Boutique Chat

Sales are down… so what should you actually do next?

If you've ever had a slow day (or week) where your stomach drops, your heart starts racing, and you're refreshing Shopify every 10 seconds… this episode is for you.

Ashley breaks down exactly how to respond when sales dip — and why panic is the fastest way to hurt your business long-term. Retail is cyclical. The difference between struggling boutiques and thriving CEOs is how they respond in the slow seasons.

You'll learn:

• The 4-step CEO reset to regain control when sales drop

• Why panic leads to bad decisions (and what to do instead)

• Simple, actionable ways to create momentum immediately

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

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

Sponsored by Color Guru This episode is sponsored by Color Guru. Boutique Chat listeners receive $350 off Color Guru Academy with code: BOUTIQUE350. Learn more at: https://www.colorguruacademy.com/

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What do you do when your boutique hits one hard month… and then another… and another?

In this episode, Ashley sits down with Jessica Brown of Pink on Pickens Boutique in Abbeville, South Carolina, for a real and honest conversation about rebranding, financial stress, faith, community, and what it looks like to keep going when business feels heavier than ever.

Jessica shares how she transitioned from teaching into retail, why she rebranded from Jessica's Closet to Pink on Pickens, and how one of the hardest seasons in business forced her to ask for help, lean into community, and get crystal clear on her purpose.

You'll learn:

• How Jessica successfully rebranded her business without losing customer trust

• What happened when one bad month turned into a much bigger financial struggle

• The importance of reserves, trusted advisors, and local banking relationships

• How faith, handwritten notes, Bible study, and community helped strengthen her business

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Jessica Brown & Pink on Pickens Boutique:

Facebook: @PinkOnPickens Instagram: @PinkOnPickens

Website: pinkonpickens.com

Mary Landgrebe:

Website: retailinventorysolutions.com

Instagram:@wellretailed

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

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

How do you build a business while raising a family without feeling like you're failing at one or the other?

For many working moms and boutique owners, the pressure to balance motherhood and entrepreneurship can feel overwhelming. The truth is, the idea of perfect "balance" doesn't really exist. Instead, it's about understanding the season you're in and making intentional choices about where your energy goes.

In this Five Minute Friday episode, Ashley shares her personal journey —and the lessons she's learned while building a business and raising three kids along the way.

You'll learn:

• Why the idea of "balance" in motherhood and business is often unrealistic

• The powerful mindset shift that helps eliminate working-mom guilt

• How to stop comparing your life to other moms or entrepreneurs online

• Why integrating your kids into your entrepreneurial journey matters

• How redefining "presence" can transform both your business and family life

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

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

Numbers do not have to be the part of business you avoid.

Ashley is joined by Christyne Gray of She Profits Now, for a practical & helpful conversation on the money side of running a Boutique - bookkeeping, cash flow, inventory planning, and tax preparation for boutique owners.

They unpack the financial basics every retailer needs to understand, from setting up the right bank accounts and using QuickBooks effectively to protecting inventory dollars, planning for taxes year-round, and avoiding common mistakes with debt and discounting. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the money side of your business, this episode will help you feel more confident, prepared, and in control.

You'll learn:

• Why boutique owners often fear numbers — how to make financials simple and empowering

• The basic bookkeeping systems every boutique should have

• How to protect your cash flow with smarter inventory and spending guardrails

• Why debt like Shopify Capital can quietly destroy a retail business

• How to prepare for taxes year-round and avoid the most common tax mistakes

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Make sure to save the date 👇

2026 Retail Summit

Christyne Gray & She Profits Now:

Website: sheprofitsnow.com Instagram: @ChristyneGray

Facebook: @ChristyneGray

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

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

In this Five Minute Friday, Ashley Alderson breaks down the FIVE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTIONS about owning a boutique—the myths that often surprise new business owners once they're actually in the trenches of running a retail business.

While starting a boutique has never been easier, building a profitable and sustainable one requires far more than great products and a beautiful Instagram feed. Ashley shares the realities behind inventory management, customer support, time commitment, profitability, and what it really takes to succeed in the retail industry.

If you're currently running a boutique or thinking about starting one, this episode will help you reset expectations and focus on the strategies that truly drive success.

Join The Boutique Hub

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Message me on Instagram

Ashley Alderson: Instagram

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

We are officially back! Season 8 kicks off with a powerful conversation about the 2026 Retail Summit and why this next season of retail will require new tools, new strategies, and a new level of connection.

Ashley Alderson and Samantha Conner pull back the curtain on what's coming August 16–17 in Dallas… and why being in the room matters more than ever. This isn't just another conference. It's two packed days of hands-on training, retail strategy, vendor connection, immersive learning, and real community — all happening at a brand-new luxury location.

And yes… there are some major reveals inside this episode.

You'll learn:

• Why retail success requires more than just listening to podcasts — it requires proximity

• The big location announcement: moving to the Hilton Anatole in Dallas

• Why this season of business requires tools we've never used before

• VIP experience details and early bird member access

• A secret new tool launching LIVE at Summit

Make sure to save the date 👇

2026 Retail Summit

Join The Boutique Hub

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

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

As we wrap up Season 7 of the Boutique Chat Podcast, I wanted to pause—right where you're listening—and take an honest look at where the retail industry stands today and where it's headed next.

Based on 1,000's of conversations with boutique owners over the past year, this episode breaks down 13 key focus areas that are truly working right now and will matter most in 2026. These aren't trends for trends' sake—these are strategic shifts, mindset changes, and operational priorities that will help you grow with clarity, confidence, and profitability.

We'll talk about how consumer behavior shifted in 2025, why trust and community matter more than ever, how to use AI without losing your voice, and what successful retailers are doing differently as we move into the next season.

• How 2025 reshaped consumer spending and buying behavior

• Why value and trust now matter more than impulse and volume

• The impact of tariffs, de minimis changes, and the shift back toward small business support

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Message me on Instagram

- Which of the 13 stood out most?

- What you loved (or didn't) in Season 7

- Who you want to hear from in Season 8

Ashley Alderson: Instagram

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

What if the fastest way to grow your boutique… isn't more products, but a better experience?

In this episode, Ashley sits down with Hannah Carlson of Mulberry Market Co. Hannah shares her story of how she went from selling jam at a veggie stand on her parents' farm to building a booming, curated retail brand—then she moved across the country and essentially started over. We get into the real play-by-play: switching systems, barcoding, syncing Shopify + Lightspeed, adding apparel, leaning into local makers, and building a workshop/event machine that brings new customers through the door (and actually converts them).

You'll learn:

• How Hannah accidentally built a business from a mulberry tree… and why it worked

• The "local makers" strategy that filled a bigger space and fueled word-of-mouth growth

• Why apparel became a growth lever—and the buying/turn differences vs. home + gift

• Margin realities: women's apparel vs. kids, plus pricing pressure in home + gift

• Workshops as a funnel: paid events that create community, drive traffic, and trigger purchases

Join The Boutique Hub

Retail Bootcamp

Hannah Carlson & Mulberry Market Co.

Website: mulberrymarketco.com Instagram: @mulberrymarketco

Facebook: @mulberrymarketco

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

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

Burnout is one of the most common struggles for boutique owners, retailers, and small business owners—and it's rarely caused by laziness or lack of passion. More often, it comes from trying to do too much, growing too fast, and drifting away from the very reason you started your business in the first place.

In this episode, Sara Burks breaks down why burnout happens, how over expansion drains your energy, and why "more" isn't always better.

You'll learn:

• The #1 reason small business owners experience burnout

• A simple exercise to identify what energizes vs. drains you

• Why burnout impacts not just your business—but your family too

• How learning to say "no" can be one of your most powerful tools

Join The Boutique Hub

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

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

In this episode, Ashley sits down with Kristi Briceno (Mom Buns and Ruffles) for a conversation that's equal parts deeply personal and highly tactical.

Kristi shares her journey from nursing to photography to direct sales, the moment her company shut down with almost no notice. But the story doesn't stop there. Kristi breaks down how she pivoted into owning her own boutique, how she finally got clear on who her customer is, and what it looks like to keep showing up when life feels heavy.

You'll learn:

• The moment she realized: "My customer is me."

• How Kristi rebuilt income quickly after her company closed without warning

• The mindset shift that helps you move when life feels heavy

• How community + accountability accelerate growth

• Simple photo/posing rules that instantly make you look better on camera (angles, triangles, weight shift, light, and merchandising the full look)

Join The Boutique Hub

Retail Bootcamp

Kristi Briceno & Mom Buns and Ruffles

Website: mombunsandruffles.com Instagram: @mombunsandruffles

Facebook: @MomBunsandRuffles

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1800-799-7233

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

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