Why This is The EASIEST Time to Start a Business
Executive Summary
A Shopify Masters interview in which host Serena Smith talks with Michelle Razavi, co-founder of Elavi, a protein brownie company, about landing a Whole Foods buyer with one cold email and building toward national retail. Razavi describes finding the global buyer's email, a reply within three hours, four years of pitching different product lines, a bumpy path to shelves, and packaging that states plainly what the product is. Sponsor: Shopify, which presents the show (a free Shopify trial is linked in the description). PARTIAL COVERAGE: this note is based on the opening, the Whole Foods story, a section on the path to yes, a section on packaging and positioning, the closing and the description, and does not cover every exchange in the roughly 45 minute interview. All claims, including product and nutrition claims, are the speakers' own and are not independently checked. This is a brand story, not nutrition, medical or business advice.
Key Takeaways
One cold email
Razavi says she found the email of the global Whole Foods buyer and sent a pitch, and she got a response within three hours.
Advocating for yourself
Razavi says she believes closed mouths don't get fed, and if you don't advocate for yourself, who will.
Four years to a yes
Razavi says they got into Whole Foods after almost five years of pitching different product lines.
The right product line
Razavi says getting an immediate response within three hours showed they had the right product line.
Success is not linear
She says success took iteration, feedback and humility, and that even after the yes the path to shelves was bumpy.
Plain packaging
Razavi says their hunch was that people just want to know exactly what they are buying, so packaging states what the product is up front.
A hybrid category
The host says Elavi sits between a protein bar and a dessert, and Razavi says it offers protein and fiber, which she says many people lack.
The Conversation Breakdown
One cold email
⏱ Untimed topicRazavi says she found the email of the global Whole Foods buyer and sent a pitch, and she got a response within three hours.
Advocating for yourself
⏱ Untimed topicRazavi says she believes closed mouths don't get fed, and if you don't advocate for yourself, who will.
Four years to a yes
⏱ Untimed topicRazavi says they got into Whole Foods after almost five years of pitching different product lines.
The right product line
⏱ Untimed topicRazavi says getting an immediate response within three hours showed they had the right product line.
Success is not linear
⏱ Untimed topicShe says success took iteration, feedback and humility, and that even after the yes the path to shelves was bumpy.
Plain packaging
⏱ Untimed topicRazavi says their hunch was that people just want to know exactly what they are buying, so packaging states what the product is up front.
A hybrid category
⏱ Untimed topicThe host says Elavi sits between a protein bar and a dessert, and Razavi says it offers protein and fiber, which she says many people lack.
Core Frameworks & Ideas
Be visible to be bought - the host's line
If buyers cannot see you, they cannot choose you.
Iterate to the right product and timing - Razavi's lesson
Keep going back to market with feedback until the line fits.
Keep it simple on pack - Razavi's packaging idea
Say clearly what the product is and let the name come later.
Actionable Next Steps
- ✓Find the right buyer for your product and write a short pitch with a clear call to action.
- ✓Treat a quick reply as a signal to learn what resonated.
- ✓Keep pitching with improvements when you hear no, rather than treating it as final.
- ✓Treat all claims as the speakers' own and check them before relying on them.
Notable Quotes
“If you're not visible, you can't be bought.”
“you have the right product line if you get an immediate response within 3 hours of an email.”
“success isn't linear.”
The One Thing to Remember
Elavi's co-founder explains, in her own words, how one cold email, years of iteration and plain packaging got a protein brownie into Whole Foods.