As the flight landed in Bentonville last December, Rachel Peters and I (knowing each other for just a few short months) both knew this was one of the biggest opportunities we'd ever get.
Walking into HQ was pretty surreal – sitting in the special meeting room was even more surreal, but hearing, "We're thinking like 1800 stores now, not 400," was the most surreal. Our deodorant line would launch nationally, and we had nine months to prepare.
In this industry, there's hardly any time to celebrate. Elation is immediately met head-on by fear. "Can we make this much deodorant? How are we going to get it there? How are we going to sell it? Will we make money?" So much work to do.
So, for six months, the focus was on operations. We lowered our cost of goods by 19% by finding the right suppliers, reduced transportation costs by 40% with a new strategy and partners, and had countless meetings to dial in our forecasts.
We also aligned ourselves with the best in the business when it comes to sales and logistics. The team at Next Phase Enterprises (Diesha Smith, Rudy Lizaragga, Mista Asbury, Jason Hunt, Natasha Stamper) has a wealth of Walmart experience and helped guide us through some PO and item complications at the 11th hour. You're all legends. For the delivery side, we've partnered with RJW Logistics Group to offer the best service possible; reach out to our pal Jackie Marzano if Walmart is in your future!
Getting to this launch week was not without some serious hiccups and hurdles, but our team worked through it with kindness and patience. I can confidently say the last six weeks were probably the most challenging weeks of my CPG career.
And now, as we launch into 1867 stores in 50 states, it's even more surreal. Walking into Walmart and seeing our colorful deodorants sitting next to some massive players in the space is absolutely wild. I've been through my fair share of retailer launches, but right now, this one just hits a little different.
So now we sell. Jessica Bruce, Rachel Peters, and I have been building the funnel, organizing our campaigns, and prepping for launch for months! Be on the lookout for fun content, coupons, and partnerships as we continue to build awareness.
Thanks to all who helped get us to this point! Now we celebrate with tacos!
Human Resources Manager at Melissa & Doug, LLC
9moJaime Flores