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Over the last few months, I’ve had a lot of private conversations with store owners about the state of independent retail. They’ve confided in me about a wide range of challenges that they are facing - individually as well as collectively. Things like the economy, less foot traffic in their stores, staffing and cash flow limitations - have forced them to rethink how they are running their businesses and also planning for the future.

Here at Proof to Product, we focus on teaching you how to sell wholesale and independent retailers make up the majority of our alumni community’s wholesale revenue. Which is why it is important that we not only build strong relationships with these shop owners, but that we also take time to listen to the challenges that the are facing.

Over the next two episodes of Proof to Product, we’re taking you behind the scenes into a candid conversation with two shop owners who are giving us an inside look at the state of independent retail and the challenges that many shop keepers are currently experiencing.

Our guests for two-part podcast series are Katie Wilson of Crush & Touch and Jen Palacio of Tiny Turns Paperie. Katie owns an art supply store in Southern California and Jen owns a stationery & gifts shop in Massachusetts.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about their summer 2023 sale season, how they are preparing for the Q4 holiday season, how the current economic climate is affecting their businesses and what’s on the minds of shopkeepers right now.

Today’s episode is sponsored by our Unlock Buyer Secrets interview series. To make a strong first impression with wholesale buyers, we need to do a few things really well:

We need to make it easy for stores to purchase from us
We need to have clear pricing and terms & conditions
We need to clearly communicate and add value at each touch point
We need to focus on building strong relationships with our customers.

And all of this becomes infinitely easier when we actively listen to our customers. This on-demand interview series will give you a competitive edge by providing an exclusive window into what buyers want and need from you. And, the best part, its only $27 bucks. Get access at www.prooftoproduct.com/unlock.

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/316

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We are excited to host Jesse Regis from Virgins on Fire Candle Company and today, we talk to him about the evolution of his brand, the importance of finding community, and why your product is not for everyone.

There is a quote by Amy Poehler that we've used at our events in the past, and it really encapsulates today's discussion. She said, “Find a group of people that challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them and it will change your life.”

The idea of finding your people and creating community is a common theme in today's episode. We also discuss why his products and yours are not for everyone and how finding his people positively impacted his business.

Today's episode is brought to you by our Is Wholesale Right for You private podcast! This free 12 part audio series will help you decide whether wholesale is a good next step for your specific business. After listening to this audio series (in less than an hour), two things will be true. You'll know whether you want to pursue wholesale for your product business, and you'll have the confidence and action steps to get started with wholesale. Sign up for the private podcast today!

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/315

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News recently broke that Shopify was closing Handshake, its wholesale sales platform, and investing as a shareholder in Faire. Today’s episode is bringing you the news mixed in with a few of my thoughts on the topic. I will be doing a deeper analysis and sharing some research I’ve done within our LABS program - so definitely look for that if you’re one of our LABS members.

As you listen today, please keep in mind that I have no ties to Shopify or Faire, other than I coach thousands of people who use both platforms daily. The opinions expressed today are mine based off of information I’ve read in the news, research I’ve conducted and my general thoughts as someone entrenched in the wholesale world.

Today’s episode is brought to you by our free, on-demand wholesale audio series. In this audio series, I’ll walk you through the biggest mistakes and most common questions folks have when they are starting and scaling wholesale—so you don’t make the same mistakes myself and others did. You can binge this audio series in less than an hour and you can listen on the go in your favorite podcast player. No fluff here, just concrete action steps and answers to help you simplify and strengthen your wholesale sales.

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/314

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Making your customers feel like your product or service is tailored specifically for them is the key to inclusive marketing. Inclusive marketing expert Sonia Thompson joins us today on the podcast to share more on how to integrate inclusive marketing into your customer experience.

Tuning in, you’ll hear all about Sonia’s career, how you can diversify your products and circle of influence, how to audit your customer experience to be more inclusive, the importance of considering how different people are and making them feel seen and heard, why you must stay true to your values, and much more!

We delve into some ways you can infuse inclusion in your marketing before discussing why your work environment needs to be inclusive in order for your customers to feel welcome. Finally, Sonia tells us how she can help in the ongoing evolutionary inclusion journey.

This episode is brought to you by our Email Marketing For Product Makers guide. 49% of our customers want to hear from us on a consistent basis, yet, only a small percentage of product-based business owners are actively sending monthly emails to their customers.

If you’ve struggled with what to say, when to send, or how to plan out your email marketing strategies, we’ve got just the tool for you. This tool and the optional training have helped hundreds of product makers plan out an entire year’s worth of emails. And, the best part… they are creating templates that they can rinse & repeat year after year.

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You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/313

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Licensing is an excellent opportunity to extend the reach of your brand and expand your business offerings. But finding the right partnership can be tricky, and it’s not always easy knowing where to start.

Joining us today on the podcast to share her story and talk about her journey into licensing is return guest, Betsy Garcia. Betsy is the co-founder of Bloomwolf Studio, a paper goods company specializing in greeting cards, art prints, and other paper goods that she runs with her indispensable teammate and husband, Luis Sosa.

If you’d like to go back and hear our initial conversation with Betsy, check out Episode 173, where we talk about her startup story and her commitment to creating social change through her product line and intentional business practices.

In today’s conversation, Betsy shares the story of how she first got into licensing, how her partnership with Recycled Paper Greetings came together, and why her experience has been overwhelmingly positive.

You’ll also find out how the Proof to Product Advisory Board empowered her with the resources and advice she needed to navigate her first meetings with American Greetings and how their structured approach helped her as a newcomer to licensing. Join us for an informative case study on what it’s like to venture into licensing and what it can do for you and your business!

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You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/312

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Today’s podcast guest, Lauren te Velde Paper Farm Press, a woman-owned stationery and gift design shop in Kingsburg, CA, is a big fan of having a brand story that is strong and simple. She is intentionally focused on authentically pursuing wealth and believes money will follow because she wholeheartedly believes in putting better products out into the world.

Each product Lauren creates expresses her great love for farming and her faith. Join the conversation as we hear from Lauren about her journey venturing into wholesale.

She recounts the rollercoaster of experiencing a 4000% increase in wholesale orders, and why she believes your brand story is crucial to your success. She expresses her thoughts on prioritizing relationships, why you can’t just jump into wholesale, and the difference between pursuing wealth versus money.

You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/311

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Do you find yourself fresh in the wholesaling journey? Are you asking yourself whether you need stock-keeping unit (SKU) numbers? And if you do, how do you create them?

In today’s episode, I’m answering some frequently asked questions often heard at Paper Camp, regarding creating and utilizing SKU systems. Listen in to hear tips on setting up your SKU system early on in your wholesaling journey and why I believes you shouldn’t overcomplicate your SKU systems.

Today’s episode is brought to you by our free, on-demand wholesale audio series. In this audio series I’ll walk you through the biggest mistakes and most common questions folks have when they are starting and scaling wholesale—so you don’t make the same mistakes myself and others did. You can binge this audio series in less than an hour and you can listen on the go in your favorite podcast player. No fluff here, just concrete action steps and answers to help you simplify and strengthen your wholesale sales.

You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/310

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Choosing business contentment over business growth can be a great reminder to all of us that there are seasons in business, and sometimes what we have is all that we really need or want.

On this episode we have Brigida Swanson of Yardia, which is a nature-inspired gift and stationery company.

Bridiga shares the journey for starting her business, while still pursuing her teaching career. She dives into what it was like venturing into wholesale, how she has experienced rapid growth, and describes what happened after deciding to leave social media.

She shares some of her incredible wins with us and also discusses how, despite her business's expansion, she began questioning the need for more, realizing that she already had enough and desired a simpler more content life.

Consequently, Brigida made intentional shifts in her business and personal life to align with her desire and found that true fulfillment came from what brings happiness.

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You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/309

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If there’s one constant in business, it’s change. But making big shifts as an entrepreneur can be pretty daunting. After all, it’s one thing to plan and strategize, but it’s quite another to take the leap and start implementing those steps.

While we usually talk to people who are in the midst of making a big change, today we welcome a returning guest and Paper Camp alum, Stephanie Clarke, for a business update after making some major changes to her company back in 2019.

After a decade of running Dahlia Press, a letterpress greeting card company based in Seattle, Washington, Stephanie recognized the need to split the company in two and start a sister brand under the name Chloe Clarke, The Art of Paper, dedicated entirely to bespoke wedding invitations.

If you’d like to learn more about how and why she made that transition, you can check out our conversation in Episode 160.

In today’s episode, you’ll find out how things have changed since the transition and how Stephanie’s brands are doing today. We delve into the challenges and benefits of running two brands, why she stands by her decision to diversify her business, and how she has matured as an entrepreneur.

Stephanie also shares the details of how she expanded her retail footprint post-COVID, what she’s learned from hiring her team (and managing team dynamics), and why it can be so difficult to relinquish control of certain aspects of one’s company. If you’re interested in the logistics of managing two brands and what this decision can look like a few years down the line, be sure to tune in for an insightful and informative update with Stephanie Clarke!

You can view full show notes and more at prooftoproduct.com/308

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