On Scaling Blog

Sometimes life's greatest turning points begin with the simplest question… "Nice MetRx shirt. Does that stuff really work?” That casual question to Shawn Phillips at Better Bodies gym in Arvada, Colorado completely changed my life's trajectory. I was just a college student with a passion for fitness, unsure where my path would lead, but full of entrepreneurial vigor! Little did…

Here’s why your initial business strategy is destined to fail (and how this turn of events can actually lead to your success) Research has shown that the vast majority of successful new ventures abandoned their initial strategies after implementing their plans and confronting market realities. Here's why: your brilliant first strategy is most likely wrong. But that's not what determines…

“Scale” is more than a buzzword and it’s wildly misunderstood (here’s why most are getting it all wrong) Everyone's obsessed with "scaling" these days. The buzzword infects every podcast, LinkedIn post, and YouTube ad. Sadly, most of these "scaling gurus" haven't done the thing they’re actually trying to teach us (and even if they have, they’ve gotten the concept of…

The retail entry playbook for CPG brands has been rewritten (And why Costco isn't where brands go to die anymore!) The playbook for CPG brands entering retail from DTC has been completely flipped on its head. Remember the old days? —Start DTC —Add Amazon —Get into GNC or VitaminShoppe (they'd battle for exclusivity) —Sprinkle in NBTY/VitaminWorld —Make the big leap…

Don’t fall pray to the “second product syndrome” (An alert for emerging CPG brands 🚨) Here’s why early successes can actually lead to failure… Ever wondered why lightning in a bottle rarely strikes twice? It's not luck. It's strategy. Bobby Bitton from O Positiv learned this the hard way. Their first hit? FLO, a menstrual pain gummy. Their follow-up product…

Why you should ignore your competition Stop obsessing over your competitors – they don't hold your map to CPG success. During my supplement company days, we wasted priceless years playing "monkey see, monkey do," chasing every trendy new product category that emerged and marketing tactic our rivals launched. It’s far too easy to get sucked into this quicksand, sinking into…

Ever had that moment when you're staring at your growth plans, yet cash strapped, and feeling like all of your competitors are waving their surplus of cash in your face?    Been there.    Here's what 20 years of building, scaling and selling businesses taught me   … the money you need to fuel your business is probably already in…

As one of the co-founders of QuickBox, I've had the privilege of being at the helm of what many would call a disruptive force in our industry. But for us, it was about rewriting the narrative, about crafting an experience so compelling that "Easy in; impossible to get out" became not just a strategy, but our brand's ethos. This wasn't…