Sean Moran
Fan of Life & Good People, Business Explorer & Leader, Curious Investor
What I’ve been up to lately…
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Becoming COO at Evergreen Trading, a media investment agency powered by trade
As COO, I’m excited to scale a model that turns underperforming assets into powerful trade currency, helping marketers stretch every dollar further. With a sharp, entrepreneurial team and a flexible approach to media, Evergreen is built for today’s marketing complexity—and tomorrow’s growth.
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Chatting with Digiday about turning client challenges into intellectual treasure hunts
After nearly 30 conversations with a variety of executives attending Possible last week in Miami, a few topics bubbled to the surface, from a cooling of a merger and acquisition market to the opportunities and challenges of retail media, to the power of sports to unify a divided country and world.
These conversations were captured at Digiday’s studio at Possible (Digiday is a media partner of the conference), and the following is a sampling of interviews.
Things I’m proud to be a part of
Exciting updates on the founders & NewCo’s I invest in and support—recent wins, fresh ideas, and founder momentum worth sharing.
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Opening a full-service “Di Fara Pizza Tavern” in the Horseshoe at Hub RTP (Research Triangle Park), bringing 145 seats, bar service, gelato, and outdoor seating in late 2025
Launching a frozen pizza line through BossBites, now stocked in ShopRite, Foodtown, Uncle Giuseppe’s, Instacart—and aiming for national grocers like Kroger, Ahold Delhaize, LIDL, and HEB by late spring
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Whipnotic is now available in 250 Target locations nationwide.
In Q2, they saw their strongest quarter to date, generating $140K in gross revenue, representing a +57% increase over Q1'25.
Seeing triple-digit growth (+152%) in the category per SPINS L52W, outperforming the Cream+Creamers category (+13%).
Launched new packaging with updated Nutritionals, logo lockup, user instructions and QR code.
Set to preview new flavors Cinnamon Bun and Dubai Chocolate at the Fancy Food Show in July.
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Available in every major airport in the US, and the dominant water brand in SFO and LAX airports.
Finalized partnerships with Ball Arena in Denver (sales up 300% vs. historical products) and Cirque De Soleil; the NBA, and 7 other teams in pipeline (2 late stage), with an average revenue of $3M each.
Single bottle Velocities are 7.8x that of Liquid Death and 130% more than their next closest competitor. Working on several strategic distribution opportunities to accelerate the growth even faster.
Approaching annual sales of $100m!
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Launched 221 Target stores in Texas, Florida, and California—marking Target’s first-ever canned orange wine debut this March
Now available in 25 U.S. states via accounts like Whole Foods, Sprouts, Total Wine, and consistent momentum in off‑premise & lifestyle channels.
Highlighted in 2024 as a next‑gen beverage innovator with its sommelier‑curated, zero‑sugar, low‑intervention wines in eco‑friendly cans, spotlighting premium convenience & sustainability.
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Rolled out six products in 1,100 Target stores this February, featuring refreshed design and accessible price points ($14.99–$17.99), with projections aiming at $20 million in sales for the year
Sales doubled in 2023, and the brand is now on track to break even or cross into profitability
Closed a $3 million growth round early in 2024 to fuel retail expansion and broaden its product line, backed by investors including Willow Growth and Springdale Ventures
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Just raised $5.4 million in seed funding led by GV, enabling the launch of its “Gig marketplace”—where students find paid internships, part-time jobs, UGC roles, product testing, and consulting gigs with brands like Poppi, Aquaphor, Steve Madden, Etsy, and Burt’s Bees
Opened applications for a 30‑member Gen Z Advisory Board, selecting top students from the Home From College community to co-design platform features and influence future product direction
Platform now supports 100,000+ students and has facilitated “thousands and thousands” of paid opportunities—from social media gigs to resume‑studio services—helping young professionals build real‑world skills and launch early careers.
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Rolled out its CASTELVETRANO extra-virgin olive oil sourced directly from a Sicilian family farm—its first internationally harvested offering—selling out rapidly after a limited launch this spring.
Significantly increased its grocery footprint: now in 165 Whole Foods stores, with its flagship olive oils, balsamics, and popular Pizza Oil now in 125 additional locations, driving a 500% YoY grocery sales surge.
Continued strategic product expansion: from two SKUs in 2018 to a full lineup of flavored oils, vinegars, and honey, with revenue growing 5× last year.
Built a strong cultural presence: recognized as Oprah’s Favorite Things and praised by food communities—including being voted Reddit’s top olive oil brand in 2024.
Coming Spring 2026:
The Sunday Night Factor…The Book!
Ever wonder if your leadership is truly hitting the mark? Imagine a world where your team doesn't dread the end of the weekend, but actually looks forward to Monday morning. This isn't a fantasy; it's the core of The Sunday Night Factor. My upcoming book looks into this powerful concept, revealing how the feelings your team experiences on a Sunday night are a direct measure of your effectiveness as a leader. Discover how you can cultivate a culture where people not only love Sunday nights, but embrace Mondays with enthusiasm, unlocking unprecedented productivity and building the most engaged and high-performing teams. I've also had the privilege of including insights from some of the most influential leaders in media, entertainment, and sports, who share their secrets to fostering environments where passion and performance thrive.
About
I’m a marketing and media executive leveraging decades of leadership and revenue growth to support, advise and invest in new companies, projects & people.
I spent over twenty years in various leadership roles at Viacom, working with the biggest media brands in the world. I oversaw all advertising sales for Viacom brands as well as Viacom Velocity, the company’s full-service branded content studio, and Advanced Marketing Solutions, a division focused on the growth of nonlinear advertorial revenue.
I’m a founding member of OpenAP, the industry’s first open platform for cross-publisher advanced audience targeting and independent measurement. I’ve been a board member of the Ad Council, the American Advertising Federation (AAF) and I served as the Vice-Chairman of the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB).
I sit on the Advisory Board of the Fiver Children’s Foundation, a comprehensive youth development organization that empowers children from underserved communities to develop life skills and reach their full potential. As a former professional basketball player in the Welsh and Portuguese leagues, I have also served on the Advisory Board of PeacePlayers International (PPI) since 2006, which operates on the premise that through basketball, children who play together can live together.