When is the right time to sell your CPG brand?

In this episode of CPG Insiders, Mark Young and Justin Girouard break down one of the biggest—and most emotional—decisions every entrepreneur faces: when to exit. They explain why the best time to prepare for a sale is years before you plan to sell, how buyers actually value brands, and what separates a $50M exit from a $500M+ exit.

You'll learn why buyers aren't purchasing your history—they're buying your future.

In this episode:

• Why founders should start preparing for an exit 3 years in advance
• The biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make before selling
• How strategic buyers value growth differently than private equity
• Why momentum matters more than current revenue
• The 10 signs your company may be ready for an acquisition
• The exit readiness scorecard every founder should use
• Real acquisition examples including Rao's, RXBAR, Kind, Native, Cremo, - Primal Kitchen, and more
• How to build a company that can thrive without the founder

One of the biggest takeaways:

"The right price to sell your company is when someone offers you more than you'd pay for it yourself."

Whether you're planning to sell next year or ten years from now, this conversation will change how you think about building enterprise value.

Landing a purchase order from Walmart, Target, Walgreens, or another national retailer can transform your business overnight. But it also creates one of the biggest challenges CPG brands face: financing inventory before you get paid.

In this episode of CPG Insiders, Dr. Mark Young and Justin Girouard sit down with Rohit Mathur, Co-Founder & CEO of Bridge, to discuss how modern purchase order financing is helping emerging brands scale into retail faster.

You'll learn:

• Why retail expansion creates massive working capital challenges
• How purchase order financing works
• The right time to secure financing before retail expansion
• Common financing mistakes that can cripple growing brands
• Why merchant cash advances can become a dangerous trap
• How AI is making funding decisions faster and more accessible
• What lenders actually look for when evaluating CPG brands
• Why Walmart suppliers need to prepare long before the first purchase order arrives

Whether you're selling on Amazon today or preparing to enter Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Kroger, or other major retailers, this conversation offers practical guidance on funding growth without sacrificing your business.

Connect with Bridge

www.bridgemarketplace.com

Learn More

www.jandhlabs.com

If you found this episode valuable, subscribe for more conversations with the leaders helping CPG brands grow, and leave a comment with your biggest challenge when scaling into retail.

AI isn't coming—it's already here, and it's transforming how CPG brands launch products, manage compliance, and compete with industry giants.

In this episode of CPG Insiders, Mark Young and Justin Girouard speak with Ronnie Coleman, founder of puntt.ai. Their chat talks about how AI is helping brands automate packaging reviews, regulatory checks, content approvals, and global compliance processes.

They discuss:

• Why AI is leveling the playing field for challenger brands
• How entrepreneurs can move faster than large corporations
• The future of legal, regulatory, and compliance reviews
• Why AI won't replace people—but will change how they work
• How AI can help brands avoid costly packaging and marketing mistakes
• The importance of becoming an AI-native company

If you're building a consumer brand, this conversation offers a practical look at how AI can reduce friction, speed up execution, and create competitive advantage.