450 | When Your Business Outgrows Its Space: Navigating Storage & Warehouse Options with Samantha Rubenstein, WareSpace & Jodi Kostelnik, The Neighborgoods

Today's conversation is for anyone who has ever looked around their home, their studio, or their storage unit and thought: “we officially have too much inventory and we are running out of space.”

Today we're talking about what happens when your business starts to outgrow your space and how to know when it might be time to make a move.

Whether you're currently packing orders from your dining room table, juggling multiple storage units, or debating if a warehouse or even a 3PL is the step for your business, then this episode is going to highlight some options for you.

I'm joined by two guests, returning guest Jodi Kostelnik of The Neighborgoods, who shares candidly about her experience moving from a multiple floor studio space into a warehouse space that was much better suited for supporting her team, her inventory and her business's growth.

Jodi is a longtime Proof to Product member and a Paper Camp alum, and she shares generously in this episode like she has before.

We're also joined by Samantha Rubenstein of WareSpace, a company creating flexible warehouse solutions that are specifically designed for small businesses and specifically designed for product brands that are shipping and storing inventory.

We talk about the operational bottlenecks that happen as a product brand grows, the shifts in mindset that come with investing more money in space and logistics, and the practical considerations around things like cost, logistics, staffing, and general scale.

One of the things I really appreciate about this conversation is that it highlights something I talk about a lot here on the podcast, that there is no one specific way to grow your business.

There's no one specific roadmap to follow for success. Different businesses need different solutions and have different challenges. Today's episode highlights what has worked for Jodi as she has grown.

I love that she's sharing the different things that she's done along the way to help her business grow even faster.

If you have been feeling squeezed by your current setup or you're wondering what's next in your stage of growth, what that might look like for your brand, then I think today's episode will give you a lot to think about.

If you would like to set up a tour of WareSpace locations in your city, head to http://prooftoproduct.com/warespace. Proof to Product listeners can get 2 months free rent when they sign a 12 month lease agreement if you use our link.

Today's episode is brought to you by our Is Wholesale Right for You workshop! This free 25 minute workshop will help you decide whether wholesale is a good next step for your specific business. After listening, two things will be true. You'll know whether you want to pursue wholesale for your product business, and you'll have the confidence and action steps to get started with wholesale. Sign up for the workshop today!

MEET JODI

Starting in 2006, I ran a design studio working on everything from illustrations to corporate reports. In wanting to combine my love of food and design I refocused my business to work with clients in the food industry. In order to gain those clients, I began creating food-themed work for my website, which turned into an idea to print those designs onto dish towels for gifts, which led to a screen-printing class, and The Neighborgoods began to take form.

Working nights and weekends things grew slowly over the years and I finally went full-time in 2018. Since then, our product line has grown, we’re sold in over 900 stores, I opened (and closed) a brick-and-mortar store, moved the biz back into my basement, hired a full-time employee, moved into a new studio, and opened a store in the airport.

I love creating goods that are useful in everyday life, and make you smile.

CONNECT WITH JODI

WEBSITE: https://theneighborgoods.com | INSTAGRAM: @theneighborgoodswithlove

MEET SAMANTHA

Samantha Rubenstein is the Co-Founder and Chief Business Development Officer of WareSpace, a national flexible warehouse company designed specifically for small businesses that are growing beyond their garages, basements, spare bedrooms, and scattered storage units into professional operational space.

Since partnering with Jadian Capital in 2021 to expand WareSpace nationally, Samantha has led the company’s business development and public partnership strategy, focusing heavily on building relationships not only within private industry, but across the broader small business support ecosystem. Her work includes partnering with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Women’s Business Centers, Small Business Development Centers, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, and regional lenders to help connect entrepreneurs with affordable space, capital access, and free advisory resources that many small business owners do not realize exist.

Prior to WareSpace, Samantha worked in nonprofit advocacy and social work, including medical advocacy and fundraising for the National Gaucher Foundation, where she supported patients and families navigating rare disease care and access to services. She also worked in school-based social work in New York City. Samantha holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from NYU, as well as a Master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University.

Originally from Maryland and now based in New York City, Samantha spends much of her time traveling to WareSpace locations across the country, meeting with tenants, resource partners, local officials, and economic development leaders while advocating for small businesses and helping entrepreneurs navigate growth. Her work has included collaborating with local and state agencies to improve access to grants and support programs for small business communities in multiple markets.

Today, WareSpace supports thousands of small businesses nationwide through a growing network of warehouse communities operated by local on-site teams and a distributed national support staff. Samantha is especially passionate about WareSpace’s continued expansion into new markets, deepening its presence in existing communities, and building long-term infrastructure that helps entrepreneurs scale and thrive.

CONNECT WITH SAMANTHA

WEBSITE: http://prooftoproduct.com/warespace | INSTAGRAM: @warespaceco | LINKEDIN: @warespaceco | YOUTUBE: @warespaceco | VIRTUAL TOUR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdcLVrVXSMs

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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