From Farmer’s Markets to 12,000+ Retail Locations in a Decade, With Ashley Thompson, Founder of MUSH

If you're a woman business owner over 40, join the Dear FoundHer... Forum to find support, advice, resources and mentorship—JUST FOR YOU. It’s all inside, without the gatekeeping and without the overwhelm.Ashley Thompson transformed cold oatmeal into a powerhouse brand sold in over 12,000 retail locations, scaling MUSH from a farmers market stall to a national favorite with the help of a pivotal Shark Tank deal. Joining Lindsay Pinchuk in this episode, the MUSH founder shares how she left a fast-track finance career at Goldman Sachs at 24 to build a mission-driven business from the ground up, without a business plan, outside funding, or prior food experience.Ashley recounts the early hustle of handmaking oats in her kitchen, demoing at local shops, and delivering products herself, all while using direct customer feedback to refine the brand. She explains how MUSH landed on Whole Foods shelves, survived a Shark Tank-fueled surge that nearly shut down the business, and ultimately scaled through smart automation and a disciplined, capital-efficient approach.This episode shows what shaped Ashley’s choices as MUSH grew, from holding off on new products for years to building a team that could support large-scale growth across Target, Costco, and Kroger. She explains what helped her stay focused, how she made decisions with limited resources, and what she’s still learning about leading a brand at scale. If you’re building something from the ground up, there’s a lot here to sit with… and you won’t want to miss it!Episode Breakdown:00:00 From Farmers Markets to 12,000 Retail Locations04:20 Quitting Goldman Sachs to Build MUSH from Scratch14:45 Getting into Whole Foods and Landing a 10-Store Trial19:25 Shark Tank Deal with Mark Cuban and Sudden Growth24:35 Surviving the Post-Shark Tank Chaos29:25 Why MUSH Focused on Retail Over DTC34:05 Launching Protein Bars and Expanding the Product Line39:00 Marketing Strategy Behind a National Health BrandConnect with Ashley Thompson:https://www.instagram.com/mushWe’re re-launching our newsletter this summer! Sign up here to have it sent straight to your inbox.Join our online networking community: Dear FoundHer Forum: https://www.dearfoundher.com/dear-foundher-forumFollow Dear FoundHer on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/dearfoundherPodcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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