Things You Need To Think About When Opening A Retail Business

Julie Starr • January 5, 2022



Starting a new business is always a demanding undertaking, regardless of the industry in which you are involved. Before you can even think of opening your doors and launching your business, you must first select the appropriate site, refine your product line, and assemble a dedicated team of employees who have received proper training and are ready to work. It is frequently the small things that are the most significant and that will assist you to reach perfection, even if there are several other things to complete and keep track of.

In order to successfully open your brand new retail business, you should keep the following points in mind.

Take great care in selecting your location.

Spend some time inspecting the place from which you are considering opening a retail store before signing a leasing agreement with the property owner. As a result, you will have a better understanding of the quantity of foot traffic that comes into your store, the times of day when it is busiest, traffic concerns, how the surrounding stores are doing, lighting and accessibility issues, and so forth. Would-be business owners, understandably, become enamored with a location but fail to thoroughly explore some of the more minor details associated with it. It is possible that spending some time at the location will reveal some difficulties that you will be able to discuss with the owner or that will prompt you to continue your quest.

Consider your business’s brand identity.

When it comes to brand recognition , your company’s logo is critical, and you should incorporate it into your customers’ shopping experience. It contributes to the development of a relationship between your customers and your store. In times when no one is talking about you, your logo should be the one that represents you. One or more of the most effective places to show the logo are staff uniforms, receipts, price tags, shopping and bags and containers, and other marketing materials.

Organize your store layout

The design of your store’s layout has the power to create or break your company’s success. Shoplifting and property damage can be avoided if your store is organized in an effective and attractive manner. Your customers will be inspired to spend more money than they may have intended when they first entered the establishment if it is well laid out.  Make sure your signage is legible and consider using multiple types of signage to attract customers. 

In order to have an idea of what works and what does not when it comes to the design of your store, it is beneficial to go to a rival’s store and observe how its layout is set up. Consider sustainable marketing efforts in-store and online. Educating your client base on your responsible use of store resources including energy use, packaging, and sourcing can be an added value to both the business and its clients. 

Make plans for challenging days in advance.

Everything runs well when your products are flying off the shelves and your customers are all pleasant and easy to work with. Things will continue to run smoothly on other days as well. Another day may bring in a few customers, while another may bring in a large number of people who are having troubles.  There will also be days where you have huge numbers of refunds and make little or no profit, especially if you are one of the high risk merchant accounts . Make sure that you have plans in place for these situations. 

 

 

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.