Show Notes:
I’m so excited to introduce you to Jeff Lee! We have been working together for quite some time and Jeff has such an incredible story that I think will be really helpful to you.
Jeff calls himself an accidental entrepreneur like so many of us do. He started painting furniture and quickly turned into a gift shop, purchasing wholesale products. His growth journey from booth space to 7000sq feet and running a profitable retail business has not always been linear.
Jeff has seen the highs and the lows of business and gotten through it by putting on his CEO hat, digging in and doing the work. One thing Jeff will share with us is how he’s made hard decisions about product lines, branding, etc…including truly listening to what his customers want.
Jeff will also share how he’s turned his shop into a local destination shop. From merchandising, product lines, the smell of his store, the lighting, the layout, the conversations – Jeff has mastered the FEEL of his store to bring in more customers again and again.
I know that when you listen to Jeff’s journey and understand his mindset – you will gain so many takeaways!
In retail, it’s always: Start. Grow. Shift. Grow. Learn. Grow. Rinse. Repeat
Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Radio Republic | YouTube | PlayerFM | Stitcher | iHeartRadio
A Quick Glance:
[0:47] Jeff’s journey
[13:00] The Vintage Nest customer experience
[17:48] Out of town guests
[19:49] Pushing through the hard times
[25:46] Personal / business development
[31:33] Business can’t be everything
[37:55] We need staff
[40:00] Closing remarks & a funny story
Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple podcasts!
About Jeff:
The owner of The Vintage Nest Home & Gifts shop in the heart of historic downtown Mount Holly, NC. The shop is approaching 11 years old when I opened the my first brick and mortar 800ish sf shop on a side street over the years I have moved 2 times with a 2 year stop on Main street in a 1,200 sf space and the last move 4 doors down the block into a 7,000 sq space. I feel we have achieved the pride of Mount Holly type of shop with so many customers proudly bringing out of town guest to the shop to show them their favorite place to shop. I wanted to create a shop that inspires a nostalgic shopping experience accentually “vintage” shopping experience with “Nest” meaning your home, family and friends.
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Resources Mentioned:
Retail Made Simple
Level Up Mastermind
Foot Traffic Made Simple
Retailer’s Inner Circle
Related podcasts we think you’ll like:
Episode 88: Retail Success Series: Making Pivotal (and scary) CEO Decisions with Retailer Melanie Kolb
Episode 87: Retail Success Series: The Journey to CEO Level Confidence with Stacey Allgood
Episode 67: How To Pause and Let New Opportunities In: Retail Success Series with Inner Circle Member Jane Bellante
Episode 66: Find Revenue Streams That Light You Up: Retail Success Series with Inner Circle Member Virginia Warner
Episode 65: Staying Positive While Building Community and Profits: Retail Success Series with Inner Circle Member Lee Hawn
Episode 39: Retailer Success Series: How Jill Went from Hobbyist to Creative CEO
Episode 36: Retail Success Series: How Planning Kept Emily Kerley Thriving Through Pandemic
For more support from Wendy:
Retail Made Simple – Wendy’s on demand course for shop owners wanting more from their business
Retailer’s Inner Circle – Join Wendy inside the best retailer’s community
Top Sales Playlist
These are a few of my listeners favourite Creative Shop Talk Podcast episodes.
Grab your earbuds and listen in with me!
