From Near Bankruptcy to Sum Good – How April Glavine Built a Better Electrolyte Brand скачать в хорошем качестве

From Near Bankruptcy to Sum Good – How April Glavine Built a Better Electrolyte Brand

Founder April Glavine shares how she turned a near-bankruptcy CPG lesson into Sum Good, a fruit-first electrolyte brand built on health and smart scaling. Are you building a product brand and hoping the margins will magically work themselves out later? In this episode of Small Business Pivots, Michael D. Morrison sits down with April Glavine, founder of Sum Good, a Canadian company pioneering fruit-first electrolyte shots and freezies made with pressed fruit and a potassium-forward formula. Named one of the Top 100 Women with Natural Products Canada, Rising Star of the Year 2022, and a 2024 EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, April also took Sum Good onto CBC’s Dragons’ Den where she secured a deal to help scale the brand nationally. April shares the hard lessons from almost going bankrupt with her first CPG company and how she used those scars to build a stronger, data-backed brand with Sum Good. From market validation and packaging strategy to clinical research and investor pitches, this conversation is packed with real-world insights for any founder trying to grow without burning out. In this episode, you’ll learn how to: Turn a near-bankruptcy experience into a blueprint for your next successful business Use market validation to test flavors, pricing, packaging, and messaging before you over-invest in inventory and design Prioritize cash flow and sales velocity instead of chasing perfect margins too early Think differently about electrolytes and hydration – including why Sum Good focuses on high potassium and low sodium for cognitive function and muscle repair Translate academic or clinical research into simple claims your customers actually understand Prepare for high-stakes pitches like Dragons’ Den, VC meetings, or bank presentations – and what investors are really looking for in the founder Apply global business management thinking so you don’t assume what works in one market will automatically work in another Build the right “informal” team around you as a solo founder – co-packers, brokers, creatives, and mentors who’ve both won and failed in your industry Whether you’re in food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, or any kind of product-based business, you’ll walk away with practical ideas to slow down, think smarter, and build something that can stand the test of time. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro and April’s journey from Newfoundland to global business management 04:15 – First business at 24, healthy vending, and the apple chip that started it all 10:20 – Packaging mistakes, cash crunch, and almost going bankrupt in CPG 16:40 – Why April created Sum Good as a better-for-you alternative to Pedialyte 22:30 – Market validation, focus groups, and getting honest feedback before scaling 28:45 – Clinical research, potassium vs sodium, nausea, altitude, and athlete hydration 37:10 – Using Sum Good for marathons, recovery, and everyday cognitive performance 43:30 – Preparing for Dragons’ Den and what investors really want to hear from founders 51:00 – Global business management, cultural nuance, and understanding your target market 57:40 – Building your support circle, learning from failures, and why “some good” is more than just a name 1:03:10 – April’s final advice for business owners – know your why and take care of yourself