The 8-Figure Product CEO

On this episode of the Apex CEO Podcast, I interview Dr. Anita Sengupta—Founder & CEO of Hydroplane, aerospace engineer, commercial pilot, and USC professor—to unpack what it really takes for a high-level technical professional to make the leap into entrepreneurship. Anita's career spans the kind of world-class environments most people only dream about—NASA, cutting-edge aerospace programs, and academic research. But building a deep-tech startup is a different game. In this conversation, she breaks down the hard shift from "well-resourced institutions" to starting from zero: earning trust without a famous logo, turning technical credibility into business credibility, and building momentum when timelines are long and the stakes are high. We talk about what she underestimated, what she had to unlearn, and the few early decisions that mattered most in the first year—especially when your product has to work in the real world, not just on paper. If you're a senior engineer, operator, scientist, or technical leader who's felt the pull toward building your own company, this episode is for you. And at the end, Anita shares her single biggest insight for making the transition—one principle that cuts through the noise and keeps founders focused on what actually works.

Javier Lozano – Founder of Bolder Media Co., fractional CMO designing predictable growth systems for B2B founders. In this episode, we look at small business turnaround through the eyes of a fractional CMO/CRO. I bring Javier into the kind of company I see all the time: doing $5–10M in revenue, good product, but flat growth, weak pipeline, and a marketing "mix" that's really just random acts of advertising. We talk about: How he spots a real growth story in a stalled business by talking to the team, digging into the numbers, and seeing if the market still cares. Turning random marketing into a real growth system—so every dollar has a clear job and you know what's actually working. His first 90 days playbook when he steps into a messy $6–7M company: what he checks first, what he kills, and what he builds. The simple weekly scorecard he uses so founders stop guessing and can see in black and white if demand gen is actually driving revenue. What works beyond paid ads for companies without recurring revenue—brand, content, and organic moves that still move the needle. When a fractional CMO/CRO beats a full-time hire in a cash-tight business that's already heavy on ops. We wrap with a concrete success story and how to think about bringing in this kind of help in your own small business turnaround. If you're sitting on a solid product but flat sales, this one will hit home.

Stacy Flynn, CEO and co-founder of Evrnu, is doing something most founders only talk about: turning cotton garment waste into high-performance, fully recyclable fibers—and building a real business around it. Evrnu has raised about $35M in capital- How? In this episode, we dig into the real story behind that headline number. Stacy walks us through: How she convinced the very first investors to back a textile-to-textile recycling idea long before there was a plant or revenue. Evrnu's business model—what they actually sell, who pays, and how garment waste turns into a product brand partners can use at scale. Why cost parity matters as much as impact: how they think about getting recycled fibers to compete with traditional textiles on both performance and price. The painful middle phase where interest was high but checks were slow, and what finally turned warm conversations into signed term sheets and a nearly complete capital stack. What it really takes to design and fund commercial facilities for a new material, not just a lab demo. Her honest advice to founders with big, capital-hungry ideas who are still at zero revenue. If you're a founder or CEO trying to raise money, build something physical, or survive the "this might not make it" phase, Stacy's story is a masterclass in endurance, investor communication, and capital discipline.

On this episode I'm joined by Adam and Amanda Kroener, married co-founders of Carbliss Cocktails—a low-carb, full-flavor RTD cocktail brand that's grown into a 9-figure business. Adam came out of the cheese industry as a Director of Manufacturing. Amanda stepped in as CFO and now leads the data and IT side of the business. Together, they've turned Carbliss into a serious national player in a brutal, crowded category. We cover: The key decisions in the first 24 months that bent the growth curve. How they handled manufacturing issues and tight cash when both inventory and dollars were constrained. Their go-to-market engine today: field teams, personal brand, and chain authorizations. What it's really like to be married co-founders with three kids—and how they handle big disagreements. The 3 things that actually move cases off shelves. The most overrated worries under $5M, and the boring work that really drives growth. If you're building or investing in a consumer brand, this is a real look at going from local idea to 9-figure beverage business—while keeping your marriage and family in the picture.

Most budgets fail before the year even starts. Not because the team didn't work hard—but because the assumptions were never real. In this episode, I walk through the eight critical areas where mid-market companies blow their budgets, and the exact process I use when coaching CEOs, CFOs, and ownership teams through 2026 planning. This isn't theory. These are real-world lessons pulled straight from reviewing company budgets this year—where revenue forecasts are overly optimistic, margins are padded, promo calendars are ignored, and SG&A stays untouched while the company continues losing money. You'll learn how to build a budget that your team can actually deliver, your investors can trust, and your cash flow can survive. In This Episode You'll Learn: 1. Why contribution margin—not revenue—should drive the entire budget How factory pricing, freight, duties, fees, warehousing, and returns must be rebuilt from the ground up every year. 2. The biggest leak in most budgets: unrealistic gross margin assumptions Why ignoring discounts, promos, and channel fees sets the company up for a miss. 3. The "shrink to fit" mindset for companies with declining sales How to right-size SG&A, negotiate every cost, and build a budget that hits break-even—before thinking about growth. 4. Inventory mistakes that destroy working capital Why over-optimistic inventory turns break forecasts, and how to sanity-check turns using real-world constraints. 5. SKU rationalization as a margin weapon How plotting SKUs by turn and margin can instantly improve profitability and simplify operations. 6. The three budget mistakes that kill companies – Building to revenue instead of contribution – Recycling last year's landed costs – Making optimistic assumptions the business has never hit 7. The SG&A review almost every finance team misses Insurance creep, freight contracts, return policies, ERP/IT waste, audits, cyber policies—how to pressure-test all of it. 8. Why your 2026 budget must include a plan to win A sales hunter, a real product roadmap, and clear ROI-driven investments—not just cuts. If you're building your 2026 budget right now, this episode will save you from another year of surprises—and give you the framework to build a budget that actually works.

Your company's been losing money for two or three years. Forecasts keep promising a rebound that never comes. Sales are flat or down, SG&A is bloated, and leadership is too close to the problem to see the real issues. In this episode, I walk through the exact turnaround framework I use when stepping into a struggling mid-market company. These aren't theories. These are real wins pulled straight from the trenches—where outside eyes can find 5% in SG&A savings on day one and unlock a path back to break-even. We'll break down the practical work: renegotiating everything from freight contracts to ERP licenses, tightening product margins, doing real SKU rationalization, fixing bloated insurance and software stacks, and rebuilding a lean org that can move fast. Most importantly, we'll cover the hard but unavoidable truth: You can't forecast your way out of a loss. You have to operate your way out. What You'll Learn: Why fresh eyes can unlock instant SG&A savings How marketing becomes a hidden drain when attribution is unclear Where companies overspend without realizing it (insurance, ERP, freight, audits) How to evaluate product costs and negotiate meaningful reductions Why SKU rationalization can lift gross margins quickly How contribution margin leaks—returns, allowances, promos—quietly kill profit Why most forecasts are built on hopium, not reality The 90-day roadmap to stop the bleeding and rebuild the future How to right-size teams without losing the brand's magic Why a hunter in sales is non-negotiable for a real turnaround This is the playbook for owners, CEOs, and PE operators who need clarity fast—and can't afford another year of losses.

Most turnarounds don't start with marketing fixes or strategy sessions. They start with a calculator. A few months ago, I stepped into a mid-market consumer products brand doing under $10M a year. From the outside, it looked healthy -- loyal customers, strong reviews, recognizable product. Under the hood, it was bleeding $70,000 every month. The core issue wasn't mysterious. Payroll alone was sitting at roughly 25% of revenue. At their gross margins, breakeven wasn't possible. SG&A had quietly swallowed the P&L. This episode breaks down the real math behind why product companies get stuck, why good brands drift into multi-year margin problems, and what it actually takes to bring them back. Inside the Episode: • The setup: A strong D2C + dealer brand that looks fine on the surface but can't win the math • The denial loop: "We can't cut managers," "We need everyone for Q1," "Next year sales will grow" • The math problem: Why 25% payroll doesn't work with 45% gross margins • The rule of thumb: – Payroll should live around 10–15% of revenue – Total SG&A needs to stay ≤25% of revenue • The turnaround plan: – $500k+ in payroll cuts, not $250k – Right-sizing roles, spans of control, CS and warehouse – Cutting low-ROI contractors and software creep – Cleaning up SG&A leaks beyond payroll • The real fix: Designing a right-sized org that can actually produce margin • How to avoid this problem entirely: – Stay lean on the way up – Track revenue per employee – Rebuild your SG&A budget from scratch every year Why This Matters In almost every turnaround I lead, half the margin recovery comes straight out of SG&A -- and payroll is the biggest lever. The earlier you see the warning signs, the fewer tough calls you'll have to make later. If you're running a physical product brand and payroll is over 20% of revenue, you don't have a marketing problem. You have a math problem. And the sooner you address it, the sooner the business starts working again.

What if you could hire a VP of Sales—without the full-time salary? In this episode, I sat down with Richard Few, Founder of Sales Geek, to talk about how founders scale past $10M using fractional sales leadership. Richard launched Sales Geek in 2017 and built a global sales consultancy—bootstrapped, with $6M in revenue, 15 core staff, and 70+ franchisees worldwide. We unpack how fractional VPs help early-stage businesses fix what's really blocking growth: no sales systems, unclear messaging, and poor hiring. If you're a CEO still doing sales yourself—or you've hired reps without a real strategy—this episode is your wake-up call. What You'll Learn How fractional sales leadership actually works Why most startups stall before hiring a real VP of Sales The 3 biggest sales mistakes holding back growth under $10M How to fix bad data, unclear messaging, and weak KPIs Why culture, accountability, and fractional support go hand-in-hand

What would it take to turn your craft into a real business? In this unique episode, Luke coaches Kevin, the founder of Summit Effects, live on how to transform his woodworking passion into a scalable product brand. Kevin's been running his custom woodshop since 2001, with deep craftsmanship and a strong social media presence—but it hasn't translated into growth. Luke guides Kevin through a strategic pivot: building a product line that's shippable, high-margin, and tells a story. Together, they explore new hero products (like custom sushi boards and accessories), walk through positioning tactics, and unpack an influencer strategy to gain early traction. If you're a creative founder wondering how to monetize your art—this is the blueprint. What You'll Learn How to niche down without losing your creativity How to find repeatable, shippable, high-margin products Why positioning > broad branding for artists Influencer seeding strategy for handcrafted goods How to structure a creative business for scale

How do billion-dollar brands decide what products to launch—and which to kill? Daniel T. Siegel, President of Lifetime Brands, has spent over 30 years in the housewares industry and helped steer the portfolio past $1B in sales. In this episode, Dan joins Luke Peters to break down the exact filters, signals, and frameworks he uses to guide product innovation at scale. You'll learn: Why channel fit and margin path matter more than market size slides The two data points that actually predict sell-through How to define a "kill rule" that stops losers before tooling When to build, license, or partner—and how to decide The difference between TAM vs achievable share (and how to back into the latter) Dan also shares the L1–L4 innovation framework, the 3 gates that new products must pass, and how Lifetime applies discipline to R&D spend without killing creativity. If you're a founder, CPO, or product leader betting next quarter's cash on a new product launch—this is the episode you can't afford to skip.

Paul Hletko — Founder, FEW Spirits (est. 2011, Evanston, IL). Grain-to-glass craft whiskey brand known for Chicago-style bourbon, distinctive flavor, and creative collabs. FEW became part of Samson & Surrey, now under Heaven Hill.   Key Takeaways (quick hits) Position before production: FEW chose Chicago bourbon—distinct taste by design, not "safe." Price = signal: Set as an affordable luxury (~$45–$50) to telegraph quality without scaring off trial. Give fans a story to repeat: Place: Evanston—birthplace of Prohibition—baked into the brand. Personal: Family roots in Czech brewing, disrupted by the Nazis—heritage and grit with purpose. Find your customer where they already gather: Niche blogs/communities beat broad ads early on. Innovation portfolio: Run levels 1–4 (from small tweaks to patent-backed "new-to-world") and balance the mix so safe work doesn't crowd out bold bets. Hard lesson: Cash flow is the boss—brand strength shortens the payback clock.   8 Practical CEO Questions We Covered Who exactly is your customer—and what story do they already tell their friends? What deliberate product difference will they notice on first sip/use? Where do they already hang out (blogs, forums, on-premise, niche media)? How do you set good/better/best pricing without cannibalizing the hero SKU? What's your 90-day proof a new SKU earns shelf (rate of sale, repeat, gross-to-net)? How do you split innovation L1–L4 this year—and who owns the mix? What's your cash clock (spend → sell-through), and how does brand reduce it? What's your one-line retailer pitch that makes them choose you over the next similar bottle?

Guest: Melissa Bamberg, Founder & CEO of Nodpod Episode theme: Creating a new product category, protecting it with IP, and scaling—debt-free.   I just sat down with Melissa Bamberg, the founder behind Nodpod, the strap-free weighted sleep mask that basically invented its own category. She built this business without outside funding, carries no debt, and owns 100%—all while raising three kids. Today Nodpod is an eight-figure brand with defensible IP and real retail presence. What stood out Category creator: Melissa didn't iterate—she invented the strap-free weighted sleep mask. Then she locked in utility and design patents to protect the moat. High-margin, right-sized product: Small, shippable, repeatable. The unit economics support healthy margins and efficient working capital. Bootstrapped discipline: No investors, no debt, no gimmicks—just methodical cashflow management in a business that requires inventory and AR. That's rare discipline. Customer-obsessed: She welcomes negative reviews because they reveal where to improve. That mindset shows up in product revisions and packaging tweaks. Long game, sudden ramp: It took about 10 years to get here. Now the foundation is set—and Nodpod could double this year on the back of brand pull and distribution.   My takeaway (coach's lens) Melissa is the blueprint for founder discipline: own the IP, own the margin, and own the cap table. She grew at the pace cash allowed, kept the brand authentic, and used feedback to get incrementally better every cycle. The quiet power move: designing a product that's simple to explain, feels magical in use, and ships profitably.   Founder notes you can steal Protect the core mechanism early (utility patent), then reinforce with design/IP around the experience. Choose a hero SKU with clean economics before expanding the line. Treat 1-star reviews like a roadmap, not a reputation threat. Build retail readiness off DTC proof: reviews, returns handling, packaging that demos the benefit in 3 seconds. Grow cash-first: forecast inventory against realistic sell-through, not hopes and headlines.

How Stuart Jenkins built a factory from scratch, faced rejection, and now is growing at 100% After 48 years in footwear, Stuart Jenkins didn't retire—he built a factory in China from scratch to launch Blumaka. What started as a bold leap turned into a brand doing nearly $5M and growing 100% year over year. This episode is for any founder in the grind—Stuart breaks down: ✅ How he found product-market fit across 3 channels: OEM midsoles, direct-to-consumer insoles, and his own Fleks brand ✅ The toughest rejections that almost broke the business ✅ Why sustainability isn't just a buzzword—it's a competitive advantage ✅ How to build a global team with minimal headcount ✅ Why conviction—not capital—is what gets you through chaos He's competing with giants—and winning. Watch how he did it. 🎧 Listen now

Warehousing mistakes don't just slow you down—they bleed cash. Adrian Stoch has seen it all. As CEO of Hai Robotics (Americas) and a Former Exec at Target and GXO, he's lived the automation nightmares most founders don't talk about. In this episode, we dig into: ✅ 3 costly automation mistakes that kill warehouse margins ✅ How to choose the right 3PL (most get this dead wrong) ✅ What small brands should automate now—not later ✅ Why outsourcing too early can break your customer promise ✅ How fast-growth brands can scale warehousing without chaos Founders—if you're stuck between DIY fulfillment and outsourcing, listen before you make a million-dollar mistake.

How Daniel Graves Bootstrapped a Bold Vodka Brand in a Crowded Market Daniel Graves is the CEO of Dirty Dill—a pickle-flavored vodka brand disrupting the spirits world from the inside. With just four employees and no outside funding, he's built a cult following and national momentum. In this episode, Daniel shares how he made the startup grind work—from bottling in-house to raising capital the hard way. You'll learn: How Dirty Dill bootstrapped and stayed profitable before raising capital How to structure a lean team when scaling with under 5 people Why branding beyond the novelty matters in saturated categories The funding lessons that helped them break through This is the no-fluff roadmap for small business CEOs grinding it out—real talk from someone who's living it. 🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast app and visit ApexCEO.co.

Randy Covington has been building businesses the old-fashioned way—through grit, long-term thinking, and putting people first. In this episode, we dive into his journey scaling a multi-generational family business into a $100M+ sales machine. Randy shares what it takes to transition leadership across generations, how to keep culture alive while growing, and why staying patient can often beat chasing shortcuts. You'll hear about: 🟡 The lessons from decades in consumer goods 🟡 How to manage family dynamics without killing the business 🟡 Why clarity and patience are often underrated growth levers 🟡 The mindset shift every founder needs when building a legacy brand This is a must-listen if you're running (or planning to run) a family-owned business and want to scale without losing what made it special in the first place.

🚨 From Flipping 100+ Homes to Building a 7-Figure Empire (with Credit) 🚨 Most people see credit as debt. Brandon Elliott sees it as leverage. He didn't start with money. He didn't have investors. But he's flipped over 100 homes, scaled a real estate portfolio across 4 states, and built a 7-figure brand helping others break free from financial stress. In this episode, Brandon breaks down: ✅ How he used credit to fund real estate deals (without hard money) ✅ The "velocity strategy" that turns flips into cash flow and long-term wealth ✅ Why most founders build too slow—when credit can 10x speed We also dive into his story: → Living out of a motel in NJ → Making $0 on his first 3 deals → Building Credit Counsel Elite from scratch No fluff. Just actionable steps to multiply your capital, fix your credit, and buy back your time. If you're stuck on the sidelines—or tired of trading time for money—this one's your shortcut.

Jim Estill scaled Danby Appliances to $400M without ever taking outside capital. In this episode, we go deep on what it really takes to grow a physical product business with no investors, no VC safety net, and no shortcuts. Jim shares: 🟡 How he scaled from the early days—before D2C and Amazon existed 🟡 Why he doubled down on niche products, not mass retail 🟡 How he manages risk without slowing growth 🟡 What he'd do differently after 40 years in hardware We also dig into what's changing in 2025—and what founders need to unlearn if they want to survive this market. This is a masterclass in lean, profitable growth—no Silicon Valley fluff.

🎙️ The Legal Levers Behind a Successful Exit with Pat Linden – M&A Attorney for Founder-Led Companies Pat Linden has helped 100+ founder-led companies exit—ranging from $10M to $500M+. In this episode, he walks through what great M&A lawyers actually do, how to protect your upside during diligence, and the legal landmines that kill deals. We also dig into the mindset shift founders must make—from operator to seller—and the prep work most companies forget. If you're planning to sell your business (or even just want the option), this is the dealmaker's roadmap you didn't know you needed. 🔑 Key Takeaways 🟡 When to bring in legal counsel—and how to pick the right one 🟡 The legal clauses that ruin exits (and how to prevent them) 🟡 The #1 way to de-risk diligence as a founder 🟡 How buyers think about reps, indemnities, and rollover equity #MergersAndAcquisitions #FounderExit #PrivateEquity #DealLawyer #ConsumerBrands #Entrepreneurship

Why EOS Fails: What Great Leadership Teams Do Differently with Paul DiCicco, Executive Coach & Fractional Integrator for organizations running on EOS Most EOS rollouts stall—and not because of the framework. Paul DiCicco is an Executive Coach and Fractional Integrator for organizations running on EOS. With 20+ years of leadership across military, corporate, and nonprofit sectors, he helps C-level leaders find better alignment in their leadership and life and serves as a Fractional Integrator at Beacon & Blade. In this episode, Paul breaks down the 3 biggest reasons EOS fails, what elite leadership teams do right, and how founders can finally get traction. If you're using EOS—or thinking about it—this is the episode that could save you a year of frustration. Key Takeaways: The top 3 EOS mistakes that derail companies How to build trust and ownership across the leadership team What real accountability looks like—and how to fix it when it's missing Tips from an Integrator who's been dropped into the trenches 🎧 Listen now and stop wasting time, money, and momentum.