1 00:00:17,395 --> 00:00:21,325 I'm gonna tell you the three or maybe four episodes of this podcast 2 00:00:21,325 --> 00:00:24,295 that you need to listen to, to speed up your path to success. 3 00:00:37,607 --> 00:00:43,157 Believe it or not, today is the 300th episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan. 4 00:00:43,157 --> 00:00:47,177 It's absolutely mind blowing to me that we have been going for 5 00:00:47,417 --> 00:00:52,457 nearly six years, 300 episodes, and recently crossed the 1 million 6 00:00:52,457 --> 00:00:54,387 download threshold as well, which is. 7 00:00:54,857 --> 00:00:58,984 Absolutely mind blown for something that I have for the majority of the time 8 00:00:59,164 --> 00:01:01,204 recorded in my absolutely tiny office. 9 00:01:01,504 --> 00:01:05,494 And one of the biggest joys of the podcast is when I go out and about 10 00:01:05,494 --> 00:01:07,024 and I meet people who listen to it. 11 00:01:07,024 --> 00:01:10,114 So if you are a regular listener, I just wanna take a moment, say 12 00:01:10,114 --> 00:01:13,774 a huge, huge thank you, because it absolutely means the world. 13 00:01:14,128 --> 00:01:19,072 What I wanted to do in today's episode was really reflect back on the key themes 14 00:01:19,072 --> 00:01:23,212 that have come outta the 300 episodes, and I wanted to talk you through. 15 00:01:23,692 --> 00:01:28,822 Three episodes, well actually four sneakily that I have picked out that 16 00:01:28,822 --> 00:01:33,292 really reflect the biggest themes that I talk about on the podcast. 17 00:01:33,292 --> 00:01:36,262 So if you are new to the podcast and you haven't listened to the entire 18 00:01:36,262 --> 00:01:40,012 back catalog, which is perfectly understandable, uh, but you want to get 19 00:01:40,012 --> 00:01:45,112 a really quick sense of what the podcast is about and get some key episodes 20 00:01:45,112 --> 00:01:48,742 that will help you really understand that messaging, then this episode 21 00:01:48,742 --> 00:01:50,602 is going to walk you through them. 22 00:01:50,914 --> 00:01:56,104 So I began the podcast in 2020, which was obviously the middle of 23 00:01:56,104 --> 00:01:57,784 lockdown, the middle of the pandemic. 24 00:01:58,264 --> 00:01:59,644 And since that time. 25 00:02:00,244 --> 00:02:06,304 The retail industry has gone through what I almost would refer to as a perma crisis. 26 00:02:06,304 --> 00:02:10,744 In other words, there hasn't been a single year since I started the podcast 27 00:02:10,744 --> 00:02:14,944 that everything's just been absolutely fine and there haven't been any major 28 00:02:14,944 --> 00:02:17,704 crises or major issues that are looming. 29 00:02:18,334 --> 00:02:21,394 And so what has changed since then? 30 00:02:21,394 --> 00:02:25,684 I do believe that people believe even more in the importance of our 31 00:02:25,684 --> 00:02:27,664 local shops, our local communities. 32 00:02:28,024 --> 00:02:33,337 I think that people still have an appreciation for shopping in person, that 33 00:02:33,637 --> 00:02:35,317 they really missed it during the pandemic. 34 00:02:35,617 --> 00:02:39,037 Yes, we saw more people shopping online because they had to, but I think that 35 00:02:39,037 --> 00:02:44,137 people have really grown to love and appreciate that experience of shopping 36 00:02:44,227 --> 00:02:46,147 locally, shopping with independence. 37 00:02:46,597 --> 00:02:51,907 And I believe that we've also seen an incredible new 38 00:02:51,907 --> 00:02:53,707 wave of independents opening. 39 00:02:53,977 --> 00:02:57,967 People who've got a real passion for it, a real passion for their community, and I 40 00:02:57,967 --> 00:03:03,157 actually feel pretty confident and excited about the future of the High Street. 41 00:03:03,727 --> 00:03:07,897 I think there've been some incredible seismic shifts though in the way 42 00:03:07,927 --> 00:03:09,877 that the industry has operated. 43 00:03:09,877 --> 00:03:13,627 I think AI has come in and had a huge impact. 44 00:03:13,961 --> 00:03:15,911 In both good ways and bad ways. 45 00:03:15,911 --> 00:03:19,661 I think that it's actually been a huge bonus for a lot of small business owners. 46 00:03:19,661 --> 00:03:23,051 I think that AI has helped become the team member that you just 47 00:03:23,051 --> 00:03:24,221 didn't have the budget for. 48 00:03:24,221 --> 00:03:28,001 I think that it's helped people get more consistent with their content. 49 00:03:28,001 --> 00:03:31,331 I think it's helped them repurpose information in a way 50 00:03:31,331 --> 00:03:33,172 that they couldn't do before. 51 00:03:33,442 --> 00:03:37,512 It's helped them be able to get an extra helping hand, and I think that 52 00:03:37,512 --> 00:03:38,862 it's been really super positive. 53 00:03:39,108 --> 00:03:43,968 Interestingly though, I think that it's also in a way highlighted just how much 54 00:03:43,968 --> 00:03:48,228 has become automated, how much people are beginning to just hear the same 55 00:03:48,228 --> 00:03:52,608 thing over and over again, and people are really craving that human connection. 56 00:03:52,938 --> 00:03:57,649 And I actually think that independent retail has a benefit of being quite AI 57 00:03:57,679 --> 00:04:01,579 proof in terms of nothing's gonna take away that experience of seeing people 58 00:04:01,579 --> 00:04:04,804 in person, seeing bricks and mortar. 60 00:04:04,924 --> 00:04:08,884 And I think that can actually be a real bonus for independent retailers as well 61 00:04:08,884 --> 00:04:12,514 in, in small businesses in general because one thing that they've really got going 62 00:04:12,514 --> 00:04:14,434 for them is their true, authentic voice. 63 00:04:14,434 --> 00:04:16,444 You have a voice, you are a real person. 64 00:04:16,474 --> 00:04:21,124 And I think that the more that the world leans on ai, the more that 65 00:04:21,124 --> 00:04:23,079 people are going to feel, almost like. 66 00:04:23,694 --> 00:04:28,104 Unconscious repulsion against things that are too robotic that are not real. 67 00:04:28,104 --> 00:04:31,044 And I think that that's actually gonna help people really connect with 68 00:04:31,044 --> 00:04:34,284 independent retailers and brands and feel really excited about talking 69 00:04:34,284 --> 00:04:39,024 to them because they're real humans and not AI avatars, which I think, 70 00:04:39,684 --> 00:04:42,744 yes, it's great for efficiency, but in terms of human connection, I 71 00:04:42,744 --> 00:04:44,214 don't think it's particularly great. 72 00:04:44,964 --> 00:04:49,113 But on the flip side, I think retailers do have to recognise that not online 73 00:04:49,113 --> 00:04:52,533 shopping itself so much as the way that customers are going to arrive at 74 00:04:52,533 --> 00:04:54,183 your online store is going to change. 75 00:04:54,903 --> 00:05:00,063 So I think that we do have to be aware of the fact that people will be using 76 00:05:00,063 --> 00:05:03,393 shopping agents more and more to make purchase decisions and making sure that 77 00:05:03,393 --> 00:05:05,373 our businesses are being found by them. 78 00:05:05,373 --> 00:05:10,323 I think that that is a key consideration, but I think that ultimately. 79 00:05:10,728 --> 00:05:14,887 A lot of these shifts, they're just different ways of getting customers. 80 00:05:15,157 --> 00:05:17,017 There's so much that has stayed the same. 81 00:05:17,017 --> 00:05:21,547 The importance of great customer service, the importance of having 82 00:05:21,547 --> 00:05:25,057 products that your customers actually want, the importance of making your 83 00:05:25,057 --> 00:05:27,067 customers feel seen and cared for. 84 00:05:27,517 --> 00:05:30,667 Actually, a lot of the things I think that really help with success in 85 00:05:30,667 --> 00:05:34,987 2026 are those really key fundamental old school retail principles. 86 00:05:35,737 --> 00:05:39,847 As well as a really good understanding of how do you grow your sales, how 87 00:05:39,847 --> 00:05:41,167 do you connect with your customers? 88 00:05:41,527 --> 00:05:44,114 How do you manage your stock so that you're not letting your 89 00:05:44,114 --> 00:05:46,244 profit drain out in random places. 90 00:05:46,699 --> 00:05:51,214 as the French say, sells al The more things changed, the 91 00:05:51,484 --> 00:05:52,534 more they stayed the same. 92 00:05:52,684 --> 00:05:54,364 And I think that. 93 00:05:55,294 --> 00:05:56,734 Yes, there's been a lot of shifts. 94 00:05:56,734 --> 00:06:00,454 Yes, people are maybe buying in a different way, but the experience they 95 00:06:00,454 --> 00:06:03,484 want to have, why they come to independent retailers, what they're looking for 96 00:06:03,484 --> 00:06:05,374 hasn't really shifted in that time. 97 00:06:06,059 --> 00:06:10,975 What I wanted to do in today's episode was really reflect back on the key themes 98 00:06:10,975 --> 00:06:15,115 that have come outta the 300 episodes, and I wanted to talk you through. 99 00:06:15,595 --> 00:06:20,725 Three episodes, well actually four sneakily that I have picked out that 100 00:06:20,725 --> 00:06:25,195 really reflect the biggest themes that I talk about on the podcast. 101 00:06:25,195 --> 00:06:28,165 So if you are new to the podcast and you haven't listened to the entire 102 00:06:28,165 --> 00:06:31,915 back catalog, which is perfectly understandable, uh, but you want to get 103 00:06:31,915 --> 00:06:37,015 a really quick sense of what the podcast is about and get some key episodes 104 00:06:37,015 --> 00:06:40,645 that will help you really understand that messaging, then this episode 105 00:06:40,645 --> 00:06:42,505 is going to walk you through them. 106 00:06:42,895 --> 00:06:46,615 So when I thought about the really big themes that I talk about on the 107 00:06:46,615 --> 00:06:52,585 podcast, one that comes up again and again is stock, also profit, and then 108 00:06:52,585 --> 00:06:56,605 the third one is the mindset element of running a retail business as well. 109 00:06:56,965 --> 00:07:01,345 So if we start with stock, then an absolute quintessential episode that will 110 00:07:01,345 --> 00:07:07,735 help you understand why I'm so passionate about this topic is episode number 278. 111 00:07:08,215 --> 00:07:10,435 And that is all about dead stock. 112 00:07:10,465 --> 00:07:15,295 How to free up dead stock that is cluttering up your cash flow and stopping 113 00:07:15,295 --> 00:07:19,364 you getting the money that you need to reinvest into your best sellers. 114 00:07:51,632 --> 00:07:54,512 This is a topic that I touch on in lots of different episodes. 115 00:07:54,512 --> 00:07:57,512 There are seasonal episodes about your dead stock at Christmas. 116 00:07:57,512 --> 00:07:59,162 There's how to clear it in January. 117 00:07:59,582 --> 00:08:02,252 There's lots of different episodes where I touch on how to figure out 118 00:08:02,252 --> 00:08:06,692 how much to order and how to run promotions without damaging your brand. 119 00:08:06,722 --> 00:08:08,192 But episode 278. 120 00:08:08,942 --> 00:08:12,850 Is a really good look at why this topic is so important and why it's 121 00:08:12,850 --> 00:08:16,630 something that is literally make or break for a lot of different retailers. 122 00:08:16,935 --> 00:08:19,900 So the sneaky extra episode that I wanted to drop in when I was 123 00:08:19,900 --> 00:08:23,290 talking about this is episode 262. 124 00:08:23,770 --> 00:08:30,010 Episode 262 is all about your cash flow and the different elements that affect it. 125 00:08:43,988 --> 00:08:47,558 So your cashflow, I talk about the SHOPS acronym, which is. 126 00:08:47,978 --> 00:08:52,418 Your sales, having it all planned out, your overheads, your profit, and 127 00:08:52,418 --> 00:08:58,328 your stock and how those five elements that spell out SHOPS nicely are really 128 00:08:58,328 --> 00:09:03,638 crucial when it comes to your cashflow as a retailer and are really important 129 00:09:03,638 --> 00:09:07,628 elements for you to understand how they all interact and help you end up with a 130 00:09:07,628 --> 00:09:11,258 healthy cash flow, which helps you be more resilient and pay yourself more, which 131 00:09:11,258 --> 00:09:13,351 is a big bonus in your business for sure. 132 00:09:13,864 --> 00:09:15,514 So those are my topics. 133 00:09:15,514 --> 00:09:17,134 Episodes 278 and 262. 134 00:09:17,134 --> 00:09:22,504 If you head over to resilientretailclub.com/300, that's 3-0-0. 135 00:09:22,734 --> 00:09:26,064 Then you will see links to all of these for episodes that 136 00:09:26,064 --> 00:09:27,354 I'm gonna be talking about. 137 00:09:27,354 --> 00:09:31,224 So if you are busy scribbling around trying to figure out how to write down 138 00:09:31,224 --> 00:09:32,334 the episode number, don't worry about it. 139 00:09:32,334 --> 00:09:34,944 You can just head over to resilientretailclub.com/300. 140 00:09:35,866 --> 00:09:39,791 Those two episodes I think are really good representation of one of the absolute. 141 00:09:40,421 --> 00:09:45,281 Quintessential key themes of the podcast, which is all about 142 00:09:45,281 --> 00:09:47,441 your cashflow and your stock. 143 00:09:48,521 --> 00:09:50,981 so when we come on to talk about profit, that's something else 144 00:09:50,981 --> 00:09:52,261 that I'm really passionate about. 145 00:09:52,331 --> 00:09:57,611 It does link into your stock piece for sure, but profit is also about 146 00:09:57,611 --> 00:09:59,411 how you have profitable sales. 147 00:09:59,816 --> 00:10:05,216 And you actually make the most out of your sales and protect your profit margin. 148 00:10:05,546 --> 00:10:11,006 So episode 259, which is called Sell Less, Make More, has lots and lots of 149 00:10:11,006 --> 00:10:15,116 tips for you about protecting your profit margin, and definitely go check that 150 00:10:15,116 --> 00:10:18,716 one out because that again, is a really big theme that goes through everything 151 00:10:18,746 --> 00:10:23,036 that I talk about in the podcast and is really crucial for you to understand. 152 00:10:23,789 --> 00:10:27,029 it takes to become a really resilient retailer. 153 00:10:59,811 --> 00:11:04,575 And actually all of those tie into the key truth that I like to talk about, 154 00:11:04,575 --> 00:11:08,767 which is that there are two fundamental elements that impact whether or not 155 00:11:08,767 --> 00:11:13,447 you have a profitable and therefore successful, long-lived retail business. 156 00:11:13,777 --> 00:11:17,587 And that is, are you making enough money every time you make a sale, which 157 00:11:17,587 --> 00:11:19,507 is all to do with your profit margin. 158 00:11:19,927 --> 00:11:22,537 If you're worried you're not, then definitely go check out episode number 159 00:11:22,547 --> 00:11:28,597 259 And also, how quickly are you getting your money back from when you spend it on 160 00:11:28,597 --> 00:11:35,414 your stock, which again is everything that we talk about in 278 and 262 So making 161 00:11:35,414 --> 00:11:37,964 sure you're clearing through your dead stock, making sure you've got a plan for 162 00:11:37,964 --> 00:11:43,154 your cash flow, and then really honing in on your profit margins in episode 259 as well. 163 00:11:44,489 --> 00:11:48,749 And then the final element, the final thing that I talk about a lot on the 164 00:11:48,749 --> 00:11:53,279 podcast and a final, really crucial part of running a retail business is 165 00:11:53,309 --> 00:11:58,679 the mindset side or the psychological side, or motivational side, whatever 166 00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:02,309 it is, however you want to call it, of what it takes to actually. 167 00:12:02,699 --> 00:12:06,419 Get up every single day, run your business, keep looking forward, keep 168 00:12:06,419 --> 00:12:10,439 overcoming those obstacles, overcoming sometimes the loneliness of running 169 00:12:10,499 --> 00:12:14,939 a business where maybe you don't have other people, you can bounce ideas off. 170 00:12:15,629 --> 00:12:21,389 All of that is absolutely essential when it comes to building a retail business. 171 00:12:21,809 --> 00:12:25,738 So, for example, one of my recent episodes, number 296, the 172 00:12:25,738 --> 00:12:29,458 importance of keeping selling even when it feels like times are tough. 173 00:12:29,833 --> 00:12:33,433 That is definitely a great episode to tune into if you haven't heard that one 174 00:12:33,433 --> 00:12:38,713 yet, because I'm touching on that absolute crucial element of running your business. 175 00:12:38,953 --> 00:12:40,543 The importance of not just. 176 00:12:41,238 --> 00:12:44,203 Financial resilience, but also that mental resilience as well. 177 00:12:44,203 --> 00:12:45,133 How do you keep going? 178 00:12:45,313 --> 00:12:46,633 How do you believe in yourself, 179 00:12:57,684 --> 00:13:00,384 believe in the work that you're doing as an independent retailer, 180 00:13:00,384 --> 00:13:04,764 which is absolutely critical, and keep moving yourself forward. 181 00:13:05,064 --> 00:13:09,234 So there you have it after 300 episodes, I mean, there's so much more that we 182 00:13:09,234 --> 00:13:13,494 cover in the podcast that three really big themes are, are you making enough 183 00:13:13,494 --> 00:13:14,844 money every time you make a sale? 184 00:13:15,234 --> 00:13:18,594 Which take a listen to 259 for that episode. 185 00:13:18,999 --> 00:13:20,829 Are you clearing through your stock enough? 186 00:13:20,829 --> 00:13:21,879 Getting that money back? 187 00:13:22,089 --> 00:13:28,569 So listen to 278 and 262, and then how do you feel in yourself? 188 00:13:28,599 --> 00:13:29,679 Are you motivated? 189 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,979 Are you believing in yourself and your mission as a retailer 190 00:13:32,979 --> 00:13:34,179 to keep you moving forward? 191 00:13:34,179 --> 00:13:38,979 And if you feel like you need a pep talk, then 296 is your episode. 192 00:13:39,339 --> 00:13:42,759 As I said, if you head over to resilientretailclub.com/300, 193 00:13:42,759 --> 00:13:47,739 you'll see my personal picks for the four episodes that really. 194 00:13:48,564 --> 00:13:51,474 Encompass everything that we talk about in the podcast, and we'll 195 00:13:51,474 --> 00:13:54,484 give you a really good grounding if you haven't listened to all 300. 196 00:13:54,484 --> 00:13:56,494 But by all means, do take a look through. 197 00:13:56,494 --> 00:13:58,594 We have incredible speakers. 198 00:13:58,594 --> 00:14:02,700 We cover all kinds of topics, but these four episodes are really honing 199 00:14:02,700 --> 00:14:04,500 in on the key message of the podcast. 200 00:14:04,500 --> 00:14:07,593 Thanks so much for listening, and here's to the next 300 episodes.