Abi Asija interviews Dr. Mark Young, founder of Jekyll + Hyde Labs, about how consumer brands actually scale into major retail and media channels. Instead of focusing solely on advertising tactics, Mark explains that the real driver of growth is positioning a product around a clear problem customers care to solve.
Key takeaway: People do not buy products; they buy outcomes.
Mark shares how his agency helps challenger brands enter major retailers like Walmart, Costco, and Walgreens by identifying a unique category they can own. In one example, he describes helping a protein bar company reposition its product for GLP-1 users, a rapidly growing segment of the population that needs higher protein intake while using weight-loss medications. By aligning the product to a clear use case, the brand can stand out in a crowded market.
They also discuss why most consumer products fail because they are “me too” ideas with no meaningful differentiation. Mark explains the importance of unique delivery, mass appeal, and solving real problems if a brand wants to scale to $100M or more.
The conversation also covers ethical marketing, why advertising should educate consumers rather than manipulate them, and how Mark built an agency with 100 percent inbound clients through speaking, books, and consistently delivering value to people in his network.
His advice for entrepreneurs is simple. Become the best in your category, focus on serving others first, and build a reputation strong enough that opportunities come to you instead of the other way around.
