Boutique Chat

Struggling to find and keep great employees? You’re not alone. In this episode, we’re diving into the biggest challenges boutique owners face when it comes to hiring, motivating, and retaining staff. We’ll break down the two types of employees you have—rocks and rock stars—and how to create a balanced team that thrives. Melodie van der Baan, co-founder and CEO of Max Retail, shares her proven strategies for understanding employee strengths, rewarding loyalty, and fostering growth within your boutique team. Whether you have employees who love selling, organizing inventory, or dream of climbing the fashion industry ladder, this episode will help you structure your team for long-term success. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The difference between rocks (your steady, reliable team members) and rock stars (high achievers who thrive on challenge) How to identify employee strengths and assign roles that align with their skills Why it’s okay if rock stars eventually move on—and how to maximize their time with you

Struggling to get your brand noticed in a crowded market? Organic reach is harder than ever, and it’s impacting your business more than you might realize. In this episode, I’ll break down the latest industry shifts and share actionable strategies to help you show up more intentionally and consistently in your marketing. Tune in to discover five key trends you need to know as you plan for your next business year.  Resources: Join The Boutique Hub  Boutique Summit 2025 Retail Bootcamp  2025 Boutique Boss Planner  Ashley Alderson: Instagram  The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube 

We have a special host for today's Five Minute Friday episode! Melodie van der Baan, Co-founder and CEO at Max Retail (and Boutique Hub partner), joins us to share key insight into hiring and training staff. Whether you have one employee or 100, Melodie's tips will help at the beginning of your boutique journey and as you scale up. Resources:  Max Retail Join The Boutique Hub Community  The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube 

Transforming your financial future isn’t as hard as it may seem. My guest today is Hilary Hoff, a seasoned financial advisor with a rich background in corporate finance, and she joins the show today to discuss the six pillars of financial planning. She breaks them all down in practical, actionable ways that will help you take control of your finances. Hillary Hoff: Website | Facebook | Schedule a Consult Call Retail Bootcamp 2025 Boutique Boss Planner Join The Boutique Hub Ashley Alderson: Instagram The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

Today, I’m going to help you jump-start your year with your planner. Whether you’re using the Boutique Boss Planner we created specifically for small business owners or a different one, this episode is all about maximizing your prep to not just create a plan—but to plan smarter. Resources:  2025 Boutique Boss Planner Join The Boutique Hub Community  Ashley Alderson: Instagram  The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube 

How you make people feel about what they buy from you—and how they buy it—is a huge part of what makes a boutique successful. In this special episode featuring Ashley Donnell of The Babe Standard, we’ll be chatting about the value of selling experiences. Ashley has been particularly successful in this area, so don’t miss hearing her valuable tips! Learn More About the Boutique Hub Here: https://theboutiquehub.com/join/boutique/ Resources: The Babe Standard: Website | Instagram Ashley Donnell: Instagram Retail Bootcamp 2025 Boutique Boss Planner Join The Boutique Hub Ashley Alderson: Instagram The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

Are you ready to design your future? As we step into 2025, now is the perfect time to reflect on who you want to be and what you want your life to look like. So, in this Five Minute Friday episode, we explore the power of vision boards—why they work, how they help you stay focused, and how to use them to turn your dreams into reality. Tune in to discover how a vision board can be the first step in creating the life you truly desire. Resources:  Join The Boutique Hub Community  Ashley Alderson: Instagram  The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube 

Are you struggling to identify what’s working (and what’s not) in your business? If you are looking for clarity on where to focus in order to scale effectively, this episode is exactly what you need! I’ll be breaking down the six key layers to success in retail, providing you with actionable strategies for building a strong, resilient, and sustainable business that can thrive in the long term. Learn More About the Boutique Hub Here: https://theboutiquehub.com/join/boutique/ Resources: Retail Bootcamp 2025 Boutique Boss Planner Join The Boutique Hub Ashley Alderson: Instagram The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

It's that time of the year: the time for New Year's resolutions. So today, I'm sharing my top 10 resolutions for retailers in 2025. Listen in to hear my real—and direct—take on what goals we should all aim for in the coming year. Resources:  Join The Boutique Hub Community  Ashley Alderson: Instagram  The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube 

It’s time to unpack what worked and what didn’t this past holiday retail season—and figure out how to put that information to great use now, while it’s fresh. After talking to hundreds of retailers over the last few weeks and analyzing their successes and what they would be doing differently this next year, I have some valuable information to share with you! Listen in to hear how to start planning for the next seasons, what to focus on, what changed, and more. Learn More About the Boutique Hub Here: https://theboutiquehub.com/join/boutique/ Resources: Retail Bootcamp 2025 Boutique Boss Planner Join The Boutique Hub Ashley Alderson: Instagram The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

Ready to crush 2025? In today’s Five Minute Friday, I’m giving you an exclusive peek into how to set your year up for success, as well as how we've seen hundreds of retailers do the same year after year through our Best Year Yet Challenge. This challenge is an opportunity to come together with others in the industry to connect, share what’s working, and set yourself up for a winning year. And it's completely free! So tune in to learn how to make 2025 your best year yet. Resources:  Join The Boutique Hub Community  Ashley Alderson: Instagram  The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube 

Are you ready to reflect on the lessons of 2024 and prepare for an incredible 2025? In today's episode, I’m excited to bring you a year-end wrap-up filled with insights, strategies, and actionable tips to set your business up for success in the year ahead. Listen as I dive into the highs and lows of 2024, including the impact of election-year consumer behavior, the rise of the boutique creator economy, and how lean strategies helped businesses thrive despite challenges. We’ll also look forward to 2025 and explore how to test new ideas, embrace the numbers, and focus on building community and trust. This episode is packed with inspiration and tools to help you start the new year with clarity and confidence. Learn More About the Boutique Hub Here: https://theboutiquehub.com/join/boutique/ Resources: Best Year Yet Retail Bootcamp 2025 Boutique Boss Planner  Join The Boutique Hub Ashley Alderson: Instagram The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

Today we have a special guest hosting Five Minute Friday! Lou Mintzer from Grid & Pixel is here to share how email marketing can supercharge your business. He’s breaking down simple yet powerful strategies to turn your emails into a 24/7 sales machine. Tune in to discover what you can do to generate constant sales—without being tied to your desk. Resources:   Grid & Pixel Join The Boutique Hub Community 

It’s time to set yourself up for success in 2025! As we reflect on this past year and all of its ups and downs, it’s important to think about what we need to work on to improve in the coming year. So, in this episode, I’m sharing five must-do things that you need to focus on and four key metrics I recommend keeping close track of as we move into the new year. Resources:  Best Year Yet Retail Bootcamp 2025 Boutique Boss Planner Join The Boutique Hub Community  Ashley Alderson: Instagram  The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube     

"Why is my business not working?" Many times when I'm asked struggle questions like this, I investigate to try to help—and I find a website filled with stock photos. So I'm here to tell you: stock photos are killing your brand. They make you look like everyone else, so there is no way to differentiate your brand. So what should you do instead? Listen in to today's Five Minute Friday to find out! Resources:   Join The Boutique Hub Community 

If you battle with ADD or ADHD and are looking for tips and resources to thrive through it, this episode is for you! Today we are joined by Danielle Resseguie, owner of Ruby Joy Boutique, to discuss the challenges and solutions she has found in her entrepreneurial journey as she battles ADD. Don’t miss this incredible conversation on dealing with the demands of business growth, how to set yourself up for success, the value of processes, and more. Resources:  Danielle Resseguie : Website | Instagram Join The Boutique Hub Community  Ashley Alderson: Instagram  The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube 

Have you trademarked your business yet? This should be one of the very first things you do if you want to build a business to last. But before you do, in today's Five Minute Friday, I'm sharing a couple of quick things you should do when trademarking your business. Listen in to learn how to make sure you are being smart when protecting your business. Resources:   Join The Boutique Hub Community 

What do you think of when you hear the word "sales"? If you're one of the many people who think it’s all about pushy tactics and empty pitches, think again. In this episode, I'm joined by Dawn Grooters, founder of Broken Vessel Sales Solutions, who's here to break down how inside sales can help you recapture lost dollars and transform your sales strategy—without the stigma that often gets associated with selling. Resources:  Dawn Grooters: Website | Instagram Join The Boutique Hub Community  Ashley Alderson: Instagram  The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube 

What do you do when you find yourself looking at a ton of unsold inventory? Be honest—do you fall into the common trap of buying more stuff and telling yourself that the new items will sell better? If so, you're not alone. But you are stopping yourself from taking the time to figure out why the original inventory didn't sell, which is a very important step for running a leaner, more profitable business. So for today's Five Minute Friday, I'm sharing simple steps to help you get off the hamster wheel of compulsively buying and start taking control of your inventory. Resources:   Join The Boutique Hub Community 

Struggling to get the high-level support your small business needs? You’re not alone. Many small business owners struggle with this same thing, often piecing together information and hustling through challenges on their own. Enter Racheal Cook, Founder & CEO of the CEO Collective, who’s dedicated to changing that. In this episode, Racheal shares her mission to empower CEOs and small business owners with the tools and strategies they need to thrive. Resources:  Rachael Cook / The CEO Collective: Website | Instagram  Boutique Summit 2025 2025 Boutique Boss Planner   Join The Boutique Hub Community  Ashley Alderson: Instagram  The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube