Today we are diving into the questions every small product business is asking in mid November. Am I ready for Black Friday. Is it too late to plan. What should I focus on if I do not have much time. How do I reengage a quiet list. How do I stand out in a crowded inbox. And once the weekend is over, how do I turn those new customers into repeat buyers.

This episode is packed with practical, commercial advice to help you stay focused and profitable during the busiest season of the year.

I am joined by Sarah Mathias, founder of This Is Growth. I have long admired Sarah’s straight talking business advice and I am so excited to bring her to the podcast. Sarah helps product brands become more profitable and more memorable through smart, commercial marketing that brings the whole picture together. She blends brand, email, content, ads and conversion strategy in a way that feels clearer, more strategic and more doable for small product businesses.

If you have been feeling behind, overwhelmed or unsure where to put your energy, this episode will help you get focused fast.

00:00 Introduction and Black Friday Readiness

01:01 Meet Sarah Mathias: E-commerce Expert

02:29 Current State of Black Friday Preparations

04:19 Effective Last-Minute Strategies

07:12 The Power of Email Marketing

09:33 Consumer Behavior and Email Frequency

17:36 Alternative Black Friday Strategies

19:21 Value-Based Campaigns and Brand Perception

27:29 Big Brands vs. Small Businesses

30:07 The Genius of Brand Recruitment

31:13 Navigating Black Friday Dilemmas

33:26 Effective Email Marketing Strategies

37:39 Post-Black Friday Customer Retention

46:13 Planning and Organizing for Success

51:28 Final Thoughts and Workshop Invitation

What to do if you feel behind

What is still possible in mid November and what is not worth your time.

Where to focus when time is short

Why email is the fastest way to generate revenue and how to use segmentation to warm up your best buyers.

How to reengage a quiet email list

Who to email first, what to send, and why no one is judging you for going quiet.

How often you can email during Black Friday

Why most small brands send far too few emails, and why unsubscribes are not the problem people think they are.

What to do if you cannot offer a big discount

Alternative strategies that still convert, including bundles, gifts with purchase and value based messaging.

How to write subject lines that stand out

Why your subject line needs to be clear, bold and unmissable during Black Friday week.

How to turn new customers into repeat buyers

Why Q1 is critical for retention and the simple offers that bring customers back quickly.

Short term planning for December

Why gifting, last shipping dates and customer expectations matter more than you think.

What brands who are thriving right now have in common

Planning, simple strategy and a trading calendar that keeps everything moving.

Email your list. Email outperforms social at every turn in Q4 and most small brands are not emailing nearly enough.

Small Business Collaborative

Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

Sarah Mathias, This Is Growth

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisgrowthecom/

Website: https://www.thisisgrowth.co.uk/

If you are listening in real time, Sarah and I are hosting a free workshop together this week.

From One Time to Lifetime: How to turn your seasonal customers into returning customers

Date: Thursday 20 November

Time: 12 pm UK time

Register free: https://smallbusinesscollaborative.myflodesk.com/retention

You will learn:

• How to identify your highest value customers

• How to bring Q4 customers back quickly in Q1

• The key retention levers that work for small product brands

• A simple plan you can follow for the next three months

Come live if you can. It will be a practical, high value session.

Share a screenshot while you listen. If you are packing orders or making products, tag both of us on Instagram so we can cheer you on.

Thank you for listening to Let’s Talk Shop.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I’m joined by Anne-Claire Morel, International Marketing Manager at Faire, to uncover what’s trending in wholesale and retail buying ahead of Christmas 2025.

We dive into the data-driven insights behind what retailers are actually searching for and buying right now – from vintage Christmas décor and cosy classics to the rise of the “little treats” trend. Whether you’re a brand selling on Faire or looking to reach more stockists, this conversation will help you understand how buyers think, what’s performing well, and how to make your products easier to discover.

You’ll learn:

What’s driving Christmas 2025 wholesale trends

The top product categories and colour palettes performing on Faire

How to optimise your listings with keywords and filters

Why low minimum orders and seasonal refreshes matter

How to use Faire Direct and marketing tools to grow your wholesale sales

Perfect for product-based business owners, makers, illustrators, and designers who want to increase wholesale orders, attract more retail buyers, and plan a strong Q4 sales strategy.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction and Guest Welcome

02:10 – Overview of Faire and Its Role

02:56 – Defining and Identifying Trends

03:48 – Global Trends and Regional Differences

04:40 – Christmas Trends and Popular Products

07:02 – Little Treats Trend

10:48 – Using Filters and Keywords Effectively

15:57 – Faire Direct and Marketing Tools

18:00 – Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Download the Faire Forecast – the latest trend report for brands and retailers:

https://fairewholesaleinc.sjv.io/VxX7Pa

Retailers: Get 50% off your first order (up to £100) when you sign up via this link:

https://fairewholesaleinc.sjv.io/qzdYjN

Brands: Join Faire and start selling to more stockists:

https://fairewholesaleinc.sjv.io/19AJYx

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative

Learn more and work with me: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk

If you’ve ever wondered how to make wholesale work for your product business, this episode is for you.

In this behind-the-scenes look at Sales Growth Lab, I’m sharing real results from real brands including how they moved from feeling stuck and inconsistent to becoming confident, organised, and fully in control of their wholesale strategy.

You’ll hear stories from makers, illustrators, and designers who have:

Doubled or even quadrupled their stockists

Built repeatable systems for pitching and follow-up

Grown wholesale sales by up to 900%

Gained confidence at trade shows and in buyer conversations

Made wholesale the main part of their business

We’ll talk about what changed when they decided to give wholesale the attention it deserves, and why this shift is the key to building a more consistent, sustainable income from retail partnerships.

00:00 The real reason wholesale keeps getting pushed down your list

01:05 What Sales Growth Lab actually is and who it’s for

02:20 Kate from Factory Floor Jewels: from uncertainty to 50% wholesale growth

03:45 Deb from Tall Order: from Etsy-dependent to confident seller with 900% sales growth

05:10 Sarah from Little Black Cat: 20 to 300 stockists in under three years

07:00 Antje from Soloko: finding structure, clarity, and confidence in outreach

08:35 Kate from It’s Our Planet Too: finally giving wholesale the focus it deserves

09:45 Catherine, Elizabeth, and Charlotte: doubling, tripling, and finding consistency

11:10 What really makes Sales Growth Lab different

13:00 Final reflections and what happens when you give wholesale the attention it deserves

14:00 How to apply and take your wholesale growth seriously

Ready to give wholesale the attention it deserves?

Apply now for Sales Growth Lab or book a free discovery call to see if it’s the right fit for you.

Apply to Sales Growth Lab → https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/sales-growth-lab

Book a Free Discovery Call →

https://tidycal.com/smallbusinesscollaborative/sgl

If your Instagram strategy is not converting, your SEO is not bringing sales, and your email marketing feels pointless, this episode is for you.

I am Therese Oertenblad, founder of Small Business Collaborative and host of Let’s Talk Shop. After 17 years in the home and gift industry, I have seen hundreds of product businesses struggle with the same cycle: chasing one marketing strategy after another without ever building consistent sales.

Here is the truth that no one talks about. None of those strategies will work until you can sell.

In this episode, I share:

Why marketing strategies fall flat without sales skills

How selling actually teaches you what buyers want

The mindset shift that makes selling feel natural, not pushy

The ripple effect of mastering sales on your content, emails, and website

How Sales Growth Lab helps you build a repeatable wholesale system

Applications are open now.

Apply here: Sales Growth Lab

Watch the behind-the-scenes walkthrough video: Sales Growth Lab Walkthrough

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction: Why Your Marketing Strategies Aren’t Working

00:13 Meet Therese: Your Guide to Wholesale Success

00:50 The Problem with Constant Learning and No Sales

01:51 The Importance of Learning How to Sell

03:14 Overcoming the Fear of Selling

03:52 The Benefits of Mastering Sales

04:27 Introducing Sales Growth Lab

04:48 Taking Action: The Key to Success

05:45 Sales Growth Lab: What You Will Learn

06:43 How to Apply and Join the Community

07:14 Conclusion: Take the Next Step

You’ve already sold to shops. Maybe you’ve got a handful of stockists, or you’ve had some one-off wholesale orders that felt exciting at the time. But now things feel inconsistent. Reorders are patchy, outreach slips to the bottom of the list, and wholesale doesn’t feel like the steady revenue stream you thought it would be.

If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you.

I’m Therese Oertenblad, founder of Small Business Collaborative and host of Let’s Talk Shop. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on Sales Growth Lab, my 12-month group programme designed to help product-based business owners grow their wholesale sales in a clear, structured, and sustainable way.

You’ll learn:

What Sales Growth Lab actually is and how it works

Who the programme is for (and who it’s not for)

Why wholesale often feels unpredictable and how to fix that

The results and transformations past students have achieved

The role of community, accountability, and feedback in building wholesale momentum

Applications are open now.

Apply here: Sales Growth Lab

Watch the behind-the-scenes walkthrough video: Sales Growth Lab Walkthrough

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:15 Who Sales Growth Lab is for

04:30 What Sales Growth Lab includes

09:10 Student results and transformations

12:40 The community and ongoing support

16:20 How to apply and next steps

Catherine, founder of Moonshine Candle Co in the Orkney Islands, shares how she grew from roughly 30 stockists to 60+ in just a year. We talk about elevating her brand, smart risks like custom screen-printed bottles, what trade shows really do for a small brand, how consistent follow up turns maybes into orders, and the systems that let her take a three-week trip in November without derailing Christmas.

Catherine — Moonshine Candle Co

Design-led home fragrance inspired by the wild beauty and calm moments of island living. Small-batch candles, diffusers, wax melts, organic soaps, and those much-loved car perfumes.

The brand refresh that unlocked confidence to pitch and sell

Taking a calculated risk on custom packaging and why it paid off

Trade shows as insight and relationship builders, not just order days

Faire optimisation, email pitching, and the power of follow up

Prepping for time off in peak season with wholesale systems

Growing beyond the local market and thinking seasons ahead

Simple POS that helps retailers merchandise and sell more

Reorders, relationship building, and why silence is not a no

Website: moonshinecandleco.com

Instagram: @moonshinecandleco

Faire Direct: https://moonshinecandleco.faire.com

📍 Upcoming Workshop

I’m hosting a free workshop on Wednesday 24th September at 11:00 AM UK time called Cracking Christmas. It’s all about creating your sales plan for the final quarter of the year so you can really smash your wholesale. Sign-up here.

Catherine is part of my program Sales Growth Lab, and doors will open again right after the workshop. Attendees get first access on the 24th before it opens up to everyone else on the 25th.

👉 Find out more about Sales Growth Lab here

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

03:00 Catherine’s Business Journey

07:00 Branding and Wholesale Growth

12:00 Challenges and Risks in Business

17:00 Trade Shows and Expanding Reach

23:00 Preparing for Time Off

28:00 Building Relationships with Stockists

34:00 Future Plans and Product Development

40:00 Proudest Moments and Final Thoughts

45:00 Conclusion and Upcoming Workshop

Are you relying only on emails, Faire, or Instagram to grow your wholesale sales? In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I’m sharing why traditional sales skills are making a big comeback - and why buyers are craving human connection more than ever.

I’ll walk you through what I’m seeing in the home and gift industry right now, and how you can use simple, old-school sales actions to stand out from the noise, win more stockists, and build repeat wholesale orders.

00:00 – Introduction: Why traditional sales skills matter today

01:12 – What sales looked like when I started in 2008 (fax orders, handwritten notes, manageable inboxes)

03:05 – How digital has changed wholesale sales and why buyers feel overwhelmed

04:32 – Why trade shows feel quieter - and what buyers are really looking for

06:15 – The comeback of human connection in wholesale

07:48 – BookTok, physical books, and what this trend teaches us about selling wholesale

09:10 – The emotional side of sales: trust, familiarity, and connection

11:22 – Handwritten notes, catalogues, and why they still work

13:04 – Curated pop-ups, markets, and the rise of experiential retail

15:37 – What Korea teaches us about retail theatre and brand activations

18:45 – How UK farm shops, garden centres, and big destinations use small brands to drive discovery

21:12 – Examples of activations: Molly Mae’s coffee van, Jellycat pop-ups, and why they work

23:08 – Action steps: how to bring a more human touch to your wholesale sales this week

25:00 – Invitation to Cracking Christmas free workshop on 24th September

26:10 – How Sales Growth Lab can help you build a repeatable wholesale system

Why buyers are overwhelmed by digital pitches and inbox clutter

How traditional sales actions like handwritten notes, phone calls, and catalogues can cut through

Examples of curated pop-ups, markets, and brand activations shaping retail trends

The emotional side of wholesale sales - why trust, familiarity, and human connection drive orders

Practical ways to blend modern sales tools with personal, relationship-driven wholesale strategy

On 24th September, I’m hosting a free live workshop called Cracking Christmas: Build Your Sales Plan for Your Best Q4 Yet. We’ll map out 5 proven moves to boost your wholesale sales, reconnect with buyers, and finish the year strong. Sign up here

If you’re ready to stop relying only on third-party platforms and finally create a wholesale sales system that works every single month, come and join me inside Sales Growth Lab.

Note: sorry about the sound quality in this episode, I will get better at recording in public.

00:00 Introduction: The Risks of Relying on Faire

If Faire disappeared tomorrow, would your wholesale sales stop too? It’s a confronting question, but one worth asking. In this episode, I explore why relying on one platform is risky and what you can do to create wholesale sales that feel steady and predictable.

01:35 Why Faire Feels Tempting

There’s no denying that Faire makes things easy. From streamlined admin to surprise orders, it can feel like wholesale is “working” without much effort. But this ease can create a false sense of security.

04:22 The Risks of Relying Solely on Faire

High commissions, shifting algorithms, crowded categories, and the reality that buyers belong to Faire, not you, all make it a fragile foundation to build your business on. When you don’t own the rules or the relationships, you’re leaving your future in someone else’s hands.

09:18 Building a Sustainable Wholesale Business

The strongest businesses combine platforms like Faire with direct relationships and systems. That means structured outreach, consistent follow-up, supporting your stockists, and building your own buyer list. With this foundation, your wholesale sales remain steady no matter what happens with Faire.

14:52 Invitation to Free Workshop

If this episode struck a chord, I’d love to invite you to my free workshop: Cracking Christmas – Build Your Sales Plan for Your Best Q4 Yet, happening online on 24th September. You’ll learn the exact steps to plan your wholesale sales for the busiest season, so you can finish 2025 strong and set yourself up for a thriving 2026. Sign up here.

16:30 Teaser for Next Episode

Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss next week’s episode: Why Traditional Sales Skills Are Not Dead. In a digital-first world, it’s the old-fashioned touches that are helping brands stand out.

Sign up for my free workshop: Cracking Christmas – Build Your Sales Plan for Your Best Q4 Yet (24th September)

Follow me on Instagram

Learn more about Sales Growth Lab

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I’m joined by illustrator and calligrapher Kate, the creative mind behind Peggy and Kate. Kate’s nostalgic, story-led cards, prints, and wrapping paper all begin as hand-painted illustrations, capturing the small glimmers of happiness in everyday life.

We talk about how she’s grown her wholesale to around 50 stockists, the reality of doing just one trade show a year, and why she’s never really felt “ready” – but started anyway. From learning the ropes at her first Top Drawer, to creating visual cues (including her “f*** it button”) to push through fear, Kate shares how imperfect action and small steps built her confidence and her brand.

If you’ve ever hesitated to pitch, felt vulnerable about sharing your work, or wondered whether you need to wait until you’re “ready” – Kate’s story will resonate. And if you want support to take bold action this season, make sure you join me for my free workshop Cracking Christmas: Build Your Sales Plan for Your Best Q4 Yet on Wednesday, 24th September at 11 AM UK time.

👉 Sign up here: smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/workshop

00:00 Welcome to Let’s Talk Shop

00:28 Meet Kate: The Illustrator Behind Peggy and Kate

01:02 Kate’s Journey into Illustration

01:57 Navigating Wholesale and Trade Shows

03:07 Starting the Business: Challenges and Learnings

07:56 The Evolution of Social Media and Marketing

08:56 Lessons from the First Trade Show

13:22 The Importance of Honesty and Learning on the Job

14:45 Overcoming Vulnerability in Sharing Work

14:54 Building Confidence Through Imperfect Action

15:54 The Power of Sharing Work in Progress

18:54 Visual Cues and Overcoming Fear

21:43 The Importance of Pushing Yourself

25:03 Starting Small in Wholesale

26:43 Proudest Moments in the Wholesale Journey

28:59 Where to Find and Buy My Work

Kate’s website: katepeggycronk.com

Follow Kate on Instagram: instagram.com/peggyandkate

Wholesale on Faire (direct link, no commission): faire.com/direct/peggyandkate

Sign up for Cracking Christmas: smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/workshop

My website: smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk

Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative

Over the weekend, my Instagram account was hit with thousands of spam followers and over 1,000 spam comments – right as I was gearing up to launch my free Cracking Christmas workshop.

In this short solo episode, I share:

What actually happened and how Meta responded (spoiler: not well)

Why the experience reminded me never to rely too heavily on one channel

The importance of owning and nurturing your own audience

What I’m doing differently for my launch – and why I’m not changing my big goal

If you’ve ever felt stuck depending on social media, or worried about what happens if things go wrong on a platform you don’t control, I think this will resonate.

And if you want to feel more confident and in control of your wholesale sales this Q4, join me for my free workshop:

🗓 Wednesday, 24th September

⏰ 11 AM UK time

Cracking Christmas: Build Your Sales Plan for Your Best Q4 Yet

Sign up here: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/workshop

00:00 Introduction: My Instagram Nightmare

00:49 The Spam Attack Unfolds

01:15 Meta’s Disappointing Response

01:48 The Emotional Impact of Spam Comments

02:29 Reflecting on Social Media

03:05 Support from the Community

03:42 Turning a Crisis into an Opportunity

04:08 Upcoming Workshop: Cracking Christmas

04:53 New Initiatives: Telegram Channel

05:37 Staying Resilient and Adapting

07:10 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

Sign up for Cracking Christmas:

https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/workshop

Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative

My website: smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk