Podcasts | The Digital Transformist by Caxy

Are you a CPG brand struggling to scale without breaking the bank on senior talent? In this episode of The Digital Transformist, host Michael LaVista sits down with Les Hamilton, founder and CEO of CPG Integrated, to reveal the strategic moves CPG brands should make today to break through growth barriers. You'll discover why most growing brands get "sticker shock" when hiring senior executives and how fractional leadership across five key pillars (sales, marketing, supply chain, finance, and IT) can solve this problem. Les shares insider insights from his time as a Target buyer, revealing what makes emerging brands stand out and get picked up by major retailers. He also breaks down critical supply chain strategies that can make or break your business, especially in today's volatile market. Les Hamilton brings a unique triple perspective to CPG: retailer experience at Target, agency work at Emerson Group, and manufacturing leadership as Chief Revenue Officer at Highlands. His company CPG Integrated helps small to medium-sized health and beauty brands (typically $1-30M) access senior-level expertise without the full-time cost. Fresh insights from Expo West included, plus what trends are hot and what's already passé.

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Episode Summary

In this insightful episode of the Caxy podcast, CEO Michael LaVista sits down with Les Hamilton, founder and CEO of CPG Integrated, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing emerging consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands. Hamilton brings a unique perspective to the conversation, having worked across the retail spectrum -- from buyer at Target to agency work at Emerson Group, and as chief revenue officer at an over-the-counter natural medicine company.

The discussion dives deep into the operational realities that small to medium-sized health and beauty brands face as they scale from startup to sustainable business. Hamilton explains how his fractional executive model addresses the critical gap between what growing companies need and what they can afford, offering senior-level expertise across five key business pillars: sales, marketing, supply chain, finance, and IT. The conversation reveals why many companies struggle with internal alignment and how proper planning across departments is essential before pursuing major retail partnerships.

Key Takeaways

Operational readiness comes before sales growth -- Companies need solid supply chain and financial foundations before pursuing major retail partnerships
Fractional executives offer cost-effective expertise -- Senior-level talent can be accessed at a fraction of full-time hire costs while delivering proven results
Cross-departmental communication prevents costly friction -- Sales teams need to coordinate with supply chain before making commitments to major retailers like Walmart
Multiple supplier relationships are essential -- Having secondary suppliers for bottles, caps, labels and other components protects against supply chain disruptions
Values alignment matters in business partnerships -- Successful collaborations require shared integrity and belief in both the product and the people behind it
Integration beats consultation -- Developing strategy AND helping execute it creates more value than just providing recommendations
Growing companies face predictable sticker shock -- The gap between needing senior talent and being able to afford traditional hiring models creates opportunities for innovative solutions

Notable Quotes

"We've got to be successful internally before we can be successful externally. And so really that communication piece that is paramount for any of this to work."

"I didn't want to be consultants, right? I wanted to have my senior level executives come in, develop the strategy and then help you execute the strategy along the way. I didn't want to just say, hey, here's what you got to do. I'm out of here."

"If you are not aligned, or if CPG integrated is not aligned with the company from an integrity standpoint, from a morals value standpoint, because I am very much a relational people person, then I don't think it's going to be very good fit."

"Sometimes you get that clash between sales and supply chain. It's like, you know, hey, we just got Walmart and supply chain is like, we can't supply that. You know, we don't have the raw materials we didn't buy."

About the Guest

Les Hamilton is the founder and CEO of CPG Integrated, a fractional executive firm specializing in health and beauty CPG brands. His diverse background spans the entire retail ecosystem -- from his early days as a buyer at Target, where he developed a passion for helping emerging brands break into the industry, to agency work at Emerson Group, and most recently serving as chief revenue officer at Highlands, an over-the-counter natural medicine company. This comprehensive experience across retailer, agency, and manufacturer perspectives gives Hamilton unique insight into the challenges facing growing CPG companies and the operational excellence required for retail success.