Boutique Chat

No one knows the meaning of hard work and perseverance better than my guest today, Anais Almazan, the founder and owner of Pretty & Pink Boutique. I want to encourage you all to listen to this episode because her story is truly inspiring! I may even shed a tear or two during this one.  Anais fell in love with retail while working at the local Dollar General in Eldorado, Texas. She had little capital and no idea how to start a business, but she was determined to make her dream of owning a fashion boutique a reality and that meant she had to put in the work and figure it out. Today she has a 4,000-square-foot storefront in San Angelo, a full staff and a booming ecommerce business.  Anais talks about overcoming adversity, the mindset it takes to make a business work, building an authentic community and some of the tools and strategies she implements day-to-day. She also discusses the adversity she’s faced along the way as a Mexican-American who speaks English as a second language and how she serves the Hispa

I know this year in retail has been like the gauntlet; it has been a challenge. That’s why making most of the holiday season is more important than ever this year. So, I want to share some tips to help you not only survive and hit revenue goals in the fourth quarter but to really finish out the year strong and set yourself up for success in 2024. Let's chat about where the opportunity really is, what we should be focused on, how to dig in and how to ultimately make the most of the holiday season. I cover setting goals, managing your team, sales and promotions, markdowns, marketing strategies, collaborations and events and planning ahead for the new year! Resources: The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram 2024 Boutique Boss Planner Holiday Marketing Masterclass Boutique Summit 2024 Boutique Hub Black Hubventory.com Small Business Marketing Handbook Small Business Hiring Handbook Boutique Owner Basics  How to Start a Boutique Han

Shaley Ham joined me in Season 2 for Collaborating with an Influencer. Shaley starts by giving us background on how she grew to become an Instagram influencer. She gives us some extensive and valuable knowledge on the correct ways to work closely with an influencer and LOTS of tips and tricks to help grow your following and engagement on Instagram. You can never learn too much about the world of influencing and Instagram, so grab your notebook and let’s get started! I so hope you enjoy this bonus episode From The Vault. It's one that is definitely worth hearing again — and taking notes! For show notes and resources, see links below or click here.  First released November 2019.  Resources:  Shaley Ham, West Desperado: Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram 2024 Boutique Boss Planner Holiday Marketing Masterclass Boutique Summit 2024 Boutique Hub Black Hubventory.com

This is a big week! The 4th annual Pink Friday is this Friday, and I am so excited to celebrate with all of you. This year will be bigger and better than ever with more than 5,000 boutiques around the world will be taking part in Pink Friday. There’s nothing I love more than seeing boutiques and small business owners come together in their communities to support each other and promote shopping small first. Because Pink Friday is such a huge day for us at The Hub, we are launching our PINK FRIDAY SUPER SALE this Friday, which will run through Cyber Monday and includes discounts on all Boutique Hub products (with the exception of the new planner). This is the one and only sale we do all year, so don’t miss your chance to save on our masterclasses, handbooks and products! Resources:  Pink Friday Website and Map Pink Friday Promotional Ideas  The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram 2024 Boutique Boss Planner Holiday Marketing Ma

Whether you're an experienced boutique owner or just a beginner, this episode may have you rethink your old pricing ways. This Season 2 solo still resonates, and in it I go over some important topics such as turn rates, how to rethink markdowns, and why your pricing is unique to your business. We want you to be able to capitalize on all the hard work and effort you’ve been putting into your business, that is why the strategy behind your pricing is so important! I so hope you enjoy this bonus episode From The Vault. It's one that is definitely worth hearing again — and taking notes! For show notes and resources, see links below or click here.  First released August 2019.  Resources:  The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram 2024 Boutique Boss Planner Pink Friday Holiday Marketing Masterclass Boutique Summit 2024 Boutique Hub Black Hubventory.com    

I’ve rounded up 10 of my favorite lessons, tips and words of wisdom offered by guests this season all in one episode!  You’ll hear from Ferne Boutique’s Laura Horwath on the importance of networking; Little Details Boutique owner Jessica Throneburg on perseverance and size inclusivity; Angela Schmook, VP of Operations at Road Runners LLC, on the best ways to buy home & gift; producer and entrepreneur Lyn Graft on using story to grow your business; ZigZag Stripe’s Leslie Hall on creating genuine community online; Katsch Boutique owner Amy DeFauw on utilizing your numbers; Blooming Boutique founder Michiko Seto of on energy, leadership and team building; Anthony and Amy Ekren, co-owners of Inherit Clothing Co., on metrics and management; Jane Kasper on the guidelines and restrictions you need to know for text message marketing; and designer/boutique owner Emily McCarthy on how to break into wholesale.  Click the guests names to find their full episodes and show notes!  Resources:  The Boutique

Erica Kelley, founder of Whiskey Darling Boutique, joined me in Season 2 to talk about Marketing to Your Audience On a Personal Level. Erica’s mission is empowering women of every shape and size to be themselves and knowing they can feel confident in her boutique’s clothing. Erica covers other topics such as marketing to a large age range, photo editing, and Facebook ads.   I so hope you enjoy this bonus episode From The Vault. It's one that is definitely worth hearing again — and taking notes! For show notes and resources, see links below or click here.  First released June 2019.    Resources:  Whiskey Darling Boutique: Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram 2024 Boutique Boss Planner Pink Friday Holiday Marketing Masterclass Boutique Summit 2024 Boutique Hub Black Hubventory.com

This week I’m at my kitchen table for another edition of Ask Ashley Anything, and I’m doing my best to answer all of your questions! You guys submitted so many great questions, not only about your business growth and strategy but also work-life balance and personal development. I do my best to address them all. This episode is overflowing with what I hope will be helpful information, tips and advice from my own personal experiences. My sister even gets involved in this one! Have more questions for me? Hopefully I have answers! Reach out to The Boutique Hub team or to me personally on social media. I would love to hear from you.    Resources:  The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram Boutique Summit 2024 2024 Boutique Boss Planner Pink Friday Holiday Marketing Masterclass Boutique Hub Black Hubventory.com

Dani Flaming, owner of The Fringed Pineapple, came on the show in the height of winning Idaho's overall boutique of the year and the top 10 global boutique of the year in 2019 to tell us what it’s like to run a powerful, small-town business. Dani gives us insight on what social media outlets work best for her, how she stays real, and why finding your ideal customer is so important. In this episode, you’ll get some prime tips on the do's and don’ts of starting a business.  I so hope you enjoy this bonus episode From The Vault. It's one that is definitely worth hearing again — and taking notes! For show notes and resources, see links below or click here.  First released October 2019.    Resources:  Fringed Pineapple: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram 2024 Boutique Boss Planner Pink Friday Holiday Marketing Masterclass Boutique Summit 2024 Boutique Hub Black Hubventory.com

Today we're talking trends! I want to give you a sneak peek at the latest Boutique Hub Trend Report and talk through some of the trends we’re currently seeing for fall/winter and holiday, as well as what will carry into and what you can expect to see next in the new year.  I highlight some of the biggest trends in women’s apparel, accessories and home décor — from colors and patterns to textures and metals to cuts and styles — so that you can not only work them into your inventory but also capitalize on them in your marketing and merchandising. So be sure to take notes!  If you’re a Hub member, you can download our Trend Reports anytime from your Hub membership dashboard, which directly link to brands carrying the featured trends. If you want to see actual products associated with any given trend, we’ve built boards for you, highlighted brands and linked up products as well.    Resources:  The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram 2024 Bout

How can retailers make smarter buying and inventory management decisions to make more money? This episode is PACKED with information about the flow of inventory, data analysis, point of sale systems, merchandised plans and all the details retailers need to manage a successful cash flow and buying strategy. Meet Dan Jablons, Founder of Retail Smart Guys, analyst, consultant, speaker and Management One affiliate. I so hope you enjoy this bonus episode From The Vault. It's one that is definitely worth hearing again — and taking notes! First released February 23, 2018.  For show notes & resources see below or click here. Resources:  Retail Smart Guys: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram Boutique Summit 2024 Pink Friday Holiday Marketing Masterclass Boutique Hub Black Hubventory.com

Pink Friday is officially one month away! For those of you who don't already know, Pink Friday is an annual event held every November before Black Friday with one mission: to promote shopping small first. It’s a chance for you to get consumers in the door before all of the big guys and Black Friday deals. So, today I'm talking all things Pink Friday – why we celebrate, ideas for how to do so and the tools at your disposal.  Trust me, I know how crazy fourth quarter can get, and I want to make it as easy as possible for you to get involved — which is why The Hub has all the tools you need to make the most of Pink Friday. If you sign up online using the link in the show notes, you can be listed our #ShopSmallFirst map, be invited to our public Facebook event to get tips from and collaborate with other store owners, plus we will send you our Pink Friday media kit full of digital marketing materials and a press release template.  We want to help your business have the best fourth quarter yet and continue to

Every Friday I’m re-releasing one of my favorite episodes from seasons past to revisit my conversations with early guests and the business advice and practices they share! Up this week is my second ever episode with my dear friend Laura Benson, who founded and grew Filly Flair Boutique into a huge online retailer with national reach through strategic digital marketing and social media. Buying smarter means understanding your product lifecycle and getting the best quality and pricing for what you’re bringing in. Going to LA on a regular basis isn’t ideal, because well… life. That’s where a buyer like Jacqueline comes in. Jacqueline has been on both sides of the aisle as a boutique owner and buyer. In this episode, we talk misconceptions buying in LA, how to build partnerships with vendors and make the most of your buying dollars. For show notes & resources visit the episode webpage below or click here. Original release date: September 25, 2018.    Resources:  The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Ins

We can all feel like a hamster on a wheel at times, and as we enter the fourth quarter, it’s not only important to be ready for the busy holiday season but also take time to plan ahead for 2024 so that you can start the new year off strong — assessing business practices, refining operations and implementing new strategies to help scale and grow your business. I am constantly driving home strategies like the four-part to-do list and time blocking that help me and my team stay organized (and sane!), but one of the best tools we have to offer is the Boutique Boss Planner, which we at The Hub created specifically to set you as a boutique owner up for success. Every year, we look back at our planner from the year before and ask ourselves, how can we make it better? We also ask for feedback and input from Hub members and get the boutique owners on our team involved in the design process. It truly is the only planner built for boutique owners by boutique owners. And the 2024 Boutique Boss Planner is better than ever

Every Friday I’m re-releasing one of my favorite episodes from seasons past to revisit my conversations with early guests and the business advice and practices they share! Up this week is my second ever episode with my dear friend Laura Benson, who founded and grew Filly Flair Boutique into a huge online retailer with national reach through strategic digital marketing and social media. How do you know when to turn up your Facebook Ads? What does it mean for an e-commerce store to build an authentic connection? How can a business owner also find balance to be a wife and mother? Laura Benson, Founder and CEO of Filly Flair Boutique has grown her business from a rural South Dakota community to a multiple 7 figure business, and it’s no secret why. Join us as we meet a woman leaving her mark on the industry. For show notes & resources visit the episode webpage below or click here. Resources:  Filly Flair: Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Every great story has the opportunity to not only help you build relationships and authenticity but also to sell your products. Which is why I am so excited to welcome Storytelling for Entrepreneurs founder Lyn Graft to the show to talk about how you can use story to help grow your business.  A serial entrepreneur and video producer, Lyn has worked with hundreds big brands, events and some of the most successful companies on the planet — including Starbucks, SXSW, Dell, Samsung, Whole Foods, Zappos, Crossfit and many, many more. He shares his experiences working with high-profile entrepreneurs, the lessons he’s learned as a producer, and his inside secrets to storytelling and mastering the art of video.    Resources: Storytelling for Entrepreneurs: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | YouTube “Start With Story: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Using Story to Grow Your Business” by Lyn Graft The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: 

Every Friday I’m re-releasing one of my favorite episodes from seasons past to revisit my conversations with early guests and the business advice and practices they share! Up this week is a Season 1 Solo intended to help you prep for the holidays and boost fourth quarter sales. Do you know where Black Friday got its name? Well traditionally, retailers were in the red financially all year, but when the holiday shopping season hit they moved into the black. Hopefully, that’s not the case for you but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take advantage of this powerful season. This week we are diving into 5 critical tips to help you maximize the busiest season in retail and push you into a powerful next season. Want more tips, strategies, and sales boosters? Click here to watch our 6 Secrets to Double Your Holiday Sales video and to enroll in The Boutique Hub’s Holiday Marketing Masterclass. For show notes click here. Original release date: Nov. 16, 2018 Resources: The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagr

It’s not often that I have local guests on the podcast, but today I’m so excited to welcome my friend Anna Ledebuhr, the owner and founder of one of my personal favorite boutiques, Coulee Boutique in Galesville, Wisconsin. Five years ago, Anna took a big leap, leaving teaching for entrepreneurship, and since she’s built her business from a Shopify site and pop-ups to a 3,500-square-foot brick-and-mortar. Anna has done an amazing job not only with her merchandising and marketing but also with building community and teaming up with other local small business owners. We talk about her involvement with the Downtown Galesville Business Alliance and putting yourself in big rooms even when its uncomfortable, fostering activity through collaboration, and some of her favorite annual events, including Pink Friday! Resources: Coulee Boutique: Website | Facebook | Instagram  The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram Boutique Summit 2024 2024 Bo

Now every Friday, I’m re-releasing one of my favorite episodes from seasons past to revisit my conversations with early guests and the business advice and practices they share! Up this week is Pinterest marketing expert Kate Ahl of Simple Pin Media.  Pinterest isn’t for short-term strategy, it’s for dreamers. Dreaming what outfit they’ll wear to the rehearsal dinner at their wedding, what house they’ll live in when they have four perfect kids someday, and what cookie recipe they’ll bake for Santa. They are dreaming about what’s to come next in their life. Pinterest is a long-term strategy that builds your brand and continually puts you in front of potential customers. This amazing conversation will blow you away. Kate Ahl is one of the leading Pinterest experts in the world, get ready. For show notes & resources visit the episode webpage below or click here.  Resources: Simple Pin Media: Website | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagra

I am so excited to be joined this week by my friend Amy DeFauw, who is a multi-state multi-storeowner and has a wealth of experience as the CEO of Katsch Boutique.  Today we’re talking all about retail art vs retail science — retail art being the love of the product, customers and marketing as opposed to retail science, i.e. the numbers, inventory management, financing and metrics. And we dive into what it takes to make the retail science side of your business come to life, allowing those numbers and spreadsheets to really speak to you. Amy shares her approach to growing and managing multiple locations and a successful team, the lessons she learned along the way and how she cut out the overwhelm by systemizing her business!   Resources:  Katsch Boutique: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest  The Boutique Hub:  Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube Ashley Alderson: Instagram Hubventory.com Boutique Summit 2024 2024 Boutique Boss Planner The Boutique Hub Membership B