The Best One Yet – Live with Poppi Co-founders Allison & Stephen Ellsworth

Episode: Pepsi’s $2B Power Couple
Date: February 27, 2026
Hosts: Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell (with guest host Anna)
Guests: Allison & Stephen Ellsworth (Co-founders of Poppi)

Episode Overview

This lively, in-person episode of The Best One Yet brings together Allison and Stephen Ellsworth, the married co-founders of Poppi, the revolutionary prebiotic soda brand. The discussion delves into their journey: from a famously pregnant appearance on Shark Tank, to scaling Poppi into a viral sensation, and ultimately achieving a $1.95 billion acquisition by PepsiCo. The episode blends business insight, couples’ dynamics, entrepreneurial lessons, and fun rapid-fire games for a fast-paced, inspiring look at what it takes to build, scale, and sell a beloved consumer brand.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Celebrating the PepsiCo Acquisition

• The Emotional Rollercoaster of the Exit

  • Allison shares a candid, unglamorous truth about the moments after finalizing the exit.
  • Quote: "The day we actually signed the deal and we were waiting for the money to hit the bank, I think we actually got into one of the biggest fights ever..." (05:06, Allison)
  • They reveal how the immense stress and vulnerability around their business “baby” led to tension, but ultimately was followed by a re-centering trip to Europe (with their three kids in tow).

• From Freedom to Seeking New Purpose

  • Nearly a year out from the deal, Allison describes an initial sense of liberation, but also a loss of purpose that comes after achieving such a massive goal.
  • Quote: "I think in life, you need purpose. So for me, it was a very overwhelming feeling of freedom. But now that the dust has kind of settled, I'm like, wait, it's not what it's about." (06:51, Allison)

• Remaining Involved

  • Both are now advisors to Poppi, likening the company to a child going off to college – cheering from the sidelines and helping with big moments (like Super Bowl ads), but no longer day-to-day.

2. Building Poppi: Brand vs. Numbers

• Brand Building over Metrics

  • Allison’s fierce insistence on prioritizing brand over bottom-of-funnel metrics for early-stage startups sets her apart as a “ROAS killer.”
  • Quote: “When I get on a call with a founder and they start talking about bottom of funnel Roas, their KPIs, I'm like, oh my gosh, I cannot help you. Like, this is doom. I want to be a Roas killer. I want us to think about brand awareness, brand building, future, like, disruption…” (18:41, Allison)

• Community-Driven Marketing

  • Poppi built virality by treating every supporter as a community member and using unlimited free samples as a tool. Their TikTok footprint exploded as a result.
  • Quote: “Focus on the brand… think about, like, how are you connecting with your…community, not your customer. We looked at just like Poppy's community and that's what built us on TikTok. We have like over 3 billion views…” (19:52, Allison)

3. Distribution vs. Product: The Next Frontier

• Post-Acquisition Distribution Power

  • With Pepsi, Poppi gained access to venues and chains off-limits before, propelling the brand on a new trajectory.
  • Quote: “We were the official soda of the Lakers, yet we were not allowed to be sold in the stadium. Like, that is wild to me…now we see Poppy in places like Subway, Jersey Mike’s, Taco Bell, Starbucks…” (09:43, Allison)

• Entrepreneurial Strategy

  • Hosts highlight a key business insight: “First time founders focus on the product, but second time founders focus on the distribution.” (10:31, Anna)

4. Operating as a Couple: Marriage & Business

• Full Commitment and Trust

  • Stephen distills the couple’s formula for both marriage and successful partnership: total commitment from both sides is needed—going 100% in, not 50/50.
  • Quote: “…there needs to be 100% commitment from both parties… as the business goes up and down… So I think that's the biggest thing that sort of marriage and business has taught us is just full on.” (11:50, Stephen)

• Division of Labor & Knowing Lanes

  • Complementary strengths helped: Allison on creative/brand, Stephen on ops and product. “We know our lanes. Stay in your lanes.” (13:09, Allison)

• Work-Life Integration over Balance

  • They embrace work-life blur and late-night collaborations, challenging the myth of strict “balance.”
  • Quote: “If you’re an entrepreneur and you’re shutting your computer at 7 o’clock, like, what are you doing? Right. We're all hustling.” (14:15, Allison)
  • Quote: “You work a job that you don't like, they call it stress. You work a job that you love, they call it passion. And, like, that was us.” (14:48, Stephen)

5. Shark Tank Full Circle & Employee Equity

• Massive Value Creation

  • On Shark Tank, their valuation was $1.6M. Seven years later, Poppi sold for $1.95B, a “100,000% equity growth.” (16:10, Jack)

• Employee Wealth Sharing

  • Virtually all Poppi employees participated in that win: “99% of the employees also had equity…they bought homes, they retired their parents, they bought cars...” (14:48, Stephen)

• Alison Returns as a Shark

  • She became the first former founder to become a Shark Tank shark.
  • Brand Builders Over CEOs: "If founders talk only numbers, 'this is doom.' We need brand, not just profit." (18:41, Allison)

6. Super Bowl Ads: Building a Cultural Vibe

• Three Consecutive Super Bowl Commercials
  • Each approached differently, intentionally maintaining Poppi’s indie brand feel even after acquisition. Super Bowl ads are “about vibe, not just numbers.”
  • Quote: “We’ve never really cared about [ad ratings]... for us, it’s just how many people can learn about Poppi, feel some emotional connection… It goes back from the head to the heart.” (22:55, Allison)

7. The Soda Industry, Disruption, and Big Brand Dynamics

• Prebiotic Soda Rivalry

  • Pepsi’s launch of a competing prebiotic soda isn’t a threat: “How flattering is it that Pepsi... is looking to Poppi and saying, hey, this prebiotic thing is pretty cool. We created the category…” (23:43, Stephen)

• The Power of Startups vs. Giants

  • Hosts and guests agree big CPG firms outsource innovation to startups, buying breakouts rather than risking their own launches.
  • Quote: “If you create something right now and you have the passion... these big corporations are waiting to see who creates the next big thing.” (25:25, Jack)
  • From the inside: “Now that we’re on both sides… We have a lot of interaction with the Pepsi team… it’s really hard in a big corporation to move really quickly. When you’re a small startup, you’re allowed to move at the speed of culture.” (26:36, Allison)

8. Entrepreneur Advice: Talent, Delegating, and Growth

• Scale Requires Letting Go
  • Allison’s top lesson: hire faster, let go sooner—don’t let ego slow you down. Hire for what you need in a year, not just now.
  • Quote: “The second you start letting go and not letting your ego get in the way of growth is really where you have real growth.” (28:02, Allison)
  • Delegation Threshold: “If you have 50–60% trust in somebody else, that's literally when you should start to delegate it.” (28:59, Stephen)
  • Host summary: “In order to grow, you have to let go.” (29:29, Jack)

9. Notable Moments, Quotes & Humor

• ASMR Soda Opening: Early “product placement” and a can opening moment for the crowd. (04:12)
• The Mafia of Beverage Distribution: Allison compares locked-up soda venue relationships to the mafia. (10:58)
• Poppi’s Explosive TikTok Strategy: “1/3 of the [TikTok] platform has seen my face seven times.” (19:52, Allison)
• Rapid Fire: The Newlyweds Game
  • Stephen guesses Allison’s favorites: Skims (brand), Crocs (dream collab), cheddar popcorn (snack), Kim Kardashian ("leader”), East Side pink cups taco place (restaurant). (29:55–31:45)

Key Quotes by Timestamp

• On Acquisition Stress:
  • "We actually got into one of the biggest fights ever..." - Allison (05:06)
• On Purpose After Big Success:
  • "I think in life, you need purpose..." - Allison (06:51)
• On Brand Building:
  • “I want us to think about brand awareness, brand building, future like disruption…” - Allison (18:41)
• On Employee Equity:
  • “99% of the employees also had equity… they bought homes, they retired their parents...” - Stephen (14:48)
• On Entrepreneurial Delegation:
  • “If you have 50–60% trust in somebody else, that's literally when you should start to delegate it.” - Stephen (28:59)
• On Big Brand Dynamics:
  • “They've decided to not take the risk of innovation and instead they've outsourced innovation to the startup sector.” - Jack (25:25)

Important Timestamps

• Acquisition Story & Emotions: 05:06–07:19
• Brand vs. Metrics Philosophy: 18:41–20:48
• Super Bowl Ad Strategy: 22:12–22:55
• Soda Industry & Big Brand Mentality: 23:43–27:04
• Best Lessons on Hiring & Growth: 28:02–29:32
• Rapid-Fire Newlyweds Game: 29:46–31:45

Tone & Style

The episode is fast-paced, witty, and full of camaraderie, with plenty of light teasing and candid revelations. The speakers are authentic and transparent, often poking fun at each other and themselves while dropping actionable, hard-won business lessons.

Takeaways for Entrepreneurs & Couples

• Build community, not just a customer base.
• Brand is everything for early-stage startups; numbers come later.
• Equity shared with employees creates outsized motivation and loyalty.
• Founders: hire fast, let go, and over-invest in talent—you can’t do it all.
• Work-life integration is natural for the passionate entrepreneur; embrace the blur.
• Trust, complete commitment, and knowing lanes are foundational in any partnership—business or marriage.

Memorable Moment

[04:12] The live ASMR soda can opening, setting a fun, celebratory tone for the show and symbolizing Poppi’s branding prowess.

Summary Prepared By: The Best One Yet Podcast Summarizer
For: Listeners, entrepreneurs, and aspiring couples in business who want the inside track on building something great—and having fun doing it.