Hey friends! Are you making sure to pay yourself for your work? There’s often a big misconception that only new business owners struggle with how to pay themselves for their time, effort and expertise. However, it’s no secret that both new and experienced entrepreneurs run into this problem from time to time.
I wanted to make things a little easier for you so in this episode I shared two simple strategies for how to pay yourself based on where you’re at in your business. You’ll hear why you need to pay yourself, how to choose a format of payment that works for you and why you should get on a payment schedule. I also explored why you should keep it simple (and automate where possible), the importance of revisiting your numbers as things change and of course, why you should seek advice from a CPA or financial planner.
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Hey friends! Are you ready to get back time in your business to work on the projects and tasks that you really love? The ones that will help you to move the needle further toward your goal?
If you’ve been busy doing all of the things then you might be wondering if now is the right time to hire in your business. That’s why I brought on Natalie Gingrich from The Ops Authority. Natalie has been in operations for two decades and now she helps online business owners with support and strategy for the operational side of their business.
We get into everything you could possibly want to know about the best hiring practices. She shares how you’ll know when is the right time to hire and how you can get crystal clear on the job you’re looking to hire for. Natalie explains why this is critical and how an application is a key component in finding the right team member for the role.
She and I discuss how to measure the value that team members are adding to your business. She also discusses why you’ll want to invest a good amount of time in hiring to avoid mishaps like turnover or unrealistic expectations on either side of the hiring process.
This episode is packed with so much hiring wisdom so grab a notebook, listen closely and be sure to download Natalie’s free hiring guide for the next time you’re looking to outsource in your business.
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How amazing does it sound to have someone else take over your packing and shipping needs? Think about it… How many hours a day (or even a week) could that save you?
Having a fulfillment warehouse that takes care of this for you could lend you time in your busy schedule. It might even be able to save you money in the long run. In this episode, I had the pleasure of talking about that with Paper Camp Alum, Jomana Siddiqui.
Jomana is the creative behind 3, yes you heard that right, 3 different businesses. She runs a graphic design business called Pences Design Studio, a retail business named modernEID all while authoring a lifestyle blog.
We get into what her experience was with working with a manufacturing company in China. Plus, the hiccup she faced after working with them. She shares how using a fulfillment center changed her business for the better. Jomana also discusses how connections and being in the right place at the right time can help land partnerships with brands you dream of working with.
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Earlier this week, my friend Kristen Ley of Thimblepress and KristenLey.com and I hosted a free webinar where we talked about taking our business temperature. As small business owners so much of our time is spent working with our head down working on the most urgent and pressing things that need our attention. Taking your business temperature means that you’re intentionally making time to stop and look at the bigger picture vision, strategy and execution of your business plans.
Today’s episode is a replay from the live webinar we hosted. We talked about how often you should be taking your business temperature, where to start if you’ve never taken your business temperature, and Kristen and I share examples of things we’ve learned about ourselves and our business by doing these check-ins. I also share the four key factors I consider when making decisions in my business and explain how you can leverage them, too.
Before we jump in, I wanted to remind you that May 8th is the last day to join Proof to Product Labs as a Founding Member. Founding members get 5 incredible bonuses including my profitability calculator and production schedule planner AND they lock in our discounted rate of $49/month for as long as they are a member. The bonuses will go away and the price will jump to $79/mo starting May 9th. So head to prooftoproduct.com/labs to secure your founding member spot!
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Hey friends! You might know that you need to set financial goals for your business. But maybe you feel like you have absolutely no idea where to start. Maybe you feel overwhelmed even thinking about it? Whatever the case, if that sounds like you then you’re in for a treat with today’s live coaching session. I caught up with Paper Camp alumni, Jessica Baskin to give her the low-down on setting financial goals for your business.
Jessica got real about the financial mindset challenges she’s been facing and together, we broke them down. I offered her a few actionable steps she could take to get her more aligned with her numbers. We talked about how she could get clear on who she’s speaking to which would improve her marketing efforts (and in turn get her closer to those financial goals).
This conversation uncovered a few of the best practices for determining what your highest and best use products (or services) for your business. Of course, I also gave Jessica some homework around her financial goals where she’ll be taking a look at the good, better and best financial number goals. This is essential because if you know your goals, you know exactly what to aim for.
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Hey friends! As much of the world is currently in isolation and practicing social distancing, I wanted to encourage you. I hope this episode will help you find direction in this uncertain time and remind you to keep pushing forward. To be completely honest, my head was spinning with things that I wanted to say but I know we’re all facing completely different circumstances.
None of us have ever faced something like this before and we’re all going through something different from one another. Business advice isn’t a one size fits all and what works for one person may not work for someone else so today I want to share what I’m doing in my business in case it’s relatable or helpful for you.
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I sat down with my financial planner, Mary Beth Storjohann today to talk about financial relief and resources for small businesses available through the CARES Act.
Today we’re talking about the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (also called EIDL), the Paycheck Protection Program (also called PPP) and the Deferral of Payment of Payroll Taxes.
This is an ever evolving situation right now, so Mary Beth is sharing the current details with us today, April 3rd.
Remember to stay calm, I know things feel stressful right now but there a a variety of options and forms of aid available to all of us. I encourage you to reach out to your CPAs & financial planners to figure out which plans are best for you. And, if you decide to apply for PPP, apply with the bank that you’re currently doing your business banking with.
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Hey friends, have you ever considered how you could leverage point of sale systems for trend tracking and buying decisions? Biff Ulm, founder of MN Nice Enough came on the podcast today to share how he uses technology to help grow his business and how he relies on the help of sales reps to ensure his store is stocked with products that are a fit for his customers.
Biff has a rich background in the product based business industry and has seen all sides of it including owning his own brick and mortar business, selling eCommerce, doing wholesale, as well as creating his own products. He’s done it all and has a vast wealth of knowledge in this line of business.
In this episode, we talk about everything from the challenges he’s faced from having multiple streams of revenue, what numbers he tracks, how he cultivates wholesale relationships and the importance of studying what bigger brands are doing in their businesses.
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Today’s guest Rebecca Inkrote has a fantastic story that I can’t wait to share with you guys. She gives her insight on the best ways to transition from a third party platform to your own website (plus how to build brand recognition and steps to make it go smooth).
Rebecca got her start in the creative entrepreneur space when she started making soaps as a hobby. It quickly turned into a business that brought her into Facebook groups with other handmade business owners and it was there where she recognized how much she could help entrepreneurs in this space.
As a graphic designer, she was well versed in the areas of technology and found this niche of hers to be an area she could stand out in. In this episode, Rebecca shares how she stumbled into this path, the growing pains one can face when transitioning from a third party platform to their own website and the benefits of having your own eCommerce website.
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Does the thought of bookkeeping make you feel uneasy? I know that for so many creatives, knowing your numbers and doing your bookkeeping can feel a bit overwhelming. That’s why I brought on today’s guest because let’s face it... The reality is that even though numbers aren’t always our favorite, they are essential for knowing your business’ financial health and profitability.
Today you’ll hear from Greg Higdon, founder of Grow the Books, a bookkeeping company for small businesses. Greg helps entrepreneurs with a done for you service but he also helps those who want to DIY to understand what they need to know about reconciling their numbers.
We explore the topic of bookkeeping and how you’ll know when it’s time to outsource this task to someone else. We also talk about what questions you should ask before hiring a bookkeeper, the importance of setting aside time to do your bookkeeping and why sometimes you need to have someone outside of your business looking at the numbers.
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Happy 2020 friends! For our first episode back in the New Year, my friend Kristen Ley of Thimblepress is back on the show. Kristen was first featured on Episode 4 of Proof to Product back where we talked about how she fell into business backwards and discussed tips on partnerships and collaborations. That episode was recorded back in early 2017 and since then, Kristen has done a lot of soul searching and ridden the waves of transition and upheaval in both her business and personal life.
On today's episode, Kristen bravely shares what she learned from her journey. She talks about why she decided to let go of all her sales reps, say goodbye to 15 employees, downsize her warehouse and office space and discontinue over a hundred SKUs in the Thimblepress line. Kristen not only shares her journey of reevaluating what she wanted to get out of her business, but also how she implemented those changes.
Today's episode is a heartfelt one full of advice, wisdom and encouragement for anyone feeling stuck in their business or worried about the changes they need to make. Friends, remember this is your business. You set the rules and at any time you can decide to go a different way. I hope Kristen's story helps you and I hope you enjoy it.
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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…
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When we first start our businesses, more often than not, we don’t have the big picture idea of what our brand or business will look like down the road. So many of us embark on this so-called maker’s journey, where we truly discover our strengths, opportunities, and long term vision for our business. Lucky for us, one of our talented Paper Camp alumni, Genesis Duncan of Graphic Anthology, is joining us today on Episode 138 of Proof to Product to share her experience and advice for other makers on the path.
Based in Portland, Oregon, Genesis started Graphic Anthology in 2010 with just three art prints and an Etsy shop. Almost a decade later, her product line has grown to include a wide range of greeting cards and gift items that focus on joy, simplicity, and strengthening relationships with those you love most.
Today's episode is a powerful one and I know it will resonate with many of you. We talk about how Genesis started her business as a creative outlet and hobby, and why she had to shift her mindset and step into her role and title as an entrepreneur and business owner. Genesis also shares how adding a line of Spanish greeting cards was not only beneficial to her business, but also her personal development.
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Hey Friends, in episode 136 I walked you through how I do my annual strategic planning for the business. I got into the weeds sharing what reports I look at, how I analyze that data and then how I schedule things out to ensure that I’m not overloading myself, my team or my family with my grand plans! Ha!
Now that we’ve covered the question about big-picture planning, I want to circle back on the requests I received to share how I manage my day to day flow of family life & business life. For episode 137, I'm sharing what my day to day looks like with four young children (currently ages 3 to 9 years old), a growing business and an active family life.
I talk about strategies I use to make my shortened workdays more productive including batching tasks, delegating more and not checking my email a million times a day. And, the biggest tip I can offer is to remain flexible -- because my day to day is constantly changing and I'm guessing yours is too. What works for me now, wouldn't have worked a few years ago and may not work for us one year from now. But, give yourself space and permission to make changes as you go.
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Hey friends, I have been getting a lot of requests from people curious about how I map out my annual plan for the business, and how I work my family schedule into that. I’m going to be honest, balancing a busy family schedule and a very busy business schedule can be hard. There's a number of things that I need to consider and weigh in on when I'm making decisions in my business. And that really ties into how I plan my year because I don't want to overload myself with too many things, only to do all of them less than stellar. I want to do my best at everything.
In this episode, I get granular about how I do my big picture, strategic planning each year for my business so that I'm not overloading myself, my team or my family. I talk about what reports I look at, how I analyze what's working and what's not working to decide which programs, products and services we'll offer the following year.
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Remember your high-school economics class? Okay good, because today’s episode is going to be nothing like that. Today we’re making numbers, margins, pricing and market metrics fun with Michelle Loretta, a business consultant, financial strategist and founder of Sage Wedding Pros. Before launching her own business, Michelle worked as an accountant for Deloitte, sales and marketing manager for DDLA and merchandiser for Coach. Since then, she’s applied her corporate and entrepreneurial expertise to wedding businesses worldwide and launched herself onto the live-event space as a frequent speaker at professional conferences.
Through Sage Wedding Pros, Michelle also produces her own next-level summit known as The Be Sage Conference. I have had the privilege of attending twice, once as a speaker, and it truly is an amazing program. For those of you who don’t want to miss it, Michelle’s next conference is coming up in Austin in February of 2020.
On today’s episode, Michelle and I talk about business planning, the economics of selling products and how financial decisions in your business affect your operational plans. Promise, whether you’re creative or business minded, this episode will inspire you to start drafting all of your next big business plans.
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Today we’re lucky to have Alisha Cohen on Episode 132 of Proof to Product. Alisha is the founder and creative director of LISH Creative, a content agency for vibrant lifestyle and hospitality brands. Alisha took the leap to found her company in 2016 when she realized she had to leave agency life to break out on her own. Since then, Alisha and her team have created content for some of the world's leading brands including Nickelodeon, Nestle, General Mills, Facebook, Dunkin' Donuts, Delta Airlines, and Benefits Cosmetics.
On today's episode, Alisha shares her start up story and how she grew her business through determination and grit. She tells us how she taught herself to take professional photos using just her iphone and to create engaging content for social media. Alisha and I also talk about tips for preparing for photo shoots, the importance of having a shot list and helpful photo editing apps. We dive into what’s working and not working on social media today, how Alisha has now moved from having an in person team to a virtual team and all of the challenges that go along with that.
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It’s just you and me today on a special mini episode of Proof to Product! This week, I want to talk to you about delegating. There comes a time in most businesses where you are going to want to start hiring a team. For some of us, we hit a wall, we start to realize we're overwhelmed, and we just simply cannot do it all. If you want your business to grow, delegating is a key skill that I want you to have. So I recently did a free master class about delegating where I identified four steps to figuring out what you need to delegate. I realize not everyone is able to watch masterclasses, so I want to run through some of these strategies today on the podcast. Now, the master class covers these in more depth and I'll show you examples, but for today, let's run through the key points on Episode 131!
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