Gift Biz Unwrapped | Women Entrepreneurs | Bakers, Crafters, Makers | Startup

Have you ever wondered how the dolls you see on store shelves come to be? Today you're going to hear the details behind the story of Little Rebels dolls, how MJ (short for Marjorie) came up with the idea, and everything it took to get to where she is today. Particularly impressive is the detail that MJ put into the look of the dolls and how she committed BIG time to a large retailer, literally inventing a program on the fly while keeping her fingers crossed that it could actually be done. Marjorie is a Latin American entrepreneur and founder of Little Rebels with more than 15 years of experience in advertising and communications. Inspired by her daughter, Marjorie decided to go after her dreams of empowering women and kids about great women that shaped the world. Little Rebels is an educational platform created to empower and inspire girls. Playfully and interactively, it teaches stories through plushies, media, and technology. The StartUp Story Of Little Rebels In this episode, you'll hear ... How MJ

Why am I sharing my favorite daily life things with you? Because I want you to think about yours! I found that once I wrote down this list, I gained even more pleasure in all the activities. I’d say to myself, this is one of the things on my list. How fortunate am I right this minute to be doing what I love? It’s really true that the small things bring the most happiness. The things that make up our day to day minutes as we pass through time. By recognizing what these are for you, you’ll find ways to fit them in more often and appreciate them even more. Resources Mentioned in this Episode Hello Fresh Wentworth Puzzles Nautilus Puzzles Oura Ring Embark DNA Test Inspired Daily! Planner Be part of the newest Gift Biz Opportunities! The Gift Biz Bash offers you the chance to get added visibility for your business - for free. Who can't use that?! But seats are limited. To see the dates and times and to grab your spot, go through the link above. A Gift Biz Boost is a free one-on-one strategy session discussion a

In this episode, hear an extraordinary story of business development and discover what may be the most creative art technique you've ever heard of! Stephanie's discovery of a unique talent after a long season of caregiving helped bring her out of deep depression and has given her a new career and purpose. She is a self-taught artist and the owner of Canary Artwork, having invented what she’s coined the "Ruach Technique," which uses her breath and acrylic paint to create bold abstracts Along with the world's most supportive husband, she sells her paintings at high-end art fairs and galleries, but the most important work she does is to spread the word that art heals and hope is real. Discover This Unique, Creative Art Technique In this episode, you'll hear ... Stephanie's unique technique for making art (and how she created it) How a friend virtually pushed Stephanie into business About the surprising affirmation of her products' appeal that she received right at the beginning The heartful underlyin

What would it be like if you could own a spot in someone’s mind where, whenever they thought of you, it brought up warm positive feelings. Wouldn’t it be something if you could have this effect on the people you interact with each day in your business? Imagine what it could do for your sales! Resources Mentioned in this Episode Inspired! Daily Planner Be part of the newest Gift Biz Opportunities! The Gift Biz Bash offers you the chance to get added visibility for your business - for free. Who can't use that?! But seats are limited. To see the dates and times and to grab your spot, go through the link above. A Gift Biz Boost is a free one-on-one strategy session discussion a part of your business you're trying to grow. Maybe it's the first steps to getting started, or how to attract more sales, whatever your current focus is. You'll leave with actionable steps to "boost" you forward. Join our community of handmade product makers Gift Biz Breeze is an active and inspiring group of creators at all levels of bu

Whether talking or typing, do you use the same words over and over again? I definitely catch myself doing this. They're not bad words but they've become boring with overuse even though they're authentic and heartfelt. The truth is - we can all do better to bring more spice to our messaging. And that's what my guest is here to help us with today! Lucy is a personality-driven copywriter and owner of My Write Hand Woman who specializes in crafting copy for businesses that want to make a mark online. She says, “Your copy is the salesperson who works for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you got that amount of work out of a person -- welp, that would be illegal.” Lucy has worked with a variety of companies, ranging from growing solopreneurs to multi-million dollar brands. Her signature skill? She uses the client’s brand voice and zesty humor to help them stand out online, create a fun brand presence, and scale much faster. Find The Words To Spice Up Your Brand Listen to this energetic conversation to disc

How many customers you really need to reach your sales goals? Knowing this can help guide your sales activities and reduce the overwhelm that comes with ambiguity - not knowing where you’ll find people to buy your products and leaving things up to chance. This number is also the basis for gaining confidence because you understand and can put in place various ways to get the number of customers you need. As an added bonus, it also may prompt you to relook at your pricing, production, staffing and even materials. My goal here is to help you figure out your own unique customer number. Resources Mentioned in this Episode Inspired! Daily Planner Be part of the newest Gift Biz Opportunities! The Gift Biz Bash offers you the chance to get added visibility for your business - for free. Who can't use that?! But seats are limited. To see the dates and times and to grab your spot, go through the link above. A Gift Biz Boost is a free one-on-one strategy session discussion a part of your business you're trying to grow

Do you wonder whether to use Etsy or Shopify for your handmade business? Guess what? You don't have to choose - you can do both! My guest today shares how she has set up both platforms for her business and is also looking into selling wholesale. Heidi is the owner and designer of all the products offered at Bark Beetle Niceties. She started out with bridal & flower girl accessories and later began making holiday ornaments. These ornaments quickly became her best sellers and it’s now the focus of her business. She also creates kits so that her craftier customers can make their own. Heidi says she’s happiest when thinking creative thoughts and using her hands to make those thoughts into products. And she’s very lucky because this is now her job! Can I Be On Both Shopify & Etsy? How selling on both Shopify and Etsy can work together for handmade business success The advantages of attending wholesale tradeshows How to decide which products to focus on to grow your business Heidi's advice to

Ever wonder why experts recommend so many different ways to get the word out about your business? Can’t you just sell at craft shows and call it a day? Yes, of course you can. As the owner of your business you can do anything you want. But this isn’t how the most successful brands behave. They utilize different methods of reaching out to customers and integrate them together to form an even more powerful approach to communicating and attracting customers. Here’s why. Resources Mentioned in this Episode https://giftbizunwrapped.com/inspired/ (Inspired! Daily Planner) Be part of the newest Gift Biz Opportunities! The https://go.oncehub.com/GiftBizBash (Gift Biz Bash) offers you the chance to get added visibility for your business - for free. Who can't use that?! But seats are limited. To see the dates and times and to grab your spot, go through the link above. A https://go.oncehub.com/giftbiz (Gift Biz Boost) is a free one-on-one strategy session discussion a part of your business you're trying to grow. Maybe

Did you know it costs 5x more to convert a new customer than to get additional orders from a past buyer? And if you can get just 5% of your first-time customers to buy again, it can increase your profits anywhere from 25-95%. These stats say it all - it definitely pays to learn how to turn first-time customers into https://giftbizunwrapped.com/episodes/dosa-naturals (repeat buyers)!  On the show today, you’ll hear about a strategy you most likely haven't heard of before. And best of all - it doesn't cost any money, just your time! Monica is a digital brand, marketing & strategy professional with 17 years of experience building global brands. She’s worked across multiple business sectors, from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Additionally, she’s been hired by Google to coach their premium partners who work with eCommerce businesses. Monica is Dutch by birth and Indian by heritage. Global by choice & education. A creative thinker. A dancer. A chai fanatic. A mom of 2 girls. How To Get First-Time

There’s more to this email thing than just sending them out regularly. If you haven’t gotten started with email yet, wait no longer. You’re leaving money on the table. Struggling with what to say in your emails? I’ve got you covered there in my Tips & Talk episode #83. Today let’s take email marketing up a notch. I’m going beyond the basics to help you put even more power into your email efforts. Here are 6 ways to up-level your email game. Resources Mentioned in this Episode https://giftbizunwrapped.com/inspired/ (Inspired! Daily Planner) Be part of the newest Gift Biz Opportunities! The https://go.oncehub.com/GiftBizBash (Gift Biz Bash) offers you the chance to get added visibility for your business - for free. Who can't use that?! But seats are limited. To see the dates and times and to grab your spot, go through the link above. A https://go.oncehub.com/giftbiz (Gift Biz Boost) is a free one-on-one strategy session discussion a part of your business you're trying to grow. Maybe it's the first steps

Do you ever think about what you'll do after you retire? Because (especially if you work a nine-to-five for someone else), that day will eventually come. Today, I talk with Gail Berardo of https://www.instagram.com/evemichael_designs/ (EveMichael Designs). Gail has been in business for a while at this point, working it around her full-time job. But now that she’s retired, she has more time to build upon what she’s already very successfully started. Her idea of developing a brand on the side with the intent of retiring into something she loves is a perfect way to approach things. So in this Boost, let's focus on how to do just that! Get Your Pricing For Retail And Wholesale Right Up until now, https://giftbizunwrapped.com/episodes/selling-handmade-items-wholesale (wholesale) has been Gail’s sales strategy, which she will continue to pursue. But she’d also like to add direct-to-consumer sales into the mix. She wants to get out and interact with people! We dive deep into all the gritty details needed to http

This one tip will save you an enormous amount of time and your sanity. It will give purpose to your efforts or help you catch yourself if your intended actions aren’t even necessary. This should happen very time you’re about to embark on a new project regardless of its size. It could be huge, like starting your business or small like adding a new social media platform or deciding on a craft show to attend. Listen in to hear what the question is and why it’s so important that it can change everything. Resources Mentioned in this Episode https://giftbizunwrapped.com/inspired/ (The Inspired! Daily Planner) Be part of the newest Gift Biz Opportunities! The https://go.oncehub.com/GiftBizBash (Gift Biz Bash) offers you the chance to get added visibility for your business - for free. Who can't use that?! But seats are limited. To see the dates and times and to grab your spot, go through the link above. A https://go.oncehub.com/giftbiz (Gift Biz Boost) is a free one-on-one strategy session discussion a part of you

Hashtags. A topic that has been surrounded by a lot of confusion. And if you think you’ve got it all down pat, let me put out there that what you knew to be true even two years ago has all changed today. Ah! The joys of https://giftbizunwrapped.com/episodes/social-medias-role-in-your-business (social media). Not to worry. Answers to your https://giftbizunwrapped.com/hashtags-for-your-product-business/ (hashtag questions) and more coming your way right now! What's In This Bash? 1. Free Training: The Latest Scoop On Hashtags In this BASH, we cover: What are hashtags? Why use them? Where to use them? What’s the right number of hashtags to use? How do I figure out which ones are the best for my biz? and more! 2. Q&A about this topic with Bash attendees. Did your question get asked and answered? If not, https://www.facebook.com/groups/GiftBizBreeze (come ask in the Facebook Group). 3. Business Showcases Listen to the full episode to hear about discounts, collaboration opportunitie

My goal in sharing my business startup experience is to get you thinking about what you do or want to do in a whole new way. I share 5 significant things for you to ponder: 1.    You don’t need to wait for anyone’s permission to start your business 2.    Before you start, think of what you want in a business and consider multiple options before making a final decision. The first thought may not be it! 3.    The easiest way to get your first sales are at in-person events. 4.    Think about your past experiences and how they may add value to what you’re doing today. 5.    Your business may morph into something else over time. Allow room in your brain for that expansion. Each of us is an original and applying that to your business makes your company truly one of a kind! Be part of the newest Gift Biz Opportunities! The https://go.oncehub.com/GiftBizBash (Gift Biz Bash) offers you the chance to get added visibility for your business - for free. Who can't use that?! But seats are limited. To see the dates a

One of the things I love about when the season begins to change is you always know what to expect and how to prepare for what's coming next. But what if you could be more predictable with your business, too? Especially when it comes to sales. Imagine your projections being targeted plans instead of hopeful guesses. Sounds good, right? Well, getting you to this point is exactly what we’re talking about today. Specifically, how to set up subscription programs to build in https://giftbizunwrapped.com/episodes/dosa-naturals (repeat busines)s. So that rather than being left up to chance if a customer will buy again, you can be in control with sales that are more predictable (and can multiply). Brandon is the founder and CEO of Electriq, a company that scales brands with profitable e-commerce models built from innovative proprietary methods. And today, we talk all about https://giftbizunwrapped.com/episodes/subscription-box-creation-and-participation (subscription models). Brandon will share with us his expe

Email serves a different role in your business than your website, blog posts or even social. Its goal is to keep you top of mind with customers to deepen the connection leading to repeat purchases. It’s also a tool to stay in touch with those who find you online or meet you in person. You want to keep communicating with them for a future first purchase. In this episode, I give you 5 overall categories of email topics with examples to get your mind rolling - plus an action plan to put it all in play. Resources Mentioned in this Episode https://giftbizunwrapped.com/connected (Connected! Content Scheduler) https://suemonhait.lpages.co/content-for-makers/ (Content for Makers) Be part of the newest Gift Biz Opportunities! The https://go.oncehub.com/GiftBizBash (Gift Biz Bash) offers you the chance to get added visibility for your business - for free. Who can't use that?! But seats are limited. To see the dates and times and to grab your spot, go through the link above. A https://go.oncehub.com/giftbiz (Gi

Today's topic is one that haunts many a product maker trying to find traction online. That is, after spending so much time and effort getting a website up and functioning, there's no activity and therefore no sales coming from the site. So, if this is a struggle for you, you're in luck! Because we go into detail on how to change the situation and swing your website results in your favor. How To Sell Products Through Your Website (What's a Boost, you ask? See details below) Today, I talk with Wendy Duckett of https://mysticmoonsoapworks.com/ (Mystic Moon Soapworks). Her business is relatively new, but she has made great strides already. I'm impressed that she started out just as a recommend - by validating her product idea to make sure there are people out there who will buy it. But even though her https://giftbizunwrapped.com/episodes/do-i-need-a-website-for-my-small-business (website is up) and looking good, she's not getting the results she hoped for. In this Boost, we cover: Why https://giftbizunwr

What should you write about in your blog when you’re a maker and sell your handmade products? Your blog should compliment your business goals in some way. Attract new customers, inform, educate, answer FAQ’s or share other information your reader will find valuable. Plus, the most important part … it should be SEO friendly. All this ultimately leads a potential customer to trust you and see you as an expert that they’d want to buy from. For current customers, it reinforces their smart decision of past purchases and reminds them of you when it’s time to buy again. Let’s talk about how to find topics that will achieve these goals so your blog works for you 24/7 to grow your business. Be part of the newest Gift Biz Opportunities! The https://go.oncehub.com/GiftBizBash (Gift Biz Bash) offers you the chance to get added visibility for your business - for free. Who can't use that?! But seats are limited. To see the dates and times and to grab your spot, go through the link above. A https://go.oncehub.com/giftbi

By nature of being a product-based business owner, you WILL be approached to donate to an https://giftbizunwrapped.com/episodes/mindymoore (event) or https://giftbizunwrapped.com/episodes/for-profit-business-with-social-cause (cause) at some point. It’s inevitable. And while I know in your heart that you’d like to give to everyone ... as a business owner, you need to balance these requests with sound business choices. In today's show, we dive into this topic so you know whether you should or shouldn't donate when asked. What's In This Bash? 1. Free Training: How To Handle Requests for Product Donations In this BASH, we cover: How do you decide whether to donate? What can you expect as a return to your business from your donation? Everything you need to consider when https://giftbizunwrapped.com/episodes/maker-to-master-5 (calculating the worth) of your donation. Ways to sway the results in your favor. Specific action steps to take when you receive a donation request. 2. Q&A about this

Let’s talk about why now is the most opportune time to get moving on your business. If you’re just starting – it’s the moment to flip that switch on. And if you’ve stalled out or pressed pause for whatever reason - it’s time to reignite that forward momentum. Here are four reasons why you shouldn’t delay. Some of these situations are fleeting and if you don’t take advantage of them they’ll pass you by. Resources Mentioned in this Episodehttps://suemonhait.lpages.co/start-with-confidence-course:// (Start with Confidence Course) https://go.oncehub.com/giftbiz (Sign up for a Gift Biz BOOST) Be part of the newest Gift Biz Opportunities!The https://go.oncehub.com/GiftBizBash (Gift Biz Bash) offers you the chance to get added visibility for your business - for free. Who can't use that?! But seats are limited. To see the dates and times and to grab your spot, go through the link above. A https://go.oncehub.com/giftbiz (Gift Biz Boost) is a free one-on-one strategy session discussion a part of your business you're tr