It’s not often that we hear from product makers and businesses that are selling 100% retail here on the podcast, but at McKinnon Collective, Danella Ruth McKinnon and her husband have done over 150 retail markets since 2019 and their experience in this space comes with so much value! In today’s episode, Danella is sharing why they don’t sell wholesale for their handmade leather bags and how she’s found success at retail markets, including her tips for standing out, merchandising, and inventory. ...
Oct 18, 2022•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you’re looking to develop a strong product line for your business, I highly encourage you to stay away from assorted products. While some brands can make them work well, I highly despise them. In today’s episode, I’m sharing exactly why assorted products can hurt your business and why you should consider discontinuing any assorted products in your product line. You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/268 Today’s episode is brought to you by our free Is Wholesale Right for ...
Oct 11, 2022•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Are you building a 90-day marketing roadmap that provides results in your business? In today’s episode, LABS community leader and alum, Shea Bailey-Burkett of Planned and Proper joins us to share how her 90-day roadmap helped grow her email list to over 10,000 subscribers in one year! Listen in as Shea shares how she built and implemented her 90-day roadmap with LABS guest expert, Lyndsay Clements, and how it’s helped keep simplified and improved her business’ marketing efforts. Inside LABS, our...
Oct 04, 2022•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Sep 27, 2022•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 prooftoprodu...
Sep 20, 2022•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Sep 13, 2022•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 broug...
Sep 06, 2022•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Aug 30, 2022•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 stra...
Aug 23, 2022•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 selli...
Aug 16, 2022•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 sh...
Aug 09, 2022•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 an...
Aug 02, 2022•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Market...
Jul 26, 2022•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Jul 19, 2022•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Jul 12, 2022•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 s...
Jun 28, 2022•1 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 yo...
Jun 21, 2022•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 , Lynds...
Jun 14, 2022•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Jun 07, 2022•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Wholes...
May 31, 2022•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 h...
May 24, 2022•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
May 17, 2022•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
May 10, 2022•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast The frequency in which you should be releasing new products to the wholesale market used to be pretty straightforward, but with the introduction of Faire and other third party platforms, things have gotten a little muddy. In today’s episode, I’m clearing things up so that your new products are ready for when buyers are primed to purchase, but you’re also not burning yourself out! You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/247 Today’s episode is brought to you by Proof to Product...
May 03, 2022•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast Are you curious about NTFs, the blockchain and opportunities that Web 3.0 provides for creatives? Jason Matias joins us to break down how the NFT market and blockchain works, his experience in selling several hundred NFT artworks, along with mistakes and misconceptions you should avoid if you’re just getting started! You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/246 Today’s episode is brought to you by our Email Marketing For Product Makers guide . If you’ve struggled with what to ...
Apr 26, 2022•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast There are so many opportunities to take risks in your business in order to reach success, but is fear holding you back? In today’s episode, Lindsay Henry of Inklings Paperie joins us to share how her business has evolved over the last five years and why you shouldn’t be afraid to take calculated risks in your business! You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/245 Today’s episode is brought to you by our free resources library, where you can find the tools to start, streamline,...
Apr 19, 2022•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Are you stuck trying to decide on which product you want to create next in your product line? I believe there are six very important considerations when selecting that product to ensure it’s a good fit for you, your business, and your customers! In today’s episode, I’m walking you through all six of those considerations, why they’re important, and how you can make an informed decision based on all six. You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/244 Today’s episode is brought to ...
Apr 12, 2022•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Have you put in the work to build an antiracist business? In today’s episode, Trudi Lebrón joins us to discuss how valuable DEI and antiracism work is in small businesses, along with what you can do to create an inclusive community for your business. Listen in as Trudi shares about what led her into DEI work, how business should be personal, and how building an antiracist business begins with self-reflection. You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/243 Today’s episode is brou...
Apr 05, 2022•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Did you listen to my conversation with Christy Asper of Paper Baristas back in episode 236? We discussed how preparing for NY Now was going for her as a pre-show interview! Now she’s back for another conversation to share how the show went, what she learned, and what she’ll adjust for future shows! Listen in as she explains why she believes catalogs are still relevant, what it was like to exhibit as part of the Greeting Card Association Village, and what her sales and success looked like! You ca...
Mar 29, 2022•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Are you leaving thousands of dollars or more on the table each and every year due to incorrectly pricing or underpricing your products? There are two critical numbers you need to know in order to avoid losing money and to properly determine your product pricing. In today’s episode, we’re reviewing how you can price your products by understanding your production costs and market rates, plus I’ll even be sharing a real example with real numbers. You can view full show notes and more at prooftoprod...
Mar 22, 2022•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
