Getting your product into the right hands — and onto the right shelves — is one of the biggest hurdles for any F&B founder. In this masterclass, Michelle Cordeiro Grant will share the lessons she’s learned building two category-defining consumer brands, LIVELY and Gorgie, from concept to nationwide retail.

Michelle knows what it takes to create authentic hype before launch, distill a brand into clear and memorable principles, and maintain momentum once you hit the shelf. From securing a Target partnership straight out of the gate to landing Erewhon’s coveted smoothie collab, her story offers a real-world roadmap for navigating today’s retail landscape.

In this session, you’ll learn how to:

 

Format: 60–75 minute masterclass for early-stage F&B founders. Lecture-style teaching + Q&A, followed by a post-event assignment to apply what you’ve learned.

Takeaway: You’ll leave with a 90-day GTM plan tailored to your channels, plus a retailer pitch one-sheet with positioning, goals, and promo highlights.

Michelle Cordeiro Grant is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, podcast host, and eternal optimist. Michelle spent the tenure of her career at household names in the retail industry including Federated Merchandising Group, VF Corporation, and Victoria’s Secret. Just before beginning her entrepreneurial journey, she spent two years at Thrillist Media Group, where she “got her MBA in startup,” learning the ins and outs of what it takes to build a fast-growing brand. In 2016, Michelle founded LIVELY, a community and brand inspiring women to live life passionately, purposefully and confidently. 

Over just three years, Michelle grew the brand’s ambassador community to 165,000+ members, expanded their retail footprint to 5 stores across the country, launched a retail partnership with Target, and closed a $105M acquisition by intimates leader Wacoal. 

Michelle founded her next adventure, GORGIE, in 2022. As CEO, she is on a mission to make wellness fun, focusing on products that actually taste good, feel good, and look good too! From concept to shelf in 6 months, GORGIE launched with a line of sparkling energy beverages with benefits featuring Green Tea Caffeine, natural flavors, Biotin, L-Theanine, and B Vitamins. Michelle has taken an innovative, community-first approach to building the brand, partnering with their rapidly-expanding circle of followers and friends across social media. 

GORGIE is now sold online and across thousands of retail doors nation wide - including Sprouts Farmers Market, Erewhon, Juice Press, Earthbar, Equinox, and select Whole Foods Market stores. Michelle has been featured across top tier outlets including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Forbes, Business Inside, Inc., theSkimm, WWD, TechCrunch, CNBC, Allure and many others.