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A bigger order can leave you with a smaller margin. That is an ugly way to learn what growth costs.
CPG founders will unpack the calls shaping their brands in 2026. The channels that moved product. The partners that mattered. The pivots they had to make.
Bring the decisions you are still wrestling with. Hear what these founders are changing as they finish Q4 & plan for 2027.
Why you should be in this room.
Hear which channels moved product & which ate margin.
Learn what founders wish they had asked before choosing a co-packer or distributor.
Explore where food service & alternative distribution could fit your brand.
Hear how founders responded when their customers, markets, or plans changed.
Pressure-test your 2027 assumptions against what these founders are seeing in 2026.
What's on the table.
Production & partners. Refining the recipe, choosing co-manufacturers, & finding partners who deliver what they promise.
Distribution & margin. Which channels earned their place, which disappointed, & what founders changed in response.
Finding the customer. What urban & suburban markets taught founders about who actually buys their products.
Food service & other routes. Where founders are looking beyond familiar shelves to move product.
The 2027 calls. Which trends held up, which missed, & what founders are carrying into next year.
Featured speakers.
Liv Truesdell - Founder, FROST Buttercream
Liv Truesdell started her career in consumer investment banking, working with food & beverage companies, which ultimately led her to launch FROST Buttercream. FROST is an all-natural Italian Meringue Buttercream made with real butter & egg whites, with ~57% less sugar than a leading buttercream & no palm oils, artificial dyes or preservatives. After hundreds of iterations, Liv created a new premium, refrigerated frosting segment in a category unchanged for ~71 years. FROST launched in NY/NJ retail in 2025, has since expanded across the country, & won the Startup CPG Shelfie Award within its first six months.
Glenn Johnson - Marketing Consultant/Fractional CMO
As a fractional CMO, Glenn Johnson works on a scalable basis with founders who are tired of bad execution, broken strategies, & agencies that just don't get it.
Whether launching from scratch or fixing a brand, packaging, & positioning that fails to translate, Glenn steps in to repair what's broken & build what's next.
Operating as Chief Storyteller, Creative Director, & Brand Strategist, he bridges high-level strategy with hands-on execution. From naming, logo design, & packaging to pricing architecture & true ICP targeting, Glenn nails how your brand looks, feels, & scales.
A former Madison Avenue VP/Creative Director specializing in luxury & bespoke audiences, Glenn is the trusted sounding board founders rely on to turn complex ideas into scalable brand equity. Moderating Ugly Talks for me is about unpacking the messy truths & hard lessons of entrepreneurship-sharing insights in an engaged & entertaining way.
Who's getting in.
Food & beverage founders building in crowded categories.
Early-stage CPG founders moving from commercial kitchens to co-manufacturing.
Operators working through production, distribution, pricing, & margin decisions.
Buyers & investors who want to understand what helps a brand move product & stay in business.
About Ugly Talk
Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough "aha!" moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons & insights.
With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, & Miami, we've built a vibrant community of thousands of founders & industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.
Official Website: UglyTalk.com
Important Notice for Ugly Talk Attendees
Admission & Confirmation
Attendance is by approval only. Approved guests will receive a confirmation email along with a calendar invite. Invitations are non-transferable. Additional event details will be shared as the event approaches.
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By attending, you agree to:
Maintain respect & professionalism, adhering to all venue rules, policies, & applicable laws.
Refrain from harassment, discrimination, unwelcome sexual advances (verbal or physical), intimidation, or inappropriate photography/recording.
Report any violations to the event hosts immediately.
Violations may result in immediate removal from the event & exclusion from future invitations.
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Participation is voluntary & at your own risk. The event organizers, hosts, sponsors, & venue are not liable for personal injury, lost or stolen belongings, or any other damages incurred during the event.
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If you do not agree to this Code of Conduct, please refrain from attending the event.
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