Feb 25, 2026
You don’t need a bigger team to scale your CPG brand. You need
the right who.
Most founders think the next move is hiring a full-time VP of
Sales, a marketing team, or a supply chain lead. But at $5M, $10M,
even $20M, that kind of overhead can crush your cash flow before
retail ever pays you back.
In this episode, we sit down with Les Hamilton, founder of CPG
Integrated and former Target buyer, agency executive, and Chief
Revenue Officer. He breaks down what actually happens when you get
into retail—and why so many brands fail after they “win” the
shelf.
You’ll hear:
• Why retail is an audition—and most brands fail it
• The hidden cash flow trap behind national rollouts
• What buyers really care about (hint: it’s not your
factory)
• Why premium pricing beats competing on margin
• When to hire marketing first—and when you desperately need a
CFO
• How fractional executives can get you to $70M without a
$300K salary
If you’re a founder trying to move from digital to
brick-and-mortar—or from $7M to $70M—this conversation could save
you millions.
Listen now and rethink how you scale.