Do you know what bugs me so much?

It’s when boutique owners say that J months are bad, especially January.

I am here with a hot take on that.

I don’t think J months are bad.

I think you just haven’t planned for them.

So you think January, June, and July are going to be these great months when in reality, they’re transition months.

So I’m going to teach you right now how to make sure that you’re not poor in January and you can actually buy spring inventory.

Stay tuned.

Hi, I’m Emily Benson.

I’m a consultant for boutique owners and I’ve been doing this forever.

I have been fighting misinformation in the boutique industry for a very long time.

One of these being that J months are bad.

I have consistently helped my clients understand what their January should look like, could look like, and how to save money for that.

If you’re watching this video in Q3 or Q4 and you haven’t started to look at the first quarter of next year…

Let’s do it right now.

Together in this video, I’m going to teach you how to utilize your high sales right now during fall and holiday so that you can be prepared for January.

When you still have to pay the bills, buy new inventory, and run a solid business even in these months that may slow down.

The first thing I want to clarify about January in general is that from a retail perspective, most corporate retail companies run their fiscal year from February 1st to January 31st.

It doesn’t really affect how they pay taxes or bills, but from a retail business perspective, we know December is a high, November is a high, and January is full of gift card usage, returns, and a general shopping fatigue.

If you’re thinking January should be a big month, remember, it’s a transition month.

We just came off high sales months.

Hopefully, you’re watching this in August, September, October, November, or December.

That’s a prime time for U.S.-based boutiques to make a lot of money.

Period.

You should be making a ton of money in these four months.

Part of what shocks your system in January is that sales do slow down, and it feels bad.

But we know January will be slower, so let’s just plan for it.

A lot of people get down because they think sales will be as high as the previous months, but that’s not always realistic.

This is where I say we have to do a bit of math.

First, we need to think about our projected sales and expenses for January, February, and March.

That’s the first quarter of the year.

In corporate retail, January ends the year, and February starts spring—Q1—with Valentine’s and spring holiday items.

I’m speaking about women’s boutiques here, but this can apply to children’s, gift, and even men’s boutiques.

Once you know how much money you’ll need in those months, and understand how much you’ll likely make…

Generally, January through March make up about 2-6% of the year’s sales, with 5% being average.

So, if you made $100,000 in a year, expect about $2,000 in January, which can feel like a shock after December.

That dip can feel drastic, and recently, I’ve experienced some dips in my business that we prepared for but still felt intense.

It takes strength to run a business, and that’s why I’m sharing this with you.

I don’t want you to feel blindsided in January.

We get a lot of emails in mid-January from people needing help, and I want you to be prepared.

Step one is figuring out how much money you’ll make in those months based on my calculation: if you made $100,000, estimate 2% for January, February, and March.

That’s your revenue.

Now, what are your expenses? They likely don’t change much.

You might cut back on staff, open hours, or even choose to close temporarily.

I often tell clients to take time off in January, relying on staff, or use that time to work on the business rather than in it.

This is a chance to strategize your next growth step without worrying about daily revenue.

Now that we know those numbers, let’s zoom back to today.

How much are you making right now?

If you’re unsure, look it up.

You need to know this to calculate monthly projections at any time.

Let’s walk through an example: if it’s the 7th of the month, and you’ve made $11,900 over the past six days, divide that by six for a daily average.

With 31 days in October, you’d project about $60,000 for the month.

Now you have a baseline to save for January, February, and March.

If you aim to save 60% of that Q1 budget over the next few months, here’s my suggestion: save 10% of your sales now.

If you make $1,000, save $100. It’s never a bad idea to save 10%.

This can help in emergencies or to cover your January expenses.

Start thinking in terms of percentages—it helps.

Some days, you’ll make more and can save more. If you have a $5,000 day, maybe save 20% or 30% if your inventory is solid.

Every dollar saved will help in January, even if you don’t use it.

Seeing money in your account gives you a sense of security in your boutique business.

Many of you feel like you’re just scraping by, but you have more control than you realize.

I teach a specific framework in my Profit Power Tools class, which includes spreadsheets, templates, and training.

This program makes financial management easy and helps you overcome money fears that often hold us back.

I want to teach you to save so you feel good in January and February, instead of feeling like you have no options.

Instead of facing a struggle like Megan, who almost closed her business but turned it around, I want to help you.

If you want more info on Profit Power Tools, comment “profit” below, and we’ll share the link.

In this class, we offer live calls, support for your financials, and a judgment-free zone to ask questions.

We all have money trauma, and if we don’t help each other, we’ll struggle to make friends and money.

Without knowing how to handle finances, you can’t take the profit you need, and that can drain your business.

I want to help you see what you might be missing.

So, check out the info on Profit Power Tools, and if it feels right, sign up.

Thank you so much.

Remember to be like a squirrel and store away your money to feel confident during the dark winter months.

Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next one.