My business card says, Consultant
Detailed enough?
I currently work for a management consulting firm. My writing focuses on the intersection of technology, consumer goods, and policy. Obviously, nothing here is representative of my employer’s views.
Previously, I established strategic initiatives with C-Level Executives at Fortune 100 companies, major non-profits, and small organizations that I care about. I’ve given keynotes at NYU Stern, helped write a book on strategic innovation, worked on building a financial service industry in a Caribbean country, and executed innovative initiatives that earned revenue within 5 months. I live in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Before this, I was at the Medici Group.
Before that, I was at the Council on Foreign Relations and U.S. Department of Commerce.
I have a Masters Degree in International Relations with dual bachelor’s in Economics and Political Science.
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Featured Writing
- LaCroix was a category leader and then National Beverage changed the sales strategyNational Beverage used smart marketing to create a sparkling beverage revolution with LaCroix. Then the company decided to play hardball with retailers.
- Retail Pricing, Fair Trade Laws, and the Rise of WalmartRetailers not manufacturers control retail pricing. This wasn’t always the case. Learn how politics informed commerce and ultimately enabled Walmart.
- Marc Andreessen misses the point with It’s time to buildMarc Andreesen’s “It’s time to build” is a prime example of the failed ethos of tech primacy.
- Kraft Heinz Is Dying a Death by a Thousand Cost CutsHow the private equity model drove one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies into a corner.
- Why did Dean Foods go Bankrupt? A Porter Model Analysis reveals the truth.Dean Foods went from an industry leader to bankrupt in a few years. A Porter Analysis reveals that industry structure had a much larger impact than previously imagined.
Recent Writing
- Beyond Meat News: big partnerships, but is it sustainable?In Beyond Meat news, the company announced deals with McDonald’s and Yum Brands! History shows this could transform the company–if people want what it sells.
- Is the Nestlé e-commerce strategy the future of CPG?The Nestlé e-commerce strategy is centered around premium products and customization enabled by smart M&A. It might just be the future of CPG.
- Kraft Heinz: Earnings boost and a smart sale of PlantersKraft Heinz earnings exceeded expectations. Here’s why the company is on an upswing and why the Planters sale makes strategic sense.
- Clorox earnings call reveals a targeted approach to international growthIn the Q2 2021 Clorox earnings call Management talked about using e-commerce for smart international expansion—a far cry from the CPG industry’s past approach.
- CPG and E-Commerce. What company is winning?For nearly a decade, CPG and e-commerce was an unknown. Post-COVID, it’s reality and we have the data to understand who is excelling and who is getting left behind.
- Kimberly-Clark looks to revenue growth management to combat commodity costs2021 is projected to feature a high level of commodity inflation. Learn how Kimberly Clark plans to use revenue growth management to drive profitability.
- Proctor and Gamble looks for a Trade ResetProctor and Gamble saw another successful quarter fueled primarily by COVID-19 related buying patterns and is looking to re-orientate its trade and marketing strategy.
- Ranking the 40 books I read in 2020Headlined by Master Switch and Nickel Boys, 2020 was a big year in readings.
- Conagra Brands invested in innovation and it’s working. Will it last?Conagra Brands had a successful Q2 2021 driven largely by their innovation efforts. Will the success last? A Porter’s model reveals it may be short-lived.
- Constellation Brands looks to e-commerce and DTCThe Q3 2021 earnings call gave insight into how Constellation Brands is building out an e-commerce juggernaut and revealed a monopoly hidden in plain sight.