Shelf Talks
Shelf Talks is the podcast for female founders, CPG entrepreneurs, and product-based business owners who want to get their products into retail stores and build brands that thrive once they're on the shelf.
Hosted by Roberta Townes, a retail buyer with more than 15 years of experience discovering and launching products at national retailers, each weekly episode features honest conversations with female founders who have successfully landed on retail shelves. Together, they pull back the curtain on how they pitched buyers, built wholesale partnerships, scaled distribution, increased brand awareness, and overcame the challenges of growing a product-based business.
Whether you're preparing for your first retail pitch or looking to expand into more stores, you'll gain practical strategies for retail readiness, wholesale growth, buyer expectations, merchandising, and increasing sell-through once your product hits the shelf.
If you're ready to turn your product into a retail success story, you're in the right place.
New episodes drop every week. Subscribe to Shelf Talks and learn what it really takes to get your brand retail-ready and winning in stores.
Looking for even more retail guidance? Roberta's book, Shelf Talk: A Step by Step Guide to Getting Your Product in Retail Stores, is available on Amazon.
Shelf Talks
Rapid Retail Questions with Stacie Skinner, Founder of Superb Bakehouse
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In this Retail Readiness Round, Stacie Skinner, founder of Superb Bakehouse, shares three powerful insights every founder should hear before pursuing retail growth.
From knowing when you're truly ready for retail to preparing for buyer meetings and staying connected to the joy behind your business, Stacie offers practical advice grounded in her journey from farmers markets to national retail shelves.
In this short but impactful conversation, you'll learn:
• The biggest sign that your product is ready for retail expansion
• How to mentally prepare before walking into a buyer meeting
• Why demand matters more than excitement when pursuing retail
• The mindset shift founders need to make beyond landing a purchase order
• How staying connected to your purpose can help you navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship
Whether you're preparing to pitch buyers, evaluating your retail readiness, or working to grow your product-based business, this episode offers a valuable reminder that retail success starts with customer demand—and lasts when you don't lose sight of why you started.
Listen to the full Shelf Talks conversation with Stacie Skinner to hear how she built Superb Bakehouse from a homemade solution for her son into a nationally distributed food brand.
Event Partner: Nourish Summit & Expo (Oct. 5-7, 2027 | Baltimore) - Use code SHELFTALKS10 for 10% off full registration https://bit.ly/4sx0Zba
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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