Recent Episodes

In this solo show, Michelle recaps her 40th high school reunion and what it was like to geek out over retail with her former classmates… without her old insecurities. She catches everyone up on what’s been going on since the move to Oregon and living life at a much slower pace. Michelle chats about burnout and why it’s important to recharge to stay creative, store standards and your role as a merchandiser, and what things look like for the future at MC Design Collaboration. This episode is spons...

Ken Lain is known by his friends as 'The Mountain Gardener'. His weekly garden advice is featured by Prescott Living and Prescott Woman Magazines, the Daily Courier, Prescott eNews, and Signals AZ Newspapers. Ken is passionate about plants, creative landscape design, and spreading the good news that gardening is healthy and fun. Ken dreamed of owning his own business after graduating from Prescott High School. Yavapai College peaked his business interest and finished a management degree from ASU...

Jocelyn Songco is the founder and owner of Yarn Farm Kingston, a yarn shop and wine bar in New York's Hudson Valley, two hours north of NYC. Prior to Yarn Farm, Jocelyn worked at a private foundation for over a dozen years, investing in social entrepreneurs in emerging markets, primarily in Africa in the agriculture sector, as well as a handful of years in for-profit finance in NYC. She went to grad school and business school in NY (Columbia) and college in LA (UCLA), grew up in NJ, and is a fir...

Annie Glenn (also known as Urban Girl Annie) started her company LG Retail Enterprises back in 1994 and has been doing retail ever since. Although Annie majored in literature in college, she knew she wanted to own a business since she was 10 years old. With no prior background in retail, she credits her business success to having great instincts and a lack of fear. Today, she’s a proud entrepreneur and a mom to two amazing boys, Jack and Cooper. Her hope is that her stores, including Urban Girl ...

In 2005, Johanna Bialkin moved to San Francisco, seeking solace from the bustle of New York City and her sojourn in digital media. While the allure of SF's tech industry didn't captivate her, the promise of a tight-knit community did. She longed for connections forged in genuine conversations, for friendships nurtured over shared experiences. It was in this pursuit that Aldea was born — a sanctuary amidst the city's clamor, where stylish home essentials met the warmth of human connection. Inspir...

SF Mercantile began in 2008 with the objective of producing high-quality San Francisco gifts and keepsakes designed by local artists. Their products celebrate the vibrant and diverse culture that is unique to California, and all of their items are designed by artists who live in the San Francisco Bay area. The company was started by Robert Emmons, who saw a niche in the market after working on a project to revamp the gift shops at the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park and Coit Tower. Both ...

This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com Kelly Bristol is Vice President of Business Development at Just Got 2 Have It, a B2B ...

This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines. Along with his partner Bryce, Andrew Gawdun runs the shop curious... in Hermosa Beach, CA. Andrew started his journey in Colorado at a young age before moving to Nevada with family and then Southern Utah for a few years in his early 20’s. He launched himself into the world of photography, where he opened his own busin...

This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands. Best known as rapper/actor Bow Wow’s mother and manager for most of her career, Teresa Caldwell and her personal style were thrust onto the stage of the public eye when her son became the...

MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy! The Thumb in Scottsdale, Arizona, isn’t your average gas station. It’s also a car wash, retail shop, in-house bakery, wine cellar, and compe...

This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines. I’m back with another solo show to catch you up on what’s been going on these past few months! Here, I’ll talk a little about some of the experiences I’ve had over the summer, which flew by so fast. Between our move to Oregon and a super busy summer season, things have been a whirlwind, and holiday and winter show sea...

This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long-lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com Susan Esayian is a native of the Pacific Northwest, and she’s been working in the gif...

This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands. Jazmin Montalvo is the passionate owner of Frida Bae Co., a vibrant brick-and-mortar boutique where creativity and culture intertwine. In part two of this conversation, Michelle and Jazmi...

This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands. Jazmin Montalvo is the passionate owner of Frida Bae Co., a vibrant brick-and-mortar boutique where creativity and culture intertwine. As a mother and bonus mom to four daughters, Jazmin ...

MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy! A printmaking graduate from the Ontario College of Art and Design, Michelle Galletta is the founder of Kiriki Press. The idea was inspired b...

This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands. Kate Duff is the Founder and Wholesale & Gift Guru at Claxton Consulting. With a deep affection for the industry that raised her, Kate brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passio...

This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines. Since 1987, Tim Babcock and Jay Anthony from Twigs Candles have been providing customers with the finest home décor with the best quality, selection and price. When you shop with Twigs, you will find a complete collection of fireless candles, lanterns, farmhouse lighting, floral and home décor. Visit Tim and Jay in pe...

This episode is brought to you by Keena and Co., a premier gift and home agency covering all of the of the western United States. If you're a buyer and you're looking for beautiful contemporary lines, take a look at Keena's brands. Aside from representing stunningly unique and modern brands, they have a solid team of knowledgeable reps that are ready to help you with all your needs. And of course, they always have a bunch of really juicy show specials that are not to be missed. Or if you're a br...

MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy! Karyn Cantor is a true entrepreneur, a dynamic force in both the design and retail realms. With her keen eye for style and a knack for busin...

MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy! Ashley Sodipo is the owner of Pink Flamingo Party Co., a luxury party supply, event rental and "over-the-top" balloon installation company. ...

MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy! In this solo episode, I break down how I keep things fresh working with a variety of retailers and wholesale showrooms. I’m getting ready fo...

Send us a Text Message. This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines. Welcome to our very first retail round up! This one features Barbara Mooney from Daisy’s Mercantile, Sara Villari from Occasionette, and Nathan Waldon from Nathan & Co. As retailers, we all have countless questions to ask our fellow retailers, and here, each guest gets the chance to pick the ot...

Send us a Text Message. This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and stylish brands. Kerrie Fitzgerald is the founder of Kerrie Fitzgerald LLC, an ecommerce and product business consulting & educational agency. She’s also the host of the top 100 ma...

Send us a Text Message. MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy! Melanie Scofield is a self-taught baker who started her journey only a few short months ago. Last year, she was diag...