Retail Edit | Actionable Advice to Grow and Scale Your DTC Retail Business

Most "retail experts" got lucky once and turned it into a course. I spent 15 years as a Fortune 50 buyer managing a $4 billion portfolio—saying yes or no to Disney, Microsoft, P&G, and hundreds of scrappy startups. Now I'm actively helping brands close 7-figure retail deals using the exact frameworks I used as the gatekeeper. I don't guess what buyers want. I WAS the buyer for 15 years. Now I'm the strategist getting brands the yes.

Retail Edit | Actionable Advice to Grow and Scale Your DTC Retail Business is a business podcast hosted by Kristin Engen, with 25 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Kristin Engen hosts Retail Edit | Actionable Advice to Grow and Scale Your DTC Retail Business, a business show with 25 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #24

  24. The Launch Mirage: The Seduction, The Carnage, and What Nobody Posts About

  Mar 12, 202610 minS0

  <p>You've seen it.</p><p>The Ulta launch party. The Target end cap. The Costco pallet photo.</p><p>And something inside you lit up.</p><p>That's the seduction working exactly as intended.</p><p>But here's what nobody in your founder community is going to say:</p><p>The launch moment is not the win. It's the starting gun.</p><p>Jim Sinegal—founder of Costco—once called retail "war without the blood."</p><p>He's not wrong.</p><p>I spent 15 years as a Fortune 50 buyer managing a $4B portfolio. And I'm breaking down exactly what happ...

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  Episode #23

  23. Retail Isn’t Romance: The Costco vs Walmart Decision

  Mar 5, 202611 minS0

  <p>There are founders who chase retail.</p><p>And there are founders who architect it.</p><p>If you’re saying “prestige” — but your first big anchor is a convenience play—yeah, we need to talk.</p><p><b>In this episode, I break down the real difference between Costco and Walmart — and why this decision affects:</b></p><p>• your price ceiling</p><p>• your brand narrative</p><p>• which retailers say yes next</p><p>• and how buyers categorize you</p><p><br/></p><p>Retail isn’t validation.</p><p>It’s leverage.</p><p>If you’re evaluating retail...

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  Episode #22

  22. The Silent Mistake Costing You Your Next Retail Launch

  Feb 17, 202615 minS0

  <p>You landed the retail deal. Your product made it to shelves—or the site. You celebrated, exhaled, and then... nothing.</p><p>Here's the truth most brands miss, babe: Placement gets you a seat at the table. Performance determines whether you're still there when they serve dessert—or whether you've been politely escorted to the, ahem, parking lot (aka: markdown isle.)</p><p>In this episode, Kristin reveals the quiet mistake she sees founders make after securing retail—and why it's silently dismantling future opportunities. (Spoiler: it has nothing to do with your product, and everything to do with what y...

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  Episode #21

  21. The 3 Authority Signals That Help You Land Retail Deals Faster

  Feb 11, 202620 minS0

  <p>If you’re walking into buyer meetings armed with a beautiful brand story and still not getting the “yes,” this episode is your wake-up call. Because retail buyers aren’t looking for the best product — they’re looking for the safest bet.</p><p>In today’s episode, we’re breaking down what buyers actually care about and why your founder story alone won’t land you shelf space. I’m sharing the three authority signals that instantly separate you from white label noise and position your brand as a revenue-generating solution buyers feel confident betting on.</p><p>If you want to stop...

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  Retail Edit | Actionable Advice to Grow and Scale Your DTC Retail Business

  20. Why Being Obsessed With Your Product Is Costing You Retail Deals

  Feb 3, 202614 minS0

  <p>If you’ve been pouring your heart into your product but keep hitting a wall with retail buyers, this episode is a must-listen. In this conversation, we’re breaking down a hard truth most founders don’t want to hear: being obsessed with your product might be the very thing holding you back from landing retail deals.</p><p>Drawing from years of experience as a Fortune 50 retail buyer, this episode explains what buyers actually care about, why brand stories and hero ingredients aren’t enough on their own, and how the most successful brands position themselves as revenue-generating solution...

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