Experience

Solari Brands

• United States
• Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• President

  • Feb 2021 - Present

• President

  • Jul 2020 - Apr 2022

  After woking with Solari Management Company LLC (DBA Solari Hemp) in a consultative role, I have recently joined them as their new president and chief revenue officer. Solari is an innovative leader in the alternative wellness space which includes a diverse and robust CBD portfolio and an exciting pipeline of new and innovative products. With literal and figurative roots in our Longmont, Colorado farm, Solari is a uniquely authentic leader in the alternative wellness boom. CBD and other natural supplements are experiencing meteoric growth. Solari is at the forefront of these trends. We provide consumers with great products and help retailers to strategically navigate and capitalize on these new opportunities. https://www.solarihemp.com Show less



Scott Varner Consulting

• Business Development Consultant

  • May 2016 - Jul 2020

  Leveraging over twenty years of successful business development experience including early stage at JUUL Labs, Pax Labs and Trumer Pils to provide consultative guidance to various stakeholders within the burgeoning e-cigarette / vaporization, CBD and cannabis industries. Clients include both institutional investors and startup companies. Leveraging over twenty years of successful business development experience including early stage at JUUL Labs, Pax Labs and Trumer Pils to provide consultative guidance to various stakeholders within the burgeoning e-cigarette / vaporization, CBD and cannabis industries. Clients include both institutional investors and startup companies.



PAX Labs, Inc. & JUUL Labs inc.

• Vice President of Sales

  • Jun 2013 - Apr 2016

  I was recruited by the CEO as the first sales hire of this PE-backed startup to build the national sales organization from the ground up to commercialize the product portfolio. I also developed the strategy for penetrating new markets and executing scalable new product launches. After my success in propelling sales revenue from $22M to $55M in the first 2 years, I was retained as a Senior Consultant by the senior leadership team and the Board of Directors. • Built a multi-channel team of 36 from the ground up. • Grew customer base from 2 to 73 and increased distribution 10-fold to 30,000. • Launched new JUUL vapor product, built it into the #3 brand in its category, and achieved the highest dollar volume per outlet. • Assisted in raising $48M in series-C capital funding. • Developed relationships with key accounts including McLane Co., Core-Mark, Eby Brown, Sheetz, Circle K, Speedway, and 7-Eleven. • Drove global expansion by opening up the first 6 international markets. Show less



PromoWorks

• India
• Animation and Post-production
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Consultant, Vice President of Sales-Beer Wine & Spirits

  • Sep 2012 - Jun 2013

  I was brought on board to build and lead an entirely new and separate business unit for this marketing services company that provides out-of-store customer promotional events. This new unit was dedicated to field sales of adult beverages. In addition to creating and implementing the business plan for the division, I established and managed key customer relationships and strategic business partnerships. • Executed more that 20,000 events in 2 years that generated $3M in new revenue. • Built and managed relationships with key customers, Miller Coors, Bacardi USA, Brown Forman, and Diageo, and strategic partners, Safeway Corp. and BevMo. Show less



Tudal Wine Group

• Beverage Manufacturing

• New Business Development Consultant

  • Dec 2011 - Aug 2012

  Helped direct the business development efforts to expand distribution of Tudal wines (brands) in key Western grocery retailers. Activities included prioritizing key retailers, developing sales presentations, leading sales calls, negotiating pricing, and creating a distribution and promotion plan. Successfully established a DSD distribution network to serve California retailers. Four skus now in distribution at Beverages and More with additional accounts expected to initiate distribution in the coming months. Show less



Mark Anthony Brands Inc. makers of mike's hard lemonade®

• Senior Sales Director- Pacific Division

  • Nov 2006 - Nov 2011

  The former Director of Sales at Gambrinus and the VP of Sales recruited me to turn around a severely underperforming brand, Mike’s Hard Lemonade. At the time, the brand had only 22% share of the Southwestern U.S. market, in comparison to 43% share of overall U.S. market. • Grew brand to #1 share position in the grocery and convenience channels, while more than doubling annual revenue to $38M and increasing gross margin without increasing prices. • Hired new 16-member sales team in drove double-digit growth with top-tier customers. segment position for brand family). • Increased gross margins by $0.57 per case by energetically managing relationships with the major distributors and championing a novel price promotion model. • Grew California into the company’s largest volume state. Show less



The Gambrinus Company

• United States
• Food and Beverage Services
• 100 - 200 Employee

• General Sales Manager Trumer Brauerei Berkeley, CA

  • Jul 2000 - Jan 2006

  After 3 years of success as Market Manager for California and Nevada, I was selected to lead the U.S. launch of a new brewery and premium beer, Trumer, Pils. This beer has since grown into one of the fastest-growing specialty beers in the country, with current sales approaching 1 million cases. • Recruited, hired, and trained the direct sales force. • Grew sales to 250,000 cases per year through geographic and distributor expansion. • Increased sales by 22% over a 3-year period for the entire catalog of beer brands. Show less



Various Companies

• Book and Periodical Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Various Sales and Marketing Positions

  • Jun 1993 - Jul 2000

  Prior to The Gambrinus Co., I steadily progressed through leadership roles of increased responsibility and scope in the areas of brand management, marketing, and sales with well-respected consumer brand companies, such as The Gallo Wine Company, Eastman Kodak, Nestle USA, and Diageo USA, the manufacturer and distributor of Smirnoff® and Jose Cuervo® alcohol brands. Prior to The Gambrinus Co., I steadily progressed through leadership roles of increased responsibility and scope in the areas of brand management, marketing, and sales with well-respected consumer brand companies, such as The Gallo Wine Company, Eastman Kodak, Nestle USA, and Diageo USA, the manufacturer and distributor of Smirnoff® and Jose Cuervo® alcohol brands.