Emily Benson kicks off the Boutiqueland Digest with insights on women’s sports, community-driven retail, and preparing your boutique for the next season—all while balancing business and motherhood.

Welcome to the first episode of the Boutiqueland Digest, hosted by Emily Benson—retail strategist, boutique whisperer, and your biggest cheerleader in business and life.

In this kickoff episode, Emily dives into what’s really happening in the world of boutique retail—from the rise of women’s sports and its impact on product trends, to how boutique owners can prepare for the seasonal shifts ahead. She shares honest reflections on balancing motherhood with business, creating authentic community, and building support systems for women entrepreneurs.

This episode is a mix of inspiration, strategy, and empowerment—perfect for boutique owners navigating summer chaos while trying to build a profitable and purpose-driven business.

• Why women’s sports are influencing the retail space (and how to get ahead of the trend)
• Building a business that supports you—especially in the hard seasons
• Creative ideas to bring your community together through events and conversations
• How to actually prepare now for a successful fall season
• Real talk on motherhood, burnout, and what it takes to keep showing up

00:00 – Introduction to Boutiqueland Digest

00:42 – The Rise of Women's Sports

02:25 – Investments in Women's Athletics

03:06 – Innovative Facilities for Female Athletes

04:56 – Support Systems for Women in Business

07:17 – The Evolution of Athleisure Wear

09:25 – Community-Centric Retail Experiences

14:09 – Creating Community Through Conversations

18:05 – Innovative Event Ideas for Engagement

25:27 – Balancing Motherhood and Business

26:11 – Retail Forecast: Preparing for Seasonal Changes

📲 Follow Emily on Instagram @stylishandsuccessful

🌐 Learn more at Boutique Training Academy

🖥️ Watch this episode and more videos on my YouTube Channel

boutique, retail strategy, women's sports, motherhood, business, fashion trends, community events, retail forecast, support for women, athleisure

If you’re serious about growing a profitable boutique business, planning your inventory isn’t optional—it’s essential. In this video, you’ll learn exactly how to plan your boutique inventory with strategy and confidence, so you can stop guessing and start buying like a boutique CEO.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to improve your margins, this episode breaks down how to create a boutique buy plan that works. We’ll cover everything from how to price products in your boutique, what inventory to buy, boutique product assortment planning, and how to turn inventory faster for better cash flow.

✅ Stop buying based on emotion

✅ Start using data to guide your decisions

✅ Learn the markup formula every boutique owner should know

✅ Discover how to sell through seasonal inventory in 4–6 weeks

If you’ve ever wondered how to price boutique items, how to manage inventory better, or how to create an inventory plan that actually helps your boutique grow—this video is for you.

👉 Be sure to subscribe for Part 2, where we’ll dive deeper into inventory management and making your business more profitable, one product at a time.

Say hi on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylishandsuccessful/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stylishandsuccessful

Listen to the Podcast: Boost Your Boutique on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Stitcher

https://bit.ly/boostyourboutique

Join the Facebook Group: https://www.emilyfbgroup.com

Website: https://www.boutiquetrainingacademy.com

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Emilyboutique?sub_confirmation=1

Questions?

Comment below or email me at hello@boutiquetrainingacademy.com

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored video. Some links are affiliate links. Thank you for watching!

If you’ve ever wanted to start your own clothing brand and wondered how to actually manufacture your own clothing or designs, this episode is for you! Emily Benson talks with Tracy Christian, owner and designer of Sante Grace who is making a change in the clothing industry with her custom plus-size designs. In this episode, she generously shares her years of experience and expertise with starting her own clothing brand and manufacturing clothing in LA.

Whether you’re just starting a new clothing brand, or you’re an established boutique owner looking for ways to get custom clothing manufactured for your boutique, this episode will give you real answers and action steps - we aren’t holding anything back!

This episode truly is a masterclass on custom clothing manufacturing for small businesses. We talk through how to make and sell your own fashion designs, how to get clothing manufactured for your brand, and everything you need to do to get started! You’ll hear how Tracy went from idea to execution — and learn the exact steps you can take to manufacture your own clothing, too.

In this episode, we cover:

• How to get started with clothing manufacturing for small brands
• What you need to know about designing and producing your own clothing
• The difference between manufacturing vs. wholesale (and how to choose)
• Real talk on costs, margins, and minimum order quantities (MOQs)
• Insider tips for finding clothing manufacturers that work with small businesses
• What to expect during the production process, from tech packs to samples
• How to avoid common pitfalls that can cost you time and money

… and SO much more!

Whether you’re exploring how to start a clothing brand or want to scale your existing boutique with your own label, you're going to get so much value out of this conversation. Tracy breaks the design and manufacturing process down in a way that makes it so accessible for anyone to get started.

Connect with Tracy:

Shop Sante Grace: https://santegrace.com/

Instagram @santegrace https://www.instagram.com/santegrace/?hl=en

Email: tracy@santegrace.com

Connect with Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylishandsuccessful/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stylishandsuccessful

Listen to the Podcast: Boost Your Boutique on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Stitcher

https://bit.ly/boostyourboutique

Join the Facebook Group: https://www.emilyfbgroup.com

Website: https://www.boutiquetrainingacademy.com

Subscribe to Emily’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Emilyboutique?sub_confirmation=1

Questions?

Send me an email at hello@boutiquetrainingacademy.com

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored podcast. Some links are affiliate links. Thank you for listening!

If you’re a plus-size boutique business owner, a brand builder, or someone who cares about plus size fashion, this episode is for you! Emily is joined by Tracy Christian, who is changing the face of plus size fashion through her plus size clothing brand Sante Grace. Tune in to hear how Tracy went from frustration of not having anything to wear as a plus size woman in the entertainment industry, to designing her own clothing line that empowers plus size women to be confident and successful.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

• The emotional toll of shopping as a plus size woman—and how it sparked a fashion revolution
• How Sante Grace was born from frustration, creativity, and fierce determination
• The real challenges of launching a plus size fashion boutique before the rise of e-commerce
• Why inclusive fashion isn’t just a trend—it’s a necessity for representation and equality
• How Tracy found her style voice and started designing clothes that actually fit
• The hidden impact of clothing on confidence, opportunity, and self-worth
• Why so many women still opt out of life events due to lack of clothing options—and how that’s changing
• A raw, honest look at building a fashion business that puts quality and dignity first

... and so much more!

Connect with Tracy:

Shop Sante Grace: https://santegrace.com/

Instagram @santegrace

Email: tracy@santegrace.com

Say hi on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylishandsuccessful/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stylishandsuccessful

Listen to the Podcast: Boost Your Boutique on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Stitcher

https://bit.ly/boostyourboutique

Join the Facebook Group: https://www.emilyfbgroup.com

Website: https://www.boutiquetrainingacademy.com

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Emilyboutique?sub_confirmation=1

Questions?

Comment below or email me at hello@boutiquetrainingacademy.com

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored episode. Some links are affiliate links. Thank you for watching!

If you're wondering what to post on social media for your boutique, how to market your boutique on social media, or how to use social media to get more sales in your boutique, listen this episode to learn boutique owner social media tips that are working right now! Emily shares her social media and marketing tips for boutiques to create a stand out social media for your boutique business and grow your boutique business on social media.

Whether you’re looking for social media strategies for boutique brands, trying to grow your boutique on Instagram, or just need ideas for what to post on social media boutique-style, this episode is your guide. If you want to know how to grow your boutique on social media and get more engagement, reach, and revenue in 2025, tune in now!

Resources mentioned in the episode:

The Ultimate Boutique Handbook

Reels for Retail

Say hi on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylishandsuccessful/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stylishandsuccessful

Listen to the Podcast: Boost Your Boutique on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Stitcher

https://bit.ly/boostyourboutique

Join the Facebook Group: https://www.emilyfbgroup.com

Website: https://www.boutiquetrainingacademy.com

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Emilyboutique?sub_confirmation=1

Questions?

Comment below or email me at hello@boutiquetrainingacademy.com

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored video. Some links are affiliate links. Thank you for watching!

If you want to build a successful boutique business, you'll want to watch this video to hear the story of how boutique owner Sydnie Rushing of Rushmore boutique persevered through major challenges in her boutique business and overcame them to build a profitable boutique business she loves. Sydnie explains why she didn’t give up on her boutique—despite facing burnout, low sales, debt, and a tough location—and how working with Emily Benson and Boutique Training Academy helped her survive the hardest years in her retail journey and come out more profitable than ever.

If you're wondering what to do when your boutique isn’t working, how to start paying yourself from your boutique, or how to pivot your boutique business for more profit, this video is for you!

You'll hear about:

- How to increase boutique profit margins without losing your customer base

- What it takes to move a brick and mortar boutique to a better location

- How to build a boutique that feels aligned and sustainable

- What to do when you feel like quitting your boutique business

- Why boutique inventory planning and pricing strategy matter so much

- How Sydnie used retail data, buying plans, and coaching to grow her boutique sales

... and so much more!

🔔 Follow this podcast for more boutique owner interviews, retail strategy tips, and boutique success stories every week.

Follow Sydnie's Boutique:

Rushmore Boutique in St. Louis

https://rushmoreboutique.com/pages/about

Instagram @rushmore_boutique https://www.instagram.com/rushmore_boutique/

Say hi on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylishandsuccessful/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stylishandsuccessful

Listen to the Podcast: Boost Your Boutique on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Stitcher

https://bit.ly/boostyourboutique

Join the Facebook Group: https://www.emilyfbgroup.com

Website: https://www.boutiquetrainingacademy.com

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Emilyboutique?sub_confirmation=1

Questions?

Comment below or email me at hello@boutiquetrainingacademy.com

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored video. Some links are affiliate links. Thank you for watching!

#EmilyBenson #BoutiqueBusiness

If you're wondering how boutique tariffs in 2025 will affect your boutique or small business, then you'll want to watch this video to learn my strategies for preparing your boutique for the upcoming changes. If you want to keep your boutique profitable in 2025, then you need to learn how tariffs will impact inventory costs and retail pricing. There are certain tariff updates to watch closely in 2025 and to plan for early to stay ahead in your boutique business.

Resources mentioned:

U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121

National Retail Federation https://nrf.com/

Say hi on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylishandsuccessful/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stylishandsuccessful

Listen to the Podcast: Boost Your Boutique on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Stitcher

https://bit.ly/boostyourboutique

Join the Facebook Group: https://www.emilyfbgroup.com

Website: https://www.boutiquetrainingacademy.com

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Emilyboutique?sub_confirmation=1

Questions?

Comment below or email me at hello@boutiquetrainingacademy.com

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored video. Some links are affiliate links. Thank you for watching!

If you are starting a boutique and wondering how much inventory to start a boutique, you'll want to tune into this episode to learn how to place your first boutique order, without overbuying! In this episode, you'll learn what to buy for your boutique's first order, how to price boutique items, how to calculate boutique markup, and more. If you're wondering how much money do you need to start a boutique or how to buy inventory for a boutique, you're in the right place! Tune in to learn boutique inventory tips for beginners that will make your boutique business startup a success!

SMART START INVENTORY PLAN AVAILABLE NOW: https://www.boutiquetrainingacademy.com/offers/KYkuyZ8N/checkout

Say hi on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylishandsuccessful/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stylishandsuccessful

Listen to the Podcast: Boost Your Boutique on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Stitcher

https://bit.ly/boostyourboutique

Join the Facebook Group: https://www.emilyfbgroup.com

Website: https://www.boutiquetrainingacademy.com

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Emilyboutique?sub_confirmation=1

Questions?

Comment below or email me at hello@boutiquetrainingacademy.com

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored video. Some links are affiliate links. Thank you for watching!

#EmilyBenson #BoutiqueBusiness