837: Wendy Batten – Celebrating the Small Shop Owner

There’s a shift going on in the world and I’ll bet you’ve noticed it – and that shift is, shop local! That’s why today’s episode features my conversation with Wendy Batten, a self-described ‘chief cheerleader for independent shop owners.’ Although the focus of today’s episode is primarily on those of us self-employed folks who manage brick-and-mortar retail locations, I believe much of what Wendy and I discuss is relevant to all small business owners. Among other topics, we discuss how the pandemic has increased awareness of the importance of small businesses, small shops, and shopping local in general, especially as they impact the vibrancy of ‘main streets’ and ‘downtowns’ in communities across the country. We talk about the importance of working with your communities and local leadership – something that’s applicable to all small-businesses folks! – as well as how every one of us can help support small businesses in our own communities. Wendy Batten is a small business coach and chief cheerleader for independent shop owners. She is obsessed with helping small business owners develop the confidence and business skills they need to see their dream of growing a thriving retail business through her online courses, business coaching programs, and her popular podcast, The Creative Shop Talk Podcast. Wendy truly believes small shops can thrive and are the heart and soul of local communities, playing an important part in their social and economic progress. Wendy has been self-employed for over 20 years including running her own successful retail and studio business, she understands what it’s like to be in the trenches. Wendy works with hundreds of small shop owners across the globe from a crooked cottage by the sea that she shares with her husband, in Nova Scotia, Canada. And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple Podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss an episode. Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com.   Wendy Batten, thank you so much for being here!   Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself. Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world. Guest Contact – WendyBatten.com Main Street Success Resources Wendy Batten on LinkedIn (ln/wendy-batten-02396920) Wendy Batten on Facebook (@WendyBattenbizcoach) Wendy Batten on Instagram (@wendybatten.biz) The Creative Shop Talk Podcast Contact Jeffrey – JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs The Self-Employed Summit Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable complimentary resources to help you – The Self-Employed Business Institute — You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! — Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! — Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO!   Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.