News recently broke that Shopify was closing Handshake, its wholesale sales platform, and investing as a shareholder in Faire. Today’s episode is bringing you the news mixed in with a few of my thoughts on the topic. I will be doing a deeper analysis and sharing some research I’ve done within our LABS program - so definitely look for that if you’re one of our LABS members. As you listen today, please keep in mind that I have no ties to Shopify or Faire, other than I coach thousands of people who use both platforms daily. The opinions expressed today are mine based off of information I’ve read in the news, research I’ve conducted and my general thoughts as someone entrenched in the wholesale world. Today’s episode is brought to you by our free, on-demand wholesale audio series. In this audio series, I’ll walk you through the biggest mistakes and most common questions folks have when they are starting and scaling wholesale—so you don’t make the same mistakes myself and others did.  You can binge this audio series in less than an hour and you can listen on the go in your favorite podcast player.  No fluff here, just concrete action steps and answers to help you simplify and strengthen your wholesale sales.  SIGN UP You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/314  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp

314 | Shopify Invests in Faire. What this means for you with Katie Hunt

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

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Running a business sure is a roller coaster, isn't it? We have our ups and downs. We have to balance the future forecasting and envisioning while also putting out the day-to-day fires in front of us.  It takes a lot of grit and determination to be an entrepreneur, particularly when you're building something that aligns with your personal interests and values.  Today's guest is Tammie Bennett from the Show Up Society. Tammie is a certified mindset coach, podcaster, speaker, artist, and educator. She is obsessed with helping creators show up as themselves. For over 15 years, she has helped people accomplish more than they ever thought was possible by teaching them to feel safe in putting their work out into the world. On today's podcast episode, we're talking about normalizing the hard stuff and taking responsibility for our business decisions. We talk about not relying on platforms or algorithms or other people's opinions to drive our business decisions. And Tammie shares why everyone needs a did-it list instead of a to-do list. 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/344  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp

344 | Normalizing the Hard Stuff in Business with Tammie Bennett, Show Up Society

A wholesale catalog’s purpose is to sell your products, tell your story, and build a relationship with a buyer when you can’t be there with them in person. Ultimately, the goal of your wholesale catalog is to sell your products, and it’s important to build your catalog with your retailer in mind. Today I’m going to go through five quick tips for creating an effective wholesale catalog. 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 You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/343  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

343 | 5 Tips for Creating an Effective Wholesale Catalog with Katie Hunt

Have you ever wanted to make a transition in your business, but you resisted because the thing you wanted to move away from brought in the largest chunk of revenue for your business? I have definitely been there, and so has today's podcast guest.  Alyson O'Connor is a classically trained visual artist specializing in nature-inspired illustrations, stationery, and gifts. She runs Rust Belt Love with her husband Nick in Buffalo, New York. Alyson draws and designs, and Nick prints, often on their 100-year-old letterpresses. After closing their retail stationery during the pandemic, they launched their wholesale line of heart center greeting cards and gifts in 2021. Alyson made an even tougher decision to close the wedding arm of her business, which we'll talk about today. Rust Belt Love’s products can now be found in over 1,000 stores worldwide. Alyson is a Paper Camp alum and a member of my Advisory Board mastermind. She's an active member of the Greeting Card Association of America,and she's the committee chair of the industry's Louie Awards.  Today, we're talking about how Alyson pivoted away from a 14-year career making custom wedding invitations, and how she replaced her 6-figure custom revenue stream with ready-made products sold to the wholesale market. Alyson candidly discusses the transformation of her business model in response to the challenges that the pandemic brought on, including how and why she embraced a wholesale approach. This strategic shift wasn't just about business survival, though. It was also driven by a desire to regain control over her work-life balance, especially given the demands of family life. 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/342  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

342 | Replacing a 6-figure Revenue Stream with Ready-Made Products for Wholesale with Alyson O'Connor, Rust Belt Love

We are seeking 1,000 product-based business owners who are willing to anonymously share their details for the 2024 State of the Product Industry Report: www.prooftoproduct.com/2024survey   The data will help you make stronger decisions in your business. It will help you better understand the industry and your competition. It will help you identify growth opportunities. The results will benefit us all.  BUT... in order to make this report truly successful, we need you to do the following:   Fill out the State of Product Industry survey at prooftoproduct.com/2024survey Share the survey link with your product peers.  In exchange for your participation, we’ll share the report with you when it is ready. All physical product-based business owners are invited to apply. No brand is too big or too small. We want to hear from people making a wide range of products and in various stages of business. Thanks in advance for your participation and for sharing this opportunity with your product peers!

Bonus | State of Product Industry Survey

I love using the podcast to spotlight our different community members and their unique businesses and stories because we know that no two businesses are the same. We all have our lived experiences and interests that play into the types of businesses we create and how we choose to run these businesses each day. Today's guest is Paper Camp Alumni Priyanka Batra from My Darlin’, a colorful Brooklyn-based paper goods studio.  Through her work, she aims to romanticize everyday moments through a contemporary, but playful design aesthetic while simultaneously evoking a sense of nostalgia. Priyanka's line has grown steadily since 2019, and her products are now carried in more than 300 stores in the United States plus distribution in Australia.  On today's episode, Priyanka shares her love of fashion and how that influences her products, how growing up the daughter of immigrants influenced her career path, and she talks about overcoming imposter syndrome. We also talk about how she jumped into her first trade show too quickly with only 3 weeks to prepare and the lessons she learned the hard way in that experience. 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/341  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

314 | Shopify Invests in Faire. What this means for you with Katie Hunt

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