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No Big Budget. No Big Team. Just Scrappiness: How Wendy Kushel Built Wendala’s
Description
What does it really take to get a product from farmers markets to major retailers? For Wendy Kushel, founder of Wendala’s, the answer is being scrappy, staying persistent, listening to your customers, and simply getting in the game.
In this episode of Shelf Talks, Wendy shares the unconventional journey behind her innovative sugar scrub brand, from discovering sugar scrubs at age 50 to building a business that now sells through retailers including Walmart and Ace Hardware.
Wendy opens up about how she landed her first retail opportunity, why she believes farmers markets are one of the best places to find proof of concept, and how customer feedback helped shape some of her bestselling products. She also shares the scrappy tactics she used to get into 21 Ace Hardware stores, connect with major retail decision-makers, and ultimately earn a Walmart Open Call Golden Ticket.
But getting on the shelf was only the beginning. Wendy gets candid about the realities of fulfilling a 10,000+ unit Walmart order, merchandising challenges, marketing, inventory, manufacturing, retail data, and knowing when it's time to ask for help.
And perhaps most importantly, Wendy shares her advice for anyone who feels like they're starting their entrepreneurial journey later in life. Her message is simple: there is no expiration date on your ideas.
If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to start a business, how to think differently about retail, or what it really takes to build a brand when you don't have unlimited resources, this episode is for you.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• How Wendy turned a personal discovery into a product-based business
• Why customer feedback can be one of your most valuable forms of product research
• How to use scrappiness as a competitive advantage
• How Wendy landed 21 Ace Hardware stores by going directly to the decision-maker
• The story behind her Walmart Golden Ticket
• What happened after Walmart placed a 10,000+ unit order
• Why getting on the shelf is only half the battle
• How merchandising can impact whether shoppers notice your product
• Why founders need to understand their retail data and financials
• How to determine which SKUs make sense for different retailers
• Why your previous career experiences may be preparing you for entrepreneurship
• Wendy's advice for becoming an entrepreneur later in life
Wendy's journey is a powerful reminder that you don't need to have everything figured out before you start. Sometimes you just need to get in the game, keep paddling, and be willing to figure it out along the way.
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