Winning Pitches with RangeMe & ECRM

Joe Tarnowski
  • 2.3 (3)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Stories, insights & advice from Retail & Foodservice Pros.Every day, RangeMe and ECRM empower brands and buyers from retail and foodservice industries to make connections that matter. Now, we're collecting stories, insights, and advice from the entrepreneurs and professionals who are shaping markets today to help you grow your business tomorrow.

  1. MAR 6

    Episode #37 RangeMe/ECRM - HRR Foods

    If you are a new or emerging brand trying to navigate the complex world of retail, this conversation is a masterclass in why working with distributors that service independent grocers is a smart way to scale.  In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Roaldo Sulejmani from HRR Foods, a specialized distributor servicing the Midwest and Northeast Atlantic.   Roaldo breaks down the unique advantages of working with independent retailers—those family-owned shops where decisions are made quickly and relationships matter. He shares how HRR Foods helps brands avoid the trap of premature expansion without massive financial backing that often leads to failure.  Key takeaways from the conversation:  The Power of Independents: Learn why 95% of HRR Foods' business is with retailers having 10 locations or fewer, and why these stores are the perfect organic training ground for new products.Direct Drop Shipping: Discover HRR Foods' new low-risk model that allows brands to prove their sales data in a new region without the heavy cost of warehouse spoilage.Packaging is Everything: Roaldo explains why packaging accounts for 50% of his decision-making process when meeting a new brand.Iterate and Improve: Hear why making mistakes at the independent level is an easy fix, while a mistake with a major chain can be very costly.The Everyday Consumer: A reality check on why your product needs to appeal to the family shopper in Chicago or New York, rather than just the high-end boutique shopper.Regardless of what category your brand sits in, this episode provides a roadmap for moving your product from the warehouse to the store shelf—and ensuring it actually sells through.

    23 min

  2. FEB 27

    Episode #36 RangeMe/ECRM - Recipe for Retail

    Recipe for Retail's Monique & Chevalo Wilsondebriano join ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski to share some insights from their new book, "From Kitchen to Cash Register," which was just released last month and includes best practices for those looking to launch a brand, as well as for existing brand owners looking to scale up! Monique & Chevalo are successful brand owners themselves, and they highlight their own CPG journey as well as how they launched Recipe for Retail to help other brands on theirs. They then take a deep dive into Chapter 11 of the book, "Lessons from the Shelf - Mistakes, Wins & What We'd Do Differently," spanning topics like: Focusing on one product category firstAvoid cutting corners on packagingSpeaking the buyer's languageStrategic pricingWhen to pivotCelebrating winsIt's a fun discussion with a lot of great tidbits for emerging brands!

    1h 4m

  3. FEB 20

    Episode #35 RangeMe/ECRM - Wildflower Insight

    For emerging founder-led brands, especially those getting ready for their first buyer meetings, this is a must listen! ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sat with Wildflower Insight's Tia Ellis to discuss everything you need to make those buyer meetings a success! During their conversation, which was recorded on location at ECRM's recent General Merchandise Sessions in Destin, Fla., Tia shared best practices that will help brands to go from pitch to purchase order:  Prepping for the buyer meeting: What kind of research you need to do beforehand, how to build the perfect slide deck, and nailing down your pitch.Executing a great buyer meeting: How to present in terms of the buyer's needs, and engage them in a discussion that moves the relationship forward.Fantastic follow up: How to stay top-of-mind with the buyer once the meeting is done, and move the conversation toward that purchase order! Lots of great best practice examples in this conversation!

    38 min

  4. FEB 13

    Episode #34 RangeMe/ECRM - Cleanlogic

    In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Isaac Shapiro, co-founder of Cleanlogic and the Inspiration Foundation, who was recently honored by retailmediaIQ as one of the people who made a difference in 2025. Shapiro shares his journey of building a successful purpose-driven brand and his personal mission to advocate for the disability community in the corporate world. Among the topics they discuss are: The Origins of Cleanlogic: Shapiro shares how his mother, who has been blind since age seven, inspired the brand. Cleanlogic produces bath and skincare products with inclusive packaging that includes braille.The Inspiration Foundation: Founded in 2005 alongside the brand, the foundation originally provided grants to help blind individuals learn new technologies. It has since evolved to launch the Inspiration Foundation Seal, which certifies and recognizes companies that actively hire individuals with disabilities.The Business Case for Inclusive Hiring: Shapiro highlights case studies of companies like Walgreens and VF Corp, noting that employees with disabilities often show higher productivity and loyalty. He points out that while one in four Americans has a disability, only 36% are employed—representing a massive, untapped "new frontier" for talent.A New Podcast: Shapiro introduces his new podcast, Driven by Purpose, which aims to tell the stories of purpose-driven entrepreneurs and champions of disability hiring. The show also explores complex topics like brain health (mental health) and the personal impacts of neurodiversity.Individuals and companies looking to learn more about the Inspiration Foundation Seal or seeking guidance on hiring people with disabilities can visit inspirationfoundation.org.

    20 min

  5. FEB 6

    Episode #33 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - NIQ's Katie Hazlett

    In this episode, Joseph Tarnowski speaks with NIQ’s Katie Hazlett to unpack the high-velocity trends and consumer shifts set to define the beauty and personal care market in 2026. As beauty continues its streak as a resilient, "must-have" category with 11% total growth, they discuss how retail buyers and brands can stay ahead of the curve. From the "inside-out" wellness revolution to the disruptive power of TikTok Shop and GenAI, this conversation provides a roadmap for navigating the next frontier of beauty retail. Among some of the trends they discuss are: ●      Premiumization vs. Affordability: How "dupe culture" and high-quality, affordable alternatives are challenging luxury standards as consumers shop across price points to find effective solutions. ●      The Beauty-Wellness Convergence: The rise of "beauty from the inside out," including the growth of supplements, sleep aids, and oral care as core beauty categories. ●      The Scent Explosion: Fragrance is no longer just for bottles. Learn why scent is driving growth in body care, hair fragrance, and even home goods like candles, and how influencers have helped spike fragrance sales online. ●      Social Commerce & TikTok Shop: With TikTok Shop already the No. 6 beauty e-commerce retailer in the U.S., they examine the critical role of influencers and "viral" trust in driving online sales. ●      AI-Driven Personalization: GenAI is becoming the new "personal shopper" for consumers seeking specific product recommendations based on age, climate, and skin concerns. ●      The Men’s Grooming Boom: Exploration of the acceleration in men’s segments, particularly in whole-body deodorants and skin-focused hair care. ●      Global Influences: The continued dominance of K-Beauty (now a $2B+ U.S. market) and how global trends migrate instantly via social platforms. Tons of insights to help beauty brands and retailers stay ahead of the trends for the coming year!

    18 min

  6. JAN 30

    Episode #32 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - Pearl Resourcing

    Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Dave Korinek, Chief Brand Officer at Pearl Resourcing, at ECRM’s Beauty and Cough & Cold Sessions in Dallas to discuss how CPG brands can determine if it’s time to refresh their brand, and what it takes to execute a successful brand refresh.  Among the topics they discuss are: ●Beyond the Logo: Branding isn’t just a "handshake" like your logo; it’s the ethos of everything – from your tone of voice and customer interactions to the unboxing experience. ●The "Purple Cow" Factor: With a "sea of sameness" on the shelf, Dave discusses how to stand out visually from 20-30 feet away to draw consumers in. ●Recipe vs. Chef: Why selling your product's "story" is more impactful than just listing its ingredients. ●Retail Readiness: How to use feedback from retail buyers to determine if your brand story and visual identity are truly aligned. ●The Strategy-First Approach: Why design without strategy is just "throwing things on a wall," and how to build "deep roots" for your brand to grow. Korinek also shares why it’s important to pressure test your brand using consumer surveys and competitive analysis to ensure your hierarchy of messaging delivers on your product's promise, and how to find a brand agency partner that’s focused on solving your specific problems rather than offering "cookie-cutter" packages.

    28 min

  7. JAN 23

    Episode #31 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - Thanks! Naturals

    Harley Sutton, founder of Thanks Naturals, is all in on TikTok, using the platform to transform her all-natural beauty and wellness brand into a social commerce powerhouse. In this interview with Joseph Tarnowski, recorded on location at ECRM’s Everyday and Holiday Cosmetics, Skin, Fragrance & Bath Session in Dallas, Sutton shares the various ways in which she uses TikTok to stay engaged with customers and sell products.   This includes tapping into TikTok’s organic affiliate model, sending out 200 samples daily to real users who create authentic, unscripted content, and hosting TikTok Live where she broadcasts for hours every day to answer customer questions in real-time, build deep community ties, and drive immediate sales on TikTok Shop. She also broadcasts live from retail locations to drive traffic into the stores. Ultimately, Sutton’s goal is to host TikTok Live broadcasts 24/7/365.  Sutton shares everything brands need to know to incorporate TikTok Live streaming into their business, including equipment and setup, when, where, and how to broadcast, and different ways to engage the audience.

    34 min

  8. JAN 16

    Episode #30 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - Bubbles and Mane

    Bubbles & Mane,is a hybrid salon/spa concept in Astoria, N.Y. that offers a variety of beauty and wellness services in a beautiful, community-focused space. Just launched last year, the 2,500-square-foot facility spans two floors and offers a full-service Hair salon and color bar; luxurious head spa; nail, pedicure, and body wrap treatments; and a full-service spa with traditional facials and medical aesthetic procedures.  In addition, it has more than 50 linear feet of space featuring clean beauty, wellness and lifestyle products carefully curated to make the look, feel and vibe of the place. To find some of these products, Owner and CEO Michelle DeMartino worked with RangeMe on an Immediate Opportunity campaign to find local, woman-owned brands that reflected her mission as well as the aesthetics of Bubbles & Mane.   In this episode, Michelle takes us through a tour of the location and its offerings, shares details on how she worked with RangeMe to curate more than a dozen innovative brands for her retail space – one of which virtually sold out during the holidays!   She also shares some of the unique activities and community events Bubbles & Mane will ost, as well as its expansion plans into other major U.S. cities.

    30 min
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Ratings & Reviews

2.3
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Stories, insights & advice from Retail & Foodservice Pros.Every day, RangeMe and ECRM empower brands and buyers from retail and foodservice industries to make connections that matter. Now, we're collecting stories, insights, and advice from the entrepreneurs and professionals who are shaping markets today to help you grow your business tomorrow.

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