Proof to Product
Katie Hunt
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 passion into profits? Whether you're a just starting out on your business journey or you've been at it a while growing an empire, this show is for you.
Proof to Product is like on-demand business school for product sellers spanning a wide range of industries. Whether you're in home decor, apparel, beauty, food & beverage, hand-made items, jewelry, consumer gifts or the stationery world, you'll gather new ideas each week to help you grow your profit, build your team and lead with integrity.
Host Katie Hunt and her guests bring you actionable ways to expand your product line, manufacturing overseas, optimize your e-commrce websites on Shopify, Faire, Etsy, Abound, Tundra, Squarespace or in brick & mortar locations. How to start or scale wholesale sales including pitching stores, wholesale outreach, trade show exhibition, working with sales reps, managing inventory, warehousing product, sales systems, wholesale follow-up strategies and working with key accounts. Marketing strategies for small businesses including content creation, leveraging tik tok and instagram tactics without feeling burned out, why you can't rely solely on social media for sales and why email marketing systems on platforms like Klaviyo, Flodesk and Active Campaign are so powerful. Listen in as Katie and our guest experts help you strategize and tackle your biggest business goals.
Host Katie Hunt brings a unique perspective to entrepreneurship. Since 2011, she's helped thousands of product brands get their products on the shelves of their favorite retail stores through her Paper Camp program (www.prooftoproduct.com/papercamp). Prior to that she worked in the corporate world for over a decade leading business development and marketing teams. She has two MBAs - one in finance and one in marketing. And, she owned & operated her own product based business for over 8 years, selling her products to stores throughout the world from her garage. Katie knows the struggles you face as a product based business and she's here to pull back the curtain and share her best kept secrets so that you don't have to learn things the hard way.
Find our free trainings & resources for product based business owners at www.prooftoproduct.com/resources
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 passion into profits? Whether you're a just starting out on your business journey or you've been at it a while growing an empire, this show is for you.
Proof to Product is like on-demand business school for product sellers spanning a wide range of industries. Whether you're in home decor, apparel, beauty, food & beverage, hand-made items, jewelry, consumer gifts or the stationery world, you'll gather new ideas each week to help you grow your profit, build your team and lead with integrity.
Host Katie Hunt and her guests bring you actionable ways to expand your product line, manufacturing overseas, optimize your e-commrce websites on Shopify, Faire, Etsy, Abound, Tundra, Squarespace or in brick & mortar locations. How to start or scale wholesale sales including pitching stores, wholesale outreach, trade show exhibition, working with sales reps, managing inventory, warehousing product, sales systems, wholesale follow-up strategies and working with key accounts. Marketing strategies for small businesses including content creation, leveraging tik tok and instagram tactics without feeling burned out, why you can't rely solely on social media for sales and why email marketing systems on platforms like Klaviyo, Flodesk and Active Campaign are so powerful. Listen in as Katie and our guest experts help you strategize and tackle your biggest business goals.
Host Katie Hunt brings a unique perspective to entrepreneurship. Since 2011, she's helped thousands of product brands get their products on the shelves of their favorite retail stores through her Paper Camp program (www.prooftoproduct.com/papercamp). Prior to that she worked in the corporate world for over a decade leading business development and marketing teams. She has two MBAs - one in finance and one in marketing. And, she owned & operated her own product based business for over 8 years, selling her products to stores throughout the world from her garage. Katie knows the struggles you face as a product based business and she's here to pull back the curtain and share her best kept secrets so that you don't have to learn things the hard way.
Find our free trainings & resources for product based business owners at www.prooftoproduct.com/resources
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 2, 2025 • 10min
Utilizing Abandoned Cart Email Automations to Drive Sales with Katie Hunt [Replay]
Hey, friend. I'm pulling an amazing episode from the archives with over 400 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 one of our most downloaded episodes, discussing how to utilize abandoned cart email automations to drive more sales. The holidays are coming up, and it's a perfect time to look at your email strategy and touch base with your hottest leads. If you have ever shied away from sending out these emails, you are going to want to listen to this one and rethink your strategy. Did you know that almost 70% of shoppers abandon their online shopping carts and don't follow through with a sale? That means that only 3 out of 10 of your customers who go to your website and load up their shopping cart complete their purchase. The same report from Baymard Institute said that more than $18,000,000,000 in e-commerce sales are lost annually due to abandoned carts. That is a whole lot of money. And yet, only some independent product brands are utilizing abandoned cart follow-up emails to recapture some of these sales. 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, its only $27 bucks. Get Access to the Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview Series You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/336 Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp
Aug 26, 2025 • 35min
How to Get Your Products Noticed by Key Buyers with Sally Diguette, Anthropologie [Replay]
Sally Diguette, a Home & Lifestyle buyer for Anthropologie with 14+ years in buying, product development, and sourcing who consults emerging brands. She breaks down Anthropologie's planning timelines and when to pitch. She explains how to approach with clear pricing, inventory, and terms. She also covers outreach channels, when to send samples, and how to align with creative direction.
Aug 19, 2025 • 22min
410 | How Quickly Will I Make Back My Paper Camp Investment with Katie Hunt
Have you been thinking about joining us for Paper Camp, but aren't sure if this program is a good fit for you? Or maybe you're a new listener of the podcast, and you're thinking, what the heck is this Paper Camp program that I keep talking about? This episode is for you. I'm answering the top questions that we get asked about our wholesale program to help you decide if it's the right fit for you. The next round of Paper Camp is open for enrollment right now. If you're listening to this on release day, we will close enrollment tomorrow, August 20th. If you are looking to scale your wholesale strategy and build a system that drives sales, this is the program for you. You won't want to miss it. SIGN UP FOR PAPER CAMP NOW You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/410 Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp
Aug 14, 2025 • 26min
409 | Live from Shoppe Object with Paper Camp Alumni
I'm back again today to share interviews from our Paper Camp alumni who exhibited at Shoppe Object. On Tuesday, I shared my conversations with our alumni who are exhibiting in NY Now. Today, we're focusing on the exhibitors that were at Shoppe Object. This is a wholesale trade show that was happening in New York City this past week, and I spoke with: Stephanie Clarke from Dahlia Press Nancy Yusko from Dear Beni Meghan Sokorai from And Here We Are Jen Palacio from Tiny Turns Paperie Once again, great job to everyone who exhibited at these shows and to everyone who participated in this interview series. I appreciate you taking the time with me on the show floor. I know that these shows take a lot of hard work, a lot of determination, money, and grit to execute. If you are thinking about exhibiting at a trade show as part of your wholesale growth strategy, then you absolutely must join us for Paper Camp. We have a ton of experience exhibiting ourselves, and we have guided tens of thousands of brands through the process. In fact, we have a lot of people who come to us after they've exhibited at a trade show on their own, and it didn't go the way they wanted it to. They ended up with low sales, a lot of stress, and little confidence in how they were presenting their brand. After Paper Camp, our alumni frequently report higher sales, higher average order values, and stronger reorder rates than non-alumni. Round 46 is currently open for enrollment at http://prooftoproduct.com/papercamp We only run this program twice a year, and we sell out every single, single time. This coaching program will take you through step-by-step of everything you need to know to build out a successful wholesale business. ENROLL NOW IN PAPER CAMP You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/409 Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp
Aug 12, 2025 • 35min
408 | Live from NY Now with Paper Camp Alumni
I am back from a whirlwind trip to New York City where over 40 of our Paper Camp alumni were exhibiting at Shoppe Object and NY Now. These were two independent wholesale trade shows that happened to be taking place in New York over the same days. I was able to navigate between both shows and meet with a lot of our different alumni. It was such a treat to visit with everyone and to see all their gorgeous new products on display. Both shows were buzzing with buyers, press, and brands that were looking to collaborate. The energy was high, and buyers were there to write orders, which was refreshing. At Paper Camp we talk about how selling wholesale is a marathon, not a sprint. Exhibiting at wholesale trade shows is just one way to get your products in front of buyers. It's not the only way, but it is a very powerful way. So today's episode is a compilation of short interviews that I conducted on the show floor at NY Now. On Thursday, we'll release a separate set of interviews that I did at Shoppe Object. At NY Now, I interviewed: Lindsy Liu of Happy Little Paper Co Kyndra Bailey of Kyn You Believe It Kathleen Kurjanowicz of James Point Stationery Jaha Knight of Dakari Moon Andrea Hetzke of Librarian Candle Co. If you are thinking about exhibiting at a trade show as part of your wholesale growth strategy, then you absolutely must join us for Paper Camp. We have a ton of experience exhibiting ourselves, and we have guided tens of thousands of brands through the process. In fact, we have a lot of people that come to us after they've exhibited at a trade show on their own and it didn't go the way they wanted it to. They ended up with low sales, a lot of stress, and little confidence in how they were presenting their brand. After Paper Camp, our alumni frequently report higher sales, higher average order values and stronger reorder rates than non-alumni. Round 46 is currently open for enrollment at http://prooftoproduct.com/papercamp We only run this program twice a year and we sell out every single, single time. This coaching program will take you through step-by-step of everything you need to know to build out a successful wholesale business. ENROLL NOW IN PAPER CAMP You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/408 Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp
Aug 7, 2025 • 19min
407 | Alumni Spotlights: Before & After Paper Camp
We are currently in the middle of the biggest wholesale buying season of the year, so naturally, it is both a fun and easy time to share wins from our community and talk about our upcoming wholesale coaching program, Paper Camp. This is where we teach you everything you need to know to successfully sell wholesale and we've got a pretty strong track record with tens of thousands of folks coming through the program. Today, I want to hand the mic to four of our Paper Camp alumni to share their experiences of what their business looked like before they attended Paper Camp and what it looks like now after putting in lots of work. We did this type of episode of Before and After Paper Camp series earlier this year and you guys ate it up. These individuals came to Paper Camp to strengthen their wholesale sales and marketing systems. They actively participated in the program. They asked questions about how to apply what they learned to their particular business, and they soaked up everything there was to learn. They put in the reps and did the hard work, and it wasn't always easy. In this episode, you'll hear from: Morgan Swank of Morgan Swank Studio | Follow on Instagram Jessie Tyree Jenness of Root & Branch Paper Co | Follow on Instagram Brenna Daugherty of Brenna Daugherty Illustration| Follow on Instagram Ashleigh Evans of InBooze | Follow on Instagram Before we jump in, I wanted to tell you about a free workshop that I'm hosting on August 12th at 9:00am Pacific Time. Wholesale buying season has been really eye-opening. As someone who has been in the wholesale game for over 17 years and I've worked with over 35,000 thriving wholesale brands, I have a really unique viewpoint to spot mistakes, missed opportunities, and more importantly, I can troubleshoot and find solutions for those that are facing a sales slump. The market is changing and our strategies need to shift with it. In this free workshop, I'm going to talk about how you can land consistent wholesale orders without over-relying on Faire without using bad wholesale pitches or discounting. RSVP for this free workshop at http://prooftoproduct.com/RSVP You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/407 Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp
Aug 5, 2025 • 37min
406 | From 0 to 60+ Stores Selling Watercolor Kits with Kate Talcott
This week’s guest is Kate Talcott, a talented watercolor artist and owner of Splatter & Bloom, who transformed her business from zero to nearly 70 retail locations. Kate shares her journey of niching down to specialize in watercolor kits and the incredible impact of going viral on TikTok. She dives into the challenges of burnout and the importance of community support in entrepreneurship. Plus, Kate discusses lessons learned from trade shows and how adapting her inventory strategy fueled her wholesale growth.
Jul 31, 2025 • 14min
405 | I Just Got On Faire. Am I Supposed to be Pitching My Products? with Katie Hunt
The discussion opens with a crucial question about pitching products on wholesale platforms like Faire. The speaker emphasizes the importance of proactive sales strategies, especially for beginners. They reflect on the evolving market dynamics and share insights gained from over 17 years of experience. Listeners can also look forward to a free workshop aimed at helping businesses navigate sales slumps without relying heavily on platforms or resorting to discounting. It's an eye-opening guide to thriving in the wholesale world.
Jul 29, 2025 • 9min
404 | 5 Things That Paper Camp Scholarship Winners Have in Common with Katie Hunt
It is that time again. We are now accepting Paper Camp scholarship applications. If you have wanted to attend our wholesale intensive coaching program, but you need a little help with tuition, now is your time to shine. We award one full tuition scholarship for each and every round of Paper Camp. Since 2011, we have awarded more than $345,000 in scholarship funds to students. This has enabled us to provide support to a lot of up and coming product brands that you know and love. People that are making huge strides in the industry. I'm talking Inklings Paperie, Ladyfinger Letterpress, E. Francis Paper, Brainstorm and dozens of other brands that were past scholarship recipients. They showed up in Paper Camp, asked their questions, and implemented what they learned. Ultimately, they did the hard work and now they have built incredible brands that make a huge impact in our world and in our industry. Our scholarship applications do take a bit of time to fill out. There are questions to answer and even a short video component to complete. We typically receive anywhere from 80-90 scholarship applications for every round of Paper Camp. It takes my team and me several days to review each application, and honestly, it's such a challenge to whittle it down to just one scholarship winner. If you would like to apply for a scholarship, head to prooftoproduct.com/scholarships and get your application in today. Applications will close this Friday at 5pm Pacific Time. You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/404 Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp
Jul 24, 2025 • 15min
403 | Best Wholesale Pitching Practices with Two Shopkeepers, Victoria Venturi & Katie Wilson
In this discussion, shopkeepers Victoria Venturi of Paper Epiphanies and Katie Wilson of Crush & Touch share their retail insights on wholesale pitching. They emphasize the importance of clear pricing and concise emails, along with engaging visuals. Targeted samples can effectively close deals, while buyers often open emails at unexpected times, making persistence essential. They also suggest limiting follow-ups to about three attempts and leveraging creative alternatives like postcards to engage busy buyers. Tune in for invaluable pitching tips!
