353 | Discovering New Markets Through Real Conversations | with Shelley Gupta

Shelley Gupta is the Founder & CEO of BāKIT Box, a STEM-based baking kit bringing global flavors and cultural traditions into homes across America. Her path to CPG began far from the kitchen as a recording artist signed to EMI Music before earning her CFA, an MBA from Chicago Booth, and leading strategy work at Accenture. Blending creativity with financial rigor, Shelley turned a casual conversation with a homeschooling parent into a breakthrough channel, now approved as an official curriculum in 14 states. In this episode, she shares how that discovery reshaped her subscription strategy, why flexibility beats lock-in for retention, and how understanding the real buyer (not just the user) transformed her business. Whether you’re an ecommerce founder rethinking your subscription model or a CPG operator looking for smarter customer acquisition paths, Shelley’s story is a lesson in listening deeply, iterating fast, and staying true to your mission. In This Conversation We Discuss:[00:24] Intro[00:49] Building community through shared passions[02:20] Transforming baking into an educational tool[03:41] Launching early versions to test real demand[04:32] Reaching first customers through organic channels[05:24] Applying to accelerators as a product founder[06:00] Differentiating users from true buyers[06:52] Rebranding to serve a clearer customer base[07:48] Testing niche ideas before fully committing[08:56] Stay updated with new episodes[09:07] Turning chance encounters into growth channels[10:17] Building growth through genuine relationships[10:53] Sponsors: Electric Eye, Heatmap & Freight Right[15:31] Designing subscriptions with built-in flexibility[16:44] Expanding marketing beyond paid social[18:19] Understanding customer complexity and fatigue[20:41] Leveraging creative roots to build a brand Resources:Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on YoutubeSTEM Baking Kits for Curious Kids bakitbox.com/Follow Shelley Gupta linkedin.com/in/shelley-guptaSchedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connectClear, real-time data built for ecommerce optimization heatmap.com/honestTurn your domestic business into an international business freightright.com/honest If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!