Shelf Talks

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 Rebecca Alvarez-Story, founder of Bloomi - a sexual wellness brand currently on the shelves of Target and CVS. She talks about the challenges of connecting with VCs and securing venture capital as a women navigating a sexual wellness brand....

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Lori Peha Kezner, Co-Founder of Millie's Sipping Broth 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 Lori specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). What is one piece of advice you wish you would had known prior...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta interviews Lori Peha Kezner, Co-Founder of Millie's Sipping Broth. Lori shares her journey from being a school teacher to creating a unique savory broth product that caters to health-conscious consumers. The conversation covers the initial idea, the challenges of finding manufacturers, the importance of consumer feedback, and the s...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Mabel Frias, Co-Founder of Luna Magic 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 Mabel specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). Looking back, what’s one thing you wish you knew before launching Luna Magic in ret...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta interviews Mabel Frias, co-founder of Luna Magic, a vibrant beauty brand inspired by Latina culture. Mabel shares her journey from climbing the corporate ladder in retail to launching her own cosmetics line with her sister. She discusses the influence of her entrepreneurial family, the decision to enter the cosmetics industry, and the i...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Katie Lefkowitz, Founder of Harken Sweets 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 Katie specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). 1. What is one piece of advice you wish you would had known prior to launching...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta interviews Katie Lefkowitz, founder of Harken Sweets, a brand dedicated to creating healthier candy alternatives. Katie shares her journey from a healthcare background to the food industry, driven by personal health challenges and a desire to make indulgent treats that are also good for you. The conversation explores the challenges of f...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Camille Bell, Co-Founder of Poundcake 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 Camille specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). Questions asked: What is the one thing you wish you knew before launching in reta...

Send us Fan Mail In this engaging conversation, Roberta interviews Camille Bell, co-founder of Poundcake, a beauty brand focused on inclusivity and representation in the makeup industry. Camille shares her journey from college to entrepreneurship, the challenges she faced in creating a brand that caters to diverse skin tones, and the importance of resilience in overcoming setbacks. The discussion...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Sarah Kaminiski, founder of Best Ever Granola 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 specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). Questions asked: If another founder told you they wanted to start exploring...

Send us Fan Mail In this conversation, Sarah Kaminski shares her journey of building Best Ever Granola from a home-based operation to a growing brand with retail partnerships. She discusses the challenges of scaling production, the importance of marketing and social media engagement, and the strategies she employed to connect with consumers and retailers. Sarah emphasizes the value of building rel...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Aliett Buttelman, Co-Founder of Fazit 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 Aliett specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). Questions asked: If another founder told you they wanted to start exploring...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta interviews Aliett Buttelman, co-founder of Fazit Beauty, discussing her journey from helping other brands launch and grow to diving into entrepreneurship herself and advancing into the beauty industry.  She explores the innovative product development of makeup patches, the importance of viral marketing and influencer engagement, and the...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Ashley Hunt-Poole, Founder of Mocktails for Mommy 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 Ashley specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). Questions asked: What is one piece of advice you wish you would had kn...

Send us Fan Mail In this conversation, Roberta interviews Ashley Hunt-Poole, the founder of Mocktails for Mommy, a pioneering alcohol-free beverage company. Ashley shares her journey from making videos on social making fun mocktails to creating a brand that caters to the sober curious community. The discussion covers the challenges she faced and the importance of being the face of her brand.  Ashl...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you have enjoyed the full episode with Heather Sloan and Enwei Li, Founders of Heali Medical 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 Heather and Li specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). Questions asked: What advice would you give to other found...

Send us Fan Mail In this conversation, Roberta interviews Heather Sloan and Enwei Li, co-founders of Heali, a wellness company that innovates in the sports, beauty, skincare, and aging sectors. They discuss their backgrounds, the inception of Heali, the challenges faced during product development, and their unexpected success in retail. The conversation also covers their experience on Dragons&apos...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you enjoyed the full episode with Christina Kao, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Le Mini Macaron and took away some learnings about the readiness it takes to launch in retail stores. On this mini drop, here are 3 powerful questions I asked Christina specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). What advice would you give to founders who are just starting to...

Send us Fan Mail In this conversation, Christina Kao, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Le Mini Macaron, shares her journey from a marketing background to launching a successful nail care brand. The discussion covers the inspiration behind the brand, the challenges faced during its inception, and the innovative approach taken to create a user-friendly gel manicure kit. Christina also highlights the importa...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you enjoyed the full episode with Alli Ball, Founder & CEO of Food Biz Wiz and took away some learnings about the readiness it takes to launch in retail stores. On this mini drop, here are 3 powerful questions I asked Alli specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). If a founder had to focus on one thing to increase their chances of staying on sh...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta chats with Alli Ball, founder and CEO of Food Biz Wiz, who shares her journey from grocery buyer to consultant for emerging food brands.  Alli Ball is the founder & CEO of Food Biz Wiz and the creator of Retail Ready®, an online program that has provided strategic support, curated curriculum, and values-aligned community for over 3,...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you enjoyed the full episode with Yelitsa Jean-Charles, Founder & CEO of Healthy Roots Dolls and took away some learnings about the readiness it takes to launch in retail stores. On this mini drop, here are 3 powerful questions I asked Yelitsa specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). 3 Questions asked: 1. What resources or networks were most h...

Send us Fan Mail In this conversation, Yelitsa Jean-Charles shares her inspiring journey of creating Healthy Roots Dolls, a multicultural toy company aimed at teaching children to love their natural hair. She discusses the challenges she faced in product development, the importance of community support, and her strategies for funding and pitching her business. Yelitsa emphasizes the significance o...

Send us Fan Mail Hope you enjoyed the full episode with April Showers, Founder & CEO of Afro Unicorn and took away some learnings about the readiness it takes to launch in retail stores. On this mini drop, here are 3 powerful questions I asked April specifically about launching into retail stores - Enjoy! (and learn). 3 Questions asked: 1. What do you believe made Afro Unicorn stand out to ret...

Send us Fan Mail In this conversation, April Showers, the founder and CEO of Afro Unicorn, shares her inspiring journey from being a mother of two and entrepreneur to creating a successful brand that empowers women and children of color. She discusses the importance of community, representation, and the challenges she faced in the retail space, including her unexpected entry into licensing and the...