What was Allison Ellsworth's background before Poppy?

Before founding Poppy, Allison Ellsworth worked in oil and gas research for seven years. This experience taught her valuable skills in negotiation, relationship building, and navigating complex government regulations.

How did Poppy get its initial growth and funding?

Poppy gained significant traction through social media, particularly TikTok, where Allison Ellsworth posted content multiple times daily. Her initial funding and mentorship came from her Shark Tank appearance, where she secured a deal with Rohan Oza.

What is the formula for building a billion-dollar brand, according to Allison Ellsworth?

The formula includes: 1. A great product. 2. Being a culture-first, creator-first, community-first, and digital-first brand. 3. Having an incredible, strategic team focused on people, process, and platform.

How did Poppy manage rapid growth during COVID-19?

Poppy adopted a digital-first strategy, focusing heavily on Amazon sales and direct-to-consumer channels when traditional marketing and retail distribution were disrupted by the pandemic.

What is Allison Ellsworth's advice for overcoming fear of social media criticism?

She advises entrepreneurs to 'get over it' and focus on their goals. If they are uncomfortable creating content, she suggests hiring someone to manage their social media presence.

What was the key to Poppy's celebrity endorsements?

Poppy's strategy involved sending out a large volume of free samples to celebrities. This organic approach led to social media posts and mentions from figures like Kylie Jenner and Post Malone.

What are the essential skills for entrepreneurs?

Allison Ellsworth identifies hustle, a willingness to learn and grow, and passion for the business as key skills. She emphasizes that passion is crucial for overcoming difficult times, more so than just aiming for profit.

How did Poppy prepare for and execute its acquisition by Pepsi?

Poppy maintained consistent growth and kept communication lines open with Pepsi. The acquisition was driven by Poppy's mission, its rapid growth, and finding the right timing for a strategic partnership that would allow for wider distribution.

What is the importance of brand building in business?

Brand building is crucial for differentiation, creating margin, and ultimately driving acquisition value. Poppy's strong brand and lifestyle association were key factors in its acquisition by Pepsi.

What is Allison Ellsworth's approach to hiring top talent?

She prioritizes culture fit, creativity, collaboration, and a strong work ethic. She believes in actively 'hunting' for top talent rather than just posting job openings.

What advice does Allison Ellsworth give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

She advises them to get online, tell their story, build a community, and create content consistently. The moat in today's business landscape, especially with the rise of AI, is community and loyalty.

Broke to Billionaire: How to Turn a Side Hustle Into Your Salary | Allison Ellsworth

Codie Sanchez

Science & Technology5 min read76 min video

Sep 24, 2025|52,950 views|1,387|64

Save to Pod

Key Moments

TL;DR

Allison Ellsworth built Poppy soda into a billion-dollar brand with a focus on digital-first marketing, community, and authentic connection, culminating in a Pepsi acquisition.

Key Insights

Build a strong brand and authentic community; they are the ultimate competitive moat.

Embrace digital-first strategies, especially TikTok, and don't be afraid to be 'cringe' or 'unhinged' for engagement.

Prioritize product quality and founder vision, but be willing to take advice and adapt.

Cultivate a strong team with shared values, prioritizing hard work and a go-getter attitude over just experience.

Strategic partnerships and understanding your audience are crucial for scaling and eventual acquisition.

Balance the intensity of entrepreneurship with self-care, recognizing that rest is as important as hustle.

THE SHARK TANK BEGINNING AND FOUNDER PSYCHOLOGY

Allison Ellsworth's journey to building Poppy began with a pivotal appearance on Shark Tank. Despite having no prior beverage industry experience and presenting a product initial perceived as a 'crazy idea,' she secured a deal that fundamentally changed her company's trajectory. Ellsworth emphasizes the importance of the founder profile: a visionary who is coachable and willing to collaborate, rather than someone who believes they know everything. She illustrates this with a test where she assesses a founder's openness to feedback on their brand's appearance, highlighting that wanting to win is more important than being right.

FROM OIL FIELDS TO APPLE CIDER VINEGAR TONICS

Ellsworth's diverse background in oil and gas research provided unexpected but valuable skills in negotiation, relationship building, and navigating complex systems, far more practical than formal business education. This experience, though demanding, taught her resilience. Her transition to the beverage industry was driven by personal health issues, leading her to discover the benefits of apple cider vinegar. Dissatisfied with the taste of pure shots, she experimented in her kitchen, thus creating the foundation for what would become Mother Beverage, later rebranded as Poppy.

NAVIGATING EARLY GROWTH AND THE TIKTOK REVOLUTION

Launching Poppy in March 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced an immediate pivot to a digital-first strategy. With traditional marketing channels inaccessible, the company leaned heavily into e-commerce, particularly Amazon, which was capital-intensive due to shipping costs. Ellsworth personally spearheaded Poppy's presence on TikTok, an unconventional move at the time. Her 'unhinged' yet authentic content, featuring dancing and creative transitions, resonated widely, generating billions of views and establishing the brand as a digital pioneer.

BRAND BUILDING AND MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR SCALE

Poppy's success is attributed to a multi-faceted marketing approach. While TikTok drove initial viral growth and brand awareness, the company also invested heavily in linear TV advertising, including Super Bowl commercials, to reach a broader audience. Ellsworth stresses that Poppy is a brand-awareness-first company, not solely performance-driven. They strategically capture consumer data by directing ad traffic to their website for Amazon checkouts, insulating them from shifts in data privacy policies. This focus on building brand recognition has been key to their scale.

THE RECIPE FOR A BILLION-DOLLAR BRAND

Ellsworth outlines three core pillars for building a billion-dollar brand: a fantastic product that consumers love, a culture-first, creator-first, community-first, and digital-first approach, and an incredible, high-performing team. She emphasizes the importance of 'great people, process, and platform.' Poppy's rapid growth, being the fastest-growing beverage in history, required a team that could adapt and learn collaboratively. She values curiosity, creativity, and a go-getter attitude over pure academic credentials or extensive experience, highlighting the blend of 'street smarts' and calculated disruption.

FINANCING, PARTNERSHIPS, AND THE PATH TO ACQUISITION

Raising capital and strategic partnerships were crucial. Ellsworth advocates for having a clear business plan and knowing precisely how invested funds will be used. Her own pitch involved demonstrating traction, having a retail presence (like Whole Foods), and a compelling story. The eventual $1.95 billion acquisition by Pepsi was a long-term goal, facilitated by strategic dating and significant, triple-digit year-over-year growth. The partnership aimed to expand Poppy's distribution and accessibility, aligning with their mission to revolutionize soda for the next generation.

CULTURE, LEADERSHIP, AND THE FEMININE ADVANTAGE

Ellsworth champions a distinctive leadership style, valuing creativity, collaboration, and hard work. She believes that as a woman in a male-dominated industry, maintaining her authentic feminine presentation was not a disadvantage but an potential advantage. Poppy fostered a strong internal culture, exemplified by unique roles like 'VP of Culture' and efforts to make employees feel like creators. She learned to delegate and let go of control gradually, recognizing the importance of a supportive team and finding value in mentorship and business coaching over solely traditional therapy.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES AND THE POWER OF PERSISTENCE

The entrepreneurial journey is rife with disagreements and setbacks, akin to 'screaming and fighting,' but these moments often lead to resolution and growth. Ellsworth shares an example of a contentious decision regarding can printing versus sleeved cans, which ultimately saved the company millions. She also touches on the entrepreneurial 'amnesia' that helps founders move past difficult experiences. The key is not to give up but to rest, regroup, and re-engage, recognizing that passion, hustle, and a willingness to learn are essential for long-term success.

THE FUTURE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUILDING COMMUNITY

Ellsworth advises aspiring entrepreneurs to start building their story and community online immediately, emphasizing that in an AI-driven world, community and loyalty are the ultimate moats. She highlights that a brand requires a clear understanding of its core identity and consumer before scaling. The ability to be 'weird,' 'unhinged,' and embrace creative marketing, even if it feels 'cringe,' is vital for capturing attention. Ultimately, she believes that building a movement and fostering genuine connection is paramount for sustainable success in the modern business landscape.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Products

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●People Referenced

Common Questions

Allison Ellsworth started Poppy (originally Mother Beverage) out of a need for a healthier soda alternative. After experiencing personal health issues and finding apple cider vinegar beneficial but difficult to consume, she began experimenting in her kitchen to create a more palatable drink.