Do things in your life or business feel like they just aren’t happening fast enough? So many of us experience this year after year, but what if we could shift our mindsets to turn it into a positive? Amber McCue of The Modern CEO joins us to share how after experiencing this guilty feeling of things not happening fast enough, she opted for the mindset of “Right on time.” No matter where you are in your business or life, you’re right on time. She’s sharing philosophies on releasing control, remai...
Mar 15, 2022•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Are you tracking your product inventory in one established place? Your inventory management and tracking system can make such a difference in your business—in any stage that you’re in! In today’s episode, I’m sharing the benefits of tracking your inventory, what to consider when selecting your tool, plus a few tools you can check out! For full show notes, resources and a transcription, please head to prooftoproduct.com/239...
Mar 08, 2022•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Being an entrepreneur and business owner comes with a lot of perks and flexibility, but add in a team that can support you and scaling your business can feel limitless. When it comes to the actual hiring process, there is so much to consider, including what scaling looks like for you, how to manage your team, and if your team members should be hired as employees or contractors. In today’s episode, Kira La Forgia of Paradigm Consulting joins us to highlight how small businesses can take the first...
Mar 01, 2022•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast The expansion of your business into wholesale and even new product lines can create exponential growth for your brand, but with that growth comes struggles. In today’s episode, Alex Gagné of Chez Gagné joins us to share about her experience with supply chain issues over the last couple of years, how that created a cash flow issue for her team, and how product expansion unexpectedly saved her business in 2021! For full show notes, resources and a transcription, please head to prooftoproduct.com/2...
Feb 22, 2022•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever considered exhibiting at trade shows? As Christy Asper of Paper Baristas prepares her brand for exhibiting at NY Now, she felt it was important to share what goes on behind the scenes. In this episode, Christy is sharing about her experiences at Atlanta’s Mart, Noted, and now preparing for NY Now—including the things that have gone wrong. For full show notes, resources and a transcription, please head to prooftoproduct.com/236 Ready to prepare for your own booth at trade shows? Com...
Feb 15, 2022•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast At Proof to Product, we’re committed to helping product based businesses succeed! We’ve created two programs that can help you strengthen your business foundations or scale with wholesale. In today’s episode, I’m breaking down the difference between Paper Camp and Labs, which program is right for you, and how you can get started! For full show notes, resources and a transcription, please head to prooftoproduct.com/235 Ready to prepare for your own booth at trade shows? Come join us at Paper Camp...
Feb 08, 2022•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast As a product creator, it’s common to feel that success means building your own storefront and selling retail to earn the most profit for your business. While that’s a great goal to strive for it doesn’t mean you should let other selling options, like wholesale, fall off your radar. In today’s episode, Beth Roszkowski and Tiffany Grimes join us to share how wholesale has allowed them to scale their businesses. I’m excited to highlight the conversations to show how two different brands with differ...
Feb 01, 2022•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Trade shows are a big project to take on for product based businesses interested in wholesale. The biggest question I get: Is it worth it? In today’s episode, Jodi Kostelnik of The Neighborgoods joins us to share all about her experience with trade shows, specifically with Shoppe Object. Jodi opens up with transparency about the numbers she’s experienced with trade shows, what her goals are as she heads into them, and even highlights different approaches she’s taken to trade shows. For full show...
Jan 25, 2022•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast In an industry and business where your time is valuable and your products are essential for creating a successful and sustainable business, sales reps have your best interest in mind and serve a greater purpose than simply selling your products. A valuable sales rep is someone you can build a trusted relationship with who can navigate catalogs, inventories, deliveries, and even curate products just for you. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Carina Murray, founder of Crow and Canary, a sales rep ...
Jan 18, 2022•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast With the new year right around the corner, my team and I have been making time to really reflect on the past year. It’s been a year of introspection–about our businesses, about the state of the world, and about how we balance our work and personal lives. But I’m proud to say that Proof to Product and our students have grown and accomplished more this year than ever before. In today’s episode, I wanted to share all the milestones the Proof to Product team and our students have reached in the past...
Dec 17, 2021•9 min•Ep 231•Transcript available on Metacast For most designers and makers, our relationships with retailers can make a major difference in our businesses. And while I know it can be discouraging to watch your outreach emails go unanswered, this kind of slow, steady work is the path to a sustainable and successful business. The key is to keep showing up, put your best foot forward, and get yourself seen by the right people. In this episode, I’m talking to designer, illustrator, and store owner Genesis Duncan about her experience being both...
Dec 14, 2021•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Insurance. It’s admittedly one of the least fun parts of owning a business, but it’s also one of the most important. Not only does it protect your business from misfortune, but it also protects you, the business owner. And with a little research, insuring yourself and your business isn’t as expensive or complicated as you might think it is. In this episode, I’m breaking down the different types of business and personal insurance that small business owners need. I’ll explain how they’re different...
Dec 07, 2021•7 min•Ep 229•Transcript available on Metacast Oxford Languages defines imposter syndrome as the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved. Imposter syndrome is very common in the entrepreneur space. That feeling that we haven’t truly earned the success we’ve had. Imposter syndrome can mean feeling like a fraud or phony — like we’re not truly talented or good at what we do. In this episode, I’m sharing a sneak peek into one of my monthly coaching calls inside the Proof to Product LABS program. During these calls, I answe...
Nov 30, 2021•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Feeling confident with your organic digital marketing and ready to scale even further? Why not dip your toe into the world of paid advertising? Paid digital marketing might sound intimidating, but with a solid strategy and clear goals, it can truly help you increase exposure and leads for your e-commerce business. In this episode, I’m talking to Alex Rossman, founder of Rossman Media, an award-winning social media agency, about the ways small e-commerce brands can leverage paid advertising in th...
Nov 23, 2021•37 min•Ep 227•Transcript available on Metacast We all know that Search Engine Optimization is vital to ranking on Google and attracting website traffic. But if you’ve never worked on your site’s SEO, where do you start? How do you find the right keywords? And once you find those keywords, where do you put them? In this episode, I’m talking to SEO expert Jessica Freeman of Jess Creative about how you can use SEO to attract new customers to your website. She’s sharing her workflow for finding and implementing the right keywords, and she’s also...
Nov 16, 2021•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Oftentimes in business, we set our sights on the next big thing–the next product, the next launch, the next program–that we forget to rethink the systems that are already working in our business. But most of the time, those systems could run even better and make us even more profit with just a few small tweaks. Take a listen for my four-step brainstorming exercise to help you identify what’s working in your business and make minor adjustments to improve your systems even further. You'll learn: W...
Nov 09, 2021•12 min•Ep 225•Transcript available on Metacast Your business has a lot of moving parts. It’s easy to let opportunities to make a little extra money (or eliminate sneaky expenses) slip right past your radar. So how can you optimize your revenue and minimize those “leaky pipe” expenses? The answer is right on your website! In this episode, I’m talking to e-commerce conversion expert Reese Spykerman about all the hidden places you can find extra money in your business. She’ll share her tips for crafting a beautiful and functional e-commerce web...
Nov 02, 2021•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast You want to develop a new product, but how do you know how much to spend on supplies? It can be tricky forecasting for upcoming product drops, especially for products you’ve never sold before. But with the right data, you can make educated estimates about your upcoming products to order supplies and budget with confidence. In this episode, I’m sharing a sneak peek into one of our monthly coaching calls inside the Proof to Product LABS program. During these calls, I answer pre-submitted member qu...
Oct 26, 2021•17 min•Ep 223•Transcript available on Metacast Do you feel like social media is a chore? Many people I talk with find Instagram to be draining but know it’s an important part of their sales and marketing so they keep posting and creating content. But what if using Instagram could be a way for you to begin meaningful conversations with your audience? In this episode, I’m joined by Natasha Samuel, host of The Shine Online Podcast and an Instagram Strategist that helps small businesses shine online. Natasha shares Instagram trends you should pa...
Oct 19, 2021•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you’re like many of the people in our LABS and Paper Camp communities, you’ve probably pondered the idea of opening a brick & mortar shop for your business. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jen Palacio, owner of Tiny Turns Paperie, a brick & mortar shop in Somerville, MA. Jen uncovers what brought her to the idea of opening her own brick & mortar shop and some of the misconceptions people have about having a physical store. She talks about how she intentionally set boundaries and the shifts ...
Oct 12, 2021•36 min•Ep 221•Transcript available on Metacast The upcoming holiday sales season is upon us! The worldwide shipping delays, supply chain issues and labor shortages have been causing some massive challenges for small businesses everywhere, particularly for physical product businesses. Take a listen to hear my 5 action steps you can take to prepare yourself so you don’t face as many disruptions in your sales as we head into the holiday season. You'll learn: How widespread the supply chain, labor shortage and shipping delay issues are The 5 ste...
Oct 05, 2021•8 min•Ep 220•Transcript available on Metacast Think visibility is your problem? It’s probably not! In this episode, I am welcoming back third-time guest, Brittney Lynn, CEO of the Human Connection Agency. We break down the core fears people have about being visible and how to make the most out of your visibility. Brittney drops so many gems from her public relations knowledge about pitching, how to prioritize visibility and why the world needs your message. She and I chat about how PR has been during the pandemic and how you can use PR to r...
Sep 28, 2021•31 min•Ep 219•Transcript available on Metacast If you’ve been itching to grow your business then you’ll love today’s inspiring episode with Megan Fowler of Brown Parcel Press. In 2020, Megan’s business exploded and she saw over 300% growth. Even more impressive, just one SKU accounts for over 50% of her business’ annual profits. In this episode, Megan shares how she leaned into her passion and ultimately started her now thriving business. She talks about her strategies for loving on her customers and how she’s leveraged both our Paper Camp a...
Sep 21, 2021•35 min•Ep 218•Transcript available on Metacast Whether you’re in the infant stages of your business or you’ve been running it for 10+ years, you might’ve had the thought at one point or another of making an exit. Selling your business can be an appealing thought, but is it right for you? In this week’s episode, I had a conversation with Chelsea Clarke of Blogs for Sale and Her Paper Route. Chelsea explains everything you need to know about selling a business and her tips on how to prepare your business for an eventual sale. You'll learn: The...
Sep 14, 2021•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast The messy middle. It’s not a particularly fun place to be in business. It can be fraught with feelings of doubt, fear and imposter syndrome. While at the same time, it is a phase of business where tremendous growth happens and confidence builds. What is the messy middle? The messy middle is when you’re no longer a brand new business owner, eager with optimism and endless energy to tackle your to dos. In the messy middle, you’ve likely seen some success, but you haven’t cracked the code on how to...
Sep 07, 2021•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast The challenges of running a business can be numerous. For those living with chronic illness, there are even more nuances to navigate, especially when it comes to listening and working with your body’s natural rhythm. In this episode, I was joined by Morgan Swank of Morgan Swank Studio. Morgan is a longtime student of our LABS community and a Paper Camp alumni. She and I discuss what led to her decision to start her paper goods brand. Morgan also gives us insight into what it’s like to be a busin...
Aug 31, 2021•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Considering making an exit from your corporate career? If you feel like you’re almost ready to make that jump then you’ll want to take a listen to this episode to know exactly what to prepare for as you make the leap! In this week’s episode, I chat with Desiree Perez of Paper Anchor. Desiree made this transition herself in January of 2021 and she takes us through her journey of how she knew she was ready to do it, how her experience has been so far and what she’s preparing for now as she is in t...
Aug 24, 2021•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Are you ready to put money back into your pocket? In this episode, I am uncovering how you can do just that by increasing your products’ profit margins. I will walk you through everything that you need to know about profit margins from a micro-level. As a business owner, you’ll want to observe the profit margins for many reasons but it can be especially important when it comes to knowing what sells, what should be discontinued and to help fuel your strategic decision-making. You'll learn: What p...
Aug 17, 2021•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Storytelling is such a powerful way to connect with your customers. Our current and prospective customers want to know the people behind the brand, why you make the products you do and what your brand stands for. In this week's all new episode of Proof to Product, I chat with Michelle Knight of Brandmerry. She takes us on the path to discovering how to create a more authentic connection with our customers through storytelling; and how this type of marketing will provide you with more income and ...
Aug 10, 2021•30 min•Ep 212•Transcript available on Metacast One big lesson I learned over the past year: the importance of routines! I crave a routine and to be honest, before now, I don’t know if I ever realized how deeply I needed routines. When we were thrown into the pandemic and our school, work and household routines were constantly in flux, I saw the influence that routines had. In this episode, I’m chatting with routine expert, host of the Routine & Things Podcast and founder of Routine & Things, Ashley Brown. Routine & Things is a product based ...
Aug 03, 2021•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
