The Retail Whisperer

I can’t believe we’ve already said goodbye to 2024! 

I like to do solo shows this time of year because it gives me a chance to take a look back at all that happened and also to talk about what I’m looking forward to as we move ahead. If you’ve been following along, this past year was full of challenges, from saying goodbye to our puggle to moving all the way to Oregon. Thankfully, things are slowing down, and it’s the perfect time to share last year’s crazy highs and lows and what I’m working on bringing to life in 2025!

 MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy! 

What’s Inside: 

• Reflections on 2024 and a look ahead to what’s in store for 2025

Mentioned In This Episode:
The Retail Whore Podcast

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Hailing from North Dakota, where her nearest shopping opportunity was over 300 miles away, Ashley Alderson longed for a place online to find and shop the boutiques she loved all over the country, together in one place. "There must be a place for shoppers like me who love boutiques to find them all—and a place where boutique owners themselves can connect to find resources & grow," Ashley thought.

Ashley’s background in business, marketing, and economic development fueled the desire to simply make life easier for small businesses by providing them with training, exclusive savings, events, and wholesale shopping in one simple place. And all in the name of COMMUNITY over COMPETITION since
2013. Today, The Boutique Hub & Shop The Best Boutiques are the central connection point for the retail industry, providing a daily membership packed with resources, live events, signature courses, wholesale shopping, daily networking and a consumer-facing marketplace for boutiques.

Ashley is a wife, busy momma of 3, jewelry junkie, barrel racer, cancer survivor, basketball fan, speaker of sarcasm, and heart for those with a dream. Just this year, The Boutique Hub launched Hubventory, a wholesale marketplace built by the boutique industry for the boutique industry with curated & trusted brands, creative inventory planning, smart integrations and membership perks.

Here, Ashley shares how she built her career out of humble beginnings in North Dakota and what inspired her to create The Boutique Hub. She dives into the reasons why she values community over competition and how it’s helped her grow and expand over the years. Ashley also shares all the details of her subscription model, her signature planner, the magic of her live events, and much more!

MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!

What’s Inside:

• The story behind The Boutique Hub’s creation
• Why Ashley values community over competition
• What it’s like at one of Ashley’s live events

Mentioned In This Episode:
The Boutique Hub Website
The Boutique Hub on Instagram
The Boutique Hub on Facebook
The Boutique Hub on YouTube
Hubventory Website

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Annie Glenn (AKA Urban Girl Annie) started her company, LG Retail Enterprises, back in 1994 and she’s been doing retail ever since. Although she majored in literature in college, Annie’s known she wanted to own her own business from the age of 10.

With no prior background in retail, she credits her business success to having great instincts and a lack of fear. Today, she’s a proud entrepreneur and a mom to two amazing boys, Jack and Cooper. Her hope is that her stores, including Urban Girl Accessories, bring joy and happiness to whoever walks through the doors.

Here, Annie talks about what it’s like to own and operate 10 different retail stores and the new projects she’s working on. Annie discusses how she works with different merchants and how she copes with stress through her unique way of recharging: lizarding! Annie also shares how she found a silver lining during COVID, the different concepts in her stores, how she keeps staff motivated, and her philosophy on merchandising.

This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com

What’s Inside:

• How Annie finds balance in running 10 different retail stores
• The silver lining Annie found during COVID
• Annie’s merchandising philosophy

Mentioned In This Episode:
Urban Girl Accessories on Instagram
https://urbangirlaccessories.com/

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Retail icon Iris Fuller opened her store, Fillamento, back in April 1981 and led the Fillmore District neighborhood renaissance in the San Francisco area. In its heyday, Fillamento was three floors at Fillmore and Sacramento and was filled to the brim with furniture, glassware, linens, bath items and eclectic gifts from the whimsical to the practical. After 20 glorious years of business, Fillamento closed permanently in 2001. 

Here, Iris talks about the early days of Fillamento and how taking on samples and consignment later evolved into curating her unique brand. Iris shares all the details of how she created her store layout and her strategy for changing around displays and merchandising. Iris also shares where she finds inspiration, how Fillamento grew and changed over the years, how her mentorship shaped so many others in retail, and a special guest appearance by Nathan of Nathan & Co.!

This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines. 

What’s Inside: 

• How Iris started and grew her iconic store, Fillamento
• How Iris developed her signature brand
• How Iris’ mentorship influenced so many in retail

Mentioned In This Episode:
Iris Fuller on Instagram

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Mary Liz Curtin is passionate about independent retail. Her knowledge of all aspects of the gift, craft and home industries gives her a unique point of view, encompassing the needs of retailers, vendors and sales representatives. She is also a heck of a retail shopper and loves to crawl malls, discover downtowns and walk through the Web to find ideas and inspirations for her presentations.

With over 35 years of hands-on experience in the gift and home industries, Mary Liz is an internationally acknowledged expert in independent retail and has advised numerous manufacturers on marketing, sales and management issues with her unique brand of Sales and Marketing Therapy.

Mary Liz is a humorous and engaging speaker, delighting audiences internationally at trade shows, sales meetings and conventions with her stories of how to build and market a brand, run a better business and maintain a mom-and-pop retail store without losing your sanity...or your marriage.

Here, Mary Liz shares her retail story and what led her to start Leon and Lulu, a 15,000 square foot destination lifestyle store located just outside of Detroit in a vintage roller-skating rink. She dives into everything from the store’s unique installations to how the family is involved in the business. Mary Liz also shares her merchandising process, how she tackles shows with her team, where she finds inspiration, and more. 

MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!

What’s Inside: 

• How Mary Liz started her store, Leon and Lulu
• Mary Liz’s approach to merchandising and shows
• Where Mary Liz finds inspiration

Mentioned In This Episode:
Leonandlulu.com
Leon and Lulu on Instagram

Support the show

Root Adorned is the brainchild/dream project of Erin Hasler. Erin's love for beautiful treasures began most likely at birth (maybe in the womb?) and has grown ever since. A self-described magpie, easily distracted by anything that sparkles; Erin continues to fill her own home with rugs, plants, pottery and
dogs. Her philosophy being that you can never have enough of any of the above.

Born and raised in Bend, Oregon, Erin is honored to bring her unique perspective to the community that she so dearly loves. After facing breast cancer as a young mother and wife, Erin discovered a new zest for life. She sold her hand-crafted jewelry line and sought out a new career that would enable her to
travel the world, support artisans, and connect to the community. It was from this dream that Root Adorned was born. Erin is a firm believer that life is short and you shouldn't waste a moment of our precious time on Earth.

Erin starts the conversation with the story of her background and what led her to create Root Adorned. She shares how her breast cancer diagnosis changed her life and how she got her jewelry line into stores. Erin also shares what it was like opening her retail shop, details about the products she sells in store, where she finds creators, and her plans for the holiday season.

This week’s episode is sponsored by @salesproducersinc, a progressive business to business company representing Gift, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, & Kids lines selling to retail stores with a mission to create long lasting, profitable relationships by adding significant value to our Customer, Vendor, and Team partners. For more information, check out their social media or website www.salesproducersinc.com

What’s Inside: 

• The story behind Root Adorned
• How Erin got her jewelry line into stores
• Erin’s experience of opening her retail shop

Mentioned In This Episode:
Rootadorned.com
Root Adorned on Instagram
Root Adorned on Facebook

Support the show

Based in Seattle, Andrew Fegler is the brains and beauty behind That’s So Andrew, the sassy gift brand for the girls, gays, and theys. He’s been sailing the entrepreneurial seas for over a decade and has gone from manufacturing, to having a brick & mortar, to creating an exclusive wholesale brand. Now, Andrew’s full circling BACK to open the doors of a POP-UP gift shop!

Andrew shares his recent experience during the recent show season, including his dad getting to come along for the ride. Andrew’s brand is all things snarky and unique, and he dives into some of his new product releases and ideas. He also shares his strategy for sharing his brand on social media, plans for his pop-up Christmas shop and the holiday season, and more.

This episode is sponsored by Patrick & Company, a wholesale sales agency proudly representing nationally and internationally branded companies. Located in the Dallas Market Center, for over 30 years they have been the go-to source for retailers helping to discover those unique, sought-after, and
stylish brands.


What’s Inside: 

• Andrew’s show season experiences
• How Andrew shares his brand on social media
• Andrew’s plans for his Christmas pop-up shop

Mentioned In This Episode:

That’s So Andrew Website
That’s So Andrew on Instagram

Support the show

Mary Bligh and Jessica Giancotti are lifelong friends and passionate designers with over 20 years of combined experience. They founded Lily & Marigold Home + Design on a shared belief: women can thrive in their careers, embrace motherhood, and create beautiful, functional spaces that truly feel like home. 

At Lily & Marigold, Mary and Jessica believe a beautiful home should be accessible to everyone. Their first brick-and-mortar store is located in Eastdale Village in Poughkeepsie, NY, where they offer a curated selection of home décor accessories. From candles, pillows, and throws to kitchen essentials and lighting, their unique products are designed to transform your home into a place for gathering, celebrating, resting, and recharging—all without breaking the bank.

In addition to retail offerings, Mary and Jessica provide comprehensive interior design services for both residential and commercial spaces. They see design as a collaborative journey and work closely with each client to create spaces that are both distinctive and meaningful. As people’s needs at home continue to evolve, they design with these shifts in mind, ensuring that each space is as adaptable as it is stunning.

Here, Mary and Jessica share how their friendship and career experiences ultimately led them to start Lily & Marigold. They share how the business has expanded since they started and how they incorporate storytelling into their displays. Mary and Jessica also talk about how they developed their store layout, how they manage their busy schedules and find balance, and how they’re approaching the upcoming holiday season. 

This week’s episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gifts, fashion + home lines.

What’s Inside: 

• How Mary and Jessica started Lily & Marigold
• How Lily & Marigold has evolved over the years
• Mary and Jessica’s approach to the upcoming holiday season
  
  
  

Mentioned In This Episode:
Lily and Marigold Home
Lily & Marigold Home on TikTok
Lily & Marigold Home on Instagram

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In this solo show, Michelle recaps her 40th high school reunion and what it was like to geek out over retail with her former classmates… without her old insecurities. She catches everyone up on what’s been going on since the move to Oregon and living life at a much slower pace.

Michelle chats about burnout and why it’s important to recharge to stay creative, store standards and your role as a merchandiser, and what things look like for the future at MC Design Collaboration.

This episode is sponsored by Show Me Your Store. Show Me Your Stores is a program I started about a year ago where you send me photos and videos of something in your store that's a challenge. If you comment “Show Me Your Store” on any of MC Design Collaboration videos or posts on Instagram, you will get an auto-response form that you can fill out and upload photos and videos, and let me know what your challenges are.

I'll do the video, and I am adding in a free 15-minute Zoom call with you after. You can either take my advice, do the shifts and the moves, and show me what you did for some feedback, or you can use this time to ask me additional questions or whatever you want that will hopefully help you get to your goal.

Again, comment Show Me Your Store on any of MC Design Collaboration Instagram posts, and you will get the form. Send it in, and I will see you on the video.
 

What’s Inside: 

• 
  
• Michelle’s experience at her high school reunion
• How to manage store standards and what your role should be as a merchandiser
• Future plans for MC Design Collaboration and Show Me Your Stores

Mentioned In This Episode:
The Retail Whore Podcast

Support the show

Ken Lain is known by his friends as 'The Mountain Gardener'. His weekly garden advice is featured by Prescott Living and Prescott Woman Magazines, the Daily Courier, Prescott eNews, and Signals AZ Newspapers. Ken is passionate about plants, creative landscape design, and spreading the good news that gardening is healthy and fun.

Ken dreamed of owning his own business after graduating from Prescott High School. Yavapai College peaked his business interest and finished a management degree from ASU's W.P. Carey School of Business. His garden credentials are Master Gardener, Certified Nursery Profession, and Watters

Garden Center owner, located on Iron Springs Road in Prescott. 

Ken and wife Lisa host the 'Mountain Garden radio hour' as they share garden tips, tricks, and techniques on both The Big Talker and KQNA talk radio. Throughout the week, Ken talks up plants at Watters Garden Center in Prescott, where his digital garden center is located online at Top10Plants.com.

Here, Ken talks about his transition from a career in banking to going all-in on gardening. He shares his experience as a second-generation business owner and how he’s making Watters Garden Center his own. Ken also shares how he keeps things fresh in the store, his budgeting strategy, how he creates a fun culture for his employees, and how he stayed afloat during COVID.

This episode is sponsored by Show Me Your Store. Show Me Your Stores is a program I started about a year ago where you send me photos and videos of something in your store that's a challenge. If you comment “Show Me Your Store” on any of MC Design Collaboration videos or posts on Instagram, you will get an auto-response form that you can fill out and upload photos and videos, and let me know what your challenges are.

I'll do the video, and I am adding in a free 15-minute Zoom call with you after. You can either take my advice, do the shifts and the moves, and show me what you did for some feedback, or you can use this time to ask me additional questions or whatever you want that will hopefully help you get to your goal.

Again, comment Show Me Your Store on any of MC Design Collaboration Instagram posts, and you will get the form. Send it in, and I will see you on the video.

What’s Inside: 

• Ken’s transition from a career in banking to owning a garden center
• How Ken keeps products and displays fresh 
• How Ken kept things going during COVID

Mentioned In This Episode:
Watters Garden Center
Watters Garden Center on Instagram
Watters Garden Center on Facebook
Watters Garden Center on YouTube

Support the show