Unlike standard agencies that charge retainers or a percentage of ad spend, Ballard House operates as an exclusive retail buyer. They take possession of inventory, share the risk, and align their success directly with the brand's growth.

 Among the topics discussed:

• The Ballard House Model: Why having skin in the game by purchasing inventory creates better incentive alignment than a traditional agency-client relationship.
• Avoiding Costly Foundations: How proper merchandising—like creating three-packs instead of single units—can save a brand from tripling its shipping fees.
• Navigating Logistics: Overcoming the inbound placement fee and utilizing Ballard House’s own trucking lines to achieve economies of scale.
• The "Amazon Whisperer" Strategy: Understanding how to talk to the algorithm to build and maintain sales momentum.
• The 3 P's of Partnership: The specific criteria Ballard House uses to select partners: People, Product, and Potential.

The story of Brothers Nuts began in 2010 when the Majors' father was diagnosed with stage four multiple myeloma and given only seven weeks to live. Faced with a lack of truly healthy snacks on the market, their mother began creating sprouted nut recipes in their home kitchen. With this as part of his lifestyle shift toward healthier eating, their father lived another seven years, inspiring Caleb and Austin to turn this family setback into a professional mission.

Innovation in the Nut Aisle

 Austin and Caleb discuss why they chose sprouted nuts as their flagship product:

•  The Sprouting Process: By soaking nuts in water, the brothers simulate a natural growth process that releases phytic acid, making the nuts easier to digest and improving nutritional uptake.
• Superior Texture: Sprouting results in a crunchier, more "craveable" product compared to traditional oil or dry-roasted nuts.
• Clean Ingredients: The brand maintains a commitment to USDA certified organic, non-GMO, and seed-oil-free ingredients.
• Flavorful Product Lineup: They highlight their core offerings, including Garlic Salty Walnuts—their #1 seller—alongside Cocoa Crunch Almonds and Crackled Cheesy Almonds.

Navigating the CPG Industry as Young Entrepreneurs

Starting at just 13 and 15 years old, Caleb and Austin (now 23 and 21) have moved from local farmers' markets to a full-scale retail presence. They offer insights into their growth strategy, including:

•  Leveraging Modern Tools: How they use LinkedIn, AI, and platforms like RangeMe and ECRM to stay lean and secure meetings with major retailers like Gelson’s Market. 
• The Power of Face-to-Face: Why 10 minutes of direct time with a buyer is more valuable than hundreds of emails.
• The Importance of Demos: Managing an in-house team of 15 people to get samples directly into consumers' hands.

 Tons of great insights in this one for any founder-led emerging brand!

You’ll learn how a Tennessee family farm with a high-flow spring became the foundation for a rapidly growing beverage brand. Chris shares the unconventional origin story of his company, starting with a business plan sketched on a cocktail napkin while waiting for his daughter’s dance class to finish. He shares his experience with the hurdles of navigating FDA and EPA clearances, the strategic "zero-risk" offer that wins over skeptical retail buyers, and how Third Day Beverages is outperforming national bestsellers on retail shelves.

Key Highlights From the Interview:

•  The Power of Preparation: How Chris uses "intel packets" and thorough research to master the 10-minute buyer meeting at ECRM Sessions.
• A "No-Risk" Strategy: Details of Chris’s 8-to-12-week test run he proposes to buyers with 100% buyback guarantee that makes it virtually impossible for buyers to say no.
• Networking Over Competition: Why Chris believes "a rising tide lifts all ships" and how networking at ECRM Sessions led to massive distribution deals, including US Navy ship stores.
• Scaling Smarter: Advice on utilizing existing resources and third-party logistics to achieve growth without doing it all yourself.
• Innovations for 2026: A sneak peek at the upcoming Spring Biotic – a probiotic spring water designed to meet the growing consumer demand for gut health and GLP-1 support.

 Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned industry veteran, this episode is a masterclass in how to leverage every available opportunity!

From the surprising impact of weight-loss drugs like GLP-1s to the confusion surrounding SNAP benefits, they explore how this traditionally "vice-driven" destination is evolving into a wellness-conscious hub.

Among the topics they discuss:

• The SNAP Benefit Shake-up: How new state-level waivers on candy and sugary drinks are putting nearly $4 billion in spending at risk and creating massive friction at the point of sale.
• The "Ozempic Effect": Why GLP-1 users are ditching salty snacks for meat snacks (up 90%) and—unexpectedly—driving a surge in fragrance and mint sales to combat medication side effects.
• A New "Anchor" for the Ship: As cigarette and alcohol consumption hit new lows, we look at the rise of THC beverages (up 134%) and nicotine pouches as the new drivers of store traffic.
• The Rise of the Scanning App: Why 25% of shoppers are now using third-party apps like Yuka or Olive in-store to vet ingredients, and why 87% will put a product back if the app gives it a "bad" score.
• Foodservice vs. Fast Food: How C-stores can win against Quick Serve Restaurants (QSRs) by leveraging their speed and addressing the 39% of consumers who are desperate for healthier prepared options.

Tons of great insights here for convenience store operators and buyers, as well as brands looking to enter the c-store space!

 In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Roaldo Sulejmani from HRR Foods, a specialized distributor servicing the Midwest and Northeast Atlantic. 

 Roaldo breaks down the unique advantages of working with independent retailers—those family-owned shops where decisions are made quickly and relationships matter. He shares how HRR Foods helps brands avoid the trap of premature expansion without massive financial backing that often leads to failure.

 Key takeaways from the conversation:

•  The Power of Independents: Learn why 95% of HRR Foods' business is with retailers having 10 locations or fewer, and why these stores are the perfect organic training ground for new products.
• Direct Drop Shipping: Discover HRR Foods' new low-risk model that allows brands to prove their sales data in a new region without the heavy cost of warehouse spoilage.
• Packaging is Everything: Roaldo explains why packaging accounts for 50% of his decision-making process when meeting a new brand.
• Iterate and Improve: Hear why making mistakes at the independent level is an easy fix, while a mistake with a major chain can be very costly.
• The Everyday Consumer: A reality check on why your product needs to appeal to the family shopper in Chicago or New York, rather than just the high-end boutique shopper.

Regardless of what category your brand sits in, this episode provides a roadmap for moving your product from the warehouse to the store shelf—and ensuring it actually sells through.

Monique & Chevalo are successful brand owners themselves, and they highlight their own CPG journey as well as how they launched Recipe for Retail to help other brands on theirs.

They then take a deep dive into Chapter 11 of the book, "Lessons from the Shelf - Mistakes, Wins & What We'd Do Differently," spanning topics like:

• Focusing on one product category first
• Avoid cutting corners on packaging
• Speaking the buyer's language
• Strategic pricing
• When to pivot
• Celebrating wins

It's a fun discussion with a lot of great tidbits for emerging brands! 

During their conversation, which was recorded on location at ECRM's recent General Merchandise Sessions in Destin, Fla., Tia shared best practices that will help brands to go from pitch to purchase order:

•  Prepping for the buyer meeting: What kind of research you need to do beforehand, how to build the perfect slide deck, and nailing down your pitch.
• Executing a great buyer meeting: How to present in terms of the buyer's needs, and engage them in a discussion that moves the relationship forward.
• Fantastic follow up: How to stay top-of-mind with the buyer once the meeting is done, and move the conversation toward that purchase order!

 Lots of great best practice examples in this conversation!

Among the topics they discuss are:

• The Origins of Cleanlogic: Shapiro shares how his mother, who has been blind since age seven, inspired the brand. Cleanlogic produces bath and skincare products with inclusive packaging that includes braille.
• The Inspiration Foundation: Founded in 2005 alongside the brand, the foundation originally provided grants to help blind individuals learn new technologies. It has since evolved to launch the Inspiration Foundation Seal, which certifies and recognizes companies that actively hire individuals with disabilities.
• The Business Case for Inclusive Hiring: Shapiro highlights case studies of companies like Walgreens and VF Corp, noting that employees with disabilities often show higher productivity and loyalty. He points out that while one in four Americans has a disability, only 36% are employed—representing a massive, untapped "new frontier" for talent.
• A New Podcast: Shapiro introduces his new podcast, Driven by Purpose, which aims to tell the stories of purpose-driven entrepreneurs and champions of disability hiring. The show also explores complex topics like brain health (mental health) and the personal impacts of neurodiversity.

Individuals and companies looking to learn more about the Inspiration Foundation Seal or seeking guidance on hiring people with disabilities can visit inspirationfoundation.org.

From the "inside-out" wellness revolution to the disruptive power of TikTok Shop and GenAI, this conversation provides a roadmap for navigating the next frontier of beauty retail.

Among some of the trends they discuss are:

●      Premiumization vs. Affordability: How "dupe culture" and high-quality, affordable alternatives are challenging luxury standards as consumers shop across price points to find effective solutions.

●      The Beauty-Wellness Convergence: The rise of "beauty from the inside out," including the growth of supplements, sleep aids, and oral care as core beauty categories.

●      The Scent Explosion: Fragrance is no longer just for bottles. Learn why scent is driving growth in body care, hair fragrance, and even home goods like candles, and how influencers have helped spike fragrance sales online.

●      Social Commerce & TikTok Shop: With TikTok Shop already the No. 6 beauty e-commerce retailer in the U.S., they examine the critical role of influencers and "viral" trust in driving online sales.

●      AI-Driven Personalization: GenAI is becoming the new "personal shopper" for consumers seeking specific product recommendations based on age, climate, and skin concerns.

●      The Men’s Grooming Boom: Exploration of the acceleration in men’s segments, particularly in whole-body deodorants and skin-focused hair care.

●      Global Influences: The continued dominance of K-Beauty (now a $2B+ U.S. market) and how global trends migrate instantly via social platforms.

Tons of insights to help beauty brands and retailers stay ahead of the trends for the coming year!

Among the topics they discuss are:
●Beyond the Logo: Branding isn’t just a "handshake" like your logo; it’s the ethos of everything – from your tone of voice and customer interactions to the unboxing experience.
●The "Purple Cow" Factor: With a "sea of sameness" on the shelf, Dave discusses how to stand out visually from 20-30 feet away to draw consumers in.
●Recipe vs. Chef: Why selling your product's "story" is more impactful than just listing its ingredients.
●Retail Readiness: How to use feedback from retail buyers to determine if your brand story and visual identity are truly aligned.
●The Strategy-First Approach: Why design without strategy is just "throwing things on a wall," and how to build "deep roots" for your brand to grow.
Korinek also shares why it’s important to pressure test your brand using consumer surveys and competitive analysis to ensure your hierarchy of messaging delivers on your product's promise, and how to find a brand agency partner that’s focused on solving your specific problems rather than offering "cookie-cutter" packages.

This includes tapping into TikTok’s organic affiliate model, sending out 200 samples daily to real users who create authentic, unscripted content, and hosting TikTok Live where she broadcasts for hours every day to answer customer questions in real-time, build deep community ties, and drive immediate sales on TikTok Shop. She also broadcasts live from retail locations to drive traffic into the stores. Ultimately, Sutton’s goal is to host TikTok Live broadcasts 24/7/365. 

Sutton shares everything brands need to know to incorporate TikTok Live streaming into their business, including equipment and setup, when, where, and how to broadcast, and different ways to engage the audience.

In addition, it has more than 50 linear feet of space featuring clean beauty, wellness and lifestyle products carefully curated to make the look, feel and vibe of the place. To find some of these products, Owner and CEO Michelle DeMartino worked with RangeMe on an Immediate Opportunity campaign to find local, woman-owned brands that reflected her mission as well as the aesthetics of Bubbles & Mane.  

In this episode, Michelle takes us through a tour of the location and its offerings, shares details on how she worked with RangeMe to curate more than a dozen innovative brands for her retail space – one of which virtually sold out during the holidays!  

She also shares some of the unique activities and community events Bubbles & Mane will ost, as well as its expansion plans into other major U.S. cities.  

Among the topics discussed are:  

• An update on brands onboarded from the 1st Innovation Summit 
• New brands that are in the process of being onboarded from the second Summit 
• Casey's 'test and learn' process with new brands 
• Enhancements to the Summit process, including an earlier timeline, focus on quality over quantity and a deeper level of engagement with brands during the in-person meetings 
• What Casey's looks for in brands and products 
• Advice for brands looking to participate in future Summits 

This is a must-listen episode for any brands looking to get on the shelves at Casey's! 

The panel, moderated by ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski, featured three brand-owners, each at varying stages of growth: Obi Linton, Co-Founder of Nicobi Foods, a 5-year old brand that is growing fast; Luke Schneider, Founder of Fire Department Coffee, which launched about a decade ago and now has national distribution; and Hector Saldivar, Founder of Tia Lupita Foods, which successfully exited this year with a sale to Vilore Foods.

The founders shared insights about each stage of their brand’s growth journey covering the following topics:

• Early-stage funding: Creative ways to secure capital and resources to support growth
• The value of patience and perseverance for early-stage brands
• The value of taking a focused approach to growth
• When, why and how to pursue an exit strategy

This was a fun and engaging discussion, with a ton of takeaways for brands looking to successfully navigate their growth journeys!

Kiowa shares her first major retail success with Meijer and details how the brand recently secured a Golden Ticket at Walmart's Open Call. The conversation also covers the critical pivot from minimal eco-packaging to retail-ready boxes to combat theft and improve shelf presence while still keeping to Eco Bandage's mission of sustainability. 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

Product Innovation: How Eco Bandage offers a cellulose-based, flexible alternative to "crusty" liquid bandages, available in various skin tones and fun colors. 

The "Bleeding Thumb" Pitch: The story of how Joe accidentally sliced his finger before a meeting, allowing Kiowa's mom to demonstrate the product live and secure an order from Meijer. 

International Retail Expansion: The brand’s growth trajectory, from winning the ECRM Buyer's Choice Award in 2024 to launching internationally in Canada’s Sobeys stores. 

Packaging Strategy: Why the company shifted from loose bottles to a "two-pack" box design to solve shelf-footprint issues and offer better value, and how it leveraged ECRM's Contract Manufacturing events to do so. 

Future Innovations: A sneak peek at upcoming product lines, including liquid pimple patches that can be worn under makeup and clinical applications for hospitals. 

Throughout the conversation, you'll gain insights on how to best engage buyers and category managers, and what it takes to grow your CPG brand! 

In this episode, Taylor Schaly, shares how she did it for Trainers Choice, a Canadian orthopedic support brand that can be found in most of the major pharmacy and grocery chains in Canada, including Shoppers Drug Mart, Pharma Choice, Loblaws and Metro, as well as in many independent retailers.  

Taylor discusses the company's unique "clinic-to-shelf" origin story, its commitment to sustainability using eco-friendly material for its supports and braces, and the strategic meeting that landed them a major deal with Ingles Markets via ECRM.  

In this discussion you'll find a masterclass in buyer meeting best practices, with actionable advice on pre-meeting research, tailoring your pitch, and the critical importance of follow-up for any CPG brand looking to expand distribution. 

Molly, who has been a serial entrepreneur since her teens, began her CPG journey as a single mom with only $150 to her name, to now having her gourmet cookies, known for their "weird" combinations like Hot Cheetos and Boba, sold in thousands of stores across the U.S. 

In this podcast, you'll learn: 

• The Power of the Pivot: Learn why pivoting is the "best skill" and how turning a "no" into a "yes" is a serial entrepreneur's mantra. 
• The importance of resilience: How to embrace failures as valuable lessons 
• Building retail partnerships: Molly shares her key advice on getting your foot in the door with a retailer, and the critical need to never make a move until the purchase order's ink is dry. 
• Scaling production: Discover how Molly manages rapid growth by working with eight different co-packers across the nation, specializing in everything from indulgent cookies to R&D. 
• How to Be UNFORGETTABLE: Get tips on standing out at buyer meetings, from creating a unique "shtick" to utilizing QR codes that link directly to a video about your brand. 

 Molly also discusses major wins through RangeMe and ECRM, her divinely-inspired flavors, and her phenomenal success with an exclusive cookie for Walmart, The Founder, which was developed in under 24 hours. 

On top of this, Eco Bandage recently landed a Golden Ticket at Walmart’s Open Call from its RangeMe submission and will soon be on the shelves at that retailer’s stores!

In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski speaks with the four people charged with the success of these brands, three of which are family members: The Kavovits – Andrew, Jennifer and their daughter Kiowa, as well as Jennifer Baxter. 

Jennifer Kavovit and Jennifer Baxter are Co-Founders of The Crystal Charged Co., which makes Chakra Drop, a crystal filtered water that just landed a deal with Home Goods from ECRM’s recent Beverage Session. 

Kiowa Kavovit is the CEO of Eco Bandage, a colored liquid bandage that’s sustainably made and packaged, which landed a deal with Meijer from last year’s ECRM Health Care Session and the Golden Ticket from its Open Call event. 

Andrew Kavovit represented FlickaFly, an innovative fly swatter, at ECRM’s Impulse: Front End & Checklane Session to get buyer feedback for future development.

Andrew and Jennifer Kavovit also run Hatched Hub, an incubator for brands that helps launch new products, like Eco Bandage and Chakra Drop, and scale up existing ones. 

They covered a lot of ground in this one, including: 

• Overall LinkedIn philosophy 
• Types of posts that do well (and those that don’t) 
• How they each come up with ideas for content 
• Building their networks 
• Engaging with other people’s content 

They had a fun and insightful conversation, which could have lasted hours but for the fact that Andrew had a meeting scheduled and had to split after 30 minutes! 

Lots of great LinkedIn knowledge dropped here that will be useful for brand-owners looking to use the platform to support their existing sales efforts. 

In this episode, Emily Anne Page, CPG Growth Strategist at Start to Sold sits with Joseph Tarnowski to discuss the steps needed to design powerful packaging concepts that ship on time and on budget.  

Among the topics she discusses is: 

• Visual Packaging Artwork: Design elements that “pop” on the shelf 
• Structural Packaging Sourcing: Finding the right structural packaging that can protect your products while offering various merchandising and shipping opportunities 
• Supply Chain Management: How to ensure that all of the elements needed for your products flow seamlessly from one point to the next. 

She also highlights case studies of industry disruptors that have successfully applied these strategies to get their products onto retail shelves and then into shoppers’ baskets. 

In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sat down with Maximilian Burianek, TikTok Shop Lead - Germany at ECRM’s European Sessions in Frankfurt, to discuss how brands can succeed on the platform. 

Among the topics they discussed are: 

• How TikTok Shop closes the loop of browsing, product selection, checkout, and becoming an advocate 
• The four native ways TikTok Shop encourages users to browse and buy 
• Three strategies for success on TikTok Shop: Product Strategy, Live Strategy & The Full Ecosystem 
• How to amplify campaigns with campaigns and advertising 
• Working with creators for content that sells 
• TikTok Shop’s fulfillment options 
• Three ways of uploading and managing your product catalog 

 Maximilian shares lots of best practices and success stories of brands that have used the platform to reach new audiences and grow sales. 

In this interview, Joseph Trusdale shares his journey from the past few years of growth and how both he and the company have evolved from lessons learned along the way.

And these customers are not who you would expect; they range from soccer moms to 70-year-olds, and sales of THC beverages at the liquor store went from zero a few months ago to already 3 percent of its business today, spanning products from 25 brands.  

The restaurants also offer these beverages, and Sousa is even creating a special menu feature called "Pick Your Poison" that will include cocktails that can be made with either the THC-infused beverages, NA beverages, or traditional spirits. 

ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski interviewed Sousa at ECRM's recent On & Off Premise Adult Beverage Session, who shares his experience with this booming adult beverage segment. 

She takes a deep dive into three product innovation trends in particular: Brands that are viral on social media, brands that focus on wellness, and brands that leverage a trusted advisor, and gives examples of how each has driven a brand’s growth in retail. 

 Among the topics they discuss are:  

• Michael’s history and rise within the Colombo family 
• Why Michael left organized crime, and his current efforts to spread the message of positive transformation 
• Lessons learned from his time in the mafia 
• Michael’s social media platforms and engagement 
• Franzese Wine - its origins, products, growth, and retailer engagement 

In this interview with ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski, Nik shares key insights emerging brands need to know about growing their business on Amazon, from what products are the right fit (and which aren't), how to optimize your content, and which advertising strategies and tactics work best.  

“From our first meeting back in July 2023, he made it a point to stay connected without ever being pushy — striking that rare balance between professional persistence and genuine relationship-building. Every touchpoint felt thoughtful and timely, and you could tell he was always keeping our specific needs and timeline in mind. That kind of follow-up stands out in a sea of vendors who often go quiet or overwhelm you with emails. Troy made sure Bones Coffee stayed top-of-mind in a way that felt helpful, not salesy. 

“Even after the initial meetings, he kept the momentum going with updates, samples, and personalized follow-through — not just checking in for the sake of it, but truly trying to make sure the product was the right fit for our stores.” 

In this podcast interview, Troy unpacks some of the follow up tactics that have landed deals with Hot Spot, Walgreens, and Meijer, and shares why consistency over the long term is the key to success for brands looking to expand their distribution at retail. 

Among the topics she covers are: 

• The path global cuisines follow from the home to mainstream grocery store shelves 
• How social media helps shorten the time to the adoption of global cuisine 
• Why consumers try new foods 
• The role of AI in meal planning, and how the technology is helping consumers discover international flavors 
• How mainstream retailers can engage shoppers in-store around global foods (and take a page from the specialty retailer's playbook) 

The discussion uncovers emerging consumer behaviors and spotlights innovative merchandising strategies that are driving category expansion. From aisle reinvention to cross-cultural marketing, discover how embracing global flavors can deepen shopper loyalty, attract new demographics, and future-proof your grocery business. 

Nikki Parmar, Owner of Bodyform, knows this firsthand. When she goes into a buyer meeting, she is not only looking to secure distribution for her brand's line of feminine care products; she’s also seeking out valuable intel on how she can adapt her products to meet each buyer's specific needs.   

In this clip from her interview with Joseph Tarnowski, recorded on location at ECRM's Personal Care Session in Dallas, Nikki shares how Bodyform solicits detailed buyer feedback during its ECRM meetings and then acts on that feedback, whether it's related to packaging design, size, or to the products themselves. And when she meets with the buyer again and shows how this input was incorporated into Bodyform’s offerings, they are always blown away.  

Parmar also discusses how she leverages LinkedIn to share content related to Bodyform's mission of eliminating Period Poverty, as well as to help buyers get to know the brand and the people behind it, staying front-of-mind with buyers in between meetings. 

In his recent interview with ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski, Co-Founder Obi Linton shared his journey from Baltimore detective to an owner and operator of a restaurant operation with his wife, Nicole, to his current role as a brand owner, and how their past experiences have given them the tools and knowledge that have helped them succeed today.  

Obi also goes into detail about his approach to leveraging RangeMe and ECRM to engage with retailers and create long-lasting relationships that have significantly expanded their distribution to thousands of stores nationwide.  

This approach includes a lot of preparation and research, a dogged pursuit of EVERY possible opportunity, and authentic relationship-building efforts that would make Dale Carnegie proud.  

Argires Snacks' George Argires is a case in point. For years, he was having trouble landing deals at ECRM Sessions. After connecting with Emily Anne Page of Start to Sold for some coaching, he realized he was spending too much time pitching and not enough time getting to know what was really important for the buyer.   

He didn't ask enough solid questions. 

Together, George and Emily worked on developing a curated list of specific questions that he asked during an ECRM meeting. In fact, he spent 80 percent of his time asking questions and LISTENING. Armed with this information, he developed a plan to address the buyer's specific needs, which he shared in his follow-ups, and landed the deal.  

His products will be on the shelves this fall.  

In this interview, recorded on location at ECRM's Snack Session in Dallas, George and Emily share how the right questions in a buyer meeting can make the difference in whether or not you land a deal, and why this strategy matters to buyers. 

Then earlier this year they lost the bartending business to the Los Angeles wildfires. During this same time, however, they landed KeHE Distributors from a meeting at ECRM’s On & Off Premise Adult Beverage Session, which led to a deal with Total Wine & More. Most recently, they earned a Fast Pass at Walmart’s Open Call from a RangeMe submission. 

 In this podcast, you’ll hear how the sisters stuck with their passion through this wild roller-coaster ride and evolved their business over the years into the fast-growing emerging brand it is today. 

Cosset, Global Beauty Care and Okay Pure Naturals each started with only two or three people, and over the years have grown their companies to dozens of team members. This growth comes with several challenges, such as deciding which roles to fill first, finding the right hires, grooming future leadership, and handing off the reins of certain responsibilities.

In this podcast, ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski speaks with the founding members of each of these brands, who share how they handled their respective growth journeys and what it takes to scale up a brand.

Nobody wants to enter “naked chicks” into their browser search while they are on their work computer. But that’s what people had to do to find the honey-sweetened sodas and drizzlers created by Yes Honey Founder Heather Mincer, when her company was originally called Naked Chicks Pasture. 

When you know the brand’s origin, the name makes sense. It sold pasture-raised chickens with no chemicals or antibiotics on a small farm in Norwood, Mo. It had no online presence, and most of its sales came from word-of-mouth. Even when it started making honey-sweetened soda and drizzlers, the products were initially sold only at local farmers’ markets, so the brand name worked. It was catchy. (In fact, Heather still retains the title of “Head Chick” in her LinkedIn profile!)

But as Mincer’s sales grew and she looked to reach a broader audience of consumers and even retail buyers, it launched a website and became a RangeMe Pro subscriber. 

That’s when things got a little … weird. 

In this podcast interview with ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski, Mincer tells the story of her brand refresh, and how it led to an explosion of direct-to-consumer sales, as well as much more buyer engagement on RangeMe.

Last August, Casey's teamed up with RangeMe and ECRM to launch its first-ever Innovation Summit in an effort to discover new brands that would attract a broader array of customers to its stores. The convenience store chain, which operates more than 2,900 stores across 19 Midwestern states, discovered 19 new brands from the Summit, and their products will be on the shelves this year.

In this interview with ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski, Casey’s VP of Merchandising Chris Stewart shares the chain’s initial goals of the summit, the process in which the final brands were chosen, and some advice for suppliers looking to get on the shelves at its stores.

When Mekor Corp. first participated in ECRM Sessions, they were selling just a line of functional teas with distribution of just a few thousand doors. Now its distribution is more than ten times that and has expanded to include products like supplements, cookies, aloe vera drinks, and spices. 

Sapan Nainani attributes this growth to three factors:

- Building relationships by consistently getting in front of buyers;

- Listening closely to these buyers to best learn how he can serve them, and 

- Having the patience and persistence to take a long-term approach to growth.

In this podcast interview with ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski, Nainani reveals his approach to buyer engagement and shows how listening truly can be a superpower when meeting with retail buyers.

Skin Centrick’s Founder & CEO, Chithra Kannan, is a perfect example of a brand owner who understands the power of leveraging both ECRM and RangeMe to engage with the buyer community, and because of this, the brand is already on a trajectory of success rarely seen in a consumer packaged goods startup. 

Launched only last October, Skin Centrick has already landed deals with several retailers, distributors, and e-commerce platforms and attributes 90 percent of this business to connections made via ECRM & RangeMe. 

But we can’t take all of the credit. It’s the combination of Kannan’s business analytics prowess (she has a degree in Business Analytics from Harvard), her marketing savvy, and her very buttoned-up yet adaptive approach to buyer meetings that have helped make the most of the exposure that RangeMe provides combined with the face-to-face access to qualified buyers at ECRM Sessions.

In this podcast, ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski speaks with Kannan, who shares how she applies her business analytics skills to the beauty market to uncover opportunities, as well as how she leverages both RangeMe and ECRM to effectively engage the retail buyer community.