Mount Shasta at Sunrise

Web Design and
Go-to-Market Proposal

For Shasta Apothecary Labs

Prepared by: Christian Smutherman, CEO, Growth LoopFor: Bret Ackerman, CEO, Shasta Apothecary Labs

Executive Summary

This proposal outlines Growth Loop's comprehensive go-to-market strategy for Shasta Apothecary Labs. We will serve as your dedicated growth partner, providing strategic brand development, world-class digital platform development, influencer marketing, content creation, and performance optimization to ensure a successful launch and sustainable growth. Our engagement is structured as a performance-based partnership, with Growth Loop receiving a $3,500 monthly service fee for three months (stops at Month 3). Ongoing CMO services will be discussed after the initial GTM launch. Equity participation begins at 1% and scales to 3% over a three-year period.

I. The Opportunity

Market Context

Shasta Apothecary Labs is launching at a pivotal moment in the wellness industry. The functional beverage market is experiencing unprecedented growth, with the global market projected to exceed $2 trillion by 2030. Within this landscape, premium, purpose-driven brands that prioritize education and community are commanding premium pricing and achieving exceptional customer lifetime values. Shasta is positioned to capture significant market share by offering a product that is not only efficacious but also backed by a compelling brand story and a supportive community.

The respiratory wellness category represents a significant and underserved market opportunity. With growing awareness of respiratory health, particularly in the post-pandemic landscape, consumers are actively seeking natural, effective solutions to support their respiratory function and overall wellness. The global respiratory health market is valued at over $40 billion and growing at a compound annual growth rate of 8-12%.

The Product

Shasta's pine-derived respiratory shot addresses a critical gap in the market. Unlike generic energy shots or wellness beverages, this product is specifically formulated to support respiratory function using locally sourced, premium ingredients from Mount Shasta. The unique combination of pine needles, peppermint, and potentially monatomic minerals creates a differentiated product that commands premium pricing and generates strong word-of-mouth marketing.

The unit economics are exceptional. At a manufacturing cost of less than $0.50 per shot, selling at premium price points of $8-15 per shot (or $6-12 in bulk) generates gross margins of 70-85%. This margin profile allows for aggressive customer acquisition spending while maintaining profitability, and creates the financial runway needed to build a sustainable, scalable business.

The Vision

Shasta Apothecary Labs is not building just another e-commerce store. The vision is to create a brand that transcends transactional commerce and fosters a genuine community around wellness and education. This requires a sophisticated digital platform that combines beautiful design with robust functionality, integrated membership and community features, and a comprehensive go-to-market strategy that generates buzz, builds social proof, and drives sustainable growth.

II. Why Growth Loop

Growth Loop is not a traditional agency. We are an integrated growth partner that specializes in unifying brand strategy, creative execution, and technology to build seamless, high-performing digital experiences. We bring three critical capabilities to this engagement:

1. Proven Expertise in Wellness and Functional Beverages

We have a demonstrated track record of success in launching and scaling wellness products, particularly in the functional beverage and health shot categories. We are currently leading the go-to-market strategy for a similar shot-based product and have already achieved over 6,000 units sold with a comprehensive rebrand and go-to-market campaign launching this week. This real-time experience gives us invaluable insights into customer acquisition, conversion optimization, and retention strategies specific to this category.

We understand the unique challenges in the respiratory wellness space: the need for credibility and education, the importance of influencer partnerships, the power of pre-launch buzz campaigns, and the critical role of community in driving retention and lifetime value. We have battle-tested strategies and proven playbooks that we can apply immediately to accelerate Shasta's market penetration.

2. Technical and Creative Excellence

We have mastered the art of blending Shopify and Framer to create beautiful, high-converting websites that do not compromise on creative vision. Unlike traditional e-commerce platforms that force you into templated designs, our Shopify-Framer integration allows us to build custom, pixel-perfect experiences that reflect your brand identity while maintaining robust backend functionality for scaling.

We can build the exact digital experience you envision: a stunning homepage with animated hero sections and compelling brand narrative, product pages with detailed product information and customer testimonials, educational content sections featuring blog posts and wellness resources, and a fully integrated membership platform with gated community access. Our websites consistently achieve conversion rates 40-60% above industry benchmarks.

3. Fractional CMO Leadership and Strategic Execution

As your fractional Chief Marketing Officer, we provide strategic leadership across all aspects of your marketing and brand development. This means we are not just executing tactics; we are thinking strategically about your competitive positioning, market opportunities, and long-term brand building. We develop comprehensive go-to-market strategies that encompass brand positioning, influencer marketing, content creation, and targeted advertising. Our approach is data-driven and performance-oriented, with every marketing dollar tracked and optimized for maximum return on investment.

We have established relationships with key influencers in the wellness space and can rapidly deploy pre-launch seeding campaigns to generate buzz and social proof before your official launch. We identify and recruit specialized partners when needed (paid advertising experts, content creators, etc.), ensuring you have access to best-in-class talent without the overhead of full-time hires.

III. Scope of Services

Phase 1: Brand Positioning and Strategic Foundation

Weeks 1-2

Before we build, we must define. This phase establishes a strong strategic foundation for your brand.

Brand Workshop

We will conduct a comprehensive brand workshop to define Shasta's mission, vision, values, and unique value proposition. This workshop will establish the foundational brand narrative that will guide all subsequent marketing and communications efforts.

Target Audience Definition

We will develop detailed customer personas that identify your ideal customers, their pain points, motivations, and purchasing behaviors. These personas will ensure that all marketing efforts are precisely targeted and effective. We will segment your audience by lifestyle, health consciousness, purchase behavior, and media consumption habits.

Competitive Analysis

We will conduct a thorough analysis of the competitive landscape within the wellness and functional beverage sectors. This analysis will identify opportunities for differentiation and establish a unique competitive positioning for Shasta Apothecary Labs. We will analyze direct competitors (other respiratory health products), indirect competitors (general wellness shots), and adjacent competitors (energy drinks, supplements).

Go-to-Market Strategy Development

We will develop a comprehensive go-to-market strategy that includes:

  • Key brand messaging and positioning statements
  • Content themes and editorial calendar
  • Influencer and partnership strategy with specific influencer tiers and outreach plan
  • Launch timeline and critical milestones
  • Channel strategy (direct-to-consumer, retail partnerships, distribution channels)
  • Pricing strategy and promotional calendar
  • Customer acquisition and retention strategies
  • Financial projections and unit economics
Deliverable: Go-to-Market Strategy Document and Brand Guidelines

Phase 2: Digital Platform Development

Weeks 1-4 (Month 1)

With a solid strategy in place, we will build a world-class digital platform that serves as the hub of your brand and business operations.

Shopify + Framer Website Development

We will design and develop a stunning, mobile-optimized website that combines the robust e-commerce capabilities of Shopify with the creative design flexibility of Framer. The website will include:

  • Homepage with animated hero section and compelling brand narrative
  • Product pages with detailed product information, benefits, and customer testimonials
  • Educational content sections featuring blog posts, guides, and wellness resources
  • About page with brand story and founder narrative
  • Contact and inquiry forms for wholesale, affiliate, and general inquiries
  • Optimized checkout and payment processing
  • SEO optimization and technical best practices for search engine visibility
  • Full mobile responsiveness and accessibility compliance
  • Integration with email marketing and CRM systems

Membership Platform Integration

We will integrate a robust membership platform to create a gated community for your most engaged customers. The membership platform will support:

  • Multiple membership tiers with different benefits and access levels
  • Gated educational content and resources
  • Exclusive product offerings and early access
  • Member-only pricing and promotions
  • Membership management and billing automation
  • Integration with email marketing for member communication

We will evaluate and recommend the optimal membership platform based on your specific needs, which may include Thenty, GHL (GoHighLevel), or a custom-built solution.

Community Forum Development

We will build a moderated, Reddit-style community forum that fosters engagement and provides a space for your community to connect, share experiences, and support one another. The forum will include:

  • Topic-based discussion categories related to wellness, product usage, and lifestyle
  • Moderation tools to maintain community standards and prevent off-topic posts
  • User profiles and reputation systems
  • Integration with the membership platform to ensure appropriate access controls
  • AI-powered moderation assistance to support community management

Additional Platform Features

  • Email marketing integration for customer communication and nurture campaigns
  • Social media integration and content distribution
  • Analytics and reporting dashboards to track key performance metrics
  • Customer relationship management (CRM) functionality
  • Subscription and recurring order capabilities
  • Loyalty program functionality to reward repeat customers
  • Integration with fulfillment and inventory management systems
Deliverables: Fully developed website, membership platform, community forum, and technical documentation

Phase 3: Go-to-Market Launch and Growth

Month 2 and beyond

We will execute a powerful go-to-market launch to drive awareness, engagement, and sales.

Influencer Marketing Campaign

We will identify, evaluate, and partner with key influencers in the wellness, health, and lifestyle spaces to generate buzz and drive pre-launch excitement. Activities will include:

  • Influencer identification and outreach (targeting micro-influencers with 50K-500K followers for authentic engagement)
  • Influencer partnership negotiation and management
  • Product seeding and sampling programs
  • Content collaboration and co-creation
  • Performance tracking and optimization
  • Affiliate program setup and management

Content Creation and Strategy

We will create a comprehensive library of high-quality content to educate and engage your audience. Content will include:

  • Blog posts and long-form educational content on respiratory health, wellness trends, and product benefits
  • Social media content (Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube) with consistent posting schedule
  • Email marketing campaigns and sequences for nurture and retention
  • Video content and customer testimonials
  • Infographics and visual assets for social sharing
  • Press releases and media outreach materials
  • User-generated content campaigns

Paid Advertising Strategy

We will develop and manage a targeted advertising strategy across multiple channels, including:

  • Social media advertising (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn)
  • Influencer and affiliate advertising
  • Retargeting campaigns
  • Budget optimization and performance monitoring
  • A/B testing and creative optimization

Pre-Launch Buzz Campaign

We will execute a strategic pre-launch campaign to build anticipation and drive early sales, including:

  • Email list building and nurture campaigns
  • Social media teaser campaigns
  • Influencer pre-launch seeding
  • Press coverage and media outreach
  • Early access and pre-order campaigns
  • Launch event planning and execution (virtual or in-person)

Launch Execution

We will coordinate the full launch of your product and platform, including:

  • Coordinated messaging across all channels
  • Real-time monitoring and optimization
  • Customer support and fulfillment coordination
  • Performance tracking and reporting

Ongoing Optimization and Growth

Following the launch, we will continuously monitor and optimize your website, marketing campaigns, and business operations to maximize return on investment and drive sustainable growth. Activities will include:

  • Performance analytics and reporting (monthly and quarterly)
  • A/B testing and conversion optimization
  • Customer feedback collection and analysis
  • Marketing campaign optimization
  • Channel expansion and partnership development
  • Retention and customer lifetime value optimization
  • Quarterly business reviews to assess progress and align on strategy
Deliverables: Content library, influencer partnerships, paid advertising campaigns, launch coordination, and ongoing performance reports

IV. Investment and Partnership Terms

Service Fee
$3,500 / mo

For 3 months (Stops at Month 3)

Ongoing CMO services to be discussed after initial GTM

Equity Participation
1% - 3%

Scaling over three years

This structure reflects our commitment to a true partnership where our success is directly tied to your success. We are not looking for a quick transaction; we are looking to build a lasting partnership that drives exceptional growth for Shasta Apothecary Labs.

V. Timeline and Next Steps

Week 1:
Agreement execution and kickoff meeting
Weeks 1-2:
Phase 1 - Brand positioning and strategic foundation
Weeks 1-4 (Month 1):
Phase 2 - Digital platform development (website, community forum, membership platform)
Month 2 and beyond:
Phase 3 - Go-to-market launch and growth (influencer marketing, content creation, paid advertising, launch execution)
Month 4+:
Ongoing CMO services to be discussed after initial GTM launch

We are excited to partner with you to build the future of wellness. Let's get started.

Christian Smutherman

CEO, Growth Loop