Jane Hamill | Podcast

In the last episode, we talked about seven ways to get more traffic to your online store There's a download that goes with it - grab it now: https://fashionbrainacademy.com/traffic/ OK, so you're getting site traffic. Now what? Thhe most important thing you need to get sales is an actual website and a way to collect money.  Check. You got that part, right?  The second most important thing you need...

There's a download that goes with this episode. Grab it here: https://fashionbrainacademy.com/traffic/ In today's episode, I run through 7 strategies for driving more traffic to your online store that are working RIGHT NOW. As a business owner, you want more traffic and sales, right? Of course! But it can feel overwhelming to know exactly what to do to get the "right" traffic of buyers. And know t...

When you're running the day-to-day of your business, it's hard to stay in a place of possibility. Orders coming in (or not)... Orders getting shipped (or not)... Keeping up with the cluster f**k that is social media... Watching your cash flow... Head down working. But... "You can't see the picture when you're in the frame." Sometimes you need a fresh perspective. Today's episode reminds you of wha...

Reflecting back on the next 12 months, do you like what you see? Are you proud? Disappointed?  Today I'm sharing what's possible for you based on specific examples of what some badass entrepreneurs have achieved this year.  - going from totally frozen to taking massive action in only 8 weeks - getting your product featured on Oprah's favorite things - making money and building you audience even wh...

Meet Stephanie. When she first emailed me 8 weeks ago, she was very, very frustrated.  She'd been spinning her wheels for two years - two damn years - without making any real progress on the new business she wants to launch selling digital patterns to help people sew recycled leather on a home sewing machine. She was listening and learning to good advice from experts but not taking any action at a...

"There's power in a plan", I said to my client. "Sure, if only I knew if my plan was any good. And if I didn't lose it. And if I actually stuck to it without changing my mind 50 times." Sound familiar?  We love the IDEA of a plan. It's the implementation that gets us.   The Planning part goes like this: What's my Outrageous Goal for the biz? What's the "bridge version" of the biz in the next 12 mo...

Blast from the past -- that's the email I received from family friend.  She asked if I could help her turn her side hustle product business into a her full-time gig.  She wants out of the corporate world and believes her product biz could replace her job but doesn't know the steps to grow it.  She wants to sell a million dollars in products.  Challenge accepted. This episode lays out the exact ste...

If you listen to this podcast you know how big a fan I am of email marketing – it has an amazingly high ROI.  But how many emails is too many? How do you avoid "bothering" people?  In today's episode we'll cover three things:  HOW MANY emails to send for the Holidays WHEN to send them and to WHOM Plus, you'll get the honest advice from 2 of my most successful e-commerce clients about Holiday selli...

Today's episode is a little different. It's a quickie nugget episode, under six minutes. And it's all about playing with the idea that your business can be a lot more fun. Your days can be more fun. In fact, what if you treated your business like a big, fun, sexy game?  How great would that be!?! Have a listen... https://fashionbrainacademy.com/ funbiz /

I'm so excited to share this episode with you! I  Angie Chua is the owner of Bobo Design Studio in Palm Springs, CA. Angie attributes her success to her strong following and building a loyal community.    Today she tells us how she did it, what specific marketing activity accounts for HALF of her sales yay!), and what she'd do if she had an extra 5K to spend on marketing. Have a listen:  https://f...

I'm crazy excited to introduce you to another badass entrepreneur today and let her tell you her Startup Story. I found today's guest, Tionne Young of Tall HQ, on Instagram  when she was doing an Instagram live. I'd seen her company before, but she did this live that just grabbed my heart. On today's podcast, she'll tell you the story and what's going on with her business.  Tionne has always wante...

Pop quiz for all the makers and fashion designers. When you get an order, does that mean you then have to take a specific action to get it shipped out?  Yes or no? Any action at all – cutting, sewing, hand stitching, dyeing… Because here's the thing... If you're SEWING, you're not SELLING. If you're part of the production process, you're spending time on things that do NOT get you paid.  Maybe you...

In this episode, fashion designer Sarah F=Gallagher and I sit down to discuss:  What it's really like to go into business with your sister as your partner. The truth about being made-to-order and sewing everything herself for a long time.\ Hiring her first employee (!) and meeting payroll each month (😱) If Sarah had an extra 5K to spend on marketing, what would she do with it? Sarah's thoughts ab...

Today's special guest, Dondre Smith, is the designer and owner of Almvghty Clothing (with a "V" for vision), a Chicago streetwear brand with the message Live on Purpose . His goal is "to be able to advance God's kingdom through fashion and media." We talk about everything under the sun about his brand -- streetwear, pivoting to a Christian-based brand, how he found the money to launch, being self-...

Want to CRUSH your online sales for the holidays? Today I'll break down a specific, do-able 3 step plan to get you ready for a fantastic holiday selling season.     Whether you've been in business 20 years, two years, two months, or haven't even launched yet, you're still going to learn something today that you can implement today. Simple, actionable steps.   Check it out here: https://fashionbrai...

Have you ever said to yourself... Why don't I have more online sales? Is there something wrong with my products? Do people just not like what I do? Why are other business posting photos of tons of orders being shipped out - but not me? What am I doing wrong? It can be sooooo frustrating when you know you have a great product and you feel like you're doing ALL THE THINGS but you're not getting the...

Today's episode is a LIVE coaching session with Stephanie of Stephanie Davis Designs. She sent me a really good question and I thought it would help all of you who are trying to start a business After listening to the "6 Things New Clothing Designers Need to Know Before They Start a Business" and hearing the mistake "if you're sewing, you're not selling", Stephanie was feeling a bit worried and sh...

"THIS could put me out of business." That's what I said every time each of the 5 things I share today happened in my business. Sometimes I really, really wanted to quit.  Like the time my store was burglarized and half the merchandise was stolen. I almost quit.  I cried like a baby.  It totally sucked.  Crazy things happen, and your business can still thrive. I think this episode will help you lea...

I could fill a book with all the mistakes I made with my fashion business. A War and Peace sized book. In today's podcast (plus video option), I've narrowed it down to the top 6 startup mistakes to avoid. I'm pretty sure I've made them all. I've also gathered some honest advice from other designers about what they wish they knew when they started & I'm including screenshots back on the blog. https...

Today's podcast is going to be a little different. I'll talk about a few different things including Mansplaining, I'll also talk about Chad, Meghan Markle's 40th birthday initiative, bait and switch marketing (sorta) I'm going to warn you, this is going to be a bit of a rant. If you have little kids around, use your headphones. I've had multiple experiences of men "mansplaining" this week. Show No...

Last week I talked about whether or not you need a blog for your business. If you haven't listened yet, I suggest you listen to that one first. You'll find it at https://fashionbrainacademy.com/needablog/ . This week, I'm going to talk about 3 strategies that you can use for your e-commerce site that will drive traffic.  There's a lot to tell you. I thought I'd keep it simple though.  Instead of g...

I get this question ALL THE TIME... Do I need a blog for my online store? Yes and no. Usually, I'd say YES. But here's the thing. I know there are so many entrepreneurs out there that are successful without a blog. The issue is, if you become reliant from certain avenues of traffic - usually paid traffic like Facebook or Instagram - and something goes haywire (such as your Facebook page gets shut...

Chances are as a fashion entrepreneur that you are a right brained person. You are creative, have meticulous attention to detail when it comes to your art but not the cleanliness of your desk, and you drop everything when inspiration strikes. Working from the right brain makes us the creatives we are but it can also hinder us when we're coming up with both the ideas for our company and the action...

I am excited to share with you an excerpt from a recent LIVE Session workshop hosted for my new designer program students . Each module in the   program includes a special Guest "Fashion Brain" with expertise in different areas. This week's Brain is Erika Neumayer Ehrat. Erika is the designer behind Rare Dirndl. She has an amazing talent for getting online sales and helps us find customers & nurtu...

When was the last time you fully unplugged? This weekend I challenge you to turn off your phone. Maybe for a whole day, maybe for five hours, maybe for three days.  As business owners we are tied to our phones watching for sales, customer emails, and Facebook comments. Everytime we get a notification its a small dopamine hit to the brain signaling pleasure or significance. And those dopamine hits...