This Product Business Life with Mel Robbins

Send us Fan Mail As we head toward the end of the year, I wanted to do something a little different with this episode. Instead of rushing straight into goal-setting, planning, and “new year, new energy” vibes, I wanted to create space to pause. To reflect. To actually look at what just happened in your business before you try to fix, change, or overhaul anything. Because every year I see the same...

Send us Fan Mail I’m switching things up in this episode and getting straight to it. No fancy intro, no long-winded warm-up. Just a real conversation about assumptions, beliefs, and the stories we tell ourselves that quietly shape how we show up in our business. Because lately, I’ve been hearing the same things again and again from product-based business owners.  People aren’t buying anymore.  Eve...

Send us Fan Mail 5 Things Every Promo Email MUST Have (If You Want Sales!)** If your promo emails are getting meh opens or zero clicks, this quick-hit episode is your wake-up call. After reviewing dozens of client emails inside Nail Your Email Marketing and in my 1:1 sessions, I’ve seen the same mistakes again and again… especially during sales season. So today, I’m walking you through the 5 non-n...

Send us Fan Mail Kickstarter Wins, Manufacturing Nightmares and a Sink Brush That Broke the Internet: The YesECO Story with Jamie Phillips Today I’m chatting with Jamie Phillips, founder of Yeseco , creator of the magnetic dish brush that completely changed the way thousands of people deal with their sink situation. His journey? Wild. Beautiful. Painful. Product-founder AF. Jamie takes us through...

Send us Fan Mail You’ve landed your dream retailer. Your products are on the shelf. Now what?  Most brands think their job is done once they’ve been stocked, but that’s just the beginning. In this episode, I break down the three stages of post-delivery success that turn a one-off wholesale order into consistent reorders (and loyal retail partners who sell your products for you). You’ll Learn: ✨ W...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to thelotco Business Podcast, I’m Melissa Robbins, your product-based business coach, retail strategist, and founder of thelotco. After 25 years in the industry, I’ve seen behind the scenes of hundreds of brands and retailers and here’s what I know for sure: if your sales aren’t where you want them to be, it’s not your product. Last week, we talked about why your prod...

Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever said, “My product is so good… why isn’t it selling?”  then this episode is for you. I’ve been getting message after message about this one since I sent an email earlier in the week, so I knew I had to dive deeper on the podcast. The thing is, having a great product isn’t enough anymore. You need attention , anticipation , and action to turn your product into consist...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of my 20+ year journey with Life Instyle — from exhibiting her own kidswear brand Moppit , to becoming a buyer, educator, speaker, sponsor, and now judge for the Life Instyle New Breed Scholarship . How we helped shape the Kids Instyle section, the lessons learned from decades in the trade show world, and the incredible opportunities t...

Send us Fan Mail A Melbourne winter. A real gap in kids’ wool headwear. A founder with a finance brain and a product heart. That is how Acorn Kids began. In this episode, Fiona Savaris shares how a winter beanie line turned into a year-round headwear brand that stockists love, why wholesale still wins for volume, and how she just launched swimwear by leveraging prints, suppliers, and existing dema...

Send us Fan Mail Your product might be beautiful, high-quality, and everything your customer needs… but here’s the truth: that alone isn’t enough to grow a profitable business. In this episode, I’m diving into the mistake so many founders make, putting 99% of their energy into the product itself and forgetting the bigger picture. Because while your product matters, what matters more is how you get...

Send us Fan Mail What if one partnership could change your entire brand trajectory? Meet Vania Truchsess —Venezuelan-born, New Zealand-based jewelry designer whose handmade pieces landed in Karen Walker stores and unlocked a flywheel of credibility, stockists, and DTC growth. In this episode, we cover: How Vania went from babysitting to building a handmade jewelry label in NZ Why wholesale increas...

Send us Fan Mail Andrew from Mennie Brand is back for part two, and we’re cracking open the real trade show debrief from his first time exhibiting at Melbourne Life Instyle . We talk expectations vs reality, what actually moved the needle (hello, SMS follow-ups), and why visuals + storytelling at your stand matter more than you think. Andrew shares hard numbers, how he organised setup on a budget...

Send us Fan Mail Abundance Mindset Isn’t Woo — It’s Your Business Superpower Is “abundance” just another fluffy buzzword? Nope. In fact, your mindset may be the difference between giving up on your product business too soon or building one that actually pays you. In this episode, I’m breaking down: What abundance mindset really means (hint: it’s not about ignoring reality). The difference between...

Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever felt like freight is a dark art shrouded in mystery, you’re not alone.  In this episode of t helotco Business Podcast , I sit down with Christine Kanin from Pivot Freight Solutions to unpack (pun intended) the real world of freight and logistics and why getting it right can save your product business thousands of dollars (and a whole lot of headaches). Christine has...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m giving you the ultimate insider scoop from the recent Australian trade show circuit Life Instyle, Reed Gift Fairs, and AGHA. Whether you were there, thinking about exhibiting next time, or wondering what the heck goes on behind those branded stands, this one’s for you. From the buzz on the floor and real sales numbers, to the unexpected brand collaborations an...

Send us Fan Mail Let’s talk about one of the most underrated, powerful tools in your business toolkit REVIEWS. They cost you nothing but can absolutely skyrocket your credibility and sales. And yet… so many of you forget to ask for them, or don’t know how to use them to their full potential. Sound familiar? In this episode, I’m diving into: Why reviews are way more powerful than any marketing copy...

Send us Fan Mail In this raw and refreshing episode of thelotco Business Podcast, I chat with Lucy Moss founder of Mink and Me, a vibrant lifestyle brand that blossomed from a tiny rural shop into a bold online store and now a budding wholesale business. Lucy shares her incredible 10-year journey, starting from a collaborative store in Coonamble (yep, population 2,500!) to navigating ADHD diagnosi...

Send us Fan Mail If you’re still shipping your gorgeous product in a plain satchel with an invoice and a whisper of bubble wrap… we need to talk. In today’s episode of The Lotco Business Podcast, I’m diving into one of the most underestimated but high-impact opportunities you have as a product-based business owner: the unboxing experience . Your packaging isn’t just about protection—it’s about emo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what really builds a thriving, profitable product-based business—and spoiler alert—it’s not just more Instagram reels or new packaging. After decades in this industry, from fashion lecturer to founder, and coaching hundreds of creative entrepreneurs through my Roadmap to Profit program, I’ve identified the 7 key systems that separat...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m joined by Andrew from Mennie Brand—an art-inspired sock label that’s grown from humble garage beginnings to a wholesale brand with over 30 stockists and counting. We recorded this before Andrew exhibits at his first-ever trade show: Life Instyle Melbourne . And let me tell you—we go deep on what it really takes (financially, mentally, and logistically) to s...

Send us Fan Mail Ever looked at your brand and thought, “This just… doesn’t feel like me anymore”? Yep, same. In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of my own rebranding wake-up call (hello five-year-old podcast cover 👋) and guide you through the emotional, visual, and strategic impact of being out of alignment with your brand. Whether your product photos feel outdated, your Instagram bio...

Send us Fan Mail If you're investing time, money, and energy into exhibiting at a trade show, the last thing you want is to walk away with zero results (or worse… minus dollars and dashed confidence 😬). In this episode, I break down the 10 biggest mistakes I see brands make when preparing for—and showing up at—trade shows. Whether it's your first show or your fifteenth, these pitfalls c...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we’re rewinding a very popular episode of the podcast—and trust me, it hits even harder right now . If you’ve ever thought about adding a digital layer to your product-based business—or if you’re quietly wondering what’s next for you beyond the stockroom or sales floor—this episode is a must-listen. I’m diving into why digital products aren’t just for “online coaches” o...

Send us Fan Mail Let’s get one thing straight—your branding is not just about a cute logo or a pretty Instagram grid. If your product isn’t flying off the shelves (real or virtual), it’s time to look at what your brand is really saying. In this juicy episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on why a misaligned brand identity could be the thing standing between you and consistent sales, dream stockist...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m joined by two of the loveliest humans—Sarah and Celeste from Natural Supply Co. These two are not only the co-founders of one of Geelong’s most beloved retail stores, but they’ve also built a beautiful, values-led business that’s stayed true to its roots while growing sustainably. We talk about: How their friendship started over coffee (and a shared love of...