HOW I WENT FROM STRESSED OUT SHOPKEEPER
TO HELPING HUNDREDS BUILD THE STORE OF THEIR DREAMS
Hey there! I’m Salena Knight.
Over a decade ago, when Facebook was hardly a thing and digital marketing didn’t exist, I started my first online retail store.
I’m going to be honest.
I had close to zero clue what being a retailer entailed. It seemed to me like a low stress, flexible way for a new mum to avoid getting back on the corporate treadmill. Sound familiar?!
I had a business degree, years of real life experience, loads of enthusiasm and stacks of passion. I was really good at doing lots of different things. And I had BIG vision.
I was entirely convinced that would be enough to get me through.
Boy, was I wrong!
At first my business grew quickly.
Within a year of launching I opened my first physical shop front. A couple of years after that the opportunity arose to open a second store.
Before I knew it I was the owner of a chain of successful, award-winning retail stores.
It was all I’d ever wanted.
EXCEPT…
I was never home. And when I was, I was tired, cranky, distracted, or a combo of all three.
I was juggling more balls and working far longer hours than I ever had in the corporate job I’d escaped.
I constantly felt out of my depth, overwhelmed and wondered how my experience had served me so poorly.
This was not the business I’d dreamed of.
A serious illness and the ever-present fear of financial ruin made me realize something had to change.
I Had To Stop Being A SLAVE.
And Learn To Be The CEO.
I needed to quit being a SLAVE to my business. And step up to be the CEO.
I had no choice but to check my ego at the door and start learning as much as I possibly could about not just running, but managing and growing a successful retail business.
I discovered:
-> relying on what I did well would only take me so far. I also needed to face up to what I didn’t do well.
-> throwing more and more energy at doing the same thing wasn’t helping me mature and grow
myself or my business.
-> the tools I needed to scale, be profitable AND have a business I loved!
I also discovered there was no one place I could get the knowledge I needed, specifically for the retail industry. And so began a long journey arming myself with the very best marketing, financial management and digital marketing knowledge I possibly could.
I spent every spare moment I had learning as much as I could. Then I began rolling it out in my business.
I was in control. And it was great!
I'd Become A Slave To
My Business
I needed to quit being a SLAVE to my business. And step up to be the CEO.
I had no choice but to check my ego at the door and start learning as much as I possibly could about not just running but managing a successful retail business.
I discovered:
-> relying on what I did well would only take me so far. I also needed to face up to what I didn’t do well.
-> throwing more and more energy at doing the same thing wasn’t helping me mature and grow
myself or my business.
-> the tools I needed to scale, be profitable AND have a business I loved!
I also discovered there was no one place I could get the knowledge I needed, specifically for the retail industry. And so began a long journey arming myself with the very best marketing, financial management and digital marketing knowledge I possibly could.
I spent every spare moment I had learning as much as I could. Then I began rolling it out in my business.
I was in control. And it was great!
Freedom.
The new practices I rolled out in my business not only created profit and stability, they also freed up hours of my week that I’d formerly spent in Crisis Management mode.
Not one to sit idle, I realised my passion was moving more and more towards public speaking, mentoring, educating and empowering other retailers.
Out of a passion to continue working in the retail sector and from my frustration at the lack of professional development in the industry, The Retail Academy was born.
Over the years I’ve developed a reputation for combining a no-nonsense approach with a deep understanding of exactly what is needed (physically and emotionally) to be a successful independent retailer.
Everything I do is focused on helping other business owners avoid the costly and debilitating mistakes I made.
When people come to me, they’re ready to make a change to the status quo. They’re prepared to take action. They know they don’t know everything and are prepared to learn.
I have had the honour of helping hundreds of retailers take the steps required to change the trajectory of their retail or eCommerce business.
Freedom.
The new practices I rolled out in my business not only created profit and stability, they also freed up hours of my week that I’d formerly spent in Crisis Management mode.
Not one to sit idle, I realised my passion was moving more and more towards public speaking, mentoring, educating and empowering other retailers.
Out of a passion to continue working in the retail sector and from my frustration at the lack of professional development in the industry, The Retail Academy was born.
Over the years I’ve developed a reputation for combining a no-nonsense approach with a deep understanding of exactly what is needed (physically and emotionally) to be a successful independent retailer.
Everything I do is focused on helping other business owners avoid the costly and debilitating mistakes I made.
When people come to me, they’re ready to make a change to the status quo. They’re prepared to take action. They know they don’t know everything and are prepared to learn.
I have had the honour of helping hundreds of retailers take the steps required to change the trajectory of their retail or eCommerce business.
5 Fun Facts About Me...
FACT #1: I live in Sydney Australia with my husband Ed, daughter Lana and our Greyhound Cav.
FACT #2: I can renovate an entire house in less time than it takes for most people to select a paint colour and drive to the hardware store!
FACT #3: I’d wear a dress rather than jeans, any day of the week.
FACT #4: White wine beats red. Coke Zero beats coffee. Tea beats them all.
FACT #5: I used to drive trucks for a living.
5 Fun Facts About Me...
FACT #1: I live in Sydney Australia with my husband Ed, daughter Lana and our Greyhound Cav.
FACT #2: I can renovate an entire house in less time than it takes for most people to select a paint colour and drive to the hardware store!
FACT #3: I’d wear a dress rather than jeans, any day of the week.
FACT #4: White wine beats red. Coke Zero beats coffee. Tea beats them all.
FACT #5: I used to drive trucks for a living.
5 Fun Facts About Me...
FACT #1: I live in Sydney Australia with my husband Ed, daughter Lana and our Greyhound Cav.
FACT #2: I can renovate an entire house in less time than it takes for most people to select a paint colour and drive to the hardware store!
FACT #3: I’d wear a dress rather than jeans, any day of the week.
FACT #4: White wine beats red. Coke Zero beats coffee. Tea beats them all.
FACT #5: I used to drive trucks for a living.
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