Boutique Chat

Today we're talking trends! I want to give you a sneak peek at the latest Boutique Hub Trend Report and talk through some of the trends we’re currently seeing for fall/winter and holiday, as well as what will carry into and what you can expect to see next in the new year.  I highlight some of the biggest trends in women’s apparel, accessories and home décor — from colors and patterns to textures and metals to cuts and styles — so that you can not only work them into your inventory but also capitalize on them in your marketing and merchandising. So be sure to take notes!  If you’re a Hub member, you can download our Trend Reports anytime from your Hub membership dashboard, which directly link to brands carrying the featured trends. If you want to see actual products associated with any given trend, we’ve built boards for you, highlighted brands and linked up products as well.    Resources:  The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram 2024 Bout

How can retailers make smarter buying and inventory management decisions to make more money? This episode is PACKED with information about the flow of inventory, data analysis, point of sale systems, merchandised plans and all the details retailers need to manage a successful cash flow and buying strategy. Meet Dan Jablons, Founder of Retail Smart Guys, analyst, consultant, speaker and Management One affiliate. I so hope you enjoy this bonus episode From The Vault. It's one that is definitely worth hearing again — and taking notes! First released February 23, 2018.  For show notes & resources see below or click here. Resources:  Retail Smart Guys: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram Boutique Summit 2024 Pink Friday Holiday Marketing Masterclass Boutique Hub Black Hubventory.com

Pink Friday is officially one month away! For those of you who don't already know, Pink Friday is an annual event held every November before Black Friday with one mission: to promote shopping small first. It’s a chance for you to get consumers in the door before all of the big guys and Black Friday deals. So, today I'm talking all things Pink Friday – why we celebrate, ideas for how to do so and the tools at your disposal.  Trust me, I know how crazy fourth quarter can get, and I want to make it as easy as possible for you to get involved — which is why The Hub has all the tools you need to make the most of Pink Friday. If you sign up online using the link in the show notes, you can be listed our #ShopSmallFirst map, be invited to our public Facebook event to get tips from and collaborate with other store owners, plus we will send you our Pink Friday media kit full of digital marketing materials and a press release template.  We want to help your business have the best fourth quarter yet and continue to

Every Friday I’m re-releasing one of my favorite episodes from seasons past to revisit my conversations with early guests and the business advice and practices they share! Up this week is my second ever episode with my dear friend Laura Benson, who founded and grew Filly Flair Boutique into a huge online retailer with national reach through strategic digital marketing and social media. Buying smarter means understanding your product lifecycle and getting the best quality and pricing for what you’re bringing in. Going to LA on a regular basis isn’t ideal, because well… life. That’s where a buyer like Jacqueline comes in. Jacqueline has been on both sides of the aisle as a boutique owner and buyer. In this episode, we talk misconceptions buying in LA, how to build partnerships with vendors and make the most of your buying dollars. For show notes & resources visit the episode webpage below or click here. Original release date: September 25, 2018.    Resources:  The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Ins

We can all feel like a hamster on a wheel at times, and as we enter the fourth quarter, it’s not only important to be ready for the busy holiday season but also take time to plan ahead for 2024 so that you can start the new year off strong — assessing business practices, refining operations and implementing new strategies to help scale and grow your business. I am constantly driving home strategies like the four-part to-do list and time blocking that help me and my team stay organized (and sane!), but one of the best tools we have to offer is the Boutique Boss Planner, which we at The Hub created specifically to set you as a boutique owner up for success. Every year, we look back at our planner from the year before and ask ourselves, how can we make it better? We also ask for feedback and input from Hub members and get the boutique owners on our team involved in the design process. It truly is the only planner built for boutique owners by boutique owners. And the 2024 Boutique Boss Planner is better than ever

Every Friday I’m re-releasing one of my favorite episodes from seasons past to revisit my conversations with early guests and the business advice and practices they share! Up this week is my second ever episode with my dear friend Laura Benson, who founded and grew Filly Flair Boutique into a huge online retailer with national reach through strategic digital marketing and social media. How do you know when to turn up your Facebook Ads? What does it mean for an e-commerce store to build an authentic connection? How can a business owner also find balance to be a wife and mother? Laura Benson, Founder and CEO of Filly Flair Boutique has grown her business from a rural South Dakota community to a multiple 7 figure business, and it’s no secret why. Join us as we meet a woman leaving her mark on the industry. For show notes & resources visit the episode webpage below or click here. Resources:  Filly Flair: Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Every great story has the opportunity to not only help you build relationships and authenticity but also to sell your products. Which is why I am so excited to welcome Storytelling for Entrepreneurs founder Lyn Graft to the show to talk about how you can use story to help grow your business.  A serial entrepreneur and video producer, Lyn has worked with hundreds big brands, events and some of the most successful companies on the planet — including Starbucks, SXSW, Dell, Samsung, Whole Foods, Zappos, Crossfit and many, many more. He shares his experiences working with high-profile entrepreneurs, the lessons he’s learned as a producer, and his inside secrets to storytelling and mastering the art of video.    Resources: Storytelling for Entrepreneurs: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | YouTube “Start With Story: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Using Story to Grow Your Business” by Lyn Graft The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: 

Every Friday I’m re-releasing one of my favorite episodes from seasons past to revisit my conversations with early guests and the business advice and practices they share! Up this week is a Season 1 Solo intended to help you prep for the holidays and boost fourth quarter sales. Do you know where Black Friday got its name? Well traditionally, retailers were in the red financially all year, but when the holiday shopping season hit they moved into the black. Hopefully, that’s not the case for you but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take advantage of this powerful season. This week we are diving into 5 critical tips to help you maximize the busiest season in retail and push you into a powerful next season. Want more tips, strategies, and sales boosters? Click here to watch our 6 Secrets to Double Your Holiday Sales video and to enroll in The Boutique Hub’s Holiday Marketing Masterclass. For show notes click here. Original release date: Nov. 16, 2018 Resources: The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagr

It’s not often that I have local guests on the podcast, but today I’m so excited to welcome my friend Anna Ledebuhr, the owner and founder of one of my personal favorite boutiques, Coulee Boutique in Galesville, Wisconsin. Five years ago, Anna took a big leap, leaving teaching for entrepreneurship, and since she’s built her business from a Shopify site and pop-ups to a 3,500-square-foot brick-and-mortar. Anna has done an amazing job not only with her merchandising and marketing but also with building community and teaming up with other local small business owners. We talk about her involvement with the Downtown Galesville Business Alliance and putting yourself in big rooms even when its uncomfortable, fostering activity through collaboration, and some of her favorite annual events, including Pink Friday! Resources: Coulee Boutique: Website | Facebook | Instagram  The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram Boutique Summit 2024 2024 Bo

Now every Friday, I’m re-releasing one of my favorite episodes from seasons past to revisit my conversations with early guests and the business advice and practices they share! Up this week is Pinterest marketing expert Kate Ahl of Simple Pin Media.  Pinterest isn’t for short-term strategy, it’s for dreamers. Dreaming what outfit they’ll wear to the rehearsal dinner at their wedding, what house they’ll live in when they have four perfect kids someday, and what cookie recipe they’ll bake for Santa. They are dreaming about what’s to come next in their life. Pinterest is a long-term strategy that builds your brand and continually puts you in front of potential customers. This amazing conversation will blow you away. Kate Ahl is one of the leading Pinterest experts in the world, get ready. For show notes & resources visit the episode webpage below or click here.  Resources: Simple Pin Media: Website | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagra

I am so excited to be joined this week by my friend Amy DeFauw, who is a multi-state multi-storeowner and has a wealth of experience as the CEO of Katsch Boutique.  Today we’re talking all about retail art vs retail science — retail art being the love of the product, customers and marketing as opposed to retail science, i.e. the numbers, inventory management, financing and metrics. And we dive into what it takes to make the retail science side of your business come to life, allowing those numbers and spreadsheets to really speak to you. Amy shares her approach to growing and managing multiple locations and a successful team, the lessons she learned along the way and how she cut out the overwhelm by systemizing her business!   Resources:  Katsch Boutique: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest  The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram Hubventory.com Boutique Summit 2024 2024 Boutique Boss Planner The Boutique Hub Membership B

Now every Friday, I’m re-releasing one of my favorite episodes from seasons past to revisit the stories of our early guests and the business advice and practices they share! This week I chose a Season 1 episode that answers one of the questions I most often get asked: What tips would you offer a brand-new boutique owner? Let’s cut through the noise of those Google and YouTube searches and get down to 5 tips that will actually help you start your business off right. While the boutique industry is glamorous, we want you to be prepared for the not so glamorous  times too, so prepare yourself for some real talk. From buy-in groups, to hustle and being original, these top tips can’t be missed in your business!    For show notes & resources click here. First Released June 26, 2018  Resources: The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram Hubventory.com Boutique Summit 2024 2024 Boutique Boss Planner The Boutique Hub Membership B

This week marks another big celebration for us at The Hub — the first anniversary of Hubventory!  For those of you who aren't familiar with it already, Hubventory is our very own wholesale marketplace, built by The Boutique Hub for the boutique industry. In developing HV, our team spent months and months getting feedback from both boutique owners and wholesalers to create a true grass-roots platform to best serve you and your business. I am so proud of how far Hubventory has come in just one year and so grateful to all of you who have supported us and helped us shape and improve it along the way.  So today I'm talking all things Hubventory — what sets it apart from other online wholesale marketplaces, how its tailored for small businesses, the highlights and new features, and what we have in the works for year two!  Resources: The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram Hubventory.com Boutique Summit 2024 2024 Boutique Boss Planne

This is a super personal episode for me. This week as we wrap up our 10th Anniversary Series, I wanted to chat about not only the origins and evolution of The Hub but also my journey as an entrepreneur, and I’m sharing a story that I haven’t shared until recently or with many people.  I learned some huge lessons early on about imposter syndrome and finding strength in adversity. I put my trust in the wrong business partner and almost lost my company, along with my confidence in myself and my vision. As hard as it is to look back on, I want to share my experience with you guys because I think we all know what it's like to stumble, like we don’t know the next step or even if there’s a way forward. And that’s exactly why I built The Boutique Hub, to provide a place where boutique owners can come together, support one another and learn from each other.  As I look back on the last 10 years and everything The Hub has become and accomplished, my mission remains the same: to serve others, build community and change t

Ang Castelli is another boutique owner celebrating a 10th anniversary this year. She’s also a longtime Hub member and her boutique is unlike any other at The Hub — it caters exclusively to boys and boy moms! When pregnant with her first son back in 2010 and trying to prep his closet, Ang thought, “Why are there no clothes for little boys and why are the children’s clothing stores so dominated by girl's apparel?” Three years and two sons later, she’d become an expert on boy brands and shopping online, so in 2013, she’d founded Roman & Leo, an all-boys clothing store named after her sons. Ang says boys apparel can be a tough market, but it’s her passion as a boy mom (she now has three!) and she’s learned to lean into her niche, rely on her community, make the most of media and utilize data to continually adapt her strategies and scale the business. We chat about the lessons she’s learned throughout the last decade, marketing and events, social media, inventory management and collection planning, as well as

You’re most likely familiar with CommentSold, but you may not know what the platform’s been up to lately with new CEO + tech executive and investor Gautam Goswami at the wheel. And it’s A LOT. Gautam (GG) talks about the transformational changes he’s implemented since joining the executive team, as well as what’s coming up next at CommentSold — including a new multi-source that provides a deeper level of creativity and interaction, advanced e-commerce websites with automated video content, a massive drop ship catalog with significant margins, and a user-friendly interface and tools.  If you love live selling and want to take it to the next level, or if you're a new boutique owner interested in getting started, this is one you won’t want to miss!    Resources:  CommentSold: Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Pinterest The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram Boutique Summit 2024 Hubventory.com The Boutique Hub Member

I’m joined for another edition of our special 10 Year Anniversary Series by Megan Randig, the co-owner of Mezoozah Boutique and an early adopter of The Boutique Hub! Since buying the business with her mom 10 years ago, Megan has expanded Mezoozah from a home and gift brand to a comprehensive boutique — selling everything from décor and gifts to apparel and accessories to kids, both in-store and online.  She joins the show to talk about analyzing your business and making the big changes necessary to take it to the next level, as well as share her thoughts on buying strategy, collections, digital marketing and creating life balance (which boils down to have processes in place and a team that you trust).  TAKE NOTE: It’s Holiday Week on Hubventory! Be sure to check out the special deals and discounts on holiday inventory, available this week only on Hubventory.com.    Resources:  Mezoozah: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Tik

This week I want to talk not only about fourth quarter goals and planning but also our fourth annual Pink Friday! Pink Friday is a day in November to celebrate small businesses — what it means to be a small business owner, shopping small first, and community over competition. Since founding Pink Friday, we’ve seen small businesses around the world recognize this special day. Last year 38 boutiques in New Orleans alone teamed up to participate. So, today I am sharing everything you need to know about Pink Friday, how to get involved and where to find more information. I want to encourage you to participate and share your story, as well as team up with other small business owners in your community and make the most of Pink Friday. Check the link in our show notes for everything you need to know and be sure to join the email list for tools including a full media kit with press release templates, marketing materials, tip sheets and event planning checklists. I’m also including a link for our Holiday Marketing Mas

Are you curious about what it takes to build a "mega boutique"? In today's episode, I’m excited to bring you a conversation with Leslie Hall, the founder of The ZigZag Stripe. Leslie's brand is a shining example of the term "mega boutique," a concept that's been buzzing in our industry for some time, and this is one business story that I have loved to watch over the years. Listen as we dive deep into the intricacies of Leslie's business model, discuss the powerful brand recognition she's fostered, and explore how she's skillfully utilized a recognizable model to become the face of The ZigZag Stripe. We also take a look at the tight-knit community that Leslie has built around her brand, the efficiencies she lived and died by, and how she managed inventory during a big move. Learn More About the Boutique Hub Here: https://theboutiquehub.com/join/boutique/   Resources: Leslie Hall: Website | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | TikTok The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

Are you ready to learn from a boutique owner who has navigated the evolution of her business with grace and tenacity? Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to Lindsay Heyneman, the founder and owner of Lettie Boutique. As part of our 10-year anniversary series, Lindsay brings her wealth of experience and genuine positivity to the podcast, offering amazing insights for both new and seasoned boutique owners. Listen in as Lindsay shares her journey of building a thriving online community, including orchestrating a memorable Disneyland meetup for her customers. She also opens up about the challenges of managing a successful online business and warehouse while relocating across the country for her husband's education, and her experience establishing her first brick-and-mortar store. Lindsay's resilience, adaptability, and warmth shine through in this episode, and I'm excited for you to meet her! Learn More About the Boutique Hub Here: https://theboutiquehub.com/join/boutique/ Resources: Lindsay Heyneman: Website |