Hi, I’m Darlene!

I want to share with you what drives me (aka why I’m a Corporate Retail Dropout) and what fuels my motivation to impact thousands of Boutique Owners through my work, every day.

How I Impact Your Business

I’m a Boutique Business Coach and Inventory Strategist empowering you to build and grow a profitable business through utilizing tools, strategic financial plans and inventory management that increase sales and maximize profit.

My Thought Process

The retail environment is ever changing and evolving, but the foundation needed for a successful retail business remains the same – having plans around sales and inventory. I use a combination of traditional financial planning philosophy mixed with innovative tactics to deliver customized inventory plans and strategies for your specific business needs.

What I Bring To The Table

I have over 20+ years of executive leadership experience in Buying, Merchandise Planning and Allocation with some brands you know and love, listed below. I apply my expertise to positively and profitably impact your business.

How I Became A Corporate Dropout

I started my own boutique while simultaneously working in corporate retail, and instantly fell in love with small business entrepreneurship. Years later, I decided to leave corporate retail to consult for boutique owners, equipping them with the same strategies I implemented in corporate – these same inventory management strategies drove record 50% sales dollar increases and 30% gross margin rate increases.

Do I sound like someone you want in your business?

Let’s chat about how you can stop leaving dollars on the table (and on your racks).

Well, Let’s Talk!

Success Stories

I was really impressed with how quickly Darlene learned our business and developed working relationships with our leaders and team members in the US and UK. Using her retail expertise and footwear experience she helped us develop a strategic approach and tools to roadmap our strategy for all our channels of business.

Lorraine H., President—Top Pick Global

I have been working with Darlene for almost a year now and she has been instrumental in growing my brand. She’s so much more than an inventory planner! She is a Boutique Coach with knowledge in many areas from inventory & assortment planning, to financial strategy. I love that Darlene has been able to adapt to my style of learning and create a roadmap unique to me.

Jes B., Owner—JBrooks

Darlene keeps me focused on what is most important at the moment. Since I began working with her I have a much clearer picture of my inventory and where we need to focus our efforts in terms of sales and marketing those items. Her planning takes some of the guesswork out of buying and gives me a lot more confidence when making order edits.

Rachel, Owner—Grapevine

Darlene changed everything! She has been a great asset to my business! It has been so nice to have an objective point-of-view for my boutique. Darlene came in and analyzed previous years sales and developed an open-to-buy plan based specifically on my business and the categories I sell. She set monthly sales goals and a plan on how to achieve those goals. It has been so nice transitioning from shopping, with absolutely no plan, to now walking into market with a specific plan of how much to spend per category, per month, and per season. It’s such a relief to have a well thought out, strategic plan, to support the hopes, dreams, and goals I have for my boutique!

Emily S, Owner—GrayBird Boutique