build your profitable product business with mel robbins thelotco business podcast

Melissa Robbins
  • 4.4 (7)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

thelotco business podcast is dedicated to helping businesses in the fashion, retail and design industries not just survive but also thrive!! It’s a show that brings you tips, tricks and strategies to help you as an entrepreneur start, manage, and grow your creative business.   If you are a small business and feeling stuck on what to do next or how to actually kick start your idea, then tune in for some straightforward, practical business advice as well as interviews with inspiring females in the fashion, beauty and homewares space who will share not just what they do, but also how.   We cover marketing, finance, motivation, mindset and so much more. Walk away inspired to know how to start your own business or take these tips to help you grow and love the business you have now.   For coaching, courses and business advice with me check out  link text or come say hi in the DMs on my socials  @thelotco I can’t wait to help you guide you on your small business journey!!!

  1. 1D AGO

    Getting Stocked Isn’t the Finish Line, It’s the Start Line

    Send us a text You’ve landed your dream retailer. Your products are on the shelf. Now what?  Most brands think their job is done once they’ve been stocked, but that’s just the beginning. In this episode, I break down the three stages of post-delivery success that turn a one-off wholesale order into consistent reorders (and loyal retail partners who sell your products for you). You’ll Learn: ✨ Why getting stocked is just the start line, not the finish line ✨ How to support your retailers with marketing assets, education, and storytelling tools ✨ Simple ways to drive foot traffic and visibility for your stockists (without hurting your own online sales) ✨ How to build lasting relationships with buyers and retail staff that lead to repeat orders ✨ Why scarcity thinking is holding your brand back and how abundance thinking grows both sides Mentioned in this Episode: Transform Your Wholesale Program: Learn how to get stocked (and stay stocked!) → thelotco.com.au/wholesale Free Wholesale Guide: Download your free copy →here https://thelotco.myflodesk.com/wholesaletips Book Mentioned: Unreasonable Hospitality by Will GuidaraRoadmap to Profit Program waitlist is here. Join my Product Business Growth Club here. Support the show I'm Mel Robbins! from @thelotco Grab my free training: Your 90-Day Plan to a Profitable Product Business Without Relying On Social Media From not enough sales to effortless abundance and creating consistent sales in your business with this roadmap. Want a Roadmap to Building a Profitable Product Business head here for directions! Looking for ongoing support to grow your brand and sell more of your product? Join the Product Business Growth Club here. Find more details at https://www.thelotco.com.au/ Business Coach for product-based businesses. Teaching creative business women how to build a scalable and profitable million-dollar product business whether a physical Retail store or Brand. Over 25 years as a Retail and Wholesale Strategist (Sales and Marketing for Brands). Grab my 8 step checklist on building a profitable product business.

    15 min

  2. OCT 30

    Why Email Is the Secret to Consistent Sales (When Social Isn’t Working Anymore)

    Send us a text Welcome back to thelotco Business Podcast, I’m Melissa Robbins, your product-based business coach, retail strategist, and founder of thelotco. After 25 years in the industry, I’ve seen behind the scenes of hundreds of brands and retailers and here’s what I know for sure: if your sales aren’t where you want them to be, it’s not your product. Last week, we talked about why your product probably isn’t the problem when sales feel slow.  This week, we’re talking about the fix. Because if you’re showing up online, posting Reels, and doing “all the right things,” but your sales still feel unpredictable it’s not because you’re bad at business. It’s because you’re relying on the wrong system. In this episode, I dive into: Why Instagram is amazing for attention, but terrible for consistent salesThe difference between visibility and conversionWhy email marketing is your secret weapon for predictable profitHow to set up simple systems that sell for you (even while you sleep)I’ll also share stories from real founders who went from slow weeks to steady sales — all by turning email into their most profitable channel. And I share real client stories of what changed when they shifted from posting more to building smarter systems. If you’re ready to stop relying on algorithms and start building consistent, reliable sales this episode is your next step. 🎧 Tune in now and grab your freebie: 15 Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Website . And if you’re ready to make email your most profitable sales channel, join me for the Nail Your Email Marketing Live Series — we start Wednesday, November 5th! Details at thelotco.com.au/nailyouremail Support the show I'm Mel Robbins! from @thelotco Grab my free training: Your 90-Day Plan to a Profitable Product Business Without Relying On Social Media From not enough sales to effortless abundance and creating consistent sales in your business with this roadmap. Want a Roadmap to Building a Profitable Product Business head here for directions! Looking for ongoing support to grow your brand and sell more of your product? Join the Product Business Growth Club here. Find more details at https://www.thelotco.com.au/ Business Coach for product-based businesses. Teaching creative business women how to build a scalable and profitable million-dollar product business whether a physical Retail store or Brand. Over 25 years as a Retail and Wholesale Strategist (Sales and Marketing for Brands). Grab my 8 step checklist on building a profitable product business.

    18 min

  3. OCT 24

    Your Product Is Great. Here’s Why It Isn’t Selling

    Send us a text If you’ve ever said, “My product is so good… why isn’t it selling?” then this episode is for you. I’ve been getting message after message about this one since I sent an email earlier in the week, so I knew I had to dive deeper on the podcast. The thing is, having a great product isn’t enough anymore. You need attention, anticipation, and action to turn your product into consistent sales. In this episode, I’m breaking down: Why your amazing product isn’t selling (and what to do about it)The Product Attachment Loop that keeps founders stuckHow to shift your mindset from “selling is pushy” to “selling is helping”What “building anticipation” actually looks like before a new launchWhy showing up across multiple platforms matters more than everAnd how clarity, confidence, and consistency create conversionsWhether you’re a maker, brand founder, or retailer, this episode will help you step out from behind the scenes, sell unapologetically, and start marketing your product like a pro. Because your business needs more than a beautiful product, it needs visibility, storytelling, and you showing up again and again until people finally get how brilliant your offer is. What You’ll Learn: ✨ How to stop perfecting and start promoting  ✨ How to sell without feeling salesy or pushy  ✨ How to build anticipation and momentum before your next launch  ✨ How to multiply your reach by showing up in more than one place  ✨ Why visibility builds trust and trust builds sales Mentioned in this episode: Get More Sales — my special bundle to help you show up in more ways and sell with confidenceThe Product Business Growth Club — my membership for ongoing support, ideas, and accountabilityDM me “sales” on Instagram @thelotco to get my free Sales Clarity PromptsTake Action: After you listen, screenshot this episode and tag me @thelotco Tell me — what’s one way you’re going to show up and sell differently this week? Let’s make your next product drop your most profitable o Support the show I'm Mel Robbins! from @thelotco Grab my free training: Your 90-Day Plan to a Profitable Product Business Without Relying On Social Media From not enough sales to effortless abundance and creating consistent sales in your business with this roadmap. Want a Roadmap to Building a Profitable Product Business head here for directions! Looking for ongoing support to grow your brand and sell more of your product? Join the Product Business Growth Club here. Find more details at https://www.thelotco.com.au/ Business Coach for product-based businesses. Teaching creative business women how to build a scalable and profitable million-dollar product business whether a physical Retail store or Brand. Over 25 years as a Retail and Wholesale Strategist (Sales and Marketing for Brands). Grab my 8 step checklist on building a profitable product business.

    17 min

  4. OCT 9

    The Power of Saying Yes: How One Opportunity Can Change Everything

    Send us a text In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of my 20+ year journey with Life Instyle — from exhibiting her own kidswear brand Moppit, to becoming a buyer, educator, speaker, sponsor, and now judge for the Life Instyle New Breed Scholarship. How we helped shape the Kids Instyle section, the lessons learned from decades in the trade show world, and the incredible opportunities that open up when you take action — even before you feel ready. If you’re a product-based founder with big dreams of getting your products into stores, this episode will inspire you to stop waiting for the “perfect time” and start applying for the opportunities that could change your business forever. You’ll Learn: How trade shows like Life Instyle can transform a product businessThe story behind the Kids Instyle section and my 20-year involvementWhy you should apply for the Life Instyle New Breed Scholarship (and how to know if you’re eligible)What judges are actually looking for in applicantsThe biggest mindset shift that separates brands that grow from those that stay stuckLife Instyle New Breed Scholarship (Applications close October 16th) → Prize includes a $10,000 value stand, exposure, mentorship, and more.Export Development Grant and other government funding options for product-based businessesLinks & Resources: Apply for the Life Instyle Scholarship here. Learn more about wholesale with my free training: thelotco.com/buildingawholesalesalemachine Join the Product Business Growth Club for mentorship + supportExplore the Roadmap to Profit Program to grow your product business to consistent $50K monthsSupport the show I'm Mel Robbins! from @thelotco Grab my free training: Your 90-Day Plan to a Profitable Product Business Without Relying On Social Media From not enough sales to effortless abundance and creating consistent sales in your business with this roadmap. Want a Roadmap to Building a Profitable Product Business head here for directions! Looking for ongoing support to grow your brand and sell more of your product? Join the Product Business Growth Club here. Find more details at https://www.thelotco.com.au/ Business Coach for product-based businesses. Teaching creative business women how to build a scalable and profitable million-dollar product business whether a physical Retail store or Brand. Over 25 years as a Retail and Wholesale Strategist (Sales and Marketing for Brands). Grab my 8 step checklist on building a profitable product business.

    16 min

  5. SEP 26

    From Beanies to Bestsellers: How Acorn Kids Grew a Seasonal Niche into a Year-Round Brand

    Send us a text A Melbourne winter. A real gap in kids’ wool headwear. A founder with a finance brain and a product heart. That is how Acorn Kids began. In this episode, Fiona Savaris shares how a winter beanie line turned into a year-round headwear brand that stockists love, why wholesale still wins for volume, and how she just launched swimwear by leveraging prints, suppliers, and existing demand. If you care about cash flow, indent, stockist relationships, and direct-to-consumer growth, you will love this founder story. Learn how to use indent orders to protect margins and place smarter production betsSee how a wholesale-first strategy can fuel longevity and repeat stockist revenueSteal the exact assets that help retailers sell more hats, beanies, and swim hatsHear the behind-the-scenes of a category expansion into swimwear that makes senseSEO keyword highlights Acorn Kids, kids hats, children’s headwear, beanies, swim hats, swimwear launch, wholesale, stockists, indent orders, Brandboom, Klaviyo email marketing, Meta ads, product photography, lifestyle imagery, cash flow, margins, MOQ, category expansion, trade shows, agents, DTC growth, Melbourne brand, Brunswick production. Top takeaways Play the long game with wholesale. Protect full price windows. Communicate. Make reorders easy.Indent = clarity. Use retailer orders to decide production and where to “back” winners.Be specialist. Headwear-specific makers and equipment show up in quality and fit.Add categories with purpose. Swim hats → swimwear leveraged prints, fabric, and brand equity.Invest in assets. Great photography and videoSupport the show I'm Mel Robbins! from @thelotco Grab my free training: Your 90-Day Plan to a Profitable Product Business Without Relying On Social Media From not enough sales to effortless abundance and creating consistent sales in your business with this roadmap. Want a Roadmap to Building a Profitable Product Business head here for directions! Looking for ongoing support to grow your brand and sell more of your product? Join the Product Business Growth Club here. Find more details at https://www.thelotco.com.au/ Business Coach for product-based businesses. Teaching creative business women how to build a scalable and profitable million-dollar product business whether a physical Retail store or Brand. Over 25 years as a Retail and Wholesale Strategist (Sales and Marketing for Brands). Grab my 8 step checklist on building a profitable product business.

    47 min

  6. SEP 19

    Why Your Product Isn’t the Most Important Part of Your Product Business.

    Send us a text Your product might be beautiful, high-quality, and everything your customer needs… but here’s the truth: that alone isn’t enough to grow a profitable business. In this episode, I’m diving into the mistake so many founders make, putting 99% of their energy into the product itself and forgetting the bigger picture. Because while your product matters, what matters more is how you get it into people’s hands. We’ll cover: Why “build it and they will come” is a dangerous mindset for product-based foundersThe role of retailers, stockists, and partners in helping you growThe power of distribution and getting your product in front of more peopleWhy supporting your stores and stockists is just as important as landing them in the first placeThe shift second-time founders make that first-time founders overlookWhat else matters more than the product itself (pricing, marketing, visibility, and customer experience)By the end, you’ll know exactly where to shift your focus so your product doesn’t just sit pretty on a shelf - it actually sells. ✨ Free Training Alert: Want to build a 90-day roadmap for more sales and consistent profit (without relying on social media)? Join my upcoming live training here → https://www.thelotco.com/trainings Support the show I'm Mel Robbins! from @thelotco Grab my free training: Your 90-Day Plan to a Profitable Product Business Without Relying On Social Media From not enough sales to effortless abundance and creating consistent sales in your business with this roadmap. Want a Roadmap to Building a Profitable Product Business head here for directions! Looking for ongoing support to grow your brand and sell more of your product? Join the Product Business Growth Club here. Find more details at https://www.thelotco.com.au/ Business Coach for product-based businesses. Teaching creative business women how to build a scalable and profitable million-dollar product business whether a physical Retail store or Brand. Over 25 years as a Retail and Wholesale Strategist (Sales and Marketing for Brands). Grab my 8 step checklist on building a profitable product business.

    10 min

  7. SEP 12

    Perseverance, Passion and Desire To Build A Unique Jewellery Brand- With Vania Truchsess.

    Send us a text What if one partnership could change your entire brand trajectory? Meet Vania Truchsess—Venezuelan-born, New Zealand-based jewelry designer whose handmade pieces landed in Karen Walker stores and unlocked a flywheel of credibility, stockists, and DTC growth. In this episode, we cover: How Vania went from babysitting to building a handmade jewelry label in NZWhy wholesale increased her direct-to-consumer sales (not the opposite)Pricing, margins, and range editing (and why you must revisit them yearly)Trade shows as a one-good-stockist play (LTV thinking > vanity order counts)Using markets, email (Flodesk), and workshops to fuel DTC demandCollaborations that borrow audiences and build brand equityBalancing creativity with cash flow, admin, and sustainable routinesThe mindset that keeps her shipping: perseverance (and a bracelet to prove it).SAVE YOUR SPOT IN MY NEW FREE LIVE TRAINING HERE: https://www.thelotco.com/trainings  Vania Truchsess is the founder of Vania, a handmade jewellery brand inspired by nature and gemstones. Her ranges span everyday unisex pieces to woven “Daydreamer” earrings and gemstone necklaces using freshwater pearls and 14k gold-filled elements. Timestamps: 00:00 Meet Vania + what the brand stands for 02:20 Early making roots in Venezuela + family influences 04:45 Markets, morphing to the Kiwi aesthetic, and first “real job” detour 08:30 Range, pricing, and staying differentiated in a saturated category 09:50 The Karen Walker moment—and how credibility compounds 12:40 Why wholesale boosts DTC (yes, really) 14:50 Seasonality, Australia expansion, and realistic timelines for conversion 16:45 Trade shows: playing the long LTV game 18:20 DTC levers: email, paid/organic, markets, and beading workshops 21:10 Risks, bulk buying, duties, and owning what you do 27:40 What success looks like beyond revenue (impact stories that matter) 32:10 Evolving into fine jewelry; skills, vision, and authenticity 34:00 Creative vs. CEO time: routines and grace over perfection 41:20 Long-term partners > one-night collabs 43:15 Final advice: perseverance + smart risk Support the show I'm Mel Robbins! from @thelotco Want a Roadmap to Building a Profitable Product Business head here for directions! Looking for ongoing support to grow your brand and sell more of your product? Join the Product Business Growth Club here. Find more details at https://www.thelotco.com.au/ Business Coach for product-based businesses. Teaching creative business women how to build a scalable and profitable million-dollar product business whether a physical Retail store or Brand. Over 25 years as a Retail and Wholesale Strategist (Sales and Marketing for Brands). Grab my 8 step checklist on building a profitable product business.

    47 min

  8. SEP 4

    From First Trade Show Nerves to 6 New Stockists: Inside Mennie Brand’s Melbourne Life & Style Debut (Costs, Leads, Follow-Up Wins + What We’d Do Differently)

    Send us a text Andrew from Mennie Brand is back for part two, and we’re cracking open the real trade show debrief from his first time exhibiting at Melbourne Life Instyle. We talk expectations vs reality, what actually moved the needle (hello, SMS follow-ups), and why visuals + storytelling at your stand matter more than you think. Andrew shares hard numbers, how he organised setup on a budget (including the furniture plot twist), and what he’s changing next time to turn browsers into buyers faster. In this episode: The honest verdict: pride, perspective, and the big-brand imposter syndrome that didn’t stickThe rollercoaster after the show (and why day-10 texts lit everything up)Why your pitch + story need reps (and how to avoid sounding “salesy”)Stand strategy: show the brand world (lookbook, lifestyle shots, POS) not just productsRelationship ROI you can’t quantify: neighbours, buyers, and in-person feedbackLogistics on a budget: flying with stock, painting the stand, marketplace furniture backup planWhat’s next: considering Sydney (Feb) where Life & Style and Reed combine—and how different buyers = fresh opportunitiesCollabs & customs: ~200 unit MOQs with options to split across brandsMentions & resources: Book: Building a StoryBrand by Donald MillerFind Andrew: Instagram @menniebrand | Stockist & custom enquiriesWant help planning your own show? Check out my Trade Show Bootcamp and Wholesale program. Retailers: want the comfiest socks your customers will rave about? Reach out to @menniebrand for stockist info or custom collabs.Support the show I'm Mel Robbins! from @thelotco Grab my free training: Your 90-Day Plan to a Profitable Product Business Without Relying On Social Media From not enough sales to effortless abundance and creating consistent sales in your business with this roadmap. Want a Roadmap to Building a Profitable Product Business head here for directions! Looking for ongoing support to grow your brand and sell more of your product? Join the Product Business Growth Club here. Find more details at https://www.thelotco.com.au/ Business Coach for product-based businesses. Teaching creative business women how to build a scalable and profitable million-dollar product business whether a physical Retail store or Brand. Over 25 years as a Retail and Wholesale Strategist (Sales and Marketing for Brands). Grab my 8 step checklist on building a profitable product business.

    35 min
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About

thelotco business podcast is dedicated to helping businesses in the fashion, retail and design industries not just survive but also thrive!! It’s a show that brings you tips, tricks and strategies to help you as an entrepreneur start, manage, and grow your creative business.   If you are a small business and feeling stuck on what to do next or how to actually kick start your idea, then tune in for some straightforward, practical business advice as well as interviews with inspiring females in the fashion, beauty and homewares space who will share not just what they do, but also how.   We cover marketing, finance, motivation, mindset and so much more. Walk away inspired to know how to start your own business or take these tips to help you grow and love the business you have now.   For coaching, courses and business advice with me check out  link text or come say hi in the DMs on my socials  @thelotco I can’t wait to help you guide you on your small business journey!!!

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