The Resilient Retail Game Plan - retail insights, retail trends and best practices

Welcome to another episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan podcast, hosted by me, retail expert Catherine Erdly. In this episode, I'm getting right to the heart of one of the biggest challenges for independent product business owners: pricing your products with confidence. Whether you’re creating your own products or reselling others’, pricing often brings up tricky questions, self-doubt, and ev...

Why Strong Profit Margins Matter More Than Sales in Your Product Business Let’s be honest. Selling more doesn’t always mean you’re making more. In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan podcast I share why strong profit margins are the foundation of a sustainable product business. I’ll walk you through how to calculate your real margins how to spot the most common mistakes including ones I...

Hear that stockroom hum? Let's talk about it Ever felt like you’re building your indie product business with one hand on the till and the other on the panic button? This week on the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’m cracking open five years of the Resilient Retail Game Plan podcast vault to bring you the biggest, most valuable independent retailer tips I’ve learned (and lived through) across 25 year...

In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’m joined by Shopify web design expert Pip Hounslow for a deep dive into website conversion rates. We chat about what’s considered “normal”, why your conversion rate might be lower than you’d expect, and the small tweaks that can make a big difference to your sales. Pip also shares tips on improving your add-to-basket button, ensuring your websit...

It’s no secret I’m a big fan of Bird & Blend, so chatting with co-founder Mike Turner at Retail ROAR was a real treat. From a single market stall to 25+ shops across the UK, Mike and his co-founder Krisi have built something truly unique. In this episode—a sneak peek from our Retail ROAR 2025 summit—Mike shares how Bird & Blend grew from iced tea samples and hand-packed blends into a belov...

What if your next sale is hiding in your Instagram comments? This week on the podcast, I’m diving into social listening and social care with the brilliant Brooke Sellas, founder of B Squared Media and host of the Social Media CX Podcast. We get into the real reason you need to respond to those “Do you ship to ___?” questions—and how your answers could be the tipping point for someone making a purc...

If managing your stock feels like a total guessing game, you’re not alone. And it’s not your fault. In this episode, I’m breaking down why so many product business owners feel completely overwhelmed by stock decisions and what you can start doing about it. We’re talking about: Why “gut instinct” isn’t a stock strategy The silent cost of overbuying (or underbuying) stock How to break out of the cas...

Get a look at how one founder built a product business with staying power. This episode is a sneak peek into Retail ROAR, my free annual virtual summit for product business owners.   I’m joined by Claire Burrows, founder of Air & Grace. She shares how she built a values-led footwear brand known for comfort, quality, and loyal customers. We talk about manufacturing setbacks, staying close to your c...

Storytelling gets talked about a lot, but what does it actually look like day to day? With AI-generated content flooding our feeds, original stories are more powerful than ever. Today, Char Dixon is here to tell us why. We talk about how to make your content feel more like a conversation, why your behind-the-scenes moments are more valuable than you think, and how to stop overthinking your posts a...

What do you do when your business looks like a success, but doesn’t feel like one?   Katie Glickman started Bibbilyboo after struggling to find a bib that worked for her own child. What began with a sewing machine at the kitchen table grew into an award-winning business, with over 64,000 bibs sold and stockists across the UK, including the country’s largest baby store. But success doesn’t always f...

As a product business owner, taking time off can feel like a luxury you simply can’t afford. There’s always something that needs your attention—customers, orders, stock, marketing. The idea of stepping away can feel more stressful than restful.   In this special 250th episode, I’m sharing a rare behind-the-scenes look at my own business. Last month, I took three separate trips, and it made me...

Today, I’m joined by luxury knitwear designer Genevieve Sweeney, who’s been part of both our Retail By Design mastermind and the Stock Doctors programme. In this conversation, she shares how those programmes helped her move a long-held idea into action, which was bringing part of her production in-house after nearly a decade in business. It’s a shift that’s given her more control over stock, space...

Grab your essential FREE guide  - How to clear excess stock without damaging your brand. -----   What do you do when your business grows, but your pay doesn’t? It’s a common issue for product business owners. Today, we’re talking about how to pay yourself sustainably.   Paying yourself from your product business isn’t always straightforward. In this episode, I’ll explain why it’s mo...

Join my Free Webinar - Scale To 7 Figures Without The Overwhelm on Wednesday April 30, 2025, at 10am UK time. Discover proven strategies that help you grow your business sustainably and profitably. ------- In this episode, I’m breaking down a hard truth for product-based business owners: What got you here, won’t get you there. If you're a retailer stuck at six figures—or feel like your business is...

Grab your essential FREE guide  - How to clear excess stock without damaging your brand. ----- Thinking about using TikTok for your retail business, but unsure where to start—or if it's worth your time? In this week's episode, I talk to Penny Walker, TikTok strategist and founder of BarBrusa Social, about how to get started (or smarter) on the app.   She breaks down how TikTok’s search f...

Grab your essential FREE guide  - How to clear excess stock without damaging your brand. -----   You don’t need a hefty budget to create displays that customers can’t resist. How you present your products in a physical space can directly impact how customers shop and what they spend. Whether you’re running a brick-and-mortar store, setting up at pop-ups, or showcasing at events, visual merchandisi...

We’re in Q2 already! Time to take a step back, have a proper look at your numbers, and set yourself up for a strong second quarter.   In today’s episode, we’re going to chat about why it’s so important to know your numbers right now. Let’s review how Q1 went, make any necessary adjustments, and get you ready for the next 90 days.   For many of us, Q2 can be a bit quieter, which makes it the perfec...

How do you go from zero to over a thousand stockists in under two years? That is exactly what we are talking about today. I am joined by Andrew Kemp, co-founder of Bare Kind and Candid Founders, a YouTube channel helping businesses grow through wholesale. Bare Kind is not your average sock company. They sell socks that save animals, supporting 40 different charities along the way, and they have su...

Grab your essential FREE guide  - How to clear excess stock without damaging your brand. ----- For small businesses, every customer counts. But how do you turn a one-time buyer into a loyal customer? It’s not just in having great products, but it’s in your emails. Today, I’m joined by Hannah Spicer, an email marketing strategist who knows what it takes to keep customers coming back. She’s worked w...

Signup for the Must-Attend Summit for Small Product Businesses - its FREE and designed for YOUR business! ----   What if I told you that in just two days, you could completely transform the way you run your retail business? After working with countless retailers, I know one thing for sure—the right strategies can make all the difference. And that’s exactly why I created Retail ROAR.  And now, it’s...

Grab your essential FREE guide  - How to clear excess stock without damaging your brand. ----- Why do big retailers manage stock so differently from small businesses? Their approach can seem like a completely different world, but there’s a lot to learn. Especially about cash flow and profitability. Today, I’m joined by Paola Maggiulli, a merchandising expert and one of our Stock Doctors at The Res...

Signup for the Must-Attend Summit for Small Product Businesses - its FREE and designed for YOUR! ---- I couldn’t be more excited to introduce you to Retail ROAR 2025! If you run a product-based business, whether as an independent retailer, e-commerce seller, or brand, this is the event you cannot afford to miss.   Retail ROAR is a free, two-day online summit happening on March 20th and 21st, desig...

Grab your essential FREE guide  - How to clear excess stock without damaging your brand. -----   Social media moves fast. It can feel overwhelming to keep up with, especially when you're running a product business. But staying ahead of the trends doesn’t mean spending all your time online.   I sat down with Janine Hardy, freelance social media manager and owner of Connected Inspired...

Grab your essential FREE guide  - How to clear excess stock without damaging your brand. ----- Have you ever found yourself wondering whether you’re truly making the most of your stock? Or perhaps questioned why a certain buying decision didn’t quite work out when that stock arrives? Then you’ll relate to Victoria Clark’s story today.   Victoria is the founder of Readymoney Beach Shop in...

  Unleash your sales potential in 2025 with a tailor-made retail sales plan! Join the 5-day challenge - 10th - 14th February 2025 inside the Resilient Retail Club Membership! ------- Do you have a plan for the year? If not, you're not alone. A lot of planning-your-year advice out there is geared toward service businesses that often suggest December as the time to plan, right when retailers are foc...