Why is live selling exploding — and why does every retailer need to be doing it?

In this Five Minute Friday, Sara Burks dives into one of the biggest shifts happening in retail right now — live selling. Live selling is becoming one of the most powerful ways to build trust, increase conversions, and reach more customers without adding more hours to your day.

So, whether you're nervous to be on camera, unsure where to start, or convinced no one will watch — this episode will show you why going live is no longer optional for small retailers who want to grow.

You'll learn:

• Common fears (camera, time, confidence) and how to get past them

• A simple, no-fuss Live Selling Starter Plan

• How to create themes customers actually care about

• How platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and CommentSold prioritize live content

• The long-term benefits: authority, loyalty, engagement, and repeat buyers

🛍️ If today's episode sparked something in you—your next step is membership. Join thousands of retailers who've transformed their business with The Boutique Hub. Click the link below and join today!

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Pink Friday Week is finally here — and Ashley is diving deep into how to make this the most profitable and peaceful kickoff to your holiday season.

Ashley shares the heart behind Pink Friday, why it began, and how retailers all over the world can use this week to tell their story before big-box media announces theirs. You'll learn how to prepare your store, communicate with your local community, calculate your 7X local economic impact, and create a Pink Friday experience that brings in customers and strengthens loyalty.

You'll learn:

• How Pink Friday started — and why it changed the industry

• Why community over competition matters more than ever

• The meaning and power of your economic impact number

• How to calculate your 7X local impact (simple formula inside)

• Strategies to keep profit and peace through holiday chaos

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On this Five Minute Friday, Amanda Fairley and Nikki Bogardus of PrismXI join us to unpack one of the most transformative tools in personal style: color analysis.

Nikki has spent sixteen years studying the science of color, and together, Amanda and Nikki break down how the right colors impact confidence, first impressions, shopping habits, and the way you show up in life and business. They explain why traditional four-season color analysis often falls short — and how the 12-season method creates a more accurate, inclusive, and empowering approach for every individual.

You'll learn:

• Why color creates the very first impression before anything else

• The three dimensions of color you must understand for an accurate result

• How knowing your colors saves money and simplifies your wardrobe

• The science behind why some colors flatter us and others distract

• How PrismXII's 12-season method is 3x more precise than traditional color analysis

💬 Connect with Prism Twelve

Website: prismxii.com

Instagram: @prismxii.color_style

Facebook: PrismXII

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Today Bekah Turner, owner of Pink Possum, joins Ashley to unpack her business journey— from growing up in a salvage-store family—and how that shaped a boutique brand that wins with relatable content, smart buying, and customer trust.

We dive into her weekly content rhythm, live selling, email/SMS/app strategy, vendor red flags, how she handles photo theft/dupes, and the storefront decision she regretted (then fixed).

You'll learn:

• A repeatable weekly content plan (markdowns → sneak peeks → launch → follow-up)

• How to segment email, SMS, and app notifications without spamming

• Vendor due diligence (manufacturer vs. distributor, reviews, model tells)

• How to address photo theft, educate customers, and avoid dupe/legal pitfalls

• Why "bigger isn't always better" and the storefront mistake Becca reversed fast

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Retail Bootcamp

Bekah Turner & Pink Possum Boutique

Website: Pinkpossumboutique.com Instagram: @shoppinkpossum @bekturner

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

Today Ashley dives into one of her favorite phrases — "Only a tracked number grows." If you've ever felt like you're posting on social media without seeing results, this episode breaks down exactly what numbers to track, how to measure them, and how to get your team on the same page heading into the new year.

Ashley shares how The Boutique Hub tracks every post, follower, engagement, and conversion across all channels, and how you can do the same using your Retail Planner's tracking sheets. Whether you're managing your own social media or leading a team, you'll learn how to stop guessing and start growing.

You'll learn:

• The key social media numbers that drive growth

• How to use your planner to track engagement, traffic, and sales

• Why "posting" isn't a goal — but conversions are

• How tracking leads to smarter marketing and stronger sales

🛍️ Grab your planner today!

2026 Retail Planner

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

Pop-Ups, Mobile Boutique Life & Merchandising That Sells

Today Brianna Williams, of Wildly Midwest, joins the podcast to share how she built a thriving mobile boutique business traveling to more than 45 markets a year across nine states.

Brianna opens up about pivoting from handmaking baby clothes on Etsy to running a successful women's boutique on the road, what it really takes to make markets profitable, and the merchandising secrets that make customers stop, shop, and say, "I'll take the whole outfit."

You'll learn:

• How Brianna pivoted from handmade baby clothes to a full-time women's boutique

• What 45+ markets a year really looks like — and how to plan them

• How to vet events, spot red flags, and find your perfect customer base

• Visual merchandising that sells: mannequins, layering, and storytelling through displays

• The tools, packing systems, and safety gear every mobile boutique owner needs

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Retail Bootcamp

Brianna Williams & Wildly Midwest

Website: wildlymidwest.com Instagram: @wildlymidwest Facebook: @wildlymidwest

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

Do you love the satisfaction of checking things off a list? (Same!)

Today, Ashley dives into how checklists can completely transform the way you plan and lead your boutique. From annual business audits to monthly website cleanups, she shares the key systems that keep your business running smoothly—without letting the small stuff slip.

You'll learn:

• Use annual, quarterly, and monthly checklists to stay on track

• Avoid burnout with intentional time-off planning

• Protect your digital assets and stop paying for unused subscriptions

• Create simple systems your team can actually follow

Whether you're using the Boutique Boss Planner or your own notebook, you'll walk away ready to build a business that runs like clockwork.

🛍️ Grab your planner today!

2026 Retail Planner

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

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Today Bette Bentley, founder of Skimpies, joins the podcast to talk about how she built a viral, one-product brand by solving a very real problem for women.

Bette shares about inventing a product that didn't exist, showing up online when people made fun of her, and building a community of women who feel seen, not sold to. Bette shares how she turned one core product into a movement on TikTok, why live selling changed everything, and how she protects her confidence in public as a founder, mom, and creator.

You'll learn:

• The origin of Skimpies

• Why no manufacturer wanted to touch her idea — until one woman said yes

• The 8-second TikTok about a "front wedgie" that hit 6 million views

• Live selling with 3 viewers… to making real daily revenue and community loyalty

• How she chose Marshalls/TJ Maxx as her first retail partner on purpose

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2026 Retail Planner

Bette Bentley & Skimpies

Website:skimpies.com Instagram: @skimpiesbrand TikTok: @skimpiesbrand

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

Today, Ashley Alderson dives into her favorite tool inside the 2026 Retail Planner — the Month-in-Review feature — and why it's the single most powerful habit for boutique owners who want to plan smarter and grow faster. Whether you use the Retail Planner or your own notebook, this simple system helps you turn last month's lessons into next month's wins.

You'll learn:

• How to use the Month-in-Review to plan smarter, not harder

• What numbers and notes to track every single month

• How to analyze sales, inventory, and marketing performance

• The 3 pages that help you see what's really working

• Why reflection is the key to future growth

✨Grab your planner today!

2026 Retail Planner

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

Today Ryley Wimer of Savannah 7s joins Ashley to share how she built a nationally recognized western-lifestyle brand—without a storefront. We cover her flatlay & hanging photo system, seasonal shoots, simple Pinterest strategy, smart collaborations, and the ops/delegation moves that gave her time back. Plus: branding that sticks, metrics that matter, and lessons learned while growing a business and a family.

You'll learn:

• Website-first CX and automated ordering

• A repeatable photo workflow that drives conversions

• How to repurpose shoots across every channel

• Collabs that deepen brand (not just hype)

• Ops upgrades (barcodes/bins) and time-saving delegation

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2026 Retail Planner

Ryley Wimer & Savannah 7s

Website: savannahsevens.com Instagram: @savannah7s

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube