May 11, 2026

#082: The Inventory Engine Workshop - Part 1

24 minutes

Inventory is not a guessing game. It is a financial tool. It's wealth building in real time. And if you've ever felt like money moves through your store but you can't quite track where it goes, this episode is for you.

This is Part 1 of a special live workshop episode. Cathy sat down with our very own Coach Maven Dana Connell, retail professor at Columbia College Chicago and former buyer for Marshall Field's and Macy's for a live Inventory Engine Workshop. Dana has been running Open to Buy every single Monday for 43 years. She has seen every inventory mistake in the book and she knows exactly how to fix them.

Together, Cathy and Dana walk you through the foundation of Open to Buy, what it is, why it matters, and how it works as the engine that keeps your cash flowing and your store healthy. This one is practical from start to finish. No fluff. Just two people who have spent decades inside retail numbers, teaching you how to use them.

Part 2 is coming. But start here.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

What Open to Buy actually is and why Cathy calls it insurance for her cash

Why that dusty inventory on your shelves is not just a problem, it's trapped wealth

Why buying on gut feel is an expensive habit even when your instincts are good

Why your store is a brand and what your inventory has to do with that

Key Takeaways

[05:54] The Importance of Open to Buy

[09:07] Inventory Management as a Financial Tool

[12:02] Creating an Intentional Assortment

[14:58] The Role of Branding in Retail

Resources & Links

If your shelves are full but your bank account isn't, the Inventory Engine is where that changes. In 90 days, we'll run the Sale That Works to clear your dead stock and put cash back in your pocket, install the Inventory Genie to show you exactly which categories are working and which are dragging you down, fix your markup so every extra dollar drops straight to gross profit, and build your Perfect Purchasing Plan so every order has a rationale and every dollar has a purpose. We only take a handful of stores at a time. Apply for one of the remaining June spots here.

💚 Remember: Wait for Part 2! Your inventory is not just products on shelves. It is wealth in progress. The fact that you showed up today to learn this already matters. Manage your inventory like the investment it is and watch what happens to your store. You've got this. And Part 2 is coming soon.

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