New Voices Retail Resource Guide

 In News & Updates

Overview: 

New Voices Foundation is frequently asked by New Voices Family company founders how to get their products into mass retail, and we’ve answered through Learning Lab™ LIVE Webinars, articles, and other resources on retail readiness, managing your shelf space, trade spend, chargebacks, and much more. 

This guide serves as a roundup of all of our retail-based learning content for you to understand where to start, how to prepare, and how to maintain your space in retail stores. 

New to Mass Retail? Begin at the Beginning! 

There are a few things you should consider when deciding if mass retail is a good fit. Start by reading two articles we published on the topic:

Now that you have a clearer idea of what you’re getting yourself into watch the following Learning Lab™️ LIVE webinar replays and review their accompanying presentation decks in the order listed below:

  1. Learning Lab™ LIVE 16: “Are You Ready for Mass Retail?’ with Portu Sunberg (2020) 

Presentation Deck: https://bit.ly/PresentationNVLearningLab16

Learning Lab™ LIVE 67: “Are You Ready for Retail? With Portu Sunberg 2023 (we suggest taking note of the Q&A portion of this replay – Timestamp 47:51*)

These videos outline the steps for retail readiness and you’ll get a foundational knowledge of what it takes to start the process of getting ready. 

2. Learning Lab™ LIVE 17: “Retail 101 Interview: ROSEN Skincare’s Jamika Martin”

WATCH New Voices Family ROSEN Skincare Founder, Jamika Martin talk about her mass retail experience where she shares pitfalls, challenges, and practical advice for transitioning into retail from DTC and/or smaller retailers, Working with 3PLs (Third Party Logistics), engaging manufacturers, and more. 

3. Learning Lab™ LIVE: “Retail 101 Interview: Melissa Butler, The Lip Bar”

WATCH as New Voices Family The Lip Bar Founder, Melissa Butler as she explains why and how you should build a community BEFORE moving into mass retail. She also discusses how to choose the best mass retail partners for your brand. 

4. Learning Lab™ LIVE 48: “How to Prepare for Retailer Line Review,” with Mabel Frias of LUNA MAGIC”

In this in-depth session by New Voices Family, Mabel Frias of Luna Magic is a MUST-WATCH. She does a deep dive into how to properly prepare for a mass retail line review. Mabel gives tips and tricks to help you maximize your time, get the most out of the meeting, and come across as polished and professional as possible.

5. Learning Lab™ LIVE 68: “How Did You Get Ready for Retail?” with LaToya Stirrup of KAZMALEJE and Retail Strategist, Josanta Gray-Emegano

In this interactive and insightful session, New Voices Family KAZMALEJE’s Co-founder and CEO, Latoya Stirrup, and Retail Strategist, Josanta Gray Emegano, walk us through the soup to nuts of preparing to launch in mass retail, defining the proper retail partners for your brand, key differences between DTC and mass retail, and much, much more. 

Additional articles to read on this topic:

Retail 101 for Food & Beverage Brands

Do you have a food or beverage brand? Getting into mass retail may be slightly different for your brand category so we did a dedicated Learning Lab™ LIVE series for you. 

  1. Learning Lab™ LIVE: “Retail 101 for Food & Beverage Brands [Part 1 of 2]” with Portu Sunberg

In this session, the Portu Sunberg team explores key issues and considerations for those looking to get into mass retail in the food and beverage category. 

2. Learning Lab™ LIVE: “Retail 101 for Food & Beverage Brands w/ Portu-Sunberg part 2; interview with CEO & Founder of Partake Foods, Denise Woodard”

In this conversation, Denise gave valuable insight into Partake Foods’ transition into mass retail and how best you can do it too!

You’re In, Now What?

Congratulations! You’ve been accepted into the mass retailer of your dreams or choice, but what do you do now?! What’s the process? Who do you talk to? When? and how? We’ve got you covered. 

  1. Learning Lab™ LIVE 18: “You’re in Now What? Value of a Broker,”

Presentation Deck: https://bit.ly/PresentationNVLearningLab18

In this video, experts from retail broker and creative agency, Portu Sunberg will give you a brief overview of the different options available to you in terms of how to manage your mass retail relationships and a deep dive into the value of partnering with a broker. You’ll gain a deep understanding of what a broker does, how that impacts your brand, and how to find a broker. This session will also explore How to leverage data analytics, reporting, and insights to understand your business’s health, measure ROI, and spot anomalies.

Already On Shelves? Here’s How to Stay There!

Once you’re on shelves, the importance of budgeting, forecasting, and planning becomes abundantly clear. In our 2022, Mass Retail Learning Lab™ LIVE series with Portu Sunberg and Infinity Worlds, we tackled exactly that. Take a look:

  1. Learning Lab™ LIVE 56: “Mass Retail: Forecasting, Planning & Budgeting”

In this replay, you’ll learn the forecasting, planning, and budgeting strategies & tactics that are essential to staying AND thriving on-shelf at mass retailers.

2. Learning Lab™ LIVE 57: “Mass Retail: Forecasting and Planning Interview w/ Play Pits”

In this informative session, Chantel and Keeyon Powell–the CEO & COO of Play Pits, share candidly about their experience with forecasting and planning for mass retail. 

3. Learning Lab™ LIVE 58: “Mass Retail: Trade Spend” with Infinity Worlds 

In this session, you’ll learn about the all-important mass retail trade spend (promotions, slotting fees, co-advertising), retail pricing strategy, and how to effectively leverage it to ensure your brand’s retail success.

4. Learning Lab™ LIVE 59: “Mass Retail: Trade Spend Interview” with Biena Snacks Founder, Poorvi Patodia (Coming soon)

In this replay, WATCH Biena Snacks Founder & CEO, Poorvi Patodia explains her company’s journey into mass retail and how they approach trade spend and pricing with their various retail partners.

5. Learning Lab™ LIVE 62: “Ask Me Anything (AMA) w/ New Voices Family Entrepreneurs” featuring Glow By Daye’s Ranay Orton, LUNA MAGIC’s Mabel Frias, and Young King Hair Care’s Cora Miller.

 In this unique session, the founders of these growing companies answer probing questions about how to break into, expand, and/or maintain a mass retail presence and provide valuable practical advice for tackling challenges.

Amazon: A Marketplace onto Itself!

If you’re looking to leverage Amazon as a part of your retail strategy, there are more than a few things you need to know. In our Amazon Retailing 101 Learning Lab™ LIVE series with Portu Sunberg, we explored this topic in detail.

  1. Learning Lab™ LIVE 27: “Amazon Retailing 101” with Portu Sunberg

Presentation Deck: http://bit.ly/PresentationNVLearningLab27

In this session, Portu-Sunberg, a consumer brand, and sales agency, discusses what it takes to build a business on Amazon and how to navigate a marketplace environment. Covering everything from how to work with Amazon to content, marketing, and more, you’ll walk away from this webinar with a new marketplace toolkit for success.

2. Learning Lab™ LIVE 28: “Interview with Gina Woods of Rupi Hair & Donna’s Recipe”

WATCH as New Voices Family Rupi Hair Founder  & Donna’s Recipe Co-founder & COO, Gina Woods gives practical advice on how to navigate and leverage Amazon as you build your business.

 

P.S. Check out our Funding Resource Guide at https://bit.ly/NewVoicesFundingResources!