139 | Letting go of sales reps, employees & downsizing her product line with Kristen Ley, Thimblepress
139 | Letting go of sales reps, employees & downsizing her product line with Kristen Ley, Thimblepress

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.

Read More
Operations & Sales, productKatie HuntComment
138 | Shifting the maker mindset with Genesis Duncan, Graphic Anthology
138 | Shifting the maker mindset with Genesis Duncan, Graphic Anthology

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.

Read More
Operations & Sales, productKatie HuntComment
137 | How I juggle day to day work & family life with Katie Hunt
137 | How I juggle day to day work & family life with Katie Hunt

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.

Read More
pep talk, Operations & SalesKatie Hunt Comment
136 | How I do my annual strategy planning with Katie Hunt
136 | How I do my annual strategy planning with Katie Hunt

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.

Read More
pep talk, Operations & SalesKatie HuntComment
135 | The economics of selling products with Michelle Loretta, Sage Wedding Pros
135 | The economics of selling products with Michelle Loretta, Sage Wedding Pros

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. 

Read More
Operations & Sales, productKatie HuntComment
134 | How to pitch yourself to podcasts with Caroline Hull & Brittney Lynn (Part 2)
134 | How to pitch yourself to podcasts with Caroline Hull & Brittney Lynn (Part 2)

Okay, so did you catch Episode 133 (Part One) with Caroline Hull and Brittney Lynn on Tuesday? We talked about the dos and don’ts of pitching and podcasting. Caroline and Brittney shared real stories, tips, and advice from their experience in the podcast world. If you missed it, definitely push pause and go back and listen to that episode first, because today we’re catching up right where we left off. 

 Today, Brittney, Caroline and I are sitting down to continue our conversation about podcasting. We’re talking about how to pitch yourself, how to prepare for a podcast interview, and how you can support the show when your episode airs!

Read More
pep talkKatie HuntComment
133 | How to pitch yourself to podcasts with Caroline Hull & Brittney Lynn (Part 1)
133 | How to pitch yourself to podcasts with Caroline Hull & Brittney Lynn (Part 1)

I am really excited about our topic and guests for this week because two of my team members, Caroline Hull and Brittney Lynn, are joining me for two special episodes about how to pitch yourself to podcasts. Caroline and Brittney both have experience working in the podcasting world. Caroline owns her own podcast editing company, Wild Home Podcasting, and Brittney Lynn specializes in PR management. Today’s we’re covering everything what to do and what not to do, how to prepare for an interview and what you can do to spread the word once the podcast airs.

For some background on the amazing ladies who help me run Proof to Product, Caroline Hull has seen all sides of podcasting. As the co-host of the Creative Biz Rebellion podcast, she’s been on the receiving side of many podcast pitches. Caroline has also been featured on dozens of podcasts by other people, including Episode 45 of Proof to Product where she talked about the importance of taking a break in business.  

 Brittney Lynn also knows the ins and outs of podcasting. As my PR manager, Brittney sees all the incoming pitches from people who want to be on Proof to Product. She also regularly pitches media opportunities to her clients for Podcasts and traditional media. You can hear more about the type of work Brittney does on Episode 66 of Proof to Product.

 We hope you enjoy Part 1 today and stay tuned for Part 2 on Thursday! 

Read More
pep talkKatie Hunt Comment
132 | Creating great photos & social media content with Alisha Cohen, LISH Creative
132 | Creating great photos & social media content with Alisha Cohen, LISH Creative

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. 

Read More
product, Operations & Sales, marketingKatie HuntComment
131 | Deciding what to delegate with Katie Hunt
131 | Deciding what to delegate with Katie Hunt

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! 

Read More
pep talk, Operations & SalesKatie HuntComment
130 | Balancing a Brick & Mortar Shop and Wholesale Line with Meg Sutton of Belle & Union
130 | Balancing a Brick & Mortar Shop and Wholesale Line with Meg Sutton of Belle & Union

Are you ready for round two? Because we are! This is the second of two special episodes this week, featuring Paper Camp alumni who are taking us behind the scenes of what it’s like to run a manufacturing business and brick and mortar retail shops simultaneously. Tuesday, on Episode 129 we heard from the Los-Angeles based, Katie Wilson. Now today, on Episode 130, I’m sitting down with Meg Sutton, the founder of Belle & Union, based in San Antonio Texas.

Meg first shared her startup story back on Episode 7. If you’re curious about how Meg launched Belle & Union and the motivation behind her products, definitely head back to give that episode a listen. Today we’re diving even deeper into Meg’s business journey. We’re sitting down to talk about how Meg decided to open her brick & mortar shop, how she layered that into her existing business model, and how she keeps perspective through it all.

Read More
product, Operations & Sales, marketingKatie HuntComment
129 | Owning 2 brick & mortar shops and wholesale business with Katie Wilson from Crush, Touch & The Good Twin
129 | Owning 2 brick & mortar shops and wholesale business with Katie Wilson from Crush, Touch & The Good Twin

This week on Proof to Product we’re bringing you not just one, but TWO episodes with two special Paper Camp Alumni who are sharing what it’s like to run a manufacturing business and brick and mortar retail shops simultaneously. Today on Episode 129, Katie Wilson, founder of The Good Twin, and owner of two Los Angeles-based retail shops, Crush and Touch, returns to the show to share what it’s like to be a buyer, how being a retailer has changed over the years, and how she markets her own wholesale line to other buyers.

You might remember Katie from Episode 6 of Proof to Product where she first shared her startup story with us. If you haven’t heard that episode yet, it’s definitely worth heading back for a listen. Katie’s had an amazing business journey, and over the years, she has been a contributor to many tradeshow recap episodes, a frequent speaker at our Paper Camp conference and an incredible mentor to many in our industry. We’re thrilled to have Katie back today to share more of her experience and we hope you take away some great nuggets of advice. Coming up tomorrow, Episode 130 with Meg Sutton of Belle & Union.

Read More
wholesale, product, Operations & SalesKatie HuntComment
128 | Utilizing an Ambassador Program with Danielle Nagel of Dazey LA
128 | Utilizing an Ambassador Program with Danielle Nagel of Dazey LA

Being a product based business owner takes a lot of creativity on all fronts- in your designs, in operations, your marketing and how your reach people and tell your story. Now there are so many different platforms and technologies it can be hard to know where to start or which platform to choose. On today’s Proof to Product episode with Dani Nagel, the founder of Dazey LA, we sit down to talk about the importance of finding platforms that work best for your creativity and that start your kind of conversation. 

Dani founded Dazey LA as a fashion brand focused on empowering women through conversation and community. She intentionally built a business that supports her personal values. Each design is hand drawn by Dani and then manufactured to order in Los Angeles, California. 

On today's episode Dani and I talk about how her corporate and startup experience shaped her business perspective. We discuss sustainability, community building, and how Dani built Dazey LA from the ground up. Dani talks about how transparency and showing behind the scenes processes of her marketing and product development has helped her business. And we dive into Dazey LA's ambassador program, which tools they use, how they structure it, and how it has helped them build the retail side of their business. 

Read More
product, Operations & Sales, marketingKatie HuntComment
127 | How I moved our team's emails & drive files to a new domain in under an hour with Katie Hunt
127 | How I moved our team's emails & drive files to a new domain in under an hour with Katie Hunt

If you were following our rebrand earlier this year, you probably remember that there were two technical pieces that really scared me as we were rolling out the rebrand. 

The first was switching over our Instagram handles and making sure that we were keeping our larger account as our primary account for Proof to Product going forward.   You can hear how I did that here on a past podcast episode.

The second thing was switching over our email accounts. And I don't know why this made me so nervous. I think it was because we were on the Google platform and we had so many files in Google Drive -- calendars, files, etc. I felt like it wasn't just switching the emails, it was also making sure all of those files migrated over to wherever we needed it to go. I basically wanted everything packaged all nicely under our new Proof to Product domain.

After several months of dragging my feet, I made the switch in two phases..  I did it myself in Google Suites and it took me less than an hour. I was pleasantly surprised with how simple the process was, so I want to share the steps with you here:

Read More
product, wholesale, Operations & SalesKatie HuntComment
126 | Knowing you’re enough with Kelly Higdon of Calibrate Your Year
126 | Knowing you’re enough with Kelly Higdon of Calibrate Your Year

A few weeks ago I posted a poll on Instagram asking how many people out there were also feeling pulled  in too many directions. More than 50 responses came in, 100% agreeing they felt overwhelmed and overscheduled. It might be the time of year, it might be the season of business, but I think we can all agree we need to find a way to create some blank space on the calendar. To handle this situation,  I asked my friend Kelly Higdon of Calibrate Your Year to join me on Episode 126 of Proof to Product. 

For some background, Kelly is a former psychotherapist turned business coach who helps entrepreneurs grow their business without the soul suck. She believes that a successful business is one that contributes to a happier life and when she isn't working, she's traveling with her family, dabbling in art and listening to live music.

On today’s episode, Kelly and I talk about burnout. We talk about knowing you're enough within your business, and Kelly share how she manages to block off over 200 days a year for rest and family time. Yep… you read that right… 200!!!

Read More
product, wholesale, Operations & SalesKatie HuntComment
125 | Moving from wholesale to licensing with Erin McManness of Paper Raven Co.
125 | Moving from wholesale to licensing with Erin McManness of Paper Raven Co.

As product-based business owners and entrepreneurs, so many of us are under constant pressure to juggle the design and operations sides of our businesses. It can be hard to focus on both moving product and creating the designs for that product, especially when we’re juggling online, wholesale and licensing accounts. Turns out, you don’t always have to do it all. Today’s Proof to Product guest, Erin McManness, is a Paper Camp alumni who’s lived every side of the business and decided to stick to the parts that are most fulfilling for her. I’m excited for you to hear her story. 

Erin is an illustrator working in Atlanta, Georgia. She's been freelancing full time for five years under her brand Paper Raven Co., which started as a small greeting card line and now includes licensing for an assortment of cards, gifts, fabrics, and home décor. Erin incorporates her values and love for the environment in her work by printing all of her cards on 100% recycled paper in the United States. She also donates $1 from every sale to her reforestation partner, One Tree Planted. Over the course of her career, Erin has collaborated on projects with companies like Macy's, Target, Trader Joe's, Publix, and Aldi. In October, she's releasing her second book, The Art Starts In The Heart: An Inspirational Guide To Making Meaningful Art.

On Episode 125, Erin and I sit down to cover all of the above. We talk about how Erin has built the licensing arm of her business, the pros, and cons of flat rate and royalty payments and why she's made the decision to ramp up her licensing arm and slow down on the wholesale side. We also talk about Erin's new book, so enjoy!

Read More
product, wholesale, Operations & SalesKatie HuntComment
124 | How do I know if a store is a good fit for my products with Katie Hunt
124 | How do I know if a store is a good fit for my products with Katie Hunt

You’ve likely heard me say this here on the Proof to Product podcast and in our emails, but I’m a firm believer that relationships are the key to running and building a successful business.

Everyone from our team to our customers, to our colleagues, to our vendors plays a significant role in our personal growth as well as the development of our company. Your relationships with wholesale buyers are no exception.

BUT HOW DO YOU FIND THE RIGHT STORES?

HOW DO YOU CONNECT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL WITH THE BUYER?

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF A STORE IS A GOOD FIT FOR WHAT YOU SELL?

Read More
productKatie HuntComment
123 | Packaging Your Products without breaking the bank with Katie Hunt
123 | Packaging Your Products without breaking the bank with Katie Hunt

Can we talk about product packaging for a minute? You want your products to look unique and stand out from the crowd, but you don’t have to break the bank to do it.

There are so many packaging options available, and it’s important to know when to follow the crowd and use standard packaging and when to get creative and do your own thing.

Ultimately, your product packaging must make it easy for the end customer to understand what your product is and how they can use it. And, from a business standpoint, you want to ensure that your packaging looks great, is scalable and doesn’t cut into your profit margins. Here’s where to focus.

- Keep it Simple

- Keep it On-Brand

- Keep Costs Down

We dive into each of these during today's episode.

Read More
productKatie HuntComment
122 | Four key take-aways from Paper Camp
122 | Four key take-aways from Paper Camp

I’m recording this on a Sunday evening, just two short days after I finished hosting our 16th Paper Camp conference and I’m just now getting a chance to reflect on everything we did at Paper Camp and the amazing feedback we had from our students.  In this episode, I want to share some of their key take-aways with you here on this episode.

But first I want to preface this conversation by saying we cover a lot of ground at Paper Camp.  This is our signature program and we’ve helped over 1,000 small businesses on how to get their products on the shelves on their favorite retail shops.   We talk about product development, sales tools for wholesale, sales strategies - working with reps and tech solutions like Faire, marketing to wholesale buyers and the nuts and bolts of exhibiting at shows.

Read More
pep talk, tradeshowsKatie HuntComment