Challenge
In 2014, Drinkme smoothies were sold through retail outlets across the U.S., including Whole Foods. When the company’s co-packer abruptly filed Chapter 11, Drinkme was unable to fulfill purchase orders from larger retailers. Following a challenging five-year period during which Ms. Paganalli stopped production and developed new production and marketing strategies, Drinkme Beverages started a rebuilding process. The company relaunched in 2021 with new U.S. and Canadian websites and production facilities. Ms. Paganalli reached out to CMTC for mentoring and coaching support during the company’s relaunch.
Solution
CMTC provided one-to-one coaching and mentoring related to long-term visioning, target marketing, negotiating with manufacturers, and e-commerce strategies. Ms. Paganalli said that weekly virtual meetings with her CMTC coach “helped [her] navigate the waters of bootstrapping” Drinkme Beverages’ redesign.
Impact
Drinkme Beverages projects hiring two to three new employees and increasing sales by $360,000 in the 12 months following Ms. Paganalli’s work with CMTC. The company also realized $10,000 in cost savings as a result of the investment in coaching from CMTC.
“Working with a coach and mentor from CMTC is really helpful – it gives me the ability to have a weekly dialogue so I can troubleshoot issues. Even though I don’t need a lot of hand-holding, having an expert mentor is definitely in my comfort zone!”
— Christina Paganalli, CEO
