Are you struggling to keep up with marketing while running your boutique? What if you didn’t have to do it all alone? Today I sit down with Kinsey Harris, a former boutique owner who transformed her burnout into a thriving marketing agency, Boutique Bestie Solutions. Kinsey shares her journey from running a boutique to helping retailers master email, SMS, and Pinterest marketing, as well as practical strategies to build strong customer connections and drive sales.

Resources:

• Boutique Bestie Solutions: Website | Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook
• Kinsey Harris: LinkedIn
• Content Machine Sign Up
• Promo Sign Up
• Join The Boutique Hub
• Pink Friday 2025
• Ashley Alderson: Instagram
• The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

In this episode of Five Minute Friday, we’re answering another frequently asked question from retailers and small business owners: What’s the difference between a sale and a promotion?

It’s one of the most common points of confusion in retail—and getting it wrong could be costing your business profit. In this episode, Sarah from The Boutique Hub explains how to tell the difference, when to use each strategy, and how to protect your margins while driving customer engagement.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

What Is a Sale?

• A permanent price drop designed to clear inventory quickly.

• The faster an item sells, the more profitable it is.

• Avoid blanket discounts; instead, target products, vendors, or seasons.

What Is a Promotion?

• A temporary price reduction meant to create urgency.

• Customers respond to short-term excitement without long-term devaluation.

• Items can return to full price once the promotion ends.

Why the Difference Matters

• Misusing promotions as sales can erode margins.

• Sales should move old product out; promotions should drive traffic in.

• Using the right strategy helps protect profit, save employee time, and improve customer loyalty.

Not a member yet? These are the kinds of retail strategies waiting for you inside The Hub to help you grow smarter.

Want more? Join the Boutique Hub: https://tbhub.co/podcastjoin

What if live selling could transform not just your sales, but the way you connect with customers? In this episode, I'm joined by Ciera Elledge of CommentSold to explore how boutiques can harness the power of social commerce. Ciera shares what sets the most successful live sellers apart, as well as how features like CommentChat, AI Clip Hero, and custom mobile apps give boutique owners the tools to work smarter, not harder, while keeping shoppers engaged and loyal.

Resources:

• CommentSold: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
• Ciera Elledge: LinkedIn | Instagram
• Join The Boutique Hub
• Pink Friday 2025
• Ashley Alderson: Instagram
• The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

We’re shifting our focus to your online presence by highlighting one of the most overlooked parts of running a retail business: your website health check.

Your website isn’t “set it and forget it.” Just like your inventory or sales floor, it needs regular maintenance to keep customers engaged, build trust, and avoid costly mistakes like broken links or checkout issues. A simple monthly checklist can save you from losing sales and help your brand look polished and professional.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Run a Monthly Website Health Check
Create a recurring checklist for your team (or yourself if you’re solo) to make sure your site is always up to date and error-free.

Check for Broken Links & Outdated Menus
Audit your navigation, announcements, and collections to ensure shoppers don’t end up on empty or irrelevant pages.

Test the Customer Journey Funnel
From product page to checkout, confirm that apps, widgets, and buttons are working on both desktop and mobile.

Review Filters, Sizes, and Color Swatches
Keep filters clean, product options consistent, and swatches updated so customers find what they want without frustration.

Tune in and walk away with a quick system you can implement today.

Want more? Join the Boutique Hub: https://tbhub.co/podcastjoin

What makes shoes a powerful addition to your boutique? Today, I’m joined by Michael Strauss of MIA Shoes, who shares how the family-owned brand evolved into a comfort-driven, fashion-forward line. Michael reveals how MIA’s signature cushioned footbed and iconic white-bottom sandals reshaped the brand, why trust and merchandising are key to selling footwear, and what trends are set to define Fall and Spring 2026.

Resources:

• MIA Shoes: Website | Instagram
• Michael Strauss: LinkedIn | Instagram
  
• Join The Boutique Hub
• Ashley Alderson: Instagram
• The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

In this episode of Five Minute Friday, we’re answering one of the most asked questions inside the Boutique Hub: How do I go live and sell?

If you’ve been nervous about starting live selling, or you’re not sure where to begin, this episode gives you the confidence and tools to just start. Live selling is one of the fastest ways to grow your boutique sales, engage your customers, and create urgency online.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Why Go Live?

• Live selling helps you connect with customers beyond your store hours.

• Creates urgency and FOMO that drives faster purchases.

• Lets customers see the real you and builds trust.

How to Start Selling Live

• Don’t wait for perfect — start raw and authentic.

• Educate your customers on how to comment, claim, and pay.

• Choose the right platform (Facebook, Instagram, apps like CommentSold).

Tools You Need to Succeed

• A tripod, ring light, strong internet, and hang tags for items.

• Optional: an assistant or fit models to show sizing and keep things moving.

Marketing Your Live Sales

• Promote with texts, emails, and teaser posts.

• Be on time — just like you would opening your store.

• Repurpose your live by reposting or using watch parties to extend reach.

Pro Tips to Boost Engagement

• Aim for at least 60 minutes to maximize watch time and sales.

• Play games, offer giveaways, and call on friends to comment and boost engagement early.

• Reward your community and have fun — customers buy when they enjoy spending time with you.

Not a member yet? These are the kinds of strategies waiting for you inside the Hub to help you grow smarter.

Want more? Join the Boutique Hub: https://tbhub.co/podcastjoin

What would life look like without small businesses? Today, we’re diving into why they’re the heartbeat of our local economies—and why their role matters more than ever during the holiday rush. I’m joined by Sara Burks, who reveals how small businesses do far more than ring up sales: they create jobs, fund community events, pay taxes, and more. Listen in as we explore how to shift attention from big-box retailers to small businesses through Pink Friday, a bold, colorful event held the Friday before Black Friday.

Resources:

• Sara Burks: LinkedIn
• Pink Friday 2025
  
• Join The Boutique Hub
• Ashley Alderson: Instagram
• The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

In this episode of Five Minute Friday, we’re continuing our Know Your Numbers series by breaking down another retail metrics—your turn—and how it directly impacts your cash flow and profit.

If you’ve ever had great margins on paper but no cash in the bank, this episode will show you how to calculate your turn, understand how quickly your inventory “spoils,” and apply strategies to move product faster so you can keep money flowing through your business.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Understand What Turn Really Means

• Learn the definition of turn rate and how it measures how many times you sell through your inventory in a given period.

• Understand why a high margin doesn’t always mean more cash—and why turn is a better cash flow indicator.

How to Calculate Your Turn

• Use the simple formula: Total Sales ÷ Average Inventory at Retail.

• Identify your category benchmarks (e.g., women’s fast fashion: 5–6 turns/year; luxury: 3.5–4.5 turns/year; home & gift: slower turns).

Prevent “Spoiling” Inventory

• Learn the expiration dates for your category’s inventory and when to take markdowns to free up cash.

• Recognize when merchandise is aging past its prime and how to move it before it becomes dead stock.

Pro Strategies to Improve Turn

• Track your on-hand inventory monthly to know exactly how much cash is tied up on the floor.

• Invest in faster-turning categories to improve ROI.

• Use marketing tools—social media, email campaigns, store placement—to push slow movers before resorting to markdowns.

Not a member yet? These are the kinds of strategies and tools waiting for you inside the Hub to help you grow smarter.

Want more? Join the Boutique Hub: https://tbhub.co/podcastjoin