Savvy Shopkeeper Retail Podcast

I often focus so much on educating retail business owners about the business side of things that I forget to remind you: it's okay to dream. It's okay to take risks. And it's okay to nurture our souls. But how do we make our dreams a reality? Inspired by a recent post in the Master Shopkeepers Facebook group, I'm sharing about being vulnerable, taking risks, and what it means to dream boldly for y...

Most of us know that Facebook and Instagram crashed on October 4th. No one could refresh, post, comment, share, run ads, nothing, nada…. for around 6 hours. The panic for some was real! So aside from Facebook and Instagram, how can you diversify your marketing and communicate with your customers outside of social media? Listen in to learn about other options for connecting with your customers, inc...

Every time you see another article about supply chain issues in the retail industry, do you cringe a little bit? It happened to me the other day. A two-minute segment came up about this topic on the nightly news, and I thought, "do I really want to watch this or listen to this again ?" As a Shopkeepers Lab member recently quipped, "the pandemic has been a straight-up pivot-a-thon." Supply chain di...

We recently had the first Savvy Shopkeeper Retreat, and it was such a special and magical weekend. It was even better than I imagined!  A large part of the credit for all the special touches at the retreat goes to members of our very own Savvy Shopkeeper community. I can wholeheartedly say that the 2021 Savvy Shopkeeper Retreat was hands down one of the most incredible experiences of my own life b...

There's so much to share after the retreat! Here's a recap of what I'm talking about in this bonus episode: Shopkeeper Stories recap My fitness journey update The 2021 Retreat 2 year podcast anniversary Master Shopkeepers Tundra's BIG announcement and October promotion. Click HERE to sign up for an account I explain why I say "Be Savvy and Boss Up" at the end of every episode I can't thank you eno...

In our last Shopkeeper Story of 2021, we're chatting with Lisa of Bridenbaker Designs. Lisa never expected to be a full-time artist and shop owner—she originally got her degree in law enforcement! As part of her degree, she took a few art therapy electives that got her hooked on creating.  Mixing natural materials with paint, Lisa makes beautifully eclectic artwork that she sells to consignment st...

This week's Shopkeeper Story comes from someone near and dear to my heart: my best friend of 30 years, Katsie! Katsie never considered herself a maker. But when her boss wanted custom-etched glasses for the company's holiday party, she found herself learning a new skill. Now, Katsie regularly sells wholesale to retailers, at market events, and to individuals who want a beautiful custom gift. Katsi...

When Rachel started painting during her infant son's naptime, she was going through a minor identity crisis. She'd just transitioned from a 15-year career in retail management to a stay-at-home mom.  Rachel's stolen moments of painting quickly bloomed into a successful art business. Now, she sells her art to individuals through Etsy and to brick-and-mortar retailers through wholesale platforms.  I...

We've already had two rounds of Shopkeeper Stories on the Savvy Shopkeeper podcast, but this round is a little different. In the next four episodes, I'll be featuring incredible makers, shop owners, and e-commerce retailers who are members of the Shopkeepers Lab . First up is Brittany, owner of Kalopsia Clay. As she recovered from COVID with an entire month of unpaid leave from her full-time job,...

There are so many business coaches and consultants out there, but it can be difficult to judge if someone is the right fit for you AND if you'll get any ROI. Because of that, investing in coaching can be scary! But there are retailers making the investment in themselves, and it's paying off. Today I'm sharing wins from seven of my coaching and consulting clients. All of them have made considerable...

Keeping our spirits up and our mindset in a good place can be challenging, especially with the current surcharges, supply chain issues like we've never seen, and employment problems. And many of us have already pivoted—it can be exhausting!  So today, I'm sharing tons of tips on ways to keep our spirits up as retailers. Some of the tips are mindset work, while others are actionable steps you can t...

You might have heard that Instagram is "no longer just a square photo-sharing app," as recently announced by Instagram's founder.  When a member shared this announcement in the Master Shopkeepers group, it sparked lots of discussion—particularly about how scary it can be to show up on video for your store.  Video is clearly here to stay, though. Listen to today's episode to learn my top eight tips...

As small, independent shop owners, it can be incredibly difficult to step away from our businesses.  Shopkeepers, though, are some of the hardest workers I know. We deserve time to recharge, and we deserve to disconnect from our work during our hard-earned time off!  In today's episode, I'm sharing five ways to set yourself up for a stress-free, independent, and well-deserved vacation. For show no...

For the first time ever, Savvy Shopkeepers from around the United States will gather in-person to learn, connect, and share!  The 2021 Savvy Shopkeeper Retreat is coming up very soon, and I want to make sure you have all the details. In today's episode, I'm sharing what you can expect to learn at the retreat, as well as special details about group activities, the venue, swag bags, and a brand new...

If we want our retail businesses to scale and grow, we can't do it alone. That means that we have to hire—and hiring well requires having a system in place.  Hiring can be overwhelming for shopkeepers, mainly because there are so many steps to doing it right. But if you're ready to go from solopreneur to scaling retailer, then you have to boss up!  Today I'm sharing a ten-step roadmap to hiring su...

I talk about profit a lot—after all, the Savvy Shopkeeper slogan is work less, profit more! But I don't talk about profit just for vanity or for making more and more money. It's so much more than that.  Profit lets us compensate ourselves for our hard work, retire our spouses, and support our families. Profit makes us stronger business owners. Most of all, profit helps us build businesses that hav...

Stale inventory can bore your regular customers and hurt your bottom line. But deciding what to do with dead inventory can be tricky! Today, I'm sharing my three-stage system for dealing with tired items so that my store feels fresh—without just slapping a discount sticker on. For show notes, visit www.savvyshopkeeper.com/episode80   Learn more about Kathy Cruz and Savvy Shopkeeper at Savvy Shopke...

We all have programmed thoughts that guide our day-to-day lives. No matter what age we are, these unintentional beliefs are always there, influencing our choices. Usually, our brains are trying to protect us from harm with these beliefs. But sometimes these thoughts can stand in our own way and keep us from growing. The good news, though, is that we can choose what thoughts we believe. Today I'm s...

Each month, members in the Shopkeepers Lab and Master Shopkeepers get a new live lesson on a relevant topic taught by me or a guest expert. Today I'm giving you a sneak peek of what these lessons are like by sharing a recent lesson about the omnichannel retail experience. Listen in to this special episode for a comprehensive overview of omnichannel retail, why micro retailers should embrace them,...

After countless conversations in the Shopkeeper's Lab and Master Shopkeepers, I'm ready to say it: you need a bookkeeper in your independent retail business.  Today, I'm sharing the five reasons why you need a bookkeeper, Savvy Shopkeeper resources that can help you if YOU want to be the bookkeeper for your business, and why having your financial records in order is so empowering for shopkeepers....

In this bonus episode, I'm answering some of the common questions I receive about Master Shopkeepers, our Mastermind group for Brick and Mortar retail store owners. For those considering this fantastic mastermind, I want to help answer your questions and clarify what and who the group is for. This group only opens to new members by application three times per year.   This application closes on Jun...

Wholesale platforms like Faire and Tundra are more popular than ever before with store owners. But many wholesale makers prefer to sell independently to protect their profit margins. There's one big roadblock for independent makers, though, and they might not even realize it: they need to match the convenience of these platforms in their own systems and processes.  Today I'm sharing seven ways to...

There are shops of all sizes in the Savvy Shopkeeper community, but one of the largest clocks in at 12,000 square feet!  Christy started out in a smaller retail space of 4,000 square feet before expanding to her current location, plus storage container and warehouse space for extra inventory. In today's interview, Christy shares why she loves owning a furniture business, how she delegates critical...

Opening one brick-and-mortar store can be challenging enough, but today's Shopkeeper Story comes from a member of Master Shopkeepers that owns four and she's opening more in the future! Jennifer always knew that she wanted to run her own business. When she opened her first store, Paper Luxe, she was still working full time as an online business manager. Her store really took off, though, when she...

Many of the shopkeepers we've interviewed have been in Master Shopkeepers for a year or more. Bren, though, is a newer Master Shopkeepers member and a new shop owner. She opened Plantstay in Gainesville, Florida just seven months ago!  After working in marketing for companies big and small, Bren knew she wanted to venture out on her own. She established a customer base through pop-up events before...