Application Deadline | 2025 TOP SHELF RETAIL: HIGH VOLUME GROWTH INSIGHTS

Top Shelf Retail: High Volume Retail Growth Insights is an eight-week, curriculum-based virtual cohort program designed to help established retail businesses access procurement opportunities in the mass retail market. Participants will learn how to build effect pricing, branding, and marketing strategies, work with category managers and will have the opportunity to pitch their products to a select group of corporate representatives who will provide valuable feedback during the Vendor Showcase. The Top Shelf program is sponsored by Walgreens.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The goal is to provide capacity building training to help established businesses with ownership from varied perspectives and backgrounds grow into the mass retail market. Upon competition of the program, participants will have successfully completed educational training and interactive learning opportunities in the following areas:

• Capacity building to scale businesses to compete in the retail marketplace
• Technical assistance and financial support to help manage cash flow
• Pricing analysis
• Business capability statement
• Branding and marketing
• Certification benefits
• Preparation for a pitch presentation
• How to work with category managers
• Risk management and Cybersecurity
• Opportunity to pitch to corporate evaluators

RETAIL APPLICANT CRITERIA

• Be a consumer product company that sells (or wishes to sell) to mass retailers
• Two or more years in business
• Average revenues of $50,000 or greater
• Committed to 8-weeks of virtual learning and participation (more than one may attend)
• Committed to attending 3 supplemental Pitch training sessions outside of weekly classes
• Tuesday, May 20, 27 & June 3 via Zoom 5:30 – 7:00 PM
• The program is open to all recognized business owners
• The business does not need to be certified to participate

PROGRAM DETAILS

When: Every Thursday | April 24 to June 12, 2025

Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 CT

Where: Zoom

Application Deadline: April 11, 2025

For more information, contact Cynthia Johnson | cjohnson@wbdc.org

WBDC CORPORATE SPONSOR