This transcript is auto-generated and may contain spelling and grammatical errors.
Tyler Jorgenson (00:02.385)
Welcome out to Biz Ninja Entrepreneur Radio. I’m your host, Tyler Jorgensen. And today I have the pleasure of introducing you all to a friend of mine, Katie Hunt. She is the founder and creator and president and all the important things over at proof2product.com. And I love what Katie does because I got my big start in online entrepreneurship in the product space. And so we’re going to talk about
the state of the product industry and what’s going on there. We’re going to talk about what her journey and everything that she has done and is creating and helping other people do. So welcome out to the show, Katie.
Katie Hunt (00:38.795)
Thanks for having me, Tyler. Happy to be here.
Tyler Jorgenson (00:41.119)
So if you zoom back a little bit, when was that first moment that you realized you were an entrepreneur?
Katie Hunt (00:46.894)
Oh, I was probably like 10 selling lemonade on the street corner, know, doing the friendship bracelets and selling those at school, you know. I knew I had it me from the start, but I didn’t really start getting into it till I was probably in college. And then I kind of had little side hustles. And same when I went to the day job, I had side hustles there. So yeah, I knew I was kind of always made to work for myself.
Tyler Jorgenson (01:09.259)
I love that. I’ve asked that question so many times and it’s either lemonade stands, newspaper routes, early, early, early, or well around college I kind of found I just didn’t like normal jobs, but it’s almost never anything else. And I just, that’s so fantastic. I was the lemonade kid too, doing all those kinds of things. Never without at least one side hustle, right? So what was your first real business?
Katie Hunt (01:26.124)
Right?
Katie Hunt (01:30.818)
yeah, hustle from the beginning.
Totally.
Katie Hunt (01:38.764)
Yeah, so I had a stationery and gift company that we, I stumbled into it a little bit on the wedding side of things when I was getting married, I made personalized custom type projects. And then I said, you know what, if I’m going to do this, I want to work with stores. I want to sell wholesale. want to do mass production and do larger orders, higher volume. And so I jumped pretty quickly into wholesale. didn’t know what I was doing at the time. I made a lot of mistakes.
like we do, but we figured it out and that business grew and lasted for about eight years. And I had overlap between what I’m doing now, which is coaching people on how to sell wholesale. And I love that brand. It was so exciting and challenging getting to work with these stores all across the country and even internationally. But also I had a passion for helping others that were more creative based business owners and they lacked a lot of the business knowledge. And that was where
I really thrived. So that’s how we landed here.
Tyler Jorgenson (02:35.827)
You know, the creatives who love to create but maybe don’t have the entrepreneurial spirit, but there’s that huge Venn diagram overlap of seeing something and seeing that it can become something else, right? And creating something greater from something lesser. And so you started coaching those people into how to do, know, actually turn it into thriving businesses. What was your first step into launching Proof to Product?
Katie Hunt (02:48.302)
Haurai.
Katie Hunt (03:02.016)
Yeah, so it was really started from my own needs as I was building my business. There were things that I recognized that I didn’t know. And I said, let’s get everybody together and let’s get on a call and talk about this stuff. Tyler, my first coaching calls, if you will, were me asking guest experts to come in. And we did a teleconference call because things like Zoom or like GoToWebinar even weren’t
Tyler Jorgenson (03:22.002)
yeah.
Katie Hunt (03:26.19)
available at the time, you know, so we hopped on these calls and asked each other questions and shared what we knew. And then it developed into webinars and then it developed into like course programming and coaching. And it really kind of grew organically based on what I needed, what my colleagues needed. And it’s really cool now to see where we’re at, you know, 14 years later.
Tyler Jorgenson (03:47.677)
Yeah, it’s amazing how many of the things that we work on were because we were seeking answers, right? And then we’re just now going to share those answers with other people. Yeah.
Katie Hunt (03:54.956)
For sure.
Totally. And that’s true in the product space too. A lot of folks I work with created a product to solve a problem that they personally had. But I am a true believer in the more we share with others, the more we will all thrive together. collaboration is definitely more important than this air of competition that we can’t share with each other.
Tyler Jorgenson (04:21.107)
Yeah, I’m a big fan of collaboration. I think only once in all of my years of business have I had that go backwards. And I feel like that’s a high enough success rate I’m going to stick with sharing and doing all of that. You mentioned as you were getting started that there were challenges and mistakes. What was one big mistake that you made and how did you overcome
Katie Hunt (04:32.354)
for sure.
Katie Hunt (04:42.39)
Yeah, so one of them was I went to my very first trade show within six months of starting my brand, which for anyone in the product space, that’s a pretty big risk. That’s a huge financial risk. I was going across the country to do this. didn’t have enough. The things that I learned I had wrong came out fast and furiously. So for example, my products weren’t priced right. I didn’t have enough SKUs in my collection.
And also we got shut down by the fire marshal 18 hours before the trade show started because the materials we were using in our booth for displays and things hadn’t been properly fireproof. So here I am like 18 hours before the show starts and like I’m just, you know, in a mess behind the booth crying for a minute. And then we run to IKEA to like find something else so we can use. So my point is like, I made a lot of these mistakes just because I didn’t know any better. I didn’t know.
Tyler Jorgenson (05:12.088)
man.
Katie Hunt (05:32.14)
what I didn’t know and I made decisions on the fly. I changed my pricing on the show floor. I couldn’t add new product in the moment, but we were able to come up with different ideas and it ended up being successful, but it did feel very much.
like trial by fire.
Tyler Jorgenson (05:52.587)
Oh yeah. The, um, and I think that’s the sign of someone, if you’re made for entrepreneurship, the challenges are always going to come, but it’s how quickly and, you know, do you overcome and how quickly do you solve them? Right. Uh, you can’t sit and wallow in them and let them beat you. Um, for a minute. That’s what I mean. Yeah. You didn’t just say, Oh, I’m going to walk away. Oh, well, the events of failure, you you got sad and then you got motivated and fixed it.
Katie Hunt (06:05.696)
Yeah, how nimble are you? Yeah, I did wallow. I wallowed behind that for a minute, but then I got back up.
Katie Hunt (06:18.254)
Yeah.
Yeah, we gotta solve these problems. Everything is fixable.
Tyler Jorgenson (06:22.389)
Yeah, that’s right. And so as you are leading Proof to Product and helping other people, you also have a podcast under the same name. People should check that out. Talk to me a little bit about how you’re helping other people not make those same mistakes.
Katie Hunt (06:32.173)
Yeah.
Katie Hunt (06:38.284)
Yeah, for sure. So right now we have like a signature course that we actually just wrapped up. I shouldn’t even call it a course that doesn’t do it justice. It’s like a cohort based coaching program. And we just completed the 45th round of it, which Tyler, you know, in this industry, like, nobody really does that many rounds of a singular program. But, but I will say it continues to evolve, which is why it’s continued to
Tyler Jorgenson (06:58.955)
No.
Katie Hunt (07:04.225)
do so well because we’re innovating, we’re bringing new concepts and content in. Really what this program is about is teaching people how to sell wholesale and that ties to their product line, it ties to their sales strategies, it ties to their marketing mix that they’re using and it encompasses both like foundational pieces, those areas that as we were talking about, like things we just didn’t know, we didn’t know and then it also includes growth strategies. So things that they can layer onto those foundations
to really drive more traffic, drive more sales, build stronger relationships with their wholesale accounts. it’s, you we have a really thriving community behind us too. And I think that’s been a major draw for folks coming through our programs is both the curriculum and the support they get, but it’s also the community that they join.
Tyler Jorgenson (07:51.081)
Yeah, I think after 45 rounds, you’ve got a few students who are willing to, you know, share and be excited. Otherwise it probably wouldn’t have lasted that long. Yeah. When.
Katie Hunt (07:59.402)
Right, right. We do. We have wonderful testimonials from folks, which is always great to see. But I will say I’m careful, though. I want to be careful when I talk about the testimonials not to claim credit for what these folks have done. Like, we’re the guide and we’re honored that they allowed us to help them in their journey, but they did the hard work too, so.
Tyler Jorgenson (08:10.251)
Sure.
Tyler Jorgenson (08:16.009)
Yeah, absolutely. You, you know, after 45 rounds of that, obviously you’re not just teaching, here’s how to go get wholesale accounts, right? Are you coaching really on how to do all those things that you said you had to learn early? Like understand really how to like position your product, how to price the product and from a macro level, not just how to go get accounts, right?
Katie Hunt (08:25.165)
Right.
Katie Hunt (08:30.35)
Yeah.
Yes, I-
Yes, a thousand percent. It’s about really building these strong foundations with their product line and their strategies and their systems and their workflows. Like I’m very business minded if you can’t tell. so like teaching them like, look, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you do a new product release. Let’s create a system here. And here’s the system I recommend. And here’s what’s worked for thousands of folks that came before you in our community. know, so I think that giving them like,
tangible things that they can go implement has really helped. But I also, I’m not a big believer and there’s, I don’t believe that there’s one way to do things. I think everyone needs to make decisions for their unique circumstances and what they’re trying to build out of this business. And so I’m also a little bit cautious about like, there’s lots of ways you can do this. We’re gonna show you all the options and then we want you to choose the path forward that makes the most sense for you.
And so that’s, I think that’s refreshing for some people to hear because so much of what we hear online is here are seven simple steps or, you know, do these five things and you’ll make a million dollars tomorrow. And, you know, that’s not necessarily the approach I’m taking, but it is very in depth. call it an intensive accelerator because we cover a lot in a short amount of time.
Tyler Jorgenson (09:42.685)
Right.
Tyler Jorgenson (09:53.355)
And well, and I heard that in what you were saying earlier. It’s like you need a system and here’s the one that I recommend. But that doesn’t mean it’s the only way to do it. Right. As you’re you also mentioned that when you started, you didn’t have enough skews. And I found there’s such a weird balance between overdoing skews, especially if you’re early on, because you don’t know what’s going to sell yet or coming in without enough. Like, how do you find that balance?
Katie Hunt (09:59.107)
Yeah.
for sure.
Katie Hunt (10:08.088)
Yeah.
Katie Hunt (10:14.466)
Yep. Yep.
Katie Hunt (10:20.076)
Yeah, I also feel like in today’s day and age too, there’s like two different business models with products. It’s either people that are selling a single SKU or a very small collection of things and they’re doing it very well through targeted ads. that’s more on the direct-to-consumer side that I find that to be valuable. And then you have folks, as you mentioned, who are like too many SKUs and they really need to do a product line audit and decide, okay, what’s currently selling well?
Tyler Jorgenson (10:32.906)
Hmm.
Katie Hunt (10:44.238)
What fits in with the aesthetic and vibes that I’m going for with this product line? What are people asking for? Like really looking at the data points to decide what to keep, what to get rid of and discontinue. And then also that’s gonna drive the direction of any new products that you’re adding. I will say that on the wholesale side of things, it is very easy to systematize things. There are buying schedules for wholesalers. There’s kind of like a cadence that it follows.
Whereas on the direct-to-consumer side, folks can experiment and play. They can have an idea today and pop it up in a shop tomorrow, you know? And that’s fun and good, but as you said, it can become a little bit tricky with either we don’t have enough product or we have too much and it’s bloated and it doesn’t align. It’s not for the right audience. Like it’s not all towards the same audience and that can get really tricky. I usually like check in with folks first and say, okay, what kind of audience are we going for? What is our business model looking like? Are we going mass?
you know, market here or are you trying to really tailor this to a specific customer base, which usually works out to be a better situation when they know their customer well.
Tyler Jorgenson (11:52.275)
Interesting. Yeah. My, when I got started, it was, the previous type where I had really one product that I created three or four versions of, right. But it was just different sizes really more than anything else. And, but then by the end of it, I probably had 40, 50 skews, in multiple, multiple lines and selling in wholesale and all kinds of things. lots of, like you said, mistakes and learning curves and figuring all of that out. Cause it is very different.
Katie Hunt (12:04.3)
Yeah, variations.
Tyler Jorgenson (12:20.789)
selling on your website direct to consumer, selling wholesale. Do a lot of your clients do both? Do they also sell direct to consumer?
Katie Hunt (12:23.18)
Absolutely.
Katie Hunt (12:28.398)
Yeah, I would say majority come from a direct-to-consumer background. They either started with their own Shopify or they threw some stuff up on a third-party platform like Etsy. And then they started getting inquiries as they grew of like, do you sell wholesale? And a lot of them were like, I don’t even know what that is. So I do want to echo, it is a very different business model. It’s a very different customer. It’s a very different set of systems and processes to sell wholesale compared to direct-to-consumer.
Tyler Jorgenson (12:31.211)
Thank
Tyler Jorgenson (12:46.388)
Right.
Tyler Jorgenson (12:55.224)
yeah.
Katie Hunt (12:56.364)
And so I do think there is a little bit of a mindset shift that has to happen there. And I see it a lot with our folks in our program who are like, I was used to releasing new product whenever I wanted. And now you’re telling me that I need to release product only like two or three times a year and I need to have a whole like outreach plan. And I’m like, yeah, I promise your life will be simpler. But, you know, it takes a little bit of shifting in their thought process.
Tyler Jorgenson (13:15.573)
Yep.
Tyler Jorgenson (13:19.337)
Yeah, and then you have to wait, you you’re not gonna get paid the day that you send the product, you might have to wait, all those kinds of things. What are some of the biggest challenges people have as they’re making that shift? Let’s say that they’re doing moderately well directing consumer and they’re shifting towards wholesale. Are there common pitfalls that I’m sure that proof to product helps them navigate?
Katie Hunt (13:23.126)
Right. Yeah.
Katie Hunt (13:30.84)
Yeah.
Katie Hunt (13:39.534)
Yeah, the inventory piece, as you mentioned earlier in this call, is a big one, especially if they’ve been doing more of like an on-demand type product that they’re producing as the orders come in. It’s a different shift. With wholesale, you really do need to have some inventory in stock. You need to have stuff ready to ship. so depending on what they’re manufacturing, that can be, as you mentioned earlier, like a really big cost or a really big risk to invest in inventory before you know whether it’s going to sell or not.
And so it is finding that right balance of like, how do you still maintain inventory without putting all of your cashflow into these products? How do you test the market? And obviously we use different strategies for different brands based on what their circumstances are.
Tyler Jorgenson (14:24.243)
Yeah, absolutely. Who are some of the best retailers to work with and who are some of the most challenging for people?
Katie Hunt (14:31.85)
I bet if you asked all my students, they’d have different answers for this. I would say that the bread and butter of their wholesale sales are the independent retail shops. So the mom and pop shops that maybe have one to a handful of stores, typically localized, very much embedded in their community, those folks are some of the best customers. They reorder frequently. You can build a relationship with them easily. They will oftentimes provide feedback to you, which most retailers won’t do. But I will tell you that like,
People have such starry eyes for the big box accounts. They want to see their products on the shelves of an anthropology or a Target or a Starbucks, whatever it might be. And so I know there’s a lot of feelings that come up with the key accounts in particular, but I would say the best customers are really the smaller accounts where you can get to know them on a human-to-human level and they keep ordering. And that’s what we want. We want people that are ordering frequently in higher volume.
Tyler Jorgenson (15:25.781)
Yeah.
Katie Hunt (15:29.634)
The key accounts are cool because they are a large volume, but it’s typically less frequent and sometimes even one and done. you know, it’s not a recurring customer.
Tyler Jorgenson (15:37.142)
yeah.
Tyler Jorgenson (15:40.723)
Right. And I’ve heard that with some of the really big accounts, you have to be really careful with the contracts and the purchase orders that they might have buyback agreements or other challenges. What are some, if people are swinging for the big home run, what are the big risks there?
Katie Hunt (15:54.446)
Yeah. The risks are, it’s huge financial risk because you are fronting, it’s higher quantities of product, which means you’re fronting the money for that inventory. Most folks, even established wholesalers, are doing entirely new product runs for those key accounts when they get those POs. And so it’s, and like you said, the paperwork, the onboarding with some of these stores, it’s a lot to lift. They have very specific requirements about how you ship product, where you ship product, how everything is labeled.
And if you make mistakes, they will do chargebacks or deduct payments to you. it’s also just kind of scary to have like, mean, service-based folks have this too, where it’s like, if you have one client that’s the bulk of your income and you lose that client or they don’t pay on time, like that really can affect your cashflow, right? And so, you know, having all your eggs in one basket like that, it’s a lot of my…
It’s scary, but I will also add here, a lot of my people sell to Big Box and they do great with Big Box, but I would say majority of the folks in my community are really thriving because of their relationships and their sales to the indie stores.
Tyler Jorgenson (17:01.353)
Yeah, and I think that’s refreshing to hear. think that we’re slowly seeing a return to more indie stores. And as people are kind of craving that unique experience and you know, if they can just survive, these indie stores can just survive the real estate prices for a little while longer, right? I’m hoping that we’ll see more and more of them thrive. But we’re also seeing a return of…
Katie Hunt (17:09.165)
Yeah, for sure.
Katie Hunt (17:21.122)
Yeah.
Totally.
Tyler Jorgenson (17:26.229)
things like Barnes and Noble opening more and more stores and some of the bigger companies coming back into retail as the market continues to shift. I know that you haven’t finished this year’s state of the products, but tell us what your state of the product is and maybe some key findings from previous years.
Katie Hunt (17:43.192)
Yeah.
For sure. So last year we did what we called the State of the Product Industry Survey. It was the first time we’d done it. We put together a list of questions that asked folks to weigh in about money topics like revenue and profit. We asked them to talk about their team, how many people they employed. We asked them to talk about their different revenue streams and their marketing channels, their sales methods. We asked a lot of questions and it was primarily multiple choice or like single selection. So people could get through it pretty quickly.
And what we found last year was pretty eye-opening. 15 % of people that responded to this survey did zero email marketing in their business, which blew my mind because that’s one of, as you know, like the highest ROI marketing strategies that we can use. And so that was one of the things we found out. This year we switched the survey a little bit and right now it’s open for responses. So the results should be out when this podcast comes out. But this year we went a little more deep.
Tyler Jorgenson (18:22.923)
Wow.
Katie Hunt (18:42.474)
into revenue, different percentages of your revenue streams, like how much is coming from direct to consumer versus wholesale. We also asked about how people are being impacted by the tariffs, if they are being impacted by the tariffs and how they’re responding to that. We’re asking questions about, excuse me, our overall sales up or down from last year. So a little more year over year data points that we can look at.
But it’s going to be really eye-opening to see and it’s completely anonymous. I think that gives people a lot of comfort in sharing these types of numbers because it’s not tied back to them in any way. Nobody knows who’s responding so they can answer truthfully and honestly.
Tyler Jorgenson (19:27.303)
So you have a lot of data and you have a lot of clients, but you also just have your own eyes on the industry. What are some trends that you are seeing in retail? What’s changing? What’s happening?
Katie Hunt (19:40.044)
Yeah, I think a couple of big concerns right now are what’s happening with the economy, specifically tariffs and the real estate, like you mentioned. I know that the independent brick and mortar stores are struggling right now to keep their doors open. And that has a ripple effect through everything, right? Like if us as consumers aren’t shopping there, they have a harder time keeping their doors open. They have a harder time purchasing from the brands that I work with who are selling to them. And it just carries down the line, right?
So I know there’s a lot of concern about that. It’s hard though, because we don’t control that and we don’t know what’s gonna come down the pipeline there. so we’re left in a reactive situation of, okay, well, how are we responding to this kind of as things come up and going back to what you talked about at the beginning, that’s where the agility and the like grittiness of being an entrepreneur comes in of like, how are we handling these things that are outside of our control?
To that extent, when I am coaching folks, the trends I’m seeing and the things I’m reminding them about are manage the things you can control. How are you reaching out to your customers? What are you doing to engage and retain your existing customer base? I’m doing a lot with client retention right now in terms of helping them do outreach to stores that they’ve been working with in the past to keep those people coming back.
So less focus on acquisition, more focus on retention for this year is another big trend that I’m trying to focus on with my clients, but I’m also seeing it elsewhere as well.
Tyler Jorgenson (21:09.419)
So you’re mentioning the economy and some of these things that are shifting. Are you seeing a general slowdown? I feel like retail is one of the front ends that sees really the difference. And I’ve noticed it in things where like at even like farmers market type events where people that used to go and shop and leave with two or three bags might only go and shop and leave with one bag. So it’s like there’s still their spending.
Katie Hunt (21:13.869)
Yeah.
Katie Hunt (21:18.082)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Katie Hunt (21:35.267)
Mm-hmm.
Tyler Jorgenson (21:37.675)
but the amount they’re willing and comfortable to spend might be less, right? So are there any kind of trends like that you’re seeing?
Katie Hunt (21:41.123)
Yeah.
Yeah, absolutely. Same thing. People are still buying. It seems to be in lower volume. It seems to be in lower frequency. Also, brands and companies in general are all increasing their costs right now, right, to make up for some of these additional things that they’re having to spend money on. At the farmer’s market, for example, a lot more of the vendors are charging credit card fees, at least here in California, when you tap to pay. We’re seeing a number of
brands sending out emails about their price going up in the next, you know, they’re preemptively adjusting prices up just to, you know, keep things where they’re at. So yes, we are seeing that decline in terms of volume of sales and frequency.
Tyler Jorgenson (22:16.744)
Mm-hmm.
Tyler Jorgenson (22:27.945)
Are there any really like big no-nos that you say? Like, so you say, hey, I have some ideas, but I also think everyone should find their path. are there any, do have any like, hey, these are our 10 commandments of do not do these things if you’re going into products.
Katie Hunt (22:36.12)
Yeah.
Yeah. Well, a couple of things with wholesale specifically, do not walk into a store and expect the buyer to sit down with you and listen to a pitch. A lot of people want, they finally muster up the courage to do something like that and they walk in and it’s not even the shop owner there. Sometimes it’s employee working the front desk and
So I would say like be strategic and thoughtful in your outreach there. The other thing I want to remind folks is, and this applies to all of us in business, whether we’re selling product or not, like there’s always a human on the other side of the screen, the phone, the email, whatever it is. And I think sometimes at least my product folks, they overthink how they’re messaging their sales stuff and how they’re communicating with people. And I said, just have a conversation, know, think about how you would like to be pitched for some of this stuff.
Remember, it’s another human on the other side of this email. So just pretend you’re talking to a friend of yours, but also explicitly ask for the sale too. So if that wasn’t like the 10 commandments of no’s, but I would say like being aware of your surroundings, reading the room, understanding what’s happening outside of just your particular scenario and like being mindful of that I think is also helpful.
Tyler Jorgenson (24:00.969)
I love that. As shifting from like what Proof to Product does and how you teach other people and into your business, what are some big goals for you and your business this coming year?
Katie Hunt (24:11.918)
Yeah, good question, Tyler. So I feel like we just hit our 14 year in business for Proof to Product and we’ve had a lot of great success, which I’m really proud of. I’m proud of the impact we’ve made. I’m proud that we’ve continued to grow our revenue and our profits over the years, even through hard times. But I’m also feeling this like
Tyler Jorgenson (24:13.865)
Hmm.
Katie Hunt (24:32.59)
Like everything feels a little messy to me on the backside of things. I feel like we’ve created these programs and they work great on their own, but together it feels a little messy. And so we’re kind of in a streamlined year where I’m looking at, how are we, I’m taking a look at our customer journey. I’m taking a look at how we’re delivering our programs, the tech systems we’re using to simplify that. I really just kind of want to like streamline and…
simplify how we’re running things so that it’s easier on our team, but also a better experience for our customers. So that’s really been what’s on my mind lately.
Tyler Jorgenson (25:06.985)
I like that after 45 rounds and 14 years, you’re like, now we’re going to clean things up.
Katie Hunt (25:13.398)
say each program is so organized. Our program, Paper Camp, the 45th round, that is so dialed in right now, but we use completely different systems for that program than we do for our membership, as an example. And I’m like, no, we need to put this all under the same tech systems. yeah.
Tyler Jorgenson (25:25.405)
yep.
Yep, that makes sense. With shifting into you, for the entrepreneur, I’m a big believer that business isn’t just about making money, it’s also about creating a life that we actually love. What is one item on your personal bucket list you’re gonna accomplish in the next 12 months?
Katie Hunt (25:34.381)
Yeah.
Katie Hunt (25:41.912)
Totally.
Katie Hunt (25:46.4)
Yeah. Gosh, I could tell you things I’ve done already, but…
Tyler Jorgenson (25:52.243)
I’ll accept one of those, but you also have to tell me something you want to do.
Katie Hunt (25:53.888)
Okay. Okay, for sure. So last year we took a three week family trip to Europe with the kids. It was the first time the kids had gone to Europe and I did not check in at the business at all while we were gone. I checked in once before we left and I checked in once when we got back and
Tyler Jorgenson (26:12.969)
Awesome.
Katie Hunt (26:13.792)
then obviously ramp things up. But the fact that I was able to disconnect from my business for three weeks and clients felt cared for, my team had things under control, that was a huge win for me. And that’s the second time we’ve done this. We did a a different trip a few years prior to that. But I would say that I want to continue doing what I’m already doing. To be honest, I pick my kids up from school every day. I go to all their sports games.
and very present parent, but I’m also a very present coach in my business too. So I feel like I’ve already done a lot of that legwork to make my business fit the life that I wanna have. And I just want to continue to have that autonomy and the flexibility to show up for my family and to do things with my family as I need to. So I know I’m cheating a little bit there.
Tyler Jorgenson (27:03.967)
A little bit, but that’s okay. Maybe it’s a reminder that you gotta have another, know, Europe was a big goal, but you you gotta have another one. That’s right, that’s right. And any last words of advice or encouragement for people who may be considering making that shift into selling wholesale? Yeah.
Katie Hunt (27:10.69)
But now I need a new one. Yeah, I do. I need another one.
Katie Hunt (27:21.718)
Into products? Yeah, for sure. It’s a great business model. Frankly, it’s so much easier than direct-to-consumer. And I think if you can get your system set up correctly and you are willing to put in the work, it can be a really lucrative and consistent business model for you. It feels like a lot less work than direct-to-consumer once you really get into it. But it’s different. It’s a different customer base. So if it’s something you’re interested in, can I share training with them if they want? OK.
We do have a training. free. It’s called Is Wholesale Right for You? And you can get that at proofyourproduct.com. It’s actually a private podcast. So it’s proofyourproduct.com slash private pod is the link. And I ask you a bunch of questions that you can determine if wholesale is going to be right for you. And so that’s a really good way to kind of just hone in on like, yep, this is the direction I want to go or nope, not interested.
Tyler Jorgenson (28:14.877)
I love that. And that was gonna tell, ask you next where people should go to find you, but that sounds like the right place. So go check that out over at proof2product.com. And Katie, thank you so much for coming out on the show. To all my business ninjas, wherever you are listening, watching or tuning in, it’s your turn to go out and do something.
Katie Hunt (28:20.6)
For sure.
Katie Hunt (28:32.942)
Thanks, Tyler.
