Asset-based lending was not where I expected to build my career. But once I found it, I knew I had found work that matched how I think about business: practical, disciplined, and focused on helping companies grow.
Early in my career, just out of law school, I joined my future mentor and friend, Gerard Joseph, and was introduced to an industry I had never seriously considered before. The more I learned, the more I understood how powerful the right capital partner can be for a growing company.
Years later, after helping lead a firm through the pandemic and some of the firm’s most profitable years, I started thinking about what I wanted to build next. I wanted to create a lending firm grounded in strong relationships, clear thinking, and a shared mission. I wanted to work with companies that were building something meaningful and needed financing that reflected the realities of growth.
Over time, I developed a deep appreciation for the consumer packaged goods space. From beauty and personal care to natural foods, beverages, and household products, I was especially drawn to the health and wellness category as a health-conscious pescatarian. I’ve always believed that we are what we eat, and that how we nourish ourselves plays a critical role in our overall well-being. I’m passionate about the energy in this space and the founders reshaping it. Since 2009, I’ve invested in natural products brands that offer better-for-you solutions, sharper positioning, and more meaningful relationships with their customers.
That is where we saw opportunity.
Today, our mission is to provide flexible financing to fast-growing companies, with a particular focus on CPG brands that are ready to scale. We are also committed to supporting women founders and diverse leadership teams because strong businesses are built by talented people with distinct perspectives and a clear point of view.
Why Asset-Based Loans Can Be a Strong Fit for CPG Brands
CPG companies often face a familiar tension: growth is happening, but cash flow does not always keep pace.
A brand may land a major retail account, increase production, invest in inventory, or wait through longer customer payment cycles. Those are positive signs, but they can also put pressure on working capital.
That is where asset-based loans can make a meaningful difference.
Asset-based lending allows companies to borrow against eligible business assets, often including accounts receivable and inventory. For CPG brands, this can create a more flexible path to growth than financing options that are too restrictive or poorly matched to the pace of the category.
For the right business, this type of financing can help support:
- inventory purchases
- production ramp-ups
- retail expansion
- day-to-day working capital needs
- growth with financial discipline
The goal is not growth at any cost. It is growth with structure.
Why CPG Disruptors Continue to Gain Ground
Consumer behavior is changing in ways that create real opportunities for emerging brands.
According to McKinsey’s ConsumerWise research, 37% of consumers have tried a new brand in the past three months, and 40% say they plan to splurge or treat themselves, often choosing premium, “better-for-you” products or those that clearly meet a specific need.
Consumers are more willing to try new products, trade up for quality, and choose brands that better reflect their preferences and priorities. That shift matters because it creates room for newer companies to win attention in categories once dominated by large incumbents.
For CPG brands with a clear point of view, that is a meaningful opening.
The strongest emerging brands understand their audience, solve a specific need, and communicate their value clearly. They are not just showing up on the shelf. They are giving consumers a reason to switch.
Focus Wins in Crowded Categories
Anyone who has spent time in a retail aisle knows how crowded the landscape has become. In categories full of similar claims and familiar packaging, it is not enough to be present. A brand has to stand for something.
That’s where nimble brands shine. They enter established categories with a distinct point of view and a focused value proposition. Take CleanCult, for example. The company is reimagining the traditional laundry aisle, long dominated by multinational incumbents, by offering products that are not only effective but also sustainably made and packaged.
The companies breaking through are usually clear on what they offer, who they are for, and why they matter. They are not trying to be everything to everyone. They are building around a sharper idea.
That kind of clarity is often what turns an emerging brand into a real contender. And when those brands have access to the right financing, they are better positioned to scale responsibly.
Sustainability Has Become Part of the Growth Story
Sustainability is no longer separate from the business conversation. For many CPG brands, it is part of building trust, meeting consumer expectations, and improving operations.
Consumers increasingly want products that align with their values. At the same time, companies are recognizing that better packaging, sourcing, and operational choices can support efficiency and brand equity.
The data reinforces this shift. According to PwC’s 2025 CPG Executive Survey, 34% of companies expecting higher-than-average growth plan to invest in sustainability, compared to just 20% of slower-growing peers.
Not every initiative will look the same, and not every company will approach sustainability in the same way. But the broader direction is clear: brands that treat it as part of a long-term growth strategy are often better positioned for the future.
Direct Customer Relationships Are Changing the Model
The traditional CPG model was once more linear. Products moved from manufacturer to distributor to shelf, and much of the customer relationship lived at retail.
That is no longer the full picture.
Today’s brands can build direct relationships through e-commerce, digital engagement, subscription models, and ongoing customer feedback. That gives companies better visibility into what their customers want and allows them to move faster when needs change.
It also raises the bar.
Customers increasingly expect convenience, transparency, speed, and consistency. Meeting those expectations often requires operational flexibility, stronger systems, and working capital to support growth across channels.
This is another reason why financing matters. As brands expand into new channels and strengthen customer relationships, they need capital structures that can keep up.
Why This Work Matters to Me
What continues to draw me to the CPG sector is not only the pace of innovation. It is the quality of the founders and leadership teams building within it.
These companies are identifying what is missing in a category, responding to real consumer demand, and building brands that feel relevant to how people live today. The best ones pair agility with discipline. They move quickly, but they understand their numbers. They care deeply about product and brand, but they are equally serious about building durable businesses.
That is exactly why we built our firm the way we did.
We wanted to support CPG brands with financing that reflects the realities of growth. We wanted to work with companies that are scaling thoughtfully. And we wanted to be the kind of partner that understands both the opportunity and the pressure that come with momentum.
For the right company, asset-based lending can be a powerful tool. It can help support inventory, expansion, cash flow management, and disciplined growth.
That is the work we are proud to do.
