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Five Minute Friday: You Can’t Build a Business While Running on Empty

Release Date: 01/16/2026

Five Minute Friday: The 13 Strategies Boutique Owners Need for 2026

Boutique Chat

As we wrap up Season 7 of the Boutique Chat Podcast, I wanted to pause—right where you’re listening—and take an honest look at where the retail industry stands today and where it’s headed next. Based on 1,000's of conversations with boutique owners over the past year, this episode breaks down 13 key focus areas that are truly working right now and will matter most in 2026. These aren’t trends for trends’ sake—these are strategic shifts, mindset changes, and operational priorities that will help you grow with clarity, confidence, and profitability. We’ll talk about how consumer...

#747: Blending Home, Gift, Apparel, and Events into One Profitable Business

Boutique Chat

What if the fastest way to grow your boutique… isn’t more products, but a better experience? In this episode, Ashley sits down with Hannah Carlson of Mulberry Market Co. Hannah shares her story of how she went from selling jam at a veggie stand on her parents’ farm to building a booming, curated retail brand—then she moved across the country and essentially started over. We get into the real play-by-play: switching systems, barcoding, syncing Shopify + Lightspeed, adding apparel, leaning into local makers, and building a workshop/event machine that brings new customers through...

Five Minute Friday: You Can’t Build a Business While Running on Empty

Boutique Chat

Burnout is one of the most common struggles for boutique owners, retailers, and small business owners—and it’s rarely caused by laziness or lack of passion. More often, it comes from trying to do too much, growing too fast, and drifting away from the very reason you started your business in the first place. In this episode, Sara Burks breaks down why burnout happens, how over expansion drains your energy, and why “more” isn’t always better. You’ll learn: The #1 reason small business owners experience burnout A simple exercise to identify what energizes vs. drains you Why...

#746: How Knowing Your Customer Starts With Knowing Yourself

Boutique Chat

In this episode, Ashley sits down with Kristi Briceno (Mom Buns and Ruffles) for a conversation that’s equal parts deeply personal and highly tactical. Kristi shares her journey from nursing to photography to direct sales, the moment her company shut down with almost no notice. But the story doesn’t stop there. Kristi breaks down how she pivoted into owning her own boutique, how she finally got clear on who her customer is, and what it looks like to keep showing up when life feels heavy. You’ll learn: The moment she realized: “My customer is me.” How Kristi rebuilt...

Five Minute Friday: The Six Layers Behind Retail Bootcamp (And Why They Work)

Boutique Chat

Retail Bootcamp didn’t come from a textbook or a perfectly mapped business plan — it was built in the middle of failure, fear, and figuring things out the hard way. In this Five Minute Friday (okay… a little longer than five minutes 😉), Ashley Alderson shares the behind-the-scenes story of how The Boutique Hub was almost lost before it ever really began — from imposter syndrome and trusting the wrong people, to rebuilding from nothing and discovering the power of guidance, belief, and systems. You’ll learn: Why Retail Bootcamp was created — and the real story behind it How...

#745: Why 15,000 Stores Closed in 2025 and What YOU Can Do About It

Boutique Chat

Welcome to the new year! On the first episode of 2026 Ashley Alderson is joined by Sara Burks for a big-picture retail conversation that every boutique owner needs right now! Retail is changing fast — and 2025 proved that “business as usual” isn’t enough anymore. With reports showing 15,000+ store closures, Ashley & Sara unpack what really happened, what retailers got wrong, and how small businesses can build a stronger, more profitable plan for 2026. In this episode, Ashley and Sara walk through the six layers of retail (the proven Retail Bootcamp framework) and share what to...

Five Minute Friday: Why Most New Year Plans Fail And How to Do 2026 Differently

Boutique Chat

In today’s Five Minute Friday, I’m officially inviting you to join me for The Best Year Yet Challenge—our biggest free training of the year. Planning a new year shouldn’t feel overwhelming or leave you burned out by March. Instead of chasing perfection or setting goals that fade fast, this challenge is all about creating a clear, realistic, and actionable plan for 2026—one you can actually stick to. Over three powerful days (January 6–8), we’ll review the past year, map out what truly moves the needle, build profitable systems, and create a marketing plan that works now—not six...

#744: The End-of-Year Checklist Every Retailer Actually Needs

Boutique Chat

As we close out 2025 and step into a brand-new year, this episode isn’t about pretty planners or lofty resolutions — it’s about the behind-the-scenes work that actually sets your business up for success. In this solo episode, Ashley Alderson walks you through the five critical areas every retailer must review before the year ends so you’re compliant, organized, profitable, and positioned to lead — not just hustle — in 2026. From money and inventory to operations, goal-setting, and leadership, this is your practical, no-fluff checklist for finishing the year strong and starting the...

Five Minute Friday: The Strategic Shifts Top Retailers Are Making for 2026

Boutique Chat

As we head into 2026, one thing is clear - the gap between average retailers and top performers is widening — and it has nothing to do with effort. In this Five Minute Friday, Ashley Alderson breaks down what the top 10% of retailers do differently right now, and why those decisions are positioning them to grow and scale while others feel stuck. Hard work isn’t the issue. Strategy is. Ashley shares the four key differences separating high-performing retailers from those struggling to gain traction — and how you can start applying these shifts immediately as you plan for the year ahead....

#743: Plan 2026 in 26 Minutes

Boutique Chat

If you’re getting ready to plan 2026 and want clarity—not chaos, this episode is for you. Today, we’re planning your entire year in 26 minutes. This is not a to-do list episode. This is a guided planning session designed for you to pause, reflect, write things down, and make intentional CEO-level decisions about what stays, what goes, and what actually moves your business forward. Grab your planner, notebook, or favorite gel pens — this episode is meant to be paused, rewound, and revisited as you work through it. You’ll learn: How to define what you want your business to feel like...

More Episodes

In this episode, Sara Burks breaks down why burnout happens, how over expansion drains your energy, and why “more” isn’t always better.

You’ll learn:

The #1 reason small business owners experience burnout
A simple exercise to identify what energizes vs. drains you
Why burnout impacts not just your business—but your family too
How learning to say “no” can be one of your most powerful tools

Join The Boutique Hub

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

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