Kristen Dunning is a founder who doesn’t just sell soap. She delivers relief, restoration, and radical self-care. As the creator of Gently Soap, Kristen is reimagining how we care for sensitive skin through botanical-rich bar soaps made with intention and backed by science. A long-time eczema warrior and trained agricultural scientist, she didn’t wait for a solution to arrive. She built one, empowering others to increase confidence with a plethora of fragrant choices for sensitive skin.
And now, her healing mission is gaining momentum.
In June, Kristen reached a major milestone. She became the first Fast Pass winner of the day at the Walmart Road to Open Call pitch event, hosted at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs. That win came moments after she met face-to-face with a Walmart buyer for the very first time.
Kristen is no stranger to big stages. She once stood before investors on Shark Tank. But this moment? This moment hit different.
This moment was more than a pitch. It was an opportunity to engage directly with a decision-maker inside the largest retailer in the world. Through RICE’s ongoing partnership with Walmart, Kristen was able to sit down with Susan Thomas, who reviewed the Gently Soap product line, asked key questions, and offered direct insights into how the brand could succeed in a national retail setting.
Kristen reflected on the experience with pride and purpose:
“I met with Susan, she was actually so incredible, it was really nice to have a sit-down conversation with her,” said Kristen. “She not only gave me the golden ticket, but she also gave a lot of active feedback, who I would talk to, where she actually envisioned my product in stores. This was very specific, and a learning experience in so many ways; I’m taking away so much more about what I can do to even better my brand.”
This is the kind of direct access that defines what we do at RICE and what participants can expect in the Retail Readiness Academy™. The program doesn’t guarantee shelf space, but it does deliver real-world preparation, honest feedback, and strategic proximity to the people and platforms that help businesses grow.
This isn’t the end of the journey; trust, it’s just the beginning. Kristen is one of several founders beginning the second cohort of RICE’s Retail Readiness Academy™, which officially kicks off today, July 8. Over the next several months, she will dive deeper into what it takes to compete at scale and sharpen every aspect of her retail strategy, from packaging and pricing to supply chain and shelf appeal. It all leads to Walmart’s national Open Call, scheduled for October 7–8, 2025 in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Gently Soap is more than a personal care brand. It is a business shaped by lived experience, powered by science, and driven by a founder whose excellence reflects the very best of what it means to be RICE Ready.
Watch Kristen’s full reaction and post-pitch reflection on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3PZTuhzJ-Gk
Stay tuned for more stories about our RICE Stakeholders here at The RICE Effect Blog.
