Premium Isn’t About Price - It’s About Positioning

Ross Mackay is giving you the $2 Luxury Blueprint, and it’s in the link below. It’s the system he used to build the only consumer good under $3 positioned as luxury, going from $0 to $10M in 600 days with $40M projected in year two. Inside: the Core-Race-Recover product architecture, the retail economics formula nobody talks about, and the exact packaging decision that tripled sell-through with the same liquid. Download it free: https://openresidency.com/ross-mackay... In this episode of Open Residency, we sit down with Ross Mackay, the founder and CEO of Cadence — the brand redefining what “premium” means in a $200B beverage category. Ross breaks down how you turn a $2 drink into luxury through positioning, packaging, retail strategy, and relentless attention to detail — and why building “premium at scale” is the ultimate unlock. From obsessing over shelf velocity to rebranding three times in under a year, this is a masterclass in how modern CPG brands actually win. We go deep on retail economics (margins, trade spend, distribution vs. DSD), how to pitch Walmart and Target, why most founders misunderstand influencers, and the discipline required to scale without losing brand equity. Ross also shares lessons from raising capital from top-tier investors, why speed is the only real advantage early on, and how Cadence plans to go head-to-head with Gatorade — not in theory, but on shelf. 📬 Get in Touch with Open Residency Instagram:   / openresidency   Instagram:   / markbrazil   LinkedIn:   / markmastrandrea   Website: https://openresidency.com/ Email: [email protected] 🎯 Powered by beehiiv - Use code MARK30 for 30% off Link: https://beehiiv.link/cjp31 Universal Ads - Want to scale your brand with CTV ads? Claim your credit: https://form.typeform.com/to/ckvJ86zT Cadence - use code "OR" for 10% off Link: https://us.usecadence.com/openresidency 00:00:00 Trailer 00:00:51 How Do You Make a $2 Product Luxury? 00:04:01 Why Did You Rebrand 3 Times in 1 Year? 00:12:48 How Do You Actually Approach to Retailers? 00:18:36 How and Why Were You Comfortable Going Into Retail? 00:23:41 The Mafia That Controls Distribution 00:27:32 What's Your Biggest Learning From Scaling Retail? 00:34:05 Let's Talk About Product, How Many SKUs Have You Launched? 00:39:54 The One Rule To Approaching Manufacturers 00:42:32 You've Been Sold Out For 200+ Days. Good or Bad Problem? 00:45:30 The Biggest Mistake A Brand Can Make 00:49:38 How Should Someone Actually Make Their Own Custom Product? 00:51:31 You Are A Serious Runner, How Do You Test What Ratios Are The Most Optimal? 00:55:22 How Do You Look At Content In Your Positioning Strategy? 01:01:21 How Do You Look At Collabs? With Bandit and RAW 01:05:24 Why Working With Word Class Athletes Might Actually Damage Your Brand 01:08:21 What's Your Ad Strategy For Cadence Right Now? What is Working in This Space? 01:11:18 The Hiring Philosophy At Cadence And The One Question Ross Always Asks Before Hiring. 01:22:32 QuickFile Questions (Raising Capital, Peter Thiel, George Heaton)