The Resilient Retail Game Plan - retail insights, retail trends and best practices – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’m joined by Shopify web design expert Pip Hounslow for a deep dive into website conversion rates.

We chat about what’s considered “normal”, why your conversion rate might be lower than you’d expect, and the small tweaks that can make a big difference to your sales.

Pip also shares tips on improving your add-to-basket button, ensuring your website works beautifully on mobile, and why your founder story could be the key to connecting with customers.

Whether you’re on Shopify or another platform, you’ll come away with practical ideas to help your product-based business convert more visitors into buyers.

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It’s no secret I’m a big fan of Bird & Blend, so chatting with co-founder Mike Turner at Retail ROAR was a real treat. From a single market stall to 25+ shops across the UK, Mike and his co-founder Krisi have built something truly unique.

In this episode—a sneak peek from our Retail ROAR 2025 summit—Mike shares how Bird & Blend grew from iced tea samples and hand-packed blends into a beloved national brand, all while staying people-focused and rooted in community.

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3. What “experiential retail” actually looks like (and what it doesn’t)
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7. How thinking omnichannel from day one set them up for growth
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11. The joy of unexpected blends (think rhubarb and custard tea!)
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15. Using crowdfunding, customer feedback, and team ideas to scale
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19. Why real loyalty comes from inclusion—not discounts
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Whether you’re planning your first shop, growing your brand, or simply after a dose of retail inspiration—this one’s worth a listen.

🎟️ Want more content like this? Get on the waitlist for Retail ROAR 2026!

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Join my Free Webinar - Scale To 7 Figures Without The Overwhelm on Wednesday April 30, 2025, at 10am UK time. Discover proven strategies that help you grow your business sustainably and profitably.

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In this episode, I’m breaking down a hard truth for product-based business owners: What got you here, won’t get you there. If you're a retailer stuck at six figures—or feel like your business is running you instead of the other way around—this one's for you.

I dive into the essential mindset and structural shifts that independent retailers need to make to grow their business sustainably, without sacrificing their sanity or freedom.

Plus, I invite you to my free live webinar on how to scale your product business to seven figures without burnout. 🎧 Tune in for insights and actionable steps!

What's Inside:

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In episode 157 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to Cally Russell, CEO and Co-founder of waste-free clothing brand ‘This Is Unfolded’, supporting children’s education and paying garment workers better wages. 

Cally inarguably posits that fast fashion and current retail models are killing the planet - but that they also create a bland customer experience. To change a global business model that is fundamentally flawed, Cally believes we need to create brands and production processes that are driven by communities and in collaboration with their customers, which is exactly what he’s doing with ‘This Is Unfolded’.

In this podcast, we discuss educating people about the journey their purchases go on, the importance of identifying your best growth channels and extending the number of dopamine hits your customer experiences post-purchase. We also talk about how scaling bigger can take you away from your core customers as well as rethinking sustainability and circularity when it comes to the lifecycle of a product.

Check out the amazing community-driven fashion range at:

https://thisisunfolded.com/

Connect with Cally and ‘This Is Unfolded’ at:

https://www.facebook.com/thisisunfolded

https://www.instagram.com/thisisunfolded

https://www.linkedin.com/in/callyrussell

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Trying to increase a customer's average spend or basket size can be tricky. With a lot of focus across e-commerce on the pre-purchase experience, brands can easily fall into the trap of frustrating, and even losing their prospective customers with annoying pop-ups and offers that potentially cheapen their brand.

In episode 156 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to Ruth Even Haim, the COO & co-founder of ‘ReConvert’, the number-one upselling app on Shopify, about how focusing on the post-purchase experience has enabled her business to help merchants generate millions of extra revenue in sales.

In this podcast we discuss the best practices for upselling, covering such areas as discounts and exclusivity. We talk about the shipping and profitability benefits of a successful upselling strategy, and we also discuss the importance of tailoring your post-purchase offering to your audience and not overwhelming your customers.

Check out the ‘Reconvert’ app here: https://www.reconvert.io/

Connect with the brand at: https://www.instagram.com/reconvert.io/

Struggling with low-profit margins? Fix it today with Reconvert’s FREE Conversion Rate optimisation guide:: https://www.reconvert.io/shopify-conversion-rate

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No business has shaped online retail, perhaps all retail, the way that Amazon has. Since its founding in 1994, the e-commerce giant has grown to become one of the most influential economic and cultural forces in the world, forever changing the way that we shop and sell. 

The idea then of trying to build a business on such a huge, busy and complex marketplace might seem a bit daunting at first, but in episode 155 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to Amazon expert Emily Johnson who shares how she created her own semi-passive brand on the e-commerce platform and what you need to know to make the best go of setting up shop.

In this podcast, we discuss the importance of research, the benefits of getting to grips with optimisation and marketing, and what different business models Amazon has to offer. We also talk about sales platform glitches, troubleshooting your product listings and why it’s worth looking into brand protection in the forms of design registrations and trademarking.

Check out Emily’s Amazon coaching services at: https://www.hello-dream.co.uk/

And connect with her at: instagram.com/dreamers_should/

Don’t forget - use the code: 10podcast to get £10 off your first month when joining The Resilient Retail Club.

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When it comes to retail it’s never too early to start talking about Christmas! In fact, if you’ve left it this long without considering the big day you might even be too late to take advantage of some of the best ways to prepare your business for the dependably lucrative Q4 sales period. The more work you can do now to get you and your business ready for the festive season, the smoother it’ll all go - you don’t want to be scrambling for stock and pleading for PR in November and December, you want to be selling your products and delighting your customers. In today’s episode of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I share seven ways you can use this summer to better prepare for Christmas 2023. We’ll begin by looking back at 2022, identifying patterns and peaks and producing a sales plan. We’ll talk about setting out your hero products ahead of time and getting savvy with your stock levels. We’ll also discuss taking part in seasonal events, pitching products to gift guides and managing your staffing situation during the busiest selling season. How ready are you for Christmas 2023? Take our quiz and get valuable feedback: resilientretailclub.com/christmasquiz

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A lot of small product business founders have likely experienced that same exciting moment of thinking or feeling that what may have started as a hobby or a side hustle is starting to turn into something more! Taking your ideas, personal projects, or businesses to the next level does take a lot of work and requires a good degree of self-belief - what it requires is getting serious about your intentions. In today’s episode of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to the founder of sensory sensation, science-led, baby essentials brand, Etta Loves. With a career in Media, Jen didn’t have much background in buying or production, but inspired by her first daughter and with support from her NCT friends, Jen has built her business from one great idea, by taking herself and her vision seriously, into a hugely successful multinational company. In this podcast, we discuss the challenges of operating overseas, managing cashflow issues and how setbacks can help shape your business. We also talk about growing your brand awareness, cultivating sustained and gradual growth and how important it is to nurture connections and take chances. Check out Jen’s beautiful products at: ettaloves.com / us.ettaloves.com / eu.ettaloves.com And connect with her and the brand at: instagram.com/@ettaloves

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Whether you’re someone who’s just started a creative product business and are chasing that first sale or whether you’re an experienced founder trying to leverage even greater growth for your long-running and established brand, something we all share in common is that we all want to experience success, in its many shapes and forms. From social media to shop windows, the popularity and success of a product or brand can sometimes seemingly explode out of nowhere, but it’s not often the case that these businesses are overnight successes. In episode 151 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to Sallie King of small-space furniture brand, Urbansize. From humble beginnings selling single units on Etsy to being stocked in Urban Outfitters and Not On The High Street, Sallie shares how she gradually built up her business from a single idea and product into the successful brand it is today. In today's podcast we discuss the challenges of stock management and warehousing, creating growth without investment and the virtue of patience. We also talk about the long-term cost, and even personal, benefits of outsourcing and how we might better delegate and share the load of our businesses with our teams. Check out Sallie’s beautiful products at: www.urbansize.co.uk And connect with her at: https://www.instagram.com/urbansize_home ANNOUNCEMENT Launching July 10th, I’m offering a brand new, 6-month programme combining award-winning business mentoring with the magic of masterminding, for ambitious small business owners. Book a discovery chat at: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/retail-business-mentoring

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