The greeting card industry hasn’t really seen anything new in the last 50 years … except for the cards that play music when they’re opened. Card Isle is a company, founded by three engineers, that changes that. They’ve captured all the magic that comes from a tangible greeting card and made it easier to find that perfect card. Whether you run an e-commerce shop, take most of your orders over the phone or have a brick & mortar store, Card Isle sets you up with more selection than a Hallmark s...
Oct 22, 2018•52 min•Ep. 185
Shelia is the founder and owner of Heavenly Treats 4 U, a custom gift basket company based in Nashville, Tennessee. Shelia’s entrepreneurial spirit, hard work and long hours provide the leverage to go places she never thought could be possible. What was born out of the hospitality industry and a passion to design, has blossomed into something quite amazing; touching so many people with a little basket of cheer. Shelia is proud to have earned the coveted Gift Designer Certification. She has been ...
Oct 15, 2018•57 min•Ep. 184
Kristy Mangia started Giddy Up Nuts as a way to escape “the crazy” of everyday life. Today she feels lucky because it has become her everyday life! Giddy Up Nuts was born about 5 years ago in her dad’s kitchen. They started selling at the local farmers market and then took on distributing to gourmet and specialty food stores from there. Kristy says that now more than ever it’s important to know where your food is coming from and to have a connection to what you’re eating. Giddy Up Nuts is all na...
Oct 08, 2018•46 min•Ep. 183
Katie is a mom, wife, podcaster, and business strategist. She’s also an adventurer, seeker and change maker. Katie is committed to brightening the light of women around the world in two ways. First, through her Biz Women Rock community, which supports women entrepreneurs. And most recently, through Meditation for Women, guided meditations that are specifically created with the special journey of women in mind. These meditations are tools to help reconnect with the divine wisdom already inside of...
Oct 01, 2018•49 min•Ep. 182
A two-time Olympian, Aja Evans, won a bronze medal in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games as a brakeman for the USA Women’s Bobsled Team. Throughout her track and field career, Aja was known for her dominance in both the sprints and shot put. At the University of Illinois, she won three Big Ten titles. The 5-time NCAA Division 1 All-American recently competed in her second Olympic games in February at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. She and her driver Jamie Greubel-Poser placed 5th. Aja comes...
Sep 24, 2018•43 min•Ep. 181
Shawn is the owner of All The Buzz, a gift basket and corporate gift company located in San Jose, California. Shawn’s business has grown over the past 14 years from part-time & home based to very full time in a private production facility. All The Buzz focuses on custom business gifts, with an emphasis on California products and personalized products created right in her workshop. Shawn is a recognized expert in her field. She has served as an instructor at a national conference, has been fe...
Sep 17, 2018•50 min•Ep. 180
Lisa graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 2005 with a degree in English. But there was a problem, her passion was for art and design. Unsure about what career to pursue, Lisa made what she considers to be the best decision of her life. She applied to a design school in San Francisco and dropped everything to attend. She earned a degree in Visual Communications and for the following 9 years worked as a visual merchandiser, eventually landing as a corporate visual merchandising manager. Although Lis...
Sep 10, 2018•47 min•Ep. 179
Who, what, why, when, where. Back in my college journalism days, these were the necessary points to cover in any article or broadcast. As a business owner, experience has shown me that the first and most important one, by a long shot, is “Why.” Knowing the “Why” of your company is like creating a guidebook that outlines the answers to the rest. The who, what, when and where. It brings direction and clarity to all your decisions and actions. With direction and clarity comes business momentum and ...
Sep 03, 2018•29 min•Ep. 178
In his law firm, Indie Law, Joey works with creative small business owners to protect their passions and give them the legal foundation they need to thrive. With these services, Joey focuses on the legal issues that matter most to creatives: trademarks, business formation, copyrights, and contracts. I knew Joey was someone I wanted on the show when I visited his website and saw this phrase, “We strive to keep things simple, positive, honest and human!” Business Building Insights Put your well-be...
Aug 27, 2018•48 min•Ep. 177
Susan RoAne is the author of the classic bestseller – How To Work A Room® which has sold over 1.2 million books in 14 countries, as well as The Secrets of Savvy Networking, also a best seller. Named by Forbes as one of the networking gurus of 2015, Susan is an in-demand international keynote speaker who has shared her message of connection and communication with audiences worldwide. She has been featured in New York Times, The Guardian, on CNN, The BBC, Chicago Tribune and Wall Street Journal to...
Aug 20, 2018•54 min•Ep. 176
As a successful business owner, there will be a time when you are asked or have an opportunity to share your expertise in public. It could be a presentation at a town meeting, a networking event or a large conference. Most people react by thinking, “I’d never be able to do that!” But hold on! Don’t jump to that conclusion so fast! Speaking can provide a big boost to your business. It gives you visibility and credibility and positions you as the expert in your field. But you need to deliver a str...
Aug 13, 2018•35 min•Ep. 175
Danielle is a maker and craft business consultant who loves iced lattes and pop music. Through her work at The Merriweather Council, Danielle teaches creative people how to turn their crafty tendencies into profits. On her blog and podcast, Danielle aims to inspire and support makers in business and share insights from her eight years of experience selling handmade work online. Danielle believes in celebrating the reality of gainful self-employment through craft and wants to help more artists, c...
Aug 06, 2018•51 min•Ep. 174
Sarah Frink, CEO & Founder of Real Marketing Solutions is a creative, driven and radically authentic digital marketing strategist with a head for marketing and the heart of an entrepreneur. Sarah has the unique talent of taking complex ideas and breaking them down into actionable steps that get results. Four years ago, Sarah founded Real Marketing Solutions. RMS is a creative digital agency specializing in helping businesses create an online presence that converts strangers to followers, fol...
Jul 30, 2018•51 min•Ep. 173
Annette started Fill My Jar Candy Company three years ago, introducing the world to a unique line of handcrafted yet traditional caramel, toffees and chocolate barks. She grew up in a large Italian family where everything centered around the kitchen. There was always good food and a large table to gather around. Even when she was young, Annette loved showing people she cared about them by making delicious dishes and sweets. When Annette started her own family, she made homemade treats and candy ...
Jul 23, 2018•48 min•Ep. 172
Natalie is a Business Strategist and High Performance Coach who helps high-achieving women entrepreneurs across industries and time zones build, grow and scale their business while avoiding overwhelm. She’s the Founder of the BizChix Community, Podcast, Programs and Events and has been recognized as “One of the Top Women in Business to Listen to.” She has also been featured in Inc, Fast Company, Huffington Post and Entrepreneur. Natalie brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her work. She dra...
Jul 16, 2018•53 min•Ep. 171
Bobbi is the President of Think Big Go Local, a digital marketing agency headquartered in the Chicagoland area. They focus exclusively on entrepreneurs and have worked with over 300 clients spanning dozens of different industries. TBGL specializes in getting small business messages in front of their client’s ideal customer, thereby growing their business and bottom line. Three years ago, Bobbi lost her 25-year-old son in a motorcycle accident. She is now passionate about turning emotion into pro...
Jul 09, 2018•44 min•Ep. 170
The Queen Bee Artisan Market an indoor market open year-round in the beautiful tourist town of Lake Geneva, WI. Nancy has tripled in size in only three years! Going from 22 to now 75 artisans, the Queen Bee Artisan Market displays products from all over the USA with many artisans local to the area. The one requirement is everything must be handmade or upcycled. Here you can find everything from jewelry to pottery to home decor. Nancy is most proud of how supportive everyone is of each other. Man...
Jul 02, 2018•49 min•Ep. 169
Layne’s business, The Project Booth, focuses on the inventory and ordering mayhem that becomes a struggle for many product-based businesses. Layne grew up as a math nerd, graduated college with two engineering degrees and went straight into manufacturing. She spent over a decade in the supply chain world. But as her family started to grow, she was ready for more flexibility. She started The Project Booth to help businesses confidently plan their sales and inventory and maximize their bottom line...
Jun 25, 2018•39 min•Ep. 168
Viveka von Rosen is Cofounder of Vengreso, the largest provider of full spectrum digital sales transformation solutions. Known as the @LinkedInExpert, she’s also the author of the best-selling book, LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day and LinkedIn: 101 Ways to Rock Your Personal Brand! She is a regular contributor to Forbes, Inc, Entrepreneur, Selling Power and the Social Media Examiner. The Start of Vengreso A group of LinkedIn experts and social selling experts thought about creating an online m...
Jun 18, 2018•48 min•Ep. 167
Jim has spent over thirty years in the restaurant business. Companies he’s worked with that you may recognize even if you aren’t local, are Stouffers Restaurant Corporation, Don Roth’s, and Crawdaddy Bayou. Jim has traveled and consulted in the food & beverage industry for Universal Hospitality. He also started the Restaurant Row Hospitality Group, which empowered a number of independent restauranteurs while he was President of the Board at the Wheeling and Prospect Heights area Chamber of C...
Jun 11, 2018•40 min•Ep. 166
Gwen Bortner is a speaker, trainer and consultant focused on the craft enthusiast niche. Her passion is working with small business owners helping them reach their individual success goals. She calls it the light bulb moment. That moment when everything clicks into place. When an obstacle is overcome or when a goal is met or a long sought-after answer is realized. Gwen has taught craft and business classes throughout the country for over 15 years. She is the author of Entree to Entrelac, an inst...
Jun 04, 2018•48 min•Ep. 165
Bri is a visual storyteller for MVMT, a direct to consumer accessory brand that has disrupted the watch industry. She is passionate about helping brands shape their aesthetic and use photos and video to showcase their product creatively. In her real life Bri enjoys “art, yoga and time with dogs that aren’t mine.” Bri’s Journey to Finding Career Fulfillment Bri has had a passion for the arts since she was a child. She continued to explore her creative side in college even though she didn’t pursue...
May 28, 2018•40 min•Ep. 164
Are you discouraged because your small business is not performing as you had envisioned? Are you stuck and confused about how to turn things around? Do you tell people everything is wonderful when inside your stomach is churning because you know it isn’t true? Here’s a sneak peek into the new book Maker To Master. It will help you identify where the holes are in your business and show you EXACTLY how to fix them. You’ll learn from owners just like you who are seeing real success, growing their c...
May 21, 2018•27 min•Ep. 163
Bob’s company, Hurley 45, helps businesses grow their sales by getting placement in major retail chains. Do you have a vision of seeing your product on the shelves in one of the big brand stores … maybe even a box store? Bob finds that many people want to jump in without a true understanding the intricacies involved. By nature of their size, large corporations have a lot of requirements: Financial, Logistical, Testing, Vendor Contracts, Pricing, Supply Chain Management, Private Label initiatives...
May 14, 2018•42 min•Ep. 162
Wendy is the founder of Pinzit Limited. Actually, this is Wendy’s third career. She also co-owns a family flooring business and practiced as a registered nurse too. Wendy’s product, Pinzit, is a women’s fashion accessory invented quite by accident. She was trying to solve a problem she was having while wearing her favorite new sweater and suddenly, the idea for Pinzit was born. But once Wendy had her idea, what was she to do next? She knew nothing about product development and manufacturing when...
May 07, 2018•43 min•Ep. 161
Nikki is the Founder and CEO of Sales Maven, an organization dedicated to authentic selling. Her success comes through the unique ability to transform the misunderstood process of “selling.” With 24+ years of experience, selling to such prestigious organizations as The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Hewlett-Packard, and NASA, Nikki shattered sales records in many industries and received multiple “top producer” awards along the way. Today, entrepreneurs and small business owners hire Nikki ...
Apr 30, 2018•52 min•Ep. 160
Carole is the Executive Director & Founder of K-9 Reading Buddies of the North Shore. This is a non-profit business that supplements literacy programs in suburban libraries and schools. They use reading teams consisting of registered therapy dogs and qualified handlers to strengthen reading skills while also boosting confidence of the young readers. The Start of K-9 Reading Buddies The concept behind K-9 Reading Buddies of the North Shore started back in 2007 around a Starbucks coffee table....
Apr 23, 2018•43 min•Ep. 159
This is a special announcement in regard to the podcast that in the past appeared in this spot as Gift Biz Unwrapped Episode #158. I hold you as my listener in the highest regard. We are part of a fabulous community of gifters, bakers, crafters and makers who use our products to spread light and love out into the world. Unfortunately, the actions of Aaron Roth the week of July 26, 2021 go against the values of Gift Biz Unwrapped and my commitment to you as well. One of respect, safety and decenc...
Apr 16, 2018•1 min•Ep. 158
Why is it that some promotions work so well and others … not so much? We’ve identified 5 Features that you can integrate into your next promotion to set it on fire! The good news is you don’t need to use all five. Select which ones work best based on your industry, your customer base and the focus of the promotion. 5 Promotion Features that Get Results Scarcity – This is going to disappear so act now. Limits – You can use time , such as good through a certain date. Or numbers like, the first 100...
Apr 09, 2018•19 min•Ep. 157
RADD-Tees is an art t-shirt company that began with five high school students and a class assignment. High school artists submit designs via the RADD-Tees website. Once the design is accepted it is included in the shop and available for purchase. Online orders are taken for a design and printed on t-shirts. Part of the revenue from each shirt goes to the artist who created the design, and some also goes to the students’ high school art department. This provides a win-win for everyone involved. T...
Apr 02, 2018•30 min•Ep. 156
