Bringing Business to Retail

What does it take to build a retail business that is profitable, deeply connected to its community, and still growing years after opening?
In this episode, Salena chats with Jill Schuler, CEO of The Stitchery Studio, a fabric shop and studio that has grown from one person's dream into a thriving creative community.
Since opening in 2017, Jill has taken a considered approach to modern textiles, combining retail with education, creativity and connection. The result is a business that gives customers a reason to keep coming back, while continuing to evolve and grow.
And the numbers are worth paying attention to. Jill shares how The Stitchery Studio has grown sales by 30% and increased profit by 40%.
But this episode isn't simply about the numbers. Jill shares what sits behind that growth, including the importance of building the right team, creating experiences customers value, expanding into new areas such as leather work, and staying committed to a vision that is genuinely her own.
Jill also talks openly about why she started the business in the first place. For her, retail is about bringing together her passion for craft and community with a need she saw around her: creating connection and countering isolation and loneliness.
If you're a retailer looking to grow without losing sight of what makes your business different, this conversation is full of practical ideas to take away.
If you're building a retail business that you want to be both profitable and meaningful, this episode is worth a listen.
Register for the free Q3 Masterclass Series here.

Somewhere in your product catalogue, there's revenue you're missing, sitting in data you're not tracking.
In this episode of Bringing Business to Retail, Salena Knight sits down with Leon Bart-Williams, a former Amazon sales leader and founder of a retail technology platform, to talk about how the world's biggest retailers use product data to make decisions, and how independent retailers can use the same thinking.
Leon draws on his time at Amazon and NBCUniversal to explain why looking past top-line sales numbers reveals hidden profit, shows you why customers pick one variant over another, and changes how you buy and merchandise stock. He built Akikumo after watching brands at Amazon hit a ceiling they couldn't see past:
"At Amazon, I had the pleasure of watching brands get on the platform, grow fast, and change their lives. But I also saw brands not figure out how to scale past a certain size because they couldn't keep up with their own catalog growth. Akikumo is my attempt to fix that. I want product-based business owners to have the same intelligence that big retail teams have without needing a team of analysts to make it happen."
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why your product catalogue is hiding revenue you're not seeing
How Amazon uses product-level data to drive sales and profitability
The difference between sales data and product intelligence
Why tracking variants, attributes and customer behaviour leads to better buying decisions
How better product data improves merchandising, marketing and inventory planning
Practical ways to make more profit from the stock you already have
Resources mentioned:
Akikumo: www.akikumo.com
Shopify app: apps.shopify.com/akikumo

What if the biggest mistake you ever made in your business wasn't actually a mistake at all?
In this episode, Salena shares the story of the most ridiculous purchase she ever made for her retail store - a box of decorative sew-on barrettes that had absolutely no place in an eco baby boutique. Nearly 20 years later, she found them again while packing up her house, and they reminded her of one of the biggest lessons every retailer needs to learn before peak season.
As Q4 approaches, retailers everywhere are making critical buying decisions. Should you reduce your order to fit your cash flow? Should you borrow to buy more stock? Should you play it safe? Salena explains why most retailers are making these decisions based on instinct instead of strategy, and why that could cost far more than a few slow-moving products.
If you've ever overbought, underbought, or second-guessed your inventory decisions, this episode will help you approach peak season with a completely different perspective.
Register for the free Q3 Masterclass Series here.

Jennifer Ann Johnson knows what it's like to lose everything and start again.
After rebuilding from the ground up, she created True Fashionistas into a $50 million resale business while discovering that confidence isn't something you're born with. It's something you build.
In this conversation with Salena Knight, Jennifer shares the lessons she's learned about resilience, leadership, business growth, personal branding, and creating long-term success without losing yourself in the process.
We discuss:
Jennifer's journey from model and actress to entrepreneur
Losing everything and rebuilding from scratch
Growing True Fashionistas into a $50 million business
Why confidence is built through action
The importance of personal branding
Leadership lessons for growing retailers
Building a business that supports your life instead of consuming it
Practical advice for entrepreneurs navigating setbacks
Connect with Jennifer Ann Johnson
Website: https://www.truefashionistas.com
Personal Website: https://www.jenniferannjohnson.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truefashionistasresale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/truefashionistasresale
Resources
Grace & Grit: Becoming a Confident Entrepreneur
The Confident Entrepreneur Podcast
Ready to grow your retail business?
Register for Salena Knight's Q3 Webinar Series Masterclass here.

What would you do if your orders suddenly quadrupled in just a few weeks?
For one retailer, a simple change to her shipping strategy delivered exactly that. Orders surged, the Shopify notifications kept coming, and it looked like she'd found the perfect way to increase sales.
But was it really a win?
In this episode, Salena Knight shares the story behind a coaching call that uncovered what was really happening beneath the surface. While the increase in orders looked like a huge success, the numbers told a more nuanced story, highlighting why every retailer needs to look beyond revenue before making decisions.
You'll discover why shipping strategies can have a dramatic impact on customer behaviour, how to evaluate whether a change is genuinely improving your business, and the key metrics every retailer should monitor before celebrating an increase in sales.
In this episode, you'll learn:
The shipping change that led to a fourfold increase in orders.
Why higher sales don't always mean higher profits.
How customer buying behaviour changes when you adjust shipping thresholds.
The metrics you should review before making pricing or shipping decisions.
How to use data to make more profitable business decisions.
Whether you're considering offering free shipping, lowering your shipping costs or reviewing your pricing strategy, this episode will help you make decisions that grow both your sales and your profits.
Save your seat for the free webinar series here