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This week’s podcast episode features a case study with Paper Camp alum Rachel O’Neill of Loftipop.
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Hey friends, I have been getting a lot of requests from people curious about how I map out my annual plan for the business, and how I work my family schedule into that. I’m going to be honest, balancing a busy family schedule and a very busy business schedule can be hard. There's a number of things that I need to consider and weigh in on when I'm making decisions in my business. And that really ties into how I plan my year because I don't want to overload myself with too many things, only to do all of them less than stellar. I want to do my best at everything.
In this episode, I get granular about how I do my big picture, strategic planning each year for my business so that I'm not overloading myself, my team or my family. I talk about what reports I look at, how I analyze what's working and what's not working to decide which programs, products and services we'll offer the following year.
Today we’re lucky to have Alisha Cohen on Episode 132 of Proof to Product. Alisha is the founder and creative director of LISH Creative, a content agency for vibrant lifestyle and hospitality brands. Alisha took the leap to found her company in 2016 when she realized she had to leave agency life to break out on her own. Since then, Alisha and her team have created content for some of the world's leading brands including Nickelodeon, Nestle, General Mills, Facebook, Dunkin' Donuts, Delta Airlines, and Benefits Cosmetics.
On today's episode, Alisha shares her start up story and how she grew her business through determination and grit. She tells us how she taught herself to take professional photos using just her iphone and to create engaging content for social media. Alisha and I also talk about tips for preparing for photo shoots, the importance of having a shot list and helpful photo editing apps. We dive into what’s working and not working on social media today, how Alisha has now moved from having an in person team to a virtual team and all of the challenges that go along with that.
Being a product based business owner takes a lot of creativity on all fronts- in your designs, in operations, your marketing and how your reach people and tell your story. Now there are so many different platforms and technologies it can be hard to know where to start or which platform to choose. On today’s Proof to Product episode with Dani Nagel, the founder of Dazey LA, we sit down to talk about the importance of finding platforms that work best for your creativity and that start your kind of conversation.
Dani founded Dazey LA as a fashion brand focused on empowering women through conversation and community. She intentionally built a business that supports her personal values. Each design is hand drawn by Dani and then manufactured to order in Los Angeles, California.
On today's episode Dani and I talk about how her corporate and startup experience shaped her business perspective. We discuss sustainability, community building, and how Dani built Dazey LA from the ground up. Dani talks about how transparency and showing behind the scenes processes of her marketing and product development has helped her business. And we dive into Dazey LA's ambassador program, which tools they use, how they structure it, and how it has helped them build the retail side of their business.
As product-based business owners and entrepreneurs, so many of us are under constant pressure to juggle the design and operations sides of our businesses. It can be hard to focus on both moving product and creating the designs for that product, especially when we’re juggling online, wholesale and licensing accounts. Turns out, you don’t always have to do it all. Today’s Proof to Product guest, Erin McManness, is a Paper Camp alumni who’s lived every side of the business and decided to stick to the parts that are most fulfilling for her. I’m excited for you to hear her story.
Erin is an illustrator working in Atlanta, Georgia. She's been freelancing full time for five years under her brand Paper Raven Co., which started as a small greeting card line and now includes licensing for an assortment of cards, gifts, fabrics, and home décor. Erin incorporates her values and love for the environment in her work by printing all of her cards on 100% recycled paper in the United States. She also donates $1 from every sale to her reforestation partner, One Tree Planted. Over the course of her career, Erin has collaborated on projects with companies like Macy's, Target, Trader Joe's, Publix, and Aldi. In October, she's releasing her second book, The Art Starts In The Heart: An Inspirational Guide To Making Meaningful Art.
On Episode 125, Erin and I sit down to cover all of the above. We talk about how Erin has built the licensing arm of her business, the pros, and cons of flat rate and royalty payments and why she's made the decision to ramp up her licensing arm and slow down on the wholesale side. We also talk about Erin's new book, so enjoy!
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This week’s podcast episode features a case study with Paper Camp alum Rachel O’Neill of Loftipop.
This week’s podcast episode features a case study with Paper Camp alum Sherry Lam of Sherry's Palette.
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In this episode, wholesale expert Katie Hunt shares her recap of the 2026 Faire Summer Market.
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This week’s conversation is for anyone who has ever looked around their home, their studio, or their storage unit and thought: “we officially have too much inventory and we are running out of space.” We're talking about what happens when your business starts to outgrow your space and how to know when it might be time to make a move.
In this episode, wholesale expert Katie Hunt shares why customer retention is important yet often overlooked.
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This week I'm sitting down with returning guest Audrey Woollen of Urbanic and we're talking about navigating a huge business transition. About a year ago, Audrey decided to close her retail shop and we'll talk about that today. Audrey opens up about the difficult decision it was to close after being open for nearly two decades.
Today's episode is a really practical conversation for anyone that is preparing for wholesale trade shows, especially if you're newer to exhibiting or you're trying to decide whether trade shows are the right next step for your business. I'm joined by Karen Sawyer-Meehan of Pier Six Press.
Today I'm joined by my friend Kimberley Yurkiewicz, owner of Measure Twice, an independent gift shop in Brooklyn, New York. In this episode, we are catching up about buying patterns, rising product costs, what brands are getting right and wrong when pitching stores, and why industry standards still matter.
Today I am joined by best selling author Austin Kleon, the author of Steal like an Artist, Show Your Work, Keep Going, and his newest book, Don't Call It Art. We talk about the pressure to always be professional, the fear of looking stupid or not knowing everything, and why staying curious actually matters so much as we grow our businesses and ourselves as creative leaders.
In this episode, wholesale expert Katie Hunt dives into a topic that may make some of you really uncomfortable, but may save your business. We're talking about raising your prices.
In this episode, wholesale expert Katie Hunt shares a case study that she wrote and shared inside of our LABS community on email segmentation.
This episode I am joined by Daniel Lachman, founder of Justice for Artists. We discuss the realities of art theft in today's digital world and dive into the difference between counterfeits and knockoffs and why this matters more than you think.
This episode I am joined by Tammie Bennett and we are talking about what it really looks like to get unstuck to trust yourself again and to start taking action even when things feel messy or unclear.
In this episode, past Paper Camp alumni share their experiences in participating in our wholesale program, Paper Camp, and how it has changed their business for the better.
This episode I am joined by Paper Camp alum Andrew Fegler, the founder of That's So Andrew.
He discusses everything from the nuances of authentic allyship to making intentional decisions about suppliers and partnerships. Plus, with over 25 trade shows under his belt, Andrew gives us an insider look at the regional vibes, buyer dynamics at these major wholesale events, talking through lessons he's learned, financial strategies, and the impact of human connection in business.
This episode is an excerpt from our coaching call in Paper Camp that was centered on exhibiting at trade shows. I asked Paper Camp alums Karen Sawyer-Meehan of Pier Six Press and Alyson O’Connor of Rust Belt Love to come and share their experiences with the 47th round of Paper Camp.
During this episode, we’re chatting with Lib Ramos and Jessie Tyree Jenness about craft shows and digging into what organizers are actually looking for when you apply for these shows, how exhibitors can decide if a show is worth it, and how to also measure ROI following a show.
During this episode, content strategist Kaila Uli shares about the role that organic content should realistically play in your overall marketing strategy, the difference between content that simply gets views and content that actually converts to sales.
This episode I am joined by Ilana Griffo and Katie Johnson, the founders of Goodtype and the authors of the new book Follow Your Art. Ilana and Katie share their story behind the new book and the deeper message at the heart of it— that building a creative career isn't just about making art. It's about learning to trust yourself and your perspective as an artist.
During this episode, Pinterest expert Heather Farris shares the latest AI-driven tools and features that are available for e-commerce brands to use to grow their business. You'll hear practical advice on getting started with Pinterest, optimizing your product listings, tapping into trends, and using the platform in a way that actually supports your sales.
During this episode, Angie Chua of bobo designs shares what it was really like growing her business, the missteps, the hiring decisions, the moments of doubt that we all kind of face, and also the shifts that helped her step into true leadership. She also opened up about her commitment to supporting artists from marginalized communities and how she navigates the seasonality of retail in Palm Springs.
During this episode, I share a case study with Paper Camp alum Ashleigh Evans of InBooze.
During this episode, I share a case study with Paper Camp alum Brianna Reagan of Brianna Reagan Creates.
During this episode, I share a case study with Paper Camp alum Taylor Carroll of The Stray Shop.
During this episode, Paper Camp alum Lesa Muehlstein from Birdie Mae Designs shares how after Paper Camp she got her products into 200 stores, how to balance how much inventory to order when space and cash flow are constraints, and what sales data she tracks and how she uses that data to make decisions in her business.
This week’s podcast episode features a case study with Paper Camp alum Rachel O’Neill of Loftipop.