Female founders of consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies sharedtheir entrepreneurial journeys during a panel discussion recently, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in building consumer brands from the ground up.
The panel, moderated by Michelle Breyer, chief marketing officer of SKU, Austin’s CPG accelerator, featured Sarah Vilenskiy of Blossom Essentials, Ruth Stedman of A Pup Above, and Delisa Harper of Funky Mello.
EisnerAmper, Unnanu, Active Capital, Lumen Insurance Technologies, and Perkins Coie sponsored the Second Annual Female Founders Outlook 2025 at Zilker Lodge, which benefits Austin Sunshine Camps.
The founders revealed diverse approaches to funding their ventures. While Funky Mello secured $200,000 through friends and family, and A Pup Above attracted angel investors, Blossom Essentials chose to remain bootstrapped despite industry pressure to seek venture capital.
“We’re actually still bootstrapping today,” Vilenskiy said. “It’s not an easy thing to do when you see so many companies growing so quickly around you, but we still own 80% of our company.”
Distribution strategies varied among the panelists. A Pup Above found early success in pet specialty retail stores, which Stedman described as more forgiving to early-stage companies. Meanwhile, Blossom Essentials built its customer base through digital marketing before expanding to retail channels.
Harper’s Funky Mello demonstrated significant evolution, transforming from a farmers market business in 2017 to a retail brand now present in 200 stores, including Whole Foods and HEB. The company initially raised $10,000 through Kickstarter to purchase their first commercial mixer.
The founders emphasized the critical role of mentorship in their growth. SKU’s accelerator program provided crucial guidance in areas including fundraising, retail strategy, and public relations.
On hiring strategy, the panelists advocated for caution with early full-time employees. “I would never recommend hiring any W2s first,” Vilenskiy said, suggesting startups begin with contractors and boutique agencies to maintain flexibility.
For those with co-founders, complementary skill sets proved essential. Harper described how she handles marketing and HR while her co-founder manages sales and operations, though she noted the importance of maintaining boundaries when working with a spouse.
The discussion highlighted the evolving nature of entrepreneurship. “The company will grow at a rapid rate,” Stedman said. “What it was a year ago, two years ago, it was not what it is today, and so you constantly have to be evolving.”
SKU, which hosted the panel, has a track record of successful alumni, including Siete Foods, a female-founded Mexican food company that sold to PepsiCo for $1 billion last year.
