#206 - Exit Interview: The Sale of Aura Bora
The Startup CPG Podcast
Startup CPG
4.9 • 642 Ratings
🗓️ 22 July 2025
⏱️ 51 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff is joined by Paul Voge of Aura Bora, who returns to share the full story behind the recent sale of his sparkling water brand. Paul takes us through the founding of Aura Bora, its rapid growth, and the hard financial truths of operating in the beverage industry. He dives deep into the reasons for selling, what the sale process looked like, and how changing investor expectations in CPG shaped their outcome.
From fundraising strategies and capital efficiency to navigating the saturated sparkling water space, Paul offers transparent, hard-won advice on what it really takes to build — and eventually exit — a consumer brand. He also reflects on what he’s learned about himself, creativity, and the importance of timing in business.
This is a must-listen for any emerging CPG founder or operator — candid, tactical, and full of real-life lessons.
Listen now!
Listen in as they share about:
- The Sale of Aura Bora
- Fundraising and Financial Journey
- Challenges in the Beverage Industry
- Decision to Sell
- Market & Exit Dynamics
- Entrepreneurial Reflections
- Personal Growth & Self-Discovery
- What’s Next for Paul
Episode Links:
Website: https://aurabora.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvoge/
Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.
Show Links:
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- Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
- Episode music by Super Fantastics
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Are you going to crush it on Amazon this year? |
| 0:04.0 | It's such an important channel, but it's so hard to do a loan, and most agencies are a total rip-off. We can't afford $5,000 a month and a commission on our sales. They just don't get it. That's why I love our partners at Daybreak. They are full service, meaning they do the creative work, the listings, the logistics, and of course, all the ads, all with the most reasonable retainer out there. |
| 0:22.9 | I work with them personally. |
| 0:24.2 | I'm so grateful we have such a good partner to recommend out to you, our community. |
| 0:28.1 | They do evaluate your product first to see if it might be a fit. |
| 0:30.9 | So if you want them to have a look, email them. |
| 0:33.0 | Startup CPG at daybreak.com. |
| 0:35.8 | And they'll do a free audit for you. |
| 0:37.4 | Good luck, everyone. |
| 0:52.2 | The things I felt I learned about myself. I think there's a lot of questions you can ask in your life, how, what, where, when, and I think always why questions end up being the most meaningful. And honestly, it might be the only things you remember. Like, the only thing I will remember in an Alzheimer's ward someday is like, why did I do this? |
| 1:12.2 | And why was it impactful? |
| 1:13.3 | And why did I care? |
| 1:27.7 | And I think at the beginning, you're trying to prove something to people. You're trying to prove something to your family. You're trying to prove something to your investors. You're trying to prove something to an industry. And the truth is, like, at the end of the day, as painful as it sounds like, unless you're born a twin, you come into this world alone and you go out of this world. |
| 1:31.4 | Startup CPGers, you are about to hear something truly special. |
| 1:34.7 | This podcast is a retrospective on the rise and eventual sale of auribora sparkling water. |
| 1:39.5 | And as usual, Paul Vogue just deals it straight. |
| 1:42.6 | He talks about what went well, his lessons for founders, |
| 1:45.2 | what the process of a sale is actually like, and more than anything, I just really loved |
| 1:49.3 | his reflections about the life of an entrepreneur in CPG and what it means to him looking |
| 1:54.4 | back on this journey. I think this should be played for everyone far and wide. It's an instant |
| 1:58.7 | classic. I hope you love it as much as I do. Enjoy. |
| 2:06.2 | Welcome everybody back to the Startup CPG podcast. I am really honored to have Paul Vogue back with us today. |
... |
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