Small Business Blog

As we close out 2025 and step into a brand-new year, this episode isn’t about pretty planners or lofty resolutions — it’s about the behind-the-scenes work that actually sets your business up for success. In this solo episode, Ashley Alderson walks you through the five critical areas every retailer must review before the year ends so you’re compliant, organized, profitable, and positioned to lead — not just hustle — in

As we head into 2026, one thing is clear – the gap between average retailers and top performers is widening — and it has nothing to do with effort. In this Five Minute Friday, Ashley Alderson breaks down what the top 10% of retailers do differently right now, and why those decisions are positioning them to grow and scale while others feel stuck. Hard work isn’t the issue. Strategy is.

If you’re getting ready to plan 2026 and want clarity—not chaos, this episode is for you. Today, we’re planning your entire year in 26 minutes. This is not a to-do list episode. This is a guided planning session designed for you to pause, reflect, write things down, and make intentional CEO-level decisions about what stays, what goes, and what actually moves your business forward. Grab your planner, notebook, or favorite

As we close out the year and head into a new one, it’s time to get honest. Most businesses won’t fail in 2026 because of the economy — they’ll fail because they’re still operating like it’s 2019. In today’s Five Minute Friday, I’m breaking down the four biggest mistakes I saw retailers make over the last year — mistakes that are quietly costing you time, money, margin, and momentum. If

In this episode, Ashley sits down with Allie Falcon to unpack what it really looks like to build a recognizable brand rooted in story, style, and grit. Allie shares her journey from ranch life and handmade leather goods to manufactured apparel, wholesale growth, and a showroom at Dallas Market Center. They talk wholesale growth, brand consistency, and what successful boutiques do differently when they market brands with a story. Plus:

In this Five Minute Friday, Samantha Conner continues our market conversation by diving into the actual product trends hitting trade show floors right now — and more importantly, how they apply across every retail category. From apparel to home + gift, children’s, and even western, today’s trends are crossing categories faster than ever. You’ll learn: The bold color trends coming for 2026 The rise of faster trend cycles (every 8–10

Retail buying doesn’t have to be overwhelming—or lonely. This week, Ashley sits down with Angela Schmook (Roadrunners, Reps Are Local Too) and Kelly Bristol (Just Gotta Have It, GHTA leader) to reveal why your local sales reps might be the most powerful, underused resource in your business. Fresh from the GHTA Conference in Park City, they break down how reps support retailers far beyond taking orders: helping with events, securing

Today, Samantha Conner kicks off a two-part Five Minute Friday series breaking down the lifeblood of every retail business: inventory. And to understand inventory, we’re taking it all the way back to where it begins — trade shows and markets. In Part 1, Samantha uncovers the biggest 2026 trade show trends every retailer needs to know, whether you’re selling apparel, home and gift, children’s, western, or anything in between. With

What if 2026 could be the year you finally stop spinning your wheels and actually run your boutique like a CEO? In this episode, Ashley sits down with “Retail Professor” and denim twin, Sara Burks, to unpack their biggest retail predictions for 2026—from AI and Meta’s new Andromeda algorithm to niching down, live selling, and building a content engine that actually works. Ashley and Sara share what they’re seeing across

Great visual merchandising doesn’t just look pretty — it sells. In today’s episode, Director of Partnerships & Education, Sara Burks shares how great merchandising goes far beyond pretty displays. It creates emotion, inspires discovery, increases average order value, and helps customers see themselves in your products. She breaks down how to design purpose-driven zones in your store, use lighting and height to influence buying behavior, and create an environment that