Savvy Shopkeeper Retail Podcast

Hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters are on the rise . Thankfully, Heart on Main Street is there to support independent retail businesses when disaster strikes.  After growing up on the wholesale side of retail, Patrick Keiser founded Heart on Main Street to provide indie retailers with the resources, tools, and educational opportunities they need to reinvest in their busin...

Our laptops are not only an extension of our physical workspace, but often an extension of our minds. Digital clutter in the form of tons of too many tabs and multiple windows can bog us down.  But there are ways to increase your web browser efficiency—and just as with other key systems for independent retailers, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve to help you get the most out of your time on the w...

After many years of attending AmericasMart as a buyer, this year was my first time attending as an observer.  It was fascinating to chat with members of the Savvy Shopkeeper community, spot market trends, and be a fly on the wall at showrooms! In today's episode, I'm sharing my five key takeaways from AmericasMart 2024.  Listen in to learn what trends we'll be seeing later this year, how showroom...

Asking your customers for feedback can be scary—trust me, I know! Most years, I ask my customers and community to complete the Savvy Shopkeeper survey.  While getting feedback directly from the people I serve can be nerve-wracking, it's an overwhelmingly positive experience. Read on to learn how you can fill out this year's Savvy Shopkeeper Survey along with my best tips for conducting a feedback...

Managing cash flow is a difficult task for most indie retail store owners, but it doesn't have to be! I'm excited to share a virtual banking solution that helps you automate your cash flow management: Relay Financial . When I first read Profit First , I was skeptical. The cash flow management system proposed in the book required setting up multiple bank accounts. When I finally took the plunge and...

For indie retailer store owners, tasks like writing product descriptions, planning promotions, and mapping out quarterly plans can take a LOT of mental energy—especially after a full day of running your store. That's where my Free ChatGPT Resource Guide comes in handy!  This empowering guide will help you use ChatGPT effectively to support your retail business. Listen in to learn how my usage of C...

Supporting the shop local and shop small movements has always been a core value of mine. One way I was failing at that, however, was with my book-buying habits. Instead of supporting local bookshops, I often bought books with 1-click checkout at Amazon.  Thankfully, I've discovered a new way to buy books online that also supports local bookshops!  Listen in to learn more about the genius website t...

After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it can be nice to take a brain break before diving into the planning and goal setting we need to do for the year ahead. Sometimes, a little motivation and inspiration can be helpful, too!  Personally, I enjoy watching TV shows to give myself a brain break and get inspired for the next 12 months. Today, I'm sharing three TV shows that are motivating and...

For many indie retail store owners, digital marketing doesn't come naturally. With the ever-changing social media landscape, a constant stream of new features, and best practices that vary from platform to platform, it can be difficult for retailers to parse what's worth the effort (and what's best left on the backroom floor).  Enter Crystal, our go-to guru who's been supporting independent retail...

For independent store owners, the fear of discounting inventory is very real—especially when they've got dead stock hanging around!  It's all too common for shopkeepers to have lots of negative thoughts about dead stock, discounting, and what those things mean about them. But if you can change those thoughts, you can make better decisions and see vastly different results.  While noticing and chang...

I'm here with a bonus episode, post-Christmas, to share an announcement and what's ahead for me and the Savvy Shopkeeper community in 2024! Kathy Cruz is an Independent Retail Coach who helps store owners work smarter, profit more, and grow their brick and mortar businesses. Connect with Kathy and learn more here: Website: https://savvyshopkeeper.com/ Instagram: @savvyshopkeeper Mastermind Group:...

When you first hear the term "emotional adulthood," you might think it's connected to when our brains finish developing in our mid-twenties.  But emotional adulthood has everything to do with your awareness of how your thoughts affect your feelings—and very little to do with when your brain finished forming.  I realized I was still in emotional childhood just a few years ago, in my forties. But fr...

With 2024 approaching, now is the time to start your retail business forecasting!  If you've never done this process before, today's episode will walk you through the first step: looking at the commitments you've already made, the trips you've already booked, and any events you know are on the books. Listen in to learn what retail business forecasting is, how you can get started, what you can expe...

New Year, new store? If you're like most independent retail store owners, a new year can feel like the perfect time to make a fresh start by reworking your product lines, introducing a new category, revamping your staffing…or even changing business models.  But before making such a drastic change, there are a few key things to consider. Changing business models is not a decision to make lightly, s...

The Savvy Shopkeeper online shop has been revamped, renamed…and is relaunching with a Post-Black-Friday sale event!  Introducing The Shopkeeper's Marketplace: an online shop just for indie retailers. Full of useful digital products, merch, and swag, it's the perfect spot for indie retail store owners to find products made just for them. Listen in to learn why I'm relaunching the shop, what you'll...

I'm not a big gratitude journaler. I rely on my journal when I need to get things out of my head, which helps me gain clarity and see the complete picture.  But there is a straightforward gratitude exercise I love, and today, I'm sharing it with you. Listen in to learn why this simple gratitude exercise has helped me gain a new perspective after a challenging year and how you can do it for yoursel...

With 2024 in our sights, we're not far off from the next round of presidential elections. One of our Master Shopkeepers members, Julie, recently asked if I could share any insights into this question: "do election years affect retail sales?" There are many small business owners—and in particular, independent retail store owners—who firmly believe that retail sales dip in presidential election year...

Many shopkeepers avoid hosting retail store clearance sales. Whether they're worried about the perceived value of their goods or what other store owners might think, it's common for shopkeepers to avoid marking down their old stock. Sadly, these worries can affect their bottom line and the health of their business. A well-executed retail store clearance sale can be an incredible opportunity to des...

Many of the store owners inside Master Shopkeepers and the Savvy Shopkeeper community at large are also creatives, makers, and artists. After establishing their stores, the next question those makers ask is, "When should I wholesale in my business?" In today's episode, you'll learn how to decide if it's time to start wholesaling in your business from the founder of Proof to Product, Katie Hunt. We...

Whether you're a Savvy Starter with a newly opened storefront or a Growing Retailer expanding into a second location, your first point of contact with customers isn't happening at your store. It's happening on the web!  In today's episode, I'm sharing how you can conduct a simple retail store website homepage audit to ensure that your website is helpful, welcoming, and convinces customers to stop...

After years of leading groups with hundreds of store owners, I can confidently report that ALL POS systems go down. Yes, all of them! There's not one system that's better than another when it comes to this.  So if—scratch that, when—your POS system goes down, do you have a plan?  Listen to this quick, valuable episode to learn what options you have when faced with a system or internet outage so yo...

Credit card fees are a contentious topic among retail store owners. As credit card fees continue to rise, shopkeepers are wondering what they can do to lower this expense.  One popular solution to this issue? Charging customers for the privilege of using a credit card.  While I'm not usually one to offer prescriptive advice, this is one instance where I have a definitive stance: you shouldn't pass...

What's less than 8 weeks away and right in the middle of the busiest quarter for indie retailers? It's the biggest weekend of the retail holiday season: BFCM Small Business Saturday Weekend. With this mega retail weekend quickly approaching, it's time to start planning! Listen in to learn why indie retailers love this weekend, which days to focus on, and how to prepare with my newest resource. For...

Did you know you can sell from your window display, even when your store is closed?  In today's episode, I'm sharing my QR code tutorial for brick and mortar stores. This is a fun way to make your window display attract potential customers, provide them with product information, and even drive them to your online shop! For show notes, including a link to get the tutorial and template I mentioned i...

I get asked a LOT of questions about Master Shopkeepers. As a retail store mastermind coach, I completely understand why you have questions and want to put your mind at ease. With applications closing for 2023 on September 30, I'm answering the five most common questions store owners ask me about Master Shopkeepers. Listen in for the five Qs & As—and learn about the two incredible bonuses you'll g...