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Artwork for Shelf Talks

Shelf Talks

Roberta Townes
Retail Readiness
Entrepreneurship
Walmart
Retail Strategy
Retail
Trade Shows
Retail Marketing
Target
Expo West
Whole Foods
Fazit Beauty
Retail Buyers
Covid-19
Retail Partnerships
Retail Stores
Sam's Club
Beauty Industry
Ezra Coffee
Mocktails For Mommy
Urban Outfitters

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 ... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes166Founded2 years ago
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EntrepreneurshipCareersBusiness

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Artwork for Shelf Talks

Latest Episodes

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Every great retail brand starts with a story.

In this Retail Readiness Round, Alysa Seeland, founder of Fond Bone Broth, shares the deeply personal experience that inspired her business. After facing a serious postpartum health cri... more

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What does it really take to build a premium brand that retailers believe in?

In this episode of Shelf Talks, Roberta Townes sits down with Alysa Seeland, founder of FOND Regenerative, to discuss the journey from selling bone broth ... more

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Getting your product onto a retailer's shelf is only the beginning.

In this Retail Readiness Round, Belle Robinson, founder of ROXII Supercube, shares three quick but powerful lessons every product founder should hear before pursui... more

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What happens when you realize the wellness aisle is too complicated?

Belle Robinson did something no one else had done before.

Instead of another powder, capsule, or ready-to-drink beverage, she created ROXII Supercube, nutrient-i... more

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Recent Guests

Hannah Perez
Co-founder of SEEQ, innovator in high-protein nutrition
SEEQ
Episode: Building SEEQ: Hannah Perez on Product Innovation, TikTok Growth, and Landing Target
Lindsay Holden
Co-founder of Odele Beauty, clean haircare brand
Odele Beauty
Episode: How Odele Beauty Went From Startup to Target, Ulta & Walmart | Lindsay Holden on Building a Clean Beauty Brand
Rachel Krupa
Founder and CEO of The Goods Mart
The Goods Mart
Episode: Why Going Local First Can Be Your Biggest Retail Advantage with Rachel Krupa, Founder of The Goods Mart
Stacie Skinner
Founder of Superb Bakehouse
Superb Bakehouse
Episode: Rapid Retail Questions with Stacie Skinner, Founder of Superb Bakehouse
Sarela Harrada
Co-Founder of SIMPLi
SIMPLi
Episode: 3 Rapid Retail Questions with Sarela Harrada, Co-Founder of SIMPLi
Sarela Herrada
Co-founder and CEO of SIMPLi
SIMPLi
Episode: How Sarela Herrada Built SIMPLi Into a Fast-Growing Retail Brand Through Regenerative Farming
Carrie Sporer
Co-founder of SWAIR Hair
SWAIR Hair
Episode: From Personal Frustration to Retail Shelves: Carrie Sporer’s Story Behind SWAIR Hair
Clara Sieg
Co-Founder of Loonen Water
Loonen Water
Episode: Rapid Retail Questions with Jillian Salinas, Founder of Beach City Coffee & Clara Sieg, Co-Founder of Loonen Water
Jillian Salinas
Founder of Beach City Coffee
Beach City Coffee
Episode: Jillian Salinas of Beach City Coffee: How She Landed Whole Foods First and Scaled to Walmart & Kroger

Host

Roberta Townes
Host of Shelf Talks

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 19 ratings
  • A Must-Listen for Product Founders and Makers

    Shelf Talks has quickly become one of my favourite podcasts. Roberta brings so much clarity, warmth and real-world wisdom to every episode. If you’re building a product-based business or trying to get your brand shelf-ready, this podcast is a goldmine.

    What makes it truly special is the way Roberta connects with female founders. The conversations are honest and insightful, sharing not just the wins but the failures, the pivots and the lessons that actually move a business forward. It’s rare to ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Camille Myles Art
    Canada7 months ago
  • A new fan!

    I thoroughly enjoyed being interviewed by Roberta with my business partner. Being interviewed by someone so knowledgeable was an invaluable experience. I look forward to learning from other entrepreneurs and experts she chooses to engage on Shelftalks!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ARLKotler
    United States10 months ago
  • Great value in each episode!

    Roberta does a great job of digging into each Founder’s journey to get the scoop and ensure the listener takes away value and key learners from each episodes! Also, I enjoy the wide array of product categories covered on the show. Definitely worth a listen!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gwynne_laura
    United Statesa year ago
  • So good

    All value and no fluff. Highly recommended!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gyc2019
    United Statesa year ago
  • Extremely Informative and Relevant

    As a new skincare brand founder - this podcast is on point given the evolving beauty landscape and beauty industry. It’s in-depth and the guests are very transparent

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AppiahO
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Clear, actionable tips for getting shelf-ready and staying competitive on shelves.
Hosts and guests deliver real-world learnings with practical takeaways for founders.
The format blends founder storytelling with buyer-focused guidance, useful for pitching.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

3 Rapid Retail Questions with Psyche Terry, Founder of Urban Hydration
Q: Lastly, what is a key metric founders should track closely once they're in stores?
Profit margin is essential; avoid relying on paid customer acquisition and focus on sustainable profitability and retaining customers who contribute to repeat sales.
3 Rapid Retail Questions with Psyche Terry, Founder of Urban Hydration
Q: Number two, what's the most underrated skill a founder needs to win and stay on shelf?
Faith and resilience, recognizing that brands may face setbacks on shelves, but maintaining belief in your product and yourself helps you persist and rebound.
3 Rapid Retail Questions with Psyche Terry, Founder of Urban Hydration
Q: So give me your best answer. Number one, what's one thing every founder should have prepared for before stepping into their very first retail buyer conversation?
Psyche emphasizes having a crystal-clear grasp of margins, understanding competitors, and clearly articulating what makes your product unique, so you can confidently present a compelling value proposition to buyers.
How Odele Beauty Went From Startup to Target, Ulta & Walmart | Lindsay Holden on Building a Clean Beauty Brand
Q: What were the key factors in your pitch that helped secure shelf space with Target and other retailers?
Demonstrating how Odele would add incremental value, proving clear differentiation in a crowded category, and showing a thoughtful, brand-aligned assortment that could scale without cannibalizing existing lines. They emphasized practical retailer benefits like consumer accessibility, performance, and a supported go-to-market plan rather than a broad, unfocused SKU expansion.
Rapid Retail Questions with Karishma & Tekla, Founders of KEY Energy
Q: What is one thing founders should focus on to stay on shelf?
Invest in demos and promos, own the field marketing, and build personal relationships with retailers to turn initial interest into lasting shelf presence.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Shelf Talks

What is Shelf Talks about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Shelf Talks centers on female founders and product-based brands navigating retail—from crafting compelling buyer pitches to building wholesale partnerships and sustaining shelf growth. Across episodes, listeners hear real-world journeys of getting products into major retailers, managing packaging, pricing, and logistics, and shaping retail-ready narratives that resonate with buyers. Noteworthy traits include founder-to-buyer mentorship, a focus on practical shelf strategies, and a strong emphasis on community and networks that help brands scale. The show often highlights diverse product categories, hands-on experiences, and actionable takeaways that are directly usable for brands aiming to achieve measurable retail wins.

Where can I find podcast stats for Shelf Talks?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Shelf Talks. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Shelf Talks and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Shelf Talks get?

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What are the audience demographics for Shelf Talks?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Shelf Talks, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Shelf Talks have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Shelf Talks has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Shelf Talks?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Shelf Talks:

1. How I Built This with Guy Raz
2. The Daily
3. Hard Fork
4. The Ezra Klein Show
5. Boutique Chat

How many episodes of Shelf Talks are there?

Shelf Talks launched 2 years ago and published 166 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Shelf Talks?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Shelf Talks?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Shelf Talks from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Shelf Talks?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Shelf Talks. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Shelf Talks?

Recent guests on Shelf Talks include:

1. Hannah Perez
2. Lindsay Holden
3. Rachel Krupa
4. Stacie Skinner
5. Sarela Harrada
6. Sarela Herrada
7. Carrie Sporer
8. Clara Sieg

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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