Course 3: Retail Strategy & Financial Smarts for Pet Stores

About Course

This course focuses on the business side of premium pet retail: strategy, pricing, inventory, and financial decision-making. Lessons are rooted in real-world retail systems, not theory. Owners and managers will come away with tools to run smarter, more profitable stores without losing their mission or values.

How Long Will It Take?

This course explores business systems, financial metrics, and retail strategy. It’s more involved than the first two, and works best if you give yourself time to reflect and apply concepts.

Reading only: ~6–7 hours
Reading + Reflection: ~8–9 hours
Reading + Reflection + Some Want to Try tasks: ~10–14 hours total, usually spread over 2–3 weeks at a comfortable pace

You set the rhythm—take it slow and steady, or immerse yourself for a faster transformation.

How to define (or redefine) your store’s mission and make it matter in daily operations
What financial metrics actually matter—and how to track them without drowning in spreadsheets
How to price for profit without sacrificing your brand’s integrity
The difference between margin and markup—and why both matter
How to build systems that do the work for you (without fancy software)
When and how to discontinue products while keeping customers happy
How to make seasonal decisions, handle vendor relationships, and negotiate confidently
Why perception matters—and how to create a premium experience customers remember
How to make better decisions when you’re tired, overwhelmed, or growing fast
What to track, what to automate, and what to stop doing altogether

Course Content

Topic 1: Vision, Mission, and Strategic Clarity
Set a foundation that aligns your purpose with your plan. These lessons explore how to define your goals, evolve your model, and steer your business toward something that truly works for you.

Welcome to Course 3: Running a Better Business—Smarter, Not Harder
Lesson 1: Perspective, Passion, and Profit—What Makes a Business Work
Lesson 2: Vision & Mission—Foundations Worth Building
Lesson 3: What Are You Building—And Is It Still Working?
Lesson 4: Don’t Just Survive—Plan to Grow

Topic 2: Inventory, Pricing & Profit—The Numbers That Set You Free
Numbers don’t have to be scary—they can be liberating. This topic walks you through the essential financial levers of your business: how margin fuels growth, how pricing shapes perception, and how inventory decisions quietly shape your cash flow. Whether you’re analyzing product performance or learning to lead with data, this section gives you the tools—and the confidence—to make decisions that support your store and your vision.

Topic 3: Brand, Positioning & Perception
Feel more confident about the money side of your business. This topic gives you tools to plan, adapt, and make smarter decisions—without getting overwhelmed.

Topic 4: Money Confidence: From Gut Feelings to Real Clarity
Feel more confident about the money side of your business. This topic gives you tools to plan, adapt, and make smarter decisions—without getting overwhelmed.

Topic 5: Smart Tools & Systems
Premium retail runs on clarity and consistency—not chaos. In this topic, we explore simple tools and systems that save time, reduce errors, and elevate the customer experience. Smart choices behind the scenes make everything feel effortless up front.

Topic 6: Smart Leadership for Everyday Challenges
This topic is all about building a business that works for you, not the other way around. We explore time, energy, delegation, boundaries, and the quiet decisions that protect your momentum as a business owner.

Topic 7: Closing the Loop—Review, Adjust, Grow

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About Course

What Will You Learn?

Course Content

Topic 1: Vision, Mission, and Strategic Clarity Set a foundation that aligns your purpose with your plan. These lessons explore how to define your goals, evolve your model, and steer your business toward something that truly works for you.

Welcome to Course 3: Running a Better Business—Smarter, Not Harder

Lesson 1: Perspective, Passion, and Profit—What Makes a Business Work

Lesson 2: Vision & Mission—Foundations Worth Building

Lesson 3: What Are You Building—And Is It Still Working?

Lesson 4: Don’t Just Survive—Plan to Grow

Lesson 1: Why Numbers Matter (Even If You Hate Math)

Lesson 2: Your Margins Are Speaking—Are You Listening?

Lesson 3: Pricing Like You Mean It

Lesson 4: Inventory Isn’t Just Stuff—It’s Your Cash, Trapped

Lesson 5: Dead Stock: The Cost of Holding On

Lesson 6: Restocking Isn’t a Habit—It’s a Decision

Lesson 7: Vendor Relations & Negotiation Tactics

Lesson 8: What You’re Not Tracking Might Be Costing You

Topic 3: Brand, Positioning & Perception Feel more confident about the money side of your business. This topic gives you tools to plan, adapt, and make smarter decisions—without getting overwhelmed.

Lesson 1: Why Your Brand Is More Than Your Logo

Lesson 2: It’s Not What You Sell—It’s What They Remember

Lesson 3: The 3 Moments That Matter Most in Your Store

Lesson 4: Do Your Customers See You as Premium? (And Should They?)

Lesson 5: Why Language Matters More Than Discounts

Lesson 6: Seasonal Promos & Loyalty Strategies (Without Diluting Your Brand)

Topic 4: Money Confidence: From Gut Feelings to Real Clarity Feel more confident about the money side of your business. This topic gives you tools to plan, adapt, and make smarter decisions—without getting overwhelmed.

Lesson 1: Simple Budgeting & Forecasting Principles

Lesson 2: Break-Even Analysis & Understanding Fixed vs. Variable Costs

Lesson 3: Cash Flow Management (Especially for Seasonal Dips)

Lesson 4: Understanding Your P&L—Without Fear or Fancy Terms

Lesson 5: Managing Retained Earnings—What You Keep Is What You Build With

Lesson 6: What’s It All Worth—And What Comes Next?

Topic 5: Smart Tools & Systems Premium retail runs on clarity and consistency—not chaos. In this topic, we explore simple tools and systems that save time, reduce errors, and elevate the customer experience. Smart choices behind the scenes make everything feel effortless up front.

Lesson 1: Systems Make You Strong (Even When You’re Not There)

Lesson 2: Everyday Systems That Save Time (and Sanity)

Lesson 3: CRM Without the Jargon—Building Customer Relationships That Actually Work

Lesson 4: The Tech & Tools That Make Your Store Run Smarter

Lesson 5: Before You Buy That New Tool: Questions to Ask First

Topic 6: Smart Leadership for Everyday Challenges This topic is all about building a business that works for you, not the other way around. We explore time, energy, delegation, boundaries, and the quiet decisions that protect your momentum as a business owner.

Lesson 1: How to Make Your Store Easier to Run (Without Cutting Corners)

Lesson 2: Making Smart Decisions—Even When You’re Overwhelmed

Lesson 3: Your Time Isn’t Free—And That’s Okay

Lesson 4: Delegation That Works (And Doesn’t Backfire)

Lesson 5: How to Lead Without Burning Out

Topic 7: Closing the Loop—Review, Adjust, Grow

Lesson 1: Review, Adjust, Grow

Thank You—and Keep Going

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