Back by popular demand, we are so excited to welcome back Fabian Navejas, Gift Merchandiser & Buyer for A.C. Vromans Inc., one of the oldest independent bookstores in the country, 128 years old. In addition to working at A.C. Vromans, he is also the Founder of Onederkam.com, which is a…
Botanic and Luxe started in 2016 as a brick and mortar boutique in Santa Cruz, California. Created by two best friends with a passion for design, beauty, and a holistic lifestyle. At Botanic and Luxe you will find just that - thoughtfully curated home goods, unique gifts for any occasion,…
We are so excited to have Kelly Morrison from Create Your Affiliate Program (CYAP) as this week’s guest. On this episode, Kelly & Michelle breakdown exactly what an affiliate program is, how to create a profitable affiliate marketing program, and how retailers can utilize affiliate marketing to push online sales…
This week we are very excited to interview Anna Harris-Lyons. Anna founded ANNA+POOKIE after years of being disappointed with the lack of diversity in party supplies. For many years, it had been impossible to find party characters or themes that represent black and brown children. ANNA+POOKIE Party Supplies is the…
On this week’s episode, we welcome Ashlan Christoph, mama of two, business owner and Modern Muse. Ashlan is an owner of multiple businesses, and has worked to create retail spaces that not only inspire her customers but feel good to be in! First creating Serendipity Gift Shop in 2012, a…
Ark Made was created out of the back office of The Ark Bookstore - Santa Fe's metaphysical wonderland for 40 years. Leighann Huberman, co-owner of Ark Made, had been a buyer and marketer for The Ark for a long time. Joanie and Tsering (Ark Made's 2 other Co-Owners) were, and…
‘Breathing Life into Your Brands Mission, Vision & Values with the Power of Visual Storytelling’ After taking her first few years out of college in the traditional agency route, Kaila felt restless… like her cup wasn’t being filled to the top. She had a vision, and she knew the kind…
Show season is upon us and we are so excited to have Cindy Henry, Vice President of Buyer Engagement, who leads the team that is responsible for bringing retailers to all IMC markets: Atlanta Market, Atlanta Apparel, High Point Market, Las Vegas Market & Las Vegas Apparel Market, as our…
This week’s guest is Tyler Tolson, CEO and Founder of Denik, a designer notebook and lifestyle product company that uses a portion of its funds to build schools and support artists. He started the company in 2011 as a full-time student at Utah State University. The company has blossomed into…
Born and raised in 29 Palms and having always dreamt of creating a unique place for other locals to grab a last minute outfit or gift without stressing on breaking the bank or making the inconvenient drive out of town, this week’s guest is Danielle Stumbo, owner and creator of…
This week we welcome Sean Jimenez / Director of Sales & Marketing for Socksmith. Sean, a former retailer, now turned wholesaler, who’s been in the industry for over 25 years. He now manages 40+ sales reps for a great, multi million-dollar novelty sock and design company, Socksmith, based in Santa…
'Road trips aren’t measured by mile markers, but by moments' - Unknown Today is the day! We are so excited to announce that we have dropped the first of many episodes of The Retail Whore Road Trip! In this, our first episode, Michelle gets a detailed tour from Jamie Carl,…
After living in Haiti for five years, Tara moved to Minnesota. When she left Haiti she wanted to make sure she stayed connected to the country and bring the beauty she saw there to the world, thus Cedar and Cypress was born. It began as a small retail website and…
Dallas Market Center is the most complete wholesale trade resource in the world. Products include home, gift, lighting, apparel & accessories, and more. We are so excited to have Cole Daugherty, SVP, Exhibitor Marketing for the Dallas Market Center as this week’s guest. Some of the topics Michelle & Cole…
This week’s guest, Yunnie Morena Kim, Digital Food Content Creator Restaurateur for KimChiAvocado is a lover of food (making it, eating it, sharing it), daughter of Korean immigrants, a wife and mother of two sons, who grew up in Southern California and literally married the boy next door. At a…
This week’s guest is Ellen Nguyen, founder/creator of the UnitedOther— a spiritual goods company based in Los Angeles. Coming to America from Vietnam with very little money, Ellen was taught to be self made and to create financial security for myself. After making it to the top of the corporate…
This week’s episode is part of our Life After Z Gallerie series. Michelle worked closely with both Fabian & Melissa during her time at Z Gallerie Fabian was born and raised in LA, is a self-taught creative leader and a bona fide retail nerd. With more than 25 years of…
When Missy lost everything in the 2008 recession, she almost lost all hope. She was broke, had 3 kids, and had just moved again. One day, her youngest was running through the kitchen and playfully yanked on the dish towel she had just hung up to dry on the oven,…
This week’s guest is Allison Carter. Allison is a Seattle mom of two and believes that every occasion, big or small, deserves to be celebrated. As the founder and CEO of Allison Carter Celebrates, she helps make busy moms’ lives easier and a hell of a lot more fun, especially…
This week's guest is CEO & founder of Swanky D's, Nadiyah Gulley. Established in 2016, Swanky D’s is a company dedicated to mentoring and coaching businesses on how to creatively succeed in a competitive industry through visual merchandising. Her foundation is humbly built upon vintage clothing and fashion styling but…
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…
This week’s guest is Kurt Beeken, Owner & President of Retail Dimensions (RDi). Kurt is a veteran of the retail and technology industry having worked in retail technology since 1985. He has written and implemented inventory management/POS systems for retailers as well as participated on retailer’s behalf to help them…
This week’s guest is Jeannine Braden / Creative Director & Co-Founder / Le Superbe California. From long time Los Angeles fashion insider Jeannine Braden, stylist, consultant and former owner of the much-loved Santa Monica boutique, Fred Segal Flair, comes LE SUPERBE (or The Beautiful) “From the Southern California Side of…
Stella grew up in Ohio and studied Economics and Japanese at Princeton University. Stella made a career change at 30 from investment banking to fashion. She moved from San Francisco to New York where she worked her way up at iconic American brands Liz Claiborne, Limited Brands, Henri Bendel and…