Proof to Product

We're taking the next two weeks off for an end of summer break. While we’re gone, we’re bringing you four of our most popular episodes pulled from the archives.   I hand picked these episodes based on feedback in our Proof to Product Facebook group, emails I’ve received from listeners and convos I’ve had with all of you.   We hope you enjoy these episodes and learn something new!   Erin Ozer is the owner of Knot & Bow. Erin got her start on Etsy in 2010 and has had tremendous, but organic growth, over the last seven years. Her stationery, gift wrap and party goods can be found in more than 1500 retail shops around the world, including Paper Source, Anthropologie, Container Store, and Hallmark just to name a few. On this episode Erin talks about her humble beginnings, manufacturing challenges she experienced, and how she slowly but strategically added members to her team.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: [01:30] Building a business while staying home with the kids and with $200. [03:30] Starting on Etsy.[05:30] Adding new products to the line.[07:30] Utilizing customer feedback in product development.[09:30] Manufacturing challenges as Knot & Bow grew.[12:00] Picking & choosing which products to move forward with.[13:00] Expanding to wholesale.[15:30] Selling to Terrain -- her first wholesale order![17:00] Selling wholesale before doing trade shows[18:00] Working with Sales Reps[22:00] Hiring her first employee & growing her team[24:00] Hiring Process & having an operations manual[28:00] Knot & Bow retail shop & selling retail vs selling wholesale[30:00] What’s next for Knot & Bow KEY TAKE-AWAYS:   ‘It is always a challenge to bring new product to the market and be innovative in some way but you also have a budget and spatial constraints to take into account’ - Erin Ozer   “Housing 1000 greeting cards is one thing. Housing 1000 plates is a totally different thing.” -Erin Ozer   “The numbers can get really, really big with custom manufacturing sometimes and it can be tough when you're really small.” - Erin Ozer   “The wholesale side of our business grew pretty dramatically when we first signed with reps.” - Erin Ozer   MEET ERIN OZER: Knot & Bow is a line of simple and stylish paper goods and party supplies. Erin Ozer started the brand as a solo venture in 2010, inspired by simple gifts wrapped with kraft paper and twine. The line has developed to include a wide variety of paper goods and colorful party supplies, and is now sold at more than 1500 stores around the globe. Products are manufactured in the United States and assembled in Knot & Bow's Brooklyn studio. Knot & Bow also launched a flagship retail location in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn in late 2015.   Website: https://www.knotandbow.com/ Facebook: @knotandbow Instagram: @knotandbow Twitter: @knotandbow   JOIN THE TSBC FAMILY: Interested in learning more about launching or refining a wholesale line or exhibiting at trade shows?  Join us for our next Paper Camp conference 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 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.

We're taking the next two weeks off for an end of summer break. While we’re gone, we’re bringing you four of our most popular episodes pulled from the archives.   I hand picked these episodes based on feedback in our Proof to Product Facebook group, emails I’ve received from listeners and convos I’ve had with all of you.   We hope you enjoy these episodes and learn something new!   Kristen Ley is the sole owner and founder of Thimblepress, a lifestyle brand that focuses on creating products and experiences that make you smile and want to celebrate life's moments, big and small. Kristen created Thimblepress out of her garage in 2012 and the company has seen tremendous growth since then. She now has a team of 15 full-time and part time employees and the company occupies 7000 square feet that includes 2 brick and mortar retail locations. Kristen’s products are now sold in over 1500 retail stores internationally and she continuing to work with brands to create unique collaboration and partnership opportunities!  Kristen attended Tradeshow Bootcamp in 2013, prior to launching to the wholesale market. On today’s episode we’re talking about hiring from within, fostering a team environment, things to consider when entering professional partnerships and how she fell into business backwards.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: [01:00] Thimblepress’ story[02:00] Two ways to start a business: Intentionally or falling in backwards.[03:00] Naming Thimblpress[05:30] Making the jump to wholesale & googling what wholesale means.[08:00] HIring and growing the Thimblpress team & promoting from within.[12:30] Using partnerships & collaborations to diversify revenue streams[13:00] Setting clear expectations in partnerships with contracts.[15:30] Collaborating with Hallmark[17:00] Negotiating & protecting yourself when big brands want to work with you.[18:30] Transitions, shifting in business & what she credits her success to.[23:00] Kristen’s advice on product development and how she gathers new ideas.[26:00] Thimblepress’ social media tips, planning tools & how far out they schedule their posts.[33:30] Creating sub-brands to reach different markets[39:00] Taking a break from trade shows this year.   KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “I think there's two ways you start a company. You literally fall into it from a hobby or you start with a purpose of wanting to start a company.” - Kristen Ley “Sometimes our line is very eclectic and just all over the place. Honestly, that's my personality. I used to get really down and out about it. I was like, "Man, I wish I had a more cohesive look to all my products, like Megan Bellannion." I feel like she has a great cohesive look. I sat there one day and I thought, "You know what though? This is totally my personality." I'm wacky, and crazy, and weird. I love lots of color. I love drawing. I love painting. I love trying new things. Truly, this line is my personality come to life. Because I never wanted to ask for help, but I've learned how to now.” - Kristen Ley “We're very picky with all of our products and make sure they're the highest of quality standards.” - Kristen Ley   “I never want to stop learning and stop trying to make Thimblepress better. Because I think when you stop, you become complacent.” - Kristen Ley   Running a business can get very uncomfortable at times because you are making tough decisions that play into the longevity of the business, the sustainability of the business. If you’re not feeling a little uncomfortable in whatever you’re doing, then you’re doing something wrong. - Katie Hunt   “Your products need to solve a problem for your customer” -Katie Hunt   “Social media is intended to be social. It is a place to have conversations” -Katie Hunt   “You don’t need to do trade shows to have a successful wholesale line.” - Katie Hunt   “I’ve always done things how I wanted to do it.  March to the beat of my own drum and not let the industry decide for me.” -Kristen Ley   LINKS: Paper Camp Thimblpress ShopThimblepress for Target (the secret March release she alluded to!) Grum.co   MEET KRISTEN LEY: Kristen Ley is the sole owner and founder of Thimblepress®, a lifestyle brand that focuses on creating products and experiences that make you smile and want to celebrate life's moments, big and small. I created the company out of my garage in 2012 and since then have been going strong, growing my team, and continuing to develop products that I truly love. I create all the art for every single one of our products. Thimblepress now has a team of 15 full-time and part time team members, occupies 7000 square feet, has 2 brick and mortar retail locations, is sold in over 1500 retail stores and is continuing to work with other brands to create unique collaboration opportunities!   Website: thimblepress.com Facebook: @thimblepress Instagram: @thimblepress Pinterest: @thimblepress Twitter: @thimblepress   JOIN THE TSBC FAMILY: Interested in learning more about launching or refining a wholesale line or exhibiting at trade shows?  Join us for our next Paper Camp conference 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 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.

Johnny and Joanna are the husband-and-wife co-founders of Letterfolk, a contemporary American brand whose mission is to create meaningful products inspired by simpler times. Letterfolk started in June 2015 while the couple searched for a unique way to capture their daughter's monthly baby milestone photos. They designed a modern, versatile letter board that was tailored and repurposed for today's home. Letter boards are now a staple of social media art direction, home decor, and milestone photography.   As Letterfolk has grown, so has the brand vision and product offerings. Letterfolk products are proudly made in the United States with premium materials, craftsmanship, and processes.   On today’s episode we’re talking about how Johnny & Joanna reinvented the letter board market, their thoughts on copy cats and how they leverage social media to nurture their customers and share their company story. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: The most unique and interesting way they’ve ever seen a letter board used How Johnny & Joanna came up with the idea for Letterfolk The light bulb moment they had when they knew they wanted to create a business The original letter boards they started Letterfolk with When they decided to branch out into other product categories What Johnny & Joanna learned about wholesale and how not all of their products work as wholesale products How they nurture a strong community within their customers online How Johnny & Joanna  feel now vs. how they felt at the beginning when people started copying their products The way their vision for Letterfolk has changed as the company has grown Johnny & Joanna’s advice for someone just starting out in a product-based business What’s next for Letterfolk KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “It's so humbling to see our product involved in these life changing moments.” - Johnny Galbraith “To be honest, we were so in over our heads in the beginning with trying to keep up with demand that there was just no time for product development.” - Johnny Galbraith “If your margins don't work, if your pricing doesn't work, you don't have to sell everything you create to both the wholesale and the retail market.” - Katie Hunt “Words are our business.” - Johnny Galbraith “Johnny and I have tried to insert ourselves as part of the brand as well just so that people remember that it's a human brand. It's a brand that there are people who actually care who are buying it.” - Joanna Galbraith “It [copycats] started motivating us and making us just want to put blinders on and still move forward as a brand and figure out how we were going to become a lasting brand.” - Joanna Galbraith “We've got to move forward, we've got to build a brand that's bigger than letter boards and prove that we're more than a one hit wonder.” - Johnny Galbraith “It's given us pretty thick skin in this mentality that we should just expect that everything's going to be ripped off. So, how are we going to make it X times better from the outset so that when the knockoffs do come knocking, we'll already have a product differentiation right from the outset?” - Johnny Galbraith “Our focus is keeping our mission the same, but just broadening our product categories.” - Joanna Galbraith “I think it's a good test to say, "If I'm passionate enough about this product or this idea, then I will put in the hours when I don't have them.” If you don't, then I don't think you're passionate enough about it and you probably shouldn't quit your day job and just go full speed into the world of entrepreneurship.” - Johnny Galbraith   CONNECT WITH JOHNNY & JOANNA: Website:  https://letterfolk.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/letterfolk Instagram: https://instagram.com/letterfolk 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!

Kate Woodrow is the founder of Present Perfect, a full service literary agency serving clients from across the globe. Kate launched the agency in 2015 with the goal of advocating for artists and creatives in publishing and is recognized as an industry leader in design driven nonfiction work. Kate specializes in developing visually arresting books that offer a unique perspective across a wide range of topics, particularly art, lifestyle, personal growth, and anything with a practical bent.   Before becoming an agent, Kate was an acquisitions editor at Chronicle Books where her experience spanned 10 years and hundreds of books and gift products. Bringing that many projects from a simple brainstorm to the bookshelf gave Kate a keen sense of what makes a book commercially successful and how to be a professional collaborator.   On today's episode, we're talking about the process for finding an agent, how to create your pitch, and how to find the right publishers. If you have ever wanted to write a book or wondered what the process was like, this episode is for you. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: The misconceptions people have in regards to writing a book Kate’s career path & how she ended up starting her own business When she knew it was the right time to go out on her own Her role as a literary agent The benefits of an author hiring a literary agent and how to find one What Kate looks for when she is scouting artists to work with How she finds the right publishers for her clients What goes into a pitch A typical payment structure for an author & industry standards with regards to royalty percentages What’s next for Present Perfect KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “One of the hardest things about writing a book is the maintaining momentum and enthusiasm for the project across a really long period of time.” - Kate Woodrow “I had my first kid and I slowly started to realize that my priorities were shifting and that my dream had changed, so I needed to find something else to support my new dream and my new lifestyle.” - Kate Woodrow “I represent authors and artists and across the globe and help them get book deals. That's the main part of it, but the bigger picture is that I am their advocate and coach and guide and I help them navigate the very opaque world of publishing.” - Kate Woodrow “ I work with my clients to develop their book ideas and I sell them to major publishers and I help my clients strategically build their publishing career beyond just that one book idea.” - Kate Woodrow “Most often authors thank their agent in their acknowledgements so you can start compiling a list of the relevant agents who might have the category expertise that you're looking for and start targeting them.” - Kate Woodrow “The first step is finding an agent with the right category expertise.” - Kate Woodrow “Showing that you can thoughtfully articulate a specific book concept is going to go a long way in capturing the agent's attention.” - Kate Woodrow “When I send the proposal and that lands in an editor's inbox, I know she's going to open it right away and respond right away. Whereas if you're sending to a generic submissions, email address, not so much.” - Kate Woodrow “We feel putting together a very thoughtful, compelling vision from the get go is going to get you the best possible deal with the best possible publisher.” - Kate Woodrow “Publishers are really looking for authors who are motivated to help make the book a success and reach a wide audience.” - Kate Woodrow “An author should expect to get an advance in royalties. The advance is money that's paid up front and is the author's to keep, no matter if the publisher sells zero copies or a million copies.” - Kate Woodrow “One important thing about putting together a pitch for an agent or for a publisher is you want to look professional and polished, but don't feel the need that you need to figure everything out.” - Kate Woodrow “There are a lot of cooks in the kitchen developing the idea and to the strongest possible book, and so I think entering into it with truly a genuinely open mind about making the strongest book is going to set you up for success.” - Kate Woodrow   CONNECT WITH KATE: Website: http://presentperfectdept.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/presentperfectlit/ 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!

Don Hejny is the inventor of Nerdwax, a wax based product that keeps your glasses in place. Nerdwax was launched on Kickstarter in 2014 and featured on the hit television show Shark Tank the following year. Nerdwax is hand made in Nashville, TN and shipped all over the world. On today’s episode we talked about managing risk, running a debt free business and why Don strives to work smarter, not harder.    ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How Don came up with the idea for Nerdwax Starting a Kickstarter campaign & what his experience was with it The timeline for fulfilling orders after the Kickstarter campaign The importance of planning for success What the Shark Tank experience was like & what his goals were for it How they handled the influx of orders after their episode aired The infrastructure of Nerdwax & how they have approached scaling Why Don strives to work smarter, not harder Don’s priority to stay debt-free How Don creates a great customer experience Don’s advice for someone just starting out in a product-based business The fact that many entrepreneurs over-think things, especially at the beginning What’s next for Nerdwax When they decided to branch out into other product categories What Don has learned about himself through starting and growing Nerdwax KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “I thought if surfers use wax on their boards in the water, I bet I can make something like that for your glasses.” - Don Hejny “That's really the power of the internet, if you really put yourself out there, and you do it in a way where people get it, you can have that energy and it doesn't all have to be manufactured.” - Don Hejny “With the Kickstarter community if you tell your story, it's a community of people like you who have ideas, who love new ideas, who love adopting new ideas, and they're totally willing to take that risk with you, as long as it's a manageable risk.” - Don Hejny “The thing about Kickstarter though is, even though we pushed that deadline, if you are honest and open, and you keep people updated, and you keep people engaged, there's so much forgiveness within that community.” - Don Hejny “You can never mitigate risk entirely.” - Don Hejny “That was one of the most nerve wracking parts about Shark Tank is that you don't know what piece of that puzzle they're going to actually air.” - Don Hejny “Once we aired on Shark Tank, that episode, we had like $130,000 in sales. We did that in the weekend after we aired on Shark Tank. So, it was just like rocket ship.” - Don Hejny “One of the things that happens on Shark Tank all the time, is companies get this huge influx in orders, and then they just totally screw their people because they don't prep for it.” - Don Hejny “We've just DIYed it from the beginning, and stayed scrappy, and kept going within our means.” - Don Hejny “You're going to reach a point where you just can't throw more bodies at it. You can't throw more time at it. You can't throw more energy at it, you've got to work smarter. Then there's times where it's like, no, you’ve just got to put your shoulder down and just dig in and do some work.” - Don Hejny “Figure out how to create the business that allows you to have margin to grow more efficiently.” - Don Hejny “If you don't like it, you just let us know, we'll shoot you a refund, super easy.” - Don Hejny “If you can give yourself more margin, and you can assume positive intent, I think you can just treat people the way that you want to be retreated.” - Don Hejny “If you think you're going to make one thing and you don't have the resources for that, think, what could I make with what I have today, and how do I transition it into that?” - Don Hejny “Being four years into this, I've learned a lot to just fail quicker, don't drag things out. If it's not working, figure out a new path, and transition quicker.” - Don Hejny “When you're climbing the mountain, and all you see is the rocks in front of you, and all of you see as the challenges, and you got to turn around and look out once in a while.” - Don Hejny “If you're sitting out there trying to make waves in the ocean, you're never going to get anywhere. You have to wait for the wave to come.” - Don Hejny   CONNECT WITH DON: Website: http://www.nerdwax.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nerdwax Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nerdwax/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbqydh_ENh0SkU37Ka1Kc-Q Twitter: https://twitter.com/nerdwax LINKS: Episode 64 with Rosie of Sugarfina 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!   To learn more and register, head to https://tsbc.teachable.com/p/pce. I look forward to having you there! 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!

Brittney Lynn a PR and marketing strategist who works with online entrepreneurs worldwide. She's also the host of Day in the Life podcast. Brittney has nearly 10 years of experience working in the online marketing industry, and has a passion for helping others grow their reach, their revenue, and impact through strategic PR.   On today's episode of Proof to Product, we talked about the importance of building a brand story, how to find the right media opportunities for you, and strategies for gaining visibility for your brand. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: The type of work Brittney is doing & how she helps creative entrepreneurs Her career history & how she started her own PR business Why it’s important to know your story when you're reaching out to press How you can be leveraging your story in your marketing The biggest misconception about PR The steps creative entrepreneurs can take to make their products & services more visible An example of how honing in on your story & knowing your audience can lead to the perfect press mention What’s next for Brittney How PR is a long game & an ongoing process The importance of following up KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “This job, what I do right now, it just didn't really exist when I graduated.” - Brittney Lynn “About half the clients that I currently work with, they have worked with an agency in the past, and they felt like it wasn't a good use of money because they [the agency]  didn't really understand what the creative entrepreneur community was like.” - Brittney Lynn “You probably saw a need in the market, otherwise you wouldn't have created these products in the first place.” - Brittney Lynn “Humans relate more to stories than they do to a sales pitch.” - Brittney Lynn “Really strong stories and knowing who you are, who you serve, how your product stands out from your competitors -- that's gonna catch a journalist's eye, or a podcast host.” - Brittney Lynn “I'm always checking in and making sure that what we're doing from a PR perspective is in line with what your business's goals and mission is.” - Brittney Lynn “Most times when people are getting press. They're going after it.” - Brittney Lynn “It's the long game, so if you're not committed to really doing it and seeing it through, maybe you're not quite ready to do PR and press.” - Brittney Lynn “Follow up, please please follow up.” - Brittney Lynn   CONNECT WITH BRITTNEY: Website: http://brittneyllynn.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brittneyllynndotcom/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittneyllynn/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/brittneyllynn/ Twitter:https://twitter.com/BrittneyLLynn   Links Day in the LIfe Podcast Episode 65 with Caroline from Paloma's Nest Episode 7 with Meg from Belle & Union Co 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!   To learn more and register, head to https://tsbc.teachable.com/p/pce. I look forward to having you there! 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!

During Episode 65 Katie Hunt sat down with Caroline Vasquez of Paloma’s Nest and the topics of having a brand story and establish core values for the company kept coming up.  Caroline talked about how it shaped the products they made, the story they told about the brand as well as the products and ultimately, how they communicate with their customers.   When we’re starting our businesses, most people skip over the part where we identify our mission, core values and long term goals for our business.  We get excited about the process of creating, selling and connecting with customers.  But, having a strong brand story and leveraging your company’s core values within this story are going to help you in several ways.  It will provide clarify in your decision making, hiring processes and long term goals for your business.   Our core values at Tradeshow Bootcamp are:  Community, Collaboration, Education and Giving Back.   We treat everyone in our community like family and want to foster a collaborative and supportive network for people to lean on as they  grow their business.  We educate entrepreneurs so they can make the best decisions possible for their business and I believe in giving back to our community and supporting other entrepreneurs.   If you don’t have a clear brand story or set of core values.  Katie wants you to ask yourself these three questions:   What does the company stand for & value Where is the company going & what impact does it want to make? Why does this company exist?   Without clarity around these questions, you may struggle in your decision making and stay stagnant.     What are your core values?  I’d love for you to join us in our free Facebook Group for Proof to Product and weigh in with what your core values and brand. https://www.facebook.com/groups/prooftoproduct/

TSBC Alum, Caroline Vasquez is the founder of Paloma’s Nest, a family-run business, founded in 2007, that creates timeless, heirloom-quality pieces and new traditions for modern families to celebrate wedding, baby, home and holiday.   The brand has been featured in countless publications including Martha Stewart, the New York Times, Magnolia Journal and more, and their work has been carried by Anthropologie and Nordstrom.   Today, Caroline combines her education as a professional counselor with her experience and passion for small creative business through Handcrafted Consulting, where she provides education on the marketing, growth and management of online business to clients worldwide. She also serves as the marketing consultant for the web design firm, Aeolidia.  All while also running Paloma’s Nest and nurturing her family.   On today’s episode, Caroline talks about the growth of Paloma’s nest,  staying true to your brand story in both your messaging and the products you sell,  why we need to be proactive in press and marketing outreach and why it’s so important to know who your customer is. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: When Caroline & her husband decided to start Paloma’s Nest Her experience when she started selling her products on Etsy How she came up with the name Paloma’s Nest Her product line & how it has grown over the last 11 years The steps she takes to protect her product line from copycats The importance of expanding to different product categories How Caroline and her husband split responsibilities & balance each other out when they are working together The press mentions that Paloma’s Nest has received & Caroline’s proactive approach towards getting her name out there Her mentoring & coaching business The types of services she offers in her coaching business Caroline’s advice for entrepreneurs just starting out in a product based business What’s next for Paloma’s Nest KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “Our kids were definitely raised in the studio. To this day they're right by our sides every day.” - Caroline Vásquez “A dove represents peace, and hope, and all of those wonderful things that we really do think comes through in our collection, and in our product.” - Caroline Vásquez “Our mission, our tagline, the essence of what we do is to create modern heirlooms.” - Caroline Vásquez “I've always sort of had a reverence for that, and for creating things that have so much meaning that families want to hang onto them, and want to pass them on to generations.” - Caroline Vásquez “We really pay attention to the core values of our brand in creating items that are going to be passed on, and we look to see where we can create products that will add to traditions, or create traditions in their own rights.” - Caroline Vásquez “One of the frustrations of being in the creative world is having your ideas stolen, or taken, or recreated, however you want to put that nicely.” - Caroline Vásquez “While people might sort of take your design, or take your idea, they can't take your brand. And they can't take your target customer.” - Caroline Vásquez “The ideas come and go. Trends and styles come and go and as long as you continue to offer the best possible quality product, and you're known for the service, and for the ideas and things that you're known for everything else will follow. - Caroline Vásquez “I think most importantly in working with your spouse is, we share the same work ethic for better or for worse. We're both really driven, we tend to let work consume us quite a bit, but at least we're doing it together.” - Caroline Vásquez “There's something really neat about knowing that the two of us fully created that together from scratch.” - Caroline Vásquez “It's important to develop your own brand aesthetic and to understand that may vary from your own personal preferences.” - Katie Hunt “You can't really do anything new for your business if you're not open to the process of change.” - Caroline Vásquez “The most successful businesses are successful because they focus on doing one thing and doing it really well.” - Caroline Vásquez   CONNECT WITH CAROLINE: Website: http://Palomasnest.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/palomasnest/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palomasnest/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/palomasnest/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/palomasnest LINKS: Handcrafted Consulting FREE WORKSHOP ALERT!     SEO is a HOAX:  Why search ranking should NOT be a priority for creative entrepreneurs Join us for a free live workshop with Brice McBeth of Reap Marketing.  You may remember Brice from episode 62 of Proof to Product!   During this free one-hour workshop, Brice will uncover the traps of traditional SEO methods.  Things he has experienced first-hand with his own startups. He’ll reshape our thinking and teach us some unconventional methods to use great content to get more customers quickly.   Space is limited and a replay will be made available but only to those that register.  Save your seat at www.tradeshowcamp.com/convert. 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!

  I’ve been thinking a lot about boundaries, particularly as it relates to what I say yes to and what I say no to in both my personal and business life. I don’t know about you guys but I have a tendency to take one too much, or under estimate how long things will take.  I mostly get excited about opportunities, say yes and then find myself over scheduled and stretched thin.  I know I’m not alone in this.   But here’s the deal.   We all have the same amount of hours in the day, and as entrepreneurs we have a lot of different things pulling on us for our time — projects, family, friends, exciting opportunities, daily grind of running a business. Its exhausting trying to do all these things, keep everyone happy and yet still have time for ourselves.   When I interviewed Rosie from Sugarfina on episode 64 she stressed how important self care is, why we need to take action before things are perfect, and we both acknowledged that its difficult to protect our time because as entrepreneurs the running to do list is never ending.  Rosie shared how she decides what to say and what to say no to, and I thought it might be helpful to share some of the things I consider with you   This is something I’m working on, and I’ve definitely been more diligent in protecting my time in recent months.  But here are some of the questions I ask myself when I’m considering whether to say yes to something or no to something:   Does this align with my long term goals? Does this align with my short term goals? What is the time commitment? What are the benefits for me, my business, my family? What is my excitement level?   I’d love to hear from your in our Proof to Product Facebook group.  What questions do you ask yourself when you’re deciding whether or not to move forward with a project?  Weigh in and let me now.  You can join our free Facebook group by going to tradeshowcamp.com/join.

Rosie O’Neill is the co-founder of Sugarfina, a luxury candy boutique that features the finest sweets from artisan candy makers around the world. Rosie and her fiancé Josh Resnick launched Sugarfina in July 2012. The idea for the company was inspired by their third date — when they watched the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and they were left wondering why their wasn’t candy boutiques for grown ups.   Rosie was named to Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People” list, and Goldman Sachs’ “100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs,”. She is disrupting the sweets space with an innovative approach to confections and retail.   Before candy, Rosie played with dolls for 7 years as Director of Marketing for Barbie at Mattel, where she led a global business unit that sold more than 50 million Barbie dolls annually. She received her MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and a BA in Communication Studies from UCLA. Her favorite candies are Champagne Bears, Peach Bellini and Sparkle Pops.   On today’s episode, Rosie shares her start up story as well as lessons she learned as they scaled Sugarfina into the large brand it is today --  with wholesale and retail channels, a bustling online shop, 50 retail locations and a range of licensing collaborations. Rosie offers some really great suggestions — including the importance of self-care, why we need to be careful about which opportunities we say yes and no to and things she looks for when hiring members of her team. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Her favorite Sugarfina candy right now & the most popular flavors with customers How much she loves getting to dream up & invent different candies Rosie’s background prior to Sugarfina Her transition to entrepreneurship & how she decided upon luxury candy The hurdles at the beginning & how she navigated that How her previous position at Mattel helped her start & scale Sugarfina What her early goals were for the business The experience of adding brick & mortar stores very quickly Her first hires & what she looked for in an employee when she first started hiring Whether or not she fears hiring people who one day might become a competitor The fact that they did not have a business plan when they first started & why she thinks it can be beneficial sometimes not to have one at the start Moments and decisions that propelled her business forward The criteria she uses for deciding to pursue an opportunity or not How she cultivates a positive work culture An important lesson Rosie has learned through her entrepreneurial journey Rosie’s advice on creating your product & getting your product to market How she decides when to discontinue a product What’s next for Sugarfina KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “It's like we get to play Willy Wonka because we dream up and invent all these crazy, fun flavors and cute shapes and fun colors, and then we get to bring them to life.” - Rosie O’Neill “I had always in the back of my head wanted to do something entrepreneurial, but I thought I was going to do it in my fifties. It came way, way, way sooner than I imagined, but I think sometimes you just have those moments of luck where everything kind of comes together and you just don't overthink it.” - Rosie O’Neil “It [Sugarfina] is a dream and I love it but it's also the absolute hardest thing I've ever done and just exhausting at times.” - Rosie O’Neil “I'm really proud of the fact that as we have grown, we have always been able to deliver on that quality and that amazing customer experience, but everything under the surface has just been chaos and a mess.” - Rosie O’Neil “I'm always kind of looking at what's coming up but it's important to take a moment and look back on how far we've come and it's pretty cool.” - Rosie O’Neil “We love to bring in people who one day want to start their own company but they're not quite ready and Sugarfina can be a learning environment for them.” - Rosie O’Neil “I want to make sure that we have an environment where people want to stay because they're continuing to grow, and learn, and feel empowered.” - Rose O’Neil “I am all for people going out and starting their new company if they want to, but stay with us as long as you can and really get to know all the things you're going to need to know to start a business because it's hard.” - Rosie O’Neill “I think sometimes you got to just go for it and be willing to put out something that's not perfect and then learn and continue to perfect.” - Rosie O’Neill “You really need to create a culture where people feel connected to the big picture and like they're really making an impact.” - Rosie O’Neill “I don't care if you have hours that are slightly different than a normal working day, I just care about the output of your work and that's how I'm going to look at things.” - Rosie O’Neill “We have a no assholes policy.” - Rosie O’Neill “You really have to take care of yourself because there is an endless amount of work to do when you run your business.” - Rosie O’Neill “Get your product out in front of the real world as quickly as you can.” - Rosie O’Neill “Even though there's all these great data analytics and all these tools, you can't lose touch of the human connection and I think a lot of companies let that fall by the wayside and you really have got to prioritize that.” - Rosie O’Neill CONNECT WITH ROSIE: Website: http://sugarfina.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sugarfina/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sugarfina/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sugarfina/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/sugarfina LINKS: Sugarfina Rewards 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!