#215 - Ask-Me-Anything with Sales Pro Matt Merson
The Startup CPG Podcast
Startup CPG
4.9 • 642 Ratings
🗓️ 23 September 2025
⏱️ 51 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Turn every BFCM QR code scan into sales—get the free report now: www.uniqode.com/bfcmcpg
In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff is joined by Matt Merson, Head of Strategy and Sales at Once Upon a Coconut, and a veteran executive with more than 30 years of experience in the CPG industry. Together, they dive into the most pressing sales questions from the Startup CPG community.
Matt shares his perspective on negotiating DSD contracts, managing free fills, and the critical role of strategy, culture fit, and attitude in building successful sales teams. Drawing from his extensive career across both large corporations and emerging brands, Matt offers founders practical advice to avoid common pitfalls and accelerate growth.
Tune in now to learn how to strengthen your sales strategy, make smarter distribution decisions, and position your brand for long-term success!
Listen in as they share about:
- Sales Compensation & Team Structure
- Working with Distributors
- Negotiating DSD Contracts
- Coupon Strategies
- Distributor Programs & Trade Shows
- Free Fills & Sell Sheet Best Practices
- Career Advice for Aspiring Sales Pros
Episode Links:
Website: https://onceuponacoconut.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-merson/
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:
- Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
- Join the Startup CPG Slack community (20K+ members and growing!)
- Follow @startupcpg
- Visit host Daniel's Linkedin
- Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
- Episode music by Super Fantastics
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | A few years back when I ran a beverage company, we had to launch using those plastic sleeves to put our designs on the cans. |
| 0:08.0 | But they looked bad, the sleeves get stretched out, they don't cover the full can, and overall they just look and feel low quality. |
| 0:14.0 | Lucky for you, digital can printing technology has come so far over the last few years that now you can launch your beverage brand or new skews with a fully |
| 0:21.7 | printed look and it's at similar pricing to those plastic sleeves. |
| 0:25.3 | Our friends at CanWorks, which is the largest U.S.-based digital can printer, are happy to work with |
| 0:30.1 | our community at very low minimums, even one palette. |
| 0:32.9 | They've got locations in the East Coast, the West Coast, Texas. |
| 0:36.0 | Get in touch with them through our contact form. |
| 0:38.2 | It's at canworksprinting.com slash startup CPG. |
| 0:42.7 | Thank you. The trade show itself is the output of all the work you do leading up and to the trade show, which is the input. |
| 1:07.1 | And if you don't do the work leading up into the trade show, your output will be bad. |
| 1:11.8 | If you do all the work, you know, trying to engage with buyers, trying to engage with, in this case, UNFI reps, contacting them, trying to get them to your booth, make sure buyers are attending. |
| 1:22.6 | Maybe you have some sort of premium like, hey, if you come to my booth, I have an Amex gift card or a Starbucks |
| 1:27.6 | gift card for you and your buyer. All that work leading up into the show will determine how well |
| 1:33.6 | you do with the show. Welcome to the startup CPG podcast. Today we are going deep on sales. We've got |
| 1:41.3 | Matt Merson. Matt's a 30-year sales pro who we are going to ask some of the most |
| 1:45.5 | common questions that we're getting from brands in our Slack channel. We are talking about |
| 1:49.8 | how much you should pay your sales team, how to work best with national and regional distributors, |
| 1:54.8 | the best use of coupons, sell sheet best practices, and a lot more. I really think that these |
| 1:59.7 | sales topics are some of the most useful ones for early stage brands out there. |
| 2:03.6 | So thank you so much to Matt for the help. |
| 2:05.6 | He's always so glad to share his incredible knowledge and help this community. |
... |
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