217. Best of Retailer Success Series: Simplifying Your Retail Business with Louise McManus

217. Best of Retailer Success Series: Simplifying Your Retail Business with Louise McManus

Author: Wendy Batten, Creative Retail Mentor July 8, 2024 Duration: 38:18

 With host retail coach Wendy Batten

 

https://wendybatten.com/podcast-intro/

 

Happy July! This month, we're celebrating our retailers in the Retailer's Inner Circle. It's Member Appreciation Month! We're hosting weekly giveaways (including private coaching sessions with me!), launching promotional guides and editable social media graphics, and so much more. It's not too late to join us - and NOW is the time. 

 

You don't have to run your retail business alone! Join the Inner Circle today and get immediate access to countless Masterclasses on topics from merchandising to social media and our coveted monthly playbooks that break your month down for you into bite-sized pieces. You'll also have an opportunity to make peer-to-peer connections in our community with retailers who are facing the same questions and issues as you. Q4 is looming and our revamped Holiday Bootcamp also launches soon. Retail doesn't have to be so hard! Join us today!

 

In keeping with our celebration of our members, over the next few weeks on the podcast we'll be highlighting some of our favorite past interviews with Inner Circle retailer members! These retailer interviews are some of our most popular episodes and what you all are telling us you want more of. So this week we are going all the way back to Episode 120 with Louise McManus of Vischer Ferry General Store. Let's dive in!

 

In This Episode: 

Inner Circle member Louise McManus has managed to find balance - a profitable and enjoyable shop, balanced with a great quality of life. She's here to share with us how that's possible!

 

Several years ago Louise McManus bought a house, built in 1856, in the historic Erie Canal hamlet and had a dream of creating a beautiful shop the community would love, and the rest is history!  This was a new venture for Louise, as she came from working in a bridal boutique and as a jewelry designer. 

 

The Vischer Ferry General Store is both a café and a retail gift shop. Her journey as a retail shop owner has been one to watch not only because of her multiple buckets of revenue streams, but the atmosphere she has created for her customers - it truly is a destination shop! 

 

I have watched her grow into a CEO who is flexible and knows how to think in the future. I know her journey will help yours as well. Take some notes, Louise is living her best life as a shop owner and is still in love with it all!

 

"It's my business, and it can be whatever I want it to be." - Louise McManus

 

Ready to Level Up? Join The Retailer's Inner Circle. 

Here's everything you need to know about the Retailer's Inner Circle. You'll have access to countless Masterclasses including Foot Traffic Made Simple, Shop Standards, Money Matters, and so many others. Plus, you'll have access to a private Facebook group where members can ask questions or share advice and their experiences of running a retail shop.

Related podcasts we think you'll like: 

Episode 129: Retailer Success Series: Community Attract Strategy with Michelle Emmons

Episode 39: Retailer Success Series: How Jill Went from Hobbyist to Creative CEO



About your host, Wendy Batten

In case we haven't met yet, I'm Wendy, a small business coach and founder of the Retailer's Inner Circle, where I help other independent shop owners learn how to gain the right business skillsets to see more profits, paychecks, and joy as they navigate running their retail business. 

Through online classes, business coaching programs, speaking, and a top-ranked podcast, I've helped hundreds of retailers around the globe reclaim their dreams and see the success they want from their beautiful shops. My signature private coaching community, The Retailer's Inner Circle, has helped retailers around the world build their retail business skill sets and confidence. 

I am proud to have been featured in several major publications, including my own business column in What Women Create magazine. I have been privileged to be a guest on top-ranked podcasts and sought-after as a guest speaker and teacher for several brands, associations, and communities that are passionate about the success of independent retailers.

When I'm not coaching, you will find me either DIYing and renovating my very imperfect old crooked cottage by the sea in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, NS, or blogging about our travel and RVing adventures and the weird fun things we get up to in our coastal village. I'd love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for real retailers at https://wendybatten.com/free-resources/ 

 

For more support from Wendy

 

Retailer's Inner Circle - Join Wendy inside the best retailer's community

 

Free resources for shop owners 

 

Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG 

 

All of Wendy's programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE. 

Subscribe & Review on iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you're not, I'd love you to consider it. Subscribing means you won't miss an episode! Click here to subscribe to iTunes!

If you want to be more of a rockstar, I'd love it if you could leave a review over on iTunes as well.  Those reviews help other retailers find my podcast and they're also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. So grateful for you! Thank you!


Running a creative retail business often means juggling a hundred questions at once, from attracting the right customers to filling workshops and making social media feel less like a chore. Creative Shop Talk with Wendy Batten is where those pressing, daily questions meet practical, real-world answers. Hosted by creative retail mentor Wendy Batten, this podcast draws directly from her work with shop owners globally and conversations with industry leaders. Each episode feels like a focused coaching session, breaking down the complexities of modern retail into actionable steps. You’ll hear honest discussions about gaining control over your marketing, streamlining operations, and building a shop that thrives not just survives. The dialogue is grounded in the reality of running a physical creative business, offering strategies that are both thoughtful and immediately useful. Tune in for a blend of Wendy’s direct mentorship and insights from peers who understand exactly what you’re building. This isn’t about vague theory; it’s a resource for turning your unique vision into a sustainable, bustling enterprise. Find clarity and confidence for your creative shop by following the podcast wherever you listen.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Creative Shop Talk with Wendy Batten
Podcast Episodes
305. Building Loyalty Through Positive Customer Experience [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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With host retail coach Wendy Batten https://wendybatten.com/podcast-intro/ Episode Overview In this episode, I'm reframing what customer loyalty really means for independent retailers. Rather than focusing on loyalty pro…
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With host retail coach Wendy Batten https://wendybatten.com/podcast-intro/ Episode Overview Why would a shop that has been open for over a decade, has loyal customers, strong brands, and steady traffic have stalled growt…
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297. The 15-Minute Monthly Reset for Retailers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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With host retail coach Wendy Batten https://wendybatten.com/podcast-intro/ Episode Overview In this episode, I'm sharing a practical look at the power of a monthly business debrief. Sparked by a coaching client who resis…