Instead of starting in a kitchen, CPG entrepreneur Emma Hernan bought a manufacturing facility first. This generated revenue by co-packing for other brands, secured her own supply chain, and created multiple income streams from a single asset before her product even launched.

Facing a business-ending ventilation issue with no money left, the founders jackhammered a hole into a 20-story garbage chute to create an exhaust flue for their roaster. This "ask forgiveness, not permission" mindset demonstrates the scrappy resourcefulness required to overcome early obstacles.

To overcome early capital constraints, Beryl Stafford formed an LLC with Justin's Nut Butters. They shared a commercial kitchen, employees, and even a bookkeeper, allowing both nascent CPG brands to scale operations affordably.

Needing a larger kitchen for his squeeze pack machine but unable to afford it alone, Justin Gold partnered with another local CPG brand, Bobo's Oat Bars. They shared the facility, employees, and costs, manufacturing their products on alternating days to scale affordably.

Instead of focusing solely on capital, founders should bring on an experienced industry advisor. This person's relationships with major retailers can unlock distribution channels and strategic growth, as seen with Justin's Nut Butter, providing more immediate value than just a cash injection.

To secure one of their first major corporate accounts, co-founder Chrissy Holler bypassed traditional channels by sneaking into the Google campus cafeteria. She found the chef and pitched them directly, successfully getting the product stocked for employees.

When the distributor UNFI required a 30-40 store minimum, Justin Gold bypassed them by offering direct delivery and shelf-stocking services to a single Whole Foods store. This "do things that don't scale" approach got his foot in the door at a key retailer.

Instead of making a large, debt-heavy leap like buying a new property, founders facing a capacity bottleneck should identify the smallest possible step that meaningfully increases output. This could mean subletting space or a short-term lease to test new capacity before committing significant capital.

When contract manufacturers rejected making his nut butter squeeze packs due to allergy liability, Justin Gold saw an opportunity. He realized this barrier to entry meant that if he could build the manufacturing capability himself, he would face little to no competition.