Proof to Product

Ranked in the top 1% of ALL podcasts, the Proof to Product podcast is your trusted resource for sustainable business growth - especially if you make and sell physical products! Join Katie Hunt, each week as she shares strategies & solutions to enhance your sales & marketing so that you’re building a business that supports your best life. If you’ve ever asked yourself can I make money selling physical products? Am I ready to sell my products wholesale to stores like Target, Anthropologie, Nordstrom or Barnes & Noble? When should I consider hiring a sales team or sales reps? Can I really turn my passion into profits? Whether you’re a just starting out on your business journey or you’ve been at it a while growing an empire, this show is for you. Proof to Product is like on-demand business school for product sellers spanning a wide range of industries. Whether you’re in home decor, apparel, beauty, food & beverage, hand-made items, jewelry, consumer gifts or the stationery world, you’ll gather new ideas each week to help you grow your profit, build your team and lead with integrity. Host Katie Hunt and her guests bring you actionable ways to expand your product line, manufacturing overseas, optimize your e-commrce websites on Shopify, Faire, Etsy, Abound, Tundra, Squarespace or in brick & mortar locations. How to start or scale wholesale sales including pitching stores, wholesale outreach, trade show exhibition, working with sales reps, managing inventory, warehousing product, sales systems, wholesale follow-up strategies and working with key accounts. Marketing strategies for small businesses including content creation, leveraging tik tok and instagram tactics without feeling burned out, why you can’t rely solely on social media for sales and why email marketing systems on platforms like Klaviyo, Flodesk and Active Campaign are so powerful. Listen in as Katie and our guest experts help you strategize and tackle your biggest business goals. Host Katie Hunt brings a unique perspective to entrepreneurship. Since 2011, she’s helped thousands of product brands get their products on the shelves of their favorite retail stores through her Paper Camp program (www.prooftoproduct.com/papercamp). Prior to that she worked in the corporate world for over a decade leading business development and marketing teams. She has two MBAs - one in finance and one in marketing. And, she owned & operated her own product based business for over 8 years, selling her products to stores throughout the world from her garage. Katie knows the struggles you face as a product based business and she’s here to pull back the curtain and share her best kept secrets so that you don’t have to learn things the hard way. Find our free trainings & resources for product based business owners at www.prooftoproduct.com/resources

411 | How To Get Better At Selling Your Products In-Person with Karen Sawyer-Meehan, Pier Six Press

Do you struggle with the idea of selling your products?  I am hearing from a lot of creative entrepreneurs who are telling me that they feel uncomfortable with in-person sales. They're worried about how they'll be perceived. They don't want to be seen as pushy or overbearing by their customers.  I'm hearing this with online sales too, but it's particularly heightened right now with in-person sales because we have a lot of people who have been doing summer craft shows and also in-person trade shows on the wholesale side of things.  I wanted to bring today's guest on to talk about sales in person and how you can push through some of these feelings of discomfort and show people what you've got and why they need to buy it.  Today's guest is Karen Sawyer-Meehan, Pier Six Press, which is a stationery and gift brand known for its bold design, vibrant colors, and high-quality craftsmanship. Now, Karen is one of my Advisory Board members. Advisory Board is my private mastermind, and this is a topic that she and I were chatting about privately on our Voxer chat, which is where folks talk to me one-on-one. We were talking about how this would make a great podcast episode and how Karen had a lot of great insights to share with you all.  During this episode, Karen shares her journey from art school and retail sales, building a brand that stands out, to embracing empathy, bold colors, and authenticity, and the handmade artistry behind her brand.  She shares her real, honest take on ethical selling, why genuine connections matter more than ever in retail, and how learning to trust your own unique artistic voice, and how that has transformed both her business and her confidence.  If you have been struggling with feeling salesy, finding your creative style, or wondering how to connect your values with the products that you're selling, this episode is for you. Today’s episode is brought to you by our Proof to Product resource library. It’s where you can get your hands on our free resources to help you start, streamline and scale your business in your own way and at your own pace.   GET FREE ACCESS You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/411  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

09-16
38:56

How Product Business Owners Can Use Grants to Fund Their Business with Ashley Sutton, Hustle & Hope [Replay]

Hey, friend. I'm pulling an amazing episode from the archives with over 400 episodes here on the Proof to Product podcast. There is a gold mine of information for you to help you grow your business, and, frankly, it can be hard to take it all in. Today's episode is a look back at an interview I did with Paper Camp alum Ashley Sutton of Hustle and Hope on the topic of grants. A lot of grants for small businesses are due during the fall season so we thought this was a perfect time to reair this episode. Ashley is a corporate gal turned entrepreneur. Her career began with marketing and developing the perfect shade of lipstick for Avon to creating buzzworthy toys at Mattel and crafting unforgettable marketing campaigns for leading TV shows for children such as Peppa Pig and PJ Masks. She's also creating the number one best-selling marketing campaigns for authors at Penguin Random House.  As a stationery lover and a consumer products professional, her goal was to channel her career experience into a product with purpose, and that is how she founded Hustle and Hope. The first 2 in one motivational greeting card company that includes free digital guides with every single card. A certified minority and certified woman-owned business, Hustle and Hope has retail placement at Buy Buy Baby, World Market, HomeGoods, Amazon, and over 45 other shops across the US. Today, Ashley shares Hustle and Hope's origin story. She talks about her experience participating in the Target Accelerator program, and we talk about how she's been utilizing grants for her business, including how she got started applying for grants, what she looks for, and how these grants have benefited her business. She also shares resources in case you want to get started applying for grants for your business. Today’s episode is sponsored by our Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview series. To make a strong first impression with wholesale buyers, we need to do a few things really well: We need to make it easy for stores to purchase from us We need to have clear pricing and terms & conditions We need to clearly communicate and add value at each touchpoint We need to focus on building strong relationships with our customers. And all of this becomes infinitely easier when we actively listen to our customers. This on-demand interview series will give you a competitive edge by providing an exclusive window into what buyers want and need from you. And, the best part, it's only $27 bucks.  Get Access to the Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview Series

09-09
41:06

Utilizing Abandoned Cart Email Automations to Drive Sales with Katie Hunt [Replay]

Hey, friend. I'm pulling an amazing episode from the archives with over 400 episodes here on the Proof to Product podcast. There is a gold mine of information for you to help you grow your business, and, frankly, it can be hard to take it all in. Today's episode is a look back at one of our most downloaded episodes, discussing how to utilize abandoned cart email automations to drive more sales.  The holidays are coming up, and it's a perfect time to look at your email strategy and touch base with your hottest leads.  If you have ever shied away from sending out these emails, you are going to want to listen to this one and rethink your strategy. Did you know that almost 70% of shoppers abandon their online shopping carts and don't follow through with a sale?  That means that only 3 out of 10 of your customers who go to your website and load up their shopping cart complete their purchase. The same report from Baymard Institute said that more than $18,000,000,000 in e-commerce sales are lost annually due to abandoned carts. That is a whole lot of money. And yet, only some independent product brands are utilizing abandoned cart follow-up emails to recapture some of these sales.  Today’s episode is sponsored by our Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview series. To make a strong first impression with wholesale buyers, we need to do a few things really well: We need to make it easy for stores to purchase from us We need to have clear pricing and terms & conditions We need to clearly communicate and add value at each touchpoint We need to focus on building strong relationships with our customers. And all of this becomes infinitely easier when we actively listen to our customers. This on-demand interview series will give you a competitive edge by providing an exclusive window into what buyers want and need from you. And, the best part, its only $27 bucks.  Get Access to the Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview Series You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/336  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp

09-02
10:12

How to Get Your Products Noticed by Key Buyers with Sally Diguette, Anthropologie [Replay]

Hey, friend. I'm pulling an amazing episode from the archives with over 400 episodes here on the Proof to Product podcast. There is a gold mine of information for you to help you grow your business, and, frankly, it can be hard to take it all in. Today's episode is a look back at guest Sally Diguette, a home and lifestyle buyer with Anthropologie. Pitching large retailers is a completely different process and timeline than working with independent retailers. Having worked with thousands of brands, I know that it can feel like an intimidating process to pitch your work to these key accounts.  Through an unpredictable path, Sally landed in the retail industry and has over 14 years of experience in buying, product development, and sourcing.  Sally is an innovative merchant and consultant. She centers her work around relationship building and creative strategy, combining unique product development and sourcing from national brands across a variety of categories. Her passion lies in working with emerging brands in an incubator capacity to build fresh product offerings, solid organizational systems, and a strong team structure. On this replay episode, Sally shares about the buying process and schedule for Anthropologie. We talk specifically about the timelines that she's working with for both exclusive products as well as ready made products. And she offers advice for how to get your products in front of key account buyers. Today’s episode is sponsored by our Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview series. To make a strong first impression with wholesale buyers, we need to do a few things really well: We need to make it easy for stores to purchase from us We need to have clear pricing and terms & conditions We need to clearly communicate and add value at each touchpoint We need to focus on building strong relationships with our customers. And all of this becomes infinitely easier when we actively listen to our customers. This on-demand interview series will give you a competitive edge by providing an exclusive window into what buyers want and need from you. And, the best part, it's only $27 bucks.  Get Access to the Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview Series

08-26
35:21

410 | How Quickly Will I Make Back My Paper Camp Investment with Katie Hunt

Have you been thinking about joining us for Paper Camp, but aren’t sure if this program is a good fit for you?  Or maybe you're a new listener of the podcast, and you're thinking, what the heck is this Paper Camp program that I keep talking about? This episode is for you.  I'm answering the top questions that we get asked about our wholesale program to help you decide if it's the right fit for you. The next round of Paper Camp is open for enrollment right now.  If you're listening to this on release day, we will close enrollment tomorrow, August 20th. If you are looking to scale your wholesale strategy and build a system that drives sales, this is the program for you. You won't want to miss it. SIGN UP FOR PAPER CAMP NOW You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/410  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

08-19
21:47

409 | Live from Shoppe Object with Paper Camp Alumni

I'm back again today to share interviews from our Paper Camp alumni who exhibited at Shoppe Object. On Tuesday, I shared my conversations with our alumni who are exhibiting in NY Now.  Today, we're focusing on the exhibitors that were at Shoppe Object. This is a wholesale trade show that was happening in New York City this past week, and I spoke with: Stephanie Clarke from Dahlia Press Nancy Yusko from Dear Beni Meghan Sokorai from And Here We Are Jen Palacio from Tiny Turns Paperie Once again, great job to everyone who exhibited at these shows and to everyone who participated in this interview series. I appreciate you taking the time with me on the show floor.  I know that these shows take a lot of hard work, a lot of determination, money, and grit to execute. If you are thinking about exhibiting at a trade show as part of your wholesale growth strategy, then you absolutely must join us for Paper Camp. We have a ton of experience exhibiting ourselves, and we have guided tens of thousands of brands through the process.  In fact, we have a lot of people who come to us after they've exhibited at a trade show on their own, and it didn't go the way they wanted it to. They ended up with low sales, a lot of stress, and little confidence in how they were presenting their brand.  After Paper Camp, our alumni frequently report higher sales, higher average order values, and stronger reorder rates than non-alumni. Round 46 is currently open for enrollment at http://prooftoproduct.com/papercamp  We only run this program twice a year, and we sell out every single, single time. This coaching program will take you through step-by-step of everything you need to know to build out a successful wholesale business. ENROLL NOW IN PAPER CAMP You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/409  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

08-14
26:26

408 | Live from NY Now with Paper Camp Alumni

I am back from a whirlwind trip to New York City where over 40 of our Paper Camp alumni were exhibiting at Shoppe Object and NY Now. These were two independent wholesale trade shows that happened to be taking place in New York over the same days. I was able to navigate between both shows and meet with a lot of our different alumni. It was such a treat to visit with everyone and to see all their gorgeous new products on display.  Both shows were buzzing with buyers, press, and brands that were looking to collaborate. The energy was high, and buyers were there to write orders, which was refreshing. At Paper Camp we talk about how selling wholesale is a marathon, not a sprint. Exhibiting at wholesale trade shows is just one way to get your products in front of buyers. It's not the only way, but it is a very powerful way.  So today's episode is a compilation of short interviews that I conducted on the show floor at NY Now. On Thursday, we'll release a separate set of interviews that I did at Shoppe Object.  At NY Now, I interviewed: Lindsy Liu of Happy Little Paper Co Kyndra Bailey of Kyn You Believe It Kathleen Kurjanowicz of James Point Stationery Jaha Knight of Dakari Moon Andrea Hetzke of Librarian Candle Co. If you are thinking about exhibiting at a trade show as part of your wholesale growth strategy, then you absolutely must join us for Paper Camp. We have a ton of experience exhibiting ourselves, and we have guided tens of thousands of brands through the process.  In fact, we have a lot of people that come to us after they've exhibited at a trade show on their own and it didn't go the way they wanted it to. They ended up with low sales, a lot of stress, and little confidence in how they were presenting their brand.  After Paper Camp, our alumni frequently report higher sales, higher average order values and stronger reorder rates than non-alumni. Round 46 is currently open for enrollment at http://prooftoproduct.com/papercamp  We only run this program twice a year and we sell out every single, single time. This coaching program will take you through step-by-step of everything you need to know to build out a successful wholesale business. ENROLL NOW IN PAPER CAMP You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/408  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

08-12
34:48

407 | Alumni Spotlights: Before & After Paper Camp

We are currently in the middle of the biggest wholesale buying season of the year, so naturally, it is both a fun and easy time to share wins from our community and talk about our upcoming wholesale coaching program, Paper Camp.  This is where we teach you everything you need to know to successfully sell wholesale and we've got a pretty strong track record with tens of thousands of folks coming through the program.  Today, I want to hand the mic to four of our Paper Camp alumni to share their experiences of what their business looked like before they attended Paper Camp and what it looks like now after putting in lots of work.  We did this type of episode of Before and After Paper Camp series earlier this year and you guys ate it up.  These individuals came to Paper Camp to strengthen their wholesale sales and marketing systems. They actively participated in the program. They asked questions about how to apply what they learned to their particular business, and they soaked up everything there was to learn.  They put in the reps and did the hard work, and it wasn’t always easy.  In this episode, you'll hear from: Morgan Swank of Morgan Swank Studio | Follow on Instagram Jessie Tyree Jenness of Root & Branch Paper Co | Follow on Instagram Brenna Daugherty of Brenna Daugherty Illustration| Follow on Instagram Ashleigh Evans of InBooze | Follow on Instagram Before we jump in, I wanted to tell you about a free workshop that I'm hosting on August 12th at 9:00am Pacific Time.  Wholesale buying season has been really eye-opening. As someone who has been in the wholesale game for over 17 years and I've worked with over 35,000 thriving wholesale brands, I have a really unique viewpoint to spot mistakes, missed opportunities, and more importantly, I can troubleshoot and find solutions for those that are facing a sales slump. The market is changing and our strategies need to shift with it. In this free workshop, I'm going to talk about how you can land consistent wholesale orders without over-relying on Faire without using bad wholesale pitches or discounting. RSVP for this free workshop at http://prooftoproduct.com/RSVP  You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/407  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

08-07
19:10

406 | From 0 to 60+ Stores Selling Watercolor Kits with Kate Talcott

I'm curious, have you been thinking about niching down or focusing in on one product type? But maybe you're nervous about making that transition or having all your eggs in one basket?  This is exactly what Kate Talcott did and she reaped the benefits and then some.  Kate is our guest this week, and I'm excited to share her story. Kate is one of our Paper Camp alumni and her business is called Splatter & Bloom. She sells watercolor kits that give you instant creativity boosts without any of the hassle.  Before joining Paper Camp, Kate was in zero stores and now her products are carried in nearly 70. She didn't always focus on selling watercolor kits, though. During this episode, you'll hear Kate share about the challenges she faced evolving her product line, the pivotal moments that led to her distribution of her watercoloring kits into 60-plus stores, and her experience of going viral on TikTok.  You'll also hear her talk about burnout and her experiences with that, which is super important for us to talk about. I know you're going to love this one.  Before we jump in, I wanted to tell you about a free workshop that I'm hosting on August 12th at 9:00am Pacific Time.  Wholesale buying season has been really eye-opening. As someone who has been in the wholesale game for over 17 years and I've worked with over 35,000 thriving wholesale brands, I have a really unique viewpoint to spot mistakes, missed opportunities, and more importantly, I can troubleshoot and find solutions for those that are facing a sales slump. The market is changing and our strategies need to shift with it. In this free workshop, I'm going to talk about how you can land consistent wholesale orders without over-relying on Faire without using bad wholesale pitches or discounting. RSVP for this free workshop at http://prooftoproduct.com/RSVP  You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/406  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

08-05
36:51

405 | I Just Got On Faire. Am I Supposed to be Pitching My Products? with Katie Hunt

Today I wanted to answer a great question that I received from a student. It's a simple one on the surface, but it opens the door to an important conversation about how we are approaching wholesale as product-based business owners.  Here's the question Lindsay asked: I just opened on Faire recently. Am I supposed to be pitching my products? I'm a total newbie.  The simple answer here is yes. You should always be pitching your products proactively to stores. But there's a lot more to unpack here, and that's what I want to do on the podcast today.  Before we do, I want to invite you to a free workshop that I'm hosting on August 12th at 9am PT. This is a brand new workshop that I recently put together.  This summer's wholesale buying season has been very eye-opening for me. As someone who has been in the wholesale game for over 17 years and I've worked closely with tens of thousands of wholesale brands that are thriving. It gives me a unique viewpoint to spot mistakes and missed opportunities.  But more importantly, it allows me to open up solutions and potential opportunities for those of you who are facing a sales slump. The market is changing, and our strategies need to shift with it. In this free workshop, I'm going to talk about how you can land consistent wholesale orders without over-reliying on Faire, without sending out bad wholesale pitches, and without discounting.  If this sounds like something you want to participate in, you can RSVP for this free workshop, at http://prooftoproduct.com/rsvp  You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/405  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

07-31
13:58

404 | 5 Things That Paper Camp Scholarship Winners Have in Common with Katie Hunt

It is that time again. We are now accepting Paper Camp scholarship applications.  If you have wanted to attend our wholesale intensive coaching program, but you need a little help with tuition, now is your time to shine. We award one full tuition scholarship for each and every round of Paper Camp. Since 2011, we have awarded more than $345,000 in scholarship funds to students. This has enabled us to provide support to a lot of up and coming product brands that you know and love. People that are making huge strides in the industry. I'm talking Inklings Paperie, Ladyfinger Letterpress, E. Francis Paper, Brainstorm and dozens of other brands that were past scholarship recipients. They showed up in Paper Camp, asked their questions, and implemented what they learned.  Ultimately, they did the hard work and now they have built incredible brands that make a huge impact in our world and in our industry.  Our scholarship applications do take a bit of time to fill out. There are questions to answer and even a short video component to complete. We typically receive anywhere from 80-90 scholarship applications for every round of Paper Camp.  It takes my team and me several days to review each application, and honestly, it's such a challenge to whittle it down to just one scholarship winner. If you would like to apply for a scholarship, head to prooftoproduct.com/scholarships and get your application in today. Applications will close this Friday at 5pm Pacific Time. You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/404  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp

07-29
09:27

403 | Best Wholesale Pitching Practices with Two Shopkeepers, Victoria Venturi & Katie Wilson

One of the highlights of our Paper Camp program is the weekly coaching calls that we host by me and our guest experts. You not only get to ask questions about that week's curriculum and content from Paper Camp, but you also get to hear firsthand from industry experts.  These are wholesale experts: large-scale wholesale manufacturers, retail shop owners, sales experts, trade show exhibitors, all of the people that are deeply embedded in the wholesale world.  This week on the podcast, I wanted to share a snippet of one of our calls from Marketing Week. This is the week in Paper Camp that we traditionally talk with shopkeepers to find out how they like to be pitched, how much follow-up is too much, do they want to see samples before they buy, and so much more. This is your chance to ask all of your burning questions of our guest experts and to hear direct feedback. This excerpt is a conversation with Victoria Venturi of Paper Epiphanies and Katie Wilson of Crush & Touch. These are two shopkeepers who are getting pitched all of the time from brands and vendors that are just like you.  Victoria and Katie are providing feedback on how they like to be pitched, including the best way for vendors to capture their attention, methods that they use most when placing orders, and red flags that they see in wholesale pitches.  They talk about whether they want to receive samples and about follow-up and how much follow-up is too much.  This is just a small portion of the incredible value that our Paper Camp students receive during their time in our program.  I am incredibly grateful for people like Victoria and Katie and our other speakers that come back to share their knowledge and preferences with us.  These calls are my favorite part of Paper Camp. Speaking of Paper Camp, we will be opening enrollment for the next round very soon. This is a program that we only run live twice a year. It is not a course you do on your own. We are there to hold your hand and help you through it, answering questions for your specific brand and circumstances.  I wanted to let you know that we have some new, exciting surprises to share with you during this launch round, including a free event that you won't want to miss. I'm not quite ready to spill all the tea yet, but everyone who is on our Paper Camp waitlist will be the first to hear about this live event and the new incentives that we're offering.  You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/403  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

07-24
15:21

402 | 5 Big Mistakes I See in Product Catalogs (and How to Fix Them) with Katie Hunt

Today on the podcast, I want to talk about your wholesale catalog. Your wholesale catalog is the most important sales tool in your wholesale toolbox. Yet simple mistakes may be costing you a lot of money and a lot of headaches. So this week, I want to talk about five common errors that I see when I'm reviewing catalogs for clients so that you can avoid making these same mistakes.  As a quick background, I have done thousands of catalog audits for our Paper Camp students and my advisory board mastermind clients. Yes, thousands. Looking through this volume of wholesale catalogs, it really gives me a unique viewpoint, one that mirrors the experience of buyers. I can easily spot red flags in wholesale catalogs, but I can also spot unique and innovative trends. Many of these things are things that we teach in our Paper Camp program. My team and I know what buyers are looking for and how to structure your wholesale catalog so that you can convert more of these prospects into actual customers.  We want you to convert to more sales. We will also want you to make it easy for your wholesale customers to purchase from you. That means optimizing each page so that it does a good job of selling your products when you're not there. Today's episode is brought to you by our Is Wholesale Right for You private podcast! This free 12-part audio series will help you decide whether wholesale is a good next step for your specific business. After listening to this audio series (in less than an hour), two things will be true. You'll know whether you want to pursue wholesale for your product business, and you'll have the confidence and action steps to get started with wholesale. Sign up for the private podcast today! SIGN UP You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/402  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

07-22
11:39

401 | Going From 20 to 120 Wholesale Accounts with Carley Hussain, Parcel Island

Hey friend. You know how much I love sharing success stories here on the podcast and this week is no exception.  I had the pleasure of connecting with Carley Hussain of Parcel Island, which is a gift and stationery business based out of Philadelphia. Carley is one of our talented Paper Camp alumni who started with 20 wholesale accounts and she is now in over 120 stores. Yes, she has grown by more than 100 accounts while also working at a full-time job.  During our conversation, we talk about the key strategies that fueled her business growth, including marketing automations she set up, finding her unique brand voice, and leveraging platforms like Faire. Carley also leveraged the resources available to her in Paper Camp, such as our wholesale pitch process, email templates, and postcard templates, adding her own unique voice and brand positioning to the outreach. You’ll hear what project management tools Carley uses to keep her business organized and her tasks on track. We discuss the challenges of inventory and product launches. Plus, we talk about how she's building strong local relationships that have helped her brand flourish. Today's episode is brought to you by our Paper Camp program. Paper Camp is our wholesale coaching program where we teach you everything you need to know to build strong wholesale foundations. Over the course of 4 weeks, we tackle your product line, sales tools, and marketing plan, and we even talk about how to exhibit at trade shows if that's what you want to do. We start with your product line and go into everything from how often you should be releasing new products to ensuring that your numbers are sustainable for the wholesale market and their price for profit. Then we move into sales tools you must have for selling wholesale so you make a strong first impression with buyers like catalogs and your terms and conditions. Then, we cover marketing strategies and ways to reach various store owners.  Each week's teachings build on the previous week, and we host weekly live engaging coaching calls to answer all of your questions. We will open enrollment for our next round of Paper Camp soon, and we sell this program out every time we run it. Join the waitlist and you’ll get early access to enroll. SIGN UP FOR THE WAITLIST You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/401  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

07-15
29:21

Celebrating 400 Episodes: Getting Candid About Podcasting, Resilience, and Business Growth with Katie Hunt

Hey friend, it's Brittney Lynn. I know you're likely expecting Katie Hunt and I promise she is featured in this episode. If we haven't met before, I am Katie's publicist and I am also the podcast producer of this very podcast. We wanted to do something special for the 400th episode of the podcast, so we decided to turn the tables and I'm interviewing Katie.  We discuss Katie's favorite part of the podcast recording process, advice she'd give to herself when she was just starting out, the real cost of running this podcast, and also the Proof to Product business as a whole, examples of times when she felt stuck in business and what she did about it and so much more.  This was such a fun episode to record, and we really hope you enjoy it. We are excited to hear the feedback from the episode and don't worry, Katie will be back in the host seat next week. Today's episode is brought to you by our Paper Camp program. Paper Camp is our wholesale coaching program where we teach you everything you need to know to build strong wholesale foundations. Over the course of 4 weeks, we tackle your product line, sales tools, and marketing plan, and we even talk about how to exhibit at trade shows if that's what you want to do. We start with your product line and go into everything from how often you should be releasing new products to ensuring that your numbers are sustainable for the wholesale market and their price for profit. Then we move into sales tools you must have for selling wholesale so you make a strong first impression with buyers like catalogs and your terms and conditions. Then, we cover marketing strategies and ways to reach various store owners.  Each week's teachings build on the previous week, and we host weekly live engaging coaching calls to answer all of your questions. We will open enrollment for our next round of Paper Camp soon, and we sell this program out every time we run it. Join the wait list and you’ll get early access to enroll. SIGN UP FOR THE WAITLIST You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/400  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

07-08
52:50

We're on Summer Break!

The Proof to Product team is practicing what we preach and we are going on summer break for the next two weeks! We will be back in your ears soon and we are so excited about our upcoming episodes, including our 400th episode! In the meantime, we are gearing up for another round of our Paper Camp program which will start soon. We only run Paper Camp twice a year, so if you are wanting to learn how to start with wholesale, click here to join the waitlist (we sell out every time!) Have a great two weeks and we'll see you soon!

06-24
01:46

399 | A Peek Inside Paper Camp - Our Alumni Panel with Janine Kwoh, Jesse Regis, and Lucia Saisse Morris

When we have our eyes set on a specific business goal, something like selling wholesale, it is incredibly beneficial to hear from people who are a few steps ahead of us in the process, which is why we close out every round of our Paper Camp program with an alumni panel. I want our students to hear from their peers. In today's podcast episode, we're sharing a portion of our alumni roundtable with all of you.  This alumni panel features Janine Kwoh from Kwohtations, Jesse Regis from Virgins on Fire Candle Company, and Lucia Saisse Morris from Lucy Loves Paper.  Each of these Paper Camp alumni shares details about their brand, how many stores they're working with, what has been challenging about growing wholesale, and more.  Today's episode is brought to you by our Paper Camp program. Paper Camp is our wholesale coaching program where we teach you everything you need to know to build strong wholesale foundations. Over the course of 4 weeks, we tackle your product line, sales tools, and marketing plan, and we even talk about how to exhibit at trade shows if that's what you want to do. We start with your product line and go into everything from how often you should be releasing new products to ensuring that your numbers are sustainable for the wholesale market and their price for profit. Then we move into sales tools you must have for selling wholesale so you make a strong first impression with buyers like catalogs and your terms and conditions. Then, we cover marketing strategies and ways to reach various store owners.  Each week's teachings build on the previous week, and we host weekly live engaging coaching calls to answer all of your questions. We will open enrollment for the next round of Paper Camp soon, and we sell this program out every time we run it. Join the wait list and you’ll get early access to enroll. SIGN UP FOR THE WAITLIST You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/399  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

06-17
14:42

398 | How Do I Know If I’m Ready to Exhibit at a Wholesale Trade Show with Katie Hunt

It is officially trade show season, so today we are diving into a question that I hear all the time. It's how do I know if I'm ready to exhibit at a wholesale trade show? This is one of the biggest topics that we cover inside of Paper Camp. Paper Camp is our coaching program for product-based business owners who want to see their products on the shelves of independent stores in their neighborhood or big box stores all over the world. During Paper Camp, we will not only help you decide if shows are a good fit for your brand, but we'll help you figure out which shows to do, how to prepare your trade show budget, what you need to be doing pre and post show in your marketing to maximize those sales. There is so much more that we cover too, specifically regarding trade shows, but also about wholesale in general. Today's episode is brought to you by our Paper Camp program. Paper Camp is our wholesale coaching program where we teach you everything you need to know to build strong wholesale foundations. Over the course of 4 weeks, we tackle your product line, sales tools, and marketing plan, and we even talk about how to exhibit at trade shows if that's what you want to do. We start with your product line and go into everything from how often you should be releasing new products to ensuring that your numbers are sustainable for the wholesale market and their price for profit. Then we move into sales tools you must have for selling wholesale so you make a strong first impression with buyers like catalogs and your terms and conditions. Then, we cover marketing strategies and ways to reach various store owners.  Each week's teachings build on the previous week, and we host weekly live engaging coaching calls to answer all of your questions. We will open enrollment for our next round of Paper Camp soon, and we sell this program out every time we run it. Join the waitlist and you’ll get early access to enroll. SIGN UP FOR THE WAITLIST You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/398  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

06-10
16:05

397 | How to Achieve More by Learning Less with Pat Flynn, Smart Passive Income

I'm excited for today's episode because we've got Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income. Pat is a father, a husband, a lifelong learner, and, honestly, one of the most generous teachers out there when it comes to business and entrepreneurship. He has built several successful companies, launched best-selling books, and invented products like the SwitchPod. He's created communities around smart passive income, and somehow, he still finds time for his top-rated podcast about business building, and he runs a top YouTube channel about Pokémon cards, which we'll actually talk about today.  Today, we're talking about Pat's newest book, Lean Learning, How to Achieve More by Learning Less. The book is all about cutting through the noise, taking action faster, and building real momentum, especially if you're feeling overwhelmed by everything that you think you “should be” learning or doing.  If you have ever felt stuck in learning mode, chasing ideas and information but not applying them and making real progress, Pat is going to show us how we can do this better because sometimes doing less and focusing smarter on things is exactly what you need to get bigger results. Today’s episode is brought to you by our Proof to Product LABS coaching program. This is a coaching program specifically built for product-based business owners, with members from across industries and across the globe. We have member-only events inside of LABS, so request your invitation to join below!  REQUEST YOUR INVITATION You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/397  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

06-03
34:55

396 | Prioritizing When Everything Feels Urgent with ADHD Coach Skye Waterson, Unconventional Organisation

This week's podcast topic has been highly requested, and so I'm happy to bring it to you today. I invited Skye Watterson who is an ADHD strategist, coach, and the founder of Unconventional Organisation. She helps business owners stay focused, build consistent revenue, and scale without feeling burnt out.  Skye was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, and it completely changed her entire approach to her career, and, eventually, it inspired her to help other entrepreneurs who are having similar challenges.  During our conversation, Skye breaks down common challenges that people with ADHD have, things like issues with focus and task initiation, prioritization, and burnout.  She explains how she uses neuroscience-backed systems to move her clients from feeling overwhelmed and scattered to feeling focused and empowered. We also dig into practical strategies for cutting through mental clutter, effective prioritization for when everything feels urgent, and Skye shares her realistic approach to motivation and dopamine management. Today’s episode is brought to you by our Proof to Product LABS coaching program. This is a coaching program specifically built for product-based business owners, with members from across industries and across the globe. We have member-only events inside of LABS, so request your invitation to join below!  REQUEST YOUR INVITATION You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/396  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

05-27
27:14

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