033 | Sourcing new manufacturing partners with Samantha Barsky, Noteify
Since 2010, Samantha Barsky, the founder of Note•ify has combined her love of travel, photography, and entrepreneurship into making paper and textile goods. She has had success growing her business through a wide range of sales channels including Etsy, craft shows, her own website, as well as licensing and collaborations.
On today’s episode, Samantha talks about sourcing new partners for manufacturing and how tough it is, leveraging passive income streams, and the importance of starting small when branching into new products.
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032 | Running a debt-free company with Jeanette Champion-Fanning, Sweet Perversion
TSBC alum, Jeanette Champion-Fanning is the founder of Sweet Perversion a quick witted line of stationery and gift products. Jeanette got her start on Etsy in 2006 and has had over 20,000 sales there. She attend Paper Camp twice, once was to refine her wholesale program, and the second time was to figure out whether wholesales shows like the National Stationery Show were right for her.
She’s had a lot of growth over the last few years and on today’s episode we’re talking about gaining momentum in business, running a debt-free company and owning our mistakes in business.
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031 | Licensing with Heather Lins, Heather Lins Home
Heather Lins is the founder of Heather Lins Home, a textile and home goods business. Heather comes from a design background and has a fascinating story of starting her business before she even had products to sell.
On today’s episode we’re talking about licensing opportunities, simple strategies for pitching the press and why hard work and being busy doesn’t always equate to being productive.
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030 | How she raised $80,000 for Planned Parenthood with Kyle Durrie, Power and Light Press
Kyle Durrie is the founder of Power and Light Press, a ship-shape letterpress print shop built to handle all of life’s messy emotions. On today’s episode we covered a lot of ground including the pros & cons of different trade shows, how Kyle has grown her team and why she makes travel and downtime an important part of her life. We also talked about how Kyle has donated over $80,000 to Planned Parenthood through the selling of her Stand with Planned Parenthood Tote bags – how she did it, her motivations for giving back and how she dealt with public backlash.
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026 | Building systems & automations at work and home with Tonya Dalton, inkWELL Press
Tonya Dalton is the owner of inkWELL Press and host of Productivity Paradox. Tonya is a productivity expert who believes that too many women feel overwhelmed with all that they have to do each day. She helps women use productivity to pursue their big goals and end each day feeling satisfied and successful.
On today’s episode we’re talking about systems, automations and prioritizing at both home and in your business. She’s an amazing business woman who tells us her story of building her business from her kitchen table. She shares strategies and provides details about her new online course, the new liveWELL method.
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025 | Avoiding the comparison trap with Debbie Lee, Penelope's Press
On today’s episode I’m interviewing Debbie Lee of Penelope’s Press, a letterpress print studio founded in Chicago and now based in Southern California. Debbie opened her business in 2009 selling on Etsy and doing custom wedding work, then later launched to the wholesale market. She shares her important story of how getting sick forced her to scale back in her business and gave her a newfound perspective of how she was spending her days. She talks about her struggle to say no to new opportunities, why her family is at the center of her business decisions and why she didn’t let comparison deter her from her path of slow growth.
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024 | Pivoting in business with Adina Segal, Bunny Bear Press
Adina Segal is the owner of Bunny Bear Press, a letterpress studio based in Seattle, Washington. Adina attended Tradeshow Bootcamp in the fall of 2013, prior to exhibiting at the National Stationery Show in 2014 in a shared booth with The Ladies of Letterpress. Since then, Adina has rebranded, built out her product line and is focused on turning customers into good friends.
On today’s episode, Adina is sharing the evolution of her business, including why she underwent a complete rebrand and redesigned all of her products. We also discuss shifting her focus to do one thing and to do it well and how she’s keeping herself accountable by sharing her goals on her blog.
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022 | Prioritizing personal happiness with Emma James & Bailey Rivera, Antiquaria
Emma James and Bailey Rivera are the owners of Antiquaria. These savvy business women have made some big transitions in their business over the last 7 years. They started selling vintage pieces, hand calligraphic work and now focus their product line on stationery products such as gift wrap, notebooks and greeting cards.
They attended our Paper Camp E-Course in 2013 prior to launching wholesale. Their products are currently carried in Anthropologie, BHLDN, Paper Source, Terrain and independent boutiques internationally.
On today’s episode, they’ll tell their story of starting the business, talk about how pivoting at different points strengthened their business model and how prioritizing their personal happiness has enabled them to grow too. They also shared nuggets about what inspires them when creating new products as well as logistics for how they determine which product categories to tackle next.
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020 | Dealing with copy cats with Julie Richardson, Unblushing
TSBC alumni, Julie Richardson started Julie Ann Art in 2008 as a side hustle and has seen great success over the last nine years. She got her start on etsy where she’s had almost 70,000 sales to date! Julie also sells to the wholesale market.
On today’s episode, we’re talking about building community with customers, how she handles copy cats and why she’s focused on creating products with purpose.
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019 | Marketing to multiple sales channels with Victoria Venturi, Paper Epiphanies
TSBC Alum, Victoria Venturi is the founder of Paper Epiphanies, a paper and lifestyle brand that empowers women. Prior to being her own boss, Victoria worked in PR Marketing for really large brands such as FOX, Disney, Warner Bros., and Hilton Hotels.
On today’s episode, we’re talking about balancing wholesale and retail outreach, how to build relationships with the press and the importance of honing your message and articulating the why of your business.
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Benefits of mastermind groups with Katie Hunt
What's a mastermind? It is a small group of entrepreneurs who are at similar levels in business. The group fosters community, provides accountability and is often led by an expert who provides coaching, guidance and structure to the program.
On this episode Katie talks about how joining a Mastermind propelled her business, and how it led her to launching Tradeshow Bootcamp's newest program.
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017 | Finding your unique voice in your products with Rosanna Kvernmo, Iron Curtain Press
TSBC alumni, Rosanna Kvernmo is the owner of Iron Curtain Press, a letterpress studio in Los Angeles. In the spring of 2016, she and her husband, Joel, also opened Shorthand, a little store specializing in beautiful supplies for your desk.
On today’s episode, Rosanna and I talk about her experience as both a wholesaler & a store owner, product development and finding your unique voice in your products and business.
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016 | How to pitch your products to retailers with Shayna Norwood, Steel Petal Press
TSBC Alumni, Shayna Norwood of Steel Petal Press owns the letterpress studio and retail storefront based in Chicago. Shayna started Steel Petal Press in 2008 as a side hustle and it became her full time gig in 2010. In 2016, she opened her flagship retail shop selling her own products as well as stationery and office goods from other independent brands.
On today’s episode, Shayna shares how she manages both a wholesale business and a retail storefront, the challenges she’s faced while growing her business and her advice to designers who are pitching their products to wholesale buyers.
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015 | Inspiration for creating new products with Allison Brennan & Jessica Tree, The Social Type
TSBC Alums, Allison Brennan & Jessica Tree are the owners of The Social Type. They launched their foil-pressed greeting card line in 2010 and have since expanded into other gift categories including their very popular matchboxes. On this episode, Jess and Allison talk about their inspiration for creating new products, how they split responsibilities as business partners and we talk about the importance of slow, but steady growth in business.
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014 | Overseas manufacturing with Heather Harris, Copper Bottom Design
TSBC Alum, Heather Harris has been designing day planners and desk products since 2004 for clients including momAgenda, Barney’s, Brooks Brothers, and Tiffany & Co. In 2015, she branched out on her own to start Copper Bottom Design Co. where she and her team help product based businesses with design, proofreading and overseas production. On today’s episode, we’re talking how to know if you’re ready for overseas manufacturing, common errors people make when creating day planners and how her past experiences and skills have led her to create a thriving, enriching business for herself.
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011 | Mindset shifts as a creative business owner with Rachael Hetzel, Pistachio Press
Rachael Hetzel is the owner of Pistachio Press, a boutique letterpress printing and design studio based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 2007, Pistachio Press produces a wholesale line of sweet and slightly snarky stationery products that are sold nationally and internationally. Pistachio Press also creates social invitations, business stationery, and prints commercially for a variety of clients. She’s been a Tradeshow Bootcamp speaker since 2011 and is an excellent teacher and mentor for creative entrepreneurs. On today’s episode Rachael and I dish about mindset shifts that come with more experience as a business owner, juggling running a business with small children in tow and why we feel it is important to give back to our industry.
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010 | Slow, strategic team building with Erin Ozer, Knot & Bow
Erin Ozer is the owner of Knot & Bow. Erin got her start on Etsy in 2010 and has had tremendous, but organic growth, over the last seven years. Her stationery, gift wrap and party goods can be found in more than 1500 retail shops around the world, including Paper Source, Anthropologie, Container Store, and Hallmark just to name a few. On this episode Erin talks about her humble beginnings, manufacturing challenges she experienced, and how she slowly but strategically added members to her team.
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009 | Wholesale sales tools & sales reps with Kimberley Yurkiewicz, Crow & Canary
Kimberley is the New York sales representative for Crow + Canary. During her 15+ year career in the stationery industry, Kimberley has worked at Crane & Co., Kate’s Paperie, as well as two of her own independent boutiques. She got her start running a letterpress studio, and has since worked all sides of the business – manufacturing, wholesaling, custom printing, multi-unit retail, buying, merchandising, and now repping. Kimberley’s vast experience in the industry provides a unique and valuable perspective. On today’s episode Kimberley talks about the role of sales reps, why you need a printed catalog for wholesale and the importance of giving back.
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008 | Infusing personal interests into creative work with Briana & Jason of Brainstorm
Owned and operated by Briana Feola and Jason Snyder, Brainstorm is a print shop and collaborative design studio rooted in the production of original art prints inspired by science, nature, and the outdoors. Briana & Jason have done some creative collaborative projects with big brands such as Lollapalooza, Patgonia, Airstream trailers and an upcoming project with L.L. Bean. On today’s episode Briana and Jason talk about how their love of learning inspires their work, using a strong brand to attract the right clients and why your business should always be in some state of transition.
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007 | Research & development of new products in the handmade space with Meg Sutton, Belle & Union Co.
Meg Sutton of Belle & Union Co., started her business in 2012 with a focus on creating handmade, American-made goods. Belle & Union has seen a ton of growth in their business in the last five years expanding from the world of letterpressed greeting cards into textiles, home goods, kitchen wares and paper gift products. On today’s episode, Meg and I talk about research & development of new products in the handmade space, working with sales reps, goal setting and how running a business is a marathon, not a sprint.
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