CPG Insiders

Author: Mark Young

CPG Insiders brings the insights and expertise that Jekyll & Hyde has gained and leveraged across more than two decades in the advertising business, becoming the top agency in the country for CPG challenger brands. On the podcast, host Mark Young (agency CEO and Chairman), along with co-host Justin Girouard (Vice President), answer the questions that our clients most often ask about creating better marketing campaigns. They offer useful perspectives and insider information on creative and media strategies, product packing, retailer needs, trends, traps to avoid and more about what it truly takes to succeed at retail.
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Language: en

Genres: Business, Marketing

Contact email: Get it

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How to Build Your Retail Team
Wednesday, 25 February, 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.