Field Notes for Retail Leaders

Hi Retail Leaders I'm concerned about you. I don't think you're allocated enough payroll to do your job. Because of that, many other things suffer: customer service, store standards, training, and career advancement. I put a post on LinkedIn the other day asking store leaders how many hours they were given every week, and I was shocked. Most people are working with fewer than 200 hours a week. One person even said they were given 77 hours a week. I still have not recovered from that number....

I got a hilarious DM this week. Someone told me their former boss asked them if they knew of me. When they confirmed, their boss said, I think she’s a whiny little baby. She never got promoted. Sounds like a personal problem. Better to just keep your mouth shut. Promotion is easy when you’re good." Well then. LMAO. Here's the thing: there is a leadership crisis in retail. Turnover is 80% and executives treat it like a cost they don't have any control over. That's absolutely false. They can...

If there's one thing you can count on when leading a retail team, it's uncertainty. You're making decisions without a full data set. You're adjusting to new priorities and new demands. You're helping a customer solve a problem you've never thought of before. You do your best. But are you making the right decisions? You wanna know what? The leaders who hold it together aren’t the ones with all the answers. They’re the ones who show up, stay transparent, and refuse to let panic fill the...

Hey Leaders, How many conversations have you had like this with your boss? ⬇️ Oh, you want to move up from your store manager position to a DM?That's great!But ...You have to be an area manager first. How do you do that?Well, um, you need to be asked.No, you can't apply.We ask you. I know, you want to move up. And we've hired a lot externally. And you can be a DM someday. Yes, absolutely. But yeah, you need to be an area manager. But you need to wait some more until we ask you. Got it?Yay!...

Hey Leader, I just hopped off a webinar with my friends at Retail Control Systems. At the end of the webinar, we hosted a Q&A. Here's the question that's still swimming around my brain. How do you motivate someone who seems like they don't want to be at work? This is a tough one. We all know what that's like. Has this person had all the training they need? (Have they? Make sure.) And they're fluent in what's expected of them and the job requirements, but their whole vibe is wet blanket....

Are you a Thinker or a Driver? Maybe you're a Motivator! There are 4 types of leadership styles. In my latest training, you learn about all 4, uncover what kind of leader you are, and unleash your superpower! This was the most-loved training I did in my stores. It changed the way we worked together because we understood each other soooooo much better, and it helped me write schedules and plan our weeks. I cannot wait for you to check it out. Discover your superpower! Alright, on with the...

Hey Leader, We're rounding out our fiscal 2025 and heading into '26. You made it through holiday and inventory (if not, hopefully soon) and you're eyeing '26 like, "Let's go already!" I know. Me too. But before your store is clean and your spring inventory is fully set, your company will ask you to start writing your employee reviews. It seems like one more thing you have to fit in. But giving employee reviews is an important part of leadership. Getting one on one time with people is...

NRF is here! What's that, and what's it to you? I got you. NRF is the acronym for the National Retail Federation. This is the world's largest trade organization that advocates for the retail industry. Every retailer—from grocery stores to small, local shops to massive retailers—NRF reps everyone. They also track retail data and support retail education. Every January, they put on a massive conference in New York City. It attracts retailers globally. That's one of my favorite parts of...

You made it! You made it through another holiday season. You did it. Congratulations! Getting through holiday is never easy, but this one was particularly challenging. Call-outs. No-shows. Last-minute changes from HQ. Navigating all this without losing it takes soooooo much skill. You're a badass and you did it. I went quiet with this newsletter for a few weeks on purpose. I wanted to give you space to run your stores during your peak season. Learning and strategy are important, but they...