Boutique Chat

Have you ever come home from a conference feeling inspired and ready to take on the world—only to get home and find you don't end up doing all the things you intended? This is an important Five Minute Friday episode, as I know many of you joined me at The Boutique Summit in Dallas this week, and even more of you are going to watch the replays online. That's why I'm going to share some tips on how you can get the most out of events once you get back home.

Resources:

Join The Boutique Hub Community

Struggling to get your brand noticed in a crowded market? Organic reach is harder than ever, and it’s impacting your business more than you might realize. In this episode, I’ll break down the latest industry shifts and share actionable strategies to help you show up more intentionally and consistently in your marketing. Tune in to discover five key trends you need to know as you plan for your next business year.

Resources:

• Join The Boutique Hub
• Boutique Summit 2025
• Retail Bootcamp
• 2025 Boutique Boss Planner
• Ashley Alderson: Instagram
• The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

Struggling to find and keep great employees? You’re not alone. In this episode, we’re diving into the biggest challenges boutique owners face when it comes to hiring, motivating, and retaining staff. We’ll break down the two types of employees you have—rocks and rock stars—and how to create a balanced team that thrives.

Melodie van der Baan, co-founder and CEO of Max Retail, shares her proven strategies for understanding employee strengths, rewarding loyalty, and fostering growth within your boutique team. Whether you have employees who love selling, organizing inventory, or dream of climbing the fashion industry ladder, this episode will help you structure your team for long-term success.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The difference between rocks (your steady, reliable team members) and rock stars (high achievers who thrive on challenge)
• How to identify employee strengths and assign roles that align with their skills
• Why it’s okay if rock stars eventually move on—and how to maximize their time with you
• The importance of rewarding and retaining your rocks with simple incentives
• How to create a balanced team by identifying gaps in your staffing structure

Action Steps:

• Take inventory of your current team—who are your rocks, and who are your rock stars?
• Consider how you’re rewarding loyalty and providing growth opportunities
• Build a staffing strategy that ensures long-term stability and success for your boutique

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Max Retail and how they help retailers recover costs on past-season inventory: https://maxretail.com/
• Join The Boutique Hub for more business resources: https://tbhub.co/podcastjoin

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Share this with a fellow boutique owner who needs some team motivation.

If you have been to our showroom or markets, you’ve probably had the opportunity to meet today’s guest, Samantha Conner. Samantha is such a bright light for our community and team, and she understands business from both a brand and boutique perspective. She joins us today to share insight into Hubventory, buying, business, and the industry as a whole.

Resources:

Hubventory | Wholesale

Boutique Hub Membership

Samantha Conner: Instagram

Ashley Alderson: Instagram

The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

We've all heard people say "cash is king." But more important than cash—and what leads to more cash—is culture. Listen in to learn why figuring out your company's culture is the key to long-term success.

• Ashley Alderson: Instagram
• The Boutique Hub: Instagram