Creative Shop Talk with Wendy Batten

Emily of Milkmaid Creations and Antiques is a farmer's wife and mom to three little girls.

She started her retail business after leaving her corporate job to be home more with her growing family. She's owned her business for over three years, where she sells antiques, home decor, custom painted furniture, and working to reintroduce DIY classes.

In the past year, Emily has hired an employee and a babysitter to help focus and hone in on growing her business.

When the pandemic hit, she took the time to get a website up and running, and made a major pivot to hosting online sales.

Listen to the ways that Emily has taken control of her business by digging deep into her numbers, surpassed last year's sales, and was able to reach a big goal that has majorly paid off in her business!

I hope you're feeling inspired. Come meet other amazing, creative retailers like Emily in the Rockstar Creatives FB community!

Topics Discussed:

• How Emily got started in her retail business
• The tactics that Emily has used to understand how to best take charge of the CEO of her business
• How starting small and slowly growing helped Emily stay focused on the right-sized stage of her business

Follow Emily Kerley

Milkmaid Creations and Antiques - https://milkmaid.commentsold.com/

FB - @milkmaidcreationsantiques

IG - @milkmaidca

Let's Continue the Conversation

Join our Rockstar Creative Shop Owners Facebook Community

Share Your Thoughts

Are you liking the podcast and finding value from the content? I'd love it if you would share your review and give me feedback!

Let's Connect:

• IG @frontporchmercantile
• FB @wendybattenpaintpreneur

Have you thought about what business success means to you?

You started your business because you had passion and a unique set of skills to share with the world. But maybe those skills didn't include a business background or an understanding of how to take your creative shop from newly opened doors to profitable.

You might even be unsure of what you consider successful for yourself or business.

Success can look really different from business to business, what is important is understanding how you define it so that you can take steps to achieve it.

In this episode, I share five foundational ways I see the creative retailers I work with building their own unique vision of success each day, including:

1. Identify your "big picture" strategy for your business and your life
2. How to develop a marketing mindset
3. Learning how to be adaptable
4. Consistently learning new things and applying those skills
5. The importance of finding support from like-minded individuals

This is just an overview, and I invite you to listen to the full episode for more insights into how I help members of my Inner Circle define their success and thrive.

The Inner Circle small group coaching program is currently open for passionate retailers ready to move the needle in their own business through action and support. Click here to get the full details.

Topics Discussed:

• Five foundations ways to build the business right for you
• Ways to define what success looks like for you and your creative business
• Why you should stop comparing your business and success against others

Check out the Inner Circle

The Inner Circle is now accepting new members for a limited time through Oct. 28, 2020. Get the details on this creative, supportive community.

Let's Continue the Conversation

Join our Rockstar Creative Shop Owners Facebook Community

Let's Connect:

• IG @frontporchmercantile

FB @wendybattenpaintpreneur

"The map is not the territory." Meaning, the path is not reflected realistically on paper.

There are twists, turns, and bumps in the road to success.

As a retailer, you know starting and running a creative business is anything but running down a simple checklist one-by-one.

While there isn't necessarily a map to get from point A to point B, there is value in understanding where you're at with your business to more easily take the steps to get where you want to go.

And there is tremendous value in having a community that has already walked the path at your side. In the Inner Circle group coaching community, we spend a lot of time focused on the tactics important to each member's stage step-by-step.

So, my friend, I want you to take a breath and embrace where you are on the journey.

Embrace that things are not linear.

Let go of that anxiety and stress that has your shoulders up at your ears thinking you need to know what happens in the next six steps.

I hope this episode provides you that little "a-ha" or some sense of relief.

Come share your journey with us in the Rockstar Creatives FB community and if you're ready for more resources and support, get on the waitlist for the Inner Circle opening soon!

Topics Discussed:

• How to look at your retail business and understand where you are on your retail business journey
• The different areas to focus on depending on whether you're in the startup stage, the middle "sweet spot," or growth stage
• The benefit of having a community of like-minded business owners to help give feedback and directions

Retailer to Follow

• Susan Robertson Pottery - https://www.srobertsonpottery.com/
• FB - @susanrobertsonpottery
• IG - @susanrobertsonpottery

Get Prepped for a Profitable HolidaySign up for the 3-day Rock Your Holiday Profits Challenge happening Oct. 21 - Oct. 23 to boost profits while maximizing what you already have! Get on the Inner Circle WaitlistThe Inner Circle opens back up for a limited time on Oct. 25. Get on the waitlist now so you're the first to know when doors open! Let's Continue the ConversationJoin our Rockstar Creative Shop Owners Facebook Community Let's Connect:

• IG @frontporchmercantile
• FB @wendybattenpaintpreneur

Are you taking the time to regularly assess your retail business as the Creative CEO, my friend?

As creatives and small business owners, sometimes we get swept up in the day-to-day of shopkeeping tasks — tidying displays, opening inventory boxes, conducting workshops, or providing customer service.

While these are all incredibly important aspects of working in your business, they are not the Creative CEO efforts that work on your business to strategically help you move the needle and build momentum.

For that, I habitually conduct a CEO Date every Monday to work on my own business and stay on the path to success.

In this episode, I walk you step-by-step through each piece I include in my CEO Date and cover the must-dos I see countless retailers use to build incredible success.

We cover everything from marketing to metrics to self-care, so get out a notepad and dive into this lesson on starting this vital habit for your retail business. You can grab the checklist to guide your CEO Date here.

I've been doing these CEO Dates for years and will continue to do them weekly because I find them powerful in focusing on success.

Remember, even though you're the independent-type that started your own business, you are not meant to do this alone. If you're looking for encouragement and feedback, or want to share how your CEO Date went, stop by the Rockstar Creatives FB community and talk with us!

Topics Discussed:

• Why the CEO Date is a non-negotiable habit for moving the needle forward in your business
• How doing this consistently will keep you on track to reach your business goals
• An overview of the 5-part marketing strategy I use with creative shop owners and retailers in the Inner Circle.
• Understanding your leading and lagging metrics to evaluate the health of your business and plan for success
• Evaluating your revenue streams and goals
• The end of the week debrief that will get you focused on powerful, intentional business thinking

Get Prepped for a Profitable Holiday Sign up for the 3-day Rock Your Holiday Profits Challenge happening Oct. 23 - Oct. 25 to boost profits while maximizing what you already have! Listen to this Next Learn more about being a Creative CEO in Episode 2 You're Not Just a Shopkeeper, You're a Creative CEO Let's Continue the Conversation

Join our Rockstar Creative Shop Owners Facebook Community

Let's Connect:

• IG @frontporchmercantile
• FB @wendybattenpaintpreneur

Take a hard look at how you're spending time and energy in your creative retail business. Is there something you're doing out of habit or obligation, even though it stresses you out? Let's move past complacency, my friend, and build the right-sized, successful business of your dreams.

Sometimes having to make big changes in your business (like shutting down due to COVID) can end up having remarkable results.

That is just what Susanne Wilkins from the Crazy 8 Barn on Highway 3 in Ontario had to face back in mid-March 2020.

After investing bigtime in the Cafe arm of her brick-and-mortar business and preparing to make the best of it for the busy summer season, Susanne found herself fighting back tears while placing a food order.

Susanne firmly placed her Creative CEO hat on, fought through her fear, and made a bold decision.

Listen to the full episode to hear how stepping through the fear of cutting back a 50% revenue stream led to less stress and increased business profits.

Topics Discussed:

• The importance of understanding the profits each revenue stream is bringing in for your business
• How taking this large revenue stream out of the equation gave Susanne more time off and a great deal less stress
• Familiarity with her margins and numbers gave Susanne a paycheck for the first time in eight years
• Why understanding what is important in your retail business is imperative to a thriving business
• How Susanne is using her new found time to launch brand new product and courses that she is truly passionate about

So tell me, have you made major moves in your creative retail business recently? Come share with us over in the Rockstar Creatives FB community.

Connect with Susanne Wilkins

• FB @Crazy8Barn
• IG @crazy_8_barn
• https://crazy8barn.com/

Listen to this next

Episode 30 of Creative Shop Talk will help you make your STOP DOING list, just like Susanne did.

More free content to help you Download the Shop Owner's Game Plan. It's free and will help you plan out 7 big moves for your retail business. Let's Continue the Conversation

Join our Rockstar Creative Shop Owners Facebook Community

Let's Connect:

• IG @frontporchmercantile
• FB @wendybattenpaintpreneur

As a store owner, booth space owner or studio owner, I know you want more sales and more customers.

The answer is to be seen in your community.

I'm not talking about doing more Facebook here.

My attraction marketing tactics are all about getting the attention of your local community and getting them to take action and walk through the doors of your store.

It's a grassroots effort and it takes time, but it makes a difference because in the end small business owners support other small business owners.

After you've listened to these seven tactics please pop over to the Rockstars Creative Shop Owners Community to share which two tactics you're going to implement right away! If you need help taking action and accountability, I encourage you to get on the waitlist for my Creative Retailer's Inner Circle.

The more you can get in front of people, the more sales you'll get. Let's draw in your local foot traffic. You've got this!

Let's Continue the Conversation

Rockstar Creative Shop Owners Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rockstarcreatives/

Let's Connect:

• IG @frontporchmercantile
• FB @wendybattenpaintpreneur
• WendyBatten.com

Subscribe to Creative Shop Talk

Here's what to do next, subscribe to Creative Shop Talk and then head over to our private Facebook community to meet other creative retailers.

I could really use your help getting my new podcast going and helping retailers find the show. Would you please leave me a review? Just visit ‎Creative Shop Talk with Wendy Batten on Apple Podcasts, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review". I may pick your review to highlight on an upcoming episode. Make sure you leave your business name, Instagram handle and location so I can give your shop a shoutout.

Need more retailer specific advice & encouragement? Hop on my email list and I'll keep it coming:

• http://wendybatten.com/subscribe

XO Wendy

"Sorry I no longer do custom work."

It's totally okay to make changes in your retail business. (Especially now with coronavirus allowing us to press the easy "Change It Up" button)

The cliche advice is to "Marie Kondo" areas of your life. It's a spot-on verb. Even in your retail business you don't have to keep doing the things that don't light you up, that don't make you profits and don't give you joy.

For me custom work was the first thing I let go. Once I moved on, I was able to focus on my area of joy and genius: in-person workshops.

And guess what? My retail biz became even more profitable.

Today I'm encouraging you to make your own STOP DOING LIST.

I have tips and strategies to help you decide what goes on that list.

You're going to find it soooo freeing.

You're going to let go of the stress and resentment from the things you don't love doing.

You're also going to push the fears aside and see what happens when you do get to choose how you get to make your profits. Yes, my friend, YOU GET TO CHOOSE!

After you listen, pop over to my Rockstar Creatives FB community and add your #1 Stop Doing "THING" to the thread. I can't wait to see what you are letting go!

Let's Continue the Conversation

Rockstar Creative Shop Owners Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rockstarcreatives/

Let's Connect:

• IG @frontporchmercantile
• FB @wendybattenpaintpreneur
• WendyBatten.com

Subscribe to Creative Shop Talk

Here's what to do next, subscribe to Creative Shop Talk and then head over to our private Facebook community to meet other creative retailers.

I could really use your help getting my new podcast going and helping retailers find the show. Would you please leave me a review? Just visit ‎Creative Shop Talk with Wendy Batten on Apple Podcasts, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review". I may pick your review to highlight on an upcoming episode. Make sure you leave your business name, Instagram handle and location so I can give your shop a shoutout.

Need more retailer specific advice & encouragement? Hop on my email list and I'll keep it coming:

• http://wendybatten.com/subscribe

XO Wendy

I'm thrilled to bring the Procrastination Coach Dr Christine Li to the show today so she can help us all reduce stress going into Q4. Dr. Li is a licensed clinical psychologist who has a private practice in New York City and Westchester, New York.

Dr Li is all about supporting your best entrepreneurial self and shares today:

• The secret to reducing your stress
• Why "waffling" is a bad practice
• Stepping out of the stress and setting the atmosphere you create in your store
• Her 4 Fs to coaching yourself

We also do the first ever BOOK REVEAL on the show!

Connect with Dr Christine Li:

• IG procrastination coach
• FB procrastinationcoachdrli
• Pre-order Her Book: 5 Minute Self Discipline Exercises: https://www.procrastinationcoach.com/

Let's Continue the Conversation

Rockstar Creative Shop Owners Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rockstarcreatives/

Let's Connect:

• IG @frontporchmercantile
• FB @wendybattenpaintpreneur
• WendyBatten.com

Subscribe to Creative Shop Talk

Here's what to do next, subscribe to Creative Shop Talk and then head over to our private Facebook community to meet other creative retailers.

I could really use your help getting my new podcast going and helping retailers find the show. Would you please leave me a review? Just visit ‎Creative Shop Talk with Wendy Batten on Apple Podcasts, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review". I may pick your review to highlight on an upcoming episode. Make sure you leave your business name, Instagram handle and location so I can give your shop a shoutout.

Need more retailer specific advice & encouragement? Hop on my email list and I'll keep it coming:

• http://wendybatten.com/subscribe

XO Wendy

It's that time of year, when retailers are planning out their Q4 sales and marketing plans to capitalize on the holiday spending season. Only this year, things are a little different. No matter where your brick and mortar is located and what your in-person restrictions are, you and your customers are concerned with keeping safe and healthy during the pandemic.

In this episode we're rethinking the typical mad-rush holiday retail events. Let's plan ahead, get creative and avoid the crush of customers that we count on but still make the sales we depend on.

Grab a notebook and take plenty of notes, because I'm sharing tons of ideas to make your holiday events successful … and profitable!

Let's Continue the Conversation

Rockstar Creative Shop Owners Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rockstarcreatives/

Let's Connect:

• IG @frontporchmercantile
• FB @wendybattenpaintpreneur
• WendyBatten.com

Subscribe to Creative Shop Talk

Here's what to do next, subscribe to Creative Shop Talk and then head over to our private Facebook community to meet other creative retailers.

I could really use your help getting my new podcast going and helping retailers find the show. Would you please leave me a review? Just visit ‎Creative Shop Talk with Wendy Batten on Apple Podcasts, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review". I may pick your review to highlight on an upcoming episode. Make sure you leave your business name, Instagram handle and location so I can give your shop a shoutout.

Need more retailer specific advice & encouragement? Hop on my email list and I'll keep it coming:

• http://wendybatten.com/subscribe

XO Wendy

Sales Expert Nikki Rausch teaches authentic selling to creative retailers. With a background in neuro-linguistic programming and 25 years of experience selling, Nikki breaks down the process easy-to-implement techniques, tools, and tips for creatives who feel uneasy with the whole concept of "selling"

Nikki shares talks about the mistakes retailers make when selling plus:

• 1 crucial reason to invite the sale
• Yes or No questions to ask every customer
• How decision fatigue affects your customers
• How to close sales on a FB Live with embedded commands
• How to make it easy for customers to buy

This episode is filled with golden takeaways you can start doing right away in your store. I'd love to hear from you, with a 5-star rating and review, if you loved this podcast!

Connect with Nikki

• Instagram @your_sales_maven
• Facebook @yoursalesmaven
• Website: yoursalesmaven.com
• Nikki's Free e-book

Let's Continue the Conversation

Rockstar Creative Shop Owners Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rockstarcreatives/

Let's Connect:

• IG @frontporchmercantile
• FB @wendybattenpaintpreneur
• WendyBatten.com

Subscribe to Creative Shop Talk

Here's what to do next, subscribe to Creative Shop Talk and then head over to our private Facebook community to meet other creative retailers.

I could really use your help getting my new podcast going and helping retailers find the show. Would you please leave me a review? Just visit ‎Creative Shop Talk with Wendy Batten on Apple Podcasts, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review". I may pick your review to highlight on an upcoming episode. Make sure you leave your business name, Instagram handle and location so I can give your shop a shoutout.

Need more retailer specific advice & encouragement? Hop on my email list and I'll keep it coming:

• http://wendybatten.com/subscribe

XO Wendy