Shelf Talks

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Sarah McNamara & Rochelle Jacobs, Co-Founders of Naturally Serious Skincare and took away some learning about the readiness it takes to launch in retail stores. On this mini drop, here are 3 powerful questions I asked Sarah & Rochelle specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). What is the one thing you...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta interviews Sarah McNamara and Rochelle Jacobs, co-founders of Naturally Serious Skin, a clean beauty brand. They discuss their backgrounds in the beauty industry, the inspiration behind their brand, and the innovative product development process that led to their patented blend of ingredients. The conversation also covers their marketin...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Mika Shino, Founder of Issei Mochi Gummies and took away some learning about the readiness it takes to launch in retail stores. On this mini drop, here are 3 powerful questions I asked Mika specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). What is a learning that you didn’t know until Mochi was actually on retail shel...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta interviews Mika Shino, founder of Issei Mochi Gummies. Mika shares her journey from working at the United Nations to launching her innovative gummy brand inspired by traditional Japanese mochi. The conversation covers her challenges in product development, the importance of consumer feedback, and her strategies for breaking into major r...

Send us Fan Mail In this mid week drop, I’m going back in the vault to carve out some insightful tips and learning from past guests. In this clip, Christina Kao discusses the strategic approach to influencer marketing, particularly through platforms like TikTok, and how it has significantly impacted brand visibility and sales. She shares insights on managing inventory challenges in a trend-driven...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Mehek Khera, Founder of Niramaya Foods and took away some learning about the readiness it takes to launch in retail stores. On this mini drop, here are 3 powerful questions I asked Mehek specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). What was the most challenging part about securing placement in retail stores? What...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta interviews Mehek Khera, founder of Niramaya Foods, who shares her journey from a corporate career to launching her own brand focused on Indian-inspired, health-conscious foods. Mehek discusses the challenges and triumphs of building her brand, including product development, sourcing ingredients, navigating the retail landscape, and resp...

Send us Fan Mail In this mid week drop, I’m going back in the vault to carve out some insightful tips and learning from past guests. In this clip Brianna Arps shares her insights on launching a retail product, highlighting the importance of inventory management, marketing strategies, and the power of exclusivity. She emphasizes the need for continuous learning and adapting in the retail landscape,...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Brittany Lo, Founder of Beia and took away some learning about the readiness it takes to launch in retail stores. On this mini drop, here are 3 powerful questions I asked Brittany specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). Looking back, what’s one thing you wish you knew before launching Beia Beauty in retail?...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta interviews Brittany Lo, founder and CEO of Beia, a beauty brand focused on lifestyle skincare. Brittany shares her journey from starting a beauty service concierge to launching her own product line. The conversation covers the challenges of product development, the importance of market research, and the strategies behind successful reta...

Send us Fan Mail In this mid week drop, I’m going back in the vault to carve out some insightful tips and learning from past guests. In this clip talk with Morgan Potts as she shares her entrepreneurial journey with Granarly, a unique granola brand that incorporates whiskey. She discusses the challenges and lessons learned from starting small, navigating retail, and the importance of branding and...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Keta Burke-Williams, Founder of Ourside Perfume and took away some learning about the readiness it takes to launch in retail stores. On this mini drop, here are 3 powerful questions I asked Keta specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). What advice would you give to emerging founders in the beauty and fragranc...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta interviews Keta Burke-Williams, founder of Ourside Perfume, who shares her journey from a traditional career path to launching a unique fragrance brand. Keta discusses her early influences, the challenges of breaking into the fragrance industry, and the importance of storytelling in her brand. She highlights the significance of consumer...

Send us Fan Mail In this SHELF BITES Rachel Klein, founder of Revival Food Co. shares her journey of launching a food product into Walmart, detailing the challenges she faced during production, logistics, and communication with buyers. She recounts a significant labeling issue that led to her products not scanning at registers, and how she navigated these hurdles through effective problem-solving...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Elina Wang, Co-Founder and CEO of ESW Beauty and took away some learning about the readiness it takes to launch in retail stores. On this mini drop, here are 3 powerful questions I asked Elina specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). 1. What’s one piece of advice you wish you had known before entering retail?...

Send us Fan Mail In this conversation, Elina Wang, Co-Founder and CEO of ESW Beauty, shares her journey of launching a clean skincare brand inspired by her personal wellness journey. She discusses the challenges and successes of building her brand, the importance of trade shows, and the strategies she employed for marketing and retail partnerships. Elina emphasizes the significance of community fe...

Send us Fan Mail Success in retail isn’t just about having a great product—it’s about building the right connections. In this Shelf Bites episode, we dive into how networking, strategic advisors, and even unexpected encounters helped shape the journey to landing in big-box stores. From leveraging LinkedIn to joining founder groups, Heather and Enwei share their top insights on finding the right pe...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Ardean Miller, Founder of Mah Melanin and took away some learning about the readiness it takes to launch in retail stores. On this mini drop, here are 3 powerful questions I asked Ardean specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). If another founder told you they wanted to start exploring getting into retail sto...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta interviews Ardean Miller, founder of Mah Melanin, a groundbreaking brand in the gift wrap industry that focuses on diversity and inclusion. Ardean shares her inspiring journey from humble beginnings to becoming the first Black-owned brand to partner with major retailers like Sam's Club and Hallmark. The conversation delves into the...

Send us Fan Mail In this mini drop, I pulled out the archive some important and noteworthy tips and facts about retail from Jamika Martin, Founder of Rosen Skincare. In this conversation, Jamika Martin discusses her experiences and strategies in retail, particularly focusing on her brand's launch at Ulta. She emphasizes the importance of differentiation in a competitive market, the creative c...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Jia Liao, Founder of Hotpot Queen and took away some learning about the readiness it takes to launch in retail stores. On this mini drop, here are 3 powerful questions I asked Jia specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). What is one piece of advice you wish you would had known prior to launching on retail sto...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta interviews Jia Liao, the founder of HotPot Queen, a brand that brings the rich tradition of hot pot to American homes. Gia shares her journey from growing up in a family restaurant to launching her own CPG brand, emphasizing the importance of family legacy, product development, and the challenges of entering the retail market.  The conv...

Send us Fan Mail In this mid week drop, I’m going back in the vault to carve out some insightful tips and learning from past guests. In this clip, I talk with Tania Sweis, Co-Founder of Brune Kitchen and how she drives consumers trial in store, gives insight and facts to buyers when pitching for refrigerator space and not being afraid to iterate based on consumer feedback. Check out the full episo...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Sonia Smith Kang, Founder of Mixed Up Clothing and took away some learning about the readiness it takes to launch in retail stores. On this mini drop, here are 3 powerful questions I asked Sonia specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). If another founder told you they wanted to start exploring getting into re...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta interviews Sonia Smith-Kang, founder of Mixed Up Clothing, a children's brand that blends culture through fashion. Sonia shares her journey from being a registered nurse to launching her clothing line, driven by a desire to celebrate diversity and representation. She discusses the challenges of starting a business without a fashion...