Small Business Blog

In this week’s Five Minute Friday, Ashley Alderson reveals the missing link that might be holding your business back—employee reviews. If you’ve ever said “kids these days don’t work like they used to,” this episode will challenge that mindset and give you tools to lead better. Learn how to coach your team like a basketball coach, set clear goals, and raise leaders—not leavers. When your employees feel seen, heard, and

Are you planning like a CEO or just staying busy? In this solo episode, Ashley digs into how to plan like a CEO, not a busy entrepreneur. She breaks down the time vs. money mindset shift, her 4-part to-do list, and the weekly habits that make consistency inevitable. Ashley wraps things up with a guided tour through the 2026 Retail Planner (formerly the Boutique Boss Planner): sales and social tracking,

In this Five Minute Friday, Ashley breaks down one of the biggest questions new listeners ask: How do I start my boutique? Forget the myth of needing everything perfect from the start. Instead, learn why action, testing, and failing forward are key to launching your dream. Ashley shares the exact first steps every boutique owner should take—from protecting your brand name and trademark to defining your ideal customer avatar and

Want revenue you can count on—every month? In this episode, Ashley interviews Sarah Williams, the “queen of subscription boxes,” on exactly how to launch and scale a profitable subscription box that funds your team, your rent, and your freedom. Sarah reveals the step-by-step from her first 44 subscribers to thousands—including pricing first (then product), margin targets, retention levers, tech stack choices, and the community strategy that keeps customers! What else

Looking for fresh October marketing ideas to keep your boutique top of mind? It’s time to kick off October with fresh marketing ideas! In this Five Minute Friday episode, I’m sharing some of my favorite engagement questions that you can use on TikTok, Instagram Stories, Reels, or your Facebook group to keep your customers talking and connected. Because here’s the truth: only 3% of your audience is ready to buy

What if running your own Facebook ads could be the key to finally going full-time in your boutique? In this episode, I’m joined by Whitney Pope, founder of Lolo Viv and longtime Boutique Hub + Boutique Hub Black member. Whitney shares her inspiring journey from practicing law as a full-time attorney to building her boutique into a thriving career. She opens up about the challenges of balancing work, family, and

Too many boutique owners risk their entire business without realizing it — by selling dupes, knockoffs, or unlicensed products. The consequences can be devastating, from confiscated inventory to losing everything they’ve worked so hard to build. In this episode of Five Minute Friday, Ashley Alderson shares the truth about trademark infringement and licensing agreements. Drawing from real-life examples in the retail industry, Ashley explains what every boutique owner needs to

What does it take to turn a creative outlet into a thriving brand? Today I’m joined by Laci Hewett of Saltwater Boys, who shares her journey from nurse to entrepreneur and how printing t-shirts in her closet quickly grew into a national wholesale business. Laci talks about building strong partnerships with retailers, the importance of photography and merchandising in children’s apparel, and the lessons she’s learned about growth, marketing, and

In this episode of Five Minute Friday, we’re answering another frequently asked question from retailers and small business owners: How much inventory should I really have on hand? It’s one of the biggest challenges boutique owners face—and getting it wrong can tie up your cash flow, leave you with dead stock, or cost you sales when you don’t have enough on the floor. In this episode, Sarah from The Boutique

Are you struggling to keep up with marketing while running your boutique? What if you didn’t have to do it all alone? Today I sit down with Kinsey Harris, a former boutique owner who transformed her burnout into a thriving marketing agency, Boutique Bestie Solutions. Kinsey shares her journey from running a boutique to helping retailers master email, SMS, and Pinterest marketing, as well as practical strategies to build strong