50: Writing for Trust: Yellow Bird Founder Nicole Pond on Building Connection Through Newsletters
Why Your Personal Newsletter is Your Product Business’s Highest Converting Tool.
I'm excited for you to get to know my friend Nicole Pond. She's a passionate entrepreneur, homeschooling mom of three, and CEO behind the family-owned skincare businesses The Yellow Bird and The Soap Bar.
She's the founder of The Yellow Bird, established in 2015 to make clean, natural, and simple-ingredient skincare accessible and affordable for families, particularly those with chemical sensitivities and allergies.
I've been obsessed with The Yellow Bird products (my faves are the bar soap, face oils, masks, deodorant, lotions, and bug spray) … but what I love even more than the skincare is Nicole's approach to newsletters.
For years, I've used her newsletters as stand-out examples with my community and clients. Sitting down to read her special Notes From Nicole feels like an oat milk vanilla latte with cinnamon on top, sipped from a cozy chair.
And today, you get to hear her approach — which is such a great reminder that you can (and should) keep your newsletters simple. Probably even simpler than you think
What you'll hear about today:
How personal connection drives sales (while maintaining privacy). Her monthly "Notes from Nicole" email delivers higher open and click rates than her product newsletters.
Sharing unique snippets — like what she's cooking, reading, and her hobbies — builds genuine trust and a loyal community.
The challenges of writing "micro-copy" — for the built-in limitations of product labels — there are some great lessons here for ALL business owners!
Authentic influencing and how brand owners can embrace genuine, honest influencing by connecting with customers' values and building trust, rather than relying on fear-based marketing tactics.
How Nicole fosters a love for writing and storytelling in her kids, including running a unique writing club that encourages creative expression without the pressure of editing or formal structure (try this at home, friends!)
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Nicole Pond
00:59 Nicole's Newsletters: A Personal Touch
04:44 The Birth of The Yellow Bird
07:40 Challenges and Adaptations in a Product Business
08:50 The Power of Newsletters and Personal Connection
16:24 Influencer Marketing and Authenticity
23:47 The Value of Genuine Engagement
24:30 Challenges of Selling Your Physical Products
26:27 Crafting Effective Product Descriptions
28:24 The Importance of Clear and Honest Branding
35:24 Encouraging Writing in Children
38:07 The Power of Writing Clubs
39:12 Journaling and Personal Growth
43:20 Final Thoughts
Meet Nicole Pond:
Nicole is the Founder and CEO of two family-owned skincare businesses, The Soap Bar and The Yellow Bird. A passionate entrepreneur, homeschooler of three children, and creative/serial crafter, she balances running her businesses with being a dedicated mother, avid reader, and enthusiastic home cook. When she's not managing her teams(children) or developing new products, you'll find her crafting handmade items or diving into a good book (or possibly napping).
