Hi — I’m Ashlie Graham, and I help small–mid-size CPG brands build the trade planning systems they need to scale.
After more than a decade leading sales strategy, trade planning, IBP, and TPM implementations inside fast-growing consumer brands, I saw a clear pattern:
Founders and early-stage CPG operators know they need stronger trade-spend discipline and scalable systems — they just don’t have the time, tools, or roadmap to get there.
I started Next Step Consulting to fill that gap.
I partner directly with founders and lean teams to simplify complexity, translate messy retail realities into clean workflows, and build TPM-ready processes that actually fit the way small brands operate.
My Approach
Diagnostic First
(Assessment + Clarity)
We map your current trade planning processes, identify gaps in workflows and data, and clarify what’s required for TPM readiness.
This includes understanding your team’s skillset and readiness for change.
Design & Build
(Practical, Scalable Systems)
I create or refine trade workflows, terms structures, promo planning logic, and cross-functional alignment tools your team can actually use.
Implementation Support
(Training + Change Management)
From vendor evaluation to training and rollout, I guide your team through a smooth implementation—without overwhelming your resources.
Where My Experience Comes From
Led the design, deployment, and enterprise-wide roll-out of an Anaplan-based TPM solution for a national home & personal care brand
Built customer-level annual planning frameworks that aligned Sales, Finance, Supply Chain & Marketing
Redesigned trade-promotion and deduction workflows that increased visibility and reduced manual rework
Managed trade budgets and pricing strategies across natural and mass retail (including Walmart, Target, and Whole Foods)
Served as product owner/super user for TPM and forecasting software during design, testing, and training
Championed IBP evolution including monthly demand reviews, rolling forecasts, and cross-functional alignment
Why I Focus on Small–Mid-Size CPG Brands
Because I’ve lived your reality: lean teams, siloed spreadsheets, retailer demands, unclear promo math, and processes that exist only in someone’s head.
I know how transformative the right trade planning process and TPM system can be — and how costly delays or bad implementations become.
That’s why I focus on brands that are growing fast, need scalable systems, and want practical guidance, not enterprise-sized theory.