296 | Live from *Noted and SF Now

I recently spent the day with many of our Proof to Product students at the *Noted & SF Now trade show in San Francisco, CA. Seventy-four of our Proof to Product LABS members and Paper Camp alumni were exhibiting at this show - which means our community accounted for 62% of all exhibitors. Pretty incredible!

Our community members won awards, secured major orders with key accounts, launched new products, connected with distributors and they grew their confidence as business owners.

It’s such an honor and privilege to know that our community & programming played a small part in getting them there.

We also hosted a Proof to Product Meet-up for networking, connection and fun. Thanks to everyone who joined us! We really do have the most amazing community of kind, thoughtful, funny, and generous people. 

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Live from *Noted and SF Now

I love taking you behind the scenes of what’s happening live from the trade show floor, which is why I asked several of our exhibiting LABS members and Paper Camp students to share:

  • their name

  • their company

  • and a big win or takeaway that they had from the day!

They offered a lot of different perspectives from both first-time exhibitors and seasoned folks—including the good and the unexpected.

Kirstie Wang, A Jar of Pickles

Kirstie’s biggest win was realizing how important face time with retailers is for sales. She met a lot of existing buyers for the first time and that in-person connection helped seal the deal on future orders by creating a deeper connection that will really go the distance.

Connect with Kirstie Wang, A Jar of Pickles


Karen Kennedy, And the moon will rise

Karen was a first-time exhibitor this year and while she didn’t have any sales when we talked, she was feeling so excited about the connections she made! She remembered something I always say in regard to trade shows, it’s the long game. This is an investment in her brand that has provided a lot of great opportunities.

Connect with Karen Kennedy, And the moon will rise


Ian Pribyl, Explicit Contents

Ian’s biggest takeaway was the conversations and networking opportunities that were taking place! One vendor stopped by and noted that Explicit Contents was one of the brands they knew they wanted to speak with and connect with while at the show—this wouldn’t have happened if they weren’t exhibiting.

Connect with Ian Pribyl, Explicit Contents


Brigida Swanson, Yardia

Brigida received 10 orders with 80% of those being new buyers!

Connect with Brigida Swanson, Yardia


Kate Murray, Quick Brown Fox Letterpress

The biggest takeaway that Kate experienced was the renewed revitalization of community for her first time of being together again after going so long of not exhibiting. Despite having left a new product launch at home, she was able to make the most of it and show it off through her Faire site.

Connect with Kate Murray, Quick Brown Fox Letterpress
You can also check out a past podcast episode with Kate where we talk about connecting with customers.

Krishna Chavda, Nanu Studio

Meaningful connections and conversations were the most important takeaway for Krishna at the event, as they have allowed her to make a lasting impression so that buyers will remember her when it’s time to consider purchases after the show!

Connect with Krishna Chavda, Nanu Studio
Check out our past episode with Krishna on selling to national retail chains.


Alyson O'Connor, Rust Belt Love Paperie

Alyson was reminded of how valuable showing up and doing the work even when you don’t feel like it—consistency and visibility truly do pay off in your business!

Connect with Alyson O'Connor, Rust Belt Love Paperie


Lynn Jones, Lynn-oleum

Lynn opted to have a bigger booth to show off her entire line to the buyer, creating the opportunity to make a lot of sales on the trade show floor.

Connect with Lynn Jones, Lynn-oleum


Nikki Tyler, Little Lovelies Studio

While exhibiting for one day, Nikki was able to gain four new customers and sell her products!

Connect with Nikki Tyler, Little Lovelies Studio
Tune into our podcast episode with Nikki where we look back at TEN years in business!


Emily Chiang, Emii Creations

Emily brought a new product to show off, which ultimately led to her first sale of that product! Additionally, more buyers showed an interest in the products she had to offer.

Connect with Emily Chiang, Emii Creations
Emily joined us on the podcast to talk about manufacturing overseas.


Emma Lewis, The Twentieth

Emma launched a brand new product line after Paper Camp and made her first sale on the product from the trade show floor!

Connect with Emma Lewis, The Twentieth


Christine Nardone, Black Line Rainbows

Christine was a first-time exhibitor, and her biggest takeaway was how important communication is while exhibiting. She kept in mind everything that she learned from Paper Camp, including clear communication, follow-through, and relationship building.

Connect with Christine Nardone, Black Line Rainbows


Lauren-Ashley Barnes, Pineapple Sunday Design Studio

Lauren’s biggest takeaway, but also a brilliant piece of advice for those exhibiting or looking to exhibit, was to follow your dreams and keep going!

Connect with Lauren-Ashley Barnes, Pineapple Sunday Design Studio


Christine Herrin, Everyday Explorers Co.

Christine came into this trade show with a bigger booth, meaning she invested more into her brand. She’s proud of how she’s showing up for her brand—and Christine, I am too!

Connect with Christine Herrin, Everyday Explorers Co.
Christine joined us on the podcast to talk about launching wholesale and exhibiting at SF Now and how to run a business remotely.

Lindsay Henry, Inklings Paperie

We talk a lot about connections and relationships—that’s exactly what Lindsay found to be the most important thing at a trade show. She opted for a smaller booth to simplify her setup process and really focus on connections this year!

Connect with Lindsay Henry, Inklings Paperie

Thank you to everyone who took time to chat with me at the show!

Each and every one of these folks have done the hard work, got their product line ready, their sales tools ready, did their pre-show marketing, and they showed up! Based on their experiences, you can hear the impact that they're making on their own brand and with the people they’re meeting, including reps, distributors, and buyers. 

While you do not have to exhibit at trade shows to be successful with wholesale, there is something magical that happens when you are together in real life. Connecting face-to-face with existing and new buyers really furthers your relationships, which leads to long-term orders too.


Quick links:

We mentioned lots of past episodes where our Paper Camp alum and LABS members have been featured. Check them out!

If you are curious about what it takes to exhibit at a trade show I want to invite you to look into my Booth Blueprint Masterclass.

This free class is available inside our resource library and walks you through three things that you need to know before you start exhibiting at a trade show.

Download These Quotables to Save and Share

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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