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The Retail Whore Podcast
Welcome to The Retail Whore Podcast by me, Michelle Sherrier: a podcast of stories and lessons from a life in retail. After decades spent in the retail industry, I’ve seen and done it all. Join me every week as I interview people from all walks of retail, the service industry, the wholesale gift industry, and more. We’ll talk about what drives them, the things they love, and some of the biggest lessons they have learned along the way.
Brace yourself for The Retail Whore Podcast, a podcast that entertains and educates!
Recent Episodes
244
July 8, 2026
EP 244: BUILDING A BOUTIQUE THAT BREAKS THE RULES WITH EMILY BROOKER
Emily Brooker is the creative director and owner of Esme and Elodie, a women's and plus size boutique in Renton, Washington. Esme and Elodie is known for being size inclusive, sex positive and humor filled. Emily guides her vision of social entrepreneurship and the modern woman into a community focused retail space. In this episode, Emily shares how she built a thriving boutique by doing things differently. From creating an inclusive shopping experience and staying unapologetically authentic ...
243
July 1, 2026
EP 243: REPLAY: BE AN ACTIVE LISTENER WITH TRUDI BARTOW
This week’s guest is Trudi Bartow, Director of Sales & Marketing at the Unemployed Philosophers Guild . Trudi joined the gift world via the preeminent art book publisher Harry N. Abrams and created unique opportunities for sales at gift retailers like Neiman Marcus , Crate & Barrel , Barneys and Sur La Table , including custom designer editions and exclusive bundles. After 15 years working with various publishers, she joined the fantastic team at the Unemployed Philosophers Guild as their Direct
242
June 24, 2026
EP 242: THE PROBLEM WITH BUYING EVERYTHING YOU LOVE
Fresh off multiple Dallas Market setups and heading into Las Vegas Market, Michelle shares what's working, what's changing, and how she's rethinking her buying strategy for the season ahead. In this episode, Michelle reflects on her recent projects, including the Levant showroom and a unique merchandising project for The Brit outdoor venue. She also shares why she's dialing back assortments, embracing branded merchandise opportunities, and taking a more intentional approach to buying at marke...
241
June 17, 2026
EP 241: THE BEST ADVICE FOR NEW RETAILERS
In this episode, Michelle shares a completely different style of Retail Whore Podcast episode recorded live from the Seattle Mart, where seasoned retailers shared their best advice for new store owners. From learning your numbers and building smarter markdown strategies to creating stronger customer experiences and merchandising with intention, this episode is packed with honest conversations and real retail wisdom. Michelle and Susan also continue the conversation from the road as they dive dee
240
June 10, 2026
EP 240: CREATING STORES THAT SELL WITH KATE KAUFFMAN
Kate Kauffman is the owner of Grease & Glitter Studio, a Vermont-based creative design studio serving retailers throughout New England and beyond. She specializes in visual merchandising, store flow and layout optimization, and striking window displays. Drawing on more than 10 years of industry experience with brands like Anthropologie and West Elm, Kate helps independent retailers elevate their customer experience, increase foot traffic, and drive sales. In this episode, Kate shares how her yea
239
June 3, 2026
239: FROM BROADWAY TO BUYING BEHAVIOR WITH AMY MEADOWS
For all of us who are merchandisers, Amy Meadows has the dream career. She has over 25 years of experience in window display, visual merchandising, and event planning. Recognized nationally in her field, Amy has reinvented traditions and reinvigorated business for both major retailers and independent businesses. From big boxes to boutiques, she helps businesses explore and leverage tools to attract customers and drive sales. Amy helps her clients align their storefronts, signage and displays to
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Recent Blog Posts
Sept. 20, 2024
Rethinking Everyday Materials
I think a lot of people overthink displays when it comes to the storytelling aspect.Is it going to be expensive? That question seems to be the biggest hurdle.Props and materials don't have to be expensive. They can be items from the grocery stor…
Aug. 28, 2024
No Plastic Risers (Insert Joan Crawford voice)
Holy Cow…how is it almost September? I owe you all an apology! This was meant to be a monthly blog and true to form, I fell off the wagon. Show seasons are challenging and I find myself at the end of the day just wanting to unplug…
June 5, 2024
Bin it to Win it
Happy June!As promised, I am covering my biggest and best lessons from my time at Anthropologie. We are starting at the beginning with binning. Binning is one of the tricks that can do several things at once. It gives value to inexpensive item…
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