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Episode 138 | The Surprising Secret to Exponential CPG Growth, with Dr. James Richardson

By February 10, 2020 July 27th, 2021

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There’s one question that emerging premium CPG brands need to ask themselves: 

Do you want to be a unicorn… or do you want to ride the skate ramp to success?

If you’re a little confused, that’s ok. This will all make much more sense once you listen to this week’s featured interview with author and CPG expert Dr. James Richardson. 

Dr. Richardson is the author of the new book, Ramping Your Brand, which we think is the best book for CPG entrepreneurs out right now. Seriously, we keep hearing from entrepreneurs- I wish this book had come out five years ago when I started!

Dr. Richardson has a unique POV. That doctor title – it’s because he has a PhD in Cultural Anthropology, and spent time living in southern India doing ethnographic research. The coolest part, he brings a few of the tools and insights from Cultural Anthropology to his work in CPG. 

The book is a quick read, full of stories, examples, and specific tactics. The foundation of the book is this idea of the “Skate Ramp,” a pattern he saw again and again for the premium CPG brands that broke through and won. It’s a model for sustained exponential growth, and it’s more powerful and more achievable than the unicorn growth that tends to be celebrated.

We spent a lot of the interview breaking down exactly how brands can ride this Skate Ramp to win. Plus, Dr. Richardson explains why social pressure is at the heart of every premium CPG purchase decision, and a specific tactic for becoming the master of your category. 

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Brand Builder is a co-production of SnackNation and ForceBrands.

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