196 | When should you outsource social media with Andréa Jones, OnlineDrea
196 | When should you outsource social media with Andréa Jones, OnlineDrea

Hey friends! How are you feeling about social media these days? Is it lighting you up? Does it leave you feeling heavy? I personally have been on both sides of the pendulum and thought my guest in this episode would be perfect to help you determine if it’s time to outsource social.

I had Andréa Jones of OnlineDrea to walk us through everything we need to know. She explains the pros and cons of hiring a social media agency versus hiring a VA or freelance social strategist. We chat about what you need to know before you hire and how she tests potential hires with paid projects!

We covered a LOT in this episode so you’ll want a pen and paper handy to jot down some notes and if you’re wanting even more from Andréa, I have great news - she’s doing a private live training inside our Labs community. She’ll be doing this training in April so if you want to get your questions answered directly from Andréa, be sure to check that out!

Read More
marketingKatie HuntComment
194 | Hiring Soon? Do this first with Katie Hunt
194 | Hiring Soon? Do this first with Katie Hunt

I see how hard you have been working, but you are not alone! Today’s episode is all about how to prepare for hiring help for your business.

In this episode, I talk about some of the strategies that I use in my own business before bringing on new team members. As you explore the idea of bringing on help later this year, this quarter or even this month you’ll want to make sure you are hiring right.

Whether you are hiring your first team member or your tenth, whether you’re planning to hire employees or contractors — today’s episode includes pre-work — so things you’re going to do before you even advertise the job you’re hiring for.

Flag it, come back to it, take notes and be sure to use the four T’s framework to guide you along the way.

Read More
Operations & SalesKatie HuntComment
Paper Source Files for Bankruptcy
Paper Source Files for Bankruptcy

I wanted to share this quick, informational episode on the recent announcement from Paper Source about them filing for bankruptcy on March 2, 2021.

In the last few weeks, members of our community have shipped hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of products to Paper Source. Paper Source placed large orders ($9K, $15K, etc) from small independent businesses and in many cases asked companies to move up their ship dates (send them sooner). With the recent news, this is a huge hit to independent brands who now don’t know if they will get paid.

I’m not an attorney nor do I have experience with bankruptcy in a B2B setting but in this episode, I am sharing some thoughts and advice I have for those affected by this news.

Keep an eye on the show notes from today’s episode and my Instagram feed @prooftoproduct. I’ll share additional resources & information as they become available.

Read More
wholesaleKatie Hunt Comment
193 | Creating paid memberships & communities with Joe Casabona
193 | Creating paid memberships & communities with Joe Casabona

Hey friends! I know we can certainly all agree that if 2020 and 2021 have taught us anything it’s that we need to get more creative and consider additional revenue streams.

This has led to more and more membership models and subscriptions popping up in not only the service space but the physical product space too. That conversation was prompted in our Proof to Product LABS community and is the reason behind this episode with Joe Casabona.

Joe’s passion lies in teaching his knowledge about website development, podcasting and course creation with other business owners, entrepreneurs and freelancers. In this episode, we dive into creating paid memberships and communities for your customers.

We chat about how artists and creators can use paid memberships to nurture customers. He shares some simple ways to get started with tech platforms and content ideas so be sure to take notes!

Read More
marketing, Operations & SalesKatie HuntComment
192 | Attracting a diverse audience with visual branding with Dana Kaye, Bouquet Stock Photo
192 | Attracting a diverse audience with visual branding with Dana Kaye, Bouquet Stock Photo

Hey friends! If you’ve used stock photography, you may have noticed how difficult it can be to find diverse imagery. Enter Dana Kaye of Bouquet Stock Photo.

Visual branding can be a huge factor in who we attract to our business. So how can we use visual branding to be more inclusive?

In this episode, Dana and I dig into the importance of visual branding and why creating meaningful connections with our customers is such an important piece of doing business. She also shares her definition of what makes a value based business.

We all want to see ourselves in the products and services we shop for. This is such an important conversation and there are so many actionable take-aways in this episode!

Read More
marketingKatie HuntComment
191 | Why Your Email List Is More Important Than Any Social Media Platform with Meera Kothand
191 | Why Your Email List Is More Important Than Any Social Media Platform with Meera Kothand

Hey friends! Are you utilizing your email list to its full potential? If you aren’t there yet then you’re definitely going to want to tune into this episode with Meera Kothand, email marketing specialist and three-time Amazon best selling author.

This topic is so near and dear to my heart because email marketing is such a powerful tool yet it’s so underutilized by independent brands that sell physical products.

In this episode, Meera and I dig into why your email list is the most valuable platform you have (yes, even more powerful than your favorite social platforms). She talks about how to build your email list with creative lead magnets and strategies for nurturing your audience through a welcome sequence and ongoing, consistent emails.

We also break down some key pointers on how you can get comfortable with selling to your email list so you’ll want to stick around to the end to make sure you hear her advice on this!

Read More
marketingKatie HuntComment
190 | 10 Lessons Learned Through 10 Years in Business with Katie Hunt
190 | 10 Lessons Learned Through 10 Years in Business with Katie Hunt

Hey friends! This week marks the 10 year business birthday of Proof to Product! It was 10 years ago that I opened up enrollment for my first program that is now Paper Camp. I didn’t have a website, email list and Instagram wasn’t even a thing yet.

Things have sure come a long way since then and I am so glad that I trusted my gut and stuck with it. Since 2011 we’ve helped thousands of product based business owners get their products on the shelves of their favorite retailers, big or small!

In this episode, I am walking you through the 10 lessons I’ve learned over the last 10 years in business.

Read More
pep talkKatie Hunt Comment
189 | How Art Can Inspire Change and Positive Action in the World with Danielle Coke, Oh Happy Dani
189 | How Art Can Inspire Change and Positive Action in the World with Danielle Coke, Oh Happy Dani

Hey friends! I am so excited for today’s interview with Dani Coke of Oh Happy Dani. If you lived through the year of 2020 and are active on social media, I’m willing to bet that you’ve seen Dani’s beautiful and impactful art making waves across the internet.

Dani is an illustrator, social justice advocate and entrepreneur. Her illustrations aim to make complex issues more digestible and provide practical ways to help others make a difference in their spheres of influence. Dani also is the founder of a social media agency, So Happy Social where she helps positive mission-based brands use social media for good.

In this episode, Dani and I chat about what 2020 was like for her as her illustrations began to go viral online. She gets into how she stays inspired to create, her process for creating new illustrations and how she holds boundaries with her audience. Her episode is a strong reminder that art is powerful and can inspire change and positive action in the world.

Read More
product, pep talkKatie HuntComment
188 | Providing Comfort for Grief and Loss Through Products with Janine Kwoh, Kwohtations
188 | Providing Comfort for Grief and Loss Through Products with Janine Kwoh, Kwohtations

Hey friends! It’s no secret that grief is hard. It comes with so many unexpected feelings and emotions.

My guest in this episode, Janine Kwoh, the owner and artist behind Kwohtations is no stranger to grief. Her own loss is what inspired her to create a product line to comfort people dealing with the pain of losing a loved one.

In this episode, we chat about her business and how she took it from a hobby to side hustle to her full-time gig. She also shares her experiences running her business as a one-woman show.

Janine and I chat about her process (she actually letterpress prints each card on an antique printing press and hand paints them all). She even shares her advice for other entrepreneurs and how lack of knowledge can sometimes be a benefit as a business owner!

Read More
product, pep talkKatie HuntComment
187 | How should I follow-up after a wholesale order with Katie Hunt
187 | How should I follow-up after a wholesale order with Katie Hunt

Hey friends! We all know that follow up is a key part of the sales process. But what about after you’ve received and shipped the order? Should you follow up then? What should you say?

These are the questions that commonly pop up within our Paper Camp community so I wanted to share with you on this episode. I’ve had conversations with hundreds of buyers about their follow up preferences and the large majority of them don’t like follow-ups after orders.

Take a listen to hear what you should do instead to help foster purposeful relationships (while making their lives easier)!

Read More
wholesaleKatie HuntComment
186 | Ethical Sourcing with Christy Asper, Paper Baristas
186 | Ethical Sourcing with Christy Asper, Paper Baristas

Hey friends! Have you ever considered how the products you use on a day-to-day basis are made?

In this episode, I was joined by Christy Asper of Paper Baristas to talk about her journey of finding ethical manufacturing partners.

Paper Baristas is a paper goods company run by Christy and her husband Jon. They started their business to create ethically sourced products by beautiful people for a beautiful cause. They are on a mission to help fight modern-day slavery in the supply chain industry.

Christy shares some of the biggest takeaways she’s encountered on her journey to ethical sourcing. She gives us insight into her biggest accomplishments and how she defines success in her business. Christy also shares her own experience as a Proof to Products Lab member and what big benefits she’s had from being a part of the program.

Read More
productKatie Hunt Comment
185 | 4 Questions to Jump Start Your Strategy Planning with Katie Hunt
185 | 4 Questions to Jump Start Your Strategy Planning with Katie Hunt

Hey friends! Have you started your 2021 strategy planning yet? This was a question that I asked my Proof to Product LABS community and 55% of people who responded said yes while 45% answered no.

I know this year has been very different and the thought of planning for next week or even next month can lead to total overwhelm but yearly business planning is essential for your business’ livelihood.

That’s why I walked you through 4 steps to getting started with a simple business audit including 3 questions you have to ask yourself when strategizing for the new year! This is phase one of strategy planning and I shared phase two inside of the LABS community so if you want to hear that be sure to join our community and look out for the December group coaching replay.

Read More
product, Operations & SalesKatie HuntComment
184 | 18 Million Thanks with Juliana & Ryan Kissick, Good Juju Ink
184 | 18 Million Thanks with Juliana & Ryan Kissick, Good Juju Ink

Hey friends! You’re in for a fun episode today. I have Juliana and Ryan Kissick on the show to chat about their business, Good Juju Ink. Juliana founded Good Juju Ink in 2014 and the company is now run by herself, husband Ryan and their dear friend Marina Lieban.

The trio attended Paper Camp Conference in 2018 and it has been so much fun to watch their business blossom since. I was thrilled to talk to them in this episode about an amazing campaign they’ve been working on since the start of the pandemic called 18 Million Thanks.

You’ll hear how they’ve incorporated a give-back program into their business model, their experience working with sales reps and the challenges they’ve faced as their business has grown. Juliana and Ryan share their perspectives on how they divide their responsibilities among each other and how you can get involved in their campaign to send handwritten thank-you notes to America’s 18 million healthcare workers.

Read More
product, marketingKatie HuntComment
183 | Selling Your Business with Mary Beth Storjohann, Workable Wealth
183 | Selling Your Business with Mary Beth Storjohann, Workable Wealth

Hey friends! Today’s episode was actually recorded in March of 2020 and given the topic, we didn’t feel it was appropriate to air it when it was originally scheduled to be released. However, the story is really powerful and important so I wanted to share it with you and hope you gain the inspiration for how you can grow your business any way you want!

Thinking about selling your business? Even if you’re still in the early stages of entrepreneurship or if you’ve been at it for quite some time, it’s never a bad idea to at least consider the thought of one day selling your company. That’s why I invited on a past guest, Mary Beth Storjohann of Workable Wealth.

Mary Beth was on the podcast for episode 28 and we talked about money misconceptions and the importance of knowing your numbers in business… Well, that has all paid off for her and today we talked about what it was like to sell her business. She shares the nitty-gritty of the decision-making process, how she weighed out the pros and cons, concerns she had and what non-negotiables she made sure were included in the contract (like the ability to work remote and live in Italy for 3 months out of the year!)

We discussed how her definition of success has evolved from the early days of business to now. She shares how this process gave her a glimpse into who she was and what was most important to her and she ultimately shares her candid advice to those who may be thinking about selling their business one day (and why you absolutely need a lawyer to help you with the process).

Read More
Operations & SalesKatie HuntComment
182 | How She Got 34,000 More Views on Her Website Using Pinterest with Rachel Ngom
182 | How She Got 34,000 More Views on Her Website Using Pinterest with Rachel Ngom

Hey friends! I am really excited to be sharing the conversation I had with Rachel Ngom who is a business and lead generation expert. Rachel has a super interesting backstory where she went from being on food stamps with negative $400 in her checking account to running a multiple six-figure online business.

Rachel shared her entrepreneurial journey and what led her to where she is today. She talks about how she increased her web traffic by 34,000 views per month using Pinterest! She also shares her advice on using content to create a strong customer experience and putting yourself into the mind of your audience.

She and I discuss the importance of mindset work and professional development and why this is incredibly important for business growth. You’ll also hear her tips on tools to use in your Pinterest strategy, what challenges she faced within her own business and why she recommends people use Pinterest as a part of their marketing strategy.

Read More
marketingKatie HuntComment
181 | 6 ways to sell physical products with Katie Hunt
181 | 6 ways to sell physical products with Katie Hunt

Hey friends! Last week I got an email asking, “Do people really make money selling paper products and gift items?” I was floored! Based on the latest stats that I saw, the consumer products industry accounts for more than $635 billion with stationery alone raking in $8 billion.

The answer is an astounding yes. There are so many opportunities in this industry to make a good living and build a profitable and sustainable business. Many independent brands are pulling in over six and seven figures annually.

Hear the 6 ways that people are making money selling their physical products in this episode. I break down each one and give a few thoughts on each strategy and give a little bit of advice on choosing a path to get started.

Read More
product, Operations & SalesKatie HuntComment
180 | Exhibiting as an Emerging Artist with Jean Marie Sanchez, Little Feet's Opus
180 | Exhibiting as an Emerging Artist with Jean Marie Sanchez, Little Feet's Opus

Hey friends! I’m really excited for you to listen in on today’s episode with Jean Marie Sanchez of Little Feet’s Opus. The story behind Jean’s products is truly remarkable - each of them stems from personal stories of the strong women in her life and spreads joy, empowerment and relatable life moments.

Jean made an intentional goal to create products that are both inclusive and diverse. In our conversation, she talked about the ah-ha moment she had where she realized there was space in the market for a line of products.

She shares her experiences in the Emerging Artists section of NSS for two consecutive shows including the pros and cons of exhibiting as an emerging artist versus having your own booth. We also talked about how Jean defines success through the impact she makes on others.

Read More
product, tradeshowsKatie HuntComment
179 | How to Host an Instagram Giveaway with Becca Stevens & Alison Tsang
179 | How to Host an Instagram Giveaway with Becca Stevens & Alison Tsang

Hey friends! If you’ve considered joining the Proof to Product LABS community then you’ll enjoy today’s episode. It’s a really fun sneak peek of what we’re doing inside the LABS community as I shared a snippet of a live Coffee Chat we had with our members on the things that they’re trying within their business.

Our Coffee Chat conversations cover a wide range of topics but in this episode, you’ll hear a small segment from our most recent session focused on Instagram Giveaways. I spoke with two business owners who have experience in hosting giveaways, Alison Tsang of Love Through Letterpress and Becca Stevens of Botanical Bright.

These two generously shared their experiences with recent Instagram giveaways. They touched on their goals, the structure they used for the campaigns, technology tools they used to assist and the outcomes they had. We all shared our opinions on the best time to do a giveaway, group giveaways and strategies to incentivize your customers during the purchasing process.

Read More
marketingKatie HuntComment
178 | 7 Ways to Enhance Your Customer Journey with Katie Hunt
178 | 7 Ways to Enhance Your Customer Journey with Katie Hunt

Hey friends! Today’s episode is focused on 7 ways you can enhance your customer journey. Oftentimes we’re so focused on capturing the sale and everything leading up to it. In reality, your customers’ journey begins the moment that they learn about you.

This means the customer journey could start weeks or months before they ever step foot into your store or open your website to look through your shop. That’s why it’s critical to nail down the customer journey so you can create a tribe of raving fans for your brand. Take a listen, jot down some notes and begin to think about some of these tips and how you can implement them in your business to strengthen your customer’s experience.

Read More
marketingKatie HuntComment