How Top VCs Actually Pick Winning CPG Brands - Chris Wilkerson 51 Ventures

Most founders think raising more money is the goal. It’s not. In this episode, I sit down with Chris to break down what’s actually happening inside CPG right now — from equity deals that don’t make sense anymore, to why smart brands are shifting toward new financing models to scale faster without giving everything away. Chris went from a college athlete with zero experience to building a 7-figure business, stacking advisory equity across dozens of startups, and eventually launching a VC fund investing in the future of health, wellness, and CPG. We get into: Why most founders misunderstand funding What investors actually look for The shift from equity → smarter capital How brands are scaling retail without getting crushed on cash flow And where CPG is heading over the next 5–10 years If you're building a brand, raising capital, or trying to understand how this game really works — this is the conversation you want to hear. Connect with Chris: - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriswilkerson51/  - chris@51ventures.vc  - https://chriswilkerson.beehiiv.com/p/the-first-time-i-have-ever-written-this  - https://51ventures.vc/  ✅ Elevate your brand’s Email & SMS marketing: https://breadloaf.typeform.com/to/rotiGDm7?typeform-source=www.youtube.com  🚀 Discuss your growth strategy: https://calendly.com/markmilutin/retention-audit-kick-off?month=2025-02