Proof to Product

269 | Over 150 Retail Markets in 3 Years with Danella Ruth McKinnon, McKinnon Collective

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 R...

268 | Why I'm not a fan of assorted products with Katie Hunt

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ca...

267 | How she grew her email list to over 10,000 subscribers in a year with Shea Bailey-Burkett, Planned & Proper

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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-Bu...

266 | How to Communicate Price Increases to Your Customers with Katie Hunt

27 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 m...

265 | 8 Tips to Prepare for Black Friday Sales with Mei Pak, Creative Hive Co.

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 sh...

264 | Looking Back at 10 Years in Business with Nikki Tyler, Little Lovelies Studio

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

263 | Preparing Your Product Business for a Recession with Katie Hunt

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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. S...

262 | Creating a Marketing Strategy Based on Your Personality Type with Brit Kolo, Marketing Personalities

30 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 y...

261 | Selling to a National Retail Chain with Krishna Chavda, NANU Studio

23 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 st...

260 | 3 Ways to Outsource Sales with Katie Hunt

16 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 bu...

259 | Launching Wholesale & Exhibiting at SF now with Christine Herrin, Everyday Explorers Co.

09 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

258 | Scaling to 500 Wholesale Accounts with Brittany O'Brien, Brittany Paige

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 Brit...

257 | Enhance Your Etsy Sales with Lauren Keplinger

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

256 | 4 ways to measure trade show success excluding sales with Katie Hunt

19 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 solel...

255 | Your Emotions Make Your Business Stronger with Kiwi Schloffel, Your Gal Kiwi

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 chal...

We're on summer break!

28 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 b...

254 | Identifying & Overcoming Burnout with Valerie Hamaker, Generation Xhausted

21 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

253 | Manufacturing Overseas with Emily Chiang, Emii Creations

14 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you weighed the pros and cons of sending your manufacturing overseas? While recently on the trade show floor, Emily Chiang of Emii Creations join...

252 | Why you need a 90 day Marketing Roadmap with Lyndsay Clements, Ellen Grace Marketing

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are you strategically mapping out your marketing plans, efforts, and strategy? In today's episode, Lyndsay Clements of Ellen Grace Marketing joins us ...

251 | Navigating Wholesale Exclusivity Requests with Katie Hunt

31 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 fo...

250 | How she added $55k in revenue by adding a digital product to her e-commerce shop with Dani Bruflodt, The Daily Page

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you considered what expanding your business with digital products and offerings could do for your ecommerce brand? In today's episode Dani Bruflo...

249 | Why you need to niche down with Sadie Teper, Twentysome Design

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 creatio...

248 | Live from the trade show floor at Noted & SF Now 2022

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Selling wholesale in person, at in-person trade shows is a completely different experience than selling wholesale online.  Here at Proof to Product, ...

247 | How often should I release new products to the wholesale market with Katie Hunt

03 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The frequency in which you should be releasing new products to the wholesale market used to be pretty straightforward, but with the introduction of Fa...

246 | NFTs for Artists with Jason Matias, Jason Matias Photography

26 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 mark...

245 | Don't be afraid to take calculated risks with Lindsay Henry, Inklings Paperie

19 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 He...

244 | How to Decide Which Product to Manufacture Next with Katie Hunt

12 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 wh...

243 | Building an Antiracist Business with Trudi Lebrón

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 i...

242 | NY Now Show Results with Christy Asper, Paper Baristas

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

241 | How to Determine Your Product Pricing with Katie Hunt

22 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

240 | You're right on time with Amber McCue, The Modern CEO

15 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 cou...

239 | Why You Should Be Tracking Inventory at All Stages of Business with Katie Hunt

08 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are you tracking your product inventory in one established place? Your inventory management and tracking system can make such a difference in your bus...

238 | Building Your Dream Team with Kira La Forgia, Paradigm Consulting

01 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 c...

237 | Navigating supply chain issues & product expansion with Alex Gagné, Chez Gagné

22 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The expansion of your business into wholesale and even new product lines can create exponential growth for your brand, but with that growth comes stru...

236 | Lessons learned exhibiting at Atlanta Mart, Noted & NY Now with Christy Asper, Paper Baristas

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 im...

235 | How can I get more support from Proof to Product with Katie Hunt

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

At Proof to Product, we're committed to helping product based businesses succeed! We've created two programs that can help you strengthen your busines...

234 | Scaling Wholesale with Beth Roszkowski & Tiffany Grimes

01 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

233 | Sales results from exhibiting at Shoppe Object with Jodi Kostelnik, The Neighborgoods

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

232 | Working with Sales Reps with Carina Murray, Crow & Canary

18 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In an industry and business where your time is valuable and your products are essential for creating a successful and sustainable business, sales reps...

231 | 2021 Year-End Recap with Katie Hunt

17 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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–...

230 | You May Want to Turn Off Zip Code Protection on Faire with Genesis Duncan | Graphic Anthology

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

229 | Which Business Insurance Do You Need? with Katie Hunt

07 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 bus...

228 | 4 Strategies to Combat Imposter Syndrome with Katie Hunt

30 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Oxford Languages defines imposter syndrome as the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved. Imposter syndrome is very common in ...

227 | Paid Advertising for E-Commerce Brands with Alexander Rossman | Rossman Media

23 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 d...

226 | Using SEO for Product Forecasting & Development with Jessica Freeman | Jess Creatives

16 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 SE...

225 | 4 Steps to Optimize What's Already Working in Your Business with Katie Hunt

09 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

224 | Find Hidden Money in Your E-commerce Shop with Reese Spykerman | Design By Reese

02 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 yo...

223 | Budgeting & Forecasting for Product Development with Katie Hunt [LABS sneak peek]

26 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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, especia...

222 | Repurposing Your Instagram Video Content with Natasha Samuel, Shine with Natasha

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 mar...

221 | What It Takes to Run A Brick & Mortar Business with Jen Palacio, Tiny Turns Paperie

12 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

220 | Navigating Supply Chain Issues, Shipping Delays and Labor Shortages with Katie Hunt

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The upcoming holiday sales season is upon us! The worldwide shipping delays, supply chain issues and labor shortages have been causing some massive ch...

219 | Visibility Isn't Your Problem With Brittney Lynn, Human Connection Agency

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

218 | Over 50% Of Her Annual Profit Comes From One SKU With Megan Fowler, Brown Parcel Press

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 busi...

217 | How to Exit and Sell Your Business with Chelsea Clarke of Blogs for Sale

14 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

216 | Feeling Stuck In the Messy Middle? with Katie Hunt

07 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

215 | Growing a Multi-Faceted Business while Managing a Chronic Illness with Morgan Swank, Morgan Swank Studio

31 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The challenges of running a business can be numerous. For those living with chronic illness, there are even more nuances to navigate, especially when ...

214 | Leaving a Corporate Career with Desiree Perez, Paper Anchor

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 thi...

213 | 4 Ways To Increase Your Product Profit Margins With Katie Hunt

17 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 margin...

212 | The Art of Storytelling for Your Business with Michelle Knight, Brandmerry

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Storytelling is such a powerful way to connect with your customers. Our current and prospective customers want to know the people behind the brand, wh...

211 | Why She Hired a Graphic Designer to Create Her Product Line with Ashley Brown, Routine & Things

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 realiz...

From the Archives | Wholesale sales tools & sales reps with Kimberley Yurkiewicz, Crow & Canary

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kimberley is the New York sales representative for Crow + Canary.  During her 15+ year career in the stationery industry, Kimberley has worked at Cra...

From the Archives | How to create a wholesale resource page with Katie Hunt

20 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Katie Hunt, founder of Tradeshow Bootcamp dives deeper into how to create a wholesale resource section on your website, something she and Rhonda Warre...

From the Archives | Strategies for pitching wholesale buyers with Rebekah Tennis, Wild Ink Press

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rebekah Tennis is the founder of Wild Ink Press, a letterpress studio and retail storefront located in northern California. Rebekah started Wild Ink P...

From the Archives | The Hourly Rate of Exhibiting at a Trade Show with Katie Hunt

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends, when you're building your wholesale business there's no doubt that you'll be headed to trade shows to get your product out there and in f...

From the Archives | Product Diversification and Scaling Wholesale with Alex Gagne of Chez Gagne

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today on Proof to Product we're welcoming Paper Camp Alum, and founder of Chez Gagne, Alex Gagne! Alex attended our Paper Camp Conference back in Febr...

210 | How 2 Months on Tiktok Led to 40% Rise in Website Traffic & 25%+ Increase in Sales With Kyle Sommer, Sommer Letter Co

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dream with me for a moment: what could happen if you committed to posting daily on TikTok for 2 months straight? Could you perhaps significantly grow ...

209 | Should I Invest In an In-Person Trade Show Right Now with Katie Hunt

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Are in-person trade shows worth it right now? This is a question that came up in my community recently in my LABS group coaching call. Jodi, a member ...

208 | How winning the Minority Business Women's Grant fast forwarded her business with Tiffany Grimes, Posterity Paper

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Think back for a minute to April of 2020. We're all on lockdown from the pandemic and figuring out new routines and ways of life. Now, imagine that yo...

Welcome to Proof to Product

07 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Proof to Product takes you behind the scenes of growing a product-based business. Join us each week as our Paper Camp alumni, speakers and friends sha...

207 | Why She Closed Her Successful Business with Tammie Bennett, Show Up Society

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Closing one chapter and deciding to put an end to things is never easy. Whether that's discontinuing a product line that was close to your heart or ev...

206 | How Far You Have Come with Morgan Harper Nichols

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How often do you take a step back to look at and soak in the goodness of how far you've come? That's exactly what guest, Morgan Harper Nichols encoura...

205 | Three Positions to Hire For In Your Product Business with Katie Hunt

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Are you wearing all of the hats and juggling all of the balls in your business? That might be a sign that it's time to hire help and bring on support....

204 | Marketing Data Points We Should Focus On with Maureen Mwangi, Startward Consulting

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever taken a look at bigger brands or household products and considered, what are they doing that I could implement in my own business?  In ...

203 | How to Negotiate Licensing Contracts with Stacie Bloomfield, Gingiber

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! Considering additional revenue streams for your business? Ever thought about licensing? It's true that most of the seasoned product based...

202 | Community & Coaching in LABS with Janine Kwoh, Kwohtations & Christy Asper, Paper Baristas

29 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! The doors to Proof to Product LABS are wide open.  We are welcoming a new class to our community so on the podcast this week we wanted t...

201 | LABS Celebrates One Year with Madeline Hunt

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! This episode is a little different today. The roles were reversed and I was in the passenger seat as I was joined by my daughter, Madelin...

200 | The Most Common Thread Among Entrepreneurs (You Might Be Surprised!) with Katie Hunt

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! Can you believe that it's the 200th episode of the Proof to Product podcast? Quick confession: I've been stewing over this episode and wh...

199 | How to make your website diverse, inclusive & accessible with Myrna Daramy

13 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! In 2020, conversations around diversity, inclusion and equity rose to the forefront of conversations around how we're conducting business...

198 | Pinterest trends & best practices with Kate Ahl, Simple Pin Media

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! Are you ready to start getting more results from your Pinterest strategy? Then you'll love this conversation with guest, Kate Ahl. Kate i...

197 | 4 Virtual Roles to Hire in your E-Commerce Business with Katie Hunt

30 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! I recently sat down and had a conversation with Micala Quinn on her show, the Live Free Podcast to have a conversation about how virtual ...

196 | When should you outsource social media with Andréa Jones, OnlineDrea

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! How are you feeling about social media these days? Is it lighting you up? Does it leave you feeling heavy? I personally have been on both...

195 | Using Email Marketing to enhance your customer journey with Jessica Totillo Coster, Ecommerce Badassery

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! By now, you probably know that email marketing is very near and dear to my heart. It's a stronger marketing tool than any social media pl...

194 | Hiring Soon? Do this first with Katie Hunt

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I see how hard you have been working, but are not alone!  Today's episode is all about how to prepare for hiring help for your business. In this epis...

Special Edition | Paper Source Files for Bankruptcy

04 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I wanted to share this quick, informational episode on the recent announcement from Paper Source about them filing for bankruptcy on March 2, 2021. In...

193 | Creating paid memberships & communities with Joe Casabona

02 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! I know we can certainly all agree that if 2020 and 2021 have taught us anything it's that we need to get more creative and consider addit...

192 | Attracting a diverse audience with visual branding with Dana Kaye, Bouquet Stock Photo

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! If you've used stock photography, you may have noticed how difficult it can be to find diverse imagery. Enter Dana Kaye of Bouquet Stock ...

191 | Why Your Email List Is More Important Than Any Social Media Platform with Meera Kothand

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! Are you utilizing your email list to its full potential? If you aren't there yet then you're definitely going to want to tune into this e...

190 | 10 Lessons Learned Through 10 Years in Business with Katie Hunt

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! This week marks the 10 year business birthday of Proof to Product! It was 10 years ago that I opened up enrollment for my first program t...

189 | How Art Can Inspire Change and Positive Action in the World with Danielle Coke, Oh Happy Dani

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! I am so excited for today's interview with Danielle Coke of Oh Happy Dani. If you lived through the year of 2020 and are active on social...

188 | Providing Comfort for Grief and Loss Through Products with Janine Kwoh, Kwohtations

26 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! It's no secret that grief is hard. It comes with so many unexpected feelings and emotions.    My guest in this episode, Janine Kwoh, th...

187 | How should I follow-up after a wholesale order with Katie Hunt

19 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! We all know that follow up is a key part of the sales process. But what about after you've received and shipped the order? Should you fol...

186 | Ethical Sourcing with Christy Asper, Paper Baristas

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! Have you ever considered how the products you use on a day-to-day basis are made?    In this episode, I was joined by Christy Asper of ...

From the Archives | 167 | Marketing for Virtual Tradeshows with Katie Hunt

07 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hi Friends, Happy New Year!  This week on the podcast we're rerunning three of my top podcast episodes focused on sales & marketing for wholesale. If...

From the Archives | Katie Hunt talking all things wholesale on Creative Biz Rebellion

06 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hi Friends, Happy New Year!  This week on the podcast we're rerunning three of my top podcast episodes focused on sales & marketing for wholesale. If...

From the Archives | 144 | Coaching with Katie Hunt: When should I launch to wholesale?

05 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hi Friends, Happy New Year!  This week on the podcast we're rerunning three of my top podcast episodes focused on sales & marketing for wholesale. If...

185 | 4 Questions to Jump Start Your Strategy Planning with Katie Hunt

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! Have you started your 2021 strategy planning yet? This was a question that I asked my Proof to Product LABS community and 55% of people w...

184 | 18 Million Thanks with Juliana & Ryan Kissick, Good Juju Ink

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! You're in for a fun episode today. I have Juliana and Ryan Kissick on the show to chat about their business, Good Juju Ink. Juliana found...

183 | Selling Your Business with Mary Beth Storjohann, Workable Wealth

08 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! Today's episode was actually recorded in March of 2020 and given the topic, we didn't feel it was appropriate to air it when it was origi...

182 | How She Got 34,000 More Views on Her Website Using Pinterest with Rachel Ngom

01 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! I am really excited to be sharing the conversation I had with Rachel Ngom who is a business and lead generation expert. Rachel has a supe...

181 | 6 ways to sell physical products with Katie Hunt

24 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey friends! Last week I got an email asking, "Do people really make money selling paper products and gift items?" I was floored! Based on the latest ...