Proof to Product

Discover the latest insights from a comprehensive survey on the product industry. Rising costs and tariff changes are reshaping how brands operate. Delve into trends impacting revenue and team dynamics, as well as shifting consumer behaviors. The discussion highlights the necessity for businesses to pivot and adapt strategies in this fast-evolving landscape. With key data and real-world examples, this conversation offers valuable guidance for navigating current challenges and seizing future opportunities.

Do you have excess inventory that you have no idea how to move? On today's podcast, we have Melodie van der Baan, cofounder of Max Retail. It's a platform designed to help independent retailers and brands easily sell their excess inventory online.  During our conversation, Melodie shares how she started out as a sales rep, and then how she owned her own retail store in Palm Beach and how the challenges she faced with unsold inventory inspired the creation of Max Retail. She shares how Max Retail integrates seamlessly with popular sales platforms like Shopify, Square, and Lightspeed, and the innovative ways that it gives new life to seasonal or aged inventory through a vast network of e-commerce channels.  We also talk about the importance of inventory management, staying adaptable in uncertain markets, and why a strong partnership between brands and retailers is more crucial than ever. Today’s episode is brought to you by our Proof to Product LABS coaching program. This is a coaching program specifically built for product-based business owners, with members from across industries and across the globe. We have member-only events inside of LABS, so request your invitation to join below!  REQUEST YOUR INVITATION You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/391  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

Today's episode is an important and timely one. It is a conversation about resilience as small business owners and what we can do or how we navigate things when we are backed into a corner by forces outside of our control.  Our guest this week is Emily Ley. She is the founder of Simplified®, a wildly successful brand of planners and organizational tools that many of you know and love. She also happens to be one of our Paper Camp alumni.  You have seen Emily's products in Target, Walmart, Staples, and independent boutiques worldwide. But behind the scenes, like so many product-based business owners, Emily has been navigating massive shifts in things like the global supply chain, rising costs, and now devastating tariffs. Her company has paid more than $1,170,000 in tariffs since 2017. With the newly announced 150% tariffs as they stand as of recording this today.  She is facing over $1,000,000 more in fees this year alone, and Emily is not staying quiet.  Earlier this month, she filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump Administration, the first legal challenge to these unlawful tariffs, and she's doing it with the support of the New Civil Liberties Alliance. This is a huge moment, not just for her brand, Simplified®, but for every small business owner who relies on international manufacturing to keep their products on the shelves of stores and their teams paid.  In this episode, Emily and I discuss her journey from launching Simplified® in 2008, to finding the right manufacturing partners and, ultimately, becoming an unlikely but powerful advocate in the fight against these trade policies.  We also talk about the emotional toll that this takes, the behind-the-scenes fears and tough decisions, the support from her customers and community, and the risks that were involved in her taking a stand, again, not just for her business, but for all of ours.  Before we dive into today's episode, I want to say that if you are a product-based business owner and you're listening today and you are feeling the weight of these new tariffs, you are not alone. Inside our LABS community, we have been having real, honest conversations about how to navigate this, everything from raising prices to pausing production to exploring new manufacturing options. If you need support or strategy, or just a sounding board from people who truly understand what you're going through, LABS is here to help. You can learn more at prooftoproduct.com/labs.  You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/390  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp

With everything going on in the global economy right now, there have been a lot of discussions about price increases. It's been a hot topic in Paper Camp, in our LABS community, and even in my Advisory Board mastermind.  People are asking about how to raise their prices, if they should raise their prices, and also how to communicate those price increases with your customers, whether you're selling retail or wholesale. And it's a great and valid question. I understand why people are asking it right now. So I'm bringing back an episode that we aired in 2022. It's called How to Communicate Price Increases with Your Customers, and this is honestly more relevant now than when I first aired this episode. With increasing tariffs and practically everything getting more expensive, a majority of you will need to increase your prices. I want your businesses to survive for the long haul. I want you to thrive. I want you to be building a profitable business that will continue for a long time. Understanding when it's time to raise your prices and how to do that is going to be a critical piece for you maintaining your business. I hope you find this episode helpful. Today’s episode is brought to you by our Proof to Product LABS coaching program. This is a coaching program specifically built for product-based business owners, with members from across industries and across the globe. We have member-only events inside of LABS, so request your invitation to join below!  REQUEST YOUR INVITATION You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/389  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp

Zeba Parkar, the founder of Treleaf, shares her journey in crafting stunning laser-cut trellises while navigating the complexities of business funding. She discusses the pros and cons of leveraging debt for growth, highlighting strategic ways to use loans and grants. Zeba emphasizes the balance between spontaneity and planning when expanding through trade shows, and offers insights on effective cash flow management. This engaging chat reveals the importance of understanding financing options and the power of responsible borrowing for entrepreneurs.

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!  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS 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  

Heather Farris, founder of a Pinterest agency, shares her expertise in leveraging Pinterest for e-commerce growth. She delves into utilizing the Pinterest Trends tool for keyword insights and highlights common pitfalls brands encounter. The discussion taps into the impact of AI on user engagement and marketing strategies. Heather emphasizes the importance of blending organic and paid approaches, optimizing video content, and understanding audience behavior. She also offers actionable tips for maximizing Pinterest's potential to drive sales.

In this episode, Gloria Chou, an award-winning PR strategist and host of the Small Business PR Podcast, shares her insights on the power of public relations for small businesses. She highlights how PR can outperform traditional advertising and offers tips for crafting compelling media pitches. Gloria discusses strategies for year-round gift guides, emphasizing the importance of aligning with trends. She also introduces the CPR pitching method and provides advice on building relationships with journalists to enhance brand visibility.

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