Burnout, Breakouts & the Battle for Amazon’s Top Spot

This week felt like a full-circle moment.
I wrote about what it takes to get your energy back as a founder — and, fittingly, every story in this issue is about getting it back.

From CPG brands rewriting the rules, to Amazon sellers flipping the script with gifting, to Shopify’s next big unlock — it’s all momentum, rediscovered.

Let’s dive in. 🔥

🔥 Founder Energy

I Finally Got It Back — Rebuilding My Fire to Build Again
Four years, total burnout, and a Montana winter later… Parker found the spark again.
A raw story about losing ambition, rediscovering purpose, and why balance might just be the ultimate business edge.
👉 Read the story →

🧃 Market Trends

The CPG Contradiction: What Your 2026 Customer Really Wants
Your next customer wants it all — convenience and quality, nostalgia and innovation, beauty and ethics.
Whole Foods’ 2026 report shows the new rule: the contradiction is the product.
👉 Decode the new CPG playbook →

⚙️ Product Innovation

There Has to Be a Better Way — The Shopify Feature No One’s Built Yet
Shopify still gives shoppers two options: Add to Cart or Leave.
But the “almost bought” moment could be a goldmine.
Wishlists could become the next social-shopping frontier — CRM for intent, Pinterest for purchase.
👉 See what’s missing →

🌍 Global Competition

Chinese Sellers Just Surpassed U.S. Sellers on Amazon
It’s official — more Chinese sellers now operate on Amazon than U.S. sellers.
Here’s what’s driving the surge, how it threatens U.S. brands, and the moves you need to stay competitive in 2026.
👉 Read the Amazon power shift →

🗣️ Founder Lessons

The Food & Bev King of Forbes: What Smart CPG Founders Get Wrong
Forbes journalist Andrew Watman has interviewed hundreds of founders — and he says most miss one thing: distribution strategy.
Learn how brands like Owens Mixers and Leisure Hydration scaled by going everywhere grocery stores aren’t.
👉 Read the full interview →

💡 Growth Hack

The Amazon Gifting Hack: How Free Product = 13× Growth
Thrasio, Unilever, and Magic Spoon are using Stack Influence to automate influencer gifting — no cash required.
One toddler-pillow brand grew from 50 to 500 monthly sales in weeks. Here’s the playbook.
👉 See the case study →

The Bonus Section

(tools and services we actually use)