Proof to Product

byKatie Hunt

ArtsDesignBusinessEntrepreneurship

Ranked in the top 1% of ALL podcasts, the Proof to Product podcast is your trusted resource for sustainable business growth - especially if you make and sell physical products! Join Katie Hunt, each week as she shares strategies & solutions to enhance your sales & marketing so that you're building a business that supports your best life. If you've ever asked yourself can I make money selling physical products? Am I ready to sell my products wholesale to stores like Target, Anthropologie, Nordstrom or Barnes & Noble? When should I consider hiring a sales team or sales reps? Can I really turn my...

Episodes(40 episodes)

448 | How Many SKUs Should You Have with Katie Hunt

Today I want to talk about SKU numbers because a question that I often get asked is how many SKUs should I have before I start selling wholesale? Unfortunately, the answer is it depends. Which I know you all want like a solid number and we do give some solid recommendations and guidance for like how much we want you to have in Paper Camp and also how many you should have before you start exhibiting at trade shows. But I wanted to do this solo episode on the podcast about this topic because there...

Published: Jul 7, 2026Duration: 20m 16s

We're on Summer Break!

The Proof to Product team is practicing what we preach and we are going on summer break for the next two weeks! We will be back in your ears soon and we are so excited about our upcoming episodes!In the meantime, we are gearing up for another round of our Paper Camp program which will start soon. We only run Paper Camp twice a year, so if you are wanting to learn how to start with wholesale, click here to join the waitlist (we sell out every time!). Have a great week and we'll see you...

Published: Jun 30, 2026Duration: 2m 32s

Quick Hit: What Does Your Brand Story Have to Do With Wholesale Success?

Today's episode is a short excerpt from a previous conversation I had with one of our amazing Paper Camp students.I really love using this podcast to spotlight the incredible things that our students are doing because there is so much value in hearing how other product brands are navigating wholesale in real time. These episodes are also a great reminder that there is no singular path to success when it comes to selling wholesale. You get to decide what works best for you and your brand. Today you're getting an...

Published: Jun 25, 2026Duration: 9m 48s

447 | Embracing Change in Business & What It’s Like to Close Your Retail Shop with Audrey Woollen, Urbanic

This week I'm sitting down with returning guest Audrey Woollen of Urbanic and we're talking about navigating a huge business transition. About a year ago, Audrey decided to close her retail shop and we'll talk about that today. Audrey opens up about the difficult decision it was to close after being open for nearly two decades. We talk about the challenges and emotions of stepping away from something that you've built from the ground up. We talk about hustle culture ane the process of rediscovering creativity and purpose outside of traditional business models. <...

Published: Jun 23, 2026Duration: 33m 16s

Quick Hit: What Should I Do When I’m Not Motivated To Finish The Tasks I Need To Finish?

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...

Published: Jun 18, 2026Duration: 10m 8s

446 | How To Have a Successful First Wholesale Trade Show with Karen Sawyer-Meehan, Pier Six Press

Today's episode is a really practical conversation for anyone that is preparing for wholesale trade shows, especially if you're newer to exhibiting or you're trying to decide whether trade shows are the right next step for your business. I'm joined by Karen Sawyer-Meehan of Pier Six Press. She is a longtime Proof to Product client, a seasoned trade show exhibitor, and also one of the co-chairs of the Noted trade show which is done through the Greeting Card Association. In this episode, we're talking about what actually makes a booth stand out on the show...

Published: Jun 16, 2026Duration: 38m 29s

Quick Hit: Is Selling Wholesale Only For Large, Established Businesses?

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.<...

Published: Jun 11, 2026Duration: 5m 17s

445 | What Indie Retailers Want in Their Stores Right Now with Kimberley Yurkiewicz, Measure Twice

Today I'm joined by my friend Kimberley Yurkiewicz, owner of Measure Twice, an independent gift shop in Brooklyn, New York. Kimberley has worn a lot of hats in the consumer gift industry. Over the years, she worked retail managing large gift shops. She had a successful career as a sales rep. She worked closely with brands behind the scenes, mentoring them as they made decisions about their product line and pricing and more. And for the last seven years, she's owned and operated her successful brick and mortar shop Measure Twice, alongside her husband.Last...

Published: Jun 9, 2026Duration: 41m 33s

Quick Hit: How Can I Gain a More Holistic Understanding of What My DTC & Wholesale Customers Want?

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...

Published: Jun 4, 2026Duration: 9m 58s

444 | Don't Call It Art with Austin Kleon

Today I am joined by best selling author Austin Kleon, the author of Steal like an Artist, Show Your Work, Keep Going, and his newest book, Don't Call It Art. This conversation feels timely because I've been hearing from so many people lately who are just feeling creatively exhausted. They've built businesses around something that they once loved making, but somewhere along the way the creativity started to be replaced by running the business.Those production schedules, the marketing plans, inventory, emails. All the things, right? Austin and I talk about that tension that a...

Published: Jun 2, 2026Duration: 33m 31s

Quick Hit: How Do I Differentiate My Products from Everyone Else?

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...

Published: May 28, 2026Duration: 8m 24s

4 Ways To Increase Your Product Profit Margins with Katie Hunt [Replay]

Hey, friend. I'm pulling an amazing episode from the archives with over 440 episodes here on the Proof to Product podcast.There is a gold mine of information for you to help you grow your business, and, frankly, it can be hard to take it all in.Today's episode is a look back at a solo episode about how to increase your product profit margins. This episode is important now more than ever with inflation and rising prices of practically every good out there. I will walk you through everything that you need to...

Published: May 26, 2026Duration: 7m 31s

Quick Hit: Do I Really Need Wholesale Terms & Conditions?

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...

Published: May 21, 2026Duration: 4m 48s

443 | How to Confidently Raise Your Prices with Katie Hunt

Today we are diving into a topic that I know makes some of you really uncomfortable, but I need you to lean in and listen because this conversation is not only timely, but it is necessary. And honestly, it may save your business.We're talking about raising your prices. Now, before you convince yourself that this does not apply to you, I want to share a story that I came across from a restaurant owner. Yes, I know, totally outside of our industry, but it's worth sharing.If you are tired of working in a...

Published: May 19, 2026Duration: 16m 11s

Quick Hit: Where Can I Find Grants to Help Fund My Business?

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. So 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.You can listen to the full episode with Ashley Sutton of Hustle & Hope here: http://prooftoproduct.com/374Quick Links:<...

Published: May 14, 2026Duration: 12m 10s

442 | How Kitsch, Boxfox, and Postable Are Segmenting Their Email Lists with Katie Hunt

Today's episode is pulled directly from a case study that I wrote and shared inside of our LABS community.The case study is about email segmentation. This is a really good example of the kinds of conversations we're having inside of LABS every single day.We of course talk about sales strategies, cash flow, and marketing systems, but we're also looking at real world examples from brands within our industry as well as outside our industry.We're asking ourselves, what's working? Why does this work? And most importantly, how can we apply this...

Published: May 12, 2026Duration: 12m 19s

Quick Hit: How Can I SEO Optimize My Products on Faire?

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...

Published: May 7, 2026Duration: 6m 46s

441 | How To Protect Your Work as an Artist with Daniel Lachman, Justice for Artists

This week on the podcast, I'm joined by Daniel Lachman, founder of Justice for Artists.Daniel is an artist and a longtime Etsy seller who has dealt with his fair share of creative work being copied, and instead of just being frustrated by it, he has built an entire platform to help other creatives protect what they've created.During the episode, we get into the realities of art theft in today's digital world. We talk about the difference between counterfeits and knockoffs and why this matters more than you think.We also talk...

Published: May 5, 2026Duration: 24m 38s

Quick Hit: Is Following Up When You Don’t Hear Back Annoying?

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...

Published: Apr 30, 2026Duration: 7m 34s

440 | How to Stop Second Guessing Yourself with Tammie Bennett

Today's episode is for anyone who has been feeling stuck lately, overthinking decisions, second guessing yourself, or just not taking action the way you want to be taking action.If I'm being honest, this is something that I'm seeing more and more right now. The world feels heavy, things feel uncertain, the economy is soft, and that's causing a lot of business owners to hesitate, not move at all, or to second guess themselves.That's exactly why I wanted to bring back today's guest Tammie Bennett and we are talking about what it really looks...

Published: Apr 28, 2026Duration: 35m 13s