In this episode of Shelf Talks, Roberta Townes sits down with Hannah Perez, Co Founder of SEEQ, to discuss how a simple idea became one of the fastest growing brands in the clear protein category. Hannah shares the lessons she learned while building SEEQ from the ground up, selling out in just 45 days, and expanding into national retailers including Target, Walmart, Sam's Club, and The Vitamin Shoppe.
Whether you're launching your first product or preparing to scale into retail, these lessons provide a practical roadmap for founders building consumer brands.
1. Start Before You Feel Ready
One of the biggest lessons Hannah shares is that entrepreneurship doesn't begin with having every answer. It begins by saying yes to opportunities.
Before SEEQ, Hannah entered pitch competitions, experimented with different business ideas, and intentionally surrounded herself with entrepreneurs. Each experience helped prepare her for the company she would eventually build.
Founder Takeaway
Don't wait for the perfect business idea. Every project teaches skills you'll use later.
2. Validate Your Product Before You Scale
SEEQ didn't begin with massive inventory or expensive marketing campaigns.
The team focused on one question:
Do people actually love this product?
By putting samples directly into consumers' hands, they received immediate feedback and discovered that taste became their biggest competitive advantage.
Founder Takeaway
Product validation should happen before large investments in inventory, packaging, or retail expansion.
3. Build Demand Before Retail
Many founders believe retail is the first step.
Hannah's experience proves the opposite.
SEEQ built an audience online, generated demand through authentic content, and created excitement long before expanding into retail.
Selling directly to consumers allowed the company to understand customer behavior, refine its messaging, and build a loyal community.
Founder Takeaway
Retail works best when customers already know your brand.
4. Social Media Can Become Your Greatest Growth Engine
One of SEEQ's biggest growth drivers wasn't paid advertising.
It was authentic storytelling.
By documenting the journey of building the company and consistently creating behind the scenes content, the founders built trust with consumers and created a community that wanted to support the brand.
That strategy helped SEEQ sell through its initial inventory in just 45 days.
Founder Takeaway
People connect with founders before they connect with products.
5. Retail Requires a Different Marketing Strategy
Selling online gives brands time to educate customers.
Retail doesn't.
On shelf, consumers often make purchase decisions in just a few seconds.
That reality forced SEEQ to rethink packaging, messaging, and how quickly consumers could understand the product.
Founder Takeaway
Winning online doesn't automatically translate to winning on retail shelves.
6. Surround Yourself With People Who Fill Your Gaps
As SEEQ grew, Hannah realized that founders can't do everything forever.
The company invested in experienced leaders across operations, finance, and sales, allowing the founders to focus on vision, innovation, and long term growth.
Founder Takeaway
Great founders eventually stop doing everything themselves.
7. Don't Let Competitors Distract You
Competition increased dramatically after SEEQ helped establish the clear protein category.
Rather than constantly reacting to competitors, the team stayed focused on innovation and serving their customers.
Founder Takeaway
Know your competition, but don't let it determine your strategy.
Final Thoughts
Hannah's story is a reminder that successful retail brands aren't built overnight.
They're built through persistence, customer obsession, authentic storytelling, and the willingness to continuously evolve.
For founders preparing to launch or grow a consumer product business, this episode offers practical lessons that apply far beyond the protein category.
Listen to the Full Episode
Watch the full Shelf Talks interview with Hannah Perez to hear more about product validation, social media marketing, retail expansion, and building a category defining consumer brand.
Whether you're launching your first consumer product or preparing to scale into national retail, this guide provides practical strategies you can apply to your own business today.
Spotify: Listen Here
Apple Podcasts: Listen Here
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About Shelf Talks
Shelf Talks is hosted by retail buyer Roberta Townes and features conversations with founders who have successfully built consumer brands and earned placement in retail stores.
Every episode provides practical retail insights, founder stories, and actionable strategies to help emerging brands succeed on retail shelves.
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