Proof To Product

Nicole Block is the owner of The Nic Studio a stationery, design and illustration studio.  She’s also the founder of Tyles, which is a line of sophisticated, removable  wall decor made from cut vinyl!  Nic and I first met on Twitter back in 2009 and she’s been a part of the TSBC community since we started in 2011! On today’s episode Nicole shares how her life inspires her work, the benefits of getting a workspace outside of her home and the logistical challenges she faced when creating a new product category — including how she was turned down by more than 75 manufacturers she approached to help make her Tyles!   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Nicole’s career path Entrepreneurial grit and figuring things out as you go How Nicole & Katie met industry colleagues on Twitter Why Nicole is allergic to ‘trends’ Recognizing that your style and skills will evolve over time & how you need to create products that your audience will love Why she created Tyles and the story behind it. Transitioning from stationery market t

Happy Holidays friends!  This episode with Katie Wilson of The Good Twin is a crowd favorite and I’m so excited for you to listen to it again!   Katie is one of our TSBC alumni and she has such a unique story and fresh perspective on small business life.  Katie is inspiring in how she runs her business; balancing her love of art and creativity with savvy business smarts. I love sharing the stories of our alumni because it reminds us that there is no singular one way to run our businesses.  Katie reminds us that it’s ok to do our own thing, to forge our own path and to not fall into the comparison trap.  A #peptalk we all need at times.   Enjoy the show! -------------- Katie Wilson is the owner of The Good Twin, a stationery company known for its playful illustrations and hand-rendered type.  Katie’s story is a unique one in that The Good Twin is her second successful business in the stationery industry. On today's episode, Katie and I will talk about the pros and cons of being ahead of trends, the importance

Happy Holidays friends!  You may want to relisten to this episode with Tonya Dalton of Inkwell Press twice!  Seriously.  Tonya is the queen of productivity and goal setting --  fitting topics as we enter the new year!  Tonya is an incredible businesswoman and a natural teacher, I’m thrilled to reshare this episode with you.  Enjoy the show! -------------- 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 and gives more details on the new course that she is offering through inkWELL Press.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Tonya’s background prior to start

Happy Holidays friends!  Oh boy, this episode with Jen Gotch was one of my favorites and I’m excited to reshare it with you.  Not only is Jen an inspirational business woman, but she’s honest, open and real with sharing both her successes and her failures.  This episode is a great reminder that we all start in the same place -- the beginning.  Enjoy the show! -------------- Jen Gotch is the chief creative officer and fearless leader of Ban.do.  Jen founded the company in 2008 with no prior business experience and was able to transform it from a small, vintage, one-of-a-kind hair accessory company into a million dollar brand within years.  I had the pleasure of working with Jen when she was a speaker at our Tradeshow Bootcamp Business Camp conference. She not only offers a wealth of information, but she’s passionate about helping creative entrepreneurs succeed.  On today’s episode, we’re talking about how Ban.do evolved into the lifestyle brand it is today, why having a strong brand is the best thing you can d

Happy Holidays friends!  I’m so excited to reshare this episode with Kimberley Yurkiewicz with you.  Not only is this one of our most downloaded episodes, but its hands down the one I get the most emails about -- podcast listeners praising Kimberley and telling me how helpful the episode was in building their catalogs.

Erin Dollar, the owner of Cotton & Flax is an artist and textile designer, focused on creating home goods and bold surface pattern designs. Her background as a printmaker guides her work for Cotton & Flax, and the entire collection of Cotton & Flax home goods are designed, silkscreen printed, and sewn in California. On today’s episode we’re talking about how Erin licensed her artwork for a line of fabrics manufactured by Robert Kaufman.  She’ll share her story of how this licensing partnership came to be, considerations when partnering with other brands and things she learned along the way. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Cotton & Flax’s product offerings What motivated Erin to start Cotton & Flax How she came up with the name when she decided to re-brand How the collaboration with Robert Kaufman came about and why she chose to work with them How she crafted her licensing pitch Considerations smaller companies should take into account when looking at a partnership with a larger company Red flags whe

Sarah Edmonds and Tammy Lawrence are the owners of Banquet Atelier & Workshop, a Vancouver-based design studio.  All of Tammy and Sarah’s products are conceived, designed, printed and produced in Canada with a fine attention to affordability and environmental sustainability. They offer screen printed signed and dated prints, stationery, textiles as well as clothing and jewelry. They’ve also licensed work and collaborated with large brands such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Terrain, Anthropologie, Land of Nod and others to create exclusive products and designs. On today’s episode we’re talking about taking risks with new products and why it took them over 4 years to bring their textiles to market.  We also discuss why you need to follow your passions when making business decisions and why this Canadian company chooses to exhibit at US wholesale shows. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How Sarah & Tammy first met What prompted them to start Banquet Atelier & Workshop Making Banquet Workshop their full-time

Cara Underwood is the owner of Underwood Letterpress which is a lifestyle brand offering custom work and stationery & gift products to the wholesale and retail markets. Cara attended Paper Camp in 2014 when she was undergoing a transition in her business - shifting from custom work and deciding whether wholesale was something she wanted to go into.  Since then, Underwood Letterpress’ greeting cards, paper goods and gift items can be found in stores nationwide. Cara and her products have been featured in major design publications including Domino Magazine, Design Love Fest, Apartment Therapy and Martha Stewart Weddings.   On today’s episode we’re talking about outsourcing manufacturing, building relationships and living life with no regrets.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How Underwood Letterpress got its start Transitioning from her full time job to her business full time The products she offered originally How Paper Camp impacted her business How she juggles wholesale, retail, and custom work Cara’s process for

Gia Graham is the founder of Betsywhite Stationery. Gia started her first stationery business in 2005 and has been undergone major transitions over the last 12 years. She’s renamed and rebranded her business, shifted from custom work to ready-made products,  ramped up wholesale to the point she was working with big box stores and multiple reps and most recently she’s scaling back and slowing down. On today’s episode we’re talking about how pinterest helped her business, the importance of faking it until you make it, and why she chose to discontinue her wholesale line.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: What prompted Gia to launch her business How her business first began Rebranding her business as “Betsywhite” and the transitions her business underwent How Pinterest impacted and enhanced her business Learning how to create Pinterest ads The importance of having beautiful pictures of your products How fakin’ it ‘til you make it really does work Creating a line that could be sold wholesale Making the decision to discontinu

Adam Smith is the founder of Life is Funny Press, a letterpress greeting card company based in Los Angeles. Adam worked a pressman for Sugar Paper before branching out on his own to start  Life is Funny Press. Adam’s passion for printing, his family and making products with purpose really shines through in this episode. Adam came to Paper Camp in 2014 before jumping into trade shows. He currently sells his products via wholesale, retail and custom channels. On today’s episode we’re talking about leaving a full time job to pursue entrepreneurship, a dad’s perspective on juggling family & business, plus why it’s important to not force yourself into creative work that doesn’t feel right.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: When Adam first grew an interest in letterpress printing When and how he started Life is Funny Press The benefits of working at Sugar Paper while building his business The things that motivate him when he is creating new products Printing in small batches at first to test products before printing large

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.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: When Samantha knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur Her background prior to starting her business Note•ify’s products and the basis for the design elements How she decides what products to pursue and which ideas to drop Researching manufacturers and how to decide who to use How Samantha has nurtured her retail clients through her online shop and craft fairs Her strategy on where to direct customers to purchase products when selling from multiple platforms The neces

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.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How Sweet Perversion got its start Gaining momentum on Etsy Seeing results from injecting her humor into her work The sales channels Jeanette is using How her focus in her business shifted at different times to accommodate life circumstances and the direction she wants to take her business Determining how much of a product to order, specifically when breaking into new categories Becoming more comfortable spending money i

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.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: How Heather got into this business & Heather Lins Home’s product offerings Thinking about wholesale and outsourcing from the beginning of her business Entering a competition for a spot in Accent on Design before even having product made Heather’s experience with licensing Her advice on how to structure the licensing aspect of your business How Heather pitches to the media Diminishing the fears of not selling enough or selling too much when seeking press coverage on your products Heather’s experience as an American Made Award Incorporating ideas from Tim Ferriss's Four Hour Work Week into her  b

Katie Hunt, founder of Tradeshow Bootcamp on why she chose to share her business experiences and resources with her ‘competitors’ and the importance of community over competition.

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 down-time 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.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Power and Light Press, and the products they make Hiring on help when you can’t do it all anymore Kyle’s background and what led her to letterpress What lead her to start her own business & her favorite part of being a business owner Her Power and Light Press team and the roles they play The pros and cons of different trade shows Donating $80,000 to Planned Parenthood and her motivations behind it How Kyle handles negative

Sean McCabe is the author of Overlap: Start a Business While Working a Full-Time Job. He has helped tens of thousands of students with his courses on copywriting, client work, pricing, and marketing. On a daily basis, he runs seanwes.com: a learning community for entrepreneurs looking to do fulfilling and meaningful work. On today’s episode we’re talking about getting unstuck in your business, overlapping a day job and a side hustle and the power of masterminds.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Sean’s background and career path His book Overlap: Start a Business While Working a Full-Time Job How he managed all of his overlapping jobs at the beginning The financial benefits of transitioning rather than leaping The concept of curation The thing that responsibility and excuses have in common Why is it important for business owners to hone in on their passion What Sean is most passionate about right now The inspiration behind his book How his mastermind group has helped him How Sean defines success in his business Revising

Mary Beth Storjohann of Workable Wealth  is an author, financial planner and accountability coach working to help clients in their 20s-40s make smart, educated decisions with their money.  I met Mary Beth at a conference last year and was so impressed how she spoke about money from a place of confidence and power.  We were honored to have her speak at our Paper Camp+ conference and I’m excited for you to listen to this episode. Today we’re talking about money misconceptions and fears, common reasons people seek out a financial planner and why it’s important for you to know your numbers!   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: A misconception that business owners tend to have about money Mary Beth’s core client base Helping her clients with both professional and personal finances due to the intersection of both The importance of reassessing where your business is often Her role with her clients Her philosophy on keeping overhead expenses down The importance of being aware of and managing subscriptions Having a goal when you ar

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 and gives more details on the new course that she is offering through inkWELL Press. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: Tonya’s background prior to starting inkWELL Press The motivation and inspiration behind inkWELL Press The systems Tonya put into place to take her kitchen table hobby into a huge business How her background as a teacher helped her set up systems & run her business efficiently What overwhelm is & how to overcome it Common pain points Tanya sees in entrepreneurs when it comes to pro

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.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: What motivated Debbie to start letterpress printing How she balances marketing to different audiences The things that inspire Debbie when creating new products and how she comes up with new concepts Her cross-country move & how she prepared Balancing being a mom and being a business owner The importance of not letting comparison deter your growth or your priori

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.   ON TODAY’S EPISODE: What led Adina to start her own business How she decided upon the name “Bunny Bear Press” for her business Getting started in hand lettering and when she started incorporating it into her products The products that Bunny Bear Press offers Her decision to focus on one product on a time and do that really well before expanding