Startup Confidential
Dr. James F. Richardson
Who is it For? Founders of CPG start-ups. What is It? Zero B.S. perspective on running your start-up well, understanding the biases of industry stakeholders and getting the industry to work for you, not the other way around. When? Every month. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com If you want to take my founder's Quiz to see if you are ready for exponential growth, please visit : www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com/founder_resources and sign up for my e-mail list to download it. Transcripts and an entire episode library are on my podcast site. https://www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com/podcast
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 15, 2020 • 7min
Ep. 16 - The Serial F(l)ounder
Back to my series on founder archetypes. This time, I riff on the problems faced by serial entrepreneurs in CPG and how their biggest strength poses a risk you will never encounter. Tune in to hear why MOST serial entrepreneurs in CPG do not succeed more than once. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com
Feb 1, 2020 • 14min
Ep. 15 - Designing to Command a Premium
1/3 of my new book - Ramping Your Brand - focuses on superb product design that will command a premium. I can't tell you how many folks hit a wall at $5M or $10M largely because their 'thing' was surfing trial by mostly disappointed, underwhelmed consumers. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com
Jan 15, 2020 • 11min
Ep. 14 Working with Agencies - Communications
It's critical to understand what kind of communications talent can most help an early stage premium brand. And it is not the typical agency employee or veteran...not at all. I explain why in this episode.Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com
Jan 1, 2020 • 9min
Ep. 13 - Founder Archetypes...the Creative Founder
The majority of CPG founders exhibit this archetypal orientation. They got into this because they're innovators. They're category geeks. Some, even snobs. But the real weakness these folks have to accept and address somehow is that they are NOT business people at heart. And yet it is the professional businessperson (and his/her team) who scales innovations. Not product-obsessed amateurs. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com
Dec 15, 2019 • 11min
Ep. 12 - Founder Archetypes - The Finance Founder
Founders are not snowflakes after all. They tend to come in a finite array of archetypes. In this series, I begin by discussing the Finance Founder. His/Her orientation to money and ROI over-determines every decision they make. For good and for bad. If you recognize yourself in this episode, I hope it helps trigger some self-awareness and growth. You need it. :) Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com
Dec 1, 2019 • 13min
Ep. 11 - Working with Agencies: the Creative Brief
This is a professional practice of large companies that badly needs adoption among early stage brands. Poor, inconsistent, or absent, communication about the goals of communications work is a consistent reason why marketing fails and then gets cut prematurely. Don't make this mistake. Smart founders know enough to write a good brief, because it's an analytical exercise, not a creative one!Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com
Nov 1, 2019 • 12min
Ep. 10 - 7 Reasons You Need a Strategic Plan
Strategic planning is what I do. I live it and breathe it. Most founders don't enjoy it. And this podcast starts off by explaining why this is. Yet, the folks who ride the Ramp to glory almost all engaged in disciplined planning. Not rigid. Just smart. Startups are nimble and with this comes the risk of chasing your tail, spinning your wheels or, even more dangerous, over-reacting without any benchmarks or principles.Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com
Oct 1, 2019 • 10min
Ep. 9 - A Reading from Ramping Your Brand
A dramatic reading from the Introduction to Ramping Your Brand: How to Ride the Killer Curve of CPG Growth. This excerpt gives you a passionate, audio introduction to the book's key metaphor: the Skate Ramp of exponential growth. Sign up for advanced publication notification and special deals here: www.rampingyourbrand.comYour Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com
Sep 1, 2019 • 12min
Ep. 8 Beating the Odds Against Your Seed Raise
Fast-growing brands almost always need seed capital...This month I share my tips on how to think about this process. Hint: if you weren’t born into the 1%, you will have to work ten times as hard to get your checks...but it’s possible...it’s actually commonplace. Good luck out there.Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com
Aug 1, 2019 • 11min
Working with Agencies Effectively - #1 - Package Designers
Your package is the #1 communications tool you have that reaches ALL consumers without a marketing budget. You must eventually get it right, before you hit the gas. But who do you hire? It's an ocean of design folks out there with superb graphic design skills. But do they really know CPG? FDA regulation? Take a listen as I give my blistering critique of the con men and, more importantly, share what good pack designers should cost and how to vet them.Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com
