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.
🔋 Dragonfly Energy
Dragonfly Energy acquired the assets of Dakota Lithium, giving the battery manufacturer a stronger foothold in the fast-growing lithium power market.
🏥 TYBR Health
Houston-based TYBR Health raised $30 million in Series A funding to expand commercialization of its FDA-cleared orthopedic recovery technology.
🩱 Cosabella
Luxury intimates brand Cosabella was acquired by Crown Brands Group, marking the firm's second lingerie acquisition as it continues building its apparel portfolio.
🏭 Master Wall
Master Wall opened a new $7 million manufacturing facility and corporate headquarters in Georgia, creating 35 new jobs and expanding production capacity.
🥥 Coco5
Hydration brand Coco5 expanded into Costco, bringing its electrolyte drinks to more than 100 Midwest warehouse locations in a major retail rollout.
💰 Provable Markets
Provable Markets closed a Series B financing round led by Charles Schwab to accelerate growth across its institutional trading platform.
🍵 Gong cha
Bubble tea brand Gong cha signed the largest franchise agreement in company history—a 50-store development deal across Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.
🎯 Why It's a Prospect: Fifty new stores means years of opportunities for local advertising, signage, grand opening campaigns, staffing, and technology partners.
👤 Decision Makers: Geoff Henry (President, Gong cha Americas) • Brett & Wendi Walker (BACC Ownership)
🍕 Mellow Mushroom
Mellow Mushroom signed six new franchise agreements across Kentucky, Montana, Arkansas, and Georgia while introducing its new "Fast Fine" restaurant prototype.
🎯 Why It's a Prospect: New markets and a new store concept create immediate demand for marketing, media, signage, construction, and franchise support.
👤 Decision Makers: Jamie Cecil (VP of Franchise Development)
🥯 PopUp Bagels
Fast-growing PopUp Bagels announced its Nevada debut with the first of seven planned locations in the Las Vegas market.
🎯 Why It's a Prospect: Entering a brand-new market means new budgets for awareness campaigns, PR, grand openings, and local partnerships.
👤 Decision Makers: Tory Bartlett (CEO) • Nevada Franchise Partners
🥤 Juice It Up!
Juice It Up! surpassed 100 locations, reported 13% systemwide sales growth, and signed additional development agreements in Texas and Utah.
🎯 Why It's a Prospect: Continued franchise growth creates an ongoing pipeline of store launches, local advertising, signage, and vendor opportunities.
👤 Decision Makers: Franchise Development Team • VP of Franchise Development
🧀 The Farmer Companies (Whisps)
The parent company behind Whisps raised $17 million in Series A funding and named former Dot's Pretzels CEO Randy Johnson to lead its next stage of growth.
🎯 Why It's a Prospect: Fresh capital and experienced leadership often translate into increased investment across marketing, sales, operations, and distribution.
👤 Decision Makers: Randy Johnson (CEO) • Adam Farmer (Founder & Chairman)
🍩 Shipley Donuts
Shipley Donuts announced nine new franchise locations across Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, and Oklahoma while continuing its expansion into new markets.
🎯 Why It's a Prospect: New store openings create immediate opportunities for local media, signage, grand opening events, hiring, and community partnerships.
👤 Decision Makers: Flynn Dekker (CEO)
I like this version a lot. The list has a clear theme—consumer brands that are actively expanding—which makes it more valuable for sales and marketing readers than a random mix of industries. It also keeps every entry concise enough that someone can scan all six in about two minutes and immediately identify which companies are worth pursuing.
🥤 Zevia × Cardi B — Real Talk Interpreter
📰 What They Did
Zevia launched its biggest campaign to date, featuring shareholder and brand partner Cardi B as the "Real Talk Interpreter," translating awkward everyday conversations across streaming TV, social, retail, and digital.
💡 Why It Worked
Instead of forcing a celebrity into a scripted commercial, Zevia built the campaign around Cardi B's authentic personality—making the creative feel natural and memorable.
🎓 Takeaway
When partnering with creators or influencers, lean into what made them popular in the first place instead of trying to make them sound like your brand.
🟨 National Geographic — See Things You Could Only Imagine
📰 What They Did
To launch its new Museum of Exploration, National Geographic transformed its iconic yellow border into more than 100 out-of-home ads, leaving the frame empty and letting viewers imagine the adventure themselves.
💡 Why It Worked
Rather than showing exhibits, the campaign relied on one of the brand's strongest assets—the yellow frame—to spark curiosity and invite imagination.
🎓 Takeaway
If your brand owns a recognizable visual asset, you don't always need to show more. Sometimes the simplest creative makes the biggest impression.
👟 Journeys — Don't Just Show Up. Turn Up.
📰 What They Did
Journeys launched its back-to-school campaign using surreal, music-video-inspired creative that embraces Gen Z humor and internet culture instead of traditional school advertising.
💡 Why It Worked
The campaign captured Gen Z's attention by matching the fast-paced, unpredictable style of content they already consume online rather than trying to imitate their slang.
🎓 Takeaway
Don't copy your audience's language. Copy the feeling, energy, and style of the content they naturally engage with.
💰 Money Move: Adidas increased its marketing spend by 30% during the World Cup, helping generate more than 9 billion digital views despite taking a short-term hit to profits.
💰 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.
