Head of Sales for a fast-growing Energy Drink Brand

Palermo Advisors

9d•Remote

About The Position

Our client is on a mission to become the #1 organic energy brand, disrupting a space overloaded with synthetic ingredients. Their product delivers sustained, focused energy through clean, organic ingredients and a natural caffeine and nootropic blend — no jitters, no crashes. Founded by a seasoned entrepreneur, they've already kicked off distribution on the West Coast, secured key partnerships with KeHE and UNFI, and landed placement in major chains and strong independents. Now they're ready to scale nationally. They're looking for a hands-on Head of Sales to fully own retail sales, distribution strategy, and revenue growth. This is a foundational leadership role for a relentless go-getter who thrives in a fast-paced, early-stage startup and can take complex challenges from strategy to flawless execution. The person in this role will work closely with the founder and cross-functional team to turn existing distribution momentum into national scale.

Requirements

8–12+ years of progressive sales leadership in CPG or beverage (energy drinks, functional beverages, or natural/organic preferred)
Proven track record building and scaling retail distribution from early-stage to multi-million revenue; experience with KeHE, UNFI, and major natural chains is a strong plus
Deep understanding of the beverage and retail landscape: buyer relationships, category management, DSD vs. warehouse, promo planning, velocity drivers, and competitive dynamics
Entrepreneurial mindset — comfortable with ambiguity, bias for action, and able to wear multiple hats in a startup environment
Strong leadership and people skills — able to hire, inspire, and manage a growing team; excellent communicator and negotiator
Data-driven and strategic — comfortable with forecasting, P&L basics, and Nielsen/IRI-type tools, and able to turn insights into action
Willing to travel 40–60% (trade shows, distributor meetings, key account visits); Denver/Boulder or West Coast location preferred
Passionate about health, wellness, and clean energy — they want someone who believes in the mission and lives the brand

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end retail sales and distribution strategy — set ambitious but achievable revenue targets, channel plans, and a market expansion roadmap for the next 12–24 months
Drive revenue growth by accelerating sell-in and sell-through with existing distributors (KeHE, UNFI) and key accounts; identify and close new regional and national chain opportunities (Whole Foods, Sprouts, regional grocers, convenience, and more)
Build and lead the sales engine — hire, mentor, and scale a high-performance team (brokers, direct reps, inside sales) and establish processes, KPIs, forecasting, and CRM discipline
Own distributor and broker relationships — maximize velocity through KeHE and UNFI, negotiate promotions, optimize assortment, and ensure flawless in-store visibility and merchandising
Develop a market expansion playbook — prioritize new regions based on data (demographics, competitive density, logistics), launch efficiently, and iterate quickly
Collaborate cross-functionally with marketing (sell-in decks, promo planning), operations and supply chain (forecasting, inventory), and finance (P&L ownership, pricing and margin strategy)
Deliver clear, data-driven updates to leadership on pipeline, revenue, distribution metrics, and competitive landscape
Be hands-on — attend trade shows, pitch buyers, ride along with reps, troubleshoot issues, and close deals personally when needed