Most product-based business owners think they need something new to grow, a new strategy, a shiny tool, a game-changing idea. But the truth, you don't need more exciting. You need what actually works. Because the businesses that win on profit and cash flow, yeah, they've mastered the fundamentals. And this is exactly what we do inside the Inventory Genius program. We clean up your financials so that you have a clear, accurate picture of your inventory and your real margins. We fix your product mix, making sure every single SKU is actually making you money, not just creating revenue. And we build a profit plan so that you can pay off debt, generate cash, and run your business with confidence. No fluff, no guesswork, no chasing trends, just a proven system that helps product-based businesses win again when it comes to profit and it comes to cash. Because long-term success isn't flashy, but it's consistent. Join us in the Inventory Genius program. Let's make your business work for you. Hey friend, welcome to the Inventory Genius podcast, where we work together here to make you an inventory genius. We talk about profit, we talk about cash flow, and we definitely talk about your paycheck. Because at the end of the day, it's all related to your inventory. Let's go. Hey everyone, welcome to the Inventory Genius Podcast. I'm your host, Sierra, and today I'm here with one of my clients, Kelly. She's actually graduating today. Um today's the last day. I know it's like what a great way to celebrate graduation day, like be on a podcast. So I know that's wild. I know it is wild that it worked out that way. We had our last call a few hours ago, and she did crazy, you know, mom, wife, business owner stuff in between, and we're back here to chat with all of you guys. So thanks for coming. Thanks for having me. All right. So Kelly started working with me a year ago. She has a home goods store and a design with a design arm to it. Um, and we've worked on a lot of projects over the last months related to finances, money, cleanup, all of the things. I'm gonna let you start by explaining where you felt like you were a year ago um at this time when you first found me and you joined Inventory Genius.

Yeah. So about a year ago, yeah, I was honestly feeling just so discouraged. Um, I felt like I had success in my business, but I wasn't seeing it. Like the bank account didn't make sense, my numbers didn't make sense. Like it felt like from the customer front and like from me being in the storefront, it felt like things were going well. But like on the back end, it just wasn't showing the same. And so I was just like, I need some help. I need like I, you know, I don't even know what numbers I should be shooting for. Like I have numbers to look at, but I don't like know what to be shooting for. I don't even know like what success even looks like. I'm just, I'm just operating. And so yeah, I had found your podcast and I had listened to a few podcasts and was just like really encouraged, even just by that, you know, free information that you have shared. And I was like, okay, I need to, I need to talk to them. And it sounds like they would be a really great fit to help me kind of figure out what this all means.

Yeah. So we started and just started unraveling things. I think one of the first projects we worked on was your design fees, which I know there's a lot of you listening that have a home goods store or a you know furniture store with a design element to it. And Kelly, you and I were talking about today, like that seems to be where designers really get hung up is what do you charge for your time? How does that all work together in the profitability? Um, so I remember talking to you about that. I don't know if we solved it at the beginning, but do you remember what that journey looked like from just kind of working for free, hoping people to like now having a more structured like rhythm? And you're even going to add some more structure to charge.

I know it's been good to like kind of test and navigate what that looks like even through today. Um, but even just implementing those few changes. Um, yeah, the design fee, I know that it looks different for everybody, but we were just trying to navigate, yeah, what does that look like? Um, what does my time look like? There's value on my time, and I am providing a service for them. So it was just good to have somebody else looking into my business and reminding me like, this is your business, this is your livelihood, your time is valuable. Let's put a number to the service that you're providing. Um, and then just putting it in a way that made sense for me as an owner and then for the customer too. And I know we've been even talking through that today, like how to even better clarify that moving forward. But after we had talked about um, you know, changing the design numbers and everything in the beginning, I was able to immediately implement some of those changes, actually charge for my design time and my fees, and was able to book um a few clients through that. And then um actually just really enjoyed providing that service for my client because I was actually, you know, getting paid for my time and not just doing it for free.

So it was make a difference. Yeah, you start to get really excited about the clients coming in when you're being paid for your time, and so you feel like you're making some progress. One thing that I've thought about with your project that I think is really interesting, you know, you came for some clarification around numbers, but you've done a lot of operational work. And I think that that's really interesting because we don't think about that as business owners, that financial chaos leads to operational chaos as well. Yeah. And so you did work with pricing, but you also did work with like people, like you changed your team around a little bit, um, the product mix, some of the operational things. Like we one of the big projects that I'm excited for you is we set up a way that you could take several weeks completely off, shut your store down, and enjoy your family over the summer. That's like an operational tactical. So walk me through that. Like, how has knowing more about what's going on with the numbers allowed you to make really sound operational decisions?

Totally. I mean, I think even just at the basics, like um, especially like a new business owner starting out, I think you can like justify not having a bookkeeper or you know, a program that helps you walk through your finances. Um, and even just like inputting the finances correctly, it sounds sometimes like a different language when you're a new business owner. And I know that I was just like a I can figure it out, which I did, but like it would have been really great to know this information starting out from the get-go. Um, but just even those small little numbers that I didn't think would make a big difference at the beginning, you know, all those tiny dollars and cents do add up over time. So just implementing a bookkeeping system, inputting my products correctly, like it sounds so basic and elementary, but it's like truly a game changer. So I felt like once I had actual accurate numbers and then a system to like track those numbers weekly, it didn't feel so intimidating. And I remember you even saying too at the beginning, like don't worry about what the numbers say, just track them. Like you can't you can't help what you aren't tracking. And so, like, don't be worried about what it is, just make sure you're putting it. And then we can see how to adjust and from you know, work from there. So, even at just that like basic elementary level, I know that was a big um weight off my shoulders once we finally got my books in a place that was giving accurate information. And then I was able to weekly, again, like we we talked about this today, just like on Mondays, that's my admin day. That's when I look at my numbers, that's when I pay off cards or you know, whatever it is that we're working on. And then I'm not even stressing about it for the rest of the week until that next Monday because I know I've done enough in that one day with the proper numbers, with the proper, you know, distributing of the finances that I needed to do that I can breathe and operate in the other ways that I needed to operate in the business the rest of the week until that following Monday. So that has just felt like a huge relief too. And yeah, yeah.

That's one thing that you mentioned this morning that I wrote down because I was like, that's so interesting. And you were just talking about, you know, the business, and you said an unintentional side benefit or something that you hadn't imagined was just the time it gave you back to know that Monday, look you setting up your money Mondays, you just have permission to look at it Monday, and then you don't even worry about money the rest of the week. And how that just unintentionally freed up so much brain space to grow the business, which I think is what happens, right? It's kind of like if you go into a room in your house, and if it's really organized and clean, you don't have to make any decisions when you walk in there, like you know, and so it's kind of like doing that with your money. We don't have to make constant decisions every single day. I had written down that you used to on a daily basis, just every day you were logging into your bank account. Can you talk about like what that old process looked like compared to new? Yeah.

I mean, truly, yeah, like it was a daily, like, okay, sales came in. I would go in and log into the bank account, pay off some cards. Like it was just like a day-to-day stress or like praise, just based on like whatever the business was doing that day or that week. And so it just felt very chaotic um to be in the numbers every single day, yet still not even knowing like what those numbers even meant. I was just paying and doing this and that as I was going. And now I feel like, okay, you know, based on how we've set things up, I know I'm saving profit to set aside every week. I know I'm setting, you know, taxes aside every week, and then I'm paying off my cost of goods sold every week. And then it's not feeling so chaotic. It's just done. It makes sense. And then, like we even talked about today, now I can implement that same structure of okay, Monday's my money and my admin day. And so maybe Tuesdays is going to be my sourcing day, and then just kind of rinse and repeat with the different layers of my business. And so all of those things hopefully will feel um the same way that it feels right now with the money and the different other operations of my business too.

Yeah, I think that's it's so interesting. I did a podcast quite a while ago about how time management and money management go hand in hand when you learn one from one or the other. Yeah. And they feed each other too. So the more organized you are with your money, the more organized you tend to be with your time. Right. And vice versa. And so, yeah, now taking, okay, here's the system I created for money. Now I'm going to create that same system for buying, and then I'm going to create that same system for marketing. Um, this will just be something that you can, like you said, rinse and repeat, which is exciting. What's what are you excited about in your business right now? What's on the horizon for you that just gets you really excited?

Well, I am excited. It sounds silly that I'm like excited to be closed for a little while, but yeah, I am excited. I mean, summer is perpetually just, you know, so slow where we live. It's not necessarily a tour tourist destination. Everybody is on their own vacations, and so they're not really shopping for their homes. So I decided with your help to be able to take about 10 days off so that I can be with my family uninterrupted, but also have time to kind of dream, plan, think about the business. And so I'm just excited, yeah, to have some like margin in my day to think and dream about what's next for a bide. And yeah, so that's really exciting. Not that I, you know, excited to close, but the ability to do that, I feel really proud of myself to, you know, be able to have saved and put myself in a position to do that. Um, but yeah, I am excited for what's next. And truly, I don't even know. This whole business has been very much a walk by faith business. And so I am I'm just excited to see, yeah. I mean, I am a faith-based source of what the Lord has next. But also, you know, um what it has next for like our little city. Like it's super special to be in an old town part of our area. And my dream was always like that. This would always feel like a spot that has been there forever. And so um, it's just been really sweet to see that it's starting to become that. And our customers are just so precious and you know, choose to shop with us, and it it's really feeling like that kind of store that I had always dreamed about that just felt a part of our old town. And so I'm excited to have some time to continue to make it something special. So yeah, we'll see. Who knows? Yeah, but I'm excited.

I love that. It's great to be at a place now where the numbers and the money isn't so distracting that it takes away from the reason that you started your business in the first place, which was to be the people in your area, and like you said, just to be a part of the community. And I think we don't realize the toll that financial stress can take on us, and it doesn't mean always mean that you have debt either. Like financial stress can come from just not feeling certain about things, not knowing where the next dollar, when the next dollar is gonna come. I mean, there's a lot of things that can cause financial stress, and it becomes such a distraction that we lose sight of the ability to just do what we love doing, which is why we started our businesses in the first place.

Totally, totally. Yeah. Because you want those kinds of businesses to stay around, and you know, there's it's an unfortunate thing to watch little sweet shops close here left and right. And you just wonder, oh man, like could there have been a little tweak or an adjustment that could have made that shop stay around a little bit longer? Um and so I feel really thankful that we're we've looked into those numbers from the beginning so that hopefully I can stay around for the long run because we've set it up with a good foundation to begin with from the start.

Yeah, so exciting. Well, is there anything else you'd like to leave with someone that's listening and just feeling like the I know I need to do this, but it's you know, it's scary to dig into something you're unfamiliar with or you feel inadequate. Any words of encouragement or wisdom you'd like to share?

Yeah. I think just to remember like the ability that you had to open your own business, like you still have that ability to use that same courage to learn about the ins and outs of your business. And this is only, you know, learning these things is only going to be helpful for you. I think I was, you know, I wanted to kind of just stay blind in the numbers too and just work harder, push harder, and it'll all work out. And um I think I think having this foundation set up from the beginning, it can feel intimidating. But it's if I can do it, anyone can do it. I am a very type B, busy mom of four boys. Like if I can figure it out and learn, anybody can. And I think it's only gonna be so helpful to not be blind in those areas so that you don't have to grind harder. You can actually just do what you're really gifted in and it can pay off. So yeah, yeah. So exciting.

Yeah, that's great encouragement. We can all learn and grow. You can figure this out. It's a math problem that's actually not a very difficult math problem once you know which pieces need to be applied. And so yeah, I think that's just a great word of encouragement. I know I was at the same place that you were at, you know, where I was like, I'll just work a little harder, I'll sell a little bit more, I'll reach another goal, but it wasn't working. And so to be able to have the foundation and the puzzle pieces to put in place and then help and encouragement can make all the difference for sure.

Totally. Yeah. Thank you for all your help. It's been so transformational for my business and me as a business owner. So I'm just so grateful for your time and yeah, the ability to walk through this with you.

Yeah, absolutely. It's been such a pleasure and honor. And I do make it to your area of California a couple times a year. So I'm definitely gonna come and visit you at some point. I'd love to walk into your little shop and surprise you and say hi. So we'll meet each other in person one of these days. Yes, I'm looking forward to it. Awesome. Well, thank you so much for tuning in today, everyone. Hopefully, this episode was encouraging. And if you think of another business friend that you would like to send it on to, I'd love for you to recommend this um listen to someone else as well. Thank you so much for tuning in, everybody. We'll see you next week. Bye for now. Hey there, friend. It's time for you to start winning at business again. I want you creating more profit and keeping more cash every single week in your business. Head on over to Sierrastockland.com, click on the programs tab, and you're gonna see multiple ways that we can work together. Whether you're doing $50,000 a year or $50 million a year in top line revenue, there is a place for you. The Inventory Genius Framework has helped hundreds and thousands of product-based business owners just like you, create more profit and keep more cash in their business. I want you to win. I want you to start taking a consistent paycheck, paying off that debt, and just feeling confident and comfortable when it comes to your numbers. You can do this. I believe in you, and I'm here to help. Head on over to Sierra Stockland.com or click on the link in the bio, figure out where you might best fit. We are here to help you. Let's create more profit and keep more cash starting today.