Josh Sweeney
Strategic Growth Leader · Vacilando Ventures
Hermosa Beach, CA
In My Own Words
Growth-focused leader dedicated to scaling impact-driven brands at the intersection of sustainability, culture, and commerce.
With a versatile, entrepreneurial approach, I combine strategic insight, hands-on execution, and a deep commitment to environmental responsibility. My expertise spans brand strategy, sales, marketing, logistics, and community engagement, always ensuring that brand values align with consumer needs to build lasting, meaningful connections.
Over the years, I’ve transformed startups into multimillion-dollar brands, optimized operations for sustainable growth, and built collaborative team cultures that drive both business success and positive social impact.
Key contributions include: • Scaling purpose-driven brands by integrating sustainability and ESG principles into their core strategies. • Leading business development initiatives that expand market reach while staying true to brand authenticity. • Optimizing operations and supply chains to improve efficiency and reduce waste. • Building high-performing, adaptable teams that prioritize creativity, collaboration, and long-term resilience. • Crafting authentic brand storytelling that connects sustainability with cultural relevance.
I thrive in mission-driven cultures that prioritize environmental responsibility, teamwork, and consumer connection. Excited to collaborate with brands and individuals committed to driving sustainable growth and meaningful change.
Work Experience
Strategic Growth Consultant
Vacilando Ventures2023 – Present
Helping brands scale with integrity through strategic growth, category expansion, and brand repositioning.
At Vacilando Ventures, I guide brands through growth and transformation, ensuring strategic execution aligns with core values. My approach blends market intelligence, community engagement, and sustainability to drive long-term success.
Core Focus Areas: • Wholesale & Category Expansion – Structuring scalable growth strategies that enhance market positioning. • Go-to-Market Execution – Building distribution models that strengthen retail partnerships and consumer engagement. • Brand Repositioning & Cultural Integration – Aligning storytelling, product development, and market positioning for meaningful evolution. • Sustainability & ESG Strategy – Infusing responsible practices into brand growth without compromising identity.
Selected Work & Impact: • Wholesale Growth Strategy – Structured expansion models that optimized distribution and strengthened retail partnerships. • Brand Repositioning & Market Evolution – Led a full-scale transformation, merging cycling and overlanding cultures to create a category-defining brand identity. • Experiential & Digital Engagement – Developed community-driven initiatives that enhanced brand affinity and increased conversion.
I welcome opportunities to connect and discuss how brands can evolve with purpose while driving sustainable, high-impact growth.
Brand Director
Golden Circle Group, LLC.2022 – 2023
At Golden Circle Group, I led the transformation of Cadence Collection from a direct-to-consumer model to a sustainable hybrid strategy, positioning the brand for long-term growth and market relevance. My role centered on cross-functional leadership, optimizing operations, and aligning sales, marketing, design, and logistics with consumer expectations.
Key Contributions & Impact: • Led a strategic shift to a hybrid business model, balancing DTC and wholesale for scalable, sustainable growth. • Optimized operations & supply chain, achieving 9x order growth while increasing agility and responsiveness to market trends. • Championed sustainability by localizing 90% of the supply chain, reducing carbon footprint, and improving production speed and go-to-market timelines. • Developed purpose-driven events & partnerships, deepening community engagement and strengthening brand loyalty. • Aligned brand vision with consumer demand, ensuring authentic storytelling and product-market fit.
Co-Founder, Director of Sales
HippyTree2006 – 2021
Played a foundational role in growing HippyTree from a garage-based startup into a multi-million-dollar lifestyle brand with international reach, fusing surf and climbing culture with sustainability. Focused on brand strategy, sales growth, and operational efficiencies to ensure scalable, impact-driven expansion.
Key Contributions & Impact: • Led brand expansion, driving consistent sales growth across North America and international markets on a lean budget. • Directed a global sales team, scaling distribution while optimizing brand positioning in key markets. • Optimized operations and supply chain efficiency, ensuring scalability and streamlined inventory management. • Built a loyal community through strategic partnerships, impactful marketing, and purpose-driven collaborations. • Integrated sustainability into product lines, aligning eco-conscious initiatives with brand identity. • Developed and launched athlete-branded collections, amplifying brand presence and deepening engagement in core markets.
By staying true to our authentic brand story while adapting to market trends, we cultivated a loyal customer base and positioned HippyTree as a leader in surf and climbing-inspired lifestyle apparel.
