Re-Launch Week: Cash Flow and Inventory Control Boot Camp

Celebrate with the Boulder SBDC! To celebrate our new location at the Boulder Public Library and kick off our 2015 programming, Boulder SBDC is hosting a series of free workshops for our Re-Launch Week. Retail is a blend of art and science. As the store owner you understand your customers and what they want: you provide a point of view and a taste level, the ART. The SCIENCE involves understanding how to maximize the merchandise you bring in to support your vision. Inventory control is the best investment you can make for your store: Poor inventory management is the #1 reason retailers fail. And 1/3 of stores that fail are actually profitable but don’t have enough cash flow to run the business. We will talk about too much inventory, not enough inventory, gross sales, what percentage most retailers spend on merchandise, and inventory in relation to total assets. This class will walk through the basics of running a retail business and you will come away understanding: The difference between net profit and cash flow The 4 Pillars of Retail How to more accurately forecast your sales What an Open-to-Buy is and how to create one for your business How to create a cash flow projection To reserve a seat, please register! Location: Boulder Public Library Main Branch, 1001 Arapahoe Avenue in the Arapahoe Room

Speaker(s): Alyson MacMullan, Peak Retail Group

Alyson MacMullan is an accomplished retail and financial services professional with nearly 15 years of demonstrated success in financial analysis, merchandise planning and inventory management. With a proven track record of delivering positive financial results in diverse retail environments and in the Finance industry, Alyson has a deep understanding and a true feel for the numbers. Alyson’s passion for retail and her well-developed financial and analytical skills make her a highly valued partner to her clients. Alyson has a business background that began in the finance industry and ultimately led to a long career in the retail industry. She's developed her skills over the years with Piper Jaffray as a financial analyst in Mergers & Acquisitions and with large retailers Target, White House | Black Market and Nordstrom as a Merchandise Manager and Planning Manager. She also has notable experience with small online retailer eBags as a Merchandise Manager and as the owner of her own small retail business. Her experience is in both brick-and-mortar and online retail environments spanning segments that include Outdoor, Sports, Home Décor, Clothing, Cosmetics, Accessories and Commodities. Alyson’s passion is to be able to combine her command of the Science side of retail with her clients’ command of the Art side of retail in a way that enables her clients to maximize their cash flow and profitability. As a consultant, Alyson’s’ expertise lies in inventory planning and management, sales forecasting and cash flow management which are the building blocks of a successful retail business. Alyson holds a BS in Finance and a BA in Marketing from the University of Denver, with extensive additional training in Business Intelligence (SAP), Enterprise Planning (JDA), Online Marketing and Web Analytics (Omniture) and as a Certified Financial Analyst Level II (candidate). The Colorado Small Business Development Center Network is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA.) The support given by the SBA th

Fee: No Cost