Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
In this episode, Allison Ellsworth, founder of Poppi, shares how she turned a home-brewed apple cider vinegar soda into one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in America - with a $1.95B acquisition from PepsiCo.
She reveals:
✅ How she launched Poppi from her kitchen with just $15,000
✅ What it really took to go from farmers markets to Shark Tank
✅ The rebrand strategy that helped them grow to $3.5M in just 6 months
✅ How one viral TikTok hit 100M+ views and changed everything
✅ The wild story of landing a Super Bowl ad 4 days before airtime
✅ Why she believes taste, storytelling & grit always win
If you want to build a breakout brand, disrupt a crowded category, or harness the power of community & content - this is an absolute masterclass in modern brand-building.
Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to your.omnisend.com/foundr to get started.
📩 How We Can Help You Scale Your Business Faster
🔥 Want to learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+?
Start your $1 trial today → foundr.com/startdollartrial
💡 Prefer a custom roadmap and 1-on-1 coaching?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application
→ Already have a store? Apply here → foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application
🔗 Connect With Nathan Chan
📸 Instagram → instagram.com/nathanchan
💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan
🔗 Connect With Allison Ellsworth & Poppi
📸 Allison’s Instagram → instagram.com/allisonellsworth
📸 Poppi Instagram → instagram.com/drinkpoppi
🌍 Poppi Website → drinkpoppi.com
00:00 - From Kitchen Creation to PepsiCo Acquisition
02:28 - Launching with $15K and No Experience
04:00 - From Farmer’s Markets to Whole Foods
06:11 - Shark Tank: The American Dream Moment
08:25 - How a Rebrand Transformed Everything
10:59 - Launching Poppi During the Pandemic
13:37 - Amazon First: The Strategy That Changed the Game
15:05 - Why Taste, Not Health Claims, Drives Sales
17:24 - How TikTok Fueled Explosive Growth
20:44 - From 2 Employees to 200+ in 4 Years
24:55 - Getting Shelf Space and Keeping It
27:45 - The Founder’s Role as the Brand Grows
30:55 - Going Viral on TikTok as a Founder
34:05 - Behind the Scenes of Their Super Bowl Ad
38:55 - Why Brand Beats Performance Marketing
42:20 - Building a Soda With Nike-Level Emotion
44:55 - Creator-Led Collabs with Alex Earle
46:21 - Final Advice: Say Yes, Figure It Out Later
🎯 Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies
📺 YouTube → bit.ly/2uyvzdt
🌍 Website → foundr.com
📸 Instagram → instagram.com/foundr
📘 Facebook → facebook.com/foundr
🐦 Twitter → twitter.com/foundr
💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/foundr
🎙️ Podcast → foundr.com/podcast
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
In this episode, Allison Ellsworth, founder of Poppi, shares how she turned a home-brewed apple cider vinegar soda into one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in America - with a $1.95B acquisition from PepsiCo.
She reveals:
✅ How she launched Poppi from her kitchen with just $15,000
✅ What it really took to go from farmers markets to Shark Tank
✅ The rebrand strategy that helped them grow to $3.5M in just 6 months
✅ How one viral TikTok hit 100M+ views and changed everything
✅ The wild story of landing a Super Bowl ad 4 days before airtime
✅ Why she believes taste, storytelling & grit always win
If you want to build a breakout brand, disrupt a crowded category, or harness the power of community & content - this is an absolute masterclass in modern brand-building.
Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to your.omnisend.com/foundr to get started.
📩 How We Can Help You Scale Your Business Faster
🔥 Want to learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+?
Start your $1 trial today → foundr.com/startdollartrial
💡 Prefer a custom roadmap and 1-on-1 coaching?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application
→ Already have a store? Apply here → foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application
🔗 Connect With Nathan Chan
📸 Instagram → instagram.com/nathanchan
💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan
🔗 Connect With Allison Ellsworth & Poppi
📸 Allison’s Instagram → instagram.com/allisonellsworth
📸 Poppi Instagram → instagram.com/drinkpoppi
🌍 Poppi Website → drinkpoppi.com
00:00 - From Kitchen Creation to PepsiCo Acquisition
02:28 - Launching with $15K and No Experience
04:00 - From Farmer’s Markets to Whole Foods
06:11 - Shark Tank: The American Dream Moment
08:25 - How a Rebrand Transformed Everything
10:59 - Launching Poppi During the Pandemic
13:37 - Amazon First: The Strategy That Changed the Game
15:05 - Why Taste, Not Health Claims, Drives Sales
17:24 - How TikTok Fueled Explosive Growth
20:44 - From 2 Employees to 200+ in 4 Years
24:55 - Getting Shelf Space and Keeping It
27:45 - The Founder’s Role as the Brand Grows
30:55 - Going Viral on TikTok as a Founder
34:05 - Behind the Scenes of Their Super Bowl Ad
38:55 - Why Brand Beats Performance Marketing
42:20 - Building a Soda With Nike-Level Emotion
44:55 - Creator-Led Collabs with Alex Earle
46:21 - Final Advice: Say Yes, Figure It Out Later
🎯 Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies
📺 YouTube → bit.ly/2uyvzdt
🌍 Website → foundr.com
📸 Instagram → instagram.com/foundr
📘 Facebook → facebook.com/foundr
🐦 Twitter → twitter.com/foundr
💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/foundr
🎙️ Podcast → foundr.com/podcast
