Brokers, Fractional Sales & the Real Mechanics of Retail Execution | Jonathan Skaare, Scout CPG

On this episode, we're joined by Jonathan Skaare, Founder & CEO of Scout CPG - the fractional sales and channel support firm built specifically for better-for-you CPG brands. Jonathan spent over 20 years in sales leadership roles at Kellogg's, Annie's, Vital Farms, and Acme Provisions before channeling all of that experience into helping emerging brands scale smarter without breaking the bank.We dig into the real mechanics of how emerging brands should think about sales infrastructure - when to use a broker, when to go fractional, and when to bring someone in-house. Jonathan breaks down why the broker model isn't actually broken, but that most brands don't understand what brokers can and can't do, and why that misalignment is where things fall apart.We get into retail execution, distributor velocity thresholds, and why getting on the shelf is only step one - getting off the shelf is the real work. Jonathan walks through his preferred approach to the natural-to-conventional transition, why he likes retailer-specific and regional brokers at early stage, and how Scout builds a financial model for every account before a brand sells into it to make sure the numbers actually pencil out.---------------Episode Highlights:🏗️ Why Jonathan built Scout CPG after 20+ years in sales leadership🤝 Why the broker model isn't broken - brands just misunderstand it💰 Broker compensation structures (retainer, commission, and hybrids)🚀 Fractional sales vs. broker vs. full-time hire - how to decide🛒 Why retailer-specific and regional brokers shine at early stage📦 Mile wide vs. mile deep - why distribution strategy matters more than door count📊 Velocity is king - the first 90 days on shelf🎯 How to transition from natural/specialty to conventional retail📝 What a great buyer deck actually looks like (5-6 pages max)💸 Scout's "customer planner" - modeling profitability before selling in⚠️ Common mistakes brands make in buyer meetings👀 Why you should visit the store before you pitch the buyer---------------Table of Contents:00:00 – Intro00:44 – Origin story and the why behind Scout CPG03:05 – How Scout differs from a traditional broker05:55 – Why the broker model isn't broken07:16 – Broker compensation structures10:05 – How Scout's financial model works differently12:28 – Fractional sales vs. broker vs. full-time hire17:00 – Regional vs. national vs. retailer-specific brokers20:58 – Choosing the right channel and region first23:42 – Retail execution: good ideas, bad implementation25:44 – Going a mile wide vs. a mile deep28:19 – The first 90 days on shelf32:20 – Natural to conventional transition35:33 – Building a buyer presentation that works39:07 – The customer planner: financial modeling before selling in42:13 – Where to follow Jonathan and Scout CPG---------------Links:Scout CPG – https://www.scout-cpg.com/Follow Jonathan on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-skaare-b9126922/Follow me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out https://www.kitprint.co/Shout out to my friends over at Glimpse, the go-to partner for automating retail-related back-office operations and unlocking margin trapped in invalid fees and manual processes.Are you in the market for a new flexible packaging partner? Check out HD Packaging. Third-generation, family-owned and built for the needs of category leaders like Newman’s Own and A Dozen Cousins. Faster launches, lower costs, and no artwork fees.