353 | Discovering New Markets Through Real Conversations | with Shelley Gupta

353 | Discovering New Markets Through Real Conversations | with Shelley Gupta

Shelley Gupta is the Founder & CEO of BāKIT Box, a STEM-based baking kit bringing global flavors and cultural traditions into homes across America. Her path to CPG began far from the kitchen as a recording artist signed to EMI Music before earning her CFA, an MBA from Chicago Booth, and leading strategy work at Accenture. Blending creativity with financial rigor, Shelley turned a casual conversation with a homeschooling parent into a breakthrough channel, now approved as an official curriculum in 14 states. In this episode, she shares how that discovery reshaped her subscription strategy, why flexibility beats lock-in for retention, and how understanding the real buyer (not just the user) transformed her business. Whether you’re an ecommerce founder rethinking your subscription model or a CPG operator looking for smarter customer acquisition paths, Shelley’s story is a lesson in listening deeply, iterating fast, and staying true to your mission. In This Conversation We Discuss: * [00:24] Intro * [00:49] Building community through shared passions * [02:20] Transforming baking into an educational tool * [03:41] Launching early versions to test real demand * [04:32] Reaching first customers through organic channels * [05:24] Applying to accelerators as a product founder * [06:00] Differentiating users from true buyers * [06:52] Rebranding to serve a clearer customer base * [07:48] Testing niche ideas before fully committing * [08:56] Stay updated with new episodes * [09:07] Turning chance encounters into growth channels * [10:17] Building growth through genuine relationships * [10:53] Sponsors: Electric Eye, Heatmap & Freight Right * [15:31] Designing subscriptions with built-in flexibility * [16:44] Expanding marketing beyond paid social * [18:19] Understanding customer complexity and fatigue * [20:41] Leveraging creative roots to build a brand Resources: * Subscribe [https://www.youtube.com/c/HonestEcommerce?sub_confirmation=1] to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube * STEM Baking Kits for Curious Kids bakitbox.com/ [https://www.bakitbox.com/] * Follow Shelley Gupta linkedin.com/in/shelley-gupta [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelley-gupta] * Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect [https://electriceye.io/connect] * Clear, real-time data built for ecommerce optimization heatmap.com/honest [https://www.heatmap.com/honest] * Turn your domestic business into an international business freightright.com/honest [https://www.freightright.com/honest] If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts [https://getpodcast.reviews/id/1447700156]. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Bonus Episode: Reimagining Retention Through Customer Psychology with Sonja Grasser

Sonja Grasser is the Founder of Retention Theory, a consultancy helping CPG brands turn one-time buyers into loyal repeat customers through data-driven retention systems. With a background that spans law school, 60+ countries of travel, and hands-on work with brands like MaryRuth’s Organics, Sonja brings a uniquely behavioral approach to customer retention: rooted in psychology, not playbooks. After landing in retention by accident as a German-speaking marketer, Sonja discovered her passion for understanding why customers buy, not just what they buy. Her global perspective and analytical mindset help founders identify churn before it happens, build smarter lifecycle flows, and create experiences that keep customers coming back. Whether you’re a CPG founder tired of chasing acquisition or an operator ready to make retention your growth engine, Sonja shares a masterclass in turning customer behavior into predictable, sustainable revenue. In This Conversation We Discuss:  * [00:33] Intro * [01:05] Helping brands turn retention into revenue * [01:30] Connecting communication to customer longevity * [02:08] Identifying patterns behind consumable success * [02:55] Leveraging analytical thinking for stronger retention * [04:00] Educating first-time buyers before selling again * [05:25] Helping buyers at their exact stage of the journey * [07:11] Designing flows that nurture interest into action * [07:45] Applying retention rules across every direct channel * [08:18] Stay updated with new episodes * [08:29] Spotting churn before customers disappear * [10:19] Timing recovery emails before customers drift away * [11:39] Resolving customer issues before they walk away * [12:27] Setting triggers that match real customer behavior * [14:16] Focusing on results-driven storytelling for CPG * [15:26] Evaluating why memberships don’t always translate * [16:36] Building loyalty from your first 100 buyers * [17:07] Layering time data to reveal true retention health * [19:08] Applying psychology to make retention truly work Resources: * Subscribe [https://www.youtube.com/c/HonestEcommerce?sub_confirmation=1] to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube * Helps Ecommerce brands with retention marketing retentiontheory.com/ [https://retentiontheory.com/] * Follow Sonja Grasser linkedin.com/in/sonjagrasser [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonjagrasser] If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts [https://getpodcast.reviews/id/1447700156]. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

352 | Turning Feedback Into a Founder’s Superpower | with Kirsten Maitland

Kirsten Maitland is the co-founder of Rebel Cheese, an award-winning Austin-based vegan cheese brand backed by Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban. A former U.S. Navy veteran and Microsoft agile coach, Kirsten brings her background in tech innovation to reimagine plant-based dairy through traditional cheesemaking techniques and smart Ecommerce strategy. After leaving a stable four-day tech career to pursue purpose over comfort, Kirsten built Rebel Cheese from a six-bottle wine fridge experiment into a nationally recognized brand featured by The New York Times. From launching DTC overnight during COVID to scaling through broken shipments and real-time customer feedback, her journey reveals what it takes to grow authentically while staying true to your values. Whether you’re building a mission-driven CPG company or refining your feedback loop before scaling, Kirsten shares a masterclass in transforming curiosity and conviction into sustainable growth. In This Conversation We Discuss: * [00:03] Intro * [00:55] Bringing tradition into modern food innovation * [01:30] Turning passion for food into a scalable concept * [02:34] Validating a product through emotional connection * [03:33] Turning crisis into new growth channels * [04:44] Fixing packaging with help from early partners * [06:03] Shipping curated boxes to customers’ doors * [07:00] Selling out with zero ads or paid marketing * [08:00] Turning online orders into lasting connections * [08:58] Delaying advertising to protect cash flow * [10:21] Stay updated with new episodes * [10:31] Learning to sustain momentum after viral moments * [12:24] Studying investor dynamics before pitching * [12:53] Episode Sponsors: Electric Eye & Heatmap * [15:32] Launching fast to gather real customer feedback * [18:01] Leveraging AI agents to save time and money Resources: * Subscribe [https://www.youtube.com/c/HonestEcommerce?sub_confirmation=1] to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube * Plant-based cheese you'll actually love rebelcheese.com/ [https://rebelcheese.com/] * Follow Kirsten Maitland linkedin.com/in/kirstenmaitland [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstenmaitland] * Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect [https://electriceye.io/connect] * Clear, real-time data built for ecommerce optimization heatmap.com/honest [https://www.heatmap.com/honest] If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts [https://getpodcast.reviews/id/1447700156]. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

351 | Weaving Trust Into Every Customer Experience | with Beau Wangtrakuldee

Beau Wangtrakuldee is the founder and CEO of AmorSui, a science-backed medical supply brand bringing innovation, safety, and sustainability to the $58B PPE industry. A former scientist turned entrepreneur, Beau is reimagining protective apparel with clean chemistry, circular materials, and design that finally puts the user first. After a lab accident exposed the flaws in traditional PPE, Beau built AmorSui to bridge the gap between safety, comfort, and sustainability: offering PFAS-free, recyclable, and biobased alternatives trusted by global brands like Thermo Fisher Scientific and Benco Dental. Whether you’re building a mission-driven ecommerce brand or rethinking your product’s lifecycle, Beau shares a masterclass in turning real-world problems into scalable innovation, proving that circular design and commercial growth can coexist. In This Conversation We Discuss: * [00:30] Intro * [01:01] Building comfort and safety into every product * [01:46] Creating a business from personal experience * [04:37] Designing products people actually reuse * [06:10] Validating ideas through real user stories * [08:12] Raising capital before manufacturing begins * [08:47] Allocating funds beyond first production run * [09:45] Navigating minimum order quantity realities * [10:32] Launching pre-sales with finished prototypes * [11:04] Stay updated with new episodes * [11:14] Balancing safety standards with speed to market * [12:37] Episode Sponsors: Electric Eye & Heatmap * [15:18] Marketing through word-of-mouth momentum * [17:01] Refining targeting through early experiments * [19:00] Discovering growth through customer feedback * [21:34] Testing demand before building logistics * [23:17] Learning quickly by shipping imperfect products * [24:09] Focusing every decision on the end user Resources: * Subscribe [https://www.youtube.com/c/HonestEcommerce?sub_confirmation=1] to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube * Modern PPE brand that protects people and the planet amorsui.com/ [https://amorsui.com/] * Follow Beau Wangtrakuldee linkedin.com/in/beauwangtrakuldee [https://www.linkedin.com/in/beauwangtrakuldee] * Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect [https://electriceye.io/connect] * Clear, real-time data built for ecommerce optimization heatmap.com/honest [https://www.heatmap.com/honest] If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts [https://getpodcast.reviews/id/1447700156]. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Bonus Episode: Flexibility Into Every Marketing Decision with Bradley Keefer & Justin Jefferson

Bradley Keefer is the Chief Revenue Officer and Justin Jefferson is the VP of Strategy & Insights at Keen Decision Systems, where Bayesian-powered marketing mix modeling meets scenario planning and outcome forecasting, helping brands move from rearview analytics to predictive decisioning. With decades of combined experience across SaaS, analytics, and brand strategy, Bradley and Justin are redefining how marketers plan, forecast, and invest. Instead of treating marketing as a cost center, they help brands model “what if” scenarios, forecasting how every incremental dollar drives revenue across channels. Whether you’re scaling a fast-growing brand or managing a multimillion-dollar marketing budget, Bradley and Justin offer a masterclass in using data to make confident, forward-looking decisions that compound over time. In This Conversation We Discuss:  * [00:38] Intro * [01:12] Measuring how marketing spend drives growth * [02:29] Building models that adapt to brand maturity * [04:35] Balancing brand building with performance spend * [07:24] Shifting focus from capturing to creating demand * [08:41] Driving demand to boost bottom-funnel returns * [09:34] Breaking growth limits with data-driven planning * [12:49] Connecting viral moments to sustain momentum * [14:50] Building brands that go beyond ad optimization * [15:30] Stay updated with new episodes * [15:43] Simplifying setup for data-heavy marketing tools * [18:44] Designing analytics tools for marketing teams * [20:23] Updating models fast to learn and adapt quicker * [22:42] Using data to balance old and new media spend Resources: * Subscribe [https://www.youtube.com/c/HonestEcommerce?sub_confirmation=1] to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube * Marketing mix modeling powered by AI keends.com/ [https://keends.com/] * Follow Bradley Keefer linkedin.com/in/bradley-keefer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-keefer] * Follow Justin Jefferson linkedin.com/in/justin-a-jefferson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-a-jefferson] If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts [https://getpodcast.reviews/id/1447700156]. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!