Andrea Faulkner Williams: Taking Tubby Todd to #1 at Target, The “Terrible Idea” That Worked

She waited 10 years to put Tubby Todd on Amazon, ran zero paid ads for the first three, and kept saying no to retail until the business was ready. Andrea Faulkner Williams co-founded Tubby Todd with her husband Brian in 2014. This year, the brand launched on an endcap in over 1,100 Target stores and became the number one baby skincare brand there within weeks.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to take the big opportunity before you’re ready, this conversation makes the case for waiting. Andrea talks about the “terrible idea” that became a category leader. She also explains why community did more for the brand than any ad dashboard, and what really happens once you’re on the shelf.

In this episode, we cover:

• Talking business on their first date, and the reality of running a company with your spouse
• Why Tubby Todd’s first formula went back to the drawing board after their second son was born with eczema-prone skin
• How the brand grew for three years with zero paid ads
• Why they waited a decade to go on Amazon and into retail
• What Tubby Todd had to prove to Target to land an endcap, and how they hit #1 in baby skincare within weeks
• Selling a minority stake to her dad and meeting as a board every single week for five years
• Why IRL playdates with 400+ families matter more than anything you can track in an ad dashboard
• The three things Andrea never skips while running a company and raising four kids

Tune in for a masterclass in patience, profitability and building a brand moms can’t stop talking about.

This episode is brought to you by Flex Etc. Find your space at flexetc.com.

To learn more about Tubby Todd:
 tubbytodd.com
 instagram.com/tubbytodd

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