Proof To Product

If you haven’t raised your prices in the last 6-12 months, it’s time for you to audit your product costs and pricing to see exactly what your profit margins are. It’s likely that costs have risen and your profit margins aren’t as high as they used to be. In today’s episode, I’m sharing a few approaches you can take to communicate your price changes with your customers. You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/266 Today’s episode is brought to you by my free Email Marketing For Product Makers Guide, where you’ll learn how to  map out 12 months of emails in under an hour and learn more about strategies for wholesale and direct to consumer audiences! GET ACCESS NOW

Have you started preparing your business for the holidays? In today’s episode, we’re sharing a portion of Mei Pak’s holiday sales training that she shared with our LABS community. In this training, Mei shares 8 tips to prepare for Black Friday, how she structures her ladder sales strategy, and plans out her marketing leading up to the sales. Today’s episode will walk you through the 8 tips to get your product business ready for holiday sales! You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/265 Today’s episode is brought to you by LABS, our 12-month group coaching program that was built for product based business owners who want to streamline their systems and revenue. If you’re already a LABS member, make sure you review Mei’s full training! If you’re not a member, but want access to the full training and are ready to join, make sure you’re on the waitlist for when we open enrollment! JOIN THE WAITLIST

There’s a quote that reads something along the lines of “Remember that once you dreamed of being where you are now.” Business growth and success looks a little different for everyone depending on where you are in your life and the goals you have for your business—but a past version of yourself has likely dreamt of being exactly where you are. It’s so easy to keep grinding and moving along in our business, but today I want to encourage you to take some time to reflect on where you started in your journey and where your business is today.  In this episode, Nikki Tyler of Little Lovelies Studio joins us to discuss what the last 10 years of business has looked like for her, what her journey to wholesale entailed, and what she’d do differently if she was just getting started. Listen in as she shares how wholesale went from an idea to contributing to 95% of her revenue at Little Lovelies Studio! You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/264 Today’s episode is brought to you by my free Email Market

As if business owners hadn’t had enough of pivoting over the last two and a half years through the pandemic, now we are in the midst of a recession. Small businesses everywhere are worried about how to prepare and thrive during this time. As someone who has personally worked through three recessions now, I'm sharing my thoughts about what you can do to keep your business moving forward during this recession! You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/263 Today’s episode is brought to you by LABS, our 12-month group coaching program that was built for product based business owners who want to streamline their systems and streamline their revenue. If you’re ready to join this program, make sure you’re on the waitlist for when we open enrollment! JOIN THE WAITLIST

Have you considered building a marketing strategy based on your personality type? If you’ve found that you don’t enjoy the marketing you’re doing in your business, you’re struggling to manage it, or you don’t think it is working for you, it could be that it does not fit your personality! Brit Kolo of Marketing Personalities has taken the 16 Myers-Briggs personality types and developed marketing plans that align with each. In today’s episode, she joins us to share how you can remove the pressure that comes with marketing and build a marketing strategy that matches your personality, which ultimately feels more natural and delivers more results. You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/262 Today’s episode is brought to you by my free Email Marketing For Product Makers Guide, where you’ll learn how to  map out 12 months of emails in under an hour and learn more about strategies for wholesale and direct to consumer audiences! GET ACCESS NOW

Have you dreamt about your products being on the shelves of big box stores? In today’s episode, Krishna Chavda of NANU Studio joins us to share her story of developing her brand, exploring wholesale, and landing her first purchase order from a big box store while exhibiting at New York Now. You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/261 Today’s episode is brought to you by Paper Camp, our 4-week program that takes the guess-work out of selling wholesale. When you follow the strategies and methods in Paper Camp, you’ll not only feel more confident but you’ll reach your wholesale goals faster. Come join the waitlist to be the first to know when we open the doors for the next round of Paper Camp! JOIN THE WAITLIST

Is selling and managing your wholesale outreach not something your enjoy or are even good at? You have options to outsource sales in your wholesale business. In today’s episode, I’m walking you through three types of sales reps that you can hire, the differences between them, and what you should expect in working with each one. You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/260 Today’s episode is brought to you by Paper Camp, our 4-week program that takes the guess-work out of selling wholesale. When you follow the strategies and methods in Paper Camp, you’ll not only feel more confident but you’ll reach your wholesale goals faster. Come join the waitlist to be the first to know when we open the doors for the next round of Paper Camp! JOIN THE WAITLIST Giving back is one of our core values here at Proof to Product—in time, knowledge as well as financial scholarships. Since 2011, we’ve awarded over $200,000 in scholarship funds to creative entrepreneurs who make physical products and have big drea

How do you know you’re ready to exhibit at a trade show and begin selling wholesale? Christine Herrin of Everyday Explorers Co joins us today to give an inside look at how and why she decided to launch to the wholesale market and exhibit at her first trade show this year. Listen in as she shares how selling direct to consumer and wholesale are different, along with a few of the lessons she learned about positioning, pricing and marketing her products to the wholesale market. You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/259 You may remember Christine from episode 170 of the Proof to Product podcast where she talked about running her business remotely.   Today’s episode is brought to you by Paper Camp, our 4-week program that takes the guess-work out of selling wholesale. When you follow the strategies and methods in Paper Camp, you’ll not only feel more confident but you’ll reach your wholesale goals faster. Come join the waitlist to be the first to know when we open the doors for the next roun

Deciding to sell wholesale is the first step to scaling your business, but what are the next steps to being successful in it? Brittany O’Brien of Brittany Paige joins us to share the top three contributors to her wholesale success, how she overcame her fear of rejection, and a few tips she has for brands just getting started in wholesale. Plus, she’s sharing a little insight on her experience in growing the retail side of her business while having fun with TikTok! You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/258 Today’s episode is brought to you by Paper Camp, our 4-week program that takes the guess-work out of selling wholesale. When you follow the strategies and methods in Paper Camp, you’ll not only feel more confident but you’ll reach your wholesale goals faster. Come join the waitlist to be the first to know when we open the doors for the next round of Paper Camp! {JOIN THE WAITLIST}

Have you found success in selling your products on Etsy? Despite the changes that Etsy has made over the last few years, the search engine is full of value for small businesses to take advantage of in growing their brand. In this episode, Lauren Keplinger joins us to share how you can enhance your Etsy sales through your product listing, keywords, and even mindset about Etsy! You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/257 Today’s episode is brought to you by my free Email Marketing For Product Makers Guide, where you’ll learn how to  map out 12 months of emails in under an hour and learn more about strategies for wholesale and direct to consumer audiences! Get Access Now

If you’ve ever attended a trade show and felt disappointed in your sales, I have good news for you! The success of your trade show should not be solely measured by the volume of sales you get while you’re there. In today’s episode, I’m sharing 4 ways to measure your success at a trade show that don’t rely on your sales. Trade shows offer you the opportunity to maximize your time to seek client feedback, have meaningful conversations, enhance your brand recognition and visibility, and ultimately build new connections.   You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/256 Today’s episode is brought to you by our Booth Blueprint class, available in the Proof to Product resource library! During this class, I'll walk you through three secrets to maximizing your tradeshow investment, and I'll tell you how to keep your wholesale orders coming in long after your trade show ends! Get access to this class and my workbook inside the Proof to Product resource library! Get Access Now

Being an entrepreneur is an emotional journey, oftentimes leading you to burnout. Kiwi Schloffel of Your Gal Kiwi joins me to talk about the many challenges that entrepreneurs face as they start and grow their businesses. Throughout this episode, Kiwi and I share personal stories to remind our entrepreneurial friends that you're not alone and that you should focus on building a business that fuels the life you want to lead.  You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/255 Today’s episode is brought to you by our Proof to Product resource library, which includes my Delegating masterclass, my How to Know If Wholesale is Right for You class, my Booth Blueprint class, and even more resources we’ll be adding soon! Get access to all of these classes inside the Proof to Product resource library! {Get Access Now}

The Proof to Product podcast team and I are practicing what we preach and are taking the next two weeks off to bask in the summer sunshine! We'll be back with a new episode on July 12 and we have some incredible things lined up for you. Here's what you have to look forward to when we return: Kiwi Schloffel of Your Gal Kiwi and I talk about the emotional and mental load of running a business. I'll also be sharing four ways to measure tradeshow success that doesn't include sales. Plus, we've got some amazing case studies and updates from Paper Camp alumni Brittany Paige of Brittany Paige Designs, Nikki Tyler of Lovely Little Studios, and Christine Herrin of Everyday Explorers— you won't want to miss these! While we're gone, be sure to dip back into the archives. We have over 254 incredible episodes to help you strengthen your business. If you've been thinking about joining us for paper camp, go get yourself on the waitlist. You can do that at prooftoproduct.com/papercamp. We'll open enrollments later this summe

When burnout hits us on our entrepreneurship journey, it’s not only hard to see it coming, but is hard to manage and deal with it as well. In today’s episode, Valerie Hamaker joins us to share how you can identify the signs of burnout and if it’s happening due to underlying issues. Valerie Hamaker is a relationship and trauma therapist, who runs a membership community focused on helping individuals recover from issues of burnout. Listen in as Valerie shares two valuable and tangible ways that you can avoid burnout in your business. You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/254 Today’s episode is brought to you by our Proof to Product resource library, which includes my Delegating masterclass, my How to Know If Wholesale is Right for You class, my Booth Blueprint class, and even more resources we’ll be adding soon! Get access to all of these classes inside the Proof to Product resource library! Get Access Now

Have you weighed the pros and cons of sending your manufacturing overseas? While recently on the trade show floor, Emily Chiang of Emii Creations joined me for a quick conversation about her experiences with trade shows, but ended up diving into a rich conversation about manufacturing overseas. Listen in as  her business model has evolved over the last two years and the role that her parents are playing in the manufacturing side of her business. If you’re a member of Proof to Product LABS, Lyndsay will be joining us in July to help us map out our own 90 day marketing roadmap!  You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/253 Today’s episode is brought to you by LABS, our 12-month group coaching program that was built for product based business owners who want to streamline their systems and streamline their revenue. If you’re ready to join this program, make sure you’re on the waitlist for when we open enrollment! Join the Waitlist  

Are you strategically mapping out your marketing plans, efforts, and strategy? In today’s episode, Lyndsay Clements of Ellen Grace Marketing joins us to share about the importance of a marketing roadmap! Listen in as she highlights why you need a marketing roadmap, how to utilize the data you have, and what the goals of your 90-day marketing roadmap should be! If you’re a member of Proof to Product LABS, Lyndsay will be joining us in July to help us map out our own 90 day marketing roadmap!  You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/252 Today’s episode is brought to you by LABS, our 12-month group coaching program that was built for product based business owners who want to streamline their systems and streamline their revenue. If you’re ready to join this program, make sure you’re on the waitlist for when we open enrollment! {Join the Waitlist}

Are you offering wholesale exclusivity on your products for your wholesale customers? While I don’t always encourage it, I do think it is important for you to understand what it means, how to navigate saying no, and what to include in it if you decide to offer it! In today’s episode I’m answering all of these questions, plus share templates and steps to take in every situation!   You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/251 Today’s episode is brought to you by our free Is Wholesale Right for You? Masterclass! During this class, I'll walk you through 12 questions to ask yourself to determine if your products and your business are ready to sell wholesale, plus I'll provide tips so that you can move forward with confidence in your next steps. Get access to this free masterclass inside our resources library! {Get Free Access Now}

Have you considered what expanding your business with digital products and offerings could do for your ecommerce brand? In today’s episode Dani Bruflodt of The Daily Page shares how she created her first digital product as a happy accident, then proceeded to sell $15k in revenue on that product alone in the first year. Now, Dani has expanded her digital product line with only a full line of paid products, but also free products that she’s used to grow her newsletter list! Dani’s desire to grow her email list came as she decided to move her shop from Etsy to owning her own ecommerce store on Shopify and realized she wanted to gather her customer’s information, since she’d never had it with Etsy.  You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/250 Today’s episode is brought to you by my free Email Marketing For Product Makers Guide, where you’ll learn how to  map out 12 months of emails in under an hour and learn more about strategies for wholesale and direct to consumer audiences! DOWNLOAD THE GUI

Are you trying to connect with a broad audience rather than niching down to a core group of customers to connect with? When it come to product creation, marketing and even the branding for your business, finding your niche can provide so much value. In today’s episode, Sadie Teper joins us to share why it's important for you to niche down and know who your customer really is. When you get clear on who you’re talking to… it's much easier to create, market and sell your products. You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/249 Today’s episode is brought to you by LABS, my 12-month group coaching program that was built for product based business owners who want to streamline their systems and streamline their revenue. If you’re ready to join this program, make sure you’re on the waitlist for when we open enrollment! {Join the Waitlist}

Selling wholesale in person, at in-person trade shows is a completely different experience than selling wholesale online.  Here at Proof to Product, we truly believe in the benefits of trade show—from the sales, connections and new ideas to opportunities for collaboration and brand visibility, the benefits are endless. In today’s episode, I’m sharing a compilation of live interviews from the trade show floor while I was at the combined Noted & SF Now trade show last month. I talked with brand new exhibitors, as well as trade show veterans from our community. Did you know that we had 54 Proof to Product students exhibiting at Noted & SF Now this year? Our members accounted for over a third of the overall exhibitors in attendance. If you’re ready to learn more about exhibiting at trade shows and prepare your brand for wholesale, join the waitlist for Paper Camp! {JOIN THE WAITLIST} You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/248 If you’re considering exhibiting at a trade show, like Note