The Retail Whore: Recent Episodes
Michelle Sherrier
Welcome to The Retail Whore by me, Michelle Sherrier: a podcast of stories and lessons from a life in retail. After decades spent in the retail industry, I’ve seen and done it all. Join me every week as I interview people from all walks of retail, the service industry, the wholesale gift industry, and more. We’ll talk about what drives them, the things they love, and some of the biggest lessons they have learned along the way. Brace yourself for The Retail Whore, a show that entertains and educates!
Michelle Sherrier is joined by co-host Susan Esayian and special guest Kate Kauffman, owner of Grease & Glitter Studio, for Part 2 of this special Shelf Talk Holiday Edition. Together, they continue the conversation with even more practical ideas for holiday merchandising, creative inspiration, and cost-effective displays that independent retailers can put into action before the busy season begins.
In this episode, Michelle, Susan, and Kate dive deeper into where great merchandising ideas come from, how to develop a holiday concept without overspending, and simple ways to create memorable displays on any budget. They also share their favorite inspiration sources, discuss budgeting with clients, and offer practical window and tabletop display ideas that retailers can start planning now before the holiday rush.
What's Inside:
- Where to find holiday merchandising inspiration and develop a cohesive seasonal theme
- How to budget wisely for displays and invest in props you'll use year after year
- Budget-friendly window and tabletop display ideas that create a big impact
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In this episode, Michelle, Susan, and Kate dive into holiday merchandising from every angle, from planning months in advance to creating displays that feel intentional instead of overwhelming. They share ideas for layering holiday throughout the season, building memorable customer experiences, using simple props on any budget, and why storytelling through merchandising matters more than ever for independent retailers. This is part one of their Holiday Edition conversation, with even more ideas coming next week.
What's Inside:
- How to start planning holiday merchandising before the busy season begins
- Budget-friendly display ideas that create a big visual impact
- Why thoughtful merchandising and customer experience help independent retailers stand out
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Emily Brooker is the creative director and owner of Esme and Elodie, a women's and plus size boutique in Renton, Washington. Esme and Elodie is known for being size inclusive, sex positive and humor filled. Emily guides her vision of social entrepreneurship and the modern woman into a community focused retail space.
In this episode, Emily shares how she built a thriving boutique by doing things differently. From creating an inclusive shopping experience and staying unapologetically authentic online to balancing entrepreneurship with motherhood, she opens up about the realities of running a modern retail business and why putting people before sales has been the key to her success.
What's Inside:
- Building an authentic, inclusive brand that customers genuinely connect with
- Creating thoughtful retail experiences that put people first
- Growing a successful business while balancing motherhood, leadership, and entrepreneurship
Esme & Elodie Website
Instagram
Tiktok
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This week’s guest is Trudi Bartow, Director of Sales & Marketing at the Unemployed Philosophers Guild. Trudi joined the gift world via the preeminent art book publisher Harry N. Abrams and created unique opportunities for sales at gift retailers like Neiman Marcus, Crate & Barrel, Barneys and Sur La Table, including custom designer editions and exclusive bundles.
After 15 years working with various publishers, she joined the fantastic team at the Unemployed Philosophers Guild as their Director of Sales and Marketing. Bringing her enthusiasm for the industry to this smart and funny gift creator she is helping the brand grow into new categories and expanding existing programs.
Trudi is universally loved throughout the gift industry and after listening to this interview, we’re sure you will walk away feeling the same!
Unemployed Philosophers Guild
Instagram
Main Street Books
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Fresh off multiple Dallas Market setups and heading into Las Vegas Market, Michelle shares what's working, what's changing, and how she's rethinking her buying strategy for the season ahead.
In this episode, Michelle reflects on her recent projects, including the Levant showroom and a unique merchandising project for The Brit outdoor venue. She also shares why she's dialing back assortments, embracing branded merchandise opportunities, and taking a more intentional approach to buying at market. From avoiding over-assortment to creating scarcity and keeping inventory fresh, this episode is packed with practical insights for retailers preparing for their next buying season.
What's Inside:
- Lessons learned from Dallas Market and the Levant project
- How branded merchandise can create new revenue opportunities
- Why Michelle is changing her buying strategy to avoid over-assortment
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In this episode, Michelle shares a completely different style of Retail Whore Podcast episode recorded live from the Seattle Mart, where seasoned retailers shared their best advice for new store owners. From learning your numbers and building smarter markdown strategies to creating stronger customer experiences and merchandising with intention, this episode is packed with honest conversations and real retail wisdom.
Michelle and Susan also continue the conversation from the road as they dive deeper into store layout, storytelling through merchandising, fixtures that actually support your brand, and why trying to be everything to everyone can hurt your business. Plus, Michelle reflects on a personal Mother’s Day trip, balancing work and life on the road, and the emotional realities of family relationships while building a business.
We have linked all of the buyers who were kind enough to share their advice in this episode so you can go support and follow their stores:
• Jasper – Vashon Island Pharmacy and Gift Store
• Beth Rich – Mix It Up Home, Gallery & Gifts (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
• Rochelle – Edit an Olive & Bloom Company (Snohomish, Washington)
• Marie – Marie’s Boutique & Marmalade Fresh Clothing (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
• Alicia – Paper Delights (Burien, WA)
What’s Inside:
- Why knowing your numbers and creating a markdown strategy matters
- How merchandising actually starts during the buying process
- The importance of creating a customer experience through layout, fixtures, scent, sound, and storytelling
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Kate Kauffman is the owner of Grease & Glitter Studio, a Vermont-based creative design studio serving retailers throughout New England and beyond. She specializes in visual merchandising, store flow and layout optimization, and striking window displays. Drawing on more than 10 years of industry experience with brands like Anthropologie and West Elm, Kate helps independent retailers elevate their customer experience, increase foot traffic, and drive sales.
In this episode, Kate shares how her years at Anthropologie and West Elm shaped her approach to merchandising, storytelling, and customer flow. Michelle and Kate dive into the psychology behind store layouts, visual merchandising strategies for independent retailers, creating impactful displays on a budget, and why merchandising is so much more than making a store “look pretty.” They also discuss the future of merchandising, retail creativity, and the importance of building memorable shopping experiences that keep customers engaged and shopping longer.
What’s Inside:
- How visual merchandising and customer flow directly impact sales
- Creative ways to build impactful displays without huge budgets
- Lessons from Anthropologie and West Elm that independent retailers can use today
Mentioned In This Episode:
Grease & Glitter on Instagram
Grease & Glitter on Website
Grease & Glitter on Facebook
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For all of us who are merchandisers, Amy Meadows has the dream career. She has over 25 years of experience in window display, visual merchandising, and event planning.
Recognized nationally in her field, Amy has reinvented traditions and reinvigorated business for both major retailers and independent businesses. From big boxes to boutiques, she helps businesses explore and leverage tools to attract customers and drive sales. Amy helps her clients align their storefronts, signage and displays to work together to build their brand and increase revenue.
As a designer, Amy uses her background in theatrical set design to bring a sense of whimsy and drama to her installations, maximize visual stimulation and develop cost-saving display strategies. Through consulting, she creates best practices, methodologies, and practical strategies for a wide range of visual initiatives and outcomes.
Additionally, Amy has created course content to inform and inspire the next generation of designers, with an emphasis on relevance in a changing retail landscape. Amy’s also a public speaker, and she conducts seminars specializing in time and cost-effective display solutions for independent retailers and business districts.
In this episode, Amy returns to the podcast to share practical visual merchandising strategies that independent retailers can implement right away. Michelle and Amy dive into store layouts, window displays, customer behavior, holiday merchandising, and the psychology behind creating spaces that attract shoppers and drive sales. Whether you're preparing for show season, planning holiday displays, or simply looking for fresh merchandising ideas, this episode is packed with actionable insights from one of the industry's leading experts.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What's Inside:
- The secrets behind effective window displays and visual merchandising that drive sales
- How to create better customer flow using store layouts, focal points, and "interruptive fixtures"
- Holiday merchandising strategies, display planning, and ways to keep customers engaged year-round
Mentioned In This Episode:
Windows Matter
Amy Meadows on Instagram
Amy Meadows on LinkedIn
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Do you ever wonder who makes those chalkboard signs at Trader Joe's? Well, that's how Benjamin Soto got started—drawing Trader Joe's signs by day and designing band merch at night for Fearless Records.
In 1998, Ben was recruited by Paul Frank to help kick off the massive millennial pop-culture brand Paul Frank Industries. Ben managed the brand creative for about 10 years, which meant involvement with character designs, the tee and fleece program, pajama prints, photoshoots, trade show booths, retail spaces, collaborations/licensed products. They even let him voice Julius the Monkey on the pilot show of Yo-Gabba-Gabba.
In 2008, Disney Animation called and gave Ben the job of helping to create and Art Direct a cartoon based on Evel Knievel's daredevil culture. The Emmy nominated show Kick Buttowski had 52 episodes and aired between 2010-2012. Ben eventually left Disney to partner up with some other entrepreneurs to start the next creative adventure: C-Preme. They had captured "lightning in a bottle" with their 3-D youth bicycle helmet brand, Raskullz. Within three years, they had sold over 3 million helmets and countless other outdoor products. C-Preme sold to Bell Helmets (Easton Bell Sports) in 2014.
Ben stayed on working for Bell Helmets until the next idea hit: a colorful cooler manufactured like a bicycle helmet. Target accepted a huge order; patents were in the works, and before the dust settled, they sold their company to Igloo Products Corp. in 2016. Ben is still at Igloo, managing creative for the cooler brand. You might've seen a little bit of Ben in the VW Playmate bus, retro coolers, eco coolers, licensed coolers, and the packaging and marketing of the brand. Igloo sold to Dometic in 2021 for a lot more money than anyone ever dreamed of.
Michelle and Ben dive into Ben’s amazing career, from Paul Frank to Igloo, and his extensive experience with graphic design. Ben shares stories from past trade shows (before the days of social media) and the wild ride that was Paul Frank in the early days. Michelle and Ben also discuss his transition to Disney, then Igloo, living in Hong Kong, and where Ben looks for inspiration.
What’s Inside:
- How Ben got started at Paul Frank and stories from the early days.
- Ben’s experience working at Disney and Igloo.
- How Ben finds his inspiration.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Benjamin Soto portfolio
Paul Frank
Kick Buttowski
Raskullz
Igloo
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In this episode, Michelle shares how thoughtful retail architecture can completely transform a store by maximizing space, improving flow, and creating displays that feel abundant without becoming cluttered. She dives into practical merchandising techniques, creative tabletop styling, and the importance of layering products to create visually engaging and shoppable spaces.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s Inside:
- How to use retail “architecture” to create more sellable space
- Tips for styling tabletops, shelves, and round displays without clutter
- Simple merchandising tricks to create balance, storytelling, and flow
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In this episode, Michelle and Susan dive into the creative chaos behind preparing showroom displays for upcoming gift shows, including their process for brainstorming concepts, sourcing inspiration, and creating memorable retail experiences. They also explore the growing importance of in-store events, community-driven shopping experiences, and how retailers can use social media to stay connected and relevant in today’s retail landscape.
What’s Inside:
- Behind-the-scenes of designing showroom displays for Atlanta Market
- Why in-store events and community experiences are transforming retail
- How retailers can use social media to drive traffic and customer connection
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Jon Dario is an author, speaker, and retail management expert. His latest book, titled AIM: How Managers Get Radically Reliable Results, is a how-to guide that helps retail organizations instill a culture of action item management and drive consistent execution, even in the dynamic world of retail. The principles behind AIM were built over the course of Jon's career with some of the top retailers in the world, including Macy's, Gap, Bank of America, and Travelex. Jon is currently the CEO of a NYC metro real estate company that manages different retail businesses, he is the professor of retail marketing at Seton Hall University, and he is the founder of The Retail Management Formula, a company that provides consulting services to retailers of all sizes and types.
In this episode, we dive deep into what truly separates average managers from exceptional leaders in retail, and how consistent execution, clear communication, and strong team culture can completely transform store performance.
Drawing on decades of real-world experience, Jon shares practical, field-tested strategies that help managers drive results, motivate teams, and eliminate the common breakdowns that happen inside retail businesses.
What's Inside:
- How to create a culture of accountability without micromanaging
- Why sharing numbers with your team is the key to performance
- The “bad apple effect” and how to protect your team culture
Mentioned In This Episode:
Website
Instagram
Youtube
X/Twitter
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Jacque Leonard is the founder and CEO of Roux Collective, a boutique salon, spa, and retail destination in Paso Robles, California. With more than 30 years of experience in the beauty industry spanning sales, marketing, retail, and behind-the-chair culture, she has built a business rooted in both connection and curation. Jacque believes retail is deeply personal — it is not just about what people buy, but how they feel when they walk through the door. Through Roux Collective, she brings together beauty, wellness, fashion, and heartfelt hospitality to create an experience that genuinely impacts people’s lives.
In this episode, Jacque shares the real story behind building a multi-dimensional business that blends salon, spa, and retail into one powerful customer experience. From taking risks and backing herself when funding wasn’t guaranteed, to navigating growth, hiring, and redefining what retail looks like—this is a masterclass in intuition-led business and staying true to your vision.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s inside:
- How Jacque transitioned from sales rep to salon + retail owner—and why backing yourself matters
- The power of experience-driven retail (and why connection will always outperform transactions)
- Lessons in hiring, culture, and protecting your business vision at all costs
Mentioned In This Episode:
Website
Instagram
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After over a decade working in advertising agencies on both Madison Avenue in NYC and in Los Angeles, Meredith turned her passion for marketing to retail marketing and merchandising when she and her husband Michael purchased the historic Fair Oaks Pharmacy in 1990. Together they restored it and added the iconic soda fountain which became an instant success along Route 66 and the site of a host of numerous television and movie shoots.
After selling the Pharmacy in 2005, she created her own jewelry line, Pokerchip Girl, which was a smash success in many Las Vegas casinos and nationwide. She also spent a few years working as a Strategic Marketing Consultant to the California Gift Show.
In 2010 Meredith and Michael bought Webster’s Community Pharmacy in Altadena, CA. As with The Fair Oaks Pharmacy, the goal was to restore and revitalize this neighborhood independent pharmacy to its former glory days by adding a versatile gift and fashion accessory boutique, along with updating the pharmacy to include state of the art technology.
In 2014, Meredith Miller expanded her footprint and opened Meredith M, a trend-friendly women’s apparel and fashion accessories boutique. The business received numerous accolades, but Meredith made the decision to close the doors in 2019 due to the changing landscape of the apparel industry.
Meredith Miller is committed to filling a void in the community marketplace, contributing to the local economy and to the revitalization of the North Lake Avenue Corridor in Altadena, CA. Meredith has created multiple community programs including Fancy Food Truck Fridays and is a regular promotional donor to Altadena organizations such as Altadena Heritage, Altadena Historical Society, Altadena Chamber, Altadena Guild, Pasadena Humane, Young & Healthy and more.
Giving back to the community with her time and talent is of equal importance to her. Meredith has been a board member of the Pasadena Humane Society as well as the Vice President and President of the Altadena Chamber of Commerce. Meredith recently served as a Board Member at Young & Healthy, Pasadena; and currently as a Marketing Committee Member at Pasadena Humane. Meredith also gives back to her profession by writing magazine articles, giving seminars and serving on advisory boards in the Gift Industry.
In this episode, you’ll hear how Meredith built, scaled, and rebuilt retail businesses through strategic merchandising, storytelling, and community leadership — including navigating crisis and turning retail into a powerful hub for connection and economic recovery.
What’s inside:
- How to transform a traditional retail space into a destination that drives traffic and sales
- The role of community in sustaining and rebuilding retail businesses during crisis
- Why experiential merchandising is the key to long-term retail success
Mentioned In This Episode:
Website
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
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In this episode, we dive into the real, raw challenges of retail floor planning—from frustrating “dead spots” that refuse to convert, to the strategic shifts required to improve store flow, increase visibility, and ultimately drive sales. You’ll hear a behind-the-scenes breakdown of what actually works (and what doesn’t), including real-life examples from the floor, how customer movement impacts buying behaviour, and why your store layout should always be evolving.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s Inside:
- Why “dead spaces” happen—and how to identify them using your sales data
- The psychology of customer movement (and how poor flow kills conversions)
- Practical floor planning strategies to increase visibility, traffic, and sales
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Margo Kopman lives, eats, and breathes all things retail. With over 15 years of retail consulting experience as the President of Project Retail, Margo is extremely passionate about inspiring clients with her vision and authenticity when tackling the complex business of the independent retailer. She believes that you can achieve the highest levels of success if you work hard, believe in your dreams, and stay focused on results.
She grew up in a family that instilled a strong work ethic and a character built on integrity. Soon after graduating from Southern Methodist University, she followed her dreams and opened Byrd, a contemporary women’s boutique in her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. As an owner & buyer of an independent retail store, she understands the ins and outs of the business, having experienced it firsthand.
Margo’s passion for the science of retail-led her down the path of consulting independent retailers like herself. Because of her ability to simplify complex data & analytics paired with her strong critical thinking skills, she coaches her clients to maximize the opportunities while facing the challenges head-on. Margo embodies the skill set and the drive for success needed in the independent retail world of today.
In her free time, you can find her soaking up the Los Angeles, CA sunshine. She loves being outdoors, surfing, cooking, traveling, and spending time with family & friends. Margo is committed to the pet rescue movement through animal rescues and shares her loving home with her little white dog, Bubbie.
In this episode, we dive deep into the numbers behind retail success—breaking down open-to-buy, inventory strategy, and the real reason many stores struggle with cash flow and profitability.
What’s Inside:
- Why open-to-buy is the key to controlling cash flow and inventory
- How overbuying, underbuying, and over-assorting are quietly killing your sales
- The truth about reports, sell-through, and making smarter buying decisions
Mentioned In This Episode:
The Project Retail
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
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In this episode, Michelle and Susan recap their experience at the ASD Las Vegas trade show, sharing what makes it different from traditional markets and why it can be a valuable supplemental resource for retailers. They also explore creativity beyond the store through The Artist’s Way, and dive into a mix of thoughtful and unexpected questions that reveal real merchandising lessons, personal stories, and behind-the-scenes retail insights.
Ask Michelle and Susan for Shelf Talk! Michelle and Susan will be co-hosting an episode every month! We’re diving into all things design, display, and merchandising—and we want to hear from you! Got a question? Submit it by going to theretailwhorepodcast.com, clicking on SHELF TALK, and we’ll answer it in an upcoming episode. Let’s talk shop and bring your ideas to life!
What's Inside:
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- Key insights from the ASD Las Vegas trade show and how it fits into a retail buying strategy
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- A conversation on creativity in retail inspired by The Artist’s Way
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- Honest merchandising lessons, mistakes, and real behind-the-scenes stories
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Jamie Carl is the Owner + Founder of Serge + Jane in Mpls, MN, a Lifestyle Boutique featuring Men's, Women's, Kids, Pets, Vinyl, Home + Gifts in a 3 story shop (4 including an open air rooftop where they host fashion shows, trunk shows, pop-ups + always a DJ + dance party). She spent 15 years at Target Corporation across Merchandising, Buying, and Marketing before leading the Internal Events Team, producing everything from Board Meetings to 10,000 person National Team Meetings with guest speakers, musicians, and fashion shows. She later stepped away to focus on family while fine-tuning her vision for the shop. In this episode, Jamie shares how she translated large-scale event expertise into immersive in-store experiences.
Misty Stachel is the founder and owner of 85 Local, a boutique that blends locally made goods with unique, high-quality finds while supporting small businesses. With a strong focus on curation, merchandising, and community, she creates an elevated and inspiring shopping experience through events, vendor partnerships, and thoughtful displays. In this episode, Misty shares how she leverages local makers and trends to drive engagement and customer loyalty.
Emily Butler is the co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Karson Butler Hospitality Co. and the visionary behind the historic Ah Louis Store in San Luis Obispo. She has reimagined the 150+ year old shop into a hospitality-driven retail experience, blending curated gifting with community initiatives like The Bell Society and Mahjong Social Club. With nearly two decades in event design and brand strategy, she brings a unique lens to modern retail. In this episode, Emily shares how hospitality and storytelling can transform retail into a space for connection.
In this episode, Jamie, Misty, and Emily break down how modern retailers are evolving beyond traditional selling into experience-driven spaces that build community, increase foot traffic, and create long-term customer loyalty through events, merchandising, and intentional in-store strategy.
What’s Inside:
- How retailers are using Mahjong and events to drive foot traffic, community, and repeat visits
- The real economics behind workshops, classes, and in-store experiences (and where profit actually comes from)
- Practical ways to start small with experiential retail—from setup and staffing to product strategy and partnerships
Mentioned In This Episode:
Oh My Mahjong
Mini Mahr
Bo & Mei
Jamie Carl
FacebookSergeandjane.com
Serge and Jane on Instagram
Mahjong Montage - wholesale tiles + gaming pieces, decor, apparel and more
Gumball Poodle - socks
Soiree Sisters - napkins + gifts
Misty Stachel
85 Local on Instagram
85 Local on Facebook
Emily Butler
InstagramAh Louis Store
Karson Butler Hospitality Co.
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Meghan Wagner is the owner of The Go Girl Shoppe, a unique retail store located in Mebane, NC. She began her entrepreneurial journey in 2012 with a mobile shop on wheels, offering a curated selection of home décor and gifts. In 2014, she opened a brick-and-mortar location in Raleigh, NC, and after 8 successful years, relocated to a larger store in Mebane in 2019. As a local to Mebane, Megan wanted to bring a little happiness to the corner of downtown, with a shop that constantly evolves with new décor and seasonal items.
The Go Girl Shoppe prides itself on offering one-of-a-kind pieces that bring a smile to customers’ faces and foster a sense of community. Megan believes in the importance of relationships and connections, ensuring that every customer feels like they are walking into a place where they belong. Whether you're entering as a stranger or a longtime customer, Megan and her team are dedicated to making everyone feel like family.
In this episode, Meghan shares how she built a thriving retail business rooted in connection, creativity, and customer experience—along with the real behind-the-scenes of running a store through every season.
We are incredibly grateful for everyone who listens to and shares this podcast! If you’ve found value in our episodes and want to help us keep creating, we’ve made it easy through Buy Me a Coffee. Any contributions from $5 up to $200 help cover the real costs of podcasting—editing, hosting fees, and everything else that goes into bringing you quality content. It's a way for you to invest in the conversations and topics that matter to you. Head to buymeacoffee.com/retailwhorb, and as always, thank you for your continued support!
What’s inside:
- How to create a loyal customer base through genuine relationships and community-building
- Smart merchandising, buying strategies, and adapting to trends while knowing your customer
- Creative ways to drive sales through in-store experiences, events, and storytelling
Mentioned In This Episode:
Episode 206: Creating Connection and Community through Retail with Meghan
Instagram
Facebook
Go Girl Shoppe
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Tori Dahl’s passion for scent began when she was a little girl growing up on three acres in the Texas hill country. In the spring, Mountain Laurel would bloom with fragrant purple blossoms. On Saturday mornings she would wake to the sound of her father mowing the lawn and open her window to breathe in the scent of freshly cut grass mixed with Mountain Laurel. Years later, that scent still triggers memories of comfort and home.
Smell and emotion are stored in our brains as one memory. This is why fragrance has the powerful ability to influence our mood and well being.
With a background in business, design, and home decor, Tori understands the importance of curating beautiful spaces not only through art and furnishings but also through fragrance. In 2019 she began developing a line of home fragrances and perfume. Her collection is built around custom blended signature scents made with carefully selected ingredients. Each fragrance is thoughtfully named to reflect the emotion or feeling it evokes.
The signature fragrances Love, Clarity, Refuge, Shine, Serenity, Escape, and Tranquility are available in wax melts, linen and room sprays, reed diffusers, and perfume.
With every breath, her hope is to help people reconnect with meaningful memories while creating a beautiful atmosphere within their homes.
In this episode, Tori shares the story behind her fragrance brand and the inspiration that came from childhood memories, creativity, and a passion for designing meaningful spaces. She discusses the process of creating signature scents and how fragrance can shape the emotional experience of a home.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s Inside This Episode
- Why scent and memory are so strongly connected in the brain
- The process behind creating custom signature fragrances
- How fragrance can transform the mood and atmosphere of a home
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
The Dahl Farmhouse Website
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Emily Webb is the owner of Emily's Garden. She is 69 years old and lives three miles from a town of 154 people in the northern Sierras of California. She comes from a family of artists and designers who are all good with their hands. She started Emily's Garden in 1981 as a manufacturing company in her laundry room, beginning with a scented hot pad. Over the years she grew, acquiring sales reps and show rooms across the country. The scented hot pads quickly gave way to personal care, with fabric microwavable products like aromatherapy neck wraps, booties and eye pillows sold to high end hotel spas and gift shops like the Pebble Beach Resort, Ritz Carlton and Fairmont.
In the early 2000's she created custom designs and private labeling for stores and national catalogs like Smith & Hawken, Red Envelope and The Wedding Channel, shipping large volume orders from a 150 year old building in Taylorsville with a team of seven. In 2009 she stepped away from mass production and opened a 270 sq ft. retail store in Quincy, CA. She loved it even though she made almost no money. She sold beauty. She sold pretty. She sold nature. Her window displays became known throughout town and after she left, Main St. never felt the same.
At 67 she was burnt out from a lifetime of go, go, go. She closed her store and retired. Today she keeps a small display in the Made in Plumas County store and an active website, spending her time hiking and foraging with her dog, working in her garden and creating flower arrangements from the flowers she grows.
In this episode she shares how she built a national wholesale brand from her laundry room, why she chose creativity over scale when mass production no longer felt aligned, and what burnout, reinvention and retirement look like when you choose beauty, nature and quality of life over constant growth.
We are incredibly grateful for everyone who listens to and shares this podcast! If you’ve found value in our episodes and want to help us keep creating, we’ve made it easy through Buy Me a Coffee. Any contributions from $5 up to $200 help cover the real costs of podcasting—editing, hosting fees, and everything else that goes into bringing you quality content. It's a way for you to invest in the conversations and topics that matter to you. Head to buymeacoffee.com/retailwhorb, and as always, thank you for your continued support!
What’s inside:
- Growing from handmade beginnings to national wholesale accounts
- Staying true to your retail identity instead of chasing trends
- Redefining success through simplicity, creativity and quality of life
Mentioned In This Episode:
Pinterest
Facebook
Emily Garden Website
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In this episode I recap a busy show season, share lessons from designing and buying for multiple showrooms and stores, and explain how reports, floor plans, and thoughtful merchandise windows can revive retail sales and creativity. I also talk about testing categories, moving away from what doesn't work, building seasonal delivery windows, and tips for keeping stores fresh and inspiring.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What's inside
- How using sales reports transformed buying choices and revealed what to stop or grow.
- Practical merchandising moves: four big store flips a year, cross-merchandising, and delivery windows to keep inventory fresh.
- Trend highlights and product ideas: bright fruit and Mediterranean vibes, food-themed kids' items, men's gift growth, and giftable personal care.
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In this episode, we’re fresh off the Gift Show and gearing up for ASD as we unpack why “treasure hunt” buying might be the smartest margin move independent retailers can make right now. From under-the-radar vendors to bold color trends and food-inspired merchandising, we’re sharing what excited us most on the show floor and how to turn it into sales.
We also dive into why bright, joyful product is everywhere, how heritage ornament buying differs from trend-driven holiday, and how thoughtful storytelling, yes even with pasta and ribbon, creates moments customers remember and buy from.
Ask Michelle and Susan for Shelf Talk! Michelle and Susan will be co-hosting an episode every month! We’re diving into all things design, display, and merchandising—and we want to hear from you! Got a question? Submit it by going to theretailwhorepodcast.com, clicking on SHELF TALK, and we’ll answer it in an upcoming episode. Let’s talk shop and bring your ideas to life!
What’s Inside:
- ASD as Hidden Margin Goldmine. Why this show flies under the radar, what categories are surprisingly strong including fashion, beauty, licensed, and regional, and how treasure hunt sourcing can increase profitability.
- Trend Takeaways from the Floor. Chartreuse, lilac, cabana stripes, Mediterranean vibes, sardines, citrus, farm to table displays, pressed florals, and bold joyful color everywhere.
- Storytelling That Converts. From charcuterie inspired displays and tomato vine candles to ribbon bars and heritage ornament strategy, how to merchandise with intention, not just product.
We also talk about Dallas being up, independent retail momentum, education at trade shows, and why wrapping paper and ribbon might be your most underrated marketing tool.
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Stephanie Beringhele is a mom of two amazing kids, the creator and host of Retail Revelations Inside the Deal, and the VIP Buyer Relations Director at ASD Market Week. She builds and leads high-impact programs that connect retailers with the most on-trend wholesale products from around the globe because great merchandising should not be boring or overpriced.
In this episode, Michelle sits down with Stephanie to unpack how buyers and small retailers can find unexpected profit, merchandise smarter, and use trade shows like ASD Market Week as a strategic advantage. Stephanie shares real-world tactics for sourcing high-margin on-trend products, practical ways to merchandise high and low assortments, and how to navigate international sourcing and tariffs without getting overwhelmed.
We are incredibly grateful for everyone who listens to and shares this podcast! If you’ve found value in our episodes and want to help us keep creating, we’ve made it easy through Buy Me a Coffee. Any contributions from $5 up to $200 help cover the real costs of podcasting—editing, hosting fees, and everything else that goes into bringing you quality content. It's a way for you to invest in the conversations and topics that matter to you. Head to buymeacoffee.com/retailwhorb, and as always, thank you for your continued support!
What’s inside:
- How to hunt for high-margin pet rock finds, where to look on the show floor, and why the unlikely booths often pay off the most
- Practical merchandising tips to fuse low-cost and premium items for bigger markups and a stronger store story
- How ASD’s neighborhoods, matchmaking, and buying tours help independents navigate international sourcing, container versus small-batch options, and tariff challenges
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
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Jessica Rennard is the President of NuSource, a female-led micro-wholesale platform powering the demand side of resale. With 15+ years in circular fashion, she partners with leading brands to turn excess, returned, and take-back inventory into scalable resale channels—bridging sustainability goals with real revenue. Known for building from the ground up, Jessica brings a pragmatic, operator’s lens to how brands can unlock value, visibility, and longevity in the secondhand economy.
In this episode Jessica walks us through how NuSource sources, sorts, and redistributes returns and excess inventory to resellers and retailers — creating predictable secondary channels that protect brand value and reduce landfill. We dig into operations, pricing strategies, merchandising one-offs, live selling, and how resale can become a true acquisition channel for brands.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s inside
- How brands can turn returns and take-back programs into revenue streams — real examples and pricing tiers (Lululemon, OGL, and others).
- The warehouse playbook: sorting tech, grading, fulfillment flows and how to scale one-off inventory operations without breaking margins.
- Retail tactics that work: merchandising one-offs, department takeovers, and live selling strategies to drive urgency and higher sell-through.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
Facebook
The NUSOURCE Website
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Natalie Kracht is the owner and creative force behind Natural Grind and The Collective in Grundy Center, Iowa. What started as a small coffee shop dream has grown into a thriving community hub known for its warm atmosphere, inspired merchandising, and deeply personal touch. Natalie has built her businesses with an artist’s eye and an entrepreneur’s heart—curating clothing, home décor, gifts, and coffee experiences that make people feel seen, welcomed, and connected. She brings together quality craftsmanship, trend-forward style, and intentional storytelling, earning Natural Grind recognition among Iowa’s standout coffee shops and establishing The Collective as one of the area’s most thoughtfully curated boutiques.
In this episode, Natalie returns for part two of her conversation with Michelle, diving deeper into the realities of modern retail. From shared brick-and-mortar spaces and POS challenges to selling apparel online, staffing, live sales, and knowing when to say no, this episode is a candid look at what it really takes to keep a retail business moving forward in today’s climate.
We are incredibly grateful for everyone who listens to and shares this podcast! If you’ve found value in our episodes and want to help us keep creating, we’ve made it easy through Buy Me a Coffee. Any contributions from $5 up to $200 help cover the real costs of podcasting—editing, hosting fees, and everything else that goes into bringing you quality content. It's a way for you to invest in the conversations and topics that matter to you. Head to buymeacoffee.com/retailwhorb, and as always, thank you for your continued support!
What’s Inside:
- How shared retail spaces, staffing, and separate POS systems can actually work
- The truth about selling apparel online, discount culture, and customer bartering
- Why consistency, live selling, and trusting your instincts matter more than ever
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
Facebook
The Natural Grind Website
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Natalie Kracht is the owner and creative force behind Natural Grind and The Collective in Grundy Center, Iowa. What started as a small coffee shop dream has grown into a thriving community hub known for its warm atmosphere, inspired merchandising, and deeply personal touch. Natalie has built her businesses with an artist’s eye and an entrepreneur’s heart—curating clothing, home décor, gifts, and coffee experiences that make people feel seen, welcomed, and connected. She brings together quality craftsmanship, trend-forward style, and intentional storytelling, earning Natural Grind recognition among Iowa’s standout coffee shops and establishing The Collective as one of the area’s most thoughtfully curated boutiques.
In this episode, Natalie walks through the leap from healthcare to hospitality and retail, how she turned a coffee shop into two thriving retail concepts, and the pivots that kept her business growing through COVID and personal tragedy. She shares practical buying and merchandising lessons, how to set the right price points for your market, and why community-first service fuels repeat business.
What’s inside
- How Natalie went from healthcare administration to opening a coffee shop—and eventually a boutique—with no prior retail experience
- The lessons she learned from blending coffee, apparel, and gifts under one roof (and when it makes sense to separate them)
- Honest insights on pricing, merchandising, buying apparel, and adapting your business to your market and seasons
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
Facebook
The Natural Grind Website
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In this episode, Michelle walks through how she tackles post-holiday blues in-store and as a buyer—sharing practical merchandising strategies, sale philosophy, and ways to reinvent existing inventory to keep stores fresh and profitable through January and beyond.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What's inside:
- Reset fast: Run a decisive post-holiday sale (Michelle’s go-to is 50% off) to recover cash, then reinvent remaining stock instead of dumping everything.
- Reinvent and recolor: Use “coloring out,” regrouping, and cross-department moves to make random or low-stock items feel new and abundant.
- Seasonal strategy shift: Adapt buying cadence for local demand (e.g., strong January sales in tourist markets), keep bread-and-butter SKUs, and take creative risks to avoid complacency.
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In this episode, Michelle Sherrier and Susan Esayian catch up after a busy market season and dive into what they’re seeing on showroom floors, in merchandising, and across the retail industry. From traveling showrooms and sourcing props to staying relevant as trends shift, they unpack what’s really happening behind the scenes—and what retailers need to be paying attention to next.
Ask Michelle and Susan for Shelf Talk! Michelle and Susan will be co-hosting an episode every month! We’re diving into all things design, display, and merchandising—and we want to hear from you! Got a question? Submit it by going to theretailwhorepodcast.com, clicking on SHELF TALK, and we’ll answer it in an upcoming episode. Let’s talk shop and bring your ideas to life!
What’s Inside
- How showroom merchandising is evolving (and what’s not working anymore)
- Why staying relevant creatively matters more than ever in retail
- The future of merchandising, legacy brands, and where the next generation fits in
Mentioned In This Episode:
susan@ruepatois.com
Ruepatois.com
Rue Patois on Instagram
MC Design Collaboration on Instagram
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In this episode, Michelle closes out 2025 with a reflective solo episode about change, resilience, and retail. She shares her move from California to Oregon, joining her local Downtown Business Association, lessons from closing stores, strategies for surviving tariffs and fast-forward retail changes, and plans for 2026 including writing a book and possibly opening a new store. Honest, practical advice for retailers facing hard choices—and encouragement to lean into new opportunities.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What's inside:
- Why community involvement and small-town retail revitalization can be a meaningful next step (and how Michelle is getting involved in Medford’s Downtown Business Association).
- Practical survival tactics for retailers: high/low buying, extending show time, cutting costs, pricing strategy amid tariffs, and where to find higher-margin merchandise.
- Personal stories and mindset: lessons from store closures, managing ego, protecting mental health, and embracing change (plus plans to write a book).
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Sean Jimenez is a former retailer turned wholesaler with over 25 years in the industry. He currently manages more than 40 sales reps for a multi-million-dollar novelty sock and design company based in Santa Cruz, California. Over the course of his career, Sean has built apparel programs for Fortune 500 companies, managed full design teams for large private-label programs, worked in off-price, and sold everything from Hawaiian shirts to $50,000 stereo systems. He’s met more than a few characters along the way, made as many friends as possible, and lives by the rule: never say no — there’s always a way; try to be kind to everyone you meet, because you never know when you might need them, and you can never have too many friends. When he’s not working (which isn’t often), Sean works on the house, spends time with his wife and kids, occasionally drinks and smokes too many cigars (apparently), and has been playing in a band for about 12 years. Rock and roll, baby.
Rachel Blackwell has been with Socksmith for six years, leading the company’s marketing efforts with a focus on building meaningful partnerships and standout brand experiences. Originally from the UK, she began her career with Volkswagen before trading British drizzle for California sunshine — thanks to a fateful trip to Las Vegas and one tall, dark, and handsome Californian. At Socksmith, Rachel oversees everything from social campaigns to retail support programs, including the brand-new Retailer of the Year (ROTY) initiative. Whether she’s crafting engaging content or finding fresh ways to support stockists, Rachel brings a creative, strategic, and fun approach to everything she does.
In this episode, Sean and Rachel pull back the curtain on what it really takes to build a values-driven brand in today’s retail landscape. From decades of relationship-first selling to modern marketing strategies that actually support independent retailers, this conversation dives deep into leadership, loyalty, and long-game thinking in wholesale, marketing, and brand building.
We are incredibly grateful for everyone who listens to and shares this podcast! If you’ve found value in our episodes and want to help us keep creating, we’ve made it easy through Buy Me a Coffee. Any contributions from $5 up to $200 help cover the real costs of podcasting—editing, hosting fees, and everything else that goes into bringing you quality content. It's a way for you to invest in the conversations and topics that matter to you. Head to buymeacoffee.com/retailwhorb, and as always, thank you for your continued support!
What’s Inside
- How Socksmith supports independent retailers beyond discounts — from marketing assets to community-first initiatives
- Why relationships, consistency, and showing up still matter more than ever in wholesale and sales leadership
- A behind-the-scenes look at Socksmith’s new Retailer of the Year (ROTY) program and how it celebrates creativity, merchandising, and community impact
ROTY Blog and Info Page
Become a Socksmith Retailer Here
Socksmith Website
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This week’s guest is Nathan Waldon, Founder of Everything for Nathan & Co. After a bazillion plus years of product development for the big guys, nothing ever scratched his retail itch like opening his own eponymous shops. He doesn’t really know how to describe the satisfaction he gets, but he can tell you it's true and beyond satisfying. His advice to young entrepreneurs is to do it, but do it smartly. In April they celebrate 16 years of sweetness - OR is that sweet sixteen? We were so thrilled to interview Nathan and we are sure you will feel the same once you listen to this episode!
In the words of Nathan...Whichever way of saying it - being a retail whore is ok. Be proud. But, be smart. There's nothing like retailing through a pandemic (or a financial collapse in 2008) to give you some wits about your business. Be grateful for tough times. Learn. Savor. Make a plan.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
Mentioned In This Episode:
Nathan & Co.
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Laci Hewett is the founder and CEO of Saltwater Boys Company, a premium coastal-inspired boys’ clothing brand based on Saint Simons Island, Georgia. What started as one crab tee sold in a Facebook mom group has grown into a thriving lifestyle brand carried by hundreds of boutiques, Ron Jon Surf Shop, and two flagship retail stores.
In this episode, Laci shares the real story behind her rapid rise from accidental entrepreneur to leading a beloved national brand—while juggling motherhood, marriage, and massive growth.
We are incredibly grateful for everyone who listens to and shares this podcast! If you’ve found value in our episodes and want to help us keep creating, we’ve made it easy through Buy Me a Coffee. Any contributions from $5 up to $200 help cover the real costs of podcasting—editing, hosting fees, and everything else that goes into bringing you quality content. It's a way for you to invest in the conversations and topics that matter to you. Head to buymeacoffee.com/retailwhorb, and as always, thank you for your continued support!
What’s Inside
- How one simple idea turned into a booming wholesale and retail business
- The realities of scaling quickly—cash flow, trade shows, growth pains, and boundaries
- Why authenticity, community, and showing up as yourself still win in retail today
FacebookSaltwater Boys Co. Website
Instagram
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Lana Trantham runs Grace and Grit, a small-town emporium-style business selling unique kitchen and bath goods, organic pantry staples and handmade personal-care items. Lana learned retail and pottery merchandising from her mother while homeschooling four children; she now helps local makers sell through booth-style retail and community events.
Janet Calhoun is a sixth-generation potter and co-owner of Traditions Pottery in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. She learned pottery at her family’s production pottery and built a retail presence over decades—hosting twice-yearly wood-fired kiln openings, selling both wholesale and retail, and blending generational artisan techniques with modern retail strategies.
In this episode: Lana and Janet discuss multi-generational craft traditions, building and merchandising small-town retail, collaborating with local makers, staging kiln openings and seasonal planning, and strategies for keeping community retail alive.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s inside:
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How family legacy and signature glazes/shapes create a collectible pottery brand and customer loyalty.
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Practical retail tactics for small-town shops: booth-style emporiums, cross-merchandising, monthly events, and partnering with local government for rent support.
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The logistics behind seasonal planning for handmade goods: kiln timing, wholesale collaborations, and balancing online sales with in-person tourist seasons.
Bolick and Traditions Pottery Instagram
Bolick and Traditions Pottery Website
The Local Exchange Instagram
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S+J is a Lifestyle Boutique featuring Men's, Women's, Kids, Pets, Vinyl, Home + Gifts in our 3 story shop, (4 including their open-air rooftop where they host fashion shows, trunk shows, pop-ups + always a DJ + dance party)!
Jamie spent the first 15 years of her career in Retail at Target Corporation. She started there in Merchandising in Girls Toys, then was promoted to a Buyer position in School Supplies and Home Office. She then moved into the Marketing Team, first in a Licensing role and then into Advertising for Apparel & Accessories. She spent her last 9 years there working on and leading the Internal Events Team. She was responsible for Board Meetings all the way up to 10,000 person National Team Meetings with guest speakers, musicians, fashion shows and more!
She left her role at Target when she couldn't balance two big jobs within retail in one family and took the opportunity to stay home with her two young boys for several years. She was Room Parent, co-chaired school fundraisers and cheered my boys on from the sidelines at all their soccer, basketball and lacrosse matches, all while fine-tuning her vision for the shop and "visually re-merchandising" her house for each holiday!
Michelle & Jamie jump right into it discussing her career at Target, meeting her now-husband, also at Target and how her passion for fashion and her husband’s passion for music ultimately inspired them to open Serge + Jane.
We are incredibly grateful for everyone who listens to and shares this podcast! If you’ve found value in our episodes and want to help us keep creating, we’ve made it easy through Buy Me a Coffee. Any contributions from $5 up to $200 help cover the real costs of podcasting—editing, hosting fees, and everything else that goes into bringing you quality content. It's a way for you to invest in the conversations and topics that matter to you. Head to buymeacoffee.com/retailwhorb, and as always, thank you for your continued support! What’s inside:
- How Jamie climbed the ranks at Target — and why she walked away from her dream job.
- The creation of Serge & Jane — inspired by fashion, music, and meaningful design.
- The behind-the-scenes story of how she and her husband built one of the most beautiful lifestyle stores in the country.
FacebookSergeandjane.com
Serge and Jane on Instagram
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Julie Schwarz is an East Coast native with over 30 years of experience in the service and retail industries. She’s run a catering company, built a farmers market business from the ground up, and now owns The Mom-Up Shop—a curated vintage store in Long Beach that helps fund her nonprofit, Project WomanGood, which supports survivors of domestic violence. After spending 15 years living in Boston, where she attended Simmons University, Julie began her career in the retail management program with dreams of becoming a buyer and eventually earned her B.A. in Creative Writing. During that time, she immersed herself in the city’s retail culture, often exploring the original Filene’s Basement, where she discovered her lifelong love of the hunt and the thrill of a great deal.
A single mom and passionate community advocate, Julie believes that true customer service can transform any experience—because it’s not about price, it’s about connection. Whether she’s curating treasures in her shop, guiding women through her nonprofit, or simply showing up for her community, Julie’s mission is to create spaces that are warm, welcoming, and empowering. Her story is one of grit, heart, and purpose—proof that resilience can be beautifully reinvented.
Fun fact: for her 12th birthday, Julie chose a shopping trip to White Flint Mall with her girlfriends—home to Lord & Taylor, the second Bloomingdale’s in the D.C. area, and the only East Coast I. Magnin. Retail, it seems, has been in her soul ever since.
In this episode, Julie shares how she transformed decades in the service industry into a purpose-driven mission that blends vintage style with social impact.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s inside:
- The evolution from retail to advocacy—how experience shaped her purpose.
- The story behind Project WomanGood and creating safe spaces for survivors.
- The art of resilience and turning personal struggle into community strength.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
Facebook
Website
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Mary Liz Curtin is passionate about independent retail. With over 35 years of hands-on experience in the gift, craft, and home industries, her deep understanding of retailers, vendors, and sales representatives gives her a one-of-a-kind perspective. Known for her “Sales and Marketing Therapy,” Mary Liz is an internationally recognized expert who advises manufacturers on marketing, sales, and management issues. A lively and humorous speaker, she captivates audiences at trade shows and conventions with insights on building a brand, running a business, and staying sane in retail. She is also the owner of Leon and Lulu, a 15,000-square-foot destination lifestyle store located just outside Detroit in a vintage roller-skating rink, known for its eclectic installations, a greeting card shop, and a restaurant in a former movie theater.
Michael Schultz is the co-owner and creative visionary behind Cursive New York, a brand rooted in cultivating joy. Together with his husband, Douglas Duncan, he operates two West Village stores offering curated gifts, stationery, and home products. After over a decade in Grand Central Terminal and 15 years within ABC Carpet & Home, Michael and Douglas reimagined Cursive’s future post-pandemic, reopening with renewed purpose and expanding into home goods.
Andrew Gawdun, along with his partner Bryce, runs curious… in Hermosa Beach, California. Andrew’s journey began in photography before transitioning into retail when he met Bryce at the store in 2012. Together, they expanded curious… to Kauai, only to face setbacks when a truck crashed into their new location shortly after opening. Undeterred, they rebuilt, adopted their daughter Willow, and navigated the challenges of retail during the pandemic—eventually deciding to focus on their Hermosa Beach store while maintaining a love for Kauai and hopes to return one day.
In this episode, these three beloved independent retailers return for a lively, laughter-filled roundtable conversation about the realities of retail today. From navigating tariffs and shipping nightmares to creative merchandising and keeping customers inspired, they offer a candid, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to thrive in an unpredictable industry.
We are incredibly grateful for everyone who listens to and shares this podcast! If you’ve found value in our episodes and want to help us keep creating, we’ve made it easy through Buy Me a Coffee. Any contributions from $5 up to $200 help cover the real costs of podcasting—editing, hosting fees, and everything else that goes into bringing you quality content. It's a way for you to invest in the conversations and topics that matter to you. Head to buymeacoffee.com/retailwhorb, and as always, thank you for your continued support!
What’s inside:
- Tariffs, Shipping and Survival — Hidden costs, customs chaos and how small retailers stay afloat.
- Holiday Merchandising and Magic — Planning, execution and connecting customers to seasonal stories.
- Future of Independent Retail — Pricing pressures, vendor struggles and why authenticity still wins in 2025.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Mary Liz
Leonandlulu.com
Leon and Lulu on Instagram
MichaelCursivenewyork.com
Cursive New York on Instagram
Andrewwww.curiousworkshop.com
Curious on Instagram
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In this episode, Michelle Sherrier opens up about her hands-on experience transforming Lucy’s store and reflects on the deeper role merchandising plays in retail success. From buying strategies to storytelling through displays, she highlights why embracing change is essential when working with a consultant. Michelle also unveils her new monthly Zoom consulting option, designed to bring expert insights to retailers at an accessible price point.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s inside:
- Behind-the-scenes of Lucy’s and Southwest Reflections renovations—and what made them successful.
- Why merchandising is more than displays—it drives sales, customer experience, and brand storytelling.
- How Michelle’s new Zoom consulting can support retailers who need fresh eyes without breaking the bank.
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Polly Helm was born and raised in Kentucky. She has a BA from Eastern Kentucky University and a Masters in Organizational Communications from Miami of Ohio. In 1994 she left corporate sales and moved from KY to Wisconsin to start two small businesses with her husband—a retail store and a construction company. They did both for about 10 years and then decided to join efforts and focus on the retail store.
They have expanded 3 times and today have a 5000 square foot store in a refurbished barn (parts are new) and a 3000 sq. foot design center next door in an old granary building. Located in a tourist area, their business is very seasonal, so they’ve faced the challenge of making it a year-round success. Currently, they employ 14 people—5 full time. Polly and her husband have survived the challenges of 2008, the pandemic, and even a six-month highway closure.
They also raised their two daughters in the business. In 2017, their oldest daughter Ellie was tragically killed in an ATV accident. Since then, they have started a foundation in her name and dedicated a section of their store where 100% of the profits go to supporting mental health programs in their community. Both Polly and her husband are deeply involved locally, serving on several boards and continually finding ways to give back.
In this episode, Polly Helm shares the story of building and growing a thriving seasonal retail business, the resilience it takes to weather tough challenges, and the joy of combining community involvement with entrepreneurship.
We are incredibly grateful for everyone who listens to and shares this podcast! If you’ve found value in our episodes and want to help us keep creating, we’ve made it easy through Buy Me a Coffee. Any contributions from $5 up to $200 help cover the real costs of podcasting—editing, hosting fees, and everything else that goes into bringing you quality content. It's a way for you to invest in the conversations and topics that matter to you. Head to buymeacoffee.com/retailwhorb, and as always, thank you for your continued support!
What’s Inside:
- How Polly and her husband grew their barn-turned-store into a 5000 sq. ft. retail space and a 3000 sq. ft. design center.
- The realities of running a highly seasonal business and the creative strategies they use to generate year-round revenue.
- The personal and professional resilience needed to survive economic downturns, a pandemic, and personal tragedy while still giving back to their community.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
Facebook
Door County Nature Works Website
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Born in June 1969 and raised in Southwest Washington state, Reshell Douglas grew up surrounded by entrepreneurship, learning the ropes of retail in her family’s bridal salon where she worked in sales, buying, and merchandising. By age 14, she was already attending trade shows as a buyer, and throughout the 1980s she gained hands-on experience in retail sales at Nordstrom, JC Penney’s, and Hickory Farms. In 1990, she married her husband Scott, with whom she recently celebrated 35 years, and in 2003 they welcomed their beloved daughter, Ellery. In 2000, Reshell opened her brick-and-mortar store, Not Too Shabby Boutique, which continues to thrive today. With over two decades in business, she embraces her role as a creative and passionate small business owner, living her best entrepreneurial life—and dreaming of one day continuing her story on a beach.
In this episode, Reshell “Shelly” Douglas shares her inspiring 25-year journey of owning and evolving Not Too Shabby Boutique in Vancouver, Washington. From her early beginnings in the bridal industry to navigating economic downturns, shifting trends, and the challenges of COVID, Shelly reveals how adaptability, creativity, and strong customer relationships have been the key to her long-term success.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s Inside:
- Shelly’s evolution from working in her family’s bridal salon to running her own boutique for 25 years
- How she pivoted her business through changing times, from shabby chic to gift baskets, and thrived even during economic downturns and COVID
- The importance of building customer and employee relationships, working the sales floor, and staying inspired as a small business owner
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
Facebook
Not Too Shabby Boutique Website
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Amber Baker is the creative force behind Sandy Bottom Candle Co., a coastal-inspired candle brand she launched five years ago with a mission to bottle up the essence of coastal living in a cleaner burning soy candle. What began as a hobby at home quickly turned into a full blown business. Known for its signature layer of beach sand in each jar, it is a nod to its breezy, ocean-born roots.
In 2023, Amber expanded her vision by opening up Boho Bungalow, a brick-and-mortar shop that brings together her hand-poured candles and carefully curated, locally made goods. Boho Bungalow is more than a store—it's an experience.
Amber is a passionate student of the retail world, often turning to podcasts to deepen her understanding of the industry. She believes in the power of emotional connection in retail and curates her space with that in mind—every display, scent, and shelf tells a story. Her work celebrates community, craftsmanship, and a life well-scented.
In this episode, Amber Baker shares her journey from a hobbyist candle maker to a wholesale and retail business owner. Amber dives into the challenges of balancing wholesale and retail operations, creating a unique and welcoming store experience, and supporting local artisans in a seasonal market.
We are incredibly grateful for everyone who listens to and shares this podcast! If you’ve found value in our episodes and want to help us keep creating, we’ve made it easy through Buy Me a Coffee. Any contributions from $5 up to $200 help cover the real costs of podcasting—editing, hosting fees, and everything else that goes into bringing you quality content. It's a way for you to invest in the conversations and topics that matter to you. Head to buymeacoffee.com/retailwhorb, and as always, thank you for your continued support!
What's Inside:
- Amber’s transition from the restaurant industry to launching a successful candle line and expanding into a retail storefront
- How she strategically balances wholesale accounts alongside her brick-and-mortar store and local market engagement
- Tips for finding and curating locally made goods to create a compelling and community-focused retail space
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
Facebook
Sand Bottom Candle Website
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Susan and Michelle reconnect for another insightful episode of Shelf Talk! They start by sharing their experiences from recent gift shows in Vegas and New York, and how they both took the time to decompress and recharge at home. Susan reveals the challenges and excitement of managing holiday decor for new stores, including dealing with inventory mishaps.
The duo dives deep into merchandising strategies, emphasizing the importance of sales reports in driving successful displays and the value of consistent visual storytelling. They share their favorite fall display elements such as faux fur, wrapped boxes, books, wood boxes, and natural items like corn stalks and pine needles — all perfect for creating inviting and cohesive displays.
Susan and Michelle then answer listener questions, covering topics like maintaining high-end jewelry displays in busy boutiques, balancing decor without overshadowing products, when and how often to refresh displays, tips on folding clothing for consistency, introducing higher price-point lines, and creative ways to pull together vignettes for add-on sales.
Ask Michelle and Susan for Shelf Talk! Michelle and Susan will be co-hosting an episode every month! We’re diving into all things design, display, and merchandising—and we want to hear from you! Got a question? Submit it by going to theretailwhorepodcast.com, clicking on SHELF TALK, and we’ll answer it in an upcoming episode. Let’s talk shop and bring your ideas to life!
What's inside:
- Managing holiday inventory and overcoming shipping challenges
- Favorite fall display props and natural elements for store ambiance
- Creative vignette ideas for increased add-on sales and storytelling
Mentioned In This Episode:
susan@ruepatois.com
Ruepatois.com
Rue Patois on Instagram
MC Design Collaboration on Instagram
Support the show
In this episode I’m bringing you behind the scenes of what life and business have looked like lately — from the whirlwind of travel and shows, to returning home, resetting, and preparing for an exciting fourth quarter. I open up about lessons learned, new projects, and the power of trusting your gut when things no longer align.
What’s inside
- Lessons from show season and why walking away from misaligned opportunities was the best decision
- A behind-the-scenes look at working with a new retail client and creating concepts that truly drive business
- My step-by-step process for tackling floor shifts, preparing for fall, and setting up for a successful holiday season
Support the show
Gauge and his wife opened their business just over two years ago with a simple idea: support local makers and small businesses while crafting a few products of their own. That 'few' quickly turned into more… a lot more. Today, they make and sell over 300 different items—everything from all-natural cleaning solutions to DIY kits. As you can probably tell, Gauge has a bit of an ADD approach to creating, constantly dreaming up new ideas! In January 2024, they took a leap of faith and expanded into wholesale, and now their products are on the shelves of nearly 170 retail stores across the country.
Here's a fun fact: last year, Gauge got one of his favorite quotes, “Do it afraid,” tattooed on his side—a reminder that sometimes the best things come from diving in, even when it’s scary. This mindset has been with them every step of the way, and Gauge can't wait to see what’s next in their journey.
In this episode, Gauge Bailey shares the journey of growing a retail and wholesale business from the ground up. Gauge dives into the challenges and rewards of supporting local makers, expanding into wholesale, and the risks they’ve taken to build a successful brand.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What's Inside:
- Gauge’s journey from a hobbyist to creating over 300 handmade products
- How they expanded into wholesale and now serve 170 retail stores
- The key to balancing a full-time job, retail business, and creativity
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
Facebook
Still Magnolia Website
Support the show
Cass is a luxury line of leather goods designed and made in California by Debra Szidon. A Jersey girl who now calls California home, Debra blends East Coast sophistication with West Coast ease in every design she creates—from leather handbags to interior spaces and botanical elements.
The idea for Cass began with a vintage handbag Debra had held onto for years. Its shape, structure, and simplicity always seemed to work, always seemed to get people talking. When she decided to restore the bag and make it accessible to others, it felt only right to name the line after her father, Cass. Growing up, she spent weekends in his autobody shop, watching him restore vintage cars. His entrepreneurial spirit and love for craftsmanship inspired Debra to build something of her own with that same attention to detail.
With a background in interior design (her work is both award-winning and published), a degree in horticulture, and a passion for thrifting, Debra’s work combines natural elements, timeless style, and unexpected details that feel both new and classic; free-spirited and refined. Each Cass piece is designed with intention—built to last and meant to be passed down.
In this episode, Debra shares how her passion for craftsmanship and design led her to create Cass, a luxury leather goods brand that celebrates legacy and quality. She talks about the inspiration behind her handbags, the lessons learned from her father, and the challenges and rewards of maintaining local production in California.
We are incredibly grateful for everyone who listens to and shares this podcast! If you’ve found value in our episodes and want to help us keep creating, we’ve made it easy through Buy Me a Coffee. Any contributions from $5 up to $200 help cover the real costs of podcasting—editing, hosting fees, and everything else that goes into bringing you quality content. It's a way for you to invest in the conversations and topics that matter to you. Head to buymeacoffee.com/retailwhorb, and as always, thank you for your continued support!
What's inside:
- The inspiration behind Cass and how a vintage handbag sparked the brand's creation.
- How Debra’s father’s craftsmanship influenced her design philosophy and entrepreneurial journey.
- The process of keeping production local in California and designing products that are built to last.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
Facebook
The Cass Clutch Website
Cocoon Home Website
Support the show
Meghan Wagner is the owner of The Go Girl Shoppe, a unique retail store located in Mebane, NC. She began her entrepreneurial journey in 2012 with a mobile shop on wheels, offering a curated selection of home décor and gifts. In 2014, she opened a brick-and-mortar location in Raleigh, NC, and after 8 successful years, relocated to a larger store in Mebane in 2019. As a local to Mebane, Megan wanted to bring a little happiness to the corner of downtown, with a shop that constantly evolves with new décor and seasonal items.
The Go Girl Shoppe prides itself on offering one-of-a-kind pieces that bring a smile to customers’ faces and foster a sense of community. Megan believes in the importance of relationships and connections, ensuring that every customer feels like they are walking into a place where they belong. Whether you're entering as a stranger or a longtime customer, Megan and her team are dedicated to making everyone feel like family.
We are incredibly grateful for everyone who listens to and shares this podcast! If you’ve found value in our episodes and want to help us keep creating, we’ve made it easy through Buy Me a Coffee. Any contributions from $5 up to $200 help cover the real costs of podcasting—editing, hosting fees, and everything else that goes into bringing you quality content. It's a way for you to invest in the conversations and topics that matter to you. Head to buymeacoffee.com/retailwhorb, and as always, thank you for your continued support!
What's Inside This Episode:
- The Origin Story of The Go Girl Shop: From a mobile shop on wheels to a thriving brick-and-mortar business.
- Building Relationships with Customers: Megan shares how her family-focused approach fosters long-term connections.
- Merchandising Magic: Insights into curating unique shopping experiences and evolving the store with new products.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
Facebook
Go Girl Shoppe
Support the show
Linnaea is the passionate owner of a beloved Santa Cruz institution that has evolved into a creative hub for American-made art, design, and feel-good goods. She first joined the store as a 16-year-old seasonal hire in 1993 and, 16 years later, celebrated her anniversary by buying the business. Since then, Linnaea has honored its legacy while transforming it into Artisans & Agency, a space that champions craftsmanship, community, and connection.
With a degree in art history, Linnaea brings a curator’s eye and a community builder’s heart to everything she does—from spotlighting emerging makers to introducing Denmark’s Christiania Bikes to the U.S. Together with her husband, Peter, Linnaea continues to shape the store’s future, keeping it fresh and relevant as it nears its 50th anniversary in 2026.
In this episode, Linnaea joins Michelle to share her inspiring journey of buying and evolving the store. They discuss how she transformed the business while staying true to its roots, her passion for community-building, and how she curates a unique shopping experience by introducing new brands and supporting local artists.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s Inside:
- Linnaea’s journey from seasonal hire to business owner and the transformation of the store
- The importance of curating American-made art and design while maintaining community connections
- How Linnaea became the U.S. distributor for Denmark’s Christiania Bikes and expanded her offerings
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
Facebook
Artisans & Agency Website
Support the show
Andrea Hoffer is an experienced Talent Acquisition & Management strategist and entrepreneur, passionate about building exceptional teams. As the founder of aha! Talent Experts, she has helped businesses across the country improve recruitment processes, align hiring with company culture, and develop employer brands that attract top talent.
With over 30 years of experience in recruitment and nearly two decades as a successful business owner, Andrea understands firsthand how great hires drive long-term success. A Certified AI Consultant, she blends technology with human insight to streamline hiring, optimize talent acquisition, and create customized onboarding experiences.
Andrea is also a sought-after keynote speaker and the author of Hire Higher. With a mission to empower both companies and candidates, she specializes in crafting hiring strategies that not only fill positions—but build cohesive, high-performing teams.
In this episode, Andrea joins Michelle to talk about why your hiring strategy might be broken—and how to fix it. They dive into the hiring mistakes most retailers make, the power of an authentic employer brand, and how to leverage simple tools like AI, one-way video interviews, and social media to build an all-star team.
Andrea also introduces her Dream Hire framework and shares tips for creating effective job postings that attract the right people from the start.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s Inside:
- How to write job descriptions and job postings that actually attract the right candidates
- Why “you made an impression” cards help turn great customer service into great hires
- The role of pre-hire assessments, one-way video interviews, and AI in modern retail hiring
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
Facebook
Linkedin
aha! Talent Experts Website
Support the show
Bob Negen is a retail powerhouse, co-founder of WhizBang! Retail Training, and creator of Retail Brilliance, a cutting-edge educational platform for independent retailers. With a storied past as a kite shop owner and over two decades helping retailers master everything from sales to strategy, Bob joins Michelle for a deep, honest, and inspiring conversation.
From weathering tariff chaos to elevating team sales performance, this episode is a must-listen for any retailer navigating today’s unpredictable landscape. With the right mindset, strategic planning, and training, you can not only survive—but thrive.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s Inside:
- Tariffs and Retail Survival: Bob shares actionable strategies to manage rising tariffs without losing profitability or confidence.
- Team Sales Training That Delivers: Learn how average ticket size reveals your top performers and how to train a winning sales team.
- The Power of Retail Brilliance: Explore Bob’s all-in-one training platform for retailers—and a hint at Michelle’s potential merchandising course.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
LinkedIn
Whizbang Website
Whizbang Facebook Group
Support the show
Susan and Michelle are back with another action-packed episode of Shelf Talk! In this conversation, they kick things off with a quick catch-up and get into what it’s like working alongside their husbands, including a juicy business conversation about a car wash.
They dive into plans to collaborate with sponsors and grow the community, what’s in store for the upcoming show season, and the impact of tariffs. Susan and Michelle also tackle submitted questions from fellow retailers on signage and sale strategies and display theme ideas between Christmas and Valentine’s Day and between August and September.
Ask Michelle and Susan for Shelf Talk! Michelle and Susan will be co-hosting an episode every month! We’re diving into all things design, display, and merchandising—and we want to hear from you! Got a question? Submit it by going to theretailwhorepodcast.com, clicking on SHELF TALK, and we’ll answer it in an upcoming episode. Let’s talk shop and bring your ideas to life!
What’s Inside:
- The impacts of tariffs on retailers so far
- Ideas to maximize signage and sales strategies
- How to tackle display designs in between peak seasons
Mentioned In This Episode:
susan@ruepatois.com
Ruepatois.com
Rue Patois on Instagram
MC Design Collaboration on Instagram
Support the show
Steven Henke is the Chief of Brand Marketing at DAP Health.
DAP Health is an advocacy-based community health center in Palm Springs, CA, serving over 88,000 patients. It provides comprehensive medical and mental healthcare, STI testing and treatment, dentistry, pharmacy, and lab services. A wide array of wraparound services enables patients to experience optimal health—these include social services, support groups, alternative therapies, and other wellness offerings.
DAP opened one of California’s first COVID clinics and hotlines to offer screening, testing, and treatment. DAP is also working to address social determinants of health that are causing negative health outcomes during this pandemic, like food and housing insecurity, joblessness, isolation, and access to ongoing healthcare.
DAP’s sexual health clinic offers STI testing and treatment, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and HIV and HCV testing. DAP has also earned Charity Navigator’s highest rating for the twelfth consecutive year—landing DAP in the top 6% of nonprofits rated.
At DAP, Steven plans and implements brand marketing and PR strategies with various stakeholder communities, including businesses, chambers of commerce, volunteers, donors, retail, and media. Steven’s primary areas of focus include visual, written, and digital storytelling on behalf of DAP Health, Revivals Stores, Resource Development events, annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, and capital campaign communications.
Here, Steven shares how DAP’s Revivals Stores serve as a “gateway drug” to life-changing healthcare services. He dives into his career journey from working part-time retail jobs, landing a position at Target Corporate, and eventually making his way to DAP in Palm Springs. Steven also shares details about the annual Revivals After Dark event, how he curates the furniture collection at each store, and the most unique and noteworthy donations.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
What’s Inside:
- How DAP’s Revivals Stores introduce customers to life-changing healthcare services
- How Steven curates the furniture collections at each Revivals location
- Stories about some of the most unique donations at Revivals
Mentioned In This Episode:
DAP Health on Instagram
DAP Health on Facebook
Revival Stores on Instagram
Revivalsstores.com
Revivals Stores on Facebook
Revivals Stores on YouTube
Support the show
Sara Vaskov has been in the San Luis Obispo retail scene for over two decades. She began working at Hands Gallery 22 years ago and became the owner in 2016, leading the shop through years of growth and evolution. Beyond running a thriving small business, Sara is deeply involved in community advocacy. As a board member of the Downtown SLO Association, she played a key role in lowering parking costs through her work on the Parking and Access Committee.
Sara has also been an active participant in the Economic Development Committee with the Chamber of Commerce. Balancing these responsibilities with full-time business ownership has been both challenging and rewarding, allowing her to help shape the future of her local downtown while continuing to curate a unique shopping experience for her customers.
Bailey Weaver is the store manager and creative director of Hands Gallery. Now in her ninth year at the shop and second year as manager, she has helped Hands Gallery earn the title of Best Gift Shop in SLO County for two years in a running now, as voted by New Times readers. She has also expanded the store’s digital reach, growing its Instagram following to over 4,000 and strengthening its online presence. Bailey oversees merchandising, marketing campaigns, and store displays, ensuring everything reflects the brand’s aesthetic. She also attends trade shows to source new and exciting products.
This past year, she collaborated with fellow business owners to successfully advocate for lower parking costs in downtown SLO, reinforcing her commitment to both retail and community engagement. Bailey discovered The Retail Whore Podcast in her first year as manager, finding inspiration and guidance as she navigated her new role, making this opportunity to be a guest feel truly full circle.
Here, Sara and Bailey share how they went from working in the restaurant industry to becoming a superstar mother-daughter retail team. They dive into how they took over Hands Gallery and transformed it into an award-winning store. Sara and Bailey also share how they split responsibilities, how they tackled SLO’s parking challenges, how they approach merchandising, and how they maintain a work-life balance.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s Inside:
- How Sara and Bailey turned Hands Gallery into an award-winning retail store
- How the mother-daughter team splits store responsibilities
- Sara and Bailey’s approach to merchandising
Mentioned In This Episode:
Hands Gallery on Instagram
Handsgallery.com
Support the show
Misty Stachel is the founder and owner of 85 Local, a carefully curated boutique that blends locally made goods with unique, high-quality finds from beyond Arizona. With a passion for retail and community, Misty has created a shopping destination where customers can discover one-of-a-kind gifts, stylish apparel, and must-have home accessories—all while supporting small businesses.
At 85 Local, Misty focuses on thoughtful curation and an elevated shopping experience, helping customers find the perfect gift, refresh their wardrobe, or treat themselves to something special. Whether she’s working with vendors to boost their sales, creating eye-catching displays, or hosting engaging store events, Misty is dedicated to making shopping fun, personal, and inspiring.
When she’s not running the store, you’ll find her sourcing the latest trends, fine-tuning merchandising strategies, and, of course, assembling the perfect gift baskets.
In this conversation, Misty shares how she dove headfirst into the world of retail without any experience. She goes into detail on how she fixtured her store, how she brought her vision to life, and lessons learned along the way. Misty also shares her thoughts on loss prevention, how she sources and screens vendors, plans for the upcoming summer season, and much more.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s Inside:
- How Misty went from stay-at-home mom to retail store owner
- Misty’s strategies for sourcing and screening vendors
- Misty’s plans for the summer season
Mentioned In This Episode:
85 Local on Instagram
85 Local on Facebook
Support the show
Emma Lewis is the owner of Rare Form and The Twentieth, both based in Chicago. Emma works to digitally restore and reinterpret 100-year-old designs to create unique greeting cards, stationery, and more. Through her work, her goal is to empower and affirm others with a brand that combines vintage images with unapologetic contemporary feminist language and over-the-top messages of affirmation.
The Twentieth is a stationery, gift, and design brand that brings historical maximalism together with 21st-century wit and an unapologetic attitude. The brand brings Art Deco imagery into the 21st century with empowering language and more than a hint of sarcasm. Rare Form offers a variety of Emma’s feminist prints, greeting cards, antiques, and other gifts. There, she uses her nerdy, sarcastic sense of humor to create digital collages that combine vintage photographs of women with empowering, contemporary feminist language.
Sonia McMoran spent more than a decade reporting on interior design and technology trends for publications such as The New York Times, Wired, ReadyMade, and Apartment Therapy. While taking a hiatus from journalism, Sonia realized that what she loved most about her job wasn’t the writing, but
the excitement of uncovering cool products and the people who make them and sharing her discoveries with the world. This was the impetus for Home/Work, an affordable and unique shop for the home and home office that celebrates the best in past and present design.
Sasha Varni was raised in Carmel in a family of retailers - it's in her blood! Sasha worked for her mom's candle store growing up and in college. After a brief stint in Italy, Sasha moved to SF and worked for Sephora and bareMinerals. She then moved to Walnut Creek and after taking maternity leave, she decided to go all-in on opening the gift shop Wish with her mom. Thanks to her amazing customers, Sasha has been able to expand her shop and now ships nationwide through her website. This month, Wish is celebrating its 10-year anniversary.
In this first all-female retail roundtable, Emma, Sonia, and Sasha join Michelle to dive deep into their stores and recap the last holiday season. They also share how they like to tackle gift shows, strategies to boost special event attendance, and how to deal with crappy customers and social media trolls. The roundtable wraps up with tips to handle returns and run a successful loyalty program.
Cadeau Ami Agency is solely a road rep agency of 10+ associates that handle the states of CA, AZ, HI, and parts of Nevada for many of their 23 or so boutique/gift brands, such as Chive, SF Mercantile, Sock it to Me, French Broad Chocolate, Pomegranate, Calypso Cards, Good Juju, Ryland Peters & Small, Kei & Molly and has been a part of the industry for over 30 years now.
What’s Inside:
- A recap of the last holiday season
- How to boost attendance at special events
- Tips for handling crappy customers and returns
Mentioned In This Episode:
Wish Walnut Creek on Facebook
Wish Walnut Creek on Instagram
Wishwalnutcreek.com
Shoprareform.com
Home/Work on Instagram
Home/Work on Facebook
Home/Work on TikTok
Support the show
Susan and Michelle join forces again for another episode of Shelf Talk! Here, they kick things off with a recap of Susan’s recent trip to New Orleans and all the fun shops she explored while there. Next, they share some of their favorite displays found on Instagram and discuss their stand-out design elements and features.
Susan and Michelle also discuss how you can recreate these displays in your own store, plans for booking upcoming shows, Mother’s Day display details, and more.
Ask Michelle and Susan for Shelf Talk! Michelle and Susan will be co-hosting an episode every month! We’re diving into all things design, display, and merchandising—and we want to hear from you! Got a question? Submit it by going to theretailwhorepodcast.com, clicking on SHELF TALK, and we’ll answer it in an upcoming episode. Let’s talk shop and bring your ideas to life!
What’s Inside:
- A recap of Susan’s recent trip to New Orleans
- Susan and Michelle’s favorite displays found on Instagram
- Plans for upcoming shows
Mentioned In This Episode:
susan@ruepatois.com
Ruepatois.com
Rue Patois on Instagram
MC Design Collaboration on Instagram
Support the show
Gloria Chou is an award-winning PR strategist and host of the top-rated Small Business PR Podcast. Known for her untraditional yet proven approach to PR which makes visibility and access to media accessible for anyone, Gloria helps BIPOC and female founders get featured organically in top-tier media without needing PR connections or a large following. experience through her signature CPR Pitching Method.
Gloria’s strategies have earned small businesses in nearly every industry niche over a billion organic views and features in outlets like the New York Times, Oprah’s Favorite Things, Vogue, and Forbes without any pay-to-play. A former U.S. Diplomat turned small business advocate, Gloria has been on 100 podcasts and was named "Pitch Writing Expert of the Year" in 2021 as part of the Influential Businesswomen Awards and a Forbes Next 1000 honoree.
In this conversation, Gloria dives into how she got into the world of PR and how she offers a fresh, alternative perspective to today’s “bro marketing” strategies. She shares why it’s important to use your voice to attract your ideal audience and the impact of generational trauma on business and life. Gloria also shares tips for making spaces more inclusive, her experience with psychedelic-assisted therapy, and advice for successful product pitching.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
What’s Inside:
- How Gloria brings a fresh, new perspective to the world of PR
- Tips on how to make spaces more inclusive
- Advice for successful product pitches
Mentioned In This Episode:
GloriaChouPR.com
Gloria Chou PR on X
Gloria Chou PR on Instagram
GetFeaturedNow.com
Support the show
Marrin Costello is an American businesswoman, designer, and brand architect. Her career as a creative began at age seven, after receiving a bead kit for Christmas. Selling her creations at local San Francisco Bay Area craft fairs and local boutique retailers while in grammar school, Costello's love for both business and fashion was realized at a very young age.
Less than a decade later, a childhood hobby has transformed into a global luxury lifestyle brand — with jewelry at its core. While studying at the University of California, Los Angeles, Costello's collection was featured on American Idol — and a business was born. Marrin Costello’s collections have since been
featured in Vogue, Huffington Post, In Style, and US Weekly — and she has personally been recognized as a lifestyle influencer, style icon, and tastemaker.
Here, Marrin walks us through her journey from making jewelry as a hobby to a career in fashion show event production and coming full circle as the owner of a successful jewelry brand. She shares how her life changed after hurricanes Helene and Milton, lessons she learned, and how she bounced back. Marrin also shares how she finds a work/life balance, how her faith helps her through obstacles, and top trending designs for her brand.
For 20% off a purchase from Marrin’s website, use discount code TRW20 or head directly to this link! https://marrincostellojewelry.com/discount/TRW20
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
What’s Inside:
- Marrin’s journey from making jewelry as a hobby to owning a successful brand
- How Marrin bounced back after devastating hurricanes
- Top trending designs for Marrin’s brand
Mentioned In This Episode:
Marrin Costello Jewelry
Get 20% off with code TRW20
wholesale@marrincostello.com
Marrin Costello Jewelry on Instagram
Marrin Costello Jewelry on Facebook
Support the show
Caroline Weaver is an obsessive shopper, former specialty shop owner, and creator of The Locavore Guide. During her years as a shopkeeper, she yearned for a resource to help others understand what it actually means to "shop small" and to share information about why it’s better for everyone.
In a world of algorithms and convenience, most of us have lost touch with the ways in which shopping acts as a gateway for community building. Caroline spent a year walking hundreds of miles through every borough of New York City to get a grip on what’s out there and where to find it and to learn about how the small business economy works on a bigger scale.
Through her research, Caroline discovered that NYC really does have it all. The Locavore Guide is here not only for locating that thing you need to buy but also to help you learn how to use your regular errands as a reason to get out and engage with your surroundings and visit neighborhoods you’ve yet to explore. Join Caroline in seeing the city through the lens of a Locavore!
Here, Caroline shares her journey from running a specialty pencil store in her early 20s to developing the amazing directory that is The Locavore Guide. She dives into all the lessons she learned as a young retail shop owner and why she’s passionate about keeping the pulse on independent retail. Caroline also shares her bicycle-powered sourcing strategy, how she tackled the holiday season, how she decides what goes on sale, and her take on tariffs.
PS -Don’t forget to take Caroline’s Shop Survey (linked below)!
We are doing our first ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s Inside:
- Caroline’s journey from shop owner to developing The Locavore Guide
- Why Caroline’s passionate about taking the temperature of independent retail
- Caroline’s take on tariffs
Mentioned In This Episode:
The Locavore Website
Caroline Weaver on Instagram
The Locavore on Instagram
The Locavore on TikTok
The Shop Survey
Support the show
Andrew Fegler is the brains and beauty behind That’s So Andrew, the sassy gift brand for the girls, gays, and theys. He’s been sailing the entrepreneurial seas for over a decade and has gone from manufacturing to having a brick & mortar to creating an exclusive wholesale brand. Now, he’s full-circling back to open the doors of a pop-up gift shop!
In this conversation, Andrew brings us up to speed on an eventful, busy season and his plans to turn his holiday pop-up shop into a year-round venture. He’s a champion of bringing pay transparency to the world of retail and here, Andrew dives into why it’s important for the industry. Andrew also spills all the tea on his holiday pop-up shop experience, plans for expansion, a full budgeting and inventory breakdown, and more.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
What’s Inside:
- A recap of Andrew’s holiday pop-up shop and his upcoming plans
- Why pay transparency is so important for the retail industry
- Andrew’s budget breakdown
Mentioned In This Episode:
That's So Andrew on Instagram
That’s So Andrew on TikTok
thatssoandrew.com
Support the show
Welcome to Shelf Talk: a brand new, add-on segment inside the Retail Whore Podcast!
In this new once-a-month segment, Michelle and co-host Susan Esayian dive into all things merchandising and design. Both Michelle and Susan have strong backgrounds as buyers and merchandisers in retail and wholesale gifts. On Shelf Talk, you’ll have the chance to submit your burning merchandising questions and get answers straight from the experts!
A native of the Pacific Northwest, Susan Esayian has been working in the gift industry professionally for 26 years in a variety of roles. From merchandising Kitchen-Aid mixers, buying fine tableware and even carrying a four-poster bed up a mountainside for a catalog photoshoot, Susan’s done it all—and that was just in the first 10 years!
Since then, Susan’s kept herself immersed in the gift industry as a buyer for a hospital gift shop and merchandiser for several wholesale showrooms and retailers. For Susan, retail isn’t just a job. It’s a career that she’s inspired by and passionate about more every day.
Here, Michelle and Susan catch up and share details on home reno projects and adjusting to life after the CMA show. They dive into Susan’s new side hustle, the highs and lows of owning a retail store, making use of reclaimed materials, inspiring displays, and more.
Ask Michelle and Susan for Shelf Talk! Michelle and Susan will be co-hosting an episode every month! We're diving into all things design, display, and merchandising—and we want to hear from you! Got a question? Submit it by going to theretailwhorepodcast.com, clicking on SHELF TALK, and we'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Let's talk shop and bring your ideas to life!
What’s Inside:
- An introduction to Shelf Talk
- Post-CMA life updates
- Details on Susan’s new side hustle
Mentioned In This Episode:susan@ruepatois.com
Ruepatois.com
theretailwhorepodcast.com
Rue Patois on Instagram
MC Design Collaboration on Instagram
Support the show
Dan Jablons heads up Retail Smart Guys, a premier consulting company for independent retail. Dan studied at the Ohio State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Production. Throughout his career, he’s worked with big-name retailers like Walmart, Target, JC Penney, American Apparel, Betsey Johnson, Donna Karan, Jimmy Choo, and many others.
Dan also worked for a clothing manufacturer where he piloted vendor-managed inventory programs, a leading point-of-sale provider (where he installed systems and provided merchandising help to retailers large and small) and internet marketing (where he helped retailers establish a presence on the web.)
In addition to his vast retail background, Dan also has a background in improvisational theater. He recently appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm (he played Larry David’s lawyer) and is often seen in national commercials. Dan combines his extensive knowledge of retail with his comedy skills to become one of the industry's most popular speakers. He has spoken at Magic, Surf Expo, at local municipal and trade show events, and many other venues.
In this conversation, Dan provides insights into the concept of open to buy (OTB) and how his company helps stores become more profitable. He shares the strategies he uses to get inventory moving and how to tell a story with your merchandise. Dan also shares his two cents on what’s going on with tariffs, why email marketing is so important, and what it’s like to work with the Retail Smart Guys.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
What’s Inside:
- How Retail Smart Guys helps stores become more profitable
- Dan’s thoughts on how tariffs will impact retailers
- Why you need an email marketing strategy
Mentioned In This Episode:Retail Smart Guys on Instagram
Retail Smart Guys on Facebook
Dan Jablons on LinkedIn
Support the show
Mary Bligh and Jessica Giancotti are lifelong friends and passionate designers with over 20 years of combined experience. Together, they founded Lily & Marigold Home + Design on a shared belief: women can thrive in their careers, embrace motherhood, and create beautiful, functional spaces that truly feel like home.
Mary and Jessica believe a beautiful home should be accessible to everyone. Their first brick-and-mortar store is located in Eastdale Village in Poughkeepsie, NY, where they offer a curated selection of home décor accessories. From candles, pillows, and throws to kitchen essentials and lighting, their unique products are designed to transform your home into a place for gathering, celebrating, resting, and recharging—all without breaking the bank.
In addition to retail offerings, Mary and Jessica provide comprehensive interior design services for both residential and commercial spaces. They see design as a collaborative journey and work closely with each client to create spaces that are both distinctive and meaningful.
As people’s needs at home continue to evolve, they design with these shifts in mind, ensuring that each space is as adaptable as it is stunning. Your home is your sanctuary, and everything in it should be a reflection of your story—where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going.
Here, Mary and Jessica return to the podcast and catch us up on everything that’s happened since the last chat, including a chaotic holiday season. They share their strategy of competing with expensive brands and offering products at a lower price point and how they stay authentic and unique on social media. Mary and Jessica also share details on moving their retail store, how they’re managing inventory and re-merchandising, and where they find inspiration.
What’s Inside:
- A recap of Mary and Jessica’s chaotic holiday season
- How Lily & Marigold competes with higher-end brands
- Details on Mary and Jessica’s upcoming store move
Mentioned In This Episode:
Lily & Marigold on Instagram
Lily & Marigold on Facebook
Support the show
Liz Ferreira’s mom Beth started floral and gift shop Sweetbay out of her home when her two children were small. Over the years, her business has taken her to several brick-and-mortar shops, retail cooperatives and studio design. Her creative vision is the backbone of Sweetbay, as her merchandising inspires clients and shoppers across the Massachusetts north shore.
Liz joined forces with her mom after the birth of her second child. Not only was she raised in the school of Sweetbay, she brings many years of retail and customer service management to the shop. Liz loves collaboration with other creatives as well as working with clients to bring their visions to life. She looks forward to bringing in the next generation of Sweetbay clientele through exciting workshops, networking, and encouraging new trends in buying.
Community is the heart of the Sweetbay business. Both graduates of Wakefield High School and lifelong Wakefieldians, Liz and Beth, are passionate about owning and operating their business in their hometown.
Here, Liz shares her journey from working for one of Boston’s premier floral design and event companies to working alongside mom at Sweetbay. She shares the experiences that shaped her customer service philosophy and how she selects products for their retail space. Liz also talks about incorporating vintage pieces into her inventory, how she lures shoppers onto the second floor of her space, her strategy for buying at shows, and more.
What’s Inside:
- Liz’s career journey and what led her to Sweetbay
- How Liz incorporates vintage into her merchandise
- Liz’s strategy for buying at shows
Mentioned In This Episode:
The Sweetbay Shop on Instagram
The Sweetbay Shop on Facebook
Support the show
Ronald Carter likes to think of creative styling as an art form: a masterpiece, carefully crafted by imagination and passion. He fell into his career by accident as a struggling actor in need of a side hustle. Ronald was living in Seattle at the time and recalls asking a friend if she knew of anyone who was hiring, and she kindly suggested checking out Eddie Bauer. From there, his retail career took off.
At Eddie Bauer, Ronald started as a greeter, and in the three years that followed, he worked his way up to designing floor plans for the corporate office and training new visual managers. He then went on to work for Nordstrom, Anthropologie and Porch.
A native of the Pacific Northwest, Susan Esayian has been working in the gift industry professionally for 26 years in a variety of roles. From merchandising Kitchen-Aid mixers to buying fine tableware and even carrying a four-poster bed up a mountainside for a catalog photoshoot, Susan has done it all…and that was just in the first 10 years!
Since then, Susan’s kept herself immersed in the gift industry as a buyer for a hospital gift shop and merchandiser for several wholesale showrooms and retailers. For Susan, retail isn’t just a job; it’s a career that she’s inspired by and passionate about more every day.
Jessica Young has been in retail since 1993. She started out working at The Gap in college, met Michelle at Anthropologie around 20 years ago, and the rest is history. From LA to Atlanta and to Vegas, Jessica has collaborated on tons of different projects. Coming to work on the CMA project with everyone was truly a full-circle moment for Jessica.
Dave Sherrier, my super supportive husband, started out in retail when he was a kid but ventured off into construction. Fast forward to today; Dave works most of our gift show setups and wholesale show rooms and does a lot of the buildouts for the retailers we work with, such as Sales Producers, Fine Lines, CMA and many more.
In this recap episode, the merchandising team dives into the creative side of the CMA show, including the process and how everything came together. The CMA project came up late in the season in October, and everyone brought along their expertise as strong merchandisers to pull it all off. The group discusses the details of the displays, all the moving parts, twists and turns, and reflections on the completed project.
This episode is sponsored by CMA. CMA is a leading professional sales representation group operating throughout California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Hawaii, and Alaska. CMA understands the retail world is constantly evolving and welcomes changing trends as opportunities to bring new and exciting products, as well as tried-and-true best sellers, to retailers and their shoppers. Their professional and knowledgeable sales team confidently navigates the complexities of the gift industry to drive success for their vendors, retailers, and their business. Visit their website at CMAGifts.com.
What’s Inside:
- A recap on the creative side of the CMA project
Mentioned In This Episode:
Ronald Carter on Instagram
Jessica Young on Instagram
Rue Patois on Instagram
Ruepatois.com
CMAGifts.com
Support the show
Many of you were interested in hearing about how the CMA job came to be, my planning process, and how everything turned out. This week, I’m recapping it all here on the podcast! Starting from the beginning, I talk about how Emily Hoffman (VP of Sales for CMA) reached out to me for some rework projects, then get into the challenges we faced, all the unique design elements, and how it ultimately came together.
If you want to check out some of the maps we used, make sure to watch this episode on YouTube. Also, stay tuned for an upcoming episode where the team and I breakdown more of the juicy details of this incredible project!
What’s Inside:
- A recap of the CMA project
Mentioned In This Episode:
MC Design Collaboration on Instagram
The Retail Whore Podcast on Instagram
Support the show
Larisa Olson grew up in Chicago, the daughter of an entrepreneur who purchased a failing framing and furniture business and revitalized it. After many crazy adventures, Larisa studied set and costume design in the UCLA master’s program. Over the years, she also spent much time immersed in her father's framing showroom as the showroom coordinator (she had to organize a very chaotic business!)
Years later, after more adventures, including some time in real estate, her father encouraged her to purchase a business: Chantilly Lace, a tiny rundown lingerie shop in the middle of one percent, white bread America. She has since revamped the business and turned it into one of this country’s lingerie powerhouses. Chantilly Lace is estimated to be one of the top five largest lingerie and swim shops in the nation.
Here, Larisa tells the amazing story of how she brought Chantilly Lace from its humble beginnings to monumental retail success. She shares how the store evolved over the years, from window displays to major renovations, and how she broke the rules of retail. Larisa also shares her customer service strategies for driving more lingerie and swim sales, how she flipped the script on merchandising, details of her customer newsletter and employee referral program, and more.
What’s Inside:
- How Larisa transformed Chantilly Lace and grew a lingerie empire
- Larisa’s unique customer service strategy
- How Larisa flipped the script on lingerie and swim merchandising
Mentioned In This Episode:
Chantilly Lace on Instagram
Chantillyfavorites.com
Support the show
Jason Soejoto is the National Account Manager for Specialty and Independent Business at Duke Cannon Supply Company. Duke Cannon is a one-stop shop for premium men’s grooming goods, and the brand occupies a really unique space within the gifts industry. Hailing from a simpler time, Duke Cannon values things like hard work, family, community, and... bacon!
Prior to joining Duke Cannon, Jason was a bit of a jack of all trades, but he’s always remained in the retail and customer service world. He’s done everything from account management, inside sales, and e-commerce management all the way down to retail store management and in-store execution. Jason also has a strong background in merchandising. If it happens within four walls and involves somebody buying something, chances are he’s done something similar.
Here, Jason discusses how he started his career in retail and went from working at a local record store and playing guitar on the side to the twists and turns that led him to Duke Cannon. He shares insights into selling to male consumers and keeping them hooked; the dad jokes behind Duke Cannon’s merchandise; how the product line is evolving; and how Duke Cannon gives back to America’s veterans.
What’s Inside:
- Stories from Jason’s career journey
- Duke Cannon’s unique approach to men’s grooming goods
- How Duke Cannon gives back to veterans
Mentioned In This Episode:
Duke Cannon Supply Co on Instagram
Duke Cannon Supply Co on Facebook
dukecannon.com
Support the show
Sam Chapman started his career as a hairdresser, working for some of the biggest names in the UK. Eventually, he decided it was time to work for himself and opened his own salon. He got a crash course in running a business and learned how to stand out in front of the right customers and encourage them to come back.
At one point, Sam’s business was failing to the point where he was on the brink of losing his home. It was in that moment that he decided to invest in a mentor. His mentor helped him break down his business and build it back up with the correct systems and processes he needed to succeed. Sam was also able to discover how profitable products could be and started up his very own line. Once he finally attracted a solid customer base, he began working on how to give them bigger and better results. Within two years, Sam went from drowning in debt to opening an online shop and bringing in over $600K!
Today, Sam’s drive to help others comes from not wanting anyone to feel how he did at his lowest. As a product-based business coach, his specialty is helping clients build their brand, attract their perfect customer base, and turn them into raving fans. His signature four-pillar method has helped many small businesses double their income in just a few short months.
Here, Sam shares stories from his exciting career journey from hairdresser to salon owner to starting his own product line. He dives into how he works with clients and shares his valuable wisdom on his podcast. Sam also talks about tackling imposter syndrome, how to use social media to connect with customers, and what it’s like to work with Sam as a coach.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
What’s Inside:
- How Sam started up his own product line
- How Sam helps clients through his product-based business coaching
- How to connect with customers through social media
Mentioned In This Episode:
https://www.samuelchapman.com
Sam Chapman on Instagram
Sam Chapman on YouTube
Support the show
I can’t believe we’ve already said goodbye to 2024!
I like to do solo shows this time of year because it gives me a chance to take a look back at all that happened and also to talk about what I’m looking forward to as we move ahead. If you’ve been following along, this past year was full of challenges, from saying goodbye to our puggle to moving all the way to Oregon. Thankfully, things are slowing down, and it’s the perfect time to share last year’s crazy highs and lows and what I’m working on bringing to life in 2025!
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
What’s Inside:
- Reflections on 2024 and a look ahead to what’s in store for 2025
Mentioned In This Episode:
The Retail Whore Podcast
Hailing from North Dakota, where her nearest shopping opportunity was over 300 miles away, Ashley Alderson longed for a place online to find and shop the boutiques she loved all over the country, together in one place. "There must be a place for shoppers like me who love boutiques to find them all—and a place where boutique owners themselves can connect to find resources & grow," Ashley thought.
Ashley’s background in business, marketing, and economic development fueled the desire to simply make life easier for small businesses by providing them with training, exclusive savings, events, and wholesale shopping in one simple place. And all in the name of COMMUNITY over COMPETITION since
2013. Today, The Boutique Hub & Shop The Best Boutiques are the central connection point for the retail industry, providing a daily membership packed with resources, live events, signature courses, wholesale shopping, daily networking and a consumer-facing marketplace for boutiques.
Ashley is a wife, busy momma of 3, jewelry junkie, barrel racer, cancer survivor, basketball fan, speaker of sarcasm, and heart for those with a dream. Just this year, The Boutique Hub launched Hubventory, a wholesale marketplace built by the boutique industry for the boutique industry with curated & trusted brands, creative inventory planning, smart integrations and membership perks.
Here, Ashley shares how she built her career out of humble beginnings in North Dakota and what inspired her to create The Boutique Hub. She dives into the reasons why she values community over competition and how it’s helped her grow and expand over the years. Ashley also shares all the details of her subscription model, her signature planner, the magic of her live events, and much more!
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
What’s Inside:
- The story behind The Boutique Hub’s creation
- Why Ashley values community over competition
- What it’s like at one of Ashley’s live events
Mentioned In This Episode:
The Boutique Hub Website
The Boutique Hub on Instagram
The Boutique Hub on Facebook
The Boutique Hub on YouTube
Hubventory Website
Annie Glenn (AKA Urban Girl Annie) started her company, LG Retail Enterprises, back in 1994 and she’s been doing retail ever since. Although she majored in literature in college, Annie’s known she wanted to own her own business from the age of 10.
With no prior background in retail, she credits her business success to having great instincts and a lack of fear. Today, she’s a proud entrepreneur and a mom to two amazing boys, Jack and Cooper. Her hope is that her stores, including Urban Girl Accessories, bring joy and happiness to whoever walks through the doors.
Here, Annie talks about what it’s like to own and operate 10 different retail stores and the new projects she’s working on. Annie discusses how she works with different merchants and how she copes with stress through her unique way of recharging: lizarding! Annie also shares how she found a silver lining during COVID, the different concepts in her stores, how she keeps staff motivated, and her philosophy on merchandising.
This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com
What’s Inside:
- How Annie finds balance in running 10 different retail stores
- The silver lining Annie found during COVID
- Annie’s merchandising philosophy
Mentioned In This Episode:
Urban Girl Accessories on Instagram
https://urbangirlaccessories.com/
Retail icon Iris Fuller opened her store, Fillamento, back in April 1981 and led the Fillmore District neighborhood renaissance in the San Francisco area. In its heyday, Fillamento was three floors at Fillmore and Sacramento and was filled to the brim with furniture, glassware, linens, bath items and eclectic gifts from the whimsical to the practical. After 20 glorious years of business, Fillamento closed permanently in 2001.
Here, Iris talks about the early days of Fillamento and how taking on samples and consignment later evolved into curating her unique brand. Iris shares all the details of how she created her store layout and her strategy for changing around displays and merchandising. Iris also shares where she finds inspiration, how Fillamento grew and changed over the years, how her mentorship shaped so many others in retail, and a special guest appearance by Nathan of Nathan & Co.!
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines.
What’s Inside:
- How Iris started and grew her iconic store, Fillamento
- How Iris developed her signature brand
- How Iris’ mentorship influenced so many in retail
Mentioned In This Episode:
Iris Fuller on Instagram
Mary Liz Curtin is passionate about independent retail. Her knowledge of all aspects of the gift, craft and home industries gives her a unique point of view, encompassing the needs of retailers, vendors and sales representatives. She is also a heck of a retail shopper and loves to crawl malls, discover downtowns and walk through the Web to find ideas and inspirations for her presentations.
With over 35 years of hands-on experience in the gift and home industries, Mary Liz is an internationally acknowledged expert in independent retail and has advised numerous manufacturers on marketing, sales and management issues with her unique brand of Sales and Marketing Therapy.
Mary Liz is a humorous and engaging speaker, delighting audiences internationally at trade shows, sales meetings and conventions with her stories of how to build and market a brand, run a better business and maintain a mom-and-pop retail store without losing your sanity...or your marriage.
Here, Mary Liz shares her retail story and what led her to start Leon and Lulu, a 15,000 square foot destination lifestyle store located just outside of Detroit in a vintage roller-skating rink. She dives into everything from the store’s unique installations to how the family is involved in the business. Mary Liz also shares her merchandising process, how she tackles shows with her team, where she finds inspiration, and more.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
What’s Inside:
- How Mary Liz started her store, Leon and Lulu
- Mary Liz’s approach to merchandising and shows
- Where Mary Liz finds inspiration
Mentioned In This Episode:Leonandlulu.com
Leon and Lulu on Instagram
Root Adorned is the brainchild/dream project of Erin Hasler. Erin's love for beautiful treasures began most likely at birth (maybe in the womb?) and has grown ever since. A self-described magpie, easily distracted by anything that sparkles; Erin continues to fill her own home with rugs, plants, pottery and
dogs. Her philosophy being that you can never have enough of any of the above.
Born and raised in Bend, Oregon, Erin is honored to bring her unique perspective to the community that she so dearly loves. After facing breast cancer as a young mother and wife, Erin discovered a new zest for life. She sold her hand-crafted jewelry line and sought out a new career that would enable her to
travel the world, support artisans, and connect to the community. It was from this dream that Root Adorned was born. Erin is a firm believer that life is short and you shouldn't waste a moment of our precious time on Earth.
Erin starts the conversation with the story of her background and what led her to create Root Adorned. She shares how her breast cancer diagnosis changed her life and how she got her jewelry line into stores. Erin also shares what it was like opening her retail shop, details about the products she sells in store, where she finds creators, and her plans for the holiday season.
This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com
What’s Inside:
- The story behind Root Adorned
- How Erin got her jewelry line into stores
- Erin’s experience of opening her retail shop
Mentioned In This Episode:
Rootadorned.com
Root Adorned on Instagram
Root Adorned on Facebook
Based in Seattle, Andrew Fegler is the brains and beauty behind That’s So Andrew, the sassy gift brand for the girls, gays, and theys. He’s been sailing the entrepreneurial seas for over a decade and has gone from manufacturing, to having a brick & mortar, to creating an exclusive wholesale brand. Now, Andrew’s full circling BACK to open the doors of a POP-UP gift shop!
Andrew shares his recent experience during the recent show season, including his dad getting to come along for the ride. Andrew’s brand is all things snarky and unique, and he dives into some of his new product releases and ideas. He also shares his strategy for sharing his brand on social media, plans for his pop-up Christmas shop and the holiday season, and more.
This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and
stylish brands.What’s Inside:
- Andrew’s show season experiences
- How Andrew shares his brand on social media
- Andrew’s plans for his Christmas pop-up shop
Mentioned In This Episode:That’s So Andrew Website
That’s So Andrew on Instagram
Mary Bligh and Jessica Giancotti are lifelong friends and passionate designers with over 20 years of combined experience. They founded Lily & Marigold Home + Design on a shared belief: women can thrive in their careers, embrace motherhood, and create beautiful, functional spaces that truly feel like home.
At Lily & Marigold, Mary and Jessica believe a beautiful home should be accessible to everyone. Their first brick-and-mortar store is located in Eastdale Village in Poughkeepsie, NY, where they offer a curated selection of home décor accessories. From candles, pillows, and throws to kitchen essentials and lighting, their unique products are designed to transform your home into a place for gathering, celebrating, resting, and recharging—all without breaking the bank.
In addition to retail offerings, Mary and Jessica provide comprehensive interior design services for both residential and commercial spaces. They see design as a collaborative journey and work closely with each client to create spaces that are both distinctive and meaningful. As people’s needs at home continue to evolve, they design with these shifts in mind, ensuring that each space is as adaptable as it is stunning.
Here, Mary and Jessica share how their friendship and career experiences ultimately led them to start Lily & Marigold. They share how the business has expanded since they started and how they incorporate storytelling into their displays. Mary and Jessica also talk about how they developed their store layout, how they manage their busy schedules and find balance, and how they’re approaching the upcoming holiday season.
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines.
What’s Inside:
- How Mary and Jessica started Lily & Marigold
- How Lily & Marigold has evolved over the years
- Mary and Jessica’s approach to the upcoming holiday season
Mentioned In This Episode:Lily and Marigold Home
Lily & Marigold Home on TikTok
Lily & Marigold Home on Instagram
In this solo show, Michelle recaps her 40th high school reunion and what it was like to geek out over retail with her former classmates… without her old insecurities. She catches everyone up on what’s been going on since the move to Oregon and living life at a much slower pace.
Michelle chats about burnout and why it’s important to recharge to stay creative, store standards and your role as a merchandiser, and what things look like for the future at MC Design Collaboration.
This episode is sponsored by Show Me Your Store. *Show Me Your Stores is a program I started about a year ago where you send me photos and videos of something in your store that's a challenge. If you comment “Show Me Your Store” on any of MC Design Collaboration videos or posts on Instagram, you will get an auto-response form that you can fill out and upload photos and videos, and let me know what your challenges are.
I'll do the video, and I am adding in a free 15-minute Zoom call with you after. You can either take my advice, do the shifts and the moves, and show me what you did for some feedback, or you can use this time to ask me additional questions or whatever you want that will hopefully help you get to your goal.
Again, comment Show Me Your Store on any of MC Design Collaboration Instagram posts, and you will get the form. Send it in, and I will see you on the video.*
What’s Inside:
- Michelle’s experience at her high school reunion
- How to manage store standards and what your role should be as a merchandiser
- Future plans for MC Design Collaboration and Show Me Your Stores
Mentioned In This Episode:
The Retail Whore Podcast
Ken Lain is known by his friends as 'The Mountain Gardener'. His weekly garden advice is featured by Prescott Living and Prescott Woman Magazines, the Daily Courier, Prescott eNews, and Signals AZ Newspapers. Ken is passionate about plants, creative landscape design, and spreading the good news that gardening is healthy and fun.
Ken dreamed of owning his own business after graduating from Prescott High School. Yavapai College peaked his business interest and finished a management degree from ASU's W.P. Carey School of Business. His garden credentials are Master Gardener, Certified Nursery Profession, and Watters
Garden Center owner, located on Iron Springs Road in Prescott.
Ken and wife Lisa host the 'Mountain Garden radio hour' as they share garden tips, tricks, and techniques on both The Big Talker and KQNA talk radio. Throughout the week, Ken talks up plants at Watters Garden Center in Prescott, where his digital garden center is located online at Top10Plants.com.
Here, Ken talks about his transition from a career in banking to going all-in on gardening. He shares his experience as a second-generation business owner and how he’s making Watters Garden Center his own. Ken also shares how he keeps things fresh in the store, his budgeting strategy, how he creates a fun culture for his employees, and how he stayed afloat during COVID.
This episode is sponsored by Show Me Your Store. *Show Me Your Stores is a program I started about a year ago where you send me photos and videos of something in your store that's a challenge. If you comment “Show Me Your Store” on any of MC Design Collaboration videos or posts on Instagram, you will get an auto-response form that you can fill out and upload photos and videos, and let me know what your challenges are.
I'll do the video, and I am adding in a free 15-minute Zoom call with you after. You can either take my advice, do the shifts and the moves, and show me what you did for some feedback, or you can use this time to ask me additional questions or whatever you want that will hopefully help you get to your goal.
Again, comment Show Me Your Store on any of MC Design Collaboration Instagram posts, and you will get the form. Send it in, and I will see you on the video.*
What’s Inside:
- Ken’s transition from a career in banking to owning a garden center
- How Ken keeps products and displays fresh
- How Ken kept things going during COVID
Mentioned In This Episode:
Watters Garden Center
Watters Garden Center on Instagram
Watters Garden Center on Facebook
Watters Garden Center on YouTube
Jocelyn Songco is the founder and owner of Yarn Farm Kingston, a yarn shop and wine bar in New York's Hudson Valley, two hours north of NYC. Prior to Yarn Farm, Jocelyn worked at a private foundation for over a dozen years, investing in social entrepreneurs in emerging markets, primarily in Africa in the agriculture sector, as well as a handful of years in for-profit finance in NYC. She went to grad school and business school in NY (Columbia) and college in LA (UCLA), grew up in NJ, and is a first-generation Filipino-American.
Jocelyn's been passionate about fiber arts, knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving and sewing, for most of her adult life. Working with entrepreneurs in her prior career inspired her new foray into the retail and hospitality sector in this hybrid business. The wine bar is superbly managed by Jocelyn's boyfriend
Todd. Together they create and offer a welcoming shop and gathering space that appeals to new and experienced fiber artists and curious creatives from the local community and weekenders. Jocelyn and Todd live close to Yarn Farm (4 min drive; 8 min kayak ride) with their two pugs Zorro and Omni.
Here, Jocelyn shares the story of how the Yarn Farm business and brand were created and what led her and her partner to start things up. She dives into the details of the fixturing in her space, how she approached the design, and how she sources products. Jocelyn also shares how she set up the wine bar portion of her business, her budgeting process, and how she came up with the name Yarn Farm.
This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands.
What’s Inside:
- How Jocelyn created the Yarn Farm business and brand
- Jocelyn’s approach to store design and fixturing
- How Jocelyn set up the wine bar portion of the business
Mentioned In This Episode:
Yarn Farm Kingston
Yarn Farm Kingston on Instagram
Yarn Farm Kingston on LinkedIn
Jocelyn Songco on LinkedIn
Annie Glenn (also known as Urban Girl Annie) started her company LG Retail Enterprises back in 1994 and has been doing retail ever since. Although Annie majored in literature in college, she knew she wanted to own a business since she was 10 years old.
With no prior background in retail, she credits her business success to having great instincts and a lack of fear. Today, she’s a proud entrepreneur and a mom to two amazing boys, Jack and Cooper. Her hope is that her stores, including Urban Girl Accessories, bring joy and happiness to whoever walks through the doors.
Jamie Carl is the owner and founder of Serge + Jane in Minneapolis, MN. S+J is a lifestyle boutique featuring men's, women's, kids, pets, vinyl, home + gifts in a 3-story shop (4 including the open-air rooftop where they host fashion shows, trunk shows, pop-ups + always a DJ + dance party)! Jamie spent the first 15 years of her career in retail at Target Corporation.
Jamie spent the last 9 years there working on and leading the Internal Events Team. She was responsible for Board Meetings all the way up to 10,000-person National Team Meetings with guest speakers, musicians, fashion shows and more! Jamie left the role at Target when she couldn't balance two big jobs within retail in one family and took the opportunity to stay home with her two young boys for several years, all while fine-tuning her vision for the shop and "visually re-merchandising" her house for each holiday!
Michael Schultz is the co-owner and creative eye of Cursive New York, which operates 2 stores in New York City. Cursive is a tightly focused concept with the simple mission of cultivating joy. Michael, along with his husband, Douglas Duncan, have established Cursive as a strong and forward voice in the industry. Cursive offers gift, stationery, home and lifestyle products and is constantly evolving.
Cursive operated in New York City’s iconic Grand Central Terminal for 11 years and within ABC Carpet & Home for 15 years, until the Covid-19 pandemic upended those long runs. Making lemonade out of lemons, Schultz and Duncan doubled down on New York and opened 2 shops in New York’s West Village neighborhood, 4 blocks apart. One shop is true to the original Cursive vision, while Cursive Home is the brand’s extension into home goods.
In this second Retailer Roundtable, we chat about what our three guests have been up to over the last couple of years. Annie, Jamie, and Michael all share the stories of how they started up their stores and how they approach shows. We discuss some of the highlights from the recent Las Vegas show, plans for the upcoming holiday season, and the craziest current in-store trends. We also talk about how everyone approaches sales and handles social media.
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines.
What’s Inside:
- How Annie, Jamie, and Michael started their stores
- Plans for the upcoming holiday season
- How to handle social media
Mentioned In This Episode:
Annie GlennUrbangirlaccessories.com
Urban Girl Accessories on Instagram
Jamie CarlSergeandjane.com
Serge and Jane on Instagram
Michael SchultzCursivenewyork.com
Cursive New York on Instagram
In 2005, Johanna Bialkin moved to San Francisco, seeking solace from the bustle of New York City and her sojourn in digital media. While the allure of SF's tech industry didn't captivate her, the promise of a tight-knit community did. She longed for connections forged in genuine conversations, for friendships nurtured over shared experiences.
It was in this pursuit that Aldea was born — a sanctuary amidst the city's clamor, where stylish home essentials met the warmth of human connection. Inspired by the cozy elegance of "The Apartment" in NYC, Johanna envisioned a space where shopping felt like strolling through a cherished village, where every purchase added a touch of life to one's living space.
The name "Aldea'' ("village" in Spanish) came to Johanna in a dream during my honeymoon in Spain. It spoke of community, of shared bonds, and of a place where strangers become neighbors. With this vision in mind, she set out to bring Aldea to life. Over the years, Aldea evolved into more than just a store — it became a hub of connection, a place of lively parties and with intimate gatherings. Through
recessions, pandemics, and personal tragedies, it's stood as a beacon of resilience, offering solace and inspiration to people who wanted to brighten their homes.
Behind the scenes, Johanna’s journey was one of constant learning and growth. From navigating the intricacies of retail to weathering the storms of entrepreneurship, she embraced the challenges with open arms, knowing that each obstacle was a steppingstone towards Aldea's success. Now, as Johanna and her team stand on the cusp of expansion, they're looking for like-minded people to help their village grow.
Here, Johanna shares the incredible story of how Aldea was brought to life. She shares all the details of the design and fixturing of her store as well as her ongoing plans for growth and expansion. Johanna and Michelle also discuss how she changes windows and displays, how Johanna created her own franchise, her favorite vendors, and how she weathered the pandemic.
This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business-to-business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long-lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com
What’s Inside:
- How Johanna started Aldea and created her own franchise
- Johanna’s plans for growth and expansion
- Johanna’s favorite vendors
Mentioned In This Episode:
Aldea on Facebook
Aldea on Instagram
Johanna Bialkin on LinkedIn
Aldeahome.com
SF Mercantile began in 2008 with the objective of producing high-quality San Francisco gifts and keepsakes designed by local artists. Their products celebrate the vibrant and diverse culture that is unique to California, and all of their items are designed by artists who live in the San Francisco Bay area.
The company was started by Robert Emmons, who saw a niche in the market after working on a project to revamp the gift shops at the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park and Coit Tower. Both of these outlets were in terrible shape, and the assortments consisted of the cheapest of low-end souvenirs (since then the Japanese Tea Garden has been transformed by a new concessionaire, and Coit Tower will hopefully follow suite soon when it changes hands). While trying to plan a new assortment, it became clear that there was a very limited assortment available to retailers and a need for a better line of San Francisco mementos that are trendier, updated and designed by local artists who know and love the city.
After many years of designing products for other retailers, Robert decided it was time to leave the corporate world behind and create a product line of his own, so in 2008 he began collaborating with other local designers, partnering with the best factories in the industry, emptying his savings, and then converting his garage into a makeshift warehouse; SF Mercantile was born.
SF Mercantile launched their line with 12 San Francisco themed items in the spring of 2009 and since then have grown their product assortment to hundreds of designs, including San Francisco, Wine Country, Sausalito, East Bay/Oakland, Coastal and General California, as well as New Mexico, Arizona and Lake Tahoe. They also design and produce custom products for customers throughout the US and are currently working on new SF Mercantile designs that will be available later this year.
Here, Robert shares how his career background set the stage for him to build out the SF Mercantile brand. Robert and Michelle discuss the launch of his product line and how it’s expanded over the years. Robert also shares details of his new retail space, how he’s learned to delegate responsibility to others, what holiday looks like for SF Mercantile, and his transformational work within the San Francisco community.
Cadeau Ami Agency is solely a road rep agency of 10+ associates that handle the state of CA, AZ, HI, and parts of Nevada for many of their 23 or so boutique/gift brands, such as Chive, SF Mercantile, Sock it to Me, French Broad Chocolate, Pomegranate, Calypso Cards, Good Juju, Ryland Peters & Small, Kei & Molly and has been a part of the industry for over 30 years now.
What’s Inside:
- How Robert built the SF Mercantile brand
- All about Robert’s new retail space
- Robert’s work within the San Francisco community
Mentioned In This Episode:
SF Mercantile
SF Mercantile Store on Instagram
SF Mercantile Store on Facebook
This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website
www.salesproducersinc.com
Kelly Bristol is Vice President of Business Development at Just Got 2 Have It, a B2B Sales Representative Agency with 5 divisions serving 36 states. She is an accomplished senior leader in the gift and home industry with nearly 25 years of experience in the sector. Prior experience includes almost 20 years working on the National Stationery Show as well as subsequent positions at the Dallas Market Center, Brandwise/MarketTime, and Purchasing Power Plus, a hospital gift shop buying group.
Kelly is a board member of Gift for Life, the gift and home industry’s longest-running, volunteer-led national charitable organization, and is a Founding Partner of the new industry movement, Reps are Local Too!
In this conversation, Kelly shares all the details on the Reps are Local Too movement and how it’s bringing rep agencies together from across the country. Kelly and Michelle dive into the benefits of working with your local rep as a retailer and some of the challenges of buying outside of that process. Kelly also shares her experience at trade shows and how she sees the wholesale industry changing in the future.
What’s Inside:
- Kelly’s work with the Reps are Local Too movement
- The benefits of working with your local rep as a retailer
- How agencies are streamlining the trade show experience
Mentioned In This Episode:Reps Are Local Too
Reps Are Local Too on Instagram
Reps Are Local Too on Facebook
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines.
Along with his partner Bryce, Andrew Gawdun runs the shop curious... in Hermosa Beach, CA. Andrew started his journey in Colorado at a young age before moving to Nevada with family and then Southern Utah for a few years in his early 20’s. He launched himself into the world of photography, where he opened his own business and then relocated it to Southern California.
During the spring of 2012, Bryce and Andrew met at curious... in Hermosa Beach, where Bryce was sanding wood for a table he was building. They started dating, and soon Bryce convinced Andrew to help with the stationery buying for curious… Hermosa Beach. It was all over then. In November of 2015, Andrew and Bryce married as well as started the adoption process.
2017 June led to the opening of curious… Kauai. After a truck drove through the new location, a month after opening, they spent the next 4 months refocusing the vibe of the Kauai location and making sure they had better wall security. curious… Kauai reopened November 2017. By May of 2018, Andrew and Bryce flew to Missouri to adopt their daughter Willow.
During the early part of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe and altered life and business. Andrew, Bryce, and Willow managed to head back to Kauai for the spring season in early March, but like everyone else in the U.S., they were put under Stay-at-Home Orders. During those two months, they launched their online store and came to the tough decision to downsize from two brick and mortars to just one.
After careful consideration, they closed the Kauai, HI, location just shy of 3 years open. This meant also a move from their home on the island as well. Andrew and Bryce know they’ll return to the island one day, but in the meantime, they’re enjoying life full time in Hermosa Beach, CA.
Here, Andrew shares the history of the store and how it evolved over the years. Andrew and I discuss buying at shows, all of the different departments in store, and the challenges of keeping up with social media. Andrew also shares his thoughts on standing behind your brand and being unique and his buying strategy for the upcoming holiday season.
What’s Inside:
- The history of the curious… store
- The importance of standing behind your brand
- How Andrew’s planning for the upcoming holiday season
Mentioned In This Episode:
www.curiousworkshop.com
Curious on Instagram
Curious on Facebook
This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands.
Best known as rapper/actor Bow Wow’s mother and manager for most of her career, Teresa Caldwell and her personal style were thrust onto the stage of the public eye when her son became the biggest child star in music and film.
Suddenly in the company of celebrities, pop culture influencers and other fashionistas, Teresa quickly realized that there were women who truly appreciated her fashion sense and aspired to her unique style. In 2012, Teresa decided to share her own personal taste in fashion, launching an online boutique ‘thetasteboutique.atl’ on Instagram, now with more than 43,000 followers.
Having seized an opportunity to occupy the only fashion-focused retail space at The Interlock, a new $450 million retail, office, entertainment and hotel development in west midtown Atlanta. Teresa is poised to bring her unique style to a brick-and-mortar lifestyle brand, aptly called The Taste Boutique.
In addition to discovering curated apparel, home décor and gifts at The Taste Boutique, shoppers will also find Teresa’s own line of ‘TASTE’ lip gloss, as well as her inspirational autobiography, I Once Was Her, which was released on June 26, 2020.
Here, Teresa walks us through her incredible career journey from her celebrity stylist days to starting up her retail empire. She shares all the details on how she curates the vibe in her store and how she switched her strategy when she moved store locations. Teresa also discusses how she decides which gifts to sell in her store, the importance of top-notch customer service, and upcoming fashion trends to look out for.
What’s Inside:
- Teresa’s experience as a celebrity stylist
- How Teresa curates the vibe and experience in her store
- Upcoming fashion trends to watch
Mentioned In This Episode:
https://thetasteboutique.com/
The Taste Boutique on Instagram
The Taste Boutique on Facebook
Teresa Caldwell on Instagram
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
The Thumb in Scottsdale, Arizona, isn’t your average gas station. It’s also a car wash, retail shop, in-house bakery, wine cellar, and competition-style barbecue restaurant! The food is to die for, and the restaurant was featured on the hit show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The Thumb’s mission is to offer a new and exceptional customer experience, and it’s safe to say they’re nailing it.
Carole Gibbons is the retail manager and buyer and started her career at The Thumb 8 years ago. Erica Lassetter is also a retail manager and has been with the company for 11 years. Here, they share how the gift portion of The Thumb has evolved since they joined. Carole and Erica also discuss their career backgrounds, how they design the retail floor and approach shows, how they prepare the store for the holidays, and much more.
What’s Inside:
- How The Thumb’s gift space has evolved over the years
- How Carole and Erica approach shows and buying
- How rising costs influence pricing in the retail shop
Mentioned In This Episode:
http://www.thethumb.com/
The Thumb on Facebook
The Thumb on Instagram
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines.
I’m back with another solo show to catch you up on what’s been going on these past few months! Here, I’ll talk a little about some of the experiences I’ve had over the summer, which flew by so fast. Between our move to Oregon and a super busy summer season, things have been a whirlwind, and holiday and winter show season is just around the corner. I share how things have been since the move, highlights from my summer travels, and more.
What’s Inside:
A catch up on my busy summer season and what’s on deck for fall and winter
Mentioned In This Episode:
MC Design Collaboration on Instagram
Fine Lines Showroom on Instagram
This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long-lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com
Susan Esayian is a native of the Pacific Northwest, and she’s been working in the gift industry professionally for 26 years in a variety of roles. From merchandising Kitchen-Aid mixers, buying fine tableware and even carrying a four-poster bed up a mountainside for a catalog photoshoot... and that was just in the first 10 years!
Since then, she’s kept herself immersed in the gift industry as a buyer for a hospital gift shop and merchandiser for several wholesale showrooms and retailers. Retail is not just a job for Susan, but a career that she’s inspired by and passionate about more every day.
Fabian Navejas was born and raised in LA and is a self-taught creative leader and a bona fide retail nerd. With more than 25 years of multi-unit management experience in the retail home furnishings industry, he still feels he’s in the beginning stages of his career. Currently, Fabian is a gift merchandiser and buyer for A.C. Vroman's, Inc., one of the oldest independent bookstores in the country, is 128 years old. A.C. Vroman's operates two bookstores in the Pasadena area and owns Book Soup in West Hollywood, CA, another independent bookstore founded in 1975.
In addition to working at A.C. Vromans, Fabian, is also the founder of Onederkam.com, which is a small eCommerce gift and home accessories store. He also occasionally works on a variety of TV productions, doing everything from set dressing to working in the props department to being a shopper for the art
department. Fabian also worked at IKEA North America in several markets and as a district manager for
Z Gallerie.
Eric Velez is a confident, competent, and imaginative interior designer with extensive experience in residential and commercial spaces ranging from 300k to 2m. With an excellent commercial approach to solving problems, Eric has a proven ability to create fresh solutions for the renovation of interior spaces or new construction.
During his journey as an interior designer for the past 8 years, Eric has succeeded in all design projects, no matter how large or small. He believes that by having a broad understanding of people’s living situations and needs in their everyday lives at home, you’re able to design great solutions.
In this merchandiser roundtable, we’re chatting live from Las Vegas and digging into what everyone’s working on. We also talk about how retail is a business of relationships and how interacting with others live at a show enhances the whole experience. Our roundtable discussion also includes a little about how each guest built their career and some really funny stories along the way!
What’s Inside:
- A roundtable discussion on the world of retail and merchandising
- The value of the live-show experience
- How each member started and grew their career
Mentioned In This Episode:
Susan Esayian on Instagram
Onederkam Website
Onederkam on Instagram
Eric Velez on Instagram
This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands.
Jazmin Montalvo is the passionate owner of Frida Bae Co., a vibrant brick-and-mortar boutique where creativity and culture intertwine.
In part two of this conversation, Michelle and Jazmin dive into all things social media, especially TikTok. Jazmin shares how she transitioned her TikTok account from personal to business. Jazmin talks about how going viral on social media helped her dig out of a tough time and how she took a risk on TikTok Live. She also shares her experience working with a business consultant, how much of your creative secret sauce to share with others, and more.
What’s Inside:
- How Jazmin transitioned her personal TikTok account to business
- How Jazmin uses TikTok Live
- Jazmin’s experience working with a business consultant
Mentioned In This Episode:
Fridabaeco.com
At Home with Jazmin on Amazon
Frida Bae Co. on Facebook
Frida Bae Co. on Instagram
Frida Bae Co. on Pinterest
Frida Bae Co. on TikTok
This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands.
Jazmin Montalvo is the passionate owner of Frida Bae Co., a vibrant brick-and-mortar boutique where creativity and culture intertwine. As a mother and bonus mom to four daughters, Jazmin is dedicated to raising strong, fearless, and outspoken women, infused with pride in their Mexican heritage.
Jazmin's journey to entrepreneurship was shaped by her deep-rooted creativity and love for art, prominently displayed on the boutique's walls through her own artwork. Her career began in nursing, earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2016 and later a Masters in Nurse Leadership in 2021. However, the challenges of working on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a pivotal shift in her life.
In October 2022, Jazmin realized her dream with the opening of Frida Bae Co., a size-inclusive women's boutique offering an array of customized products including jewelry, home decor, and apparel like t-shirts and wood signs—all handmade with love. Through her boutique, Jazmin continues to celebrate her culture and empower others to embrace their roots while pursuing their passions.
In part one of this conversation, Jazmin shares the adventure of moving into a new retail space. She walks through her journey of becoming a nurse and her transition to boutique ownership. Jazmin also shares her experience at Dallas Market Center, how she built an amazing table from scratch (with no experience!), what life was like working in nursing during COVID, and more.
What’s Inside:
- Jazmin’s transition from nursing to retail
- What it was like working in nursing during COVID
- How Jazmin’s immigrant parents influenced her career journey
Mentioned In This Episode:
Fridabaeco.com
At Home with Jazmin on Amazon
Frida Bae Co. on Facebook
Frida Bae Co. on Instagram
Frida Bae Co. on Pinterest
Frida Bae Co. on TikTok
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
A printmaking graduate from the Ontario College of Art and Design, Michelle Galletta is the founder of Kiriki Press. The idea was inspired by Michelle wanting to make her niece Madeleine an embroidered doll but couldn't find a pattern anywhere. Michelle decided to learn how to embroider so she could make her a set of three owl dolls to play with.
It was difficult to find contemporary embroidery patterns that weren’t overly simplistic, let alone embroidered doll patterns, so Michelle ended up designing her own. As she was making Madeleine’s owls, she became fascinated with embroidery: the vibrant colors, the countless variety of stitches, and the calming effect it had on her.
After several years of improving her embroidery skills (and a ton of design work), Kiriki Press was born. It was developed in the hopes of giving others the chance to make something precious with their own hands. Kiriki Press was launched in December 2012 with seven patterns, and the collection has grown over the years and is currently expanding to include a range of other DIY products.
Michelle was chosen as a featured seller on Etsy and has been a contributor to Mollie Makes books and magazines. The company has been featured in Uppercase, Canadian Living, Chatelaine, Bust Magazine, and Homespun, as well as many other print publications and craft blogs.
Here, Michelle takes us inside her shop and shares how she moved from her prototype dolls into full production. She also talks about how she transitioned from what she thought was her dream job into starting a business of her own. Michelle shares her experience at her very first show, how she handled business growth through the pandemic, and where she finds inspiration.
What’s Inside:
- How Michelle moved from prototype to full production
- Michelle’s experience at her first show
- Where Michelle finds inspiration
Mentioned In This Episode:
www.kirikipress.com
Kiriki Press on Instagram
Kiriki Press on Facebook
Kiriki Press on Pinterest
This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands.
Kate Duff is the Founder and Wholesale & Gift Guru at Claxton Consulting. With a deep affection for the industry that raised her, Kate brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion. Renowned for her expertise and strong connections within the space, she possesses a unique ability to empower her clients to help them refine their approach. Her guidance and insights are invaluable, whether it's optimizing strategies, cultivating strong partnerships, or filling knowledge gaps.
With unwavering dedication and a nurturing approach, Kate is committed to helping businesses thrive and ultimately level up!
Kate’s been in the industry for over 27 years, and here, she shares how her career has grown and changed over time. Kate and Michelle discuss Kate's transition from retail business owner to consultant and her transformational work with clients. They also discuss relationships with rep agencies, what retailers need to ask vendors for, and how to let the divine take the lead.
What’s Inside:
- How Kate transitioned from retail business owner to consultant
- How Kate helps her clients level up
- What retailers should ask vendors for
Mentioned In This Episode:Claxton Consulting Website
Book: Outrageous Openness
Book: The Big Leap
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines.
Since 1987, Tim Babcock and Jay Anthony from Twigs Candles have been providing customers with the finest home décor with the best quality, selection and price. When you shop with Twigs, you will find a complete collection of fireless candles, lanterns, farmhouse lighting, floral and home décor.
Visit Tim and Jay in person at First Monday Trade Days in Canton Texas. They’re open 4 days out of every month, attracting thousands of visitors, and it’s a shopper’s paradise. Their 5,000 sq ft permanent showroom will give you the opportunity to shop till you drop! If you can’t make it in person, check them out online through the links below.
Tim and Jay share their plans to build the largest home décor warehouse in East Texas. They’re anticipating an August opening, as long as the weather cooperates! Tim and Jay also chat with Michelle about how they started and grew their business, what a typical day in their life looks like, how they’re planning for their upcoming store opening, and much more.
What’s Inside:
- Tim and Jay’s plans to open the biggest home décor warehouse in East Texas
- How Tim and Jay started and grew their business
- A sneak peek into their grand opening
Mentioned In This Episode:
Twigs Candles on Instagram
Twigs Candles Website
Send us a Text Message.
This episode is brought to you by Keena and Co., a premier gift and home agency covering all of the of the western United States. If you're a buyer and you're looking for beautiful contemporary lines, take a look at Keena's brands. Aside from representing stunningly unique and modern brands, they have a solid team of knowledgeable reps that are ready to help you with all your needs. And of course, they always have a bunch of really juicy show specials that are not to be missed. Or if you're a brand looking for boutique style representation in all western states, you should give Keena a call. Keena has beautiful showrooms in Las Vegas and in the Bay Area and a super strong road team with very established relationships with top accounts in their territories. For partnership, strategy and accountability from a sales team, Keena is the agency to contact. Check out their website, keenaco.com, to learn more.
With a vision of creating an internationally respected brand that focuses on sustainability, connection to the planet and to family, and bringing joy into people’s homes, Crow Canyon Home’s Owner & President Cara Barde, lives/exemplifies the values of the brand. She uses CCH enamelware every day in her own home for its style, function, durability and sustainability, reducing waste from disposable paper and plastic products.
Since she began leading the company in 2012, Cara has worked tirelessly to evolve this heritage brand, known as the originator of splatterware design, for a new generation of customers who value beautiful functional design and love to gather and entertain. She has doubled the business in 4 years and has expanded the aesthetic to include new artistic collaborations, new piece types and new colorways of the iconic splatterware. She continues to grow the business with the goal of creating a global lifestyle brand that offers anything the home entertainer needs, from cooking to decor, with an emphasis on creating sustainable products and sparking joy.
Cara, along with her husband Chris and her two children, moved to Marin County, just north of San Francisco. Her number one source of inspiration is travel with her family, where she gets new ideas for products and ways of bringing people together to make memories.
Here, Cara shares how she caught the entrepreneurial bug, moved from the medical to the gift industry, and bought and transformed Crow Canyon Home. She also shares how she purchased her biggest competitor to grow her splatterware empire. Cara and Michelle also discuss Cara’s partnerships, her favorite part about working with international retailers, how she handled her first trade show, and more.
What’s Inside:
- How Cara moved from the medical to gift industry and purchased Crow Canyon Home
- How Cara’s bringing splatterware and sustainability to the forefront
- Cara’s experience living in Bali
Mentioned In This Episode:Crow Canyon Home Website
Crow Canyon Home on Instagram
Send us a Text Message.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
Karyn Cantor is a true entrepreneur, a dynamic force in both the design and retail realms. With her keen eye for style and a knack for business, she's carved out a niche for herself in the jewelry and gift business. Her journey began in 1995 when she founded Classic Hardware Jewelry, initially specializing in pocket watches before expanding into a diverse array of jewelry pieces. What sets her brand apart is its fusion of boldness and romance, characterized by clean lines and sturdy craftsmanship.
Classic Hardware is renowned for its high-quality vanity cases, offering everything from business card holders to tampon cases, as well as high quality necklaces, bracelets, and rings all handmade in the USA with meticulous attention to detail. Karyn affectionately refers to her creations as "Accessories with Class and Sass."
In addition to her thriving jewelry business, Karyn has cultivated a brick-and-mortar presence in Los Angeles, a testament to her enduring success in the retail landscape. For over a decade, her store has been a hub of creativity and style, attracting patrons who appreciate unique, handcrafted pieces.
Alongside her physical storefront, Karyn extends her reach through various online platforms, including her own website, Etsy, and Faire, ensuring her creations reach a diverse audience.
Yet Karyn's entrepreneurial pursuits don't stop there. She's also made a mark as the Los Angeles representative in the gift industry with Just Got 2 Have It! For eight years, she's collaborated with fellow store owners, leveraging her expertise to help them thrive in their own businesses. As a rep, Karyn relishes the opportunity to connect with others in the industry, fostering growth and innovation within the community.
Driven by a passion for design and a commitment to excellence, Karyn continues to inspire and innovate, leaving an indelible mark on both the fashion and retail landscapes. Here, Karyn and Michelle dive into the Classic Hardware jewelry line and all the inspiration behind it. They also discuss how Karyn developed her retail store, how she infuses her personal style into her brand, how she handles theft in her store, and how she finds balance while running her three businesses.
What’s Inside:
- The inspiration and influence behind Karyn’s jewelry line, Classic Hardware
- How Karyn developed her retail store in Los Angeles
- How Karyn finds balance while running multiple businesses
Mentioned In This Episode:
Classic Hardware Website
Classic Hardware on Faire
Classic Hardware on Etsy
Send us a Text Message.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
Ashley Sodipo is the owner of Pink Flamingo Party Co., a luxury party supply, event rental and "over-the-top" balloon installation company. She said she’s been tested and learned a lot about herself, including the importance of following your instincts – which is what she did when she made a spontaneous, career-altering decision six years ago.
Ashley also always loved event planning, so for the get-togethers she liked to order unique party favors and supplies—plates and napkins, maybe an embroidered banner or headbands, things like that. There was clearly a need, she knew, for a centralized, curated source of classy, cute, personalized party supplies, and so she created just that. The Pink Flamingo Party Company was born, starting as an Etsy shop out of her Brooklyn apartment.
Her business got traction, and she created a company website. All was well, but then came COVID. Masks and social distancing put the kibosh on the parties that fueled Ashley’s business, with one critical exception: balloons. She’d always had balloons in her inventory, and with people locked down, demand for extravagant balloon displays soared.
A team of eight now staffs the store while also keeping up with online orders, and balloons
are still a core product. No job is too big, as they do enormous garlands and columns and more while also offering everything a party planner could want, with special themes including featured seasonal inventory. From business meetings to baby showers to bar and bat mitzvahs, Pink Flamingo is ready.
Here, Ashley shares all about how she started Pink Flamingo and her plans to evolve the business going forward. Michelle and Ashley also discuss her transition from e-commerce to brick and mortar, how she developed her impressive balloon installation skills, and much more.
What’s Inside:
- How Ashley started her business, Pink Flamingo
- Ashley’s transition from e-commerce to brick and mortar
- Where Ashley finds inspiration
Mentioned In This Episode:Pink Flamingo Party Co. Website
Pink Flamingo Party Co. on Instagram
Pink Flamingo Party Co. on Facebook
Pink Flamingo Party Co. on Pinterest
Pink Flamingo Party Co. on TikTok
Send us a Text Message.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
In this solo episode, I break down how I keep things fresh working with a variety of retailers and wholesale showrooms. I’m getting ready for upcoming gift shows, so it’s the perfect time for this discussion! I walk through the process of how I honor each client’s particular style and needs while infusing my own ideas and creativity.
What’s Inside:
- My process for working with a variety of retailers and wholesale showrooms
Mentioned In This Episode:
The Retail Whore Podcast Website
Retail Whore Podcast on Instagram
MC Design Collaboration on Instagram
Retail Whore Podcast on TikTok
MC Design Collaboration on TikTok
Send us a Text Message.
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines.
Welcome to our very first retail round up! This one features Barbara Mooney from Daisy’s Mercantile, Sara Villari from Occasionette, and Nathan Waldon from Nathan & Co. As retailers, we all have countless questions to ask our fellow retailers, and here, each guest gets the chance to pick the others’ brains.
Barbara kicks things off with an update on her classroom and what it looks like to take a class at her store. Sara fills everyone in on her move to a newer, bigger location and her plans for design and renovations. Nathan shares his updates from his cabin Airbnb in Sonoma County, California. He’s also in the top 10% of Airbnb hosts on the platform, worldwide!
The group talks about posting on social media and shares their stats, techniques, and some tips and tricks. Each member of the group shares how they plan for shows and the upcoming holiday season. They also share their thoughts on exit planning and retirement, what the future holds for their businesses, words of wisdom for hiring a manager, and open-to-buy systems and programs.
What’s Inside:
- How the group plans for shows and the holiday season
- Thoughts on retirement and exit planning
- Words of wisdom for hiring a manager
Mentioned In This Episode:
Daisy’s Mercantile
Occasionette
Nathan & Co.
Send us a Text Message.
This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands.
Kerrie Fitzgerald is the founder of Kerrie Fitzgerald LLC, an ecommerce and product business consulting & educational agency. She’s also the host of the top 100 marketing podcast, The 6 Figure Product Business Podcast.
As a digital marketing expert, Kerrie helps e-commerce businesses create "wildly in demand"
brands that their customers are obsessed with. Her unique framework stems in organic marketing, that brings in consistent sales and traffic without focusing a dime on ads.
After starting her first high-end pet e-commerce business, The Dapper Dog Box, in 2016, she grew the business to six figures of revenue in two years without funding, staff or support and successfully sold the business in 2019. During that time, she was featured in Buzzfeed, Forbes, and Mariah Carey’s
Magical Christmas Special.
Kerrie is a proud boy & dog mom, hot sauce and coffee lover and an east coast transplant living in Seattle.
Here, Kerrie and Michelle catch up on everything since Kerrie was on the show last year, including her brand-new book, Customer Obsession. Kerrie shares how she’s pivoting in life and business, including her ideas for another product-based business and a software business. She also shares her experience with burnout, chasing the high of starting new projects, and more.
What’s Inside:
- All about Kerrie’s book, Customer Obsession
- Kerrie’s experience with burnout and making life and business changes
- The top three elements of cult-like brands
Mentioned In This Episode:
Kerrie Fitzgerald Website
Kerrie Fitzgerald on Instagram
Kerrie Fitzgerald on YouTube
Kerrie Fitzgerald on TikTok
Send us a Text Message.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
Melanie Scofield is a self-taught baker who started her journey only a few short months ago. Last year, she was diagnosed with LGL Leukemia after having back surgery and an emergency spine surgery. Melanie’s life had completely turned upside down. She had all these medical issues and then also lost her job of 8 years, which was truly devastating.
Going back to work was not an option for Melanie, because some days she’s really sick. She started baking bread for her family, which was truly therapeutic. Melanie fell in love with it and knew this is what she wanted to do. She knew she couldn’t commit to a storefront, so she decided to open a small farmstand in from of her house instead. There, she sells her organic sourdough and baked goods.
Marketing is Melanie’s other favorite thing to do, and she knew she could do everything from home. Her community has been amazing, and they’ve supported her stand for the past five months. Melanie is so thankful, and she says bringing joy to her community is what keeps her going. She wouldn’t change a thing!
Melanie shares her inspiring story of how she stated her stand, Farm and Flour. She also talks about her health struggles and how her surgeries and cancer diagnosis transformed her life. Michelle and Melanie discuss Melanie’s former retail store experience, how she’s expanded her offerings since opening, and her plans for the future.
What’s Inside:
- How Melanie started her stand, Farm and Flour
- How Melanie’s expanded her offerings since she started
- Melanie’s plans for the stand’s future
Mentioned In This Episode:
Farm and Flour on Instagram
Farm and Flour on Facebook
Send us a Text Message.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
COVE is the realization of interior designer Shelly Van Rozeboom’s lifelong dream to create a boutique that offers interior design services alongside a hand-selected assortment of vintage finds, artfully crafted jewelry, plush textiles, home accessories, and customizable furniture, all inspired by the beauty of the
Central Coast and the lifestyle of California.
Located in the heart of Pismo Beach, COVE provides its community access to the design services of nationally recognized design firm, Van Rozeboom Interiors. Whether you need help with space planning or would like to custom design your own furniture, the experienced team at COVE will provide you with
their expertise and the support necessary to make your vision a reality.
Here, Shelly shares all about how she opened her store and how it’s grown over the years. She shares how she integrated her interior design business with the store and how it all works. Shelly also discusses what it was like to operate over the pandemic, how she maintains a work-life balance, how she manages the store, and much more.
What’s Inside:
- How Shelly integrated her interior design business and retail store
- How Shelly manages her store and trains employees
- Shelly’s advice for designers considering opening a store
Mentioned In This Episode:
https://cove805.com/
COVE on Facebook
COVE on Instagram
Shelly on Pinterest
Send us a Text Message.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
As promised, I’m back with another solo show! Here, I discuss a bunch of things coming up for me, and also some things that you guys will be a part of. This summer, I’m speaking at several shows and teaching a masterclass and I share all the details. I also share updates about my blog, my plans for upcoming webinars, updates on the Show Me Your Store series, and details on Zoom consultations.
What’s Inside:
- Where I’m teaching and speaking this summer
- An update about my blog and upcoming webinars
- Updates on the Show Me Your Store series
Send us a Text Message.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
Tara Thorn started her jewelry business, Cedar and Cypress Designs, after living in Haiti for five years. Seeing the beauty of the island, she wanted to share the beauty and work of the artisans she had met. Starting with a small website, she quickly grew into wholesale and is now in over 500 stores across the
US.
It was with the help of mentors and places like MPLS MART that shaped her business. Tara is now also a showroom owner at the MPLS MART, the Midwest’s only permanent regional gift market. Through shows and the online space, she can grow her reach to more stores and customers, increase
awareness of the beautiful items coming out of Haiti, and showcase the work of her artisans and their team. Every purchase makes a difference, Purchase with Purpose.
This is Tara’s second time on the show and here she shares a little about Cedar and Cypress Designs and how the political and social unrest in Haiti impacts her artisans and business. She then dives into her new role at the MPLS mart and how she got started. Tara also shares all the details of her showroom set up, which brands are represented at the mart, and how she maintains a healthy work/life balance.
Upcoming dates for the MPLS Mart are:
June 9-11, 2024
July 26-30, 2024
October 6-8, 2024
What’s Inside:
- How the unrest in Haiti is impacting Tara’s artisans
- What it’s like inside Tara’s showroom
- How Tara maintains a healthy work/life balance
Mentioned In This Episode:Cedar and Cypress Designs on Instagram
Cedar and Cypress Designs on Facebook
cedarandcypressdesigns.com
cedarandcypresswholesale.com
MPLS Mart on Instagram
MLPS Mart on Facebook
mplsmart.com
Book: Buy Back Your Time: Get Unstuck, Reclaim Your Freedom, and Build Your Empire
Send us a Text Message.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
Michele Doty has been in sales for 30+ years, spending the first half learning and mastering her sales, presentation, and people skills within the recruiting space. She was then presented with an opportunity she couldn’t pass up - a sales director position for a luxury jewelry brand. For the last 14 years, Michele has enjoyed being a part of the fashion, beauty, home & gift industries, working for two luxury jewelry brands, and developing relationships with retailers both nationally and internationally.
From growing a start-up company with $0 sales (literally not one sale) to 7 figures within a year, to closing a million-dollar deal in her 20's, to multiple President's Club Honors, to growing wholesale brands to 7+ figures in revenue, to personally selling and managing 8 figures worth of wholesale products and so much more in between, Michelle has learned a WHOLE (pun intended!) lot about sales, strategy & people in the last 30+ years!
Recently, Michele started a strategy consulting company to help fashion brands grow their wholesale business. Now, she has the benefit of experience working with both retailers and brands. Her goal is to bridge that gap between the two and support their growth. Michele Doty Sales (MDS) was born out of the dire need for sales consulting and training, along with educational and community resources and support for brands, designers, creatives, and anyone looking to grow their wholesale business in the Fashion, Beauty, and Home & Gift industries.
As the founder of Michele Doty Sales and a self-proclaimed sales junkie, Michele’s mission is to share her wealth of knowledge, years of experience, and tried & true processes with anyone interested in taking their wholesale business to the next level - biggest cheerleader and hype girl are bonuses! Here, Michele shares all about her career journey and how she founded her consulting company, how she helps her clients shine at markets and shows, what it’s like to work with her, and more.
What’s Inside:
- Michele’s career journey from corporate sales and recruiting to consulting business owner
- How Michele helps her clients shine at markets and shows
- What it looks like to sign on with Michele as a consultant
Mentioned In This Episode:
Michele Doty on Instagram
micheledotysales.com
Send us a Text Message.
This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands.
Alec Samman is the President and CEO of Peepers, a 4th generation family run eyewear company. Alec and his sister Lindsay joined the business as owners a little over ten years ago, and they have continued to uphold the high standards of design, innovation and customer connection that have become associated with the Peepers brand.
Under Alec's leadership, Peepers has grown exponentially by over 2500% to become a multi-channel business, expanding its distribution into over 7,000 stores nationwide as well as having a large and growing presence online, direct to the consumer. Peepers has opened offices in California and Hong Kong and has substantially grown its headquarters in Indiana in terms of space and employees.
In 2019, the Company debuted a large, state-of-the-art distribution facility as part of its headquarters footprint. During the time that Alec has been CEO, Peepers has been named one of "Inc. 5000 Fastest
Growing Companies" 10 times, one of the "Best Places to Work in Indiana" 7 times, and has made the coveted "Oprah's Favorite Things" list 7 times.
Alec has been proud to establish a well-received philanthropic program called "Peepers for Teachers," where the company donates money, school supplies, and eyewear and offers volunteers to support teachers throughout the US. Before joining Peepers, Alec held several roles within the sales organization at CDW, a Fortune 500 information technology provider.
While at CDW, he was named a President’s Club winner for being a top sales producer. Alec was inducted into the YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization) in 2019. He has served on several local non-profit boards, including the Notre Dame School Foundation and is currently the Vice Chair of the Reader & Sunglass Division at the Vision Council.
Alec holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Marketing from Indiana University.
Here, Alec shares his insights into what it was like to build the Peepers brand and his experience transitioning from a corporate sales career into the family business. Michelle and Alec also discuss how Peepers has evolved over four generations, an inside look at the Peepers company culture, and what it was like to get recognized by Oprah.
What’s Inside:
- Alec’s experience transitioning from a sales career into the family business
- How Peepers evolved over four generations
- An inside look at the Peepers company culture
Mentioned In This Episode:
Peepers on Instagram
Peepers on TikTok
Peepers on Facebook
Peepers Website
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines.
Patrick Keiser is the Founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit Heart on Main Street. Following a career as a high school educator, Patrick entered the wholesale industry in 2016 with a passion for making a difference in communities.
After several years of learning within the wholesale industry, Patrick believed he could be doing more to help independent retailers. In 2021, he conceptualized the idea of bringing together the efforts of companies and organizations that relied on Main Street businesses to provide more tools, resources, and education to retailers across the country.
With the belief that by supporting the growth and sustainability of independent retailers, you can help create better economic conditions for those in the community, Heart on Main Street was formed in 2022. In its first full year in 2023, Heart on Main Street provided over $60,000 to retailers affected by natural disasters and continues to grow as an organization.
Patrick shares his career journey from a high school teacher to his work with One Coast and Heart on Main Street. He shares how Heart on Main Street grew from just an idea to the organization it is today. Michelle and Patrick also discuss mentorship in the industry and the power of community, how Patrick works with retailers, the story behind his Main Street Monday tours, and what the future holds for Heart on Main Street.
What’s Inside:
- How and why Patrick started Heart on Main Street
- A discussion on mentorship and the power of community
- The story behind Patrick’s Main Street Monday tours
Mentioned In This Episode:
Heart on Main Street on Instagram
Heart on Main Street on Facebook
Heart on Main Street Website
Heart on Main Street on TikTok
This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands.
Nora’s story began with a pivotal "a-ha moment" in 2004 at her pottery shop just outside of Chicago, Illinois, where she noticed women returning month after month to create platters for various occasions. Curious about where they were storing all these platters, she envisioned a simpler solution—a single
platter for multiple occasions.
Two years later, Nora's brother, Jon, joined her as a business partner, bringing a perfect blend of creativity and development skills to help her grow the company. Family remains the core of Nora’s business, and each member of her team is connected through life’s circle of family and friends.
Nora shares all about her incredible career and personal journey and how it blossomed into her thriving business. She walks through how she came up with her innovative platter concept and discusses the impact of doing signings with customers. Michelle and Nora also chat about how Nora navigates her business since her brother’s passing, advice on building your own brand, and how Nora gives back to the community through her work.
What’s Inside:
- How Nora developed her innovative platter concept
- Advice on building your own brand
- How Nora’s company gives back
Mentioned In This Episode:
Nora Fleming on Instagram
Nora Fleming Website
Nora Fleming on Facebook
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a West Coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines.
In 2023, Nathan Raposo and Spencer Howard of Nathan Spencer Home acquired the Agoura Antique Mart in Agoura Hills, California, after operating locations in San Diego, La Jolla, and Venice. Spencer began selling antiques in the 1990s and operated a design and construction firm in Houston, Texas, that specialized in historic preservation and architectural antiques. After that, he commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy’s Civil Engineer Corps and did construction projects around the world.
Nathan owned a home fragrance shop in Boston, Massachusetts, where he handcrafted candles, reed diffusers, and solid perfumes. Prior to that, he was a private hair stylist for a luxury high rise in downtown Boston. They met in San Diego as Spencer was finishing his last tour with the Navy. Together, they created Nathan Spencer Home to combine their love of antiques, gifts, and home decor.
This summer, they are expanding the Agoura Antique Mart by 25% with an additional 2,300 sq. ft. of showroom space at the Whizin Market Square in Agoura Hills, California.
Here, Nathan and Spencer share all about their background and how it influenced their business ventures today. They discuss the details on how their furniture painting techniques got them into antiques and what it’s like at the Agoura Hills Antique Mart. Nathan and Spencer also share insights into their merchandising strategy, how they split their work responsibilities, how they design their stores and manage vendors, and much more.
What’s Inside:
- How Nathan and Spencer’s background led them to where they are today
- What it’s like inside the Agoura Antique Mart
- How Nathan and Spencer design their stores and manage vendors
Mentioned In This Episode:The Agoura Antique Mart on Instagram
The Agoura Antique Mart on Facebook
www.TheAgouraAntiqueMart.com
This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website, www.salesproducersinc.com.
Jason Mauser is the CEO and Founder of Mausser Consulting Inc., a Product Development Think Tank and International and Domestic Sourcing Company founded in 2006. With over 35 years of diverse sales experience, his client list includes Toyota Motors, Cedars Sinai Hospital, LA Dodgers, Disney Corp., Warner Bros., Museum of Contemporary Art, Universal Studios, MGM, Tao Restaurant Group, BOKA Restaurant Group and Patina Restaurant Group. Jason has been mastering these techniques while advising Sales associates for over 15 years.
Jason has an extensive background in sales, and his book’s title is just perfect for this podcast: Don’t Shut the Fck Up! Here, he shares all about his history, how he’s flipping the script on sales, and how the book came to be. Jason also talks about how to recognize your own authority, how to prevent wasted effort and avoid bad clients, how Jason uses his tactics in his own life and business, and more.
What’s Inside:
- All about Jason’s book, Don’t Shut the Fck Up.
- How to prevent wasted effort and avoid problematic clients.
- How Jason uses his tactics in life and business.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Don't Shut the Fck Up on Instagram
Don't Shut the Fck Up on TikTok
Don't Shut the Fck Up on Facebook
Work with Jason
Don't Shut the F$ck up!: Transform Your Selling Mindset: 15 Questions and Answers for Ultimate Sales Success!
In my monthly solo shows, I’ll be filling you in on what’s been happening in my world, what projects I’m working on, and updates on any exciting news. I’ll also be talking about industry best practices, and in this episode, I’ll share with you how I like to tackle store flips step by step.
I also share some of the new projects I’m getting into, including webinars, which I’m really excited about. I’m also going to be offering consultation calls soon, so stay tuned for more information!
What’s Inside:
- How to tackle store flips
Mentioned In This Episode:
MC Design Collaboration on Instagram
The Retail Whore Podcast on Instagram
The Retail Whore Podcast on TikTok
MC Design Collaboration on TikTok
Kate Murray is the owner of Quick Brown Fox Letterpress, based in the Hudson Valley of New York. Quick Brown Fox makes quirky cards with perfect puns the old-fashioned way: one color at a time, one card at a time, on turn of the century letterpress machines.
To pay her dues, Kate worked in two amazing NYC letterpress studios for more than 10 years. When the opportunity came up to salvage and restore two presses, both in pretty bad shape, Quick Brown Fox Letterpress was born. Most of the cards that you see on Kate’s website are printed on the press that was in the worst shape, Goldie the Golding Jobber.
Years and years later, Kate is constantly adding to my line of quirky, pun-filled letterpress greeting cards. Each card is painstakingly printed one at a time, one color at a time, with immaculate registration on a late 19th Century and early 20th century letterpress. Some people may say, "11 colors for one card?! That's a lot of colors!" But Kate always says, "There's no such thing as too many colors."
Here, Michelle and Kate talk about the Greeting Card Association, the merger of Noted and Gifted, and the old San Francisco Now show. Kate also shares how she wound up taking over Noted without show experience, how this year’s show will be different from last year’s, what retailers can expect at the show, how to sign up, and more.
What’s Inside:
- All about the merger of Noted and Gifted
- Teasers for this year’s Noted Expo
- What retailers can expect at the show
Mentioned In This Episode:
Attend Noted+GiftedNoted Expo on InstagramGreeting Card Association on LinkedInGreeting Card Association on FacebookQuick Brown Fox Letterpress Website
This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com.
Sisters Cliona and Laragh Standún run a boutique destination store in Galway, in the West of Ireland. The family business was established by their grandparents in 1946 and has undergone many changes over the past three generations. From a general country store catering to local people’s daily needs to a world-renowned tourist destination. Nowadays, the business caters to both international and local customers as well as having a global reach on its online platform.
Both sisters worked in retail elsewhere before they teamed up together in 2012 and brought their previous experience as well as their individual skills to grow the business and work on achieving their shared vision. The sisters would say that their strengths are like ‘chalk & cheese’ which makes for the perfect duo. With both having over 20 years’ retail experience, they eat & breathe everything retail and are always trying to advance their business and continue to grow in an ever-changing and competitive environment.
In 2017, they expanded and opened a second store in a nearby town called Oughterard, which has
been a success and has allowed them to double that retail space within 5 years. The business has gone through its fair share of ups and downs throughout its almost 80 years. The family had to adapt to many economic changes over the years in order to remain competitive and relevant.
Cliona and Laragh are the podcast’s very first international listeners, and here, they share how they’ve grown their family business to what it is today. The Standún sisters also discuss how they divide up their workload, how they tackle their buying, what it’s like to attend an international gift fair, and more.
What’s Inside:
- How Cliona and Laragh have grown their family business
- How the Standún sisters tackle buying and other responsibilities
- What it’s like to attend an international gift fair
Mentioned In This Episode:
Standún on Instagram
Standún on Facebook
Standún Website
This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands.
For all of us who are merchandisers, Amy Meadows has the dream career. She has over 25 years of experience in window display, visual merchandising, and event planning.
Recognized nationally in her field, Amy has reinvented traditions and reinvigorated business for both major retailers and independent businesses. From big boxes to boutiques, she helps businesses explore and leverage tools to attract customers and drive sales. Amy helps her clients align their storefronts, signage and displays to work together to build their brand and increase revenue.
As a designer, Amy uses her background in theatrical set design to bring a sense of whimsy and drama to her installations, maximize visual stimulation and develop cost-saving display strategies. Through consulting, she creates best practices, methodologies, and practical strategies for a wide range of visual initiatives and outcomes.
Additionally, Amy has created course content to inform and inspire the next generation of designers, with an emphasis on relevance in a changing retail landscape. Amy’s also a public speaker, and she conducts seminars specializing in time and cost-effective display solutions for independent retailers and business districts.
Here, Amy and Michelle dive into Amy’s background, including stories from her time working at Marshall Field’s and Macy’s. Amy also shares the similarities between set design and merchandising and how her work is influenced by her theater experience. The discussion also includes how Amy incorporates customer experience data into her work, the art of visual merchandising, and how displays reflect a company’s brand.
What’s Inside:
* How Amy’s theater background influenced her work in merchandising
* Amy’s insights into the art of visual merchandising
* Why displays are a big reflection of your brand
Mentioned In This Episode:
Windows Matter
Amy Meadows on Instagram
Amy Meadows on LinkedIn
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines.
Jessica Totillo Coster is an eCommerce and email marketing strategist for boutique owners and product entrepreneurs. She uses data and experience to help her clients figure out the next best step in their business. Jessica’s a native New Yorker living in LA. She holds a degree in fashion merchandising, has over 20 years of retail experience, and made $600K in her first year as the owner of a brick-and-mortar boutique.
During most of her time as a boutique owner, she was the only employee doing all the things. In Jessica’s words, “that shit was crazy,” but she had the pleasure of working with some of the top experts in the eCommerce + digital marketing industries. The kind of consultants the average entrepreneur doesn't have access to.
In the last few years, Jessica realized that while she loved what she did, she didn't love who I did it for. Her true passion was to support small business owners—those are her kind of people. As the founder of eCommerce Badassery, Jessica finds tremendous joy in teaching them and supporting them in making their dreams a reality.
Here, Jessica walks us through her retail journey from her first job at Contempo Casual to badass business consultant, including a stint slinging dildos on the internet (yep, that’s right). She also shares stories from her brick-and-mortar boutique days, why people who work in retail are the Swiss army knife of business, how eCommerce Badassery was born, and details on Jessica’s offerings.
What’s Inside:
- Stories from Jessica’s 20 year career in retail
- Why experience working in retail is so valuable
- Details on Jessica’s offerings
Mentioned In This Episode:
eCommerce Badassery Website
Jessica on Instagram
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
It’s finally time for a solo show! Last year, we experienced a ton of highs as well as some pretty low lows. From saying goodbye to our beloved pup Peanut and having to move out of the house we were in for ten years to losing my stepfather, we went through some really tough times. The compound effect of everything was devastating.
However, there’s always a silver lining and the lessons I learned throughout these challenging times were so powerful. I’ve historically hated Las Vegas, but my extended time there made me fall in love with it. I’ve made some amazing strides with all kinds of things from dog training to new opportunities with the podcast. Here, I cover it all.
What’s Inside:
- A recap of the past year’s highs and lows
Mentioned In This Episode:
The Retail Whore Podcast on Facebook
The Retail Whore Podcast on Instagram
MC Design Collaboration on Instagram
MC Design Collaboration on Facebook
This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com.
Sonia McMoran spent more than a decade reporting on interior design and technology trends for publications such as The New York Times, Wired, ReadyMade, and Apartment Therapy. While taking a hiatus from journalism, Sonia realized that what she loved most about her job wasn’t the writing, but the excitement of uncovering cool products and the people who make them and sharing her discoveries with the world. This was the impetus for Home/Work, an affordable and unique shop for the home and home office that celebrates the best in past and present design.
Sonia joins the podcast to chat about how she got Home/Work off the ground and how it’s changed since she started it all eight years ago. She shares her story of how she dove headfirst into retail after a career in journalism and how much her local small business center helped her. We also discuss open-to-buy systems, how Sonia recovered after the pandemic, and more.
What’s Inside:
- How Sonia started Home/Work without any retail experience.
- The benefits of open-to-buy systems.
- How Sonia’s business recovered post-pandemic.
Mentioned In This Episode:Home/Work on Instagram
Home/Work on Facebook
Home/Work on TikTok
This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands.
Verity Doyle is the owner of Verity Gray Design and a freelance retail designer specializing in retail interiors and visual merchandising. Verity has a creative approach that's always customer focused, making sure the retail space is optimized for sales so the business can operate smoothly.
Verity lives in Oxfordshire, UK with her husband Paul and two kids, Vinnie and Nola. 2024 will be the 20th year since she graduated from art college and started her career in the creative side of retail. After Verity graduated with her graphic design degree, she cut her teeth working for IKEA where she spent two years as a VM and interior designer.
After leaving IKEA, Verity moved over to the store design side and worked for some retail design agencies and shopfitters for a few years. Missing the shop floor, she then flipped back and forth between visual merchandising and desk-based design work for the last 16 years! Verity says this is what gives her a bit of an edge, as her knowledge of working on the shop floor influences her design work and vice versa.
During Verity’s career, she’s held several positions, including an area VM for JoJo Maman Bebe (children’s wear chain). Up until 2020, she was the Head of VM (for the UK partnership) for Flying
Tiger Copenhagen. Verity joined Tiger when they had only one store, grew with them as it peaked at 45 stores, and spent seven years with them.
Here, Verity shares her career journey and how she landed a full-time career in freelance retail design. She shares what it was like to merchandise for IKEA and how they prepare for a store opening. Michelle and Verity also discuss the strategic ins and outs of merchandising, how the pandemic impacted the UK retail world, and how Verity finds clients as a freelancer.
What’s Inside:
- Verity’s experience working in merchandising for IKEA
- A behind the scenes look at merchandising strategies
- How Verity finds clients as a freelancer
Mentioned In This Episode:Verity Gray Design Website
Verity Gray Design on Instagram
Verity Doyle on LinkedIn
Verity Gray Design on Pinterest
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines.
Mehrnush Saadat started out in retail at the age of 15 on the floor at Upton's - if anyone remembers that store! From there, she went on to work in other retail organizations, primarily in cosmetics: Lancôme, Tony and Tina, Paula Dorf, and Origins (to name a few).
In college, Mehrnush obtained her BA in International Relations and shortly thereafter, became a licensed realtor. Although she continued to work as a realtor until 2016, Mehrnush decided to go to law school at Georgia State College of Law in 2011. Her area of passion was international business. She had one internship in London and another in Dubai, but her heart wouldn’t let her leave Atlanta.
Because Atlanta isn’t exactly known for international business law, Mehrnush went back to what she knew best after school: real estate. She started her legal career in real estate law as a closing attorney. As time went on, Mehrnush decided that she wanted to create something different than what she had seen in the industry over the last 11+ years as a realtor.
In 2016, she started Blue Ink Title on a whim with a lot of faith and determination. After six successful years as a legal entrepreneur, in April 2022, she merged her law practice with Ganek PC, a larger real estate closing firm that has been in business for over 45 years.
Although she wasn’t quite sure what it would be exactly, Mehrnush knew she was ready to pursue another venture. She knew the best parts of creating Blue Ink Title were in the creation process. The startup part, although stressful, was what she loved most. And then, this past New Year’s Eve, her latest venture Soberish was born. Soberish is a non-alcoholic bottle shop and cannabis boutique that is #redefininghappyhour.
Here, Mehrnush shares her amazing story of how her career journey led her to the entrepreneurial world. Michelle and Mehrnush discuss what inspired her to start Soberish and what piqued her interest about the sober curious movement. They also chat about how the cultures of cannabis and alcohol are changing, what inspired Mehrnush when creating the Soberish aesthetic, and how Mehrnush works with her vendors and team members.
What’s Inside:
- What inspired Mehrnush to create Soberish.
- The inspiration behind the Soberish aesthetic.
- How Mehrnush works with vendors and team members.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Soberish Website
Connie n Jack on Instagram
Soberish on Instagram
https://florahempspirits.com/
https://www.betterrhodes.com/products/zeero-sangiovese
https://drinkdesoi.com/
https://drinkallay.com/
https://notpot.com/
https://www.drinkcantrip.com/
https://kaempathogenics.com/
This episode is sponsored by Sales Producers Inc., a progressive business to business company representing gift, lifestyle, fashion, personal care, & kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to their customer, vendor, and team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com.
Susan George is a passionate advocate for the limitless potential of social media and the CEO and Founder of Mediary Marketing. Her journey to this point wasn't your typical trajectory. Before diving into the dynamic world of digital branding, Susan was a full-time musician. Little did she know that her background would lead her to discover the transformative power of building a personal brand on social media.
From getting women paid to be authentically themselves online to taking a founder's vision and crafting the most authentic brand story, Susan finds that social media is a great equalizer, where anyone can build an audience and opportunities around their passions, talent, and pursuits.
Susan’s vision for Mediary is to be the go-to agency for creatives and brands that like to think outside the box. She also strives to build authentic connections and communities that can support, uplift, inspire, and make the world a better place.
Here, Susan and Michelle talk about the importance of social media and how it’s important to utilize it when building a successful business or brand. Susan shares several amazing tips and tricks to help make your own social media platforms shine. Susan also shares why TikTok is way more than just a dancing app, how to deal with internet trolls and bullies, and what it means to go viral.
What’s Inside:
- How Susan’s music career led her into a full-fledged marketing agency
- Why TikTok is way more than a dancing app
- What it means when content goes viral
Mentioned In This Episode:
Mediary Marketing Website
Mediary Under the Influence Podcast
Susan George on Instagram
Susan George on TikTok
This episode is sponsored by MC Design Academy, designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
Andrew Fegler is a 25-year-old serial entrepreneur from the Seattle area. He founded That's So Andrew, an inclusive stationery line, just under 3 years ago. Andrew prides himself on the creation of a brand that is authentic to his own identity, which is why you'll find the line to be quite humorous, trendy, and gay AF.
Andrew created his first product when he was only 17: a line of candles that had snarky quotes on them. They were hugely successful, and his candleline hobby turned into a full-time business very quickly. At 19, Andrew shut the business down for an extended break and took a month-long trip to Thailand. While he was there, he made contact with a Chinese manufacturer, ordered his first sample, and never looked back. Today, Andrew has two partner factories that pride themselves on their attention to detail and craftsmanship.
After mastering the art of trade shows and networking, he's grown That's So Andrew into a wholesale-forward company sold in over 1,300 stores across the globe. Here, Andrew shares his story about how he started his entrepreneurial journey and how he’s grown his brand throughout the years. Michelle and Andrew also talk about how he got into wholesale, Andrew’s take on incorporating politics into his work, and how he handles trade shows.
What’s Inside:
- How Andrew created his unique brand, That’s So Andrew.
- Andrew’s experience being a self-taught entrepreneur.
- Andrew’s take on infusing politics into products.
Mentioned In This Episode:
That's So Andrew Website
That's So Andrew on Instagram
This episode is sponsored by MC Design Academy, designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
Kevlyn Walsh was a high-school art teacher, teaching graphic design and digital photography to high school students. As an art teacher, she was always fostering creativity in her students and encouraging them to act on their ideas. So, to stay creatively inspired herself, she started "Festive Gal" as her passion project. Festive Gal quickly took off, and Kevlyn decided to pursue Festive Gal full-time and quit education at the end of the school year in 2019.
Kevlyn does all her own graphic design, web-design, and photography for Festive gal. Being trained across multiple creative disciplines is one of her many superpowers. If she doesn’t know how to do something, she is a firm believer that there is always a YouTube video that can teach you how!
Kevlyn launched into wholesale in 2021 and began attending trade shows to build her customer base. In just two years, she has grown her stockiest list to over 800 stores in the USA. Kevlyn was a keynote speaker at the Ultimate Product Party in 2022, sharing her knowledge about leaning into "best-sellers" and how to be KNOWN for something. She’s the unofficial "queen of crowns" and continues to be KNOWN for her fun and festive products.
During the summer of 2022, Kevlyn did 3 back-to-back trade shows 7 months pregnant all by herself, ON HER FEET. She was determined to continue growing her business and knew that sending someone else to represent Festive Gal at the shows just wouldn’t have the same magical effect. Kevlyn is a new mom navigating what it means to run a successful business and take care of a new baby. She’s extremely proud of the fact that she was able to take a 9-week maternity leave in her business in order to heal from pregnancy and spend time with her husband and newborn baby. It took months of planning, delegation, systems, and processes so that she could step away and instead keep the business running with a team.
In this conversation, Kevlyn tells the story of how she started Festive Gal and how she’s grown her empire over the last several years. She shares the inspiration behind her party headbands and how she’s been creative since she was a child. Michelle and Kevlyn also discuss how she handled explosive sales during the pandemic, working with influencers and social media, how she launched her wholesale brand, and more.
What’s Inside:
- How Kevlyn went from high-school art teacher to running Festive Gal full-time.
- How Kevlyn handled massive sales during the pandemic.
- Kevlyn’s experience with trade shows and launching her wholesale brand.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Festive Gal WebsiteFestive Gal on InstagramFestive Gal on FacebookFestive Gal on PinterestFestive Gal on TikTokShop Rare Form
This episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
Emma Lewis is the owner of Rare Form and The Twentieth, both based in Chicago. Emma works to digitally restore and reinterpret 100-year-old designs to create unique greeting cards, stationery, and more. Through her work, her goal is to empower and affirm others with a brand that combines vintage images with unapologetic contemporary feminist language and over-the-top messages of affirmation.
The Twentieth is a stationery, gift, and design brand that brings historical maximalism together with 21st century wit and an unapologetic attitude. The brand brings Art Deco imagery into the 21st century with empowering language and more than a hint of sarcasm. It’s meant to raise others up with affirming messages of support combined with updated, stunning historical graphics. The team creates cards and gifts that are purposefully over-the-top in message and design because they believe that now more than ever, it is vital that we share our true feelings with our loved ones and empower ourselves through community-building.
Rare Form offers a variety of Emma’s feminist prints, greeting cards, antiques, and other gifts. There, she uses her nerdy, sarcastic sense of humor to create digital collages that combine vintage photographs of women with empowering, contemporary feminist language.
Here, Michelle and Emma dive into Emma’s brands and how she juggles two successful businesses while also managing a busy family. Emma shares how her academic background in the arts shaped her career and how she broke into wholesaling without any prior experience. Emma also talks about her decision to open a retail store, all about how she set up her space, where Emma sources new ideas and inspiration, and more.
What’s Inside:
- How Emma transitioned from an academic career in art to owning two successful brands.
- How Emma opened up her brick-and-mortar retail store.
- Where Emma discovers new ideas.
Mentioned In This Episode:
https://shoprareform.com/
This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company.
In 2011, Lindsay Duncan was pregnant with twins and at home on bed rest. She was also recently laid off from her job in banking. These circumstances led Lindsay to create Winter Lennon, a women’s apparel and accessories brand. Although she had no background and learned as she went, Lindsay’s efforts paid off.
Seven years later, after riding a wave of immediate success, Lindsay found herself struggling. She loved the industry but needed a change. She then met Patrick Ongena, who was the founder of Patrick & Company showroom at Dallas Market Center. He opened the showroom in 1991 and was looking to retire in the next few years. Lindsay ended up coming on as the Dallas rep, with the understanding that they would move towards his retirement.
In January of 2022, Lindsay bought Patrick & Co. Along with the help of her husband, Dusty, Lindsay expanded Patrick & Co. by 50% in November of 2022. In June of 2023, the team completed a record-breaking show. Today, Patrick & Co. represents some of the best gift brands in the business, including Tweezerman, Vinglacé, and Luxe Dominoes.
Here, Lindsay shares her story and all of the different things she’s done that led her to landing at Patrick & Co. Michelle and Linsday discuss the rise and fall of her Winter Lennon brand and the difference between apparel and gift showrooms. Their conversation also includes how Lindsay carries on Patrick’s legacy at Patrick & Co. and how she creates and maintains a positive environment.
What’s Inside:
- Lindsay’s story from working in banking to owning Patrick & Co.
- The difference between apparel and gift showrooms
- Lindsay’s plans for Patrick & Co. for 2024
Mentioned In This Episode:
Patrick & Co. Website
Patrick & Co. on Instagram
This episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
Ronald Carter likes to think of creative styling as an art form. It's a masterpiece, carefully crafted by your imagination and passion. You could say Ronald fell into this career by accident. Having experienced being a struggling actor, he was in desperate need of a side hustle. He was living in Seattle at the time, and he recalls asking a friend if she knew of anyone who was hiring. She suggested Ronald check out Eddie Bauer, and the rest is history.
Ronald started out as a greeter and then moved to the home store as a sales associate. There, he noticed a young woman named Joyce styling a table and found himself drawn to what she was doing. Soon after a conversation, Ronald asked if he could help her, and she kindly accepted the offer. Following Joyce’s departure from the company, Ronald interviewed for her job and moved right on into the role without further ado.
In the 3 years that followed, Ronald worked his way up to designing floor plans for the corporate office and training new visual managers. His retail career, however, did not end there. Ronald went on to work for Nordstrom, Anthropologie, and Porch. The training, the people, and the influences he’s met throughout his journey have helped him become a better designer. Continued training has helped Ronald in his new adventures in interior design, and he’s looking forward to the next chapter in this crazy world of styling and design.
Michelle and Ronald kick things off with a discussion around his career journey, from pursuing acting to an extensive career within the retail space. Ronald shares his experiences working for some of the biggest names in retail. They discuss Ronald’s walkthrough process, the importance of storytelling, and how to handle micromanagement and challenging clients. They also talk about risk taking and trends, and how to stay current while staying true to yourself.
What’s Inside:
- How Ronald moved from acting to a career in styling and design.
- Insights into Ronald’s walkthrough process.
- How to stay current while staying true to yourself.
This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our customers, vendors, and team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website, www.salesproducersinc.com.
Ashley Withey is an accomplished graphic designer with a diverse background spanning the worlds of nonprofit, corporate, and advertising. With experience working for renowned organizations such as Susan G. Komen, Marriott Vacation Club, and other major global brands, Ashley's journey in the design industry has been marked by success and growth.
In 2014, Ashley embarked on an entrepreneurial path, establishing her own freelance design company, which underwent a rebranding in late 2019, becoming Friendlily Press. Although the COVID-19 pandemic initially posed challenges, Ashley's resilience and determination allowed her business to flourish.
Between January and June of 2021, Friendlily Press had evolved from a one-person operation based at Ashley's home into a thriving enterprise with a dedicated team of nearly 20 professionals, operating out of expansive 6,000 square-foot offices and warehouses in Maitland, Florida.
Today, Friendlily Press collaborates with companies of all sizes, crafting wholesale merchandise, direct-to-consumer goods, and promotional pieces to help further the success of others. Ashley's client roster boasts an impressive array of notable names, including Francescas, Voss Water, A&E Media Group,
Amazon Video, and many others. Moreover, the company serves over 500 small business boutiques nationwide, fostering a vibrant community of partnerships.
Outside of work, Ashley finds joy in her loving relationship with her supportive husband, Rhett, and their delightful five-year-old son, Calloway. When they are not engaged in their thriving enterprise, the family enjoys quality time at Disney, exploring new travel destinations, and actively contributing to their local community by assisting with the operations of the community little league.
Here, Ashley shares her background and how she went from being a graphic designer to starting and growing Friendlily Press. Michelle and Ashley discuss where the name Friendlily came from as well as how the Friendlily product line has expanded since its inception. They also talk about Friendlily’s production evolution, how Ashley designed her merchandise offerings, and what she’s currently focused on in the business.
What’s Inside:
- How Ashley started Friendlily Press and where the name came from
- How the Friendlily Press product line has expanded over the years
- Where Ashley finds creative inspiration
Mentioned In This Episode:
Friendlily Press Website
Friendlily Press on Instagram
Friendlily Press on Facebook
Friendlily Press on LinkedIn
Friendlily Press on TikTok
This week’s episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands.
Luxe Dominoes is the intersection of traditional games and high-end design. It was founded in Miami by Jonathan Cohen, who inherited his life-long passion for dominoes from his grandfather. Luxe Dominoes shines the light on beloved games, giving them a new place among great modern design.
The art and science of dominoes go back hundreds of years, yet their packaging has been stagnant for the past few decades. Each Luxe Domino box is hand made by craftsmen in Miami with recyclable material. "El Tigre" is their take on the traditional sliding top domino box, and "El Catire" comes with 4 racks integrated into the box.
These sets are meant to be displayed and played! Luxe Dominoes doesn't just want these beautiful domino sets to sit on your coffee table. All sets come with jumbo tournament size pieces that feel great when you play. They also have brass spinners that add to the fun.
Here, Jonathan shares his story, starting from his childhood growing up in Venezuela to getting into the startup world. He shares the backstory behind Luxe Dominoes and how it grew into the success it is today. Jonathan and Michelle also discuss how Jonathan got his product into stores, how he expanded his product line, his experience at shows, and a whole lot more.
What’s Inside:
- How Jonathan started Luxe Dominoes
- How Jonathan set up his very first booth at a show
- All about Jonathan’s partnerships with retailers
Mentioned In This Episode:
Luxe Dominoes Website
Luxe Dominoes on Instagram
This week’s episode is sponsored by MC Design Academy. MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
Renee Dick, creator and founder of Fresh Life Marketing, is the girlfriend you never knew you needed in your business. Whether you're in the beginning stages of starting out or even if you’re an established entrepreneur, her mission is to serve YOU.
Renee created Fresh Life Marketing, an agency specializing in done for you content repurposing. This focuses on the content you’ve already created to give it FRESH LIFE in other aspects of your marketing. #worksmarternotharder
Renee is also co-host of the Dreams to Plans Podcast, where she shares her experiences and connects with like-minded entrepreneurs. With a passion for providing value and support for other business owners, it’s Renee’s mission to show you what’s possible, get you out of your own way, and be a resource for you at every stage of your business journey.
The concept of Human Design changed the game for Renee. On a personal level, she was able to see that all the things she was spending so much time and energy hiding were actually her superpowers. She went from feeling icky about sales and stressed about her marketing strategy to operating on what felt right in her body and selling out services that she hadn’t even launched yet!
Here, Renee and Michelle discuss Renee’s amazing work with Human Design and Gene Keys and how Renee weaves her expertise into client projects. Renee breaks down the concept of Human Design in layman’s terms and shows how it can be a total game changer for your personal and professional life. The conversation also includes a discussion on Gene Keys, how to find your own Human Design type, and much more.
What’s Inside:
- How Human Design changed Renee’s personal and professional life.
- How to determine your own Human Design type.
- All about Renee’s new practices.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Fresh Life Marketing Website
Fresh Life Marketing on Instagram
This week’s episode is sponsored by MC Design Academy. MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
Melissa Hesse doesn't have a degree in art, but somehow, she made it her career. She started at Z Gallerie back in 1993 as a part-time sales associate while going to college. Melissa then spent the next 14 years there, holding almost every position possible, but she always found the art department her home.
After six years in the stores, she moved into the corporate office and spent the next eight years in the art department as the Merchandise Planner and Assistant Buyer. Melissa would help select the artwork for over 70 stores. She went on buying trips and worked with publishers and wholesale framers on new merchandise for the stores. Fun was the best way she could describe her experience at Z Gallerie, where she met lifelong friends.
After 14 years, Melissa made the leap to Third and Wall Art Group, which was a vendor she had purchased posters from. She’s been with Third and Wall for almost 15 years and was recently promoted to Creative Director. Today, Melissa services a small number of accounts, which helps her keep a finger on the pulse of her clients’ needs. At Third and Wall, Melissa and her team can customize artwork to fit the scope of any project by changing color, creating pieces, or cropping existing imagery to fit a certain size. She’s always amazed at what the creative team can do.
Melissa’s a Southern California native raised in the San Gabriel Valley. She’s a mom to two amazing young men, Jake (22) and Zach (21) and she’s been happily married (ok, not all day every day, but most days) to her husband of 25 years, Bill. Her kids call her an 'Art Editor' and, in some ways, that might be the most accurate description of what she does.
Michelle and Melissa discuss her journey from Z Gallerie to Third and Wall Art Group and how she curates custom work for her clients. They talk about how Melissa works with merchandisers and retailers to help tie their vision together. Melissa also shares insights into her process, how she curates custom looks for stores to help them stand out, and much more.
What’s Inside:
- How Melissa and her team work with clients at Third and Wall.
- How Melissa works with merchandisers and retailers to tie their vision together.
- How Melissa selects submissions from artists.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Third and Wall Website
Third and Wall on Twitter
Third and Wall on Instagram
Third and Wall on Facebook
Third and Wall on YouTube
Third and Wall on LinkedIn
Third and Wall on Pinterest
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines.
Crystal Vilkaitis is a world-class social media expert and powerful speaker who helps retailers shine online and bring their unique brilliance to the local and global masses. Fueling retailers with confidence to grow their visibility and results, Crystal’s on a mission to help Main Street businesses thrive. She’s spoken on stages around the globe and has shared the stage with industry giants like Martha Stewart, Gary Vaynerchuk, Bethenny Frankel, Brendon Burchard, and more. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Heart on Main Street and Gift for Life.
For more than 15 years, Crystal has been helping retailers boost sales and drive more traffic through social media and marketing. In 2012, Crystal founded Crystal Media, a social media advertising and digital marketing agency. Crystal and her team are passionate about alleviating retailers' frustrations and confusions about social media and online marketing.
Crystal hosts the show Rooted in Retail, covering retail-centric topics like marketing, money, mindset, A.I., and more. Most recently, she launched Crystal Uncorked, a podcast that features inspiring guests and interesting business conversations over a glass of wine. She started the show to share open and honest conversations about her journey and to talk to other entrepreneurs about their experiences. On the podcast, she pulls back the curtain and talks about the highs and the lows of being a business owner.
Here, Michelle and Crystal dive into how our fast-paced age of technology and social media influences the retail industry. Crystal shares insights into how platforms like TikTok are changing how products are sold and how things go viral. Michelle and Crystal also discuss working and traveling with their husbands, holiday marketing strategies, and how AI is changing the game.
What’s Inside:
- How retailers are adapting to the world of social media.
- Holiday marketing tips.
- How AI is changing the retail game.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Crystal Media Website
Crystal on Instagram
Crystal on Facebook
Crystal on YouTube
Crystal on LinkedIn
Rooted in Retail Website
Ready to Zen? Let's go!
ZenGenius specializes in providing Visual Merchandising, Creative Direction, and Special Events support to retail brands, businesses, and organizations of all types. Going on 25 years, ZenGenius has been a proud part of the creative and retail design communities across the globe.
Michelle and the team kick things off by talking about the beginning of ZenGenius and how it evolved into the powerhouse it is today. The ZenGenius team also shares stories from their projects, including a weed store, and how they approach working with each of their clients. Discussion topics also include leaving the corporate world, prop and inventory management, event and convention planning, and more.
MEET THE TEAM:
Joe Baer is the Co-Founder, CEO, and Creative Director of ZenGenius, Inc., a creative design firm based in Columbus, Ohio, founded in 1999 with Paul Cook. Joe is on the Editorial Advisory board for VMSD, has been a regular judge for the International Visual Merchandising Competition, and created and hosts
the popular Iron Merchant Challenge held annually at the IRDC Conference. Joe now sits on the Advisory Board for the Masters of Retail Studies at Columbus College of Art Design and is on the Board of PAVE Global.
Dedicating much of his career to leading engaging workshops, visual merchandising training programs, and interactive visual challenges, Joe Baer celebrates the art of visual merchandising and inspiring event design in all he takes on. Joe brings along a talented team of creatives that are ready to problem solve and bring "the calm to the chaos," a motto at ZenGenius.
Paul Cook / Co-Founder + Senior Visual Merchandiser
LuAnne Baer / Director of Finance + Operations
Meg Lefeld / Director of Business Development + Senior Project Manager
Stephanie Bair-Garant / Director of Visual Merchandising + Talent
Emily Shirey / Director of Visual Merchandising + Events
Jill Shindler / Event Design Manager
Jalpa Patel / Interior Architect
Jen Dragonetti / Visual Project Manager, NYC
What’s Inside:
- How ZenGenius began and grew into the powerhouse it is today
- How ZenGenius works with their diverse client base
- Insights into prop management and event planning
This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands.
Mentioned In This Episode:
ZenGenius Website
ZenGenius on Instagram
ZenGenius on LinkedIn
ZenGenius on Facebook
ZenGenius on TikTok
Myles Marks is the Chief Creative and Merchandising Officer at DM Merchandising. He attended Georgetown University and then toiled in the LA world for a bit afterwards. Myles has been innovating products within the consumer goods space for the past 25 years.
Myles spent the last 25 years traversing the world of retail and wholesale. He’s committed to exploring the best available merchandising solutions to make programs and products sell. He’s been intimately involved with branding, sourcing, buying, and selling for retailers ranging from the biggest of boxes to a seasonal pumpkin patch.
Michelle and Myles talk about the history of DM Merchandising, from its humble beginnings as a family business to what it is today. Myles shares stories from his time in LA right after college and how he learned the ropes of the industry from his grandfather. Michelle and Myles also discuss his work within the creative side of DM, how the company works with apparel and eyewear, his favorite products released over the past year, and more.
What’s Inside:
- How Myles learned the merchandising industry ropes from his grandfather.
- How DM Merchandising works with their clients.
- Myles’ favorite products from the past year.
Mentioned In This Episode:
DM Merchandising Website
Myles on Instagram
Myles on Facebook
Myles on LinkedIn
This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com
Robin Kramer is a brand marketing maven, natural business nurturer, master of relationships, and a sales expert who has an impressive history with leaders in the retail industry who have built their brands on innovative merchandising and strong service cultures. Among these brands is Williams-Sonoma, Inc., where she utilized her operations management background to develop and refine the process of opening new stores during a period of rapid expansion across that organization’s three retail brands: Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, and Hold Everything. Kramer overhauled the store's associate recognition program; she also led the customer service functions for all retail brands, including the development and implementation of service standards in stores and call centers. She went on to implement similar programs and new initiatives at another forward-thinking retail brand, the Old Navy division of Gap, Inc.
For the past 20+ years, Robin has worked with primarily small, upscale wholesale jewelry brands and designers to bring their products to market, position these niche brands for maximum exposure to their target customers, and build relationships with national and international retailers. One such brand was Dogeared, where she helped them grow from a small company into a well-known jewelry brand with sales growth of over 800% in the five years she was there. She has a keen eye for recognizing products and designs that represent a unique and fresh approach in a crowded and competitive space.
In 2010, Robin founded Red Boot Consulting, and in 2012, she co-founded Flourish & Thrive Academy, an online business educational platform for jewelry designers worldwide. She has had the pleasure of speaking and moderating panel discussions at various conferences for Flourish & Thrive Academy's F&T LIVE event, NY NOW Retail Renaissance trade show, American Handcrafted trade show, JCK trade show, ISGB (International Society of Glass Beads) conference, SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths) conference, and as a featured guest on the Beads, Baubles & Jewels PBS TV Show.
She has a passion for helping creatives go after their dreams. And for red boots! She divides her time between Sausalito, CA, and Dallas, TX. Here, Michelle and Robin chat about Robin’s amazing career and how it evolved over the years. They discuss how Robin started Red Boot Consulting, how she works with clients, and what her mastermind program is like. The conversation also includes merchandising tips, why businesses need to know their numbers, and the importance of phone calls and great customer service.
MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!
What’s Inside:
- How Robin built her extensive sales, marketing, and consulting career.
- How Robin works with clients through her company, Red Boot Consulting.
- Merchandising and customer service tips.
Mentioned In This Episode:Red Boot ConsultingRobin on Instagram
Do you ever wonder who makes those chalkboard signs at Trader Joe's? Well, that's how Benjamin Soto got started—drawing Trader Joe's signs by day and designing band merch at night for Fearless Records.
In 1998, Ben was recruited by Paul Frank to help kick off the massive millennial pop-culture brand Paul Frank Industries. Ben managed the brand creative for about 10 years, which meant involvement with character designs, the tee and fleece program, pajama prints, photoshoots, trade show booths, retail spaces, collaborations/licensed products. They even let him voice Julius the Monkey on the pilot show of Yo-Gabba-Gabba.
In 2008, Disney Animation called and gave Ben the job of helping to create and Art Direct a cartoon based on Evel Knievel's daredevil culture. The Emmy nominated show Kick Buttowski had 52 episodes and aired between 2010-2012. Ben eventually left Disney to partner up with some other entrepreneurs to start the next creative adventure: C-Preme. They had captured "lightning in a bottle" with their 3-D youth bicycle helmet brand, Raskullz. Within three years, they had sold over 3 million helmets and countless other outdoor products. C-Preme sold to Bell Helmets (Easton Bell Sports) in 2014.
Ben stayed on working for Bell Helmets until the next idea hit: a colorful cooler manufactured like a bicycle helmet. Target accepted a huge order; patents were in the works, and before the dust settled, they sold their company to Igloo Products Corp. in 2016. Ben is still at Igloo, managing creative for the cooler brand. You might've seen a little bit of Ben in the VW Playmate bus, retro coolers, eco coolers, licensed coolers, and the packaging and marketing of the brand. Igloo sold to Dometic in 2021 for a lot more money than anyone ever dreamed of.
Michelle and Ben dive into Ben’s amazing career, from Paul Frank to Igloo, and his extensive experience with graphic design. Ben shares stories from past trade shows (before the days of social media) and the wild ride that was Paul Frank in the early days. Michelle and Ben also discuss his transition to Disney, then Igloo, living in Hong Kong, and where Ben looks for inspiration.
What’s Inside:
- How Ben got started at Paul Frank and stories from the early days.
- Ben’s experience working at Disney and Igloo.
- How Ben finds his inspiration.
This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com
Mentioned In This Episode:
Benjamin Soto portfolio
Paul Frank
Kick Buttowski
Raskullz
Igloo
A native of the Pacific Northwest, Susan Esayian has been working in the gift industry professionally for 26 years in a variety of roles. She’s done it all, from merchandising Kitchen-Aid mixers to buying fine tableware. She even carried a four-poster bed up a mountainside for a catalog photoshoot... and that was just in the first 10 years!
Since then, Susan’s kept herself immersed in the gift industry as a buyer for a hospital gift shop and a merchandiser for several wholesale showrooms and retailers. For Susan, retail is not just a job, but a career that she’s inspired by and passionate about more every day.
Michelle and Susan talk about retail, merchandising, including the good, the bad, and everything in between. Susan shares her retail journey, complete with a ton of fun stories, from the very beginning to where she is today. They discuss how she took the leap from the corporate world to freelancing, the importance of hospital gift shops, retail displays, and much more.
What’s Inside:
- How Susan made the leap from the corporate world to freelancing.
- Stories from Susan’s merchandising journey.
- The importance of hospital gift shops and retail displays.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Susan on Instagram
Susan on LinkedIn
MC Design Academy on YouTube
Whether you're a chef or a retailer, self-care can be a difficult concept to grasp at times amid the endless 16 hour work days that are at times your reality. Michelle and Chef Amber sit down to talk about how they've learned to care for themselves while still being bad*sses in their respective careers.
Chef Amber believes in the transformative power of food, both for physical health and emotional well-being. Her culinary journey began after earning a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Auburn University. She honed her skills in Southern Italian cuisine and later became the executive chef at Mediterraneo in Hermosa Beach, California, where she worked for almost a decade.
During her time at Mediterraneo, Chef Amber discovered the healing potential of food, leading her to a personal transformation. This newfound insight drove her to pursue education in food therapy, with a mission to help others change their lives through nourishing meals.
Chef Amber also shares her own journey of overcoming an unhealthy relationship with food, aiming to inspire others with her story. Her focus is on helping women heal their relationships with food and body image through private coaching, bodywork, and cooking classes. She recently released her cookbook, "Sexy Nourishing Food," available online and at her restaurant, The Source Cafe in Hermosa Beach.
Chef Amber's Website
Chef Amber's Instagram
Chef Amber's Facebook
Today on The Retail Whore, Michelle and Monica connect and share who business owners can make the most of social media to grow their business.
Monica Little left her corporate job to pursue her own dreams and built a multiple 6-figure organic skincare small business. She created Etsy Algorithm Secrets and Product Biz Academy to guide other handmade small business owners along the path of turning their hobby and passion into a successful and profitable business. She’s the creator of the Grounded, Grateful & Growing journal; a 2-month planner & mindset journal for business owners who want to become the best version of themselves that's needed to reach their goals and dreams. She’s also the host of The Product Biz Podcast where she share stories of growing her own business to help others let go of perfection and overcome the fear of failure that is holding them back, so they can start taking aligned action with their own small business. Monica’s passion is to create a community of small business owners that are ready to put in the work in order to see their dreams come to life.
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This week we welcome Hilary Meehan, Co-Founder / CEO Mirthos. She believes in creative living, making life the perfect juicy delight of your wildest dreams & inspiring more people to enjoy this glorious mess called life (*there's a card for that!)
She’s developed a line of enthusiastic & encouraging greeting cards to help share this with the wild & fancy weirdos who need to hear it most. After almost 2 years of operating under her own name & with a “no holds barred” aesthetic, Hilary took a pause to marinate upon the growing cacophony. It was then that Mirthos Paper was distilled into the tonic you now enjoy.
Mirthos is a word created by Hilary from the word mirth, of course, and paired with ideas of pathos, logos, and ethos - pathos, in particular. Indeed, Hilary is a word nerd as much as a papernerd. “Mirthos is like pathos - but on the happy side - please use excessively”!
Michelle & Hilary discuss all aspects of art, flow and creativity and how it relates to retail and merchandising.
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This week’s guest is Mary Liz Curtin, owner of Leon & Lulu, Detroit’s own award-winning, 15,000 square foot, lifestyle store – which was originally a roller rink! Mary Liz is passionate about independent retail. Her knowledge of all aspects of the gift, craft and home industries gives her a unique point of view, encompassing the needs of retailers, vendors and sales representatives. She is also a heck of a retail shopper and loves to crawl malls, discover downtowns and walk through the Web to find ideas and inspirations for her presentations.
With over 35 years of hands-on experience in the gift and home industries, Mary Liz is an internationally acknowledged expert in independent retail and has advised numerous manufacturers on marketing, sales and management issues with her unique brand of Sales and Marketing Therapy.
Michelle & Mary Liz cover so much in this episode we know you are going to enjoy it as much as we did!
This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com
We are thrilled to welcome back Dale Rhodes, Senior VP with Katin USA. Dale’s path to success began at 17 years-old, when he worked in the retail industry at MGA (Guess Jeans), Camp Beverly Hills, and Val Surf. It came naturally for him to style celebrities and work directly with clients. It was then – during the hot trend of Guess in the 80s – that Dale paved the way for his future accomplishments in the apparel industry.
This episode is in celebration of National Sober Day, which took place on September 14th. Millions of people suffer from substance abuse, and this day reminds them that they are supported and that they are not alone in their struggles. Take a listen as Dale recants his journey to sobriety and what led him there.
Website
Nicole Swartz is the attorney and founder behind Sprout Law, a law firm for women business owners. She's also a business owner as well. In 2015, she started a skincare line that was featured in hundreds of stores around the world and even the Golden Globes gift bags. After two years, she had to rebrand the entire business because she didn't have a trademark. Now, she helps other women trademark their brands to avoid the same situation.
Nicole is featured as an expert in Forbes, the Washington Post, Girlboss, and speaks at events like Alt Summit, Craftcation, and South by Southwest. Plus her Reels and TikTok about celebrity trademark gossip are pretty darn fun:)
Michelle & Nicole talk about her journey into the skincare business, aspects of the trademark process, common mistakes & why trademarking is so important.
This episode sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
Website
Instagram
TikTok
This week’s guest Alyssa Benner has been in retail for 16-17 years. She has worked in boutique shops and corporate owned retail & has always moved up quickly in those jobs due to not only loving what she did but hard work. She is a creative person by nature so when it came to merchandising it came so easy for her. As she began getting further into her career, she realized that not everybody had the skill set to merchandise.
For job interviews, she would always lead with her amazing merchandising skill set and how it would be a great attribution to their business, learning later that not all companies realized the value of an amazing merchandised store and more importantly the actual value to the store.
Alyssa currently works as a home and beauty buyer for Cupcakes and Cashmere. From one merchandiser to another, Michelle & Alyssa talk the good, the bad and the ugly of merchandising plus offer tips along the way!
This week’s episode is sponsored by Sales Producers Inc., a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website Sales Producers Inc.
Marcie Pantzer is the founder of Dear Annabelle, a luxury paper goods brand that brings a whimsical wink to the classic art of correspondence. The brand was born from Marcie’s personal love of letter writing, starting when she went away to sleep away camp as a girl.
Her passion for sending and receiving mail was only rivaled by her affection for the tools of the trade — beautiful stationery and fine paper products. With Dear Annabelle — named for her daughter — she’s created her dream line of stationery, place cards, and note pads that celebrate joy, humor and connection.
Michelle had the honor of creating her booth at the Shoppe Object show and in doing so and familiarizing herself with the products, she knew she had to have her as a guest.
Michelle & Marcie discuss creating the brand, its packaging and how she figured it all out after never being in a creator or in a product driven business. Impressive, to say the least.
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On this week’s episode, Michelle Sherrier, welcomes listeners to her latest hustle, MC Design Academy! MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where Michelle will share her expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between.
Take a listen, head on over to MC Design Academy ...class is in session.
Then, make sure she stays tuned for this special combo episode where she then delves into the show season and talks all about her time and experiences so far this show season.
This week’s guest is Sarah Schwartz, magazine editor, writer, podcaster and consultant. She first started covering stationery as a market editor for the trade publication Gifts & Decorative Accessories in 1997, and in 2008, she became founding editor of Stationery Trends, an award-winning trade quarterly magazine devoted to all things paper.
She also maintains this site, podcasts at The Paper Fold, a five-star stationery salon. Sarah is a frequent industry speaker who is occasionally quoted in the media. Aside from family, what makes her happiest is working with makers, boutique owners and stationery lovers — and becoming part of their stories.
Host, Michelle Sherrier loves a handwritten note, journals and pens, so having the opportunity to interview Sarah, she jumped at the chance!
The Paper Nerd
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Instagram
Facebook
Located in Los Angeles, California, Chez Gagné letterpress was Founded in 2014 by Alex Gagné.
As a creative outlet from her job as a marketing director for an IT company, Alex started taking night classes to learn the art of letterpress printing. After finding success designing and printing wedding invitations and cards for friends, family and then friends of friends, Chez Gagné became a full-time venture. Today, Chez Gagné sells hilarious yet inspirational gold foil mugs, drinkware, candles, wine & spirit tags, cocktail paper clips and obviously greeting cards to more than 3500 independent boutiques in the US and Canada!
Michelle jumps right into it with Alex on how she started out, how it’s going and what the future looks like.
Website
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok
Greeting Card Association
PAVE Global
This week’s guest, Kathy Shaw is the Manager of Seaside Gallery and Goods and the Pelican Courtyard. Seaside has 15 small businesses working collectively and the Pelican Courtyard has 8 small businesses each in their own suite.
Seaside Gallery and Goods is located in the heart of Newport Beach's famed harbor-side dining and shopping district. Seaside is a retail collective of small business owners specializing in clothing design, fine art, beauty products, baby goods, unique jewelry and coastal inspired home decor.
Kathy started doing Open Air Markets in the Pelican Courtyard once a month before moving to Lido Village for a weekly market. When the space became available in the Pelican Courtyard, Kathy opened up a pop up shop with the vendors from the outdoor market & what started as a temporary concept, is now celebrating 8 1/2 years in business.
Kathy takes us through her journey from PTA mom to creating open air markets to managing a small business collective & all the moving parts involved with running a collective.
Website
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Facebook
Pinterest
Kaylin is the founder & CEO of JIGGY, a new jigsaw puzzle brand on a mission to modernize and elevate the humble jigsaw, and support female artists around the world. She turned her hobby into a company and has been featured on Shark Tank, Oprah's Favorite Things and won over celebrity fans including Gwyneth Paltrow, Lili Reinhart and Chrissy Teigen. Kaylin was previously the first employee at media startup theSkimm, and is an alum of Barnard College in New York City.
Michelle & Kaylin discuss JIGGY’s unique packaging, supporting female artists and what’s coming down the puzzle pipeline for JIGGY.
This week’s episode is sponsored by Sales Producers Inc., a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website Sales Producers Inc.
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Facebook
LinkedIn
TikTok
Amazon
As we continue to celebrate our two-year anniversary, we’re bringing it back to our very first guests, Kelly & Lo Epstein from Kingfisher Road. Our favorite thing about this mother-daughter duo is the customer service both they and their team provide. Take a listen as we catch up on what’s new and things that peeve us. Hint: Competing with the manufacturers we buy from.
This episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
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Facebook
This week’s guest is Breegan Jane, an Los Angeles-based designer, author, philanthropist and mom to two boys. She showcases her expertise on HGTV, NBC, Hallmark Channel, Discovery, Food Network and more. You may recognize her from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Dream Home. She is a leading voice in design industry conversations. She also advocates for women and children in Kenya as a partner with international non-profit organization Mekuno Project. Breegan champions community and shares it all via her social channels and website breeganjane.com.
Michelle was fortunate to be part of a roundtable of retail podcasters at Las Vegas Market which is where she met Breegan, who was the moderator. Take a listen as Michelle breaks down Breegan’s journey from retail store owner to being in front of the camera.
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This week’s episode is all about Michelle’s show process - pre & post, how this year’s show is different for her, & why she prefers to experience the show with someone by her side. Grab a pen & pad and take notes – this one is chock full of valuable #retailtips!
This episode sponsored by Opentobuy.co, they create RETAIL ROCK STARS and make inventory finance easy.
While growing up in Chicago and being influenced by the nature of all things city living and traveling the world for inspiration, Mashallah Ghouleh exploded onto the styling scene at a young age and has never looked back. Drawing from her international travels and experiences with her roster of clientele, she launched MASHALLAH in 2011 to create the versatile, beautifully crafted staples women's wardrobes were missing. As both a designer and collector of all things beautiful, her natural creative energy shines through everything she pours energy into.
From stylist, to jeweler, to boutique owner to wholesaler, Mashallah is truly a force and Michelle covers it all in this episode.
This episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
Website
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Facebook
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TikTok
We are so excited to welcome back one of our first podcast guests from back in 2021, Annie Glenn of Urban Girl Accessories. Her positivity and ability to find the silver lining in challenging situations is truly inspiring.
With 11 stores & concepts, on this episode, Annie discusses how she deals with everything from loss prevention to customer service to the changes she has seen post-COVID.
This week’s episode is sponsored by Sales Producers Inc. a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com/.
Urban Beach House
San Diego Surf Company
Urban Girl Accessories
92067 Mercantile
Beachcity
They were two healthy, young women when both of their lives changed in the blink of an eye. In 2015, Christina suddenly became very ill. After many misdiagnoses and long hospital stays, she was finally diagnosed with a multi-systemic disease in 2017. Refusing to live a life of pills and wheelchairs, she spent the following years studying natural remedies to help heal, alleviate symptoms and pull toxins from her body. Through her research and studying her Masters in Sustainability at Harvard, she was shocked to learn how toxic our world actually is, and therefore, our bodies.
During the same time, Julie survived a traumatic assault. Despite this, she was determined to feel safe again and not let this event control her life. She knew it was going to demand serious self-love rituals to heal and reconnect with herself.
Christina and Julie were taking baths to help heal through self-care. During this time, they realized the power that a bath holds and created natural bath formulas to target symptoms. Once they experienced the impact of their natural bath formulas, they wanted to share their soaks so others could feel the same relief.
This is an episode about self-care, healing, bringing relief to our bodies & to remember your body is your temple. Run a bath, light a candle, dim the lights and enjoy the episode.
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This week’s guest is Trudi Bartow, Director of Sales & Marketing at the Unemployed Philosophers Guild. Trudi joined the gift world via the preeminent art book publisher Harry N. Abrams and created unique opportunities for sales at gift retailers like Neiman Marcus, Crate & Barrel, Barneys and Sur La Table, including custom designer editions and exclusive bundles.
After 15 years working with various publishers, she joined the fantastic team at the Unemployed Philosophers Guild as their Director of Sales and Marketing. Bringing her enthusiasm for the industry to this smart and funny gift creator she is helping the brand grow into new categories and expanding existing programs.
Trudi is universally loved throughout the gift industry and after listening to this interview, we’re sure you will walk away feeling the same!
Unemployed Philosophers Guild
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Main Street Books
Erik & Courtney Legenhausen opened Lotus Jewelry Studio in 2007. Their vision was to create a line of handmade products that would reflect the latest trends, while upholding the quality that was fostered by their background as fine jewelers. They also had a dream of providing an avenue for other artists to come and earn a living under Lotus’ roof. Over the past 10 years, they turned their basement business into a thriving company that provides their unique pieces to thousands of retailers, both large and small, across the globe. Their wholesale division continues to thrive and expand in new and exciting markets, meeting the needs of cost conscious buyers wanting extraordinary fashion accessories.
Adding to their existing retail business Erik recently created Noble Mick’s, single serve craft cocktails. A simple solution for cocktails on the go! They have developed 6 amazing cocktail mixes (Moscow Mule, Cosmo, Paloma, Margarita, Bloody Mary and Old Fashioned) They are made to “Craft Your Own Cocktail” You can grab a single packet and make a Bloody Mary at a tailgate or camping with just water, a single serve packet and spirit. Brilliant!
We had such a great time talking to Erik and hearing about Noble Mick’s inception, brand growth and what it is like working with your spouse (something Michelle can certainly relate to!)
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
Lotus Jewelry Studio website
Lotus Jewelry Studio Instagram
Noble Mick’s website
Noble Micks Instagram
Raised in Carmel, in a family of retailers - it's in Wish Walnut Creek owner Sasha Varni’s blood! Sasha worked for her mom's candle store growing up and during college. Lived in Italy for a short time after college, then moved to San Francisco, working for Sephora corporate, and then bareMinerals corporate doing marketing and producing their video content and commercials. She then moved to Walnut Creek the week before having her first baby (10.5 years ago!). Coupled with the commute and maternity leave, she realized that wasn’t the job for her anymore. Her mom and her decided to open a gift shop - when they both moved to Walnut Creek, California, they were surprised that there were virtually no small boutiques and felt there was a big need.
They were right, and have their amazing customers to thank for their continued expansion which includes opening an additional building they call Little Wish (kids and baby gifts), as well as an e-commerce website that ships nationwide. Michelle & Sasha talk about the value of customer service, Sasha’s journey in retail, and the power of word of mouth.
This episode sponsored by Opentobuy.co, they create RETAIL ROCK STARS and make inventory finance easy.
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Facebook
This week we welcome Bob Negen, co-founder of WhizBang! Retail Training. Bob is a retail expert, author, speaker, and business coach who motivates and trains independent retailers to improve and grow their businesses with actionable tactics and strategies. His proven systems and techniques consistently deliver measurable results in over 40 retail industries.
On this episode, Michelle & Bob discuss how he speaks to business owners in their own language using real-world retail experiences and humorous stories from the trenches. A retailer himself for 19 years, Bob turned his single kite store into an award-winning multi-million-dollar toy store chain. Now he uses his four decades of retail experience to help store owners and managers learn the business skills they need to succeed in today’s changing retail environment.
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This week we welcome Valerie (Val to her friends!) Wright, Brand Development & Sales Manager for Pixie Mood, a consciously leather-less, Canadian, female-led company.
Val has learned to use her Psychology degree, within the retail space, to really understand what people need and how to get into the mind & heart of what people want in the world of fashion. Val has always found it effortlessly organic when visualizing trends. Curating fashion themes and stories is her love language.
Listen up as Michelle & Val walk through her retail journey, how one door closes and another opens, to her current role as Brand Ambassador for Pixie Mood.
This week’s episode is sponsored by Sales Producers, Inc., a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com/
Website
Pixie Mood Instagram
Valerie Wright Instagram
We are so excited to have Sean Jimenez, president of Socksmith back as a guest. A former retailer, now turned wholesaler, Sean has been in the industry for over 25 years. He now runs a great, multi-million-dollar novelty sock and design company based in Santa Cruz, California.
Take a listen as these two industry veterans Michelle catch up and talk about all things retail.
This episode sponsored by Opentobuy.co, they create RETAIL ROCK STARS and make inventory finance easy!
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Julie McCallum is the retail group editorial director and co-owner of Great American Media Services. She has been covering the specialty retail industry for more than 20 years. As a graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Journalism, Julie is passionate about reporting and telling the stories of makers and independent retailers – creating content that will inspire, inform and help them succeed in their businesses.
She also serves on the board of directors for Gift for Life, the gift and home industries sole charitable organization. Great American Media Services, the company Julie co-owns with her former husband, Matt McCallum, has been in business for 30 years and publishes 16 B2B titles in specialty retail, horticulture, specialty agriculture, and sports.
Michelle & Julie discuss the magazine world, her thoughts and what she loved from the Atlanta show and giving back through Gift of Life.
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Meet Andrew & Chelsea Evans, co-founders & owners of Roaming Travelers. Launched in 2020, Roaming Travelers offers locals & tourists a curated boutique clothing shopping experience. It has grown to operate two retail locations in Joshua Tree & 29 Palms. Through hosting events & pop-ups featuring local or emerging designers and vendors, they have been able to provide a sustainable & eco-friendly shopping experience.
Michelle, Andrew & Chelsea discuss the future of retail, what that looks like and how they have created their unique retail community in the hi desert of Joshua Tree & 29 palms.
This week’s episode sponsored by FINE LINES, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines
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In 2022, Energy Muse is the crystal authority. But when co-founders Heather Askinosie and Timmi Jandro first started Energy Muse over 20 years ago, it was with just one necklace.
Heather, who had been traveling the world in the name of spiritual research for some time, had turned her Manhattan Beach home into a makeshift energy lab where she could test ancient holistic philosophies. She began tinkering with a formula to create the energy of wealth.
By combining the crystal energy of Jade, ancient Chinese symbolism and numerology, she created an “energetic equation” that she would later call the Prosperity Necklace. Heather gave 10 samples of the necklace to 10 of her most skeptical friends, including Timmi, who had been one of her best friends since the single digits. She asked everyone to wear the piece for 10 days and report back on their experience. Timmi had worked as a merchandiser in the garment industry for 12 years and knew how to get a product into mass production. As one of Heather’s many energy experiment guinea pigs, Timmi knew firsthand how effective energy work could be: she received an unexpected job offer while wearing her necklace for 10 days.
Take a listen as they discuss their journey in creating Energy Muse, the importance of helping people empower themselves and providing people with everything they need to create positive shifts in their energy & life. Everyone can have a success story of their own: simply let the crystals be your muse.
This week’s episode is sponsored by Sales Producers Inc., a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out our social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com/
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Erin Sarpa is the Creative Director at StationeryHQ.com, a wholesale Print On Demand company that specializes in custom stationery and gifts, serving creative small businesses. Erin opened a design agency at 23 years old, worked for all the big dogs in Silicon Valley and won awards while creating an all-women team. She joined StationeryHQ.com a few years ago with goals to grow a community as well as the company. Erin freaking loves creative people and entrepreneurs and is passionate about supporting women in business.
Take a listen as Michelle & Erin discuss everything StationeryHQ.com, how she takes a month off every year to describing her perfect client. We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did!
This episode sponsored by Opentobuy.co, they create RETAIL ROCK STARS and make inventory finance easy!
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This week is a solocast with Michelle informing listeners on what exactly a merchandiser does & how they can help your retail business. From storytelling to creating add-on sales to reinventing merchandise, these are some topics that Michelle will cover in this episode.
This week’s episode is sponsored by FINE LINES, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
Allison Carter and Catherine Hildner were two strangers who connected at a conference, turned into business besties, and a few years later saw a gap in the product based business space and decided to take action to fill it. In addition to the two businesses they run individually, Allison and Cat are the founders and hosts of Ultimate Product Party (UPP for short!). UPP is a 2-day creative conference that serves product based businesses. Allison and Cat create a unique experience and space for the product based business owner where they can connect with other like-minded small business owners who are looking to grow, scale, and make more money! UPP is definitely not your average biz conference- it’s a business meets FUN party, full of action focused education, and immediate takeaways for attendees to apply to scale.
Take a listen as Michelle circles back with Allison & Cat to discuss what people can expect at UPP for 2023! Tickets are halfway sold for the event May 17-18, 2023 in Nashville, so don’t wait and get your ticket now here!
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Hailing from North Dakota where her nearest shopping opportunity was over 300 miles away, Ashley Alderson longed for a place online to find and shop the boutiques she loved all over the country, together in one place.
“There must be a place for shoppers like me who love boutiques to find them all — and a place, boutique owners, themselves, can connect to find resources & grow,” Ashley thought.
Ashley’s background in business, marketing, and economic development fueled the desire to simply make life easier for small businesses by providing them training, exclusive savings, events, and wholesale shopping, in one simple place. And all in the name of COMMUNITY over COMPETITION since 2013.
Today, The Boutique Hub & Shop The Best Boutiques are the central connection point for the retail industry, providing a daily membership packed with resources, live events, signature courses, wholesale shopping, daily networking and a consumer facing marketplace for boutiques.
Ashley is a wife, busy momma of 3, jewelry junkie, barrel racer, cancer survivor, basketball fan, speaker of sarcasm, and heart for those with a dream.
** Just this year, The Boutique Hub launched Hubventory - a wholesale marketplace built by the boutique industry for the boutique industry with curated & trusted brands, creative inventory planning, smart integrations and membership perks.
This week’s episode is sponsored by Sales Producers Inc., a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out our social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com/
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We have received so many inquiries online and in-person on how to start a podcast. Sharing is caring and we here at Team Retail Whore Podcast, also known a Host, Michelle Sherrier, Editor Katherine Khaloo and Digital Marketing Manager, Elisa Anthony talk about the inception of The Retail Whore Podcast and what we have learned along the way, the good AND the not so good (lost recordings!), tips (create a podcast about something you are an expert in & passionate about!) and the resources we recommend to help you create your most successful podcast ever!
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This week we welcome Crystal Vilkaitis, founder of Crystal Media, a social media advertising and digital marketing agency she started in 2012. For more than 15 years, Crystal Vilkaitis has been helping retailers boost sales and drive more traffic through social media and marketing. Most recently she launched Crystal Uncorked, a podcast that features inspiring guests and interesting business conversations, over a glass of wine. She started the show to share open and honest conversations about her journey, and to talk to other entrepreneurs about their experiences. On the podcast she pulls back the curtain and talks about the highs and the lows of being a business owner.
Michelle & Crystal discuss how her team are passionate about alleviating retailers' frustrations, confusions about social media, online marketing & provide multi-platform social media solutions to help retailers continue to elevate their brand & grow sales! For those retailers who haven’t dipped their toe into the social media world, this is the episode for you. Take a listen. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
This week’s episode sponsored by FINE LINES, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
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This month’s bonus episode is a show – Las Vegas Market & NY Now – recap. Michelle covers it all from showroom set-ups, the stress of being away from her family for an extended period, outfit changes & getting into buyer mode, being part of a podcast panel, participating in an Instagram takeover at NY Now and having an opportunity to meet some of our listeners and podcasts guests in person. Truly an inspiring trip!
This week we welcome retail icon, Iris Fuller, as a guest this week. After 20 glorious years of business, Iris Fuller’s glorious store, Fillamento, closed permanently in 2001. Fillamento opened in April 1981 and led the Fillmore District neighborhood renaissance in the San Francisco area as a successful commercial district. Take a listen as Iris talks the early days of Fillamento, taking on samples & consignment and how that evolved into curating the brand & how far-reaching her mentoring influenced so many people, including previous podcast guest, Michael Schultz from Cursive NY. We even have a cameo from Nathan of Nathan & Co., halfway through the interview. So many nuggets of retail history in this interview!
This episode sponsored by Nathan & Co., a lifestyle boutique filled with little treasures, innovative products, and the perfect gift. With two locations in Oakland, CA, each boutique is chic and eye-catching, but never cliché or stuffy.
February is often known for being a month dedicated to and all about love. This week we are excited to welcome award winning designer Kimberley Evans, creator of the out the box brands such as Pop Up Weddings by Lovely Weddings and the I Do Box, an inclusive wedding subscription box. Michelle had the pleasure of meeting Kimberley at last year’s Ultimate Product Party event and was so impressed with her presentation and what her products represent, she knew she had to have her as a guest.
Kimberley, a passionate entrepreneur and educator has been a leader in the wedding industry for almost 20 years, and married to the love of her life, Gary, with whom she travels the world.
This episode sponsored by Opentobuy.co, they create RETAIL ROCK STARS and make inventory finance easy!
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Lovely Weddings & Events - Pop Up Weddings
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This week we are thrilled to introduce to you Jane Park of Tokki, a company on a mission to ignite joy through gifting. They combine thoughtful technology with beautiful, reusable designs to make every gift unforgettable.
Michelle & Jane, a consumer tech entrepreneur, delve into family, her father’s incredible story as a young immigrant from Korea, to her building the online first beauty brand Julep, and to ultimately creating Tokki with her friend & tech genius Taylor Hoit.
This week’s episode sponsored by Sales Producers, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out our social media or website http://www.salesproducersinc.com/
A woman with big entrepreneurial dreams and a passion for uplifting other women - we're talking about Amanda Dare, founder + CEO of Woman-Owned Wallet.
Amanda founded WOW to give woman-owned brands a voice and a marketplace in NuLu Neighborhood of Louisville, KY. Now WOW has over 50 woman-owned brands sold in the Feminist Gift Shop! When she opened up the WOW shop in August of 2020, she realized just how many woman-owned shops existed in the neighborhood. She created the NuLu Woman-Owned Walking Tour so that customers could visit + support other amazing woman-owned businesses.
Michelle & Amanda talk all things female from her store to the community she has built, her podcast & everything in between! Amanda is such an authentic badass, inspiration and we are so fortunate she took the time to chat with us.
This week’s episode is sponsored by FINELINES, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
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Nicole Chenault is the founder of the handmade drinkware brand, Fbombs & Booze and a 1:1 coach for Women owned handmade product businesses. Her products are sold on multiple e-commerce platforms for retail and wholesale. Their tumblers can be found in over 150 shops and boutiques internationally.
Michelle & Nicole discuss the unique stress working in retail brings and how she left a job in the retail grocery industry after 17 years that she had been in since she was 16 years old and how that life change led to creating her brand, and more importantly minimizing her daily stress. Nicole is such an inspiration & a real life example of it never being too late to reinvent yourself.
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This episode is a what we like to call a ‘minisode’ with host Michelle Sherrier, giving listeners a quick overview on trends she is currently seeing as she works on setting up the new Stephen Young showroom in Las Vegas, upcoming events she will be a part of that include ‘The Power of Podcasts’ event during Las Vegas Winter Market, the New York Now event in February where Michelle will be doing an 'Instagram Live'. 2023 is starting off with a bang!
Can you go from crafting at your kitchen table to a multi-million-dollar business? As CEO, Holly Daniels Christensen has proved – yes! Using grit and the actual sand beneath her toes, that’s exactly what this entrepreneur has done.
The founder of Dune Jewelry left home at 15 years old, and never looked back. She held a variety of jobs with stints as a zookeeper, pharmacy technician, promotional model, bartender, cellphone, car and cruise salesperson. She also spent 14 successful years as a top agent in Boston’s highly competitive real estate market.
This unique bootstrap entrepreneur who proved she was unafraid of hard work was voted 2016 Woman-Owned Business of the Year for Massachusetts and New England by the Small Business Association (SBA). In 2018, Inc. magazine honored Dune Jewelry as No. 2590 on its 37th annual Inc. 5000 List which is the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Currently, Dune Jewelry is the one-and-only experiential jewelry brand in the world.
Take a listen as Michelle & Holly talk about Holly’s multiple hustles that include running her retail boutiques, giving back to the community and writing a book. She is truly an inspiration and proof that continued hard work and perseverance is a direct path to success.
This week’s episode is sponsored by Sales Producers, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to their Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com/
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With the new year upon us, what better time to begin managing your inventory more effectively. Larry Hebert is the creator of the OpenToBuy.co, a proprietary inventory management template designed to ensure every retail business manages their purchases effectively through crucial metrics including sales, cost of goods sold, beginning inventory, inventory turns, creating a base inventory and product category management tied to their sales relative to overall revenue generated. This was developed over a seven-year period and has been instrumental in the turnaround and success of retail businesses implementing this into their purchasing strategies.
Bryce Root’s #1 goal is to empower local business owners across the San Francisco and Monterey Bay Area regions + beyond. Helping small businesses is at his core since he left the corporate world of global ad agencies, sports marketing groups and large-scale retail & entertainment destinations and he’s been fired up and actively pursuing this mission for 9 plus years via his advocacy, private practice + work with several of the nation's top-performing Small Business Development Centers.
Michelle, Larry & Bryce drill down the benefits of why every retail store should be running reports, managing their inventory and how OpentoBuy can help. At a cost of less than $50, you can't afford not to down! Download this episode and start your journey to becoming a RETAIL ROCKSTAR!
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This week’s episode is a solocast with Michelle giving listeners a 2022 recap, lessons learned, the future of The Retail Whore Podcast which of course includes more Retail Whore Road Trips!
Take a listen as Michelle talks cutting ties with longtime clients and the challenges of trying to reinvent the same theme year after year after year.
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
Matilda Kalaveshi's introduction to the international fashion industry started at an early age in Europe. After transitioning into the buying world when she joined Macys Corporate Inc, she completely fell in love with retail and the business side of the fashion world.
For the past 18 years, she has worked for numerous retailers in the southeast region and has held different positions such as fashion buyer, planner, senior buyer, fashion director and consultant. She currently runs her own retail consulting boutique, EMP Retail Consulting, where she helps brands and retailers build and grow profitable businesses.
Take a listen as Michelle & Matilda discuss retail business strategies and how to efficiently optimize your business for maximum profit.
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Renee Dick, creator and founder of Fresh Life Marketing, is the girlfriend you never knew you needed in your business. Whether you're in the beginning stages of starting out, or even if you’re an established entrepreneur, her mission is to serve YOU. Renee created Fresh Life Marketing, an agency specializing in done for you content repurposing! This focuses on the content you’ve already created to give it FRESH LIFE in other aspects of your marketing. #worksmarternotharder
Renee is also co-host of the Dreams to Plans Podcast where she shares her experiences and connects with like minded entrepreneurs. With a passion for providing value and support for other business owners, it’s Renee’s mission to show you what’s possible, get you out of your own way, and be a resource for you at every stage of your business journey!
Grab a notepad and get ready to put your content repurposing plan into motion!
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With the holidays upon us, gratitude & giving back is the theme. This week’s guest is Crystalyn Aucoin, a jewelry designer from New Orleans, Louisiana and the mom of a football-loving boy named Winston. After a decade in the jewelry industry, selling top name brands such as David Yurman, Rolex, and Mikimoto at Aucoin Hart Jewelers she decided to create her own jewelry line based on a need she saw in the market for casual fine jewelry and a mission she felt was bigger than herself. Crystalyn Aucoin Jewelry launched in October of 2018.
A jewelry line was not always part of Crystalyn's vision however, a major life-altering event changed the course of her journey and her outlook forever.
In 2016, she became a widow when her 38-year-old husband Ryan passed away from cancer. His battle included an initial diagnosis of Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma NOS and later Acute Myeloid Leukemia. His life, his encouraging words, and his death ultimately opened her eyes to unapologetically living her purpose. She now navigates life with a heightened sense of gratitude and intention while encouraging others to do the same.
The mission behind Crystalyn Aucoin Jewelry is to empower women to get excited about life and celebrate it with meaningful jewelry.
In 2021, Crystalyn discovered her passion for speaking. She now speaks on a variety of topics including Designing a Life You Love, Designing a Business You Love, and Driving Sales through Connection.
In 2022, Crystalyn was a candidate for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Man and Woman of the year campaign where her and her team raised money in honor of her late-husband. She also allocates a percentage of sales and in-kind donations to local cancer-related non-profit organizations as well as finds peace in helping families who are experiencing the burden of cancer with her annual butterfly release celebrating Ryan’s birthday.
"Choosing to merge my love for jewelry and my passion to help others has been the catalyst for, not only my healing, but my growth."- Crystalyn Aucoin
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Sara Villari is the owner and creative director of Occasionette, an award-winning gift and card shop with four locations in the Philadelphia area. Occasionette ranked among the 100 fastest-growing businesses in the Philadelphia region in 2019 and 2020. Prior to opening the first Occasionette location in 2013, Sara was one of the first employees at Etsy.com, working as a community manager for the e-commerce site.
From pandemic store openings, private labels, creative merchandising, holiday decorating, inspiration and the Occasionette team, Michelle & Sara cover it all!
This episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
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This week we are so excited to welcome guest Sara Stonecipher, Owner/CEO of howtorunaretailstore.com, helping entrepreneurs go from startup to success, no matter what part of the journey they're on.
In 2011, she started her own small business journey with $17K in savings, inspired by her mom’s retail consignment store, & opened her own store–MISRED Outfitter, a vintage store. Today MISRED is an all new clothing boutique, specializing in everyday clothing and handmade accessories, for women of all ages. The change in concept worked for them and now the company has doubled in size, has a thriving online presence, and is making over a million dollars a year in revenue.
By offering a selection of tools & support in the form of free online content, affordable eBooks, e-courses, checklists and private consulting, Sara is pulling back the curtain on industry secrets and discussing with Michelle how she got to where she is, retail trends, how to grow & thrive in your retail storefront and to never give up.
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Michael Schultz is the co-owner and creative eye of Cursive New York, which operates 2 stores in New York City. Cursive is a tightly focused concept with the simple mission of cultivating joy. Michael, along with his husband, Douglas Duncan, have established Cursive as a strong and forward voice in the industry. Cursive offers gift, stationery, home and lifestyle products and is constantly evolving. Cursive operated in New York City’s iconic Grand Central Terminal for 11 years and within ABC Carpet & Home for 15 years, until the Covid-19 pandemic upended those long runs.
Making lemonade out of lemons, Schultz and Duncan doubled down on New York and opened 2 shops in New York’s West Village neighborhood, 4 blocks apart. One shop is true to the original Cursive vision, while Cursive Home is the brands extension into home goods. Says Schultz, “We began our career in the Meatpacking District 25 years ago. It’s wonderful being back, so close in the West Village. It’s the best place in New York!” I guess you can go home again.
Michelle & Michael discuss all things merchandising from large square footage, to dealing with high foot traffic locations (Grand Central Terminal!) to creating the individual look for your store & how important it is to not fall in love with your merchandise. After listening to this episode you will see why Cursive New York was chosen as one of the 10 BEST NEW SHOPS by The Shopkeepers
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If you know Michelle, you know the holidays are her favorite time of the year. The music, the lights, the smells...all of it! On this mini-episode, Michelle gives listeners a quick look into what her holiday setup schedule looks like and how she manages to keep it together through it all.
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Abbey & Courtney are both co-founders and business besties of Duo Collective, a boutique organic marketing agency specializing in social media strategy, branding, SEO and coaching for small business owners and creative entrepreneurs. We are obsessed with finding ways to help you grow organically without needing to spend a dime on paid ads.
With 20+ years of combined marketing experience, Abbey & Court discuss with Michelle the different ways a small retail business can grow their business, elevate their brand and drive sales.
Click here for the Duo Collective workbook “7 Secrets to Increase Your Visibility on Google”. A must-have guide for any small business.
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This week, we are thrilled to welcome Amy Loewenberg, Senior Relations Manager for NY NOW, SF NOW & American Handcrafted. Amy considers herself to be a champion for people, for product and for paving new lanes for mutually beneficial and treasured relationships that celebrate the love for what we do and why we do it. This is her past, her present and her future.
Her passion for product grew exponentially when she returned to NYC and was purchasing for an iconic NYC paper and gift store known as Kate’s Paperie to a 130-location mini department store known as Blue Tulip to foster the first ever purchasing program for the non-profit Housing Works. She drank the Kool-Aid! Whether she was buying greeting cards and invitations, homewares, tabletop, or textiles, she was enamored with everything from paper to cement and the impact they made on her business.
It was a no brainer for her to move into her role for NY NOW, a market she has been attending for decades. Her high-level and firsthand experience helps her to not just be a resource for all who attend, but it allows her to highlight our remarkable community.
Michelle & Amy talk trade shows, challenges and exciting changes that will make for an even greater experience for attendees!
This week’s episode sponsored by Fines Lines Company, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
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This week’s guest is Melissa Kanarek, a couture upholsterer and seamstress by trade who lives in the SantaYnez Valley part of California, where she operates her Brass Tack brick & mortar.
Melissa’s work, along with the pieces she buys, is imbued with a strong sense of story. She believes who makes it and how it is made are equally important to the object itself. An admitted travel junkie (56 countries and counting), the globe is an unending, evergrowing moodboard for her endeavors.
Michelle & Melissa talk having fun with fashion, Melissa’s time, working in London, as a couture upholsterer & seamstress, her love of the process of ‘making’, curating her lines and how she envisioned the fixtures showing the curated lines, the importance, as a boutique owner, of being present in your store to meet people in your community, the creation of her Hat Bar and lastly how she finds inspiration.
She also works out of a barn on her ranch, Ranchy McRanch, a place she shares with her husband, dogs, goats, rescue horses, highland cows, pigs, and the happily revolving door of grown children, family members, and houseguests. The ranch was just featured in Domino Magazine and you can see more about the ranch, shop and Melissa this Fall in Santa Barbara Magazine.
We are so grateful that Melissa took time out of her busy schedule – which includes brushing her cows – to speak with us.
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This week we are so lucky to have Dale Rhodes - Senior VP of Katin USA, as this week’s guest.
Dale’s path to success began at 17 years-old, when he worked in the retail industry at MGA (Guess Jeans), CampBeverly Hills, and Val Surf. It came naturally for him to style celebrities and work directly with clients. It was then – during the hot trend of Guess in the 80s – that Dale paved the way for his future accomplishments in the apparel industry. With a breadth of knowledge in marketing and management in the ever growing industry, Dale offers a link between the creative and influential action sports market; boutique; and youth market with industry leaders and corporate accounts.
In addition, his sales planning, budgeting, sales concept development, distribution platforms, strategic planning, and execution of goals gives a great product a chance at great success.
Michelle & Dale cover LA in the 80’s, the 68 history of Katin USA, pivoting through the pandemic, their buildout strategies, his advice on new business owners & how he gives back by filling his spiritual bank (we love this!) by working with his chosen charity A Walk on Water, who work with children with different needs by providing surf therapy & empowering them with a feeling of pride and accomplishment, as they unlock their inner athlete through the emotional and incredibly transforming experience of surfing. Click the link above or below to find out how to get involved!
A Walk on Water
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Kerrie Fitzgerald the founder of Kerrie Fitzgerald LLC - an ecommerce and product business consulting & educational agency, and host of top 100 marketing podcast- The 6 Figure Product Business Podcast. As a digital marketing expert, Kerrie helps e-commerce businesses create “wildly in demand” brands that their customers are obsessed with. After starting her first high-end pet e-commerce business, The Dapper Dog Box in 2016, she grew the business to multi 6 figures of revenue in two years without funding, staff or support and successfully sold the business in 2019. During that time, she was featured in Buzzfeed, Forbes and Mariah Carey’s Christmas Edition.
On this episode Michelle & Kerri cover all things organic marketing and provide listeners with invaluable tips on how to bring in consistent sales without focusing a dime on ads.
Kerri is a proud boy & dog mom, hot sauce and coffee lover and is an east coast transplant living in Seattle.
This week’s episode guest is Matt Katzenson, CEO of Fines Lines Company.
Fine Lines Company began in 1989. Paula Abdul had just released her smash hit “Straight Up”, and they had just launched their first 8 x 10 ft. trade show booth featuring 4 brave manufacturers that believed in a couple of cocky upstarts. Today, with permanent showrooms in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Seattle, as well as a sales territory that ranges from New Mexico to Alaska, you might say they’ve grown a bit since Paula peaked. If you’re looking for some great lines for your store, design client, set, or event, look no further.
Matt & Michelle talk all things Fine Lines, its inception, current Las Vegas expansion plans and their newest online shopping division EGG, that you can shop anytime, anywhere!
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fines Lines Company, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
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After over a decade working in advertising agencies on both Madison Avenue in NYC and in Los Angeles, Meredith turned her passion for marketing to retail marketing and merchandising when she and her husband Michael, a pharmacist, purchased the historic Fair Oaks Pharmacy in 1990. Together they restored it and added the iconic soda fountain which became an instant success along Route 66 and the site of a host of numerous television and movie shoots. In 2010 Meredith and Michael bought Webster’s Community Pharmacy in Altadena, CA. As with The Fair Oaks Pharmacy, the goal was to restore and revitalize this neighborhood independent pharmacy to its former glory days by adding a versatile gift and fashion accessory boutique, along with updating the pharmacy to include state-of-the-art technology.
Michelle & Meredith, Co-Owner, Marketing & Merchandising Director, for Websters Pharmacy talk gift departments within pharmacies, how it’s evolved over the years and how to reach this unique, captive customer.
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines Showroom, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
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This week’s guest is Laura McDowell, a leadership coach + strategist & founder of Laura McDowell Creative, who specializes in helping entrepreneurial businesses love what they do.
Take a listen as Michelle & Laura breakdown, how you, as a business owner, can find new ways to increase revenue, generate leads, and finally achieve your next-level business goals utilizing the EOS system.
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Michelle is back this week with another Solocast to talk stories & lessons from a life in retail, the inspiration for this podcast. She touches on gift & apparel shows, not looking in the rear view mirror, why worrying about what others are doing is pointless, pushing the envelope creatively & a reminder to NOT expand too fast.
Grab a notebook, a refreshing drink & find a quiet room. You won't want to miss these tips cultivated from 40+ years in the retail industry.
Lindsay Foster is a personal development junkie with a passion to share her stories of retail, recovery, and resilience with everyone in her life. Lindsay is a student of the industry and began her days of retail in Coeur d' Alene Idaho at the age of 15 while working alongside her Mother at the Original Penny Candy Store. Lindsay went on to study Sociology at Brigham Young University- Idaho after which she received her license in Cosmetology. As a young adult Lindsay battled with a disease that became debilitating and nearly stripped her of her life’s potential. With the support of her family, friends and therapy, she overcame her disease and is now 12 years into recovery. Lindsay's life blossomed at the start of her recovery. She has spent the last decade leading growth in the stationery and gift industry and is currently the VP of Retail Sales at Denik. Lindsay's hard work and leadership has awarded her the nomination of Top Women in Sales in Utah in 2022.
Lindsay lives in the Avenues, a quaint neighborhood in Salt Lake City with her Husband and her life's joy, son Noah. (4).
On this episode, Michelle & Lindsay chat about company culture, personal development journeys and her recovery, her first job delivering papers, cosmetology & what led to her current job at Denik, an artist driven stationery company. After listening to this interview, it is clear why Lindsay was nominated for Top Women in Sales in Utah in 2022!
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Back by popular demand, we are so excited to welcome back Fabian Navejas, Gift Merchandiser & Buyer for A.C. Vromans Inc., one of the oldest independent bookstores in the country, 128 years old. In addition to working at A.C. Vromans, he is also the Founder of Onederkam.com, which is a small eCommerce gift and home accessories store. His side hustle! On this episode, which we are calling a ‘merchandising roundtable”, Michelle & Fabian jump right in to talk about ALL things merchandising. This is an episode you won't want to miss!
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This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines Showroom, a West Coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
Botanic and Luxe started in 2016 as a brick and mortar boutique in Santa Cruz, California. Created by two best friends with a passion for design, beauty, and a holistic lifestyle. At Botanic and Luxe you will find just that - thoughtfully curated home goods, unique gifts for any occasion, natural skin care, and our favorite home accent: plants! They strive to support local makers, fair-trade organizations, and products that we absolutely love and believe in. Everything they bring into the shop has been mindfully selected with this as a focus and in hopes to enrich your lives with something beloved.
Ariel Stirm and Leilani Zehnder, the co-founders of Botanic and Luxe, grew up on Kaua’i, first meeting on the beach at age one. Their childhood was spent building tree forts, exploring the ocean, and adventuring through the lush landscape. During their summer breaks, they would sell tropical flowers and plumeria leis they foraged in their "backyard jungle."
As young aspiring adults, Ariel and Leilani moved to California to pursue education in their personal passions - Ariel, delved into a world of Landscape Architecture, and Leilani studied holistic nutrition. After years of building their individual skill sets, the two had an "AHA!" moment and knew it was time to start their business. Botanic and Luxe opened their doors in the spring of 2016 and quickly became a local staple and a favorite among many in their community as well as visitors for gifts, home decor, indoor plants, and special one of a kind goods.
Michelle & Leilani delve into many topics ranging from the importance of POS reports to attending show to working with small, local businesses and everything in between.
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We are so excited to have Kelly Morrison, founder of Create Your Affiliate Program (CYAP), as this week’s guest. On this episode, Kelly & Michelle breakdown exactly what an affiliate program is, how to create a profitable affiliate marketing program, and how retailers can utilize affiliate marketing to push online sales and help make more income and more impact by leveraging the power of affiliates.
And while Kelly founded Create Your Affiliate Program in 2018, she is not brand new to running successful affiliate programs; in addition to her work at CYAP, she also runs The Virtual Peacock, a Virtual Assistance company she founded in 2008 after graduating from both Louisiana State University (Geaux Tigers!) and Assist University, an online training program for Virtual Assistants. When she is not working as a VA and supporting entrepreneurs with their affiliate programs, she enjoys spending time with my family and friends, reading, going to concerts, traveling and tweeting!
Click here to download Kelly’s “5 Steps to Selling More Products” workbook. For the full experience, check out our YouTube Channel!
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This week we are very excited to interview Anna Harris-Lyons. Anna founded ANNA+POOKIE after years of being disappointed with the lack of diversity in party supplies. For many years, it had been impossible to find party characters or themes that represent black and brown children. ANNA+POOKIE Party Supplies is the only black, female-owned shop dedicated to providing party supplies created for children of color.
In 2017, she began developing a product line of party supplies. In 2018, she launched ANNA+POOKIE, which features brown-skinned, curly-haired, full-lipped characters that look like an underserved demographic in the party supply industry. Their current themes include a Mermaid, Ballerina, Princess, Superhero for girls, and a pirate and Superhero theme to celebrate boys!
Michelle & Anna jump in and discuss her journey in creating this amazing line. She is incredibly passionate about creating products that empower children. Their party supplies help them cultivate a loving self-image, boost their confidence, and show them that they deserve space on the party store aisle. Her business is small, but her company mission is enormous. She is dedicated to changing the face of party supplies forever!
She truly is inspiring and we are so grateful she took time out of her busy schedule to chat with us.
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On this week’s episode, we welcome Ashlan Christoph, mama of two, business owner and Modern Muse. Ashlan is an owner of multiple businesses, and has worked to create retail spaces that not only inspire her customers but feel good to be in! First creating Serendipity Gift Shop in 2012, a beautiful retail space that became the go-to for gifts in the Studio City, California neighborhood. She began expanding in more esoteric ways in her personal life and it became mirrored in her businesses. In June 2019 she opened Muse House Retreat, a space that focuses on connecting the community with tools and guides to help them along their own inner journeys. It was followed by the opening of Casa Muse in 2022, a space to hold intentional events and further help others connect with their healing journeys.
She's a mother of two boys ages 8 and 20 and is also the host of her own podcast called "Becoming Muse."
Ark Made was created out of the back office of The Ark Bookstore - Santa Fe's metaphysical wonderland for 40 years. Leighann Huberman, co-owner of Ark Made, had been a buyer and marketer for The Ark for a long time. Joanie and Tsering (Ark Made's 2 other Co-Owners) were, and still are, the owners of The Ark Bookstore. People kept coming in and looking for ways to cleanse their space without having to burn herbs, so they created their Crystal Aromatherapy Mist set - and they were a hit! A rep saw their products in the store and urged them to get a catalog together. She taught herself Photoshop and InDesign and put together a catalog. Soon they had shops from all over the Western part of the US looking to carry their products. Fast forward 5 years and they have grown into a whole separate company and are now in hundreds of retailers within the US... and even some internationally.
Ark Made really strives to put a sprinkle of magic into people's lives through our products. They believe that education is extremely important, and want people to dip their toes into the magic that they have to offer confidently. Whether it is cleansing, working with crystals, or igniting an intentional candle, they make it so that folks can feel confident through education and step-by-step instructions - and they can reap the benefits of a positive experience.
Light a candle, turn down the lights and get comfortable as Leighann & Michelle discuss the creation of Ark Made, living in Santa Fe, Ark Made’s switch to Mountain Sage, twin flames, balance, crystals and much, much more.
This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines Showroom, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in LosAngeles, LasVegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
Use the promo code PODCAST (all upper case) at checkout to save 10% on any order on EGG . One time use only. Good through 8/15/22.
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‘Breathing Life into Your Brands Mission, Vision & Values with the Power of Visual Storytelling’
After taking her first few years out of college in the traditional agency route, Kaila felt restless… like her cup wasn’t being filled to the top. She had a vision, and she knew the kind of clientele she wanted to serve. She wanted to take her two favorite things—dogs and design—and create something that nobody had done before. Something big, bold, and most importantly, drool-worthy. And so, Dox Design was born!
Today, she is proud to lead her fearless team on a mission to create strong, compelling brands that flaunt their clients’ stand-out qualities in fun and daring ways. Together, they work together seamlessly to create #droolworthy brands and design for people just like you: the dreamers, the doers, and the design obsessed.
Michelle & Kaila go through the steps on helping clients identify their brand and the fact finding steps involved. For anyone looking for some hot tips on creating your brand, this is a must-listen-to episode!
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What started out as Instagram live interviews to stay connected with people during the pandemic, then evolved into a podcast concept and here we are 1 year later, over 6000 downloads and over 50 episodes! This week’s episode is a #solocast with Michelle talking about lessons & stories in launching her podcast 1 year ago – the good (sponsorships!), the frustrating (lost recordings) and what the next year will look like. Hint: Exciting stuff!
Thank you to all our listeners. We would not be here without your support and for that we are grateful.
www.mcdesigncollaboration.com
Show season is upon us and we are so excited to have Cindy Henry, Vice President of Buyer Engagement, who leads the team that is responsible for bringing retailers to all IMC markets: Atlanta Market, Atlanta Apparel, High Point Market, Las Vegas Market & Las Vegas Apparel Market, as our guest this week!
A veteran of the gift and home industry for over 20 years, Cindy also served as Executive Vice President for a gift and accessories vendor for 17 years and managed sales, new products, operations and HR. She has been with IMC for six years. As Vice President of Buyer Engagement, she leads the team responsible for all buyers including Key Accounts and Buying Groups and Juniper, IMC’s new online marketplace. An active member in the gift and home industry, she has held leadership positions as secretary on both the boards of directors for the Gift and Home Trade Association and the Gift Sales Manager Association. At the Gift and Home Trade Association, she was awarded the President’s Award for Enthusiasm, Dedication and Leadership.
On this episode, Michelle & Cindy cover topics that include, but not limited to, buyer services, temps, IM Center’s new Juniper Market, differences between the two buildings and all things show related! For those of you who have never attended a show either at High Point, Atlanta or Las Vegas, this is the episode for you!
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This week’s guest is Tyler Tolson, CEO and Founder of Denik, a designer notebook and lifestyle product company that uses a portion of its funds to build schools and support artists. He started the company in 2011 as a full-time student at Utah State University. The company has blossomed into a multi-million dollar brand and serves customers like Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters, and Target in over 16,000 retail locations in North America. Denik also produces custom notebooks for brands like Nike, Disney, Google, TikTok, Uber, and Obey. The Denik community has funded 6 schools to date- 1 in Laos, 1 in Guatemala, 1 in Ghana, 1 in Nicaragua, and 2 in Mali, Africa.
Tyler has been named as “Young Emerging Leader” by the Leader to Leader Institute in New York, and was selected as "Top 40 Under 40" leaders in the Gift and Stationery Industry. Tyler currently serves on the Entrepreneurship Center Board at the Huntsman School of Business. During the last eleven years he has taught and trained audiences of various capacities, and has consulted entrepreneurs, students, and artists at all stages of business. However, Tyler's greatest accomplishment is marrying the girl of his dreams and raising his 4 rockstar kids.
Michelle & Tyler discuss how Denik began, building schools through proceeds, finding artis and how Denik continues to show the world that 'Art Can Change The World.'
This week’s episode sponsored by Fine Lines Showroom, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in LosAngeles, LasVegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
For those looking to schedule a mentoring session with Tyler, here is the link.
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Born and raised in 29 Palms and having always dreamt of creating a unique place for other locals to grab a last minute outfit or gift without stressing on breaking the bank or making the inconvenient drive out of town, this week’s guest is Danielle Stumbo, owner and creator of DonahlueClothing Co, a locally focused women’s clothing & gift boutique located in Downtown 29 Palms, just outside of Joshua Tree. She spent the first half of her career in corporate retail and in 2014, fell in love with small business and knew that she ultimately wanted to focus and tailor her talents to a smaller and more niche crowd. She has held just about every title in the retail and fashion industry but identifies most with visual merchandising. Once the pandemic hit she decided that she wanted to spend more time with her daughter, so she created a space where she could utilize her love for retail, serve her community, while also spending the time with her family that she craved – Donahlue Clothing Co. was born.Pronounced Donna-Lou, the shop is named after and inspired by my grandparents who resided in 29 Palms for over 30 years.
Some topics Michelle & Donna cover are her love for her local community, opening her store during a pandemic, her buying strategy and her store design aesthetic. Check out our YouTube channel to see her amazing wallpaper!
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This week we welcome Sean Jimenez / Director of Sales & Marketing for Socksmith. Sean, a former retailer, now turned wholesaler, who’s been in the industry for over 25 years. He now manages 40+ sales reps for a great, multi million-dollar novelty sock and design company, Socksmith, based in Santa Cruz, California.
During his 25 years in the industry, Sean has built apparel programs for Fortune 500 companies, worked and managed entire design teams for large private label programs, worked in off-price and have sold everything from Hawaiian shirts to $50,000 stereo systems. He has met a number of characters over the years, has made as many friends as possible and try to live by the rule, "never say no, there's always a way, try to be kind to everyone you meet, because you never know when you might need them, and you can never have too many friends."
As Michelle & Sean are both veterans in the retail industry, they cover all kinds of topics from the crazy days of ASR (Action Sports Retail Show) & MAGIC, how different the shows are today, work commutes, owning their own retail stores & hilarious stories regarding buyers negotiating terms at shows.
Sean was such a delight to interview and we are sure you will enjoy this interview as much as we did!
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After living in Haiti for five years, Tara moved to Minnesota. When she left Haiti she wanted to make sure she stayed connected to the country and bring the beauty she saw there to the world, thus Cedar and Cypress was born. It began as a small retail website and grew into wholesale, learning and growing from so many people around me in the industry. Cedar and Cypress Designs partners with independent artisans in Haiti. Through customer purchase and support, they are in turn able to purchase and support their artisan partners in Haiti. They are proud of their partners and the artisans in Haiti.
Some topics that Michelle & Tara cover are her deep connection with Haiti, missionary work, her hand-crafted artisan goods for the socially aware consumer and how that is creating jobs.
Be sure to watch this episode on our YouTube channel to see some of the gorgeous jewelry pieces that Tara is wearing!
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To shop wholesale you can find us on https://cedarandcypresswholesale.com/ or on Faire https://cedarandcypressdesigns.faire.com and Fashion Go
To support our work in Haiti, our partner Miquette's organization is TeacHaiti and can be found at https://www.teachaiti.org
and Papillon has amazing products and also offers wholesale at https://papillonmarketplace.com
You can find us at the Apparel Markets for June of 2022, Atlanta, 3rd floor Booth 300 and Dallas in our brand new showroom Goldn, Floor 13-13652
Dallas Market Center is the most complete wholesale trade resource in the world. Products include home, gift, lighting, apparel & accessories, and more. We are so excited to have Cole Daugherty, SVP, Exhibitor Marketing for the Dallas Market Center as this week’s guest.
Some of the topics Michelle & Cole discuss but not limited to are what’s new & different at this years upcoming Dallas Market June show, Gift for Life, which was founded in 1992 by a small group of gift industry professionals responding to the tragic loss of friends and colleagues as a result of AIDS, partnering with World Central Kitchen, the work/life balance challenge and a great book recommendation for retailers called Made to Stick on how to make ideas stick.
Donate to Gift for Life
Donate to World Central Kitchen
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This week’s guest, Yunnie Morena Kim, Digital Food Content Creator Restaurateur for KimChiAvocado is a lover of food (making it, eating it, sharing it), daughter of Korean immigrants, a wife and mother of two sons, who grew up in Southern California and literally married the boy next door. At a young age, she realized the impact that delicious, home-cooked food has. Growing up with two immigrant parents, she watched her mom and dad work hard every day and yet always came home to make a beautiful meal for them to share as a family.
Her first career was in fashion, and she owned and operated several stores within the iconic Fred Segal Santa Monica. Later her husband and her took over her parents’ 40-year-old restaurant on the Santa Monica Pier, The Albright. They currently own and operate The EST 1977 Group, a boutique restaurant group which specializes in revitalizing legacy businesses and curated food concepts.
Take a listen to this week’s episode as Michelle & Yunnie discuss her journey and the celebration of how food connects people, brings family together, and creates community.
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This week’s guest is Ellen Nguyen, founder/creator of the UnitedOther— a spiritual goods company based in Los Angeles. Coming to America from Vietnam with very little money, Ellen was taught to be self made and to create financial security for myself. After making it to the top of the corporate ladder in the beauty industry at some of the most recognized brands in the world, she realized she wasn’t fulfilled. Through learning from wise teachers, working with loving healers, and dedicating to a daily practice of meditation this has allowed her to heal old wounds, rewrite outdated stories, and to gain clarity on my higher purpose.
The first step she took was to start a sacred incense and ritual goods company called UnitedOther in 2017. The inspiration came from her own personal need for trusted spiritual products for meditation & intention rituals. UnitedOther aspires to bridge the widening divide between sacred rituals and the modern world by honoring the primary and natural technologies of our ancestors – the cave painters, the stargazers and the spiritual healers.
Take a listen as Michelle and Ellen discuss spiritual journeys, past life, crystals & growth within UnitedOther.
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Sacra Soul Intentions Deck
In honor of May being National Pet Foster Care Month, this week’s guest is Gwenn Vallone, CEO of Pug Nation Rescue of Los Angeles, a non-profit dedicated to the rescue, care and placement of abandoned, neglected, unwanted and abused pugs.
Gwenn grew up loving dogs and wanting to help those in need. Years ago she would sign up to go out to shelters to do anything she could to help. She ended up coming across pugs and fell in love with their gregarious, snorting personalities right away. She ended up volunteering with a pug rescue in Southern California and after 5 or so years the organization started falling apart. Gwenn rallied many of the volunteers and ended up forming a board of seven and creating a brand new rescue, Pug Nation Rescue of Los Angeles. As Pug Nation grew it became apparent that she could no longer run her own business and Pug Nation at the same time so she decided to sell her direct mail company and run the rescue full time. Definitely the best decision she ever made and we are so grateful to have Gwenn on our podcast this week.
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This week’s episode is part of our Life After Z Gallerie series. Michelle worked closely with both Fabian & Melissa during her time at Z Gallerie.
Fabian was born and raised in LA, is a self-taught creative leader and a bona fide retail nerd. With more than 25 years of multi-unit management experience in the retail home furnishings industry, he still feels as if he is in the beginning stages of his career. Currently, he is a Gift Merchandiser & Buyer for A.C. Vroman's Inc., one of the oldest independent bookstores in the country, 128 years old. A.C. Vroman's operates 2 bookstores in the Pasadena area and also owns Book Soup in West Hollywood, CA, another independent bookstore founded in 1975. In addition to working at A.C. Vromans, he is also the Founder of Onederkam.com, which is a small eCommerce gift and home accessories store. His side hustle!! He has also worked at IKEA North America at the following markets - San Francisco, Connecticut, Philadelphia, and for IKEA A.B. in Malmö, Sweden as Communications & Interior Design Manager for 10.5 years. Prior to IKEA, he has worked as District Visual Manager for Z Gallerie covering a variety of markets in the US - So. California, Midwest, East Coast, and Northwest Merchandiser of the Year while working there.
Melissa Hesse is a Southern California native raised in the San Gabriel Valley, a mom to two amazing young men, and has been happily married to her husband of 25 years, Bill.
She doesn’t have a degree in art but somehow has made it her career. She started at Z Gallerie back in 1993 as a part time sales associate while going to college. She spent the next 14 years there, holding almost every position possible there but always found the art department my home. After 6 years in the stores, she moved into the corporate office and spent the next 8 years in the art department as the Merchandise Planner and Assistant Buyer. She would help select the artwork for, at that time 70+ stores. She went on buying trips, worked with publishers and wholesale framers on new merchandise for the stores. FUN was the best way she would describe it. She grew up at Z Gallerie, met lifelong friends (Michelle and Fabian included!), got married, had kids, bought their first house. After 14 years she made the leap to Third and Wall Art Group which was a vendor we purchased posters from. She has been with Third and Wall for almost 15 years and was recently promoted to Creative Director.
Michelle, Fabian & Melissa recant their different roles, funny stories, challenges & growth within Z Gallerie and how that paved the way to their current careers. Check out the episode on YouTube and get a glimpse of Melissa’s Chris Hemsworth photo blanket her kids gifted to her!
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This week’s episode is brought to you by Fine Lines Company, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in LA, Las Vegas and Seattle. Fine Lines represents over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
When Missy lost everything in the 2008 recession, she almost lost all hope. She was broke, had 3 kids, and had just moved again. One day, her youngest was running through the kitchen and playfully yanked on the dish towel she had just hung up to dry on the oven, and it of course fell to the floor, which meant more laundry. She thought to herself "If I can't control anything else in my life, I'm going to control this F*&%ing towel!"
Remembering that Grandma used to make a hand towel that had a button to keep it on the oven door, she asked herself "why don't they make dish towels I can actually use everyday that stay put?" And, Voila!, the Hang Tight Towel® was born.
She began selling them at local farmers' markets and then eventually started selling them on Etsy, always having people return for more! Then in 2014, after a customer requested she make a towel with "red" fabric on it only to complain that it was the wrong "red" when she returned to buy it, Missy decided to take all of the red towels and print funny sayings on them with the F%*K word. She was worried that she might kill her business by doing this. It was a risk, but it made her chuckle every time to make one of these new kinds of towels and she had to see if anyone else felt as she did. She put these new towels out for sale at the next event and they SOLD OUT! So, she began printing more funny sayings with her twisted sense of humor on the towels and the business really started to grow.
Twisted Wares now makes all kinds of products including cocktail napkins, stickers, cosmetic bags, along with kitchen and bathroom textiles, and they all will make you chuckle. Plus, we're a stickler for quality and function. We like to say "We put the FUN in FUNCTIONAL"!
So, as losing everything has taught Missy, all you can do is laugh and not take yourself too seriously. We hope that our products are a reminder of that, whether you buy our products for yourself or give them as gifts, we want to make you smile.
Website: Twisted Wares
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This week’s guest is Allison Carter. Allison is a Seattle mom of two and believes that every occasion, big or small, deserves to be celebrated. As the founder and CEO of Allison Carter Celebrates, she helps make busy moms’ lives easier and a hell of a lot more fun, especially when it comes to celebrating special occasions and holidays. Her monthly subscription box, Memories in Moments: Unwrapped, brings the celebration straight to your door with holiday-themed crafts and activities planned, prepped and done for you.
Allison shares, with Michelle, her expertise with other female-owned businesses, how she helps them scale and gain massive visibility and credibility through simple PR strategies. Allison and her business have been featured in Oprah Magazine, Forbes, Better Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart, Buzzfeed, Real Simple, and more! She's currently planning her first in-person event, Ultimate Product Party, which is all for product-based businesses looking to scale and sell more products! She's Bravo obsessed and never turns down a girl’s night with scratch margs.
If you are interested in attending the @ultimateproductparty 2-day conference, use PROMO CODE RETAILWHOREUPP at checkoutfor $50 off your ticket.
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This week's guest is CEO & founder of Swanky D's, Nadiyah Gulley. Established in 2016, Swanky D’s is a company dedicated to mentoring and coaching businesses on how to creatively succeed in a competitive industry through visual merchandising. Her foundation is humbly built upon vintage clothing and fashion styling but has since transitioned to visual consulting for small businesses, brands, and boutiques.
Michelle & Nadiyah discuss how she provides quality merchandising services to small business boutiques and fashion brands while creating an avenue where small businesses can be merchandised to compete with mainstream retail companies.
After listening to this episode, you will see why we feel Nadiyah epitomizes the definition of a hustler and gets our vote for Hustler of the Week!
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This week’s guest is Nathan Waldon, Founder of Everything for Nathan & Co. After a bazillion plus years of product development for the big guys, nothing ever scratched his retail itch like opening his own eponymous shops. He doesn’t really know how to describe the satisfaction he gets, but he can tell you it's true and beyond satisfying. His advice to young entrepreneurs is to do it, but do it smartly. In April they celebrate 16 years of sweetness - OR is that sweet sixteen? We were so thrilled to interview Nathan and we are sure you will feel the same once you listen to this episode!
In the words of Nathan...Whichever way of saying it - being a retail whore is ok. Be proud. But, be smart. There's nothing like retailing through a pandemic (or a financial collapse in 2008) to give you some wits about your business. Be grateful for tough times. Learn. Savor. Make a plan.This week’s episode is brought to you by Fine Lines Company, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in LA, Las Vegas and Seattle. Fine Lines represents over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.
Our Links: https://linktr.ee/theretailwhorepodcast
This week’s guest is Kurt Beeken, Owner & President of Retail Dimensions (RDi). Kurt is a veteran of the retail and technology industry having worked in retail technology since 1985. He has written and implemented inventory management/POS systems for retailers as well as participated on retailer’s behalf to help them select the best system for their needs.
Michelle & Kurt discuss how the combination of brick & mortar + e-commerce experience allows Kurt & the RDi team to bring a unique perspective to retailers on how to leverage their technology & data to meet business needs & differentiate from competitors. For those looking to expand their website with e-commerce , manage inventory effectively & create a positive online shopping experience for customers, this is the episode for you!
Website: https://retaildimensions.com/
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LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kurt-beeken-7794129/
This week’s guest is Jeannine Braden / Creative Director & Co-Founder / Le Superbe California. From long time Los Angeles fashion insider Jeannine Braden, stylist, consultant and former owner of the much-loved Santa Monica boutique, Fred Segal Flair, comes LE SUPERBE (or The Beautiful) “From the Southern California Side of Else-Wear."
Michelle & Jeannine jump right in to discuss everything from celebrity styling, the lost art of the customer relationship, lessons learned from many years in the retail industry and her love letter to LA skate & surf culture – her brand, Le Superbe California. Thank you Jeannine for taking time out of your busy schedule!
LE SUPERBE is a Los Angeles fashion brand that stays true to its California roots, while unleashing your personal flair. It's Ready-to-Wear sprinkled with subliminal seeds of the surf culture along the sandy beaches of Southern California. The must-have pieces change with the seasons but stay true to a stylistic freedom that embraces an effortless mix of new and vintage, high and low. Operating on instinct and impeccable taste, the Los Angeles designers draw inspiration from the streets of Hollywood, all the way from Venice to Malibu. The goal is always a fabulous stylist's rack of coveted pieces.
Jeannine Braden and well-known designer, William Beranek (William B), know what it takes to move fashion forward. Jeannine Braden serves as the Creative Director and named the line after the street where she grew up on in Venice, California. Jeannine and William have transitioned from living together to working together. The two have a wonderful son and when it was time to call it quits, they “consciously uncoupled…so very LA.
Website: http://www.shoplesuperbe.com/
Jeannine Braden IG: http://www.instagram.com/jeanninebradenla
Le Superbe IG: http://www.instagram.com/lesuperbecalifornia/
Jeannine Braden FB: http://www.facebook.com/jeannine.braden/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannine-braden-a0222a8/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jeanninebraden/_saved/
We have all dealt with what we perceive as a failure. Failure can be useful. We can learn from it, gain new insights, and do better next time. The right kind of failures give us new information & teach us something that gets us closer to our goals. On this week’s episode, Michelle opens up, with her trademark honesty, on what lessons she has taken away from her “failures” and how that has helped her grow both professionally and personally.
We LOVE a #hustler and this week’s guest Brea Menees, owner of Chaxel certainly falls under that header! Brea is a 31-year-old California native, married for 4 years with 2 frenchie babies and has a Fashion Degree from Sacramento State. Michelle & Brea sit down in person and discuss how Brea went from graduating with a fashion degree, to working in tech to ultimately building her own online boutique! She truly is an inspiration on making that leap by jumping in feet first and figuring it out along the way.
Stella grew up in Ohio and studied Economics and Japanese at Princeton University. Stella made a career change at 30 from investment banking to fashion. She moved from San Francisco to New York where she worked her way up at iconic American brands Liz Claiborne, Limited Brands, Henri Bendel and Ralph Lauren.
Stella always fantasized about moving to California. She vividly remembers the debut of Beverly Hills 90210 and wanting to have a life of pool parties. After 7 years in both San Francisco and New York, she felt she won the career lottery by getting a job as the Director of Retail at a private equity company that invests in the leisure space in the Palm Springs area. Stella spent 8 years as the Director of Retail at KSL Resorts, buying for 5 Star, 5 Diamond and resorts on the National Historical registry including The Hotel Del, La Quinta Resort, Arizona Biltmore, The Homestead, Grand Wailea, Miraval, The Grove Park Inn, La Costa, and Monarch Beach Resort.
Catering to a guest on vacation is a passion for Stella. Her mission is to give that guest a physical manifestation of their time of leisure so they can keep that memory alive. Life presented a crossroads to Stella when her company relocated to Irvine. Stella had found her home in Rancho Mirage and needed to create her own way. This is when Rancho Relaxo was born.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ranchorelaxoca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RanchoRelaxoCALI
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoqnA0XRjY9cUeW016NEVGg
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/54284245/admin/
Invest: https://ranchorelaxoca.com/invest-in-rr/
Corporate Events: https://ranchorelaxoca.com/corporate-events/
This week’s guest is Catherine (Cat) Hildner, creator, designer and heart & soul behind Kitty Meow® Boutique (@kittymeowboutique). Michelle & Cat will be discussing, among other things, the beauty of 'F' Bombs, Cat’s blogs, video content, her KMB educational programs, her upcoming Ultimate Product Party conference and how she finds that work/life balance we all seek to achieve. Cat is truly a powerhouse and we are so grateful she took time out of her busy schedule not only as a business owner but as a wife, momma to two gorgeous little ladies + one little dude, and self –proclaimed Customer Service Queen!
At Kitty Meow you can shop beautifully designed paper & party goodies based on your mood: WITTY (edgy, saucy, semi-inappropriate) or SWEET (thoughtful, charming, and well...sweet!) The Kitty Meow® brand is fun, FIERCE, & designed to make women feel confident, empowered, and courageous enough to take the bull by the horns in life with thoughtful details! You can catch her weekly episodes of the Dreams to Plans Podcast (@dreamstoplanspodcast) where Cat & co-host @mygirlfriendrenee give valuable, honest, and hilarious content for creative, small businesses everywhere. You can also learn with Cat about all things running a profitable, product based business through KMB Educational Programs and the Ultimate Product Party Conference- all based on helping women who have product based businesses build a brand with tons of personality.
If you are interested in attending Cat’s Ultimate Product Party 2-day conference, use PROMO CODE RETAILWHOREUPP at checkoutfor $50 off your ticket
After 3 weeks of doing setups & buying at both the Las Vegas Winter Market & LA Mart Winter Market, Michelle has had time to decompress and reflect on the do’s and don'ts of how to act in someone’s showroom or someone’s retail space. From set up display tips (Architecture first!) to basic showroom cart etiquette, Michelle unpacks it all in this highly informative episode.
A family who travels together, stays together. The Litt family has traveled the world for fifty years, antiquing in over 35 countries! As direct importers, they went on too many buying trips to count. With weekly shipments coming into their retail store, "Mitchell Litt Home" always had something new for customers and designers to discover. The couple worked together 7 days a week, passionately growing their successful namesake business. Fortunately, their eldest son had the privilege (at the time, more like "obligation") to join his parents on these trips for well over half of those years. Naturally, after watching his parents, Kevin's interest and eye for seeking out beautiful antiques and objects developed. With the opportunity at such a young age, he created a career for himself in furniture design, manufacturing, and retail. Kevin has owned and operated factories, overseen all aspects of manufacturing, and developed and designed products. Together with his wife, he is excited to carry on the Litt family legacy into this new venture.
Dina Litt has spent over twenty years in advertising with a focus on brand partnerships & sales. Prior to her advertising career she spent her mid-teens and early twenties at the famous Fred Segal, Santa Monica. Combined with a passion for design and going through a home renovation of her own, Dina brings a natural eye for home styling, working with clients, and love for collaborations.
Some topics Michelle covers with The Litt's are their journey in taking over the family business, how COVID changed their business for the better, how their experiential retail events continue to create connections through retail and their process in seeking out an influencer who is not only a good fit for their brand but also fits within their budget. Kevin & Dina bring a wealth of industry knowledge, an eye for quality, dedication to sustainability, and vision for today's modern lifestyle. Our hope with this episode is that you walk away with ideas on how to stay inspired as well as creative ideas on how to continue to elevate your brand.
Website: https://www.littconcepthouse.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littconcepthouse/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littconcepthouse
Web Studios West has been building websites, e-commerce solutions, social media platforms, and custom software for over two decades. This week's guest is Shiloh Pettyjohn is Co-Founder and Senior Vice President of Sales for Web Studios West. Over time Shiloh has become an expert in the field of online retail, website operations, e-commerce hosting, and internet security. He has built and aided thousands of businesses of all shapes and sizes over this time to have smooth running and successful online operations. Michelle and Shiloh jump in and discuss, among other things, the benefits of eCommerce to retailers, the different platforms available and eCommerce trends for 2022. A must-listen-to episode for anyone looking to jump into the eCommerce world!
Website: https://webstudioswest.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shilohpettyjohn/
Web Studios West Contact: https://webstudioswest.com/contact/
On this week’s episode, Michelle, on-site in Las Vegas for multiple client show set-ups, will be sharing her tips & tricks on the most effective way to attend a gift show. From day 1 strategies, to packing the right snacks, to getting off the re-ordering hamster wheel, this episode is chock full of tips that Michelle has learned from her many years as a buyer! Grab a note pad (tip #3!) and be ready to write down some helpful tips for your next gift show. LA Mart Winter Gift + Show began 1/16/22 & Las Vegas Gift + Home starts 1/23/2022.
This week’s guest is Jenny Livits, the founder of Pink Lagoon, a boutique located in Solana Beach, California, and Wardrobe Design and Styling by Jenny Livits, a holistic personal styling business that helps teach women that styling is a journey of self-exploration and learning to radiate beauty and confidence from the inside out. Michelle & Jenny discuss how the Pink Lagoon stylist program works, the principle behind the program and how by creating a solid foundation of basic pieces – from a great white tee to the perfect skinny jean to an essential black dress – Pink Lagoon helps clients create a well-edited wardrobe that allows your closet to constantly evolve.
Jenny is also the host of the Style & Soul podcast and when she isn't busy with her multiple business ventures, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two girls.
Website: https://www.wdsbyjennylivits.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wds_byjennylivits
Website: Pink Lagoon
Website: Wardrobe Design & Styling Services
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wds_byjennylivits
Stylish Visionary : Ambitious Multi-tasker : Retail Junkie
Margo Kopman lives, eats, and breathes all things retail. With over 15 years of retail consulting experience as the President of Project Retail, she is extremely passionate about inspiring clients with her vision and authenticity when tackling the complex business of the independent retailer. She believes that you can achieve the highest levels of success if you work hard, believe in your dreams, and stay focused on results. She grew up in a family that instilled a strong work ethic and a character built on integrity. Soon after graduating from Southern Methodist University, she followed her dreams and opened Byrd, a contemporary women’s boutique in her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. As an owner & buyer of an independent retail store, she understands the ins and outs of the business, having experienced it firsthand.
Michelle and Margo chat about her passion for the science of retail-which led her down the path of consulting independent retailers like herself. Because of her ability to simplify complex data & analytics paired with her strong critical thinking skills, she coached her clients to maximize the opportunities while facing the challenges head-on.
In her free time, you can find her soaking up the Los Angeles, CA sunshine. She loves being outdoors, surfing, cooking, traveling, and spending time with family & friends. Margo is committed to the pet rescue movement through animal rescues and shares her loving home with her little white dog, Bubbie.
The Project Retail
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
This week’s episode is near and dear to Michelle’s heart. She had the pleasure of interviewing her friend and former co-worker Damon Von Schweikert of Von Schweikert Audio. As former co-workers, which they touch on in the episode, Michelle saw firsthand Damon’s incredible skill set in successfully treating employees while at the same time running a brand at the highest level. Currently, Damon is the Chief Executive Officer for Von Schweikert Audio, a multigenerational, High-End Audio loudspeaker design and U.S. manufacturing firm with over four decades in business and hundreds of industry awards from around the world. Prior to assuming the position of CEO for VSA in 2015, Damon enjoyed a 15-year career in the Softline retail industry working at the corporate level with a specialization in the Stores and Operations divisions for Levi’s/Dockers Outlets, Anchor Blue, Juxtapose and Miller’s Outpost to name a few.
His entrepreneurial spirit and extensive experience in manufacturing, distribution, marketing and retail sales give him a unique business management perspective. We are so grateful Damon took time out of his busy schedule to chat with us. We know you’ll enjoy this episode as much as we did!
The Audio Analyst
This week's episode is a Michelle Solocast where she will take the listeners on a deep dive into her design philosophy and review her Top 10 Display Tips! Michelle was asked earlier this year to write an article for Gift Shop Magazine on design & merchandising. This episode is a broader stroke on that article and the tips Michelle learned while working for both Fred Segal and Anthropologie. We have linked the article for your reference. Sit back & enjoy!
S+J is a Lifestyle Boutique featuring Men's, Women's, Kids, Pets, Vinyl, Home + Gifts in our 3 story shop, (4 including their open-air rooftop where they host fashion shows, trunk shows, pop-ups + always a DJ + dance party)!
Jamie spent the first 15 years of her career in Retail at Target Corporation. She started there in Merchandising in Girls Toys, then was promoted to a Buyer position in School Supplies and Home Office. She then moved into the Marketing Team, first in a Licensing role and then into Advertising for Apparel & Accessories. She spent her last 9 years there working on and leading the Internal Events Team. She was responsible for Board Meetings all the way up to 10,000 person National Team Meetings with guest speakers, musicians, fashion shows and more!
She left her role at Target when she couldn't balance two big jobs within retail in one family and took the opportunity to stay home with her two young boys for several years. She was Room Parent, co-chaired school fundraisers and cheered my boys on from the sidelines at all their soccer, basketball and lacrosse matches, all while fine-tuning her vision for the shop and "visually re-merchandising" her house for each holiday!
Michelle & Jamie jump right into it discussing her career at Target, meeting her now-husband, also at Target and how her passion for fashion and her husband’s passion for music ultimately inspired them to open Serge + Jane.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sergeandjaneshop
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sergeandjaneshop
We are thrilled to have the president of The Retail Smart Guys, Dan Jablons, as a guest this week. The Retail Smart Guys is the premiere consulting company.
Dan Jablons worked in retail while attending the Ohio State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Production. He has worked with retailers such as Walmart, Target, JC Penney, American Apparel, Betsey Johnson, Donna Karan, Jimmy Choo, Charles David, Diesel, Oakley, Tumi, Hollywood Bowl, and many others. He has worked for a clothing manufacturer where he piloted vendor-managed inventory programs, a leading point-of-sale provider (where he installed systems and provided merchandising help to retailers large and small) and internet marketing (where he helped retailers establish a presence on the web.)
In addition to his vast retail background, Dan also has a background in improvisational theatre. He recently appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm, and is often seen in national commercials. Dan combines his extensive knowledge of retail with his comedy skills to become one of the industry's most popular speakers. He has spoken at Magic, Surf Expo, at local municipal and trade show events, and many other venues.
The goal with this episode was to inform retailers on things going on in the industry, and to help retailers become more profitable. Take a listen as Michelle & Dan discuss inventory planning, open to buy, bookkeeping and technology advice. Highly informative episode for any retailer hoping to make better purchasing decisions, ensure a more positive cash flow and generate more profit!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/danjab
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retailsmartguys/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/retailsmartguys
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danjablons/
IMDB: https://tracking.cirrusinsight.com/64426361-ae6f-4627-867b-f4edaa0cf203/imdb-com-name-nm1887739
This week’s episode was a tricky one to write show notes for as I am part of the episode. Michelle and I (Elisa) have been friends for over 40 years and although our professional lives couldn’t be more different, we are truly sisters and have seen each other through many of life’s milestones that include births, deaths, divorce & marriages. Knowing each one of our strengths has definitely allowed this partnership to be successful, which led us to this episode. We thought it would be fun to interview each other and base those interview questions on each one of our industries. Michelle, retail and merchandising and for me, anything digital marketing. Neither one of us knew what the other was going to ask, which we felt made for a very fun, organic and informative episode. The hope is that our listeners will walk away with some additional knowledge both in the retail industry as well as tips on how to maximize your retail store's marketing budget, and ultimately drive foot traffic through the front door.
Show Links:
Digital Marketing Consulting - Elisa Anthony: elisa.anthony66@gmail.com
Local SEO listing tool link: https://www.yext.com/business/business-scan/
Google My Business Page
This week we are so grateful to welcome Kelly Bloodgood, owner of Well + Good Health Studio. After dealing with mysterious symptoms most of her life, Kelly was finally diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease and Epstein-Barr in 2016, after decades of misdiagnoses. It was through her frustration with the healthcare system that she set upon my wellness journey to heal myself: mind, body and spirit. Kelly opened up WELL+GOOD Health Studio in 2019 to help others regain and maintain their health and wellness. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to have to suffer as long and as much as she did. Kelly recants, with Michelle, her journey into the wellness world, not gently, but instead thrust against her will, and reminding everyone that wellness is not a trend, it is a lifestyle.
The two founders of Jackalope Arts, Melissa Kohout and Sara Diederich, met through their time spent working with an international arts organization, creating regular art centered events in Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. They shared the passion to create a "community meets artisan event" focused on the experience of meeting the maker and bringing the local community together in this. With that vision, they joined together on this new venture, launching the Jackalope: Indie Artisan Fair in their home cities of Pasadena, California and Denver, Colorado.
Jackalope has been hosting semi-annual events in both Pasadena and Denver since the spring of 2015 and with the addition of Burbank in 2019. 2021 marked a new location for Jackalope, adding Minneapolis to the roster. Each fair showcases over 150 local makers who focus on handmade artistry.
Take a listen as Melissa & Sara walk Michelle through the Jackalope Arts experience from the point of entry to the end of day and everything in between!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackalopefair
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jackalopeartfair
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/jackalopearts
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jackalopeartfair
Pinterest: https://www.youtube.com/jackalopeartfair
We are always impressed with our guests who have built a successful side hustle and Robin Molan is no exception!
A lawyer since 1995 practicing in high conflict family litigation and child welfare and overwhelmed with the heaviness of the profession. Robin decided in 2003 to start selling jewelry. She started with a total of $1500 which back then meant she could buy 3-4 lines. Robin went to showrooms in NYC and had no idea what things like net 30 or open to buy or Xfactory meant. What she did know was people liked her eye. Gradually she added some gift items and boxed graphic tees. Jewelry was becoming very competitive and she’d grown up going with her mom to homes and hotel rooms where ladies sold clothes. So in 2007, she decided to fly West to LA for market because she had a feeling she’d see new and fresh items that weren’t on the east coast. By 2008 she was selling clothing mostly and some girlfriend gifts. She would sell at holiday boutiques and charity luncheons and out of a home studio. It was the fun and light side to a heavy job. She continued practicing as a lawyer and eventually went into non-profit child welfare management but still continued with her business. She traveled to LA, NY, Vegas, Atlanta to find the freshest trends in clothing and gift. Robin expanded and at one point had the concession in 3 salons, a website, and Instagram - an over-extended one-woman show! When COVID came along everything changed. She pulled out of her final salon, all events were canceled and she definitely had to pivot. She rode the mask and mask chain sales, sold athleisure wear.
Take a listen as Michelle does a deep dive with Robin on her incredibly inspiring journey!
Website: https://thebdazzledshop.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bdazzledjewels1/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Shop.B.Dazzled
This is our episode #4 in our ‘Life After Anthro’ series. Guest Elaine Strawbridge is a passionate creative and leader with a 20+ year career in retail. Growing up in the greater Chicagoland area, she was immersed in sports and her emerging love for the arts. At Columbia College, Elaine earned a Liberal Arts Degree with focus on sculpture – working primarily with metal & wood. After graduation, she learned to weld and continued to dig deeper into her passion for working with mixed materials.
During college, Elaine worked for The Gap and found the retail environment exciting, ever-changing and always challenging. This was the start of her journey into visual merchandising and window display, allowing her to apply her creative passion in a career. In 1999, Elaine was hired at Anthropologie/URBN Inc, where she would advance over the next 17 years. During her time with Anthro, she moved to California and built her life in LA. In 2010 Elaine started B.E. Woodcraft, a small jewelry line, creating handmade wooden heart necklaces and sold them at Anthro and BHLDN.
In 2016 she left URBN to pursue a new challenge as a consultant in the marketing world. Once out of visual merchandising/display, her passion shifted focus onto team leadership and development – and her creative mind took on challenges that are “people” focused. From 2016-2021 Elaine co-created and built a global brand advocacy and training program – spanning 11 countries with over 450 staff.
Currently, Elaine is freelance consulting and developing a few new businesses which will launch in 2022 (ssshh, they are not ready to formally announce yet).
Enjoy this week's episode and don’t forget to leave us a review!
WEBSITE: https://spark.adobe.com/page/T7E0MOJFe6cgZ/
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/elainestrwbrdge/_saved/
This week’s guest is actually Michelle’s first guest who is an actual MC Design Collaboration client. Andrea Leslie is not only a savvy human resources professional and entrepreneur with diverse experience including technology (start-ups to Fortune 500), retail, and food/hospitality but also the owner of Maison A, her side hustle located in Morgan Hill, California. Michelle and Andrea will not only discuss her HR philosophy but also finding balance with client calls in different time zones while at the same time buying for her boutique and finally working on her newest hustle - her farm! Andrea is the definitive hustler and we're so happy to have her as a guest.
Andrea's Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/aleslie/_saved/
Andrea's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-leslie-phr-28440a1/
Three passions: impeccable design, sensuous aromatics and self-care.
Having enjoyed a successful career as a brand strategist, My McCarthy created Gavin Luxe as a way to reconnect with herself and unapologetically enjoy the indulgences that made her happy to be alive. Gavin Luxe is My's way of aligning three passions: impeccable design, sensuous aromatics, and self-care. The GL experience is backed by her commitment to normalize luxury and help women meet their own needs without feeling like it's too much.
Get comfortable and take a listen as Michelle & My discuss the ritual of a good bath, advice to young, female entrepreneurs and a very special book that transformed her life after a family member passed.
Website: http://gavinluxe.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/gavinluxe
Facebook: http://facebook.com/gavinluxe
Mindi Miller is, in no particular order, a mother, a sister, a mentor to at-risk teens, a TV producer, a wife, and an ex-wife. She is grateful to have a family that loves her and mostly ignores one in-law who doesn't.
Over the decades, Mindi has pivoted from a lifetime in retail sales - selling products to the mall-goers, to a wholesale representative - selling products to the retailers, to a TV producer - making shows interrupted by companies selling products to the masses. Mindi has overcome a painful divorce, bullying, and most recently survived a deadly car accident. (More on that later!) While recovering from her traumatic injuries, Mindi found personal healing by focusing on creating ways to help others. That's when THE 52-WEEK JOURNAL series began.
Join Michelle & Mindi as they discuss Mindi’s healing journey and the inspiration for the 52-Week Journal Series, which was created as a must-have guide for anyone looking for a solution to help keep themselves on track.
This week's guest is Barbara Mooney, owner of Daisy’s Mercantile, a boutique filled with necessities, frivolities, and embellishments for everyday life, located in Alameda, California. Barbara has always used her creative gifts in her business endeavors, first as a caterer and event planner, then a baker, and now a shopkeeper. When she was bit by the entrepreneur bug, it allowed her love of numbers and behind-the-scenes action to work hand in hand with her talents to create what Daisy’s has become today, and she never looked back. Michelle & Barbara delve into Barbara’s jump from retail to catering, her merchandising & display style, separating work/home, and her future plans on transitioning from a brick & mortar into 100% online with online classes. Barbara is truly a creative force and this episode really showcases her many talents.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daisys_mercantile/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daisysmercantile
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/livinglikedaisy/_saved/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/daisy-s-mercantile/?viewAsMember=true
This weeks guest, Christine Street Gregg owner of Chocolate & Steel, is our 3rd interview in our ‘Life After Anthro’ series. Christine Street is the Founder and Designer of Chocolate and Steel, a jewelry line on a mission to empower women through genuine expressions of acceptance, love and strength with sustainability and giving back woven throughout. Christine has been in the fashion design industry for 24 years – starting out in apparel design, to merchandising, to jewelry fabrication and design. Chocolate and Steel was launched in 2005 with hand drawn illustrations on jewelry. As Christine and her line evolved she knew that she wanted to do more with it than just make something that looks good. Chocolate and Steel is now a company that grounds itself in sustainability, empowerment and giving back. Her company donates profits to environmental non-profits and human rights organizations.
On this episode, Michelle and Christine discuss lessons and takeaways from her time at Anthropologie, how those lessons play a part in her business today, her favorite part of the job, her best memory as well as her craziest moment working at Anthro - working a Black Friday that will live in her memory forever!
Website: www.chocolateandsteel.com
Instagram @chocolateandsteel
Chocolate & Steel Give Back Program
For those of you who have asked “Exactly what does Michelle do?” This is the episode that is a deep dive into exactly what Michelle does for each client and the role she plays in each of their businesses. She’ll go into detail about Stephen Young, retailers and gift show setups. Informative, inspiring and educational!
Show links
MC Design Collaboration
Instagram: @mcdesigncollaboration
Bristol Farms
Instagram: @bristolfarms
Stephen Young
Instagram: @stephenyoungshowroom
Peking Handicraft
Instagram: @pekinghandicraft
Grand Canyon West
Instagram: @grandcanyonwest
Muse House Retreat
Instagram: @musehouseretreat
Serendipity
Instagram: @serendipity
Sales Producers
Instagram: @salesproducersinc
Litt Concept House
Instagram: @littconcepthouse
Burt’s Pharmacy
Burt’s Pharmacy
Rock Paradise
Instagram: @rockparadisethestore
From press in Martha Stewart Living to Marie Claire to being sold in Urban Outfitters to Neiman Marcus, Soul Addict, a farm-first & woman-owned organic Hemp CBD Company continues to inspire us in part 2 of our 2 part interview with owner, Laura Armstrong. Get comfy as she & Michelle discuss how her business spiked during the 2020 pandemic and the inspiration & journey behind converting a 1950's motorcycle garage into their first brick and mortar retail store.
OUR WEBSITE - https://www.theretailwhorepodcast.com/
OUR INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/theretailwhorepodcast/?hl=en
This week’s guest is Laura White, founder and CEO of Soul Addict, a conscious CBD line & majority women-owned hemp farm she runs with her business partner, Maxwell Gaudin. She launched Soul Addict in her ‘soul city’ of New Orleans after using CBD & cannabis to help empower her struggle with anxiety and depression since her early teen years. Shortly after, Laura made the decision to pack up her things in her favorite place and make the move back to her hometown in the rolling hills of Western North Carolina to start one of the first licensed Hemp Farms in her state.
Michelle & Laura discuss many topics in this 2-part interview from - How CBD is used in the wellness community to explaining what full spectrum is to setting up her own retail space and incorporating her specific vibe – to name a few!
As her and her team focus on growing Soul Addict CBD as a nationally recognized cannabinoid wellness brand, Laura is committed to sharing education and access to CBD & Cannabis for mental health, the importance of organic & sustainable agriculture, microbiome health, trying to coin the term ‘agriculturally transparent’(slowly, but surely!)- what that even means and how we can empower feeling better our feelings through conscious CBD and cannabis consumption. Most recently she and team SA launched their new ‘IRL shop’ concept, an in-real-life retail space experience based on the brand’s ethos and mission in the digital world.
OUR WEBSITE - https://www.theretailwhorepodcast.com/
OUR INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/theretailwhorepodcast/?hl=en
This week’s interview is with Chris Willard from The Great Gift & Paper Co. Chris began her career as a registered nurse where medicine was her first love. At that time, as crazy as it sounds, there weren’t a lot of nursing opportunities fresh out of nursing school so rather than working in the hospital unit of a local prison, she took a job with Johnson & Johnson as a sales rep. After working as a sales rep for a very long time, one day she decided to open up a retail boutique and the rest is history. The Great Gift and Paper Co. is a boutique that has evolved from my brick-and-mortar store La Belle Maison. The name change to The Great Gift and Paper Co. arose to be more reflective of what my shop morphed into--more gifts and paper. Take a listen to Chris’ journey from working with Johnson & Johnson, raising a family all while continuing to build what is now The Great Gift & Paper Co. Chris is truly a hustler and inspiration to us!
Website: https://www.greatgiftandpaper.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greatgiftandpaper/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/giftandpaperco/
OUR WEBSITE - https://www.theretailwhorepodcast.com/
OUR INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/theretailwhorepodcast/?hl=en
This week’s interview is the second in our series ‘Life After Anthro’. My former intern, Samantha Davis, is now a successful entrepreneur within the birth industry, and has spent the last four years, along with her husband, building and connecting with local industry leaders to help improve the quality of postpartum care to new mothers within the Southern California area. She has continued to develop their team of experts to accommodate the ever-growing demand for placenta encapsulation as a unique, but necessary, postpartum care resource. Her business began just after the birth of her daughter, and subsequently, towards the end of her career at Anthropologie; the end of an era, but the beginning to an exciting new chapter! She currently resides in Los Angeles County with her 4-year-old daughter and husband.
Company Info:
Mommy Made Encapsulation SoCal
IG: @MME_Southerncalifornia
E: Mommymadeencapsulationsocal@gmail.com
P: 626.759.2619
OUR WEBSITE - https://www.theretailwhorepodcast.com/
OUR INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/theretailwhorepodcast/?hl=en
From an 18-year-old stock girl at Nordstrom’s to creating Urban Girl Accessories in
1994, Annie Lents Glen chats with Michelle on how she manages to run a 10 location, 5
concept retail business in the San Diego, California area, with the support of her
talented team while at the same time, being a mom to her 2 boys, Jack & Cooper. Her
positive attitude and daily gratitude sets the tone for the messaging behind her brand –
Put on Your Positive Pants.
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/urbangirlaccessories/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/urbangirlaccessories/
Website: https://urbangirlaccessories.com/
Store Locations: https://urbangirlaccessories.com/pages/locations
OUR WEBSITE - https://www.theretailwhorepodcast.com/
OUR INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/theretailwhorepodcast/?hl=en
Everyone loves a good comeback story, and today's guest, Effie Tanji from Bodewell Living, is making it her mission to share how she’s doing it her way: fierce, fearless, and free. After co-founding and operating a small, slow fashion jewelry business for a few years, Effie decided to launch a luxury candle brand in March of 2018. It was a fast and furious trajectory from zero to explosive. Effie & Michelle discuss how she got her start, selling candles out of the back of her SUV, her commitment to giving back, and work/home balance.
Instagram: @bodewellliving
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bodewellliving/
Episode Links:
LA LGBT Center
Bracken’s Kitchen
Homeless Healthcare Los Angeles
OUR WEBSITE - https://www.theretailwhorepodcast.com/
OUR INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/theretailwhorepodcast/?hl=en
Today’s guests are sisters and design creatives, Susie & Heidi Bauer, owners of Rock Scissor Paper. Rock Scissor Paper has created products imbued with their signature sense of color and optimism that stay true to their joyful outlook in life. Join us as they discuss building their brand, how they can insert a dose of happiness into every product they sell, and how they believe ice cream is truly the best medicine for anything!
Additional links:
Heidi's essay in Medium with mention of their "Small Victories Rainbow Wall"
Small Victories Wall Essay
Check out their before & after small victories wall photos below
Small Victories Rainbow Wall
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RSPstudio
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rspstudio/_saved/
Instagram: @rockscissorpaper
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rockscissorpaper
OUR WEBSITE - https://www.theretailwhorepodcast.com/
OUR INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/theretailwhorepodcast/?hl=en
This episode is part one of our 'Life After Anthropologie' multi-episode series. Today’s episode is a trip down memory lane for Michelle and Jess who worked together at Anthropologie. Jessica is the co-host of The Rants & Raves Podcast. Fasten your seatbelt for lots of laughs and great stories from their time working together.
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/therantsandravespodcast/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/therantsandravespodcast/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/raves_the
OUR WEBSITE - https://www.theretailwhorepodcast.com/
OUR INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/theretailwhorepodcast/?hl=en
Today’s guests are Kingfisher Road boutique founder, Kelly Epstein and her daughter Laura.
Kingfisher Road boutique was established in 2004. Kelly began selling at fundraisers and private events. What began as a fun side business, quickly became something that needed its own dedicated space – not at her home! Michelle & the Kingfisher ladies discuss business growth, working with a family member, and how Kingfisher continued to thrive during the pandemic & political upheaval.
GUEST SOCIALS:
@kingfisher_road
@kingfisherroad_annex
@kelly_kingfisherroad
@laura_kingfisherroad
OUR WEBSITE - https://www.theretailwhorepodcast.com/
OUR INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/theretailwhorepodcast/?hl=en
The Retail Whore Podcast creator, Michelle Sherrier is our Episode 1 guest, also known as The Solocast! Michelle gives listeners a deep dive into her retail journey, the good, the bad, and the lessons learned along the way. From as a 14-year-old girl from Manhattan Beach working in her first retail store, to modeling in Japan, back to the retail world working for giants such as Fred Segal & Anthropologie and ultimately branching off and building her own visual merchandising company, MC Design Collaboration.
WEBSITE - https://www.theretailwhorepodcast.com/
INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/theretailwhorepodcast/?hl=en
Welcome to The Retail Whore by me, Michelle Sherrier: a podcast of stories and lessons from a life in retail. After decades spent in the retail industry, I’ve seen and done it all. Join me every week as I interview people from all walks of retail, the service industry, the wholesale gift industry, and more. We’ll talk about what drives them, the things they love, and some of the biggest lessons they have learned along the way. Brace yourself for The Retail Whore, a show that entertains and educates!
Check out our links here.