If you’re involved in the retail industry it’s hard to escape the news about retail cut-backs, layoffs, and the shrinking brick-and-mortar scene. This article discusses the changing job environment for category managers and retail buyers who now find their skill-set underutilized (i.e. unemployed) and where their skills will likely be utilized in this new retail…

This blog post talks about the explosion of product startups and why the retail growth model at Retailbound is an answer to complete this “ecosystem” of turning these startups into stable companies. Today’s Scenario: There’s never been a better time to be a consumer product entrepreneur. Manufacturing has improved for small scale companies. Crowdfunding provides…

This article is inspired by conversations I have on a regular basis with startup CEOs, CMOs, or VP of Sales regarding their product businesses trying to expand business in the US retail market. Many startup executives are very intelligent and motivated people; however, mistakes are made not for a lack of available advice or strategy…

As always, my LinkedIn articles are meant to be solution-oriented based on my conversations with smaller consumer product manufacturers. Today’s article deals with a challenge that many young product brands face when it becomes time to start investing more into retail growth. It’s commonly referred to as the “chicken or the egg” challenge…. let me…

If you are not using crowdfunding to launch at least one product per year, you are missing out on billions of dollars of risk-free revenue and millions of new customers. This is true whether you are an established company used to traditional product launches or a funded startup looking to come out with a bang.…

Retail is an aggressive place for product startups. Opportunities are abundant; however, each opportunity represents a chance to make a mistake. This article talks about the advantages of outsourcing your retail activities (not just sales or strategy). For many product startups, young brands, or inventors – having the time to understand, manage, and execute retail…

Two of the most popular alternative business funding solutions are invoice factoring and purchase order funding. Business owners are increasingly turning to alternative lenders – like Security Business Capital – for solutions to cash flow and inventory needs. These financing solutions provide working capital without an added burden of debt. The Benefits of Invoice Factoring…

Today we are talking about what happens AFTER you get your product fully crowdfunded. Common misconceptions exist as well as a general underestimations of the tasks at hand to succeed in the marketplace. Feeding the backers After your project on Kickstarter, Indiegogo, or wherever is finished and funded, you of course have to supply your backers.…

The majority of my three years at Retailbound have been spent talking to smaller consumer product manufacturers and startups about the challenges they face bringing new products into the US/North American market. I’ve had hundreds of conversations with C-level executives as well as overwhelmed, yet ambitious business developers looking to beat the odds in retail.…

A new year means new possibilities, strategies, goals, and risks for your business. This blog is for product companies entering retail soon, or thinking about launching a product into the market for the first time. Crowdfunding and manufacturing innovations have made it vastly easier to create a product business from a unique idea. Ecommerce is…