Josh W.

Your brand is growing. Your operations aren't keeping up. The co-packer is missing deadlines. The financials live in three different spreadsheets. Your team runs on group chats and tribal knowledge. You're doing the job of five people (and none of them well) because no one ever built the actual operational engine underneath your brand. I've been exactly where you are. I founded and operated a regulated CPG brand for 14 years: product development, supply chain, government compliance, fundraising, and ultimately a Private Equity acquisition after pioneering compliant DTC in alcohol. I know what it feels like when the system breaks at the worst possible moment. And I know exactly how to fix it because I did. That's what I now bring to founders, PE-backed brands, and high-profile launches who are hitting the same walls I hit: an exited operator who has lived the chaos, built the infrastructure, and crossed the finish line. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 Most fractional executives have advised CPG companies. I built one. There is exactly one thing no McKinsey-trained consultant can offer you: I have been the founder staring at a failed label approval two weeks before launch. I have negotiated with co-packers who had all the leverage. I have prepared a data room for institutional investors while simultaneously running daily operations. I don't just prescribe solutions- I've lived the problems. And I can find money you didn't know you were losing. Through Excise Tax Drawback programs alone, I've helped clients recover $80,000 to $30M annually in unclaimed federal refunds, often covering my entire engagement cost within the first 90 days. No other fractional COO in the CPG space brings this with my depth of hands-on execution experience. 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗜 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 Scaling Founders ($2M-$10M): Your back-of-the-envelope operations are breaking under the weight of national retail or rapid volume growth. You need systems, not more hustle. PE & VC Portfolio Managers: Your CPG investment has real market momentum but operational fragility underneath. You need a trusted operator who speaks both startup and institutional. Pre-Exit Sellers: You're 12–24 months from an acquisition and your systems won't survive due diligence as-is. Every gap is a negotiating chip for the buyer. I close those gaps. High-Profile Founders: You have the capital, the audience, and the vision but zero CPG infrastructure. I build the regulated, scalable engine from scratch so you never have to become an expert in things you never wanted to learn. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 Business Infrastructure: ERPs, SOPs, financial controls, and organizational systems that make your business run without you in the room. Regulatory Compliance: TTB, FDA/FSMA, COLA approvals, state licensing; I navigate every layer of the regulatory environment so you don't have to. Supply Chain Architecture: End-to-end sourcing, co-packer management, 3PL networks, and landed cost optimization- even final product development. Capital Efficiency: Full P&L ownership, cash flow modeling, investor reporting, and cap table management; plus margin recovery through duty drawback programs and vendor renegotiation. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗪𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 Usually we start with an Operational Audit- a 2 to 4 week forensic review that tells us exactly what's broken, what's at risk, and where the hidden value is. From there we build the systems. And for clients who want an ongoing operational executive, I embed as your Fractional COO at whatever level your business needs, from tactical execution at $5,000/month to full strategic leadership at $10,000/month. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 Advised a top-5 global spirits company on a tariff recovery strategy that restored a $30M annual flow and positioned them for up to $100M in ongoing savings. Negotiated and executed an 8-figure PE acquisition after building the operational and financial infrastructure that made it possible (including a pivot into the first DNVB spirits brand). Cut production costs for an RTD brand through MRP implementation, vendor diversification, and supplier renegotiation. Secured TTB/COLA and Kosher compliance for a first-to-market beverage format on an accelerated launch timeline. Structured PE group operations from the ground up (SOPs, ERP integration, workflows) across multiple portfolio companies. If you're ready to stop running on hustle and start running on infrastructure, message me. Let's build the engine.