Making with Purpose

Most people think sales is about convincing someone to buy.We don't.In this episode of Making with Purpose, John and Marc share why the best salespeople don't rely on pressure, scripts, or gimmicks—they build trust, solve problems, and create relationships that naturally lead to sales.Whether you sell at craft fairs, online, through social media, or to local businesses, this episode will help you rethink the way you approach sales.In this episode, we discuss:🤝 Why relationships outperform sales tactics💡 How to communicate value instead of competing on price💰 Why customers buy from people they trust🛍️ Selling at craft fairs, online, and face-to-face🎯 Turning first-time buyers into loyal customers🧠 The mindset shifts that make selling feel natural📈 Practical strategies you can start using immediatelyIf you've ever said, "I'm not a salesperson," this episode is for you.Stop trying to convince people to buy—and start becoming someone they want to buy from.Listen now and discover how changing the way you think about sales can change the way you grow your business.#MakingWithPurpose #MakerFlo #SmallBusiness #Sales #Entrepreneur #CraftBusiness #Marketing #BusinessGrowth #CustomerExperience #MakersGonnaMake

Fresh off the Shop Talk e-commerce conference, John and Marc break down everything makers need to know about AI in 2026. The episode covers practical AI applications for inventory forecasting, product design, marketing copy, and customer service, while drawing a clear line between where AI helps and where it can hurt your brand. They also discuss agentic commerce, AI image and video ethics, environmental impact, and the future of AI regulationTimestamps:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:48 Welcome and Episode Overview00:03:49 AI Is Evolving Fast: Get on the Boat00:06:53 AI for Inventory Forecasting: Predaco00:10:21 AI for Product Launch Organization00:13:23 Shop Talk Conference: What We Learned00:14:19 What Is Agentic Commerce?00:17:32 Buying Directly Through ChatGPT00:21:42 What Makers Must Do to Be Found by AI00:25:05 Website SEO vs. AEO and GEO Optimization00:28:16 Using AI for Product Design and Ideation00:37:03 AI for Marketing Copy and Ad Scripts00:44:47 What AI Should Never Replace in Your Business00:49:28 AI Images and Video: What's Real vs. Fake00:55:42 Authenticity vs. AI: Where to Draw the Line01:00:00 Environmental Impact and AI Regulation01:05:53 MakerFlo's Mela AI Customer Service Agent01:10:24 OutroConnect With Us -John & Marc Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/johnandmarc/MakerFlo Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/makerflo_/Our Website -makerflo.comFacebook -https://www.facebook.com/makerfloTikTok -https://www.tiktok.com/@makerflo.comJoin our private Facebook community:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BT4HPCUak/Join us live every day: https://makerflo.com/pages/makerflo-lives

John and Marc continue their conversation with Brit Shane, covering practical content ideas for makers just starting out on social media. The discussion moves into sales funnels, first-party data, affiliate marketing margins, and why getting customers off third-party platforms and onto your own website is critical for long-term business growth.Timestamps:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:16 What Content to Post When Starting Out00:04:13 Show Your Manufacturing and Assembly Process00:07:07 Everything Is Content: Just Start Filming00:10:09 How to Convert Viewers Into Buyers00:13:38 Platform Fees and Protecting Your Margins00:18:26 Building a Long-Term Funnel and Email Strategy00:20:08 OutroFollow Brit Shane:Brit’s Website - https://www.britshane.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brit_shane/?hl=enTiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@houseofbritConnect With Us -John & Marc Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/johnandmarc/MakerFlo Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/makerflo_/Our Website -http://makerflo.com/)Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/makerfloTikTok -https://www.tiktok.com/@makerflo.comJoin our private Facebook community:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BT4HPCUak/Join us live every day: https://makerflo.com/pages/makerflo-lives

John and Marc sit down with Coach Tom Dougherty from ActionCoach to cover Step 6 of the business mastery framework: Freedom. The conversation explores what financial and personal freedom means for a business owner, why your "why" changes over time, and the different exit and growth paths available once a business reaches this stage. The episode closes with Coach Tom sharing where viewers can connect with him and get support.Timestamps00:00:00 Trailer00:00:19 What Is Step 6: Freedom?00:01:45 Passive Income, Franchising, and Selling00:03:00 Defining Your "Why" as a Business Owner00:06:05 Freedom, Philanthropy, and Giving Back00:07:19 Replacing Yourself: The System Creator00:09:15 Where to Find Coach Tom00:10:00 OutroFollow Coach TomInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomdoc?igsh=dTZ2YmkwOG1kaGZ4LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomdougherty1Website - https://actioncoachofaz.com/tomdougherty/Connect With Us -John & Marc Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/johnandmarc/MakerFlo Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/makerflo_/Our Website -makerflo.comFacebook -https://www.facebook.com/makerfloTikTok -https://www.tiktok.com/@makerflo.comJoin our private Facebook community:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BT4HPCUak/Join us live every day: https://makerflo.com/pages/makerflo-lives

John and Marc sit down with business coach Tom Dougherty to break down two critical stages of business growth: systems and team. Tom explains how documenting processes, leveraging tools like Loom and Google Docs, and building the right team culture can free business owners from being the bottleneck in their own company. The conversation includes real examples from MakerFlo's growth journey, from trade show checklists to hiring decisions and workplace culture.Timestamps00:00:00 Trailer00:00:21 Intro00:02:00 Systems Create Leverage00:03:45 Getting Systems Out of Your Head00:05:30 Loom and QR Codes for SOPs00:08:30 The Camcorder Method00:11:00 Systems for Infrequent Tasks00:13:30 System Ownership and Cross-Training00:15:30 When to Hire00:19:30 Hire Slow, Fire Fast00:22:30 Defining Your Ideal Candidate00:25:00 Valuing Your Time00:29:30 The Attorney Referral Story00:33:00 Building Team Culture00:37:30 OutroFollow Coach TomInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomdoc?igsh=dTZ2YmkwOG1kaGZ4LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomdougherty1Website - https://actioncoachofaz.com/tomdougherty/Connect With Us -John & Marc Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/johnandmarc/MakerFlo Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/makerflo_/Our Website -makerflo.comFacebook -https://www.facebook.com/makerfloTikTok -https://www.tiktok.com/@makerflo.comJoin our private Facebook community:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BT4HPCUak/Join us live every day: https://makerflo.com/pages/makerflo-lives

In the final part of the Making with Purpose podcast, Hosts John and Marc explore with Dr. K how environments shape execution in business and personal life, including physical, digital, social, and time aspects. They discuss setting up surroundings for success, the impact of surrounding oneself with higher-level peers, and building positive team cultures to reduce turnover. The conversation emphasizes treating people well as good business practice and concludes with ways to connect with Dr. K.Timestamps00:00:00 Trailer00:01:00 Intro00:02:00 Environment influences execution00:04:00 Average of five people00:06:00 Physical environment setup00:08:00 Digital environment management00:10:00 Social environment importance00:12:00 Time environment strategies00:14:00 Networking with peers00:16:00 Team culture building00:18:00 Reducing employee turnover00:20:00 Treating people well00:22:00 Connecting with Dr. K00:24:00 OutroFollow Dr. K -Instagram - Dr. Karthik Ramanan (@dr.karthikramanan) • Instagram photos and videosYoutube - EMOTIONAL HEALTH DEFINITION - What is Emotional Health?Facebook - Dr. Karthik Ramanan | Chandler AZ | FacebookLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkarthikramanan/Connect With Us -John & Marc Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnandmarc/MakerFlo Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/makerflo_/Our Website - makerflo.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/makerfloTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@makerflo.comJoin our private Facebook community:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BT4HPCUak/Join us live every day: https://makerflo.com/pages/makerflo-lives

In part 2 of the Making with Purpose podcast, John and Marc sit down with Dr. K, MakerFlo’s emotional health coach, and explore visualization techniques backed by brain science to help entrepreneurs mentally rehearse success. It covers balancing big-picture thinking with action, daily visualization routines, preparing for setbacks, and making visualization effective rather than wishful thinking. The discussion ties visualization to personal identity and practical business growth.Timestamps:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:24 Intro00:01:24 Brain science of memory and imagination00:02:39 Thinkers vs doers in entrepreneurship00:05:03 Visualization creates future memories00:06:02 Daily visualization routine00:07:37 Visualizing success and handling objections00:09:05 Free-throw shooting visualization evidence00:10:23 Carving out time for visualization00:11:05 168-hour weekly time audit00:13:10 Phone-free morning routine00:15:27 Constant vs scheduled visualization00:17:53 Effective visualization vs wishful thinking00:20:07 Aligning vision with practical strategy00:22:21 Visualization and personal identity00:23:03 OutroFollow Dr. K -Instagram - Dr. Karthik Ramanan (@dr.karthikramanan) • Instagram photos and videosYoutube - EMOTIONAL HEALTH DEFINITION - What is Emotional Health?Facebook - Dr. Karthik Ramanan | Chandler AZ | FacebookLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkarthikramanan/Connect With Us -John & Marc Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnandmarc/MakerFlo Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/makerflo_/Our Website - makerflo.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/makerfloTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@makerflo.comJoin our private Facebook community:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BT4HPCUak/Join us live every day: https://makerflo.com/pages/makerflo-lives

In this episode of the Making with Purpose podcast, John and Marc talk about how adding real, authentic value creates the foundation of loyalty, trust, and brand longevity. They break down the mindset shift from transactional selling to impact-driven creation, and why “giving first” always comes back full circle in business and life. The episode dives into how small intentional actions compound over time, why staying true to your purpose keeps you aligned during challenges, and how MakerFlo’s mission continues to shape the company’s culture, decisions, and community.

We just spent two weeks in China filming inside our factories, and we're showing you everything. This episode takes you through the real manufacturing process - from our tumbler factory that uses 12-15 machines and tests every unit at 1000°F, to why the "Made in China = cheap" myth exists (American buyers demanded the cheapest products for decades). We share our $40,000 mistake with watch boxes, explain our "pride bigger than price" philosophy, and get brutally honest about trying to source Made in USA products. After 8 months of searching for cutting board manufacturers, dealing with constant ghosting, and facing 5-6x higher costs with no infrastructure support, we're proposing solutions while maintaining the same quality standards regardless of country.

If you’re a maker, creator, or small business owner, one of the biggest questions you’ll face is: Where should I sell my products?! Do you set up shop on Etsy and tap into their huge handmade-loving audience? Do you build your own branded storefront on Shopify for maximum control? Or do you throw your hat in the ring with Amazon to chase massive reach (but also massive competition)?In this episode of Making with Purpose, we break it all down so you don’t have to waste time (or money) figuring it out the hard way. We go platform by platform, digging into the real pros and cons that most people won’t tell you:Etsy → Amazing for exposure and handmade credibility, but can you stand out in a sea of sellers and rising fees?Shopify → Total control and branding power, but do you have the traffic plan to back it up?Amazon → The biggest marketplace on the planet, but are you ready to fight copycats and razor-thin margins?We’ll also talk about the hidden traps that new sellers fall into, what kind of products thrive on each platform, and when it makes sense to move from one to another as your business grows. Plus, we share real-world strategies to help you build not just a storefront, but a sustainable brand that connects with your audience.This episode isn’t about hype—it’s about clarity. By the end, you’ll know which platform (or mix of platforms) is the smartest starting point for your unique goals, and how to approach e-commerce with confidence instead of confusion.Because making with purpose isn’t just about what you create—it’s about how you share it with the world.