Podcasts about tradeshow bootcamp

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

Katie Hunt, founder of Tradeshow Bootcamp dives deeper into how to create a wholesale resource section on your website, something she and Rhonda Warren talked about briefly on episode 61. Katie shares what to include in your resource center, how to structure things and why it is important to make it easy for your wholesale customers to buy.   Listen to Episode 61 Here: http://tradeshowcamp.com/prooftoproduct061/   For full show notes and resources, head to: https://www.prooftoproduct.com/podcast-episodes/how-to-create-a-wholesale-resource-page-with-katie-hunt 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!

Rebekah Tennis is the founder of Wild Ink Press, a letterpress studio and retail storefront located in northern California. Rebekah started Wild Ink Press in 2009 and was part of our very first Tradeshow Bootcamp class in 2011. The Wild Ink Press brand offers witty and pretty greeting cards, stationery, and other paper goods that can be found in hundreds of retail shops nationwide including the Container Store, Papyrus, and Paper Source. On today's episode, Rebekah talks about the power of slow, organic growth and why it's okay to not have all your ducks in a row when you're starting out. She also shares her thoughts on responsiveness, reliability, and why she likes sending catalogs and samples to prospective wholesale buyers. ON TODAY'S EPISODE: How Wild Ink Press got its start and what lead Rebekah to starting her own business How she first got started with greeting cards When she first hired a team member and how the Wild Ink Press team grew from there The catalyst for wanting to open up the retail shop and the benefits it provides How her wholesale marketing and outreach has changed due to the retail shop The way she decides if she wants to carry someone's work How long she recommends waiting to reach out to a retailer after you've mailed them a catalog and your samples Her schedule for sending out catalogs How she nurtures relationships with the stores that she's working with as a manufacturer The way that she manages her business life and her family life How she handles times of transition in her business The advice she would give to someone just starting out in a product based business What's next for Wild Ink Press For Full Show Notes and Resources, head to https://www.prooftoproduct.com/podcast-episodes/040-strategies-for-pitching-wholseale-buyers-with-rebekah-tennis-wild-ink-press 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!  

Would it be a dream to work with a product-based business you love? Well you can make that happen because product-based businesses are looking for virtual support in many areas. In this episode, Katie Hunt of Proof to Product, shares how freelancers can support product-based businesses, what they're struggling with and how their businesses have changed in the last year. Katie 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. If there is someone who knows what product-based businesses need - it's Katie! Head over to the show notes for the links and resources mentioned in this episode. Tag Katie and myself on Instagram with what you're doing after this episode to help these type of businesses. I love to see your takeaways! Thanks for listening today and talk soon! SHOW NOTES: www.MicalaQuinn.com/episode168

This week we’re back with another awesome episode in our FAVE FIVE series where we are sharing five of our most listened to episodes from the last year! We’ll be back in February with new episodes. Today, I am welcoming my friend, Katie Hunt, founder of Proof to Product (formerly Tradeshow Bootcamp) onto the podcast to talk about her recent journey with renaming her very established brand. This is a topic that a lot of people struggle with and I wanted to be able to bring this to you in an effort to shed light on what that process may look like for someone like Katie. Katie also shares her business journey with us and how it has evolved and grown to where it is today.  www.prooftoproduct.com (http://www.prooftoproduct.com/) If you're unsure about the best ways to show up and share your brand with the world, then download my free checklist 52 Ways to Build Brand Visibility here. (https://ginny-krauss.mykajabi.com/52-ways)

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!

Katie Hunt is the founder of Proof to Product® (formerly Tradeshow Bootcamp), a business strategist, and mentor to creative entrepreneurs. She has certainly been a mentor to me over the past 7 years! We chat about building community in the stationery industry, vulnerability, scarcity vs. abundance mindset, building a business that's specific to you and your life, and more! Check out Katie's company, Proof to Product! Learn more about her newest project, Proof to Product Labs! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/snailmailsuperstar/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/snailmailsuperstar/support

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

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/

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!

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.

As we head into the holidays, I want to take a moment to reflect back on 2019 and look forward to what’s in store for 2020. I encourage you to do the same!   2019 was an amazing year around here.   We published 58 podcast episodes this year and surpassed 400,000 downloads.  This show has been live for almost 3 years and during that time we’ve taken very few breaks.  We bring you fresh, new content weekly and sometimes multiple times a week and I have a small team of highly talented people that ensure each episode gets to your ears — and I’m eternally grateful for each and every one of them.  This podcast wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for them.   We welcomed over 150 new students to the Paper Camp family through our conference and online course.  Our conference moved to a new venue that gave us more room to spread out both inside & outside — and lots of amazing natural light.    I often joke that I want people that come to Paper Camp to feel like they are being welcomed into my home and surrounded by new friends — this venue is a great spot for us to connect, learn and grow together.   And, this year, we underwent a major rebrand transitioning my 8 year old business from its original name Tradeshow Bootcamp to our new name Proof to Product.  This project stretched me in so many ways as a business owner — I re-evaluated our audience, our programming and we made some major shifts to ensure that we’re serving our audience and making the biggest impact possible.      We built out a new website that has a ton of resources specifically for product based businesses — we have three free masterclasses, the blog, podcast episodes, case studies & alumni highlights, plus our favorite tools & vendors that we love.   2019 was a year of reflection and stripping away the things that were no longer working for me, the business and all of you so that we can bring you even more in 2020.   Looking ahead — We have some incredible things lined up for all of you in 2020.    For the podcast, we’ll be back on January 7th with a new episode featuring my friend and Paper Camp alumni, Kristen Ley of Thimblepress.   Kristen has made some incredible and intentional shifts in her business Ince the last time she was on the show.  She let go of her national sales reps, downsized her product line and reduced her team of employees.  She re-evaluated what she wanted in her life & her business, then made changes that have led to beautiful results.  I’m excited for you to hear her story.   We’ll host our Paper Camp conference February 25-26th in Los Angeles to talk about product development, selling wholesale, sales & marketing strategies as well as exhibiting at trade shows.  This is more of a workshop vibe than a conference — we cap the program at 30 people so that you can get to know everyone there and we have time dedicated to 1-1 time with our speakers.  February will be the only time we offer our Paper Camp program in-person.  But, we will have the 4-week online course available twice in 2020 — once in the Spring and once in the Fall.  Stay tuned for more detail there.   And, we’re bringing you something brand new in 2020 that we’re still working on and I can’t share, yet.  But it will involve live trainings with me and guest experts on things like marketing, sales and scaling your business, regular office hours where you can pick my brain and ask me questions and access to a wider community of product developers across multiple industries.   I’m not quite ready to spill the beans on this one, but we’ll share more details as its ready.   And, lastly as we head into the holidays I want to thank all of you for being here and making Proof to Product what it is.  I firmly believe that by sharing our stories, our expertise and resources — all of our businesses will thrive.   So, thank you for being here, thank you for listening, for sharing the show with your friends.   I hope you had a wonderful holiday season surrounded by family and friends.   I’ll see you in 2020!

Today, I am welcoming my friend, Katie Hunt, founder of Proof to Product (formerly Tradeshow Bootcamp) onto the podcast to talk about her recent journey with renaming her very established brand. This is a topic that a lot of people struggle with and I wanted to be able to bring this to you in an effort to shed light on what that process may look like for someone like Katie. Katie also shares her business journey with us and how it has evolved and grown to where it is today. http://www.prooftoproduct.com http://www.ginnykrauss.com

From building your business community to the benefits of peer groups and business coaching/mentoring, Katie Hunt the Founder of Tradeshow Bootcamp and prolific creator of educational content for creative business owners, share tips and information for business owners at every stage. Visit  for more information Connect With Me: - Instagram: http://instagram.com/etsyconvo - Twitter: To support the podcast, please go here:  

This is Part 3 of our three-part series exploring Proof to Product’s exciting new rebrand. On Part 1, which was Episode 101, guest host Caroline Hull and I talked about why I decided to change my business name from Tradeshow Bootcamp to Proof to Product. On Part 2, we dove into the logistics, business formation, legal decisions, and building out the new website. If you missed those two episodes, I encourage you to head back and listen to 101 and 102 first!   On today’s episode, Caroline and I are breaking things down to talk about the marketing plan. Specifically, how we rolled out the new site and the news about the Proof to Product name change.   Our audience has been such an important part of this process, and I’m so excited to share all of these new changes with you. I hope you enjoy Part 3 of this three-part series and be sure to check out our new online home at prooftoproduct.com!   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How to communicate a big business change to your audience Why Katie decided it was important to tell alumni first Creating the I Am Proof to Product Campaign Identifying and marketing high impact programs Doing fewer things better Why Katie is offering more free content Storytelling instead of selling How to join the #iamprooftoproduct celebration   KEY TAKE-AWAYS:     “It's a celebration of our community that we're all growing up because we are all growing up together.” - Katie Hunt   “Proof to Product brand is not just about me. It's about all of us.” - Katie Hunt   “I love in-person events, I love live classes where people are on live and asking their questions and we have the back and forth collaboration and conversation about it.” - Katie Hunt   “I want to make sure that we're putting our time and attention into the things that are making the biggest impact for our community and allowing me to serve them the best.” - Katie Hunt “I want to show that we're just growing up, we're tightening things so that we can do a better job.” - Katie Hunt   “Everyone should go back to the beginning and look at why they’re doing what they’re doing because it really will help shape what you do moving forward.” - Caroline Hull   “Highlighting our community members is truly what we're all about.” - Katie Hunt   “I want to just give. I want to give, give, give, give, give as much as we possibly can to our audience.” - Katie Hunt   “We just want people to tell friends. We want people to go sign up for the new options that we have, watch the videos we have, really engage with what we built.” - Katie Hunt   “If my story can help somebody else, that's what I'm here for. That's the whole reason I do this podcast and why we do the programming that we do.” - Katie Hunt   LINKS Squarespace Web Developer: Susannah Carpenter   SEO Consultant: Myrna Daramy     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!  

Welcome to Part 2 of a three-part series exploring Proof to Product’s exciting new rebrand. On Part 1, which was Episode 101, guest host Caroline Hull and I talked about why I decided to change my business name from Tradeshow Bootcamp to Proof to Product, and all the fears I had going into the transition. So if you haven't caught that episode yet, I encourage you to go and start there!   Today, on Episode 102, Caroline and I are diving into the logistics behind the rebrand, from the business formation and legal decisions to marketing planning and building Proof to Product’s new website. Tomorrow, on Episode 103, I share our marketing plan, how we’re rolling out the new name and the best parts of our beautiful new website.   Our audience has been such an important part of this process, and I’m so excited to share all of these new changes with you. I hope you enjoy Part 2 of this three-part series and join in to celebrate with us!   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: The value of starting with a website analysis   How Katie tackled the new web build and transition Her decision to switch from Wordpress to Squarespace Choosing the right web developer for the job The importance of breaking tasks up into manageable chunks Why Katie started the rebrand process by getting advice from an attorney What goes into a trademark Little logistics that pop up along the way How to dream big without getting overwhelmed KEY TAKE-AWAYS:     “I looked through all of the blog posts and looked at the traffic of like how many people were really looking at these things. And we narrowed it down to our top performing content.” - Katie Hunt   “One of my motivations for wanting a new site was just a clean slate. I wanted to start over on a new host where things were secure and everything felt good.” - Katie Hunt   “I had done so much work. I wire-framed the whole thing, I knew exactly what I wanted on the site, and I just needed somebody that could build it.” - Katie Hunt   “It's like anything you're hiring for, you know, you want to make sure that it's a good fit, whether it's a long-term position or routine or position or even just a per project. You know, you want to make sure you're getting the right people on the bus. ” - Katie Hunt   “When you have these big projects that take up so much time, it's really nice to have that help.” - Caroline Hull   “I will say it's a huge team project… everyone had their piece and it wouldn't have been possible without everybody.” - Katie Hunt   “If you’re considering changing a name like this, you want to make sure you have your ducks in a row, that your business is being treated like a business and you want to make sure you get that right before you launch.” - Katie Hunt   “It’s ironic because I've done this for other people, helped build and figure this out for other people, but sometimes it's so hard to do for yourself.”  - Katie Hunt   “You do the best you can. You get the big pieces done and out there. Then, if there are other things that you can tackle, you can do those later.” - Caroline Hull   “One thing I would tell people, whether it's a rebrand or launching a new site or whatever it is, take that time to dream big, map out your big wishlist as if time and money and everything were no option.” - Katie Hunt     LINKS Squarespace Web Developer: Susannah Carpenter   SEO Consultant: Myrna Daramy     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!

My guest today, Katie Hunt is the founder and CEO of several businesses including Kelp Designs, a stationary manufacturing company and Tradeshow Bootcamp which we’re going to chat about today.  Katie has hosted more than 200 webinars, 12 conferences and spent hundreds of hours providing 1-1 coaching to independent artists and small businesses. She is also the host of the Proof to Product podcast where she interviews mostly stationary and paper folks about growing their businesses. She received the Emerging Gift Industry Leader Award in 2015 and was included on the industry’s 40 Under 40 list in 2017. 

Hey Friends, it’s so good to be back! Did you catch yesterday’s announcement? We have BIG news! Tradeshow Bootcamp is now Proof to Product, and we've launched a brand new website for the Proof to Product brand. To celebrate, we are doing things a little bit differently on the Podcast! We are turning the tables and I’ll be your guest for the next few days. TSBC Alum, Caroline Hull guest hosts and we go behind the scenes for three full episodes, unveiling the exciting shifts I made in my business.   This week, on Episodes 101, 102 and 103, Caroline and I dive headfirst into the Tradeshow Bootcamp to Proof to Product rebrand. Today, on Episode 101, we’re talking about why I decided to change my business name and all the fears that were behind it. Tomorrow on Episode 102, Caroline and I tackle the logistics including Proof to Product’s new website, the legal decisions, and the business model. Then on Thursday, during Episode 103, I share our marketing plan, how we rolled out the new name and the new website.   Our audience has been such an important part of this process, and I’m so excited to share all of these new changes with you. I hope you enjoy this episode, and listen in to find out how to get involved to celebrate with us!   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Why Katie made the decision to rebrand and change her business name How Tradeshow Bootcamp evolved over eight+ years Facing fears around outgrowing and rebranding What Katie did to find the right look and feel for Proof to Product Finding the confidence to lean into growth The importance of getting back to basics Katie’s process for reconnecting with the audience How Katie handled the switch The amazing new resources available at prooftoproduct.com KEY TAKE-AWAYS:     “I'm going to get super vulnerable here with all of you guys. Because all of you are my people and this has been a process.” - Katie Hunt   “I felt like, ‘Gosh, Tradeshow Bootcamp just doesn't articulate all the different things that we do and how we help business owners.’” - Katie Hunt   “I worked with, no joke, four different designers who I highly respect and admire and I love their work. And we just couldn't land on anything that felt right.” - Katie Hunt   “I felt we're outgrowing the brand. I felt it was growing up and yet I kept hitting walls.” - Katie Hunt   “We had all these resources available on all these different ways, but we weren't communicating it. And that was really frustrating for me.” - Katie Hunt   “We started Proof to Product and that kind of took a life of its own.” - Katie Hunt   “I broke it down to the basics. I went back to whose our audience? What kind of programming do they need? What kind of problems do we need to solve for them?” - Katie Hunt   “Rebranding isn't just about picking a new name and picking a new logo. This is about looking at the entire picture. And making sure that it all works and fits together and makes sense for your audience.” - Caroline Hull   “I'm a firm believer that we need to go back as entrepreneurs and constantly be reevaluating. Who are we working with? And what are we giving them and how are we providing maximum value to them?” - Katie Hunt   “We grow and evolve as people, and our businesses grow and evolve too.” - Caroline Hull   LINKS Squarespace Web Developer: Susannah Carpenter   SEO Consultant: Myrna Daramy     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 friends, can you believe it?! This is Proof to Product’s 100th Episode! It’s been amazing to watch this podcast, which began as a creative way to connect with members of the stationery community,  grow into so much more - a platform, resource, and launching point for stationery and creative entrepreneurs alike.   Over the last year and a half, we’ve heard some incredible, inspiring 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. Entrepreneurs like Katie Wilson of The Good Twin, Rachael Hetzel of Pistachio Press, Mary Phan of Very Mary Inspired, Ronnie Williams of DeFrance Printing, Taylor Elliot of Taylor Elliott Designs, Natasha Case of Coolhaus, and Viola Sutanto of Maika Goods, just to name a few, all shared their stories, struggles and advice of growing and thriving in business.   To celebrate this 100th milestone, we’re revisiting our favorite episodes and the Proof to Product lessons that continue to inspire our lives and business. We’re honored to share the personal stories of our amazing audience members and hope you enjoy this special edition episode! ON TODAY’S EPISODE:   Jean Marie Opus, Little Feet’s Opus Amanda Farrand, Grief Biscuit Elana Hopman, Annabel Reese Christina Green, The Cardinal Collective Mele Williams, Plucky Press Brooke Spare, Cheeky Beak McKinley Bryson, Lucky Bat Paper Co Janine Kwoh, Kwohtations Lauren Ashley Barnes, Pineapple Sundays Design Studio   Rongrong Devoe, Rongrong Illustration Mackenzie Vance, Smitches       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!

Today on the 99th Episode of Proof to Product I’m joined by our friend and Tradeshow Bootcamp alumni, Emily Asher. Emily is an artist, calligrapher and the owner of Emily Rose Ink, a boutique wedding stationery studio based in Chicago. Emily started designing wedding stationery as a side hustle while working as a high school English teacher, but since taking the leap to make it her livelihood, her wedding stationery has been featured in countless publications and blogs, including Vogue, Martha Stewart, Style Me Pretty, and Oh So Beautiful Paper.   Early on in her business journey, Emily made the decision to intentionally narrow her focus, from art prints and greeting cards, to custom wedding stationery. Although this felt like a risk at first, this allowed Emily to perfect her design aesthetic, grow customer relationships, and solidify her business foundation. As a result, Emily's wedding stationery business took off and her designs made celebrity status. Seriously... She just did Hillary Swank’s invites!   On today's episode, Emily shares her startup story. She talks about how she got her foothold in the stationery industry, what inspired her to dive fully into her business, and why it was important for her to narrow her focus to solely doing custom wedding work. Emily also shares what she learned from celebrity weddings, how she manages her growing business today, and what’s coming up next for Emily Rose Ink!   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How Emily got into hand lettering and calligraphy The turning point when she decided to start her own business Her decision process for focusing solely on weddings How she streamlined and strengthened her business foundation Emily’s favorite project management tool The importance of continuing to evolve What it was like to do Hillary Swank’s wedding invitations What she learned from celebrity weddings How Emily manages her team and employees What’s up next for Emily Rose Ink   KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   “I was thinking, “Oh, it'll be something fun and creative for me to do on the side." The more I got into it, I was really struck by how awesome it was that you could actually make a living doing something creative.” - Emily Asher   “Paper Camp was actually a big turning point for me because I met so many other people who were making a living and supporting themselves full-time with stationery.” - Emily Asher   “As I started to get more wedding clients, who are really my ideal clients, I started to be more inspired.” - Emily Asher   “I felt I was splintering my marketing a little bit by doing greeting cards and art prints, and the wedding stuff, because they weren't necessarily geared towards the same person. So I decided to just try and pursue the wedding thing and that really exploded for me.” - Emily Asher   “By focusing on weddings, it allowed me to really fine tune all my systems and focus on what was going to serve the clients better.” - Emily Asher   “There's so many details that go into starting a business; logistics and organization, and the systems. I feel like it took me two years to get all my systems down and I'm still constantly changing them.” - Emily Asher   “Take a look at how you can automate, streamline and build systems or step-by-step processes so that you can easily bring people on board to help with things.” - Katie Hunt   “Just being able to say that I did that level of wedding helps me have confidence in charging my worth for projects that are really time-consuming.” - Emily Asher   “It's good to take some time to reflect on, "What am I doing this business for? What's my main motivation here? Is it freedom or flexibility? Is it the money?" because those priorities will shift at different times in the business depending on your own personal circumstances.” - Katie Hunt   “It's all about figuring out what are your employees strengths and skills and how can you best apply them to the things that need to be done in the business. Sometimes it takes a little while to figure out.” - Emily Asher   “You wanna have the right people on your team, but you also wanna make sure that the work that they're doing is aimed at their areas of expertise, and their skill sets.” - Katie Hunt   CONNECT WITH EMILY ASHER: Website: http://www.emilyroseink.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/emilyroseink Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/emilyroseink   JOIN US FOR OUR FREE MARKETING CLASS APRIL 10th!   Did you know 98% of visitors are leaving your site without taking action? It can be SO frustrating when visitors come to your site, look at all the amazing things you have going on, and don’t take the next steps you want them to – like buying your product or joining your community. It can feel impossible sometimes, like all the people you drive to your site are slipping through your fingers like sand. But – there’s a solution!   Lindsey Morando from Hello Bar is presenting LIVE on the next steps to turn those visitors into sales and long term customers. Sign up to save your FREE spot for April 10th, 2019 at 12PM PST!   Register for April 10th Class: http://bit.ly/ptphellobar 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!

Lately, I’ve had lots of feedback and questions from our audience regarding the struggles of marketing strategy. It can be so hard to know where to direct your time and energy with so many social and marketing channels available now, and that’s why I’m really excited for you to hear this week’s episode with Lindsey Morando, the Director of Marketing for Hello Bar. Lindsey has more than fifteen years of experience in business development and marketing that spans multiple industries including health & wellness, SaaS, lifestyle, and hospitality. No matter which industry she is focusing on though, Lindsey prides herself on the creation and implementation of engaging grassroots and online marketing tactics that convert fans into paying, happy customers. When Lindsey is not moving the marketing needle for businesses, she is a marketing professor at the San Diego Fashion Institute and the author of It's Just the Beginning, Break Up, Get Up & Walk Away.   Today, on Episode 98, Lindsay is sharing a ton of great marketing and business advice. She talks about the number one challenge she sees small business owners facing today, her three strategies for simplifying marketing and ...  (drumroll please) together we announce our free marketing class coming out on April 10th. This class is specifically designed to help you Capture More Emails on Your Website, and make the most of your marketing efforts. Head to the link to find out more and register, and happy listening!     ON TODAY’S EPISODE: The number one challenge Lindsey sees in small businesses 3 Steps to simplifying your marketing strategy Free offers that work well for e-commerce How to identify your strongest channels Advice for elevating key products What streamlining does for profits How Hello Bar supports small biz marketing efforts Ways to make pop-ups less annoying A sneak peek at our free April 10th marketing class   KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   “The biggest challenge is people are feeling overwhelmed and trying to figure out what is the best way to actually get more sales and get more leads in the door.” - Lindsey Morando   “When we try to do it all ourselves, we not only spread ourselves too thin but we kinda take away the specialness or the effectiveness of all of them.” - Katie Hunt   “The people that I find that are most successful are the ones who hone in on one or two marketing channels and make them their absolute best marketing channel.” - Lindsey Morando   “It's not just double tapping a picture, it's actually commenting, asking questions, engaging - and if you can do that consistently you're going to see some huge traction in your business.” - Lindsey Morando   “Whenever you offer, and whatever you're using to collect information should ultimately either be a part of your free product or something that leads someone down the path to buying from you because at the end of the day, you are a business and that's what you need to do.” - Lindsey Morando   “Always be thinking about ways that you can interact and engage your audience, and then get them to start thinking a little more.” - Lindsey Morando   “What it’s really about, is what is your signature item that brings in the most cash for your business?” - Lindsey Morando   “When you're focused on one thing you can serve your audience so much better.” - Katie Hunt   “How do you get people? Is it about the design? Is it about the headline? We really focus on the education behind that so our users don't even have to think twice about how to actually start collecting more leads.” - Lindsey Morando   “If you really take the time to get to know your ideal client, who's coming to your website and put the right offers in front of them, with the right timing - they're going to be far more likely to take it.” - Lindsey Morando   “Look at the user experience and make sure that it feels really seamless. It should a part of your customer journey, not a big stop sign that's really annoying in your customer journey.” - Lindsey Morando   “We need to be thinking very strategically about how we're not only bringing those new customers into the fold and onto our email list but then how we're nurturing them afterward and creating that journey for them.” - Katie Hunt   CONNECT WITH LINDSEY MORANDO: Website: http://hellobar.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hellobar/   JOIN US FOR OUR FREE MARKETING CLASS APRIL 10th!   Did you know 98% of visitors are leaving your site without taking action? It can be SO frustrating when visitors come to your site, look at all the amazing things you have going on, and don’t take the next steps you want them to – like buying your product or joining your community. It can feel impossible sometimes, like all the people you drive to your site are slipping through your fingers like sand. But – there’s a solution!   Lindsey Morando from Hello Bar is presenting LIVE on the next steps to turn those visitors into sales and long term customers. Sign up to save your FREE spot for April 10th, 2019 at 12PM PST!   Register for April 10th Class: http://bit.ly/ptphellobar 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!

Welcome back to another episode of Proof to Product! Today’s guest is Ilana Griffo, an illustrator, designer, author, and Tradeshow Bootcamp alumni! Like so many of you fellow entrepreneurs, Ilana built her business from the ground up. She began by launching her own stationery line, moved into designing her own product lines, signed major licensing deals with nationally recognized brands like Pier 1, Homegoods, and Michaels, and just published her first book, Mind Your Business. The key to Ilana’s success? She points to the way her business is always transitioning, pivoting to get to where she wants to go!   On today’s episode, Ilana and I sit down to talk about her career journey and the lessons she learned along the way. She talks about how she got her start in the stationery industry, why she decided to hire a licensing agent, and how that has freed her up to do more creative work. We also talk about pushing yourself to create for fun, fighting for your value, and rethinking failure. Ilana shares some examples of tough situations she went through in her business and how they resulted in some of her proudest moments.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Misconceptions people have about the small business life   How to ask for what you want The difference between giving up and letting go Tips for putting together a first portfolio What happens after you sign with an agency   How Ilana turns comparison into inspiration Finding silver linings in self-doubt The importance of fighting for your value Ilana’s intention behind Mind Your Business Celebrating then and now   KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   “One of the biggest philosophies I have is that you need to ask for what you want.” - Ilana Griffo   “I always wanted to create artwork that makes me happy, that makes other people happy.” - Ilana Griffo   “These pivots haven't been, I'm going to give up. They've just been, I'm going to let go of this so that I can move on to something better.” - Ilana Griffo   “It's always scary to make a change, it's always scary, because we don't know what's on the other side. We don't know if that's going to end up being more successful, or if we're going to feel like we fell flat on our face.” - Katie Hunt   “Transitioning into a new role is always a conversation, it's always making a list, it's always the pros and cons, and you will never feel 100% ready.” - Ilana Griffo   “Licensing has been a whole new world that I didn't know existed, and now that I'm doing it more, I'm just learning so much about the industry.” - Ilana Griffo   “It's amazing to see my work on products that I know I couldn't manufacture on my own. I can make a greeting card, but I can't make one that has a popup and holographic foil and all these things.” - Ilana Griffo   “Do things for fun, and then turn them into collections that you would want to buy.” - Ilana Griffo   “If you don't feel that self-doubt, then you don't have the fire of an entrepreneur, because that's what keeps us going every day. It’s that  fire that's saying, work harder, or smarter. Do more. Reach for what you want.” - Ilana Griffo   “Before, I put my value into how happy the client was, or how many clients I had booked, or things like that. And now I put it into how I feel about myself.” - Ilana Griffo   “We will get through this, and you'll figure it out, and it will lead to another experience, a notch on your belt of how you're going to handle things going forward.” - Katie Hunt   “Share the process, share the ups and share the downs, just makes it so real and makes people want to follow along.” - Ilana Griffo   “I want to write down my goals and make sure I'm in line with those, but I also want to sit back and enjoy the ride, and feel really proud about what I did.” - Ilana Griffo CONNECT WITH ILANA GRIFFO: Website: http://www.ilanagriffo.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sugarandtype/ Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sugarandtype Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ilanagriffo/   LINKS For another great episode on licensing - Episode 84   JOIN US FOR PROOF TO PRODUCT’S 100th EPISODE! Call In: http://tradeshowcamp.com/ptp100/     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. To participate, head over to http://tradeshowcamp.com/ptp100/ and leave us a voicemail with YOUR story. Then tune into episode 100 to find out if we included you!   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 Friends, it’s Tuesday! Which means we’re back with another episode of Proof to Product, and this week I’m sitting down for a very fun interview with former PTP guest, Julie Richardson. You may remember Julie from Episode 20, where she shared her startup story and told us how she built her Etsy shop, Julie Ann Art, into a successful wholesale enterprise. If you haven’t heard her story, it’s definitely worth heading back for a listen!   For some background- Julie founded Julie Ann Art shop in 2008 and quickly gained the attention of the internet with her combination of raw illustrations and irreverent wit. Her brand brought a refreshing take to stationery, and with features in People, Bored Panda, Refinery and more, her side hustle hobby grew into a national lifestyle brand.   In 2019, Julie Ann Art rebranded as Unblushing to better represent the strong-willed, unapologetic voice that is quintessential to her stationery and gift brand. On today’s episode, Julie and I dive into this recent rebranding experience. We talk about how she knew she was ready for a new name and a fresh look, how she narrowed down potential names, and how she ultimately decided on Unblushing. Julie pulls the curtain back on what happens behind the scenes during a rebrand, shares her roadmap for planning the transition and tells us how she dealt with the unexpected details she never saw coming. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Why Julie decided to rebrand after 10 years How she went about selecting a new name Her action plan for orchestrating the transition Tips for other entrepreneurs planning to rebrand What she did to keep customers in the loop about the switch The benefits of hiring out specific projects Julie’s plans to connect locally   What’s up next for Unblushing   KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   “I started Julie Ann Art as a creative hobby. There was no intention. It was just for fun. That was 10 years ago, we're not a hobby anymore.” - Julie Richardson   “I definitely had fear going into it, but at the same time, I just knew that I was ready to take that leap and take that risk.” - Julie Richardson   “I basically started a list, went to thesaurus.com and just tried to think about what the brand had become, who our customer was, what traits they had, or how I considered them to be” - Julie Richardson   “Rebranding helped me to look at social media in a different way, because just with my brand, it's witty, short captions. It was nice to see people's response to me writing in paragraphs and telling stories.” - Julie Richardson   “I tried so hard to get everything right. At the same time, I expected something to go wrong. Not everything can be perfect. You can't think of every little detail.” - Julie Richardson   “it was a huge product, but it's been really rewarding to get the response, and people are as excited as we were, so that makes me feel good.” - Julie Richardson   “Sometimes we're a little too close to these things, and somebody else can come in with their fresh eyes, and build something even better than we could envision.” - Katie Hunt   “Make a list. Make lots of lists. That was my number one go-to.” - Julie Richardson   “When you talk about something, you need to light up and love it. If you're not completely happy in what you're doing, it is time to pivot and find the next direction.” - Julie Richardson   “My inspiration was coming from the brand that was already created. I was just renaming it after what it already was.” - Julie Richardson   “I feel like my customer is basically living next door to me. I just need to meet them, you know?” - Julie Richardson CONNECT WITH JULIE RICHARDSON: Website: https://unblushing.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/unblushingco Instagram: http://instagram.com/unblushingco   JOIN US FOR PROOF TO PRODUCT’S 100th EPISODE! Call In: http://tradeshowcamp.com/ptp100/    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. To participate, head over to http://tradeshowcamp.com/ptp100/ and leave us a voicemail with YOUR story. Then tune into episode 100 to find out if we included you!   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 friends! This week on Proof to Product I’m sitting down with Amy Tan, founder of the creative lifestyle company, Amy Tangerine. I’m really excited to have Amy on the show, because not only is she a creative entrepreneur that designs online content as well as fun, tangible products like t-shirts and craft supplies, she also teaches workshops around the world, makes YouTube videos, consults with awesome brands and wrote the book, Craft a Life You Love. Amy believes everyone has a story to tell, and her mission is to inspire women everywhere to feel joy and confidence by infusing creativity, fun, and intention into the everyday.   On today’s episode, Amy shares how she got her start as an entrepreneur and how her business has evolved over time. She gives advice for curating an authentic and organic social media presence, and the best way to approach contracts and collaboration. We also talk about her favorite mediums, how she connects with her audience and how she decides which partnerships and collaborations to say yes to. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Why Amy enjoys Instagram as a medium Her perspective on vlogging How she keeps her YouTube channel authentic   The importance of separating self-worth from “likes” What Amy did to monetize her Instagram organically How she learned to negotiate contracts Amy’s three criteria for collaboration Legal advice for freelancers and influencers How writing a book helped Amy heal and deal in difficult times A sneak peek at what Amy’s got going on in 2019   KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   “My parents always instilled this value of you can do anything you put your mind to and your heart in, they really had this vision that the American dream was to work for yourself.” - Amy Tan   “I had all these ideas for side hustles, without knowing that that's what they were. I magically somehow ended up turning a lot of hobbies into work. ” - Amy Tan   “It’s so valuable to try different things and you don't actually have to go all in on something. You can dabble.” - Amy Tan   “There's so many things that you can learn and I just think that experimentation is the best way to do so.” - Amy Tan   “I really wanted people to get a feel of what it was like as a small business owner, as a creative entrepreneur who sits in a studio working and have that dialogue and that feeling that you're right alongside me in the studio creating, and on the adventures that I take.” - Amy Tan   “I feel like it's still me being on Instagram. I'm still authentic, I'm still real. I'm still the same person. Even though the content that I share might vary to a certain degree, I just love being able to do that in such a fun format.”  - Amy Tan   “I experimented with different types of videos. Sometimes I would do a tutorial, sometimes I would talk straight to camera, sometimes it would be short, sometimes it'd be longer. I played around and I took the pressure off of myself for making things perfect.” - Amy Tan   “You're trying to be true to yourself and you're not trying to create an image just to appease people.” - Katie Hunt   “Sometimes I actually don't want to post that many pretty things because I don't want people thinking that all I'm focusing on is the pretty aspects and nothing bad is happening in my life. That is so untrue.” - Amy Tan   “Show the type of work you want to be doing and then that'll ultimately attract the same type of people that are interested in it.” - Katie Hunt   “I do love helping people and working with people. But at the same time, I realize that my time is really limited and I can't be spread too thin because I've been there before.” - Amy Tan   “Why are you starting this business to begin with? Who do you want to serve and how you want to make an impact in their lives? Because if you don't have a reason for starting this business, then it's not truly a business, if you're not solving problems.” - Katie Hunt   “I don't have a rate sheet. I don't believe in her rate card. I believe everything is a conversation.” - Amy Tan   “I don't know if you know this, but you can't really tell an entrepreneur what to do.” - Amy Tan CONNECT WITH EMILY MARKS: Website: http://amytangerine.com/ YouTube: http://youtube.com/amytangerine Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amytangerine/   JOIN US FOR PROOF TO PRODUCT’S 100th EPISODE! Call In: http://tradeshowcamp.com/ptp100/ PAPER CAMP E-COURSE     Many of you have been patiently waiting for the return of our Paper Camp E-course and I’m excited to tell you that it’s here. This is a 4-week online program that kicks off March 18.  You’ll get new videos to watch each week on your own and we’ll have a live Q&A call every week with me and special guest experts.   But you’ve got to act fast, because registration closes on March 16. If you’ve want to see your products on the shelves of retail stores big & small, if you want to launch or refine your wholesale program, or maybe you want to exhibit at large scale trade shows, this is the program for you! We’ll cover product development, sales tools for wholesale, working with reps, marketing to retailers and exhibiting at shows. To learn more and register, head to http://bit.ly/pce2019 I look forward to having you there! 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!

This week we have a great episode in store for you - one that will definitely resonate with any of you who are hustling through a day job to fund your dream job. Emily Marks, once a forensic accountant, took the leap and left a stable job to pursue her passion. She is now the businesswoman behind Carina Paper Co., a stationery company inspired by her Italian heritage and from her heart as a new mom, wife, daughter, and friend.   On today's episode, Emily gives us all the details on how she turned her side hustle into a full-time gig. She tells us the reason she left her job with a major accounting firm and how her former role actually helps her in business now. We talk about the importance of strategic planning, project management, and how being in a state of discomfort provides space for personal growth. Finally, we talk about the danger of overthinking things and why sometimes, you just have to go for it.     ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Emily’s pivot from accounting to stationery Her business launch timeline Planning ahead vs being in the now How she deals with frustrating aspects of the business The need to celebrate what we’ve accomplished Growing into your strengths   The importance of prioritizing for future growth When to take that chance   KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   “Getting the designs out of my head and onto actual products definitely took the longest time, but then  all the details came together.” - Emily Marks   “I like to try to look at it like my biggest competition is myself.” - Emily Marks   “There's enough people in this industry and in this world, and we all can make a good product, if you have something that resonates with people.” - Emily Marks   “You can't focus just on today. You have to look at the whole, the last few months, and also give yourself a little bit of a break.” - Emily Marks   “Sometimes in that hustle for the next thing, we forget to celebrate what we've accomplished along the way... We need to celebrate the successes that we're having right now.” - Katie Hunt   “I'm a firm believer that you only grow and you only learn when you're uncomfortable because I think when you're comfortable, no matter what you're doing in life, it's just status quo.” - Emily Marks   “As small business owners, we don't always have a ton of time, or a ton of money, and so how do we balance the different needs in our business, and what we should keep on our plate as the CEO?” - Katie Hunt   “You have to make sure every time you're reaching out, you're reaching out with valuable information .” - Emily Marks   “Marketing is just an interesting beast, and I think it's something that is always going to be a challenge for me because it's not as systematic.” - Emily Marks   “Marketing is not a one and done type of thing, it’s constantly reiterating what you're doing and changing things for the different ways that we can communicate with people.” - Katie Hunt   “Especially in the small business world, I think if we spend too much time thinking about it, I won't do it.” - Emily Marks   “Let's get stuff out in the world and see what happens, and then go from there.” - Katie Hunt   “My biggest piece of advice is, make sure the time is right for you, but just do it. Go out there” - Emily Marks CONNECT WITH EMILY MARKS: Website: http://www.carinapaperco.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/carinapaperco Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/carinapaperco Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/carinapaperco   JOIN US FOR PROOF TO PRODUCT’S 100th EPISODE! Call In: http://tradeshowcamp.com/ptp100/ PAPER CAMP E-COURSE     Many of you have been patiently waiting for the return of our Paper Camp E-course and I’m excited to tell you that it’s here. This is a 4-week online program that kicks off on June 4th.  You’ll get new videos to watch each week on your own and we’ll have a live Q&A call every week with me and special guest experts.   But you’ve got to act fast, because registration closes on June 2nd. If you’ve want to see your products on the shelves of retail stores big & small, if you want to launch or refine your wholesale program, or maybe you want to exhibit at large scale trade shows, this is the program for you! We’ll cover product development, sales tools for wholesale, working with reps, marketing to retailers and exhibiting at shows. To learn more and register, head to https://tsbc.teachable.com/p/pce. I look forward to having you there! 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 Friends! I can’t wait for you to hear this week’s episode with entrepreneur extraordinaire, Mary Phan. Mary owns a multi-faceted business which includes — Very Mary Inspired and The Sketchbook Series, illustration courses for designers and event planners. Mary is also a TSBC Alumni and just recently published her first book, The Artful Sketch, a gorgeous how-to sketchbook for beginners and experts alike.   Mary has always been drawn to the arts. After beginning her career as an interior designer, dabbling in fashion and staging model homes, she launched Very Merry Events in 2008. Mary enjoyed creating memorable experiences filled with atmosphere and feeling, but she became known for the beautiful, custom illustrations that were an indispensable part of her design process. In 2013, Mary took that love of illustration to the next level, launching The Sketchbook Series to help other event planners and designers master creative drawing.   Today Mary tells us all about her entrepreneurial journey, and how she went from being an interior designer getting laid off, to starting her own business. We talk about the real fears, pivots, and transitions that come with running your own business, and the joy of stepping into your true passion.     ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How she got started with event planning   Dealing with the fear of the unknown Mary’s natural process of sketching and design What motivated her to start The Sketchbook Series Her thoughts on navigating transition periods How Mary uses sketching as a form of communication Advice to anyone else looking to make the leap Balancing life outside of business Writing your own definition of success   KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   “My friend asked me to be her wedding planner and designer and I said, "Okay, let's just do it and let's figure it out.” - Mary Phan   “Any new thing that I do is always surrounded with oh my gosh, what is gonna happen? It's the fear of the unknown.” - Mary Phan   “That's the true spirit of entrepreneurship. We don't know everything, none of us know everything. We have to just put ourselves out there a little bit and take that risk.” - Katie Hunt   “There are benefits to keeping a day job while you're also starting your business.” - Katie Hunt   “I didn’t look at business as like competition or people as competition. I was very much about supporting and about the community and how can I help?” - Mary Phan   “Entrepreneurship is a huge marathon and it's this huge journey. As soon as I figured out what my "thing" was, that was when things started to change for me.”  -Mary Phan   “It was less about how do I serve an audience, it was what's gonna make me happy because this next season of my life is changing and it's changing without me getting to plan for it.” - Mary Phan   “If I could sketch and nobody paid me for it, I could still do it. I could do it if it was for free.” - Mary Phan   “My thing is stick to what you know, then it became super fun and natural for me.” - Mary Phan   “It's so easy to get deterred by requests from people or things we want to be doing… there's all these things I have my hands in, but that's not my zone of genius or that's not where my passion truly is. - Katie Hunt   “I took the leap in starting the business but this was a huge leap I felt, because I really didn't know ... nothing like this existed.” - Mary Phan   “The hard part of it is there is nobody to measure the success after, you're creating it as you go along.” - Mary Phan   “That's the part about business that's fun. It's the evolution, even bit by bit day by day that we're changing and improving.” - Katie Hunt CONNECT WITH MARY PHAN: Website: http://www.verymaryinspired.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verymaryinspired/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/verymaryinspired/   THE SKETCHBOOK SERIES: On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesketchbookseries On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesketchbookseries/ LINKS The Artful Sketch : https://www.amazon.com/Artful-Sketch-Step-Step-Artistic-ebook/dp/B07DTF6NF4   JOIN US FOR PROOF TO PRODUCT’S 100th EPISODE! Call In: http://tradeshowcamp.com/ptp100/   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!

My guest today is Paul Jarvis, entrepreneur and author of the book Company of One: Why Staying small is the next big thing for business.  I read this book over the winter break and so much of what Paul talks about resonated with me.  We live in a world where we’re conditioned as entrepreneurs to strive for more — more revenue, more products, more customers, more followers, more visibility and notoriety. While it’s true striving for bigger isn’t always better, I know many of us still struggle with the big question - How do we grow strong, profitable businesses but in a way that feels good and sustainable?     In his book Company of One and during today’s interview, Paul challenges us to explore a different way of thinking about business. During this episode, Paul and I discuss the contrarian view that business growth isn’t always good, and isn’t always required. We also talk about being a solopreneur, why that doesn’t necessarily mean your working alone, and why we need to know our “enough.” If you’re trying to break the mold, embrace minimalism and find balance in your own biz, trust me, this episode and book will help a ton!   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Why Paul decided to write a book The truth about the single business narrative Examples of how different people define business How to play to your strengths Making decisions based on your best use of time Paul’s perspective on hiring His definition of a minimalist business    The benefits of investing in talent Why he works in flexible processes The importance of interacting with your audience   KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   “I've never wanted to grow a bigger business. I actually really like doing the work, so I don't want to ever stop doing that. ” - Paul Jarvis   “It's always like a personal decision of like, "Is this a skill that I can use? Is this a skill I want to have? Is this a skill that helps anything else in my business?" And if it's not, and I can afford to outsource it.” - Paul Jarvis   “I'm not going to hire somebody for $5 an hour off of Fiverr. I would rather find the best person that can do the job with no management.” - Paul Jarvis   “I believe wholeheartedly in hiring experts, people that can do the work. ” - Katie Hunt   “I believe in hiring people that are smarter than me, that can like improve upon what I already know or teach me things in the process.” - Katie Hunt   “I always try to be the best client. I'll get an invoice, and I'll be like, "I got to pay this in like five minutes or less." Because I know how important that is. I've been on the other side of that.” - Paul Jarvis   “Minimalism for me is figuring out what's needed and cutting out what's not. That makes so much sense in business.” - Paul Jarvis   “Anything that I can make easy or take off my plate is better. So I like to always come up with things that are replicable and simple.” - Paul Jarvis   “I love that the biggest expense in my business is hiring other freelancers. I feel actually really good about that.” - Paul Jarvis   “I think the first time you launch, you're guessing at most things. … But then once you've launched it the first time, then you've got data. Then you can look like did this work?” - Paul Jarvis   “We all want to launch like the next biggest thing, but I think it's faster and easier and better if we launch small at first, iterate, and then grow it slowly based on the market and based on customers instead of just guessing at every single thing right in the beginning.” - Paul Jarvis   “Whether we're providing products or services, we can constantly be improving upon what we're already doing and if we're serving our audience even better, then they're going to want to keep coming back for more from us.” - Katie Hunt CONNECT WITH PAUL JARVIS: Website:  http://ofone.co Twitter:: http://twitter.com/pjrvs   LINKS Company of One on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RzLv9 Convert Kit: http://mbsy.co/convertkit/26032885   JOIN US FOR PROOF TO PRODUCT’S 100th EPISODE! Call In: http://tradeshowcamp.com/ptp100/   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!

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!

My guest this week is Viola Sutanto and she’s here to tell us how she made the leap from solopreneur to serial creative entrepreneur, and how she successfully runs multiple product-based businesses. I first met Viola in 2008 or 2009 when she owned the brand Chewing the Cud, a letterpress greeting card company that also sold reusable fabric gift wrap, which distributed to more than 1000 stores nationwide.   Since then Viola has founded MAIKA, a stylish and sustainable soft goods brand inspired by delightful trade and everyday living, and co-founded LimeLoop, a recently launched full-circle shipper packaging company. What impresses me most about Viola, in addition to her superhuman ability to run multiple businesses is how she manages to maintain the same core values across all three companies- although unique in their offerings, each represents a desire to create sustainable, well designed, products that solve problems for their customers.   On today’s episode, Viola and I talk about transitioning from one business to the next, using trial & error to find manufacturing partners overseas, building a team, and time blocking. We also discuss Viola’s perspective on managing transition, how she aims for simplicity in business and what’s up next for her new ventures.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How Viola evolved as a creative entrepreneur Transitioning from stationery into textiles Viola’s process for sourcing global manufacturing partners The importance of cultivating the right production partnership The core values that anchor Viola’s three business    How she shifted her mindset in order to scale fast Viola’s journey from solopreneur to creative co-founder Her best approach to running multiple businesses Why streamlining systems and processes is crucial in transition What’s up next for Viola and her multiple ventures   KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   “I love product, and I have always dreamed of creating my own.” - Viola Sutanto   “I'm especially inspired by my dad. He really started with nothing, and I mean nothing. He had a little stall in a flea market and then kind of built a business empire out of that.” - Viola Sutanto   “My true passion is creating textile-based products and products that people could use every day, products that are simple and functional and not too precious.” - Viola Sutanto   “There were definitely some unexpected challenges that I wasn't ready for when I first started. Anything could happen along the way. And distance was a challenge.” - Viola Sutanto   “I wanted to make sure that the materials I was using could be certified, that I could very proudly say my materials and my processes are sustainable.” - Viola Sutanto   “You want to know who you're speaking to has their finger on the pulse of what's going on there, and obviously the owner is going to have that.” -  Katie Hunt   “So much of growing our businesses, particularly product-based business, is trial and error when it comes to outsourcing and manufacturing.” - Katie Hunt   “I ended up keeping that little envelope, thinking "Someday, we're going to do something with this." And sure enough, when Ashley and I reconnected … that all blew up into LimeLoop today.” - Viola Sutanto   “We knew from the start this could be a really big idea. We knew we needed to scale fast, and we knew we needed investors. So that was the mindset going in.” - Viola Sutanto   “With every hire I've had at MAIKA, I've always made it a habit to have them document their role so that if a transition were to happen, the next person stepping into their role would require minimal training from me.” - Viola Sutanto   “I'm a firm believer in keeping things lean and mean as best you can. We are small businesses. We need to keep things simple. When we start adding too many layers or too many people, it gets too complex.” - Katie Hunt   “Keep it as lean and as simple as you can from the beginning, and also talk to as many people as you can, people who have been doing this for a while. Ask them for their advice.” -Viola Sutanto   CONNECT WITH VIOLA SUTANTO: Website: https://www.maikagoods.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maikagoods/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maikagoods/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/maikagoods/ LINKS Lime Loop: https://www.thelimeloop.com/ Indiegogo: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/limeloop-reusable-shippers#/   SPECIAL OFFER: 3 Free Months of Gusto!   Gusto makes payroll, taxes, and HR actually easy for small businesses. Fast, simple payroll processing, benefits, and expert HR support all in one place. Gusto automatically pays and files your federal, state, and local taxes so you don’t have to worry about it. Plus they make it easy to add on health benefits and even 401(k)s for your team.   Those old-school, clunky payroll providers just weren’t built for the way modern small businesses work. But Gusto is. Now is the best time to get set up for the new year. Don’t wait. Proof to Product listeners get 3 free months of Gusto when they run their first payroll. Try a demo and see for yourself at www.gusto.com/proof 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!

Today is Part 2 of a two-part interview with Rachael Hetzel of Pistachio Press, and Briana Feola of Brainstorm. On Part 1, which was Episode 89, we talked about freedom versus stability, keeping up with the Joneses and overcoming FOMO. If you missed it, I’d recommend heading back to listen to that one first because today we dive into the details of communication, team dynamics, and client and customer relationships, and much more!     On Part 2, Rachael and Briana share their thoughts on why bigger doesn’t always mean better, knowing your why and communicating your company’s core values so that you’re attracting the right type of clients, customers, and team members. We also talk about not being afraid to revise your business vision, focusing on projects that align with your ethos and hiring for an overall skill set rather than specific ability.     Rachael and Briana have been on the podcast before to share their startup stories. Rachael Hetzel is the owner of Pistachio Press, a boutique letterpress printing and design studio based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Pistachio Press produces a wholesale line of sweet and slightly snarky stationery products that are sold nationally and internationally. Pistachio Press also creates social invitations, business stationery, and prints commercially for a variety of clients. If you want to hear Rachael’s start-up story, head back to check out Episode 11.   Briana Feola is the co-owner of Brainstorm, a print shop and collaborative design studio working from a historic mill in Dover, New Hampshire. Brainstorm is rooted in the production of original art prints inspired by science, nature, and the outdoors. They design for people and companies that appreciate the creative process, enjoy collaboration, and want to make something tangible in an increasingly digital world. Briana and her husband, Jason Snyder shared their co-founding story back on Episode 8, so put that one on your listening list too! ON TODAY’S EPISODE: The truth about staying small How to get better at saying no to hiring The intricacies of inviting new employees into your creative space Knowing your strengths and opportunities as a manager The benefits of metrics and benchmarks Why it’s important to find a system that works for you The pros and cons of being your own boss   Finding sustainability and satisfaction within   KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “It's very difficult to explain our vision, and our life as an art piece to somebody who just sees it as a business. It's just different.” - Briana Feola   “I've had multiple right arms of my business, and I try to separate out roles, but it works best for me to have someone that can do all aspects of the business.” - Rachael Hetzel   “After 10 years of doing this I know when to say no and this isn't a job I can do. Actually, it's not a job I want to do.” - Rachael Hetzel   “Our internal values that we have of my family comes first, and all these different things that are important to me. I think we need to be communicating them in our brand messaging out into the world, to customers and clients.” - Katie Hunt   “We do projects when they're fun and if it fits with our schedule ... if it fits within what we are capable of doing, and if we could do it really well.” - Briana Feola   “I would respect somebody for saying no, because I know that that was probably a difficult decision for them to make.” - Katie Hunt   “We're not out to blanket the world in our products.” - Briana Feola   “It’'s hard to say no for yourself in some of those circumstances because there is pressure to bend, there is pressure to maybe go against your priorities, and your values for the business too.” - Katie Hunt   “Ultimately it does comes down to gut instinct, and gut feeling, and whether or not we really want to do it.” - Briana Feola     “When I'm doing strategic planning for my business I'm not just looking at the numbers...I'm also looking at what's the time commitment that is going to be required of me. What's my excitement level for this project?” - Katie Hunt   “Being deliberate is one of the biggest things, and staying true to who you are.” - Rachael Hetzel   CONNECT WITH BRAINSTORM: Website: http://wearebrainstorm.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/wearebrainstorm Instagram: http://instagram.com/wearebrainstorm Twitter: http://twitter.com/wearebrainstorm   CONNECT WITH PISTACHIO PRESS: Website: http://www.pistachiopress.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/pistachiopress Instagram: http://instagram.com/pistachiopress Twitter: http://twitter.com/pistachiopress 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!

Today's interview is with my good friend and client Meg Sutton, the owner of a shop called Belle & Union located in San Antonio. Meg opened up her first brick and mortar shop in July of 2018 after running her shop strictly online for years. We talk about what it's really like to open a brick and mortar store and how she even figured out how to open a retail shop, how and why she produces all of her products 100% in the U.S., imposter syndrome, why Meg stopped sharing her personal life on social media as well as why I stopped following the news. Yes, we get real deep in this episode and I'm excited for you to tune in!As always, join in on the conversation with other Day in the Life listeners in our private Facebook group. Would love to have you over there so I can get to learn more about you!Excited for you to tune in and hope you enjoy!   In today’s episode, you'll find out:   How Meg figured out how to open a retail shop. Misconceptions people have about what it's really like to run a brick and mortar store. What lights her up the most about being a small shop owner. The struggles and sacrifices she's made as a business owner. The process for producing products domestically. Advice she'd give to anyone who wants to open their own small brick and mortar shop. Imposter syndrome and how to fight it. Why Meg stopped sharing her personal life on social media. Why I stopped following the news. Full show notes at: http://brittneyllynn.com/059 Links mentioned: Day in the Life interview with Pastry Chef Sarah Bruggeman Day in the Life interview with Katie Hunt of Tradeshow Bootcamp   Follow Meg:   Website Facebook Instagram Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify or Google Play Leave an honest review on iTunes. The ratings and reviews help for two reasons: 1) Most importantly, I get to know you, the listener, and what content you enjoy the most. 2) The more reviews the podcast has, the better chance it has at getting in front of new listeners. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram Join the Facebook group to interact with guests and other listeners Join the Day in the Life newsletter

This week I’m sitting down for a special two-part interview with two incredible entrepreneurs - Rachael Hetzel of Pistachio Press and Briana Feola of Brainstorm. Both have been on the podcast before to share their startup stories and I’m really excited to have them both back to shine a spotlight on what it means to keep things small and intentional as business owners and still grow in revenue and creativity.   Rachael Hetzel is the owner of Pistachio Press, a boutique letterpress printing and design studio based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 2007, Pistachio Press produces a wholesale line of sweet and slightly snarky stationery products that are sold nationally and internationally. Pistachio Press also creates social invitations, business stationery, and prints commercially for a variety of clients. If you want to hear Rachael’s start-up story, head back to check out Episode 11.   Briana Feola is the co-owner of Brainstorm, a print shop and collaborative design studio working from a historic mill in Dover, New Hampshire. Brainstorm is rooted in the production of original art prints inspired by science, nature, and the outdoors. They design for people and companies that appreciate the creative process, enjoy collaboration, and want to make something tangible in an increasingly digital world. Briana and her husband, Jason Snyder shared their co-founding story back on Episode 8, so put that one on your listening list too!   Today is Part 1 of my interview with Rachael and Briana. On this episode, we talk about freedom versus stability, why there is pressure to keep up with the Joneses and why we can’t worry what others are doing.  We also talk about overcoming FOMO, letting go of constantly optimizing and not being afraid to stick to what works best for your business.   On Part 2 which will air on Thursday, we’re talking about why bigger doesn’t always mean better, knowing your why and communicating your company’s core values so that you’re attracting the right type of clients, customers, and team members. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Misconceptions about being an entrepreneur The difference between expanding and burning out What finding homeostasis in life does for business How saying “yes” teaches you when to say “no” The reason you should trust your gut instinct How business decisions come down to relationships Finding your business balance KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   “There's a stigma for entrepreneurs that there's just endless pursuit of growth. Like that's the answer.” - Briana Feola   “Everything in our life just seemed to kind of come together when we made freedom a priority.” - Briana Feola   “We actually say that it's lifestyle versus bottom line. So we're trying to maintain this lifestyle of simplicity because it's a choice.” - Briana Feola   “I think it is being flexible in order to see what the opportunities are and I'm able to make things because I'm the maker in small quantities.” - Rachael Hetzel   “I'd like to say I'm trying to honor my revisionist nature and looking at everything that we do on a day to day basis and get really good at making decisions quickly.” - Rachael Hetzel   “I don't want that empire. I just want my own little piece of whatever my bliss or happiness happens to be.” -  Rachael Hetzel   “We've tasted a little bit of everything because we've stayed so small, we've been able to be nimble so we could try lots of things.” - Briana Feola   “You get those experiences so that hopefully down the road you can learn when to say no to things and to maybe figure out what your personal ideals would be. ” - Rachael Hetzel   “For me it comes down to, is this a one time thing or is it going to be an ongoing partnership?” - Rachael Hetzel   “It's just something that comes with time and just experience. You learn and then you adapt and then you're able to say yes or no based on those things. ” - Briana Feola   “We're micro businesses and our businesses tend to be wrapped up in our identities and they're part of our life. And so for me, business decisions are also lifestyle decisions.” - Rachael Hetzel   CONNECT WITH BRAINSTORM: Website: http://wearebrainstorm.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/wearebrainstorm Instagram: http://instagram.com/wearebrainstorm Twitter: http://twitter.com/wearebrainstorm   CONNECT WITH PISTACHIO PRESS: Website: http://www.pistachiopress.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/pistachiopress Instagram: http://instagram.com/pistachiopress Twitter: http://twitter.com/pistachiopress 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!

Katie is the founder of Tradeshow Bootcamp, host of the Proof to Product podcast, a business strategist, and mentor to creative entrepreneurs. She’s helped more than 850 brands get their products on the shelves of retail stores big and small. Her clients’ products can be found in Target, Anthropologie, Nordstrom, The Container Store and independent boutiques around the world. Katie is a firm believer in professional development, surrounding yourself with community and pushing ‘go’ even when you might not feel 100% ready. Business Building InsightsFocus on your product first. Make sure everything is in place and you are prepared if you decide to pursue wholesale. As you learn about wholesale, start with small independent shops. Initial contact can be through an email that is brief, to the point and includes a link to your catalog. Being professional at all levels will call attention to your business and help you get repeat orders. This includes order accuracy, timeliness and following up with requests. Building authentic relationships with customers will result in growth for your business. Ask people how they like to communicate and then use that channel when you work with them. For some it will be email and for others it may be a phone call or even Facebook direct messages. You never know! Build your own list of potential wholesale clients. Don’t buy lists. It’s quality over quantity. At trade shows, connect with as many people as possible. It’s about the conversations. Resources Mentioned Anything You Want (https://amzn.to/2FwiO6l) by Derek Sivers Storybrand (https://amzn.to/2ClEvTD) by Donald Miller Box or Boutique (http://www.giftbizunwrapped.com/bobhurley) with Bob Hurley Contact Links Website (http://www.tradeshowcamp.com) Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/tradeshowcamp) Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/tradeshowcamp) Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/tradeshowcamp) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/katielawlerhunt/) Gift Biz ResourcesJoin our (http://www.giftbizunwrapped.com/GooglePodcasts) . That helps us spread the word to more makers just like you. Thanks! Sue

Zoë Scharf is the Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer at Greetabl, a totally unique gifting service that makes it fun and easy to send creative personal gifts. You might remember Zoë from Episode 50 where she shared her start-up story. If you want to hear more about how Greetabl started and the process of seeking angel investors, I recommend checking out that episode. Today we’re shifting gears though and geeking out on marketing strategies, tactics and how Zoe and the greetabl team make customer experience a top priority.   On this episode, Zoe gets granular telling us how Greetabl uses segmenting to add value to their customer experience. She talks about email sequences, sales funnels through Facebook ads and why Greetable is choosing to optimize select marketing channels rather than spreading themselves thin. We also talk about discovering and engaging with new audiences and even drop in a few trade secrets. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: The importance of genuine interaction with customers Why Greetabl isn’t afraid of emojis How to identify and speak to new segment groups Her tips for differentiating audiences How Greetabl uses email flows to see what’s working and what’s not Creative ways to upsell and add value   The pros and cons of hiring outside ad agencies What Greetabl is launching next   KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “It's always better if people can understand that there are human beings behind the products that they enjoy” - Zoë Scharf   “We're not afraid of emojis, we're not afraid of saying weird acronyms. We throw a LILAS in there every now and then because we do love our customers like a sis.” - Zoë Scharf   “Every time that we identify sort of a different segment or group within our main target demographic, we always try to make sure that we're talking to them too and the way that they want to be spoken to.” - Zoë Scharf   “Trying to figure out how to really provide the value that people want in the places that they want is an ongoing kind of challenge for us.” - Zoë Scharf   “We offer people 10% off their first order when they sign up for our welcome flow, or for our emails. We don't say sign up for our welcome flow.” - Zoë Scharf   “It's not really pushing, like buy, buy, buy. It's more like get to know us, get to know our brand.” - Zoë Scharf   “If you've bought from us once, the first email you'll get, besides the shipping confirmation or an order confirmation, is a thank you email and it's literally just ... it's for fun. It's just a GIF of our entire team high-fiving.” - Zoë Scharf   “We consider customer happiness to be our number one marketing tool.” - Zoë Scharf   “I've learned over time that spreading ourselves out too thin is just not the way that we're able to do it.” - Zoë Scharf   “I'd rather get really good at two or three channels and be diverse enough that we're not completely reliant on one channel but also be focused enough that we can do a good job.” - Zoë Scharf   “I don't know if I'm doing the best job that anyone could ever do, but we're doing better than we did with a lot of the agencies and we're not spending money on them. Right now that's what makes sense.” - Zoë Scharf   CONNECT WITH GREETABLE: Website: http://www.greetabl.com   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greetabl   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greetabl   Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/greetabl/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/greetabl   LINKS: Klaviyo   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!

Natasha Case is the CEO of Coolhaus, a Los Angeles based ice cream company specializing in unique, sweet-meet-savory flavors. This is Part 2 of her interview. If you missed Part 1 which was Episode 86, I recommend you head back and listen to that one first.   In Part 2 of her interview, Natasha talks about her approach to scaling, how she tackled grocery and scoop shops at the same time, and how she continues to entwine the three arms of the business to support each other. We talked about how she balances deadlines and creativity, the importance of thinking outside the box, and how Natasha’s perspective of leadership and management has changed over the years. Natasha also shared the importance of building new relationships and innovating ideas that keep Coolhaus on top of its game as zealous expansion continues.   Here’s the background scoop on Coolhaus in case you missed it earlier-  Natasha first began exploring the concept of “Farchitecture” – or, Food + Architecture – in her graduate architecture program. She started baking cookies, making ice cream, and combining them into “cool houses”. In 2009 she met co-founder Freya Estreller, and together they staged Coolhaus’ unforgettable launch in a refurbished postal van at the famous Coachella Valley Music Festival.   In less than ten years, Coolhaus has snowballed into a nationwide company. They now distribute to 6,000+ grocery stores ranging from Whole Foods to Safeway to Publix markets with 30 SKU’s including hand-crafted ice cream sandwiches, artisan pints, and chocolate-dipped bars. Natasha has been named Forbes 30 Under 30 for food and beverage and Zagat's 30 Under 30 in New York City. She is also the co-host of the Start to Sale podcast, where she invites the brightest entrepreneurial minds to discuss all that it takes to build a company from launch to exit.     ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How the three arms of her business support each other The importance of tapping into your purpose Why leadership and managing are different skills How the Coolhaus team has grown over the years Why thinking outside the box is critical in a new era of marketing How Natasha’s Angeleno roots influence Coolhaus’s diversity and inclusion Her advice for other entrepreneurs just starting on their journey What’s up next for Coolhaus   KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “Just grinding and doing the work with a sense of purpose, and with a sense of like, "This is something I love and I really want to get it out there." That's the most important thing .” - Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “I just literally wandered into my local Whole Foods and I found the guy stocking the freezer shelf and I asked him, "How do I become a brand that you sell?” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “At that time we didn’t know what's going to hit, so we said let's do a little bit of both .” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “What has made that work is the trucks being that activation, private event, really, that specialty experience. And the shops having that element as well, but being a place to test ideas.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “You have to really learn to understand people and what motivates them and what about what you're doing is going to speak to them.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “As the company grows and you can afford to hire stronger and stronger people, it becomes this snowball effect and I think you learn from them and you become better at what you're doing.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “So trust your instincts, listen to the experts and know when to take the advice, but also know when to trust your gut.” - Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “What does this mean for you in five, 10, 20 years? If this thing went all the way, if it was the biggest it can be, what does that look like? Where does that put you personally?” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “Always trying to think outside the box. That's definitely a big, big part of the marketing these days. And frankly, you often don't have a choice.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “There are so many different ways to put it out there. I think you kind of pick where you can really shine. And anything that you do, how does it align with your messaging and your storytelling? Every single time. You have to hammer it home so hard.”  -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “I think leadership is more kind of in your DNA, like, you instinctually love to lead or know how to inspire people, because that's a lot of what business is, "Are people really believing in your mission?” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus CONNECT WITH COOLHAUS: Website: https://cool.haus/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coolhaus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coolhaus/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/coolhaus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/COOLHAUS Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/coolhausla 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!

Natasha Case is the CEO of Coolhaus, a Los Angeles based ice cream company specializing in unique, sweet-meet-savory flavors. The inspiration for Coolhaus started when Natasha was exploring the concept of “Farchitecture” – or, Food + Architecture – in her graduate architecture program. She began baking cookies, making ice cream, and combining them into “cool houses”. In 2009 she met co-founder Freya Estreller, and together they staged Coolhaus’ unforgettable launch in a refurbished postal van at the famous Coachella Valley Music Festival.   In less than ten years, Coolhaus has snowballed into a nationwide company. They now distribute to 6,000+ grocery stores ranging from Whole Foods to Safeway to Publix markets with 30 SKU’s including hand-crafted ice cream sandwiches, artisan pints, and chocolate-dipped bars.   Natasha has been named Forbes 30 Under 30 for food and beverage and Zagat's 30 Under 30 in New York City. She is also the co-host of the Start to Sale podcast, where she invites the brightest entrepreneurial minds to discuss all that it takes to build a company from launch to exit.   We covered a lot of ground in this interview. So much so, that we’re going to break it up into two separate episodes. Episode 86 is Part 1.   On today’s episode, Natasha tells us how studying architecture led her to discover her entrepreneurial spirit and how she turned her side-hustle hobby into a national business. She shares why product development and innovation is not just about market research and data but also about trusting your intuition and how Coolhaus launched with a minimum viable product.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Natasha’s background in architecture and how it inspired her entrepreneurial spirit   How working at Disney Imagineering helped her conceptualize brand storytelling The pros of combining strengths with a business partner How Coolhaus is reinventing classic flavors for a new generation Why trusting your intuition is just as important as market research The importance of launching with a minimum viable product How the Coolhaus food truck got 100 miles to Coachella Music Festival without an engine   KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “There's always that element of surprise and just trying to be as educated and tactical and excited about really meeting that demand as you can be.” - Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “We have so much in common with the people that we're really trying to target, and I think that creates a lot of authenticity in all aspects of the brand.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “No spreadsheet will ever tell you the thing that was the hugest risk with the biggest reward, and that's so much of what entrepreneurship is about.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “The entrepreneur will have a little bit of that crazy factor and think, "Well, I can do it and I want to create something from nothing.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “I always thought of myself as getting the skills of architecture in a way I would in my head say, or even out loud, that’s beating the system from within. Taking these rules, learning them, mastering them the best I could, and breaking it apart.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “Even in the traditional sense of architecture there is entrepreneurship because I think you are... One, you're an artist, but within this building has to stand up.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “ I'm a big believer in when things are fun, actually, ironically, so much more can get done. So much more work can get done.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “You put food in front of people and it's exciting, it's memorable, it brings people together.” - Natasha Case   “There was nothing on shelf that spoke to us as millennials, and definitely not as women. And so we saw this big opportunity.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “We were actually going to be the first food truck to sell at Coachella. And so, now you remember the truck has no engine. How are we going to get to Coachella?” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “ It was just nonstop and then 5,000 Twitter followers in one afternoon. It was like, clearly there's demand for this.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   “There were no bells and whistles. I mean it was just putting this idea out there and showing that we had this vision.” -Natasha Case, Coolhaus   CONNECT WITH COOLHAUS: Website: https://cool.haus/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coolhaus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coolhaus/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/coolhaus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/COOLHAUS Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/coolhausla SPECIAL OFFER:  3 Free Months of Gusto! Gusto makes payroll, taxes, and HR actually easy for small businesses. Fast, simple payroll processing, benefits, and expert HR support all in one place. Gusto automatically pays and files your federal, state, and local taxes so you don’t have to worry about it. Plus they make it easy to add on health benefits and even 401(k)s for your team.   Those old-school, clunky payroll providers just weren’t built for the way modern small businesses work. But Gusto is. Now is the best time to get set up for the new year. Don’t wait.   Proof to Product listeners get 3 free months of Gusto when they run their first payroll. Try a demo and see for yourself at http://www.gusto.com/proof     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!

Happy New Year, friends!  On this episode Katie Hunt is sharing the three phases of business that every business goes through - often multiple times.   These three phases include: growth, maintenance and streamlining phase. Growth is when we're adding new products, services, systems.  We're in building and expansion mode. One misconception about the growth phase is that its reserved for the early years of business.  But, in reality, the growth phase can happen in the beginning, middle and even the end of our business life cycle. Maintenance is when we take a look at everything we've been building during the growth phase and we realize we need to stop adding 'new' and instead optimize what we've already created.  This could include diving deeper into a specific product category or giving a team member additional responsibilities. Maintaining and optimizing our existing products, services and internal processes is a really important step, but often overlooked. Streamlining is where we clear the clutter from our business -- products that aren't selling or that no longer fit our brand aesthetic; reassessing our client on boarding process for custom work, or our outreach to wholesale accounts we think we'd be a good fit for.   The streamlining phase can be a really powerful one, in that you're creating white space and removing things that are not pushing your business towards your goals. Some things to note about these three phases: I believe each company goes through each and everyone phase, likely multiple times. These seasons are not sequential, meaning you won't necessarily go from growth to maintenance, then streamlining.  You may jump from one to the other, then back to the first again. None of these three seasons are "better" than the other -- but they are all necessary for building a healthy business Each season contains its own challenges, rewards and involves its own transitions and discomfort. Tell us, which season are you in for 2019?   Join our Proof to Product Facebook group and weigh in with what you're working on this year.  We’d love to hear!   SPECIAL OFFER:  3 Free Months of Gusto! Gusto makes payroll, taxes, and HR actually easy for small businesses. Fast, simple payroll processing, benefits, and expert HR support all in one place. Gusto automatically pays and files your federal, state, and local taxes so you don’t have to worry about it. Plus they make it easy to add on health benefits and even 401(k)s for your team.   Those old-school, clunky payroll providers just weren’t built for the way modern small businesses work. But Gusto is. Now is the best time to get set up for the new year. Don’t wait.   Proof to Product listeners get 3 free months of Gusto when they run their first payroll. Try a demo and see for yourself at http://www.gusto.com/proof   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!

As we head into the holidays, the Proof to Product team and I will be taking a break. While we’re gone, I want to encourage you to go back and listen to some of this year’s most popular episodes.  I’ve included links to our top 5 episodes at the bottom of our show notes here so you can find them quickly & easily.   But all in all, we covered a lot of ground in 2018 talking about business finances, licensing opportunities, marketing strategies, selling wholesale, finding manufacturers, exhibiting at shows and the ups and downs of running a business.   Our guests were vulnerable, I was vulnerable. In fact, there were a few episodes I was nervous to air — it felt too raw - but we did it anyway!  Because that’s what this show is about… sharing our struggles, successes, and strategies so that all of us can continue to grow our businesses in a way that feels good to us.   I’m really proud of how Proof to Product has grown and I’m overwhelmed (in a good way) when I receive messages from all of you or read the reviews you leave for the show.  I appreciate you listening and am so glad that the show has positively influenced your life and your business.   As we head into the holidays and 2019, I want to share some important reminders and six things that I wish for each and every one of you...   I want you to continue to make intentional decisions in your business. Decisions that get you closer to your business goals.  Decisions that reflect the season of life that you’re in. And, decisions that further ignite your passions even more.   I want you to make time for yourself and the things that bring you joy in life.  As an entrepreneur it is easy to overwork ourselves. We love what we do and we should.  But, I want you to carve out time over the next few weeks for play. For hobbies. For time with friends and family.   I want you to spend some time reflecting on the progress you’ve made this year.  Remember that success doesn’t happen overnight. It happens little by little, step by step.  But we need to celebrate our progress along the way. You worked hard this year and you deserve to be celebrated.   Friends, I want you to remember that you set the rules for your business. You decide what products to sell, whether to sell retail, wholesale or both.  You decide whether to go to shows or hire a team. You hold the power, never forget that.   I want you to remember that if you’re in an uncomfortable state of change, that this usually means you’re in a growth period and that you’re onto something exciting and new.  Don’t let fear hold you back. Try it out and see what happens. If it doesn’t go as planned you can always change direction and try again.   And, I want you to remember that we see you doing amazing work and pouring your heart and soul into your products. This entrepreneurial journey can be tough but also very rewarding.  Remember that you’re not alone. We see you.   I want you to know that i’m grateful for you. Thank you for being here.  Thank you for listening. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season surrounded by family and friends.     I’ll be back with a new episode on January 8th. Until then, happy holidays and happy new year.   Proof to Product | Top 5 Episodes of 2018      043 | Renee Griffith, HeartSwell Co on changing her business name, finding a voice within your brand and why she scraped her product line and started anew   053 | Megan Auman on product photography and leveraging Pinterest for sales   046 | Richele Silva, Richie Designs on leveraging past work experiences and the benefits of growing our businesses slow and steadily   049 | Emily Thompson, Being Boss on why being boss requires vision and hustle, the importance of setting boundaries and being open to saying yes to the right opportunities   051 | Kim Burks, Ramona & Ruth on changing her business name, growing her wholesale program and how reps have enhanced her business 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 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!

Jennifer Morgan is the brains behind A Fresh Bunch, a creative licensing agency where designers and clients collaborate and create something big together. Jenny began her journey into creative licensing in 2002 when she founded Hen and Barley Press, her own successful wholesale stationery business focused on personalized stationery goods.   Jennifer soon realized just how much of her time was spent on everything in her business except design, and discovered many other creative people in the industry were burnt out just like her. Inspired by the opportunity to bring designers and clients together, Jenny founded A Fresh Bunch in 2010.   On today’s episode, Jenny shares how she shifted away from wholesale manufacturing and into creative licensing. She talks about misconceptions that artists have about licensing and provides overview of how licensing works, who it is for, and how a licensing agency, like A Fresh Bunch can help artists diversify their revenue streams.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How Jenny pivoted her business from wholesale to licensing Her steps to learning about the licensing industry Knowing when to embrace quitting as a strategy for future growth The benefits of collaborating with an agency How Jenny chooses artists to represent Tips and pointers on how to create a strong and consistent portfolio   The best time to submit your artist application to A Fresh Bunch How royalties and compensation structures typically work What projects Jenny is most proud of Upcoming Blueprint Shows What’s next for A Fresh Bunch KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “Back in the day when there was no SP inkjet, printing was still kind of picking off. Digital printing was not even a thing and really the only way to get product out into the world was to manufacture it yourself.” - Jennifer Morgan “ I think at that time, other stationery designers and I we're all kind of scratching our heads trying to figure out, well what do we do now?” - Jennifer Morgan “Once A Fresh Bunch found its footing as licensing brand and fit for the artists working under the A Fresh Bunch umbrella, the decision to shut down Hen And Barley Press felt very easy.” - Jennifer Morgan “I could not have started A Fresh Bunch without having had the experience I had and making the contacts I did with Hen And Barley press.” - Jennifer Morgan “If I could do anything over again, it would probably be that I would have embraced the notion of quitting as a strategy much sooner than I did.” - Jennifer Morgan “It's really about consistency and discipline as much as anything else.” - Jennifer Morgan “In theory you should be pitching to somebody at a time when they are looking for that art, when you're kind of new to the industry, it's hard to know when that is. ” - Jennifer Morgan “We're always looking for a really unique style, a unique voice, a consistent style.” - Jennifer Morgan “We try to provide like checklists and best practices, things that we know from experience have made artists successful.” - Jennifer Morgan “I am super proud of our artist's ability from all these points around the world, to collaborate online with each other to create a diverse collection of looks that is still cohesive.” - Jennifer Morgan “As with anything at a certain point that often comes down to making the difficult choice of, ‘What I'm going to be When I grow up, am I going to be a licensed artist or am I going to run a company?’” - Jennifer Morgan   CONNECT WITH JENNIFER MORGAN Website:  http://www.afreshbunch.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freshbunch Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/afreshbunch/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/freshbunch/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/freshbunch   SPECIAL OFFER:  3 Free Months of Gusto! Gusto makes payroll, taxes, and HR actually easy for small businesses. Fast, simple payroll processing, benefits, and expert HR support all in one place. Gusto automatically pays and files your federal, state, and local taxes so you don’t have to worry about it. Plus they make it easy to add on health benefits and even 401(k)s for your team.   Those old-school, clunky payroll providers just weren’t built for the way modern small businesses work. But Gusto is. Now is the best time to get set up for the new year. Don’t wait.   Proof to Product listeners get 3 free months of Gusto when they run their first payroll. Try a demo and see for yourself at http://www.gusto.com/proof   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!

Danni Hong is a designer, business owner, and lover of all things paper. She started oh, hello friend in 2008 and has been hustling ever since at craft shows and trade shows worldwide! Her ultimate goal thru her business is to convey joy thru oh hello friend products and brighten someone's day.   Danni attended Tradeshow Bootcamp’s Paper Camp prior to exhibiting at her first wholesale show, but she has a lot of experience exhibiting at craft shows near and far which she talks about in today’s episode.  We also talked about Danni’s journey of scaling up and scaling down. She shares her experiences exhibiting at craft shows near and far. She also talked about her experience opening a brick and mortar shop and how she decided which products to carry in her store.  Danni also discussed what it was like operating three different arms of her business.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: The types of products oh, hello friend offers The steps she took after opening her Etsy shop to grow her business Danni’s experience with craft shows & how they benefited her business Her tips & tricks on streamlining processes to be able to do shows How she determines how much product to bring to craft shows Danni’s experience opening a brick and mortar shop How she decided which products to carry in her store Her experience managing multiple arms of her business at once The way that owning a store impacted her customer service & the way she develops her product line What she would go back and change about her business if she could What’s next for oh, hello friend KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “There's potentially thousands of people coming through these shows, and even if a small percentage is taking your business card, that's still your business card going into the hands of potential customers, and them telling their friends.” - Danni Hong “I think there's so much value in going to other cities if you can.” - Danni Hong “I always wanted to open a store.” - Danni Hong “I had been doing craft shows for a few years and I was able to save up enough money to not have to take out any loans or really go into any debt to open the store.” - Danni Hong “When making a decision of what to carry, we carried a lot of brands that are actually friends from the industry, they're all made locally, or letterpressed, hand-lettered, all supporting small artists.” - Danni Hong “I just get a lot of joy from finding something and then bringing it back into the store and then seeing other people's reaction or responses to it.” - Danni Hong “Nothing can really truly succeed when you're just being pulled in so many directions.” - Danni Hong “Take a step back and really examine things that bring you joy, and do more of those things. I'm not saying you can't work hard, I think it's so admirable to work hard, but I just think I just really lost myself in it.” - Danni Hong “Hard work is how we build these businesses and it's how we become successful, but you don't need to be in a constant state of hustle.” - Danni Hong “I think at the end of the day, I just want to be creating products that bring people encouragement or joy.” - Danni Hong   CONNECT WITH DANNI HONG Website:  http://ohhellofriend.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/ohhellofriend Instagram:  http://instagram.com/ohhellofriend 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 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!

Christina Stemble is the founder of Farmgirl Flowers, which she started 7 years ago from her living room table. She invested $49,000 of her personal savings to start the business and Farm Girl Flowers is projected to hit $23M in revenue for 2018.     Christina disrupted the floral industry with new options for consumers, less waste and higher quality products. Farmgirl Flower arrangements are designed by hand, in-house in San Francisco California.   On today’s episode, Christina is sharing why it is so important to know your numbers, the struggles of scaling and how she’s pivoted more times that she can count. We also talked about how she’s been proactive about business education and why she focuses on caring about people, but not what they think about her. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Her career background prior to starting Farmgirl Flowers The research that lead her to an e-commerce floral boutique How her business model has changed over the years The importance of knowing your numbers as an entrepreneur How she predicted numbers at the beginning of her business The advantages of pivoting often in your business Her attitude towards copycats The very first position Christina hired for & how adding team members impacted her business Farmgirl Flower’s marketing strategy What success looked like for Christina in the early days & what it looks like now How she learned business concepts Lessons Christina has learned as an entrepreneur The importance of focusing on team culture to avoid burn out Her advice for someone just starting out as an entrepreuneur What’s next for Farmgirl Flowers   KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “Younger consumers, it's not rocket science what they want. They want something that's beautiful, they want to feel like they weren't ripped off or robbed in the process. They want a good value for the money.” - Christina Stembel “There's 27 million new box companies or socks companies or toothbrush companies, but there's nobody that's reinvented this space yet, so let me see if I can be the one to do it.” - Christina Stembel “My goal from day one was to build a billion dollar company, and I have no qualms saying that.” - Christina Stembel “Everybody always asks if we're profitable. We have to be profitable.” - Christina Stembel “As an entrepreneur, you have to know your numbers. You have to know your forecast. You have to know your projections, and you have to go back and check them often.” - Christina Stembel “Our consumers are telling us what they like and don't like, and so listening to them, seeing what's selling, not selling, and then pivoting.” - Christina Stembel “Every two weeks, our company looks different than it did two weeks ago.” - Christina Stembel “I think the fact that we can change so quickly without any red tape allows us to ensure that we are a very healthy, financially healthy company.” - Christina Stembel “If everybody's making things that look strikingly similar to us and creating businesses that look strikingly similar to us, that means we're the best.” - Christina Stembel “I think part of the thing that makes us different and more special than our competitors, in my opinion, is that we have a heart.” - Christina Stembel “The number one thing that to me means that I'm being successful is that I don't run out of money.” - Christina Stembel “I think if we focus on building a business that we believe in, that has the core values that really mirror our own personal core values, then that'll breed success.” - Katie Hunt “You can learn anything you want just on the internet now.” - Christina Stembel “The number one thing that I've learned from it is that it doesn't matter if you make mistakes. The only thing that matters is that you get back up.” - Christina Stembel “Just because they say it doesn't make it true.” - Christina Stembel   CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA STEMBEL Website: http://www.farmgirlflowers.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FarmgirlFlowers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farmgirlflowers/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/farmgirlflowers/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/farmgirlflowers   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!

For our Thanksgiving break, we've lined up something special just for you.  We'll be airing two episodes I recorded with my friends Kelly and Caroline at Creative Biz Rebellion.   These ladies were kind enough to have me on their podcast, not just once, but twice. The first time we talked about all things wholesale, and then then invited me back to talk about trade shows. This week we're running both episodes over here on Proof to Product.   Big thanks to Kelly and Caroline for having me on their show.  If you’re not already familiar with Creative Biz Rebellion, go check it out. Kelly and Caroline do an amazing job of supporting product based businesses through their programs and podcast. They were also guests on Proof to Product — visit the links below to find them over at Creative Biz Rebellion and here on Proof to Product.   Links: Creative Biz Rebellion Proof to Product with Caroline Hull (Ep 45) Proof to Product with Kelly Parker Smith (Ep 56)   Have a wonderful week friends and thank you for listening to and supporting Proof to Product.  I’m so grateful for each and every one of you! 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!

For our Thanksgiving break, we've lined up something special just for you.  We'll be airing two episodes I recorded with my friends Kelly and Caroline at Creative Biz Rebellion.   These ladies were kind enough to have me on their podcast, not just once, but twice. The first time we talked about all things wholesale, and then then invited me back to talk about trade shows. This week we're running both episodes over here on Proof to Product.   Big thanks to Kelly and Caroline for having me on their show.  If you’re not already familiar with Creative Biz Rebellion, go check it out. Kelly and Caroline do an amazing job of supporting product based businesses through their programs and podcast. They were also guests on Proof to Product — visit the links below to find them over at Creative Biz Rebellion and here on Proof to Product.   Links: Creative Biz Rebellion Proof to Product with Caroline Hull (Ep 45) Proof to Product with Kelly Parker Smith (Ep 56)   Have a wonderful week friends and thank you for listening to and supporting Proof to Product.  I’m so grateful for each and every one of you! 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!

Alison Prince is an e-commerce expert and a woman on a mission. She is a business-savvy determined woman who knows how to create something amazing out of nothing. Over the last seven years, Allison has started eight e-commerce businesses, many of which are multi-million dollar brands. She’s sold everything from apparel to technology to household items — she’s sold everything under the sun — growing dollars into millions and pennies into thousands.   On today’s episode, we talk about how Allison built her deal of a day website and then leveraged best selling products to create their own site and brand.  She also shares how she leverages influencers to sell her product and why testing your product is the most important thing you can do in e-commerce. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Alison’s career background Why she left the classroom for entrepreneurship Her first experience selling products online The different types of products she has sold online & how she decides what to sell How & when she first introduced her daughters to entrepreneurship Where she is selling products The benefits of testing a product before investing in a large quantity What she does with overstock of products How she uses influencers in her marketing Alison’s tips on approaching influencers How she leverages discounts on her products The biggest driver of Alison’s success in business How she uses ClickFunnels & the success that she has had with it What’s next for Alison   KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “I started going to the library and checking out books and magazines on how people made money.” - Alison Prince “I realized the entrepreneur journey isn't a straight line. It is literally a rollercoaster ride, and if I got in, I'm going for that ride.” - Alison Prince “Remember the school teacher who was qualified for food stamps? Like, I had a multimillion-dollar business because I didn't give up.” - Alison Prince “I think that's where a lot of people can flub up, is they go and they buy a couple grand in product. Don't do that.” - Alison Prince “ I couldn't go and build a huge eCommerce site with a whole bunch of SKUs and a whole bunch of variations, because I literally could not afford to do that, so I could only put up one product a day.” - Alison Prince “Just test it. Buy a small amount, get a small amount, and then send out an email list. If it doesn't sell, that's fine; you've got Christmas presents for all your friends and family.” - Alison Prince “I think the reason why I succeeded is because I failed so much.” - Alison Prince “Don't be so confident and stuck in your head that you're not willing to test. You have to test your product, and then you can invest the money.” - Alison Prince “The key to success is a micro-influencer. Don't go after the big guys.” - Alison Prince “The more engagement you can have, the better results you're going to have. It's not about the numbers anymore; it's all about community.” - Alison Prince “I have to make sure my product's good, I have to make sure my pricing's good, I've got to make sure it will convert, because an influencer can drive traffic, but it's up to you to make sure that you've got a good offer.” - Alison Prince “I love discounts because it helps me to control my lifestyle.” - Alison Prince “I feel like you can create a Black Friday special any day of the year.” - Alison Prince “I'm not afraid to test. I'm not afraid to fail. I'm not afraid to be a hot mess, because that's just who I am, right?” - Alison Prince “With ClickFunnels, you can put blinders on your customers to help them focus.” - Alison Prince “We don't have to go out and get big huge bank loans anymore. We don't have to have brick and mortar, we don't have to go to China anymore to manufacture our products. We've got technology, we've got the Internet right here in our hands to be able to use.” - Alison Prince   ‘My heart is in watching others succeed.” - Alison Prince   CONNECT WITH ALISON PRINCE Website: https://www.alisonjprince.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/becauseicanclan/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisonjprince/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIRyTXZMYxyyhB8VTpthLpw   LINKS Shopify ClickFunnels PickYourPlum PTP Episode 067 | Don Hejny, Nerdwax Nerdwax Fiverr Because I Can Clan     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!

Taylor Elliott is the founder of Taylor Elliott Designs, a fun desk accessory and gift company. Taylor started this company as a side hustle while working a full-time job, but through a lot of hard work and persistence, she has grown this into a thriving gift company whose products are sold in more than 450 stores nationwide.   On today’s episode, Taylor talks about why she decided to use a fulfillment house to store and ship her products, what questions she asked when she was choosing a partner and what her priorities were for outsourcing this piece of her business. She also talks about how she’s brought on 40 sales reps and how working with them and attending markets with her reps has enhanced her business. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: The products Taylor Elliott Designs offer How Taylor originally started her business as a side hustle while working a full-time job How her product offerings have evolved over the years What systems she has in place to streamline both the retail and wholesale arms of her business Why she decided to outsource her shipping to a fulfillment house How she found the fulfillment house she is currently working with The questions she asked during the process of finding a fulfillment house How pricing works for a third party warehouse The time that she saves by outsourcing her shipping How she found the 40 sales reps that she is working with How going to market with her sales reps has enhanced her business and her reach to new wholesale accounts The upfront cost of working with 40 sales reps and how she determined it was worth it How she nurtures relationships with her sales reps & the tools she provides them with Taylor’s advice for someone just starting out in a product-based business What’s next for Taylor Elliott Designs KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “I started with my laptop and an inkjet printer from college, and I started making customized stationery on Etsy.” - Taylor Elliott “It was a nights and weekends hustled for quite a while until it wasn't, and it became my full-time job.” - Taylor Elliott “I've tried very hard to keep true to me and what I love, and I've tried to stay true to the bright colors and very upbeat and motivational products.” - Taylor Elliott “ I really try to work smarter and not harder, and one of the ways that have streamlined my process is by outsourcing all of my shipping to a third party fulfillment house.” - Taylor Elliott “It was also very important to me that they handled my products with care. My brand is very girly and it's very fun, we package a lot of our products in hot pink bubble mailers.” - Taylor Elliott “In general, the more simple the pricing is, the more I liked the warehouses. If it was just easy and clear to understand.” - Taylor Elliott “I think as a small business, that's one of the things that help set me apart from much larger businesses is that we're able to be so efficient and so quick.” - Taylor Elliott “We calculated it right after we transitioned to the fulfillment house and it saves me about 25 hours a week.” - Taylor Elliott “I really feel like by outsourcing fulfillment that that has really allowed me to work on the business and not as much in the business.” - Taylor Elliott “I love how Instagram, it's a great market for selling things, but it's also a great way to connect with other people in the industry whether it's buyers, or reps, or even just colleagues.” - Katie Hunt “Market is an amazing exposure especially like these gift markets, there are so much foot traffic. During markets, wholesalers are looking to buy, they're looking for new brands to bring into their store, they're looking for new products.” - Taylor Elliott “Attending market and working with rep groups has helped me grow my wholesale business so much.” - Taylor Elliott “Don't go into debt buying the fancy stuff, you don't need it.” - Taylor Elliott “You have to keep showing up. Consistency is one of the most important things in starting a business.” - Taylor Elliott “Very rarely does opportunity come knocking, but you have to go out and make that opportunity for yourself.” - Taylor Elliott   CONNECT WITH TAYLOR ELLIOTT Website: http://www.taylorelliottdesigns.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taylorelliottdesigns/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorelliottdesigns/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tedesigns/   LINKS The E Myth by Michael Gerber     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!

EPISODE SNEAK PEEK: "I didn't have a big epiphany by any means. I just had a moment of realization that I was very unhappy with my life, and if I didn't make a change that this was going to be the rest of my life." with Janet Gwen LISTEN! WHAT'S IN THIS EPISODE? There's never an excuse for not knowing how to do something. After hearing this story, I felt so invigorated with that truth! From coding a website to upholstering a chair - not two things I care to learn how to do, but really, there's a lot I could learn that I just haven't tried to (yet)! In this episode, I sat down with Janet Gwen, the founder and creative director of Janet Gwen Designs, to hear about how she went from dropping out of college to working 3 different retail jobs to building her empire - and teaching herself everything along the way (thanks Google). Janet is this bright bubbly ray of energy and I loved this conversation so much. She shares everything - from starting her business 3 different times before it finally stuck to how she creates her hand-painted cases. Oh, and how the inspiration for her business began in the art room of her high school. You never know where inspiration will strike! SUBSCRIBE + LISTEN itunes stitcher WHO IS JANET GWEN? Hello! I’m Janet. I’m the founder and creative director of Janet Gwen Designs. It’s a creative studio known for our gold and marble cases and hand painted phone cases (YES! HAND PAINTED!). JGD's mission is to encourage and highlight unfiltered creativity by challenging the social standards of art. We strive to make a statement by using bold colors and textures on traditional and non traditional surfaces. We create one-of-a kind pieces of art for those customers who appreciate the little details it takes to pull it all together. We make your hustle beautiful, one art-infused piece at the time. We want to start conversations, create real-life connections, and inspire you in your wildest dreams. We are here to cheer you on every step because we know you got this!   Then... Janet's very first phone case! She made this in her high school art class. Now! One of Janet's most recent phone case designs.   MORE OF JANET www.JanetGwenDesigns.com Janet on Instagram LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE: Proof to Product Podcast by TradeShow Bootcamp  "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill (psst.. this is an affiliate link, so if you purchase the book or other things using this link, I may get some cash money! thank you!) "You Are a Badass at Making Money" by Jin Sincero (another affiliate link!) "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance" by Angela Duckworth (another affiliate link!) Janet's first podcast on The Creative Empire