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Shelf Talks

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

Shelf Talks is the go-to podcast for female founders, product-based entrepreneurs, and emerging brands who want to learn how to get their products into retail stores and thrive once they’re there.

Hosted by Roberta Townes, a seasoned retail buyer, each weekly episode features unfiltered conversations with founders who’ve landed on shelves at top retailers. You’ll learn exactly how they pitched to... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes151Founded2 years ago
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Latest Episodes

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Sarela Herrada, co-founder and CEO of SIMPLi, joins Shelf Talks for a candid conversation packed with actionable retail insights every product-based founder needs to hear before pitching buyers and launching into stores.

If you're ... more

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In this episode of Shelf Talks, Roberta sits down with Sarela Herrada, co-founder and CEO of SIMPLi, to unpack the journey of building a mission-driven food brand from the ground up and transforming regenerative agriculture into a f... more

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In this Retail Readiness Round of Shelf Talks, Roberta sits down with Carrie Sporer for a candid conversation on what founders really need to know before landing on retail shelves. From understanding margins, tariffs, and shipping c... more

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In this episode of Shelf Talks, host Roberta Townes sits down with Carrie Sporer, co-founder of SWAIR Hair to talk about building an innovative beauty brand that is disrupting the haircare category with showerless shampoo solutions ... more

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Recent Guests

Olivia Abrams
Co-founder behind TiCK MiTT, focused on transforming how families protect themselves from ticks.
TiCK MiTT
Episode: Olivia Abrams, Co-Founder of TiCK MiTT on Building a Brand, Shark Tank and Launching in Retail
Rachel Kane
Co-founder of Sprinkle Bites, passionate about creating fun, nutritious food for children
Sprinkle Bites
Episode: The Co-Founder Behind SprinkleBites: Rachel Kane on Creating a New Category
Maree Glading
Founder of Evre, a natural skincare brand for teens
Evre
Episode: How a Mom Turned a Skincare Gap Into a Shelf Worthy Brand: The Story of evre. with Founder Maree Glading
Shizu Okusa
Founder and CEO of Apothekary, specializing in plant-based wellness products.
Apothekary
Episode: How Apothekary’s Shizu Okusa Blends Eastern Traditions with Modern Retail Success
Lisa Curtis
Founder and CEO of Kuli Kuli Foods, a pioneering brand that introduced Moringa to the US market
Kuli Kuli Foods
Episode: Lessons from a Superfood Founder: Staying True in a Trend-Driven Market with Lisa Curtis, Founder & CEO of Kuli Kuli Foods
Denise Woodard
Founder of Partake Foods, a brand specializing in allergy-friendly snacks
Partake Foods
Episode: Partake Foods Founder Denise Woodard on Raising $30M and Scaling Smart in Retail Stores
Laura Viola Maccarone
Founder and creative force behind Rizbee Studio, helping brands with visual identities and packaging design.
Rizbee Studio
Episode: The Art of Continuity in Branding with Laura Viola Maccarone, Founder of Rizbee Studio
Jessica Taylor
Founder of Ezra Coffee
Ezra Coffee
Episode: 3 Rapid Retail Questions with Jessica Taylor, Founder of Ezra Coffee
Nina Lombardo
Co-founder of O'ts Cookies
O'ts Cookies
Episode: 3 Rapid Retail Questions with Nina Lombardo and Anna Kotler, Co-Founders of O'ts Cookies

Host

Roberta Townes
Host of Shelf Talks; seasoned retail buyer.

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
    Canada5 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 States8 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 States9 months 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.

Listeners praise concrete, actionable takeaways for getting products on shelves.
Guests span diverse product categories, offering broad learning opportunities.
Episodes are valuable for founders who want to understand buyer expectations and shelf dynamics.
Fans note authentic founder interviews and practical retail wisdom.
The host is appreciated for warmth and clarity in storytelling and strategy.

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 Christina Kao, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Le Mini Macaron
Q: Are there any tools, resources, or consultants that you would recommend to founders preparing for their retail success?
Beauty Independent is a great resource that provides community and information for beauty entrepreneurs.
3 Rapid Retail Questions with Christina Kao, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Le Mini Macaron
Q: How do you maintain strong relationships with your retail buyers?
Meeting in person and being a resource by sharing industry data are key strategies for maintaining strong relationships with retail buyers.
3 Rapid Retail Questions with Christina Kao, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Le Mini Macaron
Q: What advice would you give to founders who are just starting to pitch their products to retail buyers?
Founders should think about how they can represent something different for the category and cover white space innovation that is not already present.
Aisle of Disruption: Molly Fedick on Changing the Beverage Game with her Brand Buzzkill
Q: How did you manage that and plan for it?
We estimated and hoped, and took a look at the previous data from months prior to make educated guesses.
Aisle of Disruption: Molly Fedick on Changing the Beverage Game with her Brand Buzzkill
Q: What was your life like before starting Buzzkill Wines?
I was the creative director at Hinge... and it was a super fast-paced life, filled with parties and social events.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Shelf Talks

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

This show centers on product-based brands aiming to land on retail shelves and thrive there. Episodes feature female founders sharing real-world journeys—from pitching to buyers and securing retail partnerships to navigating production scale, pricing, and in-store growth. A standout is the emphasis on practical, actionable lessons for retail readiness and wholesale success, with guests often detailing category strategies, consumer testing, and buzz-building tactics across diverse consumer goods categories.

A notable hallmark is the host's focus on authentic founder experiences and concrete steps buyers look for, making it especially valuable for founders, marketers, and agencies seeking proven pathways to shelf results or sponsorship oppor... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Shelf Talks?

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How many listeners does Shelf Talks get?

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What are the audience demographics for Shelf Talks?

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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 Koerner Office - Business Ideas and Deep Dives with Chris Koerner
3. The Startup CPG Podcast
4. Proof to Product
5. Female Founder World

How many episodes of Shelf Talks are there?

Shelf Talks launched 2 years ago and published 151 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. Olivia Abrams
2. Rachel Kane
3. Maree Glading
4. Shizu Okusa
5. Lisa Curtis
6. Denise Woodard
7. Laura Viola Maccarone
8. Jessica Taylor

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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