Main Street Matters by Heart on Main Street

Episode 18: Create Great Holiday Window Displays with Amy Meadows of Windows Matter

Creating great window displays can attract eyes and bring in new customers, especially around the holidays. Amy Meadows of Windows Matter joined the Main Street Matters webinar to talk about tips, tactics, and tools that can make your store windows stand out this holiday season. Amy started Windows Matter consulting firm after decades of experience in retail window design and visual merchandising, including being the head designer for the famous Marshall Fields windows in Chicago for 25 years. This was a wonderful conversation full of ideas and strategies on how to make your window displays stand out this holiday season. 

Windows Matter: https://www.windowsmatter.com/index.php
Heart on Main Street: https://www.heartonmainstreet.org/
Watch this webinar or register for future webinars: https://www.heartonmainstreet.org/education
Holiday Foliage: https://holidayfoliage.com/
Vickerman: https://www.vickerman.com/
Fiverr: https://www.fiverr.com/
Frontdoor Back: https://frontdoorback.com/

Episode 17: Main Street Monday: Madison, WI and Bloomfield, IA

Our next Main Street Monday tour brings us to the towns of Madison, WI, and Bloomfield, IA. Outwardly, these towns are significantly different from each other, but both have a passion and support for independent retail and a willingness to see the success of independent retailers. I was invited to visit both of these towns by supporters of Heart on Main Street and learned so much in each area. During these trips, I was able to interview retailers Carol Schroeder and Joanne Berg, as well as Bloomfield Main Street coordinator Jen Cutler. 

To support Heart on Main Street, you can visit www.heartonmainstreet.org. You can sign up for one of our monthly webinars, find resources to help your business grow, or make a donation to our organization. 

Episode 16: How Retailers Can Achieve Financial Success with Dane Cohen

Retailers start their businesses to make money, but a lot goes on behind the scenes to make that dream a reality. Dane Cohen of Management One joins Main Street Matters by Heart on Main Street to talk about the vibe-cession that has characterized thoughts on the recent economy, how retailers can re-think margins, play offense with buying products, sharpen their pricing, and embrace markdowns. 

https://www.heartonmainstreet.org/
https://www.heartonmainstreet.org/education
https://www.management-one.com/

Episode 15: Main Street Mondays: Stories from the Road

Heart on Main Street visits a new town every Monday to learn about the retailers and what makes them successful. Seeing different things towns and retailers do to help the businesses in their communities grow is incredible. In this episode, we explore the villages of Elmhurst, OL; Zionsville, IN; Pentwater, MI; and Cedarburg, WI. 

https://www.heartonmainstreet.org/

Episode 14: Harness the Power of Live Virtual Selling with Carolyn Williamson of CommentSold

Selling products through social media and live selling is the newest trend to increase sales and reach more customers. But it can be intimidating and difficult if you don't know how to do it effectively. Carolyn Williamson from Comment Sold joins the Main Street Matters webinar to talk about the power of live selling and why you, as a retailer, need to jump on this trend.

https://www.heartonmainstreet.org/
https://www.heartonmainstreet.org/education
https://try.commentsold.com/

Episode 13: Interviews from the Road

In our Stories from the Road series, I talked about exploring towns and learning from retailers about what makes their stores or communities unique.  We have had the opportunity to connect with many retailers while on the road for the past several months, and I want to share some of those conversations with you. In the episode, you will hear an update from Lacy Hankins and Amanda Rutherford, the owners of the Green Apple in Rolling Fork, MS. We first met them soon after a tornado leveled their store, and we discuss what has happened since. You will also hear from Mark Coulter, owner of Christopher's Gifts and Mark Anthony's Gifts and Spa in Kirkwood, MO, about the changes he has instituted in the wake of the pandemic. Finally, we spoke to Lisa Miller, owner of Forever Clean Soap Works in St Joseph, MI, about how she started her business and how her business model goes against the fray but has allowed her to succeed. 

https://www.heartonmainstreet.org/

Episode 12: What Is the Employee Retention Credit and How to Get Money Back Through the Government’s ERC Program

The ERC (Employee Retention Credit) is a stimulus government aid program established by the CARES Act. It is a refundable tax credit- a grant, not a loan- that businesses can claim and recoup up to $26,000 per employee. It is money that is set aside for you! However, because of the complicated filing process and some noise around the program, most businesses have not taken advantage of this. 
Listen to Toni Ivey of OmegaNet Inc. to find out how to get the tax credit you're entitled to.

https://ercfilenow.com/r/heartonmainstreet
https://www.heartonmainstreet.org/
https://www.heartonmainstreet.org/education

Episode 11: Main Street Mondays: Stories from the Road part 3

Heart on Main Street visits a new town every Monday to learn about the retailers and what makes them successful. Seeing different things towns and retailers do to help the businesses in their communities grow is incredible. In this episode, we explore the villages of LeClaire, IA; Hinsdale, IL; Saint Joseph, MI; and Galena, IL. 

https://www.heartonmainstreet.org/