#100: From Viral Content to Retail Scale | Black Rifle Coffee CMO Donny Jensen

About this episode

How do you build “America’s coffee” without getting lost in politics?

Donny Jensen, CMO of Black Rifle Coffee, joins Jason Harris to share lessons from a career that’s spanned Nike, Red Bull, Beats by Dre, Spartan Race, and now one of America’s fastest-growing coffee companies. Donny explains why brand is the ultimate differentiator, how Black Rifle balances irreverent viral content with disciplined growth marketing, and what it means to stand for veterans and first responders without playing politics.

Key Takeaways:
✅ Below $1B, CMOs must know the growth levers themselves—not just manage from the top
✅ The sweet spot is a hybrid model: in-house talent plus specialized agency partners
✅ Brand is the moat—when ads shut off during COVID, Spartan’s traffic kept coming because of brand strength
✅ Plan your own calendar: cultural relevance matters less than staying true to your brand moments

Memorable Moments:
💡 “If you don’t know performance and growth, you’re at a massive disadvantage as a CMO.”
💡 “We want to be America’s coffee, America’s energy—positive energy, every time you encounter us.”
💡 “A great brand gets you the retail meeting. It makes everything easier.”
💡 “My dad paid me a dollar an hour to sweep on his job sites—I still work like nothing is owed to me.

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