Latest Episodes
Stop Guessing. Start Growing With Data and AI
Your CPG brand is collecting more data than ever. But are you using the right information to actually grow your business?In this episode of CPG Insiders, Dr. Mark Young and Justin Girouard welcome Tim Shea, Founder & CEO of Latticework Insights, to reveal why so many CPG and DTC brands are sitting on untapped growth opportunities hidden inside their own data.With 25 years of experience in data science and retail, Tim explains what separates good brands from elite brands, why tracking the wrong KPIs can derail your strategy, and how AI is making advanced analytics faster and more accessible than ever.One of the biggest opportunities? Customer retention. Tim shares a real-world example of how identifying one overlooked customer behavior revealed a potential $500,000 revenue opportunity.In this episode, you'll discover:Why collecting more data doesn't necessarily lead to better decisionsThe biggest mistakes CPG brands make when measuring performanceHow siloed teams and conflicting KPIs prevent growthWhy customer lifetime value (LTV) and acquisition costs (CAC) matterHow AI can uncover opportunities traditional reporting missesThe SMART framework for evaluating customer behaviorWhy identifying one high-leverage metric can transform a brand's strategyHow smaller and emerging CPG brands can start using AI and analytics todayYou don't need more dashboards. You need better insights, clearer priorities, and a team that's aligned around what drives growth.About our guest:Meet Our Guest: Tim SheaTim Shea is the Founder & CEO of Latticework Insights, a data science agency helping retail, CPG, and DTC brands turn complex data into actionable business intelligence.With 25 years of experience spanning retail, consumer products, apparel, luxury, and technology, Tim works with brands to improve customer retention, understand profitability, identify growth opportunities, and build stronger data-driven organizations.Learn more about Tim and Latticework Insights at https://www.latticeworkinsights.com/Episode chapters:00:00 – The AI revolution and what it means for business04:25 – Meet Tim Shea, Founder & CEO of Latticework Insights07:51 – Why data and team alignment matter11:29 – The hidden costs of fragmented data14:01 – What separates good brands from elite brands19:59 – The customer retention opportunity brands overlook23:22 – How AI is accelerating business analytics28:36 – Should businesses be afraid of AI?33:11 – What your P&L isn't telling you37:24 – How smaller CPG brands can get started40:04 – Working with Latticework Insights44:31 – Tim's practical advice for getting started with AISubscribe to CPG Insiders for more conversations on brand growth, CPG marketing, retail strategy, consumer behavior, and scaling your business.#CPGInsiders #CPGMarketing #CPGBrands #DataAnalytics #ArtificialIntelligence #BrandGrowth #CustomerRetention #DTCBrands #ConsumerPackagedGoods #BusinessGrowth
The New Consumer Economy: Where CPG Brands Can Still Win
Consumers are feeling more pressure—but that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped spending.In this episode of CPG Insiders, Mark Young and Justin Girouard sit down with Baringa’s Caspian Conran and Maureen Bossi to break down the state of the U.S. consumer, where spending is shifting, and what CPG brands should be watching next.One of the biggest takeaways: consumers are becoming more selective about where they spend, but they’re still willing to pay a premium when the product delivers real value.The conversation covers:• Why aggregate consumer data can hide major differences between income groups• How premium brands can protect their positioning in a softer economy• Why cutting marketing during a downturn can cost you market—and mind—share• How gas prices and other economic indicators can signal changes in buying behavior• Why consumers may delay big-ticket purchases while still indulging in smaller premium experiences• How AI could reshape both the consumer journey and the broader economyFor CPG leaders, the message is clear: understand exactly who your customer is, stay visible, and make sure the value of your offer continues to exceed the price you’re asking.To learn more about Baringa and what they can do for you, please visit https://www.baringa.com/en/
Private Label Has Changed. Is Your Brand Ready?
Private label has changed.Store brands used to wait for successful products, create a cheaper alternative, and sit next to them on the shelf.Now? Retailers are building brands of their own—and in some cases, they may not need your brand on the shelf at all.For CPG companies, getting retail distribution isn’t enough. You need to build a brand consumers actively demand.Because if shoppers don’t care which brand they buy, the retailer has every reason to choose its own.
How to Scale Your CPG Brand Without Bleeding Cash
Getting a massive retail PO can feel like the breakthrough your CPG brand has been waiting for. But what if saying “yes” actually puts you out of business?In this episode of CPG Insiders, Dr. Mark Young and Justin are joined by CPA and fractional CFO Scotty Palmer to break down one of the biggest challenges facing growing consumer brands: managing cash while scaling.Scotty shares real-world examples of brands that looked profitable on paper but were nearly out of cash, companies trapped by expensive receivables factoring, and founders who landed major retail opportunities only to discover they couldn’t afford to fulfill them.They also unpack why your best-selling SKU isn’t necessarily your most profitable, how rapid retail expansion can create a cash-flow crisis, and why looking backward at financial statements isn’t enough when your business is growing forward.In this episode:The difference between profitability and cash flowWhy a big retail PO can actually hurt your businessThe hidden cost of receivables factoringHow to model cash needs before entering more storesWhy more SKUs don’t always mean more profitHow to identify your most profitable products and channelsThe difference between a bookkeeper, controller, and CFOWhy growing brands need a forward-looking financial strategyIf you’re building a CPG brand and preparing to scale into brick-and-mortar retail, this episode will help you understand the numbers behind sustainable growth.Learn more about CPG Insiders: https://cpginsiders.com/Connect with Scotty Palmer / Take the financial quiz: https://palmersadvisers.com/cashGet your copy of The 27 Unbreakable Rules: https://a.co/d/0bUR3OHeSubscribe for more conversations about building, scaling, and growing successful consumer brands.
