Proof to Product

371 | Moving from 90% Wholesale to 90% Retail Revenue with Victoria Venturi, Paper Epiphanies [Part 1]

Dec 3, 2024

Victoria Venturi, Founder and CEO of Paper Epiphanies, has transformed her greeting card company into a global brand. She discusses her shift from 90% wholesale to 90% retail revenue, revealing the challenges she faced during the pandemic. Victoria emphasizes the importance of customer feedback and community connections in retail. She also candidly addresses the emotional struggles of entrepreneurship, particularly in the age of social media, and stresses the need for transparency about both successes and hardships.

26:13

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Victoria Venturi

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Quick takeaways

Victoria successfully transitioned from 90% wholesale to 90% retail revenue, emphasizing direct consumer engagement for increased visibility.

The operational challenges of shifting to retail included mindset changes within staff and adapting systems meant for wholesale processes.

Deep dives

Transition from Wholesale to Retail

Victoria Venturi, the founder of Paper Epiphanies, made a significant shift in her business model from primarily focusing on wholesale to developing a strong retail presence. Initially, her brand generated 90% of revenue through wholesale channels until the COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns about losing control over revenue streams. This scenario prompted her to explore retail, culminating in the opening of her flagship store in Portland and the unique opportunity to establish a boutique in Portland International Airport. Victoria’s insights highlight the importance of direct consumer engagement, which has not only diversified her revenue sources but also enhanced her brand’s visibility and customer interaction.

Intro

4min

From Wholesale to Retail: A Business Transformation

16min

The Hidden Struggles Behind Entrepreneurial Success

2min

Balancing Business Growth with Personal Responsibilities

2min

Identifying Your Financial Goals for Business Success

2min

Today's guest is Victoria Venturi, the founder and CEO of Paper Epiphanies, the coolest card store in the world. In less than a decade, Victoria has grown Paper Epiphanies from an idea into a global brand.

Paper Epiphanies, also affectionately called PiPH, opened its flagship concept store in 2021, and they are expanding into the aviation space. They opened their 1st airport boutique in the Portland International Airport earlier this year.

Prior to launching PiPH, Victoria was a marketing and publicity executive for over 10 years where she wrote and launched successful campaigns for agencies and television networks, and big brands, including Disney, Nickelodeon, Warner Brothers, American Idol, Glee, Hilton Hotels, and more.

Victoria attended Paper Camp way back in 2014, and she was a guest on the Proof of Product podcast for episode 19 which aired in 2017. In 2017, we caught up with what she was doing in the early days of her business, but it's been a minute. She's had a lot going on, and we had a lot to catch up on, so much so that I am breaking this interview into 2 parts.

Today is part 1, and Victoria is sharing how she moved from being a business that was driven 90% by wholesale revenue to a business driven by 90% retail revenue, and now how she's navigating her way back to finding that balance. Next week on episode 372, Victoria is going to share details about opening up her store in the Portland International Airport.

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!

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/371

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