By Bradley Schagrin

Are you running a profitable retail business, or just a "closet" of things you personally like? In this episode, Patrick Rzzer from Streamline Imagined delivers a harsh but necessary reality check for independent retailers in 2026. We dive deep into why your store must be treated like a "3D Spreadsheet" where every square foot fights for its rent. Patrick reveals the dangers of "Susan's Closet" syndrome, why MSRP is just a suggestion, and how to finally stop micromanaging your staff so you can prevent burnout and skyrocket customer retention. In this episode, we cover: *Clienteling 101: Why the old-school "black book" beats modern CRM. *Staff Empowerment: The "Ritz Carlton" rule that saves sales. *Inventory Strategy: How to audit your shelves using the 3D Spreadsheet method. *Sales Psychology: Why you need to stop buying only what you love. 🎯 What You’ll Learn: 00:00 Introduction 03:21 Patrick Retzer: From Real Estate to Retail Exec 07:52 "Clienteling" is the Secret to Survival 11:41 The "Reasonable Test": Solving Staff Burnout 14:57 IndERA Commercial 16:25 The Macy's Return Nightmare (Why Managers Slow Sales) 18:02 The Ritz Carlton $2,000 Rule for Independent Retailers 22:10 Post-Market Strategy: Why You Need Fresh Inventory 28:03 The "12 Customer" Rule for Buying New Products 30:08 Sponsor Commercial: Streamline Imagined 31:50 Why You Should Ignore MSRP & Charge More 33:41 The "Susan's Closet" Inventory Trap 36:17 Audit Your Store: The "3D Spreadsheet" Method 40:59 2026 Advice: Hire People Smarter Than You 43:09 Resilience Round 47:55 Connect with Patrick 49:20 Outro Links: *Streamlined Imagined - https://streamlinenyc.com/ *Follow Patrick on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-r-8b6b6a51/ *WhizBang! Retail Training  - https://whizbangtraining.com/ *Gift and Home Trade Association (GHTA)  - https://www.giftandhome.org/ *Join Indera (Independent Retailers Association) - https://joinindera.com/ *Little Red Book of Selling by by Jeffrey Gitomer - https://www.amazon.com/Little-Red-Book-Selling-*Principles/dp/1885167601 *Shopify - http://www.shopify.com/ Join IndERA - Go to http://indera.co/prompt to access the prompt Book a Call with IndERA - https://indera.co This conversation is part of a special Pro-only coaching call, the type members usually access inside IndERA Pro. Want more deep-dive sessions like this? Use code HOLIDAY to save $503 on your yearly Pro membership. You’ll get instant access to every 2025 replay and can start saving the dates for all 2026 coaching calls! - Getting value from Rooted in Retail? Then you’ll love IndERA - the Independent Retailers Association, built from the same mission: to support, connect, and champion indie store owners. - Join for just $25/month or get found this holiday season when you join IndERA Pro to unlock access to your Get Listed done-for-you online listing management. Save $503 with the code HOLIDAY, and lock in that rate forever. JoinIndERA.com Get more traffic, more sales, and less stress. Our Facebook Ads Management service was built for independent retailers like you: https://www.indera.co/facebook-ads-management Join the Rooted in Retail Facebook Group to continue the conversation - https://www.facebook.com/groups/rootedinretail Join our weekly newsletter at https://rootedinretail.com/newsletter/ Show off your super fandom by getting your Rooted in Retail Merch! https://www.bystadium.com/us/en/stores/rooted-in-retail-30474/S820473454

By Bradley Schagrin

A well-crafted tip menu can significantly increase your earnings without appearing forceful. It's all about maintaining clarity in…

💬 0  🔁 0  ❤️ 0 · Elevating Your Earnings Through An Effective Tip Menu · A well-crafted tip menu can significantly boost earnings while maintaining a friendly demeanor. A menu that's easy to naviga…

Understanding hot hand bias opens up several strategic opportunities for marketers who want to influence consumer behaviour ethically and effectively.