Booth Brainstorm: Good Lighting

Excellent lighting is critical to your trade show booth. You want your booth to be inviting and display your products in the best possible way. And, lighting is a big component of this. As you’re weighing your lighting options, keep in mind the reasons behind why you want to have great lighting in your trade show booth.

Your Buyers

Your buyers want to see what they’re buying. Good lighting makes the details of your product stand out—the colors, textures—and helps the buyers envision your products on their store shelves.

The Press

Members of the press love trade shows. It’s their chance to see new products, new concepts and trends in the industry under one roof. But, they need a well-lit booth to take great photos. The better your lighting, the more likely they’ll share a snap on social media or save a photo as a reminder to follow-up with you later.

Pro Tip: Don’t include glass in the frames of any art prints. Glass can create glare in photos.

Social Media

We always see an uptick in social media posts during show season, not just from exhibitors but also from people walking a show. Great lighting makes your booth more inviting and allows people to take and share better photos.

Pro Tip: Include your social handles on your wall so that people tag you in their photos.

Bright lighting increases visibility, accurately shows your products, makes a booth warm and inviting and creates a better setting for taking photos.

Check out our booth inspiration to see different types of lighting in use. There are lots of different options available to meet any budget.

Connect with Katie Hunt

Katie Hunt is a business strategist, podcaster, mentor and mama to four. She helps product based businesses build profitable, sustainable companies through her conferences, courses and coaching programs.

Website: prooftoproduct.com | Instagram: @prooftoproduct

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2025 State of the Product Industry Report

Every founder I know has wondered:
How much are other brands making? What tech are they using? How big are their teams? Are they paying themselves yet?

And even though every business journey looks different, it's natural to want a peek behind the scenes — especially right now.

The product world is shifting fast.

Rising costs, tariffs, supply chain delays, and changing customer habits are reshaping how we create, market, and sell. We’re all adjusting, recalibrating, and figuring out what growth looks like in this new landscape.

So once again, we decided to check the pulse of the industry.

Over 400 product-based business owners answered the call, generously sharing insights for the 2025 State of the Product Industry Report.

We heard from brand new founders and seasoned six- and seven-figure businesses. They shared how much they’re earning, paying themselves, where they’re selling, how they’re building teams, and how they’re feeling about the future.

I hope you find these insights not just interesting — but empowering — as you plan your next moves.

Thank you to everyone who contributed. Your openness helps us track trends, spot opportunities, and better support this amazing industry.

Grab your favorite ☕️, find a cozy spot, and dig in. I’m so glad you’re here.

2024 State of the Product Industry Report

Everyday I hear from product-based business owners who are curious about other people’s business models, their teams, their tech-stack, how much revenue they are earning and what other product business owners pay themselves.

And although we know that every business is different, it is natural to want to see behind the curtain of other brands in your industry.

But it is more than curiosity.

We know the industry has experienced major shifts over the last several years. Everyone has been pivoting and recalibrating.

We're experiencing new normals.

You need to know what’s happening in our industry.

So, the Proof to Product team decided to take an industry-wide temperature check.

And, 925 product based businesses owners answered the call, anonymously sharing their business details with us for the 2024 State of the Product Industry Report

How to Find The Right Manufacturing Partners For Your Wholesale Business

Expanding your wholesale product line can be both exciting and daunting. There are a lot of factors that go into creating a new product and finding the right manufacturing partners to turn your vision into a reality is crucial, particularly if you’re planning to sell the product to the wholesale market. In this article, we’ll guide you step-by-step through the process of finding a product manufacturer that aligns with your product specs, budget, timeline and quality. We also want to make sure our manufacturing partners communicate well, work efficiently and have values that align with our brand.