Proof to Product

By Katie HuntBusiness Entrepreneurship Arts Design

Proof to Product episodes

July 21 450 | When Your Business Outgrows Its Space: Navigating Storage & Warehouse Options with Samantha Rubenstein, WareSpace & Jodi Kostelnik, The Neighborgoods
Today's conversation is for anyone who has ever looked around their home, their studio, or their storage unit and thought: “we officially have too much inventory and we are running out of space.”
Today we're talking about what happens when your business starts to outgrow your space and how to know when it might be time to make a move.
Whether you're currently packing orders from your dining room table, juggling multiple storage units, or debating if a warehouse or even a 3PL is the step for your business, then this episode is going to highlight some options for you.
I'm joined by two guests, returning guest Jodi Kostelnik of The Neighborgoods, who shares candidly about her experience moving from a multiple floor studio space into a warehouse space that was much better suited for supporting her team, her inventory and her business's growth.
Jodi is a longtime Proof to Product member and a Paper Camp alum, and she shares generously in this episode like she has before.
We're also joined by Samantha Rubenstein of WareSpace, a company creating flexible warehouse solutions that are specifically designed for small businesses and specifically designed for product brands that are shipping and storing inventory.
We talk about the operational bottlenecks that happen as a product brand grows, the shifts in mindset that come with investing more money in space and logistics, and the practical considerations around things like cost, logistics, staffing, and general scale.
One of the things I really appreciate about this conversation is that it highlights something I talk about a lot here on the podcast, that there is no one specific way to grow your business.
There's no one specific roadmap to follow for success. Different businesses need different solutions and have different challenges. Today's episode highlights what has worked for Jodi as she has grown.
I love that she's sharing the different things that she's done along the way to help her business grow even faster.
If you have been feeling squeezed by your current setup or you're wondering what's next in your stage of growth, what that might look like for your brand, then I think today's episode will give you a lot to think about.
If you would like to set up a tour of WareSpace locations in your city, head to http://prooftoproduct.com/warespace. Proof to Product listeners can get 2 months free rent when they sign a 12 month lease agreement if you use our link.
Today's episode is brought to you by our Is Wholesale Right for You workshop! This free 25 minute workshop will help you decide whether wholesale is a good next step for your specific business. After listening, two things will be true. You'll know whether you want to pursue wholesale for your product business, and you'll have the confidence and action steps to get started with wholesale. Sign up for the workshop today!
SIGN UP
You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/448
This episode contains affiliate links. You can view our affiliate disclaimer here.
Quick Links:
Free Wholesale Audio Series
Free Resources Library
Free Email Marketing for Product Makers
PTP LABS
Paper Camp
Mentioned in this episode:
Take the free quiz!
Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz
43 min
July 16 Quick Hit: What Are Some of the Biggest Benefits of Exhibiting at Trade Shows?
One pattern I've noticed time and time again after working with thousands of product brands across lots of different categories, is that while our products might be different or our tools and platforms might change, all of our core business foundations and fundamentals are not changing.
And that's exactly why I wanted to share this short clip from the archive, something that I think is worth revisiting because the takeaways still hold true today.
Maybe listening will spark an idea or help you take action on a decision that you've been sitting on. Really, the goal here is to help you take your next intentional step in business. That's what I want for you.
Enjoy this clip!
You can listen to the full episode here: http://prooftoproduct.com/256
Quick Links:
Free Wholesale Audio Series
Free Resources Library
Free Email Marketing for Product Makers
PTP LABS
Paper Camp
Mentioned in this episode:
Take the free quiz!
Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz
6 min
July 14449 | How to Get Wholesale Reorders From Retailers You Already Have with Katie Hunt
You have retailers sitting in your order history who bought from you six months ago and haven't heard from you since. Not because they were unhappy — because nobody followed up. Meanwhile you're on Instagram, tweaking your Faire shop, chasing people who've never bought anything. In this episode I make the case for rebalancing, and I give you three places to start.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why a 5% improvement in retention can move revenue 25–95% — and what that looks like with real numbers when you have 100 wholesale accounts
The difference between acquisition tactics and retention tactics, and why almost everyone's time and money is stacked on one side
Why retention lives and dies on data, and the one thing to centralize before you buy any software
What to audit in your customer journey — specifically the post-purchase stretch most brands leave empty
Why a welcome sequence is the highest-return place to start (4x more opens, up to 320% more revenue than a regular newsletter — and only 57% of product brands send one)
How I killed a six-month Pinterest contract based on the data, and where that money went instead

"Your next sale probably isn't from a stranger. It's probably someone who has already purchased from you and is waiting to hear from you again.""The customer journey does not end at checkout."
Ready to build the wholesale ecosystem behind all of this?
Paper Camp is our four-week coaching program where we work through your pricing, your wholesale catalog, buyer outreach, and the sales systems that bring orders in year-round. We open enrollment twice a year, and the waitlist gets first access to the seats.
SIGN UP FOR THE WAITLIST
You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/449
Quick Links:
Free Wholesale Audio Series
Free Resources Library
Free Email Marketing for Product Makers
PTP LABS
Paper Camp
Mentioned in this episode:
Take the free quiz!
Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz
23 min
July 09 Quick Hit: What Makes a Retailer Say No to Buying Your Product?
Today's episode is a short excerpt from a previous conversation I had with one of our amazing Paper Camp students.
I really love using this podcast to spotlight the incredible things that our students are doing because there is so much value in hearing how other product brands are navigating wholesale in real time.
These episodes are also a great reminder that there is no singular path to success when it comes to selling wholesale.
You get to decide what works best for you and your brand.
Today you're getting an inside look at how one brand does things which will surely spark ideas for you.
You can listen to the full episode with Ginger Diaz of Feliz Modern & Rancho Diaz here: http://prooftoproduct.com/303
Quick Links:
Free Wholesale Audio Series
Free Resources Library
Free Email Marketing for Product Makers
PTP LABS
Paper Camp
Mentioned in this episode:
Take the free quiz!
Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz
10 min
July 07 448 | How Many SKUs Should You Have with Katie Hunt
Today I want to talk about SKU numbers because a question that I often get asked is how many SKUs should I have before I start selling wholesale?
Unfortunately, the answer is it depends. Which I know you all want like a solid number and we do give some solid recommendations and guidance for like how much we want you to have in Paper Camp and also how many you should have before you start exhibiting at trade shows.
But I wanted to do this solo episode on the podcast about this topic because there is a lot of nuance and I want to break down what that nuance is and so you can apply it to your own business.
Today's episode is brought to you by our Paper Camp program. 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/448
Quick Links:
Free Wholesale Audio Series
Free Resources Library
Free Email Marketing for Product Makers
PTP LABS
Paper Camp
Mentioned in this episode:
Take the free quiz!
Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz
21 min
June 30 We're on Summer Break!
The Proof to Product team is practicing what we preach and we are going on summer break for the next two weeks! We will be back in your ears soon and we are so excited about our upcoming episodes!
In the meantime, we are gearing up for another round of our Paper Camp program which will start soon. We only run Paper Camp twice a year, so if you are wanting to learn how to start with wholesale, click here to join the waitlist (we sell out every time!). Have a great week and we'll see you soon!
Mentioned in this episode:
Take the free quiz!
Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz
3 min
June 25 Quick Hit: What Does Your Brand Story Have to Do With Wholesale Success?
Today's episode is a short excerpt from a previous conversation I had with one of our amazing Paper Camp students.
I really love using this podcast to spotlight the incredible things that our students are doing because there is so much value in hearing how other product brands are navigating wholesale in real time.
These episodes are also a great reminder that there is no singular path to success when it comes to selling wholesale.
You get to decide what works best for you and your brand.
Today you're getting an inside look at how one brand does things which will surely spark ideas for you.
You can listen to the full episode with Lauren te Velde of Paper Farm Press here: http://prooftoproduct.com/311
Quick Links:
Free Wholesale Audio Series
Free Resources Library
Free Email Marketing for Product Makers
PTP LABS
Paper Camp
Mentioned in this episode:
Take the free quiz!
Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz
10 min
June 23 447 | Embracing Change in Business & What It’s Like to Close Your Retail Shop with Audrey Woollen, Urbanic
This week I'm sitting down with returning guest Audrey Woollen of Urbanic and we're talking about navigating a huge business transition.
About a year ago, Audrey decided to close her retail shop and we'll talk about that today. Audrey opens up about the difficult decision it was to close after being open for nearly two decades.
We talk about the challenges and emotions of stepping away from something that you've built from the ground up.
We talk about hustle culture ane the process of rediscovering creativity and purpose outside of traditional business models.
We also talk about what she does and does not miss about running an in-person store, the pressures of being responsible for a large payroll, and the power of pausing to reflect on what you really want in both life and business.
Friends, if you are grappling with any sort of change, if you're feeling stuck or questioning your next move, then I really feel like this episode is kind of a permission slip to follow your intuition and to honor your evolving needs and really kind of just explore what's possible when you give yourself the space to grow.
This episode is brought to you by our Proof to Product LABS coaching program. We are doing something new coming up in LABS in July, it’s called CEO Week.
We're going to help you lock in your focus for Q3 and give you the steps you need to take immediate action on things that really have been requiring your attention for a while. We're going to push your business to the next level and we’d love to have you join us. We start in mid-July!
REQUEST YOUR INVITATION
You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/447
Quick Links:
Free Wholesale Audio Series
Free Resources Library
Free Email Marketing for Product Makers
PTP LABS
Paper Camp
Mentioned in this episode:
Take the free quiz!
Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz
34 min
June 18 Quick Hit: What Should I Do When I’m Not Motivated To Finish The Tasks I Need To Finish?
One pattern I've noticed time and time again after working with thousands of product brands across lots of different categories, is that while our products might be different or our tools and platforms might change, all of our core business foundations and fundamentals are not changing.
And that's exactly why I wanted to share this short clip from the archive, something that I think is worth revisiting because the takeaways still hold true today.
Maybe listening will spark an idea or help you take action on a decision that you've been sitting on. Really, the goal here is to help you take your next intentional step in business. That's what I want for you.
Enjoy this clip!
You can listen to the full episode with Skye Waterson of Unconventional Organisation here: http://prooftoproduct.com/396
Quick Links:
Free Wholesale Audio Series
Free Resources Library
Free Email Marketing for Product Makers
PTP LABS
Paper Camp
Mentioned in this episode:
Take the free quiz!
Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz
11 min
June 16 446 | How To Have a Successful First Wholesale Trade Show with Karen Sawyer-Meehan, Pier Six Press
Today's episode is a really practical conversation for anyone that is preparing for wholesale trade shows, especially if you're newer to exhibiting or you're trying to decide whether trade shows are the right next step for your business. I'm joined by Karen Sawyer-Meehan of Pier Six Press.
She is a longtime Proof to Product client, a seasoned trade show exhibitor, and also one of the co-chairs of the Noted trade show which is done through the Greeting Card Association.
In this episode, we're talking about what actually makes a booth stand out on the show floor, why product cohesion matters more than having a huge product line, how buyers are making snap decisions as they walk the aisles of a trade show, and why your trade show booth needs to communicate your brand point of view within seconds.
We also talk about booth setup, product placement, trade show etiquette, and how to make the most of those in person conversations without feeling like you're coming across as pushy or awkward. We also talk about how having a positive mindset when exhibiting at trade shows is absolutely critical.
There's a lot of tactical advice here packed into this episode, but also a lot of perspective around what it takes to build wholesale relationships over time and how trade shows are just one step in that journey.
It's an optional step, but it is one step that a lot of folks are taking and seeing success from.
Whether you're actively preparing for a show right now or starting to think about whether wholesale trade shows are for your future, I think you're going to get a lot from this conversation with Karen.
Today's episode is brought to you by our Is Wholesale Right for You private podcast! This free 12-part audio series will help you decide whether wholesale is a good next step for your specific business. After listening to this audio series (in less than an hour), two things will be true. You'll know whether you want to pursue wholesale for your product business, and you'll have the confidence and action steps to get started with wholesale. Sign up for the private podcast today!
SIGN UP
You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/446
Quick Links:
Free Wholesale Audio Series
Free Resources Library
Free Email Marketing for Product Makers
PTP LABS
Paper Camp
Mentioned in this episode:
Take the free quiz!
Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz
39 min

About Proof to Product

From the publisher's feed

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