Shelf Talks

Send us Fan Mail Getting your product onto retail shelves is exciting, but are you truly ready for what comes next? In this Retail Readiness Round, Meredith Mills-Merritt, founder of The Original Southside, shares three important lessons every product-based founder should understand before pursuing retail. We discuss: Get your pricing right: Why founders need to understand their cost of goods, mar...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to turn a family recipe into a ready-to-drink spirits brand on retail shelves?.. In this episode of Shelf Talks, I'm joined by Meredith Mills-Merritt, Founder and CEO of The Original Southside , a premium, ready-to-drink gin cocktail brand inspired by her mother's family recipe. With a 10% ABV, organic ingredients, and a commitment to great taste...

Send us Fan Mail Two years. 70 episodes. Countless founder journeys. And so many lessons about what it really takes to build a successful product-based business. In this special solo episode of Shelf Talks, I'm reflecting on two years of conversations with female founders and retail experts who have shared their journeys, challenges, wins, and lessons along the way. But first, I'm taking...

Send us Fan Mail In this retail readiness round with Dana Bly, founder of Pardon My Fro, shares practical insights for product-based founders who want to grow their brands and get their products into retail stores. Dana’s journey from creating $5 art prints to building a brand that landed on Walmart shelves offers valuable lessons in standing out, recognizing retail opportunities, and understandin...

Send us Fan Mail Hello, hello, and welcome back to Shelf Talks Podcast! What does it take to turn a creative vision into a retail brand that stands out on shelves? In this episode, I’m joined by Dana Bly, founder of Pardon My Fro, a bold lifestyle and textured hair care brand built around representation, creativity, and celebrating natural hair. Dana takes us behind the scenes of her entrepreneuri...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to grow a product-based business and expand into retail? In this Retail Readiness Round, Erica Haft, founder of Sweeter Collective, shares three practical lessons for emerging brands looking to get their products on retail shelves. Erica reveals what she wishes she had done before launching in retail, including building a stronger online community, and hig...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to turn a big idea into a product on retail shelves? For Erica Haft, founder of Sweeter Collective, it started with a sweet tooth, a gap in the candy aisle, and the courage to leave a nearly decade-long career in law to build something entirely new. In this episode of Shelf Talks, Erica shares how she reimagined hard candy with modern flavors and better-for-you i...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to be ready for a national retail opportunity? In this Retail Readiness Round, Cory Varona, co-founder of OCOA Beauty, shares three important lessons every product-based founder should know before pitching a national retailer. Cory talks about: Why your product and packaging need to be retail-ready before you pitch Why having a manufacturer that can scale...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to go from an idea in your kitchen to getting your product on the shelves of 461 Ulta Beauty stores? In this episode of Shelf Talks, Roberta sits down with Cory Varona, co-founder of OCOA Beauty, the sister-founded curly hair brand inspired by their Dominican heritage and their own journey of learning to embrace their natural curls. Cory and her sister Nic...

Send us Fan Mail Getting your product onto a retail shelf is not the finish line. It’s the beginning. In this solo episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta breaks down one of the most powerful ways product-based brands can turn their retail presence into real consumer connection: sampling. If you sell an experiential product that customers can taste, feel, use, or experience, sampling gives you the op...

Send us Fan Mail Getting your product onto a retail shelf is exciting, but getting the yes is only the beginning. In this episode of Shelf Talks, Roberta Townes shares 10 smart questions every product-based founder should ask a retail buyer when discussing a potential retail partnership. From understanding what success looks like and how your launch will be measured, to uncovering promotional oppo...

Send us Fan Mail Getting your product onto a retail shelf is a huge milestone, but what happens when the product isn't selling once it gets there? In this solo episode of Shelf Talks, Roberta Townes, retail buyer and host of Shelf Talks Podcast, breaks down 5 reasons a great product may not be performing as expected in retail. From unclear packaging and pricing to weak marketing, poor shelf p...

Send us Fan Mail In this Retail Readiness Round, Wendy Kushel, founder of Wendala's shares practical advice for founders who want to get their products onto retail shelves. Wendy breaks down one of the biggest mistakes founders make before pitching retail buyers: not being truly retail ready. From UPC codes and legal labeling to understanding FDA requirements, she explains what founders need...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to get a product from farmers markets to major retailers? For Wendy Kushel, founder of Wendala’s, the answer is being scrappy, staying persistent, listening to your customers, and simply getting in the game. In this episode of Shelf Talks, Wendy shares the unconventional journey behind her innovative sugar scrub brand, from discovering sugar scrubs at age...

Send us Fan Mail We’re continuing our Founders Flashback series by revisiting my conversation with Katie Lefkowitz, founder of Harken Sweets, a better-for-you candy brand that is changing the way consumers think about indulgence. When I originally interviewed Katie, Harken was already on shelves at Walmart and expanding into retailers across the country. Katie shared the behind-the-scenes story of...

Send us Fan Mail We’re continuing the Founders Flashback series on Shelf Talks with a conversation that every product-based founder should revisit. In this episode, I’m bringing back my conversation with Gloria Chou, award-winning Small Biz PR Coach, to talk about one of the biggest challenges founders face: getting your brand noticed. Gloria shares her no-fluff approach to PR and breaks down how...

Send us Fan Mail One of the most important lessons I’ve learned as a retail buyer is that bigger isn’t always better, especially when you’re building a brand. That’s why I’m bringing back this Founder's Flashback episode, which has become the most-listened-to episode in Shelf Talks history. In this solo episode, I break down 10 reasons why starting in local retail can give emerging brands a p...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to build a product-based brand and get it onto retail shelves? In this Founder’s Flashback episode of Shelf Talks, I revisit my conversation with Keta Burke-Williams, founder of Ourside, a luxury fragrance brand built around bold, intentional scents, storytelling, and self-expression. Keta’s entrepreneurial journey is especially compelling because she didn...

Send us Fan Mail Originally aired in May 2025. Re-released because the lessons are just as relevant today. Some podcast conversations are worth revisiting, and this is one of them. When this episode first aired, Candace Wu, co-founder of Wonder Monday, shared how she disrupted the traditional cheesecake category with a high-protein, low-sugar, gluten-free dessert and the strategy behind getting on...

Send us Fan Mail Getting a meeting with a retail buyer is a huge accomplishment. Walking out of that meeting feeling confident, only to receive a "no," can be frustrating. In this solo episode of Shelf Talks, Roberta Townes breaks down the five biggest reasons great products still get rejected by retail buyers, even when the product itself is strong. You'll learn:  • Why timing matt...

Send us Fan Mail Every great retail brand starts with a story. In this Retail Readiness Round, Alysa Seeland, founder of Fond Bone Broth, shares the deeply personal experience that inspired her business. After facing a serious postpartum health crisis, Alysa discovered the healing power of bone broth and turned that journey into a mission-driven brand that's helping consumers nourish themselv...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to build a premium brand that retailers believe in? In this episode of Shelf Talks, Roberta Townes sits down with Alysa Seeland, founder of FOND Regenerative, to discuss the journey from selling bone broth at local farmers markets to becoming a nationally distributed brand found in Whole Foods, Sprouts and Albertsons. Alysa shares how customer feedback sha...

Send us Fan Mail Getting your product onto a retailer's shelf is only the beginning. In this Retail Readiness Round, Belle Robinson, founder of ROXII Supercube, shares three quick but powerful lessons every product founder should hear before pursuing retail. You'll learn: • Why you need to know exactly where your product belongs before pitching. • The biggest mistake founders make after...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you realize the wellness aisle is too complicated? Belle Robinson did something no one else had done before. Instead of another powder, capsule, or ready-to-drink beverage, she created ROXII Supercube , nutrient-infused functional ice cubes designed to make wellness as simple as dropping ice into your favorite drink. In this episode of Shelf Talks, Belle shares:...

Send us Fan Mail Thinking about getting your product on retail shelves? Start here. In this Retail Readiness Round of Shelf Talks , Hannah Perez, co-founder of SEEQ shares three actionable insights every founder should hear before pursuing retail growth. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why attending Expo West can fast track your learning as a CPG founder • How connecting with founders alr...