Skip the Gatekeeper
Google the buyer, message them on LinkedIn, let the product speak.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 3
- Confidence
- 85%
Emma's distribution hack is to bypass brokers and gatekeepers by going directly to retail buyers on LinkedIn. She searches for the buyers at a specific store, messages them cold offering to ship product, and then lets the product itself do the convincing. This is how she landed a massive new account she was excited about. The mindset behind it is that nothing should hold you back: if you want something, you find a way to reach the decision-maker, whether through a connection, a broker, or a bold direct message.
Origin
While most founders hire brokers to reach retail buyers, Emma leveraged years of buyer relationships from her family's business and, when she lacked a connection, simply went on LinkedIn and messaged buyers directly. This direct approach recently won her a major account, reinforcing her belief that hard work and boldness beat waiting for a gatekeeper.
Core principles
- 01You don't always need a broker or connection — go straight to the buyer.
- 02Direct outreach removes the gatekeeper between you and the decision-maker.
- 03Once you're in contact, the product speaks for itself.
How to run it
- 1
Target the account
Pick the specific store or retailer you want to get into.
Watch out Only pursue accounts you can actually fulfill — winning then failing to deliver ends the relationship.
- 2
Find the buyers on LinkedIn
Search LinkedIn for the buyers at that store rather than routing through a broker.
Pro tip If you do have connections or use a broker, that's fine too — the point is to reach the buyer somehow.
- 3
Message directly and let the product close
Send a direct message offering to ship them product, then let the product's quality speak for itself.
Pro tip Lead with an offer to send samples so the product does the selling.
In the wild
Emma recounted going on LinkedIn, googling the buyers at a target store, and messaging them directly, which is exactly how she landed a massive account she was thrilled about.
→ Secured a major retail account with no broker and no prior connection.
Common mistakes
Assuming you need a gatekeeper
Believing you can't reach a buyer without a broker or connection stops founders from making the direct outreach that actually works.
Is it for you?
Best for
Product founders who lack industry connections but have a strong product and the boldness to reach out.
Not ideal for
Founders whose product can't yet be manufactured reliably enough to fulfill a large retail order.
From the transcript
“I went on to LinkedIn, I Googled buyers at this store and I just started messaging, hey, hey, hey, like I would love to ship…”
“then your product will speak for itself.”
From the episode
Emma Hernan: How to Build Real Wealth & Scale a Business Beyond Reality TV
Emma Hernan