J.V. DeStefano

I’m the creator and co-founder of NYKD, a U.S.-based nicotine pouch and vapor brand built with a focus on compliance, quality, and real execution. I co-founded the company with Walker Wilkerson (formerly of Puff Brands) after seeing firsthand how much noise and how little discipline exists in this industry. NYKD was built from the ground up to operate the right way. We manufacture in the United States, invest heavily in compliance, and focus on products that can actually scale in today’s regulatory environment. Over the past year, we’ve grown distribution, increased revenue, and built meaningful relationships with retailers, distributors, and media partners, including national television advertising. Outside of NYKD, I’ve spent 17 years in the nicotine and consumer product space as the owner of OnWord Consulting, where I work with founders and operators on strategy, operations, and go-to-market execution. My background is hands-on. I’ve been in the weeds building brands, fixing broken systems, and helping companies grow in tough, regulated categories. I’m not interested in hype. I care about building products that sell, teams that last, and companies that can stand up to real scrutiny. NYKD is a reflection of that mindset. Open to conversations around distribution, partnerships, and long-term growth.

I am the Owner and Principal of OnWord Consulting, a strategy and execution-focused consulting firm serving founders and operators in the consumer packaged goods space. For the past 17 years, I’ve worked hands-on across CPG, distribution, retail, and product development, helping companies move from idea to shelf and from early growth to sustainable scale. My work is practical by design. I focus on what actually drives results in the field, not theory or slide decks. OnWord Consulting specializes in sales training and development, go-to-market strategy, and executive coaching. I work directly with leadership teams to strengthen sales execution, improve team performance, and build systems that support long-term growth. This includes coaching executives and sales leaders on communication, accountability, and decision-making in fast-moving, competitive environments. Most of my clients operate in regulated or high-pressure categories, where clarity, discipline, and execution matter more than hype. I bring real-world experience, direct feedback, and a builder’s mindset to every engagement. OnWord Consulting exists to help teams perform better, sell smarter, and build businesses that last.

I previously served as Vice President at Puff Brands, where I led sales, product development, marketing, and strategic relationships during a key growth period for the company. In that role, I was responsible for building and managing sales strategy, working directly with distributors and key accounts, guiding product development from concept to launch, and aligning marketing efforts with what actually moved product in the field. I also handled strategic partnerships and relationships that supported expansion, brand visibility, and long-term growth. My time at Puff Brands was hands-on and operational. I worked closely with manufacturing, compliance, and sales teams to bring products to market in a fast-moving and heavily regulated environment. The experience reinforced the importance of disciplined execution, clear communication, and building systems that can scale. That foundation ultimately led me to co-found NYKD, where I’ve applied the same practical approach to building a compliance-forward, U.S.-manufactured nicotine brand.

I served as Chief Strategy Officer at Hotbox Vape Company, where I focused on long-term planning, brand positioning, and execution across a rapidly changing and highly regulated market. In this role, I worked closely with leadership on company strategy, product roadmap development, pricing and margin structure, and go-to-market planning. I helped align sales, marketing, and product teams around clear priorities, while identifying opportunities for growth, efficiency, and improved market fit. My responsibilities also included evaluating partnerships, advising on distribution strategy, and helping the company adapt to regulatory and competitive shifts. The role required a practical, data-driven approach and a willingness to make hard decisions in real time. My experience at Hotbox strengthened my ability to think holistically about how brands grow, how teams stay aligned, and how strategy must translate into execution to be effective.

I served as Director of Training at Greenlane, where I was responsible for developing and executing training programs across sales, retail, and distribution channels. In this role, I built training systems that supported field sales teams, retail partners, and internal staff, with a focus on product knowledge, sales execution, and consistent brand representation. I worked closely with sales leadership and account teams to ensure training aligned with real-world selling conditions and customer needs. My responsibilities included onboarding new team members, creating scalable training materials, and supporting national rollouts across a broad retail footprint. The role required balancing structure with flexibility while operating in a fast-paced, evolving category. This experience sharpened my ability to translate strategy into clear, usable training that improves performance and supports growth at scale.