Despite beverages being a category people rarely buy online, Breeze generated tens of millions in DTC sales. This built a huge base of customers who preferred to buy in-store, creating a powerful demand flywheel. When Breeze launched in retail, it sold four months of inventory in two weeks.

Vaynerchuk's go-to-market plan for his Very Lucky gummies deliberately avoids traditional retail at launch. Instead, he will focus exclusively on direct-to-consumer sales through live shopping platforms like TikTok Shop and Whatnot. This strategy leverages hype and community to build initial traction and demand before engaging with conventional distribution channels.

To enter physical retail, first test markets with low-cost local events. Next, 'walk' by running trunk shows and pop-ups with wholesale partners. Finally, 'run' by using short-term leases in retail incubators to validate a location before committing to expensive 10-year leases.

Instead of using retail to build awareness, Manscaped waited until they had massive marketing spend. This ensured customers would specifically seek them out in stores, guaranteeing high sell-through for partners like Target and de-risking the move from D2C to physical retail.

For emerging brands, the path to retail shelf space is indirect. Instead of pitching buyers, focus on building a powerful direct-to-consumer (DTC) business and capturing the attention of younger demographics online. Retailers, desperate to attract these consumers, will then come to you.

A powerful first move for a new brand is leveraging community-driven affiliate platforms. By getting the product into the hands of engaged creators in relevant communities, a brand can build authentic word-of-mouth and generate multi-million dollar revenue before ever investing in traditional CRM or paid media channels.

For heavy, low-margin products like jarred sauce, a direct-to-consumer model is often unsustainable due to shipping costs. Its strategic value is to build an initial customer base and gather sales data to prove demand to large retailers, de-risking their decision to stock the product.

An unconventional distribution model, like in-person park drops, is a strategic tool for early founders. It creates a rare opportunity for direct, face-to-face feedback on product and purchasing motivation before scaling into retail channels where that intimate customer connection is lost.

Despite his team's eagerness to enter comic book stores, Vaynerchuk is intentionally patient, waiting until the market "feels right." This protects long-term brand health by ensuring organic demand outpaces supply before expanding.