That’s the most common retail feedback and it’s also the least helpful.
Because nobody tells you what “ready” actually means…
or what a buyer needs to see to move you forward.
If you’re already selling DTC + in boutiques and you want retail growth that doesn’t crush your margin dollars (or your cashflow), you need a plan that survives retail math and fits how your business actually runs.
CPG RETAIL STRATEGY & GROWTH ADVISORY
Come back when you're ready.
ready
That’s the most common retail feedback and it’s also the least helpful.
Because nobody tells you what “ready” actually means…
or what a buyer needs to see to move you forward.
If you’re already selling DTC + in boutiques and you want retail growth that doesn’t crush your margin dollars (or your cashflow), you need a plan that survives retail math and fits how your business actually runs.
CPG RETAIL STRATEGY & GROWTH ADVISORY
Come back when you're ready.
ready
I help you become buyer-ready in the way that matters:
Most buyers aren’t saying “no.”
They’re saying, “Not yet.”
BUYER-SIDE PERSPECTIVE. OPERATOR-LEVEL DECISION. NO GUESSING
the economics pencil,
and the deal fits your cashflow.
What we make buyer-clear:
- The 3–5 proof points a buyer needs to see (and what to stop leading with)
- A deal that survives the terms stack (fees, allowances, promo asks, timing)
- Pricing + promo guardrails so growth doesn’t turn into a margin leak
- A focused assortment that earns shelf space and reorders
- Clear next steps so you stop getting vague feedback
WHEN YOU'RE SMALL, it’s straightforward:
Retail can feel like a black box.
WHY GROWTH FEELS HARD THAN IT SHOULD
sell DTC,
get into a few local boutiques,
build momentum.
But once you start aiming for bigger doors,
Target,
Whole Foods,
Ulta,
Walmart,
retail turns into a world of unwritten rules.
And here’s the frustrating part:
Most of the time, “ready” is just buyer language for, “Your story is good…but your numbers and proof aren’t buyer-clear yet.”
Buyer conversations can sound encouraging… but also weirdly vague.
You leave calls thinking, “Okay… so what do I do next?” Meanwhile, the deal starts getting complicated.
Because retail isn’t just “wholesale price.” It’s the full stack: terms, fees, allowances, promo asks, timing, and deductions that show up after you think you’ve done the math.
You don’t know what “retail-ready” actually means
Let me show you what this looks like in real life and how we fix it.
If you’ve ever had a buyer call that left you thinking, “Okay… but what do I do now?”, this is probably you:
Buyer conversations feel vague, so it’s hard to tell what to do next
You’re unsure which retailer makes sense first (and why)
Your story is strong… but it doesn’t feel buyer-proof yet
You want a real checklist, not more opinions
The product was strong,
the brand had momentum
but the founder felt thrown off by the terms she was seeing.
She’d worked with one kind of retail before, and this new conversation came with a totally different set of expectations.
So we stepped back and looked at the negotiation holistically:
what was actually possible,
what mattered most,
and what the brand needed to protect so the deal wouldn’t create a cash crunch.
She walked away with a clear strategy,
a clean way to frame the conversation,
and real confidence going into the negotiation.
And that’s what “ready” really means, not vibes, but a deal you can actually support.
Recently I got on a call with an award-winning Korean beauty brand.
Quick Examaple
I’ll help you get to a green light, without creating a margin mess.
Built Inside Mass Retail.
Built for Your Brand.
MEET YOUR RETAIL & CATEGORY STRATEGY PARTNER
What they can’t do is tell you what a buyer is really saying when they say things like:
“not ready,”
“come back later,” or
“the numbers don’t work.”
That’s the gap I fill.
I look at your brand the way a buyer does,
I’ll help you figure out what’s negotiable, what isn’t, run the deal through a quick survival test (contribution dollars + cashflow fit), and translate the feedback into clear decisions your team can execute.
No fluff. No guessing. Just: here’s what to do next, and why.
.
You’ll know what to say, what to show, and what not to agree to.
A retail deal is only a win if it passes both tests:
THE DEAL SURVIVAL TEST
Period.
NO. 01
NO. 02
Contribution Dollars per Unit
Cashflow Fit
Not just “the margin % looks okay.” Real dollars left after the full terms stack (fees, allowances, promo funding, deductions, freight assumptions — the whole picture).
Even a profitable deal can hurt you if the timing and commitments don’t match your brand’s ability to fund it.
If a deal fails either test, we fix the structure, renegotiate the levers, or we don’t take it.
Here’s how we turn the black box into a plan.
STEP 1 - Diagnose
STEP 2 - dECIDE
STEP 3 - dELIVER
I review your plan the way a buyer will: margin & price-pack logic, velocity story, shelf role, differentiation, and in-stock risk. Then I pressure-test your internal readiness: inventory/lead times, MOQs, cash conversion cycle, and promo expectations, so you know what will get questioned and what could quietly break your business.
We make the hard calls: pricing and terms approach, promo funding guardrails, assortment focus, and what “ready” looks like for your stage and category.
You walk away with a buyer-ready story, deal math that survives, and a clear set of next steps your team can execute.
After we work together:
What changes when you know what buyers are looking for.
• You’re clear on what “retail-ready” means for your stage
• You know what to lead with in buyer conversations (and what to leave out)
• You stop getting vague feedback and start getting real next steps
• Your story + proof points feel buyer-ready, not just “a nice deck”
• You have guardrails that protect contribution dollars and cashflow
If you keep trying to figure it out alone:
• More “almost” and “come back later”
• More time building without clear buyer expectations
• More second-guessing pricing, promo, and deal structure
• More uncertainty about what success should look like right now
• More risk of signing a “growth” deal that quietly drains the business
CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL OF SUPPORT
For targeted questions, retailer prep, pricing/promo decisions, and negotiation strategy.
Expert Hours (Quick Answers, Fast Moves)
A packaged block of hours used within 90 days to work through a defined set of decisions.
Strategy Sprint (Packaged Hours / 90 Days)
A scoped workstream with clear deliverables—built when you need a “done” outcome.
Project Engagements Scoped Deliverables)
Ongoing operator support with an agreed cadence, priorities, and outputs across retail workstreams.
Fractional Leadership (Ongoing Operator Support)
We’ll map what you need + the best engagement to start.
“I’ve been on the retailer side of the table.”
Here’s the inside thing most brands don’t hear early enough:
buyers aren’t only buying your product, they’re buying confidence that you won’t become a problem after you’re on shelf.
That’s why “We love it” can still turn into “not yet.” It’s rarely personal. It’s usually risk.
My job is to make you easy to say yes to by bringing buyer-side clarity to the parts that actually decide the outcome:
your proof points,
your economics,
and the decisions behind the plan.
I evaluated brands fast, skeptical, and numbers-forward, the way buyers do.
I help you prep for the questions buyers actually ask (so you don’t get stuck in vague feedback)
I’ll tell you what’s negotiable, what isn’t, and how to frame the deal so it can get approved
I’m contribution margin-dollar and cashflow minded, because “growth” isn’t the goal if it squeezes the business
I focus on practical decisions your team can execute, not theory
What changes when you know what buyers are looking for.
Are we retail-ready? You’ll know exactly what “ready” means for your stage, and what to fix first.
Which retailer makes sense first? You’ll have a clear point of view (and the logic behind it).
What do we lead with in the buyer conversation? You’ll have a tight story and the proof points that support it.
What should pricing and promo look like? You’ll set guardrails that protect contribution margin.
What’s the right assortment? You’ll know what to carry, what to cut, and what actually belongs on shelf.
What do we do next? You’ll leave every session with a prioritized action list so momentum stays real.
The decisions you’ll be able to make
(with confidence).
What You Walk Away With
QUESTIONS
Q: Is this for brands that are already in big retail?
A: This is best for brands that are still building their path in—DTC, boutiques, early retail conversations, who want to get buyer-ready and stop guessing.
Q: Do you make retailer introductions?
A: I don’t sell intros. I help you earn the yes with the right strategy, story, and fundamentals—so when you get the meeting, you’re ready for it.
Q: What does “1:1 coaching” actually look like?
A: Regular working sessions where we make decisions together. You’ll leave with clear next steps every time.
Q: Will you review my pitch deck / buyer materials?
A: Yes, deck feedback and story tightening can be included depending on the level of support you choose.
Q: Do you offer done-for-you / fractional help?
A: I can. Some clients start with coaching, then expand into more hands-on support once we’re clear on what needs to be built.
Q: Is this confidential?
A: Yes. I’m happy to sign an NDA.
A few things you might be wondering…
Book A Strategy Call.
If you’re serious about getting into retail, you don’t need more opinions, you need the buyer-side perspective and a clear path to a “yes.”
On this call, we’ll pressure-test where you are, what you’re aiming for, and what has to be true to earn the meeting (and the yes) the right way.
For CPG founders building the plan behind the pitch: positioning, pricing, margin, distribution, and sell-through.
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Retail + CPG strategy →
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