183. Fine Tuning Your Retail Business Operations with Business Strategist Gwen Bortner

With host retail coach Wendy Batten   https://wendybatten.com/podcast-intro/   Show Notes: What should we focus on in our retail operations? On Episode 183 of the Creative Shop Talk Podcast, fellow retail business coach Gwen Bortner and I turned on the mics for a little impromptu chat about retail business operations. Like me, Gwen has a background in retail. Her coaching business focuses on the operations of her clients’ businesses so that their businesses support their lives rather than the other way around.   In our coaching careers, Gwen and I have found that after the start-up phase of business is over (in my experience 2-3 years after start-up), business owners are spending their energy mostly on marketing, in reality, it’s often the operations of the business that also needs our top attention and consistent fine tuning.    In order to move the needle in your business, the first step is to identify where the bottleneck is.    Gwen’s clients participate in a rating exercise called The GEARS Assessment. It is an assessment of operations and is designed to be completely subjective. Essentially, you evaluate 5 operational aspects of your business on a scale of 1-4. The total number can give you an idea of how you feel about the operations of your business and individual scores can give you an idea on where the most necessary (and likely easiest) operational fix in your business is right now.    You can take the GEARS Assessment for FREE on Gwen’s website HERE.   Goods – Products and services you sell Effectiveness – Personal and team productivity, business leadership Accountability – Prioritizing what is important and taking consistent action to reach goals Resources – People, money, equipment, technology, and similar Systems – Processes, routines, and reporting   Gwen is a special guest coach inside the Retailer’s Inner Circle, teaching Open To Buy inventory management.    As listeners of this podcast, you know I encourage weekly CEO dates: something that doesn’t often come easily to creative business owners. So many of us are accidental entrepreneurs: our businesses started as a passion project that grew and grew leaving us on a hamster wheel. What you need to remember is that it is okay to ask for help: NO ONE IS DOING THIS ALONE - nor should they! However, as leaders of our businesses we need to have our finger on the pulse of all of the operational aspects of our businesses. Gwen’s GEARS Assessment is the perfect place to start. About Gwen: Gwen Bortner is the founder of Everyday Effectiveness, an operational advisory firm that helps visionary entrepreneurs scale their businesses to seven figures and beyond. Before becoming a full-time business advisor in 2015, Gwen solved operations problems for corporate giants like General Mills and for niche companies like the world’s largest supplier of bull semen. To date, she’s advised executives, entrepreneurs, and solopreneurs in over 40 industries, including craft retailers and industry leaders. In addition to advising and speaking on operational strategy, Gwen is the author of the best-selling knitting book, Entrée to Entrelac, and teaches knitting internationally for Craft Cruises, Inc.   Follow along with Gwen on LinkedIn. Related podcasts we think you’ll like:  Episode 18: What’s Possible: The Accidental Shopkeeper with a Thriving Store with Jeff Lee Episode 60: How Focused Learning Can Grow Your Business Episode 70: You’re Not Just a Shopkeeper, You’re a Creative CEO Episode 89: Money Talk & Mindset with Profits First Coach April Stroink Episode 95: Tips to Tame the Admin and Stay Ahead of Business Trouble 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 dream 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   Wendysources 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 in 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!