What happens when mentorship, grit, and a love for community collide? Brian joins us to share how a summer job at a natural products store became a 20‑year journey to ownership—and how that path is shaping a smarter, stronger future for independent retail. From surviving cancer to chairing SENPA’s Emerging Leaders, Brian brings a rare mix of empathy and execution that turns big ideas into daily wins.

We dig into the playbook: hire young and train deeply, bring staff to trade shows, and treat education as your edge. Brian explains how to convert TikTok trends into real guidance, why waiting for trustworthy suppliers protects your standards, and how one weekly video can be repurposed across email, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook for outsized reach. He breaks down practical budgeting—stop printing flyers, boost posts to non‑followers nearby—and shares scripts for pivoting from “we don’t carry that” to “what result are you after?” That shift builds trust, loyalty, and word of mouth.

Events take center stage. Brian outlines how in‑person workshops, demos, tastings, and smart merchandising reignite community after COVID. You’ll hear the strategy behind a 30% off “Christmas in July” blowout with Secret Santa giveaways, why the next week’s sales stayed strong, and how limited‑time offers attract new shoppers who stick. We also talk pricing with purpose—aligning to MAP and manufacturer sites instead of chasing Amazon—and using grocery as a basket lift while curated supplements anchor margins.

The heart of this conversation is the future: SENPA’s Emerging Leaders. Brian shares a vision for mentorship, targeted training, and real seats at the table so the next generation can lead with courage and creativity. If you’re ready to protect the roots—education, quality, community—and evolve the reach with modern marketing and bold events, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a fellow retailer, and leave a review to help more independents grow strong together.

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Email: info@naturalproductsmarketer.com

About Tina Maddock

Since 2014, Tina has worked with multiple natural products businesses, discovering how to market their CBD products online, without having their payment processor shut them down, to letting customers talk about their health issues those products have helped them solve. She knows first hand how experts like you offer the best products and a superior customer experience, that is why she is committed to helping you find an easy way to grow your natural product business.

Growth doesn’t always come from bigger budgets; it often comes from better neighbors. We share a step-by-step case study of how a local retailer climbed from a 12% year-over-year decline to a 12% gain by running just two partner-led events per month—and we unpack every piece of the system so you can copy it with confidence.

We start where most owners get stuck: finding the right partners and making the ask. You’ll hear how to identify aligned businesses within five to ten miles, what to say on that first call, and how to make a give-give offer that’s hard to refuse: time-bound attendee incentives, cross-promotion, and a full asset kit that removes friction. From there, we detail the marketing engine that drives turnout without draining your week—email templates, social captions, graphics, posters, postcards, Google Business events, and Facebook Events to simplify registration and reminders.

You’ll also get the numbers that matter: signups versus seats, the share of new and returning customers, and how a tiny Meta budget—two dollars a day using a customer list and a tight radius—can be enough to fill a room. We walk through smart scheduling right after busy classes, setting capacity to add urgency, what to include in confirmations, and how to split post-event follow-up for attendees and no-shows. Testimonials, shared with both your channels and your partners’, become fuel for the next outreach. With a 90-day plan and a four to six week runway, you can build momentum that feels like an engine instead of a grind.

If your store needs energy, awareness, and real foot traffic, this episode lays out a practical playbook for community events, local partnerships, and sustainable growth. Subscribe for more retail marketing strategies, share this with a fellow owner who needs a lift, and leave a review to help us bring on more expert voices.

Connect with us:

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Email: info@naturalproductsmarketer.com

About Tina Maddock

Since 2014, Tina has worked with multiple natural products businesses, discovering how to market their CBD products online, without having their payment processor shut them down, to letting customers talk about their health issues those products have helped them solve. She knows first hand how experts like you offer the best products and a superior customer experience, that is why she is committed to helping you find an easy way to grow your natural product business.

Aromatherapy can be more than a pretty scent—it can be a reliable wellness tool and a powerful retail differentiator. We sat down with Pranarōm’s national educator, Liza Dawkins, to unpack how safety, sourcing, and smart training turn essential oils into solutions customers can trust. From countering social media hype to using batch testing and Certificates of Analysis, we share practical steps to elevate credibility without slipping into fear or elitism.

We explore the tug‑of‑war between online convenience and in‑store experience, then show how to win on both fronts. Teach your team to ask outcome‑based questions and offer cross‑department solutions that pair aromatherapy with herbs, supplements, and grocery staples. Learn why diffusion still counts as systemic exposure, how oxidation undermines safety, and when a smaller bottle is actually the better buy. You’ll hear specific ways to position therapeutic blends next to sinus, stress, and sleep sets, and how to use subtle, high‑quality scent to anchor memory and comfort inside your store.

Seasonal marketing comes alive here: meet customers where they are with timely content and micro‑workshops that translate to real‑world results. We also talk transparency—organic standards, constituent profiles, ethical sourcing—and how to honor local makers who do the work even if they can’t afford every seal. If you want to build trust over trends, keep your staff longer, and create a store that people choose for guidance as much as goods, this conversation gives you tactics to start tomorrow.

Enjoyed this conversation? Follow, rate, and share the show so more natural retailers can build smarter, safer, and more connected communities. Got a question or a challenge we should tackle next? Email us at info@naturalproductsmarketer.com.

Connect with us:

Facebook

Linkedin

Email: info@naturalproductsmarketer.com

About Tina Maddock

Since 2014, Tina has worked with multiple natural products businesses, discovering how to market their CBD products online, without having their payment processor shut them down, to letting customers talk about their health issues those products have helped them solve. She knows first hand how experts like you offer the best products and a superior customer experience, that is why she is committed to helping you find an easy way to grow your natural product business.