Small Business Blog

How do you build a business while raising a family without feeling like you’re failing at one or the other? For many working moms and boutique owners, the pressure to balance motherhood and entrepreneurship can feel overwhelming. The truth is, the idea of perfect “balance” doesn’t really exist. Instead, it’s about understanding the season you’re in and making intentional choices about where your energy goes. In this Five Minute Friday

Numbers do not have to be the part of business you avoid. Ashley is joined by Christyne Gray of She Profits Now, for a practical & helpful conversation on the money side of running a Boutique – bookkeeping, cash flow, inventory planning, and tax preparation for boutique owners. They unpack the financial basics every retailer needs to understand, from setting up the right bank accounts and using QuickBooks effectively to

In this Five Minute Friday, Ashley Alderson breaks down the FIVE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTIONS about owning a boutique—the myths that often surprise new business owners once they’re actually in the trenches of running a retail business. While opening a boutique has never been easier, building a profitable and sustainable one requires far more than great products and a beautiful Instagram feed. Ashley shares the realities behind inventory management, customer support, time

Welcome back to Season 8! We decided to kick it off with one of the biggest announcements of the year — the 2026 Retail Summit is officially live, and this one is going to be next-level. Ashley Alderson and Samantha Conner pull back the curtain on what’s coming August 16–17 in Dallas… and why being in the room matters more than ever. This isn’t just another conference. It’s two packed

As we wrap up Season 7 of the Boutique Chat Podcast, I wanted to pause—right where you’re listening—and take an honest look at where the retail industry stands today and where it’s headed next. Based on 1,000’s of conversations with boutique owners over the past year, this episode breaks down 13 key focus areas that are truly working right now and will matter most in 2026. These aren’t trends for

What if the fastest way to grow your boutique… isn’t more products, but a better experience? In this episode, Ashley sits down with Hannah Carlson of Mulberry Market Co. Hannah shares her story of how she went from selling jam at a veggie stand on her parents’ farm to building a booming, curated retail brand—then she moved across the country and essentially started over. We get into the real play-by-play:

Burnout is one of the most common struggles for boutique owners, retailers, and small business owners—and it’s rarely caused by laziness or lack of passion. More often, it comes from trying to do too much, growing too fast, and drifting away from the very reason you started your business in the first place. In this episode, Sara Burks breaks down why burnout happens, how over expansion drains your energy, and

In this episode, Ashley sits down with Kristi Briceno (Mom Buns and Ruffles) for a conversation that’s equal parts deeply personal and highly tactical. Kristi shares her journey from nursing to photography to direct sales, the moment her company shut down with almost no notice. But the story doesn’t stop there. Kristi breaks down how she pivoted into owning her own boutique, how she finally got clear on who her

Retail Bootcamp didn’t come from a textbook or a perfectly mapped business plan — it was built in the middle of failure, fear, and figuring things out the hard way. In this Five Minute Friday (okay… a little longer than five minutes 😉), Ashley Alderson shares the behind-the-scenes story of how The Boutique Hub was almost lost before it ever really began — from imposter syndrome and trusting the wrong

Welcome to the new year! On the first episode of 2026 Ashley Alderson is joined by Sara Burks for a big-picture retail conversation that every boutique owner needs right now! Retail is changing fast — and 2025 proved that “business as usual” isn’t enough anymore. With reports showing 15,000+ store closures, Ashley & Sara unpack what really happened, what retailers got wrong, and how small businesses can build a stronger,