For a new brand with low volume, securing a co-manufacturer isn't a simple transaction; it's a sales pitch. You must sell them on your growth story and mission. They need to believe in your future potential to justify taking on a small client.

Getting a partnership deal done requires more than a good pitch; it requires an internal advocate. Leaders should leverage their network to identify and cultivate a champion inside the target company. This person is critical for navigating internal bureaucracy and pushing the deal over the goal line, as "there's a million ways for deals to die."

A seemingly disastrous FDA recall became a pivotal opportunity. The manufacturer who previously declined to work with Bobbie was impressed by how the company handled the crisis—with compliance and transparency—leading to a crucial partnership.

Founders whose startups were acquired by large enterprises can become your most powerful internal champions. They understand the startup mentality, know how to navigate internal politics and procurement, and are often motivated to bring in better technology. Actively seek them out.

Beryl Stafford's big break with Whole Foods wasn't a cold pitch. The bakery manager was already a customer, buying the bars from a small, local co-op. This proves the strategy of dominating a small local market first can create pull from larger retailers.

In a highly competitive industry, Givaudan differentiates itself by not just responding to client briefs, but actively co-developing them. By helping clients define consumer targets and product positioning, they transform a potentially transactional sales process into a deep, collaborative partnership from the very beginning.

After being initially dismissed by a manager at a manufacturing company, that same manager was promptly let go. Now free from her corporate constraints, she became an ally and connected the founder with the exclusive manufacturing partner Beauty Blender still uses today.

Wild Rye's founder attributes success with overseas manufacturing to treating it as a long-term partnership, not a transaction. This was validated when her factory partners flew from China to her tiny Idaho office to express their belief in the brand and commitment to helping it grow, solidifying them as a genuine extension of the team.

The landmark partnership with Novo Nordisk wasn't won through a sales pitch. It was the result of a multi-year scientific relationship built on transparency. Consistently presenting progress, including failures, at conferences established deep institutional trust and credibility that proved invaluable.