The Keys To Boutique Success with Michiko Seto, Blooming Boutique

I hope you guys have the energy to handle this week's podcast because it is so, so good. I have been so excited to bring Misha Cosetto, the founder and owner of over 11 boutiques in Delaware, to the show. She's been a part of the Boutique hub, the Boutique Summit. She's been a part of our mastermind in retail bootcamp. And so I have loved getting to know her, her infectious personality and her super smart business strategy. And finally today on the podcast, you're going to get to learn from her too. So if you are a brick and mortar store, I highly, highly recommend you listen to this. But if you are an online business, I don't want you to shy away either because honestly, there's so many great pieces of advice she gives for events and promotions and mindset and growth leadership and hiring that really span no matter what type of store you are. Mishiko has stores that have apparel and gift and pet and men's. She has a bead business, a wholesale business, and an Internet business. She really has done some amazing things in her career. So I can't wait for for you to get to meet my friend, Misha Ko. Her energy is contagious and you guys are going to walk away with pages of notes. This is a great one. Let's get started. 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 the podcast this week. I have been looking forward to this episode for a long time because every time I get the opportunity to introduce you, Mishko, to somebody, they're like, what? Tell me about your business. This is incredible, what you've built. So I can't wait to unpack the story and the thousands of lessons I'm sure you've learned along the way. So let's get started. If someone hasn't met you yet, Mishko, just tell me a little bit about yourself, your business, how you got started.

Right, yes. Well, I'm Misha Cosetto and I grew up at the Jersey Shore in Ocean City, New Jersey. And what's is interesting, you don't realize when you think you're at the Jersey Shore. No one's there. You want to get to big cities. You don't realize how much you learn as a kid growing up there. Which has now helped me be at the Delaware beaches and build my businesses. But I grew up in Ocean City, New Jersey, went to the University of Delaware and after that I was recruited by a lot of department stores and Kids R Us at the time was just opening up a lot of stor and I decided I was afraid to go with a department store that I might get stuck in a department I didn't want to be in or something weird. So I decided to open up Kids R Us stores and I did that for a year and I said, oh my gosh, what did I do? Hundred minimum wage employees. I'm not sure retail is what I wanted. After I went to school for fashion, merchandising and marketing and a headhunter picked me up and I got into corporate banking. So I wasn't banking. And that certainly did teach me a lot about finances and money and so forth, which has helped me a lot with my business. So I've been really blessed that all my experiences in life really helped me when I really decided to go into my own business. When I was in banking, I had gotten transferred out to LA in the. And I was in the hood foreclosing and I was like, I didn't went to college for this. And I was like, what was I doing? So anyway, I got out in la, I had a group of people from Orange county picked me up into a direct sales company, a multi level company. I didn't even know what it was, but it was kind of interesting because it was a mail order program which before the Internet. So it wasn't like rah rah parties or things like that. For me it was a total system. And I like systems. I got into direct sales, I traveled the world, did all different things for eight years. And then I decided to move back east. You know, I met somebody through urban life and that's what I had done for eight years. And then I. So we were working at home, we were doing. I did, I've worked with a lot of people. I worked even with Robert Allen and Mark Victor Hansen with a One Minute Millionaire. All the things, I mean I was doing stock options, flipping houses, I've done all that crazy stuff. I just was like, oh. So we would work at home and we'd go away every 90 days. That was my thing to motivate me, meet our goals. You have to do something to keep yourself driving and going. And so we were in St Martin. One year I saw these beautiful handbags, and I was like, I'm not paying $500 for this handbag. I can make this handbag. You know, I came home and I started playing around, and I knew what I needed, and I made my own handbags. And people started following me around and wanting my handbags. And that's kind of where they were, these flower crazy bags. And I would paint and do all different things on them. And that's how I became blooming bouti. I would have never named my company that, but I started out as a handbag company, you know, 16 and a half years ago. Ashley. That's how it developed from going on vacation. I was doing craft shows. I ended up moving down to Delaware. We moved to the Delaware beaches. We picked up a great home in one of those recessions way back when I started. Yeah, I just was. I was doing craft shows, and I said, I can't take this heat. I need a little shop. Okay. And so then I had a little shop. And then I realized the kind of business I created was not what I wanted to create. I. I would be in my store all day, and I had to go home and make handbags. And I was like, what did I do? Nothing duplicatable. So anyway, so then that taught me I had to figure out how to start buying things. And so I started adding flip flops and other accessories in with my beachy handbags. I mean, I did great with my handbags. I had fun with them, but, boy, it's a lot of work to go, you know, make your own products and sell your own products in a little retail store. And I started out with 350 square foot store downtown Lewis, the first town in the first state. And from that, now I have 11 stores down here in Delaware. And I've moved them, I've rearranged them, gotten to better real estate, better locations, that kind of stuff. Through the years, I was blessed. We just kept growing and growing, and I moved to an area that there was a lot of different possibilities, not a lot of competition. And I didn't want to have to go all the way past Philadelphia or King of Prussia mall to go shopping. So I kept opening stores to get the products I wanted in my own backyard. So that's kind of.

I love that. So there is so much to the story. I love it. Tell us, Mishko, what? All your stores are different. I think this is really interesting. Like, all your stores are all of these different types of products. Can you run me through the List of your storefronts, what you sell, and then also your Internet business as well.

Okay. Yeah, I do have a separate Internet and marketing company also now because I brought it in house. Well, in downtown Lewis, I have six stores which I love. I love that town. I live 8/10 of a mile from the town. It's a little historic town. It's. Everybody calls it the hallmark town. And so I started with a little boutique and Now I've got two big boutiques in town. I think they're about each 3,500 square foot. And one is for, I want to say my older age, my demographic, but it's resort wear, fashion, nicer jewelry, nicer high end shoes. It's not, I mean it's a good, there's good solid lines and that's where I started. And then I added a lifestyle store that brought in a younger demographic and more casual. Especially when we all changed into wearing loungewear and all this kind of stuff. I never really carried in my boutiques. So I have that. And I've added a men's department in that one. And then there was no. I took over. I've moved three times. Yeah, one, two, three was. I'm in the fourth location for my blooming boutique because it's only a two and a half block town. So real estate is tough. So you work your way in with your landlords and work your way up. And I can go no bigger right now. So when I took over the store that closed, it was a gift shop. And I'm like, oh my gosh, to me, the formula for a historic downtown, we need gift shops. So I opened my first gift shop. So I have a couple gift shops now, traditional gift shops, you know, bath and body candles, cards, a food gourmet section, coastal tourist things. Not tchotchke things, boardwalk things, but nicer things and like mud pies, one of my big vendors and so forth. So I have that. Then I broke off because I had it all in one. I have two additional tourist shops and town gift shops. I'm the one who sells all the. Even the nicer. I do nicer clothing with Lewis on and all that kind of stuff and all the nicer products like grave engraved cutting boards and things like that. So we've got a total three gift shops in Louis, two boutiques. And then I have a treasure. I have treasures, which is a home, is a home decor and jewelry, which it really complements. Because when it's not jewelry season, guess what we're selling. Beach work, artwork, accent furniture, lamps, for the beach houses. So it really keeps my jewelry business and going all year. So from there, then I opened north of me, about 18, 20 miles. I have another blooming boutique. And then I pulled out of my beach towns, Rehoboth and Bethany. Down here, the rents were so high and they were so seasonal. And none of my customers would drive in. First of all, there's no parking, so none of my customers would drive in. And nobody wanted to work at the beach towns. And so I saw an opportunity inland where growth is just. Everybody is moving to Delaware because of taxes. We have more retirees per capita than Florida. Can you believe that one? I just saw that on the news. That's crazy. So anyway, so I saw that there was like 30 communities going around this new center. I took the blunge. Everybody thought I was crazy, but I was a banker because I looked at the median income. I. I'm a numbers girl. That's where banking helped me because I could be all over the place. But it taught me some discipline with numbers and things. And so I now have four stores over in another center, which I have. I have a big blooming boutique. I have another treasures jewelry store. And I have a huge gift shop of traditional gift shop. And then I opened my first Maggie's pet boutique. My dog has its own pet boutique. But what I did, I'm still trying. It's a year in. We are a traditional pet store, but I'm half also a human gift shop. And that's where I differ and can compete with the big guys. And where all my online orders are coming from is from the gift side because I can go buy. I know how to buy gifts, you know, and I can find great dog gifts for cats, you know, cat and dog related for humans. So they're all the stores we have right now. And then in between our stores, we have two warehouses where my marketing company and my Internet company where they work.

Okay, I've got to go back to what you were talking about with being a banker and making these decisions based on numbers. You've had probably, you know, obviously a lot of good decisions, but probably some bad ones too, along the way that you're like, oh, you know, I wouldn't do that again. Just like you were saying, like, I learned about people don't want to work in a beach town. There's no parking. All of that. If someone's listening and they're like, okay, I want to open either my first brick and mortar or I want to expand and open multiple brick and mortars. Can you Give me like, okay, these are three tips. Make sure you analyze these three metrics or these three things before you decide to expand and open more brick and mortars. What would those three things be?

Yes, because I have stretched myself sometimes too thin because opportunities came. So the first thing is it depends on your gut and what you can say. Stomach. Because some people, the anxiety, the stress and stuff is not really worth it. Okay. And that's what you got to look at. Do I have enough money in the bank for my existing operation and how long can I live off it now? Being in banking really helped me. I never borrowed a penny to open all these stores. I paid for everything as I built because I was growing quick and I had the cash flow. So I didn't want the stress because I'm not good with. I have enough, you have enough challenges. And I'm going to talk about the stress challenges in life with a business that I didn't want to worry about, oh, gosh, paying the credit card off in the boat or having loans. I'm not an interest paying person. My dad always taught me not to pay interest. Okay. So, you know, so I never did that until Covid. Then I got nervous. I said I better take some of this SBA loans because in case I need it, and then I just paid it back. But I think it depends what you can stomach and what you're willing to risk and not let it eat at you every night. Because that's when, that's when you have problems in personal life. You live, eat and breathe your business. I think a big part of it is you as well as being prepared for it, you know, because like right now I could open up 20 more stores, but I couldn't get staffing. And this is part. We're actually backing down. I'm looking to get out of a distributorship and some other things that I'm in. I'm involved in other things with my business because we are just spread too thin. I would rather be right here in my little hub, you know, and where my leaders are and where they're focused and do it right because I think I can double the size of my business if I can just now find, keep work tuning. We keep fine tuning and you have to just keep evolving with time, you know. But I would look and I would look at what your competition is because that's one of the things when I go to other towns, you know, I've had to get some other lines that I didn't want or they want me to have in certain Towns and not in other towns. You know, if you want to keep your stores branded the same, are you able to get those lines in that town? Because that might be a problem if you have a lot of competition and so forth. And you really got to look at. Because if you're in a secondary place on or on real estate like I started on a side street, it is so much more work to drive people there. So you've got to think about budgeting then for your marketing and advertising to get people to that sideways side street and how to get people there. You know, I couldn't wait to get on prime real estate on our main drag in town. So I mean there's a lot, there's a lot to look at with it, but it's not, I mean a lot of it's common sense. I feel like a lot of it is. But you know, just make sure you don't stretch yourself too thin because you got to think about you're gonna, you're open to buy how much more you're going to be buying. What I do love about having like three, four blooming boutiques, what is it moving in one town. I have the flexibility and I'm always moving products, you know, because it's so funny what takes off in one town and not in another town. It's only. And most of my stores are within 20 minutes of each other, you know, so you know, there is a lot of advantages to it and convenience for your customers too.

So I want to go back to the very first point you made there on being a cash based business. I get a lot of questions on that. How do I become a cash based business? And what I'm gathering from you is you just have to be extremely disciplined. Like you planned your numbers, you were very disciplined to those numbers. Right. So on a weekly basis walk me through what metrics or what reports are you living and dying by.

Well, I'm not the best on that anymore because I could definitely see I've lost my banking niche because I'm more the visionary in my company. And you know Alyssa, she's more the chemical engineering number cruncher. It is funny because I always thought I was the math science number cruncher person and I really see it. I think that's what people push me to be versus I am definitely more the visionary person and I need the organizers who are doing all that reports and stuff behind me. That, that isn't me. But I'm I think for the first so many years when I started too. If you're just Starting with one store, you know, you're probably that. You are probably the salesperson, the janitor. You're doing everything. I mean, I was wearing every hat on. And that was the whole joke. And that was how I finally sold my first in person. I'm like, you'll never be bored because you never know what's going to happen every day. You know, you could be a delivery, it could be this. But it also, for me, with the flexibility, as soon as. I don't know, I'm very good. I hate that word pivot anymore. We're all tired of using that word. But pivot. I know I can move around and make business happen no matter what. And I guess that's where I never let nothing else ever control me. And so that I always had metrics because I knew what I needed to make. And I paid myself from day one, Ashley. I pay myself very well now. I feel like every store has to pay me for me to be worth it, to keep all these stores. So, you know, and so I think that's part of it is. Is. Is not just. I mean, I put a lot of money back in. I took what I needed. Did I know, maybe not splurge in the beginning or whatever like that, but I also knew I was. We're on it, like, you know, our 12 o' clock read, our 3 o' clock read. Where are we at for the day? How much more do we got to get in? And it's that discipline and making sure you're. You're not. Wait till the end of the month. Oh, we're down $10,000. Right. It's solving it each day as it goes. Because I can say, like, we were lucky. January, no snow days. But it doesn't mean that we're going to lose on a short month of 28 days into February, you know, what's going to happen with us? And so we're always pivoting and changing if we have to, to try to make sure that we can do everything in our control to make sure we. We meet our goals. We don't sit on product and so forth with that. You know, that's. That's an important part of it, too. I don't know. I just have it all spelled out. I know my budgets, I know what my things are. You know, I just know everything I have for the year and what I've got to pay. I was always that, I think is I did mortgages and loans. So I always crunch people's cash flow and their ratio and their debt ratio. Because you got them. Because I see many people eat up all their, all their income for paying expenses, and then they have no product, no money for product, you know, to go buy a brand new product and keep it going. I see people get in that vicious cycle and I've always separated and I was, I did have, right from day one. And I hadn't even read the book that everybody reads on profit first or whatever. I had a separate account for product money, separate account for payroll, separate. I had that set up that way. As a banker, you should see even how I pay my credit card bills. I do pay by each vendor. I'm a crazy person, but I like it because then I feel like when you're in front of your money, you know where your money is. You know what I mean? That's exactly right. Yeah. That's kind of what I've always done and it's worked.

Yeah. If I could summarize that for someone who's listening, I. What I'm hearing you say is, number one, your cash flow analysis is key. You have a budget, you know what you're expected to sell, you know what you're expected to spend. Right. You know what your margins are going to be. And now you know how much money you're going to have rolling over from month to month. So cash flow is huge. But beyond cash flow, you have an open to buy. You know what inventory each store needs. I know you're a fanatic about buying, and I'm going to ask you about that in just a little bit. But you have a plan. And I think that's like if in the most basic of basics, you've got to have a plan, you've got to have those numbers and live and die by those numbers. And I think it's just too easy to fly by the seat of our pants and say, well, how much money's in the bank? I'll just go spend that in inventory. No, you gotta, you've got to be analytical enough just to have.

I mean, I'm always planning like the last week of the month is our payroll, is our rent, rent accounts, are we sitting good with our money? I mean, you just have to sit back and look at it because. Right. Because you can get you does. Are we perfect? No. And you know, sometimes you budget, you're. You think you're going to have your same salespeople here that are doing great, and then all of a sudden you don't have that staffing and you're not turning that profit. You always are going to have A little bit things to jug with. But you gotta, you gotta have that because that keeps you feeling like. I see sometimes people get so crazy in their business and I think if you have that foundation, then you're not gonna make yourself sick to your stomach or have, or let that stuff get to you. You know, it'll all work out. And as you build, as long as you keep learning and you know you're gonna keep earning is always. I always tell my staff, I said, as long as we keep learning, we're gonna keep earning. And you know, and we, we, we, we have solutions, we solve. Okay, I don't want to say that word, but. Yeah, but that's what, that's what we do. As a business owner, you know, you've got to be able to and want to do that, you know, so you just can't stand there behind a counter. I think it's going to happen, you know, I think that's part of it.

I've got to repeat that. I got to put that on my wall or something. If you keep learning, you keep earning. So on that note, you've been a part of our mastermind this year. And something I have watched you do and, and seen so many other people learn from you on is when you decide something, you're just like gonna run through a brick wall and do it. Like, I've got this idea, I've got this thing, I'm gonna do it. I would love to know, how do you, how do you keep feeding that tenacity? And it's made you like, the queen of events and promotions. So I would love to know, like, what are your top three events and promotions because you're so good at them.

We do, and we have, we have, we have marketing books. We keep a running thing. And we always evaluate, we evaluate what was good, what was bad, what could we do every year after. And I think that is so important with your marketing, you know, and we build on each year and sometimes we don't do everything every single year. But to me, I am in an area that people want something to do at the beach. It is too cold to go to the beach this time. They want something to come out for. So I'm always looking for things that will get people out of the house and have a great time with us. And that's the big thing we're known for, as well as giving back a lot to the community. So we balance a variety of events, charity events, give back programs and just fun to come out. Now I'm lucky I'm in Delaware. I can serve alcohol all I want. I'm thinking about putting an actual bar in. As long as I don't charge, I can serve. And my demographic is not coming in to get sloshed. They just went, oh, I got a blooming boutique chocolate martini today. And I give them little five ounce cups, you know, I mean, but they love it. They come out, they want to know what my drink of the day is like. Our drink of New Year's resolution drink for January was always bing cherry vodka with five calorie, one gram of sugar, cranberry juice. Would you like to try today? That's what I do on my weekends. I bartend, I have fun. And I, you know, I mingle with my store, my customers, and I distract the husbands, talk football with them between me and the dog. We take care of the husbands so that the women can shop. Okay. And so, but we do love to do events. And I think, you know what, I was in direct sales for eight years and I have to give that a lot of credit because I put on a lot of events for my downline and for my groups and all that kind of stuff. And I was social chairman in my, I was social person. It's my sorority in my community. I mean, I don't know, I've just done all that kind of stuff I love having. And my mom always did that. I guess, you know, you don't realize what you learn from, even from your mom. We love to put on events and we like to do them big. We do a few, two big artisan events in our stores and people have literally flown in from Europe and Asia to come and buy tickets to come to our event and we sell tickets to get into some of our events because we can only humanly handle it. I don't want to lose control of an event where it is not a good experience, especially when people are flying in, paying for flights, hotels, food and things like that. So, you know, certain things we plan and now we've, we've done, I don't know how many, maybe 15 of these, those events that we've got it down to a system, you know, and I'm lucky. I have a brother who's a chef who does a lot of my catering for me too at the Jersey Shore. So he comes over to help. But we, we always do something in our stores. Like right now I've got a big food drive going on because the first quarter it's really hard for people to collect food and so to get people even out in the Cold here. Older people, it's hard. So we're giving, what do we call Blizzard bucks. I'm giving them a dollar for every item they bring in to get them to shop in my stores. And I cannot believe the people it brought out. So to me it's like I'm giving back because I used to go get the food and sell the food at the counter. Not that was too much for me. And so we're giving back. Plus it's, it's kind of your marketing too because it's getting people out and in your foot traffic in your stores. So it's a win win, you know, on that. We have a Galentine's event coming up. We always do that kind of thing and I'm just going to switch it up. We do a lot of loops because I have so many stores and you don't have to have so many stores. You can do with fellow retailers where like I did, I do a chocolate loop in January. It's chocolate martinis, chocolate wine, sea salt caramels, hot cocoa bar with Rumpelmann's and whipped cream vodka. So you go to all the different stores, they sign a little loop card and they drop it off at the last store and then they're entered in. I do a gift certificate from each store. We do a drawing. People love to do that stuff, you know, and it's all about that kind of fun and experience. People love give back programs. They like to support local charities. I try to bring in the off season when we're not busy. Lots of different artists or trunk shows or little events in. I try to bring as much to me so I don't have to lug as much to go out, you know, and work smart with it. Plus, you know, I think your biggest thing is, is you setting up some sort of calendar, you know, and look at each month. I use your holiday calendar month like one of our favorite things. In the fall we do National Fortune Cookie Day. We actually get custom fortune cookies and people come after the. I think I should start serving like wonton soup next year or something. But people come out and they love our custom fortune cookies and of course a lot of like 5% off temperature. But it is a big event for us just because it's such a good idea. It is. So we try to look at all that because. Just because I have so many different stores. Like you know, when there's a taco thing or there's a nacho thing or Margarita Day, you know, we do do a. We do all different types of Things like name games. Your name is Ashley. Come into our store today and you're gonna get a free this or that. We do towns. If you're communities, we just try to do all different things and we try to make it all about the experience. It's not the products that you're selling, it's the experience when they come in and be with you. And that's really what it is. You know, they come in, we have beverages, we have candy dishes at the counters. We try to have the right music on because I do have to control my younger ones with what they're in the store. But we try to have. I'm all about the five senses too. You know, we try to have something smells good for the season. If it's fall, I usually have an apple scented melted thing going and things like that, you know, and people and the men want to come to our store. They want to know what we're serving for the day or what we've got going or what kind of food do we do. I mean we do all different types of things. So, you know, and you don't have to spend a lot of money to do a lot of this stuff. You really don't. We do a St. Patty's Day crawl sometimes. I do Mardi Gras, but we're doing Galentine's event. We do like, you know, we just. I'm. I was going to say events. I do a lot of fashion shows in store and out of store, you know, for different events, like that kind of stuff for the boutiques. I don't know, I'm just trying to think what else depending on artists. Like there's a lot of times local people want some way to showcase. So I work out a deal with them. I take a percentage of the sales and I bring them in, I highlight them, press releases and we have a very good database. And I. One thing I could tell people, when you're building a business for me right now we're all about our app downloads, our texting club and our emails. We have 37 some thousand people in our email database. We can generate business when we need to. And that's the kind of stuff that you can control. Where you don't let it be. My doors open, I pay my rent, they should come to me. It doesn't work that way. That is way it is anymore. And I. You got to take as much control of the things that you want to, you know that. So you don't have that crazy anxiety or stress about your business and drawing people in. You know, one of the things I know I'm in downtowns, I am competing with three outlets, centers, okay. And they have all the overhangs. And when it rains, where does everybody go to? To the At. To the outlets, right? So what I do, I always get on the crazy social media and say, if you like drinking pina coladas and shopping in the rain, come to Blooming Boutique whose ice or pina coladas in the rain. You know, you just got to come up with things and make it fun. And that's what I love, small business. Because we can just on a whim, go like that, you know?

Yes, you can.

Seeing their shadow today for Groundhog Day, my dog is seeing his shadow. So we're doing. We just like to have fun with it. And I think people see that and they like, you know, they want to come in and just laugh and have a good time with you is really what it comes down to.

Hey, am I going to get to see you in person? I sure hope so. Coming March 19th and 20th is the event to look forward to for the entire year. The only business conference built just for boutique owners, the Boutique Summit coming to Dallas. If you haven't snagged a ticket yet, which I'll make sure it's linked up in the show notes, you guys, digital tickets just became available so you can stay home, livestream the entire event, and watch all of the recorded videos after the event concludes. If you're able to join us in person or online, you're going to Learn from over 40 top industry experts, boutique owners, wholesale brands, and then some on every topic. You need to grow your business from defining your brand and building a lifestyle brand, to hearing from Jenna Kutcher and how are you doing, really? To understanding SEO, TikTok, Pinterest, building collections on Shopify, building a strong team, and also maximizing your brick and mortar. Besides all of the awesome content and two days in person, we're going to have our own private trade show happening at DMC with tons of exclusives and specials just for you in the audience. You're welcome to stay after the Boutique Summit to attend Dallas Market. I know there's so many vendors who are really looking forward to seeing you in person as well. All right, guys, snag a ticket in the show notes. Whether you're going to join us in person or online, this is an event you're not going to want to miss. If anybody is listening right now and you are not having fun and you're not already looking up plane tickets to come to Delaware, there's something wrong with you because it's contagious. This. I wish, like, if I could bottle up one thing from you and just spill it to everybody, it would be just how contagious your energy is. And we all have that within us. But it's so easy to get down on this. Woe is me. My sales suck, blah, blah. But this is possible for everybody. You people will buy what you're selling. It is your energy that you're selling. It's not the product that you're selling. That is the biggest lesson of all of this.

It is your excitement. Because people know I love my products. They know my staff love my products. And that comes down to your hiring, too, because I'm always. If people haven't been in my stores in 16 years, this probably isn't the right match to work. Because if you don't love my stores, you know, if you love my stores, you would have been shopped here in 16 years. That's kind of my attitude on things. If you haven't ever been in, it's a harder sell. I feel like. I feel everybody who's successful with me love my products, was my customer beforehand. And that helps right there. That saves so much training, time and energy there with that, you know? And so, yeah, I. I mean, I think that. I think. I think your attitude. And I won't let those things steal my time in my life, I guess, or I know it always works out. It is just businesses. A lot of times, what I say to my guys, because people are like, you got ripped off and you're not, you know, they're very upset that I got ripped off or I got things stolen. I said, what is it going to do now? We have to live and learn, and how can we prevent it better in the future, you know? So I just. I cannot give. I'm not going to buy into bad energy. I'm all about energy around me, and I have to have people that have good energy around me. You can feel that. Because I don't want the Debbie Downers, you know, I want to go in my way, getting on the train or get off the tracks. That's kind of my attitude with it.

I want to talk about that because over 16 years and with 11 stores, you've. You've managed a lot of people. And so I'm sure there's just leadership after leadership lesson that you've been through. Talk to me through some of those high points, like lessons that you've learned.

Well, I'm. I'm a Person that trusts everybody, which I've learned a lot the hard way, you know, and I'm telling you, I trust everybody till they burn me. And that can be very bad because you, you, you know, you don't realize what you get stolen from you and things. And, you know, I do believe everybody, and I am still that. That's why I have to have other people buffer me, because it is. They pre screen and everything, because they're like, bisha, why did you feel sorry and why did you hire? You know, and I do sometimes, because I believe them. They want to change or whatever, you know, so it is. And I've learned every time I break my rules, whether it is, you know, asking, have you shopped in our shops? Have you been in your stores? Well, tell me about that. You know, I believe everything they tell me. Like, I've got somebody right now. Everything they told me was not true. And it's going to come back to bite us. And I, you know, you spend too much time hiring someone, training someone, you know, and you want to build a relationship. I want them to. I want them to come in and have fun and want to do the job. So, you know, I feel like it's important. And depending what level of group people you're looking for, like, leadership, you know, you've got to do. I do Strength Finders and Colby tests. Every time I break that rule, it comes back to bite me, because it may not be that I'm not going to hire him because of it, but I also know how to work with them better by understanding those kind of analytics and knowing what to do with them. And I think that that is a big part of it. So I use Strength Finders book. It's a very simple book you can get on Amazon in the back, there's a thing that the code, they can go do the test, and it'll tell you about them, what their strengths are, because I know I need certain combinations. Being small, a lot of small stores, we don't have like 10 people in the store at once working. You got to have the right people that are the creative people versus the people that can receive the products and ship it. And you got to have a certain combination, you know, so. And I find those kind of tests definitely do help me sit back and look, is this a right fit? Is this a good, you know, good. Good for our business and where we need to go without everybody being upset or in turmoil or whatever, because everybody wants to do the same job, and no one wants to do this part of the business. So, you know, those kind of things can help a lot too I think as far as helping people there. And you know, I have to do. We do weekly zoom calls, we do live in person trainings and so forth. And we have a. Well, we have an entire. First of all, we have a good screening process now. We have a hiring 365 day program we have instituted because I have people that are older, I only have them for so long as well as for their health and different things. Plus there's not affordable housing down here. So I have to keep putting lots of people in the funnel. So we have all different ways that we get people into our funnel. We have a set screening, a pre screening on the phone and then to interview process. If they're looking for full time or leadership, then they're going to go into taking some, you know, like a strength finder test, possibly Colby, if it's going to be higher up. And then we have an online training program. We have just moved our current platform all into one where we have our handbook, our policies, our procedures. I mean I have, you know, and I'm still paper girl in a lot of ways. Like we have an opening closing checklist that they turn in with their closing paperwork. And I did a video for every little step of that checklist from how to straighten the rack, clean the rack, tighten the rack, do this whatever it may be in the store because people don't know. And I'm all about tell, show, try, do. And I know it's repetition more than ever in our lifetime for people getting trained. So we put them through a whole entire training system, product training, perfect get to get the perfect purchase, how to greet, tone of voice all the way to the thank you. And then I added on a whole other section because we can, you know, meet people, greet them, build a relationship, ask the right questions, get the products, upsell them, thank them. But then the next key is getting them back in. And that's where you know, it's key to have a great rewards program, right? It's key to have I'm always my guys have a list to promote. Like we are the concierge of our town. My guys know every event coming up in the town or every event coming in our store or you know what, go over across the street our store treasures. They're serving chocolate wine today. Then we promote and that is something you. If you teach your people to promote and talk, you can find staff, you can get customers back in. They will be their friends once we tell them our bring a Friend program. You know, that is the art of promotion to me, is a big part of retail now because places they go, kids can't talk or people can't talk, you know, and that's what people. People want companionship and people want to know what's going on. And so we have all that training program.

Do you feel like people are like, what I'm hearing you say when you talk about promote, and you're like, like, go over here to our store. We're doing this, and we've got this program and that. I feel like people today are scared to ask for the sale or they're scared to make a call to action. Instead, they just shut down and they're like, okay, thanks, bye. You know, it's like the clothes. The art of the clothes is truly an art. So talk me through more of that.

You know what my guys know. One for preventative, also for shoplifting. We greet, we eye contact everybody. We give them time to get in the story. Hey, welcome to Blooming Boutique. And for us, we're lucky. Are you visiting or you new to live? Because everybody's been living here now, you know, so we kind of find out about, you know, we're lucky. There's a lot of visitors, but that's. That's our first thing. And my guys know the store well enough that when they start looking at some, oh, have you ever heard about this product line? And then, you know, we talk to people, we build relationships. We work dressing rooms. Like, we do not let them. We bring them in stuff, and we know stuff's not gonna fit them, right. I say, listen, it's running a little small. Take two sizes in. You have to work. Because older people getting dressed and undressed are not coming back in that direction. Dressing room, you know, it's all in. In the service, we have people that come back and book for next. The next round of clothing coming, and they want to meet with us. And we're getting more into one on one client telling, too, in our business now. But I was going to say it. It is. And what I try to teach my guys, too, once we find something that they like, there's probably. I probably have three other colors in that same thing. You pull every single one while they're in that dressing room and let them know, because a lot of my ladies will buy everything in that cut if they like it or everything in that shoe or every. You know, they will buy it all. And I said, and we really. We roll well. We have a. We have a whole system that they Go through and they get a sales certificate, they graduate a sales program and then we have. We work with them in the store. Live and role play. Because role playing and people don't like doing role play. But it is so important. I cannot stress the role playing. Yes. With people and then let them see you do it and how easy and how fun. It doesn't have to be systematic or you look like you're, you know, not having fun with them. But my guys know that. And then we have, we have. I try to set up my cash wrap area so there's lots of upsell so that even I don't have the strongest salespeople. And I'm very. I try to be very good with signage too. Because we don't have enough salespeople. I try to have my silent salespeople all over the store with signs because, you know, that helps a lot. You know, I'm lucky that a lot I don't have people that. Well, I do. Just depends on where they're coming from on vacation, if they have disposable income. They, you know, they're looking for budgets. We do in the summer we get to a certain point because there might be that $20 threshold, depending where they live, what they can spend. So my guys, we do. I do a matrix, okay. So it may be tourist gifts from 0 to $10, 10 to 20, so that my guys know what fits in these parameters for a boy, for a girl and stuff. And I feel like I do buying that way a lot too to see where am I lacking. I sometimes they change it for like. Because sometimes in my gift stores I have so much little cards and little Trotsky. Where am I missing in my 100 plus dollar items? So these matrixes help me in a lot of ways. But I also have my staff do that. I have them do that for Christmas, like stocking stuffers and stuff so they know everything in the store. Makes them learn.

How often you do that? How often does your staff go through that?

Because that.

If anyone listening did not write that down, that is a golden nugget. So how often are they going through and reviewing. Okay, this inventory came in and it fits in this part of the matrix.

Seasons, okay. Because like right now we're really pushing like in our gift shops, it's the wedding season coming for us, you know, spring weddings and certain things, you know, versus the tourist stuff and the price points and what they're going to look for the. So the little knickknacks to take home versus Christmas. We break it in two different areas like for the husbands and men's gifts and stuff, bigger price points. And then we do stocking stuffer matrixes and stuff. So yeah, we break that down and a lot. You can use it in so many ways. But for those of you who are just learning to buy too, making sure you have enough meet those goals in those different price levels. Because I saw one of my guys that was helping me buy a lot was buying so much cheap stuff and they weren't making their goals because we didn't have enough in the other areas. So I'm a paper person. So I just love. I have to see that stuff like that. And that helps me a lot.

Every boutique needs to hear that because I feel like as an industry and I'll speak more to apparel, we have gotten lost in this low margin, fast fashion only product assortment. It doesn't work. You cannot make a living just on that alone. You've got to build margin in somewhere.

Well, Ashley, when I started, I didn't even know where to even find holes. I knew nothing. Remember? Okay, so this is 60, right? I knew nothing. I was buying popcorn shirts. That's how bad it was. That's all I knew how to get with those one size popcorn shirts. And guess what? I had a popcorn club card back then. And people were filling them up 12 popcorn shirts. And I was like, this is crazy. I got, I'm lucky, one of my friends and I am very good friends with probably five to six reps that I do a lot of business with. And I'm telling you, sometimes people get mad when reps come in. Well, I was blessed that and I'm still friends. I'm going this weekend to be at the show with her. She came in and she had some flip flops. The when Lindsay Phillips switch flops just coming out, she had that line and she came in. We became friends ever since then. But then she took me, I rep took me to New York City, taught me how to buy like cash and carry jewelry. She took me to show you know what I mean? And so. Because I had no clue. And so, you know, so you do evolve. And I'll tell you, you can't shop out of your own pocket. That's the first thing that I can't stress enough because I sell beads and jewelry. And I was like, oh my God, who's gonna spend this for 18 karat gold or whatever? You cannot. And that's what happened. My clothing, the higher I go, the better it has been. I've never done. And that's what's kind of hard about everybody. It seems like a lot of people, and I know everybody, a lot of people, like you guys are younger, and that's maybe why where we're at, my guys are a little more established and they buy a little different clothing, you know, because I spend most of my money at Win, I don't spend it at the other shows. I pick up a few things here and there. But I've learned, you know, I used to do all usa, and I lost a lot of my USA vendors over the last few years with things and changing stuff. And I did bring in a lot of those LA vendors during COVID because they could ship. I cannot tell you the amount of mask tops, mask dresses. I was selling them on those shows, putting them on, whipping them, them off. We sold so much mask apparel, it was crazy. But, you know, but I'm going back to normal now. We, you know, I sell 120, 150 bathing suits. I sell, you know, I sell resort wear. And. And these ladies want stuff that's quality and going to last because where they're at in their life, they're traveling a lot. And so that. That is my niche there with that. And even in my tourist shop, I don't want the cheapy stuff. I want quality. I want to be known for quality, you know, and people are willing to pay for that. And that's. It took me time to learn that. That was not easy in the beginning for me, because I was like, oh, my God, they're gonna spend this much on something that says Louis. I mean, I'm in shook, but people will. And, you know, and I think you don't. Yeah, don't shop out of your own pocket. That's one thing. And then I'm always asking my guys, and you guys can do it on social media, this or that or whatever, all those kind of things. But I talk all the time. If I'm in the store or I get feedback from my staff. What's moving, what are people asking for? What do they like? You know, because I listen to Mike because I. If I would buy everything I want, I might not be in business. So I'm always open to what people, you know. But I do try to stay true to what we're about, because sometimes you can get pulled off and buying a bunch of other stuff that doesn't fit in your stores. And if it doesn't make sense, you know, you don't get pulled just because you can sell a lot of it or something for short term. So I Try to stay true to what we're all about and what each store is about when I do do the buying for them.

Yeah, I love that, that Mishka, we could go on all day and all night probably. And I would love to have drinks with you and just keep talking about all these things, which I'm sure we'll be able to do in person soon. But thank you so much for this. I have one last question for you. My gosh, I just, I still can't even get over like, your energy every time I'm with you is so infectious.

And it's not caffeine.

And I'm sure. Right. And I'm sure, like, you know, everyone who, who you've touched their life, you know, who have come in and out of your life feels the same way. And I always ask my guests this question at the, the very end of the show, so I'm really curious to hear your answer. But as you get to the end of whatever the journey is with the boutiques and you're with your friends and you're having a cocktail and you're looking back on the life you lived, the businesses that you created, the so many people that you met along the way, what is the thing that you really want people to remember the most about you and how you lived?

You know, what I want people to remember, I guess just real quickly, you know, I grew up, I was the biggest minority who got made fun of at the Jersey Shore, you know, and I had very old school dad who wanted PhD, not me finishing a four year degree and going out on my own. So, you know, I think the biggest thing that I'm happy with, I feel like, because I have friends that have never left the Jersey Shore, I feel for me, I've never, I don't know where it came from because it certainly wasn't when I was younger. But I think personal development, working on myself, you know, I just started, just kept going for what I wanted in life and not being afraid because what's the worst that can happen? And I see so many people that live their life and they. That box where they never ever take that step or never even leave the hometown and they've wanted to their whole life or just do a business or take a chance. And I think that that is the biggest thing. But I feel like that's where, you know, thank God I did direct sales and learned about personal development and working on myself, you know, And I know and I never was a reader prior to that. Now I love reading, you know, I never did audible. So, you know, I think you just, you know, know you've got to do what's comfortable and what's right for you. But I also feel like if you don't ever take those risks, you're never going to know what you missed out on.

That's so good. So good. Mishko, thank you so much for your time today. Thank you for being, being a part of our community and so many things that we do at the Hub. I love getting to see you in Boot camp and at Summit and at Market, all the different places. So you are a huge blessing. Thanks so much for everything today.

Thank you.

Hey guys, thank you so much for listening to this episode. 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 the Community. We'll see you next week.