Natural Products Marketer Podcast

What Retailers Need to Know About Probiotics with Nikita Austen

Most people buy probiotics like they buy shampoo: grab the brand they recognize and hope for the best. But probiotics are living microorganisms, and the difference between “works” and “waste of money” often comes down to details most labels don’t make clear like refrigeration, shelf time, and whether a capsule can survive stomach acid long enough to open where it matters. We sit down with Nikita Austin, Senior Director of Global Training and Education at Better Being Co. (home to brands many natural products retailers already know), to unpack what real probiotic quality looks like in the supplement aisle. We get into why innovation is still happening in a category that feels “done,” how evolving microbiome science is expanding the conversation from probiotics and prebiotics to postbiotics, and why human clinical studies are becoming non-negotiable for credible claims. We also tackle the questions retailers hear every day: Should probiotics be refrigerated? When can shelf stable probiotics make sense? What’s the deal with spore-forming strains? Why is Akkermansia suddenly all over TikTok, and what can we responsibly say about weight management and metabolic health? Along the way, we talk about third-party testing, in-house lab verification, finished product testing, and how owning manufacturing changes quality control. Finally, we bring it back to the sales floor with simple ways to build trust, start better conversations, and guide customers to the right formula without overwhelming their supplement stack. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a retailer friend, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so more store teams can find it and use it. Connect with us: Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552809025389] Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/company/natural-products-marketer] Email: info@naturalproductsmarketer.com [info@naturalproductsmarketer.com] About Tina Maddock Since 2014, Tina has worked with multiple natural products businesses, discovering how to market their CBD products online, without having their payment processor shut them down, to letting customers talk about their health issues those products have helped them solve. She knows first hand how experts like you offer the best products and a superior customer experience, that is why she is committed to helping you find an easy way to grow your natural product business.

Compliance For Natural Products Marketing with Asa Waldstein

If you sell supplements or natural products and you market online, you can’t assume you’re “too small” for regulators to notice. We sit down with compliance expert Asa Waldstein to map the real enforcement trends we’re seeing, from FDA warning letters to behind-the-scenes demand letters that can escalate into expensive litigation. We also dig into what happens after a warning letter, why the response matters, and how public enforcement can ripple into reputation damage and investor hesitation. We get practical about the everyday situations that trip up independent retailers and brands: ingredient blogs that reference diseases, “educational” clinical study links that quietly turn into illegal disease claims, and the persistent myth that a couple clicks away from the shopping cart keeps you safe. Asa shares a simple way to sanity-check content through a reasonable-consumer lens, plus how old posts, inherited websites, and multi-year social content still count as active marketing in FDA’s eyes. Then we tackle a major modern landmine: reviews and testimonials. Google Business Profile reviews, website review widgets, social comments, and even automated carousels can create compliance risk, especially when your team replies, likes, or reacts to disease-claim testimonials and accidentally “adopts” them as marketing. We also talk regulatory technology and how tools like Apex Compliance can flag trigger words, assign risk levels, and suggest safer wording so you can move faster with more confidence. If you want to grow with better supplement marketing, smarter SEO, and fewer compliance headaches, listen through and share this with someone who touches your website or social media. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us what claim or scenario you want us to unpack next. Connect with us: Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552809025389] Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/company/natural-products-marketer] Email: info@naturalproductsmarketer.com [info@naturalproductsmarketer.com] About Tina Maddock Since 2014, Tina has worked with multiple natural products businesses, discovering how to market their CBD products online, without having their payment processor shut them down, to letting customers talk about their health issues those products have helped them solve. She knows first hand how experts like you offer the best products and a superior customer experience, that is why she is committed to helping you find an easy way to grow your natural product business.

How Independent Retailers Win With Testing & Trust with Deleo de Leonardis

What if the label isn’t telling the whole truth—and your reputation is on the line? In this episode, we sit down with Deleo de Leonardis, Co-founder and CEO of Purity-IQ, to unpack the hard realities of private label and white label, why identity testing isn’t enough, and the practical steps small stores can use to verify what’s in the jar before it ever reaches a shelf. We start with the leverage gap between big chains and independents, then move into the real economics of private label: better margins, stronger loyalty, and much higher liability. From there, we draw a clear line between identity tests (confirming an ingredient is present) and authenticity testing (exposing adulteration, fillers, and undeclared substances). You’ll hear how supply chain shocks, trendy demand spikes, and acquisitions create incentives for drift—plus the red flags that should trigger testing: prices that seem too good, sudden supplier or intermediary changes, and global shortages. We also talk through concrete examples like essential oils and collagen, where testing has uncovered surprising gaps between promise and product. Most importantly, Deleo outlines an approach any independent can use without a big QA team: test at procurement, pay for your own samples, run periodic spot checks, and prioritize high-risk or high-value items—especially anything that carries your name. Then turn verification into a sales edge. Show your work with third-party reports and interactive trust marks that customers can scan on the shelf. That transparency differentiates you from marketplaces where anyone can sell anything and reinforces your role as the community’s gatekeeper for safe, effective products. If you’re ready to protect margin and build loyalty the right way, this conversation gives you the playbook: how to choose between private label and white label, what to ask suppliers, when to test, and how to tell the story so customers keep coming back. Enjoy the episode, and if it sparks ideas, share it with a retailer who’s wrestling with these choices. And don’t forget to subscribe and leave a quick review—your feedback helps us bring more experts to your ears. Connect with us: Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552809025389] Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/company/natural-products-marketer] Email: info@naturalproductsmarketer.com [info@naturalproductsmarketer.com] About Tina Maddock Since 2014, Tina has worked with multiple natural products businesses, discovering how to market their CBD products online, without having their payment processor shut them down, to letting customers talk about their health issues those products have helped them solve. She knows first hand how experts like you offer the best products and a superior customer experience, that is why she is committed to helping you find an easy way to grow your natural product business.

The Next Generation of Natural Retail with Brian Mosser

What happens when mentorship, grit, and a love for community collide? Brian joins us to share how a summer job at a natural products store became a 20‑year journey to ownership—and how that path is shaping a smarter, stronger future for independent retail. From surviving cancer to chairing SENPA’s Emerging Leaders, Brian brings a rare mix of empathy and execution that turns big ideas into daily wins. We dig into the playbook: hire young and train deeply, bring staff to trade shows, and treat education as your edge. Brian explains how to convert TikTok trends into real guidance, why waiting for trustworthy suppliers protects your standards, and how one weekly video can be repurposed across email, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook for outsized reach. He breaks down practical budgeting—stop printing flyers, boost posts to non‑followers nearby—and shares scripts for pivoting from “we don’t carry that” to “what result are you after?” That shift builds trust, loyalty, and word of mouth. Events take center stage. Brian outlines how in‑person workshops, demos, tastings, and smart merchandising reignite community after COVID. You’ll hear the strategy behind a 30% off “Christmas in July” blowout with Secret Santa giveaways, why the next week’s sales stayed strong, and how limited‑time offers attract new shoppers who stick. We also talk pricing with purpose—aligning to MAP and manufacturer sites instead of chasing Amazon—and using grocery as a basket lift while curated supplements anchor margins. The heart of this conversation is the future: SENPA’s Emerging Leaders. Brian shares a vision for mentorship, targeted training, and real seats at the table so the next generation can lead with courage and creativity. If you’re ready to protect the roots—education, quality, community—and evolve the reach with modern marketing and bold events, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a fellow retailer, and leave a review to help more independents grow strong together. Connect with us: Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552809025389] Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/company/natural-products-marketer] Email: info@naturalproductsmarketer.com [info@naturalproductsmarketer.com] About Tina Maddock Since 2014, Tina has worked with multiple natural products businesses, discovering how to market their CBD products online, without having their payment processor shut them down, to letting customers talk about their health issues those products have helped them solve. She knows first hand how experts like you offer the best products and a superior customer experience, that is why she is committed to helping you find an easy way to grow your natural product business.

Partnerships That Drive Traffic and Sales

Growth doesn’t always come from bigger budgets; it often comes from better neighbors. We share a step-by-step case study of how a local retailer climbed from a 12% year-over-year decline to a 12% gain by running just two partner-led events per month—and we unpack every piece of the system so you can copy it with confidence. We start where most owners get stuck: finding the right partners and making the ask. You’ll hear how to identify aligned businesses within five to ten miles, what to say on that first call, and how to make a give-give offer that’s hard to refuse: time-bound attendee incentives, cross-promotion, and a full asset kit that removes friction. From there, we detail the marketing engine that drives turnout without draining your week—email templates, social captions, graphics, posters, postcards, Google Business events, and Facebook Events to simplify registration and reminders. You’ll also get the numbers that matter: signups versus seats, the share of new and returning customers, and how a tiny Meta budget—two dollars a day using a customer list and a tight radius—can be enough to fill a room. We walk through smart scheduling right after busy classes, setting capacity to add urgency, what to include in confirmations, and how to split post-event follow-up for attendees and no-shows. Testimonials, shared with both your channels and your partners’, become fuel for the next outreach. With a 90-day plan and a four to six week runway, you can build momentum that feels like an engine instead of a grind. If your store needs energy, awareness, and real foot traffic, this episode lays out a practical playbook for community events, local partnerships, and sustainable growth. Subscribe for more retail marketing strategies, share this with a fellow owner who needs a lift, and leave a review to help us bring on more expert voices. Connect with us: Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552809025389] Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/company/natural-products-marketer] Email: info@naturalproductsmarketer.com [info@naturalproductsmarketer.com] About Tina Maddock Since 2014, Tina has worked with multiple natural products businesses, discovering how to market their CBD products online, without having their payment processor shut them down, to letting customers talk about their health issues those products have helped them solve. She knows first hand how experts like you offer the best products and a superior customer experience, that is why she is committed to helping you find an easy way to grow your natural product business.