Let's talk money. Money is a necessity in business, but it can also be a pain point, particularly for product-based business owners because our investments, overhead, and risks are generally heightened compared to service-based businesses. 

We not only need to make money, but we also need to spend money for future expansion and growth. But where does that money come from? How are people doing this? We get this question a lot when we talk with our students. 

Many brands in our industry are self-funded, meaning that they use their own money for start-up costs and then they reinvest those revenues or profits back into the business. 

Another option is grants. We talked with Ashley Sutton of Hustle and Hope in episode 374 about how she has utilized grants to grow her business, and grants are funding that we do not need to pay back.

Today, we're gonna talk about leveraging debt and funding as a means to expand your business. I do not want to glorify going into debt for your business, but I do believe and know firsthand that there are responsible ways to leverage debt and essentially use other people's money for strategic growth within your business.

And that's why I asked Zeba Parkar from Treleaf to come back on the podcast. Zeba was on the podcast for episode 320, where we talked about the challenges she was facing in bringing a new product to life. 

She does these incredible laser cut trellises and modern plant accessories that she manufactures in-house in her studio and warehouse, and she has a whole team and a lot of equipment. 

Since then, she has expanded her business even more, and some of that has been done through funding from outside sources. 

Zeba and I catch up on what's been happening in her business since late 2023, since we last talked on the podcast, including how she did 13 trade shows in 2024. We discussed her approach to finding funding for her business and different loan options that she looked at, including Shopify Capital, and lines of credit options.

We also talked about hurdles that she came up against when she started applying for this type of funding and she shared things that she wished she had known before she started applying for different types of funding.

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.  

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You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/388 

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It has been almost one year since we conducted our 2024 State of the Product Industry survey, and we are back doing it again. So from now until April 11, our 2025 State of the Product Industry Survey is open, and we wanna hear from you and all of your physical product-based business owner friends. 

You can head to prooftoproduct.com/2025survey to share your responses with us, and I encourage you to do it sooner than later and then help to spread the word.

As a recap, in last year's survey, we found out a lot of information. We asked about annual revenue, take home pay, the revenue streams that people were utilizing, how much help people have within their business, tech tools that they use day in and day out, and so much more. 

Last year, we had 925 people respond, and this year, our goal is over 1,000 participants. We're going to dive into many of the same questions and topics that we tackled last year, and I want to do a year-over-year comparison of how things have shifted. 

We have also added new topics and questions based on some of your feedback, including how many people are full-time in their business or whether it's a side gig. 

We’re also asking whether the business is the primary source of revenue for the owner, how businesses are adjusting for tariffs and current economic conditions, whether sales are up or down compared to last year, plus future plans for sales, marketing, and operational strategies. 

Head to prooftoproduct.com/2025survey to take the 10-minute survey and please share with any other product-business owner friends! 

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Paper Camp

When should I release new products to the wholesale market, and how do I align my release cycles with wholesale buying seasons? 

I get these questions and more about product release cycles all of the time. In fact, this has been a hot topic in this round of Paper Camp, our coaching program about wholesale. 

If our Paper Camp students are asking about release cycles, I know that many of you have similar questions too. So we're going to talk about wholesale release cycles today on the podcast. 

Before we dive in, if you missed this round of Paper Camp, I highly recommend that you join the waitlist for the next round, which will run later this year. You can get on that waitlist at prooftoproduct.com/papercamp. 

Paper Camp is our wholesale coaching program where we teach you our four-part framework for building a profitable and sustainable wholesale business. 

Over the course of four weeks, we will ensure that you have your wholesale foundations in place, and we'll tackle growth strategies for your product line, your sales tools, wholesale marketing, and even trade shows.

Every week's lessons build upon the next, and we lay out clear milestones so that you know where to focus first, second, and third. Plus, we do weekly coaching calls, and you get to connect with other product creators in our class community. It's an incredible combination of coursework, coaching, and community that's truly built to help you thrive with wholesale. 

SIGN UP FOR THE WAITLIST

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/386 

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

It's been a minute since we've talked about Pinterest marketing here on the podcast, so I thought it was time that we revisit this topic. 

A lot has changed over the years with Pinterest, especially given the explosion of AI. So this week, Heather Farris is joining me on the podcast. She runs a Pinterest agency and education company. Heather has helped hundreds of creators on Pinterest grow their traffic and sales through both organic and paid Pinterest ads. 

During the episode, we talk about how to use the Pinterest trends tool, which helps you determine which keywords are and are not popular on the platform. We talk about missed opportunities that e-commerce brands make when it comes to Pinterest, how much time you should allocate to Pinterest marketing, and also how AI is affecting how people use Pinterest and so much more.

This episode is brought to you by our Email Marketing For Product Makers guide. 49% of our customers want to hear from us consistently, yet, only a small percentage of product-based business owners are actively sending monthly emails to their customers.  

If you’ve struggled with what to say, when to send, or how to plan out your email marketing strategies, we’ve got just the tool for you. This tool and the optional training have helped hundreds of product makers plan out an entire year’s worth of emails.  And, the best part… they are creating templates that they can rinse & repeat year after year.  

DOWNLOAD NOW

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/385 

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

When you think of public relations or PR, what first comes to mind? Is it holiday gift guides, being on the Today Show? What if I told you that PR can often be more effective than social media or paid ads for boosting a business's credibility and visibility? That's exactly what today's guest is sharing. 

Gloria Chou is an award-winning PR strategist and the host of the top-rated Small Business PR Podcast. Known for her untraditional yet proven approach to PR, which makes visibility and access to media accessible for anyone, Gloria helps BIPOC and female founders get featured organically in top-tier media without needing PR connections or a large social media following. Her strategies have earned small businesses in nearly every industry over a billion organic views and features in outlets like The New York Times, Oprah's Favorite Things, Vogue, and Forbes without any pay-to-play options.

Gloria shares how to write a compelling pitch to the media, how to pitch and find gift guides that happen year-round, how to find the right journalist to pitch, and so much more.

Today's episode is brought to you by PrintsWell, who is a sponsor of our Paper Camp program. PrintsWell has helped stationers for thirty-five years grow their business with premium paper products, modern printing solutions, and best-in-class customer service. They have top-tier paper products at wholesale prices. They do branded drop shipping. They even have foil and white printing available and fast turnaround times. Our Paper Camp students receive an exclusive discount on PrintsWell service. You can learn more about PrintsWell services at http://printswell.com. 

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/384 

Quick Links:

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Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Today's guest is LABS member, Sarah Hart, the founder and creative director of Simply Curated, a home fragrance brand that has been in business for twelve years. Sarah also recently launched a sister brand called Hart and Co. 

In this episode, Sarah shares the origins of her candle and home fragrance business, including the pivotal moments and challenges that she faced along the way. She provides insight into the nuances of the candle industry and the unique hurdles that it presents, like seasonal fluctuations in demand and the importance of in-person customer experiences. 

Sarah also shares what it was like to launch a sister brand that ventures into new territory with a different aesthetic appeal and product approach. Sarah shares how she balances managing two thriving brands to really harness the power of social media in supplementing her business.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Digital Lizard, who is a sponsor of our Paper Camp program. Digital Lizard is a leading marketing company that offers a wide range of print, procurement, and creative production solutions, including digital and offset printing, sourcing, and logistics. 

All of our Paper Camp and our LABS students get access to a private Proof to Product print portal with Digital Lizard, where they get discounted rates on print services and a dedicated sales rep to help us with all of our project management. 

Many of our community members use Digital Lizard to print products, do their packaging, their catalogs, marketing materials, and more. Digital Lizard offers low minimum quantities and quick turnaround times which our community loves. So if you're looking for a new print partner, our community has great experiences working with Digital Lizard. You can learn more about Digital Lizard's capabilities and services online at digitallizard.com.

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/383 

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

I know we've been talking a lot about our wholesale coaching program, Paper Camp, which is where we are going to teach you everything you need to successfully sell wholesale. 

But today, I want to hand the mic over to four of our Paper Camp alumni to share their experiences. I'm calling this our “Before and After Paper Camp” series, where you can hear from real people who took our program. 

They came to Paper Camp. They actively participated, asked questions, and soaked up everything that there was to learn. Then they went home and did the hard work. And friends, their transformations are incredible. 

In this episode, you'll hear from:

• Janine Kwoh of Kwohtations | Follow on Instagram

• Jesse Regis of Virgins on Fire Candle Co | Follow on Instagram

• Carly Brenton of Paper Script | Follow on Instagram

• Amy Frazer of Keller Design Co | Follow on Instagram

Today's episode is brought to you by our Paper Camp program, which is now open for enrollment. 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. 

ENROLL NOW

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/382 

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

To successfully sell wholesale, you must focus on your product line first. If you do not have a product line that has a unique point of view, is priced right, and has strong profit margins, you'll have a difficult time when you start doing sales and marketing, particularly on the wholesale side. 

A strong product line is the foundation of a strong wholesale revenue stream, which is why we start every round of Paper Camp, our wholesale coaching program, helping everyone audit their product line. 

We want to ensure that your products are priced for profit and they meet industry standards. For seasoned wholesalers, we want to ensure that you're releasing new products when the market is primed to buy and that any new product categories that you're offering will fold well into your primary offerings. 

Now more than ever, it is easy to start a product-based business, but strategically growing a product-based business and selling those products to the wholesale market requires unique strategies, which is what we focus on and teach you in Paper Camp. 

Today's episode is an excerpt from a Paper Camp coaching call with Alex Gagné of Chez Gagné, who is also a speaker for this round of Paper Camp. She talks about her wholesale growth, product expansion, and she speaks candidly about the challenges and successes she's faced along the way. 

Today's episode is brought to you by our Paper Camp program, which is now open for enrollment. 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. 

ENROLL NOW

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/381 

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

How did you decide that it was time to start wholesaling for your business? This is one of my favorite questions to ask my coaching clients, our Paper Camp students, and even the guests here on this podcast. 

Even though there are a lot of similarities between our stories, everyone's journey is so incredibly different. 

In some cases, like mine, deciding to sell wholesale was a very intentional and deliberate choice. When I started my stationery business, I knew that wholesale would be the best business model for me and the life that I wanted to live. I had already dabbled in custom design, and I didn't really love it. I had an Etsy shop that was bringing in a decent volume of orders, but it felt like a slow grind, and they were smaller orders one by one. I was intrigued by wholesale, although I was also a little bit naive. The idea of selling in higher volume, building relationships with other business owners, that felt right for me, and it felt like that was right for the season of life that I was in at the time.

Today on the podcast, I want to share some of the biggest mistakes that I see new brands making when they enter the wholesale market.  I will also share our four-part wholesale framework that we teach during Paper Camp so that you can avoid making common mistakes and, ultimately, sell more of your products. 

Today's episode is brought to you by our Paper Camp program. The next round of Paper Camp is going to open for enrollment soon.

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/380 

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Hey, friend. I'm pulling an amazing episode from the archives with over 375 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 Paper Camp alumni, Brittany O'Brien's journey growing her stationery and gift company, Brittany Paige. In episode 258, Brittany shared how she scaled her wholesale program up to 500 accounts. That was a big milestone for her. In this replay episode, she shares what it was like expanding to 1,000 wholesale accounts, and now she's grown even beyond that.

Brittany has had such incredible growth, and I know her story has been inspiring for many of our listeners, which is why we are re-airing it today. 

Speaking of wholesale, we are gearing up for the next round of Paper Camp, our four-week coaching program that teaches you how to start and scale your wholesale program. We have coached more than 31,000 wholesale brands in this program and through our other programs, and these folks sell their products to retail stores worldwide. 

I'm talking about stores such as Target, Macy's, World Market, Starbucks, Anthropology, as well as independent retail shops all around the globe. 

PaperCamp is a live coaching program, meaning that you will have an opportunity to get all of your questions answered by me, our coaching team, and our guest mentors. You have support in PaperCamp that no other DIY courses or memberships can provide. 

Now if you want to learn how to get your products on the shelves of stores, click here to get on the waitlist. Our next round starts soon, and we do sell out every time!