Makin Mighty: The Challenger Sessions

Simon Greenwood-Haigh
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 Makin Mighty: The Challenger Sessions explores what it really takes to build and scale challenger food and drink brands. Join Simon Greenwood-Haigh and occasional co-host, Scott, as they speaks to founders, buyers, operators and brand builders about the honest reality of FMCG; no fluff, no jargon, just practical lessons. 

Episodes

  1. Design Won’t Save Your Brand | The Basics Challenger Brands Ignore (Simon & Scott)

    5D AGO

    Design Won’t Save Your Brand | The Basics Challenger Brands Ignore (Simon & Scott)

    Send us a text Design matters. But design cannot rescue a product or business that does not deliver. In this co-hosted episode of Makin Mighty: The Challenger Sessions, Simon Greenwood-Haigh and Scott Cramner get into the uncomfortable truth founders need to hear: if you are using design to hide bigger problems, the market will find you out fast. We talk about: why great branding cannot compensate for weak product experience (including Simon’s honest take on Ugly Drinks)how “cool” design can create hype that dies the moment someone tries the productthe importance of knowing exactly who your core audience is (and using it as a filter for decisions)why big rebrands fall flat when they ignore brand equity and customer expectation (hello Jaguar)why founders copy the wrong brands and end up building something that feels disingenuousthe power of being obsessed with a few clear USPs, not trying to claim 20 at once (we use Aldi as a great example of single-minded execution)If you are building a challenger brand, this is a reminder that design should amplify clarity, not create it. If you found this useful, please share it with someone building a food or drink brand who’d get value from it. You can follow me on LinkedIn, TikTok or Instagram for clips and extra insights: just search for @MakinMighty And if you’ve got a question you’re wrestling with right now (brand, growth, retail, positioning) email it in. We’re collecting real questions from founders and we’ll use those to shape future episodes. Thanks for listening. See you next time makinmighty@gmail.com

    26 min
  2. Why Most Challenger Brands Don’t Deserve Their Confidence | Simon & Scott

    JAN 27

    Why Most Challenger Brands Don’t Deserve Their Confidence | Simon & Scott

    Send us a text A lot of early-stage brands feel world-class before they’ve actually proven anything. In this co-hosted episode of Makin Mighty: The Challenger Sessions, Simon Greenwood-Haigh and Scott dig into a pattern we keep seeing: confidence that shows up before competence...and how it quietly kills momentum. We talk about where overconfidence shows up first (hint: it’s usually not where founders think), why design polish can become a mask for weak fundamentals, and what “earned confidence” actually looks like in challenger brands. If you’re building a challenger brand in food and drink (or any crowded category), this episode will help you tighten the basics, focus on proof, and stop confusing vibe with traction. To get in touch with Scott (who is the reason this episode is much better edited than any I do solo) email him at: coneyfilms@gmail.com If you found this useful, please share it with someone building a food or drink brand who’d get value from it. You can follow me on LinkedIn, TikTok or Instagram for clips and extra insights: just search for @MakinMighty And if you’ve got a question you’re wrestling with right now (brand, growth, retail, positioning) email it in. We’re collecting real questions from founders and we’ll use those to shape future episodes. Thanks for listening. See you next time makinmighty@gmail.com

    17 min
  3. How Challenger Brands Find a Voice That Sells | Kevin Karaca (The House Outside)

    JAN 21

    How Challenger Brands Find a Voice That Sells | Kevin Karaca (The House Outside)

    Send us a text Most food and drink brands say they’ve got a tone of voice but walk down any supermarket aisle and you’d struggle to tell them apart. In this episode of Makin Mighty: The Challenger Sessions, Simon Greenwood-Haigh is joined by Kevin Karaca, founder of The House Outside, to unpack what tone of voice actually is, why so many brands play it safe, and how challenger brands can use language to create clarity, memory and real stopping power. We get into: why “sounding like everyone else” is usually fear, not strategythe difference between clear vs clever (and why clever often loses)what a brand really is (hint: it’s not your logo)a practical way to find a voice that’s actually yoursIf you’re a founder or brand builder trying to stand out and sell more, this one will help. Got a question you want answering or a topic covering? Why not text or send it into me? makinmighty@gmail.com If you want to contact the amazing Kevin Karaca drop him a line on: hi@thehouseoutside.com or visit www.thehouseoutside.com If you found this useful, please share it with someone building a food or drink brand who’d get value from it. You can follow me on LinkedIn, TikTok or Instagram for clips and extra insights: just search for @MakinMighty And if you’ve got a question you’re wrestling with right now (brand, growth, retail, positioning) email it in. We’re collecting real questions from founders and we’ll use those to shape future episodes. Thanks for listening. See you next time makinmighty@gmail.com

    34 min
  4. Building a Challenger Brand in a Brutal Category | Holy Moly

    JAN 13

    Building a Challenger Brand in a Brutal Category | Holy Moly

    Send us a text Chilled is one of the toughest places to build a food brand and most challengers don’t survive it. In this episode of Makin Mighty: The Challenger Sessions, Simon Greenwood-Haigh sits down with Gaz Booth, founder of Holy Moly, to talk honestly about what it really takes to break through in a brutal category. We get into the real story behind the brand, the early mistakes, what scaling actually teaches you, and the misconceptions founders have about marketing and selling in chilled. This is a grounded, practical conversation for anyone building a challenger brand in food and drink without the fluff. If you found this useful, please share it with someone building a food or drink brand who’d get value from it. You can follow me on LinkedIn, TikTok or Instagram for clips and extra insights: just search for @MakinMighty And if you’ve got a question you’re wrestling with right now (brand, growth, retail, positioning) email it in. We’re collecting real questions from founders and we’ll use those to shape future episodes. Thanks for listening. See you next time makinmighty@gmail.com

    28 min
  5. What Makes a Challenger Brand?

    JAN 6

    What Makes a Challenger Brand?

    Send us a text In this first solo episode of Makin Mighty: The Challenger Sessions, Simon Greenwood-Haigh breaks down what a challenger brand actually is and why most brands get it wrong. It’s a short, honest look at the mindset that separates real challengers from the ones who only use the word in their pitch deck. Simon shares the core truths he’s seen across the industry, the common traps founders fall into, and a simple definition of challenger behaviour that sets the foundation for the whole show.  If you found this useful, please share it with someone building a food or drink brand who’d get value from it. You can follow me on LinkedIn, TikTok or Instagram for clips and extra insights: just search for @MakinMighty And if you’ve got a question you’re wrestling with right now (brand, growth, retail, positioning) email it in. We’re collecting real questions from founders and we’ll use those to shape future episodes. Thanks for listening. See you next time makinmighty@gmail.com

    6 min
  • 5 Episodes

About

 Makin Mighty: The Challenger Sessions explores what it really takes to build and scale challenger food and drink brands. Join Simon Greenwood-Haigh and occasional co-host, Scott, as they speaks to founders, buyers, operators and brand builders about the honest reality of FMCG; no fluff, no jargon, just practical lessons. 

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