Ronak Shah

CEO & Co-Founder at Obvi | EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2022 | Featured on Inc. as 1 of 22 High Achievers | Chew on This Podcast Host

As the CEO of Obvi, I lead the company's vision to offer the most obvious choice of transparent products that deliver real results without sacrificing taste. Obvi, which has been featured on Inc. as one of the 22 high achievers of 2022, has grown rapidly since its launch in 2019, thanks to our innovative and customer-centric approach to product development, marketing, and community building.

With over a decade of experience in accounting, finance, and e-commerce, I have developed strong competencies in customer relationship management, analytical skills, communication, and technology. I have successfully completed enterprise-scale projects involving technology conversions, re-branding, custom CRM development, report design, and release management. As an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2022 and a co-host of Chew On This podcast, I am passionate about sharing my insights and expertise on DTC content and strategies with other founders and entrepreneurs. I am also a growth ambassador for Gorgias, a universal tool for CX that I endorse and use for Obvi.

Chief Executive Officer

Obvi was founded with one objective in mind: present the most obvious choice of transparent products which present real results without having to sacrifice taste. At Obvi, we believe the industry as it is currently, is facing a phenomenon which is known as the paradox of choice; that is, the more choices there are, the less satisfied the customer is starting to become. We have set out to make that choice as obvious and easy for our customers. Simple and transparent formulas with a cutting-edge flavor systems make any Obvi product, the obvious choice.

Year 3 pitching to Walmart  … need the best vibes sent our way for Obvi  🙏🏻

LFG Ashvin Albert Raj Ankit

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At Obvi, we run on one simple financial rule: Every dollar must return $3+.

Not $2. Not $2.50. $3 minimum.

We bootstrapped Obvi from $10K to over $40M in revenue. Zero VC funding. That means every dollar we spend is a dollar we earned, and we can't afford to be loose with it.

When you're bootstrapped, you don't get second chances. You can't just raise another round to cover your mistakes.

So the 3X rule became our filter for everything.

New marketing channel? 3X or we don't test it. 
Hiring decision? That person needs to generate 3X their cost. 
Product launch? Software tool? Same filter.

This isn't about being cheap. It's about being disciplined.

When you're this disciplined, you can actually take BIGGER swings than VC-backed brands burning through cash. 

Because the bets that DO work often return 5X or 10X, and you have the cash flow to double down immediately—not six months later after another board meeting.

Most founders see a rule like this as handcuffs. For us, it's rocket fuel.

Last month we were supposed to be in our new Obvi office. This month, one of my employees is working out of their shoe closet and I'm set up in my son's bedroom.

We didn't choose this. But we're figuring it out anyway.

For 6 years, Obvi has been an in-person team. That's how I built this company. That's how I work best. 

I'm fully against working from home—I need the energy, the collaboration, the focus that comes from being together.

Then reality hit. Office delays forced us remote for 2 months while our new space gets ready.

So here we are. One team member literally set up in their shoe closet because that's the only quiet space in their apartment. I'm working out of my son's bedroom with a makeshift desk. Others are on their couches trying to take Zoom calls with decent lighting.

None of us had real home offices. Why would we? We've been in-person for 6 years.

Here's the thing though—when you have to operate in a way that completely contradicts how you believe things should work, you can't just push through with the same approach. You have to fundamentally change how you communicate, how you structure your day, what you're willing to accept as "good enough."

It's uncomfortable as hell. But watching our entire team adapt and just do what needs to be done has been incredible.

We're still hitting our goals. Still staying efficient. Still moving the business forward from bedrooms and closets.

Sometimes the best growth doesn't come from doing things your way. It comes from being forced into a completely different way and realizing your team will rise to meet it anyway.

Two months. Then we're back in person where we belong. But this sh*t has been a masterclass in adaptability.

Margin is brutally hard to find in DTC right now. So when we find the rare lever that generates pure profit with zero effort, we jump on it.

That’s why we just implemented Rokt Pay+ at Obvi. Here's what it is →

Trying to boost revenue usually comes with different tradeoffs:

- Launch new products = R&D + inventory risk + COGS

- Raise prices = risk CVR hit

- Add upsell products = more COGS + shipping costs

- Free shipping threshold = lower margin

You're constantly trading one thing for another.

But something Rokt Pay+ is different. It’s a simple, incentivized add-on to your checkout.

When customers reach your payment page, they see a simple banner offering them something (like cashback or rewards) for using Apple Pay or PayPal.

Brands like Apple Pay and PayPal then reward you when customers choose their payment method.

This is a no-brainer. Your customers were already going to use these methods anyway. Now you just get paid for it when they do.

The banner is minimal, designed to match your checkout flow. Meaning no disruption to the customer experience.

This is a brand new product and things are early, but so far Aftersell by Rokt is reporting an average of $20-25 cents in pure profit added per order. 

We’re happy to test this because we've been running Rokt Thanks for a while now and it adds 5 figures per month directly to our bottom line. Zero operational lift or trade-offs. 

When the same team told us about Rokt Pay+, it was an obvious “yes”. 

The math is simple:

- No impact on conversion (heavily tested)

- No new products to manage

- No supply chain complexity

- Customers see premium brands (Apple, PayPal)

Obviously, this won't 10x your business. But $20-25 cents per order adds up fast for us.

That could cover payment processing fees. Fund a new hire. Give us more budget to fund marketing spend. 

We just turned this on, so we’ll share our numbers once we have enough data.

But if you're looking for margin and not finding it in the obvious places, this is worth a look.

#ROKTpartner

There are at least 5 ways your DTC brand can trigger sales tax obligations that have nothing to do with how much you sell.

Most founders have no idea these exist. And states are actively auditing back to 2018.

Here's what can randomly create a six-figure tax liability:

THE BASICS: Economic nexus = $100,000 in sales OR 200 transactions in most states (California is $500K). At $5M in revenue, you could be obligated in 30+ states.

But that's just the beginning.

The weird/scary stuff…

1. Your inventory creates instant nexus 

Amazon moves your FBA inventory between warehouses without asking. Each state where your products sit = physical nexus. We woke up with obligations in states we'd never directly sold to.

2. Marketplace facilitator laws don't cover everything 

Amazon collects tax on marketplace sales, but you still must register in states where inventory is stored. Your Shopify/DTC sales? Still your responsibility. Multi-channel = tracking it all yourself.

3. Affiliate programs trigger nexus 

Pay commissions to influencers or affiliates? Pennsylvania: $0 threshold. One sale = nexus. Illinois: $10K. Georgia: $50K. Most founders have no idea this exists.

4. Trailing nexus = you can't just leave 

California requires continued collection for the rest of that year PLUS the entire following year after you fall below thresholds. Colorado, Washington, Arizona have similar rules. The obligation follows you.

5. States audit back to 2018 

The Supreme Court Wayfair decision changed everything in June 2018. If you had nexus but never registered, there's no statute of limitations. Back taxes + penalties + compounding monthly interest.

THE SCALE: 

-13,000+ tax jurisdictions in the US
-100,000+ changes to tax rules annually 
-Different filing frequencies and thresholds by state 
-Manual tracking = 9-10 hours/month (and you'll still miss things)

Consequences for screwing this up are huge. Besides a sudden tax bill, penalties are 10-30% of unpaid taxes. Interest compounds monthly. States can legally shut down your website until you're compliant. For brands on thin margins, this is a potential death blow.

Good News…

When we started, there weren't great solutions. But now you don't have to be a sales tax expert.

Platforms like Kintsugi handle this: real-time nexus monitoring across all states, automatic registration, automated filing, AI support. Free tier for monitoring and alerts.

For multi-channel brands, it's the difference between 9+ hours monthly on compliance vs. having it completely off your plate. 

Bottom line: Sales tax gets exponentially more complex as you scale. The obscure triggers and state variations are designed to trip you up. But you can get ahead of it before audit letters arrive.

If you don’t have sales tax compliance handled yet, check out Kintsugi: https://lnkd.in/eAY8C8_k 

#Kintsugipartner

Most CTV campaigns fail before they even start.

Not because of bad creative or weak targeting, but because most of the “views” you’re paying for aren’t human.

In 2024, bot fraud accounted for 65% of all fraud in CTV environments. That means bots, spoofed Roku devices, and fake streaming apps are inflating your reach while your real customers never see the ad.

It explains why so many CTV tests look great in a dashboard; cheap CPMs, strong completion rates, but drive almost no conversions.

To help brands clean up the chaos, Vibe.co put together a 2026 CTV Performance Playbook.
It’s a deep dive into the state of CTV right now: what’s broken, what’s working, and where the real opportunity sits.

Here's what you'll learn:

-CTV is booming—but flooded with fraud, recycled inventory, and unverifiable impressions.

-Vibe.co’s curated supply enables more accurate targeting and cleaner feedback loops.

-AI accelerates production and reduces cost—allowing rapid testing of message, pacing, and offers.

-Verified lift studies from WorkMagic and Northbeam show exclusive results.

The full playbook covers how brands are achieving 55% lower CAC on CTV versus paid social, how to verify real viewers, and which metrics actually predict customers, not just “views.”

If you want to understand how to make CTV actually perform in 2026, click the link in comments to access the full guide.

#Vibepartner

Bay Cities

Sales Executive - Bentonville Division

Develop schedules for project completion that effectively allocates the resources to the programs.

Manage and communicate changes to the project scope, schedule, and costs using appropriate verification techniques internally(graphic/structural design, management, pre-production and customer service) and externally (clients, retailers, vendors).

Review and turnover programs with sales executive, CSR and operations and all other staff that will be affected by the project activities.

Assess problem situations to identify causes, gather and process relevant information, generate possible solutions, and make recommendations and/or resolve the problem.

Set priorities, develop a work schedules, monitor progress towards goals, and tracks details/data / information/activities.

Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency and risks to makes clear decisions which are timely and in the best interests of the organization.

Support sales growth and revenue with new and innovative display programs that aline with existing and potential clients retail marketing/sales goals.

Proactively and thoroughly researches matters relating to account assignments, contracts, opportunities/quotes, booking transactions, and/or accounts receivables.

Focus on driving process improvement initiatives across the sales organization that will enhance sales force productivity and efficiency

Project Manager - Employee Owner

Developed thorough understanding of Bay Cities capabilities, products and services. This included training in the following departments: design, pre-production, production, customer service, accounting and sales.

Support driving sales growth and revenue with new and existing customers through generation of leads and opportunities.

Identify prospective clients online and in CRM to target appropriate contact people and captures relevant information. Collected, tracked and summarized performance and customer data.

Build and maintain relationships with sales force to understand and serve their needs as a first-line of support on all leads, systems, and applications.

Proactively and thoroughly researched matters relating to account assignments, contracts, opportunities/quotes, booking transactions, and/or accounts receivables.

Support keeping selling tools up-to-date, accurate and detailed. These tools included but are not limited to forecasting, customer/account plans, opportunity plans, and CRM.

Drive planning efforts for customer visits, sales training events and Sales Meetings; Assisted the sales team with developing sales forecasts; Assists with customer meetings and sales calls.

Sales Associate - Employee Owner

BJ's Restaurants, Inc.

Server

Western Dental Services

Developed strong marketing relationships with various business entities and vendors to establish local area marketing programs and launch new marketing and sales leads. 

Provided regional marketing support to over 90 California, Arizona, and Texas offices in the areas of literature, direct communication, and local advertisements to promote overall brand image.

Participated in the launch of marketing campaigns and managed online and offline research projects.

Traveled to regional offices to implement marketing strategies and branding efforts. 

Managed event planning and staffing for over 50 small and large events.

Maintained sports partnership with USC Fox Sports, which included event staffing, booth activation, purchase and maintain promotional materials, and managed advertising creative.

Worked directly with upper level management to successfully implement marketing and operational campaigns and programs that enhance both patient and employee experience.

Marketing Specialist

Yard House Restaurants

Locations:
•	Newport Beach, CA - Store Opening Team
•	Brea, CA - Training Location

Skills strengthened:
•	Teamwork 
•	Strong work ethic
•	Staying high energy
•	Customer service & relationship building
•	Finding efficiencies in process steps
•	Sales in fast paced & high intensity work environment

Pottery Barn

Worked in multiple roles including in sales in the design center, stockroom, and visual merchandising.

Design Studio Specialist/Stock Associate/Visual Merchandising

Chip and Pepper

Helped open the company's flagship location at Fashion Island Mall in Newport Beach, Calif. The 900-square-foot store features the company’s entire collection of premium denim and sportswear along with the C&P University line of tees, knits, and twills from the Los Angeles–based twin brothers Chip and Pepper Foster, who are also the company’s principal design team.

Retail Sales Associate

Server Trainer

Hollister Co.

Management impact/stock associate team of over 50 employees by delegating daily tasks and floor set projects, while maintaining company standards and initiatives.

Managed visual and display merchandising standards.

Managed cross-functional teams to successfully implement seasonal and monthly store refresh events which included visual merchandising, lighting, display marketing and inventory control.

Trained team associates at offsite locations to improve functionality and efficiency in merchandise management.

Implemented brand and marketing strategies to achieve higher sales.

Worked with management team to reduce store shrink from  25+% to less than 3%.

Stock Manager

Impact Manager

Brand Representative

Walmart🛒Sam's Club |📦Merchandising Displays & Packaging📦|❤️Sales & Marketing |🌄Outdoor Enthusiast & Endurance Everything🏃| Employee Owner❤️EBITA | #TheRetailDude

With over a decade of experience in retail merchandising and execution, I help CPG brands make an impact at Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco, and beyond. From endcaps to pallet programs, I work closely with brand CEOs, Founders, and Marketing/Sales executives to execute in-store merchandising strategies that drive velocity, impulse purchases, and brand awareness.

I’m passionate about sharing insights on how brands can maximize their retail presence—whether through strategic packaging, off-shelf displays, or shopper marketing activations. My approach is rooted in innovation, data-driven decision-making, and a relentless pursuit of "What if?" thinking to bring ideas to life.

👟 Outside of retail, I’m an ultra-runner, constantly pushing limits and testing endurance—just like in business. Success in both comes down to strategy, consistency, and execution.

Let’s connect and talk about winning at retail.

𝙏𝙤𝙥 𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙨: 
Walmart, Sam's Club, Costco, Kroger, Walgreens, Home Depot, Lowes, and more

𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙨 𝙀𝙭𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙮𝙥𝙚𝙨:
Direct Import(DI), Multi-Vendor, Pass-Through, DSDC, Single Supplier, Feature Trains, Signage Kits, Collect/Prepaid, Cross-Dock, Materials Only

𝘾𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚:
Toys, Electronics, Stationery/Craft, Apparel, OTC, H&W, Grocery, Consumables, Lawn & Garden, Entertainment, Beauty, Baby, Craft, Seasonal (Annual Event, BTS, Holiday, Easter)

𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙨:
★ Custom Point of Sale Displays: Pallets, Floorstands/FSDU's, Trays, Endcaps, Trendpods, In-store Signage
★ Protective Industrial Packaging: Retail Ready, Subscription Boxes, Trays, RSC Boxes Influencer Kits
★ Specialty Items: Set-up Boxes, Slide Boxes, Trade Show Booths
★ Retail Product Packaging: Baypack, Folding Carton, Gift Sets
★ Augmented Reality/AssemblAR
★ Digital Printing: Variable Data, Customized, Personalized

𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨:
★ Concept Design
★ Material Manufacturing
★ Retail Planning & Strategy
★ Project Management
★ Supply Chain Logistics
★ Packout & Fulfillment

Contact me at joshual@bay-cities.com

Joshua Linden

The 5 Things Brands Miss When Prepping Off-Shelf Merchandising Displays (Walmart, Target, Lowe's Companies, Inc.’s, Costco Wholesale…)

After years of working across shopper marketing, display execution, and retail programs, I keep seeing a handful of preventable mistakes pop up again and again. The kind that cost brands velocity, margin, and even their feature space.

Here are five big ones I see and how teams can get ahead of them:

1. Messaging That Stops at the Shopper

Your artwork and messaging can’t only speak to the customer.
It also needs to speak to the store associates who receive, build, and place the display.

Clear callouts like “Set by: ___”, “Place in: Seasonal / Action Alley / Beverage Aisle”, or simple build icons go a long way. If associates can’t quickly understand what it is and where it goes, your display risks ending up in the wrong spot… or not making the floor at all.

2. Timelines That Don’t Match Retail Reality

Retail calendars are non-negotiable.
 
Seasonal resets, feature windows, and promo cycles move fast, and many brands underestimate how early they need:

Final artwork
Approved dielines
Forecasted quantities
Confirmed ship windows
Carrier appointments

If you’re late, you’re not just missing a date, you’re missing the entire opportunity.

3. Skipping ISTA Testing or Doing It Too Late

ISTA testing is one of the most overlooked steps… until product shows up crushed, leaning, or compromised. At that point, it’s too late.

Make sure your display + product configuration is tested in advance before you scale up production. Even small changes in product weight, corrugate, or glue patterns can make or break stability through a real supply chain.

4. No Physical or Digital Mock-Ups

Mock-ups aren’t a “nice to have”, they’re essential. Teams often skip building a prototype because they’re rushing to hit a date. But mock-ups stress test everything:

Does the product actually fit the way you imagined?
Does the shopper shop it intuitively?
Do associates know how to build it?
Does it survive a warehouse floor?

Catching issues early saves money and headaches later.

5. Assuming the Store Will “Figure It Out”

This might be the most common one.

Brands often assume their display will magically land in the perfect spot, perfectly built, right on time. But store teams are overwhelmed, understaffed, and juggling dozens of priorities.

If your display doesn’t arrive with crystal-clear instructions, correct labeling, easy freight routing, and the right timing… the odds of a flawless execution drop fast.

At the end of the day, off-shelf space is the best billboard you can buy in retail. Make sure it counts.

If your team is needing to strategize, plan, or execute shopper marketing displays, I’m always happy to connect and see how we can support your retail efforts and share what we’re seeing across the industry.

#ShopperMarketing #Retail #CPG #TheRetailDude #Walmart #Target #Costco #Displays #Merchandising Bay Cities

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The Battle

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