Recent Episodes

Meghan Wagner is the owner of The Go Girl Shoppe, a unique retail store located in Mebane, NC. She began her entrepreneurial journey in 2012 with a mobile shop on wheels, offering a curated selection of home décor and gifts. In 2014, she opened a brick-and-mortar location in Raleigh, NC, and after 8 successful years, relocated to a larger store in Mebane in 2019. As a local to Mebane, Megan wanted to bring a little happiness to the corner of downtown, with a shop that constantly evolves with new...

Tori Dahl’s passion for scent began when she was a little girl growing up on three acres in the Texas hill country. In the spring, Mountain Laurel would bloom with fragrant purple blossoms. On Saturday mornings she would wake to the sound of her father mowing the lawn and open her window to breathe in the scent of freshly cut grass mixed with Mountain Laurel. Years later, that scent still triggers memories of comfort and home. Smell and emotion are stored in our brains as one memory. This is ...

Emily Webb is the owner of Emily's Garden. She is 69 years old and lives three miles from a town of 154 people in the northern Sierras of California. She comes from a family of artists and designers who are all good with their hands. She started Emily's Garden in 1981 as a manufacturing company in her laundry room, beginning with a scented hot pad. Over the years she grew, acquiring sales reps and show rooms across the country. The scented hot pads quickly gave way to personal care, with fabr...

In this episode I recap a busy show season, share lessons from designing and buying for multiple showrooms and stores, and explain how reports, floor plans, and thoughtful merchandise windows can revive retail sales and creativity. I also talk about testing categories, moving away from what doesn't work, building seasonal delivery windows, and tips for keeping stores fresh and inspiring. We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast beca...

In this episode, we’re fresh off the Gift Show and gearing up for ASD as we unpack why “treasure hunt” buying might be the smartest margin move independent retailers can make right now. From under-the-radar vendors to bold color trends and food-inspired merchandising, we’re sharing what excited us most on the show floor and how to turn it into sales. We also dive into why bright, joyful product is everywhere, how heritage ornament buying differs from trend-driven holiday, and how thoughtful sto...

Stephanie Beringhele is a mom of two amazing kids, the creator and host of Retail Revelations Inside the Deal, and the VIP Buyer Relations Director at ASD Market Week. She builds and leads high-impact programs that connect retailers with the most on-trend wholesale products from around the globe because great merchandising should not be boring or overpriced. In this episode, Michelle sits down with Stephanie to unpack how buyers and small retailers can find unexpected profit, merchandise smar...

Jessica Rennard is the President of NuSource, a female-led micro-wholesale platform powering the demand side of resale. With 15+ years in circular fashion, she partners with leading brands to turn excess, returned, and take-back inventory into scalable resale channels—bridging sustainability goals with real revenue. Known for building from the ground up, Jessica brings a pragmatic, operator’s lens to how brands can unlock value, visibility, and longevity in the secondhand economy. In this epi...

Natalie Kracht is the owner and creative force behind Natural Grind and The Collective in Grundy Center, Iowa. What started as a small coffee shop dream has grown into a thriving community hub known for its warm atmosphere, inspired merchandising, and deeply personal touch. Natalie has built her businesses with an artist’s eye and an entrepreneur’s heart—curating clothing, home décor, gifts, and coffee experiences that make people feel seen, welcomed, and connected. She brings together quality c...

Natalie Kracht is the owner and creative force behind Natural Grind and The Collective in Grundy Center, Iowa. What started as a small coffee shop dream has grown into a thriving community hub known for its warm atmosphere, inspired merchandising, and deeply personal touch. Natalie has built her businesses with an artist’s eye and an entrepreneur’s heart—curating clothing, home décor, gifts, and coffee experiences that make people feel seen, welcomed, and connected. She brings together quality c...

In this episode, Michelle walks through how she tackles post-holiday blues in-store and as a buyer—sharing practical merchandising strategies, sale philosophy, and ways to reinvent existing inventory to keep stores fresh and profitable through January and beyond. We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and w...

In this episode, Michelle Sherrier and Susan Esayian catch up after a busy market season and dive into what they’re seeing on showroom floors, in merchandising, and across the retail industry. From traveling showrooms and sourcing props to staying relevant as trends shift, they unpack what’s really happening behind the scenes—and what retailers need to be paying attention to next. Ask Michelle and Susan for Shelf Talk! Michelle and Susan will be co-hosting an episode every month! We’re diving...

In this episode, Michelle closes out 2025 with a reflective solo episode about change, resilience, and retail. She shares her move from California to Oregon, joining her local Downtown Business Association, lessons from closing stores, strategies for surviving tariffs and fast-forward retail changes, and plans for 2026 including writing a book and possibly opening a new store. Honest, practical advice for retailers facing hard choices—and encouragement to lean into new opportunities. We are doi...

Sean Jimenez is a former retailer turned wholesaler with over 25 years in the industry. He currently manages more than 40 sales reps for a multi-million-dollar novelty sock and design company based in Santa Cruz, California. Over the course of his career, Sean has built apparel programs for Fortune 500 companies, managed full design teams for large private-label programs, worked in off-price, and sold everything from Hawaiian shirts to $50,000 stereo systems. He’s met more than a few characters ...

This week’s guest is Nathan Waldon, Founder of Everything for Nathan & Co. After a bazillion plus years of product development for the big guys, nothing ever scratched his retail itch like opening his own eponymous shops. He doesn’t really know how to describe the satisfaction he gets, but he can tell you it's true and beyond satisfying. His advice to young entrepreneurs is to do it, but do it smartly. In April they celebrate 16 years of sweetness - OR is that sweet sixteen? We were so thrilled ...

Laci Hewett is the founder and CEO of Saltwater Boys Company, a premium coastal-inspired boys’ clothing brand based on Saint Simons Island, Georgia. What started as one crab tee sold in a Facebook mom group has grown into a thriving lifestyle brand carried by hundreds of boutiques, Ron Jon Surf Shop, and two flagship retail stores. In this episode, Laci shares the real story behind her rapid rise from accidental entrepreneur to leading a beloved national brand—while juggling motherhood, marri...

Lana Trantham runs Grace and Grit, a small-town emporium-style business selling unique kitchen and bath goods, organic pantry staples and handmade personal-care items. Lana learned retail and pottery merchandising from her mother while homeschooling four children; she now helps local makers sell through booth-style retail and community events. Janet Calhoun is a sixth-generation potter and co-owner of Traditions Pottery in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. She learned pottery at her family’s produc...

S+J is a Lifestyle Boutique featuring Men's, Women's, Kids, Pets, Vinyl, Home + Gifts in our 3 story shop, (4 including their open-air rooftop where they host fashion shows, trunk shows, pop-ups + always a DJ + dance party)! Jamie spent the first 15 years of her career in Retail at Target Corporation. She started there in Merchandising in Girls Toys, then was promoted to a Buyer position in School Supplies and Home Office. She then moved into the Marketing Team, first in a L...

Julie Schwarz is an East Coast native with over 30 years of experience in the service and retail industries. She’s run a catering company, built a farmers market business from the ground up, and now owns The Mom-Up Shop—a curated vintage store in Long Beach that helps fund her nonprofit, Project WomanGood, which supports survivors of domestic violence. After spending 15 years living in Boston, where she attended Simmons University, Julie began her career in the retail management program with dre...

Mary Liz Curtin is passionate about independent retail. With over 35 years of hands-on experience in the gift, craft, and home industries, her deep understanding of retailers, vendors, and sales representatives gives her a one-of-a-kind perspective. Known for her “Sales and Marketing Therapy,” Mary Liz is an internationally recognized expert who advises manufacturers on marketing, sales, and management issues. A lively and humorous speaker, she captivates audiences at trade shows and conventions...

In this episode, Michelle Sherrier opens up about her hands-on experience transforming Lucy’s store and reflects on the deeper role merchandising plays in retail success. From buying strategies to storytelling through displays, she highlights why embracing change is essential when working with a consultant. Michelle also unveils her new monthly Zoom consulting option, designed to bring expert insights to retailers at an accessible price point. We are doing our first-ever open call! You can subm...

Polly Helm was born and raised in Kentucky. She has a BA from Eastern Kentucky University and a Masters in Organizational Communications from Miami of Ohio. In 1994 she left corporate sales and moved from KY to Wisconsin to start two small businesses with her husband—a retail store and a construction company. They did both for about 10 years and then decided to join efforts and focus on the retail store. They have expanded 3 times and today have a 5000 square foot store in a refurbished barn ...

Born in June 1969 and raised in Southwest Washington state, Reshell Douglas grew up surrounded by entrepreneurship, learning the ropes of retail in her family’s bridal salon where she worked in sales, buying, and merchandising. By age 14, she was already attending trade shows as a buyer, and throughout the 1980s she gained hands-on experience in retail sales at Nordstrom, JC Penney’s, and Hickory Farms. In 1990, she married her husband Scott, with whom she recently celebrated 35 years, and in 20...

Amber Baker is the creative force behind Sandy Bottom Candle Co., a coastal-inspired candle brand she launched five years ago with a mission to bottle up the essence of coastal living in a cleaner burning soy candle. What began as a hobby at home quickly turned into a full blown business. Known for its signature layer of beach sand in each jar, it is a nod to its breezy, ocean-born roots. In 2023, Amber expanded her vision by opening up Boho Bungalow, a brick-and-mortar shop that brings toget...

Susan and Michelle reconnect for another insightful episode of Shelf Talk! They start by sharing their experiences from recent gift shows in Vegas and New York, and how they both took the time to decompress and recharge at home. Susan reveals the challenges and excitement of managing holiday decor for new stores, including dealing with inventory mishaps. The duo dives deep into merchandising strategies, emphasizing the importance of sales reports in driving successful displays and the value o...