For indie retail store owners who run vendor or consignment-style stores, there’s an extra layer of work on top of running a store: managing vendor relationships.  Vendors at these stores normally rent a specific booth or section of the store to display their products. And while each vendor is in charge of managing their inventory, cleaning their area, and merchandising their products… …the owner of the store sets the boundaries and guidelines that the vendor must follow.  Is it possible...

Encouraging your customers to pay in cash is not only great for your business (buh-bye, credit card transaction fees!), but great for your community.  Accepting cash diversifies payment options, keeps money out of banks’ deep pockets, and gives people without bank accounts access to goods and services. Cash is a win for small businesses and customers alike!  While taking more cash payments might feel risky for your indie retail business, I promise that the benefits to you and your customers...

Have you ever decided to shop small, confirmed store’s hours online, driven over to the store…only to find a “sorry, we’re closed” sign hanging on the door?  That frustration you’ve felt in that moment is NOT what you want to give to your customers in case of a temporary store closing! Communicating with your customers about a store closing, whether planned or unplanned, doesn’t take long—especially when you’ve got a system in place. In today’s episode, I’m sharing a customizable...

With Q1 of 2024 behind us, it feels like a good time to share some impromptu Savvy Shopkeeper updates. There have been a lot of changes within my business and personal life, and I’m excited to share them with you! Listen in to hear about leaving my retail store behind, finishing my coaching certification, an in-person event you’ll want to save the dates for, a potential paper version of the Savvy Shopkeeper planner, and more. For show notes, visit www.savvyshopkeeper.com/episode218. Kathy...

Posting on Instagram can feel exhausting and overwhelming, especially as a retail store owner with a million other things on your plate. That’s why I’m sharing a metric for you to track that can make your social media efforts feel worth it—and that no one else is talking about! Listen in to learn about this hidden metric, plus get a brand-new free resource to help you audit and optimize your Instagram account. For show notes, visit www.savvyshopkeeper.com/episode217. Kathy Cruz is an...

Between an upcoming leadership month in Master Shopkeepers and wanting to share how I’m learning to lead the Savvy Shopkeeper team, leadership has been top of mind for me. That’s why I was so excited to chat with Shelli Warren, the founder of Stacking Your Team. After a 25-year stint at Proctor & Gamble, Shelli ventured into leadership coaching for small business owners. She’s got a knack for stacking a team—aka, curating a dynamic, talented, and collaborative group that works together...

From plugging your retail profit leaks to scaling your indie retail business, this year’s Savvy Shopkeeper survey covered a bit of everything.  I’m excited to share the results with you, especially because it might show you what’s possible for your store.  I’m also sharing how you can attend my upcoming masterclass, Stop The Drip. In this two-hour class, you’ll learn how to identify and plug the retail profit leaks you’re experiencing in your indie retail business using my Retail Profit Pie...

If you’re an Aspiring Shopkeeper, figuring out how and where to buy wholesale inventory is a crucial step towards opening your store’s doors. Luckily, there’s a program that makes it super easy to curate, order, and buy inventory for a retail store: Open With Faire.  Built by one of the most reliable online wholesale platforms around, Open With Faire gives new retail store owners the education, tools, and buying power they need to kickstart their inventory.  Listen in to learn how to buy...

As indie retail store owners, it’s all too easy to focus on the negative. We’re always thinking about which stores are closing, what’s to blame for industry-wide difficulties, and how each new hurdle might lead to our store failing.  And while our glass-half-empty view isn’t surprising (we’re only human, after all!), we can and SHOULD try to change our mindset. Celebrating our successes gives us proof that we can accomplish even bigger goals in the future.  It can be hard to celebrate our...

Kate Simpson, owner of Cerulean of Cape Cod, was always a maker and a nurturer. She created her own jewelry, sold it at weekend markets, and even had a spot at a vendor-based retail store, all while working full-time as a nurse. Eventually, though, she wanted to take the entrepreneurial leap into nurturing a retail store of her own. That’s when Cerulean was born. Listen in as Kate shares how Cerulean has evolved through several locations, what she’s learned over the past five years, how...

Bookkeeping is crucial for any business, and indie retailers are no exception! It's the key to understanding your finances, making smart choices, and pushing your biz forward.  Today, I’m sharing six bookkeeping tips from a recent live lesson I taught to Master Shopkeepers. Listen in to learn what you need to do to keep your books in order so you can work smarter, profit more, and grow.  For show notes, visit www.savvyshopkeeper.com/episode211.  Kathy Cruz is an Independent Retail Coach...

Hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters are on the rise. Thankfully, Heart on Main Street is there to support independent retail businesses when disaster strikes.  After growing up on the wholesale side of retail, Patrick Keiser founded Heart on Main Street to provide indie retailers with the resources, tools, and educational opportunities they need to reinvest in their businesses.  One of those resources is Heart on Main Street’s Jumpstart Program. Heart on Main Street...

Our laptops are not only an extension of our physical workspace, but often an extension of our minds. Digital clutter in the form of tons of too many tabs and multiple windows can bog us down.  But there are ways to increase your web browser efficiency—and just as with other key systems for independent retailers, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to help you get the most out of your time on the web.  Listen in to learn what other shopkeepers struggle with when it comes to using...

After many years of attending AmericasMart as a buyer, this year was my first time attending as an observer.  It was fascinating to chat with members of the Savvy Shopkeeper community, spot market trends, and be a fly on the wall at showrooms! In today’s episode, I’m sharing my five key takeaways from AmericasMart 2024.  Listen in to learn what trends we’ll be seeing later this year, how showroom dynamics can affect your market orders, why large minimum order values aren’t the issue you...

Asking your customers for feedback can be scary—trust me, I know! Most years, I ask my customers and community to complete the Savvy Shopkeeper survey.  While getting feedback directly from the people I serve can be nerve-wracking, it’s an overwhelmingly positive experience. Read on to learn how you can fill out this year’s Savvy Shopkeeper Survey along with my best tips for conducting a feedback survey in your indie retail business!  For show notes, visit...

Managing cash flow is a difficult task for most indie retail store owners, but it doesn’t have to be! I’m excited to share a virtual banking solution that helps you automate your cash flow management: Relay Financial. When I first read Profit First, I was skeptical. The cash flow management system proposed in the book required setting up multiple bank accounts. When I finally took the plunge and implemented it, though, it made all the difference in the financial health of the store I...

For indie retailer store owners, tasks like writing product descriptions, planning promotions, and mapping out quarterly plans can take a LOT of mental energy—especially after a full day of running your store. That’s where my Free ChatGPT Resource Guide comes in handy!  This empowering guide will help you use ChatGPT effectively to support your retail business. Listen in to learn how my usage of ChatGPT has evolved, what’s included in the guide, and where you can download your free copy. ...

Supporting the shop local and shop small movements has always been a core value of mine. One way I was failing at that, however, was with my book-buying habits. Instead of supporting local bookshops, I often bought books with 1-click checkout at Amazon.  Thankfully, I’ve discovered a new way to buy books online that also supports local bookshops!  Listen in to learn more about the genius website that distributes profits to thousands of local bookshops—and how I’ve partnered with them to...

After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it can be nice to take a brain break before diving into the planning and goal setting we need to do for the year ahead. Sometimes, a little motivation and inspiration can be helpful, too!  Personally, I enjoy watching TV shows to give myself a brain break and get inspired for the next 12 months. Today, I’m sharing three TV shows that are motivating and inspiring my entrepreneurial side right now. Listen in to hear what shows I’m watching and why I...

For many indie retail store owners, digital marketing doesn’t come naturally. With the ever-changing social media landscape, a constant stream of new features, and best practices that vary from platform to platform, it can be difficult for retailers to parse what’s worth the effort (and what’s best left on the backroom floor).  Enter Crystal, our go-to guru who's been supporting independent retailers with their social media presence for nearly 15 years. In today’s episode, Crystal spills the...

For independent store owners, the fear of discounting inventory is very real—especially when they’ve got dead stock hanging around!  It’s all too common for shopkeepers to have lots of negative thoughts about dead stock, discounting, and what those things mean about them. But if you can change those thoughts, you can make better decisions and see vastly different results.  While noticing and changing our thoughts isn’t easy, it’s crucial mindset work for every indie retailer. Listen in to...

I'm here with a bonus episode, post-Christmas, to share an announcement and what's ahead for me and the Savvy Shopkeeper community in 2024! Kathy Cruz is an Independent Retail Coach who helps store owners work smarter, profit more, and grow their brick and mortar businesses. Connect with Kathy and learn more here: Website: https://savvyshopkeeper.com/ Instagram: @savvyshopkeeper Mastermind Group: Master Shopkeepers

When you first hear the term “emotional adulthood,” you might think it’s connected to when our brains finish developing in our mid-twenties.  But emotional adulthood has everything to do with your awareness of how your thoughts affect your feelings—and very little to do with when your brain finished forming.  I realized I was still in emotional childhood just a few years ago, in my forties. But from that realization, I’ve grown into emotional adulthood. And I’m excited to announce that I’m...

With 2024 approaching, now is the time to start your retail business forecasting!  If you’ve never done this process before, today’s episode will walk you through the first step: looking at the commitments you’ve already made, the trips you’ve already booked, and any events you know are on the books. Listen in to learn what retail business forecasting is, how you can get started, what you can expect in 2024 based on what’s already on your calendar, and how going through this process can...