertise in targeted launches and need to develop these capabilities. A related nugget I learned from my friend, Dave Allan, founder of What If?, "Most big companies think their advantage is taking bigger swings (trying for home runs), but they also have the ability to take more smaller swings (trying for singles and doubles)." What's your take? Have you seen big companies successfully bridge this gap? What are some of the best launches—or biggest busts—you've witnessed from established businesses? #CPGMarketing #BrandLaunch #MarketingStrategy #RetailPartnerships #ConsumerGoods #BusinessOfBrands

Reflecting on a pivotal moment from last season's Brand Domination & Business Challenge, it's clear that collective intelligence is our greatest asset. These bright minds from Season 3's VIP sessions are now crafting their brand legacies with newfound insights. Join us for the next season and be part of this extraordinary league of professionals. Comment or message us if you want to learn more! #LeadershipDevelopment #BrandStrategy #BusinessMentorship #brandingcoach

🔥 | Fireside chat w/Joe Preston, CEO of New Balance. In 1972, the brand - that was founded in 1906 - was purchased by Jim Davids. Only doing $100k/year in sales. Keeping manufacturing domestic was an essential ingredient (even when brands were going offshore). #MadeInUSA In 1995, New Balance took a chance with Joe. When all the other brands had required industry experience. They saw his experience in consumer as a valuable foundation. 12'is years ago, NB made the choice to support baseball because the barrier to entry was lower than basketball, football and other sports. Kudos to Dustin Pedroia for being the 1st domino in scaling the business to north $25 million. Today, innovation continues to be at the heart of what they do. What started in running has leaked into other sports as consumers demand brands to enhance their performance. Teams are organized around sport + lifestyle. They will continue to have some select brands around specific sports. Warrior Sports will play off the same playbook as they own Hockey & Lacrosse. Fueling meaningful growth. Moving forward, they will make strategic partnerships with other mainstream sports --> deal w/Fenway Sports Management (FSM) & Liverpool Football Club has helped them enter into soccer. And they will continue to go back to their roots - 1st NBA Players was James Worthy - in basketball. Capital investments in and around the sport will continue. For example, The TRACK at new balance has been a tremendous catalyst for helping their athletes and creating a space for value creation. #Retail stores will continue to be a priority. Not just wholesale stores. As they expand (more) internationally they will add to their 650 stores... opening 90 a year + expanding the licensee of 2-3,000 stores. #Apparel became important internationally as they started to build mono-brand stores that help create demand across multiple seasons. Although it's $1.2 billion today, they see more growth w/in the space that is roughly 40% of revenue today. Brands to keep an eye on are those connecting through community, sport & innovation. Consensus #HotSeat #VC #PE #Consumer #ConsumerBrands #AlwaysLearning

Level up your understanding of brand management with these 5 lessons from Abercrombie & Fitch’s $5.6 billion downfall: 1. Prioritize inclusivity. Exclusivity might grab attention, but alienating diverse customers hurts loyalty. 2. Adapt to consumer preferences. Resistance to change led to outdated strategies. 3. Listen to your audience. Ignoring feedback created a disconnect between the brand and its customers. 4. Leverage digital platforms. Late adoption of e-commerce and social media was a missed opportunity. 5. Foster healthy leadership. Toxic decisions damaged the brand’s image and internal culture. Abercrombie’s story is a powerful reminder: to survive in today’s fast-changing market, brands must stay adaptable, inclusive, and connected to their audience. 👉 What’s your biggest takeaway from this? Share below! If these business case studies interest you, register for Beyond Platform here! https://buff.ly/49LQ7i1 #Beyond #Entrepreneurship #Branding #MarketingStrategy #BusinessGrowth #Innovation #Abercrombie #Leadership #DigitalTransformation #Marketing 

#MDPreferredBrands | As the 4th Edition of the Most Preferred Brands 2024 concluded, we looked back on a day brimming with inspiring conversations, groundbreaking ideas, and transformative insights. A heartfelt thank you to our remarkable speakers, partners, and attendees for coming together to shape the future of brand excellence. Here’s to continued growth, collaboration, and success! Until next time! Marksmen Daily | Business Standard | International Business Magazine | The Business Fame™ | CEO Insights | World Economic Magazine #MDPreferredBrands #BrandExcellence #CustomerTrust #InnovationLeaders #CelebratingBrands #GameChangers #MostPreferredBrands #CustomerExperience #TopBrands2024 #LeadershipInAction #IndustryExcellence #TrustedByConsumers #BrandRecognition #SuccessStories #InnovationInFocus #TeamMarksmen #MarksmenDaily #inFocusMagazine

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