Savvy Shopkeeper Retail Podcast

As retail business owners, revenue is often top of mind. But revenue alone doesn't give us the complete picture of your store's financial health! That's why we're uncovering the intricacies of cash flow in a new three-part series. Listen in to learn the critical components of cash flow and how managing cash flow effectively protects your indie retail store from financial turmoil. We'll cover how c...

Running a business is already challenging, but dealing with the symptoms of perimenopause while running a business has made the last two years incredibly difficult. That's why I'm sharing the ugly truth about perimenopause as an entrepreneur and how it affects not just our personal lives, but our businesses, too. In this episode, I'm opening up about my journey through this phase of life—experienc...

Originally, I planned to record a quick episode to talk about the upcoming Retail Email Bootcamp and let you know that the calendars in the Savvy Shopkeeper planners start now. However, I first want to acknowledge the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, particularly in states like North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia. The images and stories coming out of these areas are heartbreaking, and as a...

Ceri Otero didn't dream of being a shopkeeper as a kid. But when she decided to open a specialty olive oil and vinegar shop in Carthage, Missouri, it felt like all the threads of her life were coming together. From selling Avon in 8th grade to a stint as a corporate HR representative to merchandising for Hallmark, each of Ceri's previous jobs had prepared her for running an independent retail stor...

Customers love visiting indie retail stores and discovering new items, and many indie shopkeepers revel in curating fresh finds for their stores. The part that isn't enjoyable? Adding new items to your inventory system—especially if your inventory entry process is manual. Whether you're managing hundreds of new SKUs or reordering popular products, you don't have to feel overwhelmed. Listen in to d...

Jolene Forrester, owner of JoRetro in Havre de Grace, Maryland, has built a thriving legacy retail store with multiple streams of income. What started out in a small antique mall booth has grown into a 5000 square foot retail store with vintage treasures, niche retro-style products, a twice-annual Pyrex & Vintage Festival, and a thriving Airbnb apartment rental business. With an extensive backgrou...

If there's one thing that nearly all indie retail store owners struggle with, it's planning. And when we struggle with planning, using a planner is next to impossible! But our planner problems CAN be solved when we address the real culprit behind our planning struggles.  Listen in to discover the real culprit behind your planning struggles. Plus, you'll learn how to build new habits when you combi...

In today's bonus shortie episode I'm delving into the misconceptions surrounding business performance during turbulent times. I explore how the thoughts of business owners directly influence their feelings and, subsequently, their actions. Election years can indeed be a bumpy ride for small business owners, but it doesn't have to spell disaster for your business. By shifting your mindset and stayi...

Elisa Vietri always dreamed of opening a retail shop for her ever-growing collection of vintage goods. So when she and a friend drove by an empty storefront in Cleveland, Ohio's Little Italy neighborhood in 2014, she jumped at the opportunity. Now the proud owner of Moonstruck CLE , Elisa has ten years of experience selling vintage goods and connecting with other collectors. She's built a profitab...

As an independent retailer, finding the right trade shows to attend can make a significant difference in your buying strategy and overall business success. OffPrice Show in Las Vegas is a prominent event in the retail industry, but is it the right fit for your store?  Listen in to learn more about OffPrice Show , discover what types of retailers will benefit from it the most, and decide if it alig...

Have you ever looked around your retail store and thought, "wow, I could really use some advice on how to make this better?"  That's exactly what one retail store owner and Master Shopkeepers member did early last year. Luckily for Patty, a pseudonym gift shop owner from the Portland, OR area, I was giving away an in-store intensive.  Through a mix of Zoom calls and a day-long visit to her store,...

Did you know that up to 99% of the decisions we make are subconscious? Since our decisions drive our behaviors, it's crucial that we learn to make more of our decisions consciously rather than subconsciously! In today's episode, I've invited my coach, Neill Williams, to share the science behind entrepreneurial emotions. With a master's in economics and mathematics and as a Master Certified Coach,...

As your indie retail business grows, leading a team becomes a crucial part of your store owner responsibilities. And while being a leader may not come naturally, being a better leader is thankfully a skill that you can cultivate.  In today's episode, I'm sharing the five essential skills you can quickly learn to be a better leader. You'll be known for your kindness, respect, and humility after imp...

Let's face it: being an indie retail store owner isn't easy. There are shipments to bust, products to merchandise, backstock to organize, floats to reconcile, and tasks to delegate.  Beyond the day-to-day operations, there are even more high-level tasks that eat at your time and brain power, like choosing what products to bring in and figuring out how to pay yourself.  Do you know what makes all o...

For indie retail store owners who run vendor or consignment-style stores, there's an extra layer of work on top of running a store: managing vendor relationships.  Vendors at these stores normally rent a specific booth or section of the store to display their products. And while each vendor is in charge of managing their inventory, cleaning their area, and merchandising their products… …the owner...

Encouraging your customers to pay in cash is not only great for your business (buh-bye, credit card transaction fees!), but great for your community.  Accepting cash diversifies payment options, keeps money out of banks' deep pockets, and gives people without bank accounts access to goods and services. Cash is a win for small businesses and customers alike!  While taking more cash payments might f...

Have you ever decided to shop small, confirmed store's hours online, driven over to the store…only to find a "sorry, we're closed" sign hanging on the door?  That frustration you've felt in that moment is NOT what you want to give to your customers in case of a temporary store closing! Communicating with your customers about a store closing, whether planned or unplanned, doesn't take long—especial...

With Q1 of 2024 behind us, it feels like a good time to share some impromptu Savvy Shopkeeper updates. There have been a lot of changes within my business and personal life, and I'm excited to share them with you! Listen in to hear about leaving my retail store behind, finishing my coaching certification, an in-person event you'll want to save the dates for, a potential paper version of the Savvy...

Posting on Instagram can feel exhausting and overwhelming, especially as a retail store owner with a million other things on your plate. That's why I'm sharing a metric for you to track that can make your social media efforts feel worth it—and that no one else is talking about! Listen in to learn about this hidden metric, plus get a brand-new free resource to help you audit and optimize your Insta...

Between an upcoming leadership month in Master Shopkeepers and wanting to share how I'm learning to lead the Savvy Shopkeeper team, leadership has been top of mind for me. That's why I was so excited to chat with Shelli Warren, the founder of Stacking Your Team . After a 25-year stint at Proctor & Gamble, Shelli ventured into leadership coaching for small business owners. She's got a knack for sta...

From plugging your retail profit leaks to scaling your indie retail business, this year's Savvy Shopkeeper survey covered a bit of everything.  I'm excited to share the results with you, especially because it might show you what's possible for your store.  I'm also sharing how you can attend my upcoming masterclass, Stop The Drip . In this two-hour class, you'll learn how to identify and plug the...

If you're an Aspiring Shopkeeper , figuring out how and where to buy wholesale inventory is a crucial step towards opening your store's doors. Luckily, there's a program that makes it super easy to curate, order, and buy inventory for a retail store: Open With Faire .  Built by one of the most reliable online wholesale platforms around, Open With Faire gives new retail store owners the education,...

As indie retail store owners, it's all too easy to focus on the negative. We're always thinking about which stores are closing, what's to blame for industry-wide difficulties, and how each new hurdle might lead to our store failing.  And while our glass-half-empty view isn't surprising (we're only human , after all!), we can and SHOULD try to change our mindset. Celebrating our successes gives us...

Kate Simpson, owner of Cerulean of Cape Cod, was always a maker and a nurturer. She created her own jewelry, sold it at weekend markets, and even had a spot at a vendor-based retail store, all while working full-time as a nurse. Eventually, though, she wanted to take the entrepreneurial leap into nurturing a retail store of her own. That's when Cerulean was born. Listen in as Kate shares how Cerul...

Bookkeeping is crucial for any business, and indie retailers are no exception! It's the key to understanding your finances, making smart choices, and pushing your biz forward.  Today, I'm sharing six bookkeeping tips from a recent live lesson I taught to Master Shopkeepers . Listen in to learn what you need to do to keep your books in order so you can work smarter, profit more, and grow.  For show...