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
FOUNDER'S FLASHBACK: Candace Wu, Co-Founder of Wonder Monday
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Originally aired in May 2025. Re-released because the lessons are just as relevant today.
Some podcast conversations are worth revisiting, and this is one of them.
When this episode first aired, Candace Wu, co-founder of Wonder Monday, shared how she disrupted the traditional cheesecake category with a high-protein, low-sugar, gluten-free dessert and the strategy behind getting onto retail shelves.
Since then, Wonder Monday has continued its impressive retail expansion, adding even more grocery partners, including launches in Wegmans and, most recently, H-E-B, one of Candace's dream retail accounts.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• How Wonder Monday validated demand before entering retail
• Why strategic retail expansion beats rapid expansion
• What buyers look for when evaluating emerging brands
• How to build consumer loyalty that drives repeat purchases
• Why product-market fit matters more than relying on promotions
• The importance of choosing manufacturing partners that can scale with your business
Whether you're pitching your first retailer or planning your next expansion, Candace shares practical insights every product founder can apply.
Connect with Wonder Monday:
Website: https://wondermonday.com
Instagram: @wondermonday
Enjoy the episode, and don't forget to follow Shelf Talks for more conversations with female founders building brands that are making their way onto retail shelves.
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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