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Numbers don’t have to be scary — especially when you’re tracking the ones that actually matter for retail success. In this solo episode, Roberta breaks down 5 essential retail metrics every founder should be tracking, even if spreadsheets aren’t your thing.

You’ll learn how buyers evaluate your performance, which numbers influence reorders, and how to use these metrics to grow confidently on the shelf. If you want to scale in retail without feeling overwhelmed by data, this is the episode you need.

🎧 Listen now to sharpen your retail strategy and become a more confident, numbers-thinking founder.

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How to Follow Shelf Talks Podcast on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelftalkspodcast/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shelf-talks-podcast

Love what you hear on Shelf Talks? You can now support the podcast. Every contribution helps bring more indie voices to the mic. Thank you for being part of this journey! ✨

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411532/support

Contact us via email: Hello@shelftalks.com

Reach out if you know of a female founder with an impactful brand and retail story and leave a review if you found value in this episode! Hello@shelftalks.com

Purchase the book Shelf Talk: A step by step guide to launching your product in Retail Stores by Roberta Townes Buy Book

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In this Retail Readiness Round, Maree Glading drops powerful insights every founder needs before stepping into retail.

1. Don’t underestimate your category story.
Maree shares that many founders believe a great product is enough—but retailers want to know why your brand deserves shelf space. “It’s not just about having a beautiful brand or a product that tastes great,” she says. “You have to understand how your product helps the retailer and the category.”

2. Tenacity wins every time.
When it came to growing evre., Maree’s secret weapon was persistence. “No shame—just keep going,” she says. From constant follow-ups to in-store photos, her relentless approach opened doors like Sprouts. “Don’t be afraid of the ‘no.’ Keep pushing until you get the yes.”

3. Stay adaptable.
Her biggest advice to founders? Evolve. “If you’re getting no’s for the same reason, make a change,” Maree explains. “A brand is always evolving—don’t be so wedded to your first idea that you miss your next opportunity.”

✨ Takeaway: Retail success starts with a clear category story, unshakable persistence, and the willingness to adapt along the way.

🎧 Listen to Maree’s full episode of Shelf Talks to hear how she built evre. into a mission-led brand that’s redefining beauty from the inside out.

Listen to the full episode that dropped 11/10/25

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How to Follow Shelf Talks Podcast on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelftalkspodcast/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shelf-talks-podcast

Love what you hear on Shelf Talks? You can now support the podcast. Every contribution helps bring more indie voices to the mic. Thank you for being part of this journey! ✨

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411532/support

Contact us via email: Hello@shelftalks.com

Reach out if you know of a female founder with an impactful brand and retail story and leave a review if you found value in this episode! Hello@shelftalks.com

Purchase the book Shelf Talk: A step by step guide to launching your product in Retail Stores by Roberta Townes Buy Book

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In this episode of Shelf Talks, Roberta sits down with Maree Glading, founder of evre., a natural skincare brand created specifically for teens and tweens—all the way from New Zealand. Maree shares how she transitioned from building a global food company to creating a purpose-driven beauty brand that empowers young people to feel confident in their own skin.

From recognizing a white space in the market while shopping with her daughter to landing evre. on the shelves of Sprouts, Kroger, and Nordstrom, Maree opens up about what it takes to scale internationally, build retail relationships from scratch, and navigate the ever-changing beauty landscape.

You’ll hear how she:
✨ Turned a personal problem into a global opportunity
✨ Used cold outreach to land her first major retailer
✨ Approaches retail expansion with a “domino strategy”
✨ Balances product innovation with brand mission around youth wellness

Whether you’re an emerging founder or dreaming of seeing your products in retail, this episode is a masterclass in resilience, retail strategy, and believing in your story.

🎧 Listen to Shelf Talks wherever you stream your podcasts and get inspired to build your own shelf-ready success story.

Links:

Evre Website: https://www.evreselfcare.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooOIzI7SBve4UvkX0wzll7tF5wUrtRpoFN61OBbwiyK7Bj6d7zP

Evre Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evreselfcare/?hl=en

Maree's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mareeglading/?originalSubdomain=nz

Support the show

How to Follow Shelf Talks Podcast on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelftalkspodcast/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shelf-talks-podcast

Love what you hear on Shelf Talks? You can now support the podcast. Every contribution helps bring more indie voices to the mic. Thank you for being part of this journey! ✨

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411532/support

Contact us via email: Hello@shelftalks.com

Reach out if you know of a female founder with an impactful brand and retail story and leave a review if you found value in this episode! Hello@shelftalks.com

Purchase the book Shelf Talk: A step by step guide to launching your product in Retail Stores by Roberta Townes Buy Book

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In this flashback 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 strategic retail partnerships that have propelled the brand's growth. The conversation culminates in the impactful moment when Taylor Swift wore their glitter freckles, showcasing the power of celebrity endorsements in the beauty market.

Aliett highlights the sacrifices and hard work that led to the brands recognition. She shares insights on leveraging viral moments, the importance of humanizing the brand, and the different retail strategies employed with Urban Outfitters and CVS. Aliett also outlines future growth plans, including retail expansion and product innovation, while providing valuable advice for aspiring founders on navigating the retail landscape.

Fazit Beauty Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fazitbeauty/?hl=en

Fazit Beauty Website: https://fazitbeauty.com/

Support the show

How to Follow Shelf Talks Podcast on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelftalkspodcast/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shelf-talks-podcast

Love what you hear on Shelf Talks? You can now support the podcast. Every contribution helps bring more indie voices to the mic. Thank you for being part of this journey! ✨

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411532/support

Contact us via email: Hello@shelftalks.com

Reach out if you know of a female founder with an impactful brand and retail story and leave a review if you found value in this episode! Hello@shelftalks.com

Purchase the book Shelf Talk: A step by step guide to launching your product in Retail Stores by Roberta Townes Buy Book

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In this Shelf Talks Retail Readiness Round, Shizu Okusa, founder and CEO of Apothekary, shares quick but powerful insights every founder should know before stepping into retail.

From managing working capital and understanding payment terms, to deeply researching buyers and their priorities, Shizu breaks down what it really takes to make a lasting impression and succeed once your products hit the shelf.

Plus, she leaves us with the best piece of founder advice she lives by:

A must-listen for any entrepreneur preparing to pitch, scale, and grow in retail.

Listen to the full episode that dropped 10/27/25

Support the show

How to Follow Shelf Talks Podcast on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelftalkspodcast/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shelf-talks-podcast

Love what you hear on Shelf Talks? You can now support the podcast. Every contribution helps bring more indie voices to the mic. Thank you for being part of this journey! ✨

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411532/support

Contact us via email: Hello@shelftalks.com

Reach out if you know of a female founder with an impactful brand and retail story and leave a review if you found value in this episode! Hello@shelftalks.com

Purchase the book Shelf Talk: A step by step guide to launching your product in Retail Stores by Roberta Townes Buy Book

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In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta Townes sits down with Shizu Okusa, founder and CEO of Apothekary, the plant-based pharmacy redefining modern wellness on retail shelves.

Shizu shares how she went from working on Wall Street to building a multimillion-dollar wellness brand that blends ancient Eastern medicine with modern health practices. She opens up about her early days running a cold-pressed juice business, her bold pivots, and how Apothekary grew from DTC success to landing on shelves at Sprouts, Ulta Beauty, and Whole Foods.

You’ll learn:
🌿 Why quitting early can sometimes be the smartest move
🧠 How to prepare your brand for retail growth
💡 The power of authentic storytelling and community in driving awareness
💰 What founders should know about fundraising and scaling sustainably

This is an inspiring conversation about vision, resilience, and building a brand rooted in purpose.

🎧 Tune in to hear how Shizu is making wellness more accessible — and what every founder can take from her journey.

Links:

Apothekary Website: https://www.apothekary.com/

Apothekary Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apothekary/

Shizu's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shizu-okusa-87a25415/

Support the show

How to Follow Shelf Talks Podcast on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelftalkspodcast/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shelf-talks-podcast

Love what you hear on Shelf Talks? You can now support the podcast. Every contribution helps bring more indie voices to the mic. Thank you for being part of this journey! ✨

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411532/support

Contact us via email: Hello@shelftalks.com

Reach out if you know of a female founder with an impactful brand and retail story and leave a review if you found value in this episode! Hello@shelftalks.com

Purchase the book Shelf Talk: A step by step guide to launching your product in Retail Stores by Roberta Townes Buy Book

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In this special bonus clip from Shelf Talks, Lisa Curtis — Founder & CEO of Kuli Kuli Foods — joins me for the Retail Readiness Round, where I ask her three quick questions every founder should be thinking about before hitting store shelves.

From understanding margins and testing products before launch, to authentically bringing culturally rooted ingredients to the mainstream — Lisa shares honest insights and lessons learned from her journey growing Kuli Kuli into a national brand.

🎧 A must-listen for founders ready to step confidently into retail.

Support the show

How to Follow Shelf Talks Podcast on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelftalkspodcast/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shelf-talks-podcast

Love what you hear on Shelf Talks? You can now support the podcast. Every contribution helps bring more indie voices to the mic. Thank you for being part of this journey! ✨

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411532/support

Contact us via email: Hello@shelftalks.com

Reach out if you know of a female founder with an impactful brand and retail story and leave a review if you found value in this episode! Hello@shelftalks.com

Purchase the book Shelf Talk: A step by step guide to launching your product in Retail Stores by Roberta Townes Buy Book

Send us a text

What would you do if you discovered a powerful ingredient no one had ever heard of and decided to bring it to U.S. shelves?

In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta Townes sits down with Lisa Curtis, founder and CEO of Kuli Kuli Foods, the pioneering superfood brand that introduced Moringa to the American market and is now sold in over 11,000 retail stores.

Lisa shares how a life-changing experience in the Peace Corps sparked her idea for Kuli Kuli, how she went from farmers markets to Whole Foods, and what it really took to convince buyers to take a chance on an unknown superfood.

You’ll learn:
🌿 How to turn a mission-driven idea into a scalable retail brand
📊 The grassroots marketing tactics that landed Kuli Kuli on shelves
🔥 How Lisa navigated supply chain challenges — including losing her entire crop before a national launch
💡 Why purpose and persistence matter more than trends

If you’re a founder with a bold idea, this conversation will inspire you to think bigger, move faster, and believe that your story belongs on the shelf too.

How to find Kuli Kuli:

Website: https://www.kulikulifoods.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kulikulifoods

Support the show

How to Follow Shelf Talks Podcast on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelftalkspodcast/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shelf-talks-podcast

Love what you hear on Shelf Talks? You can now support the podcast. Every contribution helps bring more indie voices to the mic. Thank you for being part of this journey! ✨

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411532/support

Contact us via email: Hello@shelftalks.com

Reach out if you know of a female founder with an impactful brand and retail story and leave a review if you found value in this episode! Hello@shelftalks.com

Purchase the book Shelf Talk: A step by step guide to launching your product in Retail Stores by Roberta Townes Buy Book