Smol but mighty: The CGO & CMO Fueling this £44M Disruptor in Homecare

Smol but mighty: The CGO & CMO Fueling this £44M Disruptor in Homecare

What’s the ACTUAL difference between a Chief Growth Officer and a Chief Marketing Officer,what do they do and why might a high-growth brand need both?

BGH host Fiona Fitz has been in the industry for 25+ years, and believe it or not, these roles are relatively new, borrowed from the worlds of tech and e-commerce, pure plays. So we decided it was high time to investigate what exactly a chief growth officer does and how they work alongside a chief marketing officer.

In this episode of Brand Growth Heroes, Fiona digs into that exact question with two of the most strategic minds behind one of the UK’s most successful DTC brands, smol. Neil Campbell is Chief Growth Officer, and Hilary Strong is Smol’s Chief Marketing Officer. Together, they break down how they work in tandem to scale a brand that’s grown to £44M in sales, without relying on traditional advertising or a big retail presence.

Neil and Hilary explore how customer lifetime value, subscription retention, and channel strategy combine to build a high-repeat-rate, mission-led brand. They also discuss how Smol segments its audience, turns data into action, and balances performance marketing with long-term brand building.

If you’ve ever wondered how to move from organic to scalable growth—or whether it’s time to bring in more senior commercial firepower to your team, this conversation will give you both the strategic context and the practical next steps. You’ll hear how Smol has built a brand so loved that customers travel across the country just to meet the team in person and why they’re still holding off on going big in retail despite the temptation.

This episode is packed with real-world insight, actionable strategy, and a glimpse into what modern DTC growth leadership really looks like. Enjoy!

Useful Links:

smol website

Connect with Neil Campbell

Connect with Hilary Strong

Follow smol on Instagram & Facebook

A small favour: If this episode inspires you to think about new ways to drive business growth, please hit FOLLOW and even leave a review! This tiny gesture means the world to us and allows us to share these nuggets of insight and value with you more often. We see every new follower and read every review, so thank you in advance!

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Thanks to Brand Growth Heroes’ podcast sponsor - Joelson, the commercial law firm

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If you're a founder, you already know how much of your energy goes into building the perfect product, creating standout branding and connecting with your consumers.

But don’t forget that scaling a CPG business also comes with a maze of legal complexities that can make or break your business journey. From contracts, term sheets and regulatory compliance to protecting your brand's intellectual property as you expand, it's essential to get it right.

And that starts with the right legal partner.

So we're thrilled to introduce Joelson, a leading commercial law firm that specialises in guiding the founders of scaling CPG brands, as Brand Growth Heroes' sponsor.

With long-term relationships with clients like Little Moons, Trip, Eat Natural, Bear Graze, and Pulsin, Joelson is also famous for advising the innocent founders in their landmark sale to Coca-Cola! As a female team, we are especially impressed by Joelson's commitment to championing female founders in CPG.

Not many law firms are also BCorps, nor do they specialise in helping founders navigate the legal challenges of scaling without stifling the creativity and momentum that got you here in the first place. So thanks, Joelson—we’re delighted to have you on board.

If you'd like to get in touch to find out more, why don't you drop them a line at hello@joelsonlaw.com!

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A tiny favour: If this episode inspires you to think about new ways to drive business growth, please could you click FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE on your favourite podcast app and leave a review?

This small gesture from you means the world to us, and allows us to share these nuggets of insight and value with you more often.

You won’t want to miss the next episode, in which Fiona Fitz talks with another successful founder of a challenger brand who shares more valuable insights into driving growth.

Please don't hesitate to join our Brand Growth Heroes community to stay updated with captivating stories and learnings from your beloved brands on their path to success!

Follow us on our Brand Growth Heroes socials: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Thanks to our Sound Engineer, Gyp Buggane, Ballagroove.com and podcast producer/content creator, Kathryn Watts, Social KEWS.

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How Bio&Me's 'Good for your Gut' Ranges are Driving Growth Across TWO Categories

How Bio&Me's 'Good for your Gut' Ranges are Driving Growth Across TWO Categories

Bio&Me offers consumers a range of granolas, porridges mueslis and yoghurts, all of which are allowed to carry the claim 'Good for your Gut'. In this episode:Dr. Megan and Jon tell us why Megan started Bio&Me instead of working with some well-known Big Food brandsThe science behind why Bio&Me was the first to be allowed to say that their products are 'Good for your Gut'How business is going now, and where it's going to next!

22 Sep 202140min

Dr. Will's: Taking on 'Big Food' in the Ketchup & Mayo Aisle

Dr. Will's: Taking on 'Big Food' in the Ketchup & Mayo Aisle

Dr. Will Breakey is the Co-founder of Dr Will's natural condiments brand. In this episode you'll hear:How Dr Will's is taking on Big Food in the Ketchup & Mayo aisleWhat it's like being a real doctor and the founder of a food companyAbout the brand's recent successes on social platforms like TikTok and LinkedInWhy did they choose to have a virtual teamAnd their recent crowdfunding, that resulted in nearly 800 new investors.

17 Sep 202129min

Scrumbles: How Pretty Poos are Driving Growth in Petfood

Scrumbles: How Pretty Poos are Driving Growth in Petfood

In this episode, Fiona speaks to Aneisha Soobroyen, founder of the gorgeous pet food brand Scrumbles, food for cats and dogs that's good for their gut AND good for the planet. Hear how 'pretty poos' are driving category growth, how Scrumbles competes in the highly competitive pet food category against global players, what it's like to work with your husband... and why they decided to raise funds early on in their growth journey.

14 Sep 202130min

Strong Roots: Heading for £100m by Driving Growth on a GLOBAL scale.

Strong Roots: Heading for £100m by Driving Growth on a GLOBAL scale.

Strong Roots has strong plans to hit £100 million in sales over the next few years.In this third episode together, the founder Sam Dennigan and I discuss HOW they're going to do this.So if you want to hear what big-ticket innovation really means, how Sam and his team are approaching international expansion in both the USA and Europe, how their foray into Dark Kitchens in New York City is going AND why they've brought their creative agency in-house - and how that works - then don't miss this! https://www.strongroots.com/usa/https://www.instagram.com/strongrootsusa/https://www.facebook.com/strongrootsirl

2 Sep 202137min

How to Build a €50M Brand - Twice. Founders of Fulfil Bars and Cali Cali Foods.

How to Build a €50M Brand - Twice. Founders of Fulfil Bars and Cali Cali Foods.

You may not know their names yet, but you certainly know the first of their €50M brands. Niall McGrath and Tom Gannon are legends in the Irish Consumer Goods industry, but in all fairness, they should actually be named and recognised as Consumer Goods brand-legends globally. The Founders of Fulfil Nutrition protein bars, they built this business to €60M in the 2 years after launch, and ranking in the Top 5 brands in Ireland. How did they do this? They are proud to have taken a systematic, strategic approach to brand building, an almost geeky dedication to The 4Ps and Byron Sharp's rules for Brand Growth.  Listen and weep at just how systematic serious success might need to be! Cali Cali FoodsInstagram Cali CaliFulfil Nutrition

16 Juni 202146min

Biotiful Dairy: Creating the Gut Health Category

Biotiful Dairy: Creating the Gut Health Category

Natasha Bowes, the founder of innovative Kefir company Biotiful Dairy, shares the spellbinding business story behind the brand's success.  It's a story that highlights the dedication, hard work, and obsessional focus on product quality that's necessary to become a brand leader in today's competitive marketplace. With a portfolio of 7 ranges and market retail sales value of around £30M, this is a brand we're going to see a lot more of in the future.

2 Juni 202143min

Minor Figures: The £30M Secret Success in Oat Milk

Minor Figures: The £30M Secret Success in Oat Milk

Minor Figures is the secret success story and insurgent brand that I really wasn't all that aware of before now. At its origin, Minor Figures is a coffee business that was started in 2013 by barista friends Jonathan Chiu, Stuart Forsyth and Will Rixon. But although its original home was in the food service channel, in recent years a tremendous amount of growth has come from the Oatmilk category in Grocery Retail.The business now has retail sales of around £30M, employs 71 people across 3 offices, and is selling in over 25 countries across the globe..  Fiona speaks to Commercial Director Ben Vear, who along with his team has been behind much of this transformational growth. instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minorfigures/facebook: https://www.facebook.com/minorfigures

17 Maj 202138min

How to win in Consumer Packaged Goods...without Competing

How to win in Consumer Packaged Goods...without Competing

Fiona talks to Alex Smith, the founder of innovative Strategy Consultancy Basic Arts. A TedEx veteran, Alex has got some really interesting and different ideas around how a brand can create uncontested market space, how we should all avoid the current trend of 'Blanding', and how Brand Purpose has been hijacked.I came across Alex's Ted talk when I was deepening my understanding of Blue Ocean strategy or how to compete in uncontested market spaces, and you can find it here.Alex has a a great weekly newsletter and an email-based short-course that will stretch your strategic brain, which you can sign up for here

4 Maj 202140min

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