As we head into 2026, one thing is clear - the gap between average retailers and top performers is widening — and it has nothing to do with effort.

In this Five Minute Friday, Ashley Alderson breaks down what the top 10% of retailers do differently right now, and why those decisions are positioning them to grow and scale while others feel stuck. Hard work isn't the issue. Strategy is.

Ashley shares the four key differences separating high-performing retailers from those struggling to gain traction — and how you can start applying these shifts immediately as you plan for the year ahead.

You'll learn:

• How building systems before you need them changes everything

• Why top retailers operate like CEOs — not reactive entrepreneurs

• What it really means to use AI as a strategic partner (not a shortcut)

• Why customer retention is outperforming reach and visibility

• The retailers winning in 2026 aren't guessing. They're operating with clarity, data, and intention — and you can too.

🛍️ Join thousands of retailers who've transformed their business with The Boutique Hub.

Join The Boutique Hub

Ashley Alderson: Instagram

The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

If you're getting ready to plan 2026 and want clarity—not chaos, this episode is for you.

Today, we're planning your entire year in 26 minutes. This is not a to-do list episode. This is a guided planning session designed for you to pause, reflect, write things down, and make intentional CEO-level decisions about what stays, what goes, and what actually moves your business forward.

Grab your planner, notebook, or favorite gel pens — this episode is meant to be paused, rewound, and revisited as you work through it.

You'll learn:

• How to define what you want your business to feel like by the end of 2026

• The exact reflection questions to review 2025 before planning forward

• How to identify the ONE thing that could change everything next year

• How to reverse-engineer your revenue goals using leading indicators

• How to reclaim time through systems, automation, and delegation

Links & Resources:

Best Year Yet

Retail Bootcamp

Traffic Calculator

2026 Retail Planner

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Ashley Alderson: Instagram

The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

As we close out the year and head into a new one, it's time to get honest.

Most businesses won't fail in 2026 because of the economy — they'll fail because they're still operating like it's 2019.

In today's Five Minute Friday, I'm breaking down the four biggest mistakes I saw retailers make over the last year — mistakes that are quietly costing you time, money, margin, and momentum. If your business feels busy but not profitable, chances are one (or more) of these is holding you back.

You'll learn:

• What winning retailers will do differently in 2026

• The shift from "pretty branding" to real customer relationships

• How ignoring cash flow and margin creates long-term stress

• Why underutilizing AI and automation is no longer an option

• The dangerous gap between sales and actual profitability

🛍️ Join thousands of retailers who've transformed their business with The Boutique Hub.

Join The Boutique Hub

Ashley Alderson: Instagram

The Boutique Hub: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube