Ok! Welcome back to my podcast: The Marketing Playbook with Mark Friedman! Presented by Details Interactive. Here, you’ll take away 3 game-winning marketing plays every episode to take back to your team. I’m your host, Mark Friedman, and my career has been focused on direct-to-consumer marketing; direct mail, physical retail, and digital commerce.
This is Episode #20 and today’s guest is Patti Hughes. She is the Founder, CEO, and CCO of Natural Life. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and your other favorite podcast spots – subscribe and leave a 5-star review if you have your playbook!
What is The Marketing Playbook with Mark Friedman?
Mark Friedman (that’s me) knows direct-to-consumer marketing. The 30+ year industry veteran has served as the President of eCommerce at Steve Madden, Chief Marketing Officer of Brooks Brothers, mentor to dozens of startups, and even youth sports coach. You’ll take away 3 fundamental tips every episode to help your team knock it out of the park, and draw up strategies for digital marketing, eCommerce, customer monetization, and pivoting with the brightest all-stars in business. Do you have your playbook?
Podcast Episode #20: Patti Hughes – Founder, CEO, and CCO of Natural Life
Patti Hughes, the Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Creative Officer of Natural Life, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to be ready to pivot, turn your hobby into a business, tell your brand’s story, create a culture of creativity, and Patti’s experience growing up with arts and crafts. This episode covers everything from how Patti stays inspired to how helpful Instagram has been for her business. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:
- What is Natural Life
- How is Patti doing during the pandemic and quarantine
- Why did Patti start working at Hallmark
- How do you turn a hobby into a business
- How does Natural Life come up with their products
- How does Patti utilize data to make business decisions
- What is her leadership style
- What is something she wishes she were better at
Connect with Patti at NaturalLife.com and on Instagram at @NaturalLife and @NaturalLifePatti.
Let’s open the playbook. Ready? Break! Check out the episode, show notes, and pictures below for much more detail.
Show Notes
- Intro
- [0:21] The Marketing Playbook with Mark Friedman
- [0:22] Details Interactive
- [0:28] Connect with Mark at Mark@DetailsInteractive.com, on Twitter at @DetailsInteract, and on LinkedIn
- [0:38] Connect with Patti at NaturalLife.com and on Instagram at @NaturalLife and @NaturalLifePatti
- [0:42] Thank you as always to Max Branstetter of the Wild Business Growth Podcast at Hippo Direct for producing this podcast. You can reach him at max@hippodirect.com to bring your podcast to life
- Patti’s Page of The Marketing Playbook with Mark Friedman
- [1:08] Chief Creative Officer (CCO)
- [1:25] What is Natural Life
- [1:55] Sales
- [2:11] Tagline: Give. Love. Laugh
- [2:28] Consultant
- [2:53] Elevator Pitch: Give and Live Happy
- [3:11] How is Patti doing during the pandemic and quarantine
- [3:51] IT (Information Technology)
- [4:16] Profit
- [4:44] Product Development
- [5:39] Work-life balance
- [6:10] What is Patti’s first story
- [6:24] Natural Life About Us
- [8:03] Hallmark Cards, Sales Rep (Sales Representative)
- [8:47] BIRKENSTOCK, Adirondack Chairs
- [9:56] Trade shows
- [11:09] Why did Patti start working at Hallmark
- [11:21] Marketing, Telesales
- [12:21] How do you turn a hobby into a business
- [13:30] Digital Marketing
- [14:35] How does Natural Life come up with their products
- [15:25] Branding
- [15:58] Data
- [16:34] Walgreens
- [17:27] eCommerce
- [18:18] Wholesale
- [18:21] What channels does Natural Life sell on
- [19:40] Flagship store
- [19:52] Brick-and-mortar retail
- [20:09] B2C (Business-to-Consumer)
- [20:21] Account Managers
- [21:19] Software, Apps
- [22:01] COVID-19
- [22:18] Boho Bandeau
- [23:41] Fashion, Merchants
- [23:52] How does Patti utilize data to make business decisions
- [24:51] Nordstrom
- [25:54] Where does Natural Life manufacture their products
- [26:10] At Details Interactive, you can discuss your business with a seasoned direct-to-consumer marketing executive who’s helped launch and grow web businesses and integrate multi-channel marketing initiatives. Learn more at DetailsInteractive.com
- [26:55] What is Patti’s leadership style
- [29:04] Entrepreneur
- [29:09] At what point does Patti feel the need to become more formal and professional
- [29:43] Org Chart (Organizational Chart)
- [31:38] What is The Daily Chirp
- [31:50] Social Media
- [32:49] Natural Life Facebook, Natural Life Instagram
- [34:04] Morning Chirps, The Chirp
- [34:12] Customers
- [35:38] What is Patti’s nontraditional approach to ambassador programs
- [38:06] Happy Box
- [38:22] Fearless
- 2-Minute Drill
- [39:22] Natalie Martin, Auguste The Label, FRĒDA SALVADOR
- [39:49] Mirror
- [40:07] Amazon
- [40:21] What is something Patti wishes she were better at
- [40:35] What is a charitable organize she is passionate about
- [41:30] If she had one superpower what would it be
- [41:55] What is her most prized possession other than family
- This Week’s 3 Game-Winning Plays
- [42:10] Connect with Patti at NaturalLife.com and on Instagram at @NaturalLife and @NaturalLifePatti
- [42:28] This week’s 3 Game-Winning Plays are as follows:
- Be ready to pivot
- Turn your hobby into a business
- Tell your brand’s story
- [43:32] If you want to check out more pages of The Marketing Playbook, make sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast spot and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts
- [43:45] Connect with Mark at Mark@DetailsInteractive.com, on Twitter at @DetailsInteract, and on LinkedIn
- Theme Song: Jazzy Man Funk Rock – Auditone Music Library – provided by Jamendo
How can I work with Details Interactive?
That’s it! Today’s game ball goes to Patti Hughes. Thank you, Playbook Marketers, for listening. If you want to check out more pages of The Marketing Playbook, make sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast spot and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. You can also follow us on Twitter at @DetailsInteract and learn more at DetailsInteractive.com. Until next time, The devil is in the details.