If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? Spoiler alert: (Even) I hate this question! Hindsight is 20/20. It gives us a less tenderopportunity to learn from past mistakes, oversights, and failures. As someone who’s...

A common thread that connects business owners and CEOs across all organizations, in all industries — regardless of business size — is a desire for both confidence and clarity. The leadership role can feel isolating. It takes a lot of work to hold...

We’re entering a selling season when the reasons for buying are broader than they are during other times of the year. Between seasonal holidays like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, non-holiday seasonality associated with school graduation and...

When I started working in a retail buying office, I found it to be an exciting time in my life. I adored being part of the decision-making that shaped what customers bought. Specifically, I enjoyed learning how to understand my customers so deeply...

There are a handful of essential questions I always ask clients and students because they effectively reveal valuable information about a business like its size, general revenue bracket , and state of growth. When it comes to receiving business...

Paper planners and desk-sized calendars are popular companions to the kickoff of any new year. They represent fresh starts, new beginnings, and goal setting. I’m curious — did you start the year with business goals, and a new planner or journal in...

When it comes to mastering accountability, entrepreneurs often think the answer lies in time management. It’s easy to believe that if we manage our time better, we wouldn’t feel behind in our work and could actually plan some personal time off....

If you have business successes to celebrate and still feel overwhelmed by work or have a hard time getting clear about where your business is going, you might be a Merchant Maverick. As one of the Retail Success...

Two heads are better than one but it takes intention and patience to work in partnership successfully. Whether your business partnership means co-owning your brand, working with multiple vendors, or both, all of these require regular maintenance to...

What catches a customer’s attention — and hopefully a share of their wallet — changes constantly and the tides of merchandising, marketing, and selling quickly follow suit. What was once a clever idea to drive customer traffic to a store is now...