Military-Inspired Snacking: Launching Tactical Snacks for First Responders with Greg Potapenko

Performance marketing, affiliate media buying, and e-commerce brand building collide in this episode exploring how Tactical Snacks was built for military and first responders. ABOUT THE EPISODE ⸻ In this episode of The Truth About Social Ads, Jason Smith sits down with Greg Potapenko, a Canadian Army veteran and performance marketer who transitioned from affiliate marketing and paid media into building Tactical Snacks — a military-inspired better-for-you snack brand. Greg shares his journey from immigrating to Canada from the Soviet Union, serving more than two decades in the Canadian Army, competing in national marksmanship competitions, and building an affiliate marketing agency focused on Google Ads and direct response marketing. The conversation dives deep into the realities of affiliate media buying, the collapse many marketers experienced after iOS 14 updates, and how Greg leveraged his experience in e-commerce, paid ads, and consumer psychology to launch Tactical Snacks. The episode also explores startup validation, crowdfunding-style product launches, TikTok Shop strategy, and building a niche CPG brand for military, law enforcement, and first responders. ABOUT THE GUEST ⸻ Greg Potapenko is a performance marketer, Canadian Army veteran, and founder of Tactical Snacks. He previously built an affiliate marketing agency focused heavily on Google Ads, paid media, and direct response marketing before transitioning into consumer packaged goods and e-commerce entrepreneurship. With more than two decades of military experience and years in affiliate marketing and Shopify-based e-commerce, Greg combines direct response advertising expertise with community-driven brand building. Tactical Snacks focuses on low-sugar, low-calorie sweets and protein snacks designed for military personnel, first responders, and health-conscious consumers looking for better snack alternatives.