#17 What 20+ Years in a Successful Boutique Teaches you About Retail + Basketball, with Sara Burks, The Boutique Hub

Welcome to episode number 17. Today we're joined by Sarah Burks, our director of partnerships and education here at the Boutique Hub. And I can't wait for you to hear this episode because with Sarah, we're going to be talking about her over 20 years in retail, owning a business that was actually in existence for more than 67 years. We're going to talk about the ups and the downs of being in retail, plus the turning point that changed her business forever. And then at the end, you're not going to want to miss this because it's a big reveal that we've been working on forever months. So stick around. You are going to love this episode. Let's talk about your business strategy and the juicy details of what actually works, from mainstream fashion to fashion on Main street and the entire ecosystem behind it. How do we scale your company and do it with the balance and the happiness that we all seek? Let's hear from those insiders, experts and strategists that actually make it happen. I'm your host, Ashley Alderson from the Boutique Hub, and I can't wait to chat. Hey, guys, welcome back to this week's episode of Boutique Chat. You are in for a real special treat this week because we've brought one of our own to the show, and I can't wait for you to meet her. She's a dear friend of mine. She is an absolute expert in this industry with so much knowledge and value to share, and I can't wait for you to hear more of her backstory. So, Sarah Burks, welcome to the show.

Thanks. Thanks for having me.

It's pretty rare that the two of us get to sit around and chat like this.

It is very rare. Yes.

Yeah. So if you have not had the opportunity to meet Sarah yet, she's our director of education and partnerships here at the Hub, and she joined us last fall after selling off her business. She's been a successful boutique owner for over 20 years, a business that was in existence for 67, which is unheard of in retail anymore. And she joined us so that she could begin to share her knowledge and expertise with the entire boutique community here at the Boutique Hub. So, Sarah, talk to us a little bit more about McCandies and its history and how you got started in this business.

Well, I'm happy to be here and share this with everybody because I think this is. It's a wonderful story about small towns and community events, community service, retail businesses that work together. And that's exactly what McCandies was. You know, we're a small town, 3,000 people, right about, I don't know, 100 miles from the nearest airport, 30 miles from the nearest Walmart. We were not actually a destination for anything other than shopping because we had some real alive businesses in our community that serviced whatever shopping our community had. And we had people come from our tri state area. So I started there when I was in high school and worked for a lady that she kind of cracked the whip on customer service. And there's a right way to do things and a right way to treat people. And if you didn't do it, you stayed late till you figured it out or you didn't get to come back the next day, you know, she was tough love, tough love. And it was fantastic. I, I learned so many lessons from her. We all did. That worked for her. And she really paved the way to, I think, who I am today, as well as the business owner that I became and actually the mom that I became, I think because there was, there was a right way to treat people. And I always say, you know, we learned everything we need to learn in kindergarten. Treat others the way you want to be treated. That's honestly what she really instilled as well, you know, and she, she said when a person walks through the door, you call them by name, you drop absolutely everything you're doing and you help them from the start to the finish. They're in the dressing room and you're standing there waiting for them to come out with another option for them to try on. If they took in a small, you have a medium or an extra small on hand ready for them, you know, that they want for absolutely nothing. When they're in the store, you treat them like royalty. And that's, that's the business that we were, we built and that's the, you know, the foundation that it started on and it continued to grow. So yeah, when I worked there in high school, I learned so many different things about women of all ages and generations. And you know, I was 16 years old working with women doing bra fittings. Can you imagine, I mean, nowadays putting a 16 year old girl in a dressing room with a woman to do bra fitting. But that's, you know, that was part of the service that we provided. Did I know anything about, I don't even know if I wore a bra when I was 16. But it was honesty. You know, you had to learn these skills, you had to learn your job and how you were to work with your customers. And so it didn't matter if it was a bra fitting. Or cleaning the toilets or picking out grass out of the sidewalk in the front or merchandising or, you know, once you earned your keep, to be able to actually do the store window, which was a big, big deal. That was a rite of passage. But, but whatever it was, you had to do it with class and you had to do it with 100% effort. That that's what God put you on the earth to do at that moment. And you better do it right.

So that's an important lesson for a 16 year old to learn.

It is, yeah. I told, I told our staff all the time, you do not even know what the skills you're learning right now. In all honesty, I didn't know what I had learned until I was, you know, older, when I was put into my master's program in college. And I had to speak with adults and I had to get up in front of the room and do presentations and things and I just, I wasn't nervous. And I was looking around the room at some of the other kids that were struggling and they had never been put in the position to speak to adults before. And I thought, man, I've been in a dressing room with a naked 90 year old woman. I mean, talking to her about, you know, rhubarb pie or whatever, you know, you just, you get put in really awkward situations and have to make the best of it, I guess. And so. Right. I don't think I learned, I knew what I really learned until later on in life.

You can't really transfer that knowledge to someone else either.

Oh, man. But anyway, I just, I look at the life lessons that I learned inside those walls of that store growing up there and what that, you know, how that translated into my adult life and like I said, is even being a mom and how I continue to run the business later on.

So at what point did you decide you were going to come back and you were going to own the store? What was that decision like for you? Did you feel like it was a calling? You always had to come back and own it?

You know, it really was. I did a few other things out of college and coming back to my hometown was. Yeah, I just, gosh, when I graduated high school, get me out right? Where is the highway and I'm not coming back. But then we had kids and it was time to raise a family and where else to be but home? I wanted to be back by my family and back to where I knew and I was gonna try to do the stay at home mom thing for like, if you Asked my husband, he'd say for about a minute, that lasted for about 60 seconds. And within that, the next day, I think I had four little part time jobs. And anyway, that didn't last. And I got back into the store and got the opportunity to buy in with the store and just didn't look back. That was an amazing opportunity given to me. And yeah, I, I felt like that was the right calling. I actually, actually had a business partner that we worked together and it just, it was a marriage, it really was. And she needed me, I needed her. And yeah, the store was our home. We just felt comfortable there.

Let's talk about some of the challenges along the way because going from an employee to the employer, that's a huge shift. What were some of those hard times that you fell on right away learning the ropes of the business from that angle?

Well, you know, growing up and being a co op student in high school, like I was where I'd leave school and I'd come there to work, you were privy to some information, but not all information. And so then jumping on to the ownership side of it, where you had the pressure of everything on your shoulders, that was a big challenge. But at the same time, it was all happening right about the time the Internet was coming out. So this was a store. When I bought into the store, they didn't have email, they didn't have the Internet. Everything was done on paper. And of course I had went off to college and came back and I was like, we need to have the Internet, you know, and that was a, that was a hurdle, you know, letting go of some of those key foundation things that the store had been built on for years, you know, and jumping over to another crazy side of, you know, the world wide web. But that was a big challenge. And then everything that happened with that, you know, people's buying strategies, you know, changed and, you know, where people were getting the information. The old tried and true put an ad in the newspaper. People didn't communicate as much that way in our small town. They still did. But in all honesty, it was, it was time to really look at other options. And that was kind of scary because advertising was expensive. But I would say, I would say that the pressure of that, that was big. The open communication about things, you know, and then the pressure of realizing that people that worked for you, you were responsible for their income, you know, and you were responsible for providing that place for them to work. That was, yeah, that was definitely. That's tough.

That's something people don't prepare. You For I feel like that even in the boutique hub, we've scaled from 1 to 12 employees in the last year. And the weight that puts on your shoulders, in a strange way, what a cool opportunity. But it's a responsibility.

Oh, yeah. I mean, you think about days you want to just, you know, hide under your sheets and not come out. You know, that's two days before payroll and you're not sure you're gonna make it. And these kids, these, these people are telling you all these plans that they have, and Susie just bought a car last month and all these things, and you see her pull in with her new car and you think, oh my gosh, if I don't pay her, she can't make payment. And, you know, all these things that, you know, you want to be genuinely happy, but it is a lot of pressure.

You, one thing that you're so good at teaching and educating the community on is financial management. Numbers, ratios, formulas, all of that talk about kind of the turning point for you in business when that became really important, right?

Well, I'm a pretty competitive person. I don't like to lose. And I'll be honest, there was a number of years that I looked at my financials and I felt like I had completely lost. I actually wasn't even sure I was playing the game. And a few of those times, but that was it. I think it was when I just had a real hard inner talk with myself saying, what are you doing? You know, are you gonna struggle at this forever? Are you actually gonna just bite the bullet and be the CEO that you're supposed to be, you know, really dive in. And we went to a training one time in Michigan, and they talked a lot about numbers and talked a lot about, you know, just what the liquidity of your, of your business is and what your turn rate is and all these things that were, I guess I knew them in college and I remembered studying about these things, but in all honesty, I had not taken the time in my business to implement them because I spent the majority of the time doing window displays and buying merchandise and selling stuff to customers and all these things. And. But I really, I wasn't taking that time. Every Monday or whatever I decided to do to analyze these numbers. But it was at that time when I really decided to make a commitment. Every week, just like I would check my emails or I would go to a chamber of commerce meeting or whatever it was, I mapped out a morning on Monday. Every Monday morning, about 8 o', clock, I would come in and I'd run These numbers and I would analyze them and I'd look at the reports and I'd print everything off. And we, we kept a binder of the information. And then I also hired an open to buy planner. And that was the turn, that was the big turning point where I realized what I needed to have on hand to make the sales goals that I, I set. You know, what I thought I was going to sell or what I knew I needed to sell and how much inventory I needed to have on hand and what kind of inventory. Because prior to that, I'm not gonna lie, there was a number of years there at the beginning that we'd go to market cuz it was fun and we'd buy it because it was cute. I wasn't asking about the price, I wasn't asking about ship dates or when it was gonna, you know, when we were gonna receive it or if I could negotiate on price or terms or anything. I just, I was having fun. And guys, it's kind of embarrassing because, you know, you really just thought I'm a small business owner and I dress nice and people like their clothes and there's all these things and. Yeah, but when it really got down to. Was just a big, I don't know, a farce. I guess it was just a, it wasn't the truth. It wasn't, we were, I don't, like I said, it wasn't that the business was booming, it was struggling. We were trying to be too much to absolutely everybody. Yes. And that was one thing when our neighbor business started carrying women's clothing. You know, we talk a lot about community over competition, but when they started carrying women's clothing, it hurt at first. But honestly, I think it hurt our pride and it hurt our feelings more than it actually hurt our bottom line. And we had to get over that. And really look at that. And so when I realized that, that them carrying some women's clothing actually allowed McCandies to go back and do what McCandies did and just stay true to that. Not get so widespread where our cash and inventory was spread so far from one genre to the other that none of it made money that was absolutely huge. So I actually kind of should thank them, I guess, a little bit for, you know, that whole competition thing. Because it also was part of this turning point where we realized, look, this is, this is time to really start analyzing everything and be true to, true to who we are and who our customer is. And as you always say, stay in your own lane.

So two huge turning points. I mean, one where you transition from the art of retail to the science of retail and you honed in on your numbers. But that Community over competition piece, let's talk about that, because that's a huge talking point in the industry today. And as an outsider, having been to your community, because my husband's from your community and I've shopped in your store a number of times, having those two stores next to each other, yours in the store next door, it made you guys a destination, right? To shop.

Exactly. It goes back to what I said in the beginning. You know, we were 100 miles from an airport, 30 miles from a Walmart. We weren't, people didn't think, oh, let's just go to that town. That wasn't what people were doing. However, if they knew they could go there and buy men's clothes and shoes and jewelry and women's accessories and women's clothes and we have a beautiful selection of home and gift and floral shops as well, that it made it worth their time.

Yeah.

And people enjoyed coming there. As a matter of fact. I mean, we have, we had customers that would schedule appointments to come in from all over the tri state area to shop with us. So, so it was because we were a destination and it was because there was competition there or it was basically a retail community. And that's great for everybody that thinks they can carry the weight of the retail world on their shoulders. They, they can't. Not everybody buys the same thing. Not everybody likes the same exact thing. And we had customers that were very loyal to us. The neighboring store did as well. We all still do. It's just, I guess when I look at where I like to shop, my family, there's four of us, but we all like to shop in different stores. That's just the way we are. So there's a need for absolutely everybody. So I, I, but I'm, I'm right there with everybody else that got their feelings hurt and got a little shell shocked at first. I'm like, oh my gosh, we're not gonna be able to survive and all this stuff. But we really, it's, that wasn't the case.

Yeah.

Once we started, I don't, I don't know, putting our emotions aside and really looking at the numbers behind things, it was actually a benefit. It was a huge benefit.

So one thing that you are really great at and you have a lot of knowledge in this area and you've been sharing it with our members of the hub, but you're going to have a new opportunity to share even More of this soon is buying, and you really understand the market from a number of different angles. Can you talk to those who are listening just about how you approached your buying, where you went, how you negotiated, and what your secrets were?

Well, I'll start by saying when we first jumped online and started buying online, oh, my gosh, we were as addicted as anybody. You know, oh, that's cute. Let's buy that. You know, when we put things in a cart and then we wouldn't get it shipped, and then we'd get frustrated because we thought we had our dollars tied up in an order and it wasn't here. We also would go to market, and we'd get there, and we'd run around and fill our day with just trying to hit every market there ever was. And at the end of it, you know, we'd sit down and say, what did we buy? You know, what was. What are the. What's the one thing that you're so excited about? And gu. The turning point of that was one market. I sat there and I thought, I don't even remember. Now, granted, I was tired at the end of the day, but the truth is, I just spent money, and it was money I didn't actually have in my possession, so I didn't really see the money. Right. Kind of like using credit cards, where you just. You just buy it and then you worry about it later. And I think there's so much mentality about that of, well, it'll sell, it'll sell. Well, don't worry about it. We'll buy it, it'll sell. But that's not. That's not business. You know, a lot of times you look at something and the first words out of a store's mouth is, well, how much does it cost? That shouldn't be the first thing. It should be, what can I sell that for? Looking at a blue sweater and saying, oh, I bet I could sell that for $80. Yeah, my customers would pay $80 for that. I'm touching and feeling, and it feels awesome. Everything's great. I love it. 80 bucks. Okay, then the question to the vendor is, how much does it cost? And when they say it costs 50 bucks, say, all right, sorry, that's not worth my time. If they say it's 20 bucks, all right, now we're gonna make. Now we can make some money. You know, what is the return on investment? And that's such a huge thing. But, guys, it takes time. You can't just roll into a showroom and grab whatever pieces you want. Tell Them to scan it, bill you, and walk out and move on to the next one. That's where tens of thousand dollars worth of mistakes comes in. So that whole open to buy plan, knowing what you need, when and how much of it you need, that's crucial. But a lot of people don't buy that way. But that is a huge thing. And then the other thing is when you do walk into these showrooms and you ask them questions, you should always negotiate your terms. You know what's in the best interest of you. They, in all honesty, they want you to succeed as much as you do. Because if you don't, then they have to reinvent the wheel with another customer also. And we all know how expensive that is. So when you go in, one of the things I always like to do is find out what their ship dates are. But if that doesn't work for you, ask them if you can hold it. Ask them if they can hold it for you. Ask them if you can get an extra 30 days dating on your products, because standard is 30. Well, do I turn my products that fast in my store? No, not all the time. So it's not in my best interest to have to pay 100% of those products when I haven't sold through even 20% of them yet.

Mm.

So knowing those numbers and knowing what you need, I think is the key when you go to market. Knowing what you need not only in products, but time wise and communicating that a lot of times people are just lazy and they just plum don't ask. So I think taking the time to really develop those relationships with your vendors, have a respect for each other because they need to make money at the end of the day too. But ask, you know, do you need them to not ship that, those winter coats until September? Probably, unless depending on where you live. A lot of times, you know, the first time I ordered winter coats, all of a sudden I didn't ask. And there they were at the end of June in Wisconsin. The snow has just left the ground. We don't want winter coats in June. And there I am sitting on it. Now I'm having to pay for it. I still haven't even sold one. So those are buying mistakes. And honestly, I think they can all be solved with taking time when you buy, have a plan, know what you need, and don't be afraid to ask. You know these vendors, they're willing to help you. You just have to ask.

Yeah, let's talk about price points too, because your store had the gamut, I mean, boutiques today the most common new boutiques we see coming on the market are these affordable boutiques where everything's under $40 or $50, and that's great. It works for some, but I think it's easy. They have this almost a scarcity money mindset where cheaper is better.

Right.

But that's not your store, and that's not a lot of people's store. The customer is willing to pay more when you ask. Talk about that.

Yeah, exactly. I think if you try to pigeonhole your customer into one buying group, you know, you're setting yourself up to fail. Because when I look at what I like to buy, there are times I like disposable fashion if I just need it for one time. But if I'm a career woman and I'm trying to buy something that's going to last long term, you know, it's not so much about the price tag, it's about the item. So when you have a selection in your store, whether you have your $20 and under area and you have your. Your. We'll call it the Cadillac rack or whatever, you know, you have certain customers that are looking for certain things. You don't necessarily want to be showing that Cadillac customer the disposable fashion, because you sell them that one time and they are losing trust with you. They might not come back. But at the same time, when you know a customer and they've come in and they. They communicate, you have to listen to them, right? You're listening to them first to figure out what their needs are. Then you. You have that variety to show them. But the other thing that's kind of interesting there is your customer thinks they know what they want. They might tell you they only want a $15t shirt. But when you show them the $40t shirt and they feel it and you can tell them they can wash it and it's not going to fall apart, they find big value in that. That's huge. So I think as far as price goes, it's all about education. It's all about educating your clients on what they're getting, what the return for their investment is going to be. That's a big part of it. It's just going above and beyond to communicate that with them. A lot of times people just assume that a customer only wants a certain price point. And, you know, assuming is bad. I learned that in volleyball when I was in seventh grade. That makes an ass out of you and me. And that's. That's still the way it is across the board.

So an Interesting story. Actually, an example of that, that happened with a client of yours, a man who came in to buy something. Was it for his girlfriend?

Yep. Yeah, so. And this happened so many times that, you know, we'd have people come in and if you just take a look at somebody. This is that whole Pretty Woman concept. If you take a look at somebody and assume what they. Where they're at, price wise, you know, you are. You're completely doing them a disservice and yourself. And so, yeah, this happened one time. A gentleman came in to get something for his wife or his girlfriend. I forget. And anyway, as he walked by this Cadillac rack of sweaters, he said, well, what about that? And the girl said, oh, well, that's. That's really expensive, you know. And he was very upset. He's like, well, do you not think I can afford that? And as it. As it turned out, that's what he wanted. And she continues to wear this to this day. And he comes back in and gets that same line. That's what he wants. He just happened to be getting off work. He's a mechanic. He just happened to be getting off work, came in and he was dirty from work and whatever. It just. It's kind of embarrassing to say, but I'm sure a lot of you guys are out there listening that have had these moments, but you can't assume. And people want something that this gentleman wanted to get his girlfriend. Something that when she wore it today, it was going to look as good today as it was going to in five years. That's so important. He put a value to that and. And that's what he wanted and that's what he got. You know, it just so happens that, you know, the girl had a big training with afterwards about how to respect people and communicate with people and. And yeah, but that could have been a horrible, horrible thing for our customer service and our reputation. Luckily, this guy was pretty cool about it. But it. Yeah, you just can't ever assume and you want to have something for everybody. And what I'm in the price for or the mood for one day might not be, like I said, if I'm going to a job interview, not that I'm leaving. I hope not, you know, but I'm getting. So say I'm getting ready for a big event and I need something that is, you know, very classy, that's gonna be able to travel on an airplane and not wrinkle all these things. That comes with a price tag. I'd be willing to pay that, you know, Versus if I'm gonna go to the zoo with my kid, you know, and know I'm gonna get ice cream on me or whatever, you know, totally different things. But price is important, but you can't assume you know what a customer needs.

Yes. So that experience was a teachable moment with your staff. And so something you're super passionate about is training and educating your staff. But you have a really interesting way of making this analogy because of your own family's interest in sports.

Oh, yeah.

So tell us about your family in the sports and then how you equate that.

Well, we're huge sports fans. Like I said, I'm very competitive, and I don't like to lose and nor does anybody in my family. But the one thing we always can relate to is your dedication to practice and becoming better. And basketball. Basketball or rodeo? Either one. But I like to look at our team as our employees. Who we employ is our team.

Right.

The whole gamut. And you as the business owners, the coach, this goes back to the book the Great Game of Business. And basically what it's saying is, if your team is failing, it's not their fault, it's your fault. As the coach, you're the one that's setting them up to fail. And I think it's funny because my daughters, who are now in seventh and eighth grade, you know, they play basketball. They're not college level, professional level, but they. They practice every day. They practice every day for two hours after school, and they're playing seventh grade girls basketball. So they practice two hours every day. And honest to God, over the entire last year, they've probably played 30 games. Right? But they practice every night. Two hours a night. Okay, so then why, as business owners, do we train for two hours, but then expect them to play in a game every day and expect them to win? But we've only let them train for maybe two hours. It doesn't make any sense. And in all honesty, what's my daughter in seventh grade winning like? I don't even think they don't get ribbons. They're not winning anything. But our team at the store, our employees, they're winning with tens of thousands of our dollars. Or they're losing. That's our money. That's our livelihood. So why do we only train them for two hours? You know why? As boutique owners or business owners, do you often find the CEO or whatever in the office behind the computer? They're not hiding. I know we're all working. We're doing things. But at the same time, I think it's just crucial to be alive in your business as well as I say alive in your community. But making sure your team knows that you've got their back and you're giving them the tools to win. Because otherwise it's like throwing a ball out to a bunch of seventh grade girls on a basketball court and say, win. Well, hell, they don't even know what basket they're shooting at. They don't know who's on their team. They have no idea who's bringing the ball up the floor, who's, you know, what out of bounds plays to run, what to happen when somebody press, you know, sets a press on them, which is just like putting a girl on the sales floor. They have no idea what to have to, what they do when somebody walks in with a return. They say, I don't like this. And the poor girl's sitting there thinking, okay, I have no idea what to do now, you know, and that just from the beginning, that makes your store look ridiculous, like you haven't done your job. But it's not this girl's fault, granted. Maybe you're saying, well, she should have read it in the training manual. People don't read, you know, we've got to train them, we've got to show them, we've got to teach them by example and then we've got to do it again and we've got to repeat those trainings. That kid that learned how to shoot a layup, he didn't just get taught in fifth grade and never taught again. You know, they fine tune those skills every practice and by the time they're in high school and they're really set up to do that, have the big games, they're great at it. And if they're not great at it, they've moved on and they've been removed from that role and put into something else. But I think the great game of business taught me a lot about that, about managing your staff, managing being alive and training them and showing them direction. Because at the end of the day, if they feel like you have their back and you're in their corner, they're going to work harder for you. And even to take that a step further, open book financing, you know, that's a huge thing, showing them your books, showing them something that they can be accountable on your line sheets that say, you know, if you can, if you can reduce this expense, our bottom line goes up. So if our bottom line goes up, that's better for you. And if they can understand that, that gives them a Whole lot more reason to get out from behind the cash register, the counter and work with those customers when they come through the door.

How did you reward them when you did open book management like that and they were accountable for a piece of your line sheet? How did you reward them in the end?

Well, everybody was a little different, really. We just had one person that was really active with that because we had an awful lot of really, really part time people. But you know, whether it was the bonuses or going to market with us or whatever it was that communicated rewards for her, a cell phone or Aflac insurance or things like that, that if, you know, if our bottom line goes up, we could afford to pay some extra supplemental insurance for you, things like that. Everybody was a little different. And I think that's another big thing. You know, as a mom, I've the two daughters that are complete, they're 12, literally 12 months and 12 days apart. But they are completely different human beings. I have to manage them. Totally different. And it's the same way in a business you manage people completely different. So what worked for one wasn't necessarily going to work for another as a reward. So that was, that was, you know, it always could just kind of depend. But yeah, and have those things and have them mapped out from the beginning that that's an attainable goal for them to reach. And they know that. So you don't just say, oh look, we gained, we did our goal. You want ice cream or do you want this? You know, you want to give them something, some small goals to reach and if they're reaching small goals, then that overall end goal that's there, that's theirs to win. So awesome.

Let's talk more about your family because one of the things you're doing, we're just a week away from the Boutique summit and you're speaking two times in Dallas. One is on our Mom Life panel talking about balance and the other is on what you just finished talking about, which is customer service and building your team and education, which I know is going to be an awesome session. Let's go back to Mom Life because something we hear so often in the hub is how do you balance all of this? The elusive balance. Question.

Yes.

So what were some strategies that work for you?

You know, I think it is being alive. I keep saying that being alive in your business, being alive in your community, but being alive in your house. And you know, my kids, I don't want them think they're second fiddle to anything. However, they do understand when business needs to be done when you know, it's time to pay bills and it's time to do these things, but every night, and my girls are 13 and 14 and I still tuck them into bed every night and have about 20 minutes of quiet time with them. And that's, that's important. That's our connection. You know, talking about like with a, with my husband and things, we always, we did not do a good job at this. But having that time where your children see you and your parent together, that they're connected and that they are, they're having, they communicate and they have a good relationship, that's just so securing to kids. So I think that at the same side on my end, where my kids know that business is important, but they're always, they're always first and I'm gonna miss some games. Like today I might be missing something that they're doing at school. But at the real key moments, we're going to have good heart to heart conversation. We pray together and I tuck them in bed every night. That's really important. But as far as them seeing me leave and they, I communicate this with them, the, the worst thing I could possibly do is just have my bags packed on the front step that morning and them come down for breakfast and say, where are you going? You know, I think that balance is that communication and making sure everybody's on the same page. And you know, it was hard when the kids were really little because they'd say, how many more sleeps till you have to go or how many more sleeps so you come home, you know, and, and. But now they're older and they understand it, but at the same time they're very busy. And I, I think this is the key. When Jacob and I had kids, we realized that the kids were an addition to our family. They were not, they were not the center of our family. So they kind of rotate around Jacob and I, and they get to be involved in some things and they don't get to be involved in some things because Jacob and I were a family first. And there's some things that have to happen to run a family, like work and those are key. So if we can't make it to every ball game, that's just the way it is, you know, and that's, that's been a huge part of. Yeah, it's been a huge part of our family life. And I do, I. When they come home from school, I really try not to be just so involved in something that I don't have time to drop what I'm doing. And visit with them because they need your time. You know, they need a hug, they need. How was your day to day with a real legit look on your face like you are willing to listen. Yeah. And hear what they're saying, you know, not just this passing in the hallway, hey, how's it going? Going? And not really expect them to answer.

Yeah, where did you go when you were in business to stay motivated, find resources, keep on this path?

You know, honestly, the Boutique Hub has been that for a few years now. But prior to that, I really think, you know, just being in the, in the circle of the business women that I was involved with and you know, being alive in your community. We were, I been the president of our chamber of commerce. I was involved in the downtown, the better women's in business and also, you know, networking at markets, you know, going. T.J. reed was a huge one for me. Being involved out there at Magic, going to some of the seminars, just talking business. I think so often that it's, it's, it's real and it's alive in you if you're talking about it, if you don't communicate about it, you, you get complacent and you just start getting bored with it. But, and it's funny because when I told somebody that I had moved back home and bought into the store, the, the guy's reaction was like, well, of course you did. You were always going to do that. And I'm like, I was. He goes, oh yeah, you always talked about that store, you know, and I guess I didn't even realize it from the beginning, but I think just being, yeah, being alive in what you're doing and getting yourself surrounded by like minded people that feel, think and feel the way you're. That you do. And if they're dragging you down, if they're not, if they're not aiming for the same things you are, cut them loose. There's always somebody else out there. And I think that's one thing I really like about the Boutique hub is that's such a great community of people trying to build each other up, work together, learn from each other and celebrate each other's wins and keep it real.

Right.

So I think, I think definitely the Boutique hub, just being alive in the space you are and training, you know, things like, things like the trainings that the hubs provide and podcasts and networking opportunities, just absolutely huge.

So perfect segue. I don't even think you were realizing you were segueing so well, but something that our listeners don't know that this will be their first opportunity to hear is the reason you and I have been together for the last couple days is we're finishing up building something that we're so excited to release and that is a new wave of training for the Boutique Hub. So many of our listeners have heard of Boutique Bootcamp, which has been our signature program at the Hub for a couple of years now. And there's been such a waiting list of over 400 retailers wanting to get in that we just can't help. So now we created this in a digital version and layered on and piled on all of these extra resources and lessons and proven strategy that you've had in your business. We're going to be laying into this. So without further ado, so formal, we're going to be launching Retail Boot Camp at the Boutique Summit. And we're so thrilled about it.

Yeah, it's going to be great. I'm very excited. Yay. Nervous. But it's. It's going to be awesome. These are things that, you know, I wish I would have had these tools when we first got started in retail. I really do.

Oh, my gosh.

You know, went to college and studied retail merchandising and things. But honestly, I wasn't ready for the things. They may have taught me some of these key things when I was 18, but I was really not ready for those at that. But now with people involved in their business and they're getting going, these are guys. These are huge, huge life lessons, retail lessons, the do's and don'ts all piled into one thing. And with real life experience, it's just. It's gonna be great. I'm so excited about it.

So let's tell them a little bit about what's included because we've got 11 total modules, plus a slew of bonuses. Some are downloads, guides, checklists, some are live coaching calls with us. But we've got some super secret weapons from like the biggest names in the business.

Yeah, it's gonna be awesome. I know. I get nervous even thinking about it.

Yeah. Can we give them one? We'll do. Tell them that there's an expert from Shopify that's coming to join us and just a number of outsiders that are going to come in and share their experience besides Sarah's and my experience. But we're starting at the beginning of the modules with business basics.

Yep. Yeah, business basics, like you said, having that solid foundation. Because a lot of times we just get up and going and we go gangbusters and we forget about the foundation of which our business is established on whys and our story and actually the business entity, all of it itself. And then we reach questions like, oh, I want to pay myself, but we don't even really know how. So these are all some things that are, we're diving into figuring out and making sure you have a good solid base because then we can. The sky's the limit.

Right on. And that's been proven. You know, you and I have talked about this, but that's been proven time and again with boot camp, with the live coaching program is we have to go back to square one. How do you manage your time? How do you manage your mindset? How do you set time aside for your family? Because if you don't, they're gonna like cry mutiny and kick you off the ship.

Yes, yes, exactly.

You have to start there.

And then we, if you don't, then you wake up one day and you realize you've missed all these things and not only just in your family, but in your business. And you know, you cannot, you can't jump onto module six without doing module one through five and having them done right. And that's, that's the way we've designed the course. And, and so often you get yourself in a bind later on in business because you, you skipped over these other things and a lot of times you skip over them because they're not fun, they're not exciting, but guys, they're, they're key. They are absolutely crucial.

So, and really the mission is just like you talked about, the turning point in your business. We have to bridge the gap for people to go from just the art to retail to the science of retail, which isn't the glamorous part, but it's the crucial part if you're going to build anything sustainable.

Exactly. Amen to that.

So the first opportunity for these guys to get a hold of retail Boot camp is going to be live at the summit, which there's going to be some extra juicy bonuses that are not going to be available anywhere else at the summit. And then the week following or the two weeks following the summit, once we get back home and sleep.

Yeah, there you go. That'll be great.

Then we'll relaunch the entire program to everybody who's listening and we'll make sure to link up all those details in the show notes. So if you want to check out more information on the program, it's only going to be open for about two weeks to get inside the program and then it's going to be closed because our Group trainings and all those live guest experts. All of that is for a limited time.

Limited time only. Yeah, I know. It'll be fantastic. And what better time to do it in the middle of the summer? You know, your businesses, I mean, a lot of times retail is not super booming in June and July. You know, you're kind of moving on to that before fall rush. So this would be a great time to map out some time and get the second half of your year started off on the right track.

Absolutely. Yeah. Well, Sarah, hearing your story today is so. It's so exciting to hear from you. Just hear the journey. I think everyone listening can probably agree that had some great takeaways today from your story. If you had one last takeaway, one last piece of advice that you wish you would have known when you got started in business that you'd want to share with someone who's listening.

Yes.

What would that be?

Ask questions. It's okay to not know. You are not expected to know absolutely everything. It is 100% okay to ask because you don't know who are. Who the experts are that are surrounding you. There is so much talent and so many different people, and you need so many different tools to run a successful business that to think you can do it all on your own is absolutely crazy. If you want to end up in the loony bin and kicked off the ship from your family, try to take it all on on yourself. That is my tip for you. It's okay to ask for help, and it's okay to ask questions. Ah, so good. Yeah.

All right, well, Sarah Burks, thank you so much. Our director of partnerships and education at the Hub and co founder of Retail Bootcamp.

Thank you very much for having me. It was fun. Yay.

Hey, guys. I hope you loved listening to this episode with Sarah. Honestly, I could probably sit there and chat with her all day. Not only is she a great friend, but she's so intelligent and she sees this business from so many different perspectives because she's been in it so long. She's a wealth of knowledge, super down to earth, and really has built an incredible business. I hope you're also excited about the fact that Boutique Bootcamp is finally digital. After you guys asking for this for at least two years now and a massive waiting list of you guys to get into boot camp, I can't wait to share all of the details of what's to come. So make sure you check out the show notes of this episode for what to do next. And I know we didn't announce it on this episode, but stay tuned because you're going to hear the entire list of bonuses that are available with Retail Bootcamp from all of the guest experts that we've rounded up to take part in this program. Experts like those at Shopify, plus some others. I can't wait to tell you Our intimate group setting in the brand new Facebook group we're creating, plus the chance to work with us in a live session in each of our live group coaching programs throughout this digital boot camp process. So guys, I can't wait to share more. I hope we get to join you in the program and work and learn more about your business and how we can take it to the next level. All right, check out the show notes and stay tuned because there's tons more details to come. Have a great week, guys, and if you're coming to Dallas, we'll see you soon. Hey guys, thank you so much for listening to this episode. We we hope that you loved it. Don't forget to hit subscribe and leave a rating and review down below for a chance to be one of our featured listeners each and every week. For more information on our spirit of community over competition and how to access complete show notes and bonus downloads from our guests, head on over to the boutiquehub.com and join the community. We'll see you next week.

Sam.