EP 18: B.DAZZLED OWNER - ROBIN MOLAN

ep-18-B.Dazzled Owner / Robin Molan

Michelle: Hey there. I'm Michelle Sherrier, and this is the retail whore podcast, the stories and Lessons from the Life and Retail. Hey, guys, welcome back. It's Wednesday. It's a brand new episode of the retail whore podcast. And today's episode is with Robyn Mullan from Bedazzled. Robyn has a website, these amazing girlfriend gifts, apparel, jewelry, shoes, mainly gifts. And she and I met through Instagram. This is one of those things why I love Instagram so much. Take away the social media factor of it and the advertising factor of it in business. Part of it is I've met so many amazing female hustlers and businesswomen and women who have become my friends who I am so grateful for this platform to be able to meet women and get to know them and now interview them. Robyn's website, Bedazzled, started back in, I want to say, 2000, early 2000. She is a family litigation attorney that works with child welfare. Say that ten times and it's a super heavy job. And anyone who knows this world of law and family law, you know, it is not for the faint of heart. You are dealing with a lot of family trauma. You are dealing with child abuse. You are dealing with drugs and addiction and families being torn apart. And it is a heavy world.

Michelle: And to be immersed in that 24 seven, albeit challenging, has got to get you down. And she started this business so she would have something fun to do and take her mind off of what she was doing on a day to day. And she's built this amazing website. And I will tell you right now, for someone that is in the industry who works with almost every single product that's out there, either on a wholesale level or in a retail showroom, she has one of the best eyes that I have seen, and I love watching her website post because she I mean, out of all everybody I shot from, she has things that I've never seen and I'm doing the gift shows the same time as she is. But she's got such a phenomenal eye and she really understands her client base, so it's a pleasure to talk to her. If you are a hustler, if you have a main hustle and you're thinking, you're thinking about having a side hustle or you have a side hustle that's struggling, you need some inspiration. Today's interviews, the one you don't want to miss. So without further ado, here's Rob Mullen with Bedazzled. Hey, Robin, how are you? Welcome to the retail horror podcast.

Robin: Hi Michelle. I'm so excited to finally be here.

Michelle: This is a long time coming. We had this scheduled a while back and it got canceled and it's like, I'm so happy it's finally happening.

Robin: Me too.

Michelle: On a weekend, I always ask everybody the same question when we begin, which is What was your first job and how old were you?

Robin: Oh, my gosh. My first job was scooping ice cream. I was 14. I would I would walk half a mile up the street to the boat docks where you would leave Cape Cod, Hyannis, Massachusetts, to take the boat docks to either Nantucket or the Vineyard. And I worked at a ice cream store called Up the Scoop.

Michelle: Amazing. So funny. So many of us that started in ice cream as well as like, you're like the fifth or sixth person that started or 14, which I think is so awesome.

Robin: Yeah. And then my first retail store job was in high school at Benetton. 

Michelle: Oh, my God. Talk about a day. Oh, my God. I totally forget that about that store.

Robin: Yeah, I remember. It was like the store when we were in, like our teens.

Michelle: What did you do for Benetton?

Robin: I folded a lot of Benetton shirts. God bless. God love you. Folded a lot of shirts.

Michelle: Did you did you do any more retail after that or did you go on to.

Robin: Sure did. So then after Benetton, I worked in in high school. I mean, my parents always said, you know, you got to work. Even though I grew up comfortable, my parents always said, you got to learn the value of a dollar and you got to work. So I worked in Express. You'll Like the story. It's really funny. I worked an Express in a mall in high school and they said to me, Och, you got to climb these ladders and clean fans. And I was like, Yeah, I don't, I don't. I mean, it wasn't like a step stool. It wasn't like a three. It was like serious, like 6 to 8. It was like eight steps up. And I was like, I'm a little klutzy. I don't really know about that, but like and then I worked at The Gap, so it was a lot of folding on cardboard. Yep.

Michelle: By the way, which is the best way if anybody's listening to fold a proper shirt that they all are a uniform and size is with the goddamn piece of cardboard.

Robin: I think when I laugh, because you and I, this summer when we met, we went to Manhattan Beach and the girls were folding at the Beehive on cardboard. 

Michelle: I didn't notice that. Well, that's why her. That's why their store is, like, so well done. It's all so uniform, which is so beautifully cohesive.

Robin: Yeah, it is. I wish that I were better at display. That's why I'm so. I marvel at everything that you do, and I need to join your school that you're setting up because I look at your empty risers and all that, and I was just like, Oh, I can only do that. Or if I could only bring Michelle here. But after I asked so and then in college, I went to school in D.C. and I worked. I don't know if you've heard of it out there, but Tysons Corner was like this huge mall in Virginia that was like, yeah. Yes. And I had a car and my parents were like, if you want the car, you need to pay for gas and you need to pay for insurance. So I worked at Express in college.

Michelle: Wow. So your total like you're retail. Old school retail.

Robin: My mom's friend had a store in her basement. I can remember there were two girls and their mom in Boston that had a shop. They like rented out a hotel room because part of the hotel had stores. And like my oldest memories are kind of dragging along with my mom when she would go shopping and I would be like, you know, ten, 11, 12, 13, 14 until you got to that age. Like, I remember sort of just being there with her and watching everything. And then when I was getting ready to go to college, sort of like, okay, now you can get some stuff. So yeah, my oldest memories sort of have to do with retail and women's clothing.

Michelle: I love it. I had no idea. That's amazing.

Robin: And it's so funny because I left, you know, I went to college and then on to law school and took a long break from retail until I got back into it.

Michelle: That's you know, that's so back story is when you and I first started talking about this, you had you were still in the law practice. So some of these questions are going to be geared towards you because you're not practicing law anymore, correct?

Robin: I am not.

Michelle: Okay. So some of these questions are for when you were still doing both jobs because my I'm always amazed that like yourself, Andrea, from a on a like your side hustle is completely and totally different than your main hustle.

Robin: And that is Maison A a side hustle because that looks like a full time.

Michelle: Yeah. She yeah, she is a very high up HR person in Silicon Valley. For And they have plants in Mexico and they have plants in in China. And she'll you know, she has people that work for her and she will go in on the weekends with that. But it's by far and large, she's not in the store every day. And it's like amazing to me that like the the changing of hats of because it's two total separate parts of your brain to do this.

Robin: So I think a lot of times people do it. I'll tell you, I was always in family law, criminal law, and then I went to child welfare, which is abuse, neglect, abandonment, termination of parental rights, high conflict, you know, divorce litigation. And that's really heavy being in court every day and fighting over custody and child abuse and domestic violence and who's getting time share. And it was so heavy you felt like you were fighting for scraps. So for me, the retail was sort of always the light side, you know, like the fun and happy to like every day. And people say, like, what would you do if you only had one? And I'd be like, I don't know, I'd have so much free time. I think I just run like. 100 miles an hour.

Michelle: Yeah, that's Andrea as well. Like, she just gets in. I guess I look like that on the outside, but I have a very definitive shut off process, and it's like.

Robin: I feel like you run 24 seven. Well, you get up really early. I see that you're like alarm 5 a.m. and I was like 5 a.m.. I fell asleep 2 hours ago.

Michelle: Yeah, I, I look like that, but, but, you know, to be honest, like when I get home, I'm, I literally like I I'm very cognizant of turning my phone off and not surfing the web. Like, I'll do all my Instagram surfing, stuff like that, like at 430 in the morning when I'm having coffee or whatever. But when I get home, I really try and shut it down because I want to have some semblance of a life. Like I gotta work.

Robin: Harder at that for sure.

Michelle: Yeah, I think everybody can. I mean, it's like that balance and it's like I don't think a lot of women now that have multiple businesses have a lot of balance. And a lot of people like Annie from from Urban Girl would rather not she likes that's what she thrives in and that's what she and same thing as Andre it's like thrive on that but I'm always like I need that I need that shut off point. Like I need to be able to like.

Robin: You know what I do? I feel like I run for like ten days straight and then I need 24 hours of, like, downtime. That's like the way that I run.

Michelle: Okay, so you do get that.

Robin: A little bit, then I take a break even for older parents at this point. So I was caring for two older parents, a full time job, and then I had left litigation and gone to executive management and it was really bored in my last job like I was managing. It sounds funny, but like $2 million and I had been managing $60 Million in my last job. It wasn't challenging. I was like, I just can't sit at a desk from 9 to 5 and I have other stuff I need to do so well.

Michelle: So I'm going to ask you a couple questions. I mean, so this I don't even know if you even have the original set of questions that I have because I emailed them to you, like way before the last set. So you may be totally off guard. You may not. But tell us a little bit about yourself and your day to day, and then we'll get into the.

Michelle: Bedazzled.

Michelle: Later.

Robin: So I am originally from Boston. Love that dirty water. I went to college in D.C. I majored in public relations my junior year of college. I was supposed to go abroad, but it was the Gulf War. So I'm really aging myself right here. And my parents said, You're not going to Europe. That's not happening. And so I decided I would be the president of my sorority. And they sent me over to the law school to meet the new like campus advisor. And I walked into a moot court, which is sort of like you're pretending, you're arguing a case. And I was I mean, I just I fell in love. So I was like, I'm keeping my major, but I'm minoring in criminal education, criminal justice and went to law school straight out of college. Wow. And then I worked at a family law criminal firm. And then I sort of it's very hard as a young lawyer, unless you get in, you want to litigate, unless you get in with like a state attorney's office prosecutor or defender's office, because you don't get that experience because people that are paying aren't really paying for young lawyers to litigate cases. So I then went into child welfare, which is a prosecutorial mode of prosecuting cases civilly abuse, neglect, abandonment, termination of parental rights. And yeah, I mean, it's like just tragic. It's what we see everywhere. Substance abuse, homelessness, just sort of product, you know, everything and everyone be like, Oh, it's all just poor people. And I'd be like, No, there's lots of people. Like, Yes, it's easier in a public hospital because they check for if you're using drugs. But believe me, like we saw everything.

Robin: And at that point I was like, I kind of need a light side to what I'm doing. And so I started with a really small jewelry by in like the year 2003. And back then I like started I'll never forget with like 1500 dollars, which basically was like 3 to 4 jewelry buys of like 3 to $400 each. And I went to New York and I had a great lady, a sales rep that kind of taught me like the lingo, like, you know, X factory means if they don't ship you by this date, you can cancel the order. And she was super helpful and I sold jewelry for a while and then it became very competitive. But I like sort of it in like graphic t shirts that were boxed really cute and gift labels. And then I was like, I'm going to try my hand at clothing and I'll never forget like my first fight, like I went to New York, but by like 2007, 2008, right before the crash. I started going at Vegas in LA because as we know, like fashion starts on the West Coast and the East Coast and California and New York, and then it travels downward south like Dallas, Florida, and then it goes up through the middle of the country. And my clients were sort of always ahead of ahead of the game. And I found that if I went west, it wasn't really competing with all the store buyers from the east who all go to Atlanta or New York. And a lot of smaller lines that started on the West didn't come east. So I sort of built from there.

Michelle: So, okay, the first question I have is like, you pick up four jewelry lines and you invest like where do you have a website or are you how are you.

Robin: So.

Michelle: Into.

Robin: So back then, I mean, I like laugh. So I started sort of just with people that I knew and I would do, you know, there would be charities that would have luncheons and there would be a girl who would host like a girls night out at her house for, you know, a women's organization. And I would like bring I'll never forget, like, they have these zip around clasps, like trifold, and the jewelry would be hanging and like, the girls would love it and they'd be so excited about it. So that's how I started, really sort of just word of mouth. And I would do those events. I mean, I can remember I had a friend that owned a chocolate store in the mall and a chrome. I don't know if you have it in California, but it's a chocolate store. And I would like go to her back office. I mean, like I would go to people and they'd be like, we want to get something. We need a gift, we need a necklace. I'm like, you know, I really it was really the beginning of for me, not only just like a retail because clearly I was working a full time job, but sort of this personalized shopping experience where I made it easy for you, you, the customer.

Robin: If I came to your house, if I came to your, you know, your office, things like that. And girls really love that, especially women who were working or who had three children and were running around and like didn't have time to go to the mall or just didn't want the hassle. So that's why I started. And then eventually I built out a website. I had friends from college. He was a web designer. He built it for me. That was like my first rendition of a website, and that was a little bit difficult because they were the back end. They were putting pictures up. It was sort of before there were all these, you know, Shopify. This was way before the Shopify started, and it worked well. And then I think when Facebook and Instagram came, it became like this whole new selling platform. And I think, to be honest, like, I'm a little bit behind now because now everyone is comments sold. There's like so the live selling now is what's really beginning to take off. And I have to sort of jump into that in order to to branch out.

Michelle: There is so much of that going on. When I did Magic, I was like kind of blown away because.

Michelle: Now.

Michelle: All those girls that do that bring all their equipment, I forget what line it was, but there's like they're literally standing outside of the booth and it's fucking brilliant when you think about it, like standing outside of the booth and they're going live and they're talking to like, Look at this, Jean, and they're quoting the retail price. There's only be $45, aren't they amazing? And literally the orders are coming in as they're doing this so they can turn around and go, we'll take ten packs of that. I mean, it was like it was the first time I was like, Holy shit, this is like literally how.

Michelle: How.

Michelle: Business is changing literally, like by and it's so what I love and that's the reason why I'm going on TikTok. I'm not dancing and all that bullshit, but I recognize as an older person, can't believe I just said that. How that is the way of business now I mean and the all of that and it was so crazy to see it live. I was like, wow. So yeah, you definitely got it.

Robin: So I didn't, I didn't get the chance to go to magic. But what you're talking about, I was watching women doing and I was like, I got to get in this game. But it's so like, I am not particularly savvy when it comes to technology. I mean, I'm a wizard, Instagram, and I'm a whiz at Facebook and I can get it to work and link to my website. But I got to tell you, and I had a conversation with a. A website designer the other day and he's like, Look, you're not driving traffic. He's like, harder and harder to drive traffic. And if you don't want to spend the money, you got it. So that's the name of the game now. And it's like, you've got to learn it.

Michelle: Get and get somebody. I mean, like, I just hired it. Finally I hired an assistant and AJ is 27, 26, and he's the one that's going to be doing all that because I haven't said to him like an Elisa for me who did all the booking, or at least is my social, my digital social. And it's like, I don't understand any of that. Like, tech is so not my wheelhouse at all. And so I've recognized like the only way it's going to move in that direction is if I bring someone else that's young on that gets it.

Robin: And I, it's so hard. Like, I'm curious how you really, I'm having trouble finding the right fit. Like, I started to work with a young someone young and then it was like they kind of got flaky. And then I spoke to another company and it was like, what? They were like, Oh, we can do this for $7,500 a month. And I was like 75, right? I was like, okay. Like, I need something. Like, it's just hard. I think it's hard to find the match. Yeah.

Michelle: It's. It's not what I'm learning. Old Michelle, once she tried to do this, I wanted it, like, right away. Like, let's just get something, throw it, throw it up and get it, like, in the system. And and it wasn't my voice and it wasn't it didn't feel like me and AJ is my rep. Gigi from sales producers. It's her son and incredibly smart and incredibly, you know, he's he's not to me he's not a typical frat guy that's hey, he's like very cognizant of working women and he is throwing things up and sending me examples and I'm having to go back and go, not really my voice. And I know that's for TikTok there's that. I forget the stupid thing. Let me show you how I'm doing this. And it's the most annoying voice in the world.

Robin: But oh yeah.

Michelle: That's what's trending that. Forget that. But he so he's understanding more and more what my voice is. And I keep having to say like, just remember, I'm your mom's age. I'm 55. Like, it's not I'm not doing. And the other part of the puzzle was for him, he's like, I just want to make sure like, you're not doing this to gain a million followers. I'm like, No, it's literally just to move my business forward. Like, it's not to get, you know, it's just so I'm staying relevant. And so people and because it's kind of in the footsteps of doing these paid classes that we're going to do online classes, it's kind of paving the foot steps for that. But it's I'm being patient now and letting him find my voice.

Michelle: Through like.

Speaker1: What? Who I am. So that's what I would suggest if you. But it does take it taking somebody that is okay, listening to direction like not me without getting because I've had people that are younger that work for me and it's like they take it so personal. It's like, don't take it personal. It's just that's just not me. And he's so good at like OC so great. So let's move on, like, changing direction. And it's just, it's just a matter of I feel like having the patience to work through something and it's going to be like just when you find that mat, that match, then you'll know. But it's, it's, it's definitely I'm.

Robin: I'm totally type-A. So it's like, you know, I, I post and do all this stuff at like two in the morning when I can't sleep and I get it done. I upload, but I like, laugh because you want someone like what you say to have to find your voice. I'll never forget the first intern I had. She was adorable and she understood tech. And she has. She's out in the real world now, but she's like, I changed the name of your Instagram page, and I was like, No, no, you can't just change the name because people follow that. Like, We can't do that. So yeah, you learn the hard way.

Michelle: Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's true. And it's like at this point now, I mean, everything I've done in my entire career is trial and error. So this really I just have to step back from my Type A and literally be like, let it happen naturally and not try and force it because I need to have it on a timeline. And, and that's the biggest lesson for me. And I feel like just watching him kind of develop who the stuff he's sending, it's now starting to look and sound more and more like me. And then when it's right, then it will go. And then that way he's involved in the process literally from the beginning to where we're going to ultimately be by 2023, which sounds so goddamn far away.

Robin: But it's not.

Michelle: So you when you were doing your day job. So and then doing this, how challenging was to change hats or was it more like, yeah, because like I was saying before we got on on recording is like it's two different sides of your brain that and I don't understand because I don't have that wheelhouse like how you change is it is it challenging to go from court hearings? And then now I'm going to put some stuff up on my website and.

Robin: I know that if it was challenging, I think if you I do best under pressure. I've always been like I get my best work done when I'm like under deadline. And I found a way to interestingly make it work. Like when I have stuff that like it was getting stale or is old, like I finally said to the company that I work for, which is a not for profit, hey, let me bring my sales bag in. There's 100 people that work here. Like, I'll give you a 10% cut, which will go back to charity. Like, so like all of that talk about it, but like, there was always a bag in my office, you know, like I was supervising 25 people and, you know, like $80 Million in what I was doing. And yet, like, there could be people in my office buying clothes, you know, it just sort of always worked.

Michelle: And it probably I guess it's probably like Andrea goes.

Michelle: Through.

Michelle: Catalogs in bed at night and she finds that relaxing. I'm guessing it would be the.

Robin: Same super true. It was like you could. That's how you. I'd sort of clear my mind. You know, when you're in court every day, what I would say would be like fighting over scraps at the end of at the end of my leave, when I was done with litigation, before I moved on to executive management, it was like I was so tired and like I felt. So when you've litigated for like 18, 19 years, you know, every day is like a dog fight. So yes, at the end of the day, like to look at catalogs online and look at pictures was very sort of therapeutically relaxing. Yeah.

Michelle: That makes more sense because that kind of high stress, I can't imagine like how you unwind from that anyway. And I'm sure it's not with like 8000 glasses of wine with a court case.

Robin: Case the next day for sure. I was never really a drinker, so I had to find something else to do.

Michelle: So you do your you do online now and now you do pop ups, correct? Is that.

Michelle: How.

Michelle: How do you get the word out for your podcast or is it the same thing, just word of mouth? Or do you advertise any of it through Instagram or your website? Or do you have a mailing list or how do you get the word out?

Robin: So, you know, there's a lot of everyone's looking for like. The greatest private school because every private school does. It's sort of all changed with Corona and COVID because before let's say before January of 20, you know, every year you'd want to get invited to like the biggest shows. In fact, like at one point I was doing a three day show. I live in Miami, I was doing a three day show in Potomac, Maryland every year for like three or four years. And I'd have a girl that would sell for me up there all year round. Oh, wow.

Michelle: So you have reps out there selling your or like more like I put in quotation marks reps.

Robin: Right? I have sort of like a satellite bedazzled beside where girls could shop, you know, in outside of the Baltimore area. But COVID sort of shut all that down and it shut down all of like the whatever the big charities are. And they're different in every area. Obviously, you know, there's always an Alzheimer's luncheon or a children's hospital luncheon. It just depends where you are, what the big charities are, and who does the best luncheon and the best events. You know, you have to be careful. So obviously it's not just sitting at an event, you know, either from 8 to 4 or 10 to 2. It's packing and it's setting up and then it's breaking down and then it's taking the merchandise out of your inventory. So I learned right in the beginning you just wanted to get into the shows. And in the end, when you have a show, you know, you go to a show and maybe I pick it. I'm picking throwing numbers up. Maybe you'd sell 15, $500 in a day, but you go to a really good show and you'd sell, you know, upwards of 5000 a day. And then you say to yourself, like, okay, I got to find a number where it's not worth my time to do a show that's less than this. I mean, I can remember before for the crash in 2008, I did an event. And when I tell you the women were pulling the shirts out of the boxes, I didn't even have a chance. Right. Buying two and three shirts at $100 a pop. I mean, there were there were times where I could do a day and do 10,000.

Michelle: And those are the I still remember those days of Fred Segal. Like, he was like, right, stack it high and watch it fly like crazy numbers. Like when you think of the way people were buying them before before the crash.

Robin: Right. And even after the crash, I mean, when I first do you know, there are some shows like a three day show, I could I could move out like, you know. Between ten and 15,000. In like three days. But it's a lot of back work. I think that's what people don't realize is the back end. And then it becomes you have to balance out. Is it worth it? Yeah.

Michelle: So. So when you. Okay, so you're calling them shows. Is is it is it like a trade show or is it like a. Because that's that's the part where I'm like.

Michelle: Okay, so I'll I'll give you what it's like. You you did a set up, I think, for a show for one of your wholesalers for for Stephen Young in Phoenix. Right. And you build out like you put tables in.

Michelle: A hotel ballroom.

Robin: Imagine you're walking into a hotel ballroom. Or if it's a school, sometimes it's they take a space or they use their gym and you can have eight foot tables and you decorate, build them out with all your stuff and people come shopping.

Michelle: Okay, so that's great. So then, but also you're doing a great thing because part of your proceeds go back to this charity.

Robin: So a lot of times for most of them, you're giving between ten and 20% to charity. That's great. Fabulous to start with, right?

Michelle: Yeah, I love that. Do you find Instagram a good tool for getting the word out for these shows or is it because it's the shows are kind of regional? Do you find it better as far as guiding people to your website? Because God knows I bought from you.

Robin: Weird about instagram i, i built my site I it was a Shopify site. I connected it to Instagram, right? And I felt like, okay, so there's going to be this, you're going to click the button like how we all see on Instagram. Now there's like a little shopping cart and it takes you to the page and people will just buy from your website. What I found is it's not it's not that it's not that easy because I make sales, but people want to message you and they want to know and then they want to say to you like, okay, can I PayPal you or can I Venmo you? Or can I tell you? It's like I find there's a reluctance to go and I don't know if other people have told you this from an Instagram page to buying on your website, which is interesting because a lot of it for me, I think I call it like people want a little more hand-holding and a little more direction. It's definitely good. I mean, I always post when there's a show. I find that it's good for me, it's good for the charity people know to come there. And a lot of people will be like, Hey, I'm here because I saw your post. So, yes, it's that's totally great. But like we were talking about before, I think everything's evolving so much and now it's evolving into like live livestream even beyond. I was looking into comment sold which I know one of my reps in California told me, Oh, use this comment sold and you have a Kingfisher I think during COVID. And the problem I just realized is it's only your audience now. I need to find like a livestream that's beyond your audience. Yeah.

Michelle: It's funny, they, they've kind of because they were one of the first retailers that I saw out of the box that started doing live. And now live is so like every day for them. I mean, not every day they do Sassy Saturday, which is like their live event and they go through but they are they are on it has worked out to be such a great tool. They're on it all the time. And that's important too, because it gives people a face of who the brand is and then like and because it's a mother daughter team, I think for you be like that. People know you and people, but you're never on it like I'm I'm in stories and I'm my but it's I, I think it would be great for you because people know you.

Robin: But you need someone with you on the back end on the video like you know, and because it's been me sort of doing it all alone, I don't know. And I it's not that I'm afraid to let people in or get some help, but like, I really have to take the time to learn it and then bring someone in to help me and to do it. And I think it'll be I think it'll grow my business for sure.

Michelle: I think I'm guessing it's pretty easy, but yeah. Get get someone young.

Robin: You know.

Michelle: I always said this. You have amazing taste and it's it takes a lot to impress me because, you know, I work for, like some of the biggest brands, and I, I literally see everything. I mean, it's hard for me to get like you, you have this knack of finding things that I'm like, where the hell do you find this? And I mean, how like, where do you find your best items? And like, what are you like? And without giving up secrets? Because everyone's like, I don't want to tell people that, but you really have a good eye. And it's like some of the things you find, like I, I've never seen them, which is like, not to toot my own horn, but I've been around the block. It's like I've seen a lot.

Robin: So it's interesting. Thank you. Coming from you, it's a huge compliment because you have seen a lot and you know, it's hard like some of the I've always had this thing. Do you go wide or deep when you buy? Right. And I think I've learned, especially from you, this strategy like now it's not so deep. It's more buy it, get in, get out, because it makes it more special for your customer. I as much as I agree with secrets I've met, I've made a lot of friends. I think I've introduced you to a few. I think we met through Instagram or following people. And, you know, listen, I'm the first one and maybe I'm too kind and too trusting. You know, a retailer from somewhere else says to me, Oh, my God, that's an amazing item. Where did you get it? Like, usually I'm happy to share or resource.

Michelle: I love that.

Robin: Because I want to get a resource back. Yeah, and for the most part I haven't been burned. But there are some people, you know, and I watch a lot of stories of buying offices and people all over the country and I think that I am very item driven. My mind is sort of item driven and I do have a good eye, but I grew up around a very fashionable mom and, you know, sitting in her best friend's basement when they go shopping. And, you know, I don't I don't know how because I didn't go to college and go to Syracuse and go through the retail program. And I didn't go I mean, I mentioned this to you before. I said, like, oh, open to buy, like. I hear people saying that and they're sitting at a trade show with their spreadsheets of the month. And I kind of think to myself, like, am I doing this totally wrong? Because I don't like, what is this.

Michelle: We're having Dan on, by the way? So you'll get to hear the down and dirty on open to buy because I think that there's a ton of people that don't even know what they're up in to buy is like and just kind of wing it.

Robin: Like, How do I find good stuff? First of all, I love to travel, but even when I travel, I love like it's very funny. Gourmet grocery stores are like my favorite place.

Michelle: Me too

Robin: To check out, right? So like when I go to California to meet Bristol Farms is like amazing because we don't, you know, we have smaller but but I also I like to look in stores and see what the trends are. But I think and you probably feel this way when you've been doing trade shows this long, it's harder and harder to find, like the the good stuff. Yeah. Or the stuff that, like, sticks out. And when I start a trade show, you know, what am I going to buy for the season? Like, I never know. I don't know if it's going to be like a tech year or like a vintage looking year or a girly looking year. But I also think like the Internet and Instagram is a rabbit hole and it's amazing. Some of the stuff I found sort of just going through the rabbit hole. Yeah.

Michelle: Annie from Urban Girl says she'll she's on stories all the time and she'll see something in the background, or she'll zoom in on it and then start Googling purple sweater with cat on it or whatever. And she ends up finding it. And it's true.

Robin: It's all right. I take a picture and then I like, go look and see if I can make the label. It's a total rabbit hole.

Michelle: I love it. But that's I mean, to be honest, since you can't, because I always found like when I was at Fred Segal and we'd do New York now or would do I don't even know if it was New York now then. But my old boss, Michael Campbell, used to tell me, we're going in every single booth, we're going in every single showroom, even if it looks like shit, we're going in because those are always the places you're going to find the gem. So I still will do that. And, and it's like, I don't know, because we ran into each other in Vegas and I didn't have much time to talk. We didn't have a ton to catch up. But for me, like, I still go in almost every showroom and just kind of do a circle about because that's always still where I find some of the best things. And it's like, it's true. It's not as easy to find like that little nugget that everybody else doesn't have. And you can kind of ride its way for a little while and then you're done and you move on to the next. But it's that that's always like finding those little things that no one else has.

Robin: It's like being a detective and like if you get off on that and it's like a thrill for you doing the deep dive, figuring it out. Like, to me, it's like detective work.

Michelle: Yeah, I think I'd lose money. I go. I go down that rabbit hole with Pinterest and it's like, I realize I can't go on it very often because I'll look up. Holy shit, I've been on this thing for 4 hours. It's like. And I'm so far off where I'm supposed to be with what I'm looking up, I'm like, Oh, my God. Tell me about some of your because you talked about some of the trends that that you've been looking for. What are some of your favorite trends that are going on right now and going into the holidays?

Robin: Oh, gosh. You know, it's so hard, cause I just came back from New York market and they're showing spring, and it was like everything was dresses and florals. So it's like and then I start unboxing holiday and I'm like, everything's dark. I mean, I'm from New England, so I love winter. Like, to me, it's way better than summer clothes. Yeah, I'm kind of glad that I feel like camo is over, sort of over.

Michelle: Camo and tie dye there. Would you see a lot of that in spring? Because I'm still I still saw from magic.

Michelle: You know, I still saw it. You know, they've moved tie dye into cashmere, into dresses. I mean, I don't know about you, but I think everyone's worn loungewear so long now since COVID started. But I'm so happy. Like, I just want to throw on a dress every day and be, like, on the go and and be happy. But I. I think for a holiday like it's nice to see going out tops. It's nice to see a little shimmer, you know, it's nice to sort of see. And I always say that's what's missing. There's not a lot of lines that do affordable going out tops. Yeah, sort of like the sweet spot. So what.

Michelle: Is your price point.

Robin: For me? I mean, for me, I think anything between like 80 and 120 is really my sweet spot. That's not to say I can move a ton of tops that like 60 between like 48 and $65. But also, you know, sort of what I call play and disposable clothing. You don't mind spending four, $5, you're going to wear it twice and or three times you're going to be done with it. And then there are some lines, beautiful cashmere, that really look one of a kind that I have customers and I don't go deep into it, but we'll spend three or four or $500. That's really my high end. But I would say I stick between like. 75 and like, 200 is like my main sweet spot.

Michelle: What were some of your favorite gift things for that you're going to show for holiday and gift.

Robin: So I found some really interesting stuff. I found this amazing and I started using it. It's an I you chill it. It's an eye mask and it hits your pressure points. They come in like a ton of colors. And I help I find that it helps me fall asleep really easily. So I love that. And it's.

Michelle: It cools.

Robin: Yeah. You put it in the freezer every night and there's both a French cherry side, so that's like, warmer and then, like, just a cotton side. But and you can also like it has five pods, so it's called nod pod. I really love it.

Michelle: For all those menopausal.

Robin: Mamas or just if you suffer from migraines like I love I mean, I thought it was a great gift. I am sort of going with very kind of girlfriend gifts this year. I did some. I did some like therapeutic gifts and I've done some trying to think it hasn't all come in yet. Some comfy travel sets and things like that.

Michelle: Yeah. You sent me this. What? I mean what you and I, you know, back, like, quick back stories. You and I met on Instagram, and then we finally ran into into each other. Stephen Young. And you, I have to say, you've always been the the person that's like whether you're at a show like look at this, look at this, and you're what I was saying, your taste is always so good. It's like far beyond what I'm able to sell at Burt's Pharmacy. But you you really have I mean, I'm excited to see what you put out for holiday. When are you going to start listing everything for holiday on the site?

Robin: So I think I'll probably start listing by like, you know, that's always a hard question. It's like I watch the stores and like they have Christmas out by October 15th and I'm like.

Michelle: We're setting up Christmas starting the 18th of October.

Robin: You know, I'm aiming. And for me, I have I also look at when's Hanukkah and Christmas. Like, I can't I don't want to do it too early or too late. It depends. Every year, like I think by November 1st, I'll have most of my holiday up.

Michelle: And then do you do the full gift wrap thing? Do you do you do that as well for your for your gifts going out when people order them online?

Robin: So I wish that I were good at gift wrapping and displaying. And it's a talent like I watch you and I'm so amazed. Like, like what you I'm not great at it.

Robin: I have a.

Robin: Really cute paper and I've really cute stickers, so I put it together. If someone picks up local, I try and do something. I get a lot of people that will say, like, I need something gift or I'll shamelessly like have a friend or my mom wrapped because when I wrap, it looks like a seven year old did it.

Robin: Well, that's where having like having like maybe this person you bring on can do both. Because I forget the store that's in LA. Is it twink? Is it something?

Robin: Oh, she's so good and I love to watch her.

Robin: That's all she does like. And it's like these pop up stores that all they are all gifts and they are.

Robin: All I think the story and she used to have a space in Fred Segal on Sunset. Yeah, she's great. She really I mean, she has a great eye.

Michelle: Too, but, you know, she doesn't wrap it all. So it's like that would be perfect, perfect thing to like have somebody like have come in and just pre wrap all this stuff so it's all ready to go and then you don't have to worry about it.

Robin: Yeah, for sure. There's a little idea for you through that. I had an idea and I haven't done it yet, but I was going to do one year for holiday and it gets so hard, like the 12 days of Christmas it only sell 12 things like that. Yeah, but then it's either you find so much stuff that's so good, so it's like, hard to limit yourself, but I feel like I'm going to try it one year. I'm really going to stick to it and discipline myself one year and do it well.

Michelle: Maybe you could do your 12 specialty items and then you have other items to buy, because I can't imagine being able to drive numbers with only 12 items and God forbid, they weren't. Everyone didn't love it. I can't imagine. But I still think you can do Robyn's 12 days of Christmas and like all these your favorite things and then have a bunch of other stuff that you sell. Because, you know, like I said, like you've got such a good eye that I can't imagine being able to nail down to just 12. So you which I love because you show it you you'll show where you're at. You are a huge proponent of shopping stores and areas that you are visiting. So you're in New York and when you came out here because you're based in Miami. So when you came out here to California, we met in Manhattan Beach and we went to Wright's and we went to Beehive. And you had already done all your homework on where you want to go. And so what who are some of your favorite retailers wherever in the country? Who are your favorite retailers? And then why?

Robin: So there's a great store in Orange County called Fleur de Lys in Costa Mesa. It's a gift shop. I think. To me, gift shops are are sort of they're just they don't have that many great ones anymore. It's like shoe stores. I used to love shoe stores and like, it's so hard to find a shoe store anymore. That's just not and I don't mean like sneakers, but like nice brands. So I love Florida. Lea They display beautifully in Costa mesa. I love there's some stores I've never been in Oregon, but I follow them. They have like there's some amazing places I love Kingfisher Road. I am excited because I'm going to Santa Barbara and Montecito for the first time and I have a whole list of stores to visit that I'm excited not just clothing stores, but stores and things like that.

Michelle: I. I mean, Summerland, you have to go. I mean, I, you know, porch and botanic. I mean, it's like there's so many good stores in that area.

Robin: So excited about that. You know, I used to love Fred Segal when it was the one in Santa Monica and I love all that.

Michelle: Are some of your East Coast favorites?

Robin: Oh, some of my East Coast favorites. So there's I'm trying to think I want to do North Carolina because I think there's a lot of good like stores for home there. And I'm building a home and I'll tell you something funny, like as much as I love clothing and gift, like the thought of like picking like design and light fixtures and things like that, it's like more anything more than changing a light bulb. And I'm like, somebody else could do it. If someone else could do it, my whole house, I'd be thrilled. The East Coast in Boston, there's a ton of really cute stores in the suburbs. There's a store called Soul Amour that I love. She does great Instagram. I've been to her store in Boston in the suburbs, just to great stores. Trying to think, you know, New York, there's some great stores like in Soho and the Village that I love to check out. I watched everyone in New York they like don't even go to trade shows anymore. They just go to like the showrooms and it's like a whole rabbit hole of finding out where they are because some people, like you said, don't share resources. Yeah.

Michelle: You. One of the stores I want you to mention, because it's like my like I'm a weird beauty junkie. Like, I don't wear makeup, but I love beauty stores. Who is your favorite?

Robin: And oh, so you have a great one in LA that I love. Oh, God, what's it called? Your main beauty store there? It's called I'm going to look it up right now. Hold on.

Michelle: You love number one beauty. And that's the Santa Monica.

Robin: I love beauty. Yeah, I love that whole street. What's it called? Montana Avenue.

Michelle: Because we're going to list we're going to list all these stores in the show notes so that people can look them up like I'm going to I'm going to look up for Fleuer de Lys. I'm going to.

Robin: Be in orange. Beauty. I love planet. Beauty. I could spend like a whole hour, 2 hours in Planet Beauty because it's like. You know, I'm fascinated by product, whether it's beauty or whether it's shoes or whether it's gift. Like there's I'm just fascinated by product.

Michelle: Yeah, I it's funny because I don't get out in other retailers very often now because I spend so much time in retailers that the last thing I want to do is go to a store. So I kind of like live vicariously through you.

Robin: Yeah. The store that I was thinking of in Oregon is called Prize, which is it looks amazing. And then there's like some stores and it's so funny. I have two friends that just moved to Scottsdale, so I started like my Scottsdale list and I like always laugh because, oh, Dallas Lovers Lane and Dallas has amazing stores. Like, you know, sometimes when I go to visit friends, like, I feel like I need to sneak in a day early and rent a car just so I can do things by myself. Yeah, I have a whole list of stores in Long Island and I like. I never make it to Long Island, but I was like, some of the stores just I mean, it's amazing what they're showing.

Michelle: I, you know, because I'm heading to Santa Fe on Tuesday to the gallery that I'm working for, and I'm guessing I'm going to wrap it up a day early. So they're I don't know if you've ever heard it. It is called. And now I'm going to forget Los Poblanos, uh, the Los Poblanos. It's a farm and a gift store and a spa and a hotel, and it's in Albuquerque. So I'm going to hopefully see that on the way out because I don't get in Tuesday til late and then ideally I'm going to be able to hit it on the way. But I can't wait to go walk Santa Fe because last time I was there it was literally like land. Go to the job site. I saw two galleries so I could see what was in our direct area of as far as competition and just see what other people are doing. And then it was like on a plane and gone the next day. So I'm like, I so want to go through the stores and get inspired and just kind of like be a tourist and see something like out of my normal day to day.

Robin: Yeah, I feel the same. I love to go to different cities and kind of not just for shopping, but like where I grew up. It was all small little towns or the town center and there was always sort of like this local feel of shop local. And it's not really like that in Florida. Yeah. So to me, it's so fun when I go somewhere that has those little towns to sort of see, see what's going on. Yeah. To get a chance to do that.

Michelle: So for you do in in regards of doing the show shopping you do Vegas, New York. Now what are some of your favorite gift or apparel shows that you have done this year?

Robin: So I'm sort of just getting back to shows I've been going to LA. To me, LA is interesting because LA is really smart the way the showrooms work. It's not just clothing, you know, the merchandise and shoes and accessories and jewelry. New York's very different, and so is Atlanta. Like, if you do clothing, you don't mix in other things.

Michelle: Isn't that weird? I don't know why.

Robin: It is weird. I missed Magic and Project, which I'm kind of bummed about. I'm super excited to go in February because now they're under they're all they're all together in the new convention space. And it was good. It was good. Yeah, I'm looking forward to that. I will say I felt that coterie, even though it was smaller just now in September, it was so bright and so happy and there seemed to be like people wanted to be there and they wanted to buy and it was so nice to get back to that.

Michelle: Yeah, I love seeing what you showing as far as like all the brights and the dresses and I love seeing everyone still continuing on with that embroidery detail on the backs of shirts and it's like so sweet and it's just such a great detail that hasn't been done for. I mean, like seems like the seventies when you were doing your.

Robin: Yeah. It's interesting, you know, what coterie hit it, sort of like you had to find it. You needed to pivot to like for a while it was I was selling masks and then I was selling mask chains and then everybody sort of went into athleisure wear and tie dye, which we got sick of. But then it was like the embroidery. And I think I was with you in Newport in Manhattan Beach and I found Live Gracefully, which is so cute. Right. And she's actually based now in Boise, Idaho. I didn't really know that. But like, yeah, so I love her. I did too. I started with like a Miami Heat shirt from her and a happy smile shirt and like, they blew out. I love working with her. I love working with small, independent, both women and independent businesses and sort of non commercial or helping a small business owner. So, you know, I love that embroidery stuff too, and I'm super excited to sort of like capitalize on local markets, you know, doing either city names on necks or doing, you know, zip codes on hats, you know, and and I think. Like if it's not. When I find something that's great. That's not for me. Like, I'm the first one to pass it on to like someone I know in the business. Like, Hey, I think this would be great for you because I would buy it, but I it's not something I sell.

Michelle: I love it. Do you prefer shopping for gift or apparel?

Robin: So funny. Like now I like to have a second pair of eyes. I don't know if you do one when I shop, and that's a double edged.

Michelle: I miss going to shows with somebody, that's for sure.

Robin: I think like you and I wouldn't slow down if we were together because we're in the business. But sometimes, like, I'll bring a friend who's never seen a show before. Oh my God. Explain to them, like, how market works and how that slows me down. I like both of them, and I love a show like I love Atlanta for this reason. Like Atlanta, I go to the gift show every July. I couldn't go this year because of family issue, but I love it because the apparel trade shows open too. And what I found is. So you get to do both? Sort of, yeah. And I also love going into things like sometimes you're surprise, like a bedding showroom or a furniture showroom. Also for market is bringing in like a really cute pajama line or a jewelry line. Like that's where I find my hidden gems and spaces. And it took me a while to figure that out. And that's so funny. I find that I'm even dreaming about it like last night. Now, when I'm talking to you, I just remember, like, I had a dream and it was like this amazing gift show, like, stuff I've never seen before, and I was so excited by it. I guess it's really sad that that's what I dream about.

Michelle: But no, that's really I'm already dreaming about decorating for Christmas, which is I don't know if it's a dread because of the hours. So it's it's not surprising that you're dreaming this. Did you do.

Robin: It did object shop up.

Michelle: How was that that that seems like because I have not done that show yet because it's like when I go to New York notice now to set up it hasn't started yet and we're already on a plane going home. That seems like a show that you would find a lot of really the two girls that you showed me, you turned me on to on Instagram watching.

Robin: They're secretly gifting.

Michelle: Yeah. So secretly gifting. Like seeing the things they were showing from. I was yeah. I was like, oh my God. It seems like that reminds me of the old days of gift show where it was like, everything seemed like super special.

Robin: Yeah. You know, that one's weird. It's sort of designed, driven, so. And I don't know, normally they do run with the gift show. They didn't. This time they ran with apparel. It's kind of a small venue. It was good. I found one or two resources. But like when I've learned sometimes when you go, you're like, I want this and you buy it and you order it. I've sort of learned to slow my roll a little. I'm like, Go home and think about it and then be like, Okay, you don't need more makeup pouches or you don't need more paper. And I used to buy a ton of candle, but like if I had a physical space, maybe then I would sell more camel. But then a lot of times I have to think like, okay, sometimes you're traveling or how are you going to display, you know? So like I've learned to slow my roll and not just go on.

Michelle: The knee.

Michelle: Jerk reaction, right? Yeah.

Michelle: I, I think there's a lot of buyers and I think for the ones that are listening to this, like I, I personally want to do shows, I will spend the first day just walking like I won't write any appointment, I won't have any appointments and I won't write any lines because I kind of want to see what is out there because I have fallen into that where I get so excited I write it and then you start seeing it in multiple places at different price points, and then you're now you're backtracking, you're having to cancel. And so now it's like I take everything. And also that's where I realize I really start to see the trends, like the stupid gnomes, like, you know, you saw it, I saw Gnome the first day and then I kept seeing in a couple of the places and I was like, All right. So I kind of follow the trend, much.

Robin: Like mushrooms this year.

Michelle: Oh my gosh, the mushrooms are the cutest things for fall. It's like I and I'm just so happy to see the trends from the freaking sloths and the unicorns, even though they're still out there. I'm just so happy to see them.

Michelle: Like moving on.

Michelle: Where? Because you're creative. I'm creative. And I always ask everybody, like, where do you find your inspiration? Or where do you go to get inspired?

Robin: So funny you said Pinterest and I'm like, Gosh, I haven't been on Pinterest in forever. You know, it's like that rabbit hole of Instagram or it's when I travel going places and I think my inspiration sort of is just. From my love of, like, finding the next best thing. It's like a thrill to me to get something that people are excited about, even more so than like I remember one year, like, it was shower wraps and they had like like peace signs on them or big hearts and they were like, Mate, they were beautiful, Terri. One year I did amazing Turkish towel, beach bags. Like, it's so fun, right? It's like a mystery to me. Like, to find something that's just so amazing and, like, I would want as a gift. I think that's where I get the inspiration. Like, what would I want as a gift?

Michelle: But I'm guessing you get a ton of inspiration by going to other stores. So do you do you set out to go get Inspire before you head out for these shows or it just kind of happens naturally.

Robin: Well, I think when I travel, I definitely set out to get inspired and I think. You get inspired, just like you said, like I walk. You know, it's so fun to walk. People don't understand, like, oh, there's. I always said this would be the best game show. Like, you get X amount of dollars and an empty house and you have 12 hours to go through either Atlanta or Vegas. And you got to like not only decorate the house and come in under budget, but it's got to look good. And I say that would be the best show. I'm going to be fabulous either way I. So funny. Like, if I could only wear black and white and cream and pearls and lace, I would. So you have to have a very different mindset when you buy for other people. That surprises you about me?

Michelle: Yes. I'm thinking of the tie-dye dress you bought in Beehive, and it's completely so far off from just that image you just put in my head.

Robin: And I love that dress. That was the best dress. And I bought the line. So what? You ask me how I get inspiration. Like I fell in love with a dress with you, a beehive. I bought it. I started wearing it comfortable. Then I went to the swim show, which is the biggest like they do it once a year in Miami. I went in July and I was like, I'm buying this line. Like, I loved it. No one and everything in LA when we were there was cause and like, people don't really wear gauze in Miami. I don't know why, but it's so cool and comfortable. So like, I'm so excited about that line.

Michelle: They don't. That's the craziest thing because it is hot as hell there and they don't wear. Is it just because it's not like because Miami was like it's like, super tight and like, like shiny and like, bodycon and like that. Is that more Miami than.

Michelle: Just.

Michelle: Like, these hippy dippy?

Robin: Maybe, and like the other things people are like, here's turquoise, here's coral. And I'm always like, okay, I couldn't sell turquoise and coral if my life depended on it as either jewelry or in a dress or. I think it also depends. Listen, if you're in Palm Beach, everything is sort of like very lily Pulitzer and very floral. And you could maybe and then if you go to South Beach, it's. Yes, very skimpy in Miami. You know, like so I don't know. But I mean, I remember when I was with you, not just in Manhattan Beach, but everything was gauze everywhere. Yeah. I'm like, I'm so excited. Like, I feel like I'm going to hit a market and I'm going to run with it.

Michelle: Well, especially if nobody has it. That would be the interesting thing.

Robin: It's like, no, I want to a trade show, that dress I bought with you and to show Ramona's said to me like, I need the dress. Like a dress.

Michelle: I bought the dress myself, which I have yet to wear it, but I bought it myself because I fell in love with it as well.

Robin: It was a good one.

Michelle: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Robin: Oh, God, I love to be killing it. You know, when I had a phone call the other day with a marketing company, he's like, You got to decide if you want to be, like, a 1 to $5 Million Business or like a 20 plus million. And I thought, like, I don't need $20 million, you know what I'm saying? Like, I would love to kill it and be happy and know my phrase is always work smarter, not harder. And I got to learn to do that. Yeah, I want to keep giving people. Everyone says, are you going to open a retail? Are you going to open up a brick and mortar? And yeah, I'd be so tied down to one area though, because I'm sort of mobile have like the ability to like make people happy all over and I get scared, you know, when you have a brick and mortar, it's like unless you have good people you really trust, like, you know, it's like I have the freedom to travel and to go to these shows and you know, I would really have to expand, I think, to do that. Yeah.

Michelle: People keep asking me, Don't you want a store? Aren't you going to open a store again? I'm like, I love that. I get to go somewhere different every day and I love I get to play with all of their beautiful merchandise and and and then I go somewhere else the next day and do the same thing. So I understand.

Robin: I love watching you do it. It's fascinating, man. I love that you get to spend other people's money and not take a risk of your own.

Michelle: You know, I mean, it's funny because I'm very lucky I get to do that, but I, I take that responsibility. So I just, you know, because at the end of the day, it is a case in point. Like two weeks ago, like animal print was everywhere, like everywhere. And everyone in the show is and there was not one line you went to it magic that didn't have some element of an animal print. And I bought into it and it got to the pharmacy and it was like the biggest bomb ever. It's two years later and they're still talking about the fucking animal.

Michelle: Brand like, Oh my.

Michelle: God, I get it, I get it. But it's, you know, you have to take a risk as a buyer.

Robin: And it's a regional thing. I think what's regional, you know, like animal print or whatever the print is, God damn it, everything is regional.

Michelle: Yeah. And it's but you have to as a buyer, I think you have to take a risk. But it's definitely me spending somebody else's money. It's like it's always I have. I've now found myself because I, I bought a lot and I still do like I'm drawn to things that I like. But you realize that it's like, okay, I've, I have to literally tell myself because I get so excited when I get to magic and Oh my God, this be so amazing. And the price points I have to literally have this inner dialogue with myself of.

Michelle: Of.

Michelle: It is first and foremost it is a pharmacy and it is about instant gratification. And I love this so much and our sweet spots 40 bucks. So, you know.

Robin: It's a great that's a great get price point. I mean, it's the easy.

Michelle: It's easy in and out apparels are number one department in the pharmacy, which blows my mind. It doesn't blow my mind anymore. I mean, you're there, you're wandering around. It's like cute t shirts and yummy sweater to go over. And it's like every woman buys Instagram. But it is it is always one of those things in the back of my head, it's like, Please God, let it not be the.

Robin: Things that you say that like I remember one year I did Zodiacs, the ceramics diffusers with florals, and I probably sold 60 dozen at a price point between all of those.

Michelle: I could not sell those. Those scared the hell out of when you.

Robin: Get one like that. I think to myself like, how am I going to beat this next year? What's going to be like, I'm so afraid of always, like, not having that, like, sweet spot gift. Yeah.

Michelle: Yeah. That, that, that.

Robin: Right. And it's what you say like that you can sell something else that I could. I remember all the people in LA, they push those USB lighters.

Michelle: Yeah, I don't get us. I can't sell those.

Robin: With my life.

Michelle: I don't get. They're amazing. And before everyone jumps on me, they are amazing. I just don't because they come in all those different colors and it just I just do not I better matches and it's it's creating that hand in hand. So it is important but it's.

Robin: Funny you the matches like I see so many companies they just sell decorated matchboxes and I'm like, I couldn't sell that if my life depended on it. Like, it's just funny what some stores can and can't sell.

Michelle: Yeah, I.

Robin: I've learned there's no rhyme or reason.

Michelle: So I have one final question for you. Sure. Any advice for someone looking looking to start a side hustle?

Robin: I would say. That my advice is definitely do it. I think it's fun. I think you have to. Everything starts with scale. I started really small. I you know, my first buy was $4,500, which seems scary and a fortune, I would say that, you know, follow your passion. Like my passion has always been kind of like. People want to see shopping, but like stores and seeing things and and finding the right item more than just shopping like that excites me. Seeing a beautiful display and things like that. So yeah, I would say follow your passion. Don't be afraid to ask questions, find mentors. You know, believe me, I still put it out there. I talked to you about this all the time. Like I saw an item I loved at number one beauty. And like, you know, they were very protective and they wouldn't share with me. And, you know, like you learn some people will and some people won't, and you got to respect it either way. And I still I still go in that store all the time. And, you know, they have a great eye and there's so much stuff to look at. So I would say follow your passion.

Michelle: Good advice. So please tell everybody where they can find you.

Robin: Um. So you can find me at shop. The bedazzled shop. Its tag shop tag. Bedazzled Bidet Led Shop. You can find me on Instagram at Bedazzled Jewels one. And please come check me out.

Michelle: Thank you so much for spending this time with me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I really appreciate.

Michelle: You are going to hear this.

Michelle: And that is a wrap. Thank you all so much for joining me on today's episode. I really appreciate it. And be sure to tune in every Wednesday for more stories and lessons from a life in retail. And don't forget to follow us on Instagram at the retail whore podcast, and you can find us online at the retailwhorepodcast.com