Welcome to The Weekly Starter.
Officially voted the #1 sales & marketing newsletter. -No source provided-
Every Monday, we'll help you start the week a little smarter with:
🐓 Fresh Off the Roost
The business moves worth knowing.
🎯 Prospecting List
Companies showing buying signals worth your attention.
🎥 Campaigns to Watch
Marketing worth studying.
💰 Where's the Money?
Where advertising budgets are actually moving.
We do the homework. You take the credit.
Let's get this week started.
🥃 Palm Republic Rum lands Southern Glazer's
The emerging craft rum brand just signed with Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, expanding into eight new states—a milestone that often signals national growth is on the horizon.
🍇 Fruit Bliss lands every Erewhon
Fruit Bliss secured shelf space in all 12 Erewhon stores at once, giving the emerging snack brand one of the most coveted retail wins in natural foods.
🥪 Penn Station drops "East Coast Subs"
Penn Station officially shortened its name while expanding its menu and entering new markets, proving the rebrand is about growth—not just a new logo.
📖 View Story
✍️ Passionfroot raises $15M
The creator marketing platform behind newsletter and podcast sponsorships just raised $15 million as B2B brands continue shifting marketing dollars toward creators.
🥤 Wild Bill's keeps rolling
Wild Bill's Craft Beverage Co. expanded to 20 franchise operators and expects nearly 60 locations nationwide by year-end.
📖 View Story
🍔 Nick the Greek
🚨 Buying Signal: 📍 Expansion
Surpassed 100 locations while reporting 18.2% same-store sales growth, fueled by increased customer traffic and new menu innovation.
💡 Why It Matters: Continued expansion typically leads to additional investment in marketing, operations, franchise development, and technology.
👤 Best Contact: Nick Tsigaris LinkedIn
☕ Black Rock Coffee Bar
🚨 Buying Signal: 📍 New Locations
Opened new locations in Arizona and Texas while continuing its aggressive expansion strategy toward 1,000 stores.
💡 Why It Matters: Every new location creates opportunities for local marketing, staffing, signage, promotional products, and technology vendors.
👤 Best Contact: Jessica Wegener-Beyer Linkedin
🧋 HTeaO
🚨 Buying Signal: 📍 Franchise Growth
Added new locations while continuing its rapid expansion toward nearly 200 stores nationwide.
💡 Why It Matters: Fast-growing franchise systems consistently invest in local advertising, staffing, signage, technology, and operational partners.
👤 Best Contact: Kelsey McManemin Linkedin
🥭 Fruit Bliss
🚨 Buying Signal: 🛒 Retail Rollout
Expanded into all 12 Erewhon locations across Southern California, significantly growing its premium retail footprint.
💡 Why It Matters: Retail expansion often leads to increased investment in packaging, shopper marketing, in-store promotions, and retail partnerships.
👤 Best Contact: Susan Leone Linkedin
🚜 TerraFirma
🚨 Buying Signal: 💰 Funding + 🏭 New Facility
Raised $100 million in Series A funding while building a new Texas factory and hiring more than 300 employees.
💡 Why It Matters: Facility expansion drives spending on equipment, recruiting, software, safety, real estate, and infrastructure.
👤 Best Contact: Noah McGuinness Linkedin
📦 Detpak USA
🚨 Buying Signal: 🏭 New Facility
Opened its first U.S. manufacturing facility in South Carolina and is ramping production ahead of full operations.
💡 Why It Matters: New manufacturing facilities create demand for logistics, staffing, maintenance, safety, and supply-chain partners.
👤 Best Contact: Hector I. Morales Linkedin
🧬 Crystalys Therapeutics
🚨 Buying Signal: 💰 Funding
Closed a $130 million Series B to support Phase 3 clinical trials and commercialization.
💡 Why It Matters: Companies preparing for commercialization typically increase spending on recruiting, regulatory support, marketing, and technology.
👤 Best Contact: James Mackay Linkedin
🍔 Burger King — Whopper Guarantee
📝 What They Did
Burger King introduced its new Whopper Guarantee, promising customers a remade burger plus a free Whopper if they're unsatisfied. Rather than simply claiming better quality, the campaign backs it with a real customer promise.
💡 Why It Worked
The campaign turns customer skepticism into the headline. Instead of avoiding criticism, Burger King leaned into it—and built trust through accountability.
✏️ Takeaway
If customers keep asking the same question, don't hide from it. Make the answer your marketing.
🥤 ARMRA — Colostrum Soda Launch
📝 What They Did
Instead of launching nationwide, ARMRA debuted its new Colostrum Soda through an exclusive activation at Erewhon before expanding into Sprouts and Whole Foods. The strategy turned one influential retailer into a social media engine.
💡 Why It Worked
Rather than trying to convince everyone at once, ARMRA created buzz where trendsetters already shop—letting social proof fuel broader awareness.
✏️ Takeaway
Launch where your biggest fans already are. A smaller, influential audience often creates more momentum than a massive audience.
🏆 Teremana Tequila — The World's Longest Foosball Table
📝 What They Did
Teremana Tequila brought its "Share the Table, Share the Mana" brand promise to life by building a 525-foot-long foosball table at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, setting a new Guinness World Record. More than 500 fans participated in the match while customizing jerseys representing all 48 World Cup nations and enjoying live commentary from ESPN's Laura Rutledge and comedian Jay Pharoah.
💡 Why It Worked
Great experiential marketing gives people something worth talking about—not just something worth seeing. Instead of simply sponsoring the FIFA World Cup conversation, Teremana created a one-of-a-kind experience that generated media coverage, social sharing, and user-generated content all from a single event.
✏️ Takeaway
Your best marketing doesn't always need a bigger budget—it needs a better story. Ask yourself: "Would someone tell a friend about this without being asked?" If the answer is no, rethink the idea.
💰 Money Move: Kraft Heinz announced a landmark multi-year partnership with Disney as part of its $600 million brand investment, bringing co-branded marketing, products, and experiences across Disney parks, streaming, and retail.
💰 Why This Matters
Where brands invest usually tells you where they're headed next. Understanding ad spend trends won't just make you smarter—it might help you ask better questions on your next sales call.
💰 Prospecting Tip
If your ideal customer works in marketing, ask where they're shifting budget—not where they're spending today. Budget changes often create more opportunities than budget totals.
