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Retail Edit | Actionable Advice to Grow and Scale Your DTC Retail Business
The essential podcast for founders who refuse to guess their way into retail.
Hosted by Kristin Engen, former Fortune 50 retail buyer, 15 years managing a $4 billion portfolio, now Chief Commercial Officer getting brands onto shelves.
Someone who's been on both sides of the table.
Each week: retail strategy, brand positioning, buyer psychology, the metrics that matter, the operational realities no one mentions, and the commercial intelligence that separates serious brands from hopeful ones.
No mythology. No sanitized theory. No advice from consultants who've never sat in the buyer's chair.
Just the unfiltered strategy that elite brands pay a pretty penny to access.
This is where branding meets buying power.
Episodes
16 episodes
15. Retail Readiness for 2026: How to Position Your Brand for Long-Term Growth
As we wrap up 2025 and step into a brand-new year, this special Festivus episode is your permission slip to exhale, reset, and remember that you are exactly where you’re supposed to be in your business journey. After 21 years in retail...
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Episode 15
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11:13
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14. The Ultimate SMS Strategy for eCommerce Brands Wanting More Sales
SMS marketing isn’t just “nice to have” anymore. It’s one of the fastest ways to boost engagement, drive conversions, and keep your brand top of mind… especially during the chaos of December. In today’s punchy, power-packed episode, Kr...
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Episode 14
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11:25
13. How to Use Email Marketing to Grow Your DTC Brand (Without Being Salesy)
If you’ve been dragging your feet on email marketing because it feels overwhelming, complicated, or “just one more thing” on your plate… this episode is your permission slip to finally simplify it and make email your brand’s most powerful commu...
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Episode 13
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14:23
12. The DTC Strategy I’d Use to Launch a Brand Today
If you were launching a brand today, what would you actually do first? In this episode, Kristin breaks down the exact roadmap she’d walk any new founder through—no fluff, no outdated advice, no money-wasting steps. She shares why so ma...
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Episode 12
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13:10
11. Turning Setbacks Into Strategy: A Mindset Episode for DTC Brands
This week’s episode hits a little different — no frameworks, no formulas, no retail deep-dives. Instead, we’re pulling up a booth at Los Margaritas for a real, honest conversation about what it actually feels like to be in the messy mi...
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Episode 11
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13:00
10. 5 Things You Should Never DIY When Scaling into Retail
If you’ve ever found yourself cozied up with your laptop, ChatGPT, and a mug of hot cocoa trying to “figure it out” yourself when it comes to breaking into retail — this episode is your reality check.In today’s episode, Kristin is breaki...
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Episode 10
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12:27
09. The Five “Love Languages” of Retail: How to Speak So Buyers Actually Listen
Ever wonder why some brands fly through retail approvals while others get the polite “we’ll circle back”? 👀 Spoiler: it’s not just your product — it’s your language.In this episode, Kristin pulls back the curtain on what really ...
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Episode 9
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20:30
08. The 5 Branding Realities Every DTC Founder Needs to Know Before Going Retail
Think your brand identity is bulletproof? Think again.In this episode of Retail & Shiz, I share a behind-the-scenes look at what really happens when your DTC brand hits retail shelves and why your stunning branding might not...
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Episode 8
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16:16
07. When to Walk Away from a Retail Deal (Without Burning Bridges)
Saying “no” might just be THE most powerful move you can make in retail.In this episode, Kristin dives deep into the art of knowing when and how to walk away from a retail deal that doesn’t serve your brand. Drawing from 21+ years...
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Episode 7
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20:42
06. The Real Key to Retail Success: Why Grit Beats Glamour Every Time
Retail might look glamorous on Instagram — those Target shelfies and Costco launches make it seem effortless but the truth? It’s 5% glam, 95% grit.In this episode, Kristin pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to make i...
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Episode 6
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15:08
05. Measure What Actually Matters: The Retail Data Every Buyer Cares About
Your product might be incredible but if you’re tracking the wrong metrics, it won’t stand a chance in retail.In this episode, I pull back the curtain on the exact data that separates retail dreamers from retail winners. After 15 years as...
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Episode 5
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9:55
04. Cash is Queen (And Your Brand Story Isn't Paying the Bills)
Everyone loves to whisper sweet nothings about “building your brand,” but let’s cut the crap.Retail buyers? They don’t give two hoots about your carefully curated brand vibe or how your logo makes people feel. They want to know if your p...
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Episode 4
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11:36
03. The #1 Thing Retail Buyers Actually Care About (and It’s Not Your Brand Story)
You’ve got the perfect pitch deck, a compelling founder story, and a mission to change the world but retail buyers aren’t biting. Why? Because you’re missing the one thing that matters most.In this episode of Retail & Shiz, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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11:07
02. The Unfiltered Truth About Getting Into Retail
So you’ve built a successful DTC brand and now retail feels like the next logical step but every buyer pitch feels like a dead end. In this episode of Retail & Shiz, Kristin Engin (former Fortune 50 retail buyer turned DTC scaling ...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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10:26
01. Why I Started Retail & Shiz (and Why the Usual Retail Advice is Failing You)
Welcome to the very first episode of Retail & Shiz—the no-BS podcast that reveals what really happens when DTC brands step into the retail arena. I’m your host, Kristin Engen, a former Fortune 50 retail buyer who spent 15+ years managing a ...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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8:06