Let's Talk a Little Shop | ASD Market Week

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In this episode of Let’s Talk a Little Shop, the ASD Market Team created a group podcast in order to discuss how ASD makes the magic happen for each show.

The marketing teams talk about how to make the most of your ASD show experience. Whether you’re an exhibitor or an attendee, watch this video to learn how to use our online tools to find success at ASD, as well as navigate show floor during your time in Las Vegas. And also, get to know the team behind the largest wholesale merchandise show in the U.S.!

ASD Resources:

Show Planner: https://asdonline.com/exhibitor-show-planner/

Matchmaking Services: https://asdonline.com/attendee/matchmaking-service/

Exhibitor Success Resources: https://asdonline.com/exhibitor-success/

Become a Part of ASD Market Week

To learn more about retail buying opportunities and attending ASD Market Week, visit our website where you can register for free.

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Let’s Talk a Little Shop is available wherever you listen to podcasts. Watch and listen on Spotify, Apple, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, or Audible. Please feel free to leave us a review! You can also watch the video interviews on YouTube.

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In this episode of Let’s Talk a Little Shop, Emilie Lewis speaks with Cole Daugherty, the SVP of Exhibitor Marketing for the Dallas Market Center, about his experience in the trade show industry. They discuss the importance of relationships, collaboration, and in-person events for the success of businesses in the wholesale trade industry.

Highlights

0:00: Cole Daughtery is the SVP of Exhibitor Marketing for the Dallas Market Center with over 20 years of experience in the industry.
1:06: The Dallas Market Center is the world’s most comprehensive wholesale trade resource, housing various product categories such as home, gift, lighting, apparel, and more.
3:07: The key lesson learned in the industry is the importance of building relationships between buyers and sellers, and the Market Center serves as a bridge between them.
5:20: The Market Center focuses on working together as a community, valuing customers, and sharing their success stories through good storytelling.
8:55:9: Cole’s journey in the industry started with a PR agency, and he joined the Dallas Market Center 22 years ago as the PR director. He has since embraced the industry and contributed to its growth and diversification.
10:42: In-person events and meetings are crucial for the industry as they allow for product discovery, relationship building, and the ability to cater to diverse customer needs.
12:26: The industry is seeing a mix of product categories and price points across retail as consumers expect a broader range of options from stores.
14:20: The generational differences in the industry require a shift in mindsets around trade shows and in-person events, particularly in fashion and gift businesses where younger generations are more involved.

Key Insights

🎙️ The success of the wholesale trade industry relies heavily on building and maintaining strong relationships between buyers and sellers. The Dallas Market Center serves as a bridge to facilitate these relationships and support the growth of businesses. (Timestamp: 3:07-5:03)
🏢 In addition to being a comprehensive wholesale trade resource, the Dallas Market Center focuses on fostering a sense of community and working together as a team. They value their customers and prioritize good storytelling to share their success stories. (Timestamp: 5:20-8:42)
🌍 In-person events and meetings are irreplaceable in the industry as they allow for sensory experiences, such as smelling fragrances or feeling the fabric, which are essential for product discovery and decision-making. Digital support is important, but it cannot fully substitute real-life experience. (Timestamp: 10:42-12:12)
🔀 The industry is witnessing a shift towards a mix of product categories and price points as retailers diversify their offerings to cater to consumer demands. Unique and one-of-a-kind products are sought after, allowing retailers to stand out in the market. (Timestamp: 12:26-14:08)
👥 The industry needs to adapt to the generational differences, particularly in fashion and gift businesses where younger generations are more involved. Mindsets around trade shows and in-person events need to evolve to meet the expectations and preferences of these younger audiences. (Timestamp: 14:20-16:35)

Become a Part of ASD Market Week

To learn more about retail buying opportunities and attending ASD Market Week, visit our website where you can register for free.

Subscribe to Our Podcast

Let’s Talk a Little Shop is available wherever you listen to podcasts. Watch and listen on Spotify,

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In the second part of Emilie’s interview with Emily Bensen, turns to inspiration and education for small retail businesses, in this episode, they discuss:

0:00: How mindset is everything.
3:32: That in order to solve a problem in your business, you understand the cause of the problem in order to find a solution.
4:17: How to improve your retail business cash flow by 20% in 90 days.
6:00: When you go to trade shows, come with a strategic buying plan and budget.
9:20: Using seasonality to plan your inventory.
13:10: More money means more problems. How to manage your business cash flow when you start to make big money.
17:45: Online vs. in-store, the new balance between stores and e-commerce.
22:00: Understanding changes in shopper behavior and navigating change purchase choices.
25:19: The creativeness of small retail business inspires and influences culture on a wider scale.
28:02: How retail business owners need to design lives that are much more balanced.
32:00: How Alex Hermozi’s $3 million dollar system works.
33:03: You have to learn how to market yourself online.

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In part one of this episode of Let’s Talk a Little Shop, Emilie talks to Emily Benson, Author & Founder, of The Boutique Training Academy, which provides professional retail training for up and coming retail businesses.

In this episode, Emilie and Emily discuss:

0:26: Empowering boutique owners to start, grow, and scale their businesses with solution-focused training programs.

4:21: Transition from studying surface pattern design to working in retail merchandising.

8:22: Exploring the multifaceted roles in retail departments and the excitement of predicting trends.

12:27: Transitioning from corporate retail to entrepreneurship with a focus on starting a fashion business.

16:25: Transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship through innovative retail concepts before the internet era.

18:00: Recognizing the need for independence and innovation in retail industry

20:20: Transitioning from events to retail business, facing challenges in location choice.

24:16: Struggles of transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship leading to business closure due to lack of happiness and passion.

27:54: The Boutique Training Academy offers professional retail education to aspiring store owners for success.

32:20: 💡 Mindset, margins, and marketing are the key pillars of success in retail business, with mindset being the underlying spiritual aspect. Mindset is often overlooked but plays a crucial role in addressing challenges within a retail business.

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In the second half of this interview, Emilie and Tiffany discuss the power of the creator economy, how to work with influencers, and the role of DEI when it comes to the creator economy and the larger trends driving modern culture.

0:22: The creator economy is worth ½ trillion dollars; 165 million creators joined the creator economy in 2022.
0:58: What you need to consider when using influencer marketing as part of your strategy.
3:26: Influencers help fill the top of your funnel, tracking conversions and bringing them through the sales funnel is the responsibility of the brand.
4:50: You can also use influencers to build affinity and trust for a product and service.
6:20: What it takes to be a successful creator who makes more than $50,000 per year.
8:50: BIPOC creators are greatly underrepresented, they are less likely to get deals or be compensated fairly.
11:00: Tiffany will be hosting seminar and educational sessions at ASD Market Week on social media, working with influencers, and how retailers need to change their marketing strategies.
12:54: How to create solutions and strategies that meet the needs of your brand or company.
14:05: The key to successful influencer marketing in co-creation and collaboration.
16:48: Using social and creative capital to help BIPOC creators build generational wealth.
21:05: Using BIPOC creators help diversify messages and become more relatable to your customer base.
23:02: From the Little Mermaid to Spiderman, the positive impact of seeing characters of color for younger generations allows them to see themselves as being something more.
25:54: How Budweiser failed in their influencer marketing, they put someone in harm’s way, and that didn’t need to happen.
26:56: Everything comes back to culture and data.
31:52: How to take calculated risks with your current audience while talking to new ones.
33:01: If you believe, you dream it, you can make it happen. Don’t be afraid of trying to build a sustainable career.
34:18: Whether you're a creator or a brand, you need to have a point of view.
36:28: You need support and help, build your tribe.

The Creator Economy by the Numbers and the Role of Data

According to the Rakia Reynolds of Skai Blue Media, the creator economy generates half a trillion dollars in revenue. Emilie and Tiffany discuss how the creator economy is not going anywhere, it’s only going to grow. If you’re a brand or company that wants to work with influencers, the first question you need to ask yourself is what you want from your influencer marketing program. Influencer marketing is a souped up version of word of mouth marketing, it's the very top of the funnel. As a marketer, you want it to be top of the funnel strategy, you want to use it as a validation of your strategy, and to determine if the product you’re pushing is any good.

When it comes to influencer marketing, you can look at it from two ways. The first is to fill a sales funnel. As a top of the funnel, you should be able to track the return on the program. The job of the influencer is to post content they make on your behalf. It is your job to bring the person they capture for you through the sales funnel. Brands should be using UTMs and have conversion tracking in place. The second way to leverage influencer marketing is for affinity and sentiment. You may want the affiliation to the product because of the influencers' ties to your target community. And that’s okay, it’s another way to validate if your product is good or not.&

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In this episode of Let’s Talk a Little Shop, Emilie talks to Tiffany Hardin of Gild Creative Group, an influencer marketing agency that works with BIPOC creators. Tiffany and Emilie discuss:

1:30: Build a business around relationships

2:15: Building connections so ideas take root, that’s what influencer marketing is

3:30: Aligning your company to cultural trends through the voices leading them

5:15: Successful influences need to be able to create content that hold audience attention

6:30: If you want to work with brands, you need to be professional and easy to work with

8:30: How Tiffany built her career in music industry and ended up working with the likes of Kanye West and Missy Elliot

14:00: Don’t be afraid to pivot your careers and change direction

18:54: Be bold, be brave, and ask questions.

23:05: What the world tells you is one thing, what you become is another

27:15: Just because you have a title, doesn’t mean you have all the answers

30:00: You can’t have it all, that leads to burnout

34:09: You can’t be strong and a pillar of strength all the time, you have to learn to ask for help

38:00: Hustle culture needs to die, it’s time to redefine it and become a conscious hustler

40:14: Don’t be afraid of excellence

44:20: Don’t seek validation in others’ definitions of yourself.

46:23: Imposter syndrome holds many women back, it’s time to change that.

What It Takes to Be an Influencer

According to Tiffany, anyone can be an influencer. If you want to have a sustainable career as an influencer, you must be able to build and hold an audience, understand how to work with brands, and you have to be able to create content that others find valuable. Influencers have to have good processes and systems in place in order to do this.

Allow For Self-Discovery and Evolution, You Don’t Know Where It Will Take You

When it comes to your career, you often start off as something “you’ve always wanted to be.” As you move down that career path, you may find yourself discovering that what you set out to become professionally changes. And in fact, you may not want to pursue that career path at all. It’s important to let yourself go through that process of discovery. Let the places you live, the culture that surrounds you, and the opportunities you find there reshape the direction of your career.

For example, Tiffany had wanted to be a singer. As she pursued her career as a singer, she found that she was drawn more into music business and talent management. She decided to pivot and got a degree in music business management. She then started interning and working under influential talent managers in order to build her skillset. She was able to work under reps for everyone from Kayne West and Missy Elliot. It led to moving to New York City because of an offer that came from her hard work and attitude towards her career.

Learning to Own Your Time

After years of working in corporate America, Tiffany wanted to better own her schedule and time. The seeds of entrepreneurship started to take root. She moved from music and talent management to working on the brand side of advertising and strategy. From these two careers, she created a way to merge talent management with advertising and strategy, which is the root of influencer marketing. She realized at an early age that time is her most valuable asset.

As a Woman of Color, it’s Okay to be Be Bold and Hungry

As a woman of color, Tiffany is proud to be viewed as bold and hungry. She talks to Emilie about “when you’re young, you don’t know better – you almost have no filter.” When you’re young, creative expression isn’t something you’ve probably learned to tone down. As you progress in your careers, you learn to play safe, play small, and fi

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In this episode of Let’s Talk a Little Shop, Emilie Lewis speaks with Lance Fensterman, CEO of Fanatics Events. Lance is the genius behind ComplexCon, the Star Wars Convention, and ComicCon NY. In this episode, they discuss:

2:40: How Lance fell into ‘Fandom’ event marketing
4:00: You don’t know what you can learn when you say “YES”
5:15: How Lance launched ComicCon NY, Pax, and the Star Wars events with Lucas Films
06:50: What it takes to succeed in pop culture trade shows isn’t the same as consumer or B2B events
7:00: How to leverage fandom to build successful, professionally run events
8:45: Success in new verticals doesn’t happen overnight
9:57: How divergent, non-traditional models can be developed under corporate structures
10:48: Going rogue; when it’s time to ask for forgiveness rather than permission
12:28: Being prepared to manage tension when you’re going against the grain
13:50: Taking calculated risks is different than being disruptive
15:30: Understanding the subculture of fandom
16:17: How these deeply passionate communities build their lives and identities around pop culture
17:23: The only want to be successful in marketing to fans, involves two things: exclusivity and immersive experiences
19:48: The dynamics of certain subcultures; often, a company only has one shot to get their attention
22:14: Being human; owning your company’s actions wins with fandom audiences
24:40: What makes Fanatics Events different from other organizations
28:10: How to build different, more bespoke, event types for passionate fan communities
30:50: How to plan successful niche events
31:49: Using demographics, psychographics, and interests to create audience personas
33:52: Know who your audience is, listen to what they want, and give it to them
36:10: A look at the Star Wars franchise, creating extensions of a high-ticket event offer via apps and digital platforms in order to expand access.
41:46: When it comes to live events, you have to have a successful team.
43:00: A successful team is built on the types of people in your type of environment.
48:00: Pushing yourself to learn in order to build your skillset
51:00: There’s brilliance in always staying hungry.
53:54: Always make sure you’re having fun.
54:29: Creating fun is creating kindness, 1 million people at ComicCon shows this philosophy works.

Become a Part of ASD Market WeekTo learn more about retail buying opportunities and attending ASD, visit our website where you can register for free.

Subscribe to Our PodcastLet’s Talk a Little Shop is available wherever you listen to podcasts. Watch and listen on Spotify, Apple, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, or Aud

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Welcome to the latest episode of Let’s Talk a Little Shop. Emilie interviews Jeremy Bergstein of The Science Project. The Science Project is a digital innovation firm that works with world class brands such as Nike, Kiehl's. Uniqlo, Chanel, Calvin Klein, the Simon Group, Bloomingdale's, and Kate Spade to create digital experiences into physical store locations, and vice versa. In this episode, they discuss:

00:00: Meet Jeremy Bergstein

02:58: What Makes a Brand Special

03:44: What is a Conversion-Based, Creative Agency?

05:20: How Great Marketers Balance Creative and Data

06:00: Jeremy’s Origin Story: From NYC Science Teacher to Luxury Brand Strategist

11:30: Speaking and Connecting with Customers Requires Constant Reiteration

12:15: You Must Use Data to Inform Your Customer Conversations Online

13:00: You Can’t Build a Successful Business on a Shaky Foundation

15:15: The Disruptive Nature of AI

16:37: How AI Processes Data

18:00: Consumers Are Just Starting to Experience AI’s Power

21:00: Use Cases of AI in Retail - Product Discovery and Attribution

24:23: As AI Progresses, Retailers Will Have to Adapt

27:00: Evolving Digital Experience to Amplify Consumer Experience

30:00: How Lady Gaga Used Digital to Tell Her Fans’ Stories

31:18: The Considerations for Moving into Digital from Physical Retail, and Vice Versa

33:27: Facilitating Brand Conversations at Every Touch Point

35:37: Dynamics of Running an Agency - Hiring, Operations, and Cash Flow

38:00: It’s Important to Have a Specific Expertise and Focusing on Your Core Strengths

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-lets-talk-a-little-shop-as-98858049/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2mgelnENS1iwGAvtjpSxPB

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lets-talk-a-little-shop-asd-market-week/id1632235057

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cbe2abe2-da10-4d9e-9ac6-33773d68f45b/episodes/c5924847-ec35-4199-bc52-71aabcb966e4/let's-talk-a-little-shop-asd-market-week-welcome-let's-talk-a-little-shop-a-podcast-for-small-retailers-asd-market-week

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Welcome-Lets-Talk-A-Little-Shop-A-Podcast-For-Small-Retailers-ASD-Market-Week-Podcast/B09VHWTKGV

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In this episode of Let’s Talk a Little Shop, Emilie Lewis interviews Jamie Grossman, the founder of PRTNR Recruiting Firm.

PRTNR Recruiting Firm isn’t the traditional placement agency, they specialize in full-time job placements in consumer lifestyle industries. And unlike many recruitment firms, Jamie doesn’t work with just anyone. She only works in her zone of excellence and her company’s strengths.

In their conversation, Emilie and Jamie start off by discussing:

How to debunk misconceptions when it comes to recruiting,
Mindful recruiting practices, and only taking on candidates or clients that fit your zone of excellence,
And why It’s okay to turn away business and/or refer it out.

Jamie goes on to share how the hiring and Human Resources practices are changing. She shares that before the pandemic, job candidates once got sick and vacation days; now she’s seeing mental health days added to those offers.

Traditional Thinking Is Killing Your Company Culture

Now that people are returning to offices, she’s also seeing the WFH model being challenged by senior leadership because they want people back in the workplace.

Jamie advises that companies really take a hard look at how companies are operating in 2024 and beyond.

Rethinking Hire Slow, Fire Fast

When it comes to hiring in 2024, Jamie recommends that companies be very specific in their job descriptions and expectations in the roles they’re hiring for.

Emilie and Jamie also talk about the hire slow, fire fast mentality. The onboarding process is extremely important, so setting your candidates up for success needs to be taken into consideration before you extend an offer.

Three Signs of Great Talent

Jamie goes on to share the three signs of great talent. Great talents has:

Excellent follow through,
They always arrive early,
and they clearly communicate.

These are the people you want to keep because they’re going to constantly deliver beyond your expectations.

Hiring for Trade Shows

When it comes to trade shows, companies can and should apply the practices as well. There are companies and recruiters that now specialize in trade show recruiting. People who understand how to represent a company at a show are in high demand.

Future of Hiring

Hiring in 2024 isn’t going down, but it is changing and pivoting. People are scaling back to find the right people, but jobs haven’t decreased. Jamie is also seeing strong, female leaders are starting to step up and be seen.

The future of the workplace includes transparency, clear lines of communication, and empathy. If you don’t have those, you’ll lose out.

Become a Part of ASD Market Week

To learn more about retail buying opportunities and attending ASD, visit our website where you can register for free.

Subscribe to Our Podcast

Let’s Talk a Little Shop is available wherever you listen to podcasts. Watch and listen on Spotify, Apple, iHeart Radio,

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Season 3 of Let’s Talk a Little Shop is here! This season, your host is Emilie Lewis, the VP of Marketing for ASD Market Week.

At ASD, our team sees that the retail landscape is changing. So for Season 3 of Let’s Talk a Little Shop we wanted to focus on “What’s Important.” The next 10 episodes are dedicated to discussing what is happening retail business, trade shows, and the events now, and what’s important to focus on.

In this episode, Emilie interviews David Levich of Sun-Staches on how he built a retail brand based on fun, connection, and conversation. David shares his brand’s origin story, what it was like to build a company on less than $500, how he learned to embrace failure and success, and so much more.

Listen or watch as Emilie and David’s conversation that talks about:

How David’s Childhood Experiences Inspired Him to Become an Entrepreneur
David’s Biggest Fear Was Being Broke; How He Overcame Negative Money Stories
Seasonal Sales Require Creative Marketing and Sales Tactics
Sun-Staches’ Origin Story; Hollywood and Hip Hop Shaped the Brand
How to Pivot Your Business in a Recession
Offering 10,000 Pairs of Kanye West’s Shutter Shades to Claire’s for Free
David’ Wife Demanded He Answer the Open Casting Call for Shark Tank Experience
The Shark Tank Process took 10 Years, not 10 Minutes
Daymond John Chose to Them over Mark Cuban
Daymond Trusted David to Build the Company; Not Micromanaging Was Critical to their Success
Your Business Needs Values; Moral and Ethics are Not Negotiable
You Have to Take Care of Your Customers, Vendors, and Employees
The Balance of Success and Failure; You Win Some, You Lose Some
Taking Calculated Risks in 2024
In Financially Risky Times, Look at Impulse, Price Sensitive and Best Sellers to Drive Merchandise Sales
It Takes Years to Develop a Business; You Can’t Just Do One ASD Show, You Must Invest in at Least 4 Shows (2 Years)
ASD is an Order Writing Show, You Diversify Your Distribution and Types of Accounts
No Matter How Great the Digital Landscape is, Face to Face Interaction and Seeing Products is Critical to Retail
Starting with $200, eBay and Putting in the Time
Believe in Your Product or Store, You Can Find Success
If You Have Brick and Mortar, You Need Great Customer Experience
If You Go Online, You Need to Learn to Talk to and Entertain Your Customer

Become a Part of ASD Market Week

To learn more about retail buying opportunities and attending ASD, visit our website where you can register for free.

Subscribe to Our Podcast

Let’s Talk a Little Shop is available wherever you listen to podcasts. Watch and listen on Spotify, Apple, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, or

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In this episode, Stephanie talks to Dane Cohen, Director of Sales and New Business Development, Management One, LLC.

3:14: Dane joins the family business, Lesters, a multi-store location in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut!
4:06: A shift to Management One LLC, Dane uses his diverse background to help strengthen independent and family-owned retail businesses with open to buy and inventory management.
5:31: Motto, “Onwards and Upwards" - guiding clients to success through learning, growth, and evolving together.
6:05: The optimistic approach to business. Play offense when it comes to being a merchant. To grow the business, you need to attack success!
7:10: The state of independent retail is growth!
10:38: Cash flow and Inventory. The simple fact is that more than 50% of your cash is going back into inventory.
13:12: Two big factors for good inventory Budgeting - How much product do you really need and when do you need it to hit your store?
16:00: The need to take risks! If you have a budget and understand when the product will land, you can take calculated risks!
18:19: Distribution! Trade shows are critical to source new products and manage relationships with suppliers to ensure you can get product to your store on time!
23:56: Transparency, communication, and problem solving!
24:58: Sourcing! ASD launched Sourcetique, a dedicated platform with vetted manufacturers that can offer lower MOQ and drop shipping fulfillment to large and small boutique buyers.
26:40: Private Label is a genius way for retailers to compete in this economy! It is your own method of vertical distribution.
28:58: What can you learn from big box retailers. How data driven decisions help retailers make smart decisions when purchasing inventory.
31:56: Go in with a plan! Dane dishes on how to best prepare to optimize success at tradeshows!

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In this episode, Stephanie talks to Danny Kole, Co-President, Kole Imports & Closeouts.

1:47: How Two Brothers started a business at swap meets using wait lines to source merchandise before the meets started.
3:35: The Pivot - from swap meets to selling promotional, new merchandise.
4:36: Sourcing - Diving to LA and using sourcing wholesale merchandise from import businesses in downtown Los Angeles.
7:55: Trade Shows - If you build it, they will come. How trade shows laid the foundation for Kole Imports & Exports.
8:30: Re-packaging existing products to develop items that could retail for .99 stores.
11:00: You need to find and sell merchandise that customers recognize in order for it to sell well.
13:55: Lessons from family, be impeccable to your word. Show up and be authentic to your customers.
15:00: Longevity and retention is important. Having your employees stay with you is critical to your success.
17:15: Creating a team with an entrepreneur mindset. People don’t work for us, they work with us.
20:38: Defining leadership and adapting with shifting environments.
23:00: Focus your energy on what you can influence. Find the positive in all situations and focus your attention on progress.
24:30: Learning to pivot with the industry and being a considerate leader.
27:00: Building grit and learning to problem solve for personal success.
31:00: The importance of generational family-owned business and how family members play key roles in the future of the company.
33:46: Balance your booth merchandise, Kole Imports carries 50% closeouts and 50% imports.
34:00: Closeouts allow retailers to create excitement in their stores with consumers! Trending now - closeout buys are at an all time high.
35:04: ASD Market Week is an order writing, high volume, show.

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In this episode of Let’s Talk A Little Shop, Stephanie Beringhele talks to Ashley Alderson, Founder and CEO, of The Boutique Hub.

1:20: There is no way to lay out a perfect business plan. A business should start with a purpose and a why.
3:00: How The Boutique Hub found their niche and made a pivot to support small retail businesses.
5:45: From inventory to merchandise, how The Boutique Hub supports retailers’ business questions.
7:05: Helping small retailers leverage their sales and marketing data to improve their e-commerce sales and marketing efforts.
8:15: As you take over a legacy business, if you don’t have a website and e-commerce, you’re shooting yourself in the foot.
9:00: Shopify makes e-commerce development a low barrier effort for small retailers.
11:02: Mindset matters, don’t let your energy and excitement drop in your slower months. Your sales reflect your belief for your monthly sales.
12:04: Use slower times to develop better marketing efforts, invest in automations, and manage what sets your success.
14:30: Relationship first, sales second - make sure you understand your customers’ lives.
16:00: Merchandise and selecting the products you carry in your store. Product assortment falls into four categories - trend, bread and butter, margin builders, add-on and upsells. Master all four to find success.
20:00: Use bi-monthly collections in order to create seasonal stories and reasons for customers to buy.
22:58: Time, money, and energy. You need to allow for the seasons of your personal life to ebb and flow. Balance is hard, but it’s important to define it.
26:49: Stop being so hard on yourself. Give yourself credit for your accomplishments.

To learn more about ASD Market Week, visit https://www.asdonline.com

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In this episode of Let’s Talk a Little Shop, Stephanie talks to Cathy Ziegler, VP of Sales, Kheper Games, a wholesale adult novelty and game company, and Lisa Mazurek, Founder of Warm Human, a wholesale and retail brand that helps customers learn to walk through the world with strength and kindness. They discuss:

3:30: People should focus on building a life you love, gifts should empower your friends, family and loved ones.
4:15: Warm human’s manifestation cards sold over 300,000 pieces without any advertising, and reorders are through the roof.
6:05: From $3.50, to $30, the “Build a Box for your Bestie” is a hit. Allowing women to build a manifestation box empowered women to inspire one another.
7:20: Manifestation cards are a hit internationally, from hospital gift shops to the small retailers of Europe.
8:49: Want to sell merchandise, you have to believe in your products!
9:42: Having relationships is important! You need to have face-to-face meetings.
13:01: Manufacturing fun products for adults; from body empowerment to drinking games.
15:15: How to strategically expand your product merchandise in your store with adult novelty items.
16:09: Product development takes 200 to 300 hours per item created. But over time, it can pay off. Kheper Games, SEX game has sold over three millions units and has been translated into multiple languages and editions.
17:32: How Kheper Games manages private label for large retailers like Paper Source, Party City and large regional chains.
19:17: Expansion comes from being in a general merchandise trade show like ASD MARKET WEEK.
22:00: Educating your buyer and your employees helps move merchandise.
23:41: Creating products for sexual health and exploration.
26:49: Using your intuition to find the next hottest trends
28:49: From the bedroom to the boardroom to the bar room, connectivity is important. Get people talking.

To learn more about retail buying opportunities and attending ASD, visit our website where you can register for FREE.

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On this episode of Let’s Talk a Little Shop, Stephanie talks to Derek Gaskins, the Chief Marketing Officer of Yesway, one of the fastest-growing convenience stores in the United States with over 400 stores. They discuss:

2:49: Trends in convenience retail. People are realizing that convenience retail is recession proof.
3:21: Convenience stores take on the communities they serve.
5:39: How Yesway was built and why the company is succeeding.
7:30: The strategic pillars that their brand is built on.
8:00: Loyalty, food, and private labels on food items are what have driven Yesway’s success. 50%+ of their goods are private label.
9:40: Perceptions and equitable pricing in private label models
11:00: Creating products that your customers can only get from you.
13:00: You must continually reinvest into your retail brand and the communities you serve.
15:10: How Yesway supported their employees during COVID.
16:50: How Yesway lifts their staff up and encourages them to take care of themselves and their families.
17:10: DEI, vulnerability, and being transparent.
18:26: Positive company culture comes from encouraging results oriented work versus micromanaging and traditional benchmarks of success.
20:00: When you empower people, and enable them to make decisions, you both win.

To learn more about retail buying opportunities and attending ASD, visit our website where you can register for FREE.

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In this episode, Stephanie Beringhele interviews Ben Saltzman, the Marketing Director of Kitty Hawk Kites. Kitty Hawk Kites has 28 retail stores and several e-commerce sites.

01:25: How Ben got into the retail business
03:09: Understanding Kitty Hawk’s retail business model - Kitty Hawk Kites, Kitty Hawk Surf Company, and Life is Good stores.
05:49: How Kitty Hawk went from being a hang gliding school into becoming a large destination business in coastal states.
06:55: How the mission of the business drives the entire experience. “We want to teach our customers to fly”.
7:54: Social media is a powerful tool to communicate with customers.
8:43: Encourage your customers to share their stories that relate to your retail business, they will!
11:06: The challenges of employee recruiting. Training, housing, and retention are top of mind.
11:54: How Kitty Hawk encourages their employees to grow and move throughout the organization.
14:32: Trade shows are critical to business and relationships, but also finding trends.
15:41: Economic conditions change how you do business. You need to learn how to pivot in order to get your customers' business.
16:38: Mastering story and sharing customer experiences is critical in showing why you’re important to your customers’ lives.

To learn more about retail buying opportunities and attending ASD, visit our website where you can register for free.

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In this episode, Stephanie Beringhele interviews Damian Pollock, the founder of Nice Fine Wholesale. Stephanie and Damian Discuss:

01:16: Launching a liquidation in 2020, during COVID, and the opportunity it brought.
02:41: Large scale liquidation is where the money is made. Big box retailers - Amazon, Target, Home Depot, Lowe's, Walgreens, and CVS need to get rid of great products.
03:47: You'd be surprised where you can make money on - and you’d be surprised what you get!
07:26: The liquidation space is often looked down upon, it has a negative connotation. But you actually can find brand new, high quality merchandise.
08:35: How YouTube and LinkedIn have become critical to growth and sales.
09:16: How social media drives marketing because there’s such a wide gap in retail tech.
10:05: Why YouTube is the #1 channel you need to invest in if you’re limited on ad budget.
12:36: Building niche business connections on LinkedIn.
13:00: What you put out into the world is what you’re gonna get back.
13:29: Don’t waste time creating social content. Don’t get caught up in mental blocks and monetization. Just start creating.
15:00: Why ASD is a completely different type of show.
16:35: The money is always made on the buy.

Follow Nice Find Wholesale on YouTube. To learn more about retail buying opportunities and attending ASD, visit our website where you can register for free.

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In this episode, Stephanie and I talk about:

What’s Happening at ASD Market Week
The Launch of ASD’s New Retail Advisory Council
What We Learned At NRF
Why Ikea Customers Love Sustainability and Trade-In Programs
How Petco is Taking on Tractor Supply
Investing in the Education of Your Store Associates
The Success of Madewell and ThredUp’s Pop-Up Experiences
Connecting Online to In-store Is Key
Physical Retail Is Back Baby

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In this episode, Cris Willis and I discuss:

When it’s time to move on from retail
How to successfully close your store and make more money.
Marketing your store closing.
Making your store closing a community event.
And enjoying what comes next in life.

Get the full transcript at: https://asdonline.com/blog/brick-and-mortar/closing-your-store-and-liquidating-your-merchandise/

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Using Merchandising to Navigate Recession and Generate Stealth Revenue

In this episode, we speak with Joe Baer, the founder of Zen Genius, a visual merchandising and events firm. In the past, we’ve worked with Joe to create amazing guides and videos on merchandising for the ASD Market Week community.

In this interview, Joe Baer talk to retailers about:

🧥 Bridging the in-store experience to the online experience

👔 How showrooming is making a comeback to help with supply shortages

👖 How visual merchandising is getting grand in order to inspire purchases

🛍 Getting creative with how you use your space

👜 Holding events and educational classes in your store

🏺 Partnering with local vendors to create seasonal popups

🧸 Creating non-traditional sales to move overstocked and past season merchandise

Finding fun ways to tell new stories about merchandise that just isn’t moving

Read the full article: https://asdonline.com/blog/brick-and-mortar/using-merchandising-to-navigate-recession-and-generate-stealth-revenue/

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Welcome to Let's Talk a Little Shop, a podcast created by ASD Market Week. Let's talk a little shop aims to help small businesses navigate the rapidly changing retail landscape, whether you own a brick and mortar store or an online seller, or both this podcast provides tangible strategies to keep your cash register ringing.

In this episode Macala Rose and Chris Guillot talk about how retail store owners:

Can find joy in their businesses, especially if they’re burned out.
Can reinvent their retail business by inventing themselves, and aligning their operations to their values and beliefs.
The questions retailers need to ask themselves in order to successfully hire and keep great employees.
Design teams that meet and exceed customer expectations.
Successfully navigate DEI, inclusivity and master their hiring processes.

Thanks for listening to learn more. You can find out more about Chris via her website, sign up for her free training, or follow her on Instagram.

To attend the next ASD in person, and learn from retail experts like Chris, register today. To keep learning and listening to more great episodes of our podcast, be sure to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Google play, Amazon or Spotify, and make sure to rate us too.

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Let’s Talk A Little Shop, is a podcast series that helps small retailers find success in-store and online. Every other week, we will speak with leading experts, software companies, and other retailers (in the ASD family) about how they are building relationships with customers and creating revenue in a post-pandemic, digitally driven age.

To learn more about ASD, visit http://www.asdonline.com. You can also find webinars and videos on our blog at https://asdonline.com/blog/.

Let's Talk a Little Shop | ASD Market Week: Recent Episodes

ASD Market Week - The Largest Wholesale Merchandise Trade Show in the U.S.