Think Millions Podcast

From VitaminWater to Celsius to BodyArmor to NOBULL: How Ryan Lewendon Disrupted the CPG World

• Alexa D’Agostino • Season 1 • Episode 90

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Building a successful CPG (consumer packaged goods) brand in the current market is challenging, as getting off the ground requires the right product, team, timing, and funding.

In today’s episode, Alexa D’Agostino sits down with Ryan Lewendon, who has incredible experience mastering the legal and financial side of scaling and exiting billion-dollar CPG brands like Vitamin Water, Celsius, BodyArmor, & NOBULL. Ryan shares his insights on what it takes to succeed as a CPG brand today, the importance of profitability, finding your route to market fit, and leveraging digital marketing.

Key parts of the conversation:

  • [1:48] - How the CPG market has shifted in recent years
  • [3:47] - Top growth drivers for CPG brands today
  • [6:23] - The changing role of celebrity/influencer partnerships
  • [9:08] - What makes a CPG brand a winner
  • [10:45] - The role of digital marketing in growing CPG brands
  • [14:13] - Emerging trends in the CPG and plant-based food space

Great quotes from the podcast:

  • "Today, companies are getting acquired when they're profitable, and that they've shown extended profitability." - Ryan 
  • "The power of the celebrity isn't necessarily the biggest celebrity anymore, but it's the one that sort of hazard as a community that speaks most closely to them." - Ryan
  •  "The days of the faceless, soulless brand that stands on its own. They don't exist as much anymore." - Ryan 
  • "Digital marketing is a phenomenal way to educate consumers on what's behind the brand and what it stands for." - Ryan
  • "The brands of the future, right, 50 years, 100 years from now are going to be ones that truly tailored themselves to their individual customer." - Ryan

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