Forbes - How This 27-Year-Old CEO’s Non-Linear Career Path Led Her To Katy Perry's Non-Alcoholic Drinks Brand
Scout Bransfield, CEO of De Soi, shares her journey from working in venture funds and incubators to leading a non-alcoholic beverage company co-founded by Katy Perry. She emphasizes the importance of networking and learning from others, highlighting how connections helped her transition into her current role. Bransfield discusses the challenges of building a new category in the beverage industry, particularly the need for perseverance and education in a market with both traditional and innovative elements. She also talks about the importance of maintaining a high standard while adapting to different team members' motivations. Bransfield's leadership style is characterized by direct communication and a focus on building a strong team. She stresses the significance of in-person experiences and community building in promoting the brand. Her approach to innovation involves testing new concepts and engaging with consumers to guide product development. Bransfield also highlights the role of youth and adaptability in her career and the company's growth, noting the increasing interest in non-alcoholic beverages among younger consumers.
Key Points:
- Networking is crucial for career growth and business success. Build and leverage connections to gain insights and opportunities.
- Building a new product category requires perseverance and education. Understand both traditional and innovative market elements.
- Direct communication and adaptability are key leadership traits. Maintain high standards while motivating team members.
- In-person experiences and community events are effective for brand promotion. Engage consumers directly to build brand equity.
- Youth and adaptability are assets in business. Embrace learning and innovation to connect with younger consumers.
Details:
1. 🌱 Embracing Growth and Lifelong Learning
- Embrace a mindset of continuous growth and learning, regardless of age, to enhance adaptability and resilience.
- Adopt the perspective that there is always more to learn, fostering a lifelong learning attitude that encourages exploration and development.
- Recognize the potential for personal development at any stage in life, which supports both personal and professional adaptability.
- Implement practical strategies such as setting specific learning goals, seeking feedback, and engaging with diverse learning resources to maintain a growth trajectory.
- Examples of lifelong learning include enrolling in online courses, attending workshops, or reading extensively, which can lead to improved skills and career advancement.
2. 🔍 Strategic Insights and External Influences
2.1. Strategic Insights from Leadership
2.2. Integration of AI Tools for Innovation
3. 🔗 From New Jersey to CEO: Scout Brank's Journey
3.1. Scout Brank's Career Path
3.2. Role and Achievements at Dysis
4. 🚀 The Thrill of Building Early-Stage Companies
- The company produces non-alcoholic cocktails and was co-founded by Katie Perry and Morgan Mclin, an award-winning Master distiller. The venture began in January 2022.
- The speaker emphasizes the nonlinear career paths many take, especially in the context of building early-stage companies.
- A key responsibility in the incubator stage was to develop the founding team structure, ensuring necessary skills like marketing and operational finance were covered.
- Proctor and Gamble invested tens of millions of dollars in product development, aiming to launch these products direct to consumer.
- There was a focus on understanding consumer resonance with the product and identifying the target consumer base.
5. 🥂 Joining Dysis: A Leap into Non-Alcoholic Beverages
- The speaker was motivated to join Dysis due to the opportunity to create an impact in 'taboo spaces' for women, particularly menopause care, indicating potential for significant societal contributions.
- A former colleague from McKenzie facilitated the transition to Dysis through LinkedIn, highlighting the importance of professional networking in career progression.
- Dysis faced substantial supply chain challenges during its incubation by Amass amid the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitating a dedicated leader to navigate these issues and optimize shared services. The speaker's role involved strategic oversight to tackle these logistical hurdles effectively.
- The mission of Dysis, focused on pioneering non-alcoholic beverages, aligns with broader societal shifts towards wellness and inclusivity, further driving the speaker's commitment to the role.
6. 🌟 Navigating Celebrity Partnerships and Brand Identity
- The CEO's combination of structured corporate experience and hands-on operational expertise created strategic alignment in the brand's vision, highlighting the importance of diverse leadership backgrounds.
- The brand capitalized on the rising consumer demand for non-alcoholic beverages and the strong leadership of female co-founders, showcasing an effective response to market trends.
- This venture marked the speaker's first experience with a celebrity-backed business, where leveraging a celebrity's platform for brand exposure was pivotal.
- Celebrity visibility led to an unprecedented volume of product sales in the first month, demonstrating the impact of celebrity influence on consumer behavior.
- A strategic focus is to develop the brand's identity independently from the celebrity's image, ensuring it remains appealing to consumers based on its own merits.
- The primary challenge is balancing the use of celebrity influence to expand the brand while also fostering a distinct brand identity, a common issue in celebrity partnerships.
- For example, the brand's approach contrasts with other celebrity brands like Fenty Beauty, which successfully established a strong identity beyond its celebrity founder.
7. 🤝 The Importance of Networking and Experience
- The CEO attributes her qualification for the role to a strong ambition and desire to prove herself, complemented by having an experienced COO, John Cochran, who has a history of successful turnarounds and leadership in the industry, such as at Fiji Water and in the spirits world.
- The CEO was appointed at age 27, demonstrating that passion and drive can be pivotal in leadership roles, especially when paired with industry expertise.
- Networking is emphasized as crucial, learned from previous startup experience, highlighting the importance of connecting with people who have prior experience in the field.
8. 💡 Fundraising and Strategic Relationship Building
8.1. Fundraising
8.2. Strategic Relationship Building
9. 🔄 Founding Doe: A Venture into Plant-Based Goods
- Strategic networking and relationship-building before seeking investment can attract significant investor interest, as evidenced by a crucial investment resulting from a serendipitous dinner encounter.
- Proactive networking through attending events and hosting gatherings fosters long-term, impactful connections crucial for business success.
- The decision to become a founder was driven by a desire to gain industry experience and insights from others, emphasizing the importance of learning before launching a business.
- Personal passion for plant-based baking led to the business idea, highlighting the potential of turning personal interests into successful ventures.
- Adopting a tech industry approach of launching a minimum viable product (MVP) to consumer packaged goods allowed flexibility and rapid iteration, crucial for product development.
- Iterative product development, involving frequent recipe adjustments, was essential for refining products without the pressure of early perfection.
10. 🎯 Leadership Styles and Team Dynamics
10.1. Entrepreneurial Journey and Lessons Learned
10.2. Partnership and Team Compatibility
10.3. Leadership Style and Communication
11. 🎢 Overcoming Challenges and Perseverance
11.1. Adaptive Leadership and Employee Motivation
11.2. Maintaining High Standards
11.3. Facing and Overcoming Challenges
11.4. Perseverance in Category Creation
11.5. Leadership in New Category Creation
12. 🔮 Innovating for the Future of Non-Alcoholic Beverages
12.1. Team Building and Restructuring
12.2. Navigating Distribution Complexity
12.3. Vision and Strategies for Future Growth
13. 🛍️ Engaging Consumers and Building Brand Loyalty
13.1. Innovative Product Development
13.2. MVP Approach to Product Launches
13.3. Consumer Engagement Strategies
13.4. Physical Engagement and Brand Experience
13.5. Community Building and Advocacy
14. 🏆 Celebrating Milestones and "I Made It" Moments
- Celebrating significant achievements such as being recognized in Forbes 30 under 30 is crucial for maintaining motivation.
- Key milestones include launching at Target and selling out specific products like the St. Moritz Mule, which are markers of success.
- Successfully raising a seed round is another major achievement, signifying growth and potential.
- Shifting focus quickly to future goals after celebrating accomplishments is essential for continuous progress.
- The notion of 'putting it in the piggy bank' suggests saving emotional and motivational reserves for challenging times, such as production mishaps.
- An ongoing drive for future 'I made it' moments is vital for sustained leadership and innovation.
15. 📅 A Day in the Life of a Visionary CEO
- The CEO begins her day with strategic meetings, including with the Director of Brand Marketing to drive new flavor ideation and event planning, directly influencing product innovation and market presence.
- Engages actively on LinkedIn, not only to share insights but also to build a personal brand that supports company visibility and thought leadership.
- Promotes team cohesion and morale through routine social activities like team lunches, reinforcing company culture beyond the office environment.
- Afternoon meetings, such as with Simple Mills' VP of Sales, focus on refining sales infrastructure, which are crucial for scaling operations efficiently.
- Administrative tasks, including email and to-do list management via Monday.com, ensure operational transparency and effective team collaboration.
- To prevent burnout, she sets strict boundaries like avoiding work on Saturdays, engaging in tennis, and participating in a women in business book club, which stimulates her mind and contributes to her personal growth.
- The book club, while a personal interest, indirectly benefits her professional life by broadening her perspective and enhancing cognitive flexibility essential for strategic decision-making.
16. 👶 Youthful Perspective and Strategic Future Vision
- Gen Z's preference for non-traditional alcohol consumption significantly influences D SWAT's growth strategy, highlighting the importance of understanding emerging consumer trends.
- The speaker leverages their youthful mindset as a strategic asset, fostering an environment of continuous learning and innovation.
- Strategically, the speaker expands their knowledge by consulting with experienced professionals, such as a VP of sales, and using advanced tools like AI to gain diverse insights.
- Innovative marketing strategies are crafted by observing consumer behavior, such as integrating Trey Rosé into social settings like book clubs, resulting in unique partnerships and marketing opportunities.