242. 6 Areas to Focus on in Your Retail Business in 2025

242. 6 Areas to Focus on in Your Retail Business in 2025

Author: Wendy Batten, Creative Retail Mentor January 6, 2025 Duration: 43:32

 With host retail coach Wendy Batten

 

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

 

In This Episode: 

Join me for a 4-hour intensive January Retail Reset on January 14th! This is a small workshop where we will be laser-focusing on your business. Feel like you might need to revisit your goals and get clear on what you need to do in 2025? Join me! All of the details are here

 

If you are dreading making a plan for your retail shop in 2025, I have something for you: Design Your Best Retail Year Ever is available for purchase as a stand-alone workshop (or free for you if you are a member of The Retailer's Inner Circle program)! 

 

This workshop has been named a favorite by so many of my clients. It's truly an invaluable resource that every retail shop owner can use - whether you love to plan or dread it. Grab it today, or join the Retailer's Inner Circle and it's included in your membership - along with a "pantry" full of other masterclasses and resources for you to grab when you need them. 

 

The 6 Areas You Should Focus on This Year

  1. Building a stable foundation: There are three pieces to business stability: (1) business viability/profitability (2) your customers and their changing needs (3) you and your team

  2. Embracing retail excellence: Mediocrity is not going to cut it in 2025. "Excellence" doesn't mean luxury, it means paying attention to details in all aspects of your business.

"If coming to my shop today wasn't the best thing our customer did, then we haven't done our job." -Cindy Boissonneault, Poco Inspired

  1. Earning your customers' loyalty: Your customers want to be seen and understood. What strategies do you have in place to create customers for life?

  2. Be a superhero in your community: How can you be a town cheerleader, connector, and community advocate?

  3. Exude confident leadership: Believe in what you are creating. What are you spending your CEO time on?

  4. Visibility is key: Position your brand to be seen as the "go-to." Can your customers shop online? Are there revenue streams you can add?

Related podcasts we think you'll like: 

Episode 221: How to Raise the Bar on Excellence in Retail with Guest Expert Jeffrey Shaw

Episode 237: Retailer Success Series: Cindy's Journey to Building a Thriving Bead Store

Episodes 198-200: Stop Hiding and Be Known: Retailer's Visibility Series Parts 1-3

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

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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
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