The path from direct-to-consumer to retail success is something many product makers dream about, but it's also where countless promising products have gone to die. Bad logistics choices, bloated inventory, and unnecessary costs can sink even great products before they ever reach a store shelf.

Paul Jarrett, co-founder and CEO of Bulu, has created a unique solution to help brands bridge this critical gap. His company offers something rare in the logistics world: the ability to ship both B2B and DTC from a single inventory source, enabling brands to fulfill orders of any size to any destination. This flexibility allows small brands to compete with major players by offering retailers exactly what they need without minimum order quantities.

From his journey starting in advertising to building subscription boxes to ultimately creating a logistics company, Paul shares invaluable insights on when brands should (and shouldn't) make the leap to retail, how to build relationships with buyers, and why inventory management is the make-or-break factor for success.

Episode Highlights:

• Paul's background in advertising and path to entrepreneurship (02:00)
• The origin story of their subscription box business (05:00)
• Creating subscription programs for major brands like Disney and Crayola (10:00)
• How the pandemic forced a complete business pivot (12:00)
• Solving the B2B/DTC fulfillment gap that no one else addressed (15:00)
• Signs a DTC brand is ready for retail expansion (23:49)
• Common pitfalls that kill promising products in retail (25:00)
• Why inventory visibility is crucial for multi-channel success (31:00)
• Strategies for getting better shelf placement as a new brand (37:34)
• Three essential steps for DTC brands planning future retail expansion (41:21)

Bulu website: bulugroup.com
Paul Jarrett website: pauljarrett.com
Graphos Product website: GraphosProduct.com
Buy “I Need That” and get Laurier Mandin's daily Need Feed emails: LMandin.com