Proof to Product

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 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