Ep 5: How a Dream One Night Changed Everything: Morgan Potts' Journey from Vision to Granarly on the Shelves of Whole Foods, Target, and Beyond

Shelf Talks

In this engaging conversation, Morgan Potts, founder of Granarly, shares her inspiring journey from aspiring veterinarian to entrepreneur with a unique whiskey-infused granola brand. She discusses the pivotal moments that led to the creation of Granarly, the challenges of navigating the food industry, and the importance of building relationships with retailers. Morgan also reflects on her experiences with Shark Tank, the significance of branding, and the lessons learned from scaling her business to national retailers like Target and Whole Foods. From grassroots marketing strategies and influencer collaborations to securing a spot in Target, Morgan discusses the importance of networking, investor relationships, and navigating the complexities of retail. She reflects on the initial sales performance, marketing tactics, and the balance between retail and direct-to-consumer sales. Looking ahead, Morgan expresses her desire to innovate and revamp the brand while sharing insights on working with distributors and the daily life of an entrepreneur.
Breakdowns:
00:00 From Vet Dreams to Granola Schemes
03:05 The Birth of Granarly: A Dream Realized
10:40 Navigating the Food Industry: Lessons Learned
17:16 Building Retail Relationships: The Path to Success
30:58 The Challenges of Big Retail: Strategies for Success
32:33 Influencer Marketing Strategies
34:01 The Journey to Target: A Dream Realized
39:21 Navigating Investor Relationships
41:47 Sales Performance and Market Challenges
44:33 Marketing Tactics for Retail Success
46:04 Balancing Retail and Direct-to-Consumer Sales
47:30 Future Innovations and Brand Revamp
50:40 Working with Distributors vs. Direct Sales
52:55 A Day in the Life of an Entrepreneur
55:34 Retail Ready Round: Key Insights for Founders
Key takeaways from this episode:

• Customer feedback is crucial for product development
• Starting small can lead to bigger opportunities later
• Branding and packaging can set a product apart on shelves.
• It's important to have a clear brand identity and message.
• Networking and connections are crucial in business.
• Understanding costs associated with retail is vital.
• Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is important for entrepreneurs

Links mentioned in this episode:
Granarly Social: Instagram
Morgan Potts' Social: Instagram
Shop Granarly: https://granarly.com/
WakeUp CPG Austin: Website
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