In this quick conversation, Founder and CEO of Partake Cookies, Denise Woodard, breaks down how to approach trade shows with intention: from building a targeted outreach list ahead of time to defining what success actually looks like for your business. It’s a reminder that showing up strategically—through thoughtful meetings, smart collaborations, and personalized follow-up—can drive far more impact than simply showing up big.
If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re “doing trade shows right” or felt the pressure to keep up with bigger brands, this one’s for you.
About the author
Denise is the Founder and CEO of Partake Foods, a natural food company that was inspired by her daughter’s experience with food allergies. Launched in 2017, Partake’s first product — delicious, better for you, allergy-friendly cookies — can now be found in more than 17,000 retailers including Target, Kroger, and Whole Foods Market. Partake's offerings have since expanded to include graham crackers and vanilla wafers.
Denise is the first Black woman to raise more than $1 Million publicly for a CPG food startup. To date, the company has raised over $25M from investors including HER, Rihanna, CircleUp Growth Partners, FF2032 and Marcy Venture Partners.
Prior to launching Partake, Denise spent a decade in consumer packaged goods at various Fortune 100 companies. She is also the founder of 501c3, Black Futures Fellowship, an annual program that matches active HBCU students with paid internships in the CPG food & beverage industry. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jeremy, and daughter, Vivienne. She graduated with her BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA from Arizona State University.
Post topic(s):
Business advice