There’s a point where growth feels overwhelming. Sales are up, distribution is expanding, but nothing feels under control. The brands that move past this phase don’t chase new tactics. They get brutally clear about what they stand for and show up accordingly.
Perri Gordon has spent her career in CPG. Having worked at Kellogg, fairlife, and Tyson Foods, she now helps founders simplify their message, build repeatable systems, and avoid the costly mistakes that slow growth. Below, she breaks down what she sees brands get wrong and what moves them forward.
Tell us a little about yourself and your experience in the CPG world?
I’m a fractional CMO who helps emerging food and beverage brands go from scrappy to scaled. Over my career, I’ve built and led brands at every stage, from early traction to category leadership. This includes helping grow fairlife from an unknown startup into a $1B+ brand acquired by The Coca-Cola Company.
This shapes how I work with founders today. I’m not a deck-dropper. I get in the trenches with teams to build clarity, structure, and accountability into marketing, so every dollar, channel, and partner has a clear job to do. I bring big-brand discipline to growth-stage companies without stripping away the scrappy instincts that got them here.
What do you think separates the brands that break through from the ones that plateau at $5–$20M?
Breakthrough brands solve a real consumer problem and don’t let that message get diluted. They pick a point of view and repeat it in ways people actually remember.
Most of the brands I work with aren’t early scrappy startups anymore; but they’re not fully scaled machines either. They’ve built real traction and demand. The issue is that the systems, structure, and staffing that got them here can’t carry them to the next stage. Their success has outgrown the marketing engine behind it.
You’ve built go-to-market systems at a lot of different stages. What works for emerging brands with lean budgets and teams?
Whether you sold $5,000 of $5M last month, the foundations are the same: a clear strategy and a distinct visual identity built from that. You don’t need a big budget. You need focus, distinction, and consistency.
When a founder only has budget for one key marketing hire, which function has the highest ROI at the growth stage? Why?
At this stage, the business is changing fast. Don’t hire a specialist. Hire a hustling generalist who can take direction, figure things out, and execute the work that actually moves velocity. Pair them with clear strategic guidance from the founder or someone like me, and you’ll get far more impact per dollar.
What are the biggest mistakes emerging brands make when it comes to marketing?
Two common mistakes I see are:
1. Jumping to awareness marketing before they’re broadly available. It just burns cash.
2. Outsourcing media without understanding what’s being bought. You should know the terms, audiences, and what success looks like.
Many founders don’t know they have a problem until it’s too late. What are early warning signals they should watch out for?
Weak velocities, low repeat, and my favorite test, no one can explain the brand in one crisp sentence.
Imagine you’re stepping in as fractional CMO for a brand that has found product-market fit and is ready to scale. What does your first 90 days look like?
I start by setting clear priorities and building a marketing plan tailored to the brand, its consumer, and its specific market realities. Then I put the right routines and dashboards in place so we can review performance, optimize quickly, and keep every action tied to the growth goals.
What’s the most overrated marketing tactic in CPG right now? The most underrated?
Overrated: Performance marketing as a magic bullet. It has a role but is not the be-all-end-all.
Underrated: Distinctive brand assets and consistent storytelling, because memorability lowers future CAC more than any hack.
You’ve worked closely with a lot of founders. What’s one mindset shift that helps them get out of their own way as they grow?
Getting ultra clear on who they are and what their brand is. Once they get it into a simple one line statement, their retailer pitches, investor conversations, and overall confidence just flows more easily. It’s incredible to see!
CPG is getting more competitive. What would you do differently if you were launching a brand in 2025 vs. five years ago?
I wouldn’t rush to retail stores. I’d build a solid, profitable business in DTC and Amazon before I entertained retail.
Perri Gordon is a fractional CMO and brand marketing consultant who brings emerging food and beverage brands from scrappy to scaled. The “messy middle” is her sweet spot. With experience at Kellogg, fairlife, and other category leaders, she helps founders build marketing that actually works at scale.