Brand Growth Heroes

Fiona Fitz | Brand Growth Heroes Mini MBA |
  • 4.8 (20)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

Brand Growth Heroes ranks in the top 1.5% of ALL podcasts globally. With +25 years' experience working for brand giants and as coach to over 400 challenger brand founders, Fiona Fitz asks the questions you need the answers to from the founders of wildly successful consumer goods brands driving transformational growth.

  1. 2d ago ·  Bonus

    Most Downloaded: How Merchant Gourmet Doubled Sales from £15M to £30M in just 4 years

    In this episode, Fiona Fitz chats with Richard Peake, Managing Director of Merchant Gourmet and one of the rare non-founder guests to grace our show. When Richard entered the role, Merchant Gourmet was a £15 million business. Fast forward four years, and the company has doubled its revenue to £30 million.  Bold innovations, a revamped product range, and strategic market expansion have powered this incredible growth. Our conversation delves into the power of innovation and the importance of staying ahead of consumer trends. Richard shares invaluable lessons in new product development (NPD). One particularly fascinating theme we covered was servant leadership—how Richard and his team drive Merchant Gourmet’s growth by empowering their people and focusing on purpose. Additionally, we explore how export markets present an exciting new frontier for brands looking to scale. It was also refreshing to hear Richard admit that even seasoned professionals can find brand positioning a challenge. So, if you’ve ever struggled with getting it just right, you’re in good company! Enjoy the episode, and as always, let us know your thoughts! =============================================================  Thanks to Brand Growth Heroes’ podcast sponsor - Joelson, the commercial law firm ============================================================= If you're a founder, you already know how much of your energy goes into building the perfect product, creating standout branding and connecting with your consumers.  But don’t forget that scaling a CPG business also comes with a maze of legal complexities that can make or break your business journey. From contracts, term sheets and regulatory compliance to protecting your brand's intellectual property as you expand, it's essential to get it right. And that starts with the right legal partner.  So we're thrilled to introduce Joelson, a leading commercial law firm that specialises in guiding the founders of scaling CPG brands, as Brand Growth Heroes' sponsor. With long term relationships with clients like Little Moons, Trip, Eat Natural, Bear Graze and Pulsin, Joelson is also famous for advising the innocent founders in their landmark sale to Coca-Cola! As a female team, we are especially impressed by Joelson's commitment to championing female founders in CPG. Not many law firms are also BCorps, nor do they specialise in helping founders navigate the legal challenges of scaling without stifling the creativity and momentum that got you here in the first place...so thanks Joelson - we’re delighted to have you on board. If you'd like to get in touch to find out more, why don't you drop them a line on hello@joelsonlaw.com! ============================================== If this episode inspires you to think about new ways to drive business growth, don't forget to click FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE on your favourite podcast app and leave a review You won’t want to miss the next episode, in which Fiona Fitz talks with another successful founder of a challenger brand who shares more valuable insights into driving growth. Plus, your small gesture will be truly appreciated. Please don't hesitate to join our Brand Growth Heroes community to stay updated with captivating stories and learnings from your beloved brands on their path to success! Follow us on our Brand Growth Heroes socials: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Thanks to our Sound Engineer, Gyp Buggane, Ballagroove.com and podcast producer/content creator, Kathryn Watts, Social kewsZnmPvZOnCDIffjwMVXXI

    Most Downloaded: How Merchant Gourmet Doubled Sales from £15M to £30M in just 4 years

  2. Aug 5

    How To Raise Investment For Your Consumer Brand Without Losing Control! Phil Hails-Smith, Joelson (Part 2)

    How should founders value an early-stage consumer brand, negotiate with investors and raise capital without giving away more of the company than they intended?  In this second part of my conversation with Phil Hails-Smith, Managing Partner at Joelson, we move from founder equity into investment, valuation and the legal foundations required to scale a CPG brand. Phil explains why private-company valuation is an art rather than a science, how SEIS and EIS can support early fundraising, and why an ambitious valuation can create painful dilution if the business later misses its plan. We also discuss responsible AI policies, investor due diligence, change-of-control clauses and why owning every element of your intellectual property can determine whether an eventual sale completes. What You’ll Learn How SEIS and EIS can help early-stage founders attract investment.What investors consider when valuing a pre-revenue or early-revenue consumer brand.Why raising at too high a valuation can cost founders more equity later.What a scaling company should include in its AI policy.How contracts and intellectual-property ownership affect an eventual exit.Key Topics Discussed Moving from founder equity into external investmentSEIS and EIS tax incentivesRaising an initial seed roundValuing pre-revenue and early-revenue consumer businessesRevenue multiples and future growth potentialWhy valuation is an art rather than a scienceBalancing company valuation against founder dilutionThe dangers of raising at an unsustainable valuationDown rounds and the effect on founder ownershipChanges in investor appetite for consumer and CPG brandsWhy defensible physical products may appeal to investorsResponsible company use of AIProtecting confidential and personal informationControlling which AI tools employees can usePreparing for private equity or strategic acquisitionReviewing customer and supplier contractsChange-of-control provisionsMaking sure the company owns its brand assetsThe Innocent logo dispute and the importance of intellectual propertyWhy unresolved legal issues can delay or jeopardise a saleUseful links https://joelsonlaw.com/ Like this episode?PLEASE share the love by sharing this episode with another founder building a challenger brand, a colleague or a mate who loves brilliant non-alcoholic drinks, or anyone trying to work out how to build a sharper, more focused growth model. Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to Brand Growth Heroes on your favourite podcast app, and even LEAVE A REVIEW - both of these actions make a MASSIVE difference to our mission to help more founders just like you. Join our communityInstagram (https://www.instagram.com/brandgrowthheroes)LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-growth-heroes/?viewAsMember=true)Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@brandgrowthheroes) Find out more about the programmes and courses Fiona runs here (https://www.brandgrowthheroes.com/mini-mba-2026) Join the NextGen CPG WhatsApp group for founders leaning in to the value that a leadership approach to engaging with AI can unlock for businesses like yours. *** Thanks to Brand Growth Heroes’ podcast sponsor — Joelson, the commercial law firm *** If you're a founder, you already know how much energy goes into building the perfect product, creating standout branding and connecting with consumers. But scaling a CPG business also brings legal complexities that can make or break your growth journey - from contracts and regulatory compliance to protecting your intellectual property. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Joelson, the leading commercial law firm specialising in helping founders of scaling consumer brands. Joelson works with brands like Little Moons, Trip, Eat Natural, Bear Graze and Pulsin, and advised the innocent founders on their landmark sale to Coca-Cola - and still work with them at JamJar Investments today! Joelson is offering a FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION to all BGH listeners (https://joelsonlaw.com/contact/) - we highly recommend you take them up on it! Credits Thanks to our Sound Engineer Gyp Buggane at Ballagroove.com and the entire Brand Growth Heroes team.

    How To Raise Investment For Your Consumer Brand Without Losing Control! Phil Hails-Smith, Joelson (Part 2)

  3. Jul 21

    Equity, Shareholders, Investment - How Much Should Brand Founders Give Away? | Phil Hails-Smith, Managing Partner, Joelson

    How should co-founders divide equity - and what happens to those shares if one person leaves? In Part 1 of my conversation with Phil Hails-Smith, Managing Partner at Joelson,  we unpack the ownership decisions that founders building consumer and CPG brands need to make long before an investment round or exit. (This conversation was soo jam-packed with value that we had to split it in to two!) Joelson B Corp is the leading commercial law firm specialising in helping founders of scaling consumer brands. The're the law firm that advised the innocent founders on their landmark sale to Coca-Cola (and still work with them at JamJar Investments today, which tells you something...). They also work with brands like Little Moons, Trip, Eat Natural, Bear Graze and Pulsin, and are always present at every industry event, chatting to everyone, with smiling faces and ready to help. In this episode, Phil shares practical benchmarks rather than vague principles: why a 50:50 co-founder split is relatively unusual, when 60:40 or 70:30 may be more appropriate, how vesting can prevent dead equity, and why both founders may need to be subject to the same provisions. We also explore all the questions you might have around advisor equity, employee option pools, EMI options and the hidden dilution founders can absorb when investors negotiate on a fully diluted basis. What You’ll Learn How to decide between a 50:50, 60:40 or 70:30 co-founder split.Why founder shares may need to vest over three or four years.What “dead equity” means and why future investors dislike it.How much equity an advisor or instrumental early employee might receive.How employee option pools can dilute the founding team during a fundraise.Key Topics Discussed Assessing each founder’s original idea, commitment and financial riskWhy equal equity is not always the fairest structurePlanning for illness, parental leave or a founder leaving the companyGood-leaver and bad-leaver provisionsFounder vesting schedulesPreventing dead equityWhy vesting should generally be balanced between co-foundersUsing AI to create co-founder agreementsWhy AI cannot identify questions founders do not know to askThe risk of US legal assumptions appearing in UK agreementsTypical advisor equity of approximately 1% to 2.5%Why 5% or 7.5% may be excessive for an advisorFounder control at 75%, 50% and 30% ownershipCreating a 15% to 20% employee option poolUnderstanding fully diluted valuationsWho absorbs option-pool dilution during an investment roundEMI options and tax-efficient employee incentivesGiving meaningful equity to instrumental early employeesUseful linkshttps://joelsonlaw.com/https://www.linkedin.com/company/joelson-law/ Like this episode?PLEASE share the love by sharing it with another founder building a challenger brand, a colleague or a mate who loves brilliant non-alcoholic drinks, or anyone trying to work out how to build a sharper, more focused growth model.Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to Brand Growth Heroes on your favourite podcast app, and even LEAVE A REVIEW - both of these actions make a MASSIVE difference to our mission to help more founders just like you.Join our communityInstagram (https://www.instagram.com/brandgrowthheroes)LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-growth-heroes/?viewAsMember=true)Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/brandgrowthheroes)Find out more about the programmes and courses Fiona runs here (https://www.brandgrowthheroes.com/mini-mba-2026) Join the NextGen CPG WhatsApp group for founders leaning in to the value that a leadership approach to engaging with AI can unlock for businesses like yours. *** Thanks to Brand Growth Heroes’ podcast sponsor  - Joelson, the commercial law firm *** Scaling CPG business also brings legal complexities that can make or break your growth journey - from contracts and regulatory compliance to protecting your intellectual property - that's why we’re proud to partner with Joelson, the leading commercial law firm specialising in helping founders of scaling consumer brands.Joelson is offering a FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION to all BGH listeners (mailto:hello@joelsonlaw.com) - we highly recommend you take them up on it!CreditsThanks to our Sound Engineer Gyp Buggane at Ballagroove.com and the entire BGH team

    Equity, Shareholders, Investment - How Much Should Brand Founders Give Away? | Phil Hails-Smith, Managing Partner, Joelson

  4. Jul 7

    Here We Flo | Building a £10M Period Care Challenger Brand

    Tampons in an Ice Cream Tub In this episode of Brand Growth Heroes, I’m joined by Tara Chandra and Susan Allen, co-founders of Here We Flo, the organic, sustainable period care brand turning one of the most shame-coded categories in consumer brands into something loud, funny, feminist and brilliantly visible on shelf. We talk about how two friends from LSE spotted a gap in women’s intimate products, started with a period care idea in a Hackney flatshare, and built a challenger brand now stocked across major retailers including Boots, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Superdrug and Holland & Barrett. Here We Flo shows us the power of brand strategy to create value when the category ITSELF is broken. Tara and Susan didn’t just create organic cotton tampons, pads and liners; they questioned why period care was hidden, clinical and functional when other parts of consumer life had already moved towards better materials, better design and better conversations. We cover packaging as a growth lever, why their ice cream tub became a “trolley magnet”, how they think about rate of sale rather than just chasing distribution, and why their mission now stretches across cycle care, bladder care and sexual wellness. What You’ll Learn  Why Here We Flo used packaging as their first “billboard” before they could afford media.  How starting in independent Hackney stores helped them build product market fit.  Why brand tone of voice matters so much in categories shaped by shame and stigma.  How they think about growing rate of sale with existing retail partners.  Why product reliability is non-negotiable in period care and bladder care. Key Topics Discussed  Building a feminist challenger brand  Organic and sustainable period care  Packaging as a shelf strategy  Launching in independent retailers  Breaking into WHSmith Travel, Boots and Tesco  Making taboo categories emotionally accessible  Period care, bladder care and sexual wellness  Growing through rate of sale, not just distribution  Education on shelf and in-store communication  Sports partnerships, stigma and period confidence  Building a team of 31 women  Scaling towards 50–100% growth ambitions  Like this episode? PLEASE share the love by sharing this episode with another founder building a challenger brand, a colleague or a mate who loves brilliant non-alcoholic drinks, or anyone trying to work out how to build a sharper, more focused growth model. Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to Brand Growth Heroes on your favourite podcast app, and even LEAVE A REVIEW - both of these actions make a MASSIVE difference to our mission to help more founders just like you. Join our community Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/brandgrowthheroes) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-growth-heroes/?viewAsMember=true) Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@brandgrowthheroes) Find out more about the programmes and courses Fiona runs here (https://www.brandgrowthheroes.com/mini-mba-2026) AND  Do you want to lean in to unlock value from AI? We have a whatsapp group -the  NextGen CPG WhatsApp group for founders leaning in to the value that a leadership approach to engaging with AI can unlock for businesses like yours. Do you want to join?  *** A massive thanks thanks to Brand Growth Heroes’ podcast sponsor -  Joelson, the commercial law firm *** If you're a founder, you already know how much energy goes into building the perfect product, creating standout branding and connecting with consumers. But scaling a CPG business also brings legal complexities that can make or break your growth journey - from contracts and regulatory compliance to protecting your intellectual property. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Joelson, the leading commercial law firm specialising in helping founders of scaling consumer brands. Joelson works with brands like Little Moons, Trip, Eat Natural, Bear Graze and Pulsin, and advised the innocent founders on their landmark sale to Coca-Cola - and still work with them at JamJar Investments today! Joelson is offering a FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION to all BGH listeners (mailto:hello@joelsonlaw.com) - we highly recommend you take them up on it! CREDITS Thanks to our Sound Engineer Gyp Buggane at Ballagroove.com and all the rest of the Brand Growth Heroes team.

    Here We Flo | Building a £10M Period Care Challenger Brand

  5. Jun 23

    Why TrueStart Coffee Chooses Profitable Growth Over Scale | Founder Helena Hills

    We don't often hear about Challenger brands that are PROFITABLE...So let's do it! *** Find out more about the NEW Brand Growth Heroes September Sprint 4 week programme just launched June 2026 - applications are open through June and July*** In this fab interview, I chat with Helena Hills, co-founder of TrueStart Coffee, about how she and co-founder Simon have taken a once-niche healthy coffee idea and turned it into a fast-growing challenger brand now on a £12m revenue run rate, profitably. So for those of you who are wondering if it's possible, here's some BRILLIANT insights, advice and experience! What I loved about this conversation is Helena's clarity around this decision, her conviction. And that TrueStart didn’t suddenly appear from nowhere. It spent years doing the hard, unglamorous work: testing the proposition, building a community at sports events, learning where the brand had real pull, and being incredibly choosy about what to invest in before stepping into scale-up mode. We talk about the contradiction at the heart of their growth: this is a coffee brand that didn’t lead with coffee culture, but with energy.Helena explains why TrueStart tests for quality and purity markers (I honestly didn't know this was important), why caffeine consistency matters (nor this, but it makes complete sense to me now!), how COVID became a light-switch moment for the brand, and why their Series A fundraise with Jam Jar felt like a full-circle moment after first naming them as a dream investor back in 2015.  For founders building consumer brands, this is a brilliant conversation about patience, timing, culture, focus and what it really means to scale without building on sand.  What You’ll Learn  Why TrueStart built its early community through sports and fitness events.  How a niche proposition became more mainstream as health, ethics and quality became more important to consumers.  Why profitable growth became a deliberate strategic choice.  How Helena and Simon divide leadership between outward energy and internal process.  Why timing matters in innovation, especially with the launch of Coffee Concentrate. Key Topics Discussed  Series A investment from Jam Jar  Building a profitable challenger brand  Healthy coffee and caffeine consistency  Word-of-mouth growth at events  Moving from startup to scale-up  Coffee Concentrate and iced coffee at home  Founder energy, ADHD and complementary co-founder roles  Culture, hiring and decision-making guardrails  AI, process and avoiding founder bottlenecks Find out more about TrueStart Follow TrueStart on Instagram Like this episode? PLEASE share the love by sharing this episode with another founder building a challenger brand, a colleague or a mate who loves brilliant non-alcoholic drinks, or anyone trying to work out how to build a sharper, more focused growth model. Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to Brand Growth Heroes on your favourite podcast app, and even LEAVE A REVIEW - both of these actions make a MASSIVE difference to our mission to help more founders just like you. Join the Brand Growth Heroes tribeInstagram (https://www.instagram.com/brandgrowthheroes) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-growth-heroes/?viewAsMember=true) Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@brandgrowthheroes) Join the NextGen CPG WhatsApp group for founders leaning in to the value that a leadership approach to engaging with AI can unlock for businesses like yours. *** Thanks to Brand Growth Heroes’ podcast sponsor - Joelson, the commercial law firm *** If you're a founder, you already know how much energy goes into building the perfect product, creating standout branding and connecting with consumers. But scaling a CPG business also brings legal complexities that can make or break your growth journey - from contracts and regulatory compliance to protecting your intellectual property. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Joelson, the leading commercial law firm specialising in helping founders of scaling consumer brands. Joelson works with brands like Little Moons, Trip, Eat Natural, Bear Graze and Pulsin, and advised the innocent founders on their landmark sale to Coca-Cola - and still work with them at JamJar Investments today! Joelson is offering a free legal consultation to all Brand Growth Heroes listeners - just send an email to hello@joelsonlaw.com - we highly recommend you take them up on it, they are honestly brilliant. CREDITS Thanks to our Sound Engineer Gyp Buggane at Ballagroove.com and to the entire BGH team.

    Why TrueStart Coffee Chooses Profitable Growth Over Scale | Founder Helena Hills

  6. Jun 9

    AF Drinks | How to Scale a Non Alc Challenger Brand in the USA

    Most challenger founders assume international expansion should happen in neat, logical steps. New Zealand → Australia → UK → US. But Lisa's view was different, and that's why it's so interesting: In fact, conventional FMCG wisdom tells us to prove your business in nearby markets first. But founder Lisa King of Free AF Drinks ignored that advice!  After building a 40% share brand in New Zealand, Lisa decided to skip Australia entirely and went straight after the most competitive drinks market in the world...the USA! Why?  --> If the ambition was always to build a globally valuable business, she asked herself why spend years proving the model somewhere that wasn't ultimately where the biggest opportunity sat? In this brilliant conversation with Kiwi female founder Lisa, you'll hear how today AF Drinks is stocked in more than 4,500 stores across the US, including Target, Walmart, Whole Foods and Kroger, and just HOW they're doing it.  We discuss why she made they made the decision they did, how Pernod Ricard Ventures invested before the US launch, what it really takes to build a beverage brand in America, why alcohol-free RTD cocktails are outperforming expectations, and the lessons founders should understand before attempting to scale internationally. Lisa takes us through a masterclass in the realities of the beverage market in the United States; Why alcohol-free RTD cocktails are growing faster than many expected and finally, how she has approached fundraising, equity and scaling internationally! Key Topics Discussed  Alcohol-free drinks category growth  Building challenger brands internationally  International expansion & export to USA   Listings with Target, Walmart, Whole Foods and Kroger  US grocery retail Walmart and Target listings  Fundraising and investor strategy  Pernod Ricard Ventures investment  Beverage category economics  Product innovation, IP & technology  Ready-to-drink cocktails  Scaling consumer brands globally  Founder leadership  Building brands from New Zealand USEFUL LINKS AF Drinks WebsiteAF Drinks Instagram Like this episode? PLEASE share the love by sharing this episode with another founder building a challenger brand, a colleague or a mate who loves brilliant non-alcoholic drinks, or anyone trying to work out how to build a consumer packaged goods business. Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to Brand Growth Heroes on your favourite podcast app, and even LEAVE A REVIEW - both of these actions make a MASSIVE difference to our mission to help more founders just like you. Follow us Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/brandgrowthheroes) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-growth-heroes/?viewAsMember=true) Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@brandgrowthheroes) Find out more about the programmes and courses Fiona runs here (https://www.brandgrowthheroes.com/mini-mba-2026) Join the NextGen CPG WhatsApp group for founders leaning in to the value that a leadership approach to engaging with AI can unlock for businesses like yours. *** Thanks to Brand Growth Heroes’ podcast sponsor - Joelson, the commercial law firm *** If you're a founder, you already know how much energy goes into building the perfect product, creating standout branding and connecting with consumers. But scaling a CPG business also brings legal complexities that can make or break your growth journey - from contracts and regulatory compliance to protecting your intellectual property. That’s why I'm proud to partner with Joelson, the leading commercial law firm specialising in helping founders of scaling consumer brands. Joelson works with brands like Little Moons, Trip, Eat Natural, Bear Graze and Pulsin, and advised the innocent founders on their landmark sale to Coca-Cola - and still work with them at JamJar Investments today! Joelson is offering a FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION to all BGH listeners (mailto:hello@joelsonlaw.com) - I honestly recommend you take them up on it, they're brilliant. CREDITS Thanks to our Sound Engineer Gyp Buggane at Ballagroove.com

    AF Drinks | How to Scale a Non Alc Challenger Brand in the USA

  7. May 26

    Mother Root's £16M Secret Growth Equation | Bethan Higson & Alice Gallsworthy

    In this episode of Brand Growth Heroes, I’m joined by founder Bethan Higson and Alice Gallsworthy of Mother Root. Get this: Mother Root is already the UK’s number one non-alcoholic spirit brand in terms of revenue driven per product. Whoah. So what's the deal? This ginger-based non-alcoholic aperitif is different to most playing in food and beverage, as it only has one core SKU, but an incredibly powerful DTC growth engine. Even though it's the UK's No1 non-alc spirit, it still only has around 6–7% distribution -  talk about headroom for growth! As you might imagine, Bethan and Alice are incredibly clear on the choices that created their growth. We talk about why they stopped trying to do everything, how they went all-in on DTC, how customer interviews and jobs-to-be-done thinking shaped their marketing, and why the product itself delivers something so many non-alcoholic drinks miss: flavour, ritual, heat, length and a real adult drinking moment. We also get into team building, finding the right second-in-command, launching into the US, and why operations has to scale at the same rate as marketing if you don’t want the business to break. What You’ll Learn  How Mother Root grew from around £1.5M to £15–16M run rate.  Why focus on one channel helped build a repeatable and scalable growth model.  How jobs-to-be-done customer interviews shaped Mother Root’s digital marketing.  Why the non-alcoholic drinks consumer is not necessarily the Gen Z sober-curious stereotype.  How Bethan and Alice think about hiring, operations, US expansion and scaling without breaking the business. Why AI is part of EVERY part of the working day at Mother RootKey Topics Discussed  Mother Root’s growth from early-stage brand to £15–16M run rate  Building a challenger brand with one core SKU  The evening drink ritual and the role of non-alcoholic drinks  Ginger, apple cider vinegar, slow burn and flavour architecture  Choosing where to play and walking away from distracting channels  Building a DTC growth engine  Paid social, customer interviews and jobs-to-be-done insight  Word of mouth and repeat purchase  Nielsen performance and retail headroom  Hiring a brilliant number two  Scaling operations alongside marketing  Launching Mother Root in the US  Why the non-alcoholic category is not just about Gen Z Useful Links https://motherroot.com/https://www.instagram.com/motherroot/ Like this episode?  PLEASE share the love by sharing this episode with another founder building a challenger brand, a colleague or a mate who loves brilliant non-alcoholic drinks, or anyone trying to work out how to build a sharper, more focused growth model. Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to Brand Growth Heroes on your favourite podcast app, and even LEAVE A REVIEW - both of these actions make a MASSIVE difference to our mission to help more founders just like you. Join our community on Instagram, LinkedIn and Youtube, and find out more about the programmes and courses Fiona runs, as well as the NextGen CPG WhatsApp group for founders leaning in to the value that a leadership approach to engaging with AI can unlock for businesses like yours. Follow Brand Growth Heroes on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. *****Thanks to Brand Growth Heroes’ podcast sponsor  - Joelson, the commercial law firm ***** If you're a founder, you already know how much energy goes into building the perfect product, creating standout branding and connecting with consumers. But scaling a CPG business also brings legal complexities that can make or break your growth journey - from contracts and regulatory compliance to protecting your intellectual property. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Joelson, the leading commercial law firm specialising in helping founders of scaling consumer brands. Joelson works with brands like Little Moons, Trip, Eat Natural, Bear Graze and Pulsin, and advised the innocent founders on their landmark sale to Coca-Cola - and still work with them at JamJar Investments today! To learn more contact hello@joelsonlaw.com - in fact, Joelson is offering Brand Growth Heroes listeners a FREE Legal consultation - we highly recommend you take them up on this!  Credits Thanks to our Sound Engineer Gyp Buggane at Ballagroove.com and all the Brand Growth Heroes team.

    Mother Root's £16M Secret Growth Equation | Bethan Higson & Alice Gallsworthy

  8. May 12

    World Leading US Brand Expert | Why We've Got 'Brand Community' All Wrong

    In this episode, I’m joined by digital strategist Sara Wilson, who coined the term “digital campfires” in Harvard Business Review, to explore why community is becoming one of the most important growth channels for CPG challenger brands. Sara works with brands including Nike, Netflix, YouTube, Airstream, Yahoo, PopSockets and Prince Street Pizza, helping them understand how to show up inside the communities where influence, identity and belonging are really being shaped. This conversation completely EVOLVED how I think about social media and its role in driving brand growth - genuinely. We talk about why the most important conversations may no longer be happening publicly on Instagram or TikTok, but in DMs, WhatsApp groups, niche communities, gaming spaces, Substack, Reddit and beyond. Sara shares why brands need to stop thinking only about reach and followers, and start thinking much more deeply about identity, transformation and the communities their consumers already belong to. Watch the episode on Youtube here. What You’ll Learn  Why Sara believes the future of influence is happening inside “digital campfires”.  The three types of digital campfires: private messaging, micro-communities and shared experiences.  Why relevance matters more than reach if you want people to share your brand.  How brands like Poppi and McDonald’s have embedded themselves into communities.  Why founders need to understand the transformation their brand offers. Key Topics Discussed  Community as a growth channel.  Why DMs and private spaces matter.  The “OMG, that’s so me” effect.  Identity, belonging and relevance.  Why brands should embed into existing communities.  Poppi’s winning 'sorority' strategy.  McDonald’s Grimace and Mets community moment.  How to create high-value community engagement.  Why sampling and discounts are not enough.  How founders can rethink brand strategy through a community-first lens. Useful Links Connect with Sara Wilson on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/saraewilson/ Sara Wilson’s newsletterhttps://communitycatalysts.substack.com/ Sara Wilson’s websitehttps://swprojects.co/ We love inspiring you and helping your business to grow! PLEASE share the love by sharing this episode with another founder building a challenger brand, a colleague or a mate who loves thinking about community, culture and the future of brand growth. Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to Brand Growth Heroes on your favourite podcast app, and even LEAVE A REVIEW - both of these actions make a MASSIVE difference to our mission to help more founders just like you. Join our community on Instagram, LinkedIn, and find out more about the programmes and courses Fiona runs, as well as the NextGen CPG WhatsApp group for founders leaning in to the value that a leadership approach to engaging with AI can unlock for businesses like yours. **** Thanks to Brand Growth Heroes’ podcast sponsor - Joelson, the commercial law firm.**** If you're a founder, you already know how much energy goes into building the perfect product, creating standout branding and connecting with consumers. But scaling a CPG business also brings legal complexities that can make or break your growth journey - from contracts and regulatory compliance to protecting your intellectual property. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Joelson, the leading commercial law firm specialising in helping founders of scaling consumer brands. Joelson works with brands like Little Moons, Trip, Eat Natural, Bear Graze and Pulsin, and advised the innocent founders on their landmark sale to Coca-Cola - and still work with them at JamJar Investments today! ***The fabulous team at Joelson is offering a free legal consultation to any CPG founder listening -  Book your session today!** Credits Thanks to our Sound Engineer Gyp Buggane at Ballagroove.com.

    World Leading US Brand Expert | Why We've Got 'Brand Community' All Wrong
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4.8
out of 5
20 Ratings

About

Brand Growth Heroes ranks in the top 1.5% of ALL podcasts globally. With +25 years' experience working for brand giants and as coach to over 400 challenger brand founders, Fiona Fitz asks the questions you need the answers to from the founders of wildly successful consumer goods brands driving transformational growth.

Information

  • Creator
    Fiona Fitz | Brand Growth Heroes Mini MBA |
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    131
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Fiona Fitz Consulting Ltd.
  • Show Website
    Brand Growth Heroes

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