Savvy Shopkeeper Retail Podcast

I hinted at this a couple weeks ago but I'm currently experiencing a "season" in business, my own store is expanding!

Needless to say, a store expansion is a BIG deal and has required quite a bit of my time. This means some things had to get pushed down on my priority list because our Grand Reopening became THE priority. 

In episode 120, I shared that the store I co-own with my sister was expanding. In this bonus episo...

Has one of your friends, loved ones, or acquaintances ever said, “how’s that little store of yours doing?” These comments—intentionally or unintentionally!—can come across as condescending or demeaning. And they don’t just come from people we know. Sometimes the comments we get from strangers on the internet can feel pointed, too! 

While we can’t control what other people say about our retail stores, we CAN manage how we think abou...

For the past two years, I’ve been working on a special project for Savvy Shopkeeper. Today, I’m excited to announce that the first part of this project is ready for you: the Savvy Shopkeeper quiz! 

This project has been a labor of love, and I’m so excited to share more about it with you. Listen in to learn more about the quiz, how it can help you on your shopkeeping journey, and what I’ll be releasing next as part of this project. 

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When retailers hear about Open-to-Buy, or OTB, it sounds really appealing! A tool that tells us when to buy, how much to buy, and keeps us on budget and profitable sounds like the magic solution to inventory issues. 

 

But there’s a lot to learn and do before implementing OTB. Listen in to learn exactly what OTB is and everything you need to have in place before using it.

For show notes, visit https://savvyshopkeeper.com/episode11...

As retailers, we use A LOT of software, tools, and products for our stores. But with so many options and features available, it can really help to see what other retailers are using. 

I’ve recently created a new guide for retailers with all the tools, products, services, and software programs I recommend. Listen in to learn more about what’s included and how you can access it!

For show notes, visit https://www.savvyshopkeeper.com/e...

Whether you’re an aspiring shopkeeper dreaming of opening your first store or a long-time shopkeeper preparing to expand, move, or open a second location—this episode is for you! 

Today I’m sharing 10 lessons that retail store owners wish they’d known before opening their retail store. These lessons came from either myself or shopkeepers in our community, so I hope you’ll take these lessons to heart and learn from our experiences, ...

One of my values for Savvy Shopkeeper is to empower shopkeepers—especially women—to pay themselves. Sometimes, that means kicking fear to the curb and raising prices in our stores. 

But raising prices can be challenging, especially if you’re worried about how your customers will react. Listen in to learn when to raise your prices, how to do it in a kind and firm way, and hear about my personal experience with charging more for my ...

Whether you’re just starting or already growing your retail store, deciding how you’re going to fund your business can be a challenge. Do you take on debt? Do you fund everything yourself? Do you look for a business partner who can invest?

In today’s episode, I’m sharing nine potential funding options for small retail businesses. Listen in to learn what all of your options are, as well as the risks and benefits of each. For show n...

Every retailer experiences slow seasons. But it can be tough not to take a slow month personally—especially if you’re having a quiet January after a fantastic December or Q4! 

So what can you do to make it through or even embrace a slow season? Listen in to learn the mindset shifts that have helped me deal with slow seasons as a shopkeeper and how I’ve reframed slow seasons in both my businesses. For show notes, including links to ...

Time management can be a touchy subject with shopkeepers because we are overwhelmed with all of our daily tasks—and we don’t manage our minds around this topic. 

So what can we do to improve our time management? Listen in to hear about my own struggles with time management, learn the truth about time that you need to accept, and the belief that has changed everything for me and my coaching clients. 

For show notes, including a list...

Many years ago, my sister and I considered moving to a different brick-and-mortar location. The first question a commercial realtor asked us was, “what is your sales per square foot?”

I’m sure the look on my face said it all! Her question is what first prompted me to fall into the Google black hole. To save you the hassle, listen in as I share what sales per square foot measures, how to calculate it, and what your SPSF means agains...

Many of the shopkeepers in the Savvy Shopkeeper community have had aspiring store owners—usually complete strangers!—DM them on Instagram or walk into their stores and ask to learn from them. Although some of these requests can be malicious, most of the time, they’re made with the best of intentions.

How can you empower yourself and these aspiring retailers when they ask for help? Or, if you’re an aspiring retailer, how can you ask...

If I look back at pictures of our store when we first opened, I cringe. I can’t believe people shopped with us! But you know what, they did—and many have stayed on the journey with us. 

 

Over the past eight years, we’ve worked hard to learn everything we can about merchandising, store layout, and displays. Listen in to hear some of my best tips for how to quickly improve your store merchandising and create a comfortable shopping e...

Welcome to episode 106 of the Savvy Shopkeeper Retail Podcast. I’m your host, Kathy Cruz.

We’re wrapping up our 100 episode celebration today! To celebrate this milestone (it’s a big one in podcasting) we decided to share 6 of the most popular previously published episodes. And today you’re getting the last replay.

Today’s replay is episode 42, Women, Stop Diminishing Yourselves

I’m ending this replay series with an episode that is...

The 2022 Retail CEO Challenge is here! This is one offer that I often receive messages about! Many of you have asked for me to bring this back after I hosted the 2021 Retail CEO Challenge.

So I brought it back and I made improvements to this year's challenge! The challenge and everything that comes with it is $197. When you sign up for the challenge, you’ll receive…

 

 Access to the Shopkeeper’s Planning and Tracking Worksheets...