If you’ve ever thought, “There has to be a better way to do this,” you may already be sitting on your next retail-ready product idea.
Shelf Talks podcast host Roberta Townes sits down with Billie Asmus, founder of Repaint Tray, to unpack how a single frustration while flipping furniture turned into a disruptive product now sold in Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Ace Hardware and backed by a Shark Tank deal.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple or You Tube as well.
Seeing the Gap: How Real Problems Become Retail Opportunities
Before Repaint Tray existed, Billie was flipping furniture while juggling motherhood and limited time. Like many DIYers, she relied on disposable plastic paint tray liners, plastic bags, and foil to save paint between sessions.
The problem?
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Paint dried out
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Supplies were wasteful
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Cleanup was frustrating
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Nothing reusable existed
Instead of accepting this as “just the way it is,” Billie asked a question every retail founder should ask:
If this frustrates me, how many other people are dealing with the same issue?
That question became the foundation of Repaint Tray a silicone paint tray liner with a lid designed for convenience, sustainability, and ease of cleanup.
Prototyping Without Perfection (or Big Budgets)
One of the biggest myths in product development is that you need a perfect prototype or massive funding to start.
Billie proved otherwise.
Her first prototype:
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Foam board from the dollar store
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Hot glue
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Raw silicone ordered from a prop shop
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Total cost: about $50
Within an hour, she had a working prototype and more importantly, proof of concept.
Founder takeaway:
You don’t need perfection to move forward. You need something tangible that proves the idea works.
Validating Demand Before Manufacturing
Before investing heavily in manufacturing, Billie spent nearly a year conducting interviews with:
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DIYers
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Painters
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Furniture flippers
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Home improvement enthusiasts
Instead of hearing resistance, she heard the opposite:
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“I would buy this.”
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“Why doesn’t this already exist?”
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“This would save me so much time and waste.”
That validation gave her the confidence to keep going even after countless manufacturer rejections.
Finding a Manufacturer When You Have No Sales Data
For many founders, this is where momentum dies.
Billie faced:
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No proven sales
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No inventory
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No large purchase orders
Manufacturers weren’t interested until she found partners willing to take a chance and help her produce early samples.
Shelf Talks insight:
Retail-ready products often require persistence, not just polish.
Pitching Retail Buyers Without Inventory (Yes, Really)
One of the most surprising moments in Billie’s journey?
Her first real product test came from Lowe’s before she had launched.
She applied to a global Lowe’s pitch competition with:
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One main sample
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A few additional prototypes
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Zero inventory
What made the difference?
Social proof.
Billie posted her pitch video on social media. It went viral. Customers began tagging Lowe’s saying:
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“I would buy this.”
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“Lowe’s needs this.”
When she pitched Lowe’s, she showed real customer demand, not just projections.
Result: The highest purchase order in the paint department at the competition.
Launching in Big Box Retail: The Reality No One Talks About
Landing retail placement is only half the battle.
After launching in Lowe’s, Billie learned one of the hardest retail lessons:
Execution matters as much as placement.
Some stores:
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Merchandised the product correctly
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Educated associates
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Achieved 80–100% sell-through
Other stores:
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Left inventory in top stock
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Placed it in the wrong aisle
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Reported zero sales
For founders, this highlights a critical truth:
You must advocate for your product after it hits shelves.
Educating Consumers When Your Product Creates a New Category
Repaint Tray didn’t fit neatly into an existing box.
Billie approached education strategically by:
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Starting SEO one year before launch
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Creating keywords customers would eventually search
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Using consistent language across:
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Website
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Social media
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Blogs
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Reels
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She spoke to multiple buyer motivations:
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Sustainability
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Convenience
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Time-saving
SEO lesson for product-based founders:
If customers don’t know how to search for your product yet, you must teach them.
Getting Into Home Depot and Ace Hardware
Retail expansion didn’t follow a straight line.
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Home Depot came from persistence and a chance personal connection
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Ace Hardware initially rejected her then reversed course after seeing traction and social proof
Ace Hardware proved especially powerful because:
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Stores are locally owned
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Owners are directly involved
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Education spreads store-to-store
For innovative products, local and franchise-based retailers can be a major growth lever.
Shark Tank: Opportunity, Exposure, and Reality
Billie applied to a Shark Tank casting call with just days to prepare.
Three weeks later, she was pitching on national television.
She secured a deal:
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$250,000 for 15% equity
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Partners: Barbara Corcoran + Chip and Joanna Gaines
While sales spikes weren’t life-changing overnight, the experience brought:
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Credibility
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Long-term visibility
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Strategic guidance
Founder mindset shift:
Even with investors, you remain the CEO.
What’s Next for Repaint Tray
Looking ahead, Billie is focused on:
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Launching new products
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Expanding the line
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Navigating manufacturing and tariffs
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Continuing to educate customers and retailers
Growth takes time and reinvestment.
Final Takeaways for Product-Based Founders
If you want to get your product into retail stores, remember:
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Big brands often start with small frustrations
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You don’t need perfect data to pitch—proof of demand matters
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SEO and education should start before launch
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Retail success doesn’t stop at placement
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Persistence opens doors that strategy alone cannot
If this journey resonated with you, this episode of Shelf Talks is a powerful reminder that retail-ready brands are built one decision at a time.
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