pep talk — Podcast — Proof to Product | Wholesale Sales & Marketing Strategy for Product Brands

Posts in pep talk

339 | Updates on Independent Contractor Guidelines with Kira La Forgia, Paradigm Consulting

339 | Updates on Independent Contractor Guidelines with Kira La Forgia, Paradigm Consulting

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.

pep talkKatie HuntApril 23, 2024Comment

338 | Exiting and Acquiring a Business with Kiwi Schloffel & Meghan Hopkins Sokorai

During this episode, Kiwi Schloffel & Meghan Hopkins Sokorai 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.

pep talkKatie HuntApril 16, 2024Comment

333 | Scaling without Employees with Beth Roszkowski, Tiny Hooray

333 | Scaling without Employees with Beth Roszkowski, Tiny Hooray

In this episode, Beth Roszkowski shares her business journey, why she doesn't want to hire employees, and how she's utilizing independent contractors for project-based and ongoing support for her business.

pep talkKatie HuntMarch 12, 2024Comment

332 | Rebuilding Self-Trust and Confidence as a Business Owner with Ginny Krauss & Elli Runkles, Supported CEO (Part 2)

332 | Rebuilding Self-Trust and Confidence as a Business Owner with Ginny Krauss & Elli Runkles, Supported CEO (Part 2)

In this episode, Ginny Krauss and Elli Runkles share strategies and tactics to help you avoid burnout and rebuild self-confidence and trust. You will learn what support pockets are and how to use them in your daily living to ease stress and protect your peace.

pep talkKatie HuntMarch 5, 2024Comment

331 | Back From Burnout with Ginny Krauss & Elli Runkles, Supported CEO (Part 1)

331 | Back From Burnout with Ginny Krauss & Elli Runkles, Supported CEO (Part 1)

In this episode, we're talking with Ginny Krauss and Elli Runkles about their burnout story, decision fatigue, building self-trust as a business owner, and also how your definition of “success” as a business owner can change over time.

pep talkKatie HuntFebruary 27, 2024Comment

235 | How can I get more support from Proof to Product with Katie Hunt

235 | How can I get more support from Proof to Product with Katie Hunt

tradeshows, pep talk, Operations & Sales, marketing, productKatie HuntFebruary 8, 2022Comment

231 | 2021 Year-End Recap with Katie Hunt

231 | 2021 Year-End Recap with Katie Hunt

With the new year right around the corner, my team and I have been making time to really reflect on the past year.

This year has been one of introspection–about our businesses, about the state of the world, and about how we balance our work and personal lives. We’ve been forced to adjust to this new normal, like it or not. But I’m proud to say that here at Proof to Product, we never stopped making progress.

Operations & Sales, pep talkKatie HuntDecember 17, 2021Comment

229 | Which Business Insurance Do You Need? with Katie Hunt

229 | Which Business Insurance Do You Need? with Katie Hunt

Insurance. It’s admittedly one of the least fun parts of owning a product based business, but it’s also one of the most important.

No one wants to imagine a disaster in their business, but they happen, and it’s best to be prepared. If you’re unable to work, your business gets sued, or your equipment breaks, you’ll be glad you set up a safety net well in advance.

Operations & Sales, pep talkKatie HuntDecember 7, 2021Comment

225 | 4 Steps to Optimize What's Already Working in Your Business with Katie Hunt

225 | 4 Steps to Optimize What's Already Working in Your Business with Katie Hunt

Oftentimes in business, we set our sights on the next big thing–the next product, the next launch, the next program–that we forget to rethink the systems that are already working in our business. But most of the time, those systems could run even better and make us even more profit with just a few small tweaks. Take a listen for my four-step brainstorming exercise to help you identify what’s working in your business and make minor adjustments to improve your systems even further.

Operations & Sales, pep talkKatie HuntNovember 9, 2021Comment

220 | Navigating Supply Chain Issues, Shipping Delays and Labor Shortages with Katie Hunt

220 | Navigating Supply Chain Issues, Shipping Delays and Labor Shortages with Katie Hunt

The upcoming holiday sales season is upon us! The worldwide shipping delays, supply chain issues and labor shortages have been causing some massive challenges for small businesses everywhere, particularly for physical product businesses. Take a listen to hear my 5 action steps you can take to prepare yourself so you don’t face as many disruptions in your sales as we head into the holiday season.

Operations & Sales, pep talkKatie HuntOctober 5, 2021Comment

216 | Feeling Stuck In the Messy Middle? with Katie Hunt

216 | Feeling Stuck In the Messy Middle? with Katie Hunt

The messy middle.

It’s not a particularly fun place to be in business.

It can be fraught with feelings of doubt, fear and imposter syndrome. While at the same time, it is a phase of business where tremendous growth happens and confidence builds.

Listen in for encouragement and advice on why focus is what you need.

pep talkKatie HuntSeptember 7, 2021Comment

215 | Growing a Multi-Faceted Business while Managing a Chronic Illness with Morgan Swank, Morgan Swank Studio

The challenges of running a business can be numerous. For those living with chronic illness, there are even more nuances to navigate, especially when it comes to listening and working with your body’s natural rhythm.

In this episode, I was joined by Morgan Swank of Morgan Swank Studio. Morgan is a longtime student of our LABS community and a Paper Camp alumni. She and I discussed what led to her decision to start her paper goods brand. Morgan also gives us insight into what it’s like to be a business owner with a chronic illness and her journey of licensing her products in big retail stores.

product, pep talkKatie HuntAugust 31, 2021Comment

212 | The Art of Storytelling for Your Business with Michelle Knight, Brandmerry

212 | The Art of Storytelling for Your Business with Michelle Knight, Brandmerry

Storytelling is such a powerful way to connect with your customers. Our current and prospective customers want to know the people behind the brand, why you make the products you do and what your brand stands for.

In this week's all new episode of Proof to Product, I chat withMichelle Knight of Brandmerry. She takes us on the path to discovering how to create a more authentic connection with our customers through storytelling; and how this type of marketing will provide you with more income and impact.

marketing, pep talkKatie HuntAugust 10, 2021Comment

206 | How Far You Have Come with Morgan Harper Nichols

206 | How Far You Have Come with Morgan Harper Nichols

How often do you take a step back to look at and soak in the goodness of how far you’ve come? That’s exactly what guest Morgan Harper Nichols encourages us all to do as she joined me to chat about the inspiration behind her new book, How Far You Have Come.

In this episode, we talk about how she was diagnosed with autism in her thirties after seeing a TikTok about it last year.

Morgan and I also dive into setting boundaries and upholding them, how she maintains being true to herself on Instagram and why she’s a big advocate for collaboration.

pep talkKatie HuntMay 25, 2021Comment

202 | Community & Coaching in LABS with Janine Kwoh, Kwohtations & Christy Asper, Paper Baristas

202 | Community & Coaching in LABS with Janine Kwoh, Kwohtations & Christy Asper, Paper Baristas

Hey friends! The doors to Proof to Product LABS are wide open. We are welcoming a new class to our community so on the podcast this week we wanted to highlight the growth of our community and how we’ve enhanced the program throughout its first year.

In this episode, I am joined by two people you might recognize if you’re a longtime listener of the show, Janine Kwoh of Kwohtations and Christy Asper of Paper Baristas. Both of these ladies are founding members of our LABS program and have been active participants in our monthly masterclasses, group coaching calls and our peer masterminds and coffee chats.

You’ll hear their experiences with LABS — which trainings have been most impactful and how LABS has helped them grow their business and connections with colleagues.

pep talk, Operations & SalesKatie HuntApril 29, 2021Comment

201 | LABS Celebrates One Year with Madeline Hunt

201 | LABS Celebrates One Year with Madeline Hunt

Hey friends! This episode is a little different today. The roles were reversed and I was in the passenger seat as I was joined by my daughter, Madeline for an interview. Madeline asks me some of the most commonly asked questions I get about the Proof to Product LABS as we head toward the one year anniversary of the program. Take a listen to get a peek inside of what we do inside of LABS.

pep talkKatie HuntApril 27, 2021Comment

200 | The Most Common Thread Among Entrepreneurs (You Might Be Surprised!) with Katie Hunt

200 | The Most Common Thread Among Entrepreneurs (You Might Be Surprised!) with Katie Hunt

Hey friends! Can you believe that it’s the 200th episode of the Proof to Product podcast? Quick confession: I’ve been stewing over this episode and what I’d cover for weeks to celebrate this landmark 200th episode.

After grappling with this thought for a while, something happened at home that really put it all into perspective and brought me a lightbulb moment.

In this episode, I share that story with you and reveal the one common thread that ties all entrepreneurs together (and it might even surprise you!).

pep talkKatie HuntApril 20, 2021Comment

190 | 10 Lessons Learned Through 10 Years in Business with Katie Hunt

190 | 10 Lessons Learned Through 10 Years in Business with Katie Hunt

Hey friends! This week marks the 10 year business birthday of Proof to Product! It was 10 years ago that I opened up enrollment for my first program that is now Paper Camp. I didn’t have a website, email list and Instagram wasn’t even a thing yet.

Things have sure come a long way since then and I am so glad that I trusted my gut and stuck with it. Since 2011 we’ve helped thousands of product based business owners get their products on the shelves of their favorite retailers, big or small!

In this episode, I am walking you through the 10 lessons I’ve learned over the last 10 years in business.

pep talkKatie HuntFebruary 9, 2021 Comment

189 | How Art Can Inspire Change and Positive Action in the World with Danielle Coke, Oh Happy Dani

189 | How Art Can Inspire Change and Positive Action in the World with Danielle Coke, Oh Happy Dani

Hey friends! I am so excited for today’s interview with Dani Coke of Oh Happy Dani. If you lived through the year of 2020 and are active on social media, I’m willing to bet that you’ve seen Dani’s beautiful and impactful art making waves across the internet.

Dani is an illustrator, social justice advocate and entrepreneur. Her illustrations aim to make complex issues more digestible and provide practical ways to help others make a difference in their spheres of influence. Dani also is the founder of a social media agency, So Happy Social where she helps positive mission-based brands use social media for good.

In this episode, Dani and I chat about what 2020 was like for her as her illustrations began to go viral online. She gets into how she stays inspired to create, her process for creating new illustrations and how she holds boundaries with her audience. Her episode is a strong reminder that art is powerful and can inspire change and positive action in the world.

product, pep talkKatie HuntFebruary 2, 2021Comment

188 | Providing Comfort for Grief and Loss Through Products with Janine Kwoh, Kwohtations

188 | Providing Comfort for Grief and Loss Through Products with Janine Kwoh, Kwohtations

Hey friends! It’s no secret that grief is hard. It comes with so many unexpected feelings and emotions.

My guest in this episode, Janine Kwoh, the owner and artist behind Kwohtations is no stranger to grief. Her own loss is what inspired her to create a product line to comfort people dealing with the pain of losing a loved one.

In this episode, we chat about her business and how she took it from a hobby to side hustle to her full-time gig. She also shares her experiences running her business as a one-woman show.

Janine and I chat about her process (she actually letterpress prints each card on an antique printing press and hand paints them all). She even shares her advice for other entrepreneurs and how lack of knowledge can sometimes be a benefit as a business owner!

product, pep talkKatie HuntJanuary 26, 2021Comment