About Proof of Pull

Most emerging food and beverage brands don't struggle because the product isn't good.

They struggle because the system around the product isn't built yet. Pricing that doesn't work in the real retail environment. Distributor relationships that lack alignment. Early traction that exists but has no clear path to scale.

That's the gap Proof of Pull was built to close.

Where this perspective comes from

I spent over a decade inside the wine and spirits distribution system in leadership roles across national accounts, retail chains, and fine wine portfolios. Later I moved into brand management at one of the fastest-growing wine companies in the US.

That experience gave me something most advisors don't have: I've sat on both sides of the table. I understand how distributors evaluate portfolios, how reps make prioritization decisions, and what the trade actually needs to see before it invests attention in a brand. I also understand what founders are trying to build and why the system so often feels like it's working against them.

It isn't working against you. It's working the way it was designed to work. The brands that scale are the ones that understand the design.

What I help with

I advise emerging food and beverage brands navigating the transition from product to scalable business. The work typically focuses on:

Route-to-market strategy — channel sequencing, distribution timing, and the system-level decisions that determine whether early momentum compounds or stalls.

Pricing architecture — building a price that works at every level of the supply chain, from FOB through distributor margin to retail shelf, without leaving the trade with economics that make your SKU easy to deprioritize.

Distributor alignment — getting the relationship right before the agreement is signed, managing it well after, and building the proof points that earn consistent rep attention.

Brand positioning — translating what makes the brand distinctive into something the trade can sell and the consumer can reach for confidently.

Who I work best with

Proof of Pull is built for brands at a specific inflection point — past the launch phase, facing real distribution complexity, and ready to make the strategic decisions that determine what the next three years look like.

Specifically, I work best with founders who have a strong product but an unclear distribution strategy, pricing that isn't working in the real retail environment, early traction but no repeatable path to scale, and a genuine desire to understand the system rather than just navigate it reactively.

If you're preparing to sign with a first distributor, renegotiating a relationship that isn't working, or trying to understand why velocity has stalled — that's the conversation I'm built for.

Start here

If you're new to Proof of Pull, the best place to start is the writing, where I cover route-to-market strategy, distributor dynamics, and pricing architecture from the inside — the same perspective I bring to every client engagement.

[Read the Distributor Strategy Guide] → proofofpull.com/distributor-strategy

[Read the Route-to-Market Guide] → proofofpull.com/route-to-market

If you're navigating a distribution decision, trying to understand why velocity has stalled, or preparing to scale beyond your current market, let's talk.

Ready to get started? Book a time that works for you.