Podcasts about national stationery show

Today on the podcast, I have the pleasure of talking about sales reps with Kelly Bristol from Just Got 2 Have It. I can't believe it's taken me this long to have Kelly on the show because we have known each other for a very long time, and she has a wide range of knowledge that I'm excited for you to hear.  She is the Vice President of Business Development at Just Got 2 Have It, a B2B sales rep agency with 5 divisions serving 36 states. Kelly is an accomplished senior leader with nearly 25 years of experience in the gift and home industry. She has experience working at the National Stationery Show, Dallas Market Center, Brandwise, and Market Time, as well as Purchasing Power Plus, a hospital gift-buying group.  She's a board member for Gift for Life, the gift and home industry's longest-running volunteer-led national charitable organization. She is a founding partner of the new industry movement called Reps Are Local Too.  During this episode, we talk about the ever-evolving retail landscape, the importance of strategic planning, shifts in buying patterns, and the continued need for community over competition within the industry. We also discuss emerging trends and challenges posed by platforms like Faire, as well as the importance of sales reps' local market knowledge and how that can benefit brands. Also, we talk about how brands can successfully navigate the competitive space and utilize sales reps for more sales. Today's episode is sponsored by our Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview series. To make a strong first impression with wholesale buyers, we need to do a few things really well: We need to make it easy for stores to purchase from us We need to have clear pricing and terms & conditions We need to clearly communicate and add value at each touchpoint We need to focus on building strong relationships with our customers. And all of this becomes infinitely easier when we actively listen to our customers. This on-demand interview series will give you a competitive edge by providing an exclusive window into what buyers want and need from you. And, the best part, it's only $27 bucks.  Get Access to the Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview Series You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/370  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp

This week's episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or websitewww.salesproducersinc.com Kelly Bristol is Vice President of Business Development at Just Got 2 Have It, a B2B Sales Representative Agency with 5 divisions serving 36 states. She is an accomplished senior leader in the gift and home industry with nearly 25 years of experience in the sector. Prior experience includes almost 20 years working on the National Stationery Show as well as subsequent positions at the Dallas Market Center, Brandwise/MarketTime, and Purchasing Power Plus, a hospital gift shop buying group.Kelly is a board member of Gift for Life, the gift and home industry's longest-running, volunteer-led national charitable organization, and is a Founding Partner of the new industry movement, Reps are Local Too!In this conversation, Kelly shares all the details on the Reps are Local Too movement and how it's bringing rep agencies together from across the country. Kelly and Michelle dive into the benefits of working with your local rep as a retailer and some of the challenges of buying outside of that process. Kelly also shares her experience at trade shows and how she sees the wholesale industry changing in the future.What's Inside:Kelly's work with the Reps are Local Too movementThe benefits of working with your local rep as a retailerHow agencies are streamlining the trade show experienceMentioned In This Episode:Reps Are Local TooReps Are Local Too on InstagramReps Are Local Too on Facebook

Karen Carey is an accomplished interior designer, award winning photographer, and published author. She is the owner of Karen Carey Design Studio in Montgomery County PA. Prior to opening the design firm, Karen owned a portrait photography business for 20+ years. She's won several prestigious national photography awards, has been published in numerous magazines, created and launched a greeting card line at the National Stationery Show in NYC and has appeared on the hit TV show Flea Market Flip. Her expertise in business opened up opportunities for Karen to share her wisdom in the form of writing, teaching and speaking on her three favorite topics; leadership, vision and purpose. Karen has two grown children ages 22 and 28 and has been married to her highschool sweetheart for 30 years. She was a Division1 Basketball scholarship recipient at Drexel University ('87-'90) and more recently (2018) held the state/regional RPS Powerlifting record at age 49.

It's no secret that wholesale buying patterns and in-person trade shows have shifted substantially over the last few years. Where buyers were once placing fewer, but larger orders a couple of times a year - oftentimes at trade shows - they are now placing more frequent, smaller orders throughout the year both online and at in-person markets. As someone who talks to both wholesale brands and buyers every single day, I have a unique viewpoint that lets me see some of these industry shifts at scale. I believe that it is really important for all of the wholesale brands in our community to hear from different buyers so that you can make informed decisions for your business, which leads me to share today's guest for the podcast. Today's guest is shop owner Audrey Woollen of Urbanic. She is the founder and creative director of Urbanic a nationally and internationally recognized stationery and gift brand and independent boutique in Los Angeles.  With 17 years of establishment, Urbanic has developed collaborative signature lines with some of the nation's top designers as well as the development of an Urbanic brand. Audrey has been a board advisor at the National Stationery Show, a judge for the Louie Awards, a trends curator for Top Drawer London and is on the editorial board of Stationery Trends Magazine, as well as consulting for the pitch programs for the Noted Trade show and Paper Fest London. Audrey is considered an industry leader within the stationery and design community. In this episode, Audrey shares her thoughts on in-person trade shows, the rise of Faire as a digital marketplace, and its effects on how she does business as a brick-and-mortar retail shop. She shares her appreciation for email marketing efforts of wholesale brands and also advice she would give her past self now that she's been in business for 17 years. This episode is brought to you by our Email Marketing For Product Makers guide. 49% of our customers want to hear from us on a consistent basis, yet, only a small percentage of product-based business owners are actively sending monthly emails to their customers.   If you've struggled with what to say, when to send, or how to plan out your email marketing strategies, we've got just the tool for you. This tool and the optional training have helped hundreds of product makers plan out an entire year's worth of emails.  And, the best part… they are creating templates that they can rinse & repeat year after year.   DOWNLOAD NOW You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/321  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp

Kelli May-Krenz joins Dionne Woods on the Paint Talks Podcast today. Ever since she was a little girl, she's loved to create, draw, paint and stitch, and knew she would be a graphic designer. Since graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in Fine Art and Graphic Design, Kelli has lived and worked in Dallas, Minneapolis, and Siesta Key, Florida, with clients from all over the world. She now lives in Galena, Illinois with her husband and muse - their Jack Russell Terrier named Pearl Button. For Kelli, creating is like breathing - she simply does it. Her mission is to continue making art that reflects her core belief - that all great things are possible. Kelli May-Krenz is an award-winning graphic designer and illustrator with more than 30 years of experience. Her ability to capture, express, and visually communicate the needs and visions of her clients has produced designs and promotional materials for everything from independent boutiques to Fortune 500 companies. Her stationery line, Pearl Button's World, debuted at the National Stationery Show - where two of her designs were selected as finalists for Best in Show. She has worked with some amazing clients including the American Heart Association, Bauer Publishing, Carnival Cruise Line, Dress Barn, Estee Lauder, General Mills Corp., JCPenney, Liz Claiborne, L'Oréal, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Papyrus, Relevant Products, Target, The Children's Place, Wall Street Journal and more! Upcoming Events: Kelli is a MadeTV contributor Just launched my 19th online class - The Art of Collage Designing a Retreat here in Galena Website kellimaykrenz.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kelli.maykrenz/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kellimaykrenz/

Lauren Miele is Founder and CEO of KushKards, the first cannabis greeting card where “one can strike a match and light what is attached.” Standard greeting cards lacked the form and function, so Miele created a niche market of innovative cannabis gifting for young professionals like herself looking for “the perfect gift with a lift.” Miele quickly grew KushKards into a national brand — KushKards's just won Best New Product in the Lifestyle Category at The National Stationery Show in 2022, and to date is sold in over 4,000 retail locations including Spencer Gifts, Hustler Hollywood, Museum of Sex and Planet 13 — a cannabis gifting staple of dispensaries, smoke shops, adult stores, stationery + gift shops, record stores, mall kiosks, and more. ====================== About Cannabinoid Connect Cannabis podcast about news, policies, tech trends, social justice, investing, cultivation, and the plant's environmental, economic and medicinal benefits.

There are many ways to communicate our love and appreciation to others. One of which is through sending them greeting cards. We strive to achieve deeper connections despite the world becoming increasingly digital. Greeting cards can reach spaces we can't physically go to while giving an extra human and personal touch. In this episode, we talk to Kate Smith, the owner of the Kate Smith Company. She shares how she broke into the greeting cards industry, which led to her running a business with her husband. Kate is on a mission to make other people happy. She also recalls how they managed their business while constantly traveling around in their RV.  Listen to the episode if you want to know how to combine your creative pursuits into an RV lifestyle. 3 Reasons to ListenLearn how Kate got into greeting cards and started the Kate Smith Company Discover why and how Kate transitioned into the RV lifestyle Reflect on the importance of bringing joy to others in any way we can Resourceshttps://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-Escape-Live-Anywhere/dp/0307465357 (The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich) by Tim Ferris Join Kate's https://www.katesmithcompany.com/making-humans-smile-signup#:~:text=A%20very%20non%2Dexclusive%20club,little%20things%20can%20change%20everything. (Making Humans Smile Club) 1960 Film https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054195/ (Pollyanna) Use the https://www.katesmithcompany.com/blog-content/the-magical-puffy-face (magical puffy face) to make others smile About KateKate Smith finds the good, the funny, and the happy in everything. With this mission, she and her husband Ryan run the Kate Smith Company, an art licensing business focusing on greeting cards. Kate wants to help people see the simple joys all around them through the art she makes on some greeting cards, stationery, and gift products.  If you'd like to reach out to Kate, check out the Kate Smith Company https://www.katesmithcompany.com/about (website) and https://www.instagram.com/katesmithcompany/ (Instagram). Episode Highlights[06:18] How Kate Got into Greeting CardsKate used to work in advertising and treated her boss's encouragement as permission to pursue her business idea.   She started writing greeting cards on folded pieces of paper and persevered even if things didn't look good initially. Kate launched a collection of 50 cards at the National Stationery Show in New York. Target and Recycled Paper Greens discovered her work. A year later, Target featured her collection. Kate was very artistic as a kid and joined coloring contests when she was young. She came from an artist family, and her mom supported her. [11:47] The Greeting Cards IndustryThere's a decline in the industry, but millennials are bringing it back by sending cards. Kate observed how COVID was an incredible moment for greeting cards because cards could reach places humans could not.  There's always relevance for communication and words. As long as language remains vital in the world, greeting cards will still have a place in it. There are more human ways to communicate that you don't get through digital. Digital enables us to stay in touch with family and loved ones, but it leaves you wanting. [12:36] “COVID actually was a wonderful moment for greeting cards. Greeting cards could get into hospitals, greeting cards could get into nursing homes, greeting cards could get into places that humans could not get into.” - https://ctt.ec/q4pUa (Click Here To Tweet This)[19:53] Kate's Work Flow in the RVKate prefers to stay a little longer in the places they visit, enabling her to get a better vibe of the community.  She thinks it's a bit tough because the RV functions as many rooms depending on the occasion, and it's hard to separate them.  Kate found many benefits from memberships in co-working spaces or going to coffee shops and RV clubhouses. They help her focus and separate where she works from...

Every last young women stationery maker you see today is building her brand upon the shoulders of the women who forged their paths before them — and the younger generation may not even know it. Bonnie Marcus has been a prominent figure in the stationery and gift industry for 20 years, counting celebrities like Cindy Crawford and Kathryn Heigl among her custom clientele and snagging the prestigious American Express “Make Mine a $Million Business” contest for women entrepreneurs. Yet it only appeared easy from the outside; as Bonnie was building the Bonnie Marcus Collection of invitations, stationery, partyware and gifts, she was also raising three sons. For years at National Stationery Show, she would duck away from her booth while writing wholesale orders for baby shower invitations and announcements to nurse in the restroom next door. Such is the Mom-friendly spirit of our paper community that the booth space itself was implemented onto the show floor by management just to accommodate this new Mom's needs! Today, two of those sons are college age, and Bonnie has shifted much of her wholesale business to the licensing model, but she still brings her unmistakable sense of style — to say nothing of hard-won wisdom and a surprise or two — to The Paper Fold. 

Sometimes, to tap into our own creativty, it helps to hear from someone who is already doing so. In this episode, Emma interviews Fine Artist Tamara Brown about how she got started in her field of art, and practical advice she has for women who want to become more creative but don't know where to begin.Topics Emma and Tamara cover:1. The process of creativity 2. Definingcreativity from a Biblical perspective?3. Lessons God has taught Tamara through art4. How to stay creative Tamara Brown is a Fine Artist based out of Spartanburg, South Carolina. After exhibiting at the National Stationery Show in NYC in 2011, she began a licensed partnership as a card artist working with Recycled Paper Greetings (a division of American Greetings) along with other manufacturers. Tamara describes her style as feminine, eclectic, relaxed yet elegant. Tamara first founded Tamagrams Card Co. in 2008 and by 2011 won the award for Best New Product at the New York City National Stationery Show. Her Licensed Giftbag Artwork through CSS Industries had been available in T.J. Maxx stores nationwide, and Tamara's cards have been available in Costco USA + Canada stores. Tamara's art has been displayed on HGTV's Bargain Mansions Season 3, Greenville Fashion Week, ColaEclectic Show in Columbia, and more. As an artist, Tamara finds inspiration in the daily moments and experiences; coffee with a dear friend, walking through a field of wildflowers, bicycle rides, a walk along the ocean shore, travel, meaningful conversations/reflection, and the most treasured of all… time spent with her husband and their two daughters.You can connect with Tamara and see her amazing art on Instagram: @tamarabrownart and her website: https://www.tamarabrownart.comFollow Emma: https://emmadanzey.wordpress.com/

Katie Hunt is the founder of Proof to Product (formerly known as Tradeshow Bootcamp), a business strategist, and mentor to product-based entrepreneurs. She's worked with thousands of entrepreneurs through her in-person conferences, online courses, and group coaching she offers.Katie is also the host of the popular podcast, Proof to Product, where she takes listeners behind the scenes of growing a product-based business. Guests share their successes, struggles and how they've made difficult but important transitions in their business to continue growing.Katie has taught classes for CreativeLive, The National Stationery Show, The Savvy Experience, Be Sage, Seanwes Conference and Unique Camp. She's been featured on New York Times, Forbes, BuzzFeed, Brit & Co, ABC Chicago and VoyageLA and also interviewed on a variety of popular podcasts.Katie has a passion for creating, a mind for business and a strong desire to help others succeed. When she's not cheering on her clients or dreaming up new workshops, you can find her spending time with her husband and four young children, hosting friends for dinner, or surfing Instagram.On the latest episode of Everything Is Teachable, you'll get an inside look into Katie's background as a product expert and listen to her expertise on community building, staying organized as a business owner, collaborating with others, and more.Stay in touch with Katie here:Podcast: https://www.prooftoproduct.com/podcastLabs: https://www.prooftoproduct.com/labsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/prooftoproduct/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prooftoproduct/Teachable school: https://tsbc.teachable.com/ For all things creator news, important tips, and more, sign up for Teachable's newsletter here: https://teachable.com/newsletter-signupFollow Teachable on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachableTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/teachableGet started on Teachable for free at: https://www.teachable.com

Watching makers successfully navigate their small brands first through a pandemic, and then civil unrest, has been unexpectedly heartening. While huge names in retail are closing their doors forever, small brands are emerging, if not unscathed, then at least relatively intact. And few have been more inspiring to me to witness in real time than Shayna Norwood of Steel Petal Press.Those entering its Logan Square doors in Chicago don't realize, but Steel Petal Press was born in 2008 as a side project for Shayna, who started letterpressing greeting cards for friends. That grew into wholesale business, and that became the retail space in 2016. When I last saw Shayna at NY NOW and National Stationery Show in early February, all was well in her world: She had a booth of her wholesale range that seemed busy every time I walked by, and also I saw her walking the show shopping for her shop as well.When coronavirus hit, Shayna kept her doors open as long as she could, then once she had to close to the public, she was still shipping orders or delivering them curbside. Shayna finally reopened June 4 — just in time for some of the biggest civil unrest this country, including Chicago, has seen in decades.If that's not enough to grapple with, Shayna recently started sharing her struggles with anxiety with her community, mostly on her Instagram feed, in a very open, brave way. At the winter markets she released a series of mental health tracker notepads — great timing, I've got to say — but I am really curious as to how she is doing personally with all this as well.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Earlier this week, NY NOW announced plans to create a single stationery destination within its famed market. This reimagined stationery collection will be part of a re-branded Gift + Stationery section and, as a result, the National Stationery Show brand will be retired. So as that news sinks in, and as we all prepare for an August with no NY NOW, I have the distinct pleasure of hosting a longtime exhibitor, Joni Lewis, the super-creative mind behind Visual Treats Design Studio.Joni not only produces an impressive (and hysterical) array of handmade goods, she is also a fantastic storyteller, having won the Washington DC StorySLAM and then competing against nine other winners in a Moth GrandSLAM on the stage of the Lincoln Theatre. I am so grateful she dropped by share how the show elevated her business from craft show circuit to wholesale operation, how getting acquainted with her booth neighbor led to Joni creating product for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — and how the show is not over until the last rug is rolled up!**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

National Stationery Show (NSS) first opened its doors in 1945, and although we didn't know at the time, its February 2020 edition was its final run. On July 27, Emerald announced that the National Stationery Show brand was being retired, and my social media feeds were almost instantaneously filled with fond reminiscences and, let's be honest, no small amount of angst. Undoubtedly, we are all dealing with cancellations and disappointments on several levels, but this one really hurt.

Every once in a while, a card maker comes along who strikes a cultural chord at exactly the moment it needs to be struck. If I'm lucky enough to spot the range early on, sitting back and watching the world fall in love with it is truly a wonder to behold. I saw this when Emily McDowell and her magnificent empathy cards came on the scene several years back. And now, although 2020 has completely sucked, it's not a complete wash for me as I've stumbled across Janine Kwoh of Kwohtations.Janine's Welcome to the Grief Club is to the sympathy category what Emily McDowell & Friends is to the thinking of you category. The Brooklyn letterpresser "makes cards as she needs them," and her range has strong themes of inclusion, representation and honesty running through it. Janine's creations help get difficult but necessary conversations started, and in the age of COVID-19, they are more relevant and prescient than ever. Who would have guessed that a card, a sticker, an art print or a care package could help us authentically connect, comfort and validate each other when we are needing it most — but that's the emotion behind every last Kwohtations sale.Janine made her trade show debut this past February in the Emerging Designer section at National Stationery Show/NY NOW, and I could barely introduce myself to her through the ever-present crowd. Now Janine is compiling the world's first illustrated book on grief for adults, with a working title of Welcome to the Grief Club, to be released by Workman Publishing in Fall 2021. Janine sits down with me to share more about her background, her work and how stationery can help us feel a bit more seen, a bit more connected, and a bit less alone.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

While actually having a contract is basic Business Ownership 101, actually sticking to your contract and enforcing its policies is another story. In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting with a stationery designer about sticking to your contract, why it's important to do so, and how your contract and boundaries go hand in hand. About our guest: A graduate of Marymount University, Claudia received her specialization in brand identity at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan, then received her Masters in Industrial Design from the prestigious Domus Academy, also in Milan. Prior to launching Fig. 2, Claudia worked as a designer for design firms in the Washington, DC area, designing and interacting with various types of clients. Since launching Fig. 2, Claudia has won several awards for her graphic design work. In 2011, Fig. 2 officially launched at the National Stationery Show where Claudia created and sold a wholesale line of paper goods and wedding invitations sold in top tier stationery shops across the country and worldwide. Having now closed the wholesale and retail portions of the business, Claudia's main focus is on creating custom wedding invitations and brand strategy and design.  In this episode, listeners will hear about: Claudia's background and how she got started in the wedding industry and her progression from wholesale accounts to custom work A few work boundaries that Claudia specifies in her contract Having clients initial key portions of a contract Phrases about respecting your time that you might consider adding to a contract Project delays and how you may be able to incorporate that language into a contract How to deal with contract violations Want to connect with Claudia? Instagram: @fig2design Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fig.2Design

Today on Proof to Product we're welcoming Paper Camp Alum, and founder of Chez Gagne, Alex Gagne! Alex attended our Paper Camp Conference back in February of 2015 before debuting her wholesale line at the National Stationery Show. Since then, Alex has gone on to expand her product offering, add new team members, and achieve her vision for the Chez Gagne brand. Chez Gagne is a paper and gift brand that offers greeting cards, wine and spirit tags, mugs, wine glasses, candles, and rocks glasses. Alex currently sells to 1,500 stores throughout the world, works with sales reps nationally, and exhibited at six trade shows this winter alone. With more than 93% of Alex's annual revenue coming from wholesale, much of her time is spent planning, prepping and traveling across the country for trade shows. On today's episode, Alex is sharing with us how she does it all. We talk about how greeting cards became more than just her creative outlet and how Alex made the jump from paper goods to other products. We also how Alex decides which new product categories to pursue, challenges she faced in her business journey and key factors to Chez Gagne's exponential growth.   ON TODAY'S EPISODE: Why Alex switched from software to stationery How she decides to move forward with a product line Her theory on making things nice or funny Incorporating optics and organization into merchandising Alex's process for research, development, manufacturing and pricing Why everything Alex produces is something she uses The importance of managing your margins Challenges of storing hard goods vs stationery Tactics for mitigating risk and designing sustainable products How Alex grew to 1,500 active accounts in 4 years Future plans and products Alex has in the works FOR FULL SHOW NOTES, RESOURCES AND A TRANSCRIPT, HEAD TO https://www.prooftoproduct.com/podcast-episodes/product-diversification-and-scaling-wholesale-with-alex-gagne-of-chez-gagne SLOW STEADY GROWTH ARE HOW STRONG BUSINESSES ARE BUILT Building a business is a long game, won with patience, fortitude, intentional decisions and passion.​ Inside Proof to Product LABS, you'll receive the support, education and accountability to move your business towards your goals.   ​Join Proof to Product Labs, our 12-month group coaching program built specifically for product based business owners: https://www.prooftoproduct.com/labs FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/prooftoproduct/ JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   Be sure SUBSCRIBE, REVIEW and SHARE Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know!

Overwhelmed by the stress of running a business on Etsy while raising a new baby, Emily Ley sat down to create a planner that would make her life easier. What started as a binder, paper and Sharpie evolved into Simplified, a multi-million dollar brand of planners and home organizational tools for busy women, which also includes product lines in Office Depot, Staples, Walmart and Target. Along with running her company, Emily is the author of four books, including Growing Boldly, her latest release that shares five key practices for building a life you love. Emily has been featured in Forbes, Family Circle, Better Homes and Gardens, Glamour and Good Housekeeping. She’s been honored with awards including Entrepreneur of the Year, Female Owned Business of the Year and Small Business of the Year from Studer Community Institute, and her products have won Best New Product at the National Stationery Show.  In This Episode: Emily shares her inspiring story of growing her business from a side hustle into a multi-million dollar brand. She also unpacks the five practices she’s used to build a life she loves and explains how leaning into different areas of your life at different times can help you maintain balance. Episode Highlights: Emily’s story of starting her side hustle on Etsy while working full time (1:44) Growing without burning out (15:00) BUILD the life you love (18:30) Finding balance as a busy entrepreneur (24:50) How to imagine your dream life (32:55) Practical advice for working moms (36:23) Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored in part by Piccolo Marketing, providing outsourced marketing professionals for business owners.  Piccolo Marketing is our go-to resource when it comes to comprehensive marketing strategies and execution. Learn more here.

In today's episode I talked with Emily Ley. Emily Ley is the founder of Simplified, a brand of planners and organizational tools for busy women. Emily has been featured in Forbes, Family Circle, Better Homes and Gardens, Glamour and Good Housekeeping. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including Best New Product at the National Stationery Show, Small Business of the Year, Female Owned Business of the Year, and Entrepreneur of the Year by Studer Community Institute. Emily and her team collaborated with AT-A-GLANCE to create gift and planning collections carried in Office Depot, Staples, and Target. Emily is the author of national bestselling books Grace, Not Perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy, A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools for Intentional Living, and When Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple, and Good. Now, as an author, entrepreneur, wife and mother to three, Emily lives in Pensacola, Florida, with her husband, Bryan, their son Brady, and twins, Tyler and Caroline. We talked about: ● The 5 key practices to building a life you love ● Emily Ley’s not-so-simplified journey from an Etsy side-hustle to multimillion-dollar company ● Dare to do the work: life doesn’t change by chance ● 3 lies that keep women from a life they love ● The process of self-discovery: how to reconnect with the you-est you ● Emily Ley’s secret to being successful (and happy) Resources: Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/becomebraveenough Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becomebraveenough

On today's episode, Alan talks to high-powered entrepreneur, mom and author Emily Ley about the joys and challenges of being a female leader and entrepreneur, how burnout shaped her and how she would make The Rock cry. About Emily Emily Ley is the founder of Simplified® - a brand of planners and organizational tools for busy women. Emily has been featured in Forbes, Family Circle, Better Homes and Gardens, Glamour, and Good Housekeeping. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including Best New Product at the National Stationery Show as well as Small Business of the Year, Female Owned Business of the Year, and Entrepreneur of the Year by Studer Community Institute. Emily and her team collaborated with AT-A-GLANCE® to create gift and planning collections carried in Office Depot, Staples, and Target. Emily is the author of national bestselling books, Grace, Not perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy, A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools for Intentional Living, and When Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple, and Good. Now as an author, entrepreneur, wife and mother to three, Emily lives in Pensacola, Florida with her husband, Bryan, and their son Brady, and twins Tyler and Caroline. Connect with Emily Books Website Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest Take your next right step Help scholarship at-risk leaders Join the Right Side Up Community on Facebook

Emily Ley is the founder of Simplified®, a brand of planners and organizational tools for busy women. Emily has been featured in Forbes, Family Circle, Better Homes and Gardens, Glamour, and Good Housekeeping. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including Best New Product at the National Stationery Show, as well as Small Business of the Year, Female Owned Business of the Year, and Entrepreneur of the Year by Studer Community Institute. Emily and her team collaborated with AT-A-GLANCE® to create gift and planning collections carried in Office Depot, Staples, and Target. Emily is the author of national bestselling books Grace, Not Perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy, A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools for Intentional Living, and When Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple, and Good. Now, as an author, entrepreneur, wife and mother to three, Emily lives in Pensacola, Florida, with her husband, Bryan, and their son Brady and twins, Tyler and Caroline. We chatted about: The heart behind her new book Growing Boldly Debunking the idea of "hustle culture" (and how this book is NOT that) How sometimes women lose themselves in their daily responsibilities (practical ways we can make the most of our time) A phrase she uses called "Do What Matters; Forget the Rest" What's holding women back in 2021 from pursuing their calling

Get your notepads out and prepare for a WORD! Episode 19 of the Perfete Podcast features the incredible Emily Ley, Founder of Simplified and The Simplified Planner®. a brand of planners and organizational tools for busy women. On this episode, we discuss Emily's incredible start, the lessons she learned along her way and her advice for budding and established entrepreneurs. We also discuss in detail what it means to Grow BOLDY and chase a life that you truly want. This episode is well worth the listen. Get ready to learn! About our guest: Emily Ley is the founder of Simplified®, a brand of planners and organizational tools for busy women. Emily has been featured in Forbes, Family Circle, Better Homes and Gardens, Glamour, and Good Housekeeping. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including Best New Product at the National Stationery Show, as well as Small Business of the Year, Female Owned Business of the Year, and Entrepreneur of the Year by Studer Community Institute. Emily and her team collaborated with AT-A-GLANCE® to create gift and planning collections carried in Office Depot, Staples, and Target. Emily is the author of national bestselling books Grace, Not Perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy, A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools for Intentional Living, and When Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple, and Good. Now, as an author, entrepreneur, wife and mother to three, Emily lives in Pensacola, Florida, with her husband, Bryan, and their son Brady and twins, Tyler and Caroline.

Joining Margo in her windowsill today is Misha Zadeh Graham. Misha sketches, paints, and collages from her home studio in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, overlooking the Puget Sound. She is the founder of Turquoise Creative, whose unique line of handmade, cut-paper greeting cards and letterpress note cards debuted at the 2002 National Stationery Show and were soon picked up by high-profile boutiques throughout North America and Europe such as Barneys New York, Kate's Paperie and Liberty London. Her cards have been featured in many publications including RealSimple, Lucky, Sunset, and O, the Oprah Magazine and she has also licensed artwork to online and established printed stationery leaders. Margo and Misha chat about: Misha’s unclear path to finding graphic design and where she found it The rigorous design school at University of Washington Some different experiences with licensing Dealing with copyright infringement The willingness and confidence to push for work you believe in Creating quality over quantity  And much more! Misha draws inspiration from her childhood spent poring over Persian miniatures and weavings, as well as the modern and Nordic influences she picked up in her studies at the University of Washington and beyond. She loves to play with color, pattern, quirky animals, and all sorts of flora. You can find her creating bold imagery adorning textiles, housewares, and of course, paper goods. Connect with Misha: http://www.mishazadeh.com/ https://www.instagram.com/mishazadeh/

Quint Studer talks with Emily Ley on how she went from an intrapreneur to an entrepreneur and business owner.Emily shares specific tactics she used to move from selling a product (transactional) to building a community (relational) to grow the Simplified brand. As she discusses, a cornerstone of this transition was making some tough but necessary mind shifts. She talks candidly about mistakes, the hard lessons she learned, and some of the risky decisions she made along the way (including a business decision that cut 40% of her revenue overnight). Throughout her journey, Emily found that nurturing the culture of her business was key to being sustainable and working through the hard times. She shares some of her favorite best practices for connecting with an all virtual workforce and some of her favorite tech solutions for making it work.We also get a sneak peek into insights from her new book, Growing Boldly: Dare To Build A Life You Love, due out in Feb 2021.Referenced in this episode: Emily Ley's BooksSimplified by Emily LeyEntreCon - 2-day Business and Leadership ConferenceAbout Emily Ley:Emily Ley is the founder of Simplified® - a brand of planners and organizational tools for busy women. Emily has been featured in Forbes, Family Circle, Better Homes and Gardens, Glamour, and Good Housekeeping. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including Best New Product at the National Stationery Show as well as Small Business of the Year, Female Owned Business of the Year, and Entrepreneur of the Year by Studer Community Institute. Emily and her team collaborated with AT-A-GLANCE® to create gift and planning collections carried in Office Depot, Staples, and Target. Emily is the author of national bestselling books, Grace, Not Perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy, A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools for Intentional Living, and When Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple, and Good. Now as an author, entrepreneur, wife and mother to three, Emily lives in Pensacola, Florida with her husband, Bryan, and their son Brady, and twins Tyler and Caroline. Join The Busy Leader's community and subscribe to our podcast. Be sure to leave a review! Thank you for listening. 

National Stationery Show (NSS) first opened its doors in 1945, and although we didn’t know at the time, its February 2020 edition was its final run. On July 27, Emerald announced that the National Stationery Show brand was being retired, and my social media feeds were almost instantaneously filled with fond reminiscences and, let’s be honest, no small amount of angst. Undoubtedly, we are all dealing with cancellations and disappointments on several levels, but this one really hurt. I myself attended almost every year since 1998, and have so many great memories of dazzling discoveries, talented individuals who became dear friends — not to mention all those magnificent parties! It's impossible to not be at least a little sad. But while I'm bummed, I'm far more excited about NY NOW’s plans to create one single stationery destination in its market — because, let’s be honest, a lot has changed since 1945. And having this reimagining occur in 2020 is actually quite beneficial. Stationery is being rediscovered in a big way during this pandemic, and it plays an increasingly important role within more traditional gift lines than in the past. This is all being spurred by the consumer, who is feeling isolated and sending letters, journaling, working at home and appreciating the post office with new eyes — all of which benefits stationery. In our transformed world, the category demands a fresh approach too. But rather than me waxing eloquent on the category and how to best serve all of us who love it, today I have Tim Hart, senior vice president, retail group, in The Paper Fold to share more about the challenges Emerald has been facing, how they are reimagining the stationery and gift categories —and what a visit to NY NOW in 2021 will look like. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Earlier this week, NY NOW announced plans to create a single stationery destination within its famed market. This reimagined stationery collection will be part of a re-branded Gift + Stationery section and, as a result, the National Stationery Show brand will be retired. So as that news sinks in, and as we all prepare for an August with no NY NOW, I have the distinct pleasure of hosting a longtime exhibitor, Joni Lewis, the super-creative mind behind Visual Treats Design Studio. Joni not only produces an impressive (and hysterical) array of handmade goods, she is also a fantastic storyteller, having won the Washington DC StorySLAM and then competing against nine other winners in a Moth GrandSLAM on the stage of the Lincoln Theatre. I am so grateful she dropped by share how the show elevated her business from craft show circuit to wholesale operation, how getting acquainted with her booth neighbor led to Joni creating product for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — and how the show is not over until the last rug is rolled up! **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

While I'm on maternity leave, I'm throwing it back to some of my fave episodes from Season 1. Enjoy and see you in Season 2! Having a podcast for your business can be really impactful and that is why I wanted to chat with my dear friend Katie Hunt. Her podcast Proof to Product has not only supported her business but also has served as a way for her to connect with new clients.  On today’s episode, we chat about how Katie first decided to start her podcast to increase visibility, how her marketing strategy works with her podcast, where she funnels her listeners to keep them engaged and how the podcast influenced her business’ name. This is such an impactful episode with lots of nuggets of wisdom about running a business and a podcast. Enjoy!   Meet Katie Hunt: Katie Hunt is the founder of Proof to Product (formerly known as Tradeshow Bootcamp), a business strategist, and mentor to product-based entrepreneurs. She’s worked with thousands of entrepreneurs through her in-person conferences and online courses she offers. Katie is also the host of the popular podcast, Proof to Product, where she takes listeners behind the scenes of growing a product-based business. Guests share their successes, struggles and how they’ve made difficult but important transitions in their business to continue growing. Katie has taught classes for CreativeLive, The National Stationery Show, The Savvy Experience, Be Sage, Seanwes Conference and Unique Camp. She’s been featured on BuzzFeed, Brit & Co, and VoyageLA and also interviewed on a variety of popular podcasts. Katie has a passion for creating, a mind for business and a strong desire to help others succeed. When she’s not cheering on her clients or dreaming up new workshops, you can find her spending time with her husband and four young children, hosting friends for dinner, or surfing Instagram.   Connect with Kate: http://www.prooftoproduct.com/podcast https://www.instagram.com/prooftoproduct/ https://www.facebook.com/prooftoproduct/   Stay in the know! Head to www.wildhomepodcasting.com and connect with me on Instagram @wildhomepodcasting. See you in the next episode!

Watching makers successfully navigate their small brands first through a pandemic, and then civil unrest, has been unexpectedly heartening. While huge names in retail are closing their doors forever, small brands are emerging, if not unscathed, then at least relatively intact. And few have been more inspiring to me to witness in real time than Shayna Norwood of Steel Petal Press. Those entering its Logan Square doors in Chicago don't realize, but Steel Petal Press was born in 2008 as a side project for Shayna, who started letterpressing greeting cards for friends. That grew into wholesale business, and that became the retail space in 2016. When I last saw Shayna at NY NOW and National Stationery Show in early February, all was well in her world: She had a booth of her wholesale range that seemed busy every time I walked by, and also I saw her walking the show shopping for her shop as well. When coronavirus hit, Shayna kept her doors open as long as she could, then once she had to close to the public, she was still shipping orders or delivering them curbside. Shayna finally reopened June 4 — just in time for some of the biggest civil unrest this country, including Chicago, has seen in decades. If that's not enough to grapple with, Shayna recently started sharing her struggles with anxiety with her community, mostly on her Instagram feed, in a very open, brave way. At the winter markets she released a series of mental health tracker notepads — great timing, I've got to say — but I am really curious as to how she is doing personally with all this as well. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Even in these unprecedented times that we’re all collectively experiencing, there’s still an opportunity to find beauty in every moment. Today I brought on Audrey Woolen. Audrey is the founder and creative behind Urbanic Paper Boutique. In this episode, we talk about how she got started in the stationery industry and decided to start her business. She shares her biggest hiring mistake (and what she learned from it). Audrey and I discuss her journey of navigating her business through the pandemic and what she’s learned from having to pause. You’ll hear how she’s handing business projections and how her relationship with her customers has evolved through this crisis. What’s in this episode: How Audrey got into stationery and started her business Making the decision to shift her career into this passion Figuring out your path as it unfolds A huge mistake Audrey made in hiring the wrong person The flood of encouragement she received after posting a GoFundMe to get her business through the pandemic The new relationship she’s developed with her customers through this crisis Why now is the time for people to support small businesses Rethinking how you want to live  How Audrey’s handling her business projections now The silver lining that she’s found with the collective pause About Audrey:With an eye for design and a heart for paper, Audrey Woollen is the creative behind the Urbanic brand, building a community for paper and design enthusiasts. Sourcing the best-of-the-best from makers all over the world, she has successfully blended modern style and vintage charm. She serves as a consultant for emerging and established lines, and has given dozens of talks and seminars throughout both the US and Europe. Audrey has been a board advisor at the National Stationery Show, a judge for the Louie Awards for PaperFest London and is on the editorial board for Stationery Trends Magazine. She is a working momma with a creative vision and considered an industry leader in the stationery community.   Connect with Audrey:Website | Instagram | Facebook    Hope you’ve enjoyed this episode! Would love to hear from you. What is one thing you can do with the wisdom and guidance you’ve extracted from this episode to make a positive and lasting change in your own life? Connect with me on social media. You can find me @amytangerine on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and pretty much anywhere. If you’re enjoying this podcast, please rate and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and let your friends know about it too! The more we spread the creativity and happiness that comes from pursuing our passions, the better off our amazing community will be. Hope you feel uplifted, energized and inspired. You are awesome! I’m Amy Tangerine encouraging you to embrace the fullness of your life!

Welcome to episode 007 of Hey Neighbor where Cyd chats with Erika Firm about the many complexities of living in a four generation household. Erika lives with her husband, 16 year old son, mother and grandmother on Johns Island, South Carolina, just outside out of Charleston. Erika shares about the reasons her family moved cross country from San Diego and the beauty of living in a multi-generational home. In this episode, Cyd and Erika discuss: Erika’s background as a graphic designer and artist Erika and her husband John’s decision to move cross country from San Diego to Charleston A brief look into being diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder and Erika’s son Alexander’s Crohn’s disease and subsequent hospitalization What it’s like living in a four generation household and how their family makes it viable How the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine is affecting their everyday norm, and also what it’s like for Erika’s mother and grandmother to be living in this moment in history The ways Erika’s family balances living as a large extended family while also maintaining their own independence and interests What Erika’s mom, the ultimate hostess, would recommend always keeping on hand for impromptu entertaining The annual meet and great parties Erika hosted for 10 years to coincide with the National Stationery Show in New York City Erika and her husband John’s love for a great cocktail and what they’ve been mixing up lately Erika’s tips for making entertaining as simple and stress-free as possible   To check out Erika’s work, visit her website HERE (https://erikafirm.com/) To follow Erika on Instagram, click HERE (https://www.instagram.com/erikafirm/) To connect with Cyd Converse, click HERE (https://www.instagram.com/thesweetestoccasion/) For show notes, visit thesweetestoccasion.com/category/podcast/

Katie Hunt is the founder of Proof to Product (formerly Tradeshow Bootcamp), a business strategist, and mentor to creative entrepreneurs. She is a firm believer in professional development, surrounding yourself with community and pushing “go” even when you might not feel 100% ready. Katie has taught classes for CreativeLive, The National Stationery Show, The Savvy Experience, Be Sage, Seanwes Conference and Unique Camp; and she’s been a featured guest on dozens of business podcasts. When she’s not dreaming up new programs, you can find her spending time with her husband and four young children, hosting friends for dinner, or surfing Instagram.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! I’m completely fascinated by what today’s guest is sharing because it’s a topic I’ve always been curious about - but have zero experience or knowledge in - and that’s how to create a product-based business. I mean, back in my web designer days I built my share of e-commerce websites for product-based businesses using WooCommerce and Shopify, but the business side of things, like going from product concept all the way to having your product on the shelf at Target or for sale on your website? Yeah, no clue. So that’s why today I’m so excited to bring you Katie Hunt, founder of Proof to Product. Katie is a business strategist, and mentor to product-based entrepreneurs.  She’s worked with thousands of entrepreneurs through her in-person conferences and online courses she offers. Katie is also the host of the popular podcast, Proof to Product, where she takes listeners behind the scenes of growing a product-based business.  Guests share their successes, struggles and how they’ve made difficult but important transitions in their business to continue growing. Katie has taught classes for CreativeLive, The National Stationery Show, and The Savvy Experience, and she’s been featured on two of my favorite leisure-reading websites - BuzzFeed, Brit & Co, and also interviewed on a variety of popular podcasts. Whether you have a product-based business or not, you’re not gonna want to miss today’s episode. And if you know someone who is a maker, maybe they have an Etsy shop and dream of seeing their notecards on the shelf at Anthropologie, send them a link to this episode (shannonmattern.com/277). They’ll thank you for it later. Today we’re talking about: Katie’s journey from starting a side-hustle stationary company to helping makers get their products on the shelves of retail shops. How a guest blog post about doing tradeshows transformed Katie’s business. The most common mistakes product business owners make when they are first starting out. How Katie built a business around what she wished she would have known early on in her journey. Parallels Katie sees between product-based businesses and service-based businesses. How to figure out your “enough” and why knowing it is so important. Why it’s so important to know the WHY behind starting your business. Why it’s actually a good thing that not everything is going to be a home run. How Katie built her team and how she runs it. How burnout happens (and what to do about it). The online training tool everyone should be using (even if you don’t have a team yet). Why your audience is critical to the success of your business. The one belief Katie had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Katie: “I just want to support female entrepreneurs that are trying to do their thing.” “There's no easy button in business, but at the same time there are people that have been through it before that can lend their advice and expertise and struggles and successes as well to help you.” “Test the market before you dive head in.” “Money is important, but it’s not everything I’m seeking. Our definitions of success shift as we gain more experience in business.” “Systems and processes are truly what make a business run.” Resources mentioned in this episode: www.loom.com https://www.prooftoproduct.com/ https://www.prooftoproduct.com/podcast Bio: Katie Hunt is the founder of Proof to Product (formerly known as Tradeshow Bootcamp), a business strategist, and mentor to product-based entrepreneurs. She’s worked with thousands of entrepreneurs through her in-person conferences and online courses she offers.   Katie is also the host of the popular podcast, Proof to Product, where she takes listeners behind the scenes of growing a product-based business. Guests share their successes, struggles and how they’ve made difficult but important transitions in their business to continue growing.   Katie has taught classes for CreativeLive, The National Stationery Show, The Savvy Experience, Be Sage, Seanwes Conference and Unique Camp. She’s been featured on BuzzFeed, Brit & Co, and VoyageLA and also interviewed on a variety of popular podcasts.   Katie has a passion for creating, a mind for business and a strong desire to help others succeed. When she’s not cheering on her clients or dreaming up new workshops, you can find her spending time with her husband and four young children, hosting friends for dinner, or surfing Instagram. Connect with Katie: Proof to Product Website  Instagram Facebook

Part 1: Last week I took a whirlwind trip to New York to visit with more than 40 of our Paper Camp alumni who were exhibiting at NY Now and the National Stationery Show. It was so exciting to see everyone’s hard work live and in person — their new products were innovative, their booths were beautiful and their confidence was shining through. It was awesome. While I was there, I was able to grab some time with a handful of our alumni to talk shop about the show, goals they set and how they plan to follow-up after the show. We’re breaking this into a two-part series. The first part features several of our veteran exhibitors from the Paper Camp family including Rebekah from Wild Ink Press, Christina from Public School Paper Co, Beth from Little Goat Paper Co, Jeni from E. Frances Paper and Juliana from Good Juju Ink. In Part 2 on Thursday, we’re sharing interviews with Paper Camp alumni who were exhibiting in the emerging artists’ section as well as first-time exhibitors!  Today’s show features Rachel from Hazel & Dolly, Chandler from Joy Paper Co, Lisa from Rhino Parade, Janine from Kwohtations, Tammie from Tiger Pocket Press and Juana from Loteria Press. ON TODAY’S EPISODE : Rachel Barlock: Hazel + Dolly Chandler Cooksey: Joy Paper Co. Lisa Mohar: Rhino Parade  Janine Kwoh: Kwothations Tammie Bennett: Tigerpocket Press Juana Meneses: Loteria Press   RESOURCES:  Paper Camp E-Course   SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app.  WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know!    ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, Proof to Product has worked with thousands of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!

Part 1: Last week I took a whirlwind trip to New York to visit with more than 40 of our Paper Camp alumni who were exhibiting at NY Now and the National Stationery Show. It was so exciting to see everyone’s hard work live and in person — their new products were innovative, their booths were beautiful and their confidence was shining through. It was awesome. While I was there, I was able to grab some time with a handful of our alumni to talk shop about the show, goals they set and how they plan to follow-up after the show. We’re breaking this into a two-part series. The first part features several of our veteran exhibitors from the Paper Camp family including Rebekah from Wild Ink Press, Christina from Public School Paper Co, Beth from Little Goat Paper Co, Jeni from E. Frances Paper and Juliana from Good Juju Ink.   In Part 2 on Thursday, we’re sharing interviews with Paper Camp alumni who were exhibiting in the emerging artists’ section as well as first-time exhibitors!  Today’s show features Rachel from Hazel & Dolly, Chandler from Joy Paper Co, Lisa from Rhino Parade, Janine from Kwohtations, Tammie from Tiger Pocket Press and Juana from Loteria Press. ON TODAY’S EPISODE : Rebekah Tennis: Wild Ink Press Christina Williams: Public School Paper Co. Beth Roszkowski: Little Goat Paper Co.  Jeni Laundon: E. Frances Good Paper Juliana Kissick: Good Juju Ink   RESOURCES:  Paper Camp E-Course   SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app.  WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know!    ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, Proof to Product has worked with thousands of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!

Katie Hunt is the founder of Proof to Product (formerly known as Tradeshow Bootcamp), a business strategist, and mentor to product-based entrepreneurs. She’s worked with thousands of entrepreneurs through her in-person conferences and online courses she offers. Katie is also the host of the popular podcast, Proof to Product, where she takes listeners behind the scenes of growing a product-based business. Guests share their successes, struggles and how they’ve made difficult but important transitions in their business to continue growing. Katie has taught classes for CreativeLive, The National Stationery Show, The Savvy Experience, Be Sage, Seanwes Conference and Unique Camp. She’s been featured on BuzzFeed, Brit & Co, and VoyageLA and also interviewed on a variety of popular podcasts. Katie has a passion for creating, a mind for business and a strong desire to help others succeed. When she’s not cheering on her clients or dreaming up new workshops, you can find her spending time with her husband and four young children, hosting friends for dinner, or surfing Instagram. In this episode we dive into: 1. Her company “Proof to Product”, and how she became interested in helping people get their products out onto the shelves. 2. How her need for a creative outlet while engulfed in the corporate world was actually what served as the initial catalyst for her interest in graphic design. 3. How one simple blog post played an enormous role in changing Katie’s life. 4. The support from Katie’s mom that sparked her interest in entrepreneurship and the push she gave her to pursue it. 5. Balancing the business and the art side of a creative business. 6. The biggest obstacle she had to overcome as an entrepreneur. 7. The importance of acknowledging our successes, both the big and the small. 8. Why we need to stop looking at how others are running their business and why what one entrepreneur does may be the right fit for the next. 9. Why Katie felt the need to rebrand her business. 10. The process of launching your product, from idea to production, to actually getting it on the shelf. 11. The difference between starting a product based business and a service based business. 12. The quickest way to launch a product and get it off the ground. 13. How you can tell if you can build a business around your passion. 14. The systems and routines that Katie puts in place to protect time for herself and her family. www.brenttieri.com https://www.prooftoproduct.com/

Brian Lawrence is one of the true thought leaders in the stationery and wedding industry. A multi-store retailer who won top dealers for numerous invitation brands, he then became VP of Encore Studios for 14 years and went on to consult, do web design and marketing for hundreds of stationery and wedding retailers and wholesalers. In the past year, Brian has targeted his efforts to meet the tremendous demand for industry-focused website design and effective yet affordable digital marketing and social media strategies. Brian has spoken at both Wedding MBA and the National Stationery Show numerous times. He’s also the author of “The Wedding Expert’s Guide to Sales & Marketing.” BUSINESS BUILDING INSIGHTSIt’s not how much business you do, it’s about how much money you put in your pocket. Bring an entrepreneurial spirit to all jobs, where you own what you do. Understand the value of networking. Build relationships with businesses that have the attention of your audience. Have your own website so you can truly express your brand and capture the attention of visitors. Make yourself accessible. Your site must show what you do and where you do it. Having contact information is crucial. Create an inviting experience. Your home page is your virtual receptionist. It must showcase what you want people to see first. If you're a local business, have a Google My Business account to rank on Google. RESOURCES MENTIONED Shopify (https://www.shopify.com/free-trial?ref=gift-biz-unwrapped) Square Space (https://www.squarespace.com/) Wordpress (https://www.wordpress.org) WIX (https://www.wix.com/) CONTACT LINKS Website (https://www.brianlawrence.com/) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/localtrafficbuilder/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/brianlawrencewedding/) Join Our FREE Gift Biz Breeze Facebook Community Become a Member of Gift Biz Breeze (https://www.facebook.com/groups/GiftBizBreeze) If you found value in this podcast, make sure to subscribe so you automatically get the next episode downloaded for your convenience. Also, if you'd like to do me a huge favor, please leave a review. That helps other creators like you find the show and build their businesses too. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gift-biz-unwrapped/id986323267) Google Podcasts (https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5naWZ0Yml6dW53cmFwcGVkLmNvbS9mZWVkL3BvZGNhc3Q=&inf_contact_key=f00b9b282a6156da6dc2e642eb167c2f680f8914173f9191b1c0223e68310bb1) Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/380HmeoVquMHRzOepaoF0s) Thank so much! Sue

015.  Tammie talks about how her experiences at the recent National Stationery Show proved to her that we can all climb higher when we help each other along the way rather than having the scarcity mindset of every person for himself/herself.  for show notes and links mentioned in this episode, please visit:https://showupsociety.com/15

Having a podcast for your business can be really impactful and that is why I wanted to chat with my dear friend Katie Hunt. Her podcast Proof to Product has not only supported her business but also has served as a way for her to connect with new clients.  On today’s episode, we chat about how Katie first decided to start her podcast to increase visibility, how her marketing strategy works with her podcast, where she funnels her listeners to keep them engaged and how the podcast influenced her business’ name. This is such an impactful episode with lots of nuggets of wisdom about running a business and a podcast. Enjoy!   Meet Katie Hunt: Katie Hunt is the founder of Proof to Product (formerly known as Tradeshow Bootcamp), a business strategist, and mentor to product-based entrepreneurs. She’s worked with thousands of entrepreneurs through her in-person conferences and online courses she offers. Katie is also the host of the popular podcast, Proof to Product, where she takes listeners behind the scenes of growing a product-based business. Guests share their successes, struggles and how they’ve made difficult but important transitions in their business to continue growing. Katie has taught classes for CreativeLive, The National Stationery Show, The Savvy Experience, Be Sage, Seanwes Conference and Unique Camp. She’s been featured on BuzzFeed, Brit & Co, and VoyageLA and also interviewed on a variety of popular podcasts. Katie has a passion for creating, a mind for business and a strong desire to help others succeed. When she’s not cheering on her clients or dreaming up new workshops, you can find her spending time with her husband and four young children, hosting friends for dinner, or surfing Instagram.   Connect with Kate: http://www.prooftoproduct.com/podcast https://www.instagram.com/prooftoproduct/ https://www.facebook.com/prooftoproduct/   Quotes from the Episode “I feel seen in a way that is much more comfortable for me than when I did speaking engagements.” - Katie Hunt “You need to be meeting your listeners where they are at.” - Caroline Hull “The best marketing strategy for our podcast is to promote our own products and services.” - Katie Hunt   Stay in the know! Head to www.wildhomepodcasting.com and connect with me on Instagram @wildhomepodcasting. See you in the next episode!

#008: This week's guest is Nina Restieri, who lives in Connecticut and is a mom of four children, Andrew (23), Jenna (21), Matthew (19), and Jamie (16). In this episode, Nina shares the unique choices she made with her ex-husband toward becoming a beautiful, blended family, how her motherhood journey has evolved over time, the process of learning to take care of herself, how she feels about becoming an empty-nester, and what she worried about unnecessarily when her children were younger. Nina explains how she purposefully created her business, momAgenda, around her role as a mother and expresses her honest opinion about finding work/life balance. She talks about a variety of potent, personal topics including losing her mother soon after the arrival of her first baby, her current dating life, and how parents can create close relationships with their children. Finally, she shares her straightforward tip for moms who are feeling overwhelmed. Nina Restieri is a mom of four children and the Founder and President of momAgenda. She initially created momAgenda for herself, as a way to get more organized and find peace of mind amid the chaos of raising young children. She quickly realized that her new creation could benefit not just her but thousands of other stressed-out and overwhelmed moms. Shortly thereafter, Nina debuted her line of organizing products at the National Stationery Show – and sold out within three days to 120 stores. At that moment, Nina knew she had struck a chord with women all over the country who had the same desire to bring some order to their hectic lives. Nina graduated from Colgate University where she majored in English. She writes a popular blog and is a frequent guest contributor on the topics of self-care, time management, parenting, motherhood, and divorce on other websites and blogs.For the links and show notes for this episode, head to: http://beingmompodcast.com/podcast/episode-008

Hey Friends! Winter show season is kicking off so we thought we would re-run this episode from last year. We have alumni going to Atlanta, Japan, Las Vegas and of course NY Now and NSS in February. It is show season so we wanted to get this front and center for you so you could get ready for your show or just here what is going on at market. Enjoy! -------------- Hey Friends! I just got back from NY Now and the National Stationery Show in New York where more than 39 Tradeshow Bootcamp alumni and speakers exhibited this year. It was an incredible trip, for everyone from first timers to seasoned pros, and I’m so excited to share the highlights with you on the Podcast this week!  This year is the first time that these two shows have run at the same time.  The National Stationery Show has typically been held in May, but moved for February to co-locate with NY Now.  The move of NSS caused a bit of a stir within our industry, and our Tradeshow Bootcamp community and the move of the show is one of the topics we’re addressing on the episodes this week. We had alumni exhibiting at both NY Now and the National Stationery show, so we decided to break up this week’s episode into two parts. On Part 1, airing today,  we revisit the best parts of the National Stationery Show with Cecily Moore of The Paper Curator, Jenna Puente of Paper Wilderness, Rosanna Kvernmo of Iron Curtain Press, Genesis Duncan of Graphic Anthology, Krystal Whitten of Krystal Whitten Studio and Joe Mihalow of XOU.

Meg Sutton of Belle & Union Co. is on the podcast today! Meg started her business by jumping into wholesale at the National Stationery Show. She shares her journey and what led her to pursue that path into the product world. Meg also shares the decision to open a brick & mortar and the challenges and triumphs she’s experienced since opening her store. She even shares a little but about what is to come for Belle & Union Co.!   From Meg Sutton: A little bit sweet, a whole lot sassy, Belle & Union is the creation of Meg and Josh, two honeys known for cookin’ up all sorts of homegrown goodness with their whimsical writings, wrappings and wares. It all started in 2012 with a relationship: a Southern art student and a Northern soldier fell in love along the sandy beaches of Tybee Island and the shady moss-draped oaks of Savannah, Georgia. But life took us from Georgia to Texas, where we now have our very own brick and mortar in sunny San Antonio. The shop, just like our own collection, only carries 100% made in the USA wares for gift and home.   Website: https://www.belleandunion.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belleandunionco/   Links: To get 50% off your first year with Honeybook, go to positivelycreative.net/honeybook! Proof to Product: https://www.prooftoproduct.com   About The Positively Creative Podcast: The Positively Creative Podcast was created by Dorothy Collier, artist of Dorothy Art, for creative entrepreneurs. When Dorothy started having a positive outlook on every aspect of her life, including her art career, the creativity and opportunities started overflowing! Join her as she chats with other small business owners, discussing the ins and outs of how to run a creative business and how they make it in their respective fields. To learn more about The Positively Creative Podcast, visit our website or head over to our Patreon page! You can also find Dorothy on Instagram at @positivelycreativepodcast and @dorothyart!

This past week I traveled from Los Angeles to New York for two trade shows — the National Stationery Show and New York Now. We had just over 35 alumni exhibiting between the two shows, and while I was there, I had the chance to catch up with them about their exhibiting experiences.   Today’s compilation episode features interviews with 8 of our Paper Camp alumni. We talk about why each chose to exhibit where they did, they walk us through their decision-making process, what their goals were for the show and… tips they want to share with you all! Hope you enjoy!    NY Now: Shayna from Steel Petal Press Sarah from Fancy Seeing You Here Jodi from the Neighborgoods    National Stationery Show: Alicia from Slightly Stationery Beth from Little Goat Paper  Shannon from Shannon Kirsten Illustrations  Brittany of Brittany Paige Designs Jane from Greetings from Bergen Street   SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app.  WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know!  ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, Proof to Product has worked with thousands of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!

In this episode, I talk shop with Sidonie Warren, one of the founders of Papersmiths. Papersmiths is a small chain of stationery stores with a highly curated and beautiful range. Sidonie and Kyle started Papersmiths with just £500 and now has 5 stores in Brighton, Bristol and London. During our chat we spoke about:- The Papersmith Story and how it all began - The challenges of growing an independent retail business - What’s next for Papersmiths - How Sidonie finds new products - The best way to get in touch and submit your products to Papersmiths - Trade shows - What will be hot for this autumn and much more  Connect with Papersmithshttps://www.papersmiths.co.ukhttps://www.facebook.com/shoppapersmithshttps://www.instagram.com/paper_smiths/https://twitter.com/paper_smiths Links mentioned in this episodeCass Art https://www.cassart.co.uk/Hello Day https://www.hellodayplanner.com/Small business Sunday https://www.theopaphitissbs.com/Department of international trade https://www.great.gov.uk/National Stationery Show in New York https://www.nationalstationeryshow.com/NY Now https://www.nynow.comMaison Object https://www.maison-objet.com/enPodcast episode 2 with Henri DavisLife Rocks https://healinginyourhands.co.ukThe Completist https://the-completist.comCubitts https://www.cubitts.com/Glossier https://www.glossier.comPonder Lilly https://ponderlily.com/Mind Journal https://www.mindjournals.com/ Connect with meWebsite: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/letstalkwholesale/Work with me: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/servicesBook a discovery call: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/book-a-discovery-call          Book a Power-hour: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/power-hourApply to be a guest on Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode, I talk shop with Sidonie Warren, one of the founders of Papersmiths. Papersmiths is a small chain of stationery stores with a highly curated and beautiful range. Sidonie and Kyle started Papersmiths with just £500 and now has 5 stores in Brighton, Bristol and London. During our chat we spoke about:- The Papersmith Story and how it all began - The challenges of growing an independent retail business - What’s next for Papersmiths - How Sidonie finds new products - The best way to get in touch and submit your products to Papersmiths - Trade shows - What will be hot for this autumn and much more  Connect with Papersmithshttps://www.papersmiths.co.ukhttps://www.facebook.com/shoppapersmithshttps://www.instagram.com/paper_smiths/https://twitter.com/paper_smiths Links mentioned in this episodeCass Art https://www.cassart.co.uk/Hello Day https://www.hellodayplanner.com/Small business Sunday https://www.theopaphitissbs.com/Department of international trade https://www.great.gov.uk/National Stationery Show in New York https://www.nationalstationeryshow.com/NY Now https://www.nynow.comMaison Object https://www.maison-objet.com/enPodcast episode 2 with Henri DavisLife Rocks https://healinginyourhands.co.ukThe Completist https://the-completist.comCubitts https://www.cubitts.com/Glossier https://www.glossier.comPonder Lilly https://ponderlily.com/Mind Journal https://www.mindjournals.com/ Connect with meWebsite: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/letstalkwholesale/Work with me: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/servicesBook a discovery call: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/book-a-discovery-call          Book a Power-hour: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/power-hourApply to be a guest on Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode, I talk shop with Sidonie Warren, one of the founders of Papersmiths. Papersmiths is a small chain of stationery stores with a highly curated and beautiful range. Sidonie and Kyle started Papersmiths with just £500 and now has 5 stores in Brighton, Bristol and London. During our chat we spoke about:- The Papersmith Story and how it all began - The challenges of growing an independent retail business - What’s next for Papersmiths - How Sidonie finds new products - The best way to get in touch and submit your products to Papersmiths - Trade shows - What will be hot for this autumn and much more  Connect with Papersmithshttps://www.papersmiths.co.ukhttps://www.facebook.com/shoppapersmithshttps://www.instagram.com/paper_smiths/https://twitter.com/paper_smiths Links mentioned in this episodeCass Art https://www.cassart.co.uk/Hello Day https://www.hellodayplanner.com/Small business Sunday https://www.theopaphitissbs.com/Department of international trade https://www.great.gov.uk/National Stationery Show in New York https://www.nationalstationeryshow.com/NY Now https://www.nynow.comMaison Object https://www.maison-objet.com/enPodcast episode 2 with Henri DavisLife Rocks https://healinginyourhands.co.ukThe Completist https://the-completist.comCubitts https://www.cubitts.com/Glossier https://www.glossier.comPonder Lilly https://ponderlily.com/Mind Journal https://www.mindjournals.com/ Connect with meWebsite: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/letstalkwholesale/Work with me: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/servicesBook a discovery call: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/book-a-discovery-call          Book a Power-hour: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/power-hourApply to be a guest on Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

Today on Proof to Product we’re welcoming Paper Camp Alum, and founder of Chez Gagne, Alex Gagne! Alex attended our Paper Camp Conference back in February of 2015 before debuting her wholesale line at the National Stationery Show. Since then, Alex has gone on to expand her product offering, add new team members, and achieve her vision for the Chez Gagne brand.   Chez Gagne is a paper and gift brand that offers greeting cards, wine and spirit tags, mugs, wine glasses, candles, and rocks glasses. Alex currently sells to 1,500 stores throughout the world, works with sales reps nationally, and exhibited at six trade shows this winter alone. With more than 93% of Alex’s annual revenue coming from wholesale, much of her time is spent planning, prepping and traveling across the country for trade shows.   On today’s episode, Alex is sharing with us how she does it all. We talk about how greeting cards became more than just her creative outlet and how Alex made the jump from paper goods to other products. We also how Alex decides which new product categories to pursue, challenges she faced in her business journey and key factors to Chez Gagne’s exponential growth. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Why Alex switched from software to stationery How she decides to move forward with a product line Her theory on making things nice or funny Incorporating optics and organization into merchandising Alex’s process for research, development, manufacturing and pricing Why everything Alex produces is something she uses The importance of managing your margins Challenges of storing hard goods vs stationery Tactics for mitigating risk and designing sustainable products How Alex grew to 1,500 active accounts in 4 years Future plans and products Alex has in the works KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   “It's strange to look back now, but I've actually always made greeting cards for people. I've always sent Valentines Day cards. And that's been something that I've done for years.” - Alex Gagne “It came full circle.I found something I was able to communicate my sense of humor with, as well as greet people and make them laugh.” - Alex Gagne “Our business is based on the model of, "If you can't make it nice, make it funny." So we have a little bit of everything.” - Alex Gagne “Everything we've ever brought into the line has been something that I want to use. We will never bring anything into the line that is something that I wouldn't use. That, for me, is totally disingenuine.”  - Alex Gagne “The agility of being a business owner is a very special thing, in that we can decide to move forward with something or we can decide to cut it from the line. We can't always do that in corporate America.” - Katie Hunt “There's only so much risk you want to take with a new product category.” - Alex Gagne “We pulled our best selling phrases from our greeting cards, and put them on mugs. And now we're putting them on wine glasses, they're on rocks glasses, they're on candles.” - Alex Gagne “As a business owner. I don't want to put anything out there, that I know is never going to be used again. We're producing so much crap as a society, that it's hard sometimes to put out gift items, because you feel like it's going directly to a landfill.” - Alex Gagne “Bottom line is, people want to have an experience these days. They don't necessarily need a lot of junk in their lives, but they want to have an experience, and I think people have an experience with our products.” - Alex Gagne “Once we get something set up, then we can turn, and focus on other aspects. But it's always shifting.” - Katie Hunt “It's been a lot of hustle. It's been a lot of late nights, and I'm really fortunate to not have to really do that as much anymore. There was definitely a time there, where I was staying up until 2:00 in the morning, every night, reaching out to retailers, finishing out orders, just trying to make it work.” - Alex Gagne “It's hard to delegate. I am a control freak. And I think being a letterpress printer is probably really a good indication of that.” - Alex Gagne “The brand perception for people who are very wary of curse words, or snark and sassy humor, has been a challenge for us. But it's also been a reason we've done incredibly well.” - Alex Gagne LINKS Website: https://www.chezgagne.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/chezgagne/about/?ref=page_internal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chezgagne/?hl=en   SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, Proof to Product has worked with thousands of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!

Today we’re back with Part 2 of our NY Now and National Stationery Show recap!   As you may have heard, NSS which was previously held in May, moved to February this year to co-locate with NY Now. 39 of our Tradeshow Bootcamp alumni were exhibiting at the two shows and one of the main questions I had for them was -- how have the shows merging affected you?   It was interesting to see the different responses.   If you listen to Part 1 of this series, you’ll hear the that the NSS exhibitors mentioned specific pros and cons of the shows co-locating.  But, when I asked the NY Now exhibitors about the effects, they didn’t notice much of a difference.   Many of our NY Now exhibitors have been exhibiting at NY Now for several shows, doing both the summer and winter show.  Most used to also do the National Stationery Show when t was in May -- so three large NY shows a year. In these interviews you’ll also hear how they are branching out to other shows, and they’ll talk about the difference in these shows and why they ultimately chose NY Now over NSS.   Today’s episode features interviews with Lindsay Henry of Inklings Paperie, Kathryn Hunter of Blackbird Letterpress, Erika Caskey of Chez Gagne, Danelle Bliss of Wishbone Letterpress, Rebekah Tennis of Wild Ink Press, and Victoria Venturi of Paper Epiphanies.   I hope you enjoy this special series! ON TODAY’S EPISODE:   Lindsay Henry, Inklings Paperie Kathryn Hunter, Blackbird Letterpress Erika Caskey, Chez Gagne Danelle Bliss, Wishbone Letterpress Rebekah Tennis, Wild Ink Press Victoria Venturi, Paper Epiphanies     PAPER CAMP   What if you could sit in a room with 30 other product makers who are doing exactly what you’re doing -- building a business they love!  You could share resources, leverage each other’s experiences and learn from those who are where you want to be. Imagine the growth potential!   Join us March 14-15th in Los Angeles for our Paper Camp Conference.   Over 800 brands have attended Paper Camp.  Brands that sell to stores like Target, Paper Source, Container Store, Anthropologie and independent boutiques internationally.   This program is for you if you’re a stationery or gift company interested in selling wholesale, exhibiting at trade shows or looking to expand your outreach to wholesale customers.     We believe in the power of community, collaboration and sharing everything we know.  Get all the details and register at  www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode! Over the last year and a half, Proof to Product has shared almost 100 startup stories from entrepreneurs making physical products, just like you. We have talked about successes and struggles, mindset shifts, and the importance of taking action to reach your goals. We are quickly approaching our 100th episode and we want to do something special to celebrate all of you, our listeners. We want to hear your proof to product story and share it with our audience.  

Hey Friends! I just got back from NY Now and the National Stationery Show in New York where more than 39 Tradeshow Bootcamp alumni and speakers exhibited this year. It was an incredible trip, for everyone from first timers to seasoned pros, and I’m so excited to share the highlights with you on the Podcast this week!   This year is the first time that these two shows have run at the same time.  The National Stationery Show has typically been held in May, but moved for February to co-locate with NY Now.  The move of NSS caused a bit of a stir within our industry, and our Tradeshow Bootcamp community and the move of the show is one of the topics we’re addressing on the episodes this week.   We had alumni exhibiting at both NY Now and the National Stationery show, so we decided to break up this week’s episode into two parts.   On Part 1, airing today,  we revisit the best parts of the National Stationery Show with Cecily Moore of The Paper Curator, Jenna Puente of Paper Wilderness, Rosanna Kvernmo of Iron Curtain Press, Genesis Duncan of Graphic Anthology, Krystal Whitten of Krystal Whitten Studio and Joe Mihalow of XOU.   Part 2 will air on Thursday and features alumni that exhibited at NY Now   I hope you enjoy this special series! ON TODAY’S EPISODE:   Cecily Moore, The Paper Curator Jenna Puente, Paper Wilderness Rosanna Kvernmo, Iron Curtain Press Genesis Duncan, Graphic Anthology Krystal Whitten, Krystal Whitten Studio Joe Mihalow, XOU     PAPER CAMP   What if you could sit in a room with 30 other product makers who are doing exactly what you’re doing -- building a business they love!  You could share resources, leverage each other’s experiences and learn from those who are where you want to be. Imagine the growth potential!   Join us March 14-15th in Los Angeles for our Paper Camp Conference.   Over 800 brands have attended Paper Camp.  Brands that sell to stores like Target, Paper Source, Container Store, Anthropologie and independent boutiques internationally.   This program is for you if you’re a stationery or gift company interested in selling wholesale, exhibiting at trade shows or looking to expand your outreach to wholesale customers.     We believe in the power of community, collaboration and sharing everything we know.  Get all the details and register at  www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!

Sarah Parrott is the founder of Parrott Design Studio and this is Part 2 of her interview.  If you missed Part 1 which was Episode 81, I recommend you head back and listen to that one first.   Here on Part 2, Sarah talks about hiring a team, how she started slowly delegating and fears she had around letting go of things in her business, we talked about her multiple revenue streams and the pros / cons of having multiple businesses, navigating tough seasons in life while owning a business and how Sarah’s definition of success for her business has changed over the years.   As background, Parrott Design Studio is a letterpress studio in Sebago, a lake town in Western Maine. The studio was established in 2007 by Sarah Parrott with a small Print Gocco, an inexpensive and easy to use screen printing tool that originated in Japan. That same year she took her first course in letterpress, learning to use a Vandercook press.   In 2008 she purchased her own press, an 1898 Golding Jobber platen press. At the time there were no courses to learn on that type of press, and she spent a year teaching herself how to use it. She fell in love with the centuries-old artisinal printing technique and the process of feeding the press one piece at a time, one color at a time. In 2010 she left her job as an event planner to pursue Parrott Design Studio full time.  Sarah is one of our original Tradeshow Bootcamp alumni. She attended our very first round of Tradeshow Bootcamp classes in 2011 before exhibiting at the National Stationery Show in 2012.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How her team has shifted during different seasons The event space Sarah & her husband opened How her multiple revenue streams are intertwined The pros and cons of running three businesses at one time How she managed her businesses through a difficult season in her personal life Sarah’s definition of success and how it has changed over the years Her advice for someone just starting out in a product-based business   KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “There's a lot of benefit to hiring people that already understand your business or have followed you for a while.” - Katie Hunt “I always love weddings, no matter what I'm doing, and still doing wedding-related things.” - Sarah Parrott Bianculli “It's so funny because we never set out to be in weddings or even to be entrepreneurs, and it all seemed very natural. Nothing's been forced. It just worked.” - Sarah Parrott Bianculli “They kind of all have different times where they are busy, so I'm not depending on just one of them as my main source of income.” - Sarah Parrott Bianculli “It's okay to say no and it's okay if something doesn't work or it's okay to walk away from something because it's your business and you can make that decision for what works the best, because if you don't, why are you doing it?” - Sarah Parrott Bianculli “One person's startup story is not the same as another person's story, and neither one is right or wrong. It's whatever works for you.” - Sarah Parrott Bianculli “When you're first starting, you're looking to a lot of people because they're your inspiration, and you just have to know that how they did it might not work for you. It might, but it probably won't.” - Sarah Parrott Bianculli   CONNECT WITH SARAH PARROTT BIANCULLI Website: http://parrottdesignstudio.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Parrott-Design-Studio-245078337090/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parrottdesign/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/parrottdesign/   SPECIAL OFFER: Proof to Product listeners get 3 free months of Gusto when they run their first payroll. Go to www.gusto.com/proof for more information   What if you could sit in a room with 30 other product makers who are doing exactly what you’re doing -- building a business they love!  You could share resources, leverage each other’s experiences and learn from those who are where you want to be. Imagine the growth potential!   Join us March 14-15th in Los Angeles for our Paper Camp Conference.   Over 800 brands have attended Paper Camp.  Brands that sell to stores like Target, Paper Source, Container Store, Anthropologie and independent boutiques internationally.   This program is for you if you’re a stationery or gift company interested in selling wholesale, exhibiting at trade shows or looking to expand your outreach to wholesale customers.     We believe in the power of community, collaboration and sharing everything we know.  Get all the details and register at  www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!

Sarah Parrott is the founder of Parrott Design Studio and I’m excited for you to hear her story. Parrott Design Studio is a letterpress studio in Sebago, a lake town in Western Maine. The studio was established in 2007 by Sarah Parrott with a small Print Gocco, an inexpensive and easy to use screen printing tool that originated in Japan. That same year she took her first course in letterpress, learning to use a Vandercook press.   In 2008 she purchased her own press, an 1898 Golding Jobber platen press. At the time there were no courses to learn on that type of press, and she spent a year teaching herself how to use it. She fell in love with the centuries-old artisinal printing technique and the process of feeding the press one piece at a time, one color at a time. In 2010 she left her job as an event planner to pursue Parrott Design Studio full time.      Sarah is one of our original Tradeshow Bootcamp alumni. She attended our very first round of Tradeshow Bootcamp classes in 2011 before exhibiting at the National Stationery Show in 2012.     We covered a lot of topics in this interview.  So much so, that we’re going to break this up into two separate episodes. Episode 81 is Part 1.   On this episode, Sarah shares how she started her business with a Gocco printer and Etsy shop, how her business model shifted from retail to custom to retail and wholesale, how she expanded into new product categories, why she strives to find local manufacturing partners and we also talked about her process for deciding which products to discontinue.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How she got started with a Gocco printer When she transitioned into letterpress When Sarah realized she was going to pursue this as a business instead of just a creative outlet The evolution of her business over time The three arms of her business and the products she currently offers How she came up with the idea of acrylic cake toppers and how she brought them to market The specific challenges she faced when starting to offer pencil pouches How she manages inventory How she decides to discontinue a product or design The confidence she feels in her business and how it is impacting next year’s release   KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “I really just learned by doing.” - Sarah Parrott Bianculli “All of a sudden I realized, I'm set to make more money doing this than my current day job.” - Sarah Parrott Bianculli “As my business has gone on, I'm trying to have as many of my suppliers be as local as possible and that's been, it's 11 years, I'm still working towards that goal and constantly searching.” - Sarah Parrott Bianculli “It's very rare that the first person we work with on a project is going to be the person we work with long-term.” - Katie Hunt “I'm pretty ruthless every year cutting out anything that's not working.” - Sarah Parrott Bianculli “My style has absolutely changed since I started this. I look at things when I first started to what I'm doing now, it doesn't even look like the same person.” - Sarah Parrott Bianculli “It just doesn't make sense to keep these things that aren't selling and it just allows more room for new things as well.” - Sarah Parrott Bianculli “I feel the best I've ever felt in all the businesses I've had and I'm working on next year's release and it's looking a lot different than anything I've ever done before.” - Sarah Parrott Bianculli   CONNECT WITH SARAH PARROTT BIANCULLI Website: http://parrottdesignstudio.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Parrott-Design-Studio-245078337090/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parrottdesign/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/parrottdesign/   SPECIAL OFFER: Proof to Product listeners get 3 free months of Gusto when they run their first payroll. Go to www.gusto.com/proof for more information   What if you could sit in a room with 30 other product makers who are doing exactly what you’re doing -- building a business they love!  You could share resources, leverage each other’s experiences and learn from those who are where you want to be. Imagine the growth potential!   Join us March 14-15th in Los Angeles for our Paper Camp Conference.   Over 800 brands have attended Paper Camp.  Brands that sell to stores like Target, Paper Source, Container Store, Anthropologie and independent boutiques internationally.   This program is for you if you’re a stationery or gift company interested in selling wholesale, exhibiting at trade shows or looking to expand your outreach to wholesale customers.     We believe in the power of community, collaboration and sharing everything we know.  Get all the details and register at  www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!

Have you ever wondered if Print on Demand and dropshipping was for you and your business? We did too, so we called on Amy of Paperfinch Design to chat with us about how she runs a successful business incorporating dropshipping and even how she has grown her wholesale business. Take notes and be sure to grab her dropshipping PDF!   About Amy: Amy with Paperfinch Design is a wanderlusty artist who creates travel-inspired art prints and gift products. With over 7 years experience, Amy has been featured on websites like Fodor's, People, Good Housekeeping, Kohl's, and HGTV's Instagram account. She just debuted at the 2018 National Stationery Show and also loves helping other small businesses learn to launch a product line, weatherproof their business, and scale their business to its fullest potential. She and her family just moved to the beach… just because. Amy fully believes that life is a daring adventure and wants to help you celebrate yours.   Connect with Amy: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest   Links: Dropshipping PDF Order Desk Shipstation   Hey! Did you know that each month we present a live workshop? Sure do! We've covered Finances, Marketing, and even Wholesale! You can grab replays and catch new workshops at creativerebelbase.com   Follow us on instagram (@creativebizrebellion) and use hashtag #creativebizrebellion for a shop shout out!!! If you have a second please jump over to iTunes and leave us a review! Click on the link and then click on “view in iTunes” to leave us a review. We give you all the virtual fist bumps. Thank you! JOIN THE REBELLION! Sign up for our newsletter and get our fave list of Instagram hashtags FREE! YOU CAN FIND KELLY ONLINE AT: www.helloworldpaperco.com www.kellyparkersmith.com www.helloworldstamps.etsy.com YOU CAN FIND CAROLINE ONLINE AT: www.carolinecreates.com www.carolinecreates.etsy.com

I’m back with our third and final National Stationery show recap.  Today you’ll hear from four of our Tradeshow Bootcamp alumni. We talk about sharing a booth, the benefits of planning ahead and how you gotta roll with the punches when things don’t go quite as planned.  Today’s episode features interviews with Jessica of Little Well Paper Co, Robyn from Lake & Loft, Meghan from And Here We Are and Allison from The Social Type.   Before we get started,  I wanted to let you know that we’re running our first ever summer session of the Paper Camp E-Course.  This course will help you get your product line ready for wholesale, refine your sales tools, strengthen your marketing and exhibit at shows.  We helped over 800 brands launch or refine their wholesale program. Brands that you’ll find on the shelves of Target, Anthropologie, Container Store, Paper Source and independent boutiques internationally.  If you want to build a strong wholesale foundation and see your products on the shelves of retail shops, I invite you to join us. Classes start on June 4th. Learn more and register here.

I’m back with Part 2 of our National Stationery Show recap.  Today you’ll hear from three of our TSBC alumni about what went well at the show for them, where they skimped & splurged in their spending and benefits to being at a wholesale show like, National Stationery Show.   Today’s episode features interviews with Katie from Page Stationery, Monique from Violet Flamingos and Katie from The Good Twin.     Also before we get started,  I wanted to let you know that we’re running our first ever summer session of the Paper Camp E-Course.  This course will help you get your product line ready for wholesale, refine your sales tools, strengthen your marketing and exhibit at shows.  We helped over 800 brands launch or refine their wholesale program. Brands that you’ll find on the shelves of Target, Anthropologie, Container Store, Paper Source and independent boutiques internationally.   Classes start on June 4th! Learn more and register here.   Enjoy Part 2 of our National Stationery Show special series.  

I recently was in New York for the National Stationery Show where approximately 55 of our Tradeshow Bootcamp alumni were exhibiting. And, I thought it would be fun to bring the show to you.  While I was in New York, I chatted with a handful of exhibitors, everyone from first timers to seasoned pros.   This episode is part one of a three part special edition series and it features interviews with Kathryn from Blackbird Letterpress, Kim from Ramona & Ruth, Pippi from E. Frances Paper and Stefanie from Halifax Paper Hearts.   Before we get started, I wanted to let you know that we’re running our first ever summer session of the Paper Camp E-Course.  This course will help you get your product line ready for wholesale, refine your sales tools, strengthen your marketing and exhibit at shows.  This isn’t your ordinary online course where you’re left to do everything yourself. The class runs for four weeks and every week we’ll have a live coaching call with me and special guest experts.  Classes start on June 4th! Learn more and register here.   Enjoy Part 1 of our National Stationery Show special series.

TSBC alum, Christine Miller is the creator and designer of Bundle Design — home to cheerful, cheeky greeting cards, balloons, party supplies and Good Day Decals.     On today’s episode Christine shares her journey of turning her hobby into a business, lessons learned from exhibiting at the National Stationery Show and how being at the show opened the door to working with Paper Source.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: What Christine was doing before Bundle Design How starting her family influenced her decision to step away from her full time job Starting her business a hobby and a creative outlet after having her son and transitioning it to a business a few years ago Opening her Etsy shop in 2011 and what made her realize that Etsy may not be the best path for her Making the decision that wholesale was the direction she wanted to go The difficulty she faced in establishing her own brand identity and creating products that had a cohesive aesthetic How her style has changed over the years The fears and concerns she had going into her first National Stationery Show and the mistakes she made The importance of sending out mailers and advertising your booth number to anyone and everyone prior to the show The changes Christine made her second year at the National Stationery Show Meeting the Paper Source buyer at the show and how it has been fruitful even years later The advice Christine would give to someone just starting out in a product based business The goals she is setting for herself and for Bundle Designs What’s next for Bundle Designs KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “My mentality is,  "Well, if I just make it people will just buy it." Unfortunately it doesn't quite work that way.” - Christine Miller “When you're developing a line, one of the most important things is to have a unique style, a brand that's recognizable.” - Christine Miller “The biggest fear is no one is going to buy anything.” - Christine Miller “That first year, my mantra was, ‘Okay, I want to make sales but if I don't make sales at least I'm still learning this and I'm making connections and I'll know more for the next year.’” - Christine Miller “Your booth number is your address on the show so you want to make sure that you're telling everyone where you're going to be at all times, add it to your social media profile, your bio. Make sure you're sending out those mailers, include it in the footer of your emails that go out. Don't keep that a secret, shout it from the rooftops where you're going to be.” - Katie Hunt “I never would've made that connection had I not been to the show. I'm sure I could've found out her information another way, LinkedIn or asking around and things like that, but I think her maybe seeing it in person gave it a little bit of an edge when they made their final selections.” - Christine Miller “I've always had the mentality of slow and steady. So, if I'm making steps, even if they're small steps, I'm moving in the right direction then that's what I'm always striving for.” - Christine Miller LINKS:Portfolio CenterNational Stationery ShowPaper CampPaper SourceFarewell Paperie   CONNECT WITH CHRISTINE: Website: http://bundledesign.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BundleDesignOnline Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bundledesign/   THE BOOTH BLUEPRINT: If you’re gearing up for trade show season and need help creating a beautiful booth that doesn’t break the bank, I want to invite you to my free masterclass. I’m sharing my three secrets to maximize your trade show investment and keep wholesale orders coming in long after you trade show end.  To join me for this free workshop, head to www.theboothblueprint.com to register!   SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know!   ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!

Hey Rebels! As Caroline gets settled in Colorado, we wanted to bring you one of our favorite conversations about wholesale and how to know if it's for you. Emily Ley is Founder and Creative Director of Emily Ley Paper & Gifts. She is also the creator of the bestselling Simplified Planner - a daily agenda for what matters most - and author of "Grace, Not Perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy." Raised in Pensacola, Florida, Emily graduated from the University of West Florida with degrees in English, creative writing, and public administration. She would later become the executive director of the city ballet. From there, she worked in nonprofit management and public relations before launching her brand in 2008. Emily has been recognized with numerous awards, including Best New Product at the National Stationery Show as well as being named a Top 10 Designer to Watch in 2015 by Stationery Trends Magazine. Emily lives with her husband and three children in Tampa, Florida. For more information, please visit www.EmilyLey.com.   Quote Love From Emily Ley:   “Eventually we got to that sweet spot”   “A sell out is not a bad thing”   “It’s crazy to see what taking a leap of faith will do”   Connect with Emily: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Links: Playbook Use Code: REBEL25-FOR 25% OFF   Emily’s New Book -Open for Pre-Order: A Simplified Life   Are you thinking about selling your products wholesale? Maybe you have a couple of retailers but want to grow. If so, our Selling Wholesale Workshop is for you! This workshop hosted by Kelly and Caroline of the Creative Biz Rebellion Podcast will cover what you need to think about before, during and after you sell wholesale! To purchase the course or get more information: https://creativebizrebellion.teachable.com/p/wholesaleworkshop Follow us on instagram (Creative Biz Rebellions) and interact with us for a shop shout out!!! If you have a second please jump over to iTunes and leave us a review!   Click on the link and then click on “view in iTunes” to leave us a review.  We give you all the virtual fist bumps. Thank you! JOIN THE REBELLION! Signup for our newsletter and get our fave list of Instagram hashtags FREE! YOU CAN FIND KELLY ONLINE AT: www.helloworldpaperco.com www.kellyparkersmith.com www.helloworldstamps.etsy.com YOU CAN FIND CAROLINE ONLINE AT: www.carolinecreates.com www.carolinecreates.etsy.com   SHOW YOUR REBEL SPIRIT WITH SOME AWESOME GEAR FROM THE CREATIVE BIZ REBELLION SHOP:   www.creativebizrebellion.com/shop *This post does contain some affiliate links*

Lichia Liu is the founder and creative director of Gotamago, a stationery & gifts brand based in Toronto, Canada. A self-taught illustrator, Lichia took a detour from her urban design career in 2013 to start Gotamago when she realized that she needed more authenticity, autonomy and artistic exploration in her work.  Besides running Gotamago and being a mom, Lichia is a musician, an urban sketcher, a member of a Japanese Taiko drumming group, and a foster dog parent.   On today’s episode we’re talking about how Lichia left her day job to pursue her passion, how she involves her team in building systems to automate and streamline her business and why she thinks it is important to jump before you feel ready   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: What Lichia was doing before she started Gotamango & how that lead her to start her business The first time she was reached out to by a retailer who wanted to carry her line & what her reaction was When she decided to leave her full time job Where Lichia gains inspiration for her work How she makes time for designing while trying to balance the rest of Gotamago How becoming a mom has changed her routines and schedules within her business Lichia’s team & the systems she has in place that allow her to step back and prioritize her family The types of canned email responses that she has written How her team grew slowly over time Some of the challenges that she faces being a Canadian exhibitor at U.S. based shows How preparing for her second National Stationery Show is different from preparing for her first The advice she would give to someone who is just starting out in a product based business What’s coming up for Gotamago KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “I was working on weekends and I thought, what am I doing? I really need to be grabbing this creative force that I have inside of me and giving it a chance.” - Lichia Liu “It's just such a different feeling when you know that strangers who don't know you at all are really liking your products, it gave me a lot of confidence.” - Lichia Liu “Everything I've done is pretty much a reflection of what I've been going through in my life.” - Lichia Liu “I was kind of a workaholic before I had my baby.” - Lichia Liu “Leading up to the baby being born, I really took time to start to systemize everything and delegate it out.” - Lichia Liu “Because I feel so much emotional attachment to my products that I'm not the best person to be dealing with things when things go wrong.” - Lichia Liu “The first lesson I learned was that when you take your stuff across the border you have to have all your forms filled. So make sure you get your forms filled.” - Lichia Liu “If I had waited until I thought it was perfect, I would have spent way more time on getting it to what I thought people wanted rather than actually making a good product that people actually will want.” - Lichia Liu LINKS: Website: http://gotamago.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/shopgotamago Instagram: http://Instagram.com/go.tamago Twitter: http://twitter.com/shopgotamago SUBSCRIBE TO PROOF TO PRODUCT: If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!

Richele Silva is the founder of Richie Designs, a boutique design and letterpress studio located in Long Beach, California. Richele is an art director, stylist, designer and printer. She founded Richie Designs 12 years ago, first as a side hustle while she worked at an advertising agency. Richele's products are sold at Paper Source, Urban Outfitters and Sugarfina along with hundreds of independent boutiques across the U.S.   On today’s episode we’re talking about leveraging past work experiences in business and the benefits of moving slowly and steadily in your business. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Her career path and how her previous stationery business led to Richie Designs Walking her first National Stationery Show in 1990 Her first greeting card company, Three Mulligans How her background in advertising helped prepare her for being a business owner Starting Richie Designs as a side hustle and then transitioning into it being her full-time gig How her background as a printer shaped the decisions she’s made for her business The “tipping points” in her business that helped her realize she could do this full-time Richele’s slow and steady approach to growing Richie Designs Her approach to social media and how it has changed over the years The advice she would give to people early on in their product-based businesses Richele’s favorite resource for her business What’s next for Richie Designs in 2018 KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “I remember having a conversation sitting with college girlfriends and we were talking about our dream jobs and greeting card designer was mine.” - Richele Silva “I want to meet everyone in their journey exactly where they are and I want to help them with whatever phase they're in.” - Katie Hunt “Having printed for other designers who don't print, I feel like it shapes my design for sure. Somebody who doesn't print is going to dream up three-color designs versus somebody who has to stand there and actually print it.” - Richele Silva “I just know I have to work slowly.” - Richele Silva “I don't think it's a bad thing to sit back and take a little breath.” - Richele Silva LINKSWebsite: http://www.richiedesigns.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Richie-Design-Letterpress-164221064003/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richiedesigns/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/richiedesigns/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/richiedesigns   JOIN THE TSBC FAMILY:   Do you want to scale your business and add new revenue streams?  Are you ready to get a handle on your cash flow and tuck money away for retirement?     Maybe you are interested in increasing your visibility and fine-tuning your marketing outreach?  Perhaps you have a team that you want to nurture or need help building your team?   Our newest on demand program, Paper Camp+ can help you with all of these things and more.  The program includes 5 keynote presentations and 2 panels from a wide range of business experts.  You can watch what you need, when you need it most and revisit the videos as often as you’d like.     This course was built for anyone running a product based business, and extends way beyond the paper industry.  Enroll at www.tradeshowcamp.com/pcplus! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!

Episode #051 with Emily Ley Amazing Tips to Help You Simplify Your Life   * Head to SimplyJoyfulPodcast.com or KristiClover.com/051 to see all the Show Notes & Awesome Quotes that we collected for you!   * A special thanks to our wonderful sponsor this month: PeachDish  — Be sure to check out all their amazingly delicious meals at PeachDish.com. You can get $15 OFF your first order by using the coupon code: SIMPLYJOYFUL   BOOKS & POSTS MENTIONED… A Simplified Life Grace Not Perfection Decluttering at the Speed of Life   LINKS TO OTHER THINGS MENTIONED… (See more details on the SHOW NOTES!) Get $15 OFF your first PeachDish.com order with the coupon code: SIMPLYJOYFUL B-School Enrollment is open! This program has literally changed my business life. Such a wonderful resource and a great investment. I would love to help you start your business journey and help you create a business that you love! Find out more HERE. Join our Simply Joyful community and get my Sanity Savers for Moms book FREE! The Simply Joyful Membership Site!! — To hear my special “How to Set Better Goals in 2018” bonus podcast episode! I didn’t mention that I have a weight loss program that I love called Optavia! I’m a health coach with them. If you are interested in learning more about that and my special coaching program, just head HERE for more info. Listening to Audio Books with Audible! The Simply Joyful Podcast mug Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss the next encouraging episode! iTunes & Stitcher & now GooglePlay   I hope you enjoyed this week's podcast! My prayer is always that you will be blessed and encouraged by each episode.   Live Simply. Be Joyful.   LET’S CONNECT!… I'd love to connect with you more online! Be sure to follow me on social media and see what we're up to.  My Website | Facebook  | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest | Twitter   CONNECT WITH EMILY… Emily Ley is the creator of the Simplified Planner® – an agenda for what matters most. Raised in Pensacola, Florida, Emily graduated from the University of West Florida with degrees in English and Public Administration, then went on to become the Executive Director of the city ballet. From there, she worked in nonprofit management and public relations before launching her brand in 2008. Following the success found at its online home — EmilyLey.com, Emily Ley quickly grew to be carried in over 750 retail outlets across the United States and around the world. In late 2016, however, Emily’s team decided to simplify and get back to what they loved most: creating community around their online shop – decreasing their retail partners from 750 to 5. Emily has been featured in Forbes, Family Circle, Better Homes and Gardens, Glamour, Good Housekeeping, and HGTV.com. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including Best New Product at the National Stationery Show as well as Top 10 Designers to Watch by Stationery Trends Magazine. Emily is the author of Grace, Not perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Chasing Joy, and released A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools for Intentional Living, in November 2017. It appeared on USA Today and The Washington Post’s list of best-sellers. Now as an author, businesswoman, wife, and mama to three, Emily enjoys Friday pizza parties on the living room floor, searching for the world’s best queso with her husband, Bryan, and making memories to savor with her toddler twins (Caroline + Tyler) and first-grader (Brady). You can check out Emily's books HERE on Amazon! Be sure to visit her site as well at www.emilyley.com.     **This post may contain a few affiliate links, both Amazon & others. Please see my disclosure page if you have any questions.

TSBC alum, Jeanette Champion-Fanning is the founder of Sweet Perversion a quick witted line of stationery and gift products. Jeanette got her start on Etsy in 2006 and has had over 20,000 sales there. She attend Paper Camp twice, once was to refine her wholesale program, and the second time was to figure out whether wholesales shows like the National Stationery Show were right for her. She’s had a lot of growth over the last few years and on today’s episode we’re talking about gaining momentum in business, running a debt-free company and owning our mistakes in business.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How Sweet Perversion got its start Gaining momentum on Etsy Seeing results from injecting her humor into her work The sales channels Jeanette is using How her focus in her business shifted at different times to accommodate life circumstances and the direction she wants to take her business Determining how much of a product to order, specifically when breaking into new categories Becoming more comfortable spending money in her business The importance of not comparing yourself to others on social media Pivotal times where Sweet Perversion received a lot of attention How she nurtures relationships with new clients Learning to outsource and being ok with it Why Jeanette came to Paper Camp twice The community she has gained through being a part of Paper Camp Her mindset towards copycats and how she avoids becoming one The advice she would give to someone starting a product-based business KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “Making money, and making smart decisions in your growth, bringing in new product categories is a big deal.” - Katie Hunt “I try and keep myself out of debt with this business. I don't want to be in debt with it.” - Jeanette Champion-Fanning “Social media is a stupid place to look at stuff because we all are working really hard to make ourselves look amazing on social media.” - Jeanette Champion-Fanning “We all make mistakes. We all make mistakes in our business every single day. Small, big, we all do.” - Jeanette Champion-Fanning “I have to keep reminding myself that honestly, the only goal for Sweet Perversion was so that I could work from home once we had kids. That was literally the only goal at the beginning, was to make enough money to work from home, and I'm doing it.” - Jeanette Champion-Fanning “I think the first time [at Paper Camp] was so good for me because I didn't know what I didn't know. I didn't realize I wasn't in industry standard for a lot of things.” - Jeanette Champion-Fanning “When you work by yourself, it's very easy to become stagnant, and it's nice to be around your people.” - Jeanette Champion-Fanning “I feel great about it [Paper Camp] because they came and spent two days with us, and they spent a lot less money than time and energy than they would've spent if they spent a year preparing for a show, and getting their wholesale line ready and thousands and thousands of dollars to only find out then that isn't something that they wanted to do.” - Katie Hunt “I try to remind myself that I am me, and nobody else is going to do things the way I do it, nobody's going to create the work I create, or design the things I design.” - Katie Hunt “When I have a new card design, sometimes I go and just Google it, and see is it possible that I saw this somewhere and that's why it's in my brain. Because I don't want to use something that I saw.” - Jeanette Champion-Fanning “Do your research, find out what industry standard is, keep yourself in line with cost too and with pricing.” - Jeanette Champion-Fanning “If you are new and starting out, don't randomly email someone and ask them where they get their stuff made, do the research.” - Jeanette Champion-Fanning LINKS: Website:  http://sweetperversion.com Instagram: @sweetperversion   JOIN THE TSBC FAMILY: Our signature Paper Camp program is back and we’re now enrolling for Winter 2018! Paper Camp Conference our 2-day, intensive conference focused on wholesale and tradeshows will take place March 1 - 2, 2018 in Los Angeles. This program dives deep into product development, sales tools, trade shows, marketing and working with buyers, sales reps and press.   Our Paper Camp conference will only run ONCE in 2018, which is a change from previous years.  And, we like to keep things intimate so you can get all your questions answered. Get all the details and grab your seat at www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp   ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!

Dorothy chats with Jessica & Clifford Huizenga of The Confetti Bar on how Jessica got the ball rolling so quickly, transitioning to The Confetti Bar as her full time career within 6 months.  Clifford is a digital wiz and has created a wonderful site with great SEO.  Clifford is a "personal believer in that a lot of the web field should be demystified and there's a lot of things people don't realize what they could do if they spent a little time learning how things work."   For more Confetti Bar: https://www.theconfettibar.com/ https://www.instagram.com/theconfettibar/ On Today's Show: (9:00) Jessica's creative past and present  http://jessicaserrahuizenga.com/ (11:00) Cliff's role on the backend of the site and heavy customization with gravity forms through Wordpress (15:00) Custom confetti vs ready-made and seasonal mixes of confetti (18:00) The Confetti Bar's Instagram and streamlining with Planoly (23:00) Ranking high in Google (29:00) Creating styled photos for Instagram with confetti & writing notes for ideas (32:00) The Confetti Bar's daily schedule (39:00) on wholesale and National Stationery Show (48:00) Maria Brophy Art Money Success (50:00) on creating fine artwork (52:00) on telling people you create custom confetti at a cocktail party      

Adina Segal is the owner of Bunny Bear Press, a letterpress studio based in Seattle, Washington. Adina attended Tradeshow Bootcamp in the fall of 2013, prior to exhibiting at the National Stationery Show in 2014 in a shared booth with The Ladies of Letterpress.  Since then, Adina has rebranded, built out her product line and is focused on turning customers into good friends. On today’s episode, Adina is sharing the evolution of her business, including why she underwent a complete rebrand and redesigned all of her products. We also discuss shifting her focus to do one thing and to do it well and how she's keeping herself accountable by sharing her goals on her blog.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: What led Adina to start her own business How she decided upon the name “Bunny Bear Press” for her business Getting started in hand lettering and when she started incorporating it into her products The products that Bunny Bear Press offers Her decision to focus on one product on a time and do that really well before expanding into other product offerings The catalyst behind re-designing her greeting card line Adina’s inspiration behind the re-design of the Bunny Bear Press products How sharing her goals publicly and providing  status updates every month has affected her business What’s next for Bunny Bear Press KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “I made a decision to just focus on one thing and do that really well. Then once that builds momentum, it'll afford me the opportunity and ability to kind of expand out into some other items, because I feel like doing all these different things, you get spread really thin.”  - Adina Segal   “I think before I was just making things to be pretty. I wasn't really making them for a specific person.” - Adina Segal   “It's like having that written history of your friendship, I think it's a beautiful thing.” - Adina Segal   “I decided to get really clear about what my goals were for the year, and not only that, break it down in such a way that I was checking back with myself, periodically every month.” - Adina Segal   “Being able to actually tally mark everything, I am being very honest with myself about how much work I did that month for trying to reach my wholesale goals.” - Adina Segal   “But I need to not let the crickets make me quit.” - Adina Segal   “The only time you lose and you fail at something is when you quit and you walk away.” - Adina Segal   “If nobody knows you, they're not going to buy from you.” - Adina Segal   CONNECT:  Website: http://bunnybearpress.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bunnybearpress/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bunnybearpress/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bunnybearpress/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bunnybearpress/   JOIN THE TSBC FAMILY: Do you enjoy listening to our Podcast and learning from our guests as they discuss how they grew their businesses? Interested in learning more actionable steps that you can implement into your business? Check out our Business Camp E-Course.   ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode.

TSBC alum, Stephanie Clarke is the founder of Dahlia Press, a boutique design and letterpress studio that offers custom design for events, as well as, a wide variety of stationery accoutrements for the retail and wholesale channels.  Stephanie participated in our Paper Camp E-Course in 2014 before selling wholesale and exhibiting at the National Stationery Show. On today’s episode, Stephanie and I are talking about how her business transitioned from a side hustle into a full time gig, how sales reps have enhanced her business and she shares her system for outsourcing packaging of her products.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Stephanie’s background as a designer in a corporate environment Starting Dahlia Press as a side hustle while she worked a corporate career The benefits of keeping a full-time job while growing Dahlia Press Current product offerings and how this has changed over the years How Tradeshow Bootcamp prepared her for NSS Working with sales reps and how they have enhanced her business The complexity of working with more sales reps as Dahlia Press has grown The importance of communication & camaraderie with your sales reps and your entire team Stephanie’s process for outsourcing packaging Starting new team members, regardless of role, in the fulfillment process to help them understand the whole process of getting product in customers’ hands Stephanie’s advice to someone wanting to start a product based business How she makes the decision to retire products What’s coming up for Dahlia Press KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   “Really, those six years, I don't think I've ever touched any of the money that was coming in from Dahlia Press, it just went right back into the business. Then, when I was going out on my own, I had a nice little cushion.” - Stephanie Clarke   “I love working with the reps who are out of state and areas that I just don't have a reach. They're the ones who have the relationships with the buyers, they understand the dynamics of the stores that are next door to one another and who's buying what, and how to deal with that.” - Stephanie Clarke   “I try to kind of spoil my reps. They're working hard for me. I want to make sure that they know I appreciate what they do.” - Stephanie Clarke   “I feel like that sense of communication and camaraderie is important in all relationships in business, you don't necessarily have to send them all gifts, but it's important to stay in contact.” - Katie Hunt   “Having that time to actually have those conversations [with sales reps or retailers], it helps you in your planning and determination of what you're going to be offering, and what product categories you want to go into, and how you can better serve your audience, and give them the things that they need.” - Katie Hunt   “Outsourcing your packaging is probably the simplest thing you can do.” - Stephanie Clarke   “I think everyone needs to have a good understanding of not only how the product works, and it goes together, and the whole process of getting them from A to B.” - Stephanie Clarke   “Do research as to where you fit in the market and how you can make your products unique and stand out. See what's out there and where there are holes and try to figure out how you can fill those as best as possible.” - Stephanie Clarke   “I think taking that time to figure out what your voice is and how to really stay true to that, it's important.” - Stephanie Clarke   “I think that is the benefit of having the full-time job and doing this on the side when you're starting a business, not putting the pressure on yourself to be everything all at once. You can have that time, that flexibility and that's huge.” Stephanie Clarke   "If it's not moving, and I'm sitting on a stack of those cards, and I'm not getting good feedback on them, and no one seems to be missing them, then, yeah, it's time to let it go.” - Stephanie Clarke   “Really take a good look at your line before you start your next catalog and decide like, ‘Okay, this one doesn't need to be included.’”- Stephanie Clarke   MEET STEPHANIE CLARKE:   Located in Seattle Washington, Dahlia Press is a boutique design and letterpress studio founded in 2008 by designer Stephanie Clarke. After years of providing happy couples and families with custom invitations and announcements, in the summer of 2014, Dahlia Press began a small line of greetings and social stationery in order to expand their current offerings. Today their growing line includes over 200 greetings, and incorporates a variety of stationery accoutrement such as wrapping paper, notepads and gift tags.   In addition to her stationery company, Stephanie is an accomplished commercial designer. With 15 years of design experience, Clarke has an extensive portfolio of impactful visual identities, logo strategies, interior store environment design, brand websites and digital content for several top companies in the United States, including Starbucks, ThaiFusions, ExOfficio, and Marmot among others.   CONNECT: Website: http://www.dahliapress.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dahliapress/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dahliapress/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/dahliapress/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/dahliapress   JOIN THE TSBC FAMILY: Our Paper Camp E-Course is now enrolling!  If you’d like to see your products on the shelves of your favorite retail shops or if you’re considering exhibiting at large scale wholesale shows, join us this fall for our virtual Paper Camp course.  Get more details and snag your seat here.   ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode.

TSBC Alumni, Shayna Norwood of Steel Petal Press owns letterpress studio and retail store front in Chicago. Shayna started Steel Petal Press in 2008 as a side hustle and it became her full time gig in 2010.  In 2016, she opened her flagship retail shop selling her own products as well as stationery and office goods from other independent brands.      On today’s episode, Shayna shares how she manages both a wholesale busienss and a retail storefront, the challenges she’s faced while growing her business and her advice to designers who are pitching their products to wholesale buyers.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: The start of Steel Petal Press as a side hustle. Feature in Daily Candy & faking it til you make it. Her first year at the National Stationery Show & exhibiting with Ladies of Letterpress. How opening up the retail shop was a happy accident. Managing both sides of her business & the challenges that causes. Shayna’s team and the roles they fill. Merchandising the store & learning to buy for the store Advice for people pitching retail stores How much follow up is too much? KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   “When you’re at the National Stationery Show, you really need to stand out in certain ways.” - Shayna Norwood   “I have to be really intentional about setting aside time to work on the wholesale side of the business.” - Shayna Norwood   “I have learned to trust my instincts.” - Shayna Norwood   “Do your research.  Be as prepared as possible for any situation before you go into it” - Shayna Norwood   MEET SHAYNA NORWOOD: Steel Petal Press is a Chicago based letterpress studio owned and operated by Shayna Norwood.  What began as a part-time endeavor in 2008 has grown to include three presses, a paper cutter, and a small + awesome team. Together we print, package and ship each item by hand.  Shayna Norwood is a professionally trained visual artist with a BFA from San Francisco Art Institute. She's been letterpress printing since 2004, and Steel Petal Press has been her full time gig since 2010.  In 2016 she opened her flagship retail shop. Our shop carries Steel Petal Press greeting cards printed by hand in house and other gift items from independent designers around the country.   CONNECT: Website: http://www.steelpetalpress.com Facebook:  @steelpetalpress Instagram: @steelpetalpress Pinterest: @steelpetalpress Twitter: @steelpetalpress www.instagram.com/steelpetalpress/   JOIN THE TSBC FAMILY: Interested in learning more about launching or refining a wholesale line or exhibiting at trade shows?  Join us for our next Paper Camp conference in Los Angeles. Get more details and register at www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp   ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode.

For full show notes and access to additional resources for this episode, visit: prooftoproduct.com/nss2017part2 I’m back with Part 2 of our National Stationery Show recap.  We’re talking with six of our TSBC alumni hearing what went well at the show, how the show has evolved and a couple will weigh in on how the show differs from NY Now and Atlanta’s Mart.  Today’s episode features interviews with Sarah from Parrott Design Studio, Joel from Iron Curtain Press, Lana from Lana’s Shop, Julie from Julie Ann Art, Kristen & Pam from Reyn Paper Co., and Tammy from Banquet Workshop.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE:   Sarah Bianculli from Parrott Design (4th year in 5 years at NSS) [01:30] How this show compared to previously shows she’s done. [02:00] Expanding into more gift categories including canvas pouches, notepads, pens and pencils[03:00] Benefits of attending the show and meeting people face to face[04:00] Licensing projects with Papyrus and interest from Kodak; other benefits of being at the show.[04:30] Importance of follow-up after the show[05:00] Do a lot of research for the stores that are a good fit for you, quality over quantity.[05:30] Persistence and patience pay off.  Don’t give up and stay in front of the buyers you’re a great fit for. Joel Kvernmo from Iron Curtain Press (5th year at NSS)[06:00] Hard wall booths and changing up their design year after year.[07:00] Reusing booth materials to keep costs low, including foam tiles, shelving and storage[08:00] New product releases for this year:  reporter notebooks, task pad, pencil bags[08:30] Best selling products at the show.[09:00] Don’t overextend yourself financially as you’re starting a business. Baby steps and slow growth is better than a big jump, then a big fall. Lana from Lana’s Shop (2nd year at NSS)[10:00] How Paper Camp helped her coming into her second year.[10:30] Continuing the momentum from her first year into the second year.  [11:00] Unexpected mishaps: their crate was damaged in shipping[12:00] Opportunities she experienced being at the show:  meeting artists & designers in person and potential collaborations[13:00] Go all out.  Have confidence and stay true to your own designs Julie Richardson from Julie Ann Art (2nd year at NSS)[13:30] Second year feels more prepared.  Logistics get easier.[14:00] Creating unique decor for her booth that didn’t take away from the product.[15:00] Lighting mishap and how she handled it. Resources are available on site.[16:00] NSS is a special atmosphere.  [16:30] Advice: Join Tradeshow Bootcamp.  Do your research. Don’t be intimidated. We’re all in this together. Kristen & Pam from Reyn Paper Co.  (3rd year at NSS)[17:00] Difference between types of buyers at NSS vs Atlanta Mart.  Orders are typically bigger for Reyn at Atlanta (volume-wise). [19:00] Logistical difference between New York & Atlanta[19:30] Types of buyers they are seeing at National Stationery Show.[20:30] Different shows have different types of buyers. Find the best show for you and your products.[21:00] Find your right audience and get your products in front of them. [22:00] Looking at your return on investment. Tammy Lawrence from Banquet Workshop (6th year at NSS)[22:30] How NSS compares to NY Now from an exhibitor stand point.[23:30] Types of buyers that shop NY Now vs Stationery Show.[24:30] She’s seeing more and more exhibitors branching out into gift products because that is what the buyers want.[26:00] Make half your line birthday cards.[26:30] Branching out into textiles, more cards, etc. [27:00] All buyers buy different product mixes for their stores. INSTAGRAM HANDLES -- Tell them you heard them on Proof to Product! Parrot Design Iron Curtain Press Lana’s Shop Julie Ann Art Reyn Paper Co. Banquet Workshop   JOIN THE TSBC FAMILY: Interested in learning more about launching or refining a wholesale line or exhibiting at trade shows?  Join us for our next Paper Camp conference in Los Angeles. Get more details and register at www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp   ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode.

For full show notes and access to additional resources for this episode, visit: prooftoproduct.com/nss2017part1 I recently was in New York for the National Stationery Show where myself and approximately 70 of our Tradeshow Bootcamp alumni were exhibiting.  And, I thought it would be fun to chat with a handful of exhibitors, everyone from first time exhibitors to seasoned pros.  This episode is part one of a two part special edition series and it features interviews with Stephanie from Dahila Press, Katie from The Good Twin, Shino and Ken from Fugu Fugu Press, Michelle from Meeschmosh, Denise from Friendly Fire Paper and Chelsea from Sugar Paper.  Enjoy!   ON TODAY’S EPISODE:   Stephanie Clarke from Dahlia Press (3rd year at NSS) [01:00] How the show has changed year over year for Stephanie. [02:00] Increased confidence that comes with exhibiting multiple years.[02:30] Being able to say no to things that aren’t the right fit for her business.[03:00] Licensing, custom projects and other opportunities that evolved being at NSS in 2017.[03:30] Making time to connect with industry colleagues and peers[04:00] Unexpected issues with shipping to the show and how she handled it Katie Wilson from The Good Twin (2nd year at NSS)[04:30] Recap of relationships and opportunities she experienced being at the show.[05:00] Thoughts on NSS moving to a lower level at Javits (we like it!)[06:00] Building on relationships with retailers and meeting buyers from big box stores [06:00] Potential licensing projects with Penguin and Random House [06:30] Connecting with industry colleagues at the show[07:00] Industry specific shows vs shows with wider range of vendors[07:30] Standing out amongst others in the industry Shino & Ken Charlson from Fugu Fugu Press  (10th year at NSS)[08:00] How the show has evolved over the last 10 years.[08:30] Reaffirming relationships with current accounts & growing the size of orders. [09:30] Benefits of using face time at the shows to get feedback on your products.[10:30] New accounts vs fostering relationships with current accounts.   [11:00] Jitters before you write that first order at a show.  [12:00] Trying new things with their line and feeling validated when people buy[12:30] Putting yourself and your work out into the world[13:00] Established companies still feel the jitters MIchelle LaRocca from Meeschmosh (3rd year at NSS)[13:30] Smooth sailing during set-up at the show[14:00] Other opportunities at the show: Licensing possibilities with Hallmark, Harpers[14:30] Benefits of being at a show Denise from Friendly Fire Paper (1st year at NSS)[15:00] First year at the show reached & exceeded her goals[15:30] Benefits of being at the show aside from sales [16:00] The unknowns of set-up went smoother than she expected[16:30] Rules change year to year; stay flexible and keep an open mind.[17:00] Meeting independent boutiques like Cursive and big box stores like Paper Source[18:00] Research, ask questions, don’t be afraid to reach out. Chelsea Shukov from SugarPaper Los Angeles (6th year at NSS)[18:30] Learning as they went when they first started selling wholesale and exhibiting.[20:00] Get your pricing right, do your research and know what the market will bear[20:30] Converting their Target customers into luxury planner customers[21:00] Differentiating yourself & maintaining a clear identity in your business[21:00] As a buyer she wants to see authentic work[22:00] How the show has evolved:  It’s tiny but mighty. KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   My confidence has grown in many ways - Stephanie Clarke, Dahlia Press   “I like to think that even if I’m in a sea of stationers, my stuff will stand out and fill a need for my retailers.” -Katie Wilson, The Good Twin   We reaffirm relationships by being at the show. Our buyers are growing with us. And we value that. -Ken Charlson, Fugu Fugu Press “Stay flexible and keep an open mind.” -Denise, Friendly Fire Paper “Shipping product that is not making you any money, is not doing you any favors.  You’re working for free.” - Chelsea Shukov, Sugar Paper   “Maintain a clear identity in your business” -Chelsea Shukov, Sugar Paper   INSTAGRAM HANDLES -- Tell them you heard them on Proof to Product! Dahla Press The Good Twin Fugu Fugu Press Meeschmosh Friendly Fire Paper Sugar Paper   JOIN THE TSBC FAMILY: Interested in learning more about launching or refining a wholesale line or exhibiting at trade shows?  Join us for our next Paper Camp conference in Los Angeles. Get more details and register at www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp   ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode.

Today Dorothy’s speaking with Liz Cooke of Lionheart Prints, a paper and gift company in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Liz creates hand lettered messages for the kind, brave, and fun.  We discuss how Lionheart Prints got its start to now opening and running a successful brick and mortar shop, about her selling her work at the National Stationery Show, and how she hustles to get it all done.     "I want to be your life coach on paper!" -Liz Cooke   See more of Lionheart’s work:   www.lionheartprints.com www.instagram.com/lionheartprints www.instagram.com/lizmautecooke www.facebook.com/lionheartprints   Follow along and join the Positively Creative Community:   www.positivelycreative.net www.instagram.com/positivelycreativepodcast www.facebook.com/groups/positivelycreativepodcast   On Today's Episode:   (5:00) Paper Source (12:00) Whitney Engllish (13:00) Stationery Academy / Society for Creative Founders (15:00) Gemma O'Brien (17:00) Fleurty Girl (21:00) Yeaux Leaux cups (31:00) National Stationery Show (33:00) Creative Mornings - Tattly (34:00) Little Histories (52:00) Charlie / Emily McDowell (54:00) Liz's NSS booth fiasco (54:00) Fox + Fallow (54:00) Kristen Ley (1:30:00) Rifle Paper Co. (1:34:00) Thimblepress for Target    

Today’s Positively Creative guest is Kristen Ley, founder and owner of Thimblepress, a lifestyle company that encourages kindness and inspires fun, through her letterpress and watercolor greeting cards, kindness cards, Push-Pop Confetti, and tons of other adorable products!  Kristen fills us in on her creative process, ranging from how she came up with the "Your butt looks great in those jeans!" card to The Day Dreamer Journal.  Kristen and Dorothy discuss the backstory of Thimblepress' early days, how she manages her team and working on collaborations all inside the Thimblepress headquarters in Jackson, Mississippi, and how she stays positive by leaning on her faith to stay optimistic.     "You really want to hire your weaknesses." -Kristen Ley "If I could laugh through my whole life, I would be a happy girl. Keeping that kid-like innocence and mentality I think is one of the biggest things you can do for enjoying your life." - Kristen Ley "There's bravery in seeking after opportunity." -Kristen Ley "When you're passionate about something, sometimes you can put blinders on.  Which is good and bad." -Kristen Ley   See more of Thimblepress' work: www.thimblepress.com Thimblepress' The Thread Blog Thimblepress for Target   Follow along and join the Positively Creative Community:   www.positivelycreative.net www.instagram.com/positivelycreativepodcast www.facebook.com/groups/positivelycreativepodcast   On Today's Show: (10:00) Double Decker Art Festival  (11:00) Renegade Craft Fair (16:00) Thimblepress won best booth display (20:00) National Stationery Show (22:00) State Flower Collection (24:00) On Hiring Employees (28:00) Visual Layout of Brick & Mortar Thimblepress (38:00) Her Creative Process / Kindness Cards / The Day Dreamer (48:00) Thimblepress x Target Collaboration (57:00) pillows throwonline.com (58:00) Speak Wines  

Today’s Positively Creative guest is Valerie McKeehan, creator of the chalk lettering art company and gift and lifestyle brand, Lily and Val.  Valerie speaks on how she creates new products, the new product the Keepsake Kitchen Diary, and how they recently opened a brick and mortar shop.  Listen along for her tips on managing and building a team with your spouse, licensing vs. manufacturing, and evolving the brand's aesthetic. See more of Lily & Val: www.lilyandval.com www.instagram.com/valeriemckeehan www.instagram.com/lilyandval   Follow along and join the Positively Creative Community:   www.positivelycreative.net www.instagram.com/positivelycreativepodcast www.facebook.com/groups/positivelycreativepodcast On Today's Show: (2:00) How Lily & Val started (6:00) Marketing background helped build the brand (8:00) Manufacturing and licensing (14:00) Working with a Spouse (15:00) Keepsake Kitchen Diary (19:00) Brick & Mortar Location (20:00) Valerie's Daily Routine (21:00) On managing a collaborative environment (25:00) Valerie's creative routine (26:00) The Power of Full Engagement book (29:00) Society for Creative Founders (40:00) National Stationery Show (49:00) On evolving the brand (58:00) Teaching Workshops  

For full show notes and access to additional resources for this episode, visit: prooftoproduct.com/002 Sam Kramer, the head boss lady at Near Modern Disaster got her start in business in 2009 and amped things up in 2014 when she began selling wholesale, did her first trade show and she expanded her product line into greeting cards, mugs, notepads and enamel pins. On today's episode, Sam talks about her process for developing new products, the importance of releasing new products regularly and how working with sales reps has helped her scale her business.  Sam attended Tradeshow Bootcamp’s Paper Camp in 2013 prior to launching her wholesale program.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: [01:30] Near Modern Disaster’s story[03:00] Treating your business like a business[05:00] Realizing help was out there. She didn’t have to grow this business alone.[07:00] Inspiration, design process & product development.[13:00] Expanding into new product categories.[16:30] Working with sales reps & building a partnership.[22:00] Getting on a regular release schedule.[24:30] Moving her business to a different state & how she prepped.[28:00] Near Modern Disaster in Buzzfeed.[31:30] What’s next for Near Modern Disaster KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “I realized there were resources to help me.  I didn't have to try and create this business by myself without help.” - Sam Kramer On product development:  “you need to look at the numbers and make sure the margins are here.” -Katie Hunt “I’ve been scared to hire because that requires trusting others and delegating” - Sam Kramer “You need to have your house in order before you start reaching out to reps.” - Katie Hunt “You need to keep things fresh for the buyers” - Sam Kramer   LINKS: Paper Camp Near Modern Disaster Papillion Press Fig. 2 Design Buzzfeed     MEET SAM KRAMER: Near Modern Disaster is a one-lady operation fronted by Sam Kramer. Sam has been working under the name since 1999 - and Near Modern Disaster has gone through many incarnations over the years. (It was a killer Geocities page back in the day.) Its current (and most memorable) form as a line of greeting cards has been around since January of 2009 when Sam posted her first Valentine's Day cards on Etsy. She initially touted the line as "cards for people you want to make out with" a sentiment that still stands.   Though 2009 was the initial start for the stationery line, it was more of a hobby than a business until 2014 - the year Near Modern Disaster debuted at the National Stationery Show in NYC. AKA the year shit got real.   Since 2014, Near Modern Disaster has grown from a line of greeting cards to a small gift line - adding different items over the years like notepads, coffee mugs, and enamel pins. You can now find Near Modern Disaster products in about 250 stores nationwide - and a dozen or so stores across Canada.   Website: nearmoderndisaster.com Facebook: @moderndisaster Instagram: @moderndisaster Twitter: @moderndisaster   JOIN THE TSBC FAMILY: Interested in learning more about launching or refining a wholesale line or exhibiting at trade shows?  Join us for our Paper Camp conference this September in Los Angeles. Get more details and register at www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp   ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by me, Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode.

Hey Rebels!  Today we chat with Emily Ley.  Emily Ley is Founder and Creative Director of Emily Ley Paper & Gifts. She is also the creator of the bestselling Simplified Planner - a daily agenda for what matters most - and author of "Grace, Not Perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy." Raised in Pensacola, Florida, Emily graduated from the University of West Florida with degrees in English, creative writing, and public administration. She would later become the executive director of the city ballet. From there, she worked in nonprofit management and public relations before launching her brand in 2008. Emily has been recognized with numerous awards, including Best New Product at the National Stationery Show as well as being named a Top 10 Designer to Watch in 2015 by Stationery Trends Magazine. Emily lives with her husband and three children in Tampa, Florida. For more information, please visit www.EmilyLey.com. Quote Love From Emily Ley: “Eventually we got to that sweet spot” “A sell out is not a bad thing” “It’s crazy to see what taking a leap of faith will do” Links from the show: PlaybookUse Code: REBEL25-FOR 25% OFF Emily’s New Book -Open for Pre-Order: A Simplified Life Where to find Emily Ley Website | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Follow us on instagram (@creativebizrebellion) and use hashtag #creativebizrebellion for a shop shout out!!! If you have a second please jump over to iTunes and leave us a review!  Click on the link and then click on “view in iTunes” to leave us a review.  We give you all the virtual fist bumps.  Thank you! JOIN THE REBELLION! Signup for our newsletter and get our fave list of Instagram hashtags FREE! YOU CAN FIND KELLY ONLINE AT: www.helloworldpaperco.com www.kellyparkersmith.com www.helloworldstamps.etsy.com YOU CAN FIND CAROLINE ONLINE AT: www.carolinecreates.com www.carolinecreates.etsy.com   SHOW YOUR REBEL SPIRIT WITH SOME AWESOME GEAR FROM THE CREATIVE BIZ REBELLION SHOP: www.creativebizrebellion.com/shop *This post does contain some affiliate links*

My guest for Happy Hour #118 is Emily Ley. Emily is the Founder and Creative Director of Emily Ley Paper & Gifts. She is also the creator of the bestselling Simplified Planner—a daily agenda for what matters most— and author of Grace Not Perfection. Raised in Pensacola, Florida, Emily graduated from the University of West Florida with degrees in English, creative writing, and public administration. She later became the executive director of the city ballet. From there, she worked in nonprofit management and public relations before launching her brand in 2008. Following the success found at its online home, the Emily Ley brand quickly grew to be carried in retail outlets across the United States and around the world. Emily has been recognized with numerous awards, including Best New Product at the National Stationery Show as well as being named a Top 10 Designer to Watch in 2015 by Stationery Trends Magazine. Emily lives with her husband and three children in Tampa, Florida. Emily shares about growing her business from the ground up, all while remaining a debt-free company. She talks about difficult learning curves and decisions that she has had to make to maintain the company values - including a recent decision to cut down on wholesale to be able to better connect with the customer. Because of the recent release of Emily's first book, we chatted about the book writing process, how her book was born and the painstaking decisions of a cover design. And Emily also shares some of her family's easy and totally doable holiday traditions. I loved getting the chance to get to know Emily. I know you're going to love her, and feel inspired by the way that she has grown her business, while staying true to her initial goals and values. {You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!} Links from the Show Emily's Book: Grace Not Perfection Ballet Pensacola University of South Florida: Women in Leadership & Philanthropy Program The Lifegiving Home by Sally & Sarah Clarkson + Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist+ For the Love by Jen Hatmaker + Wild and Free by Hayley Morgan and Jess Connolly Walk in Love What Emily is loving: The Profit, Scarlet and Gold and naps Music from Austin Stone Worship Connect with Emily Facebook // Twitter // Instagram Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram Sponsors: Out of the Spin Cycle Out of the Spin Cycle: Devotions to Lighten Your Mother Load by Jen Hatmaker helps moms step out of the ‘spin cycle’ of everyday life to sit down with Jesus every day. Following Jesus shouldn’t be just one more thing on our to-do list. Jen helps us understand, through 40 devotions, that creating space and time for focusing on our relationship with God is as important as making sure our kids eat breakfast or we get them to school on time. You can find this book online at amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com. Lily Jade Lily Jade makes incredible bags at incredible prices. Normally, full grain leather premium totes would retail for hundreds more, but thanks to their unique e-commerce model, they able to get their gorgeous pieces into even more women’s hands. Every bag comes with a removable, washable 14-pocket organizer to protect your investment, and to organize your gear. Not only that, the heart of Lily Jade is to give back, supporting all women, and especially moms. Make sure to check out Lily Jade here.

Michael Vash makes his living by drawing funny cartoons, irreverent greeting cards to be more precise. Vash Designs officially began its foray into the greeting card business at the 2002 National Stationery Show in New York. Vash has found his niche in the mature humor market, servicing a retail demographic that is looking for something different opposed to the saccharin sweet Hallmark Card. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/michaelvash In this episode, Michael discusses: -How he started his greeting card company after getting laid off from his job and revisiting the idea of drawing things that make people laugh. -How he is essentially a one-man operation and some of the struggles that go along with that. -One of his earliest creative memories. -What led him astray from a career in drawing. -How he wasn't happy working at Disney even though it seemed like a dream job on paper. -How laziness is one of the big things that holds him back from doing his work. -How it can be very difficult to create work when there is no real deadline. -His advice to just find one small thing that you can do to get ahead, and once you start doing work, you can get into a rhythm. -The sense of relief that can come from doing the work that you hate first and getting it out of the way. -How marijuana can sometimes help his creativity, especially if he is stuck in a creative rut, but the importance of treating it like a tool for certain types of work since it can also slow him down in other aspects. -How when he draws, he tries to understand what he is drawing and how things are constructed and put together, like he is visually engineering. -How we all have that inner critic in our head telling us that we aren't doing things properly, and the importance of shutting that critic up so that we can be alone with our art. -The rewarding experience of being at trade shows and being able to watch people as they look at his art, seeing what works and what doesn't work. -How his best creative moment ended up turning into his worst creative moment. Michael's Final Push will inspire you to be persistent as you pursue your creative passion! Quotes: "I guess what sent me the other way is that you believe what the voices tell you, that art is a foolish endeavor." "If you're a creative person, it's in your soul.  It's in your blood.  You have to find a way to be creative." "You realize that you are not going to be happy with a traditional job. "I guess it's laziness.  Even though you are doing something you love, doing nothing is easier." "People who are great at their craft put the time in.  They put the hours in.  They put the work in.  Whether they want to or not." "Persistence is better than talent." Connect with Michael: Website / Facebook / Instagram   

Robert Allen’s guest on this Meet the Masters is Patti Stracher, Show Manager of the National Stationery Show (NSS).  Patti acts as the event planner of the largest annual trade show where stationers and gift retailers from across the country and around the world come to see the latest trends in specialty paper to purchase […]

Robert Allen’s guest on this Meet the Masters is Patti Stracher, Show Manager of the National Stationery Show (NSS).  Patti acts as the event planner of the largest annual trade show where stationers and gift retailers from across the country and around the world come to see the latest trends in specialty paper to purchase […]