This is one of my all time favorite episodes! In this episode I'm interviewing Kenny Straub from Cork & Candles, a highly successful brick and mortar candle shop in Pennsylvania. Cork & Candles offers customers a unique experience when they enter the shop; a fragrance library filled with scents that bring back powerful emotions and memories, and that allows them to create a candle to take home with them by the end of their visit. Customers can even bring their favorite beverage to pair with a fresh charcuterie board or flatbread from their in-house menu.

Kenny chats with me about the origins of the business, how his family has built a successful candle business around customer experience, and some of the marketing initiatives that have made his family owned business such a success.

To shop Cork & Candles, and see photos of their beautiful fragrance library, head to https://www.corkandcandles.com/

Cork & Candles | Building a Successful Candle Business Around Customer Experience

In this special solo episode I'm walking through some of my tops tips for getting ready for your 2023 craft shows as a handmade business owner!

Prepping for Craft Shows in 2023

In this episode, we're chatting with special guest Kara Laws. Kara is a business educator and currently owns a business called Launched. Kara has built six businesses, sold four, and still runs two! Kara has worked with over 500 business owners and has personally coached some to hit over 1 million in revenue. Kara created “Launched” because she was getting the same feedback from the women that she taught: “I wish there was a place that taught me all the steps, in the right order. I did so many things wrong at the beginning.” So, Kara created a program to teach business owners HOW. How to open a business, how to avoid expensive mistakes, how to start growing, and how to do everything in the right order.

Head to https://launchedacademy.com/business-essentials-checklist/ to get Kara's free Business Essentials Checklist. For makers, join Happening Hands at www.happeninghands.com to gain access to Kara's workshop on how to start your business!

How to Build a Business You Can Sell with Kara Laws

Did you know that 98% of press releases that go out, do nothing? But, if you have an irresistible story, your press release could be transformative and boost your small business's visibility like crazy! Today's special guest is Mickie Kennedy, the CEO and Founder of E-Releases. Mickie believes that with some effort and a little money, the possibilities are endless. He is an expert at helping small businesses, authors, and startups increase their visibility and credibility. Mickie founded eReleases 24+ years ago after realizing that small businesses desperately need a press release service they can actually afford, giving them access to the media and to a national newswire – all with a personal touch. His press releases have resulted in articles being published in the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Bloomberg, and many more prestigious new outlets. In this episode you'll get some tips on how to make your story irresistible, and what to expect when gearing up for a press release campaign.



Take Mickie's free free master class on How to Build a PR Campaign Designed to Get Massive Media Coverage at https://www.ereleases.com/plan [https://www.ereleases.com/plan-2/]

The Power of Press Releases: Boosting Your Small Business's Visibility with Mickie Kennedy from eReleases

Thank you for tuning in! In this episode, we'll be chatting with special guest Maddy Aucoin. Maddy is a copywriter and brand messaging strategist for values-driven brands. Maddy loves working with brands to create clear and fun copy that connects with their audiences. She's also the creator of the Bad*ss Biz Club community for businesses who prioritize people, profit, and the planet.

You can find Maddy on her website at www.bymaddyaucoin.com [http://www.bymaddyaucoin.com/], and on Instagram @bymaddyaucoin!

Human Centered Marketing with Copywriter Maddy Aucoin

Thank you for tuning in to today's episode! Our special guest joining us today is Monica Sharma-Patnekar, and we're going to be chatting about how to connect with your customers and build brand loyalty through your marketing.

Monica is an eCommerce brand mentor & consultant, a purpose-driven (digital) brand, marketing & strategy professional with 17 years of global experience building brands. She’s worked across diverse sectors and companies, from Fortune 500 to scale- & start-ups. Monica offers high-touch coaching & mentorship to small business, conscious, eCommerce & product, and retail entrepreneurs.

Grab Monica's Desire Over Demographics freebie, and learn the 4 types of questions you should ask your customer: https://www.businesswithmonica.com/handmade-ceo/

How to Build Brand Loyalty Through Your Marketing with Monica Sharma-Patnekar

What does it take for you to start your own small business? Where can you gather
inspiration and information to get you started on the right foot? Can you make a
living from selling handmade items? After 10 (official) years of handcrafting my
business, Willow and Bee, I have gathered every tip you'll need to get started
on your hand made business. Armed with the knowledge of running a small
business, and a mountain of side hustles later, I'm here to share everything
that it takes to get You on your journey. Every Wednesday, you'll hear from
Handmade CEOs and industry experts. These guests will share their personal
stories, insider tips, and special offers with you. I'm committed to sharing all
there is to know to help you get from point A to point B with the least amount
of obstacles! This podcast, sharing inspirational stories, and teaching you, has
been a lifelong dream. I can't wait to someday interview you! Now it's time to
get some inspiration, take action, and start handcrafting your dreams! For show
notes and links: http://www.marialaurin.com/handmade-ceo-podcast/

maria laurin

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