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Retail Edit | Actionable Advice to Grow and Scale Your DTC Retail Business
Most "retail experts" got lucky once and turned it into a course.
I spent 15 years as a Fortune 50 buyer managing a $4 billion portfolio—saying yes or no to Disney, Microsoft, P&G, and hundreds of scrappy startups.
Now I'm actively helping brands close 7-figure retail deals using the exact frameworks I used as the gatekeeper.
I don't guess what buyers want. I WAS the buyer for 15 years. Now I'm the strategist getting brands the yes.
Retail Edit | Actionable Advice to Grow and Scale Your DTC Retail Business
02. The Unfiltered Truth About Getting Into Retail
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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 strategist) breaks down what it really takes to move from direct-to-consumer to store shelves without the sugarcoated advice.
Kristin shares:
- Who this show is really for (and who it’s not)
- Why your founder story alone won’t land you a purchase order
- The buyer’s love language (hint: it’s not Instagram aesthetics)
- Why retail is “war without the blood” and grit matters more than glamor
- The common mistakes founders make in buyer meetings and how to avoid them
If you’re ready to trade the “hope as a strategy” approach for data-driven decisions, this episode will help you speak the buyer’s language, come prepared with the right metrics, and finally crack the retail code.
Resources & Links
🎓 Ready to grow your retail business? Check out Kristin’s freebie → Get Retail Ready Course
If this episode made you think "finally, someone who gets it"—you def need my Retailish newsletter in your life.
📲 Hang out with Kristin on Instagram → @kristinaengen