The Resilient Retail Game Plan

Ever wondered why your sales are stuck in first gear – and what you can actually do to shift them?

I'm Catherine Erdly and this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan drills into three mistakes I see again and again with small product businesses. If you’re posting on Instagram, trying in-person markets, running the odd promotion yet still seeing stubbornly flat sales month after month, you’re not alone. I draw on 25 years in reta...

Black Friday: Profit or Pitfall? The Retail Game Plan for Indie Brands

Black Friday isn’t designed for indies, so why do so many small retail business owners still feel pressure to play?

In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I pull you behind the screens and into the real numbers; sharing where the opportunities actually lie for UK product businesses come November, what the headlines miss, and how you can plan...

Loyalty in retail isn’t just about discounts anymore — it’s about creating experiences customers remember. In this episode, Catherine Erdly talks with Charlie Casey, CEO of LoyaltyLion, about what loyalty means in 2025.

You’ll learn:

Why discounts alone don’t drive loyalty

How experiences like VIP drops & events keep customers coming back

Real examples from brands using loyalty to boost sales

Why loyal customers spend 4× mor...

Teetering bank balance, shelves groaning with unsold stock, and a to-do list that rustles louder than tissue wrap? Lean in—this festive crunch is survival mode for indie retailers.

Christmas is coming, and with it, that age-old retail cash flow pinch. I’m Catherine Erdly—host of the Resilient Retail Game Plan and twenty-five years deep in this glorious, gritty industry.

In this episode, I break down why September and October send e...

Are you running your retail business – or is it running you into the ground?

I’m Catherine Erdly, and on this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I peel back the glossy sales charts to reveal what really comes after that six-figure milestone.

I’ve seen it firsthand: when independent product business owners hit £100K or more, the chaos, decision fatigue and burnout can hit even harder – unless you’re ready to swap the founder ...

Will your Q4 plan make or break your Christmas sales?

I’m Catherine Erdly, drawing on 25 years in retail trenches, and this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan podcast is your hands-on guide to prepping a joined-up Q4 marketing plan.

Featuring insights from PR guru Rosie Davis Smith, email strategist Katie Farrell, ad creative powerhouse Narada McCoy, and social storytelling pro Emily Hansen.

We cut past the shiny di...

Will your Christmas cash flow jingle or stall?

Hi! Catherine Erdly here, host of the Resilient Retail Game Plan. It’s that time of year when indie retailers either outsmart January’s excess stock blues or get a cash flow headache that lingers long past the mince pies.

In this episode of the resilient retail club podcast, I’m rolling up my sleeves with a no-fluff checklist for peak season stock planning, tested across 25 years and c...

Four levers, infinite impact: Which one’s your sales superpower?

Ever feel like you’re pouring all your energy into driving new traffic but your sales aren’t leaping as much as you hoped? You’re not alone. In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I pull back the curtain on the actual four ways to grow a product business—ways that go way beyond just chasing new customers.

With 25 years in the retail trenches (and plenty of ...

Could missing a simple £170 expense cost you your entire business overnight?

This week on The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I sit down with the sharp, straight-talking Lucy Wheeler of Lucy Legal to tackle the legal booby traps hiding in plain sight for indie retailers.

Hi, I'm Catherine Erdly and I’ve seen it too many times: stock room full, launch morning on the horizon… only for a cease-and-desist email to land and unravel months o...

Ever feel like your till’s ringing, but your bank balance is whispering “not this month”?

I’m Catherine Erdly, and this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan gets painfully real about the truth behind cash flow for retailers.

If you’ve ever panicked at 3am, wondering how to pay that looming supplier invoice, you’re not alone.

I break down my “SHOPS” framework;

Sales, Having It Mapped Out, Overheads, Profit, Stock.

Turning the mess...

When your best-selling supplier pulls the rug out, what’s your next move?

I’m Catherine Erdly and this week’s Resilient Retail Game Plan episode dives straight into the Jellycat drama that’s rocking UK indie retail. Plush toys flying off the shelves one day, a curt rejection letter from your biggest brand partner the next. So how did Jellycat, the darling of TikTok and Instagram, go from indie retailers’ secret weapon to their bigg...

Welcome to another episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan podcast, hosted by me, retail expert Catherine Erdly. In this episode, I'm getting right to the heart of one of the biggest challenges for independent product business owners: pricing your products with confidence.

Whether you’re creating your own products or reselling others’, pricing often brings up tricky questions, self-doubt, and even a touch of money mindset drama.

I...

Why Strong Profit Margins Matter More Than Sales in Your Product Business

Let’s be honest. Selling more doesn’t always mean you’re making more. In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan podcast I share why strong profit margins are the foundation of a sustainable product business.

I’ll walk you through how to calculate your real margins how to spot the most common mistakes including ones I’ve seen big retailers make ...

Hear that stockroom hum? Let's talk about it

Ever felt like you’re building your indie product business with one hand on the till and the other on the panic button?

This week on the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’m cracking open five years of the Resilient Retail Game Plan podcast vault to bring you the biggest, most valuable independent retailer tips I’ve learned (and lived through) across 25 years in retail.

Whether you’re ...

In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’m joined by Shopify web design expert Pip Hounslow for a deep dive into website conversion rates. 

We chat about what’s considered “normal”, why your conversion rate might be lower than you’d expect, and the small tweaks that can make a big difference to your sales. 

Pip also shares tips on improving your add-to-basket button, ensuring your website works beautifully on mo...

It’s no secret I’m a big fan of Bird & Blend, so chatting with co-founder Mike Turner at Retail ROAR was a real treat. From a single market stall to 25+ shops across the UK, Mike and his co-founder Krisi have built something truly unique.

In this episode—a sneak peek from our Retail ROAR 2025 summit—Mike shares how Bird & Blend grew from iced tea samples and hand-packed blends into a beloved national brand, all whi...

What if your next sale is hiding in your Instagram comments? This week on the podcast, I’m diving into social listening and social care with the brilliant Brooke Sellas, founder of B Squared Media and host of the Social Media CX Podcast.

We get into the real reason you need to respond to those “Do you ship to ___?” questions—and how your answers could be the tipping point for someone making a purchase.

Brooke ...

If managing your stock feels like a total guessing game, you’re not alone. And it’s not your fault. In this episode, I’m breaking down why so many product business owners feel completely overwhelmed by stock decisions and what you can start doing about it.

We’re talking about:

• Why “gut instinct” isn’t a stock strategy
• The silent cost of overbuying (or underbuying) stock
• How to break out of the cash flow hamster whee...

Get a look at how one founder built a product business with staying power. This episode is a sneak peek into Retail ROAR, my free annual virtual summit for product business owners.

I’m joined by Claire Burrows, founder of Air & Grace. She shares how she built a values-led footwear brand known for comfort, quality, and loyal customers.

We talk about manufacturing setbacks, staying close to y...