Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Resilient Retail Game Plan - retail insights, retail trends and best practices
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail and the High Street: Is It Really Dead? What I Found | 05 nov. 2026 | 00:19:05 | |
Everyone keeps telling me the high street is dead. So I went to see for myself. Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Capify - business funding made simple. Find out more at capify.com "The high street is dead" gets said so often that most of us have stopped questioning it. If you run a shop, hearing it week after week wears you down. It makes it sound as though you're fighting the tide, however good your shop is. But retail being hard and the high street being dead are two very different statements, and I wanted to find out which one was actually true. Since January I've been working my way through an A to Z of UK high streets for my Instagram, from Inverness to Fowey, and from Holywood in County Down to Brighton's North Laine. I've walked down streets so busy it felt like a football crowd had just been let out, and I've turned up on a Sunday to find a lot of the independents shut. In this episode I share the 10 things I've taken away so far, halfway through the alphabet: what makes one high street feel vibrant and another feel flat, why some places get three hours of your time and others get 20 minutes, and why a street can look like it's thriving to a visitor while the people running its shops are telling a very different story. By the end, you'll know what the busiest high streets I visited have in common, what independent shops bring to a town that nobody else can, and how to look at your own high street (and your own shop) the way a visitor does. If you've ever wondered whether your high street has a future, or what would make people want to keep coming back to it, this one's for you. Chapters 00:00 Is the high street really dead? 03:25 Independents, curation and a town's personality 07:32 Useful, busy and worth the trip 12:25 Opening hours, hidden pressures and what comes next Resources and links Follow my A to Z of UK high streets on Instagram (and tell me where to go next): https://www.instagram.com/resilientretailclub/ Episode 322, on how independent shops decide their opening hours: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/podcast-episode-how-to-decide-shop-opening-hours/ Stock Doctor, the service I mention for bricks-and-mortar retailers: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/stock-doctor/ Some of the shops I mention: Pencil Me In, Elgin: https://pencilmein.co.uk Seasgair, Elgin: https://seasgair.store/ Leakey's Bookshop, Inverness: https://www.leakeysbookshop.com All episodes of the Resilient Retail Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly The Resilient Retail Game Plan shares retail industry trends, insights, and best practices for the retailer who's serious about building something that lasts. New episodes every Thursday morning. Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Independent Retailers: How Will 2026 Budget Affect You | 29 oct. 2026 | 00:13:06 | |
Around half of high street shops could soon pay no business rates at all. So why do so many of the retailers I speak to still feel let down by this Budget? Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. On Wednesday 28 October, John Healey delivered his first Budget as Chancellor, and for retailers there was a lot riding on it. Rises in employer National Insurance and the National Living Wage have added an estimated £6.5 billion to retail employment costs in the last couple of years. Plenty of independent shops are busy, loved by their customers and working flat out, and still struggling to keep enough cash in the business. Going in, most people I spoke to had high hopes and fairly low expectations. In this episode I go through what was actually announced and who it really helps: the business rates changes for shops in England, the new National Living Wage from April 2027, the VAT change for anyone selling through online marketplaces, and the help with household energy bills. But the headlines don't tell the whole story. A higher threshold doesn't help every shop, a "freeze" doesn't always mean your bill stays the same, and some of the support won't arrive until well after Christmas. You'll also hear how one Marlow boutique owner felt when the news landed. By the end, you'll know which changes are likely to affect your business, what you need to build into next year's forecast, and where to put your energy with the biggest sales months of the year right ahead of us. If you've been wondering whether this Budget is good news or bad news for your shop, press play. Chapters 00:00 Why so much was riding on this Budget 04:04 Better timing, and the business rates changes 06:56 Wages, marketplace VAT and help with energy bills 09:51 A shop owner's reaction, and my advice for Christmas Useful links Find your shop's rateable value (GOV.UK): https://www.gov.uk/find-business-rates Business rates relief explained (GOV.UK): https://www.gov.uk/business-rates-relief Stock Doctor, my done-for-you stock service: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/stock-doctor/ Twenty Three Living, Marlow: https://twentythreeliving.co.uk Barbakan Deli on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbakandeli/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly More episodes of The Resilient Retail Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Retail Christmas Window Displays: The 3-Colour Rule That Sells | 22 oct. 2026 | 00:15:52 | |
Your shop window is your hardest-working unpaid employee. This Christmas, is it pulling its weight? Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Capify - business funding made simple. Find out more at capify.com If you're an independent retailer, you're probably about to put up your Christmas window display, or you've already planned it. But a pretty window isn't the same as one that sells. For most independents, the quickest Christmas win isn't finding more customers. It's each customer spending a little more. So what does a window have to do to make that happen? And what's it doing for you at 10 o'clock at night, when the door is locked and it's been dark for hours? To find out, I brought back visual merchandiser Sarah Manning. Sarah has worked in visual merchandising for more than 20 years, starting at Harrods, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, and she has run her own consultancy since 2006. When we spoke she was in the middle of planning Christmas schemes for her own clients, so this is what she's actually doing this season, from a fashion client's window to a food retailer whose shelves are every colour going. By the end of this episode you'll know how to build one Christmas look that runs from your window to your shelves and your website, and why three colours is the limit. You'll know how to use your window and the area just inside your door to sell a gift rather than a product, so each customer spends more. And you'll know when to put your window in, when to refresh it, and how to keep it selling after you've locked up. Chapters 00:00 Why your Christmas window matters 02:44 One theme, three colours, window to website 06:50 Sell a gift, not a product 10:51 When to install, refresh and light it Resources and links Sarah Manning, Visual Merchandising Consultant: https://visualmerchandisingconsultant.co.uk/ Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visualmerchandisingcourses/ The UK prop suppliers Sarah uses: http://www.dzd.co.uk/ The colour trend sites Sarah mentions: WGSN https://www.wgsn.com/ · Coloro https://www.coloro.com/ · Pantone https://www.pantone.com/ Sarah's first episode, on shop windows and the power of the pyramid: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/retail-window-display-ideas-for-shops-that-turn-browsers-into-buyers/ My free Christmas guide and planner (put your end-of-November refresh in it): https://www.resilientretailclub.com/christmas Give your windows a Christmas makeover? Tag me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resilientretailclub/ All episodes of the Resilient Retail Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly The Resilient Retail Game Plan shares retail industry trends, insights, and best practices for the retailer who's serious about building something that lasts. New episodes every Thursday morning. | |||
| Retail Stores: Do Online Brands Really Need Bricks and Mortar? | 15 oct. 2026 | 00:16:56 | |
It's so easy to shop online. So why would anyone spend their precious time coming to see you in a shop? Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Capify - business funding made simple. Find out more at capify.com Last week I asked whether bricks-and-mortar shops need a website. This week I'm turning the question around: do online brands need a physical store? Your customer doesn't think in channels. She finds you on Instagram, pops in on a Saturday, orders another colour on her phone that evening and brings something back the following week. Shopify's research shows 41% of UK shoppers plan to split their shopping evenly between online and in-store, which leaves every online brand with the same awkward question. If the website always wins on convenience, what is a shop actually for? And once you've added up the rent, rates, staff, fit-out and stock, can it ever pay its way? To find out, I spoke to Dessislava Bell, who co-founded the womenswear brand Saint + Sofia with her husband Malcolm. They sold online only for almost five years and reached more than 800,000 customers around the world before opening their first shop on Monmouth Street in Covent Garden in November 2024. Dessi is the spreadsheet lover in their partnership, so I wanted to know exactly how she judges whether the shop is working. You'll also hear from Sally Hughes Daniels, CEO of the activewear brand TALA, which opened its first shop on Carnaby Street last year, and from Emilie Benoit-Vernay, Shopify's Director of Revenue for EMEA. By the end of this episode you'll know the jobs a shop can do for an online brand beyond the takings, how to choose the one you want yours to do, and how to find out whether your customers want to meet you before you sign a lease. You'll also hear the one thing that changed how Dessi sees physical retail. And if you already run a shop, stay with me, because what happens when someone walks through Saint + Sofia's door is something you could copy tomorrow. Chapters 00:00 Why would anyone visit an online brand's shop? 03:06 What a shop can do that a website can't 07:26 Service, community and the social side of shopping 10:48 Does the shop pay its way? Resources and links My Forbes article, Why Digital-First Brands Are Moving Into Physical Retail: https://www.forbes.com/sites/catherineerdly/2026/10/02/why-digital-first-brands-are-moving-into-physical-retail/ Episode 323, the other half of this conversation (do bricks-and-mortar stores need a website?): https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/do-bricks-and-mortar-stores-need-a-website/ Saint + Sofia: https://uk.saintandsofia.com/ · TALA: https://www.wearetala.com/ My book, Tame Your Tiger: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/blog/tame-your-tiger-book/ Weighing up a pop-up, a first shop or getting more from the one you've got? Find out about Stock Doctor: https://stockdoctor.net Come and say hi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resilientretailclub/ All episodes of the Resilient Retail Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly The Resilient Retail Game Plan shares retail industry trends, insights, and best practices for the retailer who's serious about building something that lasts. New episodes every Thursday morning. Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Retail (ecommerce) Websites: Do Bricks-and-Mortar Stores Really Need One? | 08 oct. 2026 | 00:20:36 | |
Everyone says your shop needs a website. So why do nearly two-thirds of independent retailers make less than 10% of their revenue online? Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Capify - business funding made simple. Find out more at capify.com This is part one of a two-part series, and it takes on one of the least questioned bits of received wisdom in retail: you need a website, full stop, end of sentence. I work with a lot of bricks-and-mortar shops, and I've seen first-hand the blood, sweat and tears that go into keeping a website going alongside a shop floor. The photography, the listings, the stock updates, the SEO, the emails, the orders and the returns, all squeezed in around constant interruptions, usually by a team of three people or fewer. In this episode I dig into the Voices of Retail 2026 research from Faire and Spring & Autumn Fair, including the number I haven't been able to stop thinking about: 64% of independent retailers make less than 10% of their revenue online, and yet more than half say growing online is one of their top priorities for the next 12 months. Elyse McAvoy from Faire also drops in with a reminder of why your shop matters more than ever: nine in ten shoppers say AI has made them more likely to want to see products in real life. I talk about why having a website and making money from a website are two completely different achievements, the ranking problem that quietly works against anyone who sells other people's brands, and why a shop can look brilliant online from the outside while the numbers underneath tell a very different story. By the end you'll know how to work out what job your website should really be doing for your shop, the three things I've seen make the biggest difference for independent retailers, and the single biggest missed opportunity I see most shops under-using, one that doesn't rely on winning strangers from the other side of the country. If you've ever felt guilty that your website isn't pulling its weight, or you're wondering whether it's worth the hours at all, this one's for you. Next week I flip the question: does an e-commerce brand need a bricks-and-mortar presence? Chapters 00:00 Do bricks-and-mortar stores really need a website? 02:09 The "shop without walls" promise vs the 64% reality 06:57 Why running a website is so hard for independent retailers 09:46 Shop and site as one business: what actually works Resources mentioned Voices of Retail 2026 report from Faire and Spring & Autumn Fair: https://www.faire.com/en-gb/blog/for-retailers/voices-of-retail-2026 Episode 304, what the Voices of Retail report really reveals, with Elyse McAvoy from Faire: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/independent-retailer-trends-2026-voices-of-retail-report/ Episode 321, UK retail sales summer 2026 and what it means for Christmas: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/uk-retail-sales-summer-2026/ Retail by Design, my six-month mentoring programme for established independent retailers: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/retail-business-mentoring/ All episodes of the Resilient Retail Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly The Resilient Retail Game Plan shares retail industry trends, insights, and best practices for the retailer who's serious about building something that lasts. New episodes every Thursday morning. Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| The Shopping Forecast Podcast - 'Special Listen In' Episode | 04 oct. 2026 | 00:06:01 | |
I just wanted to let you have a quick listen to my other podcast. Fashion brand consultant Elizabeth Stiles (host of The Fashion Brand Clinic) and I teamed up to launch "The Shopping Forecast" which is a podcast that proves shopping is about so much more than what’s in your basket. Each episode we bring the receipts on current consumer trends and the cultural shifts shaping the way we shop, unpacking the psychology behind our purchases and the brands redefining consumer culture. Whether you love spotting trends before they hit the mainstream or are simply fascinated by why people buy what they buy, The Shopping Forecast is your weekly guide to the sociology of shopping. | |||
| Retail Opening Hours: How 8 Independent Shops Decide When to Open | 01 oct. 2026 | 00:18:07 | |
What are the right opening hours for your shop, and what should you actually be using to make that decision? Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Capify - business funding made simple. Find out more at capify.com Earlier this year I visited Jedburgh and Kelso in the Scottish Borders for my A to Z of independent retail, and I made a very London-centric mistake. I went on a Sunday. The cafes were open, the chains were open, and between the two towns I found exactly one independent shop open. When I shared it on Instagram, it started one of the liveliest conversations I've had all year. Should independent shops open on Sundays? Is it worth opening if the footfall isn't there? Do customers now expect you to be open seven days a week? So rather than tell you what I think, I asked eight independent shopkeepers how they actually decide their opening hours, and their answers couldn't be more different. One owner cut her week from six days to four and saw her sales go up. Another went to seven days a week and has just moved into bigger premises. One closes on Mondays because the whole village does. Another stays open on the afternoon her neighbours shut. You'll hear all of them in their own words, from Peckham to Pembrokeshire and Bantry to Lyme Regis. By the end of the episode you'll know what to weigh up before you change your hours, why one quiet Tuesday tells you far less than you think, and the one thing all eight shopkeepers agreed on, whatever days they choose to open. If you've ever stood in an empty shop wondering whether it was worth unlocking the door today, or you're deciding what to do over Christmas, this one's for you. Chapters 00:00 Why I found just one independent shop open on a Sunday 01:51 Consistency, the rhythm of your town and trial and error 06:24 Who covers the hours, and what the numbers actually say 10:26 When the decision goes beyond the numbers Resources and links Free Christmas guide and week-by-week planner: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/christmas Episode 321, Retail Christmas Forecast: What the Summer Numbers Really Tell Us: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/uk-retail-sales-summer-2026/ Tell me your opening hours on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resilientretailclub/ All episodes of the Resilient Retail Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Retail Christmas Forecast: What the Summer Numbers Really Tell Us | 24 sept. 2026 | 00:17:35 | |
So how was the summer for retail in general, and more importantly, what does that tell us about what's ahead for Christmas? Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Capify - business funding made simple. Find out more at capify.com Depending on what you read this summer, retail either collapsed or quietly got on with it. You'll have seen headlines about the retail apocalypse sitting next to reports of rising consumer spending, and the frustrating thing is that a lot of those contradictory things can be true at the same time. So in this episode I go through what the actual numbers say. Retail sales volumes were up. Footfall was down in six of the first seven months of the year. Online hit its highest share of spending since April 2021. Clothing had its strongest month since September 2025, while furniture and computing were left on the shelf. Consumer confidence climbed to a 21-month high, and June's early promotions appear to have pulled demand forward out of July in exactly the way Black Friday pulls it forward out of December. Put together, that gives us a picture of a customer who hasn't stopped spending at all. They've become selective, occasion-led and comfortable flipping between your website and your shop door depending on the weather and their mood. Which is genuinely encouraging going into Christmas, because Christmas is planned, occasion-led spending. It just means you can't assume that customers spending in general translates into customers spending with you. I finish with the four things I'd want you to do before November: don't plan for disaster, get your entry and mid price points right, stop relying on footfall alone, and keep enough flexibility in your stock budget to react to what's actually selling. Chapters 00:00 How was the summer for retail, really? 02:51 What the ONS sales numbers actually showed 05:26 Why footfall fell but spending didn't 07:18 Online's strongest share since 2021 10:00 Small treats, rising confidence and the October budget 12:56 Four things to do before Christmas Resources and links Free Christmas guide and week-by-week planner: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/christmas Episode 316, Retail Christmas Strategy: Why August Decides December: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/christmas-planning-for-independent-retailers/ All episodes of the Resilient Retail Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly The Resilient Retail Game Plan shares retail industry trends, insights, and best practices for the retailer who's serious about building something that lasts. New episodes every Thursday morning. Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Retail Christmas Stock Planning: How Much Should You Actually Buy? | 17 sept. 2026 | 00:18:15 | |
Before you place one more Christmas order, stop and ask a different question. Not "how much money have I got left to spend?" but "is my stock actually ready for Christmas, and where are the genuine gaps?" Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Capify - business funding made simple. Find out more at capify.com I said this was going to be a four-part Get Set for Christmas series, but there's one thing I didn't dig into properly, and it's the thing that quietly decides whether your Christmas is profitable or just busy: the stock itself. The trade shows are done, the catalogues keep landing, the reps keep calling, and every new range looks like the one that's going to make the difference. The temptation to keep buying is enormous, and it's easy to justify because Christmas matters so much. In this episode I walk you through how to work out whether your stock is ready, and I mean properly ready, by category, not just a list of bestsellers. I show you the check that reveals when something is badly out of line (the one where jewellery is 40% of your sales and 10% of your stock), the question almost everyone forgets to ask about what they want left on 31 December, and the calculation the Stock Doctors run for every client that turns a vague budget into a specific gap to fill. I run the numbers on a worked example so you can see exactly how £6,000 on the shelf, £2,000 on order and a £10,000 sales expectation become a real buying budget. By the end you'll know how to tell a genuine gap from a gorgeous distraction, how to buy strategically rather than opportunistically, and how to come out of January with cash in the bank instead of a stockroom full of problems. If you've ever bought something because you loved it rather than because your business needed it, this one's for you. Chapters 00:00 Stop before you buy anything else for Christmas 01:31 Your buying budget isn't a pot of money 02:20 Look at last Christmas by category, not by bestseller 04:45 Sales mix vs stock mix: the 40% / 10% test 06:30 Set a realistic Christmas sales target 07:50 What do you want left on 31 December? 09:55 The balance-back calculation (the £5,000 example) 12:36 The 80/20 rule, and what to do if you have no data 15:04 Nine questions to ask before your next order Resources mentioned Free Get Ready for Christmas guide and planner: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/christmas Stock Doctor, my done-for-you stock management service: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/stock-doctor/ Episode 316: Christmas planning first steps: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/christmas-planning-for-independent-retailers/ Episode 317: Christmas cash flow planning: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/retail-cash-flow-planning-for-christmas/ Episode 318: Your Christmas product range: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/how-to-plan-your-christmas-product-range/ Episode 319: Christmas promotions: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/christmas-promotion-ideas-for-independent-retailers/ All episodes of the Resilient Retail Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Retail Christmas Promotions: 7 Ways to Drive Sales Without Discounting Everything | 10 sept. 2026 | 00:18:58 | |
If your Christmas promotional strategy is "20% off everything", then you probably haven't got a Christmas promotional strategy. Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Capify - business funding made simple. Find out more at capify.com This is the final episode in my four-part Get Set for Christmas series, and it tackles the bit most independent retailers leave until a panicked evening in November: the promotions. The fourth quarter has become the noisiest, most discount-driven time of the year, and when every other brand starts shouting about money off, it's very easy to react, slash prices and find yourself at the end of December with a great sales figure and no profit to show for it. In this episode I walk you through the seven types of promotion available to you, from the most premium to the most distressed, and explain why I think of them as a continuum. Some barely move sales at all but do wonders for your relationship with your customers. Some absolutely will drive sales, but every time you use them they work a little less well and your brand looks a little more worried. I also share the one question you should ask before you run any discount, the mistake I see big high street names making over and over again, and my honest view on whether you need to take part in Black Friday at all. By the end you'll be able to build a week-by-week promotional calendar for the whole of Q4 that hits your sales goals, delights your customers, looks after your VIPs and leaves your margin intact, so that when the busy months arrive you can focus on selling rather than working out what to say next. Chapters
Resources and links
The Resilient Retail Game Plan shares retail industry trends, insights, and best practices for the retailer who's serious about building something that lasts. New episodes every Thursday morning. Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Retail Christmas Range: Stop Trying to Stock Everything | 03 sept. 2026 | 00:13:16 | |
The biggest Christmas mistake I see is not ordering too little. It is trying to stock everything. Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Capify - business funding made simple. Find out more at Capify Every year I watch independent retailers try to turn themselves into a one-stop shop for December. More lines, more categories, more just-in-case. And every year the same thing happens. The money goes out across everything, the shop looks busy, and the sales still land on a small handful of products you could probably have named back in August. It is not about having everything. It is about having the right things. The reason most of us get that wrong is that we plan Christmas as though it were one single, homogeneous block of spending. It is not. Your customers are not walking in to buy "Christmas". They are on missions, and every one of those missions has its own budget, its own timing and its own deadline. The Secret Santa buyer and the Christmas Eve panic buyer are not the same person, they are not spending the same money, and they will not be in your shop in the same week. In this episode I walk through the buying missions that actually make up December, roughly what each one is worth, and when each one turns up. Once you see them written down, the gaps in your range become uncomfortably obvious. Then I get to the part that quietly decides your whole December: your hero products. The small group of lines that will carry the majority of your Christmas sales, why identifying them now changes how you market, price and reorder everything else, and why your strongest one probably does not look remotely festive. By the end you will know exactly which lists to make this week, which gaps to fill before the autumn trade shows, and where the room is to try something new without gambling your peak season on it. Press play and I will walk you through it. CHAPTERS 00:00 The one-stop shop mistake, and what to do instead 01:16 Think like a Christmas shopper: the missions people are actually on 06:11 Hero products: the 20% that will carry your Christmas 08:51 Filling the gaps, and the 20% where you get to have some fun LINKS Free Get Set for Christmas planner: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/christmas All episodes of the Resilient Retail Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Catherine on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly Parts one and two of this series: episode 316, Christmas Retail Strategy: Why August Decides December, and episode 317, Retail Cash Flow at Christmas: Four Ways to Ease the Squeeze. Episode 309 with Hannah Bartlett on Christmas trends: https://thechristmasinsider.com/ Find out more about Stock Doctor: https://stockdoctor.net Say hello on Instagram: @resilientretailclub Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Retail Christmas Cash Flow: Four Ways to Ease the Squeeze | 27 août 2026 | 00:15:08 | |
Your sales aren't bad. So why does it suddenly feel like there is no money in the bank? Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. Every September and October I have the same conversation, and it is almost always with someone who is convinced they have done something wrong. You planned Christmas properly. You placed the orders. And now, right on cue, the invoices for all of that stock are landing while the Christmas sales that are supposed to pay for them are still months away. Your VAT, your wages and your rent carry on regardless. That is the Christmas cash flow pinch, and it turns up in the same fortnight every single year. What I want you to understand is that this is not a mistake you made. It is the shape of a seasonal business. Retail runs on the gap between paying for stock and selling it, and Christmas stretches that gap wider than any other point in the year. It happens at the very top of the industry too. When I worked in big corporate retail we had a standing set of meetings for exactly this problem, with a name I have never forgotten, and the thing we were protecting was not the bank balance you would assume. At Paperchase we took half our year's revenue in the fourth quarter, sometimes more. You do not survive a shape like that on optimism. So in this episode I take you through four things you can do over the next few weeks to ease the squeeze. Which stock is quietly holding your money to ransom, and how to get it out. How to build a Christmas buying budget so that every pound you spend has a job to do instead of being a hopeful just-in-case. How to reshape your delivery dates and your payment terms so the cash leaves your account later than it otherwise would. And the one thing not to do when the balance looks tight. By the end you will know exactly what to review this week, what to ask your suppliers for, and why September feeling like this is information rather than a verdict. Press play and I'll walk you through it. CHAPTERS 00:00 The Christmas cash flow pinch (and why it isn't your fault) 05:20 Way one: free the cash trapped in old stock 07:57 Way two: buy with intention, not "just in case" 09:14 Ways three and four: flow your stock in, and don't panic LINKS Free Get Set for Christmas planner: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/christmas Free cash flow planner: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/cashflow Find out more about Stock Doctor: https://stockdoctor.net All episodes of the Resilient Retail Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Catherine on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly Faire (mentioned in this episode): https://www.faire.com Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| Retail Christmas Strategy: Why August Decides December | 20 août 2026 | 00:12:40 | |
The retailers who have a brilliant Christmas are not the ones working hardest in December. Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. It is the middle of August, and I know that for a lot of you the word "Christmas" right now produces a small internal flinch. But here is the uncomfortable thing about peak season: by the time December arrives, almost every decision that will determine how it goes has already been made. The buying, the sales plan, the staffing, the storage, the marketing calendar. Every one of those is a retail management decision, and every one of them gets made weeks or months earlier, usually in a rush and usually on instinct. The effort you pour in during December is real, but it is spent inside a retail strategy you built in August whether you meant to or not. In this episode, the first of four I am running across the next month on getting ready for Christmas, I want to talk about where you actually start. Not with this Christmas, but with last one. There is an exercise that every large retail business I have worked in runs religiously, and that almost nobody in indie retail ever does. It takes about half an hour, it uses data you already have, and it will tell you things your memory absolutely will not, because we are all very good at quietly editing out the worst bits of the last peak season. I will walk you through the questions it should answer: which products were really carrying your Christmas, what surprised you, what you were too timid on, and which bits of your small shop marketing genuinely earned their keep and brought you repeat customers. Then I want to talk about the two things that turn that review into a plan: choosing one clear goal for this Christmas instead of trying to fix everything at once, and being honest about whether your business can physically cope with the Christmas you are hoping for. That second one matters most if you are scaling a retail business, because retail business growth is wonderful right up until the week you cannot fulfil it. Demand you cannot fill is expensive and stressful, and it is far easier to see coming in August than in the last week of November. By the end of this episode you will know exactly what to sit down with, what to look for, and what to have decided before the next one, where we get into the cash flow to fund it all. Press play, then go and grab the free planner. CHAPTERS 00:00 Why a great Christmas is decided in August 01:12 The Lessons Learned exercise big retailers never skip 05:37 Choosing your one Christmas goal 07:18 Capacity planning: can your business actually cope? LINKS Get Set for Christmas planner (free): https://www.resilientretailclub.com/christmas All episodes: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Catherine on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly Mentioned in this episode: Capify Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ | |||
| Retail Profit: Sales Down 23%, Profit Up 22% | 13 août 2026 | 00:21:57 | |
One of my clients finished the month with sales down 23% on the year — and profit up 22% in that very same month. Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. There's an old business adage I wheel out more often than I probably should: turnover is vanity, profit is sanity, and cash is reality. Most of us know the phrase. Far fewer of us have ever been shown what it actually looks like inside a real independent retail business, month by month. That gap matters, because almost everything we are taught to celebrate — a big sales month, a record week, e-commerce growth — sits squarely on the vanity side of that sentence. In this episode I dig into what a healthy-looking top line can quietly hide. How much are you actually paying for those sales? What did the stock behind them cost, and what are you still sitting on unsold? I share the story of a retailer whose online sales grew enormously and who became less profitable as a result, and another whose order numbers fell while the business underneath got noticeably healthier. If you have ever had a month that looked wonderful on paper and felt awful in the bank, you already know the gap I am describing. I also get into the part almost nobody looks at until it starts to hurt: the cash locked up in your stockroom, and the one number that tells you whether your stock is working for you or quietly working against you. By the end of this episode you will know exactly which three numbers to check every single month, why the margin you set on the way in and the margin you actually achieve on the way out are two completely different things, and what it really takes to finish a year holding less stock and more money. Press play to hear how. CHAPTERS 00:10 Sales down 23%, profit up 22% — the month that shouldn't add up 02:18 What a big top line quietly hides 06:39 In margin vs out margin — where the profit actually came from 15:13 Cash is reality — the client now holding £900,000 less stock LINKS Find out more about Stock Doctor and apply: https://stockdoctor.net Connect with Catherine on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly All episodes of the Resilient Retail Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Catherine's book, Tame Your Tiger: How to Stop Your Product Business Eating You Alive Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| Retail Sales Are Vanity. Retail Profit Is Sanity | 06 août 2026 | 00:15:46 | |
A retailer I once worked with was selling children's clothes by the hundred. When we finally costed everything properly, she was making about 50 pence an item. Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. Most of us build a product business the sensible way round — get trading first, worry about the back end later. And that is the right instinct at the start. But somewhere along the way the sales data ends up living in Shopify, the stock data lives somewhere else entirely, the costs live in your accountant's software, and when you finally put the three side by side, none of them agree. This week I'm joined by Stacey Dorrian, who I've known since we were the two senior merchandisers at Coast, and who has spent 25 years since then working in retail data. We talk about what actually happens inside a growing product business that has never built any structure underneath its numbers. We get into the questions most retailers never stop to ask. Are you recording your cost of goods anywhere at all? Is your best seller genuinely your best seller, or just your busiest product with the margin quietly stripped out of it? Are you staffing, stocking and reordering a corner of your business that isn't earning its place on the floor? And if you're carrying eight, ten, thirteen thousand lines, how would you ever know? Stacey explains why a sales report only ever answers one of the four questions your data is capable of answering — and why the other three are where the money actually is. I also share the moment that retailer realised she had never had a sales problem at all, and Stacey walks through exactly where she would start if your numbers are currently a mess and the whole thing feels too big to open. By the end you'll understand why gut decisions get more expensive the bigger your order quantities get, what "sales is vanity, profit is sanity" really costs you in practice rather than as a slogan, and the three things to fix, in the order to fix them. Press play to find out where to begin. CHAPTERS 00:00 The signals your shop is missing 04:40 The four questions your numbers can answer 06:15 Sales is vanity — the costs nobody records 12:02 Where to start if your numbers are a mess LINKS Apply for Stock Doctor: stockdoctor.net All episodes: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Catherine on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly LSE Data Analytics Career Accelerator (mentioned in the episode): lse.ac.uk Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Ghost stores, fake shops and what they mean for real independent retailers | 30 juil. 2026 | 00:16:29 | |
"It's with a heavy heart that we share this message with you." A little boutique closing its doors after years of love and care, one final sale, the owners off to enjoy being grandparents. Except the shop never existed." Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. I started this episode pulling on one thread — a closing down sale that didn't add up — and ended up somewhere I wasn't expecting. The photo of the owners had the smooth, too-perfect look of an AI image. The listing named a local town, but the shipping notes said the orders ship from a warehouse thousands of miles away. And it turned out I hadn't found one fake shop. I'd found an entire business model: set up, run a huge "closing down" sale, collect the money, wait for the bad reviews to pile up, disappear, start again. Chris Emmins of consumer protection organisation KwikChex tells me there are thousands and thousands of them, and that even the people whose job it is to count them can't keep up. Here's the part that should worry every independent retailer. The standard advice given to shoppers is to be wary of a company they've never heard of — which is a fairly accurate description of almost every small business in the country. Research from Bazaarvoice, which I dig into with their CMO Doug Straton, found that 97% of shoppers no longer buy from a single source. They're cross-checking your website against Instagram, Reddit, TikTok, your reviews and a quick Google before they'll spend anything with you. That isn't paranoia, it's adaptation. So when someone sees your ad, they go looking. The only question that matters is what they find when they get there. In this episode I look at what a genuinely sceptical customer is hunting for, what a fast-growing brand like Passenger does that most independents don't, and the shift that caught me off guard: the trust signals you build aren't only being read by people any more. AI models and shopping agents are reading them too, and deciding whether to put you in front of a customer at all. By the end you'll know what to check on your own website this week, which signals carry the most weight, and why the one thing that makes you almost impossible to fake is something you already have — you're just not showing it. Press play and I'll walk you through it. Chapters
Links and resources
Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| The Retail Stock Mistake Even Veteran Retailers Make | 23 juil. 2026 | 00:15:59 | |
I’ve had retailers with 18 years in business tell me the same thing after just a few months working with us — and it isn’t what you’d expect. Hi, I’m retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. Most of us are convinced we’re on top of our numbers. Shopify pings with every sale, we know our best sellers by heart, and we watch the sales roll in. But in this episode I dig into the uncomfortable gap between looking at your numbers and actually understanding what they’re telling you to do next — the difference that quietly decides whether your stock is working for you or slowly working against you. I walk through the questions most retailers never stop to ask. Is your best seller selling fast enough, or should you be buying twice as many? Are you carrying twice the stock you actually need? Is one category — or even one supplier — secretly funding your whole business, or quietly trapping your cash? If you’ve ever felt like you’re “all over your numbers” but still can’t confidently answer what to buy, what to clear, or what to plan for next, this one is for you. I also share the shift that’s helping retailers get more sales from less stock, free up cash they didn’t know was trapped, and walk into their busiest months without panic-buying — plus how to tell whether you need a Stock Doctor, an accountant, or both. By the end, you’ll know exactly why collecting data isn’t the same as making decisions, and what to do about it. Press play to hear how. In this episode00:00: The confession every experienced retailer makes 02:36: Rear-view mirror vs sat nav: how to actually read your numbers 04:53: What we look for when we analyse your stock 07:52: Stock Doctor vs your accountant — and who this is really for Useful links
Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| The 4-Step Sales Strategy Every Independent Retailer Needs | 16 juil. 2026 | 00:17:42 | |
Sales are quiet, and you've already decided it's your fault. It isn't. Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. Every retailer I have ever worked with has quiet weeks — including the multi-billion businesses. The only real difference is that they have enough stores and enough channels for the inconsistency to smooth itself out. When it's just you, one shop, one website, a couple of marketplaces, there is nothing to smooth it out. So a slow Tuesday doesn't feel like a slow Tuesday. It feels like evidence. Evidence that people have stopped buying, that your marketing has stopped working, that you have somehow lost your touch. This is the single biggest confidence killer in independent retail, and it has almost nothing to do with your products. It's what happens when you run a business without a plan: a good week means you've cracked it, a bad week means it's all falling apart, and you spend the year strapped into an emotional rollercoaster you never bought a ticket for. Most retailers respond by either setting wildly optimistic goals with no route to hitting them, or quietly setting no goals at all because a missed target feels worse than no target. Neither works. And neither tells you what to actually do on the Monday after a bad week. In this episode I walk you through the four-step sales strategy I've used with hundreds of retailers to get out of that cycle for good. It won't make your quiet periods vanish — nothing will, and anyone selling you that is lying. What it will do is tell you which quiet periods were always going to be quiet, which ones actually need your attention, and precisely what to do about them. By the end you'll know how to set a number that feels exciting rather than terrifying, how to see the rhythm your business has been running to all along, and how to build the one document that means you never again stare at a bad week and think "maybe I'm just terrible at this." It takes about ninety minutes to build. Press play and I'll show you where to start. In this episode(00:00) Why your sales feel random — and why it isn't you Why every retailer, from a one-woman shop to a billion-pound chain, has quiet days and busy days — and why only one of them feels it. The confidence cost of an unplanned year, and what a sales strategy honestly can and cannot fix. (01:57) Step 1 — Set a sales goal you'll actually aim at The archery question that exposes how most retailers approach sales, why a target isn't there to make you feel bad, and the last-12-months-plus-run-rate calculation that gets you a realistic number in minutes rather than weeks. (05:05) Steps 2 & 3 — Monthly targets by channel, and your trading calendar Breaking a yearly number down by month and by channel, the hidden benefit that reveals the rhythm of your business (and why February is not a personal failing), then building the trading calendar that bridges your sales plan and your marketing — including what to do when a month has no reason for anyone to buy. (11:50) Step 4 — Track what matters, and why future you will thank you Why the answer isn't another analytics tool, the four things worth tracking weekly, the four worth tracking monthly, and the one-line note that will save you an hour of confusion this time next year. Free download for this episodeGrab my free guide to creating a sales strategy for your business: resilientretailclub.com/strategy Useful links
New episodes every Thursday. If this one was useful, following the show is the single most helpful thing you can do — it's how other independent retailers find it. Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| Drowning in Data? The Only 3 Retail Numbers That Matter | 09 juil. 2026 | 00:20:44 | |
Have you ever opened your Shopify dashboard looking for one answer and somehow ended up with ten new questions? Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. Most retailers I work with don't have a lack-of-data problem — they have the opposite. They're drowning in dashboards, apps, reports, spreadsheets and AI notifications, yet they still can't confidently answer the three questions that actually matter: Am I making money? Am I on track? Is my stock healthy? More information hasn't made the decision easier. If anything, it's made it harder. In this episode I talk about cutting through the noise. I share why “tech creep” quietly drains your bank account and your attention, how new AI tools like Shopify Sidekick are changing the reporting game, and why the answer to feeling overwhelmed is almost never another subscription. Then I get into the small handful of numbers that genuinely tell you whether your business is healthy — and why clarity beats complexity every single time. If you've been feeling unsure about how things are really going in your shop, this one will help you stop guessing. By the end you'll know exactly which three numbers to check each month, what “good” looks like for each, and how to build one simple place to track them so you can see the health of your business in seconds — without drowning in data. The specific numbers, the benchmarks and the exact formula I use are all inside the episode. In this episode(00:00) Drowning in data, starving for clarity — why more tools won't fix it, and how to cut tech creep (06:45) Number 1 — Am I making money on every sale? Understanding your sales margin (11:02) Number 2 — Am I selling enough to cover my costs? The power of breakeven analysis (14:40) Number 3 — Is my stock turning fast enough? Weeks cover and why stock is cash Links & resources
Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Independent Retailer Trends 2026: Plan Christmas Now | 02 juil. 2026 | 00:22:58 | |
The shoppers who start researching Christmas earliest are also the ones who spend the most — and most retailers are invisible during exactly that window. Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. If you think July is far too early to be thinking about Christmas, this episode will change your mind. I sat down with Hannah Bartlett — founder of Jolly Festive and The Christmas Insider — to unpack why the shoppers who start researching Christmas earliest are also the ones who go on to spend the most, and why that completely changes how you should be building towards your peak season. Here's the trap most independent retailers fall into: they treat the research window and the purchase window as the same job. Right now, around 60% of shoppers are quietly building their Christmas shortlists — and holding off on actually buying until November. If you only show up when people are ready to pay, you've already missed the moment that decides where their money goes. That window is your opportunity, not your problem — but only if you know how to be in it. Hannah has distilled her forecasting into six emotional needs and four distinct aesthetic directions for Christmas 2026. In this episode she shares the framework for choosing the one that's right for YOUR business — not just whatever the big retailers are doing. Press play and you'll walk away knowing how to show up in your customers' research phase, how to plan your stock and marketing around emotional connection rather than discounting, and how to set yourself up for your most profitable fourth quarter yet. Chapters00:00 — Why the earliest Christmas shoppers spend the most 03:33 — The six emotional needs shaping Christmas 2026 08:02 — The four aesthetic directions to plan around 13:44 — How to choose your direction and bring it to life Links & resources
Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Retail Planning 2026: Why a Mid-Year Check-In Beats Starting Over in January | 25 juin 2026 | 00:24:41 | |
We're coming up fast on the halfway point of the year — and if that fills you with dread, don't panic. Here's the good news: a midyear review beats a New Year's resolution every time, because right now you're not working from a theory about how the year might go. You have six months of real data. This episode is how you use it. Oh, and the episode comes with a free download - https://www.resilientretailclub.com/recap (Our sponsor Faire are offering 50% off and free shipping on first orders until July 31st. Simply add the code "Resilient50" at checkout) Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. And in this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I'm walking you through the exact process I've used with members, course students, and clients over and over again: look back honestly at the first half of the year, then use what you find to spring-board into a stronger second half. The key word is honestly — without blame, without self-recrimination, and without brushing past everything you've actually achieved. We start with the numbers: your total sales versus plan, your best sellers by value, units and profit, and a "dead weight audit" of what hasn't moved. But the real value isn't the figures themselves — it's asking why they happened, because knowing why you succeeded is as useful as the number itself. From there we look at conversion rate, average order value, your sales channels, a social-media audit, and a relationship audit of the suppliers, stockists, and couriers you depend on. Then we get subjective — and I make no apology for it. We celebrate your wins out loud, run a start / stop / continue on the first half, and use a 20-minute SWOT analysis as an emotional clearing exercise to get the 3am worries out of your head and onto paper. Finally, we refocus. If midyear admin usually fills you with dread, this is the episode that turns it into momentum. There's a free downloadable workbook to do it alongside me. Chapter Timestamps
Useful Links
Mentioned in this episode: Capify Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ | |||
| How AI Agents Are Changing Retail Stores (Retail Industry Trends 2026) | 18 juin 2026 | 00:18:17 | |
Right now, as you read this, an AI chatbot is running a real retail store in San Francisco — managing the product selection, deciding what to stock, and curating a customer experience. It sounds like science fiction. It is already open for business. And it is just one signal of how fast the rules of retail discovery are changing. (Our sponsor Faire are offering 50% off and free shipping on first orders until July 31st. Simply add the code "Resilient50" at checkout) Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. And in this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I'm exploring one of the biggest shifts I've seen in how customers discover products: agentic AI. This is AI that doesn't just respond to questions — it researches, compares, recommends, and in some cases, actually completes the purchase. For independent retailers and product businesses with an online presence, this changes the rules. The question is no longer just how do you rank on Google — it's how do you become the answer when an AI agent is asked to find the best product for a specific need. I dig into what agentic AI actually means, how people are already using it to shop, and what that means for the way you present your products online. I share research from the OECD, insights from Andrew Bialecki at Klaviyo, the work of retail expert Jackie Swanson, and a fascinating case study in the form of Andon Market — a real shop in San Francisco that is being managed end-to-end by an AI chatbot called Luna, which was given a three-year lease and told to make a profit. If you're an independent retailer or product business owner with an e-commerce presence, this episode is essential listening. The shift is already happening. Understanding it now means you can take simple, practical steps to make sure your products are visible in the new discovery landscape — before your competitors even realise the rules have changed. Chapter Timestamps 00:00 — Are robots taking over shopping? And what agentic AI actually is 02:05 — AI at both ends: retailers using AI and shoppers using AI — the data 04:50 — Luna and Andon Market: the AI chatbot running a real retail store 07:00 — Agent-to-agent commerce: Andrew Bialecki on what retailers need to prepare for 09:30 — What to actually do: getting your data right for AI discovery 11:25 — How customer search behaviour is changing and what it means for your product pages 13:45 — The three things to start with: titles, key info, and natural language 14:48 — The philosophical question: are we handing over too much to AI? Useful Links Resilient Retail Club podcast: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Catherine on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| How retailers can build demand on TikTok | 11 juin 2026 | 00:23:01 | |
What would it mean for your retail business if — right now, at this very moment — three thousand creators were actively requesting samples to promote your brand? That's not a fantasy for Luke Arnall-Cameron, founder of YASS CLEAN. It's Tuesday. That's just how his business works. Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. This episode is brought to you by Faire. As you will hear in the actual show, they're offering 50% off and free shipping against your first order. Use the code "Resilient50" In this episode, I sit down with Luke Arnall-Cameron — a former John Lewis graduate buyer and marketing director turned TikTok creator and brand founder — to unpick one of the most significant shifts happening in retail right now: discovery commerce. TikTok Shop has fundamentally changed how products reach consumers. Instead of paying for ads, brands are now building creator networks — and the smartest ones are doing it in a way that mirrors exactly what every good retailer already knows about range building, customer loyalty, and repeat purchase. Luke launched YAS CLEAN in November 2024. His first livestream generated £70,000. Within his first year he fulfilled over 650,000 orders across six countries, sold 10,000 bottles of one product in seven days, and achieved 45% repeat customer rates in December — for a cleaning brand, in the hardest trading month of the year. He also won TikTok's Breakout Seller of the Year Award. But what makes this conversation genuinely useful for any product business owner isn't the headline numbers. It's the retail logic behind every decision he made — why virality isn't a strategy, how to think about product range in a world driven by social selling, and what discovery commerce means for anyone selling physical products. If you want to understand whether TikTok Shop belongs in your channel mix, this episode is for you. Chapter Timestamps
Useful Links YAS CLEAN on TikTok: @yasclean Get 50% off and free shipping with Faire - https://fairewholesaleinc.sjv.io/APj4ax Resilient Retail Club: www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Catherine on LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| Retail Trends 2026: How Independent Retailers Should Use Generative AI | 04 juin 2026 | 00:20:27 | |
AI is everywhere in retail right now — but are you actually using it in a way that's helping your business grow, or could it quietly be working against you? This episode is brought you by Faire who are offering 50% off and free shipping against new orders. Use the code "Resilient50" at checkout. This episode also features a free downloadable resource. Go to http://resilientretailclub.com/ai to claim it. Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. And in this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I'm sharing the honest picture of how independent retailers are actually using generative AI in 2026. According to government data, just 16% of UK businesses are formally using AI — yet surveys suggest up to 80% of SME decision-makers have tried it in some form. The reality? Most people are using it to write emails faster, draft product descriptions, handle awkward customer messages, and generate ideas. And that's where it genuinely shines. But there are pitfalls too. I'm talking through the messy data problem that makes AI-powered sales analysis fall flat, the real concerns around AI imagery and brand trust, what I think went badly wrong with AI content (including something from my own business that I'm still mortified by), and why leaning on AI for big decisions might be giving you confidence you haven't earned. If you want to use AI smarter — and stay distinctly, unmistakably you — this episode is for you. In this episode: • How retailers are really using AI in 2026 — the stats and the reality • Product pages, agentic AI, and why clarity beats fluff • The messy data problem and what to fix first • AI customer service: the triage approach that works • AI imagery — the jury's still out, and here's why • What NOT to use AI for (including fully AI-written content) • The voice note / brain dump method that keeps your content sounding like you • The confirmation bias problem with using AI for decisions CHAPTERS: 00:01:25 How Retailers Are Using AI Right Now 00:07:32 Customer Service, Data & AI Imagery 00:13:43 What Not to Use AI For — and the Voice Note Method Connect with Catherine: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly/ Podcast: resilientretailclub.com/podcast Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| Retail Outlook 2026: Why 71% of Independent Retailers Are Growing - And How to Join Them | 28 mai 2026 | 00:15:07 | |
71% of independent retailers in the UK are growing or stable. And 9 in 10 shoppers say AI has made them MORE likely to trust your shop over an algorithm. Here is what the data actually says. (Our sponsor Faire are offering 50% off and free shipping on first orders until July 31st. Simply add the code "Resilient50" at checkout) Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. Are you tired of reading headlines that make it sound like independent retail is finished? The noise about AI, empty high streets, and big-box competition can feel genuinely frightening if you are running a small business. But what if the data tells a completely different story — and what if that story is one you desperately needed to hear? In this episode, I sit down with Elyse McAvoy from Faire to unpack the Voices of Retail report — a landmark piece of research that surveyed 650 independent retailers and over 2,000 UK consumers. It is the first time a report of this kind has merged the retailer perspective and the consumer perspective into one honest picture of what is actually happening on Britain's high streets. And the findings will surprise you. Once you listen, you will leave with a clear understanding of what is separating retailers who are growing from those who are struggling, a completely new perspective on AI and your business, and three specific actions you can take this month. If you have been feeling uncertain about whether your shop has a future, this is the episode that will give you the data — and the confidence — to move forward. CHAPTERS 00:00 — Introduction: Why This Report Matters for Every Independent Retailer 02:30 — Key Findings: AI, the 71% Statistic and the Branding Gap 07:13 — Consumer Spending Power: What Shoppers Are Ready to Spend With You 10:28 — What to Do Now: Three Practical Actions to Take This Month USEFUL LINKS 📥 Download the Voices of Retail report free from the Spring Fair website — link in show notes 🛒 Explore Faire as a wholesale marketplace: faire.com 🎙 More episodes: resilientretailclub.com/podcast 🔗 Connect with Catherine: linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Retail Time Management: Stop Juggling Everything and Finally Get Ahead! | 21 mai 2026 | 00:21:53 | |
Do you ever feel like you're doing everything right, yet somehow still falling behind? If you run an independent retail business, you are not imagining things. Between buying stock, managing your team, keeping up with your marketing, handling customer service, and everything else that lands on your desk — the sheer volume of what your job involves would overwhelm anyone. This is not a time management failure. It is simply the reality of running a retail business single-handedly. But there is a question underneath all of this that most retailers never stop to ask, and it is the one that changes everything. Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. And in this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I'm unpacking the framework I use with my one-to-one clients in my Retail by Design programme — a step-by-step approach to understanding how you're really spending your time, building a structure that actually works, and protecting the focused work hours that move your business forward. If you have been telling yourself for months that you will start that project "when things slow down" — this episode is for you. I work with clients who have just two hours a day after the kids are in bed, and clients who get one day a week away from the shop floor. The system I'm sharing works at every capacity level. Listen to the end to discover a clear, practical path out of the overwhelm — and toward a calmer, more intentional, and ultimately more profitable week. Listener Benefits (What You'll Discover)
📍 Ready to reclaim your time? Free resources: resilientretailclub.com/juggle Chapter Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction: Why Independent Retailers Are Always Falling Behind 02:34 – Steps 1 & 2: How to Track Your Time and Understand What's Really Happening 06:10 – Steps 3 & 4: Building Your Weekly Structure and Batching Your Tasks 12:35 – Steps 5 & 6: Quarterly Planning, Decision Fatigue, and Knowing When to Let Go Links & Resources 🔗 Free time management resources: resilientretailclub.com/juggle 🔗 The Resilient Retail Club: resilientretailclub.com 📱 Toggl (free time-tracking app): toggl.com 🎙️ Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube — new episodes every Thursday Mentioned in this episode: Capify Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ | |||
| Retail Stock Ordering: Two questions every product business must answer | 14 mai 2026 | 00:12:55 | |
"How much should I order?" sounds like one question. It's actually two — and most product business owners only ever answer one of them. (This episode features a free download resource at http://resilientretailclub.com/order) Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. In this episode, I'm breaking down the critical difference between product-level stock ordering (the tactical "how many of this line") and business-level stock planning (the strategic "what can I afford overall"). Drawing on my time as a buyer at Paperchase and the frameworks in my book Tame Your Tiger, I'll explain why forecasting apps, Shopify Sidekick, ChatGPT and Claude can all give you the right answer to the wrong question — and how that slowly turns a healthy business into a cash-hungry "tiger". In this episode:
If you're constantly reordering but never feel on top of your stock, pause and plan with this one. 🐅 Tame Your Tiger — my book on stock, cash flow and building a calmer product business 💬 Come and say hi on Instagram: @resilientretailclub Prefer to watch podcasts? Here's mine - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFwdhK_WMJvXntxKLZj83Inz1fFNAN2P Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| Retail insights around the "Invisible Ceiling": Why Your Shop Has Stalled | 07 mai 2026 | 00:11:10 | |
You’ve opened your shop. You’re selling. You have loyal customers. And yet something feels stuck... (this episode features a free download resource at http://resilientretailclub.com/systems Your sales are inconsistent, stock builds up or runs out, cash feels tight even on the good weeks. Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. In this episode, I'm naming the “invisible ceiling” independent retailers hit when they move from opening a shop to running a proper retail business — and explain exactly what structure the next level needs. Drawing on my recent road trip through Devon, Cornwall and Dorset, and nearly 20 years inside seven-, eight-, nine- and ten-figure retail chains, I'll talk you through the systems that separate hobby shops from real businesses: sales plans, stock plans, trading calendars, cash flow visibility, team roles and SOPs. If you’ve ever wondered “is there more to this?” — this episode is your answer. In this episode:
Resources mentioned:
Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Retail Stock, Profit and Mindset: Three Pillars of a Resilient Retail Business | 30 avr. 2026 | 00:14:46 | |
This episode contains a freebie download. Scroll down to find it. Believe it or not — today is episode 300 of the Resilient Retail Game Plan. Hi, I'm Catherine Erdly and in this episode, which is six years, 300 episodes, and over 1 million downloads later since I started this podcast, I'm sharing a fast track to the biggest themes that have shaped this podcast and the retailers who listen to it. In this milestone episode, I'll walk you through the four essential episodes from the back catalogue that I believe every independent retailer needs to hear. Whether you're brand new to the show or a long-time listener, these are the ones that cut to the heart of what it really takes to build a resilient retail business. So what are the three big themes? Stock. Profit. And mindset. Visit the episode's show notes for links to all the episodes mentioned at https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/retail-stock-management-profit-and-mindset/ And ensure you go to this link for your free download: resilientretailclub.com/300. Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Retail Bottleneck: How to stop being the go-to for every question in your business | 23 avr. 2026 | 00:15:39 | |
This episode is sponsored by Intuit Mailchimp. Do your retail team ask you the same questions over and over? Has "what are we focusing on this week?" become the soundtrack to your inbox? Hi, I'm Catherine Erdly and in Episode 299 of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I'm explaining why so many independent retailers and product business owners accidentally become a bottleneck inside their own business — and walk you through exactly how to fix it. You'll learn why the classic wheel-and-spoke information flow creates constant delays, inconsistency and interruptions; why growing your team makes it worse rather than better; and how to build a single source of truth that finally gets your team self-serving the answers they need. I'll also share a £100,000 lesson from my Coast days on what poor information flow really costs a business, the categories to include in your single source of truth (weekly focus, key dates, stock and order trackers, priorities, SOPs), and the crucial step most business owners skip — how to actually make your team use it. If you've built a business that can't run without you in the room, this is the episode to start unpicking it. Chapters
Related links
About the podcast The Resilient Retail Game Plan is a podcast for independent retailers and product business owners who want to build more profitable, sustainable businesses. Hosted by Catherine Erdly — retail expert, coach and founder of The Resilient Retail Club. If this episode helped, hit like, subscribe and share it with another retailer who needs to hear it. Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| Retail Growth Through Data: Email & SMS Marketing Secrets with Intuit Mailchimp | 16 avr. 2026 | 00:30:55 | |
If you're sending the same email to everyone on your list and wondering why it's not driving the sales you expected, this episode is for you. I'm Catherine Erdly, and this is Resilient Retail Game Plan — practical product business advice with a healthy dose of reality. In this episode I'm sitting down with Ali Wood from Intuit Mailchimp to get practical about how independent retailers and e-commerce brands can get dramatically more from their email and SMS marketing — using data they already have. We talk about why fragmented data is costing retailers real money, how segmentation can transform your customer relationships, and why the retailers who win over the next few years won't be the ones with the biggest budgets — they'll be the ones who are smartest with their data. In this episode you'll hear about:
Whether you're just starting to think about segmentation or already running email campaigns and want to level up, this conversation will leave you with a genuinely different way of thinking about your marketing. CHAPTERS 00:00:40 The Gold Mine Independent Retailers Are Sitting On 00:02:10 Meet Ali Wood from Intuit Mailchimp 00:04:40 How Intuit Mailchimp Evolved from Email Tool to Full Automation Platform 00:08:22 The Segmentation Shift: Stop Sending the Same Email to Everyone 00:11:29 Creative Ways to Collect Better Customer Data 00:14:45 Using SMS to Drive Email Open Rates 00:15:11 How We're Working With Intuit Mailchimp 00:16:33 Measuring What's Actually Working Across All Your Channels 00:18:30 Think Strategy, Not Just Open Rates 00:21:17 SMS Best Practices: What's Working for E-Commerce Brands 00:23:24 The Trust Factor: Why Phone Numbers Are Different from Email Addresses 00:23:44 The Numbers: 22x ROI on SMS, 41x with Shopify 00:25:58 AI + Human Creativity: The Future of Small Business Marketing 00:27:45 Clean Data, Automation & Analytics: The Loop That Wins 00:29:07 Catherine's Key Takeaways & Call to Action Mentioned in this episode: resilientretailclub.com/mailchimp Note: This episode was produced in partnership with Intuit Mailchimp. All views expressed are Catherine's own. Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| The Shop Window Pyramid: Visual Merchandising Secrets for Independent Retailers | 09 avr. 2026 | 00:22:45 | |
Your shop window isn't just a display — it's a salesperson working for you around the clock. I'm Catherine Erdly, and this is Resilient Retail Game Plan — practical product business advice with a healthy dose of reality. In this episode, I'm joined by Sarah Manning, visual merchandising consultant and course leader, for a practical masterclass on how to make your window impossible to walk past. Sarah shares her four guiding principles — including her signature framework, The Power of the Pyramid — and explains exactly what should (and shouldn't) go in your window. You'll learn why putting your bestsellers on show is usually the wrong move, how to refresh your display every four weeks without a full rebuild, and practical solutions for shallow, narrow, or open-backed windows. We also explore how post-2020 customer expectations have shifted the balance between product display and brand storytelling, and discuss the concept of 'external theatre' — the tools even small independents can use to draw customers in before they reach the window at all. Whether you sell from a shop, at markets, or at events, this episode is packed with actionable insight you can put to work immediately. What You'll Learn:
📌 CHAPTERS:
Connect with me 🔗: → LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly/ → Resilient Retail Club: https://www.resilientretailclub.com → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resilientretailclub/ 🎧 LISTEN ON YOUR FAVOURITE PODCAST APP: → Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/resilient-retail-game-plan/id1558090069 → Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2EIPFznxQFQHIXmC3QoBFQ Resources Mentioned:
Mentioned in this episode: Capify Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ | |||
| Retail, The Lipstick Effect, and Why You Should Keep Selling | 02 avr. 2026 | 00:20:13 | |
Have you ever looked at the news and wondered whether it's even appropriate to be selling your products right now? If you're an independent retailer or product business owner and the state of the world is making you hesitate about showing up and selling, this episode is for you. I'm Catherine Erdly, and this is Resilient Retail Game Plan — practical product business advice with a healthy dose of reality. This week, one of the most common questions I get from product business owners: should I keep selling when the world feels uncertain? In this episode: → Why big brands never pause their marketing — and what that means for you → Why independent retailers are a genuine force for good → The lipstick effect and what consumer spending data actually shows right now → A practical social media tip to help you show up more consistently 📌 CHAPTERS: 00:00:00 Introduction & the question everyone's asking 00:00:44 When selling feels wrong: the shared experience 00:01:42 Why this feeling is so common in product businesses 00:02:51 The mental noise of running your own business 00:06:04 The self-fulfilling prophecy & the big brand reality check 00:08:25 Why small businesses are a force for good 00:09:55 Your duty to share what you do 00:11:30 The lipstick effect: are people actually spending? 00:12:18 A visit to Columbia Road Flower Market 00:12:57 Products are how people show love 00:13:31 None of this is trivial 00:14:23 Practical tip: separate your social media accounts 00:16:08 How Catherine implemented this herself 00:17:25 A message for every independent retailer 🔗 LINKS MENTIONED: → Mean Mail: https://www.meanmail.co.uk → Retail Roar 2026: https://retailroar.co.uk → Resilient Retail Club: https://www.resilientretailclub.com 🎧 LISTEN ON YOUR FAVOURITE PODCAST APP: → Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/resilient-retail-game-plan/id1558090069 → Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2EIPFznxQFQHIXmC3QoBFQ Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| The Power of Community: Why Every Retailer Needs Their People! | 26 mars 2026 | 00:11:35 | |
Nobody talks about how lonely it can be to run a small business. Your friends and family mean well — but they don't really get it. If you have a team, you feel like you have to have all the answers. And whether you're on the shop floor, in your home office, or in your unit, there's a good chance your dog is getting more of your business thoughts than any actual human being. I'm Catherine Erdly, and this is Resilient Retail Game Plan — practical product business advice with a healthy dose of reality. In this episode, I'm being honest about the one thing most business owners never talk about: isolation. And why community — real, practical, human community — isn't a nice-to-have. It's fundamental. You'll hear:
If you've been feeling flat, isolated, or like nobody around you truly gets what you're going through — this episode is for you. 🏟️ Free Retail Roar ticket: retailroar.co.uk 📩 Join the Resilient Retail Club: resilientretailclub.com 📲 Follow on Instagram: @resilientretailclub ⏱ Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:13 The Loneliness of Business 03:56 Why Community Matters 06:42 Join the Retail Roar 2026 Community Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Retail Industry Trends - 2026. Retail is changing FAST! | 19 mars 2026 | 00:16:56 | |
Retail is moving fast — and it can feel like whiplash trying to keep up with every new trend, tool, and headline. But here's the thing: as a small or independent retailer, you don't need to know everything. You just need the right information, filtered through the lens of what actually matters for your business. In this episode, I'm sharing everything you need to know about Retail Roar 2026 — my free two-day online industry outlook summit taking place on 26th and 27th March — and why I believe it's the most important shortcut you can take as an independent retailer or brand this year. You'll hear about:
The expert lineup includes:
This isn't fluffy. It's information for action — curated specifically for small and independent retailers and brands, so you can stop guessing and start planning with confidence. Get your free ticket at retailroar.co.uk 📩 Join the community: https://resilientretailclub.com/ 📲 Follow on Instagram: @resilientretailclub Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| How to Build a Retail Community That Actually Buys From You | 12 mars 2026 | 00:27:55 | |
Most independent retailers have heard the advice to "build a community." Far fewer have been shown exactly how to do it — and even fewer have built one that actually buys. In this episode I'm joined by Ronke Fashola, founder of Love Your Look — a bold, inclusive, colour-forward fashion brand whose customers travel from Scotland and Cardiff to her pop-up shops, answer Instagram queries before she even gets to them, and send garments back to be taken in when they lose weight rather than part with something they love. Ronke has spent the last couple of years building a retail community the hard, human way: photo shoots open to everyone, WhatsApp groups built on genuine conversation, measurement checks for every new customer, and an in-house tailor. In this episode she breaks down exactly how she did it. We also look at Joanie Clothing's collapse as a case study in what happens when a retail brand stops feeling human — and what every independent retailer can learn from it. In this episode you'll hear: • The photo shoot that attracted 70 applicants and became the foundation of a loyal retail community • How to structure a brand WhatsApp group that people actually want to be in • What Joanie got wrong — and the community strategy that could have saved them • Why checking every new customer's measurements before their first order ships reduces returns and builds trust • How offering free in-house alterations turns one-time buyers into customers for life • The Friday night phone call that changed how Ronke thinks about fabric Sign up free at retailroar.co.uk — come and see what's possible. 📩 Join my community: https://resilientretailclub.com/ 📲 Follow me on Instagram: @resilientretailclub Mentioned in this episode: Capify Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ | |||
| How to stop feeling stuck in your own head in your retail business | 05 mars 2026 | 00:16:48 | |
Have you been feeling stuck in your own head in your retail business? Overthinking every decision, wondering if you're the only one finding it hard? There's a phrase I love: You can't read a label from inside the jar.And when you're living and breathing your business every single day, it's incredibly hard to see beyond where you are right now. In this episode, I share one of the fastest ways I've found to shift your perspective — and it's the whole reason I created Retail Roar, my free online summit returning on 26–27 March. I'll walk you through some of the stories from our guest speakers, including one who shipped 650,000 orders in his first year on TikTok, to others who built a chain of 41 bridal boutiques, and another who went from her kitchen table to six-figure months. I also explain why inspiration isn't just about feeling good — it has three very real, practical business effects: it helps you think bigger, get re-energised with your marketing, and make braver decisions. Sign up free at retailroar.co.uk — come and see what's possible. 📩 Join my community: https://resilientretailclub.com/ 📲 Follow me on Instagram: @resilientretailclub Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| Retail Sales Tracking: Are You Guessing Your Numbers, or Deciding? | 26 févr. 2026 | 00:12:34 | |
Do you ever feel like you're drowning in data but still can't answer the simple question: is my business actually going in the right direction? Here's the truth: if your sales numbers feel like noise, you're probably looking at the wrong things — or avoiding looking altogether. I'm Catherine Erdly, and this is Resilient Retail Game Plan — practical product business advice with a healthy dose of reality. In this episode, I'm revealing: ✓ Why having loads of data can actually keep you more confused, not less ✓ The magic eye problem: why staring at daily sales is stopping you seeing the real picture ✓ The difference between guessing and deciding — and why it matters for your bottom line ✓ The 3 Rs framework: Record, Review, Refine — and how to make it genuinely simple ✓ Why a zero-sales day doesn't mean a bad month (and what to look at instead) Stop reacting to the noise and start reading the story your numbers are actually telling you. Join the Retail Sales Game Plan (cart now open!): resilientretailclub.com/retailsales Resilient Retail Club: https://www.resilientretailclub.com Listen on your favourite podcast app: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast Enjoying the show? DM your takeaways or questions to @resilientretailclub on Instagram. And if the podcast's been useful to you, please do follow, rate, and review with a comment on Apple Podcasts or Spotify (or both!) — it helps more product businesses find us. Mentioned in this episode: Capify Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ | |||
| How to Turn One-Time Buyers into Repeat Customers for Your Retail Business | 19 févr. 2026 | 00:12:35 | |
Do you ever feel like you're constantly trying to convince people to buy? Like you're always explaining, justifying, or pushing a little harder than you'd like? Here's the truth: if selling feels exhausting, you're probably spending too much time talking to the wrong people. I'm Catherine Erdly, and this is Resilient Retail Game Plan — practical product business advice with a healthy dose of reality. In this episode, I'm revealing: ✓ Why nobody is more likely to buy than someone who already bought from you ✓ The party principle: why you're standing outside instead of going in ✓ How focusing on cold audiences burns you out (and kills your profit) ✓ The 1,000 true fans framework that changes everything ✓ Practical steps to turn one-time buyers into repeat customers Stop chasing strangers and start serving the customers who are already inside your door. Links Join the Retail Sales Game Plan waitlist (kicking off end of Feb): resilientretailclub.com/retailsales Resilient Retail Club: https://www.resilientretailclub.com Listen on your favourite podcast app: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast Enjoying the show? DM your takeaways or questions to @resilientretailclub on Instagram. And if the podcast's useful, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more product businesses find us. Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| Retail Marketing Without A Plan = Noise! Here's How Retailers Get Consistent Sales | 12 févr. 2026 | 00:14:37 | |
Feel like you're shouting into the void with your marketing? You're not alone—and it's not your fault. Social media wants you reactive, emotional, and constantly second-guessing yourself. Meanwhile, big retailers operate from detailed seasonal plans made months in advance. I’m Catherine Erdly, and this is Resilient Retail Game Plan — practical product business advice with a healthy dose of reality. In this episode, I'm revealing: ✓ Why sporadic marketing makes sales feel random ✓ How algorithms keep you stuck in chaos ✓ What big retailers do differently (without massive teams) ✓ The marketing structure that actually works for small businesses Stop waking up wondering "what should I post today?" and start building a plan you can trust. Links Get your free Calmer and Consistent Sales Planner: resilientretailclub.com/sales Join the Retail Sales Game Plan waitlist (reopening Feb): resilientretailclub.com/retailsales Resilient Retail Club: https://www.resilientretailclub.com Listen on your favourite podcast app: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast Enjoying the show? DM your takeaways or questions to @resilientretailclub on Instagram. And if the podcast’s useful, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more product businesses find us. Mentioned in this episode: Capify Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ | |||
| How indie shops grow sales WITHOUT discounting! | 05 févr. 2026 | 00:27:45 | |
Why Profit Matters More Than Sales in Indie Retail Sales growth is often treated as the goal in retail. But without profit, growth just creates more pressure. In this episode of Resilient Retail Game Plan, we look at why profit isn’t optional for independent retailers, and how better stock decisions change far more than just the numbers. I’m Catherine Erdly, and this is Resilient Retail Game Plan — practical product business advice with a healthy dose of reality. This isn’t about chasing turnover. And it’s not about discounting everything to keep cash moving. It’s about making deliberate, data led decisions that protect margin, reduce stock pressure, and give you room to breathe. I’m joined by Paola Majuli, Stock Doctor and former senior merchandiser at global retail brands, to unpack what actually happens when retailers stop reacting and start managing stock with intention. Together, we talk through real client results, what the numbers are showing after six months and a year, and why confidence often returns once the chaos settles. In this episode, we cover: Why profit, not cash flow alone, keeps retail businesses sustainable What blanket discounting really costs you over time How retailers increased sales while holding less stock Why margin awareness changes decision making What better stock management does for confidence and clarity How strategic discounting differs from panic discounting We also talk about Black Friday, overstock, pricing confidence, and why being selective about what you discount can actually drive stronger results than putting everything on sale. If you’re running an independent shop and feel stuck in a cycle of buying, discounting, and hoping for the best, this episode will help you think more clearly about how profit, stock, and confidence fit together. Chapters 00:00 Why profit isn’t optional 01:13 The real problem with blanket discounting 04:08 What the numbers show after six months and a year 06:27 Pricing, margin, and confidence 10:09 Why stock decisions matter more than people realise 12:36 How better data changes behaviour 17:47 Smarter Black Friday strategies 23:44 What confidence looks like in profitable businesses Links Stock Doctor: https://stockdoctor.net Resilient Retail Club: https://www.resilientretailclub.com Listen on your favourite podcast app: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast Enjoying the show? DM your takeaways or questions to @resilientretailclub on Instagram. And if the podcast’s useful, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more product businesses find us. Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| Knowing When Your Retail Business Is Ready To Expand | 29 janv. 2026 | 00:30:38 | |
When Is the Right Time to Open a Second Shop? Opening another shop is often seen as the obvious next step in retail growth. But knowing when to do it, and whether your business is actually ready, is far harder. In this episode of Resilient Retail Game Plan, we look at what really changes when you move from one shop to two, and then beyond. With thanks to this episode’s sponsor SumUp. Get 10% off SumUp hardware with the code GamePlan10 at https://sumup.co.uk I’m Catherine Erdly, and this is Resilient Retail Game Plan — practical product business advice with a healthy dose of reality. This isn’t about chasing expansion for the sake of it. And it’s not a checklist for opening multiple locations. It’s about timing, clarity, and understanding whether the business you have today can genuinely support what comes next. I’m joined by independent retailer Sarah Holmes, from Pencil Me In, who has grown from one shop to three across different locations in Scotland. Together, we unpack how those decisions were made, what changed at each stage, and why the second shop is often the hardest. In this episode, we cover:
We also talk about how expansion changes your relationship with risk, cash, and your team, and why growth should support the life you want to run, not just the business you want to build. If you’re running one shop and wondering whether there could be more, or you’re already managing multiple locations and want it to feel simpler, this episode will help you think more clearly about what growth should look like for you. Chapters00:00 Why growth is a timing question, not a goal 01:16 From one shop to three and why pacing matters 06:19 Why growth feels like exposure, not relief 09:30 Why each shop needs a clear job to do 11:03 Specialising instead of stocking everything 15:32 The danger of unchecked buying decisions 18:08 Using data to protect cash as you grow 22:22 Letting go without losing control 29:46 Choosing growth that fits your life Links Retail by Design: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/retail-by-design Resilient Retail Club: https://www.resilientretailclub.com Listen on your favourite podcast app: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast Enjoying the show? DM your takeaways or questions to @resilientretailclub on Instagram. And if the podcast’s useful, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more product businesses find us. Mentioned in this episode: Capify Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ | |||
| 5 Common Issues Growing Retail Businesses Don't Expect | 22 janv. 2026 | 00:19:45 | |
The 5 Problems Growing Retail Businesses Don’t Expect (But Almost Always Face) If your retail business looks successful on paper but feels far harder than it should behind the scenes, this episode is for you. With thanks to this episode’s sponsor SumUp. Get 10% off SumUp hardware with the code GamePlan10 at https://sumup.co.uk I’m Catherine Erdly, and this is Resilient Retail Game Plan — practical product business advice with a healthy dose of reality. This isn’t about fixing beginner mistakes or chasing the next growth tactic. It’s about what happens once your business has momentum, and instinct alone stops being enough. After working with hundreds of established product businesses, I see the same problems come up again and again. Not because founders are doing things wrong, but because the business has outgrown the way it’s being run. In this episode, I walk through the 5 problems growing retail businesses don’t expect (but almost always face). These include:
We also talk about why structure isn’t restrictive, how it creates freedom, and what it looks like when a business is designed to support the person running it, not drain them. If any of this feels familiar, it doesn’t mean you’re failing. It usually means you’ve outgrown the stage you’re operating at. Chapters 00:00 Why growth starts to feel heavy 01:36 When success creates chaos 06:09 Learning to trust your numbers 08:26 Busy versus real progress 11:06 Everything living in your head 15:25 When your business stops fitting your life 18:10 Retail by Design Links Retail by Design: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/retail-by-design Resilient Retail Club: https://www.resilientretailclub.com Listen on your favourite podcast app: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast Enjoying the show? DM your takeaways or questions to @resilientretailclub on Instagram. And if the podcast’s useful, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more product businesses find us. Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| How to build a profitable online shop while ignoring 'best practices' | 15 janv. 2026 | 00:30:18 | |
How Artichoke Built a Profitable Online Shop by Ignoring “Best Practice” If you’ve been told that online retail growth means more ads, more automation, and more noise — this episode will quietly challenge that. With thanks to this episode’s sponsor SumUp. Get 10% off SumUp hardware with the code GamePlan10 at https://sumup.co.uk I’m Catherine Erdly, and this is Resilient Retail Game Plan — practical product business advice with a healthy dose of reality. This isn’t about scaling fast or chasing the latest ecommerce tactic. It’s about building an online business that actually works for the people running it. In this episode, I’m joined by Sarah Simonds, founder of Artichoke and winner of Online Shop of the Year at the Boutique Star Awards. Sarah runs an online fashion business in a way most people would say doesn’t scale. She calls every new online customer. She designs systems to protect customer service, not replace it. And she focuses relentlessly on a demographic the industry largely ignores. After 25 years working with retailers, I see this pattern again and again. The businesses that perform best long term aren’t always the loudest or the most automated. They’re the clearest. In this conversation, we explore:
We also talk about the less glamorous side of growth — becoming the bottleneck, building resilience into the team, and creating structure so the business doesn’t rely on one person holding everything together. If you run a product business and want online sales that feel sustainable rather than exhausting, this episode will give you a lot to think about. Chapters00:00 Why “more marketing” isn’t always the answer 03:10 Serving an ignored customer demographic 06:20 Calling every new online customer 10:45 Reducing returns and increasing lifetime value 15:30 From pop-ups to online growth 21:10 Removing the founder bottleneck 27:40 Systems, structure, and ClickUp 33:30 Using AI without losing the human touch 41:50 Community, collaboration, and long-term growth LinksArtichoke: https://www.artichoke-online.co.uk Retail by Design: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/retail-by-design Catherine’s book — Tame Your Tiger: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1912300096 Resilient Retail Club: https://www.resilientretailclub.com Enjoying the show? DM your takeaways or questions to @resilientretailclub on Instagram. And if the podcast’s useful, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more product businesses find us. Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| Why Retail Business Growth Starts to Feel Heavy at Six Figures! | 08 janv. 2026 | 00:15:49 | |
Why Retail Business Growth Starts to Feel Heavy at Six Figures If your retail business is doing well on paper, but somehow feels heavier than it used to, this episode is for you. With thanks to this episode’s sponsor SumUp.com. Get 10% off hardware with the code GamePlan10. I’m Catherine Erdly, and this is the Resilient Retail Game Plan — product business advice with a healthy dose of reality. This isn’t about chasing more sales or adding more tactics. It’s about the moment growth stops feeling exciting and starts feeling risky. When decisions feel heavier. When stock, cash flow and planning won’t switch off in your head. And when everyone assumes you’re doing brilliantly, but you’re quietly feeling stretched. After 25 years in retail, I’ve seen this pattern again and again. Hitting six figures doesn’t magically make things easier. For many founders, it’s the point where relying on instinct stops working and structure becomes essential. In this episode, I talk through why growth often starts to feel heavy at this stage, why it’s not a motivation problem, and what actually helps founders move from reacting to leading again. I also explain how Retail by Design and Stock Doctor work together to bring clarity, calm and confidence back into growing product businesses — without overwhelm or fluff. If you’re tired of winging it, second-guessing decisions, or carrying everything in your head, this episode will help you understand what’s really going on — and what support should look like at this stage of growth. Chapters:00:00 The 'Heaviness' Struggle for Product Retailers 05:42 Stock & Strategy Solutions 06:49 "Retail Growth Through Stock Insight" 10:06 "Retail by Design Program" Links:Website: https://resilientretailclub.com Retail Sales Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/retailsales/ Enjoy the episode? DM me your takeaways or questions @resilientretailclub on Instagram. And if you find the show useful, please follow, rate and review — it helps more product businesses find us. Mentioned in this episode: Capify Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ | |||
| Meta Ads Have Changed: What will actually work in 2026! | 01 janv. 2026 | 00:15:52 | |
Meta Ads Have Changed – What Actually Works in 2026 If Meta ads feel like a wild goose chase lately, you’re not alone—and you’re not imagining things. With thanks to this episode's sponsor SumUp (https://sumup.com) Use the code 'GamePlan10' to get 10% off hardware from their online shop! Hi, I'm Catherine Erdly, and this week on The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’m rolling up my sleeves with Meta Ad strategist CJ Sinclair to dig into why product business advice for retailers is evolving fast. Algorithms have turned upside down. Forget the old playbook; smaller brands now have the nimble edge over the big guns. From creative diversity to new ways to track ROAS and cash flow for retailers, we break down what actually moves the needle in 2026. I’m bringing my 25 years in the trade—plus CJ Sinclair’s day-to-day on the ground—for an episode that’s equal parts practical know-how and myth-busting. Why listen?
Links: Website: https://resilientretailclub.com Retail Sales Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/retailsales/ Enjoy the episode? DM me your takeaways or questions @resilientretailclub on Instagram. And if you find the show useful, please follow, rate and review — it helps more product businesses find us. Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| How Christmas 2025 Really Felt In Retail (and why that matters for 2026) | 25 déc. 2025 | 00:14:44 | |
Ever wondered what Christmas really felt like at the sharp end of retail—and what it’s whispering about your 2026 playbook? This episode of "The Resilient Retail Game Plan" is brought to you by SumUp. Get 10% off their hardware by clicking the link and using the coupon code "GamePlan10" I’m Catherine Erdly, and welcome to this festive edition of the Resilient Retail Game Plan—your product business advice, with a side of reality. This isn’t a spreadsheet post-mortem, it’s an honest (sometimes wry) look at how Christmas truly landed for independent retailers. After 25 years in retail, I know December isn’t just numbers, it’s stories, triumphs and warnings we need to catch while they’re fresh—because come January, all that noise gets buried under new-year resolutions and stocktakes. In this episode, I’ll invite you, not just to audit your cash flow for retailers or nit-pick inventory management, but to actually feel your festive season. Think: one sentence gut-checks, inspiration scavenger hunts, and surprisingly useful lessons from your own inbox, shopping habits and the businesses that quietly wowed you. Mentioned in this episode: Capify | |||
| Your January Stock Clearance Strategy | 18 déc. 2025 | 00:23:55 | |
January clearance doesn’t have to feel like a panic move, a brand compromise, or an admission of failure. This episode of "The Resilient Retail Game Plan" is brought to you by SumUp. Get 10% off their hardware by clicking the link and using the coupon code "GamePlan10" Hi, I’m Catherine Erdly. This week on the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’m walking you through how to run a proper stock clearance. Not a blanket discount. Not a last-minute scramble. But a strategic, cash-releasing reset that helps you start the year lighter, clearer, and more profitable. If the idea of discounting makes you nervous, you’re not alone. I hear it all the time. Fear of damaging your brand. Fear of training customers to wait for sales. Fear of “doing it wrong”. So in this episode, I break down exactly how experienced retailers approach January clearance, and how small product businesses can do the same, without ending up on a discount treadmill. We talk about when to run your sale, what should and shouldn’t go into it, how deep to discount, and what to do if stock still isn’t shifting. This is about releasing trapped cash, reducing mental load, and giving your business the space it needs to move forward. We cover: – Why clearance is a strategic tool, not a failure – What stock belongs in a clearance sale (and what absolutely doesn’t) – How to decide your discount levels without obsessing over margin – Why January is different in the customer’s mind – How to plan and promote your sale so it actually works – What to do if products still don’t sell – How clearance can increase full-price sales – Turning stuck stock into space, cash and clarity If you’re heading into January with a stockroom that feels heavy, overwhelming, or quietly stressful, this episode will help you take control of it properly. Links: Website: https://resilientretailclub.com Retail Sales Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/retailsales/ Enjoy the episode? DM me your takeaways or questions @resilientretailclub on Instagram. And if you find the show useful, please follow, rate and review — it helps more product businesses find us. Mentioned in this episode: Home and Gift Association is our sponsor this month https://www.homeandgiftassociation.org.uk/ Capify | |||
| Retail Profit vs Turnover: When £3 Million Nearly Broke the Business | 11 déc. 2025 | 00:22:28 | |
On paper, Anna Scaife's business Anna Lou of London looked unstoppable — multi–seven-figure turnover, dream stockists like Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, celebrity customers, even a Carnaby Street shop. But behind the scenes, the numbers were quietly telling a very different story. This episode of "The Resilient Retail Game Plan" is brought to you by SumUp. Get 10% off their hardware by clicking the link and using the coupon code "GamePlan10" Hi, I'm Catherine Erdly. This week on the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’m digging into the real retail profit vs turnover conversation. What happens when the visibility shoots up, the orders explode, but the margins… don’t? Anna shares how she scaled too fast, drowned in stock, tried to please every buyer, and chased the kind of “success” that looks incredible on Instagram — but nearly cost her the entire business. We talk about the ego hits, the financial shocks, the burnout, and the moment she finally rebuilt everything from a place of alignment, clarity and actual profit. If you’ve ever felt the pressure to keep growing, keep adding more, keep saying yes — even when it’s draining your cashflow — this one’s going to land. Hard. We cover: – Why high turnover means nothing without margin – How stockists can destroy cashflow without you noticing – When “busy” becomes a red flag – The emotional cost of maintaining the illusion of success – Rebuilding with a made-to-order model – Why alignment and nervous system regulation matter more than people admit – What sustainable retail growth really looks like This is the story behind the story. And it’s one every product founder needs to hear. Timestamped summary00:00 "Anna's Untold Business Struggles" 04:23 "Pivoting to Sustainable Simplicity" 06:29 "Misalignment and Rediscovering Purpose" 09:45 "Wholesaling: Shuffling Stock Globally" 16:03 "Staying Aligned in Business" 19:32 "Intentional Business Growth Insights" Enjoy the episode? DM me your lightbulb moments or next guest wish list @resilientretailclub on Instagram. Please rate, follow, and review this podcast in your app—it helps more indie founders decide to give us a try! Mentioned in this episode: Capify Retail Roar Have you signed up yet? retailroar.co.uk | |||
| Retail Trends 2026: Four Shifts Retail Businesses Need To Prepare For | 04 déc. 2025 | 00:26:00 | |
The shopfront of retail is about to change—will you be on the right side when the robots come knocking? Hi, I'm Catherine Erdly. This week on the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’m laying out the four seismic shifts set to hit independent retailers by 2026. Think agentic AI that shops for your customers, TikTok Shop turning the high street digital, trust as your most valuable currency, and the resale boom rewriting what “new” means. With 25 years of retail trenches behind me, I’m sharing not just the what, but the how—so you can cut through the noise, strengthen cash flow for retailers, and make sure your product business survives (and thrives) in the new landscape. Grab your notebook and come behind the counter—these are the independent retailer tips that matter. Make sure you grab my freebie at http://resilientretailclub.com/freebie Enjoy the episode? DM me your lightbulb moments or next guest wish list @resilientretailclub on Instagram. Please rate, follow, and review this podcast in your app—it helps more indie founders decide to give us a try! 00:00 "Top Retail Trends for 2026" 06:05 "Future of Shopping: AI & Shoptainment" 10:07 "Shoppable Live Streams on TikTok" 14:16 TikTok Shop: Creator-Brand Strategies 16:33 "AI Pets and Trust Issues" 18:42 Building Trust for Small Businesses 22:44 "Building Trust Through TikTok" Mentioned in this episode: Retail Roar Have you signed up yet? retailroar.co.uk Capify | |||