If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself?

Spoiler alert: (Even) I hate this question!

Hindsight is 20/20. It gives us a less tenderopportunity to learn from past mistakes, oversights, and failures. As someone who's fascinated but learning from her own history, I know there's more to get out of hindsight — like learning how to fail up.

We know history repeats itself.

We also know that if we want different results, we often have to DO something different than we've done in the past.

Throughout my career I've learned how to get and grow by accepting my contribution to professional failures. And I've learned to do far more than chalk it up to valuable experience.

In fact, I've learned how to leverage failures rather than redfinine them.

In this week's podcast episode, I share my perspective on making the most of bad results:

• Why we are comfortable redefining failures
• Seeing the past in a new light rather vs. using the past as a stepping stone to new results
• The importance of making intentional choices — and documenting them
• Why wrapping up the choice, action, and results process is critical
• The value of measuring both accomplishments and the gaps between goals and results
• Incorporating learning into your leadership role

To help you master the art and science of merchandising, join my free live trainings at Retail Charm School by visiting MerchantMethod.com/School. © Thinking Thumbprint LLC DBA Merchant Method. All rights reserved. For more information and terms of use visit MerchantMethod.com.

A common thread that connects business owners and CEOs across all organizations, in all industries — regardless of business size — is a desire for both confidence and clarity.

The leadership role can feel isolating. It takes a lot of work to hold down the fort, to have or find answers to your challenging business questions, and to take big leaps toward growth.

The reality is that many things out of your control. But there's a lot more you can sway… if you know how.

Whether you're operating on a mixture of guts, gumption, and grace, or running like a well-oiled machine ready to produce even more, I want you to broaden your business point-of-view so that you can step into a role you already have — Small Business CEO.

Imagine what could be possible in just one week if you learned how to improve your strategic know-how in order to lead your brand to greater profit.

In this week's podcast episode for small business owners, retail entrepreneurs, and up-and-coming industry leaders, you'll learn:

• The number one thing you can do to move out of an uncontrollable circumstance into a situation that invites the results you're working toward
• Why confidence boils down to trust
• How your level of clarity is tied to your ability to understand and communicate coherently
• The primary difference between CEO, and President or Business Owner
• The simple exercise you should do if you want to develop your Small Business CEO skill set

After you've listened, it's time to take action! Remember: Knowledge and action are most effective when applied within the context of your unique business using your unique style.

To help you find your path to business growth, take my free 60-second Retail Success Style quiz at MerchantMethod.com/Quiz. © Thinking Thumbprint LLC DBA Merchant Method. All rights reserved. For more information and terms of use visit MerchantMethod.com.

We're entering a selling season when the reasons for buying are broader than they are during other times of the year.

Between seasonal holidays like Mother's Day and Father's Day, non-holiday seasonality associated with school graduation and sports, and the general energy that comes from experiencing warm weather, customers open their wallets more freely since the holidays.

It's no wonder that pop-up events and outdoor markets are aplenty this time of year.

So how are you event planning for optimal profit?

Whether you're opening a brand new brick-and-mortar business, embarking on your 15th outdoor market season, or growing your chain of retail stores, event planning should be an important part of your operational process.

In this week's episode I share two important practices to compliment what you already know! Stack them both or try one strategy this season:

• Look at grand opening and special events from a new, long-term point-of-view
• How to start "selling" over a month and a half before your event
• How behind-the-scenes marketing builds brand awareness and trust
• Plan for a brand experience that begins before and extends after the event
• Balance promotional pricing that incentivise customers with your profit needs

After you've listened, it's time to take action! Remember: Knowledge and action are most effective when applied within the context of your unique business using your unique style.

To help you find your path to business growth, take my free 60-second Retail Success Style quiz at MerchantMethod.com/Quiz. © Thinking Thumbprint LLC DBA Merchant Method. All rights reserved. For more information and terms of use visit MerchantMethod.com.

When I started working in a retail buying office, I found it to be an exciting time in my life. I adored being part of the decision-making that shaped what customers bought. Specifically, I enjoyed learning how to understand my customers so deeply that I could shop of them — thousands and thousands of them.

What you and I have in common is that we excel at translating visual or emotional inspiration into something a customer will pay for. We also have strong presentation skills — from visual communication to store merchandising to selling. Like you, I love this large portion of the job being a merchant!

During this early part of my career, I could have left the rest of the merchant role behind. Believe me when I tell you, I tried and here's how it went!

Ultimately, I couldn't. I couldn't pick and choose what to focus on and what to ignore, and neither can you.

I quickly learned that selling inventory to a paying customer happens in an ecosystem of sorts and that this environment has an infinite amount of influences — some that we control and some do not.

Listen to this week's podcast episode to get a bird's eye view of the merchandise life cycle so that you can have more clarity and control of your time.

• The difference between operating a business on a solid foundation vs. shaky ground
• Unlocking more personal time off by mastering production management
• Learn the six phases of the merchandise life cycle
• Similarities and differences of how retailers and makers or small-batch manufacturers move through the merchandise life cycle

After you've listened, it's time to take action! Remember: Knowledge and action are most effective when applied within the context of your unique business using your unique style.

To help you find your path to business growth, take my free 60-second Retail Success Style quiz at MerchantMethod.com/Quiz. © Thinking Thumbprint LLC DBA Merchant Method. All rights reserved. For more information and terms of use visit MerchantMethod.com.

There are a handful of essential questions I always ask clients and students because they effectively reveal valuable information about a business like its size, general revenue bracket , and state of growth.

When it comes to receiving business support as an entrepreneur or small business owner, sharing as much as you can about your operations is more revealing — and actionable — than sharing how much annual revenue your brand drives.

So here's the million dollar question...

How do you handle the administrative work that goes into your retail business?

It's easy to villainize administrative tasks like replying to vendor emails, cataloging digital photos, and handling invoices as pesky to-dos.

But nothing can be further from the truth.

These administrative examples are just a few of many critical inventory-related aspects of running a profitable merchant business.

In this week's podcast episode, you'll learn the importance of:

• Reframing your point of view about business tasks
• Maintaining a sense of urgency especially if you don't do the administrative work yourself
• Understanding the importance of organization even if you're not naturally organized
• Embracing your role as a manager — of an employee, freelancers, or yourself

After you've listened, it's time to take action! Remember: Knowledge and action are most effective when applied within the context of your unique business using your unique style.

To help you find your path to business growth, take my free 60-second Retail Success Style quiz at MerchantMethod.com/Quiz. © Thinking Thumbprint LLC DBA Merchant Method. All rights reserved. For more information and terms of use visit MerchantMethod.com.

Paper planners and desk-sized calendars are popular companions to the kickoff of any new year. They represent fresh starts, new beginnings, and goal setting.

I'm curious — did you start the year with business goals, and a new planner or journal in hand? More importantly, are you still planning with the same level of commitment you had earlier in the year?

If you're answer is yes, let me be the first to congratulate you! Amazing job!

But, if your answer is kinda or no, fret not because you are not alone.

You're not the only merchant in search of a planner or online planning tool that will help you complete the work you want to complete. A tool that will help you stay focused, take action, and continue growing.

In this week's podcast episode, I review several types of planners:

• The four types of planners I review
• How each planner is unique and how I've used each for different purposes
• The similarities across each planner type
• The key difference between planners and planning
• The biggest opportunities for Retailers and Makers when it comes to planners

After you've listened, it's time to take action! Remember: Knowledge and action are most effective when applied within the context of your unique business using your unique style.

To help you find your path to business growth, take my free 60-second Retail Success Style quiz at MerchantMethod.com/Quiz. © Thinking Thumbprint LLC DBA Merchant Method. All rights reserved. For more information and terms of use visit MerchantMethod.com.

Paper planners and desk-sized calendars are popular companions to the kickoff of any new year. They represent fresh starts, new beginnings, and goal setting.

I'm curious — did you start the year with business goals, and a new planner or journal in hand? More importantly, are you still planning with the same level of commitment you had earlier in the year?

If you're answer is yes, let me be the first to congratulate you! Amazing job!

But, if your answer is kinda or no, fret not because you are not alone.

You're not the only merchant in search of a planner or online planning tool that will help you complete the work you want to complete. A tool that will help you stay focused, take action, and continue growing.

In this week's podcast episode, I review several types of planners:

• The four types of planners I review
• How each planner is unique and how I've used each for different purposes
• The similarities across each planner type
• The key difference between planners and planning
• The biggest opportunities for Retailers and Makers when it comes to planners

After you've listened, it's time to take action! Remember: Knowledge and action are most effective when applied within the context of your unique business using your unique style.

To help you find your path to business growth, take my free 60-second Retail Success Style quiz at MerchantMethod.com/Quiz. © Thinking Thumbprint LLC DBA Merchant Method. All rights reserved. For more information and terms of use visit MerchantMethod.com.

When it comes to mastering accountability, entrepreneurs often think the answer lies in time management.

It's easy to believe that if we manage our time better, we wouldn't feel behind in our work and could actually plan some personal time off.

But let's be honest — if you need help holding yourself accountable to the business deadlines you've set, time management may NOT the kind of help you really need.

In this week's podcast episode, you 'll discover the simple but overlooked secret to meeting your own deadlines:

• The relationship between time management and accountability
• Three things you need to know in order to manage your time effectively
• What it means to have clarity about on your priorities

After you've listened, it's time to take action! Remember: Knowledge and action are most effective when applied within the context of your unique business using your unique style.

To help you find your path to business growth, take my free 60-second Retail Success Style quiz at MerchantMethod.com/Quiz. © Thinking Thumbprint LLC DBA Merchant Method. All rights reserved. For more information and terms of use visit MerchantMethod.com.

If you have business successes to celebrate and still feel overwhelmed by work or have a hard time getting clear about where your business is going, you might be a Merchant Maverick.

As one of the Retail Success Styles: https://merchantmethod.com/quiz, Merchant Mavericks make up about one third of the Merchant Method community.

While what you've done in the past won't necessarily get you the business results you want in the future, you can use your success style to unlock your next chapter of business growth.

As you listen to this podcast episode, I want to pay special attention to a few key points:

• How Merchant Mavericks maneuver through business to find success
• An overview of Creative Entrepreneurs and Chief Retail Officers
• A few ways Merchant Mavericks describe themselves
• What to do if you crave a new business direction

After you've listened, it's time to take action! Remember: Knowledge and action are most effective when applied within the context of your unique business, using your unique style.

To help you find your path to business growth, take my free 60-second Retail Success Style quiz at MerchantMethod.com/Quiz. I can't wait to learn more about you!

© Thinking Thumbprint LLC DBA Merchant Method. All rights reserved. For more information and terms of use visit MerchantMethod.com.

Two heads are better than one but it takes intention and patience to work in partnership successfully.

Whether your business partnership means co-owning your brand, working with multiple vendors, or both, all of these require regular maintenance to keep them high functioning, valuable, and gratifying.

But what about when you're in a partnership that's headed in the wrong direction? What do you do about it then?

I frequently coach retailers and makers through the vendor partnership aspect of business. What most merchants don't realize is that the true value of these relationships does not center around physical inventory.

In fact, there are many components that contribute to awarding the metaphoric Partnership Gold Star — like being reliable, consistent, and a clear communicator.

Though many partners have the best intentions, you may find yourself in a business relationship that needs repair. Perhaps someone is falling short of your expectations or you're falling short of theirs.

What should your next move be? Reflect on these questions to find out before you take your next step:

1. How did this business partnership become high maintenance?
2. Is this a different partnership than you expected or is your current situation unsurprising?
3. What is this partnership worth to you in your business?
4. How have you or are you contributing to the problem?
5. If this partnership were to be fixed, improved, salvaged, or grow, what must be true?

As you sketch out where to go from here, incorporate your Retail Success Style into your action plan. You can discover your style in 60-second by that the free Retail Success Style quiz at MerchantMethod.com/Quiz. © Thinking Thumbprint LLC DBA Merchant Method. All rights reserved. For more information and terms of use visit MerchantMethod.com.