Episode 202: [Is It Worth It, Charlie?] Is Distribution Worth It?
You've poured your heart and soul into your brand and now you're in the classic "chicken and egg" CPG challenge: “I need to build brand awareness for sales, but it’s hard to get into stores without a distributor.” Does this sound like what you've been thinking?
In this “Is It Worth It, Charlie?” episode, Charlie Berkinshaw and Giulietta Octavio, the founder and CEO of Ceybon, sit down and chat again. Charlie is our Retail Ready® VP of Student Success and the founder and CEO of Element Shrub. This time, Charlie and Giulietta discuss whether using a distributor is the right next step for Giulietta and her elixir brand. They explore the benefits and challenges of working with distributors so that she can make an informed decision on her next step.
Listen in to hear their key takeaways on...
👂 What you can expect distributors to do and not do
👂 Why it's important to prepare for best and worst case cash flow scenarios
👂 The value of knowing your COGS for mapping your cash flow
👂 How building a base of stores through different fulfillment options can help long-term and give you a middle ground before distribution
This episode dives all into the considerations that are helpful for determining if a distributor is right at this time! Be sure to connect with us through Instagram or LinkedIn below and let us know which piece of information was most helpful to you.
📨 Send us a DM on Instagram or on LinkedIn
⬅️ PS. Find the podcasts on Apple Podcasts or Spotify in the banner on the left!
MEET GIULIETTA OCTAVIO & CEYBON:
Giulietta is a doctor of integrative acupuncture that started a mushroom elixir company called Ceybon to help her patients manage their anxiety and drink less alcohol during Covid. She has 21 years of experience in:
Making plant based wellness elixirs that taste so good, you’ll want to make drinks with them,
Using local, sustainably harvested ingredients to encourage good environmental stewardship.
And sharing the love by donating to other health and environmental equity groups doing great work
Check out Ceybon and their products at Ceybon.com and on Instagram and Facebook @ceybon.
MEET CHARLIE BERKINSHAW:
Charlie Berkinshaw is our VP of Student Success here at Food Biz Wiz, as well as the Founder of Element Shrub, a RTD and concentrate beverage line, and a Founding Partner of The Fountain Inn, a spirits tasting room in Washington, D.C. Charlie supports our students day in and day out, answering questions just like this in our private Retail Ready® student community and on our bi-weekly coaching calls.
SPONSORED BY: OUR REORDER CHECKLIST!
This episode is sponsored by our mini Reorder Checklist! This checklist is a list of ways to onboard a new retailer so that you’re more likely to sell off those shelves and receive reorders. If you listened to this episode and are thinking about how you can ensure your sales in existing doors increase, then this is the perfect resource for you. You can find our simplified version at the link here OR, if you’re a Retail Ready® student, you can find the longform version and training directly within our course platform!