Monte Ammons has spent more than 30 years in food and beverage, with much of his recent work focused on product development, commercialization, supply chain, and operations. Today, he runs Liquid Sherpas, helping early-stage beverage founders navigate the challenges of scaling.
In this DTC Daily podcast, Monte breaks down why rushing from idea to production to retail can hurt a brand, and why the businesses that last tend to grow slowly, test often, and scale only when they're ready.
In this podcast, Monte breaks down:
Why founders should build a clear product blueprint before jumping into formulation, branding, or development.
Why a small pilot run can uncover problems before you commit significant capital to inventory.
How chasing a lower cost per unit with bigger production runs can leave early-stage brands with too much stock and too little cash.
Why brands should keep their geography and sales channels tight instead of expanding everywhere an opportunity appears.
How the strongest brands spend their early years testing, learning from customers, and building a repeatable playbook before scaling.
Why founders eventually need to shift from hands-on experimentation to strategy, optimization, and building repeatable processes.
Why brands with staying power focus on solving a consumer need rather than simply selling a product.
If you're building a CPG brand, this episode is a practical guide to getting the foundation right, protecting your cash, and knowing when you're actually ready to scale.