“How on earth do you ACTUALLY EXIT your food and drink brand?”

This question swirled my mind.

Thankfully, one woman knows all the answers.

Libby Gibson is a total legend. She lives and breathes challenger brands. Libby successfully built, scaled and sold Pitcher & Piano.

Then she set up Piper with Crispin Twidgen

PIPER are responsible for tonnes of HUGE exits.

• Proper Corn
• Bruce’s Doggy Day Care
• Flat Iron
• Wattbike
• Bloom and Wild
• Neom
• Mindful Chef
• Hickories
• Frame
• Olebar Brown swimwear

I know people say: “it’s not about the money, it’s about the journey”

I know, it’s grotesquely-uncouth to say it’s all about the the Dough, Coin, Wonga, Cash-eesh, Moolah, Bunsen-Burner-Nice-Little-Earner

But, C’maaaaaaaaaannnn.

Let’s not beat around the bush.

There’s a gorgeous pot of glistening gold waiting for you at the end of your Rainbow.

If you sell you’ll be filthy rich, minted and smoking cubbies on the French Riveria.

I jest. But, I do believe you can do BOTH.

You can build an amazing brand, have lots of fun, help people, do good and, also, make a BUCKET LOADS OF COIN.

This poddy BLEW MY MIND

• Are you thinking about the right things?
• Have you ACTUALLY thought about the succession plan?
• Who are you selling actually going to sell to?
• Are you launching NPD willy-nilly? Is NPD distracting from keeping the main thing, the main thing?

ON THE MENU:

1. PIPER’s 7, 17, 70 Law: The inflection points of growth on the journey to exit - You must invest ahead of the growth curve.
2. PIPERs “Back from the Future” Law: Founders must start thinking about the exit three years before they think they’re ready
3. The Hidden Dangers of Building a Strong Personal Brand if You’re Looking to Exit: what’s the succession plan? who’s going to replace you?
4. How to Hire, Scale and Keep The Magic Alive 1. “You don't have to hire all at once” 2. “Hire ahead of the curve” 3. “Hire people stepping up vs. down”
5. 3 Rules to Go from” Challenger Brand” to “Brand Legend”: 1. Focus Better + Different 2. Codify business values
6. Why “Brand Legends” Do Two Things Consistently 1. Turn customers into their best brand ambassadors + constantly surprise and delight
7. PROPER CORN’s Hidden Retail Relationship Genius: Top to Bottom Relationships + Work from the detail up to the big
8. Solving the NPD Riddle: Constantly Launching NPD is dangerous “it’s a huge distraction” + “You may think everyone knows about your product but they probably don’t”
9. How PROPER CORN went from £7 Million Challenger to £70 Million Brand Legend “the way you run through walls at £70 million is different”
10. Founders constantly ask: Why do we have a right to win in this category?
11. How Challenger Brands can Ge get over the £5 million sticking point 1. Be rigorous with priorities 2. Understand NPD is sometimes a distraction 3.
12. How PROPER CORN escaped the £7million Sticking Point: Carefully and Slowly Moving into The Right NPD

Listen to the full episode here

Espresso's are powered by our brand new sponsor, Unleashed!

1. What on earth is Unleashed, I hear you asking?

Unleashed is Inventory management software that talks to your financial and eComm software. We use it daily at Islands. It's BANGING!!

2. Why Unleashed will change your life as a foodie founder?

Cut admin time in half. Save money. Lots of money. Get lucid clarity on margins. Be all over cash flow, after all cash is king. Manage stock and cash flow.

3. The biggest brands in FMCG love love Unleashed

Your fave brands like Candy Kittens, Tiny Rebel, TRIP use religiously. Tarquins Gin, Three Spirit, Minor Figures, The Turmeric Co., Volcano Coffee

4. Do yourself a favour

Feel free to reach out to the utter legends Josh and Bryony at Unleashed, book in a 20 min chat with this magical link. Even if nothing comes of it, it's worth having a chat. Click this magical link

Listen to the full episode here

Espresso's are powered by our brand new sponsor, Unleashed!

1. What on earth is Unleashed, I hear you asking?

Unleashed is Inventory management software that talks to your financial and eComm software. We use it daily at Islands. It's BANGING!!

2. Why Unleashed will change your life as a foodie founder?

Cut admin time in half. Save money. Lots of money. Get lucid clarity on margins. Be all over cash flow, after all cash is king. Manage stock and cash flow.

3. The biggest brands in FMCG love love Unleashed

Your fave brands like Candy Kittens, Tiny Rebel, TRIP use religiously. Tarquins Gin, Three Spirit, Minor Figures, The Turmeric Co., Volcano Coffee

4. Do yourself a favour

Feel free to reach out to the utter legends Josh and Bryony at Unleashed, book in a 20 min chat with this magical link. Even if nothing comes of it, it's worth having a chat. Click this magical link