Cosmetics, Contract Manufacturing, and Leading through Exponential Growth with Dynamic Blending’s Gavin Collier

Manufacturing Happy Hour · 2 Mar 2021 · 36m

What this episode covers

Gavin Collier, CEO of Dynamic Blending, explains how the Utah-based contract manufacturer achieved 11,300% growth in 2020 by offering a true turnkey service that includes R&D, graphic design, and logistics for cosmetics and oral care products. Collier details the company's evolution from an R&D consultancy to a full-scale manufacturer, highlighting the importance of serving underserved customers with small minimum order quantities. He attributes this success to a customer-centric culture, a high-quality team of former Fortune 500 executives, and a willingness to take significant personal and financial risks as an attorney-turned-entrepreneur.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 8m

    From Garage Startup to EMS Excellence with Out of the Box COO Allison Budvarson

    Allison Budvarson, Co-Founder and COO of Out of the Box Manufacturing, explains how her company evolved from a 2008 garage startup to a 70-employee contract manufacturer serving aerospace and defense clients. She details their hybrid business model, which balances 50% revenue from rapid prototypes with 50% from established local OEM products, supported by AS9100 and ITAR certifications. Budvarson discusses the operational challenges of managing fluid schedules and the strategic decision to reshore production despite higher onshore costs, citing intellectual property safety and collaboration benefits. Finally, she highlights the critical industry-wide talent shortage and her proactive approach to recruiting through high school engagement, apprenticeships, and maintaining gender parity in management.

  • How I Built This · 49m

    Advice Line with Katlin Smith of Simple Mills

    Katlin Smith, founder and CEO of Simple Mills, joins Guy Raz to answer questions from three founders about scaling physical product businesses. She advises Scott of Upcycle Foods on adapting recipes for contract manufacturers, Tim of Grumpy Dad Sauce Company on the financial risks of going 'all-in,' and Marissa of Sweet Paws on focused marketing strategies for their silicone pet products. Smith shares her own journey from kitchen experiments to a brand sold in nearly 30,000 stores, recently acquired by Flowers Foods for nearly $800 million.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 56m

    #97 Co-Packing 101: Tapping into a Motherlode of Co-Packing Wisdom

    Kit Maxfield, CMO and Partner, and Adam Bender, New Product Development Manager at Motherlode Co-Packing, explain the complexities of working with contract manufacturers. They discuss the co-packer business model, the critical importance of volume and brand readiness during outreach, and the technical challenges of scaling recipes from benchtop to production. The conversation covers best practices for onboarding, including the necessity of weight-based formulas, in-person R&D sessions, and understanding financial terms like MOQs and tiered pricing.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 41m

    Founder Feature: Lindsay Hancock of My Better Batch

    Lindsay Hancock, founder of My Better Batch, explains how she identified a gap for premium, clean-label cookie mixes in a category dominated by legacy brands like Pillsbury and Betty Crocker. She details the challenges of finding a scalable co-manufacturing partner who could handle rapid growth and the strategic importance of securing non-GMO certification and woman-owned business status to differentiate her product to retail buyers. Hancock also discusses navigating formal category review cycles, leveraging broker relationships, and preparing for a national expansion with an upcoming launch at Sprouts.

  • Product Startup · 55m

    013: From Kitchen to Amazon, Launching All-Natural Cake Mix for Dogs with Kelly Costello of Puppy Cake

    Kelly Costello, founder of Puppy Cake, explains how she launched an all-natural cake mix for dogs in five months with under $5,000, manufacturing in-house from her kitchen. She details her strategy of lowering barriers to entry for retailers through small case sizes and free shipping, and how adding product lines like Puppy Scoops ice cream mix doubled her sales. Costello also shares a critical lesson from a near-bankruptcy event with H.E.B. grocery store, emphasizing the importance of never fulfilling orders without a legally binding purchase order.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Manufacturing Happy Hour. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.