small business strategy Archives

Does Your Shop’s Reality Match Your Vision? | Episode 226

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Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 226 | Does your Shop’s Reality Match your Vision?

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With Retail Coach Wendy Batten

In This Episode:

Something I encourage my retailers to ask themselves regularly: Does the vision I have for my retail shop match its reality?

Running a successful retail shop involves more than just great products and a love for your store. The true test is whether your shop’s current reality aligns with the vision you originally had and the vision you desire to have.

Are there areas of your business that feel messy or hard or annoying to you? This happens to all of us, but it must be corrected. As with any thriving ecosystem, there has to be balance and alignment – and that’s where my Retailer’s Ecosystem framework comes in.

Here’s a quick guide to help you assess and realign your business:

Evaluate Your Vision: Does your shop’s daily operations reflect the atmosphere, customer experience, flow of your daily business life, staff interactions and income you initially envisioned? If not, it’s time to reassess and adjust.
Retail Ecosystem Check: Success in retail (and for your own personal payroll as a retail shop owner) hinges on a balanced ecosystem.

We suggest you evaluate and assess these four critical areas:

CEO/Visionary Role: As the leader, you must maintain a healthy mindset, clear future planning, and strong personal habits. Your energy and vision set the tone for the store. How often do you invest in your own personal development as your business evolves?
Marketing Strategy: Go beyond social media. Develop a comprehensive strategy that includes customer experience, visibility, and brand consistency. Measure your efforts with clear strategy and metrics for things like conversion rates as you work to turn browsers to buyers, and in store sales and order value increase strategies etc. Do you have a full marketing strategy in place? It can be simple, but it needs to cover all areas. Attract, engage, serve, and wow and delight your customers.
Operations & Systems: Streamline your shop’s operations with clear systems and shop standards. Implementing standardized procedures for everything from customer service to daily cleaning can transform chaos into order.
Financial Alignment: Don’t shy away from your numbers. Understand your finances, including pricing, inventory management, and profitability metrics. Confidence in this area empowers better decision-making.

Continuous Improvement: Retail success isn’t static. Regularly revisit and refine these areas to ensure your business evolves in line with your vision.

Listen in on the full episode for more information!

If you need more support, I hope you’ll join me and like-minded retailers in the Retailers Inner Circle, where ongoing training and resources are available to help you keep your retail ecosystem thriving. We have masterclasses covering every level of the retailer’s ecosystem to help you level up your retail shop and grow a successful business.

Your next step:

Reflect on the four areas above and identify where your business might need a little more attention. Making small adjustments can lead to big improvements in profitability, joy, and overall business success. And if you are ready to level up… join the Retailer’s Inner Circle.

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Ready to Level Up? Join the Retailer’s Inner Circle.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Retailer’s Inner Circle. You’ll have access to countless Masterclasses including Foot Traffic Made Simple, Shop Standards, Money Matters, and so many others. Plus, you’ll have access to a private Facebook group where members can ask questions or share advice and their experiences of running a retail shop. And Q4 is coming! We’ve got your back. You don’t have to do retail alone!

Related podcasts we think you’d like:

Episode 94: The Retailer’s Ecosystem: Where to Spend Your Time and Focus Within Your Business

Episode 130: The Karate Kid Stages Will Help Your Retail Business

Episodes 163-166: Simple Sales Strategy Series

About Your Host, Wendy Batten:

In case we haven’t met yet, I’m Wendy, a small business coach and founder of The Retailer’s Inner Circle, where I help other independent shop owners learn how to gain the right business skillsets to see more profits, paychecks, and joy as they navigate running their retail business.

Through online classes, business coaching programs, speaking, and a top-ranked podcast, I’ve helped hundreds of retailers around the globe reclaim their dream and see the success they want from their beautiful shops. My signature private coaching community, The Retailer’s Inner Circle, has helped retailers around the world build their retail business skill sets and confidence.

I am proud to have been featured in several major publications, including my own business column in What Women Create magazine. I have been privileged to be a guest on top-ranked podcasts and sought-after as a guest speaker and teacher for several brands, associations, and communities that are passionate about the success of independent retailers.

When I’m not coaching, you will find me either DIYing and renovating my very imperfect old crooked cottage by the sea in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, NS, or blogging about our travel and RVing adventures and the weird fun things we get up to in our coastal village. I’d love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for real retailers at https://wendybatten.com/free-resources/

For more support from Wendy:

Retailer’s Inner Circle – Join Wendy inside the best retailer’s community

Wendy’s FREE Resources for shop owners

Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG

All of Wendy’s programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE.

Subscribe and Review in iTunes:

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I’d love you to consider it. Subscribing means you won’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe to iTunes!

If you want to be more of a rock star, I’d love it if you could leave a review over on iTunes as well. Those reviews help other retailers find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. So grateful for you! Thank you!

Practicing Self-Care While Running a Retail Business | Episode 225

by wendy

Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 225 | Practicing Self-Care While Running a Retail Business

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With Retail Coach Wendy Batten

Looking for a retail survival guide for the Holidays? I’ve got you! My Holiday Success Bootcamp is truly all you need to rock the 4th quarter in your retail business. And the best news is you can purchase it as a stand-alone masterclass this year! Don’t wing it this holiday season! Grab it here!

The Holiday Success Bootcamp got a glow-up in 2024! In addition to the 5 masterclass sessions, the program also includes:

A list of curated ideas (that we know work!) for promotional events for every holiday/celebration from October through January
6 editable email templates every retailer should send between Black Friday and New Year’s Day
Holiday gift certificate templates
Social media prompts and editable Q4 Canva graphics that make scheduling posts for the holidays EASY
…and so much more!

In This Episode:

Happy September! Did you know September is Self-Care Awareness Month? Well, it is – so let’s talk about it. As I’m sure you know by now, running a retail business is rewarding, but it can also be overwhelming. This episode of the Creative Shop Talk Podcast focuses on self-care for retail shop owners.

As retail shop owners, we must remember that self-care isn’t selfish at all.

It’s SO important to avoid burnout in your retail business. So let’s talk about being the CEO of your life, not just your business.

Some points discussed in this episode:

Self-Care Awareness Month: This is the perfect time to step back and decide what self-care means for you and what works to help you feel cared for in your personal life and in your biz

Your life needs you: I chat about checking in on different areas of your life and why you need to prioritize them.
Health and Energy: Focus on your health by optimizing sleep, movement, and nutrition. Small improvements in these areas lead to greater energy, which fuels your business.
Mental Health: Be mindful of stress and anxiety. Recognize the signs of overworking, and take steps to relax, such as reducing screen time and practicing mindfulness.
Set Boundaries: Learn to say “no” to things that drain your energy and be clear about your goals. When you are planned out and clear about your priorities, it’s easier to manage the day-to-day.
People: Surround yourself with people who lift you up. Be intentional about being in the room with people who have a solution mindset, not a complaint mindset, those who give you energy, not take it.
Hobbies and Joy: Rediscover hobbies and activities that make you happy. (Yes, you need to make time for fun and joy). This doesn’t just benefit you—it helps everyone around you.

“Pay attention to the tension. We unintentionally ignore some areas of our lives unless we’re being intentional. So, what do you need to feel alive and thrive?” – Wendy Batten

When you take care of yourself, you can show up stronger for your business and your loved ones. So tell me: what does self-care look like for you? What are your best tips?

And remember: running a retail business doesn’t have to be so hard – and you don’t have to do it alone! The Inner Circle is always open and full of like-minded retailers who’ve been where you are. And the masterclasses will have you thinking about your business in ways you haven’t before. See you inside!

“The world belongs to the energetic.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Ready to Level Up? Join the Retailer’s Inner Circle.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Retailer’s Inner Circle. You’ll have access to countless Masterclasses including Foot Traffic Made Simple, Shop Standards, Money Matters, and so many others. Plus, you’ll have access to a private Facebook group where members can ask questions or share advice and their experiences of running a retail shop. And Q4 is coming! We’ve got your back. You don’t have to do retail alone!