From Sales Broker to CEO of a Full-Service Retail Launch Group
About Partner
Our partner in this case wasn’t a manufacturer or a supplier.
He was a Vice President at a top retail sales group—the kind of firm that gets consumer brands into major U.S. retailers like Target, Walmart, and Home Depot.
Sales groups like his specialize in:
- Getting meetings with the right category buyers
- Shaping product positioning and pitch strategy
- Taking products from the intro call to shelf placement
- Earning commission on every sale
But they hit a wall once the deal is signed.
They don’t handle operations, logistics, warehousing, or compliance. They’re the front-end engine—but someone still has to build the back-end.
The Challenge + Trigger Moment
One of the VP’s clients had just landed a deal with Target.
But that client had:
- No U.S. entity
- No warehouse or operational infrastructure
- No ability to meet Target’s EDI compliance requirements
The sales VP needed more than a recommendation.
He needed an execution partner—someone who could build the entire U.S. operational stack, fast.
What We Did (The Strategy)
We stepped in and did what we do best:
- Formed a U.S. legal entity on their behalf
- Set up our ERP system to manage orders, inventory, logistics, and accounting in one place
- Integrated with Target’s EDI system to ensure full compliance and seamless order flow
- Connected them to our partner warehouse for real-time fulfillment
The launch was smooth, compliant, and fully managed, without the client ever needing to set foot in the U.S.
The VP and his client were impressed!
The Turning Point
The VP saw the bigger opportunity:
What if he could offer more than just sales introductions?
Seeing our ability to manage 100% of U.S. operations, he made a move:
- Partnered with a manufacturer in China
- Formed a creative team focused on product design and branding
- Stepped down as VP and started his own company offering a full-service launch platform for brands entering the retail market
To our surprise, they asked us to run operations for every new launch.
We became the U.S. backend for his new company, handling ERP, warehousing, compliance, accounting, and order fulfillment across every brand they launched.
The Results
With the right infrastructure finally in place, the VP was able to step out of his previous role and build something new.
Backed by our full operational support, he launched his own venture—one that didn’t just connect brands to retail buyers, but carried them all the way through product design, retail placement, compliance, fulfillment, and growth.
There were no more disconnected handoffs or patchwork vendor relationships.
His clients no longer needed to set up their own U.S. teams or navigate the complexity of operations on their own.
He offered them a single, reliable path into the market, while we handled everything behind the scenes.
Key Takeaways
- Sales groups don’t have to stop at the buyer meeting
- With CrossBridge, they can offer full-service operations behind every deal
- This turns one-time commissions into recurring, long-term partnerships
- And unlocks new business models—for themselves and their clients
This is what happens when front-end sales meets back-end infrastructure.
You don’t just close more deals.
You build a machine that doesn't need you in every step.
