Savvy Shopkeeper

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Hampshire, IL
Savvy Shopkeeper

I help Independent Retailers work smarter, profit more and grow their brick and mortar businesses.
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06/23/2026

If books are on your list, I’d love for you to consider this small shift. 💛

Bookshop.org is an online platform that supports independent bookstores, and it’s already raised more than $57 million for local bookshops. I’ve also built a Savvy Shopkeeper storefront there with bookshelves full of business books specifically for indie retailers.

Amazon still accounts for a huge share of book buying in the U.S., and 71% of U.S. adults who bought books in the past year bought at least one from Amazon. If enough of us choose a different place to buy our books, even just sometimes, it can make a real difference for independent bookstores.

So instead of buying your books on Prime Days or on Amazon, shop here: https://bookshop.org/shop/savvyshopkeeper

06/21/2026

Happy Father's Day to all the retail dads out there.

Especially the ones who never officially applied for the job but somehow ended up working in the family business anyway. 😂

The dads unloading boxes, hanging shelves, assembling displays, fixing whatever broke this week, making emergency coffee runs, and getting recruited to work "just for an hour" on Saturdays.

You know the ones.

The husbands who thought they married a store owner and somehow became part-time maintenance manager, delivery driver, inventory assistant, IT support, and professional heavy-lifter. 🛠

We see you, and we appreciate you.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads helping keep small businesses running, whether it's your full-time job or the part-time job you never knew you signed up for. ❤️

06/20/2026

Tomorrow is officially the first day of summer! ☀️

Store owners are usually great at creating memorable experiences for everyone else, but not always for themselves. We spend months planning inventory, events, promotions, and schedules, then suddenly summer is over and we realize we never made time for our own adventures.

This is your reminder to put something on the calendar that's just for you. A vacation, a weekend getaway, a concert, more time at the lake, afternoons with family, or simply a few days away from the shop.

You don't have to earn rest. You don't have to wait until everything is done. Summer is short, and you deserve to enjoy it too. 🌻

I’d really like to know, what fun things will you plan this summer for YOURSELF?

06/19/2026

Meet Mac! aka "Mac Attack" 🐶

Last week I was dog sitting for my sister-in-law and realized I didn't share a picture of this adorable nugget.

He's the sweetest and kept me company while I finished writing my first book. Yes, the first draft of my manuscript is finished!

I already miss him, isn't he the cutest?

06/18/2026

When Elena Gustavson opened magpieandtigervt she thought her background in business and finance would prepare her for retail.

It didn't.

Over the last 18 months, she's learned merchandising, inventory management, customer education, pricing, and cash flow while building a profitable stationery and gift shop in a town of fewer than 8,000 people.

Along the way, she leaned into feedback, implemented ideas shared by fellow Master Shopkeepers members, uncovered new revenue opportunities hiding in plain sight, and grew her business by more than 110%.

Her story is a reminder that successful retailers aren't born knowing everything. They stay curious, keep learning, and take action one step at a time.

I can't wait for you to hear Elena's story. It's an episode I genuinely think all store owners would want to listen to!

Catch the episode here: https://savvyshopkeeper.com/retail-store-growth-shopkeeper-story

06/05/2026

A new Master Shopkeepers member recently commented on a lesson in The Lab.
I've spent years working with independent retailers and this is one of the most common feelings store owners describe.

Not knowing if you're making the right decision. Not knowing who to ask. Not knowing if what you're experiencing is normal.

Trying to piece everything together through trial and error.

Running a retail store will always require work, but it shouldn't feel like you're constantly guessing.

That's why I created our group membership, Master Shopkeepers. To give store owners access to lessons, tools, coaching, and a community so they can make decisions with more confidence and a lot less second-guessing.

Messages like this never get old. 🤍

06/01/2026

One of our Master Shopkeepers members said this recently and it’s one of the best descriptions I’ve heard so far!

Because this work isn't just: “Post more on Instagram.”, “Run some ads.”, “Try harder with marketing.”

Inside The Visibility Year, we’re helping independent retailers uncover the deeper reasons growth feels inconsistent.

Sometimes the issue is discovery.
Sometimes customers can’t find the business online.
Sometimes traffic exists, but conversion is weak.
Sometimes marketing only happens in bursts.
Sometimes the business has outgrown its visibility strategy completely.

So throughout 2026, MSK members are moving through challenges, visibility assessments, track assignments, classes, and implementation work designed to help them identify what is actually limiting growth.

THIS is important: Not every store needs the same solution and not every visibility problem is a traffic problem. Which means more marketing isn't always the answer!

That’s why this year has felt so layered for many members. Every challenge reveals another insight, another pattern, another opportunity to grow more intentionally instead of reactively. This is where real progress starts.

05/31/2026

Most store owners focus on increasing sales, but experienced retailers eventually realize the quality of inventory decisions impacts almost everything:
cash flow, margins, stress, confidence, and profitability.

Sometimes one metric changes the way you run your entire business.

Cash Flow Clarity is an incredibly helpful tool and series in our group membership, Master Shopkeepers. Part of the program is teaching store owners about important metrics like this but it also walks members through an entire series of exercises to learn about cash flow in a retail business but even more importantly the tools help store owners IMPROVE cash flow!

05/30/2026

A 1:1 client said this recently and I immediately wrote it down.

Because one thing I’ve noticed over the years is that indie retailers can sit in indecision for 2 to 3 years on one major topic.

Hiring.
Moving locations.
Fixing inventory problems.
Starting email marketing.
Raising prices.
Changing systems.
Letting go of something that’s no longer working.

A lot of the delay comes from fear of making the wrong move, fear of losing money, or hoping more time will somehow create more certainty.

Meanwhile, the cost of waiting keeps growing quietly in the background.

Like I do on the podcast, I'm repeating this one: the cost of waiting keeps growing quietly in the background - not to mention the mental anguish of constantly being in indecision!

One thing I really admire about this client is how quickly she moves through decisions. Thoughtfully, strategically, and with more trust in herself as a business owner.

That shift changes everything.

Sometimes the next level in business isn’t another strategy.
It’s shortening the amount of time you stay stuck.

05/28/2026

I love love love when MSK group members connect in real life! 🥰

Kate of and Elena of recently connected at Brimfield Antique Market.

Address

122 Washington Avenue
Hampshire, IL
60140

Website

https://savvyshopkeeper.com/instagram

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