A focused look
We start with the question that needs an answer now. I review the relevant numbers and work, then give you a clear read and priorities you can act on.
Retail advice from someone who's run the store
Let's figure out
what's really going on.
You know your business better than anyone. When something stops adding up, another set of experienced eyes can make the next decision feel possible. I work with retail owners on the numbers, the store, the people, and what comes next.
The work lives on the floor.A note from Eric
There is almost always a place to start.
I have taken calls from owners who can describe the feeling before they can name the problem. The store is busy, but cash is tight. The team is trying, but everything still lands on the owner. They love what they built and are tired of carrying every decision.
We don't have to solve the whole business in one conversation. I'll listen, ask questions, and help you see what deserves your attention first. I will be candid about the hard parts and stay focused on a way forward that your team can actually use.
Where are you right now?
Pick the sentence that sounds familiar.
Each one starts a different conversation. You may see yourself in more than one.
01We're selling, so why does it still feel tight?+
We'll look at inventory, margin, labor, purchasing, and the way products move through the store. A busy day and a healthy business are not always the same thing. We can find out where the pressure is building and make a plan for what to change first.
02Our store needs to catch up with our customers.+
That might mean rethinking the floor, improving the customer conversation, connecting Shopify with the store, or finding a useful place for new technology and AI. We'll keep what makes the business yours and change what is getting in its way.
03I want to open, move, or build the next version.+
We can work through the concept and the details that make it viable: location and flow, fixtures, assortment, inventory acquisition, brand standards, systems, staffing, and the routines that begin after opening day.
04I may be ready to step back.+
If retirement, succession, or a sale is on your mind, we can make the operation easier to understand and less dependent on you. That gives you a stronger basis for deciding what comes next and for working with the right transaction professionals.
How I look at a store
Walk it with me.
A report tells part of the story. I also want to see what a customer sees and how the team makes the day happen. Here's where my questions tend to go.
Let's walk yoursAt the door
What does the customer understand in the first few seconds? Is there a reason to keep exploring?
On the floor
What is earning its space? What is beautiful but not moving? How does the merchandise tell the story?
At the counter
What do people ask? How does the team respond? Where do the sales process and customer experience meet?
Behind the scenes
Can the owner trust the numbers, the inventory, the systems, and the routines when they're away?
What working together can look like
One problem, a whole store, or a next chapter.
We can work remotely, visit your store, or meet at my office. When useful, we can walk one of my stores and talk through real decisions in context.
Eric Ross-Sheffield
I've made these calls myself.
I have owned and operated a home and gift store, a holiday and décor store, an art gallery, and a luxury gifting business. I have dealt with economic swings, COVID, e-commerce, store moves, remodels, new tools, and the daily decision that cannot wait until Monday.
I have also advised boutiques, a Fortune 15 company, and museum gift stores on store flow and design, customer experience and communication, sales process, merchandising, inventory acquisition and mix, and systems. When a project calls for deeper visual work, I bring in a merchandising and design expert from my team. I lead the assignment and stay accountable for it.
Gift, holiday, home décor, luxury gifting, gallery concepts, and museum shops are especially familiar territory. I bring corporate perspective down to the realities of an independent shop, and I keep learning because retail keeps changing.
Let's start with a conversation
You can send the messy version.
Tell me what is happening, what you have already tried, and what you wish felt different. A few sentences are enough. I will read them and reply personally.
Email EricWe'll find a place to begin.