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…
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…
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…
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…
Her story is inspiring, relatable, and packed with retail gold. What’s Inside: • The Facebook-group moment that started it all • How Laci scaled fast without losing her authenticity • The truth about wholesale growth, trade shows, and burnout Head over to our website www.theretailwhorepodcast.com to listen the full episode.…
Today’s episode features Saltwater Boys Company @saltwaterboysco founder Laci Hewett, who went from selling one crab tee to running a thriving coastal brand in boutiques across the country. Her story is inspiring, relatable, and packed with retail gold. What’s Inside: • The Facebook-group moment that started it all • How…
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…
It’s HERE! Today’s episode dives into a powerful, heart-filling conversation with Lanna & Janet — two women who turned handmade pottery, family grit, and community love into a thriving small-town revival. This is why I created this show. WHAT’S INSIDE • A 6-generation pottery legacy • How a daughter helped…
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…
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From Boston’s retail scene to founding a nonprofit in Long Beach, Julie Schwarz has turned every chapter of her life into one of purpose and service. In this episode, she shares how The Mom-Up Shop and Project WomanGood became more than businesses—they became lifelines for survivors of domestic violence. What’s…
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,…
The new episode is out today! 🎙️ I’m chatting with three amazing guests — Mary Liz Curtin from Leon & Lulu, Michael Schultz from Cursive New York, and Andrew Gawdun from curious… in Hermosa Beach. We talk about what it’s really like to run an independent retail store today —…
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…
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…
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🎉 It’s here! EP 212: SEASONAL SUCCESS AND COMMUNITY ROOTS WITH POLLY HELM is now live! 🎉 Polly Helm shares how she and her husband transformed an old barn into a 5,000 sq. ft. retail store, expanded into a design center, and learned to thrive in a seasonal tourist economy.…
🎉 It’s here! EP 212: SEASONAL SUCCESS AND COMMUNITY ROOTS WITH POLLY HELM is now live! 🎉 Polly Helm shares how she and her husband transformed an old barn into a 5,000 sq. ft. retail store, expanded into a design center, and learned to thrive in a seasonal tourist economy.…
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…
#TheRetailWhorePodcast #ShelfTalk #FallMerchandising #VisualMerchandising #RetailTips #RetailBusiness #RetailSuccess #EntrepreneurLife #smallbusinessowner 🔔SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@theretailwhorepodcast Follow my social media accounts: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theretailwhorpodcast/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theretailwhorepodcast/ Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@retailwh.repod
New episode! 🎙️ I’m joined by Reshell “Shelly” Douglas, owner of Not Too Shabby Boutique in Vancouver, WA. From her early days in her family’s bridal salon to running her own store for 25 years, Shelly’s story is full of passion, adaptability, and resilience. 💕 What’s inside: ✔️ How Shelly…
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…
#PodcastEpisode #RetailPodcast #SmallBusinessJourney #ShopLocal #CandleBusiness #RetailLife #EntrepreneurLife #RetailTips #CommunityOverCompetition #SupportLocal 🔔SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@theretailwhorepodcast Follow my social media accounts: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theretailwhorpodcast/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theretailwhorepodcast/ Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@retailwh.repod
🎙️ New Episode Out Today! 🎙️ Amber Baker, the creative behind Sandy Bottom Candle Co. and Boho Bungalow, shares how she turned a candle hobby into a thriving business. 🌊🕯️ We talk about: ✨ Her shift from restaurants to retail ✨ Balancing wholesale + brick-and-mortar ✨ Curating local goods that…