Noah Barlow

Resume · 2026

Noah Barlow.

Brand, packaging, and growth leadership for founder-led challenger companies. Twenty years operating.

20+years operating
12+brands launched
300+packages shipped
$1B+portfolios advised
$8M+seed capital supported

What I'm hired for

Three jobs. One operator.

  1. 01

    Brand strategy and positioning

    Sharp positioning. Clear point of view. Less deck, more shipping. I translate ambiguous business problems into brand platforms a team can run with — fast.

  2. 02

    Packaging systems and retail psychology

    The package is the brand's most-touched media buy. I design pack systems that win the three-second test, signal the right tier, and earn the shelf before the price tag does.

  3. 03

    Fractional brand & growth leadership

    Embedded strategic partner for founder-led companies. Senior involvement, limited engagements, close enough to the P&L to be useful to it.

Trajectory

Two decades, one through-line: build the thing.

  1. 2017 — Now

    Founder & Senior Operator · Smaller Agency / Independent Advisory

    Founded Smaller Agency. Now operating as a senior strategic advisor for founder-led challenger brands — brand strategy, packaging systems, and growth leadership delivered as a partner rather than an agency. Selective engagements, senior involvement, no production overhead.

    • 12+ brands launched in the Canadian market
    • 300+ packages designed and shipped to retail
    • $8M+ in seed capital supported via IR + launch leadership
  2. 2019 — 2021

    Chief Marketing Officer · Doseology Sciences

    Founding CMO of a functional mushroom wellness brand. Built the brand platform, IR deck, website, CRM, packaging, and DTC engine from day one. Owned brand mission, vision, and all customer-facing touchpoints alongside the founder team.

    • $4M+ in funding supported through IR + pitch communications
    • 8 product lines developed (tinctures, powders, supplements)
    • Social audience grown to 10K in year one
  3. 2015 — 2019

    VP Marketing · GreenSpace Brands (TSXV)

    Owned brand and marketing across a publicly-traded CPG portfolio of better-for-you food, beverage, and wellness brands distributed nationally across grocery and specialty retail. Led innovation, packaging, partnerships, and integrated marketing across paid, owned, earned, CRM, influencer, and shopper.

    • Responsible for $36M+ in annual brand revenue across 8 CPG brands
    • 6 direct reports across brand, creative, and growth
    • 8 new products with 26 variants launched in year one; 2 master-brand relaunches
  4. 2013 — 2015

    Director, Brand & Programming · Me&Lewis Ideas

    Led the SABMiller Canada portfolio — Miller Lite, MGD, Grolsch, Pilsner Urquell, Peroni. Directed the Canadian launch of Miller Lite, building the light-beer category in the most competitive segment in Canada from a standing start.

    • Grew Toronto office revenue 300% in year one
    • Doubled local client roster without adding overhead
    • Led strategic, creative, and client work across SABMiller Canada
  5. 2011 — 2013

    Director, Development & Strategy · Blueband Digital

    Built early-stage digital agency capabilities for CPG and lifestyle brands when most clients still treated digital as a tactic. Direct client wins included Weetabix, TD, Telus, PlayStation, and Virgin Gaming.

    • $1M+ in net new billings in year one
  6. 2009 — 2011

    National Manager, Client Development · Launch (acquired by Mosaic, 2012)

    Built the client portfolio for a national experiential and retail-activation agency — clients included LEGO, Canadian Tire, Beam Global, Carlsberg, PlayStation Canada, Apple, Levi's, and Clif Bar.

    • $10M+ in net new client billings across the portfolio
  7. 2004 — 2008

    Account Executive · Segal Communications

    Consulting and public relations agency. The years that taught me the agency business from the inside — proposals, programs, budgets, and what a client actually pays for.

Selected work

Brands shipped, repositioned, launched.

Full case studies at noahbarlow.github.io/work.

Published frameworks

The thinking on paper.

  • The Challenger Playbook Whitepaper · 40pp · Smaller Agency
  • The Modern Brand OS Whitepaper · Smaller Agency
  • Beer for Gen Z Category whitepaper · Smaller Agency
  • Gen Z Operating System Whitepaper · Smaller Agency
  • The Challenger Scorecard Diagnostic companion · Smaller Agency

In print

Press & features.

  • Communication Arts Feature · 2020
  • Strategy Magazine Smaller Agency launch · 2019
  • Strategy Online Smaller Agency × Grolsch · 2019
  • Globe & Mail RCLUB feature · 2019
  • BlogTO, Driving.ca RCLUB launch coverage · 2019

Education

Foundation.

  • York University, Toronto BA, Political Science & Communications · 1999–2003

Work together

If the brief is sharp, the next move is a conversation.

Selective engagements, senior involvement, no production overhead. Start with a thirty-minute call.

Book a strategy call Try a diagnostic