The Retail Whore
Welcome to The Retail Whore by me, Michelle Sherrier: a podcast of stories and lessons from a life in retail. After decades spent in the retail industry, I’ve seen and done it all. Join me every week as I interview people from all walks of retail, the service industry, the wholesale gift industry, and more. We’ll talk about what drives them, the things they love, and some of the biggest lessons they have learned along the way. Brace yourself for The Retail Whore, a show that entertains and educates!
Episodes
238 episodes
EP 231: ROLLING THE DICE ON MAHJONG AND WINNING IN RETAIL WITH JAMIE CARL, EMILY BUTLER AND MISTY STACHEL
Jamie Carl is the Owner + Founder of Serge + Jane in Mpls, MN, a Lifestyle Boutique featuring Men's, Women's, Kids, Pets, Vinyl, Home + Gifts in a 3 story shop (4 including an open air rooftop where they host fashion shows, trunk shows, ...
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Season 4
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Episode 231
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1:07:56
EP 230: MASTERING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IN RETAIL WITH MEGHAN WAGNER
Meghan Wagner is the owner of The Go Girl Shoppe, a unique retail store located in Mebane, NC. She began her entrepreneurial journey in 2012 with a mobile shop on wheels, offering a curated selection of home décor and gifts. In 2014, she opened...
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1:23:43
EP 229: THE POWER OF SCENT AND MEMORY WITH TORI DAHL
Tori Dahl’s passion for scent began when she was a little girl growing up on three acres in the Texas hill country. In the spring, Mountain Laurel would bloom with fragrant purple blossoms. On Saturday mornings she would wake to the sound of he...
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Season 4
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Episode 229
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1:27:45
EP 228: FROM MASS PRODUCTION TO MAIN STREET MAGIC WITH EMILY WEBB
Emily Webb is the owner of Emily's Garden. She is 69 years old and lives three miles from a town of 154 people in the northern Sierras of California. She comes from a family of artists and designers who are all good with their hands. She starte...
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Season 4
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Episode 228
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1:29:43
EP 227: CAR CONFESSIONS, SHOW SEASON RECAP & SMARTER BUYING MOVES
In this episode I recap a busy show season, share lessons from designing and buying for multiple showrooms and stores, and explain how reports, floor plans, and thoughtful merchandise windows can revive retail sales and creativity. I also talk ...
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Season 4
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Episode 227
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55:22
TREASURE HUNT BUYING, BOLD TRENDS & STORYTELLING THAT SELLS — SHELF TALK WITH CO-HOST SUSAN ESAYIAN
In this episode, we’re fresh off the Gift Show and gearing up for ASD as we unpack why “treasure hunt” buying might be the smartest margin move independent retailers can make right now. From under-the-radar vendors to bold color trends and food...
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Season 4
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1:01:59
EP 226: TREASURE HUNTING, TASTE & TURNING TRENDS INTO PROFITS WITH STEPHANIE BERINGHELE
Stephanie Beringhele is a mom of two amazing kids, the creator and host of Retail Revelations Inside the Deal, and the VIP Buyer Relations Director at ASD Market Week. She builds and leads high-impact programs that connect retailers with the mo...
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Season 4
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Episode 226
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55:53
EP 225: RETHINKING RESALE AND RETAIL SURVIVAL WITH JESSICA RENNARD
Jessica Rennard is the President of NuSource, a female-led micro-wholesale platform powering the demand side of resale. With 15+ years in circular fashion, she partners with leading brands to turn excess, returned, and take-back inventory into ...
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Season 4
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Episode 225
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56:48
EP 224: FROM COFFEE DREAMS TO COMMUNITY IMPACT WITH NATALIE KRACHT– PART II
Natalie Kracht is the owner and creative force behind Natural Grind and The Collective in Grundy Center, Iowa. What started as a small coffee shop dream has grown into a thriving community hub known for its warm atmosphere, inspired merchandisi...
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53:18
EP 223: FROM COFFEE DREAMS TO COMMUNITY IMPACT WITH NATALIE KRACHT– PART I
Natalie Kracht is the owner and creative force behind Natural Grind and The Collective in Grundy Center, Iowa. What started as a small coffee shop dream has grown into a thriving community hub known for its warm atmosphere, inspired merchandisi...
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Season 4
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Episode 223
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46:00
EP 222: REINVENTING THE RETAIL CALENDAR
In this episode, Michelle walks through how she tackles post-holiday blues in-store and as a buyer—sharing practical merchandising strategies, sale philosophy, and ways to reinvent existing inventory to keep stores fresh and profitable through ...
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Season 4
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Episode 222
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41:00
WHAT RETAIL LOOKS LIKE NEXT — SHELF TALK WITH CO-HOST SUSAN ESAYIAN
In this episode, Michelle Sherrier and Susan Esayian catch up after a busy market season and dive into what they’re seeing on showroom floors, in merchandising, and across the retail industry. From traveling showrooms and sourcing props ...
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Season 4
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1:03:40
EP 221: SHEDDING THE OLD, RESETTING THE PATH, AND TRUSTING WHAT’S NEXT
In this episode, Michelle closes out 2025 with a reflective solo episode about change, resilience, and retail. She shares her move from California to Oregon, joining her local Downtown Business Association, lessons from closing stores, strategi...
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Season 3
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Episode 221
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55:44
EP 220: NEVER SAY NO — BUILDING RETAIL, RELATIONSHIPS & BRAND POWER WITH SEAN JIMENEZ AND RACHEL BLACKWELL
Sean Jimenez is a former retailer turned wholesaler with over 25 years in the industry. He currently manages more than 40 sales reps for a multi-million-dollar novelty sock and design company based in Santa Cruz, California. Over the cou...
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1:16:44
EP 219: REPLAY: FOREVER FUN WITH NATHAN WALDON
This week’s guest is Nathan Waldon, Founder of Everything for Nathan & Co. After a bazillion plus years of product development for the big guys, nothing ever scratched his retail itch like opening his ...
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Season 3
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Episode 219
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1:23:18
EP 218: WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD A BOOMING LIFESTYLE BRAND WITH LACI HEWETT
Laci Hewett is the founder and CEO of Saltwater Boys Company, a premium coastal-inspired boys’ clothing brand based on Saint Simons Island, Georgia. What started as one crab tee sold in a Facebook mom group has grown into a thriving lifestyle b...
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Season 3
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Episode 218
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1:20:05
EP 217: REVIVING SMALL TOWNS THROUGH RETAIL & ARTISTRY WITH LANNA TRANTHAM & JANET CALHOUN
Lana Trantham runs Grace and Grit, a small-town emporium-style business selling unique kitchen and bath goods, organic pantry staples and handmade personal-care items. Lana learned retail and pottery merchandising from her mother while homescho...
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Season 3
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Episode 217
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1:24:51
EP 216: REPLAY: OWNER/FOUNDER OF SERGE + JANE - JAMIE CARL
S+J is a Lifestyle Boutique featuring Men's, Women's, Kids, Pets, Vinyl, Home + Gifts in our 3 story shop, (4 including their open-air rooftop where they host fashion shows, trunk shows, pop-ups + alw...
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Season 3
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Episode 216
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1:34:28
EP 215: TURNING VINTAGE INTO VISION WITH JULIE SCHWARZ
Julie Schwarz is an East Coast native with over 30 years of experience in the service and retail industries. She’s run a catering company, built a farmers market business from the ground up, and now owns The Mom-Up Shop—a curated vinta...
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Season 3
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Episode 215
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1:09:32
EP 214 RETAIL ROUNDTABLE WITH MARY LIZ CURTIN MICHAEL SCHULTZ AND ANDREW GAWDUN
Mary Liz Curtin is passionate about independent retail. With over 35 years of hands-on experience in the gift, craft, and home industries, her deep understanding of retailers, vendors, and sales representatives gives her a one-of-a-kind ...
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Season 3
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Episode 214
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1:27:31
EP 213: MERCHANDISING THAT SELLS BEYOND THE DISPLAY
In this episode, Michelle Sherrier opens up about her hands-on experience transforming Lucy’s store and reflects on the deeper role merchandising plays in retail success. From buying strategies to storytelling through displays, she highlights w...
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Season 3
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Episode 213
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55:21
EP 212: HOW A SEASONAL SHOP BECAME A YEAR-ROUND SUCCESS WITH POLLY HELM
Polly Helm was born and raised in Kentucky. She has a BA from Eastern Kentucky University and a Masters in Organizational Communications from Miami of Ohio. In 1994 she left corporate sales and moved from KY to Wisconsin to start two small busi...
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Season 3
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Episode 212
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1:11:59
EP 211: 25 YEARS OF RETAIL EVOLUTION WITH RESHELL DOUGLAS
Born in June 1969 and raised in Southwest Washington state, Reshell Douglas grew up surrounded by entrepreneurship, learning the ropes of retail in her family’s bridal salon where she worked in sales, buying, and merchandising. By age 14, she w...
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Season 3
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Episode 211
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1:16:39
EP 210: RETAIL ROOTS AND COASTAL DREAMS WITH AMBER BAKER
Amber Baker is the creative force behind Sandy Bottom Candle Co., a coastal-inspired candle brand she launched five years ago with a mission to bottle up the essence of coastal living in a cleaner burning soy candle. What began as a hobby at ho...
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Season 3
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Episode 210
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50:37
FALL MERCHANDISING SECRETS — SHELF TALK WITH CO-HOST SUSAN ESAYIAN!
Susan and Michelle reconnect for another insightful episode of Shelf Talk! They start by sharing their experiences from recent gift shows in Vegas and New York, and how they both took the time to decompress and recharge at home. Susan reveals t...
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1:35:03