Proof to Product

Christina Stemble is the founder of Farmgirl Flowers, which she started 7 years ago from her living room table. She invested $49,000 of her personal savings to start the business and Farm Girl Flowers is projected to hit $23M in revenue for 2018.     Christina disrupted the floral industry with new options for consumers, less waste and higher quality products. Farmgirl Flower arrangements are designed by hand, in-house in San Francisco California.   On today’s episode, Christina is sharing why it is so important to know your numbers, the struggles of scaling and how she’s pivoted more times that she can count. We also talked about how she’s been proactive about business education and why she focuses on caring about people, but not what they think about her. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Her career background prior to starting Farmgirl Flowers The research that lead her to an e-commerce floral boutique How her business model has changed over the years The importance of knowing your numbers as an entrepreneur How she predicted numbers at the beginning of her business The advantages of pivoting often in your business Her attitude towards copycats The very first position Christina hired for & how adding team members impacted her business Farmgirl Flower’s marketing strategy What success looked like for Christina in the early days & what it looks like now How she learned business concepts Lessons Christina has learned as an entrepreneur The importance of focusing on team culture to avoid burn out Her advice for someone just starting out as an entrepreuneur What’s next for Farmgirl Flowers   KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “Younger consumers, it's not rocket science what they want. They want something that's beautiful, they want to feel like they weren't ripped off or robbed in the process. They want a good value for the money.” - Christina Stembel “There's 27 million new box companies or socks companies or toothbrush companies, but there's nobody that's reinvented this space yet, so let me see if I can be the one to do it.” - Christina Stembel “My goal from day one was to build a billion dollar company, and I have no qualms saying that.” - Christina Stembel “Everybody always asks if we're profitable. We have to be profitable.” - Christina Stembel “As an entrepreneur, you have to know your numbers. You have to know your forecast. You have to know your projections, and you have to go back and check them often.” - Christina Stembel “Our consumers are telling us what they like and don't like, and so listening to them, seeing what's selling, not selling, and then pivoting.” - Christina Stembel “Every two weeks, our company looks different than it did two weeks ago.” - Christina Stembel “I think the fact that we can change so quickly without any red tape allows us to ensure that we are a very healthy, financially healthy company.” - Christina Stembel “If everybody's making things that look strikingly similar to us and creating businesses that look strikingly similar to us, that means we're the best.” - Christina Stembel “I think part of the thing that makes us different and more special than our competitors, in my opinion, is that we have a heart.” - Christina Stembel “The number one thing that to me means that I'm being successful is that I don't run out of money.” - Christina Stembel “I think if we focus on building a business that we believe in, that has the core values that really mirror our own personal core values, then that'll breed success.” - Katie Hunt “You can learn anything you want just on the internet now.” - Christina Stembel “The number one thing that I've learned from it is that it doesn't matter if you make mistakes. The only thing that matters is that you get back up.” - Christina Stembel “Just because they say it doesn't make it true.” - Christina Stembel   CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA STEMBEL Website: http://www.farmgirlflowers.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FarmgirlFlowers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farmgirlflowers/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/farmgirlflowers/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/farmgirlflowers   SPECIAL OFFER: Proof to Product listeners get 3 free months of Gusto when they run their first payroll.  Go to www.gusto.com/proof for more information   What if you could sit in a room with 30 other product makers who are doing exactly what you’re doing -- building a business they love!  You could share resources, leverage each other’s experiences and learn from those who are where you want to be. Imagine the growth potential!   Join us March 14-15th in Los Angeles for our Paper Camp Conference.   Over 800 brands have attended Paper Camp.  Brands that sell to stores like Target, Paper Source, Container Store, Anthropologie and independent boutiques internationally.   This program is for you if you’re a stationery or gift company interested in selling wholesale, exhibiting at trade shows or looking to expand your outreach to wholesale customers.     We believe in the power of community, collaboration and sharing everything we know.  Get all the details and register at  www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by 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!

For our Thanksgiving break, we've lined up something special just for you.  We'll be airing two episodes I recorded with my friends Kelly and Caroline at Creative Biz Rebellion.   These ladies were kind enough to have me on their podcast, not just once, but twice. The first time we talked about all things wholesale, and then then invited me back to talk about trade shows. This week we're running both episodes over here on Proof to Product.   Big thanks to Kelly and Caroline for having me on their show.  If you’re not already familiar with Creative Biz Rebellion, go check it out. Kelly and Caroline do an amazing job of supporting product based businesses through their programs and podcast. They were also guests on Proof to Product — visit the links below to find them over at Creative Biz Rebellion and here on Proof to Product.   Links: Creative Biz Rebellion Proof to Product with Caroline Hull (Ep 45) Proof to Product with Kelly Parker Smith (Ep 56)   Have a wonderful week friends and thank you for listening to and supporting Proof to Product.  I’m so grateful for each and every one of you! What if you could sit in a room with 30 other product makers who are doing exactly what you’re doing -- building a business they love!  You could share resources, leverage each other’s experiences and learn from those who are where you want to be. Imagine the growth potential!   Join us March 14-15th in Los Angeles for our Paper Camp Conference.   Over 800 brands have attended Paper Camp.  Brands that sell to stores like Target, Paper Source, Container Store, Anthropologie and independent boutiques internationally.   This program is for you if you’re a stationery or gift company interested in selling wholesale, exhibiting at trade shows or looking to expand your outreach to wholesale customers.     We believe in the power of community, collaboration and sharing everything we know.  Get all the details and register at  www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by 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!

For our Thanksgiving break, we've lined up something special just for you.  We'll be airing two episodes I recorded with my friends Kelly and Caroline at Creative Biz Rebellion.   These ladies were kind enough to have me on their podcast, not just once, but twice. The first time we talked about all things wholesale, and then then invited me back to talk about trade shows. This week we're running both episodes over here on Proof to Product.   Big thanks to Kelly and Caroline for having me on their show.  If you’re not already familiar with Creative Biz Rebellion, go check it out. Kelly and Caroline do an amazing job of supporting product based businesses through their programs and podcast. They were also guests on Proof to Product — visit the links below to find them over at Creative Biz Rebellion and here on Proof to Product.   Links: Creative Biz Rebellion Proof to Product with Caroline Hull (Ep 45) Proof to Product with Kelly Parker Smith (Ep 56)   Have a wonderful week friends and thank you for listening to and supporting Proof to Product.  I’m so grateful for each and every one of you! What if you could sit in a room with 30 other product makers who are doing exactly what you’re doing -- building a business they love!  You could share resources, leverage each other’s experiences and learn from those who are where you want to be. Imagine the growth potential!   Join us March 14-15th in Los Angeles for our Paper Camp Conference.   Over 800 brands have attended Paper Camp.  Brands that sell to stores like Target, Paper Source, Container Store, Anthropologie and independent boutiques internationally.   This program is for you if you’re a stationery or gift company interested in selling wholesale, exhibiting at trade shows or looking to expand your outreach to wholesale customers.     We believe in the power of community, collaboration and sharing everything we know.  Get all the details and register at  www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by 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!

Alison Prince is an e-commerce expert and a woman on a mission. She is a business-savvy determined woman who knows how to create something amazing out of nothing. Over the last seven years, Allison has started eight e-commerce businesses, many of which are multi-million dollar brands. She’s sold everything from apparel to technology to household items — she’s sold everything under the sun — growing dollars into millions and pennies into thousands.   On today’s episode, we talk about how Allison built her deal of a day website and then leveraged best selling products to create their own site and brand.  She also shares how she leverages influencers to sell her product and why testing your product is the most important thing you can do in e-commerce. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Alison’s career background Why she left the classroom for entrepreneurship Her first experience selling products online The different types of products she has sold online & how she decides what to sell How & when she first introduced her daughters to entrepreneurship Where she is selling products The benefits of testing a product before investing in a large quantity What she does with overstock of products How she uses influencers in her marketing Alison’s tips on approaching influencers How she leverages discounts on her products The biggest driver of Alison’s success in business How she uses ClickFunnels & the success that she has had with it What’s next for Alison   KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “I started going to the library and checking out books and magazines on how people made money.” - Alison Prince “I realized the entrepreneur journey isn't a straight line. It is literally a rollercoaster ride, and if I got in, I'm going for that ride.” - Alison Prince “Remember the school teacher who was qualified for food stamps? Like, I had a multimillion-dollar business because I didn't give up.” - Alison Prince “I think that's where a lot of people can flub up, is they go and they buy a couple grand in product. Don't do that.” - Alison Prince “ I couldn't go and build a huge eCommerce site with a whole bunch of SKUs and a whole bunch of variations, because I literally could not afford to do that, so I could only put up one product a day.” - Alison Prince “Just test it. Buy a small amount, get a small amount, and then send out an email list. If it doesn't sell, that's fine; you've got Christmas presents for all your friends and family.” - Alison Prince “I think the reason why I succeeded is because I failed so much.” - Alison Prince “Don't be so confident and stuck in your head that you're not willing to test. You have to test your product, and then you can invest the money.” - Alison Prince “The key to success is a micro-influencer. Don't go after the big guys.” - Alison Prince “The more engagement you can have, the better results you're going to have. It's not about the numbers anymore; it's all about community.” - Alison Prince “I have to make sure my product's good, I have to make sure my pricing's good, I've got to make sure it will convert, because an influencer can drive traffic, but it's up to you to make sure that you've got a good offer.” - Alison Prince “I love discounts because it helps me to control my lifestyle.” - Alison Prince “I feel like you can create a Black Friday special any day of the year.” - Alison Prince “I'm not afraid to test. I'm not afraid to fail. I'm not afraid to be a hot mess, because that's just who I am, right?” - Alison Prince “With ClickFunnels, you can put blinders on your customers to help them focus.” - Alison Prince “We don't have to go out and get big huge bank loans anymore. We don't have to have brick and mortar, we don't have to go to China anymore to manufacture our products. We've got technology, we've got the Internet right here in our hands to be able to use.” - Alison Prince   ‘My heart is in watching others succeed.” - Alison Prince   CONNECT WITH ALISON PRINCE Website: https://www.alisonjprince.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/becauseicanclan/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisonjprince/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIRyTXZMYxyyhB8VTpthLpw   LINKS Shopify ClickFunnels PickYourPlum PTP Episode 067 | Don Hejny, Nerdwax Nerdwax Fiverr Because I Can Clan     What if you could sit in a room with 30 other product makers who are doing exactly what you’re doing -- building a business they love!  You could share resources, leverage each other’s experiences and learn from those who are where you want to be. Imagine the growth potential!   Join us March 14-15th in Los Angeles for our Paper Camp Conference.   Over 800 brands have attended Paper Camp.  Brands that sell to stores like Target, Paper Source, Container Store, Anthropologie and independent boutiques internationally.   This program is for you if you’re a stationery or gift company interested in selling wholesale, exhibiting at trade shows or looking to expand your outreach to wholesale customers.     We believe in the power of community, collaboration and sharing everything we know.  Get all the details and register at  www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by 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!

Taylor Elliott is the founder of Taylor Elliott Designs, a fun desk accessory and gift company. Taylor started this company as a side hustle while working a full-time job, but through a lot of hard work and persistence, she has grown this into a thriving gift company whose products are sold in more than 450 stores nationwide.   On today’s episode, Taylor talks about why she decided to use a fulfillment house to store and ship her products, what questions she asked when she was choosing a partner and what her priorities were for outsourcing this piece of her business. She also talks about how she’s brought on 40 sales reps and how working with them and attending markets with her reps has enhanced her business. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: The products Taylor Elliott Designs offer How Taylor originally started her business as a side hustle while working a full-time job How her product offerings have evolved over the years What systems she has in place to streamline both the retail and wholesale arms of her business Why she decided to outsource her shipping to a fulfillment house How she found the fulfillment house she is currently working with The questions she asked during the process of finding a fulfillment house How pricing works for a third party warehouse The time that she saves by outsourcing her shipping How she found the 40 sales reps that she is working with How going to market with her sales reps has enhanced her business and her reach to new wholesale accounts The upfront cost of working with 40 sales reps and how she determined it was worth it How she nurtures relationships with her sales reps & the tools she provides them with Taylor’s advice for someone just starting out in a product-based business What’s next for Taylor Elliott Designs KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “I started with my laptop and an inkjet printer from college, and I started making customized stationery on Etsy.” - Taylor Elliott “It was a nights and weekends hustled for quite a while until it wasn't, and it became my full-time job.” - Taylor Elliott “I've tried very hard to keep true to me and what I love, and I've tried to stay true to the bright colors and very upbeat and motivational products.” - Taylor Elliott “ I really try to work smarter and not harder, and one of the ways that have streamlined my process is by outsourcing all of my shipping to a third party fulfillment house.” - Taylor Elliott “It was also very important to me that they handled my products with care. My brand is very girly and it's very fun, we package a lot of our products in hot pink bubble mailers.” - Taylor Elliott “In general, the more simple the pricing is, the more I liked the warehouses. If it was just easy and clear to understand.” - Taylor Elliott “I think as a small business, that's one of the things that help set me apart from much larger businesses is that we're able to be so efficient and so quick.” - Taylor Elliott “We calculated it right after we transitioned to the fulfillment house and it saves me about 25 hours a week.” - Taylor Elliott “I really feel like by outsourcing fulfillment that that has really allowed me to work on the business and not as much in the business.” - Taylor Elliott “I love how Instagram, it's a great market for selling things, but it's also a great way to connect with other people in the industry whether it's buyers, or reps, or even just colleagues.” - Katie Hunt “Market is an amazing exposure especially like these gift markets, there are so much foot traffic. During markets, wholesalers are looking to buy, they're looking for new brands to bring into their store, they're looking for new products.” - Taylor Elliott “Attending market and working with rep groups has helped me grow my wholesale business so much.” - Taylor Elliott “Don't go into debt buying the fancy stuff, you don't need it.” - Taylor Elliott “You have to keep showing up. Consistency is one of the most important things in starting a business.” - Taylor Elliott “Very rarely does opportunity come knocking, but you have to go out and make that opportunity for yourself.” - Taylor Elliott   CONNECT WITH TAYLOR ELLIOTT Website: http://www.taylorelliottdesigns.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taylorelliottdesigns/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorelliottdesigns/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tedesigns/   LINKS The E Myth by Michael Gerber     What if you could sit in a room with 30 other product makers who are doing exactly what you’re doing -- building a business they love!  You could share resources, leverage each other’s experiences and learn from those who are where you want to be. Imagine the growth potential!   Join us March 14-15th in Los Angeles for our Paper Camp Conference.   Over 800 brands have attended Paper Camp.  Brands that sell to stores like Target, Paper Source, Container Store, Anthropologie and independent boutiques internationally.   This program is for you if you’re a stationery or gift company interested in selling wholesale, exhibiting at trade shows or looking to expand your outreach to wholesale customers.     We believe in the power of community, collaboration and sharing everything we know.  Get all the details and register at  www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by 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!

TSBC Alum, Tanya Wheeless is the founder of Happy Grace and author of three workbooks on soulful living. She has leveraged her decades of experience as a CEO, senior executive in the NBA, and community leader to teach women how to live the good life while struggling to balance work and family.   In 2016, Tanya saw a need in the market for physical products that busy women could use daily to motivate and center themselves. With that, Happy Grace was born! She took all of her coaching goodness, combined it with her love of paper and created a beautiful line of guided journals, inspiration decks, lip balms and more. When she’s not working, you can find her traveling the globe with her husband and son.   On today’s episode, Tanya shares why she never wanted to be an entrepreneur, how she’s weaved both products and services into her business and why she prioritizes and invests in professional development. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How she became an entrepreneur when she didn’t originally want to be one The catalyst to starting her own business The first service she offered The physical products that Happy Grace offers Why design almost kept her from pursuing physical products What the design process is like for her products Tanya’s coaching services and how they have shifted over time The importance of wellness self-care Happy Grace’s new digital membership program Why it’s important for her to invest in professional development What Tanya finds most challenging about being an entrepreneur How she has updated her brand story Tanya’s advice for someone just getting started in a product-based business What’s next for Happy Grace KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “In my mind, I wanted to show up every day, know what I was supposed to do, know that the paycheck was going to be there, and have a ladder that I could climb because I'm all about climbing ladders.” - Tanya Wheeless “I can't figure out Asana. I can't do Trello. And you know what? We got through. We used Google Docs. We used Gmail. It was all fine.” - Tanya Wheeless “Timeout on the “shoulds” and really get clear about what you actually need, because I think every team's different, and I do not believe there's one way to do this whole entrepreneurship thing.” - Tanya Wheeless “Product's a whole different ballgame because I had to outlend a lot of money before I ever had anything to sell — designers, production, and my coaching funded that.” - Tanya Wheeless “We tend to think that there are two of us. There's work Katie, and then there's mom Katie, and there's not. There's just one Katie.” - Tanya Wheeless “It feels safe for people to hire a leadership coach or an executive coach but what I know most of us really need is more of that wellness self-care.” - Tanya Wheeless “Mental health, self-care, just being kind to ourselves is such an important facet for all of us regardless of whether we're an entrepreneur or not.” - Katie Hunt “It's okay to have your hands in multiple things until you find the thing that really excites you, and that you can make sustainable and fuel yourself financially as well as like in your heart.” - Katie Hunt “If you are a newbie, go to Paper Camp because the women and the men that you are going to meet, some of them will be at your level, but so many are going to be far ahead.” - Tanya Wheeless “There's so much value in being curious and learning about things that may be of interest to you because even finding out, "No, that's not for me," is incredibly valuable.” - Katie Hunt “One of the things that I did not appreciate when I started, Katie, was the importance of me and my brand, and people having a connection with who I was and what I was about.” - Tanya Wheeless “When people were exposed to me, when they got my personality, when they saw my passion what I was doing, they lined up to buy my product.” - Tanya Wheeless “Know that everyone started exactly where you started with an idea, with your computer, and with a hope that someday someone was going to send your card to someone for a meaningful birthday.” - Tanya Wheeless “Be patient with yourself because it's not as easy as everyone else is making it look.” - Tanya Wheeless   CONNECT WITH TANYA WHEELESS Website: http://www.happygrace.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyHappyGrace Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappygrace/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MyHappyGrace Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyHappyGrace   LINKS: The One Thing: https://amzn.to/2NNYj6E Essentialism: https://amzn.to/2wKR9ti Big Magic: https://amzn.to/2wH1ju8 Soul Pancake: http://soulpancake.com/ Funny or Die: https://www.funnyordie.com/ Indigo Faire: https://www.faire.com/ Pinners Conference: https://www.pinnersconference.com/ Magnolia: https://magnolia.com/ Digital Lizard: http://www.digitallizard.com/ PAPER CAMP What if you could sit in a room with 30 other product makers who are doing exactly what you’re doing -- building a business they love!  You could share resources, leverage each other’s experiences and learn from those who are where you want to be. Imagine the growth potential!   Join us March 14-15th in Los Angeles for our Paper Camp Conference.   Over 800 brands have attended Paper Camp.  Brands that sell to stores like Target, Paper Source, Container Store, Anthropologie and independent boutiques internationally.   This program is for you if you’re a stationery or gift company interested in selling wholesale, exhibiting at trade shows or looking to expand your outreach to wholesale customers.     We believe in the power of community, collaboration and sharing everything we know.  Get all the details and register at  www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by 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!

Kaye Putnam is a psychology-driven brand strategist for entrepreneurs. Through work with hundreds of clients from global brands to solo business owners, she developed The Clarity Code. She believes that when you have a clear brand, that your clients love and respect, they will be willing to pay premium prices for your work. Kaye believes that a strong brand gives you the clarity and confidence to scale your impact and income. When she’s not transforming brands, she’s exploring the world with her husband and two little ones. They love eating their way across their home of Naples, Italy.   On today’s episode, we talk about key components of a strong brand, how Kaye has created a location independent business and she shares a branding exercise that you can do right now! ON TODAY’S EPISODE: A misconception that online business owners have about branding How Kaye helps clients define their unique brand advantage How she works with companies to figure out their “why” and the meaning behind what they're doing What key components that go into creating a strong brand The common fears she sees among her clients The challenges Kaye faced early on in her business How her brand culture impacts her hiring decisions How moving every few years has impacted her business and how she works with her clients Kaye’s experience with transitions and how she handles things when they don’t go as planned The things Kaye tells people to take a look at first and foremost to strengthen their brand What’s next for Kaye KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “Instead of trying to mold your brand or mold your business into what you thinking that the market wants from you, it's actually much, much more productive to first figure out who you are at your best, at your strongest.” - Kaye Putnam “Let's name your strength so that you can step into it, and own it.” - Kaye Putnam “You want to build your brand on a truth not trend.” - Kaye Putnam “When you're building a brand, you're building a long-term relationship with your clients and customers.” - Kaye Putnam “It's a feedback loop where you're putting stuff out into the market, you're getting responses from the market, and then you're continually getting better and better being your brand.” - Kaye Putnam “Once we're consistent and cohesive and compelling, then people start to pay attention.” - Kaye Putnam “Scale has always been my arch nemesis, and it's actually where my focus is now.” - Kaye Putnam “Figure out what that higher order movement is behind your brand and that's what also gets your team really excited about building this bigger thing.” - Kaye Putnam “We've been traveling all over Europe for the last couple of years, two toddlers in tow, because this business is set up this way.” - Kaye Putnam “I've had times in my business where I'm really focusing on the business and then you also need to have times where you're really just focusing on life.” - Kaye Putnam “There's a lot to be said for building up your own website or creating the blog post because you own that space, it's not at the mercy of algorithms or Facebook rules or whatever it might be.” - Kaye Putnam “I think people are fearful of repelling people that aren't the right fit but really, it just enables you to take to the right people more clearly and speak to their needs better.” - Kaye Putnam CONNECT WITH KAYE PUTNAM Website: http://kayeputnam.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/marketingkaye Instagram: http://instagram.com/kayeputnam Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kayeputnam   LINKS Free Five Day Challenge: https://kayeputnam.com/miniclass BOOTH BLUEPRINT If you’re gearing up for trade show season and need help creating a beautiful booth that doesn’t break the bank, I want to invite you to my free masterclass.   I’m sharing my three secrets to maximize your trade show investment and keep wholesale orders coming in long after you trade show end.  To join me for this FREE workshop, head to www.theboothblueprint.com to register! SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by 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!

TSBC alum, Shelley Seguinot began her creative journey in 2013 when she opened I’m Inkpressed, a wholesale stationery company specializing in children’s products. As the paper industry evolved and she saw the digital market expanding, she adjusted her business to focused her effort on the art licensing world. She now licenses her art to various companies that put her work on a wide range of products.   On today’s episode, Shelley shares how she left a 20-year career in law enforcement to start her businesses. She tells us how she got her first licensing deal, fears she had when she first started licensing her art and why it’s so valuable to find mentors and community if licensing is something you want to pursue for your business. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Shelley’s career path prior to starting her stationery business How she knew she wanted to jump into her business full-time When she realized licensing was a potential revenue source for her Her first licensing deal The fears she had surrounding licensing her art The process of licensing artwork When she transitioned her business to solely licensing work How she makes it easier for people to see her work & the importance of seeking out companies for licensing opportunities The buying seasons for licensing art Whether she likes working within parameters or having freedom and flexibility in her work What a buyout is versus a limited buyout The industry standard price ranges Shelley’s favorite licensing project Her advice to someone just getting started in licensing The common misconceptions around licensing What’s next for Shelley KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “I just don't mind putting myself out there and speaking to people and just digging in and getting to the root of things.” - Shelley Seguinot “I saw a big change in the paper industry. Everything was starting to go digital.” - Shelley Seguinot “This affords me the opportunity to still make money while I'm mostly just producing art.” - Shelley Seguinot “For artists like myself who aren't represented by an agent, you really have to go out there and seek these companies.” - Shelley Seguinot “It's a lot of follow up. It's just about building a relationship, because there's a lot of artists and they have a lot of places where they can go and buy their art.” - Shelley Seguinot “I like freedom. I definitely like freedom because I have a color problem.” - Shelley Seguinot “Everyone has their own model and not everything's licensing. A lot of them just want to buy the art outright.” - Shelley Seguinot “Once you're in front of the customer, you really just have to wing it and come up with your own. You have to price out how attached you are to the art.” - Shelley Seguinot “I'm one of those diehard snail mail people, so I know that paper is where my heart is at. It's what gave me my start. So, designing greeting cards and designing invitations is still my passion.” - Shelley Seguinot “The best money you could ever spend if you're trying to make it in that industry is just get someone to give you professional advice.” - Shelley Seguinot “It takes a lot of research. It's a lot of making connections and building that community and finding people to guide you.” - Shelley Seguinot CONNECT WITH SHELLEY SEGUINOT Website: http://www.shelleyseguinot.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iminkpressed/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/shelleyseguinot   LINKS: Blueprint Ronnie Walter Shelley’s Skillshare Courses   BOOTH BLUEPRINT If you’re gearing up for trade show season and need help creating a beautiful booth that doesn’t break the bank, I want to invite you to my free masterclass.   I’m sharing my three secrets to maximize your trade show investment and keep wholesale orders coming in long after you trade show end.  To join me for this FREE workshop, head to www.theboothblueprint.com to register! SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by 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!

Elle Drouin is the founder of three businesses that she currently runs — wonderfelle MEDIA, Styled Stock Society and she’s the human behind @mochiandthecity. After several years working as the Director of Marketing & Digital Strategy for e-commerce businesses, Elle launched her own business to focus on helping other women build brands that are as profitable as they are pretty. Elle currently runs the Styled Stock Society, a stylish stock photography membership for women entrepreneurs, as well as works as a commercial photographer for beauty and lifestyle brands.   Elle’s dog Mochi is a 4 year old maltipoo model and influencer with over 100,000 Instagram followers. Elle and Mochi have been featured on Entrepreneur, CNBC, the Today Show, and a number of other media outlets. They’ve collaborated with brands like American Express, Disney, Google, and The Ritz-Carlton and also use their platform to raise awareness for organizations like the Humane Society and local shelters.   On today’s episode we talked about the benefits of using stock photography, strategies, processes and tools for streamlining social media and and why we need to focus on solving a problem as we build our products and services. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Her three business & what she does for each Her career path prior to becoming an entrepreneur The types of customers Styled Stock Society caters to How her customers are using her images and how she customizes her photos for specific brands and needs The aesthetic of her photos & collections When she realized that Styled Stock Society was going to be successful How Mochi became a social media influencer Mochi’s online persona How Elle came up with who Mochi’s ideal follower is The processes and programs Elle uses for social media scheduling Which social media platform has been the most profitable for Elle Her advice for entrepreneurs What’s next for Styled Stock Society & Mochi KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “I wanted to figure out a way that I could help people with their marketing that didn't involve me talking all-day long.” - Elle Drouin “You're solving a problem for these business owners that are wearing so many hats, and they just can't do all of these things themselves.” - Katie Hunt “There are a lot of different ways you can customize the photos to be more specific to your brand.” - Elle Drouin “One of the things that we try to do is have a lot of negative space in certain photos in our collections so that there is room if you have maybe a desktop that has a few different items on it. You could actually drop a product image in it so it would look like it's sitting on the desktop with the rest of the other things.” - Elle Drouin “The level of effort that I put into the business just makes so much more sense to me than all the time I was spending doing things that were more one-on-one versus one-to-many.” - Elle Drouin “Mochi is a very Cosmopolitan dog in New York. She dresses up. She goes out for cocktails. She's currently in the middle of a summer in the Hamptons.” - Elle Drouin “Similar to creating any other type of brand for business or your person, just really thought about who the people are that were following her at that point and decided to be more strategic about creating content specifically for them.” - Elle Drouin “It's less about her real life, because her real life is 90% napping, and more just like a fun, creative outlet and a way that we have found to connect with people all over the world.” - Elle Drouin “I would say 80% of the time, we are trying to create engaging content, trying to get to know our audience, trying to relate to them and find ways that we can help them. Then, that 20% is the more obvious promotional sales focus.” - Elle Drouin “I'm creating visual content and selling photos to people, so people are more likely to find me on visual platforms.” - Elle Drouin “Solve a problem. Don't start with an idea because it's just something that you want to do but really think about who you want to serve and how you're helping them.” - Elle Drouin “The types of content that you create, everything you put out there is going to be affected by your why and what you're just trying to do.” - Elle Drouin   CONNECT WITH ELLE DROUIN Website: https://elledrouin.com/   Elle's social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elledrouin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elledrouin/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/elledrouin/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/elledrouin Mochi’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mochiandthecity/   Styled Stock Society social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/styledstocksociety/   BOOTH BLUEPRINT If you’re gearing up for trade show season and need help creating a beautiful booth that doesn’t break the bank, I want to invite you to my free masterclass.   I’m sharing my three secrets to maximize your trade show investment and keep wholesale orders coming in long after you trade show end.  To join me for this FREE workshop, head to www.theboothblueprint.com to register! SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by 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!

This week is a special one in that we’re bringing you a series of episodes that closely mirror what we teach during our our signature Paper Camp program.   We’ve cut together some of our favorite episodes featuring our Tradeshow Bootcamp alumni and speakers where we discuss product development, sales strategies for wholesale and exhibiting at wholesale trade shows.   During this episode we hear from: Kimberley Yurkiewicz, Crow & Canary Katie Wilson, The Good Twin Rebekah Tennis, Wild Ink Press Rosanna Kvernmo, Iron Curtain Press Jeanette Champion-Fanning, Sweet Perversion   I hope these compilation episodes inspire you to push forward in your business, and if you need a helping hand we invite you to join us for the Paper Camp E-Course which starts next week.  It’s a four week course featuring live group coaching calls with me and some of my favorite guest experts including Kristen Ley of Thimblepress, Carina Murray of Crow & Canary, Rachael Hetzel from Pistachio Press and Heather Haynie of Rock Paper Scissors.  For more information head to http://www.tradeshowcamp.com/pce.  Registration closes on Friday and this is the last time Paper Camp will be offered in 2018!  Join us!     SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know!