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In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff explores the ins and outs of selling on QVC with two founders who have recently gone through the experience — Maxi Heidenblut, Founder & CEO of Häppy Candy, and Nikki Seaman, Founder & CEO of Freestyle Snacks.
Maxi and Nikki share an in-depth look at what it takes to bring a consumer brand to QVC, from securing the opportunity and working with brokers to preparing for live television, managing fulfillment, and analyzing the financial impact. They discuss the costs, logistics, and strategy behind their appearances, as well as the lessons learned from reaching a completely new audience through one of the most iconic sales platforms.
You will gain valuable insights into evaluating QVC as a potential sales channel, understanding the operational requirements, and leveraging the exposure for brand growth.
Listen now to learn what it’s really like to bring your product to QVC—and how to make it a success for your brand.
Listen in as they share about:
- Getting Started with QVC
- Why They Chose QVC
- Logistics and Fulfillment
- The Live Broadcast Experience
- Marketing & Aftermath
- Advice for Other Brands
Episode Links:
Website: https://eathappycandy.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/haeppy-candy/
Website: https://eathappycandy.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/haeppy-candy/
Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.
Show Links:
Show Links:
- Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
- Join the Startup CPG Slack community (20K+ members and growing!)
- Follow @startupcpg
- Visit host Daniel's Linkedin
- Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
- Episode music by Super Fantastics
Creators and Guests
What is The Startup CPG Podcast?
The top CPG podcast in the world, highlighting stories from founders, buyer spotlights, highly practical industry insights - all to give you a better chance at success.
Nikki Seaman
The modern day QVC of live selling, where creators are going on and selling your products for you. And so I thought QVC would be kind of this, you know, old school approach again, reaching an entirely new audience, but something that has worked for us on TikTok, so I thought it would work well for us as well with qvc. Tried and true way.
00:35
Daniel Scharff
All right, welcome, startup CPG podcast listeners. On today's episode, we're talking qvc. You've seen it, you've seen tons of brands on there and maybe even wondered if it's right for your brand. But how would you figure that out? Well, you probably go and try to talk to a brand that's done it before and ask them all about it. So on today's episode, we have done that for you. We've got Nikki from Freestyle Snacks and Maxi from Happy Candy. They both just went live in August, so it's very fresh. They're here to tell us all about it, how they got the opportunity, what the P and L math was like for them to see if it made sense, the prep they did, the actual live experience in the studio, and tons of their advice for brands. Thank you so much to both of them.
01:14
Daniel Scharff
I loved hearing all about it. All right, here we go. All right, everybody, welcome to the podcast. I am very excited about today's episode because back when I worked at brands, sometimes this opportunity would pop up and it was this cool thing where you could be on qvc. And of course, that's exciting, right? We've all seen it. Maybe when we're homesick, watching qvc, seeing stuff that we can buy, the slap chop, whatever, it's exciting because a lot of people watch that stuff and it's a cool opportunity for brands. But of course, when we heard about it, we're like, well, we got to look at this. Like, what are the numbers? How does the product get there? What is this opportunity?
01:53
Daniel Scharff
And so I have definitely dug into these numbers before, but the best thing to do is actually to get two founders who have recently actually been on QVC and had a cool experience to come here and just dish it all for us. So we're going to be talking really like the behind the scenes on how the opportunity came about, how they analyzed it, what it did for their business, and some cool learnings here. So, ladies, thank you so much for coming. This is a really cool topic for everyone to get to hear about. So maybe first we could just start off with some introductions. Maxi, do you want to go first?
02:26
Nikki Seaman
Sure, yeah.
02:27
Maxie Heidenblut
Thank you for having me. On, Dan. I'm Maxie. I'm the founder and CEO of Happy Candy. We make better for you. Gummy candy with 70% less sugar. No fake sugars, no stevia, allulose, erythritol, none of that. We simply use less sugar, which makes us unique.
02:44
Daniel Scharff
All right, Nikki, coming to you.
02:45
Nikki Seaman
Awesome. Yeah. Very excited to be here, Daniel. So thanks for having me. I am the founder and CEO of Freestyle Snacks. We are a premium olive snack, reimagining olives as we know them to make them easier and more enjoyable to eat. And as of yesterday, we actually just launched pickles as well. So expanding to our bold and briny family.
03:07
Daniel Scharff
That is so good. I need to order those. I love your olives. I remember walking into a fresh thyme once and just seeing this big, beautiful display of them. I'm like, oh, that's smart. These are so good. I can't wait to try the pickles. That's so cool. Everybody who's listening to this, just stop what you're doing right now, pause us, go to their websites and order some samples of both. You will be really happy that you did, I promise. Okay, so these are some cool brands. These are brands that they. Right. You're like, oh, these are cool. Well, that's what they're hoping that the QVC audience is going to think, too, and be ordering them. So, Maxi, let's start with you. So can you just tell me a little bit, like, start us with.
03:45
Daniel Scharff
Okay, when you did qvc, just so everyone knows how long ago it was, and immediately, let's jump into, like, how did this thing come about?
03:52
Maxie Heidenblut
Yeah. So I went live on QVC in August, and I was connected to QVC through a broker, actually. And they came across us when I was exhibiting at Sweets and Snacks Expo in May. So everything moved very fast after that. But the broker came up to my booth and our brand, Happy Candy, our target audience, it just resonates with a lot of moms, women that are shopping for their families. And so the broker saw that perfect fit with the target audience at qvc, which is primarily women watching that channel. And so there was a natural fit. We started just seeing the conversation at Sweets and Snacks Expo, stayed in touch, and then in August, went on QVC Live.
04:39
Daniel Scharff
Okay. And when that broker approached you, were you like, oh, yes, this is great. It's just like, if, you know, Target or CVS was talking to me, or were you like, what is this thing you're pitching me? Were you suspicious or just pumped?
04:51
Maxie Heidenblut
So I was really excited because I knew it was an additional sales channel for us with a target audience. I typically wouldn't be able to reach through Instagram or TikTok. So I knew it would diversify my sales channel. So I was really excited about that, but I had no idea, quite frankly, of what it meant in terms of sales. How much am I actually able to sell on qvc? So I was excited about the diversification.
05:19
Daniel Scharff
And how did they describe it to you initially?
05:21
Maxie Heidenblut
They were basically pitching it to me as this is, you know, another avenue for you to reach additional customers. And just starting with, this is such a great fit for your brand, we should have more conversations about you coming on qvc. And so that's how it works.
05:37
Daniel Scharff
You know, it's kind of funny the way you talk about it is as if the broker is from qvc, but it's actually a broker, but they know QVC very well. They probably have a pretty good track record of successfully making it work with brands that they think would be a good fit. Does that sound right?
05:52
Maxie Heidenblut
That's right, yeah. So they're curating, essentially brands that are a good fit for qvc and their focus is qvc. So, for instance, with my brokerage firm, some of their employees have been with QVC before they joined the brokerage firm. So they know QVC inside out.
06:08
Daniel Scharff
Okay, cool. Do you want to tell everyone the name of it, just in case people are interested in.
06:12
Maxie Heidenblut
Yes, of course. They are called GLA. So it's GLA-Sales. Com if you want to check them out.
06:20
Daniel Scharff
Okay, cool. All right, Nikki, let us tag you in here. So can you just answer some of the same questions for us? Frame it up. When did you actually go on qvc and how did the whole thing come about?
06:31
Nikki Seaman
Yeah, like Maxi. I actually also went on in August, at the beginning of August, and my timeline was a little bit longer, so I actually met a QVC buyer and at Expo east back when that still existed. So, you know, ages it a bit. But it was really not until I think probably this January or February that I was reached out to by a broker who represents qvc. They have a great relationship with them. They're called JW Oliphant. And when went in to do the segment on qvc, everyone there knew the broker by name, you know, very familiar with them. They have a great relationship. So we kind of started working on what would a deal look like in February.
07:15
Nikki Seaman
And then, you know, took a couple of months of just compliance checks, making sure we had the inventory, getting everything set up before went live in.
07:25
Daniel Scharff
August and what made you think that it would be right for your brand?
07:29
Nikki Seaman
Yeah, similar to Maxi QVC is this really interesting kind of segment where we would be reaching a different target audience. But what really got me excited is all the success that we had been seeing on TikTok. I feel like TikTok is kind of like the modern day QVC of live selling, where creators are going on and selling your products for you. And so I thought QVC would be kind of this, you know, old school approach again, reaching an entirely new audience, but something that has worked for us on TikTok, so I thought it would work well for us as well. The qvc, the tried and true way.
08:07
Daniel Scharff
And where is the filming, by the way? Like, would you guys have run into each other because you were both in August or it's like done remotely or it's in just regional offices? How does that actually work, Nikki?
08:17
Nikki Seaman
Yeah, you have to be in person. It's in Westchester, Pennsylvania, so they have a whole setup. The town is super cute to explore, but you usually just go, you know, the day before you're airing. So unless Maxi and I were on the same day, which were not, then we wouldn't have, you know, cross paths. But I'm sure we, you know, hit up the same hotels and breakfast spots.
08:39
Daniel Scharff
Yeah. Any tips? No, I like breakfast. The best breakfast is at Denny's. I actually really would like to go. So if any brand is listening to this and applies and gets in and goes, please tell them that I am your talent agent or manager and that I have to be there also. I would love to come and see this firsthand. It looks like a good time. Okay, cool. So, Maxi, coming back to you, how do you start evaluating this opportunity? Because for me, I could imagine, like, well, this sounds almost like too good to be true. Okay, how does the whole thing work? Because I know, okay, you're a broker, you're going to get paid for this. I know QVC obviously needs to make money off this the same way that a retailer would. So how did you start looking into this?
09:16
Daniel Scharff
How did the numbers start adding up?
09:18
Maxie Heidenblut
Yeah, so I hopped on a call with the broker and I was very upfront with them. We're an emerging brand, you know, we need to know the cost associated with doing business with qvc. And so they were actually great in sharing the details of how much it would cost us and what the margin for QVC is and what the fee of the broker is. Also, we agreed on a percentage, so that's great. Because there is no upfront payment of, you know, the broker or qvc, but they will take it out of the sales you're generating while you're on air. And so went through the cost, you know, line by line and there is actually a lot of items that you need to be aware of that add up. And I'm happy to dive into some of the details and share.
10:05
Daniel Scharff
Yeah, let's go into some of those numbers because obviously you know, you have a certain cost that you might typically sell to, let's say a distributor, wholesaler, whatever to. You also probably have your typical retail price that you have on your website. But yeah, let's just do kind of a, the cost build maybe starting whichever way you want, either from the price that they're actually selling to consumers out on QVC or just. Yeah, any way you want to take us through it, please just, yeah, hit us with a bunch of considerations. And if you want to do ranges instead of exact numbers, that's okay too. Everyone has to protect their info.
10:36
Maxie Heidenblut
Yeah, absolutely, I'll stick to ranges. But just to give you and your listeners a sense of what you're facing in terms of cost. So it all starts with obviously your cogs, you start from there and then adding all the costs that comes from the QVC side. So there is a platform, a software platform, you need to onboard and there is a setup fee. So you need to be aware of that. That's a one time fee, but you got to take that into consideration. And then there is a monthly fee to have access to that platform. That's basically because they ask you. We went with a drop shipping option. So that's basically the system that you get your sales through. So you know where to ship it and how many sales came through. So that platform essentially has a monthly fee.
11:22
Daniel Scharff
Then maybe that's because you're like, all right, we'll do it one time. So we'll just drop ship it. We'll take the orders and fulfill them. But if you were like expecting to be a recurring guest, maybe you would have looked at another option where you would definitely need that ongoing access to their platform. Is that right?
11:36
Maxie Heidenblut
Even with the dropshipping, you need to so subscribe, if you will, to this platform. There is another route where you can send the product to QVC and they will ship it for you, which I will get into the details of the logistics. I mean that sounds actually after having done it as the better option, but it comes with a different cost also. So for this, for the Drop shipping, you have the setup fee of the platform, then you have the monthly fee to be on that platform that you have to commit to.
12:05
Daniel Scharff
You decided exactly what item you wanted to sell on there, which would be, you know, maybe not just a single bag, but, you know, kind of like a variety pack or something. Just to get the average value up a little bit higher, too.
12:16
Maxie Heidenblut
Yeah, exactly. So it's variety pack. So I went with a variety pack and then also singles Q packs. The variety pack was the best seller, but we did sell a lot of singles Q actually, as well.
12:27
Daniel Scharff
And this was a negotiation, or the broker just told you, here's what it's going to be. Yes or no?
12:32
Maxie Heidenblut
I try to negotiate, but no, they're pretty.
12:35
Nikki Seaman
You know, if you want to be.
12:36
Maxie Heidenblut
On qvc, these are the terms. So I tried, but yeah.
12:40
Daniel Scharff
All right, good for you. We love it. And just last question is, you mentioned maybe after having done it from a logistics perspective, you might have actually preferred the option to give them the inventory. Can you tell me a little bit more about that?
12:50
Maxie Heidenblut
Yes. So the drop shipping, there's one rule they have which is once you receive the shipping labels and the orders, you have to ship them within two days after you receive them through the platform. So my warehouse was actually not able to do that. So I was like, how bad can it be? I'll do it myself.
13:09
Nikki Seaman
Big mistake.
13:10
Maxie Heidenblut
Because I spend literally an entire weekend with the son from our neighbors just packing boxes. And actually, it was. It was not a great experience, let me put it that way. It was so many orders, which is a great thing. But next time, I would definitely find another warehouse, if it needs to be another one, that can fulfill all these orders within two days of them coming in. Because doing it yourself is just. I would not recommend it to anyone. I did it once, I would not do it again. But that is additional cost. You just have to factor in. And because we're a CPG product, as you know, margins are low and everything is just super thin. So I decided to do it myself.
13:49
Maxie Heidenblut
But going forward, I would just make sure I find the right warehouse that can do it within two days to make sure everything runs smoothly. And I'm not spending my weekends with the neighbor's kids packing packages.
14:01
Daniel Scharff
I like the work ethic on that neighbor's kid, though. That sounds like somebody destined for a world like ours, so. And some unique insight into what it's really like in founder life. But I like that you gotta be scrappy, right? So you were just trying to be really efficient and deliver the thing, you know, willing to use your own time to do it. But in retrospect, looks like the juice was not worth the squeeze. Probably just one of those situations where it's easier just to pay for it and use your time to do other stuff. And so just tell me after you did all that math and after, you know, having. Having done it everything, like, it seems like you decided to do it because you looked at all the calculations there. I think it would.
14:36
Daniel Scharff
It would be probably hard for a brand to go in and just like mint money on qvc. Like, you know, from a profit perspective because there are fees and they're like shipping out individual things to people. E Comm. Is hard as it is, but it sounds like you did the math, you looked at it, and you decided to go for it with this opportunity. Can you tell me, like, what. What that actual final decision was like once you did all the math and making the decision?
14:58
Maxie Heidenblut
Yeah, it was actually close to saying, oh, this doesn't make any sense because were breaking even. We were not profitable with this. But what I mentioned in the beginning, you get access to millions of households instantly. You're able to sell a lot of product within five minutes on air. And it is a demographic that I typically would not get access to. So bottom line, even if we're breaking even, I saw it as almost like a marketing expense just to grow our brand and the awareness around our brand. And what I should mention also is even after you having been on air, they keep you on their QVC.com shopping experience, so people can still order even. Even after you. You aired. So we kept on getting orders even after the airing. So that's. It's just another sales channel.
15:49
Maxie Heidenblut
So bottom line, it was really worth doing it. And we'll actually go back on qvc.
15:54
Daniel Scharff
I love that. I personally agree with you just about that kind of decision matrix also of like, if I can break even on this and I get all of that marketing exposure, I get trial from new people who I think are a fit for my brand. If you have the inventory, working capital, if it works for a brand, I would make the same decision and it would be fun for me to do it also. And I would like that and I would like telling people about it. So I think that's. It's really smart to look at it very carefully and make sure it works as best it can for you. But I really appreciate you explaining that. And can you just give a range, like size of prize, like, how big was it?
16:30
Daniel Scharff
Like, how many orders generally do you Think a brand could expect from that kind of an experience?
16:34
Maxie Heidenblut
Yeah, so just vaguely. And there were other brands as well and I've just been blown away by the numbers. And just for context, something I forgot to mention before you go on air, actually QVC gives you an indication of what they expect you to sell. So you can prepare all those packages and you know, kind of what they expect from you. And then while you are on air, they're actually great with data. You have a live screen that shows you live how much you've been selling while you were on air. So you come off the stage, essentially off air and you go to that screen and you see exactly how you did. That kind of determines if you get invited back or not. But you do get real time data and real time insights on how well you did.
17:17
Daniel Scharff
I love it. That gives me anxiety just thinking about watching that live screen during it though. So Maxi, I'm going to come back to you in a second and when I do, I want to ask for one word that would describe what the feeling was like during it. Looking at the screen, doing the thing. So you can think about that one. I'm going to come to you, Nikki, in the meantime. So Nikki, you just heard that experience from Maxi and Maxie, thank you for sharing all of that. That is honestly so helpful. I've never heard that before and I've always been really curious and that sounds awesome. So Nikki, for you, was that experience kind of similar? Did you make the same kind of logistics choices? You know, how did you decide that it was the right thing to go for?
17:55
Nikki Seaman
Yeah, pretty similar experience to Maxie though. I was spared on hand packing all of the orders to go out. Thankfully our 3 PL was able to take care of it. They had worked with other brands who had been on QVC before so they were kind of ready for that two day turnaround. This specific, you know, label paper that you have to print on. So we definitely got lucky in that regard. But yeah, you know, the first thing I do when I work with any new customer is create a P and L. And broker was super helpful in making sure I covered a lot of the, you know, costs that you typically don't account for with other customers.
18:32
Nikki Seaman
So kind of had that number in mind, had a sense of what my margin would be and you know, weren't running to the bank with this opportunity necessarily, but were going to make some money and to Maxi's point, really great marketing opportunity for us so kind of took all of that into account and thought it would be a really fun experience. And then, you know, another thing in addition to still being live on the QVC website and opportunities to come back as well is being able to use some of that content too. So, you know, we've been able to repurpose some of the QVC content on social media, on TikTok Instagram to continue spreading the word there about the experience.
19:14
Daniel Scharff
That's great. And so I, and I really support that P and L approach. I learned to do that when I was running a brand too. And just so you like put everything in there and make an, a clear eyed decision about the account and how you're going to support it, if you're going to decide to go for it. And it really changed how were thinking about a lot of accounts and things that we would go back and negotiate. So did the numbers turn out pretty much as you were expecting by the way, in terms of the model that you built? Was it, you know, do you feel like that worked out the way you thought it would?
19:41
Nikki Seaman
Yeah, I think so. You know, we're still waiting for some final payments. They have net terms based on when things have started to ship, so I'll let you know when everything ties out. Exactly. But yes, in general I think broker set really great expectations and everything went according to plan.
19:58
Daniel Scharff
I love it. And any. Just would you say that, you know, your. Yeah. Overall your thought process and experience pretty much was similar to Maxi's where it sounds like it was pretty positive honestly overall just like definitely an investment of time sounds like to understand the opportunity to pursue it, run the models, talk to the broker, make a decision, be there, pack the orders, which I mean, I think that's the other thing that doesn't quite get into the P and L always is the opportunity cost of that time. But other than that, do you think just overall general similar approach and experience?
20:30
Nikki Seaman
Yeah, I thought it was a great experience. The staging and the setup, the food styling was all super cool to see. The QVC hosts are amazing at their job so it was really fun to interact with them and you know, we would definitely do it again. So I think that just speaks to the experience, you know, made a little bit of money. We want to keep experimenting with what offering is going to best for the QVC customer. So went in with a variety pack. Next time we might bring in pickles and see how that fares. So yes, overall, really positive.
21:03
Daniel Scharff
So Nikki, let me ask you this about your brand. I love it. So, you know, it's a Pouch and you have olives in there. I think the thing that I love about it is like, yeah, I want a snack that is tasty and fun, but also this feels like a pretty healthy one. And you don't see so many packaged snacks like that, you know, so I just, you know, I love it. So do you feel like when people see that on qvc, is that like the first time that they've heard of olives in a pouch or they're just kind of like, oh, yeah, that looks like a cool brand to try or like, what? Yeah, why do you think they are most likely to purchase it?
21:40
Daniel Scharff
And do you think that they'll have a similar reaction to pickles or it'll be a little bit different for them?
21:45
Nikki Seaman
Yeah, I think there's definitely a little bit of education around it. Just because people are used to seeing olives in jars and cans. It's a new packaging format. Are the olives fresh? Are they dry, moist? Like, what is, what does that look like? So, you know, you only have five to seven minutes to actually talk about your product. And what QVC likes to focus on in the food category is really taste appeal. So, you know, talking about the flavors and what they remind you of, hitting on a lot of the tasting notes. You know, the olives are salty, they're crispy, they're firm. So that's what we really focused on highlighting was the product inside of the pouch. And then, you know, of course talking about the convenience and mess free aspects of it as well.
22:30
Nikki Seaman
But I think it is a really new concept to a lot of people. And, and we're just excited to be bringing awareness on, you know, an easier and more enjoyable way to eat olives.
22:40
Daniel Scharff
That's pretty cool. I mean, I, I love olives. I will eat them out of a jar or even I get a martini. I like it actually with a twist. But then I also want to just eat olives separately from that. Exactly. But also at the same time. How are most people eating your product? Do you think it's on the go? They throw it in their purse or bag or they're in the car or what do you have? Have you seen any data from your shoppers? Do you have a good idea?
23:06
Nikki Seaman
Yeah, we've done, you know, some surveys to see what the main use case is for our products. And then I also love to look at Amazon reviews and comments to see how people are using them. And snacking is definitely the number one use case. Travel days on the go. So that would be number one. But then People also love putting it on a charcuterie board. So we're getting into holiday entertaining season, which is great. And then I would say, like some other use cases that people still use the product for that maybe are less popular would be for cocktails like a martini or Bloody Mary. Also putting in recipes or salads, it's just super easy. You just rip open the bag and toss it into whatever you're making.
23:50
Daniel Scharff
And why do you think somebody chooses olives as a snack? Is it the same thing that I was saying or, like, who's out there choosing it and why?
23:58
Nikki Seaman
Yeah, olives are very polarizing. We have converted a lot of folks over to the dark green side, as I like to say. But, you know, it's olive lovers who are choosing this as a snack. And it's people who are looking for something that's salty and savory and can kind of meet that need, but are looking for something healthier. You know, green olives are low calorie. They're great for heart health. So versus something maybe like chips or popcorn, they are a healthier option.
24:26
Daniel Scharff
Give me some. They sound so good right now. I'm like, I want a bunch. I want to make a nice cocktail with them. Okay, Nikki, that makes a lot of sense. I'm very interested in who prefers olives over things like chips or a protein bar. I would like to be the person who can always make that kind of a decision. So maybe they can teach me how to always make a choice like that where it's still delicious, but sometimes I'm just like, chips. I don't know. Okay, Maxi, so coming to you. Can you just talk to me now a little bit about the actual day of, like, what's it like? What's it like?
24:59
Nikki Seaman
They.
25:00
Daniel Scharff
What's it like when you arrive, how do they prep you? And what's the whole actual experience like? And then I'm going to ask you for that one word as well that I asked about, describing the being in the moment and looking at the screen. So take me through the whole day.
25:14
Nikki Seaman
Yeah.
25:15
Maxie Heidenblut
So I'm based in New York, so I was actually able to drive there in the morning and. And I was on in the afternoon. So I was able to drive. There was a three hour drive, I think, and I was a bit nervous, quite frankly, because I didn't know what to expect. The broker had prepared me. They were there waiting for me. But essentially you arrive there, it's a huge studio complex. And then you get ready, you can change there, you can, you know, and obviously, I got some help because I knew I was going to be on tv. So I had some makeup, some hair done, something I usually, you know, don't prioritize, but for TV day, yes. And then it was just great, a great energy. When I got into the studio, cameras everywhere, you know, on set.
25:57
Maxie Heidenblut
I've never been on a set before. It looked so beautiful, and everything was prepared. I saw the happy candy table. They already had it ready. And the broker basically just showed me. The studios introduced me to the hosts, Rachel and Alberti, who did a fantastic job at making me feel welcome and, you know, just calming me down and connecting with them before went on air. So that was great that they did all of that. And it was a very warm atmosphere, I have to say. So I was nervous with all the cameras around me, but because they were so warm and welcoming, it really helped me to feel more at ease to present my product. And then something that Nikki mentioned earlier, which is really important because we're in the food space. We're not selling coats or shirts. Right.
26:45
Maxie Heidenblut
It's really important to explain the flavors and bring that across as you are presenting your brand. And I think that's something for me, as a takeaway, I did touch on that, but next time I will even more so double down on that and explaining, oh, this is our Big Apple flavor, and it tastes. You know, these are bold New York Red Apple. And kind of just diving deeper into explaining what the customer can expect, because food is really hard to sell on tv. And so that was one of the key takeaways. I think that I could do even better next time. But overall, it was a really fun experience and I really enjoyed it.
27:24
Daniel Scharff
So you have like, five to seven minutes or something, and do you have a script that you've written and you can see it on a prompter, or they're like, just go and do your usual thing. You're used to doing this. You're a founder. Just start talking, and you kind of have a general idea. But did you have a plan going in?
27:37
Maxie Heidenblut
Yeah, they do actually ask you. So there is a lot of preparation that goes into it. They have basically almost. It was half a day, almost an entire day where they bring all the brands together that are coming on stage or on tv, and you have to go through that to be approved. So they do vet you know, are you going to be able to do this on tv? And then they also ask you after that, once you're approved, which is a written document where you focus on the top Three things about your brand, and that's just helping you and the hosts to get prepared and know the most important things you want touch on. Because as you just mentioned, it's a five to seven minute presentation. So you really want to make sure to hit on the most important points.
28:19
Maxie Heidenblut
So you agree on that with your broker, with qvc, and for yourself to just be organized for the day off. And then you also have to send samples to the host so they can familiarize themselves with the product. So there's a lot that goes into it. And so you don't necessarily have a script, but you do align with them on what the key messages are going to be. And then I just.
28:41
Daniel Scharff
So is that preparation day ahead of time or that's the same day or you. You had like, had to go in a different day?
28:47
Maxie Heidenblut
I want to say it was two to three weeks before I was supposed to go on air. I think they usually space it out even more because there is an approval process. If you do not do well on that boot camp day, let's call it, you're not gonna be approved. So that is usually a couple of weeks before you're supposed to go on air.
29:05
Daniel Scharff
Okay. Probably they have a pretty high success rate. If the broker's already taken you to that point and prepped you, they think you're going to get through it, but they got to double check everything.
29:14
Nikki Seaman
Yeah.
29:15
Daniel Scharff
Okay, cool. Okay, Nikki, I'm going to come to you in just a second. But Maxi, give me that word that I asked for a while before of like, is there one word where you're in the moment and you're doing your thing and you're rocking it and you're looking at the screen and seeing the orders. Is there like one word that could describe you're feeling at that time?
29:35
Maxie Heidenblut
Thrilling, I think.
29:37
Daniel Scharff
All right, I'll take it. Okay. Nikki, coming to you. Do you have a word as well? Is it thrilling? Do you have a different word of that moment? Being there, doing the thing, looking at like your results, like you're at a orange theory class, I think is the one that, where they like show your real time score as you're working out?
29:55
Nikki Seaman
Yeah, I feel like fun is the best word. It's kind of a boring word. I don't know if joyful is a better word. But yeah, it was just like a really fun experience. And you know, my family was watching, which was cool too, for them to, you know, turn on a television and see me. And then, yeah, all the numbers coming in and it, the Five minutes flies by so quickly. I feel like there was even more I wanted to say. But, yeah, it went by really fast. I guess time flies when you're having fun.
30:23
Daniel Scharff
So you're seeing the screen, like orders in real time coming in. Does that throw you off your game or you just try to ignore it or it's just motivating?
30:30
Nikki Seaman
I saw the screen once you walk off of the set. So while you're on the set, there are a few cameras and, like, TV screens that they're kind of showing what they're panning to in terms of, like, if they're focused on the food, if they're focused on your face. I tried to not look too much there. They really do want you to look into the camera. So I was kind of just locked in there.
30:53
Daniel Scharff
That makes sense, I guess. You're. You're driving the race car. You don't just keep looking at the rankings. You try to run the race. So, Nikki, based off what Maxie described, was your experience pretty similar? It all felt like that's kind of what the flow was like. Are there any other things that you felt, heard, saw, experience that you think would be helpful for brands to understand?
31:13
Nikki Seaman
Yeah, I think she described it perfectly. There was that, you know, guest prep virtual day, which I thought was really helpful to just get in a virtual room with everyone. And, you know, they actually had QVC hosts on that call that could prep with you and how the conversation could kind of flow. They want it to sound very conversational. So obviously, as a founder, you kind of almost had this script rehearsed of exactly how to describe your business. But I would say, like, that was one major change I had to figure out is how do I make this? Like, I'm talking to one of my best friends about the business. And then the other interesting thing that I wasn't used to is I'm a very big hand talker. I talk with my hands. And with the food, they wanted you to hold.
31:57
Nikki Seaman
Hold the food and kind of showcase how delicious it was looking. And so that was something I. I had to learn how to do. So for next time, I definitely will want to practice that a little bit more. So maybe less awkward.
32:11
Daniel Scharff
That makes a lot of sense. Also good. Like, on startup cbg, we're always trying to feature brands on our Instagram, and we go through that as well, for sure. Where people are like, oh. Or they're holding it, but they're moving it around so much with their hands. Like, no. I just. I need to see it for the Frame so people know what we're talking about. And you'll like it better, too, because you're just holding the label out. So that makes a lot of sense. That's super cool that the hosts come on for the prep as well, just to, like, make you more comfortable with them. I really like what you said about just trying to get to that point where it feels like you're just talking to one of your friends.
32:42
Daniel Scharff
I feel like that's what you always want to do when you're performing in any kind of context, whether it's right now, us on this podcast. Like, it's just like, that's the best. That's what the pros know how to do, is just, you know, be themselves. Be so authentically themselves in every situation. I think that's what the best actors figure out how to do as well. So that's really good advice for people. And, you know, when brands practice their pitches with me, that's usually the top advice that I'm giving them is, like, sounds scripted. That's not good. Like, it sounds robotic. Like, you're trying to remember the perfect words. If you're saying words wrong, if you're flubbing the words, it's because you're trying to remember something that you memorized. And you guys do this every day.
33:22
Daniel Scharff
You have explained this product to people so many times. I always just try to tell people, if you're trying to search for the perfect word, don't do it. Just stop. Look into your heart and try to realize the thing that you're really trying to say and say it. And it doesn't have to be an SAT vocab word. You can even just be like, it's really good. I like doing this. That actually sounds way better than finding the perfect word. Like, I love when you said fun before, instead of, like, I don't know, is the better More like a better word for that? Like, probably. But fun is like, oh, I can relate to that. And I know you mean it when you say it. Like, okay, now I feel like I know what it was like, so I really love that insight for people.
33:58
Daniel Scharff
So as we kind of wrap up here on this very cool experience, first of all, Nikki, I just wanted to ask, was the result what you were hoping it would be? Did you, like, maybe you got to where you thought you could get to, but not your massive stretch goal of maybe I could sell out all the inventory we ever had ever. If this thing just goes nuts, like, what was the outcome kind of for you?
34:18
Nikki Seaman
Yeah, I would Say, were really happy with the results. They were solid. We reached the threshold that they wanted us to get to. Like Maxi said, they kind of set based on their vast experience of how brands perform, you know, what. What they expect you to do. So I was happy we hit that. And then I think next time we can. You know, I'm always looking to improve, so I think next time we can do even better, maybe with a more curated offering, figuring out if price point needs to be adjusted for the consumer. But overall, I think it was. It was a really solid experience. And then there's just always room to do even better next time.
34:56
Daniel Scharff
All right, so, Maxi, do you have any advice for brands if they get this kind of an opportunity for. Okay, you're going. Here's how you should show up here. It's the kind offer you should think about doing. You want to make sure you represent yourself and your brand this way or have this kind of energy.
35:12
Maxie Heidenblut
Yeah, I think my bottom line advice based on my experience is get the right logistics partner to execute all these orders. Be prepared for that.
35:20
Daniel Scharff
Yeah, what's the. What's your neighbor's son's name?
35:23
Maxie Heidenblut
Yeah, he did a great job. He was a great partner in crime.
35:27
Nikki Seaman
No.
35:27
Maxie Heidenblut
So, yeah, be prepared for that because a lot of orders are coming your way. And I think what really helped me is looking at videos from competitors and similar brands on QVC.com, by the way, if you want to check out Nikki or me live in action, go to qvc. Com, you'll see those videos. They're available there. And that really helped to prepare. And I think just to Nikki's point, like, it is something you have to get used to show your product and hold it in a way. And then all these cameras, and you don't even know which one to look into. And so, like, being aware of, like, showcasing your product, something that you typically might not do, that often you're more, you know, using your hands to talk and then also explaining what your product exactly tastes like.
36:13
Maxie Heidenblut
That is something that I found the hardest. I'm also not a native speaker, so it's even harder for me, like, finding the right words to describe that. But being prepared for that, I think that those are the most important things. And then just show up as yourself and, you know, give your best.
36:27
Daniel Scharff
Give me that example one more time of just how you would describe your product in that way to make sure people understood what it tastes like.
36:33
Maxie Heidenblut
Yeah. So you can describe, for instance, we have Italian Summer, which is very bold. Cherry Flavor combined with a citrusy lemon. It's like a Up rolls Pritz in the afternoon, or maybe not with alcohol, but, you know, it's like finding a comparison that people can relate to. And I was talking about vacationing in Italy. I grew up in Germany, so Italy was just a drive away. And you know how that reminded me. And kind of sharing a story around what your product really kind of emotions evoke emotions is essentially.
37:05
Daniel Scharff
All right, Nikki, coming back to you, any advice like that for brands who are going to get on the show or even just advice for them as they're evaluating it?
37:15
Nikki Seaman
Yeah, I think Maxi hit on a lot of great points. I would say just feel really good about your P L. Also, you know, I know a lot of emerging brands might be short on inventory. So, you know, just be thoughtful about every opportunity that comes up and make sure you have the inventory ready to go. You're really comfortable with the margin. You have that, you know, 3F fulfillment situation set up or you get really excited about packing orders yourself. And then I would say on day of, you know, just come in ready to have fun and be yourself. No one knows your story or your brand as well as you do and how well you can speak to it. And, you know, just get ready to do that for. For five minutes.
37:56
Nikki Seaman
And, you know, you can sell lots and lots of olives or candy or whatever your product might be.
38:01
Daniel Scharff
I love it. And I wonder for either of you, were there any unexpected outcomes, benefits, like a buyer saw it or heard about it and reached out to you on LinkedIn or something? Or like a friend who knows an investor? It's probably too early to tell in a lot of instances because it's just, you know, a month out from when this all happened. But yeah, anything like that, or do you feel like it might even help you to be able to talk about that experience when you're selling into future accounts?
38:29
Maxie Heidenblut
Maxi, I wouldn't be aware of anything where I do think it helped us increase our brand awareness because we did sell. See a lot more people visiting our website, for instance. So that really had that effect. I do not drop it with buyers because it's an online TV experience and we want to pull people into stores with retailers. So it doesn't necessarily help in buyer conversations. It does help investor conversations because again, coming back to that diversification of my sales channels. And I do think for brand awareness, that's basically what I did at foreign.
39:04
Daniel Scharff
I love it. Makes a lot of sense. Okay, cool. Nikki, same question to you.
39:08
Nikki Seaman
Yeah, nothing Too crazy coming from it. But I think going back to the content were able to make from being on QVC, you know, we shared about it on LinkedIn, so buyers definitely were able to see it there. So I think just more brand awareness, reaching new audiences, which is super exciting. And then, yeah, being able to have that content and share it with even more people who might have missed the live segment I think has been a great opportunity for us.
39:36
Daniel Scharff
Those are great answers I was also looking for. Well, it actually got us on this podcast and then the next time someone asks you that, you're going to say, and all these buyers who listen to the startup CPG podcast then reached out to us because they heard our descriptions of our product and our new pickle line and our Italian summer, and they realized they just had to have it. So I hope next time someone asks you that will all be true. Okay, cool. Well, I really want to thank both of you for coming on and just sharing this experience because our whole Slack community, which is 30,000 people strong, is based on questions like these, where it's hard to be isolated and get this kind of an opportunity and not really know how to look at it.
40:18
Daniel Scharff
And not being an early stage brand, have a whole finance department that's used to looking at this kind of stuff or salespeople who have been down this road before. And so these are the kind of things that are so valuable to share the experience with other people just so they can really hear it from somebody who's done it. And that's what, that's what the Slack is about, is that every opportunity or challenge that you have, someone has looked that one in the eye before and they can really save you a lot of time. And there are some things out there that are great and sounds like this was a great experience for both of you. And there are some things out there that aren't great and it's really nice to know which are which or at least get the perspectives.
40:54
Daniel Scharff
So I really want to thank you guys for being willing to come on and share in such a, like, fresh memory kind of way since this really just happened, all of your experiences. And I am really looking forward to the next time you're on. And just remember I'm now your talent manager who has to be there on site with you, so I get to come and check it out. It sounds like a good time. And I'll watch the screen for you and let you know how it's going on. Sales.
41:16
Nikki Seaman
Amazing.
41:18
Daniel Scharff
All right, thank you both. I hope everybody enjoyed this as much as I did. See y' all later.
41:21
Nikki Seaman
Thanks so much Daniel.
41:22
Maxie Heidenblut
Thank you.
41:25
Daniel Scharff
All right, everybody, thank you so much for listening to our podcast. If you loved it, I would so appreciate it if you could leave us a review. You could do it right now. If you're an Apple podcast, you can scroll to the bottom of our Startup CPG Podcast page and click on Write a Review. Leave your company name in there. I will try to read it out. If you're in Spotify, you can click on about and then the Startup Rating icon. If you are a service provider that would like to appear on the Startup CPG podcast, you can email us@partnershipstartupcpg.com lastly, if you found yourself grooving along to the music It Is My Band, you can visit our website and listen to more. It is super fantastics.com thank you everybody. See you next time.