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 Lindsay Holden, Co-Founder of Odele Beauty
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What does it really take to succeed in retail after you've landed on the shelf?
In this Retail Readiness Round, Lindsay Holden, co-founder of Odele Beauty, shares three powerful lessons every founder needs to hear before pursuing retail growth.
Lindsay challenges the common belief that getting into retail means you've "made it," explaining why the real work begins once your products hit store shelves. She also reveals the key metrics Odele watches closely to measure success and sustainable growth, including shelf productivity and year-over-year performance.
Plus, Lindsay shares her advice for founders preparing for buyer conversations, emphasizing the importance of defining success on your own terms and confidently advocating for what matters most to your brand.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• The retail myth that can hold founders back
• Why getting into retail is only the beginning
• The metrics that matter most once you're on shelf
• How to define success before entering buyer meetings
• The mindset founders need to build lasting retail partnerships
Whether you're pitching retailers for the first time or looking to grow your presence in stores, this quick Retail Readiness Round delivers actionable insights you can apply immediately.
Listen now and take the next step toward retail success.
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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