The way to truly grow a business is through repeat customer sales. Think about it. If every single month you had to start fresh to find and convert new prospects into sales – you’d be exerting tremendous amounts of energy just to stay at the same monthly revenue level. By contrast, what if your business ran with this sales model. Month one you bring in 30 sales. The next month, let’s say 10% of your customers purchased again. You received the same number of new customer sales plus the 3 repeat s...
Nov 10, 2021•11 min
Is selling handmade items wholesale a good idea for your business? It's not always the right fit. How do you know if it's for you? That's what we'll explore in this episode. Emily Kerr-Finell is the founder at Wholesale In a Box and One Mill School. A seasoned strategist, Emily has helped over 1,000 creative small business owners grow. Her fresh approach to business has been featured in The Oprah Magazine, Forbes, and Entrepreneur Magazine, and The Maker’s Summit. Emily walks us through figuring...
Nov 06, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 343
You'll regret it if you don't get started now. All three of these things grow richer over time. So the longer you wait, the farther behind you'll be. Plus you're losing valuable assets your business can use to grow! In this world of instant gratification, we've been conditioned to put things off ... because they can be obtained easily when you want them. It's not the case with what I'll be telling you today. Consider yourself warned! CONNECT with me here: Website | Facebook | Instagram SUBSCRIBE...
Nov 03, 2021•7 min
Every person's business journey is unique. But we can still learn from each other. Our guest today shares handmade business advice from lessons she's learned over her 20 years in the business. Nicole is the CEO and Creative Director of Dear Handmade Life. At 24. she turned her passion into a profession with her handcrafted clothing line called Random Nicole. She started selling at flea markets and backyard craft fairs and has grown it into a thriving, international wholesale business. Nicole's d...
Oct 30, 2021•46 min•Ep. 342
Unless something drastically changes, we’re headed for toilet paper hoarding again and worse yet – the holiday gifting season is in jeopardy due to the global supply chain crisis. I saw a post going around recently that reads, “The work of local artists is not sitting on cargo ships.” That’s exactly right! This is in sharp contrast with other product sellers who have their product produced through factories … particularly if it’s done overseas. Compounding the issue are labor shortages, the incr...
Oct 27, 2021•9 min
I've got a special episode for this week, all about a business with a mission. I can't wait to share how this motivated entrepreneur saw an opportunity to help her community at large and jumped right in. Spotlight Box began in the summer of 2020 when many were becoming more aware of the social issues facing the Black community. People started asking questions: “How can I support Black businesses?” “What should I learn about Black history?” “How do I begin to understand the many social issues fac...
Oct 23, 2021•51 min•Ep. 341
The often unasked question. "Will my product sell?" As an experienced maker, all your creations are skillfully crafted and the model of perfection. But you want to know if it will be a top seller before you put in the time and money building up your inventory. So let's address the issue of how to determine if you have a sales winner. CONNECT with me here: Website | Facebook | Instagram SUBSCRIBE to the podcast: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify PAY IT FORWARD by leaving a rating and rev...
Oct 20, 2021•7 min
Okay, creators - it's time to engage your left brain. Because today, we're talking about Google Analytics for small business. But don't worry, my guest today is a master at explaining things in an easy-to-understand way. Chris Mercer, the co-founder of Measurement Marketing, is a sought-after measurement marketing expert. He’s been helping marketers, marketing teams, and agencies plan out what’s important to measure in their marketing, build measurement systems (using Google Tag Manager and Goog...
Oct 16, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 340
I think you'll agree that a lot of time is spent on social media. In some cases too much time and it takes away from doing other important projects that will advance your business. The balance is hard to find. Here are four strategies to make taking and resourcing social media photos less time consuming. Imagine having just the right photo at your fingertips without you having to drop everything to make that happen? Here's how! CONNECT with me here: Website | Facebook | Instagram SUBSCRIBE to th...
Oct 13, 2021•17 min
One thing every small business owner thinks about is how to attract sales. Today's guest shares 5 fun and effective ways she attracts sales to her handmade craft business in a fun way. Tune in to hear her tips and tricks. Sophy is the face behind Miss Paper Craft, a Paper Quilling store, making intricate jewelry, ornaments, and keepsake dolls. She paper quilled as a hobby when she lived in India, making gifts for friends and family. After moving to the US, she noticed that Paper Quilling wasn’t ...
Oct 09, 2021•48 min•Ep. 339
Masterminds. Perhaps you've invested in one before that included a professional moderator and was timebound - a few months or even a year. These is the traditional structure of a formal mastermind. I'm talking today about how you can create your own local mastermind group. It brings a level of support that will prove to be a powerful resource to move your business forward. And it's free! I've also created a blog covering all the points I bring up in the podcast. To read or print this out for you...
Oct 06, 2021•17 min
What does it really take to get into subscription box creation and participation - and succeed? Today's guest is sharing exactly how he does it. Eric is first and foremost a proud husband and father of five beautiful kids (four boys and one girl). But he's also the co-founder of Louis and Léa, a subscription box for expecting and new moms, filled with products made by small businesses and local makers. Eric is also the host of The Subscription Box Show. A podcast dedicated to the subscription in...
Oct 02, 2021•54 min•Ep. 338
This is the first activity most new business owners jump into - naming the business and then creating a logo and brand colors. That makes sense because it's what you see as a consumer and how you identify other businesses. So naturally it's what you gravitate to as the necessary starting point. Perfect. But don't spend too much time here. In this episode you'll get direction on the important first three steps to your branding and then where your focus should go next. It's the NEXT step that will...
Sep 29, 2021•15 min
Please welcome Pinterest expert Laura Rike back to show us exactly how to run Pinterest ads that will help build your handmade business. As a Pinterest Strategist, Laura helps high-performing business owners & content creators implement content growth plans, outsource their visibility, and steadily grow their monthly revenue. All without tantrums over tech and trading sleep for success. She describes herself as a quirky, spunky, social butterfly who values open, honest relationships in every...
Sep 25, 2021•57 min•Ep. 337
You may never encounter a PR crisis. But if you do, response time and properly addressing the issue are key to upholding the reputation of your business and retaining your sales growth. Spoiler Alert: Sometimes it's best not to do anything. Find out step by step how to analyze the situation and determine if and what the right actions are so you can smoothly move through what is always an uncomfortable situation. CONNECT with me here: Website | Facebook | Instagram SUBSCRIBE to the podcast so you...
Sep 22, 2021•13 min
There are so many online selling options these days, it can be overwhelming to keep track of it all. Socials, email marketing, blogging, advertising, and more. That's why today, we're looking at a way to manage all those moving parts in a single all-in-one platform. Springbot enables growing eCommerce businesses to manage their email marketing and paid advertising in a single platform. Georgia started at Springbot as an onboarding manager on the customer success side. In that role, she helped e-...
Sep 18, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 336
Not all tasks are created equal. As you know, it's easy to get distracted and without even knowing it, go down the social media rabbit hole - or any other number of daily activity "fillers" that don't produce results. Today I'm going to define and give examples of revenue producing tasks. We'll talk about why they're important and how to ensure you do some of these every day. It's in this way your energy and time spent in your business will bring in new customers and sales. CONNECT with me here:...
Sep 15, 2021•15 min
I'm so excited to share this week's episode. My guest is Adam Kingman, the most recently titled Master Maker. It's fun to hear all about behind the scenes of the show, of course. But the goal of this interview is to help YOU be a winner, too. By taking away ideas and inspiration you can apply to your business. So, let's meet Adam, the winner from Season 3’s “Making It” show hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman. Adam is an industrial designer and creative director from Lake Tahoe. Growing up, ...
Sep 13, 2021•45 min•Ep. 335
The Sales Channel Panel is the strategy that is key to maintaining sales and managing through any crisis or unforseen selling challenge. It includes all the elements for getting visibility, communicating your messages and bringing in orders. In this episode I give an explanation of the strategy including all the elements and how it works. CONNECT with me here: Website | Facebook | Instagram SUBSCRIBE to the podcast so you automatically receive your new episodes right when they air - no waiting! ...
Sep 08, 2021•12 min
Wondering how to start a handmade business that will fit into your life? Then you'll love today's episode because my guest shares how she figured out how to create a work studio at home, work with her spouse, and make it all fit into their lives. Yuliya is the owner and maker of Wolf Leathers alongside her husband, Ari. All of the leather used is the finest quality oil-tanned leather from Wisconsin. Working out of their farmhouse, Yuliya and Ari have converted several bedrooms into a work studio...
Sep 04, 2021•52 min•Ep. 334
Your logo is the front and center asset for your business. Most likely it includes the company name, special colors that define your vibe and an image that pulls it all together. You've given it a lot of thought and worked hard to make sure it's absolutely perfect. So now you want to show off your logo everywhere, right? Wrong! There are some do's and don'ts for where your logo should appear and that's what I address in this episode. You'll also find out all the places your logo should go and th...
Sep 01, 2021•12 min
Ready for a feel-good journey full of twists and turns? I can't wait for you to meet today's guest, who transformed herself from a firefighter to a fiber and quilting business success story. Brandy is a quilt art teacher, speaker, judge, and author of Kristy’s Quilt. Her business Quilter on Fire explores the texture, color, and boundless possibilities of fabric with her passionate quilting community. Brandy travels the world to educate, speak and ignite creativity with the tagline 'More Joy, Les...
Aug 28, 2021•53 min•Ep. 333
Certainly this varies from day to day and in different situations, but having a solid level of confidence overall is necessary in order to be a successful business owner. Small handmade product businesses in particular need a leader who projects confidence. You are the focal point as the maker right beside your fabulous products. Pulling from a talk by Lisa Paden at the Gift Designer's Conference , let's talk about 5 Traits of Low Confidence and how to address these obstacles to get the results ...
Aug 25, 2021•13 min
Bob Doyle is best known for his contribution to the global phenomenon film and book “The Secret,” as a law of attraction expert. Boundless Living, Inc. has been in the business of helping people create lives they love using Law of Attraction principles and the science of Neuro Plasticity since 2002. Through online programs, speaking, training, and coaching programs for groups and individuals, Bob Doyle helps people get clarity on their vision and then shows them exactly what to do to make that v...
Aug 21, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 332
Oh no! A competitor encroaches into your "territory" and your first thought is that all is lost. They must be so much better than you - with a higher quality product at a lower price. Please press the pause button. Let's take the emotion down a level and talk logically about what to do in this situation. Because it's inevitable. We all encounter competitors on a regular basis. Everything will be just fine and I think some of my suggestions will surprise you! CONNECT with me here: Website | Faceb...
Aug 19, 2021•13 min
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT For 4 weeks beginning next week, the podcast will be published on Saturday instead of Monday to hopefully be more convenient for listeners. After this test, I'll review and decide if the change stays or goes. Let me know what you think. Now, on with this week's episode. Instagram can be a powerhouse of connection and traffic for your business. But if it just feels too complicated, today's episode is for you. We're breaking down the basics of Instagram for beginners so you ...
Aug 16, 2021•49 min•Ep. 331
It often looks like brands you admire have had a smooth path to get the attention and business success they enjoy today. It's just not true. Every company goes through struggles, deadends, disappointing results and yes, failures to get to what you see today. But you don't see them because they don't share the backroom stories. That's where the illusion of perfection comes from ... and our misperception that these things don't happen to others. They do. In today's show, I emphasize this point and...
Aug 12, 2021•9 min
If you've been neglecting your email list for whatever reason, today's episode is for you! My guest shares the perfect get-started guide for your email marketing process so you can finally make it work for you. Kate is all about helping ethical entrepreneurs open the hearts and wallets of their small but mighty audiences thanks to fun email marketing. She believes you don’t need to bleed the alphabet or be a dirty rotten spam face to write emails that jolt your community into taking action, whet...
Aug 09, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 330
It's inevitable. If you run a business, no matter how buttoned up your services are, you'll encounter an angry customer. How you handle it is what will determine the future of your relationship. Here is what to do when your customer is made and the process to follow to not only turn the situation around, but make it play in your favor. What happens in the end? A happy customer! CONNECT with me here: Website | Facebook | Instagram SUBSCRIBE to the podcast: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spoti...
Aug 05, 2021•16 min
Did you catch episode #321 a few months ago? Well, that show got a lot of attention! That episode gives a deeper dive into the details and benefits of blogging for your handmade business . At the end of that show, I presented a challenge to my listeners. The Business Blog Challenge The Challenge: Post a blog article dated after the airing of the episode and tag me over on Instagram . The first 10 people to do so would be the winners – including a prize. This was all spur of the moment and two th...
Aug 02, 2021•23 min•Ep. 329
