How Leaders Lead with David Novak #270: Allison Ellsworth, Founder & Lead Creative, poppi – Build your brand
Dec 18, 2025
Allison Ellsworth, founder and lead creative of poppi, shares her journey from Shark Tank star to Pepsi acquisition success. She discusses the importance of building a brand over merely selling a product and reveals her 'black ops budget' for quick trend responses. Allison highlights the power of storytelling and emotional connections in branding, alongside savvy social media strategies for different platforms. With insights on balancing work and family, she emphasizes the need for leaders to embrace discomfort to fuel growth.
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Make A Clear North Star
- Build your company around a clear North Star — 'soda for the next generation' guided every decision at poppi.
- That clarity let Allison evaluate flavors, partnerships, and activations quickly and consistently.
Pivoted To Digital During COVID
- Allison relaunched as poppi the first week of COVID and became a digital-first brand because real-life demos disappeared.
- Forced adaptation made them obsess over reaching community online from day one.
Prioritize Long-Term Brand Building
- Invest in long-term brand building even when early metrics tempt you toward immediate performance gains.
- Make brand awareness a top KPI to create sustainable value and exit options.