Phase One

Create It

From an idea to something you can actually sell.

Whitespace and innovation — finding the gap on the shelf worth owning
Competitive analysis: who you're really up against, and where they're weak
Product development, from concept through prototype and testing
Manufacturing sourcing and setup, overseas and domestic
Cost, margin and pricing architecture that survives retail terms
Packaging strategy built for the shelf, not just the photo
Packaging that works as a thumbnail — the first shelf is often a search result
Brand identity and positioning — what you stand for, and why a shopper should care
Packaging design direction: briefing designers and holding the work to the shelf, not the mood board

Phase Two

Get It On Shelf

The part most brands get wrong — because nobody tells you what a buyer is actually measuring.

Retail readiness: everything a buyer expects before they'll say yes
Line review preparation and the pitch that goes with it
Buyer meetings — preparing you for them, or sitting in them with you
Distributor, broker and rep strategy, and whether you even need one
Terms, chargebacks and the fine print that quietly eats your margin
Channel sequencing: which retailer first, and which to say no to
Digital shelf launch: your own store, the marketplaces, the retailer dot-coms
1P or 3P — selling to the retailer, or selling on them
The launch plan behind the placement — what happens the week the item lands
Retailer co-marketing and trade programmes, and whether they are worth what they cost

Phase Three

Getting in is the easy part. Staying in is where brands actually die.

Retailer logistics, EDI, routing guides and compliance
Forecasting, replenishment and inventory that doesn't strand your cash
Velocity: making the numbers work so you survive the next planogram
Account management and the ongoing buyer relationship
Defending shelf space when the retailer wants to change your item
Expanding into new doors, new channels and line extensions
The dot-com business: item setup, online assortment, content that converts
Channel conflict: protecting price and MAP across every channel
Rebrands and repackaging when the brand has outgrown how it looks
Hiring, briefing and holding agencies and designers accountable, Amazon included — and knowing when you don’t need one

And When It's Time

I've been through a full exit as the founder, start to finish.