Eric is CEO at RYTE™ Brands, a portfolio company whose holdings include RYTE CBD, Moksha Chocolate, and LYTE (CBD Pre-Rolls). He launched RYTE online and in-stores in August of 2020, building out and executing RYTE’s branding and product portfolio, DTC and Retail sales channels, and national marketing campaigns. Eric also works closely with RYTE’s portfolio partners to amplify their growth – providing retail trade guidance, strategic direction, and market insight.
In the industry since 2014, Eric has a wide-ranging background in CPG sales, manufacturing/processing, brand & product development, compliance, education, and testing. He regularly participates on industry panels speaking on a wide range of topics and has launched multiple brands and dozens of product SKUs into the market.
Before joining RYTE™ Brands, Eric led Wholesale/Retail (B2B) Sales at Balanced Health Botanicals, one of the fastest-growing brands in the CPG industry and parent company to both CBDistillery and BOTA. Under his leadership, monthly sales of branded products increased by 750% and overall corporate revenue increased from $10MM to $68MM. Fueling that growth was an increase in store count from several hundred outlets to over 5000+, with monthly sales in the Independent Channel growing from $125k to $1.2MM. Under his direction, national placement included products in Albertsons, ULTA, TJ Max, and Sierra Trading Post.™
Prior to joining Balanced Health, Eric was principal and founder at Full Spectrum Advisors, a boutique sales, marketing, and product development consultancy focused on the cannabis industry. Before founding FSA, Eric served as VP of Revenue for Sansal Enterprises in Pueblo, CO where he gained firsthand, “on farm” experience in cultivation and processing (not to mention cloning, harvesting, drying, and greenhouse operations).
Eric spent his early career on Wall Street, working for 14 years on the Chicago Stock Exchange at a sell side Broker /Dealer (Cheevers and Company) specializing in equity derivatives.
He carried his series 7 and 24 licenses while serving as desk principal. He attended Miami University in Oxford, OH, where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Marketing with Minors in German and Political Science.
Originally from Chicago, Eric is an avid Cubs and Bears fan. These days he can be found hiking around Boulder with his four kids, trail running, camping , or skiing the trees.
Helpful Links:
- RYTE brands | Hemp Extract
- Connect with Eric on LinkedIn
- Hire Leaders with Yscouts
Y Scouts is a leadership search firm that finds purpose-aligned and performance-proven leaders to help organizations achieve their missions faster. Ready to supercharge your leadership search and get the right person in your organization? Contact Y Scouts.