Specialty Retailer Consulting Services + Fees

Starting Line:

• We will help you secure lender and investor funding.

• We work through the process of building - and writing down - a tailored business plan you will use.

• We work with you to develop a marketing plan that effectively communicates compelling promises and an operating plan that ensures you and your properly trained team are positioned to consistently deliver more than promised. We will help you execute these plans.

• We take you through every step of opening your store. This includes acquiring and merchandising your inventory; completing your service offerings - including costing and pricing; determining your physical layout and overseeing build-out, business review of lease and other agreements, vendor setup, employee hiring, website content and other marketing messaging.

• We build a financial dashboard that shows you how the business is performing AND will perform with respect to the business plan.

Fees: We work with owners of new businesses. We structure fees that reflect the timing of funding and initial revenue. 

Surging Ahead:

• We review what your store does well and explore ways to build on strengths. We also look at what new products/services your customers are asking for and how they fit in with your brand. We also identify any limitations to opening well-functioning additional selling channels (both physical locations and e-commerce options).

• We identify key performance indicators that are needed to successfully manage a larger product/service offering and/or greater number of selling channels.

• We reset the vision for the business, affirming mission and values and ensure the growth plan enhances and protects the brand.

• We work with potential investors and lenders to ensure the business remains adequately capitalized.

Fees: Some Clients In This Category Prefer To Pay an Hourly Rate. Our Goal is To Partner With Clients. Time Should Never Be a Factor. In These Cases We Cap Our Retainer and Build In a Performance Fee Based On Desired Growth.

Righting The Ship:

• We identify financial strengths and weaknesses and work with you to stop any bleeding while preserving business growth potential.

• We re-evaluate the business and marketing plans and re-build a written plan for success.

• We review all business resources including product mix and personnel. We focus on vendor relationships, customer relationships, desired assets/skills and individual growth potential. We guide you through hard choices.

• We review and affirm or adjust product/service themes, inventory and pricing. We also set detailed short-term operating goals.

Fees: There is often much to do in a short period of time. Fees would consist of a modest retainer and a contingent fee based on profit improvement.

Finishing Strong:

• We review store financials to present the owner with a potential successor firm's perspective of the business. We develop key financial targets with the owner.

• We put a plan in place to transform the business into a turnkey (no assembly required) investment option for potential buyers. Think: written buying, pricing and inventory management guidelines and well organized customer and vendor relationship management systems.

• Alternatively, we work with owners to ensure continuity of service and business results once the owner reduces their day-to-day involvement.

• We also work to increase sustainable profit growth while protecting all key business assets.

Fees: Our Goal Here is To Improve Profitability While Ensuring The Business Is Increasingly Turnkey. Fees Will Largely Be Based On Profit Improvement.