May 30, 2017
For full show notes and access to additional resources for this episode, visit: prooftoproduct.com/006
Katie Wilson is the owner of The Good Twin, a stationery company known for its playful illustrations and hand-rendered type. Katie’s story is a unique one in that The Good Twin is her second successful business in the stationery industry. On today's episode, Katie and I will talk about the pros and cons of being ahead of trends, the importance of slow sustainable growth and why we should never ever compare ourselves to other people's businesses.
ON TODAY’S EPISODE:
[01:00] Katie’s story & how she
started The Good Twin.
[04:30] Reflecting on brands
that came before her in the stationery industry.
[06:30] Getting back to the night time hustle
of designing.
[09:30] Winning the Paper Camp
scholarship.
[11:00] Exhibiting at NSS was a big scary
unknown, lots to learn.
[13:30] Katie’s inspiration when she’s creating
new products
[16:30] Being on the front end of a trend, the
pros and cons
[21:30] Finding manufacturers for new product
lines.
[22:00]
Determining how much product to order & how much money to
invest.
[26:00] Manufacturing overseas & the debate of
whether to go overseas.
[30:00] Keeping open lines of communication
with your buyers
[32:00] Working with big box stores & how that
helps fund new products for her business.
[34:30] Appreciate your peers in the business,
rely on them for support & share information.
[35:30] Having slow, sustainable growth is
essential. Don’t compare yourself to
others.
[34:30] Building a business takes time, don’t
rush it.
[38:00] What’s next for The Good
Twin
[40:00] Deciding What to Delegate
Course
[36:30] Focusing on the higher level, revenue generating projects and hiring for the rest.
KEY TAKE-AWAYS:
“ Sales rep knowledge is so valuable. They are on the ground with people just really getting it done.” - Katie Wilson
“You think it's fun to be on the front end of a trend, and be the cool kid. It's not.” - Katie Wilson
“It is scary to lay out that cash, out way at the beginning for something that you're not sure if it's gonna sell.” -Katie Hunt
“If you can't make your margins work on a reasonably small amount, you probably shouldn't be making the products.” -Katie Wilson
“If you shine, I shine.” - Katie Wilson
“Having slow, sustainable growth is so essential.” - Katie Wilson
LINKS:
Dude & Chick
Crow
& Canary
Greenwich Letterpress
Paper Camp
Pinnacle
DeFrance Printing
Mama’s
Sauce
Belle & Union Co.
TSBC Deciding What to Delegate Course - Free!
MEET KATIE WILSON:
Katie Wilson is the owner of The Good Twin, a stationery company known for playful illustrations and hand rendered type. With the help of her right hand pug, Peggy Day, Katie (who is really a twin, and a good one at that) has grown her Los Angeles based brand into a full line of greeting cards, office supplies, and enamel pins. She has over ten years of experience in the paper goods world, working as an illustrator, shopgirl, and co-founder before striking out on her own in 2014. After attending Paper Camp in September 2015, The Good Twin debuted at the National Stationery show in 2016.
Website: http://www.thegoodtwin.co/
Facebook: @thegoodtwinco
Instagram: @thegoodtwinco
Twitter: @thegoodtwinco
JOIN THE TSBC FAMILY:
Interested in learning more about launching or refining a wholesale line or exhibiting at trade shows? Join us for our next Paper Camp conference in Los Angeles. Get more details and register at www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp
ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT:
Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode.