Bulletproof Your CPG Brand cover art
Podcast · 73 episodes

Bulletproof Your CPG Brand

by Daniel Lohman · English

Bulletproof Your CPG Brand is the founder-first podcast for entrepreneurial and growth-stage CPG brands that want to protect runway, improve execution, and compete smarter at retail. Hosted by Daniel Lohman, CPSA, founder of Retail Solved, the show helps natural, organic, better-for-you, food, beverage, wellness, and mission-driven CPG founders understand what really drives profitable retail growth. Most brands do not have a spend problem first. They have a clarity problem. Each episode helps founders think more strategically about category management, retail sales, trade marketing, promotion ROI, deduction management, broker accountability, distribution gaps, assortment strategy, shopper insights, retailer relationships, data analytics, and retail execution. You will hear practical solo episodes, expert interviews, founder stories, and real-world lessons from the retail system — not theory. The goal is simple: Help you see what others miss, make better decisions, and build a stronger CPG brand with the resources you already have. Learn more and access free CPG growth resources at RetailSolved.com. Topics include CPG brand growth, retail strategy, category management, trade marketing, trade spend, promotion planning, deduction prevention, broker management, distributor execution, retail analytics, shopper insights, natural products, food and beverage brands, omnichannel retail, sales dashboards, scorecards, and CPG founder strategy.

Latest episodes

All episodes

341. I Didn't Make the Decision. I Still Paid for It.Dan Lohman shares a founder cautionary story about losing control of a sweetener company after a co-founder moved forward with a deal he didn’t sign, plus the “retail judgment” framework for…29 Sep 2026 · 17 min · 7 chapters
340. Getting Onto the Shelf Isn't the Win. Becoming Irreplaceable Is.The episode argues that “getting onto the shelf” is only the start; brands must become “irreplaceable” by being valuable to both shoppers and retailers.22 Sep 2026 · 15 min · 9 chapters
339. Your Brand Grew. Why Did Everything Get Harder?Why CPG growth makes everything feel harder—because specialists optimize their own slice, but decisions aren’t made with shared context, causing cash strain, inventory/free fills, distributor costs,…15 Sep 2026 · 14 min · 6 chapters
338. We Finally Got the Stores. Now How Do We Make Them Work? With Julia Klein, LiveMore SuperfoodsLiveMore Superfoods’ retail growth strategy—how to choose the right retailers/regions, avoid “shiny object” doors, and drive velocity via concentrated sampling, customer email nurturing, and…8 Sep 2026 · 50 min · 21 chapters
337. More Retail Doors. Less Cash? The Hidden Cost of CPG Growth.The hidden costs of CPG retail expansion—how “more doors” can mean “less cash” when inventory, trade, distributor/DC costs, free fills, chargebacks/deductions, execution, and cash timing aren’t…1 Sep 2026 · 16 min · 8 chapters
336. The $15M Opportunity Hiding in Stores They Already Had.“More retail doors won’t fix the wrong assortment.” Dan Lohman argues brands often already have distribution but not “productive distribution” because store-by-store assortment gaps weaken…25 Aug 2026 · 10 min · 3 chapters
335. What Retail Buyers Need to See Before They Say Yes.How CPG brands should build retailer pitch decks by focusing on retailer decision-making, not investor-style brand storytelling; includes five “pressure test” fundamentals and warns about execution…19 Aug 2026 · 18 min · 8 chapters
334. The Promotion Was Approved. So Why Is the Shelf Empty?Why promotions get approved but fail at the shelf (display not built, inventory not delivered, retailer changes, competitor takes space, or execution differs from plan).12 Aug 2026 · 12 min · 4 chapters
333. The Best Product Doesn't Win. The Product That Solves the Right Problem Does. With Marise May, Cha's OrganicsWhy “the best product” doesn’t automatically win; shoppers buy when a brand solves the right problem and communicates value through mission-consistent storytelling.5 Aug 2026 · 55 min · 19 chapters
332. Your Promotion Increased Sales. Why Did Cash Get Tighter?Why promotions can boost sales immediately yet tighten cash later—due to deductions, fees, margin compression, forward buys, execution gaps, and lost baseline sales.29 Jul 2026 · 15 min · 5 chapters
331. More People. More Software. Why the Same Decisions Keep Coming Back.Why “easy button” tech hiring (software, AI, dashboards, automation) doesn’t stop recurring founder-level decisions; brands need “commercial decision capability” built into operations (clear…21 Jul 2026 · 18 min · 12 chapters
330. THE REPORT WAS 100% ACCURATE. THE DECISION COST $100,000.The episode argues that CPG brands don’t have a reporting shortage; they have decision clarity problems.14 Jul 2026 · 20 min · 7 chapters
329. Your Brand Is Not Broken. The Margin For Error Got Smaller.Growth feels harder because the margin for error has shrunk; CPG brands need “Retail Clarity Decision Tools” that predict and guide next actions, not just report what happened.8 Jul 2026 · 18 min · 9 chapters
328. Your Email List May Know Before Your Dashboard DoesWhy trade shows don’t create ROI for CPG brands; follow-up systems (especially segmented email) turn show conversations into ongoing relationships, trust, and retail growth.1 Jul 2026 · 21 min · 8 chapters
327. The Future Belongs To Brands That Build Community With Chrissy Hammer, Sunshine BunsSunshine Buns’ hyper-growth frozen cinnamon roll brand—how to build community-driven brand messaging, assemble a lean CPG team, scale via wholesale, and use email/first-party data to validate new…23 Jun 2026 · 48 min · 22 chapters
326. Growth Doesn't Break Brands. Complexity Does. With Mike FataHow CPG/natural food brands scale without losing alignment—“growth doesn’t break brands; complexity does”—using governance rhythms, planning, KPIs/scorecards, and founder time/role clarity, plus…16 Jun 2026 · 43 min · 18 chapters
325. Seth Goldman — How to Build a Profitable Brand with Values With Just Ice TeaSeth Goldman explains how Just Ice Tea (built after Coca-Cola discontinued Honest Tea in 2022) is scaling profitable, mission-driven growth in retail.9 Jun 2026 · 43 min · 23 chapters
324. Your Sales Are Up. So Why Is Cash Still Tight?Why CPG sales growth can coincide with tight cash, and how founders should use “retail clarity” to find hidden profit/cash leaks before funding more growth, promotions, or retailer expansion.2 Jun 2026 · 24 min · 12 chapters
323. Functional Foods and AI: Why This Is The Next Big Retail Trend With Suzie Yorke, The Little Cacao Co.How AI can improve efficiency for CPG founders and why functional foods are the next retail trend; plus Suzie Yorke’s functional chocolate/functional vitamin brand strategy.26 May 2026 · 45 min · 15 chapters
322. Margins Tightening? It's Not What You ThinkHow CPG founders can protect margin during volatility by using “retail clarity” instead of reacting blindly.26 May 2026 · 23 min · 8 chapters
321. Most Brands Miss This Critical Step After Production With Caitlin Wilson, FULL GOODFull Good’s post-production fulfillment for dry, refrigerated, and frozen CPG brands, emphasizing a “critical step” brands miss: capturing order/program costs and tracking in Shopify/CRM, plus…19 May 2026 · 41 min · 18 chapters
320. Most Brands Don't Have a Spend Problem—They Have ThisCPG founders facing margin pressure aren’t dealing with a “spend problem” but a “clarity problem.” The episode argues that multiple hidden operational leaks (promotions, timing, placement/visibility,…13 May 2026 · 19 min · 9 chapters
319. Everything feels harder right now - Why Your Strategy Isn't Working AnymoreWhy CPG/CBG brands feel “everything is harder” when strategy stops working—because they have data but lack clarity on what to do next.6 May 2026 · 10 min · 3 chapters
318. Your biggest retail mistake (it's not what you think) With Hank Watt, Nature's Wild BerryNature’s Wild Berry founder Hank Watt explains the “biggest retail mistake” (it’s not pricing or product quality) and how he built a scalable retail-ready miracle berry business: first through…5 May 2026 · 1 h 12 min · 36 chapters