The Resilient Retail Game Plan
Resilient Retail Club's Catherine Erdly
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On paper, Anna Scaife's business Anna Lou of London looked unstoppable — multi–seven-figure turnover, dream stockists like Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, celebrity customers, even a Carnaby Street shop. But behind the scenes, the numbers were quietly telling a very different story.
With thanks to this episode's sponsor Faire (https://faire.com/) Use the code 'GamePlan25' to claim 50% off and free shipping with your first order!
Hi, I'm Catherine Erdly.
This week on the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’m digging into the real retail profit vs turnover conversation.
What happens when the visibility shoots up, the orders explode, but the margins… don’t?
Anna shares how she scaled too fast, drowned in stock, tried to please every buyer, and chased the kind of “success” that looks incredible on Instagram — but nearly cost her the entire business.
We talk about the ego hits, the financial shocks, the burnout, and the moment she finally rebuilt everything from a place of alignment, clarity and actual profit.
If you’ve ever felt the pressure to keep growing, keep adding more, keep saying yes — even when it’s draining your cashflow — this one’s going to land. Hard.
We cover:
– Why high turnover means nothing without margin
– How stockists can destroy cashflow without you noticing
– When “busy” becomes a red flag
– The emotional cost of maintaining the illusion of success
– Rebuilding with a made-to-order model
– Why alignment and nervous system regulation matter more than people admit
– What sustainable retail growth really looks like
This is the story behind the story.
And it’s one every product founder needs to hear.
Timestamped summary
00:00 "Anna's Untold Business Struggles"
04:23 "Pivoting to Sustainable Simplicity"
06:29 "Misalignment and Rediscovering Purpose"
09:45 "Wholesaling: Shuffling Stock Globally"
16:03 "Staying Aligned in Business"
19:32 "Intentional Business Growth Insights"
Enjoy the episode? DM me your lightbulb moments or next guest wish list @resilientretailclub on Instagram. Please rate, follow, and review this podcast in your app—it helps more indie founders decide to give us a try!
Mentioned in this episode:
Faire 50% offer
Use the code GamePlan25 to get 50% off and free shipping with your first order at faire.com
The shopfront of retail is about to change—will you be on the right side when the robots come knocking?
With thanks to this episode's sponsor Faire (https://faire.com/) Use the code 'GamePlan25' to claim 50% off and free shipping with your first order!
Hi, I'm Catherine Erdly.
This week on the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’m laying out the four seismic shifts set to hit independent retailers by 2026.
Think agentic AI that shops for your customers, TikTok Shop turning the high street digital, trust as your most valuable currency, and the resale boom rewriting what “new” means.
With 25 years of retail trenches behind me, I’m sharing not just the what, but the how—so you can cut through the noise, strengthen cash flow for retailers, and make sure your product business survives (and thrives) in the new landscape.
Grab your notebook and come behind the counter—these are the independent retailer tips that matter.
Make sure you grab my freebie at http://resilientretailclub.com/freebie
Enjoy the episode? DM me your lightbulb moments or next guest wish list @resilientretailclub on Instagram. Please rate, follow, and review this podcast in your app—it helps more indie founders decide to give us a try!
00:00 "Top Retail Trends for 2026"
06:05 "Future of Shopping: AI & Shoptainment"
10:07 "Shoppable Live Streams on TikTok"
14:16 TikTok Shop: Creator-Brand Strategies
16:33 "AI Pets and Trust Issues"
18:42 Building Trust for Small Businesses
22:44 "Building Trust Through TikTok"
Mentioned in this episode:
Freebie download
Faire 50% offer
Use the code GamePlan25 to get 50% off and free shipping with your first order at faire.com
Christmas 2025 is shaping up to be a season of cautious confidence — and coziness.
With thanks to this episode's sponsor Faire (https://faire.com/) Use the code 'GamePlan25' to claim 50% off and free shipping with your first order!
Hi, I'm Catherine Erdly.
In this episode of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I'm sharing insights from my Forbes.com research, drawing on data from Shopify, Etsy, Klaviyo, LoyaltyLion and more to reveal what shoppers are really planning this festive season.
Discover why UK consumers are expected to spend over £91 billion, how AI is reshaping holiday shopping, and why “comfort, connection and coziness” are the emotional triggers driving this year’s trends.
I'll also break down what all this means for independent retailers — from loyalty strategies to smarter stock planning — so you can make this Christmas your most profitable yet.
Make sure you grab my freebie at http://resilientretailclub.com/freebie
Mentioned in this episode:
Faire 50% offer
Use the code GamePlan25 to get 50% off and free shipping with your first order at faire.com
Faire 50% off - use code 'GamePlan25'
Freebie download