Taja Dockendorf is the Founder, Owner, and Creative Director at Pulp + Wire, a female-founded, award-winning, full-service, CPG branding and marketing agency. Pulp + Wire specializes in helping natural and organic foods, cannabis, hemp, and lifestyle brands discover their identities and create websites, packaging, and social media strategies that resonate with their audiences. 

Taja has built P+W into one of the most in-demand, referred design houses in the Northeast, and her creative approach to a client-centric and holistic business model has consistently earned the company multiple graphic design and advertising awards. She is a regular contributor to Forbes, focusing on team culture in the creative space, and has been featured in The Dieline, Graphic Design USA, and Food Manufacturing Magazine, among other publications. Before Pulp + Wire, Taja co-founded multiple other brands and companies.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [01:59] How to scale while maintaining authenticity
• [03:59] The value of controlled growth
• [05:23] Demonstrating product value to consumers
• [07:26] Creative ways to generate brand engagement and connection

In this episode…

With so much innovation and noise in the CPG market, brands must adapt and differentiate themselves from the competition, all while remaining consistent with their values and keeping the consumer at the forefront. What can you learn from five CPG brand founders who have balanced these responsibilities amid a rapidly evolving market?

When scaling your brand, you must ensure your products remain true to your company’s core. Junea Rocha recommends making small changes to your manufacturing over time, while Hector Saldivar warns against growing too quickly and instead suggests building relationships with key retailers and investing in channels that complement your products. Advertising in stores is no longer enough to capture consumers’ attention, so Alison Cayne has merged digital shopping with in-store experiences by offering consumers online recipes for her products. Whether operating in the restaurant or DTC space, consumer engagement and connection are crucial. Jake Karls has developed a brand persona that exudes positivity, and Nabeer Alamgir has dedicated his brand to fostering connections with restaurateurs. 

In the Brand Alchemist Podcast’s exclusive compilation episode, Taja Dockendorf reviews her top five episodes. With insights from Junea Rocha, Hector Saldivar, Alison Cayne, Jake Karls, and Nabeer Alamgir, Taja reflects on generating brand engagement and connection, how to scale sustainably, and how to position your products in front of consumers.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Taja Dockendorf on LinkedIn
• Pulp + Wire
• Junea Rocha on LinkedIn 
• Brazi Bites
• Hector Saldivar on LinkedIn
• Tia Lupita Foods
• Alison Cayne on LinkedIn 
• Haven’s Kitchen
• Jake Karls on LinkedIn | Instagram
• Mid-Day Squares Website | Instagram | TikTok | LinkedIn
• Nabeel Alamgir on LinkedIn
• Lunchbox 

Quotable Moments:

• “In CPG, making tiny concessions over time can lead to a completely different product than you initially set out to create.” 
• “Growing too fast isn’t sustainable. Focus on specific retailers, key accounts, and complementary products to streamline and manage effectively.”
• “The answer to helping consumers understand our value is giving them recipe ideas that connect digital exploration with in-store experiences.”
• “Energy is powerful. It’s about dancing, laughing, and being unapologetic — what the world needs to feel connected to a brand.”
• “Restaurateurs are the hardest working people, but they need tools to communicate and connect, especially during challenging times like a pandemic.” 

Action Steps: 

1. Commit to consistency in product quality: Maintain a steadfast commitment to preserving the original quality of your products, even as your company scales. This prevents the dilution of your brand’s essence and ensures long-term consumer trust and satisfaction.
2. Focus on strategic growth: Instead of rapid expansion, cultivate relationships with specific key accounts and channels that complement your existing product lines.
3. Leverage digital tools for consumer engagement: Utilize digital platforms to create seamless connections between online consumer interactions and in-store experiences, enhancing brand awareness and making it easier for consumers to access recipes and promotional offers.
4. Infuse emotion and energy into branding: Create a brand experience that evokes emotions and relatability beyond just the product attributes, increasing consumer loyalty and building a stronger brand legacy.
5. Enhance communication with innovative branding: Encourage entrepreneurs to find and use their distinct voices to connect with their audience, maintaining customer relationships and brand presence during challenging times.