Welcome to episode 101 of the Richer Retailer Podcast!
Most podcasts never make it past episode seven. This one has made it to 101, with almost two years of conversations, lessons, guests, and “Millie Moments” shared with store owners like you. Cathy is so grateful for every follow, every comment, and every time you’ve pressed play.
Cathy wanted this milestone to be something truly special. She spent six weeks trying to find the one perfect idea that would make it stand out. The 100th came and went while Simon Trafford’s world building series ran, so 101 became “the one.” Then a full recording was lost because there was no sound, and she was fighting a nasty cold too.
In the middle of all that, Cathy saw something. Her struggle to make this episode perfect was a small picture of everything she’s learned in 101 episodes. So instead of 101 tips, she’s giving you the four things that matter most: the four C’s of a recovering overthinker. She uses them herself, and she teaches them to the store owners she coaches.
This is Cathy’s thank-you to you, and one of her most personal episodes yet. If you’ve ever stared at an order sheet for days, rewritten the same email six times, or felt like someone is about to “figure out” you don’t know what you’re doing, this one is for you. Overthinkers, unite!
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- How to catch the death spiral of automatic negative thoughts before it takes your whole day (or your whole night) with it
- Stephen Covey’s lesson about the space between an event and your response, and why that space is your greatest strength
- Why “I made a mistake on that buy” is learning, but “I’m not a real store owner” is shame
- How consistency beats fancy ideas, and what college athletes can teach store owners about showing up
- Why overthinking is armor, and how to name it, confront it, and set it down
Key Takeaways
- Catch your thoughts. Notice when you’re in the spiral. Picture yourself as the pilot, wrap both hands around the stick, and pull back. Deuteronomy 30:19 says it best: choose life.
- Choose life. Bless yourself the way you’d bless your best friend. You never lose. You either win or you learn.
- Commit. Do it anyway. Cathy has sent an email every week since July 2013, minus one week. The store owners who build real businesses are the ones who keep showing up, even when they don’t feel like it.
- Confront the armor. Overthinking feels careful, but it guarantees that nothing moves. The order doesn’t get placed, the hire doesn’t get made, and the price doesn’t go up.
- Your rescue line. When the plane starts going down, breathe in “Armor off,” then breathe out “Choose life.”
Your Millie Moment: This Week, Do These Four Things
- Catch one spiral. The next time you catch yourself cursing yourself, especially at 11 p.m. or 2 a.m. while scrolling, close the app. Picture yourself pulling back on that stick and say out loud: choose life.
- Bless yourself like your BFF. Write “BFF” on a Post-it and put it where you’ll see it every day. Or do what Cathy’s coach Joey told her: put a picture of your seven-year-old self on your desk. Would you curse that little girl? Of course not.
- Name your armor. Where is overthinking showing up in your store right now? An order sheet, an email, a hire, an owner-pay conversation, a price increase? Write it down and say it out loud: “This is my armor. I’m scared of being wrong.”
- Take one action anyway. Pick the thing you named and move it forward this week. Place the order. Send the email. Raise the price. Done beats perfect.
Resources & Links
- Listen to the episodes Cathy mentions:
- Episode #099 and Episode #100: How Brick-and-Mortar Owners Build Worlds Online with Simon Trafford (Parts 1 and 2)
- Episode #087 and Episode #088: White Space Is Not a Luxury. It’s a Strategy with Joey Gourdji (Parts 1 and 2)
- Episode #092 and Episode #093: What You Didn’t Know That You Needed in Order to be Truly Richer with Melinda Cohan (Parts 1 and 2)
- More on the power of words from Cathy’s friend Pat: #026: Health, Wealth & Happiness: The 3 Pillars with Pat Mussieux.
- Ready to free up cash and finally build wealth from your store? Apply for your free Gameplan Call, where we'll identify your growth opportunities and map out your most profitable next steps.
- Want a behind-the-scenes look at how our top clients grow profit without burning out? Our free training, Beyond Busy: 3 Shifts to Reclaim Your Time and Boost Store Income, walks you through the exact method we use in our Profit Club focusing on your role as CEO, CIO, and CFO to grow a business that's both profitable.
Tell Cathy “Me Too!”
Which of the four C’s hit you the hardest? Where are you wearing armor that you’re ready to set down? Leave Cathy a message. All she needs to hear is “Me too, Cathy.” And if you know another overthinker, please share this episode with them.
💚 Remember: The customers who love you love you, not your perfect decisions. Your family loves you, not your flawless week. Your team is waiting for you to lead, not to be perfect. Thank you for being part of these first 101 episodes. You are astonishingly, fabulously adorable. And you are loved. Armor off. Choose life.
