Practical perspectives on retail leadership, store performance, operational execution, and the decisions that separate consistently successful retailers from the rest.
Drawing on more than three decades of retail leadership experience, Rachel Williamson shares observations, strategies, and lessons from the field to help retail leaders identify what matters, strengthen execution, and build better-performing organizations.
“We have to make our numbers.” I constantly hear leaders say this, and my response is always the same: Of course we do. But how are we going to make our numbers?…
“We have to make our numbers.” I constantly hear leaders say this, and my response is always the same: Of course we do. But how are we going to make our numbers?…
Great store leaders are not necessarily the loudest people in the building. They are not the ones doing everything themselves. And they are not waiting for corporate to fix every problem. Strong…
A business owner recently described an employee who regularly comes to work in a foul mood. The employee stomps around the store, speaks sharply to others, and makes it very clear when…
The execution gap in retail is one of the biggest reasons store strategy breaks down before it ever reaches the sales floor. I started in retail as a way to work my…
Retailers are constantly setting goals. Increase sales. Improve retention. Elevate the customer experience. Create more accountability. Build a stronger team. Drive better results. These are the goals most retailers care deeply about,…
Retail is evolving fast — and the best brands aren’t fighting the future, they’re building it. Learn three proven leadership strategies to strengthen your team, enhance customer experience, and achieve operational excellence in every store.
Saks Global’s bankruptcy is a wake-up call for retail brands. Learn how to reduce wholesale risk, own customer relationships, & build brand resilience.
Introduction As 2025 comes to a close, the retail industry stands at a crossroads. Retail trends in 2026 will be defined by the lessons learned last year and by retailers’ ability to…
As 2025 comes to a close, the retail industry stands at a crossroads. The biggest retail trends of 2025 revealed which brands stayed grounded in fundamentals and which drifted. This was a…
Headlines Don't Tell The Whole Story A strong retail leadership strategy is no longer optional—it's the difference between thriving stores and brands at risk of decline. We’ve all seen the headlines. From…
If you’ve ever been to a Buc-ee’s, you know: it’s not just a gas station — it’s a retail masterclass in action. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Buc-ee’s…
If there’s one thing every store leader has in common, it’s this: at some point, you will need to have a difficult conversation with a team member. Whether the issue is performance,…
Increasing retail conversion doesn’t require more traffic. It requires getting more from the traffic already walking through your doors. At its simplest: Traffic × Conversion Rate × Average Dollar Sale = Total…
Introduction In cities and towns across America, retail theft isn’t always the dramatic smash-and-grab seen on the news. Sometimes, it’s quieter—two local girls slipping merchandise into backpacks, a friend “borrowing” items they…
How to Shine During Executive Visits If you've ever felt nervous before a visit from your district manager, regional manager, or someone from the executive team—take a breath. You’re not alone. But…
What Store Teams Think About the Shift Toward Fulfillment-First Retail By Rachel Williamson | Founder, Running Great Stores Retail keeps evolving—and right now, we're watching another bold shift unfold. Walmart recently confirmed…
Now More Than Ever The conversation around tariffs, delays, and quality control has many retailers asking the same question: Is it time to shift my sourcing strategy closer to home? With new…
Becoming a high-performing Store Manager is not about doing everything yourself, working the longest hours, or waiting for the perfect team. It is about learning how to lead a business through people.…
Does a Commission-Based Pay Structure Make Sense For Your Store? The debate over commission-based models in retail is as old as the industry itself. Does it make sense for your business? Is…
Whether you are a new or experienced District Manager, store visits are one of the most important tools you have to develop leaders, strengthen execution, and improve results across your district. If…
Are you ready to become the top-performing store or district manager, achieving exceptional results this holiday and establishing habits that will make you #1 year after year? Drawing on my three decades…
In retail, failure rarely happens overnight. Most struggling retailers do not wake up one morning and suddenly discover the business is broken. The warning signs usually appear much earlier: customer behavior shifts,…
Are you ready to ace your district manager visit? Preparing for a district manager visit can be stressful, but with the right approach, you can impress them without spending a fortune on…
So many dotcom retailers are moving into the brick-and-mortar space, excited and nervous simultaneously. This post reviews how to think about this gigantic step.
I'm often asked how I can reduce turnover in my store. And it's a great question because turnover costs retailers money. When you hire someone, get them trained and then they turn…
Introduction to Venetian Retail. As I headed to Venice on holiday for the first time, I was curious if there would be a difference between Venetian retail and US retail. Everywhere I…
Addressing performance variability in your district is the most important activity you will address. So, what do you do about it? First, let's define performance variability. Performance variability occurs when there are…
Over the years, more and more retailers have stopped giving away gift boxes at the holidays. It is such a bummer to shop at a favorite brand and then need to make…
After spending time in London, shopping between meetings with clients, I became even more convinced that superb customer service is possible — and repeatable. I saw it firsthand in store after store,…
Overview. Having a successful holiday doesn't just happen. It requires holiday prep and now is the TIME to get ready. I know, the kids are barely back to school. But truth be…
Finding top talent can be difficult, and if you work in retail, some will say it is virtually impossible. I was shopping today at JCrew today. Shopping always gives me inspiration and…
Much is said about our need to strive for excellence and leave mediocrity behind. It was reinforced again at a leadership conference I attended a few weeks ago. The conference was the…
I have spent the past 20 years beating the role clarity drum and recently heard goal clarity added to it and was mesmerized. The purpose of this blog is to create context…
Successful retailing is about making a human connection with every customer. It is easier said than done. I spend a lot of time getting to know retailers. Most have the desire to…
A few weeks ago, I supported one of my clients in putting on their "first ever" retail brand conference for their store managers, district managers, and trainers. If you have been in…
There were many triumphs and trip-ups from Holiday 2021. For the past couple of decades, I have put together a recap of the holiday period to circulate across the organizations where I…
GraceKDesigns. Do you know why I love retail? If you know me, you know that I have worked in retail for the past 4 decades (I have been saying 3 decades and…
Are You Maximizing Conversion in Your Retail Store? How to Increase Conversion in Retail If you run a retail store, there is one metric that can dramatically change the way you think…
So how good do you think you are at delegating? I used to tell people I was a wizard at it. Truth is, I was delegating things that weren't that important or…
Exactly one year ago, non-essential retail was closed by the governor. Did anyone believe that retail's great comeback could be better than ever after a brutal year of closures, reduced traffic and…
Meetings are a waste of time. True or False? I am sure there are many people reading this post who are nodding their heads in agreement. Perhaps you, like me, have sat…
When is the last time you celebrated the fact that your team used a "one for all, all for one" approach in how the business operated? There are certainly instances when this…
I don't want to talk about variability in retail performance without mentioning the C-word. It's 2021 after all and we want to leave it in 2020. However, COVID (ok, I said it)…
No matter what industry you are in, these six reminders can help you give feedback more effectively. For retail leaders in particular, feedback is one of the most important parts of the…
31 Days until Black Friday...or is it? Like everything else about 2020, Black Friday too will be unpredictable. But I believe a new Black Friday is here...read the post to learn more.
If someone asked you, "What is your greatest power", what would you say? I would say that I am able to take any problem a retailer faces and create a sustainable process…
Introduction When was the last time you used a RACI chart to clarify who was accountable versus responsible for getting work done? Some leaders live by RACIs. Others avoid them completely. But…
Ready for a little LinkedIn profile magic? Did you know that LinkedIn is the #1 way that recruiters are looking for talent? How would you describe your LinkedIn profile? Would you say…
How are you helping the team with the healing process in your organization? As much as we would all love to just "move on" from what has consumed our life, it just…
With everything going on in retail today, when is the last time you thought about the impact of one bad review on your brand? A review, you say? I can't worry about…
Are you dealing with the grief of losing your job this past week? If so, this post is for you. There is Hope Some of my dear friends, colleagues and even people…
Moving from micromanager to a multiplier is one of the best shifts you can make as a leader. It can be hard to admit we are micromanagers. It is common to have…
What is the importance of being a resilient leader? If 2020 had taught us one thing, it is that being resilient is crucial to surviving a pandemic and the economic hardship that…
Dealing with the reality of job elimination? It can be hard to imagine a company no longer sees the value in your role, especially after dedicating so much of yourself to the organization. There is a light at the end of this tunnel. This post shares the story of one retail executive who found joy in her circumstances.
The events of the past few days give us an amazing opportunity to evaluate our organizations and measure ourselves against our strategy and commitment to diversity. Today's post speaks to both corporate and stores retail partners as both play an immense role! This is a marathon not a sprint and will take commitment and partnership! Let's do this! #diversityandinclusion #retail #retailstrategies #retailconsultant #runninggreatstores #blm
Unemployed? Follow these steps to find a new job faster! Record numbers of people have been furloughed and laid off. Unemployment numbers in the US alone are reaching 15%. The worst since…
Do you notice job performance improve once you teach a new skill? Does the associate apply their new skill set flawlessly or change their behavior? I bet you both were so enthusiastic…
This post is a compilation of retail leadership insights shared by store managers around the country, from both large and small retail brands. These retail leaders have been among the first to…
Get to the Root Cause of Store Performance with the 5 Whys When store performance is off, one of the most important things a retail leader can do is get to the…
During challenging times, choosing a success mindset is key to charting your course to achieving your dreams. A success mindset is also called a "growth" mindset. COVID-19 has turned our world upside…
Providing wow customer experiences has always been the requirement to be successful in retail. COVID-19 has upped the ante and made it even more of a mandate than it was before as…
What Is Sales and Business Acumen? The definition of business acumen is being able to combine your experience, knowledge, perspective, and awareness of what is happening in your business and then take…
"Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction". JFK If you work in retail, you are thinking about the retail strategies needed to get your store successfully reopened and operating…
COVID-19 Impact on Retail COVID-19 has had a significant impact on most industries, but retail has been especially hard hit. Without a crystal ball, it is difficult to tell which retailers will…
Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com I know, I know, stores are all closed so why am I posting content about building trust and empathy with your customers? Listen when I say…
Photo by Daria Shevtsova on Pexels.com Strategizing will get you further than stressing out about your retail store and the impact of the Coronavirus. If you own your own retail shop, you…
Introduction How do we best maximize the time of reduced store traffic? COVID-19 is having an impact on brick and mortar retail stores along with many other industries. From airlines and cruises…
I am sure all of you would agree with me that retail is a difficult industry. (No duh, right?). The outbreak of COVID-19 is not helping and retail isn’t the only impacted…
Great Retail Managers are Data Driven! I am excited to have a guest blogger today. Meet Lucia Gonzalez from Flame Analytics in Madrid, Spain. Lucia and I met several months ago and…
Introduction Do you consider yourself a Recruiting Superhero? If you are in retail, this is a super power you need in order to deliver superior customer experiences day in and day out.…
Introduction to Passage Two - From Managing Others to Managing Managers Passage Two is the transition from Managing Others to Managing Managers. When I think back on the milestones in my career,…
The journey to managing others can be a challenging one. We live for the promotion. We feel we have mastered the work and are ready to lead others to even greater success. Yet the move from being an individual contributor to managing others is where many managers fail.
Over the past several months, I have been visiting the best malls in the biggest cities looking for a retail winner in brick and mortar stores. While I found some interesting brands…
Introduction What if you could have a leadership pipeline that fed non-stop talent for every open role you might have in your store? Does this sound like a magic wish? Well take…
Do your palms get sweaty every time you think about giving feedback? Truth is, it just takes practice to get over those fears. Today’s post provides you with simple guidelines that will help you become a master at giving positive and constructive feedback.
I don’t have to tell you that talent is a scarce resource. The search for the best and the brightest who are focused on delivering remarkable customer experiences is constant and never ending.
Introduction My January blogs have been all about YOU. January Week 1 was about completing a 2019 Reflection Exercise. January Week 2 was the Stop, Start, Continue exercise. If you completed either…
The older I get, the more I realize how precious time is. Days roll into weeks and weeks into months and before you know it, we are celebrating a new year. Take a few moments and reflect on 2019 using my Reflection Worksheet...you will be glad you did! Xoxo, Rachel
One Word Several years ago, I read a book called One Word, by Jon Gordon. This book, like many of Jon’s books, was simple to read, understand and apply. If you haven’t…
The Worst Happened...I Got Laid Off Since being laid off from my corporate executive role in August 2019, I come across people everywhere I turn who have been laid off. Many appear…
Introduction Are you ready for the 10 busiest days of holiday? It is important to be strategic and intentional about how you operationalize and plan for these days in order to maximize…
Have you ever heard the saying "your store is only as strong as your weakest link"? Today we explore what or who this is referring to. With holiday around the corner, you cannot afford to miss this read.
Background and Context Conversion is perhaps the last great retail metric. My friend Mark Ryski of Edmonton, Canada and I sat down to record a podcast about his passion and mine, Traffic…
Effective Labor Scheduling is critical to maximizing sales results. This requires having the right associates with the right skills who can work when you need them.
Photo by William Fitzgibbon on Unsplash What I Learned from the Circus We have all been told that failure isn't final. Yet at times, we don't believe it. There is a story…
Another blog about coaching? This one is different! Have you ever heard the saying “what I believe drives how I behave and how I behave drives my results”? What this says is…
Execute Well and Win; Execute Poorly and Lose Here is what I believe: Excellence is a choice. Choose to execute well, and you give yourself a much better chance of getting strong…
Introduction I love cars. Fast cars. Vintage cars. Muscle cars. If they have an engine, chances are good I am going to want it. I have bought more cars in my lifetime…
What separates retail leaders who consistently deliver results from those who struggle to gain traction? It is rarely one big thing. Strong retail leadership is built through the habits, standards, and decisions…
I have spent the past 30 years working in the fashion industry running GREAT Retail Stores, Districts and Store Operations for some of the most iconic brands in the world. The Gap.…
Finding top talent to work in retail stores has always been a bit of a "needle in a haystack". But perhaps never more than now. Where have all the retail associates gone?
When I started Running Great Stores, I blogged day and night. As the business ramped up, clients got all my time and the blogging slowed way down. Life is about balance so…
Insights Are Valuable. Execution Changes Performance.
Identifying operational problems is only the beginning. Rachel helps retail leaders determine the root causes, prioritize solutions, and put the right systems into practice.
