PODCAST · leisure
Gift Biz Unwrapped
by Sue Monhait
Have you thought about turning your hobby into a profitable small business? This podcast shows you how to do just that. Whether you want a side gig for some extra cash or to get out of your 9-5, the handmade products you make for fun can hold the key! In each episode you'll hear steps and actions to take to start and grow a profitable business. It's created specifically for the handmade product business entrepreneur; a group I lovingly call Gifters, Bakers, Crafters, and Makers. You're a fabulous unique creative person and I'm here to help you get on the right path to making your vision a reality. There's a lot out there about building a service based business, some about building a product business, but handmade is different. There are specific nuances to handmade that we cover here. Have you thought about starting a business but not sure what the first steps should be and you're afraid to do it "wrong?"Have you started your business but it's not progressing as you had envisio
Episodes
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418 – Managing Through Life Changes and Updates to Continually Serve You!
There are times for change. It happens in business and life overall and opens the path for new experiences and advancement. Today I want to share with you such a change. This is the last episode of the Gift Biz Unwrapped podcast. Over these last 8 years and 545 episodes, we’ve covered every topic...
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Tips & Talk 110 – 32 Questions
I’ve heard it said that the answers you seek in life are only as good as the questions you ask. Because so much goes on in our heads, sometimes our thoughts are trying to answer the wrong questions. Or you get in a brain spin and ideas go round and round randomly without even attempting to answer…
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417 – The Role of Your Website in Your Handmade Product Business
What is the role of your website in your handmade product business? Let's talk about this, because my answer may surprise you. The biggest misconception of eCommerce is the idea that putting up a website is the “do all, end all” of getting sales online. In reality, it’s just the beginning. Many...
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Tips & Talk 109 – The BEST Thing You Can Do to Increase Your Sales
There are lots of ways to increase your sales but today I’m going to tell you what I believe to be the number one thing you should be doing to see your orders increase. What I have to say is going to be controversial because it goes against natural inclinations. It will feel like you’re wasting...
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416 – Raise Your Radiance to Raise Your Revenue with Angela Jia Kim
Today's episode is guaranteed to bring more beauty and richness into your life. This show is a special one because it brings two different but connected messages your way. An inspiring start-up story that illustrates just how far you can go starting from your home. We also explore the ancient...
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Tips & Talk 108 – Do You Have the Next Big Idea?
I wish I would have thought of that! Or maybe you did, but now someone else has actually turned your idea into a product and it’s catching the world by storm. The old saying is true, ideas come a dime a dozen. But they don’t mean anything unless you take action. It’s the person who stops in their...
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415 – Lighten Up Your Email Copy for More Opens and Sales with Liz Wilcox
Today’s show might just be the game changer you’ve been hoping for if you know you should send regular emails but that’s where it ends. You tell yourself you’ll get to it in the future and then bump it back week after week until it finally drops from the list. Or you’ve sent out a few emails…
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Tips & Talk 107 – The Truth (Illusion) About Growing Your Business
This desire to stretch for more and more has been ingrained in us over the decades. The thinking that bigger is better. You were exhilarated when you made your first sale. And from there the focus was on getting another sale … and then another one. And when that happens, then you start thinking...
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414 – A New Look at User Generated Content with Lauren Schwartz
Do you know what user-generated content is and how can it help you in your handmade business? User-generated content deserves more attention because understanding and utilizing this content creation strategy can help you more easily create customer communications and add depth and variety to the...
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Tips & Talk 106 – A Different Way to Look at Your Competition
Competition is not something you need to fear. There are actually advantages to being in a well-known and established industry. I explain why and how to look at your competition differently. The emotion and feeling of discomfort comes up when you don’t have a plan to tackle competitive…
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413 – Email Marketing Strategies to Increase Sales with Laura and Adam of Pink Leopard
By now, you've probably noticed the uptick in people talking about the importance of email marketing. That's because (dare I say it?) email is even more important than social media! In fact, email is your key to predictable and growing monthly sales. It’s one thing to understand the importance of...
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Tips & Talk 105 – The Power of Being Likeable
Being likeable. Sometimes that’s all you need to make a sale. And if you describe yourself as an introvert, this is a reason to push past this self-limiting label. Because you have no chance of being likeable if someone doesn’t have the ability to get to know you. 95% of buying decisions are made...
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412 – Looking for an Upgraded Alternative to Etsy? with Jon Lincoln of goimagine
If you're looking for your first (or new) home for your eCommerce website - you need to tune in, because this episode is just for you! Today we’re talking about a new eCommerce platform ONLY for handmade creators that offers options not available anywhere else. I say they’re new but they have…
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Tips & Talk 104 – A Discussion on Large versus Small Craft Shows
We are so lucky in our industry of handmade to have what feels like endless options for face-to face-selling. Today let’s talk about the size of a show and how that can affect your success. You may initially thing that larger shows will bring greater results but that’s not always the case. Both...
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411 – 150 Craft Shows in 3 Years! with Grant and Jennifer Anderson
This week's show is pretty exciting. As you saw from the title, my guests have participated in 150 in-person shows over just the past 3 years! Given that level of activity, you know they have a ton of experience and a wealth of insights to share. You'll also hear about their unexpected start in...
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Tips & Talk 103 – Increase Your Confidence and Enthusiasm
Do you underestimate confidence and enthusiasm? I realize these are two entirely separate things, but they do go hand in hand in your business and can seriously impact your progress and the success you’ll see in the long run. Let’s define each of these first - so we’re on the same page in terms…
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410 – Start Your Handmade Business from Scratch with Robin Lee Adams
I met Robin at the Chicago One of a Kind Show. She captured my attention for a couple of reasons. Her display drew me in and made me curious about her product. It’s a combination of two other products merged into one. I got just enough information to know I wanted her on the show. That’s how I…
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Tips & Talk 102 – Are You Doing This Backwards?
It makes sense that for most things in life it’s best if you start at the very beginning, except when it comes to one very important part of your business - the messaging you use to sell your products. In this case, you want to flip the script. It's the old features/benefit story. Describing your...
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409 – Bath Bombs and a Million Dollar Amazon Business with Ashley Kinkead
Today we're talking about how to start an Amazon business - or maybe collaborate with one to sell more of your handmade products. I like to present you with all sorts of options for starting a business of your own. And while we focus mostly on traditional handmade product selling, there are other...
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Tips & Talk 101 – Stop Posing!
What do you do when a camera points your way? Probably the same as most people. Do you find yourself totally changing your behavior? It’s like now you have to be “on,” and you analyze and adjust so you’re captured in the best way. While all these tricks make for great photos that show your best...
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408 – Yes! You Can Be Successful Opening a Retail Shop Today with Jessie Williams
Maybe you're heard that brick-and-mortar retail shopping is dead. Don't believe it! Retail is still an option. The dream is not lost. Today you’ll hear from Jessie, a very successful owner of three shops. She started scrappy and took advantage of growth opportunities as they presented themselves....
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Tips & Talk 100 – I Had No Idea …
Regardless of what you make, there’s a skill that you’ve had to perfect. There are certain critical production points or special additions you include that make your creations extra special. There are cooling times, temperature levels, material quality specs, and interesting tools of the trade....
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407 – A Brave and Unconventional Path To An Award Winning Tea Company With Jenny Tse
The way Jenny got into her business is fascinating … not a traditional path by any means. As you listen to her story, notice how she encounters decision points along the way and leaps into the opportunities that present themselves. Scary? Yes, by her own admission. But also, exciting and with…
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Tips & Talk 99 – How Will It Fail? And I’m Not Talking About Your Business …
How will it fail? At first glance, you may think I’m referring to the success of your business. Actually, I’m not. I’m talking about your product. And now you’re saying, “Not MY product!” I make it myself with quality materials not to mention my top-notch professional creation skills. Hold tight.…
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406 – It’s National Bakers Crafters Makers Day!
Today (January 21) is National Bakers Crafters Makers Day. A time to recognize, uplift, and celebrate YOU! (And, by the way, that means ALL handmade makers whether it’s a hobby or you’ve turned what you make into a small business.) It's been 3 years since I established this official national day....
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Tips & Talk 98 – How to Celebrate National Bakers Crafters Makers Day
National Bakers-Crafters-Makers Day celebrates ALL handmade creators of the world! Being a maker yourself, you know that what you create originates in your soul. It’s very existence requires your imagination, passion and skill. And when you present your creation, the final result provides…
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405 – How to Increase Customer Retention with Kerri McDonald
Here's possibly the most important thing you can do to grow your business. Learn how to retain customers who have already purchased from you so they buy again. Of course, some customers will drop off, month to month, or be one-time purchasers. But the strategy you'll hear about today can STOP…
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Tips & Talk 97 – But Do You Really Need It?
Here’s a thought to keep in mind as you go about upgrading your business processes in the months ahead. It will make you smarter with your decisions and save you time and money because it prevents you from piling up unnecessary costs without realizing it. Skill and feature creep happens when you...
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404 – Identify, Create and Bring a New Product to Market with Kristina Schlegel of Make Bake
My guest Kristina identified a need in the market (a “pain point” if you will) that inspired an idea for a product that could fill the gap. In this episode, she shares her journey to identify, create, and bring this new product to market. Including all the ups, downs, pivots, and even what's…
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Tips & Talk 96 – Goals Only Work if You Do THIS
Getting your dreams on paper makes them more likely to come true. Setting intentions is the direct path to manifesting what you want. Journaling, creating a vision board or closing your eyes and imagining yourself achieving what you’ve set out to do are various actions to take as you let your...
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403 – What Will the Chapters of Your Life Be in 2023? with Jen Hardy
Have you ever wished you could somehow redo your life without all the challenges that you had to overcome? The reality is, even if we wish for it, nobody signed an agreement with us that all our days will be smooth and happy. Not one person on earth gets that luxury (although some lives are…
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Tips & Talk 95 – Are You Being a Responsible Guardian of Your Business?
Starting a business is often compared to having another child. You’re responsible for its vitality and the one who sets the vision, plans the strategy and has the final vote on all the decisions. The life of your business is in your hands. Have you ever thought about it this way? And along with...
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402 – How to Live a More Enriched and Peaceful Life with Teresa McCloy
It's Christmas Eve! And I always love to give you something extra special for the holidays. In years past, we've had some Christmas stories from author Heidi Swain, an explanation for holiday traditions that might surprise you, a popular Christmas poem (revised by yours truly) to reflect small...
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Tips & Talk 94 – Ignore the “What If’s”
I have a story for you about a friend I met years ago through the Chamber of Commerce. You’ll be as surprised as I was when I tell you. After this event I'm going to share with you, Alan could have kept looking back and wondering what his life would have been like if he’d made a different choice....
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401 – Influencer Marketing – Word of Mouth at Scale with Yash Chavan
I'm sure you've seen an influencer on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube share a product, and then their fans all rush out and buy it. Imagine how that would feel if it were YOUR product being shared! That's what today's episode is all about - how you can multiply the power of word of mouth by working...
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Tips & Talk 93 – How Best to Listen to THIS Podcast
Whether you are a first time listener or have been with me from the very beginning, the amount of content here can be overwhelming. How do you find an episode you heard a while back and now want to revisit? Or what if you’re after a specific topic that didn’t apply when it first aired but now…
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400 – How to Attend Trade Shows to Get Wholesale Accounts with Jim Cermak
Would you love to get your products into local or regional shops and boutiques? Or do you dream of bigger wholesale opportunities? Either way, exhibiting at a trade show brings you face-to-face with buyers who are looking for new brands to feature in their stores. But what's involved? How do…
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Tips & Talk 92 – How to Negotiate with Customers
Negotiating is a valuable skill to have. It’s made strongest when you think about and plan for it ahead of time. By having strategies and pre thought through actions in your back pocket, you won’t give away the house or feel taken advantage of. Instead, you can lead the conversation, offer…
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399 – Is Wholesale the Right Sales Strategy for Your Handmade Products? with Katie Hunt
Have you ever considered how wholesale can fit into your current business plan? Today's show is going to help you decide if selling wholesale is the right choice for your handmade business. You may think it isn't right for you, but once you listen to this show - you might discover it's not as out...
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Tips & Talk 91 – Expect THIS to Happen
Expect this to happen after you start. And you’re not alone, it happens to everyone. What am I talking about? Heidi who started making wedding accessories and now sells holiday ornaments and diy kits boutiques. Sheila who started a gift basket business out of her house and now owns a building…
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398 – The StartUp Story of Little Rebels with Marjorie Spitalnik
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...
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Tips & Talk 90 – My Happy List and Why It’s Important
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...
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397 – Talk about the Most Creative Art Technique! with Stephanie McDairmant
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...
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Tips & Talk 89 – It Only Takes 5 Minutes to Make a Major Impact
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!...
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396 – Find the Words to Spice Up your Brand with Lucy Bedewi
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...
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Tips & Talk 88 – How Many Customers Do You Need?
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...
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395 – Can I Be On Both Shopify And Etsy? With Heidi Wicks
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...
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Tips & Talk 87 – Do You Know About Touchpoints?
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...
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394 – A New Way to Get First Time Customers to Buy Again with Monica Sharma-Patnekar
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...
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Tips & Talk 86 – 6 Tips to UP Your Email Game
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...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Have you thought about turning your hobby into a profitable small business? This podcast shows you how to do just that. Whether you want a side gig for some extra cash or to get out of your 9-5, the handmade products you make for fun can hold the key! In each episode you'll hear steps and actions to take to start and grow a profitable business. It's created specifically for the handmade product business entrepreneur; a group I lovingly call Gifters, Bakers, Crafters, and Makers. You're a fabulous unique creative person and I'm here to help you get on the right path to making your vision a reality. There's a lot out there about building a service based business, some about building a product business, but handmade is different. There are specific nuances to handmade that we cover here. Have you thought about starting a business but not sure what the first steps should be and you're afraid to do it "wrong?"Have you started your business but it's not progressing as you had envisio
HOSTED BY
Sue Monhait
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Gift Biz Unwrapped have?
Gift Biz Unwrapped currently has 546 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Gift Biz Unwrapped about?
Have you thought about turning your hobby into a profitable small business? This podcast shows you how to do just that. Whether you want a side gig for some extra cash or to get out of your 9-5, the handmade products you make for fun can hold the key! In each episode you'll hear steps and actions...
How often does Gift Biz Unwrapped release new episodes?
Gift Biz Unwrapped releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 546 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to Gift Biz Unwrapped?
You can listen to Gift Biz Unwrapped on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Gift Biz Unwrapped?
Gift Biz Unwrapped is created and hosted by Sue Monhait.
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