Proof to Product Katie Hunt

Have you ever wanted to make a transition in your business, but you resisted because the thing you wanted to move away from brought in the largest chunk of revenue for your business? I have definitely been there, and so has today's podcast guest. 
Alyson O'Connor is a classically trained visual artist specializing in nature-inspired illustrations, stationery, and gifts. She runs Rust Belt Love with her husband Nick in Buffalo, New York. Alyson draws and designs, and Nick prints, often on their 100-year-old letterpresses. After closing their retail stationery during the pandemic, they launched their wholesale line of heart center greeting cards and gifts in 2021. Alyson made an even tougher decision to close the wedding arm of her business, which we'll talk about today. Rust Belt Love’s products can now be found in over 1,000 stores worldwide.
Alyson is a Paper Camp alum and a member of my Advisory Board mastermind. She's an active member of the Greeting Card Association of America,and she's the committee chair of the industry's Louie Awards. 
Today, we're talking about how Alyson pivoted away from a 14-year career making custom wedding invitations, and how she replaced her 6-figure custom revenue stream with ready-made products sold to the wholesale market. Alyson candidly discusses the transformation of her business model in response to the challenges that the pandemic brought on, including how and why she embraced a wholesale approach. This strategic shift wasn't just about business survival, though. It was also driven by a desire to regain control over her work-life balance, especially given the demands of family life.
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 touchpoint
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 to the Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview Series
You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/342 
Quick Links:
Free Wholesale Audio Series
Free Resources Library
Free Email Marketing for Product Makers
PTP LABS
Paper Camp
 

We are seeking 1,000 product-based business owners who are willing to anonymously share their details for the 2024 State of the Product Industry Report: www.prooftoproduct.com/2024survey 
The data will help you make stronger decisions in your business. It will help you better understand the industry and your competition.
It will help you identify growth opportunities. The results will benefit us all. BUT... in order to make this report truly successful, we need you to do the following: 
Fill out the State of Product Industry survey at prooftoproduct.com/2024survey Share the survey link with your product peers. In exchange for your participation, we’ll share the report with you when it is ready. All physical product-based business owners are invited to apply. No brand is too big or too small.
We want to hear from people making a wide range of products and in various stages of business.
Thanks in advance for your participation and for sharing this opportunity with your product peers!

I love using the podcast to spotlight our different community members and their unique businesses and stories because we know that no two businesses are the same. We all have our lived experiences and interests that play into the types of businesses we create and how we choose to run these businesses each day. Today's guest is Paper Camp Alumni Priyanka Batra from My Darlin’, a colorful Brooklyn-based paper goods studio. 
Through her work, she aims to romanticize everyday moments through a contemporary, but playful design aesthetic while simultaneously evoking a sense of nostalgia. Priyanka's line has grown steadily since 2019, and her products are now carried in more than 300 stores in the United States plus distribution in Australia. 
On today's episode, Priyanka shares her love of fashion and how that influences her products, how growing up the daughter of immigrants influenced her career path, and she talks about overcoming imposter syndrome. We also talk about how she jumped into her first trade show too quickly with only 3 weeks to prepare and the lessons she learned the hard way in that experience.
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 touchpoint
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 to the Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview Series
You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/341 
Quick Links:
Free Wholesale Audio Series
Free Resources Library
Free Email Marketing for Product Makers
PTP LABS
Paper Camp
 

I know what you're thinking. Why are we talking about holiday gift guides when it's only spring? I know.
But just like how product development cycles require advanced planning, so does pitching the press and getting your products featured in holiday gift guides. 
Today's guest is Nora Wolf from Wolf PR, a boutique public relations firm that she founded in 2011. Wolf PR specializes in furniture, textiles, lighting, and collectible design. In addition, they have consulted with a wide range of companies, big and small. In 2020, Nora and her business partner, Kristen Larson, launched a second business called WolfCraft.
WolfCraft's mission is to help creative businesses build brand awareness with actionable PR and content strategies that resonate with clients and the media. Nora is known for helping product-based business owners get their products featured in holiday gift guides. 
During this episode, we're talking about your holiday gift guide pitching timeline, what you need to have prepared, and how to put your best products forward when pitching press for holiday gift guides. 
If pitching holiday gift guides is something you are focused on for this year, I want to invite you to a free workshop that we're co-hosting with WolfCraft PR on May 7th at 9am PT/12pm ET. 
They will share best practices for pitching your products to gift guides and tell you more about their upcoming program that helps you get your products featured in gift guides. 
You can click here to register for this free workshop.
You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/340 
Quick Links:
Free Wholesale Audio Series
Free Resources Library
Free Email Marketing for Product Makers
PTP LABS
Paper Camp
 

If you work with independent contractors in your business, you will want to listen closely to this podcast episode. In March 2024, the US Department of Labor issued new stricter guidelines regarding independent contractor workers. 
Today's guest is HR consultant and expert, Kira La Forgia of Paradigm Consulting. She is breaking it all down for us so we avoid penalties and audits. 
We talk about new changes, how they affect you, and how to protect yourself if you currently have team members who may be misclassified. 
You may remember Kira from episode 238 where we talked about how to build your dream team. If you do not yet have a support team in your business, I would start with that episode and then come back and listen to this one next.
Kira has a Future-Proof Your Team workshop that you can get $50 off of if you sign up via our link.
Today’s episode is brought to you by our Deciding What to Delegate free workshop. As busy entrepreneurs, one of our biggest challenges is knowing where to dedicate our time and energy. We’re usually so busy doing the work in our business that we have a tough time identifying what we can hand off to someone else. This on-demand free workshop will provide you with 3 simple steps so that you can identify what projects to outsource so that you can stop being the bottleneck in your business.
SIGN UP
You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/339 
Quick Links:
Free Wholesale Audio Series
Free Resources Library
Free Email Marketing for Product Makers
PTP LABS
Paper Camp
 

If you have ever considered exiting your business or even acquiring another person's business, today's podcast episode is for you. My guests today are two of my clients and also friends: Meghan Hopkins Sokorai of And Here We Are, and Kiwi Schloffel of Your Gal Kiwi. 
Last year, Kiwi made the decision that she wanted to exit her product-based business and specifically exit the day-to-day operations of manufacturing. During this episode, these ladies share their individual and collective stories about how the Your Gal Kiwi brand is now under the umbrella of And Here We Are. They'll share how this collaboration came to be, considerations and questions they both had as they structured this deal, and what it means for both brands moving forward.
Today’s episode is brought to you by our Proof to Product resource library. It’s where you can get your hands on our free resources to help you start, streamline and scale your business in your own way and at your own pace.  
GET FREE ACCESS
You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/338 
Quick Links:
Free Wholesale Audio Series
Free Resources Library
Free Email Marketing for Product Makers
PTP LABS
Paper Camp