145 - Brand Awareness Challenges with Kelly Yabsley, Messy Baby Co.

In this episode of the MaYapinion® podcast, Maya Roffler sits down with Kelly Yabsley, founder of Messy Baby Co., to talk about the reality of bringing a physical product to market and what happens when you've built something that works but people still don't know about it.

Kelly shares the story behind Messy Baby Co., a product born out of motherhood frustration and innovation after experiencing constant baby blowouts with her daughter. What started as cutting up onesies and experimenting with panty liners became a patented product designed to solve a very real parenting problem.

But creating the product was only the beginning.

This episode dives into the challenge many founders face after launch: getting the right people to actually see, understand, and buy what you've created.

This is a true MaYapinion® conversation. Maya doesn't just listen she gives her honest, strategic take on brand awareness, organic marketing, audience connection, and why founders often struggle with sales even when their product clearly solves a problem.

Together, they unpack the difference between marketing activity and marketing effectiveness, how to connect emotionally with your audience, and why community-building is often more powerful than paid ads in the early stages of growth.

This episode is especially valuable for physical product founders, mompreneurs, and early-stage entrepreneurs who feel stuck between having a great product and figuring out how to consistently reach customers.

Building a product is one challenge. Building awareness and trust around that product is another entirely.

What You'll Hear in This Episode

• Kelly's journey from frustrated mom to inventor of Messy Baby Co.

• How a real parenting problem led to product innovation

• The reality of navigating patents, manufacturing, and COVID delays

• Why product-market fit doesn't automatically equal visibility

• Kelly's experience trying trade shows, influencer outreach, and marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart

• Maya's MaYapinion® on why sales feel "icky" for many founders

• Why clearly identifying the problem your product solves changes everything

• The difference between organic marketing effort and effective audience connection

• How Facebook groups can become powerful community-building tools

• Why founders should engage as humans first, not just business owners

• Maya's MaYapinion® on using TikTok Live to build trust and connection

• Why emotional connection drives purchasing decisions

• How micro-influencer partnerships actually work (and what founders get wrong)

• The importance of making buying simple and frictionless

• Why building a brand culture matters as much as building a product

• How c