Proof to Product

For full show notes and access to additional resources for this episode, visit: prooftoproduct.com/002

Sam Kramer, the head boss lady at Near Modern Disaster got her start in business in 2009 and amped things up in 2014 when she began selling wholesale, did her first trade show and she expanded her product line into greeting cards, mugs, notepads and enamel pins. On today's episode, Sam talks about her process for developing new products, the importance of releasing new products regularly and how working with sales reps has helped her scale her business. Sam attended Tradeshow Bootcamp's Paper Camp in 2013 prior to launching her wholesale program.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:

[01:30] Near Modern Disaster's story[03:00] Treating your business like a business[05:00] Realizing help was out there. She didn't have to grow this business alone.[07:00] Inspiration, design process & product development.[13:00] Expanding into new product categories.[16:30] Working with sales reps & building a partnership.[22:00] Getting on a regular release schedule.[24:30] Moving her business to a different state & how she prepped.[28:00] Near Modern Disaster in Buzzfeed.[31:30] What's next for Near Modern Disaster

KEY TAKE-AWAYS:

"I realized there were resources to help me. I didn't have to try and create this business by myself without help." - Sam Kramer

On product development: "you need to look at the numbers and make sure the margins are here." -Katie Hunt

"I've been scared to hire because that requires trusting others and delegating" - Sam Kramer

"You need to have your house in order before you start reaching out to reps." - Katie Hunt

"You need to keep things fresh for the buyers" - Sam Kramer

LINKS:

Paper Camp

Near Modern Disaster

Papillion Press

Fig. 2 Design

Buzzfeed

MEET SAM KRAMER:

Near Modern Disaster is a one-lady operation fronted by Sam Kramer. Sam has been working under the name since 1999 - and Near Modern Disaster has gone through many incarnations over the years. (It was a killer Geocities page back in the day.) Its current (and most memorable) form as a line of greeting cards has been around since January of 2009 when Sam posted her first Valentine's Day cards on Etsy. She initially touted the line as "cards for people you want to make out with" a sentiment that still stands.

Though 2009 was the initial start for the stationery line, it was more of a hobby than a business until 2014 - the year Near Modern Disaster debuted at the National Stationery Show in NYC. AKA the year shit got real.

Since 2014, Near Modern Disaster has grown from a line of greeting cards to a small gift line - adding different items over the years like notepads, coffee mugs, and enamel pins. You can now find Near Modern Disaster products in about 250 stores nationwide - and a dozen or so stores across Canada.

Website: nearmoderndisaster.com

Facebook: @moderndisaster

Instagram: @moderndisaster

Twitter: @moderndisaster

JOIN THE TSBC FAMILY:

Interested in learning more about launching or refining a wholesale line or exhibiting at trade shows? Join us for our Paper Camp conference this September in Los Angeles. Get more details and register at www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp

ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT:

Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by me, Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode.

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

For full show notes and access to additional resources for this episode, visit: prooftoproduct.com/001

Jen Pham-Corbett and Lisa Towns, the founders of Farewell Paperie attended Tradeshow Bootcamp's very first Paper Camp conference in 2012, when it was just a handful of us sitting around on the living room floor of a bed and breakfast, and since then, they've had a ton of growth in their business. They've exhibited shows, expanded their product line. They've hired a team, and they've worked with sales reps. They've also been TSBC speakers for the last few years. These ladies are super smart business women and fantastic mentors to others in the creative field.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:

[01:30] Farewell Paperie's story[05:00] Moving from custom work to off the shelf products[06:30] Launching to wholesale & reaching out to retailers[10:30] Exhibiting at their first trade show, SF Gift[11:30] Taking risks in business. When to jump and when to get to work[13:30] Product development strategies and deciding which ideas to move forward. Missteps made in the process.[19:30] Expanding beyond paper products into party ware.[23:30] Organic growth and creating a cohesive line.[24:30] Tips for managing a team & how Jen & Lisa knew it was time to hire.[31:00] Employee manuals & team systems.[35:30] Benefits of having a business partner, leveraging each other's strengths & splitting responsibilities.[47:00] Exit strategies, legalities & business formation[50:00] Diversifying revenue streams

KEY TAKE-AWAYS:

"Jump in feet first, not head first." - Lisa Towns

On product development consider "is this the right price point that we can sell this, do we have the margins that we need, how much inventory can we handle" - Lisa Towns

"There's so much hesitation and fear of failure, that people hold themselves back." - Jen Pham-Corbett

"When you delegate parts of your business, it opens up things that can provide a much bigger return for the business." - Jen Pham-Corbett

"At the end of the day, each of our products passes through three or four sets of hands and we have to pay every single one of those sets of hands to do that, so we have to factor that into the costs. Looking at it that way has changed the way we develop our product completely." - Jen Pham-Corbett

"Sometimes there's stuff that we love to do and we totally want to do it but we just can't do it because we can't make the margins on it." - Jen Pham-Corbett

"We probably should have hired a long time before we did, but we resisted because we thought about how we can afford to bring someone on? - Jen Pham-Corbett

On business partnerships: "You have to want the same goals and you have to want the same things for your brand." - Jen Pham-Corbett

LINKS:

Paper Camp

National Stationery Show

Farewell Paperie's retail shop

Asana for proect management

Google Sites for operations manuals

MEET JEN & LISA:

Farewell Paperie is a letterpress and design studio in sunny Seattle, Washington. Since 2009, Lisa G. Towns and Jen Pham-Corbett have been serving up letterpress paper and entertainment goods with their signature smart snark style a little sassy and a lot of truth. Every design is meant to be a souvenir from life's little inside jokes.

On our fleet of antique printing presses, including a 1905 Chandler & Price named Bill, and two Heidelberg Windmills named Helga and Blanche, the Farewell Paperie team puts handmade love into pops of colorful typography and friendly messaging that feels like you're saying it in person.

The Farewell Paperie line is carried in over 700 retailers internationally, including Paper Source, Papyrus, Urban Outfitters, American Eagle, Powell's Books and more.

Website: www.farewellpaperie.com

Facebook: farewellpaperie

Instagram: @farewellpaperie

Pinterest: farewellpaperie

Twitter: @farewellpaperie

JOIN THE TSBC FAMILY:

Interested in learning more about launching or refining a wholesale line or exhibiting at trade shows? Join us for our Paper Camp conference this September in Los Angeles. Get more details and register at www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp

ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT:

Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by me, Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode.

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

Proof to Product is a Podcast taking you behind the scenes of product-based businesses that have built their brand from small online shops to selling through huge retailers and international boutiques like Target and Paper Source. Each week, business owners and industry experts share their struggles and successes as they've made difficult but critical transitions to grow their companies. You'll gather inspiration, discover new resources, and learn new ways of scaling your business. Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by founder, Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses by helping them up-level, scale and build profitable, sustainable companies. Find show notes and additional resources at prooftoproduct.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz