11. Spilling the Tea On The Ultimate Product Party, with Allison Carter and Cat Hildner
Allison and Cat were two strangers who connected at a conference, turned into business besties, and a few years later saw a gap in the product-based business space and decided to take action to fill it. In addition to the two businesses they run individually, Allison and Cat are the founders and hosts of Ultimate Product Party (UPP for short!). UPP is a 2-day creative conference that serves product-based businesses. Allison and Cat create a unique experience and space for the product-based business owner where they can connect with other like-minded small business owners who are looking to grow, scale, and make more money! UPP is definitely not your average biz conference - it’s a business meets FUN party, full of action-focused education, and immediate takeaways for attendees to apply to scale. The next chance to attend UPP will be May 17-18, 2023 in Nashville!
Things you won’t want to miss from our chat
The psychic reading that almost canceled the Ultimate Product Party before it started
Why the theme of Ultimate Product Party 2023 is TRUST
What you can expect when you attend UPP
All the tea about last year’s investment, and what Allison and Cat are investing in this year for UPP
What makes Allison feel like a TikTok beauty influencer
How you can join us there!
Hello and welcome to Product Packaging and Profit, where we help product-based businesses turn packaging design into a competitive edge to attract customers, grow sales, and boost profits.
I'm Kelley Kempel, After 20 years of designing packaging for national retailers, I founded Hidden Path Creative, a graphic design studio that supports entrepreneurs with branding and packaging to get their products seen and sold. I'm sharing the secrets that launched big brands so your products can stand out. Let's get started.
Intro
Welcome back. Today I am chatting with Allison Carter and Cat Hildner, the host of Ultimate Product. Allison and Kat were two strangers who connected at a conference, turned into business besties, and a few years later saw a gap in the product-based business space and decided to take action to fill it.
In addition to the two businesses they run individually, Allison and Kat are the founders and hosts of Ultimate Product Party. U PPP for short U PPP is a two-day creative conference that serves product-based businesses. And Allison and Kat create a unique experience in space for the product-based business owner where they can connect with other like-minded small business owners who are looking to grow scale and make more money.
UPPP is definitely not your average biz conference. Its business meets the fun party, full of action-focused education and immediate takeaways for attendees to apply to scale. The next chance to attend UPP will be May 17th and 18th 2023 in Nashville. I am so excited to be joining everyone else at the Ultimate Product Party in Nashville, and I am really excited for you to hear the amazing conversation that I had with Allison and KA back in January.
we had so much fun. I don't think that I have ever laughed as much during a podcast interview so far. With that being said, I apologize for some of the laughter overlapping, what we're all saying but I think it's an amazing representation of what your experience will be like if you join us at the ultimate product.
So listen to the end, and I've got a special offer for you to snag with your ticket purchase, but let's get started.
I am so excited to have Alison Carter and Kat Hil on product, packaging, and profit to talk all things product biz in-person, events, and community today. So Alison Kat, thank you for being here. Yeah, we are excited. Excited, excited. Love it. So for anybody listening who doesn't know who you are, would you mind introducing yourselves?
Episode Transcript
Cat: Oh yeah. I mean, I feel like everyone just knows me, right? No. Nobody knows me.
Allison: We're actually famous, but whatever. Sure.
Kelley: We'll, if they don't know you, they should.
Cat: They should. You're gonna know us now, friends. Okay? Yes. So hold on. So I am Cat. I am the co-host of the Ultimate Product Party with Allison but in my previous still current life. I'm Kitty Yow. I have a collection of paper party and gift goodies that I sell all over the world, and it's not a cat-related brand. Kitty Meow is just sort, sort of my alter ego when I'm trying to care less about what other people are. Probably not even wasting their time thinking about me, but Yeah. and then I teach other women how to grow and scale, getting their products in stores with wholesale. And then this event was born that Allison forced me into and just along for the ride.
Allison: Oh, right. Oh yes.
Cat: And I have three kids and I live in the Chicagoland area. And a really great husband. They're part of the story too.
Allison: Yeah, they're there. They're important people. I'm Alison, my business is Alison Carter Celebrates and I help you show up on the internet as yourself and grow your audience and get more business, and get eyeballs and all of the things. Visibility in PR and the content that you really wanna create that's going to resonate with the audience that you create.
In my actual past life, because I no longer do this anymore, I ran a holiday and celebration business slash empire. I had a subscription box company that was very successful. That I closed over the summer to really just lean into the business side of things and help small businesses that really build what they want to build.
And I host retreats and coaching programs. I have a monthly membership called the Basic Pitch Club, uh, and the co-host of the Ultimate Product Party, which is a hands down, the most fun and hardest. and lesson-giving thing that we have ever done in our whole life. But it's the thing that we are so proud of and so excited about that we get to share with you guys today.
Kelley: I love this. So you ladies are like a true powerhouse team. right?
Allison: We work really well together. Yeah.
Cat: It's, it's a work in progress to kind of that sounds so mean. I don't mean it as mean, but we're both powerhouses in our own right, but Allison and all her boundaries and like, ah, don't text me on the weekend about work.
I'm like, what? No, but I like live for this stuff. Please let me be your friend. But realizing that everyone works a different way and if you're truly gonna come together as a team, that is an around for the long haul because now. Ultimate Product Party is an actual business that we own together and have a lot of money invested in it.
Like you need to learn to respect each other and figure out how you can work together as a team. Cuz I've never had to do that before. Yeah.
Allison: It's our second marriage.
Kelley: It's an interesting way to look at it as a second marriage, and I think it's really interesting for those of us that start businesses on our own.
To maybe get, like, I personally started a business to get away from that corporate life, and so, mm-hmm. , you know, if you start a business on your own because you want to have that control and that autonomy, and then building a business with somebody else, that's, that's a lot of trusts. It takes a lot of trust.
Allison: Well, you know, Kat had a psychic tell her to drop me like a ball of flames, so there's that.
Cat: But what I knew you were gonna bring that up. I'm literally dead right now.
Kelley: I need to hear this story.
Cat: Don't make me do that. No.
Allison: She trusts me now, but her third eye is always watching me. I always feel backed into a corner with that judgment seething through the screen constantly.
We do have a lot of trust and I think a big differentiator of our partnership is we did not start like, let's build a business like we were. We have been friends for a long time. We don't live in the same city-state. Um, we kind of fell into this from an idea, and then we tried it, proof of concept, and then decided together, okay, is this something that we're going to move forward?
Let's actually be legal and above the book and like profess about everything that we do. , let's open a 50-50 corporation. Let's do the ding thing. But it is something that is really like she has her strengths. I have my strengths. We both know that, and we both really do respect that at the end of the day, it can be frustrating to understand, but we both have total faith in each other that it might not get done in the way or the timeline that it was needed to get done, but it will get done. And the things, it will all work out. And we both have the same goals, the same dreams, the same aspirations, and the same vision for this which is very helpful too.
Like we are completely on the same.
Kelley: Love that. Okay, so let's talk about that dream and vision of the Ultimate Product Party. Cause that's why we're here, right?
Cat: No. Go back to the psychic story. I'm like, oh gosh, moving along. You're, you're not explosion card. That did happen. Okay. Let's just throw it out there.
That did happen to me. I had a quote-unquote friend from high school who is now a psychic medium and like I'm here. all of that. Okay. Just I'm, yeah. I'm curious. Let's say, and she's just like, wanna do a reading? And I'm like, no, not really, but okay, here we go. And then, I don't know. But she told me that Alison was someone who like I needed to drop immediately.
And listening to your gut in your business is one of the most important things that you need to learn to do for yourself as a human. And in my gut and in my heart, I'm like, this woman is full of crap. And I know in my heart that Allison has the best intentions for me and for the growth of this business. And you, I was just like, I'm like, Nope. moving forward, moving along, not listening to that, blah, blah, blah,
Kelley: and I'm so glad you didn’t.
Cat: That was a fun story.
Kelley: but I'm so glad that you didn't listen to that because then we wouldn't be here talking about the Ultimate Product Party today.
Cat: She was like, can you get your money back for the event? You need to cancel this. I'm like, okay. Crazy town.
Kelley: I feel like that's a little too,
Allison: I'm motivated in any way to be like a money thief. Oh my God. I have no time to like learn how to be a scam artist. That so much work.
Cat: this episode's going in a totally different direction.
Allison: I am in my five-year plan. Thank you very much, Oh yeah, yeah. No, no. Housewives going to jail in these parts. Thank you very much.
Kelley: Oh, thank goodness. Thank goodness. Although that would make for a pretty interesting event, right?
Cat: Oh, yeah. If that happened, love that. Yeah. Okay. I'm here for it. We said we like the drama. Kelly,
Kelley: you, you did. You opened the door.
Allison: Okay, but can't people see that our event is a rad time? Okay. Like we take you on a wild ride. Look at this 10-minute.
Kelley: Who doesn't, who doesn't wanna be a part of this? so Ultimate Product Party. What is it all about? What can somebody expect if they are thinking of coming to Ultimate Product Party?
Cat: You can expect a really good time. You can expect to laugh and learn as we share these literally random stories on stage because this is the funny Inside Girlfriend chat that you have with your real friends. and we want everyone in the audience, all the attendees, to feel that connection, that power.
Yes, we want you to come and learn how to grow your product-based business and network and impact and all those fun things really connect. But we want you to trust us in a way that we're truly letting you in behind the scenes and making you feel like our friends. Cuz we really feel like everyone there is our friend.
But I mean, I'm just giving you the fluffy version. Alison can give you the real like this ain't your daddy's business conference. This is, I mean it's experience.
Allison: We really wanted to give a space for product-based businesses too. Fully comfortable in learning and connecting with other product-based businesses.
Both of us, Cat runs a huge, wildly successful product-based business, and I had a subscription box business while also paired with a service kind of digital product business for both of us. we are event-like junkies. We love going to events, I will be anywhere where the people are.
Like, I'll go to an event at a gas station and it means I get to like talk to people. But Kat likes growing her business and going at it in a strategic way and I'm just like, oh my gosh, new people I get to meet and hang out with. And so we both have connected at multiple events, but one of the common problems that we had, almost every event that we've ever been to is that they're not catered to product-based businesses.
They're catered to creatives, and content creators. which we all are bloggers, influencers, and service providers. And so we would always be in these sessions like learning about these strategies and marketing and tips and website design. And it was all for not product. And so we would always be raising our hand.
Well, what about, how does this work with the product? Or can you give any quick tips on how you can implement this for a product? And they were always like, Ooh, I don't, I don't, I'm not a product. And so we were like, oh, what the heck? So when we were talking about this event, we were on a retreat that I led for my mastermind girls in Nashville.
And Cat and I were like, well, what if I, we just created it ourselves. Like what if we held space for. product-based business owners and we were ultimately actually thinking of it as a retreat, like the smaller little event that was intimate and really growing and scaling, and then we were like, or we do a lower ticket price and really blow it up and have like multiple speakers and workshops and round tables and really make this the creative.
Conference experience with people from all over the country and world. I mean, we had like Canadians representing last year and this year, and. Like what if we gave them space to learn all of the things that they need to learn without having to raise their hand, asking how this works for them, and then also give them targeted topics like wholesale and how to get featured in a gift guide and how to be selling your product on stories and how to connect and email nurture sequences for product and manufacturing and packaging and outsourcing and branding and all of that stuff for their product based business.
All have an awesome time with tons of girlfriends that get your life because a product-based business is a totally different beast than any other business. You have a lot of struggles that even though you have business friends across the internet or maybe in your real life, in your network, if they're not a product-based business, they don't get the different level of stress that you and your business hold, especially like during the holidays.
Why are you so freaked out during the holidays? Well, I'm responsible for everyone else's holiday, including my own, so it's like it's a different thing and we just really want that space to have so much fun and have an experience and really be this milestone. A changing the trajectory of these small businesses by coming to Ultimate Product Party and kind of having that be a landmark in their business journey of taking some action and moving forward and claiming something big, and really focusing on the impact that they could have for themselves, their family, the ripple effect it is when women own businesses especially really do scale to a successful level, the impact of that is major in communities across the world. so we get to have a little part of that and it's really freaking cool.
Kelley: That's amazing. I know. I found it like so interesting how like it's become so much easier to build a product-based business over the last decade.
So with the internet and being able to source things yourself with, you know, There were cons, there are connections that the internet has made that were only available to bigger companies or people with like partnerships and networks beforehand. So it really feels like the right time to have something like this because we're seeing so many, so many more of these businesses and all the topics that you're talking about. And I'm especially excited about packaging. I'm gonna be joining you guys to host a round table but the fact that somebody can get all that information in one spot while having an amazing time, it's gonna be awesome.
So, looking forward to it., we are too. Good. All right. So I've seen the venue, which is super unique, Clementine Hall, the character but it's got like stained glass windows and just. Like beautiful architecture.
Cat: Yeah, It is a sexy venue.
Kelley: Can you talk a little bit about how you picked it and are there any plans for like, how you're gonna be bringing the theme or the, the branding of the event to life in the space?
Cat: Yeah. So. . We, last year when we booked Scottsdale, never visited the venue and we just really lucked out cuz it was a gorgeous venue. Everything came together, sight unseen, and we made it work. By the grace of God, we pulled off a gorgeous event. And when we decided on Nashville, we didn't tell anybody at first.
We wanted to build up that hype, make it a surprise, and then, The location and the venue all at the same time. And we had taken a trip to Nashville over the summer and scouted three or four different venues and it was very much Goldilocks and the Three Bears, like, oh, this one's too big, this one's too far out, this one's way too small.
But the price is right and this one is so good. Yes, right. But with a very. Very, very, very high price tag. Even as we're through all, they lock at the rips. But we walked into that venue. I'll be honest when we went to tour this venue, we were like, Ugh, okay, let's just get in and out of this one, and let's go do lunch or go have a margarita.
And because from the outside it doesn't look like anything special because it's on this weird, busy street and it's barricaded by these concrete walls that you can't see inside. But man, when you open up, Iron door.
Allison: You get through the gate.
Cat: You get through the gates. It is so stunning. I had the chills. The owner was giving us a tour and Allison turned around and looked at me and I whispered to her, I'm like, this is the one. I don't like it. And then I know, and then they told us how much it was, and I like it. It didn't matter. We had fallen in love by that point. And they have so many rules, like just, we're going through the rentals right now.
They have zero tables and zero chairs. We need to pay thousands of dollars for all those shenanigans and they won't even let us move those tables and chairs. We need to pay people hundreds and hundreds of dollars. To come in and move those chairs in the morning and then move them back in at nighttime, and I just want to die a slow death every time we get a bill.
Because we have champagne dreams on a beer budget.
Kelley: Do they care? We're host hosting a wedding.
Cat: Oh, they don't care.
Allison: Well, they're a wedding. They, yeah, it doesn't matter. They're a wedding venue. Mm-hmm. , they also do corporate events and stuff like that. and, I am the world's worst person to control, to give a set of rules to, to like put parameters.
And so I, at the beginning had the hardest time with like, no, I'm gonna get in a fight with him. I'm gonna push back. Like there's no chance in hell. Like I'm, this is gonna be successful. Like, I am not gonna be able to handle. And then this year, because we have planned an event in another state from where we both live again, um, which is fine, we've done it before, but this year is double the size and a lot more moving parts than last year's event.
And so we did bring on coordinators to help us who have worked at the venue multiple times, like a ton who have a relationship with the owner. That can be our little. Mouthpieces and Little Buffer and to just help us and knowing like the ins and outs of that venue and the setup and the layout and everything like that.
So we have continued to evolve to now we get to have a little bit of outside help. And so that's also fun. We were like, Ooh, should we invest in that? Like, I think that would be important. But the venue. really magical and we both just got this feeling when we walked in like, yes, like that. Something about this is like, this is the one, and we're not quite sure how the layout's gonna work or how any of the things or how we're going to financially handle it, but we're gonna figure it out.
And I know he wanted to pay in full that day, so that was August and this was our event. so that was a big also and you know, we make it work and we are pinnacles of doing it scared and doing it before we're ready. and really though we want to show that those things are possible because we are scared every single day and we want to throw up every single day and we freak out and have a mental break.
every single day. Like we are texting all day, every day, and it is a lot. But we've seen what happens on the other side of already doing this before. Last year we had no idea and we were just like, Corpses like on stage, like what is even happening this year? We're like, we get it. We know the power and the magic and oh my God, we just can't wait to be on that stage.
But we have elevated this big time and so we want to show that you can go after that big scary thing way before you're ready. I woke up to a DM this morning about somebody joining my membership and they're like, I, can you just look at my Instagram and tell me if I'm ready? And I. No, I'm not going to look at your Instagram because I don't care if you're ready.
Nobody's ready. I'm not ready to spend this amount of money again. Like I'm not ready to do this thing. I'm not ready to do this retreat like nobody's ready to do anything. But the difference between CAT and I is we do it anyways. And we like to understand that that's not an excuse. We don't let that be an excuse because we know in our hearts of hearts and we have full trust that this event in particular that we do for our businesses is way bigger than us.
This is something that's beyond just something that we run. We obviously have a hand in creating every aspect, but the power of all of those women in that space and what they do and how they allow themselves to expand and fill up that space that's so beyond us, that we don't really fully grasp how big that is, but we're doing this for a, like a, a bigger reason than just throwing a fun party.
Cat: Yeah. So talking about taking imperfect action. Before you're ready, can I just do a quick timeline of how this all came Yes? Together? Yes. Please Put it in real perspective. So it was August 2021 when I was at Allison's Master Mine Retreat. We were singing at dinner. She said, what if we did an event for product-based businesses?
I just had my third little baby. and he was only like three months old. He was little. He was little. And I was like, get me outta this house. I'm going to Nashville. Cause that's, that's where Allison's retreat was. It was in Nashville, in August 2021. and she said, let's do this event for product-based businesses.
I'm like, yeah, what a great idea. Okay, bye. And it was a great idea, right? But me being the type of person who literally always has a million things on my plate and this new baby, and traveling for all of these other trade shows I was doing, I had zero desire to actually do a new undertaking of this huge.
So Alison didn't say anything for a couple of months. I'm like, who? Dodge that bullet. Okay. Onto the holidays. And then November 2021 rolls around and she's like, Hey, how about that event? And I'm like, Hey, how about you? Go f yourself. But I'm like, I'm a yes person. I can't say no to anybody. It's one of my very toxic traits.
So I'm like, okay, let's do this. So we threw together a logo, threw together a website, and launched on Black Friday of 2021. And, huh? Big surprise to us, nobody gave a crap about us selling tickets. And it wasn't. Yeah. It wasn't until 2022, maybe January, or even the very after Christmas.
That we got one ticket sale and we're like, okay, now we actually need to put this together cuz we have one ticket sale. And it's just put down a huge deposit for this venue that we never even went to in person before. And then the first event was in. And there's a lot of stuff that happened in that time period, but we literally threw together a gorgeous, beautiful event that we had to beg people to come to and speak at, and speak at, and donate products to.
Sweet Kelly with your Yes. I sent some candles. , I have it. We just made it work and it was a short period of time. Ugh. I use mine. I use mine. It smelled so beautiful. It was under six months. I don't know. What's the math on that? From November, December, January, January,
Allison: Okay. November, January to May would be five, so seven months. We pulled that out of our butts, which seven months.
Kelley: Incredible. Like it was incredible.
Cat: Yes. But it was hard. Hard, yeah. Really. It was hard and there were a lot of sacrifices. But it was possible, and I don't feel like I'm some special gifted snowflake, so I truly, from the bottom of my heart, think that if we could do this to regular women business owners with the passion and drive that anybody else has.
A similar dream or a dream of the same magnitude can do it too. They just need to make the choice to do it. Failing wasn't an option for us because we had too much of our ego and pride on the line I wasn't gonna get up on that stage to an empty room in front of a community of our peers and look like a total loser because only five people showed up.
And those are the things. had nightmares about it at night and would wake up in cold sweats and be so stressed out about it, but we made it work, our friends rallied with us strangers on the internet. Like we didn't, I didn't know you before this Kelly. No. And you were just like, Hey, let's, uh, let me be a part of it in a way that I can now, and now you're gonna be a speaker at it.
Yes. And it's just been so mind-blowing. The way everything has come.
Kelley: Well, and you guys have built such an audience over the last, essentially what year and a half year. It's January now. So from this time last year when you had one ticket sale to today when you're, you're planning this double the size event.
And there are so many people so excited about it and you're right. Like, it just takes like keep moving forward Yep. And keep doing something towards that goal, because yeah, it takes a lot of work, but I don't know, I think everything's scary, right? In building a business. I think we're all kind of scared about taking those risks and spending that money.
Especially like a product business and, and an event like this, like you have to do so much upfront before somebody ever shows up, buys your product, is at the event, and you just have to, I know this is your theme for this year. You just announced this morning as we're talking today. But like, you just have to trust that what you're doing today is gonna pay off down the road.
And, I'm so excited about the event and to meet all the amazing people there with all their amazing businesses. Last year I definitely had great FOMO that I wasn't there. But I loved being able to, you know, your event is so social. So many people shared the things that they were seeing and that they were learning.
Yeah. And that they were getting in those amazing swag bags. I think I watched several people like go through everything that was there.
Allison: It is really, really awesome. Like, it, and it's, that sounds so like dumb, like, Ooh, it's so fun. Like, it's so awesome, but like, if you have never been to an event, you don't get it.
So you can't connect with what I'm saying because you haven't experienced that like power. And we are both someone who is like, Come into our homes. We know you, we know your business. We know who you are. Like we know your name. And we hosted a happy hour thing before at this Mexican restaurant that ultimately kicked us out because there were too many people and we didn't prepare them that we were coming.
And, and Kat was like saving her voice. So she stayed home and I went to like, meet all these people and I was like, oh my gosh, Jessica, like they were. Hi. And I'm like, of course I know you. Like you. You took the biggest leap of faith in us. We know who you're like. We texted each other. The second-year ticket came in the ticket, we love the connection that is rooted in that room and we want it to be this safe. Like no judgment. You get to be who you are and be confident in who you are and ask the questions and no question is dumb. Or like you get to pull a speaker. Like if you have packaging questions, have lunch with Kelley cuz she's gonna be walking around the whole time.
Like, use her as a mentor like you. Two full days of coaches at your disposal, uh, who are a couple of steps ahead of you who can help you answer those questions or help put your, their eyes on some of your stuff and give you in real-time. Feedback like that alone is so valuable. Like, yes, way more valuable than your ticket price.
Like your ticket price is. Covering your fancy venue and your meals, like the power of being in the room with all of those people and meeting that next best friend Kat and I met at a creative conference. Like you have no idea who your next business partner could be. You have no idea who knows. An editor at your favorite media outlet to put you in your gift guide.
You have no idea. Who's waiting for you in that room? One of our attendees last year just got picked up on target.com because one of our speakers has a relationship with Target. She used to work for, target Corporate and connected them. She now sells her party line. Anna Pookie, you can go look her up at target.com.
Like that's, hello. That is Connection is way more valuable than her ticket price. And yeah, the stories like that are. That's one of many, many things that have come out of the event. And so the business, I mean, it's in a business expense at the end of the day, you get to write it off and like that is a perk that not a lot of people talk about, but we're going to have a taxes person.
They're forcing you to sit through the whole taxes, thing to make you the CEO that you're going to be. And she's gonna talk to you about Write-offs and she's going to show you like, These things actually are investments that I make, that I get to write off, that I get to expense for my business and I get to learn and connect and really leave with this network of people helping me further along my business, making me not feel so alone.
Products we can really get in the slog of being at home. Orders come through fulfilling printing labels, and packing up orders. We're in our home offices, we're in our garages, pouring candles. We're. we're very alone a lot of the time. And so it's like, let's break free, let's go some more fun. Let's go.
You know, put out a fun dress and hang out with some fun girls and share your products. Get your product in front of 200 plus people that didn't, are never gonna find your product any other way and really connect and grow and have that experience for your business. Like I really feel like my going to my first event was a big milestone in my business.
That really changed moving forward because I got to immerse myself in all these businesses and all these stages that got to do, like, that showed me these different things that I never would've thought of. Like, oh, that's a thing I could be doing. Like, oh, I never thought about that. Like you, you really, open yourself up to different perspectives and different things that you could be implementing that you never would've thought of or been exposed to.
Kelley: Yeah, that's great. There's gonna like, the fact that there is that value and the ability to connect with people that you wouldn't ordinarily get to connect with is going to be so incredible.
So what advice do you have for someone who maybe hasn't attended an in-person event before? Or maybe it's been. , you know, several years since pre-pandemic, and maybe while they were running a different business. Like what, what do you think is the top thing that they should, you know, try and do while they're at the Ultimate Product Party or another in-person event?
Cat: I would just encourage you to go all in and be comfortable being and showing up whoever you are. Who will attract? Like you're gonna attract your people. Maybe not every single person in the room you feel called to, like they're your people, but you're gonna find your people. And Alison and I are very different in the fact that she is very extroverted and I'm very introverted and I'm really great in my comfort zone with my people. But when I put myself outside my comfort zone with a bunch of strangers, whether it's a trade show, whether it's going to. A conference like ours, I like, oh gosh, I literally just wanna stay in my hotel room and cuz I'm scared I'm, I'm scared if I'm just honest, like mm-hmm. , I'm like, oh, what if they don't like me?
What if I don't connect with anybody? Alison had to talk me into going to an event this month. I have a business retreat that I'm a part of, and they're having their big event in Puerto Rico. And I told Alison, I'm like, well, I'm not gonna know anybody. I'm scared I can't go. It's during the fair winter markets.
And she's like, go, your team has it. You can't be a hypocrite and tell people to go to our event, but you're not willing to get outside your comfort zone and go to another event where you feel alone, where you're not in your comfort zone. And I'm like, you know what? You're right. Because every time I've shown up for myself in that regard, push myself outta my comfort zone.
There has always been something so magical that has happened in the process. Alison and I met at an event where I didn't know anybody. I didn't come with a friend. I didn't come with a roommate. I just met her at breakfast one day. My very first creative conference. I remember again going alone, to another side of the country, rooming with, a stranger who ended up being so lovely and someone I really connected with.
And thinking to myself, man, I wanna be on that stage one day. And in 2021, I was a speaker on that stage. and now I've invented my own stage to be a speaker on. But if you never do this wild, crazy stuff that makes you just want to throw up in the process, then you're never gonna grow. So even if it's hard, I really wanna encourage you.
If it's something that you're being called to do, if it keeps weighing on your mind, on your heart, just go for it. If you don't know anybody, you're gonna know Allison and me because we will have creep stock you and your business. We're gonna know you by name when you walk in that door, cuz that's something that's really important to us, that everyone comes and they feel like, like family.
Kelley: Well, and that's a really good friend. Cool. I was just gonna say, Alison, you're a really good friend too, to tell Cat that, like, Hey, you need to do this. And like, give her that, that tough love.
Allison: So, yeah. Well, I mean, and she paid for it, so it's like you're going uh, we don't have extra dollars to just throw into the wig.
Okay, yes. But on, the other side of that the number one question we get asked is, I don't know. , like I don't know anyone, so I'm not sure, like if I can come and we are here to tell you. How many? 70% probably like or more come alone. Do not know, like do not come with a friend. Do not come with a group.
We have a Facebook group for you to connect with. Like when you get your ticket, you automatically get the link to that. People are finding roommates, Airbnbs like all the stuff. There's a community there, and you are so not alone. By coming alone. You are just one of many people that are coming alone and you will.
Leave alone in any sort of way. And I think the highest compliment that we received after the event last year was from Sierra, who randomly emailed us from a juice company that we were gonna work with, and she asked if she could be involved in the event in some way. She is a granola in the Usai Bull Company.
And we were like, oh my gosh, would you provide Usai bowls for breakfast on day two? And she's like, yes. And she came as this sparkly star after the most boring like. Ho, not horrible, but a very boring email presence. Like I thought she was going to be like a little mouse wallflower when she came.
And she just lit up the room and afterward, she pulled us aside and she said, this is the first time I have. Been in a room of women where I have felt accepted. I have never,, the thing I was most scared of was that I was not going to be in this room. I walked into this room, and I saw all these beautiful swag buddies lined up, and I immediately knew that I was not worthy enough to be in this room.
And then everybody welcomed me. Everyone was so nice. I've never in my life, been accepted. With a group of women and felt this safe in my whole life, and she's now going to be a keynote speaker at the next event. And so that of anything, when we left the event was like, Oh, I cried. Wow. I cried about to cry story.
I'm not a crier. And I was crying and I'm like a very unemotional person. And it was like, what? Like how is that possible that that was the experience? Like never in a million years would I think that that was her experience walking in. Because she was so bright and, and just gorgeous. Oh my God. She's this gorgeous woman and you never would've known and for her to like me so freaking scared that she has had such traumatic experiences with women and put herself in a room where she was gonna be surrounded by a hundred stranger women. and had that impactful of an experience was like, oh my gosh, that made every single thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars that we lost last year invested worth it.
Cat: Not lost, invested. Switching the conversation.
Allison: invest in the greater good
Kelley: I just lost my train of thought there cuz I was about to focus in on. community, like it, just speaks volumes of the community that you have created, of the type of people that you're attracting to this event that she felt that way when she showed up. And knowing that, you know, I've been watching as people have been signing up, as you've been posting in your stories, who's coming, there are already people that were there last year that are signed up.
it looks like there are new people. There are lots of people in that Facebook group, so. This, the sense is, is that it's this same community just amplified with more people but I'm trying to decide if I wanna dig into this investment that you've made in, in the event last year, Well, we can just, we are open books.
So, you made an investment last year. You may be spending more than you brought. Last year. How did you decide to do something different this year to change that or,
Cat: so in full transparency, we lost slash invested slash didn't make about $15,000. Wow. This year. That's a lot. And yeah, it was our first time planning an event.
We kind of got suckered into it. Paying $30 for boxed lunches cuz that's the only option the venue gave us. And we wanted to create an experience and it was more worth it to us to create this beautiful, uh, event where you, like every little detail was not forgotten. then it was for us to be more profitable at the event, knowing that we're laying the groundwork, laying the reputation for something really great ahead.
So we always say like, oh, we lost 15 grand, but I truly feel it in my heart. We invested 15 grand. And this year, oh my gosh, we're just spending. Even again, I wanna vomit just thinking about all of the things we're spending money on, what we said, we're not gonna do this next year and we're gonna do things differently.
Nope. We learned Jack nothing. Cause we're spending twice as much money on silly goose things, but it's like this is all part of it, I guess. And if you, If you want things at a certain level, just like if you want your packaging to look a certain way, cuz you wanna be attracting the Nordstroms of the world, then it's an investment.
Yeah. And we are not a budget event. We don't want you to feel like we, uh, nickel and dimed you to get you there. Like, we want you to feel like, holy crap, they care about us. And it freaking shows. So that comes.
Kelley: So what I'm taking away from this is that you are measuring success for the event in a much different way than financial success, which I think is a really great lesson.
Cat: Dumb business owner, is it?
Allison: this year we are hell-bent on being profitable, whether or not that is $1 or even a penny, like if we dollar baby. We are like, yeah, baby, so we are fine. So we, I mean we raised ticket prices. That was one of the biggest things that we did because tickets were so insanely low last year for the experience that it was.
We didn't know how to price the event last year. We priced the tickets before we really understood any semblance of a budget or anything like that, and so this year we got a lot smarter in the price of what we think represents the value that they're getting. We also find value in people being a little scared to make an investment like so at $949. that is like okay, I'm being serious about this. I'm going to show up, I'm going to do the work. This is not just $297 that you're gonna throw and like go to on a, on a whim and not really make a dent that much. Like this is something that maybe takes a pause or maybe has a conversation or you need to travel for this and so we want you to.
Skin is in the game when it comes to making those investments because we want it to matter. And when you have that value associated with it, when you have that little like, okay, I'm gonna do it. There's power to that and so that also goes along with that, but, we're trying to be as smart as we can, but both of us are like, the experience is bigger and we care about the experience.
We care about what people feel in the room. We care about like the, the, the time we're giving. You're traveling, you're leaving your families, and you're staying at Airbnb like we are going to give you an amazing time. And if we get less money because of that, whatever, it's just gonna make you want to come to year three, year four, year five when we have our 10-year UPP anniversary.
You better believe we'll be like, On a freaking fleet of yachts.
Cat: But the first venue, I can't wait. The first venue we looked at, they were so cool. The price was right. It was, it was a beautiful venue in its own right. Maybe a little bit smaller than what we were looking for, but we had this discussion.
We're like, if we do it at this venue, we could make so much money. We could be so profitable this year. Yeah. And then when it came down to it, Neither of us felt in our hearts that that venue represented the vibe that we were trying to put out there. I couldn't in good conscious invite my friends, all the attendees, and all the speakers to this event and feel good about the presentation of it all compared to what we did last year in Scottsdale.
So I'm like, that means more to me, the experience, my reputation, all of that than making, you know? Yeah. They're making money. And again, maybe that makes us dumb business owners, but I know in my heart that it will pay off later on down the road.
Allison: Both of us have successful businesses where we make money. in our own personal businesses. We know how to make money as we do, and we know how what to do to make money in both of our respective businesses. We, this is something way bigger than either of us has ever done. And sometimes when you make those decisions that are really freaking big, it takes time to see that pay off.
It takes like you are gonna order a giant thing of inventory. It takes a minute to pay that investment off. And this is one of those things, this is a huge investment into setting this up. What should be projection-wise, a very profitable, successful in both impact and financial business, the more it grows and the more our audience grows, the more we grow as hosts and business owners in all of that.
And so, laying the groundwork to do it, and sometimes you just need to suck up that investment as much as it sucks, and you wanna see all of that be returned immediately. sometimes business things don't work like that, and you just have to have that patience.
Kelley: Yeah. Yeah. It takes time to build a brand and build that reputation and you know, it is an investment. So, I know we're running towards the end of our time, so I am going to ask you the final question I always like to ask on the show, which is, what is the last item that you bought because of the product? because of the product packaging.
Cat: Yeah. So I always take pride in having super cute packaging for my products and even the shipping. But even this year, I'm like, okay, let's kick it up a notch. I'm not ready to do custom boxes. Shipping boxes yet, but I just got delivered some black tissue paper, which I'm gonna go from pink to black, and some white boxes. And then just ordered some custom packaging kitty, mouse packaging tape that's pink.
It has lip prints cuz lipsticks are my thing and compliments and just fun little things on there.
Kelley: Oh, that sounds sexy. That sounds like a great unboxing experience.
Cat: Yeah, I'll have to send you something, and then you can just, oh, yeah. Rip me to shreds and give it to me.
Kelley: I won't do that.
Cat: I'm here for it.
Allison: Okay. Well, a product that I'm obsessed with, that I bought for the packaging. Yes. Is this viral TikTok makeup brand called Merit Beauty? Ooh. And when you buy your first thing with them, you get this little like bag, and it's this little like mustardy, like little tie tote. And I don't need this. I don't, I, it's in my closet.
What am I gonna do with that? Like, I'm never gonna use that, but I'm like, well, I could just buy this at Sephora, but then I wouldn't get that toed. And so like I had to get that tote, so I bought it online and everything is beautiful. Like all the packaging is so pretty, it feels like lox, but it's actually a really affordable brand.
It's very clean, and I am obsessed with how it makes my skin look and just the makeup in general. So that is my new favorite thing. The packaging and that damn tote sucked me in and immediately made me want to buy it from them versus Sephora. So good job. Morning can be our totes for everyone, right?
That's what I took away.
Kelley: Everyone loves a freebie, but that's. That sounds fantastic. And I do love when brands that are affordable bring in those finishes that feel look. , it just makes you feel like you got so much more.
Allison: Yeah. And like I'm a fancy TikTok girl now. Like I'm one with the beauty blog.
Kelley: So if somebody wants to attend Ultimate Product Party or connect with you both, where can they find you?
Cat: Well, you should definitely put your link within the show notes, but the website, ultimateproductparty.com. You can find us on Instagram at Ultimate Product Party, where we share literally all the bus behind the scenes of how this elegant dumpster fire comes together. you can follow me at Kitty Ya Boutique. On Instagram, all and cards celebrate for me.
Allison: Ultimate Product Party is on Instagram where you can find the most, like up-to-date, all the stuff. we have a game plan that you can download for free. It's five major areas to do little tweaks on.
Sell more products and get your audience to massively become obsessed with you. So that game plan link will also be in the show notes, or you can find it in our link, in our bio, or on our Instagram. But yeah, if you wanna hang out with these two tweedle, these, I mean, we will be in Nashville May 17th and 18th, and the night of the 18th, we're turning the venue into a hunky tonk, hiring a Nashville band and having a massive dance party.
So, Hello. Hello. Can't wait. Who doesn't wanna come?
Kelley: Can't wait. So excited. Well, thank you both for joining me. I really appreciate and I think that everyone's really gonna have a great time listening to this interview.
Allison: Thanks, Kelly. Thanks for having us.
Cat: Thanks, Kelly. Can't wait to meet you in person.
In Closing
Thanks for sticking around to the end friends. If you want to join me, Allison Kat, and all of your soon-to-be business besties at the ultimate product party, head on over to hidden path creative.com/uppp. You'll find a link to order your ticket. And when you get your ticket using my affiliate link, you'll also get a free gift.
I'm gonna give you access to my packaging field guide. The Packaging field guide is a step by step process for sourcing profitable packaging, and this is the same process that I use when I am sourcing packaging for my clients. And you will. Everything I use, so there's six modules walking you through the process, and you will also get my Packaging supplier directory that includes over 50 handpicked embedded printers, as well as a cost analysis spreadsheet that will help you choose the right print partner for your business.
Thank you for listening to a product, packaging and profit, a podcast for product entrepreneurs looking to level up with packaging. We hope you'll join us next time to hear more about how packaging. Propel profitable product businesses. And next week I'm speaking with Carrie Fitzgerald, an e-commerce coach, and a fellow speaker and educator at the Ultimate Product Party.
Can't wait for you to hear that interview. If you enjoyed this show, please rate and review us wherever you're listening, and be sure to come back for our next episode. Until then, this is Kelly Kempel of Hidden Path Creative. And don't forget what's on the outside matters.