In this episode of Better Merch… Better Marketing, Jade and Kirby cover three topics that every business should be thinking about right now.

First, they do a mid-year check-in and talk about why halftime is the perfect time to pause, evaluate, and adjust. Whether it’s merch projects, sales goals, or team performance, now is the time to make sure your second half is stronger than your first.

Then Jade shares some surprisingly insightful (and funny) lessons from her pregnancy journey so far—and connects them back to marketing and business. This conversation is personal, honest, and packed with practical takeaways you might not expect.

Finally, they discuss the power of first impressions through packaging. The unboxing experience is one of the most overlooked marketing tools businesses have, and they break down why packaging can dramatically impact brand perception, customer experience, and loyalty.

They also feature this week’s Product of the Week: the Odyssey Soft Cover Spiral Journal.

If you want better ideas around branded merchandise, customer experience, packaging, and smarter marketing strategy, this episode is for you.