A sloppy campaign is better than no campaign.

Before Pure Gold, there was a sticker booth at a Cleveland art market and a clothing brand idea with no artist behind it. In this episode I finally bring on Yasmeen Ramos of Happy Soma Studio, the illustrator who made my first real sale as an entrepreneur possible.

We break down the merch drop from the inside: the shirts that didn't show up in time, the media day held together with fresh-off-the-press tees, the first sales that came in within hours, and why treating your launch like an experiment takes the fear out of it. Yasmeen also shares her design process, the tools she recommends for beginners, and how she sells in person without being pushy.

If you've been sitting on an idea waiting for it to be perfect, this one's for you.

In this episode:
- How a sticker booth turned into a clothing brand collab
- The merch drop and the first sales
- Treating your projects like experiments, not tests
- Proof of concept vs. perfectionism
- What to do when the shirts don't show up
- Why you should stop overthinking your content and post it
- Yasmeen's design process and the tools she recommends for beginners
- How she sells in person without forcing the pitch
- Trial, error, and taking the L's you need to win

Connect with Yasmeen / Happy Soma Studio
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happysoma.studio/

Work with Pure Gold
Book your free 30-minute strategy session: https://links.puregoldbusiness.com/widget/bookings/pure-gold-business-strategy
Website: https://puregoldbusiness.com

Want to be a guest on the show?
Book an interview slot: https://links.puregoldbusiness.com/widget/bookings/podcast-interview-slots

Until next time.

If you're interested in working with Angelo, click below to book a strategy session and get started:

Book your strategy session here: https://www.puregoldbusiness.com/start

Most service-business owners don’t have a lead problem. They have a follow-up problem.

In this episode, I sit down with Cheri Martinen, a fourth-generation insurance agent who bought out her parents’ agency over a 7-to-8-year plan and learned every side of it: sales, HR, bookkeeping, and carrier relationships. She shares the direct mail campaign built around a smoke alarm battery that brought in leads right away, and why she says 80% of sales close between the 5th and 20th contact.

We also get into the part of business most owners avoid until it’s too late:

• What happens to your personal assets if you operate without business insurance
• What underwriters look at: your structure, revenue and payroll
• Why umbrella and cyber coverage matter when lawsuits are the risk
• How an independent broker quotes your business across multiple carriers, and why it costs the buyer nothing
• Why masterminds, outside help and delegation keep owners from burning out

If you’re the bottleneck in your own business, this one’s for you.

Connect with Cheri:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheri-martinen-a6002725/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575834316721
• Instagram: @cheri_martinen
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BancorpInsuranceLaPine
• Her book: https://a.co/d/01V9fXkW

Want to see where your business is leaking? Book a free strategy session with Pure Gold Business Solutions: puregoldbusiness.com

The doc also had an open to-do to confirm the book title from the Amazon link and add it to the description. The Gemini notes call it “Covered,” but those are auto-generated. I only saw the first part of the checklist, so there may be more below it.

If you're interested in working with Angelo, click below to book a strategy session and get started:

Book your strategy session here: https://www.puregoldbusiness.com/start

After a short break, we're back with a new episode of Pure Gold Business Podcast.

Since being away and running sales calls for my new venture, I thought it would be fitting to share what some insights that I've picked up and can pass along to you in order to make those conversations easier on you and your prospects.

Stop diagnosing alone. Bring your business to the workshop and let Angelo walk you through the map live — with the full Pure Gold community in the room.

Register here: https://www.puregoldbusiness.com/workshop