Proof to Product

How do you make spending decisions that keep a product business sustainable and profitable year after year? In Part 2 of my conversation with Katie Wilson of The Good Twin and Crush and Touch Art Supply, we talk about money.

Katie walks through her yearly budgeting process, from projecting sales to setting aside funds for new products, and explains why she treats her budget as a living plan rather than something to set and forget. She also shares why she keeps her team small and well-paid, and why she believes the world needs more good small business jobs.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Katie projects her sales for the year ahead
• How she allocates money for new product development
• How she sets her non-negotiable expenses
• Why she’s paid herself through payroll since day one
• Why your budget is a plan that may need adjusting throughout the year, not something set in stone
• Why she keeps fulfillment in-house instead of using a 3PL
• Why she believes in keeping her team small and well-paid, and creating good small business jobs

Listen to part 1 at http://prooftoproduct.com/466 or wherever you get your podcasts. Katie talks about product trend cycles and creative fulfillment, and explains why your bestsellers deserve to stick around.

Today's episode is brought to you by our Retailer Roundtable interview series.

To make a strong first impression with wholesale buyers, we need to do a few things well.

• We need to make it easy for stores to purchase from us
• We need clear pricing and terms and conditions
• We need to build strong relationships with our customers

All of that gets easier when we listen to our customers. This on-demand interview series gives you a window into what buyers want and need from you, and it's only $27. You can get access to it at http://prooftoproduct.com/roundtable.

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/467

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

I know you have a lot on your plate right now. You've got products to make, orders to ship, and about a hundred decisions that you're making every day.

I do not take it lightly that you are spending time with me today and I want to thank you for being here.

Today's episode is a short, focused, throwback episode designed to give you one thing that you can do today to move your business forward.

No fluff, no filler, just ideas that we've shared in the past that will benefit you today.

Let's dive in!

You can listen to the full episode with Arianne Foulks of Aeolidia here: http://prooftoproduct.com/114

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

How do you run a high-volume wholesale business with a tiny team, and still make room for the work you love? Katie Wilson has been in the greeting card and gift industry since 2008, and her brand, The Good Twin, is 95% wholesale and stocked in more than 1,500 independent shops around the world.

She and her partner Scotty also run Crush and Touch Art Supply, a neighborhood art store and gift shop in Los Angeles. You’ve heard Katie talked about the shop side on the podcast before in episode 129, episode 316, and episode 317.

This time she focuses on the brand: why wholesale is still her main revenue stream, how she keeps orders moving, and which products she’ll never cut. This episode was so juicy, we had to split it into two parts!

In part 1, you’ll learn:

• Why Katie chooses to keep wholesale as The Good Twin’s primary revenue stream
• How a tiny team handles high-volume wholesale orders with strong systems, and why she keeps fulfillment in-house
• How to spot trends in product cycles and categories
• How to balance making money from your work with projects that fill your creative cup
• Why you should think twice before discontinuing a bestseller, even if you’re tired of looking at it years later

Today's episode is brought to you by our Retailer Roundtable interview series.

To make a strong first impression with wholesale buyers, we need to do a few things well.

• We need to make it easy for stores to purchase from us
• We need clear pricing and terms and conditions
• We need to build strong relationships with our customers

All of that gets easier when we listen to our customers. This on-demand interview series gives you a window into what buyers want and need from you, and it's only $27. You can get access to it at http://prooftoproduct.com/roundtable.

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/466

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

One pattern I've noticed time and time again after working with thousands of product brands across lots of different categories, is that while our products might be different or our tools and platforms might change, all of our core business foundations and fundamentals are not changing.

And that's exactly why I wanted to share this short clip from the archive, something that I think is worth revisiting because the takeaways still hold true today.

Maybe listening will spark an idea or help you take action on a decision that you've been sitting on. Really, the goal here is to help you take your next intentional step in business. That's what I want for you.

Enjoy this clip!

You can listen to the full episode with Reese Spykerman of Design By Reese here: http://prooftoproduct.com/224

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

"How did you get your products into so many stores?" Melissa Gullatte hears this question often.

Her business, Gracefully Made Art, started with original paintings and wedding invitations.

After her first daughter was born, she pivoted to officially licensed collegiate and sorority gifts.

She took Paper Camp in spring 2023, thinking wholesale would be a nice side channel.

Three years later, wholesale is two-thirds of her revenue and she's in more than 1,000 stores.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How collegiate and sorority licensing works: applying school by school, getting each product category and every piece of artwork approved, and planning six months to a year ahead of launch
• How Melissa landed Ole Miss after two years of rejections
• Why sorority licensing opened up a national market when collegiate products sell regionally
• How she prices for wholesale first, with royalties of 12 to 20 percent built in, then sets her retail price from there
• What tactics got her into 1,000+ stores
• How she keeps retailers reordering, and why fewer SKUs helped her business grow

Today's episode is brought to you by our Retailer Roundtable interview series.

To make a strong first impression with wholesale buyers, we need to do a few things well.

• We need to make it easy for stores to purchase from us
• We need clear pricing and terms and conditions
• We need to build strong relationships with our customers

All of that gets easier when we listen to our customers. This on-demand interview series gives you a window into what buyers want and need from you, and it's only $27. You can get access to it at http://prooftoproduct.com/roundtable.

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/465

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

I know you have a lot on your plate right now. You've got products to make, orders to ship, and about a hundred decisions that you're making every day.

I do not take it lightly that you are spending time with me today and I want to thank you for being here.

Today's episode is a short, focused, throwback episode designed to give you one thing that you can do today to move your business forward.

No fluff, no filler, just ideas that we've shared in the past that will benefit you today.

Let's dive in!

You can listen to the full episode with Mei Pak of Creative Hive Co here: http://prooftoproduct.com/265

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

How do you decide what to make next, what to cut, and where to put your limited time and money? For Elizabeth Rees, founder of Chasing Paper, the answer has come from her customers for nearly 13 years.

She shares how customer feedback shaped her product format, her materials, her wholesale approach, and her newest line, and why she checks every instinct against the data before acting on it.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why Chasing Paper sold wallpaper in panels instead of rolls from the start, so a customer with a small project could spend $60 instead of $250 and buy in at any budget
• How launching with two materials, Standard and Luxe, worked like an accidental A/B test, and why Elizabeth discontinued the lower-priced option about nine months in instead of continuing to explain the difference
• How Chasing Paper treats wholesale as a customer acquisition channel, drop-shipping for retail partners and using those placements to build brand trust
• Why the trade program, where repeat rate, average order value, and lifetime value run three to four times higher than direct-to-consumer, became the reason to launch fabric
• Why deepening relationships with the customers you already have can matter more than constantly finding new ones, and why a small team has to be selective about new channels
• How Elizabeth pairs instinct with data, and why one source of truth for attribution keeps her team from cherry-picking numbers to support a hunch

Today's episode is brought to you by our Retailer Roundtable interview series.

To make a strong first impression with wholesale buyers, we need to do a few things well.

• We need to make it easy for stores to purchase from us
• We need clear pricing and terms and conditions
• We need to build strong relationships with our customers

All of that gets easier when we listen to our customers. This on-demand interview series gives you a window into what buyers want and need from you, and it's only $27. You can get access to it at http://prooftoproduct.com/roundtable.

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/464

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

I know you have a lot on your plate right now. You've got products to make, orders to ship, and about a hundred decisions that you're making every day.

I do not take it lightly that you are spending time with me today and I want to thank you for being here.

Today's episode is a short, focused, throwback episode designed to give you one thing that you can do today to move your business forward.

No fluff, no filler, just ideas that we've shared in the past that will benefit you today.

Let's dive in!

You can listen to the full episode here: http://prooftoproduct.com/419

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

Dorothy Belshaw has spent more than three decades in the gift, home, and trade show industries. She's led some of North America's biggest markets—from NY NOW to Atlanta Mart, and Las Vegas Market.

Earlier this year, Dorothy partnered with industry veterans William Lacey and Karen Olson to acquire NY NOW through Rockview Management Group and bring the iconic 100+ year-old show into its next chapter.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What changes when a trade show is owned by a small, industry-embedded team instead of a large company
• What she and her partners changed in their first few months, and how the summer show performed
• How they're rebuilding category depth, including Home returning as a primary category and Handmade coming back under external jury
• How multi-line agency partnerships re-engage the reps who are already in stores year-round
• What NY NOW is doing to bring buyers back from the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, northern Midwest, and eastern Canada
• Why Dorothy believes buyers can't build a full assortment digitally, and what that means for your booth
• What support is being built for newer and smaller exhibitors, and how to make an impact in a smaller footprint
• What the strongest brands at the show have in common: evolving product, early commitment, and follow-up
• Why Shoppe Object and NY NOW are on different weekends for Winter 2027, and the plan to get back to the same dates

Today's episode is brought to you by our Retailer Roundtable interview series.

To make a strong first impression with wholesale buyers, we need to do a few things well.

• We need to make it easy for stores to purchase from us
• We need clear pricing and terms and conditions
• We need to build strong relationships with our customers

All of that gets easier when we listen to our customers. This on-demand interview series gives you a window into what buyers want and need from you, and it's only $27. You can get access to it at http://prooftoproduct.com/roundtable.

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/463

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

Today's episode is a short excerpt from a conversation with one of our incredible Proof to Product community members.

I love sharing these conversations because building a product brand doesn't follow a single pathway.

There is no one-size-fits-all strategy that works for everyone because no two businesses are the same.

We learn so much by hearing how other people are making decisions, the ideas that they're testing out, and also how they're navigating both the ups and downs that come with entrepreneurship and building a business.

Here at Proof to Product, our goal is to help you build a sustainable business, one that supports you long term. Hearing these real stories from other founders helps to reinforce that that is truly possible, because friends, it is.

You can listen to the full episode with Brigida Swanson of Yardia here: http://prooftoproduct.com/309

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

Most product-based business owners do their strategic planning late at night or in the car with ten spare minutes. Or they make a big list of everything that needs fixing and try to work on all of it at once.

Either way, a few months go by and it's hard to tell whether the business is headed where you want it to go.

In this episode, I walk you through a five-day exercise, about 30 minutes a day, that ends with one clear priority for your quarter and a plan to get there.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The two patterns that keep owners from planning — the Firefighter, who's too busy reacting to look up, and the Juggler, who makes a little progress in five directions instead of real progress in one
• Why looking back at the last 90 days, not the whole year, is the first step before you plan anything
• How to take your business temperature by rating your product line, your sales and marketing, and your systems and operations from one to five, and why your lowest score usually points to your biggest opportunity
• Why you pick one priority for the quarter, not three or five, and the question that helps you choose it
• How to break that priority into three monthly milestones and a first step small enough to take in the next 48 hours
• How LABS members are using the exercise to make real progress in their business

Today's episode is brought to you by Proof to Product LABS, our membership for product-based business owners who want to keep growing after the basics are in place.

Inside LABS, you get coaching, our full training library, and focused sprints throughout the year to help you make real progress on one thing at a time.

CEO Week, which is what I'm walking you through today, is one of those sprints.

We also have an upcoming Black Friday / Cyber Monday sprint so you go into the holidays with a plan.

We're opening enrollment to LABS this week, and our next CEO Week kicks off October 12th. Come do it with us!

JOIN US IN LABS NOW

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/462

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

I know you have a lot on your plate right now. You've got products to make, orders to ship, and about a hundred decisions that you're making every day.

I do not take it lightly that you are spending time with me today and I want to thank you for being here.

Today's episode is a short, focused, throwback episode designed to give you one thing that you can do today to move your business forward.

No fluff, no filler, just ideas that we've shared in the past that will benefit you today.

Let's dive in!

You can listen to the full episode with Betsy Garcia of Bloomwolf Studio here: http://prooftoproduct.com/173

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

I've been having a lot of conversations lately, both private and public, about Faire.

Some of you love the platform. Some of you hate it.

And a lot of you are somewhere in the middle, trying to figure out your next move.

Should I get on Faire?

Should I get off?

Should I let it run on cruise control?

There's a lot of noise right now, and a lot of nuance to every situation.

Here's the part that gets missed: most of our Paper Camp students and alumni sell on Faire, and most of them are not paying commission on the large majority of their orders.

There's no trick to it. They use Faire as a checkout, not as a sales strategy.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What Faire genuinely does well
• Why I have no problem with Faire's commissions
• The two best ways brands use Faire
• The four things Paper Camp alumni specifically do consistently with Faire that helps keep more money in their pockets
• How one Proof to Product client pulled abandoned cart and past order data to build a personalized three-day campaign for a single store, and landed a $2,500 order
• The one question to ask every time Faire rolls out something new

Today's episode is brought to you by our Retailer Roundtable interview series.

To make a strong first impression with wholesale buyers, we need to do a few things well.

• We need to make it easy for stores to purchase from us
• We need clear pricing and terms and conditions
• We need to build strong relationships with our customers

All of that gets easier when we listen to our customers. This on-demand interview series gives you a window into what buyers want and need from you, and it's only $27. You can get access to it at http://prooftoproduct.com/roundtable.

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/461

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

Today's episode is a short excerpt from a conversation with one of our incredible Proof to Product community members.

I love sharing these conversations because building a product brand doesn't follow a single pathway.

There is no one-size-fits-all strategy that works for everyone because no two businesses are the same.

We learn so much by hearing how other people are making decisions, the ideas that they're testing out, and also how they're navigating both the ups and downs that come with entrepreneurship and building a business.

Here at Proof to Product, our goal is to help you build a sustainable business, one that supports you long term. Hearing these real stories from other founders helps to reinforce that that is truly possible, because friends, it is.

You can listen to the full episode with Megan Fowler of Brown Parcel Press here: http://prooftoproduct.com/218

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

When you're deciding which products to add to your line, you probably think about sales data first. But that's only part of the story.

Amita Nair has built Amicreative into a cohesive, intentional brand by making product decisions from four angles: financial performance, design aesthetic, what customers actually want, and whether the product fits her brand voice.

In this episode, she walks through how she's learned to say no to products that make business sense but don't fit her story—and why that clarity matters.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The four lenses for evaluating new products: data, design, customer voice, and brand alignment
• Why Amita chose to add aprons instead of expanding into oven mitts (and what that decision reveals about brand strategy)
• How licensing and product can coexist—and which one might take priority at different stages
• The role of peer community in making better business decisions and avoiding costly mistakes
• Why "I can add this" is different from "I should add this"
• How starting with a small, cohesive product line scales better than chasing every opportunity

Ready to build a product line that's both profitable and true to your brand? If you're in the early stages of deciding which products to develop, or if you're mid-line and wondering whether that new category makes sense, LABS gives you access to the peer community and resources you need to make those decisions with confidence.

REQUEST YOUR INVITATION

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/460

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

Over the years, we've had hundreds of conversations on this podcast about what it means to build a sustainable, profitable product brand. And some of those conversations are just too juicy. They're too good to live in the archives.

Today, I'm bringing one back. What you're about to hear is a short clip from a past episode. It's a topic that has stuck with me and still feels very relevant today.

These throwback episodes are intentionally short and to the point because sometimes you don't need a full deep dive.

All right, let's dive in.

You can listen to the full episode here: http://prooftoproduct.com/369

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

Today I'm talking with someone I've admired for a long time— artist, author, illustrator, and creative entrepreneur Lisa Congdon.

Lisa has been building businesses around her art for nearly 20 years, and in this conversation we talk about something that I think a lot of established brand owners will relate to, and that's what happens when you've built a successful business but you realize it's no longer the business you want to run.

Lisa recently made the decision to close her retail business after 20 years, not because it was failing, but because she wanted more time and space to make art and pursue the work that really energizes her.

I appreciate how intentional she was about that decision.

She didn't just burn everything down and hope for the best, like some of us feel like doing every day, but she looked at her finances and considered other revenue streams.

She created a plan and gave herself and her team a runway.

We also get into how Lisa developed a recognizable artistic point of view, why making work that actually means something to you can create a stronger connection with your customers, and the difference between trend-driven, trend-agnostic, and trend-informed.

There are so many good nuggets in this conversation about building a product brand that works commercially while still staying true to your creative voice and knowing when it's time to make a change.

Today’s episode is sponsored by our Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview series. To make a strong first impression with wholesale buyers, we need to do a few things really well:

• We need to make it easy for stores to purchase from us
• We need to have clear pricing and terms & conditions
• We need to clearly communicate and add value at each touchpoint
• We need to focus on building strong relationships with our customers.

And all of this becomes infinitely easier when we actively listen to our customers. This on-demand interview series will give you a competitive edge by providing an exclusive window into what buyers want and need from you. And, the best part, it's only $27 bucks.

Get Access to the Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview Series

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/459

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

Over the years, we've had hundreds of conversations on this podcast about what it means to build a sustainable, profitable product brand. And some of those conversations are just too juicy. They're too good to live in the archives.

Today, I'm bringing one back. What you're about to hear is a short clip from a past episode. It's a topic that has stuck with me and still feels very relevant today.

These throwback episodes are intentionally short and to the point because sometimes you don't need a full deep dive.

All right, let's dive in.

You can listen to the full episode with Danielle Coke of Oh Happy Dani here: http://prooftoproduct.com/189

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

What happens when one client makes up 85% of your income, and then that client cancels the contract? For Melissa Hyatt, that moment became the reason she built a business with several ways to earn. Melissa shares her path from design director at Waverly Fabrics to running her own stationery and watercolor brand, and how a sketch on a piece of copy paper turned into a line of watercolor kits that has sold more than 1,000 units.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why Melissa decided never to rely on one client again, and the five revenue streams she built instead: wholesale, teaching, licensing, art commissions, and direct-to-consumer
• How her first wholesale account came from a former Waverly colleague's referral, and why the network you already have matters
• Why she limits commissions and in-person classes to avoid burnout, and how that burnout led her to turn her teaching into a product
• How adding a higher-priced product raised her average order value, brought in new types of stores, and led to in-store teaching opportunities
• The inventory lesson from her first big trade show orders: she under-ordered brushes, shipped a few weeks late, and not one retailer canceled

Today's episode is brought to you by our Is Wholesale Right for You workshop. Wholesale is not the only way to make money selling your products. Selling in bulk to retail stores that order multiple times a year instead of relying on one-off direct-to-consumer sales— yes please!

Whether you are brand new to wholesale or you've hit a sales plateau, this free 25-minute on-demand workshop will give you actionable steps that you can take to strengthen your wholesale sales and marketing right away.

SIGN UP

You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/458

Quick Links:

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

Over the years, we've had hundreds of conversations on this podcast about what it means to build a sustainable, profitable product brand. And some of those conversations are just too juicy. They're too good to live in the archives.

Today, I'm bringing one back. What you're about to hear is a short clip from a past episode. It's a topic that has stuck with me and still feels very relevant today.

These throwback episodes are intentionally short and to the point because sometimes you don't need a full deep dive.

All right, let's dive in.

You can listen to the full episode with Morgan Harper Nichols here: http://prooftoproduct.com/206

Quick Links:

Free Wholesale Audio Series

Free Resources Library

Free Email Marketing for Product Makers

PTP LABS

Paper Camp

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz