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Episode 233: Kaylin Marcotte – Puzzle Producer, Founder of JIGGY Puzzles

Kaylin Marcotte, the Founder and CEO of JIGGY Puzzles, joins the show to share her journey from first employee at theSkimm to reinventing the jigsaw puzzle. Hear how to scale your business, create custom packaging, partner with incredible creatives, the science behind puzzles, and how Kaylin would approach a 1 million piece puzzle. This episode covers everything from adult coloring books to Frida Kahlo. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• What was theSkimm like in the early days
• How do you build a community
• When did Kaylin realize she could start a puzzle business
• How did she design the packaging for JIGGY Puzzles
• Where did the insight come from to include puzzle glue
• What’s the biggest decision Kaylin’s made that grew the company
• How does she keep an eye out for designs and innovation in the puzzle world
• If she were to create artwork for a JIGGY Puzzle, what would it look like

Connect with Kaylin at JIGGYPuzzles.com and social media @JIGGYPuzzles and @KaylinMarcotte.

Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail. You can also find the full transcript here.

Show Notes

• Intro & theSkimm
  • [0:28] Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:38] Connect with Kaylin at JIGGYPuzzles.com and social media @JIGGYPuzzles and @KaylinMarcotte
  • [2:57] What was theSkimm like in the early days
  • [3:38] Millennials
  • [4:04] Startup
  • [4:26] How do you scale a business
  • [4:51] DTC (Direct-to-Consumer), Facebook Ads
  • [5:43] Skimm’bassador Program
  • [5:50] Micro-influencers, Word-of-Mouth Marketing (WOM)
  • [6:04] Carly Zakin, Danielle Weisberg
  • [6:41] Community
  • [6:58] How do you build a community

• The Jiggy Puzzles Story
  • [9:12] STOP IT MAX
  • [9:51] How did Kaylin first get interested in puzzles
  • [10:31] Headspace
  • [10:50] Type A
  • [11:11] Audiobooks, Podcasts
  • [11:41] Stock Photography
  • [12:12] When did Kaylin realize she could start a puzzle business
  • [12:23] iPhoto, iPhone
  • [12:32] Instagram
  • [13:16] Adult Coloring Books, Pinterest
  • [14:12] What were Kaylin’s first steps when starting JIGGY Puzzles
  • [15:31] Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ), Revenue
  • [16:44] Cans of terrible jokes
  • [16:53] How did Kaylin design the packaging for JIGGY Puzzles
  • [17:27] CAD (Computer-Aided Design)
  • [17:35] LinkedIn, School of Visual Arts (SVA)
  • [18:45] Bazinga
  • [18:51] Where did the insight come from to include puzzle glue
  • [19:29] Nailed it
  • [20:09] Reddit
  • [21:11] Randy Branstetter – Wild Business Growth Podcast #171: The Chicken Man
  • [21:48] When did Kaylin decide to partner with emerging artists
  • [23:07] That’s silly
  • [24:24] How does Kaylin find emerging artists to feature
  • [25:26] Count me in
  • [25:50] The Energizer Bunny
  • [26:07] What’s the biggest decision Kaylin’s made that grew the company
  • [26:41] Zoom
  • [26:52] Anthropologie (Anthro)
  • [27:31] Purchase Order (PO)
  • [28:02] Performance Marketing, iOS 14
  • [28:43] CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods)
  • [28:51] How do you focus on both the customer (retailer) and end consumer
  • [29:02] Doors aka Number of Stores
  • [29:55] eCommerce
  • [31:20] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity
• Inspiration & Creativity: The Science behind Puzzles
  • [32:41] What is the science behind puzzles
  • [33:30] Dopamine
  • [34:56] How does Kaylin keep an eye out for designs and innovation in the puzzle world
  • [35:15] JIGGY Junior
  • [36:12] JIGGY Gift Card Mini Puzzle, JIGGY Puzzle Postcards

• The Unusual: Pet Peeves, Quirks, and Weird Talents
  • [37:17] What’s Kaylin’s biggest pet peeve
  • [37:54] Self-Awareness
  • [38:19] What’s a quirk Kaylin has
  • [39:20] Shattered Lives
• Rapid-Fire Puzzle Q&A
  • [40:02] Frida Kahlo
  • [40:24] Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train
  • [41:06] Will Shortz – Wild Business Growth Podcast #97 (Not #197): The Puzzlemaster, Crossword Editor of The New York Times
  • [41:22] Fear Factor, Guinness World Records
  • [41:26] How would Kaylin approach a 1 million piece puzzle
  • [41:41] The World’s Biggest Puzzle
  • [42:28] If Kaylin were to create artwork for a JIGGY Puzzle, what would it look like
  • [43:06] Connect with Kaylin at JIGGYPuzzles.com and social media @JIGGYPuzzles and @KaylinMarcotte
  • [43:29] What are Kaylin’s Final Thoughts
  • [43:53] Follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And show your love (or roast me) by leaving 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify
  • [44:11] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [44:15] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn @MaxBranstetter
  • [44:19] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • [44:24] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo

What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur joins the Wild Business Growth Podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, the voice of Bart Simpson, and more wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting a professional-sounding podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment of all those behind-the-scenes details? I’ve got you covered. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Kaylin Marcotte on the Wild Business Growth Podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about it. And get JIGGY with them. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!