The Product Visionary Podcast

Summary In this conversation, Crystal Cave interviews Rich Keller about his one-word brand concept. Rich explains that a personal brand is about improving the lives of others and that discovering your one-word core value is key to personal branding. He shares his own journey of leaving a successful corporate career to help others simplify their personal brand down to one word. Crystal discusses her own experience with the one-word brand process and how it has helped her align her business and personal values. They also touch on the importance of credentials as credibility, not identity, and the value of being a visionary in today's world. The conversation explores the concept of core values and how they drive our actions and define our identity. It emphasizes the importance of understanding our core values and aligning them with our work and personal lives. The conversation also touches on the societal pressure to define ourselves by what we do and the need to shift the narrative to focus on who we are. Watch Rich’s TEDx Talk here: https://therichkeller.com/tedx/ Find Your One Word for Yourself here: https://therichkeller.com/free Takeaways A personal brand is about improving the lives of others and serving and helping others win. Discovering your one-word core value is key to personal branding and simplifying your brand. Credentials are credibility, not identity. Your credentials give you the opportunity to be seen as credible, but they do not define who you are. Being a visionary means having a clear idea of the future and setting the steps to make it happen. Aligning your business and personal values is essential for fulfillment and success. Understanding our core values is essential for personal and professional growth. Our core values drive our actions and define our identity. Aligning our work and personal lives with our core values leads to fulfillment and success. Society should shift the narrative from defining ourselves by what we do to focusing on who we are. Keywords personal branding, one-word brand, core value, vision, credentials, identity, core values, identity, branding, personal development, societal pressure, Rich Keller, TEDx

Summary In part 2 of the conversation, Crystal and Amber Rankin of Feel Good Swim discuss the challenges of running a Kickstarter campaign and dealing with negative feedback. They also delve into the strategy of pre-launch and the importance of building a community. Amber shares her experience with Launch Boom and the VIP system, which helps validate the market and generate pre-orders. They also touch on the topic of handling mean comments and trolls on social media. Amber emphasizes her mission to help women feel confident in their swimwear. Shop Feel Good Swim: https://feelgoodswim.com/ Support Feel Good Swim's Kickstarter ⁠here⁠ Takeaways Perseverance and resilience are essential qualities for navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship. Launching a product through Kickstarter can help validate the market and mitigate risks. Running a Kickstarter campaign can come with challenges, including negative feedback and rude comments from potential backers. Pre-launch strategies, such as the VIP system, can help validate the market and generate pre-orders. Building a community is crucial for the success of a Kickstarter campaign and for long-term business growth. Handling mean comments and trolls on social media requires a balanced approach of addressing them when necessary and not internalizing them. The ultimate goal of Feel Good Swim is to help women feel confident in their swimwear, one swimsuit at a time. Keywords feel good swim, Amber Rankin, swimwear, larger busts, smaller frames, brand creation, inspiration, Factory45, challenges, finding partners, professional feedback, trial and error, confidence, education, entrepreneurship, challenges, lessons learned, production partner, perseverance, resilience, Kickstarter, market validation, risks, Kickstarter, negative feedback, pre-launch, community building, Launch Boom, VIP system, validation, pre-orders, mean comments, trolls, confidence

Summary Amber Rankin shares her journey of creating Feel Good Swimwear, a brand for women with larger busts and smaller frames. She was inspired to create the brand after struggling to find swimwear that fit her well and made her feel confident. However, she faced challenges in finding the right partners and receiving professional feedback with nearly 5 years in development. Through trial and error, Amber learned valuable lessons and gained confidence as a business person. The conversation delves into the challenges and lessons learned in the entrepreneurial journey, particularly in the process of creating a technical product. The importance of finding the right production partner and the value of perseverance and resilience are highlighted. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the benefits of launching a product through Kickstarter to validate the market and mitigate risks. Shop Feel Good Swim: https://feelgoodswim.com/ Support Feel Good Swim's Kickstarter here Takeaways Creating a swimwear brand for a specific body type can be a personal and empowering journey. Joining programs like Factory 45 can provide valuable guidance and connections in the fashion industry. Finding the right partners and receiving professional feedback is crucial for success. Trial and error is a natural part of the entrepreneurial process, and lessons learned can lead to growth and confidence. The American educational system is flawed and does not teach critical thinking or entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship requires rewiring and applying different principles than those taught in school. Finding the right production partner is crucial for success in creating a technical product. Keywords feel good swim, Amber Rankin, swimwear, larger busts, smaller frames, brand creation, inspiration, Factory45, challenges, finding partners, professional feedback, trial and error, confidence, education, entrepreneurship, challenges, lessons learned, production partner, perseverance, resilience, Kickstarter, market validation, risks, Kickstarter, negative feedback, pre-launch, community building, Launch Boom, VIP system, validation, pre-orders, mean comments, trolls, confidence

Summary Natalie Jacob, founder of Etymology Jewelry, shares her journey of starting her brand and navigating the world of wholesale. She began making jewelry in college and started selling on Etsy. Over the years, she has evolved her brand to focus on sustainable jewelry for creative individuals. Natalie discusses the challenges of pricing, lead times, and the impact of COVID-19 on her business. Sharing her journey as a small business owner and artist, she discusses the challenges and rewards of running a jewelry business, including the power of social media. Natalie emphasizes the value of maintaining an open mind and curiosity in business, as well as the significance of telling your own story. She also highlights the impact she wants to make in the world through her art and expression. Listeners can find Natalie on Instagram (@etymologyjewelry) and her website (etymologyjewelry.shop). Use "productvisionary" for an exclusive 20% off! (Thanks, Natalie!!) Takeaways Starting a brand organically and evolving over time can lead to long-term success. Understanding pricing, lead times, and the impact of external factors like COVID-19 is crucial for sustainable growth. Wholesale can be a valuable channel for business growth, but it requires knowledge of the wholesale ecosystem and the ability to adapt to changing market conditions. Transparency and making things easier for customers can build brand loyalty and reduce cart abandonment. Maintaining an open mind and curiosity is crucial in business, as it allows for growth and adaptation. Telling your own story is a powerful way to connect with customers and create interest in your brand. Keywords Etymology Jewelry, Natalie Jacob, sustainable jewelry, wholesale, pricing, lead times, Alibaba.com, Faire.com, COVID-19, in-store experience, small business, jewelry, wholesale, social media, storytelling, impact

Summary Crystal Cave, the host of the Product Visionary podcast, shares her background in retail and product creation. She discusses the need to bring corporate-level knowledge to product owners and the importance of authentic conversations about the challenges of creating products. Crystal aims to inspire and educate listeners by interviewing founders and CEOs who have successfully launched their own products. The podcast will provide behind-the-scenes insights and lessons for aspiring product creators. Takeaways Product creation requires a combination of sales, marketing, and business knowledge. Authentic conversations about the challenges of product creation are valuable for aspiring product owners. Learning from the experiences of successful founders and CEOs can provide valuable insights and inspiration. Creating a product requires perseverance and the ability to learn from failures. Keywords product visionary, retail, product creation, corporate-level knowledge, authentic conversations, challenges, founders, CEOs, behind-the-scenes, lessons