Shelf Talks

Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever felt like your emails are getting lost in a buyer’s inbox or questioned why your retail pitch isn’t landing, this quick-hit segment is packed with actionable insights you can apply immediately. Marisa pulls back the curtain on how to stand out to retail buyers in a saturated market sharing her strategic approach to timing, tailoring, and simplifying your outreach to...

Send us Fan Mail If you're a product-based founder trying to get into retail stores—and actually stay there—this episode is your blueprint. In this episode of Shelf Talks , I sit down with Marisa Sergi, CEO and co-founder of a multi-brand wine company , to break down what it really takes to build a retail-ready brand , pitch buyers with confidence, and scale from small beginnings to major ret...

Send us Fan Mail Trade shows like Expo West are exciting for product founders. You spend months preparing your booth, sampling your product, and finally getting the chance to meet retail buyers face-to-face. But here’s what many founders don’t realize: Getting your product into retail stores rarely happens at the trade show itself. It happens in the follow-up. In this solo episode of Shelf Talks ,...

Send us Fan Mail In this special Retail Readiness Round from Shelf Talks , Fly By Jing founder Jing Gao shares what it really takes for a product-based business to succeed in retail. If you're a founder working toward getting your product onto store shelves, this rapid-fire segment breaks down the essential elements buyers and retailers expect before saying yes . Jing dives into the fundament...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to turn a cultural idea into a global CPG brand—and land on thousands of retail shelves? In this episode of Shelf Talks , Roberta Townes sits down with Jing Gao , Founder and CEO of Fly By Jing , the flavor-forward food brand that brought authentic Sichuan flavors into mainstream grocery stores across the U.S. Before Fly By Jing became a breakout CPG success foun...

Send us Fan Mail Trade shows aren’t just about foot traffic they’re about getting in the right rooms. In this final Expo mini dive, Brittany Lo shares how exhibiting at a major beauty trade show led directly to landing her first retail account with Neiman Marcus and eventually opening doors with Urban Outfitters and Free People . We talk about:  • Using trade shows strategically to meet buyers  •...

Send us Fan Mail What if you went to Natural Products Expo West … without finished product? In today’s mini dive, Jess Berger , founder of Bundle x Joy , shares how she showed up to Expo West with mock-up packaging, no confirmed retailers, and massive MOQs hanging over her head — knowing she had to make something happen. Instead of waiting until everything was perfect, she leaned into scrappiness,...

Send us Fan Mail In this Trade Show Mini Dive, Olivia Abrams, co-founder of TiCK MiTT, shares how she strategically used viral social media momentum and in-person trade shows to break into retail without a massive budget or elaborate booth build. From exhibiting at Global Pet Expo with a simple 10x10 booth… to capturing the attention of major buyers… to intentionally starting in independent retail...

Send us Fan Mail With Natural Products Expo West right around the corner, today’s Shelf Talks mini dive is one every CPG founder needs to hear. In this clip from my conversation with Molly Blakeley , founder of Molly Bz Cookies , we dive into what really happens behind the scenes at major trade shows. Think:  • Last-minute product pivots  • Packaging mishaps  • Running across massive expo halls on...

Send us Fan Mail This is a mini clip from my full conversation with Jia Liao, founder of Hot Pot Queen pulled especially since we are nearing Expo West week. In this short drop, Jia shares the story of launching her brand the exact same day she showed at Natural Products Expo West. One day old. No retail accounts. And a booth build-out she now admits she didn’t need to spend that much on. From hir...

Send us Fan Mail In this Retail Readiness Round of Shelf Talks, I put Toni Covington in the hot seat for three rapid-fire questions every product-based founder needs to hear. If you’re preparing to pitch your first retail buyer, this segment is key for some major gems. Toni shares why understanding your consumer is non-negotiable and how something as simple as visualizing your product on a specifi...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to break into C-stores and hospitals in one of the most competitive categories in CPG? In this episode of Shelf Talks, I sit down with Toni Covington, Co-Founder & CEO of Oktane Energy, to unpack how she scaled a clean energy drink brand into 120+ C-store locations — without outside investors. Toni shares how Oktane: Landed its first distribution deal...

Send us Fan Mail In the Retail Readiness Round , Julie breaks down: What founders must stop doing when trying to scale in retail Why growing too fast can actually kill your brand on shelf The importance of repeat purchase, local velocity, and data What every founder should do before walking into a buyer meeting The mindset required to build a brand that lasts decades — not seasons If you’re a prod...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode I’m sitting down with Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Foods , a true retail powerhouse who took over a public company at just 27 years old and helped turn kefir into a nationally recognized category. In this episode, Julie shares:  ✨ How Lifeway grew from an immigrant family business to nationwide retail shelves  ✨ The scrappy, unconventional strategies they use...

Send us Fan Mail Getting into retail isn’t just about having a great product it’s about being retail ready before you ever sit across from a buyer. In this Retail Readiness Round bonus episode of the Shelf Talks podcast , Roberta sits down with Kim Brown, founder of CocoExo , to break down the non-negotiables every product-based founder must have in place to win shelf space and stay there. Kim sha...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks , host Roberta sits down with Kim Brown, founder of CocoXo Body Care Love , to break down what it really takes to build a product-based brand that’s ready for retail and stay on shelf. Kim shares her journey from making body butters in her kitchen to landing in independent retailers, TJ Maxx, Macy’s, and retail channels , all without shortcuts. This...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to walk into the Shark Tank — and walk out stronger as a founder? In this episode clip from this week's full episode, Roberta sits down with Olivia Abrams, co-founder of TiCK MiTT , to unpack her unforgettable journey from building a mission-driven product to pitching on Shark Tank’s season finale  and Mark Cuban’s final episode ever . Olivia shares t...

Send us Fan Mail In this Retail Readiness Round , Roberta sits down with Tina Chamoun, Founder of Terranean Herbs , to break down what it really takes to prepare for retail success. Tina shares practical, buyer-focused advice for founders getting ready to pitch their first retail buyer—why having accurate data, a clear story, and a category-first mindset matters more than hype. She explains how fo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks , Roberta sits down with Tina Chamoun, founder of Terranean Herbs , to unpack her journey from practicing law to building an authentic Lebanese food brand now stocked in grocery stores across the country. Tina shares how she turned a culturally rooted product into a retail-ready brand scaling with intention, navigating early retail without a pitch de...

Send us Fan Mail In this Retail Readiness Round , Psyche Terry—co-founder of Urban Hydration—drops unfiltered, real-world advice every product-based founder needs before pitching a retail buyer and after landing on shelf. Psyche shares: The non-negotiables founders must know before their very first buyer conversation (hint: margins matter more than you think) The most underrated skill required to...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to build a shelf-ready brand that lasts in retail? In this episode of Shelf Talks , I’m joined by Psyche Terry , founder and CEO of Urban Hydration , one of the fastest-growing Black-owned, plant-based beauty brands in mass retail. From TJ Maxx to Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, and Ulta , Psyche shares the real journey behind scaling a purpose-driven bra...

Send us Fan Mail In this Retail Readiness Round, Roberta sits down with Billie Asmus, creator and Founder of Repaint Studios, to break down what founders actually need to know before bringing an innovative product to retail shelves. Billie shares real-world insights on why market research must come before manufacturing, how skipping this step can lead to costly inventory mistakes, and what founder...

Send us Fan Mail How do you turn a simple DIY frustration into a retail-ready product that lands on major store shelves? In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta Townes sits down with Billie Asmus, creator and founder of The Repaint Tray, to break down how a personal problem while flipping furniture turned into a disruptive product now sold in Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Ace Hardware. Billie share...

Send us Fan Mail In this FOUNDER'S FLASHBACK from episode Ep 33 host Roberta interviews Candace Wu, co-founder of Wonder Monday, a brand that is redefining cheesecake with healthier options. Candace shares her journey from technology consulting to entrepreneurship, the challenges of product development, and the strategies for entering the competitive retail market. She discusses the importanc...

Send us Fan Mail In this Shelf Bites clip from the full episode released 6/21/25, Roberta sits down with Scout Brisson, CEO of De Soi , to break down how to successfully pitch and scale a product in retail when you’re building an entirely new category . Scout shares real, behind-the-scenes insights on how De Soi convinced retail buyers to take a chance on a non-alcoholic beverage brand without ear...